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Saudi Arabia celebrates beloved king's return
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he Saudis people in all cities, towns and villages all across Saudi Arabia and abroad have every right to decorate and prepare themselves, in order to welcome the compassionate king who has kept this country safe in his heart, whilst shrouding it with love, loyalty and devotion. His era is associated with many grand achievements, such as expanding the two Holy Mosques, upgrading holy sites, improving education, enhancing the judiciary system and supporting the poor. Congratulations on the return of our king and blessed be His Majesty, for earning all our love and devotion
The collection of royal decrees issued by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz, which coincided with His Majesty's return [from treatment abroad] and recovery, reflect a deep insight, profound wisdom and vision on his part. The decrees addressed fundamental issues relating to the needs of the Saudi youth, the fight against poverty, and public welfare. The decrees promised to support trade unions, create more job opportunities for young Saudis, provide temporary financial aid to young job-seekers, support sports clubs and housing programs, expand social security services, increase the overall living allowance, and bolster Saudi Arabia's scholarship program‌These, along with other initiatives, are bound to bring about a genuine improvement in the quality of life of Saudi citizens. The royal decrees coincided with street celebrations held by Saudis to mark the return of King Abdullah from his auspicious medical trip, accompanied by sincere prayers from millions, wishing for His Majesty's recovery. King Abdullah is extensively loved and appreciated by his citizens, a position he has earned through his honesty, wisdom and earnest endeavors to meet the needs of his citizens. He has focused particularly on combating poverty, and providing Saudi youths with greater access to higher education, in an era where knowledge plays a decisive and pivotal role in determining the status of a society, along the ladder of progress. King Abdullah's actions can be described as steps to "create the future". Only the wise, the loyal, and those with foresight are able to this. Such people are able to strike a balance, and divide their attention between the present and the future.
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SA BULLETIN PAGE 2 King Abdullah addresses the Saudi eople:
THE HEARTS OF THE NATION
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he Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud made a statement to the people of Saudi Arabia soon after His Majesty's return from treatment abroad and recovery.. In the statement the king said, "I am proud of you. Words and meanings cannot describe you. I say this to make history bear witness, pens write and national memory keep that after Allah Almighty, you are the guarantee for the unity of this country and that you hit falsehood with truth and betrayal with loyalty and solidness of your faithful will." The king added, "Allow me to address the scholars at the Commission of Senior Scholars or outside it who, out of loyalty to the religion, stood and supported the word of Allah Almighty in confronting the voice of division and advocates of sedition. I also do not forget the thinkers of the nation and the writers who have fought the enemies of religion, homeland and the nation. I proudly say to each and every citizen that any nation that supports the word of truth has nothing to fear. You are at the heart of it and the trustees on religion and the security and stability of this nation." The king addressed the brave men of all military sectors and in particular the security men of the Interior Ministry saying, "You are the shield of this country and the striking hand against anyone tempted to undermine its security and stability. May Allah bless you in all you do." The king addressed the noble people saying, "Allah knows that I always hold you dear to my heart and that I derive determination, help and strength from Allah and then from you." He concluded by saying, "Don't forget to pray Allah Almighty for me". King Abdullah also ordered the handout of billions of dollars in benefits to Saudi citizens and created more domestic security jobs. The benefits range from monthly payouts for the unemployed to building 500,000 new homes and spending on healthcare. In addition, the king ordered the creation of 60,000 new security jobs within the interior ministry.
AMBASSADOR NAZER EXPRESSES THE DEEP HAPPINESS OF THE KING'S RETURN
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he Ambassador of Saudi Arabia in Australia and New Zealand has forwarded congratulations on the occasion of the return of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques king Abdullah to his country and people . That was in his name and on behalf of the staff of Saudi Embassy ,Saudi culture attaché in Canberra the council in Auckland in new Zealands and Saudi students on scholarships and their companions . “ The Embassy Staff and Students in Australia and new Zealand expressed the deep and profound happiness of the king return Ambassador Nazer Said . ” They all prayed ALLAH, from the bottom of their hearts, to grant him long life to carry on the march towards prosperity and development along with his brothers and people of Saudi Arabia. Ambassador Nazer add . March 2011 Issue 45 Vol5
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mbassador of the Saudi Arabia to Australia Mr Hassan Nazer has praised the activities and cultural events, held on the 15th multi-cultural festival, in the Australian Capital Canberra, under the presence of performers and visitors from across the nation and globe with participation of over 44 foreign countries and 578 exhibitors from Australia and abroad. This year the Saudi Arabia Al Khaimah Exhibition presented the Haramain, Holy City Mosques as well as photographs and paintings as part of the heritage of the Kingdom and its modern renaissance, they also distributed a large number of books, publications and press releases telling the story of the Kingdom and the achievements in its development. Members of the Saudi students club in Canberra , wore the national dress in the tent of SaudiArabia as they provided coffee and dates,which had the attention of the public and the festival tent made of Saudi Arabia. Also played inside the tent was a documentary film in English de picting the full profiles of life in Saudi Arabia and its cultural development. The opening ceremony of the festival included a large space for art including the traditional Saudi dance perfor med by students for the second time on the festival stage as they mingled with the enthusiastic voices of the surrounding scene as swords and drums and banners carried by the unified Saudi students, chanting songs of joy and peace.
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The Ambassador His Excellency Hassan Nazer expressed his gratitude and stressed the importance of participating in various cultural events to bring the message of the Kingdom’s emerging values of civilization and modernity to all Australian people and the friendly people of the world at large. The ambassador expressed his satisfaction of the successful Saudi Cultural Exhebiton and all others, praising the great efforts in preparing and arranging their participation in the festival. The Ambassador thanked the Saudi cultural attachÊ, and the members of the Saudi Student Club in Canberra including students who participated in the Multicultural Day festival, valuing their combined great efforts. For her part, Minister of Multicultural in the Australian Capital, Canberra, Ms Joy Burch MLA expressed her appreciation of the Saudi Arabia tent and also thanked the participation of all Important factors in the festival
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message from the minister It is my great pleasure to present the National Multicultural Festival 2011.During the weekend of February 11–13, the Nation’s Capital will come alive to celebrate our rich and vibrant cultural diversity. The festival draws performers and visitors from across the nation and globe. Over 100,000 people attended the event in 2010. The festival remains squarely a ‘grassroots’ event, driven by the enthusiastic support it receives from Canberra’s multicultural communities. Many thousands of people from across the city are involved in its preparation. My sincere thanks to all these people and to the festival sponsors who support the ACT Government in staging this wonderful and important celebration of inclusiveness, mutual respect, harmony and goodwill. Joy Burch MLA ACT Minister for Multicultural Affairs
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he announcement was made in Riyadh on behalf of Prince Miteb bin Abdullah, minister of state and chief of the National Guard, which organizes the annual festival. The Tokyo has made elaborate preparations despite the natural disaster that devastated parts of the country. “Japan will show every aspect of Japanese lifestyle to the Saudi people and to the residents living in this country,” said Japanese Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Endo. He pointed out that a number of Japanese companies including Panasonic, Toyota, Nissan, Sony and Isuzu among others would participate in the event. He said that preparations are in full swing for setting up the Japanese pavilion at the festival. A Japanese company will also install the world’s largest television units, including a 152-inch flat screen plasma and 103-inch 3D TV set, to relay festival highlights. The festival is likely to attract some 2 million visitors this year. The 17-day festival ends on April 29. Addressing a press conference, Abdulmohsen bin Abdulaziz Al-Tuwaijri, assistant deputy commander of the National
Guard, said King Abdullah would witness the first round of the camel race on April 13. The press briefing was attended by senior National Guard officials and Japanese Ambassador Shigeru Endo, whose country is the guest of honor this year. Spelling out the potential highlights of this year’s festival, AlTuwaijri said a cultural symposium entitled “The Kingdom and the World: A Future Strategic Vision,” would be organized. “Over 500 thinkers, men of letters and politicians will take part in the symposium which Abdul Aziz Khoja, minister of culture and information, will attend as a guest of honor,” he added. The festival, which plays a crucial role in preserving the Kingdom’s national heritage, will begin with a traditional camel race and is intended to embrace all aspects of Saudi traditions and culture, said Al-Tuwaijri, who is also deputy chief of the festival’s organizing panel. The opening day will feature traditional art and music from all over the Kingdom. Another highlight will be folklore dances performed by troupes representing various regions of the Kingdom.
SAUDI A M BAS SA DOR
EXPRESSES HIS SOLIDARITY WITH THE QUEENSLAND FLOOD VICTIMS
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audi Ambassador to Australia and New Zealand, Hassan Nazer, offered his condolences to the Australian government and families of the victims of the Queensland recent floods and expressed his sympathy and solidarity with the with Australian’s caught up in the tragic recent events. Ambassador Nazer visited Saudi students and citizens in flood-hit Brisbane, to make sure they have all the necessary services provided for them. Some Saudi’s nationals in Queensland had been evacuated to safe areas at the expense of the embassy. The Ambassador, accompanied by Dr. Ali Al-Bishri, the Saudi Cultural Attaché, praised the officials for providing services to Saudi students and families during the disaster.
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Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd, Queensland Premier Anna Bligh and the Diplomatic Corps at the opening of the Diplomatic Corp visit to Queensland. 6 April 2011
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he Deputy Ambassador of the Saudi Arabia Embassy in Canberra Mr Reda Al Nuzha , among more than 70 foreign envoys converge on the state of Queensland to explore business and trade opportunities. The three-day tour that stretches from Brisbane to Kuranda in the far north as part of the campaign to show Queensland is back in business following its summer of natural disasters. The visit coincides with a multimillion-dollar campaign promoting Queensland's tourist attractions, which also steps up today with a series of television advertisements across the nation. And it follows one of the largest media tourism promotion events in Australia's history involving 200 international and Australian journalists. Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd, who is behind the diplomats' visits, has received overwhelming industry and government support as leaders across the state seize the opportunity to kickstart the economy. "This is the biggest single gathering of diplomats in the state's history," Mr Rudd said. "It is also the biggest diplomatic visit to any part of the country by the diplomatic corp. "And I am pleased to say there has been massive support and participation from groups ranging from industry to local councils." At least 60 of the guests will be ambassadors, with more than a dozen deputy chiefs of mission or other diplomatic representatives also arriving last night and this morning. Embassies are expected to provide formal reports to their
governments on the visit, along with extensive briefings to their local media. "There is one central message coming out of this event and it is this: Queensland is open for business," Mr Rudd said. Queensland Tourism Minister Jan Jarratt said the $5.5 million, three-month domestic marketing blitz was already under way with TV advertisements starting today designed to attract tourists for the extended Easter/Anzac holiday. "These fresh new commercials remind us all of the laidback humour Queenslanders are famous for," she said. "Cleverly, all filming was done over the last week to show that Queensland is shining post-floods and cyclones." The Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd welcomes Heads of Mission and Consuls-General and their spouses to Brisbane for an official visit of the Diplomatic Corps. "Following the recent devastating floods in Queensland, this visit is an important opportunity to demonstrate to the world that Queensland is well and truly back in business," said Mr Rudd. The visit has been organised in close consultation with Premier Anna Bligh, the Queensland government, business and industry groups. The diplomats from over 70 countries, many of which are looking to invest in Australia, build trade with Australia, or whose citizens travel to Australia. This visit will assist them in knowing first-hand, and being better able to share, the tremendous opportunities on offer. Mr Rudd, Premier Bligh and the Minister for Trade, The Hon Dr Craig Emerson MP, address the corps this morning in Brisbane.
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he First Joint Ministerial Meeting on Strategic Dialogue between the Cooperation Council of the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC) and Australia was held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on 8 March 2011. The GCC was represented by His Highness Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and President of the current session of the GCC Ministerial Council; His Excellency Dr. Nizar Madani, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, President of the next session of the GCC Ministerial Council; and His Excellency Abdulrahman Bin Hamad Al-Attiyah, GCC Secretary General. Australia was represented by the Honorable Mr. Kevin Rudd, Minister of Foreign Affairs.
AUSTRALIA AND THE GCC WELCOMED THE GROWTH IN RELATIONS AND COOPERATION IN THE POLITICAL, ECONOMIC, EDUCATION AND OTHER FIELDS.
The two sides shared important and growing economic and strategic interests and people to people links, reinforced by hundreds of thousands of Australians of Arab descent who have made an important contribution to Australian society, tens of thousands of Australians living in GCC countries, and thousands of GCC nationals studying in Australia. The two sides agreed that GCC-Australia Strategic Dialogue constituted an important step forward to forge a comprehensive partnership for progress, peace and
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development and realize the shared aspirations of their peoples. They welcomed the holding of the first GCCAustralia Ministerial Meeting on Strategic Dialogue in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, in which they signed the Memorandum of Understanding that establishes a mechanism for this dialogue. Under the terms of the MoU, the two sides agreed to hold annual meetings at Foreign Minister level to be held on alternating basis between the two sides. The MoU reaffirms the two sides’ desire to enhance and develop existing friendly relations in all fields, hold consultations over regional and international issues of mutual concern, and establish an effective mechanism for mutually beneficial cooperation in a wide range of areas including trade and investment, banking and finance, agriculture, education and scientific research. The two sides welcomed the growing trade and strengthening of business and investment links between them. To build on this momentum, they expressed determination to conclude the Free Trade negotiations between Australia and the GCC, and hold the fifth round of negotiations as soon as possible. The GCC countries expressed their sympathy to the Government and people of Queensland for the recent natural disasters to affect that state. They expressed their willingness to support practical measures to show solidarity with Queensland. To this end, Australia and the GCC agreed to engage with their business representatives and organisations to encourage a major business mission from GCC countries to visit Queensland in 2011, with the aim of expanding trade and investment links for mutual benefit.