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World Media Watch
by Gloria R. Lalumia
BUZZFLASH NOTE: Once again, these are the views and perspectives of the individual papers, not of BuzzFlash or Gloria. They offer BuzzFlash readers a way of reading what other nations are saying about the crisis, whether we like it or not. We repeat: This is not an endorsement of their viewpoints.
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1//The Guardian, UK--NORTH KOREA PUTS ARMY ON HEIGHTENED ALERT (The top brass of the North's army met at the weekend to prepare for a possible worsening of the crisis, which the state media said had entered a "very serious and unpredictable" stage.)
2//Xinhua News Agency, China--RUSSIA WARNS AGAINST UNSANCTIONED MILITARY ACTION AGAINST IRAQ (Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov on Sunday warned against any military action against Iraq without the approval from the United Nations, regarding such an operation as illegitimate and unjustified.)
3//The Daily Star, Lebanon--OPINION: WHY TURKEY IS 'FOR SALE' TO THE UNITED STATES (While it is a foregone conclusion that the Turks would allow the Americans (and the British) to use Incirlik and other air bases, what the Americans are really after is a commitment from Turkey to help them on the ground rather than in the air...It is appearing increasingly unlikely that the impending American war would end with the overthrow of Saddam Hussein. Thus, preparations for what would follow this immediate objective require troop deployments in the region for many years to come. This explains why Washington asked Ankara for its permission to station US troops in Anatolia for more than five years.)
4//The Dawn, Pakistan--HEKMATYAR JOINS HANDS WITH OMAR: EX-ENVOY (A former Taliban diplomat has said Taliban supreme leader Mulla Mohammad Omar, Osama bin Laden and Hezb-i- Islami leader Gulbaddin Hekmatyar have reached an agreement to launch coordinated attacks on the American forces in Afghanistan...He went on to say that Hekmatyar and Taliban had divided areas between them on the basis of their respective strength and influence to carry out operations against the American forces in an effective manner.)
5//The Straits Times, Malaysia--MALAYSIA'S POLYGAMY DEBATE (Malaysia's Muslim men seem increasingly keen on polygamy, just as women's groups are plotting how to curb husbands' rights to as many as four wives.)
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1//The
Guardian Monday January 6, 2003
http://www.guardian.co.uk/korea/article/0,2763,869437,00.html
NORTH
KOREA PUTS ARMY ON HEIGHTENED ALERT
US calls allies to key strategy meeting over nuclear crisis
Jonathan Watts in Tokyo
North Korean generals have ordered their forces on to a heightened alert ahead of a crucial international meeting in Washington today that could decide whether the US adopts a policy of conciliation or steps up its nuclear standoff with Pyongyang.
The top brass of the North's army met at the weekend to prepare for a possible worsening of the crisis, which the state media said had entered a "very serious and unpredictable" stage.
Just how serious is likely to become apparent in the next few days when the US, South Korea and Japan will try to thrash out a common response to the North's reactivation last month of the Yongbyon nuclear facility. The plant, capable of producing weapons grade plutonium, had been mothballed under a 1994 deal.
The best hope for peace appears to be a compromise plan that was fine-tuned by South Korea's national security council on Saturday and will be presented during today's talks in Washington. It will require George Bush to personally guarantee North Korea's security and a resumption of its oil supplies, which were cut off last month. In return, Pyongyang would be asked to close the Yongbyon plant and scrap a uranium enrichment programme.
(MORE)
2//Xinhua News Agency 2003-01-06 05:01:50
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2003-01/06/content_679418.htm
RUSSIA WARNS AGAINST UNSANCTIONED MILITARY ACTION AGAINST IRAQ
MOSCOW, Jan. 5 (Xinhuanet) -- Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov on Sunday warned against any military action against Iraq without the approval from the United Nations, regarding such an operation as illegitimate and unjustified.
"We will not regard a military operation against Iraq as legitimate or justified, should it begin without UN sanction," Ivanov was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying during a visit to the Siberian city of Chita.
However the minister said he believed the United States would respect the UN position when making a final decision.
(MORE)
3//The Daily Star Beirut, Saturday January 04, 2003. Updated 08:30
AM +2GMT
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/opinion/04_01_03_e.htm
OPINION:
WHY TURKEY IS 'FOR SALE' TO THE UNITED STATES
The author, Mohammad Noureddine, is an analyst on Turkish affairs.
American pressure has been piling up on Turkey. Washington wants Ankara to adopt certain positions that would make it a full partner in the impending American war on Iraq. The Americans have not been making any new demands of Turkey. What is new, however, is the urgency with which Washington expects Ankara to respond.
The US expects Turkey to be faithful to its big ally, and give it all the assistance it needs in pursuing its objectives in Iraq. While it is a foregone conclusion that the Turks would allow the Americans (and the British) to use Incirlik and other air bases, what the Americans are really after is a commitment from Turkey to help them on the ground rather than in the air.
That was the reason behind Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz's visit to Ankara earlier in December. Wolfowitz asked the Turks for permission to deploy up to 80,000 US troops in eastern Anatolia, as well as to use Turkish naval facilities in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea.
These American demands mean Washington is planning to open a new, northern front against Iraq. It is appearing increasingly unlikely that the impending American war would end with the overthrow of Saddam Hussein. Thus, preparations for what would follow this immediate objective require troop deployments in the region for many years to come. This explains why Washington asked Ankara for its permission to station US troops in Anatolia for more than five years.
(MORE)
4//The Dawn 05 January 2003 Sunday 01 Ziqa'ad 1423
http://www.dawn.com/2003/01/05/top14.htm
HEKMATYAR
JOINS HANDS WITH OMAR: EX-ENVOY
By Ismail Khan
PESHAWAR, Jan 4: A former Taliban diplomat has said Taliban supreme leader Mulla Mohammad Omar, Osama bin Laden and Hezb-i- Islami leader Gulbaddin Hekmatyar have reached an agreement to launch coordinated attacks on the American forces in Afghanistan.
Naseer Ahmad Rohi, who was Taliban's first secretary in Abu Dhabi in the UAE until October 2001, claimed Hikmatyar met Mulla Omar in Uruzgan in southwestern Afghanistan last month in a one-to-one meeting to discuss a joint strategy against the American forces.
"They were in full agreement on the liberation of Afghanistan, holding of free elections in accordance with the Islamic principles as and when the Mujahideen liberate the country and punishment for those who are collaborating with the Americans," Rohi told a select group of journalists.
He went on to say that Hekmatyar and Taliban had divided areas between them on the basis of their respective strength and influence to carry out operations against the American forces in an effective manner.
Naseer claimed that he had met Al Qaeda leader in the Pakistan-Afghanistan region about a fortnight ago. He would not say where but he did say that Osama had recovered from the chest wounds he had suffered during the Tora Bora bombings and was now in good health. He asserted that Osama was accompanied by his wife and children.
(MORE)
5//The Straits Times JAN 6, 2003 MON
http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/asia/story/0,4386,164614,00.html?
MALAYSIA'S POLYGAMY DEBATE
KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia's Muslim men seem increasingly keen on polygamy, just as women's groups are plotting how to curb husbands' rights to as many as four wives.
One male politician is so enthusiastic about the practice that he wants women who allow their husbands to marry a second wife to receive medals of honour.
Women, however, don't seem too keen on the medals. If Malaysia's women's groups have their way, taking more wives will get even harder.
'We want the legal system to restrict the practice of polygamy,' said Ms Ruzana Udin, the spokesman for Sisters In Islam (SIS).
'We feel that in this day and age, polygamy is no longer necessary,' said Women's Aid Organisation (WAO) executive secretary Ivy Josiah.
'The Holy Quran allowed it in limited circumstances and contexts. But it is now time to debate its necessity,' she said.
(MORE)
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©
2003, Gloria R. Lalumia, insight@zianet.com
Radio for Progressives at http://www.zianet.com/insightanalytical/radio.htm
Updated 12/26/2002 with many new listings.
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