Extracts. Iran Protests US Interception of Oil Tanker. Iran on Wednesday summoned the Swiss Ambassador to Iran, who is looking after US interests in Iran, to inform him of the Islamic republic's strong protest over the interception of an Iranian oil tanker by US navy vessels in the Persian Gulf. Iran on Wednesday summoned the Swiss Ambassador to Iran, who is looking after US interests in Iran, to inform him of the Islamic republic's strong protest over the interception of an Iranian oil tanker by US navy vessels in the Persian Gulf. Mehdi Mohtashami, head of the American Affairs Department of the Iranian Foreign Ministry, told the Swiss envoy that the U.S. move was contrary to the international laws and called on the U.S. to provide convincing explanation to the effect and take measures to avoid a repetition of such acts. It was reported that U.S. navy frigates intercepted the Iranian tanker in the northern Gulf and two seamen were injured when U.S. forces opened fire. But the reports did not give the date of the incident. Mohtashami said, quoted by the state IRNA news agency, that "the interception of the Iranian oil tanker by U.S. naval vessels has been a vile transgression and the Islamic Republic of Iran reserves the right to follow up this violation through legal channels." The Swiss envoy expressed his "deep regrets" over the incident and pledged to convey Iran's protest to the U.S. government at the earliest. U.S. warships have been patrolling the Persian Gulf since the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990. Iran has always objected to U.S. military presence in the Gulf, saying that it leads to instability and insecurity in the region. The United States and Iran have severed relations since 1980 after Iranian students stormed the American embassy in Tehran in 1979 and took its staff hostage for 444 days. Since then the two countries have imposed policies of hostility towards each other and are represented through interests sections in each other's capitals. **** US Withdrawal from the ABM, An Unwise Move: Commentary. December 13 saw President Bush formally declared US withdrawal from the ABM, a move unprecedented in US history backing US betrayal of a most important treaty for international arms control. Unilateral ABM withdrawal by the US will make possible without doubt other similar destructive bilateral actions undermining and scrapping international treaties for arms control. December 13 saw President Bush formally declared US withdrawal from the ABM, a move unprecedented in US history backing US betrayal of a most important treaty for international arms control. Its grave adverse impacts will surely gradually be felt on the course of international disarmament and future international security setup. Back in 1972, the US on its initiative had ABM signed with the former Soviet Union for "an opposite nuclear deterrent balance" and a NMD system to be developed by neither side. It goes without saying ABM with altogether 32 treaties involving international disarmament and nuclear non-prolification has served as a cornerstone anchoring world stability. Unilateral ABM withdrawal by the US will make possible without doubt other similar destructive bilateral actions undermining and scrapping international treaties for arms control. Since the US unilaterally moves to undermine international strategic stability efforts will naturally be made by some others to take on unilateral nuclear armament development plans for development of new armaments. As things stand in today's world, Men have just been in the new century: Peace and development form the thematic topic and trend of the world. The US backing out from its former ABM stand obviously runs counter to this trend. Why comes ABM pullout by the US? Nothing is voiced but for a free hand on the part of the US to develop its NMD system and unchallenged "supremacy by only superpower" and a unilateral world order under the sway of the US. Some dozens of years back saw the former Soviet Union with its nuclear arms being hotly developed on a par with the US. To place limits on its adversary's nuclear buildup the US called for an ABM to be signed. But by now when ABM becomes an obstacle as it has long been regarded by the US heading for its NMD advancement this superpower naturally has to leave no stone unturned to annul the treaty to which it has applied its signature. This shows how things had or have been with US policy makers past and present: Since ABM had been signed it has to be scrapped by now and this absolutely depends on the unilateral egoistic interests of the US. What the US does shows that a country like the US that cares not for a whiff the interests of other peoples or countries, all but US unilateralism and pragmatism decides. Bush's US pullout from the ABM has met no less bombast from people throughout the world. No little objections and criticisms have also been made of Bush's unwise move in the UN and among the UN member countries like Russia, China and many other developing countries and some of US allies. This has also made no exception with many leaders of the Democratic Party for they fear that it would spark new greater arms race throughout the world. When talking about US's own security, since the "September 11" attacks, what the American people care for is just about how future terrorist attacks are to be prevented as a matter of fact. Bush's bigotry to pull out from ABM for developing NMD will literally mean not only a drain of money on taxpayers' purse and a swelling of those of arms dealers in the US but will also bring about inestimable negative impacts on the world order in the future. **** Pakistani President Leaves to Visit China. Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf left Islamabad early Thursday for Beijing to pay a state visit to China at the invitation of Chinese President Jiang Zemin. The visit is to mark the climax of the events organized in connection with the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomtic relations between China and Pakistan. Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf left Islamabad early Thursday for Beijing to pay a state visit to China at the invitation of Chinese President Jiang Zemin. He is accopanied by First Lady Begum Schba Musharraf with an entourage including Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar and some other cabinet members. The visit is to mark the climax of the events organized in connection with the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomtic relations between China and Pakistan. During his stay in China, he will meet Chinese leaders to review Sino-Pak relations with special focus on bilateral economic cooperation and discuss regional issues and international developments of mutual interest, according to a press release issued by the Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs. **** China, Japan Fail to Make Breakthrough in Trade Talks. China and Japan on Wednesday failed to make a breakthrough at their vice-ministerial talks in Tokyo over a trade dispute stemming from Japan's emergency import curbs on three farm products mostly from China. China and Japan on Wednesday failed to make a breakthrough at their vice-ministerial talks in Tokyo over a trade dispute stemming from Japan's emergency import curbs on three farm products mostly from China. Wednesday's talks followed a failed ministerial meeting held last week in Beijing . The two countries plan to hold a ministerial again in a last- ditch effort to resolve the issue before the deadline on Friday for Tokyo to decide on whether to approve full four-year import curbs, sources close to the talks said. Japan is poised to invoke full-fledged "safeguard" curbs on imports of stone leeks, shiitake mushrooms and rushes used in tatami mats if the two countries fail to strike a deal by Friday. Japan demanded that China set export levels for the three farm products that are satisfactory to both sides. China rejected the proposal, saying it is the same as setting the safeguard curbs. The trade row flared up in April when Japan slapped 200-day provisional import curbs on the three farm products. In June, denouncing the Japanese measure as discriminatory, China responded by imposing 100 percent punitive tariffs on imports of Japanese motor vehicles, mobile phones and air conditioners. **** 13 Killed as al-Qaeda Men Attack Pak Troops. At least 13 people, including six security personnel, were killed Wednesday when al-Qaeda prisoners being transported to Kohat by the Pakistani security agencies, seized weapons and opened fire on their captors in the Kurram Agency area. At least 13 people, including six security personnel, were killed Wednesday when al-Qaeda prisoners being transported to Kohat by the Pakistani security agencies, seized weapons and opened fire on their captors in the Kurram Agency area. "We have reports of 13 casualties from both sides in the shootout between the security personnel and the al-Qaeda militants. Seven al-Qaeda members have been killed in the gunbattle; and six of the security personnel have lost their lives," a senior government official told The News. However, Alizai tribal residents put the number of dead security guards at 10, which could not be confirmed from official sources. Six others, all of them Pakistani nationals, were injured in the fight and removed to the agency headquarters hospital. According to an official press note, 156 al-Qaeda men arrested by the law enforcing agencies at the Pak-Afghan border in Kurram Agency, were being transported to Kohat in three buses and two trucks. At about 10.30 am, the captives of a bus snatched weapons from some of the armed guards, and tried to take control of the bus. In the ensuing melee the bus carrying 48 al-Qaeda men careened off the road near Arawali village in Kurram Agency and plunged into a 20-feet ravine. Other captives, taking advantage of the situation, ran for escape. Law enforcing agencies chased the fleeing al-Qaeda men and succeeded in arresting 21 of them. A security cordon has been exercised in the entire area and hectic search is in progress for the arrest of remaining 20 escapees. Official sources said the arrested militants are nationals of Saudi Arabia, Egypt , Turkey , Tunisia and Algeria , who are believed to be staunch supporters of Osama bin Laden. **** Tens of Thousands Protest State of Emergency in Buenos Aires. Tens of thousands of people filled the streets of Buenos Aires early on Thursday to protest President Fernando de la Rua's declaration of a state of emergency, moving toward the presidential palace. Tens of thousands of people filled the streets of Buenos Aires early on Thursday to protest President Fernando de la Rua's declaration of a state of emergency, moving toward the presidential palace. The protests came just minutes after the decree went into effect at midnight. Residents in several middle-class areas of the city blew car horns and banged on pans in protest, then heading for the Plaza de Mayo, site of the presidential palace and the seat of both houses of Congress. Another 200 residents marched toward de la Rua's Olivos residence, in the northern outskirts of the capital. De la Rua signed a decree ordering a state of emergency earlier on Wednesday, in response to mounting popular discontent over the country's crumbling economy, stuck in a recession for the past three and a half years. Five people were killed and more than 100 injured on Wednesday in protests and lootings of supermarkets across the country. In the central city of Cordoba, three major labor unions agreed to ignore the decree, calling for a widespread strike on Thursday. **** Greek Prime Minister Meet Chinese Politburo Member. Greek Prime Minister Constantinos Simitis met Wednesday with Wei Jianxing, a politburo member of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee, in Athens. Greek Prime Minister Meet Chinese Politburo Member Greek Prime Minister Constantinos Simitis met Wednesday with Wei Jianxing, a politburo member of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee, in Athens. Simitis is also chairman of the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) of Greece. The two sides held talks on bilateral relations and international and regional issues. Wei expressed appreciation for Simitis' active efforts in promoting Sino-Greek relations and thanked the Greek government for its stand on Taiwan, Tibet and China's entry into the World Trade Organization. He said that, as a member of the European Union, Greece can play a significant role in promoting Sino-European relations. Simitis said that the traditional friendship between the people of the countries have stood the test of time and he is looking forward to visiting China next year to promote bilateral cooperation. _________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. 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