Saudi Arabia Condemns Vienna Attack: Such Acts Contradict All Human, Religious Values

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz chairs a cabinet meeting in Neom. (SPA)
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz chairs a cabinet meeting in Neom. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia Condemns Vienna Attack: Such Acts Contradict All Human, Religious Values

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz chairs a cabinet meeting in Neom. (SPA)
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz chairs a cabinet meeting in Neom. (SPA)

The Saudi government strongly condemned on Tuesday the recent terrorist attacks that have taken place in the Afghan capital Kabul, the French city of Nice and the Austrian capital Vienna.

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz chaired the cabinet meeting that was held virtually from Neom due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

“Saudi Arabia vehemently rejects such acts that target innocent lives and destabilize security. Such attacks contradict all religious beliefs and human values,” added the government.

It underscored the need to shun practices that stoke hatred, violence and extremism in all their forms.

On Yemen, the cabinet reiterated its condemnation of the Iran-backed Houthi militias for continuing to fire armed drones towards the Kingdom. It said the Saudi-led Arab coalition had destroyed all the aircraft, slamming such terrorist acts as violations of international humanitarian law.

Locally, the ministers underlined the importance of combating all forms of corruption and on levels. They stressed the need to protect national gains and public funds to boost the comprehensive development that is taking place in the Kingdom.

They hailed all efforts aimed at fighting corruption and anyone abusing their position for personal gain and profit, urging that the severest of punishments be laid down against violators.

King Salman also briefed the cabinet on the message he received from Kuwait Emir Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah.

The ministers also highlighted King Salman’s speech before the Think20 (T20) engagement group. He had underscored that the world’s top priority at the moment must focus on saving lives and developing a vaccine for the coronavirus. He also stressed the need to remain abreast changes in education and business and prepare society to learn new skills in line with the demands of the job market.

The government also highlighted the G20 Business 20 (B20) Summit and its recommendations that tackled reviving the global economy and consolidating new firmer economic foundations in order to confront future challenges.



Gulf, EU Leaders Meet for First Summit against Background of Mideast Turmoil

European Council President Charles Michel, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and Saudi Arabia Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud pose during an official welcome ceremony on the day of the joint European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit, in Brussels Belgium October 16, 2024. (Reuters)
European Council President Charles Michel, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and Saudi Arabia Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud pose during an official welcome ceremony on the day of the joint European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit, in Brussels Belgium October 16, 2024. (Reuters)
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Gulf, EU Leaders Meet for First Summit against Background of Mideast Turmoil

European Council President Charles Michel, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and Saudi Arabia Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud pose during an official welcome ceremony on the day of the joint European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit, in Brussels Belgium October 16, 2024. (Reuters)
European Council President Charles Michel, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and Saudi Arabia Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud pose during an official welcome ceremony on the day of the joint European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit, in Brussels Belgium October 16, 2024. (Reuters)

The leaders of six Gulf nations and European Union met for an inaugural summit on Wednesday against a backdrop of turmoil in the Middle East and struggles to find a unified position on the war in Ukraine and relations with Russia.

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, led Saudi Arabia’s delegation to the meeting in Brussels.

The summit was expected to encompass everything from visas and trade to the situation in the Middle East.

Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said the summit was “long overdue” and added that “the economic ties between the European Union and the Gulf countries need to be strengthened."

“They are there, but they have the potential to be developed much, much further,” he said.

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stressed that “to be strategic partners means to listen to each other, to respect each other, to trust each other.”

She also highlighted the need for cooperation on pressing geopolitical issues like the war in Ukraine and that of Israel against Hamas and Hezbollah groups.

“We cannot implement our economic ambitions without security,” she said.

The 27-nation EU has long had relations with the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council, which include Qatar, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Kuwait.