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Assad In A Bind
Washington (UPI) Jan 09, 2006 Feeling the pressure mounting from the United Nations on one side and the United States and the European Union - particularly France - on the other, Syrian President Bashar Assad made a dash for Saudi Arabia Sunday, hoping that words of wisdom from King Abdullah could help diffuse the rising tension. Following accusations made last week by former Syrian Vice President Abdel Halim Khaddam, insinuating that President Assad could have been implicated in the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, the United Nations committee investigating Hariri's murder has asked to interrogate both Assad and his foreign minister Farouk Shara. This move was rejected outright by Assad. Sunday's surprise visit to meet with Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah comes amid efforts to find an acceptable resolution to the crisis spawned by the killing of Hariri last Feb.14, and which was widely believed to be the work of either Syrian agents, or of people working on their behalf. Assad's visit also comes after an earlier one by Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal to Damascus early Sunday morning. Assad initially refused the U.N. request, saying neither he, nor his foreign minister would comply with the U.N. request. But later, diplomats indicated that Shara might be allowed to be questioned. Assad sees the king of Saudi Arabia as his only reliable friend in the Arab world, and one who carries a significant amount of political weight. In recent months -- shortly after becoming king -- Abdullah has hinted at wanting to assume a greater leadership role in the Middle East, hoping to steer Arabs and Muslims out of troubled waters, away from terrorism, and to eradicate misconceptions within Islam. "King Abdullah realizes that at no other time in history has the Islamic world been so leaderless," Nawaf Obaid, a Saudi security adviser told United Press International in Jeddah last November, as the king had called for an extraordinary summit of the Organization of Islamic Conference. Abdullah recognizes Saudi Arabia's "great responsibility of moral leadership" in the Arab and Islamic world, and as such, hopes to assume a leading role in guiding the Muslim world through the multitude of problems it is facing today, said Obaid. The Saudi king believes "a vast majority of Muslim countries today face political, economic and social underdevelopment that has evolved into a major crisis." The king is concerned by the "diminishing position of Muslims in the international arena." He made reference to the inability of Arabs and Muslims to prevent the invasion of Iraq nor to influence peace in the aftermath of the invasion. Clearly, it is in that state of mind that King Abdullah wants to avoid another crisis in the Arab world and has offered his good offices. As king, Abdullah realizes he has the tools and the power to take over the leadership of the Arab and the Islamic world. Some of these tools come in the form of dollars earned from the rising price of oil. As the world's largest oil-producing nation, the kingdom has no shortfall of hard cash to distribute around and buy influence and friends, and quite possibly a seat at the head of the table. At 85, Abdullah will certainly have his work cut out for him. He comes, however, with a great advantage over many of his peers. He is reputed to be extremely honest and incorruptible. A Saudi security source, speaking to United Press International on condition his name is not revealed, said King Abdullah told the Syrian president that Saudi Arabia understood he could not be interviewed by the United Nations commission investigating the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri because of his position as head of state. "But at least answer their questions," the Saudi king is reported to have told his Syrian guest. Still according to the same source, the king suggested Assad sends someone in his place that is acceptable to both sides. "While the king's position is with the Syrian president, Saudi Arabia's position is not to meddle into the affairs of a foreign state," said the Saudi security expert. "President Assad has the king's support as long as he cooperates with the investigation," Nawaf Obaid, a Saudi Arabian consultant told UPI.
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NGC Team Receives Third Phase Contract For Portable Bio-Warfare Detection Program
Baltimore MD (SPX) Jan 10, 2006A Northrop Grumman-led team has been selected by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to continue development of the handheld isothermal silver standard sensor (HISSS), a portable system used for identifying biological-warfare agents, including bacteria, viruses and toxins. |
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