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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--AFGHAN LEADER LUNCHES WITH CABINET (The Afghan president, Hamid Karzai, has held nearly two hours of talks with Tony Blair in Downing Street...Much of the focus was likely to be on the security situation in Afghanistan, where lawlessness is rife and the writ of Mr Karzai's administration barely runs beyond the capital, Kabul. Britain is contributing one of eight provisional reconstruction teams due to be set up around the country in an effort to help stabilise the situation. The British team, based at Mazar-e-Sharif, will comprise around 50 troops as well as civilian officials and will be involved in patrolling and liaising with the local population ..."The reconstruction of Afghanistan cannot take place until there is sustainable security," said Robin Greenwood, Christian Aid's regional manager for Afghanistan..."The Afghan army is weak and at current rates of recruitment it will take 23 years to reach the 70,000-man target.
2//Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), Iran--SUPREME
LEADER: ANY ATTACK ON IRAN WOULD PROVE SUICIDAL ("The Iranian nation and
officials are not after a war and they would not drag the country
to the precipice of a military showdown, but all must know that attacking
Iran would mean suicide for the aggressor," he said at the 14th
demise anniversary of late Imam Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic
Republic. The statements drew the thunderous "Death to America" chants
of close to a million of mourners, many coming from remote corners
of the 65-million country, who had crammed Imam Khomeini's mausoleum
and its surroundings in the southern outskirts of Tehran.)
3//The Moscow Times, Russia--IRAQI OIL MINISTRY SAYS NO CONTRACTS
CANCELED ("So far the Oil Ministry has not cancelled any contract
with any country, or with international oil companies," an
Iraqi Oil Ministry source said. The source, however, said LUKoil's
contract to develop the giant West Qurna oil field had been cancelled
by the former government...[Foreign Minister Igor] Ivanov told
reporters in Spain on Wednesday that he had received "firm
assurances" from the U.S. administration that there will be "no
discrimination against Russian companies in Iraq," news agencies
reported.)
4//Arab News, Saudi Arabia--ARMS TRAFFICKING RIFE ON YEMENI BORDER (Thirty-six Saudi border guards were killed in Jizan, near the Saudi-Yemeni border, in the 11 months ending February 2003, and more than 381,900 infiltrators were arrested during the same period. Saudi border guards also confiscated 263 firearms, 1.2 million rounds of ammunition, 46,700 sticks of dynamite and a large number of detonators, Maj. Gen. Saleh Al-Santali, the area border guard commander, told Al-Riyadh newspaper yesterday. Saudi officials have said that they believe the explosives used in the devastating May 12 triple suicide attacks on residential compounds in Riyadh were smuggled into the Kingdom from Yemen.)
5//The Manila Times, Philippines--US TO HELP IMPROVE RP NAVAL FORCES (The decision was arrived at during Reyes' dialogue with Admiral Thomas Fargo, commander in chief of the US Pacific Command, on Thursday. Fargo is in the Philippines to review the ongoing security assistance training that the US is conducting with the Armed Forces of the Philippines...The US government has allotted $25 million worth of assistance for the AFP to beef up its counterterrorism capability for the period of six months. In their dialogue, Reyes said Fargo noted the vulnerability of the country's commercial and maritime shipping from attacks coming from groups such as the al-Qaida network and the Jemaah Islamiah. Reyes also said that both parties agreed that a more effective exchange of intelligence information is vital to the mission.)
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1//The
Guardian Thursday June 5, 2003
http://politics.guardian.co.uk/foreignaffairs/story/0,11538,971387,00.html
4.45pm update
AFGHAN LEADER LUNCHES WITH CABINET
Press Association
The Afghan president, Hamid Karzai, has held nearly two hours of talks with Tony Blair in Downing Street.
On the second day of his three-day official visit to Britain, Mr Karzai lunched with Mr Blair, the foreign secretary, Jack Straw, and other cabinet ministers.
(SNIP)
The two leaders were expected to discuss the post-war reconstruction of Afghanistan, the new constitution and efforts to eradicate heroin production.
The country is the world's leading exporter of opium.
Much of the focus was likely to be on the security situation in Afghanistan, where lawlessness is rife and the writ of Mr Karzai's administration barely runs beyond the capital, Kabul.
Britain is contributing one of eight provisional reconstruction teams due to be set up around the country in an effort to help stabilise the situation.
The British team, based at Mazar-e-Sharif, will comprise around 50 troops as well as civilian officials and will be involved in patrolling and liaising with the local population.
(SNIP)
Mr Blair and Mr Karzai emerged smiling from No 10 at 2.30pm.
(SNIP)
Christian Aid urged Mr Blair to heed Mr Karzai's calls for a massive expansion of the international peacekeeping force.
Nato's agreement to take control of the peacekeeping duties in August presented an ideal opportunity, the aid agency said.
Security across Afghanistan was deteriorating by the day, placing the reconstruction of one of the world's poorest countries in jeopardy, according to the charity.
"The reconstruction of Afghanistan cannot take place until there is sustainable security," said Robin Greenwood, Christian Aid's regional manager for Afghanistan.
(SNIP)
"The Afghan army is weak and at current rates of recruitment it will take 23 years to reach the 70,000-man target.
"In the short term, Afghanistan needs an expanded and credible international peacekeeping force to hold the line and to allow reconstruction to take place quickly and safely."
2//Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) last Update Thursday, 05-Jun-2003
05:55:55 PDT
http://www.irna.ir/en/tnews/030606190927.etn00.shtml
SUPREME LEADER: ANY ATTACK ON IRAN WOULD PROVE SUICIDAL
(Adds further quotes)
Tehran, June 4, IRNA -- Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei here
Wednesday reiterated that Iran did not seek to wage a war against
any country, but warned that a military attack on the Islamic Republic
would prove suicidal since Iranian youth would strongly repel it.
"The Iranian nation and officials are not after a war and they would not drag the country to the precipice of a military showdown, but all must know that attacking Iran would mean suicide for the aggressor," he said at the 14th demise anniversary of late Imam Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic.
The statements drew the thunderous "Death to America" chants
of close to a million of mourners, many coming from remote corners
of the 65-million country, who had crammed Imam Khomeini's mausoleum
and its surroundings in the southern outskirts of Tehran.
Ayatollah Khamenei also warned that "the enemy's propaganda
instruments and their branches inside are intending to insinuate
conflicts and differences among Iranian officials".
TERROR ACCUSATIONS
The supreme leader also denounced as "shameless lies" US accusations that Iran backed terrorists.
(SNIP)
US officials, who had once accused Tehran of giving refuge to al-Qaeda elements, have recently claimed that the suspected group operated from havens inside Iran.
The supreme leader turned the tables on Washington, saying it was US which raised anti-Iranian perverted groups, such as Taliban which provided haven to al-Qaeda, in order to "strike a blow on Iran".
"But this treacherous plot did not work and they (Americans)
are now choking on the same mouthful they took once," he said.
Ayatollah Khamenei also warned the "neo-conservative" American
leaders that "it is impossible to conquer the Islamic world
by wars and military attacks which will have no consequence than
deepening anti-American sentiments".
"You cannot call millions of people, whose hearts are filled with hatred and spite against oppressors and occupiers, terrorists just as you, with all your efforts, cannot call Palestinian combatants and the oppressed Palestinian nation and brave Lebanese youth who have risen against the occupation of their countries, as terrorists."
"Terrorists are those who have risen to confront nations through occupying their countries and like Saddam (Hussein), by using dictatorship and despotism, do not let the Iraqi nation bring to power their own choice of government," he said in cutting reference to Americans.
(MORE)
3//The Moscow Times Thursday, Jun. 5, 2003. Page 5
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2003/06/05/042.html
IRAQI OIL MINISTRY SAYS NO CONTRACTS CANCELED
Combined Reports (Reuters, MT)
BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Iraq said Wednesday that it had not cancelled oil contracts with Russian companies to develop oil fields after the downfall of Saddam Hussein's government.
"So far the Oil Ministry has not cancelled any contract with any country, or with international oil companies," an Iraqi Oil Ministry source said.
The source, however, said LUKoil's contract to develop the giant West Qurna oil field had been cancelled by the former government.
The $3.7 billion contract was held by LUKoil until mid-December, when Baghdad pulled the plug, saying the company had failed to meet the terms of the deal by not starting development work. LUKoil, however, insists its contract is still valid and plans to begin work on the field "soon."
"We are in consultations with the occupying power. The sanctions have been lifted; we will invest soon in Iraq," LUKoil vice president Leonid Fedun told The Moscow Times on Monday. He said LUKoil was now in "constant contact" with the U.S. administration in an attempt to find a way to hold on to the field and that the company was waiting on a progress report from Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, who had been negotiating with U.S. officials on behalf of LUKoil at the recent summits in St. Petersburg and Evian, France.
Ivanov told reporters in Spain on Wednesday that he had received "firm assurances" from the U.S. administration that there will be "no discrimination against Russian companies in Iraq," news agencies reported.
(MORE)
4//Arab News Thursday, 5, June, 2003 (05, Rabi` ath-Thani, 1424)
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=0§ion=1&article=27044&d=5&m=6&y=2003
ARMS TRAFFICKING RIFE ON YEMENI BORDER
John R. Bradley, Managing Editor
JEDDAH, 5 June 2003 - Thirty-six Saudi border guards were killed
in Jizan, near the Saudi-Yemeni border, in the 11 months ending February
2003, and more than 381,900 infiltrators were arrested during the
same period.
Saudi border guards also confiscated 263 firearms, 1.2 million rounds of ammunition, 46,700 sticks of dynamite and a large number of detonators, Maj. Gen. Saleh Al-Santali, the area border guard commander, told Al-Riyadh newspaper yesterday.
Saudi officials have said that they believe the explosives used in the devastating May 12 triple suicide attacks on residential compounds in Riyadh were smuggled into the Kingdom from Yemen.
Al-Santali said that most of the infiltrators come from Yemen and are normally sent back after being interrogated.
The Saudi-Yemeni border is largely not demarcated, and is a notorious hotspot of arms, drugs and liquor smugglers.
(SNIP)
Last September, a Yemeni tribe that opposes the demarcation of borders
between Yemen and the Kingdom launched an attack against employees
of a German company working to install border demarcation posts.
Two Germans were injured in the attack, as were three members of
the Yemeni tribe.
5//The Manila Times Friday, June 6, 2003
http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2003/jun/06/top_stories/20030606top8.html
US TO HELP IMPROVE RP NAVAL FORCES
By Karl B. Kaufman, Reporter
The United States and Philippine military officials will seek to address the apparent vulnerability of the country's maritime sector in the light of threats from different international terrorist groups, Defense Secretary Angelo T. Reyes said on Thursday.
Reyes said among the factors being considered by both countries is the possibility of conducting a joint RP-US naval exercise in coming years. This exercise will be in addition to the 19 training programs conducted by both countries annually.
The decision was arrived at during Reyes' dialogue with Admiral Thomas Fargo, commander in chief of the US Pacific Command, on Thursday. Fargo is in the Philippines to review the ongoing security assistance training that the US is conducting with the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
(SNIP)
The US government has allotted $25 million worth of assistance for the AFP to beef up its counterterrorism capability for the period of six months.
In their dialogue, Reyes said Fargo noted the vulnerability of the country's commercial and maritime shipping from attacks coming from groups such as the al-Qaida network and the Jemaah Islamiah.
Reyes also said that both parties agreed that a more effective exchange of intelligence information is vital to the mission.
"We discussed that we should have more intelligence exchange and perhaps even exercises along this line," Reyes said, noting that the Philippine Navy's modernization program has been ordered to fast-track for this purpose.
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©2003, Gloria R. Lalumia, insight@zianet.com
Radio for the Left at http://www.zianet.com/insightanalytical/radio.htm
