​​​The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chaired the Cabinet session held at Al-Yamamah Palace here today.

At the outset of the session, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques briefed the Cabinet on the talks he held with President Mahmoud Abbas, the Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization and President of the Palestinian National Authority. The King reiterated the Kingdom's support for all efforts exerted to achieve a just and comprehensive peace in the region and to ensure that the Palestinian people have their legitimate rights to establish their independent state on their national soil with Jerusalem as its capital.

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques also briefed the Cabinet on the outcomes of meetings and consultations that took place during the last week on the developments at Arab and international arenas, including his meeting with the Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Abdulrahman Al-Attiyah who briefed the King on the preparations for convening the 12th annual consultative meeting of the leaders of the GCC states to be held in Riyadh on Tuesday. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques welcomed the leaders of GCC states, hoping that success will crown the aspirations of the leaders and peoples of GCC states.

In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) following the session, the Minister of Culture and Information Dr. Abdulaziz bin Mohieddin Khoja said that the Cabinet expressed appreciation for the decision of the Senior Ulema Commission regarding the criminalization of financing terrorism, since it involves corruption, insecurity and crime against lives, material goods, and private and public properties. The Cabinet praised the decision which showed the Islamic stand on this heinous crime.

The Cabinet listened to a report on the 11th consultative meeting of the Interior Ministers of GCC states which was concluded in Riyadh, praising the final statement of the meeting as well as the views raised during the meeting which reflect the success of joint security action among GCC Interior Ministries.

The Cabinet was also briefed on the results of the 84th meeting of the Finance Ministers of the GCC states, praising the efforts the ministers exerted to achieve economic and financial integration of GCC states.

Dr. Khoja said the Cabinet then reviewed a number of items on its agenda and issued the following decisions:

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The Cabinet approved that the state continues to shoulder 50 percent of the fee for issuing and renewing private vehicle registration license for three years; provided that such license be registered under the name of individuals, and the vehicle’s load does not exceed 1.5 ton, and each individual has no more than five vehicles.

The Cabinet authorized the Foreign Minister (or his deputy) to sign a draft statute of the Organization for the Development of Women in the Member States of the Organization of the Islamic Conference.

The Cabinet authorized the Minister of Higher Education (or his deputy) to discuss and sign with the Danish side a draft memorandum of scientific and educational cooperation between the Ministry of Higher Education of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Ministry of Education of the Kingdom of Denmark.

Having reviewed the recommendations submitted by the Minister of Agriculture regarding the second report on the implementation of the objectives of the National Strategy and Plan for Forestry in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for 1427/1428H., the Cabinet emphasized the provisions of paragraph (1) of the Royal Order issued in 1429H which supports the Ministry of Agriculture and other related bodies with all necessary material and human potential to implement the strategic objectives and national action plan for forestry, provided that these bodies include their needs in their annual budgets.

The Cabinet reappointed Dr. Amr bin Ibrahim Rajab as member of the private sector in the Board of Directors of the Saudi Post for three years effective 09/03/1432H.; and appointed Dr. Khalid bin Sulaiman Al-Rajhi and Awadh bin Othman Al-Assaf as members of the private sector in the Board of Directors of the Saudi Post for three years effective 20/08/1431H.

The Cabinet authorized the Minister of Health (or his deputy) to discuss and sign with the US side a draft Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation in the field of public health and medical sciences between the Ministry of Health of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Ministry of Health and Human Services of the United States of America.

The Cabinet authorized the Minister of Health (or his deputy) to discuss and sign with the Australian side a draft memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the fields of health between the Ministry of Health of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Ministry of Health of Australia.

The Cabinet authorized the Minister of Health (or his deputy) to discuss and sign with the Portuguese side a draft memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the fields of health between the Ministry of Health of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Portugal.

The Cabinet approved a number of appointments as follows:

1-  Gharamah bin Mohammed bin Gharamah Al-Asmari is appointed to the position of Director General of Follow-up (Rank 14) at the Ministry of Education.

2-  Mahmoud bin Mohammed bin Omar Al-Salek is appointed to the position of Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry for School Affairs (Rank 14) at the Ministry of Education.

3-  Nasser bin Mohammed bin Nasser Al-Homali is appointed to the position of Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry for Female Students and Examination Affairs (Rank 14) at the Ministry of Education.

4-  Suleiman bin Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Suraye' is appointed to the position of Director General of the Office of the Minister of State (Rank 14) at the General Secretariat of the Cabinet.