Riyadh, SPA:
The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chaired the Cabinet's session held, at Al-Yamamah Palace, here yesterday.
At the outset of the session, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques briefed the Cabinet on the results of the official talks held with President of the Sudanese Supreme Council General Abdulfattah Al-Burhan and Sudanese Prime Minister Dr. Abdullah Hamdouk, citing relations between the two countries and peoples and ways of enhancing and developing bilateral cooperation, in various fields.
The Cabinet addressed the Kingdom's assertion during its participation in the Russian Energy Week held in Moscow, on its readiness to meet the world oil demand, following the extraordinary efforts exerted to restore its capability to supply markets within 72 hours, following the criminal attack on Khurais and Abqaiq plants, which strengthens the Kingdom's position as the most reliable, safe and independent oil exporter.
It also strengthens the Kingdom's seeking to establish relations with countries within and outside of OPEC to achieve permanent stability of oil markets, benefit producers, consumers and the oil industry, attract investment and stabilize the financial system to enable the global economy to grow and prosper.
Minister of Media Turki bin Abdullah Al-Shabanah said, following the session, in a statement to the Saudi Press Agency that the cabinet reviewed a number of reports on the latest regional and international developments.
He also pointed to the final statement of the 4th extraordinary meeting of the GCC Supreme Military Committee held, at the level of chiefs of staff of the armed forces, which was held here to consult on the current regional threats and situations, in order to achieve more joint GCC military coordination, stressing readiness of the GCC armed forces to confront any terrorist threats or attacks, condemning the recent sabotage attacks in the Kingdom, violating airspace of some GCC member states by carrying them out, in addition to attacks on oil tankers and threatening the freedom of maritime navigation.
The Minster indicated that the Cabinet has pointed to the announcement of Saudi Intellectual Property Authority (SIPA) of acceptance for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia nomination, at the General Assembly of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), to be the President of the International Union for the Protection of Industrial Property (Paris Union) for two years, with 175 members, in the assembly.
He referred also to the announcement of SIPA's nomination to be vice-president post of the International Patent Cooperation Union (PCT) comprising 152 countries, as well as the Kingdom's success in nominations for permanent membership of the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), during the 40th General Assembly session, held on the patents' regard, elaborating that such moves embody the world advanced standard attained by the Kingdom, in these domains and international reliability it maintained.
The Cabinet issued the following decisions:
First:
To authorize the Minister of Energy or his deputy to discuss with the Nigerian side a draft memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Energy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, in oil and gas sectors, and to submit the final signed version, to complete formal procedures.
Second:
To approve the draft charter of cooperation between oil producing countries and authorized the Minister of Energy or his deputy to sign the declaration of the draft charter of cooperation between oil producing countries with his Russian counterpart.
Third:
To authorize the Minister of Energy or his deputy to discuss with the Russian side a draft protocol of cooperation between the Ministry of Energy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation.
To authorize holding talks with the Russian side on draft memorandums of understanding, in the following fields:
Promoting and protecting mutual investments.
Increasing the export of agricultural and food products.
Tax administration.
Civil aviation security.
Media cooperation.
Fourth:
The Cabinet authorized the minister of commerce and investment, who is also chairman of the board of directors of the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property or his deputy to discuss and sign with the Lebanese side a draft memorandum of understanding in the field of intellectual property between the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Intellectual Property Protection Department of the Republic of Lebanon.
Fifth:
The Cabinet approved a cooperation agreement in the field of veterinary services between the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Arab Republic of Egypt.
Sixth:
The Cabinet authorized the minister of transport, who is also chairman of the board of directors of the General Authority of Civil Aviation or his deputy to discuss and sign a draft agreement between the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the government of the Republic of Portugal in the field of air transport services.
Seventh:
The Cabinet authorized the minister or labor and social development of his deputy to discuss and sign with the Lebanese side a draft memorandum of understanding in the field of labor between the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the government of the Republic of Lebanon.
Eighth:
The Cabinet approved a memorandum of understanding between the General Auditing Bureau of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Office of the Auditor General of the Republic of Maldives for cooperation in the field of auditing, supervisory and professional work.
Ninth:
The Cabinet approved a Franchise System.
Tenth:
The Cabinet approved amendments to the commercial mortgage system.
Eleventh:
The Cabinet approved an operation of transport networks as a first phase in some cities and provinces in the Kingdom.
Twelfth:
The Cabinet accredited a final account of the General Commission for Tourism and National Heritage for a previous fiscal year.
Thirteen
The Cabinet approved promotion to rank 14, as follows:
1- Eng. Fahd bin Khalifa bin Fahd Al-Hessan to the position of (Civil Consultant Engineer), rank 14, at the Ministry of Defense.
2- Eng. Mazen bin Adel bin Ibrahim Bukherjee to the position of (Planning Consultant Engineer), rank 14, in the Eastern Province Mayoralty.
3- Mansour bin Saeed bin Abdullah Al-Qahtani to the position of (Administrative Consultant), rank 14, at the Public Prosecution.
The Cabinet reviewed a number of general topics on its agenda, including two annual reports from the Ministry of Interior and the Saudi Organization for Industrial Estates and Technology Zones, for a previous fiscal year.
The Cabinet took note of them and made appropriate recommendations, in their regard.