February 24, 2006

THE CUSTODIAN OF THE TWO HOLY MOSQUES AND THE US SECRETARY OF STATE DISCUSS THE OVERALL SITUATIONS IN THE REGION AND ON THE PALESTINIAN AND IRAQI ARENAS. PRESIDENT MUBARAK CALLS ON THE US AND EUROPE TO GIVE HAMAS A CHANCE TO ASSESS THE CURRENT SITUATION AND CRYSTALLIZE ITS STANCE, AND RICE REITERATES HER COUNTRY'S CONDITIONS, WHILE WATCHING HAMAS' STANCES. ARAB AND MUSLIM CONDEMNATION OVER THE EXPLOSION IN SAMARRA AND EXTENSIVE EFFORTS TO CONTAIN THE CRISIS. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz received at his farm in Al-Janadriya on the outskirts of capital Riyadh U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and the accompanying delegation. At the outset of the audience, Rice conveyed to King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz the greetings of President George W. Bush. In turn, the king sent his greetings to the president. The audience was attended by Prince Saud Al-Faisal, the Foreign Minister; Prince Mirqren Ibn Abdul Aziz, Chief of General Intelligence; Prince Turki Al-Faisal, Saudi ambassador to the U.S.; Prince Faisal Ibn Abdullah Ibn Mohammed Al Saud, Assistant Chief of General Intelligence; Prince Bandar Ibn Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Secretary General of the National Security Council; Prince Saud Ibn Abdullah Ibn Mohammed Al Saud; Prince Mansour Ibn Nassir Ibn Abdul Aziz; Prince Dr. Bandar Ibn Salman Ibn Mohammed Al Saud, Advisor to the King; Prince Salman Ibn Abdullah Ibn Abdul Rahman; Prince Pilot Major Turki Ibn Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz; Prince Saud Ibn Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz; Prince Saud Ibn Masaed Ibn Saud Ibn Abdul Aziz and U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom James Oberwetter. They all had dinner with the monarch. Then the king and Rice held, meeting during which they discussed the overall situations and developments at the regional and international arenas in addition to aspects of cooperation between the two friendly countries. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and the accompanying delegation arrived at the Kingdom after her visit to Egypt. At King Khalid International Airport, she was received by Prince Saud Al-Faisal, the Foreign Minister, Prince Turki Al-Faisal, Saudi ambassador to the U.S., Prince Bandar Ibn Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Secretary General of the National Security Council, U.S. ambassador to the kingdom James Oberwetter and other officials. Addressing a press conference here later along with Prince Saud Al-Faisal, Rice said her discussions with the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques ranged from the Syrian-Lebanese conflict, situations in Iran and Iraq to ways to strengthen Saudi-US relations. "We are keen to increase contacts between the people of Saudi Arabia and America," she added. Referring to the incident in Iraq as "tragic", she said, "The people who want to tear the Iraqi people apart are behind it (the bombing of a mosque in Samarra). It was time now for the Iraqi people to denounce terror and restate their unity in the strongest of terms." Replying to a question on how the US would deal with the Hamas equation in the Middle East peace process, she said: "The US position is similar to the position held by the United Nations and Russia, which calls for certain responsibilities to come with governance. It is necessary for peace in Palestine that recognition of Israel is accepted by Hamas." Prince Saud said that this was the fifth meeting between him and Rice in the last six months, emphasizing the improving Saudi-US ties. He also said that King Abdullah received a letter from President Bush stressing the deepening of relations and the commitment to implement the decisions made in Crawford when the two leaders last met. He also said that the US-Saudi Strategic Dialogue panel had already met twice, once in the US and the second time in Saudi Arabia, and would be having their third meeting in the US soon. He also said that both the Saudis and the US are committed to peace in Palestine and stressed the need for implementing the road map peace plan while also urging the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people. Commenting on the situation in Iraq, Prince Saud said that the Kingdom condemned terror in general and suicide attacks against civilians. He also hoped that the new Iraqi government would find a solution to curb these attacks while calling for unity among the Iraqis under the legislative law. Before arriving in the Saudi capital on the second leg of her trip, Rice held talks in Cairo with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, which focused on the aftermath of Hamas' victory last month in Palestinian elections. During a joint press conference with Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit, she reiterated the tough stance of her administration on Hamas. "You cannot have one foot in the camp of terror and another foot in the camp of politics," she said, adding that the international community expected Hamas to recognize the Jewish state's right to exist. Hamas has used softer language since its resounding electoral victory over the mainstream Fatah but has stopped short of considering normalizing of relations with the Jewish state. But Egypt has argued that Washington must respect the outcome of the democratic Palestinian elections and should not rush to boycott a government led by Hamas. President Hosni Mubarak and US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice discussed on Wednesday 22/2/2006 the latest developments in the region, especially on the Palestinian and Israeli front, the situation in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon and bilateral relations between Egypt and the United States. Mubarak and Rice first held tête-à-tête talks that were resumed later over a working breakfast that was attended on the Egyptian side by Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul-Gheit and on the US side by Assistant Secretary of State for Near East Affairs David Welch and US Ambassador to Egypt Francis Riccardone. Rice and Abul-Gheit held talks during which they agreed to resume the strategic dialogue between two sides. According to Abul-Gheit, talks dealt with US Egyptian relations, describing ties between the two countries as strong and promising. She also held talks with Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif during which they reviewed the Egyptian government efforts on political, economic and social reform. They also reviewed the progress of strategic relations between the two countries and the support extended by Washington to the peace process. Moreover, talks also tackled ways of expanding economic, trade and investment cooperation between Egypt and the United States as well as ways of attracting more US investments to the Egyptian market mainly in the fields of information technology, telecommunications, petroleum, and natural gas. "US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice lauded efforts made by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to push up the Middle East peace," said Presidential Spokesman Ambassador Suleiman Awwad. Awwad said that talks dealt with regional issues including the situation in the Palestinian territories and Israel and the Iraqi, Darfur, Syrian and Lebanese files. Mubarak underlined, at the meeting, the necessity of maintaining support for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestinian Authority, said Awwad. Ambassador Awwad said that talks between President Hosni Mubarak and US State Secretary Condoleezza Rice focused on the Iraqi situation and developments related to the formation of the new Iraqi government. Mubarak underlined Egypt's keenness on rendering the Iraqi national reconciliation conference successful. As for Egyptian-American relations, Awwad said that the two sides were closely cooperating in the various domains. Answering a question on whether Egypt has received a request to mediate with Hamas to renounce part of its principles, Awwad said that Egypt is among a very few regional and international powers that can deal with all peace process parties concerned. He cited Egypt's contacts with the Palestinian Authority, Hamas and all other Palestinian factions and Israel, the international Quartet and other main international parties concerned with the Middle East peace. The issue was touched on in talks between President Mubarak and each of US State Secretary Condoleezza Rice and Israeli labour party leader Mari Peretz, said the spokesman, noting that President Mubarak asserted that Hamas should be given a chance to assess the current situation and crystallize its stance. Awwad noted that talks between President Mubarak and Rice also dealt with the Iranian nuclear file and Mubarak's initiative to render the Middle East region free of weapons of mass destruction. Egypt's stance on this score is well known by all international partners, he said, explaining that focus should not be placed on the Iranian file while disregarding the Israeli one. Answering a question on the Egyptian security role in Gaza, Awwad said that President Mubarak probed the issue during talks with Israeli Labour Party leader Amir Peretz. President Mubarak, said the spokesman, expressed Egypt's keenness to carry out its commitments in line with understandings and arrangements on the Rafah crossing. In a joint Press Conference, Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit tackled all issues of mutual concern, particularly the results of the Palestinian elections, the situation in Iraq and the Syrian-Lebanese file. He pointed to the strong bilateral ties and the need to resume an active strategic dialogue. Foreign Secretary described her meeting with Mr. Aboul Gheit as very fruitful and expressed appreciation to Egypt's active role and the efforts exerted to push forward the peace process. Ms. Rice urged any Palestinian government to be committed to peace and to all the agreements signed by the Palestinian side. She said that no peace will exist unless both sides recognize each other, meaning that the Palestinian government must recognize Israel and eliminate terrorrism. Secretary Rice said that Egypt was a pioneering country on the road to peace and reform. She said that the US talks with Egyptian officials concerning reform on a friendly basis, not as judges; and friends should debate matters candidly. The US can not suggest the path that Egypt has to follow to reach to this aim; every country has its own circumstances. But as friends, the US hopes that Egypt achieves reform on all economic and political levels. The entire Middle East region needs a country like Egypt to be a center for change and reform, Secretary Rice affirmed. Answering a question on the US situation from the countries which will continue to support the new Palestinian government, formed by Hamas, the US top diplomat said that her government will continue to support President Abu Mazen, and humanitarian aids should reach the Palestinians. Rice said she and Aboul Gheit agreed that former Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' interim government should be supported until a new government is named, and that the humanitarian needs of Palestinians remain important. The Egyptian top diplomat, on his part, affirmed the importance of continuing to support the new Palestinian Authority, which is still in office ,and to give Hamas the time, stating that "I'm sure that Hamas will develop, We should not prejudge the issue," "We are sure that the Palestinians will recognize the requirements of the situation as they stand today, the road map, the need for a political, peaceful settlement amongst the Israelis and the Palestinians, the need to see the two states living side by side in secure and recognized boundaries for both." the minister added. The US Secretary of State said that we do not interfere in the affairs of others, for instance, when we deal with Egypt we benefit from the existing friendship to speak frankly .. what we are seeking is helping people everywhere to have a role in the decision making process .. we understand that the reform process needs time and consideration of each country individually. Concerning Dr. Ayman Nour's case, Mr. Aboul Gheit stated that this issue has been referred to the judicial authorities, and that Dr. Nour has appealed to the Court of Appeal 2 days ago. Answering a question on the Egyptian position regarding the Iranian nuclear file, and whether Egypt has given up on universalizing the Non-proliferation Treaty, Mr. Aboul Gheit affirmed that Egypt supports the universality of the NPT, and calls for freeing the Middle East from weapons of mass destruction ,and nuclear weapons in particular, stating that during the last thirty years Egypt has been exerting efforts to achieve this goal. As for the recent IAEA resolution issue concerning Iran, and supported by Egypt, Mr. Aboul Gheit stated that the resolution was issued after Egypt has succeeded to include an item regarding the establishment of a zone free of weapons of mass destruction . He added that the Egyptian position regarding this issue is clear and will not accept the emergence of any nuclear power in the Middle East. As for Israel, Aboul Gheit mentioned that Egypt's stance is very clear as Egypt always demands that Israel should sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and that the Treaty should be implemented in the whole region. Regarding the military option against Iran, Mr. Aboul Gheit underlined that Egypt believes in intensifying diplomatic efforts to achieve the desired goal for solving the crisis on all levels. Mr. Aboul Gheit pointed that Iran's nuclear file has not been referred yet to the UN Security Council and we are all waiting for the report which will be presented by the IAEA Director General, Dr. Mohamed ElBaradei on 6 March 2006 in this regard. Ms. Rice also underlined the importance of unifying the international stance towards the Iranian nuclear file. The US Secretary of State mentioned that the negotiations concerning the Free Trade Agreement between the United States and Egypt are still underway and that they cannot fix a specific date to conclude these negotiations. She pointed that the progress of this negotiations requires the continuation of economic reform and to comply with the World Trade Organization regulations. On the other hand the Fatah faction said that it had agreed in principle to join the new Palestinian government led by Hamas. At a joint press conference with Hamas leader Mahmoud Al-Zahar held in Gaza City, Azzam El-Ahmed, head of Fatah in the Palestinian Legislative Council, announced that "participation in a Palestinian Cabinet led by Hamas is in principle accepted by the Fatah movement." He told reporters that both Fatah and Hamas should first agree on a joint program of the new government. Al-Zahar, who led the Hamas delegation at the talks in Gaza City, said that "all the parties, including our brothers in Fatah, intend to participate in the government." "We have agreed to continue our discussions," he added. Last Tuesday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who is himself from Fatah, formally handed Hamas Prime Minister-designate Ismail Haniyeh a letter asking him to form the next government. Hamas won 74 of the 132 seats in the Palestinian Parliament at a general election four weeks ago, thrashing Fatah, which won just 45. However, despite Ahmed's comments, it is understood many Fatah members would rather sit back and watch Hamas grapple with a range of problems that include a growing financial crisis. Hamas' Prime Minister-designate Ismail Haniyeh was formally asked by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to form a new government, one month after the Islamist group's massive election victory. Abbas handed an official nomination letter to Haniyeh at his Gaza City office, an arrangement agreed in talks between the Palestinian president and leaders of Hamas. "I received the nomination letter from President Abu Mazen (Abbas). The Hamas leadership will examine the contents of this letter before soon giving a definitive response to the president," Haniyeh told reporters. According to a source in Abbas' Ramallah office, the one-page letter asked the new government to commit to agreements signed by the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian declaration of independence based on a two-state solution. Mahmoud Al-Zahar, Hamas' overall leader in the Gaza Strip, has said the line-up of a new governing coalition would be finalized within three weeks. In Iraq while a violent explosion destroyed the dome of Imam Ali al-Hadi, the 10th Imam for the Shiite, in Samara city north of Baghdad, in the second attack targeting Shiite centers within less than three days, thousands of Shiite gathered around the Shiite tomb which is visited by large number of visitors coming from Iran, and chanted slogans deploring the explosion which was made by one explosive. The demonstrators also raised the head-cover and sword of Imam Ali al-Hadi which were on the shrine. For his part, Sheikh Ahmad Daye, Imam and preacher of al-Resalaa mosque in Samara and member of the Sunni Muslims scholars in Iraq described the explosion as a terrorist act aiming at implanting sectarian sedition among the Iraqis and he held the American forces responsible for the incident. A dawn bomb attack devastated a Shiite mosque in Iraq, sparking sectarian reprisals and revenge attacks on Sunni mosques amid an urgent appeal from the president not to let the country slide into civil war. The apparently bloodless attack on the Golden Mosque in Samarra provoked more violence than insurgent attacks that have killed thousands and the Shiite-led government and religious leaders urged calm. Three Sunni clerics were among six people killed, police said, at 29 Sunni mosques in Baghdad attacked by militants. Damage was minor but at least two mosques were burned out. There were sectarian clashes in other cities and in Baghdad fearful residents rushed home before dark, some stocking up on food. President Jalal Talabani, an ethnic Kurd, accused the attackers of trying to derail negotiations on a national unity coalition. "We must ... work together against ... the danger of civil war," he said in a televised address to the nation. The United States, anxious to calm passions and bring its troops home, has pressured Shiite leaders to bring Sunnis into government after the rebellious minority took part in an election in December; a top Shiite politician accused the US envoy of encouraging the bombers by supporting Sunni demands. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, calling on Iraqis to "unite against terror," said Washington would help repair the mosque in the mainly Sunni city north of Baghdad and accused Al-Qaeda of a "deliberate attempt to foment sectarian strife." The Shiites' reclusive and aging senior cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani made a rare, if silent, television appearance that underlined the gravity of the crisis. He called in a statement for protests but restraint as protesters outside his office in Najaf chanted: "Rise up Shiites! Take revenge!" Since US forces toppled Saddam Hussein's Sunni-dominated government in 2003, Sistani has helped hold in check anger many Shiites feel against Al-Qaeda and other Sunni militants as the Shiite majority tastes power after years of oppression. Shiite violence against Sunnis has been relatively limited, though Sunnis accuse the police of running death squads against them. Armed Mehdi Army militiamen loyal to Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr took up positions on streets in Baghdad and Shiite cities in the south, clashing in Basra and elsewhere with Sunnis. A Sadr aide said: "If the Iraqi government does not do its job to defend the Iraqi people we are ready to do so." Talks on the government composition have exposed divisions among Shiite leaders, with Sadr gaining influence, and mixed responses to the crisis may reflect jockeying for power. The leading Sunni religious body condemned the attack. After gunmen attacked offices of his party in Baghdad and Basra, Sunni political leader Tareq Al-Hashimi of the Iraqi Islamic Party said: "We will pursue anyone who attacks Sunnis." The Islamic Party also demanded a curfew to protect Sunni areas; Iraqi troops patrolled Sunni districts of Baghdad and the US military said Iraqi forces had increased their presence. US forces were on hand but had not taken special actions. Shiite gunmen took over several mosques in the capital, burning down two, and at others hanging out black Shiite flags. The national security adviser said 10 people wearing the uniforms of police commandos had been arrested in Samarra; police said such a group had overpowered mosque guards and laid charges that brought down the 20-meter wide, 100-year-old gilded dome, shattered mosaics and scattered debris widely. Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari, a Shiite Islamist, declared three days of mourning and called for Muslim unity. Abdul Aziz Al-Hakim, his ally and leader of the powerful SCIRI Islamist party, accused US Ambassador Khalilzad of encouraging Sunni insurgents with comments on Monday insisting that the new Cabinet must include Sunnis and other minorities. His comments highlighted growing friction between Washington and Shiite leaders who privately accuse Americans of promoting Sunni interests to limit the influence US rival Iran. Sectarian violence killed more than 130 people across Iraq and left dozens of mosques damaged or in ruins as the United States appealed to Sunnis and Shiites to step back from the brink of civil war. Dozens of bloody revenge attacks caused the death toll after the suspected Al-Qaeda bombing of a Shiite shrine. President George W. Bush stepped into the worst crisis since the US invasion, one that threatens efforts to form a stable, unity government and bring US troops home from Iraq. "The voices of reason from all aspects of Iraqi life understand that this bombing is intended to create civil strife," Bush said. Bush praised Iraqi leaders' public efforts to maintain calm. "The destruction of a holy site is a political act intending to create strife and so I'm pleased with the voices of reason that have spoken out and we will continue to work with those voices of reason to enable Iraq to continue on the path of a democracy that unites people and doesn't divide them," he said. The UN envoy also stepped in, asking Iraqi leaders to join him in a meeting. "I have invited political, religious and civil leaders to discuss confidence-building measures to ensure the situation remains under control," Ashraf Jehangir Qazi said. But the main Sunni political group said it pulled out of US-backed talks on forming a coalition after December's parliamentary election and leading clerics traded unusually frank sectarian criticisms that may do little to calm passions. President Jalal Talabani, a Kurd, pressed ahead despite the Sunni boycott with a meeting that he had called to avert a descent toward a civil war. After discussions with Shiites, Kurds and leaders of a smaller Sunni group, he told a televised news conference that if all-out war came "no one will be safe." Among the dead were 47 people, apparently both Sunnis and Shiites, whom gunmen dragged from vehicles after they attended a demonstration to show cross-sectarian solidarity near Baghdad. Many of the 27 million Iraqis stayed at home amid a security clampdown and three days of mourning for the destruction of the Golden Mosque in Samarra last Wednesday. Though bloodless, the bombing of the Samarra shrine has sparked greater fury than countless Sunni rebel attacks that have killed thousands of Shiites since US forces overthrew Saddam Hussein's Sunni-dominated regime three years ago. Some 130,000 US troops, with smaller numbers of British and other allies, were standing by as the largely untried, US -trained Iraqi Army and police went on the highest alert, with all leave cancelled; the heavily armed Americans may have to intervene if large-scale violence increases, however. The main Sunni religious group said 184 Sunni mosques had been damaged, some destroyed; 10 clerics killed and 15 abducted. The Muslim Clerics Association accused Shiite religious leaders of stoking the anger by calling for protests. The direct criticism of the Shiites' supreme leader Grand Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani, widely seen as a force for restraint, was unusual and prompted criticism in return from one of Sistani's fellow religious authorities. Sheikh Abdul Salam Al-Qubaisi, spokesman for the Muslim Clerics Association, urged Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr to calm his armed supporters. "I call on Moqtada Sadr to interfere because some matters are linked to his group," he said. Sadr is well-respected by some Sunni leaders for his anti-US stance. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, urged Iraqis to pull together and not be pushed into sectarian strife by a bloodless but highly symbolic attack blamed on Al-Qaeda's leader in Iraq, Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi. "The only people that want a civil war in Iraq are the terrorists like Zarqawi," she told reporters. Underlining the broader resonance of events in Iraq, where Bush hopes a friendly democracy in the oil-rich nation can be an example to the whole Middle East, Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad pinned the blame for the shrine bombing on Israelis and Americans and warned they would face the wrath of Muslims. President Bush pledged American help to restore the mosque after the bombing north of Baghdad, which dealt a severe blow to U.S. efforts to keep Iraq from falling deeper into sectarian violence. "The terrorists in Iraq have again proven that they are enemies of all faiths and of all humanity," Bush said. "The world must stand united against them, and steadfast behind the people of Iraq." British Prime Minister Tony Blair also condemned the bombing and pledged funds toward the shrine's reconstruction. U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad and the top American commander in Iraq, Gen. George Casey, called the attack a deliberate attempt to foment sectarian strife and warned it was a "critical moment for Iraq." No one was reported injured in the bombing of the shrine in Samarra. Major Sunni groups joined in condemning the attack, and a leading Sunni politician, Tariq al-Hashimi, urged clerics and politicians to calm the situation "before it spins out of control." The country's top Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, sent instructions to his followers forbidding attacks on Sunni mosques, and called for seven days of mourning. Sunni politician Adnan al-Dulaimi pledged that the violence would not discourage Sunnis from working to form a new government and claimed the Samarra attack was not planned by Sunni insurgents but "a foreign hand aiming to create differences among Iraqis." National Security Adviser Mouwafak al-Rubaie said 10 people were detained for questioning about the bombing. The Interior Ministry put the number at nine and said they included five guards. In the hours after the attack, more than 90 Sunni mosques were attacked with automatic rifles and rocket-propelled grenades, burned or taken over by Shiites, the Iraqi Islamic Party said. Large protests erupted in Shiite parts of Baghdad and in cities throughout the Shiite heartland to the south. In Basra, Shiite militants traded rifle and rocket-propelled grenade fire with guards at the office of the Iraqi Islamic Party. Smoke billowed from the building. Shiite protesters later set fire to a Sunni shrine containing the seventh century tomb of Talha bin Obeid-Allah, a companion of Prophet Muhammad Peace Be Upon Him, on the outskirts of Basra. Protesters in Najaf, Kut and Sadr City also marched through the streets by the thousands, many shouting anti-American and anti-Israeli slogans and burning those nations' flags. World-wide condemnation continued over the blowing up of the Shiite shrine of Imam Ali al-Hadi. In Jeddah the organization of the Islamic Conference warned the Iraqis against being trapped into a sectarian war among the Shiite and the Sunni in Iraq. In Iraq, the secretary general of the Arab League Amr Moussa called on the Iraqi people to challenge the acts of violence and terrorism and for self control.