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| September 19, 2003 |
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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. * * * 1//Asia Times Online, Hong Kong--(JUST) ALIVE AND KICKING IN BAGHDAD (The resistance will get much stronger - and this has nothing to do with Saddam's flurry of cassettes. There seems to be an overall consensus in Baghdad that most Sunnis are on "wait and see" mode for two more months before they switch overwhelmingly to guerrilla struggle. And the Shi'ites will also be waiting for another two months. This seems to be the final window of opportunity for the CPA and the Governing Council to alleviate the daily hell faced by the Iraqi population.) 2//The Turkish Daily News, Turkey--TURKEY TO SUPPLY IRAQ WITH ENERGY AND WATER (In a meeting held by the ministry, the rebuilding of Iraq issue was on the table. Attended by many companies in the energy field, the gathering was arranged to deal with the issue of possible support to Iraq in this subject. Accordingly, it was agreed that the units of the ministry could supply Iraq with electricity, water, diesel oil and thus the related departments were to take up feasibility research. A delegation formed by related units' officials will leave for Iraq and begin negotiations with the authorities.) 3//Daily Yomiuri, Japan--IRAN OIL FIELD DEAL AT RISK (A consortium of Japanese companies acquired preferential negotiating rights in 2000 to put together a project to develop the Azadegan oil field, one of the world's largest oil reserves, and have been negotiating with Iran over a detailed development program and financial terms in an effort to conclude a formal contract... However, the United States has asked Japan to delay the contract because of concern that Iran is developing nuclear weapons. Tehran intends to continue separate talks on the project with Tokyo, but to exclude Japanese companies from the bidding, according to the sources. Observers pointed out that the entry of major foreign oil companies into the bidding was likely to make it very difficult for Japan to secure what was potentially the largest supply of oil the nation has ever had access to.) 4//The Moscow Times, Russia--OPINION: DUNDERHEADED DICTATORSHIP OF ELECTION LAWS (A police official warned me -- off the record, of course -- that our newspaper might be stripped of its license if we are not sufficiently careful in following new election laws. Specifically, I was told that we are obliged to ask gubernatorial candidates for permission to use their names whenever we write articles about them. I had always thought there was at least some limit to the stupidity of the authorities, but at moments like this I am on the verge of giving up hope.) 5//Economist.com, UK--REFORM IN ITALY: CAN IT BE DONE? (Italy's right-of-centre government fizzles with initiatives, but the prime minister's awkward dual role of politician and businessman makes it hard to enact them...But, however sincere his intention, he still labours under two handicaps. One is his coalition allies' different outlooks. The other is the enduring conflict of interest arising from his various roles, especially in the field of the media, which he dominates comprehensively.) * * * 1//Asia
Times Online September 19, 2003 The Roving Eye BAGHDAD - "Saddam is in Baghdad." The former University of Baghdad student, recently graduated, is adamant. "Here he is very well connected, and as he has so much money, he can bribe anybody," adds another. (SNIP) Baghdadis once again listen to that ghostly voice from the past with cool detachment. But what the former students are saying basically mirrors what a Jordanian intelligence source with extensive contacts in Iraq told Asia Times Online in Amman. Colonel Joe Anderson, commander of the 101st Airborne's 2nd Brigade in Mosul, is searching the wrong place, in the Kurdish north of the country. "Elvis" - as the GIs call him - has not left the building. Elvis-Saddam continues to operate in the bowels of the Iraqi capital itself. (SNIP) The convergence of views between Baghdad students and the Jordanian intelligence official is remarkable - and is widely shared by the popular voice of the bazaars. The perception is that "the Americans" engineered both the UN bombing that killed special envoy Sergio Vieira de Mello, and the Najaf bombing that killed Grand Ayatollah Mohammed Baqr al-Hakim (the Jordanian insists the Israeli Mossad was responsible for the Hakim bombing, which benefits the Americans by splitting the Shi'ites and pitting Sunnis against Shi'ites). All agree on what the US agenda is: to maintain a perpetual state of chaos, enforce the control of the fabulous Iraqi sources of energy, and use this new, sprawling military base in the heart of the Middle East to harass Syria, Lebanon, Iran and Saudi Arabia. Moreover, few in Baghdad appear able to understand how US high-tech marvel is not capable of finding Elvis-Saddam. All kinds of theories float on why the Americans killed his sons Uday and Qusay in a firefight instead of arresting them and bringing them to justice. All are convinced that Nawaf Alzaidan, the owner of the house in Mosul in which the brothers were killed, was the one who tipped the Americans and bagged the $30 million reward (not yet: the State Department has not paid him in full, citing "security problems"). The family of Salah Alzaidan, Nawaf's brother, was killed by Iraqis in revenge. But Nawaf and his family escaped and are now in the United States. The resistance will get much stronger - and this has nothing to do with Saddam's flurry of cassettes. There seems to be an overall consensus in Baghdad that most Sunnis are on "wait and see" mode for two more months before they switch overwhelmingly to guerrilla struggle. And the Shi'ites will also be waiting for another two months. This seems to be the final window of opportunity for the CPA and the Governing Council to alleviate the daily hell faced by the Iraqi population. (SNIP) As much as the occupiers remain in their Baghdad bunkers, impervious to the ghastly real life around them and with no idea whatsoever as to how they are perceived by average Iraqis, the irreversible US failure still has to be fully understood by the West. Another graduate of Baghdad University goes straight to the point: "The Americans now want help from the UN. And they want an Iraqi army working for them. Even if they managed to have both, this is just talk. They want our oil and they want to stay here forever." Meanwhile, "Saddam is in Baghdad." "Elvis" has not left the building, and in each passing day the distress of the unemployed, the doomed and the damned grows, and for many of them it's much worse than under Saddam.
TURKEY TO SUPPLY IRAQ WITH ENERGY AND WATER ANKARA - A delegation consisting of officials from the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources is expected to leave for Iraq to make observations and contacts in the region. In a meeting held by the ministry, the rebuilding of Iraq issue was on the table. Attended by many companies in the energy field, the gathering was arranged to deal with the issue of possible support to Iraq in this subject. Accordingly, it was agreed that the units of the ministry could supply Iraq with electricity, water, diesel oil and thus the related departments were to take up feasibility research. A delegation formed by related units' officials will leave for Iraq and begin negotiations with the authorities. On the other hand, a private sector mobile plant in Silopi has started to sell electricity to Iraq. Being 75 mega-watts (MW) at the moment, the amount may increase to a possible 200MW. The transfer is carried out by the Electricity Transmission Company, a sub-unit of the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources. The meeting also decided the idle mobile plants in Turkey should be rearranged in a way that could meet the Iraqi demand in energy. On the inefficient condition of the Iraqi electric network, two Turkish companies have been assigned with rehabilitation of power lines. As far as the water is concerned, the meeting decided to supply Iraq with water by means of trains and tankers. While the refinement facility in Sanliurfa will do so, Public Water Affairs (DSI) is to help Iraq improve her irrigation. Assisting Iraq in restarting oil drilling, the Turkish Petroleum Incorporated Company is reported to be taking up trading kerosene with fuel oil. (MORE)
IRAN OIL FIELD DEAL AT RISK The Iranian government is planning to invite several major international oil companies to bid to develop the Azadegan oil field in Iran, a project a consortium of Japanese companies has been negotiating since 2000, sources said Thursday. Tehran has already invited bids from at least three oil companies in Europe and China and unofficially notified Tokyo that it will not be invited to take part in the bidding, according to the sources. A consortium of Japanese companies acquired preferential negotiating rights in 2000 to put together a project to develop the Azadegan oil field, one of the world's largest oil reserves, and have been negotiating with Iran over a detailed development program and financial terms in an effort to conclude a formal contract. However, the United States has asked Japan to delay the contract because of concern that Iran is developing nuclear weapons. Tehran intends to continue separate talks on the project with Tokyo, but to exclude Japanese companies from the bidding, according to the sources. Observers pointed out that the entry of major foreign oil companies into the bidding was likely to make it very difficult for Japan to secure what was potentially the largest supply of oil the nation has ever had access to. The sources said that the three major oil companies already intending to bid on the project are France-based Total, China's Sinopec Corp. and Royal Dutch/Shell based in Britain and the Netherlands. It is possible that other major European oil companies may join the bidding after researching the profitability of the project. The bidding is likely to be carried out several months from now. The United States is urging other countries, including Japan, to delay any deal that would be economically beneficial for Iran. However, the oil companies are expected to go ahead with the negotiations despite such requests. If Japan manages to reach agreement on a contract with Iran before the contractor is chosen by tender, it will increase the likelihood that Japan will be able to secure some role in developing the oil field. However, the Japanese government would be forced to make a difficult decision between the U.S. pressure to halt the negotiation and its own aim to secure a steady supply of oil for the nation. (MORE)
OPINION: DUNDERHEADED DICTATORSHIP OF ELECTION LAWS The meaning of what President Vladimir Putin called a "dictatorship of the law" in spring 2000 became clearer to me after a conversation on election issues with the St. Petersburg police this week. A police official warned me -- off the record, of course -- that our newspaper might be stripped of its license if we are not sufficiently careful in following new election laws. Specifically, I was told that we are obliged to ask gubernatorial candidates for permission to use their names whenever we write articles about them. I had always thought there was at least some limit to the stupidity of the authorities, but at moments like this I am on the verge of giving up hope. (SNIP) Only a few newspapers in St. Petersburg in the last two months have been affected in some way by these regulations, including the daily Smena and weekly Delo. Both got warnings, but were not suspended. The most ridiculous example of the police attempting to enforce a dictatorship of the election law here took place at the end of August when more than 200,000 copies of Delo Chesti, the campaign newspaper of gubernatorial candidate Anna Markova, were confiscated by the police because it contained a small picture of Admiral Mikhail Motsak, the deputy presidential envoy. The reason given was that the editors had not asked Motsak for permission to use his picture in an article about his activities in support of Valentina Matviyenko. I don't know which law Motsak was referring to, but if it really exists, Putin could legally demand the closure of all media outlets in the country at once. However, he prefers to focus his energies on shutting down national television channels, as has been demonstrated with the closure of TV6 and TVS. I would be happy if the police were strict about everyone adhering to national and local legislation, but it seems that law enforcement officials are mainly concerned about catering to the needs of certain people close to the president who are interested in dictatorship -- but not of the law, which is no more than a toy in their hands.
REFORM IN ITALY: CAN IT BE DONE? Italy's right-of-centre government fizzles with initiatives, but the prime minister's awkward dual role of politician and businessman makes it hard to enact them THE prime minister is his country's most successful company chairman and his ministers often sound like departmental heads, anxious to make sure the boss knows they are not sitting on their hands. Open any Italian newspaper or magazine these days and you are likely to find a Berlusconi minister talking about schemes for reform-the justice minister enthusing over leasing prisons, or the education minister explaining a plan for tax breaks for parents who send their children to private schools. This week, the cabinet issued a blueprint for constitutional reform. To the opposition's consternation, it would enhance the prime minister's powers and trim the president's. But it also envisages a range of less controversial measures: a neater parliament of 612 members rather than the present 945, in which the two chambers would play different and apparently more complementary roles; more power to the regions, which would have more control over health, schools and local policing; and a special status for Rome. The beginnings, then, of a real neo-liberal revolution in Italy? The next two-and-a-half years-the second half of Mr Berlusconi's term of government-will tell. Having fended off the possibility of a jail sentence, by getting parliament to pass a law granting him immunity from prosecution while in office, Mr Berlusconi can now concentrate his energy on reforming Italy. But, however sincere his intention, he still labours under two handicaps. One is his coalition allies' different outlooks. The other is the enduring conflict of interest arising from his various roles, especially in the field of the media, which he dominates comprehensively. Of Italy's seven national television channels, his government can influence the three that fall within the embrace of RAI, the state broadcaster, while Mr Berlusconi's firm, Mediaset, owns the three main non-state channels. So it is not surprising that the opposition, and quite a few MPs on his own side, balk at his government's main initiative in that area. A bill promoted by his communications minister, Maurizio Gasparri, would open the way to privatise RAI and bring in digital terrestrial television. Mr Gasparri insists his bill is a purely liberal reform to give viewers a wider choice. If it were not for Mr Berlusconi's position as Italy's biggest media magnate by far, the opposition would probably have taken him at his word while merely harrying him over the details. Instead, it sees his bill as a plot to grab the airwaves for Mediaset and its allies. So the opposition is doing everything in its power to dish it. Or take justice. Many Italians with no axe to grind have long felt that Italy's legal structure needs reform. Prosecutors and judges belong to one career structure, defence lawyers to another-a system that hardly bolsters a presumption of innocence. But as soon as Mr Berlusconi or one of his team moots the separation of judges and prosecutors, there is an outcry because of the suspicion that he is trying to nobble two professions that have repeatedly given him grief. So reform is blocked. Or take pensions, widely regarded as the litmus test of Mr Berlusconi's will to change Italy. One of the keys to relieving the state of its current vast burden (state pensions gobble up 15% of GDP) is the phasing in of private schemes. Yet, there again, Mr Berlusconi cannot preach reform without appearing to sponsor his own interests: his vast business empire includes Mediolanum, a large insurance group that provides private pensions. (MORE) | |||||
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