Excerpts: Jordan-Qatar malaise.Palestinian leadership disunity.10 October
2006

+++JORDAN TIMES 10 Oct.'06: "'Government does not intend to sever diplomatic
relations with Qatar' " by Khalid Neimat
QUOTES FROM TEXT:
" 'Qatar is always acting against Arab positions' "
" 'We know there is a country or party that wants to complicate ties' "
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EXCERPTS:
AMMAN - The government on Monday said Jordan does not intend to sever
diplomatic relations or brotherly ties with Qatar, but seeks to know Doha's
motive for voting against the Kingdom's candidate to succeed UN Chief Kofi
Annan. . . .The government said a "host of issues" prompted the decision -
the last of which was Qatar's vote for South Korean Foreign Minister Ban
Ki-moon to succeed Annan ahead of Jordan's UN Ambassador Prince Zeid, a
widely respected diplomat.
..., Government Spokesperson Nasser Judeh said there were several pending
issues between the two countries, which needed to be discussed and solved,
citing a campaign against the Kingdom by Doha-based media outlets.
. . ."Qatar has made it difficult for Jordanians [living in the Gulf
country] to renew residency permits or to obtain visas and is always acting
against Arab positions," ...Around 15,000 Jordanians work in Qatar, most of
them in the construction industry.. . .
"(Qatari Foregn Minister):We informed them [Jordan] in front of all Arabs...
that we will support the Thai or the (South) Korean candidate,"
"We know there is a country or a party that wants to complicate ties
(between Qatar and Jordan) and if they [Jordanians] choose to walk in this
path, then this is a very unfortunate. We will not walk in this path,"
Reuters quoted Sheikh Hamad as saying.
Meanwhile, it was announced yesterday that the UN Security Council approved
Ban as the next secretary general.

+++JORDAN TIMES 10 Oct.'06:"Defeat from within" by Ramzy Baroud
QUOTE FROM TEXT: Palestinians have alsways struggled with the problem of
self-seeking leaderships"
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EXCERPTS:
It is no secret that the Palestinians have always struggled with the problem
of impotent, self-seeking leaderships who have historically invested far
greater time protecting their own position at the helm - however worthless -
than representing the legitimate rights and aspirations ... allowing their
desire for self-preservation and advancement to supplant the
self-preservation of the Palestinian national unity, or whatever remains of
it.
It is most poignant that such a reminder is not emanating from among
Palestinian leaders and intellectuals - many of them immersed in the
illusive power struggle - but from journalists ...with a distressing
reminder: "Apparently both movements are now competing for power..."
...being let down by one's own leadership is most painful, indeed.. . .
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Sue Lerner - Associate - IMRA