RIYADH: Monday's weekly Cabinet meeting reiterated the Kingdom's “resolute position” on “all forms of terrorism” and appealed to the international community to unite to combat the “menace that threatens security and stability”. Chaired by King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, the Cabinet expressed the Kingdom's “utter condemnation” of the killing of Saudi diplomat in Karachi Hassan Al-Qahtani, and described it as a “criminal act”. Ministers also condemned the grenade attack on the Karachi consulate last Wednesday, but said they were “fully confident” that the Pakistani authorities would identify the perpetrators and bring them to justice. The ministers urged the Pakistani government to step up security at the consulate and the embassy, and provide protection to Saudi diplomatic staff in both Karachi and Islamabad. In a statement to Saudi Press Agency following the meeting, Abdul Aziz Khoja, Minister of Culture and Information, said King Abdullah briefed ministers on his recent talks with foreign leaders on bilateral relations and international and regional developments, including his meetings with GCC leaders at the summit in Riyadh last Tuesday. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques said the GCC leaders were “determined to stand against anyone threatening the security and stability of any member state”. He also briefed ministers on messages he received from King Muhammad VI of Morocco and Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh and telephone calls from King Abdullah of Jordan and US President Barack Obama, as well as talks with the visiting Malaysian Prime Minister. Khoja said ministers praised King Abdullah for his work to develop education, citing his inauguration Sunday of the University City at Princess Nora Bint Abdul Rahman University for Women in Riyadh. In other domestic business, the Cabinet endorsed the restructuring of the Council of the Health Services at the request of the Minister of Health, and approved an agreement between the Kingdom and Japan to prevent tax evasion and dual taxation.
