August 15, 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 AUGUST 15, 2005

1//The Independent, UK--QUEEN TO VISIT CHINA IN CHARM OFFENSIVE (The Queen is preparing to make an official visit to China, the last major Communist state, as part of a concerted charm offensive by Britain to strengthen trade links. The visit, which is expected to take place next year, would be the culmination of an intensive campaign by ministers to become a favoured trade partner with China, which has rapidly become the world's fastest- growing economy. … A state visit by the Queen would be seen as a most significant step, and British diplomats are understood to be at an advanced stage in talks with the Chinese authorities over the visit proposal. … Britain and the EU are determined to cement close economic, military and scientific ties with Beijing. … But the EU's growing ties with Beijing has provoked a rift with the United States over plans to lift the arms embargo imposed after the Tiananmen Square massacre 16 years ago. British human rights groups are also critical of Chinese suppression of Tibet.)

2//The Daily Star, Lebanon--IRAN SAYS U.S. AND U.K. BEHIND ETHNIC CLASHES (Iran accused Britain and the U.S. of instigating recent ethnic clashes involving the country's Kurdish and Arab minorities. "We have information that the U.S. is interfering in the northwest of Iran. That is unacceptable and we are going to protest," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi. "According to our reports the English have interfered in the troubles in Khuzestan and some (agitators) have been trained in bases under British control in Iraq," he added. The province of Khuzestan, where there is a large ethnic Arab community, and the Kurdish areas of northwestern Iran near the Iraqi and Turkish borders have been rocked by violence in recent months that has left a number of people dead.)

3//The Pakistan Tribune, Pakistan--REFUGEES' FORCED REPATRIATION TO ADD TO AFGHAN GOVT'S BURDEN (… While the foreign aid-dependent Afghan government has yet to provide shelter to millions of destitute and displaced Afghans, the recent decision of Pakistan to shut down more refugee camps would further add to the multi-faceted challenges of the establishment here. Islamabad announced week ago to close down two refugee camps in Bajaur and Karam agency near Afghan border besides asking Afghans living in the capital and Rawalpindi to return home or shift to other refugee camps. … To solve returnees' shelter problem, the Afghan government would build 28 Refugees Township with international support over the next three years across the country, Ghiasi said. "The project, if completed within the stipulated time, will house 500,000 families or some 3 million individuals," he said. Another main problem of returnees at home is high rate of unemployment as the majority of illiterate and unskilled returnees are unable to find jobs in the post-conflict country where no giant project has been launched to absorb workers.)

4//The Korea Times, South Korea--UNIFIED KOREA LIKELY IN 10-20 YEARS: SURVEY (South and North Korea will likely achieve reunification in 10 to 20 years, according to an informal survey of foreign experts on Korean Peninsula issues and overseas-based Korean scholars. Conducted by The Korea Times on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Aug. 15 Liberation Day, the survey showed that 31 of the 34 respondents think the two Koreas will ultimately be reunified. Only two replied "no'' to the question. … "I think we are already seeing the beginning of a process toward economic integration (between the South and the North), which is separate from political unity,'' Daniel Pinkston at the Center for Nonproliferation Studies of the Monterrey Institute said. When asked about the future of the U.S. troops on the peninsula after unification, the majority said that the forces are "not so much'' or "not at all'' needed in a unified Korea.)

5//Gulf News Online, United Arab Emirates--KOIZUMI'S PARTY TEARING ITSELF APART (It is open warfare. In a country accustomed to earthquakes it seems strangely fitting that a seismic shift is taking place that will alter the political landscape. The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, which has governed Japan for all but 10 months over the last 50 years is tearing itself apart. Twelve branches of the party have pledged to support 18 LDP members who broke ranks with Koizumi and voted against his post office privatisation plans. This is in direct defiance of orders from the party's secretary-general Tsutomu Takebe who demanded that all party members who voted against the Bill be expelled.)

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1//The Independent, UK Published: 14 August 2005
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/this_britain/article305778.ece

QUEEN TO VISIT CHINA IN CHARM OFFENSIVE
By Severin Carrell

The Queen is preparing to make an official visit to China, the last major Communist state, as part of a concerted charm offensive by Britain to strengthen trade links.

The visit, which is expected to take place next year, would be the culmination of an intensive campaign by ministers to become a favoured trade partner with China, which has rapidly become the world's fastest- growing economy.

It would crown a series of high-level official visits between the two countries, which began last year when the Duke of York toured China in his official role as a British trade ambassador, followed by a visit by the Chancellor, Gordon Brown, last spring.

Tony Blair is to make his second official trip there next month, chiefly because of Britain's presidency of the European Union, as part of an EU trade mission to both China and India. Plans are also being finalised for a state visit to the UK by the Chinese premier Hu Jintao next year.

A state visit by the Queen would be seen as a most significant step, and British diplomats are understood to be at an advanced stage in talks with the Chinese authorities over the visit proposal.

Britain and the EU are determined to cement close economic, military and scientific ties with Beijing. The Chinese economy is now growing at nearly 10 per cent a year. Its exports to Britain top £10bn a year - chiefly in consumer goods such as computers, home entertainment, clothing and toys.

(SNIP)

But the EU's growing ties with Beijing has provoked a rift with the United States over plans to lift the arms embargo imposed after the Tiananmen Square massacre 16 years ago. British human rights groups are also critical of Chinese suppression of Tibet.

The trip would come 20 years after the Queen became the first British monarch to tour China, in 1986.

2//The Daily Star, Lebanon Monday, August 15, 2005
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id...

IRAN SAYS U.S. AND U.K. BEHIND ETHNIC CLASHES
By Agence France Presse (AFP)

TEHRAN: Iran accused Britain and the U.S. of instigating recent ethnic clashes involving the country's Kurdish and Arab minorities. "We have information that the U.S. is interfering in the northwest of Iran. That is unacceptable and we are going to protest," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi.

"According to our reports the English have interfered in the troubles in Khuzestan and some (agitators) have been trained in bases under British control in Iraq," he added.

The province of Khuzestan, where there is a large ethnic Arab community, and the Kurdish areas of northwestern Iran near the Iraqi and Turkish borders have been rocked by violence in recent months that has left a number of people dead.

Iran's claims came as it is locked in a standoff with the international community over its nuclear activities, which arch-enemy the United States claims is a cover for efforts to build an atomic bomb.

(SNIP)

According to official figures, 12 people have died in the Kurdish areas, where fighting was sparked in July when a young Kurdish man wanted by police was shot and killed during his arrest in the Kurdish stronghold of Mahabad.

Independent groups say the death toll is higher, and that rioting and unrest spread to several villages in the area.

The restive Arab majority city of Ahvaz saw new clashes at the end of July, as riots were reportedly sparked by con men who had taken advance payments on cheap cars and appliances and then failed to come up with the goods.

The capital of the oil-rich Khuzestan Province near the Iraqi border was also struck on June 12 by four bomb attacks that killed between six and eight people.

Kurds make up about 7 percent of Iran's population, while Arabs are an even smaller minority at about three percent.

3//The Pakistan Tribune, Pakistan Saturday August 13, 2005 (1806 PST)
http://paktribune.com/news/index.php?id=115662

REFUGEES' FORCED REPATRIATION TO ADD TO AFGHAN GOVT'S BURDEN

KABUL, August 14 (Online): "Our life in Pakistan was much better than at home. My father worked daily and earned a honorable livelihood there to feed us properly but here we mostly eat a loaf of bread and tea," said a nine-year old Afghan returnee girl Hajira.

Attired in tattered clothes and with a grimy face, the innocent Hajira was dreaming better life for her family into her father's income.

"If my father finds a permanent job then we could have better food, better dress, better accommodation and better school," she said at the compound of her decaying camp.

The poor girl was in the second grade in school when her family returned home from a refugee camp in Pakistan three years ago but now she is sitting in the first grade under a tented school situated in the premises of the shabby camp.

As a reminder of the senseless war in Afghanistan, the camp consists of two badly damaged and bullet-riddled government buildings in the southwest of Afghan capital, housing over 200 destitute families since late last year.

Over 1,000 individuals including men, women and children have been passing time in the two four-story buildings without electricity and running water, demanding the government end their misery.

This segment is part of over 3.3 million Afghans refugees, who have returned from Pakistan and Iran over the past three and a half years with majority of whom preferred to stay in the capital of Kabul in dilapidated houses with hope to win government assistance.

While the foreign aid-dependent Afghan government has yet to provide shelter to millions of destitute and displaced Afghans, the recent decision of Pakistan to shut down more refugee camps would further add to the multi-faceted challenges of the establishment here.

Islamabad announced week ago to close down two refugee camps in Bajaur and Karam agency near Afghan border besides asking Afghans living in the capital and Rawalpindi to return home or shift to other refugee camps.

(SNIP)

To solve returnees' shelter problem, the Afghan government would build 28 Refugees Township with international support over the next three years across the country, Ghiasi said

"The project, if completed within the stipulated time, will house 500,000 families or some 3 million individuals," he said.

Another main problem of returnees at home is high rate of unemployment as the majority of illiterate and unskilled returnees are unable to find jobs in the post-conflict country where no giant project has been launched to absorb workers.

"I worked as a daily wager in Pakistan and lead a happy and honorable life with my family, but here, life is horrible for me as I cannot work 10 days a month to feed my children properly," complained Jamshid, 48.

"It was my earnest hope to live in a prosperous Afghanistan but continued failure to find a source of income has been disappointing me. So if the status quo continues, I would have no choice but to re-migrate either to Pakistan or Iran," the father of 10 offspring said.

4//The Korea Times, South Korea 08-14-2005 19:38
http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/200508/...

UNIFIED KOREA LIKELY IN 10-20 YEARS: SURVEY
By Kim Ki-tae
Staff Reporter

South and North Korea will likely achieve reunification in 10 to 20 years, according to an informal survey of foreign experts on Korean Peninsula issues and overseas-based Korean scholars.

Conducted by The Korea Times on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Aug. 15 Liberation Day, the survey showed that 31 of the 34 respondents think the two Koreas will ultimately be reunified. Only two replied "no'' to the question.

Out of the 31 who answered "yes,'' 14 said unification would likely be achieved in 10 to 20 years. Among the others, five and four people, respectively, said it would take more than 20 years and less than 10 years.

"I think we are already seeing the beginning of a process toward economic integration (between the South and the North), which is separate from political unity,'' Daniel Pinkston at the Center for Nonproliferation Studies of the Monterrey Institute said.

When asked about the future of the U.S. troops on the peninsula after unification, the majority said that the forces are "not so much'' or "not at all'' needed in a unified Korea.

Asked on the future prospects of the North Korean nuclear crisis, 15 scholars gave a negative estimation while nine remained positive.

The Koreanologists gave a relatively positive assessment over the future prospects of the Korean economy.

Twenty-two of the experts deemed that reunification will positively affect the unified Korea's economy in the end. Some also expressed concerns that it will inevitably suffer a short-term downturn after reunification. Regarding Korea's economic prospects for the coming decade, 26 respondents see a bright future.

Asked about Korea's market opening to the world, they were almost evenly divided. Thirteen panelists think it is "very much'' or "much'' opened while 11 deem it is not so much so.

But in sharp contrast to relatively bright economic prospects, Korea seems to have a string of social problems that need to be resolved. Out of the total panel, only 11 believe that human rights are protected "very much'' or "much,'' while the remaining 23 were neutral and skeptical. The surveyed also said environmental issues are not very well addressed, with only 11 giving positive marks on the issue.

(MORE)

5//Gulf News Online, United Arab Emirates Published: 14/8/2005, 08:04 (UAE)
http://www.gulf-news.com/Articles/WorldNF.asp...

KOIZUMI'S PARTY TEARING ITSELF APART
By Tom Clifford, Assistant Editor, International

Tokyo: It is open warfare. In a country accustomed to earthquakes it seems strangely fitting that a seismic shift is taking place that will alter the political landscape.

The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, which has governed Japan for all but 10 months over the last 50 years is tearing itself apart.

Twelve branches of the party have pledged to support 18 LDP members who broke ranks with Koizumi and voted against his post office privatisation plans.

This is in direct defiance of orders from the party's secretary-general Tsutomu Takebe who demanded that all party members who voted against the Bill be expelled.

The 18 candidates include veteran politicians who boast strong campaign organisations, including former Defence Agency chief Hosei Norota of Akita, former LDP Executive Council Chairman Mitsuo Horiuchi of Yamanashi, former transport minister Takao Fujii of Gifu and former trade minister Takeo Hiranuma of Okayama. LDP Lower House lawmakers have traditionally had strong support bases in their constituencies, and prefectural chapters sometimes defy party headquarters when selecting election candidates.

However, the revolt of so many LDP chapters before an election is unprecedented.

(SKIP)

The bitter infighting that is taking place shows that the old certainties of Japanese politics are no longer valid.

A party that was once a byword for discipline is now in the throes of rampant back-stabbing and character assassinations.

Katsuya Okada, the leader of the Democratic Party of Japan, the biggest Opposition party, described the election as a historic opportunity to remove the LDP from office for only the second time since 1955.

That last happened in 1993 when a group of small parties were unable to hold on to power for longer than 10 months.