The Middle East articles from June 2005

The Middle East archives from June 2005

Comment.
June 1, 2005... Congratulations to Kuwaiti women on being given the right to vote and to stand in elections. The United Nations and well wishers from around the world welcomed the decision to give full political rights to women as an important advance, but...

Arab intelligence services in the crosshairs: from Algeria to Iraq, security establishments, the pillars of all Arab regimes, are under unprecedented scrutiny amid moves towards democracy.(CURRENT AFFAIRS)
June 1, 2005... IN MAY 2005, KING ABDULLAH II OF JORDAN removed the powerful chief of his intelligence service with the avowed intention Of reducing the role of that service in the Hashemite kingdom's political life. Saad Kheir, director-general of the General...

Iraq: US post-war policy under scrutiny: the euphoria that followed the Iraqi elections in January has dissipated with the recent upsurge in violence. During a visit last month, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice urged patience but many Iraqis believe they have shown fortitude enough.(IRAQ)
June 1, 2005... AMERICAN SECRETARY OF STATE Condoleezza Rice, urged 'patience' for the country's fragile new government, during a heavily guarded surprise trip to Iraq on 15 May. "This the nearest a high ranking American official, second only to President...

The democratic "coup d'etat": in the normal course of events municipal elections rarely make international news, but in the case of those that took place last month in the Occupied Territories, the eyes of the world watched and wondered if they were witnessing the shape of things to come.(CURRENT AFFAIRS)
June 1, 2005... IN ELECTIONS WIDELY LAUDED TO BE A TEST of the fledgling Palestinian democracy and future political trends, 84 municipal districts held their first independent, and largely unimpeded, elections since the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and...

To change or not to change? That was the question on the minds of millions of Egyptians, who last week overwhelmingly voted 'yes' in a referendum to endorse a constitutional amendment that permits the country's first direct presidential elections in half a century.
June 1, 2005... UNDER THE NEW AMENDMENT ANY, or all, of Egypt's 18 legal opposition parties could field for the first free presidential race in Egypt's 7,000-year history, expected in September. Until last month, article 76 of the constitution limited...

Libya's man in Washington: Larry Luxner reports from the United States.(Muammar Gadaffi)
June 1, 2005... IF YOU WANT TO FIND MUAMMAR GADAFFI'S man in Washington, look no further than Suite 705 of the infamous Watergate Office Building. Since last December, this three-person mission has served as the interests section of the Great Socialist...

The challenge of change: Pat Lancaster reports from Tunis on the recent elections and the country's drive to develop democracy.(TUNISIA)
June 1, 2005... LAST MONTH PROVED TO BE ANOTHER important one in terms of the regional drive towards democracy. After years of struggle Kuwaiti women were enfranchised; Palestinians of the Occupied Territories voted in municipal elections for the first time...

Their American dream became a nightmare: Pat McDonnell Twair talked to the Iranian Mirmehdi brothers, who were falsely imprisoned in the US for almost three and a half years.(Mohsen Mirmehdi; Mojtaba Mirmehdi; Mostafa Mirmehdi)
June 1, 2005... MOSTAFA MIRMEHDI IS HAUNTED by the words 'if only'. If only he hadn't sought the services of an immigration attorney who, unbeknown to him, was under investigation by the FBI. If only he hadn't attended a 1997 demonstration in Denver...

Fuelling the 21st century: soaring fuel prices should ultimately encourage the trend towards energy diversification. Moin A Siddiqi looks at some of the alternatives on offer.(BUSINESS & FINANCE)
June 1, 2005... EXPENSIVE OIL, RISING consumption and low surplus production capacity (currently down to a paltry 1.5m barrels a day) could become a semi-permanent feature of global economy. The era of cheap oil is evidently over and prices are very much more...

Oman Oil Company to construct $956m aromatics complex.(S.A.O.C.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... * Oman Oil Company S.A.O.C. (OOC) has announced plans to construct a $956m aromatics complex at Sohar Industrial Port Area. The complex will produce 800,000 mtpa of para-xylene and 210,000 mtpa of benzene using naphtha produced by the Sohar...

Bahrain: high oil prices boost construction sector growth.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... * High oil prices have boosted public and private sector confidence region-wide and one of the results has been increased spending on property development and other construction activity, creating a very buoyant and prosperous economic...

Qatar: $10bn petrochemical investment.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... * Qatar plans to boost petrochemical output and intends to invest some $10bn in its petrochemical sector during the next five years. Hamad Rashid AI Mohannadi, vice-chairman and general manager of Qatar Petrochemical Company (Qapco), said...

China, Arab states trade over $36bn in 2004.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... * Total bilateral trade between China and Arab states went up from $2.42bn in 1991 to $36.71bn in 2004, increasing 14 times within 14 years. By the end of 2004, China's total investment in Arab States amounted to about $500m. The...

Multi-$bn new island development in Bahrain.(Dala W.L.L. development)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... * Scott Wilson has won a masterplanning commission for the proposed Asdaf Islands project in Bahrain for Dala W.L.L. The project, which will create a new high profile mixed-use development with extensive water frontages, comprises a series of...

The World Bank worries about MENA.(BUSINESS & FINANCE)(Middle East and North Africa)
June 1, 2005... Last month's World Economic Forum in Jordan concentrated on a recent World Bank report on the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region; while the report acknowledges that the region is currently enjoying unprecedented economic growth, there...

Arab Plast 2005 records business deals worth $396m.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Arab Plast 2005--the Middle East's premier trade show for rubber, plastics and plastic processing, held recently at the Dubai International Exhibition Centre (DIEC), recorded business deals worth $396m, up 46% compared to $271m in 2003. ...

Maghreb power: energise, consolidate & combine: although the infrastructural framework of a North African power grid with links to Europe is being put in place, sweeping regulatory changes to ensure the region gets the most out of its investment will be needed if a genuine power pool is to be created.(BUSINESS & FINANCE)
June 1, 2005... ALTHOUGH TUNISIA DOES NOT possess oil and gas resources on the same scale as some neighbouring states, it does have the potential to become an important player in the energy sector in North Africa. Power sector deregulation and foreign...

Iraqi government directs $100m to Fallujah.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... * The Iraqi government has allocated $100m as a first payment to compensate the people of Fallujah. This amount covers only 20% of the estimated needs. However, future compensations will be granted and the government will implement top priority...

Kuwait's real estate boom: Jon Gorvett reports from Kuwait on the revitalisation of the country's capital city.(BUSINESS & FINANCE)
June 1, 2005... STEP OFF THE PLANE IN KUWAIT City these days and it is immediately obvious you have arrived in the centre of a major real estate and construction boom. Giant cranes hover over the downtown area, while bulldozers are busy, often demolishing...

The Pearl City project in Kuwait.(La'ala' Al Kuwait Real Estate Company; real estate development)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... * The Pearl City project, the new sea-front development by the La'ala' Al Kuwait Real Estate Company, is to be completed in phases and will eventually be home to about 50,000 residents. Pearl City is one of two major real estate developments...

Indian businessmen invest $400m in Saudi firms.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... * Since mid-2000 Indian businessmen have invested SR1.5bn ($400m) in 30 companies and 30 joint ventures in Saudi Arabia. These projects are expected to bring investment into the kingdom of around $358.04m. Joint ventures have already been set...

Diamond investments' towers over the Dubai Marina.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... * Diamond Investments has launched the 20-storey, Marina Diamond Five, in the UAE's exclusive waterfront development, the Dubai Marina. The residential one-to-two bedroom apartments will be equipped with high quality kitchen appliances and...

GM shifts up a gear.(BUSINESS & FINANCE)(Interview)
June 1, 2005... General Motor Corporation (GM) is the largest of the global automotive companies, although with Toyota nipping at its heels for the world's number one title it is battling hard to secure its position. One region where GM is reporting extremely...

GFH opens $302m subscriptions.(Gulf Finance House B.S.C.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... * The Bahrain-based Gulf Finance House B.S.C. (GFH), one of the leading providers of Islamic investment and commercial banking services in the region, has opened subscriptions to its $302m private placement exercise to finance the first phase...

Gulf Oil revenues projected at $200bn.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... * Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait and Qatar will register nearly $200bn in oil revenues by the end of 2005. This forecast was made by economic experts at Mena Consultants. According to this estimate, Saudi Arabia will post revenues of $120bn, UAE...

Iraq Development summit.
June 1, 2005... * The Iraq Development Programme summit, in Amman, Jordan on 28-30 June will provide the opportunity for global business leaders to meet with Iraqi ministers, the country's leading business families, heads of top US contractors operating in the...

Islamic banking goes global: it began as a theological dream, but Islamic banking has become a practical reality across the Middle East. The question now is, how far will Sharia boards and western regulators let it spread?
June 1, 2005... FROM DISCREET OFFICES IN THE City of London to a tree-lined street in the small American town of Ann Arbor, Islamic banking and financial institutions are successfully winning regulatory approvals to operate alongside conventional western-style...

$100m Sukuk offering for The Commercial Real Estate Company.(Ijara Sukuk)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... * The $100m Sukuk offering for The Commercial Real Estate Company Kuwait, has closed with an oversubscription of 133%--the placement agents, Kuwait Finance House and Liquidity Management Centre has announced. The Ijara Sukuk has been...

Gulf Air and Lufthansa Technik sign $138m deal.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... * James Hogan, Gulf Air's president and chief executive and Lufthansa Technik's chairman of the Executive Board, August W. Henningsen, have signed a $138m five-year contract. The Total Component Support TCS [R] agreement covers component...

Strong business and government support for Middle East forum.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... * Senior business leaders and policy makers from the Middle East, the EU and the United States have confirmed their participation in a symposium about stability in the Middle East. The event is produced by the Middle East Association, whose...

Ancestral memories.(MOSAIC)
June 1, 2005... LONDON'S OCTOBER GALLERY IS CURRENTLY hosting an exhibition of the work of leading Algerian artist Rachid Koraichi. The installation is inspired by a selection of themes which have ancestral associations for the artist. Born into a Sufi...

Istanbul film 2005.(MOSAIC)
June 1, 2005... WITH ISTANBUL TALES winning the prestigious National Competition at the city's 24th International Film Festival--and with many of the two-week movie celebration's more interesting offerings being set in Istanbul--this year, the city itself...

A celebration of scent: to celebrate its special 21-year-long association with Harrods, probably the most famous retailer in the world, the prestigious Omani fragrance house, Amouage, launched an exclusive, limited edition fragrance, Asana, at the exclusive London store.(MOSAIC)
June 1, 2005... LUXURY AND EXCLUSIVITY ARE synonymous with Harrods and Amouage: To enhance the elitism of this scent, only 250 bottles will ever be made. Each bottle carries a number and a certificate and is elegantly packaged in white and gold. In Arabic, the...

The Arab World Competitiveness Report 2005.(Books in Brief)(Brief Article)(Book Review)
June 1, 2005... The Arab World Competitiveness Report 2005 By Augusto Lopez-Claros and Klaus Schwab Published by Palgrave-Macmillan ISBN 1 4039 4801 1 price 60.00 [pounds sterling] paperback In recent years, the delicate political climate in the Middle...

Seeking Sanctuary: Journeys to Sudan.(Books in Brief)(Brief Article)(Book Review)
June 1, 2005... SEEKING SANCTUARY Journeys to Sudan By Hilda Reilly published by Eye Books ISBN 1 903 0703 92 price 9.99 [pounds sterling] paperback Seeking Sanctuary tells the stories of a group of western Muslim converts who found liberation in Sudan. It...

Hizbullah: The Story from Within.(Books in Brief)(Brief Article)(Book Review)
June 1, 2005... HIZBULLAH The Story from Within By Naim Qassem published by Saqi Books ISBN 0 86356 517 4 price 18.00 [pounds sterling] hardback Formed in 1982 in response to Israel's invasion of Lebanon, Hizbullah (Party of God) was originally an Islamic...

Shell Shock: The Secrets and Spin of an Oil Giant.(Books in Brief)(Brief Article)(Book Review)
June 1, 2005... SHELL SHOCK The Secrets and Spin of an Oil Giant By Ian Cummins and John Beasant published by Mainstream Publishing ISBN 1 84018 941 x price 16.99 [pounds sterling] hardback Royal Dutch/Shell is a multinational behemoth. Every four seconds...

Our Sacred Land: Voices of the Palestine-Israeli Conflict.(Books in Brief)(Book Review)
June 1, 2005... OUR SACRED LAND Voices of the Palestine-Israeli Conflict By Kenize Mourad published by Oneworld ISBN 1 85168 357 7 price 10.99 [pounds sterling] Behind the failed accords and endless negotiations, behind the daily violence and political...

Iran's Nuclear Option: Tehran's Quest for the Atom Bomb and those who Guard its Secrets.(Books in Brief)(Brief Article)(Book Review)
June 1, 2005... IRAN'S NUCLEAR OPTION Tehran's Quest for the Atom Bomb and those who Guard its Secrets By Al J Venter published by Casemate ISBN 1 932033 33 5 price 18.99 [pounds sterling] hardback The United States remains convinced that Tehran has been...

Converting Persia: Religion and Power in the Safavid Empire.(Books in Brief)(Brief Article)(Book Review)
June 1, 2005... CONVERTING PERSIA Religion and Power in the Safavid Empire By Rula Jurdi Abisaab published by IB TAURIS ISBN 1 86064 970 x price 45.00 [pounds sterling] hardback Converting Persia is an important contribution to Middle East history, acting...

The return of Public Enemy Number One.(Abdullah Ocalan)
June 1, 2005... THE RULING LAST MONTH BY the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg, that the treatment of former Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan had been unfair, accompanied by suggestions that a retrial was in order, has important ramifications...