Die hizballah - vom bewaffneten Widerstand zum politischen Akteur (German Edition)

The Ministry of Endowments in the Yemeni government said Sunday that the incidents of repeated assassinations in the southern city of Aden, the interim capital of the country, which targeted scientists and preachers, were heinous terrorist attacks. According to a statement by the Ministry, those actions were designed to keep the city of Aden dark and empty from the presence of scholars, preachers and reformers, who are known for their moderation. The Office of the President of the Supreme Court, Judge Hamoud al-Hettar, denied the tweets and news of his Twitter story about the release of prisoners accused of terrorism.

The office denied that the Supreme Court had received appeals against sentences in terrorism cases or issued an order and decision to release any of the defendants in terrorist cases. Lahj governor, Sheikh Ahmed Hamoud Jerib, accused the United Arab Emirates of trafficking in human beings in the southern provinces, exploiting the living and economic conditions of Yemeni people of the south and pulling them in the midst of futile wars.

Jerib stressed that the UAE's practice of paying money for fighting is one of the forms of trafficking in human beings and constitutes a crime punishable under international law. He pointed out that thousands of the southerners have been forced by difficult living conditions to join Emirates camps to improve their living conditions. He pointed out that Abu Dhabi began to implement this conspiracy two years ago, which aims to drain the living youth forces in the south, in preparation for the implementation of its colonial plan in the south of the country. Worshippers pray at a mosque in Aden city, while one stands guard in front with an assault rifle p.

And I might add, one takes photographs from behind. The congregation of Al-Dhoheibi mosque in Aden celebrated on Friday the release of the mosque's Imam, Nidhal Bahweireth from 4 months of imprisonment on no charge by the Aden counter-terrorism police. He traveled within a government delegation but raised the demands of the "Southern transition". The south is languishing under the northern occupation.

Despite his participation in a government parliamentary delegation to the 5th IPU Conference for the promotion of transparency and anti-corruption held in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi, deputy Aydaroos al-naqeeb spoke on behalf of the so-called "Southern Transitional Council". In a statement, the Al- Shabwani elite said it had launched a military operation on a training site for al-Qaeda in the Wadi Muthib , Al Saeed district, following a thorough intelligence operation. According to the statement, three soldiers of the military forces were injured with various injuries in the operation described as "successful and productive".

Deputy chief of Aden police was wounded when a bomb was thrown at him while on duty on Saturday, hours after a cleric was assassinated. Yemeni officials say unidentified armed men have killed a Muslim preacher in the southern city of Aden, base of Yemen's internationally recognized government backed by a Saudi-led coalition.

Unknown gunmen assassinated on Saturday an imam and preacher of a mosque in the southern province of Aden. According to local sources, unknown gunmen opened fire on Sheikh Mohammed Ragheb Bazraa, imam of Abdullah Azzam mosque in Mualla district after he left Isha prayer photos. On Saturday evening, unknown gunmen assassinated Imam and preacher of a mosque in the southern city of Aden. A girl aged six years was attacked in the city of Mukalla in Hadramout province for a brutal rape, which drove her into a critical health condition.

A local source in the city of Mukalla said that a young man raped a 6-year-old girl brutally, adding that the young man managed to escape to an unknown destination after committing the terrible moral crime against the child. It is noteworthy that the phenomenon of rape has spread very recently in the areas controlled by the forces of the Saudi-led coalition amid a chaos of security, which led many families to conceal these crimes considering them dishonorable.

It is noteworthy that reports on newspapers and media recorded 74 crimes of rape against children, boys and girls, in a number of eastern and southern provinces occupied during the first half of this year. On the other hand, a second child has fallen as a victim of sexual harassment in a matter of hours in Lahj. A medical report revealed that a child under the age of eight was subjected to sexual harassment in a rural area in Tabn district, Lahj Province. The report also pointed out that in the Republic Hospital in the capital Aden, traces of superficial red-colored were seen at the entrance to the anus.

The medical opinion of the report shows that the child W, M, P was subjected to sexual harassment through his anus. A region in the district of Tabn in Lahj Province witnessed yet another rape crime against a child aged less than 9 years old. The crime of rape and sexual harassment of children has provoked widespread discontent among the population, calling for a severe punishment of the perpetrators, protection and rehabilitation of the victims of rape and sexual harassment, as well as spread awareness and advocacy campaigns to protect and promote public morality.

Six militants were killed and many others injured, the officer said, however, the cell had the time to withdraw its injuries as the mountainous nature of the area made it very difficult for the UAE backed forces to encircle the gunmen. This chapter explores how some Mahris are nevertheless actively organizing themselves across tribal boundaries to take control of their future.

Perhaps evenmore surprising is that only 13 per cent would want to be part of a separate South Yemen. Given the choice, 72 per cent would favour an independent Mahri state. And how are ordinary Mahris trying to achieve at least a modest level of control over their situation? Next, it explains the mechanism used to guide the model: Keep in mind the permanent rebellion of Maherahis against the Saudi and UAE forces occupying the province.

In a tweet on his official account on tweeter, Firestein said: It is noteworthy that millions of Yemeni Riyals go monthly to the pockets of superior officers in Yemeni army instead of being payed to their real beneficiaries. T errorist explosions and daily assassinations returned to Aden streets as legitimacy government, represented in Eng.

Ahmed Al-Muisaery, minister of internal affairs, and a number of reform party leaders to release tens of prisoners and criminals who are major suspects in assassination and terrorist acts. Those leaders used all their financial and media capacities to escalate public pressure towards releasing a large number of terrorists who were detained in corrective facilities of Aden Security Department.

Those leaders also are involved in urging their terrorist arms in some countries like Turkey and Qatar to file falsified reports about secret prisons run by the Arab Coalition where, according to their false information, human rights and international laws are violated. As tens of suspects in a number of crimes and terrorist acts were released, they returned to their vicious hobby of killing and exploding to disturb public security. Shawani Elite have conducted several ops against alQaeda in this district. Zubaidi also stated that the state would use a pluralist federal system.

He also accused the Hadi government of corruption and blamed it for the humanitarian crisis in southern Yemen. The Yemeni government has accused a UN official of bringing European and British politicians into the Yemeni capital Sanaa on his plane. Foreign Minister Khaled al-Yamani said that there had been much manipulation, including that of the former Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Humanitarian Coordinator , using United Nations aviation to introduce some politicians.

He pointed out that the Government had halted all such manipulation and activity outside even international law. Agreement to establish a new power plant in Aden and Hadi that recognizes the government's resort to prosthetic solutions. The agreement was signed by Petrommasila, represented by its executive director, Eng. President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, while attending the signing, acknowledged the previous electricity problem, which said that what the government was doing, "prosthetic solutions through the purchased energy is expensive and costly to the state's limited resources and is constantly suffering.

Yemen's government says the Iran-aligned Shiite rebels, known as Houthis, should release all detainees and captives held in their prisons ahead of peace talks. The official news agency SABA quoted the government Sunday as saying that the Houthis should also hand over their arms and withdraw from all rebel-held areas including the capital, Sanaa, which they seized in September More preconditions by the Hadi government. He could have proposed an exchange of prisoners — but the Hadi government by all it does wants to make sure its superiority.

More to be found at cp15 Propaganda. Al Hashimy stated that negotiations over al Hudaydah might lead to larger negotiations for the conflict. The Saudi coalition demanding for unconditional withdrawing of the Houthi side. Freedom, Independence, maintaining of Yemen 's sovereignty: Al-Houthi noted that the international community abandoned rights, laws and charters of the United Nations under the temptation of Saudi money, and made way for the Saudi and Emirati regimes to tamper with Yemen, a democratic country. Riyadh will get its atomic energy.

The question is who gets the construction contracts — and the influence that goes with them. Saudi Arabia intends to award the contracts to build its first two nuclear reactors next year, en route to building 16 of them by It is a matter of national security that the United States re-establish its leading position in the global nuclear trade by successfully pursuing this and similar projects.

While the idea of a Saudi Arabia with any nuclear capability may seem dangerous, it is also inevitable. The Kingdom has already received bids from companies based in the United States, but also in France, China, Russia, and South Korea, demonstrating a global willingness to supply nuclear technology. If the United States does not build them, another country will step in. The Trump administration should use whatever influence it has with Saudi Arabia—particularly goodwill accrued from stepping away from the JCPOA —to secure reactor projects while pursuing these policies.

And again, the idea of US influence and hegemony worldwide. In the basement of a bombed-out al-Qaeda arms storage building in eastern Aleppo last year, I found a weapons log book from a mortar factory in Bosnia — with the handwritten name of one of their senior officials, Ifet Krnjic, on each page. It was dispatched from the Balkans with a cargo of mm mortars in January But now, in the forested heart of central Bosnia, I have found Mr Krnjic, who says his company sent the arms to Saudi Arabia.

Sitting on the lawn of his home south of the weapons-manufacturing town of Novi Travnik, he brings his finger down onto the first page of the log book which I showed him. It [the shipment] went to Saudi Arabia. It was part of a supply of mortars. I remember the Saudi shipment well. They [the Saudis] came to our factory to inspect the weapons at the beginning of Not only does Krnjic, the year old newly retired weapons control director of the BNT-TMiH factory at Novi Travnik, acknowledge his signature — but he says he recalls the visits of Saudi officials and military personnel to inspect the mortars before their shipment to Riyadh, and insists all such sales were strictly in accordance with the legal end-user certificates which his company obtained from all customers, stating that the weapons were to be used only by the armed forces of the nations which purchased them.

In the weeks that followed the mid-December surrender of the fighters in eastern Aleppo, the square miles of wreckage remained sown with mines and booby-traps. There were whole districts still cordoned off when I entered three former military barracks of the Islamist groups in February , rubble sometimes blocking my path; stones, bricks, sheet metal and bomb fragments strewn across the roads and inside still standing, though badly damaged, buildings. Inside one of these, lying half-concealed amid iron fragments and field dressings, I found piles of discarded documents containing firing instructions for machine guns and mortars, all of them in English.

They also included weapons shipment papers and arms instruction booklets from Bosnia and Serbia, the pages still damp from winter rains and some stained by footprints. I stuffed as many as I could in the satchel I always carry in wars, later finding — in another building — a Bulgarian weapons shipment paper for artillery shells. The Saudi government is banking on Neom to transform the country into an economic powerhouse.

On its face, this all sounds very exciting and progressive. But previous efforts by the Saudi government, as well as economic and institutional constraints, cast serious doubt on whether the project will succeed. It will be a special economic zone SEZ , with a unique legal and regulatory environment, autonomous from the rest of the country. Foreign direct investment, which is essential to financing Neom in the long term, is at a year low. Der saudische Thronfolger treibt seine "Vision " voran. Kann ihm die Reform gelingen?

MBS will damit die Quadratur des Kreises: Ob das funktionieren kann, ist ungewiss.

Countering Radicalization: What the Research on Deliberation and Radicalization Teaches us

Aber niemand wisse, wie das andere aussehe. Eine Reform der Monarchie lehnte er jedoch ab. Jemen kommt nur ganz am rand, im Zusammenhang mit Sigmar Gabriel, vor. For decades, the autocratic regime of Saudi Arabia has been a stalwart ally of the US military, while oppressing its own people and attacking others in the Middle East, particularly in Yemen. Riyadh and Abu Dhabi regimes are struggling with mounting economic crises as they are pouring huge sums of money into the pockets of US statesmen.

They are seeking to transform Yemen into a society beset with problems, diseases and ethical issues. For decades, its army has served as a proxy force for the US and its regional designs in the region. In exchange for Saudi military favors and cash, Washington has long turned a blind eye to grave human-rights abuses and brute force committed by the autocratic regime against its own people. The United States is also ignoring one of the most evil and blatant assaults on humanity in Yemen.

The situation in Yemen is so bad that even American media outlets have finally acknowledged what the United Nations reports and activists have been saying for well over three years: Many media outlets are also saying what the United Nations and human rights groups have been saying for years: The United States is complicit in this carnage. Without a doubt, the humanitarian catastrophe is caused by the actions of the United States and by the actions of its NATO partners, such as Britain and France.

The world community has a responsibility to stop the Saudis and their coalition, of which the US, Britain and France are a part, from using blockade and starvation as a weapon of war. But one change in particular may make it easier for American companies to sell weapons to governments that routinely kill civilians in conflicts by discounting killings that the governments claim are unintentional.

A new report confirming prisoner abuses in southern Yemen is amping up concern in Washington, DC. The report by Amnesty International , which details possible war crimes by a US ally in the region, is fueling debate over the US role in the Yemen war. And so everything that the Emiratis are doing inside these prisons ultimately gets tied back to the United States. We call on all parties to the conflict, including the UAE, to treat prisoners and detainees humanely and to ensure that allegations of abuse are investigated quickly and thoroughly.

All parties must act in accordance with international law, including human rights law and the laws of armed conflict. The official acknowledged the diplomatic challenge that involvement in the Yemen war presents to the US and its allies. But they are working for a president who has decided to cast his lot with the Saudis despite the war crimes that they are perpetuating inside Yemen today.

International community members with sway — like the United States and others — should be encouraging and pressuring these parties to conduct this investigations. Secretary of State Michael R. The Special Envoy provided an update on his engagement with all parties on the conflict in Yemen. The Secretary thanked the Special Envoy for his efforts to advance a diplomatic solution to the situation in Hudaydah that avoids a further deterioration of humanitarian conditions on the ground.

The United States already has a sizeable share of the market with its military site at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti. Yet the often-overlooked projection of American power at the intersection of Africa and Southwest Asia, relied on by at least four combatant commands, seems stuck in the past. Used to focusing on narrow counterterrorism objectives in Somalia and Yemen, U. Yet how should the United States even begin to think about this region strategically? Yet the explosion of commercial and basing competition is a new dynamic, and almost entirely the creature of two developments that Washington has struggled to influence: So, how should the United States proceed?

It must think of the environment in at least three interdependent and overlapping dimensions: In terms of the Gulf, the United States should update its policy to include considerations of Horn dynamics, leveraging the growing constraints on Iran in the region and seeking ways to bolster a common approach to a common challenge. The United States also should review its military and economic interests in the region to ensure it is not taking vital access for granted or ignoring burgeoning markets where the United States could be competitive.

US imperialism in Yemen and the Horn of Africa. Comment by Judith Brown: Let's face it, the UN actually controls it all already through its own military or that of its proxies. This comment is true. The US navy takes part in the blockade of Houthi-held Yemen. The former prime minister's company reached an agreement earlier this year to help support the Saudi Crown Prince's modernisation programme, under a "not for profit" arrangement. It is the first major deal to have emerged involving the Tony Blair Institute, which Mr Blair established in after winding down his commercial operations.

The donations were made by Media Investment Ltd. UK almost doubles arms sales to countries on governments list of human rights abusers, figures reveal. Sales were granted to 18 countries on the list, including China , Saudi Arabia , Bahrain , Israel, Egypt and Pakistan, compared to 20 different states in Meaningful action from the UK on Yemen at this stage would not only have an immediate impact to save countless lives, it would have long-term benefits at the local, regional and global levels. Last month, eleven leading humanitarian agencies wrote to your predecessor to express alarm at the deteriorating crisis in Yemen and urge the UK government to do more to press the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia to ensure that the port city of Hodeidah is not attacked.

Over 70 cross-party MPs have also now signed a letter urging the Prime Minister to use "all available means to end this catastrophic military assault", including removing material support from combatants and calling on her to make a statement condemning an attack. Despite the welcome efforts of the UK to discourage an attack through private diplomatic channels, and those of UN Special Envoy to negotiate a peace agreement, we are very concerned that the current reported pause in the Hodeidah assault could end at any time.

This would result in an immediate and rapid deterioration in the humanitarian situation. The UK, as a key ally of the Saudi and Emirati-led coalition, has a vital role to play in steering the coalition away from a military solution, and preventing further escalation by working with all parties to the conflict to deliver a ceasefire and lasting peace deal.

The BRICS in a Multipolar World by Elizabeth Sidiropoulos - Project Syndicate

The Independent has joined up with a media group that has close links to the Saudi royal family to launch websites across the Middle East and Pakistan in a deal that will raise questions about the growing influence of Gulf finance in the British media. The joint partnership will see four Independent-branded sites launched in Arabic, Urdu, Turkish and Persian by the end of Although the sites will be Independent-branded, the content would be almost entirely produced by Saudi Research and Marketing Group SRMG journalists based in London, Islamabad, Istanbul and New York, with the Independent contributing only translated articles from the English-language website.

He left last month to take up a position as Saudi minister of culture. For Saudi ties to Teh Independent, from Aug. Laut Ermittlern kam es gegen 6. It seemed an irrational decision 20 years ago. Most are in busy shipping hubs such as London and Rotterdam. But in the s it started making surprisingly big investments in the Horn of Africa. It built a large port in Djibouti, and is now working on another in Somaliland.

It is one of several Gulf states trying to gain a strategic foothold in east Africa through ports. Controlling these offers commercial and military advantages but risks exacerbating tensions in the region. In DP World won a year concession to operate the port of Berbera in Somaliland, which declared independence in though no foreign government recognises it. Critics said the deal would hasten the break-up of Somalia. Djibouti was upset for different reasons. With a planned capacity of 1.

All this could cost Djibouti hundreds of millions in annual transit fees. Uniquely among Arab states, it tries to project military power far beyond its borders. The Horn ports all sit near the Bab al-Mandab strait, a vital choke-point at the mouth of the Red Sea.

As the Gulf states move in, however, they bring their own conflicts to a troubled region. Qatar helped to end the clashes between Djibouti and Eritrea and kept peacekeepers there for almost a decade. Then came the bust-up of , when four Arab states, including the UAE, imposed an embargo on Qatar. Both Djibouti and Eritrea sided with the blockading states. Qatar pulled out its troops, and Eritrea soon seized the disputed territory from Djibouti. Putting the war on Yemen in the consequent perspective with the UAE 's imperialistic moves to colonise-control Socotra , Southern Yemen with the ports of Aden and Mukhalla , Bab el Mandab strait and, in the plans, Hodeidah.

The Russian envoy also confirmed media reports that Qatar and Russia had signed a deal on supplying Qatar with small arms, such as Kalashnikov assault rifles, and anti-tank weapons. The fact that the ship is being offered to Saudi Arabia despite the problems with the program is a boon for Lockheed Martin, at a time when the program is under scrutiny. Longtime Lockheed Martin lobbyist Marshall Brachman has spent the last several quarters specifically lobbying Congress on the littoral combat ship program and foreign military sales, according to lobbying disclosures reviewed by Sludge.

Fincantieri will be the builder at the Marinette yard in Wisconsin. The Multi-Mission Surface Combatant is a lethal and highly maneuverable multi-mission surface combatant, which features the flexibility of the Freedom-variant Littoral Combat Ship steel mono-hull, built by the same team, an increased range of 5, nautical miles and speeds in excess of 30 knots, making it capable of littoral and open ocean operation, and able to confront modern maritime and economic security threats.

Sudan is not informing the families of its fallen soldiers that they have been killed in battle in Yemen, the head of the Houthis said yesterday. This confirms deliberate neglect. Or is it a kind of circumvention by the military commanders? Yemeni riyal continues to collapse in front of foreign exchange. And the central bank is helpless despite the Saudi deposit.

Yemeni riyal continues to collapse sharply against foreign exchange, with the highest level reached months ago, and the exchange rate of US dollar riyals in Aden, the interim capital south of the country. In January, Yemeni riyal arrived at Riyals, before Saudi Arabia intervened to deposit two billion dollars in the Central Bank of Yemen for the recovery of the local currency, but it lasted less than six months until the riyal returned to collapse.

Bankers in the city of Aden said the exchange rate for the dollar has reached , while Saudi riyals has reached riyals, while it may increase over the upcoming two days. Despite the Saudi ambassador's announcement to intervene to save the local currency, the central bank seems to be completely helpless in the face of the collapse of the currency, despite the Saudi depository, which came to save the local currency from collapse. In Sanaa, the price of the dollar reached On the one hand, traders said that commodity prices have escalated over the past few hours, given the dollar's rise, which could herald a major humanitarian crisis, especially in the absence of salary stops.

Yemen's currency on Saturday fell to a record low against the US dollar, one US dollar is buying Thanks to new governor of Central Bank and Saudi deposit of 2bn in the bank. Yemeni government delivers written memo in reply to UN envoy to Yemen's proposals to put an end to the war in Yemen. Bin Dughr handed over the replies to the committee in charge of studying the proposals of the UN envoy during a meeting in Riyadh today. In his letter, bin Dughr confirmed his government's commitment to fair and comprehensive peace according to the references parallel to a commitment of the Iran-backed Houthi militias withdrawal from capital Sanaa, and other cities, thus, abdicating power in the capital for the legitimate government and handing over weapons to the State.

He underscored the importance of Iran-backed Houthi militia's showing good will before the start of any future consultations, through releasing all prisoners of war and the abducted, and facilitating the access of humanitarian and relief assistance to the needy in all governorates. He confirmed that the reasons behind the current crisis in Yemen is, clearly speaking, the usurp of the legitimate power and the State, drawing the attention that the legitimate government is an aggrieved party of this conflict by the Houthi militias.

He demanded the UN to announce rejecting the coup as null and void, citing that his government has a long practice of providing full assistance to the efforts of the UN to stop the war while the Houthi militias, backed by Iran, managed to play fast and loose, and obstinate, leading to sending the endeavors of former UN envoy Ismail Ould Alchiekh to a failure. Hezbollah has been supporting the Houthi insurgents both logistically and militarily since the beginning of their coup in September It trains Houthi fighters in sabotage and subversion operations against the elected authorities.

In February , a videotape found by Yemeni security forces at a location liberated from Houthi militia purportedly confirmed the involvement of Lebanese Hezbollah militia in supporting the rebels and plotting terrorist attacks in Saudi territory. In December , it was reported that three Lebanese Hezbollah operatives were killed in Hajjah province in western Yemen.

Hezbollah was one of the major parties behind the coup against legitimacy in Yemen. This was confirmed by leading military figures in the Yemeni Presidential Guard, who, after the assassination of former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh last December, spoke of receiving military training from Hezbollah agents. Except that this time, the garbage crisis in Yemen had more horrific consequences. Cholera broke out in 18 Yemeni provinces and hundreds of citizens died.

The Hezbollah propaganda story again, now even drawn into ridiculous: As part of its monitoring of the movement of ships in Yemen, the Arab Coalition supporting the Yemeni government announced that the Bahia Damas, a vessel carrying diesel for in Yemen has been stuck in the port of Hodeidah for 23 days, as the Houthi rebels refuse to unload it. The rebel militia's continuous prevention of ships to unload their cargoes, is having a severe impact on the humanitarian situations in the province of Hodeidah and the rest of Yemen.

The background of this story is not known to me. In the last few days, the Saudi capital Riyadh was hit once again by Houthi rebels. Although the missiles could be intercepted, many of the debris landed in the embassy district of Riyadh. Over the course of these such attacks, Saudi civilians are repeatedly injured and killed. These events should stimulate thought in the international community: The answer is simple: The Houthi militias are being radicalized and supplied with Iranian religious extremism and weapons.

The threat posed to the future of Yemen by the Houthi rebels and the threat to the security of a whole region is made possible above all by the theft of aid supplies and the smuggling of weapons through the port of Hodeidah. But so far, attempts by the Yemeni government, the UN and the coalition to bring the Houthi rebels to the negotiating table have failed. They refuse to participate in serious negotiations.

The repeated demand to put the port city of Hodeidah under the control of the United Nations is rejected. He calls Iran "dangerous" and views the NIE as confirmation of his policies, and not in contradiction to it. He maintains that the "carrot and stick" approach with the government is effective and should be with the help of U. The new estimate says that the enrichment program could still provide Iran with enough raw material to produce a nuclear weapon sometime by the middle of next decade, a timetable essentially unchanged from previous estimates.

But the new report essentially disavows a judgment that the intelligence agencies issued in , which concluded that Iran had an active secret arms program intended to transform the raw material into a nuclear weapon. Administration officials said the new estimate reflected conclusions that the intelligence agencies had agreed on only in the past several weeks.

The new report came out just over five years after a intelligence estimate on Iraq concluded that it possessed chemical and biological weapons programs and was determined to restart its nuclear program. That estimate was instrumental in winning the Congressional authorization for a military invasion of Iraq, but it proved to be deeply flawed, and most of its conclusions turned out to be wrong.

Intelligence officials said the specter of the estimate on Iraq hung over their deliberations on Iran even more than it had in , when the lessons from the intelligence failure on Iraq were just beginning to prompt spy agencies to adapt a more rigorous approach to their findings. The report on Iran had been requested by members of Congress, underscoring that any conclusions could affect American policy toward Iran at a delicate time.

The new estimate brought American assessments more in line with the judgments of international arms inspectors. Last month, Mohamed ElBaradei, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, reported that Iran was operating 3, uranium-enriching centrifuges capable of producing fissile material for nuclear weapons, but he said inspectors had been unable to determine whether the Iranian program sought only to generate electricity or to also to build weapons. The fact that Iran continues to refine its abilities to enrich uranium, they said, means that any decision in the future to restart a nuclear weapons program could lead Iran to a bomb in relatively short order.

Administration officials said the White House had known at the time that the conclusions about Iran were under review but had not been informed until more recently that intelligence agencies had reversed their conclusion. In September, officials said, Gen. The estimate concludes that if Iran were to restart its arms program, it would still be at least two years before it would have enough highly enriched uranium to produce a nuclear bomb.

Instead, the report released on Monday concludes that it is more likely that Iran could have a bomb by the early part to the middle of the next decade. Intelligence officials presented the outlines of the intelligence estimate two weeks ago to several cabinet members, along with Mr. During the meeting, officials said, policy makers challenged and debated the conclusions. The final draft of the estimate was presented to Mr. Officials said they now planned to give extensive briefings to American allies like Israel, Britain and France.

Can Trade Agreements Be a Friend to Labor?

Intelligence officials had said just weeks ago they were ending the practice of declassifying parts of intelligence estimates, citing concerns that analysts might alter their judgments if they knew the reports would be widely publicized. But in a statement on Monday, Donald M. Das Atomprogramm wurde demnach schon gestoppt, die Bedrohung ist geringer als gedacht. Gemeinsam kommen sie zu einem eindeutigen Ergebnis: Secret talks with Iran on nuclear reactors by Ben Fenton source: Russia delivers more nuclear fuel to Iran: Nuclear hoax by John Cherian source: Fewer people are aware that similar groups from other Middle Eastern countries frequent the halls of Congress and editorial board rooms carrying their frightening ghost-written books with guidance from pro-war think tanks.

The organized challenge against the National Intelligence Estimate NIE summary on Iran this month included such a group, which for years cried wolf about Iran. No proof Iranian gov't behind IEDs: Mere Sedgh betonte in einem Interview, dass die Juden im Iran unbehelligt leben und als Minderheitenrecht einen Abgeordneten im iranischen Parlament haben. British MPs call on government to oppose military attack on Iran source: However, very few EDMs are actually debated.

Instead, they are used for reasons such as publicising the views of individual MPs, drawing attention to specific events or campaigns, and demonstrating the extent of parliamentary support for a particular cause or point of view. Sudan, Iran, and the War for Civilization source: George Monbiot wrote in the Guardian last month: Its state-run parent company, Sinopec Group, currently importing 60, barrels per day bpd is determined to purchase , bpd as of next year, said Reuters quoting two informed sources.

Based on the deals signed between Iran and China, Beijing will import around six percent of its total oil demand, namely , bpd, from Iran in It took almost three years to finalize the talks on the crude deal. China is the world's second largest oil consumer. Iran stops selling oil in U. A senior oil official last month said "nearly all" of Iran's crude oil sales were now being paid for in non-U.

For nearly two years, OPEC's second biggest producer has been reducing its exposure to the dollar, saying the weak U. At a November summit of Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries heads of state, Iran suggested oil should be sold in a basket of currencies rather than dollars, but failed to win over other members except Venezuela. Ahmadinejad and his Venezuelan counterpart, Hugo Chavez, are vocal critics of U.

Hojjatollah Ghanimifard, international affairs director of the state owned National Iranian Oil Company, last month told Reuters that most of Iran's oil export earnings were in euros, with some in yen. That would allow them to carry experimental ton Massive Ordnance Penetrator MOP bombs designed to smash underground bunkers buried as much as ft beneath the surface through reinforced concrete. Tenders have now gone out for a production model to be ready for use in the next nine months.

The "static tunnel lethality test" on March 14 completely destroyed a mock-up of the kind of underground facility used to house Iran's nuclear centrifuge arrays at Natanz, about miles from the capital, Tehran. Although intelligence estimates vary as to when Iran will achieve the know-how for a bomb, the French government recently received a memo from the International Atomic Energy Agency stating that Iran will be ready to run almost centrifuges in 18 cascades by the end of this month.

That is in defiance of a UN ban on uranium enrichment and would be enough to produce a nuclear weapon within a year. The Ministry of Defence says the US government would need Britain's permission to use the island for offensive action. It has already been used for strategic strike missions during the and Gulf wars against Iraq.

The atoll, the largest in the Chagos Archipelago chain, lies about miles from the southern coasts of India and Sri Lanka. It is ideally placed for strategic missions in the Middle East. The new Big Blu bomb is 20ft long, weighs 30,lb and carries lb of high explosives. It is designed to go deeper than even existing nuclear bunker-busting weapons. The bomb is designed to be dropped from as great a height as possible to achieve maximum velocity and penetrating power, guided on to target by satellite and accurate to within a few feet.

Each B2 bomber would be able to carry only one weapon because of its weight. The B2s, normally based at Barksdale, Missouri, flew round-trip strikes against Baghdad in , but would ideally be positioned closer to its targets for missions against Iran. The Pentagon has drawn up contingency plans for a range of attacks on Iran. The likeliest is a five-day bombardment, aiming to disable nuclear facilities and all major airbases and radar facilities; the most devastating would involve air and cruise missile attacks on targets, including headquarters and barracks of the Iranian Republican Guard Corps, over more than a month.

The US branded the Revolutionary Guards a terrorist organisation last week in the latest round of diplomatic sanctions against Tehran. Ahmadinejad felicitates Austrian counterpart on National Day. According to the Presidential Bureau, in the message, President Ahmadinejad underlined that "Fortunately the two sides's high ranking officials are determined to broaden friendly ties between the two countries.

Oktober in Washington mit. Zwingend notwendig ist, dass die Bundesregierung nicht nur mit der Regierung des Irans, sondern vor allem mit der US-Regierung spricht. Paulson give remarks from a joint press availability on Iran in the Ben Franklin Room on October 25, Office of the Spokesman. Nuclear energy "indispensable" says EU report.

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6. IPK: Archiv Startseite.
7. Translation of «Terrororganisation» into 25 languages!

The report, Conventional Energy Sources and Energy Technology was adopted with votes in favour, against and 30 abstentions. Renewable energy sources are expected to be economically competitive with conventional energy sources in the medium to long term Iran never let its legitimate rights be trampled upon.

Iran is to show good-will when it sees the same from the other side It is about three decades that Iran has faced sanctions mostly by the Americans or even some unofficial sanctions imposed by the Europeans, he said In the meantime, the Zionist regime is now developing its nuclear facilities without any concern, he underlined. The foreign minister said those who try to persuade the UNSC to impose more unjust sanctions on Iran, prevent the same from being applied to the Zionist regime Kritik an der Entscheidung kam auch aus Russland, das sich ebenso wie China gegen Sanktionen ausspricht.

Ahmadinejad's stock rose even higher after his speech this week at Columbia University; people in Iran and the Arab world are angry at Columbia University president Lee Bollinger for insulting the Iranian leader during his introduction. The entire uproar over the Columbia event - played right into the Iranian leader's hand. When Ahmadinejad says controversial things, the western world condemns him, but is he even talking to the West? In fact, same-sex relations in Iran do look very different from what is called gay behavior in the West.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was derided for his statement in a Sept. Though many Americans may find it incredible, differences in the construction of sexual behavior do exist across cultures. As an anthropologist, I can state with confidence that sexuality varies tremendously between cultures. The notion that one is either "gay" or "straight" does not accord with what we observe in human sexual behavior, which is far more flexible. This categorization is an artifact of American culture, which glories in binary categories for classifying people.

Folks that identify as "bisexual" yet another ambiguous category in the United States often get grief from both the gay and straight community for "deluding" themselves about their sexuality. The articles points to the president's popularity among Muslims who believe that their leaders are too beholden to or frightened of the Bush administration. He makes me feel proud. He's a symbol of Islam. He seems the only person capable of taking a stand against Israel and the West.

Iran will not attack Israel - Iranian president says his country never sought to expand its territory, says reported IAF attack in Syria stemmed from 'Israeli expansionism' and had nothing to do with Iran. Every Monday night at 10 o'clock, Iranians by the millions tune into Channel One to watch the most expensive show ever aired on the Islamic republic's state-owned television.

Its elaborate s costumes and European locations are a far cry from the typical Iranian TV fare of scarf-clad women and gray-suited men. But the most surprising thing about the wildly popular show is that it is a heart-wrenching tale of European Jews during World War II. Over the course of the 22 episodes, the hero saves his love from Nazi detention camps, and Iranian diplomats in France forge passports for the woman and her family to sneak on to airplanes carrying Iranian Jews to their homeland. On the surface, the message of the lavish, state-funded production appears sharply at odds with that sent out by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who has repeatedly called the Holocaust a myth.

In fact, the government's spending on the show underscores the subtle and often sophisticated way in which the Iranian state uses its TV empire to send out political messages. The aim of the show, according to many inside and outside the country, is to draw a clear distinction between the government's views about Judaism -- which is accepted across Iranian society -- and its stance on Israel -- which the leadership denounces every chance it gets. Fatthi, 48 years old, is a well-known director of historical fiction for television. In the past, his work has focused on Iranian history. But he also dabbles in comedy, winning international critical acclaim two years ago for a hit feature, "Marriage, Iranian Style.

Abdol Hussein Sardari saved over a thousand European Jews by forging Iranian passports and claiming they belonged to an Iranian tribe. Fatthi says he chose the title because the world at the time was in dire circumstances, offering few options for avoiding the terrors to come. Shot on location in Paris and Budapest, the show stars Iranian heartthrob Shahab Husseini and is so popular that its theme song -- an ode to getting lost in love -- is a hit, too.

No matter where I am or what I'm doing, on Monday nights I find a television set and watch the show. Fatthi enlisted the help of Iran's Jewish Association, an independent body that safeguards the community's culture and heritage. The association has criticized Mr. Ahmadinejad's comments about the Holocaust but has praised Mr. Iran is home to some 25, Jews, the largest population in the Middle East outside of Israel. Iran's Jews -- along with Christians and Zorastrians -- are guaranteed equal rights in the country's constitution.

Iran's Jews are guaranteed one member of parliament and are free to study Hebrew in school, pray in synagogues and shop at kosher supermarkets. Ahmadinejad's statements, it isn't government policy to question the Holocaust, and the country's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, hasn't endorsed those views. While Iran makes it no secret that it considers Israel an enemy, it has been extremely touchy about criticism of its treatment of Jewish citizens. The show is seen as an effort by the government to erase the image that it may be anti-Semitic -- both at home among Jews and non-Jews, and abroad.

The message appears to be grabbing the public. Sara Khatibi, a year-old mother and chemist in Tehran, says she and her husband never miss an episode. The Jewish state was conceived in modern times by Western powers rather than as part of a centuries-old desire of Jews for a return to their ancestral homeland. In one scene, a rabbi declares it a bad idea for Jews to resettle in Arab lands. In another, the French Jewish protagonist refuses a marriage offer by a cousin, who is advocating the creation of Israel. Iran has long used TV to shape public opinion, where newspapers and the Internet are seen as media for the elite.

The state's control over radio and television is enshrined in the constitution. Ayatollah Khamenei, the supreme leader, is not only head of the armed forces and the judiciary, but also the national broadcast authority. On any given day, the country's seven state-run channels broadcast a mostly drab offering of news, sports, cooking shows, soap operas and religious sermons.

Political propaganda is constantly fed into the mix. Dissidents such as students or reformers are routinely paraded before cameras to read confessions after stints of solitary imprisonment. A slick documentary-style program recently aired long interviews with two Iranian-Americans who were detained on allegations of working to overthrow the regime.

The interviews -- in which the pair blandly admitted to meeting with Iranian scholars and dissidents, but not to attempting to topple the government -- were intercut with provocative scenes of demonstrations in Ukraine, where the U. Its Arabic news channel, Al Alam, has been broadcasting news with an Iranian slant in the Arab world for several years.

Episodes of "Zero Degree Turn," broadcast in Farsi, can be seen outside of Iran on the Internet, either streaming live or downloaded at tv1. It is also broadcast with English subtitles on the state-controlled Jameh Jam satellite channel, which is available on Europe's Hot Bird satellite network.

Fatthi also says Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting has been contacted about selling the show to networks in other countries, but he doesn't know which ones. Write to Farnaz Fassihi at farnaz. An earlier version of this article incorrectly called the channel Pars News. URL for this article: This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law.

For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at or visit www. Hyperlinks in this Article: The Director General believes that this new assessment by the U. At the same time, it should prompt Iran to work actively with the IAEA to clarify specific aspects of its past and present nuclear program as outlined in the work plan and through the implementation of the additional protocol. This would allow the Agency to provide the required assurances regarding the nature of the program. While calling on Iran to accelerate its cooperation with the Agency, in view of the new U.

Estimate, the Director General urges all parties concerned to enter without delay into negotiations. Nuclear Intentions and Capabilities 3 Dec. English PDF Document - 9 pages!! Austria Germany Japan Russia UK A new IAEA report on a multilateral framework for nuclear energy presents a range of options that seek to guarantee supplies of nuclear fuel while minimizing proliferation risks. Options for Assurance of Supply of Nuclear Fuel - addresses proposals put forward over the past two years by various States and institutions.

Some proposals call for the creation of an actual or virtual reserve fuel bank of last resort, under IAEA auspices, for the assurance of supply of nuclear fuel. This bank would operate on the basis of apolitical and non-discriminatory non-proliferation criteria. Others call for conversion of a national facility into an international enrichment centre. Still others call for the construction of a new, multinational enrichment facility under IAEA control.

Such a framework is voluntary and States are free to choose their fuel options - no rights of States would compromised. The report comes at a time when more countries are expressing interest in nuclear power for electricity generation, to help meet rising energy demands. This would mean increased demand for fuel cycle services. It also means an increase in the potential proliferation risks created by the spread of sensitive nuclear technology, such as that used in uranium enrichment and nuclear fuel reprocessing.

The report acknowledged the role of nuclear energy as an option for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but said that safety, weapons proliferation and waste remain as constraints. Current nuclear power is included as a 'key mitigation technology' in the field of energy supply while advanced nuclear power is considered key for the timeframe, alongside advanced renewables like tidal and wave energy, concentrating solar and photovoltaics.

Greenpeace reacted negatively to the inclusion of nuclear energy in the report, stating that the IPCC had identified two "false solutions" in nuclear energy and carbon capture and storage. The report concludes that there are mitigation options available that could be used to stabilize atmospheric greenhouse gas emissions. The report notes that to achieve the lower stabilization levels will require greater emphasis on low carbon energy sources "such as renewable energy and nuclear power.

The statement added that the tripartite oil consortium would implement oil extraction and exploration projects in Iran. The Turkish Petrol Ofisi's share in these projects will be 33 percent," said the statement. Petrol Ofisi is one of the oldest oil enterprises in Turkey whose shares have gradually been transferred to the private sector.

The OMV is one of Austria's largest oil companies. Iran's PetroPars Company was registered in It is a subsidiary of NIOC, which owns all of its shares. Euro im Iran investieren. At a meeting with his visiting Iranian counterpart in Vienna, Martin Bartenstein said Austria is willing to beef up cooperation with Iran in different areas. Referring to the agreements made between the officials of the Iranian and Austrian Chambers of Commerce, he said," Apart from oil and gas sectors, the two countries can embark on joint investment in Africa, Central Asia and Latin America.

Iran's Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs Davoud Danesh Ja'fari, for his part, said the two countries are willing to expand cooperation in customs and taxation. He underlined Iran's strategic position in the Middle East and Austria's unique position in Europe, calling for enhancement of mutual economic ties. OMV is the operator of the Mehr block with a 34 percent stake. OMV signed a preliminary agreement with Iran last month to develop an area of its giant South Pars gas field, build a liquefied natural gas LNG terminal and export the fuel. The US had earlier voiced concerns over the Austrian company's deal with Iran.

He told IRNA that despite some similarity between the countries on the two sides of Atlantic Ocean in their political and economic policies, their stance on energy and the way to supply it are not the same. Nabavi made the statement in response to the question about US pressures on Austria about this deal.

About EU support for the signed agreement, he said that lower reliance of European Union on a single source to supply its energy requirements and the diversity of such sources is of strategic importance and the EU intends to make long-term investment in the energy sector. The Iranian diplomat said, "On the other hand, Europe's new energy policy aims to guarantee balanced relations between environmental sustainability, energy security and competitiveness.

The Iranian ambassador said that undoubtedly EU support for Iran-Austria agreement is mainly rooted in its growing energy requirements in future, particularly natural gas. Speaking at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, the European Energy Commissioner, Andris Piebalgs said, "We should not somehow think that because of the example of Iran we have a difference of opinion in energy policy with the United States because we have clearly the same basis.

We are for the open markets, freedom of investment and OMV is currently involved in an offshore oil project in Iran. The US expressed concerns on March 23 about OMV's plans for a natural gas project in Iran at a time when Iran is facing international sanctions over its nuclear program.

EU foreign ministers agreed on April 23 on new sanctions against Iran, after Tehran refused international requests to halt its uranium enrichment. Support for OMV has come from Austria's government. Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik stressed on April 23 that "no general economic boycott" existed against Iran. Eager to reduce dependence on gas imports from Russia, the EU plans to expand cooperation with the Caspian states as well as Algeria, Libya and Iran on gas supply.

Alles in allem hat das Projekt einen Wert von knapp 22 Mrd. JP Morgan hat die zugrunde liegenden Aktien in Verwahrung. Das Projekt an sich sei "strategisch sinnvoll". Kurt Eder, who is head of economic commission of Austrian parliament, also told IRNA in an exclusive interview that the Europe economy requires gas to provide its energy. Pointing to the US pressure to hinder in the way of the deal, he added that Austrian Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer underlined in the parliament session on the country's budget that his government will not permit other countries to interfere its internal affairs.

The MP quoted the Chancellor as saying that the matter concerns economic policies of Iran and Austria. He clearly underlined that the project guarantees the energy supply of European countries. The head of the Austrian OMV Wolfgang Ruttenstorfer told reporters, "If one wants to provide energy security then one has to focus on diversification. Naturally, with this diversification we will keep to all Austrian laws, all decisions by the European Union, the United Nations Security Council and of course also our code of ethics in regards to human rights.

In calling for a total, rather than partial, arms embargo, the EU sanctions go further than those already agreed by the United Nations after Iran refused to halt its uranium enrichment activities. The EU has also added further people to the 'travel ban' list - they are banned from the EU and their assets are frozen. The two negotiators are due to meet in Turkey on 25 April, in their first meeting since February. Iran remains adamant that it has no intention of halting its uranium enrichment programme, which it insists is solely for the production of nuclear fuel.

According to Aghazadeh, a plant to produce zirconium tubes to hold nuclear fuel rods has already been completed and a facility for making fuel pellets should be ready next year. On 21 April, the Iranian cabinet approved the establishment of three companies, specialising in enrichment, fuel production and waste. Meanwhile, Russia and Iran have signed a new protocol on 'stable financing' of Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant.

Irina Yesipova of AtomStroyExport suggested that the protocol would go some way towards solving the funding issues that have beset the project, but that some issues remained. Further talks are due in May. Disagreements over Iran's payments to Russia have contributed to delays to the startup of Iran's first nuclear plant, for which Russia is to provide the fuel. Enrichment confirmed, Bushehr delay acknowledged WNN: Iran rebuked by sanctions. Solana sagte in Luxemburg, auch er hoffe auf ein Signal der Verhandlungsbereitschaft.

Auf die Frage, ob die berichteten 22 Milliarden Euro nicht etwas hoch seien, sagt Ruttenstorfer: Euro investiert werden sollen. Bauer termed the oil show in Iran as invaluable. He told PIN the international exhibition provided a good opportunity to exchange views and information on the oil industry.

He underlined that the foreign companies, which were keen to cooperate with Iran, needed to attend the oil show and share their know-how and experience. OMV is among the giant European oil and gas companies, which is active mainly in exploration and production fields. The Austrian company is in charge of implementing the project of oil exploration in Mehr Block in the southern Iranian province of Khuzestan. Iran signed a major agreement with Austrian energy group OMV yesterday to help develop the country's vast gas resources and build a plant for liquefied natural gas LNG.

The understanding is deemed as Iran's biggest such agreement with Europe. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the 12th International Oil, Gas and Petrochemical Exhibition here in Tehran on Sunday, Hamaneh also said, "To export natural gas to Europe, Turkey and European countries should first settle down the problems pertaining to the gas transfer pipeline. Regarding the contract, the Iranian oil minister said, "The billion-dollar agreement signed yesterday included both sales of LNG Liquefied Natural Gas and the Austrian side's participation in the implementation of the project.

Also noting the start of executive operations of phase 12 of South Pars, he said, "Under the present conditions, this agreement is very important to us. Elsewhere, Hamaneh assessed the 12th International Oil, Gas and Petrochemical Exhibition as more successful than previous years, and added, "A number of foreign companies have partaken in the 12th exhibition, which shows 5 to 6 percent of increase in comparison to the past. But OMV made clear the deal was still at an early stage and did not give any figures, suggesting it had so far only signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding.

It comes at a time of escalating tension between the West and Iran over Tehran's disputed nuclear program. The United States has urged its allies not to invest in the Islamic Republic. Iran sits atop the world's second-largest gas reserves after Russia. The huge oil and gas reserves are a strong magnet for international energy companies despite the political risks.

Reuters quoted OMV as saying it had signed a so-called Heads of Agreement - a non-binding document outlining the main issues of a tentative partnership accord-with Iran's national oil company NIOC. It concerned participation in the development of an area of the South Pars gas field, an LNG plant and a subscriber agreement for such gas, it said.

LNG is gas frozen to liquid for transport in special tankers, avoiding the need for pipelines. It added, "Further talks on this matter are confidential. Concrete results are not expected until the second half of Iran says its atom work is aimed at generating electricity so that it can export more of its valuable gas and oil. Further talks on this matter are confidential. Of this, approximately trillion cubic feet 85 bn boe are located in Iranian territory. Iran plans to develop this gas field in several phases.

The first exploration well was carried out successfully in January The drilling reached a depth of 4, meters. A field development plan is being developed. OMV sells more than 14 bcm gas a year. Other important holdings are: With the acquisition of a majority stake in the Romanian Petrom, OMV has become the largest oil and gas group in Central Europe, with oil and gas reserves of approx. OMV now has over 2, filling stations in 13 countries. In June , OMV has established the OMV Future Energy Fund, a wholly owned subsidiary to support projects in renewable energy with more than EUR Mio to initiate the change from a pure oil and gas group to an energy group with renewable energy in its portfolio.

These include a strong sense of responsibility towards the social and natural environment in economically weak regions. OMV works hard to address economic, environmental and social issues related to its operations. Its CSR activities are fully documented in biannual performance reports compiled according to Global Reporting Initiative guidelines. Corporate social responsibility CSR is a concept whereby companies integrate social and environmental concerns in their business operations and in their interaction with their stakeholders on a voluntary basis[1].

It is about enterprises deciding to go beyond minimum legal requirements and obligations stemming from collective agreements in order to address societal needs. Through CSR, enterprises of all sizes, in cooperation with their stakeholders, can help to reconcile economic, social and environmental ambitions. As such, CSR has become an increasingly important concept both globally and within the EU, and is part of the debate about globalisation, competitiveness and sustainability. In Europe, the promotion of CSR reflects the need to defend common values and increase the sense of solidarity and cohesion Die Tagesproduktion der OMV liegt bei rund Der Iran plant dieses Gasfeld in mehreren Phasen zu entwickeln.

Die Bohrung erreichte eine Tiefe von 4. Erste Produktionstests ergaben eine Rate von 1. Die OMV ist an integrierten Chemie- u. English Version of this Article here. Campaign Pushes for Iran Divestment - The Iran disinvestment campaign is being marshaled by, among other groups, the conservative American Enterprise Institute, an influential Washington think tank whose experts laid much of the ideological groundwork for the U. However, this relentlessly upbeat outlook seemed to prevent recognition of hard political reality. In spite of public statements from a range of international leaders, including the European Union, supporting the continued unity of Spain, the movement told itself that when the time came, recognition for Catalonia was inevitable.

While arguably it had little choice, the EU has backed Spain in the Catalan dispute. One consequence has been a eurosceptic turn within the Catalan independence movement over perceived betrayal by Brussels. The Catalan movement for independence, as well as a number of internal and strategic errors, seriously misjudged the interest and willingness of the EU to countenance the break up of Spain.

Yet, the EU is an alliance of states. The EU has been through repeated crises since and it seems astonishing that the leaders of Catalan independence thought the bloc might be supportive of further disruption. While accommodation might have been made for Scotland, this was because the British state was prepared to accept the separation of 5m Scots from a Britain of almost 65m should they vote for it in a referendum.

Why independence movements in Scotland and elsewhere are tongue-tied over Catalonia. With Spain hostile, any separation of Catalonia could only be highly destabilising, with potential knock on effects in a Europe gradually recovering from the financial crisis. Since the autumn of , there has been a dramatic resurgence of Spanish nationalist sentiment in both Catalonia and Spain and a receding possibility of reforms of the Spanish constitution to adopt real federalism.

The Catalan independence movement is deeply divided between pragmatists and idealists and the optimism inherent in the movement since has been shattered. However, the grievances that produced the turn to secession in Catalonia have not even begun to be addressed and no meaningful resolution of the Catalan question will occur until the Madrid government recognises that it is a political problem.