ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFIED NEWSPAPER Monday 4 February 2013 23 Rabial I 1434 - Volume 17 Number 5600 Price: QR2 Foreign buyers Scottish Cup: snap up most Celtic romp Asiacell shares into quarters Business | 23 Sport | 31 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 Emir meets UN official Initial nod Coca-Cola ad for 76 new private sparks heated schools DOHA: The Supreme Education Council (SEC) has given the ini- debate in Qatar tial approval for opening 76 new private schools and kindergar- tens in the country, a senior SEC official said. Call for boycott of American drink Hamad Mohammed Al Ghali Al Merri, director of Private Schools DOHA: The controversial always paint Arabs in bad light Office at SEC said that the new Coca-Cola Super Bowl adver- and portray them as uncivilised applicants have been given time tisement that many here see as and as terrorists. “And you feel till June this year to complete for- painting Arabs in a bad light that you are being looked down malities involving other govern- has triggered a heated debate upon and discriminated against ment bodies. in the Qatari community, with when you are in the US as a stu- “Until now, we have received some calling for a boycott of the dent or as a medical tourist,” said 76 applications from citizens to popular American drink. a commentator. open new private schools and kin- Several commentators tak- The Americans think Arabs dergartens and we have given ini- ing part in the debate that was still live in deserts and ride cam- tial approval. We have also given raging on local social network- els, was how yet another com- them time until next June to set- ing sites have expressed anger mentator reacted, taking part tle their status with other bodies over the ad that shows an Arab in the debate over the Coca-Cola The Emir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani with the United Nations Special Adviser on Yemen, Jamal concerned including Civil Defence walking through a desert pulling ad. “Thank God, they didn’t insult bin Omar. Talks dealt with the latest developments in Yemen. and the health authorities. If they a camel, as cowboys, Las Vegas Muslims and Islam,” said yet don’t fulfill these requirements girls and others race by him to another commentator. by June, the initial approval will reach a gigantic bottle of coke. This is racism. The ad makes a be automatically revoked,” said The Arab man is out of the com- mockery of Arabs, said some oth- Al Merri, in an interview with petition from the beginning since ers. “Yes, this is an act of racism Security Council should act Al Sharq. his camel refuses to budge. and discrimination, for everyone He said 38 private schools have The ad was first put on was taking part in the race to sought permission to hike their Cola-Cola’s website and was to be reach the gigantic Coke bottle fees from the next academic year. aired from yesterday coinciding except the Arab,” was the opinion to prevent massacres: PM The deadline for receiving appli- with the start of the Super Bowl, of still others. cations ended last month. the US National Football League However, there were some who MUNICH: Qatar’s Prime from around the world. turn the Middle East region into a “No school is permitted to championship. said there was no need to take the Minister and Foreign Minister Qatar realises the indivisible volcano of war and turmoil.” hike the fees without a writ- The ad first created a contro- ad seriously. “The idea is good and H E Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem character of global security, he What we have seen in Lebanon, ten approval from the SEC. versy in the US with American- after all it is an ad, so we must bin Jabor Al Thani has said that said, adding that intertwined and what we’re seeing in Iraq Submitting an application does Arabs objecting to it. What seems take it sportingly,” said one par- global security will be at risk as issues require all states to work are the direct and indirect not mean it has been accepted,” to have additionally irked them, as ticipant. What might presumably long as the UN Security Council together hard in a responsible effects of this ongoing conflict, said Al Merri. He said there is a well as some citizens here, is that turn the debate more heated is the fails to issue a resolution to pre- and transparent manner aimed the Prime Minister and Foreign set of criteria for granting per- it asks viewers which characters fact that at least one commenta- vent massacres committed by at promoting security and stabil- Minister said. mission and no school will be should win the race in an online tor hinted he agreed with the ad dictatorships. These massa- ity, and preventing crisis. He pointed to his efforts as allowed to raise the fees by more vote. The contest does not allow a and said: “This is a fact. Muslims cres, he added, blatantly violate Perusing diplomacy and dia- the head of the Arab Ministerial than 10 percent. The schools are vote for the Arab character. and Arabs are consumers and they international law and conven- logue and forging relations based Committee on Syria, which required to submit details about The best way out is for all the never take part in competitions”. tions, and are an attempt by on equality between the states included direct talks with the all types of fees charged over the Arab countries to ban Coca-Cola, What was wrong with the ad, dictators to retain power. are needed to achieve this vision, Syrian government at the begin- past three years. He said the new said a commentator. “If Arab wondered another man, say- The premier was speaking he said. ning of the crisis, a call to start law on private schools which is in countries ban or even threaten ing it was natural for them to at the 49th Munich Security The Premier warned the inter- dialogue with the opposition, the making will take into consid- to ban the drink, the company show an Arab in a desert with a Conference (MSC), an annual national community of the risk of and two visits to Damascus to eration the feedback from private would immediately issue an apol- camel. “This is our natural envi- high-level security meeting, that “prolonging the Syrian crisis by meet President Bashar Al Assad. schools. “We expect the law to be ogy,” said another. ronment,” he said, adding fuel to brings together decision makers hesitating and procrastinating to QNA issued soon,” said Al Merri. The Americans in their media the fire. THE PENINSULA on foreign affairs and defence achieve narrow self-interests will Continued on page 9 THE PENINSULA Tour of Qatar Israel waging state terrorism: Turkey Mobile app to locate ISTANBUL/MUNICH: Turkish Prime Minister Recep health facilities soon Tayyip Erdogan accused Israel yesterday of waging “state ter- rorism” as he condemned the DOHA: The Supreme Council of at SCH told The Peninsula air strike on Syria as an unac- Health (SCH) will soon develop yesterday. ceptable violation of interna- a new smartphone application “The next and more important tional law. that will help users locate all phase of this project is to develop “Those who have been treat- public and private healthcare a smartphone application giving ing Israel like a spoilt child should facilities in the country. information about all healthcare expect anything from them, at The SCH has just published a facilities in the country. Once this any time,” said Erdogan, a harsh map showing the location of hos- is ready, the users will be able to critic of the Jewish state. pitals, clinics and primary health search and locate any facility “As I say time and again, Israel centres in the country. A senior using their smartphones,” said Al has a mentality of waging state SCH official said yesterday that Khanji. For instance, if a person terrorism. the mobile application is the next has a toothache while driving, the Right now, there is no telling phase of this project. new application will assist him in what it might do and where it The map in the form of a folder locating the facility in a few sec- might do it,” he said. will soon be made available at the onds, he added. The app can be Full report on page 13 airport and other points of entry, used by all smartphones includ- hotels, shopping malls and other ing the iPhone, Android-based Iran open to direct US rider Brent Bookwalter of the BMC Racing team exults after winning the first stage of the Tour of Qatar public places, Dr Jamal Rashid phones and the BlackBerry. between Katara Cultural Village and Dukhan beach, yesterday. (SALIM MATRAMKOT) Al Khanji, director of the Health THE PENINSULA talks with US SEE ALSO PAGE 30 Quality Management Department Continued on page 4 MUNICH: Iran said yesterday that it was open to a US offer of direct talks on its nuclear programme and that six world powers had suggested a new round of nuclear negotiations Qtel, Vodafone ring in mobile number portability this month, but without com- mitting itself to either proposal. DOHA: Qatar’s two tel- service provider. Following the All 21 Qtel retail outlets in the of subscribers wanting to retain said Fatima Sultan Al Kuwari, Diplomatic efforts to resolve a ecom service providers yes- MNP announcement by the country are now supporting MNP, their number and switch to Qtel, Director of Public Relations, Qtel.