THE CUSTODIAN OF THE TWO HOLY MOSQUES KING ABDULLAH BIN ABDULAZIZ CHAIRED THE CABINET'S SESSION AT AL-YAMAMAH PALACE IN RIYADH ON MONDAY. AT THE OUTSET OF THE SESSION, THE MONARCH BRIEFED THE CABINET ON THE CONTACTS AND CONSULTATIONS HE HELD OVER THE PREVIOUS DAYS WITH SOME WORLD LEADERS ON THE DEVELOPMENTS OF EVENTS IN THE REGION AND THE WORLD. THE MONARCH POINTED OUT THAT HIS MEETING WITH SLOVENIA'S PREMIER AND THE AGREEMENTS SIGNED BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES EMBODY THE INTENTION OF THE TWO COUNTRIES TO ENHANCE BILATERAL COOPERATION IN VARIOUS FIELDS, ESPECIALLY IN THE ECONOMIC AND COMMERCIAL SPHERES. IN A STATEMENT TO THE SAUDI PRESS AGENCY (SPA) FOLLOWING THE SESSION, THE MINISTER OF STATE, CABINET'S MEMBER FOR THE SHOURA COUNCIL AFFAIRS AND ACTING MINISTER OF CULTURE AND INFORMATION DR. SAUD BIN SAEED AL-MUTHAMI SAID THE CABINET RENEWED THE KINGDOM'S CONDEMNATION OF ISRAEL'S CRIMINAL AGGRESSIONS AGAINST THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE AND ITS HAVING COMMITTED ONE OF THE MOST BRUTAL MASSACRES WHICH RESULTED IN KILLING INNOCENT CIVILIANS, INCLUDING CHILDREN, ELDERLY PEOPLE AND WOMEN. THE CABINET REITERATED THE KINGDOM'S STAND BY THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE, CALLED ON THE WORLD COMMUNITY TO SWIFTLY MOVE TO PUT AN END TO THE ISRAELI AGGRESSIONS, AND EMPHASIZED THE NECESSITY TO CONVENE AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE TO HALT THESE MASSACRES. THE CABINET STRESSED THAT ALL COUNTRIES SHOULD WORK TOGETHER AND COOPERATE TO ENHANCE AND STRENGTHEN SECURITY, STABILITY, RESPECT OF INTERNATIONAL LAW AND PROTECTION OF CIVILIANS ALL OVER THE WORLD. THE CABINET REGRETS THE USE OF VETO BY THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO THWART THE ISSUANCE OF A RESOLUTION OF THE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL DENOUNCING ISRAELI CRIMES AGAINST THE PALESTINIANS. THE CABINET AFFIRMED THAT SUCH A PROCEDURE ENCOURAGES ISRAEL TO CONTINUE IMPEDING EVERY OPPORTUNITY OF PEACE AND TO KEEP UP ITS AGGRESSIVE ACTS AGAINST THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE. WITH REGARD TO IRAQ'S AFFAIRS, THE CABINET EXPRESSED ITS PAIN FOR THE BLOODY EVENTS ESCALATING DAILY, AND EMPHASIZED THAT IRAQ'S SECURITY AND STABILITY WILL ONLY BE ACHIEVED BY COOPERATION OF ALL IRAQIS AND BY COMBINING THEIR EFFORTS SO THAT IRAQ'S INTEREST, PRESERVATION OF THE PEOPLE'S UNITY AND TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY PREVAIL. DR. AL-MUTHAMI NOTED THAT THE CABINET WAS BRIEFED ON THE OUTCOME OF THE 1ST INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION FORUM TITLED ''INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY STIMULATES COMPETITION'' HELD IN RIYADH. THE KINGDOM INITIATED THE LAUNCHING OF THE FORUM TO EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF PROVIDING AN APPROPRIATE CLIMATE FOR THE GROWTH OF INVESTMENT AS AN EXTENSION TO THE KINGDOM'S WAY OF SUPPORTING PRIVATE INVESTMENT AND AS AN INTENSIFICATION OF ITS EFFORTS TO IMPROVE THE CLIMATE OF LOCAL AND FOREIGN INVESTMENT WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF A COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM OF THE ECONOMIC REFORM ON THE TRACK OF DEVELOPMENT AND MODERNIZATION. --MORE
