Asia News Digest
UNHCR Withdraws from Afghanistan; Dangerous Security Situation Cited
In a further indication that the war in Afghanistan has not been "won," the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) announced it is temporarily pulling out 30 foreign staff from southern and southeastern Afghanistan, following the killing of a French employee, Bettine Goslard, in the town of Ghazni, on Nov. 16. This would entail the closing of refugee reception centers in these areas. Earlier, there had been two attacks on UN offices located in southeastern Afghanistan. Those offices have since been closed.
On Nov. 21, the UN ordered a review of the size of its international staff in the country. About 800 UN international staffers are currently assigned to Afghanistanmore than 500 in Kabul; the rest in about dozen other locations. It is likely that the UN would withdraw most of the staffers outside Kabul. The UN said it also wants to postpone all but essential visits to Afghanistan by UN missions.
Following the UNHCR's decision to withdraw, an emergency meeting of a half-dozen aid groups was convened in Kandahar on Nov. 18. They subsequently issued a joint statement calling on the international community to do more to stabilize an "unacceptably dangerous security situation." One aid coordinator told the media: "There is time now to get ready [to leave], rather than waiting for us to get picked off, one by one."
In keeping with the "unacceptably dangerous security situation" that prevails, even in Kabul, the South Korean Embassy in Afghanistan was evacuated Nov. 18, following the receipt of a threat. Analysts speculate that the threat was issued perhaps in conjunction with the South Korean decision to send military forces in Iraq to assist U.S reconstruction efforts there.
On Nov. 19, the Japanese Foreign Ministry cautioned 180 Japanese aid workers, tourists, journalists, and others who are now in Afghanistan, that they may be targetted for kidnapping by members of ousted Taliban militia. The warning followed the Nov. 17 kidnapping of a local worker engaged in de-mining along the Kabul-Kandahar Road.
Khalilzad Pleads for More Pakistani Cooperation
Former Rand Corporation analyst and the most well-known Pashtun in Washington's neo-con cabal, Zalmay Khalilzad, has now assumed the post of U.S Ambassador to Afghanistan, replacing Robert Finn.
Khalilzad, in an interview with the media, said Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf's government had been helpful in arresting al-Qaeda operatives inside Pakistan, and in cracking down on domestic extremist elements. But, Pakistan could do more to help curtail the movement of the Taliban militia, who continue to linger in Pakistan's border regions and then, "come across and attack" the coalition forces inside Afghanistan, Khalilzad complained.
On Nov. 20 the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs, Christina Rocca, appearing at the House of Representatives International Relations Committee, refused to say publicly whether Pakistan had purged pro-Taliban elements from its intelligence services. Congressman Brad Sherman (D-Calif) asked pointedly: "There is a substantial support for the Taliban ideology in the ISI. Have the supporters of that ideology in that intelligence service been removed or converted?" Rocca, evading the question, spoke of joint U.S. and Pakistani operations against the Taliban in tribal areas along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
Meanwhile, Reuters has reported the abysmal state of affairs in Afghanistan. The much-vaunted NATO intervention to oversee the 5,700-strong International Security Assistance Forces (ISAF), has turned out to be a mirage. The ISAF troops, who are still inside Kabul only, has just three helicopters.
Belgium has offered more choppers, but then got cold feet once it realized the cost and the dangers that involved. Greece has declined to send any because it was too stretched by preparations for the 2004 Athens Olympics, and Turkey is now mulling over a last-ditch request to fill the gap. Considering the instability within Turkey, following the recent terrorist attacks, it is unlikely that Turkey would keep it under consideration for long.
Reuters pointed out that the situation within Kabul, arguably the most well-protected Afghan city, is no better. Two years ago this month, the Taliban militia fled Kabul under cover of darkness after weeks of U.S aerial strikes for their harboring the al-Qaeda supremo, Osama bin Laden and his terrorist network, which the United States holds responsible for the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks inside the U.S.A. Today, Kabul is still a wreck of rubble, rubbish, and grinding poverty, but, says the ISAF Commander Lt. Gen. Goetz Gliemeroth, it is at least "reasonably secure."
Indian Prime Minister Makes Three-Day Visit to Syria
The three-day (Nov. 14-16) visit to Syria by the Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, following his summit meeting with the Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin, is laden with importance. First, the Indian Premier, by making it a three-day visit, conveyed, in no uncertain terms, that India's commitment to the Middle East, especially, on the Palestine issue, remains unchanged. This was necessary in light of the fact that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, was in India on a state visit in September. Besides the fact that Sharon's anti-Palestinian actions have been condemned worldwide, he became the first-ever Israeli Prime Minister to visit India. India's growing relations with the United States, and the Sharon visit, were interpreted by some as a genuine shift in the Indian position vis-a-vis Palestine.
Secondly, U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld had said, at least on one occasion, that Syria possesses WMD. By visiting Syria, in the face of such a charge, Vajpayee made clear that he completely disregards those allegations.
While in Damascus, Vajpayee told the Syrian President Bashar al Assad, that India's position has remained firm and unchanged on the Palestine issue. During the visit, India made several offers of scientific and technological cooperation with Syria. Syria has also indicated that it would invite the Indian public-sector giant, Oil and Natural Gas Corp. (Videsh), for exploration of its oilfields.
In addition, Vajpayee received from President Assad a clear endorsement of the resolution on Jammu and Kashmir, on the basis of the 1972 Shimla agreement between India and Pakistan. The Shimla Agreement called for resolution of all disputes between India and Pakistan through bilateral negotiations. For decades Pakistan had demanded an international intervention to resolve the bilateral territorial dispute, which India opposed. The endorsement by President Assad is considered highly significant, since Syria is a member of Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC). For years, OIC had endorsed the Pakistani views on the Jammu and Kashmir issue.
Russia Offers Floating Nuclear Plants to India
According to the Russian Atomic Energy Commission spokesman, Nikolai Shingarev, the Russian Atomic Energy Minister, Alexander Rumyantsev, offered India floating nuclear-power plants, during his meeting with the Indian National Security Adviser, Brajesh Mishra, last week in Moscow. Shingarev indicated that Mishra, who is also the principle secretary to the Prime Minister, has shown interest in the offer.
The subject was discussed in the context of a ban, imposed by the 40-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)also known as the London Clubon nuclear cooperation with India and other countries which refused to place all their nuclear plants under international control. Russia has supplied India with two 1,000 MW nuclear reactors at Koodankulam in Tamil Nadu, now under construction. The Russian supply accord was signed before the NSG clamped down its restrictions in 1992.
India has requested Russia to supply two more 1,000 MW reactors for completing the Koodankulam cluster. But the NSG ban has prevented the sale so far. Moscow, however, has promised India to bring up this issue with the NSG, and urge the London Club to lift the ban, citing India's unsoiled record on non-proliferation.
But the floating nuclear-power plants circumvent the NSG ban, because the floating plants would remain Russian property while providing power to the Indian coastal towns. The specific offer to which Shingarev referred, involves a 77MW plant which would be able to generate enough electricity and thermal energy to meet the demand of a town of 50,000 people, or provide enough fresh water for 1 million people.
"We won't be breaking any NSG restrictions if we build a floating nuclear-power plant and trawl it to the Indian shores.... The plant will be operated by the Russian personnel and we'll be just selling electricity to India," Rumyantsev argued.
Thailand Proposes To Wipe Out Opium Production in Two Years
Thailand's Office of Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) has indicated that it would set a target of two years to wipe out opium production in the country. This will be done to coincide with the celebration of the King of Thailand Bhumibol Adulyadej's 36th anniversary of the initiative on integrated rural development. Phittaya Jinawat, director of the ONCB, said poppy cultivation fell from 5,200 rai in the year 2002 to 400 rai in 2003. Most of the opium plantations were destroyed in remote and mountainous areas of Tak, Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, and Mae Hong Son provinces. When His Majesty the King had started the rural development initiative in 1969, more than 54,000 rai of land was under poppy cultivation.
Phittaya said the ONCB now believed that all opium plantations can be destroyed in two years. The hill people would be encouraged by the ONCB to take up crop farming to replace opium cultivation.
"We are confident we can eradicate opium planting in two years to mark the 36th anniversary of His Majesty the Kings' initiative which began in 1969," Phittaya told the Bangkok Post. Phittaya also requested the United States to take Thailand off its list of countries involved in drug production and trafficking. The U.S list has seriously tarnished Thailand's reputation, Phittaya said.
Indicating pitfalls in the way of achieving the objective, Director of the Survey and Report Unit of the Northern ONCB, Pipop Chamnivikaipongm, said drug financiers were likely to attempt to hire hill tribesmen to grow opium after the government declared Thailand drug-free.
The drug crackdown by the Thai authorities has shifted opium cultivation investments across the border to Myanmar and Laos, reports indicate. But the campaign against the Thai drug kingpins, said local and foreign observers, has yet to show real progress and concrete result.
Some point out that three years ago, when the current government under the leadership of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra came into power, there were high hopes in Thailand that the Thai Prime Minister would convince China to exert pressure on Myanmar to clamp down on the drug armies. With the help of various economic incentives, the Thai premier believed that Myanmar would respond positively to the Thai demands.
Three years later, it is evident that the expected pressure from China was never exerted. It is evident to both Thailand and Myanmar that it would require a lot more than mere fence-mending trips between the two countries to turn the page on the turbulent Thai-Myanmar relations.
Thailand Moves To Curb Day-Trading Bubble, But the Fight Is On
The new securities bubble in Thailand, the result of legalization of day-trading, which now makes up 80% of trading volume on the Thai Securities Exchange, is the center of new storm in the Thai government.
The Securities and Exchange Committee (SEC) ruled Nov. 14 that day traders must put up 10% of their credit line with brokers, beginning Dec. 1, and 25% by May. This is an effort on behalf of the SEC to limit the speculation which has created an 80% increase in the market size this year. The SEC said the day trading increased this year from less than $2 billion in the first quarter, to over $11 billion in the third quarter.
But the SEC has not convinced everyone. Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and the Thai Exchange strongly objected to the SEC move fearing the sudden change would cause a collapse of the market.
Prime Minister Thaksin has directed Deputy Premiers Somkid Jatusripitak and Pokin Polakul to review possible measures to clamp down on speculators, while minimizing the impact on general investors.
"I have already informed Finance Minister Suchart Jaovisidha, the SEC and Stock Exchange Thailand to clamp down on speculation, but that any measure must be targetted, and not blanket one, across-the-board approach, the Prime Minister told the Cabinet Ministers at a meeting at Bangkok on Nov. 18.
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