[Transcript]  Mosaic News - 01/04/11: World News From The Middle East [VIDEO]

Presenter, Male #1
Investigations are ongoing in the New Year's Day bombing amid security reports indicating that the pool of suspects was narrowed down, especially after fragments of a corpse with Asian features were found. The body is believed to be that of the bomber. However, the incident has revived the issue of the relationship between Muslims and Christians in Egypt and justified requests to seriously deal with this thorny problem. Samir Omar reports on some aspects of this relationship.

Reporter, Male #2
There is no time for joy. Everyone is still overwhelmed with sadness, mourning the deep and long relationship between Muslims and Christians in Egypt. This relationship has suffered violent blows in the last several years, but it did not prevent love from flowing between the two sides. Here, Hajj Ali and some of the residents on this street all came to offer condolences to Pastor Farouq and his family and to console them. Pastor Farouq's family survived the incident, but the wound is still bleeding. It is only one wound, but the concern is shared by everyone. Everyone here is asking who carried out this attack.

Guest, Male #3
We have never felt religious differences. This country belongs to our lord. But as humans, we are brothers; we live peacefully and in safety. There are no problems between us.

Guest, Female #1
Our son Hassan, because I've been here for over 30 years, he is considered my son. We are all brothers here; you can't tell the difference between a Christian and a Muslim. But I wonder where this terrorism is coming from.

Reporter, Male #2
In order to answer this question, security agencies and investigative authorities continue their work in light of new information that might help identify the person who carried out the attack. Thus far, the most important information is that the bomb was locally produced and that it was more advanced than those used in previous incidents. In addition, it is likely that the person who carried out the attack was recruited and trained outside the country. For this reason, a wide scale sweep has been carried out and security tightened in all of Egypt's churches. Sooner or later, security agencies and investigative authorities will succeed in identifying the suspects and uncovering the circumstances behind the attack. However, this will not resolve the major questions that exploded as a result and the important phenomena it uncovered. The most notable of these questions is discovering the reason for Egyptian society's move toward sectarianism and the Christians' belief that the government and society discriminates against them. On the other side, a large segment of the population is blaming foreign entities for attempting to change the role of the church within the state.

Guest, Male #4 (Sameh Fawze, Christian writer and researcher)
We should talk about media, about education. We should talk about creating an atmosphere of forgiveness and rejecting extremism. In reality, we need to find out who carried it out. But in any case, there are undoubtedly some Egyptians who believed in a negative idea.

Reporter, Male #2
While waiting for discussions of such issues on an all-encompassing national table, many believe the situation will remain unchanged despite sincere invitations to overcome the remnants of the incident. Samir Omar, al-Jazeera, Alexandria.

Presenter, Female #1
The Sudanese president has arrived in the southern capital of Juba. Joining us from the presidential palace in Juba is our correspondent Sami al-Shinawi. Sami, what were the most important issues discussed in the open meeting between al-Bashir and President of the Southern Sudanese Government Salva Kiir.

Guest, Male #1 (Sami al-Shinawi, Dubai Correspondent to Sudan)
The meeting between Salva Kiir and Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir was very brief. After the meeting, the leaders held a press conference that was attended by reporters, civil society organizations and bishops in Southern Sudan. Everyone here expressed concern about the future of relations between the north and the south. Al-Bashir promised southern bishops, leaders of civil society organizations, as well as government officials that the relations between the north and the south would not change and that they can't be separated by political variables. The Sudanese president said that even if the south chooses to secede, the two nations will remain bound by social ties.

Presenter, Female #1
As far as the disputed region of Abyei, was there any new development about its fate?

Guest, Male #1
In his speech, al-Bashir said that the fate of the Abyei region had not yet been decided. He said that both sides remain committed to the Nifasha peace agreement and articles of the Sudanese constitution. The constitution grants the Misseriya tribe in the region of Abyei the right to vote in the referendum, which the Sudan People's Liberation Movement, the SPLM, strongly rejects, saying that the Dinka-Ngok tribe has the sole right to vote in Abyei. However, both sides said they will be able to resolve the problem, just like they did in the case of Nifasha, which was a much bigger problem.

Presenter, Female #1
What are the ramifications of al-Bashir's visit to the south, especially in terms of its timing? What kind of effect, if any, will it have on next Sunday's referendum?

Guest, Male #1
The visit came at a very sensitive time. It signals many messages. Al-Bashir came to Juba to reassure the entire Sudanese nation, in the south and the north. This is important especially considering that the people of the south see the north as occupiers. Many fear that war may erupt between the north and the south again. The two sides fought a civil war for over twenty years. Al-Bashir came to reiterate that the people of the south and the north will continue to reach out to one another. He also wants to reassure everyone that the government of Khartoum doesn't wish to return to war, regardless of the outcome of the referendum.

Presenter, Female #1
Sami al-Shinawi from Juba, thank you very much.

Presenter, Male #1
Iran has invited a number of European ambassadors to the International Atomic Energy Agency to tour its nuclear plants. The U.S. State Department spokesman described the invite as a "ploy" that cannot replace transparent cooperation. Iran excluded the ambassadors from the U.S., France and Germany from the invitation. Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman said the invitation coincided with the conference that will soon be held in Istanbul. Iranian officials and representatives from the six powers will hold negotiations on the Iranian nuclear program at the conference.

Reporter, Male #1
Amid a cold war between Tehran and the West, Iran announces a new initiative in an attempt to reassure the six countries concerned about its nuclear program. The Iranian government has invited a number of ambassadors and diplomats to tour its nuclear sites.

Guest, Male #1 (Ramin Mehmanparast, Iran Foreign Ministry spokesman)
This invitation attests to Iran's goodwill towards certain countries, including some European countries, member countries of the Group of 77, the Non-Aligned Movement, in addition to representatives of the six countries.

Reporter, Male #1
The Iranian foreign ministry, confirming the invitation, did not specify the relevant nuclear sites. But the Associated Press quoted a European diplomat saying that the tour will include the Bushehr reactor, the Natanz plant and a meeting with the Iranian nuclear chief. The Iranian invitation comes weeks before the new round of talks hosted by Turkey will begin between Tehran and the five member countries of the UN Security Council plus Germany. In response to Iran's new proposal, the U.S. State Department spokesman said that it was no more than Tehran's attempt to divert the world's attention from the basic issues regarding its nuclear program. The Western powers hold the same position which insists that Iran has a right to possess nuclear technology for peaceful purposes under the condition that it stops enriching uranium domestically and transports most of its uranium reserves to be processed overseas. As the nuclear program becomes a national issue, Tehran raises the level of its defiance in regard to the West every day. Tehran is not stressed over the fourth package of international sanctions imposed on Iran, and the Iranian president is still reaffirming in public speeches that his country will not yield to pressure or threats.

Guest, Male #2 (Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iranian president)
I say to the Western powers: it is useless to continue this way of threatening and menacing, it will only result in defeat, humiliation and shame.

Reporter, Male #1
The Western countries have not changed their position, which insists that Iran has a right to possess nuclear technology for peaceful purposes under the condition that it stops enriching uranium domestically and transports most of its reserves overseas for processing. Iranians reject such a proposition and insist that its nuclear program is peaceful. Ahmed Maha, BBC.

Presenter, Female #1
According to African Union sources, outgoing Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo has agreed to lift the blockade around the headquarters of rival Alassane Ouattara and to negotiate a peaceful end to the crisis. President-elect Alassane Ouattara's political adviser denied statements made by Kenya's prime minister, Raila Odinga, indicating that Ouattara agreed to meet face-to-face with his rival Gbagbo. In a related development, French President Nicolas Sarkozy denied that French troops currently deployed in the Ivory Coast were there to interfere in order to solve the crisis in the country.

Reporter, Female #2
In hopes of making progress in the Ivory Coast's political crisis, African mediators returned for the second time to a country that for weeks has been enduring a presidential power struggle between outgoing President Laurent Gbagbo and President-elect Alassane Ouattara.

Guest, Male #1 (Ernest Bai Koroma, Sierra Leone President)
We have had very important meetings. At this stage, we can only say that negotiations are ongoing.

Reporter, Female #2
The efforts of African mediators in the Ivory Coast crisis are limited, according to its leaders, to discussing means to facilitate the withdrawal of Gbagbo without resorting to force, which they warned against following last week's talks.

Guest, Male #2 (Alassane Ouattara, Ivory Coast president-elect)
As far as we're concerned, the negotiations are over. The delegation will meet with Gbagbo to drive him to recognize the results and recognize me as the elected and legitimate president of the -Ivory Coast. For this reason, he has to leave as soon as possible. If he refuses, the Economic Community of West African States will use of course, as it stated, all means including legitimate force in order to allow me to completely fulfill my duties.

Guest, Male #3 (Guillaume Soro, Ouattara's prime minister)
The ECOWAS and African Union envoys were clear; there is no ambiguity in that Gbagbo has to cede power. If he refuses, the international community will have no choice but to use force.

Reporter, Female #2
Threats have not yet affected outgoing President Laurent Gbagbo's determination to hang on to power. He denounced what he described as a coup attempt orchestrated against him by the international community. This makes the mission of the African mediation seem almost impossible. Negotiations are over and the mediating African delegation left the country without making any progress to solve the crisis that keeps deteriorating. On one side, there are warnings of action to be taken against Gbagbo and, on the other, fears of pushing the country into a civil war that could lead to the death of hundreds or thousands of innocent people.

Prime Minister Yusuf Gilani has announced a three day national mourning of Punjab's governor. Gilani has also ordered an immediate probe into the killing of Salman Taseer. Taseer was gunned down by his own guard in Islamabad. Police say five other people were also wounded as security personnel responded to the attack. Taseer was a high profile member of the ruling party and a close ally of President Asif Ali Zardani. According to the Interior Ministry he was killed because of his opposition to controversial blasphemy laws.

Two maintenance workers from the British consulate in Jerusalem have been charged with membership in terrorist organizations and with weapons trafficking in connection with the alleged Hamas plot to fire a missile into Jerusalem's Teddy stadium during an Israeli premier league soccer match. The British consulate issued a statement confirming that the arrests of Mohamed Hamadeh and Bilal Bakhatan saying that Israeli authorities reassured them that the investigation of the Palestinian employees is unrelated to the work of the consulate.

Presenter, Female #1
At the end of the month, movie theatres around the world will start showing a new Turkish film that depicts the details of the Israeli raid that was carried out by commando units on the Gaza-bound freedom flotilla last May.

Reporter, Female #2
Valley of the Wolves: Palestine is a Turkish film that is expected to generate a storm of Israeli condemnation, which could develop into a new crisis in Turkish-Israeli relations. Starting on the 28th of January, this vast work will convey on the golden screen the details of the freedom flotilla carnage. It led to the martyrdom of nine Turks, resulting in further strain in the relations between Ankara and Tel Aviv last May.

Guest, Male #1 (Zübeyr Şaşmaz, Director of Valley of the Wolves)
I don't think this film will lead to an international crisis. This could happen, but the clash will be temporary, not permanent.

Reporter, Female #2
In addition to the events that took place on the freedom flotilla, the hour and 30-minute film tackles the suffering of the Palestinian people and the ongoing Israeli crimes against them in light of the continuous assaults and the siege imposed on the Gaza Strip. The budget of Valley of the Wolves: Palestine was 10 million dollars, making it one of the most expensive Turkish movies ever produced.

Guest, Male #2 (Necati Şaşmaz, Protagonist of Valley of the Wolves)
We are shedding light on the cruelty and injustice that has been going on for over 50 years. We are using their weapons to accomplish our goal.

Reporter, Female # 2
A Turkish series with the same title was watched by 4 million viewers around the world. It generated a storm of criticism in Israel that led its ambassador to Turkey to complain about the content of the series, claiming that it offends Israelis.

Presenter, Male #1
Specialized institutions confiscated 4 million, 50 thousand narcotic pills after actively pursuing a drug trafficking group. These drugs were produced in Lebanon and were going to be smuggled into Gulf countries.

Presenter, Female #1
This operation comes as part of efforts to fight cross-border drug trafficking.

Reporter, Male # 2
Drug traffickers often try to create more complicated ways to hide their contraband. They think these inventive ways will shield them from being caught by the authorities. In the latest trafficking ring stopped by security institutions, we learned that traffickers use various vehicles to hide and smuggle drugs. They build secret compartments within the car's structure, making them very hard to uncover. However, the contraband was discovered and seized. Another place to hide drugs is inside power generators that are altered by traffickers. These were seized as they were being assembled. Traffickers have also tried to hide drugs inside the iron fences in parks. But the fate of these drugs was the same: they fell into the hands of justice. In the latest operation, 4 million, 50 thousand pills were seized as traffickers were attempting to smuggle them from a food storage site. The value of these drugs is estimated at over 300 million Syrian pounds. The drugs were about to be smuggled across the sea to the Arab Gulf countries. Specialized institutions followed the trafficking group and arrested its members during the preparation process. They confessed to the drug trafficking and revealed certain details.

Guest, Male #3
I started in 2004 by dealing small amounts, 200 and 300 pills. Then we moved to 800 and 1,000. Afterward, we started sending large quantities in water tanks, sending 18,000 and 20,000. On four occasions, we sent nearly 80,000 pills. I dealt 20 million pills and made nearly 20 million Syrian pounds. In July, we made an agreement with some Lebanese folks, our neighbors, to send a certain quantity of pills to some Gulf countries. We would produce the tank and they would send us the pills from Lebanon. Once we custom-made the tank, we contacted them and they sent us the pills. We stored them in the tank. We worked, then came home and had dinner and went to sleep. The next day, at seven in the morning, we got ready.

Guest, Male #4
I was in a Gulf country when they called me. They told me they had a container holding a tank with merchandise inside. They said they would send it to me and asked me to retrieve it. They also sent a blacksmith to cut the tank and they retrieved these bags filled with pills. They put the merchandise in a car and a man contacted me; I met with him and gave him the car. One week later, they contacted me again asking me to carry some more merchandise. I came at nine in the morning and went over there. At around two o'clock, we went to Adra, to a garage where a tank was stored along with these black bags. I was there with Abu Mohammad and Ismail. We took turns emptying the tank and filling the bags.

Reporter, Male #2
God granted Syria a strategic location and weak-minded people try to exploit it and turn Syria into a passageway for drugs. But the message here is very clear: this passageway is absolutely closed to their contraband. More than 4 million narcotics in pill form are added to the dozens of millions of pills that were seized by specialized institution in the past several months. And every time, a criminal realizes that the path into the hands of justice is much shorter than the path toward achieving their goal of getting rich quickly by destroying the lives of thousands of young people. Abdu Halim, Syria TV, Damascus.


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