Gulf in the News – July 18, 2013

Posted on July 18, 2013 by Maria Pantelis

Arab League backs Kerry’s push to revive Mideast talks

The Arab League endorsed the drive to relaunch Palestinian-Israeli peace negotiations led by US Secretary of State John Kerry, who said gaps between the sides had been greatly narrowed. The encouraging rhetoric after Kerry met an Arab League delegation and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Jordan yesterday suggested that Kerry, on his sixth such peace mission to the Middle East in as many months, might have found a path to ending an almost three-year deadlock. The main sticking point has been Israel’s continued building of settlements on occupied land where Palestinians want to found a state. Israel approved new settlement yesterday.The 22-nation League also confirmed a recent compromise on its 11-year-old peace proposal to Israel; it said old borders could be redrawn.

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Gulf in the News – July 16, 2013

Posted on July 16, 2013 by Maria Pantelis

OPEC may cut oil output for first time in five years

Source: Saudi Gazette (Read full story)

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) may move to slash its oil production for the first time in five years when it meets in December, responding to the surge in US shale oil. According to The Wall Street Journal, OPEC could reduce production by half a million barrels a day. The group’s latest report signaled that the US shale oil boom will cut into its share of the world market in 2014 even as world demand grows at its fastest clip in four years. The International Energy Agency also released a report last week that showed demand for OPEC oil next year will fail to meet its current production of around 30 million barrels a day.

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Gulf in the News – July 15, 2013

Posted on July 15, 2013 by Maria Pantelis

Kuwait delivers free oil to Egypt – Gulf welcomes fall of Morsi

Source: Kuwait Times (Read full story)

Kuwait has sent two oil tankers carrying crude and diesel worth $200 million to Egypt, a Kuwaiti newspaper said yesterday – part of a $4 billion aid package pledged by the Gulf Arab state last week after the ouster of Islamist President Mohamed Morsi. Kuwait last week joined other oil-producing Gulf states in pledging a massive aid package worth $12 billion to Egypt in a show of support after the army toppled the Muslim Brotherhood government. Most US-allied Gulf monarchies regard the Brotherhood as a threat.

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Gulf in the News – July 12, 2013

Posted on July 12, 2013 by Mariam Klait

Railway along King Fahd Causeway under study

Source: Arab News (Read full story)

The governments of Saudi Arabia and Bahrain are studying the possibility of building a railway line parallel to King Fahd Causeway to ease the flow of goods between the two countries. This is part of a larger 2,177 km Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) railway project that will connect Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Oman. Bahraini Transport Minister Kamal Ahmad said studies are under way to determine the project’s feasibility. “The Saudi and Bahraini governments have charged five organizations to study the possibility of building a bridge that will hold railway tracks parallel to King Fahd Causeway,” said Ahmad. The five organizations are the two countries’ ministries of finance and transportation and the King Fahd Causeway Authority.

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Upcoming Event: “The Way Forward in Egypt” – July 19 in Washington, DC

Posted on July 11, 2013 by NCUSAR

Fireworks light the sky over Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt, on July 3, 2013. Photo by Amr Nabil/AP.

On July 19, 2013, the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations and the U.S.-GCC Corporate Cooperation Committee are hosting a public affairs briefing on “The Way Forward in Egypt” featuring Professor Karim Haggag, Visiting Professor, Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies and Former Director, Egyptian Press and Information Office in Washington, DC; Ms. Randa Fahmy Hudome, Board Member, National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations and General Counsel, American Egyptian Strategic Alliance; Dr. Marina Ottaway, Senior Scholar, Middle East Program, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars; and Dr. Diane Singerman, Associate Professor, School of Public Affairs, American University. Dr. John Duke Anthony, Founding President & CEO, National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations, will serve as moderator.

DATE & TIME:

Friday, July 19, 2013
10:00 – 10:30 a.m. – Coffee & Tea / Networking
10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. – Specialist Remarks / Q&A

LOCATION:

Rayburn House Office Building, Room B-340
45 Independence Ave SW
Washington, DC 20515

REGISTRATION:

The event is free but R.S.V.P. (acceptances only) via email to rsvp@ncusar.org is required.

Please note: seating capacity is limited. Include the following information when you R.S.V.P.:
Name:
Company:
Title:
Phone:
Email:

If you have any questions you can call the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations at (202) 293-6466.

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Gulf in the News – July 10, 2013

Posted on July 10, 2013 by Mariam Klait

Egypt wins $ 8 bn Saudi and UAE aid, names PM

Source: Arab News (Read full story)

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Former UN diplomat Mohamed ElBaradei was named deputy president for foreign affairs. News quickly followed of $ 8 billion in grants, loans and fuel from Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Saudi Arabia approved $ 5 billion in aid to Egypt and the UAE has offered $ 3 billion in desperately needed support for the economy . The Saudi funds comprise a $ 2 billion central bank deposit, $ 2 billion in energy products, and $ 1 billion in cash, Finance Minister Ibrahim Al-Assaf said.The UAE will make a $ 1 billion grant to Egypt and a $ 2 billion loan, state news agency WAM said. The $ 2 billion loan would take the form of an interest-free deposit with Egypt’s central bank, WAM said.

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2013 Summer Intern Model Arab League Scheduled for July 20

Posted on July 9, 2013 by NCUSAR

Students at the 2012 Summer Intern Model Arab League.

The National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations is organizing a special one-day Summer Intern Model Arab League conference on Saturday, July 20, for students in the Washington, DC area. The free program will be held at Georgetown University and features four councils where students will assume the role of diplomats to tackle some of the toughest issues facing the international community. All interns and students in the Washington, DC area are invited to participate in this interactive leadership development program.

Registration for the conference is done on an individual basis, although students may choose to coordinate their registration to represent the same country as a friend or coworker on different councils. Assignments will be given on a first-come, first-serve basis. Participation is free of charge, and includes a free lunch and a social event in the evening.

Visit the Summer Intern MAL webpage to learn more. Any questions can be emailed to programs@ncusar.org.

Gulf in the News – July 8, 2013

Posted on July 8, 2013 by Mariam Klait

The 4th Gulf Research Meeting Held in Cambridge

Source: Emirates News Agency (Read full story)

In his keynote address, Dr. Abdulaziz Sager welcomed the participants and highlighted the importance of this event which has become an annual gathering to discuss different Gulf-related issues with a variety of strategic political and economic themes. Dr. Sager also pointed out that this edition of the GRM is being held amidst regional and international turmoil stemming from the developments taking place in the Arab Spring countries, especially countries such as Syria, Yemen and Egypt. As a result, the GCC countries face a number of challenges that require in-depth analysis in the search for policy solutions. Issues such as Saudi Arabia and the Arab Spring, Sustainable Development Challenges in the Gulf Region, GCC-Iraq Relations, and Boundaries and Territories in the Gulf were among the pertinent topics covered.

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