Minister of Interior Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz, who is also Chairman of the Manpower Council, yesterday

attended a reception organized by King Saud University in Riyadh in celebration of the selection of Riyadh

as Arab Cultural Capital for the year 2000.

In reply to questions raised by professors, students, and reporters, Prince Nayef deplored the recent

hijacking of a Saudi airliner, and stressed the Kingdom's concern for the passengers and their safety,

rather than the hijackers and their exploitation [by Iraq]. On Saudization, he gave assurances that the

government is doing everything possible to encourage the private sector to provide employment

opportunities for young Saudis. On the question of oil prices, he stated that these are high not because of

the oil-producing countries, but on account of excessive taxes on petroleum set by the oil-consuming

countries.

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