Crown Prince Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard, chairing the regular weekly meeting of the Council of Ministers this evening, attributed to the strength of the Islamic creed and the desire of Muslims to come closer to God Almighty, the increasing numbers - already almost one million - who are flocking to Makkah from all over the world during the Holy Month of Ramadan to perform the lesser pilgrimage of Umrah. He stated that the reception of such a large number of visitors adds duties and responsibilities that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is pleased to provide in good spirit in the service of God and the guests at His Holy Places.

Information Minister Dr. Fouad Al-Farsi reported that the cabinet discussed several topical issues in the Arab and international arenas, confirming the constant stance taken by the Kingdom towards them, especially the Kingdom's position under the leadership of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd Bin Abdul Aziz that calls for building the correct bases for Arab solidarity aimed at a unified front and the realization of the Arab people's hope for prosperity and stability. Prince Abdullah called on all Islamic nations to follow the teachings of Islam, and highlighted the significant role being played in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia by the various societies for the memorization of the Holy Qur'an, describing their activities as a blessing for the implementation of the principles and values of Islam particularly in the hearts of young people.

Prince Abdullah then praised the steady growth of the Saudi industrial sector, noting the continuing rise in the number of factories and the volume of capital as well as the interest shown by non-Saudi companies in investment in the Kingdom on account of its political stability and suitable investment environment.

Dr. Al-Farsi reported that after due discussion, the cabinet passed a number of resolutions, including authorization for the Ministry of Posts, Telegraphs, and Telephones to sign a contract with an international company to design, procure advertising for, print and market annually, eight regional directories in Arabic and in English, for a period of five years.

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