Arabic News Weekly Edition for Politics, 2/9/2004
Weekly Edition, Politics - Week of February 9, 2004
- Bahraini political societies organize a conference amid government's rejection
Four Bahraini political associations which had boycotted the previous parliamentary elections announced they are proceeding forward in organizing a conference they intend to convene today in order to discuss the constitution of the kingdom, at a time when a Bahraini official stressed the need that these societies have to be licensed in order to convene the conference. Bahrain, Politics, 2/14/2004 - Benflis: I am not the candidate of the army
The candidate for the Algerian presidential elections Ali Binflis yesterday called for having a calm and honest elections on April 8th, commending the position of the Algerian army for being neutral. Algeria, Politics, 2/14/2004 - Iraq discusses with neighbors the risks of partition, sneaking operations
Kuwaiti hosts today and tomorrow a meeting for the foreign ministers of countries adjoining Iraq, attended by the Iraqi foreign minister, and concentrating on the Iraqi situation and its reflections on security in the region. Iraq-Regional, Politics, 2/14/2004 - La Nouvelle Tribune: China supports negotiated political settlement of Sahara issue
China supports efforts to reach a political solution to the Sahara issue, and dialogue between involved parties, said Chinese ambassador to Rabat, Cheng Tao. Morocco-China, Politics, 2/14/2004 - Tripoli calls onUS oil companies to return; Congressional delegation in Libya
A new delegation from the US Congress, most of its members are from the "intelligence committee" arrived in Libya yesterday on a one day visit at the invitation of the Libyan government. The delegation is due to meet with the Libyan leader. Libya-USA, Politics, 2/14/2004 - UN: it is impossible to make elections in Iraq
The spokesman for the UN envoy to Iraq, Ahmad Fawzi, stressed that elections can not be made in Iraq before handing over the authority by the end of June next year. Iraq-UN, Politics, 2/14/2004 - Khamenei deplores Israeli Practices against the Palestinians
Supreme Leader of the Iranian Revolution, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, strongly condemned the oppressive practices perpetrated by Israel against the Palestinian people stressing that "the resistance is the only way for the restoration of the usurped rights and lands and for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital." Iran-Palestine, Politics, 2/14/2004 - Suha Arafat accuses of campaigning financial scandals against her
Suha Arafat, wife of the Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, denied accusations over money laundering, saying that she and her husband are ready to answer all questions concerning her bank accounts in France where the authorities there are making investigations over them. Palestine, Politics, 2/14/2004 - Tunisia approves to host next Arab summit Tunisia-Regional, Politics, 2/14/2004
- Al-Shara makes telephone talks with Bahrain peer Syria-Bahrain, Politics, 2/14/2004
- The first National Children Conference: promoting the values of teamwork and democracy
It also aims at laying down the foundation stone for instilling creativity and innovation in children's character to render them more capable in interacting and coping with the massive changes and developments that are sweeping the world through, inter alia, inculcating the basic life skills of logical thinking, rational analysis, dialogue and acceptance of other's opinion and most importantly through promoting the values of teamwork and democracy. Syria, Politics, 2/13/2004 - Qatar hosts three conferences for reforms in the region
Qatar hosts as from tomorrow Saturday three conferences that will study means of political and economic openness in the Gulf region. Qatar-Regional, Politics, 2/13/2004 - Moussa: Tunis announces today its position concerning hosting the summit
The secretary general of the Arab League (AL) Amr Moussa announced that Tunisia will announce today its position concerning the issue of convening the next Arab summit on its lands. Regional-Tunisia, Politics, 2/13/2004 - Red Cross to visit Saddam Hussein very soon
The International Committee of the Red Cross ICRC announced yesterday it had visited several Aides of the former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein in prison, and expressed confidence that the American occupation forces will permit seeing Saddam Hussein "in the very near future." Iraq, Politics, 2/13/2004 - Damascus Arab Labor conference deliberations in labor movement
The 31st session of the Arab Labor Conference will be held tomorrow in Damascus. Arab Labor and Social Affairs Ministers from 19 Arab states, different organizations and unions will take part in the one - week conference. Syria-Regional, Politics, 2/13/2004 - American delegation to Khartoum to accelerate peace talks
An American delegation chaired by the official for the African affairs office at the US Department Of State, Charles Snider, held talks yesterday with the Sudanese foreign minister Mustafa Othman Ismael that dealt with means of boosting the "peace process and the humanitarian situation in Darfour." Sudan-USA, Politics, 2/13/2004 - Shaaban meets with Australia, New Zealand patriarch
Syria's Expatriates Minister Buthaina Shaaban on Thursday received the Patriarch and Pastor of Australia and New Zealand for Christian - Catholics, Issam Darwish. Syria-Australia, Politics, 2/13/2004 - UN secretary general on the elections in Iraq
The UN secretary general Elakhder al-Ibraheimi announced that the UN supports the call advocated by the Shiite clergy Ayatullah Ali al-Seistani to make general elections in the country. Iraq, Politics, 2/13/2004 - Washington calls on Tripoli to stop intervening in Africa
The US yesterday called on Libya to stop its "destabilizing" interventions in Africa and linked between lifting the American sanctions on it to the extent of its pace to dismantling its special programs on weapons of mass destruction. Libya-USA, Politics, 2/13/2004 - Al-Assad confers with Lebanese Deputy premier Syria-Lebanon, Politics, 2/13/2004
- Syria, Jordan to boost communications relations Syria-Jordan, Politics, 2/13/2004
- Syria Human Rights society announces its chairman banned from traveling
The statement added "continued security summoning up of human rights activists and restricting their freedoms through preventing them from leaving the country are considered oppressive measures against them." Syria, Politics, 2/12/2004 - Ankara proposes mediation for peace negotiations Mubarak, Sizer stress Iraq's unity
The Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and the Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak underlined yesterday in Ankara the importance of preserving unity of the Iraqi territories. They warned that any violations will expose the whole Middle East to danger and instability. Egypt-Turkey, Politics, 2/12/2004 - London: Venue of meeting between al-Qathafi and Blair is undecided
The British foreign office said yesterday that the country which will host the first meeting between the Libyan Leader of the Revolution Colonel Muammar al Qathafi and the British prime minister Tony Blair is not decided yet. Libya-UK, Politics, 2/12/2004 - Moussa heads for Tunisia to settle hosting the Arab league
News reports in Cairo quoted sources close to the Arab League as saying that Tunisia might be once again wishing to host the Arab summit after a period of hesitation. Regional-Tunisia, Politics, 2/12/2004 - Saudi- Yemeni talks concluded over border cement barrier
Saudi Arabian - Yemeni talks were completed in Riyadh, and aimed at settling the differences over a "barrier" Sanaa accuses the authorities in Riyadh of building it between the two states without issuing any official statement on that. Saudi Arabia-Yemen, Politics, 2/12/2004 - Egyptian parliament deplores Apartheid separation wall
Egyptian People's Assembly stressed on Wednesday its rejection of Israel's insistence on building the Apartheid separation wall in the West Bank, condemning the Israeli procedure which aim at partitioning the occupied Palestinian lands and imposing a de facto situation there. Egypt-Palestine, Politics, 2/12/2004 - Lebanese Islamic Council for continued resistance to attain liberation; Syria is the castle of the Arabs
"Events have proved that Syria is the steadfast castle of Lebanon and Arab, and Arab should stand by Syria to defend the Arab rights," the council said. Lebanon-Israel, Politics, 2/12/2004 - Morocco and Spain satisfied at bilateral friendship and understanding
Spanish foreign minister, Ana Palacio, and Morocco's ambassador in Spain, Abdeslam Baraka, praised the friendship and understanding marking bilateral relationships. Morocco-Spain, Politics, 2/12/2004 - Darfour rebels allege cutting Khartoum army supplies
Rebels of Darfour district, to the west of Sudan, said they blocked contacts between towns that fall under the control of the government after Khartoum said that it fully controlled the semi desert district which adjoins Libya and Chad. Sudan, Politics, 2/12/2004 - Kuwaiti parliamentarians call for investigating Halliburton scandal ; Washington Iraqi contracts at 6 billion
An American government website said yesterday that the US opened before all countries non-construction contracts estimated at a value of 6 billion dollars for projects in Iraq, financed by American money. Kuwait-Iraq, Politics, 2/12/2004 - Egypt: parliamentarians accuse government of bringing Israeli experts
Egyptian parliamentarians belonging to the Islamic trend yesterday strongly criticized the Egyptian government accusing it of using Israeli experts in agricultural and economic projects. Egypt-Israel, Politics, 2/12/2004 - Talks on Cyprus to resume tomorrow at UN Turkey-Cyprus, Politics, 2/12/2004
- Arab Electricity Ministers wrap up meetings in Beirut Regional-Lebanon, Politics, 2/12/2004
- Yemen holds back on Arab federation for strong AL reform; Settling security difference with Egypt
The Yemeni President, Ali Abdullah Saleh, announced in Cairo that his country is ready to give up its project to establish an Arab federation that will be an alternative for the Arab League. Yemen-Regional, Politics, 2/11/2004 - Blair intends to visit Tripoli, Shalqam in London; Washington restores back its diplomatic presence in Libya
The Libyan ( foreign minister) Abdul Rahman Shalqam announced that the US restored its diplomatic presence in Libya through the American interests sponsoring office which will work from inside the Belgian embassy in Tripoli. Libya-UK, Politics, 2/11/2004 - Syrian cabinet meets on regional developments, internal issues
The Cabinet discussed Tuesday many draft decisions and decrees during a meeting chaired by Premier Naji Otari. Syria, Politics, 2/11/2004 - Yediot Ahronot: King Abdullah receives Peres
The Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot quoted the Jordanian king Abdullah as saying yesterday during his meeting with the leader of the Israeli Labor Party Shimon Peres in Amman that there is "a change in Syria." Jordan-Israel, Politics, 2/11/2004 - Riyadh denies foiling a suicide operation against Israel
A spokesman for the Saudi Arabia's ministry of defense yesterday denied that the kingdom had foiled an air suicide operation by al-Qaida against Israel, as was stated by the Israeli mass media. Saudi Arabia-Israel, Politics, 2/11/2004 - Occupation: Saddam Hussein does not collaborate, wanted are 12
The American occupation authorities said yesterday that Saddam Hussein who is held by the USA is in a good health condition and non Ð collaborative with the American investigators. Iraq-USA, Politics, 2/11/2004 - Five Islamists killed in mopping up operations; Butaflika supported for Presidential elections Algeria, Politics, 2/11/2004
- Yediot Ahronot: Mubarak receives credentials of Israeli ambassador
The Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot said yesterday that the new Israeli ambassador to Cairo, Eli Shakid, on Monday submitted his credentials to the Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. Egypt-Israel, Politics, 2/11/2004 - Al-Assad meets with Lebanese dignitaries Syria-Lebanon, Politics, 2/11/2004
- Mubarak visits Turkey today Egypt-Turkey, Politics, 2/11/2004
- Obeid meets with Hizbullah Lebanon, Politics, 2/11/2004
- Morocco and Mexico sign cultural cooperation agreement Morocco-Mexico, Politics, 2/11/2004
- One persons killed at dawn at Ein al-Helweh camp Lebanon-Palestine, Politics, 2/11/2004