http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-4902258,00.html


Associated Press
March 30, 2005


Kazakhstan Opposition Promises Change
By BAGILA BUKHARBAYEVA


[Excerpts]


-The overthrow of President Askar Akayev in Kyrgyzstan
is emerging as a powerful catalyst for the Kazakh
opposition, which already was inspired by popular
uprisings [...] in Georgia and Ukraine. With an
upcoming presidential vote, opposition leaders say
preparations are afoot for a final push to unseat
Nazarbayev.
-Two well-funded, pro-government parties publicly
accused unspecified outside forces of preparing for
revolution, and said their supporters were ready to
take up arms to ``defend the country's sovereignty.''
Earlier, the government responded to popular uprisings
in the former Soviet republics of Georgia and Ukraine
by banning the Democratic Choice party and two
opposition newspapers.


KORDAI, Kazakhstan - A dozen Kyrgyz men and women
stood at a border post, badgering guards about why
they could no longer enter Kazakhstan.

``The checkpoint is fully closed,'' a Kazakh guard
said repeatedly. Asked why, an officer replied: ``I
cannot disclose a state secret.''

As Kyrgyzstan shakes with revolutionary fever,
officials in oil-rich Kazakhstan are hoping to
quarantine their country from political infection. But
the opposition in this former Soviet republic says
it's time for change and President Nursultan
Nazarbayev must accept it.

``If authorities continue to use the same language of
intimidation, pressure and blackmail ... the people
and the opposition will be cornered and will have no
other choice but to take more decisive steps,''
opposition leader Zharmakhan Tuyakbai told The
Associated Press on Wednesday.

The overthrow of President Askar Akayev in Kyrgyzstan
is emerging as a powerful catalyst for the Kazakh
opposition, which already was inspired by popular
uprisings in Georgia and Ukraine. With an upcoming
presidential vote, opposition leaders say preparations
are afoot for a final push to unseat Nazarbayev.
....
The opposition has made recent gains: Businesses are
helping fund efforts to build parties, and former
government ministers who helped with privatization
reforms are now included in the top ranks of the
opposition.

The parties have a vision: A draft constitution and
draft media bill have been drawn up, along with a
package of economic reforms. And the opposition is
united behind a single presidential candidate -
Tuyakbai.

Authorities in Kazakhstan reacted swiftly and sternly
to the Kyrgyz turmoil, amending the laws to ban public
demonstrations during elections. Two well-funded,
pro-government parties publicly accused unspecified
outside forces of preparing for revolution, and said
their supporters were ready to take up arms to
``defend the country's sovereignty.''

Earlier, the government responded to popular uprisings
in the former Soviet republics of Georgia and Ukraine
by banning the Democratic Choice party and two
opposition newspapers. The recent split of the main
opposition party Ak Zhol is also believed to have been
engineered with government help.

Though Nazarbayev's term officially ends in January,
neither the opposition nor election officials can
agree on when the presidential vote will be held. The
opposition says it should be in December. The election
commission says the vote could be held after his term
officially ends.

Even opposition leaders say an uprising is not a
foregone conclusion in Kazakhstan - especially if
Nazarbayev agrees to hold talks on democratic reforms.


``We don't want a Kyrgyz scenario,'' said Asylbek
Kozhakhmetov, a senior official of the opposition
alliance For Fair Kazakhstan.

``The ball is in (Nazarbayev's) court, but most likely
he will pretend that no such offer exists,''
Kozhakhmetov said. ``Then there will be only one way
out left for the opposition - to turn to people.''






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http://www.messenger.com.ge/issues/0832_march_31_2005/news_0832_2.htm


The Messenger (Georgia)
March 31, 2005


Jackson, Georgian NGO head discuss democracy, human
rights in Tbilisi
NGOs stress importance on Bush's visit for Georgia
By Anna Arzanova



[Bruce P. Jackson:
http://www.newamericancentury.org/brucejacksonbio.htm]



-"But what is most important," she said, "is that our
country act on the advice given us by the United
States."
"The visit by itself will not change anything in the
country. Western approaches [to different issues]
should also be applied in our country," Kakabadze
said.


Bruce Jackson, president of both the United States
Committee on NATO and the Transitional Democracies
Project, met with the head of the Georgian Young
Lawyers' Association Tina Khidasheli on March 30 to
discuss the current political situation and human
rights situation in Georgia.

A delegation headed by Jackson has been in Georgia for
several days working on proposals and recommendations
for Georgia's integration into NATO and the EU. The
delegation is also slated to meet with Speaker of
Parliament Nino Burjanadze and Prime Minister Zurab
Noghaideli.

"The goal of my visit is to assist Georgia in the
process of its integration into Euro-Atlantic
structures with practical advice. This meeting with
one of the leading and most influential NGOs in
Georgia was really very important," Jackson told
journalists after the meeting, noting that they
discussed human rights and the level of democracy in
Georgia today.

Khidasheli said she informed Jackson about recent
problems affecting the development of democracy in the
country, as well problems with human rights
protection.

"I openly spoke about all the problems that have
existed in Georgia for the last few months. We talked
about those difficulties which face Georgian democracy
and impede its development," she stated.

The NGO leader thinks that American assistance is key
for Georgia and "can determine the success of our
country."

In an interview with The Messenger, she expressed her
hope that President Bush's visit will have a positive
impact on Georgia. "I think that the arrival of George
Bush in Georgia is the most important pre-condition
and assistance for the development of our country,"
she said.

Khidasheli added that United States-backed programs in
defense, economy, education and other spheres will
also promote and support Georgia in its development.

Speaking with The Messenger, Chair of the NGO Former
Political Prisoners for Human Rights Nana Kakabadze
agreed that Bush's visit is really very important for
Georgia as it would be for any country.

"But what is most important," she said, "is that our
country act on the advice given us by the United
States."

"The visit by itself will not change anything in the
country. Western approaches [to different issues]
should also be applied in our country," Kakabadze
said.

She also underlined the importance of a frank and
honest exchange of information between the two
countries, so that the United States fully understand
the true situation in the country.

"The exchange of information should be neutral and
unbiased: only then will it be possible to apply the
values and approaches that are adhered to in the West.
They should maximally be protected as this will
certainly help Georgia in the development of all
spheres, especially human rights," Kakabadze stated.






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1) Georgia's Saakashvili, Citing Recent Regime Changes
In Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Boasts Of 'Destroying Empire
In Commonwealth Of Independent States'
2) Georgia, Ukraine To Form 'Democratic Coalition,'
May Invite Kyrgyzstan To Join



1)
http://www.messenger.com.ge/issues/0832_march_31_2005/news_0832_brief.htm#3


The Messenger (Georgia)
March 31, 2005


At briefing, president notes Georgia's role in ending
CIS


In a wide ranging press briefing Tuesday evening,
President Mikheil Saakashvili said that Georgia was
doing its best to bring about the "destruction of
empire" in the CIS area.

"We are not waiting for the development of events, but
are doing our best to destroy the empire in the CIS,"
he declared, as reported by Black Sea Press.
According to the president, the "brave" actions of the
opposition in Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan were owing "to
the Georgia factor."

"Former relationships are being destroyed, and Georgia
is playing a special role in it," Saakashvili said.

He stressed that the leadership of Georgia had several
aims: the development of democracy, economic growth
and restoration of the country's territorial
integrity.

Speaking about the upcoming official visit to
Kazakhstan, Mikheil Saakashvili declared: "It is a
stable country. President Nazarbayev has implemented a
series of significant reforms."

"We shall discuss very important energy projects and
cooperation in the transport field," he added.
------------------------------------------------------
2)
http://www.interfax.ru/e/B/politics/28.html?id_issue=11263487


Interfax
March 31, 2005


Ukraine, Georgia planning to set up democratic
coalition


BISHKEK - Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko and
Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili want to
establish a Ukrainian-Georgian coalition "Democratic
Choice," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Borys Tarasyuk
said in Kyrgyzstan's capital city of Bishkek on
Thursday.

Tarasyuk and his Georgian counterpart Salome
Zourabichvili are discussing Yushchenko's and
Saakashvili's involvement in settling the crisis in
Kyrgyzstan.

Asked if a new union could be set up to comprise
Ukraine, Georgia, and Kyrgyzstan, Tarasyuk replied,
"We did not talk about unions."

At the same time, he did not rule out that Kyrgyzstan
could in the future be included in the
Ukrainian-Georgian coalition.






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Interfax
March 31, 2005


Moldovan opposition wants out of CIS


-The main demand "is the immediate adoption of a bill
to outlaw Russian troops stationed on Moldovan
territory" and the replacement of Russian peacekeepers
in Transdniestria with UN, EU or NATO forces.



CHISINAU - The Democratic Moldova faction in the
Moldovan Parliament has demanded Moldova's secession
from the CIS exchange for supporting Vladimir Voronin
in the presidential elections due to take place in
early April.

Democratic Moldova published a list of 22 demands
after consultations with Voronin, on Thursday morning.


The main demand "is the immediate adoption of a bill
to outlaw Russian troops stationed on Moldovan
territory" and the replacement of Russian peacekeepers
in Transdniestria with UN, EU or NATO forces.

The faction also demanded constitutional amendments,
"which will cancel Moldova's neutrality, and the
official proclamation of a policy of integration with
Euro-Atlantic organizations."

Voronin's official response is unknown. Meanwhile, a
representative from the presidential office told
Interfax, "the opposition has made deliberately
unacceptable demands in order to justify its refusal
from participation in the presidential elections."




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1) Georgia: Bush, Saakashvili To Discuss 'Resolving
Conflicts' With Abkhazia, South Ossetia
2) Abkhaz President: Being Reabsorbed By Georgia "Out
Of The Question"
3) Abkhazia Denounces Georgian Claims/Designs As
"Nothing But Bluff"
4) Large-Scale Protests In Georgian Towns Against
Russian Base Pullouts



1)
http://www.messenger.com.ge/issues/0832_march_31_2005/press_scanner_0832.htm


The Messenger (Georgia)
March 31, 2005


Saakashvili, Bush to discuss Abkhazia, Ossetia


As reported in 24-Saati, Georgian President Mikheil
Saakashvili and American President George Bush will
discuss the peaceful resolution of the Abkhaz and
South-Ossetian conflicts during Bush's visit to
Georgia, which is planned for May 10.

According to Irakli Alasania, who is Chair of the
Abkhaz government-in-exile as well as the president's
representative in Abkhaz negotiations, the issue of
the settlement of these conflicts will be at the top
of the agenda at the meeting.

Alasania believes that the attitude of the
international community toward Abkhazia has
significantly changed. He also thinks that the
conditions now exist for taking real steps toward
resolving the conflict.

As for the interference of external forces in the
conflict, news agency Inter Press reports Alasania as
saying that the Abkhaz people as well as Georgians
well understood that "neither the Kremlin nor the
White House will be able to solve these problems
without the good will of both sides."
------------------------------------------------------
2)
http://en.rian.ru/rian/index.cfm?prd_id=160&msg_id=5484038&startrow=1&date=2005-\
03-31&do_alert=0


Russian Information Agency (Novosti)
March 31, 2005


ABKHAZIA TO PRESERVE INDEPENDENT STATUS


TBILISI - The political status of Abkhazia was
determined once and for all, Abkhaz President Sergei
Bagapsh said at a press conference in Sukhumi on
Wednesday.

According to him, at the referendum of 1999 Abkhaz
people voted for the country's independence.

Sergei Bagapsh denied the information that the leaders
of Abkhazia and South Ossetia (self-proclaimed
republics in Georgia) were ready to negotiate with the
Georgian side on the formation of a federative union
state, etc.," the Novosti-Georgia agency reports.

"Talks on Abkhazia's political status with Georgia are
out of the question," Bagapsh said.

He does not rule out his meeting with Georgian
President Mikhail Saakashvili but believes that it
should be seriously prepared.

"This meeting cannot be held either in Tbilisi, or in
Batumi. I will not go there," Bagapsh stressed adding
that the agenda of this meeting should be thoroughly
drafted, as well.

Speaking about the statements by Georgian leaders
claiming that "Abkhaz people would like the republic
to join Georgia," Sergei Bagapsh said. "Georgian
politicians are making conclusions having no idea of
real moods of Abkhaz people." In his opinion, this can
put an end to Georgian-Abkhaz talks, which have not
started yet.

The Abkhaz leadership is ready to discuss with the
Georgian side nothing but mutually beneficial economic
projects on the basis of Sochi agreements signed in
March 2002, he stressed. The agreements imply the
restoration of through railway traffic via Abkhazia to
Georgia and Armenia, the restoration and development
of the Inguri hydroelectric power plant and the return
of Georgian refugees to Abkhazia's Gali district.

"Other issues are out of the question," Bagapsh said
adding that the above-mentioned problems were usually
discussed with representatives of the UN mission.

According to Sergei Bagapsh, the Abkhaz delegation
will attend the session in Geneva on Georgian-Abkhaz
settlement on April 7-8.
------------------------------------------------------
3) http://www.rbcnews.com/free/20050331091958.shtml


RosBusinessConsulting (Russia)
March 31, 2005


Abkhaz leader on relations with Georgia



Mosco - Information that the Abkhaz public is
considering the possibility of joining Georgia is
"nothing but bluff," President of the breakaway
republic Sergey Bagapsh reported at a press
conference. If Georgia has such convictions,
Abkhaz-Georgian negotiations may not begin at all,
Bagapsh added. He did not rule out that such
propaganda was held in order to convince the world
community of the fact that "the Abkhaz has become more
compliant."

Abkhazia is prepared to discuss only economic, energy,
railway transportation and refugee problems with
Georgia. The Abkhaz political status is not subject to
discussion, Bagapsh underlined.
------------------------------------------------------
4)
http://www.interfax.ru/e/B/politics/28.html?id_issue=11263395


Interfax
March 31, 2005


Georgia towns protests against Russian base pullout


TBILISI - The Georgian communities of Batumi and
Akhalkalaki are witnessing large-scale protests
against the Georgian government's decision to speed up
the pullout of Russian military bases deployed there.

Participants in the Batumi rally, mainly members of
the Ajarian Patriotic Union, told journalists they
were categorically against the Georgian leadership's
policy which they said causes tensions with Russia.

"The Russian base guarantees peace and stability in
our region, and its withdrawal is not in Georgia's
interests," they said.




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Interfax
March 31, 2005


Not a revolution, just banditry and looting in
Kyrgyzstan - Kazakh president


ASTANA - It was not a revolution but an outbreak of
banditry and looting in Kyrgyzstan, Kazakh President
Nursultan Nazarbayev told a press conference in Astana
after a meeting with Georgian President Mikheil
Saakashvili on Thursday.

"We cannot call what has happened in Kyrgyzstan a
revolution. Even the incumbent leaders of Kyrgyzstan
said it was an outbreak of banditry and looting," he
said.




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Agence France-Presse
March 31, 2005


Birthday of wartime emperor Hirohito to reappear on
Japanese calendars


-Japan has gradually been accepting more outright
displays of nationalism.
In 1999 it recognized the "Hinomaru" rising sun flag
as the official flag and the "Kimigayo," which praises
the emperor, as the national anthem....


TOKYO - Japan will soon rename a national holiday
after late wartime emperor Hirohito, breaking another
post-World War II taboo, lawmakers said Thursday.

Key members of the ruling coalition agreed in a
meeting to change the name during the current session
of parliament, which ends June 19. The main opposition
Democratic Party has already offered support.

Hirohito's April 29 birthday was a major holiday
during Japan's conquest of Asia when the emperor was
regarded as divine. After Japan surrendered in 1945,
the April 29 holiday was preserved but renamed
Greenery Day.

The bill before parliament will rename it Showa Day,
using the posthumous name of Hirohito, who died at age
87 in 1989 after watching his country defeated in war
but rise again as an economic superpower.

Asked about concerns that "Showa Day" could be linked
to Japan's past militarism, Chief Cabinet Secretary
Hiroyuki Hosoda said: "If a majority approve the
revision while acknowledging such a fact, that's the
Diet's (parliament's) will."

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, asked separately
about the bill's expected passage, told reporters:
"That's lawmaker-initiated legislation. I will leave
the discussion to them."

Under the legislation, May 4 - a holiday with no name
during Japan's "Golden Week" of holidays - would be
named Greenery Day.

Opinion remains divided on Hirohito. Many Japanese see
him as a benign figure out of touch with a militarist
cabinet and military, rejecting the view of foreign
scholars who believe he was intimately involved in war
planning.

An earlier attempt to change the holiday's name to
Showa Day failed in the face of strong opposition by
the left.

Japan has gradually been accepting more outright
displays of nationalism.

In 1999 it recognized the "Hinomaru" rising sun flag
as the official flag and the "Kimigayo," which praises
the emperor, as the national anthem, despite criticism
from liberals.

On Wednesday Tokyo authorities disciplined some 50
high school teachers who refused to stand up and sing
the national anthem at graduation ceremonies as
required since 2003 by the nationalist-led municipal
government.











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Zaman (Turkey)
March 31, 2005


US to Use Incirlik Base as Logistic Hub
By Suleyman Kurt, Bahtiyar Kuçuk


-The US will not necessarily need to have Turkey's
permission before undertaking any flights....
-The US uses Esenboga Airport and Sabiha Gokcen
Airport as well under the United Nations (UN) and
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).


Istanbul/Ankara - The Turkish government has reached
the decision phase regarding the US demand for the use
of the Incirlik Base as a "logistic hub".

The government was reportedly, aiming to send a "warm"
message to the US administration by announcing the
decision ahead of the anniversary of the so-called
Armenian genocide allegations on April 24. A
parliamentary motion is not technically required for
the use of the base as a "logistic hub" by the US or
other allies. According to a study submitted to the
government, Incirlik will only be used for logistical
purposes for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The
US will not necessarily need to have Turkey's
permission before undertaking any flights; however,
they will inform Ankara about any flights. Turkey will
remain in control of the base, deciding whether or not
it is being used properly.

Both civilian and military planes will benefit from
the base. It is expected that civilian planes will
mostly make use of the base due to their excessive
baggage capacity. Baggage and equipment storage will
be "short term" and cargo equipment and materials will
be carried to Iraq and Afghanistan by smaller planes.

Turkey's will expectedly be involved in controlling
that process. The Incirlik Base is continuously used
by the US under the context of the Cabinet's
resolution that was adopted on June 23, 2003 and
extended for another year. The US uses Esenboga
Airport and Sabiha Gokcen Airport as well under the
United Nations (UN) and North Atlantic Treaty
Organization (NATO).

Furthermore, Turkish National Security Council (NSC)
Secretary-General Yigit Alpogan determined that there
were no problems with regard to Turkish-American
relations; however, the multidimensional structure of
the relations based on common values needs to be
refreshed.

During a speech made at the Turkish-US Business
Council meeting, Alpogan emphasized that
anti-Americanism tendency emerging out of the public
polls did not reflect reality. In response to a
question by a journalist regarding his views as a
member of the military, Alpogan who is the first
civilian Secretary-General of the NSC clarified that
he was not surprised for this incorrect reference
because his title was even mentioned as "full general"
in some circulars.







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http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=1885840&PageNum=2


Itar-Tass
March 31, 2005


Ukraine foreign minister to visit Kyrgyzstan on
mediating mission



KIEV - Ukrainian Foreign Minister Boris Tarasyuk will
visit Kyrgyzstan on Thursday on "a mediating mission",
he said on Wednesday after a telephone talk with
Acting Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Roza Otunbayeva.

Tarasyuk informed his Kyrgyz counterpart about
Ukrainian leaders' readiness to undertake a mediating
mission and about the offer of Ukraine and Georgia to
help to settle the conflict in the country.

Otunbayeva accepted the offer with gratitude, the
minister said.

The Ukrainian foreign minister will have consultations
in Bishkek to discuss how Ukraine can help to settle
the conflict.

Georgian Foreign Minister Salome Zurabishvili and the
OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Slovenian Foreign Minister
Dimitrij Rupel, are planned to arrive in Bishkek the
same day.

Earlier, the Ukrainian and Georgian presidents said
about intention to offer help to Kyrgyzstan to settle
the political conflict.





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Civil Georgia
March 31, 2005


Saakashvili Focuses on Foreign Policy, Amid
Opposition’s Attempts to Revitalize
Giorgi Sepashvili


[Excerpts]



While President Saakashvili boasts of, as he puts it,
“Georgia’s huge foreign policy successes,” the
opposition parties and movements are taking advantage
of the social problems that have lately been generated
in the country and are preparing the foundation for a
revitalization of their activities.
....
In his late night news conference on March 29, which
was broadcasted live by the leading Georgian
televisions, Mikheil Saakashvili spoke much about
Georgia’s “increased role” in the region and described
Georgia as “a determinant of the [new] political
fashion” in the post-Soviet space.

He emphasized Georgia’s role in the developments in
Moldova, where, as he said, Georgia “facilitated”
talks between the opposition and the government and
helped in “the creation of a European-orientated
government” there.

Saakashvili also admitted that Georgia played “an
important role” in the recent developments in
Kyrgyzstan, saying that Roza Otunbayeva, an oppostion
leader who is now the interim Kyrgyz Foreign Minister,
was permanently in touch with the Georgian officials.

“During the Rose Revolution she [Otunbayeva] was in
Georgia and knew everything that was happening… the
Georgian factor was a catalyst for many things going
on there [in Kyrgyzstan],” Saakashvili added.

He especially stressed the importance of the upcoming
visit of U.S. President George W. Bush, who is
expected to arrive in Tbilisi on May 10. “We can not
yet understand what a huge importance this visit has,”
Saakashvili said.

Political analysts Ghia Nodia of the Caucasus
Institute of Peace, Democracy and Development (CIPDD),
says that President Saakashvili “is trying to
overshadow internal problems with the successes in
foreign policy.”

“And this is not surprising, especially when this
success is vivid,” Nodia told Civil Georgian on March
30.
....
"...We will defend Georgian democracy from attacks by
both internal and outer [forces],” he added.
....




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dom.jpg&category=Kingdom


Arab News (Saudi Arabia)
March 31, 2005


GCC-EU Meet to Set Out Cooperation Strategy
M. Ghazanfar Ali Khan



-The six-member GCC is currently negotiating with NATO
over establishing a partnership for regional security
as part of a NATO initiative which offers assistance,
advice and dialogue on security matters besides
promoting bilateral cooperation with countries in the
region.


RIYADH - The Gulf Cooperation Council and the European
Union will set out a broad strategy for closer
cooperation when GCC foreign ministers meet their EU
counterparts in Manama on April 5.

The Bahrain meeting will focus on regional security
and the Middle East peace process besides the
situation in Iraq, relations with Iran and GCC-EU
bilateral relations, said Ambassador Bernard Savage,
head of the European Commission delegation, here
yesterday. “The meeting is being organized within the
framework of the annual GCC-EU Joint Council,” said
Savage.

Asked about the proposal for GCC-NATO partnership to
reinforce regional security, he said security
cooperation will be discussed by the two sides in
detail. “In fact, EU has started contacts with
individual Gulf states and also GCC Secretariat to
forge security cooperation,” said Savage.

The six-member GCC is currently negotiating with NATO
over establishing a partnership for regional security
as part of a NATO initiative which offers assistance,
advice and dialogue on security matters besides
promoting bilateral cooperation with countries in the
region.





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Anadolu News Agency
March 31, 2005


'Kyrgyzstan Revolution Encouraged by Foreign Powers'


London - The overthrown President of Kyrgyzstan Asker
Akayev has said that the revolution was encouraged by
foreign powers, including the US Ambassador.

Akayev told BBC Radio, "The warriors, criminals and
drug addicts that acted against me were supported by
foreign powers."

Akayev claimed that the radical opposition in
Kyrgyzstan, had been supported by outside interests.

"There are international organizations supporting the
revolution in Kyrgyzstan and giving financial aid,"
Akayev said, "I saw a letter signed by the US
Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan on the Internet one week
before the events. The letter contained details of the
revolution. The new Kyrgyz administration has
announced a presidential election scheduled for June
26th, but the voting will not be legitimate. I have
not resigned my post and am still the legitimate
leader of this country."





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United Press International.
March 24, 2005

Canada rebuffs Serbian pop star

TORONTO, March 24 (UPI) -- A Serbian pop star who is the widow of a
warlord has been denied a visa to perform in Toronto by Canadian
officials
who say she is a security concern.

The decision this week by the Canadian embassy in Belgrade to
withhold
a visa had promoters in Toronto scrambling Thursday to reschedule a
concert set for Friday night at a large lakefront entertainment
complex,
the Toronto Sun said.

Svetlana Raznatovic, known professionally as Ceca, was married to
Zeljko Raznatovic, a paramilitary leader who was indicted by the
International War Crimes Tribunal at The Hague. He was assassinated
in a Belgrade hotel in 2000.

Ceca's Canadian immigration lawyer Mendel Green was furious with
the delay, and said Ceca was "the biggest thing since Britney Spears."
He said she has performed without incident in the United States and
Australia.

Meanwhile, promoters have assured some 3,000 ticket-holders
to Friday's canceled show their tickets will be honored at a
performance late next week.

Deutsche Welle
   English Service News
   March 31st 2005, 16:00 UTC
   ----------------------------------------------------------------------
   Today's highlight on DW-WORLD:

   EU Mulls Compromise with Iran

   Are France, Britain and Germany considering a compromise that would
   allow Iran to continue some of its nuclear activities while angering
   the US? EU diplomats say they have not ruled it out.

   To read this article on the DW-WORLD website, just click on the
   internet address below:

   http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,1564,1536790,00.html
   ----------------------------------------------------------------------

   Brain-damaged woman dies

   The severely brain-damaged woman, Terri Schiavo, has died at a
   hospice in the US state of Florida. Schiavo, who had been in a
   vegetative state for 15 years following cardiac arrest, was at the
   centre of a politically-charged right-to-die controversy. Her death
   follows years of court battles and petitions, pitting her parents
   against her husband and legal guardian. Schiavo's parents had
   fought to save her life while her husband had always argued that
   Schiavo would not have wanted to be kept alive by artificial means.
   Her deaths comes 14 days after courts had ordered her feeding tube
   to be removed.

   Charges of fraud surround Zimbabwe vote

   Voters in Zimbabwe have stood in long lines to cast their
   ballots in parliamentary elections. President Robert Mugabe
   cast his vote earlier with the hope of tightening his ruling
   party's 25-year grip on power. But even before the polls
   opened on Thursday, there were accusations by the opposition
   and by international observers of wide-spread vote-rigging
   on the part of Mugabe's ruling government. Speaking to
   reporters, Mugabe dismissed international criticism that the
   election was unfair. Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai of
   the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) also expressed
   confidence, but again charged that the vote had been
   rigged. Around six million Zimbabweans were eligible to
   cast their ballots.

   Report finds US intelligence still flawed

   A US report says that intelligence on Iraq was wrong in almost all
   cases before the Iraq war. The report also said the harm done to
   American credibility "will take years to undo." The 600-page report
   outlined 70 recommendations for changes in the intelligence
   community. President George W. Bush ordered the study after the
   controversy surrounding the Iraq war, which was fought over claims
   that Saddam Hussein had possessed weapons of mass destruction. No
   such weapons have yet been found.

   Romanian journalists kidnapped in Iraq

   Three Romanian journalists and a US citizen abducted in Iraq have
   been shown on video, broadcast by the Arabic television station Al
   Jazeera. The footage showed two armed men pointing guns at the four
   hostages. Al Jazeera said the fate of the three men and one woman
   remained unclear as the kidnappers had not yet made any demands.
   The US State Department confirmed that an American citizen was also
   taken hostage with the journalists. Further details were not
   released.

   Abbas orders crackdown on militants

   Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has ordered a crackdown on
   militants in Ramallah after gunmen opened fire at his headquarters.
   The incident occurred after militants were ordered to leave the
   battered presidential headquarters, where they had been given refuge
   under the late president, Yasser Arafat. After being thrown out of
   the compound, the militants went on a rampage in the West Bank,
   damaging several restaurants and shops. No casualties were reported
   in the incident, which is being viewed as a challenge to Abbas'
   authority.

   Aftershocks on Indonesian island

   Strong aftershocks have shaken Indonesia's earthquake-devastated Nias
   island. Seismologists at an observatory in Hong Kong said at least
   three tremors of varying magnitudes had occurred, complicating efforts
   to help survivors of Monday's major earthquake. In the meantime,
   rescuers have been finding people alive, buried under the rubble of
   their homes. A woman and a young boy were rescued some 48 hours after
   the 8.7-magnitude earthquake struck. Indonesian officials believe as
   many as 2,000 people may have died. The United Nations issued a
   statement late on Wednesday, saying at least 500 people were confirmed
   killed.

   Wolfowitz wins EU backing

   The European Union has given the green light to the controversial US
   nominee for World Bank president, Paul Wolfowitz. Wolfowitz's
   nomination has sparked widespread criticism because of his lack of
   development experience and his role in organising the Iraq war.
   Wolfowitz was in Brussels to ease EU concerns over his
   qualifications for the post. EU diplomats said they will back his
   nomination but they want a European to act as his deputy. The World
   Bank board votes later today for the successor to James Wolfensohn,
   who's retiring after a decade on the job.

   Monarch's condition fragile, doctors say

   Prince Rainier of Monaco is still in intensive care after suffering
   from lung, heart and kidney problems. Doctors have said his
   condition was very weak. The monarch has been in intensive care for
   several days, receiving breathing assistance. Doctors are due to
   issue another bulletin of his health by the end of this week.

   German unemployment drops in March

   The number of people looking for work in Germany fell in March, but
   still stands above the five-million mark. According to data released
   on Thursday by the Federal Labour Office, the number of jobless
   declined in March by 41,000. The unadjusted unemployment rate was
   12.5 percent, down from 12.6 percent in February, but still a
   post-war record high.

   World's ecosystems under threat

   The most comprehensive report into the state of the planet has
   concluded that humans are damaging the environment at an
   unprecedented rate. The study by more than 1300 scientists from
   nearly 100 countries says that human activity is putting so much
   strain on the planet's ecosystems that the earth's ability to
   sustain future generations is under threat. The ecosystems most at
   risk are fresh water and fisheries. Although the report says
   significant shifts in policy could reduce many of the negative
   effects on ecosystems, its says these changes are not being
   undertaken.

   ----------------------------------------------------------------------
   For more information please turn to our internet website at

   http://dw-world.de/english

   Here you'll find out what's happening in Germany, Europe and the rest
   of the world. News and background reports from the fields of current
   affairs, culture, business and science. And of course the DW website
   also has information about DW-RADIO and DW-TV programmes: topics,
   broadcast times and frequencies.
   You can even listen to all programmes as audio-on-demand.

http://www2.rnw.nl/rnw/en/currentaffairs/region/netherlands/10780247?view=Standa\
rd&version=1


Radio Netherlands
March 31, 2005


The Hague confirms US will talk to allies about
defence plans
Dutch FM proposes changes at NATO
by RN Security and Defence editor Hans de Vreij


[Excerpts]


-On 30 March, Dutch Foreign Minister Ben Bot launched
a new proposal which would mean an end to all 26 NATO
members having to agree unanimously on all decisions.
He suggests that, subject to clearly defined
conditions, NATO members should be allowed to form
smaller 'vanguard' groups to deal with various issues.
-Another suggestion concerns the introduction of
Euro-American 'vanguard' groups with a changing
composition.
-According to the Dutch government, these preparatory
discussions will involve not only individual nations
but also NATO and other organisations.


The Dutch government has written to the country's
parliament, denying reports about plans for secret
talks between Washington and The Hague about defence
cooperation between the two allies. However, the
government has confirmed that the US is to consult a
large number of allies and organisations, including
NATO, about its future defence policy. Washington's
main aim is to establish what kinds of contributions
other parties could make towards its defence
strategy....

Early last week, the left-of-centre Volkskrant
newspaper opened with a remarkable story saying that
the Netherlands was among a select group of US allies
to be consulted by Washington about military
cooperation. The paper suggested this would be the
first time this kind of discussion had taken place. It
also cited a confidential US document, allegedly
indicating that Washington has decided to establish
new alliances because it is no longer able to deal
with modern threats such as terrorism and weapons of
mass destruction entirely on its own.
....
The threats defined

Around the middle of March this year, the US Defense
Department published its new National Defense
Strategy, which again stresses the need for
international cooperation. It also identifies the four
main categories of potential threats to the US:
traditional, being 'normal' military attacks by enemy
states; unusual, including terrorist strikes;
catastrophic, attacks involving weapons of mass
destruction and disruptive, which includes hacking
into computer networks or attacks with totally new
kinds of weapons.

NATO proposals from The Hague

On 30 March, Dutch Foreign Minister Ben Bot launched a
new proposal which would mean an end to all 26 NATO
members having to agree unanimously on all decisions.
He suggests that, subject to clearly defined
conditions, NATO members should be allowed to form
smaller 'vanguard' groups to deal with various issues.

These groups could take on a particular activity
within the NATO framework, without the entire alliance
having to back it unanimously. As examples, Mr Bot
cited military support for the African Union and
military planning at the United Nations on behalf of
NATO.

Another suggestion concerns the introduction of
Euro-American 'vanguard' groups with a changing
composition. In a speech, the minister clarified this
idea:

"After all, we want to avoid confronting the United
States with all twenty-five member states whenever we
have something to discuss, but we also want to make
sure that all member states will have a say and will
remain well-informed. The EU could be represented by
the European member states most directly concerned."
Mr Bot also believes NATO should focus more attention
on the political aspect and not confine itself to
purely military matters:

"Governments can and should intensify political
dialogue within NATO, between the EU and NATO and
between the EU and the United States."

Seen from the US' point of view, the traditional
military threat causes the least concern, for there is
no country in the world that can rival American
military might, although the future looks set to see
the rise of new superpowers such as China.

The main threat

A much greater threat right now, and much more
difficult to deal with by traditional military means,
is that of terrorism in combination with the
phenomenon of 'rogue states' with or without weapons
of mass destruction. Tackling that threat is the
precise reason why Washington now wants a dialogue
with a large number of friendly nations and
organisations.

This dialogue will form part of the preparations for
the debate in the US Congress about the country's
defence policy as laid down on a four-yearly basis in
the 'Quadrennial Defense Review'.

Taken seriously

According to the Dutch government, these preparatory
discussions will involve not only individual nations
but also NATO and other organisations. The Hague has
welcomed the scheduled round of consultations,
although details about the process have yet to be
disclosed. The Dutch government says this shows: "the
US takes its allies seriously and is interested in
their views on future US defence policy." The debate
on the new long-term defence plans will take place in
the US Congress next year.





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http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=1889584&PageNum=0


Itar-Tass
March 31, 2005


Lithuania, Estonia refuse to participate in May
celebrations


MOSCOW - Russia has received refusals to participate
in festivities of the 60th anniversary since victory
in World War from two countries only - Lithuania and
Estonia, Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander
Yakovenko said on Thursday.

"We attach great importance to those festivities and
hope to host big numbers of guests," the diplomat
stressed.

Answering the reporters' question about North Korean
leader Kim Jong-il's presence at the festivities,
Yakovenko said that "representatives of the DPRK will
be present in Moscow.”






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http://www.interfax.ru/e/B/politics/28.html?id_issue=11263606


Interfax
March 31, 2005


U.S. commander visits Tajik training ground


DUSHANBE - Third U.S. Army Commander Lieut. Gen.
Steven Whitcomb visited a training ground of the
Fakhrabad military educational center as part of his
visit to Tajikistan on Thursday.

The United States helped finance the construction of
the Fakhrabad training ground, which belongs to
Tajikistan's Airborne Troops, sources in the U.S.
Embassy in Dushanbe told Interfax.





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http://www.rferl.org/newsline/1-rus.asp


Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
March 31, 2005


MINISTER ACCUSES OSCE OF 'DESTABILIZING' KYRGYZSTAN


Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on 30 March that
Russia is concerned about the political situation in
the CIS, where several countries have seen "violent
changes of government" in recent months, newsru.com
reported.

"We consider it counterproductive to intervene in the
internal processes of [neighboring] states," Lavrov
said.

He criticized the Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) for its role in the
ongoing events in Kyrgyzstan, saying that OSCE
assessments of the elections there were used "by those
who destabilized the situation in the country" and
that "Russia cannot ignore this fact."

Ousted Kyrgyz President Askar Akaev, who has been
allowed to settle in Russia, gave a lengthy interview
to "Rossiiskaya gazeta" on 30 March.

Akaev said that he was overthrown by forces from
outside his country "with the help of new techniques
for the enforcement of democratic process that were
used by a world revolutionary International."

He added that his greatest mistake was not doing more
to strengthen Kyrgyzstan's law-enforcement agencies.
VY



AS EXPERT SEES ROLE OF WESTERN FOUNDATIONS AS CRUCIAL


Vladimir Zharikhin, deputy director of the CIS
Institute, said on 29 March that recent Russian
"failures" in the CIS "are linked to the activity of
Western centers of influence," RBK-TV reported on 29
March and strana.ru reported on 30 March.

Zharikhin said it would be an oversimplification to
say the latest CIS events were the result of the
activity of Western governments, but they did stem
from various institutions, including philanthropist
George Soros's Open Society Institute, whose
activities can either support or contradict U.S.
government policies.




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Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
March 31, 2005


UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT TO ADDRESS U.S. CONGRESS ON 6
APRIL


[Which coronation of the Imperium's regional satrap
will provide Mrs. Yushchenko with the opportunity to
visit her old haunts in the US State and Treasury
Departments and the White House, with perhaps a detour
to her birthplace here in Chicago.]


President Yushchenko is to speak at a joint session of
the U.S. Congress's two houses on 6 April, during his
3-7 April visit to the United States, Ukrainian media
reported on 30 March, quoting State Secretary
Zinchenko.

"President Yushchenko's election is inspiring the
spread of democracy throughout the world in spite of
threats and intimidation.

"We welcome him to this cathedral of democracy and
look forward to hearing from him," U.S. Senate
Majority Leader Bill Frist and U.S. House of
Representatives Speaker Dennis Hastert said in a joint
statement quoted by RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service on 31 March.



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http://www.sana.org/english/mainenglish.htm


Syrian Arab News Agency
March 31, 2005


Lebanese Parties and Officials Reject Intervention



Beirut - Lebanese parties and national organizations
on Thursday rejected the report of international
Fact-Finding Committee on the crime of former Lebanese
Premier Rafik Hariri assassination , describing it as
a political, not technical, report.

"The report adopts the viewpoint of the opposition
team and ignores the viewpoint of the majority
national team," the parties said in a statement
following a gathering at Syrian Social National Party
building.

It expressed fear over forming an international
investigation committee according to the US scenario
which seeks to exploit the committee as an advice to
set accusations on Syria and Lebanon.

Meanwhile, an official at Amal Movement underlined the
importance of commitment to al-Taif Accord as it is
the basic way to preserve Lebanese internal unity.

Hasan Kabalan, during a seminar in South Lebanon,
renewed Lebanon’s rejection of the foreign
intervention in the Lebanese internal affairs, adding
that it is a project of sedition that attempts to foil
Resistance.

Deputy Secretary General of Hizbullah Sheikh Na’em
Qasem, for his part, stressed that Lebanon rejects the
foreign intervention in Lebanon, adding that relying
on foreigners led to negative outcomes.

"We again dismiss the blatant US intervention in
Lebanese internal affairs," Qasem said during a speech
on Thursday , in reference to the US Embassy practices
in Beirut.





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1) Report: Three US Soldiers Among 11 Killed In Recent
Clashes
2) Western Afghanistan: Five Government Troops Killed
In Checkpoint Attack
3) Taliban Claim Eight Government Troops Killed In
Jalalabad


1)
http://paktribune.com/news/index.php?id=99799


Pakistan Tribune
March 31, 2005


Three US soldiers among 11 killed in Afghanistan


KABUL - Three US soldiers among 11 others have been
killed in Afghanistan.

Taliban spokesman Mufti Latifullah told Radio Tehran
that 11 people including US, Afghans soldiers and
Taliban have been killed in clashes the other day in
the country.

He said that three US soldiers were killed as their
tank destroyed in remote control bomb explosion in
Uruzgan province.

Meanwhile there are no reports of causalities so far
in this attack. He said that eight Afghan soldiers
were killed in bomb explosion in Jalalabad City. The
bomb was planted by Taliban.
------------------------------------------------------
2)
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_31-3-2005_pg7_41


Daily Times (Pakistan)
Agencies
March 30, 2005


Afghan soldiers, suicide bomber killed in attacks


KABUL - Militants attacked a checkpoint in western
Afghanistan, killing five Afghan soldiers, an official
said on Wednesday, while an apparent car-bomb exploded
in an eastern city, killing the driver.

The car exploded at about 8:30 am (0400 GMT) in
Jalalabad, 130 kilometres east of Kabul, intelligence
chief Bahram Khan told The Associated Press.

Laura Bush, the wife of the US president, was due in
the Afghan capital four hours later to begin a brief
and closely guarded trip. She was not expected to
visit Jalalabad.

Khan said investigators suspected the driver was
planning a suicide attack, but that the bomb detonated
prematurely. No one else was injured. “Only the
driver, the suicide attacker, was killed,” Khan said.
He identified the dead man as an Afghan from
neighboring Laghman province called Mansour. Police
said he had no criminal record.

The five Afghan soldiers died when militants assailed
a checkpoint in Gulistan district of Farah province,
650 kilometres southwest of Kabul, deputy police chief
Mohammed Rasoul said. Rasoul said other soldiers
pursued the attackers, who were riding motorbikes, and
arrested them.
------------------------------------------------------
3)
http://www.rferl.org/newsline/6-swa.asp


Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
March 31, 2005


EXPLOSION REPORTED IN EASTERN AFGHAN CITY


An apparent car bomb exploded on 30 March in
Jalalabad, the capital of Nangarhar Province, Radio
Free Afghanistan reported.

The driver of the vehicle was killed in the blast,
which occurred near the governor's office.

Mufti Latifullah Hakimi, speaking on behalf of the
neo-Taliban, claimed responsibility for the explosion,
which he said killed eight troops, in a telephone call
to Peshawar-based Afghan Islamic Press on 30 March.

Hakimi claimed that the driver of the vehicle was not
killed, and he apologized "if any passerby was
killed." No other source has confirmed Hakimi's claim.





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Donbass Voters Committee (Ukraine)
March 31, 2005


Kiev: During the "orange revolution" Yushchenko was
guarded by tommy-gunners, and Chervonenko, together
with Zhvania, created detachments of armed people


Yevgeniy Chervonenko, the Minister of Transport and
Communication, said that during the election campaign
Victor Yushchenko was guarded by tommy-gunners.

"There was a patrol, a tactical detachment of
tommy-gunners that accompanied Yushchenko everywhere
and there was also a back patrol that controlled the
rear," he added.

Chervonenko also said that all the guards were armed
with tommy-guns that belong to them. "I had got legal
weapons - pistols and tommy-guns. And there were also
hunting rifles, legally registered weapons," he said.

During the election campaign Yevgeniy Chervonenko was
responsible for the guard of the leader of united
Ukrainian opposition.

The Minister also acknowledged that participants of
mass actions in support of Victor Yushchenko in Kiev
were ready to show armed resistance to the internal
troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs that were
ordered to move to Kiev on the 28th of November of the
2004.

"I can say one thing regardless of the breaking or
non-breaking of my oath: we would not have let the
troops to the center of Kiev without a battle," he
said.

Yevgeniy Chervonenko said that he and David Zhvaniya,
the present Minister for Extraordinary situations, who
used to work as the Deputy Head of Yushchenko's
headquarters at that time, had got hundreds of people
ready for a battle. "They were businessmen, state
officials, sportsmen, etc. We had a main problem: not
to mix up 'friends' with 'strangers' during a battle,"
he said.

As Chervonenko said, some people believed that an
armed solution of the conflict that arose after the
second round of voting at the presidential elections
was the fastest way to come to the Power, but he,
Chervonenko, opposed the idea.





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http://www.online.bg/BOL_ENG.ASP?media=48&artdate=2005/3/31&artno=35&dMode=7


Bulgaria Online
March 31, 2005


Top US Diplomat: Wants Bulgaria To Keep Troops In Iraq


-Bulgaria's infantry battalion, based in the Iraqi
city of Diwaniya, has lost seven soldiers in bomb
attacks and shootouts with insurgents.
An eighth soldier was killed in March by U.S. troops.


A senior U.S. official on Wednesday said Washington
understood Bulgaria's desire to end its military
mission in Iraq, but wants its ally to maintain forces
in the country.

"We understand that the issue of Bulgarian forces in
Iraq is a very sensitive one," Deputy Secretary of
State Robert B. Zoellick told a news conference after
talks with Bulgarian officials.

Bulgaria's government is expected within days to
announce a proposal to end the Balkan country's
military mission in Iraq by December 2005. The draft
is likely to be voted in Parliament in mid-April.

"It is my understanding that...Bulgaria may change its
force presence but will do so in the context of the
changes taking place in Iraq," Zoellick said. "That is
what we encourage the consideration of."

The government already announced that with the next
troop rotation in July it will cut the size of its
current 460-strong contingent by about 100 troops.

Bulgaria's infantry battalion, based in the Iraqi city
of Diwaniya, has lost seven soldiers in bomb attacks
and shootouts with insurgents.

An eighth soldier was killed in March by U.S. troops.
On Wednesday, Bulgaria's Defense Ministry said U.S.
investigators concluded that Bulgarian Pvt. Gardi
Gardev was killed by U.S. forces, who had acted "in a
complicated situation" and "had resorted to the use of
firearms in compliance with the rules."
....
The U.S. diplomat - who is in Sofia as part of a 14
-nation tour in Europe - held talks with President
Georgi Parvanov, Prime Minister Simeon
Saxcoburggotski, and Foreign Minister Solomon Passy.





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http://www.nato.int/docu/speech/2005/s050331a.htm


NATO International
March 31, 2005


Speech
by NATO Secretary General, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer

Ladies and Gentlemen,


[Excerpts]


[Mr. Scheffer is far too modest in only acknowledging
that the increasingly global military bloc he
currently heads up has grown from 16 to 26 member
states over the past six years, which is to say a full
decade after the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact, and
that it has added an additional 20 Partnership for
Peace adjuncts from Ireland to Kazakhstan during the
same period.
He neglects to mention that in addition to the above
46 nations, well over a quarter of the world's
countries, that just in the past few months NATO has
created and upgraded partnership and other
arrangements with Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria,
Australia, Bahrain, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,
Egypt, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Mauritania,
Morocco, Oman, New Zealand, Qatar, Pakistan, Serbia
and Montenegro, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and the United
Arab Emirates. This brings NATO members, partners and
affiliates to comfortably over a third of UN members
and there is no end to the global expansion of 'the
world's only permanent alliance' (former general
secretary Lord Robertson) and 'the world's most
successful military alliance in history' (Donald
Rumsfeld) in the foreseeable future.]


-[A] number of realities in that ['post-9/11']
security environment require Europe and North America
to work together; and a recognition of NATO’s proven
record of uniting America and Europe’s political and
military weight behind a common purpose ofdelivering
greater security.
-Today, providing security means being able to project
stability – including to regions outside Europe.
-[W]e must live with failing states causing
instability in their own region and well beyond. These
are threats that present themselves around the globe.
Threats that we must tackle when and where they
emerge.
-[NATO] has turned from a “Eurocentric” Alliance into
an instrument that we can use wherever our common
security interests demand it. Taking control of the
stabilisation effort in Afghanistan was a decisive
step in this reorientation of the Alliance. And we
confirmed it by our more recent decision to start a
training mission in Iraq.
-Today, forces that are geared mainly to territorial
defence are – to put it bluntly - a waste of money.
What we really need are forces that can react quickly,
that can be deployed over distance, and then sustained
over a long period of time to get the job done.
NATO has been pushing that kind of military
transformation. We have adapted our strategy and
concepts, our military command and force structures,
and our internal organisation and procedures.
-We have to make improvements in areas that are
critical to modern operations, such as strategic lift
and air-to-air refuelling. We have to make sure that a
much larger proportion of our military forces are
readily available for operations away from Alliance
territory.
-In recent years we have given fresh impetus to our
Partnership relations with 20 countries all over
Europe and into Central Asia.
-NATO and the EU are making rather good progress in
coordinating the development of modern military
capabilities. I am optimistic that we can extend our
cooperation to additional areas where we have a common
security interest, where we can complement each other,
and reinforce each other’s efforts. And here I mean
functional areas...such as the Caucasus and Central
Asia.
-One region that is bound to affect our security for
the foreseeable future is the southern Mediterranean
and the broader Middle East....NATO is keen to help
sustain that momentum, and to promote greater
stability for all. Which is why we are working hard to
deepen our Dialogue with seven countries in Northern
Africa and the Middle East. And why we have launched a
new initiative last year to build new relationships
with countries in the Persian Gulf region.
-You are assisting with the training of military and
police officers, and you are helping the Afghan
Government to extend its authority by leading a
Provincial Reconstruction Team in Bamyan Province.


This is the first official visit by a NATO Secretary
General to New Zealand, and I have been looking
forward to coming here. Let me tell you that I have
been deeply impressed by the very warm reception that
I have been given here, and so have my wife Jeannine
and the NATO colleagues who have travelled with me.

I believe that my visit today comes at a very
opportune moment. We may be literally at opposite ends
of the globe, but New Zealand and NATO have come a lot
closer together these last few years. Values that we
have shared for many years – democracy, freedom, basic
human rights - have come under threat. Our security
interests have converged to a considerable extent. And
so it made eminent sense for Foreign Minister Goff to
visit NATO Headquarters last month, and for me to come
to Wellington today, to discuss those common
interests, and how we can best address them.

Today, I would like to talk to you about the changing
international security environment and the challenges
it produces before going on to relate these challenges
to increased NZ/NATO cooperation.

I want to start my remarks to you today with a short
trip back down memory lane. Fifteen years ago, when
the Cold War ended, many people predicted the end of
NATO. With the disappearance of the Soviet Union and
that of the Warsaw Pact, many felt that the Alliance
could simply declare victory and fold up its tents as
well.

Instead, NATO proved its worth many times over during
the 1990s. The Alliance was instrumental in putting an
end to [at least new nations] in the Balkans. We
engaged countries throughout Europe and into Central
Asia in a vast network of dialogue and cooperation.
And by opening up to include ten more member
countries, we helped to create a Europe whole and
free, and united in democracy. [Apartheid Latvia and
Estonia, King Simeon II's Bulgaria, etc.]

At the start of this new century, and especially after
the events of 11 September 2001, the international
security environment changed dramatically again. And
once more, NATO’s role in this new environment was
questioned by some. Indeed, two years ago, when
tensions rose over Iraq, quite a few people predicted
a transatlantic divorce.

Since 2001, however, there has been a strong
reappraisal of the transatlantic relationship in
general, and of NATO in particular. I have experienced
that reappraisal very personally in my meetings with
Alliance leaders during my first year in office. And
it was very clearly also the main message that came
out of the NATO Summit meeting in Brussels last month,
right at the start of President Bush’s first visit to
Europe following his re-election.

This reappraisal of the Alliance is really no big
surprise. It is based on a sober assessment of the new
security environment; an acknowledgement that a number
of realities in that security environment require
Europe and North America to work together; and a
recognition of NATO’s proven record of uniting America
and Europe’s political and military weight behind a
common purpose ofdelivering greater security.

What are the defining features of the new security
environment that Europe and America are responding to
through NATO? I want to highlight three.

First of all, our new security environment demands new
security thinking. Today, providing security means
being able to project stability – including to regions
outside Europe. We are confronted with a new, lethal
breed of terrorism. We face the prospect of weapons of
mass destruction getting into the hands of
irresponsible individuals with evil intentions. [480
US nuclear warheads are housed in NATO facilities from
the Netheralnds to Turkey.] And we must live with
failing states causing instability in their own region
and well beyond. These are threats that present
themselves around the globe. Threats that we must
tackle when and where they emerge. For if we do not,
they will escalate, and we will suffer the
consequences, right on our doorsteps.

NATO has drawn the right conclusions from this new
reality. It has turned from a “Eurocentric” Alliance
into an instrument that we can use wherever our common
security interests demand it. Taking control of the
stabilisation effort in Afghanistan was a decisive
step in this reorientation of the Alliance. And we
confirmed it by our more recent decision to start a
training mission in Iraq.
....
[W]e do all realise that, given the changed
circumstances, a successful security policy cannot be
based solely on a regional and reactive posture. With
Afghanistan and Iraq we have taken on two immediate
and very challenging tasks. And we have set in train a
comprehensive programme to make NATO better capable of
responding to similar challenges in the future.

That leads me to a second feature of today’s security
environment, namely the need for modern military
capabilities. Today, forces that are geared mainly to
territorial defence are – to put it bluntly - a waste
of money. What we really need are forces that can
react quickly, that can be deployed over distance, and
then sustained over a long period of time to get the
job done.

NATO has been pushing that kind of military
transformation. We have adapted our strategy and
concepts, our military command and force structures,
and our internal organisation and procedures. With our
Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defence
Battalion and the NATO Response Force, we have
multinational force packages in place that are
specifically geared to some of the most pressing
requirements. And each of our 26 member nations is
taking a hard look at its own defence programmes and
structures, to make sure that they are relevant to
today’s demands.

We have already done a lot to transform our military
capabilities, but we still have more to do. We have to
make improvements in areas that are critical to modern
operations, such as strategic lift and air-to-air
refuelling. We have to make sure that a much larger
proportion of our military forces are readily
available for operations away from Alliance territory.
And we have to arrive at a better mix of forces
capable of performing both high intensity combat tasks
and the kind of post-conflict reconstruction work in
which New Zealand forces have established such an
excellent reputation.

I want to elaborate a bit more on a third and final
feature of our security environment – which is that
tackling the new security challenges requires the
broadest possible international coalition. The reason
for this is clear enough. It is because the new risks
and threats themselves defy borders. And because we
will only be able to get a grip on them through a
multilateral approach that effectively combines
multiple disciplines, countries and organisations.

NATO is an important platform for that kind of
cooperation. In recent years we have given fresh
impetus to our Partnership relations with 20 countries
all over Europe and into Central Asia. We are helping
many of our Partners with the reform of their security
sectors, and the development of effective,
democratically controlled defence institutions. And we
have also made the new security challenges a major
focus of cooperation with all our Partners – including
our special Partners Russia and Ukraine – and their
response has been very encouraging.

We have, at the same time, been working hard to
enhance our cooperation with other international
organisations. This applies to the United Nations and
the OSCE, with whom we have cooperated increasingly
effectively in the Balkans over the past ten years.
But it applies in particular to NATO’s relationship
with the European Union.

The European Union is developing as a security actor –
which is not only natural but also desirable. It is
now widely acknowledged – on both sides of the
Atlantic - that a stronger Europe will widen our
arsenal of response options to the new security
challenges. And it is widely accepted in Europe that a
stronger security role should not amount to a
duplication of what is already available through NATO.
NATO and the EU are making rather good progress in
coordinating the development of modern military
capabilities. I am optimistic that we can extend our
cooperation to additional areas where we have a common
security interest, where we can complement each other,
and reinforce each other’s efforts. And here I mean
functional areas – such as the fight against terrorism
– as well as geographical areas – such as the Caucasus
and Central Asia.

One region that is bound to affect our security for
the foreseeable future is the southern Mediterranean
and the broader Middle East. Luckily, we have seen
quite a positive dynamic in that entire region over
the past few months. NATO is keen to help sustain that
momentum, and to promote greater stability for all.
Which is why we are working hard to deepen our
Dialogue with seven countries in Northern Africa and
the Middle East. And why we have launched a new
initiative last year to build new relationships with
countries in the Persian Gulf region. Both programmes
have met with a very positive response from the
countries concerned.

Finally, NATO has also been eager to foster dialogue
and cooperation with countries even further afield.
Given the fact that NATO troops are now deployed in
Afghanistan, it is no surprise that countries such as
neighbouring China and Pakistan have shown interest in
talking with us. We are always open to developing such
contacts and promoting better mutual understanding. At
the same time, however, the active, practical
cooperation of this country - New Zealand – with the
Alliance, is of quite a different order – and very
welcome indeed.

For many years, New Zealand has shown a strong
realisation that its own peace and security cannot be
seen in isolation from developments elsewhere. A
realisation, also, that even a relatively small
country can make a significant contribution to
security and stability - in its own region and well
beyond. And a keen awareness that working together
with other nations in a larger organisational context
can be a real force-multiplier. As a Dutchman, I can
very well identify with that security perspective. As
Secretary General of NATO, an Alliance which has
always been keen to broaden the base of its
peacekeeping operations, I wholeheartedly commend your
engagement.

In the Balkans, soldiers from this country have stood
shoulder to shoulder with NATO forces for well over a
decade....Following the handover of NATO’s
peacekeeping responsibilities in Bosnia and
Herzegovina to the European Union late last year, the
Alliance’s activities are now mainly focused in
Kosovo. It speaks volumes for your country’s
engagement that you retain a presence both in Bosnia
and in Kosovo.

New Zealand has also deployed forces to Afghanistan.
Your country recognises - like the NATO Allies and the
United Nations Security Council - that a failure to
stabilise and return democracy to Afghanistan would
enhance the risk of terror threatening our societies
and of even more drugs being planted and ending up on
our streets. And so you are contributing to the United
Nations’ efforts in Afghanistan and those of the
NATO-led International Security Assistance Force. You
are assisting with the training of military and police
officers, and you are helping the Afghan Government to
extend its authority by leading a Provincial
Reconstruction Team in Bamyan Province.

Those are all very valuable contributions by New
Zealand. They have helped to build greater confidence
and security – as was demonstrated by the particularly
high voter turn-out in Bamyan for last year’s
presidential elections. At a time when Afghanistan is
moving to crucial parliamentary and provincial
elections later this year, your decision to extend
your PRT through September shows genuine commitment.

NATO will be there with you, to see through our common
effort....

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The NATO that I have described to you is an Alliance
in action. An Alliance of 26 democratic nations who
understand the realities of today’s volatile security
environment – who realise the need for Europe and
America to work together in responding to those
realities - and who are using the NATO framework to
give shape and direction to that response.

One essential characteristic of the Alliance’s
response is its inclusiveness. We realise that NATO
alone cannot meet the new global threats to our
security. That we need to work together with other
nations and organisations for our contributions to
international security to have maximum effect.

That approach has found resonance here in New Zealand.
Time and again, your country has proved able to define
its security interests clearly and consistently, and
to act accordingly. Your own response to the latest
changes in our security environment has been typically
steadfast. We are privileged to be working together
with you, and look forward to continuing our
cooperation in the future. Thank you.






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http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/apr2005-daily/01-04-2005/main/update.shtml#01


Jang (Pakistan)
March 31, 2005


US plane crashes in Albania, eight killed


WASHINGTON - A US military plane with eight people on
board has crashed in a mountainous area of southern
Albania, exploding in a ball of flame, police and
villagers said.

"It is thought the people on board have died, but this
is not confirmed," Public Order Ministry spokesman
told reporters.

Serjani said the control tower at Albania's Rinas
airport "saw the plane move in an irregular way while
it was flying over a valley" in southeast Albania.

The plane was probably trying to reach the nearby
military airfield of Kucove.




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http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/apr2005-daily/01-04-2005/world/w1.htm


Jang (Pakistan)
March 31, 2005


Bakiyev got directions from Ukraine, Georgia


BISHKEK - Kyrgyzstan’s interim president Kurmanbek
Bakiyev got directions on democracy [sic] on Thursday
from Ukraine and Georgia...and from the Organisation
for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

The pointers came in successive meetings with visiting
OSCE Chairman Dimitrij Rupel and then the Ukrainian
and Georgian foreign ministers, all of whom said they
stood ready to help Kyrgyzstan in the wake of last
week’s overthrow of the Soviet-era [sic] regime of
Askar Akayev. Rupel, who is also Slovenia’s foreign
minister, told the Kyrgyz news agency AKI-press that
"the OSCE, the European Union, Russia and the United
States can help Kyrgyzstan make sure law and order are
respected, in particular during this period of
transition."

The OSCE chairman added: "Without outside aid, the
perspective of rapid and relatively painless
development appears uncertain." Georgian Foreign
Minister Salome Zourabichvili told reporters that she
and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Boris Tarasyuk "have
not come here to Kyrgyzstan as revolution exporters"
but to offer assistance in the run-up to new
presidential elections called for June 26. [French
citizen Salome Zourabichvili, who perhaps never set
foot in Georgia before being appointed Foreign
Minister, says nothing of Georgia's first post-putsch
presidential election in January of last year in which
her boss, Mikhail Saakashvili, received 97% of the
vote.]  "Georgia and Ukraine are ready to help restore
stability to Kyrgyzstan," she said. Tarasyuk said his
country "is ready to send a group of constitutional
law and electoral experts if needed."

The offers for help from the two ex-Soviet countries —
where mass opposition protests swept out pro-Russian
regimes in favour of pro-Western leaders — came
despite Bakiyev pledging to continue the
Moscow-friendly policies of Akayev, whose 15-year rule
was toppled on March 24.

At the same time, the speaker of the new Kyrgyz
parliament elected just before last week’s lightning
revolution, Omurbek Tekebayev, said moves were being
made to prepare talks with Akayev, who has offered to
step down if he was assured protection.

"Right now we are discussing the logistics on
beginning talks," he said, explaining that a
seven-member commission was being established in
parliament to handle the discussions. Akayev fled to
Russia after thousands of protesters angry over
corruption and the allegedly fraudulent legislative
elections overran the government building in the
Kyrgyz capital Bishkek.

He has said he is willing to negotiate his formal
resignation with Tekebayev only, spurning Bakiyev and
the other interim authorities as illegitimate. But
Bakiyev warned Akayev not to return to Kyrgyzstan,
telling state television Wednesday that if he did so,
"I think that massive disturbances might occur
everywhere in the republic." The Russian government,
still stinging from its failure to avert Ukraine and
Georgia slipping out of its grasp, was careful to show
itself at arm’s distance from the events in
Kyrgyzstan. "Russia will not interfere in internal
Kyrgyz affairs. We want the process to develop in a
legitimate fashion," Russian foreign ministry
spokesman Alexander Yakovenko told journalists. He
said, pointedly, that Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov
would not follow his Ukrainian and Georgian
counterparts to Kyrgyzstan. Even though calm has
returned to the Central Asian state after two days of
looting and chaos in the wake of the revolution, the
political situation remains relatively volatile, with
several politicians positioning themselves as
candidates in the June presidential election.

Tensions also remain between the poorer south, where
the revolution started, and the richer north where
Russian is more widely spoken.







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Xinhua News Agency
March 31, 2005


Xinhua commentary: Distorted history textbook
unacceptable


-Lies in ink can never cover facts in blood. There is
no denying the heinous crimes Japanese militarists
committed against other fellow Asians in World War II.
The proper attitude for Japan to take is to deeply
reflect on its past, plead guilty and sincerely ask
for the forgiveness of its victims.



TOKYO - As the world in general are preparing to
celebrate the 60th anniversary of the victory over
fascism later this year right-wing activists in Japan,
however, are seeking to whitewash the country's
militaristic past by publishing a new history textbook
more distorted than the previous one.

The new textbook, subject to the Education Ministry's
screening in early April, gives yet another vivid and
shocking example on how desperately Japanese
right-wingers want to negate history and defy justice.


Packed with lies, contradictions and even myths, the
textbook rewrites history, particularly in the first
half of last century when Japan launched aggression
against many Asia-Pacific countries and imposed
extended colonial rule in much of the region.

Some of the texts are sheer absurdity. For instance,
the reason that the Japanese are superior to others in
the world, the textbook concludes, is that the nation
is endowed with a monarchy of impeccable pedigree
whose royal blood has run thousands of generations.

Others are more calculated and outright lies, such as
Japan's role in the World War II.

The book depicted Japan as a victim of the World War
II: It was provoked and forced into a war it did not
want to enter in the first place; its soldiers
kill[ing] and abus[ing] civilians of other
countries...were following the common practice in the
world; it was severely attacked by Alliance troops and
air-raided with two atom bombs, etc.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

The textbook blames China for instigating a series of
incidents leading to Japan's invasion to China. For
one, it claims the Lugou Bridge (alias Marco Polo
Bridge) Incident in north China on July 7,1937, which
marked the beginning of Japan's all-out aggression
against China, broke out because "the Chinese army
kept shooting at the Japanese troops."

Curiously, it omits an explanation why the Japanese
aggressor troops were attacked on Chinese territory.

The textbook also shovels responsibility to China for
Japan's occupation and brutal colonial rule of China's
three northeastern provinces - Heilongjiang, Jilin and
Liaoning - which are rich in natural resources.

Japan had to take control of the provinces as "an
anti-Japanese campaign intensified" at that time, it
says.

The notorious Nanking Massacre, which wiped out
300,000 Chinese lives, in this book turns out to be an
incident shrouded in doubts and controversy, "as
evidence is not strong and opinions on it vary."

What is more, the textbook suggests Taiwan does not
belong to China and the atrocities perpetrated by
Japan in other Asian countries were for "the
liberation" of those countries from the Westerners.

The new textbook surpassed its predecessor, in use
since 2001, in bending history and glossing over
Japan's war past. If passed, the new book will be used
in Japanese schools starting April 2006.

Back in 2001, the endorsement of the lie-telling
textbook triggered widespread protests both in and
outside Japan. Asian countries, still feeling the
pains they suffered during World War II, lodged strong
protests with the Japanese government over its blatant
attempt to warp the truth.

History textbooks are obliged to tell the truth and it
should be compiled in the spirit of fairness and
objectivity. Only in learning true history can
Japanese youth be able to draw from those lessons and
avoid a repetition of the past. Only by coming to
terms with its unspeakable deeds can Japan shed its
weight of guilt and move on to the future.

Regrettably, Japan does not seem to choose doing so. A
textbook full of contortions will sow the seed for
future disasters. Imparted with arrogance, prejudice
and enthusiasm for war by the textbook, Japan's
younger generations are in danger of sliding back to
militarism again if given the right climate.

It is worth noting that the new textbook is made
public before the Education Ministry giving it the
green light. It might be by coincidence that some
Japanese government officials recently charged Chinese
with conducting "anti-Japanese" patriotism education.
Chinese schools should change its way of painting
Japan as the black sheep, they said.

Lies in ink can never cover facts in blood. There is
no denying the heinous crimes Japanese militarists
committed against other fellow Asians in World War II.
The proper attitude for Japan to take is to deeply
reflect on its past, plead guilty and sincerely ask
for the forgiveness of its victims.

Only by doing so can Japan win back the understanding
and trust of fellow Asians and join in the efforts to
build a prosperous and peaceful Asia and the world at large.



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Australian Associated Press
April 1, 2005


Australia posts defence attache at NATO


-"We believe with the changes of emphasis of NATO we
are likely to be working more closely with NATO in the
future," [Australian Defence Minister Robert Hill]
told reporters.
-Mr Scheffer...mentioned Australia's role in both
Afghanistan and Iraq saying the country's role "cannot
be underestimated".


Australia will post a defence attache to Brussels
after signing a deal with NATO.

On Friday NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer
held top-level talks in Canberra with Foreign Minister
Alexander Downer and Defence Minister Robert Hill.

It is the first visit to Australia by the most senior
NATO official.

Senator Hill said Australia had decided to place a
defence attache in Brussels to help improve
communications in the war on terrorism.

"We believe with the changes of emphasis of NATO we
are likely to be working more closely with NATO in the
future," he told reporters.

"Looking at what is happening in Iraq at the moment
already illustrates that that likelihood would come to
be the case.

"We therefore see it in our interests to be closer to
NATO in a more practical way.

"We have therefore decided to put a defence attache
into Brussels who will be attached to NATO to help
improve communications.

"We've also signed an agreement to enable information
to be shared more easily."

Mr Downer said it was important that terrorism was
dealt with on a global scale, and a closer
relationship with NATO would help the fight.

"We've agreed that there will be some exchanges of
intelligence on counter-terrorism between Australia
and NATO and that will take forward yet another step
in our relationship on those issues," Mr Downer said.

Mr Scheffer said the visit was indicative of
Australia's value to NATO and vice versa.

"Both ministers have already commented on the global
aspect of the threat we are facing," he said.

"We are facing terrorism anywhere and everywhere, and
unfortunately and tragically, Australia has been the
victim of horrible acts of terrorism.

"We are all facing - the NATO alliance, Australia and
this region - the proliferation of weapons of mass
destruction and we're all faced with the consequences
of fragile and failing states."

Mr Scheffer said it was important NATO and the
Australian government exchanged as much information as
they could, including that of a classified nature.

"That's the reason we signed this security agreement,"
he said.

"It is important that I touch base on behalf of NATO
on what's happening in this region, which is
geographically far away but nevertheless, given the
challenges I've mentioned, very relevant to NATO."

Mr Scheffer also mentioned Australia's role in both
Afghanistan and Iraq saying the country's role "cannot
be underestimated".




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Times of India
April 1, 2005


F-16 sale US ploy to revive cold war: CPI


CHANDIGARH - The 19th congress of the CPI [Communist
Party of India] on Thursday targeted the US and warned
it against playing spoilsport in the peace process
initiated by India and Pakistan.

The delegates were unanimous in their concern at the
US administration's decision to supply F-16 warplanes
to Pakistan and said it was nothing short of a vile
attempt to sabotage the peace process and push India
and Pakistan back to confrontation and revive an
atmosphere of cold war between the two nations.

Coming at a time when India and Pakistan have opened a
new chapter of friendliness and cooperation, the US
offer to supply warplanes to Pakistan and India was
apparently an attempt to turn back the wheel of
history and seeks to draw India into strategic
military partnership and in the process build up
tension and generate arms race in the region thereby
dangerously polluting the emerging atmosphere of
peace.

The party called upon both India and Pakistan to turn
down the US offer and carry forward the process of
composite dialogue to defeat the nefarious US designs.

....






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Korea Herald
April 1, 2005


War of words intensifies between Korea, Japan over
history
By Lee Joo-hee


-The history clash visibly surfaced earlier this month
when a Japanese prefecture designated Feb. 22 as
"Takeshima Day," referring to the Dokdo islands in the
East Sea, to celebrate its first claim to the islands
100 years ago.
The Japanese government is also set to approve next
month a controversial history textbook for its
secondary school students that experts claim describes
Japan's invasion of Asia, including Korea, as an
inevitable choice for Japan.
-The two countries have also long been at odds over
Koizumi's repeated visits to Yaskuni Shrine that
honors 2.5 million war dead, including criminals from
World War II.



Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon struck back at his
Japanese counterpart for criticizing President Roh
Moo-hyun, as a history row between the two countries
escalated with exchanges of verbal attacks by top
diplomats and policymakers.

"The remarks by the Japanese Foreign Minister are not
even true," Ban told reporters, referring to Nobutaka
Machimura's comments against Roh.

Japanese Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura publicly
criticized Roh in a parliamentary meeting, saying the
South Korean president should have raised his concerns
during his summit meeting with Japan's Prime Minister
Junichiro Koizumi instead of releasing a public
statement.

Machimura was apparently referring to the March 23
statement posted by Roh on the Cheong Wa Dae Web site,
where he rapped Japan for attempting to justify its
imperialist past by claiming sovereignty of
Korea-controlled Dokdo islands and turning a blind eye
to an attempt to release a distorted history book.

Korea's Foreign Ministry spokesman Lee Kyu-hyung said
yesterday, "It was inappropriate for Foreign Minister
Machimura to make such a remark based on undisclosed
conversations at the summit meeting."

A ministry official explained that during the last
summit in December, Roh specifically told Koizumi, "I
hope there are no incidents where ungrounded remarks
persist (among leaders of Korea and Japan). It would
be easier to solve problems if the Japanese leaders
made decisions on history textbooks and visits to the
Yaskuni Shrine."

The official added Machimura was present when Roh
stated the above to Koizumi during their undisclosed
conversation in the last summit in Japan.

"It is deeply questionable how (the two countries)
could manage to handle the future together if a top
diplomat of a country cannot understand such
comments," the official said on condition of
anonymity.

The war of words between leaders of Korea and Japan is
intensifying this year over many issues concerning
Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule of Korea.

This year, the two countries celebrate the 40th
anniversary of their diplomatic ties, while Korea also
celebrates the 60th anniversary of independence from
Japan's colonial rule.

The history clash visibly surfaced earlier this month
when a Japanese prefecture designated Feb. 22 as
"Takeshima Day," referring to the Dokdo islands in the
East Sea, to celebrate its first claim to the islands
100 years ago.

The Japanese government is also set to approve next
month a controversial history textbook for its
secondary school students that experts claim describes
Japan's invasion of Asia, including Korea, as an
inevitable choice for Japan.

The textbook, compiled by radical revisionists, also
omits a large portion of Japan's abuse and wrongdoings
to Koreans under its colonial rule.

The two countries have also long been at odds over
Koizumi's repeated visits to Yaskuni Shrine that
honors 2.5 million war dead, including criminals from
World War II.

Adding fuel to the anger, Japanese policymakers and
leaders recently made controversial remarks
rationalizing Japan's moves.

The South Korean government also strongly criticized
Japan for the various comments.

Before Wednesday's remark by Machimura, Ban lambasted
earlier in the same day Japan's education minister for
claiming that his country's teaching guidelines must
include information that Dokdo belongs to Japan.

Last week, Minister for Japanese Embassy in Washington
Naoyuki Agawa published an article in the Washington
Post, claiming the "Sea of Japan" was the standard
term for the sea between Korea and Japan and that
Dokdo is an integral part of Japan and thus should be
called Takeshima.

Korea's embassy in Washington immediately sent a
rebuttal to the same paper.

Last month, Japanese Ambassador to Seoul Toshiyuki
Takano provoked angry protests from Koreans by
publicly saying that Dokdo legally belonged to Japan.

In a strong negation to the repeated verbal outbreaks,
Korea's National Security Council head and Unification
Minister Chung Dong-young criticized Prime Minister
Koizumi for "being oblivious" to the situation in
Korea.

President Roh also strongly condemned the Japanese
government in his March 23 letter to the public, and
vowed Korea was ready for a "diplomatic war."

Korea does not view Dokdo as a matter of international
conflict as the islands rightfully belong to Korea and
that the sovereignty is not a subject for negotiation.


Korea regained all its sovereignty over land including
Dokdo in 1945 and has been keeping in the islets a
small police detachment since the Korean War ended in
1953.






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