September 8, 2004

World Media Watch

by Gloria R. Lalumia

BUZZFLASH NOTE: WMW provides BuzzFlash readers foreign views and perspectives that are not usually available from the media here in the U.S. The presentation of these articles from these international publications is not an endorsement of their viewpoints.

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WORLD MEDIA WATCH FOR SEPTEMBER 8, 2004

1//Inter Press Service News Agency, Italy--PEACE TALKS COME APART IN SADR CITY (The new outbreak of violence in Baghdad has shattered ceasefire talks between Shia militants and the Iraqi government... Since then two negotiating points seem to have dragged the talks to no end. "One of the most important items is the weapons of people inside Sadr City," al- Obaidi said. "The American troops said that we have to start our truce after surrender of weapons. The Iraqi tribes refused."...The other sticking point in the talks is the presence of U.S. forces in the district. Sadr negotiators demand replacement of U.S. troops by Iraqi police and security forces. Al- Obaidi says the United States insists on maintaining its forces in the district...Residents say the United States army is trying to negotiate on the one hand and arrest as many Mehdi army militiamen as possible on the other. "That's just bad policy and politics," says a leading Iraqi politician. "If anything, the Americans should have learned by now that power politics does not work in this country, at least not in the long term.")

2//The Jordan Times, Jordan--SADR'S MEN SET BOOBY TRAPS AS SLUM ERUPTS (Iraqi Shiite fighters were planting bombs in the street of a Baghdad slum amid echoing machinegun fire Tuesday, as angry foot soldiers of radical cleric Moqtada Sadr cursed the Iraqi government and US "occupiers" after deadly fighting erupted overnight..."I'm planting a roadside bomb. Nine out of 10 traps here are fake bombs with wires to confuse the American soldiers. But this one is real and it's big," says Hazem, 25. "It's very well hidden. Look here, you can't guess there is something under the road. Hopefully, a tank will stop right on top of it and then 'Boom!', we can set if off," he says....On Tuesday afternoon, the command of the Mehdi Army issued a statement reiterating their commitment to a peaceful solution to the crisis, provided US troops enter Sadr City only when they are coming in to help with reconstruction projects. But none of the fighters have turned in their weaponry and the entire area is a ticking bomb. As traffic resumed later Tuesday, thousands of cars were blissfully tripping the hundreds of detonation wires which crisscross the streets.

3//The Independent, UK--IRAN'S OFFER TO STOP ENRICHING URANIUM FALLS FLAT (Iran set the scene yesterday for a stormy meeting of the UN nuclear watchdog next week after Britain and America dismissed an offer that was clearly aimed at avoiding sanctions...But a Foreign Office spokesman said that the Iranian offer did not go far enough because it made no mention of the key issue of the uranium enrichment process itself. "It's the typical tactics before an IAEA meeting," said the spokesman, who said that the Iranian concession appeared tailored for a domestic audience...But despite the latest twist, Britain still appears unwilling to report Iran to the Security Council, fearing it could be counter-productive unless a majority of the 15 members are united in approving action.)

4//The Daily Times, Pakistan--SYRIA ACCUSES U.S. OF INTERFERING IN LEBANON (Damascus has accused the United States of interfering in the affairs of Lebanon and Syria, accusing Washington of bringing undue pressure to force a UN resolution last week on foreign influence in Lebanon. In comments reported by state media on Tuesday, Defence Minister Hasan Turkmani accused Washington of "political escalation to interfere in the internal affairs of Syria and Lebanon under frail pretexts". Turkmani, whose country has around 17,000 troops in Lebanon, slammed Washington's role in pushing through last week's UN resolution that called for the withdrawal of foreign troops from Lebanon. The resolution also warned against foreign interference in Lebanon's presidential elections. In a speech at a cadets' graduation ceremony, Turkmani said the resolution was a US attempt to "confiscate" the authority of the Lebanese people and parliament "as if the United States is more keen than the Lebanese on their country and interests".)

5//The Daily Star, Lebanon--ANALYSIS: DAMASCUS NOT OUT OF THE DIPLOMATIC WOODS JUST YET (With the passing of last week's U.S.-France-sponsored Security Council resolution aimed at ousting Syria from Lebanon, Syrian-U.S. relations have reached a new low, analysts in the region said this week, with some predicting further pressures to come for Damascus. "Syria thought it could show its capabilities and intentions by playing a positive role in Iraq," said Samir al-Taqi, an analyst with the Center for Strategic Studies at Damascus University. "Syria thought that by allowing certain concessions it would provide the U.S. with a kind of confidence building and a show of good intentions."... According to Murhaf Jouejati, a professor of political science at George Washington University and a Syria specialist, Syrian concessions on Iraq have gone unheard. "Syria's efforts to comply with Washington's wishes regarding Iraq have thus far come to naught," said Jouejati. "Washington has, for the most part, turned a deaf ear. This suggests that the 'Syria next' paradigm among the hawkish elements of the Bush administration - the neocons - is still on the table.")

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1//Inter Press Service News Agency, Italy September 7, 2004
http://ipsnews.net/interna.asp?idnews=25378

PEACE TALKS COME APART IN SADR CITY
Peyman Pejman

BAGHDAD, Sep 7 (IPS) - The new outbreak of violence in Baghdad has shattered ceasefire talks between Shia militants and the Iraqi government.

Following a successful if fragile ceasefire in the holy city Najaf, it was hoped that talks in the impoverished Sadr City of Baghdad would become a model for further negotiations between the government and followers of the radical Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr.

The government of appointed prime minister Iyad Allawi along with the U.S. military has been engaged in daily talks with leaders in Sadr City. Many of the million or so Shias here are Sadr supporters.

The deadlock remained in place as violence tore through Sadr City. Iraqi health ministry officials say at least 34 people died Tuesday and 170 were wounded. This followed clashes earlier on Monday.

(SNIP)

Officials closely informed about the Sadr City talks said they had hoped the negotiations would be completed last week. They said one reason for the delay was that the Sadr City delegation did not include Sadr's representatives at first.

(SNIP)

Since then two negotiating points seem to have dragged the talks to no end.

"One of the most important items is the weapons of people inside Sadr City," al- Obaidi said. "The American troops said that we have to start our truce after surrender of weapons. The Iraqi tribes refused."

Al-Obaidi and other Sadr advisors say they want a buy-back programme in which the government will pay for guns turned in by Sadr City militiamen.

No one has a close idea how many guns and of what kind are stashed away in Sadr City, but they are generally believed to include Soviet-era AK-47s, semi-automatic machine guns and shoulder-fired rockets.

U.S. and Iraqi officials say they cannot accept a buy-back plan before the truce because militiamen could sell some guns and attack them with the rest.

The Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) that handed power to the appointed Iraqi government in June had offered a similar buy-back deal to insurgents. But U.S. officials admit that few took up the offer.

The other sticking point in the talks is the presence of U.S. forces in the district. Sadr negotiators demand replacement of U.S. troops by Iraqi police and security forces. Al- Obaidi says the United States insists on maintaining its forces in the district.

"They say that the Iraqi police cannot protect the city," he said. "The Iraqi tribes, the head of the tribes said, no, you have to retreat and we give our word that we will help them ourselves. We will help the Iraqi police ourselves in order to maintain the place peaceful."

(SNIP)

Residents say the United States army is trying to negotiate on the one hand and arrest as many Mehdi army militiamen as possible on the other.

"That's just bad policy and politics," says a leading Iraqi politician. "If anything, the Americans should have learned by now that power politics does not work in this country, at least not in the long term."

The deadlock has also raised doubts about plans by the Allawi government to improve Sadr City, perhaps the poorest neighbourhood in Baghdad.

(MORE)

2//The Jordan Times, Jordan Wednesday, September 8, 2004
http://www.jordantimes.com/wed/news/news4.htm

SADR'S MEN SET BOOBY TRAPS AS SLUM ERUPTS

BAGHDAD (AFP) - Iraqi Shiite fighters were planting bombs in the street of a Baghdad slum amid echoing machinegun fire Tuesday, as angry foot soldiers of radical cleric Moqtada Sadr cursed the Iraqi government and US "occupiers" after deadly fighting erupted overnight.

The clashes between the Mehdi Army fighters and US forces that shattered a week-old truce were some of the bloodiest seen in the sprawling slum since Sadr's April revolt against the US-led coalition, with the highest estimates reporting more than 40 killed.

"I'm planting a roadside bomb. Nine out of 10 traps here are fake bombs with wires to confuse the American soldiers. But this one is real and it's big," says Hazem, 25.

"It's very well hidden. Look here, you can't guess there is something under the road. Hopefully, a tank will stop right on top of it and then 'Boom!', we can set if off," he says.

The nationwide ceasefire ordered by Moqtada Sadr after weeks-long standoff between his militia and US forces in the holy city of Najaf only lasted nine days.

(SNIP)

Cursing the United States is a knee-jerk reaction for all residents, but many Sadr supporters have even more hatred for Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, whom they consider a US stooge, a secular Shiite betraying his country.

Hussein Mohammed, whose son was struck down in the fighting, complained bitterly: "All of these problems are because of Iyad Allawi," whom Sadr's lieutenants accuse of trying to break the back of their popular movement.

But Thamer Karim's neighbours, whose house was also damaged in the fighting, are supporters of Grand Ayatollah Ali al Sistani, Sadr's elder rival, and blame the young cleric for the destruction inflicted here. On Tuesday afternoon, the command of the Mehdi Army issued a statement reiterating their commitment to a peaceful solution to the crisis, provided US troops enter Sadr City only when they are coming in to help with reconstruction projects.

But none of the fighters have turned in their weaponry and the entire area is a ticking bomb. As traffic resumed later Tuesday, thousands of cars were blissfully tripping the hundreds of detonation wires which crisscross the streets.

3//The Independent, UK 08 September 2004
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/story.jsp?story=559271

IRAN'S OFFER TO STOP ENRICHING URANIUM FALLS FLAT
By Anne Penketh, Diplomatic Editor

Iran set the scene yesterday for a stormy meeting of the UN nuclear watchdog next week after Britain and America dismissed an offer that was clearly aimed at avoiding sanctions.

Diplomats said that Iran had approached the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and agreed to reimpose a freeze on making, testing and assembling centrifuges used to enrich uranium. The centrifuges can enrich uranium to the arms-grade level needed for use in nuclear warheads.

But a Foreign Office spokesman said that the Iranian offer did not go far enough because it made no mention of the key issue of the uranium enrichment process itself.

"It's the typical tactics before an IAEA meeting," said the spokesman, who said that the Iranian concession appeared tailored for a domestic audience.

Iran is desperate to avoid being referred to the UN Security Council which could order punitive measures against Tehran for failing to come clean on its nuclear-related activities.

American officials are pressing for the IAEA governors' board meeting, which begins on Monday, to have Iran declared in violation of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.

The foreign ministers of Britain, France and Germany and Britain convinced Iran last October to suspend its uranium enrichment-related activities. But in June, Iran violated the agreement by resuming the production and testing of nuclear centrifuges.

Enrichment does not fall under treaty obligations, but the US believes that Iran has failed to live up to its commitments to the three European governments and should be punished.

The US State Department spokesman, Richard Boucher, described Iran's latest move as a ploy.
" What's needed now is concrete action by Iran to end its pursuit of nuclear weapons capabilities, including its pursuit of the complete nuclear fuel cycle that would give Iran that capability," Mr Boucher said. "We believe Iran needs to comply with its promises and the requirements put down by the board of governors. But ... Iran has not complied.

(SNIP)

But despite the latest twist, Britain still appears unwilling to report Iran to the Security Council, fearing it could be counter-productive unless a majority of the 15 members are united in approving action.

Iran's approach to the IAEA came after European Union foreign ministers expressed mounting impatience with Tehran authorities.

(MORE)

4//The Daily Times, Pakistan Wednesday, September 08, 2004
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_8-9-2004_pg4_3

SYRIA ACCUSES U.S. OF INTERFERING IN LEBANON

DAMASCUS: Damascus has accused the United States of interfering in the affairs of Lebanon and Syria, accusing Washington of bringing undue pressure to force a UN resolution last week on foreign influence in Lebanon.

In comments reported by state media on Tuesday, Defence Minister Hasan Turkmani accused Washington of "political escalation to interfere in the internal affairs of Syria and Lebanon under frail pretexts". Turkmani, whose country has around 17,000 troops in Lebanon, slammed Washington's role in pushing through last week's UN resolution that called for the withdrawal of foreign troops from Lebanon. The resolution also warned against foreign interference in Lebanon's presidential elections. In a speech at a cadets' graduation ceremony, Turkmani said the resolution was a US attempt to "confiscate" the authority of the Lebanese people and parliament "as if the United States is more keen than the Lebanese on their country and interests".

Defying the UN, Lebanon's parliament voted last Friday to extend the term of Syrian-backed President Emile Lahoud.

On Sunday, Lahoud reaffirmed that Beirut would continue to work closely with Damascus after the extension of his term, which Washington says was orchestrated by Damascus. Traditionally tense ties between Syria and the United States have been further strained since the U.S-led war in Iraq.

Turkmani suggested a link between the US "intervention" attempts and Israeli threats to strike targets in Syria for alleged complicity in bus bombings that killed 16 people in southern Israel last Tuesday.

"These threats coincided with US political escalation," he said of the warnings that have raised the spectre of an air raid similar to the one carried out deep inside Syria last October.

(MORE)

5//The Daily Star, Lebanon Wednesday, September 08, 2004
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=2&article_id=8178

ANALYSIS: DAMASCUS NOT OUT OF THE DIPLOMATIC WOODS JUST YET
Relations with U.S. hit all time low

By Rhonda Roumani
Daily Star staff

DAMASCUS: With the passing of last week's U.S.-France-sponsored Security Council resolution aimed at ousting Syria from Lebanon, Syrian-U.S. relations have reached a new low, analysts in the region said this week, with some predicting further pressures to come for Damascus.

"Syria thought it could show its capabilities and intentions by playing a positive role in Iraq," said Samir al-Taqi, an analyst with the Center for Strategic Studies at Damascus University. "Syria thought that by allowing certain concessions it would provide the U.S. with a kind of confidence building and a show of good intentions."

For a short period of time, Syrian concessions on Iraq gave Damascus hope that relations with the U.S. might take a more positive turn. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has consistently stressed the need to continue constructive dialogue with the United States.

Last month the Syrians made tangible efforts to clamp down on foreign fighters who were infiltrating Iraq through Syrian borders, to provide electricity to northern Iraq from their own grid and to open an additional border crossing with Iraq for humanitarian purposes - all done at the request of Washington.

Then, in July, Assad seemed to open the way to further reconciliation by receiving interim Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, in effect recognizing the U.S. installed interim government in Iraq.

"Relations in the first half of the year were still acceptable because of the dialogue between Syria and the U.S.," Ahmed Haj-Ali, an advisor to Syria's information minister and a political analyst, commented. "After Allawi visited Syria, we thought the relations would improve and the ambiguity between the two countries would improve because the U.S. would better understand the Syrian position."

Yet despite Syrian efforts, relations between Damascus and Washington have steadily moved from a state of "constructive engagement" to rapid deterioration.

(SNIP)

According to Murhaf Jouejati, a professor of political science at George Washington University and a Syria specialist, Syrian concessions on Iraq have gone unheard.

"Syria's efforts to comply with Washington's wishes regarding Iraq have thus far come to naught," said Jouejati. "Washington has, for the most part, turned a deaf ear. This suggests that the 'Syria next' paradigm among the hawkish elements of the Bush administration - the neocons - is still on the table."

(MORE)