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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 Independent, UK--FRENCH CALL FOR MILITARY CO-OPERATION DIVIDES EU (France, fresh from a bruising encounter with the United States over Iraq, remains as determined as ever to build Europe into a military, political and economic counterweight to the world's only superpower. President Jacques Chirac and the German Chancellor, Gerhard Schröder, are expected to use the summit with Belgium and Luxembourg to push the case that Europe needs to build common defence forces that are as independent as possible of America and Nato.)
2//IslamOnline.net, Qatar--IRAQI LOOTING CONTINUES, "FOREIGN" HANDS MAKE IT WORSE (But gangs resort to foreign, namely British, experience to run their work of racketeering even this IslamOnline.net reporter fell prey to. In Abu Nawas Street on the Tigris, where the Presidential Palace and the houses of the former leaders of the Republican Guard are located, a lot of signs reading "the building occupied" were hoisted. The thieves felt free to rent these houses, even to their real owners who were booted out by Kalashnikov-armed guards employed by the new occupiers...Noticeably, the thieves are confident the American forces will stand behind them. "The Americans would pay us large sums of money, at the worst, before taking these buildings," said Qadri Qassem.}
3//KurdishMedia.com, UK--BARZANI: KURDS ARE ENTITLED TO HAVE AN INDEPENDENT STATE (...But if matters stabilize and the national authority takes over and fills the security and administrative vacuum, there will no longer be any justification for the coalition forces to remain, and their (presence) would then be regarded as an occupation," Barzani said...Barzani stated that Kurds were committed to a post-Hussein federal arrangement agreed with other groups that opposed the regime despite the fact that they in principle have the right to statehood..."Resolving the Kurdish issue in Turkey or Iran or anywhere else is up to the Kurds there. However, in the long term, and from a strategic standpoint, the Kurdish nation is entitled to unite and to have an independent state," he said.)
4//The Moscow Times, Russia--RUSSIA TO INCREASE FORCES IN TAJIKISTAN
(Over the past few months Russia has announced plans to set up military
bases in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, a move seen as Moscow's response
to the new U.S. military presence in Central Asia. Russia has considered
the region its strategic backyard for centuries but its influence
has languished following the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991.)
5//The Moscow Times, Russia--PLEDGE TO BOOST TIES WITH PARIS (France
and Russia have agreed to intensify military cooperation and joint
weapons production to counter regional and global threats, the
defense ministers of the two countries said...Russia and France,
both of which firmly opposed the U.S.-led war in Iraq, have intensified
political and diplomatic cooperation in recent months. They now
look set to deepen military ties as well...Ivanov also said they
discussed Russian proposals for a European-wide anti-missile defense
that have been floating about since the United States gave notice
it was withdrawing from the 1972 ABM Treaty.)
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1//The
Independent 28 April 2003
http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/story.jsp?story=401065
FRENCH CALL FOR MILITARY CO-OPERATION DIVIDES EU
By Leonard Doyle, Foreign Editor
Against a backdrop of growing anger and division, the European Union's four leading opponents of the war in Iraq are pressing ahead with a summit in Brussels tomorrow to discuss boosting military co-operation in Europe.
France, fresh from a bruising encounter with the United States over Iraq, remains as determined as ever to build Europe into a military, political and economic counterweight to the world's only superpower.
President Jacques Chirac and the German Chancellor, Gerhard Schröder, are expected to use the summit with Belgium and Luxembourg to push the case that Europe needs to build common defence forces that are as independent as possible of America and Nato.
Britain, one of Europe's biggest military powers, has been scathing in its criticism of the gathering, which was the brainchild of Guy Verhofstadt, the Belgian Prime Minister. "The idea of a European defence based on Belgium and without England - I wonder if that's particularly serious," said Denis MacShane, Britain's minister for Europe. The Foreign Office added: "Cutting across Nato will weaken our defences."
Britain was originally excluded from the meeting - with the Greek presidency, Spain and Italy. Italy was deeply irritated by its exclusion from the summit. Rocco Buttiglione, its European Affairs Minister, said: "This meeting is a mistake and risks accentuating the divergences between partners by giving the impression that Europe is beleaguered by divisions."
(SNIP)
The meeting was eventually thrown open to the rest of the EU, but
no other state has chosen to attend. America, which is determined
to punish France for its opposition to war against Iraq, is understood
to have pressured member states to stay away from the conference,
which takes place a day before Nato meets to discuss sending peace-keeping
forces to Iraq.
(MORE)
2//IslamOnline.net Last Update: Sun., Apr. 27, 2003, 21:00 GM
http://www.IslamOnline.net/English/News/2003-04/27/article18.shtml
IRAQI LOOTING CONTINUES, "FOREIGN" HANDS MAKE IT WORSE
By Imam El-Liethy, IOL Iraq Correspondent
BAGHDAD, April 27 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) - More than two weeks after the downfall of Baghdad into the hands of U.S. and British forces, gangs of organized thieves and looters did not find it enough to claim control over luxurious buildings of the deposed Iraqi regime members with impunity; but also to trade in them - with the lowest prices possible.
But gangs resort to foreign, namely British, experience to run their work of racketeering even this IslamOnline.net reporter fell prey to.
In Abu Nawas Street on the Tigris, where the Presidential Palace and the houses of the former leaders of the Republican Guard are located, a lot of signs reading "the building occupied" were hoisted. The thieves felt free to rent these houses, even to their real owners who were booted out by Kalashnikov-armed guards employed by the new occupiers.
Many of the owners found it better to cooperate with their thieves by paying them ransoms. Others found no other way but to "rent" their own houses from thieves who broke into them and burnt all of possession documents or contracts.
(SNIP)
Many of the Iraqis have borne the brunt of anarchy and chaos the country descended into after the end of war. But they largely blamed these acts on the U.S. forces for turning a blind eye of them and only rushed to encircle the Oil Ministry headquarters for providing protection. While other buildings, including the unique Iraqi National Museum which contain irreplaceable artifacts going back to 10,000 years, were open targets to pillaging.
"They abandoned these buildings and left Baghdad crumble. So why not we house them?" A Kalashnikov-armed Samir Munjid bragged outside one of the seized houses, echoing similar conspiracy theory explanation of the defeat of the capital to no fight.
He offered me to rent the house, with usual comfortable statements as "The Iraqi government will never be formed before two or three years". But staying in these places mainly need the use of force to maintain a grip on them.
(SNIP)
Noticeably, the thieves are confident the American forces will stand behind them. "The Americans would pay us large sums of money, at the worst, before taking these buildings," said Qadri Qassem.
(MORE)
3//KurdishMedia.com Updated: 27/04/2003 14:56:53 GMT
http://www.kurdmedia.com/news.asp?id=3775
BARZANI: KURDS ARE ENTITLED TO HAVE AN INDEPENDENT STATE
London (KurdishMedia.com) The leader of the Kurdistan Democratic
Party Massoud Barzani said yesterday that there would be no reason
for US forces to remain in Iraq once a government takes over ahead
of general elections.
To a question on the Dubai-based Al-Arabiya news channel about his recent meeting with Jay Garner, the U.S. administrator for Iraq, Barzani said, "What we discussed with Garner is that the opposition leadership council would meet in Baghdad very soon, to be followed by a broader meeting of all Iraqi parties, forces and figures. But if matters stabilize and the national authority takes over and fills the security and administrative vacuum, there will no longer be any justification for the coalition forces to remain, and their (presence) would then be regarded as an occupation," Barzani said.
Barzani also added that Garner had promised the United States would deal with that government as "the legitimate representative of the Iraqi people."
Agreement that the Iraqis would pick their interim government had been reached with the Americans before they launched the war, said the KDP leader.
Barzani stated that Kurds were committed to a post-Hussein federal arrangement agreed with other groups that opposed the regime despite the fact that they in principle have the right to statehood.
(SNIP)
Asked whether the Kurds would eventually demand statehood, Barzani said: "Life progresses, the world progresses, and the Kurdish people too are entitled to progress with others."
(SNIP)
"Resolving the Kurdish issue in Turkey or Iran or anywhere else is up to the Kurds there. However, in the long term, and from a strategic standpoint, the Kurdish nation is entitled to unite and to have an independent state," he said.
4//The Moscow Times Monday, Apr. 28, 2003. Page 3
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2003/04/28/011.html
RUSSIA TO INCREASE FORCES IN TAJIKISTAN
The Associated Press
DUSHANBE, Tajikistan -- Russia plans to expand and consolidate its military presence in Tajikistan, President Vladimir Putin said Sunday.
"We are planning to strengthen our presence here," he said during a visit to the Russian 201st motorized division, which is based in Dushanbe, the Tajik capital. He said Tajik President Emomali Rakhmonov "backs these plans."
Over the past few months Russia has announced plans to set up military bases in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, a move seen as Moscow's response to the new U.S. military presence in Central Asia. Russia has considered the region its strategic backyard for centuries but its influence has languished following the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991.
(SNIP)
"The situation in the region is stable on the whole, but it remains rather complicated in Central Asia, especially taking into account Afghanistan," Putin said in remarks released by the Kremlin press service.
Russia maintains a 14,000-strong military division in Tajikistan and helps guard the long and porous Tajik border with Afghanistan.
Rakhmonov said Saturday that Tajikistan badly needs Russian assistance to stop the increasing traffic of illegal drugs from Afghanistan through Tajik territory en route to Russia and Western Europe.
(MORE)
5//The Moscow Times Monday, Apr. 28, 2003. Page 3
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2003/04/28/012.html
PLEDGE TO BOOST TIES WITH PARIS
By Deborah Seward
The Associated Press
France and Russia have agreed to intensify military cooperation and joint weapons production to counter regional and global threats, the defense ministers of the two countries said.
"The meetings took place in a climate of great cordiality, great confidence and a very practical spirit with a look toward the future," French Defense Minister Michele Alliot-Marie said Friday following talks with Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov.
Russia and France, both of which firmly opposed the U.S.-led war in Iraq, have intensified political and diplomatic cooperation in recent months. They now look set to deepen military ties as well.
(SNIP)
The two ministers discussed the situation concerning multilateral peacekeeping forces in the Balkans and in Afghanistan. Alliot-Marie said the U.S.-led war in Iraq had not led to tensions among members of the international peacekeeping force in Afghanistan.
Both ministers said they expected closer ties in defense manufacturing. France and Russia are currently working to develop a new generation MiG fighter plane. Ivanov indicated that other projects were in the works but declined to provide details.
Ivanov also said they discussed Russian proposals for a European-wide anti-missile defense that have been floating about since the United States gave notice it was withdrawing from the 1972 ABM Treaty.
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©2003, Gloria R. Lalumia, insight@zianet.com
Radio for the Left at http://www.zianet.com/insightanalytical/radio.htm
