COUNCIL OF MINISTERS MEETINGS

During its regular weekly sessions in July and August, the Council of Ministers reviewed the following topics:

In a Cabinet meeting on July 8, Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdulaziz stressed the government’s determination to create more opportunities for university education and for jobs in both the public and the private sector. Education, he declared, should be suited to the needs of the labor market and of the nation’s development. He praised the support provided to higher education by the private sector, citing the recent establishment of two private universities and a number of private colleges, and urged businessmen and national establishments to create more opportunities for university education, particularly in areas of the country where there are no public institutes of higher education, stressing that specialization in education should meet the needs of the labor market, the economy and modern technology. 

The Cabinet on August 19 supported a proposal for introducing into the educational system the teaching of English at the elementary level, starting with the fourth grade. It then forwarded the plan to the Higher Committee on Educational Policy prior to final approval. 

In a session chaired by Crown Prince Abdullah on July 22, the Cabinet studied the role the private sector can play in investment, and urged businessmen and private companies to exert greater efforts in prioritizing jobs for Saudi nationals, training Saudi youths and taking advantage of financial support from the Human Resources Fund. 

Meeting on July 29, the Cabinet reviewed the situation in the Middle East in the wake of a serious escalation by the Israeli authorities, notably the hideous crime of the bombing of a residential district in Gaza that resulted in the death of fifteen people, including nine children, and injuries to more than 170, mostly women and the elderly. The Cabinet, taking note of the fact that the Israeli forces are continuing to demolish homes, put Palestinian people under siege and assassinate their leaders, declared that this crime must be considered an act of terrorism that cannot be justified under any pretext, and described it as a shameful blot in modern history, an action to be denounced, and a severe blow to current efforts being exerted to put an end to violence and push the concerned parties toward resumption of peace talks and restoration of security and stability in the Middle East.

Chairing the August 26 Cabinet meeting, Crown Prince Abdullah declared that Saudi Arabia is following with deep interest the latest contacts between the Palestinians and the Israelis with a view to commencing the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Palestinian cities and territories. The Cabinet expressed the hope that the international community would put pressure on Israel to follow through on these contacts and carry out the implementation of the agreements in all the Palestinian territories it has occupied, halting the violence, and giving a chance to the creation of a suitable climate for proceeding with the peace process and following a path leading to the establishment of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

On August 12, the Cabinet discussed the negative reports carried by the U.S. media on the state of Saudi-U.S. relations. Crown Prince Abdullah reaffirmed the strength of the relations between the two countries, describing them as "historical relations based on mutual respect, common interests, and concerted efforts to realize stability, peace and justice in the world in accordance with international norms and laws". The Cabinet praised the official statements issued by members of the U.S. administration in this respect [see story].