There are many who have a sense of urgency , quietly watching how things develop , you are dragons coiling , you are tigers crouching , I admire noble @-@ minded patriots .
Has history given us too many lessons ? , 530 , 412 , 64
taking a look
the ones who are suffering are the ordinary people : even if the body of a salted fish is turned over , it is still a salted fish ...
Freedom of speech\thought , if people express a view somewhat different than the traditional view , and put forward slightly different criticism , then they are called slaves of foreigners , or are accused of reverence for and fascination by foreign things ,
What is more they are considered traitors of China , which is a fact of cultural tyranny in the cloak of nationalism and patriotism .
In fact , the US no longer needs to use force to deal with China , they have achieved the result of " defeating enemy soldiers without fighting ".
Is the article too intense , is the United States so good ?
If things are not seen by eyes and heard by ears yourself , do not assume their existence , three people create a tiger .
Just passing by and taking a look . Won't express my opinion
Came to study and learn
Very attractive
It should vigorously advocated
Some people - do n't forget you are Chinese ; if the country needs me , I 'll be compelled by my sense of righteousness !
I really especially hate those who are eating Chinese things and drinking Chinese things , but who say America is so whatever , those dogs , if America is so good go find your American illegitimate fathers
I feel our people should learn more from the DPRK , the banner of socialism needs to be held , but Mao Zedong Thought can n't be forgotten !
Only Mao Zedong Thought , can save the nation !
There too many traitors of China !
Patriotism is the bottom line . Everyone must prove worthy of the nation
I think it is not those elites , but that some corrupt officials were bribed
Remove this group of jerks !
I 'm just taking a look
There are so many traitors in the history of China - we need to be vigilant .
With the chaos in East and North Africa , we also had no choice but to prevent the running dog traitors from colluding with Western imperialism .
Everything has its set number , it 's not time for a change in the weather in China , traitors can only bark madly like dogs and nothing else , can only make them disappointed .
It won't be long until people are coming from all directions to the Chinese court . Leading the world . This is the intent of heaven .
Following with interest .
This just is a specialty of modern China there 's nothing we can do
There are too many traitors among our compatriots ,
Freedom of speech is relative . We need take national conditions into account .
Freedom of speech\thought , if people express a view somewhat different than the traditional view , and put forward slightly different criticism , then they are called slaves of foreigners , or are accused of reverence for and fascination by foreign things ,
to the person who said this I 'd like to ask which one of those mentioned above is your dad
For fans of military affairs , fascinated with armaments , fascinated with military clothing qualities , those who wanted to become soldiers but for various reasons did not succeed , we welcome you to join Military Fans ' Alliance , qq group 181729561 . Those who enter the group must adhere to the system within the group - be patriotic , must modify your group business card to be consistent with the format of other people 's . This group only permits males the enter , if you do n't conform , do n't ally together with us , do n't follow the system within the group , we will ask you to please voluntarily leave the group .
Support , bump
In critical moments , we are all descendants of Yan emperor and Huang emperor .
Look at the Kuomintang @-@ Communist cooperation of those years and you will know ...
In the peaceful years , creating a ruckus does n't influence everybody cooperating when it 's time for war ...
It can compete with articles from the Cultural Revolution , magnifying a problem to become a question of principle or of ideological line , buttoning the hat .
the fifth column will make those with vested interests in the Communist Party terrified , it 's a good thing
If you want to destroy a people , first of all is his national culture , whose tool is language and writing . Currently the one which everyone who is going to the next grade or entering a higher school must all be tested on is English @-
-@ turn
you are a dragon coiling , you are a tiger crouching , it makes sense , wait for the opportunity
In fact , US no longer needs to use force to deal with China , they have reached a result of " defeating enemy soldiers without fighting " ...
Yes . There are many slaves of foreigners . It 's time we should renovate !
The ruling authorities actually should pay attention to these kinds of capitulators and traitors of China ! Comrade Deng Xiaoping once said that the Communist Party will not be overthrown - if it falls , it will be brought down from within the party itself . Former US Ambassador to China Mr. Huntsman once said in a speech in the US : we will raise eight hundred thousand spokespeople in China , let the Chinese themselves topple China - and the CIA then used an annual eight million yuan subsidy to help these domestic so @-@ called elite , vowing that they want to let them raise the wind to make waves domestically , citizens definitely need to be alert for this and cannot let outsiders use us .
I have reasons to say this : these last several days I have seen the suggestions given by the experts - with a glimpse I see they are disciples of Wang Jingwei !
Western society allows these people to see the dawn of fairness and justice of democracy .
The domestic political development is truly too slow , being criticized by people whose ideology is a bit advanced is inevitable . Can we blame others for this ?
Saying that someone is bribed is improper ?
People are all selfish , reality also is often gray .
Some propaganda activities of ZF have soon become viewed as jokes by the people .
In this environment , what 's wrong if they criticize the previous stupefying propaganda a bit ?
We can n't look over the old accounts of the previous so @-@ called anti @-@ Japanese war .
Take a look at North Korea , that 's our country many years ago . Take a look at their ridiculous propaganda .
The United States ' dream of occupying the whole world has never stopped , it is constantly being planned .
These days , there 's a kind of feeling that 's more and more intense : It 's that America , through long @-@ term bribing of the Chinese intellectual elite has already succeeded in setting up a " fifth column ".
These people may consider themselves to be culture celebrities or may be of high authority and important position , and are distributed in various circles in society , taking great pains to promote American values* and brainwash the Chinese people on behalf of the Americans .
Why is this kind of feeling getting more and more intense ?
Because these days , I 've been reading part of the " Specialist Professor " blog , it would have been okay if I did n't read it , but after I read it , it made me really surprised .
For example , Assistant Professor Zhang Ming of Renmin University , the political intentions of many of his blogs are extremely obvious .
Such as , in one blog he attributed the reason for the prevalence of hostility in China to elementary school textbooks having " Wang Erxiao ", and he disparaged good articles that promote patriotism as not even worth a penny .
Another example is so @-@ called " sexologist " and " social activist " Li Yinhe - one , her stuff is not similar to things like the treatise " Haite Sexology Report "; two , she has no deep thought ; and three , she has no significant contributions .
She main relies on doing something novel and different and on shocking viewpoints to attract people 's eyes , but without real ability or learning , she 's purely a jumping clown ,
This kind of person puts on the big " specialist " hat just to intimidate people ; the key is that she is concerned about politics yet does n't understand politics , is willing to be a slave of foreigners yet is arrogant and overbearing , is ignorant yet feels fine .
Like in the essay " A bit less hostility , a bit more harmony ", she completely denigrates class struggle and the anti @-@ pornography @-@ and @-@ illegal @-@ publications drive as social hostility ;
in the essay " China has already become the country which worships money most on the earth ", she attributes Chinese society 's worship of money to atheism ;
the essay " Are you studying Paul or studying Bill ? ", she blathers that " people who study Paul will become terrorists ";
in the essay " Recommendation for establishment of a constitutional court to solve the problem of pornographic products ", she takes citizens publishing pornographic novels to be freedom of speech , and says the Beijing anti @-@ pornography drive is unconstitutional behavior , etc.
Especially today 's masterpiece , " Why is it worth paying such close attention to the Jianghe obscene goods case ? ", where she is once again crying foul over several people suspected of involvement in erotic business activities who are being dealt with by Beijing City , as well as detailing a list of erotic products , with a deeper intent of doing publicity for other people ."
But these kind of jerky articles actually being put on top by Sina blog is really preposterous !
And there is also Sichuanese poet Liu Shahe , who , while America clear to the eye and with swelling gall engages in containment of China and the people of the whole nation are feeling indignant , actually comes out with the fallacy " China and America are friendly ", and tries to pour spirit @-@ confusing soup on the Chinese people willfully and without fear ;
Yi Zhongtian , who got famous by remarking upon the " three countries ", whose talent and learning I have always respected , but I did n't expect that he was actually supporting the big traitor of China , Mao Yushi , saying some things like " I believe whoever disrespects Mao Yushi is not human ", once again making me very much drop my glasses !
Also , as for the rumor on the internet a short time ago " Complete notes on 100 Chinese celebrities who accepted political contributions from the Ford Foundation ", I feel that the segment of the intellectual elite in China who are " becoming treasonous " are increasingly ardent and have already become willful and without fear , to a level of publicly harming the country .
But I do not understand , when these people frequently make treasonous remarks , why no one curbs them and they , moreover , can continue to occupy high positions , calling the wind and rousing the rain among the intelligentsia and in public opinion ?
Contacting " Southern newspapers ", which were temporarily fierce a short while ago , I feel that part of the intellectual elite have possibly sunk together with media personalities !
I remember , 60 @-@ some years ago the US had just fought a war with China , and still threatened China with the use of nuclear weapons ;
40 @-@ some years ago , the US entered Vietnam with the intention of containing China ;
although 32 years ago it had established relations with China , 22 years ago it again started imposing sanctions on China , 12 years ago it bombed a Chinese embassy , 10 years ago the South China Sea collision incident occurred , and two years ago it restarted its containment of China with great fanfare .
I do n't understand , why are we Chinese so forgetful ?
Why are there still so many people ignoring their conscience and speaking on the behalf of the US ?
Without taking a big loss , people do n't improve their abilities to remember - this is possibly the greatest weakness of us Chinese .
Therefore , it also stands to reason that the forces of the traitors of China are rampaging and the fifth column is running rampant
It 's entirely possible - do n't we ourselves raise " traitors to China " among primary school students ?
It 's entirely possible - do n't we ourselves raise " traitors to China " among primary school students ?
Just passing through , taking a look
Passing through ...
Mr. Zhengqing , the things you say are quite astonishing , there possibly is a suspicion that there are fragments , even if they are a fifth column , they would n't be so bare @-@ boned , we should allow the existence of different opinions , the times are really different , no matter if its democracy or pan @-@ Occidentalism , neither are beneficial to China , do n't be afraid , what do you say
Mr. Zhengqing , the things you say are quite astonishing , there possibly is a suspicion that there are fragments , even if they are a fifth column , they would n't be so bare @-@ boned ,
we should allow the existence of different opinions , the times are really different , no matter if its democracy or pan @-@ Occidentalism , neither are beneficial to China , do n't be afraid , what do you say
Little Japan , born of dog feces and the dead US economy almost can n't survive . They are preparing to start a war , to pass on debt to others .
China can not be so " Doctrine of the Mean "~
If we greatly value making peace with wolves , we will pay a painful price !
If we act like a turtle , will the various powers let us off ? It 's time to abolish cultural troupes and sports teams ! Use the funds on the front @-@ line of defense .
Looking the territorial seas with smoke of beacon @-@ fires up everywhere , what can being a great sports and arts nation accomplish ?
It 's time to wake up ! The wrong thinking and policies of high @-@ level decision @-@ making should be amended
We should put our efforts to developing science and technology ; we will be beaten if left behind ; use the limited military expenses on commanders and soldiers on the front line !
Mister , if the Diaoyu Islands are ours , please prove it with actions
Quoting the post of Xiao Jianjia ( 277703234 ) at 10 @:@ 10 @:@ 11 on September 11 th , 2010 , Saturday
China can not be so " Doctrine of the Mean "~
This is worth pondering a little !
Good things also need to be promoted . Flying radars , factory direct , purchase once and have free lifetime high @-@ speed internet access , the latest technology product . Easy to carry and also high @-@ speed and stable . You will be able to have free high @-@ speed internet access wherever you go with a flight radar as big as a bowl ! People who are smart certainly know how to enjoy life better , I wish you a happy life , thanks for finishing reading ! Contact Q q 514194237
Love our China , boycott Japanese goods
The Chinese government is incompetent , sooner or later it will collapse !
Give me five hundred thousand elite soldiers and I will make Japan flat in half a year !
China , no matter how much you exercise forbearance , there is nobody who will say good words about you , and others will still bully you as usual
My husband is a veteran . He said if a war takes place , he would stand in the very frontline of the war - rather die on the war field than live on in degradation
The Diaoyu Islands are ours , are n't they ? Um ... Yes , it seems like they were , but now some say they were , some say they were n't . Bit of a mess . Or talk about the matter of development first ?
Let 's do this , once again , listen carefully : The Diaoyu Islands are whose ? Are whose ? Are whose ?
Oh , yours ? Or his ? Say it , hurry up and say it , shout it out , hurry up and shout the Diaoyu Islands are yours !
Ah , you see you see , they started to catch people , run fast , do n't shout any more , run , beat whoever shouts again .
I 'll ask again whose the Diaoyu Islands are , but do n't shout loud , discuss this matter in a gentlemanly fashion
Oh , let me explain a bit , the Diaoyu Islands did not ever exist . This is a misunderstanding , misunderstanding , misunderstanding heh heh
It should be called , called , called the Senkaku Islands , heh heh the Senkaku Islands , good good , so it seems the Diaoyu Islands issue does not exist any more
Just call them the Senkaku Islands , cheers , for wisely solving the Diaoyu ... ah no , the Senkaku Islands matter , ( ⊙ _ ⊙ )
In a joyful , harmonious , friendly , and peaceful atmosphere , it came to an complete ending .
Who is shouting again outside , go , all disperse , do n't gather and watch any more , things whose nature has been decided , won't be changed any more ?
That is not good . How can we speak in such a untrustworthy manner , we are a responsible big country - let the matter be , do not mention it again , to develop the economy is of overriding importance .
Why are you still not leaving , all of you get out , OK , you won't go , right ? call 110 and have plainclothes police move in , uh . ? Still not dispersed , OK , it seems it won't work if I do n't real weapons , armed police , steel army , come on , if it does n't work , pull out the Third Artillery Troops , fire . .
Sweep the floor sweep the floor we are about to do cleaning , to welcome the next dawn
Dammit ! The Manchu government still charged while holding a kitchen knife ! How about now ? Oh ! Is our ZF protesting ? I believe there are n't any damn Japanese ordinary people who do n't support it . Hey , ZF ! It 's time to wake up . The ordinary people are all making fists ...
1 . Establish guaranteed funds , improve working environment and mechanisms , recruit back to China the hundreds of thousands of IT professionals who have emigrated to and linger in the United States and around the world .
2 . Create a few nuclear @-@ powered aircraft carrier battle groups .
3 . Manufacture 5000 advanced combat aircraft of various kinds .
4 . Accelerate the research and deployment of high @-@ speed intercontinental ballistic missiles which can break missile defense systems and whose range is more than 10,000 nautical miles .
5 . Resume nuclear experiments , and establish military forces in space .
6 . Retain 1000 nuclear bombs equivalent to ten million tons of TNT , and when necessary , install nuclear warheads on all short @- and middle @-@ range missiles .
7 . Retain 30 strategic nuclear submarines with the ability to inflict three devastating nuclear strikes against enemies .
8 . Abandon the commitment to not use nuclear weapons first .
9 . Retain the right of pre @-@ emptive strike when national security is threatened .
It does n't matter much when you open your mouth , but how about money , do you really think China is very strong ?
The government is incompetent to this point !
Invade and occupy openly China 's sacred territory , " the Diaoyu Islands ", defying world opinion .
Our China is a country governed with protocol . We do n't want to bother ourselves arguing with the likes of that small country ... really TMD disgusting
Pierre Vinken , 61 years old , will join the board as a nonexecutive director Nov. 29 .
Mr. Vinken is chairman of Elsevier N.V. , the Dutch publishing group .
Rudolph Agnew , 55 years old and former chairman of Consolidated Gold Fields PLC , was named a nonexecutive director of this British industrial conglomerate .
A form of asbestos once used to make Kent cigarette filters has caused a high percentage of cancer deaths among a group of workers exposed to it more than 30 years ago , researchers reported .
The asbestos fiber , crocidolite , is unusually resilient once it enters the lungs , with even brief exposures to it causing symptoms that show up decades later , researchers said .
Lorillard Inc. , the unit of New York - based Loews Corp. that makes Kent cigarettes , stopped using crocidolite in its Micronite cigarette filters in 1956 .
Although preliminary findings were reported more than a year ago , the latest results appear in today 's New England Journal of Medicine , a forum likely to bring new attention to the problem .
A Lorillard spokewoman said , `` This is an old story .
We 're talking about years ago before anyone heard of asbestos having any questionable properties .
There is no asbestos in our products now . ''
Neither Lorillard nor the researchers who studied the workers were aware of any research on smokers of the Kent cigarettes .
`` We have no useful information on whether users are at risk , '' said James A. Talcott of Boston 's Dana - Farber Cancer Institute .
Dr. Talcott led a team of researchers from the National Cancer Institute and the medical schools of Harvard University and Boston University .
The Lorillard spokeswoman said asbestos was used in `` very modest amounts '' in making paper for the filters in the early 1950 s and replaced with a different type of filter in 1956 .
From 1953 to 1955 , 9.8 billion Kent cigarettes with the filters were sold , the company said .
Among 33 men who worked closely with the substance , 28 have died -- more than three times the expected number .
Four of the five surviving workers have asbestos - related diseases , including three with recently diagnosed cancer .
The total of 18 deaths from malignant mesothelioma , lung cancer and asbestosis was far higher than expected , the researchers said .
`` The morbidity rate is a striking finding among those of us who study asbestos - related diseases , '' said Dr. Talcott .
The percentage of lung cancer deaths among the workers at the West Groton , Mass. , paper factory appears to be the highest for any asbestos workers studied in Western industrialized countries , he said .
The plant , which is owned by Hollingsworth & Vose Co. , was under contract with Lorillard to make the cigarette filters .
The finding probably will support those who argue that the U.S. should regulate the class of asbestos including crocidolite more stringently than the common kind of asbestos , chrysotile , found in most schools and other buildings , Dr. Talcott said .
The U.S. is one of the few industrialized nations that does n't have a higher standard of regulation for the smooth , needle - like fibers such as crocidolite that are classified as amphobiles , according to Brooke T. Mossman , a professor of pathlogy at the University of Vermont College of Medicine .
More common chrysotile fibers are curly and are more easily rejected by the body , Dr. Mossman explained .
In July , the Environmental Protection Agency imposed a gradual ban on virtually all uses of asbestos .
By 1997 , almost all remaining uses of cancer - causing asbestos will be outlawed .
About 160 workers at a factory that made paper for the Kent filters were exposed to asbestos in the 1950 s .
Areas of the factory were particularly dusty where the crocidolite was used .
Workers dumped large burlap sacks of the imported material into a huge bin , poured in cotton and acetate fibers and mechanically mixed the dry fibers in a process used to make filters .
Workers described `` clouds of blue dust '' that hung over parts of the factory , even though exhaust fans ventilated the area .
`` There 's no question that some of those workers and managers contracted asbestos - related diseases , '' said Darrell Phillips , vice president of human resources for Hollingsworth & Vose .
`` But you have to recognize that these events took place 35 years ago .
It has no bearing on our work force today .
Yields on money - market mutual funds continued to slide , amid signs that portfolio managers expect further declines in interest rates .
The average seven - day compound yield of the 400 taxable funds tracked by IBC 's Money Fund Report eased a fraction of a percentage point to 8.45 % from 8.47 % for the week ended Tuesday .
Compound yields assume reinvestment of dividends and that the current yield continues for a year .
Average maturity of the funds ' investments lengthened by a day to 41 days , the longest since early August , according to Donoghue 's .
Longer maturities are thought to indicate declining interest rates because they permit portfolio managers to retain relatively higher rates for a longer period .
Shorter maturities are considered a sign of rising rates because portfolio managers can capture higher rates sooner .
The average maturity for funds open only to institutions , considered by some to be a stronger indicator because those managers watch the market closely , reached a high point for the year -- 33 days .
Nevertheless , said Brenda Malizia Negus , editor of Money Fund Report , yields `` may blip up again before they blip down '' because of recent rises in short - term interest rates .
The yield on six - month Treasury bills sold at Monday 's auction , for example , rose to 8.04 % from 7.90 % .
Despite recent declines in yields , investors continue to pour cash into money funds .
Assets of the 400 taxable funds grew by $ 1.5 billion during the latest week , to $ 352.7 billion .
Typically , money - fund yields beat comparable short - term investments because portfolio managers can vary maturities and go after the highest rates .
The top money funds are currently yielding well over 9 % .
Dreyfus World - Wide Dollar , the top - yielding fund , had a seven - day compound yield of 9.37 % during the latest week , down from 9.45 % a week earlier .
It invests heavily in dollar - denominated securities overseas and is currently waiving management fees , which boosts its yield .
The average seven - day simple yield of the 400 funds was 8.12 % , down from 8.14 % .
The 30 - day simple yield fell to an average 8.19 % from 8.22 % ; the 30 - day compound yield slid to an average 8.53 % from 8.56 % .
J.P. Bolduc , vice chairman of W.R. Grace & Co. , which holds a 83.4 % interest in this energy - services company , was elected a director .
He succeeds Terrence D. Daniels , formerly a W.R. Grace vice chairman , who resigned .
W.R. Grace holds three of Grace Energy 's seven board seats .
McDermott International Inc. said its Babcock & Wilcox unit completed the sale of its Bailey Controls Operations to Finmeccanica S.p . A. for $ 295 million .
Finmeccanica is an Italian state - owned holding company with interests in the mechanical engineering industry .
Bailey Controls , based in Wickliffe , Ohio , makes computerized industrial controls systems .
It employs 2,700 people and has annual revenue of about $ 370 million .
The federal government suspended sales of U.S. savings bonds because Congress has n't lifted the ceiling on government debt .
Until Congress acts , the government has n't any authority to issue new debt obligations of any kind , the Treasury said .
The government 's borrowing authority dropped at midnight Tuesday to $ 2.80 trillion from $ 2.87 trillion .
Legislation to lift the debt ceiling is ensnarled in the fight over cutting capital - gains taxes .
The House has voted to raise the ceiling to $ 3.1 trillion , but the Senate is n't expected to act until next week at the earliest .
The Treasury said the U.S. will default on Nov. 9 if Congress does n't act by then .
Clark J. Vitulli was named senior vice president and general manager of this U.S. sales and marketing arm of Japanese auto maker Mazda Motor Corp .
In the new position he will oversee Mazda 's U.S. sales , service , parts and marketing operations .
Previously , Mr. Vitulli , 43 years old , was general marketing manager of Chrysler Corp. 's Chrysler division .
He had been a sales and marketing executive with Chrysler for 20 years .
When it 's time for their biannual powwow , the nation 's manufacturing titans typically jet off to the sunny confines of resort towns like Boca Raton and Hot Springs .
Not this year .
The National Association of Manufacturers settled on the Hoosier capital of Indianapolis for its fall board meeting .
And the city decided to treat its guests more like royalty or rock stars than factory owners .
The idea , of course : to prove to 125 corporate decision makers that the buckle on the Rust Belt is n't so rusty after all , that it 's a good place for a company to expand .
On the receiving end of the message were officials from giants like Du Pont and Maytag , along with lesser knowns like Trojan Steel and the Valley Queen Cheese Factory .
For starters , the executives joined Mayor William H. Hudnut III for an evening of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and a guest pianist - comedian Victor Borge .
Champagne and dessert followed .
The next morning , with a police escort , busloads of executives and their wives raced to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway , unimpeded by traffic or red lights .
The governor could n't make it , so the lieutenant governor welcomed the special guests .
A buffet breakfast was held in the museum , where food and drinks are banned to everyday visitors .
Then , in the guests ' honor , the speedway hauled out four drivers , crews and even the official Indianapolis 500 announcer for a 10 - lap exhibition race .
After the race , Fortune 500 executives drooled like schoolboys over the cars and drivers .
No dummies , the drivers pointed out they still had space on their machines for another sponsor 's name or two .
Back downtown , the execs squeezed in a few meetings at the hotel before boarding the buses again .
This time , it was for dinner and dancing -- a block away .
Under the stars and moons of the renovated Indiana Roof ballroom , nine of the hottest chefs in town fed them Indiana duckling mousseline , lobster consomme , veal mignon and chocolate terrine with a raspberry sauce .
Knowing a tasty -- and free -- meal when they eat one , the executives gave the chefs a standing ovation .
More than a few CEOs say the red - carpet treatment tempts them to return to a heartland city for future meetings .
But for now , they 're looking forward to their winter meeting -- Boca in February .
South Korea registered a trade deficit of $ 101 million in October , reflecting the country 's economic sluggishness , according to government figures released Wednesday .
Preliminary tallies by the Trade and Industry Ministry showed another trade deficit in October , the fifth monthly setback this year , casting a cloud on South Korea 's export - oriented economy .
Exports in October stood at $ 5.29 billion , a mere 0.7 % increase from a year earlier , while imports increased sharply to $ 5.39 billion , up 20 % from last October .
South Korea 's economic boom , which began in 1986 , stopped this year because of prolonged labor disputes , trade conflicts and sluggish exports .
Government officials said exports at the end of the year would remain under a government target of $ 68 billion .
Despite the gloomy forecast , South Korea has recorded a trade surplus of $ 71 million so far this year .
From January to October , the nation 's accumulated exports increased 4 % from the same period last year to $ 50.45 billion .
Imports were at $ 50.38 billion , up 19 % .
Newsweek , trying to keep pace with rival Time magazine , announced new advertising rates for 1990 and said it will introduce a new incentive plan for advertisers .
The new ad plan from Newsweek , a unit of the Washington Post Co. , is the second incentive plan the magazine has offered advertisers in three years .
Plans that give advertisers discounts for maintaining or increasing ad spending have become permanent fixtures at the news weeklies and underscore the fierce competition between Newsweek , Time Warner Inc. 's Time magazine , and Mortimer B. Zuckerman 's U.S. News & World Report .
Alan Spoon , recently named Newsweek president , said Newsweek 's ad rates would increase 5 % in January .
A full , four - color page in Newsweek will cost $ 100,980 .
When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991 , partisans of Ronald Reagan claimed he had " won " the cold war .
Although a careful review of the facts will show it was not true , the claim was that the Soviet Union became overextended attempting to keep up with Ray @-@ gun 's defense spending .
Pappy Bush , who was the president at the time , claimed that he had won the cold war since the collapse of the Soviet Union happened on his watch .
Regardless of how one views those claims , for many people -- capitalists especially -- heralded the " victory " of capitalism .
Globalism was hailed by its partisans as the natural consequence of their " victory , " and the sensible way to bring the alleged blessings of a problematic freedom to the people of the world .
Always impatient of any restaint , capitalists used this so @-@ called victory as justification for the opposition to , or calls for the roll @-@ back of any regulatory restraint .
But not everyone has agreed with that view of the world and of economic systems .
Now , with the various " Occupy " movements , it is ( or ought to be ) obvious that a great many people are less than enchanted with capitalism and its expression in the idustrial democracies , as well as in the countries into which capitalists from the industrial democracies go to invest .
What are your thoughts on capitalism and its activities ?
@Setanta , Unfettered capitalism has yielded an Oligarchy .
Governmental regulation is good for capitalisms evolution .
Health and safety and environmental horrors need to be regulated otherwise industries will not EVER do whats right for humanity .
@Setanta , I do n't have a problem with capitalism -- i have a problem with unregulated capitalism .
I agree with this completely .
Capitalism thrives when everyone understands the rules , plays by the rules and enforces the rules .
If everyone has to spend all their time trying to circumvent the rules , understand the rules or fighting against those not following the rules , that is where trouble really begins .
That 's the problem with " deregulation ".
Removing rules does n't help business be more competitive , it means that businesses must race to the bottom to counter new businesses that start there .
It 's like changing the rules to Monopoly half way through the game so that all the previous purchases are meaningless .
That 's not a benefit to capitalism despite what some would tell you .
Out of all of the examples I saw , the only one I would agree with is the bomb toting Arab .
That is extremely rude , though I can see the humor in it .
In a college , that kind of costume should not have a place .
But these kids are listing Geisha costumes , sombreros + donkeys , and a few other costumes that they deem ' racially insensitive '
Racially insensitive ?
Have they not been to Mexico ?
That is a huge part of their dress when you get farther away from the cities .
How is that being insulting ?
It is not showing someone doing something derogatory , it is using the clothes of a society for a costume .
A Geisha is insensitive too .
Again , ( my opinion only ) this is taking it way over board .
Sometimes it seems people look for reasons to be offended .
It is about perspective frankly .
There will ALWAYS be someone who sees something and wants to think the worst of it .
Dressing in a costume or NOT dressing in one will not change that .
And why is it that only those races @/@ cultures are the spotlight of being insensitive ?
Is it not JUST as rude to wear torn over alls , stained shirt , black out your teeth and be a white hillbilly ?
What about the woman who wears shorts , high heels and too much make up to be a hooker ?
There has to be a stop to this forever drive to find something insensitive .
And if someone wants to look for reasons they are being held back for what ever reason they have in their heads , they will always find justification no matter what .
But why are we as a so called free society really jumping on board this super PC behavior ?
Why is it now ok to find the smallest thing to be offended about and throw it out as the new discrimination ?
And why are these rules only applied to two or three races ?
Americans , white , black , green , blue , short , tall , fat..
what have you , are ALL being made fun of in some way when it comes to costumes and halloween but only those 3 races get the red light ?
Isnt THAT racist ?
These students are bleeding idealism and have n't been tempered enough with time and cultural patina to realize that one should be able to laugh at oneself and one 's cultural obsessions and that these costumes are n't the evil mechanisms of racism they are betraying them to be .
This is an absolutely ridiculous thread .
I mean if racist costumes were actually being banned , you all might have a point .
I am as uptight about the plight of white people in the US as anyone is .
But did anyone else read the article ?
No one is banning Halloween costumes..
No one is even talking about banning Halloween costumes .
In fact no one in this story wants to ban anything , except for the people here who apparently want to ban posters .
These students have a simple goal .
They say "... if we can change a few people or make a few people think , then that 's awesome ".
They are n't banning anything or stopping anybody from doing anything .
This story is about students expressing free speech .
They are making posters expressing their opinion .
Of course if you want to wear a costume that others find offensive it is free speech .
But me complaining about your costume being offensive is also free speech .
Neither should be banned .
And that is the way it works .
Whether your costume involves black face and a noose , or whether it is a grilled sandwich where I think the cheese is a little too drippy is irrelevant .
Free speech is free speech and expressing free speech is actually opposite of the " banning " that is being alleged .
You all have turned this story on it 's end .
SO dear Massachusetters , does she have any chance in dethroning the sitting Republican Senator , Scott Brown ?
Why does Scott Brown need to be dethroned ? I kinda like him ...
Could Elizabeth Warren beat Scott Brown ?
i 'm not sure what either of them look like , but the most brutal fight i ever saw was a girl fight , lots of kicking , scratching , and some amazing punches ( the loser had to stay home from school for almost a week until swelling went down around her eyes )
so i 'm gonna say yes
I 'm thinking in terms of the Democratic Party getting one more Senate seat .
In Massachusetts , it would seem a lot easier task then in other Senate races .
I 'm thinking the best thing to do is keep the few moderate Republicans we have right where they are .
He may vote along party lines for most things but he 's reasonable when it comes to representing a liberal @-@ leaning constituency .
Do n't know , but it sounds like a real bellweather contest , does n't it ?
It would have made for some really great off year contest .
Care to explain why you think he is an idiot ?
He did beat Martha Coakley rather convincingly .
He served as a State Senator for several years .
He even voted for several Dem bills .
Coakley was a bad candidate who ran a terrible campaign - I 'll hunt around for a great article I read a year ago outlining the tremendous mistakes she made .
As for Brown , he has a difficult time answering questions about policy in a cogent fashion .
I have seen him on several occasions give answers which show that he has no real understanding of the underlying issue at all , and several which are really just embarrassing .
I have n't really been active in ( or even really cared about ) politics until recently and I 'm really just looking for other peoples opinions on this .
Well , just telling you who I 'll vote for probably won't inform you much though right ?
What issues are important to you ?
Obama because I think he has done a good job in most areas ; some areas he let me down , plus there is no way I would vote for a republican today .
( I have a few times in the past , mostly local )
Anyone who is not a Republican .
I think the majority of them are the reason this country has become constipated concerning everything that is important .
They are willing to throw America under the bus in order to make Obama look bad .
OK , " and why " does add a lot , you 're right .
I 'm voting for Obama because I think he has done a good job in difficult circumstances , and can do much more with another term , and because I really worry about what any of the possible Republican nominees would do as president if one of them won .
I also would n't vote for just about any republican ( especially Rick Perry ) but I have heard some good things about Ron Paul , he 's about the only republican that I 'm actually interested in learning more about .
My own opinion of Ron Paul is that I 'm happy that he 's in the race , and especially in debates .
I like how he 's anti @-@ war and anti @-@ bullshit in general .
I would absolutely not want him to be president , though .
Andrew Sullivan has a lot of posts on him , that might be a good place to start if you 're interested in learning more .
Here 's his un @-@ endorsement of Ron Paul ( he endorsed him , then had second thoughts ) :
I read a fascinating piece in the WSJ today .
The author spoke about how Obama 's approval ratings are at a dismal low .
He apparently appears to be unable to pull Congress together to accomplish much , and in the author 's opinion , it would only get worse if he got elected to a second term .
He would like Obama to bow out for a 2 nd term , and have Hillary Clinton run for president .
He believes that Hillary has the best chance of bringing the country together .
I do n't know how she feels about running , but , IMO , I think that it is a great idea .
She certainly has the smarts , the experience , and the approval of the majority of citizens .
I think that the people on the Republican side of the fence , are a poor bunch .
There is not a one in the bunch who would capture the imagination of the American people .
The voters who will decide this election , IMO are the moderates and the independents . THEY certainly will not vote for any of the anti @-@ gay , pro @-@ life bible bangers .
What do you think ?
Should Obama step down for the good of the country ?
Should Hillary run ?
Hillary 's time has come , and gone ...
She would make her self no friend of the Democratic party by dividing them and losing the black vote ...
No one is going to vote for her that did not vote for Mr. Obama , and a whole lot less Obama voters will vote for her ...
Do n't worry though..
She has enough sense to not try to run against a sitting president from her own party ...
Best case scenario : Obama gets reelected and the country continues to slide backwards even if the Democrats gain a greater foothold of the US Senate and increase their collective mass in the US Congress .
Worst case scenario : George W. Bush II ( any Republican candidate other then Huntsman , Romney , or Ron Paul ) will take the election .
Then that means the Republicans would likely further gain in Congress and even the Senate perhaps .
Then the country slides right back into the deepest of recessions .
I suspect you are wrong on the voting inclinations of the moderates , and especially the ones you call tea baggers .
Actually , I think you are wrong on the moderate @/@ independent voter turnout , too , but I could be wrong .
I 'm expecting a fairly good anti Obama turnout amongst that group .
I could accept Hillary .
Like Phoenix , I 'm not greatly impressed by the Republican field .
Not crazy about the presumed Democratic candidate either .
On the other hand , Obama stepping aside seems even less likely than Cain giving up .
I guess that in summary , I 'm not optimistic about the future of the country for the next five years .
Kudos to NY ! . They realize that it 's not about just voting the party line , it 's about voting for what 's right .
@jcboy , Did they actually vote for gay marriage yet ?
I 'm getting a mixed message with the NY Times
@tsarstepan , They sure did !
Hopefully , other states will realize gay marriage hurts nobody .
Look at Massachusetts . They have had it since 2004 .
Have you heard of their society falling apart ? Of course not .
I think with NY , then CA , it will rapidly spread across the country .
You can n't stop this train !
@jcboy , I hope that the US Congress addresses this issue soon and just makes the whole state by state journey moot by making same sex marriage a national law .
@jcboy , You are correct .
Whether one 's home state will recognize a same sex marriage from out of state is another matter .
When I studied the Domestic Relations Law of NY , I thought it was a damned INDIGNITY for a government to give permission to citizens to marry .
The citizens created the damned government , their child . David
Did you guys hear about that plane crash that crashed into a helicopter ?
I have no idea how that happened .
What do you think ?
That is a congested airway , and when you fly under 1000 feet you have no aid from air traffic controllers .
Accidents happen , but this particular area may need additional regulation ( such as a minimum altitude requirement for the tourist helicopters ) .
My husband , our kids , and myself were spending a day out by the oceanside with another couple and their kids , our long @-@ time friends .
At some point we came across a huge fallen tree , and our friend L. climbed on it and started walking up .
Our 11 year @-@ old son followed him , but L. suddenly realized they won't be able to get down that easily .
He turned back and asked our son to get away and down to give him room to get down , too .
Our son stopped but did n't get out of his way at once .
He was having fun , and we had to tell him 2 more times , and then he obeyed .
After that L. got back down , and he suddenly grabbed our son from behind and threw him on the ground with all his might , yelling at him .
We were stupefied .
A 215 lbs 38 year old man could have easily injured him .
Fortunately he got up unscathed albeit very frightened .
We are in deep shock , we never hit our children .
Does anybody know if there are legal ways to teach the man a lesson - but not monetary ?
Is there any point in filing a police report ?
Personally , if someone is my friend , I am going to deal with the situation on a person to person level .
Why can n't you make it sure that you were really upset and that you do n't want them hitting your kids ever again .
Legally , there are two remedies .
There is monetary damages , and there is jail time .
I suppose you could add probation ( but that is just a replacement for jail time ) .
If you go the legal route , that pretty much ends the friendship no matter what happens .
If I was angry enough to start down this path I would n't worry about where it ended up .
I would probably express my feelings on the situation and make it clear that it was not to happen again .
Your son was assaulted .
That is what the behaviour of your ex @-@ friend would be named legally .
He did n't hurt your child physically , so it was the lesser form of assault ( assault causing physical harm is seen as more serious .)
You certainly could file a police report ....
I do n't know the law where you are , here , it is quite likely that police would go around and question the man , making it clear that ( if your description is accurate ) he had committed an offence , but you could decide against filing charges .
Again , depending on where you live , you could likely notyify child protection authorities .
here , being extra @-@ familial , and given that you have already decided not to expose your child to hm again , they would simply hand it to police .
If you release a legal genie from the bottle , though , you lose control of what the genie does .
For instance , you and your son would need to make a formal statement .
It might be that police act even if you do n't want them to .
It might go to court .
I 'd personally not choose to do it tthat way ... though you could certainly chat to local police without naming names and see if there is such a thing as a stern chat , or a formal caution to be had in your area .
I 'd hope that a stern talk from you and the loss of the friendship would be a big message to him .
However , my concern would be how he treats his own kids .
That was one hell of an over @-@ reaction .
If you have evidence that he assaults his own kids , I 'd be considering a chold protection notification .
is your kid ok ?
That would have been scary .
Is he having nightmares or anything ?
I 'd also be having a chat with him about his behaviour .
It did n't warrant such a reaction , but he was thoughtless .
If it was really unusual behaviour from your friend , I am a bit worried about him , too , frankly .
I am a 25 year old woman , and I have been in a 2 year relationship with a 37 year old married man .
He has 2 kids one , from his marriage and one from a previous relationship .
He has been planning to get a divorce since the first day we met ,
things are so heated between us , I do n't know what to do .
He is planning on moving out of the house by the end of the year , he and his wife do not see eye to eye .
He was having sex chats with a lady he met on facebook from Sweden ,
when I found out it affected me really badly .
I felt and still feel betrayed and I can n't trust him .
How do I let go ?
@JEJE , You just walk away .
Do you really think so little of yourself that you believe this is the best you can do ?
A married man who if he really was in love with you would just go ahead and file for divorce now , or at least move out of his house now .
A man who while having a relationship with you is involved in sex chats online with others .
Personally , when you mess with a married man you deserve exactly what you get .
I have little or no pity for you .
But , you can do yourself a world of good by just walking away from him .
Then why do n't you think about looking for someone who is not attached .
Your odds of finding happiness are a bit better going that route in my opinion .
2008 @-@ 05 @-@ 14
Estonia ( EE ) ; Latvia ( LV ) ; Lithuania ( LT ) ; Germany ( DE ) : Italy ( IT ) ; Spain ( ES ) ; Slovakia ( SK ) ; United States ( US )
International ; Government ; Telecom ; technology ; science
NATO CONSIDERS cyber attacks a threat to military and civilian computer networks after the Estonian Government was struck by cyber attacks in 2007 .
NATO allies have signed an agreement to fund a research center to bolster defenses against cyber attacks .
On 14 May 2008 7 NATO allies signed an agreement to fund a research center .
The center will bolster NATO 's defenses against cyber attacks .
The center will be operational in August 2008 .
The center will formally open in 2009 .
A staff of 30 specialists will conduct research and training on cyber warfare .
NATO CONSIDERS cyber attacks a growing threat to military and civilian computer networks .
The research center is based in Tallinn , Estonia .
Defense chiefs from Estonia , Latvia , Lithuania , Germany , Italy , Spain and Slovakia signed the agreement .
The agreement will provide staff and funding for the research center .
In 2007 the Estonian Government was struck by cyber attacks .
The cyber attacks crippled government and corporate computer networks .
The cyber attacks were unprecedented .
The cyber attacks followed a dispute over the relocation of a Soviet war memorial in Estonia 's capital .
Many suspect the Kremlin of the cyber attacks .
Russia denied involvement with the cyber attacks .
NATO 's top commander in charge of military modernization U.S. Gen. James Mattis stated --
NATO will cooperate to bring together the best minds together in cyber defense .
NATO cannot say that NATO will not defend the web that everybody needs .
The U.S. will join the project as an observer .
Other NATO nations may join the project later .
At a news conference at the research center Estonian Defense Minister Jaak Aaviksoo stated that --
Cyber space essentially has no borders .
It is difficult to defend the sovereignty of land and sea borders and air space .
It is even more complicated in borderless cyber space where there is no smoking gun , fingerprints or footprints .
The agreement was signed during a regular meeting of Chiefs of Defense Staff from the 26 NATO allies .
Estonia is a Baltic nation .
2008 @-@ 05 @-@ 15
Russian Federation ( RU ) ; China ( CN ) ; India ( IN ) ; Afghanistan ( AF )
International ; narcotics ; crime ; Government ; terrorism ; health
Russia proposes cooperation with India and China to increase security around Afghanistan to block drug supplies .
Afghanistan is 1 of the world 's major opium producers and supplies Western markets through transit countries such as Russia .
On 15 May 2008 the Government of Russia proposed cooperation with India and China to increase security around Afghanistan in order to block drug supplies .
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at a joint news conference in Yekaterinburg with the foreign ministers of India and China stated that tightening security at Afghan borders would decrease the threat of drugs and terrorism .
Lavrov 's intentions were not immediately clear since neither Russia nor India has a border with Afghanistan and China 's border with Afghanistan is only 76 kilometers ( 45 miles ) .
Afghanistan 's other neighbors are Iran , Turkmenistan , Uzbekistan , Tajikistan and Pakistan .
Afghanistan is 1 of the world 's major opium producers and supplies Western markets through transit countries such as Russia .
The Government of Russia states that thousands of Russians die from AIDS @-@ related illnesses each year due to abuse of Afghan @-@ sourced heroin with infected needles .
Officials in Afghanistan 's neighboring countries regularly announce large @-@ scale arrests and seizures of narcotics made after illegal convoys cross the border .
Last week drug police in Tajikistan announced their interception of the largest quantity of opium and heroin in Tajikistan 's history estimated to be worth approximately 10 million U.S. dollars ( 6.5 million euro ) .
2008 @-@ 05 @-@ 15
Russian Federation ( RU )
Weapons ; military ; proliferation
Russian Federation President Dmitry Medvedev promised on May 15 , 2008 to provide funding for Russia 's nuclear missile program .
Russian Federation President Dmitry Medvedev made a debut on May 15 , 2008 as commander in chief of the Russian Federation 's armed forces by touring a missile base and promising to provide the necessary funding for nuclear forces counter global threats .
Dmitry Medvedev examined Topol @-@ M intercontinental ballistic missiles concealed by the military in a dense pine forest and spoke to officers at the base in teikovo .
Dmitry Medvedev was impressed by the weapons and the level of training .
Dmitry Medvedev also stated that it is good that the military is getting new missiles like the Topol @-@ M .
Missiles from the base in teikovo took part in the Victory Day parade on May 9 , 2008 when Russia displayed the country 's military hardware on Red Square in Moscow for the first time since the Soviet collapse .
Dmitry Medvedev experienced motivation while watching the missiles across the square and promised that such parades will continue and may be expanded in the future .
Dmitry Medvedev stated that the Russian Federation 's task for the next few years is to make sure that the Strategic Missile Forces receive the necessary funding to respond to modern threats .
Dmitry Medvedev also stated that certain progress has been made recently and that the speed of progress must not be lost .
Dmitry Medvedev promised to raise officers ' salaries .
Dmitry Medvedev was sworn in on May 7 , 2008 as the Russian Federation 's President and has so far portrayed an image of a liberal and avoided the harsh anti @-@ western rhetoric of Vladimir Putin .
Vladimir Putin was Dmitry Medvedev 's predecessor and mentor .
Most observers expect Dmitry Medvedev to continue the policies of Vladimir Putin , such as an assertive posture on the international scene and vow to strengthen the military .
Teikovo is a small town in the Ivanovo region about 250 kilometers or 155 miles northeast of Moscow .
Vladimir Putin fiercely opposed the United States ' plans to deploy missile defense sites in Poland and the Czech Republic , and NATO 's plans to accept into the alliance Russia 's ex @-@ Soviet neighbors , Ukraine and Georgia .
Vladimir Putin has threatened to point nuclear missiles at countries that take part in U.S. missile defense and opted out of a key Soviet @-@ era arms control treaty .
Topol @-@ M missiles are capable of hitting targets more than 10000 kilometers or 6000 miles away .
The missiles are deployed in both silo @-@ based and truck @-@ mounted versions .
Strategic missiles forces chief General Nikolai Solovtsov stated that the Topol @-@ M is a new step in missile design .
Vladimir Putin and other officials have boasted about the Topol @-@ M 's ability to penetrate any prospective missile defense .
Yuri solomonov designed the missile and stated that the missile drops engines at a significantly lower altitude than earlier designs which makes it hard for an enemy 's early warning system to detect the launch .
Yuri solomonov stated that the missiles ' warhead and decoys closely resemble one another in flight , making it very difficult for a foe to select the real target from a multitude of false ones .
Deployment of topol=ms has proceeded slowly .
Large oil revenues in recent years have allowed the Government of the Russia Federation to buy weapons and fund the development of new missiles .
Soviet @-@ built ballistic missiles have remained the backbone of the nation 's nuclear forces .
The Navy of the Russian Federation is in poor shape .
Soviet @-@ built nuclear submarines frequently need repairs and rarely leave the bases .
The Yuri dolgoruky is the first in a series of new nuclear submarines to be commissioned this year but the bulava nuclear @-@ armed missile developed to equip the submarine has failed tests and the deployment prospects are uncertain .
2008 @-@ 07 @-@ 10
Iran ( IR )
International ; weapons
Expert states that Iranian missile launch photo was doctored to show failed 4 th missile launching .
20080710 director of the London @-@ based International Institute for Strategic Studies 's non @-@ proliferation program and former US State Department official Mark Fitzpatrick stated that an Iranian photograph showing a cluster of missile launches from a desert range was altered to add a 4 th missile .
The image was posted 20080709 on the Sepah news site , which is run by Iran 's Revolutionary Guards .
20080710 the image was replaced with an image of the same 3 missiles in the previous photo but in place of the 4 th missile is a grounded missile and what appears to be a vehicle nearby .
20080710 the image with 4 launches was absent from Sepah 's main page but both images were in the archive .
Fitzpatrick stated that the photo was probably manipulated to obscure the failure of the 4 th missile in order to maintain the impact of Iran 's demonstration of power .
Iranian officials did not immediately comment on the photos .
The image was described as depicting part of military maneuvers in which nine missiles were test fired , including an enhanced version of the Shahab @-@ 3 .
Iranian officials stated that the enhanced Shahab @-@ 3 missile has a range of 1250 miles and thus could reach Israel and the majority of the Middle East .
The US government immediately criticized the missile test .
2008 @-@ 07 @-@ 13
Israel ( IL ) ; Syrian Arab Republic ( SY ) ; Iran ( IR ) ; United States ( US )
International ; weapons ; proliferation ; politics
More than 40 nations , including Israel and Arab States , agreed Sunday to work for a zone free of weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East .
On 080713 43 nations agreed to work toward zone free of weapons of mass destruction in Middle East .
The nations involved in the agreement included Israel and Arab States .
A final declaration from a summit launching the Union for the Mediterranean states that the members of the Union for the Mediterranean States will pursue a mutually and effectively verifiable Middle East zone free of weapons of mass destruction .
The Union for the Mediterranean States stated that weapons of mass destruction included nuclear , chemical and biological weapons , as well as the weapons delivery systems .
The Union for the Mediterranean States stated that the Union for the Mediterranean States member countries will consider practical steps to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction .
Signatories to the final declaration from the Summit launching the Union for the Mediterranean States included Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and leaders from Syria , other Middle Eastern countries , North Africa and Europe .
Israel is widely believed to have a stockpile of nuclear weapons .
The Government of Israel 's official stated policy neither confirms nor denies if Israel possesses nuclear bombs .
Israel 's official stated nuclear weapons policy is called nuclear ambiguity .
The question of nuclear weapons in the Middle East region is particularly sensitive lately due to tensions between Israel and Iran .
The United States and the allies of the United States believe Iran is pursuing nuclear arms .
The Iranian government maintains that Iran 's uranium enrichment activities are for nuclear energy production .
The Iranian government has defied U.N. Security Council demands that Iran suspends the enrichment of uranium .
2008 @-@ 07 @-@ 17
France ( FR ) ; Russian Federation ( RU ) ; Austria ( AT )
International ; weapons ; proliferation ; government
Austrian French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner told members of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe that a European arms control treaty limiting the number of weapons that can be deployed west of the Ural Mountains must be maintained .
On 17 July 2008 Austrian French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner told members of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe that --
A key European arms control treaty must be maintained .
The Treaty is a major instrument of transparency .
The arms control treaty limits the number of conventional weapons that can be deployed west of the Ural Mountains .
The Ural Mountains are on the edge of European Russia .
Russia suspended participation in the arms control treaty late last year because NATO countries had not ratified a revised version of the Treaty .
The treat was originally signed in 1990 .
2008 @-@ 07 @-@ 17
Russian Federation ( RU )
International ; crime ; proliferation
Russian prosecutors have sent the case against ANAR Godzhayev to court after charging Godzhayev with attempting to smuggle tantalum powder to Iran .
Godzhayev could be sentenced to 7 years in prison if convicted .
The Russian Prosecutor General 's Office stated on 17 July 2008 that the founder of a Russian company involved in trade with Iran has been charged with trying to smuggle a metal that can be used for weapons of mass destruction or delivery systems to the Islamic Republic .
The Prosecutor General 's Office said in a statement --
Prosecutors in southern Russia 's Astrakhan region across the Caspian Sea from Iran have sent the case against ANAR Godzhayev to court .
The metal in question is tantalum .
Tantalum can be used in the production of chemical processing equipment , nuclear reactors and missile parts and is subject to export restrictions under Russian law .
Tantalum powder is a super @-@ grade chemical and can be used in the manufacture of mobile phones , personal computers , motor vehicles and electronics goods .
Prosecutors have stated that Godzhayev lied about the contents of an outgoing shipment in customs documents after a business partner asked Godzhayev to send more than a ton of materials containing tantalum to Iran in July 2007 .
Godzhayev was detained after customs officials checked the shipment in a container on a boat due to leave for Iran .
Godzhayev is a citizen of Uzbekistan and could face trial soon .
Godzhayev could be sentenced to 7 years in prison if convicted .
Godzhayev is being held in Astrakhan .
Godzhayev and Godzhayev 's lawyers were not immediately available to comment .
The Russian government support Iran 's right to nuclear energy and is building Iran 's first nuclear power plant .
The Russian government has stated there is no evidence proving claims by the U.S. and other Western countries that the Iranian government is seeking to develop nuclear weapons .
Officials in Moscow are involved in international efforts to persuade the Iranian government to ease fears by abandoning uranium enrichment .
The Russian government has also questioned U.S. assessments of the potential threat from Iranian missiles .
Russian and United States leaders have maintained cooperation in efforts to thwart the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction .
2008 @-@ 07 @-@ 28
Afghanistan ( AF )
Narcotics ; international
A U.N. representative stated that the conversion of opium resin into heroin is increasingly being done inside Afghanistan but that the chemicals needed to complete the conversion are being smuggled into Afghanistan from other countries .
The U.N. representative requested the international community share more information on known smugglers of the chemicals .
The U.N. stated on 28 July 2008 that the international community should do more to stop chemicals used to convert opium to heroin from reaching Afghanistan and detailed increasing sophistication in Afghanistan 's drug trade .
Afghanistan produces more than 90 percent of the world 's opium .
Opium production in Afghanistan has increased since the U.S. @-@ led invasion removed the Taliban regime in 2001 .
Officials in the American @-@ backed government and Taliban militants are believed to profit from the illicit trade .
U.N. figures show Afghanistan yielded approximately 9000 tons of opium in 2007 which could create more than 900 tons of heroin .
Afghanistan 's representative for the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime Christina Oguz stated the conversion of opium resin into heroin is increasingly being done inside Afghanistan mostly at laboratories in the border regions in the insurgency @-@ plagued South and the East .
Oguz stated to reporters in Kabul that evidence of higher quality Afghan heroin indicates that the people running the labs are getting assistance from chemists who have come from outside the country as foreign consultants .
Oguz stated the chemists originated from countries near the border but did not detail specific countries .
Oguz stated the chemicals needed to make the heroin were being smuggled from China , South Korea , European countries , including Russia , and other parts of the world .
Oguz stated the so @-@ called precursor chemicals such as acetic anhydride also have legal uses including in the paint and pharmaceutical industries .
Oguz stated the chemicals often are legally exported but later diverted to Afghanistan for illicit goals and Afghanistan has no major legal industries that would require such chemicals .
Oguz stated --
Blaming Afghanistan alone for the heroin problem in the world is not correct .
Afghanistan does produce the opium which is the raw material for heroin but it is not possible to make heroin without certain chemicals that are not produced inside Afghanistan and are smuggled into Afghanistan .
More than 200 tons of the chemicals have been seized by Afghan authorities since 2006 but some 13000 tons were needed based on 2007 's opium production figures .
The figures suggest the confiscated amount represented a small fraction of the total smuggled in .
Most seizures of the chemicals occur along the eastern border with Pakistan but a good deal comes via the western border with Iran .
Oguz stated the international community should share more information on known smugglers of the chemicals who were long @-@ established and based in Afghanistan 's neighboring countries .
Western officials are increasingly concerned that Taliban militants are bankrolling the insurgency through the drug trade .
The U.N. briefing comes in the wake of allegations that Afghan President Hamid Karzai protected drug lords for political reasons .
A former senior U.S. State Department counter @-@ narcotics official wrote in an article in the 27 July 2008 issue of New York Times magazine that narco @-@ corruption went to the top of the Afghan Government .
The official alleged Karzai was reluctant to move against big drug lords in Karzai 's political power base in the south of Afghanistan where most opium is produced .
Karzai has stated commitment to eliminating corruption and battling the drug trade .
Oguz stated on 28 July 2008 that corruption exists within the system but Afghanistan lacked a well @-@ trained police force for many years and officials are only now taking steps in fighting corruption .
2008 @-@ 08 @-@ 25
Afghanistan ( AF )
International ; terrorism ; Government ; narcotics ; crime
Afghanistan 's counter @-@ narcotic police have confiscated 1.2 metric tons ( 1.3 tons ) of opium during a raid .
In 2007 Afghanistan accounted for 93 percent of the world 's opium supply .
On 25 August 2008 Afghanistan 's Interior Ministry announced in a statement that --
Afghanistan 's counter @-@ narcotic police confiscated 1.2 metric tons ( 1.3 tons ) of opium during a raid in southern Afghanistan .
The 1.2 metric tons of opium was seized on 19 August 2008 in Marjah district of Helmand province .
3 smugglers were detained .
In 2007 Afghanistan accounted for 93 percent of global opium supply .
Helmand province is the world 's largest producer of opium .
In 2007 Afghanistan produced 8200 metric tons ( 9000 tons ) of opium .
Opium is the main ingredient in heroin production .
The multibillion @-@ dollar opium trade helps fund the Taliban @-@ led insurgency .
The multibillion @-@ dollar opium trade may finance corrupt government officials .
2008 @-@ 08 @-@ 26
Estonia ( EE ) ; Georgia ( GE )
International ; Telecom ; technology ; crime
Estonia is hosting some Georgian websites to protect the websites from hackers .
Officials stated on August 26 , 2008 that Estonia is temporarily hosting the websites of Georgia 's Central Bank and Foreign Ministry as well as a Georgian English @-@ languages news portal in order to protect the websites from cyber attacks .
The state @-@ run Estonian informatics Center stated that Georgia has transferred key websites to services in other countries including Poland and France after some came under attack following the outbreak of war with Russia .
Estonian informatics center spokeswoman Katrin pargmae stated that hosting websites in different countries makes the websites more complicated and time @-@ consuming for hackers to disrupt .
Katrin pargmae also stated that hosting the websites will help Georgia 's webpages be visible to the world .
Katrin pargmae did not comment on the Georgian attacks .
Estonia has previous experience coping with cyber attacks because Estonian government and private sector websites were targeted in May 2007 .
The May 2007 attacks were days after Estonia decided to relocate a Soviet war memorial and grave .
The relocation angered Estonia 's ethnic Russian minority and neighboring Russia .
Estonian officials did not accuse any country of mounting what the Estonian Government stated were highly organized and professional attacks .
Estonia is a Baltic state .
2008 @-@ 09 @-@ 03
Europe
International ; money ; terrorism ; crime ; business
The European Union 's highest court on September 3 , 2008 overturned a verdict to freeze the assets of multiple individuals and groups accused of funding terrorist organizations .
The European Union 's highest court on September 3 , 2008 overturned a 2001 decision by European Union governments to freeze the assets of a Saudi businessman and a Sweden @-@ based charity suspected of funding Al @-@ Qaida terror groups .
The ruling conflicts with a United Nations anti @-@ terror order obliging United Nations Member States to freeze assets of people and entities suspected of funding terror groups .
The European Union 's highest court also stated that the United Nations order failed to offer individuals on a terror blacklist or individuals on the defense any legal rights to a judicial review under European law .
The European Union 's highest court acknowledged that the reasons for freezing the assets of Yasin Al @-@ Qadi and the Al @-@ Barakaat International Foundation may be justified .
It is not known whether European Union nations which have set up a joint terror blacklist will unfreeze the assets .
None of the groups have so far been officially removed from the blacklist because European Union Governments argue the court rulings do not oblige the European Union nations to remove the names from the list but only force the European Union to inform the individuals and groups on the list that the assets have been frozen .
Head of the Saudi @-@ based Muwafaq Foundation Yasin Al @-@ Qadi appealed against the European Union 's decision to freeze proprietary assets .
United States Treasury officials allege the Muwafaq Foundation is an al @-@ Qaida Front used to funnel millions of dollars and euros to al @-@ Qaida .
Al @-@ Barakaat International appealed the European Union 's decision to freeze 1 million Swedish kroner or 152247 United States dollars .
Lawyers for Al @-@ Barakaat International stated that the money was being used to fund aid programs for families in Somalia .
Thomas Olsson stated that the lawyers for Al @-@ Barakaat International would now examine ways of having the assets released to the Somali immigrants in Sweden who used the network to send funds to relatives in Somalia .
Thomas Olsson also stated that the lawyers for Al @-@ Barakaat International have to examine the judicial consequences of the verdict as the sanctions remain on a United Nations level .
The European Union 's highest court stated on September 3 , 2008 that the 27 @-@ nation European Union is required to inform any person whose assets are being frozen why as swiftly as possible after the decision is taken in order to allow the person with frozen assets the right to legal recourse .
Swedish lawyer Thomas Olsson who represented Al @-@ Barakaat in the case approved of the ruling .
This ruling may hinder international efforts to stop the financing of terror groups including al @-@ Qaida .
The ruling overturns an earlier 2005 European Union court decision that rejected the appeals of Al @-@ Qadi and the Al @-@ Barakaat international foundation .
The ruling stated that the lower European Union 's court judgment erred in law by stating that European Union courts had no jurisdiction to review the legality of the contested order to freeze assets of individuals and groups deemed to be funding terror groups by the United Nations .
Other suspects and groups on an European Union terror blacklist have also won legal victories for similar reasons against being listed .
These suspects and groups have so far not had assets unfrozen or names removed from the European Union 's blacklist .
The European Union 's High Court had previously overturned an European Union decision to freeze the assets of the People 's Mujahadeen of Iran .
The People 's Mujahadeen of Iran is an exiled Iranian Resistance movement that is on the European Union 's terror blacklist .
The European Union 's High Court recently overturned a decision to freeze the assets of an exiled Philippine rebel leader and the Netherlands @-@ based Al @-@ Aqsa Foundation because the leader and group were not informed why the assets were frozen which is a breach of EU law .
370 people have had assets frozen because of placement on a terrorist blacklist by the United Nations Security Council .
The European Union 's blacklist also targets about 60 organizations .
2008 @-@ 09 @-@ 03
Brazil ( BR )
Weapons ; technology ; international
Brazil 's Strategic Affairs Minister Roberto mangabeira Unger stated Brazil 's new national defense plan calls for establishing partnerships with countries including Russia and France to build a state @-@ of @-@ the @-@ art weapons industry .
Brazil 's Strategic Affairs Minister Roberto mangabeira Unger stated on 3 September 2008 that Brazilian government plans to rebuild Brazil 's weapons industry with the help of technology developed in other countries .
Unger stated Brazil 's new national defense plan calls for establishing partnerships with countries including Russia and France to build a state @-@ of @-@ the @-@ art weapons industry .
Unger stated such technology transfers would involve a significant element of Research and Development in Brazil .
Unger stated the week of 24 August 2008 that the Brazilian Government is considering a significant increase in defense spending which currently stands at 1.5 percent of gross domestic product .
Brazil 's GDP was approximately 1.5 trillion US dollars in 2007 .
2008 @-@ 09 @-@ 12
Sweden ( SE )
International ; money ; terrorism ; crime
On September 9 , 2008 Swedish Prosecutor Ronnie Jacobsson dropped charges against the 3 Swedes arrested on suspicion of funding terrorism .
Swedish Prosecutor Ronnie Jacobsson stated on September 9 , 2008 that charges will not be pressed against the 3 Swedes arrested on suspicion of funding terrorism earlier in 2008 .
The charges are being dropped because Ronnie jaccobson cannot provide that the men had intended to send money to terrorist organizations .
The Swedes were accused of using the informal money transfer networks called hawalas to send funds to alleged terror groups in Somalia .
The 3 Swedes were arrested in raids in Stockholm in February .
The raid was coordinated with a crackdown in Norway where another 3 suspects were arrested on similar grounds .
Ronnie Jacobsson stated that the Norwegian investigation is still ongoing .
The 3 Swedes are 30 or 40 years old .
Hawalas are a paperless system based on trust and oral agreements which is commonly used in the Middle East and parts of Asia and Africa .
Defense lawyer Thomas Olsson stated it was very tragic and a failure for Swedish law and order that the client Thomas Olsson was representing had been kept in detention for such a long time despite the weak evidence against client .
2 of the men were held for more than 3 months before being released at the start of the summer of 2008 .
Ronnie Jacobsson stated that a court had examined the detention order every 2 weeks and found there was reason to keep the men detained .
Both Norway and Sweden have been spared violent terror acts but authorities in both countries have voiced concern about terrorists or terror financiers operating out of Scandinavia .
In 2005 2 Iraqis were sentenced to prison in Sweden for collecting and transferring money to terrorist Abu Musab al @-@ Zarqawi .
Abu Musab al @-@ Zarqawi is the late leader of al @-@ Qaida in Iraq .
2008 @-@ 09 @-@ 26
Russian Federation ( RU )
International ; military ; technology ; leader ; space ; weapons
Russian Federation plans to upgrade Russia 's nuclear deterrent and modernize the military in light of a recent war with Georgia .
President Dmitry Medvedev has ordered an upgrade of the Russian Federation 's nuclear deterrent and the modernization of Russian armed forces .
This upgrade includes plans to build a new air and space defense network and to begin large @-@ scale production of warships including nuclear submarines .
President Dmitry Medvedev stated that the Russian Federation must make the modernization of the military a priority in light of the recent war with Georgia .
President Dmitry Medvedev made this statement on September 26 , 2008 during a meeting with officers after military exercises in the southern Orenburg region .
President Dmitry Medvedev 's statement was posted on the Kremlin website and carried in full by state news agencies .
President Dmitry Medvedev stated that the Russian army must be modernized by 2020 .
President Dmitry Medvedev has given military commanders until December 2008 to come up with a plan .
2008 @-@ 09 @-@ 26
Russian Federation ( RU )
International ; military ; technology ; space ; weapons ; leader
Russian president Dmitry Medvedev stated that Russia 's military conflict with Georgia in August 2008 highlighted the Russian military 's need for modernization .
Medvedev plans to have a guaranteed nuclear deterrent system in place by 2020 which will include warships and nuclear @-@ powered submarines .
Russian president Dmitry Medvedev stated on 26 September 2008 that the Russian military must modernize armed forces and upgrade nuclear deterrent by building a new air and space defense network .
Medvedev also announced plans to begin large @-@ scale production of warships including nuclear @-@ powered submarines armed with cruise missiles .
Medvedev issued the statement to military commanders after military exercises in the southern Orenburg region .
The statement was posted on the Kremlin web site and carried by state news agencies .
Medvedev stated --
The need for modernization was demonstrated by the military conflict with Georgia in August 2008 .
Russian military responded to Georgia 's attack on the breakaway region of South Ossetia with force and defeated the Georgian army but the brief war highlighted Russia 's aging arsenal .
The Russian military must ensure superiority in the air , in carrying out precision strikes at land and sea targets and in the timely deployment of forces .
Russia must have a guaranteed nuclear deterrent system in place by 2020 and gave military commanders until December 2008 to devise a plan .
The Russian military needs multi @-@ purpose attack submarines and nuclear @-@ powered submarines armed with cruise missiles .
Medvedev did not mention the new borei @-@ class nuclear submarines which are designed to carry a new intercontinental missile that is seen as a key future component of Russia 's nuclear forces .
The missile was successfully test fired the week of 14 September 2008 after several failures .
The first of the new submarines is to be commissioned later in 2008 and 2 more are being built .
Russia 's economic problems after the 1991 Soviet collapse affected the armed forces but the Kremlin has recently been directing more money from oil profits into new weapons systems .
2008 @-@ 10 @-@ 20
Netherlands ( NE ) ; Russian Federation ( RU ) ; Georgia ( GE )
International ; weapons ; war and conflict ; Government ; military
A Dutch government investigation has found that a Russian cluster bomb killed a television cameraman in Georgia in 070000 .
The Dutch Foreign Ministry said on 081020 that a Dutch government investigation has found that a Russian cluster bomb killed a television cameraman in Georgia in 070000 .
Dutchman Stan Storiman died during the conflict over the breakaway province of South Ossetia while filming the fighting in Gori , Georgia .
Storimans was killed while filming on a large and nearly deserted square in Gori .
Reporter Jeroen Akkermans said several Georgian civilians died in the same attack .
Akkermans was working with Storimans and suffered minor injuries .
Storimans was a veteran newsman employed by RTL Nieuws .
RTL Nieuws is ultimately owned by German media conglomerate Bertelsmann AG .
The Dutch foreign ministry said a Dutch investigative team sent to the spot 2 weeks later to gather forensic evidence and eyewitness accounts concluded Storimans was killed by a munition propelled by a type of rocket that is only found in Russia 's military arsenal .
Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen called the findings very serious .
Verhagen said in a statement that Verhagen had made that clear to the Russian authorities cluster munitions must not be used in this way .
There were no troops present in Gori and innocent civilians were killed .
The Russian government denied using cluster munitions during its brief war with Georgia in 070800 .
Human rights groups say both sides unleashed the widely denounced weapons .
The georgiann Government has acknowledged using used ground @-@ launched cluster munitions near the roki tunnel connecting South Ossetia with Russia .
Verhagen said the Netherlands Government plans to raise the matter with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe .
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe addresses arms control issues and includes both Russia and Georgia as members .
The Dutch Foreign Ministry said Dutch government representatives will call for a political statement to be issued in which Member States pledge not to use cluster weapons in situations of this kind .
Cluster bomblets are packed into artillery shells or bombs dropped from aircraft .
A single container typically scatters some 200 to 600 of the mini @-@ explosives over an area the size of a football field .
Cluster bomblets have been criticized by human rights groups because they kill indiscriminately and because unexploded ordinance poses a threat to civilians similar to that of land mines .
More than 100 countries agreed in Dublin , Ireland , in 080500 to ban cluster bombs within 8 years .
Neither the Georgian nor Russian Governments signed the accord .
2008 @-@ 10 @-@ 23
France ( FR )
International ; money ; terrorism ; crime ; weapons
A Paris Criminal Court convicted nine people on October 23 , 2008 .
This included a French @-@ Algerian former prison inmate who admitted establishing an Islamic group that called for armed Jihad in France .
A Paris Criminal Court convicted nine people on October 23 , 2008 .
This included a French @-@ Algerian former prison inmate who admitted establishing an Islamic group that called for armed Jihad in France .
Safe Bourada was sentenced to 15 years in prison .
Eight others received penalties of one to nine years on charges linked to financing of and association with a terror group .
Bourada admitted in court to creating a militant group called Ansar Al @-@ Fath or partisans of victory .
The group was suspected of planning attacks on the Paris metro and Orly airport .
It was dismantled in 2005 after French authorities received a tip from Algerian counterparts .
Bourada was one of 36 Islamic militants convicted ten years ago for providing support for bombings that terrorized France in 1995 .
Bourada received a 10 @-@ year term , but won early release in 2003 under police surveillance .
Bourada will not be eligible for parole for at least 10 years under the October 23 , 2008 verdict .
Head of the counter @-@ terrorism unit of the National Police Christophe chaboud told the Associated Press in 2005 that the group had had indirect contacts with Iraq 's former al @-@ Qaida leader Abu Musab al @-@ Zarqawi .
Abu Musab al @-@ Zarqawi was killed in a U.S. airstrike in June 2006 in Diyala province .
The court ruled that group member Kaci ouarab had received weapons training in Lebanon in 2005 that was designed to help carry out bombings in France .
Ouarab was sentenced to nine years without the possibility of parole for at least six .
The Court considered ouarab to be the natural , legitimate and operational successor of Bourada .
Kais Melliti was considered an important organizing and financial operative .
Melliti was given eight years without the possibility of parole for at least two @-@ thirds of that term .
Djamel badaoui was sentenced to five years .
The court ruled badaoui was in charge of seizing goods by extorting money from prostitutes on three occasions to fund terror attacks .
Stephane hadoux and Emmanuel Nieto were given three @-@ year sentences .
Half were suspended by the court .
The two are French converts to Islam .
2008 @-@ 10 @-@ 31
United States ( US ) ; United Kingdom ( GB ) ; Zimbabwe ( ZW ) ; China ( CN )
International ; weapons ; politics
On 081031 some United Nation 's General Assembly 's member nations voted to move ahead with creating an unprecedented treaty regulating the global arms trade despite United States opposition .
Britain and 6 other nations supporting an unprecedented treaty regulating the global arms trade won an overwhelming endorsement from the United Nations General Assembly on 081031 to move forward with the creation of the treaty regulating the global arms trade despite opposition from the United States .
147 of the United Nations 's 192 member nations voted on 081031 to move ahead with crafting the proposed arms trade treaty .
Most of the nations that did not vote to move ahead with crafting the proposed arms trade treat abstained from 081031 vote .
China abstained from the 081031 vote .
Only the United States and Zimbabwe voted against moving ahead with the treaty regulating the global arms trade .
The United States and Zimbabwe were bitter opponents in 080700 concerning the United States @-@ proposed sanctions on Zimbabwe 's leaders that were vetoed by Russia and China .
Proponents of the treaty regulating the global arms trade stated that they hope to craft and adopt a treaty within 3 to 5 years with the aim of imposing controls on an international arms trade that contributes to the killing of more than 1000 people a day .
Great Britain , Japan , Australia , Argentina , Costa Rica , Kenya and Finland have been leading proponents of the treaty regulating the global arms trade .
Great Britain is a 3 billion United States dollar per year arms exporter .
The treaty regulating the global arms trade would apply only to arms sales among nations and not commercial sales involving individuals .
Decisions would require a simple majority .
John Duncan stated that the treaty regulating the global arms trade has to be as universal as possible and that some the countries are arms manufacturers and that all nations are arms suppliers at one stage or another .
John Duncan stated that it is by closing loopholes that nations can stop arms distribution into the hands of criminals and terrorists .
John Duncan is Great Britain 's ambassador for multilateral arms control and disarmament .
The United States favors language contained in some of the negotiating documents about treaty regulating the global arms trade that require consensus decisions that essentially give the United States and other nations veto power .
The United States diplomat Christina Rocca stated that the only way to achieve a balanced and effective international mechanism for controlling trade in conventional arms is to proceed on a consensus basis .
Christina Rocca made this statement to other nations assembled for the vote on moving ahead with the treaty regulating the global arms trade .
In 061200 the United States cast the sole dissenting vote when 153 nations voted in support of considering the creation of a treaty regulating the global arms trade .
The 061200 vote set in motion the process of considering an arms trade treaty .
That process included meetings from 071031 to 081031 among a group of experts that recommended items for consideration that included the consensus language .
The 081031 vote will move forward arms trade treaty discussions toward the specifics of the possible language of the arms trade treaty .
Christina Rocca stated that the United States supports the goal of promoting responsibility in arms transfers and reducing the destabilizing trade in illicit arms .
Christina Rocca stated that the United States does not believe a global arms trade treaty would accomplish the promotion of responsibility in arms transfers and the reduction of the destabilizing trade in illicit arms .
Christina Rocca stated that the only way to convince all major arms exporting countries to sign on to the arms trade treaty would be to weaken the arms trade treaty provisions and a weak arms trade treaty would legitimize an international standard based on a lowest common denominator that would not address the problem of illicit and irresponsible arms transfers .
2008 @-@ 11 @-@ 18
Iran (( IR )
Narcotics ; crime
Iranian state television stated that Iranian police have killed 4 drug smugglers and have confiscated more than 1 ton of opium near the town of mirjaveh .
Iranian state television stated that Iranian police have killed 4 drug smugglers and have confiscated more than 1 ton of opium .
Iranian state television reported the event on 081118 .
Iranian state television stated that the conflict between the Iranian police and the drug smugglers took place near the town of mirjaveh .
The town of mirjaveh is located approximately 950 miles southeast of Tehran near the Iranian border with Afghanistan and Pakistan .
Iranian state television stated that Iranian police have seized about 1.6 metric tons of opium .
The area near town of mirjaveh has been the scene of frequent conflicts between Iranian police and drug smugglers .
Iran lies on a major drug trafficking route between Afghanistan and Europe , as well as the Persian Gulf States .
Iran Burns more than 60 tons of seized narcotics per year as a symbol of Iran 's determination to fight drugs .
2008 @-@ 11 @-@ 21
Greece ( GR ) ; Turkey ( TR ) ; Belarus ( by )
International ; weapons
A report by the International Campaign to Ban Landmines said Greece , Turkey and Belarus missed treaty deadlines to destroy their land mine stockpiles .
A 081121 report by the International Campaign to Ban Landmines said Greece , Turkey and Belarus have missed deadlines that were required under an international treaty to destroy their land mine stockpiles .
Diplomats from Greece , Turkey and Belarus declined to be interviewed about the report in Geneva .
The report quoted the Governments of Greece , Turkey and Belarus as acknowledging that the deadlines have been missed .
Greece , Turkey and Belarus should have destroyed a total of nearly 7.5 million land mines by 080300 .
The 1155 @-@ page annual report by the International Campaign to Ban Landmines said Greece mentioned legal problems with contracting a company to carry out the destruction and the difficulty of finding environmentally safe destruction sites as reasons for the delay .
Turkey 's government claimed preparations for getting rid of Turkish stockpiles took longer than planned .
Belarus said there were delays in receiving support funds from the European Union .
Belarus said remaining stockpiles contains a type of mine that is more difficult and costly to destroy .
Arms Control director of New York @-@ based Human Rights Watch Steve Goose said Greece , Turkey and Belarus will not face sanctions for missing their deadlines .
Human Rights Watch helped produce the report .
The report said only 500000 mines were destroyed worldwide over the past year but said Afghanistan , Burundi and Sudan got rid of all of stockpiles respectively .
The report said the number of destroyed stockpiled mines since the treaty to ban land mines came into force in 990000 has been brought to more than 42 million but that 44 countries still have 176 million mines .
All of the 156 countries that have joined the Treaty are given 4 years to destroy their stockpiles .
Major users of land mines such as the U.S. , Russia and China have not signed the Treaty .
The report said more than 1400 people were killed and 3900 wounded by land mine explosions worldwide in 070000 and added the number may be much higher because reporting is poor in many countries .
The International Campaign to Ban Landmines won the Nobel Peace Prize in 970000 .
2008 @-@ 11 @-@ 25
Mexico ( MX )
Narcotics ; crime
Mexican football club owner and 4 team members are charged with trafficking cocaine and marijuana from Colombia to the United States .
All 5 are members of a notorious Mexican gang and have been under house arrest since October 2008 .
A judge in Mexico charged the alleged owner of the mapaches Mexican football club and 4 other team members with drug trafficking .
On 25 November 2008 the Mexican Federal Attorney General 's office said in a statement that Wenceslao Alvarez was the leader of a group that trafficked cocaine and marijuana from Colombia to Atlanta in the U.S..
The Attorney General 's office stated that the 5 people charged worked for the the Mexican State of Michoacan 's infamous gang la Familia .
The group members were taken into custody in October 2008 at the aguilas del America training facility in Mexico City .
The group members have been under house arrest but will be transferred soon to a prison .
The mapaches Football Club was expelled from the League by the Mexican football federation in October 2008 for alleged ties to drug traffickers .
Alvarez was believed to own the 3 rd @-@ division mapaches football club in Michoacan .
2008 @-@ 11 @-@ 27
United Kingdom ( GB )
terrorism ; international ; government
An institute for public policy research report said there are 27 weak states that pose a threat to Britain 's national security as the States could provide bases for terrorists .
The report stated British government must help to stabilize weak states and push for international regulations .
A report published on 27 November 2008 stated Britain is vulnerable to terrorists operating out of weak States where terrorists can run training camps and raise funds undetected .
The report was co @-@ authored by former NATO chief George Robertson and published by international think tank the Institute for Public Policy Research .
The report said there are 27 weak states that pose a threat to Britain 's national security as the States could provide bases for terrorists .
The countries include Haiti , Nigeria , Somalia and Yemen and have vulnerable Governments that are unwilling or unable to control the territories .
The report 's authors stated criminal groups that fund terrorist organizations through drug trafficking and manufacturing counterfeit goods can operate in weak States without being detected .
Terrorists who raise funds in these States could then coordinate an attack on Britain .
The report stated transnational terrorists have discovered that the global space is largely unregulated with the rule of law either weak or nonexistent and is a place where terrorists can operate with a reasonable prospect of impunity as in the mountains of Afghanistan before 9 @/@ 11 .
Deputy Director of the ippr and 1 of the report 's authors Ian kearns stated terrorists could run camps in remote areas which Governments rarely monitor .
Kearns referenced terrorist training camps in the Sahel which is a region of sub @-@ Saharan Africa that runs though several countries including Mali , Chad and Sudan .
Kearns stated that these remote areas are impossible to patrol and any activity could go undetected .
The report stated British government must help to stabilize weak states and push for international regulations that would stop terrorists using freely available information to create and unleash new forms of biological warfare such as a modified version of the influenza virus .
Kearns stated the Government must take a multilateral approach to areas including biotechnology but that the government is not moving quickly enough on the approach .
Kearns stated the global financial crisis shows the results of not having multilateral frameworks in place to deal with international issues .
2003 @-@ 10 @-@ 21
Taiwan ( TW )
Business ; technology
6 foreign companies enter into 7 cooperation agreements with Taiwanese companies in a ceremony in Taipei
Another 6 foreign companies entered into 7 cooperation agreements with local Taiwanese companies in a high @-@ profile ceremony in Taipei on 031021 .
The event was timed to coincide with the final day of the 030000 Taiwan Business Alliance conference .
Vice Minister of Economics Shih yen @-@ shiang participating .
Specific companies entering cooperation agreements
Japanese company access signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Institute for Information Industry .
Access agreed to transfer technology on mobile phone services to Taiwan phone operators .
The pact will make Taiwan the base for research and development activities for access .
South Korea 's NC soft signed a joint venture with Taiwan 's gamania to cooperate in the online game business .
NC soft is South Korea 's largest online game maker .
Italian company Morini Franco motori and Taiwan Golden Bee agreed to set up a joint venture to produce motorcycle engines .
The technology transfer will upgrade the research , development and production of Taiwanese motorcycle @-@ makers .
Analysts expect that products worth NT $ 10 billion will be produced in the next decade .
The Itochu group from Japan contracted with Taiwan 's emtac technology to jointly promote the sales of emtac 's products overseas , including GPS antennas .
Itochu has at present already brokered purchase deals for foreign buyers of emtac 's products worth NT $ 150 million ( US $ 4.41 million ) .
Itochu has promised to assist emtac in importing and developing key parts and is prepared to invest in emtac in the future .
U.S. @-@ based Pharmaessentia will cooperate with Taiwan 's genovate biotechnology to develop , design , manufacture and sell drugs designed to fight cancer , high blood pressure and asthma .
Pharmaessentia also concluded an agreement with the Taiwanese company Synmosa Biopharma to grant each other preferential status in mutual cooperation efforts .
Pharmaessentia and Synmosa Biopharma agreed to jointly develop products that use mainly raw materials produced by Pharmaessentia and which comply with U.S. market standards .
Pharmaessentia and Synmosa Biopharma will separately sell those products in the Asian and U.S. markets respectively .
AMERICAN COMPANY ryss laboratory 's Taiwan subsidiary and Taiwan 's pharmaceutical industry technology and development center concluded an agreement to exchange technology and combine their strengths for the research and manufacturing of new drugs to upgrade domestic pharmaceutical manufacturing standards .
The pharmaceutical industry technology and development center is devoted to the research and development of pharmaceuticals and other life sciences products .
2004 @-@ 02 @-@ 12
Taiwan ( TW )
International ; technology ; weapons ; war and conflict ; government
Taiwanese Vice President Annette Lu warned that European transfer of European technology to the People 's Republic of China could encourage the PRC government to invade Taiwan .
Taiwanese Vice President Annette Lu warned on 040212 that the transfer of European technology to the People 's Republic of China could encourage the PRC government to invade Taiwan .
Lu noted that the European Union adopted a resolution to ban arms sales to mainland China after the Tiananmen massacre of 890000 and said it is worrisome that the leaders of France and Germany are reportedly seeking to lift the ban following years of commercial interest enticements by the PRC government .
Lu expressed concern that European advanced technology will be transferred to the mainland and added that such transfers would be helpful for the PRC government 's military buildup and will therefore encourage an invasion of Taiwan by the mainland .
Lu said that the government of mainland China has tried to isolate Taiwan diplomatically and has been increasing its military buildup against Taiwan .
Lu said the PRC government has deployed around 500 missiles targeting Taiwan and the number of missiles deployed is expected to increase to 650 next year .
Lu described the PRC government as a real international terrorist because of the threat of missiles aimed at Taiwan and the PRC 's preparations to invade Taiwan .
Lu added that this is why Taiwanese President Chen Shui @-@ bian called for a peace referendum for 040320 alongside the Taiwanese presidential election .
Lu said European nations should not join the PRC government in opposing Taiwan 's planned referendum .
Lu said that Taiwan is not a part of the People 's Republic of China and has maintained substantive relations with almost all countries around the world even though most of them do not have diplomatic relations with Taiwan .
Taiwan has never ceased making efforts to participate in international activities and has made great contributions to global development despite being refused membership by many international organizations .
Lu 's remarks were made at Taiwan 's presidential office while receiving the mayor of the Austrian city of Innsbruck Hilde Zach .
Zach arrived in Taipei Tuesday for a 6 @-@ day visit at the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs .
Zach hopes to gain a better understanding of Taiwan 's development in the political , economic , cultural and tourism fields .
2004 @-@ 06 @-@ 28
Taiwan ( TW )
International ; technology ; weapons ; Government ; business ; money
Taiwan Executive Yuan may not approve Taiwanese participation in the construction of submarines sold from the United States .
A delegation of Taiwanese legislators completed an 11 @-@ day fact @-@ finding trip to the United States .
The Taiwan Executive Yuan submitted a NT $ 610.8 billion ( US $ 18.23 billion ) special budget to buy 388 Patriot PAC @-@ III missiles , 8 conventional submarines and 12 P @-@ 3 C anti @-@ submarine aircraft from the United States earlier this month .
The budget is now pending approval by the Legislative Yuan .
Ker Chien @-@ ming , the Democratic Progressive Party ( DPP ) whip at the Taiwan legislature said on 040628 that discussions are turning negative in regard to whether the China Shipbuilding Corp. ( CSBC ) should take part in the construction of submarines which the United States has promised to sell to Taiwan .
Navy Commander @-@ in @-@ Chief Miao Yung @-@ Ching called on the Legislative Yuan to communicate on the review of the arms procurement budget of which the submarine deal is a part .
Miao said it is not feasible for CSBC to take part in the construction of the submarines and that the Navy will negotiate with the United States on obtaining repair capacity and technology transfers .
Miao said that no countries want to buy conventional submarines .
This would make it futile to give the CSBC the capacity to build them .
The United States has control of the key technology in building the submarines .
Lee Wen @-@ chung is another DPP legislator who has been involved .
Lee said on 040628 that the delegation asked the United States to shorten the delivery period of the submarines from 15 years to 10 years .
This indicates that Taiwan has already given up the policy of building the submarines itself .
Lee said that if the submarines are not built by Taiwan then the cost of the eight subs will be NT $ 100 billion less than the original plan of NT $ 400 billion .
Lee 's figures were based on the price tags of submarines sold from Germany and Spain along with the cost of obtaining repair capacity .
Lee was asked if the long delivery period of 10 years might affect Taiwan 's military strength and tip the military cross @-@ Taiwan Strait balance toward mainland China after 050000 .
Lee answered that any possible naval military balance tilting toward the PRC after 050000 would not mean an eruption of war at that time .
Lee claimed that Taiwan still enjoys the edge in the air .
Lee added that an order of Kidd @-@ class destroyers due to arrive at Taiwan by the end of next year would allow Taiwan to still maintain its edge .
Lee also said that the United States will deliver the first 5 of 12 P @-@ 3 C aircraft in 080000 , with another 3 in 090000 , 4 in 100000 and the final 4 in 110000 .
2007 @-@ 03 @-@ 04
China ( CN ) ; Taiwan ( TW )
International ; military ; economy ; weapons
China 's military budget has grown in recent years leading some to believe that China is attempting to achieve global dominance .
Mainland Affairs Council Chairman and Taiwan 's top China policy planner Joseph Wu stated on March 4 , 2007 that China 's substantial military budget increase of 17.8 percent reveals an attempt at achieving global dominance .
Joseph Wu made his statement after China made public the Chinese draft budget bill for 2007 .
Joseph Wu stated that China is attempting to achieve global dominance because the significant budget increase , the lack of transparency in military buildup , the rapid expansion of air and naval forces , and progress in space defense technology suggests an attempt at global dominance .
Joseph Wu stated that China 's annual military spending has experienced double @-@ digit growth since 1993 .
Joseph Wu also stated that growth in China 's military expenditure is not expected to slow down in the foreseeable future but will instead accelerate and become a long @-@ term trend .
Joseph Wu stated that China 's continued military budget growth deserves global attention and concern because there is no apparent threat and no potential future threat to China 's security in sight .
Joseph Wu stated that China 's threat to Taiwan and other neighboring Asia @-@ Pacific countries is rising .
Joseph Wu and Western military experts stated that China 's actual military budget is about 3 times the officially declared figure .
Joseph Wu stated that Taiwan 's plan to procure 3 expensive weaponry systems , 8 diesel @-@ electric submarines , 6 Patriot PAC III anti @-@ missile batteries and a squadron of 12 P @-@ 3 C anti @-@ submarine aircraft is aimed at strengthening the defense capability of Taiwan in light of China 's military buildup .
2008 @-@ 01 @-@ 28
China ( CN )
technology ; Government ; business
China 's Council of Agriculture opens a special office in charge of agricultural technology transfers and intellectual property rights management and consultancy to enhance development of China 's knowledge @-@ based agriculture and applications of agricultural technology .
China 's Council of agriculture ( COA ) Deputy Minister Lee Jen @-@ chyuan stated that the COA under the Executive Yuan opened a special office in charge of agricultural technology transfers and intellectual property rights ( IPR ) management and consultancy on 28 January 2008 .
Lee stated that the establishment of the Agricultural Technology Promotion Agency will help increase the total amount of technological transfer contracts through 2011 to 500 million new Taiwan dollars ( 15.46 million US dollars ) .
Lee stated that the COA has spent the past several years setting up relevant mechanisms and drafting a set of promotional measures to enhance development of China 's knowledge @-@ based agriculture and applications of agricultural technology .
Lee stated --
The COA successfully promoted a total of 139 applications for technological transfer and intellectual property rights in 2007 which is an increase of 50 percent from the average of 90 cases per year from 2002 to 2006 .
The total income derived from technological transfers conducted through the Council 's efforts amounted to 47.25 million NT dollars which is an increase of 50 percent from the average of 12.93 million NT dollars per year for the 2002 @-@ 2006 period .
Lee stated that the COA will commission the Industrial Technology Research Institute ( Itri ) to carry out a special project on the management and application of agricultural R & D achievements in order to upgrade agricultural technology research and development , protection , management and applications .
An Itri official stated that the Agricultural Technology Promotion Office will cooperate with world @-@ renowned IPR application institutions to push for revising the relevant regulations on IPR and technological transfers and to enhance IPR education and training .
The Itri official stated that the Office will serve as a platform to introduce various R & D achievements realized by experimental and research institutes under the COA to local businesses in an attempt to expand the application of agricultural technology .
2008 @-@ 02 @-@ 15
China ( CN )
International ; business ; money ; technology
The Ministry of Economic Affairs ( moea ) gave preliminary approval to 2 major China @-@ bound investment projects at a review meeting on 15 February 2008 .
Minister Steve reuy @-@ long Chen stated the 2 projects will have a positive effect on Taiwan 's economic development .
The Ministry of Economic Affairs ( moea ) gave preliminary approval to 2 major China @-@ bound investment projects at a review meeting on 15 February 2008 .
The 2 projects include Formosa Plastics Group 's ( fpg 's ) plan to invest 100 million US dollars in a specialty steel company in Zhangzhou in Fujian province and semiconductor packager and Tester ASE 's plan to increase investment in ASE 's Shanghai packaging plant by 30 million US dollars .
Minister Steve reuy @-@ long Chen stated the 2 projects will have a positive effect on Taiwan 's economic development .
Chen made the statement after presiding over an Interministerial Conference on whether the projects were in line with the Government 's active management and effective opening policy regarding investment in China .
Chen stated that the Investment Commission under the Ministry of Economic Affairs is expected to formally approve the projects the week of 17 February 2008 since the projects have passed policy @-@ related screening .
Fpg Chairman Li Chih @-@ chun , Formosa Heavy Industry Corp. President Wu Kuo @-@ hsiung and ASE Chairman Jason Chang attended the review meeting to explain investment plans and future business development blueprints in detail .
The company chairmen and President reported on financing plans , technology transfer and equipment delivery as well as globalization plans and matching investment in Taiwan .
Chen stated fpg pledged an investment in Taiwan that will reach 813.3 billion NT dollars ( 25.67 billion US dollars ) by 2013 and that related equipment will be produced in Taiwan and delivered to China .
Chen stated fpg technical and management staff will be recruited in Taiwan to create job opportunities .
Chen stated ASE has invested over 145 billion NT dollars in Taiwan and indicated increasing investment in Taiwan depending on market circumstances .
The review meeting is the 3 rd policy @-@ related screening meeting that the ministry has convened .
The ministry previously approved investment projects by semiconductor manufacturers to relocate 8 @-@ inch @-@ wafer plants using a 0.25 @-@ micron manufacturing process to China .
The Government approved an application by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. to use 0.18 @-@ micro chip manufacturing technology at the wafer foundry in China .
2008 @-@ 04 @-@ 08
China ( CN )
Business ; technology ; economy
The the Ministry of Economic Affairs ( moea ) approved lingsen precision industries , King yuan electronics , IC Assembly company Sigurd Corp. and Siliconware precision industries for Chinese investment .
On 8 April 2008 the Ministry of Economic Affairs ( moea ) announced approval for 4 Chinese investment proposals from Chinese manufacturers .
Lingsen precision industries , King yuan electronics , IC Assembly company Sigurd Corp. and Siliconware precision industries were approved for investment and will invest in integrated circuit packaging ( ICP ) and testing .
The companies will invest 10 million US dollars , 20 million US dollars , 6.7 million US dollars , and 50 million US dollars respectively .
The proposals have a total investment amount of 86.7 million US dollars ( 2.64 billion NT dollars ) .
The moea determined in a meeting on 8 April 2008 that the investment proposals met the clauses in the China Investment procedure issued by the ministry 's Investment Commission .
The Investment Commission 's Executive Secretary Fan Liang @-@ Tung stated the investment procedure aims to ensure Taiwan 's investments in China will not harm Taiwan 's industries and economy such as by leaking key technologies to the mainland .
Under the procedure investment plans require approval from the moea if the plans involve a single investment that exceeds 100 million US dollars , the company 's total investment in China reaches 200 million US dollars , or the investment could transfer core local industries ' technologies to China .
Fan stated core industries mainly involve the manufacturing of 8 @-@ inch wafers and 4 @-@ inch TFT panels as well as IC packaging .
After the meeting on 8 April 2008 the Commission requires written documents to further assess the plans which contain each company 's commitment on the terms of investment including the financial plan , information on any technology transfers and the company 's domestic investment as well as employment information .
Fan stated the Commission is primarily concerned with the term of future investment in Taiwan .
Fan stated lingsen precision industries , King yuan electronics , IC Assembly company Sigurd Corp. and Siliconware precision industries have made commitments to return capital to Taiwan in the amounts of 2 billion NT dollars , 19.2 billion NT dollars , 3 billion NT dollars and 23 billion NT dollars respectively by 2011 .
Fan stated the Commission will ensure the commitments are upheld once the investments are under way .
Fan stated the procedure would push Chinese investment from Taiwan to focus on down scale manufacturers rather than technology @-@ concentrated makers in a bid to keep high @-@ end technologies in Taiwan .
Fan stated the Commission will hold a 2 nd round of meetings to decide if the proposals will take effect and that the final decision will be made by 30 April 2008 .
1995 @-@ 12 @-@ 18
Germany ( DE )
International ; weapons ; war and conflict
The process to try to control and reduce arms in the embattled Balkans was formally launched in Bonn , Germany , when foreign ministers , ambassadors and representatives of international organizations and observer nations met to discuss what form further talks should take .
The long process to try to control and reduce arms in the embattled Balkans was formally launched on 951218 in Bonn , Germany .
Foreign ministers , ambassadors and representatives of international organizations and observer nations met in Bonn to discuss what form further talks should take .
There are huge obstacles to achieving peace and cooperation among combatants in the former Yugoslavia .
German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel said in opening remarks at the one @-@ day meeting that there can be no peace in the former Yugoslavia if some parties to the conflict remain heavily armed and others try to catch up .
The Croation delegation threatened to pull out of arms @-@ reduction negotiations if certain demands were not met in the nearest future .
Delegates from other countries called on Croatia , Bosnia @-@ Herzegovina and Serbia to set aside their grievances and learn to compromise .
Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic complained that a part of Croatian territory is under occupation and time is running out .
Granic said in reference to disputed lands on the Croatian @-@ Serbian border that the peaceful re @-@ integration of Eastern Slavonia is the key to the lasting stability in the region and that everyone faces the danger of another round of hostilities and the destabilization of the whole region and highly unpredictable consequences for Bosnia @-@ Herzegovina without it .
Conference participants said Foreign Minister Milan Milutinovic from Serbia scolded his Croatian counterpart for grandstanding .
Then Milutinovic made a threat to pull out of arms @-@ control negotiations .
Milutinovic noted the Serbian Government has been suspended since 920000 from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and said that unless full membership were restored Yugoslavia will be prevented from cooperating despite its readiness to do so .
The OSCE is to oversee the next round of Balkan arms @-@ reduction talks .
Michael Williams is a senior fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London and formerly the United Nations ' senior spokesman for Croatia and called the early threats from Croatia and Serbia a worrying development and an ominous development .
Williams said it was really not clear that the parties are willing to engage in any arms control in a meaningful way .
This corresponds to a fear expressed by some delegates to the 951218 Bonn meeting that the yugolav parties do not want to negotiate away the ability to use violence or a threat of violence to seize territory .
Greek Foreign Minister karelos Papoulias observed of the Balkan belligerents that during talk in the plenary session one realizes that this is still the way they are thinking .
Papoulias said the Greek government is not as optimistic as other European partners and that just because there is a Conference does n't mean there is friendship between the people of the former Yugoslavia .
The 951218 talks were organized to fulfill the combatants ' pledge made in Dayton , Ohio , to begin talks to enhance mutual confidence and reduce the risk of conflict within 7 days of the Peace Accord 's formal signing .
The agenda on 951218 was limited to set the formal process for coming weeks .
The German Foreign Ministry said in a statement that this was so as to clear the way for speedy negotiation of the substantive questions .
Croatia , Bosnia @-@ Herzegovina and Serbia are the nations that signed the Dayton accord and are supposed to report how many tanks and armored vehicles , heavy artillery pieces , combat aircraft and attack helicopters they possess in the next phase .
This data will be used to establish baselines from which weapons ceilings can be agreed on .
Croatia , Bosnia @-@ Herzegovina and Serbia have promised to accept a set of automatic limits if agreement on such ceilings cannot be reached in 180 days .
Kinkel said that on 951218 delegates had been unable to fix a date for the next round of talks but said the next talks would be 960104 or 960107 in Vienna .
Kinkel said minor problems not substantive discord kept delegates from choosing a firm date .
1999 @-@ 06 @-@ 30
India ( IN ) ; Korea , Democratic People 's Republic of ( KP )
International ; technology ; weapons ; government
Indian officials seize missile assembly line from the North Korean vessel the kuwolsan on 30 June 1999 .
The discovery heightens suspicions of North Korean weapons proliferation .
On 30 June 1999 Indian customs agents in the northwestern port city of Kandla boarded the North Korean freighter kuwolsan .
Following a melee with the crew of the kuwolsan , customs agents discovered an assembly line for ballistic missiles .
U.S. intelligence officials stated Libyan government was the intended recipient of the cargo .
The kuwolsan departed North Korea 's Nampo harbor on 10 April 1999 .
Records show that on 20 April 1999 the kuwolsan made detours to 2 Thai ports to pick up 14000 tons of sugar for resale along the way to the kuwolsan 's destination .
The kuwolsan switched course in order to sell the sugar to an Indian company after a deal to sell the sugar to Algerians failed .
An Indian investigator stated that the crew of the kuwolsan should not have picked up extra cargo at several ports when carrying 200 tons of sensitive equipment and that such activity was crazy .
Indian customs officials were tipped off to possible contraband on the kuwolsan while the kuwolsan was en route to Kandla .
The kuwolsan was rumored to be carrying arms or ammunition possibly intended for Pakistan .
Indian port officials were waiting when the kuwolsan arrived in Kandla on 25 June 1999 .
Irregularities in the kuwolsan 's papers were apparent within the first few hours of investigation .
Indian officials learned that the company in Malta listed as the intended recipient of the cargo was fictitious .
Indian officials questioned why anyone in Malta would choose to buy water refining equipment from North Korea when Malta is a short flight from Europe .
Indian customs agents questioned the captain of the kuwolsan Tae Min Hun .
Tae blocked every request and threatened international reprisals if Indian officials did not allow Tae to leave Kandla .
On 30 June 1999 customs officials demanded to search the kuwolsan 's cargo boxes and Tae stated that the kuwolsan had received a telex from North Korean officials .
Tae received instructions from officials in Pyongyang to allow no one to open the cargo boxes at all costs .
The official Indian after @-@ action report stated Tae would not open any more boxes as per the telex .
The report stated the crew members shouted at and abused the customs officers .
According to witness accounts and video footage of the encounter , tae and the crew of the kuwolsan barricaded the doors of the kuwolsan with the crews ' bodies .
An Indian official who was present on the kuwolsan and who spoke on the condition of anonymity stated the situation became physical and there were fisticuffs .
The official stated the crew began closing the hatches to the cargo hold with the customs inspectors still inside .
On 1 July 1999 armed troops and a group of government weapons experts aided customs officials and gained forcible entry onto the kuwolsan .
A few crates among the kuwolsan 's cargo contained equipment that could be used in a water treatment plant .
Inspectors found pumps , nozzles and a few valves .
The cargo boxes were labeled as water refinement equipment .
Documents from the investigation contain a partial list of the contents of most of the cargo crates which included --
Components for missile subassembly .
Machine Tools for setting up a fabrication facility .
Instrumentation for evaluating the performance of a full missile system .
Equipment for calibrating missile components .
Rocket nose cones , stacks of metal pipe and heavy @-@ duty presses used for milling high @-@ grade steel .
A Plate @-@ bending machine capable of rolling thick metal sheets , toroidal air bottles used to guide warheads after separation from a missile , and Theodolites that measure missile trajectories .
Several boxes of engineering drawings , blueprints , notebooks , textbooks and reports .
Personal items presumably intended for North Korean workers , including cookbooks in Korean , Korean spices , pickles and acupuncture sets .
An Indian government official familiar with the kuwolsan discovery stated that in the past officials had seen missiles or engine parts , but here was an entire assembly line for missiles offered for sale .
The official stated that this was a complete technology transfer .
A technical committee of Indian missile experts stated that the equipment was unimpeachable and irrefutable evidence of a plan to transfer not just missiles but missile @-@ making capability .
The technical panel wrote in a report that the cargo points to only one end @-@ use , namely the assembling of missiles and manufacture of the parts and subassemblies of surface to surface missiles .
Investigators searched the blueprints that were kept inside numbered plastic jackets and wrapped in brown paper .
Some of the packets were labeled in English as Scud B or Scud C. Nearly all of the drawings showed rockets or sections of rockets with notes and mathematical formulas handwritten in Korean .
Native Korean speakers assisted in translation but the documents contained technical code invented by North Korean scientists to replace scientific terms in Russian or Chinese .
The investigation ultimately yielded information about North Korea 's weapons program which Indian authorities shared with ally Governments .
The Scud B and Scud C designs found on the kuwolsan were from older North Korean missile programs which were derived from Soviet missile designs of the 1950 s .
One Indian government official who studied the blueprints stated the science was old and dated but still functional .
Retired director of the State Department 's Office on strategic , proliferation and military issues in the Bureau of Intelligence and Research Greg Thielmann stated the CIA utilized the blueprints to make full mock @-@ ups of missiles complete with decals .
The blueprints included information pertaining to the inner workings of North Korea 's missile industry which has been the focus of contention between the United States and North Korea since the 1980 s .
The cargo on the kuwolsan did not include everything needed for missile production which raises the possibility that there may have been earlier and possible later shipments .
Missile expert and senior analyst at the Center for Nonproliferation Studies Timothy V. McCarthy examined some of the blueprints and other evidence and stated this was a slice in time of a technology transfer from North Korea to Libya .
McCarthy stated the intelligence find helps U.S. officials learn how North Korean missile scientists learn .
McCarthy stated the information gives U.S. officials an idea of how capable North Korean scientists are of progressing to more advanced missiles and gives U.S. officials insight into the aspect of proliferation when one country 's officials attempt to transfer technology to another country 's officials .
McCarthy stated no one can stop Libyan scientists once the scientists are capable of making missiles .
The kuwolsan and the crew were unaccounted for after Indian officials released the kuwolsan in 2000 .
Shipping experts at Lloyd 's maritime division in London stated the kuwolsan 's name was changed in the summer of 2000 to Sun grisan 9 .
As of the week of 3 August 2003 the sun grisan 9 was still in service and was last reported headed to the Somalian capital of Mogadishu .
The nature of the Sun grisan 9 's cargo was unknown .
As of 14 August 2003 the evidence from the kuwolsan is secured in a military warehouse in New Delhi .
As stated in court documents and interviews with officials in the United States and India the kuwolsan incident has reinforced a view of North Korea as the world 's most dangerous source of weapons proliferation .
In 1999 North Korean leader Kim Jong Il expelled U.N. inspectors , abandoned the Nuclear Non @-@ Proliferation Treaty and declared plans to build an atomic weapon .
U.S. intelligence officials stated that North Korean officials are continuing global trade in technology for weapons of mass destruction including instructions for making advanced missiles .
Successive U.S. administrations have condemned North Korea 's missile sales to such countries as Iran and Syria .
On 31 August 1998 North Korean officials launched a 3 @-@ stage missile which heightened fears of advanced North Korean designs capable of reaching the U.S. mainland .
The first stage splashed down in the Sea of Japan , the second stage crossed the main island of Japan and the third broke up and traveled 3450 miles downrange and fell into the Pacific Ocean .
The missile test fueled work on a U.S. missile defense shield .
North Korean officials have defended the right to sell weapons and have stated that North Korean officials are not bound by international treaties restricting such trade .
North Korean officials have sold missiles and parts to Yemen which received 15 Scud missiles after the missiles were briefly intercepted by U.S. and Spanish naval crews off the Yemeni coast in December 1998 .
Libya appears to be the latest beneficiary of North Korean weapons .
Other nations including Iran , Pakistan and Syria are known to have received similar help .
The kuwolsan cargo attests to the existence of a gray zone composed of a combination of weak States , open borders , lack of controls and a market of buyers and sellers of weapons of mass destruction .
Small packages are sometimes delivered in the luggage of individual airline passengers such as a Taiwanese businessman arrested at Zurich 's airport in 2000 with North Korean missile parts in a rucksack .
Larger items are moved in freighters such as the kuwolsan while technical information and designs are accessible via the Internet .
Korea specialist with the Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies in California Daniel pinkston stated that intercepting weapons and equipment is difficult but not impossible but that human exchanges of plans , data , and intellectual property are difficult to intercept .
2007 @-@ 01 @-@ 23
China ( CN )
International ; military ; weapons ; space ; technology ; government
China confirmed on January 23 , 2007 after 12 days of silence that China had fired a guided missile into space to destroy one of its satellites .
The test caused protests from the United States and other nations .
China confirmed on January 23 , 2007 after 12 days of silence that China had fired a guided missile into space to destroy one of its satellites .
The test caused protests from the United States and other nations .
Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said the United States and other Governments have now been informed about the secret test through diplomatic channels .
Liu Jianchao stated that the use of anti @-@ satellite technology does not mean China has abandoned its long @-@ standing opposition to the military use of space .
Liu Jianchao said at a ministry briefing that the test was not targeted against any country and does not pose a threat to any country .
Liu Jianchao said that no plans for another such test by the secretive Chinese military .
The Chinese test shot destroyed an overage weather satellite 537 miles above Earth and was detected by U.S. monitors January 11 , 2007 .
The Chinese government refused to discuss it .
The test raised concern in the United States .
Officials and analysts interpreted it as a signal that U.S. military satellites could be vulnerable to attack by China .
China 's ability to shoot down satellites could pose an added threat in the event of hostilities over Taiwan because the U.S. military relies on satellites for reconnaissance , navigation , weapons guidance systems and anti @-@ missile defenses .
China 's newly demonstrated ability could threaten Taiwanese satellites monitoring Chinese short @- and medium @-@ range missile deployments along the Taiwan Strait .
U.S. officials were dismayed by the Chinese test because the United States and Russia have abstained from such tests after testing anti @-@ satellite technology in the 1980 s .
This decision was partly because destroying satellites creates debris that could damage satellites in nearby orbits .
Liu declined to address questions on this danger .
Experts estimate that several hundred thousand debris fragments were created by the destruction of the satellite .
The satellite orbited in a section of space where 125 other satellites fly .
China has started an accelerated military modernization program and has repeatedly stated its desire to be able to compete in 21 st @-@ century warfare .
This includes the use of advanced electronics and information systems .
The Chinese military runs China 's space program and has identified space @-@ based communications and sensing systems as key to such efforts .
Some Chinese military theorists have advocated asymmetrical warfare .
Pinpoint weapons would be used to disrupt the more advanced and better @-@ equipped U.S. military .
Analysts believed that the January 11 , 2007 test was part of the military modernization program despite China 's frequent declarations that it wants to prevent an arms race in space .
Liu repeated the long @-@ standing Chinese position when asked about the appearance of a contradiction and said China will further promote de @-@ weaponization and the peaceful use of outer space .
China has consistently advocated at the United Nations for the peaceful development of space and pushed for an international agreement to prevent it from becoming the theater for a new arms race .
The United States has opposed China 's suggestion for an international conference to pursue such an accord and argued there is no need for it .
Liu was asked whether the anti @-@ satellite test violated the spirit of China 's proclaimed position and why China kept silent for nearly two weeks while officials around the world were discussing it on the basis of U.S. intelligence reports .
Liu said China has nothing to hide .
China made the response about the test quickly after the relevant parties expressed their concerns .
China stressed that opposition of weaponization and an arms race in outer space .
China 's position has not changed .
2007 @-@ 02 @-@ 02
Saudi Arabia ( SA )
International ; terrorism ; money ; crime ; human rights ; Government ; politics
The interior ministry said Saudi police have arrested 10 men and accused them of collecting donations to fund terrorist acts outside the Kingdom .
A lawyer and a prominent dissident said that at least seven of the men were Saudi democracy activists whose arrest was a government attempt to abort their civic rights work .
The interior ministry said Saudi police have arrested 10 men and accused them of collecting donations to fund terrorist acts outside the Kingdom .
A lawyer and a prominent dissident said that at least seven of the men were Saudi democracy activists whose arrest was a government attempt to abort their civic rights work .
Matrouk al @-@ Faleh said the seven men had been waiting for government approval to set up a civic rights group .
The men were mostly of them lawyers and professors .
Al @-@ Faleh was jailed in 2004 for calling for more democracy in the kingdom .
The men had planned to present authorities with a list of more than 40 prisoners without legal representation whom they intended to defend .
Al @-@ Faleh said the terrorist allegation is a cover @-@ up and that it was used to get al @-@ Faleh arrested .
This is an attempt to abort the civic rights work the authorities were planning .
Police went to the Jiddah beach house of lawyer Essam basrawi on Friday night and arrested basrawi and five other Saudi men .
Bassim Alim said Saudi businessman Abdul @-@ Aziz Al @-@ khereiji was arrested at a checkpoint as Al @-@ khereiji drove with his wife to Jiddah .
Alim is the attorney who represents four of the detainees .
Basrawi 's Moroccan personal assistant also was detained .
There was no information on the identities of the two other men .
An interior ministry spokesman told local newspapers that the arrested men had been involved in financing recruiters who sign up young Saudis to go into turbulent areas .
That is generally a reference to Iraq .
The spokesman said sizable amounts of cash had been found during searches of the men 's homes .
Many young Saudi radicals have crossed the long and porous border between the Kingdom and Iraq and joined up with Sunni Muslim insurgents there .
Alim said that the government 's accusations were baseless and that his clients were well @-@ known reformists with no connection to terrorism .
Alim said the men might have been raising funds for Palestinian or Iraqi refugees .
The men had been warned repeatedly by the government not to gather or write petitions because authorities feared the rise of a new political reform movement .
Alim said the men do not want any kind of organized reform movement .
The men are trying to stop any organized calls for reform .
Alim said police had illegally searched the men 's homes without warrants and seized files , books and computers .
This was after midnight on February 2 , 2002 .
Neither Alim nor family members have been allowed to see the arrested men .
Faleh did not know why they were not allowed lawyers or charged publicly or shown proof or evidence if they are guilty of the crime .
The arrests were the first to target democracy activists since reform @-@ minded King Abdullah took the throne in 2005 and pardoned Faleh and two other leading activists who had spent 18 months in prison .
A dozen other men arrested with them in March 2004 signed statements pledging to stop lobbying for political freedoms .
Faleh and the two others refused to sign and demanded legal representation and a public trial .
Legal Defense and public trials are allowed under Saudi law but rarely applied .
Most defendants go to court without attorneys .
Saudi Arabia is an absolute monarchy and has a consultative council appointed by the government .
It carried out limited municipal elections in 2005 .
The Kingdom continues to show little tolerance for political opposition despite slow progression toward reform from Abdullah .
It imposes strict limits on freedom of expression and bans public gatherings and political parties .
Sulaiman Al @-@ Rushoodi is a lawyer and former judge who had been among the group of activists detained in 2004 .
Al @-@ Rushoodi was one of the men arrested on February 2 , 2002 .
Al @-@ Rushoodi was released several weeks later after pledging to address his demands solely to authorities .
Al @-@ Rushoodi joined the defense team of three activists still behind bars .
Basrawi is a prominent activist who helped draft petitions addressed to the Government during a vibrant period of political activism before the 2004 arrests
The Consultative Shura Council recently announced it was considering laws permitting the setting up of civic rights groups which are currently not allowed in the Kingdom .
Saudi Arabia has two Government @-@ appointed human rights committees but bans independent human and civil rights organizations .
2007 @-@ 05 @-@ 14
China ( CN ) ; Nigeria ( Ng )
International ; Telecom ; business ; space ; Government ; technology
China has built and launched a communications satellite for Nigeria .
The satellite demonstrate 's China 's increasing skill in space technology .
Chinese officials stated on May 14 , 2007 that China had launched a Chinese manufactured communications satellite into orbit on behalf of Nigeria .
Chinese officials stated that the geostationary satellite will provide communications services over Africa and parts of the Middle East and Southern Europe .
The Chinese officials also stated that the satellite will go into operation by the end of 2007 and is expected to last 15 years .
The satellite will be managed from a control station in Abuja , Nigeria .
This launch marks the first time China has built a commercial satellite and put the satellite into orbit on contract for another country .
The launch occurred on May 14 , 2007 before dawn near the Xichang space center in southwestern Sichuan province .
Some view the launch as another sign of China 's increasing skill in space technology and China 's determination to be among the world 's great powers seeking to utilize the reaches of outer space for benefits on earth .
China 's space program 's rapid progress has caused worries in the United States because the program is run by the military and China has been recently emphasizing space @-@ based information warfare .
The concern intensified following the successful January 11 , 2007 test @-@ firing of an anti @-@ satellite missile .
Some analysts stated that the test @-@ firing demonstrated a risk to the many satellites on which United States military forces rely for navigation and weapons guidance .
China 's space agency sent 2 astronauts into orbit in October 2005 in the Agency 's second manned spaceflight .
The Chinese government on May 7 , 2007 adopted a 10 year plan for expanded space exploration .
The plan includes more manned flights as well as unmanned probes of the Moon and beyond .
Chinese officials stated that the launch of the nigcomsat @-@ 1 aboard a Long March 3 B rocket on May 14 , 2007 represented a commercial challenge .
Some saw the launch as a symbol of China 's broad network of economic relations with Africa .
The official New China News Agency stated that the satellite represents China 's wish to cooperate with developing countries in the peaceful use of outer space and to promote a closer relationship between China and African countries .
Nigeria 's managing director of the nigcomsat @-@ 1 project Hammed Rufai stated that the launch was a breakthrough in ending the exclusive reliance on oil because the satellite will help Nigeria move toward knowledge @-@ based industries .
The official New China News Agency stated that China secured the 311 million dollar contract in 2004 in a bidding process in which 21 other companies took part .
President of the Great Wall Industry Corporation Wang Haibo stated that the Nigerian contract puts China onto the short list of countries that can build , launch and maintain a satellite for other nations .
Chinese officials stated that about 30 similar contracts have been signed for future launches .
In the 1990 s China frequently launched satellites for other countries after the satellites were manufactured elsewhere and acquired a reputation for providing such services more cheaply than other launch @-@ capable countries .
China had been trying to establish commercial relations with oil @-@ producing nations such as Nigeria as the Chinese economy grows nearly 10 percent a year .
Some officials have stated that Nigeria hopes to sell communications bands to neighboring African countries .
Abuja is the capital of Nigeria .
2007 @-@ 06 @-@ 09
Mexico ( MX )
International ; crime ; war and conflict
At least 46 people were killed by the end of the week .
There were multiple attacks including hand @-@ grenade assaults and decapitations , with police , federal agents and rival drug @-@ traffickers the principal victims .
Mexico 's drug @-@ trafficking wars continued during the funeral of a 10 @-@ year @-@ old boy .
The boy died in a drowning accident unrelated to drug trafficking .
The boy 's grandfather was Miguel Angel Felix Gallardo .
Gallardo is the fugitive Founder of the Tijuana drug cartel .
June 4 , 2007 6 hooded gunmen entered the traditional all @-@ night wake and shot two people , killing both .
One newspaper called the gunmen commandos .
The gunmen had written Z 's on the victims ' backs before the left .
The Z is a symbol of the Gulf cartel .
At least 46 more people were killed by the end of the week .
There were multiple attacks including hand @-@ grenade assaults and decapitations , with police , federal agents and rival drug @-@ traffickers the principal victims .
The killings show the scope of the violence and the tactics of psychological warfare behind it .
The killings are dispersed across the country .
Many deaths appear to involve disputes between competing bands of traffickers .
At least one of those bands appears to be splitting into different groups .
Authorities in Tuxtepec on June 5 , 2007 found a severed head with a note .
The note stated that this is going to happen to all the people who work with the zetas .
It referred to the hit men who work for the Gulf cartel .
The message was signed as the new blood .
Tuxtepec is in the southeast side of Oaxaca .
The new blood refers to a group of Gulf cartel operatives who have turned against the zetas as members of the organization bid to control trafficking routes and local drug markets .
Mexico 's Secretary of Public Safety Genaro Garcia Luna said in May 2007 that the Gulf cartel had split into rival bands .
Garcia Luna said in a recent press conference that the extreme violence in Mexico was part of a strategy by drug traffickers to force authorities into a strategic retreat .
Garcia Luna said that they are trying to create a climate of intimidation and fear in order to gain operational advantages .
Luna said the residents of a rural town or urban neighborhood will refuse to cooperate with authorities and create a social space of support for traffickers if they believe that drug traffickers cannot be defeated .
Gruesome killings have become frequent during the war this year .
New incidents of violence have arisen every day this week .
Authorities on June 6 , 2007 discovered a decapitated body left with a written message for State police in the port city of Veracruz on the Gulf of Mexico .
The message said police were protecting rival drug traffickers and that the decapitated man had been selling drugs for a rival group .
Four other people were killed in and around Veracruz that same day .
This included a funeral Director who had transported the body of Efrain Torres to a cemetery in the city of Poza Rica in May .
Torres was an assassinated leader of the zetas .
The body later was stolen from its crypt .
Another victim of the violence in Veracruz cannot yet be tallied among the dead .
Business owner Roberto moguel Martinez was kidnapped by armed men on June 6 , 2007 after being released from a hospital .
Martinez had been recovering from wounds suffered in a May 31 , 2007 attack .
Martinez 's mother wrestled briefly with Martinez 's armed kidnappers on a street in the center of the city according to the Veracruz newspaper notiver .
Martinez has not been seen since .
On June 7 , 2007 there were three grenade attacks on two police stations and an army barracks in the southern state of Guerrero .
Authorities said seven people were killed in apparent drug @-@ related attacks there .
The websites of Mexico City newspapers on June 8 , 2007 reported as many as 20 people had been gunned down nationwide in drug @-@ related violence the previous 24 hours .
The dead included three people shot on a highway in the State of Durango in northwest Mexico .
This happened on a week when President Felipe Calderon traveled to Europe to meet with Pope Benedict XVI and other leaders .
Calderon told reporters on June 4 , 2007 in Rome that consumers in the United States were to blame for the drug @-@ driven chaos in Mexico .
Calderon said that this is a shared problem between the United States and Mexico .
The principal cause is the use of drugs .
And the U.S. is the prime consumer in the world .
Calderon has sent the army to numerous Mexican states to fill in for over @-@ matched and corrupt local police .
19 members of the army were ordered on June 4 , 2007 to be imprisoned as suspects in the killing of three women and two children at a rural anti @-@ smuggling checkpoint in Sinaloa .
The five were members of a family returning from a wake .
Military officials said they had failed to stop at the checkpoint .
The shooting was more evidence of the war @-@ like psychology gripping many corners of Mexico .
An estimated 1,200 people were already killed in the violence this year .
Xinhua News Agency , Shanghai , August 31 st , by reporter Jierong Zhou
Malaysian vice @-@ prime minister Anwar ended a visit to China this afternoon , and left Shanghai for Tokyo .
Anwar arrived in Shanghai from Nanjing yesterday afternoon .
Last night , the vice @-@ mayor of Shanghai , Qizheng Zhao represented mayor Ju Huang by meeting and inviting Anwar and his delegation to a banquet .
This morning , Anwar attended the foundation laying ceremony of the Minhang China - Malaysia joint - venture enterprise , and after that toured Pudong 's Jingqiao export processing district .
( End )
Xinhua News Agency , Beijing , September 1 st
When meeting with the Governor of Macao Viera here today , Premier of the State Council Peng Li said the policy of the Chinese government towards Macao is consistent , firm and unchanging , and that the Chinese government would , in accordance to the policy of " one country , two systems " and strictly according to the regulations in the joint declaration between China and Portugal and the Basic Laws of Macao , maintain the stability and development of Macao .
Peng Li expressed welcome at the periodic visit of Viera .
He said : " In recent years , the friendly co @-@ operative relationships between the two countries namely China and Portugal in various arenas have been developing continuously , mutual visits by top level leaders of both countries have also increased .
President Zemin Jiang , Vice President Yiren Rong and myself have all visited Portugal , and Prime Minister Shewar visited China in April of this year . "
He said , the smooth development of the bilateral relationship between China and Portugal established the foundation for co @-@ operation on the Macao issue .
Peng Li pointed out , the Macao issue was an important component of the relationship between China and Portugal .
Maintaining good relationships between the two countries of China and Portugal , as well as the inland and Macao , is beneficial for the social stability and economic development .
Peng Li said since the joint declaration between China and Portugal came into effect , both sides had done quite a lot of work in the thorough implementation of the joint declaration , and that co @-@ operation has been effective .
In recent years , under the joint effort of both sides , many issues of mutual concern to both sides had been resolved , various degrees of progress have been achieved in the three major issues , namely languages , civil servants , and laws in the transition period of Macao .
He said : " We hope that the Macao government will continue to give their attention to these three problems , in order to achieve final proper resolution . "
Peng Li said , " Governor Viera has done a lot of beneficial work in the smooth resolution of the Macao issue , for this we express our appreciation . "
Peng Li also emphasized , with the approach of 1999 , that there is still a lot of work to be done by both the Chinese and Portuguese sides on the Macao issue , and that the mission is very important .
Both sides should resolve the outstanding issues in the spirit of friendly consultations .
He hoped that the Macao government would further strengthen the consultations and co @-@ operation with the Chinese side on the major issues regarding the stable transition of Macao and the smooth handing over of political power , in a way that would be beneficial to the stability and development of Macao .
Peng Li said : " We believe , through the friendly co @-@ operation and joint effort of both the Chinese and Portuguese sides , the stable transition and smooth handing over of the political power would definitely be realized .
Viera happily recalled the two meetings he had with Premier Peng Li in 1991 and 1992 , and highly assessed the important contributions made by the Chinese government and Premier Peng Li himself in the development of the relationship between Portugal and China and the resolution of the Macao issue .
Viera said , he was glad to see that China had achieved great progress in the areas of economic and social life , and expressed complete understanding that the modernization build - up needed to be carried out under stable situations .
He said , the stability and development of China was beneficial to world peace and development , and that the prosperity and stability of China was the basic guarantee for the prosperity and stability of Macao .
He and the Portuguese government would continue to put forth effort towards the continuous development and smooth resolution of the Macao issue .
( End )
Xinhua News Agency , Bonn , April 23 rd
Germany 's Foreign Minister , Kinkerl said that , he welcomed the NATO ultimatum to the Serbian people of Bosnia - Herzegovina .
At the same time , he also demanded that new talks be held to end the civil war in Bosnia - Herzegovina .
Kinkerl said that NATO 's decision was " correct and necessary " .
But , as an auxiliary method of military measures , restarting a dialogue is also necessary .
He requested the United Nations , the European Union , the US and Russia to put forward a new joint proposal to force both warring parties of the Bosnia - Herzegovina to return to the negotiating table .
On the 22 nd , the sixteen NATO countries asked the armed forces of the Serbian people of Bosnia - Herzegovina to withdraw to a place 3 kilometers away from Gerlaridy city before 0 @:@ 00 on April 24 th ( Greenwich Mean Time ) , and to guarantee that United Nations humanitarian aid would go unblocked and unhindered , otherwise NATO would begin air strikes against the Serbian army .
( End )
Xinhua News Agency , Beijing , August 31 st , by reporter Jie Sun
China 's chemical industry is accelerating the pace of opening up to the outside world , and striding into the world .
According to Ministry of Chemical Industry presentations , total chemical imports and exports in China were less than 300 million US dollars in 1978 , reached 7.5 billion US dollars last year , and there are already 30 chemical enterprises who exported foreign exchange surpassing 10 million US dollars .
Complete equipment set exports of China 's chemical industry made a fractional breakthrough , while double equipment set installations , with an annual production of 40,000 tons of ion film caustic soda , were successively exported to Indonesia and complete equipment sets , with an annual production of 200,000 tons of sodium carbonate , were exported to Iran .
Technology exports also made new progress .
Currently , technology exports that China can provide reach 52 .
According to incomplete statistics , in the past 3 years , China exported more than 20 technologies , such as anthraquinone hydrogen peroxide solution , variable voltage absorption , etc .
Up to the first half of this year , China 's Ministry of Chemical Industry signed co @-@ operation agreements with 15 large international chemical corporations .
In the past ten years , foreign capital that China 's chemical industry accumulatively absorbed reached 8.5 billion US dollars , and is being used for the construction and technology transformation of chemical fertilizer and petroleum .
( End )
Xinhua News Agency , Nanjing , April 23 rd , by reporter Futian Yang
Zijin Mountain Observatory of the China Academy Of Sciences announced today that a nation - wide observation network for the collision of Shoemaker - Levy 9 Comet with Jupiter had been built in China and a large - scale astronomical observation plan had been formulated as well .
According to experts , Jupiter , which orbits the Sun like the Earth , is the largest planet in the solar system .
This incident of observing of the comet colliding with Jupiter possesses extremely important significance in researching and forecasting comets colliding with Earth .
The Chinese astronomy arena also places great importance on this phenomenon of the comet colliding with Jupiter and will closely focus attention on its development and changes .
In the past few days , under the support of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the National Natural Science Foundation , a seminar on the plan to monitor comet Shoemaker - Levy 9 colliding with Jupiter convened in Nanjing and more than forty astronomers from all over the country attended .
Experts think that this rare and important astronomical phenomenon requires continuous global observation , and that China is located at an important longitudinal position between Japan and Europe , so , China 's observational material from is an indispensable and irreplaceable component in the international joint observation .
At that time , China will put all advanced astronomical equipment to use to carry out observation , including 2.16 - meter reflecting telescopes , 1.26 - meter infrared telescopes and radio telescopes .
25 - meter telescopes in the decimeter and centimeter wave bands , 10 - meter wave band telescopes and advanced optical telescope terminal equipment will also be used .
Nanjing Zijin Mountain Observatory has more than forty years of experience in the observation and research of comets and asteroids , and its planet research office is the only scientific research organization in China conducting long term research on comets and asteroids , and since 1988 also started researching the issues of the solar system 's celestial bodies colliding .
This station 's planet experts also attended many international scientific seminars on the dangers of comets and asteroids colliding with Earth .
( End )
Xinhua News Agency , Beijing , April 23 rd
A Foreign Ministry spokesperson said today that , at the invitation of China 's Red Cross , Gedinage , the head of the Red Cross 's International Committee and his delegation of four people , visited China from April 18 th to the 23 rd .
The spokesperson said that , both sides held a friendly , honest and down - to - earth , specialist - level working discussion on questions of further developing communication and cooperation .
The negotiations carried out thorough discussions on some principle and detailed issues and some understanding was reached .
Both sides unanimously believed that the talk had positive results .
The two sides will continue to strive together and strengthen cooperation in a pragmatic spirit .
( End )
Xinhua News Agency , Biskech , April 23 rd , by reporters Shuchun Zhou and Mengjun Ju
This afternoon , premier Peng Li and Zumegloph , premier of the Kirghizia government held a comprehensive and in - depth talk concerning developing bilateral economic and trade relations .
The talk was held in a practical and friendly atmosphere .
Zumegloph said that the two countries of China and Kirghizia had a traditional friendly relationship and this relationship was increasingly strengthened and continuously developing .
He said that , now Kirghizia was at the phase of economic reform and paid much attention to strengthening economic connections with China and using the experiences of China for reference , including the experiences of China 's agricultural reform .
He said that Xinjiang and some other regions of China had already established more than 70 joint venture enterprises , including food , fur , etc. , in Kirghizia and the operation condition was good , and the specialists of both parties were demonstrating on cooperative projects of paper making , sanitation , medicine , etc .
Zumegloph also made a presentation to Peng Li about Kirghizia 's economic situation .
Peng Li said that the economic difficulties Kirghizia faced with during the reform were temporary , and that only after through diligence could it be completely overcome .
Peng Li said that in the past two years or more , economic trade and cooperation between the two countries has begun smoothly and has made considerable progress .
Bilateral trade has developed very rapidly but still had potential .
The Chinese government , especially the Xinjiang Uigur Autonomous Region , would endeavor to develop cooperation with Kirghizia in various fields such as economy and trade , etc .
From now on , the two countries would explore and utilize the advantageous conditions of the two countries more fully , act according to rules of economy , guarantee that bilateral benefits , continuously enrich the shape of cooperation and improve the level and class of the trade of the two countries .
Because of this , both parties should endeavor to create conditions , including solving problems of traffic and transportation that hinder the development of economic and trade cooperation .
Peng Li also said , " This time there are a number of entrepreneurs who have come with me to visit , and both sides can enhance contact .
The Chinese government encourages and supports China 's enterprise circles in participating in Kirghizia 's economic construction on the basis of equality and mutual benefit . "
Premier Peng Li invited premier Zumegloph to visit China at his convenience .
Zumegloph expressed his thanks for this and accepted the invitation happily .
( End )
Xinhua News Agency , Teheran , August 31 st , by reporter Ming Chen
Hasang Hapipy , Iran 's first vice president said today when arriving back in Teheran that he expressed satisfaction over the result of visiting China after ending a 3 - day friendly visit to China .
Hapipy said to reporters at the airport that during his visit he exchanged ideas with Chinese leaders concerning bilateral relationship , international and regional problems .
He said that , the projects of economic cooperation between the two countries of Iran and China were being implemented , and the two countries would jointly invest in Central Asian areas to implement economic cooperation .
China , Iran and a third country would also jointly invest in reconstructing China 's oil refinery equipment to expand the capability of extracting Iran 's petroleum .
( End )
Xinhua News Agency , Moscow , August 31 , by reporter Rong Xie
Russia 's last group of personnel that should withdraw of the Northwest military troop stationed in the three countries of the Baltic Sea completely withdrew from Latvia on the 31 st .
Until now , Russia has completed the troop withdrawal work from the three countries of Baltic Sea .
It is reported by news media here that on the 31 st , the personnel of the Russian Northwest troop headquarters turned over military installations to the local government , submitted a report to Latvian president Ulmanis regarding the completion of troop withdrawal , and then withdrew from Riga to Moscow by plane .
Russian troops stationed in Lithuania already withdrew back home before August 31 st of 1993 , and troops stationed in Estonia completed troop withdrawal work on the 29 th of this month .
According to agreements reached by Russia with the governments of Latvia and Estonia , currently there are still a few hundred Russian military experts remaining in the early warning radar stations of the Latvian and Russian naval education centers in Estonia .
The Russian Northwest troop clusters are former Soviet troops stationed in the above three countries , with headquarters set in the Latvian Republic .
The total original military strength was more than 116,000 people , within which most , more than 50,000 people , were stationed in Latvia ; more than 35,000 people in Lithuania , and more than 30,000 people in Estonia .
After the disintegration of the former Soviet Union , these troop clusters were transferred to Russian ownership .
It is reported that the Russian troops that withdrew from the three Baltic Sea countries will be stationed respectively in the Russian state of Jalininggele , the state of Simolingsike and Yelinia city which is 300 kilometers away from Moscow .
( End )
