World diplomats at Islamabad conference commit to changing Western perceptions of Islam

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/02/04/18568096.php

World diplomats at Islamabad conference commit to changing Western perceptions of Islam

by al-masakin
Wednesday Feb 4th, 2009 8:51 AM

World diplomats at Islamabad conference ‘Future of Change’ commit to changing Western perceptions of Islam
Iranian Envoy Recounts Major Muslims Concerns

future_of_change_islamabad_4feb09.pdf
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TEHRAN, Feb. 4 (FNA)—Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan Mashaallah Shakeri Wednesday pointed to the West’s biased stance towards the world of Islam as among the Muslims’ major concerns.

Criticizing some Western countries’ stance toward Muslims and linking them to terrorism, Shakeri said in a seminar dubbed as ‘Future Agenda of Change, Role for the Muslim World’ in Islamabad, that Muslims believe that the war on terror is for crushing them.

He noted that another reason for Muslims’ concern is that the West resists against recognition of Islamic countries’ changes, including what happened in Iran’s Islamic Revolution.

He also described major powers’ unilateralism in South Asia and the Middle East as another cause for Muslims’ concerns.

The Iranian diplomat also expressed hope that US President Barack Obama’s policies regarding Muslims would be different from those of Bush, and said Iran would positively respond to any change by the new US administration.
Reminding the world nations’ hatred for war and bloodshed, he urged the new US administration to work on democracy and peace and respect Muslims.

In international relations, war is not the solution to problems, the Iranian diplomat reiterated.

Ambassadors of Islamic countries ask Obama to address root causes of terrorism

Islamabad, Feb. 4 (APP)—Muslim world is hopeful of a change in US policy towards the Islamic world with arrival of the Obama administration, said ambassadors of prominent Islamic countries. Ambassador of Saudi Arabia Ali S. Awadh Assery, Ambassador of Syria Riad Hussain Ismat, Ambassador of Iran Masha’s Allah Shakeri, Ambassador of Iraq Kais Shbhi Al-Yacoubi and diplomats of Morocco and Nigeria agreed that election of President Obama points towards long desired change.

They were speaking at a roundtable conference on “Islam and the West and future agenda of change” held under the auspices of Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) here on Tuesday.

Diplomats of Germany, USA, Russia and Japan also spoke on the occasion.

They expressed optimism that President Obama would see the Islamic world with a different perspective and the practice to bracket Islam with terrorism would be stopped. They stressed that the new US administration should seek to root out the real causes of terrorism.

The Saudi Ambassador said the international community should give more funds to Pakistan so that it can be in a better position to counter terrorism and extremism. He said Saudi Arabia has adopted a soft anti-terror policy by integrating and rehabilitating those who got misled and went on the path of terrorism.

The Iranian ambassador spoke about the policies of previous US administration which proved counterproductive. “President Bush spoke enough to the world now the US requires to listen prior to talking,” he added.

He said Iran is waiting to see what change President Obama will bring in its policy towards his country.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has stated that if Iran witnessed any substantive change in US policy it will be replied positively.

The Iraqi ambassador said miracles should not be expected of Obama administration. He pointed out that Israel has always wasted opportunities to secure permanent peace in the Middle East.

He said Islam is about peace and co-existence and the Muslims want that when they extend the hand of cooperation, the outside world should reciprocate in a spirit which promotes unity and harmony.

Speaking on the occasion, a representative of embassy of Japan said idea of co-existence should be promoted to strengthen relations between Islam and the West. He said quest for achieving peace in the world is a laudable initiative taken by the Council of Islamic Ideology.

A representative of Russian embassy said today’s world is interdependent and there is a need for understanding each others point of view on issues.

He said, “Russia as observer at OIC, wants to build good relations with OIC and its member countries including Pakistan.”

He said Russia gives due respect to Muslim Ummah and its proof is that in Russia there are 4750 mosques among 10,000 places of worship.

Katrina, representative of the embassy of Germany appreciated the role of participants in pointing out the problems faced by the Muslim countries and said the issues needed to be addressed in a spirit of reconciliation. She said more than six million Muslims are living a peaceful and respectable life in Germany. She underlined the need for resolving issues through negotiations and by giving due respect to each other.

A representative of the US embassy said people in America believe in the idea of change, adding “America is a land of Christians and Muslims. We need to work together and understand each others point of view.” More than eight million Muslims are living in America.

Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Hamid Saeed Kazmi said Islam is a religion of peace and it does not believe in taking lives of innocent people.

“Bloodshed and suicide attacks have nothing to do with Islam,” he said and added there are some hidden hands who are carrying out such activities to defame Muslims. He said religious seminaries have vital role in Muslim society as these are source of producing useful citizens.

Minister of State for Religious Affairs Shagufta Jumani expressed the hope that the conference will prove to be a good effort to bridge gap between civilizations and religions.

Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed, who conducted the conference, said such interaction would help bridge gap between Islam and the west.

He said recommendations of participants of the meeting would be compiled and forwarded to the government.

He said the election of US President has created cautious optimism and there is hope of reversal of wrong policies of the past.

Chairman Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) Dr. Khalid Masood in his welcome address said CII is a constitutional body which reviews legislation, presents reports to the government and proposes amendments in laws.

He said the Council had almost completed the process of reviewing all existing laws in the country to bring them in line with the Holy Quran and Sunnah.

Fars / APP / EHC
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Al-Masakin News Agency
http://almasakinnewsagency.wordpress.com/

Egypt bombs Gaza tunnels, halts fuel supply, installs surveillance cameras, seeks to destroy all tunnels and seal Gaza by Thursday

Egypt detonates tunnels, installs surveillance cameras along borders with Gaza

[ 03/02/2009 - 10:27 PM ]

RAFAH, (PIC)– The Egyptian government destroyed more tunnels along its borders with the tiny Gaza Strip that were used by Gazans to bring food and basic needs into their besieged Strip, Palestinian sources and eyewitnesses confirmed. The Israeli occupation government destroyed nearly one-half of the tunnels along the Gaza-Egypt border during its brutal war on Gaza last month, the sources added. The Egyptian government also halted fuel supply to Gaza Strip, which aggravated the suffering of the Palestinian people there, especially that no fuel is being supplied to Gaza from the Israeli side. Sensor cameras were also installed by the Egyptian security forces on top of high building to monitor the borders with help from American, German, and French experts with the aim to uncover and destroy all the tunnels. Israeli foreign minister Tzipi Livni, and her former US counterpart Condoleezza Rice signed an agreement to block smuggling of weapons to the Palestinian people in Gaza who are under the Israeli occupation. The French government also sent a frigate to block the sea of Gaza. In the same context, the Egyptian Al-Ahram news paper quoted “responsible” Egyptian source as asserting that the Egyptian government has decided to seal off the Rafah crossing point by this Thursday, and that it would open the gate for humanitarian reasons on the time Egypt deems suitable. The Egyptian decision comes amidst growing public demand in the Arab, Muslim, and international communities to lift the unjust economic siege on the 1.5 million Palestinians in Gaza Strip, especially after the devastating war unleashed by the Israeli occupation government on the tiny Strip, which left more than 7000 Palestinian victims and displaced tens of thousands of families.

Turkish consulate in Düsseldorf, Germany attacked by arsonists (Unsubstantiated Report)

Attempt to burn Turkish Consulate General in Germany

[ 03 Feb 2009 19:00 ]
Baku. Lachin Sultanova – APA. Unidentified men attempted to burn the Consulate General of Turkey in Düsseldorf, Germany.

APA reports quoting foreign media that the façade of the building was damaged, but no casualties were reported. Düsseldorf police are investigating the incident.

The very day in 2008 the house of Turks were burned in Ludwigshafen, Germany. 5 children and 5 women died, 60 people were damaged at that time.

The investigation was carried out with participation of Turkish police. The causes of the incident have not been determined yet.  http://en.apa.az/news.php?id=96429

NATO seeks new supply route to Afghanistan through Iran

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/02/03/18567932.php

NATO seeks new supply route to Afghanistan through Iran

by al-masakin
Tuesday Feb 3rd, 2009 8:24 AM

Defence
US in Dire Need of Iran’s Help to Fight Afghan War

nato-afghanistan-iran_3feb09.pdf
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TEHRAN, Feb. 3 (FNA)—As Afghanistan moves to the center-stage in US foreign policy, the new administration in Washington will need more than a troop surge to defeat the Taliban and bring peace and it will have to engage Iran.

President Barack Obama’s administration is conducting a full policy review on Iran which is expected to include Tehran’s role in Afghanistan, while the head of NATO, which leads some 55,000 troops in Afghanistan, said dialogue with Iran was crucial to fighting the insurgency there.

“It is absolutely essential, you cannot stabilize Afghanistan without Iran,” said Ahmed Rashid, author of a widely acclaimed book on the Taliban.

Germany, the third largest troop contributor in Afghanistan, has also joined the chorus of diplomatic voices for dialogue with Iran, suggesting recently a “contact group” of nations to kick-start rapprochement.

With the US planning to deploy up 30,000 extra troops to Afghanistan in the next 12 to 18 months, and faced with supply-line challenges over insecure routes from Pakistan, the need for wider regional cooperation is acute and urgent.

“Pakistan has only been partially helpful in fighting al Qaeda and the Taliban … talking to Iran will put a lot more pressure on Pakistan and neighboring countries to cooperate with NATO and American forces in Afghanistan,” Rashid said.

When asked whether any future talks with Tehran might touch on Afghanistan, US State Department spokesman Robert Wood said there needed to be a regional approach to Afghanistan and that included Iran last week.

Alternative routes to Afghanistan for US and NATO supplies have been agreed with Central Asian states to the north, but given its access to major ports on the Caspian Sea and the Persian Gulf, Iran would be an invaluable transit route, though the likelihood of military supplies coming through Iran is a distant prospect.

NATO’s top military commander said Monday that the alliance would not oppose individual member nations making deals with Iran to supply their forces in Afghanistan as an alternative to using increasingly risky routes from Pakistan.

“Those would be national decisions. Nations should act in a manner that is consistent with their national interest and with their ability to resupply their forces,” Craddock, an American who is NATO’s supreme allied commander, told the AP. “I think it is purely up to them.”

Securing alternative routes to landlocked Afghanistan has taken on added urgency this year as the United States prepares to double its troop numbers there to 60,000 to battle a resurgent Taliban eight years after the US-led invasion.

It also comes at a time when the main supply corridor through neighboring Pakistan is becoming increasingly dangerous as insurgents attack convoys that supply the foreign troops in Afghanistan.

Some political and military leaders have hinted at the need for closer cooperation with the government in Iran over the war in Afghanistan, where some 70,000 NATO and US troops are currently trying to beat back the resurgent Taliban.

The Islamic Republic has a long history of opposing Taliban rule.

Some experts suggest that nations with good relations with Iran such as France, Germany and Italy may try to set up an alternate supply route to western Afghanistan via Chah Bahar, a port in southeastern Iran.

“NATO is looking at flexible, alternate routing. I think that is healthy,” Craddock said, when asked about the possibility of using Iranian territory for supply.

“Options are a good thing, choices are a good thing, flexibility in military operations is essential,” he said. “What nations will do is up to them,” he said, without elaborating.

Craddock’s comments came after US Central Command chief Gen. David Petraeus said last month that America had struck deals with Russia and several Central Asian states close to or bordering Afghanistan to allow supplies to pass through their territory.

US and NATO forces in Afghanistan get up to 75 percent of “non-lethal” supplies such as food, fuel and building materials from shipments that cross Pakistan.

FNA/EHC
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Al-Masakin News Agency
http://almasakinnewsagency.wordpress.com/

German MP Norman Paech says German Federal government blocking investiagtion into Israeli war crimes

 

News Code: 321277

GMT: 1/26/2009 3:56:41 PM

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German MP accuses gov’t of blocking probe of Israeli war crimes

Berlin, Jan 26, IRNA — A senior lawmaker of the opposition The Left (Linke) party accused the German government of blocking an international investigation looking into Israel war crimes allegations.

“The federal (German) government has to give up its blockade against probing such accusations and call for an independent international commission,” said
the foreign policy spokesman of the radical leftist party, Norman Paech in a press
release on Monday.
Deputy foreign ministry spokesman Andreas Peschke questioned last week the need for such an inquiry.
“We have to ask ourselves what concrete added value such a step would have,” the official said.
Peschke said he expected Israel to follow up on international war crime charges against the Jewish state.
He stressed the focal point of attention should be on humanitarian assistance and reconstruction rather than an investigation of Israel’s military actions in Gaza.
The UN and numerous human rights organizations have demanded an
international probe of Israel’s military onslaught in Gaza, including the use of
phosphorus bombs on civilian targets and shelling of UN installations.
A staunch ally of the Zionist regime, Germany had strongly supported the
Israeli genocide in Gaza, labeling it “legitimate self-defense.”
OT**1771

End News / IRNA / News Code 321277

German Journalists’ Association (DJV) demands access to Gaza

 

News Code: 294340  GMT: 1/6/2009 3:45:16 PM 

 

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German journalist group demand unfettered access to Gaza

Berlin, Jan 6, IRNA — The German Journalists’ Association (DJV) on Tuesday demanded unfettered access to Gaza Friday and protested Israeli government attempts to limit the entry of reporters into the strip.

 

 

DJV head Michael Konken said in Berlin journalists should be

permitted to report from inside Gaza.

He stressed the media-hostile behavior of the Israeli military

could create the impression that the Jewish state may want to conduct

warfare by excluding the global media and manipulate news reports

about alleged Israeli victories.

“This is not acceptable,” Konken added.

Journalists should be able to enter Gaza for a comprehensive and

critical reporting, said Konken, calling it indispensable.

The Israeli government is refusing to allow journalists to enter Gaza,

despite an Israeli High Court decision that it should allow limited access.

OT**1420

 

 

End News / IRNA / News Code 294340