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MIDDLE EAST DAILY BULLETIN 17 MARCH 2014

NO: 1751 1. IRAQ ..................................................................................................................................... 4

Presidency of the Kurdistan region: no one has the right to speak on behalf of the president of the region Print Save ............................................................................................................................4

Nujaifi meets with US official .......................................................................................................4

INA to pressurize towards endorsing Budget Law, says Baldawi .................................................4

Rafie al-Issawi excluded from the next elections .........................................................................4

Alshahyla , al- Saadi , al-Ajaili , al-Issawi , Al-Alusi and al-Mullah Definitively Excluded from the Upcoming Elections ..............................................................................................................................5

Muhsin al-Sadoun Denies the Threat by Kurdistan Leader to Stop the Export of Oil and Water Cut 5

Barzani signs decision of turning Halabcha into new province in Kurdistan ................................5

Allawi : Youth will Play a Major Role in Changing the Course of the Political Process in the Elections ...............................................................................................................................................6

Iraqi Media Networks’ staff protests for preventing them from entering Parliament ................6

Zubaidi confirms need for national government that consolidate national unity .......................6 2. SYRIA .................................................................................................................................... 6

Syria war spillover in north Lebanon: At least 9 people killed in 48 hours ..................................6

Syria war enters fourth year with more than 146,000 dead ........................................................7

Assad army seizes full control of rebel bastion Yabrud ...............................................................7

Syria chemical weapons 'could go in a month' ............................................................................7

Syrian army captures strategic border town ................................................................................8

U.S. calls Assad’s re-election bid ‘disgusting’ ...............................................................................8

Syrian FM recovering from heart surgery ....................................................................................8

World marks anniversary of Syria rebellion .................................................................................8

Jarba urges Syrian opposition ‘friends’ for arms ..........................................................................9

Army: Syria infiltrators, fighters in Jordan custody ......................................................................9

Peace envoy Brahimi visits Syria ally Iran .....................................................................................9 3. IRAN .................................................................................................................................... 10

Iran 'thwarts nuclear sabotage attempts' ................................................................................. 10

Rouhani Proposes Iran-EU Joint Campaign against Violence, Terrorism, Extremism ............... 10

Zarif: Iran, World Powers to Focus on Technical Issues in Upcoming Talks .............................. 10

Iran Willing to Expand All-Out Ties with Belarus ....................................................................... 11

Iranian MPs Stress Iran’s Inalienable Nuclear Rights ................................................................ 11

Iran Mulling Construction of N. Power Plants in 16 New Sites ................................................. 11

EU shouldn’t dance to US, Israel tune: Rafsanjani .................................................................... 12

Azerbaijani president to visit Iran in near future: Official ......................................................... 12

Final Iran nuclear deal to benefit entire Mideast: China .......................................................... 12 4. ISRAEL – PALESTINE.............................................................................................................. 13

Serious discussions mocked: Peres posts ‘secret talks’ disguises on Facebook ........................ 13

Israel fuel deliveries to Gaza to resume .................................................................................... 13

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Palestinians protest UN food cuts in Gaza ................................................................................ 13

Kerry urges Abbas to make 'tough decisions' ........................................................................... 14

Israel shells Lebanon after border blast .................................................................................... 14

'Abbas to tell Obama: Israel must free Barghouti, Sa'adat for peace talks to continue' .......... 14

Gaza power plant restart delayed over fuel .............................................................................. 15

Thousands of Palestinians surround Jerusalem Old City ........................................................... 15 5. JORDAN and LEBANON ......................................................................................................... 15

Lebanon government reaches compromise on ‘armed resistance’ .......................................... 15

Bloodbath in Tripoli as Syria war spills over .............................................................................. 16

Death toll rises in northern Lebanon clashes ............................................................................ 16

Lebanon car bomb kills Hezbollah leader.................................................................................. 16

Lebanon to allow citizens to resist Israel .................................................................................. 16

Jordanian jailed for killing Israelis on hunger strike .................................................................. 17

Jordan king visits family of ‘martyr’ judge killed by Israel ......................................................... 17

Zaatari children mark conflict anniversary, urge world to stand with Syria ............................. 17

Queen joins young Jordanians in discussion of their development priorities .......................... 18

Lower House to discuss no-confidence vote Tuesday............................................................... 18 6. ARABIAN PENINSULA AND THE GULF OF BASRA .................................................................... 18

Riyadh Book Fair confiscates hundreds of poetry and Brotherhood publications ................... 18

Abu Dhabi agrees to refinance $20 billion of Dubai loans ........................................................ 19

Bahrain Saddam commemoration stirs controversy ................................................................. 19

Breakthrough gives Emirati women hope to soar high ............................................................. 19

Riyadh demands Qatar shuts down Al Jazeera ......................................................................... 20

Qatar prepares for sanctions if Brotherhood dispute escalates ............................................... 20

Yemen troops kill southern activist: group ............................................................................... 20

Rebels rally in Yemen city demanding government quit........................................................... 20

Abdullah arrives in Saudi Arabia ................................................................................................ 21 7. EGYPT .................................................................................................................................. 21

Islamist gunmen kill six Egypt soldiers in new escalation ......................................................... 21

Bomb accident kills leader of Ansar Beit al-Maqdis in Egypt .................................................... 21

Egypt activist Alaa Abdel Fattah faces trial on March 23 .......................................................... 22

Egypt vows 'decisive' steps after deadly raid ............................................................................ 22

Egypt ex-presidential candidate calls upcoming elections a ‘farce’ .......................................... 22

Two police officers killed in a security raid targeting an outlaw in Qena ................................. 22 8. NORTH AFRICA ..................................................................................................................... 23

Tunisia denies discriminating against Israeli tourists ................................................................ 23

Algeria PM meets local leaders in troubled Ghardaia ............................................................... 23

Mehdi Jomaa in Dubai: UAE stands by Tunisia in crucial phase ................................................ 23

From prison in Spain to Morocco: Deportation of Madrid train bombing convict ................... 24

Bouteflika’s 4th term divides Algeria as clashes rage in Ghardaia ............................................ 24

Libyan port rebels ready to negotiate if Tripoli cancels army offensive ................................... 24

Ex-Libyan PM: there are political coalitions who want delayed elections ................................ 25

Sacked Libyan PM Zeidan says he fled country due to ‘security conditions’ ............................ 25 9. AFGHANISTAN – PAKISTAN .................................................................................................. 25

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Another Candidate Pulls Out Of Afghan Presidential Vote ....................................................... 25

Taliban violence threatens Afghan elections: HRW .................................................................. 25

Afghan forces kill 6 Taliban militants ........................................................................................ 26

Nisar given Taliban’s list of women, children prisoners: Ibrahim ............................................. 26

Protesting nurses accept government offer, end sit-in............................................................. 26

US Navy Seals free freighter with six Pakistanis on-board ........................................................ 27 10. TURKEY AND THE MIDDLE EAST ............................................................................................ 27

Oglu and Barzani / Meeting. ...................................................................................................... 27

Oglu: Saddam was strong and committed worst massacre against Kurds ............................... 27

Barzani and Erdogan hold a closed-door meeting away from cameras .................................... 28

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1. IRAQ

Presidency of the Kurdistan region: no one has the right to speak on behalf of the president of the region Print Save

The presidency of the Kurdistan region confirmed that no person or party has the right to speak on

behalf of the region's president , Massoud Barzani, on the results of the meeting, which was devoted

to discuss the budget with the Kurdish blocs in Parliament .

More Details:

http://www.ninanews.com/english/News_Details.asp?ar95_VQ=HDFHEK

Nujaifi meets with US official

Iraqi House Speaker, Osama Abdul Aziz al-Nujaifi discussed with

Assistant Secretary of State, George Brett the deterioration of the

security situation and the relations between Erbil and Baghdad and

the cause of the delay of the budget. The two side discussed the

relations between Baghdad and Erbil and the issue of delay in the

federal budget in Iraq and the need to show all the possibilities in

order to bring the views and overcome the obstacles and persuade

the parties to attend meetings to approve the law .

More Details:

http://www.ninanews.com/english/News_Details.asp?ar95_VQ=HDFHIH

INA to pressurize towards endorsing Budget Law, says Baldawi

MP, Mufeed al-Baldawi, of the Iraqi National Alliance assured that the INA will pressurize towards

endorsing the Budget Law through majority.He stated to AIN "INA will pressurize the parliament

Chairmanship to conduct the first reading for the Budget Law and to vote on its draft by majority."

More Details:

http://www.alliraqnews.com/en/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=50412:ina-to-

pressurize-towards-endorsing-budget-law-says-baldawi&catid=35:political&Itemid=2

Rafie al-Issawi excluded from the next elections

A source in the Iraqiya coalition, said that the leader figure in the Muttahidoon

coalition, Rafie al-Issawi was excluded from the next parliamentary elections.

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He told the National Iraqi News Agency / NINA / " Rafie al-Issawi was excluded from running in the

upcoming parliamentary elections to be held on April 30."

More Details:

http://www.ninanews.com/english/News_Details.asp?ar95_VQ=HDFIDJ

Alshahyla , al- Saadi , al-Ajaili , al-Issawi , Al-Alusi and al-Mullah Definitively Excluded from the Upcoming Elections

A source in the election commission announced on Sunday the exclusion of 4 deputies definitively

from the upcoming parliamentary elections. The source said in a statement to the National Iraqi

News Agency/ NINA / that the discrimination judicial body has excluded the MPs / Rafie al-Issawi ,

Motahedoon Coalition, Jawad Al-shehaly for the Liberal bloc, and the independent MP Sabah al-Saadi

, Abdul Dhiyab Ajaili for Iraqiya.

More Details:

http://www.ninanews.com/english/News_Details.asp?ar95_VQ=HDFIHK

Muhsin al-Sadoun Denies the Threat by Kurdistan Leader to Stop the Export of Oil and Water Cut

The leader in the Coalition of Kurdish Blocs Mohsen al-Sadoun denied on Sunday the threat by the

President of Kurdistan, Massoud Barzani to the federal government to stop the export of oil through

the territory of the province and the water cut.

More Details:

http://www.ninanews.com/english/News_Details.asp?ar95_VQ=HDFIIJ

Barzani signs decision of turning Halabcha into new province in Kurdistan

The President of Kurdistan Region, Masoud Barzani, ratified the

decision of the turning Halabcha district into new province in

Kurdistan Region. A statement by KR Presidency office received by AIN

cited "In coincidence with annual ceremony of the Chemical attack

against Halabcha by the former regime, Barzani signed the decision of

making this district as a new province within KR."

More Details:

http://www.alliraqnews.com/en/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=50422:barzani-

signs-decision-of-turning-halabcha-into-new-province-in-kurdistan-&catid=35:political&Itemid=2

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Allawi : Youth will Play a Major Role in Changing the Course of the Political Process in the Elections

Head of the National Coalition, Iyad Allawi, said on Sunday that the youth will play a major role in

changing the course of the political process in the upcoming parliamentary elections .

More Details:

http://www.ninanews.com/english/News_Details.asp?ar95_VQ=HDFIJF

Iraqi Media Networks’ staff protests for preventing them from entering Parliament

A number of employees of the Iraqi Media Network demonstrated on Sunday , to denounce what

they called the Speaker of the parliament , Osama al- Nujaifi’s decision of preventing al-Iraqiya TV

staff from entering Parliament .

More Details:

http://www.shafaaq.com/en/politics/9244--demonstration-of-iraqi-media-networks-staff-for-

preventing-them-from-entering-parliament.html

Zubaidi confirms need for national government that consolidate national unity

The head of the Citizen bloc, Baqir al-Zubaidi, confirmed the need for a national government that

consolidates the national unity among Iraqis. Via his Facebook page, he said "I received the Chieftain

of al-Umerat tribe, Mahmoud al-Atiwi, and confirmed that need for the national government that

sustains stability and security."

More Details:

http://www.alliraqnews.com/en/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=50414:zubaidi-

confirms-need-for-national-government-that-consolidate-national-unity-

&catid=35:political&Itemid=2

2. SYRIA

Syria war spillover in north Lebanon: At least 9 people killed in 48 hours

Nine people have been killed in 48 hours of clashes in Lebanon's

northern town of Tripoli linked to the conflict in neighbouring

Syria, a security source said on Saturday. The violence between

two districts of the city caused local schools to close and cut traffic

flow in the city to a trickle, a correspondent said.

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More Details:

http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=64852

Syria war enters fourth year with more than 146,000 dead

Syrian troops advanced Saturday on the key rebel bastion of

Yabrud as the country's civil war entered its fourth year, with

more than 146,000 dead, millions displaced and peace efforts

stalled. Army troops were locked in fierce clashes with rebel

forces, including the Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front, after they

entered the town on Friday.

More Details:

http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=64855

Assad army seizes full control of rebel bastion Yabrud

Syrian troops on Sunday seized full control of the rebel bastion

Yabrud in the strategic Qalamun region near the Lebanese border,

Syrian state media reported. "Our brave armed forces have full

control over Yabrud in Damascus province and are combing

through the town and removing explosive devices placed by

terrorists," state television said, citing a military source.

More Details:

http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=64859

Syria chemical weapons 'could go in a month'

Syria's chemical weapons that should be destroyed outside the

country could be removed by April 13, a Russian Foreign Ministry

official has said, adding there was no need to adjust the

timeframe. "If there are no difficulties then in a month, on April

13, the removal will be practically finished," Mikhail Ulyanov, head

of the Foreign Ministry's security and disarmament department,

was quoted as saying by RIA news agency on Friday.

More Details:

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/03/syria-chemical-weapons-could-go-month-

201431452653715794.html

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Syrian army captures strategic border town

Syrian forces, backed by Lebanese Hezbollah fighters, are in full control of Yabroud after clearing out

rebels holed up in the strategic Syrian town for months, Syrian state media and opposition activists

have reported. Capturing Yabroud, the last major rebel bastion near the Lebanese border north of

Damascus, will help President Bashar al-Assad secure the land route linking his Mediterranean

coastal stronghold with the capital Damascus, and choke off a cross-border rebel supply line from

Lebanon.

More Details:

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/03/syrian-army-captures-strategic-border-town-

20143167587954232.html

U.S. calls Assad’s re-election bid ‘disgusting’

The United States said on Friday that the prospect of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad running for a

re-election would be “disgusting,” three years into a crushing civil war ripped the country. "We’ve

been clear that Assad has lost all legitimacy to lead his people and any sort of campaign that he

might run would be offensive and disgusting, I think, after what he's done to his people over the last

many, many months," State Department deputy spokeswoman Marie Harf said, according to AFP.

More Details:

http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/03/15/U-S-calls-Assad-s-re-election-bid-

disgusting-.html

Syrian FM recovering from heart surgery

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem is recovering in a Beirut hospital after undergoing heart

surgery on Friday, Syrian state media said.Muallem had been admitted to the American University of

Beirut Medical Center on Thursday, where coronary tests showed the 73-year-old needed an

operation.

More Details:

http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/03/15/Syrian-FM-recovering-from-heart-

surgery-.html

World marks anniversary of Syria rebellion

Across the world, charities and activist groups have marked the third

anniversary of the conflict in Syria on Saturday, as the violence in the

war-torn country continues unabated. Participants in the cities of

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Melbourne, London and Washington DC, among other cities, have held candlelit vigils to mark the

day and remember victims of the three-year crisis.

More Details:

http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/03/15/World-marks-anniversary-of-Syria-

rebellion.html

Jarba urges Syrian opposition ‘friends’ for arms

The head of main opposition group the Syrian National

Coalition urged allies on Saturday to supply rebel forces with

weapons to beat President Bashar al-Assad’s regime, on the

day of the Syrian uprising’s third anniversary. “We are

renewing our call to our friends for an immediate supply of

arms, which they cut before Geneva,” Ahmed Jarba told

reporters during a televised press conference.

More Details:

http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/03/15/Jarba-urges-Syrian-opposition-

friends-for-arms-.html

Army: Syria infiltrators, fighters in Jordan custody

Jordanian border guards on Sunday clashed with and arrested four people as they tried to enter the

country illegally from war-torn Syria, the army said. The army also said three other people "who are

members of groups fighting in Syria have voluntarily handed themselves over to the border guards."

More Details:

http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/03/16/Army-Syria-infiltrators-fighters-in-

Jordan-custody.html

Peace envoy Brahimi visits Syria ally Iran

The U.N.-Arab League envoy for Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, arrived in

Tehran on Sunday for talks on the Syria crisis with top Iranian

officials, media reports said. The Fars news agency said he would

meet President Hassan Rouhani and Foreign Minister Mohammad

Javad Zarif and other officials during his three-day visit.

More Details:

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http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/03/16/Peace-envoy-Brahimi-visits-Syria-

ally-Iran.html

3. IRAN

Iran 'thwarts nuclear sabotage attempts'

Iran has claimed it has thwarted a number of sabotage attempts

against the country's nulcear programme and infrastructure,

including one at its heavy water reactor. Asghar Zarean, a senior

official in charge of nuclear security at the Atomic Energy

Organisation of Iran, said that Iran's intelligence agencies were

instrumental in uncovering plots over the last few months.

More Details:

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/03/iran-thwarts-sabotage-at-nuclear-reactor-

201431513910455703.html

Rouhani Proposes Iran-EU Joint Campaign against Violence, Terrorism, Extremism

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in a meeting with Greek

Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos in Tehran on Sunday

announced that Tehran is ready to cooperate with the

European countries in fighting violence, terrorism and

extremism.During the meeting, President Rouhani pointed to

the UN approval of his proposal on World Against Violence

and Extremism (WAVE), and said, “The Islamic Republic of

Iran is seriously prepared to cooperate with the European

Union against violence, terrorism and extremism within the framework of the WAVE.”

More Details:

http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13921225001261

Zarif: Iran, World Powers to Focus on Technical Issues in Upcoming Talks

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif underlined that the

upcoming talks between Iran and the Group 5+1 (the US, Russia,

China, Britain and France plus Germany) will only focus on technical

issues and international nuclear cooperation.“During the upcoming

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negotiations in Vienna on Tuesday, we will talk about uranium enrichment and Arak heavy water,”

Zarif said after his meeting with his Belarus counterpart Vladimir Makey in Tehran on Sunday.

More Details:

http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13921225001069

Iran Willing to Expand All-Out Ties with Belarus

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in a meeting with

his Belarus counterpart Vladimir Makey called for the broadening

of bilateral ties between the two states.“Iran is a reliable and

long-term partner for Belarus,” Zarif said during the meeting,

adding, “Iran is ready for all-out expansion of relations with

Belarus.”

More Details:

http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13921225001352

Iranian MPs Stress Iran’s Inalienable Nuclear Rights

A majority of Iranian lawmakers in a statement issued on the threshold of a new round of talks

between Iran and the six world powers reiterated that the country would not give up even an iota of

its nuclear rights, including the right of uranium enrichment.Iran as a committed member of the non-

proliferation treaty (NPT) that has fulfilled its duties accordingly wants to benefit from its full and

inalienable rights in peaceful use of the nuclear energy as stipulated in the Article 4 of the NPT.

More Details:

http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13921225000871

Iran Mulling Construction of N. Power Plants in 16 New Sites

Iran has identified over a dozen potential sites for construction

of new nuclear power plants, a senior nuclear official said,

adding that most of the sites are located in the Southern parts

of the country.“According to the feasibility studies, there are

16 selected sties, 10 located on the coastal rim of the Persian

Gulf and the Sea of Oman (in Southern Iran), which enjoy

higher priorities (compared to other potential locations) for

the construction nuclear power plants,” Deputy Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran

(AEOI) Mohammad Ahmadiyan said in Tehran on Sunday.

More Details:

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http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13921225000535

EU shouldn’t dance to US, Israel tune: Rafsanjani

A high-ranking Iranian official terms the assumption of the

European Union rotating presidency as a historic opportunity

for Greece, stating that the EU must not be influenced

neither by the United States nor Israel when it comes to

world issues.

More Details:

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/03/16/354966/eu-shouldnt-be-manipulated-by-us-israel/

Azerbaijani president to visit Iran in near future: Official

A senior Iranian diplomat says Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev

would pay an official visit to Iran in the near future to discuss

expansion of Tehran-Baku ties. “Azerbaijan’s president will soon

travel to Iran and issues pertained to borders and problems on the

path to signing mutual agreements will be addressed during the

negotiations,” Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Asia-Pacific and

Commonwealth Affairs Ebrahim Rahimpour said in Iran’s

northwestern border city of Jolfa on Sunday, IRNA reported.

More Details:

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/03/17/354974/azerbaijani-president-to-visit-iran-soon/

Final Iran nuclear deal to benefit entire Mideast: China

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi says a final deal between Iran and the P5+1 group on Tehran’s

nuclear energy program will be in the interest of the entire Middle East.In a Sunday interview with

the London-based Asharq al-Awsat newspaper, the top Chinese diplomat hailed last November’s

interim nuclear deal between Iran and the six powers – Russia, China, Britain, France, the US and

Germany – as a “very important progress.”

More Details:

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/03/17/354985/iran-nuclear-deal-benefits-entire-mideast/

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4. ISRAEL – PALESTINE

Serious discussions mocked: Peres posts ‘secret talks’ disguises on Facebook

Israel's President Shimon Peres on Friday posted photos on

Facebook of disguises he wore in the 1970s to travel

undetected to Arab neighbour Jordan for secret negotiations.

Peres posted the photos to coincide with the Jewish religious

festival Purim, which features carnival costumes, fireworks and

toy guns.

More Details:

http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=64843

Israel fuel deliveries to Gaza to resume

Israel is to allow the resumption of diesel deliveries into Gaza, a day after the territory's sole power

plant stopped working due to a lack of fuel, officials have said. The announcement on Sunday came

after the Defence Ministry had shut down the Kerem Shalom goods crossing into southern Gaza on

Thursday following cross-border fire.

More Details:

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/03/israel-fuel-deliveries-gaza-resume-

201431692326150533.html

Palestinians protest UN food cuts in Gaza

Hundreds of Palestinians have demonstrated against cuts to a

United Nations food programme, as protest leaders said they

would boost their efforts to restore food assistance to local

families. Protesters gathered outside the metal gate of the UN

Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) offices in Gaza City on

Sunday, banging pots and pans and raising banners against the

cuts.

More Details:

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/03/palestinians-protest-un-food-cuts-gaza-

2014316123839807309.html

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Kerry urges Abbas to make 'tough decisions'

US Secretary of State John Kerry has urged Palestinian President

Mahmoud Abbas "to make the tough decisions that will be

necessary" before an April 29 deadline for a peace deal with

Israel, a US official said. President Barack Obama meets Abbas

on Monday, nearly two weeks after the US leader sat down with

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said he was

prepared to make a "historic peace" with the Palestinians but

offered no concessions in public.

More Details:

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/03/kerry-urges-abbas-make-tough-decisions-

20143172554129215.html

Israel shells Lebanon after border blast

Israel said Friday it shelled a position belonging to the powerful

Shiite movement Hezbollah inside Lebanon, in response to a blast

targeting its troops along the border.Hezbollah had threatened to

strike back after an air raid in February, the first reported Israeli

strike on one of its positions inside Lebanon since the brief but

bloody summer war of 2006 between the arch-foes.

More Details:

http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/03/14/Israel-shells-Lebanon-after-border-

blast.html

'Abbas to tell Obama: Israel must free Barghouti, Sa'adat for peace talks to continue'

In Monday’s scheduled meeting with US President Barack Obama in Washington, Palestinian

Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will reportedly demand that Israel halt all construction in West

Bank settlements as well as release high-profile Palestinian leaders who were convicted of terrorist

atrocities, among them Tanzim chief Marwan Barghouti and Ahmed Sa’adat, the leader of the

Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, all as a condition for Ramallah’s agreement to continue

peace talks with Jerusalem.

More Details:

http://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/Abbas-to-tell-Obama-Israel-must-free-Barghouti-

Saadat-for-peace-talks-to-continue-345585

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Gaza power plant restart delayed over fuel

Gaza's sole power station will not resume operations until

Monday, despite Israel reopening a crossing to fuel deliveries, the

deputy chief of the Gaza energy authority said on Sunday. Officials

had said Israel would allow the resumption of diesel deliveries into

Gaza on Sunday, a day after the Palestinian territory's power plant

stopped working because of a lack of fuel.

More Details:

http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=682081

Thousands of Palestinians surround Jerusalem Old City

Thousands of people surrounded Jerusalem's Old City from

Bab al-Khalil (Jaffa Gate) to Bab al-Asbat (Lions' Gate) in a

defiant action marking a reading day celebration. The Shabab

al-Balad initiative organized the event in which people from

Jerusalem, Palestinian-Israelis, and some people from the

West Bank gathered to read simultaneously.

More Details:

http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=682006

5. JORDAN and LEBANON

Lebanon government reaches compromise on ‘armed resistance’

Lebanon's new cross-party government, formed last month,

adopted a political programme Saturday after reaching a

compromise over the thorny question of the arsenal of

Hezbollah, one of the coalition's members. The Shiite

movement, known as the "resistance" because of its

opposition to Israel, never disarmed after Lebanon's 15-year

civil war ended in 1990, and its military power rivals that of the

army.

More Details:

http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=64847

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Bloodbath in Tripoli as Syria war spills over

Eleven people have been killed in three days of clashes in the

northern Lebanese town of Tripoli linked to the conflict in Syria,

security sources and the Lebanese army said Sunday. Overnight,

the army announced the death of a soldier when a military

patrol in the city was hit by an anti-tank grenade.

More Details:

http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=64861

Death toll rises in northern Lebanon clashes

At least 11 people have been killed in three days of clashes in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli

linked to the conflict in Syria, security sources and the Lebanese army said.Overnight to Sunday, the

army announced the death of a soldier when a military patrol in the city was hit by an anti-tank

grenade.

More Details:

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/03/death-toll-rises-northern-lebanon-clashes-

201431673514363745.html

Lebanon car bomb kills Hezbollah leader

A suicide car bomb attack has killed at least four people in a Hezbollah-dominated area of the Bekaa

Valley in Lebanon, near the border with Syria. Among those killed in the attack, which struck the

village of al-Nabi Othman late on Sunday, was Hezbollah's local leader Abdul Rahman al-Qadhi,

according to Al Jazeera's Ehab al-Okadi, reporting from Lebanon.

More Details:

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/03/car-bomb-lebanon-kills-hezbollah-man-

201431620585592964.html

Lebanon to allow citizens to resist Israel

Lebanon’s new government agreed to a compromise policy

statement on Friday that fell short of explicitly enshrining the

militant group Hezbollah’s role in confronting Israel but which

would give all citizens the right to resist Israeli occupation or

attacks. The agreement on the compromise language came after

weeks of dispute brought the government to the verge of

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collapse, and now paves the way for Prime Minister Tammam Salam to put his government to a vote

of confidence.

More Details:

http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/03/15/Lebanon-to-allow-citizens-to-resist-

Israel-.html

Jordanian jailed for killing Israelis on hunger strike

A Jordanian soldier serving a life sentence for murdering Israeli schoolgirls in 1997 is on a hunger

strike to demand his release following the killing of a Jordanian judge by Israeli soldiers, his son said

Saturday“My father started a hunger strike on Friday. He said he demands the government release

him from jail after the Israelis killed Jordanian judge Raed Zeiter,” Ahmad Dakamseh’s son Seif told

AFP.

More Details:

http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/03/15/Jordanian-jailed-for-killing-Israelis-

on-hunger-strike.html

Jordan king visits family of ‘martyr’ judge killed by Israel

King Abdullah II on Sunday visited the family of a

Jordanian judge killed by Israeli soldiers to offer his

condolences, the palace said on Twitter. A picture on

Twitter showed the king hugging the father of 38-year-

old Raed Zeiter. “His majesty King Abdullah II offers

condolences to the family of martyr judge Raed Zeiter,”

reads the caption.

More Details:

http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/03/16/Jordan-king-visits-family-of-martyr-

judge-killed-by-Israel-.html

Zaatari children mark conflict anniversary, urge world to stand with Syria

Three years on, civil unrest that began with the arrest of

schoolboys for spraying anti-regime graffiti in the Syrian city of

Daraa near the Jordanian border and escalated into a full-scale

civil war, no side is willing to lay down their arms.The conflict has

claimed around 140,000 lives since March 2011, the Syrian

Observatory for Human Rights said, among them, at least 10,000

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were children, the highest child casualty rates recorded in any recent conflict in the region, according

to UNICEF.

More Details:

http://jordantimes.com/zaatari-children-mark-conflict-anniversary-urge-world-to-stand-with-syria

Queen joins young Jordanians in discussion of their development priorities

Her Majesty Queen Rania on Sunday joined 120 young Jordanians

from across the Kingdom in a discussion aimed at outlining the

Jordan River Foundation’s (JRF) strategic youth development plan

for the next five years.The discussion, which was held at the King

Hussein Youth City, is the first of many activities planned for the

future that will include the involvement of local institutions in both

the public and the private sectors, according to a statement from Her Majesty's office.

More Details:

http://jordantimes.com/queen-joins-young-jordanians-in-discussion-of-their-development-priorities

Lower House to discuss no-confidence vote Tuesday

The Lower House is scheduled to meet on Tuesday to discuss two motions of no-confidence in the

government.Several deputies are angry over “the government’s attitude towards their demands”

especially those associated with the killing of Jordanian Judge Raed Zuaiter last Monday by two

Israeli soldiers, which caused public outrage.

More Details:

http://jordantimes.com/lower-house-to-discuss--no-confidence-vote-tuesday

6. ARABIAN PENINSULA AND THE GULF OF BASRA

Riyadh Book Fair confiscates hundreds of poetry and Brotherhood publications

Saudi authorities have banned hundreds of books, including works

by renowned Palestinian poet Mahmud Darwish, as part of a

crackdown on publications deemed threatening to the conservative

kingdom. The local Okaz daily reported Sunday that organisers at

the Riyadh International Book Fair had confiscated "more than

10,000 copies of 420 books" during the exhibition.

More Details:

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http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=64862

Abu Dhabi agrees to refinance $20 billion of Dubai loans

Oil-rich Abu Dhabi and the UAE central bank agreed Sunday to

extend the period of loans worth $20 billion accorded neighbouring

Dubai when it was hit by the global financial crisis in 2009. The

government of Abu Dhabi agreed to roll over a loan of $10 billion

for a renewable five years, WAM state news agency said.

More Details:

http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=64863

Bahrain Saddam commemoration stirs controversy

An international cultural diversity festival hosted by the

University of Bahrain has waded into controversy after the

Iraqi student community beamed the picture of former

president Saddam Hussain during the screening of a

documentary on Iraq’s history and civilisations.Although

there were no strong reactions from the students attending

the festival aiming to spotlight the diversity of the university

communities when the large picture of the former leader

who was toppled in 2003 was displayed, overtones of criticism and sectarianism loomed large

afterwards, mainly on social networks.

More Details:

http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/bahrain/bahrain-saddam-commemoration-stirs-controversy-

1.1304009

Breakthrough gives Emirati women hope to soar high

“The next time I read or hear utter nonsense about Emirati women unable to succeed or to assert

themselves in male-dominated jobs, my riposte will be only two words,” Sarah Al Mansouri, a

Bahraini businesswoman, said before marking a short pause to get the full attention of the other

business people in the conversation.

More Details:

http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/bahrain/breakthrough-gives-emirati-women-hope-to-soar-high-

1.1301580

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Riyadh demands Qatar shuts down Al Jazeera

Saudi Arabia demanded that Qatar shut down Al Jazeera and two think tanks during a recent meeting

of the Gulf Cooperation Council, a source close to someone who attended the talks said

Friday.Riyadh demanded the closure of the pan-Arab broadcaster as well as the Brookings Doha

Centre and the Arab Centre for Research and Policy Studies, the source said.

More Details:

http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/saudi-arabia/riyadh-demands-qatar-shuts-down-al-jazeera-

1.1304168

Qatar prepares for sanctions if Brotherhood dispute escalates

Qatar is preparing contingencies to ward off economic pressure threatened by its Gulf neighbours

amid a continued diplomatic stand-off over the role of political Islam in the region.Executives in Doha

say official planning is under way to deal with any potential sanctions, despite officials’ belief that

Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain will refrain from raising tensions further after last week’s

withdrawal of ambassadors.

More Details:

http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/qatar/qatar-prepares-for-sanctions-if-brotherhood-dispute-

escalates-1.1304263

Yemen troops kill southern activist: group

Yemeni troops shot dead a young Southern Movement activist Friday during a raid in the port city of

Aden, sources in the pro-autonomy group said.They said the troops were searching for secessionists

at dawn when they opened fire on around a dozen activists who had come out into the street, killing

one of them.

More Details:

http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/yemen/yemen-troops-kill-southern-activist-group-1.1304268

Rebels rally in Yemen city demanding government quit

Thousands of Al Houthi rebels marched through a provincial capital in northern Yemen on Friday to

demand the resignation of the central government, which they accused of corruption, witnesses

said.With many totting assault rifles and accompanied by vehicles mounted with rocket launchers,

they chanted “down with the corrupt government,” as they paraded on the streets of Omran.

More Details:

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http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/yemen/rebels-rally-in-yemen-city-demanding-government-quit-

1.1304278

Abdullah arrives in Saudi Arabia

Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Foreign Minister, accompanied by Dr. Anwar Mohammad

Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, arrived in Saudi capital Riyadh on Saturday.Shaikh

Abdullah was welcomed upon arrival at King Khalid International Airport by Prince Saud Al Faisal,

Saudi Foreign Minister, Dr. Khalid Al Jindan, Undersecretary of Foreign Ministry for Bilateral

Relations, Azzam Abdul Karim Al Qain, Undersecretary of Foreign Ministry for Protocol Affairs,

Mohammad Bin Saeed Al Dhaheri, UAE Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, and staff of UAE Embassy.

More Details:

http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/uae/government/abdullah-arrives-in-saudi-arabia-1.1304570

7. EGYPT

Islamist gunmen kill six Egypt soldiers in new escalation

Gunmen killed six soldiers at a Cairo checkpoint Saturday in a

brazen morning attack the military blamed on the Muslim

Brotherhood movement of deposed president Mohamed Morsi.

The attack came two days after gunmen killed a soldier in Cairo, as

militants once based in the Sinai Peninsula increasingly target the

capital in a campaign that has killed more than 200 security men

since the army overthrew Morsi last July.

More Details:

http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=64845

Bomb accident kills leader of Ansar Beit al-Maqdis in Egypt

Egypt's deadliest terrorist group said one of its founders, who

led a deadly 2011 attack in Israel, has been accidentally killed by

a bomb. Ansar Beit al-Maqdis, which has spearheaded a low-

level insurgency against Egyptian soldiers and police, said

Tawfiq Mohamed Fareej was killed last week when a car

accident set off a bomb he was carrying.

More Details:

http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=64856

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Egypt activist Alaa Abdel Fattah faces trial on March 23

Prominent activist Alaa Abdel Fattah is to stand trial on March 23 for

allegedly participating in a violent protest, state media reported

Saturday. The announcement came as a court handed two-year prison

sentences to 68 supporters of ousted Islamist president Mohamed

Morsi and opposition activists on the same charge, a judicial source

said.

More Details:

http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=64850

Egypt vows 'decisive' steps after deadly raid

Egypt's interim government has pledged "decisive" action and

ordered heightened security after armed men killed six soldiers at

a Cairo checkpoint. The shooting on Saturday morning came two

days after a soldier was killed in Cairo, as fighters once based in

the Sinai Peninsula widen attacks that have surged after the army

overthrew President Mohamed Morsi last July.

More Details:

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/03/egypt-vows-decisive-steps-after-deadly-raid-

201431613527903367.html

Egypt ex-presidential candidate calls upcoming elections a ‘farce’

A former Egyptian presidential candidate close to the country's youth movements said Sunday he

would not take part in upcoming presidential elections, calling them a “farce” stacked in favor of

Egypt's powerful military chief.

More Details:

http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/03/16/Egypt-ex-presidential-candidate-

calls-upcoming-elections-a-farce-.html

Two police officers killed in a security raid targeting an outlaw in Qena

Two policemen were killed on Monday during a security raid that

targeted wanted suspects for possessing weapons.Major General

Mohamed Kamal, Qena security chief, was notified over the death of

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First Lieutenant Mahmoud Mohamed Hanafy, 23, and Police Sergeant Ibrahim Abdel Hamid, 38, after

being shot during the raid.

More Details:

http://www.egyptindependent.com//news/two-police-officers-killed-security-raid-targeting-outlaw-

qena

8. NORTH AFRICA

Tunisia denies discriminating against Israeli tourists

Tunisia's tourism minister on Friday denied Israeli tourists

aboard a cruise ship who were prevented from entering the

country had been discriminated against, saying there had

been a procedural problem. The Miami-based Norwegian

Cruise Line said on Monday a "small number" of Israeli

passengers on one of its ships were not allowed to disembark

in Tunis "because of a last-minute decision made by the

Tunisian government".

More Details:

http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=64842

Algeria PM meets local leaders in troubled Ghardaia

Algeria's premier on Sunday visited a town on the edge of the

Sahara where three people were killed in communal violence

between Arabs and Berbers. Prime Minister Youcef Yousfi was

accompanied by Interior Minister Tayeb Belaiz on the visit to

Ghardaia, some 600 kilometres (370 miles) south of Algiers,

where they met with local leaders, according to the national

news agency APS.

More Details:

http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=64868

Mehdi Jomaa in Dubai: UAE stands by Tunisia in crucial phase

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Tunisian premier Mehdi Jomaa arrived in the United Arab

Emirates Saturday to start a tour of five oil-rich Gulf monarchies,

where he hopes to boost ties and attract investors. Jomaa heads

a government of independents formed in January after the

ruling Islamist-dominated coalition left power, and is tasked with

turning around Tunisia's faltering economy.

More Details:

http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=64864

From prison in Spain to Morocco: Deportation of Madrid train bombing convict

Spain on Sunday deported a Moroccan man after he completed a 10-year jail sentence for obtaining

the explosives used in the 2004 Madrid train bombings that killed 191 people, the government said.

More Details:

http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=64869

Bouteflika’s 4th term divides Algeria as clashes rage in Ghardaia

Supporters and opponents of Algerian President Abdelaziz

Bouteflika's decision to seek a fourth term in April elections staged

rival demonstrations in the capital Algiers on Saturday.The 77-year-

old's decision to seek re-election had been expected despite

concerns over his health after he was hospitalised for three months

in Paris last year because of a mini-stroke.

More Details:

http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=64860

Libyan port rebels ready to negotiate if Tripoli cancels army offensive

Libyan rebels who have seized three oil export ports said on

Saturday they were ready to negotiate with the government

over an end to their blockade if it abandoned plans for a military

offensive. Abb-Rabbo al-Barassi, the eastern autonomy

movement's self-appointed “prime minister”, told Reuters by

phone that talks could not start unless the central government

withdrew any troops it had sent to central Libya to confront

them.

More Details:

Sayfa 25

http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/03/15/Libyan-port-rebels-say-ready-to-talk-

to-government-if-Tripoli-cancels-army-offensive.html

Ex-Libyan PM: there are political coalitions who want delayed elections

Ousted Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zeidan told Al Arabiya News channel in an interview aired Saturday

that there are political coalitions that seek to delay elections.Among these political coalitions is the

Muslim Brotherhood, which wants to be in control over Libya, Zeidan said.

More Details:

http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/03/16/Ex-Libyan-PM-there-are-political-

coalitions-who-want-delayed-elections.html

Sacked Libyan PM Zeidan says he fled country due to ‘security conditions’

Former Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zeidan, who was ousted by the country’s parliament on Tuesday,

accused political blocs of strangling the country’s political progress, adding that his sudden departure

to Europe was due to Libya’s ‘security conditions.’“The security conditions in Libya forced me to

leave,” said Zeidan in an interview with Al Arabiya News Channel on Saturday.

More Details:

http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/03/16/Sacked-Libyan-PM-Zeidan-says-he-

fled-country-due-to-security-conditions-.html

9. AFGHANISTAN – PAKISTAN

Another Candidate Pulls Out Of Afghan Presidential Vote

A second candidate has withdrawn from Afghanistan’s April 5 presidential election, leaving nine men

officially on the ballot to succeed outgoing President Hamid Karzai.Former Defense Minister Abdul

Rahim Wardak gave no reason for his decision to drop out of the race in the March 16

announcement.

More Details:

http://www.aopnews.com/today.html

Taliban violence threatens Afghan elections: HRW

The Human Rights Watch (HRW) said Saturday that the Taliban threats and violence against the

campaign workers and election officials risk undermining the upcoming presidential election which is

due to be organized earlier next month. The remarks by Human Rights Watch (HRW) are followed by

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Taliban group’s statement issued on March 11 where the Taliban group vowed to use all force to

disrupt the elections.

More Details:

http://www.aopnews.com/today.html

Afghan forces kill 6 Taliban militants

Afghanistan says at least six militants were killed during special operations by the country’s military

forces in two eastern provinces.The Afghan Defense Ministry said in a statement issued on Saturday

that two military operations were carried out by the Afghan National Army in the eastern provinces

of Paktia and Laghman.

More Details:

http://www.aopnews.com/today.html

Nisar given Taliban’s list of women, children prisoners: Ibrahim

Member Taliban negotiating committee, Professor Ibrahim

says the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan’s (TTP) list of 300 women

and children prisoners has been given to Interior Minister

Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan. Briefing Jammat-e-Islami leaders on

the dialogue process, Professor Ibrahim said the withdrawal

of forces from South Waziristan Agency was a proposal not a

demand put forward by the Taliban. He added that if

withdrawal cannot take place in the entire agency, it should

be conducted in the Laddah and Makeen Tehsils.

More Details:

http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-141414-Nisar-given-Talibans-list-of-women,-children-prisoners:-

Ibrahim

Protesting nurses accept government offer, end sit-in

Protesting nurses have announced to end their sit-in as they said

the provincial government removed their reservations, Geo news

reported.According to the nurses, they had no differences with the

Punjab government but had only some reservations, which the

government has taken away.

More Details:

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http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-141405-Protesting-nurses-accept-government-offer,-end-sit-in

US Navy Seals free freighter with six Pakistanis on-board

US Navy boarded and took control of commercial tanker Morning Glory which was seized earlier this

month by three armed Libyans.The freighter with six Pakistanis including Captain Noman Baig on-

board has been returned to Libya.

More Details:

http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-141403-US-Navy-Seals-free-freighter-with-six-Pakistanis-on-

board-

10. TURKEY AND THE MIDDLE EAST

Oglu and Barzani / Meeting.

The Web site, of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) said : "The KRG President Nijervan Barzani

met with Davutoglu in the Turkish Wan city today , adding that during the meeting, Davutoglu said

that Turkey has the strongest ties with Iraq after Germany in economic terms.

More Details:

http://www.ninanews.com/english/News_Details.asp?ar95_VQ=HDFGFH

Oglu: Saddam was strong and committed worst massacre against Kurds

Turkish Foreign Minister, Ahmet Davutoglu said that the

bombing of Halabja city with chemical weapons was the worst

massacres in history . Oglu said in a speech at a meeting with

representatives of some public institutions, civil society

organizations in Siirt province, eastern Turkey that , " We now

live the anniversary of Halabja massacre committed by a

powerful state that didn’t have mercy."

More Details:

http://www.shafaaq.com/en/politics/9236-oglu-saddam-was-strong-and-committed-worst-

massacre-against-kurds-.html

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Barzani and Erdogan hold a closed-door meeting away from cameras

Turkish news sources said , that the President of Kurdistan

Regional Government (KRG) , Nechirvan Barzani and Turkish

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan held a closed-door

meeting yesterday night in which journalists were prevented

from covering the event .

More Details:

http://www.shafaaq.com/en/politics/9243-barzani-and-erdogan-hold-a-closed-door-meeting-away-

from-cameras-.html

*This media summary is prepared by ORSAM Middle East Research Assistant Firuze Yağmur Gökler.

It covers news and commentaries as reported by the national media sources publishing in the Middle

Eastern countries. The views expressed are not those of ORSAM and their inclusion does not imply

factual accuracy.

*Bu bülten ORSAM Ortadoğu Uzman Yardımcısı Firuze Yağmur Gökler tarafından hazırlanmaktadır.

Bülten Ortadoğu ülkelerinin yerel haber kaynaklarından derlenmektedir. Belirtilen görüşler bölge

ülkelerinin haber kaynaklarına ve ismi geçen yazarlara ait olup ORSAM’ın görüşünü

yansıtmamaktadır.