Asia News Digest
Powell: Plan Offered by North Korea Is Under Consideration
Secretary of State Colin Powell asserted that the plan offered by North Korea at last week's tripartite talks (North Korea, U.S., and China) is under consideration. The Secretary's positive statement about the meeting was unambiguous: "The North Koreans acknowledged a number of things that they were doing, and, in effect, said that there are now up for further discussion. They did put forward a plan that would ultimately deal with their nuclear capability and their missile activities, but they, of course, expect something considerable in return. We are studying the plan, we are examining it with our friends and allies"; Powell added Australia to the standard list of Japan, Russia, China, and South Korea. He called the exchange "useful."
The "chickenfeathers" are flying, of course, about who knew what when about the North's nuclear weapons. Western press coverage of the North/South talks this past week focus on a supposed roadblock over the nuclear issue, although the talks are proceeding on multiple issues of mutual concern.
North Korea Opens Embassy in London
The British established diplomatic relations with North Korea in 2000, but there have been no ministerial meetings since the recent flap began last October. The events on May Day, on which the North Koreans opened a London embassy, directly derive from the Beijing talks, as stated by British Foreign Office Minister Bill Rammell. Meeting with his North Korean counterpart Choe Su Hon, Rammell said that the tripartite talks in Beijing last week had made "progress of sorts.... The fact that they have engaged in the talks last week in Beijing and in discussions today is positive, and there have been some positive statements."
A British opera singer entertained guests at the new embassy, while demonstrators from Christian Solidarity Worldwide shouted outside.
Scowcroft, Kanter Write New York Times Op Ed on North Korea
Brent Scowcroft, current chair of the President's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board and formerly National Security Adviser to "Bush 41"former President Bushand Arnold Kanter wrote an op ed column in the May 1 New York Times titled "A Surprising Success on North Korea."
Kanter, who co-founded the Scowcroft Group, was Undersecretary of State, 1991-93, and is now on the Defense Policy Board, as well as the CFR, IISS and etc..
Scowcroft and Kanter directly challenged the view held by "many inside the Beltway" that last week's tripartite talks among the U.S., North Korea, and China were a failure, arguing that the Chinese role in the talks marks a significant turn towards China's "playing an active and constructive role" in international security issues. They also pointed positively to Colin Powell's revelation of the North Korean plan for "dismantling its nuclear and missile programs in exchange for economic and security benefits." They wrote that China "did not simply convene the meeting, but participated actively, making the talks multilateral in fact as well as in form."
They say that the U.S. "should be willing to join with others in providing credible assurances to North Korea that it need have no concern about its own security, so long as it does not threaten others," and that "we should be prepared to take a leading role in ending North Korea's political and economic isolation."
North, South Korea Conclude Three Days of Talks, Through Layers of Spin
The entire Western media, as well as the official and media reports coming out of South Korea, described end-of-April talks between North and South Korea as destined for failure, over the North's refusal to deal with the nuclear question with anyone but the United States. Indeed, wording on the final communiqué was difficult (as suggested by Korea Herald and AP coverage April 29) and led to the extension of the meeting beyond the official closing time, but an agreement was reached that reveals that both sides are far more interested in the issues of development and reunification than the Chickenhawks would like.
The communiqué says the two sides "will thoroughly consult each other's position on the nuclear issue" and will "continue cooperation to resolve the issue peacefully through dialogue." The Southern delegation said "the public" would not be satisfied, but it was the best they could do.
Western reports delegate to the last page important advances such as the following: Joint economic talks will proceed in Pyongyang on May 19-22, to discuss joint infrastructure, road, rail, and the industrial park planned for the North; another day of reunions will occur on June 15; Cabinet-level talks will be held in Seoul July 9-12.
Thailand To Host 'Mekong Region Comes of Age' Conference
The Thai newspaper The Nation will host its Fourth Nation International Conference, June 12-13, focussing on business opportunities in the greater Mekong region. Organizers expect to 1,200 visitors over two days. Experts, ministerial-level representatives, and business executives from the six Mekong member countries and beyond have been invited. Others organizing the conference include Asia News Network, an alliance of 14 newspapers throughout Asia. The event is sponsored by Holcim Group, Siam City Cement Plc, and Thailand's the National Economic and Social Development Board.
The Mekong theme was conceived of because of the substantial progress that has been made in recent years by the governments of Vietnam, Cambodia, China, Thailand, Laos, and Burma, especially in terms of facilities and infrastructure. This is complemented by a strong political will on all sides to see the region, which has a combined population of 250 million, move forward.
Issues on environment, ethnic diversity, aspirations of member countries, and the potential of the Mekong region as Asia's new growth area will be explored and debated. Speakers include Thai Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak, who is in charge of Thailand's Mekong development strategy, and senior members of the governments of China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Burma. Participants include Asia Development Bank, Japan Bank for International Cooperation, International Finance Corp, the Ford Foundation, and the Pacific Asia Travel Association.
Australia To Float Idea of UN Security Council Overhaul
Australian Prime Minister John Howard is expected, according to Agence France Presse of April 30, to propose a plan to re-configure the UN Security Council; he will make the proposal during a trip to New York this week, after having met with President Bush at his Crawford, Texas ranch over the weekend.
Howard's plan calls for a three-tiered body:
Tier 1: The U.S., Britain, France, Russia, and China would retain their permanent membership and veto rights.
Tier 2: Five permanent, but non-veto, seats would be added. Howard's proposal is for Japan, India, Brazil, Germany, and Indonesia to assume these seats.
Tier 3: The final five places would continue to be elected and rotated every year or two.
Howard told the Bulletin: "I think the UN has been weakened, as I thought it would be, but I don't think it's terminal. There may be a greater momentum towards some kind of reform of the Security Council."
U.S., Britain Reimpose Travel Warnings on Indonesia
The U.S. and Britain have reimposed travel warnings on Indonesia, according to the April 20 Jakarta Post, citing two small bombings in the airport and in Jakarta. The explosions killed no one, but have been used as justification to recommend not visiting the country, or leaving it.
Are President Megawati's trip to Russia, and the Indonesian turn to "alternatives" to the U.S. dollar empire, the real reasons for this further harassment?
Former Thai Commerce Minister Tells Indonesia: Get Out From Under IMF
Former Thai Commerce Minister Narongchai Akrasanee, speaking in Indonesia, said (as reported in the April 29 Jakarta Post), "The formula of liberalization, deregulation and privatization as endlessly advocated by the World Bank and IMF cannot be taken as a cure-all strategy." Narongchai said that Indonesia must develop its own strategy on economic development by focusing on foreign trade, international financing and technology. Thailand pulled out of its IMF deal last year, and Indonesia is embroiled in a debate over whether or not to extend the program at the end of the year.
Thailand, Narongchai said, had started its own strategy, called the Dual-Track Economic Policy or Local/Regional Link-Global Reach, giving more attention than before to the domestic market, and targetting ASEAN, East Asia, and other Asia countries as its foreign markets.
"We must make sure that reliance on foreign financing is for the purpose of eventually owning businesses," he said. "Thus, we cannot afford a fully open capital account, despite what the IMF tells us."
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao Holds First Overseas Meeting with Thai Prime Minister
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao held his first overseas meeting with the Thai Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra. Before the emergency summit on SARS in Bangkok, Wen and Thaksin agreed to conclude plans to establish an "Asian Bond" policy, to pool national funds for development and defense against speculators. China will also become more engaged in the anti-drug process in Thailand and the region.
Premier Wen agreed to lift the ban on Chinese visitors to Thailand, imposed in retaliation for a Thai ban on Chinese visitors due to the SARS crisis. This agreement came in the context of the SARS summit's agreeing that borders will remain open between all Asian nations.
French Defense Minister Meets in Delhi with Indian Counterpart
Visiting French Defense Minister Michele Alliot-Marie held talks at the end of April with her Indian counterpart, George Fernandes, and with Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advaniand her proposal to sell Scorpene submarines to India was expected to "reach fruition by the end of the year." France has also offered India a long-term military-to-military cooperation on joint development, technology transfer, and sale of high-tech weapons. The Indian government is examining a French proposal to sell an unspecified number of Mirage jets, she said.
Alliot-Marie, who is heading a high-level military and armaments industry delegation, also met the three Indian services chiefsAdm. Madhavendra Singh, Air Chief Marshal S. Krishnaswamy, and Gen. N.C. Vij. Alliot-Marie, however, noted she had not come to India to sign defense contracts, but to demonstrate France's desire to maintain its strategic partnership with India and to develop it.
Alliot-Marie had just come from a trip to Russia on April 25-27, and then went to India, after a short stop in Oman; Fernandes had just returned from a week-long trip to China. Alliot-Marie and Fernandes discussed international security issues, Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as bilateral relations. The French Defense Minister stated that the world must become multipolar, especially after the Iraq war. She also said that only countries which had a credible defense deterrent would be heard. (In that context, it is worth noting that, unlike much of the West, France did not impose arms sanctions on India after India's May 1998 nuclear tests.)
U.S. General Describes Parts of Afghanistan as 'Terribly Dangerous'
The Commander of the 82nd Airborne based in Afghanistan, Maj. Gen. John R. Vines, told reporters that in certain areas, Afghanistan is stable, but "in other parts, it is terribly dangerous." Vines blamed the state of affairs on some "renegade elements" in Iran who have an interest in controlling a portion of Afghanistan, and elements in Pakistan who have interest in creating instability in Afghanistan.
Responding to questions from reporters on the statement by U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who had said recently that he plans to declare an end to Afghanistan as a combat zone, Maj. Gen. Vines said the terrorist support from allies in neighboring countries has kept the coalition forces from eliminating the rebels. He also said that the "shadowy benefactors are motivated by a combination of tribalism, religious zealotry, a share of Afghanistan's lucrative opium crop, and, in some cases, raw power. The one thing that makes this extraordinarily complicated is that all of those factors are in play here," he added.
Attempt Is Made on Konar Governor's Life
Sayyed Fazl Akbar, Afghan President Karzai's latest appointee as Governor of Konar Province, escaped an assassination attempt when he survived a rocket attack in the provincial capital of Asadabad on April 30. According to the report (The Asian Age/Afghanistan Daily Digest), the attack was not a terrorist act, but was carried out to assassinate the new Governor.
In the bordering Dir district in Pakistan, two rockets hit a European Union-funded project that has been pushing women's development in the backward and remote northwest corners of Pakistan.
In recent years, radical Islamic leaders in the area have tried to close down international aid projects in Dir, and have scrawled graffiti on walls warning women not to leave their homes, and threatening to kill foreign workers. Dir, which is about 200 kilometers from Islamabad, is a deeply conservative region whose religious leaders have openly encouraged attacks on international organizations, particularly those that press for women's rights or employ women.
|