Second Deputy Premier chairs Cabinet Meeting

Jeddah, July 27, SPA -- Second Deputy Premier and Minister of
Interior Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chaired today the Cabinet
meeting at Al Salam Palace in Jeddah.

At the outset of the session, Prince Naif conveyed the Custodian
of the Two Holy Mosques' reassurance about the health of Crown Prince
and Deputy Premier and Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector
General Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. He also expressed his
appreciation of the visit paid by the King to his brother the Crown
Prince in his residence in Agadir to inquire after the Crown Prince's
health. The cabinet also thanked Allah Almighty for the Crown
Prince's speedy recovery.

Then, Prince Naif briefed the cabinet on the discussions and
consultations made by the King over the past few days with leaders
and envoys of friendly countries regarding the recent developments on
the international arena including the message he received from French
President Nickolas Sarkozy and his meeting with Commander-in-Chief of
US Central Command.

In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) following the
session, Minister of Higher Education and Acting Minister of Culture
and Information Dr. Khalid bin Mohammed Al Ankari said that the
cabinet listened to a report on the latest developments in the region
and across the world. He added that the Cabinet also welcomed the
Hague's ruling regarding the demarcation of borders in Abyei, and
described the ruling as a positive step towards enhancing stability
and peace as well as encouraging peaceful coexistence.


Dr. Al Ankari also added that the cabinet hailed the decision made by
the Arab Ministers of Health at the emergency meeting held in Cairo
on the H1N1 flue preventive measures to be taken during this year's
Hajj season. The cabinet also welcomed the call for organizing a
consultation meeting with Heads of Medical Missions to make sure
these preventive measures are fully adopted as well as holding an
emergency meeting whenever needed.



The cabinet also renewed the Kingdom's keenness to enhance all
preventive and precautionary measures in order to combat the epidemic
as well as its readiness to help protect pilgrims in the Holy Places
in Makkah and Madinah through reserving sufficient amounts of the
vaccine.



Dr. Al Ankari added that the cabinet, having fully reviewed a number
of local issues and its agenda, took the following decisions:



First: the cabinet agreed to authorize the Second Deputy Premier and
Interior Minister, or his deputy, to discuss with the Jordanian side
a draft agreement on transfer of people sentenced to
freedom-depriving punishments between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and
Jordan and sign it.

Second: the cabinet approved the final statement of accounts of the
Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities for the fiscal year
1427/1428 H.



Third: the cabinet approved the Saudi Employment Strategy which aims
at full employment of the local manpower; increasing the national
work output to match that in the advanced economies and gradual
decrease of unemployment to eventually achieve competitive advantage
for national economy based on local manpower.



Fourth: the cabinet authorized the Minister of Social Affairs, or his
deputy, to sign an executive program for cooperation in the field of
social affairs between the Ministry of Social Affairs in the Kingdom
of Saudi Arabia and the Ministry of Social Solidarity in Egypt and
approve it through the Saudi-Egyptian Joint Committee.



Fifth: the cabinet approved a number of appointments at the 15th and
14th ranks as follows:



1- Ibrahim bin Abdullah bin Ibrahim Alshithri is appointed to
the position of administrative advisor at the 15th rank at the
Governorate of Riyadh Region,



2- Saad bin Solaiman bin Ali Alshihri is appointed to the
position of director general of the National Center for Meteorology
and Environment Protection at the 14th rank at the General Presidency
of Meteorology and Environment Protection,



3- Salih bin Saud bin Mohammad Ala'mairah is appointed to the
position of secretary of the region's council at the 14th rank at the
Governorate of Riyadh Region,



4- Nabil bin Abdullah bin Solaiman Altwail is appointed to the
position of advisor for rights affairs at the 14th rank at the
Governorate of Riyadh Region,



5- Eng. Abdullah bin Ali bin Abdullah Alqarni is appointed to the
position of undersecretary of the mayor for services at the 14th rank
at the Eastern Region's Municipality.



--SPA
1939 LOCAL TIME GMT NNNN