PRINCE SAUD AL-FAISAL, THE FOREIGN MINISTER EXPRESSED HIS THANKS AND GRATITUDE TO THE CUSTODIAN OF THE TWO HOLY MOSQUES KING ABDULLAH BIN ABDULAZIZ AND CROWN PRINCE SULTAN BIN ABDULAZIZ, DEPUTY PREMIER, MINISTER OF DEFENSE AND AVIATION AND INSPECTOR GENERAL FOR THE ROYAL APPROVAL OF CONVENING THE GENERAL MEETING OF HEADS OF KINGDOM'S MISSIONS ABROAD AND FOR THEIR AUDIENCE WITH THEM. IN A SPEECH DELIVERED AT THE CLOSING SESSION OF THE MEETING IN RIYADH ON WEDNESDAY, PRINCE SAUD COMMENDED THE ROYAL DIRECTIVES THAT WILL BE A WAY TO BE PURSUED BY THE MINISTRY AND MISSIONS ABROAD, NOTING THAT THE DIRECTIVES INCLUDED COMMITMENT TO THE GREAT IDEALS AND VALUES OF THE ISLAMIC RELIGION WHICH CALL FOR PEACE, AMICABILITY AND ENHANCEMENT OF TOLERANT AND HUMAN RELATIONS. THE KING AND THE CROWN PRINCE ALSO LAID STRESS ON SERVING SAUDI CITIZENS ABROAD, TAKING CARE OF THEIR INTERESTS, ASSISTING THEM, HIGHLIGHTING THE KINGDOM'S CIVILIZED AND HONORABLE IMAGE, BEING KEEN ON ITS INTERNATIONAL REPUTATION AND POSITION AND ENHANCING ITS RELATIONS WITH COUNTRIES AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE KINGDOM'S POSITION AT THE REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ARENAS. PRINCE SAUD ALSO THANKED THE CHAIRMAN OF THE SHOURA COUNCIL AND MINISTERS FOR ATTENDING THE MEETING AND THEIR VALUABLE CONTRIBUTION WHICH HAVE HAD THE DESIRED POSITIVE EFFECTS ON ACTIVATING AND DEVELOPING THE DIPLOMATIC PERFORMANCE. THE PRINCE BELIEVED THAT SUCH MEETINGS, THAT WILL BE PERIODICALLY HELD, WILL CONTRIBUTE TO UPGRADING THE PERFORMANCE AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SAUDI DIPLOMAT TO ACHIEVE THE KINGDOM'S INTERESTS AND TO ENHANCE ITS STATUS AND LEADING ROLE AT THE INTERNATIONAL ARENA.
