Saudi Arabia renews call to stamp out terror

Saudi Arabia's Council of Ministers on Monday strongly condemned Sunday’s terrorist bombings that struck Egypt, Turkey and Somalia, claiming the lives of scores of people and injuring many others.

While reiterating the Kingdom’s firm position against terrorism, the Cabinet called for concerted efforts by the global community to root out the scourge of terrorism.

King Salman chaired the weekly session of the Cabinet at al-Yamama Palace in Riyadh.

In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency following the session, Minister of Culture and Information Adel Al-Turaifi said the Cabinet offered its sincere condolences to the bereaved families of the victims as well as to the governments of Egypt, Turkey and Somalia.

The Cabinet stressed that these terrorist acts are rejected by Islam and other religions, and are in contravention of humanitarian values and principles as well as international norms and conventions. The Cabinet expressed happiness over the Kingdom’s election to the UN Human Rights Council for a fourth term. “This emphasizes an appreciation of the Kingdom’s efforts in consolidating justice, equality, and protection and promotion of human rights at the domestic and international levels.”

Al-Turaifi said the Cabinet renewed its calls to convene an emergency session of the UN General Assembly, demanding the international body to assume responsibility to protect the Syrian people who are exposed to mass killings, siege and displacement in the ongoing aggression by the Syrian regime and its allies.

The Cabinet expressed satisfaction over the decision of both the OPEC and non-OPEC countries for a production cut, hoping that it would contribute to the global oil market stability, and thus benefiting both producers, consumers as well as the oil industry and the global economy in general.

Al-Turaifi said the Cabinet approved a memorandum of understanding in the field of promoting the development of informational silk route between the Saudi Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and China’s State Committee for Development and Reform signed in Riyadh last year.

It also endorsed an agreement to create a high-level Saudi Chinese joint committee. Another decision of the Cabinet was granting license to Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi, the largest bank in Japan, to open its branch in the Kingdom.

This article was first published in the Saudi Gazette.