LCCC ENGLISH DAILY
NEWS BULLETIN
November 30/2013
Bible Quotation for today/Eternal
Life
01 John 05/13-21: "I am writing
this to you so that you may know that you have eternal
life—you that believe in the Son of God. We have
courage in God's presence, because we are sure that he
hears us if we ask him for anything that is according to
his will. He hears us whenever we ask him; and
since we know this is true, we know also that he gives
us what we ask from him. If you see a believer commit a
sin that does not lead to death, you should pray to God,
who will give that person life. This applies to those
whose sins do not lead to death. But there is sin which
leads to death, and I do not say that you should pray to
God about that. All wrongdoing is sin, but there
is sin which does not lead to death. We know that no
children of God keep on sinning, for the Son of God
keeps them safe, and the Evil One cannot harm them. We
know that we belong to God even though the whole world
is under the rule of the Evil One. We know that the Son
of God has come and has given us understanding, so that
we know the true God. We live in union with the true
God—in union with his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true
God, and this is eternal life. My children, keep
yourselves safe from false gods!
Latest analysis, editorials, studies, reports, letters &
Releases from miscellaneous sources For November 30/13
A Shower of Spokesmen/By: Michel Kilo/Asharq
Alawsat/November 30/13
The Devil is in More Than the Details/By: Amir
Taheri/Asharq Alawsat/November 30/13
Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources For November 30/13
Hezbollah suspect in Harb case fails to show in court
November 29, 2013By Youssef Diab/The Daily Star /BEIRUT: A
Hezbollah suspect allegedly involved in the attempted assassination of MP
Boutros Harb last year failed once again to appear in court Friday and faces the
possibility of a trial in absentia. Mahmoud Hayek, a Hezbollah security
official, failed to show in court Friday - his scheduled court date –prompting
Military Tribunal head Judge Brig. Gen. Khalil Ibrahim to postpone the session
until Jan. 30. The judge also ordered a notice be posted outside the court
informing Hayek of his next court date. The Hezbollah suspect, who remains at
large, will be tried in absentia if he fails to appear in court on Jan. 30., a
judicial source told The Daily Star. Hayek was charged last year for committing
a terrorist act and attempting to assassinate Harb by planting a bomb in a
building where the MP maintains an office. The charge also includes premeditated
murder. On June 5, 2012, two detonators were found in an elevator in a Badaro
building where the Batroun MP maintains an office. The perpetrators fled the
area when a resident of the building grew suspicious.Authorities have sought to
question Hayek and another suspect in the case. Harb has repeatedly urged
Hezbollah to hand over Hayek and assist the judiciary in the case.Hezbollah has
denied having any connection to the attempted killing, saying that Harb and
March 14 coalition officials were making false accusations against the party.
Mouawad Calls for Forming 'Moderate Front,' Rejects
Hizbullah's 'Occupation'
Naharnet Newsdesk 29 November 2013/Head of the Independence
Movement Michel Mouawad called on Friday for forming a local “moderate front,”
strongly rejecting to accept Hizbullah as a dominant force in the country. "A
civil confrontation is the only mean to face extremism in Lebanon and the
region,” Mouawad said in a speech he gave at a celebration marking the 24th
anniversary of his father President Rene Mouawad's assassination. “I call for
forming a front of moderates of all sects.” Mouawad noted, however, that a
moderate front does not mean a group with a neutral ideology. "I urge a strong
moderate front to face the Syrian regime's occupation,” he said. Mouawad
stressed at the beginning of his speech that Lebanon is “not a land for jihad,
al-Nusra or wilayat al-faqih.” He said: “Lebanon is a nation with an identity
and a civilization and we will not accept an Israeli occupation, an Iranian
domination or a Syrian mandate.”He explained that the problem with Iran is that
it “violates Lebanese sovereignty and identity.” "Iran, (Syrian President Bashar)
Assad and jihadists are a danger threatening the Lebanese entity.”"But what we
cannot accept is that a Lebanese party hijacks political decisions to benefit
Iran and Bashar Assad,” he added. "We cannot accept that Hizbullah goes from
being a partner in the country to becoming an occupier.”The northern leader
explained: “When Hizbullah is above the law and when it announces its intentions
to change our lifestyle and our identity, this is called an occupation.”With
“full respect,” the northern leader addressed Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan
Nasrallah, telling him that refusing a national consensus or a political cover
“is not acceptable.”“The domination of one party over the Lebanese people is a
rejected project. Religious coexistence cannot be guaranteed by becoming
obedient and the path you are taking leads only to a total destruction.”However,
Mouawad pointed out that federalism and separation are not the solution either,
stressing on the importance of the state, the National Pact and the Lebanese
constitution. Mouawad thanked Free Patriotic Movement leader for delegating a
representative to attend Friday's event, telling MP Michel Aoun, however, that
Hizbullah's path “does not resemble” his ideologies. "If Hizbullah's project
wins, we will all pay the price,” the Independence Movement leader stressed.
Addressing Aoun, Mouawad continued: “You belong to the party defending the state
and legitimacy and I sincerely urge you to meet us and the moderate front to
defend together Lebanon, its identity and the presidency.”The ceremony was held
in Dbaye with the participation of a wide range of March 14 politicians and
representatives of President Michel Suleiman, caretaker premier Najib Miqati,
Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam, Speaker Nabih Berri as well as of
religious figures.President Rene Mouawad was killed on Independence Day in 1989
in an attack blamed on Syria by the Mouawad family and Damascus' foes in
Lebanon.
3 Suspected Hizbullah Members Cleared of Nigeria Terror
Charges
Naharnet Newsdesk 29 November 2013/Three Lebanese nationals
suspected of being Hizbullah members were cleared of terrorism charges in
Nigeria on Friday but one of the accused was convicted of a weapons offence and
jailed for life. Mustapha Fawaz, Abdallah Thahini and Talal Ahmad Roda were
arrested in May after the discovery of an arms cache in a residence in the
northern Nigerian city of Kano. They were accused of plotting attacks against
Western and Israeli targets in Nigeria but denied the accusations. Federal High
Court Judge Adeniyi Adetokunbo Ademola said Hizbullah "is not an international
terrorist organization in Nigeria" and therefore membership is not criminal. He
said there was "no evidence" that the group was planning an attack or had
received "terrorism training" as the prosecution alleged. All three men were
also acquitted of money laundering charges. But Roda was found guilty of
conspiracy to import weapons into the country and sentenced to life
imprisonment. Defense lawyer for all three men Ahmed Raji told reporters after
the hearing: "We are happy and slightly not comfortable with respect to the
third accused (Roda). "The most important thing is that the grave aspect of the
charges, that is terrorism, was knocked out. We are happy about that." Raji said
he would consult with Roda about a possible appeal against his conviction and
sentence and added: "Speaking for myself, I think an appeal is worthwhile." The
trial featured several unexpected twists, including a testimony from Roda that
an extremist cell in Nigeria had plotted to assassinate the Saudi ambassador. In
August, Fawaz testified that he had been harshly interrogated by Israeli
security agents after his arrest. He said the grilling was carried out by "six
Israeli Mossad agents and one masked white man" who were primarily concerned
with his contacts in Lebanon and demanded details of where weapons were stored
in his home country. Thahini testified that he collapsed after being denied
sleep for five days in a similar interrogation by purported Israeli agents.
Israel raised concerns over alleged efforts by Hizbullah members to plan attacks
in west Africa after the group was arrested. Fawaz owns a popular amusement park
in the capital Abuja called Wonderland, which the court ordered should be
re-opened after the ruling. He and Thahini were immediately released while Fawaz
was escorted away in handcuffs, an Agence France Presse reporter in the court
said. Nigerian intelligence agents escorted journalists to a property in Kano on
May 30 and showed them a bunker where a massive haul of weapons had been stored.
The spy chief in Kano, Bassey Etang, described the room as a "Hizbullah armory"
-- a statement that raised eyebrows among some analysts. He said investigations
were needed to uncover potential links between the "Hizbullah cell" and Boko
Haram, the extremist Islamist group that has killed thousands in northern
Nigeria since 2009. There had previously never been any discussion of a
connection between the party and the Nigerian insurgents and experts voiced
strong doubts that such ties existed.
The court verdict is a fresh blow to Nigeria's main intelligence branch, the
Department of State Services, which in September claimed that Boko Haram
attacked troops outside a government building in Abuja. Subsequent evidence,
however, suggested the clash involved security officers and a group of
squatters. In a separate matter, Caretaker Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour was
informed by Lebanon's Charge d'Affairs in Abuja that Hassan Mohammed Merhi, a
Lebanese national, has died of natural causes in Nigeria. "The transfer of his
body to Beirut is being arranged," the diplomat said.
Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, is home to a sizable Lebanese
population, including in the mainly Muslim north.
Source/Agence France Presse.
Rocket Left Over from 2006 War Explodes in Ouzai
Naharnet Newsdesk 29 November 2013/An explosion was heard on
Wednesday in al-Ouzai area, which is believed to be caused by the detonation of
an old rocket left over from the July war. Media reports said that the explosion
occurred in a junk yard in the area south of Beirut, causing no casualties.
Israel fought a devastating war against Hizbullah in 2006 that cost the lives of
1,200 people in Lebanon, mainly civilians, and 160 Israelis, mostly soldiers.
According to the state-run National News Agency, an army unit arrived swiftly at
the scene and arrested the owner of the junk yard. Al-Jadeed reported earlier
that a rocket fell near the Iranian Embassy, which witnessed a double suicide
attack on November 19, which killed at least 23 people. Voice of Lebanon
radio (100.5) said that a rocket propellant exploded after a man from al-Sultan
family, who has an authorization from the army, was collecting unexploded
rockets near the Iranian embassy. Security sources and the Iranian embassy
denied to LBCI that a rocket fell near its premises. The bombing was the latest
in a series of attacks that have struck Hizbullah strongholds. An
al-Qaida-linked militant group, the Abdullah Azzam Brigades, claimed
responsibility for the attack — the deadliest targeting Iranian interests since
the uprising against Syrian President Bashar Assad began in March 2013.Iran has
been a staunch supporter of Assad's government, and the Iranian-backed Hizbullah
has been instrumental in helping his troops flush out insurgents from key areas
near the Lebanese border.
Al-Rahi Mulling Visit to Tehran, Final
Decision Not Taken Yet
Naharnet Newsdesk 29 November 2013/Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi
will not visit Iran any time soon despite receiving several invitations, Bkirki
sources said in comments published in al-Joumhouria newspaper on Friday. “If the
Patriarch was going to travel to Tehran we would inform the public,” the sources
said. They added that al-Rahi is mulling the invitations he received but he
didn't take a final decision so far.
“The campaign staged against the visit was void,” the sources added. Iranian
Ambassador to Lebanon Ghazanfar Rokn Abadi reiterated during talks with al-Rahi
on Monday his country's invitation for the Patriarch to visit Tehran. Concerning
the recent tension at the Universite Saint Joseph in the Huvelin neighborhood in
Beirut, the sources pointed out that al-Rahi is following up the matter.
“Al-Rahi rejects all kinds of provocations, assaults and insulting national
symbols,” the sources said, adding that the Patriarch is demanding for justice
to take its course. The sources said that al-Rahi holds politicians responsible
over the situation in universities.Classes have been suspended once again at USJ
on Wednesday after a quarrel between the students. The incident came days after
tensions were high in wake of a standoff between Hizbullah and March 14 camp
supporters. Media reports said that Hizbullah supporters surrounded the
university on Monday in protest against recent student election results, which
led to the standoff and the eventual intervention of the army and security
forces to avert any violence.
Hizbullah Accuses March 14 Camp of Protecting 'Criminal
Gangs' behind Jabal Mohsen Assault
Naharnet Newsdesk 29 November 2013/Hizbullah condemned on Friday
the assault against a number of residents from the Jabal Mohsen neighborhood in
the northern city of Tripoli, saying that criminal gangs bent on creating
sectarian strife were behind the attack. It said in a statement: “The criminal
gangs, which are being offered political cover by the March 14 camp, are
continuing on driving their knife into Tripoli's bleeding wound.”
“The gangs opened fire at four municipal workers simply because they belong to a
sect, which has incurred the wrath of those who claim civility and a love for
life,” it added in reference to the Alawite sect, whose members form the
majority of the residents of Jabal Mohsen. “The actions of the criminal gangs do
not reflect the national spirit of the residents of Tripoli,” it noted. “The
actions instead represent the great desperation that the March 14 camp has
reached due to its failure in banking on changes on the ground. It is therefore
taking out its frustration through such barbaric acts,” it added. Hizbullah
voiced its complete solidarity with the victims of Thursday's assault, saying
that the whole of Tripoli is a victim of these criminal acts. It condemned the
“mentality of creating incitement that also leans towards extremism and rejects
the role of state institutions.”It therefore called on the state and all of its
agencies to assume their responsibilities in ending these criminal acts that are
a threat to civil and national peace. At least three Jabal Mohsen residents were
injured in a shooting in Tripoli on Thursday, stoking sectarian divisions in the
city. The state-run National News Agency said assailants shot the three men in
their feet in the area of al-Zahriyeh.
Saniora: Assault against Jabal Mohsen Residents Attempt to
Create Strife in Lebanon
Naharnet Newsdesk 29 November 2013/Head of the Mustaqbal bloc MP Fouad Saniora
condemned on Friday the attack on Thursday against a number of residents from
the Jabal Mohsen neighborhood in the northern city of Tripoli, describing it as
a “cowardly and criminal act.”He noted that the assault was an attempt to create
strife throughout Lebanon, demanding that an investigation be launched in the
incident.
“The attack against people simply because they are residents of Jabal Mohsen is
aimed at tarnishing the image of Tripoli and its residents, which is that of
moderation,” he remarked.
Moreover, he rejected justifications that the attack may have been in
retaliation to the August twin bombings in Tripoli, noting that it may have been
an attempt to divert attention away from the blasts.
“Such assaults only serve the enemies of Tripoli who are working day and night
to tarnish its image,” continued Saniora. He therefore demanded that the
security forces assume their responsibilities towards the incident “and cease
their exaggerated hesitation” in tackling security developments in the city. “We
demand the firm implementation of the security plan that we have heard so much
about,” he said. Saniora declared his solidarity with the victims of the Jabal
Mohsen assault, wishing them a speedy recovery. The MP also contacted lawmakers
from Tripoli to condemn the attack. At least three Jabal Mohsen residents were
injured in a shooting in Tripoli on Thursday, stoking sectarian divisions in the
city. The state-run National News Agency said assailants shot the three men in
their feet in the area of al-Zahriyeh. On August 23, 45 people were killed and
over 800 wounded in a twin explosions in Tripoli. The blasts targeted the Taqwa
and al-Salam mosques as worshipers were performing weekly prayers.
Miqati Urges International Support for
Lebanon, Calls for Dialogue
Naharnet Newsdesk 29 November 2013/Caretaker Prime Minister Najib
Miqati urged the international community on Friday to support Lebanon and end
the fighting in neighboring Syria to bring back tranquility to it.
During a speech on the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian
People, Miqati urged the world “to support Lebanon at all levels and stop the
fighting in Syria through a formula that the Syrians agree to.”
Such a deal should “bring back peace and tranquility to Syria,” he said. Miqati
called for the end of the dispute between Lebanon's rival parties and urged them
to engage in dialogue away from conditions.
He told a conference held in ESCWA that the parties should not bet on the
changes in the region. “We don't want this dialogue to be a new battleground,”
he said. Miqati stressed that “no peace process can survive unless all
Palestinians return home.”He reiterated Lebanon's policy of rejection to
naturalize them. “Any attempt to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian
state, would increase conflicts in the region,” he warned. “Palestine is the
cause of the nation. It has survived for generations and will continue to do
so,” he said. “There is no peace or stability without it.” Miqati hoped the
latest deal between Iran and world powers, which he described as a main turning
point, would lead to dialogue between Tehran and Arab countries.“Priority today
is ending wars, destruction and fighting,” he said. Iran struck a breakthrough
deal with the United States and five other Western powers on Sunday, accepting
strict constraints on its nuclear program for the first time in a decade in
exchange for partial sanctions relief. The caretaker PM reiterated that Lebanon
has kept its borders open for refugees fleeing the Syrian conflict by sticking
to religious and humanitarian values.“We haven't differentiated between
Palestinians and Syrians,” he said. Earlier, Miqati held talks with Antonio
Guterres, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, at the Grand Serail. Guterres
urged the international community to provide more assistance to Lebanon,
including Lebanese communities, and not just the Syrian refugees. Guterres has
called on European and Gulf Arab states to host Syrian refugees who fled the
civil war. He nearly 3 million Syrians have fled to neighboring countries —
mainly Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey, and an additional 6.5 million are displaced
in their war-ravaged country.
After meeting with Jordan's King Abdullah II on Thursday, Guterres said the
refugee crisis "is alarming." He called for more financial support for countries
hosting the refugees and warned a shortfall in funding may force host countries
to become "unable to receive more refugees."
One Killed, Another Wounded in Attempt
to Open Blocked Road in Akkar
Naharnet Newsdesk 29 November 2013/A person was killed and
another was wounded on Friday evening when army forces attempted to open a
blocked road in al-Mahmara town in the northern city of Akkar. "Ali Mahmoud al-Bahsa
was killed in a gunfire exchange when soldiers tried to open a road blocked near
the Nahr al-Bared bridge in al-Mahmara,” the state-run National News Agency
said. According to the NNA, the road was blocked to protest the arrest a man
from the Taleb family, who hails from al-Mahmara. Radio Voice of Lebanon
identified the arrested man as Khodr Azzam Taleb. The NNA said the army
responded to the sources of fire while attempting to open the blocked road,
which also lead to lightly wounding Hussein Taleb. LBCI noted that tension was
felt in al-Mahmara after the incident.
GCC Approves 'Necessary' Measures
against 'Hizbullah Interests' in Gulf
Naharnet Newsdesk 28 November 2013/The Gulf Cooperation Council
on Thursday approved what it described as “the necessary measures against
Hizbullah's interests” in the Gulf countries, after endorsing recommendations
during a meeting in Riyadh in September. “The interior ministers of the
Council's member states have approved the results of the extraordinary meetings
held by the ministries' undersecretaries regarding the necessary measures that
should be taken against the interests of Hizbullah and its members and
associates in the GCC countries,” Council chief Abdul Latif al-Zayani said
following a meeting in Bahrain. In September, undersecretaries of the Gulf
Cooperation Council's interior ministries discussed possible measures against
suspected Hizbullah members living in the Gulf. Bahraini Interior Ministry
Undersecretary Khaled al-Absi said the meeting discussed how to put into effect
the recently-approved GCC resolution calling on members to take action against
Hizbullah members in Gulf region. The measures could include visa cancellation
and financial and commercial transaction restrictions. The GCC's measures come
in response to Hizbullah's intervention in the Syrian war alongside President
Bashar Assad's forces. The majority of Gulf countries back the rebels who are
trying to topple the Syrian leader.
Army Seizes, Detonates Grad Rockets in
the Bekaa
by Naharnet Newsdesk 29 November 2013/The army on Friday seized
and detonated three Grad rockets in the Bekaa's al-Qaa region. "At 4:00 pm on
Friday, an army patrol seized three 107-millimeter Grad rockets in al-Qaa,” the
military institution said in a communique. It noted that the rockets were set to
be launched. "A military expert arrived to the scene and detonated the seized
rockets.”The army's statement added that the military police has launched an
investigation under the supervision of the competent court to uncover who's
involved in the incident. Since the eruption of the Syrian war, Bekaa's Hermel
area has repeatedly been targeted with rockets launched by Syria's
revolutionaries. Meanwhile, al-Qaa has been frequently bombed by Syrian
warplanes.
Dolan: Catholics 'outmarketed' on gay
marriage
NEW YORK (AP) — New York's Cardinal Timothy Dolan says the Roman Catholic Church
has been "outmarketed" on the issue of gay marriage and has been "caricatured as
being anti-gay."Dolan discussed the church's positions opposing same-sex
marriage and abortion in an interview with "Meet the Press" moderator David
Gregory that will air Sunday on NBC. Gregory noted that Illinois just became the
latest U.S. state to legalize gay marriage and asked, "Regardless of the church
teachings, do you think this is evolving in such a way that it's ultimately
going to be legal everywhere?" Or, he asked, will there be "a backlash" against
gay marriage? "I think I'd be a Pollyanna to say that there doesn't seem to be
kind of a stampede to do this," Dolan said. "I regret that." Asked why the
church is losing the argument on gay marriage, Dolan responded, "Well, I think
maybe we've been outmarketed sometimes. We've been caricatured as being
anti-gay." He said the church supports "traditional marriage and is not
"anti-anybody," adding, "When you have forces like Hollywood, when you have
forces like politicians, when you have forces like some opinion-molders that are
behind it, it's a tough battle."But, he said the church will not give up on the
gay marriage issue. On another divisive issue, Dolan said the Catholic Church
has long championed comprehensive health care, but he said U.S. Catholic bishops
cannot support the Affordable Care Act as long as it includes coverage for
abortion. He said the bishops started "bristling" at the legislation pushed by
President Barack Obama because "it's excluding the undocumented immigrant and
it's excluding the unborn baby."
Pope ramps up charity office to be near poor, sick
By NICOLE WINFIELD /VATICAN CITY (AP) — When he was archbishop of Buenos Aires,
Pope Francis was known to sneak out at night and break bread with the homeless,
sit with them on the street and eat with them, as part of his aim to share the
plight of the poor and let them know someone cared. That's not so easy to do now
that he's pope. But Francis is still providing one-on-one doses of emergency
assistance to the poor, sick and aged through a trusted archbishop. Konrad
Krajewski is the Vatican Almoner, a centuries-old job of handing out alms — and
Francis has ramped up the job to make it a hands-on extension of his own
personal charity.
As Americans gathered for Thanksgiving on Thursday, Krajewski described how
Francis has redefined the little known office of papal almoner and explained the
true meaning of giving during a chat with journalists over coffee and pastries a
few steps from the Vatican gates. "The Holy Father told me at the beginning:
'You can sell your desk. You don't need it. You need to get out of the Vatican.
Don't wait for people to come ringing. You need to go out and look for the
poor,'" Krajewski said. Krajewski gets his marching orders each morning: A
Vatican gendarme goes from the Vatican hotel where Francis lives to Krajewski's
office across the Vatican gardens, bringing a bundle of letters that the pope
has received from the faithful asking for help. On the top of each letter,
Francis might write "You know what to do" or "Go find them" or "Go talk to
them."
And so Don Corrado, as he likes to be called, hits the streets of Rome and
beyond.
He visits homes for the elderly in the name of the pope, writes checks to the
needy in the name of the pope — even traveled to the island of Lampedusa in the
name of the pope after a migrant boat capsized last month, killing more than 350
people. Over four days on Lampedusa, Krajewski bought 1,600 phone cards so the
survivors could call loved ones back home in Eritrea to let them know they had
made it. He also prayed with police divers as they worked to raise the dead from
the sea floor. "This is the concept: Be with people and share their lives, even
for 15, 30 minutes, an hour," Krajewski said. The former Cardinal Jorge Mario
Bergoglio "would go out at night in Buenos Aires, not just to find people, talk
with them, or buy them something to eat ... He would eat with them. He would sit
with them and eat with them on the street. This is what he wants from me."
The existence of the Vatican Almoner dates back centuries: It is mentioned in a
papal bull from the 13th-century Pope Innocent III, and Pope Gregory X, who
ruled from 1271-1276, organized it into an official Holy See office for papal
charity. Until Krajewski came along, the almoner was typically an aging Vatican
diplomat who was serving his final years before being allowed to retire at age
75. Francis changed all that, tapping the 50-year-old Pole who had been a close
assistant to Pope John Paul II in his final years, to be a more vigorous,
hands-on extension of himself. Krajewski has also enlisted others to help out:
Off-duty Swiss Guards now get called into duty, helping drive a stranded person
home, or recently helping to box 27,000 rosaries that Francis handed out to the
general public one recent Sunday as "spiritual medicine."
Krajewski demurred when asked if Francis himself had slipped out of the Vatican
on his own — "Next question!" he said. But there was a clear suggestion that the
pope may very well have snuck out before Vatican security got wind of it. The
almoner's duties are two-fold: carrying out acts of charity and raising the
money to fund them. Krajewski's office funds its work by producing papal
parchments, hand-made certificates with a photo of the pope that the faithful
can buy for a particular occasion — say a wedding, baptism or priestly
ordination — with the name of the recipient and an apostolic blessing written in
calligraphy.
The parchments range from eight euros ($11) to 30 euros ($40) apiece, plus
shipping and handling. All proceeds go directly to the works of charity. Last
year, the office spent 1 million euros ($1.4 million) on 6,500 requests for
help. Krajewski says the numbers will likely have doubled this year. The amounts
given out aren't high: Recently Krajewski sent a check for 200 euros ($270) to
an elderly woman from Venice who wrote to Francis lamenting that a pickpocket
had stolen 54 euros ($75) from her. Larger and longer-term charity works are
handled by the Vatican's international Caritas federation or Cor Unum, a Vatican
office. The almoner, Krajewski explained, is more a "first aid" charity station:
quick, small doses of help that don't require bureaucratic hurdles, but are
nevertheless heartfelt and something of a sacrifice.
"Being an almoner, it has to cost me something so that it can change me," he
said. He contrasted such alms-giving with, say, the unnamed cardinal who once
boasted about always giving two euros to a beggar on the street near the
Vatican. "I told him, 'Eminence, this isn't being an almoner. You might be able
to sleep at night, but being an almoner has to cost you. Two euros is nothing
for you. Take this poor person, bring him to your big apartment that has three
bathrooms, let him take a shower — and your bathroom will stink for three days —
and while he's showering make him a coffee and serve it to him, and maybe give
him your sweater. This is being an almoner."
One recent letter caught the attention of the pope: The parents of little Noemi
Sciarretta, an 18-month old suffering from spinal muscular atrophy — a genetic
condition that has no cure — wrote to Francis in October. They were desperate
because doctors could do nothing for their daughter. A few days later Francis
called the father. On Nov. 1, Krajewski spent the day with the Sciarrettas at
their home near Chieti, in Abruzzo. Five days later, with the child's condition
worsening, the family traveled to the Vatican and met with Francis in person,
spending the night in the same Vatican hotel where he sleeps, eating with him in
the hotel dining room where he has all his meals.
Moments after they met, the pope headed out to St. Peter's Square for his weekly
general audience. He started off by asking the tens of thousands of people there
to take a moment of silence to pray for little Noemi.
"It was a very emotional meeting because Pope Francis was close to Noemi," her
father, Andrea Sciarretta, said afterward. "We could talk and pray together for
Noemi. It was an emotional gift."
**Follow Nicole Winfield at www.twitter.com/nwinfield
Iran and Gulf states make tentative diplomatic moves
RIYADH (Reuters) - United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin
Zayed on a rare visit to Iran on Thursday called for a partnership with Iran,
but suspicion remains despite Tehran's tentative overtures towards its Gulf
neighbors. Mostly Sunni Muslim Gulf Arab states are wary of Iranian influence in
the Middle East, fearing the Shi'ite-led country is seeking regional dominance
and stirring sectarian tensions.
Improving relations with regional countries is a central plank of Iran's
diplomatic policy under its new president, Hassan Rouhani and Foreign Minister
Mohammed Javad Zarif, who will visit Kuwait and Oman next week.
"We are neighbors but do not confine ourselves to this and are calling to be
partners," Sheikh Abdullah was quoted as saying by Iran's official IRNA news
agency. Zarif, speaking after the meeting with Sheikh Abdullah, who also met
President Rouhani, said peace would benefit everybody in the region. "We see the
progress of countries in the region as a success and any type of danger as a
threat to them. Security and development cannot be separated and we see
relations with regional countries as taking this form," IRNA quoted him as
saying. They made no mention of a long-standing dispute between the two
countries over the ownership of a small group of Gulf islands, or of accusations
by the Gulf Cooperation Council, to which the UAE belongs, that Tehran has
plotted attacks in Bahrain. The GCC consists of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar,
Bahrain, the UAE and Oman.
Zarif was quoted on Wednesday by Kuwait's state news agency as saying he would
visit Kuwait and Oman next week. He added he also planned to visit Saudi Arabia
but had not yet set a date. On Tuesday, Iran's former president, Akbar Hashemi
Rafsanjani, said he wanted better relations with Saudi Arabia in an interview
with the Financial Times.Rouhani and Zarif have stressed greater regional
stability as a priority, arguably an attempt to blunt the opposition of Gulf
countries, particularly Saudi Arabia, to Tehran's newly minted nuclear deal with
world powers.
SYRIA
After they met in Kuwait on Wednesday, GCC foreign ministers said they hoped the
deal would lead to a comprehensive solution to Iran's nuclear crisis, but that
this would require goodwill. On Thursday Bahrain's Interior Minister Sheikh
Rashed bin Abdullah al-Khalifa said Iran's Arab neighbors needed assurances that
the nuclear deal would enhance regional security. Alluding to previous
accusations Iran was behind a popular uprising in Bahrain, he said Gulf Arab
states wanted to be certain the accord "would not be at the expense of the
security of any of the (Gulf Cooperation) Council". Sunday's six-month interim
deal involves some reversible sanctions relief in return for more international
oversight of Iran's nuclear program. Saudi Arabia, the largest and most powerful
of the GCC states, gave a guarded welcome to the deal, but it still views Tehran
with suspicion.
On Wednesday, U.S. President Barack Obama made a phone call to Saudi King
Abdullah to reassure him about the deal. Diplomatic sources in the Gulf say
Riyadh fears the agreement will take pressure off Iran and allow it scope to
operate in other Arab countries. Saudi Arabia and Iran are locked in a tussle
for influence across the Arab world, backing opposing forces in political
struggles in Lebanon, Iraq, Bahrain and Yemen.
They also support opposing sides in Syria's civil war, pitting Iranian ally
President Bashar al-Assad against mostly Sunni rebels armed and financed by
countries including Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
On Wednesday the opposition Syrian National Coalition said it would attend peace
talks planned for January in Geneva. GCC foreign ministers said the meeting must
put in place a timeframe for a transitional government and should not involve
any opposition group other than the coalition. (Reporting By Angus McDowall;
Additional reporting by Marcus George; Editing by Peter Cooney and Ralph Boulton)
Common ground
November 29, 2013/The Daily Star
Approaching the third anniversary of the outbreak of the Syrian civil war, with
over 100,000 dead, 3 million refugees and untold levels of destruction, Turkey
and Iran – each backing different sides in the conflict – joined Wednesday in
calling for a cease-fire as soon as possible.The much awaited second round of
Geneva talks, now scheduled for January, will take place a year and a half after
the first round. Between now and then a cease-fire is the best possible
scenario, and Ankara and Tehran are very right to call for one. Both sides, if
they are honest with themselves, have now realized that a military solution to
the conflict is very far off, if achievable at all. Fighting continues to
intensify, with the media framing the rebels as having the upper hand one week,
and the regime the next. Both sides, at least the government and the
National Coalition – the opposition’s biggest grouping – have also committed to
attending the Geneva talks. The January talks will not be easy, and are unlikely
to reach clear conclusions in any comfortable way. But the fact they have even
been agreed upon shows that there are parties, on both sides of this civil war,
who believe that a political solution is still possible, or at least, that the
process of dialogue holds some worth.
So then, to continue the fighting until January would not just be nonsensical,
it would be counterintuitive. Quite aside from the possibly tens of thousands of
extra lives which would be lost, many of which have been of civilians, not to
mention children, to enter into talks after a lull in fighting would create a
much preferable environment for discussion.
To carry on fighting for the next two months, that is, fighting between pro- and
anti-regime forces, and also between sparring factions of the opposition, be it
Kurds, jihadists or the more secular elements, would be nothing but a gross
waste of life, of time and of resources. Already aid is being diverted from the
most needy, if it can even get there in the first place. Diseases are spreading,
hunger and malnutrition are rife. Combatants need to work out how to keep those
that are living still alive, to preserve what is left of the country, and to
look to the future.
The time between now and Jan. 22 must be dedicated to preparations for the
future. Warring sides should concentrate on their visions for what comes next,
and the search for common ground that will enable Syria to re-emerge from the
ashes of this war. Otherwise, Geneva II, talked of now with such anticipation
and for so long, will be yet another meaningless chapter in this Syrian tragedy.
A Shower of Spokesmen
By: Michel Kilo/Asharq Alawsat
We, the Syrian people, have grown accustomed to seeing the Ba’athist regime
speaking for us, without anybody authorizing it or assigning it the task. We
have also grown accustomed to seeing it blame us for its own stupidity and
malpractice, although we have long been the victims of its terrible oppression.
The regime claims that it is not the one that is making the decisions or issuing
the statements, but that it is the Syrian people who are doing so. This became
the status quo over nearly half a century, where any Ba’ath Party member, no
matter how minor, became a spokesman for the party, and by proxy the entire
silenced people of Syria. The punishment for speaking out during this time was
severe—even deadly.
While any government with a sense of self-esteem and respect for its people
would assign an official spokesman to express its opinion on important issues,
any and all Ba’ath Party members could claim to speak on behalf of the country.
These “spokesmen” would come out and confidently state: “Our noble people want
this or that.” These party members spoke as if they had conducted in-depth polls
and investigations into what the Syrian people wanted, closely analyzing their
results based on systematic and scientific rules to reach an informed
conclusion.
The Syrian public was completely absent during the ghastly Assad era, and this
led to a proliferation of politicians and officials speaking on our behalf.
Prompted by an overwhelming desire to confuse the general public so that they
would be unable to see what was in front of them, the Ba’ath Party would always
issue varied and contradictory statements on any and every topic. Today,
precisely the same thing is happening with the Syrian revolution, with various
“spokesmen” and officials claiming to speak on its behalf.
The presence of these “spokesmen” reflects a dilemma the revolution has been
facing from the beginning—a problem that has remained unsolved until today. The
problem lies in a lack of a centralized leadership or a comprehensive plan to
end the ongoing struggle in Syria and provide an objective approach to the
country’s future. Those involved in the Syrian revolution should adopt a
singular approach in terms of conduct and vision, working together to fulfil
common goals within an agreed period of time. The Syrian revolution lacks
suitable leadership and experience; this is why the Syrian revolution has become
embroiled in a maze of contradictory viewpoints. In this case, it is no wonder
the Syrian revolutionaries are divided, for the groups and movements they belong
to are similarly divided and follow different viewpoints and ideologies, playing
on the general public’s sentiments and interests to attract supporters.
The Syrian people have likely been led astray by these movements and
organizations, failing to understand the reality on the ground. The people are
confused because they rebelled for freedom, justice and equality, and they have
now found themselves falling under the pressure of organizations that reject
freedom and even consider it to be against Islam. The second issue is that the
groups and individuals that originally spoke up for freedom are retreating and
withdrawing in the face of these divisions and this violence. The Syrian
people’s struggle against the regime has shifted into an international conflict
whereby the people’s bravery has been buried under international disagreements
and political considerations.
The outside world is benefitting greatly from the complete paralysis in the
internal situation in Syria and its failure to live up to the expectations of
one of the greatest and most courageous revolutions in history. Thus a serious
phenomenon with dangerous results has emerged. This phenomenon has seen a
proliferation of people speaking on behalf of the increasingly divided Syrian
revolution. This is a phenomenon that has a number of dangerous repercussions,
including increasing the state of despair among the Syrian rebels and the
opposition, while also causing large categories of Syrian men and women to
disavow the revolution and view it as a futile attempt that will have a very
high cost. As a result, revolutionary organizations that had previously enjoyed
mass support, playing a vital role in the continuation of the revolution, are
finding it increasingly difficult to survive.
It is very difficult to find a way out of this quagmire of contradictory
rhetoric and discourse, which has undermined what remains of our revolution.
This contradictory discourse has become the daily bread of the Syrian
revolution, and it is also a means for those with ambition to climb the ladder
to wealth and power. These revolutionary climbers are ultimately harming the
Syrian people’s revolution with every disingenuous statement they issue. They
are adopting accusatory and eliminatory discourse towards others, and their
ultimate goal is to preserve their share of the spoils.
The proliferation of Syrian spokesmen has ultimately caused the Syrian
revolution to retreat. It is thanks to these spokesmen that the revolution and
the revolutionaries have become immersed in an ocean of contradictory rhetoric
that will ultimately throttle and crush it.
The Devil is in More Than the Details
By: Amir Taheri/Asharq Alawsat
President Rouhani has described as a “triumph” the paper his envoys signed with
the P5+1 Group in Geneva last Sunday. Some in his faction have pushed hyperbole
further by claiming that “the history of Islamic Revolution is divided into
before and after Geneva.”However, with the dust of excitement settled, it is
possible to assess “the event” with greater clarity. To start with, it is not
clear what the paper should be called. Here are some of the labels used by
parties involved: accord, agreement, memorandum, roadmap, and joint-action plan.
The paper cannot be described as an international treaty. The P5+1 group is an
ad hoc body appointed by the United Nations to persuade Iran to implement six
resolutions passed by the Security Council. It has no authority to sign a
treaty. In fact, the P5+1 is a misnomer, because the negotiations were piloted
by the European Union’s international affairs representative. Because the EU has
28 members, the P5+1 is, in fact, a group of 31 nations. French Foreign Minister
Laurent Fabius has already stated that the Geneva paper would be submitted to
all 28 EU members. Under EU rules, every one of them has the right to approve or
reject the paper.
The ambivalence of the exercise is also important for other participants. If
this is an international treaty, it must be approved by the US Senate, the
Russian Duma and Iran’s Islamic Majlis to become binding. If it is an agreement
between Iran and the UN, it must be approved by the Security Council in a new
resolution. The paper’s identity is only one problem. One would also have to
decide which version is authoritative. I have not studied the Chinese and
Russian versions. But the English, Persian and French texts show differences.
Take just two examples:
The Persian version asserts that during the next six months
“Iran’s income from oil exports would be transferred to the Iranian government.”
The English text states that transfer would happen only “if Iran implements its
undertakings.” And then, it limits the transfer to USD 2–4 billion in
installments.
The next example concerns fees for Iranians studying abroad.
The Persian text implies that this would be automatic and unlimited. The English
text sets a clear limit of USD 400 million, paid directly to the colleges
concerned.
The trick in the Persian text is to use phrases without a verb, implying firm
commitment on the part of P5+1. In the English text, verbs are used to emphasize
that Iran might get something only if it does something beforehand. All that the
P5+1 gives is a number of vague promises.
Even if we ignore the issue of identity and authority, the paper would still be
a strange beast in the zoological history of diplomacy. Obviously, the P5+1
exploited the inexperience and desperation of the Iranian diplomats, and sold
them a bill of goods.
By signing the paper, the Islamic Republic has extended de jure recognition to
sanctions imposed by the UN, the US and the EU. Hitherto, Tehran had admitted
the de facto existence of sanctions but regarded them as “illegal.”
The paper institutionalizes the sanctions within a coherent system, implicitly
accepting the possibility that they will be prolonged indefinitely.
Under the paper, Iran has 21 undertakings and the P5+1 group only 11.
The P5+1’s undertakings are about not imposing new sanctions for six months, and
easing some others. Iran’s undertakings, however, are concrete. It must stop
enriching uranium above 5 percent, must oxidize half the stock enriched above
that level, and de-commission the plutonium infrastructure built at a cost of
USD 10 billion. If those things are done, Tehran’s nuclear project would be put
in slow motion. Since Iran has no nuclear power stations, it would not need
low-grade enriched uranium anyway. And, if it intends to build warheads,
low-grade would be of little use.
By insisting that its “right” to enrich uranium be specifically recognized,
Rouhani’s team made another big mistake. That demand showed that they were not
sure they had that right under Non-Proliferation Treaty. Otherwise, why demand
further endorsement from an ad hoc group? The P5+1 didn’t give that endorsement.
Instead, the text implies that the decision about Iranian levels of enrichment
belongs to P5+1.
The paper insists that Iran’s scientific research and development of industrial
activities be frozen at the “the current level,” clearly excluding any advances.
Iran is expected to fulfill its 21 promises in six months, while that time limit
is mentioned for only one of the P5+1’s 11 promises.
More interestingly, Iran must fulfill its undertakings before the other side
reciprocates.
Under the paper, the P5+1 would be judge and jury. They would decide when and if
Iran has honored its commitments. Acting for the UN, the International Atomic
Energy Agency would report only on Iran’s performance.
The paper gives the P5+1 what is known in diplomatic jargon as droit de regard
(right to oversight) over important sectors of the Iranian economy. The P5+1
will decide how much oil Iran is allowed to export. It would also decide how
much of Iran’s revenue is “unfrozen” and the manner in which it is spent.
For the six months already agreed, some 7 percent of Iran’s oil revenues would
be released. Part of that would be spent through a mechanism modeled on the
“oil-for-food” program imposed on Iraq under Saddam. The label used this time is
“humanitarian financial channel,” to allow imports of food and pharmaceuticals.
It is not clear who would run the scheme, but the P5+1 would have final say.
The paper also gives the P5+1 a say in Iran’s insurance, banking,
petrochemicals, car industry, spare parts, air transport, shipping and precious
metals sectors. In some cases, sanctions would be eased at a cadence chosen by
the P5+1. The paper gives the Khomeinist regime some respite and the possibility
of putting the nuclear program into fast-forward in the future. Rouhani even
claims that he signed the paper because “ending tension with the West” is his
“top priority.” Does he hope to reverse more than three decades of Khomeinist
anti-Americanism?
As long as sanctions hurt only the people, the regime tried to hide the effects
in a cloak of flowery rhetoric. But when sanctions started to hurt the regime it
had to eat humble pie à la Saddam Hussein. As Khamenei often says, the interest
of the regime is absolute, that of the nation a variable.