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Wednesday, March 23, 2005
Excerpts: Confused party reform.Wolfowitz and Arab Feminist.Jordan's King Abdullah blames Syria and Hezbollah.23 March 2005

Excerpts: Confused party reform.Wolfowitz and Arab Feminist.Jordan's King
Abdullah blames Syria and Hezbollah.23 March 2005
+++ JORDAN TIMES 23 Mar.'05:
"Editorial:Part of the process"
QUOTES FROM TEXT:
"The draft law on political parties on face value could achieve a
merging of
the ... 30 registered parties".

"deputies should be elected on a platform of ideas ... not because they
belong to a particular tribe or village or constituency"
"sparring between the government and the associations would subside"

"some of the new ideas ... in the bill, such as state subsidies to
political
parties, which although benign in intent departs from international
norms.The new law appears to cater for greater regimentation and
control
of political parties, which if is the case, may be viewed as counter to
true
democracy and in violation of our treaty obligations on the
international
level."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EXCERPTS:
The draft law on political parties on face value could achieve a merging of
the... 30 registered parties. Speaking during an interview in Washington
last week ... King Abdullah reiterated that deputies should be elected on a
platform of ideas ... not because they belong to a particular tribe or
village or constituency. The King was explaining his decentralisation plan
as being a grassroots process in creating what he has long envisioned - a
few parties with solid platforms representing a left, right and centre.
Yesterday's presentation of a draft law on political parties takes the
larger process of political reform a step further.
That the bill stipulates that any new party be comprised of a minimum 200
founding members is likely to induce many of the other standing parties of
50 founding members to seriously consider a merger. As is in the Lower House
of Parliament, blocs already approach some semblance of common political
leaning, if only to take a unified stand on a particular issue ... . The
process of merging should be a natural development if parties were to state
clearly where they stand on the country's major issues /// the sparring
between the government and the associations would subside because citizens
would find their political voice in the larger and solid parties ... .
As presented ... the bill can still be amended through a national
consensus on its principle features. The new ideas being incorporated in the
draft call for further scrutiny as they appear to submit novel ways to deal
with gender and age issues, as well as the often controversial issue of
funding. ... This review period also allows time to refer to the various
relevant international norms
[IMRA:May encourage formation of more parties.]
that are legally binding on the country with respect to civil and political
rights. This is particularly important because some of the new ideas ... in
the bill, such as state subsidies to political parties, which although
benign in intent, departs from international norms. The new law appears to
cater for greater regimentation and control of political parties, which if
is the case, may be viewed as counter to true democracy and in violation of
our treaty obligations on the international level. Therefore, thorough
scrutiny of the bill is in order.

+++ARAB NEWS (Saudi) 23 Mar.'05:"Wolfowitz Dating Muslim Woman Causes Stir"
Barbara Ferguson, Arab News -
QUOTES FROM TEXT:
"foes of Wolfowitz portray him as a leader of Washington's
neo-conservatives driving a blindly pro-Israel policy ... .Critics have also
noted that his sister Laura, a biologist, lives in Israel and has an Israeli
husband"
"influential members of the World Bank believe she [Riza] played a key
role in influencing the Pentagon official to launch the 2003 war"
"Wolfowitz married ... in 1968 ...lived separately since 2001 ... now
believed to be legally separated"
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------EXCERPTSWASHINGTON, 23 March 2005 - ... Bush's neoconservative hawk Paul Wolfowitz,the Pentagon's architect of the US invasion of Iraq, is dating a Muslim!While battle lines have hardened over ... nomination of Wolfowitz to becomepresident of the World Bank, what many say is really fueling the controversyis concern within the bank over Wolfowitz's reported romantic relationshipwith Shaha Ali Riza, an Arab feminist ... acting manager for ExternalRelations and Outreach for the Middle East and North Africa Region at theWorld Bank.Political foes of Wolfowitz portray him as a leader of Washington's Jewishneo-conservatives driving a blindly pro-Israel policy in the Middle East.Critics have also noted that his sister, Laura, a biologist, lives in Israeland has an Israeli husband. [IMRA: And probably has dual citizenship.]But Wolfowitz, a married father o!
f three,
is said to be so blinded by hisrelationship with Riza, that influential members of the World Bank believeshe played a key role in influencing the Pentagon official to launch the2003 Iraq war. [IMRA: While the President and the Cabinet slept?] As his trusted confident, she is said to be one of most influential Muslimsin Washington.What they are said to share is a passion to establish democracy in theMiddle East.Riza, in her mid-fifties, was born in Tunis and grew up in Saudi Arabia. Herchildhood is said to have done much to shape her commitment to democracy,equal rights and civil liberties in the Arab world based on her first handexperiences.She brought those beliefs with her when she joined the World Bank in 1997.Riza studied at the London School of Economics in the 1970s before taking amaster's degree at St. Anthony's College, Oxford, where she met her formerhusband, Turkish Cypriot Bulent Ali Riza, from whom she is now divorced.After they moved to America, Riza worked!
for the
Iraq Foundation, set up byexpatriates to overthrow Saddam Hussein after the first Gulf War. Shesubsequently joined the National Endowment for Democracy, created byPresident Ronald Reagan to promote American ideals.It was this time that Riza ... started to meet with Wolfowitz aboutreforming the Middle East. They allegedly began dating two years ago.... their relationship is a remarkably closely guarded secret. TheWashington Post says the couple rarely goes out together or demonstratesaffection publicly, according to friends who are aware of the relationship.They attend low-key Washington social events and visit friends' homestogether and Riza also sometimes goes to official functions and dinners withhim, but is not identified as his partner ... ."His womanizing has come home to roost," a Washington insider toldreporters. "Paul was a foreign policy hawk long before he met Riza but itdoesn't look good to be accused of being under the thumb of your mistress."A Wolfowitz oppone!
nt at the
World Bank told a reporter: "Unless Riza givesup her job, this will be an impossible conflict of interest."Wolfowitz married ...in 1968. But they have lived separately since 2001,after allegations he had an affair with an employee at the School ofAdvanced International Studies where he was dean for seven years. They arenow believed to be legally separated.The World Bank's staff association has told executives it has been swampedwith complaints from employees about Wolfowitz.However, Wolfowitz's only comment on the complaints has been a tersestatement issued through a Pentagon spokesman. He said: "If a personalrelationship presents a potential conflict of interest, I will comply withbank policies to resolve the issue."+++HAARETZ 23 Mar.'05:"Abdullah: Syria, Hezbollah promote terror againstIsrael" by Nathan GuttmanQUOTES FROM TEXT: "a new Jordanian initiative to fight anti-Semitism in the Arab world" "Taking the religious component out of the dispute would reduce thete!
nsion
and help to find a solution"----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------FULL TEXT:WASHINGTON - Jordan's King Abdullah warned Tuesday that Syria and Hezbollahare encouraging Palestinian activists to carry out terror attacks againstIsrael, trying to divert attention from the situation in Lebanon and Syria. [IMRA: The Syrian-Hezbollah activity long preceeded the currentLebanon-Syria situation.]In a meeting with representatives leading Jewish organisations, Abdullahalso said Iran, Syria and Hezbollah are the greatest threats to stability inthe Middle East. [IMRA: This report is not carried in today's Jordan Times or Arab News(Saudi).]Abdullah said he recently told ...Sharon that in case of a terrorist attackSharon should check carefully who is behind it to avoid an Israeliretaliation against the wrong target. Abdullah was implying that, should aterror attack occur, Sharon would find that Hezbollah was
responsible.Sources who attended the session said they were surprised by the vehemenceof Abdullah's remarks about Syria. They noted that he opened the meetingwith his concerns about efforts by Syria and Hezbollah to undermine thepeace process with terror attacks against Israel.One U.S. Jewish source, recalling a similar meeting with the king on hisfirst visit to Washington as Jordan's ruler, said Abdullah was then full ofpraise for Syrian President Bashar Assad.Abdullah said Jordan has succeeded in thwarting several attempts byterrorists to infiltrate Israel to carry out attacks. He told ... Bush...last week that the success of the peace process could weaken Hezbollahand Hamas, while its failure would strengthen them.He said relations between Jordan and Israel were good and that he intends toact to speed up joint projects.Abdullah spoke at the meeting of a new Jordanian initiative to fightanti-Semitism in the Arab world. [IMRA: To what extent has Jordan removed anti-Semi!
tic and
anti-Israelmaterial from its school textbooks?] He said he sent a message to the Muslim states urging them to fightanti-Semitism. [IMRA: What is the text of that message?] He also said Jordan intends to act with Jewish and Christian organizationsin the U.S. to quash it. Taking the religious component out of the disputewould reduce the tension and help to find a solution, he added. [IMRA: Recognizes Arab responsibility.] He said he was appointing his cousin, Prince Ghazi, to head the team toadvance interreligious dialogue. [IMRA: Significantly not his Uncle Prince Hassan, now head of The Club ofRome.]Attending the meeting were representatives of U.S. groups, including theConference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, B'naiB'rith, American Jewish Congress, the American Jewish Committee, theAnti-Defamation League, Americans for Peace Now and the Jewish Council onPublic Affairs. [IMRA: Balanced set of organizations? Who picked the participants?
Who balanced Peace Now and the Jewish Council on Public Affairs?]Dr. Joseph Lerner, Co-Director IMRA

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