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Saudi Crown Prince Sultan Meets Saudi Students in US | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Asharq Al-Awsat, New York and Jeddah – Saudi Crown Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz met with a group of Saudi Arabian students studying in the United States in New York earlier this week. Crown Prince Sultan is the Deputy Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, the Minister for Defense and Aviation, and Inspector General.

The Crown Prince expressed his joy at meeting the Saudi students who are studying in America, and wished them success in their studies and their safe return to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to complete the journey of serving their religion, nation, and King. The Crown Prince stated, “I am ready to listen to any comments and opinions from our students, whether in person or in writing, and God willing, the King and I are both at your service.” The Crown Prince also announced that he would present each attending student with US $10,000.

Speaking on behalf of his fellow students, one of the Saudi students studying abroad who attended this meeting expressed his pride in meeting the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz, during his last visit to the United States. The student said, “We were happy to receive his advice and guidance, which will stay with us at all times no matter where we are and we look forward to serving our religion, our country, and our King.”

The student added that this joy was renewed upon meeting the Saudi Crown Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz in New York, and he expressed his thanks to the Crown Prince for taking time out of his busy schedule to “offer us advice and guidance.” The Saudi Crown Prince received a gift from the Saudi students studying in the US.

The Crown Prince’s meeting with the Saudi students studying in America was also attended by a number of Saudi dignitaries including; the Governor of Riyadh Prince Salman Bin Abdulaziz, Prince Khalid Bin Fahd Bin Khalid, Assistant Minister of Defense and Aviation and the Inspector General for Military Affairs Prince Khalid Bin Sultan Bin Abdulaziz, Prince Khalid Bin Saad Bin Fahd, Prince Fahd Bin Abdullah Bin Mussaad, Prince Sultan Bin Saud Bin Abdulaziz, Prince Faisal Bin Saud Bin Mohamed, Secretary General of the Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Foundation Prince Mohamed Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz, Prince Turki Al Abdullah, Prince Faisal Bin Khalid Bin Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz, Prince Abdul Rahman Bin Mussaad, and Prince Mohamed Bin Faisal Bin Saud.

Also present was the Crown Prince’s Master of Ceremonies Abdullah Bin Saad Al Ghariri, the deputy chief of the Crown Prince’s Diwan Hamad Bin Abdulaziz Al Suwailim, the Crown Prince’s private secretary Mohamed Bin Salim Al Marri, the Chief of Staff for Minister of Defense and Aviation Mohamed Bin Abdulaziz Al Shisri, the Crown Prince’s Personal Assistant, Abdullah Al Nimr, General Abdul Rahman Bin Salah Al Banyan, and the Saudi cultural attaché to the United States Dr. Mohamed Abdullah Al Issa, and the military attaché to the United States Brigadier General Mohamed Shakir.

Crown Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz also expressed his thanks to Saudi Arabian Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Ali Al Naimi, and to the staff of the Mineral Resource department for the Ministry’s completion of the report detailing technical, financial, and statistical information of mining license holders for the year 2007.

Al Naimi expressed his thanks to the Saudi Arabian leadership with regards to the unwavering support that the mining industry receives from the government. The data contained within the report showed that the total number of mining licenses in effect at the end of 2007 numbered 1314. The number of sites reserved for mining activities in the Kingdom totals 247 separate sites, with a total area of over 45,000 square kilometres, which is an increase of eight sites since 2006.

In 2007, 310 million tons of raw mineral was extracted from the Kingdom by 680 investors. The estimated income of this lies at nearly 14 billion Saudi Riyals (SR), leaving profits of more than SR 5.2 billion and an estimated investment of close to SR 45 billion.