The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chaired the Cabinet's session at Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh on Monday afternoon. At the outset of the session, the King briefed the Cabinet on the outcomes of his tour to Malaysia, Republic of Indonesia, Sultanate of Brunei Darussalam, Japan and People's Republic of China during which he held official talks and meetings with leaders and senior officials of these sisterly and friendly countries, expressing his best thanks and gratitude to the leaders of these countries for the warm welcome and generous hospitality accorded to him and the accompanying delegation, appreciating what the talks had been characterized of keenness on strengthening bilateral relations and promoting them to broader prospects to serve their common interests, as well as the identical viewpoints on regional and international issues in the service of international peace and security. The King also briefed the Cabinet on the two telephone calls received from King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Kingdom of Bahrain and President Francois Hollande of French Republic. The Minister of Culture and Information Dr. Adel bin Zaid Altoraifi said in a statement to Saudi Press Agency following the session that the Cabinet expressed its pride for the appreciation and satisfaction over the significant progress reached at the level of relations between the Kingdom and these sisterly and friendly countries during the King's tour. The Cabinet reviewed in this regard the historic visit of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to the Empire of Japan, his meeting with Emperor Akihito, receiving Medal of Daisy Flower in appreciation of the King, his talks with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and other Japanese senior officials. It also reviewed the King's visit to the People's Republic of China, his talks with President Xi Jinping, meeting with Premier Li Keqiang, and Chairman of Standing Committee of National people's Congress Zhang Dejiang, and awarding him an honorary doctorate from Beijing University. The Cabinet stressed that what had been held during the two visits of bilateral talks, the deep exchange of views and conclusion of several agreements, programs and memoranda of cooperation embody, on the side of the Kingdom and Japan, their linking by historical and economic ties and partnership in launching Saudi-Japanese vision 2030 that will enhance strategic partnership between the two countries, and ,on the side of the Kingdom and China, their emphasis on the development of comprehensive strategic partnership and promoting the existing institutional framework of relations so as to ensure their continuity and advance them toward new horizons for the interest of the two countries. The Cabinet expressed in this regard its thanks and appreciation to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for his order that male and female students studying at present on their own expenses in Japan and People's Republic of China shall join the education mission within Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Program for Foreign Scholarship emanating from his keenness to sense the needs of male and female citizens and pay attention to their issues. The Cabinet stressed the King's speech at the inauguration of International Conference organized by Muslim World League represented in its Fiqh (jurisprudence) Academy entitled "Intellectual trends between freedom of expression and Sharia Law" and his emphasis on the Kingdom's keenness to present a model to be followed for the protection of rights and legitimate freedoms and the achievement of prosperity and comprehensive development for the society in line with the Islamic values, maintaining of societal security and harmony among its members and enhancing adherence to the religion and trust between citizens and officials. The Minister noted that the Cabinet commended the inauguration by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Naif bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Premier and Interior Minister of the campaign titled "Homeland without violators" approved by the King within his desire to settle the situations of violators of residency, labor and border security, and assisting those who wish to end their violation and being exempted from punishment. The Cabinet also commended the border guards in the southern border for thwarting several attempts to plant land mines, smuggle weapons, ammunition and drugs, arrest those involved and a number of violators and being firm with attempts by terrorist elements to attack border outposts, infiltrate to plant landmines and smuggle explosives, weapons and drugs. Then the Cabinet reviewed the results of the visit of Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Second Deputy Premier and Minister of Defense to the United States of America and his meeting with United States President Donald Trump and senior officials in his administration, commending historical and strategic relations between the two countries, stressing that the held discussions will contribute to deepening relations and strengthening the bonds of mutual cooperation in various fields to achieve the common interests of the two friendly countries. The Cabinet expressed the Kingdom of Saudi Araba's pride and joy in serving the pilgrims, Umrah performers and visitors to the two holy mosques, reiterating that the Saudi leadership and people welcome all pilgrims, Umrah performers and visitors from different nationalities, backgrounds and countries of the Islamic world, and avail all its material and human capabilities in their service to ensure their security, safety and comfort. Regarding the course of events on the regional and international arenas, the Cabinet renewed Saudi Arabia's condemnation for the Syrian air forces targeting the UN humanitarian aid caravans, which led to the suspension of aid convoys in Syria, and also expressed the Kingdom's concerns about the findings of an International Commission Report on Syria which was discussed by Geneva-based UN human rights council, citing war and human crimes still being committed by the Syrian regime, its allies and mercenary militias against the Syrian people, especially in the city of Halab (Aleppo), causing the destruction of schools, hospitals, water supplies, farms and food stores, and claimed the lives of many innocent. Dr. Adel bin Zaid Altoraifi said that the Cabinet was briefed on the topics listed on its agenda, including some which were co-studied by the Shura Council. The Council has concluded the following decisions: First: The Cabinet approved a general agreement on cooperation between the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the government of Burkina Faso, singed in Riyadh on 16/5/1437 H. Second: The Cabinet authorized the minister of health or his deputy to discuss with the American side a draft memorandum of understanding on cooperation between the ministry of health of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the National Institute for Allergy and Contagious Diseases of the United States of America in the field of medical research relating contagious diseases, sign it and forward the final version for further authentication. Third: The Cabinet authorized the minister of health or his deputy to discuss with the Jordanian side a draft memorandum of understanding between the ministry of health of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the ministry of health of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan on cooperation in the health fields, sign it and forward the final version for further authentication. Fourth: The Cabinet authorized the minister of culture and information or his deputy to discuss with the Jordanian and Cuban sides draft memorandums of understanding on cooperation and news exchanges between the Saudi Press Agency and each of the Jordanian News Agency and the Latin American Cuban News Agency (PRENSA Latina), sign them and forward the final versions for further authentication. Fifth: The Cabinet authorized the minister of communications and information technology, who is also chairman of the board of directors of the Saudi Posts Authority or his deputy to discuss with the Jordanian side a draft memorandum of understanding between the Saudi Posts Authority and Jordanian Posts Authority in the field of posts services for pilgrims and Umrah performers, sign it and forward the final version for further authentication. Sixth: The Cabinet authorized the minister of transport, who is also chairman of the board of the Civil Aviation Authority, or his deputy to sign two draft memorandums of understanding on cooperation in the field of air transport services between the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and each of the Government of the State of Qatar and the Republic of Chad and forward the final versions for further authentication.
