Untitled - orsam

MIDDLE EAST BULLETIN
GÜNLÜK ORTADOĞU BÜLTENİ
30 NOVEMBER / KASIM 2010
CONTENTS / İÇİNDEKİLER
1. IRAQ / IRAK
2. IRAN / İRAN
3. ISRAEL - PALESTINE / İSRAİL – FİLİSTİN
4. EGYPT / MISIR
5. LEBANON / LÜBNAN
6. SYRIA / SURİYE
7. ARABIAN PENINSULA AND THE GULF OF BASRA / ARAP YARIMADASI VE BASRA
KÖRFEZİ
8. SOUTH ASIA / GÜNEY ASYA
PAKISTAN / PAKİSTAN
INDIA / HINDISTAN
AFGHANISTAN / AFGANISTAN
Sayfa 1

1. IRAQ / IRAK
Islamic Supreme Council MP Abdul Hussein Abtan revealed that the small parliamentary
committee is done with the Parliament bylaws amendment proposal which will be
passed to Parliament for ratification.
The proposal suggests increasing the number of committees to 26 while canceling others
and creating new ones. (Alsumaria Satellite TV)
National Alliance MP Abbas Al Bayati expects the National Alliance to get two sovereign
ministries in addition to 18 or 20 other ministries.
In a statement to Alsumaria News, Al Bayati affirmed that Iraqi political parties are
pursuing meetings over mechanisms to form the new government.
Meetings are positive and fruitful and all parties deem points distribution mechanism as
fair and balanced, Al Bayati said.
He called as well to create a new ministry for religious tourism which constitutes a new
resource in Iraq after oil. (Alsumaria Satellite TV)
Al Iraqiya List MP Zuhair Al Aaraji announced that Iraqi political parties agreed during a
meeting on Sunday to exempt the three presidencies from the points mechanism in
ministerial distribution.
New ministries will be created and announced within the coming hours, Al Aaraji told
Alsumaria News.
Al Aaraji expects Al Iraqiya to get 10 ministries according to elections results. (Alsumaria
Satellite TV)
Sayfa 2

Recent documents released by the whistle-blowing website WikiLeaks came under
debate in Iraq as Baghdad intends to scrutinize the docs, informed sources said.
Iran’s Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said on the sidelines of his participation in Asian
Parliamentary Assembly in Damascus that the United States had other targets behind
invading Iraq.
The US has weakened in Iraq and Afghanistan and its attempts to spur discord and
hinder the Iraqi government formation have failed, Larijani added.
WikiLeaks documents revealed on Monday that Iraq’s Foreign Ministry has provided US
Embassy in Baghdad since 2008 with the names of Iranian diplomats asking for a visa to
enter Iraq. (Alsumaria Satellite TV)
Iraqi Interior Ministry Special Forces thwarted an attempt by a suicide bomber to blow
up a vehicle by the French Embassy in Karrada, central Baghdad.
The car bomb was seized and the suicide bomber was arrested in a house near the
building of the French Embassy.
Brigadier General Ahmed Abu Rheef, the director of internal affairs and security at the
interior ministry, said the car bomb which was targeting the French Embassy carried
more than half a ton of explosives.
The arrest was made upon the confessions of Baghdad Wali and Al Qaeda group that was
arrested days ago.
The suicide bomber is under investigation, Brigadier General Abu Rheef said stressing
that the number of Al Qaeda detainees reached 13 since the arrest of Baghdad Wali
including the War Minister and Al Qaeda Mufti. (Alsumaria Satellite TV)
Sayfa 3

Amid the WikiLeaks-released US diplomatic papers printed in the London-based
Guardian Monday, a communiqué from the American Embassy in Baghdad dated
November 2009, describes the Iraqi Kurds as a key player in assuring “a pro-Iranian Shia
victory” in Iraq’s general election.
The leaked document focusing on Iran’s influence on Iraqi politics refers to “historic ties”
between Iran and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) led by the Iraqi President Jalal
Talabani, and “to a lesser extent” with the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) led by
Kurdistan regional President Massoud Barzani, assuring a Shia victory in the country’s
polls.
Describing Kurdish leaders Talabani and Barzani as “seasoned masters of the Iraqi
political chessboard”, the 2009 communiqué predicts they would provide an “important
swing vote” but “unlikely to reveal their true coalition intentions until after the election”.
“Kurdish leaders such as Talabani and Barzani will likely exploit their political strength
among Shia/Sunni counterparts to protect and expand Kurdish influence in a future
government,” the document reads.
Officials from the Shia-dominated Iraqi National Alliance (INA) are described in the paper
as “confident that the Kurds will join their coalition”, thus guaranteeing their victory.
One element described in the US embassy document as an “unknown factor” is the
Kurdish opposition, the Gorran List, led by the former PUK secretary Gen. Nawshirwan
Mustafa, which is “committed to unseating the PUK (and Talabani) in Suleymaniyah
province”.
The paper goes on to speculate that Iran could provide Gorran with the financial support
necessary to “ensure its long-term viability in the KRG (Kurdistan Regional Government)
and national politics”, but describes the consequential undermining of Iran’s relations
Sayfa 4

with Talabani as “exceedingly duplicitous, even by IRIG (Islamic Republic of Iran
Government) and KRG standards.” (AK News)
The Kurdistan Blocs Coalition (KBC), stated on Tuesday, that it prefers to get the Ministry
of Oil instead of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs within its share of the sovereign ministries
during the formation of the next government.iraqi government
Mahmoud Othman, member of the KBC, told AKnews, that the preference of the Oil
Ministry over the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will resolve the outstanding problems with
the federal government about the oil contracts.
The oil contracts signed by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) with foreign
companies are of the most outstanding issues between Baghdad and Erbil,
The former Iraqi parliament didn't approve on oil and gas laws, which regulates the
mechanism of contracting and exporting, and regulated the relationship between the
Federal Oil Ministry and the Kurdistan region. (AK News)
A member of the al-Iraqiya List said on Monday that the list’s leader, Ayad Allawi
formally agreed yesterday to chair the National Council for Strategic Policies, adding that
the composition of the council will be submitted to the political blocs by the end of this
week.iyad, ayad allawi
Nahida al-Daini told AKnews that Allawi agreed to preside over the council after meeting
the U.S. ambassador to Baghdad, James Jeffrey, and the commander of the U.S. forces,
Gen. Austin.
The National Council for Strategic Policies was a concession promised to the elections'
front-running bloc, al-Iraqiya, to settle the long-running dispute over the allocation of the
prime minister’s post.
Sayfa 5

Al-Iraqiya had insisted on its right to lead the future government having come a narrow
first in the March 7 elections, but after eight months of political maneuvering and
intense negotiations, the bloc agreed to relinquish its claim on the premiership in
exchange for the aforementioned council.
It was reported that the newly established council will be responsible for drafting
domestic, foreign, economic and security policies as well as influencing oil, gas and
energy policies and dealing with a host of other issues. (AK News)
The KBC demanded, on Sunday, of finding a new mechanism for calculating the points of
the prime minister and for the president of the Republic, rejecting the mechanism
proposed by the National Coalition (NC) which calculates equal points for Talabani and
al-Maliki.
Mahmoud Othman, leader in KBC, told AKnews, that the KBC is not convinced of this
mechanism, and will call for modifying it during the coming meetings, for the powers of
the prime minister is large and active and cannot be compared with the limited powers
of the president of the republic.
The Iraqiya List has announced yesterday, its rejection for the mechanism adopted for
calculating the points for the Prime Minister, and demanded that the prime minister
points must be equal to the double points of the parliament speaker. (AK News)
A deputy form the Gorran (Change) Movement said for cabinet formation talks his party
will negotiate with the assigned Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki as an independent
Kurdish party, stressing that Gorran demands two ministries.
Sayfa 6

goran logoGorran has officially demanded to negotiate with Maliki but independently
from the Kurdistan Blocs Coalition (KBC), Bayazid Hasan told AKnews Sunday, adding
their talks with the PM will start Monday.
The party, led by Nawshirwan Mustafa, was an ally in the KBC, an umbrella for all the
Kurdish factions which ran independently for the Iraqi parliamentary elections. However,
with the withdrawal of Gorran deputies late October the super bloc's seats declined from
57 to 49.
The party demands one senior ministry as oil or finance and a state ministry or two
junior ministries, the deputy said, emphasizing that they deserve two ministries for they
have eight seats.
The KBC's negotiating committee met Saturday and decided on forming three
committees to follow up and negotiate for the demands of the bloc. The Kurdistan
Region President Massoud Barzani who chaired the meeting invited Gorran to attend the
assembly, hoping the Kurdish deputies rejoin the bloc. However, the call was declined.
The KBC also eyes senior ministries, including the foreign ministry.
Mohammed Tofiq Rahim, the spokesman for the party told AKnews the KBC's refusal of
Gorran's "reform project" led the party withdrew from the KBC and reject its calls.
Gorran with two Islamic parties has formed the opposition in the Kurdistan parliament.
The 35 seat taker opposition has accused the 59-holder majority in the Kurdish
parliament of "allowing for frauds in the interest of the domineering parties". The
Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) are the two
Kurdistan leading parties. (AK News)
The National Coalition’s MP Susan al-Saad of the Fadhila Bloc described the visit of the
Speaker Usama al-Nijeifi and other Basra MPs to Basra province as “A proof on the
Sayfa 7

understanding between the executive and legislative powers to solve pending human
problems.”
In a press statement, MP Saad said “The aim of the visit is meet some of the General
Directors in the province and discuss the hard agricultural, industrial and electric
conditions suffered in the province in addition to visiting security departments in Basra
and Basra Harbours’ Department.”
“The visitors also discussed the issue of the Iranian irrigation water pouring in Tigris and
Euphrates rivers as well as non-potable water provided for the citizens where they
promised to treat this serious problem in the province,” she added.
MP Saad urged to “conduct similar visits to other provinces to observe the problems and
present better services for citizens.”
The Speaker Usama al-Nijeifi has visited Basra on last Friday, heading a parliamentary
delegation, to observe the problems in the province. (NINA)
The anti-Tehran Iranian Resistance, based in Ashraf Camp in northeast Iraq’s Diala
Province, has demanded the United Nations to interfere to stop the alleged
“aggressions” against it, charging the Iraqi government with implementing new plans to
“tighten ropes around its necks.”
“We would like to draw the attention of the UN Mission for Iraq’s Assistance (UNAMI)
and the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative, as well as the U.S.
Administration and the U.S. Forces in Iraq, to the “aggressive” measures, taken by the
Iraqi forces against the inhabitants of Ashraf Camp,” a statement by the National Council
for the Iranian Resistance, a copy of which has landed in Aswat al-Iraq news Agency said.
Sayfa 8

The statement called for “taking urgent steps to put an end for the psychological torture
of the residents of the Camp and to prevent aggressions against their installations and
properties, as well as the restoration of their stolen properties.”
“The said acts are taking place at a time when the anti-Ashraf Camp Committee bans,
since 22 months, the importation of building, construction and electricity materials for
Ashraf Camp,” the statement said.
Aswat al-Iraq has failed to contact the Iraqi government to comment on the charges as
outlined in the statement.
The anti-Tehran Mujahedin E-Khalq Organization is based in Ashraf Camp in northeast
Iraq’s Diala Province as its main headquarters, since the transfer of its command to Iraq
in 1985, where it enjoyed support by the former Baath regime, launching attacks against
Iran.
After Iraq’s U.S.-led occupation, the U.S. Army had disarmed the Organization’s
members, but allowed them to stay in their base that was placed under American
protection, despite charging them to be a “terrorist” organization.
After the signing of the Security Agreement between Iraq and the U.S. at the end of last
year, the Iraqi government took over the responsibility of Ashraf Camp, provided that
the U.S. forces would stay in it till its final withdrawal from Iraq, according to the
Agreement.
Ashraf Camp is situated in al-Udheim area of Khalis township, 15 km to the north of
Baaquba, the center of Diala Province, which is 57 km to the northeast of Baghdad.
(Aswat Al Iraq)
Sayfa 9

Iraq’s President Jalal Talabani has said that Iraqis would continue the political process
and to form a new government, able to protect security and stability, according to a
Presidential statement on Tuesday.
“Iraqis are continuing to complete the political process and form a government, based on
national-partnership, one capable of protecting security and stability,” the statement
quoted Talabani as saying during his reception of Defense Minister, Mohammed Abdul-
Qader al-Obeidy on Monday night.
Talabani called for the exploitation of the current successes and their future
development. (Aswat Al Iraq)
Decisions made by the newly-formed National Council for Strategic Studies must be
obligatory, Tareq al-Hashemi, the leader in al-Iraqiya bloc, has said on Monday.
“The National Council for Strategic Studies must be a real representative of the nationalpartnership
in drawing the strategic polices of Iraq’s foreign relations, economic and
security policies and all issues facing the political process,” a statement released by
Hashemi’s office and received by Aswat al-Iraq quoted Hashemi as saying.
“The Council’s decisions must be obligatory and must be implemented,” the statement
continued.
The statement pointed out that Hashemy said, during his reception of a number of
academics and scientific professors, “We must not marginalize the academic role to
evaluate the new Council’s experience, in order to build a strategy to face the
forthcoming phase and to overcome different crises.”
“Political activity will not simply end with the formation of the new government, but
must be a continuous action, covering all spheres of life,” Hashemi underlined. (Aswat Al
Iraq)
Sayfa 10

Kürdistan Başkanı ile görüşen ABD'nin Irak Büyük elçisi görüşmede, Başkan Barzani'n
Irak'ta ki siyasi krizi çözmek için sunduğu yol haritası ve sağladığı başarıdan dolayı
teşekkür etti ve yen dönem için yapacaklarını yakından görmek için ziyarette
bulunduğunu belirtti.
Kürdistan Bölgesi Başkanı Mesut Barzani bugün Salahhadin kentin de ABD'nin Irak Büyük
Elçisi James Jeffrey ile bereberinde ki heyetle görüştü ki heyette ABD'nin Irak güçlerinin
komutanı General Osten'da yer alıyordu.
KBB'nin resmi intrenet sayfasından yapılan açıklama da yapılan görüşmede Irak
hükümeti'nin kurulması için atılacak yeni adımların ele alındığı belirtildi.
Edinilen bilgilere göre elçi Jeffrey görüşme de , Başkan Barzani'n ırak'ın için de bulunduğu
siyasi krizden kurtulması için çizdiği tol haritası çerçevesin de Hewler'de başlayan ve
Bağdat'a son bulan toplantılarda sağlanan başarı için Başkan Barzani'yi kutladığı ve diğer
siyasi grup lidelerinin de olumlu yaklaşımlarına vurgu yaptığı öğrenildi.
Elçi'nin, ABD hükümeti ve Obama'nın Barzani'n çablarına büyük önem verdiği mesajını
iletti.
Elçi'nin Kürdistan Bölgesine geliş amacının, Kürdistan Bölgesi Başkanı'n yeni hümetin
kurulması için başlamış olan yeni süreç için görüşlerini öğrenmek ve atacağı adımları
kendisşnden duymak olarak açıkladığı belirtti.
Görüşme de Başkan Barzani'n,devlet zirevesi olan makamlar için seçimlerin yapılmış
olmasının çok önemli olduğununa vurgu yaptığı, Kürdistan Kualisyon ile yapılan toplantı
son gelişmerin ele alındığı ve yapılacak olan tüm çalışmaların ülkenin birliği ve federal
sistem ile anayasaya uygun olarak yapılmasına vurgu yapıldığını belitti.
Sayfa 11

Görüşmede ayrıca, yeni kurulacak olan Hükümette seçimlerden başarı ile ayrılan gruplar
arasında Bakanlıkların nasıl paylaştırılacağı tartışıldı ve ABD'li heyetin hükümetlerinin
Irak'ın siyasi sürecine olan desteğini tekrarladığı belirttildi. (Peyamner)
Kürdistan Bölgesi Başkanlık Divanı Başkanı Fuat Hüseyin yaptığı yazılı bir açıklama da "
Kürdistan Bölgesi Başkanı her fırsatta Irak'ta ki tüm kesimlerin Irak'ın siyasi yönetimi
içinde yer alması gerektiğini belirmektedir"dedi.
Kürdistan Bölgesi Başkalığı (KBB) resmi internet sitesinde Başkanlık Divanı Başkanı Fuat
Hüseyin adı ile yayınlanan bir mesajda, Kürdistan Bölge Başkanı'n Irak Devlet Başkanı
Yardımcılarından birin Türkimen ve diğerinin de Hiristiyan olması fikrini desteklediğine
yer veriliyor.
Hüseyin, bu görüşün Irak Devlet Başkanlığı için üç yardımcının olması gerektiği fikrine
dayandığını belirtiyor.
Hüseyin, Bölge Başkanı'n Devlet Başkanı yardımcılarından birinin Türkmen ve diğerinin
Hiristiyanlara verilmesi görüşünü destelediğini belirtiyor.
Başkanlık Divanı Başkanı açıklamasında , Kürdistan Bölge Başkanı'n her fırsatta Irak'ın
siyasi yönetimin de tüm Iraklı kesimlere yer verilmesi gerektiği fikrini dile getiridiğine
vurgu yapıyor. (Peyamner)
2. IRAN / İRAN
An Iranian top Army commander on Tuesday announced that the country plans to
indigenize and renovate two-third of the tools and equipment of the Islamic Republic
Army's Navy in the next 10 years.
Sayfa 12

Addressing a gathering of Navy personnel in Iran's Northern city of Noushahr on the
occasion of the National Navy Day, Commander of the Iranian Army Major General
Ataollah Salehi underlined his forces' huge capabilities in manufacturing surface and subsurface
vessels.
"These capabilities specially in the Army's Navy are so high that two-third of the Navy's
equipments will be renovated and naturalized by the next ten years," he added.
Elsewhere, the commander underlined the Iranian Navy's military power, and stressed
that the Army's naval troops are well capable of repelling any potential threat to the
country's coasts and water borders.
He mentioned that the Iranian Army has adopted proper measures to strategically use its
vessels and submarines and its coastal equipment for simultaneous naval and coastal
defense.
On Sunday, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei
underlined the strategic importance of a strong Navy force for Iran, specially under the
current world conditions.
"Given the current issues of the world and today's geopolitical conditions of the world,
we should strengthen ourselves on sea and in coast as far as we can," Ayatollah
Khamenei stressed, addressing senior Navy commanders here in Tehran in a ceremony
to commemorate the Navy Day.
The leader also stressed that increasing manpower, recruiting talented personnel and
taking innovations and initiatives into action are highly necessary for the future of the
country's naval forces.
"This important task will materialize through strong resolve, proper designing and up-todate
and constant management," the Leader noted.
Sayfa 13

Ayatollah Khamenei further praised the close cooperation between naval forces of the
Islamic Republic Army and the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC). (Fars News
Agency / FNA)
Iranian officials announced on Tuesday that the country's security forces have arrested
four members of the Iraq-based armed opposition group, PJAK (Party for a Free Life in
Kurdistan), who sought to stage terrorist operations inside the country.
"The border guards managed to arrest four members of the terrorist PJAK group during
their operations last week," Commander of Iran's Border Guard Units General Hossein
Zolfaqari told reporters.
He made the remarks in a meeting with his Kuwaiti counterpart here in Tehran today.
Iranian security guards had also in May disbanded a team of terrorists sent by the PJAK
who wanted to conduct terrorist operations in western Iran.
The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) forces killed five of the terrorists and injured
two others in the Dalahou district near the western city of Kermanshah.
"The corpses of the dead members of the anti-revolution grouplet of PJAK, special
weapons, night goggles, munitions, detonators, satellite communication equipment and
solar battery chargers seized from the terrorists are all with the IRGC," Commander of
the IRGC's Najaf Ashraf Base Brigadier General Ali Akbar Nouri said.
Nouri further underlined that terrorists' infiltration into the Iranian territory should be
blamed on Iraq's occupiers, saying that the foreign forces deployed in the country have
equipped the anti-Iran terrorist group with hit-tech military equipment and special
espionage and sabotage tools to create insecurity in Iran's Northwestern and Western
provinces.
Sayfa 14

PJAK, a militant Kurdish nationalist group with bases in the mountainous regions of
Northern Iraq, has been carrying out numerous attacks in Western Iran, Southern Turkey
and the Northeastern parts of Syria where the Kurdish populations live.
The separatist group has been fighting to establish an autonomous state, or possibly a
new world country, in the area after separating Kurdish regions from Iran, Iraq, Turkey
and Syria.
Iranian intelligence and security officials have repeatedly accused Washington of
providing military support and logistical aids for such anti-Iran terrorist groups. (FNA)
Iranian First Vice-President Mohammad Reza Rahimi in a meeting with Afghan Minister
of Culture Sayed Makhdoom Raheen in Tehran underlined Tehran's preparedness to
expand cultural and media relations and cooperation with Afghanistan.
"Given the Islamic Republic of Iran and Afghanistan's commonalities in language, religion
and culture, Iran is ready to assist the friendly and brotherly nation of Afghanistan in
cultural and media fields," Rahimi said on Monday.
"The close relations between the two countries are deeply rooted in the history and the
passage of time does not destroy, and rather consolidates them (the ties)," he added.
Rahimi mentioned that solidarity of the Afghan nation and improvement of the public
culture in the country would pave the way for the progress and development of
Afghanistan, and said, "Cultural work is highly important and can be effective in
preventing sponsors of terrorism from infiltrating the country."
During the meeting, Raheen lamented the lack of attention to cultural works in his
country, and called for Iran's assistance and cooperation in this regard.
Sayfa 15

He also described terrorism and insecurity as the most important problems in
Afghanistan, and urged Tehran to increase support for the establishment of security in
Afghanistan.
Most world countries, including Iran, have blamed foreign forces for continued instability
in Afghanistan and have called for a complete pullout from the country, which first went
under invasion and occupation by the US-led NATO troops in 2001.
Iran has warned that continued occupation of Afghanistan would lead to the
deterioration of the conditions in the war-ravaged country, reminding that drug
production in its eastern neighbor has undergone a 40-fold increase since the US-led
invasion.
While Afghanistan produced only 185 tons of opium per year under the Taliban,
according to the UN statistics, since the US-led invasion, drug production has surged to
3,400 tons annually. In 2007, the opium trade reached an estimated all-time production
high of 8,200 tons.
Afghan and western officials blame Washington and NATO for the change, saying that
allies have "overlooked" the drug problem since invading the country 9 years ago.
Iran has always urged for a regional approach towards the settlement of problems in
Afghanistan, and called on the Kabul government to pave the way for the withdrawal of
the alien forces from the country. (FNA)
İslami İran Savunma Bakanı General Vahidi, İranlı iki bilim adamına yönelikl kör terör
saldırısını kınadığı açıklamasında, düşmanların bu cinayeti işleyerek bir kez daha İran
milletinin iradesine karşı zillet dolu yenilgisini itiraf etmiş olduğunu belirtti.
General Vahidi, bu şom saldırıların Amerika, İngiltere ve İsrail üçlüsünün işbirliği ile
münafıklar tarafından gerçekleştiğini ifade etti.
Sayfa 16

İnsan hakları iddiasında bulunan uluslararası kurum ve kuruluşların bu suikastlara karşı
susmaları durumunda bu cinayete ortak olacağını kaydeden General Vahidi, İran güvenlik
ve istihbarat güçleri düşmanların bu oyunlarını da diğer oyunları gibi bozarak etkisiz hale
getireceğini vurguladı. (FNA)
Haftalık basın toplantısında gazetecilerin karşısına çıkan Mihmanperest, Wikileaks
ifşaatının ardında çok şaibeli bir plan göze çarptığını belirtti.
Sözcü, İslam dünyası düşmanları İslam ülkeleri arasında tefrika çıkarma peşinde olduğunu
ve İranofobi projesini takip ettiklerini, bölge ülkeleri uyanık olup bu tür tuzaklara
düşmemesi gerektiğini kaydetti.
5+1 grubu ile müzakere konusunda da Mihmanperest, şu ana kadar Viyana grubundan
müzakereye hazır olduklarına dair bir cevap almadıklarını ifade etti.
Mihmanperest, İranlı iki bilim adamına yönelik hain suikastın da batılı devletlerin terör
örgütlerini desteklediğini açıkça ortaya koyduğunu vurguladı. (FNA)
Dışişleri Bakanı Mutteki, Kuveyt’te düzenlenen “Uluslararası Sudan’ın yeniden inşası”
zirvesine katılmak üzere yarın Kuveyt’i ziyaret ediyor.
Mutteki’ye iki günlük ziyareti sırasında işadamlarından oluşan bir heyetin eşlik edeceği
belirtiliyor.
Sudan’ın yeniden inşası zirvesi, bu ülkeyi destekleyen ülkelerin katılımı ile gerçekleşiyor.
Arap medyası, İran Dışişleri Bakanının bu zirveye katılmasını " İran'dan Sudan'a ciddi
destek" şeklinde değerlendiriyor. (FNA)
Sayfa 17

İran’la Lübnan arasında imzalanan 8 işbirliği anlaşması başta Arap ülkeleri gelmek üzere
Batı medyasında da geniş yankılar yarattı.
Ticari ağırlıklı anlaşmaların ön prensipleri Tahran’da imzalanırken, uzman heyetlerin
gerekli oturumlarından sonra ana anlaşma metinlerinin hazırlanacağı belirtildi. Lübnan
başbakanı Hariri'nin Tahran ziyaretinin son gününde imzalanan anlaşmaların Arap ve Batı
medyasında geniş ilgi uyandırması dikkat çekti.
İran İslam Cumhuriyeti Cumhurbaşkanı birinci yardımcısı Muhammed Rıza Rahimi'nin
katıldığı törende imzalanan anlaşmaların ticari ağırlıklı olduğu belirtiliyor.
Cumartesi günü, üç günlük bir ziyaret için Tahran’a gelen Lübnan başbakanı Said Hariri,
İslam inkılâbı rehberi Ayetullah Seyyid Ali Hamenei, Cumhurbaşkanı Ahmedinejad,
Cumhurbaşkanı birinci yardımcısı Rahimi, İslami şura meclis başkanı Laricani, Milli
güvenlik yüksek şurası sekreteri, ve savunma bakanıyla da ayrıca ikili görüşmelerde
bulundu. (FNA)
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says that the documents published by the WikiLeaks
website lack legal weight.
“We neighboring countries are friends, and these malicious moves will have no effect on
our relations,” Ahmadinejad told reporters at a press conference late on Monday.
WikiLeaks recently published a document claiming that Arab leaders have been privately
urging the United States to take military action to halt Iran’s nuclear program.
Turkey, Brazil will probably participate in nuclear talks
Elsewhere in his remarks, Ahmadinejad said that it is likely that Brazil and Turkey will
participate in the planned talks between Tehran and the 5+1 group (the five permanent
members of the UN Security Council and Germany).
Sayfa 18

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton has agreed with Iran’s proposal that the talks be
held on December 5.
Asked if the Tehran Declaration can serve as the framework for the nuclear talks, he
stated, “The Tehran Declaration can be a good basis, but the situation has changed
compared to the time when the declaration was issued.”
On May 17, 2010, Iran, Turkey, and Brazil issued a declaration, according to which Iran
was to ship 1200 kilograms of its low-enriched uranium to Turkey to be exchanged for
120 kilograms of 20 percent enriched nuclear fuel to power the Tehran research reactor,
which produces radioisotopes for cancer treatment.
According to the agreement, the exchange was to take place in Turkey under the
supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency and Iran.
Publication of Iran’s confidential documents violated international law
Ahmadinejad also said that IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano violated international
law when he published confidential documents about Iran’s nuclear activities.
Iran has become globalized
Commenting on the claims that Iran has been isolated, Ahmadinejad said, “In the
language of imperialism, words have different meanings… when they say Iran has
become isolated, it means Iran has become globalized.”
“Over the past seven months, there has been a 14% increase in the volume of trade
between European countries and Iran,” Ahmadinejad announced.
Terrorist attacks in Tehran
Commenting on Monday’s terrorist attacks in Tehran, Ahmadinejad said such actions
only make the record of the West and the Zionist regime darker.
Sayfa 19

A university professor was killed and another one injured in two separate bombings in
Tehran on Monday morning.
The two academics were identified as the late Majid Shahriari and Fereydoun Abbasi
Davani of the Physics Department of Tehran’s Shahid Beheshti University. (Mehr News
Agency / MNA)
Hamas political bureau chief Khaled Mashal met with Iranian Majlis speaker Ali Larijani in
Tehran’s embassy in Damascus on Monday.
In the meeting Larijani said today people in the world cherish “resistance” against
invaders, a reference to the Palestinians’ resistance against the Zionist occupiers.
Larijani also stated all indications suggest that the U.S. and NATO have reached a dead
end in Iraq and Afghanistan.
He went on to say that many countries have found out about the evil nature of Zionist
regime of Israel especially after its attack on the Freedom Flotilla in international waters.
The senior Iranian politician also said Israel has closed the doors to all those who favored
dialogue with Israel, a reference to the Palestinian Authority and those Arab states who
had been pinning their hope on peace talks with Tel Aviv.
He said Palestinians including the Gazans will never compromise on their honor to
defend their land.
Pointing to vain attempts by the United States to create discord among the Iraqis and
postpone the formation of government in Baghdad, Larijani said the Iraqi leaders
disappointed Washington by manifesting their unity by agreeing to form a government.
He went on to say that the destiny of the region is not shaped by the global powers and
it is the people of region who are building their own future.
Sayfa 20

For his part, Mashaal said the Israeli prime minister’s actions proved that this regime
does not respect its commitments.
He added that today Gaza is a big prison.
The Hamas leader said some powers are trying to weaken resistance, however this
attempt is futile as the resistance movement is getting more popular every day. (MNA)
Lawmakers approved a law on Monday tasking the Foreign Ministry to step up efforts to
prevent the adoption of human rights resolutions against Iran in international
organizations.
According to the ratification, the Foreign Ministry is obligated to adopt “an active
diplomacy” to stop the adoption of resolutions which claim human rights violations in
Iran.
The ratification also requires the Foreign Ministry to deepen Iran’s friendly relationship
with neighbors, promote unity among regional countries, implement confidence-building
measures, and follow a détente policy in the international scene.
In its 65th session in New York in the current month the UN General Assembly adopted a
human rights resolution against Iran, a move which provoked strong criticism from
Iranian officials.
Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki called the move a politically motivated
“puppet show” aimed at diverting world’s attention from widespread violation of human
rights in the West. (MNA)
İran İslam Cumhuriyeti Dışişleri Bakanlığı Sözcüsü, yakın gelecekte 5+1 ile yapılacak
müzakereler hususunda istişarelerin devam ettiğini söyledi.
Sayfa 21

Mehr haber ajansı muhabirinin bildirdiğine göre, bugün Salı yerli ve yabancı gazetecilerin
sorularına yanıt veren Ramin Mihmanperest, 5+1 ile müzakerelerin çerçevesi ve
mekanıyla ilgili muhabirimizin sorusu üzerine, bu hususta istişarelerin devam ettiğini,
anlaşma sağlandığında bilgilerini kamuoyuyla paylaşacaklarını ifade etti.
Tahran bildirisinin çıktığı dönemden bugün şartlar değiştiği Cumhurbaşkanı
Ahmedinejad’ın bu beyanatıyla ilgili muhabirimizin başka sorusuna yanıt veren İran İslam
Cumhuriyeti Dışişleri Bakanlığı Sözcüsü, nükleer takası konusu Viyana grubuyla ilgili
olduğunu ve bu hususta yapılması ön görülen müzakereler için hazır olduklarına dair
onlardan bugüne kadar hiçbir yanıt almadıklarını belirtti.
Yapılan terörist eylemler hususubda da değerlendirme yapan Mihmanperest, terörist
hadiselerin arkasında batılı ülkeler yer aldığını vurguladı.
Ramin Mihmanperest ayrıca WikiLeaks belgelerin kuşkulu olduğunu ifade ederken,
belgelerin ABD ve Batılı ülkelerin işbirliğiyle yayınlandığını ifadesini kullandı. (MNA)
İslam İnkılabı Rehberi Ayetullah Seyyid Ali Hamenei, Lübnan Başbakanı Saad Hariri ve
kendisine eşlik eden heyeti kabulü sırasında yaptığı konuşmada Lübnan'ın gasıp siyonist
rejimle mücadele cephesinin ön saflarında yer alan önemli bir ülke olduğunu belirtti.
Ayetullah Hamenei, İran İslam Cumhuriyeti'nin ileri, bayındır ve mutlu bir Lübnan'ı
istemekte olduğunu ve bu yüzden İran'ın, Lübnan'ın ilerlemesi yolunda hiç bir yardımı
esirgemeyeceğini söyledi.
Ayetullah Hamenei şöyle konuştu: ‘Lübnan'ın sıkıntılı anları İran'ı üzdüğü gibi, Lübnan
halkının saadeti de İran halkını sevindirir. İki ülke arasında çeşitli alanlarda işbirliğinin
arttırılması ortamı mevcuttur ve bu ilişkiler özellikle ticaret ve bayındırlık faaliyetleri
sektöründe daha da geliştirilebilir.'
Sayfa 22

İslam İnkılabı Rehberi, siyonist rejimin Lübnan aleyhindeki sürekli tecavüzleri ve bu gasıp
rejimin tecavüzkar eylemlerinden asla vazgeçmemiş olmasına değinerek şunları söyledi:
‘Siyonist rejimin gücü yetse hatta Beyrut ve Trablus'dan geçerek Suriye'yi abluka altına
almak isteyecektir. Ancak gasıp İsrail rejimini caydıran tek güç, direniş faktörüdür.
Lübnan, siyonist rejimi mağlub edebilen tek arap ülkesidir. Lübnan'ın düşmanlarının,
karşısında dikilemeyeceği tek güç, direniştir. Bu yüzden direniş güçlerinin kadrini bilmek
gerekir. Gasıp siyonist rejimi varoldukça, Lübnan da direniş güçlerine ihtiyaç duyacaktır.'
Ayetullah Hamenei, Sa'd Hariri ile Seyyid Hasan Nasrullah ve diğer direniş liderleri
arasındaki yakın ilişkilerden memnun olduğunu belirtirken, bu ilişkilerin daha da
güçlendirilmesini öğütledi.
İran İslam Cumhuriyeti'nin, Lübnan'ın birlik ve bağımsızlığını desteklediğini vurgulayan
İnkılap Rehberi sözlerini şöyle sürdürdü: ‘Lübnan, içinde çeşitli dinleri barındıran bir ülke
olup, çeşitli dinlere ve mezheplere mensup insanlar bu ülkede uzun yıllardır gönül birliği
içerisinde bir arada yaşamaktalar. Buna karşılık kimileri dini ve mezhebi kavgalar ve kaos
ortamı oluşturma peşindeler. Bu tür hedefler karşısında dikilmek gerekir.'
Ayetullah Hamenei ayrıca kendisinin yıllarca önce Lübnan eski başbakanı merhum Refik
Hariri ile yaptığı görüşmeye değinerek, Hariri'nin Lübnan'ın ilerlemesi yolundaki
çabalarını hatırlattı.
İran Cumhurbaşkanı Birinci Yardımcısı Rahimi'nin de katıldığı bu görüşmede konuşan
Lübnan Başbakanı Sa'd Hariri İslam İnkılabı Rehberi ile görüşmekten memnun olduğunu
söyleyerek, şöyle konuştu: ‘Biz, İran İslam Cumhuriyeti'ni Lübnan'a tüm sıkıntılı
dönemlerde yardımcı olan dost ve kardeş bir ülke olarak bilmekteyiz. Lübnan devleti
siyasal, kültürel ve ekonomik alanlarda İran'la olan ilişkilerini daha da arttırmak
arzusundadır.'
Lübnan Başbakanı ayrıca şu andaki Lübnan hükümetinin ülkedeki tüm etkili grup ve
partileri içeren milli bir hükümet olduğunu belirterek şunları söyledi: ‘Lübnan
hükümetinin en önemli hedefi milli birliği koruyup güçlendirmek, müşterek noktalar
Sayfa 23

çerçevesinde hareket etmek ve tecavüz karşısında direnmektir. Lübnan içindeki her türlü
ihtilaf, İsrail'in yararına tamamlanacaktır.' (IRNA)
Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei held a meeting
with Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri in Tehran on Monday to discuss current
developments in the region and bilateral issues.
The Leader told the visiting Lebanese prime minister, “Resistance is the only factor which
the enemies of Lebanon cannot resist, so its value must be appreciated.”
Lebanon is the only Arab country which has been able to defeat the Zionist regime,
Ayatollah Khamenei noted, adding, “As long as the occupier Zionist regime exists,
Lebanon also needs resistance.”
“The prosperity of the Lebanese people delights Iran, just as the suffering of Lebanon
also causes sadness for Iran.”
Hariri said, “Any discord in Lebanon will benefit Israel.”
He added, “The main aim of the Lebanese government is to maintain and promote
national unity… and to resist (any) aggression.”
“We regard the Islamic Republic of Iran as a brotherly and friendly country… which has
always provided assistance to the Lebanese people in hard times,” Hariri stated.
Hariri left Tehran on Monday after a three-day visit. Seven ministers accompanied the
Lebanese prime minister on his first official visit to Iran.
Victory can only be achieved through unity
Hariri also held talks with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad late on Sunday.
Sayfa 24

The enemies do not want to see Muslim nations living in dignity and “are opposed to the
development of all Islamic countries, and the only way to defeat them is to maintain and
strengthen unity,” Ahmadinejad told Hariri.
Anyone who cares about the future of Lebanon must support the promotion of national
unity and stability in the country, he added.
Ahmadinejad also said, “We believe if we stand by each other, the issues and problems
of the region and the world will be resolved easily.”
Hariri said, “The Zionists have never sought peace and have used every opportunity to
deal a blow to regional countries.”
He added, “Resistance against the Zionist regime, as a great challenge in the region,
requires that Arab countries maintain unity and solidarity with Iran.”
Lebanon must determine fate of 4 Iranian nationals abducted in 1982
Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki also held a meeting with the Lebanese
prime minister late on Sunday.
In the meeting, Mottaki asked Hariri to take measures to determine the fate of four
Iranian nationals who have been held by the Zionist regime for over 28 years.
Four Iranian nationals, chargé d’affaires Mohsen Mousavi, military attaché of the
Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran Ahmad Motevasellian, Taqi Rastegar Moqaddam,
a diplomat from the embassy, and Kazem Akhavan, a reporter and photographer from
the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), were captured by a Phalangist militia while
traveling to southern Lebanon in 1982, then handed over to the Zionist regime and
transferred to a prison in occupied Palestine.
Mottaki said, “It is hoped that unity in the Muslim world and the region will take the
opportunity away from those who seek to sow discord. Regional states must also
maintain vigilance.”
Sayfa 25

If regional countries make efforts to realize the potential of the region, they will not have
to rely on outside potential anymore, he added.
Mottaki also emphasized the importance and necessity of maintaining national unity in
Lebanon.
Hariri thanked the Islamic Republic of Iran for its support of the Lebanese people in the
face of the threats posed by the Zionist regime and its assistance in reconstructing
Lebanon and establishing stability in the country.
He also said Lebanon recognizes and supports Iran’s right to acquire access to nuclear
technology meant for peaceful purposes and called for increased cooperation between
Tehran and Beirut.
Iran-Lebanon friendship will blind the enemies
During his visit, Hariri also held a meeting with Iranian First Vice President Mohammad-
Reza Rahimi early on Monday.
Rahimi said, “Iran-Lebanon friendship will blind the enemies.”
He also noted that Hariri’s visit to Iran will help increase bilateral cooperation in all areas.
Hariri described his visit to Iran as “fruitful”, saying the two countries should consolidate
their relations in all spheres.
Hariri left Tehran for Beirut on Monday afternoon. (Tehran Times)
Tehran’s ambassador to Moscow, Mahmoud Reza Sajjadi, says the West is seeking to
undermine diplomatic relations between Iran and Russia.
Sayfa 26

“Over the past 20 years one of the West’s priorities has been to create disagreements,
and sow discord between us and Russia,” Sajjadi said in an exclusive interview with the
Mehr News Agency.
He also said, “We have never used capabilities and potential of this power (Russia).”
Moscow never approved of unilateral sanctions on Iran
In addition to UN Security Council Resolution 1929 against Tehran, certain countries,
mainly the U.S. allies, moved to adopt unilateral sanctions against Iran.
The ambassador said Russia has never approved of unilateral sanctions and has not put
any limitation on bilateral cooperation with Tehran in all areas especially in oil, gas, mine
and transportation.
However, the Iranian and Russian governments have not taken major steps for
cooperation, Tehran’s top diplomat to Moscow lamented.
The reason is that the governments of the two countries have not fully recognized the
potential for further cooperation, he opined.
Russia softened the language of 1929 Resolution
He said even though Russia voted for the Resolution 1929, it toned down the language of
this resolution and the previous ones.
The U.S. and Europe tried to impose a more comprehensive sanctions resolution on Iran
and deal a shattering blow to Iran’s economy but Russia and China prevented it, he
explained.
However, the diplomat said Russia should not be influenced by wrong information, which
is spread against Iran by enemies, adding there is nothing that Russia should be worried
about.
80 percent of Russians like Iran
Sayfa 27

He said according to an opinion poll, which was broadcast by Radio Moscow, over 80
percent of Russians have a positive view of Iran.
It is not only Russia which delayed startup of Bushehr plant
On repeated delays to complete the Bushehr nuclear power plan, he said it is not fair to
blame only Russia for the delay.
At least one-year delay was because of the U.S. pressure on Ukraine to not manufacture
turbine for the plan and Russia had do establish another production line in San
Petersburg for the purpose, but this issue has never been mentioned in the media, the
ambassador told the MNA.
Iran and Russia had signed a deal to purchase some equipment needed for the plant
from other countries thus agreements were signed with some Asian and European
companies, but after months of delay those companies announced they could not deliver
the equipment because of the Western pressure, he stated.
“Of course after the collapse of the Soviet Union and because of some problems,
Russians could not fully live up to their commitment and there was no political reason
behind it. Perhaps, it could be said that political reasons delayed the delivery of fuel (for
the Bushehr plant) for (only) six months … and the issue was resolved following Putin’s
visit to Iran,” he stated.
He added that in some cases Russia even has gone beyond its commitments to Iran. For
example, he said Moscow undertook to employ 800 people in the Bushehr plant, while
2500 workers hired there.
Sajjadi also said that Russia is more suitable for nuclear cooperation with Iran (Tehran
Times)
Sayfa 28

3. ISRAEL - PALESTINE / İSRAİL – FİLİSTİN
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the Obama administration just two weeks after
elected to Knesset that he supported the idea of a land exchange and had no desire to
govern Palestinian territories, according to a diplomatic cable released by the online
whistleblower WikiLeaks on Sunday.
"Netanyahu expressed support for the concept of land swaps, and emphasized that he
did not want to govern the West Bank and Gaza but rather to stop attacks from being
launched from there," read a February 2009 diplomatic cable describing a meeting
between Netanyahu and a delegation led by Senator Benjamin Cardin.
According to the cable, Netanyahu laid out to the U.S. lawmakers a framework for his
economic peace plan as the best option for a future peace deal with the Palestinians.
His idea was to begin "rapidly building a pyramid from the ground up" to allow the
Palestinian West Bank to develop a strong and independent infrastructure.
Netanyahu presented this program for "economic peace," which he said would improved
the quality of life for Palestinians in the West Bank, well before elections. Palestinian
officials, however, refused to meet with their Israeli counterparts.
Another cable released earlier this week indicates that Israel tried to coordinate the Gaza
war with the Palestinian Authority and that both the PA and Egypt refused to take
control of the Hamas-ruled coastal enclave.
The whistle-blowing website obtained some 250,000 diplomatic cables between the U.S.
and its allies, which Washington had urged the site not to publish.
In a June 2009 meeting between Defense Minister Ehud Barak and a U.S. congressional
delegation, Barak claimed that the Israeli government "had consulted with Egypt and
Sayfa 29

Fatah prior to Operation Cast Lead, asking if they were willing to assume control of Gaza
once Israel defeated Hamas."
"Not surprisingly," Barak said in the meeting, Israel "received negative answers from
both."
While similar reports of such attempts to link the PA and Egypt to Israel's war with
Hamas had already surfaced in the past, the cable released by WikiLeaks on Sunday
represents the first documented proof of such a move.
In the document, Barak also expressed his feeling that "the Palestinian Authority is weak
and lacks self-confidence, and that Gen. Dayton's training helps bolster confidence."
The meeting which the cable documents took place just days before U.S. President
Barack Obama's Cairo speech, and a few weeks after Netanyahu's first visit to the United
States, a visit which revealed the deep differences between Obama and himself.
The cable also refers to what Barak describes as the debate within the Israeli cabinet in
regards to a "development of a response to President Obama's upcoming speech in
Cairo." (Hareetz)
The difficulties U.S. President Barack Obama has encountered in trying to get the Israelis
and Palestinians to the negotiating table show how hard it will be to achieve a peace
agreement even if the talks resume. Anyone who thinks the Americans, who for 18
months haven't gotten the negotiations to resume, will be able to overcome the
differences separating the parties at the talks is feeding dangerous illusions. If it's so hard
to overcome the issue of the construction freeze, how will it be possible to achieve an
understanding on the core issues - borders, settlements, Jerusalem and refugees?
Israel should therefore develop an alternative plan and announce that it will be
implemented if the negotiations fail. The plan should be based on unilateral steps, not
Sayfa 30

offering the Palestinians gestures, but trying to protect Israeli interests in a deadlock.
Such an alternative plan - Plan B - would also present an Israeli initiative for the first
time. So far, Israel has only reacted to what has been proposed and has been perceived
as rejectionist.
The following are the plan's main elements.
* Israel will lift the siege on the Gaza Strip. The siege did not achieve its goals (toppling
the Hamas regime and freeing Gilad Shalit ). It also presents Israel as an aggressive party
mistreating a civilian population that is perceived as the victim. Israel should announce
that it will allow the free passage of goods, other than weapons, into Gaza, and that it
will invite international organizations (the European Union ) to send observers to the
crossing points.
* Israel will announce that it will transfer control of Area C to the Palestinians,
coordinated with the local Palestinian security forces, and that it will continue to pursue
its policy easing conditions at West Bank checkpoints. All this would be subject to
continued calm on the ground.
* Israel will permit the supervised passage of goods from the West Bank to Israeli
ports.
* Israel will evacuate illegal West Bank settlement outposts, as it has committed to do
in the past.
* A generous evacuation-compensation program will be set up for West Bank settlers
who wish to return to Israel proper.
* Israel will halt construction in Jewish settlements beyond the security fence.
Since this plan is not conditioned on negotiations with the Palestinians, Israel will not be
asking for anything in exchange for its implementation, though steps by the Palestinians
Sayfa 31

such as changes in their rhetoric on the refugees' right of return and changes to
Palestinian school curricula that ignore Israel's existence will be welcomed.
Of course, some people will oppose these ideas on the argument that Israel is making
concessions to the Palestinians without getting anything in return. Such objections are
mistaken. The plan is actually based on what most of the Israeli public views as a basis
for a peace agreement with the Palestinians. As strange as it sounds, a rather broad
consensus can be created around such a plan, from Meretz to Yisrael Beiteinu. The plan
may, perhaps, also encourage the Palestinians to be more flexible in negotiations, and it
will be welcomed, if not enthusiastically, in the West as an alternative to failure.
Ehud Barak made a serious mistake as prime minister in 2000 in going to Camp David
without an alternative plan. That mistake must not be repeated. The choice is never only
between peace and war. There is always a third way and one must be ready to follow it.
One of the great Zionist leaders before the establishment of the state, Arthur Ruppin,
who at one stage looked favorably on the Brit Shalom peace movement, ultimately
despaired over the possibility of coming to an agreement. He said that "what we can
offer the Arabs, they will not accept, and what they will accept, we cannot offer." The
time has come to understand that we have to try to shape our destiny ourselves rather
than waiting for Godot. (Hareetz)
Israeli officials lashed out at Egypt over its attitude toward Israel's nuclear program
during talks with American officials last year, according to a U.S. Embassy cable published
by the website WikiLeaks on Sunday as part of the vast cache of State Department
documents it released.
The cable, from the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv, quoted Uzi Arad, chairman of Israel's
National Security Council, as accusing Egypt's Foreign Ministry of harming relations with
Jerusalem.
Sayfa 32

On December 1, 2009, Ellen Tauscher, the U.S. under secretary for arms control and
international security affairs, arrived in Israel for meetings with government officials. The
central topic of discussion was preparations for the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
Review Conference that took place six months later in New York.
In the lead-up to the summit, Egypt applied heavy pressure on the U.S. to support a call
for the supervision of Israel's nuclear facilities and the convening of an international
summit on denuclearizing the Middle East.
Tauscher met with a group of high-ranking Israeli officials involved with the nuclear issue
and asked that Israel show flexibility on its nuclear facilities ahead of the conference. But
she pledged that her government would consult with Israel on the matter and not take
any action that might undermine its security.
Six months later, however, Washington succumbed to Egyptian pressure: Despite Israel's
pleas, it allowed the conference to pass a resolution condemning Israel for not opening
its nuclear facilities to inspection.
According to the document, Arad described Egypt's Foreign Ministry as a "'nagging
problem' in the relationship, particularly regarding the proposal for a nuclear-free Middle
East, and noted that Israel wanted to see a 'reversal of trends' from Egypt regarding
Iran's nuclear program."
The cable also said Amos Gilad, head of the Defense Ministry's political security
department, had described Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak as lacking confidence in
his foreign minister, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, and recommended that Washington deal
directly with the president. Tauscher concurred, and said she would try to circumvent
Egypt's Foreign Ministry in her dealings with the Mubarak government.
The documents shed light on Israeli political squabbling as well. On April 18, 2007, the
U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv sent a cable summarizing a meeting between Benjamin
Netanyahu, then opposition leader, and visiting U.S. congressmen in which Netanyahu
Sayfa 33

lambasted then-prime minister Ehud Olmert for his handling of the Second Lebanon
War.
The document paraphrased Netanyahu as saying that "If Olmert had mobilized the
reserves in ten days, seized ground, destroyed Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, and then
withdrawn, he would be a hero today." Since he did not, Netanyahu predicted, Olmert
would not remain in power for long.
Netanyahu described Olmert as being under tremendous political pressure between
investigations into his alleged criminal wrongdoing and the interim conclusions of the
Winograd Commission investigating the war.
"Olmert could be pushed out as a result of a rebellion within the Kadima Party," the
cable said, paraphrasing Netanyahu. "Kadima members are realizing they cannot allow
Olmert to stay in power, but Kadima itself might collapse since it was a 'fake party.'"
Some of the documents highlighted Israel's increasingly tense relations with Turkey.
James F. Jeffrey, then U.S. ambassador to Ankara, wrote in an April 26, 2009 cable of his
meeting with Gabby Levy, then Israel's ambassador to Turkey. At the meeting, held a
year before Israel's raid on a Turkish-sponsored flotilla to Gaza, Levy blamed Turkish
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan for the deterioration in once-friendly relations.
The Israeli envoy, the cable said, "noted that the prime minister's party had not gained a
single point in the polls from his bashing of Israel. Instead, Levy attributed Erdogan's
harshness to deep-seated emotion: 'He's a fundamentalist. He hates us religiously' and
his hatred is spreading."
Adding his own analysis, Jeffrey concluded, "Our discussions with contacts both inside
and outside of the Turkish government on Turkey's deteriorating relations with Israel
tend to confirm Levy's thesis that Erdogan simply hates Israel."
A May 16, 2009 cable from the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv discussed Israel's secret ties to
the United Arab Emirates. Quoting Yaakov Hadas, the head of the Foreign Ministry's
Sayfa 34

Middle East department, it said UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan "has
developed good personal relations with Foreign Minister [Tzipi] Livni, but the Emiratis
are 'not ready to do publicly what they say in private.'" (Hareetz)
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has warned that the ongoing construction of
settlements in the West Bank has become "a time bomb" that puts the peace process in
danger, in a special message read at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on
Monday night.
The Palestinian leader called for the deteriorating peace talks to be addressed
immediately, declaring "this requires bringing a decisive and final end to the vicious
Israeli settlement campaign," French News Agency AFP reported.
U.S.-brokered peace talks have been deadlocked since September when an 11-month
moratorium on settlement constriction came to an end.
Israel's UN envoy Meron Reuven criticized the "destructive rhetoric," adding that "it
takes two to tango, Israel cannot reach this peace on its own," AFP reported.
"We can only achieve peace with the Palestinians through compromise and direct and
bilateral negotiations," he said. "We can only move forward through bilateral
negotiations that address the concerns of both sides."
The United States has offered Israel a major package of incentives to start a new
suspension. Israel has not yet given a formal response.
The UN General Assembly is expected to vote on Tuesday on the Middle East resolutions.
Palestinians have conducted talks this month over their possible contingency program in
the case that the mediated talks with Israel fail, which could involve bypassing the U.S.-
sponsored peace process to seek statehood through the UN, a PA official said.
Israel has so far balked at the Palestinian and U.S. line that a new freeze, unlike the last
Sayfa 35

one, must include East Jerusalem, which Israel annexed in 1980 but Palestinians claim as
their future capital.
Abbas has vowed not to return to the table unless settlement building is halted on all
territory beyond the Green Line – Israel's pre-1967 border and the likely basis for a
Palestinian appeal to the UN. (Hareetz)
Defense Minister Ehud Barak commented on the Wikileaks incident on Tuesday, while
visiting a weapons factory in Ramat Hasharon.
"I think that diplomacy will look different after today," Barak said. "People, diplomats, in
every corner of the world will be much more careful when they talk, and I assume not
only with the Americans. This will make the diplomacy more shallow," he explained.
"This is currently a source of great curiosity in the world," the defense minister added. "I
don't think it damaged Israel. There isn't a big difference, in my opinion, between what
you read in Wikileaks and what we've all heard in briefings, even if they were off the
record."
"Interesting things have been revealed about the Arab world's stance on Iran," Barak
said. "Information that comes from closed rooms, that isn't meant to be published, show
a more accurate view of reality."
Barak was featured prominently in a number of diplomatic cables released by Wikileaks,
including one in which he recalled offering Egypt and Fatah to assume control of Gaza
after Israel defeats Hamas in Operation Cast Lead. In another document, Barak said that
the West's lack of a firm response to North Korea encourages Iran.
The defense minister's Tuesday comments echoed statements made by Prime Minister
Binyamin Netanyahu on Monday, that the leaks would make it considerably more
difficult for both diplomats and journalists to do their jobs. (Jerusalem Post)
Sayfa 36

The Israel Democracy Institute released the results of its Israeli Democracy Ranking and
poll on Tuesday, revealing that 53 percent of Jewish Israelis say the government should
encourage Arabs to emigrate from Israel, and only 51% believe Jews and Arabs should
have equal rights.
The poll showed that the more religious respondents were, the less they believed Arabs
should have equal rights, with 33.5% of secular Jews opposing rights for Arabs, as
opposed to 51% of traditional Jews, 65% of religious Jews, and 72% of haredim. In
addition, 86% of Jewish Israelis believe that important decisions should be made by a
Jewish majority.
The institute's findings were presented to President Shimon Peres, Knesset speaker
Reuven Rivlin, Minister of Justice Yaakov Neeman and High Court Chief Justice Dorit
Beinisch.
Nearly half (46%) of Jewish Israelis polled said that they would not want to live near
Arabs, and 39% would be opposed to living near foreign workers or people with mental
illness. One-fourth would not want to live near a homosexual couple, and 23% opposed
having haredi neighbors.
Arabs had different preferences, with 70% opposing living near gays, 67% against haredi
neighbors and 65% against former settlers. About half (46%) would not want to be
neighbors with foreign workers.
The Israel Democracy Institute polled Jewish and Arab Israelis as to their views on and
satisfaction from democracy in Israel. The survey showed that most Israelis said Israel
should remain a democracy, while claiming that democracy in Israel is weak and
inefficient.
Sayfa 37

More than half (55%) of Israelis support the statement "Israel's situation would be much
better if Israel considered the rules of democracy less, and focused more on keeping law
and order."
Most (60%) Israelis advocated a more concentrated government, with strong leaders
that "solve problems efficiently." In addition, 59% prefer rule by experts who make
decisions based on professional opinions, and not because of politics.
Israelis are also disappointed by the lack of influence their opinions have on government
policy.
As in last year, 81% of Israelis have faith in the IDF.
In a ranking of democracies around the world, separate from the poll, Israel was rated
least stable.
Israel received this low score due to major socioeconomic gaps, which have not
improved since previous years. There is also less gender equality in Israel then there was
in the past.
Israel's democratic rating is the same as last year's, placing it with new democracies in
Eastern Europe and South America. (Jerusalem Post)
Report issued by 21 aid groups claims only marginal improvement recorded in Gaza
blockade following easements declared following May's flotilla. Groups claims Israel
dragging its feet on major construction projects, still banning most exports
Israel has only marginally eased its three-year-old blockade of the Gaza Strip, leaving
business and construction largely frozen in the impoverished and war-damaged
Palestinian territory, a report by several aid groups said Tuesday.
Sayfa 38

After tour of UN school, German-funded sewage treatment plant in Strip, Westerwelle
says border closure strengthening extremists at the expense of moderates; calls on
Hamas to 'let Shalit return home'
The groups accused Israel of ducking promises to ease the blockade's effects on civilians,
a pledge it made under pressure after May's deadly raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla. The
report said Israel is allowing in more food and some building materials but is dragging its
feet on major construction projects and still banning most exports.
"We aren't seeing an easing of the blockade compared to Israel's declared aims," said
Karl Schembri of Oxfam, among the 21 groups behind the report. Others included
Amnesty International and Save the Children.
"It's not having any impact," he said.
Government spokesman Mark Regev said Israel is easing the blockade but must check
everything entering Gaza.
"We want to see civilian goods reach the civilian population of the Gaza Strip," he said.
"Obviously goods have to be checked to make sure weapons and dual-use goods don't
enter the Gaza Strip."
'Bureaucracy slows down projects'
The report said Israel's easing has focused on food and consumer products, which have
largely replaced dusty, tunnel-smuggled goods on Gaza's shelves. But it has had little
effect on larger projects.
The UN has plans to build 100 schools and 10,000 housing units, some to replace those
destroyed in the war. The report said it has been able to start only 7% of these and that
even they have been slowed by Israeli bureaucracy and strict border crossings.
Sayfa 39

Israel has allowed other groups to begin work on projects like sewage plants, wells and
community centers, but the report describes these as marginal compared with Gaza's
needs.
Overall, 11% of the materials entering Gaza before the blockade are now getting in, the
report said.
The report noted that Israel has allowed in materials like wood for building and butter
and fabric for factories. But it said the continued ban on most exports and raw materials
keeps 65% of Gaza's factories shut. (Yedioth Ahranot)
4. EGYPT / MISIR
The Obama administration on Monday raised serious questions about the "fairness and
transparency" of Egypt's weekend parliamentary elections, saying it was disappointed by
widespread reports of "irregularities" that cast doubt on the credibility of the polls in the
strong U.S. ally.
"We are disappointed by reports in the pre-election period of disruption of campaign
activities of opposition candidates and arrests of their supporters, as well as denial of
access to the media for some opposition voices," U.S. State Department spokesman P.J.
Crowley said.
He added that Washington was "dismayed by reports of election-day interference and
intimidation by security forces."
We are disappointed by reports in the pre-election period of disruption of campaign
activities of opposition candidates and arrests of their supporters, as well as denial of
access to the media for some opposition voices
U.S. State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley
Sayfa 40

On Monday, protesters set fire to cars, tires and two polling stations and clashed with
police firing tear gas in riots over allegations that Egypt's ruling party committed
widespread fraud to sweep the elections.
Official results in Sunday's election are due on Tuesday. Opposition charges of ballot
stuffing, bullying and other trickery marred the polls, but the Egyptian government said
the balloting was fair.
The State Department said Egyptian confidence in the election outcome would occur
when the government addresses "existing flaws" and ensures "full and transparent"
access by independent monitors and candidate representatives.
The outlawed but partly tolerated Muslim Brotherhood said on Monday a "rigged"
election had all but wiped out its presence in parliament, virtually eliminating opposition
to President Hosni Mubarak's ruling party before next year's presidential vote.
Egypt is a key U.S. ally in the Middle East and receives billions of dollars a year in U.S.
assistance. It is also a major player in now-stalled peace negotiations between Israel and
the Palestinians, an important foreign policy initiative for President Barack Obama who
delivered a major speech on U.S. relations with the Muslim world in Cairo last year.
Crowley said that despite its concerns, the United States wanted to work with the
Egyptian government and civic groups "to help them achieve their political, social and
economic aspirations."
Egypt had already angrily rejected U.S. criticism of its refusal to allow foreign monitors to
observe the polls, accusing Washington of interfering in its internal affairs.
Officials have indicated Mubarak, in power since 1981 and whose health has been under
renewed scrutiny since gallbladder surgery in March, will seek a new term if able. If not,
many Egyptians think his son, a top party official, will stand.
Sayfa 41

Investors have so far brushed off leadership worries, with the lure of Egypt's sturdy
growth outweighing uncertainty. (Al Arabiya)
Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood, the biggest opposition bloc in the outgoing parliament, said
on Monday it won no seats outright in the first round of a vote it said was rigged, but a
few candidates would stand in a run-off.
The Brotherhood is the main rival of the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) and its
candidates run as independents to skirt a ban on religious parties. It was contesting 30
percent of the lower house seats after winning an unprecedented fifth of seats in 2005.
The group said before the vote that it did not expect to repeat its 2005 performance, but
its early estimate, provided before official results expected on Tuesday, suggests a
crushing defeat.
Run-off vote
Analysts had said the government would seek to shove its most vocal critic in parliament
to the sidelines of official politics as it prepares for a presidential election in 2011.
"Only a few will stand in a run-off but not a single Brotherhood candidate won in the first
round," said Saad al-Katatni, the head of the Brotherhood's bloc of 88 seats in the
outgoing parliament, equivalent to a fifth of the assembly.
The run-off vote will be held on Dec. 5.
The NDP always deals heavy defeats to its opponents, but these two-round elections are
being watched for the space given to the government's critics and clues to the NDP's
strategy in a 2011 presidential vote.
Sunday's vote was marred by opposition charges of ballot stuffing, bullying and trickery.
Sayfa 42

The High Elections Commission, a body of judges and parliamentary nominees, said a
quarter of Egypt's 41 million registered voters turned out for Sunday's first round of
voting, Egyptian state television reported on Monday.
The Commission said the election was smooth with some cases of scattered violence and
fraud which were resolved.
NDP leading
State-owned newspapers said early indications from the count showed President Hosni
Mubarak's party was ahead in most areas and also said the Brotherhood had lost ground.
Magdy Abdel Hamid, head of the Egyptian Association for Community Participation
Enhancement, said the group's estimate of turnout was no more than 10 percent. This
was based on 1,000 monitors covering 40 of the 222 constituencies across Egypt.
Fueling the sense of unease, Egyptians the past year have grown increasingly vocal in
their anger over high prices, low wages, persistent unemployment and poor services
despite economic growth that has fueled a boom for the upper classes.
Sunday's voting saw sporadic violence -- police fired tear gas in one southern Cairo
district after police shut down a polling station, and in the southern city of Qena,
Brotherhood supporters threw firebombs at police who barred them from voting.
But a heavy presence of security forces, along with gangs of intimidating young men
hanging around outside polling stations, seemed to scare off most opposition supporters.
Only a trickle of voters, far less than in 2005, was seen throughout the day at most Cairo
and Alexandria polls.
"People are scared to leave their homes. Anyone is afraid of the thugs," said Abeer Fathi,
a 32-year old housewife in Cairo who nonetheless was able to vote for her Brotherhood
candidate. "The authorities are reassured because they know people won't turn up after
they scared them ahead of the vote."
Sayfa 43

"No to fraud"
After polls closed Sunday evening, Brotherhood supporters massed outside several
stations where votes were being counted. In Alexandria, around 800 chanted "no to
fraud" outside a police station, facing off with several hundred riot police and truckloads
of civilians touting long sticks. Brief scuffles broke out, though some Brotherhood
supporters tried to pull their colleagues out of any fighting.
Several hundred others marched toward a counting center in the Cairo district of Shubra
el-Kheima, but were blocked by a heavy security force. Some protesters threw bottles at
police, shouting, "No god but God! No to vote rigging."
At a press conference after polls closed, election commission spokesman Sameh el-
Kashef shrugged off accusations of fraud as "not worthy of comment."
"The Egyptians today have used their democratic right," he said, saying "a few violations"
were dealt with.
Ahead of Sunday's vote, Egypt rejected U.S. calls to allow foreign monitors to observe
the election.
Egypt argued there were enough local monitors to do the job. But civil society groups say
the election committee authorized only dozen monitors. It appeared Sunday that even
some of those with papers were being turned away.
The government sensitivity over the vote appears to stem from the uncertainty over the
presidential election.
Mubarak, who underwent gall bladder surgery in Germany last spring, has not said
whether he intends to run for another, six-year term, though senior ruling party figures
insist he will. Even if he runs, a new term would take him nearly to the age of 90, raising
questions whether he would complete it.
Sayfa 44

The president is widely thought to be grooming his son Gamal to succeed him. But the
46-year-old investment banker-turned-senior party leader faces some opposition within
the party and there is widespread resistance to "inheritance" of power among the public.
(Al Arabiya)
5. LEBANON / LÜBNAN
Syria and Hezbollah do not want the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) to take into
account telecommunications evidence linked to the 2005 assassination of former Prime
Minister Rafik Hariri, As-Safir newspaper reported on Tuesday.
“Any decision based on *telecom+ evidence will not be objective, considering Israel’s
infiltration of Lebanese phone networks,” the daily added.
Tension is high in Lebanon amid unconfirmed reports that the Special Tribunal for
Lebanon (STL) will soon issue an indictment in its investigation of former PM Rafik
Hariri’s 2005 assassination. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) reported on
November 21 that the STL has telecommunications evidence strongly linking Hezbollah
to the murder.
During a press conference last Tuesday, Telecommunications Minister Charbel Nahhas
said Israeli penetration of Lebanon’s telecom sector is “clear and proven” and that the
state and private sectors must work together to defend the networks. (Now Lebanon)
In the event that the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL)’s pending indictment is issued in
December, Hezbollah will implement “field plans” it has already laid out, pro-Hezbollah
Al-Akhbar newspaper reported on Tuesday.
Sayfa 45

“Hezbollah officials will not respond to any foreign actor and will implement their plans
*on the ground+,” the daily said.
However, the paper added that “the political conflict will shift to a more stable phase if
the court’s indictment were to be postponed until next March.”
Tension is high in Lebanon amid unconfirmed reports that the STL will soon issue its
indictment in former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri’s 2005 assassination. It is rumored that
the indictment will name Hezbollah members.
In a speech on November 11, Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said
that Hezbollah will “cut off the hand” of anyone who tries to arrest any of its members in
the case. (Now Lebanon)
Prime Minister Saad Hariri held talks Monday with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali
Khamenei in Tehran at the end of a landmark three-day visit to Iran that fostered
relations between the institutions of both states.
The website of Khamenei’s office said Khamenei expressed his satisfaction with the good
relationship between Hariri and Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah along with
other officials from the party.
“These relationships should become stronger than before,” Khamenei was quoted as
telling Hariri. “As long as the Zionist regime exists, Lebanon will need resistance.”
Iran’s Ambassador to Lebanon Ghazanfar Roknabadi, who spoke to reporters on his way
back to Lebanon after taking part in the three-day talks, said Khamenei told Hariri that
national unity is the best means to defend Lebanon.
The Iranian envoy said he was optimistic regarding the situation in Lebanon, “based on
what I am witnessing in my eyes.”
Sayfa 46

A final statement, issued at the end of the visit, said both sides stressed their
determination to consolidate relations between the two countries as well as between
the institutions, and to follow-up the implementation of agreements signed during the
visit of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to Lebanon as well as Hariri’s visit to
Tehran.
The statement said Iran supported national unity and stability in Lebanon along with
coexistence as a model for the democracy in the country.
After the meeting with Khamenei, Hariri and the accompanying Lebanese delegation
held an expanded session of talks with Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad-Reza
Rahimi at Saadabad Complex, followed by the inking of nine memorandums of
understanding for cooperation in social, cultural, labor and educational affairs.
At a joint news conference with Rahimi, Hariri said the political results of his visit were
“good and useful because they again highlighted the common principles on which the
relations of both countries are founded and has proved beyond any doubt that Iran is a
friendly state with good intentions toward Lebanon.”
“In the name of the national unity Cabinet that represents all the Lebanese, we express
a united Lebanese will to establish warm and strong ties with the Islamic Republic via the
relevant institutions of both countries,” Hariri added.
The premier said matters were heading in the right direction regarding a disputed UNbacked
tribunal looking into the assassination of his slain father, former Prime Minister
Rafik Hariri, as he highlighted the role of Saudi-Syrian efforts and inter-Lebanese
dialogue.
“Things are going in the right direction and under two huge umbrellas: the umbrella of
the Lebanese national dialogue which will not stop between Lebanese leaders despite
the tense rhetoric, and Syrian-Saudi auspices of continuous efforts to remedy the
Sayfa 47

situation,” said Hariri: “I am also confident that other friendly states, including Iran, are
following up on this matter with responsibility.”
Lebanon is witnessing mounting tensions over the UN-backed Special Tribunal for
Lebanon (STL). The Hizbullah-led March 8 coalition has dismissed the court as an “Israeli
project” targeting the resistance. The party predicted that a number of its members
would be named in an imminent STL indictment, while Hizbullah denies any involvement
in the assassination.
Nevertheless, March 14 parties, headed by Hariri, insist the tribunal is the only means to
punish criminals.
Saudi Arabia and Syria are playing a mediating role in a bid to reach a compromise
acceptable to both sides.
Hariri said the consistency of Lebanese and regional stability was deeply discussed during
his talks with Iranian officials. “We stressed Lebanon’s right to liberate its territories in
the south, its commitment to implementing Resolution 1701 and support of the Arab
peace initiative,” he added.
The prime minister said the economic results of the talks “are moving toward a serious
and fruitful dialogue, which we hope to continue by establishing the Lebanese-Iranian
High Committee.”
The committee is to convene within three months in Iran, with the first session to be
attended by Hariri, the Lebanese delegation sources said.
“In parallel to this step, cooperation is planned in the fields of energy, power, oil-drilling
and the enhancement of technical and vocational capabilities along with the exchange of
expertise of administrative reform,” Hariri said. He added that his Cabinet was
committed to its policy statement which stipulated that Lebanon’s people, army and
resistance have the right to liberate and defend the country. “This is what we are
committed to and national unity is what protects us,” he said.
Sayfa 48

For his part, Rahimi said: “Prime Minister Hariri and senior Lebanese officials’ wisdom
can easily resolve the crisis, and the Lebanese Cabinet will solve all the problems.”
“As for the tribunal, the Islamic Republic supports uncovering the truth in its true
meaning and stresses the need for the international tribunal to stay away from political
disputes,” Rahimi added.
The Iranian official said Iran “highly appreciates” Hariri’s visit because “it enhances the
firmness of bilateral ties and mutual cooperation on all levels.”
Hariri invited Rahimi for an official visit to Lebanon.
On the first two days of the visit, Hariri held talks with an array of senior Iranian officials
including Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Speaker Ali Larijani, Secretary of
Supreme National Security Council Saeed Jalili and Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr
Mottaki. After holding talks with Hariri, Larijani went to Damascus.
Lebanese delegation sources said that Hariri was touched when Rahimi called for reading
the Koranic Al-Fatiha verse in memory of Rafik Hariri at the end of the first sessions of
talks Saturday. (The Daily Star of Lebanon)
6. SYRIA / SURİYE
Prime Minister Mohammad Naji Otri and Vice-Speaker of the Russian Federation's State
Duma Valery Yazev discussed means to boost Syrian-Russian cooperation, increase trade
exchange and establish joint investment and development projects.
Talks also dealt with cooperation in energy, oil exploration, phosphate industry and air
transport in addition to overcoming obstacles facing this cooperation serving the
interests of both countries and peoples.
Sayfa 49

Otri presented an overview on Syria's development indicators and what has been
achieved in growth, Gross Domestic Product and investment fields. (SANA)
President al-Assad's discussions with Ali Larijani, the Iranian Islamic Consultative
Assembly Speaker, on Monday focused on the 5th Conference of the Asian Parliamentary
Assembly (APA), and the importance of coordinating its member countries' efforts as to
reach to practical results, up to the ambitions of their peoples.
The role of Parliamentarians in activating relations among Asian Countries and bolstering
them in all fields was also discussed.
Further, the meeting touched upon the fraternal bonds and historical relations between
Syria and Iran and the big development characterizing these relations.
Developments of conditions in the region, especially in the occupied Palestinian
territories, and the latest developments regarding Iranian nuclear file were also
reviewed.
The meeting was attended by Syrian People's Assembly Speaker, Dr. Mahmoud al-
Abrash, the delegation accompanying Mr. Larijani and the Ambassador of Iran to
Damascus.
In the same context, Vice President Farouq al-Shara met Larijani in the presence of
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Hussein Sheikh al-Islam, former Chairman of the Iranian
Islamic Shura Council Haddad Adel and the Iranian Ambassador in Damascus.
In a statement to the press, Larijani said that his meeting with President al-Assad dealt
with bilateral and economic issues and the challenges facing the region, pointing out that
the Iranian-Syrian relations are strategic.
Sayfa 50

Larijani considered the viewpoints of the two countries concerning Iraq and Lebanon
identical and that their efforts aim at preserving the unity and stability of these two
countries.
He pointed out that Syria and Iran are on the same track towards the Israeli practices,
stressing the two countries support to the resistance.
Larijani said that the Zionist entity is behind the terrorist attack which targeted two
university professors in Tehran on Monday.
He expressed gratitude for Syria over hosting the 5th conference of the Asian
Parliamentary Assembly, calling on the participating countries to cooperate with each
other to serve their peoples. (SANA)
During its general session, held on Monday, the 5th Conference of the Asian
Parliamentary Assembly (APA) elected members of the Assembly's Executive Council to
be chaired by Syria over the next two years.
The Council will encompass new member states such as Russia, Turkey, Korea and
Bahrain, and each one of them will head one of the Council's committees which are
specialized in social and cultural affairs, in addition to developing and supporting
economic affairs and forging the closing statement.
Speaker of the Syrian People's Assembly Dr. Mahmoud al-Abrash thanked Indonesia's
House of Representatives Speaker Marzuki Alie for his distinguished chairmanship of the
Assembly over the past two years as many important statements were issued in that
period and the number of the Troika's member states in the region increased.
For his part Head of the APA Executive Council Muhammad Hidayat Nur Wahid said the
cooperation between all the APA member states enabled him to approve a large number
Sayfa 51

of draft statements, underlining the importance of translating them on the ground to be
an example to follow by the parliamentarians on the international level.
The APA Secretary General Dr. Nejad Hosseinian stressed the importance of benefiting
from the Asian parliaments in achieving the development plans through enhancing
cooperation among all the APA member states, indicating that these institutions can
realize legislative integration among them.
Dr. Hosseinian called for finding suitable solutions for the problems threatening peace
and security in Asia, indicating that the proposed conferences during 2011 will focus on
issues related to the principles of cooperation and friendship relations in Asia, in addition
to the global financial crisis, the integrated energy market, religious dialogue and the
dialogue among Asian cultures.
Chairman of the Islamic Parliament of Iran Ali Larijani said that Asia is facing great
challenges today, on top of which the global financial crisis, the globalization and its
repercussions on the cultures of the countries and nations.
Larijani called for benefiting from the common interests binding the Asian countries and
enhancing coordination and cooperation among them in the optimal way to play a role
towards their issues, particularly with regard to the developmental ones.
He referred to the criminal acts committed by the Israeli occupation forces against the
Palestinian people and their constant attacks against the neighboring Arab countries,
adding that the so called "law of the Israeli Knesset" with regard to running a
referendum before withdrawing from the occupied Arab territories in the Syrian Golan
and East Jerusalem is a violation of all the UN relevant resolutions.
He affirmed that the Israeli Zionist entity causes a big crisis in the region, calling for
exerting all possible efforts to get rid of it.
He warned against the American schemes which aim at imposing hegemony on energy
resources in the region.
Sayfa 52

During the APA evening session, Chairman of the Arab and Foreign Affairs Committee at
the Syrian People's Assembly Suleiman Hadad underlined the importance of achieving
the just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East as it is considered the basic issue in
the region.
Hadad added the peace process is still hindered by Israel's obstinacy and arrogance and
its determination on considering occupation and force the only logic as it continues its
aggressions and siege, indicating that Israel's last attack against Gaza Strip was clear
evidence on the brutality of the terrorism logic in which it believes.
He underlined the importance of facing the Israeli racist plot which aims at Judaizing
Jerusalem.
Hadad called upon the APA to form a delegation for visiting the besieged Gaza Strip, the
occupied Syrian Golan and the Arab detainees at the Israeli prisons to inspect the state
terrorism practiced by Israel against the Arab people.
He also called for making the Middle East a nuclear-free zone, and compelling Israel to
join the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) and to put all of its nuclear facilities
under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Hadad pointed out that Syria supports the participation of women in the People's
Assembly and enables them to participate in drawing the policy of the country.
He expressed hope that the APA current session will come up with a number of
suggestions and recommendations that would improve the living conditions of Asia's
people to live in a world where peace and freedom prevail.
For his part Head of the Lebanese delegation Hassan Fadlallah said that the APA meeting
aims at opening new prospects of cooperation among its member states in the domains
of economy, culture and policy, indicating to the great potentials enjoyed by Asia which
form a solid basis for achieving development.
Sayfa 53

Fadlallah added meeting in Syria allows us to review the most important Asian issues due
to the important geographical location of the country and its key and effective role
towards issues of the region.
He affirmed that Israel is the reason behind all the crises in the region as it depends on
occupation, aggression and expansion, in addition to its constant attempts to obliterate
the identity of the occupied Arab territories.
He added that Israel doesn't only occupies the lands, but it also works on displacing
people and building settlements, as well as demolishing houses, mosques and churches
and killing innocent people. (SANA)
7. ARABIAN PENINSULA AND THE GULF OF BASRA / ARAP YARIMADASI VE BASRA
KÖRFEZİ
Qataris believe that the leaking of the US diplomatic reports is part of a ploy to
exacerbate tension between Iran and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), a Qatari daily
reported.
"It is all deliberate. We can clearly see through the ploy," Dr Mozah Al Malki, a Qatari
psychologist, said. "The idea of the so-called leaks is to further intensify tension between
Iran and the GCC,” she said, quoted by the Peninsula on Tuesday.
According to the daily, "The so-called expose by the much-touted whistle-blowing
website WikiLeaks involving Iran and three GCC states do not have many takers in
Qatar."
People suspect that the US could be behind the so-called large-scale leakage of its
"classified" diplomatic communication with some sinister motive.
Sayfa 54

While it is apparent that Tehran is the main target of these "well-thought-out and
conspiratorial" disclosures, three GCC entities known not to have cordial relations with
Iran have been dragged into the controversy, Qataris said.
"These obvious entities are Saudi Arabia, which has strained relations with Tehran for a
long time, Abu Dhabi, which is involved in a tug-of-war with Iran over the three islands
issue, and Bahrain where Tehran is privately blamed for backing Shiites."
Al Malki said that since Iranians are present in large numbers in Saudi Arabia and other
GCC states, Iran would never attack the Gulf region.
"What lends more credence to public suspicion about the 'leak drama' is the fact that
Egypt where the US has been openly 'screaming' against corruption, is out of the entire
'expose episode'," the daily reported, quoting unnamed Qataris.
"And the fact that the US administration, including the US Embassy in Doha, has instantly
and sharply reacted to the entire drama to convince people around the world that the
leaks are genuine, creates more suspicion of the whole thing being fake," the paper said.
"How can you penetrate into the information system of the world’s most powerful
nation without the backing of those who matter,” a Qatari national reportedly
wondered.
The leaking of hundreds of thousands of classified US diplomatic messages by a website
is impossible without some kind of “influential or official backing” in the US itself, Qataris
said.
The paper reported that information technology (IT) circles, on the other hand, said that
even if master hackers were involved it would not be possible to hack into the US
information bastion so easily.
Sayfa 55

“We know that nothing can remain confidential in today’s world due to the information
explosion, but targeted and large-scale leaks of highly classified information is not
possible without official connivance,” a source, unidentified by the daily, said.
The ‘WikiLeaks’ report on Qatar funding terrorism was a hot topic of debate on various
social websites.
Many people disagreed with the US on the allegation, the paper said. However, it said
that some people claimed they were pleased with the assessment proving that Qatar
was following its independent policies and was not Washington's stooge. (Gulf News)
Iran on Monday said thousands of US diplomatic messages leaked a day earlier by the
WikiLeaks website were worthless and would not have any impact on Iran's relations
with Arab countries.
According to the cables, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain urged the United States to halt Iran's
nuclear programme by any means, including a military attack.
"We do not bother to take these documents seriously, and they will have no impact on
our relations," Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said at a press conference in
Tehran.
In the Gulf, official reaction was mute with analysts saying none was expected.
"We should not expect a reaction, particularly in the Gulf where leaders and officials are
used to dealing discreetly with issues," Sulaiman Nimr, the head of a Gulf think-tank, told
a French TV station.
Genuine concerns
Dr Abdul Khaleq Abdullah, a political science professor at the UAE University, said that
the leaks show an "inflated" fear of Iran in the Gulf but added those fears were "real".
Sayfa 56

"Sometimes it is difficult to express the fears in all their dimensions and it is easier to
relay them behind [closed] doors. That should not be surprising," he said.
"[The leaks] shouldn't be embarrassing to the Gulf states. They just stated the unstated.
It's normal."
However, Saudi analyst Abdul Aziz Sager, chairman of the Dubai-based Gulf Research
Centre, said the leaks could affect the credibility of the United States.
"The question is, how far do you trust the United States and their secrecy after this
misuse of information? They will take precautions in the future [in their relations with
Washington]." (Gulf News)
King Abdullah of Jordan will deliver the keynote address while US Secretary of State
Hillary Rodham Clinton will give the opening speech of the Manama Dialogue, organisers
said.
The foreign ministers of the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Iran, Yemen, Jordan, Iraq, Afghanistan,
Australia and Sweden are also expected to take part in the three-day conference on
December 3-5 organised annually by the Bahrain Foreign Ministry and the London-based
International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).
"The seventh IISS Regional Security Summit, the Manama Dialogue, will bring together
the highest concentration to date of policymakers involved in regional security," IISS
officials said.
According to organisers, the 25 government delegations will include prime ministers,
foreign and defence ministers, chiefs of defence staff, permanent secretaries, military
and intelligence chiefs and distinguished delegates from the private sector.
"The IISS Manama Dialogue is the most important regional security meeting in the
Middle East and an excellent anchor for regional security diplomacy.
Sayfa 57

"In providing opportunities for government leaders to deliver public statements and
facilitating private bilateral and multilateral meetings, the Manama Dialogue has helped
to consolidate regional defence policy, improve counter-terrorism cooperation and
facilitate the coordination of non-proliferation proposals," IISS said.
Key participants
Prince Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander,
Bahrain; Zalmai Rassoul, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Afghanistan; Kevin Rudd, Minister of
Foreign Affairs, Australia; Shaikh Khalid Bin Ahmad Bin Mohammad Al Khalifa, Minister of
Foreign Affairs, Bahrain;
Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence and Minister for the Atlantic Gateway,
Canada; Admiral Edouard Guillaud, Chief of Defence Staff, France; Christian Schmidt,
Parliamentary State Secretary for Defence, Germany; Manouchehr Mottaki, Minister of
Foreign Affairs, Iran;
Dr Barham Saleh, Prime Minister, Kurdistan Regional Government, Iraq; Hoshyar Zebari,
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Iraq; Hajime Hirota, Parliamentary Secretary of Defence,
Japan;
King Abdullah II of Jordan; Nasser Judeh, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jordan; Dr
Mohammad Al Sabah Al Salem Al Sabah, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign
Affairs, Kuwait;
Lieutenant General Waheed Arshad Chaudhry, Chief of the General Staff, Pakistan;
Shaikh Hamad Bin Jasem Bin Jabr Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign
Affairs, Qatar;
Prince Nayef Bin Ahmad Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, Adviser to Crown Prince Sultan, Saudi
Arabia; Prince Turki Al Faisal Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, Chairman, Board of Directors, King
Faisal Centre for Research and Islamic Studies, Saudi Arabia;
Sayfa 58

Teo Chee Hean, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, Singapore; Carl Bildt,
Minister for Foreign Affairs, Sweden; Professor Dr Ahmet Davutoglu, Minister of Foreign
Affairs, Turkey;
Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs, UAE; Lieutenant
General Hamad Thani Al Romaithi, Chief of Staff, UAE Armed Forces;
Dr Liam Fox, Secretary of State for Defence, UK; General Sir David Richards, Chief of the
Defence Staff, UK;
Hillary Rodham Clinton, Secretary of State, US; General James Mattis, Commander, US
Central Command; General Walter Natynczyk, Chief of the Defence Staff, Department of
National Defence, US; and Dr Abu Bakr Al Qirbi, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yemen. (Gulf
News)
US State Secretary Hillary Clinton, suffering her most embarrassing setback following the
publication of secret diplomatic reports, will this week sit with ministers whose leaders'
private comments on a wide range of sensitive issues were reported by US ambassadors
and, following a leak, published globally.
Clinton will deliver the opening speech of the annual Manama Dialogue on Saturday as
she joins the foreign ministers of Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE, Yemen, Turkey,
Jordan, Iraq and Iran in the Bahraini capital.
Several senior defence and security officials from 25 countries will also attend the
December 3-5 conference.
Several of the US diplomatic cables released late on Sunday by whistleblower website
WikiLeaks and its five media partners included caustic assessments of senior officials and
reported the private views of Arab leaders on the situation in Iraq, Afghanistan and Iran
and on ways to tackle terrorism.
Sayfa 59

The publication of the reports could be potentially damaging, particularly that most Arab
leaders favour private and quiet diplomacy.
Tweeting his view, Shaikh Khalid Bin Ahmad Al Khalifa, Bahrain's foreign minister, said
that the Wikileaks had "weakened diplomacy in general and US diplomacy in particular."
"This is not good for global stability. We need more diplomacy," he said, before adding in
a light afterthought "the American ambassador just sent me an email labelled
'UNCLASSIFIED'..."
In Kuwait, US ambassador Deborah Jones published a letter in which she regretted the
leak of private conversations and stressed the significance of relations and cooperation
between her country and Kuwait.
Kuwaiti news portal Al Aan reported the envoy as saying that diplomatic cables did not
necessarily always reflect the US official foreign policy.
Observers insist the incident is not likely to affect relations between the Arab countries
and the US or with Iran.
"It is somewhat ugly, but will not affect relations," a Bahraini analyst, speaking on
condition of anonymity, said. "Relations are really robust and do not get affected by such
things. However, Arabs are likely to wonder how private their private conversations and
idea exchanges with the Americans will be," he said.
Hours after the world read the comments of several Arab leaders and their behind-doors
attitudes towards sensitive issues, no country in the Arab world made an official
statement.
"We should not expect a reaction, particularly in the Gulf where leaders and officials are
used to dealing discreetly with issues," Sulayman Nimr, the head of a Gulf think tank, said
in comments to a French television. "While the leak will not have an impact on the long
standing and continuous relations between the US and the Gulf, the Gulf countries will
Sayfa 60

certainly be more cautious with US officials amid concerns about a possible leak of
information in their military, security and economic discussions," he said.
In Tehran, Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad dismissed the leaked cables on its
relations with neighbouring Arab countries as "not valuable" and accused the US
administration of releasing them intentionally.
Answering a question by Iran's Press TV over the whistleblower website's "leaks,"
Ahmadinejad said: "Let me first correct you. The material was not leaked, but rather
released in an organised way."
"The US administration released them and based on them they pass judgment … The
documents have no legal value and will not have the political effect they seek," the
Iranian president said at a press briefing in Tehran.
According to Ahmadinejad, the Wikileaks "game" is "not worth commenting upon and no
one should waste their time reviewing them," Press TV reported. (Gulf News)
Al-Jawf governorate is one of the most remote areas of Yemen, despite its fertile
agriculture and its special history and culture, however at the same time it is one of the
most troubled regions in the country as well. Many people are too afraid to visit al-Jawf
due to the tribal rule in the area and the availability of arms, not to mention what has
been said about the existence of gangs in the area and the weakness of the
government's presence there.
Asharq Al-Awsat is visiting the Al-Jawf governorate, where the Yemeni Shiite Huthi
movement has a strong presence. Illustrating the dangers and violence that are rife in
this region, a suicide car bomber attacked a convoy of Yemeni Shiite Huthis on their way
to a religious ceremony last Wednesday, killing 17 including a religious cleric and tribal
figures, 15 others were wounded in this attack.
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Initially everybody pointed the finger of accusation at Al Qaeda for this attack, as it is the
only organization that utilizes suicide attacks in this manner, not to mention car-bombs,
despite the fact that the Huthis were the only group not to accuse Al Qaeda, instead
accusing the US and Israeli intelligence services. The Huthis repeated this accusation
following a second suicide bombing that took place on Friday in Dahyan, killing 3 and
wounding many others. This suicide bombing targeted a convoy of cars that were
traveling from Saada to Dahyan to attend the funeral of the spiritual leader of the Huthi
rebels, Badreddin al-Huthi, who died on Thursday at the age of 86. Almost all parties
accused the Al Qaeda organization of being behind this suicide attack that targeted the
Huthis – the second attack in one week – except for the Huthis themselves, according to
sources in al-Jawf.
On the day of the second suicide bombing, Asharq Al-Awsat was present at the funeral of
Sheikh Abdullah al-Azi Abdan's son, Yousef Abdan, who was killed in the previous
bombing. Tribal dignitaries and elders, political figures, and even some members of the
Salafist trend stopped by to pay their respects and offer Sheikh Abdan their condolences
for his loss, condemning the terrorist attack.
However his was not like other funerals in which Quran verses are read and prayers
given for the soul of the departed, for the place filled to the brim with mourners and
worshippers after a religious cleric began to give a sermon utilizing a microphone and
loudspeakers. Anybody listening to the voice of this young cleric might have thought they
were listening to Abdul-Malik al-Huthi himself, such was his popularity.
This sermon did not mention the deceased at all, or offer any prayers that he should rest
in peace, but rather this was a purely political sermon and repeated the same
accusations that were made in the statement issued previously by the Huthis, namely
that the US and Israel were behind the attacks.
However it must also be mentioned that the majority of those attending this funeral
were not Huthis, and Asharq Al-Awsat can confirm that it heard mourners speculating
Sayfa 62

that Al Qaeda is truly behind these attacks. One of the mourners said "if they had
accused the State of being involved in what happened, this may have been an acceptable
accusation [but not the US and Israel]."
Attempting to uncover the true identity of who is behind these suicide attacks, Asharq
Al-Awsat learned from informed sources in al-Jawf governorate that this attack was
nothing more than a retaliatory attack by Al Qaeda against the Shiite Huthis, after Huthi
rebels seized 2 Al Qaeda members approximately one month ago and handed them over
to the government.
Several sources revealed to Asharq Al-Awsat that the Al Qaeda organization in al-Jawf
issued a statement strongly criticizing the Huthis for handing over their members to the
government for trial, promising retaliation. A Yemeni security source in al-Jawf also
informed Asharq Al-Awsat that the two suicide bombs had the hallmarks of an Al Qaeda
operation. This security official, who spoke to Asharq Al-Awsat on the condition of
anonymity, revealed the presence of a secret war between the Shiite Huthi rebels and
the Salafist Al Qaeda organization. He gave examples of this war, including the Al Qaeda
statement mentioned above, a number of Huthi statements that have criticized Al Qaeda
and accused it of having US-backing. The security official also revealed that the Huthis
had also attacked Al Qaeda members at mosques.
Dr. Abdullah al-Faqih, a professor of political science at Sanaa University informed
Asharq Al-Awsat that he also believes that Al Qaeda were behind the two recent suicide
bombings, saying that "the method and style [of the bombings] are those of Al Qaeda,
for I have never heard a Yemeni tribe taking revenge via a suicide attack." As for the
Huthis accusing the US and Israel of being responsible for this, Dr. al-Faqih said that "the
Huthis do not want to be seen as fighting on the same side with America against Al
Qaeda." He also said that it is not in the interests of the Huthis at the present time to
accuse the government of being responsible for these attacks "in order not to affect the
Qatari peace efforts…and they *also+ fear this conflict being given sectarian dimensions if
Sayfa 63

they accuse Al Qaeda." The Yemeni academic also spoke of his belief that there is a
"hidden ploy to transform the Saudi – Yemeni border into a troubled region" saying that
this would be in the interests of "many parties, both internal and external."
Asharq Al-Awsat found it extremely difficult to get clear answers to some questions in al-
Jawf governorate, most notably the question; who is truly behind these bombings? This
is a small governorate with a relatively low population where everybody knows
everybody else, and so it would be easy to discover if there have been any unfamiliar
faces around.
The Huthis say they do not know the identity of the suicide bomber, as do the Yemeni
authorities. However the Yemeni security official who spoke to Asharq Al-Awsat on the
condition of anonymity revealed that the Huthis had prevented the Yemeni authorities
from completing their investigation into the attacks by not allowing the investigators
access to the scene of the attack, and not handing over the suicide bombers remain and
other evidence to the authorities. Asharq Al-Awsat confirmed this information after
obtaining proof that the car used in the initial suicide attack remains in the Huthi
stronghold.
Therefore it is clear that there is a shadow war taking place behind the scenes in al-Jawf
governorate between the Huthis and Al Qaeda, and this is a conflict that we can only
expect to get worse. (Asharq Al Awsat)
8. SOUTH ASIA / GÜNEY ASYA
PAKISTAN / PAKİSTAN
Sayfa 64

Pakistan on Monday said it considered the “extremely negative reports” carried on
Pakistan-Saudi relations attributed to WikiLeaks as “misleading and contrary to facts”. “It
is quite evident that these mischievous reports reveal the utter inadequacy of the author
to grasp the essence of the Pakistan-Saudi relationship,” Foreign Office spokesman Abdul
Basit responded to the WikiLeaks documents that revealed on Sunday.The spokesman
said Pakistan enjoys a very special and unique relationship with the Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia, adding that Pakistani leadership, government and the people held the leadership
and the people of Saudi Arabia not only in very high esteem but as true friends and
brothers.
He mentioned that Saudi Arabia, King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz, the Royal family and the
people of Saudi Arabia always stood by Pakistan.
Basit said the national and international press carried excerpts from documents brought
to public light by WikiLeaks, and said these documents reportedly pertained to official
communications within the US government system.
He said the U.S had alerted Pakistan to the unauthorized leaks.
“Since these leaks are in the public domain, we would obviously look at these closely
with a view to ensuring that Pakistan’s national interest are not compromised in any
manner. However, we are not in the position to comment on the veracity of U.S internal
documents.”
The spokesman said Pakistan was an advanced nuclear technology state and no one
could touch Pakistan’s nuclear facilities and assets.
He said the reports concerning Pakistan’s experimental nuclear reactor acknowledged
that Pakistan did not allow any transfer of the fuel from the experimental reactor.
He said this experimental reactor was installed in the mid-60s with the support of the
United States (U.S) which also initially provided the fuel for this facility. The U.S
suggestion to have the fuel transferred was plainly refused by Pakistan.
Sayfa 65

He said the suggestion that the reactor was producing highly enriched uranium was
completely incorrect. (Associated Press of Pakistan)
The WikiLeaks documents reveal that Israeli intelligence agency Mossad was concerned
for former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf’s well-being and wanted him to remain
in power in 2007. The revelation was made in a secret cable message originating from
the American embassy in Tel Aviv.
It records a meeting between Mossad chief and US Under-Secretary of State Nicholas
Burns under the Bush administration.
Mr Burns met Mossad chief Meir Dagan on Aug 17, 2007, to give his assessment of the
Middle East region, Pakistan and Turkey.
The Israeli spy chief said he was concerned about how long President Musharraf would
survive.
“He is facing a serious problem with the militants. Pakistan’s nuclear capability could end
up in the hands of an Islamic regime.”
Dagan observed that Musharraf appeared to be losing control and his coalition partners
could threaten him in the future.
He linked Musharraf’s retaining control over Pakistan to his dual president and
commander-in-chief role.
The cable says that if Musharraf cannot retain his army role, he will have problems.
The Mossad chief referred to attempts on Musharaf’s life and wondered whether he
could survive the coming years. (Dawn)
Sayfa 66

The WikiLeaks documents reveal that Israeli intelligence agency Mossad was concerned
for former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf’s well-being and wanted him to remain
in power in 2007. The revelation was made in a secret cable message originating from
the American embassy in Tel Aviv.
It records a meeting between Mossad chief and US Under-Secretary of State Nicholas
Burns under the Bush administration.
Mr Burns met Mossad chief Meir Dagan on Aug 17, 2007, to give his assessment of the
Middle East region, Pakistan and Turkey.
The Israeli spy chief said he was concerned about how long President Musharraf would
survive.
“He is facing a serious problem with the militants. Pakistan’s nuclear capability could end
up in the hands of an Islamic regime.”
Dagan observed that Musharraf appeared to be losing control and his coalition partners
could threaten him in the future.
He linked Musharraf’s retaining control over Pakistan to his dual president and
commander-in-chief role.
The cable says that if Musharraf cannot retain his army role, he will have problems.
The Mossad chief referred to attempts on Musharaf’s life and wondered whether he
could survive the coming years. (Dawn)
The symbolism, trade deals and fine words of Barack Obama’s courtship of India should
be Pakistan’s wake-up call to fix its economy and eradicate militancy to ward off
isolation, analysts say.
Sayfa 67

The US president declared India a world power, the India-US alliance “one of the defining
partnerships of the 21st century” and unveiled deals worth 10 billion dollars designed to
create 50,000 American jobs in an ailing economy.
Going further than any US president before, he backed India’s quest for a permanent
seat on the UN Security Council, although with no immediate prospect of reform and
likely strong Chinese opposition, it was a largely symbolic move.
Just weeks after Pakistan’s latest round of “strategic dialogue” with the US in a bid to
overcome mistrust, the warm embrace between Obama and Indian Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh stood in stark contrast.
“Pakistanis have to be more realistic on understanding India’s growing international
role,” political analyst Hasan Askari told AFP.
“India is investing in the United States while our economy is in bad shape. There is no
Pakistani investment in the West, very little in the Middle East. We ask for money from
the United States, while India does not.”
Indian deals will funnel 10 billion dollars into the US economy, while under a US Congress
bill American taxpayers fork out 1.5 billion a year for development in Pakistan with
promises of another two billion dollars in military assistance.
While Obama’s visit reflects the shift in power to emerging nations since the financial
crisis, Pakistan is a considered client state with a Taliban and al Qaeda presence plotting
to kill US soldiers and fanning the war in Afghanistan.
Pakistan, whose status as a nuclear power still alarms the West, has been stifled by
decades of military rule, recession and religious extremism.
Its security forces are fighting a Taliban insurgency in the northwest.
Bomb attacks have killed thousands nationwide and its tribal belt is considered an al
Qaeda headquarters subject to a covert US drone war.
Sayfa 68

Writing in The News daily, public policy consultant Mosharraf Zaidi said the only lesson
to draw from Obama’s visit was “the deals being made”.
“While we drown in the inanities of this country’s infinite and perpetual search for
identity, we are deepening our current bankruptcy, and ensuring a future of mostly
begging for handouts.”
With Obama visiting Indonesia, APEC in Japan and the G20 in South Korea, Zaidi said:
“The reason he is not visiting Pakistan is obvious. Pakistan does not belong on that list of
countries and that is not India’s fault.”
Analysts say Islamabad should soften its foreign policy, dominated by the anti-Indian
military, to avoid isolation as the United States looks to end the war against the Afghan
Taliban.
“In today’s world, defeat can be described in one way only: international
isolation…Pakistan must learn to be more objective about the crisis it is facing
internally,” wrote The Express Tribune in an editorial.
“Pakistan can sort out this crisis through self-correction.”
But there was also gratitude; unlike British Prime Minister David Cameron — who
sparked a diplomatic crisis when he accused Pakistan of exporting terror while in India —
Obama refused to be drawn into fresh criticism of Islamabad.
He urged India and Pakistan to resolve their differences and called on Islamabad to do
more against militants, but acknowledged the country was making progress against what
he called the “cancer” of extremism.
Askari said in what was a nod to the US realisation that the country is indispensable to
forging peace in Afghanistan, Obama did not sideline Pakistan.
Sayfa 69

“What he said about terrorist havens in the tribal areas is what the Americans have been
saying before his visit…he avoided any criticism of Pakistan which the Indians were
expecting,” said Askari.
Former lieutenant general-turned-security analyst Talat Masood said Pakistan was
obviously concerned by US-India ties, and would remain apprehensive about India unless
relations with Pakistan are normalised.
“But there is not much it can do. Pakistan has to adjust itself to the existing reality. It
should improve its own domestic situation,” Masood said. (Dawn)
The government started securing the attacked websites on Tuesday, shortly after a
group of hackers calling themselves the ‘Indian Cyber Army’ gained root access to a main
server hosting important Pakistani government websites.
In an email sent to media outlets earlier, the hackers’ group claimed to have gained root
access to the server hosting the websites.
Meanwhile, a report said the government’s experts claimed the cyber attack had been
successfully thwarted.
The group managed to hack at least 36 out of the 40 websites which are reportedly being
hosted on the hacked server.
The hackers had inserted a page on the websites declaring that they had successfully
rooted the server. The websites had not been entirely defaced.
The hacking attempt appears to be associated with the Mumbai attacks.
Details pertaining to the group behind the attack are not clear. Dawn.com is investigating
the matter. (Dawn)
Sayfa 70

A suicide bomber blew himself up near a police station in northwestern Pakistan on
Tuesday, killing six people, including two children, officials said.
The attack occurred in the town of Bannu, which lies close to Pakistan’s tribal belt on the
Afghan border.
“It was a suicide attack. The bomber came on foot and detonated himself near a police
van close to a police station,” said Bannu police chief Iftikhar Khan.
“The death toll is now six. They include two boys aged seven and nine, one police official
and three pedestrians. Nineteen people were injured,” Khan told AFP.
Officials had said earlier that four people died.
“Our van was the target of the blast,” police official Raza Khan told AFP.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, but Taliban militants
frequently bomb government security forces in the northwest.
Around 4,000 people have been killed in suicide and bomb attacks across Pakistan since
government forces raided an extremist mosque in Islamabad in 2007. The attacks have
been blamed on Taliban and al Qaeda-linked networks. (Dawn)
Pakistan on Monday defended its decision to deny a U.S. request to remove fuel from
one of its nuclear reactors despite reported concerns that it could be diverted to make
an illicit weapon.
The disagreement between the two allies first surfaced Sunday when several news
organizations reported details from nearly a quarter million classified U.S. diplomatic
cables released by the online whistle-blower Wikileaks.
Sayfa 71

According to the cables, the U.S. has for years led top secret efforts to remove highly
enriched uranium from Pakistan, worried it could be used to make an illicit nuclear
device.
U.S. officials have long expressed concern that Islamic extremists in Pakistan could target
the country's nuclear program in an attempt to steal a weapon or, more likely, the
materials needed to build one.
Islamabad has been adamant that its nuclear weapons are in safe hands and U.S.
President Barack Obama has publicly concurred.
But the leaked cables reportedly reveal the U.S. has doubts and has clashed with
Pakistan over the issue.
"No one can touch Pakistan's nuclear facilities and assets," Foreign Ministry spokesman
Abdul Basit said in a press release.
Islamist militants embarked on a nationwide bombing campaign across Pakistan in 2007,
the same year that the cables said the secret efforts began.
The U.S. has since then mounted an unsuccessful secret effort to remove from a
Pakistani reactor highly enriched uranium that American officials fear could be diverted
for use in an illicit nuclear device, according to The New York Times, one of several news
organizations that received the leaked cables in advance.
Removing fuel
Former U.S. Ambassador Anne Patterson reported in May 2009 that Pakistan refused to
schedule a visit by American technical experts, according to the newspaper, because, as
a Pakistani official said, "if the local media got word of the fuel removal, 'they certainly
would portray it as the United States taking Pakistan's nuclear weapons,' he argued."
Rumors that the U.S. is intent on seizing Pakistan's nuclear arsenal have contributed to
strong anti-American sentiment in the country despite frequent denials by U.S. officials.
Sayfa 72

Basit, the Foreign Ministry spokesman, confirmed that Pakistan refused Washington's
request to remove fuel from the reactor but denied it was producing highly enriched
uranium. He criticized Wikileaks for releasing the documents.
"We condemn the irresponsible disclosure of sensitive official documents," said Basit.
U.S. Ambassador Cameron Munter also criticized the release in an editorial in a Pakistani
English-language newspaper, The News, saying the "United States deeply regrets the
disclosure of any information that was intended to be confidential."
Wikileaks released over 200 of the confidential cables on its website Sunday, but none of
them appeared to contain information about U.S. attempts to remove uranium from the
Pakistani reactor.
One of the cables that was released outlined Russian concerns about Islamist extremists
in Pakistan trying to get their hands on nuclear material. The information was based on a
presentation given in December 2009 by Yuriy Korolev, an expert from the Russian
Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
He said the large number of people involved in Pakistan's nuclear and missile programs
and the strict religious beliefs of some raised concerns that extremists would be able to
recruit someone to help them.
Wikileaks said it plans to release the rest of the cables over the next few months. (Al
Arabiya)
INDIA / HINDISTAN
India on Thursday accused Pakistan of not doing enough to punish the men who plotted
the 2008 militant attacks on Mumbai, as the city prepared to mark the second
anniversary of the bloodbath.
Sayfa 73

A senior Pakistan diplomat confirmed to AFP that an official diplomatic message was
delivered to the embassy in New Delhi urging Pakistan to “fulfil its obligation and
commitment” to bring the plotters to justice.
Ten gunmen launched coordinated attacks on luxury hotels, a railway station, cafe and
Jewish cultural centre on the evening of November 26, 2008, starting a 60-hour siege
that left 166 people dead.
Nine of the gunmen were killed, and the sole survivor has been sentenced to death in an
Indian court.
The letter accused Islamabad of stalling over the trial in Pakistan of seven suspects
accused of plotting the attacks.
“New Delhi expresses regret for not receiving feedback on issues raised by it,” the letter
said.
The suspects on trial include the alleged mastermind of the attacks, Zakiur Rehman
Lakhvi, and Lashkar-i-Taiba (LT) operative Zarar Shah.
New Delhi and Washington have both blamed the Mumbai attacks on the LT. (Dawn)
The U.S. on Tuesday said it welcomes a greater global leadership role for India, two days
after its Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s remark describing India as a “self-appointed
frontrunner” for a permanent UNSC seat was leaked.
“We regret and condemn any unauthorised disclosures of confidential information and
sensitive national security information,” U.S. Ambassador to India Timothy J. Roemer
said while reacting to the release of diplomatic cables by whistle-blower Website
WikiLeaks.
Sayfa 74

“By releasing these documents, WikiLeaks puts at risk the cause of human rights, the
lives and work of dedicated individuals, and threatens our ability to conduct essential
private and diplomatic dialogue,” he said.
As part of its massive leak of a quarter million classified documents of the U.S.
government, the Website released a “secret” cable issued by Ms. Clinton where she has
described India as a “self-appointed frontrunner” for a permanent UNSC seat.
She had also directed U.S. envoys to seek minute details about Indian diplomats
stationed at the United Nations headquarters, according to classified documents
released by WikiLeaks.
Mr. Roemer said, “The U.S. welcomes a greater global leadership role for India and
values its perspectives on how to meet common challenges, including countering
terrorism, securing our maritime domains, and working together to promote democratic,
political and economic development around the world.”
In an apparent damage control, Mr. Roemer said during Barack Obama’s visit to India,
the U.S. President “reiterated that the relationship between the U.S. and India, bound by
our shared interests and our shared values, will be one of the defining partnerships of
the 21st century.”
Mr. Obama’s stay in India, the longest foreign trip of his Presidency to date, underscores
the U.S. commitment to a long term strategic partnership with India, he said
The President supports responsible, accountable, and open government at home and
around the world, but this reckless and dangerous action runs counter to that goal, he
said.
“The U.S. government is committed to maintaining the security of our diplomatic
communications and is moving aggressively to hold accountable those responsible,” Mr.
Roemer said. (The Hindu)
Sayfa 75

The Chinese government has said it was “committed” to reaching a settlement to the
long-running border dispute with India, even as the two countries’ special
representatives held the fourteenth round of negotiations here on Tuesday.
"China is committed to settling the border dispute through friendly consultations and is
ready to work with the Indian side to safeguard peace and stability in border areas,”
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hong Lei said.
On Monday, National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon began the fourteenth round
of talks over the boundary dispute with State Councillor Dai Bingguo, who is China’s
designated special representative for the talks.
Following last month’s meeting in Hanoi between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, the two representatives have been instructed to address
the issue with a “sense of urgency.”
The talks are currently focused on finding a framework for a final package settlement of
disputed areas in the western section of the border, in Aksai Chin, and in Arunachal
Pradesh in the east, which China has claims on.
Mr. Hong would not comment on the specifics of the negotiations.
But the official Global Times newspaper said on Tuesday the Chinese government’s
position was that both countries “will take into consideration each other’s concerns, and
work toward an equitable and
justified settlement of border issues that is acceptable to both sides.”
Indian officials say a hardening of China’s claims on Arunachal Pradesh means the talks
are likely to remain long, drawn-out. China voiced strong opposition to the Prime
Minister’s visit to the State last year, which it refers to as “Southern Tibet.”
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The Global Times quoted Zhao Gancheng, a leading Chinese strategist, as saying “Indian
activities near the border” and “remarks made by senior Indian officials who played up
the China threat” had “harmed the chances” reaching a quick resolution. (The Hindu)
AFGHANISTAN / AFGANİSTAN
Afghan Presidential spokesman Waheed Omar on Monday said that President Hamid
Karzai is to study the recent U.S. documents that were released Sunday night by
WikiLeakes.
"I have given the President a full copy of the document and the President will study it
carefully today," Omar told a weekly press conference here.
However, he added that there is not much in the document on Afghanistan.
"Since very little part of the documents released last night and so far I have studied the
files there is not much on Afghanistan," Omar emphasized.
He made this comment in the wake of media reports that the documents released by
Wikileaks described President Karzai as a weak leader.
"Allegations against President Hamid Karzai are not new," he stated.
Meantime, he noted that the leaked files would not affect the diplomatic and strategic
relationship between Afghanistan and the United States.
Asked if Afghan government condemns the recent leaks, Omar said, "It is too early to
make comments."
However, he added, "It is unfortunate that secret documents have been made public."
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Omar also said that President Hamid Karzai is going to leave for Kazakhstan on Tuesday
to attend a meeting of European leaders on security. (Xinhua)
The planned withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan over the next four years will
also reduce development aid, particularly for so-called “hearts and minds” projects
aimed at social upliftment, experts say.
“Because development assistance is attached to stability objectives there is a fear that as
the international military leaves, the world will forget Afghanistan once again,” Ashley
Jackson, head of advocacy and communication at Oxfam International in the capital,
Kabul, told IRIN.
During the next four years, forces from 48 countries led by the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization (NATO) will gradually leave Afghanistan and transfer combat
responsibilities to the fledging Afghan security forces, in terms of a Transition Process
approved by NATO and the Afghan government.
When Canada’s combat mission ends in 2011, its development assistance from 2011 to
2014 will reportedly plummet by 50 percent.
Similar cuts are expected by other donors, who have poured hundreds of millions of
dollars in aid into Afghanistan during the past few years, primarily to win military and
strategic victories against Taliban insurgents.
All contracts issued by the US government must adhere to “overall Afghanistan Counter
Insurgency (COIN) goals”, and where US dollars go “is as important - possibly more
important - than the product or service delivered”, the US embassy in Kabul said in a
statement on 23 November.
Aid agencies have criticized this approach, describing it as the “militarization of aid”.
Consequences
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Despite the impending military withdrawal, many donors, including the US and Canada,
have pledged long-term assistance to Afghanistan.
“NATO re-affirms its long-term commitment to a sovereign, independent, democratic,
secure and stable Afghanistan that will never again be a safe haven for terrorists and
terrorism, and to a better future for the Afghan people,” said a declaration signed by
President Hamid Karzai and NATO’s Secretary-General on 20 November.
Many Afghans are somewhat sceptical. “We know from our experience that the
international community will have little interest in poverty alleviation, human rights and
development after their military forces withdraw,” said Shukria Barakzai, Member of
Parliament.
Before 2001, when the world economy was booming, Afghanistan - severely affected by
over three decades of war and ranked the least developed country in Asia - received
hardly any meaningful foreign development support.
In the past nine years the country has topped the list of many donor countries but has
scarcely improved its position among the world’s least developed nations.
A drastic reduction in foreign aid would not only jeopardize Afghanistan’s modest
progress during that time, but could also cause disruptions and setbacks in various
critical areas. “The consequences could be disastrous,” said Oxfam’s Jackson.
As NATO forces begin transferring responsibility to Afghans in 2011, the global economic
situation presents another challenge to post-NATO Afghanistan: attracting aid and
investment.
Aid or business?
More than US$40 billion has been disbursed on development projects by UN agencies,
NGOs, international military actors and Afghan government bodies since 2002, according
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to humanitarian organizations, but aid efforts have been widely criticized as ineffective
and mismanaged, and experts say accountability has been scant.
Aid workers have also criticized the use of private local and international companies by
some donors, including the US, to implement counterinsurgency projects.
“Private development companies are not here for the Afghan people, they are here
either to fill their pockets or spend money from their government, so that at home
people *will+ say they have spent money on development,” Pierre Fallavier, director of
the Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit (AREU), an independent body, told IRIN.
“Many businesses have boomed and foreigners and a few Afghans have got rich in
Afghanistan, but the overwhelming majority of Afghans have remained destitute,” said
Shukria Barakzai, the MP.
The unprecedented influx of aid money and too many counterinsurgency and “quick fix”
projects have even benefited the insurgents, such as taxes on road convoys, thereby
contributing to the conflict, according to US officials.
Aid has not stabilized but has fuelled conflict in Afghanistan,” said Yama Torabi, codirector
of Integrity Watch Afghanistan (IWA), a corruption watchdog.
Less aid more effective?
“Too much aid without proper monitoring is more vulnerable to misuse and corruption,
but less aid through appropriate development channels will be more effective and
transparent,” said Torabi.
Afghanistan’s civilian development bodies would increasingly take charge of aid
spending, which would enhance aid effectiveness and accountability, he said.
However, the government is ranked one of the three most corrupt states in the world
and worsening security means there are no strong guarantees for aid effectiveness after
international military disengagement.
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Some experts emphasize the quality of aid rather than the quantity. AREU’s Fallavier
commented:
“Development aid cannot be measured by the amount of money poured in, but in terms
of building a capacity in which Afghans can take care of themselves.” (IRIN)
At a press conference the spokesman for Isaf forces told reporters on Monday that night
raids are beneficial to Afghanistan and underlined civilian deaths will be avoided in the
raids
Insurgents will have a tough winter ahead, said the spokesman for Isaf, Josef Blotz.
"The government of Afghanistan has offered insurgents an opportunity to come in from
the cold and enjoy their villages and families and live peaceful lives," said Blotz. "All they
have to do is renounce violence, stop support to international terrorist organisations and
accept the Afghan constitution.
He said Isaf forces have recently gained significant achievements and vice versa
insurgents have lost momentum in most parts of the country.
A number of low-level Taliban had joined peace process and now they are living a
peaceful life, he said.
"A group of around 150 insurgents in Baghlan Jadeed district renounced violence and
accepted President Karzai's offer from November 24th," he said.
"As peace efforts continue, developments will progress with increasing momentum," he
added. (Tolo News)
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Six soldiers of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) were killed in a
shooting incident on Monday in east Afghanistan and the alliance said in a press release
that it is probing whether an Afghan police is involved in the bloody attack.
"An individual in an Afghan Border Police uniform turned his weapon against
International Security Assistance Forces during a training mission today, killing six service
members in eastern Afghanistan," ISAF said in a press release issued here.
The individual who fired on the ISAF forces was also killed in the incident.
"A joint Afghan and ISAF team is investigating this incident," the press release added.
However, it did not disclose the nationalities of the victims and the exact place of the
incident saying "It is ISAF policy to defer casualty identification procedures to the
relevant national authorities."
Troops mostly from the Unites States have been stationed in eastern Afghan provinces
within the ISAF framework to help stabilize security there.
An Afghan soldier killed a NATO solider in a similar incident in Helmand province last
July. (Xinhua)
Clash between Taliban militants and police in eastern Ghazni province left four militants
dead and a police officer injured, Zerawar Zahid the police chief of Ghazni province said
Monday.
"Police raided Taliban rebels hideout in Godal village of Deyak district late Sunday night
killing four insurgents," Zahid told Xinhua.
He also admitted that the police chief of Deyak district Faiz Mohammad Toofan
sustained injuries in fire exchange.
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Meantime, a Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid in talks with media via telephone
from undisclosed location confirmed the clash and said two Taliban fighters were killed
and two civilians sustained injuries in the firefight lasted for a while. (Xinhua)
A roadside bomb rocked Lashkar Gah the capital of the southern Helmand province on
Monday wounding at least four persons, all civilians, spokesman for provincial
administration Daud Ahmadi said.
"The bomb planted on a road and was detonated by remote control at 10:45 a.m. local
time leaving three teenagers and one adult injured,"Ahmadi told Xinhua.
Ahmadi also said that there was no military target to justify the attack and condemned it.
He put the attack on the enemies of peace, a term used against Taliban militants but the
outfit fighting Afghan and NATO-led troops has not made comment yet. (Xinhua)
Afghanistan's Attorney General has called on the Independent Election Commission to
immediately stop issuing Certification Letters to the winning candidates
Certificates issued to candidates who have been declared winners through electoral
fraud will not be considered valid, Deputy Attorney General, Rahmatullah Nazari said at a
press conference.
"When a candidate is announced winner and gets a certificate, the certificate has no
validity. Attorney General's investigations haven't ended yet and we seriously work on
it," said Mr Nazari. "During the next week we will go to the commissions to inquire about
votes of the candidates and then all probe papers will be submitted to the High Court for
a decision."
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Some protesting candidates Monday gathered outside Attorney General's Office and
each submit their complaints to the office.
The protesting candidates called on the Attorney General to seriously address their
complaints.
Despite widespread protests against the announcement of final poll results, the
Independent Election Commission defied criticisms and started distribution of
certificates to the winning candidates today.
Mr Manawi described the parliamentary poll as a victory for the commission. He
emphasised that IEC's work is fully in accordance with the Election Law.
At the same time, President's Office denied the Afghan government's interference in the
affairs of electoral commissions.
The spokesman for President Karzai, Wahid Omar said: "the same as President Karzai
does not intervene in the work of Independent Election Commission; he will not meddle
in the work of Attorney General's Office."
Some losing candidates and their supporters have been staging demonstrations in the
last fews weeks calling for the vote to be cancelled, but Head of the IEC, in a latest
exclusive interview, told TOLO news that some of the demonstrations are organised by
elements within the government. (Tolo News)
What began as a routine key leader engagement and road project quality check in the
Nurgal district, Kunar province Nov. 22, quickly took on more significance as Afghan and
American leaders paused to acknowledge a pioneering achievement in rule of law.
Midway through a meeting with Rahmatullah Himat, Norgal district subgovernor, the
assembled leadership from Kunar Provincial Reconstruction Team, including civilian
Sayfa 84

epresentatives from the U.S. Department of State, joined in a ceremony honoring the
Afghan judicial officials who participated in Afghanistan’s first district-level public trial.
The trial, held Nov. 8, was presided over by Nurgal Chief Judge Fazal Rabi and resulted in
the defendant, Abdul Wadood, being sentenced to six months confinement for vehicular
manslaughter.
Speaking to the elders and government officials gathered in the Nurgal District
Courthouse, Asadabad Primary Court Chief Judge Mohibullah, who travelled to Nurgal
for the ceremony, praised the efforts of the district judicial officials and lauded the
people for their support of the process.
“We must continue to work together,” Mohibullah said. “A stick by itself can be easily
broken, but a bundle of sticks will remain strong.”
Mohibullah went on to extol the virtues of the public judiciary system, rebuffing
arguments that it was at odds with traditional tribal and Islamic law.
“Islam and *rule of law+ are intertwined,” he said. “Without *rule of law+, Islam will be
weakened.”
Abraham Sutherland, Department of State rule of law adviser for Kunar province, was on
hand for the ceremony and congratulated those in attendance during his address on
their achievement.
Following the ceremony, reconstruction team engineers conducted quality assurance
checks of the Mazar Valley Road. (NATO News Release)
Afghanistan's Kabul Bank is being investigated following allegations that its former
chairman misused funds, the Afghan finance minister has told Reuters news agency.
Sayfa 85

"Mismanagement is being investigated," Omar Zakhilwal said on Tuesday on the
sidelines of an Afghanistan investment conference in Dubai.
Hundreds of Afghans queued outside the bank in September, trying to withdraw their
savings after reports that millions of dollars had been lent and poured into high-risk real
estate investments in Dubai.
Afghan authorities then seized operations at the bank, which is Afghanistan's biggest
privately owned, following allegations that Sherkhan Farnood, the chairman,
misappropriated funds.
Farnood has been ordered to hand over more than $150m in luxury villas and
condominiums that he allegedly bought with the bank's money for various Afghan elites,
including Mahmood Karzai, the brother of the Afghan president.
Zakhilwal said the lender was now under the control of the central bank but was
functioning normally.
"Kabul Bank has stabilised and is operating normally," he said. (Al Jazeera)
*This media summary is prepared by ORSAM Middle East Research Assistants Sercan Doğan and Nebahat
Tanrıverdi O. It covers news and commentaries as reported by the national media sources publishing in the
Middle Eastern countries. The views expressed are not those of ORSAM and their inclusion does not imply
factual accuracy.
*Bu bülten Kasım 2009’dan beri ORSAM Ortadoğu Uzman Yardımcıları Sercan Doğan ve Nebahat Tanrıverdi O
tarafından hazırlanmaktadır. Bülten Ortadoğu ülkelerinin yerel haber kaynaklarından derlenmektedir. Belirtilen
görüşler bölge ülkelerinin haber kaynaklarına ve ismi geçen yazarlara ait olup ORSAM’ın görüşünü
yansıtmamaktadır.
Sayfa 86