The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz chaired the Cabinet's weekly session at Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh this afternoon. King Salman began the meeting by briefing the Cabinet on his talks with foreign leaders, including President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, President Park Geun-hye of Korea, and Prime Minister Mohammad Nawaz Sharif of Pakistan, as well as his meetings with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and German Minister of Economy and Energy and Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel.

King Salman also briefed the Cabinet on the content of a message he received from President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi of Yemen on the delicate and critical conditions in Yemen following the Houthi coup. In his message President Hadi call on the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to continue their constructive mediation role in Riyadh.

The ministers were also briefed on the GCC Foreign Ministers' meeting with Secretary Kerry and the GCC's firm positions on issues of regional concern.

The cabinet stressed the interest of the Kingdom to abide by international covenants on non-interference in the internal affairs of any state, and on this basis, it does not accept interference in its internal affairs and rejects the encroachment on its sovereign right, including encroachment on the independence and integrity of its judiciary. The Cabinet emphasized that judges decide cases impartially, in accordance with the law which is derived from Islamic law, and the facts and without improper influence. The cabinet renewed the Kingdom's commitment to promoting and protection of human rights on the basis of its firm course derived from Islamic law, which necessitated the protection of human rights. The cabinet said that Islamic law balances the interests of the individual and those of society. The cabinet stressed that the security, stability and prosperity are key factors in the Kingdom’s march towards sustainable development and respecting and protecting human rights, through the enactment of laws and regulations, and the establishment of government institutions and the support for civil society institutions.

The Cabinet then approved the following: authorized the King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives to sign a draft memorandum of cooperation with the Institute of Manuscripts at Academy of Azerbaijan National Sciences; approved an agreement with Hungary on avoidance of double taxation and prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income and capital, and attached (protocol) which were signed in Riyadh on March 24, 2014; approved the executive rules of the Saudi Medals Regulation; authorized the President of King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy, or his deputy, to negotiate a draft memorandum of understanding in the field of peaceful uses of atomic energy with Kazakhstan; and approved the final account of Saudi Railways Organization for the Fiscal Year 1434/1435H.