Al-Wahda [Archives:2005/872/Press Review]

24 August 2005
Main headlines

– Political parties agree on amending elections law

– Government raises wages and salaries minimum scale to YR 20 thousand

– Clearing more than 40 field from landmines in a number of governorates

– Joint committee to study oil agreements in the field of environment protection

– World Bank calls for reforming pension systems in Yemen and countries in the region

– Increased rate of crime in Yemen

Columnist Ali al-Saqqaf writes saying the bombshell blasted by leader of the Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution in Iraq Abdulaziz al-Hakim in demanding the annexing of southern and middle Euphrates governorates into a federalism, has disclosed that those who came to Iraq aboard the American tanks have become adopting frankly the American plans and goals behind the occupation of Iraq. The writer says it is known that the American major goals of Iraq occupation are not to liberate it but rather to destroy it and plunder its riches and partition it.

The federalism here is but a prelude to separate the south from Iraq after arrangements have begun for separating the north, specifically the regions of Kurdistan. Al-Hakim who entertains blessings of Sisstani could not hide his Safawite affiliation and had earlier stated that Iraq has to pay 100 billion dollars to Iran in reparations, “as if he is paying from his father's money”” according to comment by the chairman of Arab Unity Research Center in Beirut Dr Khairudin Hassib.

This time Al-Hakim appeared more Safawite and proposed the federalism and the aim is to separate the Iraqi south and annex it to Iran or at least to give Iran a larger space of influence and hegemony under a sectarian guise as the majority in south Iraq are Shiites. But Al-Hakim's call has collided with many refusing reactions