Arabic News Weekly Edition for Iraq, 7/18/2005
Weekly Edition, Iraq - Week of July 18, 2005
- Iraqi women alarmed by reversal of rights gains in draft constitution, UNIFEM says
Iraqi women are alarmed that the National Assembly committee mandated to draft the country's new constitution is curtailing the rights of women granted them in the earlier, interim version and using Islamic Sharia Law as the main source for legislation, the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) said yesterday. Iraq, Politics, 7/23/2005 - Iraqi, American women discuss constitution, women's rights
Basri explained the importance of focusing on checks and balances in the constitution. Individual rights for everyone must be protected, she said, in order to avoid a "slippery slope" that could lead to a loss of rights for many. Iraq, Politics, 7/23/2005 - New York Times: Kurdish call for bigger territorial map
Kurdish leaders "have presented a redrawn map with a larger Kurdistan to the Iraqi National Assembly for consideration in the new constitution, a Kurdish party official said Thursday." Iraq, Politics, 7/23/2005 - Iraqi police and soldiers not very capable Iraq-USA, Politics, 7/23/2005
- Syria is backing the political process in Iraq: al-Muallem
Syria's Deputy Foreign Minister Walid al- Muallem said yesterday that Syria is boosting the political process in Iraq which she considers as her genuine interest because this would lead to implement UN Security Council resolution 1546 that calls to reschedule the pullout of multinational forces from there. Syria-Iraq, Politics, 7/22/2005 - US freezes assets of Saddam's relatives. Saddam again on TV screens
The US announced on Thursday it had frozen the assets of relatives for the toppled Iraqi president Saddam Hussein, accusing them of financing the Iraqi resistance. Iraq-USA, Politics, 7/22/2005 - Algerian envoy kidnapped in Baghdad, 15 Iraqis killed
the Muslim Scholars Commission said that the forces of the Iraqi ministry of the Interior detained Sheikh Ahmad Qasem al-Najjar, member of the commission and Imam and preacher of al-Haq mosque in al-Shaab quarters, east Baghdad. The commission said that the force broke into the house of the Sheikh and damaged its content. Iraq-Algeria, Politics, 7/22/2005 - International airport in Suleimaneyah
The international airport of al-Suleimaneyah was inaugurated on Wednesday by receiving the first Iraqi plane of the Iraqi airlines coming from Amman, carrying an official delegation. Iraq, Politics, 7/22/2005 - US calls for Sunni return to the constitution writing committee
Duleimi said that the Arab Sunnis will not fall for such attempts, stressing that the decision, which provides for withdrawal from the constitution committee or delaying participation in it, will be discussed among the forces of the Arab Sunni away. Iraq-USA, Politics, 7/21/2005 - Egypt: Little hope that Sharif is still alive
The Egyptian businessman Najib Sweirs said on Wednesday that it is likely that the Egyptian charge de affairs in Iraq, Eyhab al-Sharif, who was kidnapped and announced to be executed in Baghdad by the beginning of July, is still alive. Egypt-Iraq, Politics, 7/21/2005 - Abul-Gheit comments to parliament on Sherif's murder
Egypt's Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul- Gheit said uncovering the circumstances surrounding the murder of the head of Egypt's diplomatic mission in Iraq Ihab El-Sherif would only take place after the arrest of the assassins. Egypt-Iraq, Politics, 7/21/2005 - Some 20 Iraqis killed in various parts of Iraq
In Musil, police in the city announced it had arrested Imad Abdul Rahman and said he is the "prince (leader) of Saraya al-Mujahideen" group in Musil Iraq, Military, 7/21/2005 - 25,000 Iraqi civilians killed so far due to US invassion of Iraq
The US lead invasion of Iraq in 2003 has lead to a minimum of 24,865 Iraqi civilians being killed, a new report said. Women and children accounted for almost 20% of this number. At least 42,500 civilians were reported wounded. Iraq-USA, Politics, 7/20/2005 - Syria supports Iraq's security, sovereignty, stability
Syrian Minister of Interior, Ghazi Kanaan, underlined Syria's care for establishing best relations with Iraq, as well as cooperating with it to boost its national unity and its complete independence. Syria-Iraq, Politics, 7/20/2005 - Al-Jazeera: Al-Muallem stresses Syria's keenness on Iraq Security
Syria's Deputy Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem expressed sorrow over the Iraqi Interior Minister's statements in which he involved himself in accusations that target Syria. Al-Muallem said that he invited the Iraqi Minister to visit Syria when they recently met in Brussels but he didn not come until now. Syria-Iraq, Politics, 7/20/2005 - Iraqi constitution to be ready in July
Iraqi President Jalal al-Talibani announced on Tuesday that the Iraqi constitution will be ready before the end of the current month July. Iraq, Politics, 7/20/2005 - 3 Iraqi members of the Consitution writing commitee killed
Iraq had witnessed during the past 24 days bloody attacks in its various parts that resulted in killing 36 Iraqis including three Sunni members of the committee working on drafting the news constitution. Iraq, Military, 7/20/2005 - Iraq neighbors pledge full solidarity with Iraq
Interior Ministers of Iraq's neighboring countries announced Tuesday full solidarity with Iraq hoping Iraq would be capable to surmount dangerous problems it is suffering. Iraq-Regional, Politics, 7/20/2005 - Syria calls Iraq for real assessment of border control efforts
An official source at the Syrian Foreign Ministry said "Syria, out of its belief in the fraternal relations that bind the two sisterly people of Iraq and Syria and keenness on the safety of Iraq and its unity and independence, has deployed a great number of its soldiers and increased the number of control checkpoints on the Syrian-Iraqi borders." Syria-Iraq, Politics, 7/19/2005 - US supports democratic development in Iraq
McCormack yesterday said "I can speak to the State Department and the State Department has a full range of programs known to the public to support democratic parties around the world, including Iraq.Ê These were publicized and known in Iraq as they were occurring in the run-up to the elections, to which you refer." Iraq-USA, Politics, 7/19/2005 - Saddam's lawyer: No trial before October
The French lawyer Emanuel Lodo, one of the defense lawyers for Saddam Hussein said that the trial of the toppled president, who was accused of committing the massacre against the people of al-Dajil town in 1982, will be held in Baghdad but will not to start before next October or November. Iraq, Politics, 7/19/2005 - Iraq neighboring countries meet in Istanbul Iraq-Regional, Politics, 7/19/2005
- Iran's Supreme Leader: Iraq is genuine brother of the Iranian nation
Iran's Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei in a meeting with the visiting Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari Monday expressed satisfaction with formation of a government elected by Iraqi people, IRNA reported. Iraq-Iran, Politics, 7/18/2005 - Iraq-Iran oil pipeline to be operational next year
Iran's Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh today said that the construction of pipeline intended to transfer oil from Iran to Iraq, whose agreement was signed 10 months ago, is already underway and is expected to be implemented within a year, IRNA said. Iraq-Iran, Politics, 7/18/2005 - Iraqi private court addresses accusations against Saddam
An Iraqi court on Sunday addressed accusations to the toppled Iraqi President Saddam Hussein over what it said were crimes committed during his rule. Iraq, Politics, 7/18/2005 - Al-Sader tells BBC that resisting occupation in Iraq is legitimate
The Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sader said that "resisting occupation in Iraq is legitimate," calling on the Iraqis to maintain self-control and to avoid being involved in "the western schemes or occupation and their acts of provocation." Iraq, Politics, 7/18/2005 - CNN: Partial British withdrawal from Iraq
The British defense office secretary John Reid expected his country to start withdrawing its forces from Iraq within the coming 12 months. Iraq-UK, Politics, 7/18/2005 - Series of booby trapped explosions in Iraq
A renewed series of booby trapped cars on Sunday took place as 22 Iraqis were killed and others were injured in suicide attacks south Baghdad, while the number of victims of al-Musayyab explosion increased to 100 and scores of injured. Iraq, Military, 7/18/2005 - One American soldier was killed in Iraq Iraq, Military, 7/18/2005
- Iraqi oil exports suspended for four hours Iraq, Local, 7/18/2005