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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--CABINET SPLIT OVER EURO WIDENS AS STRAW BACKS BROWN (A split in the Cabinet over the single currency widened yesterday when Jack Straw lined up behind Gordon Brown, who is locked in a trial of strength with Tony Blair on the issue. The Foreign Secretary dismayed pro-euro backers by dismissing claims by Blairite ministers that it was now an issue of "when, not whether" Britain signed up to the euro. Mr Straw said it was "first of all if, and then it may be when".)
Related story: GOVERNMENT TO MAKE EURO ANNOUNCEMENT ON 9 JUNE
2//The News International, Pakistan--'US NOT TO INVALIDATE DEBT CLAIMS ON IRAQ' (The diplomat said the US sources did not specify how long Iraq's oil revenues should be immune from debt claims, but acknowledged that the grace period would need to be spelt out in the resolution before it is put to a vote. US diplomats told the Council that Iraq's total debt was estimated at $400 billion, the diplomat said, adding that claims "could involve interest upon interest upon interest". Rather than set aside the first $400 billion of oil revenue to meet debt claims, the US wanted to give the Iraqi economy a chance to get working, he said.)
3//The
Turkish Daily News, Turkey--TURKEY SENDS DELEGATION TO NORTHERN
IRAQ (Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Huseyin Dirioz said on Wednesday
that the Turkish Embassy in Baghdad had started to report to Turkey,
and the first reports indicate that there is a security problem in
Baghdad. "Turkey is making contacts with U.S. officials in Baghdad
on the security problems," Dirioz added. Responding to the questions
on the resolution adopted by the Iraqi Kurdish parliament asking
Turkish peacekeepers to leave northern Iraq, Dirioz said, "That
authority is not the one spoken to regarding the issue.")
4//The Daily Star, Lebanon--HIZBULLAH 'NOT DEPENDENT ON ANY FOREIGN
FORCE' (Hizbullah is a Lebanese reality, and it doesn't receive
instructions from any country, Iranian President Mohammad Khatami
said during his press conference at the Phoenicia Inter-Continental
Hotel Wednesday. "Hizbullah is not receiving instructions
from any country and it does not depend on any foreign force," Khatami
said, adding that Iran also enjoys good relations with Syria and
Lebanon, but "that doesn't mean the three countries interfere
in each other's internal affairs." ... Answering a question
on the "good timing for disarming Hizbullah from its Iranian
weapons," Khatami evasively said Hizbullah is strong and doesn't
need arms.)
5//The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Philippines--ABU PLAN ATTACKS ON US TROOPS: EX-HOSTAGES (Abu Sayyaf bandits who received fresh combat and explosives training from two Indonesian instructors are planning to attack US troops who will be deployed in Sulu province, confidential military debriefings of three former hostages have revealed. The disclosure came in the wake of a stark travel advisory issued the other day by the US Department of State: The Abu Sayyaf remains a threat, therefore travel to parts of Southeast Asia, especially Malaysia, may still be unsafe...One of the women who escaped said she overheard Abu Sayyaf bandits talking excitedly about the expected arrival of US soldiers on Jolo. "The ASG (Abu Sayyaf Group) is eager to have imported clothes ... to have their heads," she was quoted as saying.)
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1//The
Independent 15 May 2003
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/story.jsp?story=406338
CABINET SPLIT OVER EURO WIDENS AS STRAW BACKS BROWN
By Andrew Grice, Political Editor
A split in the Cabinet over the single currency widened yesterday when Jack Straw lined up behind Gordon Brown, who is locked in a trial of strength with Tony Blair on the issue.
The Foreign Secretary dismayed pro-euro backers by dismissing claims by Blairite ministers that it was now an issue of "when, not whether" Britain signed up to the euro. Mr Straw said it was "first of all if, and then it may be when".
He
praised the "huge care" Mr Brown was taking to ensure
that Britain made the right decision and avoided the mistakes of
previous governments, such as returning to the gold standard in 1925
and joining the European exchange-rate mechanism (ERM) in 1990.
(SNIP)
One pro-euro minister said Mr Straw was "a big part of our problem". But the Foreign Secretary's allies hit back. One said: "Some people are disappointed that he has not gone native like Robin Cook did when he moved to the Foreign Office."
Denis MacShane, the Minister for Europe, struck a different tone to his Foreign Office boss by branding opponents of euro entry as "fundamentalists". He said: "People have almost a fundamentalist faith in our currency, the pound, and a fundamentalist, almost religious, hostility to the euro."
Mr Blair believes he has a pro-euro majority of more than 2-1 in his Cabinet. Although he told MPs yesterday that there would be "the fullest possible discussion before the decision is announced", Mr Brown in effect enjoys a veto and is expected to deliver a "not yet" verdict in the next few weeks.
(MORE)
Related story: GOVERNMENT TO MAKE EURO ANNOUNCEMENT ON 9
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/story.jsp?story=406459
(Includes list of the Treasury's "five tests.")
2//The News International Friday May 16, 2003-- Rabi-ul-Awwal 12,
1424 A.H.
http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/may2003-daily/16-05-2003/main/main18.htm
'US NOT TO INVALIDATE DEBT CLAIMS ON IRAQ'
UNITED NATIONS: The United States told the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday it would not invalidate debt claims of up to $400 billion on Iraq, but wanted a grace period before they could be pressed, a Council diplomat said.
The diplomat quoted US sources as saying: "We are trying to ensure that the oil and oil sales are protected for a short period of time in order to get the Iraqi economy jump-started." He also quoted the US sources as saying: "That makes no judgment about the validity of the claims." The Council members met on Wednesday for their first consultations at the ambassadorial level since the US submitted a draft resolution on Friday to lift economic sanctions against Iraq.
(SNIP)
The diplomat said the US sources did not specify how long Iraq's oil revenues should be immune from debt claims, but acknowledged that the grace period would need to be spelt out in the resolution before it is put to a vote.
US diplomats told the Council that Iraq's total debt was estimated at $400 billion, the diplomat said, adding that claims "could involve interest upon interest upon interest". Rather than set aside the first $400 billion of oil revenue to meet debt claims, the US wanted to give the Iraqi economy a chance to get working, he said.
3//The Turkish Daily News 15 May 2003
http://www.turkishdailynews.com/FrTDN/latest/for.htm#f3
TURKEY SENDS DELEGATION TO NORTHERN IRAQ
Turkey announced on Wednesday it is to send a diplomatic delegation to northern Iraq to see the recent developments on the ground and make contacts with the ethnic groups of the region.
The delegation is expected to meet with Turkmens, Kurds, U.S. military and civilian officials and report to Turkey on the recent political and military developments of the region.
Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Huseyin Dirioz said on Wednesday that the Turkish Embassy in Baghdad had started to report to Turkey, and the first reports indicate that there is a security problem in Baghdad.
"Turkey is making contacts with U.S. officials in Baghdad on the security problems," Dirioz added.
Responding to the questions on the resolution adopted by the Iraqi Kurdish parliament asking Turkish peacekeepers to leave northern Iraq, Dirioz said, "That authority is not the one spoken to regarding the issue."
"Turkey has not received that kind of demand yet," he added.
(MORE)
4//The Daily Star Beirut, Thursday May 15, 2003. Updated 08:30 AM
+3GMT
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/15_05_03/art4.asp
HIZBULLAH 'NOT DEPENDENT ON ANY FOREIGN FORCE'
'What we have is solidarity'
Alia Ibrahim and Nafez Kawas
Daily Star staff
Hizbullah is a Lebanese reality, and it doesn't receive instructions from any country, Iranian President Mohammad Khatami said during his press conference at the Phoenicia Inter-Continental Hotel Wednesday.
"Hizbullah is not receiving instructions from any country and it does not depend on any foreign force," Khatami said, adding that Iran also enjoys good relations with Syria and Lebanon, but "that doesn't mean the three countries interfere in each other's internal affairs."
"What we have is solidarity, and unity on some principles and points," he said.
(SNIP)
The
Iranian president spoke extensively on the achievements of Hizbullah,
which he said was capable of forcing Israel to withdraw from occupied
land. He also said he believes the resistance will continue because "whenever
there is an occupation, there also is a natural right to fight against
it and to develop a national resistance. Fortunately, Lebanon has
been successful in driving the enemy out of its territory," he
said.
(SNIP)
Answering a question on the "good timing for disarming Hizbullah from its Iranian weapons," Khatami evasively said Hizbullah is strong and doesn't need arms.
Commenting on pressure the United States has been exerting on countries of the region, Khatami said the real threat in the Middle East is Israel's weapons of mass destruction.
"The Americans claim they are fighting the development of weapons of mass destruction, but they are not doing anything about Israel," he said. "If our region is going to be free of nuclear weapons we should first focus on Israel which doesn't restrict itself to any limit and doesn't respect international laws," he said.
Khatami
also said US accusations against countries of the region are not
new. "They have always made remarks about Iran, Syria
and Lebanon and they never distinguished terrorism from legitimate
resistance against occupation," he said.
(MORE)
5//The Philippine Daily Inquirer Friday May 16, 2003,
http://www.inq7.net/nat/2003/may/16/nat_1-1.htm
ABU PLAN ATTACKS ON US TROOPS: EX-HOSTAGES
US advisory angers Malaysia
Inquirer News Service
Abu Sayyaf bandits who received fresh combat and explosives training from two Indonesian instructors are planning to attack US troops who will be deployed in Sulu province, confidential military debriefings of three former hostages have revealed.
The disclosure came in the wake of a stark travel advisory issued the other day by the US Department of State: The Abu Sayyaf remains a threat, therefore travel to parts of Southeast Asia, especially Malaysia, may still be unsafe.
An angry Malaysia lashed back at Washington, saying it was creating "scares all over the world." But Australia followed its ally Thursday by issuing heightened travel warnings for its citizens traveling to Thailand, Malaysia, East Timor, Singapore, Brunei and the Philippines. Similar warnings were issued for Indonesia on Wednesday.
Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes said the military campaign against the Abu Sayyaf had intensified because of the US warning of possible new terrorist attacks in the country and in Malaysia.
According to summaries of debriefings seen by the Associated Press, two Filipino women and an Indonesian sailor who escaped last month after several months of jungle captivity gave insights into how the ragtag, al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf survived military offensives on Jolo island.
One of the women who escaped said she overheard Abu Sayyaf bandits talking excitedly about the expected arrival of US soldiers on Jolo.
"The ASG (Abu Sayyaf Group) is eager to have imported clothes ... to have their heads," she was quoted as saying.
(MORE)
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©2003, Gloria R. Lalumia, insight@zianet.com
Radio for the Left at http://www.zianet.com/insightanalytical/radio.htm
