www.arabnews.com Othman Tezghart, Al-Majalla

PARIS, 16 March 2003 — International terrorist Ilyich Ramirez Sanchez is better known as Carlos the Jackal. He has been in a French prison since 1994, and spoke to Al-Majalla magazine, a sister publication of Arab News, in an exclusive interview.

In the wide-ranging interview spanning two weeks, the world’s most wanted terrorist of the turbulent 70s — who executed many a PLO operation — spoke of his childhood, love won and lost, his family, his Moscow education, his support for the Palestinian cause and his conviction that he will be killed on his release from incarceration.

Carlos grew up in a socialist environment. His family had moved from the suburb to Caracas, Venezuela after the country became rich in oil.

“My mother was a very loving, intelligent housewife,” he said. “My father was an educated political activist who specialized in international law. He was a supporter of revolutions.”

His most memorable childhood moments were his first trip on an airplane, the birth of his sister and her death after just three months, the nationalization of the Suez Canal and the subsequent attack on Egypt.

His childhood dream was revolution, and his role models included Stalin, Che Guevara, Gamal Abdul Nasser, Fidel Castro, Mao Tse-tung and “my father” — all men who struggled for their countries and had visions that traversed beyond their national frontiers.

Carlos’ most important memory of his life in Moscow was “my love story with the mother of my son, my expulsion from the Venezuelan Communist Youth Movement, my expulsion with my brother and 15 other Venezuelan students from the university in Moscow and the attempt to recruit me by the Russian KGB.”

He was ousted from the Venezuelan Communist movement because he supported the idea of military struggle against Commander Douglas Bravo.

When in Moscow, he knew students from all over the world. “I also knew some Soviet citizens from different backgrounds.”

Carlos said he knew Refat Aboown, who was his classmate in Moscow. He was a secret fighter and he always wanted to remain that way.

“But most Palestinian students were from the Fatah movement.”

When and how did he become a Muslim?

“In October 1975 I was training and supervising a group of commandos who were all Muslims. We were launching an operation against the Zionists in South Africa. It was a difficult operation and we all expected to die. They told me to become a Muslim so I would join them in paradise if I died. I was very touched, and later I did convert.”

Carlos first visited France in August 1967.

“It was empty of local people because of summer holidays. Most stores were closed but it was beautiful and I loved it.

“I have a great ability to adapt and it is my nature to love people. That’s why I feel comfortable wherever I go. Cities I liked the most, other than my hometown Caracas, are London, Moscow, Budapest, Amman, Damascus, Paris and Beirut.”

Carlos said he had “only four major” love affairs.

“Whenever I remember those women, I fall in love with them again.”

If Carlos has a life after his imprisonment, he will spend it in Caracas. But he says his chances of release are slim. “Barring a direct intervention by my government to release me and respect for my civil rights, I do not see any possibility of freedom — except through military action. Since the enemy does not respect his own rules, then there is no way that I will be released by a court of law. I’m fighting a legal battle just because I like to defend my principles.”

In any case, Carlos is certain that he will be freed only to be killed by his enemies.

According to him, the French authorities made repeated attempts to encourage him to jump jail after they arrested him but he was too smart not to fall into their trap.

Given another chance, would he try to escape from prison? “I will never participate in any such attempt even if political prisoners planned it. I’m not going to put my life in danger with an attempt that could lead to my capture by my enemies. I’m sure that I’ll leave this prison one day after I get compensation for my suffering. This will not happen until there is a military operation planned from outside the prison, not inside.”

How was he drawn to the Palestinian issue? Was he influenced by the Palestinians who studied with him in Moscow?

“I first knew about the Palestinian issue in 1965. I was in Caracas at the time. My father worked as a legal consultant to a Palestinian businessman named Bashar. He told us lots of stories about events in Jerusalem in 1948 when the United Nations divided Palestine. I was 15 years old at the time and very sympathetic to the Palestinian cause because I hated the fate that befell them. My first contact with the PLO was in November 1966 in London. I had limited contacts with Palestinians when I was in Moscow. I was only interested in the Palestinian cause because of the unjust treatment they received under the occupation army. The revolutionary movement of the Palestinians also impressed me.”

The Palestinian personalities who impressed him most were Haj Abdulkader Al-Hussaini, who was the leader of Palestinian resistance inside Palestine; Lebanese leader Antwan Saadah, founder of the Syrian nationalist party, who initiated the idea of fighting against Zionism; Ezaldeen Al-Kassam and Faisal Al-Hussaini, most popular resistance fighters; Gamal Abdul Nasser, the Egyptian leader who gave confidence to the Arab world to fight against Zionism; Wadee Haddad Abo Hani, who had the strategic vision of suicide attacks; Yasser Arafat, world leader of Palestinian resistance; and Sheikh Ahmad Yassin, founder of Hamas.

He said he wrote his autobiography and put it in a secret place before he was arrested.

It will, he says, be his legacy for his children. (Part II on Sunday) Features 16 March 2003

www.timesofoman.com By Palazhi Ashok Kumar

MUSCAT — Though fiscal position of the Gulf and Middle East economies are seen improving on considerable rise in oil prices, importers have to pay through the nose for their imports from Europe and a few Asian markets.

More precisely, because of the steep fall in the value of dollar and an unprecedented rise in the value of euro consumers are paying more dollars for importing goods from Europe and Asia. According to yesterday’s international cross-currency rates, one euro is equal to $1.076, and one dollar is equal to 0.9289 euro, with the result that the Gulf and Middle East consumers ending up paying more on their imports from countries with strong currencies.

The euro and a few other Asian currencies, including the Japanese yen, are expected to test new highs against dollar in the next two months as the value of dollar is expected to fall further against major international currencies, foreign exchange dealers forecast yesterday.

Till today, the price of oil is fixed in dollar and the largest oil consumer in the world is the United States.

“Technically speaking, when you pay one dollar you get only 0.929 euros and when you pay one euro you get $1.076, making the euro stronger and dollar weaker,” foreign exchange dealers added.

Oil-producing countries in the region are extremely exposed to trade shocks because of their heavy dependence on oil export earnings. Oman has estimated a fiscal deficit of RO400 million for the year 2003, constituting over 15 per cent of the total revenue. As the price of Oman crude in the international market has been considerably increasing in the last two-and-a-half months, and likely to remain firm at least till March-end, the budgeted deficit of RO400 million will come down drastically and help achieve a balanced fiscal situation. The price of Oman crude on March 14 stood at $30.64 a barrel.

During the last three decades, the drop in oil prices in the international market affected Gulf economies adversely on more than one occasion and the steep fall in oil price had prompted Gulf economies to embark on highly focussed diversification programmes. The currencies of Gulf economies have been pegged to the US dollar and any fall in the value of dollar could have a negative impact on the imports of Gulf economies.

During 1991-95, most economies in the region were stuck with instability because of Gulf war. However, it did not have any tangible adverse impact on some of the economies in the region, including Oman. In fact, consequent rise in oil prices boosted the economic expansion.

Though the budgeted deficit for the year 2002 was RO380 million, the actual deficit for the year reduced to below RO100 million, because of the significant increase in oil price in the second half of 2002.

The largest oil consumer in the world is the United States while the Middle East has the largest proven oil reserves.

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the world crude oil production surged by 1.96 million barrels per day (bpd) in February this year. Opec crude supply rose by 1.5 million bpd, Venezuela adding 850,000 bpd and Saudi Arabia 330,000 bpd. Non-Opec supply increased by 340,000 bpd.

According to BP statistical review, the total oil production per day in the Middle East stood at 22.23 million as of December-end 2001. The daily oil production of Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, UAE, Yemen and others stood at 3.68 million, 2.41 million, 2.14 million, 959,000, 783,000, 8.76 million, 551,000, 2.42 million, 458,000 and 49,000, respectively. Total proven oil reserves of Middle East countries as of 2001-end stood at 685.6 billion barrels — Iran 89.7 billion barrels, Iraq 112.5 billion barrels, Kuwait 96.5 billion barrels, Oman 5.5 billion barrels, Qatar 15.2 billion barrels, Saudi Arabia 261.8 billion barrels, Syria 2.5 billion barrels, UAE 97.8 billion and Yemen 4 billion barrels.

Though war fears would continue to heat up prices, a war would result in a fall in prices. During the Gulf war, a decade ago, oil prices spiked past $40 a barrel at over $41 because of disruption in oil supply. The oil installations of Kuwait were attacked and supplies had been affected.

IEA had said that effective Opec spare capacity fell to 1.7 million bpd in February, and could drop below one million bpd in early March. This is less than the potential loss of supply in the event of war in Iraq.

Cash crude prices climbed further last month, with averaging $35.73 and product prices outpaced crude, boosting refining margins in all major refining centres.

Oil demand for 2003 stands unchanged at 78.01 million bpd. Low European demand in January was offset by strong growth in Asia and North America, driven partly by fuel switching into oil in Japan and in the US. Chinese apparent demand growth is expected to slow after strong gains in January, especially if prices remain high.

Increase in world oil price had aided increase in government expenditures of all Gulf economies in the past. Because of increase in oil price, during 1980 in particular, Oman’s fiscal situation had improved significantly. During 1981-85, the domestic economy entered into an expansionary phase. However, the beginning of 1986-90, as a result of steep fall in oil prices and decline in world oil demand led the nation to a severe economic crisis. Fall in oil price had even affected one of its previous development plans and the government was forced to re-work its target set in the plan.

Over the last few years, oil price fluctuated considerably and so were the external current account balances and fiscal positions of oil exporting countries.

Nevertheless, the promising policies coupled with sound macro economic management to address internal and external imbalances may help Gulf nations to achieve a higher growth. In fact, the uptrend in euro is making vacations in Paris and Rome more expensive for Arab (including the Gulf) tourists, but offering relief to manufacturers by making their goods cheaper in comparison to those of European competitors. As the currencies of the six-member Arab states have been pegged to the US dollar, the fiscal positions of these governments will not suffer.

www.brazzil.com John Fitzgerald

Lula's party, the PT, cannot re-nationalize those areas and companies privatized during the Fernando Henrique Cardoso administrations, but it is determined to retain state control even if this means undermining them. The prime targets are the regulatory watchdogs set up to prevent abuse and formation of monopolies.

When the idea of setting up Petrobras was put forward in 1951 (it was called then Petrobrás, with an accent) the slogan "O petróleo é nosso" (the petrol is ours) was used by its proponents to persuade the Brazilian people that the state should have a monopoly on the right to explore and exploit Brazil's oil reserves. When the company was partially privatized in 2000 and lost its monopoly, the then director of the national petroleum agency (ANP) announced "o petróleo é vosso" (the petrol is yours).

This was a bit of an overstatement since the government had no intention of giving up its majority stake in a company, which is not only the biggest in Latin America but of strategic importance to the country. There is virtually no prospect of Petrobras being privatized in the near future. "O petróleo é deles" (the petrol is theirs) would have been more appropriate.

As events this week showed, the PT is still against privatization and sees Petrobras as an asset to be held onto at all costs. A row started after the ANP (Agência Nacional de Petróleo—National Oil Agency) issued an announcement on Tuesday March 11 stating that huge deposits of high quality oil, amounting to 1.9 billion barrels, had been discovered off the coast of Sergipe state.

This immediately triggered a run on Petrobras shares, with the common share jumping by almost 6.5 percent before falling back to end the day almost 4.5 percent higher. Although the PT radicals need no encouragement to see conspiracy behind any stock market activity they were secretly delighted when it subsequently emerged that, on the day before the announcement, there had been an unusually high amount of trading of Petrobras shares. According to the Estado de S. Paulo newspaper, US$22 million in business was done that day compared with a daily average of R$13 million in the previous three weeks. The Brazilian equivalent of the US Securities and Exchange Commission, the CVM, announced an investigation.

To make things more complicated, Petrobras itself issued a statement claiming that the ANP's statement had been "incorrect, confusing and wrong". The company said the ANP had based its statement on insufficient data and had given what could prove to be an exaggerated estimate of the oil reserves.

The PT leader in the Lower House of Congress said any announcement on the Petrobras find should have been left to the company. However, experts quoted in the press said the ANP had behaved correctly and wondered why Petrobras had not issued the information on Friday March 7, the day it provided the ANP with the information.

What a gift all this has proved to be, not just to the PT radicals but to the whole government, including President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, which likes neither the way Petrobras has been run recently nor the ANP. The mines and energy minister, Dilma Roussef, cleared her diary and headed off to Brasília for a meeting with Lula and his right-hand man, Jose Dirceu. We do not know what these three old comrades discussed, but we can be sure that their plans included ways of stripping the ANP's authority and further strengthening the government's hold on Petrobras.

Although the PT knows it cannot re-nationalize those areas and companies privatized during the Fernando Henrique Cardoso administrations, it is determined to retain state control even if this means undermining them. The prime targets are the regulatory watchdogs, which were set up to ensure that the newly privatized companies did not abuse their power and that monopolies did not emerge.

Eight such agencies were set up to regulate areas such as oil, energy, telecommunications, electricity etc. These bodies have the power to set tariffs and, more importantly, their members have fixed mandates. This means that the directors cannot be routinely fired when a new administration takes over. The PT does not like these agencies because it believes they have assumed powers which should be in the hands of the politicians.

The government has other priorities at the moment than changing the laws covering the regulatory bodies, so minister Roussef will have to grit her teeth and wait until the mandates run out before acting. In the case of the ANP director his mandate lasts until 2005. However, Mrs. Roussef was an arms quartermaster for left-wing guerrillas in her younger days and hardly seems the type to wait that long.

Pressure will start being applied not only to the ANP but the other regulators. ANATEL, the telecommunications watchdog has already been given notice by the communications minister, Miro Teixeira, that he and not it will assume responsibility for renewing concession contracts for fixed-line telephone services when the present contracts expire in 2006. The other agencies, such as ANEEL, which regulates the electrical energy sector, are also in the firing line.

As for Petrobras, one of the first moves by Lula's government was to change its board of directors and appoint a former PT senator as its chairman. Dirceu himself was even appointed a board member but stood down after the move was poorly received on the market place. For old-style nationalist types of the Left or Right Petrobras is still a symbol of the country and not just another oil company. One recalls the fuss in December 2000 when the company announced that it would change its name to Petrobrax. The hostility to such a minor change was such that Cardoso himself had to intervene and the name was dropped instantly.

Maybe the name will be changed again—this time to PTbras.

John Fitzpatrick is a Scottish journalist who first visited Brazil in 1987 and has lived in São Paulo since 1995. He writes on politics and finance and runs his own company, Celtic Comunicações—  www.celt.com.br, which specializes in editorial and translation services for Brazilian and foreign clients. You can reach him at jf@celt.com.br

www.proveo.org

Amigos!

En Venezuela y fuera de ella, se esta hablando hasta el cansancio de la necesidad de un programa politico y candidato unico de la oposicion. Oposicion...Que oposicion? Se refieren al conglomerado espontaneo de varios sectores de la sociedad civil?

Sin duda, la Coordinadora Democratica ha sentado las bases de una oposicion posible; democratica, unificadora, de alto contenido patrio. Por ende, estamos experimentando el resurgimiento del sentir popular, nacido del sacrificio de un pueblo engrandecido en las batallas libradas en las calles y plazas de todas las ciudades de Venezuela por un solo objetivo comun: salvaguardar la patria para todos.

Se ha caminado mucho, pero el camino nos llevo a una calle sin salida. Nadie ha tenido la culpa. Simplemente, existen otras vias y debemos explorarlas, sin perder el animo. Pero antes, debemos ordenar la casa: la fuerza civica descomunal pero amorfa hasta el presente (totalmente emocional, producto de la desesperacion, indignacion y amargura), debe ser canalizada lo antes posible, conformada en una organización politica, con oferta contundente. El tiempo nos acosa: vivimos un momento historico; seria un craso error ignorar la voz del pueblo que demanda, que pide a gritos ser escuchado. Un pueblo que ansia y merece ser reconocido y respetado a niveles nacionales e internacionales.

Es nuestra conviccion que, solo un PARTIDO POLITICO NUEVO, totalmente desligado del pasado y presente podria enfrentarse con el futuro. Un partido grande, de amplias bases, incluyente, venezolanista, capaz de interpretar y representar las aspiraciones de la Venezuela de hoy.

El nombre? Que tal: Union Pro Venezuela ? (La creatividad criolla sin duda producira mas y mejores alternativas.) El 2003 es importante. Es el año de los mas profundos cambios politicos desde 1958.

Todo se hundio, todo renacio en otra forma. Lo poco que queda de los grandes partidos democraticos es una colección de malos recuerdos manchados con traicion y oportunismo; politica y politicos desacredidatos tratando de camuflar la perdida de sus raices y su soledad penosa en este mundo tan cambiado. Los partidos de la vieja izquierda que siguen insistiendo en el camino al socialismo con cara amable, estan totalmente caducos. Los esfuerzos de la nueva generacion de democratas progresistas y politicos de laboratorio es notable y esperanzadora; pero no tienen suficiente peso, experiencia y fuerza para convencer a la masa heterogenea de los Venezolanos de hoy. Y la gente ya no cree en la "Revolucion Bonita" de Chavez. El 80% de los Venezolanos esta consciente que un sistema basado en el odio y guerra de las clases, jamas sera capaz de crear bienestar y desarrollo para el pais.

La Coordinadora, por su parte, cumplio su papel para despertar al pais, pero ha llegado a sus limites. Estamos entrando en una epoca nueva, con nuevas perspectivas.

Hay un vacio, amigos. Enorme, peligroso, desesperante. El crater de un volcan ardiente, de profundidades inimaginables. Es la ultima oportunidad; o surgimos triunfantes, depurados por el fuego, o nos enterramos en las llamas devastadoras. Sera el "sepulcro comun de pueblo, pais, decencia y libertad".

Es hora de actuar, Señores. El momento es inmejorable. La gente invadida por dolor y asco, esta a la espera. La conciencia colectiva llego a su nivel mas alto posible, lista para enfrentar cualquier sacrificio con valor y dignidad y ponerle paro a la infamia.

El pueblo ha aprendido una leccion dura; se derrumbo el mito y credibilidad de los populistas. Se impuso el valor de nuevos lideres con capacidad, educacion, preparacion tecnica, economica y cultural. Salvo unos pocos politicos honestos,el resto de politicuchos (gallitos con plumas descoloradas cacareando sobre las ruinas del gallinero derrumbado), no han tenido ningun papel o peso en el despertar de Venezuela. Pateticos. En cambio se ha puesto de manifiesto la fuerza convocatoria de la sociedad civil, de la gente del petroleo, la confederacion de los trabajadores y empresarios y las organizaciones de gente comun, los vecinos. La GENTE QUE TRABAJA. La GENTE CONCRETA, que produce, que crea riqueza y puede mejorar las condiciones de vida para todos.

Ha pasado algo insolito, un fenomeno sorprendente: surgieron nuevas figuras con talla de heroes inconfundibles; gente comun sin afiliacion politica, desconocidos que se convirtieron de un dia a otro en protagonistas de la lucha sin tregua, armados solo con valor y dignidad. Han llegado de todas partes; de los puestos de trabajo, de los escritorios, de las plantas industriales, de los campos petroleros, de mar y tierra, de establecimientos comerciales, de las univesidades, de los destacamentos militares y fuerzas policiales. Los politicos de poca monta (ya comenzaron a preocuparse por la presencia de los uniformados), que estupidez, no sean mezquinos, por Dios, hay que maximizar su valentia, su sacrificio... que sean bienvenidos ya que Venezuela somos todos!

Pido campo abierto a nuestros heroes, los protagonistas de nuestra historia reciente. Son de la sociedad civil, apoyados por la sociedad civil. Son la fuerza forjadora primaria, capaz de aglutinarnos a todos en un partido nuevo, de la nueva Venezuela.

En lo practico, que yo sepa no hay restricciones para inscribir un nuevo partido en Venezuela, todavia. El regimen jamas ha esperado semejante posibilidad. Recoger firmas de inscripcion, emitir carnets de miembros es pan comido; contamos con la experiencia increible del Firmazo! El nuevo partido puede ser el mas poderoso de toda la historia venezolana; con masas de militantes inscritos en numeros jamas visto, uniendo a los Venezolanos en el pais y allende sus fronteras.

Los partidos existentes? Que recojan sus firmas tambien. Pero esta vez, tendran que demostrar que tienen el derecho de existir todavia. (Sera dificil). Union Pro Venezuela va a arrasar. El pais esta listo para unirse bajo una sola bandera.

La elaboracion de un programa politico contundente es esencial y urgente. No se puede dejar en manos de politicos oportunistas. La gente que trabaja (heroes y protagonistas) debe y puede hacer la tarea. Es muy posible que por primera vez en la historia, el programa politico/economico sea elaborado por especialistas, no por politicos trasnochados con tendencia a copiar sistemas fracasados y desacreditados hace tiempo. Tenemos la gente mas capaz y mas adelantada de America Latina; somos el Norte del Sur, recuerdan?

En cuanto a la reaccion internacional: opino que seria inmediata y favorable. La palabras magicas son: partido, democratico, programa, candidato. La oposicion en Venezuela perdio credibilidad por no poder demostrar significante organización politica y unidad frente al Chavismo.

Y si Chavez decide declararse dictador, gobernando con un solo partido al estilo cubano, el partido, nuestro partido de la Venezuela verdadera sobrevivira.

En libertad o en clandestinidad, su fuerza sera incontenible; crecera y se fortalecera y estara preparado para surgir en el momento oportuno.

Pienso tambien, que la mera existencia de un partido de oposicion de peso y poder, con un numero de militantes inscritos que sobrepase de manera arrollante los votos recibidos por Chavez en todas las elecciones anteriores, va a cambiar los vientos que soplan y la actitud de la mayoria comprometida con el gobierno, empezando con las fuerzas armadas.

Tengo una vision de Venezuela, una Venezuela posible. Nada tenemos que perder y todo tenemos por ganar. Vale la pena intentarlo. Porque no le preguntamos al pueblo? No conozco mejor consigna para animarlos:

MANOS A LA OBRA VENEZOLANOS!!

Caracas 5 de Marzo, 2003

Esta propuesta fue enviada desde Venezuela por una de esas personas que luchan dia a dia por el pais. Su caracter democratico es evidente, si tienen alguna sugerencia por favor envienla a solution@proveo.org  Les agradeceria que trataran de mantener sus sugerencias al respecto lo mas concisas posible y que mencionen si desean que sus nombres sean publicados. Nota: esta iniciativa nada tiene que ver con la actitud de Salas Romer y es tan solo una propuesta. Proveo en su afan por promover la busqueda de soluciones y alternativas a la crisis venezolana esta tan solo facilitando la divulgacion de ideas. Todas las ideas son bienvenidas y seran publicadas.

Lean las respuestas a este Manifesto aqui.

www.vheadline.com Posted: Saturday, March 15, 2003 By: Roy S. Carson

Costa Rican government official Miguel Diaz has confirmed that fugitive Venezuelan Confederation of Trade Unions (CTV) president Carlos Ortega has been afforded "diplomatic asylum" in the tiny central American state of Costa Rica.  The news comes as Accion Democratica (AD) said they had appointed Ortega as "honorary president" of the discredited political party which is largely responsible for Venezuela's international image as a corrupt backwater of Latin America.

Interior & Justice (MIJ) Minister Lucas Rincon Romro says the government is so glad to get rid of Ortega that it will more than willingly issue a 'safe conduct' for Ortega to travel to Caracas (Simon Bolivar) international airport at Maiquetia to go into self-imposed exile.

Just  weeks ago, Ortega (who had evacuated his family to the Dutch Antilles island of Aruba), had gone underground emphatically stating that he would never abandon Venezuela or his fight to remove democratically-elected President Hugo Chavez Frias.

Costa Rican ambassador Ricardo Lizano has been less than forthcoming about his temporary guest at the embassy in Caracas, but Costa Rican Foreign Minister Roberto Tovar says his country is extending asylum privileges to Ortega "for humanitarian reasons." and he will remain at the Embassy as a guest  until such times as the necessary documents have been prepared for his safe removal from Caracas to San Jose."

Ortega fled to the safety of the Costa Rican Embassy in Caracas last Thursday (March  13) claiming he was afraid for his personal security as Venezuelan security agencies closed in on his hideaway.  Questions have been raised as to why Ortega had not been arrested earlier, but a government official simply said he was not considered important enough and that "things will take their natural course!"

Earlier there had been several calls for Ortega to give himself up and face justice.  Fellow anti-government rebel Fedecamaras president Carlos Fernandez was arrested just two weeks ago while feasting at a luxury restaurant in Las Mercedes and is currently languishing in luxury house arrest at his $-million villa near Valencia (Carabobo State) where he was taken by helicopter after a Caracas judge allowed him the unusual privilege on claims that a high blood pressure condition made his incarceration a risk to his physical well-being.