The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques chaired this Monday afternoon the Cabinet weekly session at Alymamah Palace in Riyadh. At the outset, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques briefed the Cabinet on the communications, consultations, and meetings he has had over the previous days with a number of world leaders and state envoys, and which dealt with bilateral relations, regional issues, and world affairs. The Monarch welcomed the visit of the German Chancellor, Dr. Angela Merkel, pointing to the importance of the relationships that bind the two friendly countries. In his statement to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) following the session, the Minister of Culture and Information Iyad bin Ameen Madani said the Cabinet has emphasized the internationally substantial and effective weight that Germany enjoys as one of the largest European countries, head of the European Union, and so too are the European countries in general since they historically, geographically, and culturally have a strong relation to what is taking place in the Middle East. Such a status compels the countries of the European Union to play an independent, objective, initiating, and effective role on the Palestinian issue, the Iraqi predicament, the Lebanese crisis, and the development programs in the region. The Minister of Culture and Information further pointed that the Cabinet welcomed the positive response of the Palestinians to the call of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques that they hold a Palestinian/Palestinian meeting in the sanctuary of the Grand Mosque in Makkah Al-Mukaramah, away from the interference of any other party. The Cabinet looks forward that this meeting will embody the independence of the Palestinian decision, and that the Palestinian leaderships will shoulder their responsibilities towards the Palestinian People only. The Cabinet hopes that all countries of the region will gain as a result of the unity of the Palestinian people and of the unity of the ranks the Palestinian leaderships. --More
