Saudi Cabinet endorses Trump call for joint fight against terrorism

Ƶ's King Salman chairs the weekly cabinet session in Jeddah. (SPA)

JEDDAH: Ƶ’s Cabinet have welcomed statements made by President Donald Trump, in which he underlined the necessity for Qatar to stop funding terrorism.

The US president had previously praised King Salman for the leading role played by the Kingdom in combating extremism.

The Cabinet meeting, charied by King Salman, heard that Trump also reiterated the US’ hope to commit to joint actions between the two countries in the fight against extremism, and to bring about regional security and stability.

King Salman also briefed Cabinet members on the outcome of his talks with Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Emir of Kuwait; King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, King of the Kingdom of Bahrain; and Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif.

He also discussed telephone calls he received from Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and President Emmanuel Macron of the Republic of France.

Locally the Cabinet condemned a terrorist attack in which an officer was killed and two police injured when a rocket was fired at the security patrol they were in, at Al-Massurah district, in Qatif governorate Sunday evening.

In a statement issued to the Saudi Press Agency after the meeting, Dr. Awwad bin Saleh Al-Awwad, the minister of culture and information, said the Cabinet had thanked King Salman for his recent decision to instruct authorities to consider the humanitarian needs of Saudi-Qatari families impacted by the current situation.

The statement went on to acknowledge that Qatari people were “a genuine and natural extension of their brethren in the Kingdom,” adding that they were an integral part.

Al-Awwad added that the Cabinet had also welcomed the joint statement issued by the Kingdom, Egypt, UAE and Bahrain posting 59 people and 12 organizations on the terror list, citing their links with Qatar.

Those listed are suspected of having agendas involving the duplication of Qatari policy “which announces war against terrorism on one hand and offers financing, supporting and harboring terrorist organizations and persons on the other.”