December 17, 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 17, 2004

1//Asia Times Online, Hong Kong--WHY THE GENERAL BEGS TO DIFFER (Islamabad and Washington have agreed to a plan under which Pakistan will hand over all necessary source material regarding its dealings with Iran's nuclear program, in exchange for which the US will not take action against the most sensitive people suspected of involvement in the underground network which facilitated the proliferation with Iran...Former chief of army staff General Aslam Beg, who held the position from 1988 to 1991, is frequently mentioned as being pivotal in the network, and in aiming to build an Iran-Afghanistan-Pakistan nexus to challenge US influence in the region...But whereas before the US might have been interested in tracking the nature of the Pakistan army's involvement in proliferation - with potentially explosive consequences for Washington's key ally in the "war on terror" - the focus has now been narrowed to find evidence that Iran is indeed pursuing a nuclear arms program. Islamabad is lending its weight to this initiative, and is prepared to ask Khan, who is under house arrest, some hard questions.)

2//The Daily Star, Lebanon--IRAQI FIRMS HOPEFUL FOR FUTURE: POLL (Eight of 10 Iraqis businesses say Iraq's economy will grow over the next two years, and almost half felt the business climate was better than under Saddam Hussein, according to a recent survey. "Security is the first concern, but people thrive in the midst of catastrophe everywhere," said John Zogby, whose organization conducted the poll on behalf of an affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Thousands of Iraqi civilians have died in a deadly insurgency since U.S.-led troops ousted Saddam in 2003. Firms doing business with foreigners and the new interim government have also been frequent targets. This was reflected in only 17 percent of Iraqi businessmen saying the coalition can provide the security necessary for business.)

3//The Khaleej Times, United Arab Emirates--US EASES SANCTIONS AGAINST CUBA, IRAN, SUDAN (The United States has quietly eased sanctions against three of its old nemeses -- Cuba, Iran and Sudan -- to facilitate literary, cultural and scientific exchanges that could help foster dissent there. A new rule, unveiled by the Treasury Department Wednesday, enables Americans to freely engage in most ordinary publishing activities with Cuban, Iranian and Sudanese individuals and groups.)

4//The Daily Yomiuri, Japan--TREATY TRUSTED MORE THAN U.S. (Even though many observers believe Japan-U.S. ties have reached their best level yet, the joint Yomiuri Shimbun-Gallup survey indicated a rapid decline in the Japanese public's confidence in the United States and that Americans are becoming more aware of their isolation in the international community. The survey showed that about half the Japanese population does not trust the United States and more than 60 percent of U.S. citizens feel the United States is not well liked overseas... Concerning the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty in the Asia-Pacific region, 64 percent of the respondents in Japan and 75 percent in the United States agreed it was effective, indicating that the strong foundations of the treaty have withheld the test of time. However, in this year's survey, respondents differed greatly according to nationality on whether they trusted the other country. In the United States, 67 percent said they trusted Japan and only 29 percent said they did not. But in Japan, the number of respondents who said they did not trust the United States rose eight points from the previous year to 53 percent, much higher than the 38 percent who said they did trust the United States.)

5//The Moscow Times, Russia--CABINET: TV TURNS PEOPLE INTO IDIOTS (A Cabinet meeting meant to fashion government policies about culture degenerated into a heated squabble Thursday, with Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov calling the media too negative and Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov saying television is turning the population into idiots. The meeting, which ended with Fradkov ordering Culture and Press Minister Alexander Sokolov to draft legislation to boost patriotism among young people, provided an indication that the government is seeking even more control over the media...Promising to provide more money for culture, Fradkov told Sokolov to prepare a program to help raise youth in a spirit of patriotism, and to present a detailed proposal on how to develop culture to the Cabinet by June. "Apart from drunkards and bums, people have an understanding about life, and these feelings should be kept in mind," he said. Sokolov said the ministry will have 10 bills ready by the deadline.)

* * *

1//Asia Times Online, Hong Kong Dec. 17, 2004
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/FL17Df05.html

WHY THE GENERAL BEGS TO DIFFER
By Syed Saleem Shahzad

KARACHI - Islamabad and Washington have agreed to a plan under which Pakistan will hand over all necessary source material regarding its dealings with Iran's nuclear program, in exchange for which the US will not take action against the most sensitive people suspected of involvement in the underground network which facilitated the proliferation with Iran.

In mid-2003, a worldwide nuclear-proliferation network based in Pakistan was unearthed, headed by Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan, the father of Pakistan's nuclear program. According to a report issued by the US Central Intelligence Agency on November 23 this year, Khan not only sold advanced uranium-enrichment centrifuges to Iran, he likely also sold it an actual nuclear-weapon design, along with nuclear fuel material. The network also apparently had dealings with North Korea and Libya.

The specific period in which this network spread its wings is said to be from 1987 to 2003. After the exposure, Pakistan's military government put the blame squarely on Khan, saying that he operated the network entirely independently and without the knowledge of the army, which oversaw Pakistan's nuclear development program. Khan even gave a confession on national television. However, there has been widespread skepticism, especially in the West, that the network could have operated without the knowledge of the generals.

Former chief of army staff General Aslam Beg [1], who held the position from 1988 to 1991, is frequently mentioned as being pivotal in the network, and in aiming to build an Iran-Afghanistan-Pakistan nexus to challenge US influence in the region.

However, people close to the security establishment who spoke to Asia Times Online point out that it is somewhat naive to point to Beg alone - if the army were involved in the network, it would most likely be on a much more institutionalized basis. Certainly, the army is known to have helped organize trips for Khan and a number of his scientists to Iran.

But whereas before the US might have been interested in tracking the nature of the Pakistan army's involvement in proliferation - with potentially explosive consequences for Washington's key ally in the "war on terror" - the focus has now been narrowed to find evidence that Iran is indeed pursuing a nuclear arms program. Islamabad is lending its weight to this initiative, and is prepared to ask Khan, who is under house arrest, some hard questions.

Against this backdrop, Asia Times Online spoke by telephone to Aslam Beg in Rawalpindi, the twin capital of Islamabad where army headquarters are housed.

(MORE)

2//The Daily Star, Lebanon Friday, December 17, 2004
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_...

IRAQI FIRMS HOPEFUL FOR FUTURE: POLL
Compiled by Daily Star staff

Eight of 10 Iraqis businesses say Iraq's economy will grow over the next two years, and almost half felt the business climate was better than under Saddam Hussein, according to a recent survey.

"Security is the first concern, but people thrive in the midst of catastrophe everywhere," said John Zogby, whose organization conducted the poll on behalf of an affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Thousands of Iraqi civilians have died in a deadly insurgency since U.S.-led troops ousted Saddam in 2003. Firms doing business with foreigners and the new interim government have also been frequent targets. This was reflected in only 17 percent of Iraqi businessmen saying the coalition can provide the security necessary for business.

Pollsters conducted face-to-face interviews with 454 Iraqi owners or managers between Oct. 17 and Dec. 3, a period of major violence as U.S. forces battled guerrillas for control of Fallujah. They found almost 70 percent were optimistic for post-Saddam Iraq.

"When the business community sees opportunities, that fuels optimism and what we are seeing is a genuine number of opportunities," said John Sullivan from the Center for International Private Enterprise, which sponsored the poll.

(SNIP)

"There was incredible optimism, particularly among Sunnis and Kurds," said Zogby International's Hala Kotb. "The results are consistent across demographic groups." Businesses also want clear rules and better governance although the top two nonsecurity needs cited were English-language training and computer skills.

There was also a strong sense Iraq should be allowed to solve its own problems. A third of those surveyed felt the UN could offer the most help in securing Iraq, while 22 percent wanted this achieved without any outside assistance, and 13 percent would welcome aid from other Arab countries.

3//The Khaleej Times, United Arab Emirates 16 December 2004
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle.asp?xfile=data/theworld/20...

US EASES SANCTIONS AGAINST CUBA, IRAN, SUDAN

WASHINGTON - (AFP) The United States has quietly eased sanctions against three of its old nemeses -- Cuba, Iran and Sudan -- to facilitate literary, cultural and scientific exchanges that could help foster dissent there.

A new rule, unveiled by the Treasury Department Wednesday, enables Americans to freely engage in most ordinary publishing activities with Cuban, Iranian and Sudanese individuals and groups.

Restrictions on "certain interactions" with the local governments in the area of publishing will be maintained.

Robert Werner, director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control, said people seeking to publish works by Cuban, Iranian and Sudanese authors in the United States, or to publish their own materials in the three states, will henceforth be able to do so "without seeking permission" from his office first.

"This rule provides clarity and promotes important policies aimed at the free exchange of ideas without undermining the national security objectives of these country sanctions," Werner stated.

Although introduced at different times, the US sanctions against Cuba, Iran and Sudan bar most types of trade or other exchanges because the US government believes these countries promote terrorism, suppress basic freedoms, and are run by oppressive governments.

All three nations are listed by the US State Department as state sponsors of terrorism.

While easing the restrictions on publishing, the Treasury Department made clear the bulk of other sanctions will remain in place because they are "critical to US interests."

(MORE)

4//The Daily Yomiuri, Japan December 17, 2004
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/index-e.htm

TREATY TRUSTED MORE THAN U.S.
Yomiuri Shimbun

Even though many observers believe Japan-U.S. ties have reached their best level yet, the joint Yomiuri Shimbun-Gallup survey indicated a rapid decline in the Japanese public's confidence in the United States and that Americans are becoming more aware of their isolation in the international community.

The survey showed that about half the Japanese population does not trust the United States and more than 60 percent of U.S. citizens feel the United States is not well liked overseas.

The survey's release highlights the changing public opinion in Japan and the United States following the reelection of U.S. President George W. Bush.
===
Security treaty maintains support

Concerning the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty in the Asia-Pacific region, 64 percent of the respondents in Japan and 75 percent in the United States agreed it was effective, indicating that the strong foundations of the treaty have withheld the test of time.

The figure for Japanese respondents rose eight percentage points, but that for the U.S. respondents fell two points from last year.

Both peoples shared the view that North Korea was a security threat in East Asia, backed by 72 percent of Japanese respondents and 81 percent of Americans.

This result suggests that the North Korean threat, which includes the development of nuclear weapons on the Korean Peninsula, has been a large factor in the continuing support for the bilateral security treaty.

The result that demands attention, however, is the gap in U.S. and Japanese opinions over the size of U.S. forces that should be stationed in Japan under the bilateral security alliance.

In Japan, 42 percent said the size of U.S. forces in the nation should be reduced, accounting for the largest percentage of respondents for the third consecutive year.

(SNIP)

===

Bush 'catalyst on public opinion'

On seeing the survey results, a senior Foreign Ministry official said, "I think the basis of Japanese people's trust in the United States has not faltered."

"But the results might have been affected by views of the United States that soured due to President Bush's stance on unilateralism," the official said.

The official said the Japan-U.S. relationship should have exemplified Bush's comments in which he said no other nation was a closer ally to the United States than Japan.

But in the survey, most Japanese respondents said they did not trust the United States.

Forty-nine percent of Japanese respondents said Japan's relationship with the United States was "very good" or "good," and 53 percent of U.S. citizens agreed.

Twenty-eight percent of respondents in Japan and 8 percent of those in the United States, accounted for the small minority who said the relationship was bad.

Despite minor fluctuations, an overwhelming majority of Japanese and U.S. respondents have said they view the bilateral relationship as positive only since 2000, when the survey method changed from a face-to-face interview to a telephone questionnaire.

However, in this year's survey, respondents differed greatly according to nationality on whether they trusted the other country.

In the United States, 67 percent said they trusted Japan and only 29 percent said they did not.

But in Japan, the number of respondents who said they did not trust the United States rose eight points from the previous year to 53 percent, much higher than the 38 percent who said they did trust the United States.

Since 2000, the only other time those who said they did not trust the United States registered a majority was last year at 45 percent, and 41 percent said they did trust the other country.

In this year's survey, the gap had more than tripled.

The statistical analysis shows that the younger the Japanese respondents are, the more likely they are to express distrust in the United States.

(MORE)

5//The Moscow Times, Russia Friday, December 17, 2004. Page 1.
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2004/12/17/002.html

CABINET: TV TURNS PEOPLE INTO IDIOTS
By Nabi Abdullaev, Staff Writer

A Cabinet meeting meant to fashion government policies about culture degenerated into a heated squabble Thursday, with Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov calling the media too negative and Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov saying television is turning the population into idiots.

The meeting, which ended with Fradkov ordering Culture and Press Minister Alexander Sokolov to draft legislation to boost patriotism among young people, provided an indication that the government is seeking even more control over the media.

Ivanov, who was the first to vent his anger, denounced television programs and popular literature. "Just look at what they show on television, vulgarities like 'Anshlag,' for example," he said, referring to a popular show in which aging comedians crack Soviet-era jokes and make fun of one another. "The moronization of the people must be stopped."

Ivanov, however, praised as progress a slew of recent television movies that portray the military in a good light.

(SNIP)

Economic Development and Trade Minister German Gref said television executives need to keep values in mind when they consider programming, but he warned against censorship. "We must avoid simple decisions such as, 'I don't like soccer so I'll propose a ban on soccer,'" he said.

Sokolov said low standards of living mean there is no way to stop ordinary people from buying cheaper pirated copies. He also urged the Cabinet to consider raising salaries for employees in museums, concert halls and other cultural venues, saying the mean salary is 4,180 rubles ($150) per month, or 60 percent of the average national salary.

As far as raising patriotism among young people, Sokolov said Soviet-style ideological approaches would no longer work because contemporary youth have new worries of finding work after graduation and wondering whether their parents and grandparents can make it on their salaries and state pensions.

Promising to provide more money for culture, Fradkov told Sokolov to prepare a program to help raise youth in a spirit of patriotism, and to present a detailed proposal on how to develop culture to the Cabinet by June. "Apart from drunkards and bums, people have an understanding about life, and these feelings should be kept in mind," he said.

Sokolov said the ministry will have 10 bills ready by the deadline.