IRAQ: FIRST INTERNET CAFE OPENED скачать в хорошем качестве

IRAQ: FIRST INTERNET CAFE OPENED

(30 Jul 2000) English/Nat The Iraqi government opened Baghdad's first internet cafe this week. The facility will give many Iraqis their first glimpse of the worldwide web - and a valuable window on the outside world. Iraq's Minister of Transport and Communications, who opened the cafe, acknowledged that Iraq was lagging behind in cyber technology - but vowed to do everything he could to catch up. It may look modest compared to similar internet centres in the West. But for ordinary Iraqis suffering under the weight of international sanctions, this cyber- space portal represents a first tentative step on the road to internet access for all. Iraq's first internet cafe charges two thousand dinars (one U-S dollar) for each hour a customer uses a computer - still a lot of money in Iraq, where a school teacher's weekly wage is around 6,000 dinars (three U-S dollars). Until now the internet was only made available for government use. And although the general public can now access the web, the Ministry of Culture and Information remains the sole provider of Internet services - so sites are usually screened before being relayed to users. Despite the restrictions, many see the cafe as a bold step in a country where satellite dishes, phones and modems are still banned and special permission is needed to install a fax. The Minister of Transport and Communications, who opened the new facility, blames U- N sanctions for the delay in allowing the Internet and introducing cellular phones to the country. SOUNDBITE: (English) "In spite of eight M-O-U's (memoranda of understanding) passed up to this moment, they (the U-S and Britain) didn't approve even of one dollar, I mean by this all the contracts not approved, they didn't allocate one dollar for this sector. Everybody needs telecommunication, for the stores, for the hospitals, for the emergency centres, everybody in the world cannot work or live without telecommunication." SUPER CAPTION: Ahmed Murtada Ahmed Khalil, Transport and Communications Minister Despite U-N trade restrictions imposed to punish Iraq for invading Kuwait in 1990, computer companies are sprouting up across Baghdad. P-Cs and laptops with the latest processors are available via the United Arab Emirates. However private entrepreneurs are still not allowed to set up Internet cafes, and Iraqis still have no right to personal internet links. But through the new cafe, a handful will get the chance to set up their own private e- mails, ushering in a new era in communication with the outside world. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...