Deputy Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Prince Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz today presided over

the regular weekly meeting of the Council of Ministers, which expressed optimism at the

agreement between the Palestinians and Israel on implementation of the transitional

accords. Crown Prince Abdullah said there is hope that the agreement will be translated

into reality; this would be a step towards establishing an independent Palestinian state

with Al-Quds [Jerusalem] as its capital, and lead to advancing the Middle East peace

process by reviving negotiations on the Syrian and Lebanese tracks from the point where

they were suspended.

Crown Prince Abdullah then made reference to the academic year that began last Saturday,

September 4, for the Kingdom's more than five million students, both male and female. There

are over 24,000 schools and eight universities with some 120 faculties, plus 60 colleges

for girls affiliated to the General Presidency for Girls' Education as well as numerous

institutes run by the General Organization for Technical Education and Vocational Training,

the Ministry of Health, and other civil and military sectors. He noted that Custodian of

the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd Bin Abdul Aziz has always attached special interest to

education, ever since his days as the Kingdom's first education minister, and urged all

young people to take advantage of the education facilities to benefit themselves and their

nation.
Turning to international affairs, the cabinet decreed that the Minister of Finance and

National Economy or his representative sign a draft agreement between Saudi Arabia and the

Economic Federation of Belgium and Luxembourg for mutual protection of investment.

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