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ABOUT
GULFWIRE
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GulfWire
is a public service of the National Council on
U.S.-Arab Relations and the U.S.-GCC Corporate
Cooperation Committee
Publisher
Dr. John Duke Anthony
Editor-in-Chief
Patrick W. Ryan
Deputy Editor
Connie R. Trisdale
Editorial Assistant
Margaret Philpot
Research Assistant
B. F. Hammock
GulfWire@ArabiaLink.com
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Council on U.S.-Arab Relations
President and CEO: Dr. John Duke Anthony
U.S.-GCC Corporate Cooperation Committee
Secretary: Dr. John Duke Anthony
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Suite 503
Washington, DC 20036
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Fax: 202.293.7770
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News
- Region
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WASHINGTON
STUDIES CHANGES TO HANDOVER PLAN IN IRAQ
"The Bush administration has produced
a list of possible changes for Iraq's
political transition, with some US and
British officials acknowledging for the
first time that the original plan could
even be scrapped altogether if Washington
is to pre-empt the growing clamor for
elections.. ..the United States told UN
representatives that everything is on the
table except the June 30 deadline for
handing over power.." Complete
report..
~~GulfWire Link~~
BUSH
TEAM REVISING PLANS FOR GRANTING SELF-RULE
TO IRAQIS - GWD Jan 19, 2003
NEW
GOVERNMENT PRESIDENCY TO HAVE THREE
MEMBERS
"The Iraqi leadership due to take
over political power from the US-led
coalition on June 30 will have a
three-member presidency, the head of the
Iraqi interim Governing Council, Adnan
Pachachi, said [Jan 28].. ..'This
presidential body will retain power. It
will not be a facade nor symbolic. It will
choose the prime minister, approve the
appointment of the ministers he proposes
which also have to be approved by the
legislative body'.." Complete
report..
AL
HAKIM: ELECTIONS MUST BE HELD BEFORE JUNE
30 DEADLINE
"The head of Iraq's top Shiite
political group said elections demanded by
a powerful cleric could and should be held
before a June 30 deadline for Iraq's US
occupiers to hand back sovereignty to
Iraqis. Calls for direct elections by
Ayatollah Ali Al Sistani, the top Iraqi
Shiite cleric whose views carry immense
weight among Shiites, who make up around
60 per cent of the population, have
undermined US plans to delay elections to
2005.." Complete
report..
Also:
U.N.
ELECTION TEAM TO BE SENT TO IRAQ
~~GulfWire Link~~
IRAQIS
DEMAND ELECTIONS; US SEEKS HELP FROM UN -
GWD Jan 26, 2003
CNN
TEAM, US SOLDIERS TARGETED BY IRAQI REBELS
"Roadside bombings and an ambush left
seven people, three of them American
soldiers, dead in Iraq [Jan 27] as the
United Nations sent a team to assess
prospects for early elections. Two CNN
employees were those killed in the ambush
outside Baghdad, the international
television news organization said. It said
a driver and a translator/producer were
shot dead as they were returning to
Baghdad from the south in a two-car
convoy. A cameraman in the other car was
wounded.." Complete
report..
Also:
2
CNN EMPLOYEES KILLED IN ATTACK
TWIN
BLASTS SLAUGHTER IRAQI KURDS
Two suicide bombers have attacked
offices of the main Kurdish parties in
north Iraq, killing at least 56 people. US
General Mark Kimmitt also said more than
200 people were injured by the blasts on
Sunday morning in Irbil.. ..Kurdish
officials blamed al-Qaeda and its allies
for the Irbil attacks and said they feared
the death toll could rise above
100.." Complete
report..
U.S.
DEPUTY DEFENSE SECRETARY WOLFOWITZ IN IRAQ
"U.S. deputy Defense Secretary Paul
Wolfowitz, a key architect of the war to
topple Saddam Hussein, arrived in Baghdad
on [Feb 1] on a previously unannounced
visit to gauge the security situation in
Iraq.. ..Wolfowitz's third trip to Iraq
since the war ended in April took place
amid strict security as violence simmered
across the country. During his previous
visit in October, the hotel where he was
staying was hit by rocket-propelled
grenades.." Complete
report..
IRAQ
LIFTS BAN ON ARAB TV CHANNEL
"The al-Arabiya satellite television
channel outlawed by the Iraqi Governing
Council has been allowed to reopen its
Baghdad office. The company said the
US-appointed body let it resume operations
after it agreed to obey Iraqi laws..
..Al-Arabiya's office was shut down in
November after coalition forces accused it
of inciting violence.. .. Last September
the Governing Council introduced a law
banning the media from inciting violence.
The move was criticized by Western-based
media watchdogs but praised by the US
Government.." Complete
report..
~~GulfWire Link~~
IRAQ
BANS ARABIYA TV CHANNEL - GWD Dec 1, 2003
AL
JAZEERA SAYS SAUDIS BARRED CHANNEL FROM
HAJ
"Qatar's Al Jazeera satellite news
channel said that the Saudi Arabia
authorities, with whom the station has had
strained relations, prohibited it from
covering the annual Haj pilgrimage.. ..The
Saudi and Qatari governments have been at
odds since the presentation by Al Jazeera
in June 2002 of a debate during which
participants denounced a Middle East peace
plan put forward by Saudi Crown Prince
Abdullah bin Abdulaziz.." Complete
report..
~~GulfWire Link~~
IRAQ
BAN FOR AL-JAZEERA, AL-ARABIYA - GWD Sep
29, 2003
U.S.
COMMANDER SAYS KEY SECURITY CHALLENGES ARE
IN SAUDI ARABIA, PAKISTAN
"Defeating Islamic extremism in Saudi
Arabia and Pakistan is a bigger strategic
challenge for the United States than
finishing the wars in Iraq and
Afghanistan, the U.S. commander in the
region said [Jan 29]. It is not mainly a
military mission, said Gen. John Abizaid,
commander of U.S. Central Command..
..'Both Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are
involved in their own fight against
extremists that is crucial to the ability
of their nations to maintain control over
the internal situation,' Abizaid
said.." Complete
report..
IMPACT
OF US SECURITY MEASURES ON FOREIGN
STUDENTS
"While the US continues to extol the
benefits of multiculturalism and
diversity, and is, in fact, successfully
pushing study abroad for its own students
(up 4.4 percent in 2001/02, to a total of
160,920 students), it is also enforcing
all kinds of security measures that, as a
result, make travel to the United States
more difficult, especially for nationals
of certain countries. Many graduate
programs have been adversely affected as a
result of delays and denials pertaining to
visas.." Complete
report..
~~GulfWire Link~~
INDIA
ATTRACTING ARAB STUDENTS - GWD Jul 28,
2003
ARAB
STUDENTS SPEND DH3B A YEAR IN U.S. - GWD
Mar 10, 2003
Also:
Getting
Back on Track: Saudi Study in the United
States," by Grant F. Smith,
Saudi-American Forum Essay, July 16, 2003
NEW
ARAB YOUTH FORUM ESTABLISHED
"A new Arab youth forum has been
established, Asharq Al-Awsat, a sister
publication of Arab News, reported [Feb
1]. The forum will include prominent
businessmen, economists and leading
figures from throughout the Arab world..
..The forum, according to Gergawi, will
conduct a study on the Arab world, giving
their vision of the region by the year
2010. The result of the study will be
published on April 18 when the committee
meets in Dubai. The study will focus on
the challenges being faced by the Arab
world such as population explosion,
economic depression and unemployment among
the youth.." Complete
report..
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News
- Bahrain
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CABINET
TO IMPLEMENT PARLIAMENT SOCIAL SECURITY
FUND DEMANDS
"Under pressure from the Parliament,
the Bahraini Cabinet said [Jan 25] it has
approved a plan to restructure the
country's two social security funds..
..The decision comes a few days after the
Parliament approved a report prepared by a
special committee to investigate reports
of alleged financial irregularities in the
two bodies. The Parliament last week gave
the government one month to implement the
report's 10-point recommendations.." Complete
report..
~~GulfWire Link~~
GOVERNMENT,
MPS HEAD FOR SHOWDOWN - GWD Jan 5, 2003
POLL
ROW UNIONIST RESIGNS
"Political societies have hijacked
the leadership of Bahrain's national trade
union, claims a former board member. Gulf
Air Union vice-president Khalid Al Aradi
has resigned in protest from the newly
elected general-secretariat of the General
Federation of Bahrain Workers Trade
Unions. He says all but one of the posts
on the 13-member board have been shared
out between two of Bahrain's leading
political societies.." Complete
report..
AMNESTY
BID TO HELP DETAINEES
"An Amnesty International official is
in Bahrain to discuss the plight of
Bahrainis detained in Guantanamo Bay. Dr
Lamri Chirouf is holding talks with the
Bahrain government as well as relatives of
the detainees in the hope of speeding up
the judicial process surrounding the
cases.. ..Dr. Chirouf said that since he
had been in Bahrain he had spoken to a
number of Bahraini families whose main
concern was that they did not know what
was going to happen to their
relatives.." Complete
report..
UN
EXPERTISE FOR BAHRAIN SCHOOL SYSTEM
"Bahrain's school education system is
to be evaluated by UN experts under a
BD186,000 ($494,680) program. The project
is aimed at improving the quality and
effectiveness of the education system in
the kingdom.. ..The program will focus on
re-planning the education system in
schools to make it more effective in line
with the comprehensive development plan of
the kingdom.." Complete
report..
BREAKTHROUGH
FOR WOMEN
"Divorced mothers with children to
support will soon be legally entitled to a
house, Her Highness Shaikha Sabeeka bint
Ibrahim Al Khalifa announced [Feb 1] in a
speech marking Arab Women's Day..
..Shaikha Sabeeka also called on
ministries, officials and non-government
organizations to support the supreme
council in its efforts to improve women's
conditions.." Complete
report..
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News
- Kuwait
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KUWAIT
DECLARES WAR ON DRUG TRAFFICKING
"It all began with a (partially)
public hanging last week. Following the
execution, the body of a convicted drug
dealer was left suspended from the gallows
for all to see, meant as a deterrent for
those who engage in the trafficking of
narcotics. The controversial move was met
by calls from Kuwaiti officials urging the
government to allow public executions in
order to run the message home loud and
clear.. ..Kuwait is facing a rise in drug
abuse, with 20,000 drug addicts in a
population of approximately 2.2 million,
according to official sources. Recognizing
this problem, the country is now waging
war on drug traffickers.." Complete
report..
~~GulfWire Link~~
KUWAIT
TO HANG DRUG SMUGGLER - GWD Jan 19, 2004
KUWAIT'S
UNEMPLOYMENT RATE AT 8%
"Kuwaiti lawmakers warned of a
mounting unemployment problem and
criticized the government for not creating
enough jobs for citizens.. ..Planning
ministry officials said that the
unemployment rate stands at 8 percent
among a population of 900,000 citizens..
..Kuwaitis rely heavily on the government
for jobs, with 94.3 percent of the
indigenous work force of 281,000 in public
sector jobs and a meager 16,000 employed
in the private sector.." Complete
report..
Also:
EXPAT
WORKERS SORE POINT FOR KUWAITI MPS
~~GulfWire Link~~
KUWAIT
GRAPPLES WITH RISING UNEMPLOYMENT,
MISMANAGEMENT -GWD Jul 7, 2003
EDITOR
CONVICTED IN DEFAMATION CASE IS PARDONED
"The editor of a Kuwaiti newspaper,
who was sentenced in a defamation case,
was [Jan. 28] spared a six-month jail
term. The decision follows the direct
intervention by General Sheikh Mohammed
bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of
Dubai and UAE Defense Minister. Ahmad Al
Jarallah, editor of Al Siyassa, was found
guilty of defaming Lebanese starlet Joelle
Behlok despite the fact that he was not in
court and the comments were published from
Kuwait.." Complete
report..
~~GulfWire Link~~
JAIL
FOR KUWAITI EDITOR AS EX-MISS LEBANON WINS
LIBEL DAMAGES - GWD Jan 26, 2003
KUWAIT
ANNUAL FEST STARTS [Feb 2]
"The sixth annual "Hala
February" festival was scheduled to
kick off [Feb 2] in Kuwait with various
social, cultural, economic and
entertainment activities.. ..The event,
which runs through to February 26, is
meant to activate the country's economy
and restore Kuwait's location on the
tourist map.." Complete
report..
BD-KUWAIT
DEFENSE DRAFT APPROVED
"Bangladesh has approved a draft pact
under which its armed forces would provide
technical and vocational training to the
Kuwaiti army, a newspaper reported on [Feb
1].. ..Bangladeshi troops have been
helping the Kuwaiti armed forces for
decades, especially after the oil-rich
kingdom was freed from Iraqi occupation in
1991.." Complete
report..
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News
- Oman
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RUSSIAN
AUTHOR'S BOOK ON HM
"The Sultanate's Embassy here held a
celebration [Jan 25] to launch the first
book about His Majesty the Sultan in the
Russian language entitled Reformer at the
throne - Sultan Qaboos bin Said of Oman.
The book was written by a Russian author
and issued by the International Relations
House.." Complete
report..
CALL
FOR WOMEN TO JOIN AS PILOTS
"Gulf Air has called upon women
nationals to take up pilot training with
the airline. The carrier, which introduced
a lady pilot recently - the first airline
in the GCC's aviation history to introduce
so - has sent out a strong message to the
women nationals of Oman, the UAE and
Bahrain to come forward and be pilots of
Gulf Air.." Complete
report..
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News
- Qatar
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QATAR
RICHEST NATION IN ARAB WORLD
"Qatar is the wealthiest nation in
the region, the UAE is the second richest
and Mauritania is the poorest. Saudi
Arabia is in fifth place. Arab League
figures showed the per capita income in
Qatar stood at $29,948 in 2002, one of the
highest levels in the world. In the UAE,
it stood at $20,509, while it was
estimated at $14,597 in Kuwait, $11,374 in
Bahrain and $8,053 in Saudi Arabia.."
Complete
report..
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News
- Saudi Arabia
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2
MILLION PREPARE FOR JOURNEY OF LIFETIME
"The holy city of Makkah was crowded
with nearly two million pilgrims from
around the world as the faithful prepared
for the annual pilgrimage that begins [Jan
30]. The Grand Mosque, which has a
capacity of one million pilgrims,
overflowed with worshipers at each of the
five daily prayers. Even streets leading
to the mosque were crowded with praying
pilgrims.." Complete
report..
Also:
SAUDIS
IN SHOW OF FORCE FOR HAJJ
FEMALE
MUTAWIFS COMPLAIN ABOUT BEING SIDELINED
ANGER,
SORROW AS 30,000 INDONESIAN PILGRIMS
DUMPED
CIVIL
DEFENSE READIES HELICOPTER FLEET
THE
PILGRIMAGE TO MECCA: ONE WOMAN'S JOURNEY
HAJ
REFLECTIONS: DAY ONE
HAJ
REFLECTIONS: DAY TWO
HAJ
REFLECTIONS: DAY THREE
'ILLEGAL'
HAJIS BREACH ALL BARRIERS
TRANSPORT
SYSTEM IN A QUANDARY
FAHD,
ABDULLAH ARRIVE IN MINA
TRAGEDY
STRIKES HAJ
"Disaster struck Mina [Feb 1] when
244 pilgrims were trampled to death on the
way to stoning the Great Satan on the
Jamrat Bridge. The tragedy occurred as two
million pilgrims flocked to the bridge
early in the morning to throw stones at
the pillar representing the devil.. ..The
dead comprised 134 men and 110
women.." Complete
report..
SAUDI
ARABIA'S CLERICS SET BOUNDARIES ON REFORMS
"When Saudi Arabia's top religious
authority ruled this month that Islam
forbids men and women to mix in public, he
reset the boundaries for reformists
pushing for women's rights in the
ultra-conservative kingdom. No one, not
even the royal family, which derives
legitimacy from the clerical
establishment, could challenge his
verdict.. ..The power of the clergy
derives from the alliance between the
al-Saud dynasty and Sheikh Mohammed Abdel
Wahhab, the 18th century founder of
Wahhabism -- the country's only permitted
form of Islam.." Complete
report..
~~GulfWire Link~~
GRAND
MUFTI DENOUNCES UNVEILED WOMEN AT JEF -
GWD Jan 26, 2004
SAUDI
MINISTER DENIES TERROR CAMP REPORTS
"The Saudi Interior Ministry on [Jan
27] denied recent reports that authorities
had found al-Qaida training camps in the
Saudi desert.. ..The comments by Interior
Minister Prince Nayef contradict earlier
reports.. ..'I would like to assert that
there are no training or terror camps in
the kingdom, not yesterday, not today,'
Nayef told reporters.." Complete
report..
~~GulfWire Link~~
SAUDIS
DISCOVER AL-QAIDA TRAINING CAMPS - GWD Jan
19, 2004
SAUDI
ARRESTS MILITANTS IN RIYADH, POLICEMEN
KILLED
"Saudi security forces captured a top
wanted militant and a number of other
suspects on [Jan 29] after a firefight in
Riyadh in which five policemen were
killed. An Interior Ministry statement
said the wanted militant's father was also
killed and two policemen were injured in
the clash in the east of the Saudi capital
a day before the start of the annual haj
pilgrimage.." Complete
report..
Also:
FIVE
SECURITY MEN KILLED IN SHOOTOUT
7
MILITANTS HELD, RPGS SEIZED
AFTER
SAUDI RAID, AL QAEDA VOWS TO CONTINUE
FIGHT AGAINST OFFICIALS
"Osama bin Laden's Al Qaeda terror
network said on [Jan 30] it will continue
fighting Saudi authorities, a day after
five security force personnel were killed
in a raid in the Saudi capital Riyadh..
..Al Qaeda said 'the Mujaheddin will
continue on the path and force the
infidels out of the Arabian peninsula..
..and promise to take revenge on anyone
who fights the faith and its people, or
stands as a line of defense for the
crusader forces'.." Complete
report..
CRUSH
TERROR MERCILESSLY: GRAND MUFTI
"Saudi Arabia's grand mufti [Jan 31]
reiterated Islam's total opposition to
terror and called upon the world's
decision-makers and politicians to do
justice to the Islamic nation. Delivering
his annual sermon to nearly two million
pilgrims who had assembled on the plain of
Arafat, Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh
emphasized that terror and violence must
be 'mercilessly' crushed.." Complete
report..
EFFORTS
CONTINUE FOR RELEASE OF SAUDIS HELD IN
GUANTANAMO
"A group of Saudi lawyers said they
were continuing their efforts for the
release of Saudi detainees held by US
authorities in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The
group [Jan 29] held a meeting under the
chairmanship of Ahmed Muhammad Mazhar to
review their efforts to win the release of
the prisoners. The meeting comes after
reports that the United States might
release up to two-dozen prisoners from
Guantanamo 'in the near future'.." Complete
report..
U.S.
REVOKES VISAS OF 16 AT ISLAMIC INSTITUTE
"The State Department recently
revoked the diplomatic visas of 16 people
affiliated with an Islamic institute in
Virginia, the latest step in a joint
U.S.-Saudi crackdown that has led to an
exodus of Riyadh's diplomats from the
United States in recent months.. ..The
revocations, the official said, were part
of 'an ongoing effort to protect the
homeland.' He said the Saudis have been
told that they must leave within two
weeks. In all, about 70 people with Saudi
diplomatic credentials have left the
United States in the past four
months.." Complete
report..
Also:
US
INSTITUTE WON'T CLOSE AFTER TEACHER
EXPULSION
SAUDI,
INDIAN SHARE FAISAL PRIZE FOR ISLAMIC
STUDIES
"Dr. Yacoub Abd Al-Wahab Al-Bahussain
of Saudi Arabia and Dr. Ali Ahmad Ghulam
Muhammad Nadvi of India were this year's
joint winners of the King Faisal
International Prize for Islamic Studies..
..Each winner receives a cash prize of
SR750,000 ($200,000), a certificate
hand-written in Diwani calligraphy
explaining his achievements and a
commemorative 22-carat gold medallion
measuring 70.9 mm in diameter and weighing
200 grams.." Complete
report..
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News
- UAE
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SECOND
CONSECUTIVE BUDGET SURPLUS EXPECTED IN
2003
"..In announcing the federal budget
in early 2002, the UAE forecast a deficit
of around Dh2.17 billion ($591 million),
but this was turned into a surplus of
nearly Dh128 million ($34.8 million) at
the end of the year, according to the
Ministry of Planning. Figures on the
actual 2002 federal budget show-ed the
shortfall was wiped out after a sharp cut
in expenditure and higher ministry revenue
and contributions by the two main oil
producing emirates of Abu Dhabi and
Dubai.." Complete
report..
DEMAND
GROWS FOR US DRUGS AS HEALTHCARE QUALITY
RISES
"Concerted US efforts to boost its
healthcare products and services in the
region have seen it claim a high-profile
presence in the UAE market.. ..In 2002,
the US share of the UAE drug imports
market weighed in at a sizeable 27.19 per
cent, at $87 million out of a total $320
million.." Complete
report..
~~GulfWire Link~~
RISING
ELDERLY POPULATION SPARKS HEALTHCARE
CONCERN - GWD Dec 8, 2003
DUBAI
LAW ON TIME-SHARE PROPERTIES IMMINENT
"A change in the law, which could
spark the development of time-share
operations in Dubai, is imminent, said a
source. Legal reforms to allow various
types of property ownership, including
joint freehold, co-ownership and
time-share ownership, have been submitted
to the Dubai government and an early
response is expected.. ..Neither the UAE
nor Dubai has a legal framework to deal
with time-share ownership schemes, a
system that has been in practice for
decades and is popular in the West.."
Complete
report..
UAE
CITIZENS EMERGE TOP SPENDERS IN ARAB WORLD
"UAE citizens are far more
extravagant than other Arabs as they
lavish nearly $26.80 daily on consumer
items compared with average Arab spending
of only $3.50 a day. In 2002, the UAE's
private consumption, covering spending by
families on consumer goods except real
estate, totaled around $34.1 billion, the
third largest after Saudi Arabia and
Egypt.." Complete
report..
BAN
ON IMPORTING CATTLE ABOVE 18 MONTHS
STUDIED
"The UAE must ban the import of
cattle aged above 18 months to minimize
risks of infectious disease and increase
its own animal wealth. Proposing this
strategy, the Abu Dhabi Municipality also
suggested the setting up of a UAE
veterinarian committee apart from
tightening control of the country's
outlets, restricting use of pesticides and
banning animal imports from disease-hit
countries.." Complete
report..
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Link
of the Week / GulfWire
Flashback - Four Years of GW
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LINK
OF THE WEEK
"The
Hajj and Its Impact on Saudi Arabia and
the Muslim World"
by David E. Long
Saudi-American Forum Essay Series
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~~~Flashback~~~
..from the GulfWire archive..
|
<<ONE
YEAR AGO>>
GULFWIRE DIGEST (#182) WEEK OF FEB 3, 2003
POWELL'S
CASE AGAINST IRAQ: PILING UP THE EVIDENCE
"Without a smoking gun to demonstrate
that Iraq is developing weapons of mass
destruction, Mr. Powell's strategy was to
make as comprehensive and detailed case as
he could to demonstrate a pattern of Iraqi
deceit.."
<<TWO
YEARS AGO>>
GULFWIRE DIGEST (#133) WEEK OF FEB 4, 2002
ARABS
PUZZLED WHY SEPT. 11 DIDN’T CHANGE
U.S.
POLICY
..Qatari Foreign Minister Hamad Bin Jasim
al-Thani said in a television interview
last week, it is difficult to admit the
truth as it is now seen through Arab eyes:
Neither lobbying by American allies in the
region nor the impact of the terrorist
attacks has altered the path of U.S.
policy, which seems ever more tilted
toward Israel..
<<THREE
YEARS AGO>>
GULFWIRE DIGEST (#83) WEEK OF FEB 5, 2001
GULFWIRE
TALKS WITH SAUDI ARABIAN CROWN PRINCE
ABDULLAH
"One of the first things I would like
to tell you is that I support whatever is
in U.S. interests. That is because
whatever is in the interest of the U.S. is
also in the interest of Saudi
Arabia." So started a one-hour
meeting with H.R.H. Crown Prince Abdullah
bin Abdulaziz, First Deputy Premier and
Commander of the Saudi Arabian National
Guard.
<<FOUR
YEARS AGO>>
GULFWIRE DIGEST (#30) WEEK OF JAN 31, 2000
ISLANDS
DISPUTE
President Zayed Bin Sultan Al-Nahayan
called Iranian occupation of disputed
islands in the Gulf "out of step with
the peaceful policies of the Gulf
Cooperation Council," according to a
January 30 AFP report. In his
address to a consultative council on
Sunday he said, "The United Arab
Emirates has pursued a clear policy to
bring an end to the occupation of the
Greater and Lesser Tunb islands and Abu
Mussa by peaceful means."
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Business
- Region
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[GulfWire]
ENERGY FUTURES - 01.30.04
Light Crude (NYM) $33.15 bbl DOWN from $34.95 bbl on
01.23.04
Brent Crude (IPE) $29.18 bbl DOWN from $30.55 bbl on
01.23.04
Heating Oil (NYM) $0.9165 gal DOWN from $1.0125 gal
on 01.23.04
Natural Gas (NYM) $5.395 mmbtu DOWN from $6.06 mmbtu
on 01.23.04
Unleaded Gas (NYM) $0.97 gal DOWN from $1.033 gal on
01.23.04
Source:
CNNfn
The Best Energy Resource in the World:
Country
Analysis Briefs
by DOE/EIA
ARAB
FUND UNLIKELY TO WRITE OFF IRAQ'S $420M DEBT PILE
"Iraq's debt to the Arab League's main
financial body grew to $410 million at the end of
2002 and was expected to have climbed to over $420
million at the end of last year. Iraq's Finance
Minister discussed the debt with the Abu Dhabi-based
Arab Monetary Fund last week and sources believe
there is no intention to write it off.. ..Iraq has
been unable to repay debt because of constraints
resulting from the 1980-88 war with Iran, the 1990
invasion of Kuwait and the UN sanctions imposed
after it. The growing arrears forced the AMF to
suspend Iraq's membership and halt loans 10 years
ago although it has maintained its technical
assistance to the Arab country.." Complete
report..
~~GulfWire Link~~
BUSH
DISPATCHES IRAQ-DEBT ENVOY BAKER TO MIDEAST - GWD
Jan 26, 2004
WTO
MEMBERSHIP BID LAUNCHED BY BAGHDAD
"Iraq has applied for observer status at the
World Trade Organization (WTO), a first step to
possible eventual membership of the 146-state body..
..Observer status gives the right to attend sessions
of the WTO's executive General Council without
voting. Countries would normally be expected to
launch full-scale negotiations for entry within five
years.." Complete
report..
THREE
FOREIGN BANKS GRANTED LICENSES IN IRAQ
"Iraq's central bank said [Jan 31] it had given
licenses to the National Bank of Kuwait and
Britain's Standard Chartered and HSBC, heralding the
entry of foreign banks into the country for the
first time in decades.. ..The US-installed monetary
authorities have invited international banks to
apply for six five-year licenses. Each of the 15
foreign banks that applied pledged to have minimum
capital in Iraq of $25 million.." Complete
report..
~~GulfWire Link~~
IRAQ
TO ISSUE LICENSES TO SIX FOREIGN BANKS - GWD Jan 19,
2004
IRAQ
PLANS PIPELINE TALKS WITH SAUDI ARABIA
"Iraq is to hold talks with Saudi Arabia to
reopen its 1.7 million barrel per day oil pipeline
that was closed in 1990 after Saddam Hussein's
invasion of Kuwait, interim oil minister Ibrahim
Bahr Al Ulum said.. ..The IPSA-1 pipeline, completed
in 1989, was shut in the following year after the
start of the Gulf War and has remained closed since.
The pipeline goes to the Yanbu terminal near Jeddah.
Iraq has been seeking alternative export routes for
its crude, following a series of attacks on its
northern pipeline to Turkey, which have deprived the
country of vital oil revenues.." Complete
report..
ARAB
BUDGETS REEL UNDER HEAVY SPENDING ON DEFENSE
"Arab states lavished a staggering $247 billion
on defense and security in six years to maintain
their position as the world's largest military
spenders. Although most of them have embarked
on reforms to revive their dormant economies, their
expenditure on defense and security has remained
very high, sapping at least a quarter of their total
current spending.. ..As current spending was
estimated at around $898 billion, accounting for
nearly 77 percent of their total expenditure of
$1.166 trillion, their spending on military and
security sectors was put at nearly $247
billion.." Complete
report..
JOINT
PUSH FOR QATAR AND DUBAI TRAVEL SHOWS
"Arabian Travel Market (ATM) and the World
Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) have decided to
jointly market their events planned for May this
year in the Arabian Gulf. ATM is considered the
Middle East's premier travel and tourism trade show.
WTTC is staging its fourth Global Travel and Tourism
Summit in Doha, Qatar, from May 1 to 3, just days
before the opening of the Arabian Travel Market at
the Dubai World Trade Centre (May 4-7).." Complete
report..
JORDAN,
UAE ESTABLISH NEW FACTORY
"Jordan and the United Arab Emirates have
concluded an agreement to establish an $18 million
factory to produce military vehicles.. ..The first
of its type in the Arab world.. ..the factory will
produce 500 vehicles annually for the first four
years, rising to 1,000 annually thereafter.." Complete
report..
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Business
- Bahrain
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BAHRAIN-US
TRADE PACT MAY BE SIGNED BY JUNE
"Bahrain and the US are expected to sign a Free
Trade Agreement (FTA) in six months. The agreement,
the US's first with a Gulf country and the third
with an Arab country, 'will probably be signed by
June this year', said Abdullah Hassan Saif,
Bahrain's Minister of Finance and National Economy..
..The agreement.. ..will cover services, finance,
market access, textiles, e-commerce,
telecommunications, technical barriers to trade,
customs, intellectual property rights, environment,
government procurement, labor and legal
issues.." Complete
report..
~~GulfWire Link~~
BUSH
VOWS NEW ERA OF TRADE WITH BAHRAIN - GWD Sep 8, 2003
BAHRAIN
'BIG GATEWAY TO REGION'
"Bahrain could be the gateway to a massive
regional market, under a proposed Free Trade
Agreement (FTA) with the US.. ..Finance and National
Economy Minister Abdulla Saif.. ..chaired the formal
negotiations with Assistant US Trade Representative
Catherine Novelli, who is heading a 30-plus-member
delegation of US government negotiators. The
negotiations, at the Sheraton Hotel, are scheduled
to last until [Jan 29].." Complete
report..
~~GulfWire Link~~
BCCI
PANEL TO STUDY US FREE TRADE PACT PROGRESS - GWD Jan
19, 2003
BAHRAIN
GETS ACCESS TO WINDOWS SOURCE CODE
"Bahrain [Jan 26] entered a Government Security
Program agreement with Microsoft under which it will
be able to access Windows source code. It will also
get the US software maker's Operating System
Technical Information that guarantees
round-the-clock technical support from
Microsoft.." Complete
report..
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Business
- Kuwait
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KUWAIT
STOCK EXCHANGE DOWN 0.8% ON THE WEEK
"The Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE), the second
largest in the Arab world in terms of capitalization
following Saudi Arabia, closed the trading week on
Wednesday at 5,139.3 points, down 0.8 percent from a
week earlier.. ..Over the past year, Kuwait's
economy has been boosted by higher oil prices,
improved investor and consumer confidence, and
elevated economic activity propelled by the
reconstruction effort in Iraq.." Complete
report..
KUWAIT'S
CRUDE OIL TO JAPAN SURGES 27 PERCENT IN DECEMBER
"Japan's crude oil imports from Kuwait jumped
26.9 percent in December from a year earlier to
14.39 million barrels, accounted for 9.7 percent of
the total.. ..Overall imports of crude oil declined
3.4 percent to 147.94 million.." Complete
report..
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Business
- Oman
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MAZDA
TO HOLD REGIONAL CONFERENCE IN MUSCAT
"The Mazda Middle East and Africa Regional
Conference will be hosted by Mazda Motor
Corporation, together with Towell Auto Centre (TAC),
at Hotel Intercontinental, Muscat, from January 26
to 27. This is the first time that a Mazda regional
conference is being held in Oman. Fifteen countries
across the region are taking part in this
conference.." Complete
report..
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Business
- Qatar
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$1BN
QATAR LNG TRANSPORT FIRM ON WAY
"A giant gas transport company is to be set up
in Qatar with a capital of QR5 billion ($1.37
billion).. ..Qatar LNG Transport Company will become
the largest public holding of its kind in the local
market.. ..Sixty percent of the company's capital or
approximately QR3 billion is expected to be offered
for public subscription before the end of this
year.." Complete
report..
QATAR
AIRWAYS SIGNS $120M PLANE FINANCING DEAL WITH QNB
"National carrier Qatar Airways has signed a
pre-delivery financing agreement with Qatar National
Bank for two Airbus A380 'super jumbo' aircraft
valued at approximately $120 million. The A380 will
become Qatar Airways' flagship aircraft and will
enter service with Qatar Airways in early 2009 to be
deployed on long haul routes.." Complete
report..
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Business
- Saudi Arabia
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LUKOIL
WINS GAS CONTRACT
"Russian oil and gas giant Lukoil [Jan 26]
signed a contract with Saudi Arabia for the
exploration and production of gas in the Rub
Al-Khali, or Empty Quarter, Petroleum and Mineral
Resources Minister Ali Al-Naimi announced..
..Lukoil, which was selected through a bidding
process, will own 80 percent of a new company being
set up for the project while state-owned oil giant
Saudi Aramco will own the remaining 20 percent.
According to an Aramco official, it is the first
venture between the Saudi oil company and a Russian
one.." Complete
report..
~~GulfWire Link~~
SUPREME
COUNCIL OKS GAS PROJECT - GWD Nov 3, 2003
KINGDOM
AWARDS CHINESE FIRM GAS EXPLORATION DEAL
"Saudi Arabia [Jan 27] awarded China Petroleum
and Chemical Corporation (Sinopec) a contract for
the exploration and production of natural gas in a
40,000 sq. km. area in the Rub Al-Khali or Empty
Quarter.. ..A new company, 80 percent owned by
Sinopec and 20 percent by state-owned oil and gas
giant Saudi Aramco, will be set up for the
project.." Complete
report..
ITALIAN,
SPANISH CONSORTIUM WINS GAS DEAL
"A consortium of Italian oil company ENI and
Spanish Repsol YPF won a contract [Jan 28] to
explore and produce natural gas in a nearly 52,000
sq. km. area north of the Rub Al-Khali or Empty
Quarter. The area is known as Area C.. ..a new
company - 50 percent owned by ENI, 30 percent by
Repsol and 20 percent by Saudi Aramco - would be
established for the project. No financial details or
terms of the deal were disclosed.." Complete
report..
Also:
SAUDIS
SHUT OUT US IN GAS DEAL
SAUDI
RETAIL FORUM TO BE HELD IN JEDDAH
"The first Saudi Retail Forum will take place
next month in Jeddah under the patronage of Makkah
Governor Prince Abdul Majeed. The two-day
conference, which will be organized by the Jeddah
Chamber of Commerce & Industry (JCCI) and the
Jeddah Marketing Board (JMB) in conjunction with
Middle East Economic Digest (MEED), will review
trends and prospects of Saudi Arabia's retail
sector, the largest in the Arab world.. ..The Saudi
Retail Forum opens at the Jeddah Hilton on March 7,
2004" Complete
report..
KINGDOM
AND ITALY PLAN TO PROMOTE JOINT VENTURES
"The Kingdom and Italy plan to set up a holding
company to promote joint venture projects in Iraq
and other Gulf countries. The Italian Trade
commissioner, Dr. Amedo Scarpa, who returned from
the Rebuild Iraq Exhibition which concluded in
Kuwait recently, said that the new holding company
would be formally established with an initial
capital of $300 million and 50 percent coming from
each of the two parties in February.." Complete
report..
INDIAN
MEAT IMPORT BAN LIFTED
"Traders have welcomed the lifting of the ban
on Indian beef imposed by the Kingdom 20 years ago..
..'With the lifting of the ban, meat imports from
India will pick up within a month as Indian meat
costs $500 per ton compared to Australian or New
Zealand meat with prices ranging from $1,500 to
$8,000,' said the general manager of a food company.
Indian meat imports are expected to reach 1,000 tons
a month.." Complete
report..
MINISTRY
SLAPS BAN ON ASIAN POULTRY IMPORTS
"Saudi Arabia has banned the import of poultry
meat and products as well as live birds and hatching
eggs from a number of Asian countries because of
fears over bird flu. A spokesman for the Ministry of
Commerce and Industry said the meat ban covered
South Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, China, Japan,
Pakistan and Indonesia.. ..The agriculture ministry
has also begun inspection visits to poultry farms in
the Riyadh region as a precautionary measure against
bird flu.." Complete
report..
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Business
- UAE
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AMLAK
FINANCE'S INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERING GETS A MASSIVE
RESPONSE
"Amlak Finance, a unit of Dubai's property
group Emaar, [Jan 28] announced its Dh412.5 million
($122 million) initial public offering (IPO) was 33
times oversubscribed. Amlak offered 412.5 million
shares - which constitute a 55 percent stake -
priced at Dh1 each. The 10-day subscription period
was open to UAE nationals and expatriates.. ..Amlak
is to function after the IPO as an Islamic financial
institution. Such institutions use a system of
profit sharing from returns on approved investments,
avoiding the payment of interest.." Complete
report..
CONTAINER
TRAFFIC THROUGH DUBAI UP 23PC IN 2003
"Container traffic through Dubai Port jumped 23
percent last year as trading patterns through the
international hub shifted dramatically. The port has
undergone a huge change and is becoming less and
less a transshipment port - serving other
destinations - and more and more a local
import-export hub for industry and trade in Dubai
and neighboring emirates.." Complete
report..
DUBAI
NON-OIL TRADE UP 42PC IN FIVE YEARS
"Dubai's non-oil foreign trade soared to
Dh126.3 billion (about $34.4 billion) in 2002 from
Dh88.8 billion (about $24.2 billion) in 1998, a
remarkable increase of 42.2 percent in five years,
according to a senior local business official..
..Ahmed Al Banna, deputy director general of the
Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI), said
the gross domestic product of Dubai's non-oil
sectors surged from Dh46.3 billion in 1998 to Dh64
billion in 2002, a rise of 38.2 per cent.." Complete
report..
DUBAI
FIRM PLANS $140M DEAD SEA PROJECT
"The Dubai-based development company Omnix
Group will invest $140 million in a recreational
facility on the shores of the Dead Sea, the lowest
point on earth, the company said [Jan 29]..
..building of the 'Crystal City' is expected to last
two years, Omnix said in a statement. The
Jordanian government, which owns the land, will be
paid 2.5 million Jordanian dinars (US$3.5 million)
upon completion of 30 percent of the resort.." Complete
report..
DUBAI
TO BENEFIT FROM DEMAND FROM WEST AFRICA
"The UAE's business community - especially
re-exporters of essential commodities.. ..can count
on a possible boom in re-exports due to a growing
demand for these products in West Africa.. ..Formal
bilateral trade between Dubai and Ghana, currently
at Dh17 million, is still very low, as a result of
the trading community's heavy dependence on informal
trade. The Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and
Industry (GNCCI) hopes to sign a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) with the Dubai Chamber of
Commerce and Industry (DCCI), to facilitate formal
trade between the two countries.." Complete
report..
PAKISTAN
TO START ROADSHOW FOR BONDS IN DUBAI
"Pakistan will start a Roadshow for an expected
$500 million five-year Eurobond in Dubai from
February 8 and conclude it in London in time for its
launch and pricing on February 12.. ..The issue will
mark the country's first foray into the
international bond market since sanctions were
imposed on Islamabad following nuclear tests in May
1998. Pakistan last sold a $300 million global bond
in 1997.." Complete
report..
POULTRY
FROM PAKISTAN BANNED OVER BIRD FLU
"The UAE has banned the import of poultry from
Pakistan after bird flu was detected in chicken
flocks in the southern port city of Karachi.
Authorities, however, are confident that the UAE
remains clear of the deadly bird flu strain that has
been found in Thailand.. ..According to a Pakistani
official in Dubai, the flu has been detected among
10 to 25 per cent of chickens in Karachi.." Complete
report..
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