http://www.aawsat.com/english Asharq Alawsat English Edition is your insight into the Middle East en-us © 2012 Saudi Research and Publishing Wed, 26 Feb 2013 13:43:12 GMT 1 http://www.aawsat.com/english http://www.aawsat.com/english/images/aaaeng.gif 144 33 Asharq-e delivers up-to-the-minute news and information on the latest stories, weather, entertainment, politics in the Middle East http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=2&id=33003 We wondered whether Moaz Alkhatib, head of the Syrian National Coalition, was being shrewd or reckless with his call for dialogue with the Assad regime. Events today suggest that he was indeed shrewd, for the Assad regime has fallen into the trap of calling for a dialogue that it outright rejected in the past. Through the words of Walid Moallem in Moscow, Bashar Al-Assad is now begging for talks, even with the armed opposition. So what has changed for Assad to come forward now begging for dialogue with the opposition? It is clear that there are many factors, the most important of which being the advances of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) on the ground, and its relentless persistence. Likewise, recent indicators have exposed blatant Iranian interference in Syria, alongside Hezbollah. The international community now fears the spread of terrorism because of Assad’s crimes and Iran’s interference, and this has finally prompted the world to act. It seems that the most important step in this regard has been, or will be, to allow the flow of quality weapons to the Syrian rebels, which was revealed recently by the Washington Post. Even though the newspaper did not announce who will actually be behind the supply of these weapons, it does not require a great deal of intelligence to work it out. What is more important is that armed reinforcement has now become a reality, and this will become apparent in the coming days. All this represents what I have always described as the only language Assad understands, namely the language of force and action, not words. This language will be consolidated further after the Rome conference, especially if Washington is serious, with US Secretary of State John Kerry going on record saying that he is coming to Rome for decisions on Syria, not simply to talk. All this is prompting Bashar Assad now to beg for dialogue with the opposition, even the armed elements such as the FSA which he formerly described as terrorists. Now we are even hearing Sergei Lavrov telling Moallem in Moscow that the Syrian opposition are wise, while in the past the entire revolution was being described as a terrorist movement by both Moscow and Assad. These developments are not the result of a sense of guilt on Assad’s part, or a sense of responsibility on the part of the Russians, rather they are the result of what is happening on the ground and the growing international momentum towards Syria. The Russians are aware that the new Obama administration has now been completed, and there are benefits between Washington and Moscow that the Russians cannot sacrifice in favor of Assad, especially as his regime is crumbling. This is not to mention the embarrassment suffered by Moscow after Khatib called for dialogue with Assad, who then manipulated the call as usual but now comes begging for dialogue after it is too late. Therefore, the most important thing in Syria today is to continue arming the FSA, and to begin developing the features of the post-Assad phase. This is a task for the Syrian opposition itself and not just the international community, which in turn must also not waste any more time and effort in alleged “dialogue” unless it is coupled with the announcement of Bashar Assad’s departure. Apart from the fact it is time wasting, it is giving Assad a chance he does not deserve. The Syrians have suffered enough over the past two years from Assad’s terrorism, and his regime is facing an outright collapse today. Wed, 26 Feb 2013 13:43:12 GMT http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=1&id=33004 Sharjah, Asharq Al-Awsat—Leading opposition National Salvation Front figure, Amr Moussa, acknowledged that Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi was democratically elected, but confirmed that he is considering boycotting the forthcoming parliamentary elections, stressing that securing accomplishments on the ground is more important than democratic elections. The Congress party leader informed Asharq Al-Awsat that “we, in the opposition, have plans related to securing a better life for the [Egyptian] people, in terms of the economy, justice, healthcare, education, and society in general.” He confirmed that the Egyptian president will continue in power on the basis that he was democratically elected, but stressed that democratic elections are not everything. He said, “This [democratic elections] are important but the people are waiting for results” asserting “that is more important.” The former Arab League Secretary-General told Asharq Al-Awsat, “We had hoped for the formation of a national unity government in Egypt to resolve the crisis and for the elections to be postponed so that this government could focus on the economic file, however unfortunately this did not happen.” He stressed, “As a result of this, we are all worried about Egypt and hope that the future will be better.” In an interview with Sky News Arabia, Moussa confirmed that he is considering boycotting the parliamentary elections scheduled for April. He said, “I am truly inclined to boycott the elections, so long as everybody is boycotting, and I will review the position of the parties and ruling regime on this issue.” He added that the opposition National Salvation Front is set to meet later today “to look at this issue and take the appropriate action.” In an interview earlier this week with Britain’s The Daily Telegraph, Amr Moussa revealed that pressure for a boycott is growing. He stressed that he would prefer his opposition colleagues to consult before reaching a decision, something the newspaper described as an “implicit criticism” of Mohamed ElBaradei. ElBaradei had unilaterally called on his followers to boycott the April elections. However Moussa stressed that any electoral boycott would require unanimity, or at least consensus, to be effective. He also revealed that “a third party [in the opposition] are still reluctant and want to get into an electoral battle.” Moussa stressed, “My personal preference when it comes to elections is always to run and to join in the electoral process, but Egypt is going through special circumstances most of them negative. The priorities are confused.” He added, “We do not challenge the fact that the president was elected democratically, and that he is the president. But we differ with his choices. This is our right as citizens.” Wed, 26 Feb 2013 13:43:12 GMT http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=1&id=33002 LUXOR, Egypt (AP) — A hot air balloon flying over Egypt's ancient city of Luxor caught fire and crashed into a sugar cane field on Tuesday, killing at least 18 foreign tourists, a security official said. It was one of the worst accidents involving tourists in Egypt and likely to push the key tourism industry deeper into recession. The casualties included French, British, Belgian, Hungarian, Japanese nationals and nine tourists from Hong Kong, Luxor Governor Ezzat Saad told reporters. Three survivors of the crash — two British tourists and one Egyptian — were taken to a local hospital. Egypt's civil aviation minister, Wael el-Maadawi, suspended hot air balloon flights and flew to Luxor to lead the investigation into the crash. According to the Egyptian security official, the balloon carrying at least 20 tourists was flying over Luxor early Tuesday when it caught fire, which triggered an explosion in its gas canister, then plunged at least 300 meters (1,000 feet) from the sky. The balloon crashed into a sugar cane field outside al-Dhabaa village just west of Luxor, 510 kilometers (320 miles) south of Cairo, said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media. Bodies of the dead tourists were scattered across the field around the remnants of the balloon. An Associated Press reporter at the crash site counted eight bodies as they were put into body bags and taken away. The security official said all 18 bodies have been recovered. The security official said foul play has been ruled out. He also said initial reports of 19 dead were revised to 18 as confusion is common in the aftermath of such accidents. An official with the state prosecutor's office said initial findings show that the accident occurred when the pilot's landing cable was caught around a helium tube. He spoke anonymously because the investigation is ongoing. The head of Japan Travel Bureau's Egypt branch, Atsushi Imaeda, confirmed that four Japanese died in the crash. He said two were a couple in their 60s from Tokyo. Details on the other two were not immediately available. In Hong Kong, a travel agency said nine of the tourists that were aboard the balloon were natives of the semiautonomous Chinese city. There was a "very big chance that all nine have perished," said Raymond Ng, a spokesman for the agency. The nine, he said, included five women and four men from three families. They were traveling with six other Hong Kong residents on a 10-day tour of Egypt. Ng said an escort of the nine tourists watched the balloon from the ground catching fire around 7 a.m. and plunging to the ground two minutes later. In Britain, tour operator Thomas Cook confirmed that two British tourists were dead and two were in hospital. "What happened in Luxor this morning is a terrible tragedy and the thoughts of everyone in Thomas Cook are with our guests, their family and friends," said Peter Fankhauser, CEO of Thomas Cook UK & Continental Europe. "We have a very experienced team in resort with the two guests in the local hospital, and we're providing our full support to the family and friends of the deceased at this difficult time," he said. In Paris, a diplomatic official said French tourists were among those involved in the accident, but would give no details on how many, or whether French citizens were among those killed. Speaking on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to be publicly named according to government policy, the official said French authorities were working with their Egyptian counterparts to clarify what happened. French media reports said two French tourists were among the dead but the official wouldn't confirm that. Hot air ballooning, usually at sunrise over the famed Karnak and Luxor temples as well as the Valley of the Kings, is a popular pastime for tourists visiting the area. Tickets for a hot air balloon ride per person are around 200 Egyptian pounds, or roughly $30. The site of the accident has seen past crashes. In 2009, 16 tourists were injured when their balloon struck a cellphone transmission tower. A year earlier, seven tourists were injured in a similar crash. Egypt's tourism industry has been decimated since the 2011 uprising and the political turmoil that followed and continues to this day. Luxor's hotels are currently about 25 percent full in what is supposed to be the peak of the winter season. Scared off by the turmoil and tenuous security following the uprising, the number of tourists coming to Egypt fell to 9.8 million in 2011 from 14.7 million the year before, and revenues plunged 30 percent to $8.8 billion. Magda Fawzi, whose company operates four luxury Nile River cruise boats to Luxor, said she expects the accident will lead to tourist cancellations. Tour guide Hadi Salama said he expects Tuesday's accident to hurt the eight hot air balloon companies operating in Luxor, but that it may not directly affect tourism to the Nile Valley city. Poverty swelled at the country's fastest rate in Luxor, which is highly dependent on visitors to its monumental temples and the tombs of King Tutankhamun and other pharaohs. In 2011, 39 percent of its population lived on less than $1 a day, compared to 18 percent in 2009, according to government figures. In August, Egypt's Islamist President Mohammed Morsi flew to Luxor to encourage tourism there, about a month after he took office and vowed that Egypt was safe for tourists. "Egypt is safer than before, and is open for all," he said in remarks carried by the official MENA news agency at the time. He was referring to the security situation following the 2011 ouster of autocratic leader Hosni Mubarak. Deadly accidents caused by poor management and a decrepit infrastructure have taken place since Morsi took office. In January, 19 Egyptian conscripts died when their rickety train jumped the track. In November, 49 kindergarteners were killed when their school bus crashed into a speeding train because the railway guard failed to close the crossing. The Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt's most powerful political force and Morsi's base of support, blames accidents on a culture of negligence fostered by Mubarak. Wed, 26 Feb 2013 13:43:12 GMT http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=1&id=33001 CAIRO (AP) — An Egyptian security official says protesters have thrown firebombs and rocks at police who tried to re-open Cairo's central Tahrir Square, where a sit-in has brought downtown traffic to a standstill for nearly three months. The official says police came under assault after they tried to remove metal barricades and allow traffic to enter the square at dawn on Tuesday. It remains closed to traffic. He added that around 70 protesters and street vendors were arrested during the skirmish at Tahrir, the epicenter of anti-government protests in Egypt. He spoke anonymously in line with regulations. Many Cairo residents complain that the overcrowded capital's already gridlocked traffic has been exacerbated by the sit-in. Wed, 26 Feb 2013 13:43:12 GMT http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=1&id=33000 Beirut, Asharq Al-Awsat—Following the Syrian regime’s offer for peace talks without pre-conditions on Monday and an international pledge “to alleviate the suffering” of the Syrian people, the Syrian opposition has agreed to attend an international summit in Rome later this week. This represents a turnaround after the Syrian National Council had pledged to boycott the Friends of Syria conference to protest against “international silence” over the slaughter of Syrians. After a meeting on Monday, British Prime Minister David Cameron, British Foreign Secretary William Hague, and US Secretary of State John Kerry jointly called on Syrian National Coalition leader Moaz Alkhatib to attend the Rome summit on Thursday. Following this, Alkhatib announced that he would be attending the summit. In an official statement, Alkhatib said: “After discussions with the coalition leaders and various calls, the coalition leadership has decided to stop the suspension of the visit to the Friends of Syria conference in Rome.” The statement asserted that the talks would be “used as a practical way to reassess relations between the Syrian opposition and international parties.” Speaking in London, Kerry said he understood that the Syrians wanted concrete results from the summit. He said: “We are determined that the Syrian opposition is not going to be dangling in the wind, wondering where the support is, if it is coming.” He added, “We are not going to let the Syrian opposition not have its ability to have its voice properly heard in this process.” The British Foreign Secretary also urged the Syrian opposition to stay involved in international talks, pledging to boost support. He stressed that “an appalling injustice is being done to the people of Syria, which the world cannot ignore.” Hague added, “That is why in the United Kingdom we believe we must significantly increase our support for the Syrian opposition, on top of our large contributions to the humanitarian relief effort, and we are preparing to do just that.” He pledged that “in the face of such murder and threat of instability, our policy cannot remain static as the weeks go by, and it is an important opportunity in Rome on Thursday to discuss this with our allies and partners.” Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Al-Moallem said that his government was prepared to hold talks with the Syrian opposition without imposing any preconditions, such as the rebels laying down arms. He said, “We are ready for dialogue with all who want dialogue, including those are carrying arms.” He added, “We believe that reforms will not come through bloodshed but only through dialogue.” Following this, Alkhatib responded by informing reporters in Cairo, “We have not been in contact yet, and we are waiting for communication with them.” For their part, rebel commanders have said they are not prepared to hold talks while the regime forces continue to bombard rebel-held civilian areas. Secretary of State also voiced skepticism about the regime’s offer of talks in light of the recent use of Scud missiles targeting Aleppo. He said, “It seems to me that it’s pretty hard to understand how, when you see the Scuds falling on the innocent people of Aleppo, it is possible to take their notion that they are ready to have a dialogue very seriously.” The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that at least 26 rebel fighters, 40 soldiers, and five pro-government militiamen had been killed in clashes around Aleppo over the past two days. The activist group claimed that the Syrian rebels and regime forces have been shelling each other, while the government has launched repeated airstrikes. Kerry’s Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, criticized “extremists” in the Syrian opposition who he claimed were blocking the start of dialogue. Speaking earlier today, the Russian Foreign Minister told reporters that “it seems that extremists who bet on an armed solution to the Syrian problem have prevailed in the ranks of the opposition at this time, including the so-called (Syrian) National Coalition, blocking all initiatives that could lead to the start of dialogue.” Kerry is scheduled to meet Lavrov today to discuss the possibility of dialogue between the Syrian rebels and Assad regime. Wed, 26 Feb 2013 13:43:12 GMT http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=7&id=32992 Los Angeles, (AP)- List of the 85th annual Academy Award winners announced Sunday in Los Angeles: 1. Best Picture: "Argo." 2. Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis, "Lincoln." 3. Actress: Jennifer Lawrence, "Silver Linings Playbook." 4. Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz, "Django Unchained." 5. Supporting Actress: Anne Hathaway, "Les Miserables." 6. Directing: Ang Lee, "Life of Pi." 7. Foreign Language Film: "Amour." 8. Adapted Screenplay: Chris Terrio, "Argo." 9. Original Screenplay: Quentin Tarantino, "Django Unchained." 10. Animated Feature Film: "Brave." 11. Production Design: "Lincoln." 12. Cinematography: "Life of Pi." 13. Sound Mixing: "Les Miserables." 14. Sound Editing (tie): "Skyfall," ''Zero Dark Thirty." 15. Original Score: "Life of Pi," Mychael Danna. 16. Original Song: "Skyfall" from "Skyfall," Adele Adkins and Paul Epworth. 17. Costume: "Anna Karenina." 18. Documentary Feature: "Searching for Sugar Man." 19. Documentary (short subject): "Inocente." 20. Film Editing: "Argo." 21. Makeup and Hairstyling: "Les Miserables." 22. Animated Short Film: "Paperman." 23. Live Action Short Film: "Curfew." 24. Visual Effects: "Life of Pi." Tue, 25 Feb 2013 13:43:12 GMT http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=3&id=32998 Cairo, Asharq Al-Awsat—The Egyptian political situation remains extremely delicate with the recently announced presidential elections, continued anti-Mursi protests, and ailing economic indicators. In an effort to mitigate these conditions, influential religious figures such as Dr. Ali Gomaa have been calling on the people of Egypt to unite for the good of the country, and to distance themselves from this atmosphere of tension and discord. Dr. Ali Gomaa is the Grand Mufti of Egypt, a position he has held since 2003. As part of his role, he presides over the Dar Al-Ifta Al-Masriyyah, a prestigious Islamic research institution that issues fatwas and aims to keep contemporary Muslims in touch with religious principles. Dr. Gomaa is also a member of Al-Azhar’s Senior Scholars Council and is considered among the top fifty most influential Muslims in the world. In July 2011 he was awarded an honorary doctorate from Liverpool Hope University in recognition of his efforts as a major international figure promoting tolerance and understanding between religions. The Grand Mufti of Egypt met with Asharq Al-Awsat at the headquarters of the Dar Al-Ifta in El-Darrasa, Cairo. The following is the full text of the interview: Q: Al-Azhar’s Dar Al-Ifta, under your administration, has witnessed considerable development. Is there anything you wanted to achieve but were unable to due to time constraints or political considerations? A: Since taking up this post I have been keen to transform Dar Al-Ifta into an international organization that transcends location, time, and administration to put forward a model to all fatwa-issuing institutes in the world. This is by way of utilizing modern science with the objective of modernizing departments, such as the departments of arbitration, media, and programmed development, among others. I was also keen to develop and educate the Dar Al-Ifta’s second and third generations to the point that we now have a fourth generation represented by the outstanding students of the Faculty of Sharia Law at Al-Azhar University. They will be able to assume this historic responsibility (at Dar Al-Ifta). We were also concerned with the social role played by the Dar Al-Ifta in terms of confliction resolution. This is because we do not have any bias, except a bias towards scholarship, commitment to development, spreading love and peace among the people, re-building the land, and worshipping God. In order to preserve the largest amounts of fatwas and intellectual heritage left behind by the Dar Al-Ifta scholars, we signed a protocol agreement with the Ministry of Culture which aims to preserve the Dar Al-Ifta’s documents. This will see copies being made of all documents, with these then being placed in the Egyptian National Archives. In addition to this, copies of documents will remain at the Dar Al-Ifta, in addition to being sent to the Egyptian Central Bank and Al-Azhar. Q: Many religious scholars and preachers, after leaving their post, move towards playing a stronger Islamic Dawa (Call) role. As the out-going Egyptian Mufti, would you agree with this assessment? A: Religious scholars never stop serving their religion and community after leaving their post, and even after their deaths, for they leave behind knowledge that people can benefit from. We have undertaken ceaseless efforts to serve Islam, the Islamic community at home and abroad, supporting Islam and Muslims everywhere, because this is a great responsibility that God Almighty has given to the scholars We cannot retreat from this because this responsibility is not tied to any time or place or position, rather this is a message that must be fulfilled. Q: Egypt is witnessing a state of extreme political division and difficulty. In your view, how can we overcome this? A: This can be achieved by building consensus and moving away from division. When the Egyptians came to an agreement during the January 25 revolution, moving away from personal and partisan differences and division, they were able to topple a regime of corruption, injustice, and oppression. Let me go further and say that when they came together and reached this agreement they carried out one of the greatest revolutions in the world and showed everybody the meaning of advancement civilization. Therefore, I call on the Egyptian people to come together over what united them and to be united over Egypt and work for the advancement and renaissance of the country, and not grant Egypt’s enemies the opportunity to harm the country amid this divisive atmosphere. Q: How would you characterize this divisive political scene precisely? A: I can see that discord, strife, and partisan and self-interests are ruling the Egyptian scene, while national interests are absent. This is the malady, as for the cure this is unity and agreement. If we forget this, then society will be weakened and doomed but if we keep hold to this then our society will be strengthened. Everybody knows the importance of unity and we must put aside our differences, particularly now. We must ensure that difference of opinion do not escalate the crisis being faced by the Islamic community. Q: What advice would you offer? A: My advice is to protect unity, which is one of the most important duties at this time, until Egypt is able to move past this difficult period. The principle of agreement and reconciliation must serve as our barometer to measure what is happening in our country. We must also pay attention to development and confront our major problems. Q: In your view, to what extent does Islam guarantee freedom of opinion? How do you view the protests and sit-ins taking place across the country? A: Demonstrations and sit-ins can be seen in most countries and they are human rights on the condition that they do not harm others or disrupt their interests. The Hadith of the Prophet talks about this a lot. However the hadith also confirms that those who preserve the same approach are the least faithful. Therefore all Egyptians must work together to allow Egypt to overcome the current phase. I say to those who are preserving the same approach and disrupt the interests of the country and the people: Fear for yourselves and for your country because you will face the wrath of God. This is something that has nothing to do with freedom or democracy or the right to demonstrate. Everybody has the right peacefully express themselves in a legitimate manner; this is something that nobody can deny. Q: Al-Azhar is set to establish a satellite television channel with some claiming that you may be placed in charge of this. What is your view? A: The Al-Azhar channel is part of an attempt to confront the extremist religious satellite channels in their own backyard, not to mention the chaos and confusion that these channels spread by misleading people with false fatwas that including judging others as infidels. Our channel’s objective will be to promote a moderate approach and initiate rapprochement between the difference sects, eliminating the chaotic fatwas (issued by religious satellite television channels). This channel will follow the approach and ideology of Al-Azhar and will be overseen by scholars. The special committee formed to prepare the launch of this channel is working to ensure that this takes place as soon as possible. The channel will also utilize all forms of new media, technology, and communication while preserving the moderate and Islamic nature of our message. We will work to address all sections of Egyptian, Islamic and international society utilizing a simple but modern approach. At the same time, we will also work to address misrepresentations of Muslims and Islam, correct the image of Islam in the west, and clarify the facts of our tolerant religion. Q: Most satellite channels are seeking to achieve their own interests and objectives; do you agree that securing personal gain seems to be the driving force behind the media these days? A: There are media schools that are unfortunately pursuing the path of incitement, not enlightenment, and we completely reject this kind of media. I say to such figures that their religious, cultural and civilizational duty is to create, not destroy. They must illuminate this media practice of incitement. They must attract people without resorting to lies, deceptions, and unsubstantiated rumors. This is something that requires effort, in the same manner that any innovation requires effort. As for everybody only thinking about themselves and not caring about training or professionalism, this does not please God Almighty, the Prophet, or the believers. People are suspicious about this kind of media now, for this is represented by inciting against everything. Everybody must abide by honesty because this is what Islam has called us to. I previously called for a media honor code that will ensure that the elite and intellectuals stay away from trading baseless accusations, leaving the scene open for development and advancement. Q: Some people are of the view that certain parties are attempting to undermined Al-Azhar and its symbols and prevent it from carrying out its role in terms of addressing the country’s major issues. Do you agree? A: Al-Nobody can deny Al-Azhar’s national role. It has an immaculate history in defending religion and promoting moderation and tolerance, not to mention embracing open-mindedness. Over its long history and until today, Al-Azhar scholars play an active role in promoting tolerant and moderate Islam and in defending Egypt’s Islamic identity. Al-Azhar and is scholars are an integral part of society and are not detached from the country’s problems and reality. What we are seeing today is the best example of Al-Azhar’s interaction with the country’s concerns, namely the Al-Azhar Document. This demonstrates Al-Azhar’s desire to unite the country and eliminate the politics of marginalization and mistrust in order to ensure that the country reaches safety. Al-Azhar, as an important religious reference, is capable of putting forward practical advice on scientific, social, and other issues that demonstrate true Islam and solve the Muslim community’s problems. Al-Azhar is also capable of putting forward proposals to countries and governments, in addition to fixing the educational curriculum, or at the very least participating in deciding the Islamic educational issues, alongside other proposals that will have an impact on the Muslim’s situation, the prevalence of social peace, and the integration of the Muslim community. All of this will help the Muslims become valuable citizens who participate in building our civilization. Al-Azhar does not pay attention to voices that raise destructive, not constructive, slogans and views. Al-Azhar is followed the correct path and will not be turned away by these voices that are seeking to undermine us. Q: It is easy for anybody to obtain a fatwa now. Some people believe that there should be a law licensing fatwa-issuance, particularly in the media. Do you agree? A: Islamic scholars are very concerned with the fatwa-issuing process and have given this a high-profile due to its importance. The Prophet, peace be upon him, held this position during his lifetime, and after him it was held by the Prophet’s Companions, and then the scholars in general. Despite this, the religious arena today is in a state of chaos in terms of fatwa-issuance and religious discourse, due to the presence of non-specialists issuing fatwas, particularly via satellite television. This has led to a state of chaos and suspicion over religious issues. There can be no doubt that we must limit fatwa-issuance to scholars who specialize in this, ensuring that everybody has the proper standards for this important task. Tue, 25 Feb 2013 13:43:12 GMT http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=2&id=32999 Several politicians and analysts are trying to look closely and accurately into the state of confusion, tension, and failure that has characterized the experience of the ruling political groups and parties in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya, ever since the outbreak of the Arab Spring revolutions. Perhaps the most important and dangerous trait that all these political groups share is their "exclusionary" nature. They have failed to accommodate different segments of society and represent them all, particularly at a highly sensitive time following on from the violent and impassioned uprisings. These groups were once part of the opposition category themselves; practicing their activities in secret under the severe oppression of the previous regimes. As a result, once in power they took on a retaliatory form, further intensifying the state of fragmentation and fuelling mistrust within society. Islam’s discourse on politics in general is somewhat shallow. While we can find dozens of volumes and books on purity, worship, and other issues, there are very few books on "political fiqh", and a clear lack of scholarly consensus. This means that we must use much discretion when talking about political Islam; no one alone can claim a full understanding, and no one should be able to impose this understanding upon others. The “political Islam” groups that have come to power in the Arab Spring states have not followed in the footsteps of the Prophet Mohammed himself—peace be upon him—when he conquered Mecca. After the conquest, and while the prophet's opponents were dreading his reaction, Mohammed announced a "day of mercy" and uttered his famous saying "Even he who enters the house of Abu Sufyan will be safe ", in reference to his prominent opponent at the time. The prophet added “Go your way, for you are free ", without punishing or taking revenge against anyone. This principle was later applied by two of the most renowned politicians of the twentieth century: Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi and the peerless South African Nelson Mandela. They both offered a full pardon to their former opponents and enemies, and even incorporated them into their new regimes to become part of the solution, rather than the problem. This is the difference between wisdom and political maturity on the one hand, and political adolescence on the other. When one chooses to represent religion in the political domain, he must entail a greater moral responsibility because a huge amount of harm can be caused by his failure. Numerous examples of this can be seen in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya, with a prevailing atmosphere of disappointment and frustration. Rachid Ghannouchi and his Ennahda party could have risen above selfishness and arrogance by agreeing to assist Hamadi Jebali in forming a non-partisan government—in order to administer the country's affairs in these hard times—without considering Jebali’s initiative as an attack or an affront. How could it be an attack, when Jebali himself represents the ruling party? However, the Ennahda party continued to adopt a policy of exclusion and bullying. The same applies to what is happening now in Egypt under President Mursi's government, with Prime Minister Hisham Qandil. A large section of the Egyptian people unanimously believe that Qandil has failed to manage the country's affairs, and also that the position of prime minister requires someone of greater expertise. Furthermore, they believe his incompetent handling of the economic situation could prove the biggest danger of all. Nevertheless, the man continues to cling to his position out of "stubbornness and arrogance", ignoring the demands of many Egyptians and describing them as a mob or corrupt remnants. In reality, this behavior is reminiscent of the style adopted by the very regimes the Arab Spring revolutions rose against in the first place. Prophet Mohammed’s approach is a far cry from those who currently claim to be following in his footsteps in the name of political Islam. Mohammed did not advocate revenge, slander or suspicion, nor did he label others as traitors. Yet modern-day political Islam continues to generate social ills such as division and sedition, and this situation is exacerbated by specific groups claiming the exclusive right to speak, understand, and judge in the name of religion. The cost of this will not be paid by the current governments or regimes; it is the generations to come who will truly suffer. Islamic groups came to power through democratic polls, but democracy has other fundamental criteria such as respecting the rights of all citizens and promoting justice, equality, and national unity. These principles seem completely alien to those in power today, and as a result the political Islam experience seems doomed to failure. Tue, 25 Feb 2013 13:43:12 GMT http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=2&id=32996 The issue of extremist groups in the Syrian revolution has become like a problematic ailment where the patient avoids discovering the extent of its severity, and declines to begin the treatment phase. In fact, he avoids even talking about it or being reminded of it. Yet two years on from the outbreak of the brave Syrian revolution, its power centers have effectively been divided in two; the political opposition based abroad and the revolutionary opposition on the ground. This is a very complex issue and we must talk about it openly. I realize that in the current phase of conflict against the Assad regime and its fierce ally Iran, the focus has been on uniting all arrows in the direction of this sectarian duo in order to topple the regime and then break the back of Iranian influence in the region. However, this does not prevent us from taking two parallel tracks, one that supports the efforts of the revolution financially, militarily, and logistically, in order to achieve its objectives, and a second to examine the complex map of the Syrian opposition in all its guises, especially the extremist groups that adhere to Al-Qaeda or at least share ideological traits with it. This form of early treatment would greatly reduce the complexity of the transfer of power after the collapse of the Assad regime, with all indications on the ground suggesting that this collapse is inevitable, even if it takes a long time. We cannot grope around this issue, rather we must talk about it frankly and transparently and this stage. It is not right to skirt around “extremist” revolutionary elements that could pose a threat to the revolution itself after the fall of the regime. The Syrian revolution’s recent phase—with the military victories, the capturing of cities and airports, and the political achievements including international recognition for the Syrian opposition—resembles to a large extent the stage before the fall of the communist regime in Afghanistan. One of the most prominent similarities between the two cases is the reluctance to address the issue of extremism, avoiding any talk about the deep contrasts between opposition factions while victories are being achieved and before the regime has fallen. In Afghanistan, those who warned of the potential dangers after the fall of the communist regime were considered weak and poisonous influences in the eyes of the Mujahedeen. They were accused of taking cheap shots at the Afghan jihad movement and undermining its achievements, and in some cases they were even labeled as traitors. However, with deep regret, the days following the fall of Kabul proved them right. The security situation in Afghanistan deteriorated—in terms of the number of victims and the massive destruction—until a “shining light” emerged in the form of the Taliban, exploiting the weariness of the Afghans and their dissatisfaction towards the Mujahedeen who had exhausted the country’s resources. Whether we like it or not, we can expect a difficult and very complicated situation in Syria after the fall of the Assad regime. It is no exaggeration to say that the map of the Syrian revolution is more complicated than the Afghani jihad of the 1980s. In the latter case, Islamic factions formed the overwhelming proportion of the Afghan opposition, whereas in the Syrian case there are liberal forces influencing the political scene, while the revolutionary forces on the ground are formed mainly of Islamic factions with diverse ideologies. Within these factions, some do not even recognize other armed revolutionary movements, so how do they view the political opposition, in which both liberals and secularists are active? Tue, 25 Feb 2013 13:43:12 GMT http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=1&id=32997 TEHRAN, (AFP) — Iranian media on Monday scoffed at Hollywood's awarding of its top honour to Ben Affleck's Iran hostage drama "Argo", branding it a "political" win while poking fun at US first lady Michelle Obama's surprise appearance at the Oscar ceremony. The 85th Academy Awards is "the most political Oscar ever," Iran's state television said as it reported the news that "Argo" had won the coveted best film Oscar. Iranian officials have not immediately reacted. The Iranian state broadcaster accused "Argo" director and star Affleck of specialising "in exaggeration, blowing things out of proportion and creating false scenes." "Argo" recounts the long-classified CIA plot to extract six US hostages out of revolutionary Iran, who managed to evade Islamist students storming the US embassy in Tehran on November 4, 1979. The other 52 hostages were held for 444 days in an action that caused the rupture of diplomatic ties between Washington and Tehran. Although "Argo" takes liberties with history by its makers' own admission, the movie has racked up a rash of honours on the awards circuit. The movie's Oscar win was announced by US first lady Obama in an unprecedented satellite appearance from the White House. Iran's state television said her involvement "increases speculation that awarding this movie was politically motivated." The Fars news agency, affiliated with the Revolutionary Guards, branded "Argo" as an "anti-Iran movie" financed by a "Zionist company" -- in a reference to the California-based Warner Bros. which produced it. Fars was also critical of Obama and her silver low cut gown, which would be banned in the Islamic republic under its strict dress code for women. A photo of Obama announcing "Argo" as the winner appeared to have been altered -- her dress is shown covering her shoulders, in contrast to the original which shows her bare-shouldered. Doctoring of pictures is not uncommon in Iran. In 2011, Iranian newspapers published an altered picture of EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton that covered up her cleavage. She was at the time heading the P5+1 group of United States, Russia, China, Britain, France plus Germany in talks with Iran over its controversial nuclear drive. Those talks are to resume after an eight-month hiatus on Tuesday in the Kazakh city of Almaty. Iran and the United States are locked in a tense showdown over an array of issues, including Tehran's nuclear ambitions which the West and Israel suspect are aimed at military objectives, despite Iran's repeated denials. Iran's contempt of Hollywood is no secret. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei last Wednesday criticised it as a "totally political" machine that propagates policies brewed in Washington. "Hollywood is totally political. Otherwise it would have let our anti-Zionist movies participate in film festivals," he said in remarks reported by his Khamenei.ir website. "Producing political anti-Iranian movies and giving awards to anti-Iranian movies is a clear sign that politics is mixed with art in the US," Khamenei added in an allusion to "Argo". Hollywood in 2007 drew the wrath of Iranians for its Spartan war epic "300," a smash hit in the United States for its gory tale of the Greco-Persian wars which depicted Iranians as bloodthirsty. The relationship between the entertainment industry and Iranians however was somewhat repaired in 2012 when Iran won its first ever Oscar, with "A Separation" in the best foreign-language category. Tue, 25 Feb 2013 13:43:12 GMT http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=1&id=32995 London, Asharq Al-Awsat—The Al-Assad’s regime is ready to enter talks with the armed opposition, Syrian foreign minister Walid al-Moallem said in Moscow on Monday. Moallem said his government was ready to hold talks with the armed opposition, without mentioning any preconditions, such as forcing the rebels to lay down arms first. "We are ready for dialogue with all who want dialogue, including those who are carrying arms," the Syrian foreign minister said. Moallem is in Moscow for talks with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, whose country is one of the few big powers still maintaining ties with Assad's regime. The Moallem-Lavrov talks came a day before Russia’s top diplomat meets new US Secretary of State John Kerry in Berlin for the first time, with the Syria crisis expected to be at the top of the agenda. "We feel that Russia can play a key role in convincing the (Syrian) regime that there is need for political transition," said a State Department official travelling with Kerry. Still, the offer by Moallem marks the first time that a high-ranking Syrian official has stated publicly that the government would meet with opposition fighters. Past government offers for talks with the opposition have included a host of conditions, such as for the rebels to first lay down their weapons. Those proposals have been swiftly rejected by both activists outside the country as well as rebels on the ground. Syria's 23-month-old conflict, which has killed more than 70,000 people and destroyed many of the country's cities, has repeatedly confounded international efforts to bring the parties together to end the bloodshed. On Sunday alone, according to a toll compiled by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, at least 105 people were killed in violence across the country. Both sides in the conflict in recent weeks have floated offers and counter offers to hold talks aimed at resolving the crisis. In a speech in January, Assad offered to lead a national dialogue to end the bloodshed, but also said he would not talk with the armed opposition and vowed to keep on fighting. The opposition rejected the proposal. This month, the leader of the Syrian National Coalition, the umbrella group for opposition parties, said he would be open to discussions with the regime that could pave the way for Assad's departure, but that they government must first release tens of thousands of detainees. The government refused. Tue, 25 Feb 2013 13:43:12 GMT http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=1&id=32994 BAGHDAD (AP) — The fliers began turning up at Sunni households in the Iraqi capital's Jihad neighborhood last week bearing a chilling message: Get out now or face "great agony" soon. The leaflets were signed by the Mukhtar Army, a new Shiite militant group with ties to Iran's Revolutionary Guard. "The zero hour has come. So leave along with your families. ... You are the enemy," the messages warned. Such overt threats all but disappeared as the darkest days of outright sectarian fighting waned in 2008 and Iraq stepped back from the brink of civil war. Their re-emergence now — nearly a decade after the U.S.-led invasion — is a worrying sign that rising sectarian tensions are again gnawing away at Iraqi society. Iraqis increasingly fear that militants on both sides of the country's sectarian divide are gearing up for a new round of violence that could undo the fragile gains Iraq has made in recent years. Members of the country's Sunni minority have been staging mass rallies for two months, with some calling for the toppling of a Shiite-led government they feel discriminates against them and is too closely allied with neighboring Iran. Sunni extremists have been stepping up large-scale attacks on predominantly Shiite targets, and concerns are growing that the brutal and increasingly sectarian fighting in Syria could spill across the border. Many Sunnis who received the Jihad neighborhood messages are taking the warnings at face value and considering making a move. "Residents are panicking. All of us are obsessed with these fliers," said Waleed Nadhim, a Sunni mobile phone shop owner who lives in the neighborhood. The 33-year-old father plans to leave the area because he doesn't have faith in the police to keep his family safe. "In a lawless country like Iraq, nobody can ignore threats like this." Iraqi security forces have beefed up their presence in and around Jihad. The middle-class community, nestled along a road to the airport in southwest Baghdad, was home to Sunni civil servants and security officials under Saddam Hussein's regime, though many Shiites now live there too. The Shiites, who are emboldened by a government and security forces dominated by their sect, have made their presence felt in Jihad in recent years. A Sunni mosque bears graffiti hailing a revered Shiite saint. A billboard on a major road shows firebrand Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr flanked by a fighter gripping a machine gun. Jihad was one of the earliest flashpoints in Baghdad's descent into sectarian bloodshed. In July 2006, the neighborhood witnessed a brazen massacre that left as many as 41 residents dead and marked an escalation in Iraq's sectarian bloodletting. In that incident, Shiite militiamen set up checkpoints to stop morning commuters, singled out Sunnis based on their names and systematically executed them in front of their Shiite neighbors. Residents now fear the events in southwest Baghdad could be the spark for a new round of tit-for-tat killing. Two weeks ago, a Sunni and a Shiite were each killed in separate attacks in Sadiyah, next to Jihad, said a 30-year-old Sunni government employee living in the area who gave her name only as Umm Abdullah al-Taie, or mother of Abdullah. "Nobody dares to go out after dark," she said. "People have started to hear sectarian alarm bells ringing again." The Mukhtar Army whose named appeared on the threatening leaflets was formed by Wathiq al-Batat, a onetime senior official in the Hezbollah Brigades. He announced the creation of the new militant group earlier this month. Hezbollah in Iraq is believed to be funded and trained by Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard and was among the Shiite militias that targeted U.S. military bases months before their December 2011 withdrawal. Al-Batat told Iraq's al-Sharqiya channel that he formed the Mukhtar Army to confront Sunnis who might attempt to topple the government in the same way that Syrian rebels are trying to overthrow Bashar Assad's Iranian-backed regime in neighboring Syria. He said the group is advised by Iran's hard-line Quds Force, which oversees external operations of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. He declined to say whether the group received any further support from Tehran. Little is known about Mukhtar Army's size or capabilities. Abdullah al-Rikabi, a spokesman for the group, boasted it has 1 million members and described al-Batat as loyal to Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's government has issued an arrest warrant against al-Batat, though he still walks free. In a speech Saturday, the Shiite premier vowed to prosecute anyone who seeks to incite sectarian strife. The Mukhtar Army denies being behind the threats, which some Shiites believe are a ruse to tar their sect and inflame sectarian divisions. "We have nothing to do with the fliers," said al-Rikabi, the group's spokesman. He accused members of Saddam's now-outlawed Baath party and al-Qaeda of making the threats in an effort to ignite civil war. Even though they are busy hunting down the group's leader, Iraqi authorities have their doubts about the Shiite militia's involvement in the leaflets too. Two senior security officials said intelligence agents have obtained an al-Qaeda hit list containing detailed names and residential information about people — both Sunnis and Shiites — living in mixed areas. They believe the group plans to target residents one by one, alternating by sect, in an effort to spread panic and suggest an atmosphere of retaliatory killings. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to disclose information about security operations. Threatening fliers from both Sunni and Shiite militias aimed at members of the opposite sect also have begun turning up in Baqouba, a former al-Qaeda stronghold north of Baghdad that has a history of sectarian violence, according to Diyala provincial council member Sadiq al-Hussein. For those living in areas where the threats turned up, their source matters less than what they portend. Jafaar al-Fatlawi, a Shiite government employee who lives in the Jihad neighborhood, said he has started carrying a pistol with him just to answer the door and takes his family to spend the night with relatives elsewhere in the city. "Everybody in the neighborhood expects sectarian fighting to erupt any minute," he said. "Our security forces weren't able to stop the sectarian war before and now they'll fail again." Tue, 25 Feb 2013 13:43:12 GMT http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=1&id=32993 CAIRO (AP) — Egypt's streets are turning into a daily forum for airing a range of social discontents from labor conditions to fuel shortages and the casualties of myriad clashes over the past two years. Parliamentary elections called over the weekend by the Islamist president hold out little hope for plucking the country out of the turmoil. If anything, the race is likely to fuel more unrest and push Egypt closer to economic collapse. "The street has a life of its own and it has little to do with elections. It is about people wanting to make a living or make ends meet," said Emad Gad, a prominent analyst and a former lawmaker. Islamist President Mohammed Mursi called for parliamentary elections to start in late April and be held over four stages ending in June. He was obliged under the constitution to set the date for the vote by Saturday. "I see that the climate is very agreeable for an election," Mursi said in a television interview aired early on Monday. He also invited all political forces to a dialogue on Monday to ensure the vote's "transparency and integrity." Mursi's decree calling for the election brought a sharp reaction from Egypt's key opposition leader, Nobel Peace Laureate Mohamed ElBaradei, who said they would be a "recipe for disaster" given the polarization of the country and eroding state authority. On Saturday, ElBaradei dropped a bombshell when he called for a boycott of the vote. An effective boycott by the opposition or widespread fraud would call the election's legitimacy into question. But in all likelihood, Mursi's Muslim Brotherhood and its ultraconservative Salafi allies will fare well in the vote. The Brotherhood has dominated every election in the two years since the 2011 uprising that ousted autocrat Hosni Mubarak. The mostly secular and liberal opposition will likely trail as they did in the last election for parliament's lawmaking, lower house in late 2011 and early 2012 — a pattern consistent with every nationwide election post-Mubarak. President Mursi's Brotherhood-dominated administration has been unable to curb the street protests, strikes and crime that have defined Egypt in the two years since the uprising. In fact, the unrest has only grown more intense, more effective and has spread around the country in the nearly eight months that Mursi has been in office. On any given day, a diverse variety of protesters across much of the troubled nation press demands of all sorts or voice opposition to Mursi and the Brotherhood. Sunday was a case in point. Thousands of brick workers blocked railroad tracks from a city south of Cairo for a second successive day to protest rising prices of industrial fuel oil, crippling transportation around the country of 85 million. The rise resulted from the government's decision last week to lift subsidies on some fuel prices. It is part of a reform program aimed at securing a $4.8 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund. Meanwhile there are ample signs that Egypt's economy is deteriorating steadily. Foreign reserves have dropped by nearly two thirds since Mubarak's departure, the key tourism sector is in a deep slump and the local currency has fallen nearly 10 percent against the dollar in the last two months. Khaled el-Hawari, a marketing executive in one of the brick factories, said industrial fuel oil prices increased by 50 percent, threatening the business and the livelihoods of hundreds of workers who could be laid off. "No one is listening to us or responding," he said. "We plan to protest outside the Cabinet next." In the Nile Delta province of Kafr el-Sheikh, hundreds of quarry workers stormed the local government building, forcing staff to flee. The workers are demanding permanent employment in the factory. They chanted against the recently appointed local governor, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood. In the coastal city of Port Said, a general strike entered its second week on Sunday. The city has practically come to a halt as thousands of workers from the main industrial area joined the strike. When asked about the strike in Port Said, Mursi suggested that the unrest there was primarily the work of "outlaws" and "thugs" who intimidated residents to take part in the general strike. He vowed to deal decisively with them in Port Said and elsewhere in the country. "There is no place for thugs or those who resort to violence," Mursi said in the interview, recorded on Sunday but aired Monday 5 ½ hours behind schedule. Calls for a civil strike in line with the one in Port Said have spread around Egypt. A group of protesters blocked the entrance to a major administrative building in Cairo's Tahrir Square, stopping citizens from entering and prompting small scuffles. But Port Said is emerging as a prime example of how the popular discontent is evolving into sustained anti-government action. There are even calls in Port Said for secession which, while not realistic, indicate the depth of anger. Activists there are demanding retribution for more than 40 residents killed there last month, allegedly by police. The killings took place amid a wave of anger that swept the city after a Cairo court passed death sentences against 21 people, mostly from Port Said, for their part in Egypt's worst soccer disaster on Feb. 1 2012. Mursi said in the interview that he has ordered an investigation into the killings and that he planned a visit to Port Said but did not say when. Mursi's supporters say that delaying elections, protesting and boycotting are affecting Egypt's ability to lure foreign investors and tourists again as the economy deteriorates. Lack of confidence in law enforcement has reached a point where villagers sometimes hunt down alleged killers, lynch them and burn their bodies with police unable or unwilling to intervene. With violent crime on the rise, rights groups accuse police under Mursi of falling back to the brutal methods and impunity of the Mubarak days. The opposition, which led the uprising against Mubarak, is showing signs of disarray. Another emphatic Islamist victory, especially if enough opposition groups do not heed ElBardei's boycott call, is likely to deal a body blow to the National Salvation Front — the main opposition coalition. In short, there is no end in sight to the growing popular discontent with Mursi's rule and the Brotherhood, who are accused by opponents of monopolizing power. Already, ElBaradei's call for a boycott has sown divisions with his movement, with some of its leading figures saying the former director of the U.N. nuclear agency spoke prematurely and without sufficient consultation with other leaders. Others said they would heed the boycott call. Ahmed Maher, the leader of the opposition April 6 youth group, said if the entire opposition does not join the boycott, it would be a "gift" to the Brotherhood and would accord legitimacy to a Brotherhood-dominated parliament. A successful boycott, he added in a statement, must be accompanied with a "parallel" parliament and a shadow government for it to be effective. Significantly, some activists say that with international monitoring of the upcoming elections to prevent widespread fraud, the Brotherhood and their Salafi allies may not get the comfortable win they are hoping for. "Entire cities and provinces have turned against the Brotherhood," said activist Ahmed Badawi. "This is a good time to defeat the Brotherhood because the economic crisis is hurting people's lives and they are angry." But Gad, the former lawmaker, pointed out that staggering the elections over a two-month period would only benefit the Brotherhood, which had gained valuable election expertise when it had for years under Mubarak fielded candidates in parliamentary elections as independents. "They have their election pros who will now be put to work in all four stages to ensure their supporters go out and vote while orchestrating soft fraud which, if widespread, can alter the results," said Gad. The Brotherhood has been repeatedly accused of influencing voters at polling centers, campaigning on voting day in violation of the law and taking advantage of the relatively high percentage of illiteracy among voters. Some also accuse the Brotherhood of buying votes, exploiting the country's widespread poverty. The Brotherhood denies the charges and counters them by boasting of its superior organizational skills. The group said it has the legitimacy of its consistent victories at the ballot box and accuses its opponent of trying to overthrow a democratically elected government. In the interview with the private Mehwar television, Mursi also tried to improve his standing nearly eight months into his four-year term. He repeatedly declared that he was a "president for all Egyptians," claimed he had no quarrel with any of the nation's political forces and reasserted his respect and confidence in the powerful military, which has recently shown signs of impatience with Mursi's rule. He vowed to continue his four-year term and, in an emotional bid to win public sympathy, said: "I hope that my fellow Egyptians will forgive me if they see me making a mistake." He added: "We are together walking a path that is covered with thorns, but our feet are thick and we will complete the journey together even though our feet are bloody." Tue, 25 Feb 2013 13:43:12 GMT http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=6&id=32989 DUBAI, (Reuters) - Iran is to reduce its dependence on oil income and boost non-oil exports in its budget to counter the "heavy" impact of sanctions, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said in a television interview late on Saturday. The budget is due to be presented to parliament on Wednesday for debate and likely amendments before it is subject to a parliamentary vote in the run up to Iran's election in June that will take place against the backdrop of deep economic gloom. "Events have struck from beyond our own economy and heavy factors are active from outside. If severe fluctuations hit this (oil) income, surely it has an effect," Fars news reported Ahmadinejad as saying, in an apparent reference to sanctions that have nearly halved Iran's oil exports. "We have to go in a direction to reduce oil receipts in our economy and raise other incomes such as non-oil exports that are increasing rapidly," he said. Over the past year Iran's economy has borne the brunt of tough sanctions against its oil and banking sectors imposed by the United States and its allies over Tehran's disputed nuclear activities. The West suspects Iran is trying to develop a nuclear weapons capability. Tehran says its programme is peaceful. The International Energy Agency estimated last week that Iran's oil exports may have dropped below 1 million barrels per day in January from 2.2 million bpd in late 2011, costing the country over $40 billion in reduced revenues last year. The financial pressures have resulted in soaring inflation and employment, dented production and brought investment to a standstill. Iran's government has sought to impose cuts to its spending by drastically reducing access by businesses and individuals to its generous foreign exchange sales rates and banned the import of luxury items to stem the flow of hard currency abroad. Access to hard currency has also been curtailed since major crude oil customer India is no longer been able to pay for nearly half of its shipments in euros because of the sanctions. But Ahmadinejad said non-oil exports coupled with its technical and engineering services could reach 75 billion dollars in the coming year, a 50 percent rise compared to estimated figures for this year that ends on March 19. Iranian officials say such exports comprise gas condensate, chemical products, cement, vehicles, agricultural produce as well as nuts and fruit. As with previous budgets, the process is unlikely to be concluded before the start of the next Persian year, less than a month away, and may drag on for several more months. It is also likely to be hampered by the deep political divisions between the president and a mainly hostile parliament who accuse him of reckless financial management that they see as the major cause of Iran's economic pain. Mon, 24 Feb 2013 13:43:12 GMT http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=3&id=32990 Riyadh/Jeddah, Asharq Al-Awsat—Dr. Lubna Al-Ansari, a member of the Saudi Shura Council, believes it is unlikely that the tasks of women in the council will be confined purely to women’s issues. According to her, such a notion undermines the role of women in the council, and even in the eyes of the local community. After being inaugurated last week before the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, the new member of the Shura Council confirmed to Asharq Al-Awsat that women have been admitted to the council not only to deal with women’s issues, but all local issues on an equal footing with their male peers. She said: "When we took the oath we felt that the decision to admit women to the Shura Council was actually being enforced. We felt eager and enthusiastic, and we had a strong desire not to let our society down.” She added: "The local community’s positive opinion of our performance is the strongest impetus for us to achieve the ambitions of the council, in addition to the confidence that the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques has placed in the cadres of qualified women". She revealed that the new female members hope to carry out their mission perfectly, and hope that the king’s decision will bring honor to women across all sectors of Saudi Arabia. Regarding the mechanisms in place to form committees, and the committees that female members wish to join, Dr. Ansari remarked that women’s issues require the expertise of all committees regardless of whether they are related to economic, environmental, or other issues. She emphasized that it is important for women to be represented on all committees and to be concerned with all issues. Dr. Ansari added, "The council asks its members to specify the three committees they would like to be involved with. However, at the end of the day, the council has its own specific criteria. There should be a suitable distribution of female representation in all the committees by order of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. Women should not be focused in one committee or in some committees but not in others. We should serve on committees related to our expertise. The presence of women in every committee will enrich the process.” She went on to say, "The Shura Council is formed of 13 committees. Thus there should be two or three women members in every one. Huge efforts were exerted for women to reach the seats of the Shura Council in the first place, and myself and the 29 other women members are now qualified to undertake our roles in light of our long careers in academic and practical fields. We want to make big strides in society. I do not think there will be any adversarial feelings between the men and the women in the council, we are eager to work earnestly to give our best.” Dr. Ansari asserts that the success of women in the council depends on the potential changes that could take place in society based on what they discuss. She pointed out that everyone is currently pained by what is happening in the field of health and education, with regards to women’s references and applications, and hopes to act to bring about changes in these areas. Dr. Ansari added, "This is what we came for and this will be the true measure of women’s performance in the council. We will complement the accomplishments that were made by those who preceded us in past sessions through balance, inclusiveness, and recommendations to bring about the desired changes". Dr. Ansari did not specify the proposed timeframe to form the new committees. However, she pointed out that the formation will be debated in the next two weeks and that the council is actively working on the subject. "The situation will become clearer soon," she concluded. For her part, Dr. Haya al-Mani, another new member of the Shura Council, told Asharq Al-Awsat that she does not want to put forward a private agenda as a woman in the new session, because the council represents a complete system with its goals, vision, and agenda. However, she added that this does not mean she will not outline specific priorities. She revealed that she will take into consideration all the issues that serve civil rights, youths, women, and society as a whole, in accordance with the path of reform that King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz has undertaken. In this regard, Dr. Mani said, "Of course, the issue of reform should definitely be raised and this is the right time to do so. We in Saudi Arabia are going through a prosperous period of self-reform that no one has or will dictate to us. In turn, this gives us more faith in participating in the reform process.” Answering a question on what women will bring by joining the Shura Council, Dr Mani replied, "The picture will become complete with the presence of women after the stagnant stage that has prevailed for some time. The presence of female members will add to the comprehensiveness of the council’s vision and their contribution will be doubled because by virtue of their nature, women are accurate and meticulous". Shura Council member Nura Bint-Adwan told Asharq Al-Awsat that the distribution of the committees will be discussed at the first session. She revealed that she will seek to join a committee dealing with human, educational, and family issues. She added, "It is premature to talk about agendas and goals. The first session represents the first step. After that, we can talk about agendas and goals.” Finally, Dr. Dalal Al-Harbi, another female member, believes that the admission of women to the Shura Council represents an extension of the vital role that women have played in consultation and expertise ever since the foundation of the Saudi state.. Dr. Harbi told Asharq Al-Awsat: "The speech that King Abdullah delivered on Tuesday was very significant, particularly since he stressed that change should come gradually and not through other pressures." Mon, 24 Feb 2013 13:43:12 GMT http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=2&id=32991 Renowned television writer Dr. Walid Saif has an interesting tale of the time the famous Arab director Tawfiq Saleh got in touch with him in Amman, and invited him to visit Baghdad. At the time, Saif did not question the reason for the visit, nor did Saleh explain it over the phone. When the playwright arrived in Iraq from Jordan, the director said, “I'm in trouble with President Saddam Hussein, and you are the only one who can help me." Before they caused a scene in the hotel reception, Tawfiq Saleh hastened to reassure his guest. He told him that he had recently directed a documentary about the life of Saddam Hussein, in which the president’s son-in-law (who was later assassinated) played the hero. In one particular scene, the film depicted Saddam's injury from a gunshot wound to the leg, as he tried to escape following the attempted assassination of Abd Al-Karim Qasim. In the scene, the Iraqi president appeared to be in slight discomfort as a local barber who had come to his aid was trying to pull the bullet from his leg. The film was privately screened for Saddam Hussein’s approval, and Tawfiq Saleh was immediately summoned to the presidential palace. Upon arrival, Tawfiq had to wait until the president sent for him, at which point he was introduced to an old humpbacked man, shivering out of fear. It was the same barber who had pulled the bullet out of the president's leg during his days as a young conspirator. Addressing the barber, Saddam asked, "When you pulled the bullet from my leg, did I feel any pain?" The barber responded, "Not at all sir, it was me who felt discomfort." Again, Saddam asked the barber, "Having pulled out the bullet, did I sweat?" The old man replied, "Not at all sir, only I did”. And with that, the president dismissed the barber, leaving him alone with Tawfiq Saleh. Saddam addressed Saleh, demanding, "How could it ever cross your mind to portray me suffering? Did you not learn anything from the Al-Khansaa television series?" Saleh responded, "Your word is my command sir". After the meeting, Saleh promptly got in touch with his friend Walid Saif, who had previously directed Al-Khansaa. He needed to know how to modify the shot and remove the look of pain from the president's face, for Saddam would never suffer, even if hit by a bullet. Saif suggested that the scene be re-shot in a way that does not show the president’s expression at all, as the film was already in post-production. The prominent Kuwaiti businessman Abdul Aziz Al-Babtain told me that he had once visited Saddam Hussein in his office, where they heard a huge explosion, but Saddam remained unperturbed. The then Iraqi president simply gazed at Al-Babtain and asked, "Do you think Abdul-Nasser would have remained so calm had an explosion taken place so near to him?" In the final moments of his life, approaching the gallows, Saddam Hussein still remained composed. He never flinched, nor did his voice tremble, as the noose was placed around his neck. So was this trait something we should admire? In my opinion, I would prefer a president who is merciful rather than brave. I would prefer a president whose expression instills reassurance rather than terror, a president who is tolerant with his opponents, and who does not order their execution. I do not believe it is courageous to never forgive, or to condemn those who disagree with you to jail, exile, or death. Courage is not represented by the ability to never flinch; rather it is the ability to promote justice, forgiveness, and mercy. Mon, 24 Feb 2013 13:43:12 GMT http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=1&id=32987 TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guard said Saturday that it had captured a foreign unmanned aircraft during a military exercise in southern Iran. Gen. Hamid Sarkheili, a spokesman for the military exercise, said the Guard's electronic warfare unit spotted signals indicating that foreign drones were trying to enter Iranian airspace. Sarkheili said Guard experts took control of one drone's navigation system and brought it down near the city of Sirjan where the military drills began on Saturday. "While probing signals in the area, we spotted foreign and enemy drones which attempted to enter the area of the war game," the official IRNA news agency quoted the general as saying. "We were able to get one enemy drone to land." Sarkheili did not say whether the drone was American. In Washington, a CIA spokeswoman declined to comment on the report. Iran has claimed to have captured several U.S. drones, including an advanced RQ-170 Sentinel CIA spy drone in December 2011 and at least three ScanEagle aircraft. State TV said the Guard's military exercise, code-named Great Prophet-8, involved ground forces of the Guard, Iran's most powerful military force. State TV showed tanks and artillery attacking hypothetical enemy positions. He said various systems, including unmanned planes that operate like suicide bombers, were tested. "Reconnaissance as well as suicide drones, which are capable of attacking the hypothetical enemies, were deployed and their operational capabilities were studied," the semi-official Fars news agency quoted him as saying. Mon, 24 Feb 2013 13:43:12 GMT http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=1&id=32985 Cairo, Asharq Al-Awsat—Egypt’s President Mohamed Mursi has brought forward the start of parliamentary elections to April 22, in an effort to defuse a row with Egypt’s Christian minority, who said the schedule would conflict with their Easter celebrations. The decision by Mursi to start the four-stage vote five days earlier than scheduled was announced by his spokesman on Facebook. According to a presidential decree, the parliamentary elections, previously scheduled for April 27 will now be brought forward to April 22.The elections will take place in four stages and last for three months. The adjustment in dates should satisfy Coptic Christians, who make up 10 percent of the population. But the rift between Egypt's ruling Islamists and the opposition remained as deep as ever, with one leading liberal politician, Mohamed ElBaradei, saying he would boycott the polls. ElBaradei, a former U.N. nuclear agency chief, drew comparisons with the last parliamentary polls to be held under Mubarak in 2010, a vote which was widely seen as rigged. ElBaradei noted he had called for a boycott in 2010 "to expose sham democracy". "Today I repeat my call, (I) will not be part of an act of deception," he said on his Twitter account. ElBaradei boycotted the presidential election that brought Mursi to power last June. The Muslim Brotherhood, which backs Mursi, rejected any call to boycott the voting which has been scheduled in four stages from April 27 to June. Essam Erian, a senior member of the Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party, said the polls would be carried out under "complete judicial supervision" as well as being followed by Egyptian, regional and international media. Voting would be monitored by Egyptian and foreign civil society and human rights organizations, he said on his Facebook page, adding that he expected wide participation. In other news, Opponents of Mursi are voting to send him into outer space. The Islamist president on Saturday was leading the field in Egypt in an online contest sponsored by deodorant makers Axe to send a lucky few on a shuttle operated by space tourism company Space Expedition Corp. Egypt's opposition movement April 6 entered Mursi into the competition. "With God's help, and under His care, Mursi will soon be launched to the moon," the group said on its Facebook page, along with a picture of the president in a spacesuit. The presidency has not responded to the campaign on behalf of the former engineer and self-professed "Planet of the Apes" fan. But his opponents have enthusiastically embraced the possibility. "I just voted for Mursi to go to space. Proudest moment in voting history," one of them wrote on Twitter. Since Mursi's election win as Egypt's first civilian and Islamist president last summer, his popularity has eroded. Thousands took to the streets in December when he issued power-grabbing decrees temporarily that allowed his supporters to rush a draft constitution to a nationwide vote before a high court packed with Mubarak appointees could disband the process. It passed with 64 percent amid low turnout and a boycott by thousands of overseeing judges. Mon, 24 Feb 2013 13:43:12 GMT http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=1&id=32984 JERUSALEM (AP) — Thousands of Palestinian prisoners launched a one-day fast Sunday to commemorate an inmate who died the day before in Israeli custody after days of West Bank protests in support of four hunger-strikers. Israel's prison service said 3,000 Palestinian prisoners went on the fast after 30-year-old Arafat Shalish Shahin Jaradat died Saturday. The death came after more than a week of clashes at protests in support of four long-term Palestinian hunger strikers in Israeli jails. Israeli human rights group B'Tselem has called for a comprehensive investigation. It said the police inquiry must include the "full circumstances" surrounding his death, including how he was treated during questioning by Israel's domestic intelligence agency, Shin Bet. The agency said Jaradat was arrested on Feb. 18 after residents in his West Bank village of Saeer said he was involved in a rock-throwing attack that injured an Israeli citizen. Jaradat admitted to the charge, as well to another West Bank rock-throwing incident last year, Shin Bet said in a statement. Jaradat suffered from back pain and had been injured in the past by a rubber bullet and tear gas canister, the Shin Bet statement said, adding that he was examined a few times by a doctor who detected no health problems, and his interrogation continued. "After lunch, while resting in his cell he felt unwell. Rescue services and a doctor were alerted and treated him, they didn't succeed in saving his life," the statement said. A Shin Bet spokesman, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with protocol, said Jaradat was not beaten during his interrogation, nor did he experience any physical activities that might have led to a worsening of his health. Jaradat was not on hunger strike and died of an apparent heart attack, Israeli prison services spokeswoman Sivan Weizman said. His death angered Palestinians who have been demonstrating for more than a week in support of the thousands of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, especially four long-time hunger-strikers, one of whom has seen his health deteriorate rapidly. Protests often turned into violent clashes with soldiers. Defense officials said Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz convened top military officials Saturday night to discuss escalating tensions in the West Bank. Meanwhile, veteran Israeli lawmaker and acting speaker of parliament Binyamin Ben-Eliezer warned that violence between Israelis and Palestinians will escalate unless stalled peace talks resume. "We are on the eve of an Intifada," he told Israel radio using the Arabic term for uprising. "I have been warning of this for many months. I know these guys and I see the signs," said Ben-Eliezer, a former defense minister. "As someone who has gone through two Intifadas, I say this time it will be the bloodiest," he said. Palestinians have launched two uprisings against Israeli occupation. The first in 1987 lasted nearly six years. The second, deadlier uprising broke out in late 2000 and stretched for about five years. More than 3,000 Palestinians and over 1,000 Israelis died in the fighting. Ben-Eliezer urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to resume talks with the Palestinians. He said this will be the focus of next month's visit to the region by U.S. President Barack Obama. Mon, 24 Feb 2013 13:43:12 GMT http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=1&id=32983 BAGHDAD (AP) — A doctor who oversees Iraqi President Jalal Talabani's medical care says the president is able to speak and understand people around him as he recovers from a stroke he suffered over two months ago. In an interview Sunday Dr. Najmaldin Karim described the improvement in the president's health as encouraging and "a good development." Karim oversees Talabani's medical care when he is in Iraq, although the president is currently in Germany for treatment. Karim says he is hopeful Talabani will be able to return to Iraq, but acknowledged that any decision rests with the doctors treating him in Germany. Talabani was rushed to a hospital on December 17 for what officials described as a serious stroke. He was later moved to Germany. Few details have been released about his condition. Mon, 24 Feb 2013 13:43:12 GMT http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=2&id=32988 The Syrian Opposition Coalition has announced the suspension of its planned visits to both Washington and Moscow, and likewise its withdrawal from participating in the upcoming Friends of Syria conference in Rome, in protest against the “international silence” towards the crimes committed against the Syrians, after the Assad regime once again bombarded Aleppo with long-range missiles. However, a boycott is the wrong course of action to take. Boycotts are not the solution for the Syrian opposition, whatever the justifications, for the basic principle in politics is communication, even if through covert channels. The Syrian opposition desperately need to connect themselves with the international community, both Russia and the West, rather than having intermediaries speaking on their behalf, whether Arab or Western. It is true that the international stance is languid and frustrating, but what exactly is the alternative especially considering that Iran, for example, is providing alarming continuous support for Bashar al-Assad? Therefore, emotional boycotts are not prudent, for the opposition must visit Moscow and Washington, explain their position, and tirelessly try to mobilize international stances in their favor. Otherwise, the only beneficiary is Bashar Assad, who has relentlessly tried, since the outbreak of the revolution, to discredit the opposition and fragment it. Assad has done everything possible in order to achieve this, so why should the opposition give him his desired result on a silver platter, especially at a time when it is even more pressing to talk about the situation in Syria and the need for intervention? The US administration is facing mounting internal criticism about its stance towards the Syrian revolution, and even some American journalists known for their defense of the Obama administration are now talking about Syria in critical, or at least objective, language. Talk is largely focusing on calls to review the US position, especially with the completed formation of the new US administration, and this makes the idea of a boycott even more illogical. Consider the recent article written in the London Review of Books, carried by Reuters, which quoted a White House official saying that the US administration is trying to learn from past lessons, especially Iraq. The official said, “The United States has a long history of picking winners and losers based on the guy who speaks English well . . . It’s just trying to learn the lessons and be humble.” This means that the Syrian opposition must communicate in order to convince and change attitudes, even if it seems frustrating. With regards to connecting with the Russians, Russia’s manipulative and contradictory statements merit an outright confrontation with Moscow itself. This is not necessarily to convince the Russians, but to expose them internationally, for there must be some form of political challenge and refutation of their arguments. It is true that the crimes committed in Syria say it all, but merely communicating with the Russians—from the Syrian opposition perspective—will embarrass them politically, and embarrass Assad himself, who has tried endless tricks to strike the opposition and thwart their communication with the international community. The opposition’s boycott is a breakthrough for Assad, even if only in front of his narrow circle of support, and this is what the Syrian opposition must avoid. Unfortunately, the Syrian opposition’s fate for the time being has been reduced to explaining the obvious, but as the Arabs say, part of the problem lies in explaining the obvious. Mon, 24 Feb 2013 13:43:12 GMT http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=2&id=32986 Everyone I’ve met has tried to make excuses for Sheikh Moaz Al-Khatib, leader of the Syrian National Coalition, ever since he attempted to swim against the opposition tide by calling for negotiations with the regime, on favorable terms. However, as was to be expected, the regime has responded by manipulating both Khatib and his initiative. Some have claimed Khatib simply wanted to satisfy the countries insisting on pursuing a peaceful solution, while others believed Khatib actually wanted to embarrass the regime. Some thought Khatib, as the newly appointed leader of the coalition, wanted to present a different image of the opposition away from the killing and fighting, in order to reinforce its multi-dimensional nature. Others suspected that Khatib only launched his negotiations initiative due to pressure from certain funding countries; countries that in turn were under pressure themselves because of their silence and hesitance. So what is actually wrong with going down the political path and seeking to engage in peaceful negotiations? In theory, nothing, but this approach can only be adopted in one of the following two cases: The first is that the rebels have become convinced that their project for change has failed, and that the revolution has reached a dead end, and thus they will try to cut their losses as much as possible in exchange for surrendering their weapons. However, this is not true. Although the conflict has been ongoing for many months and although the regime is still standing, the opposition fighters are still making progress. The second case is that fighters on the ground have actually made great strides in the process of overthrowing the regime, and now they believe the bloodshed can come to an end as the regime is ready to leave power under reasonable conditions. But this is also not true because the regime is still fighting, and it still controls several important areas. I believe, as do many of his sympathizers, that Khatib’s intention was to embarrass the Syrian regime by presenting a political initiative that he knew Assad would turn down. This would also embarrass the Russians in particular, who have been calling for dialogue for over a year. Of course, it was a maneuver and not a frank proposal. But it was a maneuver against a regime that has mastered the art over the past 40 years. We must also not forget that Iran, the regime’s main ally, has been maneuvering against the West with regards to negotiations on its nuclear program by procrastinating and making empty promises. Furthermore, Assad manipulated the Lebanese for years and has betrayed almost all countries in the region. So what experience does the opposition leader have to enter such as wrestling ring? And just look how Assad responded! He waited for Khatib’s specified deadline to pass and then responded a day later. This was the beginning of Assad’s maneuvers. He wanted to turn the tables on the opposition and so he presented a proposal that was even better: The Syrian minister of information addressed the opposition asking them to return to Damascus, guaranteeing their safety. He called on them to negotiate with the regime in any manner they wished, and if they disliked the outcomes they could leave at any time without the threat of judicial or security pursuit. Assad was clearly trying to call Khatib’s bluff and embarrass the opposition in front of the world. In this regard, he has many more cards to play. For example, he could release thousands of detainees in exchange for nothing, just to show he has good intentions, or he could issue passports to some opposition figures. What would Sheikh Moaz do then? Would he go to negotiate? If he did, he would divide the opposition and disrupt any revolutionary momentum. The rebels would immediately think that their coalition had abandoned them and that countries supporting them had sold them out. However, if Khatib rejected the offer to negotiate, he would look like an amateur bluffer in front of the world’s superpowers. There are currently more questions than answers, but let us consider the following: Is there any factor within the opposition or on the battlefield at present to imply that Assad is really ready to commit to a peaceful solution and end his rule? This is inconceivable. Therefore, everyone must realize that it is not yet time for a peaceful solution. The revolution has not been defeated and the regime will not fall within a matter of days. The opposition must redouble their efforts to support the rebels on the ground and unite their leaderships. They must also insist on a military solution because despite the bloodshed, this is the only way to limit further suffering. Whatever Moaz Khatib and his supporters think, it is no longer possible for the Syrian regime to remain in power in any form, given the deep hatred entrenched among millions of Syrians. Mon, 24 Feb 2013 13:43:12 GMT http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=6&id=32982 WASHINGTON/SEATTLE, (Reuters) - Boeing Co on Friday gave U.S. aviation regulators its plan to fix the volatile battery aboard its new 787 Dreamliner, even though investigators have not yet determined what caused the batteries to overheat on two planes last month. Boeing did not propose abandoning the lithium-ion batteries and is not working on a backup or longer-term fix for the problem that has grounded its entire fleet of 50 Dreamliners for nearly five weeks, three sources familiar with the plan said. The company and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration said no firm result emerged from the meeting between Deputy Transportation Secretary John Porcari, FAA Administrator Michael Huerta and other FAA officials and Boeing Commercial Airplanes CEO Ray Conner and other senior Boeing executives in Washington. With Boeing's costs mounting by millions of dollars a day while the planes are on the ground, the FAA said it is "reviewing a Boeing proposal and will analyze it closely. The safety of the flying public is our top priority and we won't allow the 787 to return to commercial service until we're confident that any proposed solution has addressed the battery failure risks." Boeing declined to comment on the details of its proposal, but said the meeting with the FAA was productive. The proposal to the FAA includes measures to address a range of possible causes of short-circuits in the batteries, the sources said. Five weeks ago, U.S. authorities grounded the worldwide fleet of 787s. U.S., Japanese and French investigators are still not certain what caused the battery fire aboard an All Nippon Airways 787 in Boston and an overheated, smoking battery on a Japan Airlines 787 in Japan. The proposed fix includes adding ceramic insulation between the cells of the battery to help keep cells cool and prevent a "thermal runaway" in which one cell overheats and triggers overheating in adjacent cells. It also includes building a stronger, larger stainless steel box with a venting tube to contain a fire and expel fumes outside the aircraft should a battery catch fire again, the sources said. In addition, the plan proposed wiring changes, self-torquing screws that will not come loose and battery alterations to prevent moisture and vibration problems, one of the sources said. But there was also a plan to use a different battery type or some other longer-term fix, the sources said. "I have talked to a number of people who are working directly on these batteries. No one is on the Plan-B team," said a person familiar with Boeing's efforts who was not authorized to speak publicly about them. A second source, who also was not authorized to speak publicly, said Boeing does not view its proposal as a temporary "band-aid" that would be supplanted by another solution later. Boeing spokesman Marc Birtel said in a statement: "We are encouraged by the progress being made toward resolving the issue and returning the 787 to flight for our customers and their passengers around the world." Birtel reiterated that hundreds of engineers and technical experts are working "around the clock" to return the 787 fleet to service. "Everyone is working to get to the answer as quickly as possible and good progress is being made," Birtel said. Boeing's stock closed up 65 cents, or 0.86 percent, at $75.66 on the New York Stock Exchange. Richard Aboulafia, aerospace analyst with the Teal Group in Virginia, said Boeing needed a backup plan in case the FAA did not approve its proposal. "It's a bit tone deaf to propose containment and management when the political winds are favoring an elimination of the risk," he said, citing Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood's insistence that the plane would return to flight only when it was "1,000 percent safe" and similar remarks by other officials. "They need to be out there talking about a bigger solution beyond mere containment because the political winds and public opinion are not going to favor a solution that's focused on fire and smoke management," Aboulafia said. He noted that Airbus had already signaled its plan to switch back to more traditional nickel cadmium batteries for its A350 airliner, but the 787 was far more dependent on electrical power, which would complicate any effort to switch to a different type of battery. A complete redesign could take around nine months to implement, he said. Another source said that kind of solution could take two years if, for example, Boeing decided to use nickel cadmium batteries on the 787, similar to those used on the 777 jet. The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board is still investigating the Boston fire and the Japan Transportation Safety Board is investigating the battery failure in Japan. Neither has found a root cause for the problems. The sources said the NTSB might never find the cause because the battery in Boston was severely damaged by the fire. Given the financial cost of the grounding for Boeing and the airlines that own the jets, estimated at $200 million a month, Boeing decided to address all possible causes with the measures, rather than wait for the NTSB to identify one specific cause, the sources said. Boeing engineers have been working with outside experts and U.S. government officials to address possible cause of the battery issues. The team includes experts from the U.S. Navy and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, which uses a lithium-ion battery on board the International Space Station. Boeing engineers went through a "fault tree" and "came up with a list of half a dozen things that could have led to problems," said a congressional source who had been briefed on the matter, but was not authorized to speak publicly. "They have a list of things that it could be, and the fixes are designed to address that list of problems," the source said. If the NTSB's investigation turns up additional possible causes, those would be added to the mix, another of the sources said. Boeing machinists already are building the new containment boxes for the battery, a sign the company is confident that the FAA will eventually approve continued used of lithium batteries and the contain-and-vent strategy for dealing with fires, according to a person familiar with the matter. The FAA granted Boeing permission to use lithium batteries in 2007, but set nine special conditions the company had to meet. Asked why the company's extensive testing of the batteries had not revealed problems with the batteries and the electrical systems used to operate them, one of the sources said test environments had limitations and the real test of an aircraft always came when it was actually operating. If the Boeing plan is approved by FAA Administrator Huerta and Transportation Secretary LaHood, company officials expect the 787 fleet to return to service within eight weeks, one source said. Another source, who is also familiar with the 787 investigation but not authorized to speak publicly, said a key challenge for Boeing would be to redesign the battery box so that it could truly contain a fire if one occurred. Despite Boeing's statements about containment being the plan for a battery issue from the start, the blue box that held the current lithium-ion battery was clearly "not designed to contain a fire," said the source. Another person familiar with the engineering work said the new box would be made of stainless steel nearly half an inch thick. It would be capable of containing an explosion, and would have a tube to vent smoke and flame outside the jet. However, the source said engineers have raised questions about the safety of venting flames outside the plane, especially if it is on the ground and being fueled. The effect could be something like a flamethrower, this person said. Sun, 23 Feb 2013 13:43:12 GMT http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=1&id=32981 DUBAI, (Reuters) - Days before resuming talks over its disputed atomic program, Iran said on Saturday it had found significant new deposits of raw uranium and identified sites for 16 more nuclear power stations. State news agency IRNA quoted a report by the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran (AEOI) which said the reserves were discovered in northern and southern coastal areas and had trebled the amount outlined in previous estimates. There was no independent confirmation. With few uranium mines of its own, Western experts had previously thought that Iran might be close to exhausting its supply of raw uranium. "We have discovered new sources of uranium in the country and we will put them to use in the near future," Fereydoun Abbasi-Davani, head of the AEOI, was quoted as saying at Iran's annual nuclear industry conference. The timing of the announcement suggested Iran, by talking up its reserves and nuclear ambitions, may hope to strengthen its negotiating hand at talks in Kazakhstan on Tuesday with the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany. Diplomats say the six powers, known as the P5+1, are set to offer Iran some relief from international sanctions if it agrees to curb its production of higher-grade enriched uranium. The West says Iran's enrichment of uranium to a fissile purity of 20 percent demonstrates its intent to develop a nuclear weapons capability, an allegation the Islamic republic denies. FROM MINE TO CENTRIFUGE The enriched uranium required for use in nuclear reactors or weapons is produced in centrifuges that spin uranium hexafluoride gas (UF6) at high speeds. The UF6 is derived from yellow cake, a concentrate from uranium ore discovered in mines. Iran's reserves of raw uranium now stood at around 4,400 tonnes, taking into account discoveries over the past 18 months, IRNA quoted the report as saying. In another sign that Iran is intent on pushing forward with its nuclear ambitions, the report also said 16 sites had been identified for the construction of nuclear power stations. It did not specify the exact locations but said they included coastal areas of the Gulf, Sea of Oman, Khuzestan province and the Caspian Sea. Iranian authorities have long announced their desire to build more nuclear power plants for electricity production. Only one currently exists, in the southern city of Bushehr, and that has suffered several shutdowns in recent months. The announcements could further complicate the search for a breakthrough in Kazakhstan, after three unsuccessful rounds of talks between the two sides in 2012. "We are meeting all of our obligations under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and we should be able to benefit from our rights. We don't accept more responsibilities and less rights," Saeed Jalili, Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, was quoted as telling Saturday's conference. In what Washington has called a provocative move, Iran is also installing new-generation centrifuges, capable of producing enriched uranium much faster, at a site in Natanz in the centre of the country. Western diplomats say the P5+1 will reiterate demands for the suspension of uranium enrichment to a purity of 20 percent, the closure of Iran's Fordow enrichment plant, increased access for International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors and agreement to address concerns on existing uranium stockpiles. In return, the latest embargoes on gold and metals trading with Iran would be lifted. Iran has criticized the offer and says its rights need to be fully recognized. "If the P5+1 group wants to start constructive talks with Tehran it needs to present a valid proposal," said Jalili. "It needs to put its past errors to one side ... to win the trust of the Iranian nation." In a statement issued before the Iranian announcement, German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said the six-power group wanted to enter a 'substantial negotiation process' over Tehran's nuclear program. "The talks in Almaty are a chance which I hope Iran takes," he said. Sun, 23 Feb 2013 13:43:12 GMT http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=1&id=32980 CAIRO, (AFP) - Opposition leader Mohamed ElBaradei on Saturday called for a boycott of Egypt's upcoming legislative elections as the president was set to reschedule the first round which clashes with a Christian holiday. "Called for parliamentary election boycott in 2010 to expose sham democracy. Today I repeat my call, will not be part of an act of deception," the Nobel Peace laureate and former head of the UN atomic watchdog wrote on Twitter. Former foreign minister Amr Mussa, another leader in the National Salvation Front (NSF), said many members of the opposition bloc were inclined to boycott the four-round election, but a final position had not yet been taken. "There is a large group that wants a boycott, but it has not yet been discussed, and no decision has been taken," he told AFP. The election is scheduled to begin on April 27, with a new parliament to convene on July 6. But the presidency said it was "seriously" considering changing the starting date because it falls on the Christian holidays of Lazarus Saturday and Palm Sunday, after objections from the Coptic Church. "Today President (Mohamed) Morsi said he is seriously considering rescheduling elections to avoid any overlap with Coptic Christian holidays," the presidency said on its English-language Twitter feed. Father Rafiq Greish, the Catholic Church's spokesman in Egypt, told AFP that he spoke with the presidency, which "accepted" rescheduling the first round. Greish said he discussed with an adviser to the Islamist president the possibility of changing the first round of the election to April 23. And the official MENA news agency reported that "a presidential adviser said the new dates will be announced 'within hours'." ElBaradei, who did not elaborate about his boycott call on Twitter, raised the suspicion that the vote might be rigged, as was the case in a 2010 election under ousted long-time president Hosni Mubarak. Leaders of the NSF, an alliance that brings together liberal and secular leaning groups, have previously proposed a postponement of the vote. The coalition organised massive protests against Morsi in November and December after he adopted now-repealed powers that shielded his decisions from judicial review. But anti-Morsi protests have slowed since he pushed through an Islamist-drafted constitution in a December referendum, with the mass rallies giving way to smaller, and often violent, protests. The opposition, less organised than Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood, has insisted the president appoint a new government before the election while the presidency says the new parliament should have the right to appoint the cabinet. The Brotherhood and Islamist allies dominated the last parliamentary election in 2011 that resulted in an Islamist-majority house which a court annulled on a technicality before Morsi's election last June. But due to increased anti-Morsi sentiment, Hamdeen Sabahi, another NSF leader, has said the opposition coalition could now win up to 50 percent of seats in parliament if it chose to contest the election. Sun, 23 Feb 2013 13:43:12 GMT http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=1&id=32978 Beirut, Asharq Al-Awsat—A court in Cyprus heard testimony from a member of Hezbollah this week, who admitted to carrying out surveillance of different businesses and airlines linked to Israel on the island on behalf of the organization. The accused, Hossam Taleb Yaacoub, who holds joint Swedish-Lebanese citizenship, was arrested by Cypriot authorities last July. He admitted in court to being a courier for Hezbollah since 2007, with the codename ‘Wael.’ He also admitted to carrying out surveillance on areas on the island where Israeli tourists are known to congregate and recording the arrival times of flights from Israel. When arrested, he was found to be in possession of a notebook which contained the license plate numbers of buses used to carry Israeli tourists. Speaking through an interpreter, he told the court that his Hezbollah handler, who he knew only as ‘Ayman’ had also asked him to gather information on warehouse rentals and locate kosher restaurants. Cyprus is a popular holiday destination for many Israelis. 40,000 Israeli tourists are reported to have visited the island last year alone. Yaacoub admitted receiving training in the use of different weapons, including assault rifles, handguns, and anti-tank rockets during his time with Hezbollah, in addition to carrying out courier missions for the organization in France, the Netherlands, and Turkey. He also said that he had purchased cell phone SIM cards for the group on a previous visit to Cyprus in 2011. The state prosecutor, Athos Kannaourides, accused Yaacoub of assisting in the preparation of terrorist attacks in Cyprus, saying “You bought the cards at separate kiosks so as not to cause suspicion, so you could have contact with Hezbollah to prepare a strike against Israelis in Cyprus.” Yaacoub denied any knowledge of what the materials and information he gathered would be used for. He also denied that he would take part in any terrorist attack, even if his superiors asked him to. He told the court: “Even if they asked me to participate in a terrorist action, I would refuse” adding “I could never do that. I’m only trained to defend Lebanon.” During his testimony, he also accused the police officers who interrogated him of altering his statement to say that he was trained in the use of plastic explosives. The case is likely to be watched closely in government and security circles throughout Europe, given the recent bombing of a tour bus in Bulgaria that killed a local driver and several Israeli tourists. The government of Israel alleged that Hezbollah was involved in the attack, and is now pushing for the European Union, of which Cyprus is a member, to officially declare Hezbollah a terrorist organization. Sun, 23 Feb 2013 13:43:12 GMT http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=1&id=32977 Beirut, Asharq Al-Awsat—The Syrian National Coalition has announced plans to form a provisional government in rebel-held areas of the country. The opposition umbrella group made this announcement on Friday following a Cairo meeting about holding peace talks with representatives of the Bashar Al-Assad government. A spokesman revealed that the coalition will meet in Istanbul on March 2 to choose a prime minister. Syrian National Coalition member Walid Al-Bunni was quoted by Reuters as saying that this prime minister will be tasked with leading a government of technocrats able to deal with the pressing problems on the ground in “liberated” parts of Syria. He said, “There has to be an executive authority capable of caring for millions of Syrians in the liberated territories who need water, electricity, security, and protection. Hospitals also have been destroyed by the regime and humanitarian aid needs to be managed.” The Syrian National Coalition also announced that it will by boycotting a number of forthcoming international meetings to protest against silence over the slaughter of Syrians. The group said it would not be attending upcoming meetings in Italy, Russia, and the United States to protest against the “shameful lack of international condemnation of crimes committed against the Syrian people.” The latest United National figure indicate that at least 70,000 people have been killed in Syria over the past two years. Speaking to France 24’s Arabic-language channel, Bunni emphasized: “Our visit to Washington is on hold until Washington takes a stance that is in accordance with US statements on its support for democracy.” He added, “The United States is a leading force in the world, as are France, Britain, and the European Union. They have all been unable to stop a butcher from committing massacres against our people.” The opposition coalition had been scheduled to attend a Friends of Syria meeting in Rome on Thursday. The umbrella group issued a statement asserting, “Hundreds of civilians have been killed by Scud missile strikes. Aleppo, the city and the civilization, is being destroyed systematically.” “The Russian leadership especially bears moral and political responsibility for supplying the regime with weapons.” “In protest of this shameful international stand, the coalition has decided to suspend its participation for the Friends of Syria’s Rome conference and decline invitations to visit Russia and the United States.” Sun, 23 Feb 2013 13:43:12 GMT http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=1&id=32976 KIRKUK, (Reuters) - Iraqi President Jalal Talabani is now able to talk, his doctor said, adding he was hopeful the Kurdish statesman would soon be fit to return to Iraq from Germany, where he has been receiving medical treatment for a stroke. A peace-maker who often mediated among Iraq's Shi'ite, Sunni and Kurdish factions, 79-year-old Talabani was flown abroad in December in critical condition. "I am in continuous contact with the German team treating President Talabani," said Najmaldin Karim, who is also governor of the city of Kirkuk. "He can talk now with the people around him and started to think in a good way. I and the German team are optimistic that he will get much better and can return back to Iraq soon." During Talabani's absence, Iraq's political crisis has intensified, with thousands of Sunni Muslims taking to the streets in protest against the Shi'ite-led government The veteran politician often worked to ease tensions in the country's fragile power-sharing government and negotiated between Baghdad and the autonomous Kurdistan region, which are locked in feud over land and oil rights. Sun, 23 Feb 2013 13:43:12 GMT http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=2&id=32979 In Tunisia, the press reports that there is a significant difference of opinion between Hamadi Jebali, “star” of Ennahda, and the party’s founder and leader Rachid Ghannouchi. This dispute, regarding the approach to governing, has reached an impasse after Jebali’s initiative to form a “technocrat” government to replace the authoritarian Ennahda-dominated government was blocked. “Sheikh” Rachid Ghannouchi stubbornly rejected this proposal, frankly stating that “we will not leave power.” Jebali, angered by Ghannouchi’s frighteningly authoritarian stance, submitted his resignation as prime minister, and some now believe that he intends to establish a new Islamist political party, one with a more liberal and flexible approach than Ennahda. Before Jebali there was Sheikh Abdel Fattah Mourou, who served as Ennahda’s counterbalance to Ghannouchi. He previously called on Ghannouchi to step down as party leader in order to save the Islamist movement. However Mourou later retracted this statement after Ghannouchi publicly praised him, although we don’t know what the Ennahda leader said to him behind closed doors to convince him to soften his position. These events bear a resemblance to some previous developments in Egypt, where Rifaq Abu Al-Alaa followed the same path as Essam Sultan and Mohamed Mahsoub and others, and left the embrace of the mother Muslim Brotherhood organization to craft a political platform of their own. The entrance of these figures into the political arena as independents was said to be at the behest of the Brotherhood itself, and at the initiative of the organization’s younger members at that. However the Muslim Brotherhood later rejected these political platforms, leading the youth to form their own party in 1996. However, the government’s political commission refused to recognize this political party, and this became a high-profile case in Egypt, particularly as the party applied for a political license on three separate occasions and met with refusal each time. The party was eventually able to officially register itself following the ouster of the Mubarak regime in 2011 under the name Hizb Al-Wasat Al-Jadid otherwise known as the Wasat (moderate) Party. Around this time, affiliation to the Wasat Party, or merely communicating with it, was grounds for expulsion from the Muslim Brotherhood organization, despite its similar ideological, educational, and political activist model. Recently, following the so-called Arab Spring in Egypt, senior Muslim Brotherhood figure Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh took the decision to run for president, against the wishes of the mother organization. He therefore jumped, or was pushed, out of the Brotherhood and formed his own political party, increasing the number of his followers and supporters. Today, he continues to attempt to promote himself as a moderate alternative to the Brotherhood, as an Islamist with a liberal and nationalist flavor. These are the most prominent Egyptian cases, but there are many trying either to jump ship from the Brotherhood, or win over some of the organization’s support base by competing with it over religious slogans, particularly following the Brotherhood’s missteps after taking power. In fact there are some Egyptian parties who are seeking to take the Brotherhood’s place, particularly in terms of the organization’s primary activities of Islamic Dawa (Call) and discourse, away from direct political action. This is what former Brotherhood leadership figure Kamal El-Helbawi, and former Brotherhood Deputy General Guide Mohamed Habib are currently trying to do. Note that we are only talking about defections from the Brotherhood organization, rather than ideology or approach that it embraces. The Muslim Brotherhood is not the only organization that utilizes religious slogans for political mobilization and to attract the general public. There are other groups such as the Salafi political groups and Hizb ut-Tahrir that are urgently calling for the establishment of a caliphate. There are also divisions and differences of opinion within each trend that sometimes reach the point of violence and even the exchange of accusations of treason. It is sufficient to read what the Salafists say about the Muslim Brotherhood and what the Brotherhood say about the Salafists, not to mention what Hizb ut-Tahrir say about them both, to see the ferocity of these disputes. The question that is raised here is: Which of the above represents the “true” Islamic viewpoint? Speaking for myself, they are all mere mortals and nobody has a monopoly on the divine, regardless of what slogans one shouts. The deciding factor is evidence, the results on the ground, and how this benefits the people, rather than physical manifestations of religiosity and the repetition of the same tired speeches and sermons. Sun, 23 Feb 2013 13:43:12 GMT http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=3&id=32975 Riyadh, Asharq Al-Awsat—Osama Bin Laden’s obsession with America was the principal reason behind the first split within the Al-Qaeda terrorist organization, a former member has revealed to Asharq Al-Awsat. In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, Khalid Al-Johani said that Bin Laden’s pre-September 11 decision to focus his ire on America was a source of contention among the nascent organization’s members, particularly those from Arab states. Johani said: “At the time, the matter led to the defection of the Yemeni Hamza Al-Quaiti from the organization. He established another camp, thanks to the external support he had received, before eventually resolving his dispute with Bin Laden, closing his new camp, and returning under the Al-Qaeda banner. However, this did not happen with other groups that had left Al-Qaeda for the same reason.” Johani entered Afghanistan in 1996 via the Khyber Pass, facilitated by some influential Al-Qaeda members who had links with Pakistani border guards. He first met Osama Bin Laden two years later through Abu Faraj Al-Libbi. He informed Asharq Al-Awsat that Al-Qaeda leaders advised Bin Laden to tone down his anti-Americanism, and opposed attacks on the US on the grounds that it had not attacked Afghanistan, unlike the Soviet Union. Moreover, they warned that Afghanistan’s institutions were undergoing a process of reconstruction under the Taliban, and the country could not afford to make an enemy of the US. However, Bin Laden rejected this advice and carried out his threat to strike the World Trade Center in New York. The former Al-Qaeda member revealed that he had his own reservations about Bin Laden’s grandiose terrorist plans. During a meeting with the Al-Qaeda leader prior to the 9/11 attacks, he expressed his hesitation. Zayn Al-Abidin Muhammad Husayn AKA Abu Zubaydah and Abu Faraj Libbi subsequently offered to transfer him to the Ramzi Yousef battalion,of which Khaled Sheikh Mohammed was a notable member of. The battalion’s stated mission was to attack targets outside of Afghanistan. Johani rejected the transfer. He revealed that during this period, Bin Laden personally told him, “Don’t let us down, and we won’t let you down.” He added that when the US Air Force began its bombardment of Afghanistan, the Al-Qaeda leadership ordered 350 fighters to retreat to the mountains of Tora Bora, along with Osama Bin Laden. The US bombardment led to the deaths of 10 Al-Qaeda members in less than a month, which greatly affected the morale of the fighters. One member, Suleiman Abu Ghaith, attempted to mitigate the situation by releasing a statement announcing that the organization would re-order its ranks , while Bin Laden himself stressed that Al-Qaeda would emerge victorious and the US would withdraw from the country in light of its daily losses. Not long after this, Al-Qaeda’s fighters were ordered to withdraw from Tora Bora. Osama Bin Laden himself led the retreat, along with his 20 bodyguards, heading to an unknown location. While Al-Qaeda deputy leader Ayman Al-Zawahiri headed elsewhere. Johani explained that he attempted to flee to Pakistan with his unit, with the assistance of some Afghans. However, they were soon caught by US forces who detained them at their base in Kandahar. He revealed that Al-Qaeda members were not even aware that all Afghan cities had fallen under the control of the US as they were isolated from events in Tora Bora. Johani also recounted the story of his arrest and transportation to Guantanamo Bay on an American aircraft, with a stop-over in Turkey. He arrived in Cuba on January 01, 2002. He was subsequently detained for nearly four years until he was handed over to Saudi Arabia in late 2005. Johani told Asharq Al-Awsat that he quickly became disillusioned during his time with Al-Qaeda, admitting that he initially believed those traveling to fight with the group were divine beings, but he soon realized that they were only ordinary people seeking money and power. According to Johani, Bin Laden only had a few followers in 1998, with his recruits limited to three camps known as “Jihad”, “Farouk”, and “Omar.” However, in that year alone Nasir Al-Wuhayshi was able to recruit 30 new members along with 20 fighters. Wuhayshi had extensive relations in Yemen and Saudi Arabia through which he was able to attract young fighters with the call for jihad in Afghanistan, providing them with monthly salaries of up to USD 200 and guarantees of housing for married recruits. Johani’s experience with jihadi groups also included a stint with an Islamist group in the Philippines led by Hashim Salamat, which was fighting to protest the massacres committed against Muslims at the hands of President Ferdinand Marcos’s forces. Johani revealed that the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi used to send weapons shipments to Islamist fighters in the Philippines, after relations with its government deteriorated. However, Johani’s experience here did not last long and this group broke up after one of its most prominent leaders, Omar Al-Faruq, was arrested in Jakarta. Sat, 22 Feb 2013 13:43:12 GMT