SUBSCRIPTION SUNDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2015 RABI ALAWWAL 9, 1437 AH www.kuwaittimes.net Ambassador Sanders regains Gandhis get Hiddink sees announces access to voter bail after rare Chelsea win, media trip to files after fight court date Norwich imperil Sharm 4El-Sheikh over data9 breach in11 graft case Van20 Gaal UN unanimously backs Min 07º Max 18º Syrian peace process High Tide 05:52 & 18:57 Opposition reacts coolly to initiative Low Tide 00:18 & 12:31 40 PAGES NO: 16733 150 FILS UNITED NATIONS: The UN Security Council threw its unan- imous support Friday behind a plan to end Syria’s brutal civ- Amir in Morocco il war by summoning rebels and the regime to the negoti- ating table. The US and Russian initiative, which emerged from talks with a 17-nation group, foresees a rapid ceasefire on private visit in the almost five-year conflict, perhaps as early as next month. If the plan brings Bashar Al-Assad’s regime to the table with the armed opposition, it will allow Russian and US-led forces to focus their firepower on the Islamic State group. “In January we hope and expect to be at the table and to be able to implement a full ceasefire,” US Secretary of State John Kerry told reporters. “And that means all the bar- rel bombs will stop, all the bombing, all the shooting, all the attacks on either side.” The Security Council met Friday after the latest round of talks by the International Syria Support Group (ISSG), which had gathered in New York to renew its push for peace. Attention now turns to Moscow and Riyadh, as Russia pressures Assad’s regime to agree to a ceasefire and Saudi Arabia wrangles the opposition to form a negotiating team. The UN special envoy on the conflict, Staffan de Mistura, said he would send out invitations to talks in January. The United States and Arab allies remain convinced Assad must leave office as part of the process, but his allies Moscow and Tehran insist this is a decision for the Syrian people. The resolution does not touch on this vital issue. “Only a Syrian-led, inclusive dialogue can put an end to the untold suffering of the Syrian people,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned the Security Council. Nevertheless, Kerry -who has “agreed to disagree” with Moscow on Assad’s fate - said the vote would act as a springboard for forging ahead with peace talks. He empha- KUWAIT: HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah is seen off sized that victory over the Islamic State group, also known at the airport by HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al- by the Arabic acronym Daesh, hinges on a peaceful settle- KUWAIT: A Kuwaiti man takes a selfie with a falcon after the opening ceremony Sabah as he leaves yesterday for Morocco on a private visit. — KUNA ment in the broader Syrian civil war. of the Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Heritage Village yesterday. — Photo by Yasser Continued on Page 13 Al-Zayyat (See Page 2) Erdogan meets Meshaal in Istanbul ISTANBUL: Turkish President Tayyip too long. Israel’s once-strong ties to Turkey Erdogan met with Khaled Meshaal, leader soured in 2010 when Israeli commandoes Arabic lesson of Palestinian militant group Hamas, yes- killed 10 Turkish activists when storming terday in Istanbul, a day after Israel and the Mavi Marmara, a ship in a convoy seek- Turkey said they were close to patching up ing to break an Israeli naval blockade of ignites anger five-year political rift. A source from the Palestinian territory of Gaza. Erdogan’s office said Meshaal “briefed Turkey had demanded Israel apologise in Bible Belt Erdogan on the latest developments in the over the assault, pay compensation and region”, without giving further details. lift the Gaza blockade. For Israel, limiting VERONA, Virginia: With the nation already on edge Islamist Hamas controls the Gaza strip. Hamas activity in Turkey has been key. after the attacks in California, a teacher’s lesson on Israeli officials said late on Thursday Under the preliminary deal between the Islam in Virginia’s Bible Belt sparked an angry meeting that a deal with Turkey was struck to nor- two countries, Saleh Al-Aruori, a senior of outraged parents that mushroomed into a national malize ties following high-level bilateral leader in the Palestinian Islamist group denunciation of the educator in the form of thou- talks in Switzerland. Turkish officials said a Hamas who has been living in Turkey, sands of angry emails and social media postings. As a final agreement was yet to be sealed, but would be barred from the country, the result, an estimated 10,000 students in Augusta that given the progress it would not be Israeli official had said. — Reuters County’s public school system got a one-day jump on US Secretary of Defense Ash Carter speaks to US and French troops on the the Christmas break as a precaution. The cancellation French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle in the Arabian Gulf yesterday. —AP of classes Friday also wiped out a holiday concert and weekend sporting events. Some of the tens of thousands of emails and Carter visits French, Facebook posts “posed a risk of harm to school offi- cials” and threatened protests, Superintendent Eric Bond said in a message to parents and employees US warships in Gulf Friday. Augusta County Sheriff Randall D Fisher said the emails slowly began arriving, but picked up in vol- ABOARD THE CHARLES DE GAULLE: US airstrikes launched when the ship was in ume and vitriol after a national conservative radio per- Defense Secretary Ash Carter met yester- the Mediterranean will continue as the sonality discussed the lesson. “They started becoming day with naval commanders on US and ship begins operations in the Gulf. The very threatening, very profane,” he said. “There was a French warships in the Arabian Gulf, say- ship, which is about two-thirds the size lot of hate being spewed in these emails.” ing that there will be more to come in of America’s aircraft carriers and carries Some, Fisher said, had images of beheadings. the battle against Islamic State militants 26 fighter jets, but the aircraft were not Fisher said security has been assigned to Bond, the in Iraq and Syria. Carter visited the flying yesterday during Carter’s visit school’s principal and teacher Cheryl LaPorte, who French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, because the ship had just arrived in the created the lesson. LaPorte is worried about herself which is expected to begin launching area and was not yet positioned for and her family, Fisher said. The school closings came airstrikes against IS soon. He also talked launching operations. one week after the teacher gave Riverheads High to American troops on the USS According to officials, the French are School students an assignment that involved practic- Kearsarge, an amphibious assault ship the second highest contributor of ing calligraphy and writing a statement in Arabic - the ISTANBUL: Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (right) and Palestinian that’s been supporting coalition mis- airstrikes in the coalition’s campaign Continued on Page 13 sions in Iraq and Syria. against IS, with the US providing the Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal pose for a photo yesterday. — AP Carter’s visit to the Charles de Gaulle vast majority. The officials could not say underscores France’s increased partici- what percentage the French provide. pation in the fight, in the wake of the The US and French militaries operate Assad makes rare visit to church Paris attacks last month. IS militants routinely together, and Carter was able claimed responsibility for the Nov 13 to meet with a number of US forces who DAMASCUS: Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad attended attacks that killed 130 people and are stationed on the Charles de Gaulle. Christmas choir preparations in an ancient church close wounded hundreds. “We are completely And while on board he spoke by phone to a frontline area in the capital Damascus where his aligned with France on the mission of with French Minister of Defense Jean- army is engaged in heavy fighting with rebels, state defeating ISIL,” said Carter, using another Yves Le Drian. media said yesterday. State television showed footage acronym for Islamic State militants. Carter flew from the French ship to the of Assad and his wife Asma making the visit overnight “France’s willingness to do more as we USS Kearsarge, which was about seven to the Notre Dame de Damas Church, where he was do more, both in the air and on the nautical miles away. He met with the shown chatting to the choir. He took a seat near the ground, and here at sea ... I was very ship’s commander, Navy Capt Larry Getz altar and listened to a recital of Christmas poems in the gratified to see that in action out aboard and later spoke to sailors and Marines say- main cathedral hall. the Charles de Gaulle.” ing the ship is playing an important role in The surroundings of the church in the old part of the France’s only aircraft carrier was con- the effort to quickly defeat IS. The ship vis- ancient capital were hit by mortar fire on Friday, officials ducting 10-15 missions daily for about its come at the end of a weeklong trip to said. The church is only 2 km away from Jobar, a neigh- 10 days from the Mediterranean Sea the region, including stops in Iraq, Turkey bourhood of the rebel-held eastern Ghouta suburb of before moving into the Arabian Gulf on and Afghanistan.