Second Deputy Premier Chairs Cabinet's Session

Prince Muqrin bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Second Deputy Premier, Advisor and Special Envoy of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, chaired the Cabinet's session at Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh on Monday afternoon.
At the outset of the session, the Cabinet expressed its appreciation to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud for his care and attention to the affairs of Muslims and his keenness on the solidarity of the Muslim Nation and its unity to achieve the aspirations of its peoples of security and stability, commending in this regard the holding of the 2nd World Congress of ' Islamic World, Problems and Solutions', being organized by the Muslim World League in Makkah under the King's patronage, which selected the Islamic Solidarity as a topic for its research and discussions .
The Cabinet stressed the valuable implications of the speech of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques at the congress, and his assertion that the keenness of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to achieve solidarity among Muslims is stable and neither budges nor tolerates it, as it is an obligation arising from the bases on which the Kingdom was founded, adding that caring for the unity of the nation and achieving its solidarity are derived from the Holy Quran and Prophetic Sunnah, which are the Constitution of the Kingdom and the bases for all its regulations. It also affirmed the King's speech that the Kingdom believes that the value of the Islamic Solidarity is determined by its desired objectives, and the most important ones of them are the unity of the Nation's word and ranks, suppression of the hot spots of conflicts and the causes of dissension, assembling the capabilities of the nation for its goodness, dispelling evils, and upgrading it to the level of the global participation in humanitarian issues.
In a statement to Saudi Press Agency (SPA) following the session, Minister of Culture and Information Dr. Abdulaziz bin Mohiuddin Khoja said that the Council of Ministers welcomed the results of the visits of Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Deputy Premier and Minister of Defense, to the Republics of India and the Maldives, noting that the talks between the crown prince and senior officials of the two countries reflected keenness on relations' development in all fields. The cabinet said that the final communiquأ©s at the end of the two visits confirmed the importance of continued activating and strengthening of cooperation in all fields to serve common interests.
The minister said that the Council then reviewed a number of reports on the developments of events and developments in the region and the world, reiterating the positions of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in condemning terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, everywhere in the world, whatever might be its motives, causes and objectives as a crime not linked to a doctrine, people, race or gender, stressing in this context what was included in the statement of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia before the Special Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations to discuss the situation in Syria on the condemnation of terrorist acts committed by the regime in Damascus against the Syrian people, demand to determine responsibility for such crimes against humanity and war crimes and refer them to international justice, withdrawal of all foreign fighters from Syria, and the creation of safe zones for Syrian civilians and corridors to facilitate humanitarian access to those in need.
The Council of Ministers warned against the continued and growing Israeli violations of the Al-Aqsa Holy Mosque and inflammatory and racist calls to attack it, calling on the international community represented in all states and relevant organizations to shoulder their full responsibility in the preservation of the city of Al-Quds and all the Islamic sanctities and their protection from Israeli threats and compel Israel to respect what is stipulated in resolutions and the laws of the international legitimacy.
After that, the Council addressed a number of scientific, economic and cultural activities in the cities of the Kingdom during the week, highlighting the contents of the final communiquأ© of the II Arab Forum for Development and Employment which was held in Riyadh under the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and which reasserted full commitment to economic and social rights emanating from the meanings of Islamic values.
Dr. Khoja said that, based on the Royal Directive, the Cabinet was briefed during its meeting held on 02/05/1435 AH on a number of topics, including ones studied by Majlis Al-Shura, and on what has been reached by the Cabinet's Bureau of Experts and General Committee and its Sub-Committee, the Cabinet decided the following:
First:
After reviewing what has been submitted by Prince Saud Al-Faisal, Minister of Foreign Affairs and after consideration of Majlis Al-Shura's resolution No. (26/14) dated 27/05/1434 AH, the Cabinet approved the Headquarters Agreement between the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), which was signed in Jeddah dated 05/09/1433 AH.
A royal decree has been prepared for this purpose.
Among the most prominent features of the agreement:
1 - To prevent using the headquarters as a shelter to anyone or using it for purposes incompatible with the objectives of the organization and its powers.
2 - The Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia reconginzes the international nature of the staff of the OIC Secretariat, and the organization undertakes that its employees comply to their duties as required by the interest of the organization only.
3 - To construe the provisions set forth in this Agreement in light of the primary purpose for which it was signed, namely to enable the organization to carry out its responsibility and mission in the host country to the fullest.
Second:
After reviewing what has been submitted by the Minister of Interior regarding the study of the adverse effects of energy drinks, the Cabinet approved a number of actions, including:
1 - To prohibit advertising of any energy drink or do advertising or promotional campaigns for any energy drink via any readable, audible or visible media organ, or by any other means.
2 - To prohibit energy drinks companies, their agents, distributors and marketing associations from sponsoring any sporting, social or cultural event, or taking any procedure leading to promotion.
3 - To prohibit the free distribution of energy drinks to consumers of all age groups.
4 - To prohibit the sale of energy drinks in restaurants and canteens in government facilities; education and health facilities; halls and public and private sports clubs.
5 - Upon the decision, factory owners and importers of energy drinks shall be committing to writing a text on the tin of any energy drink in Arabic and English languages - warning of the harmful effects of energy drinks.
Third:
The Cabinet approved a memorandum of cooperation between the General Authority of Civil Aviation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Department of Transportation Security of the United States in the field of civil aviation's security.
Fourth:
The Cabinet accredited final accounts of Saudi Industrial Development Fund and Finance Guarantee Program for Small and Medium Enterprises for fiscal years (1431/1432H) and (1433/1434H).
Fifth:
On the recommendation of the Minister of Health, head of the Council of Cooperative Health Welfare, the Cabinet approved a mandatory health insurance for applicants seeking to visit the Kingdom. This measure applies to seekers of visit visa, extension of oneâ€TMs expiring visa, dependents included, and land transit visa. The insurance should cover all health issues, emergencies, and health related air evacuation. Exemptions are extended to pilgrims; Umrah visitors; patients seeking medical treatment; individuals of diplomatic status; bearers of special passports; individuals holding ordinary passports visiting, under a diplomatic status, international organizations and agencies, where reciprocal treatment applies; and guests of the government.
The decision also included a provision on educating citizens who want to travel abroad regarding the importance of valid health insurance in the state the citizen wants to travel in order to cover health emergencies.
Sixth:
The Cabinet authorized the Minister of Civil Service - or his deputy - to discuss and sign with the Jordanian side a draft memorandum of understanding in the field of civil service between the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Government of Jordan.
Seventh:
The Cabinet approved appointments as follows:
1- Abdurrahman bin Mohammed Mustafa bin Ameen Ahmad is appointed to the post of Director General of Administrative and Financial Affairs (rank 15) at the Air Defense Forces.
2- Khalid bin Faisal bin Mustafa Al-Sehli is appointed to the post of Minister Plenipotentiary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
3- Ibrahim bin Abdurrahman bin Ibrahim Al-Humidi is appointed to the post of Assistant Undersecretary for Municipal Affairs at the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs.
4- Nasser bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al-Jadeed is appointed to the post of Financial Advisor (rank 14) at the Ministry of Finance.
5- Othman bin Nasser bin Abdullah Al-Othman is appointed to the post of Director General of General Presidency's Branch in the Eastern Region (rank 14) at the General Presidency of Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice.
The Cabinet was briefed on the annual reports of the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources for the fiscal year(1431/1432H) and General Organization of King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center for the fiscal years (1431/1432H) and (1432-1433H).
The Cabinet's General Secretariat will submit the Cabinet's decisions to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for his directives in this regard.