Assad wins warm welcome at Arab summit

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was given a warm welcome at an Arab summit on Friday, winning a hug from Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince at a meeting of leaders who had shunned him for years, in a policy shift opposed by the United States and other Western powers.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman shook hands with a beaming Assad as the summit got underway in Jeddah, turning the page on enmity towards a leader who drew on support from Shi'ite Iran and Russia to beat back his foes in Syria's civil war.

The summit showcased redoubled Saudi Arabia efforts to exercise sway on the global stage, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in attendance and Crown Prince Mohammed restating Riyadh's readiness to mediate in the war with Russia.

Oil powerhouse Saudi Arabia, once heavily influenced by the United States, has taken the diplomatic lead in the Arab world in the past year, re-establishing ties with Iran, welcoming Syria back to the fold, and mediating in the Sudan conflict.

With many Arab states hoping Assad will now take steps to distance Syria from Shi'ite Iran, Assad said the country's past, present, and future is Arabism, but without mentioning Tehran - for decades a close Syrian ally.

In an apparent swipe at Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, who has backed Syrian rebels and sent Turkish forces into swathes of northern Syria, Assad noted the danger of expansionist Ottoman thought, describing it as influenced by the Muslim Brotherhood - an Islamist group seen as a foe by Damascus and many other Arab states.

Crown Prince Mohammed said he hoped Syria's return to the Arab League leads to the end of its crisis; 12 years after Arab states suspended Syria as it descended into a civil war that has killed more than 350,000 people.

Saudi Arabia would not allow our region to turn into a field of conflicts, he said, saying the page had been turned on painful years of struggle.

Washington has objected to any steps towards normalization with Assad, saying there must first be progress towards a political solution to the conflict.

“The Americans are dismayed. We (Gulf states) are people living in this region, we're trying to solve our problems as much as we can with the tools available to us in our hands," said a Gulf source close to government circles.

A Gulf analyst told Reuters that Syria risked becoming a subsidiary of Iran, and asked: "Do we want Syria to be less Arab and more Iranian, or ... to come back to the Arab fold?"

 

Iran calls for establishing joint Islamic market

Head of the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ICCIMA) has stressed the need for establishing a joint Islamic market among the members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) over the next 10 years, the ICCIMA portal reported on Thursday.

Addressing a gathering of the heads of OIC member chambers of commerce on the sidelines of the "Russia - Islamic World: KazanForum 2023" in Russia, Gholam-Hossein Shafeie said, “An important issue that has been discussed a lot in the past and the organization should pay attention to it in the current situation is the creation of a common Islamic market in the next 10 years, which can be achieved by concluding a free trade agreement among Islamic countries and removing tariff and non-tariff barriers.”

“Experts have worked on the Islamic market plan, and using the experiences and studies of these experts can definitely be a way forward,” he added.

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation, which was formed in 1972, today has reached a position where, according to statistics, the future of the world's energy would be in the hands of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Shafeie said in his speech

 

Saudi Arabia: Port of NEOM opens for business

The Port of NEOM, described as the primary seaport of entry to the northwest of Saudi Arabia and which now incorporates Duba Port, is up and running.

Operations include a CMA CGM scheduled liner service, general cargo facilities, storage, and passenger services.

More than SAR7.5 billion (US$2.025 billion) has been committed to the new port’s development so far. It will provide a key entry point for goods and materials required for the development of the City of NEOM, Saudi Arabia’s vast new city of the future.

The ‘smart’ metropolis in Tabuk Province is just north of the Red Sea and will cover a total area of 26,500 sq km, more than 35 times the area of Singapore.

At the port, contracts for design, dredging, quay wall construction, and cargo handling equipment have recently been awarded. US-based port consultant, Jacobs, has been engaged to oversee design, with Moffatt and Nichol, IGO, and Trent as sub-consultants.

The redesign project costing SAR180 million (US$48.6 million) will cover terminals, warehousing, rail delivery, infrastructure, and a sustainable energy network.

Netherlands-based Boskalis and Belgium-France contractor, BESIX, are the first European contractors to be involved. They have been awarded a design-and-build lump sum contract worth more than SAR2 billion (US$540 million).

Several crane and container equipment contracts have also been awarded. Saudi Liebherr Company Ltd won contracts for ten mobile harbour cranes valued at more than SAR200 million (US$54 million). Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Company Limited (ZPMC) landed contracts for ten ship-to-shore gantry cranes, 30 electric rubber-tyred gantry cranes, and six automated rail-mounted gantry cranes, together worth more than SAR one billion US$270 million). ZMPC will work with Siemens Europe to supply automation components.

The first container terminal is due to start operation by the beginning of 2025.

Sean Kelly, Managing Director of Port of NEOM, commented, “The Port of NEOM will be a critical enabler to the overall build, operations and economic ambitions of NEOM – from the import of goods and materials during the development phase and as a new global port serving the region. This is particularly important as development accelerates and businesses across NEOM come on stream.”

Courtesy: Seatrade Maritime News

Significance of G7 Summit

 

The three-day G-7 summit kicked off on Friday in Hiroshima. This is the seventh time Japan is hosting the meeting, the last time being in 2016 in Ise-Shima, a scenic coastal site in Mie prefecture. Directly on the heels of that gathering, Barack Obama paid a visit to Hiroshima - the first time a sitting US President had done so - which somewhat overshadowed the summit itself. In Obama's famous 17-minute speech at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, he asked, "Why do we come to this place, to Hiroshima? We come to ponder a terrible force unleashed in a not so distant past. ... That is why we come to Hiroshima, so that we might think of people we love - the first smile from our children in the morning; the gentle touch from a spouse over the kitchen table; the comforting embrace of a parent." Seven years on, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who was elected from a Hiroshima district, stands at the center of the stage, welcoming the G-7 leaders. Chairing the summit in Hiroshima has been one of Kishida's top priorities since the beginning of his premiership. In an exclusive interview with Nikkei for this week's Big Story, he said, "It is crucial to invite world leaders and young people to the site of the atomic bombing and allow them to see the consequences of the destruction." Published just ahead of the summit, the story provides a comprehensive overview of Kishida's foreign policy agenda and explains what he hopes to achieve at the meeting, in his own words as well as those of diplomats and experts. This is a must-read for anyone seeking a more nuanced understanding of the summit.

 

 

Israel: Jerusalem Day Celebrations

Jerusalem Day commemorates the day Jerusalem was reunited in 1967, at the end of the Six Day War. This was a momentous event and signified a stunning victory over the armies of Syria, Egypt and Jordan. It also represented the return of Jewish prayer rights to the Western Wall, part of the retaining wall of Jerusalem’s Temple Mount. Under foreign occupation, Jews had been barred from their holiest sites in their holiest city, a crime that went largely unacknowledged at the time.

Jerusalem is a holy city and it ought to be a symbol of peace and coexistence in the region. This potential role for the city can be seen in such recent developments as the Abraham Accords and Israel’s rapidly developing ties with a vast range of countries, including Muslim-majority states like Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan.

Unfortunately, there are those who would like to turn this important day into one of tension and strife. This is a recurring theme that begins in the lead-up to the day each year. As in years past, the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas has put out warnings and threats against the flag march that takes place every year. The terrorists claim, absurdly, that this is a “religious war” waged by Israel against the al-Aqsa Mosque. This Hamas disinformation, used to incite and inflame tensions, is part of an ongoing effort by the terrorists to exploit the day and try to provoke violence.

At the same time, there are also misguided Israeli youth who use the day to chant racist and hateful slogans as they march through parts of the Old City, harassing locals who have shuttered their businesses along the parade route from Damascus Gate to the Western Wall. This, too, is utterly unacceptable.

While Jerusalem Day begins with the kind of peaceful commemoration and symbolism that represents the best values of our country – including a commemoration on Mount Herzl for Ethiopian Jews who perished on their way to Israel and a procession throughout the city ending in the Old City – the day has the potential of descending into clashes that mar the celebrations.

While some voices call for rerouting the flag march to reduce tensions, others see concessions and rerouting as appeasing the inciters, infringing on Israeli sovereignty and enabling further demands from Israel. The question is whether rerouting represents capitulation to threats and tacit acknowledgment that Jerusalem is divided, rather than it being the unified city that the day is meant to celebrate.

We cannot bridge some of the controversies that will always underpin the day - Terrorist groups and extremists will always try to exploit these events, and benefit and gain power from tensions and chaos.

On the other hand, it is important to point out that our democratic society is a tolerant one. Days before Jerusalem Day, there were scores of protesters at Tel Aviv University commemorating the “Nakba” – the “catastrophe” of Israel’s birth, in the Palestinian narrative – while waving Palestinian flags. If Palestinian flags can be waved in large numbers in Tel Aviv, it is only natural that the Israeli flag can be waved in the Old City of Jerusalem. That is how democratic countries work - We protect the rights of all and we don’t allow threats to decide how the majority may live.

It is our hope that this Jerusalem Day will pass without incident. We should show support for our law enforcement authorities, who shoulder the challenging burden of managing security in the city.

At the same time, the day should remind us of the need to invest in our capital, which means investing in all of its communities and ensuring that residents of eastern Jerusalem also have security and basic services. Jerusalem is a city that faces numerous hurdles, from poverty to education and the need to retain educated young people. We have not fulfilled the unification of 1967 if we cannot provide the services that all of the city’s residents deserve.

With all eyes on Jerusalem during today’s events, let us redouble our efforts to bring peace, coexistence and equality to our beloved capital.

Editorial by The Jerusalem Post

 

 

 

Saudi Arabia-Pakistan ink pact 'Road to Makkah'

Saudi Arabia and Pakistan announced the signing of an agreement to implement the ‘Road to Makkah’ project aimed at simplifying the immigration procedures for the Pakistani Hajj and Umrah pilgrims. The two countries also signed another agreement aimed at issuance of Pakistani passports for the members of the Burmese community residing in Saudi Arabia.

The visiting Saudi Deputy Minister of Interior Dr. Nasir bin Abdulaziz Al-Dawood and Pakistani Minister of Interior Rana Sanaullah signed the agreements in a ceremony held in the presence of Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki at the Prime Minister House in Islamabad.

Pakistani Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Senator Talha Mahmood, Federal Minister for Narcotics Control Nawabzada Shahzain Bugti, and Special Assistant to PM Tariq Fatemi were also present, Associated Press of Pakistan reported.

Under the ‘Road to Makkah’ agreement, the Pakistani Hajj and Umrah pilgrims would be provided with immigration facilities at their embarkation point in Pakistan before their departure to Saudi Arabia to perform the pilgrimage. The service would be available at Islamabad International Airport where around 26,000 pilgrims would benefit from this facility in the first phase. The Saudi authorities assured that the facility would later be extended to Karachi and Lahore International Airports as well.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia also signed the joint minutes of the meeting in which they discussed the issuance of Pakistani passports to the Burmese Muslims residing in Saudi Arabia. It is noteworthy that Pakistan had issued earlier passports to nearly 250,000 Burmese Muslims. The passports of the Burmese Muslims were not renewed after 2012 which created some difficulties for them in the Kingdom.

Under the new arrangement, the Burmese Muslims and their children would be issued passports to improve their legal status in Saudi Arabia. As per the discussion, a bilateral committee would be formed comprising the representatives of Saudi Arabia and the Pakistani Ministry of Interior to work out early issuance of the travel documents for the Burmese Muslims.

 

Syria: Welcome back into Arab League

Arab foreign ministers welcomed Syria’s formal return to their 22-member bloc after 12 years of isolation. Syrian delegation, headed by Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad, is attending the preparatory meeting of foreign ministers in Jeddah ahead of the 32nd Arab League Summit scheduled for Friday.

Saudi Arabia took over the rotating presidency of the Arab League summit as Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf handed over the presidency to Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan. The foreign ministers started finalizing the agenda and preparing draft resolutions of the summit.

In his presidential address, Prince Faisal bin Farhan underscored the need for unity among Arab countries in order to overcome common challenges and difficulties as well as to confront major global challenges. The foreign minister welcomed the Arab delegations, especially the Syrian delegation.

He emphasized that the world is going through great challenges that warrant us to stand united to confront them. “Everyone must innovate new mechanisms to confront the challenges faced by our countries,” he said while underscoring the need for joint action by Arab countries for the advancement of their peoples.

The foreign ministers stressed the importance of a ceasefire in Sudan to ensure the safety of its citizens and called for the crisis to be treated as an internal matter. The summit comes at a time of major political developments, including the Sudan crisis, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and Syria’s readmission to the body, all of which were at the top of the agenda of the ministerial meeting preparatory for Friday’s summit.

This year’s summit differs from previous years as it is the first to be attended by Syria since the country’s membership was suspended in 2011. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad will attend the summit. Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit welcomed the high-level Syrian delegation.

At the outset of the session, Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf called for resolving the Arab differences within the Arab House, stressing that the upcoming summit seeks to unite the Arab world in confronting the challenges in the region.

Attaf emphasized that Arab countries should focus on joint Arab action to confront the global challenges. He also stressed the need to pay attention to the changes taking place in the world, because they will change the balance of power. He supported Saudi Arabia’s efforts for the cessation of hostilities in Sudan and resolve the crisis. He also emphasized that the Libyan-Libyan dialogue alone will restore stability to Libya.

Attaf underlined the need to exert efforts to achieve Palestinian reconciliation and national unity. He also supported the aspirations of the Yemeni people to restore their security and stability. The minister hoped that Lebanon would witness an understanding among its people to solve its internal crisis.

In his speech, Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit said the Israeli government is responsible for the deterioration of the situation in the Palestinian territories, warning that the situation there is approaching a phase of explosion.

Aboul Gheit pointed out that there are positive indications from Iran and Turkey to stop their interference in the affairs of Arab countries. He stressed that the Jeddah summit is an opportunity to put an end to armaments in Sudan.

The ministerial preparatory meeting was preceded by several other meetings, the most important of which were the meeting of the Quartet Arab Ministerial Committee concerned with following up the developments of the Iranian file, and the meeting of the Arab Ministerial Committee concerned with following up Turkish interference in the internal affairs of Arab countries. There was also a meeting of the open-ended Arab Ministerial Committee to support the State of Palestine.

Courtesy: Saudi Gazette