Arabic News Weekly Edition for Politics, 5/12/2003
Weekly Edition, Politics - Week of May 12, 2003
- Al-Assad - Khatami talks in Syria
The two leaders have agreed that the only peace which could be viable -- "a peace which is based on justice and which guarantees people's rights, freedom and dignity." Syria-Iran, Politics, 5/16/2003 - Amending the constitution, halting emergency laws, calls for comprehensive reforms in Egypt
Reactions continued in Egypt towards the call advocated by the main opposition parties in Egypt, which are al-Wafd, al-Tajamu', al-Naseri and al-Amal to form a "National Front" in Egypt, considering this to be an idea expressing national unity between all political forces including the ruling national party. Egypt, Politics, 5/16/2003 - Khatami discusses in Yemen security cooperation, American presence
President Muhammad Khatami of Iran arrived in Yemen yesterday coming from Syria in the framework of an Arab tour which covers four states during which he discusses with his Yemeni peer Ali Abdullah Saleh means of strengthening economic cooperation and achieving stability in the Middle East region. Yemen-Iran, Politics, 5/16/2003 - Human rights body assess rights evolution in Morocco
The Moroccan Human Rights Organization (OMDH) will open its fifth congress Friday in Rabat to assess rights evolution in Morocco. Morocco, Politics, 5/16/2003 - Al-Assad confers with Solana
Syria's President Bashar al-Assad received on Thursday the High Representative for European Common Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana. Syria-European Union, Politics, 5/16/2003 - Solana has officially handed Syria over the roadmap
The higher representative of the European Union foreign policy Javier Solana said yesterday in Damascus that he had delivered Syria "officially the Road Map prepared by the Quartet in order to settle the Israeli- Palestinian conflict." Syria-European Union, Politics, 5/16/2003 - Italian FM starts an official visit to Egypt by meeting with Mubarak
At the time when Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Thursday held talks with the Italian foreign minister Franco Farateini and members of the accompanying delegation, currently visiting Egypt, an Egyptian diplomatic source said that the Egyptian- Italian talks fall in the course of exchanging view points on means of implementing the peace plan in the Middle East known as "Roadmap" and Iraq's future after the war. Egypt-Italy, Politics, 5/16/2003 - Algerian president congratulates King Mohammed on crown prince birth Algeria-Morocco, Politics, 5/16/2003
- Syrian- Jordanian cooperation relations boosted Jordan-Syria, Politics, 5/16/2003
- Moroccan FM meets US Congressmen Morocco-USA, Politics, 5/16/2003
- AL condemns Saudi Arabia bombings Saudi Arabia-Regional, Politics, 5/15/2003
- Al-Assad, Khatami meet on developments in the region, stress Iraq's unity
President Khatami praised Syria's stances that cling fast to stands and principles and which are open to the developments of the situation in the region, its security and stability. Syria-Iran, Politics, 5/15/2003 - US promise to tighten security; Iraqis call for foreigners to get out
Thousands of the Iraqis celebrated the Prophet Muhammad Birth Anniversary (May 15th) in demonstrations calling for the departure of the Anglo- American occupation from the country. Iraq-USA, Politics, 5/15/2003 - Khatami's press conference in Beirut
Iranian President, Mohammed Khatami stressed yesterday that the Iranian relations with Syria and Lebanon are good stressing the necessity for developing them in fields of economy and trade. Lebanon-Iran, Politics, 5/15/2003 - Iran, Lebanon voice support for Syria against challenges
The statement stressed Lebanon and Iran's opposition to all forms of terrorism particularly state terrorism Lebanon-Iran, Politics, 5/15/2003 - King Mohammed calls for stronger inter-Islamic cooperation, solidarity
Morocco's King Mohammed VI has called on Islamic Ummah (Nation) to make prevail the principles of inter-Islamic cooperation and solidarity. Morocco-Regional, Politics, 5/15/2003 - Sheikh Hamad meets Shaloum in Paris: sacrifices needed from Israel, the Palestinians
Qatari foreign minister Sheikh Hamad Bin Jasem Bin Jaber al-Thani in Paris met yesterday with his Israeli counterpart Salvan Shaloum in the first meeting of its kind for Shaloum with an Arab foreign minister since he was appointed a foreign minister on February 27th. Qatar-Israel, Politics, 5/15/2003 - Swiss press delegation meets with Omran, deputy premier on cooperation, ME issues
Omran stressed that the relations between Syria and Switzerland are based on cooperation and friendship expressing hope to develop them particularly in the field of economy and technology. Syria-Algeria-Switzerland, Politics, 5/15/2003 - First Saudi opposition TV starts transmission
The Islamic movement for reforms ( al-Islah) in Saud Arabia which takes London as a headquarters on Tuesday launched the first opposition TV after it had launched the first opposition radio in December 2002. Saudi Arabia, Politics, 5/15/2003 - Al-Assad, Blair review ME developments Iraq-UK, Politics, 5/15/2003
- Bush, Crown prince Abdullah discuss ME issues Saudi Arabia-USA, Politics, 5/15/2003
- Algerian FM signs golden book on morocco's crown prince birth Algeria-Morocco, Politics, 5/15/2003
- US reduces its diplomats to Saudi Arabia
The USA has asked its non- basic diplomats in its embassy and two Consulates in Saudi Arabia to leave the country following the attacks which took place on Monday evening in Riyadh. Saudi Arabia-USA, Politics, 5/15/2003 - Mubarak starts today a visit to Algeria, Morocco
A source close to the Egyptian Presidency announced yesterday that the Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak will start today a tour that will take him to Algeria and Morocco, where his talks will deal with the Palestinian and Iraqi files. Egypt-Maghreb, Politics, 5/14/2003 - Khatami opposes escalation, destabilizing the region
He said on the ground of our "religion and culture we have decided to work for consolidating the pillars of democracy, independence, freedom and progress in our country and we are also determined to continue forward into peace and stability being inside our country, in the region or the world." Lebanon-Iran, Politics, 5/14/2003 - AL denies differences with Morocco, Moussa resumes his Arab tour today
Advisor Hesham Youssef, the official spokesman for the secretary general of the Arab League has denied direct differences between Morocco and the Arab League to be behind the cancellation or postponing the visit of the AL secretary general Amr Moussa to Morocco. Regional-Morocco, Politics, 5/14/2003 - Al-Dostour: Tripartite Arab summit to be held in Egypt
The Jordanian daily al-Dostour said yesterday that a Syrian- Egyptian, Jordanian summit will be shortly held in Egypt following the end of the current tour by the US Secretary of State Colin Powell to the region. Regional, Politics, 5/14/2003 - Yemeni- Egyptian mediation to keep Libya at the AL
The Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh has called on Libya to postpone its decision to withdraw from the Arab League. In a telephone call he had made with Libya's Leader of the Revolution Colonel Muammar al Qathafi, the Yemeni president stressed that the difficult conditions and challenges the Arab nation is facing, requires more efforts to be exerted to maintain Arab solidarity and unity of ranks. Regional-Libya, Politics, 5/14/2003 - Brazil never recognized so-called Sahrawi republic (diplomat)
Brazil's ambassador to Morocco, Lauro Barbosa Da Silva Moreira, on Tuesday said his country never recognized the "puppet Sahrawi Republic." Brazil never recognized the "puppet Sahrawi Republic" and "never had any contacts with the Polisario," the diplomat said in an interview with a Moroccan daily. Morocco-Brazil, Politics, 5/14/2003 - Kenyan talks with AL on Sudan, Somalia. Dismantling Somali militias
Kenya's foreign minister will visit the Arab League next week in order to hold talks with high ranking officials on efforts aiming to achieve national reconciliation in Somalia and peace in Sudan, as negotiations relating to the two questions are being held in Kenya. Somalia-Kenya, Politics, 5/14/2003 - American committee calls for blacklisting Saudi Arabia for religious repression
A US government consultation committee yesterday denounced the religious rights record in Saudi Arabia and said that Washington must add the name of its old ally on its blacklist for countries practicing religious repression. Saudi Arabia-USA, Politics, 5/14/2003 - Moroccan, Swiss officials call for bilateral trade promotion
Means to promote trade exchanges between Morocco and Switzerland topped talks held here Tuesday between Moroccan Premier, Driss Jettou, and visiting Swiss Federal Chancellor, Joseph Deiss. Jettou briefed the Swiss delegation on relations binding Morocco and the European Union, stressing, in this connection, the importance of the free trade agreement binding the two sides. Morocco-Switzerland, Politics, 5/14/2003 - Angola's Dos Santos gets message from king Mohammed
President Jose Eduardo Dos Santos on Monday received a message from King Mohammed VI, the Moroccan Foreign Affairs and cooperation Department said in a release. Morocco-Angola, Politics, 5/14/2003 - Al-Itihad: Saddam Hussein's daughters want to be identified by the Coalition forces
The al-Itihad paper of the Kurdistani National Federation party said yesterday that daughters of the toppled Iraqi President Saddam Hussein are willing to let the coalition forces know about the place where they stay. Iraq, Politics, 5/14/2003 - Spanish papers highlight entente atmosphere within Moroccan-Spanish task groups
Several Spanish papers on Monday highlighted "the good atmosphere of entente" that prevailed in the meetings of the Moroccan-Spanish task groups set up last December to build bilateral relations on solid grounds. Morocco-Spain, Politics, 5/14/2003 - Mubarak, Saleh hold telephone talks Egypt-Yemen, Politics, 5/14/2003
- Al-Assad makes telephone talks with Aznar Syria-Spain, Politics, 5/14/2003
- Brazil calls for enhancing trade with Morocco Morocco-Brazil, Politics, 5/14/2003
- Khatami arrives in Damascus today Syria-Iran, Politics, 5/14/2003
- Chirac invites Mubarak to take part in Evian summit early next month Egypt-France, Politics, 5/14/2003
- US ambassador to Morocco back soon to her post in Rabat Morocco-USA, Politics, 5/14/2003
- Jordan, US signed two cooperation agreements Jordan-USA, Politics, 5/14/2003
- London recommends its citizens not to head for Saudi Arabia
The British foreign ministry yesterday recommended that British citizens not head for Saudi Arabia for "unnecessary reasons" upon the occurrence of three attacks that resulted in killing or wounding scores of people in Riyadh. Saudi Arabia-UK, Politics, 5/14/2003 - Al-Assad's interview with New York Times, the Washington Post
Syria's President Bashar al-Assad made an interview with the U.S. Newsweek-Washington Post's Lally Weymouth about the US Secretary of State Colin Powell's visit to Damascus and the prospects for peace in the Middle East. Syria-USA, Politics, 5/13/2003 - Elections timetable readjusted on political parties request, official
Benabdellah: "Only democracy and economic development are likely to foil these conservative instincts that advocate the refusal of the other." Morocco, Politics, 5/13/2003 - Saudi FM confers with Blair, fears over Iraq's unity
Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal said on Monday instability in U.S.-occupied Iraq threatened to break up the country and urged the United Nations to tackle violence and aid shortages. Prince Saud, speaking after talks in London with British Prime Minister Tony Blair, said unrest in Iraq was an issue of "extreme concern" to neighbouring Gulf states. Saudi Arabia-UK, Politics, 5/13/2003 - Morocco seconds UN efforts to politically settle sahara issue, official says
The most important thing, Fihri went on, is to craft "without delay" a political settlement so that the Maghreb region can become an organized partner of the European Union and zeroes in on its integration process in order to meet the common challenges related to security and stability. Morocco-Spain, Politics, 5/13/2003 - Rabat sees Sahara issue settlement based on autonomy within Moroccan kingty
Morocco's Communication minister and Government Spokesman, Nabil Benabdellah, said that a settlement of the Sahara issue should be based on "the principle of autonomy within clearly established Moroccan sovereignty." Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 5/13/2003 - Powell and Maher hold press conference in Cairo
The U.S. Secretary of State, Colin Powell, has asserted his country's commitment to push peace process in the Middle East forward. Egypt-USA, Politics, 5/13/2003 - Arab League - work group for boosting AL activities
Deputy Secretary General of the Arab League Nour al-Deen Hashad has underlined that the visits that were paid by (AL) Secretary general Amr Moussa to the Arab states stressed the existence of general Arab agreement on the importance of the existence of a new Arab League not a substitute one. Regional, Politics, 5/13/2003 - Syrians- French cultural cooperation
Syrian Minister of Culture Najwa Qassab Hassan received in Damascus yesterday Chairman of the Syrian- French Friendship Association and Member of the French cabinet Philip Marini. Syria-France, Politics, 5/13/2003 - Rabat denies Tareq Aziz's presence in morocco
Morocco flatly denied on Saturday the presence in the Kingdom of Tareq Aziz, former Iraq's deputy premier. Morocco-Iraq, Politics, 5/13/2003 - The 15th Islamic conference condemns Anglo-American occupation of Iraq
The communique urged Britain and the US to re-construct Iraq by their own money and not to totally depend on Iraq's oil revenues. Regional, Politics, 5/13/2003 - British minister resigns over PM plans concerning Iraq Iraq-UK, Politics, 5/13/2003
- Yemen: Bajmal forms government, al-Ahmar presides parliament, Saleh reminds: Democracy is bitter
The Yemeni President said "we have committed to democracy as a national option that cannot be backtracked from. Democracy is taking and giving." Yemen, Politics, 5/12/2003 - Hakim outlines vision of elected and modern Iraq government
Iraq's most prominent Muslim leader said on Saturday the country's future government should be a freely elected one that "respects Islam" and upholds unity while recognizing the rights of the various Iraqi ethnic and religious groups. Iraq, Politics, 5/12/2003 - Differences besieging the Arab League, news on sacrificing Amr Mousa for AL survival
Inter- Arab differences have increased in secret to the extent that observers predicted the possibility of changing the secretary general of the Arab League AL Amr Moussa. Regional, Politics, 5/12/2003 - Over 1.2 million new voters register for local elections Morocco, Politics, 5/12/2003
- Moroccan political leader insists on international legality in Iraq construction
First secretary of the Socialist Union of Popular Forces (USFP), Abderrahmane Youssoufi, called on Friday the International Socialist to endeavor for the respect of international legality -embodied by the UNO and the security council- in Iraq's reconstruction process Iraq, Politics, 5/12/2003 - Smaha: Syria, Lebanon are stabilizing factor in the ME
Lebanese Minister of Information Michael Smaha has indicated that Syria and Lebanon have been a stabilizing factors in the Middle East stressing that the dialogue is still on between Syria and Lebanon from one side and the U.S. from the other one. Lebanon-Syria, Politics, 5/12/2003 - Syrian PNF meets on conditions in Iraq, ME peace
The Central Leadership of the Progressive National Front in Syria held a meeting on Saturday evening chaired by the Vice- President and the Deputy Chairman of the PNF Zohair Masharqa. Syria-Regional, Politics, 5/12/2003 - Syria and the Peace Process, study by Zayed Center
Zayed Center for Coordination and Follow up issued in Abu Dhabi on Saturday a study entitled "Syria and Peace Process" focused on Syria's exerted efforts to realize the just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East, and on the Israeli campaigns of accusations against Syria that target Syria's firm stances. Syria-Regional, Politics, 5/12/2003 - Al-Shara -Marini discuss ME issues
Syria's Foreign Minister, Farouk al-Shara, received in Damascus on Sunday member of the French Senate and Chairman of the Syrian-French friendship Association, Philip Marini. Syria-France, Politics, 5/12/2003 - Powell calls for honoring living conditions of Palestinians, Sharon calls on Abbas to fight Intifada, one Palestinian killed
The occupation forces bombarded Palestinian positions and houses to the east of the Israeli settlement of Beit Hanoun to the North of Gaza and launched a campaign of detention in Jenin, while one Israeli settler was killed yesterday morning near Ofra settlement to the North of Ramullah when fire was lunched on his car. Palestine-Israel, Politics, 5/12/2003 - Palestinian official statement on the Road Map
The Chairman of the Political Committee at the Palestinian National Council, Abdullah Al Horani has stressed that the Road Map ensures what is called the Israeli security while it ignores the Palestinians' security and stability. Palestine-Israel, Politics, 5/12/2003 - Europe Day: an occasion for activities that bring Europe closer to its citizens, peoples of the EU closer to one another
On 9 May 1950, the first move was made towards the creation of what is now known as the European Union. In Paris that day, against the threat of a Third World War engulfing the whole of Europe, the French foreign minister Robert Schuman read to the international press a declaration, known as the "Schuman declaration," calling France, Germany and other European countries to pool together their coal and steel production as "the first concrete foundation of a European federation." Regional-European Union, Politics, 5/12/2003 - Women entrepreneurs, ministers and MPS to participate in world summit in Morocco
The world women summit, to be held in Marrakesh next June 28-30, will see the participation of women entrepreneurs as well as ministers and MPS, said on Friday, advisor to King Mohammed VI, Zoulika Nasri Regional-Morocco, Politics, 5/12/2003 - Syrian-Moroccan environmental relations reviewed Syria-Morocco, Politics, 5/12/2003
- Al-Shara, Moussa discuss ME developments Syria-Regional, Politics, 5/12/2003
- Maher's statement on peace in the region Egypt-Israel, Politics, 5/12/2003
- Algerians protest assassination of co-citizen in Melillia Morocco, Politics, 5/12/2003
- A message from Bush to Saleh Yemen-USA, Politics, 5/12/2003
- Al-Rai al-Am: Arab fund to monitor coalition forces spending in Iraq
The Kuwaiti daily al-Rai al-Am yesterday quoted diplomatic sources that the draft resolution proposed by the US to the UN Security Council on Friday gives authorities to the Arab Fund for Economic Development which takes Kuwait as a headquarters to monitor the spending of the coalition forces in Iraq, including oil sales. Regional-Iraq, Politics, 5/12/2003 - On the Cairo International Islamic Conference
Syria's Minister of Awkaf, Mahammad Ziadah, has underlined the necessity of implementing the international resolutions stipulating Israel's complete withdrawal from the occupied Arab territories to June, 4, 1967 line for safeguarding the Middle East and international stability and security and realizing just and comprehensive peace. Regional, Politics, 5/12/2003