ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFIED NEWSPAPER Monday 13 January 2014 12 Rabial I 1435 - Volume 18 Number 5943 Price: QR2 Indonesia bans Clinical Sri mineral ore Lanka exports take lead Business | 18 Sport | 28 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 Iraq unrest a threat to GCC security Maliki inciting sectarianism in the Gulf, says former Iraqi vice-president; experts express concern DOHA: What is going on in Iraq poses notorious axis (Iraq’s Shia regime led militant groups among GCC citizens to directives, Nouri Al Maliki had managed openly against Sunnis (in their sermons).” a serious threat to the security of the by Nouri Al Maliki, Iran and Bashar Al destabilise the GCC states. to create the terror outfit of the ‘Islamic Izzat Al Ibrahim, the secretary-general Arab Gulf states, says a former Iraqi Assad of Syria). “This is a joint conspiracy of Al Maliki States of Iraq and Syria’ (ISIS) to provide of Baath Party in Iraq who is a former vice-president who has been based here The ploy is to turn Iraq into a threat and Iran. I informed the people con- the necessary backup to the present war- associate of Saddam Hussein and still for quite some time. to the security of the GCC states instead cerned but was disappointed with their fare in Iraq’s Al Anbar province. wanted by the US, said in an interview The goings-on in Iraq and a missile of being a frontline state dedicated to the response.” “The aim of the ISIS is to crush eve- on the phone to Egypt’s Al Ahram pub- attack by the Iraqi Shia militia group, Al region’s (GCC) defense (against Iran) “A recent statement by the commander ryone who is opposed to the hegemony of lished on January 7 (the first interview Battat, which is backed by Tehran, on a that it (Iraq) always has been. “They are of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards that they Iran in the region and the Shia control given to the media since the American wedding party in a border area of Saudi now trying to turn Iraq into a problem would at no cost abandon Syria, for it of Iraq.” invasion of Iraq) that Saudi Arabia today Arabia recently, reflect the changing bal- for the security of the whole Arab world.” was a country in the frontline of Tehran’s They want Syria to wrestle with the was the citadel of resistance against all ance of power in favour of Iran and Syria, “Today, everything is crystal-clear: defence.” tangled issue of sectarianism the way the conspiratorial efforts to demolish the said Tareq Al Hashemi. Coupled with Iranian aircraft are carrying weapons “So, my question is, what happens to Iraq has been for more than 10 years now, Arab identity. what is happening in Bahrain, clearly to Syria through Iraq.” the (historical) status of Iraq as a state said Al Musfir. “Had Saudi not been making those shows that the security of the GCC states Shia militias from Iraq loyal to Iran’s that has been on the frontline of the In his address in Karbala recently, Al efforts Iran would be having unques- is under threat, he said. supreme leader are fighting in Syria to defence of Arab Gulf countries?” said Maliki said that Karbala is Qibla (direc- tioned hegemony in the region,” said Al “This is all a game plan to divert the defend Al Assad’s forces, and making the Iraq’s former vice-president. tion which Muslims turn to in prayers). Ibrahim. attention from the true nature of the people of Syria suffer. “The GCC states should always treat “We are all Hussain’s army and we are “I appreciate the Saudi stand of sup- conflict in Iraq, which is essentially politi- Most important of all, Iraq’s wealth is Iraq as a buffer state key to their secu- fighting Yezid’s army. There is a sea porting the people of Syria and the regime cal. But it is being painted as sectarian by being used to help Iran offset the nega- rity. If Iraq collapses, the conflict therein of fire between us (Shias) and them of Bahrain and those of other GCC states, describing Sunnis as terrorists.” tive impact of the sanctions. The wealth would spill over into this region. This is (Sunnis).” and the Iraqi people and their revolu- Al Hashemi told Al Sharq in an inter- is being used to back Hezbollah. for sure.” “The imams all over the GCC should tion and the revolution in Arab Spring view conducted by its Editor-in-Chief, Al Hashemi said that recently he Famous Qatari columnist Dr Mohamed raise this issue of the axis of Iran-Iraq, countries.” Jaber Al Harami, recently that the got information from Iraq that Prime Al Musfir, meanwhile, said in one of his and Syria (in their Friday sermons),” THE PENINSULA above game-plan was a brainchild of the Minister Nouri Al Maliki was creating latest writings that, based on Iran’s said Al Musfir. “The Iranian imams talk Continued on page 4 PM visits rail work site School winter Ashghal signs deals for break may QR10.19bn road projects change from DOHA: The Public Works for the commercial street in Al Authority (Ashghal) yester- Khor, the first package for the next year day awarded seven contracts infrastructure development of worth QR10.19bn ($2.8bn) for the Industrial Area, the first DOHA: With the Supreme the construction and develop- package for the construction of Education Council (SEC) ment of an expressway and infrastructure for North and East instructing all private schools expansion of existing roads Al Kheesa (Rawdat Al Hamama to strictly follow the country’s under its Expressway and Local area), and the first package for unified holiday schedule, the Road Development (LRDP) the development of infrastructure winter break at Indian schools Programmes. in Rawdat Abal Heeran area. may change from the next aca- Three contracts worth about “On completion, these express- demic year. QR7.72bn were inked under the ways and roads will enhance The SEC has asked all pri- Expressway Programme. Two capacity. It will improve the vate schools to announce at least contracts were signed for Al traffic situation significantly,” Al a week’s holiday either in the Rayyan Road including one for Mawlawi told The Peninsula on the last week of January or the first the construction and develop- sidelines of the signing ceremony. week of February from the next ment of roads from west of the Work on most of these projects academic year to comply with New Rayyan Roundabout to the is expected to start in the first The Prime Minister and Interior Minister H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani inspecting a the two-week spring holidays of east of Bani Hajer Roundabout. quarter of this year, but have project model during a visit to a work site of the Qatar Railway Company (Rail) yesterday. Independent schools. Accordingly, Another contract was signed for different time schedule for com- most Indian schools have a holi- the construction and development pletion varying from Q3 2015 to day in the last week of this month. of roads from west of the Olympic Q1 2017. Under the road infra- For many years, these schools Roundabout to west of the New structure development strategy have been scheduling their winter Payment row hits Al Million taxi service Al Rayyan Roundabout. Qatar has plans to implement holidays in December. This year, Ashghal President Nasser bin over 200 projects over the next BY FAZEENA SALEEM the winter break has been split happy with the current system and employs more than 1,000 Ali Al Mawlawi signed the agree- five to seven years, and about 75 between two months, since most and have been telling the manage- drivers. The company operates menst with officials of companies qualified companies have been schools have already given at least DOHA: Many Al Million taxis ment to reduce the rentals. as a franchise of the state-backed awarded these projects. approved to implement these two-week holidays in December. have been off the roads since A senior official of the com- Mowasalat that runs Karwa buses The third contract was signed projects. In June 2013, Ashghal “Last year, the Indian schools Saturday with cabbies say- pany, however, said that the and taxis. Some Al Million driv- for the design and construction awarded 10 contracts of express- were exempted from the SEC ing they didn’t report for work management was not informed ers told this daily that they were of phase 1 of the New Orbital ways worth QR7.2bn, comprising rule (regarding spring holidays). because of disputes over pay- of any strike. “Many of our driv- forced to pay QR235 as rental to Highway, covering 45km of the eight design and construction This time, the SEC has asked ment terms. ers prefer to take their day off on the company (for 12 hours) daily, 180km long highway. supervision contracts for 24 us to strictly follow the unified Some protesting drivers Saturdays or Sundays. Some taxis irrespective of how much they Four contracts valuing about new expressway projects across schedule. If this continues in the returned to work last evening, were off the roads on Saturday actually earned. Those on full- QR2.47bn were signed for the the country, and a lot more coming years, Indian schools will it has been learnt. Many drivers due to continuous rains,” the offi- day rentals are required to pay construction of roads and infra- contracts are to be awarded.