Ukraine lets Russian observers in

January 10, 2009, 14:12
The EU has confirmed that Ukraine will allow Russian observers to oversee the transit of Russian gas through its territory. Moscow says it will resume European supplies only when it is sure Kiev won't hinder them, but Gazprom says there's been no breakthrough. The two sides are still trying to reach an agreement on price and transit security. EU observers are expected in Ukraine on Friday to discuss monitoring the gas transit to Europe.

On Thursday, negotiations in Brussels aimed at resuming Russian gas supplies to Europe via Ukraine broke up without agreement. The talks appear to have stumbled over the issue of who should be included in the international group sent to Ukraine to monitor the transit of gas.

Before the talks the EU and Kiev reached a bilateral agreement for European observers to travel to the country. However, Russia's Gazprom insisted company representatives should be included, a demand Kiev flatly rejected.

The aim of the inspectors is to make sure that no Russian gas is siphoned off once the flow restarts.

Gazprom CEO Aleksey Miller has blamed Ukraine for the failure of the negotiations.
“Ukraine has blocked the signing of the document to create a transit monitoring mission that would include experts from Europe and from Gazprom. We had a chance to resume supplies on Thursday but it didn’t happen. It’s Ukraine that should be held responsible for that failure,” Miller said.

Meanwhile, the European Commission has warned Ukraine it may face multi-million euro law suits if it is proven it has been syphoning off gas intended for European customers.

Europe's Energy Charter Treaty guarantees nations a right to an interrupted gas supply. It was ratified in 1994 by 51 countries, including Ukraine. According to Miller, Ukraine has been breaking several of its conditions.

Ukraine, however, has a different view of the situation. The country’s foreign ministry says it is aware of Ukraine’s responsibilities as a transit country, but claims it’s Gazprom that's making the transit ‘impossible’.

”Russia is now trying to hurt Ukraine’s reputation as a reliable transit country,” the ministry’s statement said. However, Kiev failed to explain how exactly Gazprom is hampering the transit.

A delegation from Gazprom arrived in Brussels on Thursday to discuss the ongoing dispute over gas deliveries to European countries. The Russian company brought with it a range of documents including the most recent Russian–Ukrainian transit contract. Representatives from Naftogas, Ukraine’s state-run gas company, also took part in Thursday’s consultations.

It's not the first time Russia and Ukraine have had a dispute over gas exports. At the beginning of 2006, Gazprom says, Kiev failed to pay for gas it received from Russia. was hoped these contracts would prevent future difficulties.

EU reaction

While talks were continuing in Brussels, EU prime ministers meeting in Prague were busy putting together a document called “The declaration on the Russia-Ukraine problem and energy security”.

In a change of policy, it says the EU will help settle the stand-off because it affects so many of its member states. Europe had distanced itself from what it had described as a commercial dispute.

The Czech Republic, which now holds the rotating EU presidency, refused to take sides, saying Europe had been failed by both Moscow and Kiev.

“Both Russia and Ukraine have not yet shown enough determination to solve the problem, which damages their credibility as EU partners,” said Czech Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs Aleksander Vondra.

The EU continues to call on both Russia and Ukraine to resolve the gas row as quickly as possible. The president of the EU Parliament, Hans-Gert Poettering, insisted that “the contracts we have and the member states have are going to be fulfilled.”

He added: “The problems which are there between Russia and Ukraine must be resolved, but we cannot be the victim.”
According to Jose Manuel Barroso, the European Commission President, Ukraine must ensure free gas transit to Europe if it wants to preserve good relations with the EU:

"If Ukraine wants to be closer to the EU it should not create any problems for gas to come to the EU."

Barroso said the EU was prepared to help Russia and Ukraine find common ground in their dispute. Nevertheless, if normal gas supplies were not restored, he said, the EU would be forced to view supplies of Russian gas through Ukraine as no longer “credible”.

It seems clear that while the EU is prepared to help resolve the dispute, it is not going to act as a referee in the price war between Moscow and Kiev.

Meanwhile, speaking at his residence outside Moscow, Vladimir Putin announced that Russia is ready to pay a market price for the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine - but only if Kiev pays the market price for Russian gas - $470 per thousand cubic metres.

“Gazprom made an extremely privileged offer to its Ukrainian partners. I don’t feel comfortable pronouncing the price but I will – it’s $US 250 per 1,000 cubic metres of gas. Why do I say uncomfortable? Because consumers in Russia will ask me – why would we ever do this? Nevertheless, Gazprom made the offer and guess what? It was turned down!” Putin said.

MBAVU SINA......

mambo ya kulindana...ahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

MATAIFA MENGI YA ULAYA YAONJA MAUMIVU YA MZOZO WA UKRAIN

Jan 7, 2009

January 7, 2009, 8:47

Gas cuts hit much of Europe

Several countries in Eastern Europe have had their deliveries of gas through Ukraine cut off, a situation which the EU describes as "unacceptable". Gazprom says Ukraine's energy company has shut off a number of pipelines. Meanwhile, the head of Naftogaz has announced he is ready to resume negotiations. On Tuesday head of Ukraine’s state-run Naftogaz, Oleg Dubina, said he would visit Moscow on January 8 to resume negotiations on gas supplies.

Gazprom’s spokesman Sergey Kupriyanov said he was surprised that Naftogaz didn’t want to restart talks immediately.

”Considering that the situation is critical, we are ready to start talks any minute.”

The previous talks ended in failure on December 31, prompting Gazprom to shut down gas deliveries to its neighbour.

Russia’s energy giant has made efforts to boost gas deliveries to Europe via alternative pipelines.

On Tuesday, Bulgaria, Turkey, Macedonia and Greece reported a complete halt in deliveries. Romania claimed it lost almost 75 per cent of its gas, while Austria and Germany also reported a fall-off in supplies. According to the Bulgarian Energy Ministry, the drop in pressure came about when a Ukrainian compressor station stopped working.

European Commission Spokesperson Johannes Laitenberger said the “situation is completely unacceptable.”

“Without prior warning and in clear contradiction with the reassurances given by the highest Russian and Ukrainian authorities to the EU, gas supplies to some EU member states have been substantially cut.”

Speaking at a news conference in London, Gazprom's Deputy CEO Aleksandr Medvedev said:

“We are facing this challenge together with our European partners. Actually, we became hostages of the irresponsible behaviour of the transit country through which 80 per cent of our [gas] export goes to Europe. It’s not even a question of a commercial dispute. It’s a question of absolute irresponsibility in handling the export flow of natural gas via Ukraine.”

Earlier, Gazprom had accused Kiev of illegally siphoning off Russian gas destined for Europe – something Ukraine has denied. Miller said supplies through Ukraine would be cut by the amount allegedly stolen by Naftagaz - around 65 million cubic meters.

However, during the day a far more serious cutback was reported: more than three times this amount. According to Gazprom, Ukraine shut down three out of four of its stations, responsible for bringing Russian gas to Europe.

But Kiev denies that it's at fault. Oleg Dubina said:

“Presently, we've added 14 million cubic metres to support the system to provide gas exports to Europe. All statements about Ukraine's unauthorised blockage of the gas flow to Europe are false as well as statements that we don't accept Russian gas at the moment and that we don't provide transit.”

The head of Naftogaz believes that there's a possibility the Russian company will cut its transit through Ukraine completely.

It remains unclear whether Gazprom would or could cut Ukraine out of the picture while maintaining normal gas supplies to western Europe. The vast majority of Russian gas pumped to Europe passes through Ukrainian pipelines.

But according to Gazprom company spokesperson, Sergey Kupriyanov, Europe has nothing to worry about, as the gas giant will find alternative supply routes.

“To prevent any illegal actions by Ukraine's Naftogaz, gas deliveries towards Ukraine have been cut. We are taking additional steps to meet the needs of our European consumers. Additional gas deliveries come through Belarus via the Blue Stream pipeline, and we also use our reserves in Europe's underground storages,” he said.

Meanwhile, the European Union which previously voiced its intention not to intervene in what it said was a commercial dispute, has sent a delegation to Kiev. Although they have made little headway so far, the EU is urging the two companies to deal with the matter sooner rather than later.

The previous gas dispute between Moscow and Kiev in 2006 was resolved four days into New Year.

The problem recurs annually around New Year’s Eve. The previous gas dispute between Moscow and Kiev in 2006 was resolved four days into New Year.

The stand-off has become an annual event, with officials, academics and journalists playing a guessing game as to how long it will last.

Gazprom says Ukraine is refusing to settle its debt and pay market prices for its gas. And when supplies are cut off, it resorts to siphoning off product earmarked for Europe.

The only things that change in the annual spat are the excuses put forward by Kiev. This year it’s contracts, which are suddenly deemed ‘not effective’. A Ukrainian court has even forbidden the transit of gas through the country, but Gazprom says that decision carries no legal weight.

According to Gazprom spokesman Sergey Kupriyanov, this decision is totally illegitimate, because the transit relations of Gazprom and Naftogaz, its Ukrainian counterpart, are regulated by Swedish law. And these issues can be settled only at the Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce.

Russia stops gas transit through Ukraine

Russia stops gas transit through Ukraine

Gazprom says all transit of Russian gas to Europe through Ukraine has been stopped. The move was proposed by the company CEO, Aleksey Miller, and agreed to by Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. ”It is necessary to stop delivering gas to the Russia-Ukraine border. Since transit of Russian gas through Ukraine has been fully stopped, and Ukraine is stealing Russian gas, I propose to stop pumping Russian gas to the Russia-Ukraine border,” Vladimir Putin said.

And Aleksey Miller underlined that the stopping of transit should be done as publicly as possible and with international observers present.

Gazprom says that Ukraine has shut all four pipelines which send gas to Europe, causing several countries to run out of fuel. But Ukraine claims that Russia stopped delivering all gas to Europe through its territory on Wednesday morning.

Ukraine has turned off the fourth and last gas pipeline transporting gas to Europe, said Aleksandr Medvedev, Gazprom deputy chief executive.

Some countries in Europe have no gas stockpiled. Macedonia has less than a week’s supply and there have been talks of a possible state of emergency in Slovakia, while the situation in Greece is also described as difficult.

The EU has called on Russia and Ukraine to ensure full deliveries of gas to Europe.

The Romanian government says it will contact the Russian government urgently to find out how soon the situation will be resolved. The Romanian authorities are also trying to calm worried citizens by promising them there will be no turning off of heating and the problem will be solved at government level. The country has some supplies stockpiled and also some alternative supply routes.

Gazprom has taken measures to compensate European customers for the gas it says was stolen by Ukraine, by increasing the amount of fuel going to Europe through Belarus, Poland and Turkey, thereby avoiding Ukraine.

However, Aleksandr Medvedev, Gazprom’s deputy chief executive, said the consequences of this gas crisis are too serious:

“None of our efforts can make up for what Ukraine has done by closing its export pipelines.”

“The most cynical thing is that Ukraine is accusing Gazprom of not supplying gas to Ukraine. Every schoolchild knows that sealing one end of a pipe makes it impossible to feed gas into it from the other end. Therefore, the entire responsibility for what is happening is on the Ukrainian part,” he added.

On Tuesday, speaking at a media conference in Berlin, Aleksandr Medvedev said that as independent auditors are still being blocked from working at Ukraine’s gas measuring stations, Gazprom had invited a national resource analysts’ group from Switzerland to measure gas leaving Russia and the gas leaving Ukraine.

HEZBOLLAH YAJIANDAA KUIVAMIA ISRAEL

January 7, 2009, 15:50

Israeli warfare: emergency back-up

Israel has begun mobilising “tens of thousands” of reservists as it prepares for violent reactions to its Gaza incursion from other directions.

Some of the reservists are being deployed along the border with Lebanon as a precaution against attempts by Hezbollah militia to launch rocket attacks against Israel or stage cross-border raids in order to divert Israel from the Gaza campaign.

Other reservists have been assigned to deal with the possibility of an uprising on the West Bank. Others still are to be dispatched to Gaza if the campaign there is stepped up, according to officials. The precise number currently mobilised has not been revealed but military officials say that more reservists will be mobilised if necessary.

The most serious potential spin-off of the Gaza incursion for Israel is a renewal of the war with Hezbollah, which fired thousands of rockets into Israel during a month-long clash in 2006. They have since renewed their arsenal and are believed to have tens of thousands of rockets, many of which are capable of striking deep inside Israel.

A senior Iranian official who conferred with Syrian leaders on Saturday in Damascus a few hours before Israel launched its ground attack says that Hezbollah intends to renew its attacks if Israel sends forces into Gaza, according to press reports. Both Hezbollah and Hamas are proxies of Iran, which provides them with funding, weaponry, ideology and training. A Hezbollah official in Lebanon subsequently declared that they have no intention of renewing the fighting with Israel.

The reservists have been called up under emergency orders which require them to report for an open-ended period. Most received their orders before going to work in the morning and were at their bases within a few hours. Israelis are drafted at the age of 18 and serve three-year stints for men and two for women, but men continue to serve in the reserves until they’re 40 and are subject to up to a month’s annual duty. In the 2006 war in Lebanon more than 60,000 reservists were called up, most of them serving a month. Reservists constitute two-thirds of Israel’s total military strength.

In announcing the opening of the Gaza ground campaign on Saturday, the Israeli Defence Minister, Ehud Barak, alluded to the threat from Hezbollah.

“We hope that the northern front will remain calm, but we are prepared for any possibility,” he said.

Officials in Jerusalem yesterday warned of severe retaliation if Hezbollah joins the fray, noting that only a small part of the Israeli Air Force is tied up in the Gaza operation and that ground forces have been strengthened in the north.

In the 2006 war, Hezbollah fired thousands of rockets, some of them long-range missiles that struck Haifa and other targets deep inside Israel. Israeli officials believe that a Hezbollah intervention is unlikely because the organisation is still smarting from the blows inflicted by the Israeli Air Force, but officials do not dismiss the possibility.

The most immediate concern for Israel is a renewal of suicide bombings by West Bank Palestinians who have access to Israel. Such attacks took more than 1,000 lives during the intifada. Hamas leaders in Gaza have issued a desperate plea for their renewal since the Israeli incursion began. Thus far none have occurred but Israelis have begun taking precautions, reducing their presence in marketplaces and coffee houses.
The Hamas leadership has called on West Bank Palestinians to renew guerilla warfare against Israel like that carried out in the early stages of the Palestinian uprising or intifada that began in 2000. The uprising was suppressed two years later by the army in a massive operation that resulted in the deaths of more than 500 Palestinians and the detention of more than 4,000.

Acts of resistance have virtually disappeared on the West Bank since then, thanks mostly to the ongoing activities of Israel’s internal security arm, the Shin Bet. The Palestinian Authority, which is affiliated with Hamas’ rival group, Fatah, has also curbed Hamas activity on the West Bank during the past year and made numerous arrests. It is presumed, however, that Hamas still has sleeper cells and many supporters in the area

January 7, 2009, 16:22

Hamas secret weapon aimed at Tel Aviv?

The ’secret weapon’ that Hamas has hinted at unleashing before the Gaza fighting is over is apparently a long-range rocket. But Israeli officials say the likely target is not the nuclear reactor at Dimona but Tel Aviv. Hamas leaders have warned that they have ‘surprises’ in store for Israel and members of its military wing have said they possess rockets that can reach deeper than the rockets presently being fired, which have a 30-mile range. The longer-range rockets are believed to reach about 45 miles, which would put both Dimona and Tel Aviv within range. However, the poor accuracy of the rockets would make the odds of hitting a single structure like the reactor unrealistic.

Several rockets fired last week at Beersheba, more than halfway to Dimona, missed the sprawling city altogether. Even if the reactor were hit, the structure is believed to have been “hardened” to sustain any bomb strike short of a 'bunker buster'. In any case, the nuclear devices the facility is believed to have produced would more than likely have been distributed long since to other locations.

By contrast, the Tel Aviv metropolitan area is too big to miss. Before the 2006 war in Lebanon, Hezbollah had acquired long-range rockets capable of reaching Tel Aviv from Lebanon, but the Israeli Air Force knocked them out in the opening attack of the war. As far as is known, Hamas’ long-range rockets have not been neutralised by the Israeli air attacks. Hamas is believed planning to fire whatever it has left in its arsenal just before a new ceasefire comes into effect in order to demonstrate that it is still in fighting condition when the closing bell sounds.

The rockets are a potent psychological weapon and they oblige Israel to take costly civil defence measures, including the construction of shelters and a bomb-proof room in every new apartment or house. However, the rockets are not very potent as a battlefield weapon. Two major air force bases are within range of the rockets already fired by Hamas in the current clash but there is no report of them being hit. The chances of a strike on a runway would appear negligible given the rockets’ inaccuracy.

Nevertheless, as Israel has now pointedly made clear, the harassment of a civilian population with random cross-border rocket firings is intolerable. More accurate rockets in Hamas’ hands in the future would also constitute a major military threat. For this reason, any agreement ending the Gaza operation must, in Israel’s eyes, include provisions that would end the smuggling of rocket parts across the Egyptian border into the Gaza Strip. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s spokesman, Mark Regev, said that Hamas had exploited a six-month ceasefire with Israel last year to smuggle in rockets with double the range of its previous rockets.

“Preventing a Hamas arms build-up is the necessary foundation of any new arrangement,” he said. “Under no circumstances will we agree to a new period of calm that will allow (Hamas) to increase their range so that we have rockets falling on the outskirts of Tel Aviv.”

The smuggling of rockets has been going on through tunnels dug under the border between Egypt and Gaza. The 11 kilometre (6.5 mile) border strip, known as the Philadelphi Route, was to have remained under Israeli control under the Oslo accord in 1994. In pulling out of the Gaza Strip four years ago, however, Israel vacated the Philadelphi Route. Since then, hundreds of tunnels have been dug under the border.

Diplomats currently trying to reach a new ceasefire are focusing their attention on devising a realistic scheme that would put an end to the arms smuggling. Proposals range from the deployment of American army engineers with sophisticated, tunnel-detecting equipment on the Egyptian side of the border, the use of dogs to ferret out tunnels and the positioning of an international force in Gaza to ensure Hamas does not re-arm.

“I’m convinced there are solutions,” said French President Nicolas Sarkozy this week in Jerusalem.

kpleo

MZOZO WA RUSSIA NA UKRAIN WASABABISHA MATAIFA 6 YA ULAYA KUKATIWA GAS PIA....

KIEV, Ukraine – The head of Ukraine's gas company Naftogaz says talks on resolving the gas dispute with Russia will resume Thursday.

Oleh Dubina announced Tuesday that he will travel to Moscow.

There has been no immediate comment from Russia's Gazprom gas company.

The struggle between Ukraine and Russia over energy has sharply escalated, with six countries now reporting a complete shutoff of Russian gas shipped to Europe through pipelines across Ukraine.

The European Union has called the sudden cutoff to some of its member countries "completely unacceptable."

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

KIEV, Ukraine (AP) — Six countries reported a complete shutoff of Russian gas shipped via Ukraine on Tuesday, in a sharp escalation of a struggle over energy that threatens Europe as winter sets in.

Bulgaria, Greece, Macedonia, Romania, Croatia and Turkey all reported a halt in gas shipments from Russia through Ukraine. Croatia said it was temporarily reducing supplies to industrial customers and Bulgaria said it had enough gas for only "for a few days."

The European Union in Brussels called the sudden cutoff to some of its member countries "completely unacceptable."

In a strongly worded statement, the EU complained that that gas had been cut "without prior warning and in clear contradiction with the reassurances given by the highest Russian and Ukrainian authorities to the European Union."

Up to Monday, The EU has said that the dispute would not affect end consumers in the coming weeks. The sudden drop over the past day however, increased the diplomatic pressure to find a solution.

Ukraine and Russia are locked in a dispute over pricing and overdue payments, and Russia cut Ukraine off on Jan. 1 but had promised to keep gas moving to Europe.

Ukraine's state gas company Naftogaz said Russia's gas giant Gazprom had sharply reduced its shipments to Europe through pipelines crossing Ukraine, triggering the cuts.

"Our Russian partners are playing cat and mouse with us," said Oleksandr Shlapak, economic adviser to Ukraine's president. "These actions today can lead to serious problems not only for the Ukrainian but also for the European gas transport systems."

But Gazprom's deputy chairman, Alexander Medvedev, blamed Ukraine's Naftogaz for the reductions, Russia's state-owned RIA-Novosti wire service reported. Medvedev was quoted as saying in London that Ukraine had shut three out of four transit gas pipelines Tuesday morning, "and the situation is getting worse."

Naftogaz denied it was to blame for the drop in supplies and that it shut down the three pipelines.

Naftogaz spokesman Valentyn Zemlyansky said Gazprom itself rerouted gas to just one out of the four, while the other three have no gas.

"We did not turn anything off, there is simply no gas there, there is zero," Zemlyansky said. "How can we shut anything down if there is physically no gas there."

Russia had earlier said it was cutting gas to Ukraine by 20 percent, to compensate for what it claimed was diversion of gas by Ukraine.

As gas shipments dwindled, there were no reports of face-to-face talks Tuesday between Moscow and Kiev.

Countries in the Balkans and Turkey saw supplies through the Ukrainian pipeline system cease Tuesday morning, Bulgaria's energy ministry said.

The Croatian economics ministry reported that gas shipments from Russia via Austria and Slovenia had ceased and said it has introduced temporary measures to reduce gas supplies to industrial consumers to "a necessary minimum." It has also called on citizens to "rationally" use gas in their homes.

Romania's gas transport company Transgaz said Ukraine ceased pumping gas at 3 a.m. (GMT 0100) Tuesday.

Turkey's Energy Minister Hilmi Guler confirmed the cutoff and said the country was trying to compensate with supplies from other sources including another Russian pipeline beneath the Black Sea.

Bulgarian pipeline operator Bulgargaz CEO Dimitar Gogov said his country's reserves were sufficient to cover needs only "for a few days."

Late Monday, Gazprom said it would cut the amount of gas it ships to Europe through Ukraine by 65.3 million cubic meters, or about 20 percent — the amount it accuses Ukraine of diverting from its transit pipeline network.

Russia supplies Europe with about a quarter of its gas, 80 percent of which is shipped through Ukraine.

Kiev denies allegations it is stealing gas, saying it is diverting only the Russian-supplied gas it needs to run its pipelines, including the compressor stations that pump gas west.

Each side says the other is responsible for supplying the gas to run the pipeline network, but there is no way to sort out the conflicting claims. Details of the transit contract are secret.

Gazprom said it was sure that it will be able to provide Europe with enough gas despite disruption of supply to Ukraine.

"We are confident that we will be able to get through this situation without any damage to the gas production and transit system," Medvedev, according to RIA-Novosti. "The only issue is gas transit to Europe through Ukraine."

But there are fears the rapidly developing crisis, now in its sixth day, could result in disruption of supplies for consumers in Europe, where gas is used for heating and electricity generation.

During a similar dispute between Ukraine and Russia in 2006, which lasted just three days, several West European countries saw their gas supplies drop by 30 percent or more.

This time many of Gazprom's customers say they are better prepared, having built up substantial reserves. Ukraine, one of the largest consumers of gas in the world, says it has enough gas reserves to last for weeks.

Ukraine is refusing to pay $600 million Gazprom claims it is owed. Russia is also demanding an increase in the price Ukraine pays for its gas. Last year Ukraine paid Gazprom $179.50 per 1,000 cubic meters of gas, less than half of the average price European countries are expected to pay this year.

MAREKANI YAITUUMU ISRAEL KWA KUVAMIA IRAQ KWA ARDHI BALA RUHUSA TOKA MAREKANI.....

WASHINGTON – Vice President Dick Cheney says Israel did not seek U.S. clearance or approval before targeting Hamas with a ground invasion into Gaza.

Israeli ground troops and tanks roared through the Gaza Strip early Sunday, cutting the coastal territory into two. The move came after days of a punishing air assault by Israeli forces that was aimed at halting rocket fire by Hamas on Israel.

Cheney says Israeli leaders probably decided that an air campaign was not enough to take out the rocket-launching sites.

The vice president says Israeli didn't seek clearance or approval from the Bush administration.

Cheney spoke on CBS' "Face the Nation."

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate's leaders are standing solidly behind Israel's ground operation against Hamas.

They say Hamas is a terrorist organization that threatens Israel by firing rockets from Gaza into the Jewish state. The senators say Israelis are victims of attacks by Hamas and that Israel is doing everything possible to protect its people.

Sens. Harry Reid and Dick Durbin — the top two Democrats in the chamber — and Republican leader all say Israel's actions are understandable. They say it's what the U.S. would do if terrorists were firing missiles into the U.S. from across America's borders.

The lawmakers made their comments on the Sunday talk shows.

MATAIFA MANNE YA ULAYA YARIPOTI UPUNGUFU WA GESI BAADA YA RUSSIA KUIKATIA UKRAIN GASI...UKRAINI YATANGAZA HALI YA HATARI KATIKA GESI...

KIEV, Ukraine – A top Ukrainian official warned Saturday that European customers could see serious natural gas disruptions in about two weeks if the energy dispute between Russia and Ukraine is not resolved, and the Russian gas monopoly Gazprom accused Ukraine of boycotting contract negotiations.

As Russia and Ukraine traded accusations in their bitter dispute over energy prices, four European nations — Romania, Hungary, Poland and Bulgaria — all reported some supply drops in natural gas Saturday.

Gazprom cut off gas shipments to Ukraine on Thursday. Then Gazprom and Ukraine embarked on dueling charm offensives, both trying to assure western European nations that they were reliable energy partners and the fault lay with their rival.

The Russian delegation hoped to convince investors in Prague, Paris, Berlin and London that Kiev is to blame for any gas shortages, saying Ukraine is siphoning off natural gas from Russian shipments, as well as refusing to pay $600 million in fines or negotiate a new price contract for 2009.

Russia supplies Ukraine with natural gas and also sends 80 percent of its gas supplies to Europe through pipelines in Ukraine. The stakes in the dispute are high because Europe relies on Russia for a quarter of its gas needs — and because heat is crucial in the biting northern European winter.

Meanwhile, Bohdan Sokolovsky, an economic aide to Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko, warned that serious disruptions could hit Russia's European customers, if Russia continues to refuse to ship gas allocated for Ukraine to Ukraine. Sokolovsky said even though Ukraine continued to pump Russian gas destined for Europe, European countries could see major shortfalls in 10 to 15 days.

Without Ukraine's share of gas in the shipment from Russia, the overall gas levels in the pipeline transit system begin to fall. Sokolovsky said if that continues, an automatic shutdown will be triggered because the system requires a minimum amount of gas to maintain pipeline pressure.

"It is obvious that this is political pressure on Ukraine," Sokolovsky said of Russia's gas cutoff. "This is pure politics."

Speaking in Prague on Saturday, Gazprom Deputy Chairman Alexander Medvedev said Ukraine's position was "absolutely unacceptable."

"We're not negotiating. There's nobody from Naftogaz to negotiate" with, he said, referring to Ukraine's state gas company.

Despite the gas cutoff to Ukraine, Gazprom says it has continued pumping the gas meant for Europe. Medvedev said Gazprom has been using alternative routes that don't cross Ukraine — pipelines in Belarus and Turkey — but those don't have the capacity to make up the shortfall. As a result, some European countries were seeing a reduction in supplies.

"We try to do our utmost to compensate for what Ukraine is doing ... but the capacity to compensate has its limits," Medvedev said.

Gazprom Alexei Miller later suggested at a televised company meeting in Moscow that European consumers should sue Ukraine for allegedly stealing their gas.

Ukraine, meanwhile, disputes the fines and contends that Gazprom is unfairly refusing to accept a rise in transit fees while asking for higher gas prices for 2009.

Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller said in a statement late Saturday that the company would file a lawsuit with the Court of Arbitration in Stockholm, Sweden, against Naftogaz over the transit issue.

The two nations also are at odds over the price Ukraine will pay for natural gas in 2009. Gazprom has proposed a price jump from $179.50 to $418 per thousand cubic meters.

Valentyn Zemlyansky, a Naftogaz spokesman, said Saturday the company is ready to negotiate in Moscow but called Gazprom's behavior "energy blackmail." He rejected the claim that Ukraine was siphoning gas, saying the country had been sacrificing its own reserves to maintain minimum pressure levels in the pipes.

Zemlyansky said by noon Friday, Naftogaz had received a request from Gazprom to pump 305 million cubic meters, but it had to pump 319.3 million just to keep the gas flowing.

"Ukraine is fulfilling all the obligations of the energy charter, in comparison to our Russian partners," Zemlyansky told The Associated Press.

Ukraine itself has enough reserves to last until early April, Naftogaz says.

Outside observers said the ramifications of gas shortages across Europe were so great that they should not be allowed to occur. Chris Weafer, chief strategist at Uralsib bank, said the dispute was mainly political and would likely be resolved to avoid serious disruptions to both Russia's and Ukraine's reputations.

The European Union has urged the two former Soviet republics to find an "urgent solution" to the dispute and announced it will host a Jan. 9 meeting with Russian and Ukrainian experts to discuss natural gas shipments to the 27-nation bloc.

Still, the EU warned it would not play mediator.

"We reject being part of the dispute," Czech Deputy Prime Minister Alexandr Vondra said Saturday. The Czech Republic currently holds the bloc's rotating presidency.

HOTUBA YA MHE. CAPT MST JAKA M MWAMBI BAOLZI WA TANZANIA NCHINI URUSI WAKATI WA SHEREHE YA MWAKA MPYA WA 2009 ILIYOFANYIKA UBALOZINI TAREHE 01/01/2009

Ndugu Wageni Waalikwa,

Mabibi na Mabwana.

Awali ya yote ninapenda tuungane kumshukuru Mwanyezi Mungu, Muumba wa vitu vyote vinavyoonekana na visivyoonekana, Mtoaji wa Mapaji na Rehema Ndogo Ndogo na Rehema Kubwa Kubwa, kwa Wema wake wa kutujailia pumzi ya kuishuhudia Siku hii kubwa ya kuzaliwa kwa Mwaka Mpya wa 2009. Tuendelee kuomba Baraka zake ili kama tulivyouanza, tuweze pia kuumaliza Mwaka huu tukiwa na afya njema, maisha marefu na mafanikio makubwa katika shughuli zetu za kila siku.

Leo ni siku kubwa kwetu sote. Ni siku ya kufanya tafakari binafsi. Kila mmoja bila shaka anatafakari yale yote aliyoyafanya katika mwaka uliopita na kujiwekea malengo ya mambo atakayotekeleza mwaka 2009. Bila ya kuwa na upeo wa kufikiri na kudurusu kwa kiwango fulani na kufanya tafakari ni sawa na kusema yaliyopita si ndwele, tugange yaliyopo na yajayo.

Kwa maisha ya binadamu hiyo ni kasoro. Ni lazima kutafakari yaliyopita, pengine kwa shukurani, tutazame hapa tulipo kwa kujiamini na kuweka mipango ya baadaye kwa matumaini.

Kamwe tusifanane na wale walevi waliokuwa wanabishana kuhusu jambo ambalo kila mmoja waokatika hali ya kawaida angekuwa na jibu. Hebu ngojeni nikusimulieni hadithi fupi ya walevi hao. Walevi wawili walipokuwa wanarudi kutoka kilabuni usiku, mmoja alimwambia mwenzake: “Leo jua linaonekana vizuri kweli kweli.”Mlevi wa pili alijibu, “Lile sio jua ni mwezi.” Basi waliendelea kubishana kuwa ni jua, ni mwezi, ni jua ni mwezi. Baadaye alitokea mlevi wa tatu. Wakamuuliza, “hebu tuambie lile ni jua au mwezi”, na kila mmoja alimwita mwenziwe kuwa ni mbishi sana. Yule mlevi wa tatu aliinua kichwa na kutazama juu kwa makini na kisha akasema, “Samahani mimi siishi katika eneo hili, kwa herini”.

Kwa hiyo, katika hali ya kawaida, na sisi hatuwezi kudiriki kusema hatuyajui mambo yanayotuhusu na kukwepa kuyafanyia tafakari yale yalitokea mwaka uliopita na kuweka malengo ya mwaka huu. Nafikiri ni jambo muhimu ambalo kila mmoja wetu ana wajibu ya kutathmini maisha yake yaliyopita, ya sasa, na ya baadaye.

Leo nina furaha zisizo kifani kwa sababu tofauti na tafrija zilizopita ambazo zilifanyika hapa Ubalozini, zilizokuwa zinahudhuriwa na watu mbalimbali, tafrija hii inahudhuriwa kwa sehemu kubwa na wanafunzi wa Chuo Kikuu cha Urafiki cha Lumumba. Ninasema nina furaha kubwa kujumuika nanyi katika sherehe hii kwa sababu ni siku ya kufungua ukurasa mpya wa uhusiano na ushirikiano kati ya wanafunzi wa Chuo hicho na Ubalozi. Na tumefungue ukurasa mpya.

Nilianza kwa kuelezea umuhimu wa kufanya tafakari wa mambo tuliyoyafanya mwaka uliopita. Ni dhahiri kuwa nimeshika uongozi wa Ubalozi wetu na kurithi matatizo ya uhusiano hasi kati ya Ubalozi na wanafunzi wa chuo Kikuu cha Urafiki. Uchunguzi wa kina uliofanywa na Ubalozi imebainisha kuwa mbegu ya sumu hiyo mbaya ya uhusiano mbaya ilikuwa inapandikizwa na kuenezwa na wanafunzi wachache sana, ambao walitumia vibaya mwavuli wa uongozi wa TSU kuchochea migomo haramu, hata kwa wanafunzi wapya wanaoendele kuwasili na kujiunga na Chuo hicho.

Ndugu zangu, kila binadamu amekirimiwa na Mwenyezi Mungu karama ya utashi wa ufahamu wa mema na mabaya. Hivyo wote walioshiriki katika maandamano na migomo yote haramu walitenda makosa. Hukuna kisingizio chochote kwamba walifanya hivyo kwa kulazimishwa. Ninafahamu kuwa baadhi yenu hamkushiriki katika maandamano na migomo hiyo haramu. Hivyo hoja ya kulazimishwa kutenda kosa na kukubali kulitenda siyo hoja ya msingi.

Ni vizuri kila mmoja wenu aelewe kuwa ni wajibu wa Ubalozi wetu kushughulikia matatizo yenye maslahi kwa watanzania wote waishio katika nchi zote 12 za Uwakilishi. Wanafunzi ni sehemu ya jamii hiyo inayostahili kupata huduma zote muafaka kutoka Ubalozini. Lakini wakati huo huo ni vema pia kuelewa kuwa Ubalozi unafanya kazi zake kwa kuzingatia Makubaliano ya Kikonseli na Kidiplomasia ya Vienna ya Mwaka 1963, (the Vienna Convention on Consular and Diplomatic Relations). Kwa mujibu wa Makubaliano hayo, eneo la Ubalozi lina hadhi na heshima inayotambuliwa kimataifa. Balozi ana hadhi na heshima ya kumwakilisha Mheshimiwa Rais katika nchi zote hizo 12 za Uwakilishi. Hivyo, eneo la Ubalozi sio mahali pa kuchezewachezewa kama ambavyo baadhi yenu wamekuwa wakifanya. Ubalozini ni mahali pa kuheshimiwa. Na ni watanzania wenyewe wanaotakiwa kuuheshimu Ubalozi wao badala wa kuchafua hadhi yake.

Nimeeleza kuwa Ubalozi unafanya shughuli zake kwa mujibu wa Makubaliano ya Vienna na maelekezo mbalimbali kutoka kwa viongozi wa serikali yetu. Ubalozi haulazimiki kupokea maelekezo yo yote kutoka kwa Vyama vya Siasa. Sheria Na. 5 ya Vyama vya Siasa ya Mwaka 1992 inatoa fursa na uhuru kwa Mtanzania yeyote kujiunga na Chama chochote cha Siasa akipendacho. Lakini ninapenda kuonya kuwa kuutumia uhuru huo kwa kuutaka Ubalozi utimize majukumu yake kinyume na Makubaliano ya Vienna na kinyume cha maelekezo ya Serikali ni jambo lisilokubalika.

Ninapenda pia wanafunzi, hasa wa Chuo Kikuu cha Urafiki, waelewe kuwa dhana iliyojengeka miongoni mwenu kuwa hapa Ubalozi zipo fedha za wanafunzi na kuna mtu anayezishikilia badala ya kuwalipa ni dhana potofu. Ubalozi hauwezi kufanya kitendo cha ovyo kiasi hicho. Ni kutokana na dhana hiyo potofu wanafunzi wanapotaka kujua hatima ya malipo ya mikopo yao huja Ubalozini kwa makundi, jambo ambalo si lazima.

Ni vema nitumie fursa hii kukujulisheni kuwa nimetoa uamuzi wa kuruhusu kuingia ndani ya Uabalozi si zaidi ya wanafunzi wawili kwa wakati mmoja. Uamuzi huo unatokana na kitendo cha wanafunzi 35 waliogoma kutoka nje na kulala Ubalozini kwa siku nne tangu tarehe 5-8 Agosti 2008. Bila shaka sote tunaufahamu usemi kuwa “aliyeumwa na nyoka, ukiuona hata ujani ataukimbia.”

Kwa hiyo, kwa vile viongozi wenu TSU takriban wote wamerudishwa nyumbani, na kwa vile hata wangekuwapo tayari nilitoa agizo la kutowaruhusu kuingia ndani ya jingo la Ubalozi, hivyo ni vema mtumie haki yenu ya kikatiba kwa kuchagua viongozi wapya. Ninaelekeza kuwa viongozi watakaochaguliwa ni wale ambao watekeleza majukumu yao kwa mujibu wa Katiba yenu. Na iwapo Katiba yenu inatoa mwanya kwa viongozi kuchochea migomo, kujenga chuki na kutukana viongozi wa serikali na Ubalozi, au kuruhusu mawasiliano na Vyama vya Siasa, kama Katiba yenu ina kasoro hizo, ni vema kuifanyia marekebisho. Chagueni viongozi wenye staha, heshima, waadilifu na watakaowajibika kwa wanafunzi wote na sio kutumia madararaka yao ya uongozi vibaya kwa maslahi yao binafsi.

Ninarudia kueleza kuwa haipo haja ya wanafunzi kuja Ubalozini kwa makundi na kujazana nje ya Ubalozi. Utaratibu huo hauleti picha nzuri. Zaidi ya yote, mjue polisi sasa hawawaamini tena wanafunzi wa Chuo cha Urafuki ( Lumumba).Kila mnapokuja kwa makundi ndivyo na polisi nao huongeza idadi ya askari, hali ambayo haioneshi picha nzuri.

Kwa jumla, watumieni viongozi mtakaowachagua kuwasilisha Ubalozini matatizo yenu na kufuatilia matokeo yake. Sisemi kuwa mwanafunzi yeyote mwenye shida haruhusiwi kuja Ubalozini. La hasha! Ni ruhusa kufanya hivyo ili mradi tu uachwe mtindo wa kufika Ubalozini kimakundi. Hivyo, wanafunzi wa Mwaka wa Lugha ambao walichelewa kujaza fomu za mikopo au kwa sababu nyingine yo yote ile fedha zao za mikopo bado hazijaletwa, nao waelewe kuwa Ubalozi unafanya mawasilino na Bodi ya Mikopo ili kuhakikisha kuwa wanaharakisha kushughulikia mikopo ya wanafunzi hao. Fedha zao zikifika mara moja watajulishwa na kulipwa. Hivyo, haipo haja nao kuja kujazana nje ya Ubalozi kwa minajili au sababu hiyo hiyo.

Nimesema mengi, ingawa wanasiasa baada ya kusema maneno mengi ni kawaida yao kusema baada ya maneno hayo machache. Leo ni siku ya kufurahi. Tunafungua ukurasa mpya. Tupongezane kwa kujaliwa pumzi ya kuuona mwaka mpya.Tumshukuru Mwenyezi Mungu kwa kutujalia pumzi hiyo.

Vimeandaliwa vinywaji na vyakula. Sipendi vyakula vipoe na vinyaji navyo vinadai kunywewa na hata mziki unadai kuchezwa! Basi tufurahi vizuri. Tusiwe kama jamaa mmoja aliyekunywa pombe kwenye tafrija kama hii hadi akaanguka na kuumia katika paja lake la uso. Jirani yake alimpa ushauri wa kukausha kdonda kwa kujimwagia whisky kidogo. Baada ya muda kidonda kiliendelea kutoka damu. Alipoulizwa kwa nini hakukikausha kwa kumwagia kidogo whisky kama alivyoshauriwa, alijibu kuwa, “kila nilipojaribu kuinua glasi mkono wangu, haukuweza kuinuka juu zaidi ya kuupita mdomo wangu!”

Baada ya kusema hayo machache, ninakutakieni heri na fanaka za Mwaka Mpya.

HAPPY NEW YEAR.

Mungu Ibariki Tanzania,

Mungu Ibariki Afrika,

Mungu Ubariki Ubalozi,

Mungu Ubariki Mwaka 2009.

CAPT MST JAKA M. MWAMBI

BAOLZI

MOSCOW-RUSSIA

RUSSIA YAPITISHA SHERIA KALI NDIDI YA SPIES NA TERRORISTS

Medvedev
January 1, 2009, 17:50

Medvedev strengthens laws against terrorists

Suspected terrorists, spies and coup plotters in Russia will no longer have the right to trial by jury according to a new law signed by President Dmitry Medvedev.

The new law rules out jury trials for anyone accused of being involved in hostage taking or the organisation of mass riots and those cases will be overseen by a panel of three judges in a federal court.

The State Duma passed the bill on December 12, 2008 and the Federation Council approved it on December 17, 2008.

According to the bill, a person charged with terrorism can get from 15 to 20 years, or even life imprisonment.

The bill adds new elements to Criminal Code articles describing hostage-taking and sabotage, such as "willfully inflicting death to a person and bringing considerable material damage or other serious consequences,” reported the Russian Presidential Press Service.

BAADA YA UKRAIN KUKATIWA GAS, RUSSIA YAGUNDUA KUWA UKRAIN IMEANZA KUIBA GAS INAYOPITIA NCHINI HUMO KWENDA ULAYA....URUS YAOMBA MKUTANO WA EU...

January 2, 2009, 18:15

Ukraine steals European gas

Ukraine has started siphoning off Russian gas bound for European customers. This follows the cutoff of gas supplies to Ukraine on January 1, after the two countries’ gas giants failed to agree on a price for 2009.

“The Ukrainian side has openly admitted to stealing transit gas destined for Europe. Naftogaz officials are avoiding negotiations with Gazprom. However, they have promised to pay $US 1.5 billion by January 11, but there will still be an outstanding debt of $US 614 million. Therefore, we plan to increase the transit level of gas through Belarus,” said Sergey Kupriyanov, spokesman for Russian energy company Gazprom.

Also, according to Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Aleksandr Grushko, Russia has asked the EU parliament to hold a special meeting to discuss the issue of Russian gas transits via Ukraine.

“Gazprom representatives are ready to head to Brussels, and all European countries, to fully inform them about the dispute between Gazprom and Ukraine's Naftogaz,” he said.

Earlier Gazprom spokesman Sergey Kupriyanov said that independent auditors are being blocked from checking whether gas supplies to Europe are being hindered.

"We don't have an effective gas delivery contract with Naftogaz now. Naftogaz is currently obstructing the operators of RosUkrEnergo and is not letting them extract the gas from underground facilities which they have," said Kupriyanov.

There is still no contract signed between the two countries and debts must be paid in full before another can be signed. The Russian energy company has also calculated over $US 600 million in penalties Ukraine owes.

Gazprom’s overall supply reduction amounted to 90 million cubic metres a day, which is roughly Ukraine’s consumption.

Prices don’t meet

Both Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko and Prime Minister Yulia Timoshenko have appealed to Russia not to cut gas supplies to the country and to continue talks. They've also named the price their country is prepared to pay for the gas: $US 201 per 1,000 cubic metres.

Gazprom, though, wanted a higher price - $US 250 per 1,000 cubic metres – which is almost half the market price. Ukraine turned down this offer. A statement by Gazprom followed that it would now sell gas to Ukraine at the market price of $US 418.

“Ukraine didn't accept the preferable gas price we offered - which was $US 250 per 1,000 cubic metres," said Gazprom CEO Aleksey Miller. "So starting from January 2009, Gazprom will deliver gas to Ukraine at a market European price."

As Europe depends on Russia for about a quarter of its gas supplies, and the fact that 80% of their supplies pass through Ukrainian pipelines, it is watching the ongoing conflict closely.

After Russia had announced a new gas price for Ukraine, Viktor Yushchenko said it would be "logical" that transit costs should go up too. The Ukrainian leader said that talks with Russia are to be resumed shortly with the final agreement to be reached by the time of the Orthodox Christmas, January 7.

A Ukrainian delegation has set off on a tour of Europe, which aims at informing the European Union about the gas situation and to provide guarantees that the gas will be transported across Ukraine as normal. Also, Ukraine's president Yushchenko has sent letters to the leaders of eight countries and to the European Commission to explain his reasons of the gas dispute.

Earlier Ukraine had threatened to confiscate Russian gas passing through the country, refusing to guarantee supplies to Europe as Russia promises to stop gas supplies to Ukraine due to debts. Gazprom called Ukraine’s reaction ‘blackmail’.

Rais Kikwete... wanaojihusisha na kuchochea ghasia nchini, akisema "tusije tukalaumiana,"

SIKU moja baada ya Rais Jakaya Kikwete kutoa onyo kali dhidi ya wanaojihusisha na kuchochea ghasia nchini, akisema "tusije tukalaumiana," wanasiasa wamejibu wakisema kauli hiyo si sahihi na ni ya vitisho ambavyo haviwezi kuwazuia kufanya kazi zao.

Rais Kikwete alitoa onyo hilo juzi wakati wa hotuba yake ya salaam za mwaka mpya alipoonya wale aliowaita wanasiasa hasidi, akisema "tuache vitendo vya kuchochea ghasia kwa kisingizio chochote kile... ni vizuri tukaambiana mapema tusije tukalaumiana".

Lakini kauli yake haijawa nzuri masikioni mwa wanasiasa ambao wanaona kuwa mwaka 2008 ulitawaliwa na vitendo vingi vya kudai haki, ikiwemo migomo na vurugu, wakisema vinathibitisha kuwa nchi haikuwa tulivu kama Rais Kikwete alivyoeleza.

Akizungumza na Mwananchi jijini Dar es Salaam jana, kiongozi wa upinzani bungeni, Hamad Rashid Mohammed (Mbunge) alisema, Rais hakupaswa kutoa kauli hiyo kwa kuwa ni jambo la kawaida katika nchi yoyote kutokea vurugu.

Alisema sheria zilizotungwa na Bunge la Jamhuri ya Muungano na kutiwa saini na rais zipo na kwamba hizo ndizo zinapaswa kutumika kushughulikia wanaosababisha vurugu na si kutoa vitisho tu.

"Nilidhani kuwa rais atasema kuwa ataendelea kusimamia haki na utawala bora katika vitu ambavyo vinalegalega, lakini anatoa vitisho... vitisho ni kinyume kabisa na misingi ya utawala bora," alisema Mohammed.

Alifafanua kwamba kwa kawaida zinapotolewa kauli za vitisho kama hivyo, Watananzania hufikiria kuwa ni wapinzani tu ndio walengwa, lakini ukweli ni kwamba hata chama tawala husababisha vurugu katika baadhi ya maeneo.

"Isiwe kwa wapinzani tu, sheria lazima iwe msumeno kwa kila mtu. Kwa chama tawala na vyama vya upinzani, yaani wanasiasa wote," alisistiza Mohammed.

Alipinga kauli ya rais kuwa mwaka 2008 ulikuwa tulivu na kuhoji kuwa rais alitaka aone nchi inawaka moto ndio ajue kuwa si tulivu.

Alisema mwaka jana nchi ilitawaliwa na vurugu, migomo na maandamano na ghasia katika sekta mbalimbali nchini Tanzania.

"Mwaka jana hautasahaulika kwa matukio ya migomo na maandamano ya walimu, wanafunzi wa vyuo vikuu na sekondari, wafanyakazi wa Benki ya Makabwela (NMB), wazee wa iliyokuwa Jumuiya ya Afrika Mashariki na matukio ya ufisadi pamoja na mauaji ya albino. Hii ni amani tu, sijui alikuwa anataka kiashiria gani rais wetu?" alihoji Mohammed.

Hata hivyo, alisema mpasuko wa kisiasa Zanzibar na mfumko wa bidhaa muhimu nchini ambao umesababisha wananchi kutokuwa na amani kwa kukosa mlo wao wa kawaida, yaliutikisa mwaka 2008.

Mohammed alilaumu hotuba ya rais kwa kulifumbia macho suala la ajira kwa Watanzania na kuamua kubaki bubu bila ya kuzungumza chochote kuhusu ahadi hiyo, jambo ambalo alilielezea kuwa ni usaliti kwa wapiga kura.

"Tulitegemea kuwa rais angetuambia katika hotuba yake kuwa ndani ya miaka mitatu ya utawala wake amefanikiwa kutoa ajira ngapi kwa Watanzania lakini hakuligusia kabisa. Huu ni usaliti kwa wapiga kura," alisema Mohammed.

Naye Gedius Rwiza anaripoti kuwa Chama cha Walimu Tanzania (CWT), kimeelezea kushangazwa kwake na kauli ya Rais Kikwete ya kuonya dhidi ya wanasiasa na vikundi vya kijamii vitakavyojihusisha na kuchochea ghasia.

Rais wa CWT, Gratian Mukoba alisema wameipokea kwa mshangao kauli hiyo, kwa sababu rais wa nchi anapozungumzia migomo, anajumuisha walimu ambao wamekuwa wakidai haki zao na sio kuchochea migomo.

Mukoba alisema kauli hiyo ya rais inalenga kuwatisha walimu na wafanyakazi wote wanaoidai serikali madai mbalimbali na kwamba, katika matukio yote yaliyotokea mwaka jana hakuna tukio la mgomo ambalo lilikuwa la uchochezi bali yalilenga kudai haki.

Aidha alisema kuwa, pamoja na kauli hiyo wanategemea kufanya mkutano mkuu mwishoni mwa mwezi huu, kufanya majumuisho ya mwenendo mzima wa ulipaji wa madai ya walimu na kuongeza kuwa baada ya kufanya uhakiki huo watatoa tamko dhidi ya serikali.

"Baada ya kufanya uhakiki huo kama madai hayo yatakuwa hayajawa tayari na mimi nasema tusije kulaumiana maana hapa naona ni kama mchezo wa paka na panya," alisema Mukoba.

Walimu waliitisha mgomo nchi nzima wakishinikiza walipwe zaidi ya Sh16 bilioni ikiwa ni malimbikizo ya malipo yao mbalimbali, hata hivyo mgomo huo ulikumbana na vizingiti mbalimbali vya mahakamani, ikiwemo amri isiyo ya kawaida ya kuuzuia mgomo iliyotolewa usiku na jaji wa Mahakama ya Kazi.

Alisema kauli kwamba baadhi ya watu wamekuwa na lengo la kujinufaisha na ghasia hizo, si kweli kwani upande wa walimu ni jambo ambalo liko wazi hadi sasa bado wanapigwa chenga na kushindwa kupata haki zao.

Naye Fidelis Butahe anaripoti kuwa wastaafu wa EAC, ambao waliwahi kuzuia barabara ya Ali Hassan Mwinyi inayotumiwa na vigogo wengi wa serikali katika harakati zao za kudai haki, wameahidi kuendelea na mikakati yao kama hawatalipwa mafao wanayodai kwa zaidi ya miaka 31.

Mjumbe wa Jumuiya hiyo, Ramadhani Makingi alisema kuwa licha ya Rais Kikwete kutoa onyo kwa wanasiasa na vikundi vya kijamii dhidi ya ghasia, hawatakubali kuona haki yao inapotea kwani hadi sasa hawajalipwa mafao yao huku serikali ikiwa imeshatoa tamko kuwa zoezi la malipo hayo limeshafanyika.

"Kama unavyojua hivi sasa suala letu linashughulikiwa na Kamanda (wa kanda maalum ya Dar es salaam, Suleiman) Kova ametuahidi kuwa atalifikisha sehemu husika na atatupatia jibu.

Lakini kama serikali haitakubali kukaa na sisi kujadili malipo yetu na ikiendelea kung’ang’ania msimamo wake kuwa imeshatulipa, hatutasita, tutaendelea na harakati zetu mpaka tutakapohakikisha tumelipwa," alisema Makingi.

Alisema kuwa licha ya rais Kikwete kutoa onyo kwa wanaochochea vurugu, wapo watu wanaodai haki zao kwa hiyo serikali inatakiwa iwaangalie na sio kuwatisha ili washindwe kudai haki zao, akisema vitisho ni kinyume na sheria za haki za binadamu.

"Tulipanga matembezi zaidi ya mara nne tumezuiwa na polisi; tumefukuzwa kutumia uwanja wa Mnazi Mmoja; tumedai malipo yetu tukaambiwa kuwa hatukuwa wafanyakazi wa EAC bali tulikuwa vibarua; wastaafu wengine wanakufa kila siku, lakini hakuna msaada wowote tunaopata.

Sasa hapo tukiandamana au kudai mafao yetu utatuambia kuwa tunachochea vurugu wakati ni wazi kuwa madai yetu hayasikilizwi," alisema Makingi.

Licha ya Kikwete kuhusisha baadhi ya vurugu hizo kuwa zinachochewa na wanasiasa, lakini hakuweka bayana vitendo hivyo vya uchochezi vilifanywa na watu gani.

Wastaafu hao mpaka sasa wameshafanya matukio makubwa manne. Julai 26 na Septemba 4 mwaka jana waliandamana mpaka Ikulu, Oktoba 17 walijazana nje ya ofisi za Wizara ya Fedha na Uchumi kwa nia ya kuzungumza na Naibu Waziri wa Wizara hiyo juu ya mafao yao.

Hatua yao ya nne, ambayo ilisababisha viongozi nane wa Jumuiya hiyo kukamatwa na kufunguliwa mashitaka ya kukusanyika bila kuwa na kibali, waliifanya Oktoba 29 baada ya kukaa katikati ya Barabara ya Ali Hassan Mwinyi na Umoja wa Mataifa kuanzia alfajiri na kusababisha msongamano mkubwa wa magari jijini Dar es Salaam.

Mashambulio ya anga yanayofanywa na Israel dhidi ya Hamas yaingia siku ya 7

Jengo linalotumiwa na Hamas likiwa limeshambuliwa na jeshi la Israel katika Ukanda wa Gaza.

Israel leo imeendeleza mashambulio ya kijeshi dhidi ya kundi la Hamas, katika Ukanda wa Gaza kwa siku ya saba mfululizo, ikilenga ngome 20 za kundi hilo.

Maeneo yaliyoshambuliwa na jeshi la Israel katika mashambulio ya anga ni pamoja na eneo la karakana linalodaiwa kutengeneza roketi, jengo ambalo roketi zimehifadhiwa na nyumba za baadhi ya makamanda wa kundi la Hamas, hivyo kufanya idadi ya maeneo yaliyoshambuliwa hadi sasa kufikia zaidi ya 700.

Aidha, kundi la Hamas na makundi mengine katika Ukanda wa Gaza jana yalifanya mashambulio ya roketi kwenye eneo la kusini mwa Israel. Katika mashambulio ya anga yaliyofanywa jana na jeshi la Israel, yameripotiwa kumuua kamanda mwandamizi wa kundi la Hamas.

Ndege mbili za kivita zilirusha makombora katika nyumba ya Nizar Rayan katika kambi ya Jabaliya, na kumuua kamanda huyo ambaye ni mpinzani mkubwa wa Israel, pamoja na wake zake wanne, watoto wake 10 na majirani zake wawili.

Israel inasema operesheni hiyo ya kijeshi inakusudia kuanzisha mazingira mapya ya usalama katika eneo la Wapalestina linalotawaliwa na Hamas.

Aidha, Waziri wa mambo ya nje wa Israel, Tzipi Livni jana alifanya ziara nchini Ufaransa, ambapo alikuwa na mazungumzo na Rais wa Ufaransa, Nicolas Sarkozy baada ya juhudi za kufikia amani kukwama katika Baraza la Usalama la Umoja wa Mataifa ambapo alisisitiza kuwa hawawezi tena kuendelea kulivumilia kundi la Hamas. Bibi Livni alikataa kwa mara nyingine tena wito wa Ufaransa wa kusimamisha mashambulio katika Ukanda wa Gaza ndani ya saa 48 na kusema wanachotaka wao ni kuwepo kwa suluhisho la kudumu.

Kwa upande wake Umoja wa nchi za kiarabu uliwasilisha rasimu ya azimio kwa baraza la usalama lenye kutoa wito wa kusitishwa mara moja kwa mapigano hayo.

Kutokana na mashambulio hayo watu katika nchi mbalimbali duniani ikiwemo Israel yenyewe na baadhi ya mataifa ya Afrika, wamekuwa wakiandamana kupinga mashambulio ya Israel dhidi ya kundi la Hamas katika Ukanda wa Gaza.

Katika hatua nyingine, Wizara ya mambo ya nje ya Israel, imesema nchi hiyo imewapatia kibali Wapalestina 367 ambao wana pasi za kigeni za kusafiria kuondoka katika Ukanda wa Gaza hii leo. Afisa wa juu wa wizara hiyo, Yigal Palmor, amesema kati ya Wapalestina hao, 168 wana pasi za kusafiria za Urusi, 85 Ukraine, 28 Moldova, 25 Kazakhstan, 15 Belarus, 33 wakiwa na pasi za kusafiria za Marekani, 7 Uturuki na 6 za Norway.

Kwa mujibu wa afisa huyo wa wizara ya mambo ya nje wa Israel, maafisa wa kibalozi kutoka nchi mbalimbali duniani na wafanyakazi wa mashirika ya kimataifa ya misaada wamefanikiwa kutoka na kuingia Gaza bila ya kuwa na mipango ya awali na kuvuka maeneo ya mipaka iliyokuwa imefunguliwa kwa ajili ya kuruhusu kupelekwa kwa misaada ya kibinaadamu.

Idadi ya watu waliokufa kutokana na mashambulio hayo ya Israel yaliyoanza Jumamosi iliyopita imefikia zaidi ya 400, huku watu wengine zaidi ya 2,100 wakiwa wamejeruhiwa, 250 kati yao wakiwa katika hali mbaya.

Je! Karume kurekebisha kasoro zake za uchaguzi leo?

Je! Karume kurekebisha kasoro zake za uchaguzi leo?

Ameweza kupendekeza uchaguzi Mkuu wa Zanzibar kwa mwaka huu usogezwe mbele, ama Rais Amani Abeid Karume aongezewew muda ili kuweka misingi imara ya kuondoa siasa za chuki visiwani humo.

Pendekezo hilo lilitolewa na Katibu Mkuu wa CUF Maalim Seif Sharif Hamad, alipokuwa akiwasilisha mada kwenye kongamano la siku moja la kujadili maridhiano na mustakabali wa Zanzibar lililofanyika ndani ya Hoteli ya Bwawani mjini Unguja.

Kwani limekuja siku mbili baada ya Rais Amani Abeid Karume kueleza kwenye sherehe za Mapinduzi kuwa hakuna muhula wa tatu kwa urais wa Zanzibar, katika hotuba iliyoonekana kama ya kuaga Wazanzibari.

Karume alionekana kukataa pendekezo hilo ambalo utekelezaji wake unahitaji mabadiliko ya kikatiba, huku Maalim Seif aliibuka na wazo tofauti katika kongamano hilo lililoandaliwa na chama chake akiwashirikisha viongozi mbalimbali wa kisiasa, dini, wasomi na wataalamu wa ndani na nje ya nchi.

Changamoto hizo zimekuwa zikitafakari sana changamoto hizo, kwani tunapaswa kuzitafakari na kuzijadili kwa lengo la kuona zinakabiliwa vipi.

Alisema hawawezi kuukwepa uchaguzi maana ndiyo njia ya kidemokrasia ya kuwapata viongozi wao, na wameshafanya uchaguzi wa vyama vingi yaani Zanzibar, nne kabla ya Mapinduzi na tatu tangia hapo mwaka 1992 na zote zilikwama kupata umoja.

Kwa upande wa Zanzibar kwa kipindi hiki, maridhiano ni muhimu zaidi kuliko uchaguzi na yatupasa kwenda katika uchaguzi."Binafsi nimekuwa nikitafakari sana changamoto hizi na naamini tunapaswa kuzitafakari na kuzijadili kwa lengo la kuona tunazikabili vipi," alisema Seif ambaye aliwahi kuwa waziri kiongozi.

"Ni maoni yangu kuwa tukifanya haraka ya kukimbilia uchaguzi ambao nilishaeleza hapo awali kwamba umekuwa ndiyo chanzo cha kuvurugika kwa umoja wetu, kuna hatari ya kuyapoteza yote niliyoyaeleza.

"Hatuwezi kukwepa uchaguzi maana ndiyo njia ya kidemokrasia ya kuwapata viongozi wetu, lakini tumeshafanya chaguzi saba za vyama vingi Zanzibar, nne kabla ya Mapinduzi na tatu tangu 1992 na zote zimeshindwa kutupa umoja.

Kwa Zanzibar ndani ya kipindi hiki, maridhiano ni muhimu zaidi kuliko uchaguzi, na yatupasa kwenda katika uchaguzi.

Maalim Seifa alisema baada ya kutafakari kwa kina, ameamua kuungana na wananchi wa Zanzibar zikiwamo taasisi za kidini zinazotaka Rais Karume aongezewe muda au uchaguzi kusogezwa mbele.

Alisema hili litatoa fursa kwa Wazanzibari kuingia katika uchaguzi huo, baadaye wakati ukiwa huru na salama zaidi bila matatizo ambayo yamekuwa yakijitokeza miaka ya hapo awali.

Maalim Seifa alisema baada ya kutafakari kwa kina kwamba ameamua kuungana na wananchi wa Zanzibar zikiwamo taasisi za kidini, zinazotaka Rais Karume aongezewe muda au uchaguzi kusogezwa mbele.

Targeted building during an Israeli air strike in Gaza City on December 28, 2008 (AFP Photo / Mahmud Hams)

January 1, 2009, 6:27

No Gaza ceasefire resolution at UN

The UN Security Council has met to discuss the violence in Gaza, but failed to agree on a cease-fire resolution. Arab countries pushed for a resolution to demand an immediate cease-fire. At the beginning of the meeting UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon accused Israel of disproportionate use of force against Palestinians and called for an immediate ceasefire.

The delegation of Arab states is calling for a resolution condemning Israel's actions in Gaza and asked that it halt all military action.

Russia's ambassador to the UN, Vitaly Churkin asked Israel to ensure all corridors are open to allow Russians and citizens from other countries to escape from Gaza.

Tensions in the Middle East remain high as crossfire over the Israel- Palestine border continues. Latest reports say Israeli aircraft have bombed three government buildings in Gaza. This brings violence in the region into its sixth consecutive day.

On Wednesday, militant rockets were fired deeper and deeper into Israel from across the border.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has threatened to suspend Middle East peace negotiations with Israel over its offensive in Gaza. In a television address, Abbas said there was no benefit in further pursuing peace talks in the same way.

Fighting in the Middle East goes on despite international calls for an immediate peace deal between Israel and Hamas. French President Nicolas Sarkozy is expected to travel to the Middle East next week to put pressure on Israel to end fighting in Gaza despite Israel's rejection of a temporary truce.

Some 390 people have been killed during the raids, while 1800 are wounded, according to Palestinian officials.

RUSSIA YASITISHA MAFUTA UKRAIN

January 1, 2009, 11:50

Russia stops gas supplies to Ukraine completely

Gazprom has stopped its gas supply to Ukraine at 10:00am January 1 Moscow time due to unpaid debt, though a quarter of the previous year's amount, 400,000 cubic metres, is still passing through Ukraine, as Gazprom has vowed to maintain supplies to Europe.

Both Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko and Prime Minister Yulia Timoshenko have appealed to Russia not to cut gas supplies to the country and to continue talks. They've also named the price their country is prepared to pay for the gas: US$201 per 1000 cubic metres, which is almost US$50 below the price negotiated with the Russian side.

Ukraine has also offered guarantees of undisrupted transit of gas to Europe and proposed inviting European partners to the negotiating table.

Earlier Ukraine was threatening to confiscate Russian gas passing through the country, refusing to guarantee supplies to Europe as Russia promises to stop gas supplies to Ukraine due to debts. Gazprom called Ukraine’s reaction ‘blackmail’.

Late on Wednesday Miller stated that talks with Ukraine had failed. He also said that some politicians in Kiev are seeking confrontation with Russia over gas.

Earlier Russia offered Ukraine a preferential price for gas supplies, but Kiev turned it down, that's according to Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin who had briefed President Dmitry Medvedev on talks to find a solution.

Meanwhile, Gazprom says Ukraine is threatening to confiscate Russian gas passing through the country and is refusing to guarantee supplies to Europe - a move the Russian energy giant calls blackmail.

The contract for Russian gas supplies to Ukraine expires on December 31, 2008 but under the agreement, supplies can be cut starting 10 am January 1, 2009.

The Russian gas giant says it has notified the Czech Government, set to become the new President of the EU on Thursday, about what it calls Ukraine’s blackmail.

“Such a position of Ukraine is nothing but blackmail. Russia, Gazprom and Eastern Europe are being threatened. I have already spoken to some of the European colleagues, including the Czech Republic’s ambassador, and informed them that we are dealing with a blatant case of blackmail,” Deputy Chairman of Gazprom’s Management Committee, Aleksandr Medvedev told journalists. “There is no rational explanation to this. It reminds me of an old Russian joke, that says: “dear neighbours - give me some water, please, though I’m so hungry, that I have no place to sleep.”

Naftogaz says it has transferred more than $US 1.5 billion to a mediating company to settle payment for November and December.

The Ukrainian President’s office and the gas monopoly Naftogaz have confirmed that the payment has been made.

“It will be a hard cash payment in accordance with the current debt. This concerns payments for gas from November to December. After that we can say that the debt is settled, proceed with the contract and normalize our relationship with Gazprom,” Valentin Zemlyansky, Naftogaz spokesperson, said.

As the money has not reached Gazprom yet, the Russian energy giant says it is still keeping the decision to cut supplies to Ukraine starting on January 1, 2009.

“Gazprom has already created a command centre. It has started preparatory work for gas a turn-off. In the event that Ukraine goes to the European market price from the 1st of January 2009, then the price for gas will be $US 418 per 1,000 cubic meters,” Gazprom CEO Aleksey Miller, said

Gas supplies to Europe at risk

Earlier Gazprom held several video press conferences, including one with London, warning European consumers of possible gas supply disruption. Spokesman Sergey Kupriyanov then pointed to history, alerting to the possibility of Ukraine siphoning off Russian gas intended for European customers.

“Looking at the way the Ukrainian partners are meeting their obligations on the supply contract, we can’t be 100% confident that they will perform their commitments on the transit contract in full measure. Gazprom will do its best to meet all the obligations to European partners," said Kupriyanov.

Ukraine’s President Yushchenko, for his part, stated no matter how the situation develops the supplies to Europe will stay unhampered.

Legal issues

Time is ticking away, with no agreement yet reached between Gazprom and Naftogaz. An October memorandum signed between Russia and Ukraine set December 31 as the date by which outstanding debts need to be paid. This must happen before a new contract can be signed.

Gazprom says that cash-strapped Ukraine is unable to come up with the total $US 2 billion it owes, and it has proposed non-financial means to settle its debt. One involves payment with gas in Ukrainian storage. Another involves accepting the debt as prepayment for the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine to Europe, for which Russia pays its neighbour. These options, however, were rejected by Kiev.

Market rumors suggest that Ukraine may be waiting for a better gas price later in the year. It is expected that gas prices will fall in the wake of the collapse in oil prices. Aleksey Bogatirev, Analyst at United Communication, says Ukraine has enough gas in storage to last about four months.

“The current gas price is calculated according to a gas price formula based on the oil price over nine months. It is possible that gas prices will be lower, but to what extent is unknown. And by awaiting better prices, the Ukrainian government may create a disastrous situation in Ukraine, should gas reserves run out,” he said.