APwire ~ Affiliated Press News Agency

[Serbovia]

Ozgur group to protest Serbovian treatment of the "Velika Kanzija thirty-two"
AP International

After the Serbovian government announced its intention to try 32 Ozgurs arrested in Velika Kanzija, Serbovia during a multi-day MDB operation of terrorism, the Ozgur opposition group Democratic Liberation Front for a Sovereign Ozguria has called for Ozgur emigrés to act in solidarity against the Serbovian government.

Bayram Tayfur, the DLF-SO's spokesperson in their Levantine headquarters, described the "Velika Kanzija 32" as political prisoners arbitrarily detained by the Serbovian governments. In addition, he accused the Serbovian MDB of carrying out other extrajudicial and unrecorded arrests of Ozgurs not reported in the Serbovian media during the Velika Kanzija operation, and of the detention of several people in MDB-run concentration camps. The DLF-SO and its associated organizations are reportedly planning to demonstrate against the arrests and the ongoing trial in several countries with significant Ozgur communities.

 

[Wazistan]

Riots rock major Kurdish city after government troops kill youth
AP International

Hundreds of Kurdish youth rioted in the southern city of Sine Saturday night, smashing store windows and setting fire to several police stations, the Associated Press has learned from sources on the ground. According to ground sources, the violence erupted after security forces shot dead a 18-year old honor student who was supposedly taking part in a small protest outside the Sine provincial government's office demanding officials do more to tackle urban unemployment.

The clashes are the most significant to hit the south's largest city since the 2002 riots that left more than 140 dead after authorities ordered a harsh crackdown.

The outlawed Kurdish Social Party officials condemned the killing of student Aram Dabgah in a posting on its website and called on the public to "take to the streets and express their disgust." The Kurdish Liberation Army, the military wing of the KSP, issued a separate statement condemning the murder and warning its fighters would not "remain silent" while government forces continued to kill young Kurds without punishment.

There has been no reports on the riots in the state media, a sign analysts say the government does not want the violence to overshadow the ruling Islamist Revolutionary Democratic Party's annual meeting in Gaza.

 

[Wazistan]

Opposition leader urges restraint as Kurdish riots spread in Wazistan
AP International

Kurdish youths anger over the death of a local student by security forces rioted for a third straight day in Wazistan's southeast city of Sine Tuesday as fresh clashes broke out in other parts of the region. AP sources in Dahuk province, speaking on the condition of anonymity, have confirmed more than 100 students had been detained by security forces after angry youth rampaged through the business section of the provincial capital, Sumail. Similar clashes incidents have also been reported in other part's of the predominately Kurdish region.

With the ruling Revolutionary Democratic Party's two-week congress underway, the government-controlled media has done its best to keep the riots out of the spotlight, with the state radio only referring to the crisis as a "unfortunate situation."

However, in a sign of concerns that the government may use the riots as a pretext to crackdown on opponents, a prominent opposition leader urged rioters late Tuesday to show restraint and called on Kurdish opposition leaders to speak out against violence.

In a statement posted on his personal website, Dr. Payan Kasravi urged Kurds to "express their frustration within the confines of the law" and urged leaders of the outlawed Kurdish Social Party, whose armed wing has been accused of committing numerous terrorist-style attacks, to renounce the use of violence.

 

[Wazistan]

Wazi judiciary hints at crackdown against Kurdish protests
AP International

The head of Wazistan's hardline judiciary accused foreign groups and political opposition of supporting Kurdish protests on the country's restive southeast and warned police and security forces were ready to take "tough measures" against those who continued threaten the country's stability. Speaking during a appearance before students at Ijad's Islamic University, Ayatollah Kamil Ali al-Kaylani expressed fear that the country's main opposition leaders would use the protests to overthrow the government and called on Kurdish community leaders to help end the crisis.

However, Kaylani warned the military and security forces were prepared to do "whatever necessary" to restore order in the restive region.

Kaylani's speech marks the first official acknowledgment of the protests by the government since they erupted late last week. The country's media, under the control of the ruling clerics, has largely kept protesters off the airwaves as a meeting of the political elite continues in the city of Gaza.

Analysts say Kaylani's tough remarks are a sign that patience in Ijad is wearing thin and that a crackdown is likely.

Wazistan's predominantly southeast has been rocked by violence since armed Kurdish groups rose up against the country's Islamic rulers in the 1990s. The main rebel group, the Kurdish Liberation Army, has carried out more than 1,000 bombings against civilian and military targets across the region since formed in 2001 that have claimed the lives of more than 10,000.

 

[Polesia]

Rumours of strained relations between Batavia and Vangala
AP International

As Batavia's Ambassador to the People's Republic of Vangala was summoned by Vangalan External Affairs Minister Ajoy Qamaruzzaman to explain his country's decision to invite the League of Free States to observe planned IRB wargames, rumours continue to circulate of a growing gulf between Batavia and Vangala, with a series of public and private disagreements coming to the attention of the world media.

Kilkila is reportedly unhappy with Batavia's increasing friendliness with the Alliance for a Greater Europe, originally widely reviled in the Communist world for its free market policies and alliance with the League of Free States during the Great War. Meanwhile Vlaanderen is apparently upset with Vangala's continued support for guerilla movements in Ratomkira and elsewhere together with its confrontational foreign policy, with Batavia instead pushing for detente with AGE and the LFS.

Both countries vehmently deny any reports of serious disagreements. A spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs was keen to stress that Minister Qamaruzzaman discussed other issues with the Batavian Ambassador, such as the upcoming excersises and attempted attack on the Volgan capital. Vangala has also supported Batavia's nomination for Vice Secretary of the Council of Nations. There is also extensive intelligence sharing between the two, who are both seen as more prominent members of the IRB, when compared to the more isolationist Meribia and Cyrillica and divided Volga.

How far the divisions run are unknown, with a culture of secrecy pervading both governments. Yet with the IRB slowly moving away from its hardline past, embracing market reforms and minor political liberalisation, neither can afford disunity in these uncertain times.

 

[Batavië]

Student Protests Rage in Batavië Against Regime, Contrary to Official Media Reports
AP, Målmöholm

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Batavian riot police had their hands full in the city centre yesterday

Contrary to official government news reports, the northern city of Spa in Batavië is currently undergoing intense student protests turned into riots. Based on rough calculations by AP journalists on the ground, about three thousand riot police are continuing their clamp down on the city. Working undercover with foreign media and the AP banned from reporting on the incident, it appears as though an underground political activist group has circulated anti-government leaflets, enraging students.

Cars and shops have been set on fire by angry students. Spa is known for its pristine medieval architecture and it's university where the most intelligent students go for their post secondary schooling. Although it is still unknown who has instigated the protests at this time, reporters have gotten hold of some of the leaflets. The leaflets claim to be the work of a so-called 'Batavian Republican Army' which seems to be in favour of a democratised Batavië. No locals would submit for interviews with the AP, citing the high risk of being turned in by Staatsveiligheid informants, or civilians paid to report traitors and suspicious activity to the secret police and intelligence service of the regime.

What is known is that the city is in complete lock-down. With police struggling to gain control of students who have barricaded themselves in buildings, there are rumours spreading that the People's Ground Forces, the army, are sending lorry loads of soldiers to assist the city police force. If that is the case, it will be the first time in over twenty years since military troops were required to put down protests and riots. Trains have been halted from leaving Spa and no trains are scheduled to travel to the city, causing rail delays across the country.

These riots, which the government media says are actually anti-capitalist protests, are attempting to be spun the other way. With media tightly controlled, it is unlikely that the truth will spread beyond Spa. Unless, that is, the Batavian Republican Army has connections elsewhere as well.

 

[Wazistan]

Senior Christian leader in Wazistan quits ruling United Front
AP International

Wazistan's ruling political front blow was dealt a heavy blow Saturday after its most prominent Christian member announced his party was quitting the bloc and that he was stepping down from his post in the Interior Ministry. In a letter to President Hamid Najibullah and ruling party's chief Abdul Ali Jatani obtained by the Associated Press, Ramzi Saeed Khazem accused the Revolutionary Democratic Party of "silencing internal dissent through intimidation and violence" within the United Front and expressed concern over state of democracy in the Islamic Republic and the active role of clerics in the government.

The United Front is an alliance of political parties and mass organizations supportive of the Islamic system and the ruling Revolutionary Democratic Party.

Khazem's National Patriotic Party is considered the largest Christian political party in the Islamic Republic and its membership within the UF was often touted by government supporters as proof of its tolerance towards religious minorities.

In leaving the UF, Khazem is also giving up his post in the Interior Ministry overseeing the protection of government officials.

Opposition leaders in Wazistan have hailed Khazem's decision, which comes ahead of the week in which the ruling Islamists are expect to select the country's next president and a new leadership. In a posting on his website, Payan Kasravi said Khazem's decision was "further evidence" of the Islamic regime's "intolerance" towards ethnic minorities and political dissidents and urged the ruling party to use its congress to pursue "real" political reform.

A spokesman for Jamal Bishara, chairman of the main opposition Wazi People's Democratic Organization, has told the AP he is expected to meet with Khazem "within the coming days."

 

[Thaumantica]

Union Corps retracts 65,000 Troops
AP Marešalgrad

Votes cast in hindsight to Civilnog Marešal Posavski, of Životinje, an his statements atop Sijabrdo on Friday passed a civil override order to the Union Corps, recalling 65,000+ Troops from several locations around Volga.

The Union Corps, which is facing downsizing while its sister Air Corps, as the elite Zaktrupa Units are expecting to train 15,000 more airborne infantrymen to conduct long distance operations aboard transport planes. Void of a Navy, Životinje has spent billions in the last decade to compensate for their geographically landlocked position in Central Europe, by establishing a formidable Air Corps that can move a rapidly deployable Airborne Infantry Force anywhere within hours.

Deactivated -- the Reservist pools have been ordered to return home as well, gear and weapons within arms reach, awaiting any word regarding security alerts that may allow them to get back to a normal way of life. Unlike their Reservist counterparts, Union Militias have been encouraged by central authorities to continue training in mock urban operations in local villages/cities to familiarize with defense tactics in the event of foreign invasion.

Posavski stated Friday that - "Our Militia, regulated to minimal degrees, is the greatest asset to our defense.", a sentiment shared by leading parties on the Union Congressional Board. Military strategy going in to the decade should focus on downsizing active duty 'Land Elements' of the Union Corps, expanding the Air Corps to gargantuan scales, and encouraging local Militia to recruit right out of their own communities where too they should train.

Leading international analysts following the conflict predict that hostile exchanges on a verbal plane should continue between Volga and Životinje for years to come, even with open war subverted by this recent retraction of Union Troops from around Volga. Union officials have been using airtime to criticize Volgan authorities for declaring Martial Law, and allocating special powers to Premier Petrov.

 

[Wazistan]

Analysis: Wazistan quietly addresses question of Yassin succession in constitutional package
AP International

Aside from an array of political and bureaucratic changes expected to be addressed in a constitutional referendum next year, it appears the country's Islamic rulers are using the question to tackle one of the most taboo topics: who will replace the 75-year old Mohammed Abdul Yassin as the Islamic Republic's supreme leader. According to a constitutional scholars who have examined the package, a number of proposed changes appear to be laying the ground work for the appointment of Yassin's successor when the revered leader eventually passes.

Calls to the Justice Ministry, which drafts the package, for comments on the scholars' analysis were not immediately returned.

Constitutional Amendments addressing Yassin's succession

- Amendment Nine: Declares Yassin the Eternal Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution
- Amendment Eleven: Decreases the size of the Assembly of Experts from 182 to 89. The body will also be stripped of much of its legislative powers.
- Amendment Thirteen: Creates the new office of Leader and Custodian of the Islamic Revolution, to be elected by the Experts' Assembly upon the death of Yassin from among the members of the Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution who are under the age of 75.

"It's clear that the Revolutionary Democratic Party and mullahs within the clerical establishment believe its time to prepare for Wazistan the day after Yassin's death." says Amir Ismail Haniya, a Wazi political dissident who regularly blogs on domestic political issues.

"I also don't believe these package would have gone through the parliament without the approval of the Leader, so I suspect these changes have received his blessing."

Haniya says he believes much of the changes are aimed at heading off any power struggle among the clerical leadership when Yassin dies.

"With these amendments, I think Yassin is sending clear a message to his opponents within the clerical establishment that hope to replace him: I'll be the one who will ultimately my successor."

 

[Wazistan]

Party officials: Hardliner head of ruling party to become Wazi president
AP International

Abdul Ali Jatani has secured the backing of the ruling Islamist party to become Wazistan's next president, almost ensuring his election in March, the Associated Press has learned. Speaking to multiple party members speaking on the condition of anonymity, Jatani, who is said to have been vying for the post with 11 other candidates, won the support nearly two-thirds of the delegates attending the Revolutionary Democratic Party's annual congress in the port city of Gaza and that an announcement is expected tomorrow.

The president of Wazistan is elected by the country's parliament in a secret ballot and is largely responsible for managing domestic policy. Wazistan's revolutionary leader, Mohammed Abdul Yassin, is the most powerful official in the country and has the final say on all state matters.

The selection of Jatani, who has been described as an "ultraconservative radical," has shocked both opponents and supporters, according to a local human rights group.

"I don't think he was on anyone's shortlist so it's a real shock" says Ismail Jawadi, a Wazi political commentator based in Levant.

"He's probably the last person I would want to see sitting in presidency."

While as serving ruling party for the last five years, Jatani has positions himself firmly with the party's conservative wing and the right of the country's clerical establishment. This has put him at odds with the party's more pragmatic faction, who's influence has increased under the presidency of Hamid Najibullah, a technocrat who secured the post in a compromise following a bitter internal party dispute.

Jatani was due to step down as from the secretary's post tomorrow when the ruling party unveils its new leadership.

However, even among his most enthusiastic supporters, there is a sense that the fiery populist may be too polarizing and radical for the preside

"Let's just say he's not the face I would have chosen to represent Wazistan on the international stage."

 

[Wazistan]

Scores reportedly dead in Wazi city as security forces move to crush Kurdish uprising
AP International

Twelve people are dead and dozens have been injured in Wazistan's southeast city of Sine Friday after security forces clashed with Kurdish youth responsible for nearly two-weeks of riots, the Associated Press has learned. Tension in Sine and other towns in the predominantly Kurdish region had risen sharply over the last 24 hours after the Interior Ministry declared Sine and five other provinces hit by riots were in a "state of rebellion" and announced government forces were ready to restore constitutional order.

In announcing the move, Interior Minister Omar Malik also declared the cabinet had voted to suspend the provincial governments of the affected regions and placed them under the temporary authority of the army.

Wazistan's opposition leader Jamal Bishara has condemned the crackdown in a message posted on his website and called on the Council of Nations and international community to help "end the bloodshed."

In Sine, riot police, armed with batons, reportedly beat protesters in the streets as security forces from the powerful Islamic National Guard fire live rounds into crowds of stone-throwing youths. Similar incidents have also been reported in Ravansar, Bukan, and other major towns and cities as well.

Analysis say the strong show of force by the military may be a sign that Wazistan's Islamic leaders were concerned that the riots, which had largely been described as disorganized and spontaneous, could be used by Kurdish separatist groups to spark an wider regional uprising. Tension in the region have long been high over security operations by the government against Kurdish rebels, with residents accusing soldiers of abusing emergency laws to silence dissent and harass opponents.

 

[Wazistan]

Kurdish Islamists to renew suicide attacks after government crush protests
AP International

A radical splinter group from the main Kurdish rebel group vowed to renew suicide bombing campaign in Wazi cities Sunday, one day after government forces crushed student protests by Kurdish youth in the country's predominantly southeast. In a video message posted on a jihadist website, Kurdish Islamic Movement leader Ali Emin Rostami called on his supporters to "prepare for martyrdom" in the wake of the government's "massacre" of Kurds in the region.

The Kurdistan Islamic Movement, which has been described as a more radical offshoot of the main separatist Kurdish Social Party's military wing, was responsible for a wave of suicide attacks throughout the country in the 1980s and 90s that left more than 15,000 people dead.

The KIM agreed to halt its suicide bombing campaign in 2003 as part of a overhaul ceasefire negotiated between Kurdish separatists and the government.

While the ceasefire has since broken down, the KIM has refrained from carrying out new attacks.

The group supports the establishment of an independent Islamic state in Wazistan's southeast.

 

[Allegian Republic]

Kurdish Islamists to renew suicide attacks after government crush protests
AP International, Analysis

New Serenity, Eden As the Grand Council of Eden came to close this afternoon the Edenari Executor of Foreign Affairs, Ansem Rahl issued a statement on the upcoming elections in CoN - the international organization meant to foster positive relations, dialogue and a set of international treaties that Eden has membership in. It had been up to this point unclear the degree of involvement the nation would have in the world body considering its habit of renegading on promises, trade agreements, and the likes. The statement answered that question.

"The Greater Union of Eden has seen fit to maintain membership in the Council of Nations and seen to improve its bureaucracy to an organization that is more in tune with our needs. As the upcoming elections will have a defining impact of the future of the Council of Nations I have, in concert with the Grand Council, instructed our representatives to cast votes that will affirm our continued sovereignty as an independent state. Sovereignty is a treasured right to the Edenari people and we will not willingly forsake it. We will continue to reserve our right as a sovereign nation to honor agreements that advance our national interests.

We look forward continue consultations with those seeking membership on the Security Council and other elected positions to see which nation satisfies our requirements."​

Parsing through the diplomatic linguistics, it seems that Eden will vote for those that promise to more or less not create an active CoN. After all a strong CoN might possess the means to punish the notoriously flaky nation which has used hundreds of excuses to back out of treaties and alliances.

Experts of Edenari politics believe that the Grand Council was unanimous in this decision and made it clear there was no other choice to Executor Rahl, who is after all appointed by and can be dismissed by a majority vote in council.

 

[Polesia]

Vangala marks Christmas with dozens of arrests
AP International

Scores have been reportedly detained by the Vangalan National Police in a series of early- and mid-morning raids on underground churches across the country, where people were gathering to celebrate the Christian festival of Christmas. The Kilkila branch of the National Police has been the only one to issue a statement, mentioning the break-up of 'illegal gatherings' but refused to comment on whether Churches and other places of worship had been targeted.

While freedom of religion is guaranteed under the Constitution of the People's Republic of Vangala, the Vangalan Communist Party, an avowedly atheist organisation, has been accused of religious persecution with outspoken Muslim, Hindu and Christian leaders facing harassment and imprisonment or in worse cases: execution. Building permission for religious buildings is often denied, as are visas for prominent religious figures. Vangala is one of the few states to still not have official diplomatic relations with the Holy See.

However with Christmas going largely unnoticed by Vangalans, who are mostly Hindu, Muslim or Atheist, the incarceration of several Priests, Missionaries and Christian converts will not cause a major outcry, unlike the bloody stormings of Mosques and Hindu temples, which have sparked major riots in the past. It seems analysts who thought the economic liberalisation started in 1984 who lead to greater political and personal freedom in Vangala have now been proven wrong.

 

[Batavië]

Batavian Rioters Take Northern City of Spa
AP, Målmöholm

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Troops and tanks have been called in to aid riot police

The northern university city of Spa in Batavië is in chaos today after more than a week of violent rioting originally started by students upset with the government. Government controlled media is still reporting that the riots are of anti-capitalist persuasions, but under-cover AP journalists on the ground have discovered otherwise. Over five thousand riot police were activated in the city but now about three thousand ground troops, armed with armoured personnel carriers and tanks have also been moved in. All trains and roads into and out of the city have been blocked in a government effort to prevent these riots from spreading.

While the efforts are great, unrest has been observed in Vlaanderen, the capital, and Hilversum, the second largest city in the country. Riot police there have also been put on alert. Unconfirmed rumours also suggest that Supreme Leader Jap de Graaf has unexpectedly fallen ill, the government has not confirmed or denied this report. Many political analysts abroad who specialise in studying Batavian domestic policies say that these riots are the greatest threat to the communist regime since its birth last century.

'If Supreme Leader de Graaf were to die soon his son, General Karel de Graaf, would take over. Everyone knows that he is not ready and we are certain that all of the military and bureaucratic advisers and leaders are figuring out a contingency plan as we speak.' said one analysts based in Scania. Many experts say that the very large island of Windhoek in the Western Ocean, might be used as a 'fall-back' point should things turn out bad for the regime. The island has a very small civilian population with a much larger military one.

'Windhoek could certainly be used by the government as an emergency base of operations. They have naval, ground and air bases there and recent satellite observations show a sharp increase in military activity, meaning they could be preparing for the worst.' continued the expert. When asked of whether the regime would use lethal force to combat the Batavian Republican Army he said, 'They wouldn't think to hesitate. In fact, I expect air strikes within the week. If the Supreme Leader dies, his son Karel, head of the military, will resort to all out force without hesitation.'

 

[Batavië]

Rumours Mount that Batavian Supreme Leader is Gravely Ill; Riots Spread
AP, Målmöholm

Undercover AP sources in the communist country of Batavië report that Supreme Leader Jap de Graaf, the revered and iron-fisted ruler of the country, has been ill the past few days receiving treatment in an undisclosed location. To the surprise of no one, the local Batavian media has made no mention of this. The rumours have been spreading quickly in the country, spread by word of mouth and a fast-growing underground information network operated by the Batavian Republican Army, a group branded as terrorist rebels by the regime.

Riots have since spread beyond the northern city of Spa in the country, erupting in Hilversum and the capital, Vlaanderen. Train service has al but ceased completely and national roadways are being patrolled heavily by the military. AP informers have also reported an increase in military fly-overs, Air Force jets apparently on reconnaissance missions. Spa has been reported to be completely taken over by the BRA and riot police and the military have begun to pull out of the city turning to a siege tactic and blocking all avenues into and out of the city.

Experts studying the civil unrest say that it is only a matter of days or hours before the government declares nationwide martial law to prevent these riots from getting farther out of hand. Satellite photos from AGE countries also show an increase in military activity on the island of Windhoek in the Western Ocean. The air base and naval port on the island are both seeing unusually high traffic. Analysts suspect that the regime might be using the sparsely populated island as a base for counter operations.

In the meantime, AGE, which borders Batavië, and Arendaal have not commented on the unrest in their neighbouring state. AP reporters on the ground say that people involved with the Batavian Republican Army expect a bloody fight ahead if the military, top dog in this country, attempts to rout out the unrest by extreme force.

 

[Serenierre]

Belmont's foreign policy shall change for communist nations, says PPL leader
AP Valmy

The PPL leader, and according to most polls, the next Prime Minister, Shahrazad Martinique, has said, in an interview, that the old strategy of isolating communist states was damaging to Belmont's international image and Belmont had to be pragmatic and fluid in its interactions with other states. She said that the foreign policy, were she to be elected, would be based on interacting with all but she stressed that cooperation with EDF was also of importance and agreements would have to be made to bring historical allies of Belmont; Anglia, The Confederate States, Wiese and Arendaal closer together and Belmont's level of cooperation had to rise with those states.

When asked what was her opinion of Belmontien membership of the EDF she said that, Belmont's independence from the confines of alliances was of paramount importance but she would "pursue a path more along the lines of that chosen by Wiese" and she said that the increased instability in Batavie was a major threat to the security of Scania and she said that Belmont "...hould do everything in its power to mediate the situation or try to calm the situation. At this time, its immature and irresponsible to simply sit and watch and wait to see who wins."

The veteran politician also said that a PPL government would focus on repairing the damaged ties with AGE and its member-states. She said that the damage done to those ties was "absolutely not in the interests of Belmont" and that she was "committed to restoring ties. Going on to add, "Its my main priority."

 

[Serenierre]

Voting begins in Belmont, winner expected to be announced later tonight
AP Valmy

From eight o'clock in the morning to five o'clock in the evening, the polling stations across Belmont will be open for the election of the 125th Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Belmont and for the 135th Sitting of Parliament. The top contender for the Premiership, Shahrazad Martinique and her party, the PPL/PDSB Coalition, seem to be heading for a landslide victory. The PPL victory, which is largely expected, would be the first non-PCB government of Belmont since 1987. The PPL's support base extends from university students to the retired and pensioners. The PPL's centrist position and the PDSB's centre-left seems to be best fit, according to polls, for the running of the country after 22 years of a right wing government.

The PPL/PDSB has already announced a major overhaul of ties with AGE member states and with IRB member states. The coalition also has made it known that it would push for associate membership of Belmont into the EDF. The PPL/PDSB also has said that the arms industry of Belmont would be integrated with others and arms industry would be cooperating more closely with other countries. The PPL's has also said that it would refrain from increasing the military budget but, if the situation demanded, the budget could be increased.

 

[Wazistan]

Report: Opposition leader meets Wazistan's revolutionary leader
AP International

Wazistan's top opposition leader held talks with Wazistan's supreme revolutionary leader in the capital over the weekend to discuss the country's security situaton following the assassination of a senior intelligence official, opposition-linked sites reported Wednesday. According to one opposition report, Jamal Bishara met with Mohammad Abdul Yassin for more than three hours at Yassin's capital offices and that the talks were "extremely cordial."

It is the first meeting between Bishara and Yassin in over a year and comes amid an increase in tension between the ruling establishment and the opposition ahead of presidential elections next year.

While they represent two opposing political camps, Yassin and Bishara have reportedly maintained a quiet personal relationship. Political analysts say the relationship has been a major contribution to the stability the Islamic Republic has since the opposition movement gained steam during the 1990s.

"I think the relationship between Bishara and the Leader has contributed greatly to the tolerance the opposition has been afforded by the government." says Hossein Ebandei, a lecturer at Ijad's Science University and a reformist author.

 

[Serenierre]

Report: Shahrazad Martinique appointed Premier by Queen
AP International

Today, early in the morning, a motorcade was seen entering the Chateau Charbonne and it was assumed that it was Mme. Martinique arriving at the Palace to be officially appointed by Her Majesty the Queen. Later in the day, officials from the Palace issued a statement saying the Mme. Martinique had been appointed the Premier of Belmont and she was accompanying the Queen for the Opening of Parliament. The statement also said that Premier Martinique had submitted her cabinet proposal to Her Majesty, who had approved it on the spot. The Prime Minister was then seen at the Parliament where she made a speech which received a standing ovation.

Here we have included an excerpt:

"For the past twenty-odd years, our ties with the AGE and IRB have been weakened and damaged, and I must commend Premier Millerand for trying to do something to restore that damage and I wish to announce that I would like to see it through. My hope is that, by the end of this parliamentary session, we can proudly say that there is not a single nation, anywhere, in the world where there is Anti-Belmontien sentiment. This government will work with everyone... may they be the LFS states of the East, the IRB states of the North, the EDF of the heartlands or the AGE of the south... Belmont shall stand in solidarity with all free, democratic nations for the preservation and restoration of human rights across the world."​