Excerpts: Monetary union in Gulf?Iranian AIDS experts jailed.Iran to try
Israelis December 31, 2008

+++SAUDI GAZETTE 31 Dec.'08:"GCC pact on fiscal unity"
QUOTE:"Saudi Arabia and Oman are projecting budget deficits next year"

MUSCAT - Gulf Arab leaders signed a long-awaited monetary union deal on
Tuesday[30 Dec.] but did not decide on the contested location of the
regional central bank, placing another hurdle before a project beset by
obstacles for years.
While Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain said
they would stick to a 2010 monetary union target, the bloc's
secretary-general conceded it would take about another six months before
they agree on where to base a joint central bank.. . .

GCC officials had said earlier this year they expected Gulf leaders to make
the final call on the location at this summit. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab
Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain are vying to host the bank.. . .Each member
state must ratify the agreement before the region can open a monetary
council, which would later be converted into a central bank much like the
European Monetary Institute that preceded the European Central Bank.
Some Gulf policymakers, including the UAE central bank governor, have said
achieving a Gulf monetary union has become more urgent as the global
financial crisis brings to an end a six-year economic boom that had been
fueled by high oil prices.
Oil prices at about a quarter of their peak in July and a global credit
crisis have put the brakes on expansion projects. Saudi Arabia and Oman are
projecting budget deficits next year.. . .

+++JORDAN TIMES 31 Dec.'08:"Tehran confirms jailing of 2 AIDS
experts",Associated Press
QUOTE: "Charges 'oplitically motivated' "
FULL TEXT:TEHRAN (AP) - Iran's judiciary spokesman has confirmed that two
internationally renowned Iranian AIDS physicians are in jail on charges of
acting against national security. Spokesman Ali Reza Jamshidi said the two
will stand trial at Tehran's revolutionary court in the "next few days".
Arash and Kamyar Alaei have been held in Tehran's notorious Evin prison
since late June 2008. Jamshidi's comment Tuesday is the first official
confirmation by Iran of the case after months of leaked reports. Jamshidi
said the two have also been charged with membership in opposition groups.
International human rights groups have called the charges "politically
motivated" and demanded their immediate freedom

+++JORDAN TIMES 31 Dec.'08:"Iran court to try Israelis over Ga'za"
QUOTE:"Iran ,,,court to try Israelis for its air attack on Gaza
TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran has set up a court to try Israelis for its air
attacks on Gaza and is ready to try in absentia any people who Tehran says
have committed "crimes", a judiciary official said on Tuesday. Iran, which
does not recognise Israel, has criticised some Arab states for not doing
enough to stop military action by the Jewish state. Iran's top authority,
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has called on all Muslims to defend
Palestinians in whatever way they can. "The court is in a special branch in
Tehran and entrusted with the task of dealing with the executors, planners
and officials of this [Israeli] regime who have committed crimes," judiciary
spokesman Alireza Jamshidi said.
==================================================
Sue Lerner - Associate, IMRA