Deputy Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Prince Mohammed bin Salman held talks on Monday with visiting Algerian Minister for Foreign Affairs Abdul Qader Msahel. Meeting in Jeddah, the two officials addressed joint efforts to combat terrorism and extremism.

 

They also tackled regional developments and cooperation between their two countries in various fields. The talks held at the al-Salam Palace were attended by Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir.

On the other hand, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Monday thanked King Salman for making contact with world leaders, resulting in the reopening of Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque and the removal of restrictions on entry to worshippers.

Presiding over the Cabinet at Al-Salam Palace in Jeddah, Prince Mohammed said the king’s efforts highlighted Saudi keenness to preserve the rights of Muslims to perform their rituals with ease, and the need to respect the holy site’s sanctity.

The crown prince briefed the Cabinet on his meetings with the commander of US Central Command, during which they discussed bilateral military issues and joint counterterrorism efforts. He also brief the Cabinet on his meeting with Iraqi cleric Muqtada Al-Sadr on Saudi-Iraqi relations.

The Cabinet condemned the launch by Yemen’s Houthi militia of a ballistic missile toward Makkah in an attempt to spoil the Hajj season. The Cabinet said this reaffirmed the claim by the Saudi-led coalition supporting legitimacy in Yemen that smuggling missiles into the country is due to the absence of control over Yemen’s Hodeidah port.

Regarding the Qatar crisis, the Cabinet welcomed the outcome of the meeting of the foreign ministers of the Anti-Terror Quartet (ATQ) — comprising Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt — and the affirmation of their six principles on combating terror and its financing.

The Cabinet welcomed the ATQ’s call for implementation of 13 demands to ensure peace and stability in the region and the world. It also welcomed the ATQ’s condemnation of Doha’s plan to obstruct Qataris from performing Hajj, and the quartet’s appreciation of Saudi facilities to receive pilgrims.

The Cabinet welcomed the statement by Arab foreign ministers on Israeli aggression against Al-Aqsa, and their appreciation of King Salman’s efforts to protect the mosque. In this context, the Cabinet expressed the longstanding Saudi stance in support of the Palestinian people, and rejection of the imposition of unilateral measures aimed at disrespecting Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa.

It said the only way to achieve peace is to implement the Arab Peace Initiative and lay down an international mechanism that will ensure Palestinian rights and end Israeli occupation. The Cabinet appreciated condemnation and rejection by the permanent representatives of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) of all Israeli measures in Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa.

The Cabinet also renewed strong Saudi condemnation of the terror attack in Kabul, Afghanistan. It approved a memorandum of understanding (MoU) against commercial fraud between the Saudi Ministry of Commerce and Investment and Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Commerce and Industry.
The Cabinet approved a cooperation agreement on the peaceful use of atomic energy between the Saudi and Kazakh governments.

It authorized the president of the General Auditing Bureau, or whomever he authorizes, to discuss a draft MoU between the bureau and its counterparts in the UAE, Egypt and Russia for cooperation in accounting, controlling and technical areas.

The Cabinet approved rules of work for the supervisory committees of sectors targeted for privatization.
It approved Saudi participation in Expo Dubai 2020, and approved the statute of the Economic Judiciary Authority of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

The Cabinet approved the appointment of the following as members of the Family Affairs Council for three years: Princess Lulua Al-Faisal bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud, Dr. Lana bint Hasan bin Said, Dr. Bandar bin Hamoud Al-Suwailim and Dr. Raja bint Omar Said.