RIYADH: Crown Prince Sultan, deputy premier and minister of defense and aviation, on Monday urged Arabs and Muslims to work for establishing closer relations with other communities and promoting peace, justice and tolerance in the world.
Addressing the weekly Cabinet meeting at Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh, Prince Sultan expressed his hope that the new Hijrah year, 1432, which begins Tuesday, would bring about peace and stability in the Arab and Islamic world.
“We have to work together to bring nations closer, serve humanity and deepen the values that have been upheld by religions and cultures,” he said. “Islam calls for brotherhood, mercy and tolerance, and spreading the values of justice and love all over the world”.
Prince Sultan thanked God for the success of a recent operation that Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah underwent at a US hospital to stabilize several vertebrae on his spinal cord. He also prayed for the king’s good health.
On behalf of King Abdullah, Prince Sultan wished the annual GCC summit that began in Abu Dhabi on Monday success and hoped that it would realize the hopes and aspirations of the GCC leaders and people.
The Cabinet meeting commended the content of King Abdullah’s inaugural speech at the Gulf Africa Investment Conference in which the king urged GCC businessmen to establish partnerships with their African counterparts.
Culture and Information Minister Abdul Aziz Khoja said the Cabinet expressed its satisfaction over Saudi Arabia winning 11th position among 183 countries in terms of business-friendly atmosphere in a report published by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group.
In its latest report, "Doing Business 2011: Making a Difference for Entrepreneurs," the IFC elevated the Kingdom’s position by one point from last year. The position makes Saudi Arabia the best place to do business in the Middle East and North Africa.
The Cabinet approved the formation a national committee for geographic data systems. The committee will formulate the Kingdom’s policies regarding geographic data systems and organize a national conference on the topic every three years. It endorsed an agreement to establish diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and the Republic of San Marino.
Khoja said the Kingdom would sign an agreement with Vietnam to avoid double taxation and prevent tax evasion. The Cabinet appointed Bandar Al-Wayeli undersecretary at the Ministry of Economy and Planning. Arab News
