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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//KurdishMedia, UK--GARNER TO TALABANI: KURDISTAN IS GOING TO BECOME A MODEL FOR THE WHOLE OF IRAQ (During the meeting Garner told the Kurdish leaders that the Kurdistani experience in the region will be a model for the whole of Iraq. Jalal Talabani told Garner that he should feel Kurdistan was his "home." "When you retire, come back to Kurdistan ... and we'll prepare a beautiful house for you," said Talabani.)
2//TurkishPress.com,
USA--TURKISH MODEL TO "NEW IRAQ" (James
Woolsey, the former president of CIA, which was reported to take
place in rebuilding of Iraq, pointed out that the most appropriate
democracy administration for Iraq is Turkey model.)
3//The News International, Pakistan--MPs REFUSE TO ATTEND NANCY'S
LECTURE (The USAID-funded orientation programme on democracy could
not be held here on Tuesday as the organisers were compelled to
postpone the event after majority of parliamentarians refused to
listen to US Ambassador Nancy Powell...The religious front -MMA-
was the first to refuse to turn up at the show saying they need
not to know about the Western democracy and its impact on society.
Likewise, many others also joined the boycott fearing serious criticism
that could follow in the national press.)
4//The Daily Star, Lebanon--TRICKY ISSUES CONFRONT NEW FOREIGN MINISTER (Newly-appointed Foreign Minister Jean Obeid is expected to encounter thorny political and administrative issues as he steps into office this week amid a tense regional atmosphere... Some two weeks after the collapse of the Iraqi regime, the League has still been unable to hold an emergency meeting of foreign ministers to look into ways of helping in the reconstruction of Iraq. The sources said there was a danger the inter-Arab split might pave the way for the US to target other Arab countries.)
5//Asia Times Online, Hong Kong--HOW TO DRAG OUT THE US-KOREA TALKS (South Korean analysts and US experts on Korean Peninsula affairs have agreed, according to reports in the Seoul press on Tuesday, that there is zero possibility of a US invasion of the North in the next year. Their calculation is simply based on how long it is going to take the US to get ready for another war in the aftermath of Iraq.)
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1//KurdishMedia Updated: 22/04/2003 23:51:24 GMT
http://www.kurdmedia.com/news.asp?id=3741
GARNER TO TALABANI: KURDISTAN IS GOING TO BECOME A MODEL FOR THE WHOLE OF IRAQ
By Bryar Mariwani
London (KurdishMedia.com) 22 April 2003: On a visit to south Kurdistan, Jay Garner, the retired US general and the civilian administrator for post-Saddam Iraq, was warmly welcomed and held talks with Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) leader Massoud Barzani and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) leader Jalal Talabani.
During the meeting Garner told the Kurdish leaders that the Kurdistani experience in the region will be a model for the whole of Iraq.
Jalal Talabani told Garner that he should feel Kurdistan was his "home." "When you retire, come back to Kurdistan ... and we'll prepare a beautiful house for you," said Talabani.
A group of Sulemani University students welcomed the retired US-general with flowers. Garner told the crowd, "You are a great people; you will have a great future."
(MORE)
2//TurkishPress.com Tuesday, April 22, 2003
http://www.turkishpress.com/turkishpress/news.asp?ID=10005
Press Scan 4/22/2003
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
TURKISH MODEL TO ''NEW IRAQ''
James Woolsey, the former president of CIA, which was reported to take place in rebuilding of Iraq, pointed out that the most appropriate democracy administration for Iraq is Turkey model.
Woolsey said even though some results were obtained, which did not comply with foreign policy of the United States like Turkey's not allowing passage of the U.S. soldiers in Iraq war, presence of democracy in a Moslem country was very important. He said they wanted a model, similar to Turkey, for Iraq.
3//The News International Wednesday April 23, 2003-- Safar 20, 1424
A.H.
http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/apr2003-daily/23-04-2003/main/main9.htm
MPs REFUSE TO ATTEND NANCY'S LECTURE
By our correspondent
ISLAMABAD: The USAID-funded orientation programme on democracy could not be held here on Tuesday as the organisers were compelled to postpone the event after majority of parliamentarians refused to listen to US Ambassador Nancy Powell.
(SNIP)
The show was to be presided over by the speaker National Assembly as all the parliamentarians had been invited to attend it. The invitation of the seminar was extended to by the secretary National Assembly while funds had been provided by the USAID and Asia Foundation.
Earlier, when news of the US envoy's address were splashed by the national press, almost all the legislators had refused to listen to the American diplomat in the backdrop of US-led attack on Iraq.
The religious front -MMA- was the first to refuse to turn up at the show saying they need not to know about the Western democracy and its impact on society. Likewise, many others also joined the boycott fearing serious criticism that could follow in the national press.
An official said the event was deliberately planned on April 22 when the parliament was in session so that the maximum parliamentarians could attend it. He said recently scores of orientation workshops or seminars have been held in luxurious hotels, even one at Bhurban, Murree, where the parliamentarians were taken on luxury trip in the name of training.
4//The Daily Star Beirut, Tuesday April 22, 2003. Updated 08:30 AM
+3GMT
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/22_04_03/art12.asp
TRICKY ISSUES CONFRONT NEW FOREIGN MINISTER
Obeid has his work cut out for him
Khalil Fleihan
Daily Star correspondent
Newly-appointed Foreign Minister Jean Obeid is expected to encounter thorny political and administrative issues as he steps into office this week amid a tense regional atmosphere.
In the forefront of these according to diplomatic sources, is Iraq and repercussions of the US-led war, which has produced inter-Arab differences and paralyzed the Arab League.
Some two weeks after the collapse of the Iraqi regime, the League has still been unable to hold an emergency meeting of foreign ministers to look into ways of helping in the reconstruction of Iraq.
The sources said there was a danger the inter-Arab split might pave the way for the US to target other Arab countries.
Another issue listed by the sources revolves around the failure of the UN Security Council to assume a prominent role in the Iraqi crisis and challenge US power, despite demands by several permanent members, such as France, Russia and China, and non permanent states like Germany. These countries had opposed the war on Iraq without a Security Council mandate and before UN arms inspectors completed their mission.
The sources believe Washington is not likely to change its position before taking all the time it needs to consolidate security and stability in Iraq and back its supporters after the formation of a government representing all Iraqi trends and paving the way for rebuilding military and police forces.
Another important issue is the Arab-Israeli conflict and the proposed 'road map' to solve it. Lebanon is known to have withheld any response to the map for comprehensive peace, pending its formal publication.
(SNIP)
The sources said that this issue was no longer a purely Lebanese affair connected with liberating what remained of its territory under Israeli occupation, but has turned into a regional one linked to accusations that Syria was providing backing to Hizbullah.
(MORE)
5//Asia Times Online April 23, 2003
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Korea/ED23Dg02.html
HOW TO DRAG OUT THE US-KOREA TALKS
By Jaewoo Choo
Jaewoo Choo, PhD, is a research fellow with the Trade Research Institute,
Seoul. The opinions expressed in this article are his own.
SEOUL - South Korean analysts and US experts on Korean Peninsula affairs have agreed, according to reports in the Seoul press on Tuesday, that there is zero possibility of a US invasion of the North in the next year. Their calculation is simply based on how long it is going to take the US to get ready for another war in the aftermath of Iraq.
This military strategic calculation is in deep conflict with President George W Bush's schedule for re-election. For what both the Korean and American analysts omitted to state clearly was how Bush is going to be able to manipulate the talks with the North, scheduled to get under way in Beijing on Wednesday, to go beyond 2004. This is where understanding how the superpower plays it diplomatic poker game is vital.
When growing up, we all had the experience of opening up the back cover of a clock out of curiosity to see how a clock runs. There we saw two big cogs running against each other relatively at a much slower pace than other small cogs that supported them. Let's assume that these two big wheels were the US and North Korea, as they are the main actors of the upcoming talks. Always the supporting actors are spinning too much faster to notice anything but minding their own turnings. But the tooth of a big cog runs against the other from its counterpart at a much slower pace.
At the outset of the talks between the US and North Korea, the very first teeth biting each other will be the nuclear problem. However, as the talks proceed, they may run into a need for a shift in strategy. That is when the United States' second tooth will turn against the North's. It could range from human-rights issues to the freedom-of-religion issue, from inspections for weapons of mass destruction to reduction of conventional weapons, from espionage activities for military technology to its sales, or proliferation of its byproducts. Whatever the case, the US has plenty of teeth in its cog.
(MORE)
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© 2003, Gloria R. Lalumia, insight@zianet.com
Radio for the Left at http://www.zianet.com/insightanalytical/radio.htm
