Egyptian authorities are preventing several U.S. citizens from leaving the country because of ongoing investigations into the work of civil society groups supporting the countrys legislative elections.
State Department Spokeswoman Victoria Nuland says U.S. officials are very actively involved with their Egyptian counterparts to lift the travel ban.
We have several U.S. citizens working at various international, nongovernmental organizations in Egypt that have been questioned by judges in Egypt, and they are currently not being allowed to depart Egypt in connection with the governments investigation of NGOs, said Nuland.
Nuland says four or five Americans who are being prevented from leaving Egypt have contacted the U.S. embassy in Cairo, but that privacy rights prevent her from identifying them by name.
One of those caught up in the travel ban is Sam LaHood, son of U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. Sam LaHood directs the Egyptian program of the Washington-based civil society group International Republican Institute.
He and his staff, along with members of the National Democratic Institute and Freedom House, were questioned repeatedly by Egyptian authorities after they shut down their local offices last month, accusing the three U.S. groups of using foreign funds to support popular unrest.
Nuland says that after being prevented from boarding their flights, all of the Americans were allowed to keep their passports and that none were detained.
We are urging the government of Egypt to lift these restrictions immediately and allow folks to come home as soon as possible, she said. And were hopeful this issue will be resolved in nearest days.
Treatment of international and domestic NGOs in Egypt has been a major point of disagreement between Egypts new leaders and the Obama administration. Washington has called repeatedly for the return of computer equipment and documents seized from NGO offices during police raids.
As Egypt marks the one-year anniversary of its popular democratic uprising, Nuland said there have been positive steps and areas of concern. Successful parliamentary elections and the lifting of most emergency laws have been encouraging, she said.
This is a relatively new thing for Egyptian bureaucrats and for the Egyptian judicial system, she said, explaining that Egyptian officials have been slow to adjust to all of the elements that surround democratic voting. We have not had open elections of this kind in Egypt, so weve got new NGOs on the Egyptian side. Weve got NGOs on the international side wanting to do what we do in countries around the world, which is to support the process, not to support any individual candidate.
Nuland says the Obama administration will continue to promote freedoms for civil society groups to support the electoral process, and that the administration is working with Egyptian authorities to improve bureaucratic procedures for properly registering those groups.
After Presidents Departure, Yemen Braces for Transition of Leadership
(Published on Thu, 26 Jan 2012 22:51:02 GMT)
Yemens outgoing president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, is in Oman and has been given a visa to enter the United States for medical treatment. President Saleh left Yemen following nearly a year of protests against his rule that left hundreds dead
Inspired by protests across the Arab world, demonstrators in Yemen took to the streets to demand the ouster of President Saleh, who has ruled the country with an iron hand for more than three decades.
Mohammed Ahmed is one of those protesters.
Saleh tore this country into pieces, he said. He made this country a place for tribal feuds, racism and encouraged distinctions between the people.
President Saleh agreed to transfer power only after parliament passed a controversial law granting him immunity from prosecution.
In what was described as a farewell address, Mr. Saleh was contrite
If shortcomings occurred during my 33-year term, then I ask for forgiveness and I apologize to all the citizens of Yemen, said Saleh.
Last June, a bomb attack on Mr. Salehs presidential compound left him severely wounded. He spent several months recuperating in Saudi Arabia.
The Yemeni president is expected to seek additional medical care in the United States, where officials have stressed his stay will not be permanent.
White House spokesman Jay Carney reiterated the U.S. position.
The purpose of this travel is for medical treatment alone, said Carney. And we expect that he will stay for a limited time that corresponds to the duration of this treatment.
Yemen is a major security concern for the United States because it has been a haven for Islamic militants linked to al-Qaida.
Parts of the country are plagued by kidnappings, banditry and violent tribal feuds that appear beyond the control of the central government.
Marina Ottaway is a Middle East expert with the Washington-based Carnegie Endowment.
I think our goals in Yemen are very narrow and it is to thwart al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula and maintain enough stability so people dont get killed day, after day, after day, she said.
Protesters are demanding the removal of Mr. Salehs family members from positions of power out of concern he will still be able to control key components of the country
Ginny Hill directs the Yemen Forum at British-based research institution Chatham House:
The question will be to what extent the presidents son and his nephews and his other relatives are able to retain control over military units, over business interests and over political power, said Hill.
President Saleh has vowed to return to Yemen and analysts such as the Carnegie Endowment s Marina Ottoway say he could make a political comeback.
You dont stay in power that long in that part of the world if you are not a very astute politician with plenty of contacts, with a large network and Saleh has all that, she said. So the possibility of a comeback can never be completely ruled out.
A presidential election is scheduled for February 21, but it is not clear if that will end the political crisis and the chaos that have rocked Yemen over the past year.
Join the conversation on our social journalism site - Middle East Voices. Follow our Middle East reports on Twitter and discuss them on our Facebook page.
Yemens President Remains in Oman, Departure for US Uncertain
(Published on Thu, 26 Jan 2012 20:17:15 GMT)
Outgoing Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh remains in the Persian Gulf sultanate of Oman and it is unclear when his planned trip to the United States for medical treatment will take place.
An official at the Yemeni embassy in Washington told VOA Thursday he has no information on when Saleh might arrive. Mohammed Albasha also denied an article in The Wall Street Journal saying the presidents family is searching for a plane to fly him to New York
The article said Salehs presidential plane, an aging Boeing 727, is prohibited from landing at U.S. airports. Albasha said President Saleh does have access to a plane that can fly him to the United States. He departed the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, Sunday on a jet for neighboring Oman, where he said he would stop for a brief period before traveling on to New York.
Media reports citing diplomats in Oman and aides to Saleh say he is trying to secure approval from the Omani ruler for permanent exile, but Albasha strongly denied the speculation.
A source close to the negotiations that led to Salehs departure told the French news agency that if Saleh does eventually arrive in the U.S. he will stay until at least February 21, the day presidential elections are scheduled for Yemen. AFP quotes the source as saying Saleh will not be admitted to a hospital but will see consultants in New York.
The U.S. has said Salehs request to travel to the United States was approved for the sole purpose of medical treatment, and that his stay would be for a limited time.
The embattled leader was severely wounded in a bomb attack on his presidential compound last June and spent several months recuperating in Saudi Arabia. He has spoken previously of a desire to seek further treatment in the United States.
In a televised farewell speech just hours before he left Yemen, the outgoing president asked his people to forgive him for any shortcomings made during his 33-year autocratic rule. He also vowed to return to the country and continue leading his ruling General Peoples Congress party.
Yemeni opposition activists have staged a year of mass protests demanding his immediate ouster, inspired by popular uprisings in other parts of the region. Thousands of Yemenis rallied in Sanaa Sunday, calling for Saleh to be put on trial for a violent crackdown in which hundreds of people have been killed.
The anti-Saleh protesters reject granting Saleh full immunity from prosecution. Yemens parliament approved the immunity last week as part of a Gulf Cooperation Council-backed deal to encourage the president to leave office. Saleh signed the plan last November and agreed to transfer presidential powers to his deputy ahead of the February 21 elections to pick his successor.
Yemeni Vice President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi is the consensus candidate of Yemens ruling party and parliamentary opposition for that election.
Reuters reported that at least 22 people were killed Thursday in clashes between Shiite Muslim rebels and fighters from a Sunni Islamist group in a province under rebel control in the countrys rugged north
A source close to the Houthi rebels told Reuters that Salafist fighters attacked them overnight in Hajja and in the Kataf area of Saada province, a location that has seen intense sectarian fighting in recent months.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.
Join the conversation on our social journalism site - Middle East Voices. Follow our Middle East reports on Twitter and discuss them on our Facebook page.
US, Arab League Face Russian Opposition on Syria
(Published on Thu, 26 Jan 2012 23:10:22 GMT)
The Obama administration is joining the Arab League in pushing for U.N. action to end months of political violence in Syria by calling on President Bashar al-Assad to give up power. Syria is counting on Russia to block U.N. moves that Damascus says could be a pretense to military action.
With Gulf-state observers leaving the Arab League mission in Syria, Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem accuses the league of paving the way for foreign military intervention with its call for President Bashar al-Assad to step down.
The solution for Syria is definitely not the solution from the Arab League, and we refuse, said al-Moualem.
President Barack Obama made clear in his State of the Union address Tuesday that it is time for President Assad to go, just as popular revolts ousted dictators in Libya and Egypt last year.
And in Syria, I have no doubt that the Assad regime will soon discover that the forces of change cant be reversed, and that human dignity cant be denied, said Obama.
The top American diplomat for human rights, Michael Posner, said Thursday in Cairo that Washington counts on the Arab League, and the United Nations, to help bring change in Syria.
We are desirous of working in partnership with them, and there is certainly a hope and expectation that we can proceed to the U.N. Security Council soon for the issue to be raised, said Posner.
But Steve Heydemann, a senior Middle East advisor at the U.S. Institute of Peace, said the Arab Leagues consensus could crumble, leaving the U.S. trying to figure out what options come next.
Those are very interesting questions, and they have very important implications for the United States because we have relied on the Arab League to be out front on Syria because it gives us a great deal of cover for taking assertive steps against the regime of Bashar al-Assad that might otherwise be seen as Western and American meddling in Syrian affairs, said Heydemann.
At the U.N., however, options may be limited. Russia has made clear it will not approve any U.N. Security Council resolution that authorizes force or sanctions.
U.S. officials say talks between U.S. and Russian diplomats in Moscow have made progress in resolving some of the differences about how the international community should best move forward on Syria. Action at the U.N. now appears to depend on convincing Russia and China that a change of government in Damascus will not undermine their position in the Middle East.
Join the conversation on our social journalism site - Middle East Voices. Follow our Middle East reports on Twitter and discuss them on our Facebook page.
Arab League to Present Syria Plan to UN Security Council
(Published on Thu, 26 Jan 2012 17:26:44 GMT)
Arab League officials announced Thursday that they will present a palm for resolving Syrias months-long unrest to the U.N. Security Council on Monday. Meanwhile, Syrian opposition forces say government troops stormed the Damascus suburb of Douma in an attempt to crush rebel forces.
Arab League chief Nabil Elaraby says he and Qatars prime minister will jointly ask the U.N. Security Council to endorse a League plan which calls for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to transfer power to a deputy and form a national unity government to prepare for national elections. Syria has rejected the League plan.
Speaking in Cairo, Elaraby said he will depart for the U.N.s New York headquarters on Saturday
Violence continued Thursday in Syria.
Syrian government tanks and artillery pounded the Damascus suburb of Douma capturing it from rebel soldiers and arresting scores of people. Opposition websites also reported that government forces attacked other suburbs of the capital.
A widespread government offensive against opposition strongholds in the cities of Hama, Homs and Idlib began Wednesday, amid reports of heavy resistance. Videos on opposition websites showed pocked walls and storefronts in Hama from government shelling.
Hilal Khashan, who teaches political science at the American University of Beirut, says the Syrian governments latest military offensive is a sign of increasing desperation:
The intensity of the uprising has kept increasing week after week. So I think the regime is desperate and the latest moves by the government to try to clamp on the opposition as soon as possible will backfire in my opinion. I assume that there will be more army defections as the result of the use of excessive firepower, Khashan said.
Joshua Landis, who teaches at the University of Oklahoma and edits the website Syria Comment, says that rebel soldiers calling themselves the Free Syrian Army are disorganized and unable to match the much stronger government forces:
Its a bunch of little militias that have popped up in different towns and are taking no central orders. They call themselves the Free Syrian Army, but theyre not coordinating their military efforts. If they were coordinating, theyd all rise up and fight the Syrian Army at once, Landis said.
The experts say the central government is progressively weakening as the opposition grows stronger.
Landis predicts Syria will see an increasingly sectarian conflict, one resembling the civil strife of recent years in Lebanon and Iraq. But in the short term, he says the Syrian opposition is riven by dissension, while the government enjoys weak support from those who fear civil war.
Join the conversation on our social journalism site - Middle East Voices. Follow our Middle East reports on Twitter and discuss them on our Facebook page.
Egyptians Participate in Second Day of Anger
(Published on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 10:54:59 GMT)
Egyptian activists have gathered in Cairos Tahrir Square on Friday, as the country continues to mark the first anniversary of the uprising that ousted former President Hosni Mubarak.
A small group of protesters has camped out in the square since Wednesday, when massive crowds of Egyptians filled the streets - some celebrating the anniversary of the start of the protests, others calling for an end to military rule.
Fridays protest is dubbed by many as the Second Friday of Anger, in reference to the climax of last years 18-day revolt
At least 27 pro-democracy groups are expected to take part in the protest. Many protesters, such as Mohamed Gerisha, are demanding the immediate end to military rule and the transfer of power to a civilian government
Our demand is to continue to the uprising, it is to move forward the transfer of power to civilians, he said. We want to maintain the stability of the country.
The election of a newly-seated lower house of parliament has failed to satisfy many liberal politicians and activists, who say the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces has resorted to the same brutal tactics used by former President Mubarak to quell dissent.
The military council, led by Field Marshall Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, has promised to hand over power to an elected president by the end of June
The council has made several apparent concessions to reformists in recent days, pardoning about 2,000 prisoners and promising to partially lift the countrys 30-year-long state of emergency. But, the ruling military said authorities will continue to apply the widely-disliked law in fighting acts of thuggery.
The New York-based Human Rights Watch says the exception is an invitation to continued abuse and an insult to Egyptians. It says Egypts military rulers frequently have described peaceful demonstrators as thugs and put them on trial in military courts for the offense.
Join the conversation on our social journalism site - Middle East Voices. Follow our Middle East reports on Twitter and discuss them on our Facebook page.
Syrian Violence Escalates as Diplomatic Efforts Falter
(Published on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:44:52 GMT)
Violence in Syria continued Friday, bringing to more than 50 the number of people killed there over the past two days, as a resolution to curb the bloodshed appeared to be stalled in the United Nations.
In the northwestern city of Idlib, six security forces were among the more than 20 people left dead as a result of Fridays violence. Syrian activist Rami Abdul-Raham says the security forces were killed by a car bomb at a security checkpoint. Government forces were also reported to have carried out a raid in the flashpoint city of Homs
Syrian government forces continued also to attack the countrys fourth largest city of Hama for a third day. Witnesses in the poor district of Hamadiya reported that artillery shells were being fired randomly at their neighborhood.
Other witnesses say government forces continued to shell the Damascus suburb of Douma, inflicting numerous casualties. Outer suburbs of the capital came under attack, as well
Opposition websites also reported what they claim was a massacre in Syrias third largest city of Homs
The Free Syrian Army claimed in a video to be holding five Iranian captives. The Free Syrian Army claims the men were working as government snipers and belong to Irans Revolutionary Guard
Irans Mehr news agency, however, says they are engineers, kidnapped in Homs last October.
A large crowd of anti-government protesters took to the streets of Homs to bury several victims of recent fighting,
The Syrian governments attacks are taking place close to the 30th anniversary of a bloody siege that nearly destroyed the city of Hama in 1982, when government artillery killed between 12,000 and 20,000 people
Khattar Abou Diab, who teaches political science at the University of Paris, says it will be difficult for Syrias government to repeat what happened in 1982
Diab says the government of Bashar al-Assad faces a revolt spread out across the four corners of the country. Diab says he doesnt believe the regime can regain control, and says it is losing control in many places.
Arab League chief Nabil Elaraby and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani are due to meet with U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in New York to discuss implementing a league plan for a national unity government and new elections.
The Security Council was due to meet later Friday to begin discussions on Syria
Russia said Friday it will not support a joint Arab-Western draft resolution in the U.N. to end the 10-month-old crisis because it does not take into account Moscows positions on how to curb the violence. The stance is likely to stall progress on any U.N. action concerning Syria.
Join the conversation on our social journalism site - Middle East Voices. Follow our Middle East reports on Twitter and discuss them on our Facebook page.
US Citizens Seek Refuge in Cairo Embassy
(Published on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 21:12:16 GMT)
The White House says it is disappointed by Egypts move to bar several American citizens from leaving the country as some of them sought refuge at the U.S. embassy in Cairo and tensions escalated over a probe into foreign-funded pro-democracy groups.
AP
White House Press Secretary Jay Carney speaks during his daily briefing, Jan. 23, 2012, in Washington
The White House said Monday it has discussed the situation with Egyptian military authorities and made its concerns clear. Spokesman Jay Carney told reporters U.S. officials are working to resolve the matter as quickly as possible.
The decision to give the individuals shelter follows Cairos crackdown on non-governmental organizations - including several funded by the U.S. government - which saw travel bans imposed on at least six American and four European staff members.
Among those barred is Sam LaHood of the U.S.-based International Republican Institute. LaHood is the son of U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. It remains unclear whether LaHood is at the embassy, but a former IRI official quoted in The Washington Post Sunday said his colleagues would only seek diplomatic protection if they feared imminent arrest.
U.S. officials said an Egyptian military delegation is expected in Washington this week for regular talks expected to focus on the impasse over the non-governmental organizations. The United States has recently threatened to withhold its $1.3-billion annual aid to the military if it fails to take steps toward democracy, including respecting such NGOs.
Egypts ruling military council has been locked in confrontation for months with pro-democracy protesters who demand it immediately hand over power to civilians.
A civilian body that advises the army said Monday Egypts generals are considering ways to speed up the transition to civilian rule, including moving up the date for presidential elections earlier than a self-imposed June deadline.
However, activists say the new proposals could inflame tensions because they squeeze the already short timeframe for drafting a new constitution and ignore their demands for the generals to step down immediately.
The military is consulting the same civilian advisory council the ruling generals created in December. The group met only intermittently and broke up after a short time to protest the military crackdown on demonstrators calling for its ouster. The groups remaining members are to report back to the military council on Wednesday.
Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
Join the conversation on our social journalism site - Middle East Voices. Follow our Middle East reports on Twitter and discuss them on our Facebook page.
Arab Gulf States Urged to Increase Pipelines After Irans Oil Threats
(Published on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:51:49 GMT)
As Iranian threats to close the Strait of Hormuz intensify, some energy experts are calling on Arab Gulf states to find alternative ways to export their petroleum. Experts differ, however, on whether proposed pipelines are economically feasible or whether Iran will follow through with its threats.
Nearly 40 percent of seaborne traded oil passes through the Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Persian Gulf to the Indian Ocean and is bordered by Iran and Oman. Iran is threatening to block the route. Any closure of the strategic waterway would likely send oil prices soaring and have a significant impact on the global economy.
Alternatives
Already one Gulf oil producer is opening an alternative route.
Earlier this month, the United Arab Emirates announced that a new pipeline able to pump 1.5 million barrels of oil per day from fields in Abu Dhabi to its Indian Ocean coast should be operating by June. The Emirates currently produces about 2.5 million barrels per day.
Kuwaiti oil expert Mousa Marafi says other Gulf producers should embark on similar projects.
The pipeline that the UAE is doing is something related to the UAE only, he said. But this is needed for Kuwaiti exports, for Saudi exports and also for Qatari exports.
Iran is vowing to definitely close the Strait if further sanctions on its controversial nuclear program prevent it from selling its crude abroad.
Sanctions
Western nations have been imposing tighter sanctions against Iran, hoping the moves will force the country to abandon its nuclear work. The West believes Irans nuclear program is aimed at building weapons, but Tehran insists it is solely for peaceful purposes.
The European Union agreed to an oil embargo against Iran starting from July. It followed similar sanctions agreed to by the United States.
According to Marafi, the continued threats by Tehran highlight the vulnerability of the Gulf oil producers.
Its a warning that you need this pipeline. And we should really do this very soon. This is important for the world altogether, he said.
Impact
Other analysts, however, warn Iran would likely suffer most if the Strait is disrupted
Iranians are heavily dependent on the shipping channel for trade. Reeling from the current sanctions, Iran is experiencing rapid inflation and currency devaluation.
The reality is that this neighborhood has lived with a variety of unstable and uncertain circumstances over the history of the last 50 years of the oil industry and never for one moment was the Strait of Hormuz closed, said Sean Evers, managing partner at Gulf Intelligence, who believes Iran is likely to renege on its promise to close the Strait.
Oil analyst Simon Wardell says not enough pipelines could be feasibly built to compensate for the shutdown of the Strait.
With something in the region of 16 to 17 million barrels a day going through, thats an awful lot of pipeline capacity you would have to move. So I think whatever happens youre always going to have substantial volumes of oil flowing through that particular area, he said.
Retaliation
Wardell says the U.S. and other nations would not allow the Strait to be blocked for long. Western allies have announced they would take swift action against any move by Iran to halt oil flow.
It is going to be in most counties interest - China, America, Europe - everyones interest really, to make sure the Strait is open so chances are the Strait will remain open, Wardell said.
For the time being, some 17 million barrels of oil flow daily through the Strait as U.S. warships patrol the area to make sure of safe passage.
Twitter Announces Selective Censorship Technology
(Published on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:21:44 GMT)
The popular microblogging service Twitter has announced it has new technology enabling it to censor messages on a country-by-country basis in order to follow a range of laws around the world.
The U.S.-based company announced on its blog this week that it has not yet used the technology, but that if it does, a message will appear to the user saying the Twitter posting -- known as a tweet -- has been removed in order to comply with the law of the country in which the user is operating.
The approach is in stark contrast to a statement Twitter made a year ago called The Tweets Must Flow, promising not to censor Twitter messages as they helped foment anti-government movements in a number of Middle Eastern countries.
Twitter did not give a reason for the change, except to say that as it grows internationally, it is entering countries that have different ideas about the limits of freedom of expression. It said the laws are such that it cannot exist in some countries at all, while other nations have similar laws to the U.S. but restrictions on certain topics
It gave the examples of France and Germany, where pro-Nazi speech is banned. While Twitter did not list other nations specifically, another example could be Thailand, where it is illegal to speak ill of the monarchy
Twitter does not operate in some countries that strictly control media content, such as China.
Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.
Muslims Demand Resignation of New Yorks Top Cop
(Published on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:38:18 GMT)
The screening of an anti-Muslim film for nearly 1,500 New York Police officers has sparked a call for the resignation of the citys police commissioner.
A coalition of Muslim groups is calling for Police Commissioner Ray Kellys dismissal. Kelly appears in the controversial documentary The Third Jihad, widely available on Youtube. It portrays even ordinary Muslims as suspects in a radical Islamic quest to destroy Western civilization and take control of the United States.
About 18 percent, at last count, of prisoners in New York State are Islamic, he stated.
Police officials initially denied using the film at training sessions. But a Freedom of Information request revealed documents confirming such use. Kelly has issued an apology and enjoys the support of Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
Commissioner Kelly should not step down, Bloomberg said. I think its fair to say that it was a little bit of an embarrassment that this film was made.
Activists say actions, not apologies are needed, first of all Kellys resignation or dismissal. Shahid Farooqi represents the Islamic Circle of North America, an organization of mostly South Asian Muslims.
Second is [an] independent investigation. The third is to start respecting our Muslim community members, Farooqi demanded
The Third Jihad is filled with images of Muslim violence accompanied by threatening rhetoric and music. It was produced by the Clarion Fund, a conservative non-profit organization and played on a continuous loop in the last quarter of 2010 on the sidelines of police counterterrorism training sessions. Muslim activists say the documentary poisoned the minds of New York City Police officers. They demand that those officers be retrained
An earlier controversy over alleged random police surveillance of New Yorks Muslim community triggered protests and also a boycott by some Muslim clerics of Mayor Bloombergs annual prayer breakfast.
Window Remains for Iran to Curb Controversial Nuclear Program
(Published on Sat, 28 Jan 2012 04:56:46 GMT)
International pressure is mounting to convince Iran not to build a nuclear weapon. Iran has responded with denials, tough talk and an intensified effort to enrich uranium. But some analysts believe it is still possible for the West to persuade Iranian leaders to abandon their alleged nuclear weapons ambitions.
Iranian officials speak defiantly about their right to build a nuclear weapon, but also say they have no intention of doing so
Experts say Iran is using machines, however, to enrich the key ingredient for a nuclear weapon - uranium - to near weapons-grade purity.
After European Union foreign ministers recently agreed to pressure Iran by banning purchases of its oil, the groups foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton scoffed at Iranian claims of peaceful intentions.
If you look at the low-enriched uranium that they have, you have to ask a very simple question, Whats it for And when I ask that question, as I do repeatedly, I dont get an answer, said Ashton.
Mark Fitzpatrick at Londons International Institute for Strategic Studies said Iran has put itself in a position to build a nuclear bomb, but not right away.
If Iran wanted to produce a nuclear weapon, I still think it would take them over a year to do so, said Fitzpatrick.
Irans nuclear facilities are reported to be at certain sites, shown in satellite photos released by an Iranian opposition group in the United States. But experts say, what is really worrisome is that Iran is now able to enrich uranium more quickly, and to a higher level, and is working harder to hide its nuclear facilities.
Iran is moving some of its enrichment operations into a well-defended facility inside a mountain at Fordo, near the holy city of Qom. Once centrifuges are enriching uranium inside that mountain facility, they are largely out of reach of conventional attack, said Fitzpatrick.
Western officials say they do not want to take military action to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
They leave the possibility open, though, as U.S. President Barack Obama did during his State of the Union address.
Let there be no doubt: America is determined to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, and I will take no options off the table to achieve that goal, said Obama.
But the president quickly added that if Iran abandons its alleged nuclear weapons plan and allows international inspections to prove it, the country can rejoin the community of nations.
The International Atomic Energy Agency is sending a delegation to Iran to renew talks. At the U.S. mission to the IAEA in Vienna, Jennifer Hall-Godfrey told VOA via Skype the talks present a chance to avoid more sanctions or possible military action
The director-general [of the IAEA] has asked for constructive meetings and we would also like to see that this is a substantive conversation, not another conversation about when to talk, but actually beginning to address the questions and the issues that the IAEA has put forth, said Hall-Godfrey.
Analysts say they believe Iranian leaders can still be persuaded not to build nuclear weapons. They also say it may be impossible to stop them, however - even with military strikes - if they decide to go forward.
Join the conversation on our social journalism site - Middle East Voices. Follow our Middle East reports on Twitter and discuss them on our Facebook page.
Car Bomb Targets Baghdad Shiite Neighborhood
(Published on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:06:23 GMT)
Iraqi officials say at least 31 people were killed Friday when a car bomb exploded near a funeral procession in a mainly Shiite neighborhood of the Iraqi capital.
Hospital workers say at least 60 people were wounded in the suicide bombing in the neighborhood of Zafaraniyah
The blast went off near where mourners had gathered for the funeral of a real estate agent who was killed by gunmen a day earlier.
Witnesses said the massive blast shattered windows and engulfed nearby buildings in flames for hours.
There were no immediate claims of responsibility. But authorities blame Sunni insurgents for escalating violence since the withdrawal of U.S. troops in December.
More than 200 people have been killed in attacks in the past month. Most of the victims have been Shiites and members of Iraqs security forces.
The violence comes amid a month-long political crisis in the Shiite-led unity government. The main Sunni-backed faction, Iraqiya, accuses Shiite Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki of monopolizing power in Shiite hands. Iraqiya has boycotted the Cabinet.
The political fighting and apparent sectarian violence has raised concerns that the country is sliding into civil war. The last U.S. soldiers left the country on December 18.
Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
Join the conversation on our social journalism site - Middle East Voices. Follow our Middle East reports on Twitter and discuss them on our Facebook page.
UN Chief: Iran Must Prove Nuclear Program Peaceful
(Published on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:37:41 GMT)
U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is urging Iran to resume talks with Western nations that suspect it is working on a nuclear weapons program. Tehran insists that its atomic program is for peaceful purposes
During a press briefing at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Mr.Ban said Iran has the responsibility to prove its case
Im deeply concerned by the report of the most recent IAEA, International Atomic Energy Agency, report indicating that there is a possibility of a military dimension in Iranian Nuclear Development Program of which they say is peaceful. Onus is on the Iranian side, said Ban.
The U.N. chief says the only way to address the crisis peacefully is through dialogue.
He added that Tehran must abide by the Security Council resolutions mandating that it proves the countrys nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.
Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
Embattled Yemeni President Arrives in US
(Published on Sun, 29 Jan 2012 01:25:27 GMT)
Yemeni officials say outgoing President Ali Abdullah Saleh has arrived in the United States Saturday to seek medical treatment
Mr. Saleh arrived at an unspecified location in the United States late Saturday after a stop in London.
His staff has said he is to be treated for injuries suffered during the assassination attempt last June, after which he spent several months recuperating in Saudi Arabia.
Meanwhile, Yemeni security officials said a high-ranking police officer, a soldier, and four Islamist militants were killed in the south of the country in the last 24 hours.
The officials said the head of a criminal investigation unit in Hadrawamout province was gravely wounded late Friday when unidentified gunmen attacked him near his house with automatic weapons. The attackers managed to flee, but the police officer later died of his wounds.
In the southern city of Zinjibar, the capital of Abyan province, a soldier and four Islamist militants died in overnight clashes. Government troops have been trying to regain control of swathes of territory in the province taken last year by Islamist groups.
Mr. Saleh, who is due to step down next month, left the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, for neighboring Oman a week ago. In his farewell speech, he asked the Yemenis to forgive him for any shortcomings during his 33-year rule and vowed to return to Yemen as the head of his General Peoples Congress party.
But thousands of Yemenis want Mr. Saleh to be put on trial for a violent crackdown in which hundreds of people have been killed. They reject granting him full immunity from prosecution, which the countrys parliament approved last week as part of a Gulf Cooperation Council-backed deal to encourage him to leave office.
Mr. Saleh signed the plan last November and agreed to transfer presidential powers to his deputy ahead of February elections that will pick his successor. Yemeni state media said the president declared Vice President Abed Rabbo Mansour Haid responsible for the country and promoted him to the military rank of field marshal.
Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
Syrian Expats Lend Support to Protests From Abroad
(Published on Sat, 28 Jan 2012 16:06:46 GMT)
For many Syrian dissidents scattered around the world, the anti-government backlash in Syria is bittersweet. They support political change at home, but they are horrified by the governments brutal crackdown.
From the basement office of his home in the U.S., Ammar Abdulhamid does his part to support what he calls the Syrian revolution. Like many Syrian expatriates, Abdulhamid keeps in regular contact with people inside the country, following events and forwarding what he learns through his blog: Syrian Revolution Digest.
Our job is to basically make sure that the international community and Obama administration and the people in Congress understand what the protesters want, said Abdulhamid.
In 2005, after writing articles critical of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Abdulhamid and his family left Syria
The question was whether I [was] going to end up in a coffin or prison, added Abdulhamid. But the brother-in-law of the president gave me a third alternative, which was to leave the country.
Today, supporting the protesters from abroad is a family enterprise. Abdulhamids wife is currently meeting with Syrian expatriates and officials in Europe, while he lobbies Congress and private organizations in Washington
This is not an Islamist revolution, or a socialist revolution or a capitalist revolution. This is basically very pragmatic, Abdulhamid noted. This is about living conditions, about dignity, about the desire to be empowered, to take part in the decision making process in the country.
Abdulhamid also talks with the activists inside Syria about the importance of avoiding sectarian violence. Syria has a wide array of religious groups: Sunni Muslims, Christians, Alawites, Druze and Ismaelites. Many fear that if the Assad regime falls, the country could descend into sectarian violence like Iraq.
There are mistakes for sure, said Abdulhamid. There are problems for sure, but I think the protest leaders inside the country have proven exemplary to keep this revolution moderate and on the right track and peaceful.
Through his blog he advocates regime change, and draws distinctions with other uprisings of the Arab Spring.
We dont want a military coup like Egypt or Tunisia because even though this might reduce the suffering a little bit. But it might also saddle us with the continuation of the regime by other means, Abdulhamid noted.
He says the difficult part is becoming emotionally attached to the people inside Syria he meets in chat rooms and on Skype. He fears for their safety.
Really, it is a heart-wrenching reality that you have to deal with day after day, said Abdulhamid. Not only our family but all Syrian expats who have developed these contacts with groups inside. We never know who is going to disappear.
Wounded Syrians Treated at Secret Clinic in Lebanon
(Published on Sat, 28 Jan 2012 17:23:29 GMT)
Syrians injured in the crackdown on anti-government protests are crossing into Lebanon to seek treatment. They cant get treatment in Syria because they say hospitals there are often raided by security forces looking for protesters. One secret clinic in the Lebanese city of Tripoli has patients of all ages with horrific injuries from the fighting.
Amran, 6, is one of the youngest patients in this hospital. He has difficulty walking. When he shows his leg, its easy to see why. A chunk is missing from his shin. The hole is surrounded by red scar tissue.
Im here because they shot me, Amran said. He was fleeing Syria with his mother when security forces opened fire. His mother survived unscathed. Amran will be disabled for life.
There are many other injured Syrian children at this private Tripoli clinic. The doctors asked us not to identify its whereabouts.
Patients hide their faces. Many are wounded anti-government protesters. They say if they were identified, their families in Syria would be tortured and killed.
With his laptop permanently connected to Facebook, Skype and YouTube, one army defector is keeping up his fight from his hospital bed via the Internet - distributing videos from inside Syria.
He gave us footage of a protest and funeral in Homs. With pride, he says he is the man in white on the shoulders of a friend - in Arabic, the Kashoosh, the one who leads the chanting.
Im lucky to have a strong voice, and Im also musical, he said. I used to put all my heart into it, and I used to be the one who used to chant, The people want to downfall of the regime, the people want the regime to go.
His luck ran out four months ago - he was shot at a protest. The man on the bed next to him saved his life and took him on the highly dangerous route to Lebanon.
Yes, this is a dangerous thing to do, he said. When we joined these protests we said we would either survive or die, that was our motto. I was part of Assads army. I defected because of what it did. This army is cruel, they go into peoples homes, it doesnt matter if it is a child or an old person, the army would kill them.
In the neighboring room, more wounded protesters. One shows us the bone fragments removed from his leg after he was shot.
This is not sectarian. Its Assad himself who wants there to be a civil war. He would use that against us, said the protester. Hes used everything else - warplanes, artillery. Hes done horrific things. You should see Baba Amr in Homs where I come from, you would cry if you saw how people are surviving.
The patients here say they cant get treatment in Syria because security forces regularly raid hospitals to arrest protesters. They say they are lucky to get treatment in Lebanon.
For the children in this clinic, luck and fortune have been brutally stolen away, by a conflict that does not discriminate by age.
Report: US Military to Send Mothership to Middle East
(Published on Sat, 28 Jan 2012 17:17:58 GMT)
A media report says the U.S. military plans to send a floating base for commando teams to the Middle East, where relations with Iran are tense and other nations are in the midst of political upheaval.
The Washington Post newspaper on Saturday cited unspecified U.S. Navy documents saying the service plans to convert an aging warship into a staging base for the commandos, calling it a mothership.
A Navy spokesman declined to provide details on the plans or to say where in the Middle East the mothership would be deployed. The report says documents indicate the vessel could be positioned in the Persian Gulf, where Iran has threatened to block the critical oil-shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz.
Other Navy officials told the Post that the Pentagon hopes to complete the conversion and send the ship to the region later this year.
The newspaper report says the base is expected to accommodate smaller high-speed boats and helicopters often used by Navy SEALS for special operations.
On Thursday U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta announced plans for Pentagon budget cuts that would reduce ground forces and depend more on Special Forces operations in upcoming years. The plan also involves shifting focus from Europe to the Middle East and Asia Pacific regions.
Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
Syrian Singer Rallies Assad Forces
(Published on Sat, 28 Jan 2012 21:02:32 GMT)
As rebel fighters battle Syrias military on the outskirts of Damascus, President Bashar al-Assads allies in the capital continue to show strength with massive rallies in his support.
Few are as unapologetic in their defense of the embattled leader as singer Rami Kazour, whose God, Syria and Bashar has become an anthem.
Checkpoints block roads entering Damascus, but city-center traffic slows only for the normal workday rush. There is one obstacle ahead: outside the central bank, a stage is set up for a rally to be held the following day
Rami Kazour is making a music video, singing above pre-recorded instrumentals and chorus. His hair is gelled up and swept back, his black suit sleekly cut, and although the only audience is a few technicians and a reporter who happened by, the actor/singer/dancer is putting on a show.
His song is a patriotic medley extolling Syrias history and strength; its the refrain that stands out.
Its a bold combination that puts God, Syria and President Assads first name, Bashar, on equal footing - heady words for any leader and a provocative rebuke to his opponents in this country riven by sectarian divides
Kazour takes a break from shooting and comes to the stage edge for an impromptu interview. A government minder is present but, in this case, seems to make little difference. Asked about the presumption of ranking the president up there with the almighty, he is unfazed
Kazour says the wording is deliberate, to provoke those he calls Syrias trash - the protesters. He calls Assad the last symbol of righteousness among Arab leaders.
During the past year of popular uprisings, the roster of Arab rulers has changed dramatically. Kazour is reminded that his song recalls perhaps the most reviled of former leaders, and his slogan God, Libya and Moammar.
Adjusting his flag-emblazoned scarf, Kazour says Syria is not like Egypt or Tunisia or Libya. This is a nation of lions, he declares, exceptional in everything.
Human-rights groups agree that Syria indeed is exceptional, for its cruel treatment of anyone who openly opposes the Assad regime. Accounts of torture and atrocities by pro-government forces have grown as the revolt has expanded. The body of Kazours counterpart across the barricades, anti-Assad singer Ibrahim Kashoush, is reported to have been found floating in the Assi River, his throat slashed open. The entertainer says that is false propaganda.
He says Al-Jazeera has many such stories: Al-Jazeera and, in what would be an unlikely media alliance, the Hebrew channel. He advises against watching either if one wants the truth
Truth seems to be in short supply in Syria. Arab League monitors have been roundly criticized for failing to see clearly whats happening on the ground
The United Nations tried to count the numbers of civilians killed last year, but has given up the effort
In the vacuum, both the government and opposition have hardened their positions. The opposition circulates horrific videos while the government shows off crowds of hundreds of thousands of people who say they support Assad
One skeptic says much of that fervent government support is probably quite shallow. He says many people are like Kazour, who he says is an actor who will flee before the regime falls.
But Kazour and many others have publicly tied their future to the governments.
Still, there is some genuine support for the Assad family, which has run Syria for 40 years. Some have a vested interest - jobs, property, privileges - in the status quo; others fear all-out civil war.
This was a relatively calm day in the capital. The conflict was only a few kilometers away, but it seemed more distant than that on this bright, sunny day
Kazours immediate concern is for some cloud cover; it will give the video a more flattering light.
Violence spread across Syria once again on Friday, at demonstrations demanding an end to President Bashar al-Assad.At least 37 people were killed in Allepo, Hama, Homs, near Damascus and elsewhere.Among the victims, activists say, were six government security forces killed in a car bomb explosion.Demonstrations in support of Assad continue, however, in government-controlled areas.VOAs Elizabeth Arrott came across a particularly fervent display on a recent tour of Damascus, accompanied by pro-government escorts.She tells us about singer Ramzi Kazour and his song of praise for Assad - God, Syria and Bashar.
Checkpoints block roads entering Damascus, but city-center traffic slows only for the normal workday rush.There is one obstacle ahead: outside the central bank, a stage is set up for a rally to be held the following day.
Rami Kazour is making a music video, singing above pre-recorded instrumentals and chorus.His hair is gelled up and swept back, his black suit sleekly cut, and although the only audience is a few technicians and a reporter who happened by, the actor/singer/dancer is putting on a show.
His song is a patriotic medley extolling Syrias history and strength; its the refrain that stands out.
Its a bold combination that puts God, Syria and President Assads first name, Bashar, on equal footing - heady words for any leader and a provocative rebuke to his opponents in this country riven by sectarian divides.
Kazour takes a break from shooting and comes to the stage edge for an impromptu interview.A government minder is present but, in this case, seems to make little difference.Asked about the presumption of ranking the president up there with the almighty, he is unfazed.
Kazour says the wording is deliberate, to provoke those he calls Syrias trash - the protesters.He calls Assad the last symbol of righteousness among Arab leaders.
During the past year of popular uprisings, the roster of Arab rulers has changed dramatically.Kazour is reminded that his song recalls perhaps the most reviled of former leaders, and his slogan God, Libya and Moammar.
Adjusting his flag-emblazoned scarf, Kazour says Syria is not like Egypt or Tunisia or Libya.This is a nation of lions, he declares, exceptional in everything.
Human-rights groups agree that Syria indeed is exceptional, for its cruel treatment of anyone who openly opposes the Assad regime.Accounts of torture and atrocities by pro-government forces have grown as the revolt has expanded.The body of Kazours counterpart across the barricades, anti-Assad singer Ibrahim Kashoush, is reported to have been found floating in the Assi River, his throat slashed open.The entertainer says that is false propaganda.
He says al-Jazeera has many such stories - Jazeera and, in what would be an unlikely media alliance, the Hebrew channel.He advises against watching either if one wants the truth.
Truth seems to be in short supply in Syria.Arab League monitors have been roundly criticized for failing to see clearly whats happening on the ground.
The United Nations tried to count the numbers of civilians killed last year, but has given up the effort.
In the vacuum, both the government and opposition have hardened their positions.The opposition circulates horrific videos while the government shows off crowds of hundreds of thousands of people who say they support Assad.
One skeptic says much of that fervent government support is probably quite shallow.He says many people are like Kazour, who he says is an actor who will flee before the regime falls.
But Kazour and many others have publicly tied their future to the governments.
Still, there is some genuine support for the Assad family, which has run Syria for 40 years.Some have a vested interest - jobs, property, privileges - in the status quo; others fear all-out civil war.
This was a relatively calm day in the capital.The conflict was only a few kilometers away, but it seemed more distant than that on this bright, sunny day.
Kazours immediate concern is for some cloud cover; it will give the video a more flattering light.
Russia Clashes with Europeans, Arabs Over Syria UN Resolution
(Published on Sat, 28 Jan 2012 11:41:16 GMT)
European and Arab nations are calling on the U.N. Security Council to back a resolution supporting the Arab Leagues plan to end the 10-month-old political crisis in Syria. But, Russia has expressed concerns about the new text.
Following a lengthy closed-door discussion Friday afternoon on a draft resolution proposed by council members Morocco, Britain and France, Russias Ambassador Vitaly Churkin told reporters that the new text ignores what he called Moscows red lines where they could not go.
The red lines included any indications of sanctions, the red lines included any sort of imposition of arms embargo - because we know how in real life arms embargo means you supply arms to illegal groups but you cannot supply weapons to the government - we cannot accept that, he said. Unfortunately, the draft we saw today did not only ignore our red lines but also added some new elements which we find unacceptable as a matter of principle.
The Russian envoy said the Arab League plan, which includes the transfer of power from President Bashar al-Assad to a deputy in preparation for multi-party elections, imposes a certain outcome of political dialogue before that dialogue even starts.
We need to concentrate on establishing political dialogue, he said. The Arab League may have its ideas about where that political dialogue should go, they are free to express those ideas, but certainly the Security Council cannot be a tool to impose specific solutions on countries, including in this particular situation, Syria.
He said Moscow does not see the new draft text as one on which they could agree, but said they would be willing to engage in negotiations
British Ambassador Mark Lyall Grant rejected his colleagues objections, saying the proposed text does not include an arms embargo or sanctions, nor does it call for regime change. He noted that it also includes some language from an earlier Russian proposed draft resolution on the subject. Essentially, Lyall Grant said, the new resolution simply supports the Arab Leagues efforts to end the crisis.
Frankly, the time has come where we should be supporting the Arab Leagues efforts, he said. They took a very strong, binding decision on the Arab League members at the weekend. They have come with a credible plan that involves dialogue, a political transition, and we believe that we should support it.
Lyall Grant said negotiations on the text would begin Monday and he hoped to have a vote on the measure next week, possibly as early as Wednesday
On Tuesday afternoon the Arab League Secretary-General Nabil ElAraby and the Prime Minister of Qatar will brief the 15-member Security Council on the Leagues month-long monitoring mission in Syria, which was plagued by difficulties.
Syria has rejected the Arab Leagues plan of January 22nd, but has said the Leagues observer mission may remain in the country for another month
The United Nations estimates that more than 5,000 people have been killed during the 10-month-long crackdown on anti-government dissenters. On Friday, the U.N. childrens agency, UNICEF, said nearly 400 children have been killed during the crisis.
Join the conversation on our social journalism site - Middle East Voices. Follow our Middle East reports on Twitter and discuss them on our Facebook page.
Arab League Suspends Syria Observer Mission
(Published on Sat, 28 Jan 2012 15:49:18 GMT)
The Arab League said Saturday it is suspending activities by its observer mission in Syria, as the Damascus governments crackdown against dissent intensifies.
The decision to freeze the Arab League observer mission came in the midst of a broad government offensive on areas surrounding the capital, Damascus, and other major cities including Homs, Hama, Idlib and Deir ez Zor. Opposition videos showed government artillery shelling at least half a dozen towns and cities.
Around 100 people are believed to have been killed in Syria in recent days
The Arab Leagues deputy secretary-general said the move to suspend the observer mission was forced by the critical and worsening situation in Syria
The League official, Ahmed Ben Helli, said the observers are not officially being withdrawn from Syria now, but will remain in Damascus. However, the Arab Leagues own report on the observer mission, seen at the United Nations Saturday, said more than 20 of the original 166 observers have already left Syria.
Arab League ambassadors are to meet next Saturday to make final decisions about the mission
Syrian government analyst George Jabbour told al Hurra TV that Syria agreed to a one-month extension of the observer mission and deplores the decision to suspend it.
The Arab League asked Syria to extend the observers time in Syria, and the government agreed, said Jabbour. The situation on the ground makes it necessary to have observers present, and he added authorities in Damascus feel any decision to withdraw the Arab League team would be unjustified
Across Syria Saturday, an oil pipeline exploded and caught fire near the desert town of Deir ez Zor. The government and the opposition blamed each other for the blast.
Scattered reports of a Syrian government military escalation were accompanied by a warning on state television that interior ministry is adamant about purging the country of all outlaws.
The Syrian opposition, meanwhile, meeting in Turkey, accused Iran of helping Syria try to suppress the uprising, which has been growing since March
Opposition Syrian National Council member Samir Najjar urged Iran to stop. The council condemns the Iranian regime for helping to kill Syrian citizens demanding freedom, he said, calling on Tehran to end such actions
Hilal Khashan, who teaches political science at the American University of Beirut, said the decision to freeze the Arab League observer mission indicates the Assad governments crackdown is going to intensify further. There has been a dramatic escalation in violence in Syria and, I believe that the termination of the mission of the Arab League observers in Syria indicates that the Syrian Army is about to launch a major offensive. The regime is about to do something dramatic, said Khashan.
He suggested Syrian authorities are responding to the current trip to the United Nations by Arab League leaders. Arab League Secretary-General Nabil al Arabi and Qatars foreign minister Hamad Ben Jassem are in New York for talks with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon about the Arab Leagues plan for resolving the Syrian crisis.
Join the conversation on our social journalism site - Middle East Voices. Follow our Middle East reports on Twitter and discuss them on our Facebook page.
New Mideast Talks Hit an Impasse
(Published on Sun, 29 Jan 2012 17:00:49 GMT)
The latest international effort to revive the Middle East peace process has run into trouble
Israeli and Palestinian leaders are blaming each other after five rounds of exploratory talks this month in Jordan hit an impasse. The aim of the talks is to revive direct peace negotiations that have been deadlocked for three years
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Israel did not offer detailed proposals on the future borders of a Palestinian state. In remarks published by the Palestinian news agency, Abbas accused Israel of defying international guidelines for peace and foiling the talks
His comments were echoed by Palestinian Prime Minister Salaam Fayyad. It is time to recognize the failings of this process. It has failed and the process is in bad need of serious direction, he said
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pointed a finger at the Palestinians. He told the Israeli Cabinet the Palestinians refused to even discuss Israels security needs
Netanyahu said the signs are not very good, but he hopes that the Palestinians will come to their senses and return to the negotiating table
The United States and European Union have also urged the Palestinians to continue the talks, saying negotiations with Israel are the only way to achieve a two-state solution and peace
President Abbas says he will make a final decision on whether or not to continue the exploratory talks after consulting with the Arab League later this week.
Join the conversation on our social journalism site - Middle East Voices. Follow our Middle East reports on Twitter and discuss them on our Facebook page.
Istanbuls Unprecedented Property Boom Causes Concern About Citizens Rights
(Published on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 19:55:54 GMT)
Turkeys economy is booming, led by construction in its largest city, Istanbul. Supported by foreign investment, city authorities are embarking on massive redevelopment. But concerns are growing that citizens rights have become victim to the projects.
In the Tarlabasi district in central Istanbul, houses are being destroyed as part of a major redevelopment by local authorities. Most of the thousands of people living here have been evicted, even if they own their homes like Mehmet Tas.
He says his children grew up in Tarlabasi, their friends are there and their school is there. Tas says if he moves from the area, he will lose his job because he will not be able to pay for his commute to work.
Tas, like many others in the Tarlabasi district, has been offered state accommodation 40 kilometers away. The plight of the Tarlabasi residents has become a focal point of growing concern about the redevelopment of Istanbul.
On Sunday, hundreds of people protested the redevelopment plans in Taksim square in the center of Istanbul, close to Tarlabasi
Although occupying a prime location, Tarlabasi is one of the citys poorest districts. Its dilapidated but cheap housing has made it the traditional home to some of the most vulnerable sections of society
The mass evictions of its residents have drawn growing criticism. Andrew Gardener of the British-based human-rights group Amnesty International recently published a report strongly condemning the project.
Tarlabasi is a particularly outrageous example of the way urban regeneration is being carried out, resulted in people being evicted without alternative housing, adequate housing, being provided, said Gardener. Frequently, [the] people most at risk, as in Tarlabasi, people from Roma families, transgender women. People who find it very difficult to get accommodation in the private sector for a number [of] reasons.
But local Mayor Misbah Demircan strongly rejects such criticisms. He says the regeneration project is as much about helping the local residents as the city as a whole
He says most of the 278 buildings being razed are condemned buildings. Three days ago, he says, a building was burned down because it was so old and dangerous. The buildings are fire hazards, and some even collapse in heavy rain. He says people living there live under risk of death. There is no safety of life or property. He says authorities are offering safe and new houses in exchange
The new homes Demircan is referring to are state housing, most of which is located far away on the city outskirts. Critics claim most who accept such offers invariably lose their jobs, being unable to afford the commute to work, or are unable to afford the rent of the alternative housing
Professor Yves Cabannes of the Development Planning Unit of University College London has been studying Istanbuls redevelopment. He says the experience of a previous redevelopment project in the city supports such concerns
Three-hundred-sixty [families] were put 60 kilometers away, said Cabannes. Do you know how many out of the 360 are still in the blocks Two. All the others are just roaming over the city, homeless, and our conclusion is that the renovation, which is claimed by the government, is minimum. Its about 1 million homes, which is massive. Its a massive project.
Throughout Istanbul, construction projects are speeding ahead throughout the center of the city, with the building of high-quality housing aimed at middle and upper classes. Istanbul is at the center of the countrys booming economy, which has enjoyed unprecedented growth for the past decade and continues to flourish despite the world economic turmoil
The city is in the grip of a property boom supported by investment from across the region from Russia to the oil-rich nations of the Middle East. Istanbuls city skyline is cut by rising skyscrapers and construction cranes. But critics warn the people of Tarlabasi and many more of Istanbuls poor are likely to pay a very high price for such redevelopment.
Sunni-backed Iraqiya Alliance to End Iraq Parliament Boycott
(Published on Sun, 29 Jan 2012 19:33:28 GMT)
An Iraqi political alliance backed by many Sunnis says it will end a month-long boycott of parliament, easing a political crisis that has exposed deep sectarian divisions in Iraqs national unity government.
Iraqiya spokeswoman Maysoon al-Damluji said Sunday the alliances lawmakers will resume attendance of parliamentary sessions this week for the first time since mid-December to improve the atmosphere for a proposed national conference on resolving the crisis. Iraqiyas announcement followed a meeting of its senior leaders including parliament speaker Osama al-Nujaifi, Finance Minister Rafie al-Essawi, and Deputy Prime Minister Saleh al-Mutlaq
Iraqiya says it has not decided whether to end a separate boycott of Cabinet meetings chaired by Iraqs Shiite Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki
The political crisis erupted last month when the prime minister ordered the arrest of Iraqs Sunni vice president on charges of running a death squad and asked parliament to fire a Sunni deputy prime minister who described Maliki as a dictator
Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi and Deputy Prime Minister Saleh al-Multak both are Iraqiya members. Hashemi denied wrongdoing and fled to northern Iraqs autonomous Kurdish region to avoid detention
Iraqiya responded to Malikis moves by boycotting parliament and the Cabinet and accusing him of trying to centralize power in the hands of the National Alliance, Iraqs main Shiite bloc
Iraqiya won the most seats in Iraqs 2010 parliamentary election with strong support from minority Sunnis, but failed to form a majority coalition and agreed to join a unity government led by incumbent Prime Minister Malikis National Alliance
Iraqs political crisis has coincided with a surge in bombings and other attacks, mainly targeting government buildings, security forces and majority Shiites. Hundreds of people have been killed since late December as militants try to exploit sectarian tensions within the government
In the latest violence Sunday, Iraqi authorities say a roadside bomb went off in southern Baghdads Zafaraniyah district, killing one person and wounding nine others. Elsewhere, authorities say a sticky bomb attached to a car blew up in the eastern town of Muqdadiya, killing a civilian.
Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
Join the conversation on our social journalism site - Middle East Voices. Follow our Middle East reports on Twitter and discuss them on our Facebook page.
US Citizens Banned From Leaving Egypt Take Refuge at Embassy
(Published on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 22:53:16 GMT)
Several U.S. democracy activists who are being prevented from leaving Egypt have taken refuge at the U.S. embassy in Cairo
One week after Egyptian officials turned them away from Cairos airport, several American pro-democracy activists are living in the U.S. embassy compound because State Department Spokeswoman Victoria Nuland says they feel more comfortable there.
Egyptian officials say the members of U.S. non-governmental organizations, or NGOs, are part of an investigation into the alleged use of foreign funds to sponsor anti-government protests.
Nuland told reporters on Monday that U.S. officials do not believe that any of the Americans face physical threats in Egypt and that none have been charged with a crime.
Its not terribly transparent exactly what the circumstances of this case are at this moment, she said. They, therefore, asked to come in. And the embassy was within their right to invite them, and that is what has happened.
Nuland made clear that the embassys decision to invite these Americans to stay in the diplomatic compound was not meant to circumvent Egypts judicial process.
There is no expectation that any of these individuals are seeking to avoid any kind of judicial process, added Nuland. In fact, with regard to the larger question of NGO issues in Egypt, as we have said many times, these organizations have been endeavoring to cooperate with the judicial process. They have been making themselves available for interviews. As you know, their offices were also raided, so the government has all of their information as well.
Egyptian authorities seized computers, documents and tens of thousands of dollars in raids on the offices of 17 NGOs late last year
Analyst Marou Innocent of the Washington-based Cato Institute research group says the crackdown on NGOs highlights a long-running mistrust in Egyptian society.
Unfortunately, many of those who are in the regime who have an interest in the status quo will continue to push the narrative that these foreign NGOs are sort of proxies of greater powers, that they are pushing their own agenda. And some of them certainly are against certain interests, said Innocent. But the vast majority of them are helping the revolution and helping those more liberal Egyptian protestors. I think that going forward, we are going to see more Egyptians demanding control over their own destiny and shaping their own future.
Among the groups closed in the December raids are the International Republican Institute and the National Democratic Institute - both of which receive some U.S. government funding. Marou Innocent says that makes them targets of Egyptians who are resentful of decades of American support for former president Hosni Mubarak.
After 30 years of dictatorship of authoritarian backing from the United States, a lot of Egyptians feel that the United States was responsible for the tyranny that they experienced, added Innocent. That is a very legitimate concern. It is a very legitimate grievance. Hopefully, going forward, U.S. interests can continue within Egypt and within the region, but not to the detriment of the Egyptian people.
State Department Spokeswoman Nuland says diplomats are still working to resolve the stand-off without further escalation.
An Egyptian military delegation is visiting Washington on a trip arranged before this latest dispute over NGOs. Nuland says she is certain the delegation is hearing about Washingtons displeasure over the travel ban in every meeting they attend.
IAEA Team in Iran to Ask About Nuclear Weapon Allegations
(Published on Sun, 29 Jan 2012 19:29:36 GMT)
U.N. nuclear inspectors have begun a mission to Iran to investigate allegations of secret military dimensions to the Iranian nuclear program.
The International Atomic Energy Agency team led by Herman Nackaerts arrived in Tehran on Sunday for a three-day visit. Before Nackaerts left the agencys headquarters in Vienna, he said he wants Iran to engage his team on the accusations that Iranian authorities are trying to develop nuclear weapons under cover of a peaceful energy program
Iran has repeatedly denied the allegations and refused to discuss them with the IAEA or world powers. Nackaerts, a Belgian who serves as IAEA deputy director general, said his teams planned dialogue with Iran on issues of concern to the agency is long overdue.
It is not clear which sites the U.N. nuclear inspectors will visit in Iran or which Iranian officials they will meet
The IAEA issued a report last November saying it has evidence that Iran engaged in nuclear activities related to developing nuclear weapons. Iran dismissed that report as based on fabricated intelligence from Western powers
The United States and European Union have tightened economic sanctions on the Iranian central bank and oil industry in recent weeks to pressure Iran into stopping uranium enrichment - a process that has military and civilian applications. Earlier this month, Iran said it started enriching uranium at its underground Fordo complex, which has the capacity to speed up the production of weapons-grade material.
Iran has threatened to respond to Western sanctions by closing the Strait of Hormuz, a vital pathway for global oil supplies. Iranian officials also have warned that an embargo on Iranian crude exports will raise oil prices and hurt the West more than Iran
On Sunday, Iranian state media quote the head of Irans state oil company Ahmad Qalehbani as saying he expects an increase in oil prices to a range of $120 to $150 a barrel. He did not give a timeframe for the prediction. U.S. oil futures closed at $99.56 a barrel on Friday.
Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
Join the conversation on our social journalism site - Middle East Voices. Follow our Middle East reports on Twitter and discuss them on our Facebook page.
Syrian Troops Defend Damascus, Storm Suburbs
(Published on Sun, 29 Jan 2012 12:38:51 GMT)
Syrias embattled government defended its capital from rebel fighters Sunday, with security forces deployed across the city and around 2,000 troops backed by tanks and armored vehicles launching an assault to retake suburban areas.
Sustained fighting rocked at least four districts around Damascus, the countrys largest city and seat of President Bashar al-Assads power. The offensive pushed into predominantly Sunni Muslim areas of the capitals eastern outskirts that have slipped from government control over the past two weeks.
Activists say at least 19 civilians and rebel fighters were killed in Sundays clashes.
The Damascus suburbs have seen large demonstrations demanding the removal of Mr. Assad, a member of the minority Alawite sect, an offshoot of Shiite Islam that has dominated the mostly Sunni Muslim country for the last five decades.
The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported 72 people killed across the country Sunday, including 41 civilians, mostly in the Damascus suburbs and the central cities of Homs and Hama. The reports could not be confirmed because Syria bars foreign journalists from operating freely in the country.
In one incident, Syrias state news agency SANA said a roadside bomb went off near a military bus south of Damascus, killing six soldiers and wounding six others. SANA also reported the deaths of 23 other security personnel in fighting with rebels.
The Syrian government accuses armed terrorists of driving the revolt against Mr. Assads 11-year autocratic rule and killing 2,000 security personnel. The United Nations estimated the death toll from the unrest at 5,400 earlier this month before it stopped updating the figure because of difficulties in obtaining information.
Arab League chief Nabil Elaraby said Sunday the regional bloc is in talks with Russia and China to try to persuade them to support an Arab plan for ending the crisis. Elaraby was speaking in Cairo before leaving for New York, where he will formally present the initiative to the U.N. Security Council on Tuesday
The Arab League plan calls for President Assad to transfer power to a deputy and form a unity government to prepare for national elections under international supervision. The Assad government has rejected the proposals as a violation of Syrias sovereignty.
Russia, Syrias key military ally and a veto-wielding member of the Security Council, opposes efforts by Arab states and Western powers to use the U.N. body to pressure Mr. Assad into stopping his violent crackdown.
Syrias escalating violence prompted the Arab League to suspend the operations of its observer mission in Syria on Saturday. Elaraby said monitors will remain in Damascus until the Leagues foreign ministers meet next Sunday to decide whether to pull them out of the country.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP.
Join the conversation on our social journalism site - Middle East Voices. Follow our Middle East reports on Twitter and discuss them on our Facebook page.
Bahrain Opposition Fears Effects of Iran-West Tensions
(Published on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:25:18 GMT)
Opposition supporters in Bahrain have expressed concern that escalating tensions between Iran and the West may further stifle their calls for democratic reform in the Persian Gulf kingdom
Bahrains majority Shiite Muslims took to the streets nearly a year ago demanding a new government and more rights from their Sunni leaders.
The country continues to crack down on pro-democracy demonstrations and blames Shiite-ruled Iran for inciting the civil unrest.
Last month, King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa alleged that Syria, which is also ruled by Shiites, was training young Bahrainis to overthrow the ruling family.
Bahrains main opposition party, al-Wefaq disputes the claims
We would like to be isolated from the international conflicts, said Matar Matar,a spokesperson for the group. We are worried about those conflicts and their impact on our country.
Western nations have agreed on sanctions targeting Irans lucrative oil industry, hoping they will force the country to abandon its uranium enrichment program.
Tehran insists its nuclear work is for peaceful purposes and has threatened to block the Strait of Hormuz, a major route for world oil traffic, in response to the sanctions.
The United States says it will use force if necessary to keep the strategic waterway open, sparking fears of a confrontation in the Persian Gulf.
Al-Wefaq spokesman Matar says these tensions may provide an advantage for Bahraini authorities. It is easy for the regime here to utilize this conflict and blame Iran for everything happening here in Bahrain and such tone can be accepted in the United States, he said.
Bahrains opposition has criticized America and its allies for what it sees as a failure to press the Bahraini government to end its deadly assault on civilian demonstrators.
The U.S. Navys Fifth Fleet is based in Bahrain, adding to the complexity of the situation.
Theodore Karasik is director of research at the Dubai-based Institute for Near East and Gulf Military Analysis.
Within the U.S. foreign policy establishment theres a split between those who believe that Iran is behind whats ongoing in Bahrain and those that do not. Because of the U.S.s relationship with the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council), however, public officials have to go on-record saying that this looks like an Iranian plot, said Karasik.
The oil-producing monarchies of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, both wary of Irans nuclear ambitions, sent troops to Bahrain last year to help quell the anti-government uprising.
However, according to Julien Barnes-Dacey, senior policy fellow with the European Council on Foreign Relations, the efforts of Bahrains Gulf neighbors were propelled more by fears that the pro-democracy movement would spread to their shores than by fears of Iran gaining more influence in the region.
This is a domestic issue at the end of the day. Saudis are using, and the Bahraini regime are using this accusation of Iranian involvement to crack down on the protesters, but thats a false narrative and its been quite comprehensively shown that there hasnt been Iranian involvement, said Barnes-Dacey.
Rights groups say more than 50 Bahrainis have been killed since demonstrations began last February, including four last week. The government denies it was responsible for the latest deaths.
Most analysts like Barnes-Dacey say the situation in Bahrain is likely to continue unchanged unless outside nations intervene.
The international community really needs to be doing more there to exert pressure and to push the Bahraini government regime to lighten the repressive measures in place and to really give the segment of the population greater political and economic rights, said the analyst.
However, as Bahrain sits both geographically and politically at the center of a geostrategic struggle between Saudi Arabia and Iran, other experts say that increased international condemnation is unlikely to be heard anytime soon.
Its just a case of sometimes youre caught in a bad place and I think they may be, said Jason Naselli, managing editor at the Atlantic Community.
In a bid to improve the political situation in the country, Bahrains government recently announced a set of constitutional reforms, giving members of parliament more power to question ministers and more protection from dismissal by the king.
Opposition leaders say the changes will do little to stop the unrest.
Join the conversation on our social journalism site - Middle East Voices. Follow our Middle East reports on Twitter and discuss them on our Facebook page.
US: UN Must Stop Syrias Vicious Crackdown
(Published on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 13:15:22 GMT)
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Monday the United Nations must act to end what she calls the Syrian governments violent and brutal attacks on its own people. Russia opposes U.N. action and says the government in Damascus has agreed to talks in Moscow.
In a written statement, Clinton said the U.N. Security Council must make clear to the Syrian regime that the world community views its actions as a threat to peace and security.
Clinton heads to the United Nations on Tuesday to back an Arab League resolution against President Bashar al-Assad because, she said, the longer his government stands in the way of a peaceful transition, the greater the concern that instability will escalate and spill over throughout the region.
State Department Spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said Secretary Clinton is going to the United Nations for what she said will be a very strong opening conversation on the Syria resolution, where she will be joined by her French and British counterparts.
She is going to send a very clear message that we support the Syrian people. We stand with you. We stand with you in your hope and aspiration for a better, more democratic future. And first and foremost that the violence is going to end, said Nuland.
Syrian opposition activists say government troops have retaken control of several Damascus suburbs in heavy fighting with rebels engaged in a 10-month long uprising against President Assad.
Nuland said the withdrawal of Arab League monitors - who the government prevented from fully carrying out their mandate - has opened the way for more killing.
We are gravely concerned that as these Arab League monitors have pulled out, [and] the Syrian regime has taken this as an excuse to just let loose in horrific ways against innocents, said Nuland.
Russia and China oppose U.N. action on Syria, with Russia calling for national dialogue to end the political crisis. Russias foreign ministry on Monday said Damascus has agreed to send a delegation to Moscow for talks with opposition activists.
A foreign ministry statement says Russia hopes that opposition representatives also will agree to attend. Senior members of the opposition Syrian National Council reject the idea.
Analyst Marou Innocent of the Washington-based Cato Institute research group said Russias call for talks in Moscow is meant to weaken momentum for U.N. action.
This is sort of a way for Russia to have a stake in the game, but also sort of hedge against a lot of the criticism and backlash it has been having from the West, said Innocent.
Middle East expert Steve Heydemann of the United States Institute of Peace said there is deep concern in Moscow that the fall of the Damascus government would weaken Russias standing in the region.
If the regime were to change and Syria were to move in a more pro-Western direction, I think the Russians would view that as a blow to their strategic posture in the region. And so one of the things that the U.S. might do is offer reassurances to the Russians that even if a process of regime transition happens in Syria, they wont be left out, said Heydemann.
Asked about Russias plans for Syrian talks in Moscow, State Department Spokeswoman Nuland said the first priority must be an end to fighting.
Again, there have been plenty of talks outside Syria over the last few months. It is very difficult to see how you address the real dangers and the real concerns unless and until the violence comes to an end, said Nuland.
Facing the threat of a Russian veto over U.N. action on Syria, a senior U.S. diplomat said it is time for the Russians to decide whether they are going to continue to give cover to this kind of action, which the United Nations estimates has killed more than 5,000 people.
Join the conversation on our social journalism site - Middle East Voices. Follow our Middle East reports on Twitter and discuss them on our Facebook page.
'); } else { document.write('This site does NOT have the legal right to use this content. Please contact avoli.com. If a judgement is reached in court against this site you will receive a fee for assisting.'); }
