Iran says it has 100 vessels for each US warship

 Jul 24, 2010

TEHRAN: The former naval chief for Iran's Revolutionary Guard said the country has set aside 100 military vessels to confront each warship from the US or any other foreign power that might pose a threat, an Iranian newspaper reported Saturday.

Such a military confrontation in the vital oil lanes of the Persian Gulf would be of major global concern. The warning builds on earlier threats by Iran to seal off the Gulf's strategic Strait of Hormuz — through which 40 percent of the world's oil passes — in response to any military attack.

"We have set aside 100 military vessels for each (US) warship to attack at the time of necessity," Gen. Morteza Saffari was quoted as saying by the conservative weekly Panjereh.

The US and Israel have said military force could be used if diplomacy fails to stop what they suspect is an Iranian nuclear weapons program. Iran denies any aim to develop such weapons and says its nuclear work is for peaceful purposes like power generation.

The US Navy's 5th Fleet headquarters is based just across the Gulf from Iran in Bahrain.

Saffari said more than 100 foreign warships were currently in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman, adding that their sailors were "morsels" for Iran's military to target, the newspaper reported.

"Any moment the exalted supreme leader (Ayatollah Ali Khamenei) orders — or should the enemy carry out the smallest threat against (Iran's ruling) Islamic system — the Guard ... is ready for quick reaction," he was quoted as saying.

By putting the number of foreign warships at 100, the general appeared to suggest Iran has 10,000 military vessels at the ready. Iran is known to have many speed boats used by the Guard, but there is no public information about how many larger military vessels it has.

In January 2008, five small high-speed vessels believed to be from Iran's Revolutionary Guard briefly swarmed three US Navy ships passing near Iranian waters in the Gulf and delivered a radio threat to blow them up.

The war of words has intensified between Iran and the West since the UN Security Council imposed tougher sanctions last month in response to Iran's refusal to halt uranium enrichment, a technology that can be used to produce nuclear fuel or material for an atomic bomb.

Iran put its most powerful military force, the Revolutionary Guard, in charge of defending the country's territorial waters in the Persian Gulf in 2008.

"We believe the enemy, through extensive psychological warfare, wants to coerce us, but Iran ... is ready," said Saffari, who was the Guard's navy chief until early May.

"The enemy won't dare attack Iran."

Hariri urges calm after Hezbollah revelations

BEIRUT - Prime Minister Saad Hariri called on Saturday for "calm" in Lebanon in the face of expectations that a UN-backed court may implicate members of the powerful Hezbollah group in the 2005 murder of his father, ex-premier Rafiq Hariri.

His comments came two days after Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah revealed that he expected rogue members of his Shiite party to be indicted for Rafiq Hariri's assassination five years ago.

"There are those who fear or even hope that the (Hariri) murder case will unleash a Lebanese crisis or confessional strife," the prime minister said in a speech to members of his Future Movement.

"There are attempts... to organise campaigns aimed at sowing confusion and concern in the minds of the Lebanese people," Hariri said.

"There is no need for this fear... We call for calm," he added.

The UN tribunal's president, Antonio Cassese, said earlier this year he expects an indictment in the case between September and December, sparking fears in already tense Lebanon of a repeat of the violence that brought the country close to a new civil war in 2008.

On Thursday, the Hezbollah chief told a news conference via video link that Hariri told him some members of the Shiite movement would be indicted by the Hague-based Special Tribunal for Lebanon investigating the murder.

"I was personally informed by Prime Minister Saad Hariri before his visit to Washington (in May) that the tribunal will accuse some undisciplined members" of Hezbollah, Nasrallah said.

"That's where things seem to be heading," he said, adding that the impending decision by the UN-backed court had pushed Lebanon into a "very sensitive phase."

Hariri did not confirm or deny Nasrallah's accounts of their conversation.

But MPs from the prime minister's bloc denied that he had told Nasrallah Hezbollah members would be indicted.

"Hariri did not inform Nasrallah about the indictment sheet simply because he is not privy to its contents," MP Hadi Hbeich said in a radio interview on Friday.

MP Ammar Houri confirmed that Hariri and Nasrallah had met in May but said they had discussed "only press reports" suggesting that the UN-back court could link Hezbollah to Rafiq Hariri's murder.

Analysts have warned that Nasrallah's suprise announcement could trigger new violence in Lebanon like that in May 2008 in which more than 100 people were killed when Hezbollah staged a spectacular takeover of mainly Sunni west Beirut following a crackdown on the party.

Oussama Safa, who heads the Lebanese Centre for Policy Studies, said the country had a "50-50 chance" of sliding back into chaos.

Kuwait, Argentina plan to sign everal joint agreements

July 25, 2010

KUWAIT: His Highness the Prime Minister of Kuwait Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Sabah's forthcoming visit to Argentina is expected to be marked by a number of joint agreements in several fields, said the Argentinean Ambassador to Kuwait Jorge O. A. Biga. "During the visit both countries will sign several cooperation agreements in the political, scientific, environmental and cultural fields," he said, adding, "Kuwait aims to open new channels to increase investment and trade.

The ambassador was speaking on the occasion of the Kuwaiti Prime Minister's upcoming visit to Argentina, which is set to take place in the next few days, as part of his tour of Latin America and the Caribbean. The tour, which aims to further Kuwaiti cooperation with this dynamic region, has already seen HH Sheikh Nasser visiting Brazil, Cuba, Chile, Uruguay, Antigua and Barbuda, Trinidad and Tobago, Mexico and Guyana.

Asked about bilateral relations between Argentina and Kuwait, the ambassador described them as "excellent," noting that the Kuwaiti premier's visit "will bring new possibilities to bolster and reinforce them." Last month, Kuwait received both the Argentinean Minister of Scientific, Technology and Production Innovation and the Governor of Santa Fe.

Ambassador Biga said, "Santa Fe is one of the most important provinces of Argentina, and benefits from a loan granted by the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) that allowed the construction of roads in its territory. Both visitors had the chance to meet many of Kuwait's officials. This permitted study to be carried out in different fields where both countries can cooperate and improve their economical and commercial relationship. The visit of His Highness the Prime Minister will make these possibilities real.

Asked about the significance of Brazil as an up and coming nation internationally, in relation to Argentina's plans to catch up as the second largest South American country in size, he said, "Argentina is the second largest nation in South America, and is developing its international policy in integration with the G20 group of countries. Its relative importance and presence in the world will allow high-level discussions on global issues and will see decisions taken in this regard.

The ambassador explained, "In the [South American] region, Argentina along with Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay form the MERCOSUR [Southern Common Market], the most important market in the region. Argentina and Brazil are sister countries with a good and close relationship. The importance of Brazil nowadays will reflect positively on Argentina as a partner.

Asked about the significance of a remark made by Kuwaiti Ambassador to Argentina Saud Al-Roumi, who during a meeting with the governor of the Argentinean province of Salta last month spoke of agricultural and industrial cooperation, Biga said, "The possibilities of cooperation between Salta and Kuwait could be important as the ambassador said.

He continued, "The economy of Salta is based on the agricultural industry through the production of crops such as tobacco, sugar cane, banana, citrus, beans, grape, chili, potatoes, cotton, as well as beef and goat meat on one hand, while on the other it is a rich zone of oil and gas and has unexploited mineral deposits of gold, copper, lead, silver, lithium, tin, borax, potassium and others.

Ambassador Biga went on, "The recent settlements of Argentinean and European enterprises in Salta are orientated to mechanical products, food, textiles, sugar and footwear. These provide a panorama of what Salta can offer and are evidence of how much Kuwait can do to develop new commercial and investment ties.

The ambassador concluded by saying,, "The same scenario, in different fields, can apply to the rest of the provinces of Argentina, as you can realize there are many opportunities for trade and investment that could benefit both sides, Kuwait and Argentina.

Argentina is the second largest country in South America, with a population of 40.13 million according to 2009 figures, with four percent of its population being of Arab and Asian heritage.

New service to ease traffic and promote tourism

Dubai launches water taxi

DUBAI - The Dubai Roads and Transport Authority announced launching the long-awaited water cab as part of a plan to solve traffic congestions as well as boost tourism in the Gulf's most vibrant city.

The government of Dubai assigned the Public Transports Agency (PTA), affiliated to the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), to run the new five-boat water taxi service which covers 18 of the emirate's busiest locations, to be increased in the second phase of the project.

The water taxi stations cover the harbors of Dubai's popular destinations. This includes Dubai Creek Park, Atlantis hotel, Jebel Ali Hotel and Spa, Dubai Festival City, and Dubai Marina.

Each boat of the new water taxi fleet takes up to 11 passengers and includes a seat for people with special needs. It is also equipped with airline business class seats and an LCD screen at the back of each seat.

The service works from 10 am till 10 pm and passengers can either take the regular trips or call free of charge to arrange a pick up from one the 18 stations, said Mattar al-Tayer, RTA chairman of and executive director.

"The service can also be booked for tourist trips," Tayer added in a statement.

The rates of water cab services vary according to the distance and type of the trip. Regular trips start at 50 dirhams ($ 10) for one stop and goes up to 570 ($150) dirhams for a trip between the first and last stations, Jebel Ali Hotel and Spa and Dubai Festival City. Tourist trips cost 400 dirhams ($109) per hour.

Increasing demand

The water taxi project, Tayer pointed out, aims at catering to the increasing demand on using waterways for transportation in order to reduce the pressure on Dubai's crowded streets and to offer tourists a luxurious way of touring the emirate.

"The new project also covers areas that have not previously included by other means of marine transportation," he added.

According to RTA statistics, the number of people who used water transportation in Dubai last year has exceeded 17 million. Ferries transfer more than 50,000 passengers daily while the water bus serves around 1,500.

"The water taxi saves a lot of time," said one the passengers. "It is also a pleasure to take it since it is very comfortable and luxurious."

Saudi cleric: Muslim women can respect veil bans

RIYADH - A leading Saudi cleric hit out at France for moving to ban Muslim face-veils, but approved Muslim women foregoing veils when visiting a country which outlaws them, a Saudi paper reported on Saturday.

"It is illogical and unreasonable that the French government undertakes such a thing, which is condemned by neutral people, not just Muslims, because the secular state assures freedom of religion," Sheikh Aed al-Qarni told Al-Hayat.

"The state has to respect religious rituals and beliefs, including those of Muslims," he said in an interview.

However, he added, if Muslim women are in a country that has banned the niqab, or full-face veil, or if they face harassment in such a place, "it is better that the Muslim woman uncovers her face."

Numerous scholars of various Islamic schools of thought agree on this point, Qarni said.

"For Saudi tourists who face such a decision, there is a point in Islamic law where God says: 'So fear Allah as much as you can.'

"We must not confront people in their own country or other countries, or bring hardship on ourselves."

His comments followed France's parliament voting on July 13 to ban the niqab.

The French senate will vote on the measure in September, after which it could still be challenged on constitutional grounds.

Several other European countries are also debating possible bans on the face veil.

Nearly all women in Saudi Arabia, one of the most conservative Muslim countries, don the face covering in public, although an increasingly large minority are daring to go without it.

Oman exhibition in Singapore opens

Sun, 25 July 2010

SINGAPORE — Sayyid Badr bin Hamad al Busaidy, Secretary-General of the Foreign Ministry, and Singaporean Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Zainul Abidin Rasheed inaugurated here yesterday the Oman Exhibition in Singapore which coincides with the Sultanate’s celebrations of the blessed Renaissance Day.

In a speech to mark the occasion, Rasheed expressed greetings on the 40th anniversary of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos’s assuming rein of power in Oman, as the Sultanate witnessed Renaissance in various spheres under His Majesty’s wise leadership.

He added that we are honoured the Trade and Friendship Exhibition is being held in Singapore on this occasion.

The Singapore minister said the exhibition and the Jewel of Muscat project are models for reviving historic ties between the two friendly countries.

On his part, Sayyid Badr thanked the Government of Singapore, expressed delight over the 40th anniversary of the Oman Renaissance is being celebrated in Singapore, underlining the historic moments in Oman’s modern history.

He said trade and friendship existed between the Omani and the Singaporean people for centuries and staging this event at the Asian Civilisation Museum deeply underscores the joint vision for peace, tolerance and co-operation.

The exhibition, which will continue until July 29, aims to promote the Sultanate and observe the Renaissance Day under the leadership of His Majesty the Sultan. It also comes in the context of the Sultanate’s boosting of partnership and participation at the international level.

Barshim wins gold for Qatar

Mutaz Essa Barshim celebrates finishing first in the high jump at the IAAF World Junior Athletics Championships at the Stade Moncton Stadium in Moncton, Canada

Qatar’s Mutaz Essa Barshim has won the men’s high jump gold at the IAAF World Junior Championships, clearing 2.30m on his first attempt to comfortably beat the USA’s David Smith who took second place with a leap of  2.24m.

The Aspire Academy for Sports Excellence graduate, who also holds the senior national record at 2.31m, led throughout the competition on Friday but when Smith too cleared 2.24m, it became a two-horse race for the gold medal.

Smith, however, failed in his bid when the bar was raised to 2.26m and Barshim easily leapt over it with his second attempt.

With the title now secure, Barshim tried to improve his performance and went for 2.30m, clearing it in his first attempt. He then attempted to clear 2.32m but was not successful.

“I was not tired out there. I’m just happy to have won the World Juniors,” said the 19-year-old Barshim, who will now focus on the Asian Games to be held in China in

November.

Barshim, who was born in Doha, graduated from Aspire two years ago. One of his younger brothers is also an aspiring high jumper.

The academy has congratulated Barshim in his success.

“Aspire is extremely proud to have contributed to the development of Mutaz Barshim and we all rejoice in his success. This is an historic occasion for Aspire, Qatar and the QAAF,” Aspire Director of Sport Wayde Clews said. Agencies