May 18, 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 MAY 18, 2005

1//The Independent, UK--ARE WE HEADING FOR A FALL? (Gordon Brown has used his first major speech since Labour's election victory to insist that he would not let his record as Chancellor be wrecked by the global economic turmoil swirling around Britain. Last night he pledged to keep public spending under control, block excessive public-sector pay demands and push through reform of state services. But his comments came amid mounting concern that after eight years of stability under Labour, the UK faces the prospect of a sharp economic slowdown. Within days of Labour's election celebrations, the economy has started to look very sick.)

2//The Khaleej Times, United Arab Emirates--AFGHAN GUANTANAMO PRISONER ALLEGES QURAN DESECRATION (An Afghan who spent three years at Guantanamo Bay prison said on Tuesday that interrogators at the center frequently desecrated the Quran, which prompted a hunger strike and a US apology. Abdul Rahim, 40, said during an interview on AVT Khyber television, a Pashtu-language private channel, that abuse of the holy book was routine. “Abuse of the Quran was done routinely particularly in the early days of detention,” Rahim said. His claims could not be independently verified. “They would throw the holy book on the ground, trample upon it and tell the prisoner under interrogation no one could stop them from doing that.)

3//Arab News, Saudi Arabia--SAUDI ARABIA COULD DOUBLE OIL OUTPUT CAPACITY: ARAMCO CHIEF (Saudi Arabia could double its crude production capacity to meet growing world demand, Aramco’s President and Chief Executive Officer Abdallah S. Jum’ah said on Monday. “The Kingdom is uniquely positioned, because of its reserves and resources, to consider raising its production by such a margin,” he said. “US forecasts say Saudi capacity will need to grow from its current 11 million bpd to over 23 million bpd to meet world demand,” he said in a speech at Rice University’s James Baker III Institute for Public Policy in Houston, according to the text of his remarks released by Aramco yesterday. … Jum’ah also toured the recently upgraded Wiess Energy Hall of the Houston Museum of Natural Science on Monday. Jum’ah was accompanied by several members of Saudi Aramco’s management. … Among other leading energy companies, Saudi Aramco was a main sponsor for the upgrade of this important educational facility, visited annually by more than 2 million people — including some 400,000 school students. Jum’ah expressed his satisfaction with the role Saudi Aramco is playing to increase energy awareness in local communities within the Kingdom and internationally. These efforts, he said, will have positive effects on the industry in the long term. …)

4//The Turkish Daily News, Turkey--ANKARA SEEKS HELP TO IMPROVE TIES WITH US (Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been seeking support recently from top U.S. weapons manufacturers in order to improve bilateral ties with Washington. Erdogan last month sent Murat Mercan, a senior party official, to Washington on a “test the waters” mission, before visiting Israel, in an effort to revive the former U.S.-Turkey-Israel alliance. The Undersecretariat for the Defense Industry has informally requested support from Lockheed Martin, Boeing and Raytheon to lobby Washington for improved U.S.-Turkish relations.)

5//The Chosun Ilbo, South Korea--SEOUL IN MYSTERY OFFER TO PYONGYANG IF N. TALKS RESUME (Seoul told North Korea during vice-ministerial talks in Kaesong it would make an “important proposal” that could bring real progress in the North Korean nuclear dispute provided Pyongyang comes back to six-party nuclear disarmament talks. … "Rhee said he did not even tell the North Koreans what the "important proposal" would entail, but one government official said it was a "Marshall Plan" for North Korea including massive economic aid if the North gives up its nuclear program.)

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1//The Independent, UK 18 May 2005
http://news.independent.co.uk/business/news...

ARE WE HEADING FOR A FALL?
Retail sales crashing. Manufacturing output tumbling. House prices stalling. Debt levels rising.
By Philip Thornton, Economics Editor
18 May 2005

Gordon Brown has used his first major speech since Labour's election victory to insist that he would not let his record as Chancellor be wrecked by the global economic turmoil swirling around Britain. Last night he pledged to keep public spending under control, block excessive public-sector pay demands and push through reform of state services.

But his comments came amid mounting concern that after eight years of stability under Labour, the UK faces the prospect of a sharp economic slowdown.

Within days of Labour's election celebrations, the economy has started to look very sick. Last week saw a rash of shockingly bad figures pointing to a slump in retail sales and manufacturing output and stagnation in the housing market. Several high-street names warned that sales had fallen and profits would be hit. The Bank of England admitted it had been "surprised" by the speed of the high-street slowdown. Labour campaigned on its record of strong, stable growth and low inflation, but economists in the City are queuing up to cut their growth forecasts for this year.

Eager to reassure a worried audience, Mr Brown told business leaders at a CBI dinner: "In these challenging times of high oil prices, current account imbalances and a slower rate of growth in [Europe], we will steer the economy on a stable course. Wage discipline will at all times be demanded in the public sector.

"There will be no relaxation of public sector reform. Throughout, stability is our watchword - stability first and foremost, stability yesterday, today and tomorrow."

The Government's economic record was a key part of the election campaign that was immune to the attacks on Labour over issues such as Iraq. It was also seen as Gordon Brown's credentials for taking over as Labour leader when Tony Blair finally steps down as Prime Minister.

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2//The Khaleej Times, United Arab Emirates 17 May 2005
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle.asp?xfile...

AFGHAN GUANTANAMO PRISONER ALLEGES QURAN DESECRATION

ISLAMABAD (AFP) - An Afghan who spent three years at Guantanamo Bay prison said on Tuesday that interrogators at the center frequently desecrated the Quran, which prompted a hunger strike and a US apology.

Abdul Rahim, 40, said during an interview on AVT Khyber television, a Pashtu-language private channel, that abuse of the holy book was routine.

“Abuse of the Quran was done routinely particularly in the early days of detention,” Rahim said. His claims could not be independently verified.

“They would throw the holy book on the ground, trample upon it and tell the prisoner under interrogation no one could stop them from doing that.

“The news of sacrilege sent shockwaves among the prisoners and all of us went on a hunger strike.

“We declined to participate in the interrogation and also did not eat anything for many many days,” he said.

Rahim, according to the interviewer, said that the hunger strike ended only after top American officials apologised for the desecration.

“All of us ended the hunger strike except for a Palestinian. It was due to our efforts and sacrifices that we restored the honour of the Quran,” he said.

The interview follows a retraction from Newsweek magazine which alleged desecration of the Quran by Guantanamo interrogators and this had included throwing a copy of the holy book into a toilet to rattle Muslim prisoners.

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3//Arab News, Saudi Arabia Wednesday, 18, May, 2005 (09, Rabi` al-Thani, 1426)
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=6&section=0&article...

SAUDI ARABIA COULD DOUBLE OIL OUTPUT CAPACITY: ARAMCO CHIEF
Khalil Hanware, Arab News

JEDDAH, 18 May 2005 — Saudi Arabia could double its crude production capacity to meet growing world demand, Aramco’s President and Chief Executive Officer Abdallah S. Jum’ah said on Monday. “The Kingdom is uniquely positioned, because of its reserves and resources, to consider raising its production by such a margin,” he said.

“US forecasts say Saudi capacity will need to grow from its current 11 million bpd to over 23 million bpd to meet world demand,” he said in a speech at Rice University’s James Baker III Institute for Public Policy in Houston, according to the text of his remarks released by Aramco yesterday.

Jum’ah said the relationship between Saudi Arabia and the US is one of mutually beneficial interdependence. “I am proud to say that Saudi Aramco has been at the center of this relationship, ever since the day in 1933 when Saudi Arabia and Standard Oil of California — predecessor to Chevron — signed a concession agreement which paved the way for the discovery of oil in the Kingdom,” he added.

This relationship extends beyond oil into multidimensional areas of cooperation, Jum’ah noted. The presence of US companies and professionals in Saudi Arabia is as pervasive as it is welcome, he said, and is set to grow in the years ahead as a wide range of profitable investment opportunities open up in the country over the next 20 years.

“Can Saudi Arabia and Saudi Aramco step up and deliver?” Jum’ah asked. The answer is “yes,” he said, citing the Kingdom’s 260 billion barrels of reserves — a quarter of the world’s total — and the prospect of adding another 200 billion barrels through an aggressive exploration program.

Saudi Aramco was expanding its production, processing and transport infrastructure to accommodate a 12 million bpd capacity, he added. “Just as Saudi Arabia relied on the expertise of professionals and companies from the US to develop its oil sector, the US has come to rely on Saudi Arabia for much of its energy,” Jum’ah said.

US demand for oil is predicted to grow from 20.6 million barrels per day (bpd) to almost 28 million bpd by 2025, while US domestic production is expected to drop by almost a million bpd during that period, Jum’ah said.

(SNIP)

Jum’ah also toured the recently upgraded Wiess Energy Hall of the Houston Museum of Natural Science on Monday. Jum’ah was accompanied by several members of Saudi Aramco’s management, including Abdulaziz F. Al-Khayyal, senior vice president of refining, marketing and international; Khalid A. Al-Falih, senior vice president of gas operations; and Mazen I. Snobar, president & CEO of Aramco Services Company, based in Houston. Among other leading energy companies, Saudi Aramco was a main sponsor for the upgrade of this important educational facility, visited annually by more than 2 million people — including some 400,000 school students.

Jum’ah expressed his satisfaction with the role Saudi Aramco is playing to increase energy awareness in local communities within the Kingdom and internationally. These efforts, he said, will have positive effects on the industry in the long term. “Like the Saudi Aramco Exhibit in Dhahran, the Wiess Energy Hall of the Houston Museum of Natural Science is a world-class facility that represents a valuable addition to society, and I hope it will help spread important knowledge, and further spark ingenuity among the young generation of visitors to improve energy efficiency and advance the industry’s environmental performance for the benefit of our planet.”

4//The Turkish Daily News, Turkey May 18 2005 3:23 am
http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=13473

ANKARA SEEKS HELP TO IMPROVE TIES WITH US
Tuesday, May 17, 2005

WASHINGTON/ANKARA – Exclusive by TDN Defense Desk
[Summary] Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been seeking support recently from top U.S. weapons manufacturers in order to improve bilateral ties with Washington.

Erdogan last month sent Murat Mercan, a senior party official, to Washington on a “test the waters” mission, before visiting Israel, in an effort to revive the former U.S.-Turkey-Israel alliance.

The Undersecretariat for the Defense Industry has informally requested support from Lockheed Martin, Boeing and Raytheon to lobby Washington for improved U.S.-Turkish relations.

Although officials from the big three U.S. defense players said their powers to enhance U.S.-Turkish ties were limited, they pledged “to do their best.”

But a joint lobbying effort by all U.S. defense companies to deal with Turkey is out of the question because a number of firms are already frustrated over their unfulfilled business with Ankara.

Erdogan sought to meet with U.S. President George W. Bush in Washington in an effort to mend fences but was kept waiting for seven weeks before the White House eventually confirmed an appointment for June 8.

End Item

5//The Chosun Ilbo, South Korea Updated May.16,2005 19:47 KST
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/new...

SEOUL IN MYSTERY OFFER TO PYONGYANG IF N. TALKS RESUME

Seoul told North Korea during vice-ministerial talks in Kaesong it would make an “important proposal” that could bring real progress in the North Korean nuclear dispute provided Pyongyang comes back to six-party nuclear disarmament talks.

Deputy Unification Minister Rhee Bong-jo, the head of the South Korean delegation, said, "If we don't maintain the principle of denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula, inter-Korean cooperation and reconciliation will be impossible." Rhee said he did not even tell the North Koreans what the "important proposal" would entail, but one government official said it was a "Marshall Plan” for North Korea including massive economic aid if the North gives up its nuclear program.

North Korean delegation head Kim Man-gil, a deputy director at the secretariat of the DPRK's Reunification Committee, reportedly had no reaction to Seoul’s proposal. The nuclear dispute did not feature in Pyongyang’s keynote address at the talks on Monday.
Meanwhile, Seoul reportedly told Pyongyang it will provide 200,000 tons of fertilizer aid, a similar level as in previous years, with additional aid to be discussed at ministerial-level talks it proposed for June. Pyongyang asked for an unprecedented 500,000 tons of fertilizer earlier this year.

"The North explained its pressing situation and asked for fertilizer aid out of brotherly love and humanitarian concern. It also raised the issue of food aid,” Rhee said after the talks. A government official said Seoul decided in principle to send rice aid but more discussion would be required to decide the amount.

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