Cyberattack on Mideast energy firms was among most destructive, Panetta says

Source: The Washington Post (Read full story)

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Panetta’s remarks on the Middle East incidents were the first from any administration official acknowledging them. In the attack on Aramco, the virus replaced crucial system files with an image of a burning U.S. flag, he said. It also overwrote the files with “garbage” data, he said.

The Middle East cyber-incidents have prompted great concern inside national security agencies, with the military’s Cyber Command adding personnel to monitor for the possibility of follow-on attacks. U.S. intelligence and Middle Eastern diplomats have said they believe Iran carried out those attacks in retaliation for a Western oil embargo against Tehran, but other experts have expressed skepticism.

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Iran’s threat to cut ties with UAE ‘flimsy’, experts say

Source: Gulf News (Read full story)

Analysts have called Iran’s threats to sever diplomatic relations with the UAE “flimsy and lacking respect and value”.

They also warned Tehran not to test UAE’s resolve over the issue of its three occupied islands, as Iran’s foreign ministry reportedly warned it could look at cutting diplomatic ties with the UAE because of a festering dispute over the islands.

Dr Ebtisam Al Katbi, professor of political science at the UAE University, said on Tuesday that Iran will be “the biggest loser of such a move, especially at this time when Tehran severely suffers from sanctions and pressures from the whole world.

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IFC to boost investments in Yemen

Source: Saudi Gazette (Read full story)

The World Bank’s financial arm International Finance Corp (IFC) plans to increase its investments in Yemen, Iraq and North Africa next year to help support development and job creation, a senior IFC executive said.
“MENA needs to create 50-70 million jobs in the next decade. Recent events in the MENA region have created the urgency to address the fundamental conditions required to revive growth and support human development,” Dimitris Tsitsiragos, the IFC’s vice president for Europe, Middle East and North Africa, said in an interview Monday.

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GCC HEADING TOWARDS UNION BUT NEEDS TO SOLVE KEY ISSUES 

Source: Kuwait News Agency (Read full story)

Talks between the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to establish a union have made large strides but there are some issues to needed decisive decisions and common conviction Kuwait Foreign undersecretary Khaled Al-Jarallah said on Tuesday. ” The GCC statute affirms that coordination between the GCC countries lead to unity and this is the destiny of GCC countries,” Al-Jarallah told reporters on sidelines of a reception by the Korean Embassy marking its national day and armed forces day.

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GCC FMs and US discuss Strategic Cooperation

Source: Khaleej Times (Read full story)

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The statement included the following points regarding the strategic cooperation between the two sides:

Commitment of both sides in the light of the challenges facing the region to promote political, military, security and economic cooperation between them in order to maintain peace, security, stability and prosperity in the Gulf region and the Middle East and to face the threats against the territory of the GCC countries and maritime security in the Gulf region.

The two sides expressed their deep concern over the continuing Iranian intervention in the internal affairs of the Gulf Cooperation Council and called on Iran to respect international principles in this area.

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US, GCC agree to boost trade, investment ties

Source: Saudi Gazette (Read full story)

The United States Thursday said it has signed a framework agreement with Saudi Arabia and other members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to explore ways to boost trade and investment with the region. Total two-way trade between the United States and the GCC totaled almost $100 billion last year, with the US running about a $24 billion trade deficit. “This important trade and investment agreement will help to grow and strengthen our economic ties with the Gulf Cooperation Council, which is a key strategic US partner in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region,” US Trade Representative Ron Kirk said in a statement.

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Qatar calls for Arab intervention in Syria

Source: Gulf Times (Read full story)

HH the Emir urges all countries that believe in the cause of the Syrian people to provide “all sorts of support” to Syrians until they gain legitimate rights. Arab nations should intervene in Syria given the UN Security Council’s failure to stop the civil war in the country, HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani said yesterday.

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