Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chaired the Cabinet's session held here today. At the outset of the session, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques briefed the council on the discussions and communications he held over the previous days, and valued the visit to the Kingdom of the President of the Republic of France Nicolas Sarkozy and esteemed the relations of cooperation and friendship that bind the two countries. In his statement to Saudi Press Agency (SPA) following the session, the Minister of Culture and Information Iyad bin Ameen Madani pointed out that in this context the council emphasized the keenness of the Kingdom on maintaining its relations with the Republic of France and the European Union, and hoped that they play an influential, active, and responsible role on promoting just and fair settlements of the issues of the region, especially the Palestinian cause and usurped rights of the Palestinian people. The council also looked forward to the role the countries of the European Union will play in confronting the global financial crisis and economic slowdown which will curb the effects and address the causes. On a different issue, the council expressed its condemnation and denunciation of terrorist bombings the Indian city of Mumbai witnessed and claimed scores of innocent people. The council expressed its condolences to families of the victims, the Indian government, and the friendly people of India. --More
