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 king briefed the cabinet on his talks with Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifah Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar, hailing the strong relations between the two countries and their keenness to boost them in various fields. The king also briefed the cabinet on the contents of the messages, contacts and meetings he made last week including the message he sent to Sheikh Sabah Alahmad Aljabir Alsabah, the Emir of Kuwait, the message he received from Egyptian President Mohammad Hosni Mubarak and the telephone call he received from Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Salih. In his statement to Saudi Press Agency following the session, Minister of Culture and Information Dr. Abdulaziz Khojah said that then, the cabinet listened to a report on developments of local and external events and activities and welcomed the king"s winning of the Award of Barcelona Meeting Point for his sound, far-sighted views and visions and positive initiatives reflected in his establishment of King Abdullah Economic City. The cabinet also hailed the king"s support for the kingdom"s universities in their scientific efforts, highlighting in this regard King Saud University"s scientific accomplishments and advanced levels among its counterparts in the world and the king"s support for education in general and higher education in particular. The minister said the cabinet then listened to a report on preparations taken by all sectors concerned with the services of pilgrims who began arriving in the kingdom. The cabinet stressed in this regard that the kingdom"s policy does not allow any one to disrupt Hajj, undermine Hajj"s security or divide Muslims" ranks, calling on all pilgrims to avoid anything that might disrupt Hajj, and advised all to benefit from their presence in the holy places to worship God and adhere to Hajj"s legal goals in line with God"s saying: "For Hajj are the months well known. If any one undertakes that duty therein, Let there be no obscenity, nor wickedness, nor wrangling in the Hajj. And whatever good ye do, (be sure) Allah knoweth it. And take a provision (With you) for the journey, but the best of provisions is right conduct. So fear Me, O ye that are wise," Surah 2. Al-Baqara (The Cow), verse 197. --More
