January 5, 2005

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 JANUARY 5, 2005

1//The Jordan Times, Jordan--KING MEETS UK MPs, KERRY (Meanwhile, talks between King Abdullah and Kerry covered regional developments and bilateral issues. A US embassy official said the Monarch and the Democratic Party senator discussed the frozen Palestinian-Israeli peace process and the situation in Iraq…."It would seem that the senator wants to take a closer look at the region to be able to form a better understanding of the major issues in the Middle East," said director of Al Quds Centre for Studies, Oraib Rintawi. Rintawi did not elaborate, but added that the Massachusetts senator was "clearly interested in remaining politically active and present on the international arena." "We were answering his many questions about the region including Palestine, the Arab-Israeli struggle, the elections in both Iraq and the Palestinian territories," Rintawi explained. US news reports described Kerry's tour to the region as part of efforts to reemerge on the public stage and maintain a high profile.)

2//The Independent, UK--TORY LEADER ADMITS HE MAY LOSE NEXT ELECTION (Michael Howard acknowledged for the first time yesterday that the Conservatives might not win the next general election… But yesterday Mr Howard said in a speech in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire: "My hope for Britain is ambitious but simple; to give the forgotten majority control over their own lives and the chance of a better future. Everyone should have the opportunity to live the British dream." He claimed rising taxation and public-sector waste "threatens our economic prosperity" and promised smaller government to help people who work hard and save hard and had been "forgotten, neglected and taken for granted by Mr Blair.")

3//Asia Times Online, Hong Kong--US 'SPYING' RAISES INDIAN HACKLES (India's defense establishment is sending distress signals to sections of the country's media over what it considers inordinate United States interest in the affairs of India's sensitive, insurgency-infested northeast. Military officials are deeply unhappy over the ever-growing access US diplomats and military personnel are getting to disturbed areas in the region. An Asia Times Online investigation has revealed that the disquiet is almost a decade old, though it has grown exponentially since US ambassador to India Robert Mulford wrote to the chief ministers of Assam and Nagaland directly offering help in counter-insurgency operations in the wake of terrorist violence in October, 2004. He did not bother to go through the proper channels; that is, through the ministry of external affairs. This raised a lot of questions and controversies in the media; the central government, too, was not happy about it. But the matter rests there, and no further explanations have emerged as to why the US ambassador chose to go over the heads of the central government.)

4//The News International, Pakistan--TWO US DELEGATIONS DUE THIS WEEK (Amid growing interest in resolving disputes between Pakistan and India by the US administration, two high-stature US Congressional delegation[s are] visiting Pakistan this week… Well-placed diplomatic sources told The News on Tuesday that Republican Congressman Mark Kirk is reaching here on Friday next with his delegation. He has planned to proceed to Afghanistan after meetings and consultations in Islamabad. The other delegation, led by Republican Senator Bill Frist will arrive here on Tuesday next. Senator Marry Landrieu, belonging to the Democratic Party, and Senator Norm Coleman of the Republican would be part of the delegation. The delegation will leave for New Delhi after staying here for four days, the sources said.)

5//Xinhuanet.com, China--CHINA’S POPULATION TO HIT 1.3 BLN THIS WEEK (The population in the Chinese mainland is expected to reach 1.3 billion on Jan. 6, according to a prediction the National Statistics Bureau (NSB) released Sunday. The day has been successfully postponed for four years with the effective birth control policies in China, the NSB source said… However the country would face new and severe challenges with its population climbing to the level of 1.3 billion, the SCPFP official said.)

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1//The Jordan Times, Jordan Wednesday, January 5, 2005
http://www.jordantimes.com/wed/homenews/homenews1.htm

KING MEETS UK MPs, KERRY

AMMAN (JT) — His Majesty King Abdullah on Tuesday held separate talks with a British House of Commons delegation and US Senator John Kerry on regional issues.

King Abdullah told the British MPs that the time factor is vital to revive the Middle East peace process and encourage Palestinians and Israelis to be fully committed to the roadmap, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

(SNIP)

Meanwhile, talks between King Abdullah and Kerry covered regional developments and bilateral issues.

A US embassy official said the Monarch and the Democratic Party senator discussed the frozen Palestinian-Israeli peace process and the situation in Iraq.

The former US presidential candidate, who arrived in Amman Monday evening as part of a regional tour, also met with representatives of civil society institutions and religious leaders.

"It would seem that the senator wants to take a closer look at the region to be able to form a better understanding of the major issues in the Middle East," said director of Al Quds Centre for Studies, Oraib Rintawi.

Rintawi did not elaborate, but added that the Massachusetts senator was "clearly interested in remaining politically active and present on the international arena."

"We were answering his many questions about the region including Palestine, the Arab-Israeli struggle, the elections in both Iraq and the Palestinian territories," Rintawi explained.

US news reports described Kerry's tour to the region as part of efforts to reemerge on the public stage and maintain a high profile.

Kerry's tour is expected to take him to Iraq, Kuwait, Syria, Egypt, Israel and the West Bank. He is scheduled to meet Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, Syrian President Bashar Assad and Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi.

In Iraq, he is to meet with a range of specialists, local leaders, military commanders and troops.

Kerry, who lost to US President George W. Bush in last year's vote, was elected to the US Senate in 1984 and is currently serving his fourth term. He is a ranking member of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, a ranking member of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, and a member of the Senate Finance Committee.

He has been active on US foreign policy, travelled extensively as a senator and completed a trip alone to Israel, Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia in January 2002.

2//The Independent, UK 05 January 2005
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics...

TORY LEADER ADMITS HE MAY LOSE NEXT ELECTION
By Ben Russell, Political Correspondent

Michael Howard acknowledged for the first time yesterday that the Conservatives might not win the next general election.

He refused to rule out the possibility when asked if he would stand down as party leader in the event of a defeat.

But Mr Howard insisted the Conservatives "can" win the election - as he made a speech outlining his tax-cutting agenda to mark the launch of the first part of the party's manifesto.

Asked on BBC Radio 4's Today programme whether he would stay on as leader in the event of a defeat, Mr Howard said: "If my party want me to do that and I think I can continue to make a contribution, then yes I will." Previously, Mr Howard has refused to acknowledge the possibility of defeat in the election, expected in May.

He said: "I am working very hard to win this election, there is no substitute for victory and it is victory I believe we can achieve, not for our sake, but for the sake of a country which needs to travel in a different direction."

The Conservatives revealed their pitch to what they call Britain's "forgotten majority" by publishing the preface to their election manifesto on Monday. The party has abandoned the traditional timetable for publishing its manifesto in favour of releasing it in chapters to maximise publicity in the run-up to the expected election date.

Labour attacked the document as "Thatcherism in instalments."

But yesterday Mr Howard said in a speech in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire: "My hope for Britain is ambitious but simple; to give the forgotten majority control over their own lives and the chance of a better future. Everyone should have the opportunity to live the British dream."

He claimed rising taxation and public-sector waste "threatens our economic prosperity" and promised smaller government to help people who work hard and save hard and had been "forgotten, neglected and taken for granted by Mr Blair."

(MORE)

3//Asia Times Online, Hong Kong Jan. 4, 2005
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/GA05Df01.html

US 'SPYING' RAISES INDIAN HACKLES

By Sultan Shahin

NEW DELHI - India's defense establishment is sending distress signals to sections of the country's media over what it considers inordinate United States interest in the affairs of India's sensitive, insurgency-infested northeast. Military officials are deeply unhappy over the ever-growing access US diplomats and military personnel are getting to disturbed areas in the region.

An Asia Times Online investigation has revealed that the disquiet is almost a decade old, though it has grown exponentially since US ambassador to India Robert Mulford wrote to the chief ministers of Assam and Nagaland directly offering help in counter-insurgency operations in the wake of terrorist violence in October, 2004. He did not bother to go through the proper channels; that is, through the ministry of external affairs. This raised a lot of questions and controversies in the media; the central government, too, was not happy about it. But the matter rests there, and no further explanations have emerged as to why the US ambassador chose to go over the heads of the central government.

(SNIP)

But why should India be afraid of US military or diplomatic personnel visiting the northeast? Insisting on anonymity, a former brigadier who is a member of several expert committees advising the government at various levels explained the issue to Asia Times Online: "India is not an ally of the US, despite all the talk of India and the US being natural allies and so on. Also, we are making nukes, while the US is spending at least a couple of billion dollars annually in countering nuclear proliferation. They clearly don't like India being or remaining a nuclear power. This means we have essentially an adversarial relationship. Both countries may be sincere in seeking to better ties at various levels; yet this essential fact remains and we have to always keep this in mind. A large portion of the billions invested in counter-proliferation since 1995 has been earmarked for India."

But what could visiting US personnel do that would amount to a breach of Indian security? He explained further: "They could leave behind unmanned sensors in strategic locations. They need to find out locations of our various military installations. And yes, they do need to physically verify on the ground what they see from their satellites. There is no question that these people have been mapping these areas. Visits and close interaction with military personnel gives them the opportunity for subversion of our personnel. They are always on the lookout for human intelligence; after all there is a limit to how far electronic intelligence can go. They have to try and work out our nuclear doctrine. They need to get to know where our raw materials are coming from and where our bombs are being made. They need to know our deployment areas. There are sensitive locations called red areas that they should not see. We draw inner lines where even Indian citizens would not be allowed; but if Americans are left alone in the nearby areas, and given the slavish mentality of many Indians towards the white complexion of our former colonial masters, who knows where they might reach."

Another point he made was that while the US military is desperate to understand Indian military doctrines and functioning as decades of Cold War deprived them of close interaction, Indians don't have a reciprocal need as "the Americans are an open book". This why many in the military believe that close interaction between the two militaries is more advantageous to the US than it is to India. In any case, India doesn't have global ambitions and knowledge of US doctrines or vulnerabilities is not much use to it. On the other hand, acquainting the US with its own strong points and vulnerabilities might some day prove costly to India, as no one knows where America's ambition of world domination would lead it, he added.

One retired major-general, however, tried to rationalize both the US need to access the sensitive, insurgency infested northeast and the government of India's compulsion to allow it to do so. For instance, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has just approved a US$2.6 billion development package partly from the US for two restive northeastern states, Assam and Manipur. "You cannot receive such large development assistance packages from a country and restrict its personnel from visiting those areas for whom the financial package is meant. They have to oversee how the fund is being utilized. Even if this is a ruse and they are going for ulterior purposes, there is not much the government can do about it."

(MORE)

4//The News International, Pakistan Wednesday January 05, 2005-- Ziq'a Qad 23, 1425 A.H.
http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/jan2005-daily...

TWO US DELEGATIONS DUE THIS WEEK
By Muhammad Saleh Zaafir

ISLAMABAD: Amid growing interest in resolving disputes between Pakistan and India by the US administration, two high-stature US Congressional delegation[s are] visiting Pakistan this week.

Congressmen belonging to the Republican Party and considered to be very close to the US President George Bush are leading both the delegations. The visits are of conspicuous importance as they are taking place immediately after the Christmas vacations and two weeks ahead of the inauguration of President George Bush's second stint. One delegation will later visit to India and the other to Afghanistan immediately after completing their visits to Pakistan.

Well-placed diplomatic sources told The News on Tuesday that Republican Congressman Mark Kirk is reaching here on Friday next with his delegation. He has planned to proceed to Afghanistan after meetings and consultations in Islamabad.

The other delegation, led by Republican Senator Bill Frist will arrive here on Tuesday next. Senator Marry Landrieu, belonging to the Democratic Party, and Senator Norm Coleman of the Republican would be part of the delegation. The delegation will leave for New Delhi after staying here for four days, the sources said.

The sources pointed out that the US Congress has already adopted a piece of legislation for aiding Pakistan in resolving problems with its neighbours. The US delegations are visiting to Pakistan because of the US strategic interests in the region generally and its strategic relations with Pakistan in particular.

(MORE)

5//Xinhuanet.com, China 2005-01-04 10:29:51
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-01/04/content_2413354.htm

CHINA’S POPULATION TO HIT 1.3 BLN THIS WEEK

BEIJING, Jan. 4 (Xinhuanet) -- The population in the Chinese mainland is expected to reach 1.3 billion on Jan. 6, according to a prediction the National Statistics Bureau (NSB) released Sunday.

The day has been successfully postponed for four years with the effective birth control policies in China, the NSB source said.

China has made persistent efforts to slow its population growth over the past 30 years and succeeded in reducing the birth rate, said an official of the State Commission for Population and Family Planning (SCPFP).

(SNIP)

However the country would face new and severe challenges with its population climbing to the level of 1.3 billion, the SCPFP official said.

Although the population growth rate has been reduced, the actual increase is still huge. Also the country is expecting a peak in the number of elderly and migrant population amid growing imbalance in gender proportions among newborn babies, the official said.

The pressure on employment also grows with the increase of population, he added.