bill.spindle@wsj.com
For more than two decades, the Middle East fell easily into neat strategic pieces like a puzzle: A rock-solid peace treaty tied Egypt and Jordan to Israel; stable, pro-U.S. monarchies lined the length of the Persian Gulf oil channels; autocratic governments across North Africa seemed unshakable.
What did I say then?
Coming to a bourse near you: HKT the sequel (4 years 15 weeks ago):
So, what's going to happen with PCCW (SEHK: 0008)? What if I tell you Richard Li Tzar-kai will split it into two entities - a telecommunications company and a non-telecommunications one - and list the former in the future? You will say I must be joking. Isn't the privatisation in doubt now with regulators investigating allegations of share-rigging?
