The UN Security Council committee monitoring sanctions against al-Qaeda has removed a London-based Saudi dissident from its blacklist. Peter Wittig, the committee chairman and also Germany's UN ambassador, said the committee de-listed Saad Rashed Mohammed al-Faqih and the Movement for Reform in Arabia (Mira), which he leads. Al-Faqih was removed after the committee failed to override a decision by the blacklist's ombudsman to remove him. "The key question the Committee has to consider is whether there is sufficient information to provide a reasonable and credible basis for concluding that an individual, group, undertaking, or entity is associated with al-Qaeda," Wittig said in a statement on Monday. Al-Faqih, according to his website, was a professor of surgery at King Saud University in Riyadh until he was briefly jailed for opposition activities and left in 1993 for Britain. He did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The professor was jailed for his heavy involvement in the country's reform movement. On his release from prison, he became director of the London office of the Committee for the Defence of Legitimate Rights (CDLR), then the leading Saudi opposition group before forming Mira in 1996. US state department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said that while the UK supported delisting al-Faqih, the US opposed it. The UN decision "doesn't change the fact that US sanctions on him have been maintained," she said. "And today's action has no effect on the way we deal with him." The UN blacklisted al-Faqih soon after the US treasury department did in December 2004. The treasury department alleged that al-Faqih had "maintained associations with the al-Qaeda network since the mid-1990s." In December 2009, the Security Council established an independent ombudsman to deal with requests to get off the blacklist, gather information and report to the sanctions committee. A resolution adopted last year strengthened the role of the ombudsman, presently Canadian lawyer Kimberly Prost. If the ombudsman recommends delisting, the resolution says the individual or entity will be taken off the sanctions list in 60 days unless the sanctions committee agrees by consensus to maintain sanctions. |
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
UN removes Saudi dissident from blacklist
Syria's Assad regrets downing Turkish jet
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad regrets that Syrian forces shot down a Turkish jet last month and said he would not allow the tensions between the two countries to turn into open combat, according to an interview with a Turkish newspaper.
"We learned that it belonged to Turkey after shooting it down. I say 100 per cent: 'If only we had not shot it down'," Assad told Cumhuriyet, a daily newspaper, in an interview published on Tuesday.
Asked whether the tensions between Syria and Turkey could lead to war, Assad said: "We will not allow (the tensions) to turn into open combat between the two countries, which would harm them both."His comments emerged as fighting raged throughout the country. On Monday, Syrian helicopters bombarded a Damascus suburb, and Turkey again scrambled warplanes near the border in the north.
He also said Syria had not amassed and would not amass military forces along the Turkish border, whatever action Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan's government takes.
The paper did not specify when the interview was held, but in it Assad refers to an international meeting held in Geneva on Saturday under the auspices of peace envoy Kofi Annan.
Turkey has heightened military activity along the border since Syria shot down the Turkish jet over the Mediterranean on June 22, prompting a sharp rebuke from Ankara, which said it would respond "decisively".
Syria says it shot down the Turkish jet in self-defence and that it was downed by an anti-aircraft gun with limited range in Syrian air space. Turkey says the jet accidentally violated Syrian air space for a few minutes but was brought down by a surface-to-air missile in international air space.
Assad said Syria would not shy away from apologising if it emerged that the plane was shot down in international airspace.
“If the Turkish government had not cut military relations [with Syria] we would have discussed this matter between military authorities,” Assad said in the interview."The plane was using a corridor which Israeli planes have used three times in the past. [Syrian] soldiers shot it down because we did not see it on our radar and because information was not given," he said. "Of course I might have been happy if this had been an Israeli plane."
“We would have solved it before it got this big. But in recent months, we do not have a number of a Turkish commander to call in case of emergencies.”
When asked under what terms he might leave office, Assad replied, "Why would I hold on to power if saving my people and my country was a question of me staying or leaving? I would not stay even for one day."
Assad added that if "my people don't want me, then there are elections. If people want they can make me leave."
Syrian army general, dozens of soldiers defect and flee to Turkey
A Syrian general from an artillery division and seven officers were among 85 soldiers, mostly serving in Homs province, who defected and fled to Turkey on Monday afternoon, a Syrian activist and Free Syrian Army sources told Reuters.
Turkish state broadcaster TRT Haber said on its website that 85 Syrian soldiers, including the general, were among those who were sent to the Apaydin camp in Turkey’s Hatay province.
Last month, another Syrian general, two colonels, two majors, one lieutenant and 33 soldiers had also defected from Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces and arrived in Turkey.
The private news channel CNN Turk also reported the defections of the soldiers, but said they had arrived with members of their families, making a total of 224 individuals.
A government official, however, said the group included three colonels and there was no general among them. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with government rules, did not know the overall number of defectors and the two accounts could not immediately be reconciled.
Turkish state broadcaster TRT Haber said on its website that 85 Syrian soldiers, including the general, were among those who were sent to the Apaydin camp in Turkey’s Hatay province.
Last month, another Syrian general, two colonels, two majors, one lieutenant and 33 soldiers had also defected from Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces and arrived in Turkey.
The private news channel CNN Turk also reported the defections of the soldiers, but said they had arrived with members of their families, making a total of 224 individuals.
A government official, however, said the group included three colonels and there was no general among them. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with government rules, did not know the overall number of defectors and the two accounts could not immediately be reconciled.
Also in June, three Syrian military pilots defected to Jordan, according to Al Arabiya’s correspondent in Amman.
One of the three pilots was a Lieutenant Colonel who managed to bring in his family to Jordan today as well, according to the correspondent. The other two pilots were both colonels and were believed to have also brought in their families from Syria, he said.
Four other Syrian military officials also entered Jordan following the defection of the colonel Hassan Marei Hamada who landed his Meg21 plane inside the Hashemite Kingdom.
The Syrian Defense Ministry had branded Hamada a “traitor” and had said that it was in contact with Jordanian authorities to retrieve the aircraft.
The Free Syrian Army, the most prominent armed opposition group, had recently called for a campaign of civil disobedience and urged officers and troops in Assad’s military to jump ship and join the rebel ranks.
“We call on Syrians to launch a general strike leading to mass civil disobedience,” FSA spokesman in Syria Colonel Kassem Saad Eddine said in a statement, according to AFP.
He urged officers and men in Syria’s regular army “whose hands are not tainted with blood to join the fighters.”
The United Nations has said the violence has killed more than 10,000 people since anti-regime protests erupted across the country in March 2011, while activist groups have put the death toll at more than 15,000.
One of the three pilots was a Lieutenant Colonel who managed to bring in his family to Jordan today as well, according to the correspondent. The other two pilots were both colonels and were believed to have also brought in their families from Syria, he said.
Four other Syrian military officials also entered Jordan following the defection of the colonel Hassan Marei Hamada who landed his Meg21 plane inside the Hashemite Kingdom.
The Syrian Defense Ministry had branded Hamada a “traitor” and had said that it was in contact with Jordanian authorities to retrieve the aircraft.
The Free Syrian Army, the most prominent armed opposition group, had recently called for a campaign of civil disobedience and urged officers and troops in Assad’s military to jump ship and join the rebel ranks.
“We call on Syrians to launch a general strike leading to mass civil disobedience,” FSA spokesman in Syria Colonel Kassem Saad Eddine said in a statement, according to AFP.
He urged officers and men in Syria’s regular army “whose hands are not tainted with blood to join the fighters.”
The United Nations has said the violence has killed more than 10,000 people since anti-regime protests erupted across the country in March 2011, while activist groups have put the death toll at more than 15,000.
Iran accuses world powers of dragging feet in talks
Iran accused world powers on Tuesday of dragging their feet in negotiations over its nuclear activities, as both sides were about to hold a new, downgraded round of talks in Istanbul.
Foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast told a weekly briefing that, if the powers ignored Iran's nuclear “rights” and failed to bargain on equal terms, the negotiations could lead to an “impasse.”
“All that can reinforce the idea that there is a desire to drag out the negotiations or prevent their success,” he said.
Foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast told a weekly briefing that, if the powers ignored Iran's nuclear “rights” and failed to bargain on equal terms, the negotiations could lead to an “impasse.”
“All that can reinforce the idea that there is a desire to drag out the negotiations or prevent their success,” he said.
He also said to reporters after the briefing that “illogical, irresponsible” Western sanctions “amount to a hostile act against Iran and its national interests.”
He added: “Iran will do its utmost to defend its national interests and territorial integrity.”
Iran and the P5+1 group comprising the five U.N. Security Council permanent members (Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States) plus Germany were to hold an experts-level meeting in Istanbul to discuss efforts to curb Tehran's atomic activities.
The talks were to take place between technical experts after three previous rounds earlier this year, at a more senior political level, failed to bridge the vast gap dividing the two sides.
Iran is insisting it has a “right” to uranium enrichment under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and that that be recognized by the P5+1. It also wants Western sanctions punishing its economy to be eased.
The P5+1 instead is pushing for an immediate end to Iran enriching uranium to 20 percent purity -- just a technical step short of the 90 percent needed to make nuclear bombs -- and to ship out its existing 20-percent stock and close a fortified underground enrichment facility in Fordo.
Mehmanparast said the P5+1’s negotiating position and the Western sanctions suggested that maybe the world powers did not want to see the talks bear fruit.
“Many people are starting to conclude that maybe there are specific goals in dragging out the talks and preventing their success. One option is that perhaps there is a link with the U.S. (presidential) election” in November, he said.
He said the “illegal” sanctions contradicted the West’s affirmation that it wants to resolve the standoff diplomatically.
He reiterated his government’s message that the sanctions would not coerce it into a change of position.
He added: “Iran will do its utmost to defend its national interests and territorial integrity.”
Iran and the P5+1 group comprising the five U.N. Security Council permanent members (Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States) plus Germany were to hold an experts-level meeting in Istanbul to discuss efforts to curb Tehran's atomic activities.
The talks were to take place between technical experts after three previous rounds earlier this year, at a more senior political level, failed to bridge the vast gap dividing the two sides.
Iran is insisting it has a “right” to uranium enrichment under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and that that be recognized by the P5+1. It also wants Western sanctions punishing its economy to be eased.
The P5+1 instead is pushing for an immediate end to Iran enriching uranium to 20 percent purity -- just a technical step short of the 90 percent needed to make nuclear bombs -- and to ship out its existing 20-percent stock and close a fortified underground enrichment facility in Fordo.
Mehmanparast said the P5+1’s negotiating position and the Western sanctions suggested that maybe the world powers did not want to see the talks bear fruit.
“Many people are starting to conclude that maybe there are specific goals in dragging out the talks and preventing their success. One option is that perhaps there is a link with the U.S. (presidential) election” in November, he said.
He said the “illegal” sanctions contradicted the West’s affirmation that it wants to resolve the standoff diplomatically.
He reiterated his government’s message that the sanctions would not coerce it into a change of position.
Annan sees ‘shift’ in Russia and China positions on Syria
The “shift” in the positions of Russia and China on Syria should not be underestimated, the spokesman for peace envoy Kofi Annan said on Tuesday after international talks in Geneva.
“Many forces have joined hands here on Saturday ... don’t underestimate the shift particularly from Russian and China,”" Ahmed Fawzi said.
Fawzi said reports out of Beijing and Moscow had been “very supportive” of the agreement made at the meeting.
“Many forces have joined hands here on Saturday ... don’t underestimate the shift particularly from Russian and China,”" Ahmed Fawzi said.
Fawzi said reports out of Beijing and Moscow had been “very supportive” of the agreement made at the meeting.
“Let’s wait until the dust settles on this agreement and I think everyone will see that it was quite an accomplishment that was achieved here on Saturday,” said Fawzi, according to AFP.
This accomplishment included an agreement in principle on a political transition, he said, but a complete halt to the violence is vital first.
“It’s imperative that we get a ceasefire,” Fawzi.
The spokesman also said exiting the crisis in Syria would not be without its troubles despite agreement at the ministerial meeting.
“It’s going to be a long, bumpy road,” said Ahmad Fawzi, “but we believe that commitments made in Geneva were genuine and if applied as promised will have an effect.”
Major powers and neighboring countries pledged to support a transitional government in Syria although Annan failed to bridge differences between the West and Russia -- backed by China -- on whether or not that meant Assad must go.
Fawzi said that China and Russia were very supportive of the agreement, in which ministers committed to apply “joint and sustained pressure” on the government and opposition in Syria. Several opposition leaders were going to Moscow “very, very soon,” he said, without giving details, Reuters reported.
Qatar, Turkey, Iraq and Kuwait had also backed the agreement at the talks and would use their influence to help end the 16-month conflict in Syria, according to Fawzi.
This accomplishment included an agreement in principle on a political transition, he said, but a complete halt to the violence is vital first.
“It’s imperative that we get a ceasefire,” Fawzi.
The spokesman also said exiting the crisis in Syria would not be without its troubles despite agreement at the ministerial meeting.
“It’s going to be a long, bumpy road,” said Ahmad Fawzi, “but we believe that commitments made in Geneva were genuine and if applied as promised will have an effect.”
Major powers and neighboring countries pledged to support a transitional government in Syria although Annan failed to bridge differences between the West and Russia -- backed by China -- on whether or not that meant Assad must go.
Fawzi said that China and Russia were very supportive of the agreement, in which ministers committed to apply “joint and sustained pressure” on the government and opposition in Syria. Several opposition leaders were going to Moscow “very, very soon,” he said, without giving details, Reuters reported.
Qatar, Turkey, Iraq and Kuwait had also backed the agreement at the talks and would use their influence to help end the 16-month conflict in Syria, according to Fawzi.
Video of Israeli police officer kicking Palestinian boy stirs anger
Activists have slammed a video released on Monday by Israeli human rights agency B’Tselem which shows an Israeli border officer kicking a Palestinian boy in the Israeli-controlled sector of Hebron.
The officer is seen in the video grabbing the nine-year-old boy, Abd a-Rahman Burqan, by the arm, dragging him as he says: “Why are you causing trouble?” A second officer walks towards the boy and kicks the child as he cries out.
According to B’Tselem, the incident took place on Friday close to the Tomb of the Patriarchs and the Ibrahim mosque, a location that frequently witnesses clashes between police and young Palestinian boys.
The boy’s father, Amer Burqan, said his son had gone out to get soup which is given out to the poor.
Israel’s Border Police immediately announced an investigation into the incident. In a statement released shortly after the video was put online, it said it “condemns the police conduct as contrary to its values,” reported the Times of Israel.
Video cameras are frequently provided to Palestinian citizens by B’Tselem in order to document possible human rights abuses in the occupied territories.
The event follows a new report released on June 28 by Electronic Intifada, funded and supported by the British government, which accused Israel of violating international law with its treatment of Palestinian child detainees in the West Bank.
According to the report, Israel is in violation of at least six counts set out by the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child and at least two of the Fourth Geneva Convention.
Many Israelis turned to social media platforms to express support of the officers’ action.
Ali Abunimah who writes for the Electronic Intifada translated several comments posted by Israeli Facebook users on Israel’s Channel 2’s page.
One user Ariel Davidpur wrote: “The Border Police are the hero! It’s a shame he didn’t kill him with the kick”. However, Tal Avraham wrote: “Look at what you are writing … racists. Do you understand that what you are writing here is inhumane… You are disgusting and inhumane, sorry, but that’s the truth.”
Jessica Montell, the director of B’Tselem tweeted, “So proud of @btselem video team: mapping trouble spots, getting cameras & ongoing training/support to the right people.”
Davutoglu says world in need of ‘strong’ Egypt, invites Mursi to visit Turkey
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said that his country is willing to work hand-in-hand with Egypt in all fields for the sake of making peace and stability prevail in the region, Al Arabiya reported.
Davutoglu, who stressed the importance of thriving ties between Egypt and Turkey, made the comments during a meeting with Egyptian President Mohammed Mursi in Cairo on Monday.
The Turkish top diplomat was in Cairo to attend the conference of Syrian opposition groups that kicked off earlier Monday.
Davutoglu, who stressed the importance of thriving ties between Egypt and Turkey, made the comments during a meeting with Egyptian President Mohammed Mursi in Cairo on Monday.
The Turkish top diplomat was in Cairo to attend the conference of Syrian opposition groups that kicked off earlier Monday.
Davutoglu, who extended the invitation to Mursi to visit Turkey, expressed his country’s full confidence in the new Egyptian leadership under Mursi, stressing that the world is in need of a “strong Egypt.” He added that Egypt “will accomplish a lot of successes in the future.”
Mursi was sworn in as Egypt’s first civilian president on June 30. His appointment is the fruit of Egypt’s own uprising, which forced former President Hosni Mubarak out of power in February 201, after 30 years in power.
Mursi was sworn in as Egypt’s first civilian president on June 30. His appointment is the fruit of Egypt’s own uprising, which forced former President Hosni Mubarak out of power in February 201, after 30 years in power.
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