December 15, 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.

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WORLD MEDIA WATCH FOR DECEMBER 15, 2004


1/Gulf News Online, United Arab Emirates--AMERICA SHOULD NOT BE JUDGED BY CURRENT ACTIONS, SAYS ALBRIGHT (A former US diplomat has told the Arab world not to judge America by the current US regime's actions. Madeleine Albright, secretary of state during Bill Clinton's second term in office, said that many Americans are concerned about President George W. Bush's foreign policy. Speaking during a panel discussion at the Arab Strategy Forum, Dr. Albright said she is worried that US military action in Iraq had alienated the Arab world. "Not everyone in the United States approves of this administration's foreign policy," she said… "In the year 2020, I think the United States will still be the most powerful country, but we should not get involved with imperialism," she said.)

2/The News International, Pakistan--IRAN OPEN TO US INVOLVEMENT IN NUCLEAR TALKS: KHARRAZI (Iran would not object to Washington joining negotiations with the European Union over its nuclear programme provided the United States treated Tehran with respect, Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi said on Tuesday. Britain, France and Germany began talks in Brussels on Monday with Iran aimed at brokering a long-term agreement over Tehran’s nuclear activities, which Washington says are geared to building atomic arms. Iran says its nuclear facilities will only be used to generate electricity. Washington has so far given only lukewarm backing to the Iran-EU talks, with several officials hinting they expect the negotiations to fail to halt Iran’s atomic ambitions. This approach prompted seven former foreign ministers, led by ex-US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, to argue in a newspaper article on Monday that Washington must throw its weight behind the talks if they are to succeed.)

3/Kyodo News, Japan--U.S. SEES NEED TO CAREFULLY PLAN SANCTIONS ON N. KOREA (The United States believes that imposition of sanctions on North Korea should be carefully planned to maximize their effect, but it is up to Japan to decide on whether to impose sanctions, the U.S. State Department said Tuesday. ''We do not take a position on whether or not Japan should impose sanctions on North Korea,'' department spokesman Richard Boucher told reporters, underlining comments made by Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage… The United States, which has repeatedly expressed its support for Japan's efforts to settle the abduction issue, is apparently concerned that unilateral imposition of sanctions by Japan could harden North Korea's stance on an early resumption of the stalled six-nation talks on its nuclear programs.)

4/Xinhuanet.com, China--Japan and the United States will sign an exchange of notes that covers issues regarding bilateral technological cooperation on the missile defense system, Japanese Defense Agency Director General Yoshinori Ono said Tuesday… Last Friday, Japan announced a relaxation of its arms exports control policy to enable sales of missile defense components to the United States when joint research proceeds to the development and production stages… Japan plans to deploy the missile defense system in fiscal 2007.)

5/The Toronto Star, Canada--NO FEDERAL INCOME TAX CUTS, GOODALE TOLD (An influential Commons committee will advise Finance Minister Ralph Goodale to reject personal income tax cuts in his upcoming budget despite the federal government's substantial surplus, sources told The Canadian Press… Goodale is being urged by the all-party committee to trim some corporate taxes to try to encourage more business investment and boost productivity but not spend too much. The federal government is expected to run a budget surplus of $8.9 billion. But with an eye cast on a slowing economy and uncertain global growth, the committee suggests the minister avoid expensive tax cuts in favour of a full study designed to find ways of ensuring any future income-tax cuts focus exclusively on the most low- and moderate-income earners. Goodale has refused to rule out tax cuts for individuals and businesses, but he has signalled that social spending remain the priorities of the Liberal government.)

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1/Gulf News Online, United Arab Emirates 14/12/2004, 07:01
http://www.gulf-news.com/Articles/ArabForumNF...

AMERICA SHOULD NOT BE JUDGED BY CURRENT ACTIONS, SAYS ALBRIGHT By Daniel Bardsley, Staff Reporter

Dubai: A former US diplomat has told the Arab world not to judge America by the current US regime's actions.

Madeleine Albright, secretary of state during Bill Clinton's second term in office, said that many Americans are concerned about President George W. Bush's foreign policy.

Speaking during a panel discussion at the Arab Strategy Forum, Dr. Albright said she is worried that US military action in Iraq had alienated the Arab world.

"Not everyone in the United States approves of this administration's foreign policy," she said.

"I am most disturbed by the image the United States created by the war in Iraq. In the United States there is actually a great deal of respect for a variety of voices within the Arab world."

She went on to say that there was no fundamental reason why the United States should be in conflict with the Arab world.

"We must not allow ourselves to think in terms of a clash of civilisations. We should support various reformers who want to get the best out of globalisation while keeping their identity," she said.

Dr. Albright, one of the most powerful women to serve in the US government, added there was no inherent incompatibility between Islam and democracy.

"I do think democracy should be advocated throughout the world. It's a universal concept," she said.

"However, it must come from within those areas and it cannot be imposed by western powers. We must not repeat the problems of the past century.

"The United States should support evolution towards democracy. We should support each development here.

"In the year 2020, I think the United States will still be the most powerful country, but we should not get involved with imperialism," she said.

(MORE)


2/The News International, Pakistan Wednesday December 15, 2004-- Ziq'a Qad 02, 1425 A.H.
http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/dec2004-daily/...

IRAN OPEN TO US INVOLVEMENT IN NUCLEAR TALKS: KHARRAZI

TEHRAN: Iran would not object to Washington joining negotiations with the European Union over its nuclear programme provided the United States treated Tehran with respect, Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi said on Tuesday.

Britain, France and Germany began talks in Brussels on Monday with Iran aimed at brokering a long-term agreement over Tehran’s nuclear activities, which Washington says are geared to building atomic arms. Iran says its nuclear facilities will only be used to generate electricity.

Washington has so far given only lukewarm backing to the Iran-EU talks, with several officials hinting they expect the negotiations to fail to halt Iran’s atomic ambitions. This approach prompted seven former foreign ministers, led by ex-US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, to argue in a newspaper article on Monday that Washington must throw its weight behind the talks if they are to succeed.

Asked about the proposal, Kharrazi said: "There is no reason not to negotiate with others if they observe mutual respect and equality, like we are doing with Europe." "Our condition for negotiating with America is that they negotiate with us based on principles of mutual respect and equality and not to impose their viewpoints," he told a joint news conference with visiting South African Foreign Minister Dlamini Zuma.

Unified approach: In their Washington Post article, the former ministers said: "While it is unclear whether this deal will ultimately halt Iran’s nuclear ambitions, only a unified approach will enable Europe and the United States to find out." "Washington should put its full support behind this diplomatic effort and consider launching commercial and diplomatic engagement with Iran," said the authors, who included Britain’s Robin Cook and France’s Hubert Vedrine.

Washington broke ties with Iran in 1980 and in 2002 dubbed it an "axis of evil" member with North Korea and pre-war Iraq. Washington’s sway over the nuclear negotiations was illustrated on Monday when it again blocked Iran’s attempts to join the World Trade Organisation.

The EU had agreed to support Iran’s WTO membership as part of a deal thrashed out in November under which Tehran has frozen all nuclear activities that could be used to make bomb fuel. Kharrazi said the EU’s ability to remove US resistance to Iran’s WTO membership was a test for the fledgling nuclear deal.

(MORE)


3/Kyodo News, Japan Dec 15, 2004 updated 11:25
http://home.kyodo.co.jp/all/display.jsp?an=20041215051

U.S. SEES NEED TO CAREFULLY PLAN SANCTIONS ON N. KOREA

WASHINGTON, Dec. 14, Kyodo - The United States believes that imposition of sanctions on North Korea should be carefully planned to maximize their effect, but it is up to Japan to decide on whether to impose sanctions, the U.S. State Department said Tuesday.

''We do not take a position on whether or not Japan should impose sanctions on North Korea,'' department spokesman Richard Boucher told reporters, underlining comments made by Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage.

But as Armitage has said that as a ''general observation,'' sanctions ''can be a powerful tool, especially the threat of sanctions, and that any imposition should be carefully planned and deliberately implemented so as to maximize ef0fectiveness and produce desired results,'' Boucher said.

''He didn't recommend one way or the other whether Japan should take that step,'' Boucher said, referring to Armitage's meeting Monday with Yuriko Koike, Japan's environment minister, who is also in charge of Okinawa and Northern Territory affairs.

After her talks in Washington with Armitage and Michael Green, senior director for Asia on the White House National Security Council, Koike said they ''advised that there is room to consider what is best regarding the timing and method'' for implementing sanctions, because North Korea may use the issue as a tool to ''outmaneuver'' on various issues.

The United States, which has repeatedly expressed its support for Japan's efforts to settle the abduction issue, is apparently concerned that unilateral imposition of sanctions by Japan could harden North Korea's stance on an early resumption of the stalled six-nation talks on its nuclear programs.

In Japan, calls for economic sanctions have mounted after the government found earlier this month that ashes returned by North Korea as being those of abducted Japanese national Megumi Yokota were not hers.

A spokesman for the North Korean Foreign Ministry issued a statement Tuesday blasting Japan for claiming the ashes were not those of Yokota and suggesting that North Korea would reject Japan's participation in the six-party talks.

It was the first time for North Korea to comment on the Japanese analysis of the ashes brought to Japan in November.

(MORE)


4/Xinhuanet.com, China 2004-12-14 17:11:08
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2004-12/14...

JAPAN, US TO COOPERATE IN MISSILE DEFENSE

TOKYO, Dec. 14 (Xinhuanet) -- Japan and the United States will sign an exchange of notes that covers issues regarding bilateral technological cooperation on the missile defense system, Japanese Defense Agency Director General Yoshinori Ono said Tuesday.

"Preparations are underway to conclude an exchange of notes on Japan-US cooperation on ballistic missile defense and it will be signed through the Foreign Ministry," Ono told reporters at a news conference.

After the exchange of notes is signed, Ono is expected to conclude, as early as within the week, a memorandum of understanding with US Ambassador to Japan Howard Baker that would stipulate details on the cooperation.

(SNIP)

Last Friday, Japan announced a relaxation of its arms exports control policy to enable sales of missile defense components to the United States when joint research proceeds to the development and production stages.

Japan decided in 1998 to engage in joint research with the United States on missile defense after North Korea fired a ballistic missile over Japan that year. The Cabinet decided in December last year to introduce a missile defense system.

Japan plans to deploy the missile defense system in fiscal 2007.


5/The Toronto Star, Canada Dec. 14, 2004. 06:51 PM
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer...

NO FEDERAL INCOME TAX CUTS, GOODALE TOLD Canadian Press

OTTAWA — An influential Commons committee will advise Finance Minister Ralph Goodale to reject personal income tax cuts in his upcoming budget despite the federal government's substantial surplus, sources told The Canadian Press.

In a report to be made public next week, the Commons finance committee calls on Goodale to look for ways to ease the tax burden on the most modest-income earners in future budgets.

Goodale is being urged by the all-party committee to trim some corporate taxes to try to encourage more business investment and boost productivity but not spend too much. The federal government is expected to run a budget surplus of $8.9 billion.

But with an eye cast on a slowing economy and uncertain global growth, the committee suggests the minister avoid expensive tax cuts in favour of a full study designed to find ways of ensuring any future income-tax cuts focus exclusively on the most low- and moderate-income earners.

Goodale has refused to rule out tax cuts for individuals and businesses, but he has signalled that social spending remain the priorities of the Liberal government.

Even small cuts to the federal income tax costs the treasury billions of dollars because they are permanent and usually affect every taxpayer, said a federal source.

Tax cuts weren't high on the agenda of the hundreds of individuals and groups that set out their wish lists during the Finance committee's fall pre-budget hearings, sources said.

"There were not too many people asking for tax cuts," said one source, who asked for anonymity. In recent years, public opinion polling conducted for the federal Finance department has found tax cuts are generally ranked below social spending priorities such as health and education.

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