Mideast countries have right to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes: Saudi

Riyadh, Oct 11: The Cabinet, in its weekly meeting on Monday, reiterated Saudi Arabia's belief in the legitimate right of Middle Eastern countries to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, under supervision of and according to the International Agency for Atomic Energy standards.

The Kingdom gave voice to this belief just before the 71st UN General Assembly meeting discussing the importance of implementing the Agreement on Barring the Use of Chemical Weapons in Syria.

The Cabinet also reviewed the outcome of the Arab League's extraordinary meeting, held at permanent representatives level, to discuss the serious situation in the Syrian city of Aleppo.
It acknowledged the Kingdom's assertion that it is important for Arab countries to stand by the Syrian people and exert all possible efforts, at the international level, to provide safe havens where relief can be delivered for civilians

The Cabinet asked the international community to break its silence over the crimes committed by the Syrian regime.

The Cabinet’s meeting was chaired by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, who briefed the ministers on the outcomes of his talks and meetings with Maldives President Abdulla Yameen, Italian defense minister, Japanese minister of economy, trade and industry and Japanese minister of state for foreign affairs.

During those meetings, bilateral relations as well as the developments in the regional and international arenas were discussed, as was the oral message received by the monarch from President Mahamadou Issoufou of Niger.

The Cabinet praised the results of Al-Khaleej (Gulf) 1 shield maneuvers, which were carried out by the Saudi royal naval forces — Eastern Fleet — in the Arab Gulf and Oman Sea waters, across the Hormuz Strait as well as the joint aerial drill dubbed Al-Jazeerah (peninsula) conducted by Eagle (2016 fighters) in the UAE with the participation of air forces of the GCC member states.

Minister of Commerce and Investment Majid Al-Qassabi, who is also acting minister of culture and information, said in a statement to SPA after the meeting that the Cabinet discussed the Kingdom's participation in the joint annual meetings of the World Bank and the IMF, and the meeting of the G20, which were held in Washington, and highlighted the efforts exerted by Saudi Arabia to implement economic reforms as part of the national transformation program to achieve the Kingdom's Vision 2030.

He asserted that the application of these reforms is bound to yield a strong, balanced and sustainable economic growth, and to activate the role of the private sector in enhancing job opportunities and economic growth.

The minister said the Cabinet welcomed the outcome of the 28th GCC justice ministers' meeting, held in Riyadh, underscoring the importance of completing a study on transferring the current guiding systems to unified systems and laws as per the GCC supreme 36th summit, and based on the king’s vision.

The Cabinet was briefed on a host of activities and events held last week, including the agreement signed by the Ministry of Housing to construct more than 10,000 residential units in Tarout and Safwa centers in Qatif, the MoU signed by the Kingdom with Bulgaria in the fields of tourism and heritage, the 10th meeting of the general prosecutors and attorneys, as well as heads of investigation and general prosecution commissions of the GCC countries in addition to the symposium organized by the Global Union for General Transportation for the Middle East and North Africa under the theme Efficiency of Consuming Fuel and Alternative Energy.