The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, who chaired the Council of Ministers virtual session here Tuesday, briefed the Cabinet on the content of the letters he had sent to the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, concerning the strong relations and ways to support and strengthen these relations. The Cabinet, on the occasion of Crown Prince's official visits to the countries of the GCC, affirmed Saudi Arabia's keenness to communicate with the GCC countries and strengthen brotherly ties for the interest of their peoples and to serve their hopes and aspirations as well as achieve more coordination and integration among them in all fields. Then, the Cabinet addressed the outcomes of the French President's visit to Saudi Arabia, his meeting with the Crown Prince, as well as the agreements and memorandums of understanding that were signed. The two sides stressed the importance of strengthening the bilateral relations to further constructive cooperation and new and promising horizons as well as coordinating stances on issues of common interest to achieve peace and security in the Middle East and the world in general. In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), Minister of State, Cabinet's Member and Acting Minister of Media Dr. Essam Bin Saad Bin Saeed said that the Cabinet followed the developments regarding global efforts to confront the coronavirus pandemic and the efforts being exerted by the concerned authorities to address it at all levels. The Cabinet affirmed that everyone must complete immunization and receive the booster dose as soon as possible, in addition to adhering to precautionary and preventive measures. The Cabinet considered Saudi Arabia's offered medical and preventive aid as well as its support for international efforts to combat the pandemic and reduce its risks in different countries of the world, as an extension of its humanitarian role in supporting friendly countries to confront crises and standing with those affected around the world. The Cabinet condemned the Iran-backed Houthi militia's barbaric, terrorist and irresponsible behavior and attempt to target civilians and civilian objects in a systematic and deliberate manner. The Cabinet reiterated that Saudi Arabia takes the necessary and deterrent measures in accordance with international humanitarian law and its customary rules in order to protect its lands, national capabilities, civilians and civilian objects and to stop such cross-border hostile attacks. The Cabinet commended proactive security follow-up of drug traffickers' activities targeting the security and youth of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where the General Directorate of Narcotics Control (GDNC), in coordination with the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority, contributed to thwarting a large attempt to smuggle more than 30 million Amphetamine pills into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Cabinet was briefed on a number of issues on its agenda. It authorized the minister of foreign affairs to hold talks with the Moldovan side on a draft general agreement on cooperation between the government Saudi Arabia and the government of Moldova and signing it. The Cabinet also authorized the Minister of Culture to hold talks with the Egyptian side on a draft memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the cultural field between Saudi Arabia and Egypt and signing it. It authorized the minister of tourism to hold talks with the Brazilian side on a draft memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Tourism in Saudi Arabia and the Ministry of Tourism in Brazil and signing it. It also authorized the chairman of Board of Directors of King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology to hold talks with the Kuwaiti side on a draft memorandum of understanding between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait in the fields of sciences, technology and innovation. It approved the amending of paragraph (H) of Item (Fifth) of the Private Schools Regulations, issued under a decision by the Cabinet's No. 1006 dated on 13/8/1395 Hijri, with excluding students with disabilities from the categories to be agreed on by the minister of education in the elementary stage in girls' schools from the condition for the school to include one of the two sexes only under the conditions stipulated in the decision. — SPA
