Asia News Digest
North Korea Delegation in Russia Discusses Railway Link
A North Korean delegation arrived in Russia Sept. 30, for meetings with Russian officials to discuss the linking of the two countries' railways, the Voice of Russia (VOR) reported. VOR quoted Russia's Far Eastern Rail Manager Victor Popov saying the country's Transportation Ministry officials and company experts would participate in the meeting Monday through Saturday in Khabarovsk. Popov said the Ministry would undertake reinforcement work on the 240-km rail section from Khasan to Usurisk, citing a plan to link a North Korean railway with the Trans-Siberian Railroad; the work would start early next year.
Popov noted that industrial communities of Asia and Central Europe have a major interest in the link: "An international forum on the future of rail transportation between Europe and Asia is being held in Berlin, Germany."
Strategic Issues on Agenda of China/India Visit
When Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee visits China, cooperation on strategic issues between the two countries will be on the agenda. While the date of the visit has not been set, the Times of India reported on Oct. 4 that Chinese Vice Premier of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi had said in an interview that there are "growing expectations" that Vajpayee's visit "will revitalize Sino-Indian relations within the ambitious framework of a 'comprehensive partnership of cooperation.' "
Senior officials are "working overtime" to make sure both nations set aside their mutual "reservations and suspicions" and "make common cause to face the challenges confronting both of them," said the Times.
Wang Yi said the focus of an all-embracing partnership would be to "establish mutually beneficial and reciprocal economic relations" and to "create a stable and harmonious regional security environment." This would enable India and China to address the "new developments" that have arisen following the end of the Cold War, such as the "serious imbalance of powers in the world," which mean that "issues of war and peace would be decided by one or two nations and not by a majority of them," Wang Yi told the Times.
U.S. Covering Up Resurgence of Taliban
According to the Governor of Bamiyan province in Afghanistan, where the Taliban government of Afghanistan destroyed the ancient statues of Buddha, the Taliban is reorganizing with the help of the Tajik commander Rais Rahmatullah. On paper, the Tajik commander is loyal to the Karzai government in Kabul, reported The Times of India on Oct. 4.
Mohammad Rahim Ali Yar, Governor of Bamiyan, told newsmen that the Taliban has taken control of the district of Kahmand, about 60 kilometers north of Bamiyan town, and is planning to advance towards Bamiyan in the coming days. He said the Taliban force was led by Maulvi Mohammad Islam, Governor of Bamiyan when Taliban was in control of the province. Another leader of the Taliban force is Qari Aman, a former security chief in Kabul, who returned two months ago from Pakistan with money and communications equipment, and has called for a holy war against U.S. troops in Afghanistan. Meanwhile, another Taliban commander in the area, Mullah Zoi, who ordered the demolition of the Buddha statues, is also very active.
Governor Mohammad Rahim Ali Yar said the Defense Ministry in Kabul had promised to send a delegation to rein in Rahmatullah, but it has not materialized. Members of a small detachment of U.S. troops based in Bamiyan, however, refused to talk to the press on the subject.
U.S., North Korea Restarted Talks Oct. 2
After a hiatus of nearly two years, the United States and North Korea resumed security talks in Pyongyang on Oct. 2. James Kelly, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, spent three days in Pyongyang, and returned to Seoul Oct. 5, where he briefed reporters.
"We remain committed to addressing our concerns through dialogue," said U.S. Presidential envoy Kelly. In North Korea, he met with Kim Yong Nam, the North's No. 2 leader as president of the Supreme People's Assembly and nominal head of state, and held three rounds of talks with Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye Gwan on Thursday and First Vice Foreign Minister Kang Sok Ju on Friday.
South Korean officials told Yonhap News they were relieved that Kelly emphasized "dialogue" and not any threat or use of force. The visit "carries significance in that both sides started rather a 'long' dialogue process, and both sides confirmed the 'seriousness' and 'opinion difference' about the U.S. concerns," said one relieved Seoul official. However, the U.S. and North Korea failed to reach an agreement on further meetings.
Kelly briefed South Korean Foreign Minister Choi Sung Hong and two top advisers to President Kim Dae Jung, and said he conveyed to North Korea "serious concerns" about the North's weapons of mass destruction, missile development programs, missile exports and conventional forces deployment along the border with South Korea. He also said he raised concerns about the North's human rights record and humanitarian situation. Kelly is to fly to Tokyo on Oct. 5 to brief Japanese leaders on his trip.
Pakistan and India Test-Fire Missiles
Amid growing tension, Pakistan test-fired a medium-range ballistic missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead deep into Indian territory. Indian External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha told the media on Oct. 2 that war (against Pakistan) is the last option, but it remains an option. On Sept. 30, India's Finance Minister Jaswant Singh, while attending the World Bank-IMF jamboree in Washington, said a preemptive strike is within the limits laid out by the UN Charters. (See INDEPTH for details).
On Oct. 4, retired Pakistani Air Marshal and a senior Pakistani defense analyst, Ayaz Ahmed, was quoted in Agence France Presse saying that the test is a message to India "not to indulge in any misadventure." "It is a multi-purpose, multi-role missile. It goes deep into the adversary's territory and is capable of carrying a nuclear payload," Ahmed said. "It will deter India from carrying out a nuclear or conventional attack," he added.
India responded by calling the test an election gimmick. The first parliamentary elections since President Pervez Musharraf seized power in a military coup in 1999 will be held on Oct. 10hand-shaped by Musharraf.
Meanwhile, the Indian Akash missile, with a range of 15 miles, was fired from Chandipur-on-sea test range, on India's Orissa coast. A Defense Ministry spokesman said the test was "routine" and defensive.
Mahathir on Palestine: 'No More Justice in the World'
Upon his return from Europe on Sept. 29, Malaysian Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Bin Mohamad zeroed in on the hypocrisy over the Israeli siege against Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, and declared, "...There is no more justice in the world ... all talk about fair play, democracy and human rights is sheer nonsense."
Dr. Mahathir revealed he had written to U.S. President George W. Bush, French President Jacques Chirac, and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder regarding the Israeli siege of Arafat, and condemned the behavior of world leaders. "The impression I get is that there is no justice in the world today. If someone is disliked, then anything can be done to him, even though it is unfair," he said. "In the case of Arafat, it looks like he is hated by certain quarters. As such, he will not get fair treatment because justice does not exist any more in this world. All talk about justice is mere bunkum and hypocrisy. It is all a lie and only talk."
Asked about efforts by the UN to get Israel to adhere to its call to end the siege of Arafat, Dr. Mahathir said that duty had to be done, regardless of whether it were effective, but added, "I don't think it is going to be effective. That's all." He was also asked whether the bleak picture he was painting would only disillusion young people, to which he responded, "Well, I don't like to lead them up the garden path and say that the world is Heaven. It is not. They should learn."
Iraq Requests Indonesia for Diplomatic Inspection Team
Indonesia has taken a cautious stance in response to the Iraqi request to participate in a proposed independent team to work along with United Nations arms inspectors.
Saddam Hussein's special envoy, Humam Abdulkhaleg Abdul Ghafoor, on Oct. 2 met with President Megawati Sokarnoputri to ask Indonesia's participation in the proposed team. Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda said the government has not given any commitment.
Iraq hopes to set up a partner team to observe the work of the UN inspectors to ensure the transparency of the inspection process. They consider it important that Indonesia take part in that team, Hassan said. The idea to establish such a team came from friends of Iraq, and did not come from Baghdad, Hassan told journalists.
China, Philippines Seek Good Relations in South China Sea
At the end of a Sept. 24-28 goodwill visit to the Philippines, China's Defense Minister Chi Haotian and Filipino Defense Minister Angelo Reyes announced that the two countries had committed to "peaceful consultations and negotiations" in solving territorial or economic conflicts in the sensitive area of the South China Sea. They seek to establish a "mechanism" to resolve disputes in the area where several regional nations have territorial claims, in order to turn the sea into "waters of peace and cooperation." Reyes added that China is prepared to take part in drafting "a code of conduct," which has been a sticking point in talks over the South China Sea.
They also pledged cooperation in counter-terrorism, and Chinese assistance in modernizing the poorly equipped Filipino military. Minister Chi offered 40 military trucks, worth $3 million, and Mandarin language training programs for the military. Chi also met with President Macapagal-Arroyo to discuss cooperation on fisheries and environmental protection in the South China Sea.
Manila Turns to Russian Oil in Case of Iraq War
A government mission led by the Philippines House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. and Energy Secretary Vince Perez will go to Russia this month to make arrangements for the importation of a "contingency oil reserve" in case war erupts in the Middle East. Russia is the world's largest oil producer after Saudi Arabia.
"We have to take prudent steps to protect the national interest," De Venecia said. "We need to build up a Philippine stockpile just in case there will be an Iraqi showdown." The team would be leaving in two weeks. De Venecia added that he believed that any U.S. offensive against Iraq would be limited to Baghdad.
De Venecia said, "We have to be alert and prepared for any eventuality ... other countries are already acting. We don't want to trigger panic but we have to help stabilize the price of oil." De Venecia recently visited Vladivostok, where Russian Parliament leaders had assured him that Russia would sell oil to the Philippines. He said Russia is a good potential supplier for the "contingency oil reserve" because it is not an OPEC member, and its tankers do not pass through the Persian Gulf. Russian oil could be stockpiled at the Subic Freeport.
In a press conference, President Arroyo's spokesman Ignacio confirmed the unprecedented goal of De Venecia's mission, saying, "We are negotiating with Russia."
Thailand and Russia To Sign Drug, Terror Accords
Thailand and Russia will sign an anti-drug agreement and an anti-terror pact when Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra visits Russia this month, Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai said Oct. 3, adding that Russia wants closer cooperation and intelligence sharing to prevent terrorists and criminals operating in both countries.
Thaksin travels to Moscow Oct. 16-18, when science and technology cooperation are also on the agenda. A highlight of Thaksin's visit will be trade discussions, Surakiart said. Both countries would also sign an agreement increasing protection for investors.
Indonesian VP Warns Terrorist Allegations Breed Tensions
Indonesia's Vice President Hamzah Haz, without naming the USA, on Sept. 28 urged foreign countries to stop branding Indonesia as a hotbed of terrorism, saying the campaign would incite people's fury against those countries. In his address to the Congress of the Indonesian National Youth Committee (KNPI), the Vice President said: "We warn that these baseless issues be stopped [from being spread] before Indonesian people get angry. If the Indonesian people get angry and cannot be reined in, how will the government rein them in?"
Hamzah chairs the largest Muslim political party, the United Development Party. Previously, moderate Muslim leaders Hasyim Muzadi of the 40-million-strong Nahdlatul Ulama and Sjafii Ma'arif of the 30-million-strong Muhammdiyah criticized U.S. pressure on Indonesia.
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