Wazi State Television

[Wazistan]

Headlines

:!: Khan Younis under lockdown following clashes between police, students.
:!: House Speaker meets senior political leaders in Fars province.
:!: Bmehray Elections: WRAN reporting PP sweeps vote, George Seda to become mayor.
:!: Senate President escapes assassination attempt after car bomb targets convoy route in Sine province.
:!: PM visits industrial hub Marwaniyeh, to visit newly completed Housing complexes.
:!: Agriculture Ministry undersecretary attacked by farmers on visit to Qazum province.

 

[Wazistan]

:!: Top Story- Allawi, Al-Modarresi meet as thaw continues between ruling bloc, Hezbollah

Deputy Prime Minister Wafa Allawi met Tuesday with a top ally of the Shiite-led Hezbollah party in a fresh bid to ease tension and bridge long-standing differences between the ruling party and the powerful opposition movement, government officials said. The official said the meeting between Allawi, a top associate of Tanzim party leader Mustafa Kaddoumi and the senior deputy to Prime Minister Mehmet Karayalçın, and respected cleric Sadiq al-Din al-Modarresi took place at Modarresi's home in the northern city of Manbij, but declined to discuss the contents of the meeting.

In an interview with Al-Aduls News Agency, Fars MP Hassan Ban Abdul, Hezbollah's deputy parliamentary faction leader, said it was the Tanzim who reached out Al-Modarressi and Hezbollah representatives for talks, though he downplayed the possibility that the talks would bare any major shift in ties between the two parties.

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Allawi is the Taznim's point-man for relations with the Hezbollah

"There remain deep differences between the two sides which cannot be resolve by one meeting."

The House of Representatives, where Karayalçın's coalition controls a overwhelming majority, is due to meet next week to discuss a series of new budgetary measures expected to be presented by Finance Minister Rashed Thabet. Several analysts suspect the effort by Allawi to reach out to the Shiites comes amid concerns Hezbollah lawmakers will seek to use the upcoming session to force a debate on alleged war crimes committed by Tanzim militants during the May Revolution that swept clerical establishment from power.

Many of the Tanzim's top militants now hold senior positions within the party and government, and party officials have privately said a parliamentary discussion on war crimes during the May Revolution would seriously damage the administration.

 

[Wazistan]

:!: Top Story- Al-Hafez to step down as Deputy Interior Minister following deadly shootings in Zanjan

Deputy Interior Minister Brig. Gen. Kamel al-Hafez will step down from his post at sometime next week as the government continues to grapple with the fallout from deadly clashes between security forces and secessionist supporters in the eastern province of Zanjan, the government has announced. In a brief statement posted on its website, the Interior Ministry said Al-Hafez submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Mehmet Karayalçın and Interior Minister Bahauddin Gul early this morning amid following talks at the prime minister's office and that it had been accepted "with much regret."

Al-Hafez is the first senior official to resign from the seven-month old government. Three junior ministers have already stepped down.

Gul and security officials in Zanjan have come under heavy criticism in parliament over last week's deadly clashes in the southern village of Dandi between security forces and protesters that left 12 dead. Zanjan provincial leaders have accused secessionist organizations of sparking the unrest, saying numerous protesters threw stones and bottles at soldiers, who were deployed to maintain order.

Alim Aghazadeh, the head of the Free Zanjan coalition, said it was security forces who provoked his supporters and that troops fired indiscriminately was the situation spiraled out of control.

The CN Mission in Ijad condemned the violence and urged the government conduct a full and extensive probe.

In parliament, Azeri MPs have pledged to raise the issue when the House convenes for debate on the government's budget plan. Deputy Prime Minister Payan Kasravi's National Solidarity Party unanimously passed a special resolution at a party meeting on Monday calling for a full parliamentary inquiry into the shootings and demand accountability.

 

[Wazistan]

:!: Top Story- PM visits central Wazistan as wildfires rage across region

Prime Minister Mehmet Karayalçın toured several provinces of central Wazistan before meeting with residents Monday in his first visit to the region since wildfires began in the area, killing an estimated 123 people. Firefighters and provincial emergency officials say the fires, sparked after record temperatures and no rain have inflicted much of the country, have destroyed more than 100,000 acres across seven provinces and say the cost of damage could exceed WD $12 million. However, a Council of Nations official in Ijad has told the WRAN news agency that their estimates suggest the damage cost could exceed $50 million.

The wildfires are just the latest in a series of setbacks for Karayalçın's government, which is already under fire for its handling of protests in eastern Wazistan.

Addressing reporters after talks with the governors of the seven provinces affected, Karayalçın announced he would be sending his top federal emergency official to the region in the coming days to begin coordinating reconstructon efforts with provincial authorities and provide aid relief to the people affected. The prime minister also declared his readiness to deploy the National Guard and other federal units to the regions if requested by provincial authorities.

The Qazum Legislative Assembly is expected to make such a request in the coming days.

In the federal Parliament, MPs from the affected provinces staged a brief protests inside the House chamber, demanding the government free up financial support for the region. In a statement circulated on its Al-Manar TV station, the opposition Muslim Brotherhood accused the Tanzim-led provincial governments of failing to devise an adequate emergency plan to deal with the fires, even after the CN advised them to do so four months ago.

President Jamal Bishara has expressed his condolences for the lives lost and affected by the fires. In a statement issued by Radwaniyah Palace, Bishara urged other provinces to support the rebuilding efforts in the region by any means possible.

 

[Wazistan]

:!: Top Story- Bishara outlines economic plan in Nabi Salih

In a much-anticipated address to the the National Association of Merchants and Economists, President Jamal Bishara called for a total reconstruction of the Islamic Republic's economy, warning that the country could slip into "social chaos" unless national leaders were prepared instituted comprehensive reforms. Under the Islamic system, the country's economy was largely centrally planned, with all major industries including Steel, banking, water, agriculture, electricity, telecommunications, and manufacturing owned by the state.

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Bishara: Politicians must be prepared to stomach "difficult reforms."

Shortly after the collapse of the regime, former Prime Minister Samir Abdullah was widely credited for loosening many of the former regime's economic regulations, though critics contend he did not go far enough.

In what was largely a combative speech to the mostly friendly audience, Bishara called for the privatization of many of the country's state-owned monopolies, abolishing state restrictions on foreign investment, the opening of key sectors to foreign investment, and the reform of the banking system. The president also proposed a series of decentralization of the federal government's economic responsibilities, saying provincial governments should be left to fine ways to increase local economic growth without influence of federal institutions.

The president's remarks came as he wrapped up a two-day visit to Nabi Salih, a major economic and culture hub and home to the country's growing Information Technology industry.

Analysts say President Bishara's speech appeared aimed in part to raise pressure on members of Prime Minister Mehmet Karayalçın's government to drop their opposition to Karayalçın reform agenda. While the Tanzim had pledged to plow ahead with efforts to enact sweeping economic reforms, several parties have resisted major changes out of fear they will spark social unrest.

 

[Wazistan]

Headlines

:!: Kurdish governors meet in Sine for inaugural meeting of Kurdish Governors' Union.
:!: Senate President names special panel to study social security reforms.
:!: Supreme Court upholds death sentences for 12 terror convicts.
:!: Sources: President Bishara to meet Hezbollah party chief in Isfahan.
:!: President, PM to chair face meeting of Supreme National Security Council.
:!: Zanjan interior minister resigns over Dandi shootings.

 

[Wazistan]

:!: Top Story- Protests storm CN office in Ramadi over Resolution vote

Thousands of protesters stormed the Council of Nations office in southern city of Ramadi Thursday, venting their anger over a Security Council resolution that seem to authorize the continued illegal presence of foreign forces in Juzran. A Council official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told the state-run Al-Abada News Agency that more than five hundred of the estimated 9,000 who took part in the initial attack continue to occupy the Ramadi complex and that CN officials are continuing efforts to negotiate a peaceful end to the crisis.

In a statement to the House, Interior Minister Bahauddin Gul condemned the violence and urged protesters to leave the compound peacefully. A spokesman for the Interior Ministry laid the blame for the unrest on the opposition Muslim Brotherhood, which organized the protests, saying the Islamist group went ahead with protests even after city officials warned of violence.

MP Khaili al-Rayyis, a vice chairman of the Muslim Brotherhood's secretive Shura Council, defended the protesters in a press statement, saying the Council had sanctioned "the continued illegal occupation of Juzrani soil" and warned it was the religious duty of all Muslims to "drive the occupiers into the sea." The Brotherhood and its supporters are outraged over the passing of Security Council Resolution 13, which authorized the continued the illegal presence of Talemantine and Fulanistani troops in the Juzran.

In the wake of the protests, the Interior Ministry announced it was stepping up security at the CN Mission headquarters in Ijad and other regional offices.

CN Special Envoy Timothy McKeldin warned in a statement that the continued occupation of the Ramadi office would "severely undermine relations" between the Council of Nations and the Wazi government. A CN Mission spokesman declined to say whether McKeldin, the chief representative of CN Secretary-General Sheikh Muhammad ibn Haytham al-Mashriqi in Wazistan, would leave the for consultation with CN officials in Augsburg, Wiese.

 

[Confederal Republics]

Ministry of External Affairs
Commonwealth of Cornavia

The Commonwealth government strongly encourages the measures of economic reform mentioned by President Bishara in his recent address, in the firm knowledge that economic liberalization is one of the key points in promoting social stability and democracy in all civilized societies.

In the interests of promoting Wazi social and economic development, the Commonwealth government would be willing to advise in any efforts of economic liberalization and modernization carried out by the Bishara administration.

Regards,
Mr. William Fenner,
Minister of External Affairs

 

[Wazistan]

Headlines

:!: Ramadi Mayor calls on protesters to end occupation of CN compound.
:!: Qalqilya Governor signs tough marriage law, raises age of consent to 17.
:!: PM pledges outreach to Pashtun community in speech to the annual convention of the Pashtun National Congress.
:!: President Bishara invites party leaders for "policy dialogue" at Radwaniyah Palace.
:!: South Kurdistan on alert as heavy rains flood southern districts.
:!: Defense Minister Said Barghouti replaces Salameh as Ijad Military District commander.

 

[Wazistan]

:!: Top Story- Ruling party in disarray over party constitution

Senior leaders of Wazistan's ruling Tanzim party will meet on Monday TO try and to save a special meeting of its main decision-making body after differences over the party's proposed constitution threaten to scuttle the whole project, senior party leaders confirmed. Tensions within the party have been on the rise in recent days as party factions square off on a party charter opponents say will give party leader Mustafa Kaddoumi near-absolute power and weaken the ability of party institutions to serve as a check.

Kaddoumi and his supporters have rejected those accusations, saying the constitution is necessary to ensure the party leader's hand are not tied by internal factions driven by self-interests.

Transforming itself into a political party after years as a guerrilla movement, the Tanzim is currently functioning under an interim party charter that is set to expire at the end of the year. Kaddoumi set up a seven-member committee in June to draft the proposed constitution, which analysts had hoped would streamline the party's decision-making process and and bring structure to the party organization.

However, internal clashes soon erupted over concerns that the committee was concentrating too much power in the hands of the party presidency while sidelining the party's other institutions. Another source of contention is the failure of the constitution to provide any mechanism to remove the party president, which critics argue is a tailored provision to ensure Kaddoumi remains party leader for life.

 

[Wazistan]

Headlines

:!: Rival Christian groups clash in Akkar province, 21 confirmed dead.
:!: PM names Fasial Sadat to seat on Central Bank's Board of Governors.
:!: Report: Hezbollah to reshuffle parliamentary leadership.
:!: South Kurdistan District Court orders detention for 19 senior separatists.
:!: Cabinet to discuss proposed changes to farming relief legislation.
:!: President Bishara welcomes national football team to Radwaniyah Palace.

 

[Wazistan]

:!: Top Story- President meets KSP party chief amid tension over planned Tarkum settlement

President Jamal Bishara met Sunday with the powerful head of the country's main Kurdish party in effort to smooth over recent tension between government and the country's Kurdish population over plans to resettle more than 250,000 ethnic Uroduah to a planned community currently under construction in Tarkum province, where Kurds make up a slim majority. Kurdish leaders have condemned the plan as an effort to shift the tenuous ethnic demographics in the province by moving more Uroduah migrants, thus giving the central authorities more access to the vast resources within the predominantly Kurdish region of southwestern Wazistan.

The Ministry of Urban Development, which is spearheading the project, has not responded to inquires over the project.

In a press statement provide to state media outlets, Radwaniyah Palace described the meeting between President Bishara and Karim Barzanji, president of the Kurdish Social Party, as a "cordial" and a "first step aimed at resolving important misunderstandings over the government's settlement project." The statement said the meeting was arranged at the request of the Mr. Barzanji and that neither side took questions from the Palace's press pool.

The row over the project has hampered Prime Minister Mehmet Karayalçın's coalition, with the the KSP-led Kurdistan National List coalition warning they would leave the government unless the concerns of Kurdish leaders in Tarkum are addressed.