The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chaired the Cabinet's session at Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh on Monday afternoon.
At the outset of the session, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques briefed the Cabinet on his talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of the Republic of Turkey, President Park Geun-hye of the Republic of Korea, and Prime Minister Mohammad Nawaz Sharif of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, and his meetings with United States Secretary of State John Kerry, and German Minister of Economy and Energy and Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel, which dealt with the prospects of cooperation between the Kingdom and these sisterly and friendly countries and overall events and latest developments at regional and international arenas. The Cabinet commended deep relations between the Kingdom and these countries and the keenness of all on their enhancement in various fields.
The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques also briefed the Cabinet on the content of the message which he received from President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi of the Republic of Yemen on the delicate and critical conditions experienced by our brothers in Yemen due to the Houthi coup against the constitutional legitimacy, and his call on his brothers in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to continue their constructive role to hold a conference under the Council's umbrella in Riyadh to be attended by all Yemeni political strata wishing to maintain the security and stability of Yemen. The King briefed the Cabinet on the welcome and positive response of the leaders of the GCC countries to the request of the President of Yemen to hold a conference under the umbrella of the Council in Riyadh, and that the Council's Secretariat shall set the necessary arrangements for this, stressing the continuation of the Kingdom's firm positions to stand by the brotherly people of Yemen, and that the security of the GCC States and the security of Yemen are as whole and indivisive.
The Minister of Culture and Information Dr. Adel Zaid Altoraifi said in statement to Saudi Press Agency following the session that the Cabinet reviewed a number of reports on events and latest developments at regional and international arenas, and commended the Kingdom's signing of several agreements and memorandums of understanding with the Republic of Korea, including the Peaceful Memorandum of Understanding in the nuclear side which includes cooperation programs relating to ' The establishment of the partnership in the technology of a reactor with small compact units' and 'Building common nuclear human capabilities and academic research''; and that it will work to promote and enhance cooperation in the field of technology and nuclear links for the interest of the creative economy.
The minister said that the cabinet was briefed on the results of the Gulf Cooperation Council foreign ministers' meeting with United States Secretary of State on Thursday and the firm positions by the GCC on issues of concern to the region and its stability.
The Minister of Culture and Information said that the council of ministers touched on a number of scientific and cultural activities taking place in the Kingdom, hailing the opening of the Riyadh International Book Fair, under the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, which embodies the care of the Kingdom for culture, science, literature and intellectuals, its civilization and cultural richness and its commitment to honor the creative and talented in various cultural fields.
The council also expressed the homeland's joy for the return home safely of the Saudi consul in Aden Abdullah Al-Khalidi, praising the efforts made by the state's bodies under the guidance of the wise leadership, since the first day of his abduction until his safe return.
The council stressed the keenness of the Kingdom to abide by international covenants, and the principles endorsed by the United Nations and its Charter 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, where there is no power over the judges in their rulings, and where the dealing with the cases before the courts is carried out without discrimination or exclusion of any case against anyone.
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, and banned violating them in a manner that balances the interests of the individual and society, stressing that the security, stability and prosperity are key factors in its civilization march towards sustainable development 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 extended thanks to all various competent security agencies at the Ministry of Interior and Saudi Customs for succeeding in thwarting smuggling, transporting, receiving and promotion of large quantities of drugs, during the first four months of this year, and the arrest of the involved gangs in addition to those responsible for falsifying documents and money laundering, which they collect from their criminal activities.
It hailed the vigilance of the security men and the coordination and integration among different agencies, in following up and monitoring of those involved and thwarting their plans, and the cooperation of the sisterly countries to protect the people of the region from the scourge of drugs.
Dr. Adel Zaid Altoraifi noted that the Council of Ministers was briefed on issues listed on the agenda of its session, including topics in which Majlis Al-Shura has taken part in their study as it was also briefed on the outputs of the Cabinet's Expert Bureau and General Committee towards these issues. The Cabinet has concluded as follows:
First:
The Cabinet authorized the Board of Directors of King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives to select of its members whoever it considers as suitable to sign a draft memorandum of cooperation between Foundation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Institute of Manuscripts at Academy of Azerbaijan National Sciences of the Republic of Azerbaijan, before submitting the signed version, to complete the statutory procedures.
Second:
After review of the report submitted by the Minister of Finance, and after consideration of the Majlis Al-Shura’s resolution No. (134/72) dated 01/09/2014, the Cabinet approved an agreement between the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Government of 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 24/03/2014.
A royal decree has been prepared to this effect.
Among the most prominent features of this Agreement:
1 - This Agreement shall apply on imposed taxes on income and capital for the interest of each of the Contracting State or its local authorities, irrespective of how they are levied.
2 - The taxes on income and capital are considered as all imposed taxes on total income, on total capital, or on elements of income or capital elements, including taxes on gains resulting from acting of movable or immovable properties, and taxes on the total amounts of wages and salaries paid by enterprises as well as taxes on the increase in the value of the capital.
Third:
The cabinet approved the executive rules of the Saudi Medals Regulation.
Fourth:
The cabinet authorized President of King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy - or his deputy - to discuss with the Kazakh side a draft agreement between the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the field of peaceful uses of atomic energy, sign it and then submit the final signed version for the completion of the statutory procedures.
Fifth:
The cabinet approved the final account of Saudi Railways Organization for the fiscal year (1434/1435 H.)
Sixth:
The cabinet approved a number of appointments at the fourteenth rank as follows:
1- Saleh bin Abdulrahman bin Mohammed Khunain to the position of Director of the Office of President of the Commission at Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution.
2- Saud bin Abdulaziz bin Melhem Melhem to the position of tax advisor at Department of Zakat and Income Tax.
3- Eng. Ahmed bin Omar bin Mohammed Al-Abdullatif to the position of civil engineer consultant at the Ministry of Transport.
The cabinet also reviewed two annual reports of King Khalid Specialist Eye Hospital and Saudi Industrial Development Fund for two previous fiscal years and issued the relevant instructions about them.