Arabic News Weekly Edition for Politics, 10/25/2004
Weekly Edition, Politics - Week of October 25, 2004
- Freedom of the press: Saudi Arabia, Iran and Syria are the worst, Lebanon is vanguard
The Sans Frontiers organization which is concerned with the press freedoms in the world said in a report yesterday that the countries of Eastern Asia, especially northern Korea, Burma and China, the Middle East countries especially Saudi Arabia, Iran, Syria and Iraq are considered "the worst regions in the world" in the field of the press freedoms while northern Europe is described as " safe haven for journalists." Regional, Politics, 10/27/2004 - Amir of Kuwait opens Ummah council session: political rights for the woman; economic reforms
Kuwaiti prime minister Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah said yesterday that the government's main policy for 2005 is to implement urgent political reforms and work for issuing a law allowing women the right to elect, vote for the Ummah council which opened its legislative session on Tuesday by the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Jaber al-Ahmad al-Sabah for the first time since a long time. Kuwait, Politics, 10/27/2004 - Serbia-Montenegro withdraws recognition of Sahara Republic
The government of Serbia-Montenegro (former Yugolsavia) announced this Tuesday it is withdrawing its recognition of the so-called "Sahara Republic," proclaimed by the Algeria-backed Polisario separatists. Morocco-Serbia-Montenegro, Politics, 10/27/2004 - Mubarak: Combating terrorism starts with solving problems of Palestine and Iraq
Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak discussed with Jean Asselborn, the deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Luxembourg the latest developments in the region, mainly Palestine, Iraq and the Sudan. Egypt-Regional, Politics, 10/27/2004 - New Lebanese government formed
Lebanese new Premier Omar Karami said Tuesday his newly-appointed 30- member government including two women for the first time in the history of Lebanon will hold its first session today morning to form a ministerial committee and formulate the ministerial statement. Lebanon, Politics, 10/27/2004 - Human Rights Committee congratulates Morocco for 'continued progress' in human rights
The Human rights committee of the United Nations congratulated Tuesday Morocco for the quality of the periodical report it submitted Monday, and for the "continued progress" the Kingdom is achieving in the field of Human rights. Morocco, Politics, 10/27/2004 - Khartoum threatens to close Washington's embassy, Abuja negotiations stumbled
Negotiations stopped in Abuja yesterday over Darfur once again when the rebels refused to negotiate directly with the Sudanese government delegation until the meeting of the African Union leaders separately to agree on the agenda. Sudan, Politics, 10/27/2004 - Moratinos upbeat on solution to Sahara issue, Spanish press
Spanish foreign minister, Miguel Angel Moratinos said on Monday he does not share UN Secretary General "pessimism" on the Sahara issue, adding solution to the conflict "is not that far," according to reports of the Spanish press. Morocco-Spain, Politics, 10/27/2004 - Egypt; no links for Taba explosions to any Palestinian group
Egypt has renewed yesterday its assertion that there are no ties linking between the Palestinian who designed the explosions of Sinai resorts and between the Palestinian organizations. Egypt-Palestine, Politics, 10/27/2004 - Knesset approves Sharon plan for Gaza pullout; 17 Palestinians killed in the Israeli operation,
One Palestinian was killed after he was hit by bullets of one Israeli soldier yesterday morning in Rafah to the south of Gaza, at a time when the occupation army started withdrawal from Khan Younis following the military operation in which some 17 Palestinians were killed and inflected huge damages. Palestine-Israel, Politics, 10/27/2004 - Yasser Araft is recovering
Palestinian officials denied information which talked about the deterioration of health conditions of the Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, stressing that he is in a good health condition and is recovering from a severe cold. Palestine, Politics, 10/27/2004 - Somali official lauds Mubarak's role on Somali reconciliation Somalia-Egypt, Politics, 10/27/2004
- Lawyers try to open the file of kidnapping the Saudi prince Sultan Bin turkey
The London-based al-Quds al-Arabi magazine said that a group of European lawyers are preparing to head for the Swiss Judiciary to open the file of the case over the disappearance of the Saudi prince Sultan Bin Turkey Bin Abdul Aziz who was kidnapped one year ago from Geneva, Switzerland, because of his strong stances over what is called corruption in the Kingdom and his demands for making change. Saudi Arabia-Switzerland, Politics, 10/26/2004 - Karami to announce on Tuesday the formation of the new Lebanese government
The designated Lebanese prime minister Omar Karami announced names of his new government on Tuesday after he was able of solve the differences which postponed the ministerial formation. Lebanon, Politics, 10/26/2004 - Ben Ali wins the Tunisian elections; Tunisian opposition protests
The democratic initiative which sponsored the candidate for the Presidential elections in Tunisia, Muhammad Ali Helwani, protested over the results of the Presidential elections that took place in Tunisia on Sunday. Tunisia, Politics, 10/26/2004 - Egypt stance on UNSC enlargement
Regarding the projected enlargement of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul-Gheit stressed some weeks ago before the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) that Egypt possesses due regional power elements and enjoys political and social stability in addition to strong international relations with all world countries. Egypt-UN, Politics, 10/26/2004 - Egypt, Sudan seek laying out solid economic integration
Egypt's Minister of Foreign Trade and Industry Rasheed Mohamed Rasheed and Sudanese Minister of Foreign Trade Abdel Hamid Kasha on Monday agreed on pushing up joint trade cooperation through solid infrastructure for economic 'integration. Egypt-Sudan, Politics, 10/26/2004 - No negotiation on Moroccan kingty over Sahara, party
Moroccan sovereignty over its Southern provinces cannot be subject to any negotiation, said Istiqlal Party Secretary general, Abbas El Fassi, stressing the Sahara issue is a national priority that concerns the whole of the Moroccan people. Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 10/26/2004 - Madrid keen to foster agreement among parties in Sahara conflict, official
The new Spanish government is trying to foster agreement among the parties in the Sahara conflict so as to reach a compromise solution to the dispute in face of the current deadlock, said Taib Fassi Fihri, Moroccan minister delegate to foreign affairs and cooperation. Morocco-Spain, Politics, 10/26/2004 - Egypt discloses the identity of persons accused of Sinai explosions
The Egyptian ministry of the interior announced yesterday the detention of five Egyptians over involvement in the Sinai explosions on October 7th which resulted in killing 32 persons, at least, most of them are Israeli tourists. Egypt, Politics, 10/26/2004 - Negotiations resumed between Khartoum and Darfur rebellions
A new round of negotiations started yesterday in Abuja, capital of Nigeria, between the Sudanese movement and the two main rebel movements in Darfur which has been witnessing acts of riots that resulted in killing thousands of persons and displacing more than one million persons. Sudan, Politics, 10/26/2004 - Barnier: we do hope for the release of the two French hostages shortly
The French foreign minister Michael Barnier said yesterday that he hopes the two French hostages in Iraq will be released shortly but he urged caution towards the most recent report indicating their nearby release. Iraq-France, Politics, 10/26/2004 - IAAE: hundreds of tons of explosives lost in Iraq
The International Agency for Atomic Energy (IAAE ) stressed that hundreds of tons of traditional explosives were missing from the Iraqi military arsenal that used to be under the rule of the toppled Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. Iraq, Politics, 10/26/2004 - Syrian- Russian coordination over Sharm esh Sheikh conference on Iraq
Syria's Foreign Minister Farouk al-Shara on Monday received the Ambassador-at-large of the Iraqi affairs at the Russian Foreign Ministry, Sergei Kirpichenko. Syria-Russia, Politics, 10/26/2004 - Morocco submits to UN committee periodical human rights report
Morocco presented this Monday to the United Nations human rights committee its 5th periodical reports dealing with its enforcement of the international pact of civil and human rights. Morocco, Politics, 10/26/2004 - Lahoud reiterates rejection to external pressures
Lebanese President Emile Lahoud said Monday that pressures exerted against Syria and Lebanon will not affect their commitment to the national firm stances and aspirations to achieve a just and comprehensive peace. Lebanon, Politics, 10/26/2004 - Judicial organization establishes in Egypt a committee to defend Semitism
One of the Egyptian human rights organization has established a committee in defense of Semitism in the world aiming at helping the Arab citizens to benefit from the American law which makes it obligatory for the US Department Of State to monitor anti-Semitic practices in the world. Regional-USA, Politics, 10/26/2004 - Haaretz: Israel might accept Egyptian proposal to deploy forces in Sinai
Israel is inclined to accept the Egyptian proposal to deploy reinforcements of the border guards forces on the border with the aim to prevent smuggling of weapons via tunnels of Rafah to Gaza. Egypt-Israel, Politics, 10/26/2004 - German Chancellor: Arad is not alive
The German chancellor who took part in the negotiations operations between Israel and Hizbullah Biernid Schmidth Baro said that the missing Israeli pilot whose plane was downed in Lebanon in 1986 is not alive. Lebanon-Israel, Politics, 10/26/2004 - New Somali President in Cairo tomorrow Egypt-Somalia, Politics, 10/26/2004
- Morocco and Mexico review consolidation of economic ties
Consolidation of economic ties was the focus of a meeting held here this Monday between Moroccan minister-delegate for foreign affairs and cooperation, Taib Fassi Fihri, and visiting deputy-foreign minister, Maria de Lourdes Aranda Bezaury. Morocco-Mexico, Politics, 10/26/2004 - Cairo: a petition by 700 politicians vows to prevent Mubarak from a new term of office
Some 700 activist and intellectual in Egypt issued a joint statement in which they vowed to seek amending the Egyptian constitution with the aim of preventing President Hosni Mubarak from nominating himself for a new term of office in the presidential elections due in 2005 and getting rid off the rule of the one-man regime. Egypt, Politics, 10/25/2004 - Partial results indicate Ben Ali to win the Tunisian Presidential elections at 90%
It was announce din Tunis in several balloting centers that Zine al-Abidin Ben Ali got rates exceeding 90% while his nearest rival got only 5% of the votes. Tunisia, Politics, 10/25/2004 - Egyptian- Jordanian summit to discuss conditions in Iraq, Palestine
The Jordanian King Abdullah II and the Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak called in conclusion of their talks in the al-Aqaba city yesterday for the need to work promptly to put an end to the cycle of violence in the Palestinian territories, warning that these acts are threatening the security of the region. Jordan-Egypt, Politics, 10/25/2004 - Former Egyptian minister of agriculture advisor sentenced for 15- year imprisonment
An Egyptian court yesterday sentenced the legal advisor of the Egyptian former deputy premier and minister of agriculture for 15 year imprisonment and a fine of 2 million Egyptian pounds ( $ 322,000) under the charge of bribe and illegal wealth accumulation. Egypt, Politics, 10/25/2004 - Muasher quits the foreign ministry in a ministerial amendment in Jordan
Three ministers in the government of Faisal al-Fayez submitted their resignation in the course of a ministerial reshuffle which has witnessed yesterday evening introducing of ten new ministers to the Jordanian government. Jordan, Politics, 10/25/2004 - UN Day celebrated in Damascus
Under the patronage of the Syrian foreign minister Farouk al-Shara, a celebration was held yesterday, October 24th marking the foundation anniversary of the UN. Syria-UN, Politics, 10/25/2004 - Shaalan: Libyan interferes in Iraq's affairs
The Iraqi defense minister Hazem al-Shaalan accused Libyan of interfering in the affairs of his country by providing material aid to "Iraqi sides" positioned in Syria, noting that these sides "obstruct the security situation in Iraq." Iraq-Libya, Politics, 10/25/2004 - A human massacre in Iraq
In the largest attack targeting volunteers in the new Iraqi army, the bodies of 43 volunteers and five civilian drivers were found between Baladrose and Badra area and Jassan to the south east of Baqouba. Iraq, Politics, 10/25/2004 - Sharon government agrees to compensate the settlers in Gaza
The Israeli government approved a draft law which states compensating the Israeli settlers who will be evacuated from Gaza in the framework of a plan by the Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon to withdraw from Gaza. Palestine-Israel, Politics, 10/25/2004 - Al-Bayan newspaper calls on international community to curb Israel practices against Palestinians
United Arab Emirates al-Bayan newspaper on Sunday called on the international community to curb the Israeli state terrorism against the Palestinian people. Palestine-Israel, Politics, 10/25/2004 - Jordan denies convening a meeting with Israel to amend the borders
Jordan has denied news that it had delegated a delegation to meet with Israel to discuss amending the borders at the Jordan valley with the aim of completing the first joint academic project on a land considered to be neutral. Jordan-Israel, Politics, 10/25/2004