Cricket: Splendid victory but lot more to go

Leo The third and final test between India and Sri Lanka may not have produced a thrilling finish but the comprehensive victory (by 259 runs) sealed the series 2-0 for India. The loss was Sri Lanka’s biggest test defeat by runs by India beating the previous figure of 235 in Colombo way back in 1993. Most important thing is that the series win has placed India in the second spot in ICC test ratings behind Australia which will be a psychological advantage and morale booster when they face Pakistan in the coming series to be played in latter’s home. First innings lead paid Sri Lanka dearly

Man of the series Anil Kumble and man of the match Harbhajan Singh are the much talked about players at the end of the match. But nobody should forget that it’s the first innings lead of 192 runs that changed the course of the match. India’s first innings total of 398 made it possible. For that all credits go to V.V.S.Laxman, Irfan Pathan and Mahendra Singh Dhoni who saved the team from a possible batting collapse. When India lost their first five wickets having only 97 runs on board, it seemed as if India is going to get out for a paltry score of around 150. Then Laxman scored a stunning century and produced a sixth wicket partnership of 86 runs with Dhoni (49) and seventh wicket partnership of 125 runs with Pathan (82). The total of 398 on this track put Lankans under pressure and that helped Indian bowlers to attack with confidence. Indian spinners utilized the conditions very much, which they were supposed, and gained the vital lead.

Lot more to go

Even though the series boosted India’s confidence they need to lift their game a lot if they want to succeed in foreign soil. The Pakistan tour is at the door and there is only little time to do the mending work. But they can look back and understand their weaknesses. The faded form of Indian top order batsmen creates a big problem which needs to be solved quickly. If India wants to return with pride Virender Sehwag and Sachin should perform consistently. Last time when India toured Pakistan they won the series for which the credit goes to good batting performance.

Pakistan bowling is much more superior to Sri Lanka. Shoaib Akthar, Rana Naved ul Hasan and Danish Kaneria who recently destroyed the English batting line up will pose a big threat to India. To deal with them India needs not only confidence but also application, dedication and after all the killer instinct. And Indian bowling needs more discipline to prevent the Pakistan batsmen who are in good form and confidence after beating England in both forms of the game.

UAE Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs signs accreditation agreement
with ICDL GCC Foundation

Move is in keeping with the UAE Federal Government's e-government strategy

December 21, 2005
The UAE Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs signed today (Monday, 19
December, 2005) an accreditation agreement with the ICDL GCC Foundation,
the governing body of the International Computer Driving Licence (ICDL)
programme in the Gulf States, to provide ICDL certification to all employees
of the Ministry. ICDL GCC Foundation granted accreditation to two in-house
IT education centres of the Ministry in Abu Dhabi and Dubai to provide
ICDL training and testing program to its employees.

The move to adopt the ICDL programme will significantly enhance the quality
of service offered by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, which
requires interaction with customers comprising both UAE Nationals and expatriates.

The agreement was signed by Youssef Abdallah Abdul Ghani, Undersecretary
for Financial and Administrative Affairs, UAE Ministry of Labour and Social
Affairs, and Jamil Ezzo, Director General, ICDL GCC Foundation.

Youssef Abdallah said, "The Ministry's decision to adopt the ICDL certification
reflects our commitment to adopt the highest quality standards, as the
ICDL programme is considered the global benchmark in IT skills provision.
We are constantly looking for ways to increase employee performance and
productivity, which in turn will improve the quality of services offered
to our customers. The decision to make the ICDL certification essential
for the Labour Ministry employees is in keeping with the UAE Federal Government's
active pursuit of e-governance."

"At present, our Ministry employs close to 1,300 people and we have been
providing various employee training programmes regularly. The accreditation
of our Abu Dhabi and Dubai training centres by ICDL ensures delivery of
fundamental IT skills to our employees in compliance with a renowned international
standard. This will help boost the confidence of our employees and provide
them with more opportunities to advance and grow within the Ministry,"
Abdalllah added

SANGEET NATAK AKADEMI PURASKAR 2005

Thirty three artists/scholars have been selected for the Sangeet Natak Akademi Puraskar for the year 2005. The honour carries a purse money of Rs. 50,000/-, a Tamrapatra and an Angavastram. Eminent practitioners of Hindustani and Carnatic Music, Shri S.C.R. Bhat and Shri Ramashrey Jha have been selected for Hindustani Vocal Music, Shri Brijbhushan Kabra for Hindustani Instrumental-Guitar, shri Tulsidas Borkar for Hindustani Instrumental-Harmonium, Shri S.V Parthasarathy and Shri P.S Narayanaswamy for Carnatic Vocal Music, Shri Ongolo Rangayya for Carnatic Instrumental-Nadaswaram and Shri V.V. Subramanyam for Carnatic Instrumental-Violin have been selected.

In the field of Dance, Smt. Radha has been selected for Bharatnatyam, Shri Tirath Ram Azad for Kathak, Shri Mathur Govindan Kutty for Kathakali, Shri K. Radhamohon Sharma for Manipuri, Shri Korada Narasimha Rao for Kuchipudi, Shri Durga Charan Ranbir for Odissi, shri Th. Chaotombi singh for Creative & Experimental Dance and Shri Josyula Krishnamurthi for his contribution to Music for Dance have been selected.

In the field of Theatre Shri Ajmer Singh Aulakh for Playwriting (Punjabi), Shri Dabashish Majumdar for Playwriting (Bengali), Shri Ranjit Kapoor and Shri V.K Sharma for Direction, Smt. Chindhodi Leela for Acting have been selected. In the field of allied theatre Arts Shri H.V Sharma for Stagecraft, Shri Suresh Bhardwaj for Lighting and Shri R. Paramashivan for Theatre Music have been selected.

In the field of Traditional/Folk/Tribal Dance/Music/Theatre and Puppetry, Shri P.K.G. Nambiar for Kuttiyattam of Kerala, Shri Subbu Arumugam for Villupattu of Tamil Nadu, Shri Kashi Nath Pujapanda for Odissi Music of Orissa, Shri Babu Bhai Ranpura for Folk Music of Gujarat, Shri Khirod Khaklari for Bodo Dance & Music of Assam, Shri Daryao Singh Mallik for Folk Theatre of Haryana, Shri D.S. Aiyyelu for Dance Costume and shri Ganpat Sakharam Mhesge for Puppetry of Maharashtra have been selected. Smt. Pratibha Agarwal has been selected for overall contribution in Performing Arts.

Akademi Puraskar (Akademi Awards) have been conferred since 1952 which not only symbolize the highest standard of excellence and achievements on a national basis, but also recognize sustained individual work and outstanding contribution to the practice and appreciation of the arts through performance, teaching and scholarship.

Harbhajan and Yuvraj Singh made it India’s way

Leo

First it was Harbhajan Singh who fumbled Sri Lanka with his spin and bounce and then Yuvraj Singh took the game yet farther from the visitors getting India closer to yet another thumping test victory. Even though India couldn’t force the Lankans to follow on they got a handy first innings lead of 192 which is so vital in this wicket. Now with two day’s play left Indians are comfortably placed with a massive overall lead of 479 with one wicket left. Sri Lanka would have to produce a magical batting performance to prevent India from winning the test series 2-0, which is unlikely considering the character of the pitch.

It’s after a long time Harbhajan was seen so dangerous with his spin and bounce. In every aspect he outplayed Lankan batsmen as even the inform Marvan Atapattu struggled before him. He never allowed any partnership going which left Sri Lanka in all sorts of trouble. His match figure of 7 for 62 talks for him. Not to forget the support he got from Anil Kumble, who is playing his 100th test. After gaining the vital first innings lead India gained a huge psychological advantage which helped them stretching the overall lead closer to 500. Indian game plan of attacking in the low pitch was the best one and it worked as well. Master blaster Sachin Tendulkar was looking dangerous as he played both spin and pace beautifully. But he was unlucky to be adjudged leg before off a ball that hit him high on his leg.

Indian top order stumbled playing aggressively in the slow track. Even though India lost five wickets with only 100 runs on board, Yuvraj in company of the tail enders marched ahead fabulously exhibiting marvelous batting.Yuvraj has always been suspected of weakness against spin, but the way he batted in this innings, you’d have suspected him of a weakness for the thing. He drove, pulled and even swept beautifully. Now with two more days left Indians are looking at Harbhajan and Kumble to hand then yet another test and series victory, which is well in sight.

Photo and content courtesy : WAM.

Dubai Holding announces creation of Tatweer

Dec 19, 2005 -

Dubai, 19 Dec, 05 - Executive Chairman of Dubai Holding, Mohammad Al Gergawi, today announced the creation of Tatweer, a new company which will manage a dynamic portfolio of Dubai Holding companies. Tatweer will be wholly owned by Dubai Holding. Al Gergawi announced the appointment of Saeed Al-Muntafiq as Chief Executive Officer of Tatweer. Al Muntafiq is also Director General of the Dubai Development and Investment Authority, according to a press statement from Dubai Holding. Tatweer will drive the development of a group of companies which have such diverse interests as energy, tourism leisure and entertainment, industrial, and healthcare but which also have a common purpose to deliver long-term growth for all aspects of life in Dubai.

Tatweer's portfolio of companies will include Dubailand, Dubai Healthcare City, Dubai Industrial City, Dubai Energy, Dubai Mercantile Exchange, Global Village and Moutamarat. It will act as a corporate centre setting strategic direction and targets for the entire portfolio and assisting companies in business development, investment planning and talent management. It will also bring the companies in line with international best practice, quality and health and safety standards.

"The formation of Tatweer marks an important step forward for Dubai Holding and its operating companies. As a corporate centre, Tatweer will create value by capitalizing on new market opportunities that complement its portfolio, exploiting operational synergies and developing an excellence model to enhance customer experience. "The ambitious growth plans and diversity of its portfolio requires Dubai Holding to develop innovative management structures and world class teams. Tatweer brings together some of the most experienced and respected talents from Dubai and overseas. The diversity of their experience, strong regional knowledge and international exposure will generate incremental value for the Tatweer portfolio. I have great confidence in the team led by Saeed Al-Muntafiq and foresee strong and positive results", said Al Gergawi.

Tatweer's management team has been drawn from a variety of sectors within Dubai and internationally, and will comprise senior executives with strong, proven track records. They will bring a complementary focus to the operating companies in areas such as governance and business excellence. Saeed Al-Muntafiq commented: "We have put together a formidable management team and we are looking forward to the challenges ahead with both confidence and commitment. With such a wide variety of companies, it will be critical to drive maximum return and value across the portfolio." The companies in the Taweer portfolio are summarized as follows: Dubailand launched in October 2003, is well on its way to creating the region's - if not the world's - largest entertainment, tourism, leisure and lifestyle complex in the UAE. It sprawls across three billion square feet of land and offers a variety of experiences for families and individuals of any age.

Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC) was launched in November 2002 to fill the gap between Europe and South East Asia by establishing a regional gateway for customers and patients to receive world-class healthcare and to enjoy first class medical and wellness services.Dubai Industrial City is an industrial zone that clusters manufacturing facilities in high value sectors. It provides a business environment that aims to attract companies from around the world with the very best in infrastructure, logistics and skilled labour, combined with low costs and a pro-business regulatory framework.

Dubai Energy was launched in June 2005 to spearhead Dubai's investments in strategic regional and global energy opportunities.It will focus on building a diversified global energy investment portfolio.

Dubai Mercantile Exchange was launched in June 2005 and is the first energy futures exchange in the Middle East and a joint venture between the leading commodities exchange, NYMEX and Dubai Holding.

The DME will be a world-class, highly sophisticated energy exchange that will provide price transparency in the world's principal oil region providing a benchmark for crude oil pricing. It will also strengthen Dubai's ties with the international finance and commodities trading community and will develop itself as the gateway between the world's energy market and the Middle East.

Global Village - located in Dubailand, Global Village is Dubai's exciting new tourism destination which started off as a huge cultural entertainment centre to cater to the need for a central meeting point where different countries could showcase the myriad cultures. Over the years it has grown into a star attraction among UAE nationals, resident expatriates from over 160 different countries and visitors from across the world.

Moutamarat, launched in June 2005, is a Dubai Holding joint venture with Saudi Research and Publishing Company (SRPC). Moutamarat manages major conferences and exhibitions that will facilitate transfer of knowledge and technology across the Middle East.

GCC concerned over Iran, Israeli nuke programmes

Dec 19, 2005 UAE Foreign Minister Rashid Abdullah Al Nuaimi reiterated his country's stance on its three islands occupied by Iran."UAE's stand on that issue is clear, the UAE's three islands are occupied territories in reality. The UAE is a peaceful country that believes in right, justice and law and also expects others to believe in these principles, Islamic values and good neighborliness and that there is always a solution through peaceful means either through direct negotiations, international community or arbitration, Al Nuaimi said in a joint press conference he held with Abdul Rahman bin Hamad Al Attiyah, the GCC Secretary General, in the wake of the GCC 26th Summit concluded in Abu Dhabi this evening.He added that the UAE is a civilised country that seeks stability, prosperity and calm regional atmosphere.

Al Nuaimi referred to H.H. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan's statement that the council has, thus far, fell short of meeting peoples' aspirations."We look forward to making greater achievements in the future," he said.Al Nuaimi revealed that the leaders discussed a letter from Amr Musa, the Arab League's Secretary General."We appreciate Amr Musa's concern as an Egyptian citizen about the Israeli nuclear programme. In fact, we share that concern with him," he said. "However," he continued, "talking about threats to Arab national security, Musa should have raised concerns about the Iranian programme." Al Nuaimi argued that the GCC countries are in proximity to the Iranian nuclear reactor in Bu Shahr.

"We do not have any protection in case of a leakage, specially that Iran is not a member of the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT). It is a legitimate concern," he said. "It is up to Musa if he is not sharing us that concern but we concur with his over Israeli programme. When the Secretary General of Arab League talks about threats posed to the region, he should take into consideration that Arab security order also covers the six Gulf Arab countries." Al Attiyah said that the topic of setting up a single central bank for GCC countries was not among the summit's agenda. "The UAE has shown interest in establishing such an authority.

This will be discussed when the part relating to financial authority and the governors committee is finalised," he said. In a reply to a question on why no reference was made in the summit's final communique to Iran's nuclear programme, Al Attiyah said the leaders did discuss that."The GCC summits and ministerial councils always stress the need to maintain the region free from weapons of mass destruction.WMD is an international issue and it is everyone's demand to rid the region of its evils." On the situation in Lebanon, he said the summit condemned the assassinations and stressed on the necessity to provide support to Lebanon's stability.

With regard to security coordination, the Supreme Council reviewed the outcome of the 24th meeting of the GCC Interior Ministers, held in Manama during November 2005. It expressed satisfaction at the progress of coordination between member states, and the positive steps taken so far that are aimed at protecting the GCC communities against serious security threats, such as drug trafficking, money laundering, and smuggling of weapons and explosives.

They also reviewed progress made in combating infiltration, and means of upgrading intercommunication and exchange of information between security authorities in member states.The Supreme Council authorized the Interior Ministers to sign the agreement on extradition of those convicted with incarceration penalties, owing to the humanitarian importance of this agreement.

In view of the growing terrorist activities , the Supreme Council noted with satisfaction the efforts exerted and measures adopted by GCC member states to combat terrorism on both the regional and international levels, and reiterated the Council's firm policy of combating and renouncing all forms of terrorism, of whatever source and irrespective of any justifications associated with it. The Supreme Council reiterated its repeated calls for, and support of all regional and international endeavours to counter terrorism, by reaching a definition of terrorism distinguishing it from the legitimate rights of people to resist occupation, so long as innocent people are not targeted.

In this context, the Supreme Council welcomed the outcome of the International Antiterrorism Conference, hosted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Riyadh during February, and the recommendations of that conference, notably the proposal by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia, for establishment of an international anti-terrorism centre. This will certainly support international antiterrorism action. The Council, therefore, backs the efforts aimed at setting up a task force, under the UN aegis, for studying the recommendations related top this proposal.The Council reiterated its denunciation of terrorist acts and underlined the need for concerted world action to stand against these acts which result in losses of innocent lives and destruction of property.

The Supreme Council took note of the recommendations of its Consultative panel with regard to the terrorism phenomena, and decided to approve and refer them to the concerned ministerial committees for carving out implementation mechanisms. And on the Consultative Panel's recommendations regarding assessment of the GCC march through the last 23 years, the Council decided to refer those recommendations to member states for examination and comment by their competent organs. The Panel should then put the recommendations in their final form for referral to the Supreme Council in a future session.

The Supreme Council has also commissioned its Consultative Panel to examine two issues in its next session: economic citizenship as a catalyst to GCC citizenship, and the importance of economic partnership in boosting GCC relations with neighbouring countries.

On politics, the Supreme Council has discussed a number of regional, Arab and international issues.

With regard to the occupation by the Islamic republic of Iran of the three UAE islands, Greater and Lesser Tunbs and Abu Musa, the Council reiterated its firm stance as voiced in all previous declarations, in support of the UAE right to exercise full sovereignty over its three islands, and over the territorial waters, air space, continental shelf and the economic zone of the three islands.

The Supreme Council deplored the fact that contacts with the Islamic Republic of Iran have so far made no progress toward an effective settlement that would enhance the security and stability of the region.

The Supreme Council will continue to consider all peaceful means that would help restore the right of the UAE to its three islands, and hopes that the Islamic Republic of Iran would respond to the efforts being exerted by the UAE and the international community for reaching a peaceful settlement, including referral of the issue to the International Court of Justice.

Standard Trade Policy The GCC Supreme Council reviewed progress on the economic sphere in view of reports submitted by the relevant committees and the General Secretariat.

In this respect, the council endorsed a document on standard trade policy, aimed at unifying foreign trade policies for the GCC countries as to enable them deal with the outside world as a single economic bloc. Another document on inter-GCC trade was also adopted by the council. The document outlines policies needed to facilitate easy movement of GCC citizens as well as easing the flow of services and commodities, while at the same time taking into consideration environmental and consumer protection.

The council further reviewed progress on GCC Custom Union and its positive impact in increasing inter-GCC trade exchange. A proposal to exempt certain commodities from custom duties was endorsed. The provisional dateline for achieving the Custom Union was extended by the council to 2007.

On the common GCC market, the council reviewed the progress made during the year 2005, particularly in the area of buying and trading shares. A proposal by the economic and financial cooperation committee to extend the scope of economic activities for GCC nationals to include ownership of recruitment offices, car rent and cultural activities was adopted by the council. The concerned economic committee was empowered by the Supreme Council to adopt necessary measures to make the common the GCC market a tangible reality by the end of 2007.

On the timetable for implementing the GCC Monetary Union, the council reviewed the reports submitted by the General Secretariat.

The council approved the monetary and financial criteria agreed between the Economic and Financial Committee and the Central Banks and Financial Institutions Committee. These criteria seek to achieve monetary and economic integration.

The council further touched on a number of economic reports that were submitted by the General Secretariat and issued instructions accordingly. These reports include studies on common GCC water network, railways network, and standard GCC identity card (Smart Card). The extent to which each country has gone in implementing the smart card project was reviewed.

Avian Influenza On bird flu, the Supreme Council reviewed reports on standard precautionary measures adopted by the GCC countries to ward off the menace of avian influenza. The reports reviewed by the council included the outcome of the joint emergency meetings of the GCC Agriculture and Health Ministers. In view of these reports, the council issued directives to the concerned ministerial committees to redouble efforts so as to keep the disease at bay.

GCC and Yemen On GCC cooperation with the Republic of Yemen, the Council reviewed a report by the Secretary General on measures adopted to bolster cooperation between Yemen and the GCC countries. These measures include earlier directives by the Supreme Council to fund development projects in Yemen and also to hold a conference to explore investment opportunities in Yemen.

On GCC economic relations with international groupings, the council reviewed economic developments during the year 2005, including framework agreements for economic cooperation and GCC-EU free trade negotiations.

The council welcomed the progress made so far in the talks between the two sides and further expressed its hope that these talks would ultimately culminate in an FTA deal.

The council further expressed its satisfaction over the progress made in GCC talks with China and Turkey to establish free trade zones.

On human health and environmental issues, the council discussed a number of environmental issues , including hazards caused to human health as a result of exposure to ultra-violet rays.

In line with international efforts to protect the Ozone layer, the Council adopted a guiding regime to control the use of ozone-depleting substances.

The GCC regime is consistent with the Vienna convention and the Montreal Protocol on the control of Ozone depleting materials.

On the area of education, the council reviewed the Secretary General's report on this issue and referred it to the ministerial council for implementation. The council hailed the efforts being exerted by the ministers of education to implement the Supreme Council resolutions. The council further directed the Ministers of Higher Education in the GCC countries to speedily implement joint higher education projects.

As part of its endeavors to achieve social tranquility for GCC citizens in the public and private sectors, the council expressed satisfaction over the measures adopted by member states to implement the social insurance scheme that was proposed during the Manama Summit of 2004.

The council expressed satisfaction over the measures adopted by member states to improve the level of childcare and family welfare. In this respect, the council particularly hailed the efforts being adopted to enable women take a proactive role in the development process in the GCC countries.

With respect to the youth and sports sector, the council lauded the efforts being exerted by the GCC Ministers of Youth and Sports as well as by the Olympic Committee presidents to support the youth sector and promote sports in GCC countries.

On the area of legal cooperation, the council adopted the Riyadh Document on standard penal code in the GCC countries. The amended version of the code has been adopted as the guiding code in GCC countries for the next your years.

The council further extended the duration of existing legal documents to remain as the guiding astute for four more years.

These include the Kuwait Document on Common GCC Civil Law, Doha Document on Penal Code, Abu Dhabi Document on Juvenile Code, Manama Document on Advocacy Code, Muscat Document on Evidence Code. Manama Document on Civil Procedures was also extended for the same duration.

In the area of military cooperation, the council reviewed the outcome of the fourth meeting of the Joint Defence Council which was held in Bahrain on 26 September 2005. The council endorsed the resolutions of the defence council and further hailed the the progress made in this respect.

It also reviewed a letter from King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia on upgrading the Dir Al Jazira forces.

King Abdullah's proposal was endorsed and referred to the defence council for further study and subsequent recommendations that should be presented to the next summit.

The Supreme Council stated that, in celebration of the blessed establishment of the GCC 25 years ago from Abu Dhabi City, under the patronage of late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi embraces this gathering with great pride during Sheikh Khalifa's rule. And that through the venues of this lofty structure, the GCC countries have made tremendous strides towards development and prosperity.

The Supreme Council ,expressing its authentic appreciation of what had been accomplished by the GCC Founding Leaders, stated that those pioneers would always be remembered with reverence and respect for what they had provided their nations with and for their concern for the safety and security of GCC countries and peoples.

And also for their services to the issues of both the Arab and Islamic worlds s well as the safety of the region and the world at large.

The Supreme Council expressed deep sorrow for the demise of former Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, late King Fahd bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, who had done much in support of the GCC and the aspirations of its peoples, and for his role in serving Arab and Islamic causes and the international community.

The Supreme Council welcomed the current Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud who is a living example for the continuation of a legacy of development and prosperity for the people of Saudi Arabia and the GCC countries ,as well as for a joint action in cooperation with GCC leaders to support and accomplish the objectives of the GCC.

The Supreme Council welcoming Saudi Arabia's joining of the World Trade Organization, affirmed that the move was would instrumental in supporting the GCC march forward and an important element in creating a stable global economy.

The Supreme Council lauded the outcome of the 3rd Extra-Ordinary Islamic Summit of the Islamic Conference Organization which convened in Mecca dated 5-6 Dhul Qa'eda 1426 AH, as well as both the Mecca Declaration and Mecca's Closing Statement issued at the end of the Summit ,which embodied values expressive of the welfare and progress of the Islamic member states in the ICO.

The Supreme Council praised efforts exerted by Qatar under the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Hamed bin Khalifa Al Thani , during its chairmanship of the Group of 77 and China.

It also expressed its satisfaction with outcome of the 2nd South Summit which convened in Doha in June, 2005.

The Supreme Council explored accomplishments of the member states in the context of development and modernization, as well as in the political, economic, educational and social aspects.

It referred to "Manama Declaration" which was issued at "Zayed's Summit" which was convened in 2004 in the Kingdom of Bahrain and affirmed the necessity of a continued comprehensive development and modernization so as to be on par with the rest of the world , provided that the condition emanated from a nationalistic perspective and based on the region's history and heritage in a way that preserved and enhanced security, stability and prosperity for the GCC countries and peoples.

The Supreme council reviewed the accomplishment reached through joint work in all aspects since the previous session , and made a comprehensive evaluation of the regional and global international political ,security issues in the light of alarming incidents being witnessed by the region and the world.

The Supreme Council observing GCC leaders' concern for consolidating joint efforts among GCC countries, has reviewed recommendations and follow-up reports submitted by the Council of Ministers. To that effect, it made the following:

The Supreme Council welcomed the holding of parliamentary elections in Iraq on 15 December 2005, in which all ethnic spectra and affiliations of Iraqi people were involved. The Council is looking forward the results of these elections would open up a new page in the modern history of Iraq in a manner that safeguards territorial integrity and stability of Iraq, helps it run its own affairs, ensures its come-back as an active member of the Arab and international family and lives in peace with its neighbours.

The Council urged the Iraqi people to press a head with dialogue so as to reach a comprehensive national reconciliation that constitutes the main safety valve for the unity, stability and sovereignty of Iraq. The Council also affirmed that its member states will continue to honour their commitments in regard to the reconstruction of Iraq.

In the context of the keenness of the GCC leaders to help Iraqi people achieve their aspiration for security and stability, the Supreme Council condemned the terrorist acts against civilians, humanitarian and religious organisations. It also condemned attacks, destructions and threats against Iraqi infrastructures.

The Council denounced the deliberate, systematic mass killings of Iraqis, Kuwaiti prisoners and detainees, peoples of other nationalities and unearthed mass graves -which were committed by the former Iraqi regime - in a flagrant violation of human rights, Islamic and Arab principles, ethics and values.

The Supreme Council appreciated the existing fruitful cooperation between Kuwait and Republic of Iraq to ease sufferings underwent by the two countries due to the inhumane practices perpetrated by the former Iraqi regime against the brotherly people of Kuwait and Iraq. The Council expressed its hope the UN would pursue its efforts to settle the outstanding issues such as the return of Kuwaiti assets and national archives- seized by former Iraqi regime during its occupation of Kuwait - lift the cover off the fate of the Kuwaiti detainees and prisoners of other countries.

Palestine : -------------- Having reviewed the course of events on the Palestinian front and developments in the Middle East peace process, the Supreme Council hailed the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza Strip and some settlements in the West Bank as '' a step in the right direction, but hoped it would be followed by complete pull out from all the occupied Palestinian territories in order to enable the brotherly Palestinian people establish their independent state on its national soil with the holy city of Jerusalem as its capital.

In this context, the Supreme Council reiterated the adherence of its member states to the Arab Peace Initiative approved by the 2002 Arab Summit in Beirut which based on international legitimacy resolutions. It emphasised the integration of this initiative with the Road Map for peace in the Middle East.

The Council reiterated that the comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East will only be achieved through the setting up of the independent Palestinian state with all its basic characteristics and Jerusalem as its capital. The Council stressed the importance of Israel's withdrawal from the occupied Arab Golan Heights to the line of 4 June 1967, and from the Sheba'a farms in South of Lebanon.

The Supreme Council demanded Israel to cease its repressive practices against the unarmed Palestinian people including halt of (assassinations, building of settlements, construction of the separation wall and demolition of what has been built so far) and evacuation of settlements. It also demanded Israel to prevent right-wing Jewish groups from issuing threats to storm the Aqsa holy Mosque. The Council underlined that such threats would lead to nowhere but provoke Muslims' sentiments and desecrate sanctity of their holy shrines - a matter which undermines the peace process.

The Council demanded Israel to join the Nuclear non- Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and place all its nuclear facilities to international inspection by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). It appealed to the international community to pressure Israel to fall on line. The Council reaffirmed its call for making the Middle East a region free of weapons of mass destruction.

Lebanon ------------ Reviewing the latest developments in Lebanon, the Supreme Council denounced and condemned the killing of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Al Hariri, who dedicated his efforts to serve security, stability and development of Lebanon. The Council decried the repeated killings of Lebanese leaders and personalities and voiced its sincere desire to back political, economic stability and security in Lebanon. The GCC leaders urged the Lebanese to patch up the rift in order to safeguard unity of their country and bring about security, stability and prosperity. The Council condemned frequent Israeli threats, violations and aggressions against the sovereignty and independence of Lebanon.

Syria --------- Turning to Syria, the GCC leaders expressed satisfaction at Syria's decision to welcome UN Security Council resolution No (1644) on the international investigation panel. They also underlined their firm keenness of the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity and security of both Syria and Lebanon.

Sudan ---------- Examining the situation in Sudan, the Supreme Council welcomed the final peace agreement reached in Nairobi last January and the formation of the new Sudanese government. It appreciated efforts being exerted by the Sudanese government to solve the crisis in Darfur.It expressed its hope that security and peace would prevail Sudan at large for the interest and welfare of the brotherly Sudanese people.

In the end, the Supreme Council expressed gratitude to His Majesty Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, King of Bahrain, and his government for the sincere efforts exerted while presiding over the twenty fifth session of the Supreme Council and for major achievements that pushed the GCC cooperation to wider avenues and led the people of the region to more progress and prosperity.

The Supreme Council also voiced gratitude to H.H. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates and Chairman of the on-going session of the Council, his government and people for the hospitality accorded to his brethren leaders of the GCC. and for the attention, care and sagacious running of the meeting, something that has greater effect on the major results and resolutions concluded.

The GC C leaders voiced confidence that the UAE as chairman of the current session will give impetus to the GCC's drive for restoration of security, stability and prosperity under the present local, regional and international circumstances.

The Supreme Council is looking forward to meeting during its 27th Session, scheduled in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in Dhul Qa'edah 1427AH corresponding to December 2006, in response to a gracious invitation by King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia.

Issued in Abu Dhabi on Monday 17 Dhul Qa'edah 1426 AH corresponding to 19 December 2005.

Emirates to Star Services to Kerala Capital

Emirates, one of the world’s fastest growing international airlines, today announced it will start services between Dubai and India’s Thiruvananthapuram International Airport from 1st February 2006. On the same day, the airline will also boost services to two other major Indian cities - Cochin and Chennai. Emirates will fly eight times a week to Thiruvananthapuram, its sixth destination in India and second city in the state of Kerala after Cochin. (The Emirates Airbus A330-200 )

On the route, the airline intends to operate its modern Airbus A330-200 in a three-class configuration offering seats in First, Business and Economy class, as well as the B777-200 aircraft in a two-class configuration. Both wide-bodied aircraft offer industry-leading comforts including ergonomically designed seats, and personal entertainment systems in all classes. On 1st February 2006, Emirates will also increase its service to Cochin from five-a-week to a daily service; and add four more flights to Chennai to serve the city eight times a week.HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Emirates Chairman, said: “We are very pleased to be able to offer our customers more travel connections to and from India with our new flights to Thiruvananthapuram, and our increased service frequency to Cochin and Chennai.“Air transport links form the foundation on which commerce can prosper and on which friendly relations are built. We welcome our new links with Thiruvananthapuram and look forward to growing that relationship as we have done with the cities of Cochin and Chennai.”

Sheikh Ahmed added: “We would like to thank the government of India for its support. Emirates is committed to contributing to the dynamic Indian economy, and we look forward to facilitating greater tourism and business traffic to the cities which we serve.” In Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of the state of Kerala, Emirates will invest in a dedicated sales office to provide top-notch service to its customers, and recruit over 25 staff to manage passenger, airport and cargo operations. The airline also intends to hire more staff in Cochin and Chennai to support its expanded operations.

The airline will promote its newest destination, Thiruvananthapuram, to business and leisure travellers through its sales and marketing efforts. India is already one of the U.A.E.’s top five major trading partners with total trade volume chalking up over AED 13 billion in 2003. Bilateral ties between both countries continue to strengthen with each passing year. Emirates’ increased services to Cochin and Chennai will cater to the strong demand for seats between Dubai and India, as both booming economies attract growing interest from regional and international business traffic. The added flights will also benefit the large population of expatriates from India’s southern states living and working in the U.A.E. Emirates currently operates 43 non-stop flights a week between Dubai and India – 19 to Mumbai, seven to Delhi, four to Chennai, five to Cochin and eight to Hyderabad.

No Assets of Nagpur Airport Transferred ?

The Maharashtra Government has for the last five years, been proposing for the development of an International Multi-modal Passenger and Cargo Hub at Nagpur. A communication dated 11 August 2005, has been received by the Ministry of Civil Aviation from the Maharashtra Government, on the subject of Transfer of all assets of Nagpur Airport under Airport Authority of India to Government of Maharashtra. The Government of Maharashtra while waiving the stamp duty for Mumbai Airport has asked the Government of India to give the Nagpur Airport for a token amount as they themselves have an ambitious development project entailing large investment for Nagpur Airport. The decision is to be resolved through inter Governmental, inter Ministerial and intra-Ministerial consultation. Eventually any final decision in this regard can only be taken by the Union Cabinet. In fact not only the Maharashtra Government, a similar waiver of duty has been sought from the Delhi Government too for the development of the Delhi Airport.

Tanmia and Al Habtoor Group commit to accelerating pace of Emiratisation

19 December, 2005 A delegation headed by Fidda Lootah, Acting Director, Tanmia, recently visited Khalaf Al Habtoor, Managing Director, Al Habtoor Group, to discuss co-operation between Tanmia and Al Habtoor Group with respect to employment opportunities for Nationals within Al Habtoor Group.

The delegation? visit came as part of Tanmia? commitment towards employing National job seekers and enhancing their participation in socio-economic development in a bid to correct market imbalances created by over-reliance on expatriate workers.

Al Habtoor lauded Tanmia? Emiratisation efforts and expressed willingness to absorb any number of Nationals from Tanmia? database with marketing, public relations, maintenance, d?or and hotel management competencies. He stated his staunch belief in the potential, professionalism and competence of young Nationals, and added that he wished to prove his viewpoint by hiring, training and retaining young Arabs in the full knowledge that their participation would yield economic benefits for his business concerns. Lootah thanked Habtoor for lending support to Emiratisation by training and employing Nationals within his group of companies, thereby creating job opportunities for National job seekers in Tanmia? database.?anmia is looking to foster economic growth by to resolving issues of disparity in labour market access and promoting National participation in the private sector. It is extremely heartening to see that we are garnering support from important private sector players in our case of workforce diversification and hiring a greater number of Nationals. We thank Mr. Al Habtoor for his support to train and hire young Nationals.·

Tanmia is the National Human Resource Development & Employment Authority in the UAE, and was established in 1999 via a Presidential decree to increase National participation in the labour market.

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