Saudi Cabinet calls to make region free of nuclear arms

RIYADH: Saudi Cabinet on Tuesday reiterated its stance over the Iranian nuclear issue and also condemned the continued refusal of Israel to join the treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.
The Cabinet meeting, chaired by King Salman in Riyadh, stressed the need to subject Israel’s nuclear facilities to the system of comprehensive safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Saudi Arabia also condemned the use of chemical weapons in Syria and called for holding the perpetrators of such attacks accountable.
The king briefed the Cabinet about the recent visits of Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
He affirmed the Kingdom’s continued support to the Palestinian people and their right to establish an independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
The Cabinet hailed the decision to establish a joint economic committee and the Saudi-Palestinian Business Council.
The ministers described the formation of these bodies an extension of the Saudi support to the Palestinian cause.
Following the Cabinet meeting, Media Minister Turki Al-Shabanah said, in a statement to the Saudi Press Agency, that the Cabinet also reviewed the statements condemning the attacks of Saudi Aramco oil facilities issued by the interior ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) at their 36th meeting in Muscat, Oman.
The GCC interior ministers expressed their support to all measures taken by Saudi Arabia for the protection of its sovereignty and security. They also called for a joint security plan to secure maritime navigation in the Arabian Gulf.

The Cabinet discussed the final statement of a security and defense conference held in Riyadh and attended by the chiefs of army staff of the GCC and other friendly countries including the US, the UK, Egypt, Jordan, Pakistan, France, Republic of Korea, the Netherlands, Italy, Germany, New Zealand and Greece.
Condemning attacks on Saudi Arabia, the military chiefs described those actions as a direct challenge to the world economy and the international community and expressed solidarity with the Kingdom.
They defended Saudi Arabia’s right to self-defense in accordance with international law. Al-Shabanah said the Cabinet reviewed a number of reports on the latest regional and global developments.
The Cabinet congratulated Japan’s Emperor Naruhito on his accession to the throne and wished his country continued progress and prosperity.
Saudi Arabia also condemned the recent terrorist attacks in Afghanistan.
The Cabinet, according to the media minister, authorized different ministries to finalize draft agreements or sign memorandums of understanding with their counterparts in other countries.