THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS, IN A SESSION CHAIRED BY CUSTODIAN OF THE TWO HOLY MOSQUES KING ABDULLAH BIN ABDULAZIZ TODAY, MONDAY 27TH THU ALQIA'DA 1427 H. CORRESPONDING TO 18TH December 18, 2006 AT ALYAMAMAH PALACE IN THE CITY OF RIYADH, APPROVED THE GENERAL BUDGET OF THE STATE FOR THE NEW FISCAL YEAR 1427/1428 H. IN A STATEMENT TO SAUDI PRESS AGENCY (SPA) FOLLOWING THE SESSION, THE MINISTER OF CULTURE AND INFORMATION IYAD BIN AMIN MADANI SAID THAT DIRECTED BY THE KING, THE COUNCIL DISCUSSED IN THE SESSION, WHICH BEGAN WITH RECITATION OF VERSES FROM THE HOLY QURAN, THE GENERAL BUDGET OF THE STATE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 1427/1428 H. AND APPROVED IT. THEN, THE KING ANNOUNCED THE BUDGET IN A SPEECH TO THE CITIZENS. FOLLOWING IS THE TEXT: --MORE