Excerpts: Gulf and Egypt military and economic cooperation. Lebanon's hopes
for offshore oil and gas. UK bans Israel tourism advert. 50 Jordan MPs re
Israel heritage sites. Libya official TV broadcasts from Jordan March 04,
2015

+++SOURCE: Al ARABIYA 4 March ’15: “Gulf-Egyptian military and economic
cooperation”, by Abdulraman al Rashed
SUBJECT: Gulf and Egypt military and economic cooperation

QUOTE:”The priority is to invest in Egypt’s economy in a manner that
benefits everyone, improves Egypt’s stability and proves to the region’s
peoples that old, moderate political regimes are more capable of serving
them than alternative chaotic ones.”



FULL TEXT:There is enthusiasm in most Gulf countries to support Egypt on all
levels. This stance has restored trust in Cairo, and restored Egyptians’
confidence after a dangerous crisis that almost brought their country to the
point of collapse. Gulf states are aware of Egypt’s importance to them and
to the region, and want to be a partner in its successes, not a victim of
its crises.

There is talk of establishing a Gulf-Egyptian military force. This is
logical considering the spread of war in most of the region, but it is
unrealistic. Gulf countries must not assume they are a superpower capable of
changing the world around them.

Their financial capabilities are massive when spent right, and they are
capable of negatively or positively leading the region. However, their
fortunes can easily evaporate through unproductive political and military
projects, like what happened to Saddam Hussein in Iraq.

Economic support
Regarding Egypt, Gulf states’ one urgent option is to support it
economically. This must not be limited to providing grants, loans and funds,
but must include giant projects that alter Egyptians’ future. This means the
Gulf must help Egypt implement projects outside the context of corruption
and bureaucracy, which have obstructed the country’s capabilities for
decades.

If Egypt succeeds economically, its politics will be more stable and its
army more capable. It will thus become a country that can be depended on to
meet the needs of the entire region’s stability.

Egypt’s weakness during the past two decades was due to economic
deterioration, which weakened its political capabilities until it became
incapable of curbing small foreign powers such as Hamas in Gaza and Omar
al-Bashir’s regime in Sudan. Egypt also became weak domestically, to the
extent that the Muslim Brotherhood played the game of social support and
managed the economy of poor neighborhoods.

There is talk of establishing a Gulf-Egyptian military force. This is
logical considering the spread of war in most of the region, but it is
unrealistic

The Egyptian leadership at this difficult transitional phase can grant Gulf
investors, and whoever works with them from international institutions, free
space to develop major sectors such as agriculture. Some 30 million
Egyptians work in this field, which represents the country’s soul and does
not get affected much by politics or terrorism.

If the government had granted this field the concern it deserves decades
ago, it would have had time today to develop other productive sectors.
Agriculture is a major industry in big countries, and is considered a
permanent guarantee in times of war and peace.

If it does not yield results, Gulf investors can get involved in specific
industrial and services projects that have operational and productive value
and longevity, on condition of guarantees from Cairo such as being provided
with an atmosphere free from bureaucracy and political greed. This will
support Egyptians for the next 100 years, and will raise the rate of
employment.

Relations and cooperation with Egypt are extensive, but we must think
outside the box and alter an approach that failed during the era of Hosni
Mubarak. Egyptians do not need supporters and charities, but partners. It is
best for Gulf countries to participate with Egypt in building giant
companies in the private sector. These companies can be established with
government support, then gradually owned by the Egyptian private sector.

The army is one of the best institutions in Egypt as it is the most
efficient and disciplined, and it can be a partner in giant developmental
projects but via its executive role, not through its political or military
role.

Military cooperation
As for establishing a regional military force, whose pillar would be Egypt
and some Gulf countries, this would only work after meeting the needs of
urgent circumstances such as economic ones, as it will be difficult to
financially invest in more than one field simultaneously. Such a military
establishment will also take a long time, and will be obstructed due to
details that everyone will realize cannot be resolved.

The alternative to a joint military force would be strengthening military
and security cooperation, which already exists but is largely unannounced.
Cooperation can be expanded in disturbed countries such as Libya, Syria and
Yemen, and can be improved in other areas that are sources of tensions. An
example would be altering the Sudanese regime, which continues to be a
source of trouble for Egypt and the region.

However, the priority is to invest in Egypt’s economy in a manner that
benefits everyone, achieves stability and proves to the region’s peoples
that old, moderate political regimes are more capable of serving them than
alternative chaotic ones.

…………………………………….

AUTHOR:Abdulrahman al-Rashed is the former General Manager of Al Arabiya
News Channel. A veteran and internationally acclaimed journalist, he is a
former editor-in-chief of the London-based leading Arab daily Asharq
al-Awsat, where he still regularly writes a political column. He has also
served as the editor of Asharq al-Awsat’s sister publication, al-Majalla.
Throughout his career, Rashed has interviewed several world leaders, with
his articles garnering worldwide recognition, and he has successfully led Al
Arabiya to the highly regarded, thriving and influential position it is in
today.



+++SOURCE: Naharnet (Lebanon) 4 March’15:”Report:Lebanon to Hand Norway;s
Petroleum Commission the North’s Offshore Geological Data, by Naharnet
Newsdesk
SUBJECT: Lebanon’s hopes for offshore oil and gas
FUL L TEXT:Some Lebanese officials are reportedly exerting efforts to hand
over the data of a Geological Survey for the country's offshore gas and oil
in the North to Norway's Petroleum Commission.

According to As Safir newspaper published on Wednesday[4 Mar,], the move
could have hidden intentions such as an attempt to draw the attention of new
companies in an illegal way to enter the country's tenders and take part in
exploring Lebanon's offshore oil and gas wealth in return to a certain
commission.

Experts warned in comments to the daily that the data is considered part of
the country's “oil national security,” stressing that it should be
classified.

“Leaking the data or handing it over to any side is prohibited,” the experts
stressed.

The experts warned of handing the data over to any foreign country “which
could risk leaking the data or publishing it without Lebanon's consent,”
noting that “it could enormously harm Lebanon's strategic interests.”

Lebanon is seeking to renew the interest of international companies in
offshore oil exploration despite the stalling of the government in issuing
licensing and amid reports that Israel was “stealing” Lebanese gas.

Last August, the government postponed for the fifth time the first round of
licensing for gas exploration over a political dispute.

The disagreements were over the designation of blocks open for bidding and
the terms of a draft exploration agreement.

Meanwhile, As Safir reported that Lebanon's stalemate in exploring its
natural oil and gas wealth granted Israel time to hold a $15 billion dollars
gas deal with Jordan and another worth $47 billion with Egypt.

In March 2010, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated a mean of 1.7 billion
barrels of recoverable oil and a mean of 34.5 trillion cubic meters of
recoverable gas in the Levant Basin in the eastern Mediterranean, which
includes the territorial waters of Lebanon, Israel, Syria and Cyprus.

Beirut argues that a maritime map it submitted to the U.N. is in line with
an armistice accord drawn up in 1949, an agreement which is not contested by
Israel.

U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Diplomacy Amos
Hochstein, who is following up the maritime dispute between Lebanon and the
Jewish state, reportedly delayed a visit to Beirut until Lebanese officials
agree on the petroleum decrees.

There are sharp differences between officials on the endorsement of two oil
decrees, the first tackles the demarcation of the 10 maritime oil blocks,
and touches on the division of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) to several
blocks that are not entirely equal. And the second decree, which is linked
to setting up a revenue-sharing model, tackles the contracts signed with the
international companies.

+++SOURCE: Naharnet(Lebanon) 4 March ’15:” UK Bans Ad for Implying Old
Jerusaem Part of Israel”, Agence France Presse
SUBJECT:UK bans Israel tourism advert
FUL L TEXT:Britain's advertising watchdog banned an Israeli government
tourism advert for suggesting that the Old City of Jerusalem was part of
Israel on Wednesday.[4March ]

The newspaper brochure showed a panorama of the walled Old City with the
text "Israel has it all", and was ruled misleading by the Advertising
Standards Authority (ASA), which said it implied the UNESCO World Heritage
Site was part of Israel.

The international community regards the Old City as occupied Palestinian
territory, while Israel has claimed it as part of its capital.

The dispute is an emotional subject as the area contains places precious to
Christians, Jews and Muslims, including the Church of the Holy Sepulchre,
Western Wall and al-Asqa Mosque.

Following a complaint, the ASA ruled the title of the brochure "Israel Land
of Creation" and references to Old City attractions was misleading and
banned the advert from appearing again in its current form.

"We understood that the status of the territories in question was the
subject of much international dispute," the watchdog said.

"We therefore considered the presentation of the ad would mislead consumers
into believing that the Old City of Jerusalem was part of Israel and into
taking a transactional decision that they would otherwise not have taken."

The brochure included a photograph showing the golden Old City landmark and
Muslim shrine the Dome of the Rock, with the modern buildings of Western
Jerusalem in the background.

Text on the image read: "Everyone falls for the Old City, with its narrow
(and car-free) alleys, teeming pilgrims and bazaar-like buzz."

In its defence, the Israeli Government Tourist Office denied that the
brochure implied East Jerusalem and its Old City were part of the state of
Israel.

"They said the ad did not seek to make a political statement and believed it
would be inappropriate for it to do so," the ASA ruling stated.

"Rather, they believed the leaflet provided practical information that made
clear that visitors to the places referred to in the ad, such as the Old
City of Jerusalem, could only be visited via travelling to Israel."

SourceAgence France Presse


+++SOURCE: Jordan Times 4 March ’15; “50 Jordan MPs urge gov’t to prevent
listing of Palestinian villages as Israeli heritage sites”,by Raed Omari
SUBJECT: 50Jordan MPs re Israel heritage sites

EXCERPT: AMMAN — A group of MPs on Tuesday[3Mar.] called on the government
to take the necessary action to prevent Israel from declaring two
Palestinian villages in occupied Jerusalem as Israeli heritage sites.

In a memorandum they signed during Tuesday’s[3 Mar.] Lower House session, 50
lawmakers warned against measures being taken by the Israeli occupation
authorities to declare the Palestinian villages of Lafta and Ein Kerem near
Jerusalem as part of Israel’s heritage.

The memo, which was initiated by MP Khalil Atiyeh, said Lafta and Ein Karem
are Palestinian villages occupied by Israel, which has no right to turn them
into tourist sites.

Atiyeh and five other MPs have recently visited the West Bank and East
Jerusalem where they met with several Palestinian officials.

Signatories called on the government to press for a halt to the Israeli
scheme, and work, through UNESCO on listing the two 1948-occupied villages
as part of the Palestinian heritage.

In addition to the historic and cultural dangers, Israel’s declaration of
Palestinian villages as heritage and tourist sites severely harms the
livelihood of people there, according to Palestinians who spoke to the MPs
and cited several restrictions put in place by Israel’s occupation
authorities while carrying out such projects.


+++SOURCE:Jordan Times 4 March ’15:”Libya’s official TV channel broadcasting
from Jordan”,Petra
SUBJECT: Libya official TV broadcasts from Jordan

AMMAN — Libya’s official satellite channel has started broadcasting from
Jordan, the president of the Libyan cultural and media commission, Omar
Quweri, said Tuesday[3 Mar.].

He said Amman was selected to host the channel’s headquarters for its
security, in addition to the “brotherly” Jordanian-Libyan relations.
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Sue Lerner -Associate, IMRA