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MIDDLE EAST BULLETIN
06 JUNE 2012
NO: 1396
1.
IRAQ ..................................................................................................................................... 3
Iraq oil production to reach 60 billion barrels in 20 years ...........................................................3
Talabani denies approval of PM no confidence plans ..................................................................3
Doubting MPs' withdrawal of confidence signatures is worthless, says Iraqiya ..........................4
Maliki calls on Talabani to verify MP signatures for withdrawal of confidence ..........................5
Fatima Zargani: Not sending Talabani a request to withdraw –confidence is an evidence to
reject the subject..................................................................................................................................7
Nechirvan Barzani, Turkey's Foreign Minister discuss bilateral relations ....................................7
President's Office denies report by the Mada daily saying he has approved withdrawing
confidence from Maliki's government .................................................................................................8
Sadr calls for investigation on forcing lawmakers not to sign on withdrawing confidence from
Maliki ....................................................................................................................................................9
Mam Jalal: PUK stays ‘loyal’ to those went separate ways ....................................................... 10
KRG Premier: military operations impossible to end PKK issue ................................................ 10
Jindiani: Withdrawal of confidence from the government is not an easy matter .................... 11
Iraqi party accuses Turkey, Qatar, KSA of interfering in Iraq affairs ......................................... 12
2. IRAN ....................................................................................................................................13
3.
Iran Names Former Oil Minister as Nominee for OPEC Top Post ............................................. 13
Russian Security Official Warns Israel against Attacking Iran ................................................... 13
Envoy Stresses Iran-Zimbabwe Solidarity.................................................................................. 16
‘West’s commotion over Moscow talks an amateurish game’ ................................................. 17
Flames of Islamic Awakening cannot be extinguished: Iranian FM .......................................... 18
West yet to understand meaning of export of Iran’s revolution: Halbavi ................................ 19
West’s bids against Iran nuclear rights futile: Lawmaker ......................................................... 19
ISRAEL - PALESTINE ..............................................................................................................20
4.
Amnesty calls on Israel to end ‘administrative detention’ of Palestinians ............................... 20
Nothing has changed: Palestinians inmates threaten to re-launch hunger strike .................... 23
Israel asks Arab visitors to open emails to search..................................................................... 25
Netanyahu: Bill legalizing Ulpana neighborhood would harm settlement construction .......... 29
Obama worried PA not interested in peace .............................................................................. 29
AFRICA and EGYPT ...............................................................................................................31
5.
Mubarak in prison, Egyptians in Tahrir Square: Demo boosts Mursi........................................ 31
Gathafi foreign intelligence chief goes on trial in Libya ............................................................ 33
Juba-Khartoum talks on demilitarised border zone hit wall ..................................................... 35
Libya hands long jail terms to ex-Gathafi ‘mercenaries’ ........................................................... 36
MB SecGen calls on Egypt to unite behind Mursi ..................................................................... 37
Protesters press political demands in Egypt ............................................................................. 40
Mubarak’s acquittal of corruption to hinder retrieval of smuggled money: experts ............... 42
JORDAN and LEBANON.........................................................................................................44
Sayfa 1
6.
Hezbollah Condemns Blast Targeting Shiite Endowment in Iraq .............................................. 44
Two Lebanese among Victims of Nigeria Plane Crash .............................................................. 45
Tripoli Residents Strike as Lebanese Army Continues Deployment .......................................... 46
Jordan clerics protest against government ............................................................................... 47
SYRIA ...................................................................................................................................49
7.
Syria agrees to let in UN humanitarian aid ............................................................................... 49
Damascus merchants put up shutters in challenge to Assad .................................................... 51
Clashes reported in Syria as Russia signals it is prepared to see Assad leave power ............... 54
Syria: Arab League No Longer Part of Annan Int’l Effort ........................................................... 57
ARABIAN PENINSULA AND THE GULF OF BASRA ....................................................................58
8.
GCC must mobilize resourcesto help Syrians: Prince Saud ....................................................... 58
Suspicion of Saudi, Iran role swirls around Sunni-Shiite clashes in Yemen............................... 59
Gulf states ‘losing hope’ in Annan’s plan, urge Russia to change stance on Syria .................... 60
AFGHANISTAN - PAKISTAN ...................................................................................................63
NATO getting Central Asian exit route ...................................................................................... 63
Eight Suspects Arrested Over Afghan Schoolgirls' Poisoning .................................................... 64
Feature: Poisoning girl pupils, a new dilemma for Afghan parents .......................................... 64
US presence in Afghanistan imperils regional security: Envoy ................................................. 66
US Officials Say Drone Strike Targeted Al-Qaida's No. 2 ........................................................... 67
Sayfa 2
barrels per day, thus it now produces 3
1. IRAQ
million barrels.
Iraq oil production to reach 60 billion
barrels in 20 years
In the same context, Luaibi said that the
exploration
geologic
studies
in
the
framework of the fourth round of bids
revealed that the explored blocks contain
15 billion cubic meters of natural gas. The
rounds of bids aim at producing free gas
and using it in local industry and to export
the excess, to that it increases the oil
reserve and that enhances Iraq’ position
Iraq Ministry of oil said on Tuesday that
as an oil producing country.”
Iraq oil production will reach 60 billion
barrels in 20 years and stressed that the
exploration blocks offered in the fourth
round of bids contain 15 trillion cubic
http://www.alsumaria.tv/news/57940/ira
q-oil-production-to-reach-60-billionbarrels-in/en
meters of natural gas.
Talabani denies approval of PM no
confidence plans
Iraq Minister of Oil Abdul Karim Al Luaibi
told
Alsumarianews
that
Iraq
oil
production will reach 60 million barrels in
the 20 coming years to raise oil revenues
to 5 trillion dollars considering that the oil
barrel price average will be 85 dollar.
During the last 18 months, Iraq signed
exploitation
contracts
with
foreign
companies during the first and the second
bidding rounds and throve to hoist its oil
production to exceed 500 thousand
ERBIL, June 5 (AKnews) – Iraqi President
Jalal Talabani refuted on Tuesday to have
approved a letter by members of the
parliament to withdraw confidence from
Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.
The refutation comes as he received a
letter
signed
by
a
number
of
parliamentarians. Talabani ordered the
formation of a committee to verify the
authenticity of the signatures and the bid
Sayfa 3
after the Prime Minister said the letter
ERBIL, June 5 (AKnews) - Iraqiya List
might contain faked signatures. Following
adviser Hani Ashour said today that
the formation of the committee, some
doubting some of the MPs' signatures
Iraqi media reported that Talabani has
collected to withdraw confidence from PM
approved the letter.
Nouri al-Maliki is worthless.
Talabani said in a statement that the
reports about his approval of the letter
was “not true”
The statement said that the President has
actually
passed
Parliament
the
Speaker
letter
Usama
to
the
Nujaifi
because it is for the parliament to decide
Members
whether a vote of no confidence should
parliament,parliament,parliamen,Iraq
be approved or not.
parliamentAshour added that collecting
of
the
Iraqi
the signatures was to inform President
Rivals of the Shiite Prime Minister, mainly
Jalal Talabani about the MPs' desire to
Sunni groups, have been rallying support
withdraw confidence.
for a bid to remove him from his position
over the past few months. The PM has
Ashour said in a statement: "The phase of
been accused of autocracy, unilateral
collecting signatures ended and the
action and sidelining other political blocs
current phase lies in the invitation for
from the decision-makings.
holding a parliamentary session to vote
for the withdrawal of confidence.
http://www.aknews.com/en/aknews/4/31
0887/
"The president is convinced about the
desire of the MPs and he has the right to
Doubting MPs' withdrawal of
confidence signatures is worthless,
says Iraqiya
demand withdrawing confidence without
any signatures. This is one of the
constitutional mechanisms while another
Sayfa 4
mechanism lies in the request of one fifth
withdraw
of
of
government as part of the second Erbil
Representatives to withdraw confidence
paper, which referred to the withdrawal
from the PM. The president is convinced
of confidence from the government if the
without
terms
the
MPs
in
resorting
the
to
Council
the
second
confidence
of
the
from
paper
Maliki's
were
not
mechanism.
implemented.
"Iraqiya List will not object if the State of
The National Alliance (NA) stresses the
Law Coalition (SLC) wanted to disband the
need to hold the national conference
Council of Representatives through a
called for by President Jalal Talabani. The
constitutional mechanism if it can do that,
NA includes the State of Law Coalition, the
as some of its MPs say, because Iraqiya
Fadila Party, the Islamic Supreme Council
List along with the Sadrists and the
of Iraq (ISCI), the Badr Organization and
Kurdish Blocs Coalition (KBC) believe in
the Iraqi National Congress.
adopting democracy to achieve changes
and this right is guaranteed by the
constitution.
0872/
"The campaigns to divert attention from
Maliki calls on Talabani to verify MP
signatures for withdrawal of
confidence
the withdrawal of confidence by raising
secondary issues or the issuance of
covered threats against the constitutional
and democratic mechanisms exacerbates
the crisis and strengthens the conviction
that there is no genuine desire to resolve
the
differences
and
recognize
past
agreements. This is the reason behind the
ERBIL, June 5 (AKnews) - Iraqi Prime
Minister Nouri al-Maliki yesterday called
on President Jalal Talabani to verify the
signatures
collected
for
withdrawing
confidence from the government by
presenting them to criminal investigation
current crisis."
officials.
The KBC, Iraqiya List, and the Sadrist
Movement
collected
signatures
to
maliki talabaniThis is the first clear
reaction by Maliki in response to the
Sayfa 5
efforts that seek to withdraw confidence
Jalal
Talabani
to
compare
the
from him.
compatibility of these practices with the
constitutional and legal standards and
Maliki said in a statement posted on his
present the signatures to the criminal
website: "Some parties are trying to
investigations to verify their validity.
exploit the democratic life that we seek to
keep in order to achieve political goals,
"The relevant agencies must account
and this raised fears about endangering
those who are accused of fraud or threat
the democratic process.
against any MP or accused of any illegal
practice and they should be brought to
justice to hold accountable in order to
preserve the integrity of democratic life
and its well-known traditions."
This position comes after Iraqiya List
revealed earlier today about delivering the
signatures of MPs who demand the
"Organizing lists by some MPs and
withdrawal
of
confidence
from
the
collecting their signatures outside the
government. The Kurdish Blocs Coalition
Council of Representatives included many
(KBC) and the Sadrists also announced
unconstitutional and illegal practices,
about collecting signatures to withdraw
whether by threats, fraud or extortion, or
confidence from the PM.
other practices that some citizens were
informed about through the media or
The collection of signatures by the KBC,
through receiving complaints from many
Iraqiya List and the Sadrist Movement
MPs
came within the ninth item of the second
in
this
area
who
asked
for
strengthening their protection.
Erbil paper, which referred to the
withdrawal
of
"I call for paying attention to such
government
practices because they endanger the
implemented.
if
confidence
no
from
reforms
the
were
democratic process, calling on President
Sayfa 6
Maliki's opponents say that they cannot
The President Talabani told a delegation
deal with him politically during the coming
from Dawa Party and state of law included
period while Maliki's coalition confirms
Hassan Sinead, and Abdel-Halim Zuhairi
that the political problems in the country
not to send a request to withdraw-
are
confidence from Prime Minister Nuri al-
the
responsibility
of
both
the
government and the legislative institution.
Maliki.
A presidential statement quoting the
0866/
president as saying "he would send the
request of the deputies asked the
Fatima Zargani: Not sending Talabani
a request to withdraw –confidence is
an evidence to reject the subject.
withdrawal of confidence if the correct
number was completed," stressing "his
efforts to achieve solutions to ensure the
sustainability and settlement of the
Baghdad (NINA) _ MP form the state of
law, Fatma Zrkane described not sending a
request
from
President
Talabani
country and the democratically political
process.
to
withdraw confidence from the Prime
Minister Nuri al-Maliki, singed by his
http://www.ninanews.com/english/News
_Details.asp?ar95_VQ=FLLEGK
name, is an evidence of rejecting the
subject.
Nechirvan Barzani, Turkey's Foreign
Minister discuss bilateral relations
In a statement to National Iraqi News /
Nina / Alzerkani said : "Many parties
refuse to withdraw confidence from the
Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, especially
Baghdad (NINA) – Prime Minister of
Kurdistan
region,
Nechirvan
Barzani,
discussed in Istanbul with Turkey's Foreign
President Jalal Talabani, but the parties
Minister, Ahmet Davutoğlu, the relations
claim that promote day and night of the
between Kurdistan region and Turkey.
subject, as if the majority approved the
withdraw confidence .
Sayfa 7
President's Office denies report by
the Mada daily saying he has
approved withdrawing confidence
from Maliki's government
Baghdad (NINA) – The President's Office
denied the report published by the Mada
daily stating that the President approved
The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK)
reported on Tuesday, June 5, that the
withdrawing
confidence
from
Prime
Minister Nuri al-Maliki.
meeting took place after Barazani's
participated in the morning session of the
International Economic Forum, opened
earlier in the day.
A statement issued on Tuesday, June 5, by
the President Office said that al-Mada
newspaper published, today on its front
page, a report ascribed to a high level
The two stressed the necessity to
consolidate relations in the economic, oil
and energy, as well as other fields, in
addition to Iraq's current political crisis
and the relations between Baghdad and
Erbil and developments in the Middle
source, saying that the President, upon
receiving request singed by more than 170
lawmakers, of their authenticity approved
by a special committee signed a decree
withdrawing
confidence
from
Prime
Minister Nuri al-Maliki;
East.
It added that to inform the public, we
It is noteworthy that the International
Economic
Forum opened earlier on
Tuesday in Istanbul with the participation
of Turkey's Prime Minister, Head of the
Palestinian Authority and Prime Minister
of Tunisia.
affirm that such report is untrue, in fact
the President has received a request from
Parliamentary blocs list of names of
lawmakers demanding withdrawal of
confidence; on Monday
evening he
formed a special committee charged with
checking the authenticity, the Committee
_Details.asp?ar95_VQ=FLLEDH
started its task on Tuesday morning. The
President prepared a message addressed
Sayfa 8
to the Speaker of Parliament to attach
with it the checked names of lawmakers'
signatures.
It added that in such a sensitive period the
country going through, all are to be
precise when making statements and the
media has to be aware of the situation
and not to publish a report without being
sure of its authenticity.
In answering a question about Maliki's
demand to investigate if signatures of
lawmakers
The statement concluded that though it is
a constitutional right for the public to
know all facts without harming the efforts
exerted toward reaching solutions that
demanding
withdrawing
confidence from his government are
forged, Sadr said that such claim needs
proof, beside, the President accepting
their demands means approval.
guarantee the country's stability and
security.
Sadr
added,
"If
forced
signatures
investigated, then prevent voting by force
_Details.asp?ar95_VQ=FLLDML
must be investigated too; I appeal to the
President to give instruction that no one is
to force lawmakers not to sign for voting
Sadr calls for investigation on forcing
lawmakers not to sign on
withdrawing confidence from Maliki
in support of withdrawing confidence."
Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki called on
President Jalal Talabani to sent signatures,
Baghdad (NINA) – Leader of the Sadrist
of
Trend, Muqtada al-Sadr, called on Prime
confidence from Maliki, to specialized
Minister, Nuri al-Maliki not to force any
agency to investigate the authenticity of
lawmaker from the State of Law, or
the signatures.
those
demanded
withdrawing
others, not to sign for withdrawing
confidence from him.
_Details.asp?ar95_VQ=FLLDMH
Sayfa 9
Mam Jalal: PUK stays ‘loyal’ to those
went separate ways
Mustafa was the leader of an independent
socialist movement that adopted Kurdish
Mam Jalal Secretary General of PUK says
nationalism called "Komeley Renjderan,"
Mam Jalal Secretary General of PUK says
some two months after the collapse of the
Mam Jalal Iraqi President and General
Kurdish rebellion of 1974–1975 created a
Secretary of PUK said Monday that his
moment of profound crisis for the Kurdish
party will never forget those who once
people
helped the party and now separated.
organization's
in
Iraqi
aim
Kurdistan,
was to
the
revitalize
resistance and to rebuild and redirect
“Loyalty is an integral part of PUK,” he
Kurdish
reiterated, “we remain loyal to those who
democratic lines.
society
along
modern
and
helped once upon a time our party even if
they separated from us.”
Talabani, a former student leader, lawyer,
journalist and resistance leader, has been
Today is the fruit of the efforts they made
the Secretary General of the PUK since its
in the past, so PUK should appreciate for
founding in 1975. The Patriotic Union of
what they did in the hard times, he said.
Kurdistan works for self-determination,
human rights, democracy and peace for
the Kurdish people of Kurdistan and Iraq.
http://pukmedia.co/english/77/kurdistanregion/1075-mam-jalal-puk-stays%E2%80%98loyal%E2%80%99-to-thosewent-separated-ways
The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) is a
Kurdish political party in Iraqi Kurdistan. It
KRG Premier: military operations
impossible to end PKK issue
was founded on June 1, 1975, by
coordinations between Jalal Talabani and
Nechirvan Barzani says that using force is
Nawshirwan Mustafa.
no longer a choice to end PKK issue
Sayfa 10
Nechirvan Barzani says that using force is
fighting an armed struggle against the
no longer a choice to end PKK issue
Turkish state for an autonomous Kurdistan
KRG Prime Minister said Monday in a
and greater cultural and political rights for
meeting with Turkish Prime Minister
the Kurds in Turkey. The group was
Erdogan that the long-term PKK issue
founded on 27 November 1978 in the
could not be solved through military
village of Fis, near Lice and was led by
actions.
Abdullah Ocalan.
http://pukmedia.co/english/77/kurdistan/
1073-krg-premier-military-operationsimpossible-to-end-pkk-issue
Jindiani: Withdrawal of confidence
from the government is not an easy
matter
Nechirvan Barzani reiterates that using
forces against Kurdistan Workers’ Party
The spokesman for the Political Bureau of
(PKK) would not end the long-standing
the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK)Azad
problem with Turkey.
Jindiani, in a statement to Sawa Radio ,
said : The
issue
of withdrawal of
Barzani and his delegation arrived in
confidence from the government will not
Turkey
solve the current crisis, but will create
yesterday
on
an
official
unannounced invitation to take part in a
new crises.
global economic forum.
“The past experience indicates the useless
of military forces and that undoubtedly
peaceful choice is the healthy one,”
speaking to Turkish Prime Minister.
The Kurdistan Workers' Party is a Kurdish
organization which has since 1984 been
Sayfa 11
The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan is
demanding a no-confidence vote against
studying this issue , Jindiani added.
Maliki.
Jindiani denied the news circulated in
Secretary General of White Iraqiya bloc
some media agencies that President Jalal
Jamal al-Bateekh said in a statement that
Talabani has allowed the PUK lawmakers
the signatures were collected not in the
in the Iraqi Parliament to vote on the
Iraqi capital Baghdad, but in Qatar, Saudi
withdrawal of confidence from the Prime
Arabia and Turkey, the Aswat al-Iraq
Minister al- Maliki .
website reported.
http://pukmedia.co/english/77/iraq/1068-
The statement added that the signatures
jindiani-withdrawal-of-confidence-from-
are not entitled to withdraw confidence
the-government-is-not-an-easy-matter
from Maliki's government.
Iraqi party accuses Turkey, Qatar, KSA
of interfering in Iraq affairs
He called on Iraqi lawmakers to disallow
foreign countries from interfering in the
domestic affairs of their country. White
An Iraqi political bloc has accused Turkey,
Iraqiya,
Qatar and Saudi Arabia of exerting
parliament, split from the opposition al-
pressure on Iraq's Prime Minister Nouri al-
Iraqiya bloc.
which
has 11
sits
in
the
Maliki to step down.
Political uncertainty in Iraq reached a new
phase when President Jalal Talabani
received
on
Sunday
a
letter
from
lawmakers, requesting the no-confidence
vote against Maliki.
On Tuesday, a committee was formed to
check the authenticity of the signatures in
The White Iraqiya bloc charged the trio
with impinging on Premier Maliki’s work
order to avoid any future doubts and to
guarantee the constitutional process in
by asking Iraqi lawmakers to sign a letter
Sayfa 12
the country. Maliki also separately asked
Nozari as its candidate to be the next
Talabani to check the validity of the
OPEC Secretary General.
signatures officially.
Nozari was Iran's oil minister during
Some Iraqi political groups have warned
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's first
that collecting signatures for withdrawing
term in office, between 2007 and 2009.
confidence from Maliki is a move to
challenge the political process in Iraq.
Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Ecuador have
already nominated candidates to replace
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2012/06/06/
the oil cartel's current head who will finish
244837/turkey-qatar-s-arabia-meddle-in-
his term at the end of this year.
iraq/
Earlier on Tuesday, Iran's OPEC Governor
2. IRAN
Mohammad Ali Khatibi told FNA that
officials in Tehran have not yet come up
Iran Names Former Oil Minister as
Nominee for OPEC Top Post
with a final choice for the job.
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.ph
TEHRAN (FNA)- Iran has nominated former
p?nn=9103081066
Oil Minister Gholam Hossein Nozari as its
candidate for the post of OPEC Secretary
General, a report said on Tuesday.
Russian Security Official Warns Israel
against Attacking Iran
TEHRAN (FNA)- Russian Security Council
Secretary Nikolay Patrushev warned the
Zionist regime of Israel to avoid military
moves against Iran, cautioning that an
Israeli aggression would entail "absolutely
negative" consequences primarily for
Israel itself and for many neighboring
MNA reported that the Oil Ministry has
countries as well.
come to the conclusion to introduce
Sayfa 13
Western allies suspect that Tehran is
The Russian security chief urged the
seeking to develop a nuclear weapon.
western powers to be more optimistic
concerning the possibility of solving the
The latest round of talks between Iran and
Iranian
six world powers -- Russia, the United
nuclear
problem
through
negotiation.
States, Britain, China, France and Germany
-- is scheduled to take place in Moscow on
"It is also wrong to conclude that all
June 18-19.
opportunities and all the existing potential
have been exhausted. It should be used as
In response to Israeli intensified war
long as it may be productive. Talks should
rhetoric, Iranian officials have warned that
continue," Patrushev told the Rossiya-24
they would give a crushing response to
news channel.
any hostile act against the country.
"When it is said that a strike can be made
Supreme Leader of Islamic Revolution
(on Iran), as, for instance, Israel says, it is
Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei on Sunday
necessary to consider the consequences.
warned the US and Israel against military
And the consequences will be entirely
action against Iran, and said enemies'
negative,
threats to Iran indicate that they are
for
Israel
and
for
many
neighboring countries," Patrushev said.
deeply fearful of the country's power.
Meanwhile, the official said that Russia
Addressing tens of thousands of people
recognizes Iran's right to develop its civil
who had gathered at Imam Khomeini's
nuclear program. "We must acknowledge
mausoleum to mark the 23rd anniversary
that Iran has the right to a civilian nuclear
of the demise of the Late founder of the
program, but we do not want Iran to
Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Khamenei said
possess nuclear weapons."
that the Zionist regime's military threats
against Iran are due to its fear and
Iran has maintained that its nuclear
frustration.
program is purely for peaceful purposes,
but the United States and its major
Sayfa 14
"The leaders of the Zionist regime are well
region - both Shiite and Sunni - should
aware that they are more vulnerable
take care not to contribute to the enemy's
today than any other time and that every
plots."
misstep and every inappropriate move will
strike them like a thunderbolt."
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic
Revolution described the actions of the
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic
West and the Americans as dim-witted
Revolution referred to the conditions of
and stressed, "In order to cover up their
the West and America, and added, "Today
problems and divert attention from the
because of their economic, financial and
crisis they are involved in, they magnify
social problems, western governments are
the nuclear issue of Iran and put it at the
helpless against their own people and
top of global issues and they deceitfully
they
speak about nuclear weapons."
are
just
trying
to
maintain
appearances."
Ayatollah Khamenei said that the efforts
Ayatollah Khamenei said that the collapse
by the West and America will not produce
of certain allies of America in Europe and
any results.
the increasing hatred of nations towards
America show that there is a serious crisis
His Eminence said that the enemies of the
in the West.
Islamic Revolution are afraid of the Iranian
nation because it has made progress and
He reiterated that America is trying to
turned into a role model for the nations of
divert attention towards Asia, Africa and
the region and the world.
the Middle East region by creating
conflicts.
"The efforts made by the political
communities of the world to magnify the
"Today the Americans have turned to the
threat posed by a nuclear Iran are based
experience and expertise of the British in
on nothing but a lie because they are
creating religious and ethnic conflicts. For
afraid of an Islamic Iran, not a nuclear
this reason, all nations, all religious
Iran."
scholars and all academic elites in the
Sayfa 15
Ayatollah Khamenei stressed that the
ideas which include fighting Western
Iranian nation has shaken the foundations
domination on the so-called weaker
of the arrogant powers by proving that it
states. Pournajaf said it was up to the
is possible to achieve progress without
developing countries to decide their
relying on America and other global
future.
powers.
"We are not here in Zimbabwe for
"America and other global powers are
business, but to share ideas with the
trying to convince nations and political
people here.
elite that progress is impossible without
America's support, but the Iranian nation
"The future of mankind is in our hands and
has proven the opposite and this is a great
we will determine our future and no one
lesson for the nations of the world."
will do that for us."
Pournajaf
p?nn=9103081064
homosexuality in the western countries
said
the
recognition
of
showed lack of divinity.
Envoy Stresses Iran-Zimbabwe
Solidarity
He said developing countries must not
enhance such evil practices at the expense
TEHRAN (FNA)- Tehran's Ambassador to
of their dignity.
Harare Mohammad Pournajaf underlined
Iran's unity and solidarity with Zimbabwe,
Since ascending to power in 2005, Iranian
and called for the further expansion of ties
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has
between the two countries.
always striven hard to maximize relations
with the African continent.
Addressing a ceremony at the 23rd
Iran is an observing member of the African
anniversary of the demise of the Late
Union and has shown an active presence
Founder of the Islamic Republic Imam
in previous AU summit meetings.
Khomeini in Harare, Pournajaf said Iran's
presence in Zimbabwe was meant to share
Sayfa 16
The country is considered as one of the
reports saying that the United States plans
AU's strategic partners along with India,
to tighten sanctions against Iran if the
Japan, China, several South American
upcoming
states and Turkey, while Tehran is also
produce no results.
negotiations
in
Moscow
believed to be prioritizing promotion of its
economic and political ties with the
The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported
African states.
on Monday that Israel and the U.S. are
discussing a new raft of sanctions that
could be imposed on Iran if the Moscow
p?nn=9103081060
talks fail.
‘West’s commotion over Moscow
talks an amateurish game’
In an interview with the daily, U.S.
Treasury Undersecretary David Cohen said
that the sanctions would be imposed if the
TEHRAN, June 5 (MNA) – The Iranian
talks in Russia failed to halt Iran’s nuclear
parliament speaker has said that the
program.
commotion created by Western countries
over the next round of talks between Iran
“If we don’t get a breakthrough in
and world powers is “an amateurish
Moscow there is no question we will
game.”
continue to ratchet up the pressure,”
Cohen, who coordinates U.S. sanctions
Iran and the 5+1 group (the five
policy against Iran, said.
permanent members of the UN Security
Council and Germany) held a new round
Larijani said, “Creating a commotion in
of talks in Baghdad on May 23 and 24 and
this relation by the Westerners and saying
agreed to continue their negotiations over
that the Moscow talks will be the deadline
Tehran’s nuclear program in Moscow on
and that the Americans have prepared
June 18 and 19.
another resolution are nothing but an
amateurish game.”
MP Ali Larijani made the remarks in a
speech during an open session of the
Majlis on Tuesday in reference to news
Sayfa 17
“If you want to hold talks to resolve the
The conference was held two days after
issue, why have you determined the
the 23rd anniversary of the death of the
results of the negotiations in advance?”
late Imam Khomeini, the Founder of the
Islamic Republic.
“On the one hand you send messages, but
on the other hand you create a political
In his message, Salehi wrote that the
brouhaha. It is a political retrogression for
“greatest
the United States,” he said.
developments occurring in certain Arab
achievement”
of
the
countries is the fact that the “U.S. and
Larijani added that “this diplomatic
Western plots in the region” have been
frivolity” is of no account to the Islamic
foiled.
Republic.
He stated, “The reality is that these
http://www.mehrnews.com/en/newsdeta
developments are not small flames that
il.aspx?NewsID=1619421
can be extinguished, but rather they are a
devastating storm of public demands in
Flames of Islamic Awakening cannot
be extinguished: Iranian FM
the Arab world, which have their roots in
Islamic beliefs and the model of Iran’s
revolution.”
TEHRAN, June 5 (MNA) -- Iranian Foreign
Minister Ali Akbar Salehi has said that the
On the situation of the Zionist regime,
Islamic Awakening movement currently
Salehi said, “We are witnessing that the
unfolding in the Arab world cannot be
foundations of the occupying regime are
contained.
now more shaky than at any other time,
and the hegemonistic powers’ pipe dream
Salehi made the remarks in a message
of the establishment of a Greater Middle
sent to a conference on the Islamic
East has not come true.”
Awakening and the late Imam Khomeini’s
movement, which was held at the Iranian
The Iranian foreign minister added, “The
Foreign Ministry’s Institute for Political
awakened people in the region are
and International Studies on Tuesday.
seeking
emancipation
from
Sayfa 18
authoritarianism,
corruption,
and
subservience to the United States and the
Foreign Ministry’s Institute for Political
and International Studies on Tuesday.
Zionist regime. And the countries that are
seeking to establish global domination
The conference was held two days after
should be aware that they will not be able
the 23rd anniversary of the death of the
to influence the future of people in pursuit
late Imam Khomeini, the Founder of the
of freedom and justice in their own favor.”
Islamic Republic.
During his speech, Halbawi said that
certain Muslims first reacted negatively to
West yet to understand meaning of
export of Iran’s revolution: Halbavi
the term “the export of the revolution,”
but then came to realize that Iran’s
revolution is awakening
TEHRAN, June 5 (MNA) - Kamal al-Halbavi,
the Islamic
ummah.
a former speaker for Egypt’s Muslim
Brotherhood, has said that Western
countries have not yet understood the
meaning of the export of Iran’s Islamic
Revolution to the world.
West’s bids against Iran nuclear rights
futile: Lawmaker
The language of threats and sanctions is
not one that could lead the Iranian nation
toward surrendering. [Emphasizing on
the] continuation of talks, on the one
hand, and beating the drum of sanctions,
on the other hand, is the West’s
Halbawi made the remarks during a
noticeable approach.”
speech at a conference on the Islamic
Awakening and the late Imam Khomeini’s
Member of Iran's Majlis Kazem Jalali
movement, which was held at the Iranian
Sayfa 19
A member of Iran's Majlis has reaffirmed
based on its inspections and scientific
Tehran’s determination to pursue its
data.
nuclear energy program, saying the West’s
pressures to undermine Iran's resolve will
be to no avail.
Jalali questioned the performance of
the IAEA under its current chief Yukiya
Amano
and
called
on
the
nuclear
“The Islamic Republic of Iran will never
supervisory body to return to its technical
retreat from its nuclear rights,” Kazem
path and distance itself from political
Jalali told reporters on Tuesday.
squabbles.
“The language of threats and sanctions is
Iran and the P5+1 - Russia, China, Britain,
not one that could lead the Iranian nation
France, the US and Germany -- wrapped
toward surrendering. [Emphasizing on
up their latest round of comprehensive
the] continuation of talks, on the one
talks in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad on
hand, and beating the drum of sanctions
May 24 after two days of negotiations.
on the other hand, is the West’s
noticeable approach,” he pointed out.
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2012/06/06/
244841/efforts-against-iran-nrights-in-
Jalali pointed out that Iran has offered a
vain/
new package in its talks with the P5+1 Russia, China, Britain, France, the US and
3. ISRAEL - PALESTINE
Germany, and that in the next round of
negotiations in Moscow on June 18 and
19, the Islamic Republic’s stances will be
clear.
The Iranian legislator pointed to the
technical role of the International Atomic
Energy Agency (IAEA), and argued that the
agency’s reports should be drawn up
Amnesty calls on Israel to end
‘administrative detention’ of
Palestinians
Israel must free all Palestinians held
without
charges
under
so
called
“administrative detention” orders or give
them a swift and fair trial, rights group
Amnesty
International
said
on
Wednesday.
Sayfa 20
The report pointed out to the human
In a new report released under the title
rights
‘Starved of justice: Palestinians detained
administrative detention. “Administrative
without trial by Israel’ Amnesty called on
detainees – like many other Palestinian
Israel
administrative
prisoners – have been subjected to
detainees unless they are promptly
violations such as the use of torture and
charged with internationally recognizable
other ill-treatment during interrogation,
criminal offences and tried in accordance
as well as cruel and degrading treatment
with international fair trial standards.”
during their detention, sometimes as
to
“release
all
violations
associated
with
punishment for hunger strikes or other
“End
the
practice
of
administrative
protests,” the report said.
detention,” the rights group added.
The rights group underlined in its report
Administrative detention dates back to
that administrative detainees and their
the pre-1948 British Mandate under which
families “must live with the uncertainty of
military courts held suspects without
not knowing how long they will be
charge for periods of up to six months,
deprived of their liberty and the injustice
which could be renewed indefinitely.
of not knowing exactly why they are being
detained.”
“For decades, Amnesty International has
urged Israel to end the practice of
These practices breach Israel’s obligations
administrative detention and to release
under international human rights law and
detainees or charge them with an
international humanitarian law, according
internationally
to Amnesty.
recognizable
criminal
offence and try them according to
international
standards,”
said
Ann
The report underlined the importance that
Harrison, Amnesty International’s Deputy
Israel must also “allow family visits for all
Director for the Middle East and North
Palestinian prisoners and detainees, and
Africa.
end forcible transfer and deportation.” It
also called on Israel “to investigate
Sayfa 21
violations, bring perpetrators to justice,
and provide reparations to victims.”
“Israel
has
used
its
system
of
administrative detention – intended as an
exceptional
measure
against
people
posing an extreme and imminent danger
to security – to trample on the human
rights of detainees for decades. It is a relic
that should be put out to pasture,”
Harrison said.
One of the prisoners, Thaer Halahla who
fasted for 76 days in the protest, was
released on Tuesday evening, relatives
told AFP.
Palestinian prisoners in Israeli custody
ended a mass hunger strike on May 14, in
return for improved conditions and an
Israeli pledge that prisoners held without
charge would be freed at the end of their
current period of detention -- unless fresh
evidence emerged against them.
But Palestinian prisoners minister Issa
Qaraqaa said on Sunday that Israel was
not keeping its end of the bargain.
Family members in the West Bank city of
Hebron said that Halahla, who along with
fellow inmate Bilal Diab set a record for a
Palestinian hunger strike, was freed after
being held without charge since June
2010.
“Despite many media reports suggesting
that the Israeli authorities had agreed as
part of the deal to release administrative
detainees at the end of their current
“Israel has begun to violate the deal it
signed with the prisoners, and within 10
days after announcing the end of the
strike,
Israel
renewed
administrative
detention orders for approximately 30
orders ‘unless significant new information
was received’, our information is that it is
business as usual when it comes to
detention without charge or trial,” said
Harrison.
prisoners,” Qaraqaa said at a press
conference, according to AFP.
Sayfa 22
“We believe that Israel has renewed at
least 30 administrative detention orders
http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/
and issued at least three new ones since
06/06/218862.html
this deal was struck, and family visits for
Gazan prisoners have still not started,”
she added.
Nothing has changed: Palestinians
inmates threaten to re-launch hunger
strike
In its report, Amnesty said that at the end
of April there were at least 308 Palestinian
Palestinian
prisoners
in
Israel
are
threatening to relaunch hunger strike,
administrative detainees.
blaming Israel for reneging on deal that
“Among them 24 members of the
Palestinian
Legislative
Council
ended recent one.
(PLC),
including its speaker, Aziz Dweik, human
rights defenders such as Walid Hanatsheh
Hunger strike: latest tool in non-violent
struggle
and at least four journalists, in addition to
university students and academic staff.”
Among its recommendations were that
Israel should end the forcible transfer of
Palestinians from the West Bank to the
Gaza Strip and that authorities “protect all
RAMALLAH
(Palestinian
Palestinian
prisoners
Territories)
in
Israel
are
threatening to relaunch a hunger strike, a
Palestinian
official
said
on
Sunday,
blaming Israel for reneging on a deal that
ended a recent one.
those in Israeli custody from all forms of
torture and other ill-treatment.”
"There are still provocations in the
prisons, and the prisoners are threatening
“The authorities in Israel have a duty to
protect everyone in Israel and the
Occupied Palestinian Territories from
threats to their lives and physical integrity.
to resume the strike if the situation
remains as it is," Palestinian prisoners
minister Issa Qaraqaa said at a press
conference in Ramallah.
But they must do so in a manner that
respects human rights,” said Harrison.
Sayfa 23
"Israel has begun to violate the deal it
signed with the prisoners, and within ten
days after announcing the end of the
strike,
Israel
renewed
administrative
detention orders for approximately 30
prisoners," Qaraqaa charged.
"Israel wants to punish the prisoners for
Some 1,550 Palestinians imprisoned in
striking with these renewed orders," he
Israel ended a hunger strike on May 14 in
said.
exchange for a package of measures which
would allow visits from relatives in Gaza,
Qaraqaa also said he doubted Israel would
and the transfer of detainees out of
allow the Gaza visits it had committed to.
solitary confinement.
"So far, we don't know if Israel will even
Israel also said it would not extend
allow families of prisoners from Gaza to
administrative detention orders, unless
visit their imprisoned relatives," he said.
new evidence emerged.
An Israeli defence official who wished to
In return, prisoner leaders committed to
remain
not engage in militant activity inside jail
claims.
unnamed
rejected
Qaraqaa's
and to refrain from future hunger strikes.
"As of the end of last week, three
Administrative detention is a procedure
administrative detention orders were
that allows suspects to be held without
renewed," the official said.
charge for renewable periods of up to six
months.
Regarding the visits from Gaza, the official
said that Israel was indeed working
But Qaraqaa said Israel was not keeping
toward enabling visits, but it was a
its end of the deal.
process that "would take some time" as it
"involves many different bodies."
Sayfa 24
http://www.middle-eastQaraqaa also addressed the issue of two
online.com/english/?id=52630
prisoners, Mahmud Sarsak and Akram
Rikhawi, who have been on extended
hunger strikes.
Israel asks Arab visitors to open
emails to search
He said they "were on the verge of a coma
JERUSALEM (AP) — When Sandra Tamari
and have a low heart rate."
arrived at Israel's international airport, she
received an unusual request: A security
Sarsak, who comes from Gaza and is
agent pushed a computer screen in front
demanding to be recognised as a prisoner
of her, connected to Gmail and told her to
of war, began refusing food on March 23,
"log in."
and went 53 days without eating before a
short break on May 14 when the deal was
The agent, suspecting Tamari was involved
signed.
in pro-Palestinian activism, wanted to
inspect her private email account for
He restarted his strike a day later.
incriminating evidence. The 42-year-old
American of Palestinian descent refused
Rikhawi is demanding that the prison
and was swiftly expelled from the country.
authority hand over his medical file prior
to him appearing before a prison release
Tamari's experience is not unique. In a
committee to expedite his release.
cyber-age twist on Israel's vaunted history
of airport security, the country has begun
Israel Prison Service spokeswoman Sivan
to force incoming travelers deemed
Weizman said that the two were under
suspicious
medical supervision in the infirmary in
accounts for inspection, visitors say.
to
open
personal
email
Ramle prison near Tel Aviv, and if the
need arose, would be transferred to a
Targeting mainly Muslims or Arabs, the
civilian hospital for further care.
practice appears to be aimed at rooting
out visitors who have histories of proPalestinian activism, and in recent weeks,
Sayfa 25
has led to the expulsion of at least three
Harvard Kennedy School of Government,
American women.
said the policy of email checks, once used
sporadically, appears to have become
It remains unclear how widespread the
more widespread over the past year.
practice is.
Butto said she has led three tour groups to
However, asked about Tamari's claims, the
the region over the past year, and in each
Shin Bet security agency confirmed she
case, at least one member of the group
had been interrogated and said its agents
was asked to open their email. She said
acted in accordance with the law.
Muslims, Arabs and Indians were typically
targeted, and in most cases, were denied
Israel has a long history of using ethnic
entry.
profiling, calling it a necessary evil
resulting from its bitter experience with
Butto said agents typically want to see
terrorist attacks. Arab travelers and
people's itineraries, articles they have
anyone else seen as a risk are often
written or Facebook status updates.
subjected to intense questioning and
invasive
inspections,
including
strip
searches.
"The problem is there's no way to
honestly say you're coming to visit the
West Bank without falling into some type
The security procedures appear to be
of security trap," she said. "Either you lie
getting
of
and risk being caught in a lie, or you tell
journalists at official events have been
the truth ... and it's not clear whether
invasive enough to create a series of mini-
you'll be allowed in."
stricter:
Recent
searches
uproars and walkouts — a situation that
has dovetailed with increasing concerns
Tamari, who is from St. Louis, said she
that the government is trying to stifle
arrived in Israel on May 21 to participate
dissent.
in an interfaith conference. She described
herself as a Quaker peace activist and
Diana Butto, a former legal adviser to the
acknowledged taking part in campaigns
Palestinian Authority and a fellow at the
Sayfa 26
calling for boycotts and divestment from
A female interrogator ordered Doughman
Israel.
to open her Gmail account, threatening
she would be deported if she didn't.
Given her activism, Tamari said she
expected some security delays. But she
"She typed in gmail.com and she turned
was caught off guard by the order to open
the keyboard toward me and said, 'Log in.
her email account. She said the agents
Log in now,'" Doughman recounted. "I
discovered her address while rifling
asked, 'Is this legal?' She said, 'Log in.'"
through her personal papers.
She said the agent searched for keywords
"That's when they turned their (computer)
like "West Bank" and "Palestine" and
screens around to me and said, 'Log in,"
made fun of a chat in which Doughman
she
talked of reading graffiti on Israel's West
said.
When
she
refused,
an
interrogator said, "'Well you must be a
Bank separation barrier.
terrorist. You are hiding something.'"
"After she read a bunch of stuff,
Tamari said she was searched, placed in a
humiliating and mocking me, I said, 'I think
holding cell and flown back to the U.S. the
you've read enough,'" Doughman said,
following day. "The idea that somebody
adding that agents jotted down names
my age, a Quaker, on a peace delegation
and emails of her friends as they
with folks from the U.S., would be denied
inspected her chat history.
entry — that never crossed my mind," she
said.
Doughman's traveling companion, Sasha
Al-Sarabi, said agents pulled her aside and
Najwa
Doughman,
a
25-year-old
checked out her Facebook page.
Palestinian American from New York City,
said she underwent a similar experience
Both women said they were approached
when she arrived for a one-week vacation
because of their Arab family names, and
on May 26.
were repeatedly asked about the nature
of their visit, and whether they planned to
Sayfa 27
go to the West Bank and participate in
The embassy typically remains in contact
anti-Israel demonstrations.
with local authorities throughout the
process until a decision on entry is made.
While acknowledging she belonged to
Palestinian activist groups when she was
He
said
the
U.S.
stresses
to
all
in college, Doughman said she insisted the
governments "to treat American passport
one-week visit was purely for a vacation.
holders as Americans, regardless of their
ethnic origin ... At the same time, any
"The interrogator asked me, 'Do you feel
sovereign nation has the right to decide
more Arab or more American? ... Surely
who to let in, and not to let in."
you must feel more Arab," Doughman
said. "I told her I was born in the U.S. and
Tamari and Doughman's cases were first
studied there, but she didn't like my
reported
answer."
Mondoweiss.
After hours of questioning, both women
Israel has become increasingly strict
were told they would not be allowed in.
following
They said they were subjected to strip
international activists in recent years,
searches, placed in a detention center and
highlighted by a deadly clash two years
sent back to the U.S. the following day.
ago between Israeli naval commandos and
Doughman said they weren't allowed to
a flotilla trying to break Israel's naval
call the U.S. Embassy.
blockade of the Gaza Strip. Both sides
on
a
the
series
left-wing
of
run-ins
blog
with
accused the other of provoking the
American Embassy spokesman Kurt Hoyer
violence in which nine Turkish activists
said the embassy does not comment on
were killed.
specific cases. But he said the embassy is
"usually"
contacted
whenever
an
Since
then,
Israel
has
prevented
American citizen is not allowed to enter
international activists from arriving on
Israel, or any other country.
similar flotillas as well as a pair of "fly-ins"
by pro-Palestinian activists. Israeli officials
acknowledge they used social media
Sayfa 28
accounts, such as Facebook and Twitter,
privately owned Palestinian land would
to identify activists ahead of time and
damage settlement construction.
prevent them from boarding flights to
Israel.
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy
-defense/netanyahu-bill-legalizing-ulpana-
Emanuel Gross, a law professor at Haifa
neighborhood-would-harm-settlement-
University, said such a practice would
construction.premium-1.434353
seem to be illegal in Israel.
"In Israel, you need a search warrant to go
Obama worried PA not interested in
peace
into somebody's computer," he said. "I'm
skeptical that the security guards asked a
US President tells meeting of Orthodox
judge first for a warrant and I'm skeptical
Jewish leadership that his support falls
that a judge would give it."
with Israel when it comes to peace.
US President Barack Obama at NATO
conference Photo: REUTERS/Jim Young
http://www.asharqe.com/news.asp?section=1&id=29874
WASHINGTON -- US President Barack
Netanyahu: Bill legalizing Ulpana
neighborhood would harm settlement
construction
Obama
is
that
Palestinian
leadership was no longer as interested in
advancing toward peace, he said in a
conversation
MKs, right-wingers propose bill that would
worried
with
Orthodox
Jewish
leaders on Tuesday.
authorize settlement construction on
privately
owned
Palestinian
land;
Ministers Yishai, Lieberman say they
support the bill.
During the conversation, an Orthodox
Union (OU) official asked Obama what
lessons he had learned about promoting
Israeli-Palestinian peace, considering how
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said
Monday that a new bill that would
his first two years in office had been
marked by tensions with Israel.
authorize settlement construction on
Sayfa 29
When it came to Israel, Obama asked the
Another OU official reiterated the group's
group not to doubt his "fidelity" to their
unhappiness with Obama's decision to
cause.
require
contraceptive
coverage
for
employees at religious institutions not
Participants said that Obama rejected the
directly involved in religious activity, like
notion that he was even-handed in his
hospitals or orphanages.
attempts
to
revive
Israeli-Palestinian
peace talks; he insisted that the US
posture was pro-Israel, for instance, in his
calls for making Israel's security needs
paramount in any final status deal.
He said his calls to freeze settlement
expansion reflected the same positions of
his
four
predecessors,
and
blamed
The official noted that the OU did not
differences with Israel in part on the quirk
oppose contraceptive coverage, but was
of history of a centrist US government and
concerned that the two-tier system was
a right-wing Israeli government coexisting.
confusing and represented governmental
intrusion into matters of faith.
Obama said Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu
wanted
to
act
without
Roman Catholic groups have led the
restraints, but that he understood him --
opposition to the mandated coverage,
most
introduced by Obama earlier this year.
leaders want to act
without
restraints.
Obama said he was proud of his
Click here for special JPost coverage
administration's
religious
record
liberty,
but
of
defending
that
the
He said peace was critical as the Arab
contraceptive coverage case presented
democracy movement swept the region.
him with a dilemma: How to protect the
right of millions of women working at
religiously run institutions.
Sayfa 30
concern on issues related to both
He defended his solution, exempting
domestic and foreign policy. The president
purely
like
reiterated his unwavering support for
churches and providing the contraceptive
Israel’s security and his commitment to
coverage through third party insurance
preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear
companies, instead of the religiously run
weapons.”
religious
establishments
institution.
http://www.jpost.com/USPresidentialrace
He said the solution allowed religious
/Article.aspx?id=272885
individuals who objected to contraceptive
coverage not to participate, but simply to
4. AFRICA and EGYPT
passively tolerate others receiving the
coverage.
Mubarak in prison, Egyptians in Tahrir
Square: Demo boosts Mursi
Obama's meeting with the Orthodox
leaders on Tuesday was the second such
Demo comes days before presidential
meeting in a week; last week he met with
election run-off which is becoming highly
leaders of the Conservative movement.
polarised with many activists facing
difficult choice.
In both cases, he dropped in on meetings
the leaders were having with Jack Lew, his
CAIRO - Egyptians in their hundreds began
Jewish chief of staff.
gathering Tuesday in Cairo's iconic Tahrir
Square ahead of a mass demonstration to
The meeting Tuesday, convened by the
protest against verdicts handed down in
Orthodox Union, was friendly, in depth
ex-president Hosni Mubarak's murder
and constructive, participants on all sides
trial.
said.
Hawkers selling tea, cakes or flags took up
A White House official said that "the
positions at the square in downtown
president discussed with the rabbis and
Cairo, which was closed to traffic for the
lay leaders a variety of issues of mutual
1500 GMT demonstration called by
Egyptian activists furious at the verdicts.
Sayfa 31
Mubarak, 84, and his interior minister
Habib al-Adly were sentenced to life in
prison on Saturday, but six security chiefs
were acquitted over the killings of
demonstrators during last year's uprising
that left some 850 people dead and
ousted the ex-president.
The protest has been called by youth
The ruling sparked nationwide outrage,
with thousands taking to the streets to
vent their rage that no one had been
found
directly
guilty
of
killing
the
protesters.
Mubarak -- the only autocrat toppled in
the Arab Spring to be put in the dock -could have been sent to the gallows as
demanded by the prosecution but was
instead given a life term, angering many.
movements
who
revolted
against
Mubarak last year, including the Coalition
of Revolution Youth and the Maspero
Youth Union, and will be supported by the
powerful Muslim Brotherhood.
The runners-up in the first round of the
presidential election, leftist
politician
Hamdeen Sabbahi and moderate Islamist
Abdel Moneim Abul Fotouh, would lead
separate marches to the central square,
they said in statements.
He was also cleared of graft charges.
They came third and fourth respectively in
Along with the acquitted police chiefs,
Mubarak's sons Alaa and Gamal had
corruption charges against them dropped
on a technicality, but they will remain in
prison over another corruption case.
the May 23-24 election that has narrowed
to a run-off later this month between
Ahmed Shafiq -- Mubarak's prime minister
during the uprising -- and the Muslim
Brotherhood's Mohammed Mursi.
"We believe that our revolution is not
over. The military must leave power and
hand it to civilians," said Mahmud Bahira,
Sayfa 32
a protester from the Revolution Youth
movement.
Gathafi foreign intelligence chief goes
on trial in Libya
Another protester Mohammed Shabik
Trial of former foreign intelligence Chief
said: "The judgment in the Mubarak case
Bouzid
is not tough enough, there are even
security forces to kill demonstrators,
people who have been acquitted."
opens.
Egypt's prosecutor has said that the
First of slain leader’s henchmen to appear
verdicts will be appealed, but a judicial
in court
Dorda,
accused
of
ordering
source said that the process would take
several weeks.
TRIPOLI - The first trial of a senior official
accused of killing demonstrators in the
Mubarak's defence team has also said it
2011 uprising against Libyan leader
would challenge the ruling and said it was
Moamer Gathafi opened on Tuesday.
confident of winning on appeal.
Former foreign intelligence Chief Bouzid
The verdicts come just two weeks before
Dorda is accused of ordering security
the presidential election run-off which is
forces to "kill demonstrators and fire live
becoming highly polarised with many
ammunition at them" during the 2011
activists facing a difficult choice.
uprising that ended Gathafi's rule.
For activists, choosing Shafiq, a Mubarak-
Dorda is the first of the slain leader’s
era figure, would symbolise a return to the
henchmen to appear in court since Gathafi
old regime and an end to the revolution,
was captured and killed in October last
but voting for Mursi would mean handing
year.
Egypt to a movement they say has
monopolised power since the uprising.
http://www.middle-eastonline.com/english/?id=52649
Sayfa 33
forces loyal to the ruling National
Transitional Council.
The trial was adjourned until June 26 at
the request of his defence lawyer, Daw alMansuri, who wanted more time to
review the case.
He is charged with detaining people
without evidence of any crimes and using
or threatening force to prevent others
from enjoying their political rights.
Dorda is also accused of organising
members of his tribe into an armed militia
with the aim of sparking a civil war.
The new authorities are keen to show the
world that they have a functioning
judiciary and are capable of conducting
fair trials for high profile figures.
They have requested the extradition of
former spymaster Abdullah Senussi, who
was detained in Mauritania in March, and
ex-prime minister Baghdadi al-Mahmudi
Dressed in a blue prisoner outfit, he
entered the courtroom using crutches and
who has been held in Tunisia since
September 2011.
sat in a caged section, a journalist at the
scene said.
The NTC also hopes to try Gathafi's son
Seif al-Islam, who is also wanted by the
Sources familiar with the case said Dorda,
also a former prime minister, fractured his
International Criminal Court for crimes
against humanity, at home.
hip jumping out of a window in an escape
bid.
The trial intervenes as the North African
nation prepares to hold elections for a
Dorda, who served as Libya's UN envoy in
the late 1990s and replaced Mussa Kussa
constituent assembly on June 19, as
pledged by the NTC.
as head of external intelligence services in
2009, was detained in September by
Sayfa 34
Juba-Khartoum talks on demilitarised
border zone hit wall
Talks continue despite high tensions,
accusations
by
South
Sudan's
chief
negotiator, who said Khartoum had
Delegations from both countries met in
launched renewed air strikes.
the Ethiopian capital last week for the first
face-to-face talks since deadly violence
ADDIS ABABA - Peace talks to end weeks
along the border last month that ignited
of fighting between Sudan and South
fears of a return to all-out war.
Sudan were deadlocked Tuesday after
failing to agree on where to set up a
Defence ministers from Sudan and South
demilitarised zone along their contested
Sudan met Monday to discuss border
border.
security, including a cessation of hostilities
and the establishment of a demilitarised
"The position of the parties is still rather
border buffer zone.
far apart on these issues," South Sudan's
foreign minister Nhial Deng Nhial told
The African Union-led talks continued
reporters during a break in the week-long
Tuesday
talks, which still continue despite the lack
accusations by the South Sudan's chief
of progress.
negotiator
despite
Pagan
high
tensions
Amum,
who
and
said
Khartoum had launched renewed air
"We have not yet been able to agree on
strikes on Monday.
the line from which the safe demilitarized
border zone is going to be drawn," Nhial
Sudan official Abdul Rahman Sir Al-Khatim
said, but adding he remained optimistic a
denied the accusations as an "utter
deal could yet be reached.
fabrication and lie" and insisted Khartoum
was abiding by a joint African UnionUnited Nations demand to end hostilities.
Sayfa 35
"We are respecting both the decisions of
Libya hands long jail terms to exGathafi ‘mercenaries’
the UN of May 2 and the AU of April 24,"
he said, calling on Juba to stop blaming
Military court hands stiff prison terms to
Khartoum for violence, and warning that
19 Ukrainians, three nationals from
continued allegations could jeopardize the
Belarus, two Russians accused of serving
progress of the talks.
as mercenaries for ousted leader Gathafi.
the
TRIPOLI - A military court handed stiff
confidence... help us to go forward rather
prison terms to 19 Ukrainians, three
than sending these allegations without
nationals from Belarus and two Russians
any evidence," he said. "We have made
accused of serving as mercenaries for
some progress, although it is not as we
ousted leader Moamer Gathafi in Libya's
were expecting."
conflict last year.
Juba split from Sudan last July following
One of the Russians, judged to have been
one of Africa's longest wars, but the two
the coordinator, was condemned to life
sides have remained at loggerheads over a
imprisonment while the others were
number of disputes, including border
sentenced to 10 years' hard labour.
"This
will
not
help
building
demarcation and oil transit fees.
AU-lead talks have been ongoing since
independence, but a number of ceasefire
agreements
--
including
a
deal
to
demilitarise border areas -- have been
repeatedly violated by both sides.
The 24 men, who all denied the charges
and insisted they were in Libya to work in
its oil sector, were accused of having
primed ground-to-air missile batteries to
Sayfa 36
target NATO warplanes supporting the
Among them was Gathafi's Ukrainian
revolt against Gathafi.
nurse, Galina Kolotnitska.
At the start of the trial in April, a military
http://www.middle-east-
spokesman said the eastern Europeans
online.com/english/?id=52637
had also backed the regime in attacks on
civilians while "in the pay of Gathafi and
his brigades."
MB SecGen calls on Egypt to unite
behind Mursi
The ambassadors of Ukraine and Belarus
Cairo,
Asharq
Al-Awsat
–
Speaking
were in court for the verdict and said the
exclusively to Asharq Al-Awsat, Secretary-
men would appeal.
General of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood
[MB], Dr. Mahmoud Hussein, stressed that
The spokesman said the "mercenaries,"
the only available solution to save the
held since their arrest on the fall of Tripoli
Egyptian revolution is to rally behind MB
in late August 2011 by a brigade of former
presidential candidate Mohamed Mursi,
rebels in the capital, had travelled to Libya
adding that with the looming threat to
of their own accord without the backing of
Egypt’s revolution, now is not the time to
their governments.
talk about political assurances. Hussein
also rejected the proposal put forward by
On April 11, Ukraine's foreign ministry said
some Egyptian political forces regarding
it believed its citizens were innocent and
the formation of a civilian presidential
would fight for their release. If convicted,
council to take power from the ruling
Kiev would seek to have them repatriated
Supreme Council of the Armed Forces
to serve out their sentences.
[SCAF], saying this is an unpractical
solution that SCAF will no doubt reject.
Ukraine had close links with Gathafi's
regime, and estimates that around 1,500
The Egyptian political scene was set ablaze
of its citizens were in Libya before the
on Saturday despite the fact that former
conflict started in mid-February 2011.
Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak and
former Interior Minister Habib al-Adly
were sentenced to life imprisonment. The
Sayfa 37
controversy focused on the acquittal of a
number
of
senior
Ministry
The MB Secretary-General viewed this
officials, including on charges of issuing
presidential election run-off as being
orders to kill Egypt’s revolutionaries. In
between the former National Democratic
light of the uncertain political scene in
Party and its symbols – represented by
Egypt, political forces have suggested the
former Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq –
formation of a Presidential Council to take
and the entire Egyptian people, as
over from SCAF, its tasks would include
represented by Freedom and Justice Party
the drafting of a new constitution as well
candidate Mohamed Mursi. He told
as arranging new presidential elections to
Asharq Al-Awsat that “the trial verdict and
replace the forthcoming presidential run-
the forthcoming elections has placed us
off vote that is scheduled to take place
face to face with a scene that is
later this month between MB candidate
dominated by the [former] head of the
Mohamed
regime, the remnants of the National
Mursi
Interior
and former
prime
minister Ahmed Shafiq.
Democratic Party, and its corrupt symbols,
assisted by the media that are working to
However
MB
Secretary-General
Dr.
serve their interests.” Hussein added “the
Mahmoud Hussein informed Asharq Al-
officials in Tora [prison] are running the
Awsat that this idea is unrealistic,
scene in one way or another and the
stressing that “forming a presidential
money that has been stolen from the
council is a proposal that cannot be
Egyptian people continues to be used to
implemented on the ground because SCAF
buy votes.”
will only hand over the reins of power to
an elected president” adding “they will
The MB Secretary-General said that no
not pay any attention to the calls made in
single
Egypt’s squares and streets. Any challenge
confronting this crisis alone, adding that
to SCAF must be realistic and practical.”
all political, national and revolutionary
Hussein also asserted that “we are in the
forces
midst of a democratic election, on the
Mohamed Mursi in the forthcoming
verge of the presidential run-off vote, and
presidential run-off vote, particularly in
all efforts should be focused on this.”
light of the fact that his opposing
political
should
force
back
is
MB
capable
of
candidate
Sayfa 38
candidate, General Shafiq, was the last
between our political forces, because
prime minister of the Mubarak era.
there are areas where we can come to
agreement.”
Dr. Mahmoud Hussein told Asharq AlAwsat that “the revolution is at a
One week following the announcement of
crossroad, and this is something that
the initial presidential election results, the
applies to all the political forces, including
Freedom and Justice party has failed to
the MB. We have two options: either we
win broad-backing from other political
join together to preserve the revolution,
forces for their presidential candidate
even if there are differences between
Mohamed Mursi. The MB Secretary-
us…or we all lose the revolution.” Hussein
General informed Asharq Al-Awsat that
stressed
and
“this may be due to their views on the
revolutionary forces, not to mention the
performance of the MB, some of these
Egyptian people, are approaching an
views may be correct, whilst others might
impasse and this necessitates unity in the
be wrong or mistaken, or due to these
forthcoming period.
political forces being aware of certain
that
Egypt’s
political
details.” However he stressed that “the
The Secretary-General of Egypt's MB
gravest threat is that some people are still
claimed that “the only realistic solution to
doubtful about [the MB’s] intentions, and
save the revolution is to support Dr.
I do not where this scepticism will lead
Mohamed Mursi, the candidate of the MB
us."
and the revolution, in the forthcoming
presidential run-off” adding “now is not
Hussein accused the media of raising
the time to talk about assurances because
doubts
we are facing a looming threat that will
candidacy, claiming that “there is a
confront us in a serious manner, with
general agreement to support Mursi, but
regards to
its media, political and
the media is casting doubt about this. The
economic forces. Therefore, we must
MB has announced, since the beginning,
unify our efforts to get rid of this
that it intends to form a coalition
candidate of the former regime [Shafiq],
government, and that it is committed to a
and then reach mutual understanding
civil state”
over
Mursi’s
presidential
Sayfa 39
Hussein also told Asharq Al-Awsat that
Despite the divisions and disagreements
“this verdict indicates that some people
between the different political forces in
are trying to restore the former regime, in
parliament, the MB Secretary-General
an even stronger position” adding “the
informed Asharq Al-Awsat that “we are all
acquittals shocked the public, and has
in agreement on the constitution itself;
granted them the opportunity to unite the
therefore,
revolution once more.”
the
dispute
over
the
constituent assembly is a fabrication, the
creation of a problem from nothing.” He
MB
added “the political forces have agreed on
Hussein also accused General Shafiq’s
the
the
campaign of exploiting village chiefs and
Democratic Alliance code…therefore it is
elders in the Nile Delta region and Upper
easy to draft a constitution based on this,
Egypt to recruit the votes of simple
in accordance with what has already been
citizens, adding that he expects the
agreed upon, regardless of who is drafting
acquitted Interior Ministry officials to
this.”
support
al-Azhar
document
and
Secretary-General
Shafiq
in
Dr.
the
Mahmoud
forthcoming
presidential run-off.
Tens of thousands of Egyptians took to the
streets this week to express their anger
http://www.asharq-
over the acquittal of a number of senior
e.com/news.asp?section=1&id=29882
Egyptian officials, staging protests across
the country. The MB Secretary-General
said that “these acquittal were a message
Protesters press political demands in
Egypt
that the [Egyptian] people understood,
and this represents an attempt to attack
Thousands descend on Cairo square for
the revolution, and a message that no one
the fourth straight night to demand
will be brought to trial over the blood of
Ahmed Shafik's removal from presidential
the martyrs…however this will only make
race.
the people even more determined to
preserve their rights."
Thousands of protesters have converged
in Cairo's Tahrir Square for the fourth
night in a row to protest against Ahmed
Sayfa 40
Shafik, the presidential candidate widely
seen
as
a representative
of Hosni
Mubarak's deposed regime.
Thousands of people also turned out to
protest in the northern city of Alexandria,
and small demonstrations were reported
Crowds marched to the square from
elsewhere around the country.
several locations in the capital, led by two
defeated candidates from the first round
A presidential council?
of the presidential ballot.
This latest wave of protests began on
They have demanded that Shafik, a former
Saturday after a Cairo court sentenced
military man who was Mubarak's final
Mubarak to life in prison for complicity in
prime minister, withdraw from the runoff
killing
election scheduled to begin on June 16.
revolution.
Many are also angry with the Muslim
Egyptians elect first new president in post-
Brotherhood's Mohammed Morsi, the
Mubarak era
protesters
during
last
year's
other contender in the runoff.
The verdict led to widespread anger
"Neither Shafik nor Morsi are any good,"
because Mubarak's two sons, Gamal and
Arafa Mohamed, 21, told the Associated
Alaa,
Press news agency. "They have to pull out
charges, and several senior security
of the presidential race. One is from the
officials were found not guilty of murder.
were
acquitted
of
corruption
former regime, and one has no political
experience and has a group's Islamist
Many of the protesters come from
agenda."
revolutionary groups like the April 6 youth
movement, which distrust the Muslim
Tuesday's marches were led by Hamdeen
Brotherhood for breaking an earlier
Sabbahi, a liberal, and Abdel Moneim
pledge
Aboul Fotouh, a moderate Islamist and
candidate.
not
to
field
a
presidential
former member of the Brotherhood. They
placed third and fourth in last month's
The Brotherhood has endorsed these
election.
protests - it called the Mubarak verdict
Sayfa 41
"shocking" - but has rejected any calls to
delay the election.
The runoff election should be the final
step in Egypt's transition to civilian rule.
Morsi met on Monday Sabbahi, Aboul
The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces,
Fotouh and Khaled Ali, another defeated
Egypt's military rulers, has promised to
liberal candidate.
hand over power to a civilian president on
June 30.
The three failed contenders have called
for a "presidential council," a civilian body
But questions remain about whether it
which would rule Egypt. Morsi did not
can go forward as scheduled. In addition
endorse the idea, though - some media
to the push for a presidential council,
reports say he rejected it outright - and
there is also a chance Shafik will be
the Brotherhood has suggested it would
disqualified,
be unconstitutional.
exclusion" law passed by parliament
because
of
a
"political
earlier this year which bans ex-regime
Shafik could be banned
officials from running for office.
The idea of a "presidential council' is
Egypt's high court is due to rule later this
controversial even among some Egyptian
month
liberals:
constitutional.
Amr
Hamzawy,
the
liberal
on
whether
the
law
is
member of parliament from the Cairo
district of Heliopolis, said it would be
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middlee
"incompatible with democracy".
ast/2012/06/201265161255460815.html
Shafik, meanwhile, has escalated his
Mubarak’s acquittal of corruption to
hinder retrieval of smuggled money:
experts
attacks on Morsi in advance of the runoff.
In a televised interview on Monday night,
he accused the Muslim Brotherhood of
killing protesters in Tahrir Square during
the revolution last year, but did not
elaborate.
Mubarak’s acquittal of corruption charges
is bound to have a negative impact on the
Egyptian economy in general and will
hinder the retrieval of money smuggled
Sayfa 42
abroad in particular, financial experts have
imposed
on
the
former
president’s
argued.
accounts.
The fact that neither Mubarak nor his sons
“Keeping the blockade and getting the
were found guilty of corruption gives an
money were contingent upon a verdict
impression that Egypt’s anti-corruption
that finds Mubarak guilty of financial
laws are not deterrent enough, said
corruption,” he said.
economist Ahmed Salim told the Londonbased newspaper Asharq al-Awsat.
Eissa
held
the
Egyptian
authorities
accountable for not taking serious steps
“This is expected to makes investors
towards retrieving the money.
apprehensive of starting any business in
Egypt in the future,” he said.
The acquittal, Salim added, means that all
the
money
Mubarak and
his
sons
smuggled abroad is now their own and the
Egyptian government will not have the
right to retrieve them.
“There was no real political will to get the
“In addition, the countries in whose banks
money back and the freezing of some
the money is deposited can file money
accounts was the result of pressure put on
laundering charges against the Mubarak
foreign
family and will then confiscate the
communities
money.”
organizations.”
Hossam Eissa, professor of international
According to a prominent banking expert,
law and member of the Legal Committee
who spoke on condition of anonymity, the
for the Retrieval of Egyptian Money
verdict that came in favor of Mubarak is
Abroad, said Mubarak’s lawyers will use
an
governments
implicit
and
by
Egyptian
non-governmental
permission
for
foreign
the verdict to lift the block some countries
Sayfa 43
governments to unfreeze the accounts
committee tasked with the retrieval of
and return the money to its owners.
smuggled money, said in mid-April that
Egypt had filed a lawsuit against the
“It is also expected that the prosecutor
British treasury to obligate it to cooperate
general will unfreeze Mubarak’s accounts
with Cairo in recovery of frozen assets in
inside Egypt since he was not found guilty
England.
of corruption,” he said. “The same will
In May, a Swiss court issued an un-
apply to all members of the former regime
appealable verdict to include Egypt as one
who are acquitted of the same charges.”
of the plaintiffs in a case a Swiss criminal
court is pursuing over Mubarak and nine
For banking expert Ahmed Adam, a
of his aids smuggling money illegally.
change in the verdict is the only way the
money can be returned.
One third of the $1.5 trillion of assets held
offshore by Middle Eastern and African
“If after the verdict is appealed, Mubarak
elites is in Switzerland, according to
is found guilty then there is hope,” he
research
said.
Kreuzlingen, Switzerland
It is also important, he added, to put
pressure on the various channels through
06/05/218799.html
firm
MyPrivateBanking
in
which this money was taken outside the
country.
5. JORDAN and LEBANON
“Some amounts were transferred through
banks and others through business deals
with
a
number
of
investors
Hezbollah Condemns Blast Targeting
Shiite Endowment in Iraq
and
businessmen. Tracking those down will
Hezbollah denounced the blast which
make it easier.”
targeted the headquarters of the Shiite
endowment in Iraq, urging the Iraqi
Assem al-Gohary, head of Egypt’s Illicit
people to unite against the western
Gains Authority who also heads a judicial
interference.hezbollah flag
Sayfa 44
In a statement released by Hezbollah’s
Hezbollah also offered condolences to the
Media Relations, the party said: “The hand
families of the martyrs, wish speedy
of terror has hit again the heart of the
recovery.
Iraqi capital, targeting this time the
headquarters of the Shiite endowment
http://www6.almanar.com.lb/english/ade
and leaving dozens of martyrs and more
tails.php?fromval=1&cid=23&frid=23&eid
than a hundred injured.”
=57869
“As Hezbollah denounces this flagrant
Two Lebanese among Victims of
Nigeria Plane Crash
crime, it urges Iraqi people to unite in
order to rise up with their country which
has
been
occupation
liberated
from
through
the
US
Two Lebanese citizens were among the
honorable
victims in the plane crash in Nigeria’s
the
resistance. These people must keep their
largest city, Lagos.nigeria plane crash
efforts in a bid to liberate their country
from the US and western interference
which has been taking place through
intelligence agents and their puppets of
extremist terrorists.”
“This horrible crime carries all signs of
terrorism and indicates that the criminals
who committed are the followers of
Foreign
extremist groups which are related to the
confirmed on Monday that two Lebanese
US
were among the dead.
and
western
intelligence,”
the
Minister
Adnan
Mansour
statement said, adding that these services
have been working hard to spread
Mansour told Voice of Lebanon radio
sedition and sectarian strife.
station (93.3), that one of the victims was
from Awwad family.
The other is an engineer from the Chidiac
family, he said.
Sayfa 45
Residents in Lebanon’s second largest city
The victims were later identified as Roger
were on strike on Monday to protest the
Awad and Nadine Chidiac.
deadly clashes which took place in the last
two days, as the army continued the
Mansour did not confirm whether the
deployment
in
different
bodies would be transported to Lebanon
Tripoli.tripoli clashes
area
of
for burial.
Cautious calm prevailed in Tripoli on
The commercial airliner crashed into a
Monday, with the National News Agency
densely populated neighborhood in Lagos
said that banks, the commerce and
on Sunday, killing all 153 people on board
industry chamber in the North, and the
and others on the ground.
municipality of Tripoli abided by the
request of civil society organizations to
The cause of the Dana Air crash remained
close in mourning of the victims.
unknown on Monday.
The streets of Tripoli were vacant as most
shops, centers and schools were closed
following the two-day clashes.
=57779
The fighting with machineguns and Rocket
Tripoli Residents Strike as Lebanese
Army Continues Deployment
Propelled Grenades between Bab alTabbaneh and the Jabal Mohsen has left
14 people dead and more than 60
wounded since Saturday.
The army issued a statement in which it
said that its forces had deployed in the
areas which witnessed clashes since
Saturday. The statement added that the
internal security forces would also deloy in
the area.
Sayfa 46
demonstration in more than a year and a
The NNA also reported that following late
half of protests.
night talks by officials in the city, the army
moved on Sunday into Syria Street which
The clerics' demands include an end to
divides Jabal Mohsen from t Bab al-
what they describe as the security
Tabbaneh.
service’s interference in Islamic affairs and
at mosques. They have vowed to fight
corruption through Islamic (Sharia) law.
=57769
They have also called for an investigation
into potential corruption at the Islamic
Jordan clerics protest against
government
affairs ministry that they say has delayed a
previously promised raise in their basic
salaries.
Imams demonstrate outside royal palace
to call for end to security services'
One
interference in Islamic affairs.
negotiations with the ministry is the
of
formation
their
of
a
pre-conditions
special
to
professional
Jordan's imams called for an end to
association for imams - who feel they are
security service interference in Islamic
the largest segment of society left without
affairs and at mosques [Al Jazeera]
a voice.
About 150 imams have protested outside
Protest organisers accused officials at the
the royal palace in Jordan's capital Amman
ministry of shelving their demand for an
in an attempt to express their discontent
imams’ syndicate, which has been in the
with the government.
hands of the government since February.
Monday's
outside
Participants hung posters on the walls of
Raghadan Palace was not the first time
the royal court that read: “There is no
imams had taken to the streets, but it was
alternative
by
country’s king".
far
demonstration
their
most
significant
to
a
meeting
with
the
Sayfa 47
preachers, clerics and mosque employees
Majed Al Omari, the president of the
by 90 per cent at the end of last year.
preparatory committee for the imams
professional association, told Al Jazeera
Jordan is cash-strapped, suffering from a
that King Abdullah should listen to the
huge budget deficit, which according to
demands and complaints of the imams
officials could reach $4bn this year. This
because they represent the country’s
precarious financial situation has led to
safety valve.
budget restrictions for all government
institutions.
There are about 5,000 mosque employees
and imams who address millions of
Officials say about 2,700 mosques across
Jordanians at weekly Friday prayers, and
the country remain without imams.
they say they are struggling under difficult
economic conditions.
The ministry attributed the delay in a
decision
regarding
a
professional
Many of them do not have full-time jobs
association to the government’s focus on
and complain of a lack of job security,
more pressing legislation such as the
while others say their salaries are too low
election law.
to cope with rising prices.
But the imams are unimpressed with the
'Salaries raised'
ministry’s response.
The Islamic affairs ministry expressed its
Jordan’s religious establishment is not
surprise over the call for Monday’s protest
affiliated with any political or social group,
and said it had taken the imams’ request
and has remained largely neutral since the
for a professional association to the prime
launch of the country’s 17-month-old pro-
Minister's office.
reform movement.
In a statement, the ministry also said it
But after months of solo sit-ins, the clerics
had
and imams see that joining the country’s
raised
the
salaries
of
imams,
protest movement may be worthwhile.
Sayfa 48
UN teams already have been sent to scout
Even though they may represent different
those areas, said John Ging, director of the
forces, their demand is one: an end to
co-ordination and response unit at the UN
corruption that is threatening the country.
Office
for
the
Co-ordination
of
Humanitarian Affairs.
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middlee
ast/2012/06/20126594810880584.html
"Whether this is a breakthrough or not
6. SYRIA
will be evident in the coming days and
weeks, and it will be measured not in
Syria agrees to let in UN humanitarian
aid
rhetorics, not in agreements, but in action
Teams to be stationed in four hard-hit
But despite the humanitarian opening,
cities as opposition and government
Syria has also decided to declare 17
attacks continue despite ceasefire effort.
foreign diplomats unwelcome in the
on the ground," he said.
country.
The Syrian government has agreed to let
aid workers into the country, the UN says,
The ambassadors of the US, UK, France
even as the government of Bashar al-
and Turkey, among others, were declared
Assad expels foreign diplomats.
personae non gratae.
It would be the first time humanitarian
Canada, Italy, Spain and various embassy
workers - aside from the International
staff members from Belgium, Bulgaria and
Committee of the Red Cross - have been
Germany were also named in the foreign
granted permission to enter Syria.
ministry's statement.
The workers will initially be based in just
A group of mainly Western countries
four cities hard hit by the fighting: Homs,
expelled Syrian diplomats in the wake of
Deraa, Idlib, and Deir Azzor.
the Houla massacre of more than 100
people in late May, one of the worst
Sayfa 49
atrocities in the country since an uprising
"We shall work for the success of Annan
broke out in March 2011.
plan," Maqdad said, adding that he
discussed with Major-General Robert
Widespread
violence
continued
on
Mood "the joint work that we need to
Tuesday, particularly in Latakia, a western
carry
out
together
after
the
full
port city, where 15 members of the
deployment" of the UN-backed truce
security forces, three rebels and two
observer mission in Syria.
civilians were killed, according to the
London-based activists' network Syrian
Almost
300
UN
unarmed
military
Observatory for Human Rights.
observers have been deployed in Syria to
monitor a putative ceasefire in place since
State media, for its part, reported the
April 12, but which has been violated
deaths of two high-ranking army officers
every day since then.
at the hands of "terrorist groups".
A Chinese official has said that Beijing and
Brigadier-General Anwar al-Saqqa was
Moscow have been playing a "positive
killed by a bomb planted under his car on
role"
the outskirts of Damascus, which also
countries'
injured his daughter and driver, while
intervention in the conflict, as Russian
Colonel Ahmad Abdul-Qader Haj Hattab
President Vladimir Putin arrived for a
was shot and killed by motorcycle-riding
three-day visit.
on
Syria
and
opposition
reiterated
to
the
foreign
assailants in Deir Azzor, according to the
SANA news agency.
Putin's visit to China is aimed at bolstering
crucial
ties
between
the
powerful
Syria remains committed to the peace
neighbours who have aligned at the UN to
plan brokered by UN-Arab League envoy
block tougher international action against
Kofi Annan, Faisal al-Maqdad, Syria's
Syria despite widespread condemnation of
deputy foreign minister, said on Monday,
the government's deadly crackdown.
following a meeting with the chief UN
observer.
Liu Weimin, a Chinese foreign ministry
spokesman, told a daily news briefing that
Sayfa 50
both countries agreed there should be an
In the biggest act of civil disobedience by
immediate end to violence and that
Damascus merchants in Syria’s 15-month-
political dialogue should begin as soon as
old uprising, many stores have been
possible.
closed for a week in protest against the
massacre of more than 100 people in
"Both sides oppose external intervention
Houla on May 25.
in Syria and oppose regime change by
force," Liu said.
The closures have affected districts all
across the capital, from the Old City
"We believe ultimately the Syrian issue
market to opposition areas where 70
should be properly addressed through
percent of stores appeared shut despite
consultation among different parties in
what shopkeepers said were attacks and
Syria. This is in the fundamental interests
threats by security forces to force them to
of the Syrian people. China and Russia
reopen.
have been playing, in their own way, a
positive role on the Syrian issue."
“We want to participate in the strike but
at the same time we are afraid of the
Both energy and foreign policy co-
reaction of the security police,” said
operation are expected to be high on the
Mohammed, who owns a clothes shop in
agenda for Putin's visit, with the Russian
the traditional al-Hamidiya souk - a long,
leader also due to meet the presidents of
covered walkway that cuts through the
Iran and Afghanistan as part of a regional
Old City.
security summit on Wednesday and
Thursday.
Widespread closures in the capital, a
stronghold of President Bashar al-Assad,
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia-
represent a major challenge to the Syrian
pacific/2012/06/201265131251913374.ht
leader and Mohammed said security
ml
forces had broken open his locked shop
door a few days ago to intimidate him.
Damascus merchants put up shutters
in challenge to Assad
Sayfa 51
Mohammed, who asked to only use his
capital, used to be a hive of activity where
first name to avoid identification by
rich businessmen would make deals and
police, said that the action was a
sell merchandise over sugared tea. Now it
piecemeal attempt that he and other
stands quiet, a backwater in the center of
merchants have tacitly agreed to in
the capital.
protest against the killing of 108 civilians
in Houla in violence blamed by the United
Sunni
Muslim
merchants
have
Nations on army shelling and pro-Assad
traditionally formed the core of the
militiamen.
business community in the Syrian capital
and in the commercial hub Aleppo, Syria’s
“The strike does send a political message,”
most populous city.
he said, although admitting that the
opposition movement was still weak.
Assad, and his late father - from Syria’s
minority Alawite sect - forged close ties
Since the attack, Mohammed has opened
with the Sunni merchant class, who
the shutters to give the impression that
helped prevent a collapse of the Syrian
his shop is open, but the door is in fact
pound last year by keeping their cash in
closed while he sits outside in case the
the bank while everyone rushed to
police return. During a tour of the
exchange weak pounds for dollars.
Hamidiya souk it appeared that around
half of the shops remained shut.
However, Assad is losing support among
merchants who are suffering from a
Most Syrians to buy their goods from
stagnant business climate and Western
small local merchants, rather than modern
sanctions imposed to put pressure on the
supermarkets, and the dampening effect
defiant president.
of the strike is tangible in Damascus’
lonely streets.
And Assad’s crackdown on the uprising by
Syria’s majority Sunnis has lost him many
The
Hamidiya
souk,
a
centuries-old
supporters who are enraged by the deaths
cobblestoned street linked to a maze of
of more than 10,000 fellow citizens at the
smaller alleyways winding through the
hands of Assad loyalists.
Sayfa 52
70 percent of shops closed
and widespread arrests, residents say the
markets have been empty for weeks.
More than 70 percent of shops are on
strike in Sunni opposition districts outside
Damascus
residents,
whether
they
the Old city such as Midan, where activists
support the strike or not, say the shop
say government forces have shot and
closures have compounded the already
killed demonstrators at weekly protests.
dire economic situation. Prices have
soared over the past 15 months and
“We open our shops for an hour a day so
sanctions have cut vital trade links.
people can buy essentials,” said Midanbased supermarket owner Amin, who also
Many Syrians are unable to buy anything
asked Reuters only to use his first name.
but
Like Mohammed in Hamidiya, many shop
government figures put annual consumer
owners in Midan sit in front of their
price inflation at 31 percent in April, but
businesses so they can open up quickly if
residents say basic goods such as sugar,
security personnel arrive.
vegetable oil and eggs have doubled in
the
bare
essentials.
Syrian
price.
Markets in Damascus have been subject to
a heavy security presence over the past
Not all are 100 percent behind the
week, with new checkpoints erected at
campaign of civil disobedience.
their entrances, residents say.
“I feel bad about what happened to the
Even districts of Damascus that are
people of Houla,” said a restaurant owner
predominantly Christian, a minority group
in the Kafr Souseh district, where most
that Assad’s supporters say will stick by
shops are on strike. “But I have three
the leader against the largely Sunni revolt,
employees to pay and what use is a
have reported a large number of shop
strike?” he said, echoing the sentiments of
closures.
many frustrated businessmen.
And in towns on the Damascus outskirts,
For others, the loss in earnings is justified
many of which have witnessed army raids
by the disruption they are causing to the
Sayfa 53
heart of the capital where state security
number of explosions have also rocked
forces have been scrambling to give an
the city of Lattakia, the Syrian Sham
impression of calm and control while the
Network said, as at least 51 people were
rest of the country crumbles.
killed on Tuesday in the violent crackdown
of the Syrian forces against dissents across
“Strikes are less dangerous than open
the country.
demonstrations,” said a high school
teacher from the capital. “We need strikes
The LCC said that the city of Zabadany was
in shops, schools and universities. It’s a
exposed to intensive shelling and the
safer way to express ourselves.”
houses were targeted as mass protests
went out overnight.
06/05/218805.html
Heavy clashes were reported between the
Free Syrian Army (FSA) and the troops
Clashes reported in Syria as Russia
signals it is prepared to see Assad
leave power
loyal to Assad in Harasta on the outskirts
of Damascus, as a number of protests
kicked off from mosques in the town.
Intensive
clashes were
taking
place
between the Syrian government troops
and rebels in al-Abbasiyeen area in
Damascus and sounds of explosions,
LCC activists told Al Arabiya that intensive
shelling was reported in Hama and Deraa.
Heavy clashes were also reported in the
Kurds Mountain in Lattakia, they said.
shelling and gunshots were heard, Al
Arabiya reported on Wednesday citing
activists
at
the
Local
Coordination
Committees (LCC), as Russia signaled it is
prepared to see Syrian President Bashar
al-Assad leave power as part of a political
settlement.
Meanwhile, a senior Russian diplomat said
on Tuesday that Russia is prepared to see
President Assad leave power as part of a
political settlement following 15 months
of bloodshed, but is not in talks with other
nations on the fate of the Syrian leader.
Loud explosions were heard in al-Qaboun
neighborhoods and in Baghdad Street. A
Sayfa 54
Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov
meeting Annan. “This issue must be
also said a Yemen-style power transition
resolved by the Syrians themselves.”
was unlikely to work in Syria because
many of Assad’s foes are unwilling to
He said Russia “is not holding any contacts
negotiate with the government, Russian
or discussions with anyone about whether
news agency Itar-Tass reported.
Assad should stay in power or go.”
Moscow has used its U.N. Security Council
Gatilov expressed doubt the formula used
veto and other tools to protect Assad,
in Yemen could succeed in Syria.
who has given Russia a firm Middle East
foothold and is a client for Russian
“It would be good if there was ... political
weapons.
desire on both sides that would allow for
progress toward a resolution, and in that
Russia is under pressure to abandon its
case it would probably be appropriate to
support or at least push Assad harder to
talk about the Yemen model,” he said.
adhere to a U.N.-backed ceasefire and a
“But in Syria, we see no such desire on the
faltering peace plan brokered by envoy
opposition side.”
Kofi Annan.
U.S. President Barack Obama told G8
Gatilov reiterated Russian statements --
nations including Russia last month that
also repeated on Friday by President
Assad must leave power and pointed to
Vladimir Putin -- that Moscow is open to
Yemen, where foreign states helped
Assad’s exit from power if it results from a
engineer a handover from longtime leader
Syrian political dialogue without foreign
Ali Abdullah Saleh to an administration led
interference, according to Reuters.
by his vice president, as a model for a
potential transition.
“We have never said or posed the
condition that Assad must necessarily stay
in power as the result of this political
process,”
state-run
Itar-Tass
quoted
Gatilov as saying in Geneva, a day after a
Sayfa 55
Syrian rebels said on Monday they were
no longer bound by a U.N.-backed truce
because Assad had failed to observe their
Friday
deadline
to
implement
the
ceasefire.
Russia and China used their U.N. Security
suggested
Council vetoes in February to block a
Washington is trying to enlist Russia's
Western-backed resolution supporting an
support for such a plan. In a telephone call
Arab League call for Assad to cede power.
Media
reports
have
on Saturday with Russian Foreign Minister
Sergei Lavrov, U.S. Secretary of State
Syria, meanwhile, has agreed to allow
Hillary Clinton conveyed a message that
humanitarian workers and supplies into
“we’ve got to start working together to
four of its provinces hit hardest by
help the Syrians with a serious political
violence, a promise of some relief in a
transition strategy.”
nation where 1 million people need aid
urgently due to the fighting, officials said
Russia expressed “serious concern" about
Tuesday, The Associated Press reported.
that decision in a Foreign Ministry
statement on Tuesday, saying it was
At the same time, however, Damascus
aimed “to undermine international efforts
plunged itself into further international
to foster a shift from confrontation to a
isolation by labeling U.S. and European
political process.”
envoys as unwelcome in retaliation for
earlier Western expulsions of Syrian
In Beijing, Putin and Chinese President Hu
diplomats.
Jintao urged the world not to abandon
Annan’s plan, which calls for a “political
Syria’s uprising began in March 2011 with
process” but does includes no specific call
mostly peaceful protests, but a brutal
for Assad to leave power.
government
crackdown
using
tanks,
machine guns and snipers led many in the
opposition to take up arms. The violence
Sayfa 56
has grown in recent months, with the
Syria expressed on Monday its firm
country spiraling toward civil war and
rejection of the League having any role or
activists saying more than 13,000 people
representation in the international plan
have been killed.
sponsored by UN envoy Kofi Annan.
Last week, Western nations expelled
Syria's Permanent Representative to the
Syrian diplomats in a coordinated move
Arab
after a May 25 massacre in which 108
responding to the decisions made by the
people were slaughtered in al-Houla, a
meeting of the Arab League Ministerial
cluster of small villages in the central
Council in Doha on Saturday.
League
Yousef
Ahmad
was
province of Homs. The U.N. says proregime gunmen were believed to be
Ahmad said that the League is no longer a
responsible for at least some of the
part
killings, but Assad has insisted his forces
represented by the plan of UN Envoy Kofi
had nothing to do it.
Annan, State news agency, SANA, said.
Foreign
Ministry
spokesman
of
the
international
effort
Jihad
Ahmad said that the Arab League was
Makdissi said Damascus has decided to
seeking to summon military intervention
take a “reciprocal measure” against
in the Syrian crisis and hindering any
ambassadors from the U.S., Britain,
solution to it.
Turkey, Switzerland, France, Italy and
Spain. A number of French, German,
Ahmad
added
that
the
League’s
Canadian, Bulgarian and Belgian diplomats
mechanisms and decisions were seized by
also are affected, Makdissi said, according
sides from the Arab Gulf who continue to
to AP.
violate its charter and principles to benefit
western and regional sides.
06/06/218871.html
He said that everything issued by the
League since the decision to suspend
Syria: Arab League No Longer Part of
Annan Int’l Effort
Syria's participation did not concern Syria,
stressing the need for a true Arab effort to
Sayfa 57
correct the course of the League and
Speaking at a meeting of the GCC
restore its intended role.
Ministerial Council, Prince Saud called on
GCC countries to “to use their resources
"Targeting the Syrian media under the
to ... enable the Syrian people to defend
umbrella of the AL decisions proves that
themselves against the murderous and
the Arab and international parties which
destructive machine of the government.”
practice
their
political
and
media
instigation against Syria, do not believe in
“The killing and torture of civilians has
the freedom of opinion and accepting the
continued,” said the minister, adding that
other as they seek to conceal the reality of
the GCC must find a “quick solution to this
what Syria is witnessing of systematic
crisis.”
terrorism and foreign incitement to
prevent a national solution for the crisis in
The prince denounced the regime’s
the country," SANA quoted Ahmad as
oppressive practices against its people.
saying.
“We have started losing hope in finding a
solution for the Syria crisis within the
framework of the UN-Arab League envoy
Kofi Annan’s peace plan,” he said.
=57789
He expressed the hope that Russia, being
7. ARABIAN PENINSULA AND THE
GULF OF BASRA
an influential international player, would
contribute to a regime change.
GCC must mobilize resourcesto help
Syrians: Prince Saud
Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal
yesterday urged GCC states to mobilize
their resources to help Syrians defend
themselves
against
President
Bashar
Assad's regime.
Sayfa 58
On Iran’s nuclear program, he said it has
United Arab Emirates. "There is a big crisis
increased threats to the Gulf region and
now in the Gulf caused by Iran's
urged Tehran to cooperate with world
occupation of the UAE islands and ...
powers to defuse tension. “For sure, the
threats in general," he said.
Iranian nuclear program has escalated the
threat level in the region ... So it is
Prince Saud also called on GCC member
dangerous...,” he told reporters.
states
to
provide
urgently
needed
economic aid to Yemen, where a yearlong
“We hope Iran, with all kinds of threats
uprising
had
plunged
coming from it, changes its policy to
impoverished
protect a region that is Iran’s (as well). I
humanitarian crisis. Saudi Arabia has
can not imagine Iran becoming the reason
already pledged $ 3.2 billion in financial
for the destruction of this region because
assistance to Yemen, a commitment the
it will be the biggest loser.”
Kingdom made at a Friends of Yemen
nation
the
into
already
a
dire
meeting in Riyadh last month.
Talks last month between Iran and six
world powers over its nuclear ambitions
http://www.arabnews.com/gcc-must-
ended without an agreement but the sides
mobilize-resources-help-syrians-prince-
decided to reconvene in Moscow on June
saud
18-19 in another effort to bridge the
Suspicion of Saudi, Iran role swirls
around Sunni-Shiite clashes in Yemen
longstanding dispute.
"This requires greater cooperation from
Iran with the international group," Prince
Saud said. "We hope that Iran stops its
Three days of fighting between Shiite
nuclear
Huthi rebels in north Yemen, Sunni Salafist
program
and
reassures
the
region's states."
extremists kill at least 16 gunmen,
according to claims by both sides.
Prince Saud also criticized Iran over what
he called its occupation of three strategic
Gulf islands that are also claimed by the
SANAA - At least 16 gunmen have been
killed in three days of fighting between
Sayfa 59
Shiite Huthi rebels in north Yemen and
Arabia, a bastion of Salafism which is a
Sunni Salafist extremists, according to
puritanical approach to Islam.
claims by both sides on Tuesday.
"We are in total control of the situation,"
he said, insisting that hostilities were
started by a Salafist group "paid by Saudi
Arabia."
Dozens of people have been killed in
sectarian clashes since last year between
the rebels and Salafists trying to tighten
their grip on the north, where government
"Four of our men were killed and six
others wounded in confrontations on
control has slackened since a political
crisis in Sanaa.
Saturday with Salafist gunmen in AlQobaaf," east of the Huthi stronghold of
Saada, said Huthi spokesman Mohammed
Abdulsalam.
Yemen's
mountainous
north
is
a
stronghold of the Huthis, who from 2004
fought six wars with central government
forces before signing a truce in February
Sorur al-Wadii, a spokesman for the
Salafists said 12 Sunni militants were killed
2010. The rebellion claimed thousands of
lives.
in three days of fighting, but claimed that
his comrades killed 18 Huthi fighters.
He blamed the Huthis for the clashes,
saying the killings on "both sides were
result of attacks by the Huthis who are
trying to expand (their control) in the
Gulf states ‘losing hope’ in Annan’s
plan, urge Russia to change stance on
Syria
province of Hajja, Marib and Jawf."
Arab Gulf states were losing hope that a
Abdulsalam accused the Sunni gunmen of
peace plan spearheaded by international
receiving support from neighbouring Saudi
envoy Kofi Annan held the solution to
Sayfa 60
more than a year of violence in Syria,
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-
“The killing and torture of civilians has
Faisal said.
continued,” said Faisal adding that the
GCC must find a “quick solution to this
“We have begun to lose hope in the
crisis.”
possibility of reaching a solution ... within
this framework,” al-Faisal told reporters in
On Tuesday, clashes between regime
the Saudi Red Sea city of Jeddah following
forces and armed opposition groups in the
a meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council.
western province of Latakia killed 15
soldiers, the Syrian Observatory for
The Saudi foreign minister also stated that
Human Rights reported, bringing the day’s
“it’s time” Russia changed stance on Syria.
death toll to at least 25.
“The time has come for Russia to change
“Fifteen soldiers were killed and dozens
its position from supporting the Syrian
wounded, while three opposition fighters
regime to working to stop the killing and
also died in continuing clashes in several
(supporting) a peaceful transition of
villages of al-Heffa region in Latakia,” the
power,”
Observatory’s Rami Abdel Rahman told
al-Faisal
told
the
news
conference.
AFP.
In an apparent change of position Deputy
The clashes took place in the villages of
Russian Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov
Bakas, Shirkak, Babna, al-Jankil, and al-
said Tuesday that Moscow would agree to
Dafil in the al-Heffa region, while troops
a political settlement that could see Assad
stormed the town of al-Heffa itself,
leaving power.
according to Abdel Rahman.
The Saudi minister called on GCC countries
Asked about the high number of troops
to “to use their resources to... enable the
killed in recent days, he said: “This relates
Syrian people to defend themselves
to the sharp increase in clashes across the
against the murderous and destructive
country.
machine of the government.”
Sayfa 61
“Troops are vulnerable to heavy losses
and near the town of Bianoon in Aleppo
because they are not trained for street
province, in the north.
battles and are therefore exposed to
attacks.
Continuous
army
bombardment
of
opposition strongholds has cut food
“What exacerbates those losses is that the
supplies to several cities raising fears of a
army is fighting locals of those towns and
dreadful humanitarian crisis.
villages, whether military defectors or
Humanitarian access
civilians who took up arms against the
regime, who know the area inside and out
The government has said it would ease
and enjoy public support,” said Abdel
humanitarian access to four of the
Rahman.
hardest-hit provinces in Syria and would
allow entrance to an unspecified number
of aid workers from nine U.N. agencies
and
seven
other
non-governmental
organizations.
John Ging, operations director for the U.N.
Office
for
the
Coordination
of
Humanitarian Affairs, said it will be “days,
not weeks” for aid to be delivered to the
Opposition fighters are defending their
towns by targeting approaching military
vehicles with automatic weapons or
provinces of Daraa, Deir el-Zour, Homs
and Idlib, and urged Syria to keep up its
end of the bargain.
grenades, which has taken a heavy toll on
the army and security forces, he added.
“Today marks a step of progress, in that
there is now an agreement with the Syrian
The Observatory also reported clashes
Tuesday in the town of Kfar Zita in Syria’s
central Hama province, in villages in the
northwestern province of Idlib, in the area
government on the scale, scope and
modality for a humanitarian response in
Syria,” Ging told reporters in Geneva after
emerging from a closed-door session to
of Lajat in the southern province of Daraa
Sayfa 62
discuss the dire humanitarian situation in
military alliance to evacuate vehicles and
Syria.
other military hardware from Afghanistan.
“Whether this is a breakthrough or not
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh
will be evident in the coming days and
Rasmussen
weeks and it will be measured not in
Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan
rhetoric, not in agreements, but in action
had agreed to allow the reverse transport
on the ground.”
of alliance equipment, The Associated
said
on
Monday
that
Press reported.
Syria’s
uprising
with
mostly
a
brutal
NATO already also has an agreement with
with
tanks,
Russia, so the new deals will permit the
machine guns and snipers led many in the
alliance to send tens of thousands of
opposition to take up arms.
vehicles, containers, and other items to
peaceful
began
protests,
government
but
crackdown
Europe later this year.
06/05/218785.html
Since October 2001, Pakistan has been the
main supply route for US-led forces
8. AFGHANISTAN - PAKISTAN
NATO getting Central Asian exit route
occupying Afghanistan.
But Islamabad closed the border crossings
used to transfer NATO supplies to
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh
Afghanistan in November 2011 after 24
Rasmussen
Pakistani soldiers were killed in US-led
airstrikes on two checkpoints on the
Press TV
Afghan border.
June 5, 2012
Pakistan has asked the United States to
NATO has reached agreements with three
apologize for the attack but Washington
Central Asian states to allow the Western
has refused.
Sayfa 63
Before the route was cut, supplies would
The Taliban has denied any involvement in
arrive by sea in Karachi, from where they
attacks
would travel in long, exposed convoys
punishment for those responsible for the
through Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province in
gas attacks.
on
schools
and
demanded
northwest Pakistan.
In 1996-2001, when it held power over
http://www.aopnews.com/today.html
most of Afghanistan, the Taliban barred
girls from attending schools, deeming
Eight Suspects Arrested Over Afghan
Schoolgirls' Poisoning
female school attendance un-Islamic.
By RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan
Feature: Poisoning girl pupils, a new
dilemma for Afghan parents
June 5, 2012
A
security
official
in
Afghanistan’s
By Abdul Haleem, Chen Xin
northern Takhar Province says eight
suspects have been arrested over alleged
KABUL, June 5 (Xinhua) -- "It really
links to the recent poisoning of schoolgirls.
disappointed me to see my girl laid down
unconscious on a bed in hospital to
The official told RFE/RL on June 5 that
receive medical treatment. It is a matter
preliminary investigations pointed to the
of concern for me and other parents
detained suspects having links with
sending their kids to school," Abdul
Taliban fighters and the militant Islamic
Qayum, father of an affected girl, said in a
Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU).
hospital in the northern Takhar province.
Health officials in Takhar have said some
The relatively peaceful Takhar, 245 km
800 schoolgirls recently fell ill after
north of Afghan capital Kabul, has
allegedly inhaling poisonous gas that was
experienced a few cases of poisoning girl
released at six schools in the region.
at schools over the past one month
causing
panic
among
the
residents
especially the parents.
Sayfa 64
Local officials blamed the enemies of
"It is a new evil phenomenon added to our
peace, a term used against Taliban
suffering. My daughter left home healthily
militants, for attacking the girl schools.
for school in the morning but now is
unconscious," the upset Qayum told
But Taliban militants have rejected their
Xinhua.
involvement in targeting girl students. In a
statement over the weekend the outfit
He also called on the government to bring
said attacking schools is not the work of
to justice those behind the attack to
Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (the name
ensure security in schools.
of ousted Taliban regime).
For at least six times, according to local
Local media reported Tuesday that five
officials, the girl schools have been
people had been arrested on charges of
mysteriously
involving in poisoning girl school students
attacked
with
toxic
substance, leaving hundreds of innocent
in Takhar province.
pupils affected.
Several schools have already been closed
The latest such attack was on Sunday and
down in Andar district of Ghazni province
according to Hafizullah Safi, director of the
due to security threats posed by Taliban
public health department in Takhar's
outfit, according to officials.
provincial capital Taluqan city, 40 students
from Nahid Shahid Girl School had been
Afghan minister for education Farooq
taken to hospital for medical treatment.
Wardak admitted last month that 530
schools have remained closed due to
Earlier, 97 students were sent to hospital
security reasons, mostly in the southern
after similar attack on the Bashir Abad Girl
region where Taliban are active. As a
School. However, the authorities have not
result, 300,000
identified the substance used in poisoning
deprived of their right for education.
students have
been
the girl pupils and no one has claimed
responsibility for it.
In Afghanistan, some 5 million schoolaged children cannot go to school because
Sayfa 65
of security reasons, traditional restrictions
and poverty.
Commenting on the recent strategic pact
between Afghanistan and the US that will
In relatively more conservative region in
allow the establishment of the American
Afghanistan, especially in tribal areas
military bases on Afghan soil, Zohrevand
where the old tradition is deeply rooted,
said Iran has always been concerned
the parents often do not like young girls to
about the foreign military presence in its
go out of home.
neighboring country.
"My dream was to become a gynecologist
The Iranian ambassador noted, however,
but unfortunately my father stopped me
that the Afghan government and senate
from going to school when I was in grade
are at liberty to sign any agreement.
7," a girl from northern Baghlan province
said.
Shortly after arriving in the war-torn
country in an unannounced trip late on
the night of May 1, US President Barack
Obama met Afghan President Hamid
US presence in Afghanistan imperils
regional security: Envoy
Karzai. The two presidents signed the deal
that authorizes the presence of US troops
for a period of 10 years after 2014 - the
Press TV
original
June 5, 2012
departure of all foreign combat troops
date
agreed upon
for the
from Afghanistan.
Iran’s Ambassador to Kabul Abolfazl
Zohrevand says the existence of the US
The strategic pact must be approved by
military bases in war-wracked Afghanistan
the Afghan parliament and US Congress
will undermine the region’s security.
before it can come into effect.
The
Iran and several other regional countries
Iranian envoy
added that the
endangerment of the regional security is a
have
serious cause for concern, ISNA reported
strategic pact.
expressed
concern
about
the
on Tuesday.
Sayfa 66
Christopher Snedden, a South Asia analyst
with
the
Melbourne-based
security
consultancy Asia Calling says the United
US Officials Say Drone Strike Targeted
Al-Qaida's No. 2
States is likely to continue the drone
strikes because they are an effective way
to go after militants without endangering
VOA News
U.S. forces.
June 5, 2012
"I expect that they will do that because it's
U.S. officials say a drone strike in
such an efficient way of running an
Pakistan's tribal region targeted al-Qaida's
operation," he said. "It may be reduced if
second in command, but they do not
Islamabad and Washington can actually
know if the militant leader survived.
improve their relationship but there's
nothing in the short term that suggests
The officials, speaking to U.S. media on
that's going to happen."
condition of anonymity, said the airstrike
Monday in Hesokhel targeted Abu Yahia
The Libyan-born al-Libi has been running
al-Libi. They said his death, if confirmed,
al-Qaida's
would be a major blow to the terror
Pakistan's tribal regions as well as its links
group.
to regional affiliates. He escaped prison at
day-to-day
operations
in
Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan in 2005
Pakistani officials said the attack killed at
and appeared in a series of propaganda
least 15 people - one of several airstrikes
videos before rising to become the terror
in recent days that killed at least 27
group's deputy leader last year.
people overall.
Relations
between
Washington
and
The country's foreign ministry on Monday
Islamabad have reached a new low over a
strongly condemned the U.S. drone
series of events, including the killing of al-
strikes, calling them "illegal attacks" that
Qaida leader Osama bin Laden in Pakistan
violate Pakistan's sovereignty and "go
by U.S. special forces in May 2011 and the
against international law."
Sayfa 67
accidental killing of 24 Pakistani soldiers
last November in a NATO air strike.
Also Monday, police in the northwestern
Pakistani city of Peshawar briefly detained
Pakistan's parliament has demanded a
three U.S. diplomats after weapons were
U.S. apology for the deadly cross-border
found in their vehicle.
attack and an end to the U.S. drone
strikes. Washington refused to end the
Police said the diplomats, accompanied by
missions, saying drone strikes are a vital
a Pakistani body guard and two drivers,
tool in the war against al-Qaida and the
were stopped for a routine check, during
Taliban. Islamabad responded by blocking
which police found several rifles, pistols
NATO supply routes into Afghanistan and
and
the two sides have yet to reach an
Americans also had been questioned
agreement on reopening them.
because they left Peshawar on a trip and
ammunition.
Police
said
the
returned without proper documents.
Pakistan's foreign ministry said Monday
that "the strategic disadvantages of such
Some information for this report was
attacks
provided by AP and AFP.
far
outweigh
their
tactical
advantages, and are therefore, totally
counterproductive."
The continued strikes could further sour
diplomatic
ties
between
the
two
countries, but there is no indication that
Washington intends to stop them.
Acting Assistant U.S. Secretary of Defense
for Asia and Pacific Security Affairs Peter
Lavoy is set to hold talks with Pakistani
officials in Islamabad this week to try and
break the deadlock over the supply
routes.
*This media summary is prepared by ORSAM
Middle East Research Assistants Nebahat
Tanrıverdi O and Sercan Doğan. It covers news
and commentaries as reported by the national
media sources publishing in the Middle
Eastern countries. The views expressed are not
Sayfa 68
those of ORSAM and their inclusion does not
imply factual accuracy.
*Bu
bülten
ORSAM
Ortadoğu
Uzman
Yardımcıları Nebahat Tanrıverdi O ve Sercan
Doğan tarafından hazırlanmaktadır. Bülten
Ortadoğu
ülkelerinin
kaynaklarından
yerel
derlenmektedir.
haber
Belirtilen
görüşler bölge ülkelerinin haber kaynaklarına
ve ismi geçen yazarlara ait olup ORSAM’ın
görüşünü yansıtmamaktadır.
Sayfa 69

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