Syria Committed To Annan Peace Plan, While America’s Pseudo-Islamist Gangs Reject United Nations’s Effort

Syrian FM says Damascus committed to Annan peace plan

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem says Damascus will continue to respect and implement the peace plan brokered by UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan.

According to a statement by the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Muallem told his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi in Beijing on Wednesday that Damascus is committed to implementing the ceasefire, withdrawing troops from crisis-hit cities and cooperating with UN observers in Syria to monitor the implementation of the Annan plan.

Muallem also told reporters that Damascus wants to see sufficient numbers of UN observers in the hot-spots and that Syria is ready to give the monitoring mission access to its Air Force.

Muallem’s remarks came as Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is preparing plans to increase the UN observer force from 30 to 250 members.

An initial group of six monitors arrived in Syria on Sunday and the observers have so far visitedthe southern city of Dara’a.

Calm has returned to most parts of Syria since the ceasefire was announced almost a week ago, though there have been reports of sporadic clashes in some parts of the country with Damascus accusing armed groups of violating the truce by continuing attacks on government forces.

Opposition activists have been claiming that the army has killed a number of civilians since the ceasefire took effect last Thursday.

Syria has been experiencing unrest since mid-March 2011 and many people, including security forces, have been killed in the unrest.

Free Syrian Army says not committed to Annan peace plan

By Areeb Hasni

 

Damascus: Free Syrian Army (FSA), a country’s rebel group, has abandoned the peace plan brokered by UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan and started attacks on soldiers.

Major Sami al-Kurdi, a Free Syrian Army spokesman, said the rebels were no longer bound by the truce after their Friday deadline passed. The rebels had earlier threatened to abandon the ceasefire unless the army stops its operations against armed groups by Friday.

At least 80 Syrian soldiers were killed by rebels over the weekend, an activist group said. FSA had earlier urged Annan to issue a statement declaring his peace plan to have failed.

The announcement of rebels’ abandoning the ceasefire and resuming their attacks comes as the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that Free Syrian Army has killed over 100 soldiers across the country over the weekend, Press TV reported.

Syrian government has repeatedly accused the armed groups fighting against the regime of violating the ceasefire since it was declared on 12 April as part of Annan’s six-point peace plan to end months of unrest in Syria.

Syria has been experiencing unrest since mid-March 2011. Many people, including hundreds of security forces, have been killed in the country over the past 15 months—Houla massacre being the worst of all.

While the West and the Syrian opposition say the government is responsible for the killings, Damascus blames “outlaws, saboteurs and armed terrorist groups” for the unrest, insisting that it is being orchestrated from abroad to pave the way for foreign intervention.

SCO Security Alliance Opposes Syria Intervention

 

China’s President Hu Jintao, left, is followed by Kyrgyzstan’s President Almaz Atambayev, second left, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, second right, and Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rahmonov as they walk to attend a signing ceremony at the Shanghai C

Shannon Van Sant

June 07, 2012

BEIJING – A regional security alliance led by China and Russia announced its opposition to outside intervention in the Syrian crisis in a joint statement released Thursday.  The joint statement coincided with reports of another mass killing of civilians in Syria.

Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Facts

• Includes China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan
• India, Iran, Mongolia, Pakistan have observer status
• SCO has observer status at United Nations and Association of Southeastern Asian Nations
• While the organization’s major focus is security issues, members also coordinate on politics, trade, science, and the environment
• Member states occupy more than 30 million square kilometers
• Member states are home to around 1.5 billion people – a quarter of the planet’s population

_{Source: SCO website, UN, ASEAN}

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), consisting of Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, says it favors a “peaceful resolution of the Syrian problem through political dialogue.”

During a briefing with reporters in Beijing, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin said the Chinese government firmly opposes military intervention in Syria, arguing that option would not solve the crisis.

The SCO’s statement follows accusations of another brutal massacre Syria. Opposition activists say forces allied with the government killed at least 78 people Wednesday, including women and children, in Hama province.  The Assad government denies the charge and blames a terrorist group for the killings.

Syria’s allies Moscow and Beijing have opposed international intervention and vetoed two Security Council resolutions on Syria.  In public statements, China has also blamed opposition groups for civilian deaths in the country.

Spokesman Liu Weimin expressed hopes that all parties in Syria will implement a cease-fire deal and end the violence. The Syrian government and opposition groups should accept responsibility and avoid putting civilians in danger, he said.

China and Russia have backed United Nations-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan’s efforts at mediation in Syria.  The Annan plan began with a cease-fire on April 12, but despite the deployment of 300 U.N. observers, violence has continued.

The Chinese spokesman said Beijing supports Annan’s mediation efforts and urged all parties concerned to suport the U.N. mission’s work in Syria.

China and Russia have come under increasing pressure from Western nations to back sanctions or outside interventions since Annan’s peace effort failed to stop the violence.

The United Nations estimated more than 9,000 Syrians have died since the conflict began last year.

Clinton Meets the Georgian Pseudo-Opposition

       

[What is important to notice during Clinton's stirring of the Georgian boiling pot, is who she did NOT meet, out of the field of Georgian opposition members--Nino Burjanadze and Bidzina Ivanishvili.  These two stand-out as the Georgian representatives who are NOT beholden to the United States political establishment.]

Clinton Meets Opposition

Civil Georgia, Tbilisi

After opening the U.S.-Georgia Strategic Partnership Commission meeting in Batumi, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met with representatives from three opposition groups in Batumi on June 5.

Davit Gamkrelidze, leader of New Rights Party; MP Giorgi Targamadze, leader of Christian-Democratic Movement (CDM) and three representatives from Bidzina Ivanishvili-led opposition coalition, Georgian Dream: Davit Usupashvili, leader Republican Party, Tea Tsulukiani, deputy chairperson of Our Georgia-Free Democrats and Manana Kobakhidze, chairperson of Ivanishvili’s party, participated in the meeting.

Ivanishvili indicated last week that he wanted to meet with the U.S. Secretary of State one-on-one, not jointly with representatives from two other parties – CDM and New Rights, which Ivanishvili describes as “pseudo opposition.”

After the meeting opposition representatives noted that discussions lasted more than it was scheduled; they said that issues ranging from internal politics and upcoming elections to Georgia’s NATO integration and security aspects in the context of relations with Russia were discussed.

Davit Usupashvili of the Georgian Dream said after the meeting that the Secretary of State “said that she was aware of all the problems, which we are concerned about in respect of democratic institutions.”

“She said that she knows that media environment is monopolized by the authorities, that there are serious problems in the judiciary; she is aware of the cases of pressure on opposition activists and she said that the U.S. administration was paying serious attention to it and would continue working over these issues,” Usupashvili said. “We talked about what should be done from today up to the elections so that a key player – Georgian people – has a possibility to elect and to determine who will come into power. She also spoke about Bidzina Ivanishvili. She showed interest in what is happening around his citizenship issue. We submitted all necessary information and documents. Once again it was made clear that the United States supports free choice of the Georgian people. It clearly means that the authorities will not and cannot have the United States’ support; neither will the opposition have this support and we have never requested it. The U.S. support will be towards the Georgian people.”

“We have also talked about Georgia’s NATO membership issues,” Usupashvili continued. “We thanked the United States for their policy and position in the issue of Georgia’s security and territorial integrity. But we also said that it was possible to do more during these years in terms of building democratic institutions that would have brought us closer to NATO. The meeting lasted by 20-25 minutes more than planned because all these issues needed detailed discussion. Mrs. Clinton was very well-informed and informed objectively about the current situation in Georgia, thanks to the U.S. embassy.”

MP Giorgi Targamadze, the leader of Christian-Democratic Movement, said: It was a very interesting meeting and it lasted for over an hour instead of planned 45 minutes. We managed to discuss all the issues and listen to Mrs. Clinton’s opinions.”

“It was very important for everyone, both for us and for our American partners, to talk about those issues, which should settle the problems related to the life of our population, including the guarantees of security of our country. Elections are coming up; moreover, there are certain expectations about threats coming from Russia and from this point of view, we need the active [efforts] from the United States, one of the major guarantors of Georgia’s security, so that the Georgian society feel itself more safe and stable,” MP Targamadze said.

“Of course, we discuss elections as a part of the country’s security and we have discussed electoral environment in details,” he said, adding that the Secretary of State stressed on importance of having “a level playing field for political entities and for everyone in order to participate in political competition, elections.”

“We are very satisfied with this meeting and we hope that Mrs. Clinton’s visit will positively influence the election process, which is gaining momentum in Georgia,” MP Targamadze said.

Davit Gamkrelidze, leader of the New Rights Party, said the fact that the meeting lasted more than it was scheduled demonstrated “the Secretary of State’s huge interest towards developments within the opposition and pre-election situation in the country.”

“I spoke about the importance of holding these elections fairly, freely and peacefully and to have multi-party [parliament] instead of one-party regime as a result of the upcoming elections; it applies equally to the ruling party and to the Georgian Dream, whose leader [Bidzina Ivanishvili] states that he wants to win constitutional majority,” Gamkrelidze said.

“We also spoke about what should be done in order to make media equally accessible for the opposition, as well as about measure to prevent misuse of administrative resources by the authorities and to foster efficient work of the inter-agency task force [on elections],” Gamkrelidze said.

“I have also raised Chicago summit results and thanked Madam Secretary for her support, but it is also important to know what Georgia should do to make realistic Georgia’s membership by the next NATO summit – one is of course democratic reforms, but what are other areas which should be addressed in this regard,” Gamkrelidze said, adding that in this context he also raised “the threat coming from Russia.”

“I also raised the issue of possible free trade agreement [with the U.S.] and what might be a timeframe for achieving that,” Gamkrelidze said. “We talked about our complaints regarding the current electoral environment. However, it should be noted that Mrs. Clinton was quite well-informed about the problems with media, use of administrative resources and a factor of fear existing in the country. She said that the U.S. administration was ready to give concrete recommendations to the Georgian government and the Georgian President to ensure holding of free and fair elections in Georgia. At the same time, she stressed that it is up to the Georgian people to make a choice and everybody should obey this choice and act in a way as Georgian people decides it – that is the U.S. position and it will not be changed. It was a very important meeting and in coming months we expect more support from the United States in order to hold free and fair elections.”

Azerbaijan and Armenia Trade Accusations

[As usual, both Azeri and Armenian govts. deny responsibility in this latest cross-border attack, while the Azerbaijanis add that it would take only "10 days to liberate the occupied lands."  The global power centers which are continually pushing for war in the South Caucasus region will keep on agitating  until they generate a proper spark to light the fuse.]

Russian Foreign Ministry: “We are concerned about the incident in contact line of Armenian and Azerbaijani troops resulting death of many soldiers” 

[ 07 Jun 2012 17:39 ] 
Moscow. Farid Akbarov – APA. “We are concerned about the violation of ceasefire in the contact line of Armenian and Azerbaijani troops, the incident resulting death of many soldiers from both sides on June 4 and 5”, said spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry Alexander Lukashevich, APA’s Moscow correspondent reports.

He said that Russia, as a co-chair country in the settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict, called the parties to settle the conflict peacefully and refrain from use of force.

“I remind once again that the joint statements of Russian, Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents at Sochi meeting on January 23, 2012. That statement said that the peace negotiations should be continued. I want to note that Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers will meet with the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs on June 18 in Paris. We want to believe that the latest incidents, ceasefire violation will be clarified at that meeting. Russia, as a co-chair country, believes that the parties would remain loyal to the results of Sochi meeting of the presidents”.

In his response to question on ineffectiveness of the OSCE Minsk Group, Lukashevich said that Russia didn’t agree with this approach: “Russia as the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair will continue its efforts toward the peaceful settlement of the conflict”.

Russia is concerned about the aggravation of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict

CONTEXT

• The Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh. Reference

MOSCOW, June 7 – RIA Novosti. Russia concerned by the worsening situation in the area of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and urges the parties to the peaceful settlement of the controversy, said Thursday Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich.

“We consider unacceptable further escalation of tensions and encourage both sides to continue efforts aimed at resolving the conflict peacefully, using political and diplomatic means on the basis of no force or threat of force, territorial integrity, equality and the rights of nations to self-determination” – said Lukaszewicz at a briefing in Moscow.

He noted that as a result of ceasefire violation since the beginning of this month in the conflict zone has sharply increased the number of casualties among soldiers, and there are victims among the civilian population.

“We are alarming reports of worsening situation in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict” – said the representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry.

“We believe that the parties must strictly adhere to the ceasefire agreement in 1994,” – he added.

Lukashevich also refuted some media allegations of ineffectiveness of the OSCE Minsk Group, noting that the format of this act in concert.

The representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry said that the recently spoke on this topic U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton noted that this format is “not endangered and is a basic element of negotiation efforts to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.”

“We fully agree with this,” – said Lukaszewicz, adding that Russia, along with other co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group intends to continue to assist the parties in conflict with all necessary assistance in finding a mutually acceptable solution.

The beginning of the Karabakh conflict began in February 1988 when the predominantly Armenian populated Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region (Nagorny Karabakh) centered in Stepanakert, announced its withdrawal from the Azerbaijan SSR. In September, 1991 in Stepanakert, announced the establishment of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) in the borders of the former Nagorno-Karabakh and adjacent regions of Azerbaijan by Armenians. Official Baku has declared the act illegal and abolished existed in Soviet times, the autonomy of Karabakh.

Started after this armed conflict lasted until May 12, 1994, when the agreement came into force a truce. As a result, Azerbaijan lost control over Nagorno-Karabakh and – in whole or in part – seven surrounding areas. Since 1992, negotiations for a peaceful settlement of the conflict within the OSCE Minsk Group co-chaired by the United States, Russia and France. Azerbaijan insists on maintaining its territorial integrity of Armenia protects the interests of the unrecognized republic, as the NKR is not a party to the negotiations.

SANA: Syria Thwarts Infiltration Attempt by ‘Terrorists’ from Lebanon

إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية

by Naharnet

Syrian authorities thwarted an attempt by an “armed terrorist group” to infiltrate Syria from northern Lebanon, Syrian Arab News Agency, SANA, reported Thursday.

It quoted a source in Reef Tall Kalakh as saying that one member of the group was injured while the rest escaped back to Lebanon during a clash with “concerned authorities.”

SANA said that the authorities had foiled another infiltration attempt from Turkey in Idlib governorate on Wednesday night.

“Three terrorists were killed and arms were seized” in clashes with the infiltrators. But several members of the group went back to Turkish territories, the state-run agency added.

Last month, SANA also reported that Syrian authorities thwarted two separate infiltration attempts by “terrorist groups” from Lebanon and Turkey.

SCO’s “Peace Mission 2012” war games start in North Tajikistan

Avaz Yuldoshev

Views: 185

“Peace Mission 2012” anti-terrorism war games of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization member states will start today on Chorhudairon training field in North Tajikistan.

Major General Emomali Sobirov, commander-in-chief of the Tajik land forces, will take command of the war games in which air forces, artillery and armoured units will take part.

Military units from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Russia and Tajikistan will take part in the maneuvers. Uzbekistan refused to take part in the maneuvers. More than 2000 soldiers and officers from SCO member states will take part in the maneuvers which will last till June 14

Tajik Defense Minister Sherali Hairulloev and top military officials from SCO member states will observe the war games.

SCO calls for nuclear-weapon-free zone, space security

SCO calls for nuclear-weapon-free zone, space security

English.news.cn 

BEIJING, June 7 (Xinhua) — Member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) called for the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in central Asia in a declaration released after the conclusion of the group’s Beijing summit on Thursday.

The SCO calls on all nuclear weapon states to sign relevant protocols to the Treaty on a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in Central Asia and take real steps to move forward the establishment of a nuclear weapon-free zone in the region, according to the declaration on Building a Region of Lasting Peace and Common Prosperity.

All member states stand for ensuring outer space security, peaceful use of outer space and prevention the weaponization of outer space, said declaration of the heads of state of the member states of the SCO.

Member states will work to build a peaceful, secure, fair and open information space, on the basis of the principles of respect for state sovereignty and non-interference in other countries’ internal affairs, according to the declaration.

The member states oppose using information and telecommunication technologies in a way that "endangers their political, economic and social security" and will work to prevent the Internet from being used to promote terrorism, extremism and separatism, it said.

Nato deal with CARs just a stratagem

ISLAMABAD – NATO’s transport deal with three Central Asian Republics to take its military equipment from Afghanistan through the Northern Distribution Network (NDN) is nothing but a mere pressure tactic to secure its supplies from Pakistan.Well-placed diplomatic sources and security analysts told TheNation on Wednesday that the western military alliance cannot afford to pay more on its goods than what Pakistan has demanded for reopening the NATO’s ground supplies which remain suspended since November.“It is just an effort of NATO to prevail upon Islamabad to get its supplies to Afghanistan reopened without further delay,” the sources said, adding the western military alliance cannot afford to sustain costly and risky NDN to take out its heavy military equipment while pulling out its forces from Afghanistan by 2014.They were of the view that how come NATO which is shying away from agreeing to the pay amount demanded by Pakistan can afford to pay more for unfeasible and risky route through the Central Asia. The sources were hopeful that US and its western allies will have to accept Pakistan’s demands for deep cooperation not only for counter-terrorism efforts but also for safe and secure exit of their forces from Afghanistan. As regards Pakistan, sources said that Pakistan too couldn’t afford to keep the NATO/ISAF supplies suspended for indefinite period for variety of reasons with economic benefits and good will with the US and European Union. “Pakistan is looking for an honourbale and amicable solution of in line with the demands of its parliament,” a security analyst said, adding talks with the US were moving slowly but positively.             – Maqbool MalikWhile commenting on the NATO’s announcement of securing transport deal with three Central Asian Republics, he said these were part of posturing as Pakistan is sticking to its demands.

Negotiations Putin and Karimov: Uzbekistan joins the CIS free trade zone

Asia-Plus

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Uzbek President Islam Karimov and the talks in Tashkent on Monday discussed how to minimize the risk of increasing drug trafficking and strengthen the terrorist threat following the withdrawal of international forces from Afghanistan in 2014, reports RIA Novosti .

“I totally agree with your assessments on Afghanistan. There is something to think about, because it all happens in the immediate vicinity of our borders “, – Putin said, referring to Karimov.

For its part, the president of Uzbekistan, said that “in the face of Russia we see the power, which has always been indifferent to the situation in Central Asia.”

The President noted that the situation in Afghanistan, Uzbekistan is a very serious concern, particularly in the context of the upcoming 2014 withdrawal from the country of an international force.

“We have serious concerns that the withdrawal of troops, I think this is unlikely to be denied, the terrorist extremist activity, the volume and extent of drug increase. And secondly, on its own terrorist and extremist activities will not be able to stay within Afghanistan, it spill over its borders, “- said Karimov.

He added that before the troops withdraw from Afghanistan, it is necessary to create a strong army and solve a number of other important issues.

Speaking about bilateral relations, Putin expressed willingness to develop relations with Uzbekistan as a strategic partner in Central Asia.

“Uzbekistan is for us – one of the priority partners in the region. We have special relations with Uzbekistan. We are well aware of the potential of the country and will continue to build relations with Uzbekistan, in accordance with its capabilities and in accordance with the deep rooted relations between our two peoples “- the Russian leader said.

Karimov, speaking about our bilateral relations with Russia, said that they “are on the rise.” Thus, according to him, in the first quarter of this year, bilateral trade grew by 40% over the same period last year. But he acknowledged that while the range of goods in mutual trade is scanty, and Uzbekistan would like to upgrade.

Meanwhile, according to ITAR-TASS news agency , after the talks Vladimir Putin and Islam Karimov signed a declaration on deepening the strategic partnership and a Memorandum of Understanding. Memorandum implies that Uzbekistan before the end of this year to complete negotiations and join the Treaty on the free trade zone between the former Soviet republics.

The first free trade agreement in the former Soviet Union was signed in 1994, but not all countries, including Russia, have ratified it. To be replaced by October 18, 2011 signed a new agreement on free trade. Captions underneath put the leaders of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, and Tajikistan.Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, then decided to explore the possibility of joining.

According to “Rossiyskaya Gazeta” , Vladimir Putin was in Uzbekistan four years ago, in September 2008 – a working visit. At this time decided to make an official visit, but short. However, given the 35-degree heat, to come to Tashkent in the evening it was logical.

From Tashkent Vladimir Putin has sent to China. This visit will last much longer – three days. The first day – he actually pay a state visit, the conversation with President Hu Jintao, then – the enlarged negotiations and the signing of a large package of documents. In the evening the Russian leader was invited to the public reception in his honor, on behalf of Hu Jintao.

It is planned to sign 17 documents – both political (joint statement on deepening relations), so the economic – the agreement between the various ministries, departments, companies and firms (not accidentally, China ranks first in the list of foreign trade partners of Russia).

FBI Teaches Tajik Journalists Social Networking and Reporting “Emergency News” In Crisis Situations

U.S. journalists organized a meeting with members of the press centers, law enforcement

Asia-Plus

In Dushanbe, the Agency for Drug Control under the President of Tajikistan, is a two-day “round table” for the representatives of the press center of the local law enforcement agencies and the press.

The meeting was officially opened June 5 Dennis Cosgrove, Senior Adviser, Division of Law Enforcement for Drug Control and Law Enforcement (Division of INL) of the U.S. Embassy and General Vaysiddin Azamatov, deputy director of the DCA.

According to the report of the American diplomatic mission, a “round table” provided a unique opportunity for employees of the press center of law enforcement agencies to meet their counterparts from the media and discuss the transfer of emergency news, press conferences, working in a crisis situation and the use of social networks.

“Round Table” also served as a refresher course for members of last year’s course “Public Relations with the media”, organized by the Division of INL and carried out by representatives of the Bureau of Public Affairs FBI.

As noted in the statement, during the “round table” U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Tatarstan Ken Gross played a role in the skit, where an FBI agent interviewed him in order to demonstrate the technique of interviewing high-ranking officials, “one on one” in an informal setting. Record the interview was conducted in the new mini-studio of the DCA and the participants had the opportunity to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this scene.

The event was the completion of a two-week visit, a special assistant to the Deputy Director of the Bureau of Public Affairs from the FBI, who has worked closely with the press center of the DCA. To assist the press center of the DCA in informing about their work and achievements of the June 1, 2012 Division of INL office equipment handed over during a ceremony celebrating the 13th anniversary of the DCA. Division of INL invited second senior FBI Special Agent of the Bureau of Public Affairs work with the press center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs over the next two weeks (6-18 June 2012) on the program, which was held the same job with the press center of the DCA.

The U.S. government will continue to support law enforcement agencies of Tajikistan and the justice system and looks forward to continued close cooperation with the Government of Tajikistan in order to ensure the safety and protection measures for all citizens. Since 2003, the Department of Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement of the U.S. Embassy has contributed more than $ 52 million on programs to support the rule of law and security in Tajikistan.

Tajikistan Bans Religious Propaganda In Schools

In Tajikistan, will be fined for religious propaganda in schools

Avaz Yuldashev

According to today’s meeting approved the third session of Majlisi Oli of Tajikistan of the fourth convocation of the amendments to the Code of Administrative Offences of the Republic of Tatarstan in the country for non-compliance continue to receive religious education outside the country of the citizens of the Republic of Tatarstan may be fined from two thousand to four thousand Somoni.

In addition, the Tajik society and religious organizations to establish international relations with foreign religious organizations without notification to the relevant government agencies will be fined from 1.2 thousand to 1.6 thousand Somoni.

Under the approved amendment, for promotional and educational activities to be conducted by religious organizations and individuals in areas of educational institutions of the country or in the homes of citizens of the republic, they could be fined up to two thousand Somoni.

Representing the government proposed amendments to the above members are the first deputy head of the Committee for Religious Affairs under the Government of the Republic of Tatarstan Jumakhon Giesov noted that they are based on the requirements adopted last year in Tajikistan Law “On Freedom of Conscience and Religious Associations.”

Representatives of the Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan, the deputies and the Kabiri Saidumar Husaini, tried to make some adjustments to the proposed amendments.

As leader of the IRP does not understand the expression “a fine for the conduct of educational activities in schools.” ”If a religious leader in the schools will take part in events dedicated to the promotion of human values – such as respect for teachers or teachers, then go for it, you can be fined – said Kabiri. - Also, I do not understand, which means “to establish international relations with foreign religious organizations without notifying the authorities.” This means that for sending SMS messages or emails, we need to obtain permission from the authorities? “- Questioned the deputy.

Another member of the lower house of parliament from the IRP Saidumar Husayni offered to reduce the amount of fines for all of the above acts.

Most of the deputies, without discussion of proposals suggested by the representatives of the IRP supported the government’s option.

Dozens of civilians die in bloody day in Afghanistan

PHOTO: Afghan villagers with the bodies of children reportedly killed in the NATO airstrike(AFP: Sabawoon Amarkhil)

Dozens of civilians died in a bloody day across Afghanistan as a twin suicide bombing ripped through a crowded makeshift bazaar and a NATO air strike hit a home, officials said.

Two NATO soldiers were also killed in a helicopter crash, the cause of which was under investigation, the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said.

Twenty-three people were killed and 50 others were wounded in the suicide attacks in a car park crammed with vehicles supplying the largest NATO base in southern Afghanistan, police said.

A suicide bomber on a motorcycle struck first and as a crowd gathered to help the victims, a second bomber walked into their midst and set off explosives strapped to his body, Kandahar provincial police chief General Abdul Raziq said.

“All casualties are civilians – not a single military person,” he said.

Taliban insurgents claimed responsibility for the bombing, saying on their website that “several dozen of the foreign terrorist forces and their puppets were killed Wednesday in a martyrdom attack”.

Hours earlier, at least 15 civilians, including women and children, were killed in a NATO air strike on a home in Logar province south of Kabul, police said.

ISAF said “multiple insurgents” were killed in the air strike, which was ordered after troops were attacked “with small-arms fire and a grenade”.

But deputy provincial police chief Rais Khan Sadeq Abdulrahimzai said: “18 civilians, including women and children, are dead”, adding that seven Taliban insurgents were also killed.

Provincial government spokesman Din Mohammad Darvish said “around 15 civilians are dead” after the attack.

Journalists say they saw at least 15 bodies that had been loaded into five vehicles, including the bodies of five women and seven children, one as young as a year old.

ISAF said in a statement a “precision” air strike was called in after coalition forces were fired on during an operation to detain a leader of the hardline Islamist Taliban insurgents.

“As a result of the operation, multiple insurgents were killed and the Afghan and coalition security force seized several weapons and a quantity of explosives,” ISAF said.

An ISAF spokesman now claims they are “assessing and gathering facts to try to determine what happened”.

Civilian casualties caused by NATO have not helped relations between Afghan president Hamid Karzai and the United States, which leads NATO forces in the fight against the Taliban.

A little over a week ago, Mr Karzai ordered an investigation after Afghan officials said a NATO air strike killed a family of eight, including six children, in eastern Afghanistan.

Two weeks before that he summoned ISAF commander General John Allen and US ambassador Ryan Crocker to the presidential palace after a number of civilians were killed in other NATO air strikes.

For the past five years the number of civilians killed in the war has risen steadily, reaching a record of 3,021 in 2011, with the vast majority caused by insurgents, the United Nations says.

Kandahar Air Base is the largest NATO military base in southern Afghanistan, which has been a flashpoint for the insurgency over the past decade.

The Taliban have in the past threatened to kill truckers working for NATO, which relies on civilian vehicles to supply their bases across Afghanistan.

The lorries go through complex security checks that can take days, so that dozens of trucks often mass outside military bases before being allowed inside to offload their cargo, attracting makeshift bazaars as they wait.

AFP

Abdel-Hakim Belhadj Seeks Revenge for CIA Drone Attack On Comrade, Just As Hakeemullah Mehsud Did

[Washington sometimes tastes the bitter revenge for overplaying its audacious hand with its little toy planes.  The "Al-Qaeda" leaders have no fear that they have outlive their usefulness in carrying-out its revenge attacks against CIA and US military targets for such assassinations like that of Baitullah Mehsud.  Hakeemullah struck the CIA drone command center in Khost without worry about falling out of grace with Washington.  Our conniving leaders need people like Mehsud and  Abdel-Hakim Belhadj too much to let petty disagreements get in the way of their plans.  After today's bomb attack in Benghazi, things will likely cool back down, unless Obama really fouls-up in a reactionary revenge attack of his own.] 

Bomb targets U.S. mission in Libya

By Mohammed Al-Tommy

BENGHAZI, Libya

(Reuters) – A bomb exploded outside the U.S. diplomatic mission in the Libyan city of Benghazi overnight, an attack that could be retaliation for the killing, in a U.S. drone strike, of al Qaeda’s Libyan second-in-command.

An improvised explosive device was dropped from a vehicle outside the mission, in an upmarket area of central Benghazi. It exploded moments after, slightly damaging the building’s gate but no one was hurt, U.S. and Libyan officials said.

Washington had confirmed a few hours before the attack that a U.S.-operated drone had killed Abu Yahya al-Libi, a Libyan-born cleric and senior al Qaeda operative, in Pakistan.

U.S. diplomats said after the Benghazi blast they had asked the Libyan authorities to step up security at U.S. facilities in the country, where last year Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown in an uprising supported by NATO air power.

“The possibility that this act took place because of what happened to Abu Yahya is, in my personal opinion, a very strong one,” said Noman Benotman, a Libyan former Islamist who is now an expert on militant groups.

He said there were several possible scenarios, but one was that the attack was carried out by militants connected to al Qaeda’s north African arm.

“Al Qaeda loyalists maybe wanted to deliver a message to the U.S. …to say enough is enough,” Benotman said.

The bombing will revive concerns about the lack of security in Libya. The fragile government is still struggling to restore stability after last year’s revolt and arms and explosives looted from Gaddafi’s arsenals are easily available.

Tuesday’s attack was the first time a U.S. facility had been targeted since Gaddafi was overthrown.

“We have asked the Libyan government to increase its security around U.S. facilities,” an official at the U.S. embassy in Tripoli told Reuters.

The street in Benghazi where the diplomatic mission is located was cordoned off on Wednesday. At the embassy building in Tripoli, three security guards were on duty but there was no evidence of any increased Libyan security presence.

A trade mission from the United States was scheduled to hold meetings starting on Thursday in Tripoli and Benghazi. It was not clear if these would now go ahead.

Amin Salam, of the National U.S.-Arab Chamber of Commerce, said some delegates of the mission had arrived in Tripoli. “They may still go to Benghazi,” he said.

SECURITY WEAKNESS

A spokesman for Libya’s ruling National Transitional Council, Mohammed al-Harizy, said investigators had some leads on who may have carried out the attack.

He acknowledged that security was still a challenge for the new Libyan authorities. “There is no doubt that there is a weakness in security and there may be some people who will try to take advantage of this void,” he said.

Experts on militant groups had been predicting that the killing of Libi, described by U.S. officials as a major blow to al Qaeda, would provoke some kind of backlash inside his home country.

Though he spent much of his life outside Libya, he was a member of the now-defunct Libyan Islamic Fighting Group, which fought an insurgency against Gaddafi in the 1990s, and his family is well known in Libya.

One of his brothers, Abu Bakr al-Gayed, told Reuters by telephone he knew nothing of the Benghazi attack. Asked if he thought there would be a reaction in Libya to Libi’s killing, he said only: “I don’t know, but the Muslim is the brother of the Muslim.”

Benghazi, Libya’s second city, has become a focus for insurgent-style attacks in the past few months.

On May 22, a rocket-propelled grenade hit the offices of the International Committee of the Red Cross in the city, blasting a small hole in the building but causing no casualties.

A month earlier, a bomb was thrown at a convoy carrying the head of the U.N. mission to Libya.

Underscoring the lack of proper security in Libya, a disgruntled volunteer militia this week occupied Tripoli international airport for several hours, leaving bullet holes in at least one jet and forcing airlines to cancel flights.

Some observers have raised the prospect of a major insurgency breaking out in Libya along the lines of the violence that followed the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Security experts though say this is unlikely, not least because, unlike in Iraq, the United States has no military presence in Libya.

(Additional reporting by Hadeel Al Shalchi, Ali Shuaib and Marie-Louise Gumuchian in Tripoli and William Maclean in London; Editing by Rosalind Russell)