Arabic News Weekly Edition for Politics, 12/29/2003
Weekly Edition, Politics - Week of December 29, 2003
- Mubarak stresses no power inheritance in Egypt
Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak stressed Egypt's political system is republican and there is no power inheritance in Egypt. President Mubarak, in an interview with Cairo Radio, said that the idea of power bequeath in Egypt was a sheer rumor released by some people who chewed it up. President Mubarak said that he took over when the country was in dire conditions. Egypt, Politics, 1/3/2004 - Lebanese fm in an Arab tour
Lebanon's Foreign Minister Jean Obeid will start today an Arab tour beginning with a visit to Saudi Arabia. Lebanon-Palestine, Politics, 1/3/2004 - Turkish officials and al-Assad's expected visit
Political, social and public circles welcomed on Friday President al-Assad's forthcoming visit to Turkey, stressing that it will be fruitful and successful. Syria-Turkey, Politics, 1/3/2004 - Sudanese peace talks resumed after a short suspension
The Sudanese government and the southern rebels resumed peace negotiations in Nivasha, Kenya, after a one day suspension on the occasion of the new year celebration and Sudan's independence. Sudan, Politics, 1/3/2004 - Tripoli links paying Lockerbie compensations to lifting sanctions; nuclear inspectors complete first mission
The Libyan prime minister, Shukri Ghanem, threatened that if the US will not lift the sanctions from his country by the fall of May 12 this year, Libya will not abide by paying outstanding sums to the families of the victims of the Lockerbie incident. Libya-USA, Politics, 1/3/2004 - Peace between Ethiopia and Eritrea requires border demarcation, Annan says
Warning that the situation between Ethiopia and Eritrea remains precarious, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has called on both parties to expedite the demarcation of their common border -- a fundamental requirement for peace between the Horn of Africa nations. Ethiopia-Eritrea, Politics, 1/3/2004 - Mubarak to open African Parliaments Conference Egypt-Regional, Politics, 1/3/2004
- Sheikha A'aisha bint Khalfan heads to Emirates Oman-United Arab Emirates, Politics, 1/3/2004
- Call for pan conference for National Liberation Front in Algeria
The "Correctionist Movement" in the National Liberation Front in Algeria said it will hold its conference for this year during the few coming weeks, after it had extended an invitation to the secretary general of the party, Ali Benflis, to convene a general conference for the party, in order to eliminate the current crisis following the decision by the government to freeze activities of the party. Algeria, Politics, 1/2/2004 - African Union countries to reform for good governance and the rule of law
Alfa Omar Konari, the Chairman of the Arican Union Commission, "confirmed in a statement yesterday that the African Union will launch in the New Year strategic plan to make the African continent a home for peace, good governance and the rule of law," JANA reported yesterday. Regional, Politics, 1/2/2004 - Conference on burdens the Islamic charities suffer due to September 11 incidents
Economists from several Islamic countries have expressed their concern over the pressures the Islamic charity work is exposed to following the incidents of September 11 in the USA. They stressed that these pressures cannot much affect the process of charity activity especially al-Zakat ( endowment ). Regional-Qatar, Politics, 1/2/2004 - Two Kurds, one Arab killed in ethnically diverse Karkouk
The Iraqi police found the body of two Kurds in the downtown of Karkouk stabbed to death, at a time when the pace of tension escalated in the city, following the killing of three Arab and Turkman demonstrators by bullets of Kurdish fighters on Wednesday. Iraq, Politics, 1/2/2004 - Mubarak denies to have his son inherit authority
Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak has once again denied his confirmation in statement broadcast on Thursday that he has no intention to transfer the authority to his son Gamal. Egypt, Politics, 1/2/2004 - Press council to discuss the fate of al-Jazeera office in al-Khartoum
The press and printing council in Sudan received a request from the security department asking to withdraw the license offered to al-Jazeera TV office in Khartoum. Sudan-Regional, Politics, 1/2/2004 - Syria and the UN resolution on mass destruction weapons Syria-UN, Politics, 1/2/2004
- Wide condemnation to Israel's decision to expand settlements in the Golan
The papers criticized the Israeli government's violation of the international resolutions, backed by the U.S. which ensures Israel the protection through using the "veto? in the Security Council regarding any resolution relevant to Israel. Syria-Israel, Politics, 1/2/2004 - Palestinian population in the world tolls 9.7 million, 3.7 million of them are in the west bank, Gaza
The number of Palestinians in the occupied Palestinian territories and the Diaspora reached 9.7 million by the end of 2003. Palestine, Politics, 1/2/2004 - Maher condemnation Israeli intent to build settlements in the Golan
Egypt's Foreign Minister, Ahmed Maher, strongly condemned the Israeli announcement to expand and increase the number of the Jewish settlements in the occupied Golan Heights. Egypt-Israel, Politics, 1/2/2004 - Al-Baz confers with Arafat
Osama al-Baz, the political advisor of the Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak held yesterday talks with the Palestinian president Yasser Arafat in Ramullah, marking the beginning of his visit to the occupied Palestinian territories. Palestine-Egypt, Politics, 1/2/2004 - Morocco, Egypt discuss parliamentary cooperation Egypt-Morocco, Politics, 1/2/2004
- Six persons killed in Iraq, occupation expects more attacks
A military source in the American occupation forces in Iraq expressed fears that the Iraqi resistance will intensify its attacks in the first days of the new year. Iraq-USA, Politics, 1/2/2004 - Al-Assad to pay a historic visit to Turkey next week
A Turkish diplomatic source in Damascus said that the Syrian President, Bashar al-Assad, will next week pay a historical visit to Turkey, aiming at perpetuating closeness between the two countries, who close the have a war in 1998. Syria-Turkey, Politics, 1/1/2004 - On al-Assad visit to Turkey
A Turkish diplomatic source announced Wednesday that the expected visit of President Bashar al-Assad of Syria to Turkey, and his talks with Turkish President Ahmad Necdet Sezer and senior officials aim at boosting and developing relations between the two neighboring countries, describing as historic the visit. Syria-Turkey, Politics, 1/1/2004 - Sudan accuses Eritrea of supporting rebels in Darfourl; Turabi denies links to rebels
The Sudanese foreign minister, Mustafa Othman Ismael, said that Sudan will file a complaint against Eritrea with the UN organization, because of what he called escalating acts of unrest in his country. Sudan-Eritrea, Politics, 1/1/2004 - Sudanese security calls for withdrawing credentials of al-Jazeera office in al-Khartoum
The Sudanese national security department has called for the withdrawal of the license of al-Jazeera TV in Khartoum. The director of information section at the department said that he proposed a memorandum to the "national council for the press and printing" to ultimately pull out the licensie. Sudan-Regional, Politics, 1/1/2004 - Syria: Israeli settlements in Golan are against peace
A Syrian Press spokesman described the building of new Israeli settlements in the occupied Golan as part of Sharon government's anti-peace policy, the forcible Judaize the occupied lands, and turn occupation into a 'fait accompli' under a false cover of desire for peace. Syria-Israel, Politics, 1/1/2004 - France: Israel decision on the occupied Golan complicates the peace process
France on Wednesday called for reviving the peace negotiations on the Syrian-Israeli track in order to achieve peace in the region, based on Security Council's resolutions numbers 242 and 338 and "Land-for-Peace Formula." Syria-France, Politics, 1/1/2004 - Qatar discloses mediation in Iraq, Libya and Sudan
The first deputy for the Qatari prime minister and the foreign minister, Sheikh Hamad Bin Jasem Bin Jabber al-Thani, via the "sansfrontier" program broadcast by the Qatari al-Jazeera TV yesterday, disclosed the nature of the role his country played to prevent the war against Iraq. Qatar-Iraq, Politics, 1/1/2004 - Bloody demonstration in Karkouk
In Karkouk, five Iraqis were killed and other 24 wounded, following gun fire that was opened at a demonstration by Arabs and the Turkmans in Karkouk, in the north of Iraq. Iraq, Politics, 1/1/2004 - Varied views on banning the veil in France
The position taken by the Sheikh of al-Azhar, Muhammad Sayed Tantawi, who considered that it is France's right to ban the wearing of veils in schools, raised differences among al-Azhar sheikhs and scholars in Cairo, as many of them criticized Tantawi and stressed that what he had said in front of the French minister of the interior Nicola Sarkuzi that views are his personal views. Regional-France, Politics, 1/1/2004 - Jordan postpones closure of al-Rweished refugees camp
Jordan has postponed its plans to close al-Rweished camp, which includes hundreds of persons who resorted to Jordan from Iraq during the American invasion. Jordan-Iraq, Politics, 1/1/2004 - Al-Ahram: Patriarch Sabbah demands Israel to withdraw from the Arab lands occupied since 1967
Patriarch Michel Sabbah of Latin in Jerusalem called on Israel to pull out from all the occupied Arab lands to the June 4th 1967 line, in implementation of the international resolutions, holding it responsible for the deteriorations in the region. Palestine-Israel, Politics, 1/1/2004 - No regression in human rights in Morocco, says party leader Morocco, Politics, 1/1/2004
- Saudi women demand women's rights from crown prince Abdullah
The second session of the "national dialogue" continues deliberations in Mecca, where a group of Saudi women, most of them are university graduate called in a petition submitted to the crown prince Abdullah to found a higher council for women and to draw "special rules concerning the family in 'divorce cases.'" Saudi Arabia, Politics, 12/31/2003 - Hedallah sentences, execution halted
The criminal court in Nouakchott Monday sentenced to five year imprisonment, but with halting the execution of the sentence, against the former President of Mauritanian Muhammad Khouna Weld Hedallah and his son Seidi, and other three persons, and for them to pay a penalty equal to 1200 dollars after they were convicted of the conspiracy to topple the regime in June this year. Mauritania, Politics, 12/31/2003 - Doha, Manama decide to resume joint committee work
The King of Bahrain Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifaconcluded a visit to Doha lasted for five hours, during which he held talks with Amir of Qatar, Shaikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani. Qatar-Bahrain, Politics, 12/31/2003 - Sudan, Yemen, Ethiopia: Eritrea is the source of problems in the African horn
The two Yemeni and Sudanese presidents, Ali Abdullah Saleh, and Omar Hassan al-Bashir, and the Ethiopian prime minister Meles Zenawi, who signed yesterday in Addis Ababa a treaty to found the "Sanaa coalition" denounced Eritrea, and considered it the source of "problems " in the African horn. Regional-Yemen, Politics, 12/31/2003 - Benflis: Butaflika is abusing authority regarding the freeze of liberation front activities
Benflis said that this decision once again reveals that nothing prevents the "'candidate' President Abdul Aziz Butaflika in his hunger for power." He described the decision as unprecedented violation of the independence of the judiciary. Algeria, Politics, 12/31/2003 - Jordanian Muslim Brothers to start a TV or radio station
The Ikhwan al-Muslimin (Muslim Brothers) group in Jordan said it is considering the foundation of a TV station, or an independent radio, after the call made by the Jordanian commission for audio-visual media for the private sector and the parties to form broadcasting stations. Jordan, Politics, 12/31/2003 - Emergency meeting for Arab FMs on improving the Arab League
The assistant secretary general of the Arab league AL Nour Eddine Hasshad announced on Sunday that the Arab foreign ministers will hold an emergency meeting in Cairo in February 2004 to discuss the file of developing the Arab League. Regional, Politics, 12/31/2003 - Red Cross asks to visit Saddam Hussein
The International Committee of the Red Cross ( ICRC) asked the American occupation forces in Iraq to permit it to visit the toppled Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. Iraq, Politics, 12/31/2003 - Bashir expects a peace agreement with the rebels within one week
Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir expected to reach during one week a final peace agreement between the government and the southern rebels. Sudan, Politics, 12/31/2003 - Al-Shara confers with Austrian parliamentary delegation
Talks also dealt with issues of mutual concern and with Syria's initiative submitted to the UN Security Council regarding freeing the Middle East from weapons of mass destruction WMD. Syria-Austria, Politics, 12/31/2003 - Arab-Turkman demonstration today in Karkouk against federation
One Iraqi citizen was killed and other three wounded, one of them in critical condition, in a bomb explosion when an American vehicle was running in al- Karradah quarters in the downtown, while one American soldier was wounded in a bomb explosion that took place in the west of Baghdad. Iraq, Politics, 12/31/2003 - Saudi King Fahd receives Qurei'
Saudi Arabia King Fahd Bin Abdul Aziz yesterday received the Palestinian prime minister Ahmad Qurei' and members of the accompanying delegation and discussed with them latest developments concerning the Palestinian issue, bilateral relations, and Arab, Islamic and international affairs especially the Palestinian question, and the acts of killing and destruction practices against the Palestinians at the hands of the Israeli forces. Saudi Arabia-Palestine, Politics, 12/31/2003 - Law suit to force filling the office of vice president in Egypt
The Egyptian state council court yesterday postponed considering the case on forcing an appointment of a Vice President to the country, which it currently lacks, in responce to a suit filed by lawyer Issam al-Islambuli, until February 17, 2004 in order to give more memorandums. Egypt, Politics, 12/31/2003 - Kuwaiti parliamentarians warn government against changing the curricula
Kuwaiti parliamentarians have warned the government against being subjected to the American and western "blackmailing" to change schools curricula, with the aims of removing subjects believed to be encouraging extremism and terrorism. Kuwait, Politics, 12/31/2003 - Book review: My life and the execution: A life span commitment to national issues
The book made it clear that following the launching of the March 8 revolution of 1963, members of the Murshid community were no longer vulnerable, especially when the defense minister of that time, the late President Hafez al-Assad, was able to abrogate instructions and laws for repressing the Murshid Community members Syria, Politics, 12/31/2003 - Al-Assad confers with speaker of Austrian parliament Syria-Austria, Politics, 12/31/2003
- Al-Shara hold telephone talks on developments with AL chief Syria-Regional, Politics, 12/31/2003
- Qatar: government reshuffle Qatar, Politics, 12/31/2003
- New American ambassador arrives in Damascus Syria-USA, Politics, 12/31/2003
- King of Bahrain visits Doha to strengthen relations
King of Bahrain, Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, arrived yesterday in Doha in an official visit to Qatar. Bahrain-Qatar, Politics, 12/29/2003 - Mubarak supports all measures for equality of man and women
Egypt's Minister Safwat El-Sherif saluted First Lady Suzanne Mubarak, under whose auspices a conference on women and democracy is being held, for leading the march of women through the National Council for Women and the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood. Egypt, Politics, 12/29/2003 - Sudan, Yemen, Ethiopia form the 'Sanaa coalition'
The Sudanese foreign minister Mustafa Othman Ismael has expected that Presidents of Ethiopia, Sudan, and Yemen will officially sign a treaty for the foundation of "Sanaa coalition" during their meeting in Addis Ababa. Regional-Ethiopia, Politics, 12/29/2003 - Arab states send aid to Iran Earthquake victims
A plane loading Syrian medical aids arrived at the Iranian Karaman Airport overnight as part of the Syrian people's assistance to those affected in the devastating latest earthquake. Regional-Iran, Politics, 12/29/2003 - National dialogue forum started work in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabian scholars and intellectuals started on Sunday a forum that aims at eliminating what is called r"eligious extremism" in the Kingdom, which witnessed the killing of 50 persons in attacks targeting residential sites. Saudi Arabia, Politics, 12/29/2003 - Election of ruling party members cause tension with Muslim brothers in Egypt
A new crisis erupted between the Egyptian government and the banned Ikhwan al-Muslimin (Muslim Brothers) group, after the speaker of the Egyptian parliament Ahmad Fatehi Sorour expelled the chairman of the parliamentary group of the Muslim brothers, Muhammad Mursi from yesterday's session, and brought him to the "ethics committee." Egypt, Politics, 12/29/2003 - Syrian National Progressive Front meets on external developments
Israel neither wants nor seeks peaceÉ.it instead gets more obstinate, arrogant and insists on evading peace requirements and denies relevant international resolutions, while Syria expresses readiness to resume peace negotiations from the point they stopped at Syria, Politics, 12/29/2003 - Sahrawi body slams conference in France supporting 'polisario torturers'
the body says "those who consider themselves friends of the hypothetical entity should know that their attitude only contributes to sustaining the suffering of thousands of torn families, are nailed down to Algerian soil as hostages waiting for their children, shipped off to Cuba against their will." Morocco-France, Politics, 12/29/2003 - Iraqi intellectuals, writers delegation meet al-Assad
Syria's Vice-President Abdul Halim Khaddam received in Damascus on Saturday, an Iraqi intellectuals delegation comprising of writers, authors, poets and journalists, headed by Mansour al-Hadithi. Syria-Iraq, Politics, 12/29/2003 - Nivasha negotiations continue to settle wealth- share dispute
Negotiations between the Sudanese government and southern rebels have continued in Nivasha resort, Kenya. The first vice president of the Sudanese President, Ali Othman Taha, and the leader of the rebels, John Garang, are trying to bridgedifferences in the file of wealth sharing, in preparations to sign a final agreement concerning this issue. Sudan, Politics, 12/29/2003 - Moroccan, Saudi FMs probe bilateral ties
Moroccan minister of foreign affairs and cooperation, Mohammed Benaissa, currently on a two-day visit to Saudi Arabia, met in Jeddah Friday evening his Saudi peer, Prince Saoud Al Faisal, on bilateral ties. Saudi Arabia-Morocco, Politics, 12/29/2003 - Italian group calls for immediate release of Moroccan POW in tindouf
The Milan-based group "Articulo 5 On Tour" that is part of the "Papa boys" (young people who accompany the pope) have called in a release for the "immediate and unconditional release of all Moroccan prisoners of war (POWS) held by the Polisario separatists" in the Tindouf camps (south-western Algeria), for more than two decades. Morocco-Italy, Politics, 12/29/2003 - Sharon wants to scratch past negotiation progress with Syria
The Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon said that any negotiations with Syria should discarded previous negotiation, and should start again from ground zero, ignoring the previously achieved progress and terms, Syria-Israel, Politics, 12/29/2003 - Palestinian - Belgian association for Geneva human rights convention implementation
A great number of members of the Palestinian-Belgian Association (PBA) stressed on Saturday the necessity of the implementation of the relevant international resolutions and for respecting the Geneva convention on human rights. Palestine-Belgium, Politics, 12/29/2003 - UN inspectors visit nuclear positions in Libya
Teams of the International Agency for Atomic Energy started yesterday inspection works on institutions related to Libyan armament programs. Libya-UN, Politics, 12/29/2003 - Syria calls on UN Security Council to hold a consultation session today on a ME free from mass destruction weapons Syria-UN, Politics, 12/29/2003
- Ad-Dostour: Syria for boosting inter- Arab ties Syria-Regional, Politics, 12/29/2003