Saudi Arabia to become SCO dialogue partner

Riyadh: The cabinet of Saudi Arabia's government has approved a memorandum granting the country the status of a dialogue partner in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, according to the Saudi Gazette, citing the Saudi Press Agency.

The Cabinet, chaired by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman at Al-Salam Palace on Tuesday, approved the cooperation agreement between the Presidency of State Security in the Kingdom and the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) in India for combating terrorist crimes and its financing. According to the Saudi Gazette, the cabinet has amended article 4 of the provisions regulating the National Tobacco Control Committee to, “The committee shall have a secretariat based in the Public Health Authority in Riyadh.”

At the beginning of the session, the Cabinet reviewed the details of telephone conversations between the Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman and the president of the Republic of France, the prime minister of the Republic of Iraq and the president of the People's Republic of China.

The discussions centred around relations, areas of partnership, and opportunities to strengthen cooperation with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, reported Saudi Gazette.

In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) following the session, Minister of Media Salman Bin Yousef Al-Dosari said that the Cabinet also reviewed the outcomes of the 155th Session of the Ministerial Council of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and discussed the developments in joint Gulf action and political issues in the regional and international arenas.

The Cabinet reviewed the latest international developments. It condemned attempts to burn copies of the Holy Qur'an. It stressed the need to consolidate the values of dialogue, tolerance, and respect and reject everything that spreads hatred and extremism.

The Cabinet has also authorised the minister of energy, and chairman of the board of directors of King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy to discuss and sign with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) a draft agreement between King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy and the International Atomic Energy Agency regarding the Junior Professional Officer (JPO) Program.