Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - December 19, 2007, Winnipeg, Manitoba Winnipeg free press wednesday december 19, 2007 world a9 by Deb Riechmann w Ashington ? . President George w. Bush will make his first trip to Jerusalem and the West Bank next month to push Israel and the palestinians toward peace and try to write his own chapter in the annals of Mideast diplomacy. On a nine Day trip beginning Jan. 8, Bush plans to Stop in Israel the West Bank Kuwait Bahrain the United Arab emirates saudi Arabia and Egypt. It will be Bush a first presidential visit to each of the countries except Egypt. Mideast peacemaking has been on the Back Burner during most of Bush a presidency but he emerged from a High stakes conference in Annapolis md., last Tymoshenko barely wins vote to become pm of Ukraine by Celean Jacobson and Michelle Faul pol Kwane South Africa ? Jacob Zuma triumphed at the african nation Al Congress on tuesday Par laying his Charisma and widespread popularity to win the governing party Stop Job and put him in line to become the country a next president. His Over whelming Victory ? 2,329 votes to president Thabo Bekis 1,505 ? came despite rape and corruption scan dals that had threatened his political career. Chaos and jubilation erupted As party officials announced the election of Zuma ? a for Mer guerrilla Leader who turned an anti apartheid song bring me my machine gun into his Anthem. Then he and Beki both 65-year-old veterans of the Anc in exile mounted the stage and embraced. But the contest was the most bitterly divisive in the his tory of the party and Bekis loss raised questions about whether he would remain the country a president for the rest of his term. Zuma was acquitted of rape last year but could still face bribery charges in a multimillion Dollar arms Deal. His supporters insist that he is inno cent and that the scandals were part of a political smear Campaign that should not prevent him from becoming Anc pres ident. Zuma had rallied Anc members who wanted a change from Beki who guided Post apartheid South Africa to sustained economic growth Over the past few years but has been accused of mov ing too slowly to lift millions out of poverty and being too aloof from the grass roots. Much has been made of the personal Ity and class differences Between Beki and Zuma. Beki is a foreign educated academic who sprinkles his speeches with Shakespeare. Zuma had Little for Mal schooling was a Leader of the exiled Ancs military Wing and like former president Nelson Mandela served time at the Robben Island prison. Zuma spent months building his sup port among the Anc rank and file and the Trade Union movement but also reached out to religious groups White afrikaners and the business Community in the final weeks of campaigning. ? the associated press Bush moves peacemaking to front Burner president schedules first visit to West Bank Jerusalem next month president can help facilitate those discussions. I do not anticipate although we can let you know As we get closer whether there would be detailed discus Sions about a Concession on one Side or the the White House said the trip also will be an Opportunity to reaffirm . Commitment to the Security of american allies in the Middle East especially the Gulf nations and work with them to combat terrorism and extremism. Iraq Iran regional Security and economic ties also will be discussed on the trip. Bush met in Sharmel sheikh Egypt with regional leaders in 2003. Part of it is to Perino said she continue to did not think a keep the Dis Stop in Iraq will be added but cushions going the White House to show the does to announce such trips in commitment Advance for and to remind Security reasons. The world that in Jerusalem Bush will meet this is a with president moment that Shimon Peres and prime minis has presented Ter Ehud Olmert itself and in the West Bank he will meet with president Mahmoud Abbas and prime minister Salam Fayyad. He will not meet with the islamic militant group Hamas which seized the Gaza strip in elections in june. That split the palestinian territory in two ? the Gaza strip run by Hamas and the West Bank controlled by Abbas. The president wants to Deal with the elected Leader of All the palestinians Perino said. Hamas is a terrorist organization. He is not going to be talk ing with ? the associated press Yiv Ukraine ? legislators narrowly elected fiery Orange revolution hero Ine Yulia Tymoshenko As prime minis Ter tuesday an outcome expected to accelerate Ukraine a drive to move closer with the West. Tymoshenko won 226 votes on tues Day ? the Bare majority needed in the 450-member parliament ? from deputies from her bloc and from presi Dent Viktor Sushchenko a party. The opposition led by sex prime minister Vik Tor Yan Ukovich a party of regions boycotted the vote. The vote puts Tymoshenko 47, Back in a Post she first occupied in 2005 Fol lowing the mass Orange revolution protests that swept her and Sushchenko into Power ? until a bitter falling out with Sushchenko Only months later. Despite the tensions Tymoshenko and Sushchenko put aside past enmity to form a majority coalition after last years elections. Before tuesdays vote Tymoshenko vowed that the coalition would defend the country a National former guerilla Leader wins bitter Anc election interests and implement reforms. You have real patriots in politics who will hold this Flag up High and never drop it. Today a vote is a moment of truth for the democratic coalition she said. The vote was held by hand and count ing took More than an hour. The Labori Ous procedure was held following complaints that last weeks balloting on Tymoshenko ? in which she failed to win the Post by one vote ? was invalid due to possible tampering with the parliament a voting machine. The vote count indicated the difficulties ahead of the Sushchenko Tymoshenko coalition. The opposition dominated by the pro russian party of regions is in a Strong position to fight initiatives by the Western leaning reformist coalition. We remember Well How the Orange team destroyed the Economy and began redistributing property Yan Ukovich said. Party of regions legislator Hanna Herman predicted the coalition would not last Long saying the earlier they come the earlier they la Tymoshenko was the most energetic and vivid figure of the 2004 Orange revolution protests that helped Power Sushchenko into the presidency. The protests broke out after a fraud plagued presidential election in which Yan Ukovich was declared the Winner. The supreme court annulled the elec Tion and Sushchenko won the rerun. The Orange revolution left her and Sushchenko in deep opposition to Yan Ukovich who returned As prime minister in 2006. Sushchenko this year accused Yan Ukovich of trying to usurp Power and called Early elections his and Tymoshenko a parties together cobbled together a narrow majority of seats in the september vote. Sushchenko has consistently aimed to reorient the country of 45 million peo ple away from Moscow and toward the West. ? the associated press Fargo Bank paying staff to play Santa Fargo . ? a Bank in Fargo is spending big Bucks to let its employees play Santa. State Bank and Trust says it is giving $1,000 to each full time employee and $500 to each part time employee on the condition they Send it on people in need. Banks officials say the 500 or so employees can choose an individual Case Pool their Money for a larger project or collaborate with donors outside the Bank. The Only restriction is that they do not use the Money for them selves their families or families of co workers. They be also been told to document their Good deeds with a video camera. ? the associated press month re energized about assisting Israel and the palestinians in forming an Independent palestinian Homeland. The trip is aimed at helping the two sides gain traction in talks that got underway earlier this month. Part of it is to continue to keep the discussions going to show the commit ment and to remind the world that this is a moment that has presented itself and its time for everyone to seize the Opportunity to make sure that the palestini ans and the israelis Are supported White House press Secretary Dana Peri no said tuesday. In addition to that the president wants to help try to increase israeli and Arab Bush will focus the leaders on finding a Long term sustainable peace although it remained unclear whether he would engage in detailed negotiations. He is scheduled to meet separately with israeli and palestinian leaders. No three Way meeting is planned. The important thing is for the Lead ers to keep their Eye on the big picture and to work with their staffs ? and Trust their staffs ? who Are going to work out these details Perino said. And the ;