G-8 Ministers in Rome hails Saudi King's Energy for the Poor

Rome, May 26, SPA -- Ministers of energy in the Eight industrial
countries and other countries participating in the meeting in Rome,
praised the Energy for the Poor Initiative announced by the Custodian
of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz at Jeddah energy
conference in June 2008.

"The initiative aims at making energy available for the poor nations
including swift financial assistance and financing energy projects,"
the Ministers said.

They added that the initiative has become a part of energy program
and infrastructure utilities at the World Bank group.
"This program is concerned with comprehensive financial issues
following the world economic crisis."


The ministers at the end of their meeting, in which the Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia participated along with China, India, Brazil, Egypt and
South Africa, expressed hope that the current world financial crisis
would not delay investments in the field of energy which is a
fundamental element for the world economic recovery.

The Saudi delegation was led by Minister of Petroleum and Mineral
Resources Eng. Ali Al-Naimi.

The participants of the meeting underlined the importance of
international cooperation in the fields of researches and development
of technologies of heat emission.

The meeting, held in Rome on Sunday, ended its deliberations on
Monday (May 25).


--SPA