Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The Council of Ministers on Tuesday appreciated the stance taken by all the countries, organizations and the wise people around the world over the issue of the disappearance of Saudi citizen Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul, Turkey. Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman chaired the weekly session of the Cabinet at Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh.

In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency following the session, Minister of Media Awwad Al-Awwad said that the Cabinet expressed its appreciation of all Islamic, Arab and friendly countries and Arab and international organizations, parliaments and agencies as well as the wise people around the world who have preferred wisdom, deliberation and the search for truth instead of rushing and seeking to exploit rumors and accusations.

At the outset of the session, King Salman briefed the Cabinet on his telephone talks with US President Donald Trump during which they discussed the latest developments in the region. The King also briefed on his phone conversations with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey and King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain. The talks focused on the bilateral historical, distinguished and close relations between the Kingdom and these countries, and the keenness of both sides to further strengthen and develop them.

Al-Awwad said the Cabinet welcomed the announcement of the Presidency of Turkey to respond to the request of the Kingdom to form a joint working team bringing together specialists from the two countries to reveal the circumstances of the disappearance of Khashoggi in Istanbul.

The Cabinet discussed the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) estimates, in its World Economic Outlook’s Report, on increasing the growth rates of the Kingdom’s economy for the years of 2018 and 2019 to reach 2.2 percent and 2.4 percent respectively. The report showed that the economic growth demonstrates the effectiveness and positive impact of economic reforms and financial measures being pursued by the Kingdom in accordance with Fiscal Balance Program within the framework of the Vision 2030.

The minister said that the Cabinet pointed to the Kingdom’s assertion at the United Nations in New York of its commitment to the provisions of the UN Charter and the principles of international legitimacy as the two cornerstones of its foreign policy. The Kingdom condemned strongly the bombing and suicide attacks targeting election rallies in Takhar and Lashkargah provinces of Afghanistan, the bombing of a school in Mandera, Kenya, and the two terrorist bombings in Baidoa of Somalia.

The Cabinet approved the regulations for the work of productive families and transferring the Productive Families Program from the Agency under the Ministry of Labor and Social Development for Social Security to the Social Development Bank, and transfer the vocational training program for women from the agency to the bank.