The Middle East articles from May 2007

The Middle East archives from May 2007

Better the devil you know: Israel's military chiefs are concerned about a Syrian arms build-up, but the UN Disengagement Observer Force on the Golan Heights reported no significant changes in Syrian deployments and crticised the "alarmist Israeli media" for its reportage.(CURRENT AFFAIRS)
May 1, 2007... FOR SOME TIME now there have been persistent reports that Syria has been acquiring new weapons systems for its armed forces--in particular its spearhead missile forces. Few of these reports have been independently verified, but, with the Middle...

Iran flexes its muscles: Iran has a grand plan to become one of the most influential countries in the region. Was the arrest of 15 British forces personnel in disputed waters during March part of this scheme?(CURRENT AFFAIRS)
May 1, 2007... THE CAPTURE OF 15 British Royal Navy and Royal Marines by Iran's Pasdaran revolutionary guards in March, their humiliating display on Iranian TV and their release two weeks later by president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, was a significant step in the...

Divide & rule? Israel has long sought to divide Palestinian society to prevent the emergence of a viable Palestinian state, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
May 1, 2007... IN THE LONG and drawn-out conflict between the two factions in Israel, most Palestinians have been campaigning for a two-state solution: an independent Palestinian state existing alongside the Jewish state. But as internal Palestinian divisions...

Halliburton's great escape: in the wake of US energy giant Halliburton's controversial move to Dubai, Milan Vesely examines the implications for other companies.(CURRENT AFFAIRS)
May 1, 2007... IN A SURPRISE 11 March announcement, oil services giant Halliburton announced it was relocating its corporate headquarters from Houston, Texas to Dubai. Financial analysts tracking the energy sector were caught by surprise, as were many of the...

Syria's election returns no surprises: Peter Hall reports from Damascus.(CURRENT AFFAIRS)
May 1, 2007... WHEN SYRIANS WENT to the ballot box for the parliamentary elections on 22 April they faced a stark choice. Although campaigning was in full swing across the country, with candidates' portraits and slogans lining the streets, few people were...

The US failure Iraq: never before have contractors represented such a large portion of a US presence in a war zone or accounted for so many security and military-like jobs.(CURRENT AFFAIRS)
May 1, 2007... FOLLOWING PRESIDENT BUSH'S "mission accomplished" declaration on 1 May, 2003, signalling the end to "major combat operations" in Iraq, the country has seen greater levels of violence and death month on month. By now, Iraqis were supposed to be...

The importance of diversity: Omar Ben Yedder travelled to Doha to speak with delegates of the World Economic Forum who gathered there to examine the findings of The Arab World Competitiveness Report and discuss the high level upcoming WEF meeting in Jordan.(WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM 2007)(Cover story)
May 1, 2007... THIS MONTH'S HIGH profile meeting in Jordan promises once again to be an interesting event with a full agenda. The theme 'putting diversity to work' aims to identify ways to draw the positives from this historical melting pot and create ways to...

Education, education, education: The latest Arab World Competitiveness Report, published every two years, was unveiled last month in Qatar. Spanning 13 countries in the Arab World, the report attempts to assess each country's level of competitiveness enabling them to benchmark their performance against each other, and hopefully help policymakers identify areas of weakness.(WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM 2007)
May 1, 2007... AFTER FOUR YEARS of unparalleled growth in the region and numerous favourable indicators, the latest report could lead to much back slapping and self-congratulation. As the authors point out, many countries have shown a respectable track record...

Interview: Omar Ben Yedder talked to Sherif el Diwani (right), head of the Middle East programme of the World Economic Forum in Doha.(WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM)(Interview)
May 1, 2007... TME: I see that you've broken the Jordan Summit into three different categories, and one of them is called "Industries of the future". There will be focus sessions looking at some specific industries including insurance, healthcare, IT and...

Third conference of Nobel Laureates, Petra, Jordan.(BUILDING A BETTER WORLD)
May 1, 2007... "ONCE AGAIN WE are proud tO provide the context in which Nobel Laureates, the greatest intellects of our time, meet to think, talk and contribute to the advancement of various global issues," King Abdullah declared. "This year, they will also...

Interview: Omar Ben Yedder talked to Margareta Drzeniek Hanouz, the author of The Arab World Competitiveness 2007, Sustaining the Growth Momentum. Hanouz (right) is Senior Economist with the Global Competitiveness network at the WEF.(WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM)(Interview)
May 1, 2007... OMAR BEN YEDDER: Is there a direct correlation between this ranking and the future economic performance of these countries? MARGARETA DRZENIEK HANOUZ: The ranking gives a good indication of the future of their economic performance. We have...

Jordan's window on the world: virtually landlocked, Jordan's one small stretch of coast round Aqaba is vital to its communications with the rest of the world. Neil Ford outlines the country's plans for port development.(BUSINESS & FINANCE)
May 1, 2007... WITHOUT THE NATURAL resources of many other Middle East states, Jordan's main hope of economic progress lies in trade. Yet with little coastline, the country possesses few outlets for its exports. As a result, the government is keen to see...

SAGIA opens doors: the kingdom is hoping its six economic cities will stimulate growth and encourage social change. But much work remains to be done.(BUSINESS & FINANCE)(Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority)
May 1, 2007... IN AUGUST, KING Abdullah marks the beginning of his third year as ruler of Saudi Arabia. In that time, his people's expectations have risen to new levels, in parallel with the ongoing high oil prices. Economic liberalisation has come...

The Arabian dream becomes reality: as Dubai gears up to welcome delegates to the 13th Arab Travel Market, one of the major events in the travel and tourism industry calendar, Rhona Wells looks at some of the latest regional developments--the futuristic projects, the multibillion dollar investments and the prospects for the region's continued success as an international tourist destination.(TRAVEL: SPECIAL REPORT)
May 1, 2007... ARAB COUNTRIES ARE increasingly investing in worldwide tourism and governments in the region are making determined efforts to tap into the potential of attracting foreign visitors. Improved product development, enhanced funding for tourism and...

A game of cat and mouse: Iran is playing dodgeball with its LNG customers--in particular India and Pakistan. The current high prices for oil and gas appear to have given Tehran the ability to negotiate on a range of issues from a position of strength.(BUSINESS & FINANCE)(liquefied natural gas)
May 1, 2007... DESPITE HOLDING THE world's second biggest gas reserves, Iran has struggled to secure sufficient overseas markets to make the most of its vast gas wealth. A combination of the lack of attractive nearby markets and its proximity to other major...

GCC single currency faces a bumpy road: economist Moin Siddiqi examines the prospects for a single Gulf currency and questions whether it will make its 2010 implementation deadline.(BUSINESS & FINANCE)(Gulf Cooperation Council)
May 1, 2007... THE CREATION OF a unified currency bloc is a long-term aim of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries--comprising Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. This ambitious goal was formally declared soon after the foundation...

Abu Dhabi's $million eggs: John Irish reports from the Gulf on a new sturgeon breeding initiative in the UAE.(Bin Salem Group and United Food Technologies)
May 1, 2007... ABU DHABI IS fast becoming synonymous with high society. The glitz and glamour of Formula 1 motor racing is on its way. The Louvre and Guggenheim museums have agreed to showcase their finest works of art on Saadiyat Island's Cultural District....

The olive route.(MOSAIC)(Book review)
May 1, 2007... The olive, much beloved of the people of the Mediterranean and the Arab world for millenia, became a passion for Irish author and actor, Carol Drinkwater. This passion and the quest for further knowledge of the history and origins of the fruit...

Remembrance of things forgotten: Egypt's valuable Coptic architecture has until recently been overlooked but interest is reviving. Maria Golia writes from Cairo.(MOSAIC)
May 1, 2007... EGYPT'S COPTS ARE proud of their place in the early history of Christianity. St Mark, author of the oldest canonical gospel brought the religion here in the first century AD. Soon afterwards, the Coptic faithful introduced the practice of...

I Is for Infidel From Holy War to Holy Terror: 18 Years Inside Afghanistan.(Brief article)(Book review)
May 1, 2007... I IS FOR INFIDEL: FROM HOLY WAR TO HOLY TERROR: 18 YEARS INSIDE AFGHANISTAN By Kathy Gannon ISBN 1 58648 312 9 15.99 [pounds sterling] hardback In 1986 Kathy Gannon arrived in Afghanistan to pursue her dream of becoming a foreign...

Between Revolution and State: The Path to Fatimid Statehood.(Brief article)(Book review)
May 1, 2007... BETWEEN REVOLUTION AND STATE THE PATH TO FATIMID STATEHOOD By Sumaiya Hamdani published by IB TAURIS ISBN 978 185043 882 3 price 25.00 [pounds sterling] hardback This book examines the Islamic theologian and jurist who was one of the most...

Hamas Unwritten Chapters.(Brief article)(Book review)
May 1, 2007... HAMAS UNWRITTEN CHAPTERS By Azzam Tarnimi Published by C Hurst & Co ISBN 1 85065 834 x price 14.95 [pounds sterling] paperback Hamas Unwritten Chapters is indeed very timely. It comes almost 10 months after Hamas, the Islamic Resistance...

The Art and Architecture of Islamic Cairo.(Brief article)(Book review)
May 1, 2007... THE ART AND ARCHITECTURE OF ISLAMIC CAIRO By Richard Yeomans published by Garnet ISBN 1-85964-154-7 price 29.95 [pound sterling] hardback Since Napoleon's invasion of Egypt in 1798, the western traveller has been obsessed with the Pharaohs...

The School of War.(Brief article)(Book review)
May 1, 2007... THE SCHOOL OF WAR BV Alexandre Najjar published by Telegram ISBN 1 84659 009 price 7.99 [pound sterling] paperback "All wars are alike. What I experienced in Lebanon, others experienced in France, in Spain, in Yugoslavia, or elsewhere. Yes,...

Shadows in the Desert Ancient Persia at War.(Brief article)(Book review)
May 1, 2007... SHADOWS IN THE DESERT ANCIENT PERSIA AT WAR. By Kaveh Farrokh published by Osprey ISBN 978 1 84603 108 3 price 20.00 [pound sterling] hardback Following the Islamic Revolution in 1979 and the ensuing Cultural Revolution, the pre-Islamic...

The last word.(Egyptian constitutional reforms)
May 1, 2007... Britain's Baroness Margaret Thatcher once dismissed referenda as 'tools of dictatorships' conveniently used to obscure detail. Such a tool was used by the Egyptians on 26 March, to push some half-baked constitutional 'reforms' through...