EURO-MED DEVELOPMENT BANK TASK FORCE MEETS IN TUNISIA

BARDO, TUNISIA, Jan 30 (NNN-TAP) — The Euro-Mediterranean Technical Group, tasked with setting up a strategy to change the Euro-Mediterranean Investment and Partnership Facility into a Euro-Mediterranean Development Bank met Friday at the Tunisian Chamber of Deputies here.

The Group, which brings together Tunisia and Jordan from the southern shore of the Mediterranean and Italy and the European Parliament from the northern shore, is chargewith identifying technical stages and co-ordinating efforts of both sides to create this institution.

Participants in the meeting stressed the importance of creating this bank and its role in boosting investment and partnership between the two Mediterranean shores and easing financing procedures of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) development projects in southern Mediterranean countries.

A plan of action was established, on this occasion, and will be submitted to the technical committee and the general assembly of the Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Council to be held in March 2010 in Jordan.

Members of the group praised Tunisia’s efforts to develop partnership between the two shores of the Mediterranean, which will certainly help establish an environment of peace and stability in the region, they said.

During his meeting with members of the Group, Sahbi Karoui, the First Deputy Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, stressed Tunisia’s interest in this Euro-Mediterranean parliamentary institution as an open forum of dialogue between peoples of the region and appropriate framework to bring MPs from the two shores closer. — NNN-TAP

Filipino community to get H1N1 vaccination shots

IN SUPPORT of the Brunei Ministry of Health’s efforts to prevent the spread of the Infuenza A (H1N1) virus, the Philippine Embassy is urging members of the Filipino community in Brunei to get their Influenza A (HIN1) vaccination shots. Members of the community living in the Brunei-Muara District can receive their vaccinations at the Berakas .

FORMER US PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER TO VISIT SUDAN

KHARTOUM, Jan 30 (NNN-SUNA) — Former United States president Jimmy Carter is due to visit Sudan from Feb 8 to 12 at the head of a delegation from his Carter Centre to look at Sudan’s election process and the implementation of health projects being implemented by the Carter Centre.

The Deputy Director at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Tariq Abu-Salih, said here Friday that the visit of Carter would coincide with developments taking place in the country, represented in the elections at all levels.

Carter is due to meet during his visit with the President of Sudan, the First Vice-President of Sudan, the Chairman of the National Election Commission (NEC) and leaders of political parties.

Ambassador Abu-Salih indicated that Carter would discuss with the federal Minister of Health the role of the Carter Centre, in co-ordination with the ministry, in programmes for the eradication of the Guinea worm disease in South Sudan and ways to speed up the efforts in this regard according with the international plan for eradicate this disease.

He added that Carter and the Minister of Health would also review implementation of the Carter Centre’s programme for combating the river blindness disease in South Sudan.
– NNN-SUNA

UBD students showcase artwork at Giant

EVER since the 60′s, local artwork in exhibitions in Brunei have taken the form of realistic concepts such as portraits, landscapes, still-life as well as paintings of landmarks such as Kampong Ayer and Mosques in the country. Despite the good quality of art produced, variety was very hard to come by due to a lack .

IRAN, PAKISTAN AGREE TO SPEED UP PROCESS FOR POWER IMPORT

ISLAMABAD, Jan 30 (NNN-FNA) — Iran and Pakistan agreed to accelerate the process of exporting 1000 MW power by Iran to Pakistan.

The Pakistani Ministry of Water and Power announced in a statement that the agreement came in a meeting between Iranian Ambassador to Islamabad Mashallah Shakeri and Pakistan Minister for Water and Power Raja Pervez Ashraf.

The current status of transmission line for import of 100 MW power for Gawadar from Iran was also discussed, the statement said.

The two sides also discussed issues of mutual interests, bilateral relations as well as ways to further boost economic ties between the two neighboring countries.

According to the statement, a Pakistani delegation is due to visit Iran to discuss matters relating to import of power from Iran within the shortest possible time frame, the Islamic republic news agency reported.

The Iranian and Pakistani officials also discussed the current status of the gas pipeline project, construction of transmission line for import of 100 MW for Gawadar in Balochistan and 1000 MW for national grid and appreciated each other’s cooperation in this regard. — NNN-FNA

SUDANESE PRESIDENT LEAVES FOR ADDIS TO ATTEND AU SUMMIT

KHARTOUM, jan 30 (NNN-SUNA) — President Omer Al-Bashir of sudan has left for the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, to take part in the 14th African Union (AU) Summit beginning Sunday, which is expected to focus on information technology (IT) in Africa.

In a press statement at Khartoum Airport to SUNA here Friday, Presidential Adviser Dr. Mustafa Osman Ismail said President Al-Bashir would also participate in other meetings scheduled to be held on the sidelines of the AU Summit.

These included the 39th Summit of the Second Steering Committee of the New Economic Partnership in Africa (NEPAD), the Summit of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) and the Summit of the Alliance of the African Head of States for Combating Malaria which includes 27 African countries.

Dr. Ismail said President Al-Bashir will also meet on the sidelines of the summits with a number of African leaders to deliberate about issues in the agenda of the summits at the African level, besides the developments in Sudan.

He added that the agenda of the AU Summit included reports of the African Peace and Security Council on conflicts in Africa, the situation in Darfur in western Sudan and implementation of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) which ended the decades long war between noprthern and southern Sudan.

President Al-Bashir was accompanied by a high level delegation which included Minister at the Presidency Gen. Bakri Hassan Salih, Presidential Advisers Dr. Ghazi Salahuddin and Dr. Mustafa Osman Ismail, Information and Communication Minister Al-Zahawi Ibrahim Malik, the Minister of Foreign Trade and other senior officials. — NNN-SUNA

EXPANSION OF TIES WITH AFRICA SETS PRIORITY FOR IRAN – PARLIAMENT SPEAKER

KAMPALA (UGANDA), Jan 30 (NNN-FNA) — Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said that expansion of relations with African states is one of the most important priorities of Iran.

Larijani, who is in Kampala, Uganda, to attend the annual meeting of the Islamic Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) told his Ugandan counterpart on Friday that the African continent enjoying extensive capacities.

The Iranian parliament speaker also underlined that Iran is ready to export technical and engineering services and technology to Africa.

He said Uganda is an African state which is taking giant strides towards development.

During the meeting, Ugandan speaker described Iran as an important country with high potential in different fields.

“We want growing relations with the country,” he added.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s administration has striven hard to maximize relations with the African continent. Ahmadinejad also said after a three-nation African tour on February 23, 2009 which took him to Djibouti, Kenya and Comoros, that expanding Tehran’s relations with the African countries sets a priority in Iran’s foreign policy.

In his speech at the Islamic IPU meeting, Larijani called on the Islamic states to boost their contacts with Muslim minorities living in non-Islamic states.

He said that boosting contacts with Muslim minorities living in non-Islamic states and making efforts to restore their rights are among issues that the OIC parliamentary union must adopt through a logical, orderly and efficient procedure.

Larijani reminded that considerable number of Muslims has been able to find seats in parliaments in non-Muslim states, and added that these Muslims can offer great help in defending the rights of Muslim minorities.

Elsewhere, Larijani pointed to the strangulation of the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip by the Zionist regime (of Israel) as well as the adventurist military movements by the US and NATO in Iraq and Afghanistan, and called them as major challenges facing the Islamic world.

Larijani expressed the hope that planned parliamentary elections in Iraq and Afghanistan would help the two countries restore their full sovereignty, MNA reported.

Elsewhere in his speech to the conference, Larijani praised parliamentary election in Lebanon last year which ended the political crisis in the country. — NNN-FNA

Search is on for female Red Bull Driver

THE search for the female Red Bull Driver in Brunei gives an opportunity to more women with the drive and potential to enter the motorsport scene. Two female drivers from Brunei will get a chance of a lifetime to be part of Red Bull Racing Team to compete in the Sepang 1000km race. The Red .

UGANDAN PREISDENTIAL ADVISER DENIES ROLE IN ATTEMPT TO OUST RWANDAN PRESIDENT

KIGALI, Jan 30 (NNN-RNA) — A senior adviser to Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has rubbished reports that he is backing the troubled Green Party of Rwanda to overthrow President Paul Kagame?s government, a plot which purportedly includes senior Rwandan military and political officials.

Dr. John Nagenda says the reports published on Dec 23 on a website, www.256news.com, and several other Internet sites and blogs are not true. He also distances himself from the top Rwandan military officers and politicians named. Dr. Nagenda also says he had intended to visit Rwanda but will no longer do so.

According to the information which is also circulating here, a leaked security brief addressed to President Kagame names several of his former and current close allies as planning to use the Green Party to topple his government.

Those named include former African Union (AU) Commission vice-president Mazimpaka Patrick; former envoy to Japan Dr. Emile Rwamasirabo, who is now a doctor with the elite King Faisal hospital; Senator Colonel Dr. Joseph Karemera; Col. Deogene Mudenge, who is head of RURA; exiled former state minister Sam Nkunsi; and Police Commissioner General, Brig. Gen. Charles Gasana.

Others named are former Rwandan ambassador to Ethiopia Pascal Ngonga; troubled Dr. Maj. Ben Karenzi; vocal Senator Aloysia Inyumba; current envoy to India Maj. Gen. Kayumba Nyamwasa; Brig. General Richard Rutatina; and other senior officers.

None of these people have come out to say anything about the purported intelligence dossier and the government has also not reacted to the rumour. Controversial local tabloids UMUSESO and UMUVUGIZI published the lists of names.

Another allegation is that Dr. Nagenda is a long-time and close friend to Charles Kabanda, who is the Green Party general-secretary, and Maj.-Gen. Kayumba Nyamwasa. It is also claimed Dr. Nagenda is an uncle to youthful Frank Habineza, the Green Party head.

For the Ugandan presidential adviser, Dr. Nagenda, on hearing about the dossier writes ?My first and abiding sentiment was one of total incredulity. How preposterous a notion!?

Writing in the Ugandan newspaper New Vision (which is a public company but partly owned by the government), Dr. Nagenda says he has met General Nyamwasa about only once.

?As for Kabanda, his name doesn?t ring a bell, although I might have talked to him without remembering the name. It was all a long time ago, and in another country,? writes Nagenda.

?Frank Habineza, I know, he worked in my house at Namutamba, on our estate, perhaps 20 years ago. I did help with his school fees. A maternal uncle of his, I have never been. Since he left for Rwanda, I have seen him a few times; the last of which he brought his fiancée for introduction,? Nagenda says.

He adds: ?It is, however, true that from time to time he sent me emails about his life in Rwanda, latterly one or two about the Green Party. I must confess I have not taken his party very seriously. I dimly recall some years ago advising Habineza to stick to work and forget politics. He never struck me as a leader of men, as the saying went!?

?Funnily enough I was thinking of visiting Rwanda (where I was born in ?38 when my parents were missionaries there). Oh well, another time perhaps.?

All the named people are said to be disgruntled members of the ruling Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF) providing the finance and moral support the Green Party. The yet-to-registered party has also denied any links to these people saying it only knows them like other Rwandans. — NNN-RNA

AFGHAN FM: NO TENSION BETWEEN TEHRAN, KABUL

TEHRAN, Jan 30 (NNN-FNA) — Afghan Foreign Minister Rangeen Dadfar Spanta dismissed any differences between Iran and Afghanistan, and highlighted good relations between the two neighboring states.

“We have good relations with Iran,” Spanta said in an interview with Bloomberg.

“There is no problem between Iran and Afghanistan. Iran has cooperated with Afghanistan in the past eight years for its reconstruction,” he added.

He stated that the presidents of Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan will meet soon in Tehran.

The remarks by the Afghan minister came after Tehran stayed away from the conference on Afghanistan held in London on Thursday.

Iran has always been a critic of the West’s militaristic approach towards the Afghan issue.

Tehran officially announced on Wednesday that it would not attend the London conference.

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehman-Parast told FNA that Iran will not take part in the London conference, and added, “The Islamic Republic of Iran does not assess its participation in the conference as useful and believes that continuing wrong approaches for resolving Afghanistan’s problems is unconstructive.” — NNN-FNA