The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz chaired the cabinet's weekly session at Alsalam Palace in Jeddah on Monday. At the outset of the session, the King briefed the cabinet on the talks and consultations which he held over the previous days with a number of heads of states and their envoys. The talks dealt with bilateral relations, regional issues and international affairs. In this regard, the Monarch commended his meeting with Qatar's Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and Lebanon's Premier Fuad Al-Siniora. The Monarch stressed that the Kingdom has been following the way of promoting cohesion among countries of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and that the Kingdom supports Lebanon's independence, stability, rapprochement among the Lebanese brothers, their unity and commitment to legitimate institutions. In a statement to Saudi Press Agency (SPA) following the session, the Minister of Culture and Information Iyad bin Amin Madani said that the King addressed the cabinet on the Kingdom's celebration of the 77th national day which fell on Sunday. He noted that the celebration reminds of the basic principles upon which the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been established including adherence to Islam as a religion, way and objective. The Islamic religion calls for the values of responsibility, equality, solidarity, justice, equity and harmony between the interests of an individual and society as well as responsible freedom. The Monarch indicated that the national day reminds us of the glorious day of the bravery, courage, belief in the right and sacrifice that have emerged in the generation that founded this state in its contemporary era led by the founder late King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Saud. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques stressed that the Kingdom has been proceeding on that constitutional track which has yielded fruits to this generation encompassing unity, pride and prosperity. These principles, values and situations have been a source of pride for us and they necessitate the responsibilities of service, sincerity, impartiality and loyalty to the religion, nation, society and the duty of work and achievement to be as major incentives in the march of the contemporary world. --More
