ARABSAT, THE ARAB-COUNTRIES-OWNED-SATELLITE, HELD A SUCCESSFUL GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN DAMASCUS TODAY, MOHAMMED JAMEEL MULLAH, SAUDI ARABIA'S MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SAID IN A STATEMENT TO THE SAUDI PRESS AGENCY. FOLLOWING THE MEETING, HE SAID SAUDI ARABIA PARTICIPATES IN THIS MEETING AS ARABSAT'S BIGGEST SHAREHOLDER AND HOST OF ITS ADMINISTRATION. SAUDI ARABIA SUPPORTS ARABSAT THROUGH PROVISION OF NECESSARY FACILITIES AND WORK TO MEET ALL ITS REQUIREMENTS, PARTICULARLY IN THE INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, HE SAID, CITING THE REGISTRATION OF FREQUENCIES AND ORBITAL SITES TO THE INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS UNION. HE SAID THE MEETING DECIDED TO EXEMPT THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY FROM THEIR ARREARS AS THEY ARE NOW SUBJECT TO ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL SIEGE. ON HIS PART, FAREEED YUSEF KHASHOGJI, CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF ARABSAT, SAID ARABSAT, WHICH WORKS UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF THE ARAB LEAGUE, IS AMONG THE AL'S SUCCESSFUL INSTITUTIONS. DURING THE COMING TWO YEARS, ARABSAT WILL LAUNCH ITS THREE-SATELLITE FIFTH GENERATION AT AN ESTIMATED $800 MILLION WITH THE FIRST SATELLITE GOES TO ORBIT AND STARTS ITS MISSION BY THE BEGINNING OF 2010 TO 2011, HE SAID. ON HIS PART, SYRIA'S MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS OMER SALEM SAID THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA HOSTS ARABSAT AND PROVIDES ALL KINDS OF SUPPORT, LAUDING THE PERSONAL PROMOTION OF ARABSAT EXTENDED BY MINISTER MULLAH WHO USES HIS GOOD OFFICES TO BOOST EVEN ARABSAT'S MARKETING DEALINGS. HE SAID IRAQ WILL CONTINUE TO RECEIVE REDUCTIONS OVER TELEPHONE CALLS CHARGES FOR THE YEARS TO COME.
