LCCC
ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
August 12/2018
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias
Bejjani
The Bulletin's Link on the
lccc Site
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John 16/25-28: "‘I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The
hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures, but will tell
you plainly of the Father. On that day you will ask in my name. I do not say
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Titles For The Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis & editorials from
miscellaneous sources published on August 11-12/18
UN envoy Griffiths: Saudi Arabia has
legitimate right to secure its borders/Badr al-Qahtani, Asharq Al-Awsat/August
11/18
Four Ways to Counter Russia’s Social-Media Warfare/James Stavridis/Bloomberg/August
11/18
Europe: Prayer in Public Spaces/Giulio Meotti/Gatestone Institute/August
11/18
Features of weakness in Tehran’s ‘crescent’/Hazem al-Amin/Al Arabiya/August
11/18
What do attacks on seminaries indicate for Iran/Amal Abdulaziz Al–Hazani/Al
Arabiya/August 11/18
How were Iraq’s oil revenues robbed in the name of religion/Adnan Hussein/Al
Arabiya/August 11/18
The Arab route to China/Radwan al-Sayed/Al Arabiya/August 11/18
Titles For The
Latest LCCC Lebanese Related News published on
August 11-12/18
PSP Says ‘Rightful’ Demand for
Representation Not to Be Called ‘Obstacle’
Rahi says unity is strength, division is weakness
Wakim says LF still holds onto sovereign ministerial portfolio
Riachy hails "excellent" meeting with Berri
Bukhari bids farewell to pilgrims at Beirut airport: Hajj Pilgrimage message
of peace
Report: ‘Cautious Optimism’ on Cabinet Formation as Talks Gather Momentum
Cautious Optimism’ on Lebanese Cabinet Formation
Lebanon: Crime Rate Reduced by 20%, Perpetrators Arrested Within 72 Hours
Titles For The Latest LCCC
Bulletin For Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on August 11-12/18
Former
Canadian FM urges Trudeau to travel to Riyadh to defuse tension
Syrian Regime Recruits ‘Reconciliation Men’ to Attack Idlib Countryside
Nearly 30 Civilians Dead in Heavy Bombing on North Syria
Syrian Air Defenses Engage 'Enemy Target' Near Lebanon
One Dead in Attack on Jordan Security Patrol
Brazil President Praises Al-Azhar’s Endorsement of Citizenship Values over
Identity Politics
15,000 Canadians Living in ‘Safe Society’ in Saudi Arabia
Israel Threatens Hamas with Heavy Strikes If It Violates Ceasefire
U.N. Calls for 'Credible' Investigation of Yemen Bus Attack
Turkey's Lira Crisis: How Bad Can it Get?
US Official: Iran Test-Fires Anti-Ship Missile in Hormuz Strait
Iran Gives Most Explicit Rejection Yet of U.S. Talks
Zarif: No Plans for Meeting with US
Trump and Macron Discuss Iran, Middle East
Iran Kills 10 Rebels along Iraq Border
Iran TV Accused of Muting Anti-Regime Stadium Chants
UN envoy Griffiths: Saudi Arabia has legitimate right to secure its borders
The Latest LCCC Lebanese Related News published on August 11-12/18
PSP Says ‘Rightful’ Demand for Representation Not to Be
Called ‘Obstacle’
Naharnet/August 11/18/In light of endeavors and contacts between political
parties aiming at easing obstacles delaying the Cabinet formation, including
a so-called Druze “stalemate,” Progressive Socialist Party sources refused
to speak of it as an obstacle saying it is more a “right for proper
representation and partnership,” al-Joumhouria daily reported Saturday. PSP
sources denounced the naming saying: “It is wrong and surprising to limit
obstacles hampering the formation to what they named as Druze obstacle. We
don’t believe the representation of the Druze is an obstacle in front of the
formation.”They said the success of the PSP in the parliamentary elections
makes their representation in the government a “normal and obvious” matter.
PSP leader Walid Jumblat demands the allocation of the whole three Druze
Cabinet seats. Meanwhile, Druze MP Talal Arslan, of the Strong Lebanon bloc,
also demands a share. “From the beginning, we have ushered for the
acceleration of the government formation. Certainly we are a government of
national unity, but most importantly we support partnership that should be
the basis for this government,” they concluded.
Rahi says unity is strength, division is weakness
Sat 11 Aug 2018/NNA - "Our unity cannot be manipulated because in unity
there is strength and in division there is weakness," Maronite Patriarch
Cardinal Bechara Boutros said today to a delegation from Tannourine who came
to see him this morning. Rahi added that "Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri said
that he could not see Lebanon without its Christians, and therefore we need
to maintain our unity." The prelated noted that "politicians can argue in
politics as much as they want, and this is normal, because Lebanon is a
democratic country where there is a pluralism of views and cultures."
Touching on the economic situation, the Patriarch assured that the Maronite
Patriarchate was always at the side of the Lebanese to help them settle
their problems, especially as the economic situation of the country is
difficult. Finally, Rahi stressed the need to preserve the Lebanese national
unity.
Wakim says LF still holds onto sovereign ministerial
portfolio
Sat 11 Aug 2018/NNA - "Strong Republic" Parliamentary member, MP Imad Wakim,
reiterated that the Lebanese Forces is still holding onto a sovereign
ministerial portfolio, noting that LF party will be represented within the
government as it should be.
"Lebanese Forces Leader, Samir Geagea, expressed his willingness to
cooperate to facilitate the formation of the government, if the Lebanese
forces are well-represented in sovereign and service ministerial portfolios,
not a minister of state," MP Wakim said in an interview with "Radio Free
Lebanon" this morning. "The presence of the Lebanese Forces in the upcoming
government is a balancing factor on the level of fighting corruption and the
level of political balance within the government," he added. Finally, the MP
accused caretaker Foreign Minister, Gebran Bassil, of trying to embarrass
the LF to refuse to participate in the government.
Riachy hails "excellent" meeting with Berri
Sat 11 Aug 2018/ NNA - Caretaker Minister of Information, Melhem Riachy, on
Saturday lauded his one-to-one meeting with House Speaker, Nabih Berri,
describing it as "excellent." After the meeting that lasted for
approximately an hour and a half, Riachy said that the meeting was
"excellent" and that things were "positive". "Speaker Berri is helping the
PM-designate to alleviate cabinet formation hurdles, and so is LF leader
Samir Geagea" Riachy maintained. The Minister added that there were still
some obstacles [standing in the way of forming the new cabinet. "Some think
that the government is formed on Mount Olympus where the gods of mythology
live!" Riachy exclaimed, spurning attempts to "double-size" one’s original
size. On the other hand, the National News Agency has learned that Minister
Riachy will be meeting with Prime Minister-designate, Saad Hariri, at 18:00
at the Center House.
Bukhari bids farewell to pilgrims at Beirut airport:
Hajj Pilgrimage message of peace
Sat 11 Aug 2018 /NNA - Saudi Minister Plenipotentiary Charge d'Affaire,
Walid Bukhari, on Saturday bid farewell to Lebanese pilgrims bound for Saudi
Arabia to perform this year's Hajj pilgrimage. Seeing the pilgrims off at
the Rafic Hariri International Airport took place in the presence of the
Representative of Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdel Latif Derian, Dar al-Fatwa's
Administrative Director Sheikh Salah al-Dine Fakhri. This year's Hajj
pilgrimage comes as part of an initiative bearing the slogan "Hajj Peace
Message", a rubric receiving a great welcome by the departing pilgrims.
Granting the pilgrims copies of the Koran and white roses, Bukhari wished
all pilgrims a blessed pilgrimage and a fulfilled, peaceful religious duty.
Bukhari said bidding farewell to pilgrims at the airport fullifills the
Kingdom's message that "Hajj is a message of peace." Bukhari underlined the
Kingdom's relentless, unwavering efforts in providing pilgrims every year
with all the needed care and high-quality services that would enable them to
perform Hajj in a religious atmosphere full with security, faith, stability
and tranquility. The Saudi envoy said that more than 15,000 visas were
granted this year to pilgrims, with 5,500 granted for Lebanese mission
pilgrims, 1,500 for Palestinian brethrens, 5,500 for Syrians, and a certain
number granted to diplomatic missions accredited to Lebanon. Bukhari also
thanked the National Hajj Committee for all its efforts in this regard and
for abiding by the Hajj set criteria.
Report: ‘Cautious Optimism’ on Cabinet Formation as Talks Gather Momentum
Naharnet/August 11/18/The latest drive of Prime Minister-designate Saad
Hariri to line-up Lebanon’s Cabinet has raised the level of optimism on its
imminent formation shall the latest contacts succeed at solving the
Christian and Druze obstacles, media reports said on Saturday.Contacts on
the formation of a new government led to a new round of discussions where
political forces joined efforts to reach a formula that would end the
stalemate, Saudi Asharq al-Awsat newspaper reported. Hopes are high that
Speaker Nabih Berri will play a key role in easing the Druze obstacle by
communicating with Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat.
Meanwhile, Hariri is considering a new formula with the Lebanese Forces
party to resolve the Christian representation complex, it added. After a
“constructive” meeting between Hariri and head of the Free Patriotic
Movement, Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil, following Hariri-Berri meeting on
Thursday, the Premier is expected to hold talks with the PSP and LF in order
to complete a new draft of the government to propose to President Michel
Aoun. Sources following up on the latest momentum, told the daily: “The
current stage is a stage of discussion in order to facilitate the
formation,” as they pinned high hopes on Hariri’s upcoming meeting with the
PSP and LF. The reports come in the wake of a long-anticipated meeting
between Bassil and Hariri that was held on Thursday. The LF's share and that
of the Progressive Socialist Party are reportedly the two main obstacles
that are delaying the formation of the new government.
Cautious Optimism’ on
Lebanese Cabinet Formation
Beirut - Nazeer Rida/Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 11 August, 2018 /Prime
Minister-designate Saad Hariri’s latest consultations with Lebanese parties
and officials have raised the level of optimism on the formation of the
government, sources told Asharq Al-Awsat on Friday. “Based on his current
moves, Hariri is expected to discuss some new ideas with parties concerned
with the cabinet formation process,” the sources said. “If concerned
officials approve those ideas, the cabinet line-up will be announced next
week. Today, we are cautiously optimistic,” they said. Contacts may have
succeeded to solve the two obstacles of the Christian and Druze
representation in the government. However, sources close to the PM were
“cautious” about such optimism, saying previous proposals had failed to
reach any deal on the cabinet formation process.
They said Speaker Nabih Berri was holding talks with leader of the
Progressive Socialist Party Walid Jumblat to solve the Druze demands, while
Hariri was responsible for discussing a new cabinet formula with Lebanese
Forces leader Samir Geagea over the deadlock of the Christian
representation. Following “very positive” talks between Hariri and the head
of the Free Patriotic Movement, caretaker Minister Jebran Bassil, and
another meeting between Hariri and Berri last Thursday, the PM-designate is
preparing to launch new contacts with the PSP and the LF to come up with a
draft line-up and propose it to President Michel Aoun. Sources close to
Bassil told Asharq Al-Awsat that the FPM leader agrees with Hariri on the
formation of a national unity government. Strong Lebanon bloc MP Shamel
Roukoz said Friday that the Hariri-Bassil meeting was a "positive step
towards government formation."However, LF sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that
the main obstacle hindering the birth of a new cabinet remained unsolved.
Lebanon: Crime Rate Reduced by 20%, Perpetrators
Arrested Within 72 Hours
Beirut - Sanaa Al-Jack/Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 11 August, 2018 /An
official security source told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Lebanese people “are
peaceful compared to others,” stating that 71 individual crimes were
recorded in the first half of 2018, compared to 89 crimes during the same
period last year.
“The rate of crimes over personal issues has declined despite the
proliferation of weapons, but the spread of news through social media
without the required scrutiny leads to the negative amplification of
reality,” the source said. “Perpetrators are arrested within 72 hours after
the crime,” the source added. The official’s statements came to deny a
report that indicated that 62 individual murders occurred only in July and
to explain that based on “accurate official statistics”, a decrease of 20%
in crimes was registered in the first half of the current year. The report
noted that 25% of perpetrators were Syrian refugees, Palestinians and
persons of other nationalities. It added that theft and pocketing incidents
were reduced by 50% compared to previous years.On the other hand, the
concerned associations and institutions find that the security chaos in
Lebanon remains a cause for concern as long as the weapons are available
without restrictions.They also warn of new forms of crimes emerging in the
Lebanese society, including murders within family members or because of
disputes over the priority of circulation or parking, or an anger crime
caused by drugs or alcohol. According to the associations, the situation can
go so frantic, like what happened when a Lebanese fan of an international
football team killed a supporter of another team during the recent World Cup
earlier this summer. “Individual crime rates will rise as long as lack of
control of weapons continues,” said Fadi Abu Allam, the Lebanese prime
minister’s advisor for human security and the head of the Permanent Peace
Movement. In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, Allam said: “The desire to armament
dates back to the civil war and to the feeling of the need for
self-protection, because the law is absent during the periods of security
tension, that in addition to customs and traditions.”“The arms regulation
law falls within a legislative decree issued in 1959, the articles of which
have not been amended, nor are there any controls or provisions that
guarantee prevention with the presence of weapons with people,” he added.
According to Abu Allam, “in addition to the spread of weapons, we have other
factors such as poverty, unemployment, imbalance of education, lack of
ethics, security chaos… All these factors combined have contributed to the
high crime rate in Lebanon.” The security source rejected, however, any
exaggeration about the reality of the crime rate in Lebanon, given the
intensive efforts to control the security. The official also denied the
presence of political interference in the arrest of perpetrators.“The
directives of the Director General of the Internal Security Forces are clear
in this regard,” he stressed. “Lebanon is one of the safest areas in the
world, as a result of the efforts of the security forces and full
coordination with the competent bodies to control the situation,” the source
concluded.
The Latest LCCC Bulletin For Miscellaneous Reports And News
published
on August 11-12/18
Former Canadian FM
urges Trudeau to travel to Riyadh to defuse tension
Staff writer, Al
Arabiya EnglishSaturday, 11 August 2018/Former Canadian Foreign Minister
John Byrd expressed concern on Saturday at the deterioration of relations
between Canada and Saudi Arabia, pointing out that Canada has always been a
friend and ally of the kingdom. In an interview with Al Arabiya news
channel, Byrd said that the current government in Canada adopted a policy
that has reached this level of tensions due to tweets. The former Canadian
foreign minister said that there are common interests between us, such as
the battle against Iran’s expansion in the region as well as the Muslim
Brotherhood, in addition to ISIS.He stressed that Canada should not adopt a
position against an ally and friend. He felt that differences of views must
be discussed between leaders or foreign ministers in persons and not through
sending out tweets. The former official stressed the need for direct talks
through the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visit to Riyadh to meet
with King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman .. The former Canadian
foreign minister praised the reforms in Saudi Arabia. The Guardian newspaper
reported that Canada became an isolated nation after its recent dispute with
Saudi Arabia.The newspaper based its report on the change in relations
between Washington and Ottawa after Trump became president, and with the
recent announcement by US State Department that it will not interfere
between the Kingdom and Canada. Following Canada’s recent interference in
Saudi Arabia’s internal affairs and the subsequent suspension of relations
between Riyadh and Ottawa, the policy director of former Canadian Prime
Minister Rachel Coran said that Canada has no friend in the world,
criticizing the policy of the current Canadian government. Former Canadian
Foreign Minister John Byrd had advised earlier Canadian Prime Minister
Justin Trudeau to fly to Riyadh to contain the crisis, warning of the
consequences of deteriorating relations.
Syrian Regime Recruits
‘Reconciliation Men’ to Attack Idlib Countryside
Moscow - Raed Jabr/Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 11 August,
2018/Opposition factions in the province of Idlib have been gearing up to
confront regime forces, which began recruiting new fighters from areas they
recently controlled in southern Syria. Regime forces have sent military
reinforcements to three fronts near the Shaghour Bridge, and are preparing
for an attack from the countrysides of northwestern Hama, southern Aleppo,
western Idlib and Lattakia. In preparation for such expected confrontation,
around 15 opposition groups and factions established a joint operations
room.The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said regime forces recruited
more than 3,800 persons from the countryside of Daraa and Quneitra, adding
they plan to enlist more fighters in the two provinces which they have
recently controlled through military operations and “reconciliation”
agreements. The Observatory stated that it monitored ongoing forced
conscription and the enrollment of those who are in the age of compulsory
service. Meanwhile, contacts were ongoing between Russia, Turkey and Iran,
the three guarantor states of the Astana peace process, which includes
arrangements for Idlib. Damascus is trying to reach a deal in the province
to grant amnesty to anti-Assad militants who are willing to live under the
regime’s rule and surrender their arms. Idlib, one of the last major rebel
strongholds in Syria, is located near the border with Turkey. In this
regard, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke by phone Friday with
his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and discussed the latest developments
in Syria. Prior to their conversation, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut
Cavusoglu met with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s special envoy, Mahmoud
Vaezi, in Ankara. In a separate development, Czech Foreign Minister Jan
Hamacek traveled to Damascus on Friday for talks with Syrian officials.
Hamacek’s trip is the first for a European minister visiting Syria in
several years. The Czech Republic is the only country in Europe that
maintains diplomatic relations with Syria.
Nearly 30 Civilians Dead in Heavy Bombing on North
Syria
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/August 11/18/Heavy bombardment killed nearly
30 civilians across northern Syria on Friday, a monitor said, in some of the
fiercest shelling of rebel-held areas there in months. The air strikes and
barrel bombs targeted the key opposition-held province of Idlib in Syria's
northwest and a rebel town in the adjacent province of Aleppo. Idlib is the
largest chunk of territory still in rebel hands, and President Bashar
al-Assad has warned it would be his next target. The province's southwest
was shelled heavily on Thursday and the bombing the next day "moved further
east," leaving 11 civilians dead, according to the Syrian Observatory for
Human Rights. "Air strikes by Russian warplanes and barrel bombs from Syrian
helicopters hit southern parts of Idlib province today in very heavy
shelling," Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said Friday.
"It's the most intense bombing since Idlib was declared a de-escalation zone
last year," he told AFP. The shelling left eight civilians dead in the main
town of Khan Sheikhun, and another three including a child died in nearby
Al-Tah. The White Helmets, a rescue force operating in opposition-held areas
of Syria, said its volunteers were responding to a bombing blitz on both
Khan Sheikhun and Al-Tah. A White Helmets rescuer in Khan Sheikhun told AFP
that residential districts had been hit. Hours later, air strikes pummelled
the main rebel town of Orum al-Kubra in the neighbouring province of Aleppo,
the Observatory said, without being able to immediately identify if they
were Syrian or Russian. "The death toll is now at 18 civilians including
three children, and dozens of people injured," said Abdel Rahman. Rebels
have lost swathes of the territory they once controlled in Syria to regime
forces over the last few months, including three areas that had been
designated as "de-escalation zones" last year. Assad's troops now appear to
have set their sights on the last such area, Idlib. The Britain-based
Observatory said regime reinforcements, including troops and equipment, had
been amassing around the southwestern part of Idlib for several days. But a
full-fledged assault would be devastating for the estimated 2.5 million
people living in Idlib, many of them rebels and civilians bussed out of
other areas that came back under regime control. The United Nations appealed
Thursday for talks to avert "a civilian bloodbath" in the province, which
borders Turkey. "The war cannot be allowed to go to Idlib," said Jan Egeland,
head of the UN's humanitarian taskforce for Syria. Around 60 percent of
Idlib is held by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which is led by Al-Qaeda's
former Syria affiliate. Rival factions control most of the rest, but Syrian
troops have carved out a small southeastern part. Government helicopters on
Thursday dropped leaflets over towns in Idlib's eastern countryside urging
people to surrender.
Syrian Air Defenses Engage 'Enemy Target' Near Lebanon
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/August 11/18/Syrian air defences engaged an
"enemy target" near the border with Lebanon west of Damascus overnight,
state news agency SANA reported on Saturday. "Our air defenses confronted an
enemy target that penetrated airspace above the area of Deir al-Ashair in
the Damascus countryside," SANA said. The Syrian Observatory for Human
Rights said air defences reacted to "targets aiming at regime and loyalist
positions in Deir al-Ashair" near the Lebanese border. The Britain-based
monitor, which relies on sources inside Syria for its information, did not
specify who was responsible for the attack. It said Hizbullah, which has
been backing the Damascus government in Syria's seven-year civil war, was
present in the area.The Russia-backed government often accuses Israel of
targeting its military positions. Israel has carried out numerous raids in
recent years, targeting government forces and their allies from Iran and
Hizbullah. Last week, Syrian air defenses confronted another "enemy attack"
west of Damascus. Then too the Observatory said it was unable to determine
who was responsible. Last month, Syria accused Israel of bombing a military
post in the northern province of Aleppo, where the Observatory reported at
least nine pro-regime fighters died.
One Dead in Attack on
Jordan Security Patrol
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/August 11/18/A member of Jordan's security
forces died and six were wounded when a bomb exploded under a patrol car at
a music festival near Amman, the interior ministry said Saturday. The blast
hit a security patrol in Al-Fuhais, 12 kilometres (8 miles) west of the
capital on Friday evening, it said. "It killed Sergeant Ali Adnan Qawqaza
and wounded six other members of the patrol," the ministry said, adding that
an investigation was underway into the cause of the blast. Security forces
had been deployed to protect the town's annual festival, which hosts
prominent Arab music acts. Prime Minister Omar al-Razzaz vowed that Jordan
would "not be complacent in the hunt for terrorists". "Jordan will always be
at the forefront of the fight against terrorism and obscurantist ideas which
target the lives of innocents and try to undermine security and stability,"
he said in remarks carried by the official Petra news agency. Jordan has
played a key role in the US-led coalition fighting IS in neighbouring Syria
and Iraq, using its air force and allowing coalition forces to use its
bases. The kingdom was hit by a string of jihadist attacks in 2016,
including a suicide bombing in June that killed seven guards near the border
with Syria that was claimed by IS. Months later in December a shooting
rampage, also claimed by IS, killed 10 people including a Canadian tourist.
Brazil President
Praises Al-Azhar’s Endorsement of Citizenship Values over Identity Politics
Cairo – Waleed Abdurrahman/Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 11 August,
2018/Brazilian President Michel Temer on Friday praised Al-Azhar for using
the concept of “citizenship” as an alternative term to "minority" and
"majority", at the conference it held entitled “Freedom and
Citizenship.”Temer stressed that “his country pursues this thought and there
is no distinction among citizens."He went on to express that Al-Azhar
understanding and promoting citizenship-oriented values plays an important
role in supporting humanitarian cooperation and coexistence. In March 2017,
Al-Azhar held an international conference in Cairo entitled “Freedom and
Citizenship ... Diversity and Integration” under the auspices of Egyptian
President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi. Delegations from over 50 countries
participated. During his opening speech at the conference, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar
and former president of Al-Azhar University Ahmed el-Tayeb called for
promoting “citizenship” over notions focused on identity politics. Tayeb
reiterated that Islamic jurisprudence supports concepts of citizenship.
Observers say empowering citizenship values curbs the growth of radical
fundamentalism based on monotheism and anti-diversity sentiment.
Al-Azhar backing of citizenship, freedoms, pluralism and acceptance
principles contributes to the elimination of terrorism. On the occasion of
his visit to Egypt, the Brazilian President met with Al-Azhar Deputy Sheikh
Abbas Shoman, where they discussed ways of boosting cooperation and future
communication between Al-Azhar and Brazilian institutions. Shoman explained
to Temer that Al-Azhar believes in the freedoms of belief and Islam’s
rejection of violence, extremism and terrorism. He added that the Islamic
body promotes peaceful coexistence among followers of all religions and
cultures under the banner of pluralism, citizenship and mutual respect. Al-Azhar
strives to consolidate these values through many conferences, Shoman told
Temer. The meeting also dealt with a comprehensive vision for the role of
Al-Azhar in underpinning the importance of human communication among people
and in supporting countries and institutions working to achieve values of
coexistence.
15,000 Canadians Living in ‘Safe Society’ in Saudi
Arabia
Riyadh - Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 11 August, 2018/The Saudi Foreign
Ministry announced on Friday that 15,000 Canadians were living in a “safe
society” in Saudi Arabia.It made the announcement in a tweet on its official
Twitter account, which it accompanied with an info-graphic on Canadians
residing in the Kingdom. “We respect and work with them. They are enjoying a
secure society, which we live in,” it added. “They are aware of the extent
of the advancement in the Kingdom and the Saudi society's passion for
development,” it stressed. Saudi Arabia on Sunday froze new trade with
Canada and expelled the Canadian ambassador in retaliation to Ottawa’s
meddling in its internal affairs. It also ended state-backed educational and
medical programs in Canada, making plans to relocate tens of thousands of
Saudi students and patients to other countries. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel
al-Jubeir ruled out on Wednesday the possibility of holding mediations to
resolve the diplomatic row with Canada. He said: “There is nothing to
mediate. A mistake has been made and a mistake should be corrected."The
dispute erupted when Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland tweeted
last week that she was “very concerned” about whom she called civil society
activists that were arrested in the Kingdom. She also urged Saudi
authorities to release them immediately in what the Kingdom deemed as
“flagrant meddling in its internal affairs.”
Israel Threatens Hamas with Heavy Strikes If It
Violates Ceasefire
Gaza, Tel Aviv - Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 11 August, 2018 /In response to
left-wing calls not to be pulled behind any reconciliation in Gaza, Israeli
Prime Minister ordered the army on Friday to direct the heaviest attacks
against Hamas in case the movement tries to violate the truce at the
northern and eastern outskirts of the Strip. On Thursday night, Hamas
announced that a ceasefire had been agreed upon with Israel, and was
mediated by Egypt and other regional players. However, Tel Aviv denied the
reports. A military spokesperson said: “We are not speaking about a
ceasefire but about muting shelling under the equation of “quiet would be
met with quiet.”Also, speaking with Hadashot news, an unnamed Israeli
official insisted Friday that Israel never agreed to a ceasefire. Calls
escalated Friday in the ranks of the Israeli left-wing demanding to uproot
the movement and to eliminate its leaders. On Friday, Fatah expressed its
full rejection to comments delivered by US Mideast peace envoy Jason
Greenblatt. Israelis and Palestinians should unite against the deadly threat
of Hamas, said Greenblatt in an op-ed published on CNN. "Hamas is an Islamic
fundamentalist terror organization, with funding from Iran, dedicated to the
destruction of Israel," he wrote. Meanwhile, dozens of Palestinians were
wounded Friday during protests close to the border with Israel. Known as
"the Great March of Return,” demonstrations in the eastern Gaza Strip are
part of the weekly protests and rallies that have been going on since March
30. Also on Friday, a poll published by Israeli daily Maariv said a total of
64 percent of Israeli nationals are unhappy with Netanyahu's policies in
handling the Gaza Strip violence amid ongoing rocket and arson balloon
attacks by Palestinian militants from the enclave.
U.N. Calls for
'Credible' Investigation of Yemen Bus Attack
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/August 11/18/The U.N. Security Council called
Friday for a credible and transparent investigation into the death of at
least 29 children in a Saudi-led coalition attack on a bus in Yemen. British
Ambassador Karen Pierce, who holds the council presidency, told reporters
following a closed-door meeting on Yemen that "if any investigation that is
held is not credible, the council will obviously want to review that." The
Saudi-led coalition earlier announced that it had ordered an investigation
into the air strike on Thursday that also wounded at least 48 others in the
northern rebel stronghold of Saada. The council did not order a separate
investigation but "will now consult with the U.N. and others as to how the
investigation can best be taken forward," said Pierce. The council met at
the request of five countries: Bolivia, the Netherlands, Peru, Poland, and
Sweden, which are all non-permanent council members. Kuwait, also a
non-permanent council member, is part of the Saudi-led coalition fighting
Huthi rebels in Yemen. The United States, France and Britain -- three of the
five permanent council members -- have supported the Saudi coalition in its
military campaign, but have expressed concern over the heavy toll on
civilians. Ahead of the meeting, the Netherlands had stressed that the
investigation must be independent, suggesting that the coalition's decision
to open up a probe was insufficient. "We have seen the images of children
who died," Dutch Deputy Ambassador Lise Gregoire-van Haaren told reporters.
"What is essential at this moment in time is to have a credible and
independent investigation." The council did not specify in the agreed
statement to the press that the investigation should be independent -- a
demand that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also made in a statement
condemning the attack on Thursday. Council members expressed their "great
concern" and "called for a credible and transparent investigation," Pierce
said. Since 2015, Saudi Arabia has been leading a military campaign to
restore the internationally recognized government to power and push back the
Huthis, who still hold the capital Sanaa. The war has left nearly 10,000
people dead and unleashed what the United Nations describes as the world's
worst humanitarian crisis. Huthi health minister Taha al-Mutawakel on Friday
put the death toll at 51 people, including 40 children, while warning the
number of victims could rise further.
Turkey's Lira Crisis: How Bad Can it Get?
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/August 11/18/Turks have over the last half
decade counted the rapid depreciation of the Turkish lira on the screens
outside doviz (exchange) booths with a mixture of bewilderment, alarm and
ironic amusement. The currency had spent much of 2014 hovering at just over
two to the dollar but broke through the three mark for the first time after
the 2016 failed coup bid and then slid to four earlier this year. But the
haemorrhaging reached an unprecedented intensity in the last weeks as
Turkey's ties with the United States strained further and markets questioned
their trust in Turkish policymakers, pushing the currency to five against
the dollar. A new bout of selling Friday on increased strains with the US
forced the lira over six against the dollar for the first time, with the
currency at one point shredding a quarter of its value in a single day.
Economists say that while the government may be tempted to muddle through
the current situation in the hope the external and economic background
improves, the lira's fall harbours considerable dangers for the economy, in
particular the banking system.'Tight grip on bank' -President Recep Tayyip
Erdogan's current dash for growth coupled with unorthodox pronouncements on
monetary policy -- including that lower rates can bring down inflation --
have put him on a collision course with markets. The central bank, nominally
independent but never defying Erdogan, appears to have abandoned the
conventional monetary policy of using rates hikes as a tool to support the
currency and bring down inflation. Erdogan's "tight grip" on the central
bank and the fact "higher interest rates do no fit with Turkey's economic
growth strategy" meant that the central bank has kept interest rates on
hold, Nora Neuteboom, economist at ABN Amro, told AFP.
"Erdogan's aim is to improve the economic position of households," she said,
adding the government wanted to "keep the music playing" even as external
and internal imbalances grow.
- 'Lost confidence' -After his June 24 election victory, Erdogan put his
son-in-law Berat Albayrak in charge of a newly expanded finance ministry
while a new presidential system did away with the office of prime minister,
whose last incumbent Binali Yildirim had on occasion urged caution in
economic policy. The new system also increased Erdogan's control over the
central bank, which on July 24 baffled markets by leaving rates unchanged
despite inflation that in July came in at 15.85 percent. "The markets have
lost confidence in the triumvirate of President Erdogan, his son-in-law as
finance minister and the Turkish Central Bank's ability to act as it needs
to," said Charles Robertson, global chief economist at Renaissance Capital.
According to the Capital Economics consultancy, the plunge in the lira risks
putting further pressure on the banking sector in Turkey due to the scale of
the credit boom and one third of bank lending being denominated in foreign
currencies. "If some of these vulnerabilities crystalize they could tip the
economy into a full blown crisis," said its economist Yasemin Engin. US
investment bank Goldman Sachs alarmed investors with an assessment that a
further drop in the lira to 7.1 to the dollar "could largely erode" the
excess capital of Turkish banks.
- 'Diverting attention' -As the lira tumbled in value -- with no
breakthrough in sight in the impasse with the US, sparked by the jailing of
American pastor Andrew Brunson -- the government has remained sanguine with
few comments aimed at rallying markets.
The issue has also largely stayed off the front pages of mainstream Turkish
newspapers, where critical Turkish economists are given little space,
leaving social media as the main forum of debate. "The pro-government media
is diverting attention by showing movies and series," complained Mustafa
outside an exchange booth close to Istanbul's Grand Bazaar.
The external value of the lira is not a prime concern of Erdogan's core
supporters, many of whom have no plans for foreign holidays and readily
accept government rhetoric that economic problems are caused by outsiders
seeking to weaken Turkey. "I have full confidence in this government, I'm
sure it will find a way out and reverse the trend," said Erdogan supporter
Sabahattin. - IMF or new rate hike? -Should the woes of the lira risk
feeding into a widescale economic crisis, the government still has levers at
its disposal. It could impose capital controls on forex transfers or even
call on the IMF for bailout help, although economists regard the former an
extreme measure with only marginal probability and the latter unlikely given
one of Erdogan's proudest achievements was paying off all of Turkey’s IMF
debt in 2013. But he could also swallow his pride and allow the central bank
to make an emergency rate hike as it did on May 23 one month ahead of the
elections, when a 300 basis points hike in the headline rate was announced.
"Erdogan is pragmatic," commented Neuteboom. "And if the situation continues
to deteriorate and the lira depreciation and high inflation have a too big
an impact on the economic situation -- and that is what it looks like right
now -- he will in the end give in."
US Official: Iran Test-Fires Anti-Ship Missile in
Hormuz Strait
Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 11 August, 2018/Iran test-fired a short-range
anti-ship missile in the Strait of Hormuz during last week’s naval drills, a
US official revealed on Friday. Washington believes that the military
maneuvers were aimed at sending a message as the United States reimposes
sanctions on Tehran, he added. US President Donald Trump said that his
country would re-impose sanctions against Iran during his announcement in
May of his pullout from the 2015 nuclear deal. The first phase of the
sanctions took effect on Tuesday, while the second phase will take effect on
November 4. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards confirmed on Sunday it had held war
games in the Gulf over the past several days. “It’s pretty clear to us that
they were trying to use that exercise to send a message to us that as we
approach this period of the sanctions here, that they had some
capabilities,” US Army General Joseph Votel, head of the US military’s
Central Command, said earlier this week. He said the US military was keenly
aware of Iran’s military activities. “We are aware of what’s going on, and
we remain ready to protect ourselves as we pursue our objectives of freedom
of navigation and the freedom of commerce in international waters,” Votel
stressed.
Iran Gives Most
Explicit Rejection Yet of U.S. Talks
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/August
11/18/Iran gave its most explicit rejection yet of talks with the United
States on Saturday, and accused Washington of an "addiction to sanctions"
over its latest spat with Turkey. The US reimposed harsh sanctions on Iran
on Tuesday following its May withdrawal from a landmark 2015 nuclear
agreement, dealing a heavy blow to the already troubled economy. US
President Donald Trump has offered talks on a "more comprehensive deal" but
Iran has baulked at negotiating under the pressure of sanctions and has
instead leant on its increasingly close ties with fellow US sanctions
targets Turkey and Russia. Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif was asked
by the conservative Tasnim news agency whether there was any plan to meet
with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. "No, there will be no meeting," was
the blunt response from Zarif. He said there were also no plans for a
meeting with US officials on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New
York next month, which both Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Trump are
due to attend. "On Trump's recent proposal (of talks), our official stance
was announced by the president and by us. Americans are not honest and their
addiction to sanctions does not allow any negotiation to take place," Zarif
told Tasnim.
It was Iran's most explicit rejection of talks to date, after much
speculation that economic pressure would force its leaders back to the table
with Washington or at least to engage in backroom discussions in New York. -
Stop 'bullying' Turkey -Earlier on Saturday, Zarif waded into the mounting
row between Turkey and the United States. "Trump's jubilation in inflicting
economic hardship on its NATO ally Turkey is shameful," he wrote on Twitter.
"The US has to rehabilitate its addiction to sanctions (and) bullying or
entire world will unite -- beyond verbal condemnations -- to force it to,"
he warned. "We've stood with neighbours before, and will again now."Trump
said Friday he was doubling steel and aluminium tariffs on Turkey as part of
an ongoing row over the detention of American pastor Andrew Brunson and
other issues. The tensions have fuelled a run on the Turkish lira, which
dropped 16 percent to a record low on Friday, with Trump tweeting that the
currency was sliding "rapidly downward against our very strong Dollar!"-
Rial pain -Iran too has suffered a major decline in its currency this year
-- in part due to US abandonment of the nuclear deal -- with the rial losing
more than half its value against the dollar since April.
Ironically, the rial strengthened in the two days leading up to the
reimposition of US sanctions on Tuesday, after the government announced new
foreign exchange measures giving greater freedom to trade dollars at market
rates. But there has since been a fresh decline of almost 13 percent, with
the rial at 106,200 per dollar on Saturday, according to currency tracking
website Bonbast -- approaching the record low of 119,000 that it reached on
July 31. Analysts say this is due to uncertainty in the market, with
currency traders still unsure of the new rules and struggling to access
dollars from the central bank. Zarif met repeatedly with then US secretary
of state John Kerry during the negotiation and implementation of the 2015
agreement -- but those relatively warm ties were abruptly ended when the
Trump administration came to power. Rouhani said last week that Iran "always
welcomed negotiations" but that Washington would first have to demonstrate
it can be trusted. "If you're an enemy and you stab the other person with a
knife and then you say you want negotiations, then the first thing you have
to do is remove the knife," he said in an interview on state television.
Zarif: No Plans for Meeting with US
Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 11 August, 2018/Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad
Javad Zarif ruled out on Saturday any meeting with the United States in the
near future following Washington's reimposition of sanctions on the country.
Asked by Tasnim news agency if there was any plan to meet US Secretary of
State Mike Pompeo, Zarif said: "No, there will be no meeting." He said there
were also no plans for a meeting with US officials on the sidelines of the
UN General Assembly in New York next month, which both Iranian President
Hassan Rouhani and his US counterpart Donald Trump are due to attend.
"On Trump's recent proposal (of talks), our official stance was announced by
the president and by us. Americans are not honest and their addiction to
sanctions does not allow any negotiation to take place," Zarif told Tasnim.
The US reimposed sanctions on Tuesday, following its withdrawal from the
2015 nuclear deal between Iran and major powers in May. Rouhani said last
week that Iran "always welcomed negotiations" but that Washington would
first have to demonstrate it can be trusted. "If you're an enemy and you
stab the other person with a knife and then you say you want negotiations,
then the first thing you have to do is remove the knife."
Trump and Macron Discuss Iran, Middle East
Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 11 August, 2018/US President Donald Trump spoke on
Friday with his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, and they discussed
trade, Iran and the Middle East, the White House said. "Had a very good
phone call with @EmmanuelMacron, President of France. Discussed various
subjects, in particular Security and Trade," Trump, who is vacationing at
his New Jersey golf club, said on Twitter. The two leaders discussed "a
broad range of trade and security issues, including the situation in Iran
and the broader Middle East," the White House said in a statement. The
Elysee Palace said in a brief statement the two leaders discussed Syria,
Iran and the Israel-Palestinian conflict, but did not mention trade. Trump
and Macron last met at a NATO summit in Brussels in July, where the US
president chastised members of the alliance that have not met its defense
spending targets.
Iran Kills 10 Rebels along Iraq Border
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/August 11/18/Iran's Revolutionary Guards said
Saturday they had killed at least 10 members of a "terrorist team" who
entered the country from Iraq the previous night. A statement from the
Guards' ground forces division said the attackers came through the border
area near Oshnavieh in the northwestern province of West Azerbaijan. It said
at least 10 were killed and others wounded "during a heavy clash."
"Following the dismantling of this terrorist team a considerable number of
weapons, ammunition and communication equipment were confiscated," the
statement added. Iran faces a longstanding threat from Kurdish rebels in the
area, and accuses the United States, Saudi Arabia and Israel of supporting
the insurgency.
Iran TV Accused of Muting Anti-Regime Stadium Chants
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/August 11/18/Iranians reported Saturday that
the state broadcaster had muted stadium noise during the previous evening's
football match in Tehran, in an apparent attempt to drown out
anti-government chants. Mobile phone footage shared widely on social media
showed thousands of fans in Tehran's Azadi stadium chanting "Death to the
dictator" during the fixture between the capital's Esteghlal and Tractor
Sazi from the northwestern city of Tabriz. Although the video could not be
independently verified, it coincided with a decision by state broadcaster
IRIB to mute the sound and avoid shots of the crowd. "Yesterday, when the
football was being shown, the sound in the stadium was turned down to such a
level that one would think they were playing in an alleyway," said one
Twitter user. IRIB's football commentators blamed "network disruption" for
the low volume, without giving details. "They turned down the volume so no
one could hear the slogans," said another Twitter user. Iran has seen
nationwide strikes and protests in recent weeks, focused on high prices and
unemployment but also featuring radical political slogans. The authorities
have acknowledged anger over the economic situation -- which has been
exacerbated by the United States' reimposition of sanctions on Tuesday
following its abandonment of a landmark 2015 nuclear deal. But they say any
political agitation is the work of outside instigators, fomented by the US,
Saudi Arabia and Israel. Heavy reporting restrictions and reports of mobile
internet black-outs in affected areas have made it difficult to verify
claims by the authorities and on social media.
UN envoy Griffiths: Saudi Arabia has legitimate right
to secure its borders
Badr al-Qahtani, Asharq Al-Awsat/August 11/ 2018/
United Nations
special envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths realizes that several doubts cloud
the Iran-backed Houthis’ political pledges. Any Yemeni opponent of the group
agrees with these doubts and believes that the Houthis do not even know the
meaning of peace, citing the nearly 15 years of wars waged in their country.
Griffiths, however, said that he received pledges from the militias and will
leave it up to the September 6 consultations in Geneva to reveal exactly
what these pledges mean to them. The third UN envoy to Yemen in seven years
told Asharq Al-Awsat that his ultimate goal from the consultations was to
reach a signed agreement on forming a national unity government and making
security arrangements. In a series of emails to Asharq Al-Awsat, he
explained that the General People’s Congress (GPC) and southerners must be
part of the political process in Yemen. Griffiths, who assumed his position
in March, is hoping to reach a swift settlement to the conflict based on
previous negotiations rounds. He explained that a settlement will not lead
to peace, but stop the war in Yemen.
Disappointment
Griffiths expressed his disappointment over how some people use the media to
make polarizing statements. His duty, he explained, was to find a middle
ground between the rival parties. This is the role of a mediator, not a
negotiator, he clarified. The solution will come from the Yemenis
themselves, not the mediator or anyone else. He said that he, along with the
UN, were there to help the parties reach this solution. The envoy reiterated
statements he had made at the UN Security Council in which he said that the
Yemenis have to live with people they do not like, meaning that
condemnations against them should stop. Building peace means that each side
needed to respect the other and their different views, instead of denouncing
and condemning them. It is important to reach an agreement on using the
media to build alliances instead of condemning enemies, Griffiths said,
while adding that he seeks to build hope and goodwill among the Yemenis. He
also explained that he tries not to speak ill of any of the warring sides
because they are all needed for the solution to the conflict. He revealed
that some sides urge him to condemn this side or that, but he always
refuses. He instead highlighted what he called one of his best assets: His
ability to listen. By listening, he elaborated, he will be able to find
common ground, not causes for division, among the parties.
Peace process
The September 6 consultations in Geneva will kick off from many good and bad
lessons learned from previous rounds of talks held in Biel, Geneva and
Kuwait, Griffiths told Asharq Al-Awsat. He added that he also took many
lessons from his meetings with several Yemenis, diplomats and leaders in the
past few months. The main goal, he remarked, was to reach an agreement
between the Yemeni government and the Houthis on several central issues that
would stop the war and lead to a national unity government that brings
together all sides. This will demand a signed agreement by all concerned
parties. The deal must include the establishment of a political transition
period and a unity government based on Security Council resolution 2216. It
will also demand security arrangements whereby all armed groups would
withdraw from their locations and lay down their weapons.
The woman, South and GPC
Resolution 2216 calls for comprehensive political dialogue, stressed
Griffiths. This includes bringing in the Yemeni woman to take part in the
consultations because of the important role she can play in finding middle
ground and prioritizing peace. The people of the South should also be part
of this process, he added, noting that the situation there had changed. They
should be part of the future of Yemen and not be ignored. The political
parties, specifically the GPC, should also be part of this process. Most of
the parties are represented in the Yemeni government or among the Houthis,
but not all of them. Options must be available to find a way to include them
in the peace process, said Griffiths. He hoped that a swift settlement based
on all previous rounds of negotiations can be reached. The end of the war
will first and foremost allow Yemeni families and children to end their
reliance on humanitarian aid. It will also include a transition process that
will lead to peace. The settlement, he stated, will not build peace, but end
the war. Peacebuilding, he continued, will take some time and will include
other parties besides the ones concerned with ending the war.
Difference between consultations and talks
At the moment, continued Griffiths, consultations are being held to set the
stage for negotiations. Consultations are an official process. Consultations
do not necessarily need to be held face-to-face between parties, but they
are still possible. Talks are the official process between parties and are
held one-on-one in order to reach a settlement, the UN envoy added. Talks
will be held once consultations are complete. He stated that Geneva was
chosen for the September consultations because it is a neutral location.
Doubts over Houthi commitments
Griffiths told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Houthis, including their leader
Abdulmalek al-Houthi, had expressed to him their willingness to return to
the negotiations table. In fact, he revealed that they had criticized him
for being slow in calling parties to the table. The UN envoy said that he
was very pleased to hear that the Houthis were committed to holding
negotiations to reach a solution. He revealed that they even told him that
they are aware of what was needed to reach this settlement. He acknowledged
the doubts that surround these claims, saying that the Geneva consultations
will reveal what the Houthis truly mean by “commitment.”As for the Yemeni
government, Griffiths said that President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi was a good
interlocutor, as were the prime minister and foreign minister. They asserted
to the envoy their complete understanding of what was required during this
process.
The settlement demands that the exclusive right to carry arms be limited to
one side and that is the new Yemeni government that will be formed from this
process. All armed groups must, therefore, be disbanded. This will take time
and it is no secret that this is what is being demanded, Griffiths said.
Both sides are aware of this.
Saudi Arabia, the Gulf and Red Sea
Addressing Saudi Arabia, he remarked that the Kingdom has a legitimate right
to see its borders secured and stable. It territory should not be targeted
and the UN is based on such principles. No country must play a role in
determining Yemen’s future. This is up for the Yemenis to decide, he
stressed. He also revealed that everyone he had met, including officials in
Saudi Arabia, had underlined this principle to him. Furthermore, Saudi
Arabia is not the only side that has an interest in seeing a stable Yemen.
Europe has a major interest in ensuring safe trade through the Red Sea. This
is very important, noted Griffiths. Stability in Yemen does not concern the
Yemenis alone, but a solution there is very strategic. Should the situation
in the country deteriorate, Griffiths warned that that would lead to a
greater threat from terrorism and extremism given that al-Qaeda and ISIS are
already present there. This will pose a greater risk to trade. On this note,
he highlighted the recent rapprochement between Ethiopia and Eritrea, which
he said presents a major opportunity for the Red Sea to play a greater role
on the trade and environmental levels. Yemen should play a primary role in
this issue. Moreover, Griffiths remarked that stability in Yemen, regardless
of the outcome of the negotiations, would not be possible without economic
relations with the Arab Gulf. Yemen’s economy, income, stability and living
conditions will be based on reconstruction and trade with its neighbors.
This is how real peace is established: By making sure that neighbors need
each other. They should not fear or fight each other, he stressed.
No guarantees without a will
Observers on Yemen always wonder about the future. What will happen if an
agreement were reached on everything? What guarantees that the Houthi
militias will not betray their partners like they did in December when they
turned against Ali Abdullah Saleh, the former president who went against
them. Griffiths said that everyone should know that the only real guarantee
for any agreement is the will of all sides. The Security Council could offer
guarantees, or even sanctions, but if the sides do not want the operation to
succeed, then it will not. Many people say that solutions must be imposed,
but Griffiths stressed that efforts are being made to reach an agreement.
Agreements are voluntary, not imposed.
Southern issue
The UN envoy said that it was necessary for the residents of the South to be
aware of what will take place at the consultations, and later the
negotiations, because it will affect them. The future of the South will not
be addressed at Geneva in September. It will be discussed during the
transition period. This was explained to the southerners, he revealed, and
they were in agreement over it. As a UN envoy, said Griffiths, he believes
in the sovereignty, unity and security of any country. These are the values
of the UN. It does not support separatism unless it was part of a consensual
agreement. He stressed that he believes in the importance of the unity of
Yemen, saying its separation will be a disaster.
The Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis & editorials from miscellaneous
sources published
on August 11-12/18
Four
Ways to Counter Russia’s Social-Media Warfare
James Stavridis/Bloomberg/August 11/18
In the fall of 2011, when I was NATO'S top military commander, we were
prosecuting a vigorous air campaign against the forces of Libyan dictator
Muammar Qaddafi, called Operation Unified Protector. Earlier that year
Qaddafi had threatened to attack noncombatant civilians in Libya, so the
U.N. Security Council authorized NATO to conduct the strikes while also
placing an arms embargo on the nation. We eventually launched more than
25,000 air sorties in a remarkably successful tactical campaign, although a
lack of follow-up action led to continued strategic challenges and general
instability across the nation.
In late October, I chose to announce the end of hostilities on Twitter. As I
did so, it struck me that this was the first time social media had been used
to announce the end of a major conflict. I felt it was a sensible use of
worldwide networks -- providing immediate global awareness and ensuring that
the information was passed simultaneously to friends, foes and noncombatants
alike. I also thought it was a harbinger of good: a tactical system used
with appropriate purpose in a way that would have positive effect.
Flash forward to 2016. As we are discovering now through the diligent work
of special counsel Robert Mueller, those same social networks were used by
Russia to target the U.S. elections, seeking to influence the outcome in
favor of the Kremlin’s choice, Donald Trump. Largely through Facebook and
Twitter, Russia was able to build an army of bots, push messages of
division, create false narratives and aggressively attack U.S. democracy. It
was a bold move directed by Vladimir Putin, in effect turning social media
into a significant weapon of war. And it continues -- top U.S. intelligence
professionals announced at a hastily arranged White House press conference
last week that “the lights are blinking red.”
If, as Clausewitz said, war is the continuation of politics “by other
means,” today’s use of the social networks makes possible a new way to
influence politics, and thus gain advantage in conflict between states. This
creates a new, dangerous face of war against which we must be prepared to
respond. What are the implications for the U.S.? Are we prepared to operate
in this grey zone of conflict?
First, Americans should recognize that the long history of warfare is
largely about the balance between offensive and defensive capabilities.
England's offensive long-range archers were able to overcome the defensive
armor of French knights at the Battle of Cressy in 1346, for example.
Aircraft operating from the decks of carriers were able to offensively
overcome the heavy armor plating of battleships in World War II. Defensive
ballistic missile air-defense systems are being used to defend cities from
offensive long-range attacks today in Saudi Arabia and Israel. Offense and
defense continually trade places as technology and tactics shift.
What is so striking about the use of social networks in conflict is that
they have rapidly transitioned from providing advantage to rebellions and
insurgents -- as in the dramatic case of the Arab Spring or the European
“color revolutions,” where they were used extensively to organize mass
protests -- to aiding authoritarian regimes. From Syria to Iran to North
Korea, repressive states are applying them offensively to attack enemies
both internally and internationally. And Russia’s employing them against the
U.S. is the most dramatic example of it unfolding between superpowers.
Using social networks is fundamentally different than cyberwarfare, which
uses the internet and streams of code to attack and disrupt networks engaged
in logistics, transportation, finance, health care, command-and-control and
other key infrastructure. That is certainly another relatively new and
distinctive face of battle. But the use of social networks in conflict is
far less understood and the U.S. has struggled to defend itself. We must
react. Peter Singer, a noted futurist and military analyst, writes
convincingly about this phenomenon in his forthcoming book, “LikeWar: The
Weaponization of Social Media.” (He is also the co-author of the novel
"Ghost Fleet," which offers a terrifyingly realistic vision of a war between
the U.S. and China.)
Singer and others have made the case that the U.S. has much work to do in
order to operate in these shadow zones of the social networks. I would start
with four concrete steps.
First, we need much better public-private cooperation. Facebook, Twitter and
the other major social networks should have government liaisons assigned
from the National Security Agency, FBI and Department of Homeland Security
to assist them in monitoring and responding to such attacks.
Second, we need to develop better technical defenses that can detect bots
and propaganda and the work of fake-news mills in real time and stifle them.
These technologies must be jointly created by both government and private
sector actors. Congress can help by driving legislation that encourages
this. Such laws should provide both incentives for cooperation (perhaps
through tax credits) and sanctions (fines for instances of flagrant
non-enforcement).
Third, we need to be more adept at revealing the nature and extent of such
attacks when they occur and publicizing them. We should use international
organizations (the Security Council, NATO, the Organization of American
States, etc.) to shine a spotlight on the use of the networks offensively to
shame the abusers. Joint statements from an alliance or regional
organization carry much more weight than any single nation's complaints.
Fourth, we need to be willing to use more aggressive and potentially public
responses when we are attacked. General Paul Nakasone, who heads both the
National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command, said recently that he had
"guidance" from Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on responding to foreign
meddling. But it's unclear what that guidance was, or what sort of
retaliation has already occurred beyond the indictments of some of the
Russian operatives (none of whom are likely to be turned over to the U.S.
justice system).
The U.S. should be considering using the social networks in a proportional
way against Russia if it does not cease and desist -- perhaps by revealing
corruption and overseas wealth held by senior Russian leaders. This has been
done to an extent, but needs to be deepened to include Putin specifically.
It should also be done creatively on social networks with evocative images
of villas, yachts and Italian suits.
Clearly, the use of the social networks will play a role for both good and
ill in the conduct of politics and, when politics become strained, will be a
tool with which nations will continue the conflict in this shadow zone.
Tweeting the end of a war as I did blithely in 2011, or watching happily
while democracy triumphed in Ukraine in 2005, are all well and good; but
Americans need to understand and be ready to respond more efficiently and
forcefully when the power of the social networks is turned against the U.S.
The lights are blinking red indeed.
Europe: Prayer in Public Spaces
Giulio Meotti/Gatestone Institute/August 11/18
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/12568/europe-public-prayer
These Arab countries know better than Europe that to contain Islamic
fundamentalism, it is crucial to control the street.
That 140,000 Muslims recently gathered in England for a public prayer event
organized by a mosque known for its extremism and links to jihadi
terrorists, should not only alarm the British authorities, but those in
other European countries as well.
A few months ago, a global media tempest erupted after Polish Catholics held
a mass public prayer event across the country. The BBC deemed it
"controversial", due to "concerns it could be seen as endorsing the state's
refusal to let in Muslim migrants".
The same controversy, however, did not erupt in Britain when 140,000 Muslims
prayed in Birmingham's Small Heath Park, in an event organized by the Green
Lane Mosque to mark the end of Ramadan.
France is debating whether or not to block prayer on the street. "They will
not have prayers on the street, we will prevent street praying" Interior
Minister Gerard Collomb announced.
"Public space cannot be taken over in this way", said the president of the
Paris regional council, Valérie Pécresse, who led a protest by councilors
and MPs. In Italy, hundreds of Muslims prayed next to Colosseum, and Muslim
prayers were held in front of Milan's Cathedral.
The numbers are telling. When Muslims throughout Europe celebrated the final
day of Islam's holy month of Ramadan with public prayers, city squares --
from Naples (Italy) to Nice (France) -- overflowed. The annual Birmingham
event began in 2012 with 12,000 faithful. Two years later, the number of the
faithful rose to 40,000. In 2015, it was 70,000. In 2016, the number was
90,000. In 2017, it was 100,000. In 2018, the number was 140,000. Next year?
"While the two [local] churches are nearly empty, the Brune Street Estate
mosque has a different problem — overcrowding," noted The Daily Mail,
exposing the situation in London.
"The mosque itself is little more than a small room rented in a community
centre, and it can hold only 100. However, on Fridays, those numbers swell
to three to four times the room's capacity, so the worshippers spill out
onto the street, where they take up around the same amount of space as the
size of the near-empty St Mary's [Church] down the road".
Public prayer is not a "normal" manifestation of the legitimate Western
freedom of worship. Through these public events, some extremist Muslims seem
to be presenting an alternative to Europe's secularism.
How does this compare to the Middle East and North Africa? In Tunisia,
praying in the street has been banned. And in Egypt, preaching from 20,000
"storefront mosques" was banned throughout Ramadan. "Salafis and Muslim
Brotherhood members took control of many of these mosques and have continued
to use them as platforms to broadcast their religious misconceptions," Jaber
Taya, spokesman of Egypt's Ministry of Religious Endowments, said. These
Arab countries know better than Europe that to contain extremism, it is
crucial to control the street.
In Birmingham, one of England's most Islamized cities, the annual mass
public prayer has taken place under the leadership of the Green Lane Mosque,
headquarters of the radical Markali Jamat Ahi Hadith organization, which is
affiliated with the supposedly "moderate" Muslim Council of Britain. Not
only does the Green Lane Mosque forbid women to wear trousers or use
Facebook; its speakers preach hatred for non-Muslims. Abu Usamah, one of the
primary imams at the mosque, was recorded saying, "Osama Bin Laden, he's
better than a thousand Tony Blairs, because he's a Muslim"; "Allah has
created the woman, even if she gets a PhD, deficient. Her intellect is
incomplete"; and advocating that homosexuals should be "thrown off"
mountains.
An report in the French newspaper Le Figaro concluded:
"Birmingham is England's second-largest city after London. It has nearly a
million inhabitants, half of whom are immigrants, with a quarter Muslims. In
the very popular Small Heath neighborhood, located east of the city center,
nearly 95 percent of the population is Muslim.
"The many mosques here offer a very wide range of practices ranging from
Sufism to the most radical Salafism, such as the Salafi Mosque... Some shops
display different closing times corresponding to those of daily prayers...
"The bookstores are religious. Travel agencies guarantee 'Muslim-friendly'
holidays with destinations where clients – especially female clients -- have
access to hotels with gender-segregated areas and swimming pools where women
can bathe while 'preserving their modesty'".
It may not be a coincidence that many British jihadists have come from
Birmingham, which has been called "the jihadist capital of Britain". The
French magazine L'Obs published an investigative report about French
Islamists moving to Birmingham to enjoy a freer and more multicultural
environment.
That 140,000 Muslims recently gathered in England for a public prayer event
organized by a mosque known for its extremism and links to jihadi
terrorists, should not only alarm the British authorities, but those in
other European countries as well.
It may not be a coincidence that many British jihadists have come from
Birmingham, which has been called "the jihadist capital of Britain."
Pictured: Birmingham Central Mosque, in Birmingham, England. (Image source:
Oosoom/Wikimedia Commons)
**Giulio Meotti, Cultural Editor for Il Foglio, is an Italian journalist and
author.
© 2018 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here
do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone
Institute. No part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be
reproduced, copied or modified, without the prior written consent of
Gatestone Institute.
Features of weakness in Tehran’s ‘crescent’
Hazem al-Amin/Al Arabiya/August 11/18
It is not difficult to notice fissures emerge in the so-called “Shiite
crescent” that reached its acme in 2016 and became almost full in 2017,
after deterring ISIS in Iraq and after the Syrian regime restored Aleppo.
In Syria, Moscow leads the scene. It has struck a major deal with Israel,
keeping Tehran and Shiite militias away from Israeli borders to a distance
that may have reached 100 kilometers. Moscow has also promised to enforce
order and mediate talks between Ankara and the Kurds and has talked about
projects for reconstruction of Syria and is sending messages of reassurance
in more than one direction. One can suppose that all this is taking place at
the expense of the Iranian position in Syria.
It is obvious that Tehran has started to lose its eminence in its relation
with the ruling Shiite elite in Iraq, although it’s still early to judge the
path of receding Iranian influence in post-Saddam Iraq. Angry demonstrations
in South Iraq over the performance of the ‘Shiite’ authority and Tehran’s
inability to control them and the absence of an Iranian initiative to
provide Iraq with electricity are all indicators, not that it lost its
position in Iraq but that this position has been shaken and that this is
likely to keep happening as long as its Iraqi “governments” continue to
fail.
Tehran has lost its position as a source of trust that makes the Iraqi
Shiite feel he is an extension of a regional power at the political,
sectarian and economic levels. The collapse of the Iranian currency is a
disaster for the Iraqi depositors in Iranian banks. The banking system in
the Islamic Republic is no longer a dependable institution for Shiite Iraqi
depositors who have lost half of their wealth due to US sanctions on Tehran.
The banking system in the Islamic Republic is no longer a dependable
institution for Iraqi depositors who have lost half of their wealth
Lebanon is the last country where we might expect such indicators because
the tool of Tehran’s influence, represented by Hezbollah, remains the most
coherent and the most capable of confronting this new Iranian weakness.
However, this does not stop us from observing the Lebanese scene in light of
the regional changes.
Hezbollah has increased its involvement in Lebanon’s internal situation on a
daily basis. The group has become less “generous” with its affiliates and
with the circles of those who benefit from it. Indicators in Beqaa suggest
that Hezbollah is before a crisis due to depriving people there of basic
services. In southern Lebanon, there are signs of a similar hardship as a
result of the Shiite alliance’s monopoly of the Shiite share in the state.
We should not wait for an uprising against Hezbollah, as the latter is still
the only Shiite force in Lebanon, but this does not mean that unrest is not
a sign of weakness which source is Tehran.
What is more important than these signs of fissures is what is happening
within Iran itself. Demonstrations in cities continue as a result of the
economic collapse and the decline of the currency’s value to unprecedented
levels. According to semi-official reports, there are about one million
Iranians who are not employed, a drastic rise in prices of goods and food
products and collapse in almost all of the economic sectors as a result of
the first round of US sanctions, which are expected to be augmented by more
powerful ones.
It seems that this time Tehran is facing internal challenges that have begun
to disrupt its regional task. However, this fissure, like any other, has
shock waves which call for prudence before when rushing to celebrate the
idea that this Iranian crescent system has been shaken. Some communities
will not be able to survive the consequences of this collapse, and we are
prepared for more civil wars in the wake of new collapses.
What do attacks on seminaries indicate for Iran?
Amal Abdulaziz Al–Hazani/Al Arabiya/August 11/18
On August 7, the re-imposed US economic sanctions on Iran came into effect.
The move ended a three-month period given by the Trump administration to
foreign companies to cut their business ties with Iran, which they developed
after signing the nuclear deal in the summer of 2015. From the US point of
view, the three month period was sufficient for foreign companies,
especially European ones, to wind up their businesses and leave Iran.
Economy nosedives
At present, sanctions have been imposed on cars, coal, gold, metal and
banking transactions, and they will be followed in November with sanctions
on energy trade. The Europeans tried “to hold the stick from the middle”,
soothe Iranian fear on one hand and forge an understanding with the
Americans on another in order to protect their companies which sealed major
deals inside Iran - just as they had in the 1990s when sanctions were
imposed on Libya after the bombing of Pan Am Flight and on Iran after the
American hostage situation. In the end, the Europeans will not risk losing
the US market to Iran, and they will eventually have to deal with the
situation, and this has practically began by freezing their companies’
businesses and then exiting Iran. The Iranian currency has declined as the
riyal plunged to reach 102,000 riyals against the dollar, and there are
expectations of a further precipitous fall in the days ahead. Meanwhile,
popular protests in Iranian cities have again taken center-stage. In
December 2017, popular protests had become so bold that they started
targeting the person of the Supreme Leader of Iran, his position and
integrity with hateful insults. He was accused of corruption by the people,
who for the first time became openly critical of the policies he dragged the
country into since he’s the head of the regime. In protests before 2017 and
after the Khomeinist revolution, the Supreme Leader was never targeted by
protesters for a variety of reasons. The Supreme Leader’s post was generally
kept away from political squabbles and out of all protests or anger
manifestations, but this "taboo" was overcome and accusations of
dictatorship have now been made via graffiti and echoed by protestors in
different cities in Iran for several months. At the beginning of the
demonstrations, a Hawza (seminary for training clerics) was attacked and
burned in the city of Turkestan in the province of Qazvin in northwestern
Iran. Attacking a seminary does not indicate opposition to religion, but an
expression of anger against the theocratic regime and all its tools.
Attack on seminaries
The incident was then seen as an unintentional act of anger, but the same
thing happened few days later when hundreds of protesters tried to enter and
burn a Hawza in the Karaj area near the capital Tehran. It would be
understandable if people attack state institutions which they complain of
their policies considering they are a direct party in the crisis. However,
attacking the person of the Supreme Leader and religious schools is a return
to the root of the problem which Iranian youths understand well, and which
is that the revolution had created an aura of righteousness around the
person of the Supreme Leader and had placed him above any accountability or
reproach and allowed clergymen to seize power. Attacking Hawzas (seminaries)
does not indicate opposition to religion, but it is an expression of anger
against the theocratic regime and all its tools, whether figures or
institutions. Anyone who understands the system of governance in Iran knows
that challenging the status of the Supreme Leader or the religious policy is
a watershed in Iranian society. Those who do not fear jumping over the
fences of social prohibitions are people who have acquired bravery and lost
patience and are thus pushed to achieve their goals without any fear or
hesitations. Even among the general public, this new phenomena can shake the
status of religious symbols and diminish the respect they have for them as
they realize that these symbols which they have known to be strong for
decades, can be scratched and now face the threat of breaking more than any
time ever. Religion has a high status in Iranian society with its different
races but they believe that the ruling class has long exploited religion to
preserve its social and financial gains, and that this class has transformed
this strong country that’s rich with resources into a weak one that has a
bad reputation and that is punished by economic boycott.
Unsettling portents
It is therefore not true to claim that US sanctions will strengthen the
position of the conservatives and their institutions, especially the Iranian
Revolutionary Guards, against President Hassan Rouhani, since conservatives
were against the nuclear deal. Although the conservatives and even the
Supreme Leader expressed their discontent with the nuclear agreement, they
were in fact very happy about it and they celebrated signing it and they
even paved the way for this deal by inaugurating a moderate figure who can
be welcomed by the West as a negotiator. On another hand, these calculations
no longer weigh anything in the street as the Iranians are no longer
preoccupied with political currents. They are living in the center of events
which repercussions directly affect their lives on a daily basis. Their
fears are growing amid news that the president has dismissed the head of the
central bank and that the parliament will hold a special session to question
Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on the failure of the nuclear
agreement. Zarif had celebrated this nuclear deal from the balcony of his
residence in Geneva in front of journalists by waving a copy of the
agreement signed at the time. All these factors will restrict the regime and
inflame the internal situation which is already very critical, and with
re-imposition of sanctions in the near future, the regime will have few
options left and it will face one of the most severe crises since the
revolution.
How were Iraq’s oil revenues robbed in the name of
religion?
Adnan Hussein/Al Arabiya/August 11/18
Many people are surprised how Iraq, the second-largest oil producer after
Saudi Arabia in OPEC and the fourth-largest international energy producer,
cannot generate enough electricity for its own consumption. Instead, the
country is currently facing a severe shortage as the national grid for
electricity cannot supply power for more than eight hours a day during the
hot months of the Iraqi summer.What’s even more surprising is that the
Iraqis are also suffering from a severe shortage of water for drinking and
irrigation purposes, despite the fact that the country has two large rivers,
the Tigris and the Euphrates, and which were the reason of the rise of three
of the greatest civilizations in human history, the Sumerian, Babylonian and
the Abbasid civilizations.
The ‘loot’ of government revenues
Unlike others, the Iraqis are not surprised at all as they can see with
their eyes how billions of dollars from monthly oil revenues, millions of
dollars in taxes and customs fees and others sources of government revenue
have vanished from the state treasury.
The misfortune of Iraq which has been aggravating for over a decade and a
half is not limited to electricity and water shortages. The public services
system (healthcare, education, housing, transportation, sanitation, etc.) is
almost completely collapsed while the poverty rate is over 30% and
unemployment is at 20%. All of this has pushed the Iraqis to hold angry
protests like what’s currently happening. During the popular protests, the
slogan of "combating administrative and financial corruption" has been the
foremost among all public demands which have now raised the ceiling to
calling for radical political and administrative change to ensure that the
state and its federal and local apparatuses are led by competent and
impartial figures who know how to invest in Iraq's great financial resources
for the development and welfare of the community and that do not loot public
funds. The current damage is due to looting public funds quite smoothly
without any fear of being punished. Those looting this money are leaders and
cadres in ruling parties (mostly Islamic) who are protected and whose
leaders are aware of their corruption.
Diverting public funds to parties
In a number of hearings held to question ministers and other senior
executives at the Parliament, which term ended around five weeks ago, the
existence of a number of "economic committees" came into public eye. These
bodies were responsible for the loot of public money and were formed by
influential parties in the state to work with ministers, heads of
institutions, general managers of state departments, governors and
provincial councils. It is well known that these executive posts are divided
among these parties according to the quota system, which offers each party a
number of positions in line with the size of its representation in the
federal Parliament, the Kurdistan Regional Parliament and the provincial
councils. People holding these positions have a duty towards their parties
and which is to provide money these “economic committees” and which is taken
in the form of bribes (commissions) paid by companies and contractors who
were given public project contracts. Usually, these large commissions (worth
millions of dollars) are often transferred to personal accounts or to
fictitious companies outside of Iraq. Most of these officials receive bribes
and have become millionaires who possess plenty of property within a few
years. Heinous and shocking details have been revealed in this context
through periodic reports of the Integrity Commission and the parliamentary
Integrity and Finance Committees. Political parties have provided protection
to these corrupt people and safeguarded them from punishment and
accountability. As a result, hundreds of important development projects have
been adversely affected. The people who give and receive bribes, often
divide the financial allocations for these projects, leaving mere pennies
for the execution of the projects. The money acquired by this method is used
by the parties to reinforce their influence in the state by gaining more
members, supporters and by winning votes in parliamentary and local
elections. This has in fact been a major looting operation that’s popularly
known as “Farhud”. It has now been established that there are hundreds of
billions of dollars looted from state revenues that are still missing.
Before his death in late 2015, head of the former parliamentary finance
committee MP Ahmad Jalabi announced that funds unaccounted for are over $300
billion, whereas other sources estimated the funds at $500 billion.
According to other data, some of these funds have been transferred to Iran
which was in desperate need of foreign money after economic sanctions were
imposed by the United States and other countries.
A dismal situation
Last month, the Central Bank of Iraq (CBE) announced in a report that the
total revenue in foreign currency over the years 2005- 2017 reached $706.23
billion. A few days later, a member of the Finance Committee in the former
parliament Magda Tamimi said that the revenues of Iraq since 2004 until
mid-2018 amounted to 1,032 trillion and 207 billion dinars ($900 billion).
These two astronomical figures did not positively impact the Iraqis. Critics
of the current and former governments always criticize them by arguing that
they did not build any factories and dams or developed agricultural
projects, let alone a major freeway or a new international airport (apart
from the Najaf airport which is controlled by five Islamic parties that
dominate the provincial council of Najaf and which the Baghdad government
has not been able to control until after protestors stormed it last month
demanding to change its corrupt partisan administration, and this is what
happened). One of the greatest ironies is that all major economic projects
and plans related to services are the work of previous regimes. As a matter
of fact the post 2003-governments have not even been able to repair these
projects. This is the tip of the iceberg of the shocking conditions facing
Iraq and angering the people against the powerful political class and the
entire political process. The public outrage also extends to the Unites
States and Britain which led the process of arranging this political process
and handed it over to Islamist groups which protestors are speaking out
against and chanting: “In the name of religion, the looters have robbed us.”
The Arab route to China
Radwan al-Sayed/Al Arabiya/August 11/18
During his recent visit to the UAE, the Chinese president signed 13
agreements and memorandums of understanding. Although, the number agreements
signed is in itself large, the more important thing was the president’s
keenness to personally visit the country for forging strategic Sino-Arab
relations to create friendly ties, a developmental approach and usher in a
new thinking for the future.
This is the Arab route to China. I haven’t come up with this phrase but it’s
actually by Toby Huff, the author of the book ‘The Rise of Early Modern
Science: Islam, China and the West’. According to history, trade and
cultural exchange on the Silk Route between China and the Arab world was
rich and dangerous. There are two things which many historians have noticed
and noted.
The Maritime Silk Route
Chinese officials visited the Caliphate’s seat only twice in the 4th century
of the Hijri calendar. Communication was through trade missions over the
course of 15 centuries and up until the 16th century AD.
But how was this possible? This is where the second point is, and it’s the
Arab route which Huff noted. According to the book ‘The Eritrean Sea’ (The
Red Sea) for an anonymous writer who was a sailor and which is from the 2nd
century AD, Arab sailors and traders from the Arabian Peninsula shores
always went to China through the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea, the Indian Ocean
and then the China Sea. This route was taken to circumvent different
countries blocking the land route.
The Arab-Chinese naval and inland peaceful route maintained its vitality
until the 16th century when it was disrupted in sea and later on land by
Portuguese, Spanish, British and French fleets.
Thus, they were the pioneers of the ‘Sea Silk Route,’ they then became the
pioneers of inland Silk Route after the emergence of Islam and the expansion
of its horizons as countries, civilizations, trades and interests till China
borders. There were no longer any land obstacles.
Although the Chinese official missions were few on China’s side, it was not
so from the Arab side. The world before the 16th century had no description
of China and its territories and its palaces other than the descriptions
made by Arab geographers and Arab travelers.
The Arab-Chinese naval and inland peaceful route maintained its vitality
until the 16th century when it was disrupted in sea and later on land by
Portuguese, Spanish, British and French fleets. It was the Europeans who
exited the partnership of the three civilizations then completely disrupted
it.
It did not occur to Arab and Chinese traders to use arms on their sea or
land trade routes. The Portuguese were the first to do so for the purpose of
monopolizing trade with India and China and then for the purpose of
colonization. Until the 17th century, Arabic was the first language for
trade on the sea and inland Silk Route, followed by the Persian and Turkish
languages.
The Kantian approach
Since the 16th century, we (Arabs) have had no free way of communication
with India and China. The only way has been the European way and finally the
American one. The only way to progress was by engaging in war. This war
began with competition between European powers, then turned into
distribution in the colonial times and beyond. We and the Chinese fell
victims on the naval Silk Road then on the inland Silk Road as their
significance for mutual interest and communication decreased then eventually
disappeared.
As the US threatens China and Europe with trade war, China is offering
Arabs, Africans and Asians with another approach which the whole world had
almost forgotten: exchanges at all levels: trade, technology, culture and
communication.
A German professor told me: “What China is offering you Arabs is the Kantian
peace approach! German philosopher Kant had a vision entitled perpetual
peace. (In his book published in 1795,) he imagined states without armies,
with a peace charter between them for free and comprehensive exchanges”. He
added: “The immense Chinese advancement project was not built and did not
succeed in its surroundings and in the world thanks to war but thanks to
exchange without conditions. China has not even resorted to force to try and
restore the Chinese regions and islands which others seized despite its
ability to do so!
Through its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China is offering a bilateral
and optional charter of developmental exchange, without discrimination.
Despite its interest in exporting goods, China encourages and contributes to
technological and agricultural development wherever it goes. The Europeans
and Americans are not pleased with this approach which they view as Chinese
seizure!
An Arab route has been built to China based on strategic interests at all
levels. The UAE and Kuwait feature prominently on this road and will be
followed by other Arab countries.
It is said: “Seek knowledge even as far as China.” And now three things are
happening simultaneously: Chinese knowledge, Chinese development and close
proximity now that the world became one global village!