[Transcript]  Mosaic News - 11/3/09: World News From The Middle East

Presenter, Female #1
Iran refuses any negotiations with the US, if the results are already decided. This statement came from the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Khamenei said that the US has already decided on the results even before engaging in negotiations, which makes it look like negotiations between a wolf and a sheep. He also said that his country does not want such negotiations. Many called on Iran to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency. In Paris, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner warned that the six countries that have been negotiating with Iran will not accept what he described as the “Iranian ambiguous response” to the Agency’s proposal. Director General of the Agency Mohamed el-Baradei demanded that Tehran respond quickly to his proposal on the uranium enrichment, calling on Iran to explain some outstanding questions pertaining to its nuclear program. Meanwhile, at the “Forum for the Future” in Marrakesh, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that Tehran is at an intersection, and its acceptance of the proposal by the International Atomic Energy Agency will be a gesture that it does not want to be isolated. Tomorrow, Iran is preparing to mark the 20th anniversary of the occupation of the US embassy in Tehran which marks the eve of the Islamic revolution. The Iranian authority announced that it will sternly thwart any illegal gatherings, indicating to the demonstrations that the opposition intends to lead tomorrow in protest of President Ahmedinejad’s government.The police has alerted that only gatherings opposing the US outside the American embassy in Tehran will be allowed. Any other gatherings will be considered illegal and will be dispersed by force. Meanwhile, Zahra’e Rahnurd, the wife of Iranian opposition leader Mir-Houssein Mousavi, called on police to release female detainees that have been held since the contested elections in July.

The leader of Iran’s Islamic revolution, Khamenei, believes that the new US administration has failed to put it slogan of change into action. He stated that Iranians will not accept the US’ seemingly reconciliatory remarks.
Obama has signed into law a military budget bill that allocates millions of dollars for US- based Persian language broadcast that acts against the Islamic Republic.

Presenter, Male #1
Iranian representative to the International Nuclear Energy Agency Ali Asghar Soltanieh reiterated that his country wants to hold urgent negotiations in the Agency about Tehran’s feedback on the Vienna proposal. The Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said that members of the technical committee stressed that Iran’s answer to the proposal requires a new round of negotiations.

Reporter, Male #1
Iran, Russia, the US and France are still discussing the issue since their Vienna meeting. It appears that the West has proposed the details, which would require Iran to swap its low-enriched uranium for nuclear fuel.Tehran believes that its final answer still depends on Western countries’ response to Iran’s reservations around some of the terms in the drafted deal.

Guest, Male #1
Some parties contacted us and said, our reservations on the draft deal require new rounds of negotiations. Some of these reservations relate to economic and technical matters. We will discuss these issues during the next round of talks, and after that we’ll make our decision.

Reporter, Male #1
But the indications and signals that Iran has sent out seem to show that Iran is leaning towards buying nuclear fuel, instead of swapping it.

Guest, Male #2
According to article 1 and 2 of the International Nuclear Energy Agency, it should endeavor to meet our peaceful and humanitarian requests. We are ready to buy nuclear fuel from anyone, as we have bought it from Argentina in the past with help of the agency.

Reporter, Male #1
The Vienna draft deal proposes to compensate Iran’s 1,200 kilogram of low-enriched uranium with 30 kilogram of nuclear fuel. This has caused controversy in various sectors of Tehran. Politically, many think that Tehran’s giving away its low-enriched uranium reserves, also described as “strategic reserves”, shows that Iran’s losing its bargaining chip in negotiations, and that will open doors to forcing Iran into other resolutions. Technically, this swap deal is not a fair one

Presenter, Female #1
The Taliban rejected the Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s offer to join the government. A spokesman for the Taliban said that Karzai and his government are nothing but puppets in the hands of the West. Karzai has announced that he welcomes all the political groups in the government, which is planned to be formed with the inclusion of the political opposition and the Taliban. Karzai also promised in his inauguration speech to exert efforts in fighting corruption in all of its forms.

Reporter, Male #1
Not long before the Afghan president entered the press conference hall, the Taliban published on its website a statement saying that the cancelation of the runoff election was a result of its threats. But the president, who won a second term, made sure to extend his hand to the Taliban, which refuses to acknowledge his legitimacy since he came into power in 2001, as well as his other political oppositions.

Guest, Male #1 (Karzai)
The future government will be a government for all the Afghan people. All those who want to work with me are welcomed to regardless of their opposition to me.

Reporter, Male #1
This call was a formality, but it was very telling. Karzai was announced the winner after his opponent Abdullah Abdullah pulled out of the runoff election and was canceled subsequently. He will rule the government for the next 5 years. Despite that, Karzai is accused of forging tens of thousands of votes in the first round of elections. His position makes it necessary to reach out to his opponent.

Guest, Male #1 (Karzai)
The Afghan administration has a bad reputation because of corruption. Therefore, today we are planning to truly exert all of our efforts to eradicate the disease of corruption.

Reporter, Male #1
Karzai was also accused of corruption during his first term in the government, and it dominated a large part of his speech today. Not to mention that the Western congratulation letters that descended upon the reelected president are full of requests to eradicate the corruption, which is pushing many civil sectors into the Taliban’s arms.

Guest, Male #2 (Obama)
“This has to be a point in time in which we begin to write a new chapter based on improved governance, a much more serious effort to eradicate corruption.”

Guest, Male #3 (Gordon)
“Afghanistan now needs new and urgent measures for attacking corruption” and strengthening the local governance, and to continue with all parties in the Afghan society to provide the people a role to play in deciding its future.

Reporter, Male #1
The US president and the head of the British government were happy to see the end of the election crisis in Afghanistan, which lasted more than 2 months. But their hopes that this election would be an opportunity to rebuild a government that has the trust of the Afghan people do not seem likely to be fully realized anytime soon. This is especially clear, since Abdullah Abdullah frankly announced that there is even less reason to participate in Karzai’s administration now. Firaz Kidani, BBC.

Presenter, Woman # 1
Al Jazeera correspondent in Jerusalem quoted Israel's military intelligence chief Maj. Gen. Amos Yadlin saying that Hamas has recently tested 60-kilometer range rockets.

Presenter, Man # 1
During a meeting for the Knesset security committee, Yadlin said that the missile can reach Tel Aviv. Hamas did not disclose whether it has such long range missiles or not.

Presenter, Woman # 1
Hamas however said that such statements reflect that Israel is facing a serious crisis especially in the wake of the Goldstone Report.

Presenter, Man # 1
Joining us from Cairo, military expert General Safwat al-Zayat. General Safwat al-Zayat, from a military perspective, why did Hamas refuse to disclose whether or nor it has such missiles?

Guest, Man # 2
I think that Hamas, as a resistance movement, is exhibiting a high level of wisdom and reason. Hamas is no longer trying to prove that it has overcome the so called Cast Lead Israeli military operation. It seems that it is following the foot steps of Hezbollah. Hamas is basically saying that it does not want to talk too much; instead it wants to develop its military capabilities and increase its weapons reserve. Hamas does not want to give the enemy any excuses that can be used to prevent it from developing its fighting capabilities. Hamas is using the Hezbollah model and it is a great one. Perhaps Hezbollah at this point has five times the amount of weapons it had prior to the 2006 war in Lebanon. Israel is now complaining because it feels that Hamas has a missile system that can be used against its ships which may jeopardize its navel sovereignty. This applies to Israel’s southern coast, across Gaza’s coast as well as the Lebanese coast.

Presenter, Man # 1
Mr. al-Zaiat we know the Gaza is suffering from a suffocating siege, Gazans do not even have sufficient food and medicine. Do you think that Hamas has the ability to manufacture 60-kilometer range missiles under such circumstances?

Guest, Man # 2
Israel's military intelligence chief Maj. Gen. Amos Yadlin was ambiguous when he talked to the Knesset security committee. He did not say what kinds of missiles he was referring to. He did not say whether the missiles were locally made or imported from abroad, perhaps from Syria or Iran. This ambiguity benefits Hamas; it seems it has been able to develop some kind of missile system that can be used to attack Israeli ships. Therefore the 60-kilometer range missile test sends a message that Hamas can reach the southern suburbs of Tel Aviv. This ambiguity benefits the weaker side; Hamas who’s trying to develop its military capabilities. Hamas is very pragmatic and has emerged from the cast lead military operation with the experience of dealing with Israel’s military confrontations.Hamas wants the siege to end, but in the meantime and with extreme caution, it will not stop developing its military capabilities. It is as if, Hamas is saying that Israelis are doing the talking and we are not.

Presenter, Female #1
The Iraqi Prime Minster, Nuri al-Maliki, said that his government is committed to improving relations with France at all levels, especially at the economic and trade levels. During a meeting with the French Minister of State for Foreign Trade, Ann-Marie Idrac, al-Maliki called on French companies to take part in the reconstruction of Iraq. Iraq and France signed a declaration, allowing French companies to design and build the Middle Euphrates Airport in the province of Karbala. Al-Maliki further said that there’s an opportunity for work in Iraq, especially after the country witnessed major security achievements. The Iraqi Prime Minister also called for a reduction in the price of public transit and air fares, as part of the public services offered to the residents.

Guest, Male #1 (Al-Maliki)
I’m asking the Ministry of Transportation and the airlines to offer discounts to the Iraqi citizens to encourage them to travel. The ultimate goal of all government institutions is to provide public services and to make it easy for the residents to access them. Many of the public transit companies, which have made record profits, need to reduce the price of their fares, as part of their service to the community. This will, in turn, help improve services in the transportation and tourism industry.

Presenter, Female #1
The Middle Euphrates Airport was nothing more than a fairy tale in the horizon. However, what was a dream yesterday has become a reality today. This news comes after the signing of a contract between Iraq and France to build a network of airports in Iraq. French companies will oversee the project.

Reporter, Male #1
After a meeting between the Iraqi Prime Minster, Nuri Kamil al-Maliki, and the French Minister of State for Foreign Trade, a contract was signed between the Iraqi Ministry of Transportation and the French airport commission. According to the contract, the French company is to prepare designs, conduct studies and hold consultations for the upcoming Middle Euphrates Airport. The breaking of the ground will take place two months after signing the contract.

Guest, Female #2
I signed today a contract with the Iraqi Transport Minister to build the Middle Euphrates airport. The project will be executed by the French airport operator “Aéroports de Paris,” which is a government-run company that is known at the international level.

Reporter, Male #1
The opening of a center for the design of airports in Iraq and the launch of training sessions in the field were also included in the articles of the agreement. The Middle Euphrates Airport will be built between the three provinces of Kerbala, Najaf, and Babylon.The airport will have an initial capacity of 5 million passengers per year, and is expected to reach a capacity of 35 million at the final phase of completion. The Middle Euphrates Airport will be one of the largest airports in the region.

Guest, Male #2
The plan includes the building of airports in other Iraqi provinces such as the province of Kirkuk, Salah al-Deen, Wasit, Misan, and Naseriya.

Reporter, Male #1
The Middle Euphrates Airport’s contract was signed before Nuri Kamel al-Maliki and is a step in the right direction. This will help boost air traffic as well as help improve tourism, especially for religious and archeological purposes. This is the first building bloc in a project that includes the building of a network of airports in the new Iraq. Thamer al-Shamri, Iraqiya, Baghdad.

Presenter, Woman # 1
The Egyptian National Telecom Regulatory Authority introduced a cell phone usage ethics code with the objective of regulating the use of cell phones. The agreement has 16 articles, including a warning not to send inappropriate texts or images; otherwise the sender may be punished by law. We leave you with Ahmad Baqatu.

Reporter, Man # 1
If you call someone at the wrong time, or if you talk on the cell phone in loud voice, then you are violating the cell phone usage ethics code that was introduced by the Egyptian Telecom Regulatory Authority. According to the agreement, cell phones can’t be used in ways that can negatively affect others or bother them. For example, cell phones can’t be used to harass women, record phone conversations or take pictures of others without their consent.

Guest, Man # 2
The cell phone usage ethics code is designed to regulate cell phone usage in Egypt. The agreement helps people by showing them what is acceptable and not acceptable while using cell phones. Today’s younger generations are doing things that our generation considered impolite. Thing have changed nowadays. Therefore, it is our duty to show people what is appropriate behavior and what is not. People are then free to choose.

Guest, Man # 3
What kind of a ringtone is this?

Reporter, Man # 1
The cell phone usage ethics code will issue warnings to users about fraud and in the case of inappropriate images or texts being text. Otherwise, the senders will face punishment under the law. Many agree with the need for such an ethics agreement.

Guest, Man # 4
The cell phone was not designed to record conversations or take pictures of people without their knowledge. We are using the cell phone for the wrong things.

Guest, Man # 5
We are urging the Egyptian society to act appropriately and responsibly.

Reporter, Man # 1
The cell phone ethics code which has 16 articles was prepared by a select group of well-educated specialists and journalists. It calls for turning off cell phones in places of worship, hospitals, Mosques and movie theaters. Some people however feel that these things should come naturally and there is no need for such an ethics code.

Guest, Man # 5
Give me a break; there is no need for such an ethics code. I think that people should know these things.

Reporter, Man # 1
There is a wide consensus that people hould be courteous and polite in the way they use cell phones as was stipulated in the cell phone ethics code. The questions are, will these etiquettes be enforced and will the users follow them? There are already many protocol agreements, but people do not necessarily feel obligated to honor them. Ahamd Baqato, Al Arabiya, Cairo.

Presenter, Female #1
The hunting season has begun in the Beqaa Valley in the absence of any regulatory laws. Report by Jessica Mello.

Correspondent, Female #1
The hunting season has begun and hunters did not wait for regulatory laws nor have they listened to the repeated calls of environmentalists about the dangers of random hunting on Lebanon’s nature, and on its migratory and local birds. Hunters have been roaming around since the early morning in the Beqaa valley, looking for their prey.

Guest, Male # 1
Some say that hunting is forbidden, and others say it’s permitted. Knowing that it should be allowed! The decisions they take have been fine for the past 5 years, but it’s been 15 years since hunting has been outlawed. You still find hunters out here, on the loose; they are hunting, they are not really concerned with this matter.

Guest, Male # 2
All the time, for example, they specify an enclosed area, then they say that they’re only allowed to hunt there. They require a permit, and make hunters go though some sort of program and a specific test. But today, anyone here, when they see something flying in the sky, they say it’s a bird. A kid sees a dove and says it’s a bird. He doesn’t even know what it is.

Correspondent, Female # 1
So you’re with the regulation of hunting?

Guest, Male # 2
I am for the regulation!

Guest, Male # 3
It is the government’s responsibility to adopt and implement the law.

Correspondent, Female #1
In reality, did the hunting season already start or not?

Guest, Male # 3
In reality, the season should have begun because this is the natural date for the beginning of the hunting season, which is the 22nd of October.

Correspondent, Female # 1
To regulate hunting, is a demand and a necessity called for by organizations and those who care about the environment…Those who know that random hunting is a serious mistake.

Guest, Male # 4
We are messing with the environment, we should protect it. A bird, for example, is moves a seed from place to place until saplings grow back. We have forests of oak and almug, if it doesn’t have an eco-balance, it won’t rise. Hunting has become a sport, regulate this sport and that’s it!

Correspondent, Female # 1
While waiting for regulation, control and accountability, random hunting remains the master of the house. And birds remain at a danger of extinction. From the Beqaa Valley, Jessica Mello, Future TV.