World leaders congratulate Turkey's Erdogan

13 June 2011

Leaders from around the world have congratulated Turkish PM Erdogan on election victory.

Officials from European Parliament, Britain and Greece congratulated Prime Minister and Chairman of Justice & Development (AK) Party Recep Tayyip Erdogan who won general elections in Turkey on Monday.

European Parliament's Turkey rapporteur Ria Oomen Ruijten congratulated Erdogan and AK Party, and said that AK Party government, which was elected for the third time, undertook an important responsibility. Ruijten wanted the government to be loyal to EU accession process and reforms.

British Prime Minister David Cameron and Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou also called Erdogan on the phone and congratulated his victory.

According to unofficial results, more than 91 percent of votes were counted, and AK Party received 49.8 percent of the votes, while Republican People's Party (CHP) became the second party by gaining 25.9 percent of the votes.

Presidents of Azerbaijan and Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) congratulated Erdogan on his party's election victory on Sunday.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and TRNC's President Dervis Eroglu as well as Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister Irsen Kucuk called Erdogan late Sunday to congratulate him on his victory by wide margin, AK Party officials said.

Erdogan's ruling Justice & Development Party won 50 percent of votes in Sunday's parliamentary elections. Main opposition CHP received 26 percent and opposition MHP gained 13 percent.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad sent a message to Erdogan, congratulating the premier on the election success of his Justice and Development Party in Sunday's polls.

According to unofficial results, AK Party won 49.91 percent of votes to claim 326 seats at the 550-seat Turkish parliament for a third consecutive term in power.

Also, Iran's Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi telephoned his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu over AK Party's election victory.

Kazakhstan's Prime Minister Karim Masimov sent a message to Erdogan on Monday congratulating him over the election success of his Justice & Development (AK) Party in Sunday's polls.

According to unofficial results, AK Party won 49.83 percent of votes to claim 326 seats at the 550-seat Turkish parliament for a third consecutive term in power.

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy sent a joint message to Erdogan on his landslide election victory in Sunday's polls.

"The results of the elections pave the way for the continuation of strengthening Turkey's democratic institutions as well as the modernization of the country," Barroso and Rompuy said.

The two EU leaders called for new constitution through dialogue and consensus and urged steps to boost confidence between Turkey and the Union.

Erdogan and his party clinched almost 50 percent of the votes and won 326 seats at the 550-seat parliament.

Turkish Cypriot president congratulated on Monday Turkey's prime minister on election victory.

President Dervis Eroglu of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) sent a message to Erdogan and congratulated Erdogan on the victory Justice & Development Party won in Sunday's parliamentary elections.

"On behalf of Turkish Cypriot people, I sincerely congratulate you on recording a great success on June 12th parliamentary elections and on gaining the opportunity to form a government on your own," Eroglu said.

Eroglu also said he had full belief and confidence that the election results would boost friendly relations between Turkey and TRNC and be beneficial to the region and the world.

AK Party won 49.81 percent of votes in Sunday's elections, and thus has sent 326 deputies to parliament.

The head official of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) said on Monday that Turkish nation always gave the necessary messages through elections and such messages should be read well by politicians.

Speaking to AA in the British capital of London, OIC Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu commented on the results of Sunday's general elections in Turkey.

"Turkish nation gives the necessary messages in every election. However, these messages should be read well by politicians and the new parliament, and actions should be taken accordingly. That is the most important thing," he said.

Commenting on the latest developments in Syria, Ihsanoglu noted that his organization preferred to pursue a "silent diplomacy" on the issue, as it believed such diplomacy was a more accurate method under the current circumstances.

Describing the situation in Syria as "very fragile", the OIC head said he wished the necessary reforms would be implemented in the country as soon as possible and the bloodshed would end.

Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero sent a letter to his Turkish counterpart Erdogan on Sunday night congratulating him for the victory of the Justice and Development (AK) Party in Sunday's elections.

In his letter, Zapatero said that the "three back to back victories of the AK Party is a clear indication of the confidence the Turkish people have in Erdogan and his administration".

Zapatero said that relations between Spain and Turkey were "excellent" and that the new term in Turkey will provide an opportunity to further strengthen the relations between the two countries.

Meanwhile, other world leaders such as Lebanon's Premier Saad Hariri, Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, Kazakh Premier Karim Masimov and Albanian President Bamir Topi also sent messages to Erdogan over the AK Party's victory on Sunday.

An embassy statement said Cameron congratulated Erdogan on his impressive achievement of winning a third term.

The statement quoted Erdogan as saying that he looked forward to continuing his close cooperation with Cameron.

"The leaders also discussed Syria. They noted that the situation there had deteriorated markedly in the last week, and agreed that the violence was a cause for deep concern," the statement said.

The statement said Erdogan briefed Cameron on the situation on the Syrian border with Turkey, and the leaders agreed on the importance of international unity in response to a crisis which was increasingly dangerous for the Syrian people and the region.

"They agreed that Britain and Turkey should work 'hand-in-hand' to achieve stability in the region," it said.

The statement said on Libya, there was close agreement on the need to maintain pressure on Muammar al-Qadhafi through a united and resolute international approach.

"The Prime Minister welcomed Turkey's very important leadership role, especially in hosting and coordinating the next meeting of the international Libya Contact Group in July," the statement also said.

AK Party won 49.81 percent of votes in Sunday's.

Source: World Bulletin.
Link: http://www.worldbulletin.net/?aType=haber&ArticleID=75016.

Turkey calls regional envoys to discuss Arab protests, Syria

14 June 2011 Tuesday

Turkish diplomats in the Middle East will gather in capital Ankara to discuss the latest developments in the region, labelled as the "Arab Spring", as well as the situation in Syria.

During Monday's assessment meeting between Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, the head of Turkey's National Intelligence Agency (MIT), as well as Turkish ambassadors in Damascus and Beirut, it has been decided that Turkish ambassadors commissioned in the Middle East shall be summoned to Ankara to discuss the latest developments in the region, particularly the incidents in Syria.

Accordingly, Turkey's senior diplomats will gather in the Turkish capital on Wednesday to assess the recent developments, officials told AA on Tuesday.

In the past week, thousands of Syrians have fled to Turkey to escape the violence between government forces and anti-Assad protesters in their country. Turkey has set up tent-camps to accommodate Syrian citizens.

Source: World Bulletin.
Link: http://www.worldbulletin.net/?aType=haber&ArticleID=75069.

Arab League issues first condemnation of Syria violence

Tuesday 14 June 2011
Martin Chulov in Beirut

Comments 'unbalanced and politically motivated', says Syrian representative, as army's onslaught continues.

The Arab League has publicly criticized the violence in Syria for the first time, saying Arab states are "angry and actively monitoring" the crisis.

The comments from the outgoing secretary general, Amr Moussa, drew a bitter response from Damascus. Syria's representative at the league described them as "unbalanced and politically motivated".

Mounting international condemnation, however, has done little to slow the onslaught of the Syrian army as it pushes through northern border villages on an operation it claims is cleansing the area of criminal gangs. Residents of the town of Deir Azzor were reportedly bracing themselves on Tuesday night for the arrival of armor and troops from the Syrian military's feared 4th division, commanded by Maher al-Assad, brother of Syrian leader, Bashar al-Assad.

The same division has been in control of the town of Jisr al-Shughour since Friday, forcing most remaining people in the besieged enclave to flee to the nearby mountains bordering Turkey.

Syrian refugees continue to arrive at crossing points into Turkey and some are reported to have told authorities that the army arrested at least 15 people along the way. More than 7,000 refugees are now in southern Turkey and at least 5,000 have fled into Lebanon. Moussa said: "Though their views differ, Arab states are all worried, angry and actively monitoring the current crisis in Syria. What we are hearing and monitoring, about many victims falling, indicates great tumult in Syria ... The situation in Syria should not be left in this state. Continuation of the status quo could lead to what may not be desired ... for Syria."

Syria's envoy, Youssef Ahmad, claimed Moussa was recommending the same sort of military intervention that the Arab League endorsed in Libya three months ago.

"Days before leaving his post, Moussa calls for a kind of foreign intervention in the Syrian affairs, when the Libyan blood, shed by NATO air strikes as a result for a [UN] security council resolution, based, regrettably on an Arab demand in which Moussa's efforts immensely contributed, isn't dry yet," he said.

On the Lebanon-Syria border, few refugees crossed on Tuesday. "The Syrians are keeping people away from the border," said a man in the town of Wadi Khaled, who identified himself as Omar. "It has been like this for many days."

Wadi Khaled is teeming with refugees from towns and cities, especially Hama and Homs, scenes of fierce violence over the last fortnight. "There are at least 5,000 Syrians here," said Omar.

"But it is very difficult for any more to come because the army is stopping them or shooting them."

Syrian troops were clearly visible patrolling a river that acts as an unofficial border. Several Syrian tanks had their turrets pointed towards Lebanon. At an official crossing point further up the road, there was no sign of anyone arriving.

Source: The Guardian.
Link: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jun/14/arab-league-condemnation-syria-violence.

Greek police fire tear gas at protesters

June 15, 2011 — ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greek police have fired tear gas to push back protesters trying to blockade Parliament, where the struggling government will launch a debate on new cutbacks needed to secure international rescue loans.

Scuffles broke out between riot police and small groups of demonstrators as more than 20,000 protesters thronged the center of the capital city. The clashes came Wednesday as Prime Minister George Papandreou was meeting with the country's president to discuss Greece's severe debt crisis.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below. ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greek police deployed in strength Wednesday to prevent some 20,000 anti-austerity protesters from blockading Parliament, where the struggling government will launch a debate on new cutbacks needed to secure international rescue loans.

As a 24-hour general strike got under way, a large part of central Athens was closed to all traffic and pedestrians as police mounted a huge security operation to allow lawmakers access to Parliament by car.

Some 5,000 officers, including hundreds of riot and motorcycle police, used parked buses and crowd barriers to prevent protesters from encircling the building. Tension mounted near one entrance of Parliament, where demonstrators tried to overturn the large barriers and threw plastic bottles at the riot police, who responded with pepper spray.

The mood among the thousands of other protesters in Syntagma Square outside Parliament was calm, however. Their numbers swelled throughout the morning as demonstrators from union-organized marches headed to the capital's central square.

"Resign, resign," the crowd chanted outside Parliament. The protesters included both young and old, and many brought their children, hoisting them onto their shoulders to shield them from the crush. Such marches have often turned violent in the past, and three clerks died when rioters torched their bank during a mass demonstration in Athens last May.

"What can we do? We have to fight, for our children and for us," said Dimitra Nteli, a nurse at a state hospital who was at the protest with her daughter. "After 25 years of work I earn 1,100 euros a month. Now that will drop to 900. How can we live on that?"

Her 26-year-old daughter, Christina, said the situation in Greece had led her to seek a university place abroad. She is leaving to study conflict resolution in the U.K. "I have no job here. There are no prospects," she said

Police spokesman Athanassios Kokalakis said 10 protesters were briefly detained for trying to prevent lawmakers from reaching Parliament. About a hundred people booed and heckled as cars carrying Prime Minister George Papandreou and President Karolos Papoulias swept past.

Meanwhile, a general strike by unions crippled public services across the country. It left state hospitals running on emergency staff, disrupted port traffic and public transport, and forced radio and television news programs off the air. Journalists' unions, however, later called off the strike to cover developments in Athens.

Flights were also operating normally after the air traffic controllers' union dropped out of the strike. "They keep asking us to give more," said Ilias Iliopoulos, general secretary of the civil servants' union ADEDY. "Now, again, they will cut our salaries and bonuses, from the little that we have left."

The government needs to pass a new 2012-2015 austerity program worth euro28 billion ($40.5 billion) this month — or face being cut off from a euro110 billion package of rescue loans from European countries and the International Monetary Fund.

To meet their commitments, Papandreou's Socialists' abandoned a pledge not to impose new taxes and have drawn up a four-year privatization program worth euro50 billion ($72 billion) — further fueling protests against austerity by public utility employees and other affected groups.

Some of the lawmakers from the governing party have publicly criticized the new cuts. One of them defected on Tuesday, reducing Papandreou's parliamentary majority to five in the 300-seat legislature. Another Socialist lawmaker said he will vote against the bill, which is set for final approval by early next month.

Facing an open revolt from within his own party and a refusal by the main opposition conservatives to back the new austerity bills despite EU pressure for cross-party support, Papandreou was to meet with the country's president later in the day.

With its credit rating deep in junk status, Greece is being kept afloat by the EU and IMF bailout, but will need additional support to cover financing gaps next year as high interest rates will prevent it from tapping the bond market next year, contrary to what the original bailout agreement had predicted.

On Monday night, Standard & Poor's slashed Greece's rating from B to CCC, dropping it to the very bottom of the 131 states that have a sovereign debt rating. That suggests Greece's creditors are less likely to get their money back than those of Pakistan, Ecuador or Jamaica.

It's an astonishing low for Greece. As recently as January 2009, the country still had a stellar A rating despite a hefty debt burden. Punishing austerity measures have seen the Socialists' popularity plummet in recent weeks. A weekend opinion poll gave the main opposition conservatives a four-point lead over their Socialist rivals, the first time the party has been ahead in surveys since 2009. The next general election is scheduled for October 2013.

Spain protesters clash with police in Barcelona

June 15, 2011 — BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — About 2,000 demonstrators angry about planned budget cuts in education and health clashed with police outside a regional parliament in Spain on Wednesday. There were reports of 36 injuries.

Some politicians could only reach Catalonia's parliament using police helicopters. Scuffles broke out when police pushed back protesters so other lawmakers arriving on foot could get in. The politicians were heckled and at least two were sprayed with paint, a police spokeswoman said on condition of anonymity in keeping with rules.

Spain's state-run radio reported 36 injuries, including 12 police officers. Police declined to comment on whether there were any injuries. Regional President Artur Mas was among some 25 politicians who arrived by helicopter. About 400 police packed the Ciutadella park in central Barcelona to ensure protesters could not enter by climbing over the railings. Outside, riot police vans stood guard at the main park entrance.

"I think it is important to be here protesting against the spending cuts, because to cut social spending with the excuse of the crisis is a big farce," protester Mariela Pita said. After the politicians entered the parliament, hundreds of protesters left the area but many remained. Organizers said the protest would be peaceful.

Mas warned that police may have to resort to "a legitimate use of force" and called on the public to be understanding. "Coercion and violence to stop the normal functioning of parliament that represents the Catalan people is not admissible," Mas said. "These red lines cannot be crossed."

The demonstration was part of nationwide protests over the past month by young and unemployed people angry at the country's handling of the economic crisis. The highlight of the movement was a near monthlong, round-the-clock makeshift protest camp in Madrid's Puerta del Sol plaza.

The vast majority of the protests have been peaceful although 100 people were injured in Barcelona when riot police charged protesters in a main city square May 27. Wednesday's protest was criticized by politicians across the country.

"Aggressions and insults against politicians are aggressions and insults against the people's representatives," said Ramon Jauregui, spokesman for the Spanish central government. "I can accept the protest by 2,000 people but I would remind those 2,000 people that 3.2 million people voted those deputies that were hassled," he said.

But Gaspar Llamazares of the United Left coalition said the protests represented a "social fracture" in Spain, where the economic crisis has left close to 5 million people unemployed. Last week, hundreds of protesters gathered outside the national parliament in Madrid to demonstrate against labor reforms.

Ciaran Giles contributed to this report from Madrid.

Kazakh Parliament Votes Down Troop Deployment To Afghanistan

6/9/2011

(RTTNews) - The Upper House of Kazakhstan's Parliament on Thursday refused to send four Kazakh officers to serve with the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan, three weeks after it was approved by the Central Asian country's Lower House.

A Taliban threat to attack Kazakhstan if it enforces the deployment to Afghanistan might have prompted the Senate to reject the controversial proposal, reports said.

The Lower House on May 18 approved the deployment for non-combat jobs in the ISAF. But any decision by the Lower House on troop contribution will be valid only if it is ratified by the Upper House. Another round of voting on the measure is expected later this month.

Kazakhstan is a Muslim-majority nation, which is home to ethnic minorities with historic ties to Afghanistan.

Svetlana Zhalmagambetova, a member of the Senate, said before the vote that the decision to deploy Kazakh troops come at a time "the US is thinking about how to get its troops out of Afghanistan."

"Is it worth ruining our reputation as a peaceful country at the very last moment of the war?" she was quoted as asking.

The proposal has stirred wide discussion in Kazakh society and media, which are normally tightly controlled by the regime of President Nursultan Nazarbayev.

Energy-rich Kazakhstan has attempted to take a neutral position between Russia, the U.S. and China, all of which are pushing to increase their influence in Central Asia.

Although the Kazakh government approved last year the movement of NATO truck convoys through its territory to deliver supplies to IASF forces in northern Afghanistan, its military cooperates most closely with Russia.

Source: RTT News.
Link: http://www.rttnews.com/Content/GeneralNews.aspx?Id=1642874&SM=1.

Azerbaijani Defense Minister Safar Abiyev participates in meeting held in Brussels with non-NATO countries contributing to ISAF operations

10 Jun 2011

Baku-APA. Azerbaijani Defense Minister, Colonel-General Safar Abiyev participated in the meeting held in Brussels with the defense ministers of non-NATO countries contributing to the operations of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan.

Azerbaijani representation to NATO told APA that the meeting was held in NATO Headquarters. The ministers exchanged view around the current situation of ISAF operations, development of Afghanistan’s security forces as well as ratified the NATO Rule of Law Field Support Mission for the strengthening of supremacy of law in Afghanistan.

On the same day, Minister Abiyev met with the NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia James Appathurai. They discussed Azerbaijan-NATO relations, the increase of mutual operative coordination with NATO, our country’s contribution to ISAF operation and etc. and exchanged view on the settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

During the visit Abiyev met with Polish Defense Minister Bogdan Klich and discussed defense cooperation issues between the two countries.

Source: APA.
Link: http://en.apa.az/news.php?id=149202.

Brotherhood to establish Islamic studies center

Ghada Mohamed Al-Sherif
Fri, 10/06/2011

Muslim Brotherhood Deputy General Guide Khairat al-Shater said the group is preparing to establish an Islamic studies center that aims to help rebuild Egypt on the principles of Islamic Sharia.

“The brothers after the revolution want to play a strategic role after they have been marginalized for many years,” Shater said during a symposium Wednesday. “More than 30,000 of them were jailed since 1992 until Mubarak was ousted.

“We shall coordinate with all political forces, including the Shias and the Copts,” he said, adding that rebuilding the country on the principles of Sharia is a difficult task.

He said the nation needs new schools that teach humanities with an Islamic reference and that the absence of Islamic rule and jurisprudence has harmed the nation.

Source: al-Masry al-Youm.
Link: http://www.almasryalyoum.com/en/node/466613.

Two Americans investigated for spying

STOCKHOLM, Sweden, June 7 (UPI) -- Sweden's top prosecutor revealed Tuesday that his office opened a preliminary investigation of two Americans suspected of spying in 2009.

Tomas Lindstrand said the men, believed to be working for the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, were discovered conducting illegal undercover terror investigations, the Swedish news agency TT reported.

The Swedish intelligence service Sapo reported the two were tracking people under investigation by Sapo for suspected terror links.

Lindstrand said the investigation of the Americans was dropped when they left the country after their spying was reported by a Swedish newspaper.

He said the CIA had diplomatic immunity which means its employees can be investigated but not charged.

Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt said the suspected U.S. spies were not formally kicked out of Sweden.

Source: United Press International (UPI).
Link: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2011/06/07/Two-Americans-investigated-for-spying/UPI-25861307453325/.

Spain recognizes Libyan rebel council - minister

BENGHAZI, Libya, June 8 (Reuters) - Spain has recognized Libya's rebel National Transitional Council as the country's legitimate representative, Spanish Foreign Minister Trinidad Jimenez said during a visit to rebel-held east Libya.

"I'm here today to confirm that the National Transitional Council is the only legitimate representative of the Libyan people," Jimenez told reporters in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi on Wednesday.

The council, which oversees the affairs of eastern regions under rebel control, has lobbied hard for diplomatic recognition and for funds to maintain its months-long campaign to unseat leader Muammar Gaddafi.

Foreign powers led by United States, France and Britain have helped isolate Gaddafi and cut his funding and weapon supplies, while bolstering the rebel council with offers of aid.

The council has won full recognition from France, Italy, Qatar and Jordan as the true representative of the Libyan people, while the U.S. has invited the rebels to open an office in Washington.

Jimenez pledged humanitarian assistance for the rebels, without giving details.

"What the Spanish government wants is the same thing that the Libyan people want which is democracy and freedom, and that is why the Spanish government will pledge assistance to the national council," she said.

(Reporting by Sherine El Madany, Writing by Tom Pfeiffer; editing by Ralph Boulton)

Source: Reuters.
Link: http://af.reuters.com/article/egyptNews/idAFLDE7571E720110608.

Ministry taking measures to ensure enough food supplies during Ramadan

By Omar Obeidat

AMMAN –– As the holy fasting month of Ramadan will coincide this year with the return of Jordanian expatriates and the tourism high season, the government has started early preparations to ensure food items are available to meet the expected rise in demand.

At a meeting with traders, importers and the Consumer Protection Society, Industry and Trade Minister Hani Mulki stressed that the ministry will take necessary measures to ensure that the supply of basic food commodities during the fasting month meet increasing demand.

The ministry will also take measures to avoid any unjustified rise in food prices, which historically see hikes during the month.

“This year’s Ramadan is different from previous years because it will coincide with the return of Jordanians abroad who will come to spend their holidays in the Kingdom and we also expect the number of Arab tourists to increase significantly in summer,” Mulki said.

More than half a million Jordanians are estimated to be living in the Gulf region, many of whom expected to spend the summer holiday back home.

According to official figures, demand on essential food commodities during the holy month of Ramadan rises by 25-40 per cent, which experts attribute to change of consumption behavior.

Citing ministry figures showing that local production of wheat, barley and vegetables will be enough to cover consumption, the minister expected the prices of food items to remain stable or even go down during the month.

In addition, he said, the government will facilitate importing procedures for the private sector to bring large quantities of foodstuff.

Mulki warned that the ministry could resort to setting a price ceiling in case unreasonably high prices prevail.

Meanwhile, he remarked that authorities will not halt food and vegetable exports to regional and international markets.

The minister rejected as baseless media reports that the government plans to reduce sales tax on certain commodities, saying such reports push importers and traders to be reluctant to bring basic food items into the local market, which he said will affect the strategic storage of these commodities.

Khalil Haj Tawfiq, an importer of foodstuff and a member of Jordan Chamber of Commerce, said importers have asked the government to exempt food products and vegetables from the sales tax in a bid to bring prices down.

Mulki replied that although the state budget is suffering a relatively high deficit, the government is studying such an option to alleviate financial burdens on citizens but a decision in this regard might be included in next year’s budget.

Also attending the meeting were directors of the civil and military consumer corporations who indicated that the corporations have signed deals with suppliers to make sure they have enough stocks of sugar, rice, cooking oil and chicken among others, to meet local needs “even three months after Ramadan”.

10 June 2011

Source: The Jordan Times.
Link: http://www.jordantimes.com/index.php?news=38358.