ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFIED NEWSPAPER Tuesday 5 March 2013 23 Rabial II 1434 - Volume 17 Number 5629 Price: QR2 Qatari bourse India in firm index down control of 0.17 percent second Test Business | 18 Sport | 28 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 Heir Apparent, PM welcome Saudi Crown Prince Syrian rebels High hopes on overrun city DAMASCUS: Syrian rebels overran the northern city of Raqa yesterday, scoring their Doha summit: biggest victory since the out- break of a revolt against President Bashar Al Assad almost two years ago. League chief In central Syria, insurgents battled a major army offensive to capture rebel-held areas of the city of Homs, a watchdog ‘Arab Spring changed the scenario’ reported, as the US said it would work to “empower” the opposition. DOHA: The forthcoming Arab summit. What is more important Reflecting the regional spillo- summit to be held in Doha is following up with the summit’s ver from the conflict, dozens of later this month will not be a result over the course of the year, Syrian soldiers and seven Iraqis normal summit since the Arab he added. were killed in western Iraq as world has pinned great expec- He also discussed the title of gunmen ambushed a convoy that tations on it, the Arab League the summit, whether it will be had crossed the border to escape Secretary General Dr Nabil Al challenges in the Arab World, weekend fighting, a group of Iraqi Arabi said here yesterday. reform and development or both army officers said. After days of “After the Arab Spring, Arab combined. fierce fighting, the rebels were countries are studying the issues He noted that the upcoming now in “near-total control” of more seriously and they are now summit in Doha is a crucial one, Raqa, the Britain-based Syrian determined to focus on main adding that he had very high Observatory for Human Rights issues,” Al Arabi told the Qatar expectations about it. said. In Raqa, residents destroyed News Agency (QNA) yesterday, Commenting on the situation a statue of Assad’s father and hinting that the discussions at the in Syria, he said since two years The Heir Apparent H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister predecessor Hafez Al Assad, forthcoming summit will be more the Arab League had a clear stand H E Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem bin Jabor Al Thani welcoming Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince, Deputy Prime according to amateur video foot- AFP focused. on the crisis. Minister and Minister of Defence Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud at the Doha International Airport yes- age distributed by activists. He said that reform and devel- “We are in favour of a political See also page 9 terday. The three leaders attended the Joint Qatari-Saudi Coordination Council meeting at the Emiri Diwan opment would top the discussions solution and we don’t have new last evening. Another picture on page 3 at the summit. During his visit ideas and we never talk about a to Qatar, he discussed with the military operation in Syria,” said Qatari officials the topics on the Al Arabia. agenda of the Arab Summit. “The Arab League is striving He held discussions with the for a political solution. We came UK mission trying to improve visa services: Envoy Emir H H Sheikh Hamad bin out with many initiatives but the Khalifa Al Thani and Prime Syrian regime rejected all them,” Minister and Foreign Minister he added. DOHA: The British Embassy is decision,” the ambassador said in interviews that the visa appli- — and are proud to offer an excel- H E Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem He said there was still a ray of constantly looking to improve a statement issued yesterday. cants have to go through. lent service,” said the ambassador. bin Jabor Al Thani yesterday. hope about the Syrian national its visa services and the rules He was reacting to a report The ambassador said that for- “We promise to give 90 percent of “The topics will be brief alliance and the government sit- concerning entry visas to the in The Peninsula yesterday about eigners applying for an entry applicants a decision within three and precise and will focus on ting together for negotiations. UK are applied equally to all Qatari nationals complaining visa to the UK normally were weeks, and in the past two years the challenges in general and He said Israeli-Palestinian nationalities, the British ambas- about delays and complicated pro- issued the visa in five days while have never broken that promise: the reform and development. peace negotiations have been sador to Qatar, Michael O’Neill, cedures in obtaining entry visas a “priority visa” was available in the average applicant gets his visa Besides these, two major issues stalled because talking with Israel said yesterday. to the UK. two days. “We are delighted so in under five working days. We are — Palestine and Syria — will be had become a “futile effort” “We treat everyone fairly: the The report quoted several many Qataris are travelling to constantly looking to improve the discussed, due to their utmost “People should go straight to immigration rules governing entry citizens calling for simplifying the UK for tourism, business and visa process, for example with a importance to the Arab world,” the main issues- settlement and into the UK are applied equally the visa procedures for Qataris, other purposes. We issued almost priority visa service and online said Al Arabi. prisoners- and call up on the to all nationalities. Interviews are along the same lines entry visas 33,000 visas last year — almost applications, appointments and He said during the discussions Israelis to leave the land they an opportunity to make sure we to Qatar are issued to British double the number in 2010, with payments,” he added. he felt that Qatari leadership occupied,” said Al Arabi. have all the relevant facts from citizens. They were particularly a further increase of almost 30 per THE PENINSULA was keen on holding a successful THE PENINSULA an applicant before we make a critical of the elaborate personal cent in the first quarter of this year Continued on page 5 Qatar Airways, Kerry says finite time Per capita water FC Barcelona consumption in jersey deal for Iran nuclear talks highest in Qatar BARCELONA: Qatar Airways RIYADH: US Secretary of Riyadh on his first overseas trip will enter into a strategic part- State John Kerry said yesterday as the top US diplomat, said of DOHA: The per capita water nership with football giants FC there was “finite” time for talks the talks between a group of six consumption in Qatar is the Barcelona that sees the airline’s between Iran and world pow- world powers and Tehran, Saudi highest in the world, with the brand name appear on team ers on its disputed nuclear pro- Arabia’s main regional adversary. total use recorded at 216 cubic shirts from the beginning of the gramme to bear fruit, but gave Kerry was speaking at a news metres last year. 2013-14 season. The three-year no hint how long Washington conference with Prince Saud Qatar General Electricity and agreement with the former win- may be willing to negotiate. Al-Faisal, who suggested Iran was Water Corporation (Kahramaa) ners of the Champions League Israel, Iran’s arch-enemy and not showing enough seriousness officials gave the figure on the will be effective from July 1, 2013. convinced Tehran is secretly try- about the discussions, which he Arab Water Day observed by the Qatar Airways will become the ing to develop nuclear weapons, said “cannot go on forever”. Arab Water Ministerial Council club’s Global Main Partner, sign- has grown impatient with the pro- Iran was positive last week yesterday. aling the first time the airline has tracted talks and has threatened after talks with the powers in “I call on all nationals and engaged in a sponsorship with a pre-emptive war against Tehran Kazakhstan about its nuclear expatriates to think about sus- major soccer club, the company if it deems diplomacy ultimately work ended with an agreement tainability and save water for said in a statement. futile. Kerry’s sentiment was to meet again. But Western offi- the coming generations,” Essa Qatar Airways Chief Executive largely echoed by Saudi Foreign cials said it had yet to do anything bin Hilal Al Kuwari, Kahramaa Officer Akbar Al Baker said it will Minister Prince Saud Al Faisal, concrete to allay their concerns President, said. be a unique partnership between who said that the negotiations about its nuclear aspirations. He said that the scarcity of the World’s Best Club and the Best cannot be endless like the debates “We can’t be like the philoso- fresh water resources in the Airline in the World, describing of philosophers over how many phers who keep talking about how region was in itself a major the alignment with Barca as a “fit- angels can fit on the head of a pin. many angels a pinhead can hold,” challenge. ting match for both organisations, US Secretary of State John Kerry surrounded by children of US Embassy “There is a finite amount of Prince Saud Al-Faisal said. THE PENINSULA which will elevate the brands to a employees at the embassy in Riyadh, yesterday. time,” Kerry, in the Saudi capital REUTERS Full report on page 5 new platform on the global stage and sharing the same values — passionate about being the best at what we do in our respective fields.” The Peninsula had reported on March 1 that the agreement US baby’s cure from HIV raises hopes and questions was to be unveiled yesterday.