Middle East News
Iraqis greet US-Iran dialogue at Baghdad conference (2nd Roundup)
Mar 11, 2007, 4:51 GMT
Baghdad - Representatives of the United States and Iran for the first time Saturday at a landmark international conference in Baghdad discussed how to calm Iraq's sectarian conflict and improve security in the war-torn country.
Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, speaking after the 10-hour gathering of world powers and Iraq's neighbours at the Foreign Ministry in Baghdad, said it was especially important that there had been dialogue between representatives of the US, Britain, Iran and Syria.
The first such gathering in Iraq since the US-led invasion in March 2003 also saw some tough words between Iran and the US, which have had no diplomatic relations for more than a quarter of a century. The US cut off diplomatic relations with Syria two years ago after the assassination of Lebanese politician Rafik Hariri.
The US and Iraqi officials made it clear that the movement of foreign fighters and munitions through Iran and Syria must stop for national reconciliation within Iraq to be possible, according to Zalmay Khaililzad, US ambassador to Baghdad.
The Iranian delegation to the conference said that an essential step would be the 'swift withdrawal' from Iraq of US-led coalition forces. The Iranian envoy said that the US presence serves the interests of the terrorist groups and is used to 'justify' aggression.
Iran complained about a handful of Iranians being held by the US on suspicion of supporting terrorist and insurgents in Iraq, arguing that they were Iranian diplomats who should be released.
The US-led invasion of Iraq four years ago set off an insurgency by Sunni militant groups, some of whom were angered by the ouster of Saddam Hussein, who had kept the Shiite majority largely out of government for decades.
Now, the Shiite-dominated government of Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, who called the Baghdad conference in a bid for support to end the violence, is fighting infiltration by foreign guerrillas and terrorists and trying to quell escalating violence between Shiite and Sunni Muslims.
In his opening remarks, al-Maliki asked for help in stabilizing Iraq but warned that 'meddling' and pursuing personal agendas on Iraqi soil would not be tolerated.
Addressing the Arab states, al-Maliki declared: 'Standing in the face of terrorism, my brothers, means stopping all types of financial, media, religious or logistic support (to the insurgents).'
He said that other countries should not provide insurgents 'with weapons and men that soon turn into human bombs that kill our children, women and elderly and destroy our mosques and churches.'
Al-Maliki warned that if the violence is not halted, 'the bloodshed' will spill over to countries across the entire region.
The first such major conference in Iraq included representatives of the United Nations, Arab League and Organization of Islamic Conference, and diplomats from Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Turkey. The five veto-wielding UN Security Council permanent members - the US, Britain, France, China and Russia - were also represented.
The Iranian delegation described the conference as 'very effective.'
Khalilzad warned that stability in the region could be seriously damaged if the Iraqi internal conflicts are not resolved.
'No country represented at the table would benefit from a disintegrated Iraq,' Khalilzad told reporters after the meeting. If Iraq suffers, then 'indeed all would suffer badly.'
The United States, where public support for the war has faltered badly, is pressing hard for al-Maliki's government to control lethal violence in and around the Iraqi capital, amid the imposition of a new security plan.
The United States is sending an additional 20,000 troops to join the existing force of 140,000 now in Iraq, to systematically oust insurgents neighbourhood by neighbourhood.
Al-Maliki said there has been some success, saying the new plan had reduced violence and helped Iraqi services, such as schools and hospitals, to function safely, claiming that 2,000 Iraqi families who had fled their homes have already returned since the launch of the security plan last month.
The US has charged that Iran produces explosively-formed penetrators (EFPs) for use in roadside bombs that target civilians and US and Iraqi forces.
On Saturday alone, at least 10 people were killed in the predominantly Shiite Baghdad suburb of Sadr City, and mortars fell close to the Iraqi Foreign Ministry headquarters where the conference was held.
Despite regional tensions and concern for stability in the region, Khalilzad said that the mood 'was business-like and constructive' with 'frank and sometimes jovial exchanges.' He said there were no bilateral meetings with Syria or Iran, but there was some handshaking and talking with Iranian delegates and a longer exchange with Syria.
'We will have to wait and see what happens on the ground, whether they stop shipping the EFPs ... and stop financial support and training for the militias,' Khalilzad said.
US-Iranian tensions have risen over the last year amid international efforts to convince Iran to halt its nuclear enrichment programme, which could allegedly produce weapons-grade fuel. Washington refuses to talk to Tehran until it cooperates.
The Iraq group agreed to meet again, possibly in April, at a higher ministerial level that would include US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, meeting 'across tables' with ministers from Syria and Iran, Khalilzad said.
He said that the G8 group of dominant world economic powers - which includes Germany, Japan, Canada and Italy - 'have shown interest' in joining the next discussions.
Working groups for three areas - border security, energy and electricity, and refugees - were to be formed, the representatives agreed.
© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-AgenturCOMMENT
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Older Talkback
page: 1
EXTRIMLY URJENT
I AM NOT A WAR CRIMINAL
SAVE OUR LIFE, 10 YEARS OF PAIN AWAY FROM MY FAMILY(WIFE&8 YEARS OLD SON),WRONGFULLY ACUSED.
TO:
Mr. Gordon Venner
Ambassador TO ANADIAN EMBASSY IN IRAN
TO:Honourable Gordon Campbell - Province of British Columbia
TO:Amnesty International CANADA
TO:UNHCR In Canada
TO: Prime Minister Stephen Harper
CC:The Honourable DIANE FINLEY minister of citizenship and immigration
CC: The Honourable Stockwell Day
Minister of Public Safety
Ref:ministers permit (trp)
FILE : B047649022 ,REFUSED AGAIN BASED ON MY FALSE TESTIMONY TO CRDD IN 1992,(REFUSED ON NOV 15 2005)
11,march,2007
Youre Excellency
I could have never ever imagined the life that my wife and I started many years Ago which was filled with love and joy may one day end up to TEN years of unwanted separation. Nor could I ever think of a day when I could be the father of a 8 years old son whom I have been refused a permission to visit. How difficult it is for me to hear him telling me over the phone I Love you daddy. This longing of seeing them is burning my soul.
What difficult and long days nights that have been unbearable we have endured. We have been going through so much anxiety and emotional distress in all these years just for the hope of HAVING OUR LIFE BACK.
I have just met my wife and son just ones (because of our financial strain caused by daily telephone
calls and legal fees) over 5 years ago in Thailand for only three weeks No words can express our feeling seeing each other after about five years and I was seeing my four years old son for the first time. It was so exciting and exhilarating.
Every moment of the time we spent together was very sweet and unforgettable just like a sweet dream.
I wish I did not see my four years old son who was getting acquainted to me his father who has not seen him since his birth saying goodbye not knowing when they could possibly be able to see each other again. I can never forget his words at the airport saying Why don?t you come home daddy??.But daddy you promised to come home and we play Legos.His words and voice still echoing in my ears. I cannot get him off my mind even for moment. I always remember that every time I asked him who is daddy?s boy? With his innocent and sweet look he opened his eyes and said I AM .I wish that I could fly and soar towards them at this very moment. I WISH THAT I COULD SEE HIS ROOM JUST FOR ONCE..............
It is also hard to see my dear wife struggling alone so vigorously for my return for such long time she has been not only to do her best as a loving and devoting mother in bringing up our son but also to fill the gap caused by my absence at home.
In addition she has been striving to be strong and not letting all traumas affect our child. Also Because of sustaining all the tremendous presses and psychological stress for so long she has been seeking some advices as well as treatments by a psychologist .I hope that we remain healthy and strong till moment we start our life again.
Often my wife and I feel that we have been forgotten and that NOONE PAYS ANY ATTENTION TO OUR LIVES BEING DISTROYED RIGHT BEFORE OUR EYES!!!!!
.
However, I accept it was my own fault to make matters so complicated and I apologize for my actions (LIAED to the CRDD in the year of 1992), you have to appreciate because of my inexperience I approached the matter in wrong way. But I am disappointed and deeply hurt having these rumors circulating about me (19(1) (j)) and my innocence have not been proven for the immigration authorities, EVEN that CSIS has giving me security clearness.
I have seen this in IRB publication (2001) I assume is about me!!!!!
(Person 13 -- citizen of Iran who applied at a Canadian mission following sponsorship by his Canadian spouse. The subject had been a martial arts teacher for an internal security service. The subject had previously made a refugee claim in Canada and was excluded from refugee protection due to his involvement in crimes against humanity. It was asserted that the skills taught by him were used to torture dissidents. Based on the previous exclusion by the IRB, the application was refused)
This is completely wrong; I have said this many time that I WAS NOT a martial arts teacher and I DID NOT teach anyone, I was not involve in any CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY.
This is so so very much painful for me that you see me like this, I have not harmed anything or anyone my whole life, BUT now I have been wrongfully treated as war criminal for many years and our whole life (me, my wife and our son) has been taking away from us on the best (10) years of our relationship; which can not be replace by anything.
I realize that I was WRONGFULLY ACCUSED.
We have given everything we had to have our life back, I understand that my application was refused because of tragic event that happened in 2001 which makes me think that (WE ARE THE VICTIM OF SEPTAMBER 11)?????????
My dear wife gave everything she had to defend her husband and bring her son's father back home, which she had to get bank loan for legal fees on 3 years payment, how difficult is for a single mom to deal with this??????????
Moreover how, noble, conscientious and honorable an idea is that the people all around the world should not be regarded as or equated with their own respective governments, I wish that The Canadian authorities had considered me as a HUMAN, before even regarded me as an Iranian, who is asking just for his, FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT, to be considered.
Future, it makes everyone wonder, a country like, CANADA, one of the passionate and serious advocates of the human rights and right of the family and children both in the national and international arena, DEPRIVES, me of seeing my son for SIX years.
In Canada, even animals are enjoying from the special rights considered for them, I wish I was treated like a criminal in Canada so that I would have been imprisoned there, this way at least I could have been able to hug my son even for a moment, since prisoners have the right to see There family.
. It is likely in the countries where the human rights are violated and the capital Punishment is the low of land, EVEN convicts are allowed to see their families, I wish I had been EXECUTED, so I would not have to witness ten years of humiliation, agony, exhaustion, Despair, and contempt of my dear wife as well as my beloved son.
Indeed, DEATH is more appealing to me than this pathetic life.
.
WHAT MORE SHOULD WE GIVE AND HOWMANY MORE YEARS SHOULD WE WAIT?? ????????
I have realized that I have not been considered as a human, If I had my application would not been refused for (TRV) on the day of NEWYEARS EVE (2004)! Furthermore it is agonizing to see my son around the Christmas tree sadly watching the other kids with fathers around and asking himself why his father is not by his side during such holy and precious moments, I do not believe ANY child deserves this grief?s.
My only gilt is that I LIAED (15 years ago), don?t I deserve FORGIVNESS?
Don?t you BELIEVE that we are just a human and we all do mistakes, AND we do deserve a SECOND CHANCE?????????????
Your Excellency, I hope that no family ever deals with the same problem and fate as we do.
I also hope that nothing causes separation among the members of a family for whatever reason that may be.
Hope that any distrust?s replaced by compassion, forbearance and affinity.
Yours truly,
Saeed javdani tabrizi nejad
265 10th ave west
azadi st , gohardasht (rajaee shahr)
karaj , Iran
po box 31489
Tel 0261 449 0303
sam_javdanitn@yahoo.com
BONNIE &ARYA JAVDANI
5914 Hwy 97B S.E.,
Salmon Arm, B.C., V1E, 2R1 Canada
250-8331031
bonnie_tooty@msn.com
....................................................................... ........
Subject: Immigrant, refugee, visitor - 20
Date: Tue, 28 Feb 2006 13:55:02 -0500
From: 'Prime Minister/Premier ministre' View Contact Details Add Mobile Alert
To: 'saeed javdani'
CC: 'Monte Solberg, P.C., M.P.'
Dear Mr. Javdani :
On behalf of the Prime Minister, I would like to thank you for your
e-mail, in which you raised an issue which falls within the portfolio of
the Honourable Monte Solberg, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration.
Please be assured that the statements you made have been carefully
reviewed. I have taken the liberty of forwarding your e-mail to Minister
Solberg so that he too may be made aware of your comments. I am certain
that the Minister will give your views every consideration.
L.A. Lavell
Executive Correspondence Officer
for the Prime Minister's Office
Agent de correspondance
de la haute direction
pour le Cabinet du Premier ministre
Hey Tom, Who is Evil?!
Look yourself to the real history...from 1979 what did US on Iran.
At least 8 Years imposed war by Iraq who was supported financially by US...disastrous falling of Iranian Airplane by the US navy...many economical sanctions... I think that's better to say how the World should talking with US to give up it's domination. US still smells the Oil in the middle East!
'Look yourself to the real history...from 1979 what did US on Iran.'
It is always someone else's fault, isn't it Bardia? I hate to repeat myself but Since 1979, in no particular order Iranians or Iranian funded and controlled terrorist groups have; invaded our embassy and held our diplomatic staff for 444 days, took American journalists and a British minister hostage in Lebanon, killing William Buckley, bombed the US embassy in Lebanon which killed 17 Americans, the 1983 Beirut barracks bombing which killed 241 Americans on a peacekeeping mission, the Khobar Towers bombing killing 19 Americans…
What else, They hijacked an aircraft and killed navy diver Robert Stethem and unceremoniously dumped his body on the tarmac, bombed a Jewish center in Argentina, killing 85, their proxy Hezbollah has started several conflicts with Israel, including the one last summer which left hundreds killed, they still have a bounty on the head of Salmon Rushdie for writing a book that they didn’t like… They have provided the Shiite death squads in Iraq with training and material as well as the Sunni death squads that go after the Shiites with the objective of creating as much bloodshed as passable. they have also been supplying shaped charges and shoulder launched anti-aircraft missiles to kill coalition troops...
They Chant 'death to America' on a daily basis in their schools and Mosques,they continually threaten to wipe Israel off the map, they have mined the Strait of Hormuz, they publicly lynch girls for being 'disobedient', they publicly lynch boys for being homosexual, they publicly lash women for the crime of being raped, they stone women to death for infidelity, they censor their news, murder political dissidents, invented the suicide bomber...
'US still smells the Oil in the middle East!'
That isn't what I smell coming from the middle east.
Also Bardia, take a look at how desperate Saeed javdani tabrizi nejad is to get the heck out. That story is undoubtedly repeated over and over.
Saeed !Saw Your Quest.Can I do it ?
You can visit Your son !!! The raid
over the border by the U.S. to Iran
is possibly chosen by Bush not long
before 7th november( the end of his second term ) to become with danger
and war-time-table alarmisme[[:....
1933 : F. D. Roosevelt
... state of emergency and martial law ['posse comitatus;coup d'etat']
1945 : Truman ... ....:]]
a prolonged second term Republican Grand Old Party president: Similar to the 28th June 1941 and 9/11 aftermath
Fighting for reunion
Photos contributed
Short stays: (Top)?Arya Javdani and Saeed Javdani Tabrizi visited each other in Thailand approximately five years ago. (Above) Bonnie Ward spent several months in Iran with her husband Saeed nine years ago.
By Martha Wickett
OBSERVER STAFF
Jun 27 2007
Immigration: Local boy dreams of father coming to Canada.
For Bonnie Ward, there’s nothing in the world she wants more than to see her son and his father reunited.
She has worked towards that goal for years, so far an unsuccessful effort that has left her drained and disillusioned. She feels her family has been victimized indirectly by the attacks on the Twin Towers in New York.
“If you could see the pain and hurt in his face when he sees other dads and sons together,” Ward says of her son Arya Javdani, who’s now eight. “He has missed out on that.”
Ward, who grew up in Salmon Arm, met Saeed Javdani Tabrizi in 1995 in Vancouver. She worked at a nightclub there and he used to come in for Persian night.
He was from Iran. He had come to Canada in 1992.
“His dream, like many young men in the Middle East, was to come to the land of milk and honey – the land of money and cars and beautiful women,” says Ward.
However, in order to stay in Canada, he made an illegal claim to immigration – he claimed refugee status.
Like most young men in Iran, he had served mandatory time in the military. However, Ward says, as a basis for his refugee claim, he said he had taught martial arts to the secret police.
“The story incriminated him and it destroyed his life,” she says.
But, back to 1995.
Ward and Tabrizi fell in love. On July 19, 1996, they were married. They applied for spousal sponsorship for citizenship. Twice they were given appointments for interviews and, twice, the interviews were cancelled by the immigration office, once while they were sitting in the waiting room.
On May 26, 1997, at 8:30 a.m., officers came to the couple’s door. They asked only two questions, Ward says - Are you married? and How long have you been married?
They then took Tabrizi away in handcuffs and he was deported to Iran.
Because the couple wanted to be together, Ward decided to visit him in Iran.
“I went to meet his family - and I hadn’t seen him in six months.”
First, however, she needed to be married under Iranian law. She went to a notary public in Vancouver, where she had to have a male Iranian witness, and was married over the phone. Then, with a visitor’s visa, she went, donning the traditional clothing there. While there, she realized living in Iran would not be a viable option for her.
When she came back to Canada, she was pregnant.
Ward kept up her efforts to bring her husband back to Canada, with the help of Members of Parliament.
In the fall of 2000, she hired a Vancouver lawyer to take her case. In June of 2001, a hearing was held – at a cost to her of $5,000 –‑but, because there was so much information, it was carried over into a second day.
As luck - or lack of luck - would have it, she says, the second hearing was scheduled for Sept. 18, 2001, just one week after 9/11.
Tabrizi’s lie came back to haunt him. Ward says that although he had admitted years previously that he had lied on his refugee claim – in truth he had not trained secret police and so was not a threat to Canada’s security – immigration officials turned down his appeals.
“We tried to fight on humanitarian and compassionate grounds because of our son, but they didn’t care,” she says, adding that their life savings are gone and they have exhausted all avenues of money borrowing.
The reasons for the decision by the appeal judge state that, although humanitarian and compassionate grounds were strong, no evidence had been supplied to show that Tabrizi had not participated in crimes against humanity.
“...Without information to the contrary, leads me to conclude on a balance of probabilities that the applicant’s admission could potentially pose a risk to the Canadian public.”
The judge added that a further negative factor in the case “is the ease with which the applicant is prepared to say whatever he believes would suit his purposes at any given time.”
Ward believes her husband was being used as an example to others.
“I believe in my heart we were just used as an easy case for them to use as a bad example,” she says, adding, “If you have lots of money, you can buy your way into the country – but nobody likes to say it.”
Five years ago, her husband travelled to Thailand, where she and her son joined him for a short visit.
“My son was sitting in his father’s lap, his eyes were big as saucers. He kept looking at me and looking at his dad - he was so happy.”
Although her husband used to phone to speak to his son every day, now he calls once a week, in order to save money for the time when and if he is allowed come to Canada.
At this point, Ward has run out of options.
“It is too emotionally devastating and too frustrating. I’ve changed a lot. I’ve lost my spark. It was an eye-opening experience - I have no respect for our immigration system or our government... If they ever provided evidence to show me this is what he’s done, it would have been a chance to move on and deal with it.”
Her son Arya will likely never give up hope.
“Now I’m approached almost weekly by him,” Ward says. “He says, ‘Mummy, if there’s one more thing you could do for me, could you let me see my daddy one more time.”
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BCNG Portals Page (R)Arya Javdani and Saeed Javdani Tabrizi visited each other in Thailand approximately five years ago. (Above) Bonnie Ward spent several months in Iran with ...
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The way I see it is, there are no peace loving countries left. Every country is guilty of some sort of war crimes. Let's not hold over our heads forever. We should be living for tomorrow, not yesterday. Let the man come be with his family, Canada. He's been going through all the right channels, somebody has to have pity on the situation and maybe Canada can take the lead and be an example to other countries.
page: 1
TomMar 11th, 2007 - 06:16:54
What is the use in talking to Iran? They have been run by evil psychopaths since 1979.
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