Excerpts: Gulf Arab States, Turkey confer on Syria. Syrian opposition
charges Iran with civilian deaths. Iran offers Lebanon needed electricity
January 29, 2012

+++SOURCE: Egyptian Gazette 28 Jan.’12:”Gulf Arab states, Turkey hold talks
over Syria”, Agence France Presse

SUBJECT: Gulf Arab States, Turkey confer on Syria

QUOTE:” Turkish F.M.: ‘We are adamant to turn the Middle East region into a
basin for peace, stability and prosperity’ “

FULL TEXT: ISTANBUL -The Gulf Arab states and Turkey, which have spearheaded
regional condemnation of the Syrian leadership for its deadly crackdown on
opponents, held talks on the crisis in Istanbul on Saturday[28 Jan.]

The meeting between the foreign ministers of Turkey and the Gulf
Co-operation Council comes amid a new Arab and European quest to secure UN
action over Syria's crackdown, which is opposed by Russia.

"We are adamant to turn the Middle East region into a basin for peace,
stability and prosperity," Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said in
opening remarks of the Istanbul talks.

The Security Council has been deadlocked for months on Syria. Russia and
China vetoed a previous European resolution in October, accusing the West of
seeking regime change.

+++SOURCE: Jordan Times 29 Jan.’12:”Iran plays role in civilian deaths —
Syrian opposition”, Agence France Presse

SUBJECT: Syrian opposition charges Iran with civilian deaths

QUOTE: “(Syrian) opposition . . .accused Iran of ‘participation’ in the
bloody crackdown on protests in Syria”

FULL TEXT:ISTANBUL — The opposition Syrian National Council on Saturday[28
Jan] accused Iran of "participation" in the bloody crackdown on protests in
Syria and called on Tehran to stop supporting the Damascus regime.

"The council condemns the participation of the Iranian regime in killing
Syrians who are demanding freedom and urges it to stop taking part in
quelling the Syrian revolution, in order to protect the relations between
the two people," Samir Neshar, a member of the SNC's executive committee,
said at a news conference in Istanbul.

The rebel Free Syrian Army claimed Friday to have captured five Iranian
military officers in the restive city of Homs and urged Tehran to
"immediately" withdraw any additional troops it may have in Syria.

In a statement, the FSA said the Iranians captured "were working under the
orders of the intelligence services of the Syrian air force" and had no
valid papers to reside or work in Syria.

It did not specify when the officers were arrested and FSA officials could
not be immediately reached for comment.

The statement urged Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to admit
that members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, or Pasdaran, were in
Syria to assist the regime of Bashar Assad in its bid to crush a 10-month
popular revolt.

The FSA, which claims to have 40,000 soldiers who have deserted the regular
army, posted a video along with its statement that showed several men
carrying what it said were Iranian passports.

Iran is Syria's closest ally in the region and has stood behind the regime
in Damascus despite international condemnation against the fierce crackdown
that has left more than 5,000 people dead

+++SOURCE: Naharnet (Lebanon) 29 Jan.’12:”Iran Offers to Sell Lebanon
Electricity at Competitive Price”

SUBJECT: Iran offers Lebanon needed electricity

QUOTE: “Iran readiness to provide Lebanon with 200-400 megawatts of
electricity to resolve the country’s lingering power crisis”

FULL TEXT:Iran has expressed readiness to provide Lebanon with 200-400
megawatts of electricity to resolve the country’s lingering power crisis,
Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour said in remarks published Sunday[29 Jan.].

“Iran is ready to provide Lebanon with 200 to 400 MW which amount to 200
million kilowatt hours to 400 kilowatt hours,” Mansour told An Nahar after
meeting with Iranian Ambassador Ghazanfar Roknabadi on Saturday[28 Jan.].

Roknabadi handed the Lebanese FM a letter from his Iranian counterpart Ali
Akbar Salehi on a proposal to help Lebanon resolve severe electricity
rationing throughout the country.

Asked if the proposal was an Iranian grant, Mansour said: “The offer is to
sell this amount at a competitive and preferential price to Lebanon.”

He added that Roknabadi told him that Iran has an energy surplus of 6
billion kilowatt hours.

The ambassador told reporters following his talks with Mansour that based on
Iran’s experience with several other countries in the region, Lebanon is in
need of 1,000 MW of electricity.

“We consider this amount very limited given that we currently export around
25,000 MW and have a surplus of 6 billion,” he said.

Asked about the timing of the project’s implementation if approved by the
cabinet, Roknabadi said: “The process to supply (the electricity) requires
less than 6 months.”

“As for the building of (power) stations, the process requires a year for
transformers that produce 500 MW and two years for transformers that produce
1,000 MW,” he added.

The Iranian offer came a few days before a cabinet session scheduled to be
held on Tuesday[31 Jan] to discuss the electricity crisis.

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Sue Lerner - Associate, IMRA