Article catch up 29, May 2009
Posted by thegulfblog.com in Bahrain, China and the ME, Egypt, French IR, LNG, Middle East.Tags: American base, Bahrain, Cairo speech, Iranian elections, Kyrgyzstan, LNG, Migrant labout rights, Obama visit, Web 2.0
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– Interestingly, it is being suggested that Turkey might be acting as an intermediary for America in persuading Kyrgyzstan to retain their US base.
– MEI blog and Marc Lynch on Obama scheduling a visit to Riyadh just before he gives his much-hyped speech in Cairo.
– Commentary on Bahrain’s new proposals to augment migrant worker’s rights being significantly watered down by business interests.
– Bomb at Iranian mosque in the run up to the elections.
– Thailand building LNG regasification facilities to receive LNG from the Middle East.
– Yemen are about to join Qatar et al in the exporting of LNG.
– On the Middle East’s expected increase in defense spending.
– Marc Lynch on the importance of Arab opinion polls.
– MEI blog on the Iranian un/blocking of Facebook and Microsoft’s bizarre decision to ban Messenger in various embargoed countries and on the French base in the UAE.
– China is now the largest exporter to the Middle East having over-taken the US. Hat tip: Silk Road Economy via the Arabist.
– On the possibility of China creating its own Al Jazeera.
– On the surprisingly close Israeli-Iranian relations below governmental level. See also ‘Treacherous Alliances.’
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