(VOA November, 2002)
News 33
And the State Department hascongratulatedTurkey’s Justice and Development Party onitsbigelectionwin Sunday. VOA’s R.W. reports thefirsttaskfacing the new party istodecide which of itsmembers will be Prime Minister. The AKP says itsexecutiveboard will meet on Tuesday todiscuss who willbeputforwardfor Prime Minister afteritsoverwhelmingvictoryatthepoll.
The AKP is thefirstTurkish party in morethanadecade that will beabletogovern alone withouttheneed to form a cumbersomecoalition. Theonly other group toenterthelegislature is the staunchlysecular Republican Peoples’s Party, which obtained 19% of the vote.
(VOA November, 2002)
News 34
Iraq’s Parliamentary Speaker S.H. told the 250–member body the resolution is provocative, deceitful, and a preamble for war. He said the resolution seekstocreate a crisis and pavestheway for aggression rather than for peace. Mr. H. wasspeaking to the openingsession of the emergency meeting of Parliament called by President Saddam Hussein toconsider Security Council resolution unanimouslyapproved last Friday. The Head of Iraq’sArab and International Relations Committee S.A. told Parliament to reject the resolution and handthematteroverto President Saddam for finaldecision. The finaldecision on Iraq’s positionwillbedetermined by President Saddam thru his RevolutionaryCommandCouncil. ArabLeagueSecretary General A. said Monday he believes Iraq willcooperate with the new resolution. High–levelsources in the ArabLeague have told VOA Mr. Saddam hasalreadydecidedtoaccept the terms of the resolution, which callson Iraq toallow UN weapons inspectors fullaccess to all sitesthroughout the country including Saddam Hussein’s 9 presidentialpalaces.
Iraq has been told if itrejects the resolution, the US wouldbewilling to act unilaterally, if necessary, to disarm Iraq. Iraq has untilFriday to decide whethertoaccept the resolution.
(VOA November, 2002)
News 35
Prime Minister Blair usedhisannualForeignPolicyAddress at a London Bank Monday night to explain how his governmenthandlesthethreats of new attacks by the Al-Qaeda terroristnetwork. He spoke as intelligenceanalystswarned of possible terrorist strikes before year’send in Britain or elsewhere in Europe. Mr. Blair says the dilemma for his government and the people of Britain istomaintainvigilance without crippling the economy and social life. Mr. Blair says modern–dayterrorism knows noboundsofgeography or scale, as evidence by the attacksagainst the US last year, and the recent Bali bombblast, and the Moscowtheatresiege. The Prime Minister said the worldcommunity also must realize that the Israeli–Palestinian conflictisarousing much of, what he called, the passion and anger that Islamic terrorists exploit. Mr. Blair isurging the new Middle East peacenegotiations, preferably before the end of this year.
“ Until this happens, this issue hangslikeadarkshadow over our world chilling our relations with each other, poisoning the understanding of our motives, and providing the cover under which the fanatics build their strength. ”
(VOA November, 2002)
News 36
The ColombianRoman Catholic Bishop who heads the Latin American Bishop Conference hasbeenkidnapped outside Bogota. Policesay gunmen seizedMonsignor J.R.H. and another priest Monday as theyheadedto the town of P. toperformareligiousceremony. The Commander of the Colombian Army JCRA isofferinga35-thousand-dollarreward for information leading to the release. The Army blamestheincidenton the Rebel Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, the nation’s largest guerrilla force.
(VOA November, 2002)
News 37
Russia isboundtokeepfighting rebels based in the mountains of Chechnya until all guerrillashavebeendriven from the region. Russia’s Defense Minister S. Ivanov said Monday the troopswillcontinue to fightsthetargets in operation in Chechnya. The announcement cameshortlyafter Chechen separatist President A. Maskhadov said heremainsready for peace talks with Russian President V. Putin. President Putin again ruledoutanynegotiations with Mr. Maskhadov toendthewar in the breakaway republic.
(VOA November, 2002)
News 38
There wasmoretalkon Russia and Chechnya in Brussels. That came as Russia reached an agreementwith European Union officials ontheeasingof travel rules to the Russian Baltic region known as Kaliningrad. VOA’s R.W. has the story.
Kaliningrad hasbeencutofffrom the rest of Russia since the Soviet Union disintegration in 1991. Russians livingintheenclave have been able to travel to Russia itself thru Lithuania and Poland withoutvisas. But thatwillchange when those two countries join the EU. EU rules requirethemtostrengthen border controls and issuevisasfor most non–EU citizens including Russians. But Russia hasprotestedstrenuously that its citizens shouldnothavetoobtainvisasto travel between different parts of their country. The EU and Russia weredeadlockedon the issue until Monday when afterdoubtinalineof negotiations they finally struckacompromise that willallow Russians traveling between Kaliningrad and Russia to use a special document akintoamultipleentry visa. Danish Prime Minister Andres Fogh Rasmussen, whose country holds the EU’s rotatingpresidency, says the deal satisfies Russian concerns and the EU requirements.
(VOA November, 2002)
News 39
In focus today Nepal. The smallSouthAsian nation of 23 million people landlockedbetween world’s two most populated nations, India and China, isfacingaguerrilla war by Maoist rebels who wanttoabolishthemonarchy and establish a Communist system in their poorcountry. S.A. reports.
With the world’s highest mountain Everest and spectacularscenery and wildlife, Nepal hasbeen a popular tourist destination. But now the country is thefocus of a violentrebelmovement. Almost 7000 people havedied since 1996 when the Maoists launchedabloodyinsurgency. Maoists now hold about aquarterofthecountry and areincreasing their control ofrural areas. Most of these Maoists are young people from peasantfamilies of D.L.Hindus and makeup 20% of Nepal’spopulation. Several leaders of these Nepalese Maoists comefromlowermiddleclass families. Many of them areeducated and wereinfluencedby leftist ideas while studying in India and other countries. Although the movement wasinitiallyinspiredby the revolutionary notions of thelate Chinese Communist leader Mao Zedon, many analysts today say the rebelsarebuildingon popular discontent in the country.
(VOA November, 2002)
News 40
A curfewhasbeenenforced overnight in the northern Nigerian city of K. after riots over the Miss World beauty contest in which at least 12 people werekilled and more than 200 hurt. Heavy security hasrestored a degreeoforder after street battlesinvolving Muslim youthprotesting the pageantbeingheld next month in Nigeria. P.S. reports.
With a curfew imposed, a degreeoflawandorder has returned to K. following escalating violence sparkedby a controversial story in a national newspaper. The article said that if the ProphetMuhammad were alive, he wouldtake a Miss World contestantashiswife. This hasbeeninterpreted by many Muslims to be extremelyoffensive.
(BBC November, 2002)
News 41
Israeli forceshaveentered the town of Bethlehem inresponseto a Palestinian suicideattack on a bus in Jerusalem on Thursday. Israeli soldiers havetakenuppositions around Christianholysites in the centre of the city. S.W. reports.
The Israeli operation beganintheearlyhours. Troops entered the town fromthesouth and eastsurrounding houses and making arrests. One detachment of soldiers headedfor M. Square securing the entranceto the Church of Nativity. The Church, which marks the traditional birthplaceofChrist, was the sceneofa lengthysiege earlier this year after Palestinian gunmentookrefuge there during
an earlier Israeli incursion. Israeli military and political sources said the action’sbeingtakentodisrupt the infrastructure of the extremist groups, who’vekilled hundreds of Israelis overthepast two years in shootings and suicide bombings.
(BBC November, 2002)
News 42
The authorities in Ecuador havedeclared a state of emergency in the Andian city of R.B., where a powerful explosion atanammunitiondepot on Wednesday killed at least 7 people and injuredhundredsmore. Ecuadorian President A.N. said that the moveshouldhelpchannel funds to the emergency services, whichare s trugglingtocopewith a large number of injured. The mayor of R.B. said that notasinglehouse in the city wasleftwithout a broken window.
(BBC November, 2002)
News 43
North Korea isreportedtohaverefusedentry to international experts who want to check the use of fueloilsupplied by international consortium. Diplomats in Japan said the decision hadbeenconveyedintheletter to the consortium, the Korean P eninsula Energy Organisation, by the authorities in Pyongyang. It’sprovided North Korea with fuel since 1994 in exchange for the freezing of its nuclear programme. But the agency stopped the oilshipments after North Korea hadreported the mission that it secretlyoperated a uranium enrichment programme.
(BBC November, 2002)
News 44
Russia and China haveurged the United States and North Korea to normalisediplomaticrelations and calledfor the Korean P eninsulatobekeptfreeof nuclear weapons. The call came inthejointdeclaration by the Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Jiang Zemin. T.W. reports.
After anhour-long meeting in Beijing Presidents Putin and Jiang appealed to the US and North Korea toestablishcloserties. They also said a nuclear–free North Korea wasimportantforthedestinyof the world and thesecurityof the region. Both China and Russia havestronglinkswith North Korea. Pyongyang’s relations with the United States havebeenstrained since October when North Korea reportedlyadmitted that it works secretly todevelop nuclear weapons inbreachof the 1994 A greementtofreeze its nuclear programme. Inresponse Washington hashalted deliveries of fuel oil to Pyongyang.
(BBC December, 2002)
News 45
A high–level conference opens in Germany today toassessprogresstowardspeace and reconstruction in Afghanistan. A year after the fall of the Taleban and the internationally - backedsettlement that made Hamid Karzai President. Security islikelytobe the dominant issue. On Sunday American planes bombedanareaof Western Afghanistan after US soldiers cameunderfire during a battle between Afghan militias. A.C. reports from Bonn.
Thistimelastyear officials in Bonn werecelebratingtheestablishment of the post–conflict government in Afghanistan. Security willinevitablybeatthetopof the agenda. Although UN force patrols the capital Kabul, therehavebeen several outbreaks of fighting between the rivalwarlords in the provinces indicating that President Hamid Karzai hasonlylimitedauthorityacross Afghanistan. With extremepovertystillwidespread, Afghanistan’s economic recovery will also be a major focus of the talks. Effortstoreconstruct theshattered infrastructure have been slow.
(BBC December, 2002)
News 46
Reports from the United States say the Roman Catholic Church in Boston isconsideringtheunprecedented step offilingforbankruptcy. The archdioceseisfacing more than four hundred lawsuitslaunched by people who say they were sexually abusedinchildhood by priests. Bankruptcy protection would suspend all these actions and prevent any new ones beingfiled while the Church reorganises its finances.
(BBC December, 2002)
News 47
The new Archbishop of Canterbury R.W. officially takesuphisappointment today becoming the spiritualhead of the world’s 60 million Anglicans at the ceremony in St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. Dr. R. hasalreadyangered conservatives in the Church by speakingoutinsupportof stable homosexual relationships and ofthepromotion of women priests totherankofbishops.
(BBC December, 2002)
News 48
United Nation’s weapons inspectors in Iraq havebeguninvestigating Saddam Hussein’s Scud MissileProgramme. From the plant in Baghdad B.B. reports.
In the past Al.K. isknowntohavemadeguidance and controlsystems for Scud missiles, which werefiredby Iraq during the Gulf War at Israel and Saudi Arabia. Under UN’s rules Saddam Hussein isnowonlyallowedshort-range missiles but the recent British government dossieron Iraq claims he has illegally heldonto 20 muchmorepowerful Scuds witharangeof 400 miles, or 650 kilometres, inordertothreaten his neighbours and even British militarybases on Cyprus.
(BBC December, 2002)
News 49
The British government istodayreleasing a detailed reporton, what it says, the widespreadtorture and murder of thousands of opponents of the Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. The Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said the aimistoremind the world that the abusesof the Iraqi government extendfarbeyond its pursuit of weapons of mass destruction.
(BBC December, 2002)
News 50
The three–mancrew of the French minisubmarine is waiting to see if weather conditions willlet them divedownto the wreck of the oiltanker ‘Prestige’ off the northwest coastof Spain. The submarine arrivedin the port of Vigo yesterday. The French team planstomakeaseriesofdives to see if the tanker isstillleakingoil.
(BBC December, 2002)
News 51
The United States says ithasasolidbasis for saying Iraq does have weapons of massdestructioneventhough UN inspectors haveyettofind any of them. A White House spokesman said Thursday it has intelligence information proving that Iraq has banned weapons. Iraq meanwhile says the declaration that it must turnover by Sunday willnotlist any of these banned chemical, biological or nucleararms, and UN weapons inspectors areexpectedtoresume their search Saturday after takingatwo–daybreak while Iraq observes theendof the Muslim holymonth of Ramadan.
(VOA December, 2002)
News 52
President Bush says fighting terrorism is globalinnature and all countries should work together. He made the comment Thursday during the White House meeting with Kenyan President D.M. and Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi intheaftermathof the last week’stwin terror attacks in Kenya. Mr. Bush said if terrorists couldstrikein Kenya, they couldstrike in Ethiopia and Europe or elsewhere. And he called the leaders of the two Horn-of-Africa countries steadfastallies in the war against terror. And they pledgedtokeepsharing information with the United States and tokeepworking to cutofffunding for terrorists.
(VOA December, 2002)
News 53
Hospital officials in the GazaStrip say Israeli forces have killed seven Palestinians in the B. refugeecamp. Witnesses say Israeli troops and tanks pushedinto the camp earlier today sparkinggunfires before destroying a house. Meantime on Thursday Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said Osama Bin Laden’s Al-Qaeda network isoperating in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon.
(VOA December, 2002)
News 54
Macedonia says Al–Qaeda terrorists mighthavebeenbehind the Thursday bombing of its consulate in Karachi, Pakistan that left 3 people dead. The Macedonian ForeignMinistry called the assault a professionally prepared terrorist attack and said a message left on the wall of the blastidentified the attackersas Al–Qaeda members.
(VOA December, 2002)
New 55
Meanwhile other American law–makers are speakingout about the twelve–thousand–pagereport Iraq submitted Saturday to the UN. Baghdad says it shows it has no weapons of massdestruction. Senator J.L., a Connecticut Democrat, told the Fax News Sunday television program that he hasdoubts.
President Bush said in his radioaddress Saturday that the report willcomment a closestudy. He acknowledged it will take some time to determine its honesty and completeness.
(VOA December, 2002)
News 56
More than two dozenadditional inspectors join the UN team in Iraq on Sunday. Thosealreadythere visited a geologicalsurvey company in Baghdad and a pesticideplantoutside the capital.
(VOA December, 2002)
News 57
US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Lee Armitage justarrivedin Tokyo on his first stop of afour–nationtour in order to gathersupportfor a possible US–led waron Iraq. Reports say Japan wants to do more than justprovidemonetarysupport but isboundby its constitution not to use military force. Last week Japan didsend a high–techwarship to the Indian Ocean to offerlogisticalsupport. Aftermeeting with Japanese officials, Mr. A. willheadto South Korea, China, and Australia.
(VOA December, 2002)
News 58
Forecastsfor rain are bringinghope to Australia’s New South Wales State, where firefightersarebattling more than 60 brush fires. Since the fires brokeout last Wednesday, they’vescorched 100 thousand hectares of land. From Sidney F.M. has more.
Authorities say after 5 days of emergencyconditions the outlook is beginning to improve. Cooler temperatures and moderate winds have given the firefighters an opportunity to gaintheupperhandover many of the fires. Furtherreliefisin sight, with rain forecast for Tuesday. Blazes still burnoutof control to the north of Sidney and in the Blue Mountains to the west. It’sthought many were started by arsonists or by careless smokers. No homes have been destroyedin the past 48 hours and many roads that havebeenclosed by the fires havereopened. One emergency worker said once the fire getsgoing, it sounds likeawildanimalcoming toward you. Australia’s environmental protection authority says airpollution from the bush fires is very high. Healthofficials have urged anyone with breathingdisorders to stayindoors. Two people havedied in the fires, which havedevastated thousands of hectares of land since beginning on Wednesday.
(VOA December, 2002)
News 59
European Union leaders meetingin Copenhagen have decided Turkey willhavetowait at least two more years before it’sinvitedtostartmembershiptalks. The Danish EU Presidency said the decision will be taken inlate 2004 astowhether Turkey hasmetthecriteriaforjoining the EU. The decision dashesTurkishhopesof earlier negotiations. From Copenhagen C.M. reports.
EU leaders meeting over have decided that theywillnotinvite Turkey tobegintalksonjoining the Union until December 2004 at the earliest. For theTurks that will be abigdisappointment. The government in Ankara havebeenpressingfor an earlier and more definite date. It means theTurkswillnotbeabletostart negotiations onmembershipuntilafter 10 other candidate countries havejoined the Union. That could make Turkey accessionprocess even more complicated. Noneofthiswillmakeitanyeasier to reach a separatedeal to reunify Cyprus, either. EU leaders havealsoagreedon a financial package they will offerto the 10 countries who areonthevergeofcompleting their negotiations. Some of the candidates ledbyPolandarestillholdingoutfor extra cash.
(BBC December, 2002)
News 60
North Korea hasaccused the US ofunpardonablepiracy after a North Korean ship carrying Scud missiles wasstopped and searched on its way to Yemen. A North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman said Washington hadwantonlyencroachedon North Korea’s sovereignty. The unflagged ship wasseized in the Arabian Sea on Tuesday by Spanish warshipactingon an American tip–off. From Seoul C.G. reports.
Remainingsilenton calls to rethink its threat to reactivate its frozen nuclear programme, North Korea hasgoneontheoffensive. It’saccused the United States ofunpardonablepiracy by seizing its vessel in the Arabian Sea this week. The ship wasintercepted by US and Spanish forces and foundtocontainhidden Scud missiles. It was laterreleased and allowedtosailonto its destination in Yemen. The North (Korea’s) belligerent statement came a day after it warned it would immediately reactivate its nuclear powerplant in Yongbyon in order to get desperately needed power. The regime said it had no choice as the US hadstoppedfuelshipments to the country.
(BBC December, 2002)
News 61
The American Secretary of State Colin Powell has announced an initiativetospreaddemocracy, education, and free market across the Middle East. Mr. Powell pledged 29 million dollars towards the projectsaying it was awayofbroadening Washington’s approach to the region. Painting a picture of economic stagnation and unresponsive political systems in the Middle East, Mr. Powell criticised the marginalization of women and thelackof educational opportunities for millions.
(BBC December, 2002)
News 62
Scientists in Germany have announced promisingresults from tests of a new treatmentforsufferersfrommalaria. Writing in the British medical journal “The Lancet”, the scientists say that when they administered a new antibiotic to malariapatients in the West African state of Gabon, the parasites were rapidly destroyed and fever was reduced.
(BBC December, 2002)
News 63
Next: an editorial reflecting the views of the United States government.
A general strike hasparalysed Venezuela’s oil industry, the world’sfifth largest, and ledtoviolence and shortagesof food, drinking water, and cash. The strike isbeingmarked by daily streetprotests for and against Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. The strikers areprotesting President Chavez’s policies, which, opponentscharge, have made millions of Venezuelans poor and driven the country towards communism. The opposition launchedthestrike to demand a non-bindingreferendumon President Chavez’s rule, but now wants general elections soon. President Chavez hasargued that Venezuelan Constitution prohibits earlier elections. A shooting at one opposition rallyleft 3 people dead and 28 wounded. In the words of R.N., US prominentrepresentative to the Organisation of American States, the violenceperpetratedbyarmedcivilians once again claimedthelives of peaceful demonstrators. The US calledupon Venezuelan police and judicialinstitutions to conduct an immediateandthoroughinvestigation and vigorosprosecution of allthoseresponsible. In Caracas S.G. the Secretary General of the OAS, ismediatingnegotiations between the government and the opposition. The talks areaimedatending the strike and allowing earlier elections. But Mr. G. has said that serious differences remain and more violence could erupt. The US callson all sidestorejectviolence and responsiblyrespect constitutional processes and worktoward a peaceful, democratic, and electorialsolutionto the crisis. In the words of President George W. Bush, it is very important for President Chavez to do whathesaid he was goingtodo: to address the reasons why there’s so much turmoil on the streets, and it is very important for him to embrace those institutions which are fundamentalto democracy including freedom of press and freedoms for the oppositiontospeakout. Now morethanever it is essential that the Venezuelan government provide the securitynecessary for the people of Venezuela to exercisepeacefully their fundamental freedoms.
That was an editorial reflecting the views of the United States government.
(VOA December, 2002)
News 64
Once again topping the news: the US and Japan are workingcloselytodiffuse that crisis with North Korea. All of thishastodowith the country’s nuclear weapons program. US SecretaryofState Colin Powell calls the situation difficult and dangerous but he says Washington willnotsign a non–aggression treatydemanded by North Korea and will not holdtalks until Pyongyang abandons its nuclear ambitions. Meantime the Secretary madehiscommentsamid some escalating North Korean regress against the US. An officialgovernment newspaper in North Korea says the peninsula is onthevergeofwar. But as S.C. reports from Seoul, the paperalsosaysconflict can be avoided.
(VOA December, 2002)
News 65
And now Iraq. The US Secretary of State says the Bush administration expects tohaveanassessment of Iraq’s WeaponsDeclarationlater this week and it issignalingstrongly that they find the documentabitlacking. VOA’s D.G. has more from the State Department.
The US isnotexpectedtorelease its own analysis of the massive Iraqi statementuntilafter Chief UN Weapons inspector Hans Blix reportsto the Security Council on Thursday. But at the newsconference with the Japanese Foreign and DefenseMinisters Mr. Powell indicatedstrongly that the emerging US assessments of the critical document is negative. Mr. Powell stressed the importance of UN inspectors’exercising their rightto interview Iraqi weapons scientists who would have first–handknowledgeofthedispositionofbanned weapons.
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