 |
August/September 1996, Page 30 Issues In The News
Compiled by Shawn L.Twing
THE FERTILE CRESCENT
Jordan
U.S. Firm Signs $2.5 Billion Refinery Contract:An American financial organization and the Jordanian government signed on July 15 a $2.5 billion contract for the construction of an oil refinery in Jordan’s Red Sea port of Aqaba. Jordan’s energy minister, Hashem Dabbas, and Francis J. Cosentino, the president of Corporate Holdings of America, signed the agreement in Amman for a 250,000-barrels-per-day refinery that is scheduled to begin operations by the year 2000. Also included in the agreement is the construction of a 165-megawatt power station and a 20,000 cubic-meter-per-day desalination plant. The contract is the single largest foreign investment project in Jordan under the rule of King Hussein, and is expected to create thousands of jobs and millions of dollars in revenue. In a statement released by the American Embassy in Amman, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Mickey Kantor said that “the agreement underscores our support for the economic development of the region and advances our commercial ties with Jordan.”
U.S.-Jordan Defense Exercises:The United States and Jordan began a three-week series of military exercises in June and July code-named “Infinite Moonlight ’96,” one part of a series of joint U.S. and Arab military exercises conducted throughout the region by troops from the United States Central Command. Some 4,000 U.S. servicemen arrived in Aqaba on June 21 on board the USS Tarawa, USS Duluth and USS Rushmore. An estimated 2,800 U.S. and Jordanian soldiers will take part in the desert warfare exercises held in Qatrana, 80 kilometers south of Amman. These maneuvers follow the no-cost lease of U.S. F-16s to Jordan and the stationing of a U.S. Air Expeditionary Force in Jordan earlier this year.
Joint Jordanian-Israeli Industrial Park Planned:Israeli industrialist Stef Wertheimer announced plans in June to build a joint Israeli-Jordanian industrial park on the northern banks of the Jordan River. The announcement was made at Tel Aviv University’s Management Facility, where Wertheimer was presented with the 1996 Outstanding Entrepreneur Award. He announced that negotiations are continuing with Jordanian representatives for the creation of twin industrial parks, one each on the Israeli and Jordanian sides of the river, separated by a coffee shop located on the river itself. Wertheimer also said that construction of a joint Israeli-Turkish industrial park should begin “in the very near future.”
Lebanon
U.N. Destroys 200 Weapons From “Grapes of Wrath”:U.N. spokesman Timor Goksel announced on June 11 that U.N. Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) bomb disposal experts had destroyed nearly 200 unexploded weapons left over from Israel’s 17-day “Operation Grapes of Wrath.” The weapons, which included bombs, missiles, Katyusha rockets, mortars, grenades, mines and artillery shells, were found primarily by Lebanese farmers when they resumed tending their crops after returning to their homes in southern Lebanon.
Syria
Syria Masses Troops Near Turkish Border:Syria massed soldiers and armor on its northern border with Turkey in June, but Arab League and Turkish officials ruled out the possibility of conflict between the two countries. According to the London-based Al Hayat newspaper, Syria moved some 40,000 soldiers to border areas amid reports that Turkey was responsible for recent bomb blasts in Syria. Arab League Deputy Secretary-General Muaffak Al Allaf expressed concern over the movements, saying they were in response to Turkish efforts “aimed at putting pressure on Syria for Israel’s gain.” Syria denied that it was massing troops in the region and said that widely reported explosions in Syria were propaganda spread by Turkish journalists after Syria criticized Turkey for signing a defense cooperation agreement with Israel in February. According to Turkish officials, Syrian security officers have arrested dozens of members of Syria’s Turkic community in response to the bombings.
ARABIAN PENINSULA
Oman
Two U.S. Airmen Die in Flood:Two U.S. airmen were killed in Oman on June 30 during a flash flood in a popular hiking area known as “Snake Canyon.” The two airmen were part of a group that included three other Americans and approximately 15 foreigners who were taking a hiking tour when the floods struck. Flooding occurred throughout many parts of the Arabian peninsula in June, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of the region’s residents.
Oman Expects New Oil Discoveries:Oman expects that its oil reserves will last beyond the next two decades, according to Said Al-Shanfari, Oman’s oil minister. Despite an increase in production over the last 10 years which has brought Oman’s crude oil output to 850,000 barrels per day (bpd) currently, Al-Shanfari told the UAE economic weekly Emirates Today that new oil discoveries will allow Oman to produce beyond the 17 to 20 years predicted by several international petroleum analysts. Shanfari explained his predictions by saying: “We are exerting efforts to boost our oil reserves by awarding more concession areas to international firms, which will make new discoveries.” Oman, like other smaller petroleum exporters, has been bracing for the inevitable shift from petroleum-based economies that will result when remaining petroleum reserves are exhausted. Recent discoveries of natural gas in Oman and the planned construction of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant will help Oman make that transition.
Saudi Arabia
Two Pilots Die in Training Exercise:Two Saudi pilots were killed on July 3 when their F-15 fighters collided during a routine training exercise in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province. According to the Saudi Gazette, the victims, a captain and a lieutenant, were killed near the King Abdul Aziz air base, one of Saudi Arabia’s three large military installations. Details of the crash have not been revealed, but representatives from the Saudi Armed Forces expressed their condolences to the families of the pilots.
Saudi Arabia Offers $3 Million for Al Khobar Terrorists:The government of Saudi Arabia announced that it would award up to $3 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of the terrorists responsible for the June 25 bombing at the Al Khobar towers in Dhahran that killed 19 American servicemen and wounded 270 others. The U.S. Department of State also offered a $2 million reward for similar information.
United Arab Emirates
UAE Plans Major Port Expansion:UAE officials announced in June that they are planning a substantial expansion of port facilities in the emirate of Fujairah to meet expanding demand for fuel by ships crossing through the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s busiest naval crossroad. Dozens of tankers gather daily at wharves in Fujairah to take on fuel before leaving for their international destinations. Demand necessitates an expansion of the facilities, which will put the UAE at or above the demand level of Singapore, the world’s leading port for ship fueling, according to UAE port director Musa Murad. Contracts signed in June by the United Arab Emirates and international firms will result in one of the region’s largest petroleum storage facilities, expected to hold three million barrels initially, with a dramatic increase planned for the near future. The contract reportedly is worth $75 million.
UAE Economy Up 6.5 Percent in 1995:A combination of increased oil prices and higher expenditures boosted the UAE economy by 6.5 percent, according to an official report published in the Khaleej Times on June 16. The UAE’s gross domestic product grew to $39.22 billion, 80 percent of which was from the country’s petroleum sector, which produces approximately 2.16 million barrels per day of petroleum. The report showed that non-oil sector growth grew to $3.4 billion, up from $3.2 billion in 1994, and the construction industry grew from $3.48 billion in 1994 to $3.62 billion in 1995.
Yemen
More than 400 Killed in Flooding:More than 400 Yemenis were killed when floods caused by torrential rains swept through six provinces in June, according to numerous reports in the English-language daily Arab News . An estimated 38,000 people were left homeless by the flooding, which United Nations estimators said resulted in some $1.2 billion in damage. Yemeni President Abdel Aziz Abdel Ghani called on his countrymen and the international community to help the survivors of the natural disaster.
Official’s Son Kidnapped:Yemeni officials announced in June that the six-year-old son of a presidential palace employee was kidnapped after the kidnapper was refused financial aid by the Yemeni government. Sami Abdel Ghani Al Harthi was taken from his home in a village south of the capital, Sana’a, by Saleh Toayman, who several weeks earlier had applied for financial aid from the government but was refused. Immediately after the kidnapping Yemeni security officials launched a manhunt for the child. A month prior to the kidnapping, the 14-year-old son of Aden Governor Maaz Taha Ahmad Ghanem was released after spending a week with kidnappers who also asked for a ransom.
IRAN/IRAQ
Iran
Iran, Afghanistan Sign Agreement:Iran and Afghanistan signed a memorandum of understanding in June to promote cooperation in economic and technical fields. The agreement was signed in Tehran by Afghanistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Seyed Ali Jawid and Iran’s construction minister, Gholamreza Foruzesh. As part of the accord Iran agreed to open a branch of the Saderat Bank in Kabul, and to train Afghans in international trade and finance.
Iran Threatens Turkey After Military Incursion Kills Six:Iran has said that it will bring Turkey to the International Court of Justice if Ankara does not apologize for and compensate the victims of an alleged cross-border raid on June 27 that killed 4 women and 2 children and wounded 17 others. Iran claims that Turkish helicopter gunships strayed five kilometers into Iranian territory and attacked villagers in the border village of Silvana. Turkey claims that it never entered Iranian airspace and that it had attacked “terrorists,” an apparent reference to Kurds, inside its own borders. Iran’s Deputy Interior Minister Gholamhossein Bolandian said that “if the two countries fail to reach an agreement, Iran will lodge a complaint with international tribunals.” The Iranian government has requested that Turkey apologize for the incident, pay compensation to the families of the victims and the wounded, and pledge not to violate Iranian airspace again.
Russian Defends Iran’s Nuclear Plans:Russia re-emphasized its support for Iran’s nuclear program in June when Russia’s ambassador to Iran told the English-language newspaper Iran News Daily that Russia supports Iran’s nuclear aspirations despite U.S. pressure. The ambassador described Iran’s nuclear ambitions as “meant for peace, not for making lethal weapons,” and argued that Iran has “the right to obtain nuclear technology, including a reactor for peaceful purposes.” The Clinton administration lobbied Russia ineffectively last year, arguing that Russia’s aid in building a nuclear facility at the Bushehr complex would allow Iran to develop nuclear weapons capabilities. Russia did not agree to suspend the program, saying that Iran is a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and will open its facilities to international inspection. Iran’s Bushehr complex was partially built by a German firm, but it was left unfinished after hostilities erupted with Iraq from 1980-1988.
Iraq
Iraq Says 700,000 Died Due to Medical Shortages:Iraq’s Ministry of Health announced in July that 701,737 of its citizens had died as a result of medical supply shortages stemming from a United Nations embargo imposed after Iraq’s 1990 invasion of Kuwait. The report, printed in the official Al-Thawra newspaper, said that of the 700,000 casualties, 293,801 were children under the age of five. Iraq recently concluded a limited deal that will allow it to sell $2 billion per year worth of oil to buy humanitarian aid, including much needed medical supplies, but Iraqi disputes with the United States and Britain over how to keep track of and distribute the money have delayed relief.
U.N. Weapons Experts Visit Iraq:A team of chemical and biological weapons experts arrived in Iraq on June 27 to begin a week-long inspection of Iraqi military bases suspected of containing banned weapons materials. The team, part of the United Nations Special Commission on Iraq (UNSCOM), was led by an American specialist, Richard Spertzal. The chemical/biological weapons team was the first UNSCOM group to arrive after an 11-day standoff in June between U.N. representatives and Iraqi forces who prevented them from entering five Republican Guards military bases thought to contain contraband weapons components.
ISRAEL/PALESTINE
Israel
Two U.S. Companies Expand in Israel:Rockwell Semiconductor and Hewlett Packard both announced plans to improve their relationships with Israel in separate meetings in June and July. Rockwell, a leading manufacturer of high-speed computer modems which allow computers to access the Internet, announced that it would establish a center in Israel for research, development and planning for facsimile and multimedia technology. Rockwell, with annual sales approaching $13 billion, plans to employ approximately 30 engineers in the new facility. U.S. computer peripheral manufacturer Hewlett Packard signed an agreement with Israel’s Industrial Cooperation Authority that establishes a multi-year framework for reciprocal purchases of Israeli products. The agreement commits Hewlett Packard to purchasing approximately 35 percent of the total value of products it sells to Israel from Israeli companies. Last year Hewlett Packard purchased $20 million in Israeli goods.
Israel To Shut Down PNA Office on Haram Al-Sharif:Israeli officials announced in July that they will demand the closure of a Palestinian religious affairs office on the Haram Al-Sharif, the site of the Dome of the Rock, the third holiest site in Islam. Referring to the area as the Temple Mount, sacred to Jews for its spiritual significance as the site of the first and second temples in Jerusalem, Israeli officials said that under the Oslo accords the PNA is forbidden from operating within Jerusalem. During the announcement about the Haram Al-Sharif there was no reference to Orient House, the PNA’s de facto political headquarters, also in Jerusalem.
Defense Ministry Cuts Budget:Israel’s Defense Ministry agreed to a $176 million budget cut after Israel’s Finance Ministry requested that double that amount be slashed from the country’s annual defense budget, which exceeds $9 billion. During the July talks between Defense and Finance Ministry officials, several wives of career military officers demonstrated outside Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office to protest possible cuts in salaries and pensions for their husbands. After the Finance Ministry announced its intention to cut over $350 million from the Defense Ministry’s budget, more than 200 officers applied for early retirement.
First Israeli Flight Arrives in Jordan:Israel’s Arkia Airline, a subsidiary of El Al, flew its first commercial flight to Jordan, landing in Amman on June 23. On board the flight was Israel’s Minister of Transport, Energy and Infrastructure Yitzhak Levy, who expressed his hope that more commercial ties would develop between the two countries. Israel and Jordan signed a framework agreement in 1994 and the first Arkia flight originally was scheduled for April 27, 1996, but was postponed for national security reasons following a wave of terrorist attacks in Israel.
First Ethiopian Israeli Diplomat Assigned to Chicago:The first Israeli of Ethiopian origin to complete the Foreign Ministry’s diplomatic course will serve at the Israeli Consulate General in Chicago. Belaynesh Zevadi, 30, immigrated to Israel in 1984, shortly before “Operation Moses” brought thousands of Ethiopia’s Falasha Jews to Israel. Zevadia, a graduate in international relations and African studies, said she “is proud to be Ethiopian,” and that her professional dream is to serve as Israel’s ambassador in Addis Ababa.
Dispute Over Bar-Ilan Road:Eight Israelis were wounded and 14 arrested during a July protest by ultra-Orthodox Jews trying to close Bar-Ilan Road in Jerusalem on the Jewish Sabbath. Several hundred of the ultra-Orthodox pelted passing cars with stones, and later some 8,000 Orthodox demonstrators gathered again to protest when members of Israel’s dovish Meretz Party exercised their right to drive through the street that night in response to the demonstrators. Israel’s Hebrew daily Yediot Ahronot reported that United Torah Judaism’s Knesset representatives threatened a vote of no-confidence if the demands of the ultra-Orthodox were not met. Israel’s Supreme Court ruled, however, that the road will remain open on the Sabbath until a final ruling is given by the High Court of Justice.
Palestine
Aid Flight Arrives at Gaza Airport:A Moroccan Hercules military transport brought 14 tons of relief aid to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip on June 17, becoming the first aid flight to land at the as-yet-unopened airport which is to be operated jointly by Palestinians and Israelis. The aid, a gift from Morocco’s King Hassan II, was received by PNA Justice Minister Freih Abu Middein and other officials from the Palestinian National Authority. On board the plane was a Moroccan delegation led by Ahmed Al Bayaz, the director-general of Morocco’s civil aviation authority.
Saudi Arabia Gives $10 Million for Development Projects:The Saudi Press Agency announced on June 22 that the government of Saudi Arabia had donated $10 million to the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza for use as developmental aid. The agreement was signed in Vienna with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), an international organization that gives aid to Palestinian refugees and their families. The $10 million brings to $37.5 million the total donated to the Palestinians by the Saudi government since the signing of the Oslo accords in 1993.
EU Food Aid to Palestinians Found On Sale in Israel:In a meeting with Israeli officials, European Union representatives in Israel suggested that the EU may stop sending food aid to the Palestinians because so much of it is diverted to Israeli shops and sold at below market prices. In a Tel Aviv meeting, EU representative David Chris said that the EU “has known for a long time that some of the humanitarian aid to the self-rule areas of the West Bank and Gaza Strip is diverted to Israel for illegal profit.” He said it is “a serious problem…which we unfortunately have no power over.” Jeff Healy, an EU representative in Jerusalem, said that the problem is so great that the European Union is considering switching from food aid to food stamps for the Palestinian territories.
THE NILE VALLEY
Egypt
Egypt Refuses Talks with Iran:Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak ruled out a Syrian-proposed meeting between Egypt, Syria and Iran, saying that Iran’s sponsorship of terrorism against Arab governments, including his own, precluded a renewal of Egyptian-Iranian diplomatic relations, which were broken shortly after Iran’s 1979 revolution. In a July meeting with Mubarak in Cairo, Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk Al Charaa had told reporters that there is a “real desire among the Iranian leadership to improve relations with Egypt.” Days later, during the opening of a natural gas field near Port Said, Mubarak commented that “Iran is only propagandizing.” Mubarak refused the meeting on the grounds that “Iran continues its operations against several Arab countries, including Egypt.” President Mubarak’s political adviser, Osama Al Baz, later said Iran needed to “adopt concrete measures to prove that it is no longer interfering in our domestic affairs,” and that it no longer “supports terrorists in the Gulf countries.”
Egyptian Journalists Celebrate Decision on Libel Law:Egyptian journalists claimed victory in June when a parliamentary committee overturned 15-year prison sentences under a government-proposed libel law that was dubbed the “assassination of freedom of the press” by Egyptian newspapers. The controversial law, which passed Egypt’s legislature in May 1995, was widely criticized by Egyptian journalists as seriously restricting their professional mandate and threatening overly harsh sentences for violations. The recent parliamentary vote was heralded as a move toward more freedom of the press in Egypt.
U.S.-Egypt Begin Naval War Games:Egypt and the United States began five days of naval exercises on June 8 in war games code-named “Eagle’s Salute.” The maneuvers, which took place in the Red Sea near Egypt’s Safaqa military base, involved missile craft and destroyers from the Egyptian navy, as well as several U.S. warships, according to Egyptian and American military officials. Egypt and the United States engage in several joint military exercises annually.
Sudan
19 Arrested for Plotting Coup:Sudanese authorities arrested 19 suspected coup plotters in June for allegedly conspiring against the government and attempting to recruit new members. The men, who face the death penalty if convicted of “leading a war against the state and undermining the constitutional regime,” are aged 20 to 40. Most apparently were arrested when they tried to cross from Sudan into a neighboring country. Others were arrested in a government raid on their homes in Khartoum and in a village on the Eritrean border.
Sudan Will Implement Shariah Punishment for Theft:Sudanese prison officials announced in June that the government intends to reimplement the amputation of hands as punishment for theft, in accordance with Islamic law (shariah), according to a Sudanese daily newspaper. Although only three such amputations have occurred in recent years, Sudanese authorities said there were over 100 convictions for theft that have yet to be punished, and that amputations will be carried out in the near future.
NORTH AFRICA
Libya
Militants Kill Eight Policemen:Libyan militants attacked a police training facility in the eastern province of Dirna in June, killing eight policemen before fleeing into the Jebal Al Akhdar, 700 kilometers east of the capital, Tripoli. Travellers entering Egypt from Libya reported that the coastal road from Tripoli to Benghazi was closed for hours as Libyan security officials combed the area for the attackers. The motivation for the attack was not clear, but disaffection with Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi’s regime has grown in recent years, especially among the thousands of Palestinians working in Libya whom Qaddafi has vowed to expel shortly.
Morocco
Economic Summit Committee Convenes in Morocco:Representatives from the United States, Morocco, Russia, Israel, Tunisia, Qatar and Egypt attended a July meeting of the Cairo Economic Summit’s steering committee held in Rabat. Some 2,700 participants from 85 countries are scheduled to attend the upcoming summit in Cairo. Egypt, Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian National Authority will submit seven joint development projects that include regional electric grids and the development of the Aqaba-Eilat area as a tourist center.
THE SUBCONTINENT
Afghanistan
Hekmatyar Sworn in as Prime Minister:Gulbuddin Hekmatyar was sworn in as Afghanistan’s new prime minister on June 26 after returning to Kabul for the first time in 16 years. Hekmatyar, the leader of the opposition Hezb-i-Islami group, was sworn into office by Afghan President Burhanuddin Rabbani. Hekmatyar drove into Kabul at the head of a 100-car convoy and was greeted by thousands of civilian and government supporters who lined the streets to welcome the new prime minister. The day’s festivities were interrupted by a particularly brutal shelling attack by the opposition Taliban milita which killed more than 60 people in Kabul. Some 50 rockets were fired by the Taliban in an attempt to prevent swearing-in ceremonies for Hekmatyar. The attack was the most prolonged and damaging of any in recent months.
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan Joins IDB:Kazakhstan joined the Islamic Development Bank after signing a memorandum of understanding with the Jeddah, Saudi Arabia-based institution on June 14. Kazakh Prime Minister Akezhan Kazhegeldin and IDB President Ahmad Muhammad Ali also signed a $298 million grant agreement to help improve Kazakhstan’s infrastructure. Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev expressed his satisfaction with the agreement and said that he plans to attend the upcoming IDB summit.
Pakistan
World Bank Will Provide $26.7 Million for Health Care:The World Bank’s International Development Association agreed on June 17 to give Pakistan a $26.7 million credit line to help the country improve its health services in the remote northern areas of the country, including Kashmir, where basic health services are lacking. Christopher Walker, a World Bank health care and population specialist, said that “With the rugged terrain, harsh weather and isolated settlements, a community-based decentralized approach is the only way to provide sustainable service.” Part of the money will be used to train 600 additional health workers who will serve in the northern regions.
Floating Power Plant to Provide 450 Megawatts to Pakistan:A rare floating power plant will provide Pakistan an estimated 450 megawatts of power, according to its U.S. backers who have supplied 95 percent of the money to build the facility. Some $400 million was raised through long-term loan guarantees from the U.S. Maritime Administration, according to a spokeman for Westinghouse Electric, one of the partners in the development consortium building the plant. The facility is scheduled to begin operating in 28 months. It is one of only a handful of floating power plants, and it eventually will sit on six barges in Port Qasim on the Arabian Sea off the coast of southern Pakistan, making it the largest floating power plant in the world. The plant was designed by Raytheon Corporation and its barges, and the ships to carry them, will be built in the United States and delivered to Pakistan.
U.S. Embassy Security Tightened Following “Specific Threat”:Security has been tightened in the American Embassy in Islamabad following a “specific threat” to U.S. personnel there. U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan Thomas Simons explained that following the terrorist attack in Dhahran, a specific threat was made against the U.S. Embassy and that tightening security “seemed…prudent.” The increased security, which included extra checks of incoming vehicles, touched off a diplomatic row when Pakistan’s Senate chairman, Wasim Sajjad, refused to attend a July 4 reception at the embassy when guards attempted to search his vehicle for a second time. Editorials in English-language dailies called on Prime Minister Bhutto to expel American diplomats, and argued that “stern action must be taken by the Pakistani authorities to knock some sense into Americans based in Islamabad.” |