February 10, 2006

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 FEBRUARY 10, 2006

1//The Independent, UK--DOUBTS OVER WITHDRAWAL OF UK TROOPS FROM IRAQ (Doubts about the withdrawal of coalition troops from Iraq were raised last night after the Cabinet Office rejected calls for an audit to be published on the readiness of Iraqi forces to take over their own security. The request to publish the report by the retired US General Gary Luck was made under the Freedom of Information Act by Sir Menzies Campbell, the acting leader of the Liberal Democrats. But it was rejected on the grounds that it would "impact negatively upon the UK's international relations". MPs said the report suggested that the withdrawal of some coalition troops later this year would be a gesture to relieve pressure in the US and Britain for the pull-out to begin, but that Iraqi forces were not ready for a large-scale reduction in US and British troops. … . Nick Clegg, the Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesman, protested about a possible cover-up. "What does the report say about troop withdrawal - and have coalition mistakes prolonged our commitment?")

2//Azzaman in English, Iraq--MORE BELT-TIGHTENING IN STORE FOR IRAQIS (Iraqis will have to do without their almost free food rations and stand yet another spiral of hikes in fuel prices. This exactly what any new government must do to meet conditions the World Bank and international creditors and donors have set for the country. The outgoing government is reported to have agreed to these conditions, which among other things, require that Iraq to enter into long-term partnership deals with foreign firms to develop the country’s massive oil wealth. Sources, refusing to be named, leaked information of the deal which the government has so far opted to keep under wraps. … . Any further hikes in fuel rates are bound to backfire on the new government and are very likely to lead to large-scale rioting. But the scrapping of food rations will have far graver consequences as millions of Iraqis will find it almost impossible to make ends meet without them.)

3//Afghan Islamic Press Online, Pakistan--NUMBER OF SUICIDE BOMBERS SWELLS TO 1200, CLAIM MULLA DADULLAH (Taliban Chief Military Commander Mulla Dadullah on Wednesday said the number of Taliban suicide bomber has incredibly increased after the publication of blasphemous caricature. In a detailed interview with Afghan Islamic Press via phone from an undisclosed location the Taliban chief military commander said 1200 suicide bombers have been enlisted and they are ready for suicide attacks, increasing the earlier number which was announced as 200. … . We have links with Mujahideen in Iraq and we have also been planning to send our fighters from Afghanistan to Iraq and Iraqi fighters come here, Mulla Dadullah continued. Asked whether Osama bin Laden alive, he replied, “Yes, he alive but I do not know where he is?” When asked from where Taliban acquired anti-aircraft weapons, he said, “Non-Muslins give us aid owing to their differences with America while the Muslims’ support based on Islam which also includes anti-aircraft weapons.”)

4//The Daily Star, Lebanon--RESERVES TO REPLACE IRAN OIL SUBSTANTIAL, IEA SAYS (The International Energy Agency could call on strategic oil reserves to replace Iranian crude exports "for more than a year and a half" if Tehran were to cut off supplies, IEA executive director Claude Mandil told French radio BFM on Thursday. "If ever, for whatever reason, there was a loss of supplies from Iran, which represent around 2.7 million barrels per day, strategic stocks managed by the IEA ... would be able to compensate for those lost 2.7 million bpd for a year and a half," he said. "I therefore say to countries mandated to negotiate with Iran, I do not know what your plans are, but when you consider the different options, you do not have to worry about an eventual loss of Iranian oil because you have the means to deal with it.")

5//Xinhua Online, China--CHINA STRIVES TO BE ONE OF WORLD SCIENCE POWERS (China released on Thursday an ambitious plan to invigorate its scientific research and to make it one of the world's leading science powers, setting a target of 900 billion yuan (111.1 billion U.S. dollars) in annual research and development expenditure by 2020. Such huge investment will bring China level with the world's big two spenders in scientific research, the United States and Japan. More than 2,000 leading scientists and strategists took part in drafting the National Guidelines for Medium- and Long-term Plans for Science and Technology Development, which is the first of its kind since China transformed its economy into a market-oriented one. … . "A big economy is not necessarily a powerful economy," Xu said. "China still lacks capability in innovation, particularly in those strategically important areas. "We would never buy or borrow the key technologies from the global leading economies." … . Sustained increase of spending on research and development in the coming 15 years could ensure China is one of the world's most innovative countries. The guidelines also anticipate China becoming the world's leading science power by 2050. … . Since the 1950s, China has adopted a total of seven medium- and long-term plans for science and technology development. With those plans, China developed atom bombs and man-made satellites, manned spaceships, hybrid rices and high-performance servers.)

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1//The Independent, UK Published: 10 February 2006

DOUBTS OVER WITHDRAWAL OF UK TROOPS FROM IRAQ
By Colin Brown, Deputy Political Editor

Doubts about the withdrawal of coalition troops from Iraq were raised last night after the Cabinet Office rejected calls for an audit to be published on the readiness of Iraqi forces to take over their own security.

The request to publish the report by the retired US General Gary Luck was made under the Freedom of Information Act by Sir Menzies Campbell, the acting leader of the Liberal Democrats. But it was rejected on the grounds that it would "impact negatively upon the UK's international relations".

MPs said the report suggested that the withdrawal of some coalition troops later this year would be a gesture to relieve pressure in the US and Britain for the pull-out to begin, but that Iraqi forces were not ready for a large-scale reduction in US and British troops.

Tony Blair told MPs last year he wanted to publish the wide-ranging audit on the Iraqi forces by General Luck which had been ordered by Donald Rumsfeld, the US Defence Secretary. The Cabinet Office said publication would "significantly prejudice the UK's important interests with the US".

Nick Clegg, the Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesman, protested about a possible cover-up. "What does the report say about troop withdrawal - and have coalition mistakes prolonged our commitment?"

He said: "While parts of the report may be withheld for security reasons, how can the Government justify the suppression of even the key findings? Many will suspect the report contains uncomfortable reading for officials in the UK and America."

A Cabinet Office letter to Sir Menzies said publication would "allow more informed debate" about the withdrawal date but added: "The public interest in disclosure is more than outweighed by the public interest in withholding the information. Releasing [it] would undermine the relationship of trust, which exists between the US and the UK and the UK and Iraq."

(MORE)

2//Azzaman in English, Iraq February 8, 2006

MORE BELT-TIGHTENING IN STORE FOR IRAQIS
By Nidhal al-Laithi

Iraqis will have to do without their almost free food rations and stand yet another spiral of hikes in fuel prices.

This exactly what any new government must to do to meet conditions the World Bank and international creditors and donors have set for the country.

The outgoing government is reported to have agreed to these conditions, which among other things, require that Iraq to enter into long-term partnership deals with foreign firms to develop the country’s massive oil wealth.

Sources, refusing to be named, leaked information of the deal which the government has so far opted to keep under wraps.

Fuel prices will have to be raised to levels comparable to those in neighboring countries, according to the deal.

The expected upsurge in fuel prices will come on top of the hikes the government made recently and which led to demonstrations across the country.

The sources said millions of Iraqis dependent on food rations for a living need now to prepare themselves to do without government-subsidized food.

(SNIP)

World Bank, International Monetary Fund and creditor countries have written off most of Iraqi debts.

But these institutions and countries, the sources said, would like Iraq to open up its oil fields to foreign investments.

Any further hikes in fuel rates are bound to backfire on the new government and are very likely to lead to large-scale rioting.

But the scrapping of food rations will have far graver consequences as millions of Iraqis will find it almost impossible to make ends meet without them.

3//Afghan Islamic Press Online, Pakistan 2/9/2006

NUMBER OF SUICIDE BOMBERS SWELLS TO 1200, CLAIM MULLA DADULLAH

PEAHAWAR (AIP): Taliban Chief Military Commander Mulla Dadullah on Wednesday said the number of Taliban suicide bomber has incredibly increased after the publication of blasphemous caricature.

In a detailed interview with Afghan Islamic Press via phone from an undisclosed location the Taliban chief military commander said 1200 suicide bombers have been enlisted and they are ready for suicide attacks, increasing the earlier number which was announced as 200.

“After the publication of blasphemous cartoon the number of our suicide bomber has further increased and 100 people have enlisted their name in this connection” he said.

Mulla Muhammad Omer is the supreme leader of Mujahideen of the world and they are fighting as commanders of Mulla Muhammad Omer, he stated, adding that Mulla Omer is alive and we have been continuing our activities according to his orders.

War fighting comes unexpectedly but we have been planning to increase suicide attacks, he said.

We have links with Mujahideen in Iraq and we have also been planning to send our fighters from Afghanistan to Iraq and Iraqi fighters come here, Mulla Dadullah continued.

Asked whether Osama bin Laden alive, he replied, “Yes, he alive but I do not know where he is?”

When asked from where Taliban acquired anti-aircraft weapons, he said, “Non-Muslins give us aid owing to their differences with America while the Muslims’ support based on Islam which also includes anti-aircraft weapons.”

(SNIP)

Thirty eight-year-old Mulla Dadullah, chief military commander of Taliban was also commander during the Taliban government. Dadullah refused to surrender and escaped to Kandahar when Taliban command was broken and Taliban surrendered in the north in November 2001. He also lost his one leg during jehad against USSR in Afghanistan.

4//The Daily Star, Lebanon Friday, February 10, 2006

RESERVES TO REPLACE IRAN OIL SUBSTANTIAL, IEA SAYS
By Agence France Presse (AFP)

PARIS: The International Energy Agency could call on strategic oil reserves to replace Iranian crude exports "for more than a year and a half" if Tehran were to cut off supplies, IEA executive director Claude Mandil told French radio BFM on Thursday.

"If ever, for whatever reason, there was a loss of supplies from Iran, which represent around 2.7 million barrels per day, strategic stocks managed by the IEA ... would be able to compensate for those lost 2.7 million bpd for a year and a half," he said.

"I therefore say to countries mandated to negotiate with Iran, I do not know what your plans are, but when you consider the different options, you do not have to worry about an eventual loss of Iranian oil because you have the means to deal with it."

(SNIP)

On January 31, however, Iranian Oil Minister Kazem Vaziri-Hamaneh told reporters in Vienna that Tehran had "no reason" to halt oil exports and would not mix oil with politics.

"There is no link between the oil and the nuclear issue," he said on the sidelines of an OPEC meeting.

The IEA, which seeks to coordinate and monitor energy policies in its 26 member states, was created in November 1974 amid an energy crisis that followed the 1973 Yom Kippur war.
IEA members hold almost four billion barrels of crude oil in reserve, the equivalent of at least 118 days of imports.

5//Xinhua Online, China 2006-02-09 20:04:46

CHINA STRIVES TO BE ONE OF WORLD SCIENCE POWERS

BEIJING, Feb. 9 (Xinhuanet) -- China released on Thursday an ambitious plan to invigorate its scientific research and to make it one of the world's leading science powers, setting a target of 900 billion yuan (111.1 billion U.S. dollars) in annual research and development expenditure by 2020.

Such huge investment will bring China level with the world's big two spenders in scientific research, the United States and Japan.

More than 2,000 leading scientists and strategists took part in drafting the National Guidelines for Medium- and Long-term Plans for Science and Technology Development, which is the first of its kind since China transformed its economy into a market-oriented one.

The National Guidelines said China's total R&D expenditures in 2020 should account for 2.5 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP), which is similar to that of developed economies and the scientific powers.

(SNIP)

In 2004, China's R&D expenditures took up 1.23 percent of the GDP, which is the highest among all developing countries. Meanwhile, most developed countries spent more than 2 percent of their GDP on scientific research and technological development.

Huge R&D investment will ensure China leads the way in knowledge-based economies in terms of innovation and consequently economic competitiveness, Dr. Jia said.

Chinese President Hu Jintao said earlier this year that China must switch from a resources-dependent to an innovation-driven economy.

According to the guidelines, the government will put its state budgets as well as private funds into 68 priority subjects, 16 state key projects, 27 innovative technologies, 18 basic scientific issues and four big science exploration programs, covering energy resources, agriculture and manufacturing areas, space exploration and research on protein and nanotechnology.

Xu Guanhua, minister of Science and Technology, said, "All of those are strategically important for China to ensure its national and economic security and that it makes giant strides in technology."

"A big economy is not necessarily a powerful economy," Xu said. "China still lacks capability in innovation, particularly in those strategically important areas.

"We would never buy or borrow the key technologies from the global leading economies."

(SNIP)

The sustained increase of spending on research and development in the coming 15 years could ensure China is one of the world's most innovative countries. The guidelines also anticipate China becoming the world's leading science power by 2050.

In order to sharpen China's competitiveness, the state has encouraged companies to establish top-notch R&Ds in order to be driving forces in the new-style economy. In return it promises to design new fiscal and taxation policies more conducive to innovation in the coming years.

Ma Junru, a senior strategist who participated in drafting the guidelines, said, "We need to pay the upmost attention to enterprises in order to enhance our overall innovation capability."

By 2020, a number of Chinese enterprises are expected to be firm fixtures in the world's top 500 thanks to their strengths in producing new ideas and products.

Since the 1950s, China has adopted a total of seven medium- and long-term plans for science and technology development. With those plans, China developed atom bombs and man-made satellites, manned spaceships, hybrid rices and high-performance servers.

Copyright 2006, Gloria R. Lalumia