China. People´s Daily Dec 21
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
China. People´s Daily Dec 21
Extracts. Thursday, December 21, 2000, updated at 10:45(GMT+8) Jiang Zemin Receives Credentials of DPRK Ambassador Jiang Zemin, President of the People's Republic of China has received credentials from Choe Jin Su, newly appointed DPRK Ambassador to China, Xinhua reports today (Dec.20,2000). Hu Jintao Urges More Efforts from Youth for Modernization Vice President Hu Jintao Wednesday, December 20, called for the Communist Youth League of China (CYLC) to earnestly mobilize young people to exert their enthusiasm and creativity towards the country's modernization drive. When speaking at the fourth plenum of the CYLC Central Committee, Hu, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, said that the youth, as the most active and vigorous force in the country, are playing a more and more important role in economic development as China speeds up the reform and opening-up. The CYLC should guide young people to show their utmost fortitude and bravery to unswervingly make effort for the country's economic and social development, Hu said. Hu also stressed that the youth groups focus on the work of cultivating skilled young people, helping them improve their professional level and enrich their experience. Meanwhile, the youth groups should establish a smooth system for supporting, awarding and promoting skilled young people, Hu said. The young people were also urged to be firmly rooted with patriotism, collectivism and socialism, and have correct outlook on the world, life and value. In addition, Hu encouraged the youth groups to devote themselves into the grassroots of the mass and solve practical problems for them. Before the plenum, Hu met with leaders of CYLC local committees,who were awarded by the CYLC Central Committee this year, and the annual ten most outstanding young people nationwide. UN to Look into Human Rights Violations by Israel Against Palestinians The United Nations has set up a three-member commission of inquiry to gather information on human rights violations by Israel in the occupied Palestinian territories. According to a UN press release Tuesday, the inquiry commission will begin its work soon and present its conclusions and recommendations in an effort to prevent a repetition of such violations. "The inquiry commission is expected to complement the various efforts being undertaken towards establishing a just and lasting peace in the Middle East by contributing to the cause of promotion and protection of human rights," the commission said. The three members are appointed on the basis of their independence and objectivity, the press release said. They are John Dugard of South Africa at Leiden University, Holland; Richard Falk of the United States of America, a professor of International Law at Princeton University, USA; and Kamal Hussein of Bangladesh, former Foreign Minister of Bangladesh. The inquiry commission was set up in accordance with a resolution entitled "Grave and massive violations of the human rights of the Palestinian people by Israel," which was adopted by the Commission on Human Rights at its fifth Special Session and endorsed by the UN Economic and Social Council on November 22, 2000. Official: Beijing to Improve Public Safety Beijing should give top priority to improving public safety for its bid to host the 2008 Olympic Games, said Jia Qinglin, secretary of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, Wednesday. The focus of the improvements should be on the prevention of crime, said Jia at the municipal work conference on politics and law held Wednesday. The police along with other departments should strive to maintain a secure environment and social order to prepare for the 2008 Olympic Games and to implement the 10th Five-Year Plan, said Jia. The Beijing municipal government has focused on building a strict, efficient, and capable police force to ensure public safety, he said. The secretary also called on all Beijing citizens to make contributions to public security by enhancing campaigns against crimes. On April 7, 1999, the Beijing Olympic Bid Committee formally presented Beijing's bid report to Juan Antonio Samaranch, president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) at the IOC's Lausanne-based headquarters. ___ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi ___ Kominform list for general information. Subscribe/unsubscribe messages to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Anti-Imperialism list for geopolitics. Subscribe/unsubscribe messages: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] _
