Yemen’s Ambassador to the United Nations Khaled Alyemany said Wednesday that UN-led talks aimed at ending the conflict in the region will begin June 14 in Geneva. UN Envoy to Yemen Ould Cheikh Ahmed said that while the Riyadh-based Yemeni government had agreed to meet in Geneva on June 14, the Houthis had not yet consented, according to diplomats at the briefing speaking on condition of anonymity. The Ambassador said that the United Nations is expected to officially announce the date shortly. But there was still some uncertainty among members of the UN Security Council who were briefed behind closed doors by, Ahmed said. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has been urging the parties to drop preconditions for the talks, an appeal Ahmed has made in numerous meetings with the feuding parties. Ban is expected to open the Geneva meeting followed by a meeting between Ahmed, the parties, and their supporters. [AP, Reuters, Yemen Post, 6/3/2015]
EGYPT | LIBYA & THE MAGHREB | SYRIA & ITS NEIGHBORS | YEMEN & THE GULF | ECONOMICS
Egyptian political party questions authorities over alleged abduction of activists
A political party called on Egypt’s Interior Ministry late Wednesday to “immediately reveal” information regarding the alleged “abduction” of political activists during the past couple of days. Strong Egypt party, headed by former presidential candidate Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh, said in a statement that “raids and random arrests” carried out by Egypt’s security authorities are “not in line” with the state’s rhetoric on “respecting the law.” The Freedom for the Brave, a movement calling for the release of those detained for politically-motivated charges, said in a statement published on its Facebook page it was able to document ninety-nine cases of “forced disappearance and arrest without investigation” since April. [Aswat Masriya, 6/4/2015]
Egypt court orders Mubarak retrial on charge of killing protesters
Former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak will face a second and final retrial over the killing of protesters during the 2011 uprising that ended his thirty-year rule, a high court said on Thursday. Judge Anwar Gabri accepted the prosecution’s appeal and said Mubarak would be tried again on November 5 by the high court. He was not present at the court. The court upheld the acquittal of the other defendants in the same case, including ex-interior minister Habib al-Adly and six security aides. This decision is now final and cannot be further appealed. [Ahram Online , DNE , Egypt Independent, AP, Reuters, Aswat Masriya, Mada Masr, EGYNews (Arabic), 6/4/2015]
Rights groups concerned over investigations into anti-torture judges
A number of NGOs and human rights organizations released a statement Wednesday criticizing the authorities’ interrogation of two judges and the questioning of lawyer Negad al-Boraie. The interrogations occurred in light of their submitting a draft law to combat torture. The joint statement was signed by eighteen organizations including: the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS); the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR); and El Nadeem Center for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence. The two judges under investigation, Assem Abd al-Gabbar and Hisham Raouf, are accused of contributing to the drafting of an anti-torture law and their participation in a workshop organized by an “illegal organization,” in reference to a law firm called United Group. [DNE, 6/4/2015]
Peter Greste says Australian government document could lead to acquittal
An Australian government document could be pivotal in ending Peter Greste’s legal ordeal and pave the way for his acquittal on terror charges in Egypt. As the retrial of the Al Jazeera journalist and his colleagues Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed reaches its closing stages with Greste in absentia, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs sent a letter to Cairo Criminal Court stating that journalist Peter Greste was accused of crimes in Egypt that are not punishable under Australian law. The letter added that there was no legal reason to include Greste in the ongoing case in Cairo. Following a session on Wednesday, the trial was adjourned to June 11. [The Guardian, 6/4/2015]
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UN Security Council resolution on migrant trafficking paused
Preparation of a draft UN Security Council resolution to authorize a European mission against migrant traffickers in the Mediterranean “has been suspended until the issue of the consent of the Libyan authorities has been resolved,” according to a diplomat. Libyan Foreign Minister Mohamed Dairi met in Brussels on Wednesday with EU’s foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond, and Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni to discuss the EU’s EUNAVFOR MED naval operation proposal. Brussels declared that the meeting was “very constructive,” however Dairi asserted that the international community “will not get any consent on our part” as long as they continue dealing with the rival government based in Tripoli. [ANSAmed, Libya Herald, Reuters, 6/3/2015]
UN envoy warns Libya running out of money amid crisis
The UN Special Representative for Libya Bernardino Leon has warned that the country only has enough money to pay salaries for another six weeks and is urging its warring parties to agree on a unity government. Leon was speaking in Algiers at the talks between Libyan activists and political party leaders, one of the many tracks of the UN-brokered negotiation process aiming to forge a unity government. He urged all sides to reach an agreement on the fourth version of the draft proposal currently under discussion. [AP, 6/3/2015]
ISIS carries out execution in Derna
The Islamic State (also known as ISIS or ISIL) beheaded a Libyan postal worker in the eastern Libyan city of Derna. According to the extremist group’s propaganda, Abdulnabi al-Shargawi had volunteered for the Libyan National Army and been captured in Ras Hillal. The execution was carried out at a mosque, where boys as young as six and seven years of age were taken to see the act. [Libya Herald, 6/3/2015]
Tunisia’s ruling quartet evaluates first 100 days in office
Tunisian Prime Minister Habib Essid met the ruling quartet in a meeting on Wednesday. Secretary-General of Afek Tounes Faouzi Ben Abderrahmane said that the meeting was an opportunity to evaluate the first hundred days the government in charge. The evaluation will be published in a booklet to be distributed to deputies on Friday. Ennahdha Movement President Rached Ghannouchi noted that the meeting had been an occasion to define priorities related to development, employment, and security. Essid plans to present reforms and large-scale projects planned for the coming period on Friday. [TAP/All Africa, 6/4/2015]
Tunisia strives to garner more support from G-7 countries
Tunisian President’s Diplomatic Adviser Khmaies Jhinaoui said that Tunisia strives to garner more support from G-7 countries. He added that Tunisia’s demands will be the same as 2011 Deauville Summit and will ask its partners to support it. He also said that Tunisia will ask developed countries to help in promoting democracy in Tunisia. He further claims that the success of Tunisia’s democratic experience, the first democratic experience in Mediterranean South, is of particular importance for the promotion of democracy in the whole region. [TAP/All Africa, 6/4/2015]
Russia wants answers about Syria chlorine attacks
Russia backed moves to determine who is responsible for a wave of chlorine gas attacks in Syria that the West blames on the Assad regime, Vitaly Churkin, Moscow’s Ambassador to the United Nations, said Wednesday. Churkin said he remains unsure if a UN Security Council resolution, as proposed by the United States, is the best way to provide answers. The United States is proposing a Security Council resolution to investigate responsibility for the chlorine attacks. Some analysts see signs that Moscow may be starting to consider a “future without Assad” for Syria, a significant shift in policy. [AFP, AP, 6/3/2015]
Iraqi forces foil bomb attacks on bases
Iraqi security forces used anti-tank missiles to repel Islamic State (ISIS or ISIL) suicide bombers driving explosives-rigged vehicles, which attacked two military bases west of Baghdad. The day before, an airstrike in northern Iraq destroyed one of ISIS’s largest car bomb factories, which may help to curb one of the jihadists’ deadliest tactics, officials said. Despite these gains, Iraqi officials voiced fears Wednesday that ISIS will use its seizure of a dam in Ramadi to mount fresh attacks on pro-government forces preparing to try to retake the city. [AFP, 6/4/2015]
Iran sends 15,000 fighters to Syria
Iran has sent 15,000 fighters, including Iranian, Iraqi and Afghan militiamen, to Syria to reverse recent battlefield setbacks for Syrian government troops. “The world will be surprised by what we and the Syrian military leadership are preparing for the coming days,” Iran’s state news agency quoted the General Soleimani as saying Tuesday. According to a Lebanese political source, the fighters are expected to spearhead an effort to seize areas of Idlib province from rebel forces. In related news, Syria’s Defense Minister has visited army units to the east of Homs city, state television reported Thursday, in what appeared to be the latest in a series of morale-boosting trips by senior officials to military outposts. [The Daily Star, 6/4/2015]
United Nations appeals for $497 million of humanitarian aid for Iraq
The United Nations launched an appeal Thursday for nearly half a billion dollars in international aid to help tackle a worsening humanitarian crisis in Iraq triggered by the conflict with ISIS militants. UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq Lise Grande said the United Nations would be forced to slash or shut down more than half its aid operations in Iraq without an immediate injection of new funds. The $497 million would pay for shelter, food, and water over the next six months for 5.6 million people displaced or affected by the conflict in Iraq. In a related development, General John Allen warned that the fight against ISIS will be a lengthy campaign, and it could require a generation to stamp out the ideology that has encouraged thousands of Muslims worldwide to flock to Iraq and Syria. [Reuters, 6/4/2015]
YEMEN & THE GULF
UN-led Yemeni peace talks to begin on June 14 in Geneva
Yemen’s Ambassador to the United Nations Khaled Alyemany said Wednesday that UN-led talks aimed at ending the conflict in the region will begin June 14 in Geneva. UN Envoy to Yemen Ould Cheikh Ahmed said that while the Riyadh-based Yemeni government had agreed to meet in Geneva on June 14, the Houthis had not yet consented, according to diplomats at the briefing speaking on condition of anonymity. The Ambassador said that the United Nations is expected to officially announce the date shortly. But there was still some uncertainty among members of the UN Security Council who were briefed behind closed doors by, Ahmed said. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has been urging the parties to drop preconditions for the talks, an appeal Ahmed has made in numerous meetings with the feuding parties. Ban is expected to open the Geneva meeting followed by a meeting between Ahmed, the parties, and their supporters. [AP, Reuters, Yemen Post, 6/3/2015]
UN wars of food security shortage in Yemen as aid arrives from Saudi Arabia
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warned on Wednesday of the lack of food security in Yemen due to the prolonged crisis in the country. In its first regional report launched from Beirut, the FAO said that that half of the Yemeni people are in need of humanitarian assistance since the beginning of 2015. Thirty-six trucks carrying relief aid have arrived at the Sharorah port on the border with Saudi Arabia for the people affected by violence in Yemen. The aid was sent by Saudi Arabia and will be distributed to people in cooperation with the King Salman Center for Relief and Humanitarian Works during coming days, head of the high relief committee Abdulrakeeb Fatah said. Fatah held the Houthi militants responsible for preventing aid from reaching many beneficiaries especially in the cities of Aden, Dhali, Taiz and Lahj. The militants are being stationed at the entries and exits of these cities leaving their populations to suffer lacks of all supplies, he added. [Yemen Post, SABA, Middle East Monitor, 6/3/2015]
Group sues to compel United States to evacuate Americans from Yemen
Lawyers representing a group of Yemeni Americans on Wednesday sought to have a federal judge force the government to order emergency evacuations of thirty-seven US citizens stranded in Yemen. The US government is needlessly putting citizens in imminent danger by not moving to get them out, lawyers for the Michigan branch of the Council on American-Islamic Relations told Judge Sean Cox in Detroit. The government wants the case dismissed, saying the court does not have the authority to order an evacuation. On Wednesday, Vesper Mei, an attorney for the Department of Justice, said it was not feasible to order a formal evacuation of US citizens because of instability in Yemen. [Reuters, Al Masdar (Arabic), 6/3/2015]
Saudi Arabia appoints first ambassador to Iraq in twenty-five years
Saudi Arabia has appointed Thamer al-Sabhan as its ambassador to Iraq; he is the first Saudi Ambassador to Iraq in a quarter of a century. “Iraqi President Fuad Masoum welcomes Saudi Arabia’s appointment of a resident ambassador as a positive step taken at the correct time,” Iraqi presidential spokesperson Khalid Shawani said. “This is a message of reassurance for the Iraqi people and government and will open new horizons for cooperation between Iraq and Saudi Arabia, particularly as both countries are facing the same threat, namely the threat of terrorism,” Shawani added. Riyadh closed its embassy in Baghdad in 1990 after former president Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait. Relations between Iraq and Saudi Arabia have recently improved following the appointment of Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and due to intense diplomatic efforts in response to the rise of the Islamic State (ISIS or ISIL). [Asharq Al-Awsat, Middle East Monitor 6/3/2015]
OPEC heads towards holding output as oil slips under $60
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is leaning toward holding crude output levels on the eve of its production meeting, as oil prices slid back under $60 a barrel, on concerns that the expected decision would further fuel oversupply. Ministers attending a two-day seminar before Friday’s meeting said they would be happier with prices between $75 and $80 a barrel to boost revenues and help balance their budgets. Any decline in OPEC output will be quickly filled by outside players including US shale oil producers, who have cut back as prices have fallen but are ready to ramp up their share should prices rise. Faced with that option, OPEC will likely opt to keep its target output at 30 million barrels per day (bpd). On Wednesday, Iraq’s Oil Minister said the country would increase oil exports this month, while his Iranian counterpart urged OPEC to make room for more output when global sanctions recede. [AFP, 6/4/2015]
Siemens signs 8 billion euro power deal with Egypt
German industrial company Siemens signed an 8 billion euro deal ($9 billion) with Egypt to supply gas and wind power plants to increase the country’s electricity generation by 50 percent. The deal, signed during an official visit of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to Germany, is Siemens’ single biggest order and gives a needed boost to its struggling gas and power division. Siemens said the installations, when completed, would add 16.4 gigawatts (GW) to Egypt’s national grid. The order includes twenty-four Siemens’ H-Class gas turbines, adding to the forty-eight Siemens has sold so far. They will power three new gas plants, which Siemens said would be the largest in the world. Orascom Construction said it would construct two combined cycle plants in consortium with Siemens, with a total capacity of 9.6 GW. Orascom said its combined share of the contracts was 1.6 billion euros, which would be financed by the Egyptian Electricity Holding Company. [Reuters, 6/3/2015]
Indian refiners in talks with Iraq on strategic reserves
India’s state-run Indian Oil Corp. and Hindustan Petroleum Corp. plan to buy crude from Iraq for strategic reserves and to use in times of crisis or oil supply disruptions. Hindustan Petroleum said it has been in touch with Iraq’s State Oil Marketing Organization (SOMO) to seek an allocation of two million barrels of crude oil in the coming month. The procurement comes after India’s oil ministry asked Hindustan Petroleum and Indian Oil to purchase four million barrels of Basra light crude oil on behalf of Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves (SPRs). [Wall Street Journal, 6/4/2015]
World Bank preparing study on poverty in Tunisia
The World Bank is currently preparing a study on poverty in Tunisia that will be ready at the end of 2015, Resident Representative for Tunisia Eileen Murray said Wednesday. The study includes a diagnosis of the situation in Tunisia, including the country’s economic opportunities and challenges. It recommends maintaining macroeconomic balances, reviewing the stages of fuel subsidy reform, restructuring public banks, and developing public-private partnerships. Murray said the Bank is developing a strategy with Tunisia as the government prepares a five-year development plan for 2016-2020. [All Africa/TAP, 6/3/2015]