Wazi State Television

[Wazistan]

:!: Breaking News- Kaddoumi will give up claim to prime minister's chair

Tanzim party chairman Mustafa Kaddoumi has informed party leaders he will abandon his push to become the country's prime minister, sources aware of Kaddoumi's plans have told local media. The sources, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject, say Kaddoumi made his decision after it became clear from officials that he would fail to receive the backing of the party executives to continue his push when the group met for an emergency meeting of the Revolutionary Council on Sunday.

The sources says Kaddoumi will announce his decision at a press conference early Sunday morning and that his choice, who is said to be an ethnic Turk, will be by his side.

The move is expected to pave the way for the formation of a coalition government after Kurdish leaders threaten to quit negotiations over their demand for the prime minister's post to go to someone else other than an Arab.

 

[Wazistan]

:!: Top Story- Kaddoumi steps aside, Tanzim to nominate Karayalçın

Tanzim party chairman Mustafa Kaddoumi announced early Sunday that he would no longer be his party's candidate for the post of prime minister, paving the way for the complete of coalition talks with Kurdish and Christian parties. Speaking at an early morning press conference in Ijad, Kaddoumi acknowledged that his campaign to take the prime minister's chair had become an obstacle to the formation of a new coalition government and that he was ready to "put aside personal ambitions" for the good of the nation.

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Karayalçın, an ethnic Turk, is expected to receive cross-party support

However, sources say Kaddoumi was ultimately forced to step aside after a meeting of his incoming party MPs almost unanimously rejected a resolution seeking to challenge Jamal Bishara's "right" to the presidency. Kaddoumi's decision also appear certain after party executives suggested Saturday that would urge Kaddoumi to abandon his bid.

Immediately following Kaddoumi's announcement, the Tanzim released a statement says it intended to nominate Mehmet Karayalçın. Kaddoumi will remain party chairman, this retaining significant influence behind the scenes, according to party sources.

Kurdish and Christian leaders reacted positively to the announcement, saying coalition talks could not be wrapped up as early as next week. However, even if the Tanzim is able to reach a deal with the right-wing Christian Patriotic Party and the Kurdistan National List coalition, it will only control 217 seats, far below the 273 needed, meaning the Tanzim will have to strike more deals with other parties to reach the magic number.

Karayalçın, a longtime associate of both Kaddoumi and Bishara, is seen a pragmatic technocrat with respect across ethnic and sectarian lines. A human rights attorney, Karayalçın was a leading defense counsel for opposition activists during the Islamic regime and even served several stints in prison for "actions undermining the system" in the 1980s. An ethnic Turk, he is one of the few Tanzim MPs elected outside southern and central Wazistan. Though a longtime member of the Tanzim, officials say he has little ties to the the group's military wing.

That is expected to be welcomed by Western diplomats in Ijad, many who have expressed concerns of the prospects of a former guerrilla as the country's new prime minister. It is widely known that Prime Minister Samir Abdullah has privately come under heavy criticism from West over his reliance on regional warlords, many whom are suspected of committing numerous human rights violations and exacerbating ethnic tensions.

Other News

:!: WPDO: Bishara to formally announce bid for presidency at rally in Gaza.
:!: Criticism growing as Senate results delayed for second week.
:!: Security forces clash with Shiite insurgents in Ujaz province.

 

[Wazistan]

:!: Top Story- Officials: Tanzim strikes coalition deal with Kurds, Christians

Following several days of intense negotiations, the Tanzim has finalized a deal with the country's Christian and Kurdish parties that will see both factions join incoming Prime Minister Mehmet Karayalçın's government. According to the a senior Tanzim party official, Kurdistan National List chairman Aslan Karim Duhoki will be named a deputy prime minister and receive the Agriculture and Foods portfolio while Patriotic Party chairman Elias Suleiman will be named a deputy prime minister and will control the Housing and Public Works portfolio.

The announcement comes as party leaders announced formal coalition talks had begun with the reformist Wazistan Islamic National Movement and the Azeri Party for National Solidarity. Sources say they expected negotiations, which follow unofficial contacts, to merely formalize agreements already reached during those contacts and that Karayalçın could be ready to present his government as early as next week.

It is expected both Ibrahim Radwan and Payan Kasravi will receive cabinet portfolios.

Western diplomats in Ijad welcomed the announcement, which came only hours after Tanzim party chairman Mustafa Kaddoumi's decision to give up the prime minister's chair. In a statement released through his office to state media, the Wazi People's Democratic Organization chairman Jamal Bishara called the announcement "a momentous step forward for the country's political process."

Also on Sunday, Tanzim leaders announced they would convene the first session of lower house of parliament on June 22th to swear in the country's new lawmakers and prepare for the election of Bishara as president. Sources say the election of a speaker, a deputy speaker, and committee chairs will likely not be on the agenda as they will likely be part of any final coalition agreement.

There has been no word on when the Senate, whose 100 members are elected from a national list, will hold its first meeting after the Wazi National Election Commission failed to release final election results for the upper house for a second straight week. Under the constitution, the Senate is a key component of the presidential electoral college, meaning parliament cannot elect a new president until the senators are sworn in.

 

[Wazistan]

Headlines

:!: PM to address opening session of parliament.
:!: Bishara meets CoN mission chief ahead of presidential candidacy announcement.
:!: Coalition talks continue as Tanzim seeks government by end of next week.
:!: 54 dead as tourist bus plunges into valley in central Zabul province.
:!: Security forces in Samangan province breakup violent protest over power cuts.
:!: WPDO criticizes election officials over delay in Senate results, demands Justice Ministry investigation.

 

[Wazistan]

:!: Top Story- WPDO stages mass rally as Bishara formally announces presidential bid

The Wazi People's Democratic Organization held a mass rally on Monday in Gaza City's largest stadium, marking chairman Jamal Bishara's bid to become the country's first post-Revolution president with a show of strength amids squabbling between parties over how the election should be conducted. Gaza police say more than 50,000 donned the organization's traditional red, black, and green colors and waved the party flags as Bishara formally announced his bid for the presidency, vowing to serve as a unifying figure for all Wazis and uphold and defend the principles of the federal constitution.

Aside from Hezbollah chief Jawad Hassan, the heads of each of the incoming parliamentary faction were on hand for today's announcement, taking a break from intense coalition negotiations. Tanzim party chief Mustafa Kaddoumi, who receive the strongest applauses after the chairman, called Bishara "the Father of Wazistan's democratic movement" and pledged his "utmost loyalty" in service of state.

Prime Minister Samir Abdullah chose to skip today's rally, as did his designated successor Mehmet Karayalçın.

Meanwhile, the Wazi National Election Commission announced it has published the official figures of this month's elections for the upper house, the Senate, after weeks of criticism over the slow-pace of the official count and the repeated delays in releasing the results.

The Tanzim party took 21.7% of the votes for the Senate (23 seats) while the reformist Wazistan Islamic National Movement had 19.8% (18 seats), according to the commission figures. Together with the Kurdistan National List, the Patriotic Party, and the Party for National Solidarity, it is expected the incoming coalition government will control a lopsided majority in the 100-seat Senate.

While far weaker than the 546-member House of Representative, the Senate maintains several key powers, including the appointment of constitutional posts such as Constitutional Court judges and the Attorney-General. Also, the consent of the Senate is necessary for the passage of constitutional amendments and legislation that would alter the country's federal structure.

 

[Wazistan]

:!: Top Story- New Parliament meets for first time as coalition talks continue

Wazistan's new lower house of parliament convened for the first time since the collapse of the Islamic system on Tuesday in an largely brief, symbolic inaugural session as parties continue to discuss the formation of a new coalition government. The newly-elected MPs stood solemnly as reformist MP Yousef al-Boustani, the oldest MP at 89, collectively sworn them as members of the House of Representatives before chants of "Allah-o-Akbar" and applause filled the the parliamentary chamber. The session was quickly then adjourn to give party leaders more time to settle their differences on the election of a speaker, which is said to be part of the Tanzim's ongoing coalition talks.

The upper house, the Senate, is expected to hold its first session on Thursday after its results are formally certified by federal election officials.

WPDO chairman Jamal Bishara and CoN special envoy Timothy McKeldin were among the 200 special guest invited to attended the session. In a statement to the media before the meeting began, McKeldin congratulated Wazis "on this special moment for democracy in Himyar" and called on politicians to this seize moment of national goodwill and work towards national reconciliation.

Prime Minister Samir Abdullah and the entire cabinet were on hand for today's meeting, taking their seats in the government front booth. Abdullah had been expected to address the session, but cancelled at the last minute.

Tanzim officials say they hope to have a new government in place by the end of next week, with an coalition agreement with both the reformist Wazistan Islamic National Movement and Azeri Party for National Solidarity "only days away." The party's prime ministerial candidate, Mehmet Karayalçın, has reported "good progress" following talks with the reformist leader Ibrahim Radwan and says he his optimistic that his cabinet line-up could be finalized even before WPDO chairman Jamal Bishara is elected president sometime early next week.

 

[Wazistan]

Headlines

:!: Eleven dead in Parwan after grenade attack on Salang police station.
:!: Elections officials formally certify Senate election results.
:!: Sources: Final Cabinet agreement "hours away."
:!: Report: Kurdish provincial leaders reach deal on Kurdish "mini-state."
:!: Abdullah tours flood-ravaged villages in Badakhshan province.
:!: Parliamentary officials: House to meet on Thursday for Senate swearing in.

 

[Wazistan]

:!: Top Story- Parties reach coalition agreement

Tanzim party officials announced Thursday that they had reached a coalition deal with their main reformist rivals and the main Azeri party, paving the way for the formation of a new coalition government weeks after voters elected the country's first democratic parliament. Speaking to state media after emerging from closed-doors talks at the Parliament Building, Tanzim deputy leader Tariq Abdulamir said all sides had been able to "bridge important differences" to agree on a common policy statement and that all five party leaders will sign the deal tomorrow at a ceremony in Gaza.

The coalition will consist of the Tanzim, the Wazistan Islamic National Movement, the Christian Patriotic Party, the Azeri Party for National Solidarity, and the Kurdistan National List.

The Wazi People's Democratic Organization congratulated on their "historic agreement" and called for the quick formation of Prime Minister-designate Mehmet Karayalçın's government.

The Thursday announcement came just hours after the 100-member Senate, the parliamentary upper house, was officially sworn in after weeks of controversy over the slow-counting process and accusations of fraud. Tanzim Senator Brian Rashid, a widely respected opposition figure who spent 28 years in exile before returning early last year, administered the oath to his colleague as the oldest member of the chamber.

Widely largely weaker than the House of Representatives, the Senate can delay legislation and must approve all major constitutional appointments. The incoming Tanzim-led coalition has a comfortable majority with 62 seats.

With a policy statement now agreed upon, speculation has now begun on the make of Karayalçın's cabinet. While Tanzim has declined to openly discuss portfolio, it has been widely reported that the Tanzim had made clear it will keep key portfolios such as Interior, Finance, and Telecommunications. The Kurds have reportedly insisted they receive either the Local Government or Urban Development portfolios.

The party leader, Aslan Karim Duhoki, has already been guaranteed the Agriculture and Foods post alongside a deputy prime ministership.

 

[Wazistan]

Headlines

:!: Ijad under lockdown as parliament set to elect Bishara as president.
:!: Bishara to meet WPDO executive committee on Monday, expected to resign chairmanship.
:!: Wave of bombings rocks North Kurdistan, 64 feared dead.
:!: Karayalçın visits outgoing PM Abdullah in courtesy visit.
:!: Officials: House to elect new speaker, deputies ahead of presidential vote.
:!: Wazi National Army arrests four top terror suspects in pre-dawn raid outside Zabul.

 

[Wazistan]

:!: Top Story- Bishara resigns as chairman of WPDO

Jamal Bishara formally stepped down as head of the Wazi People's Democratic Organization on Monday, marking the end of an era for an organization he help found in the late 1980s to unite opponents of Wazistan's former clerical system. Speaking to members of the WPDO executive committee in Gaza for the final time as its leader, Bishara congratulated the organization on its "success" in bringing democracy to Wazistan and said he was grateful to serve as leader "of such a wonder group of parties and individuals" for so many years.

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Bishara is running unopposed for the presidency

Bishara is resigning to become President of Wazistan tomorrow when the presidential electoral college meets in Ijad. Payan Kasravi, the head of an ethnic Azeri party set to sit in the new Tanzim-led coalition government, also tendered his resignation as vice chairman.

Electoral College delegates from the provinces have been arriving in Ijad throughout the day for tomorrow's presidential vote. Outgoing Prime Minister Samir Abdullah has declared the election a "major national security event" and has ordered a massive security crackdown across the city. Streets leading to the Parliament Building and the Presidential Palace have been sealed by the army and police while cars have been banned from the streets until sundown on Wednesday.

Shortly after the election, Bishara is expected to formally ask Tanzim prime ministerial candidate Mehmet Karayalçın to form the country's next government. A spokesman for the Tanzim says that Karayalçın's list has already been finalized following consultation with members of the incoming coalition and that parliamentary confidence vote in the House of Representatives could come as early as Tuesday evening.

 

[Fulanistan]

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The Republic of Fulanistan would like to formally congratulate Jamal Bishara on becoming the next President of Wazistan.

 

[Hesperia]

"It seems the Fulanis have advance notice of something that has not yet happened. I should like to employ some of the bright minds that must be working in their intelligence department."

The comment reportedly made by Hajri foreign minister Ali ibn Maktoum al-Ma'muni upon taking note of the unusual Fulani diplomatic statement

 

[Wazistan]

:!: Top Story- Bishara elected president as car bomb rattles Ijad

Former WPDO chairman Jamal Bishara was elected as the first President of Wazistan since the collapse of the Islamic system after parties easily fending off a challenge from Shiite lawmakers who had hoped to delay the vote until the end of the week. Bishara, the revered icon of Wazistan's democratic movement, was voted in by acclamation by the presidential electoral college- a special body comprised of members of both houses of parliament and equal number of delegates from the provinces- after the Hezbollah representatives stormed out of the session after their motion to delay the vote was voted down.

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Bishara was elected by acclamation after Shiite MPs boycotted the vote

Following the announcement of the results, newly-elected House Speaker Hamid Jadullah and Senate President Kazem Mollagholipour formally proclaimed Bishara as the 1st President of Wazistan. The oath of office was immediately administered by Constitutional Court Judge Omar Kassem al-Aziz.

In a brief speech following his swearing in, President Bishara warned Wazis that difficult times remain ahead, pointing to the massive presence of security forces on the streets as a reminder that the country remained "volatile."

The festive mood around the capital quickly turned to despair after a car bomb exploded outside a market in city's southern suburbs, the first major attack within Ijad's boundaries since the collapse of the clerical system. A spokesman for the police say more than 19 people were killed in the attack, which security sources say appear to have targeted a senior Tanzim party official who had been in the area at the time.

Outgoing Prime Minister Samir Abdullah condemned the attack and blamed remnants of the Islamic Revolutionary Armed Forces of carrying out the attack.

Now in office, President Bishara will now be responsible for asking a member of the new parliament to form the country's next government. Tanzim officials say the president will meet Mehmet Karayalçın this evening at the Presidential Palace, where it is likely he will formally ask the 57-year old ethnic Turk to put together a coalition and seek a confidence vote in parliament.

 

[Wazistan]

Headlines

:!: Security forces clash with protesters at Hamdad University.
:!: PM arrives in South Kurdistan for talks with provincial leaders.
:!: Parliament delays vote on media bill after opposition for watchdog groups.
:!: President Bishara pays courtesy visit to WNA headquarters in Zubayr.
:!: Justice Ministry: Not ruling out charges against former IRAF commanders.
:!: Jaber al-Saher, longtime head of Association of Islamic Scholars, dies in Rabat.
:!: Foreign Ministry to send ranking diplomat to Frescania for border talks.

 

[Wazistan]

:!: Top Story- Islamists pledge protest in Koura over fashion show

Islamists in the western Koura province vowed Saturday to stage mass protests over what they see as the government's support for "satanic Western values" after provincial leaders declined to block a fashion show being sponsored by a non-governmental organization. In a statement posted on its website, the Islamic Foundation, a radical fundamentalist organization that supports the introduction of Sharia, called the decision by the Koura cabinet not to take up a measure that would have blocked the event "unacceptable" and accused the provincial government of supporting threats to Islamic values.

Speaking to WRAN news agency, Koura Governor Ammar Nassar accused the Islamists of trying to force their "outdated values" upon the people of Koura and that his government stood by its decision.

Koura, which is ruled by the right-wing Christian Patriotic Party, has often been the target of criticism from Islamists.

The tension between Koura and Islamists highlights the shifting dynamics in the relations between Wazistan's majority Muslims and Christian minority since the collapse of Islamic system. The federal Constitution, championed by reformists as critical to a united Wazistan, has vested the country's 27 provinces with considerable autonomy, essential giving ethnic and religious minorities free reign in overseeing their own affairs in regions where they make up a clear majority.

This has lead to frequent clashes between Muslim leaders and Christian provincial governments in many parts of the country from everything to zoning regulations to education reform.

On the federal level, Prime Minister Mehmet Karayalçın and his Tanzim party has come under heavy criticism from Islamic parties in parliament over its silence on the recent controversy. However, both Karayalçın and the Tanzim draw rely heavily on the support of Christian and federalist parties for their parliamentary majority, meaning it is highly unlikely the prime minister will seek to challenge the provinces on their policy turfs.

 

[Wazistan]

Headlines

:!: PM meets tribal leaders in visit to Rabat's Old City.
:!: Christian groups to file federal lawsuit over land confiscated by Shiites in 1990s.
:!: Finance Minister says deep cuts in federal spending "likely" in upcoming budget request.
:!: Ijad provincial Governor orders closure of 131 charities over "extremist activities."
:!: President Bishara makes quick one-day visit to Nabatieh province.
:!: Officials: WNA to launch ground offensive against IRAF remnants in Fars province.

 

[Breotonia]

Foreign Office

His Majesty's Government would like to congratulate the Wazistani Government on its continued stand against extremist groups and its support for peace and democracy.

Matthew Steel
Foreign Minister for His Majesty's Foreign Office
Lunden, Breotonia

 

[Wazistan]

:!: Top Story- Parliament passes resolution condemning regime in Juzran

The House of Representatives has unanimously passed a resolution condemning the occupying regime of Juzran and called on the government to support regional efforts to sideline the new leadership. The resolution, jointly sponsored by the ruling coalition and opposition, was the first major move by the Islamic Republic on the crisis in Juzran since the revolution in Fujairah was brutally suppressed by the country's ruling Georgian minority. House Speaker Hamid Jadullah called the resolution "a monumental step in addressing the outrageous atrocities taking place in Juzran."

Senate officials say the upper house is working on a similar resolution and a vote could be held as early as this week.

Prime Minister Mehmet Karayalçın and other top ministers have declined to publicly discuss the crisis in Juzran, with a Foreign Ministry memo referring to the situation as a "internal affair of Juzran." That has infuriated parties in parliament who had view the government's decision as linked to the Wazistan's economic ties to the apartheid regime.

A senior Tanzim official says the resolution was "a warning" to the prime minister and top ministers to change Juzran policy.

 

[Wazistan]

:!: Top Story- Gemayel: Tanzim youth wing harassing opponents ahead of vote

A senior leader of the right-wing Christian Patriotic Party and government minister accused the ruling Tanzim party's youth wing of intimidating his party's supporters in the coastal city of Bmehray ahead of elections for the city's legislative council. Speaking to Patriotic Television, a television broadcasting network owned by the PP, Minority Affairs Minister Basil Gemayel said Bmehray party officials had documented dozens of cases of harassment by the members of the hardline Tanzim Youth Alliance, including physical assaults on candidates and threats to party activists and their families.

Deputy Prime Minister and PP chief Gabriel Kassar also weighed in on the controversy, telling party leaders at a meeting in Ramliyeh that top Tanzim leaders must repudiate the actions of the TYA or risk "damaging relations with the Patriotic Party on the federal level."

While parties in the governing coalition have largely halt partisan sniping on the federal level, tension continues to simmer on the provincial and local levels, coalition sources have told state media. In many provinces, coalition parties often find themselves in heated clashes that analysts say could hamper cooperation on the federal level.

In Bmehray, a glitz city of 20,000, the PP is hoping to seize control of city hall from the Tanzim on Friday, and analysts say they stand a good chance of succeeding. It is one of only a handful of major cities in the west not under the control of the Patriots.

A spokesman for Prime Minister Mehmet Karayalçın called the accusations "deeply troubling", but urged the Patriots refrain from "overreacting" until all the facts are known. However, aTanzim party official in Baabda province, where Bmehray is located, denied the accusations and accused the Patriots of engaging in "slanderous politics" since it was clear the Tanzim would win the upcoming election "in a landslide."

 

[Wazistan]

Headlines

:!: Senate set to question PM judicial appointments.
:!: President to attend first meeting of the National Governors' Forum.
:!: Ujaz requests federal support as wildfire rages near Ain Ba'al.
:!: Deputy PM Radwan on hand for opening of Bandar National University for Technology in Gaza.
:!: Kurdish MPs boycott meeting on parliamentary human rights panel over push to question former Kurdish rebels.
:!: CN officials laud security improvements around Ijad.