Saudi efforts to promote tolerance, moderation lauded

In this photo taken in April 2018, King Salman meets Vatican official Cardinal Jean-Louis Pierre Tauran and his accompanying delegation in Riyadh. (SPA)
Updated 28 July 2019
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Saudi efforts to promote tolerance, moderation lauded

RIYADH: The rector of the Islamic University of Brussels hailed Saudi efforts to promote moderate Islam, reject extremism, fight against terrorism, serve the religion and its followers, and respond to aberrant ideologies that have harmed the Muslim world.

Dr. Mustafa Khader Donmez also praised the programs carried out by the Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance.

“The Kingdom has established specialized scientific, educational and media institutions, called for the unity of the Islamic nation, and cooperated with all that strengthens the nation’s unity and preserves its security,” he said.

“Saudi Arabia has been holding conferences inside and outside the Kingdom, to which it invited scholars and specialists, in cooperation with regional and international bodies to promote Islamic tolerance and address the causes of extremism and terrorism.”

Donmez said the Kingdom has invited Islamic institutions and international bodies to implement programs and events that fight extremism and condemn terrorism.

“The Kingdom is keen to promote international peace and communication between cultures and the followers of different religions through calling for interreligious and intercultural dialogue, a domain in which the Kingdom has been a pioneer,” he added.

Saudi Arabia “has taken the lead in spending for this purpose as it is in line with its high status on the Islamic and international levels,” he said. SPA Riyadh


Saudi Arabia says recent STC military movements in Hadramout, Al-Mahra were unilateral, uncoordinated

Updated 25 min 54 sec ago
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Saudi Arabia says recent STC military movements in Hadramout, Al-Mahra were unilateral, uncoordinated

  • Saudi Arabia said the moves harmed the interests of the Yemeni people, as well as the southern cause and the coalition’s efforts.
  • The Kingdom said it coordinated with the United Arab Emirates, the president of the Presidential Leadership Council, and the Yemeni government to contain the situation.

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia on Thursday said that recent military movements in the Yemeni governorates of Hadramout and Al-Mahra carried out by the Southern Transitional Council (STC) were conducted unilaterally and without coordination with the Presidential Leadership Council or the coalition leadership.

“These movements resulted in an unjustified escalation that harmed the interests of all segments of Yemeni people, as well as the Southern cause and the coalition’s efforts,” read a statement published by the Saudi Press Agency.

The statement said Saudi Arabia has always prioritized preserving the unity of Yemen throughout recent developments, and that the Kingdom has spared no effort to reach peaceful solutions to resolve the situation in both governorates.

In this context, “the Kingdom worked with the brotherly United Arab Emirates, the president of the Presidential Leadership Council and the brotherly Yemeni government to contain the situation.

“A joint military team was sent from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to put the necessary arrangements in place with the Southern Transitional Council in Aden. These arrangements were made to ensure the return of the Southern Transitional Council forces to their previous positions outside the two governorates and hand over the camps in those areas to the Nation Shield Forces and the local authorities, in accordance with organized procedures under the supervision of the coalition forces.”

The statement said that “these efforts remain in progress to restore the situation to its previous state.”

Saudi Arabia also said it “hopes public interest will prevail through ending the escalation by the Southern Transitional Council and the withdrawal of its forces from the two governorates in an urgent and orderly manner.”

It added: “The kingdom stresses the importance of cooperation among all Yemeni factions and components to exercise restraint and avoid any measures that could destabilize security and stability, which may result in undesirable consequences.”