Riyadh, SPA:

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chaired the Cabinet s session at Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh on Monday afternoon.

 At the outset of the session, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques briefed the Cabinet on the results of his meetings and talks with President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Republic of Equatorial Guinea and Foreign Minister and Minister of Economy of Republic of Turkey, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Home Affairs of Malaysia, and Ministers Responsible for Tourism of Gulf cooperation Council for Arab States, during which they reviewed bilateral relations and prospects for cooperation.

 The Cabinet commended the directive of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to King Salman Center for Relief and Humanitarian Aid to coordinate with the Command of Coalition Forces, the Yemeni government and the institutions of the United Nations to facilitate and transfer the wounded of Great Hall incident in Sanaa, whose cases necessitate treatment outside Yemen.

 The Cabinet praised the signing of King Salman Center for Relief and Humanitarian Aid of an executive program with International Medical Corps to provide services of water, sterilization and environmental sanitation in a number of governorates of Yemen in the framework of the royal directive to sense the needs of brotherly Yemeni people and stand by them in this crisis.

 The Minister of State, Cabinet s Member, and Acting Minister of Culture and Information Dr. Essam bin Saad bin Said said in a statement to Saudi Press Agency following the session that the Cabinet welcomed the joint statement of the quadrilateral meeting in London to discuss the situation in Yemen, which expressed its support for the efforts of United Nations Special Envoy to Yemen and the Road Map to be submitted to the two sides on security and political steps needed to reach a political solution to the conflict and for the call on all Yemeni parties to work resolutely with the United Nations Special Envoy on the basis of the initiative of Gulf Cooperation Council for Arab States, the outputs of the national dialogue, and the relevant resolutions of Security Council.

The Cabinet confirmed support of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for Asia Cooperation Dialogue Vision 2030 held in the Thai capital, Bangkok and the Kingdom's readiness to actively participate in most of the proposed axes to develop that vision into programs and put them into practice, and to stress the importance that the international law attaches to the principle of State sovereignty and immunity from being subjected to national judiciary of any State, and that the adoption of any unilateral legislation which undermines this principle is considered as a clear violation of the principles of the international law.

 The Cabinet discussed the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's participation in the international meeting on the Syrian crisis, which was held in the Swiss city of Lausanne along with a number of international parties and the Kingdom's confirmation of its firm position towards Syria, its unity, stability and territorial integrity and the importance of reaching a peaceful solution that ensures the end of this crisis, according to the contents of the Geneva statement (1) and the relevant international legitimacy's resolutions on the Syrian crisis.

 Dr. Essam bin Saad Said said that the Cabinet welcomed the statement issued by the meeting of Syrian National Coalition of Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces which was held in Riyadh to discuss the continuation by the Syrian regime and its allies to disrupt the political process and undermine its foundations and the requirements of its success through pursuing a scorched earth policy in all parts of Syria, especially in Aleppo, in a blatant defiance of the international and humanitarian law.

 The Cabinet confirmed the Kingdom's call before the 23rd World Energy Conference in Istanbul, for continuously investing in energy-oil production to keep up with future recovery of demand for oil and its adoption of a set of measures to increase energy consumption efficiency, including strengthening the capacity of the Kingdom in the field of solar energy, and activation of many factors associated with energy under the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 in addition to the continuation of building on the three existing pillars of its economy, which are oil and gas, chemicals, and mining, and the increase of its production of conventional and non-conventional gas by 50% to 18 billion standard cubic feet per day by 2020.

The Cabinet reviewed the Kingdom's expression of satisfaction over the outcomes of Paris agreement to combat climate change, and its call in this regard for the adoption of reducing greenhouse gas emissions policies and not to discriminate against any source of energy, and highlighting the Kingdom's special attention to the goals of sustainable development in 2030 with its three economic, social and environmental dimensions.

 The Minister pointed out that the Cabinet was briefed on the Kingdom's participation in the Second Committee of the General Assembly of the United Nations in its 71st session during its discussion of the item "Exploitation of Science and Technology for Development", and the Kingdom's confirmation that it will continue its march in the ongoing support for the implementation of the results of the World Summit on the information society, emanating from its belief in the significant importance of the outputs of the summit and its contribution to achieving the goals of sustainable development, according to the contents of the Kingdom's Vision 2030 for enhancing competitiveness and raising the quality of services and economic development.

 The Cabinet also expressed the welcoming of the Kingdom to liberating Dabiq" town from the grip of ISIS terrorist organization, praising the victory achieved by "Free Syrian Army" supported by Turkish troops within operations "The Shield of the Euphrates," against ISIS, which is considered as an important step on the way to defeat terrorism.

 The Cabinet expressed the Kingdom's condemnation of the attack by Houthi militias against Destroyer (Mason) of US navy in the Red Sea, stressing that this terrorist act exposes the international navigation to risk, as well as condemnation of attacking Emirati relief ship, their continuing attacks against civilians in the border villages of the Kingdom and their firing of missiles toward the Kingdom's territories.

The Cabinet condemned the terrorist acts that took place in North Sinai of Arab Republic of Egypt, Gaziantep state, south of Republic of Turkey, and in Baghdad, Republic of Iraq, that resulted in deaths and injuries, confirming the Kingdom's rejection of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, offering condolences to the families of the victims in those countries, wishing a speedy recovery for the injured.

 In domestic affairs, the Cabinet praised the adoption of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques of the restoration of a number of historic mosques in Madinah region, which was announced by Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, President of Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage.

 The Cabinet appreciated the signing of Public Investment Fund of a memorandum of understanding with SoftBank Group for investment in the technology sector in a step on the road of significant financial investment returns in the long term both domestically and internationally, within the objectives of the Kingdom's Vision 2030 which provides for building a diversified economy.

 The Cabinet reviewed a number of events and activities that took place during the past week and their results and achievements.

 Dr. Essam bin Saad bin Said reported that the Cabinet was briefed on the topics of its agenda and decided the following:

 First:

 The Cabinet authorized the Deputy Crown Prince, Second Deputy Premier and Minister of Defense - or his deputy - to discuss with the Bangladeshi side a draft agreement between the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh to cooperate in the field of defense, sign it and submit the final version to complete the legal procedures.

Second :

 The Cabinet authorized the Minister of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance - or his deputy - to discuss with the Tajik side a draft memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the field of Islamic affairs between the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Committee for Religious Affairs of Republic of Tajikistan, sign it, and submit the final version to complete the legal procedures.

 Third:

 The Cabinet authorized the Minister of Civil Service - or his deputy - to discuss with the Sudanese side a draft memorandum of understanding in the field of administrative development between the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Government of the Republic of Sudan, sign it and submit the final version to complete the legal procedures.

 Fourth:

 The Cabinet authorized the Minister of Foreign Affairs - or his deputy - to discuss with the Afghan side a draft memorandum of understanding on political consultations between the Foreign Ministries of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, sign it, and submit the final version to complete the legal procedures.

 Fifth:

 The Cabinet approved that King Saud University signs a draft agreement for Academic Cooperation between King Saud University of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and (Ganil) Center of the Republic of France, and submit the outcome to complete the legal procedures.

Sixth:

 The Cabinet authorized the University of the Northern Border of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to sign a draft memorandum of understanding for academic cooperation with the Rowan University of the Republic of France, forward the results for completing the regular procedures.

 Seventh:

 The Cabinet authorized the Minister of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, or his deputy, to sign a draft memorandum of understanding for industrial cooperation between the Ministry of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources and the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Supply of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, forward the final signed version for completing the regular procedures.

 Eighth:

 After reviewing a report by the Minister of Finance, the Cabinet approved a number of financial and procedural arrangements relating to security and safety projects in the State, including:

 1 - Government agencies have to verify, when implementing their projects, their compliance with regulations and instructions of the security and safety set forth in the concerned regulations and instructions and to commit themselves to the following:

 - Never pay any current or final dues except after a certificate by the consultant office affirming the commitment to the instructions of security and safety is presented.

 - Never start new projects or those already bidden but not yet started, and no down payment to be disbursed unless the project's security and safety plan is submitted after having been approved by the supervising consultant or government entity owning of the project, or both.

 - For the non-closed projects, or those being all-or-partly visited by the public, such as appendices, alterations, repairs or projects related to roads and transportation, the process of payment for them requires a certificate showing that the contractor is committed to the regulations of security and safety or the plan of security and safety approved by Civil Defense.

 2 - The Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs has to review the classification's system of contractors and its executive regulation as well as the main standards in force, and study whether to add a clause requiring the contractor to be committed to the requirements and systems of security and safety as a prime criterion in the classification of contractors and fixing their classification degrees.

Ninth:

 Upon official recommendations from the concerned authorities, the Cabinet decided to amend paragraph (1) of Article (5) of the agricultural quarantine system (Law) of the Gulf cooperation Council (GCC), which was previously endorsed by Royal Decree No. (M / 9) dated 02/27/1426 H, to read as follows: "declaration of quarantine and non-quarantine pests subjected to the regulations to be included in the two lists: (1) and (2) statements of these pests as executive appendices for this system (the law). "

 Tenth:

 The Cabinet approved the controlling applications for its former resolution No. (66) dated 25/02/1437 H. suspending green fodder cultivation for no more than three years, including the following guidelines:

 1 - areas covered by the Council of Ministers resolution No. (66) dated 25/02/1437 AH whose total areas exceed 50 hectares and located in the sedimentary shelf and rely on groundwater needed for drinking.

 2 - whoever practices fodder cultivation in the areas referred to above is obliged to stop planting them at all before 02/25/1440 H.

 3 - the export of water-depleting agricultural crops and their products specified by the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture is prohibited.

 4 - Those who are practicing green fodder cultivation in areas that do not fall within the above mentioned controls at the time of the issuance of the above-mentioned Cabinet's resolution No. (66), are to choose between one of the following alternatives:

 one: entirely stopping green fodder cultivation, and in this case, has to choose one of the following two options:

 1 - to get financial compensation of SR4,000 per hectare, not exceeding two SR200,000, which will be paid to the owner in installments over five years.

 2 - grow wheat in an area not exceeding 50 hectares.

second: to continue cultivating green fodder in an area not exceeding 50 hectares.

 5- Those who are practicing green fodder cultivation in areas that do not fall within the controls prescribed in Article First and are not exceeding 100 hectares at the time of the issuance of the above-mentioned Cabinet's resolution No. (66), are to choose between one of the following alternatives:

 one: entirely stopping green fodder cultivation, and get a financial compensation of SR4,000 per hectare, not exceeding SR200,000, which will be paid to the owner in installments over five years.

 two: reducing the cultivated area to a maximum 50 hectares and in this case, the farmer could continue in growing green fodder or wheat and get a financial compensation for the trimmed area, not exceeding SR200,000 which will be paid to him in installments over five years.

 eleventh :

 The Cabinet appointed the following as members of the National Committee for enforcing the moral content of information technology for a period of three years:

 They are :

 1 - Dr. Abdullatif bin Mohammed Al-Abdullatif and Dr. Abdul Mohsen bin Mohammad Al-Samih as representatives of the Saudi government universities teaching staff.

 2 - Ahmed bin Saad bin Mraikhan Al-Jibreen, representative of the private sector institutions.

 3 - Mr. Sultan bin Abdulrahman bin Mohammed Al-Bazei, representative of civil society institutions.

 - twelfth:

 The Cabinet approved the organization on the participation of official delegations in meetings abroad.

The Cabinet approved the promotion of the following:

 1- Dr. Rashed bin Ghayyadh bin Rashed Al-Ghayyadh to the position of undersecretary of the ministry of education for educational development in the 15th rank

 2- Mohammed bin Abdulmohsen bin Khaza'al Al-Osaimi to the position of legal consultant at the ministry of finance in the 14th rank

 3- Ali bin Ahmed bin Mohammed Asiri to the position of director general of the general administration for administrative and financial affairs at the ministry of environment, water and agriculture in the 14th rank

 4- Mohsen bin Mohammed bin Naser Al-Bagmi to the position of director general for follow-up at the ministry of education at the 14th rank

 5- Othman bin Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Tuwaijri to the position of cultural attache at the ministry of education in the 14th rank

 6- Nizar bin Ahmed bin Abdul-Elah bin Abduljabbar to the position of assistant director general of the general auditing bureau's Makkah branch in the 14th rank.

 The Cabinet has reviewed a number of issues on its agenda, including the outcomes of the 41st Islamic Development Bank council meeting, a report submitted by the Kingdom's delegation to the 4th Arab-Japan economic forum, the results of the Saudi Development Fund's participation in the 6th Somalia high-level forum on partnership. The Cabinet took the relevant instructions towards them.