Arabic News Weekly Edition for Politics, 1/19/2004

Weekly Edition, Politics - Week of January 19, 2004

• Escalation of humanitarian conditions in Darfour; An agreement over two of the margined areas in Sudan
  The Sudanese government and the southern rebels in Sudan have agreed over the situation of two of the three margined areas in the center of Sudan. Sudan, Politics, 1/24/2004
• House of advisors in Morocco adopts Family Code
  The House of Advisors unanimously adopted on Friday the new family code that aims at promoting the situation of women in the Moroccan society. Morocco, Politics, 1/24/2004
• London's conference for the Saudi opposition calls for democracy in the Kingdom
  The coalition for democracy, a Saudi opposition organization, held a conference in London in which it discussed the future of democracy in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia, Politics, 1/24/2004
• Algeria, Kabylie, agree to quit illegal parliamentarians
  The Algerian government agreed with Tansiqeyat al-Oroush, which includes major berber tribes in Kabylie area, to remove illegally elected persons who won the legislative and municipal elections. Algeria, Politics, 1/24/2004
• Egypt, Libya lift restrictions on citizens travel
  Each of Cairo and Tripoli decided to lift the restrictions imposed since two weeks on the travel of the citizens of the two states at the al-Salloum border crossing between Egypt and Libya. Egypt-Libya, Politics, 1/24/2004
• Sahara: France highlights need to carry on dialogue between Morocco, Algeria
  France highlighted Friday the need for Morocco and Algeria to carry on dialogue to reach a "negotiated settlement" to the Sahara question. Morocco-France, Politics, 1/24/2004
• American congressmen prepare to visit Tripoli; Libya cooperates with weapons teams
  The US has expressed its satisfaction over the cooperation shown by Libya with the visiting American and British officials which study means of eliminating and destroying banned weapons programs Libya owns. Libya-USA, Politics, 1/24/2004
• Israel extends al-Barghoutri detention in the cell
  The Israeli prisons administrator Thursday asked for extending imprisonment of member of the Palestinian legislative council, Marwan Barghouthi, who has been detained since April 2002 in a separate cell. Palestine-Israel, Politics, 1/24/2004
• AL chief describes Washington's policy in Iraq and the region as wrong
  The secretary general of the Arab League (AL) Amr Moussa urged the US on Wednesday to discuss democracy with the Arabs and not to try to impose it on an area which is boiling because of the occupation of Iraq and the Israeli- Palestinian conflict. Regional-USA, Politics, 1/24/2004
• Clashes in Abu Deis: Washington stresses commitment to peace
  Clashes erupted yesterday between the Israeli occupation soldiers and scores of Palestinian protesters at the wall of separation, in Abu Deis town, to the east of occupied Jerusalem. Palestine-USA, Politics, 1/24/2004
• Syria's PM pays an official visit to Jordan Sunday Jordan-Syria, Politics, 1/24/2004
• AL delegation discusses Tunisian preparations for the Arab summit Tunisia-Regional, Politics, 1/24/2004
• International NGOs confirm humanitarian aid embezzlement in Tindouf camps Algeria-Morocco, Politics, 1/24/2004
• Polisario, destabilization factor in maghreb, sahrawi NGOs Maghreb, Politics, 1/24/2004
• New UN ultimatum to Morocco on sahara, quite weird, paper Morocco-UN, Politics, 1/24/2004
• Bahrain's parliament questions three ministers
  Heads of parliamentary blocs in the Bahraini parliament asked yesterday for the interrogation of three ministers in the course of the investigation held by the parliamentary committee concerning status of two retirement funds. Bahrain, Politics, 1/22/2004
• Cairo: Judiciary lifts immunity from Parliamentarian Yousef Wali
  The Cairo criminal court yesterday called for lifting parliamentary immunity from the deputy premier and minister of agriculture in Egypt, Youssef Wali, so as to be investigated in a corruption case one of his former aides was accused in. Egypt, Politics, 1/22/2004
• Mubarak sends top delegates to Tripoli with message to Gaddafi
  Egypt, Libya maintain 'strong' relations President Hosni Mubarak yesterday dispatched senior officials to Tripoli with a message to Libya's Leader of the Revolution Colonel Muammar al Qathafi. Egypt-Libya, Politics, 1/22/2004
• Equity and Reconciliation Commission keen to meet society aspirations
  The newly created Equity and Reconciliation Commission (ERC) said Tuesday in a release that in addition to its mission of out-of-court settlement of past human rights abuses, it is keen to meet the Moroccan society's aspirations and bring answers to suspended questions. Morocco, Politics, 1/22/2004
• Powell Says No Hard Evidence Iraqi WMD Hidden in Syria
  US Secretary of State Colin Powell says there is "no hard evidence" to suggest that Iraqi stocks of weapons of mass destruction were hidden in neighboring Syria before the U.S. and coalition forces attacked last year. Syria-USA, Politics, 1/22/2004
• Mubarak: al-Assad is ready to negotiate Israel without conditions
  The Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak said on Tuesday during his meeting with Egyptian intellectuals that his Syrian counterpart President Bashar al-Assad confirmed to him that he is ready to negotiate with Israel without prior conditions. Egypt-Syria, Politics, 1/22/2004
• Jordanian committee deplores Sharon statement of separation wall
  The Arab and Foreign Relations Committee at the Jordanian House of Representatives ( Parliament ) denounced irresponsible statements by Israeli Premier Ariel Sharon on Jordan's rejection of the Apartheid wall being built by Israel in the West Bank. Jordan-Israel, Politics, 1/22/2004
• Sorour: Women's participation in political life enhances democracy Egypt, Politics, 1/22/2004
• Lahoud meets with Greek counterpart: commitment to just ME peace Lebanon-Greece, Politics, 1/22/2004
• Greek president confers with Lebanese premier, parliament speaker in Beirut Lebanon-Greece, Politics, 1/22/2004
• A-Shara, Obeid discuss ME developments on a telephone call Syria-Lebanon, Politics, 1/22/2004
• Maher calls on Israel to respond to Syria's call on ME peace Egypt-Israel, Politics, 1/22/2004
• Gulf secretary meets with Syrian ambassador on cooperation Gulf-Syria, Politics, 1/22/2004
• Gulf states condemns Israeli aggressions against south Lebanon Gulf-Lebanon, Politics, 1/22/2004
• Pope John Paul II calls for making peace in ME, abandoning conflicts Regional-Vatican, Politics, 1/22/2004
• British Spokesman denies change of principled attitude towards Syria Syria-UK, Politics, 1/22/2004
• Maghreb Union cannot materialize while differences persist among member states, MP Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 1/22/2004
• AL denies news on detaining Israelis trying to enter AL premises Regional-Israel, Politics, 1/22/2004
• Shalom visits Jordan next week Jordan-Israel, Politics, 1/22/2004
• Egypt's Muslim Brothers announce readiness to be converted into a civilian party
  Member of the Guidance ( Irshad ) office of the Ikhwan al-Muslimin (Muslim Brothers) group, Abdul Menem Abu al-Fotouh, said that the group wants to convert inself into a legitimate declared political party that practice its activities in the open. Egypt, Politics, 1/21/2004
• Saudi Mufti deplores removing the veil in a conference in Jeddah, King nephew accuses his government of kidnapping him
  Prince Sultan Bin Turkey Bin Abdul Aziz, son of the brother of King Fahd, issued a statement in which he unveiled what he called details of his kidnapping operation from Geneva to Riyadh on July 12. Saudi Arabia, Politics, 1/21/2004
• Mubarak discuss views on host of issues; reform takes priority
  President Hosni Mubarak said the political reform takes priority, noting that Egypt took long strides towards the road of political reform. Egypt, Politics, 1/21/2004
• Mubarak, King Abdullah discuss pushing forward the peace process, reject the Apartheid wall
  Egypt and Jordan have renewed their rejection for Israel's building of the Apartheid wall in the West Bank. This was expressed in conclusion of the talks the Jordanian King Abdullah II held with the Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Cairo. Egypt-Jordan, Politics, 1/21/2004
• Al-Assad confers with the Saudi FM on Arab League development
  The Saudi foreign minister Prince Saud al-Faisal yesterday held talks in Damascus with the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and with the foreign minister Farouk al-Shara on several debated issues to develop the Arab league. Regional-Saudi Arabia, Politics, 1/21/2004
• Forum voices support to Geneva (peace) initiative
  Participants in a forum held at the Paris-based United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural organization (UNESCO), on Monday voiced their support to the so-called Geneva Initiative on peace in the Middle east. Palestine-Israel, Politics, 1/21/2004
• Lahoud deplores Israeli provocations in South Lebanon
  Lebanon's President Emile Lahoud held Israel responsible for Monday's incident inside southern Lebanese lands in which an Israeli military bulldozer was destroyed. Lebanon-Israel, Politics, 1/21/2004
• Mubarak: our relations with Libya are strong
  President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt has stressed that Egyptian- Libyan relations are "strong even if there are different view points," in remarks to Cairo's rejection on Libya's "unilateral" negotiations, rather than having a Arab collective framework on the issue of mass destruction weapons. Egypt-Libya, Politics, 1/21/2004
• Doubts over the continued Sudanese negotiations
  A high ranking official in the Sudanese government said yesterday that peace talks between Khartoum and the rebels of southern Sudan will be halted for one month as from the current week, noting that the first deputy for the Sudanese President Ali Othman Muhammad Taha, who leads the Khartoum delegation in Kenya talks, will return back to Sudan in order to prepare for al-Haj rituals. Sudan, Politics, 1/21/2004
• Qatar decides to chop most of the Iraqi debts
  An official in the Qatari foreign ministry announced yesterday that Qatar will chop most of its debts due to be paid by Iraq, and will also discuss chopping the remaining sums. Qatar-Iraq, Politics, 1/21/2004
• Keftaro confers with Izmir counterpart
  Keftaro talked about the importance of solidarity, integration and coordination on all levels and in all domains to achieve the "two friendly people's interests and to boost the ability to confront challenges." Syria-Turkey, Politics, 1/21/2004
• Solution to sahara conflict, key to stability in the region, EU parliamentarian
  President of the European Union's commission for the Maghreb and member of the EU parliament, Gerardo Galeote Quecedo, told MAP Tuesday the solution to the Sahara issue is the "key to a definitive stability in the region." Morocco-European Union, Politics, 1/21/2004
• Kuwait permits Iraqi pilgrims to cross its lands
  Member of the Iraqi Governing Council and chairman of the Iraqi pilgrims mission, Ibrahim al-Jaafari, said that the Kuwaiti authorities permitted all Iraqi pilgrims who have been waiting since several days on the borders between the two states to enter its territories, on their way to Saudi Arabia. Kuwait-Iraq, Politics, 1/21/2004
• Arab Follow up committee meets in February
  News reports in Cairo said quoting well-informed sources in the Arab League that the Arab follow up committee of the Arab summit will hold its meeting on February 9th. Regional, Politics, 1/21/2004
• Annan studies UN interference in Iraq
  Nws reports say that the UN secretary general Kofi Annan is studying a request proposed by the UN and the Iraqi Interim Governing council to send a UN team to Iraq in order to discuss the possibility of making early elections before authority transfer. Iraq-UN, Politics, 1/21/2004
• Al-Shara, Maher telephone call on ME developments Syria-Egypt, Politics, 1/21/2004
• British military delegation in Damascus Syria-UK, Politics, 1/21/2004
• Moroccan king arrives in UAE Politics, 1/20/2004
• Syrian human rights group calls for releasing Islamists
  The Human Rights Society in Syria yesterday urged the government in Syria to release 8 prisoners detained in 1980 because of ties with Islamists said to have had actually completed their prioson sentence. Syria, Politics, 1/20/2004
• Butrous Ghali, a chairman for Egyptian human rights council
  The Egyptian Shoura council decided yesterday to appoint the former secretary general of the UN, Butrous Ghali, as a chairman for the National Council For Human Rights and the former minister of information, Ahmad Kamal Abu al-Majd, as his deputy. Egypt, Politics, 1/20/2004
• Mubarak-Abdullah summit in Cairo today Egypt-Jordan, Politics, 1/20/2004
• Riyadh cling to dialogue and calls not to undermine the Islamic doctrines
  During a meeting chaired by King Fahd Bin Abdul Aziz, the Government of Saudi Arabia has committed to "dialogue and moderation attitudes, and called for not violating the Islamic doctrines." Saudi Arabia, Politics, 1/20/2004
• Lahoud stresses Syrian- Lebanese coordination Lebanon-Syria, Politics, 1/20/2004
• Al-Assad confers with Saudi FM
  Syria's President Bashar al-Assad received on Monday, Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal. Syria-Saudi Arabia, Politics, 1/20/2004
• Saudi dates gifted to Syria Saudi Arabia-Syria, Politics, 1/20/2004
• Ad-Dustour: Bshara commends Syria's position towards Arab issues
  The Palestinian intellectual Azmi Bshara described Syria's policy as "wise, brave and adhered to the national and pan-Arab firm principles." Palestine-Syria, Politics, 1/20/2004
• Sharon: Negotiations with Damascus means the return back of the Golan
  A member in the Israeli Knesset said that the Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon, warned members of the Israeli Knesset yesterday that making talks with Damascus means by the ultimate end the return back of the Syrian occupied Golan heights, which is occupied since 1967, to Syria. Syria-Israel, Politics, 1/20/2004
• Coalition forces releases Jordanian prisoners
  Some 20 Jordanian prisoners freed by the coalition forces which occupy Iraq arrived on Sunday in Amman in two planes for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). Iraq-Jordan, Politics, 1/20/2004
• Mubarak will be absent from the inauguration of the Book exhibition
  Chairman of the secretaries of the general Egyptian Book commission stressed yesterday that the "prime minister Atef Ebeid is the one who will open activities of the 36th session of Cairo's International Book exhibition on Wednesday." It will be the first time in which the Egyptian President will be absent from inaugurating the exhibition since he assumed power in Egypt. Egypt, Politics, 1/20/2004
• ElBara135dei stresses IAAE role in dismantling Libyan weapons
  The director general of the International Agency for Atomic Energy, Mohamed ElBaradei, stressed that the agency has the clear authority to supervise the dismantling of the Libyan nuclear weapons programs. Libya-UN, Politics, 1/20/2004
• Powel: Saddam Hussein will not be tried before transfer of authority to the Iraqis
  The US Secretary Of State Colin Powell said yesterday that the former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein will mot be tried before the transfer of the authority to the Iraqis. Iraq-USA, Politics, 1/20/2004
• Baker starts Gulf tour for the Iraqi debts
  The White House announced that the presidential envoy, former secretary of state, James Baker, started a tour on several Gulf states in order to consult with its leaders over reducing due debts owed by Iraq or canceling them. Gulf-USA, Politics, 1/20/2004
• Some 13 were killed, other wounded in tribal clashes in Somalia
  The security authorities in Somalia said that at least 13 persons were killed and other 27 wounded, during the two past days in the continued armed struggles between armed men belonging to one tribe in Beletoin city in the center of the country. Somalia, Politics, 1/20/2004
• Al-Sharif reiterates support for Syria to restore back legitimate rights Egypt-Syria, Politics, 1/20/2004
• Egypt information minister underlines EU role in ME peace Egypt-European Union, Politics, 1/20/2004
• Syrian opposition holds its second conference in Brussels
  The US- backed Syrian opposition continued work of the second conference, of what is called the "democratic national coalition," including certain Kurdish parties and some independents. Syria-Belgium, Politics, 1/19/2004
• Cairo: demonstration for the coalition party demanding Atef Obeid's resignation
  Some 400 members of the leftist Egyptian coalition party demonstrated on Saturday in Cairo, demanding the resignation of the Prime Minister Atef Ebeid, accusing him of being unable to halt price increase of daily commodities, and to stop unemployment Egypt, Politics, 1/19/2004
• Bashir discusses with Mubarak Sudan's peace developments
  Egypt's minister of information Safwat al-Sharif said that the Egyptian - Sudanese summit which was held yesterday discussed results attained in the operation of achieving peace in Sudan. Egypt-Sudan, Politics, 1/19/2004
• Algerian army warns presidential candidates from misusing the constitution
  The commander of the Algerian army, Lt. Gen. Muhammad al-Ammari, warned candidates for the post of the President of the republic from the consequences of violating the constitution, and party pluralism; the republican features. Algeria, Politics, 1/19/2004
• House of representatives unanimously adopts new family code
  The House of Representatives (Parliament's lower chamber) unanimously approved on Friday the draft Family Code during a plenary session in the presence of premier Driss Jettou and other government members. Morocco, Politics, 1/19/2004
• Al-Assad discusses with Qatar's FM ME developments
  Syria's President Bashar al-Assad held on Saturday in Damascus talks with Qatar's foreign minister Sheikh Hamad Bin Jasem Bin Jaber al-Thani centered on developments of conditions in the Middle east. Syria-Qatar, Politics, 1/19/2004
• Al-Youm: Efforts to end human rights violations in Iraq
  Iraqi Human Rights Minister, Abdul Basset al-Turki said there is continued contacts with the American occupation troops to end their violation of human rights in the country. Iraq, Politics, 1/19/2004
• al-Dustour: Palestinians commend Syria's position to wards their cause
  Chairman of the Political Department at the Palestinian Liberation Organization, Farouk al-Qaddoumi, stressed that the US has no right to put Syria under accountability. Palestine-Syria, Politics, 1/19/2004
• 20 role of youths in deepening contacts underlined
  Syria's Expatriates Minister, Buthaina Shaaban on Sunday underlined the importance of deepening the political and cultural communication with the new generations of youths abroad, for briefing them on developments and stances adopted by their country in all domains, and for enabling them to explain these stances in a proper way. Syria-Regional, Politics, 1/19/2004
• Morocco will not accept any imposed solution to the Moroccan Sahara Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 1/19/2004
• Faisal meets with AL chief, Czech peer Saudi Arabia-Regional, Politics, 1/19/2004
• Syrian army chief of staff meets with Sudanese counterpart Syria-Sudan, Politics, 1/19/2004
• Saudi FM criticized pressures on Syria Saudi Arabia-Syria, Politics, 1/19/2004
• Al-Shara meets with Smaha on regional developments Syria-Lebanon, Politics, 1/19/2004
• Al-Assad meets with Polish Senate speaker Syria-Poland, Politics, 1/19/2004
• Maher meets with EU commissioner on ME developments Egypt-European Union, Politics, 1/19/2004
• Erdogan renews Turkey's rejection for an ethnic rule in Iraq Iraq-Turkey, Politics, 1/19/2004
• AL chief confers with Irish FM Regional-Ireland, Politics, 1/19/2004
• Turkey for unity of Iraqi parties Iraq-Turkey, Politics, 1/19/2004
• al-Iqtisadeyah: Damascus forces early retirement in organizations, trade unions Syria, Politics, 1/19/2004

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