Excerpts: Turkey/Israel relations. Alcoholism in Iran. Disagreements at Ara=
b =

League Kuwait meeting. Syrian National Coalition to participate in Arab =

League March 27, 2014

+++SOURCE: Naharnet (Lebanon) 27 Mar.=9214:=94Turkey Says Israel Deal Close=
over =

Gaza Flotilla Deaths=94, Agence France Presse
SUBJECT:Turkey/Israel relations
QUOTE:=94Turkey hopes to soon close a difficult chapter with Israel . . =

.Turkish Foreign Minister told Agence France Presse=94
FULL TEXT:
Turkey hopes to soon close a difficult chapter with Israel sparked by a =

deadly commando raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla of aid ships in 2010, Turkish =

foreign minister told Agence France Presse.

Nine pro-Palestinian Turkish activists were killed in the Israeli assault, =

sparking a major crisis between the long-time regional allies and =

compensation claims from the victims' families.

In the diplomatic tussle since, "the gap between the expectations of the tw=
o =

sides is closing," Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told AFP in an intervie=
w =

on Wednesday[26 Mar.].

"Progress has been made to a great extent, but the two sides need to meet =

again for a final agreement," he said.

Sticking points have been the amount of compensation and the legal status o=
f =

the deal, but Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc said earlier this =

week that an agreement would soon be signed.

He said that after Turkish local elections Sunday [30 Mar.] -- seen as a =

major electoral test for Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan -- "our first =

job will be making sure the compensation is bound by a legal document".

Davutoglu also said that "an answer is expected from the Israeli side" to =

Turkey's demands. "It is our preference, whether it will be before or after =

the elections... We do whatever is right at the right time."

Turkish senior diplomat Feridun Sinirlioglu was in Israel in February to =

discuss the terms of an agreement, aimed to normalize relations between the =

Jewish state and its once closest Muslim ally.

The May 2010 Israeli assault on the Turkish ship the Mavi Marmara in =

international waters en route to Gaza sparked widespread condemnation and =

provoked a major diplomatic crisis between the two countries.

Ankara expelled the Israeli ambassador, demanded a formal apology and =

compensation, and an end to the blockade on the Gaza Strip -- which is rule=
d =

by Hamas, a Palestinian militant group.

Talks on compensation began a year ago after Israel extended a formal =

apology to Turkey in a breakthrough brokered by US President Barack Obama.

In February, Erdogan said there would be no agreement without a written =

commitment by Israel to lift its restrictions on the Gaza Strip, a comment =

that led Israel to accuse him of blocking a compensation deal.

Turkey's foreign minister declined to comment on whether new ambassadors =

would likely be appointed as soon as an agreement is signed.

"What's important is to reach an agreement," Davutoglu said, speaking in hi=
s =

central home province of Konya. "The steps to be taken will be discussed =

when the agreement is made.

"I can say there's a positive momentum and a process in a positive =

direction."

+++SOURCE:JordanTimes 27 Mar.=9214:=94Moonshine is just a phone call away i=
n =

Islamic Iran=94,by Reuters
SUBJECT: Alcoholism in Iran
QUOTE:=94 There are as many as 200,000 alcoholics in Iran. . . Last Septemb=
er =

a permit was quietly issued for the first alcohol rehabilitation center in =

Tehran=94

EXCERPTS:ANKARA =97 =93Have a shot of tequila first, cheer up!=94 Shahriyar=
tells =

guests gathered at his luxury apartment in Tehran.His girlfriend, Shima, =

said they party every weekend.

=93Shahriyar has one rule: bring your booze! We drink until morning,=94 she=
told =

Reuters on a FaceTime call, as lights flashed to rap music in the =

background.

Despite the ban on alcohol and frequent police raids, drinking in Iran is =

widespread, especially among the wealthy. Because the Shiite-dominated =

Muslim state has no discotheques or nightclubs, it all takes place at home, =

behind closed doors.Some of the alcohol is smuggled in, but many resourcefu=
l =

Iranians make their own. . . .

Only members of religious minorities =97 Christians, Jews and Zoroastrians =
=97 =

are allowed to brew, distill, ferment =97 and drink =97 discreetly in the =

privacy of their homes, and trade in liquor is forbidden. Catholic priests =

make their own wine for mass. . . .

=93You don=92t even need to leave the house,=94 said Reza, a computer engin=
eer in =

Tehran. =93Nasser, the Brewer, will deliver it at your door, VIP service.=
=94

Western plot The availability of alcohol has caused alarm among the countr=
y=92s =

clerical leaders, many of whom accuse the West of plotting to lure Iranians =

away from pious religious observance.

The number of police raids has declined since the pragmatic President Hassa=
n =

Rouhani took office in August, but the ban on alcohol and severe punishment=
s =

for producing and consuming it remain intact, for health as well as =

religious reasons.And in fact alcohol abuse and alcohol poisoning are =

becoming real problems.

There are as many as 200,000 alcoholics in Iran, according to Iranian media =

reports, and some believe the number is higher. Last September, a permit wa=
s =

quietly issued for the country=92s first alcohol rehabilitation centre in =

Tehran.=93The centre was set up in Tehran to help our citizens. You cannot =

resolve the problem by ignoring it,=94 a health ministry official told =

Reuters, but would not give any details about the number of people under =

treatment or even the centre=92s location.

Home-brewed drinks can cause blindness and even death. Iranian media often =

carry reports of deaths caused by alcohol, or =93mashroob=94.Last year Iran=
ian =

health officials warned the government over the increasing number of =

=93victims of homemade alcohol=94, calling on the government to take =

action.Industrial alcohol is available in supermarkets, purportedly for use =

in manufacturing but widely consumed.=93Ettehadiye Industrial alcohol [at 1=
40 =

proof] is available in supermarkets for only 80,000 Iranian rials ($3.23) =

with orange, pineapple and apple flavours,=94 said Hojjat, 25, a student in =

Tehran.

The other big business around alcohol is smuggling. The Iranian judiciary =

has accused border officials of complicity in the contraband trade.

The elite Revolutionary Guards formed in the wake of the 1979 Islamic =

revolution, who are in charge of controlling the borders, are widely =

believed to have a monopoly on the activity, securing a profit of around $1=
2 =

billion annually, according to opposition websites.

=93The Guards is like an investment company with a complex of business empi=
res =

and trading companies... They are involved,=94 said Mohsen Sazegara, a form=
er =

deputy prime minister of Iran and founder of the Guard Corps who is now an =

activist based in the United States. . . .

+++SOURCE: Jordan Times 27 Mar.=9214:=94Public rifts at Arab summit likely =
to =

satisfy Iran and Syria=94,Reuters
SUBJECT: Disagreements at Arab League Kuwait meeting

QUOTE:Heads of State . . . publicly acknowledged they needed to end quarrel=
s =

that are exacerbating an already catastrophic war in Syria as turmoil in =

Egypt and Iraq=94

FULL TEXT:KUWAIT =97 Arab leaders at odds over supporting Islamists in =

upheavals across the Middle East have proved in no mood to reconcile at a =

summit this week, an outcome likely to satisfy Syria and Iran in their =

rivalry with regional heavyweights Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

Heads of state assembled in Kuwait publicly acknowledged they needed to end =

quarrels that are exacerbating an already catastrophic war in Syria as well =

as turmoil in Egypt and Iraq.

Behind the scenes tempers appeared too frayed for any possibility of joint =

Arab action against Syrian President Bashar Assad, or a common line on =

Tehran as it seeks detente with some Gulf neighbours and a thaw with the =

United States.

Saudi commentator Jamal Khashoggi told Reuters that Arab nations had never =

been as divided. He compared the use by some states of satellite TV station=
s =

to broadcast conflicting views to the Arab world with the past, when leader=
s =

such as of Egypt and Syria used radio propaganda to win regional influence.

=93We=92re back to =91my radio is more powerful than your radio=92. War acr=
oss the =

airwaves. This country slanders the other. It=92s very upsetting,=94 said =

Khashoggi.

States differed not only over the Syrian civil war but also the entire Arab =

Spring. Some saw the 2011 revolts against autocratic rule as negative for =

Arabs while others thought they marked =93the true course of history=94.

=93Bashar Assad and Iran are benefiting from this division between the Gulf =

countries,=94 said Ebtisam Qitbi, a professor of political science at the =

Emirates University in the United Arab Emirates. She criticised a lack of =

consensus on supporting Assad=92s political opponents. =93There are no real =

steps to solve the Syrian crisis. The opposition felt they were alone at =

this summit,=94 she said.

Inter-Arab disputes that stem largely from Arab Spring have weakened leadin=
g =

Sunni Muslim states while Shiite rival Iran tries to improve its relations =

without the outside world. Tehran=92s Arab ally Syria, embroiled in a =

sectarian war that has killed 140,000 people and displaced millions, also =

benefits from the lack of unity.

=93Differences in approach to some of the thorniest issues in the reorderin=
g =

of the post-Arab Spring landscape are simply too great to paper over, at =

least for the moment,=94 said Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, a Gulf expert at t=
he =

Baker Institute in the United States.x rift

The disputes between states otherwise united in deploring Assad=92s attempt=
s =

to crush an uprising begun by unarmed civilians, add up to the most complex =

rift for a quarter of a century.

Arabs split into pro- and anti-Baghdad camps after Iraq=92s 1990 invasion o=
f =

Kuwait and subsequent ejection by a US-led force, marking regional diplomac=
y =

for years afterwards. But the latest disputes involve political forces =

energised by the Arab Spring after decades of repression, and so may last =

longer.

At the Kuwait summit, a closing =93declaration=94 contained a pledge to end =

divisions but there was no official final joint communique, reflecting an =

inability to agree common positions.

Crown Prince Salman, head of the Saudi delegation, left in hours. The Unite=
d =

Arab Emirates sent the ruler of its Fujairah emirate, not its top =

representative, in what analysts said was a sign the UAE was not ready to =

discuss its differences.

Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, whose country some in the Gulf =

regard as a reckless foreign policy maverick, signalled an unchanged view o=
f =

the world. In his speech to the summit, he said the Arab Spring led to =93h=
ope =

for a better future=94 =97 a view diametrically opposed to most Gulf Arab =

states.

His phrase highlights one of the main quarrels dividing Arabs =97 Qatar=92s =

support for the now outlawed Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, a movement whose =

republican views and use of electoral politics are seen by the hereditary =

rulers of many Gulf states as a potent political menace.

Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain accuse Qatar of interfering in their =

internal affairs and earlier this month withdrew their ambassadors from Doh=
a =

in protest. They are furious about Qatar=92s refusal of their requests for =
an =

end to what they see as a stream of seditious pro-Brotherhood propaganda =

broadcast by Doha-based Al Jazeera television.

Saudis =91very firm=92

The three governments are also alarmed by what they regard as Qatari =

meddling in Yemen. Qatar denies interfering anywhere but vows no change in =

its foreign policy, which appears to assume that Islamists are the future i=
n =

Arab politics.

=93The Saudis... wanted to be very firm with Qatar=94 at the summit, said a =

diplomat. =93There are problems about the Brotherhood, the future of Egypt, =

Syria. Kuwait did all it could to have a consensus. But the Saudis are very =

firm.=94

In the Syrian war, Riyadh and Doha both back Islamist groups fighting Assad=
=92s =

forces, but they are rivals for influence in the political and armed wings =

of the opposition. In turn, Assad gets political support from Iraq and =

Algeria, weapons from old ally Russia, and military backing and advice from =

Iran.

Qitbi said that in a recent battle in Syria=92s Yabroud town north of =

Damascus, the Qataris told Islamist groups which they fund to pull out of =

the fighting, apparently to irritate the Saudis. The area later fell to the =

Syrian army.

Other disputes involve accusations from Baghdad of Saudi and Qatari backing =

for Islamist insurgents in Iraq=92s Anbar province. They deny the assertion=
s.

Yet further differences exist over what many Gulf states regard as =

interference in their affairs by Iran, locked in a struggle for regional =

influence with Sunni rival Saudi Arabia.

Oman, and to a lesser extent Qatar, appear to view with equanimity Iran=92s =

efforts to return to the international mainstream by allaying fears over it=
s =

nuclear programme. Tehran says the work is peaceful but the West fears it i=
s =

a cover for a bomb programme.

Saudi Arabia and Bahrain have accused Tehran of stoking subversion within =

their Shiite communities, and with the UAE they are uneasy about =

negotiations on ending the nuclear dispute between Tehran and world powers.

The summit host, Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah, urged states =

to overcome the rifts he said were blocking Arab initiatives. =93The danger=
s =

around us are enormous and we will not move towards joint Arab action =

without our unity and without casting aside our differences,=94 he said.

Qatar=92s Tamim appeared to chide Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki, a Shit=
e, =

for stigmatizing the country=92s Sunni minority which tends to see him as a =

pawn of Iran.

A few words later, Tamim appeared to have a message for Egypt, which has =

declared the Brotherhood =97 expelled from power last July by the army =97 =
as a =

terrorist organisation. Riyadh issued the same declaration on the =

Brotherhood this year.

Arabs should not attach the label of terrorism =93to those who differ =

politically with us, because that would proliferate terrorism rather than =

isolating it=94, he said.

+++SOURCE: Jordan Times 27 Mar.=9214:=94Syrian rebel body officially on boa=
rd =

Arab League=94,
by Mohammad Ghazal
SUBJECT: Syrian (rebel)National Coalition (SNC) to participate in Arab =

League
QUOTE:=94Iraq andAlgeria maintained their reservation on the decision, whil=
e =

Lebanon kept its neutral stand=94
FULL TKUWAIT =97 Arab leaders have agreed to invite the Syrian National =

Coalition (SNC) to take part in the upcoming Arab League gatherings, =

starting from the ministerial meeting slated for September.

The decision, adopted by Arab leaders at the March 25-26 summit in Kuwait, =

entails inviting the coalition=92s representatives to take part in all =

meetings of the Arab summit and is considered an exceptional case to the =

rules followed at the Arab League, according to a copy of the resolution =

obtained by The Jordan Times.

Arab League officials said earlier that the coalition was yet to complete =

procedures and comply with regulations of the 22-member body before it take=
s =

Syria=92s seat.

The resolution said the coalition=92s participation in the Arab League =

meetings does not come with any commitments that may affect the sovereignty =

of member states in the league.

Iraq and Algeria maintained their reservations on the decision, while =

Lebanon kept its neutral stand.

Saudi Arabia and the SNC on Tuesday criticised for not handing over the sea=
t =

to the opposition coalition in violation of a decision towards that end by =

the Arab leaders at last year=92s summit in Doha.

The seat became vacant after the Arab League suspended Syria=92s membership=
in =

the pan-Arab organisation for the regime=92s brutality in dealing with =

dissent.

In an address Tuesday[25 Mar.] as a guest, SNC chief Ahmed Jarba, who was =

not allowed to speak from the chair reserved for Syria, urged Arab states t=
o =

give the seat to the coalition as soon as possible.

=93Leaving Syria=92s seat empty sends a message to Assad... =91Kill, kill t=
he seat =

is waiting for you once the battle is settled=92,=94 Jarba told the summit =

leaders.

He even called for Syrian embassies in the Arab capitals to be handed over =

to the coalition.

The resolution stressed the need for continued efforts to achieve a =

political solution to the Syrian crisis.

It also called for providing necessary support to countries hosting Syrian =

refugees and extending humanitarian assistance to them.

The resolution on Syria called on the Security Council to shoulder its =

responsibilities to end the stalemate in talks between the Syrian regime an=
d =

the opposition and urged for more efforts to take an active step that leads =

to a political solution through negotiations in Syria.

The Syrian conflict, which entered its fourth year, claimed the lives of =

about 150,000 Syrians and made millions of Syrians either displaced or =

refugees in neighbouring countries, according to relief organisations.

=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
Sue Lerner - Associate, IMRA =

________________________________________
IMRA - Independent Media Review and Analysis

Since 1992 providing news and analysis on the Middle East with a focus on A=
rab-Israeli relations

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