The Middle East articles from January 2004

The Middle East archives from January 2004

Comment.(Editorial)
January 1, 2004... The Nobel peace prize winner Shirin Ebadi has agreed to represent the family of a murdered Canadian journalist of Iranian origin, Zahra Kazemi. Fifty-four year old Kazemi died in July, after being detained for about three weeks for taking...

Sharon under fire.(Current Affairs)
January 1, 2004... THE ARROGANCE AND INTRANSIGENCE of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is beginning to test even the patience of formerly staunch supporters both at home and abroad. More than 300 Israelis and Palestinians gathered in Geneva last month in the...

The Geneva accord.(Current Affairs)
January 1, 2004... In a replay of the Fanf2are of a decade ago, when the world watched historic enemies, nudged by all American president, shake hands and bury the hatcher, former US leader, Jimmy Carter, and other world figures, looked on once again at the...

The US democrats and Palestine.(Current Affairs)
January 1, 2004... Any hopes that George W. Bush's Democratic opponent in the 2004 presidential election might prove a more balanced mediator in the Arab-Israeli conflict seem to have been dispelled in recent months, as the leading candidates for the party's...

Iraqi update: the situation in Iraq is on the brink of success or disaster ... depending on who you speak to in Baghdad.(Current Affairs)
January 1, 2004... After a month of disorder and heavy US casualties in Iraq, the whole project appeared to be on the edge of-total disaster. Iraq is on the brink of failure or success, depending on who you talk to when you arrive in Baghdad, by land that is....

On a dream & a prayer: illegal immigration is an international problem which continues to confound governments and claim lives. James Badcock reports on how Morocco is attempting to deal with the issue.(Current Affairs)
January 1, 2004... The narrow strip of sea, known in English as the Strait of Gibraltar is only 11 miles across at some points. Riding the ferry westwards front Spanish Algeciras to Moroccan Tangiers, it feels :is if you could almost reach out and touch both...

A trailbazer for democracy? A revolution is underway in the emirate of Qatar where a new leader and the dawn of the 21st century marked the beginning of pioneering change towards modernity.(Qatar)
January 1, 2004... The issue of political reform in the Middle East has once again been pushed into the headlines by an appeal (or change from US President George W. Bush. There are increasingly strong indications that change is afoot. But, contrary to popular...

Bomb blast devastation: the Turkish bombings that claimed the lives of over 50 people in Istanbul caused domestic bewilderment when it became clear the perpetrators were Turkish muslims. Yet the choice of Turkey as a target was no great surprise to many.(Turkey)
January 1, 2004... After late November saw four suicide bombs in the city in less than a week, Istanbul's citizens were left with a mixture of revulsion, bewilderment and anger. Two bombs hit two of the city's main synagogues, the Neve Shalom in the district...

Young radicals on the rise: within the Shi'a community, clerics are filling the power vacuum created in the wake of Saddam Hussein's downfall. The moderates are increasingly finding their voices drowned out by firebrand speeches from a younger, more radical generation of clerics.(Turkey)
January 1, 2004... In Iraq's largest and oldest Shi a Muslim mosque in Kufa, 90 miles south of Baghdad and close to the sacred Shi'a city of Najaf, Moqtadr Al Sadr delivers a firebrand Friday sermon to a packed house. Wearing a funeral shroud as if to invite...

An Arab view: Saudi Arabia and the western media: is the battle winnable?(In My Opinion)
January 1, 2004... In an occasional feature in which The Middle East invites the opinion of guest columnists, Dr Ahmad Ajaj, a British educated lawyer and media consultant and Dr Mohammed Al Fal, a Saudi born author and media analyst with the Saudi Information...

The long road to recovery: the scale of the reconstruction challenges facing Iraq's war-weary 25m people is formidable and will demand the goodwill of the world community, restoration of political-civil normality and reconciliation among various opposing groups aspiring to ultimate power. But the first steps have been taken as Moin A Siddiqi reports.(Business & Finance)
January 1, 2004... The World Bank notes: "Iraq's overall reconstruction needs are vast--the result of 20 years of neglect and degradation of infrastructure, environment and social services." Restoring the nation's socio economic health is contingent on greater...

US.(Major Donors)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... $20bn-comprising grants and credits tied to lucrative contracts for US firms.

World Bank and IMF.(Major Donors)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... $9bn in loans until 2008, including funds at almost zero interest from International Development Agency. The IMF has already begun providing technical advice on diverse areas, such as introduction of a new currency to replace the steeply...

Japan.(Major Donors)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... $5bn, of which $1.5bn in grants for 2004 and $3.5bn yen loans from 2005. After Washington, Tokyo is the second-biggest donor. Yasuo Fukuda, Chief Cabinet Secretary, said: "Stability in the region is directly linked to the interests of our...

Saudi Arabia.(Major Donors)
January 1, 2004... $1bn, divided equally between export credits and soft loans from Saudi Development Fund. Riyadh may allow rescheduling of Baghdad's $24bn debt owing to the Kingdom.

European Union.(Major Donors)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... UK: $900m; Spain: $300m; Italy: $232m; Germany: $126m; and European Commission: $236m. Gulf states: Kuwait: $500m; United Arab Emirates: $215m for new power plant.

Iran.(Major Donors)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... $300m credit facility and offered gas/electricity supplies as well as allowing Iraqi oil exports through its ports.

Others.(Major Donors)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... South Korea: $200m; Canada: $150m. Symbolic gesture: China: $24.2m; Slovakia: $290,000; Egypt and Bulgaria-technical support; Sri Lanka-100 tonnes of tea; Vietnam-1,467 tonnes of rice worth $500,000.

ANB records 30% profit increase for first nine months of 2003.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... * Saudi-based Arab National Bank (ANB) recorded a 30% profit increase for the first nine months of 2003 reaching SR589.6m ($ 157m) compared to SR 452.9m during the same period in 2002. All revenue categories registered strong growth between...

Making a little go a long way: the oil and gas sector is playing a vital role in the country s economic success story.(Tunisia)
January 1, 2004... Rather than being a major export earner in its own right, Tunisian gas is proving to be an increasingly important power sector feedstock, providing the basis for the country's growing manufacturing exports. At the same time, Tunisia's limited...

Saudi Oger acquires 11% of Arab Bank for $375m.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... * The Saudi Oger company has acquired 11% of Arab Bank's shares for approximately $375m. The company plans to retain most of the acquired stock and sell the rest to social security funds in the Kingdom and Jordan.

BMA launches $50m Islamic leasing bond issue.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... * The Bahrain Monetary Agency is launching a $50m issue of Government Islamic leasing bonds. The upcoming issue carries a maturity of three years and minimum subscription has been set at $10,000, which is also the par value of each bond.

Investcorp sells shares in another US-based property for $37.5m.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Bahrain-based Investcorp, a global investment group, today announced it has sold New York office property in partnership with Lincoln Equities Group of Rutherford, New Jersey, for a value of approximately $37.5m.

An island of prosperity and calm: the Kurds are reaping the rewards of peace. Despite the turmoil elsewhere in Iraq, 12 years after the creation of a Kurdish "safe haven," business is booming.(Iraqi Kurdistan)
January 1, 2004... The contrast is striking: Mosul, a megapol of 1.7m inhabitants, looks like a huge village, with only a few blocks worthy of a big city. Its filthiness is repulsive. Most of its cars are ill a state of dereliction. The facades of its houses are...

Cyprus Cement enters $7.67m concrete joint venture.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... * The Cyprus Cement Company has announced plans to create a joint venture with two other local companies for the production of ready-mix concrete. The company will invest 3.8m Cyprus pounds ($7.67m) into the project.

Algeria's ENIP $2m upgrade of petrochemical complex in Skikda.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... * Entreprise Nationale d'Industrie Petrochimique, the petrochemicals subsidiary of Algeria's state energy company Sonatrach, has awarded Invensys a $2m contract to upgrade outdated facilities at the company's petrochemicals complex in Skikda.

New DH2bn Dubai Mall termed world's "largest shopping centre".(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... * Real estate development company Emaar Properties has announced a new DH2bn real estate development comprising of a 9m sq-ft shopping mall. The Dubai Mall project will comprise a 5m sq-ft mall, residential and retail amenities, No date was...

Kuwaiti firm signs joint venture to develop entertainment park in Iraq.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... * The Kuwait Commercial Markets Complex Company (KCMCC) and the Iraq Holding Company signed an agreement with the Governor of Basra, Wael Abdullatif, for the development of an entertainment park.

Oman Oil Marketing Company launches first petrol station.
January 1, 2004... * The new Oman Oil Marketing Company has officially opened for business with the opening of its first service station. The service station will be launched under the company's brand name omanoil.

Hollywood producers invest $5m in Jordanian animation series.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... * US-based production companies Fat Rock Entertainment and Layalina Productions have entered a 45m joint venture with Jordan's Rubicon to produce a 13 episode children's series created to address the cultural void that exists between the US and...

Middle East tourism: Middle East tourism has been seriously challenged by world events, yet it is bouncing back with renewed vitality. Although the events of 9/11, the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), worldwide terrorist attacks and the Iraq war all impacted on the area's tourism there are plans afoot for the 21st century which should ensure the future for tourism in the Middle East is bright.(Special Report)
January 1, 2004... Worldwide, there were 703 million tourists in 2002, estimated in the World Tourist Organisation (WTO)'s Tourism 2020 Vision report, to reach 1.6bn by 2020. Looking at the first two decades of the new millennium, the WTO projects that the Middle...

Low-cost air travel set for take-off.(Special Report)
January 1, 2004... The concept of cheap air travel, shown to be highly profitable by the likes of Ryanair and EasyJet in Europe, is set to revolutionist the commercial aviation sector in the Middle East and provide even more competition for the incumbent national...

Interview with James Hogan, CEO of Gulf Air.(Special Report)
January 1, 2004... The Middle East (TME): The events of 11 September 200I and the SARS epidemic had a major impact on airlines worldwide through a decline in passenger numbers and overall financial profitability. How did the Middle East aviation industry, and...

Al Jazeera: the satellite station of the Arab Nation spreads its wings.(Company Profile: Al Jazeera Channel)
January 1, 2004... As the drums of war in the Gulf grew louder, all eyes were on the Arabic language, television news channel Al Jazeera. Iraq was no Afghanistan, where Al Jazeera had virtually acted as the "news agency of the world", as one western based...

Motor racing: eyes Arab talent.(Mosaic)
January 1, 2004... The motor racing industry is big business in the western world, with billions of dollars being invested by the car and motorcycle manufactures in Formula One (F1), Motorcycle GP (MotoGP) and the World Rally Championship (WRCL And the results of...

At five in the afternoon: a new film by Iranian director Samira Makhmalbaf looks at the situation of women in post-invasion Afghanistan.(Film)(Movie Review)
January 1, 2004... With the attention of the world's media now focused on Iraq and its continuing instability, Afghanistan, that other theatre of war is largely forgotten. But what has become of the promises made to women in that war torn land? Has the war really...

Satellite pay-TV yet to impact on Arab world.(Entertainment)
January 1, 2004... The tackle-up of satellite TV and cable is growing faster in the Middle East than anywhere else in the world. The region currently has about 25m satellite and cable households. However, satellite pay-TV is still a niche market, with no more...

The Politics of Egypt: State-Society Relationship.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
January 1, 2004... By Ninette S. Fahmy published by RoutledgeCurzon ISBN 0 7007 1610 6 price 65.00 [pounds sterling] hardback This book addresses two important matters of current concern to Middle East scholars: firstly, the nature of the Egyptian state and...

The Illusion of Control: Force and Foreign Policy in the 21st Century.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
January 1, 2004... By Seyom Brown published by Brookings Institution Press ISBN 0 8157 0262 0 price $46.95 hardback ISBN 08157 0263 9 price $18.95 paperback This provocative book assesses the implications of a disturbing trend in US security policy: An...

Another Day in Paradise: Front Line Stories From International Aid Workers.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
January 1, 2004... Edited by Carol Bergman published by EARTHSCAN ISBN 1 84407 034 4 price 17.99 [pounds sterling] hardback Another Day in Paradise is a powerful anthology of first-person stories by international aid workers. From Afghanistan to the Occupied...

Inside Al Qaeda.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
January 1, 2004... By Mohamed Sifaoui published by Granta Books ISBN 1 86207 682 0 price 6.99 [pounds sterling] paperback This book is the shocking diary of the three months, which Mohamed Sifaoui spent under cover as part of an Al Qaeda cell from October...

Water, Power & Politics in the Middle East.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
January 1, 2004... The Other Palestinian-Israeli Conflict By Jan Selby published by IB TAURIS ISBN 1860649343 price 42.00 [pounds sterling] hardback The Palestinian-Israeli conflict continues to occupy the world's media on an almost daily basis. Yet one of...

Culture, Civilization and Humanity.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
January 1, 2004... By Tarek Heggy published by Frank Cass ISBN 0 7146 5554 6 price 31.50 [pounds sterling] hardback Between 1978 and 2001 Tarek Heggy published 12 books in Arabic. Recently he embarked on translating some of the chapters of these books into...

Sobriety and Mirth.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
January 1, 2004... By Abu Uthman Amir Ibn Bahir Al Jahiz, translated by Jim Colville published by Kegan Paul ISBN: 7 103 0697 g price 85.00 [pounds sterling] hardback These extremely entertaining shorter pieces by the Basran belletrist, polemicist,...

Espionage: an Encyclopedia of Spies and Secrets.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
January 1, 2004... By Richard M. Bennett published by Virgin Books ISBN 1.85227 942 7 price 20.00 [pounds sterling] hardback Espionage is the most comprehensive and yet the most accessible book on modern-day espionage available: A one-stop-shop for the...

Kathy Evans.(The Last Word)(Obituary)
January 1, 2004... They were known as the Camel Corps in the 1970s, a group of mostly crusty old men with a variety of digestive ailments who reported on the Middle East. The jewel in their collective crown was Kathy Evans. Young, vibrant and attractive she could...