World Media Watch for August 26, 2002

BUZZFLASH NOTE: Once again, these are the views and perspectives of the individual papers, not of BuzzFlash or Gloria. They offer BuzzFlash readers a way of reading what other nations are saying about the crisis, whether we like it or not. We repeat: This is not an endorsement of their viewpoints.

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1//The Moscow Times, Russia--GEORGIAN TROOPS ROLL INTO PANKISI (The gorge, which borders Chechnya, has long been a focus of tension between Georgia and Russia. The tension soared Friday when Georgia accused Russian aircraft of crossing some 80 kilometers into Georgian territory that morning and bombing villages in the gorge, killing one person and wounding five. The Russian military denied bombing Georgian territory. But the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which maintains patrols on the border, said its staff saw the planes, The Associated Press reported. Washington also came down on Georgia's side, with U.S. President George W. Bush's spokesman issuing a strongly worded statement all but accusing Russia of lying.)

2//The International News, Pakistan--ELECTIONS MAY BE POSTPONED: MAKHDOOM ("There are reports that the elections might be postponed, which should not happen at any cost," said Makhdoom, who filed his nomination from NA-218 (Hala), while talking to journalists at Makhdoom House here on Saturday. He said the PPPP hoped that the elections would not be put off for any reason. He said that a lot of hurdles were being created in the way of the PPPP as General Pervez Musharraf feared that the party would sweep the elections with a thumping majority.)

3//Arab News, Saudi Arabia--SAUDI TRADE FAIR SET TO OPEN IN BAGHDAD (The first Saudi Arabian trade fair to be held in Iraq since the 1991 Gulf War will open here on Sept. 9 for five days, an official newspaper reported yesterday…A big Saudi trade delegation was also expected. The trade fair comes at a time when relations between Riyadh and Baghdad, cut since the war, have begun to warm. The process began at the Arab summit in Beirut last March and has been aided by Saudi Arabia's refusal to countenance a US-led attack on Iraq from its soil.)

4//Turkish Daily News, Turkey--SADDAM SENT A MESSAGE TO ECEVIT (Gaydali, prior to meeting, stated that their aim is to increase the volume of trade and to reach the state prior to the embargo. Gaydali stated that Turkey-Iraq trade relations are improving. "Our trade relation had almost stopped in 1990. Now it may reach $1 billion," Gaydali said. Salih indicated that they will attend a fair in Izmir and might sign a contract. Salih indicated that Turkey is on the top of the trade list according to Saddam Hussein's order.)

5//World Press Review Online, USA--REFORMIST WEB SITES BUCK IRANIAN PRESS LAWS (Lacking reformist papers to publish their work, and fearful of jail terms and floggings, reformist writers have chosen the Internet as an outlet for their opinions. Many of the reports in the new reformist Web sites would quickly shutter a newspaper's offices.)

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1//The Moscow Times Monday, Aug. 26, 2002. Page 1
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2002/08/26/001.html

GEORGIAN TROOPS ROLL INTO PANKISI
By Nabi Abdullaev, Staff Writer

Georgia on Sunday sent hundreds of heavily armed Interior Ministry troops into its Pankisi Gorge, a crime-infested area where Moscow says Tbilisi has allowed Chechen rebels and foreign Islamic militants to set up bases.

In a parallel operation, 1,500 army troops -- under the command of officers who have had U.S. anti-terrorism training -- began exercises in the Akhmeta district near the southern edge of the gorge.

"The anti-criminal operation first and foremost is aimed at bringing order to the Pankisi Gorge and cleansing it of criminals and terrorists should they be there," Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze said Sunday on Georgian national television, Interfax reported. The gorge, which borders Chechnya, has long been a focus of tension between Georgia and Russia. The tension soared Friday when Georgia accused Russian aircraft of crossing some 80 kilometers into Georgian territory that morning and bombing villages in the gorge, killing one person and wounding five.

The Russian military denied bombing Georgian territory. But the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which maintains patrols on the border, said its staff saw the planes, The Associated Press reported.

Washington also came down on Georgia's side, with U.S. President George W. Bush's spokesman issuing a strongly worded statement all but accusing Russia of lying.

"The United States strongly supports Georgia's independence and territorial integrity, and has welcomed similar statements by the Russian Federation," White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said Saturday. "Yesterday's attacks and their denial by the Russian government, however, belie such Russian assurances."

Georgian officials have not said how many Interior Ministry troops were sent into the Pankisi Gorge. But NTV showed footage of a convoy of tanks, armored personnel carriers and trucks filled with troops heading into the gorge, and said there were about 200 vehicles in all. By late afternoon Sunday, Georgian Interior Ministry troops had entered all settlements in the Pankisi Gorge, Interfax reported.

(SNIP)

Russia has long pressured Georgia to allow it to conduct a military operation in the region or provide military support, but Georgia has refused.

In the latest appeal for cooperation, the Russian Foreign Ministry on Saturday welcomed Tbilisi's intentions to bring order to the gorge but said it disagreed with Georgia's tactics of "peacefully pushing terrorists out" toward the Russian border.

"Terrorists must be blockaded, disarmed and handed over to the Russian side," the ministry said in a statement quoted by Interfax. "Russia is prepared to give Georgia all the necessary cooperation it needs in solving this problem

2//The International News Sunday August 25, 2002-- Jamadi-us-Sani 15, 1423 A.H.
http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/

ELECTIONS MAY BE POSTPONED: MAKHDOOM
By Anwer Kamal

HYDERABAD: Chief of Pakistan People's Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) Makhdoom Amin Fahim has expressed apprehension that the general election scheduled for October may be postponed.

"There are reports that the elections might be postponed, which should not happen at any cost," said Makhdoom, who filed his nomination from NA-218 (Hala), while talking to journalists at Makhdoom House here on Saturday.

He said the PPPP hoped that the elections would not be put off for any reason. He said that a lot of hurdles were being created in the way of the PPPP as General Pervez Musharraf feared that the party would sweep the elections with a thumping majority. He said when Musharraf assured him during their meeting that the elections would be free and fair, he had informed the general that such an election must be observed and felt by the people. He hoped that there would be no interference on the part of the government in the elections and no patronisation of any party.

Makhdoom said Benazir Bhutto would come back to Pakistan to contest the elections as she had filed her nomination papers. He said if she was stopped from taking part in the elections then it would be up to her to decide the future course of action.

(SNIP)

The PPPP chief said that there was no place for National Security Council in the 1973 Constitution and added that the military rulers had devised a way of continuing their rule through the council. He said only the parliament could approve amendments to the constitution. General Musharraf would have to get his three years tenure and steps being taken under his rule ratified from the parliament, he added.

3//Arab News 25 August 2002 / 16 Jumada ath-Thani 1423
http://www.arabnews.com/Article.asp?ID=18057

SAUDI TRADE FAIR SET TO OPEN IN BAGHDAD
By a Staff Writer

BAGHDAD, 25 August - The first Saudi Arabian trade fair to be held in Iraq since the 1991 Gulf War will open here on Sept. 9 for five days, an official newspaper reported yesterday.

"The biggest Saudi companies" will be represented at the event and offer foodstuffs, electrical and medical equipment and textiles," Al-Ittihad weekly said, quoting an official source at the Iraqi Trade Ministry.

A big Saudi trade delegation was also expected. The trade fair comes at a time when relations between Riyadh and Baghdad, cut since the war, have begun to warm.

The process began at the Arab summit in Beirut last March and has been aided by Saudi Arabia's refusal to countenance a US-led attack on Iraq from its soil.

Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan said Thursday that Baghdad would be ready to restore ties when Riyadh decided the time was right.

Saudi Arabia has encouraged its businessmen to export national products to Iraq following the regulations of the food-for-oil program approved by the United Nations.

(SNIP)

However, the volume of trade exchange between the Kingdom and Iraq was small compared to Iraq's trade with Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Tunisia.

Saudi-Iraq trade is expected to rise in the coming months as Baghdad may prefer to buy Saudi products in its bid to open a new chapter in bilateral relations.

(SNIP)

Dr. Abdul Rahman Al-Zamil, chairman of the Export Promotion Center, had earlier called for concluding a free-trade agreement with Iraq to promote inter-Arab trade.

Iraq has already signed free-trade accords with Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

(MORE)

4//Turkish Daily News 24 August 2002
http://www.TurkishDailyNews.com/FrTDN/latest/for.htm

SADDAM SENT A MESSAGE TO ECEVIT
--Gaydali: Good trade relations with Iraq

Ankara - Turkish Daily News

While the strategic partner of Turkey, the U.S., considers hitting Iraq to prevent mass destructive weapon's production. Iraqi Trade minister Mehdi Salih visited Turkey. Salih stated that he was going to present Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein's message to Prime minister Bulent Ecevit.

(SNIP)

Gaydali, prior to meeting, stated that their aim is to increase the volume of trade and to reach the state prior to the embargo. Gaydali stated that Turkey-Iraq trade relations are improving. "Our trade relation had almost stopped in 1990. Now it may reach $1 billion," Gaydali said.

Salih indicated that they will attend a fair in Izmir and might sign a contract. Salih indicated that Turkey is on the top of the trade list according to Saddam Hussein's order.

Salih also visited State minister Tunca Toskay. Salih criticized the U.N.'s oil pricing policy during the visit.

Salih mentioned that U.N. sets the oil price a month later. Salih indicated that the procedure influences the foreign trade in a negative way and the procedure influences the oil production as well. Salih stated that the production of 2.25 million barrels a day falls sometimes to one million barrels. Salih indicated that Iraq can export six million barrels of oil if the embargo is lifted. Salih stated that Iraq wants to establish a long term project with Turkey.

(SNIP)

Toskay answering a question about a probable military strike on Iraq said: "In such countries trade has different conditions. This is not a market condition but political atmosphere. There is an atmosphere for mutual trust. Our concern is clear. We will be harmed if there is a war. There is a $1.2 billion project in Iraq. This will stop," said Toskay.

5//World Press Review Online Aug. 20, 2002
http://www.worldpress.org/Mideast/683.cfm

Iran, Wired
REFORMIST WEB SITES BUCK IRANIAN PRESS LAWS
Shahram Sokooti
World Press Review correspondent
Tehran, Iran

In a busy downtown Tehran Internet cafe, young people are taking turns checking the news and sipping tea while talking about closure of another reformist newspaper by the conservative judiciary.

"I used to check the foreign news on the Web, and chat of course," says Faramarz, 22, a language student. "But now I mainly check the Internet for the news about what's going on in Iran." In the latest clash between Iranian refomists and hard-liners it seems that the reformists have found a new haven which is beyond the reach and understanding of the hard-liners: cyber space. In the past few weeks a major reformist newspaper, Norooz (New Day) was shut down, and its publisher, Mohsen Mirdamadi, the head of the Iranian Parliament's Security and Foreign Affairs Committee, was sentenced to six months in prison. A week later the daily Ayeneh (Mirror), which replaced it, was closed after a week. Rooz-eh No (New Day) was also prevented from publishing by the conservative judiciary, which has closed more than 50 newspapers over the past three years and sentenced their writers to imprisonment and flogging.

Lacking reformist papers to publish their work, and fearful of jail terms and floggings, reformist writers have chosen the Internet as an outlet for their opinions. Many of the reports in the new reformist Web sites would quickly shutter a newspaper's offices. The reformist Web site Emrooz.org recently broke a story on conservatives' plan to start a chain of brothels called "houses of chastity." These dens of virtue quickly became the subject of numerous bad jokes. Soon after, the hard-liners condemned the plan as a rumor propagated by enemies of the state, and no one took responsibility for proposing it.

Another reformist Web site, Rooydad, is maintained by Iran's main reformist party, Participation Front. Rooydad recently reported a meeting between Saddam Hussein's son, Qusai, and a senior commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, in which Qusai Hussein asked for Iran's help when and if the United States attacks Iraq. Iran's foreign ministry and the Revolutionary Guards initially denied the reports, but Rooydad-bolstered by editors who serve in Iran's intelligence service-produced their evidence. Eventually, the foreign ministry and the guards were forced to concede the meeting had indeed taken place.

(MORE)

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© 2002, Gloria R. Lalumia
insight@zianet.com

Updated listings of Radio for Progressives on the internet at http://www.zianet.com/insightanalytical

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