Cabinet backs Saudi Arabia

Manama, Oct. 19 (BNA): The cabinet has strongly condemned the terrorist attack that targeted a mosque in the city of Saihat in the province of Qatif, Saudi Arabia, last Friday, claiming innocent lives and injuring others. The cabinet stressed that such a despicable terror act, rejected by all religions, as well as human and moral values and norms, is aimed at undermining Saudi Arabia's security and stability. Chaired by His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, at the Gudaibiya palace today, the session reiterated full-fledged support to the Kingdom of the Saudi Arabia, under the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and the measures it takes to confront terrorism and to foil all attempts to fuel sedition among the members of the united and cohesive Saudi society. In a statement following the session, Secretary-General of the Cabinet Dr. Yaser bin Essa Al-Nasser said that HRH Premier had issued directives to give greater attention to the recreational facilities that serve the citizens, such as parks and public gardens, particularly in Galali in the Muharraq Governorate, through regular maintenance in order to ensure they are not neglected or used for purposes other than the ones for which they had been established. On education, HRH the Prime Minister issued instructions to follow up on the needs of schools and complete all their facilities and buildings, especially those with ready-made classrooms, so that they are ready to deal with the increasing number of students. In another context, the session called for devising a legislative framework for the agreements and conventions ratified by the kingdom in order to pave the way for honouring the obligations pertaining to the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, as well as chemical, biological and radioactive weapons. The panel adopted the stance while reviewing the periodic report presented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs on the meeting of the National Committee for the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction. The report and the recommendations featuring in it were referred to the Ministerial Committee for Legal Affairs. The cabinet also reiterated the kingdom's keenness on implementing the Post-2015 Development Agenda, adopted by the UN Summit, and assigned the Ministerial Committee for Financial Affairs and Rationalising Expenditure to follow up on the policies, mechanisms and procedures of the ministries and government departments to ensure the kingdom's steps to honour its obligations in this regard. The session also tasked the Supreme Council for Environment to put forward policies and effective procedures to deal with the phenomenon of climate change in a bid to reduce its negative impacts on economic development. The session also reviewed the report submitted by the Finance Minister on the Annual Meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund, held recently in Lima, Peru. The Cabinet approved, in principle, the application of the International Standard Industrial Classification (ISIC 4) in the Kingdom of Bahrain. In this regard, HRH the Prime Minister issued directives to coordinate with the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the competent ministries and government departments before the final adoption of ISIC 4. The classification aims to simplify economic activities from 1,800 to 409. The categories are divided into 19 chapters, 83 sections and 231 groups, the Industry, Commerce and Tourism Minister told the session. The cabinet discussed six proposals submitted by the Council of Representatives. They include a social centre for retirees in Isa Towns, a strategy for air crises management, providing shelter for victims during emergency cases in Muharraq, the Salmabad Junction, a health centre in Budaiya and a youth centre in the Southern Governorate's eighth constituency. The government's replies to the proposals were referred to the Council of Representatives as recommended by the Ministerial Committee for Legal Affairs.