December 13, 2004

World Media Watch

by Gloria R. Lalumia

BuzzFlash Note: WMW provides BuzzFlash readers foreign views and perspectives that are not usually available from the media here in the U.S. The presentation of these articles from these international publications is not an endorsement of their viewpoints.

* * *

WORLD MEDIA WATCH FOR DECEMBER 13, 2004


1//The Independent, UK--DUNCAN SMITH LOOKS TO BUSH FOR TORY WIN (Iain Duncan Smith, the former Tory leader, says the Conservatives could win the next election with a Bush-style campaign based on a return to simple family values. In a pamphlet published today Mr Duncan Smith echoes the "back to basics" call which caused controversy under John Major. He says there is a conservative majority in Britain which shares his party's values on marriage and the family, taxation, and social issues… The Tories would be "unwise" to ignore "values voters," including churchgoers. In the US this group played a big part in the Republican victory, warns Mr Duncan Smith, who - unlike Michael Howard - has been a welcome visitor to the Bush White House this year.)

2//The Khaleej Times, United Arab Emirates--ARAB STRATEGY FORUM SET TO PROVIDE GLIMPSE INTO FUTURE (A number of thinkers, decision and policy-makers will meet in Dubai tomorrow to map out a blueprint of the 'Arab World in 2020' and to draw attention to the need for the Arab world to arm itself for future, as part of the Arab Strategy Forum 2004. The participants at the three-day event will suggest measures to achieve sustainable growth that would be well integrated into the global economic, social and political fabric. General Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and UAE Defence Minister, will, in his opening address, call upon the region to wake up from its complacency and face the challenges that world events have imposed on the Arab world. Former US president Bill Clinton will be the keynote speaker at the forum.)

3//The Chosun Ilbo, South Korea--JAPANESE POLITICIANS TALK OF 'LIBERATING' N.K. (A high-ranking figure in Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has drawn attention for saying Japan's future relations with North Korea should be determined with the oppressed state's "liberation" in mind, as the political circle remains enraged at Pyongyang's decision to return false remains of Japanese abductees. Takebe Tsutomu, secretary general of Japan's ruling party and the man perceived to be second-in-command, appeared on Nippon TV on Saturday asserting that, "Our goals are to resolve the kidnapping, nuclear and missile issues. To put it boldly, we must think about how to confront these issues while keeping the prospect of liberating North Korea in mind.")

4//The News International, Pakistan--MMA VOWS TO CONTINUE ANTI-UNIFORM DRIVE (Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal leaders vowed on Sunday to continue their ongoing campaign till removal of dictatorship, restoration of real democracy and supremacy of the constitution and parliament. "If President Gen Pervez Musharraf does not shed his military uniform, he will not be accepted as president, and face a forceful movement, whose programme will be unveiled at the Rawalpindi public meeting on Dec 19," said the MMA leaders along with ARD leadership while addressing a charged and slogan chanting crowd of over 20,000 people at the third public meeting of anti-uniform mass contact campaign at Minar-e-Pakistan, Lahore…MMA Vice-President Allama Sajid Naqvi said a weird dictatorship had taken roots in the country in which the word of the dictators were the law and every other law stood violated. He said the reason Musharraf wanted to keep uniform was that the US agenda would not have been implemented otherwise.)

5//The Globe and Mail, Canada--MARTIN COOL TO IDEA OF NATIONAL REFERENDUM ON GAY MARRIAGE (Prime Minister Paul Martin was cool Sunday to the idea of a national referendum on gay marriage and said handling the controversial issue should be left to Parliament. "I think that this is an issue that Parliamentarians ought to decide," Mr. Martin said before addressing a brunch in his Montreal-area riding. "The courts have now given their direction. I think it's one for Parliament and I think that Parliament ought to accept their responsibility.")

* * *

1//The Independent, UK 13 December 2004
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/story.jsp?story=592544

DUNCAN SMITH LOOKS TO BUSH FOR TORY WIN
By Colin Brown, Deputy Political Editor

Iain Duncan Smith, the former Tory leader, says the Conservatives could win the next election with a Bush-style campaign based on a return to simple family values.

In a pamphlet published today Mr Duncan Smith echoes the "back to basics" call which caused controversy under John Major. He says there is a conservative majority in Britain which shares his party's values on marriage and the family, taxation, and social issues.
The Tories would be "unwise" to ignore "values voters", including churchgoers. In the US this group played a big part in the Republican victory, warns Mr Duncan Smith, who - unlike Michael Howard - has been a welcome visitor to the Bush White House this year.

(SNIP)

There is growing anger among Tory MPs -- raised at a recent meeting of the backbench 1922 Committee -- at the reluctance of Mr Howard and Oliver Letwin, the shadow Chancellor, to commit the Tories to tax cuts well before the election is called. A source close to the former Tory leader said: "This is not in any way an attack on Michael Howard or an attempt to get him on to a new agenda or criticise what he is doing. This is about getting beyond the metropolitan elite to the conservative majority."

Mr Duncan Smith's call to focus on traditional conservative values may dismay Tory modernisers, who fear Mr Howard will be tempted to "lurch to the right" to lift his party out of the doldrums.


2//The Khaleej Times, United Arab Emirates 12 December 2004
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/displayArticle.asp?col=&section...

ARAB STRATEGY FORUM SET TO PROVIDE GLIMPSE INTO FUTURE
By a staff reporter

DUBAI — A number of thinkers, decision and policy-makers will meet in Dubai tomorrow to map out a blueprint of the 'Arab World in 2020' and to draw attention to the need for the Arab world to arm itself for future, as part of the Arab Strategy Forum 2004.

The participants at the three-day event will suggest measures to achieve sustainable growth that would be well integrated into the global economic, social and political fabric.

General Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and UAE Defence Minister, will, in his opening address, call upon the region to wake up from its complacency and face the challenges that world events have imposed on the Arab world.

Former US president Bill Clinton will be the keynote speaker at the forum.

"Former president Clinton, along with other heads of states, premiers, ministers, top policy-makers, global corporate heads, senior management of civil society organisations and global institutions, experts, academics and influential opinion-makers are getting together as a leading-edge think-tank to provide an insight of what they see the Arab world in a global context in the future," commented Mohammed Al Gergawi, Chairman of the Organising Committee of Arab Strategy Forum.

"We look forward to hearing what globally respected thinkers have to say about the future of our region. What we learn from them will help and assist us in developing a blueprint to lead us into a future of prosperity and wellbeing for all," added Al Gergawi.

The inaugural ceremony will be followed by the first session devoted to the theme of the Arab Strategy Forum. Prince Turki Al Faisal Al Saud, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the United Kingdom will be joined by Shaikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, in discussing the blueprint for the region.

Prince Turki and Shaikh Hamad will deal with complex questions on how the Arab world will fit into a new global fabric and how the region will be affected by the American tendency to establish bilateral strategic partnerships outside conventional blocs and centres of influence in the Arab world.

The second session of the first day will follow up on the theme’s political aspects. Matters of governance, transparency, democracy and political reform are to be brought up in an open and frank discussion. Also, the key issue of Iraq’s internal developments impacting on the Arab world will be discussed.

The third session will feature Dr Mohammed ElBaradei, Director-General of the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency, who will lead off discussions on the 'Security in the Arab World in 2020’'

Issues of how the global war on terrorism would impact on the region and its institutions and whether an integrated pan-Arab security model is feasible are some of the issues that will be the limelight.

(MORE)


3//The Chosun Ilbo, South Korea Updated Dec.12, 2004 18:58 KST
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/...

JAPANESE POLITICIANS TALK OF ‘LIBERATING' N.K.

TOKYO -- A high-ranking figure in Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has drawn attention for saying Japan's future relations with North Korea should be determined with the oppressed state's "liberation" in mind, as the political circle remains enraged at Pyongyang's decision to return false remains of Japanese abductees.

Takebe Tsutomu, secretary general of Japan's ruling party and the man perceived to be second-in-command, appeared on Nippon TV on Saturday asserting that, "Our goals are to resolve the kidnapping, nuclear and missile issues. To put it boldly, we must think about how to confront these issues while keeping the prospect of liberating North Korea in mind."

Commenting on the potential likelihood of moves to cut trade with Pyongyang, Takebe said, "We're not talking about a couple of months," suggesting that, in his view at least, sanctions could be slapped on North Korea within that period of time. He said that while Japan could enforce sanctions unilaterally, it would be preferable to "apply pressure in solidarity with China and the United States."

Ahead of this, former trade ministry Takeo Hiranuma said Thursday that in dealing with the North, Japan must not lose sight of the possibility of having to overthrow the Kim Jong-il regime, according to the Japanese press. Such hardline cries among Japanese government officials are rarely issued.

(MORE)


4//The News International, Pakistan Monday December 13, 2004--Shawal 30, 1425 A.H.
http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/dec2004-daily/13-12-2004/main/main1.htm

MMA VOWS TO CONTINUE ANTI-UNIFORM DRIVE
Qazi accuses Musharraf of imposing US agenda; Fazl says president failed to keep promises; ARD leaders invite MMA to launch joint movement

By our correspondent

LAHORE: Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal leaders vowed on Sunday to continue their ongoing campaign till removal of dictatorship, restoration of real democracy and supremacy of the constitution and parliament.

"If President Gen Pervez Musharraf does not shed his military uniform, he will not be accepted as president, and face a forceful movement, whose programme will be unveiled at the Rawalpindi public meeting on Dec 19," said the MMA leaders along with ARD leadership while addressing a charged and slogan chanting crowd of over 20,000 people at the third public meeting of anti-uniform mass contact campaign at Minar-e-Pakistan, Lahore.

They accused Pervez Musharraf of not only undermining Pakistan’s Islamic foundations on the behest of Washington but also working as its agent on global anti-Muslim agenda which was manifested in unjustified invasions on Afghanistan and Iraq.

(SNIP)

Opposition Leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman termed Musharraf a coward and compulsive liar who always failed to keep his promises and commitments made to the nation on media. He said Musharraf remained unable to maintain the honour of the military uniform by compulsively wearing that. He reminded Musharraf of his claims that he would never become like Gen Zia who lied to the nation and continued for 11 years.

(SNIP)

Fazal criticized the West for boasting of being moderate and civilised, asking what degree of civilisation and moderation would the US rate itself of the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki where millions of innocent civilians were eliminated in minutes, unjustified attacks on Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq and inhuman treatment of detainees at Shiberghan, Abu Gharib and Guantanamo prisons. He said it was only Islam, which commanded moderation by asking the believers to respect the rights of even the enemies.

He said the US called itself the champion of human rights and democracy, and democracy was the prime reason for attacking Iraq but the same democracy the US had been denying to Pakistan for the sake of its own interests. He said only because of the US backing Musharraf had declared that he preferred country over democracy.

He asked if making women naked, promoting vulgarity and adhering to sins was the kind of enlightenment, Musharraf and the US wanted to enforce in Pakistan and everywhere in the world.

MMA Vice-President Allama Sajid Naqvi said a weird dictatorship had taken roots in the country in which the word of the dictators were the law and every other law stood violated. He said the reason Musharraf wanted to keep uniform was that the US agenda would not have been implemented otherwise.

He condemned Musharraf for allegedly ridiculing the Islamic punishments and practices, saying it was a systematic attempt to change them with US agenda and continue terrorism in the places of worship to weaken Islam. He accused Musharraf of making the Muslims fight against one another in the name of schools of thought and sects to implement US conspiracy.

(MORE)


5//The Globe and Mail, Canada Sunday, Dec 12, 2004
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RT...

MARTIN COOL TO IDEA OF NATIONAL REFERENDUM ON GAY MARRIAGE
Canadian Press

Montreal -- Prime Minister Paul Martin was cool Sunday to the idea of a national referendum on gay marriage and said handling the controversial issue should be left to Parliament.

"I think that this is an issue that Parliamentarians ought to decide," Mr. Martin said before addressing a brunch in his Montreal-area riding. "The courts have now given their direction. I think it's one for Parliament and I think that Parliament ought to accept their responsibility."

Alberta Premier Ralph Klein has said he wants a national referendum on gay marriage but his proposal has already been dismissed by Justice Minister Irwin Cotler.

The Supreme Court of Canada said Thursday that Ottawa has sole authority to redefine marriage to include same-sex couples but that religious officials can't be forced to perform weddings against their beliefs.

Mr. Martin has promised the government will table legislation on gay marriage soon.

(MORE)