 |
|||||
| September 29, 2003 |
|||||
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//The Independent, UK--US RELATIONSHIP CHALLENGED BY GORDON BROWN (Gordon Brown will contrast "British values" with those of America today in a conference speech bound to delight Labour critics of Tony Blair's closeness to President George Bush...it will be his emphasis on a "British" approach to policy that will appear to map out a possible post-Blair alternative for delegates furious with the Prime Minister's perceived cosiness with Mr Bush. The Chancellor will in particular amend one of Mr Blair's favourite phrases about transatlantic relations, stating that Britain should be "more than a bridge between Europe and America". It should instead act as a "beacon" for other countries.) 2//The Moscow Times, Russia-OPINION: PUTIN'S SINISTER AFGHAN ANECDOTE (Then, in the summit's most revealing and least-noted moment, Putin shared an example of why it's good to be friends: "I have never said this in public [before]," Putin said. "When [the U.S.-led] counterterrorist operation began in Afghanistan, we were approached by people, through several channels, we were approached by people who intended to fight against Americans in Afghanistan. And if by that time President Bush and I had not formed an appropriate relationship, as we have, so no one knows what turn the developments in Afghanistan would have taken."... Whatever this was, it was not a good thing. Nor is it good that the Russian president would trot out such an ominous anecdote. It almost works as a mafia-style threat: Deal with me -- some of my partners are real gorillas, and I can only hold them back so long.) 3//The Turkish Daily News, Turkey--MILITARY OUTLINES POSSIBLE
LOCATION FOR IRAQ TROOPS (The proposed location for troops
starts 150 kilometers south of the Turkish-Iraqi border and
passes through the critical Altinkopru point, located between
Erbil and Kirkuk and currently controlled by the Iraqi Kurdistan
Democratic Party (KDP), CNN Turk television said... According
to media reports, one major source of disagreement encountered
in talks with U.S. officials is a Turkish demand for military
posts across northern Iraq. Turkey says these posts would
ensure the safety of troops as they are transported to their
duty areas and would be critically important for the logistical
supply of troops. But the United States, heeding objections
from Kurdish groups, is cautious about Turkish demands for
posts in northern Iraq, reports said.) * * * 1//The
Independent 29 September 2003 US RELATIONSHIP CHALLENGED BY GORDON BROWN Gordon Brown will contrast "British values" with those of America today in a conference speech bound to delight Labour critics of Tony Blair's closeness to President George Bush. With many delegates opposed to the war on Iraq, the Chancellor will emphasise repeatedly that he favours a uniquely British approach that combines the best of the US and Europe on domestic and international policy. While stressing the need for economic discipline, he will play to his strengths in the party by underlining his commitment to ending child and pensioner poverty and tackling the "privileged elite" who run business in the UK. However, it will be his emphasis on a "British" approach to policy that will appear to map out a possible post-Blair alternative for delegates furious with the Prime Minister's perceived cosiness with Mr Bush. The Chancellor will in particular amend one of Mr Blair's favourite phrases about transatlantic relations, stating that Britain should be "more than a bridge between Europe and America". It should instead act as a "beacon" for other countries. (SNIP) "And so, by standing up for British values and with our outward-looking internationalism, Britain can be more than a bridge between Europe and America. Our British values should make us a beacon for Europe, America and the rest of the world, building a pro-Atlantic, pro-European consensus." Although Mr Brown has been assiduous in pointing out his support for Mr Blair during the war on Iraq, many delegates will be boosted by any criticism of US failures. (MORE)
OPINION: MOSCOW ON THE POTOMAC WASHINGTON -- A reporter this weekend asked why nothing exciting comes from these boring U.S.-Russian summits. "Where do some questions come from?" objected Vladimir Putin. "People expect from us constantly some kind of revolutions." Instead, Putin said, just be happy Russia and America are friends. Then, in the summit's most revealing and least-noted moment, Putin shared an example of why it's good to be friends: "I have never said this in public [before]," Putin said. "When [the U.S.-led] counterterrorist operation began in Afghanistan, we were approached by people, through several channels, we were approached by people who intended to fight against Americans in Afghanistan. And if by that time President Bush and I had not formed an appropriate relationship, as we have, so no one knows what turn the developments in Afghanistan would have taken." Wow. So, when U.S. forces moved into Afghanistan, Putin says "we" were "approached" by "people" eager to start killing Americans. Who are these "people"? Did these would-be American-killers "approach" Putin for his permission, his blessing? Or was their "approach" an invitation to Putin to join them? The account is menacingly vague, so let's brainstorm a bit. (SNIP) Whatever this was, it was not a good thing. Nor is it good that the Russian president would trot out such an ominous anecdote. It almost works as a mafia-style threat: Deal with me -- some of my partners are real gorillas, and I can only hold them back so long. (SNIP) Consider again the threat lurking in Putin's story. So, what happens if some day, when it matters, Putin's not around anymore and his gorilla-partners take over? As long as we're all pals now, wouldn't this be the moment to junk about 29,000 nukes? (Dear reader: Please return now to the second paragraph, which begins "Where do some questions come from?", and continue reading.)
MILITARY OUTLINES POSSIBLE LOCATION FOR IRAQ TROOPS ANKARA - The Turkish General Staff has proposed an area stretching from northern Iraq to the north of Baghdad as a possible location for Turkish peacekeeping troops, news reports said Friday. Turkey is considering a U.S. request to send up to 10,000 troops to neighboring Iraq to aid a U.S.-led stabilization force. Turkey, if it agrees to send troops, is expected to create a separate sector headed by a Turkish commander. Other countries would contribute to this northern sector as well. The proposed location for troops starts 150 kilometers south of the Turkish-Iraqi border and passes through the critical Altinkopru point, located between Erbil and Kirkuk and currently controlled by the Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), CNN Turk television said. Iraqi Kurdish groups, which are running northern Iraq, have spoken against Turkish troops in Iraq. They say Turkey, like other neighbors of Iraq, has too much vested in the country. (SNIP) According to media reports, one major source of disagreement encountered in talks with U.S. officials is a Turkish demand for military posts across northern Iraq. Turkey says these posts would ensure the safety of troops as they are transported to their duty areas and would be critically important for the logistical supply of troops. But the United States, heeding objections from Kurdish groups, is cautious about Turkish demands for posts in northern Iraq, reports said. The proposed duty area excludes problematic cities populated by Kurds, such as Mosul, Erbil and Kirkuk but does include Altinkopru. Turkish military planners are convinced that this point is key to supplying Turkish troops with needed equipment. Having passed through Altinkopru, the proposed duty area for Turkish troops continues down to the north of Baghdad, without including Sulaymaniya and ends near the Syrian-Jordan border region, which is mostly a desert area. The proposed duty area includes Tikrit, hometown of toppled Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein and one of the strongholds of pro-Ba'thist forces. The area proposed by Turkey covers mostly those cities and towns with a significant Turkmen population. (MORE)
PAK
READY TO PUSH 1,600 TERRORISTS INTO J&K Most of the terrorism support set up, including 12 special operational intelligence units (SOUI), 13 launching pads and 25 arms training camps, have been revived in Pakistan occupied-Kashmir and Pakistan in the last three months, the sources said. Around 1,560 to 1615 trained terrorists, including 20 suicide squads, are set to cross over into the country from these bases, the sources said citing intelligence reports. Revival of these bases is of concern to the security establishments here as SOUIs and launch pads, closed after September 11 attack in US, are the main support system to highly trained terrorists for infiltration, sabotage activities and identification of specific targets, they said. The sources said "these ISI bases were responsible for attacks on over 40 border outposts and forward defence locations along the LOC and IB with the help of armed terrorists before the September 11 terror strikes in the US". According to intelligence reports, of the 1,600 terrorists set to be pushed into India, 1,110 to 1,140 were in 21 camps and launching pads along the LoC and 450 to 475 in four bases along the IB. (SNIP) The report has been brought to the notice of the United States as proof about Pakistan's direct involvement in terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and its efforts to revive terrorist support set up closed after September 11 attacks.
THREE OF A KIND: INDIA, CHINA AND RUSSIA NEW DELHI - As the foreign ministers of India, China and Russia meet this week in New York as part of a trilateral process that began two years ago, diplomatic observers and analysts are busy appraising the strategic implications of their growing affinity. Some see it as leading to the establishment of a "strategic triangle" to save the world, particularly Asia, from the uncertainties of a unipolar world that resulted from the collapse of Soviet Union. Others dismiss it as routine and inconsequential, pointing to the primary foreign-policy goal of all three to get in the good books of the sole superpower and to resolve their bilateral problems. All observers, however, agree on one point. The foreign-policy compulsions that brought the three together in the first place two years ago have only grown stronger since the US-led coalition invaded and then occupied Iraq. The United States went to war claiming that its security was in grave and immediate peril from Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and his terrorist links. But no WMD have been found in Iraq, and no link between Saddam's regime and international terrorism has been discovered. This has nearly silenced those in India and Russia, and perhaps behind closed doors in China, who continued to claim despite overwhelming evidence that the US had no imperialist ambitions and was only trying to rid the world of terrorism and WMD. Officials in all three capitals, New Delhi, Beijing and Moscow, keep stressing that their growing strategic closeness is not directed against any third country, meaning the United States. Indeed, all three are separately engaged in improving their bilateral relations with that country; economic compulsions and demands of globalization force them to do so. But the historical and contemporaneous context in which this axis is being forged slowly and cautiously makes it difficult to hide the fact that, like the rest of the world, they, too, are scared of US unilateralism and the so-called doctrine of preemption (SNIP) Nothing much is given out to the media after foreign ministers' annual trilateral meetings. But one Chinese scholar has identified India's positive factors in favor of trilateral cooperation. This gives an indication about the subjects that come up in these discussions. One, the three powers are faced with a similar security environment and tasks and have similar or close positions on many international issues. All of them advocate a multipolar world and the establishment of a just and fair new international order. Indeed, this is the cornerstone of the emerging strategic alliance, though some scholars are wary of describing it as "strategic" and say that one should be more careful in using such expressions. It is noteworthy, however, that all three countries label their mutual bilateral relations as strategic. Two, all three countries need to develop their economies and revitalize themselves. To their good fortune, their economies are complementary. Three, Russia has a special position among the three - it is a traditional ally and partner of India and also has close ties with China. Its special role could help facilitate development of trilateral cooperation. Four, this cooperation, though just started, has already gained strong momentum, largely because of the deteriorating world security environment since the US invasion and occupation of Iraq that has exposed the fault lines in the unipolar world system much sooner than would have otherwise happened. Along with the foreign ministers' annual trilateral meeting, another practice that began about the same time in 2001 and has now become institutionalized is a consultative meeting of pro-government or semi-official scholars from the three countries, providing vital ideas and feedback to the governments leading to the setting up of agendas for future talks and providing direction to the respective governments. Academics involved in this practice are from the China Institute of International Studies, the RAS Institute of Far Eastern Studies, Moscow, and the Institute of Chinese Studies, New Delhi. (MORE) | |||||
|
©2003, Gloria R. Lalumia, insight@zianet.com Radio for the Left at http://www.zianet.com/insightanalytical/radio.htm BACK TO TOP |
|||||
 |
||||
| DAILY BUZZ | ||||
| INTERVIEWS | ||||
| ANALYSIS | ||||
| MEDIA LINKS | ||||
|
Unless
otherwise noted, all original |
 |
|||
