Greek Arab Maritime Forum Press Conference- By Heat Creative Media Group

Old Arab Civilization

Contrary to some popular Western misconceptions propagated by many Western "experts" and "authorities" on the Arab world alleging that Arabs did not have any civilization before Islam, or that Arabs were nothing more than a collection of nomadic warring primitive tribes, confined solely to the Arabian Peninsula, who spent most of their existence looking for food and water, the historical record proves otherwise. In fact, centuries before the birth of Islam, the Arabs had several civilizations, not only in the Arabian Peninsula itself, but also in the Fertile Crescent, some of which were highly advanced with elaborate development and culture. Although Arab civilization before Islam might not have had a noticeable impact on Greece and Rome, it is nonetheless important to briefly mention here the following pre-Islamic Arab civilizations in order to dispel this wrong conventional Western notion that Arabs had no civilization before the birth of Islam, were nothing but wandering nomads, and were confined only to the Arabian Peninsula.

The Kingdom of Saba (or Sheba)

One of the earliest and most important of all pre-Islamic Arab civilizations is the Qahtani Kingdom of Saba or Sheba (10th century BCE – 7th century CE), which had an elaborate civilization, legendary in its reputation of prosperity and wealth. The Kingdom of Saba was located in the southwestern mountainous rainy parts of the Arabian Peninsula in what is known today as the regions of Aseer and Yemen. Envious of its wealth, the Romans named it “Arabia Felix” (fortunate or prosperous Arabia).

The Sabaean capital, Ma'rib, was located near San'a, today's capital of Yemen, which was reportedly founded by Noah's eldest son Shem (or "Sam" in Arabic) from whose name the word "Sami" in Arabic or "Semitic" in English comes. In addition to their domains in the Arabian Penisula, the Sabaean kings controlled for a long time some parts of the East African coast across the Red Sea where they established the Kingdom of Abyssinia, which is Eritrea today. It should be indicated here that the name “Abyssinia” comes from the Arabic word “Habashah”. One of the most famous rulers of the Sabaeans was Queen Balgais. This mystic Arab Queen of Sheba was well known for her beauty, grace, wealth, charm, and splendor. She reportedly had a famous impassioned encounter with the Hebrew King Solomon when she took a special trip to Jerusalem
The Sabaean Kingdom produced and traded in spices, Arabian frankincense, myrrh, and other Arabian aromatics. The Sabaeans excelled in agriculture and had a remarkable irrigation system with terraced mountains, incredible huge water tunnels in mountains and great dams including the legendary Ma'rib Dam, which was built around 2000 BCE. This Arab dam was considered to be one the greatest technological wonders of the ancient world. However, the tragic breaking of the Ma'rib Dam around 575, as indicated in the Qur'an, was an event of very traumatic proportions in the collective consciousness of all Arabs at the time and of later generations.

The Kingdom of Himyar



The Arab Kingdom of Himyar (115 BCE to 525 CE), which was also located in the southern part of the Arabian Peninsula, had a sizable number of Arab Christians and Arab Jews (not Hebrews). The most prominent Arab Jew of this kingdom was King Dhu al-Nuwas who persecuted his Arab Christian subjects. He reportedly incinerated some of them alive in retaliation for their persecution of Arab Jews in neighboring Arab Christian Najran.
From their capital city, first at Zafar and later at San'a, the powerful Himyarite kings executed military plans which resulted in the expansion of their domains at times eastward as far as the Persian Gulf and northward into the Arabian Desert. However, internal disorder and the changing of trade routes eventually caused the kingdom to suffer political and economic decline. In fact, after several unsuccessful attempts, the African Abyssinians finally invaded the Arab Himyarite Kingdom in 525. In 570, the year Prophet Mohammad was born, the Abyssinian governor Abraha sent an army of elephant-borne troops in an unsuccessful attempt to attack the city of Makkah (Mecca) and destroy its Ka'bah. In 575 the Persians invaded Himyar and ended the Abyssinian presence in Himyar. But the Persians did not last long there either. Soon thereafter Islam swept the entire Arabian Peninsula.

The Nabataean Kingdom



Arab kingdom with its capital Petra in southern Jordan ruled the north of the Arabian Peninsula, Jordan, and reached the southern Syria.
Nbt name launched by the Arab population of Iraq blackness (rural southern Iraq) before the Islamic conquest and who spoke Aramaic.
With urticaria, carved Nabataean found south of Syria and preserved in the Damascus National Museum of the Nabataean Arabs, a people lived in the South Levant and their capital Petra.
Characterize the Nabataeans to participate in the caravan trade, showing inscriptions and monuments left by Nabateans traders away from their headquarters until it reached Egypt, Italy and Yemen.
Abdel-known Arab Nabataean gods: the sun god with urticaria, which Mtloh in the form of a black stone, as well as Lat (feminine god), and Uzza, and Manat, and Hubble.
Nabatean Arabs and their civilization on the mountain: Nabataean Arab people came out of the southern Arabian Peninsula probably were initially expressing cattle herders, including the owners of caravan trade in the sixth century BC. M took control of the land of Edomites, south of the Dead Sea, and they speak Arabic with the effects of Aramaic and shows us the characters, as well as Hoasme kings such as: (al-Harith - owner - Obeida - Ribal - etc). The first mention of this people back to the year (647 BC)., As mentioned by the Assyrian king (Ashur Nepal) for in counter his opponents, and before that the endemic city of Petra, the capital of his kingdom later, and at that time was the king (Nbonid) the last king of Babylon has been subjected oasis Taima, which was on the caravan route linking the city of stone and the Euphrates, and was the capital of Nabataean by Petra, but the word (Nbt), the scholars differed in its reasoning, some of them responding to (Nbit) and (Nbayut) is the eldest son of Ismail bin Ibrahim Al-Khalil from his wife emigrated or to the large Allenbt them, which was water, says Dr. Jawad Ali at the origin of the Nabataeans: and I have to Allenbt Arabs, they are the people closest to the Quraysh Arabs southerners they participate Quraysh in more idols (with the company - Lat - Uzza ...) line Allenbt very close to clerks of the line of revelation




Establishment of the Kingdom: Switch on the Arab Nabateans site (Petra) in Wadi Musa in Jordan, after the abandonment of the Adamites they (the Canaanites) in the sixth century BC. M. And have made it a springboard for their trade, and was mentioned this city in the Bible as the "Iktailt in Arabic (the rock - stone) as stated at the coordinates of the ancients, and the launching of the Nabataeans from their capital Petra took place between the fourth to the first s. M. Said King Seleucid Antiochus III (169 BC . m), and it seems that what he had taken after the title (the king), while we find al-Harith the second king of the Arabs, and that between (120-96 BC). was ruled Syria and the kingdom has spread to Egypt, and the right successor (his servants, I) at the beginning of his rule as well as areas Horan and Jabal Al-Arab which income between (90-88 BC). after bloody battles with the Seleucids in position (Muthu), which the scholars differed as to determine its proper place, of whom Mundkr near the channels (Kanatha) or near Matan (Mutan) and others have said it is near (Karak) in the Hauran, where he was killed in this battle King Greyhound (Antiochus XIII). also managed King Harith Khalifa Obeida year (85 BC). to capture Damascus and extending his influence on the part of Syria and Lebanon, and mintage bronze and put them specific traditions Greco and named it (Velelen), then extended his kingdom to the south until the Hijaz and to provide a strong foundation on the caravan route outgoing towards Damascus and Antioch, the bastion of the city of Bosra city, which took increasing importance in the Roman era, and later became the center of a Christian is important, and was on the caravan route outgoing from Mecca to the land of the Levant, where he was staying monk Nestorian (Kneen). and cities the Nabateans as well as the (stone) and is an important city located on the artery of trade referred to (Strabo), a little drive (Elios Gallus) at the Arabian Peninsula, as Ocharalqran Quran into this city, saying (and I lie owners of the stone the messengers).


It was the Nabateans diets political appeared for their love of expansion and control Vdmoa to the kingdom of Damascus and the Bekaa and the Hauran, south and east of Palestine and Adom and a debit to Ddn (Ela) in Saudi Arabia today, and the shores of the Red Sea, has been proven that they are also in the eastern Nile Delta. The Nabataeans had Mofharab relationship with humanity the Greeks and Romans and the inhabitants of the South Arabian, and the land of Egypt was the cause of the impact of acts of worship, the Nabataeans and religions of those peoples. This was the Kingdom of the Nabataean Arabs Boj wide as its capital (Petra) This city, which overflowed sang Otaha of world trade and taxation of goods and fees for convoys, and Mehr Nabatean Arabs profession of trade in goods and good that desired by the western world more and more, Ktjarh spices and Taiob, perfumes and other Vdrt they profit a lot, and the rocky stronghold of Petra and a great store of goods from which the convoys to the logic of a broad point of contact between the kingdoms of the Hellenistic Greek, Albultmah and forecastle.When the Romans occupied the Levant remained Bosra and the logic of Horan, however, the Nabatean Arabs was its northern border is adjacent to the mandate of Syria, formed by the Romans and left it like this, to be issued the Emperor Trajan year (106 AD) ordered the elimination of the State of the Nabataeans, and when the check has this elusive cut the northern parts of the state Horan, including the area and shape of the Arab state which has become one of the most important states of the Levant, and the (optical), the capital of the new mandate and became known as (Nova Trajana Bosra). The effects of the Nabatean Arabs in the mountain: The mountain of centers Nabataean trade, represented in positions of endosperm (black) and old channels (Kanatha) and Salkhad (Salcah) and (Srkhadd) and Issa (Asia) were the sites relate to the old place the primary (optical), which relate to its role Great place, DC (Petra). Nabateans left traces on the mountain is still mostly a witness to what had reached him of the greatness and glory .. And characterized by buildings with stone basalt, a key element in the construction, as rarely used the other elements of wood, brick and iron ... Vsnawa of the stone basalt available in abundance in the region capitals of columns and eaves decorated with floral, geometric and human, as they made the doors and windows, seats, lockers and brackets, which was adopted in the interface between the rules on the dimensions of balanced construction makes it easy to put a roof over it in the form of stones called the long (Red) and after look like carved from wood carefully polished. It also created the Nabataeans masterpieces in the Covenant Hellenistic and early Roman times, was sculptures basaltic great, and also appears to influence of Greek art evident in the money that Skoha, they are like cash, Seleucid, and since the reign of King Obeida third 27-9 BC). M) become money Nabatiyeh bearing the image of Queen Nabatiyeh along with her husband. In the endosperm: 2. Remains of the temple built late first century BC. M and the first century AD, and was devoted to the Nabatean god (with a company) and is currently the center of the city are still three of the Corinthian columns Ptijanaa beautiful lie amid narrow road paved with basaltic stones .. The remains of thick walls and very high is one of the castles of the Nabataeans, located west of the city near what is today the Square Samara .. Several towers located on the western slope of the Castle Mountain Suedaaly way back. In the channels: There are fortifications with thick walls and very large stones near the entrance to the town from the west on a hill overseeing the entire western plain. Site Issa: Located at a distance of / 2 / km southeast of the channels and was a site fortified, surrounded by high walls and has had several sections, is still the eastern section of which is clear and the site of the West built the Nabataean temples: the first was devoted to the god (The Company) and the second of the god (Baal Shamin (god of the heavens, and built in the second half of the first century BC. m / 33 s. m /, but unfortunately no remains of these temples only founded and some architectural elements scattered at the site and its neighborhood.
The Kingdom of Kindah



Kindat al-Muluk (or the Royal Kindah) was a famous Arab kingdom, which originated in the southern Arabian Peninsula near Yemen's Hadramawt region. Its capital city, al-Fau, was excavated northeast of Najran in Saudi Arabia in 1972 by Saudi archaeologists from King Saud University in Riyadh. The Kingdom of Kindah became prominent around the late 5th and early 6th centuries CE when it made one of the earliest and successful efforts to unite several Arab tribes under its new domain in Najd in central Arabia.
The traditional founder and ruler of Kindah was Hujr Akil al-Murar. However, the most renowned of all Kindah kings was al-Harith ibn Amr, Hujr's grandson, who extended his kingdom's domain north by invading Iraq and temporarily capturing al-Hirah, the capital city of the Arab Christian Kingdom of Lakhmid. But in 529 al-Hirah was liberated by its Christian Arabs who killed King al-Harith along with 50 members of his family. After al-Harith's death, the Kindah Kingdom split up into four factions - Asad, Taghlib, Kinanah, and Qays - each led by a prince. The famous pre-Islamic Arab poet Imru' al-Qays (who died around 540) was the prince of Qays. The continuing feuding between these Arab factions, however, eventually forced the Kindah princes by the middle of the 6th century to withdraw to their original place in southern Arabia next to Yemen. Nevertheless, after Islam was established throughout the Arabian Peninsula, many descendants of the Royal Kindah continued to hold powerful political positions within the Islamic state. In fact, one branch of the Royal Kindah was even successful in gaining great political influence in far away Arab Andalusia in the European Iberian Peninsula.


The Kingdom of Lakhmid






The Arab Christian Kingdom of Lakhmid, which originated in the 3rd century CE, reached the height of its power during the 6th century under King al-Munthir III (503-554). Its domain covered from the western shores of the Persian Gulf all the way north to Iraq where its capital city, al-Hira, was located on the Euphrates River near present day Kufah. Working in close cooperation with the Zoroastrian Persian Sasanian Empire to which the Lakhmid Kingdom was a vassal state, al-Munthir III raided and frequently challenged the pro-Byzantine Arab Kingdom of Ghassan in Syria. His son King Amr Ibn Hind was patron of the legendary Arab poet Tarfah Ibn al-Abd and other poets associated with the seven Mu'allaqat (the Suspended Odes") of pre-Islamic Arabia (see "The Jahiliyyah" below). The Lakhmid dynasty eventually disintegrated after the death of its great Arab Christian King an-Nu'man III in 602.
The Jahiliyyah (Pre-Islamic Arabia)


Even in the period of Jahiliyyah (or "the ignorance" of pre-Islamic Arabia 500-622) the Arabs also had a great cultural literary civilization. Its great classical belles letters could very easily be compared to the best literary treasures developed during the later golden age of the Arab/Islamic civilization of the Abbasids and Andalusia. The Jahiliyyah era witnessed a vibrant golden age of Arab poetry and odes. Among the top pre-Islamic Arab poets, whose poems are still studied in college and pre-college curricula throughout the Arab world, are the seven legendary poets of the Golden Odes, known as the Seven Mu'allaqat ("the Suspended Odes"). These seven pre-Islamic Arab poets who belonged to different Arab tribes included: Prince Imru' al-Qays of the Kindah Kingdom; Tarfah (by far the greatest pre-Islamic Arab poet); Zuhair; Labid (who became so overwhelmed by the power and elegance of the Qur'an that he refused to compose any poetry for the last thirty years of his life); Antar (the greatest cavalier warrior of pre-Islamic Arabia); Amru' Ibn Kalthoom; and al-Harith Ibn Hillizah. Each one of these seven great Arab poets wrote magnificent lengthy poems accentuated with passion, love, eloquence, courage, and sensuality. Their seven golden odes, considered to be the greatest literary treasure of pre-Islamic Arabia, were accorded the highest honor by the critics of the times in the annual poetry fair in Ukaz near Makkah. Their works were inscribed in gold letters and hung (or "suspended") on the door and walls of the Ka'bah for the public to read, enjoy, and appreciate. To these seven incomparable Jahiliyyah Arab poets one must add the following four geniuses in poetry: an-Nabighah al-Thubyani, Hassan Ibn Thabit, al-Hutay'ah, and al-Khansa' (a female).

Although most of pre-Islamic Arabia during the Jahiliyyah period was largely nomadic and tribal where bedouin wars and conflicts were the norms among the disunited Arab tribes and where most people believed in pagan religions and superstitions, the two important cities of the Hejaz, Makkah and Ukaz, stood as shining spots in the entire Arabian Peninsula. In fact, Makkah was the religious, political, economic, intellectual, and cultural center of pre-Islamic Arabia. The Ka'bah in Makkah and Mount Arafat outside it (both of which were later incorporated in Islam) had been important religious sites for annual pilgrimage centuries before the coming of Islam.

كلمات الأمين العام

كلمات الأمين العام
كلمة معالى الأمين العام لجامعة الدول العربية فى حفل تخريج دفعة جديدة من برنامج كلية الدراسات العليا بالأكاديمية العربية للعلوم والتكنولوجيا والنقل البحري

15/03/2012

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

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معالى الدكتور محمد سالم وزير الاتصالات وتكنولوجيا المعلومات

سعادة الأستاذ الدكتور اسماعيل عبد الغفار رئيس الأكاديمية

أصحاب السعادة

السادة الحضور الكرام

اسمحوا لى أن أبدأ كلمتى بأن أعبر عن مدى سرورى وسعادتى بأن أكون بينكم اليوم، يسعدنى أن أكون بينكم اليوم فى حفل تخريج دفعة جديدة من برنامج كلية الدراسات العليا فى الادارة للحاصلين على درجة الدكتوراة والماجستير فى ادارة الأعمال وبرامج الدبلومات باللغة الانجليزية وشرحوا ما استفادوا به من دراستهم.

تعتز جامعة الدول العربية بالأكاديمية العربية للعلوم والتكنولوجيا والنقل البحرى كاحدى أهم منظمات العمل العربى المشترك التى تقدم خدمات تعليمية عالية الجودة من خلال منظومة متكاملة متعددة التخصصات تهدف الى تخريج الكوادر العربية المتميزة التى سوف تسهم باذن الله فى البناء والتنمية فى العالم العربى.

لقد حققت الأكاديمية على مدى تاريخها الذى يقارب من الأربعين عاماً انجازات ضخمة ملموسة يشيد بها الجميع على مستوى التعليم على مستوى البحث العلمى وخرجت أجيالاً من خيرة الشباب العربى الذين تخصصوا فى علوم الادارة والهندسة والاتصالات والنقل البحرى وغيرها من العلوم التى تهم عالمنا اليوم.

كما أصبحت الأكاديمية بيت خبرة متميز فى مجال تقديم الخدمات الاستشارية وادارة المشروعات، الى جانب تخصصها الأساسى فى مجال النقل البحرى والتدريب البحرى على المستوى الاقليمى والدولى كذلك.

وأتقدم بهذه المناسبة السعيدة باصدق التهانى للخريجين على نجاحهم الذى لم يأت الا بجهد ومثابرة بذلت للتزود بالعلم والمعرفة والتى ستمكنهم من المشاركة بفعالية فى عملية النهوض بالمجتمع، لقد استمعت باهتمام واعجاب شديد الى كلمات الخريجين التى تعتبر وبحق شهادة تفخر بها أى جامعة فى العالم، تؤكد نجاح الأكاديمية فى جذب وتأهيل الطلبة على أعلى مستوى، كما أهنئ خريجى الأكاديمية من مختلف الجنسيات على العطاء المستمر الذى سيمكنهم من الابحار بالعلم الى بر الحياة العملية متسلحين بالمعرفة متسلحين بالوعى، وأشكر الأساتذة أعضاء هيئة التدريس بكلية الدراسات العليا فى الادارة وفى مختلف كليات الأكاديمية العربية للعلوم والتكنولوجيا والنقل البحرى على الجهود التى بذلت لتخريج هذه الكوكبة من الخريجين والخريجات الذين نعلق عليهم أمالناً فى صنع مستقبلاً باهراً للعالم العربى ان شاء الله، وأتقدم أيضاً بالتهنئة لجامعتكم العظيمة الأكاديمية العربية للعلوم والتكنولوجيا والنقل البحرى التى يجب أن تفخر جميع الدول العربية بكونها احدى المنظمات العربية المتخصصة لجامعة الدول العربية والنموذج الأمثل للعمل العربى المشترك الناجح.

الحضور الكرام

لقد شهدت الآونة الأخيرة تحول الاقتصاد العالمى الى اقتصاد مبنى على المعرفة، اقتصاد يعتبر تقنيات المعلومات والاتصالات المحرك الرئيسى للتنمية الاقتصادية والاجتماعية، ويعتمد بدرجة عالية على الموارد البشرية يعتمد على الفكر يعتمد على المعرفة، لا يعوقه محدودية موارده، وإنما تفعله امكانية تزايدها اذا ما تم تنميتها بالشكل الصحيح، ويأتى تطوير التعليم، وتأهيل الكوادر الفنية، وبناء القدرات، وخلق القدرة على الابداع والابتكار ضمن أهم عناصره التى تؤكدها اليوم الأكاديمية العربية بهذه الكوكبة من خريجيها المتميزين من كلية الدراسات العليا فى الادارة.

اننا نشهد الآن تغييرات متعددة فى العالم العربى، تغييرات امتدت الى نظم الحكم والى التفكير بأسلوب عصرى ومنهج جديد، فقد هبت رياح التغيير على العالم العربى وشهدت المنطقة ثورات فى عدد من الدول العربية نادت بالحرية والديمقراطية والكرامة الانسانية.

كان الشباب العربى هو المحرك الرئيسى لتلك الثورات مستخدماً فى ذلك أحدث وسائل التكنولوجيا والانترنت للتواصل والتنسيق، وأبهر هذا الشباب العالم بوعيه وحسه الوطنى واستبساله فى حب الوطن حتى فضل الموت بكرامة عن العيش فى ظل الذل والقهر.

ولقد كان هذا الشباب وبدون اى شك مبهراً وملهماً، للشعب المصرى ولكافة الشعوب وتغلب على الظروف التى كانت فى وجه طموحاته وتطلعاته والتى كادت أن تقضى فى كثير من الأحيان على آماله وأحلامه، ولكنى اليوم أقول لكم .. أقول للشباب والشابات انتم الأمل وبالاصرار والمثابرة سوف تبنون مستقبلكم ومستقبل مصر وستحققون ما تصبون اليه بأيديكم لا بأيدى الآخرين، وها أنتم اليوم وقد جنيتم ثمار جهدكم وقد حققتم أهدافكم فلتتقدموا بخطوات ثابتة الى المستقبل وستكون لكم الريادة باذن الله.

ختاماً فاننى أتقدم بالشكر لسعادة الدكتور اسماعيل عبد الغفار رئيس الأكاديمية على دعوته الكريمة لى لمشاركتكم فى هذه اللحظة الفارقة من حياتكم متمنياً لكم وللأكاديمية دوام النجاح والتوفيق.

السابق

Συρία: Η Σαουδική Αραβία εφοδιάζει με όπλα τους αντάρτες

Η Σαουδική Αραβία εφοδιάζει με στρατιωτικό εξοπλισμό τους σύρους αντάρτες σε μια προσπάθεια να σταματήσει η αιματοχυσία από το καθεστώς του Μπασάρ Αλ Άσαντ, δήλωσε υψηλόβαθμος άραβας διπλωμάτης το Σάββατο.

«Φορτία με στρατιωτικό εξοπλισμό από τη Σαουδική Αραβία βρίσκονται καθ’ οδόν στην Ιορδανία προκειμένου να εξοπλιστεί ο Ελεύθερος Συριακός Στρατός» δήλωσε ο διπλωμάτης στο γαλλικό πρακτορείο ειδήσεων υπό τον όρο να τηρηθεί η ανωνυμία του.

«Πρόκειται για Σαουδική πρωτοβουλία για να σταματήσουν οι σφαγές στη Συρία» πρόσθεσε, χωρίς να δώσει περισσότερες λεπτομέρειες.

Τουλάχιστον 27 άνθρωποι -οι περισσότεροι άμαχοι- σκοτώθηκαν και 97 τραυματίστηκαν από τις δύο εκρήξεις που σημειώθηκαν νωρίς το πρωί στη Δαμασκό, μετέδωσε συριακό τηλεοπτικό δίκτυο επικαλούμενο τον υπουργό Υγείας

Συρία: Νέα έκθεση διαπιστώνει συστηματικά και εκτεταμένα βασανιστήρια και κακομεταχείριση κατά την κράτηση

Άνθρωποι που παγιδεύτηκαν στο μαζικό κύμα συλλήψεων στον απόηχο της συριακής εξέγερσης έχουν οδηγηθεί σε έναν εφιαλτικό κόσμο συστηματικών βασανιστηρίων, αποκαλύπτει σήμερα νέα έκθεση της Διεθνούς Αμνηστίας.

Η κλίμακα βασανιστηρίων και άλλων μορφών κακομεταχείρισης στη Συρία έχει αυξηθεί σε επίπεδο που είχε χρόνια να διαπιστωθεί και θυμίζει τη σκοτεινή εποχή των δεκαετιών του 1970 και 1980.

Δημοσιευμένη μια ημέρα πριν την πρώτη επέτειο της έναρξης των μαζικών διαμαρτυριών στη Συρία, η έκθεση (αγγλικά) «‘Ήθελα να πεθάνω’: Επιζώντες βασανιστηρίων στη Συρία μιλούν ανοιχτά» τεκμηριώνει 31 μεθόδους βασανισμού και άλλων μορφών κακομεταχείρισης από τις δυνάμεις ασφαλείας, το στρατό και τις φιλοκυβερνητικές ένοπλες συμμορίες shabiha, τις οποίες περιέγραψαν μάρτυρες ή θύματα σε ερευνητές της Διεθνούς Αμνηστίας στην Ιορδανία τον Φεβρουάριο του 2012.

«Η εμπειρία πολλών από τους ανθρώπους που παγιδεύτηκαν στο μαζικό κύμα συλλήψεων το περασμένο έτος μοιάζει τώρα πολύ με εκείνη των κρατουμένων υπό τον πρώην Πρόεδρο Hafez al Assad -έναν εφιαλτικό κόσμο συστηματικών βασανιστηρίων», δήλωσε η Ann Harrison, Προσωρινή Αναπληρώτρια Διευθύντρια του Προγράμματος της Διεθνούς Αμνηστίας για τη Μέση Ανατολή και τη Βόρεια Αφρική.

«Οι μαρτυρίες που έχουμε ακούσει δίνουν συνταρακτικές εικόνες ενός συστήματος κράτησης και ανάκρισης, το οποίο, ένα χρόνο μετά την έναρξη των διαδηλώσεων, μοιάζει να στοχεύει πρωτίστως στον εξευτελισμό, την ταπείνωση και την τρομοκρατία των θυμάτων του, βυθίζοντάς τα στη σιωπή.»

Μοτίβα βασανιστηρίων

Η Διεθνής Αμνηστία δήλωσε ότι τα βασανιστήρια και οι άλλες μορφές κακομεταχείρισης των κρατουμένων ακολούθησαν ένα καθορισμένο μοτίβο.

Πολλά θύματα δήλωσαν ότι ο ξυλοδαρμός ξεκινούσε κατά τη σύλληψη, έπειτα, κατά την άφιξή τους στα κέντρα κράτησης, ξυλοκοπούνταν σοβαρά με ράβδους, κοντάκια όπλων, μαστίγια και γροθιές, πλεγμένα καλώδια – πρακτική που ορισμένες φορές ονομάζεται ‘haflet al-istiqbal’ ή ‘υποδοχή’.

Νεοφερμένοι κρατούμενοι συνήθως απογυμνώνονταν μέχρι τα εσώρουχά τους και ορισμένες φορές εγκαταλείπονταν έξω για έως 24 ώρες.

Ανάκριση

Ωστόσο, οι μαρτυρίες που δόθηκαν στη Διεθνή Αμνηστία δείχνουν ότι οι κρατούμενοι διατρέχουν μεγαλύτερο κίνδυνο κατά την ανάκριση.

Αρκετοί επιζώντες μίλησαν για την εμπειρία τους από το dulab (ρόδα) -το θύμα μεταφέρεται με τη βία σε μια ρόδα αυτοκινήτου -που συχνά είναι ανυψωμένη- και ξυλοκοπείται, μερικές φορές με καλώδια ή ράβδους.

Η Διεθνής Αμνηστία δήλωσε ότι είχε παρατηρήσει αύξηση της χρήσης του shabeh -το θύμα κρέμεται από έναν υπερυψωμένο γάντζο, χερούλι ή πλαίσιο της πόρτας, ή από χειροπέδες στους καρπούς, έτσι ώστε τα πόδια να κρέμονται απλώς πάνω από το έδαφος ή μέχρι οι άκρες των δακτύλων να ακουμπούν το δάπεδο. Στη συνέχεια, το άτομο συχνά ξυλοκοπείται.

Ο δεκαοχτάχρονος “Karim”, φοιτητής από την al Taybeh στην επαρχία της Deraa, δήλωσε στη Διεθνή Αμνηστία ότι οι ανακριτές του χρησιμοποίησαν λαβίδα για να αφαιρέσουν σάρκα από τα πόδια του κατά τη διάρκεια της κράτησής του σε υποκατάστημα της Υπηρεσίας Πληροφοριών της Πολεμικής Αεροπορίας στη Deraa τον Δεκέμβριο του 2011.

Βασανιστήρια με ηλεκτροσόκ φαίνεται ότι χρησιμοποιούνται ευρέως σε ανακρίσεις. Πρώην κρατούμενοι περιέγραψαν τρεις μεθόδους: Ηλεκτροσόκ με νερό (το θύμα ή το δάπεδο βρέχεται με νερό και προκαλείται ηλεκτροσόκ)∙ η «ηλεκτρική καρέκλα» (ηλεκτρόδια συνδέονταν στα μέρη του σώματος)∙ ηλεκτρικές εκκενώσεις.

Βασανιστήρια με βάση το φύλο και άλλα εγκλήματα σεξουαλικής βίας φαίνεται να έχουν γίνει πιο συνηθισμένα το περασμένο έτος. Ο “Tareq” δήλωσε στη Διεθνή Αμνηστία ότι κατά τη διάρκεια της ανάκρισής του στο υποκατάστημα της Υπηρεσίας Πληροφοριών του Στρατού στην Kafr Sousseh, στη Δαμασκό, τον Ιούλιο του 2011, αναγκάστηκε να παρακολουθήσει το βιασμό ενός άλλου κρατούμενου που λεγόταν “Khalid”:

«Του τράβηξαν κάτω τα παντελόνια Είχε έναν τραυματισμό στο πάνω μέρος του αριστερού του ποδιού. Στη συνέχεια ο υπάλληλος τον βίασε στον τοίχο. Ο Khalid απλώς έκλαιγε κατά τη διάρκεια του βιασμού, χτυπώντας το κεφάλι του στον τοίχο.»

Εγκλήματα κατά της ανθρωπότητας

Η Διεθνής Αμνηστία δήλωσε ότι οι μαρτυρίες των επιζώντων από τα βασανιστήρια παρουσίασαν ακόμα περισσότερα αποδεικτικά στοιχεία για εγκλήματα κατά της ανθρωπότητας στη Συρία.

Η οργάνωση έχει ζητήσει επανειλημμένα την παραπομπή της κατάστασης στη Συρία στον Εισαγγελέα του Διεθνούς Ποινικού Δικαστηρίου (ΔΠΔ), αλλά πολιτικοί παράγοντες έχουν αποτρέψει αυτή την εξέλιξη, με τη Ρωσία και την Κίνα να αποκλείουν δυο φορές τα αποδυναμωμένα σχέδια ψηφίσματος του Συμβουλίου Ασφαλείας του ΟΗΕ, που δεν έκαναν καμία αναφορά στο ΔΠΔ.

Μετά την αποτυχία να εξασφαλιστεί παραπομπή στο ΔΠΔ, η Διεθνής Αμνηστία δήλωσε ότι επιθυμούσε να δει το Συμβούλιο Ανθρωπίνων Δικαιωμάτων να παρατείνει την εντολή της Εξεταστικής Επιτροπής του ΟΗΕ σχετικά με τη Συρία και να ενισχύσει την ιδιότητά της να ερευνεί, να καταγράφει και να αναφέρει, με σκοπό τις ενδεχόμενες διώξεις των υπευθύνων για εγκλήματα βάσει του διεθνούς δικαίου και άλλες κατάφωρες παραβιάσεις ανθρωπίνων δικαιωμάτων.

Η οργάνωση δήλωσε επίσης ότι ήθελε να δει τη διεθνή κοινότητα να αποδέχεται την κοινή ευθύνη για τη διερεύνηση και τη δίωξη εγκλημάτων κατά της ανθρωπότητας ενώπιον των εθνικών τους δικαστηρίων -σε δίκαιες δίκες και χωρίς προσφυγή στη θανατική ποινή- και απηύθυνε έκκληση για τη δημιουργία ομάδων κοινής δικαστικής διερεύνησης και δίωξης με στόχο τη βελτίωση των πιθανοτήτων σύλληψης.

«Εξακολουθούμε να πιστεύουμε ότι το ΔΠΔ εκπροσωπεί την καλύτερη επιλογή για τη διασφάλιση πραγματικής λογοδοσίας των υπευθύνων για τα σοβαρά εγκλήματα που έχουν διαπραχθεί εναντίον ανθρώπων στη Συρία», δήλωσε η Ann Harrison.

«Όμως ενώ η πολιτική καθιστά αυτή την προοπτική δύσκολη βραχυπρόθεσμα, οι σύροι υπεύθυνοι για τα βασανιστήρια -συμπεριλαμβανομένων των διοικούντων- δεν πρέπει να υπάρχει αμφιβολία ότι θα αντιμετωπίσουν τη δικαιοσύνη για εγκλήματα που διαπράχθηκαν υπό την εποπτεία τους. Συνεπώς, είναι απαραίτητο να ενισχυθεί η Εξεταστική Επιτροπή και να της επιτραπεί να συνεχίσει το έργο της.»

Ιστορικό

Η Διεθνής Αμνηστία πήρε συνέντευξη από δεκάδες Σύρους που διέφυγαν της βίας στην Ιορδανία, συμπεριλαμβανομένων 25 ατόμων που αναφέρθηκε ότι είχαν βασανιστεί ή υποστεί άλλες μορφές κακομεταχείρισης κατά την κράτηση πριν διαφύγουν από τα σύνορα. Η έκθεση περιλαμβάνει τις μαρτυρίες 19 από αυτούς τους επιζώντες. Περισσότερες από τις μισές από τις υποθέσεις που αναφέρθηκαν ήταν από την επαρχία της Deraa, όπου πρώτη φορά, τον Μάρτιο του 2011, δολοφονήθηκαν διαδηλωτές. Οι υπόλοιπες υποθέσεις ήταν από τις επαρχίες της Δαμασκού, της Rif Dimashq, της Hama, της Χομς, της Latakia, της al Suwayda και της Tartus.

The Arab Banking Conference 2012 Challenges of the Arab Economic Security

Abu Dhabi - Rotana Beach Hotel
April 11, 2012 - April 12, 2012

Despite the developmental achievement attained by the Arab counties during the past period, the Arab world is still facing regional and international challenges affecting the security, safety and economies of its nations. Stemming from this are poverty, unemployment, modest standard of living, low bilateral trade and investment rates, migration of Arab funds and competencies, weak infrastructure and education levels, not keeping pace with development requirements and global competitiveness, in addition to the problems of food and water security, climate change, energy and non-optimal use and mobilization of resources, while adding to the mix the various international challenges particularly the global financial and economic crisis and its implications on the global financial markets, recession, and contraction in the various economies including the Arab economies.



Print Details
Background: Despite the developmental achievement attained by the Arab counties during the past period, the Arab world is still facing regional and international challenges affecting the security, safety and economies of its nations. Stemming from this are poverty, unemployment, modest standard of living, low bilateral trade and investment rates, migration of Arab funds and competencies, weak infrastructure and education levels, not keeping pace with development requirements and global competitiveness, in addition to the problems of food and water security, climate change, energy and non-optimal use and mobilization of resources, while adding to the mix the various international challenges particularly the global financial and economic crisis and its implications on the global financial markets, recession, and contraction in the various economies including the Arab economies.
On the Arab front, the political situation and security disturbances witnessed in various countries in the MENA region have staggered many economic experts and analysts around the world, and have been the subject of discussion in various periodic economic seminars, where a lot of talk is directed to the nature of the regions problems and the danger of global implications from the current events.
These developments have raised a lot of question marks and rang the danger bells to what threatens the future of the Arab economies, and protects the security and safety of the Arab nations and its social wellbeing.
From this point, and in its strategy for 2012 aimed at approaching the implications of the Arab transitions, limit the damages, and strengthen Arab bilateral relations that could preserve the economic security of its nations and people, the Union of Arab Banks has decided to organize it Arab Banking Conference for this year in Abu Dhabi entitled ‘Challenges of the Arab Economic Security’ taking into consideration its status and leading economic role in the region.

Objectives: -Benefiting from UAE’s historical role in achieving Pan-Arab rapprochement
-Shedding light on the needed reforms in the Arab banking sector
-Exploring the implications and risks of a weak Arab economic security
-Shedding light on the GCC experience in achieving economic security
-Discussing the current and potential challenges facing Arab economies
-Mobilizing SMEs financing as a basic foundation in the Arab economic security
Encouraging the move to Green Economy
-A new vision for the Economic Integration at a time of major changes

Main topics: Implications and Risks resulting from a deteriorating Arab Economic security
Strategies of the Gulf Banking Sector in
light of the Arab transitions and turbulences
Convergence of banking frameworks, legislations and laws in the Arab world
The International Economy’s new engineering
Financing SMEs as a foundation for Arab Economic Security
Green Economy in a changing world

Structure of the conference: Keynote speeches by financial and economic decision makers.
Panels of discussion that gather officials from the political, financial, economic, investment and media fields.
Speaker-Audience interactive panels of discussion.

Targeted Participants: Ministers of Economy, Trade & Finance
Central Bank Governors
Leaders of Banks and Financial Institutions
Leaders of Economic Enterprises
Chairmen of Economic and Financial Organizations
Businessmen & Investors
Economists and Experts in Banking and
Economic Fields
Representatives of international Financial Institutions
Representatives of Insurance companies, investment and Pension Funds and ICT
Companies
Leaders of Arab Chambers
Leaders of Joint Arab – Foreign Chambers


PARTICIPATION FEES: UAB Members:
- for the 1st participant: Free of Charge
- for the 2nd participant & above: $ 600

UAB Non-Members: $ 1200

Keynote Speech by OPEC Secretary General to the 13th IEF Ministerial Meeting

 

Delivered by HE Abdalla S. El-Badri, OPEC Secretary General to the 13th IEF Ministerial Meeting, Session 2 - Energy Markets: Mitigating Volatility, Kuwait City, Kuwait, 13-14 March 2012

[SLIDE 1]
Thank you Mr Chairman,
Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,
Let me begin by thanking the Kuwaiti Government for hosting this meeting and the co-hosts Algeria and the Netherlands for their contribution and support.

[SLIDE 2]
The theme of this session is: 'Energy Markets: Mitigating Volatility'. What I would like to stress upfront is that concerns surrounding volatility in commodity markets, in general, and energy markets, in particular, are not new.

The issue remains an obstacle for the world economy; for those producing countries whose economies are still highly dependent on oil export revenues; and for consumers whose energy needs continues to be primarily satisfied by fossil fuels. In truth, it matters for each and every one of us.

We all remember that, back in the late 1990s, prices plunged below 10 dollars a barrel in the wake of the Asian financial crisis. At the time, on the occasion of the 6th IEF meeting in South Africa, OPEC stressed that these price levels were not suitable for producers, and in the long-term, they were not beneficial to consumers.

This proved to be true. Investment stalled and human resources shrunk, when the industry undertook deep cost-cutting strategies. This, in turn, meant the market tightened quickly as the global economy and oil demand rebounded a few years later. Without the availability of OPEC's spare capacity, such tightening would have been even sharper.

More recently, price swings were even larger and faster. For oil, in mid-2008, crude prices reached a peak of 147 dollars a barrel. They then sank to the low 30 dollars in December of the same year.

In addition, daily price changes have been greater since 2007.

[SLIDE 3]
However, many believe that price fluctuations are today amplified by a new phenomenon: the financialization of commodity markets, in general, and oil markets, in particular.

Since 2004, the participation of financial players has grown significantly.

For example, the number of outstanding exchange-traded commodity contracts has expanded from a level of around 15 million contracts in 2004 to more than 60 million contracts today. Over-the-counter commodity derivatives also sharply increased between 2004 and 2008, with notional amounts outstanding increasing from one trillion dollars to more than 12 trillion.

New players have also entered the market, such as index funds and exchange trade fund sponsors.

And the strategies of the participants have become more varied and more complex. This includes hedging against inflation or currency fluctuations, portfolio return risk management, arbitrage opportunities, index tracking, herd behavior and speculation. Recently, a new feature is the development of high frequency trading.
[SLIDE 4]
This phenomenon has been visible in oil markets.

In addition to oil being a physical commodity, it has increasingly been treated by financial investors as an individual asset class.

Oil-related derivatives markets have expanded sharply in terms of size, participants, types of contracts and complexity. For example, since 2005, the total open interest of the NYMEX crude oil futures and options has increased sharply. In the middle of 2008, it surpassed three million contracts per day. This was 35 times the size of physical world oil demand. Today, the level of open interest is equivalent to 29 times the size of physical demand.
[SLIDE 5]
This leads to the question: do futures prices still reflect the physical supply and demand fundamentals, or are they mainly driven by financial motivations?

It is a question that has attracted attention in recent years. The Jeddah Energy Meeting held in June 2008 was a landmark meeting in this regard. It helped in the convergence between producers and consumers on the issue of excessive energy market volatility and the need to mitigate it.

Areas of cooperation were agreed by the IEA, the IEF and OPEC on the occasion of the 12th IEF in Cancun. And over the past two years we have seen the successful implementation of this programme of cooperation.

This has included two workshops and forums on the inter-linkages between physical and financial energy markets and on regulation, where discussions have reflected a wide diversity of views.

Some participants attributed the recent price movements to oil physical fundamentals, while acknowledging the impact of financial markets on short term price changes.

Other participants saw speculative activity and the financialization of commodities as amplifying price movements and leading to excessive market volatility.

And there are others who regard crude oil price formation as consisting of a complex interaction of physical and financial factors, including speculation in financial markets.

At OPEC, we believe that massive and rapid in- and out-flows of financial investments into oil markets can alter price dynamics away from fundamentals. This can exaggerate price swings, both up and down, in the short-term, and, if persistent, in the medium- to long-term.

Regulatory reforms are already being proposed, for financial markets, in general, and commodity markets, in particular. And efforts to increase transparency and oversight in the commodity derivative markets are underway, on both the futures exchanges, as well as the over-the-counter derivatives markets.

However, it is still too early to judge the overall impacts of these reforms and it is important to monitor such developments and their potential impacts on the functioning of markets.

In recent years, we have also witnessed the further strengthening of the Joint Organisations Data Initiative. The value of timely, more accurate and transparent data is essential to our industry. Last year JODI celebrated its 10th Anniversary. We applaud its efforts. OPEC is proud to have played a role in JODI's establishment and we continue to fully support the Initiative.
[SLIDE 6]
While it is short-term price volatility that usually makes the headlines, the long-term price of oil matters too. Our industry is capital intensive, with long lead times and payback periods. And we need to remember that security of demand is as important as security of supply.

This leads me to look to the future of oil. It offers some very difficult questions, relating to such things as foreseeing future economic growth; the possible impacts of the financial crisis; the effect of technology on the demand and supply side; policies; consumer preferences; and, of course, geopolitics.

Given the complexity of these drivers, and the wide spectrum of feasible future energy scenes, the OPEC Secretariat has developed a scenario-based approach for the long-term.

Under OPEC's World Oil Outlook Reference Case, which assumes a continuation of past trends, over the period 2010-2035, energy demand increases by 51 per cent. Fossil fuels will still satisfy the lion's share of world energy needs, contributing up to 82 per cent of the global energy mix by 2035. Resources are sufficient in this regard.

Demand for oil is expected to increase by close to 23 million barrels a day over the period 2010-2035, reaching almost 110 million barrels a day by 2035, driven mainly by developing Asia and by the transportation sector in non-OECD countries. But the share of oil in the energy mix is expected to decline from 34 per cent today to around 28 per cent in 2035.
[SLIDE 7]
However, the future is rarely a simple continuation of the past.

Many uncertainties are associated with oil demand projections, which can be viewed in scenarios from our World Oil Outlook.

For instance, OPEC's Accelerated Transportation Technology and Policy scenario indicates that global oil use could be more than 7 million barrels a day lower by 2035, compared to the Reference Case.

And between higher and lower economic growth scenarios, there is an almost 20 million barrels a day difference.

This leads me to ask a number of questions about these scenarios. What would be the impact on prices? What would be the effect on investments? And what might it mean for more expensive sources of oil, such as non-conventionals? The two common words that arise with to each of these questions are 'uncertainty' and 'instability'.

Let me stress that if there is no confidence in there being additional demand for oil, there is no incentive to invest. Why waste precious financial resources on unneeded capacity? On the other hand, if investments are not made in a timely and adequate manner, then future consumer needs might not be met.
[SLIDE 8]
Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,
I am sure everyone here can appreciate that we cannot avoid speculation and volatility altogether. It is a part of the market.

However, it is essential to mitigate extreme volatility and excessive speculation, which are detrimental.

Thus, it is important we look to well-designed regulatory reforms, continually improve the quality and timeliness of data and strengthen JODI, advance academic research, and further enhance the producer-consumer dialogue.

In recent years, the producer-consumer dialogue has taken significant steps in this regard. It is important we continue to follow up on these actions.

I think we all recognize the value of this. Oil will continue to play a major role in the world economy, and in the socio-economic development of billions of people, while ensuring the world moves along the path toward a sustainable energy future. It matters to us all.

That is why our constructive dialogue needs to be pursued.
[SLIDE 9]
Thank you for your attention.

OPEC daily basket price stood at $124.59 a barrel Tuesday, 13 March 2012

Vienna, 14 March 2012--The price of OPEC basket of twelve crudes stood at 124.59 dollars a barrel on Tuesday, compared with $123.88 the previous day, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations.

The new OPEC Reference Basket of Crudes (ORB) is made up of the following: Saharan Blend (Algeria), Girassol (Angola), Oriente (Ecuador), Iran Heavy (Islamic Republic of Iran), Basra Light (Iraq), Kuwait Export (Kuwait), Es Sider (Libya), Bonny Light (Nigeria), Qatar Marine (Qatar), Arab Light (Saudi Arabia), Murban (UAE) and Merey (Venezuela).

Αφιέρωμα στη σύγχρονη τέχνη του αραβικού κόσμου

Του Γιώργου Βαϊλάκη
Η σύγχρονη τέχνη του αραβικού κόσμου έχει την τιμητική της σε ένα Φεστιβάλ που αναμένεται να συζητηθεί για την ποιότητα και την ποικιλία των δράσεων που περιλαμβάνει: Θέατρο, μουσική, χορός, εικαστικά, προβολές και διαλέξεις καλλιτεχνών από το Κάιρο, τη Δαμασκό, το Αμάν, τη Βηρυτό, την Τύνιδα, το Λονδίνο και το Παρίσι θα μετατρέψουν τη Στέγη Γραμμάτων και Τεχνών του Ιδρύματος Ωνάση, από τις 7 έως τις 11 Μαρτίου, σε διεθνή πλατφόρμα καλλιτεχνικής δημιουργίας και πολιτικού στοχασμού.

Ο λόγος για το Meeting Points, ένα φεστιβάλ σύγχρονης τέχνης από τον αραβικό κόσμο που πραγματοποιείται σε πρωτεύουσες της Μέσης Ανατολής και της Βόρειας Αφρικής, στις Βρυξέλλες και το Βερολίνο, με πρωτοβουλία του Tarek Abou El Fetouh και του Young Arab Theatre Fund (YATF).
Το Meeting Points 6, σύμφωνα με το σκεπτικό του επιμελητή, κορυφαίου θεωρητικού και κριτικού τέχνης Okwui Enwezor, επιχειρεί μια ανατομία της «πολιτικής φαντασίας» προσεγγίζοντας ζητήματα ταυτότητας και ετερότητας, συλλογικής μνήμης και ιστορίας, κοινωνικού αποκλεισμού και πολιτικής ευθύνης σε μια κρίσιμη για τον αραβικό κόσμο ιστορική συγκυρία.

Το πρόγραμμα των εκδηλώσεων περιλαμβάνει: την παράσταση «Amnesia» (7- 8/3) του προφητικού σκηνοθέτη από την Τυνησία Φάδελ Ζάιμπι, την ιστορική περφόρμανς «The negotiating table» της Mona Hatoum (7-11/3), τη συζήτηση «Επαναστάσεις του σήμερα», με τους Okwui Enwezor, Mona Hatoum, Ahdaf Soueif, Adania Shibli, Χρήστο Ιωακειμίδη και Κωστή Παπαϊωάννου (9/3).
ΠειραματισμοίΕπίσης, ο Τάρεκ Ατουι από τη Βηρυτό πειραματίζεται με την ηλεκτρονική μουσική (στις 10/2) παρουσιάζοντας το πρότζεκτ «Infinite times zero», ένα εν εξελίξει έργο που θα ολοκληρωθεί στη Μικρή Σκηνή της Στέγης. Και ακόμη, θα πραγματοποιηθεί ένας μαραθώνιος μονολόγων, αναγνώσεων, περφόρμανς και χορού, όπου οι θεατές θα έχουν την ευκαιρία να γνωρίσουν την καλλιτεχνική έκφραση σημαντικών ονομάτων της σύγχρονης αραβικής σκηνής, που θα παρουσιάσουν για πρώτη φορά δουλειά τους στην Ελλάδα.
Μεταξύ αυτών, οι χορογράφοι και χορευτές Σέλμα & Σοφιάν Ουισσί από την Τύνιδα με τη χορευτική περφόρμανς «Here(s)», οι κινηματογραφιστές και εικαστικοί καλλιτέχνες Ιωάννα Χατζηθωμά και Χαλίλ Ζορέζ από τη Βηρυτό και η ανεξάρτητη συγγραφέας και σκηνοθέτις από το Κάιρο Λάιλα Σουλεϊμάν με την περφόρμανς «No time for art» που βασίζεται σε «ημερολόγια, ήχους, κινήσεις, ειδήσεις και οτιδήποτε συνιστά μια επανάσταση».

Παζάρια σε ΟΗΕ και Αραβικό Σύνδεσμο

ΔΑΜΑΣΚΟΣ - ΜΟΣΧΑ - ΝΕΑ ΥΟΡΚΗ.--

Κλιμακώνονται οι πιέσεις, αλλά και οι διαβουλεύσεις τόσο στους κόλπους του ΟΗΕ όσο και του Αραβικού Συνδέσμου, λίγα 24ωρα πριν τη νέα συνεδρίαση του δεύτερου που καλείται να αποτιμήσει το, μέχρι στιγμής, έργο των Αράβων παρατηρητών και ν' αποφασίσει για το επόμενο βήμα τους. Την ίδια ώρα, συνεχίζονται οι συζητήσεις παρασκηνίου και στον ΟΗΕ, καθώς ΗΠΑ, Γερμανία, Γαλλία και Βρετανία πιέζουν για νέες κυρώσεις, τις οποίες η Μόσχα κατέστησε σαφές ότι δεν πρόκειται να στηρίξει εκτιμώντας ότι αποτελούν προθάλαμο εξωτερικής επέμβασης κατά της Συρίας, ενώ το Πεκίνο σε χαμηλότερους τόνους ουσιαστικά συμφώνησε με τη ρωσική στάση.

Εκπρόσωπος του κινεζικού υπουργείου Εξωτερικών αρκέστηκε, από την πλευρά του, να εκτιμήσει ότι «η αποστολή των παρατηρητών πάει αρκετά καλά και μπορεί να φέρει ακόμη μεγαλύτερα αποτελέσματα».

Το τι μέλλει γενέσθαι με τους παρατηρητές θα συζητήσουν οι υπουργοί Εξωτερικών του Αραβικού Συνδέσμου το Σαββατοκύριακο, οπότε θα τεθεί επί τάπητος και η πρόταση του Κατάρ για ανάπτυξη αραβικών στρατευμάτων στη Συρία, πρόταση που απορρίπτει κατηγορηματικά η Δαμασκός, αλλά και τα περισσότερα μέλη του Συνδέσμου, προς το παρόν τουλάχιστον. Αν τελικά ο Σύνδεσμος αποφασίσει να συνεχίσει την αποστολή, είναι βέβαιο ότι θα ζητήσει επέκταση της δικαιοδοσίας των παρατηρητών, πέραν της χρονικής διάρκειας παραμονής τους, στη Συρία, κάτι που δεν είναι καθόλου βέβαιο ότι θα δεχτεί η συριακή ηγεσία.

Τοπική εκεχειρία
Στο μεταξύ, εντός χώρας, συνεχίζονται οι συγκρούσεις. Χτες, πάντως, διέρρεαν ότι στην πόλη Ζαμπαντάνι, στο βορρά κοντά στα σύνορα με την Τουρκία, η οποία φερόταν να έχει περιέλθει πλήρως υπό τον έλεγχο ενόπλων λιποτακτών, όπως διατείνονται αντιπολιτευτικές πηγές, στρατός και ένοπλοι συμφώνησαν σε εκεχειρία με αποτέλεσμα εκατέρωθεν ν' αποσυρθούν δυνάμεις από τους δρόμους και τα περίχωρα και ν' αποκατασταθεί στοιχειωδώς η παροχή ορισμένων υπηρεσιών.

Οι συριακές αρχές δεν επιβεβαίωσαν την εκεχειρία, αλλά την αποχώρηση του στρατού από τους δρόμους της πόλης.

Minister of Foreign Affairs offers helping hand for struggling Greece

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, speaks during a business forum in Athens yesterday. AP Photo / Petros Giannakouris


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The UAE is seeking to boost its investment from sovereign wealth funds and private businesses in Greece, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, said yesterday.

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The comments, made after talks between the two countries in Athens, come as the debt-burdened country struggles to secure funding needed to keep it afloat.

"The UAE is committed to reaching out to the Greek government and private sector to strengthen relations and look at boosting the presence" of private sector companies and sovereign funds in Greece, Sheikh Abdullah said in the Greek capital yesterday.

The Minister is leading an official delegation to Greece to explore opportunities for extending links between the two countries. The two-day visit included a meeting of the first joint panel between the UAE and Greece, chaired on the Greek side by Benjalos Theodoros, the country's deputy prime minister.

Education, finance, tourism, health and security are among the areas in which officials are keen to enhance relations.

Greece has been mulling investment from wealthy countries from around the world as it fights to stave off economic meltdown. It is scrambling to conclude a bond swap deal with private creditors to halve its debt load to receive further cash from its euro-zone partners and the IMF. Without the funding, Greece risks defaulting in March on €14.5 billion (Dh67.66bn) of maturing bonds.

"We are about to finalise shortly negotiations on private sector participation, which is a necessary condition for the second programme," Olli Rehn, the EU economic and monetary affairs commissioner, told the European Parliament yesterday. "It is not going to be easy, but I am reasonably confident we will achieve this aim."



Germany and France warned Greece on Monday it would not get a second €130bn bailout until creditor banks agreed to a voluntary 50 per cent cut in their bond holdings. The two euro-zone powerhouses are also worried Greece has been falling behind with making required cuts to its budget deficit.

Investment from the Gulf and elsewhere has already been pledged to help pull the country out of its worst recession in four decades.

Qatar last year provided funds for a merger of two of Greece's largest banks and the sovereign wealth fund Qatar Holding struck a deal to finance US$600 million (Dh2.2bn) of mining operations in the country.

China agreed to invest billions of euros in Greece in 2010 after signing 14 commercial deals.

On a previous visit to Athens in April 2010, Sheikh Abdullah promised greater cooperation between the nations, especially in the fields of navigation and shipbuilding.

Volumes of UAE non-oil trade with Greece in 2010 stood at $117m.



* With Bloomberg News and Reuters

tarnold@thenational.ae