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It is very clear that Syrian regime is receiving a great deal of support, increasing support in recent months from Hezbollah and Iran. This is a regime that is increasingly dependent on external support.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague

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A worrying progress

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Assad will not fall

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Sheikha Moza receives ICRC president

H H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser talking with Peter Maurer (second right), President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). They discussed the possibility of cooperation between the ICRC and institutions under Her Highness’s chairmanship, especially in providing education in conflict areas and the importance of promoting an international humanitarian law.

PM says new world order is emerging

The Prime Minister and Foreign Minister H E Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem bin Jabor Al Thani addressing the opening session of the fourth Munich Security Conference (MSC) Core Group Meeting at Ritz-Carlton Doha, yesterday. DOHA: The Prime Minister and Foreign Minister H E Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem bin Jabor Al Thani said yesterday that a new world order is emerging after the Arab revolutions and it is futile for rulers in the region to try to resist the wave of change. Addressing the opening session of the fourth Munich Security Conference (MSC) Core Group Meeting here, the Prime Minister called on Israel to remove all its nuclear weapons and said dialogue is the only way to resolve Iran’s nuclear issue. “We gather here in Doha at the crossroads between East and West, amidst a world, a region experiencing dramatic and profound change. We are seeing a new world order emerge, with power shifts apparent and a wide variety of state and non-state actors influencing events that affect us all,” he said. “Over two years ago, rumblings heard over many decades became a wave of popular sentiment crashing over accepted orthodoxies. The Arab Spring was an unforeseen political catalyst for many leaders and its effects are not reversible nor is its impact complete. “But leaders should not fear it, they should not resist it; they must work with it. There is no turning back. No system is perfect and, similarly, there is no system that cannot benefit from further refinement. But, what is clear is that such political development must work in league with economic and social development. It is as much a culture as it is a system,” he added. He said that political empowerment cannot come at the expense of economic empowerment, for economic empowerment and education serve to support and foster stable political development. “This is the path that the Emir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani has set and it is a path we are pursuing with commitment and vigour. But, you cannot uphold domestic stability without also securing regional stability. “And regional stability is more precarious than ever. We will never support a government of one political view. We support countries, not solely the government of the day. When governments change through an electoral process, our support will not alter. “We support the rights of all people to live in freedom and dignity, because that, alongside economic development, is the best path to stability,” the Prime Minister said. Referring to the Syrian crisis, he said the region is faced with one of its gravest moral and humanitarian challenges. “If we do not act to prevent the ongoing escalation of conflict (in Syria), the whole region risks being pulled into protracted instability. The historical currents rising to the fore, the savagery we are witnessing could be fatally undermining to a region on the cusp of change. So we, alongside our allies, are working to arrest this acute decline and find workable solutions to pull Syria back from a near terminal state,” the Prime Minister said. “I am not necessarily advocating military action, but inaction is not an option. I believe we can resolve this situation if all nations act in the common interest; seeking a Syria that is stable, that respects and accounts for the rights of all who live there.” On the nuclear issue, he said Qatar’s goal is to ensure that the region remains free of nuclear weapons. “We should not forget that freeing the region from nuclear weapons should include Israel’s removal of its nuclear arsenal so that we can ensure a stable and secure future for all states in the region. Otherwise, the adverse consequences of the nuclear arms’ race will remain. “Officially, Iran states that a military nuclear capability is not its goal. I sincerely hope that is the case. But, I believe, the only way we can hope to resolve this issue is through dialogue — by all concerned parties sitting together to resolve and address concerns. These discussions must be serious. They need not be public, but they must have a timetable,” he added. Talking about the Palestinian issue, the Prime Minister called for a revival of the stalled peace process. “Secretary Kerry sees the window of opportunity on a two-state solution closing, it is a view we share. We all know what the solution is and we all must do what we can to deliver this. The process is not straightforward, but we must not be overawed by the challenge,” he added. The Prime Minister said that new technologies like the Internet offer great opportunities for engagement, information-sharing for collective improvement but they “also pose significant threats through new forms of warfare and as a tool to divide and inflame tensions.”The Peninsula

Al Jazeera far ahead of other Arabic channels, says survey

Doha: An independent research has shown that Al Jazeera Arabic is the most watched pan-Arab news channel. According to audience data produced for Q1 2013 by Ipsos and Sigma, independent media research agencies, the channel exceeds the combined total viewership of all other pan-Arab channels. Al Jazeera’s daily viewership across the Middle East and North Africa region was 34 percent higher than that of other Pan-Arab channels combined. The research also indicated that Al Jazeera occupied all Top 10 slots in the rankings for news programmes. Commenting on the statistics, Ahmed bin Jassim Al Thani, Director General of Al Jazeera Media Network, said: “Al Jazeera continues to lead due to our distinguished commitment to a code of ethics along with editorial policies based on speed, accuracy and objectivity. “The channel’s success is based on the sacrifices of Al Jazeera correspondents who are always seeking the truth even as they are exposed to continuous threats, which in some instances, have led to death as happened recently in Syria. “The challenges we face every day include the closure of our offices last month in Iraq, which will not deter us from continuing our coverage of important stories. “Al Jazeera is grateful to its viewers for their continued trust, especially as they have more channels from which to choose. Where we were once the only free media outlet in the region, now many local channels have been launched in the post-revolutionary context. We’ve embraced and supported this, as more free journalism is best for everyone. “Al Jazeera remains committed to delivering captivating content where the human being is at the centre of the story. “Through the largest newsgathering network of correspondents in the world, we aim to continue getting exclusive stories, conducting in-depth investigations, and airing incisive current affairs programmes,” he added. The Peninsula

40,000 bogus accounts on social media in Arab world

DOHA: There are at least 40,000 bogus user accounts on social networking sites, including Twitter and Facebook, in the Arab world and their purpose is to attack prominent Arab personalities and attempt critical assessment of their actions, says a social media expert. There are an estimated 43,000 tweeters in Qatar and the peak hours during which most tweet are between 7.30pm and 8.30pm, said Ammar Mohamed, citing what he said were 2012 statistics. He is one of the 20 most influential tweeters in the Arab world and has more than 150,000 followers on the Twitter. He was speaking here yesterday at an event to discuss the impact of social media, including Twitter and Facebook, on society. The lecture was organised by the Cultural Innovative Centre under the Ministry of Arts, Culture and Heritage. Abdullah Al Shafi, Director of the Centre, was present. There are about 1,600 social networking sites in the world (excluding forums) and some eight to nine are popular in the Arab world and include Twitter and Facebook, said Mohamed. Some users in the Arab world fabricate stories of human tragedies to collect funds. This is a way for them to make money, he added. Teyseer Abdullah, a journalist, said that social networking sites had become a way of life for an increasing number of people in the Arab world. Social media are a product of modern technology and one of their positive aspects is that they break news and spread information very fast, he said. Al Shafi said that the centre aimed to raise issues concerning Qatari youth and involve them in productive activities to help bring out and polish their talent. The Peninsula

Assad urged to step down

US Secretary of State John Kerry holds a news conference with Jordan’s Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh in Amman, yesterday. AMMAN: Major powers urged Syrian President Bashar Al Assad yesterday to commit to peace and step down as they gathered in neighbouring Jordan to discuss preparations for a Russian- and US-proposed peace conference. Ahead of a meeting of the Friends of Syria group in Amman, US Secretary of State John Kerry urged Assad to make a “commitment to find peace” after more than two years of conflict that have killed more than 94,000 people. But he said that “in the event that we can’t find that way forward, in the event that the Assad regime is unwilling to negotiate... in good faith, we will also talk about our continued support and our growing support for the opposition to permit them to continue to be able to fight for the freedom of their country.” Britain and Qatar urged Assad to step down. “It is the longstanding view of the UK that Assad needs to go, and we have never been able to see any solution which involves him staying,” British Foreign Secretary William Hague told reporters. Representatives of the Syrian opposition on Tuesday demanded international guarantees that Assad would step down as part of any peace deal and have no further stake in Syria’s future. The foreign ministers of Britain, Egypt, France, Germany, Italy, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the UAE and the US are attending the meeting in the Jordanian capital. The US and Russia, which back opposite sides in the conflict, earlier this month proposed a peace conference dubbed Geneva 2 to bring together rebels and representatives of Assad’s regime. The aim of the conference, Hague stressed, would be to agree on the formation of “a transitional government with full executive authority, formed on the basis of mutual consent.” French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius agreed. “There are some conditions and in particular conditions about participation, which must be representative and which must not include countries which are against success,” he told reporters in Amman, in an apparent allusion to Assad ally Iran. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, meanwhile, hailed the Assad regime’s “constructive reaction” to the conference as he welcomed Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Muqdad in Moscow. But Lavrov said the initiative was being “undermined” by the actions of the opposition in Syria. Syria’s ambassador to Jordan, Bahjat Suleiman, lashed out at the Amman meeting of governments that support the opposition, describing it as a gathering of “enemies of Syria.” While Damascus has reportedly already proposed the names of several potential envoys to the mooted Geneva conference, the opposition has yet to decide whether it will attend. The National Coalition is to meet later this week in Istanbul, where it is expected to hammer out its stance on the peace effort and take decisions on its leadership. The diplomatic drive comes against the backdrop of a major push by Syrian regime forces and its allies to retake the rebel stronghold of Qusayr in central Homs province bordering Lebanon. The battle for the town, which lies between Damascus and the Mediterranean coast, is drawing in neighbouring Lebanon, with the country’s powerful Shia movement Hezbollah dispatching fighters to bolster regime troops. The Syrian opposition urged fighters across the country to “rush to the rescue” of Qusayr and appealed to the international community to set up a humanitarian corridor to the embattled town. Troops backed by Hezbollah fighters attacked the village of Hamadiyeh north of Qusayr of Wednesday, one of the last remaining rebel positions in the area, activists said. “The Syrian regime is receiving help from Hezbollah and Iran. That’s an increasing threat to regional stability,” Hague told reporters. “If the regime were to think they can win a military victory and goes back to whatever was normal before, I think they will be making a terrible error.” The battle for Qusayr has raised tensions in the Sunni-majority Lebanese city of Tripoli, home to a minority of Alawites, the Shiite offshoot to which Assad belongs. As the Qusayr offensive began on Sunday, clashes erupted between the rival communities in the port city. At least 11 people have died since then. On Tuesday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said more than 100 people had been killed in the fighting in Qusayr since the assault started, including 31 Hezbollah fighters, 70 rebels and nine soldiers. The group says more than 90,000 people have been killed in the conflict in Syria since it began in March 2011. AFP

Strong winds, unstable weather until Saturday

DOHA: Strong dust winds are expected to lash the country beginning today, according to the Meteorology Department. Northwesterly winds blowing at speeds ranging from 15 knots to 25 knots, reaching 35 knots at times could result in poor visibility in many places. Winds would gather further momentum by noon tomorrow. The unstable weather is expected to prevail until Saturday. Temperature would be within the normal averages crossing 40 degrees Celsius at noon. However, a pleasant breeze could be expected during night, and this is “due to the nature of the dry northerly winds,’ the department said yesterday. The Peninsula

Doha set for French comedy: The Lady from Maxim’s

By Isabel Ovalle After directing plays written by Alan Bennett, Victor Haïm, Samuel Beckett, Jaoui-Bacri, Reza and Molière at the Qatar National Theatre since 2008, French actress and director Alice Safran now brings to Doha The Lady from Maxim’s. The comedy, written by Feydeau at the end of the 19th century, has a main cast of 15 Lebanese and French actors, plus six dancers and five musicians. The performance will take place at the Qatar National Theatre today and tomorrow at 8 pm. “It’s a comedy about a narrow-minded doctor who finds himself in many comic situations. It’s an explosion of comedic situations, which will also have music and dance; it’s pure entertainment,” said Safran. The audience, she said, must go to “the second level of understanding.” The play will be in French, a language that approximately 200,000 people speak here. The main characters are played by professional actors, most of them from France (Nicolas Djermag, Paolo Palermo, Christian Canot and Alice Safran, among others), and one from Lebanon, actress Lamia Kahtib. The secondary characters are played by some of Safran’s adult pupils. There will also be dancing during the interludes, and several musicians will follow the action of the play (Eugene Bold on violin, Claire Martin Mayeur on piano and Yassine Ayari on flute, with clarinet and drums also involved). Behind the production is a French professional theatre company, Thunderbird Theatre, created by Safran in Paris in 1996. The company has performed many shows in Paris and other parts of France. Given that Safran is settled in Doha since 2007, the company has also performed several professional shows here with the support of the French Embassy and Total. Shows performed at the Qatar National Theatre include: The Bourgeois Gentleman, by Moliere (May 2012); Lifex3, by Yasmina Reza (May 2011); Family Resemblances, by Agnes Jaoui and Jean-Pierre Bacri (April 2011); Waiting for Godot, by Samuel Beckett (June 2009); Games on Stage, by Victor Haim (May 2008); and Talking Heads, by Alan Bennett (March 2008), which was also performed in Bahrain in 2010. Written in 1899, The Lady from Maxim’s is one Feydeau’s most popular and famous comedies. In the play, a whirlwind of cowardly and dazed characters, stuck in their lies, are pulled by quid pro quos into a dramatic turn of events that make them run forward, unbridled and absurd. The play begins the day after a party, when Doctor Petypon is found asleep under his sofa, with an unknown woman in his medical office. Petypon tries to get rid of her by all means, despite his wife always coming in the way and his uncle, a general, arriving from Africa. The lady from Maxim’s is quiet unpredictable. She takes advantage of the situation to enter high society and create some trouble. At Qatar National Theatre, said Safran, “the stage direction will try to emphasise this hysteria into absurdity and fantasy, in which the characters will become comic puppets, like heroes of the silent movies. Music and dance will provide rhythm to this playful and joyful theatre.” Thunderbird Theatre, which came to Qatar recently, always performs contemporary shows and tries to choose plays where relationships are ambiguous and crazy, with elements of the absurd and comic (from Goldoni to Beckett). Ultimately, the stage direction of Safran tries to explain contemporary topics lucidly and with a certain sense of humour. She also gives great importance to the sensibility and the involvement of the artist with his body, while stage designers and musicians collaborate to create a delicate and sensitive atmosphere. The Peninsula