Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd bin Abdulaziz today chaired the regular weekly meeting of the Council of Ministers, which reiterated its call for mobilizing international efforts to end the sufferings of the Palestinian people in the occupied Arab territories and realize a just and comprehensive peace in the region in accordance with the relevant United Nations resolutions. Stressing the Kingdom's efforts in this regard, and commenting that Arab countries, and the Palestinian leadership in particular, are aware of this commitment, King Fahd praised the recent statement by U.S. President George W. Bush concerning the establishment of the State of Palestine, and referred to it as a positive development that Saudi Arabia hopes will be followed by practical steps leading to an end to the conflict and realization of peace in the region. He went on to express the hope for redoubled efforts to lift the siege of the Palestinian people and stop the killing of their sons by Israeli troops to allow the Palestinian state to be established on their national territory with Al-Quds [Jerusalem] as its capital. The Kingdom's endeavors, he said, arise from its continuous efforts in support of the Arab cause at all levels, including those for restoration to the situation of June 4, 1967 of the Shaba'a farms in southern Lebanon and the Syrian Golan Heights.

King Fahd then briefed the cabinet on the contents of messages he and Crown Prince Abdullah had received from a number of Arab and friendly leaders as well as meetings held with official guests visiting the Kingdom over the past few days.
Turning to domestic matters, the cabinet passed a number of resolutions, including authorization for the chief of civil aviation to sign a draft agreement on air transportation services with the State of Eritrea; and for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to coordinate a draft memorandum of understanding with the Federal Republic of Germany on bilateral arrangements regarding education. The cabinet also approved a system for easing public transportation to best serve passengers and goods whether the vehicles are entering, leaving or passing through the Kingdom, amending previous regulations concerning such vehicles and regulating their entry and exit, drivers' visas, transfer of passengers, and loading and unloading of goods; and decreed that the Ministries of Interior, Finance and National Economy, and Communications coordinate the implementation of this decision. 

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