Saudi Arabia yesterday welcomed the UN General Assembly's adoption of an Arab-sponsored resolution on Syria, asserting the decision reflected the feelings of the international community toward the suffering of the Syrian people.

The worsening situation of the Syrian people “necessitates quick and decisive action to initiate a political process that will pave the way for meeting the aspirations of the Syrian people, alleviating their grievances,” the Council of Ministers said following its weekly meeting at Al-Salam Palace.

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, who chaired the Cabinet meeting, expressed his satisfaction over the qualitative services being rendered to the guests of God who have come from different parts of the world to perform Umrah during the holy month of Ramadan.

Culture and Information Minister Abdul Aziz Khoja said King Abdullah briefed the ministers on the content of messages he sent to leaders of Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) countries to attend the emergency Islamic Solidarity Summit in Makkah on Aug. 14-15.

King Abdullah appealed to Allah to guide Muslims to adhere to Shariah and the Prophet's Sunnah (sayings and deeds) and lead them to greater success and prosperity.

“The Cabinet condemned the ethnic cleansing of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar as well as the brutal acts and flagrant violations of human rights against the Muslim population with the aim of coercing them to leave their homeland,” Khoja said, adding that the Cabinet urged the world community to take immediate action to protect Muslims in Myanmar. The Cabinet expressed its appreciation for the king’s order to disburse SR 1,360,696,500 among all families registered with Social Insurance and commended the Saudi leader’s humanitarian gesture.

The Cabinet authorized Crown Prince Salman, deputy premier and minister of defense, to hold talks with Finnish officials to sign a memorandum of understanding with the Finnish Ministry of Defense to strengthen defense cooperation.

The Cabinet approved a cooperation agreement with Iraq in the field of extraditing those convicted of freedom-depriving penalties. The agreement was signed in Riyadh on March 18, 2012.

The Cabinet approved amendment of the first article of the Cabinet's decision No. 58 dated 7/3/1433H by omitting paragraph 4 relating to the representation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Board of Saudi Wildlife Authority.

The Cabinet approved licensing China Bank for Industry and Commerce to open a branch in the Kingdom and authorized the minister of finance to decide on any other request, later on, to open other branches for the bank in the Kingdom.

However, the Cabinet insisted that the China Bank should abide the Kingdom’s Bank Monitoring System, Act of Companies, Foreign Investment Act and other acts, regulations and directives. In this regard, the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency was instructed to coordinate with the bank to complete necessary procedures.

The Cabinet reshuffled the Patents Committee, an affiliate of King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology. The committee’s new members are: President Mohammed Al-Ajlan, Mutlaq bin Abdullah Al-Hanaki, Abdul Rahman Al-Obaid, Abdullah Al-Bishr, and Ibrahim Al Mueddi.

Meanwhile, King Abdullah and Crown Prince Salman congratulated the Saudi team to London Olympics for winning bronze in show jumping competition.

The Cabinet appointed Jidaie Al-Hazzal ambassador at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Faisal Al-Nassar undersecretary of the Youth Welfare Presidency for sports affairs, Abdulhadi Salem counselor for Youth Welfare and Development at the presidency, Muhammad Al-Shawi director general of the branch of Control and Investigation Bureau in the Eastern Province, Abdul Aziz Al-Zaid minister plenipotentiary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Taleb Al-Ghanmi assistant undersecretary for revenues affairs at the Ministry of Finance.

Meanwhile, King Abdullah received at his palace in Jeddah on Monday the OIC secretary-general, Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, and the GCC secretary-general, Abdullatif Al-Zayani.

He also met with the Chief of Diplomatic Corps and Ambassador of Qatar Ali bin Abdullah Al Mahmoud, and heads of groups accredited to the Kingdom including the head of Arab Group and Ambassador of Djibouti Ziauddin Saeed Bamakhrama, head of Asian Group and Ambassador of Brunei Darussalam Pengiran Haji Jaber Eddin bin Pengiran Haji Mohammed Saleh, acting chief of North America Group and US Ambassador James B. Smith, head of Oceania Group and Ambassador of New Zealand Rod Harris, acting head of South American Group and Ambassador of the Republic of Argentina Jaime Sergio Serda, and GCC ambassadors accredited to the Kingdom including Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates Mohammed Saeed Al-Dhahri, Ambassador of Bahrain Sheikh Hamoud bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, Acting Charge d’Affaires of the Embassy of Sultanate of Oman Jassim bin Eid Al-Saadi, and Acting Charge d'Affaires of Kuwait Wael Yousef Al-Hazzal.

During the audience, which was attended by Crown Prince Salman, deputy premier and minister of defense, the ambassadors conveyed to the king the greetings and congratulations of the leaders of GCC, Islamic, Arab and friendly countries on the occasion of the holy month of Ramadan, wishing the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia further progress and prosperity under the leadership of King Abdullah and Crown Prince Salman.
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