Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd Bin Abdul Aziz yesterday chaired the regular weekly session of the Council of Ministers.   Reiterating concern for realizing the targeted goals of the Sixth Development plan, now in its third year, King Fahd declared:  “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will go ahead to realize comprehensive development throughout the country by providing public utilities, and by urging efficiency of performance and the optimum use of potential.”  He then called on the private sector to intensify its efforts in its distinguished role of further strengthening the national economy, making it clear that the Kingdom will continue its policy of encouraging and supporting the private sector in setting up more investment projects, by providing suitable incentives and consultative services as well as basic information.

Information Minister Dr. Fouad Al-Farsi reported that the Kingdom is working to consolidate the economic efficiency of its basic infrastructure through local planning and the continuation of urban development as well as the application of the proper technology for operation and maintenance in addition to finding channels of cooperation among the concerned bodies. He said that King Fahd urged the Ministers to exert the utmost effort to enroll all capabilities for greater accomplishment in the framework of the state policy to provide comfort for all citizens, calling on the specialized colleges of the universities and the Institute of Public Administration to work out educational and training programs with the aim of enhancing the capabilities of Saudi citizens in the field of planning.
The cabinet also reviewed a report presented by the Minister of Industry and Electricity on the rationalization of the consumption of electric power, and urged all citizens and residents to conserve such a vital source of energy.
King Fahd then briefed the cabinet on the latest external developments, especially those related to the peace process in the region, and reaffirmed the Kingdom’s stand which calls for the establishment of a just and comprehensive peace on all tracks.  The cabinet expressed satisfaction at the conclusion, reached last Wednesday, of the Hebron Accord, which is derived from articles signed by both the Palestinian and the Israeli sides at the Madrid Peace Conference.
Referring to the resolutions adopted by the cabinet, Dr. Al-Farsi said it approved in principle the exchange of  trade and economic visits between Saudi Arabia and Poland, and approved the formation of a committee comprising delegates from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Finance and National Economy, Planning, Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Commerce, and Industry and Electricity, to conduct a study on the signing of an agreement for economic, commercial, investment and technical cooperation; another accord on protection and encouragement of joint investments between the two countries;  and promotion of contacts between the two national airlines to assess the feasibility of signing a mutual air transport accord.  The cabinet also approved the international convention which calls for checking the enlistment, use, financing and training of mercenaries, with the reservation that the Kingdom does not consider itself committed to paragraph one of the 17th article of the convention.

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