middle east bulletin - orsam east bulletin gÜnlÜk ortadoĞu Ültenİ 12 december / aralik 2011 no:...

Sayfa 1

MIDDLE EAST BULLETIN GÜNLÜK ORTADOĞU BÜLTENİ 12 DECEMBER / ARALIK 2011

NO: 1281 1. IRAQ / IRAK ......................................... 3

Four Iraqi journalists win four Arab and International prizes for best 2011 investigative reports3

Buchanan: US committed to withdrawal timeline from Iraq .......................................................4

Sadrists invite everyone to honor conference .............................................................................4

KIU boycott raises political tensions ............................................................................................5

Radars, not Saudis, no protect Iraqi airspace ...............................................................................6

Dhafir al-Ani urges Maliki to comply with the demand of UN, international community to repeal deadline set to close Ashraf Camp ............................................................................................7

Call for reviewing illegal practices in Iraq, Hashimi ......................................................................8

Iraqi Parliament discusses nomination for Presidency post law ..................................................9

Anlaşmanın Tek Bir Maddesi Bıle Yerine Yetirilmedi ...................................................................9

Neçirvan Barzani’n Kürdista Halkına Mesajı .................................................................................9

NATO will not extend its training mission in Iraq: Fayadh says................................................. 11

1st Kurdistan Region- France Economic Form kicks off in Paris ................................................ 11 2. IRAN / İRAN ....................................... 12

Islamic Jihad Leader: UN Resolutions to Exacerbate Israel's Isolation ...................................... 12

Iran Asks S. Arabia, Kuwait to Respect OPEC Quotas ................................................................ 13

General Selami: İran, radara yakalanmadan uçabilen uçak yapabiliyor! .................................. 14

İran, RQ-170 bilgilerini çözecek teknolojiye sahip ..................................................................... 15

Salihi: Amerikan uçağının ihlali İİT ve Bağlantısızlar Hareketine yansıtılacak ........................... 16

İran’ın Washington mahkemesinin kararına tepkisi .................................................................. 16

İran-Suriye karma ekonomi komisyonu toplantısı Şam’da yapılacak ........................................ 17 3. ISRAEL - PALESTINE / İSRAİL – FİLİSTİN 17

Israel approves more settler homes near West Bank town of Bethlehem: report ................... 17

Hamas in Gaza says it’s learning from Arab Spring ................................................................... 20

Israel calls for ‘paralyzing’ sanctions on Iran to contain nuclear weapons strength ................ 23

Israel moves to curb African migrants....................................................................................... 24

'Rocket fired at Israel lands in south Lebanon' ......................................................................... 26 4. AFRICA and EGYPT / AFRİKA ve MISIR . 26

U.S., Libyan weapons specialists dispose of country’s weapons .............................................. 26

Egypt Islamists reject army interference in constitution as advisory council convenes ........... 28

Egypt army affirms parliament role over constitution .............................................................. 31

NTC representative describes road ahead ................................................................................ 32

Tunisia debates interim constitution ........................................................................................ 34 5. JORDAN and LEBANON / ÜRDÜN ........ 36

Jumblatt advises Hezbollah to distance itself from Syria .......................................................... 36

Rocket fired from and landed in south Lebanon ....................................................................... 38

Syrians in Jordan attack their Embassy in Amman .................................................................... 39

Sayfa 2

6. SYRIA / SURİYE ................................... 39

Syrian troops battle defectors as protest strike shuts businesses in several cities .................. 39

Syrians hold strikes amid battles in south ................................................................................. 42

Defectors fight loyalist forces in southern Syria ....................................................................... 44

Government Completes measures for Local Administration Elections due on Monday .......... 45

Seferberlik İlan Edilsin… Sözde İstanbul Meclisi Haindir… ........................................................ 47 7. ARABIAN PENINSULA AND THE GULF OF BASRA / ARAP YARIMADASI VE BASRA KÖRFEZİ 48

Egypt has good chances of joining GCC as a member state: official ......................................... 48

Yemen transition government starts work ............................................................................... 50

Bahrain security forces break up Shiite demo........................................................................... 51

Pro-govt Bahrain marchers target opposition group HQ .......................................................... 52 8. AFGHANISTAN - PAKISTAN / AFGANİSTAN - PAKİSTAN 54

Karzai: Death Toll in Attacks on Afghan Shi’ites Rises to 80 ..................................................... 54

Afghan president vows to fight corruption ............................................................................... 55

Berlin plans Afghanistan troop pull-out .................................................................................... 57

Two US-led troops killed in Afghan war .................................................................................... 57

Pakistan: US Military Vacates Pakistani Air Base by Deadline .................................................. 58

Sayfa 3

1. IRAQ / IRAK

Four Iraqi journalists win four Arab and International prizes for best 2011 investigative reports

The General Supervisor of Iraqi Reporters

for Investigative Journalism (IRIJ)

Mohammad Al Rabii announced, on

Friday, that four Iraqi journalists and

members of IRIJ received four Arab and

International prizes for best 2011

investigative reports. Financial awards of 2

million to 3 million Dinars will be granted

soon to reporters to carry out profound

investigative reports for the network,

Rabii declared.

“Reporter Dlovan Barwari member of IRIJ

won, on Thursday in Belgian Capital

Brussels, the International Lorenzo Natali

Prize for Journalism for his article entitled

female genital mutilation in Kurdistan,”

Mohammad Al Rabii told Alsumarianews.

“Reporters Milad Al Jabouri, Saman Nouh

and Mouafak Mohammad also won first

and second prizes of Arab Spring Contest

for best 2011 investigative reports in Arab

World,” Rabii added. “12 Arab countries

participated in the contest that took place

on the sidelines of IRIJ Network Congress

in Jordanian Capital Amman,” he

explained.

“Iraqi Journalist Milad Al Jabouri won the

first prize in IRIJ Contest for best 2011

Arabic investigation for its report entitled

Poor law and governmental inability

forces homeless people to engage in

violence, delinquency and crime that was

accomplished in cooperation with IRIJ,”

Rabii advanced.

“Journalists Saman Nouh and Mouafak

Mohammad won the second prize for

their report entitled Kurdistan women

Holocaust eats up a new girl every 20

hours, after the inability of authorities to

stop it also performed in cooperation with

IRIJ,” Rabii indicated.

Iraq’s winning of Lorenzo Natali Prize as

well as first and second prizes for best

investigative reports in Arab world for

2011 occurred 1 year after receiving first

and second prizes for best investigative

reports for 2011 for female genital

mutilation in Kurdistan of Dlovan Barwari

and Recruitment of children by armed

groups of Milad Al Jabouri.

Sayfa 4

http://www.alsumaria.tv/en/Iraq-News/1-

71572-Four-Iraqi-journalists-win-four-

Arab-and-International-prizes-for-best-

2011-investigative-reports.html

Buchanan: US committed to withdrawal timeline from Iraq

The US military in Iraq announced, on

Friday, that the US government is

committed to complete withdrawal from

Iraq according to the set timeline and

indicated that 170 000 soldiers left Iraq

with 7500 remaining.

“The US is committed to complete

withdrawal from Iraq according to the

defined schedule,” US army spokesman

General Jeffrey Buchanan told a statement

to the media including Alsumarianews.

“There are 7500 US soldiers remaining in

Iraq,” Buchanan added noting that “these

remaining forces are divided over 5 US

bases that counted 505 before the

beginning of withdrawal.”

“The US withdrew millions of military

equipments outside Iraqi territories,”

Buchanan revealed. “We count on Iraqi

security forces to protect our embassy just

like any other country would act within its

territories,” he indicated, a source told

Alsumaria.

“Iraqi forces has the expertise and has

done a very good job lately,” Buchanan

advanced.

US President Barack Obama had assured

on October 21 that US troops in Iraq will

be home during end of year’s holidays.

Washington will support Iraq in all fields,

he stressed. Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Al

Maliki, for his part, stressed the necessity

to begin a new stage of strategic relations

after US withdrawal by the end of 2011.

http://www.alsumaria.tv/en/Iraq-News/1-

71543-Buchanan%3A-US-committed-to-

withdrawal-timeline-from-Iraq.html

Sadrists invite everyone to honor conference

BAGHDAD, Dec. 12 (AKnews) - The Sadrist

Movement, named after its leader radical

Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, seeks to

organize a "national conference".

Bah al-Aaaraji, head of the Ahrar Bloc, a

faction of the Sadrist Movement, said at a

press conference at the House of

Representatives that his party is almost

http://www.alsumaria.tv/en/Iraq-News/1-71572-Four-Iraqi-journalists-win-four-Arab-and-International-prizes-for-best-2011-investigative-reports.html




http://www.alsumaria.tv/en/Iraq-News/1-71543-Buchanan%3A-US-committed-to-withdrawal-timeline-from-Iraq.html



Sayfa 5

done with the invitations of "all the

parties".

"Political personalities, chieftains, and

even those who did not participate in the

political process -- such as sportsmen and

intellectuals -- are invited to attend the

national conference," Aaaraji said.

The topic of the conference is supposed to

be "honor", but obviously it is just a main

topic for an underlying range of issues.

Aaaraji said, "Honor compels everyone to

protect civil peace, coexistence and

cooperation in overcoming the issues after

the U.S. withdrawal."

The participants of the conference are

expected to sign some kind of a "charter

of honor". Yesterday, Sadr himself called

on the parties to sign the charter.

http://www.aknews.com/en/aknews/4/27

7681/

KIU boycott raises political tensions

ERBIL, Dec. 11 (AKNews) – Tensions

between the Kurdistan Islamic Union party

who accuses the ruling Kurdistan

Democratic Party of torching its offices in

Duhok Governorate earlier this month

may further escalate further after the

Islamic party boycotted a meeting with

the ruling party because KDP detained KIU

members when the unrest began.

Brokered by Ali Bapir, leader of the

Kurdistan Islamic Group, the meeting on

Sunday at 10 am was called off after KDP

negotiators waited for an hour but the KIU

refused to show up. The KDP is said to be

surprised that the KIU set the release of its

detained members on charges of

encouraging or taking part in the arson in

Duhok Governorate last week as a

precondition for talks.

Present at the KIG leader’s office, where

the meeting was supposed to be held,

AKnews can report the KDP delegation

was formed of senior officials including

Fadhil Mirani, KDP politburo secretary and

Masrour Barzani, son of Massoud Barzani,

the president of Kurdistan Region and

leader of the KDP.

KIU claims that dozens of its members and

supporters were detained in the period

following the arson in Duhok some of

whom were released. According to KIU

http://www.aknews.com/en/aknews/4/277681/


Sayfa 6

officials, 17 of their members are still in

detention.

KDP-KIU tensions started in February

when the KIU joined protests in

Sulaimaniyah that first called for political

reforms, improved living conditions and

an end to corruption. The demands of the

protests were later hightened to calls for

fulll reform.

The second phase of the tensions started

on Dec. 2 when a mob in Zakho torched

liquor stores and massage parlours. The

mob were allegedly encouraged by a cleric

during the Friday sermon. Immediately

the KIU was accused of having links with

the attacks – KIU rejected such claims.

Following the attacks, alleged KDP

supporters attacked KIU offices in Zakho,

Duhok city, Semel and Qarok and torched

them. KIU accused the KDP of being

behind the attacks.

It is the second time in six years that the

KIU offices are attacked and torched in

Duhok – a Governorate known to be a KDP

domain. Four senior KIU members were

also killed in the 2005 attacks.


7581/

Radars, not Saudis, no protect Iraqi airspace

BAGHDAD, Dec. 11 (AKnews) - In the

ongoing debate whether or not Iraq is able

to protect its airspace after the

withdrawal of U.S. forces, government

adviser Hamid Abdul Hussein announced

that Iraq began the construction of two

radars to protect the Iraqi border.

The construction will allegedly be finished

by April 2012. After that, the government

hopes that Iraqi military can monitor and

protect 60 percent of Iraqi airspace.

"We don't need protection from the U.S.

or neighboring Gulf states for the Iraqi

airspace because we are developing our

defense system," Hussein said.

Although it is easy to understand that a

radar system can help monitoring the

country's airspace, the second part -- the

protection -- has to be done by aircrafts or

anti air-craft weapons. Hussein did not

mention if the government is construction

these tools as well.



Sayfa 7

The question if Iraq can protect its

airspace has been going on for weeks. On

Thursday, the Security and Defense

Committee in the House of

Representatives suggested that Iraq

should ask Arab countries to protect Iraqi

airspace after the U.S. withdrawal.

The head of the Presidential Office,

Naseer al-Ani, had announced on Monday

that such a deal had been signed with

Saudi Arabia. This announcement was

denied by the Saudi government.

Now, the Iraqi government also denied

any intention to conclude an agreement

with Gulf countries about this issue.

Meanwhile, the Office of the Commander

General of the Armed Forces claimed that

Iraq needs another 360 days to develop its

air defense. The Office's spokesman

Qassim Atta said during a conference

Baghdad that the Iraqi government is

working with the military on a plan to

develop its air defense and supply it with

improved military equipment.

However, Hamed al-Maliki, the Iraqi

Army’s Aviation Commander, said Iraq is

already able to protect its airspace. “The

Iraqi Army Air Force has been, since its

establishment in early 2010, able to

protect the Iraqi airspace and to develop

its abilities…If this ability was not present,

the Iraqi government would not have

signed the deal on the U.S. forces

withdrawal.”


7574/

Dhafir al-Ani urges Maliki to comply with the demand of UN, international community to repeal deadline set to close Ashraf Camp

Baghdad (NINA) – Iraqiya official and

Secretary General of National Future

Gathering, Dr. Dhafir al-Ani, urged Prime

Minister Nuri al-Maliki to review his

convictions concerning the closing of

Ashraf Camp by the end of this year.



Sayfa 8

In a statement to the press on Saturday,

Dec. 10, Ani expressed hope that Maliki

will respond to the international

community’s call, mainly the UN’s

Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, and the

Head of UNAMI, Martin Kobler, as well as

the European Union's High Representative

of the Union for Foreign Affairs and

Security Policy, Catherine Ashton, and

change his stance during his upcoming

visit to Washington.

Ani added, “It is not appropriate for the

Prime Minister to put Iraq against the

international community at such critical

time, when it is badly in need of the

international community’s help. He must

reflect Iraq as a civilized country that

respects its agreements, human right and

refugees’ rights, his decision to repeal the

dead line is a positive sign that his visit to

Washington is successful.”

He went on saying, “Maliki must not put

Iraq in a losing and unjustified battle

against the world who look with

admiration and respect to Mujahedin-e

Khalq Organization considering it an

organization that battles tyrannical

authority in Tehran, and it is not

appropriate for the Prime Minister to

show that Iraq as a small village belongs to

Iran.”

http://www.ninanews.com/english/News

_Details.asp?ar95_VQ=FJFGLK

Call for reviewing illegal practices in Iraq, Hashimi

BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq: Vice-President

Tariq al-Hashimi called to courageous

review of illegal practices against people's

freedom, according to a statement issued

by his office today.

The statement, copy received by Aswat al-

Iraq, confirmed the need to protect

people's dignity and freedom guaranteed

by the constitution.

It reminded the 63 Anniversary of Human

Rights Declaration and called all

governmental departments to fully abide

by the terms of this declaration.

"UN reports on human rights in Iraq

devastated its international reputation", it

added.

http://ku.aswataliraq.info/%28S%28k3l24r

uqyzlm5245mhhc5555%29%29/Default1.a

spx?page=article_page&id=132624&l=1

http://www.ninanews.com/english/News_Details.asp?ar95_VQ=FJFGLK

http://www.ninanews.com/english/News_Details.asp?ar95_VQ=FJFGLK

http://ku.aswataliraq.info/%28S%28k3l24ruqyzlm5245mhhc5555%29%29/Default1.aspx?page=article_page&id=132624&l=1



Sayfa 9

Iraqi Parliament discusses nomination for Presidency post law

BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq: Parliamentary

discussions for the Presidency post law

and his deputies, according to Parliament

media sources.

The source told Aswat al-Iraq that the

session was attended by 210 members.

Different law readings were made today

http://ku.aswataliraq.info/%28S%28k3l24r

uqyzlm5245mhhc5555%29%29/Default1.a

spx?page=article_page&id=132623&l=1

Anlaşmanın Tek Bir Maddesi Bıle Yerine Yetirilmedi

Koalisyonu parlamenteri, Kürdistan

Koalisyonu ile Ulusal İtifak arasında

imzanalan anlaşmanın tek bir maddesinin

bile yerine getirilmediğini açıkladı.

Kürdistan Koalisyonu üyesi Irak

Parlamenteri Said Resul PNA’ya “ Irak

seçimleri sorası yaşanan kriz sonrası

Krüdistan Bölgesi Başakanı’nın çizdiği yol

haritası çerçevesinde Hewler de yapılan

toplantıda 19 maddeyi içeren bir anlaşma

imzalandı” dedi.

Maddelerden kaçının yerine getirildiği

üzerine Resul “ bir çok kişi bu anlaşmanın

içeriğini ve önemi bilmiyor. Şuana kadar

hiç bir madde yerine getirilmedi” açıkladı.

Bu anlaşmadan yer alan bir maddeye göre,

anlaşmaya imza atan taraflardan hagisi,

anlaşmaya uymazsa direk olarak kendi

rızası ile hükümetten çekilmiş

sayaılacaktır.

http://www.peyamner.com/Turkish/PNAn

ews.aspx?nID=258766

Neçirvan Barzani’n Kürdista Halkına Mesajı

Haber Merkezi/8-Dec-11(PNA)- PDK

Başkan Yardımcısı Neçirvan Barzani,

Facebook’ta ki resmi sayfasından

yayınladığı mesajında, dini, siyasi, kültürel,




http://www.peyamner.com/Turkish/PNAnews.aspx?nID=258766


Sayfa 10

toplumsal, sınıfsal ve düşünsel farklılıkların

şiddet zeminine çekilmesinin yanlış

olduğunu ve bunun kabul edilemeyeceğini

belirtti.

PDK Başkan Yardımcısı Neçirvan Barzani,

birkaç gün önce Zaho da otel, masaj

salonları ve içki satış noktalarına yapılan

saldırılarla başlayan ve yayılan olaylarla

ilgili olarak dün kendisine ait olan

Facebook sayfasından Kürdistan halkına

seslendi

Mesajın da Barzani “ maalesef bir kez daha

şiddet olayları tüm yasaları çiğneyerek

Kürdistan bölgesini sarmaya çalıştı. Birkaç

kişi dini gerçeklikten uzak bir bahaneyle

bazı yerlere saldırıp, Kürdistan’ı

karıştırmak istiyorlar. Bizler her zaman

birlikte yaşasam ve hoşgörü kültürümüzle

övünürüz bu nedenle bu garip bir olaydır.

Bizler Kürdistan Bölgesin de iktidar

hükümet ortağı olarak sürekli, asayiş ve

istikrarı sağlamaya çalışıyor ve bu dış

tehlikelerden korumaya çalışıyoruz.”dedi

Bölge’de ki gelişmelere dikkat çeken ve

bunun diğer parçalarda ki

Kürdlerin kendi haklarına kavuşmasına bir

kapı araladığını beliten Barzani “ bölgede

yeni ve büyük gelişmeler vuku buluyor. Ve

bu bağlamda diğer parçalarda ki Kürdlerin

de kendi haklarına kavuşması bekleniyor.

Bu nedenle bu hassas dönemde iç

karşıtlıklara neden olacak davranışlardan

uzak durmak halkımızın ulusal çıkarlarına

hizmet etmektir. Bu da birlik ve beraberliği

korumakla sağlanır” dedi.

Barzani, Irak’ın içinde bulunduğu

durumun herkes için açık olduğunu ve

bunun tek nedeninin birbirini

kabullenememe olduğunu ve Kürdistan

bölgesi’nin de bu taraz istenmeyen bir

yola sokulmak istenmesine izin

verilmeyeceğini belirtti.

İktidara ve muhalefete seslenen Barzani,

iktidar ve muhalefetin diyalog yoluyla her

şeyi birlikte konuşarak ve siyasi ayrılıklarını

halkın birliğini olumsuz etkileyecek

noktaya taşımadan, el ele verildiğinde

çözülemeyecek bir sorun olduğuna

inanmadığını dile getiriyor.

Mesajının sonunda Barzani, Kürdistan

bölgesi vatandaşları, partiler sivil, toplum

kuruluşları, basın kuruluşları ile toplumun

kanaat önderlerinin ulusal ve tarihi

sorumluluk bilinci ile hareket etmelerini

umut ettiğini ve yasaların egemenliğine

Sayfa 11

olan güvenin yitirilmesine neden olacak

davranışlardan uzak durmalarını ve

alınacak her kararın halkın çıkarlarına ve

yasalara uygun olması temennisinde

bulunuyor.

http://www.peyamner.com/Turkish/PNAn

ews.aspx?nID=258702

NATO will not extend its training mission in Iraq: Fayadh says

Iraqi National Security Adviser Falah al-

Fayadh , in a press statement , said that

the North Atlantic Treaty Organization or

NATO recommended , 3 days ago, to

withdraw its training mission from Iraq

after the Iraqi government refusal to grant

immunity to its soldiers.

We respect the NATO decision , I hope to

establish cooperation with the NATO

within other frameworks, not only

through its mission in Iraq, al-Fayadh

added.

http://www.pukmedia.com/english/index.

php?option=com_content&view=article&i

d=10829:nato-will-not-extend-its-training-

mission-in-iraq-fayadh-

says&catid=25:iraq&Itemid=386

1st Kurdistan Region- France Economic Form kicks off in Paris

The First Economic Forum between

Kurdistan Region and France kicked off

Monday , in Paris , with the presence of

Dr. Barham Ahmed Salih Prime Minister of

Kurdistan Regional Government , KRG

minister of interior, trade, industry, higher

education , head of KRG investment body

, a number of Kurdish businessmen as

well as representatives of key French

companies.

The Forum which will last for 2 days , will

discuss ways to enhance economic ties

and promote horizons of joint cooperation

between France, Kurdistan Region and

Iraq.

KRG Representative in France Khaman

Zarar Asaad , said that the Forum aims at

encouraging the French companies to

contribute in construction process in



http://www.pukmedia.com/english/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10829:nato-will-not-extend-its-training-mission-in-iraq-fayadh-says&catid=25:iraq&Itemid=386





Sayfa 12

Kurdistan Region and consolidate the

economic cooperation.

http://www.pukmedia.com/english/index.

php?option=com_content&view=article&i

d=10828:1st-kurdistan-region-france-

economic-form-kicks-off-in-

paris&catid=29:kurdistan-

region&Itemid=385

2. IRAN / İRAN

Islamic Jihad Leader: UN Resolutions to Exacerbate Israel's Isolation

TEHRAN (FNA)- A senior leader of the

Islamic Jihad movement said that the

recent approval of 9 resolutions against

Israel on one day at the UN General

Assembly will exacerbate the regime's

isolation in the world.

"The approval of 9 resolutions against the

Zionist regime at the UN General

Assembly will increase the regime's

isolation at the international level," Sheikh

Nafiz Izam told FNA in Gaza on Monday.

He reiterated that Israel is already isolated

in the world and there are merely a few

countries which support it at the UN

General Assembly.

He called for the implementation of the

resolutions approved against Israel at the

UN, and said the US which has dominated

the world body is attempting to prevent

the implementation of the resolutions.

The UN General Assembly by approving

nine anti-Zionist regime resolutions on

Friday condemned the various types of

crimes committed by the regime against

the Palestinians, including different

instances of human rights violations.

The resolutions were passed by the

General Assembly after the

recommendation of the Special Political

and Decolonization Committee. Several of

the resolutions were passed almost

unanimously, with only Israel voting

against them.

Among these were a resolution that called

for an accelerated return of displaced

http://www.pukmedia.com/english/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10828:1st-kurdistan-region-france-economic-form-kicks-off-in-paris&catid=29:kurdistan-region&Itemid=385






Sayfa 13

persons who became refugees in 1967,

and called on donor countries to assist the

United Nations Relief and Works Agency

for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) in

meeting the needs of the Palestinian

refugees. This resolution was passed by a

vote of 160 in favor to 1 opposed (Israel),

with 9 abstentions.

Another resolution urged Israel to

reimburse UNRWA for all transit charges

incurred and other financial losses

sustained as a result of delays and

restrictions on movement and access, and

to cease obstructing the movement and

access of the staff, vehicles and supplies of

the Agency. That resolution passed with a

vote of 163 in favor to 7 against (Israel,

Canada, Federated States of Micronesia,

Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, the United

States), with 2 abstentions (Cameroon,

Vanuatu).

Of the other Israel-Palestine related

resolutions passed by the United Nations

General Assembly on Friday, five were

part of the report from the Special

Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices

Affecting the Human Rights of the

Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the

Occupied Territories, and related to

Israel's practices and obligations as an

Occupying Power under the Fourth

Geneva Convention.

Since 1947, the United Nations has passed

hundreds of resolutions on the Israeli-

Palestinian issue, all of which have been

voted against by the Israeli UN delegate.

These resolutions have repeatedly called

on Israel to adhere to its obligations under

international law and the Fourth Geneva

Convention. But the UN General Assembly

has no enforcement capability to ensure

that its resolutions are carried out.

http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.ph

p?nn=9007277037

Iran Asks S. Arabia, Kuwait to Respect OPEC Quotas

TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian Oil Minister

Rostam Qassemi renewed calls for OPEC

members Saudi Arabia and Kuwait to ease

back their above-quota production as

Libyan oil flows back into the market.

"Today, supply and demand in the market

is balanced and Iran's policy is to keep

OPEC member states from raising

production," Qassemi said on the oil

http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=9007277037


Sayfa 14

ministry's website ahead of a meeting by

the cartel on Wednesday.

Iran also wishes to see an "end (to) some

countries' extra production which started

when Libya exited the market," he said.

Qassemi did not name the countries, but

the remarks were clearly aimed at Saudi

Arabia and Kuwait.

The two Persian Gulf states boosted

production after Libya ceased exports

during the anti-Qaddafi revolution this

year.

"Libya's production will reach 1.5 million

barrels a day in less than a year, and Iraq

is also seeing a rise in production,"

Qassemi said.

Libyan production topped 600,000 barrels

a day in November, according to the

International Energy Agency (IEA).

OPEC, of which Iran currently holds the

rotating presidency, is expected to

maintain its quota system during this

week's ministerial meeting in Vienna,

analysts say.

The oil cartel is currently injecting 30

million barrels per day (bpd) into the

market, including the output from Iraq,

which is exempt from quotas as it

struggles to rebuild after years of conflict.

Excluding Iraq, the cartel is pumping

almost 10 percent above its aggregate

quota limit.

Saudi Arabia -- OPEC's biggest producer --

was pumping 9.45 million bpd in October,

well above its quota of 8.05 million,

according to the IEA.

http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.ph

p?nn=9007277035

General Selami: İran, radara yakalanmadan uçabilen uçak yapabiliyor!

FHA- İran Sipahiler Ordusu Genel Komutan

Vekili “İran dünyada, insansız uçak

teknolojisine sahip 2. ülke. Bizim onlarca

saat radara yakalanmadan uçabilen

insansız uçaklarımız var” dedi.



Sayfa 15

FHA- İslam İnkılabı Muhafızları (Sipahiler)

Ordusu Genel Komutan Vekili General

Hüseyin Selami, ülkemiz Silahlı

Kuvvetlerinin en son Amerikan insansız

gelişmiş casusluk uçağınının kontrolünü

nasıl ele geçirdikleri hakkında muhabirlere

bilgi verirken, ülkemizin insansız uçak

yapma teknolojisine sahip dünyanın sayılı

ülkelerinden biri olduğunu belirterek “İran

bugün insansız uçakların yönetim, kontrol,

scan ve araştırmalarıyla ilgili en modern

sistemlere sahip” dedi.

General Selami ayrıca, radara

yakalanmayan uçak teknolojisinin artık

İran’da yerel bir şey olduğunu ifade

ederek “Gerçek şu ki, ülkemiz bugün

insansız uçak teknolojisine sahip olma

açısından dünyada 2. sırada yer alıyor”

dedi.

General Selami açıklamalarının devamında

“Bizim bugün radara yakalanmayan yerel

teknolojiye sahip ve en dakik sistemlerle

test edilmiş olan öyle uçaklarımız var ki

bunlar onlarca saat uçuş yapabiliyorlar”

ifadesini kullandı.

http://turkish.farsnews.com/newstext.asp

x?nn=9007276931

İran, RQ-170 bilgilerini çözecek teknolojiye sahip

FHA- İslami Şura Meclisi Milli Güvenlik ve

Dış Politika Komisyonu üyesi Hüseyin

Tagavi, İran’ın sahip olduğu ileri teknoloji

ile Amerika’nın insansız casusluk uçağının

taşdığı belge ve bilgileri çözebileceğini

vurguladı.

FHA- İran’ın CIA için görev yapan

Amerika’nın insansız casusluk uçağının

kontrolünü ele alması hakkında

muhabirimize konuşan Tagavi, bu tür

uçakların uzaktan kumanda edildiğini,

kumanda teknolojisine sahip olan ülkeler

casusluk uçaklarının kontrolünü ele

geçirerek istedikleri yöne doğru

yönlendirebildiğini kaydetti.

http://turkish.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=9007276931


Sayfa 16

İran’ın bu zaferinin, hava savunma

sistemindeki ileri teknolojisini yansıttığını

kaydeden Tagavi, İran sahip olduğu ileri

teknoloji ile Amerika’nın insansız casusluk

uçağının taşdığı belge ve bilgileri

çözebileceğini vurguladı.

Tagavi, şifrelerin çözülmesi ile birlikte

İran’ın önemli bilgilere ulaşacağını

sözlerine ekledi.

http://turkish.farsnews.com/newstext.asp

x?nn=9007276907

Salihi: Amerikan uçağının ihlali İİT ve Bağlantısızlar Hareketine yansıtılacak

İran İslam Cumhuriyeti Dışişleri Bakanı Ali

Ekber Salihi, Amerikan insansız uçağının

İran hava sahasını ihlal etmesi ile ilgili

şikayeti BM’ye gönderdiklerini ve bu

konunun İİT ve Bağlantısızlar Hareketine

de yansıtılacağını belirtti.

Namibya mevkidaşı ile ortaklaşa

düzenlediği basın toplantısında konuşan

Salihi, “Amerikalıların bu girişimi saldırgan

bir girişimdir. İran bu konuyla ilgili olarak

diğer kuruluşların koordinasyonuyla

uluslar arası konvansiyonlar çerçevesinde

tüm yasal haklarını kullanacak. Dışişleri

Bakanlığı BM Genel Sekreterine gönderdiği

mektupta gerekli şikayeti yaptı ve ayrıca

bu konuyu İslam İş Birliği Teşkilatı,

Bağlantısızlar Hareketi ve diğer uluslar

arası kuruluşlara da iletecek.

Amerikalıların niyetini her zaman biliyoruz

ve onlar, hiçbir zaman İran milletinin

iyiliğini düşünmediğini de gösterdiler”

dedi.

Salihi “her zaman tam teyakkuz halinde

sağduyulu bir ülke olan İslam Cumhuriyeti,

saldırıya uğradığı zaman egemenliğini en

iyi şekilde savunabilecek” dedi.

http://www2.irna.ir/tr/news/view/line-

119/1112128304120619.htm

İran’ın Washington mahkemesinin kararına tepkisi



http://www2.irna.ir/tr/news/view/line-119/1112128304120619.htm


Sayfa 17

Washington eyalet mahkemesinin 1998

yılında Kenya’daki ABD Büyükelçiliğindeki

patlama ile ilgili El Kaide bağlantılı olduğu

iddiasıyla altı İran vatandaşı ile ilgili

kararından sonra Mihmansperest,

mahkeme avukatının yönelttiği

suçlamaları yalanlayarak bunu şiddetle

kınadı.

Dışişleri Bakanlığı Sözcüsü Ramin

Mihmanperest “bu suçlama asılsızdır ve bu

da, ABD’nin İslam Cumhuriyetine yönelik

planlanan bir başka senaryosudur” dedi.

El Kaide’nin kurulması mazisine ve ABD

tarafından desteklenmesine işaret eden

Mihmanperest “bu örgüt tarafından 1998

yılında Afganistan’da dokuz İran

diplomatının şehit edilmesi, İran’ın

haklılığını ve ABD iddiasının asılsız

olduğunu gösteren açık bir belgedir” dedi.


120/1112122467120735.htm

İran-Suriye karma ekonomi komisyonu toplantısı Şam’da yapılacak

İran İslam Cumhuriyeti ve Şam arasındaki

ekonomi iş birliğini izleyen 14. karma

ekonomi komisyonu toplantısı Şam’da

yapılacak.

Bu komisyonda İran tarafının başkanlığını

Yol ve Şehircilik Bakanı Ali Nikzad ve Suriye

tarafının başkanlığını Ekonomi Bakanı

üstlenecek.

Karma komisyonun yapılmasının bir hedefi

de, ikili ilişkilerin geliştirilmesi, çeşitli

alanlarda iki ülke arasında iş birliğinin

artması ile ilgili yolların izlenmesi,

ekonomi alanda ve ticaret hacminde iş

birliği düzeyinin geliştirilmesidir.


117/1112129002121043.htm

3. ISRAEL - PALESTINE / İSRAİL – FİLİSTİN

Israel approves more settler homes near West Bank town of Bethlehem: report





Sayfa 18

Israel has approved construction of 40

homes and a farm in two new settler

enclaves near the West Bank town of

Bethlehem, Haaraetz daily reported on

Monday.

“Israel’s military establishment has

approved the establishment of a new,

permanent neighborhood and a farm near

the West Bank settlement of Efrat,” the

paper said.

“The projects will go beyond the

community’s current built-up area,

constituting an effective expansion of the

Etzion Bloc of settlements toward the

north and north-east,” it added.

“With their completion Jewish settlement

in the northern Etzion Bloc will reach the

edges of Bethlehem’s southernmost

suburbs.”

It said the plan was approved by Defense

Minister Ehud Barak.

Haaraetz quoted Efrat Mayor Oded Ravivi

as saying “the decision to approve, at this

stage, construction of 40 residential units

at Givat Hadagan in Efrat, Gush Etzion--

which is in the heart of the consensus--is a

good decision but far from sufficient. We

congratulated Netanyahu for it but also

explained that to solve Efrat’s serious

housing shortage the cabinet must

approve 3,000 new homes.”

The paper said that the farm will be built

at Givat Eitam, located on the Palestinian

side of the planned route of the

separation barrier. Its establishment is

designed to preserve the territory for the

future expansion of Efrat.

Efrat is located on a series of hills on a

mountain ridge east of Route 60, which

connects the Palestinian cities of the West

Bank.

When the separation barrier was built in

the Efrat area, then-Defense Minister

Shaul Mofaz included the area on the

western side of the barrier, but as the

result of deliberations in the High Court of

Justice the route was changed to exclude

Sayfa 19

Givat Eitam. According to the Israeli daily,

it can be expected that the establishment

of the farm will be followed by the

building of an access road and the

deployment of IDF soldiers and other

security arrangements, to guarantee the

area’s future role as part of Efrat.

Israel has come under renewed

international criticism for its settlement

activities recently, since a government

decision last month to speed up building

in response to Palestine joining UNESCO.

More than 310,000 Israelis live in

settlements in the occupied West Bank

and the number is constantly growing.

Another 200,000 live in a dozen

settlement neighborhoods in east

Jerusalem, which was captured by Israel in

1967 and annexed in a move never

recognized by the international

community.

The international community considers all

settlements in territories occupied by

Israel since June 1967 are illegal, whether

or not approved by its government.

Rockets fired from Gaza

Meanwhile, Gaza armed groups fired a

rocket at southern Israel on Monday but it

landed in open ground in the Negev

desert, injuring nobody, the military said.

“A rocket fell in the Shaar Hanegev region;

there were no casualties and no damage,”

a spokeswoman told AFP.

It was the first incident in about 48 hours,

following a weekend of tit-for-tat attacks

between the two sides.

On Thursday, an Israeli air strike killed two

Gaza gunmen, ending a relative lull since

the end of October, when cross-border

violence killed 12 Palestinians and an

Israeli civilian.

Following the Thursday hit, Palestinian

fighters fired five rockets at Israel, none of

which caused casualties or damage.

In an ensuing Israeli air raid at a militant

training ground in Gaza on Friday morning,

a father and his 12-year-old son were

killed and 10 other civilians injured, after

the attack caused a nearby house to

collapse.

Sayfa 20

Palestinians then fired 12 rockets at Israel

on Friday, and another four on Saturday,

none causing casualties.

http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2011/

12/12/182108.html?PHPSESSID=mhioti9td

3tngoa8marfd2i7t4

Hamas in Gaza says it’s learning from Arab Spring

Bans on women smoking water pipes in

public and male coiffeurs styling women’s

hair are no longer being strictly enforced

in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip,

apparent signs of greater tolerance as the

Islamic militant group acknowledges

mistakes in seeking to impose a religious

lifestyle.

In explaining the change, several senior

members said Hamas has matured in five

years in power and learned lessons from

the Arab Spring. Islamic groups that have

scored election victories in the wake of

pro-democracy uprisings in the region

now find themselves trying to allay fears

they seek Islamic rule.

Since seizing Gaza, Hamas had largely

silenced opponents and tried to impose

stricter religious rules on an already

conservative society. Modesty squads

asked young couples seen in public to

show proof of marriage, told beachgoers

to put on more clothes and ordered

shopowners to cover up mannequins.

High school girls came under pressure

from teachers to wear headscarves.

In recent months, there’s been a change in

atmosphere, say rights activists and even

political rivals of Hamas.

“Things are freer than before,” said Nasser

Radwan, whose family restaurant is one of

the places where women again come to

smoke water pipes.

Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said

“some mistakes were made” under Hamas

rule, though he blamed individual security

commanders and overzealous activists,

not the government, for heavy-handed

tactics.

http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2011/12/12/182108.html?PHPSESSID=mhioti9td3tngoa8marfd2i7t4



Sayfa 21

“They don’t represent the ideology and

policy of the Hamas movement,” Barhoum

said. “Our policy is that we are not going

to dictate anything to anyone.”

Huda Naim, a Hamas legislator, said the

movement took its cues from the pro-

democracy revolts sweeping the Arab

world, but also has learned it needs to be

more tolerant of others.

It’s not clear whether the changes are

tactical, or whether they represent a true

shift that will lead to more political

freedom. Hamas has shut down offices of

political rival Fatah, arrested activists and

strictly controls the local media. However,

in recent months, it has permitted rivals,

including Fatah, to stage rallies that were

previously banned.

There are no signs Hamas is softening its

stance toward Israel - the movement

refuses to recognize the Jewish state or

rule out violence against it - or that it is

breaking its alliance with financial

benefactor Iran and with Syria, its

longtime host. Hamas has reduced its

presence in Syria following President

Bashar Assad’s crackdown on anti-

government protesters, but continues to

maintain a foothold there.

Hamas won Palestinian parliamentary

elections in 2006, defeating Palestinian

President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah faction.

After failed power-sharing attempts,

Hamas seized Gaza a year later, defeating

Abbas’ forces and leaving him with only

the West Bank. Acrimony intensified as

dueling governments in the two territories

cracked down on rivals.

Hamas is the only wing of the pan-Arab

Muslim Brotherhood movement that has

had a chance to rule, and its performance

is of interest following the Brotherhood’s

strong showings in recent elections in

Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco. The

Brotherhood faces concerns in the West

and among local secular groups that the

Islamists, despite their embrace of

democracy, might gradually try to

establish strict theocracies.

Two prominent Hamas figures in Gaza said

change was being encouraged by the

Brotherhood. The movement’s leadership

in Egypt confirmed contacts, but denied

it’s telling Hamas how to govern.

Sayfa 22

Top Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal, who

runs the group from Syrian exile, told Gaza

leaders of the movement at a meeting in

Cairo last month that he was impressed by

the political success of the Brotherhood in

elections in North Africa. “Mashaal said

we need to learn from these experiences

in dealing with other parties and social

groups, and that one-party rule is

outdated,” a Hamas official said.

Mashaal’s political bureau told Gaza

activists in a memo that restrictive

measures are tarnishing the movement’s

image, said a second Hamas figure. He

said the Brotherhood has voiced similar

criticism.

Both men spoke on condition of

anonymity because they were not

authorized to reveal Hamas’ internal

discussions.

Egyptian and Tunisian members of the

Brotherhood visited Gaza, and Gaza Prime

Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas has

spoken by phone more than a dozen times

with Mohammed Badie, the Brotherhood

chief in Egypt, Haniyeh’s office said.

Rashad Bayoumi, a senior official in the

movement in Egypt, confirmed the

contacts, but said they focus on the need

to end the internal Palestinian split. He

denied the Brotherhood has criticized

Hamas’ domestic practices or urged it to

dial back Islamic zeal. “We do not

interfere at all in politics with Hamas,” he

said.

Fawaz Gerges, head of the Middle East

Center at the London School of

Economics, said he believes the

Brotherhood is moderating Hamas, but

that the Islamists in Gaza are also

evolving. “They realized that their wooden

rhetoric no longer applies, that in the

aftermath of the Arab Awakening,

Palestinian public opinion demands a

different behavior,” he said.

Issam Younis of Gaza’s human rights group

Mezan said that in recent months he’s

seen a drop in complaints about

harassment by Hamas security forces and

that restrictive rules are no longer being

enforced.

At the beginning of the school year, when

some high school girls complained about

being ordered by principals to put on

Sayfa 23

headscarves, the Education Ministry told

schools that the girls are free to choose,

he said.

Eighth-grader Inas Abu Shaban, 14, said

her principal initially told her to wear a

headscarf. “I put it on the first day, but not

the second day, and then no one asked

me about it again,” she said.

At a beauty parlor in Gaza City, the shop’s

male owner said he doesn’t trust the new

tone.

“They say one thing and do another,” said

the coiffeur, speaking on condition of

anonymity for fear of retribution. “I work,

but I’m afraid.”



3tngoa8marfd2i7t4

Israel calls for ‘paralyzing’ sanctions on Iran to contain nuclear weapons strength

Iran’s ruling clerics could use nuclear

weapons to strengthen their grip on

power and the world must urgently

impose crippling sanctions to prevent

them from building such arms, Israel’s

defense minister Ehud Barak said on

Sunday.

Asked about prospects for an Israeli attack

on its arch foe Iran’s nuclear sites, Barak

said he still believed that it was “time for

urgent, coherent, paralyzing” punitive

steps targeting Iranian oil trade and its

central bank.

“Nothing short of this kind of sanctions

will work,” Barak said, adding there was a

need for a “direct attack, isolation, by the

whole world” of the Iranian central bank.

Speculation that Israel, which sees Iran’s

nuclear program as an existential threat,

could launch preemptive strikes against

Iran was fuelled by a U.N. report last

month which said Tehran appeared to

have worked on designing a nuclear

weapon.

The Islamic Republic, which often lashes

out at Israel over its assumed atomic




Sayfa 24

arsenal, says allegations that it is seeking

nuclear arms are based on forged

evidence.

Barak said he would “love to see the Arab

Spring jumping over” the Gulf into Iran,

referring to political upheaval in Egypt,

Tunisia, Libya and elsewhere over the last

year.

“This regime in Iran, the ayatollahs, they

will be not be there I believe in 10 or 15

years. It is against the nature of the

Iranian people and what happens all

around the world.

“But if they turn nuclear they might assure

another layer of immunity, political

immunity for the regime in the same way

that Kim Jong-il assured his,” Barak said,

referring to the North Korean leader and

that country’s development of nuclear

weapons.

He suggested that the Libyan conflict

could have taken a different course if

Muammar Gaddafi had declared at the

outset that “he has three or four nuclear

devices”.

Earlier this month, Barak said that an

Israeli attack on Iran was not imminent.

He has also said there were several

months left in which to decide on such

action.

Turning to events in Palestine, he said

Israel might at some stage have to “take

more assertive action” in Gaza, where

Palestinian fighters responded with rocket

attacks on Israel after an Israeli air strike

killed two Palestinians last Thursday.



3tngoa8marfd2i7t4

Israel moves to curb African migrants

Cabinet approves $167m plan to stem

flow of migrants, mainly from Eritrea and

Sudan, through porous border with Egypt.

Israel's government has approved a

$167m plan to stem the flow of African

migrants who cross into the country

through its porous border with Egypt.

Announcing the government's intention to

increase fines for employers who hire

illegal workers, Binyamin




Sayfa 25

Netanyahu, Israel's prime minister, said:

"If necesssary, we will close businesses so

that the enterprise called the State of

Israel will not shut down."

Speaking on Sunday, Netanyahu said he

would make a trip to countries on the

African continent where among other

issues he will discuss the repatriation of

migrants.

Political sources said he was likely to

travel to Kenya, Uganda and possibly

South Sudan in February next year.

The Israeli government puts the number

of illegal workers in the country at more

than 52,000.

Activists however accuse the government

of misrepresenting the number of

migrants. A large proportion, they say, are

legitimate asylum seekers.

Netanyahu said the overwhelming

majority of infiltrators are not refugees

escaping persecution, but instead have

come to Israel seeking better economic

opportunities.

Most migrants come from Eritrea and

Sudan, and cross into Israel through

Egypt's Sinai desert.

Israel is building a fence along its frontier

with Egypt to block the migrants.

The government has also announced the

construction of detention facilities to hold

migrants.

The plan was first announced a year ago

and Sunday's cabinet decision freed up

government funds to implement it.

"Without a plan to deal with illegal

workers, the number of migrants will rise

to 100,000 a year," Netanyahu was

quoted in a government statement as

telling the cabinet.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/20

11/12/20111211172810353522.html

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2011/12/20111211172810353522.html

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2011/12/20111211172810353522.html

Sayfa 26

'Rocket fired at Israel lands in south Lebanon'

Security sources in Lebanon say 1 person

injured when rocket fired from Wadi al-

Qaisiyeh area lands in Lebanese village.

One person was injured in southern

Lebanon on Sunday when a rocket

apparently fired towards Israel hit a

Lebanese border village, security sources

in Lebanon said.

They said the rocket was fired from the

Wadi al-Qaisiyeh area, about 2 km (one

mile) from the frontier and landed in the

village of Houla inside Lebanon.

Two weeks ago, four 122-millimeter

rockets were fired from southern

Lebanon, just north of the border, and

landed in the Western Galilee. No one was

hurt but the rockets caused extensive

damage to a chicken coop and a propane

gas tank, which went up in flames. IDF

artillery responded by pounding the

launch sites.

Lebanese security sources confirmed that

four rockets were fired into Israel from an

area between the villages of Aita Shaab

and Rumaysh, about 2 km from the

border.

An organization associated with al- Qaida

claimed responsibility.

IDF sources said Hezbollah did not appear

to be behind the attacks and that the

Islamist group was not believed to be

interested right now in a large-scale

conflict with Israel. Responsibility for

previous rocket attacks from Lebanon –

the last was in 2009 – was claimed by

radical Palestinian terror groups.

http://www.jpost.com/Defense/Article.as

px?id=249051

4. AFRICA and EGYPT / AFRİKA ve MISIR

U.S., Libyan weapons specialists dispose of country’s weapons

http://www.jpost.com/Defense/Article.aspx?id=249051

http://www.jpost.com/Defense/Article.aspx?id=249051

Sayfa 27

Hundreds of pounds of explosives in Libya

stockpiled during the years of the

Muammar Qaddafi-led regime have been

disposed of by a team of U.S. and Libyan

weapons experts.

The now-buried weapons include about

5000 surface-to-air missiles and some

1,300 pounds (600 kilograms) of

ordnance.

Qaddafi had a stockpile of 20,000

shoulder-fired missiles before the revolt

against him broke out in February, AFP

news agency reported.

“We have identified, disbanded and

secured more than 5,000 MANPADS (Man-

Portable Air Defense Systems), while

thousands more have been destroyed

during NATO bombing,” Andrew Shapiro,

assistant secretary of state for political

and military affairs told a group of

reporters.

“We are working side by side with the

National Transitional Council (NTC) to

reduce the threat of these loose

weapons,” Shapiro said after talks in

Tripoli with officials from the ruling NTC,

the interior and defense ministries.

There is a “serious concern about the

threat posed by MANPADS... about the

potential threat MANPADS can pose to

civil aviation. However our efforts with the

NTC to reduce these threats are already

paying off.”

Shapiro said contractors on the ground

were still in the process of assessing how

many missiles are still missing, AFP

reported.

A large amount of weapons went missing

during Libya’s civil war which erupted in

February and resulted in the capture and

subsequent killing of Muammar Qaddafi

by opposition fighters in October.

The missing weapons have fueled fears

that the material may have fallen into the

wrong hands.

Sayfa 28

Libya, under Qaddafi, was reportedly the

country with the biggest stock of

MANPADS outside of nations that produce

these weapons. The missiles, mainly SAM-

7, were acquired in the 1970s and 1980s.

Shapiro said the United States has already

spent six million dollars in its efforts to

secure these weapons.



3tngoa8marfd2i7t4

Egypt Islamists reject army interference in constitution as advisory council convenes

Egypt’s Islamists said on Sunday they

would not accept any interference from

the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed

Forces (SCAF) over the future constitution

amid uncertainty about the army’s role in

the process, as the SCAF’s newly formed

advisory council convened for the first

time.

“No one except the elected parliament

has the right to draft legislation,” Khairat

al-Shater, the number two in the Muslim

Brotherhood, Egypt’s biggest Islamist

movement, said on Twitter.

Major General Mukthar al-Mulla, a

member of the ruling military council told

reporters on Wednesday that the army

would have final say over those appointed

to a 100-member panel tasked with

writing the constitution next year,

according to AFP.

The statements prompted the

Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party

to pull out of the advisory council, which

would have a supervisory role in drafting

the constitution.

According to FJP member Amr Zaky, their

withdrawal came as a response to the

new, extra authorities granted the

advisory council.

Zaky explained that the advisory council’s

authorities had been amended to allow

the SCAF to infringe upon powers that

should only belong to the incoming

parliament. Such a move, he asserted,

would be widely considered

“a circumvention of the people’s will,”

according to Egypt’s al-Ahram daily.

But on Saturday, another member of the

SCAF, General Mamdouh Shahin, said the




Sayfa 29

army would have “no opinion” regarding

the members of the panel.

The Muslim Brotherhood said it would

stand firm in calling for a parliament with

full powers and that the military should be

judged by its actions.

Shahin’s statements “were good. But it is

not words that count, it is actions,”

Mohammed al-Beltagui, a senior leader in

the Muslim Brotherhood, told AFP.

He noted that the army-backed advisory

council had met on Sunday to discuss the

criteria for the constitution-writing panel.

“We have a parliament that will be elected

within a month, and the panel that will

write the constitution should be chosen by

parliament,” Beltagui said.

The advisory council meets

The advisory council on Sunday elected a

former information minister, Mansour

Hassan, as its president.

The members elected two deputies for

Hassan: Abul Ela Mady, president of the

Wasat Party, and Sameh Ashour,

president of the Lawyers Syndicate.

Mohamed Nour Farahat, a leader from the

Egyptian Social Democratic Party, was

elected secretary general. Sherif

Mohammed Zahran and Abdul

Mohammed al-Moghazy were elected

assistants to the secretary general.

Ashour told Egypt’s al-Masry al-Youm daily

that they were elected in a secret ballot.

The council’s secretary general will act as

liaison between the council and the SCAF.

The council is to convene at least once a

week, but may meet whenever the need

arises or upon the request of one-third of

its members or the head of the SCAF.

Twenty-four of the council’s 30 members

were present at the first meeting. Among

the most notable absentees were Coptic

businessman and founder of the Free

Egyptians Party Naguib Sawiris,

Sayfa 30

presidential hopeful Amr Moussa, and

president of al-Wafd Party al-Sayed al-

Badawy.

Protests against SCAF

The idea of establishing an advisory

council to “assist” the SCAF was first

floated following last month’s

clashes between security forces and anti-

SCAF protesters in which more than 40 of

the latter were killed. The

incident triggered an enormous

demonstration in Cairo’s Tahrir Square on

Nov. 19 to demand an end to military rule.

The proposed council was initially

presented as one that would include

revolutionary political figures to “advise”

the SCAF until executive power could be

handed over to an elected, civilian

authority. Shortly after the initial

proposal, however, statements by SCAF

spokesmen suggested the advisory council

might aspire to more than just an advisory

role.

Islamist thinker and advisory council

member Selim al-Awa, however,

challenged this assertion, noting that

the SCAF would soon release an official

statement refuting such claims – a

contention later confirmed by

Shahin’s televised statements on Sunday.

But al-Awa differentiated between the

notion of choosing constituent assembly

members and simply laying out

the criteria for their selection. The

advisory council, he insisted, would

merely set the criteria by

which parliamentarians would choose

constituent assembly members.

Several political figures, meanwhile, have

turned down offers to join the nascent

advisory council, arguing that the council

only serves to lend legitimacy to the

ruling SCAF, al-Ahram reported.

Ahmed Bahaa Eddin Shaaban, member of

both the National Association for Change

reform movement and Egypt’s Socialist

Party, issued a statement late last week in

which he cited eight reasons why political

figures should not join the advisory

council.

According to Shaaban, the SCAF is a

“counter-revolutionary” force

“responsible for all those killed and

injured during the past months.” Shaaban

stressed that joining the advisory council

Sayfa 31

would only serve to legitimize the SCAF

and thus prolong military rule.

Along with Shaaban, several other young

revolutionary activists – citing similar

reasons – have also turned down formal

offers to join the council.

The next parliament is likely to be

dominated by the FJP, which won 36

percent of votes in the first of three

rounds of elections, followed by the

ultraconservative Salafist al-Nour party

with at least 24 percent of the vote.

Millions of Egyptians voted in a March

referendum to allow the next parliament

the power to elect a 100-person

committee that would draft the next

constitution.



3tngoa8marfd2i7t4

Egypt army affirms parliament role over constitution

CAIRO, (Reuters) - The army has said only

parliament will choose the make-up of a

constituent assembly, appearing to retreat

from earlier statements that riled Islamists

and others when a general said unelected

bodies would have a role in the selection

process.

Under an interim constitution, parliament

is responsible for picking the 100-strong

assembly that will write a new

constitution to replace one that helped

keep Hosni Mubarak in power for three

decades.

But a general last week had suggested

parliament's role would be diluted by

saying the army-backed cabinet, a

consultative body to the ruling generals

and parliament, would first agree on

criteria for selection before any

appointment.

That angered Islamists who are on course

to secure a parliamentary majority in

Egypt's staggered election. It was the

second time the army has become

embroiled in a row over the new

constitution and then backtracked.

"The only body responsible for choosing

the constituent assembly is parliament

and its elected members," General

Mamdouh Shaheen was quoted telling

television at the weekend.




Sayfa 32

His remarks were published by state-run

Al Ahram and other newspapers Sunday.

The independent Al-Masry Al-Youm said

Shaheen was "backtracking" on comments

that caused the stir and which were made

by General Mokhtar al-Mullah last week.

"The consultative council, the government

and the military council will not have any

opinion in choosing members of the

constituent assembly writing the new

constitution," Shaheen said, according to

Al Ahram.

"The consultative council's role is limited

to presenting views and suggestions, with

no legislative role, and it will not contest

parliament's jurisdictions," the general

said.

The consultative council is a civilian body

being set up by the army to advise them

during the transition. Islamist politicians

have said they will not join the council.

Before the latest row, the army-backed

cabinet had made proposals for who

should be in the constituent assembly and

had proposed articles for the new

constitution that would have permanently

shielded the army from civilian oversight.

Those proposals prompted a blizzard of

criticism and led to violent protests

against army rule in November that killed

42 people. The ideas were dropped and

the army has since insisted they had only

been non-binding ideas.

http://www.asharq-

e.com/news.asp?section=1&id=27643

NTC representative describes road ahead

With Libya's new interim government less

than a month old, challenges are adding

up for the National Transitional Council

(NTC). From disarmament and

reconstruction to building state

institutions, the nation's aspiring

democrats have an enormous task ahead.

Magharebia sat down with NTC

representative Intissar al-Akili in Benghazi

http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=1&id=27643


Sayfa 33

to ask her what the government plans to

tackle first and where Libya goes from

here.

Magharebia: What are the priorities of the

new government?

Intissar Al-Akili: The first priority is the

security situation until we start the

maturation stage, and it is necessary to

attend to these files at the start.

Organisation will now begin and building a

national army and the army structure, and

either the security battalions within the

cities will be dealt with or the military

battalions that were on the fronts that

fought and achieved a great victory,

whether they join under the banner of the

national army or join under the banner of

national security.

At the same time, we do not forget that

many of those enlisted in the battalions

are teachers, lawyers, doctors, engineers

and journalists from all segments of

society, so do not forget that it creates

difficulty now that we are a modern state

vested with everything.

Magharebia: As the interim government

goes forward, what parts of the old

regime does the NTC plan to preserve?

Al-Akili: There are not many constants we

can adhere to, as we lived under the

marginalisation of qualified people. My

own view is that after the revolution of

February 17th, and after October 20th,

building a new Libya will begin, although

this will take a long time. But I am

optimistic, for the people who toppled the

Kadhafi regime will build a new Libya.

There must be work to guide the people's

enthusiasm toward building – the

enthusiasm with which they were working

to overthrow the regime and liberate the

country. This enthusiasm should now be

directed toward state-building in all

areas—not placing the burden heavily on

the National Council because it is the

ruling, executive and legislative authority,

but relying on the institutions of civil

society, which assume the role of

watchdog, because in Libya there are no

parties, and these institutions must play a

political role and not institutions of a

charitable, voluntary or social nature.

Sayfa 34

Institutions of the political role must be

the watchdog over the legitimate

authority of the National Council, the

governing authority and the executive

branch represented in the interim

government, in order to detect mistakes

and educate people, because I believe

that the revolution is still being renewed

and on-going.

Related Articles

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Magharebia: International rights groups

have called for an investigation into the

killing of Kadhafi. How does the new

Libyan government plan to handle the

situation?

Al-Akili: It was addressed by Attorney-

General Abdul Aziz al-Hasadi and he in fact

announced that a file was opened to

investigate the killing Kadhafi and that the

file would be ready as soon as possible.

We have highly qualified people in the

field of the judiciary and the prosecution,

and this file will be incorporated at the

beginning of the autopsy report in the

prosecution's investigations. This file will

be ready for human rights and

international organisations to review.

Magharebia: How can the Maghreb help

Libya?

Al-Akili: It already provided aid. To begin,

we are satisfied with solidarity with our

people and we do not expect a lot from

Arab governments, and often there are

governments that have an effective role.

We need to co-operate at all levels,

beginning with the security, military and

health field, and there is a co-operation

agreement between us and the attorney-

general of the State of Qatar to provide

full advice and guidance in all areas and

specifically in the judicial field. We hope it

is a priority for the Arab states in the

reconstruction.

http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi

/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/20

11/12/11/feature-01

Tunisia debates interim constitution

Tunisia's Constituent Assembly resumed

debate Friday (December 9th) on an

interim constitution designed to govern

the nation ahead of a permanent

democratic constitution.

http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2011/12/11/feature-01



Sayfa 35

On Wednesday, the assembly approved a

controversial measure that allows the

body to continue work beyond the original

one year deadline, sparking anger among

opposition activists. Parties previously

pledged to limit the Constituent Assembly

duration to one year, with the option for a

single sixth month extension.

"We are surprised by parties that pledged

to set a one-year mandate for the

Constituent Assembly but soon afterwards

broke their word," said Iyad Dahmani, a

parliamentarian from the Progressive

Democratic Party (PDP). "This is practically

a coup against the legitimacy of the

decree calling for elections and against

their moral commitment before people, as

well as an attempt of these parties to

perpetuate the interim situation."

However, Ennahda MP Noureddine

Beheiri stressed that "the coalition's

political and moral commitment to a one-

year mandate for drafting the constitution

and running the affairs of the country 'is

irreversible'."

Beheiri also said that Ennahda and the

governing coalition supported measures

to require an absolute majority for

withdrawing confidence of the president,

prime minister or assembly speaker.

"The three-party coalition did not honour

its commitment. As such, it is unfit to run

the state," commented PDP

parliamentarian Issam Chebbi. "The

opposition will remain on the lookout for

such violations and will address any

deviations that are likely to disrupt the

path of achieving the goals of the

revolution."

Tunisians had their own views regarding

the vote against defining a mandate for

the Constituent Assembly.

"We are worried the assembly could usurp

power and the country would thus remain

in chaos without a time limit," citizen

Essam al-Zaidi said. "This is dangerous,

particularly as the country's experiencing

Sayfa 36

an economic crisis, which requires urgent

solutions."

Related Articles

Loading

Mona Belaaab echoed the concern. "I

think this decision betrays the selfishness

of some parties that want to control the

assembly resolutions as the majority," she

said, adding that prolonging the assembly

"only serves to extend the chaos in which

we are living".

Political parties were also critical the

Constituent Assembly's interim

constitution. Samir Tayeb of the

Democratic Modernist Pole (PDM) said

the draft as it stands gives the

government too much power over other

institutions.

"The draft law grants executive powers to

the head of the next government at the

expense of the rest of the executive

authority parties," PDP chief Ahmed Najib

Chebbi said.

"This approach only reinforces the

practices of the former regime that

neglected citizens' concerns and focused

on ways of strengthening its own position

as a monolithic authority with full control

over the entire community," Chebbi

added.

http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi

/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/20

11/12/09/feature-02

5. JORDAN and LEBANON / ÜRDÜN

Jumblatt advises Hezbollah to distance itself from Syria

Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid

Jumblatt urged Hezbollah to distance itself

from the Syrian government and called on

the group’s leader to convince Damascus

to agree to the Arab League’s initiative to

end unrest in the country.

“I advise Hezbollah not to be completely

attached to the Syrian regime and

[Hezbollah] should advise the regime that

the best solution lies in the Arab League

initiative and for it to abandon security




Sayfa 37

measures,” Jumblatt told Al-Majalla

magazine in an article published over the

weekend.

“*Hezbollah leader+ Sayyed Hasan

Nasrallah should advise [Syrian President]

Bashar Assad of the need to implement

reforms for a populist, democratic Syria

that is open to all political movements,”

he added.

Nasrallah, a close ally of Syria in Lebanon,

has repeatedly voiced support for the

Syrian leader and, like Assad, says

Lebanon’s neighbor is facing a conspiracy

aimed at toppling the pro-resistance

government. While acknowledging the

need for reform in Syria, Hezbollah has

criticized Arab efforts to end the crisis in

the country, arguing that many Arab

states have yielded to a Western agenda

against Assad.

“I don’t agree with Nasrallah. There is no

conspiracy in Syria. The regime has made

a fatal mistake against citizens in Deraa

and it was not resolved and no one was

held accountable for the crimes,” said

Jumblatt, who earlier this year realigned

with Hezbollah.

While warning that the situation in Syria

was very sensitive, Jumblatt urged rival

Lebanese politicians to relax their

positions toward Syria and resume

national dialogue.

“Those who are attached to the Syrian

regime should recognize that they’re

being hostile to the majority of the Syrian

people. Also those who are betting on the

fall of the Syrian regime should recognize

the sensitivity of the internal and sectarian

situation in Syria,” Jumblatt said.

Throughout the interview, the PSP leader

repeatedly accused Assad of prolonging

the crisis, which the U.N. estimates has

left some 4,000 Syrians, mostly civilians,

dead.

“I have advised the Syrian president

repeatedly of the need for reform but it

seems that the will to adopt a security

solution is stronger than the will to

reform,” he said.

Jumblatt spoke about Iran’s role in the

region, and on the subject of resisting

Israel he said the Islamic Republic should

acknowledge the right of Arabs to decide

how to confront Israel.

Sayfa 38

“If the Iranians insist on the principles of

resistance in the face of Israel in their own

way, they need to know that the Syrian

and Lebanese people as well as Arab

people are basically resistant. We do not

need lessons from anyone.”

Jumblatt’s recent statements have

seemed closer to the positions of the

opposition March 14 coalition, prompting

analysts to suggest that the PSP leader,

who has described himself as a centrist

politicians, might be again switching

alliances.

“I do not stand neutral. I am committed to

this government. There is a coalition

between myself, Prime Minister Najib

Mikati along with the Free Patriotic

Movement and the resistance

*Hezbollah+.”

http://www.yalibnan.com/2011/12/12/ju

mblatt-advises-hezbollah-to-distance-

itself-from-syria/

Rocket fired from and landed in south Lebanon

A rocket was fired from Wadi el Qaiseyah

in south Lebanon on Sunday evening and

reportedly landed by mistake in Hula area

of south Lebanon near the Israeli border

According to media reports the rocket

landed on the house of Abdullah

Mahmoud and resulted in the wounding

of Lebanese citizen Nazira Abbas who was

taken to a nearby hospital in Mays al Jabal

for treatment

According to the reports the Army and

UNIFIL are investigating the incident

A similar incident took place nearly 2

weeks ago.

A rocket was launched on November 29

towards Israel . Israel retaliated by firing 4

rockets toward Ayta ash Shaab outskirts ,

a border village in south Lebanon .

Initially Abdullah Azzam Brigades an

affiliate of al Qaeda claimed responsibility

for the rocket launched last November but

later denied any responsibility and

accused Hezbollah and Syria of being

behind the attack

“This operation was carried out in favor of

the tyrant, Syrian President Bashar [al-

Assad , by his ally in Lebanon, Hezbollah,”

http://www.yalibnan.com/2011/12/12/jumblatt-advises-hezbollah-to-distance-itself-from-syria/



Sayfa 39

Abdullah Azzam Brigades said in a

statement on Dec 5, 2011

http://www.yalibnan.com/2011/12/12/ro

cket-fired-from-and-landed-in-south-

lebanon/

Syrians in Jordan attack their Embassy in Amman

The Syrian Embassy in Jordan says a dozen

of its nationals have attacked consulate

employees, wounding at least two

diplomats and four other people.

An Embassy statement says its guards

arrested one of the attackers, identified as

Syrian refugee Ahmed al-Shureiqi.

It says Jordanian police arrested eight

others – all Syrians allegedly involved in

the Sunday morning attack.

The attack was linked to the uprising

against Syrian President Bashar Assad.

Police spokespeople did not answer

repeated calls to confirm the arrest.

The group entered the embassy claiming

they had paperwork to finish. They then

beat up a security guard, the consul and

another diplomat and several others.

http://www.yalibnan.com/2011/12/11/sy

rians-in-jordan-attack-their-embassy-in-

amman/

6. SYRIA / SURİYE

Syrian troops battle defectors as protest strike shuts businesses in several cities

By Al Arabiya with Agencies

Syrian troops and army defectors have

fought one of the biggest battles in Syria’s

nine-month uprising while a protest strike

shut businesses in a new gesture of civil

disobedience, residents and activists said.

The general strike took place in several

Syrian cities and has terrified the regime

as the Hama governor threatened to seal

http://www.yalibnan.com/2011/12/12/rocket-fired-from-and-landed-in-south-lebanon/



http://www.yalibnan.com/2011/12/11/syrians-in-jordan-attack-their-embassy-in-amman/



Sayfa 40

off the stores in the city and forces

threatened to set these stores on fire, Ali

Hassan, spokesman for the Syrian

Revolution Council, an opposition group,

told Al Arabiya in an interview.

In Sunday’s fighting, Syrian troops mainly

from the 12th Armored Brigade based in

Isra, 40 km (25 miles) from the southern

border with Jordan, stormed the nearby

town of Busra al-Harir.

A housewife in Busra, who did not want to

be named, told Reuters by telephone that

the town was being hit by machinegun fire

from tanks. Her children were crying.

The sound of explosions and heavy

machineguns was heard there and in

Lujah, an area of rocky hills north of the

town, where defectors from the army

have been hiding and attacking military

supply lines, residents and activists said.

“Lujah has been the safest area for

defectors to hide because it is difficult for

tanks and infantry to infiltrate. The region

has caves and secret passageways and

extends all the way to Damascus

countryside,” said an activist, who gave his

name as Abu Omar.

Opposition activists said they had shut

down much of the capital and other towns

with a strike, the biggest walkout by

workers since the protest movement

demanding Assad’s removal erupted in

March.

Syria has barred most independent

journalists, making it difficult to gauge the

extent of participation in the strike.

Official state media made no mention of

it.

“For the first time we have seen business

close in multiple districts in Damascus and

spread to most of the suburbs and

provinces. The aim is to reach civil

disobedience that encompasses all sectors

and forces the regime down,” said Rima

Fleihan, a member of the opposition

Syrian National Council.

Sayfa 41

“The cost will be more human lives but I

am afraid it is less costly than an armed

uprising and the regime dragging the

country into a Libya-type scenario,” she

said.

Assad has been widely condemned abroad

for what Western and Arab countries

describe as a crackdown on peaceful

protests. His government says it is

defending Syria from a foreign-backed

insurgency by armed militants.

Meanwhile, the Secretary General of the

Organization of Islamic Conference

Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu expressed his grave

concern over the reports of security

deterioration in Homs, Al Arabiya

reported.

Ihsanoglu called on the Syrian authorities

to stop the bloodshed. He reminded the

Syrian government of the vows it gave

during the organization’s executive

committee meeting in early December.

The United Nations says more than 4,000

Syrians have been killed since March.

Assad says the number of dead is far

lower and most of them have been from

the state security forces.

The official news agency SANA said 13

soldiers killed by “armed terrorist groups”

were buried on Sunday.

Arab foreign ministers will meet on

Saturday to discuss a response to Syria’s

conditional acceptance of an Arab peace

plan aimed at ending its crackdown on

pro-democracy protesters, Egypt’s MENA

news agency said, citing an Arab diplomat.

Syria faces sanctions from Arab nations in

response to its violent crackdown on

protests against President Assad.

The Arab League repeatedly has extended

deadlines for Syria to agree to a plan that

would see Arab monitors oversee its

withdrawal of troops from towns. The

latest expired on Dec. 4.

MENA said that a small group of ministers

would meet first on Saturday, followed by

a broader meeting of ministers led by

Qatar from the 22-member League the

same day. Syria has been suspended from

the League.

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem

wrote to the League saying Damascus was

Sayfa 42

prepared to sign an agreement that would

allow League monitors into Syria, on

certain conditions



3tngoa8marfd2i7t4

Syrians hold strikes amid battles in south

Hundreds of army defectors in southern

Syria have fought with loyalist forces in

one of the biggest armed confrontations

in the nine-month uprising, and a strike

shut businesses in a new gesture of civil

disobedience, residents and activists said.

In another development likely to raise

international pressure on President Bashar

al-Assad, French Foreign Minister

Alain Juppe said on Sunday that Paris

believed Syria was behind attacks that

wounded French peacekeepers in

neighbouring Lebanon on Friday.

Syrians are casting ballots in local

elections on Monday, but turnout is

expected to be low as activists have called

for a boycott of the polls.

Earlier on Sunday, troops from the 12th

Armoured Brigade, based in Isra, 40km

from the border with Jordan, stormed the

nearby town of Busra al-Harir, the Reuters

news agency reported.

Al Jazeera's Nisreen El-Shamayleh,

reporting from near the Jordan-Syria

border, said that the clash started when

"tens of tanks mounted with machine

guns opened fire in that area earlier on

Sunday morning to try to put an end to a

general strike" called for by the

opposition.


machine guns was heard in Busra al-Harir

and in Lujah, an area of rocky hills north of

the town, where defectors have been

hiding and attacking military supply lines.

At least 26 people were killed by

government troops on Sunday, including a

woman and four children, activists said.

Nine of them were killed in the city of

Homs, six in Hama, three in Deraa, two in

Idlib and another two outside of

Damascus.




Sayfa 43

At least five Syrian soldiers, including a

military officer, were also reportedly

killed.

General strikes

Opposition activists said they had shut

down much of the capital and other towns

with a strike, the biggest walkout by

workers since the protest movement

demanding Assad's removal erupted in

March.

The Local Co-ordination Committees

(LCC), a Syrian rights group, organised the

civil disobedience campaign, including the

closure of shops and universities in

protest, as well as sit-in demonstrations

across the country.

"This strike is really a desperate action, a

desperate cry from the Syrian people, the

last civilian action we could do," Ashraf al-

Moqdad, a member of the Syrian

opposition calling for civil disobedience,

told Al Jazeera.

"We've been demonstrating peacefully for

nine months. Thousands of us have been

murdered by Assad and his thugs. We've

been waiting for real concrete action from

the international community ... What else

can we do?

"This is part of our desperate action to get

the attention of the international

community to look at us. Please look at

our situation. We are desperate now."

Security forces in Syria told striking

shopkeepers on Sunday to open up their

stores or they would be smashed.

"We heard reports that troops burned

down at least 178 stores and shops in

Deraa to try and take revenge against

civillians who have shut down their stores

and shops and are basically observing this

general strike," our correspondent said.

Syria has barred most independent

journalists from the country, making it

difficult to gauge the extent of

participation in the strike.

A witness who toured Damascus said most

shops were closed in the main shopping

street of the old Medan quarter in the

centre of the capital where there has been

a heavy security presence. The main souq

in Old Damascus remained open.

Sayfa 44

Central parts of the capital and the

business hub Aleppo seemed calm, though

there are reports of strikes taking hold in

some areas on the outskirts of both cities.

"There is nothing going on," said Rula, a

schoolteacher in Damascus. "Nothing

seems out of the ordinary."

The opposition used Facebook and online

videos to call for an open-ended "Strike

for Dignity" to begin on Sunday.

The LCC has termed the strike "the first

step in an overall civil disobedience"

campaign to overthrow the government.

Navi Pillay, the UN human rights

commissioner, has said that "more than

4,000 people" have been killed in the

government crackdown on dissent in Syria

since protests broke out in March.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middlee

ast/2011/12/201112119332270503.html

Defectors fight loyalist forces in southern Syria

AMMAN, (Reuters) - Hundreds of army

defectors in southernSyria fought loyalist

forces backed by tanks on Sunday in one

of the biggest armed confrontations in a

nine-month uprising against President

Bashar al-Assad, residents and activists

said.

Troops, mainly from the 12th Armoured

Brigade, based in Isra, 40-km (25 miles)

from the border with Jordan, stormed the

nearby town of Busra al-Harir.


machineguns was heard in Busra al-Harir

and in Lujah, an area of rocky hills north of

the town, where defectors have been

hiding and attacking military supply lines,

they said.

"Lujah has been the safest area for

defectors to hide because it is difficult for

tanks and infantry to infiltrate. The region

has caves and secret passage ways and

extends all the way to Damascus

countryside," one of the activists, who

gave his name as Abu Omar, said from the

town of Isra.

http://www.asharq-

e.com/news.asp?section=1&id=27642

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2011/12/201112119332270503.html




Sayfa 45

Government Completes measures for Local Administration Elections due on Monday

PROVINCES, (SANA)- In the framework of

completing the process of building

institutions, promoting democracy and

achieving the comprehensive reform

process led by President Bashar al-Assad,

the Syrian provinces on Sunday completed

all procedures for local administration

elections due on Monday.

42889 candidates compete for 17588

seats at 1337 administrative units,

including 154 cities, 502 towns and 681

municipalities.

The number of the electoral centers is

9849, two ballot boxes in each, where

electors vote for their candidates for the

administrative unit, and an election

committee consisting of a head and two

members supervises the process.

The Interior Ministry distributed bottles of

invisible ink to prevent fraud and ensure

the honesty of elections.

Assistant Interior Minister for Civil Affairs,

Hassan Jalali, said in a statement to SANA

that the electors will be using the identity

card for voting, according to Decree No.

125 for 2011 for those who are 18 years of

age and above.

Jalali said that the ministry has provided

all required equipment to the Local

Administration Ministry in order to make

the election process a success.

He added that the ministry also provided

7340 ballot boxes and invisible ink, which

is used for the first time in the elections to

ensure the creditability of the process.

Jalali underscored that the number of the

IDs granted in Syria is about 15 millions,

adding that the number of the population

who are more than 18 years old reached

14.5 millions on Sunday.

The candidates' personal data indicates an

increase in the number of the holders of

university and higher education

certificates among the candidates in all

provinces compared to former elections.

In Damascus Countryside, the number of

candidates reached 4138 competing for

1927 seats, and the electoral centers are

703.

Sayfa 46

The number of candidates in Damascus is

425 competing for 100 seats, while the

number of electoral centers is 585.

In Aleppo, the number of candidates

reached 7805 competing for 2283 seats.

The number of electoral centers is 818 in

the city of Aleppo and 1202 in its

countryside.

The province's data indicate that 1286

candidates hold university certificates,

MAs and PhDs.

In Quneitra Province, 812 candidates, 262

holding university certificates, are running

the elections to win 330 seats.

In Hama, 3667 candidates are to compete

for 1997 seats, more than 55% of whom

are holders of university or intermediate

institutes certificates.

In Tartous, the number of candidates are

3107 competing for 950 seats.

In Sweida, 1603 candidates, half of them

hold university certificates, are

participating through 302 electoral

centers to win 645 seats.

In Lattakia, 3440 candidates are

participating in the elections through 846

electoral centers.

In Daraa, the number of candidates

reached 1873, with 410 electoral centers

and 1043 seats.

In Homs, 3500 candidates are running the

elections through 611 electoral centers to

win the 1496 seats allocated to the

province.

In Raqqa, 2500 candidates are to compete

for 487 seats through 459 electoral

centers.

Deir Ezzor has 3314 candidates, 1362

seats and 599 electoral centers.

Candidates in Idleb are 2468 competing

for 1907 seats, and the number of

electoral centers is 898.

In Hasaka, elections at 850 electoral

centers will decide who, out of 4353

candidates, will occupy the 1742 seats.

http://www.sana.sy/eng/21/2011/12/12/

387431.htm

http://www.sana.sy/eng/21/2011/12/12/387431.htm

http://www.sana.sy/eng/21/2011/12/12/387431.htm

Sayfa 47

Seferberlik İlan Edilsin… Sözde İstanbul Meclisi Haindir…

ŞAM - Suriye Değişim ve Kurtuluş Halk

Cephesi Merkez Komitesi, boykot

çağrılarını reddettiğini vurgulayarak, sözde

İstanbul Meclisi’nin tutumlarını şüpheli

olarak nitelendirdi.

Suriye Değişim ve Kurtuluş Halk Cephesi

Merkez Komitesi bugün Suriye’nin içinde

bulunduğu krize yönelik gelişmeleri ve

Suriye’nin toprak bütünlüğünü, halkını ve

bağımsızlığını hedef alan emperyalist-

siyonist ve Arap gerici komployu ele aldı.

Düzenlediği toplantıdan sonra yayımladığı

bildiride Merkez Komite, emperyalistlerin

Suriye’ye doğrudan askeri müdahaleyi

engelleyenin, uluslararası gelişmelerle

birlikte Rusya ve Çin’in Suriye’ye karşı

askeri müdahale seçeneğini reddetmesi

olduğu belirtildi.

Emperyalist projenin dışarıda yapmaya

başaramadığını içerideki silahlıları

destekleyerek gerçekleştirme çabası

olduğuna işaret eden komite, aralarında

toplumsal güçleri vatan savunması için

seferberliğe hazırlayacak ulusal birlik

hükümeti kurulması seçeneği de başta

olmak üzere krizin aşılmasını engelleyecek

icraatlar alınması çağrısında bulundu.

Ulusal muhalefet güçlerinin bu seçeneği

öne çıkarmaya çağıran komite, vatan

savunması için halk seferberliğinin bir

seçenek olduğunu vurgulayarak, barışçıl

halk gösteri hareketlerine beklenen

vatansever rolünü üstlenme çağrısında

bulundu.

Krize Pozitif Yaklaşanlar Gözlemci

Göndersin

Merkez Komite Üyesi Kadri Cemil bugün

düzenlediği basın toplantısında, Arap

Ligi’ne girişimini uygulama çağrısında

bulunarak, girişimi engelleyenin ligin

kendisi olduğunu vurguladı.

Hükümete, Suriye krizine pozitif yaklaşan

ve dış müdahaleleri reddeden tüm

uluslararası mercilerden gözlemcilerini

göndererek Suriye’de durumları

Sayfa 48

incelemelerini isteme çağrısında bulunan

Cemil, “Suriye halkı her türlü düşmanlığa

göğüs gerecek güçtedir” dedi.

İşbirlikçi Sözde İstanbul Meclisi’nin Başkanı

Burhan Galyun’un Hizbullah ve İran ile

ilişkilerin kesileceği yönündeki

açıklamalarını kınayan Cemil, “İşte o, bu

şekilde kendilerini dünyanın efendisi

olarak görenlere bir senet vermiş oluyor

ama, uluslararası levhadaki derin

değişimleri göremiyor” dedi.

“Galyun ve benzerleri bilmelidir ki,

Suriye’de sadece Suriye halkının

tutumlarını, kahramanlık rolü ve tarihini

yansıtan vatansever tutumlar hakim

olabilir” diyen Cemil, halkın halihazırdaki

koşullarla mücadele için seçeneklerini

belirlediğine ve ulusal birliği ile

egemenliğinin sarsılmasına izin

vermeyeceğini kaydetti.

İstanbul Meclisi Vatana İhanet Ediyor

Diğer taraftan komite üyesi Ali Haydar da,

cephenin, halkın çıkarlarını zedeleyecek

boykot çağrılarını reddettiğini

vurgulayarak, sözde İstanbul Meclisi’nin

tüm vatansever sınırların dışına çıktığını ve

dış müdahale çağrısında bulunarak ihanet

boyutuna geldiğini dile getirdi.

Vatana karşı açık ve şüpheli düşmanlıkların

önünü açmaya çalışan Sözde İstanbul

Meclisi ile muamele edenlerin kırmızı

çizgiyi aşmış olacağını vurgulayan Merkez

Komite Üyesi Adil Naise de, “bu sözde

meclis, kendisinden istenen rolü

üstlenmek ve dış ajandaları uygulamak için

oluşturularak finanse edilmiştir” dedi.

http://www.sana.sy/tur/236/2011/12/11/

387611.htm

7. ARABIAN PENINSULA AND THE GULF OF BASRA / ARAP YARIMADASI VE BASRA KÖRFEZİ

Egypt has good chances of joining GCC as a member state: official

Head of the Gulf Cooperation Council’s

directorate in Kuwait’s foreign ministry

said that it is considering allowing Egypt

entry into the Gulf block as it has the most

advantage over new candidates Morocco

and Jordan.

The Kuwaiti daily al-Anba reported on

Sunday that Humood al-Radhwan said his

country fully supports Morocco and

http://www.sana.sy/tur/236/2011/12/11/387611.htm

http://www.sana.sy/tur/236/2011/12/11/387611.htm

Sayfa 49

Jordan joining the GCC but after two

years.

“A somewhat disorganized joining of both

Jordan and Morocco cannot happen,” he

said, adding that “the GCC states have

similar features such as one language and

religion and its society is more cohesive;

there is no difference between a Kuwait

and an Emirati for instance.”

There are 21 Arabic speaking countries,

but the GCC bloc views itself as more

culturally cohesive.

He said that does not mean there is no

commonality between the GCC and Jordan

and Morocco, but “we need two years of

partnership with them and then we can

look into them joining the two years after

two years during the GCC summit.”

The GCC head said that there is a slight

difference in point of views on how to

deal with Jordan and Morocco.

“Of course we fully agree to aid Jordan

and Morocco, but the amount of money

has not been fixed yet or how it will be

spent,” he said. Some countries want the

aid to go through a direct fund while

others want to give the aid through

development funds via spurring projects

to help the two countries’ economies, he

said.

Early in October, an Egyptian official

denied that his county had received any

offer for Egypt to join the GCC.

But earlier in September Egyptian officials

had said that the GCC states were

enthusiastic about Cairo joining, as the

country had the capabilities and shared

mutual strategic interests with the Gulf

states.

The sources said that an Egyptian role is

increasingly necessary to the stability of

the region, especially after the change of

regime in Iraq and the increasing Iranian

interference in the Iraqi political sphere.

Sayfa 50

Egypt which boasts the largest army in the

Arab world has its security historically

linked to the security of the Gulf, various

sources said.

On September 11, Morocco and Jordan

attended their first GCC ministerial

meeting, in Jeddah.

Egypt and Morocco are the only Arab

economies classified as emerging markets.



3tngoa8marfd2i7t4

Yemen transition government starts work

Prime Minister Mohammed Baswinder

heads the new government to pave way

for President Ali Abdullah Saleh to step

down.

Yemen's national unity government was

sworn in on Saturday in the presence of

Vice President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi, an

official statement said.

The statement, carried by the official Saba

news agency, said the swearing-in

ceremony took place at the Republican

Palace in the capital Sanaa.

The new 34-member cabinet, headed by

Prime Minister Mohammed Baswinder will

now lead Yemen for a three-month

transition period, after which President Ali

Abdullah Saleh is expected to formally

step down after 33 years in power.

The unity government will carry out its

duties until early elections are held in

February, after which Hadi will take over

the presidency for an interim two-year

period as stipulated by the Gulf-sponsored

deal to resolve Yemen's political crisis.

Half of the new cabinet posts were given

to members of the opposition Common

Forum, while Saleh loyalists were

appointed to the other half, under the gulf

plan.

Immunity plans




Sayfa 51

The Gulf plan also gave Saleh and his close

relatives immunity from prosecution for

crimes committed in the uprising against

his rule that has left hundreds of people

dead and thousands more wounded since

it began in January.

However, the protesters who have

thronged the streets of the capital and

other Yemeni cities have rejected the

immunity clause and continue to demand

Saleh goes on trial.

For more on Yemen, visit our Spotlight

page

The government faces a host of challenges

including sporadic fighting with anti-Saleh

tribesmen, a southern separatist

movement, a Shia Muslim rebellion in the

north and a regional wing of al Qaeda that

has exploited the upheaval to strengthen

its foothold in the poor Arabian peninsula

country.

On Friday, a soldier was killed in fighting

between government forces and

opponents of Saleh on the streets of

Sanaa.

The violence near government buildings

and the compound of Sadeq al-Ahmar, a

foe of Saleh who commands significant

forces, was the latest challenge to the

transition plan after 10 months of anti-

Saleh protests.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middlee

ast/2011/12/20111210111427972141.ht

ml

Bahrain security forces break up Shiite demo

DUBAI — Bahraini security forces on

Friday fired tear gas, rubber bullets and

stun grenades to disperse hundreds of

demonstrators in a Shiite neighbourhood

of the capital Manama, the opposition

said.

The protesters were heading towards

Manama's Pearl Square, epicentre of an

anti-government movement, from the

western neighbourhood of Jad Hafs when

they were set upon by the security forces,

according to Matar Matar, an MP for the

Shiite Al-Wefaq opposition.

"Some demonstrators were brutally

beaten while others suffered breathing

problems due to the tear gas," he said.




Sayfa 52

Matar said he was not able to elaborate

further on the extent of the injuries as

"the wounded prefer not to go to hospital,

fearing arrest."

The demonstration was the second in

three days by Shiites in Manama.

On Wednesday, an attempt to march on

Pearl Square by protesters from the

outlying Shiite village of Al-Daih was

similarly broken up by the security forces.

Sunni-ruled Bahrain was rocked by Shiite-

led democracy protests between mid-

February and mid-March, which were

crushed by security forces backed by its

Gulf neighbours.

Matar condemned police for continuing to

press a violent repression of "peaceful"

protests despite criticisms by an

independent inquiry of what it found to be

human rights abuses perpetrated by

Bahrain's security forces.

The inquiry appointed by King Hamad

found that police had used "excessive

force" against the Shiite-led

demonstrators and had tortured activists.

In the wake of the report, the king last

month issued several decrees, including

one naming a panel to implement the

recommendations of the probe.

The panel held its first meeting on

Thursday and adopted a "clear

mechanism... in order to expedite the

process" of reform, a statement said.

Meanwhile Bahrain's Information

Authority said in a statement Friday that

the country has decided to open up its

prisons to the International Committee of

the Red Cross as part of reforms pledged

by the interior ministry.

And Interior Minister Rashed bin Abdullah

Al-Khalifa "issued an order to refer all

cases related to deaths, torture and

inhumane treatment implicating police to

the public prosecution," said the

statement.

http://www.vob.org/en/index.php?show=

news&action=article&id=1000

Pro-govt Bahrain marchers target opposition group HQ

http://www.vob.org/en/index.php?show=news&action=article&id=1000


Sayfa 53

A girl waves Bahraini flag as she

participates in an anti-government

gathering organised by al-Wafeq, in

Budaiya west of Manama, December 9,

2011. Thousands of mainly shi'ites

attended the gathering shouting shouting

anti-government slogans and askin

Reuters) - Dozens of pro-government

demonstrators marched to the offices of a

Bahraini opposition party on Saturday and

daubed the building with grafitti against

majority Shi'ites and Iran, residents said.

They said "Down with Iran" and "Shi'ites

get out" were among the slogans written

on the offices of Waad, a secular party

aligned with the largest Shi'ite opposition

group Wefaq which was at the forefront

of protests against the Sunni-led

government this year.

U.S.-allied Bahrain has accused Shi'ite

power Iran of instigating unrest among

Shi'ites in the Gulf Arab kingdom, an

allegation Tehran denies.

"Police stopped them from entering. They

dispersed after leaving pictures of King

Hamad and the prime minister outside the

Waad headquarters," a resident said.

"This building had been burned down

twice, and we had just repaired it. So we

were afraid that may be repeated. But

police were there and nothing happened,"

Radhi al-Musawi, Waad's deputy

secretary-general, told Reuters by

telephone.

Inspired by "Arab Spring" revolts in Tunisia

and Egypt, thousands of mainly Shi'ite

Bahrainis took to the streets in February

and March demanding curbs on the power

of the ruling Sunni Muslim Al-Khalifa

family.

The protest wave was suppressed with the

help of military forces brought in from

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab

Emirates. Bahrain hosts the U.S. Fifth

Fleet.

Sayfa 54

A government-appointed commission of

international jurists found evidence of

systematic abuses against detained

protesters.

Bahrain has hired U.S. and British police

chiefs to lead the reform of security

agencies.

There has been no progress in talks

between the government and opposition

groups on political reform and the Gulf

Arab island state remains tense, with daily

clashes between riot police and Shi'ite

protesters.

http://www.vob.org/en/index.php?show=

news&action=article&id=1001

8. AFGHANISTAN - PAKISTAN / AFGANİSTAN - PAKİSTAN

Karzai: Death Toll in Attacks on Afghan Shi’ites Rises to 80

VOA News

December 11, 2011

Afghan President Hamid Karzai says

Tuesday's rare sectarian attacks on

minority Shi'ites in the country killed at

least 80 people, significantly higher than

the previously reported figure of 59.

In a speech Sunday in Kabul, Mr. Karzai

said he learned of the updated death toll

earlier in the day and blamed the

bombings on people trying to undermine

peace in Afghanistan. In the deadliest

December 6 attack, a suicide bomber blew

himself up near a Kabul shrine where

Shi'ites were marking the holy day of

Ashura, while a smaller blast happened

near a Shi'ite shrine in the northern city of

Mazar-e-Sharif.

Authorities initially put the death toll at 55

in Kabul and four in Mazar-e-Sharif. It was

not clear if the 80 deaths reported by Mr.

Karzai included people killed only at the

Kabul shrine or in both cities.

Pakistan-based militant group Lashkar-e-

Jhangvi claimed responsibility for the

Kabul attack, which raised fears that

Afghanistan could see an eruption of

Sunni – Shi'ite violence of the kind that is

common in Pakistan and Iraq.

U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Ryan

Crocker said Saturday he does not expect

the Ashura bombings to ignite a sectarian



Sayfa 55

conflict, in part because Afghan Shi'ite

leaders have called for calm.

Afghanistan's Sunni militant Taliban

movement issued another statement

Sunday condemning the attacks.

In other violence, NATO says a bomb

attack killed two of its service members in

eastern Afghanistan on Sunday. It did not

disclose their nationalities.

President Karzai also used his speech to

urge the international community to do

more to help Afghanistan fight corruption.

Berlin-based group Transparency

International ranked the country as one of

the world's most corrupt in a survey

released this month.

In his speech marking International Anti-

Corruption Day, Mr. Karzai said foreign

donors and companies contribute to the

corruption problem by awarding

development contracts to high-ranking

Afghan officials and their relatives. He

called for the practice to stop.

Speaking at the same event, the head of

Afghanistan's High Office of Oversight and

Anti-Corruption said his agency is like a

“toothless lion” and needs more power to

deal with the problem. Azizullah Ludin

said Afghanistan's more than 10 anti-

corruption bodies should be merged into a

single unit to fight corruption effectively.

Mr. Karzai also called on the United States

to extradite former Afghan central bank

chief Abdul Qadir Fitrat to face questions

about a corruption scandal at Kabul Bank,

Afghanistan's biggest commercial lender.

Fitrat fled to the United States in June,

saying his life was in danger because of

the scandal.

Critics accuse Fitrat and other central bank

officials of failing to act on warnings of

corruption inside the private bank, whose

near-collapse last year triggered an

economic crisis.

http://www.aopnews.com/today.html

Afghan president vows to fight corruption

KABUL, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Afghan

President Hamid Karzai on Sunday vowed

to fight corruption in his cash-strapped

and militancy-plagued country.


Sayfa 56

"We are determined to fight corruption

and implement the law to curb this social

evil," President Karzai said in his remarks

to observe the International Anti-

Corruption Day.

The militancy-hit Afghanistan has ranked

the second most corrupted nations after

Somalia and Democratic People Republic

of Korea, according to a recent report by

Transparency International.

To root out corruption, Karzai pointed out

that implementation of the law is

essential, adding the government should

push the reforms and end nepotism.

He also noted that Afghanistan would

overcome the menace of corruption

through its long-term fight.

However, the Afghan president pointed

finger at foreign countries present in

Afghanistan, saying "Our foreign friends

should not give huge contracts to high

ranking government functionaries as

signing such contracts would pave the way

for corruption." Nevertheless, the

president did not mention any name.

Certain countries contributing troops to

Afghanistan particularly the United States,

according to officials have inked contracts

worth millions of U.S. dollars with private

firms.

"The worth of these contracts is billions of

U.S. dollars and inked without our

information. If such contracts are inked in

a proper way and Afghan government

takes tax it would benefit our economy,"

President Karzai said, adding "we want our

foreign friends to assist us in this field".

In parts of his speech, the Afghan leader

also hinted that " BBC and certain media

outlets have making propaganda that

Afghanistan would plunge into civil war

after NATO-led forces pull out from the

war-torn country", saying these media

outlets should stop such propaganda

against Afghanistan.

Meantime, the Afghan President said

education is very important for taking his

country out from the current problems, as

educating Afghans would help the country

to stand on its feet.

Earlier, Azizullah Ludin, the head of Anti-

Corruption Directorate of Afghanistan in

Sayfa 57

his speech described corruption as a major

challenge in government administration.

"My administration is like a toothless lion

that captures a prey but cannot eat,"

Ludin told the audience while referring to

the weakness of administration.

He also admitted that the law is

implemented against the weak citizens

while the big fishes and influential figures

enjoy immunity and emphasized that the

culture of impunity should be ended in

Afghanistan.


Berlin plans Afghanistan troop pull-out

Press TV

December 11, 2011

German officials have announced the

country's decision to begin its troop

withdrawal from Afghanistan in February.

Berlin plans to withdraw some 200

soldiers from the war-torn country in

February and to reduce its forces to 4,900

next year, AFP reported.

There are currently about 5,350 German

troops in Afghanistan.

Earlier, German Defense Minister Thomas

de Maiziere announced that the presence

of German troops in Afghanistan would

continue after the 2014 deadline.

Germany has the third largest force in

Afghanistan following the United States

and Britain, with some 5,350 soldiers.

Germany is expected to cut its combat

force contingent to 4,900 soldiers within a

year.

Insecurity continues to rise across

Afghanistan despite the presence of

nearly 150,000 US-led forces in the Asian

country.

According to official figures released by

the website icasualties.org, a total of 53

German soldiers have been killed in

Afghanistan since October 2001, when the

US-led invasion of the country began.


Two US-led troops killed in Afghan war

Press TV



Sayfa 58

December 11, 2011

Two US-led foreign soldiers have been

killed in a massive bomb explosion in

eastern Afghanistan, Press TV has learned.

Further information regarding the

identities and nationalities of the soldiers

has not yet been released.

Parts of eastern Afghanistan are among

the most volatile regions in the war-torn

nation.

The recent deaths put the total NATO-led

troop deaths in Afghanistan at 546.

Last year, nonetheless, remains the

deadliest year for foreign military

casualties with a death toll of 711. The

number eclipsed the previous record of

521 set in 2009.

Insecurity continues to rise across

Afghanistan despite the presence of

nearly 150,000 US-led forces in the Asian

country.

The increasing number of military

casualties in Afghanistan has caused

widespread anger in the US and other

NATO member states, undermining public

support for the Afghan war.

Around 130,000 people were displaced by

the conflict in the first seven months of

the year, up to nearly two-thirds from the

same period a year earlier.


Pakistan: US Military Vacates Pakistani Air Base by Deadline

VOA News

December 11, 2011

Pakistan says the U.S. military has vacated

an air base in the country's southwest,

meeting a deadline set by the Pakistani

government in response to a NATO air

strike that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers last

month.

The Pakistani military says it took over the

Shamsi base in Baluchistan province on

Sunday, as the last flight carrying U.S.

personnel and equipment departed. U.S.

media say the U.S. military had used the

base as part of a years-long drone

offensive against al-Qaida and Taliban

militants along the Pakistani-Afghan

border. There was no immediate


Sayfa 59

confirmation of the base withdrawal from

U.S. officials.

The Pakistani government ordered the

United States to vacate the base by

December 11 as part of several punitive

measures reflecting Pakistani anger about

the November 26 NATO strikes that killed

the soldiers. Islamabad also closed its

border crossings to trucks delivering

supplies to NATO forces in land-locked

Afghanistan and boycotted a December 5

international conference on stabilizing its

western neighbor.

U.S. officials have denied Pakistani

accusations that NATO warplanes

deliberately targeted the Pakistani soldiers

during an operation against militants on

the border of Afghanistan's Kunar

province and Pakistan's Mohmand tribal

region. The U.S. military and NATO have

launched investigations of the incident

and U.S. President Barack Obama has

offered condolences to Pakistan for the

soldiers' deaths.

U.S. intelligence experts say the

withdrawal from the Shamsi air base is not

likely to have a major impact on the drone

war in the border region because the U.S.

military still can fly the unmanned planes

out of air fields in Afghanistan.

In another development, two prominent

Pakistani Taliban members have denied a

claim by one of the group's commanders

that the militant group is engaged in

peace talks with the Pakistani

government.

The Associated Press reported Sunday

that Pakistani Taliban spokesman

Ehsansullah Ehsan and commander

Mullah Dadullah told the agency that no

such talks are under way.

The Pakistani Taliban's deputy chief

Maulvi Faqir Mohammad had announced

Saturday that negotiations with the

government were progressing well and

could soon lead to an agreement.

Mohammad's fighters operate in

Pakistan's Bajaur tribal region.

Pakistani Taliban members' conflicting

statements about peace talks appeared to

reflect a split within the group, whose

command structure is unclear. The

Pakistani government has not confirmed

any negotiations with the militants

blamed for much of the country's deadly

Sayfa 60

violence in recent years, but officials have

spoken of a need for dialogue.

The United States has long pressured

Pakistan, a major U.S. aid recipient, to

fight the Islamist militants who use bases

in Pakistani tribal regions to attack U.S.-

led NATO forces in Afghanistan.


*This media summary is prepared by ORSAM

Middle East Research Assistants Nebahat

Tanrıverdi O and Sercan Doğan. 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 ORSAM Ortadoğu Uzman

Yardımcıları Nebahat Tanrıverdi O ve Sercan

Doğan 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.


middle east bulletin - orsam east bulletin gÜnlÜk ortadoĞu Ültenİ 12 december / aralik 2011 no:...

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