The Council of Ministers on Monday authorized the Second Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior or his deputy to discuss with Russia a draft agreement on combating illicit trade in drugs and psychotropics and their smuggling and to sign a final agreement between the Kingdom and Russia in this regard. The Cabinet meeting here was presided over by King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. The meeting also approved implementation of the decision of the GCC Supreme Council endorsing the Abu Dhabi Declaration (unified law) on combating human trafficking in the Gulf countries. Dr. Abdul Aziz Al-Khoja, Minister of Culture and Information, said the Cabinet while denouncing the recent terrorist attacks on two hotels in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta stressed on collective international efforts to confront the menace of terror. The minister said the Council was briefed on the deliberations during the 15th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit meeting in Egypt last week. The Council lauded the final communique calling for boosting coordination among NAM member countries and its declaration of support for the Palestinian cause. Dr. Al-Khoja said the Monarch briefed the Cabinet on his talks, meetings and consultations with world leaders and their envoys during the past week. Last week King Abdullah held talks with the Bahraini King Hamad Bin Issa Al-Khalifa and Malaysian Prime Minister Datu Sri Muhmmad Najib Tun Abdul Razak, US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Director General Dr. Jacques Diouf. The Council stressed the importance of the King's visit to Taif governorate. It said the visit shows the King's concern and care for the citizens. The Council also praised the King's visit to Madina and Yanbu where the Monarch launched several developmental projects.
