Royal move to safeguard KSA unity, security

The Council of Ministers on Monday backed the punitive measures announced by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah against Saudis taking part in foreign military conflicts and joining terrorist organizations.
“The royal decree was aimed at realizing the Shariah’s objectives to safeguard the Muslim world’s unity, religion and security,” said the Cabinet, which was chaired by Crown Prince Salman, deputy premier and minister of defense, at the Al-Yamamah Palace.
The decree was based on a Qur’anic verse that urges all Muslims to stand united. “It is also based on Islamic law, which stresses the need to develop guarantees to protect the state from violators of its constitutional system,” the Cabinet said. The decree also aims at protecting the country’s youth from foreign ideologies, it added.
The Cabinet reviewed preparations for the opening of the 29th National Heritage and Culture Festival in Janadriyah, which is to be inaugurated by King Abdullah on Wednesday.
Prince Salman briefed the ministers on the outcome of his talks with Egyptian Prime Minister Hazem El-Beblawi, while highlighting the strong relationship between the two countries and their peoples.
The Cabinet expressed deep condolences to the families of the deceased and injured in the Madinah hotel fire on Saturday, praying for God’s mercy and forgiveness for the deceased, speedy recovery for the injured and perseverance for their families.
Culture and Information Minister Abdul Aziz Khoja said the Cabinet denounced the Israeli decision to build 558 new housing units in East Jerusalem, saying the move violated international laws and resolutions.
The Cabinet thanked the Palestinian presidency for its statement that Saudi Arabia has fulfilled all its commitments to support the Palestinian people in accordance with the decisions of the Arab summits, including its support for the Al-Quds and Al-Aqsa funds.
The Cabinet endorsed the penalties specified in a unified GCC Customs Law for smuggling weapons and ammunition, saying the penalties would be enforced through court.
The Cabinet authorized Prince Faisal bin Abdullah, president of the Saudi Red Crescent Authority, to sign a cooperation agreement with the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
Finance Minister Ibrahim Al-Assaf has been authorized to sign a draft agreement with Egypt and Sweden on avoidance of double taxation and prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income and capital. It authorized Transport Minister Jabara Al-Seraisry to sign an agreement for regulating transport of goods by road among Arab states.
The Cabinet appointed Shafi bin Ali Al-Jahdari assistant undersecretary for parallel education at the Ministry of Education; Mohammed Nabil Bukhari ambassador, Musaed bin Abdulmohsen Al-Qanawi minister plenipotentiary at Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al-Barrak assistant undersecretary at the Eastern Province Governorate for security affairs; Awadallah bin Murshid Al-Rehaili assistant vice president of General Auditing Bureau; and Saad bin Mithal Al-Mutairi director general of Account Auditing Department for Military Sectors at the General Auditing Bureau.