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Argentine Parliamentary Leaders Meet Chinese Official. The vice president of the Argentine Senate, Lopez Arias, and the vice president of the Chamber of Deputies, Olardo Britos, on Wednesday met visiting Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Vice Chairman Wang Zhaoguo. The vice president of the Argentine Senate, Lopez Arias, and the vice president of the Chamber of Deputies, Olardo Britos, on Wednesday met visiting Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Vice Chairman Wang Zhaoguo. The two vice presidents welcomed Wang's visit at such a difficult time in their country. Britos said the Argentine government and parliament always attach great importance to developing friendly relations with China. The Argentine people thanked China for supporting Argentina's legal demand for the restoration of sovereignty over the Malvinas islands. Wang said this year was the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Argentina. Under the tendency for globalization and multipolarization, the smooth development of Sino-Argentina ties has profound significance. He expressed his firm belief that the Argentine government and people could overcome the current crisis and walk forward on the road of development. Wang thanked Argentina for its unmistakably stand on human rights and on the Taiwan issue. The two sides also exchanged views on strengthening economic and trade ties and cooperation between the CPPCC and the National People's Congress of China and the Argentine parliament. **** Arafat Sends Letter to Chinese President Over Worsening Mideast Situation. Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat has appealed to China to use its influence, working together with the international community, to press ahead with efforts to stop the worsening of the situation in the Middle East and salvage the region's peace process. Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat has appealed to China to use its influence, working together with the international community, to press ahead with efforts to stop the worsening of the situation in the Middle East and salvage the region's peace process. In a letter to Chinese President Jiang Zemin, Arafat said China is a major power commanding great influence in international affairs and that the Palestinian side has highly appreciated China's efforts towards the cause of peace in the Middle East. In the letter which was dated January 22 and handed to Wu Jiuhong, director of China's office in Palestine during a meeting between the two on Tuesday night, Arafat also briefed the Chinese president on the current situation in Palestine. Actions by Israeli troops in Palestinian territory have crossed all "red lines" and the situation in Palestine is deteriorating and in danger of getting out of control, to which people cannot stand with their eyes closed, Arafat said. Arafat also said that the Palestinian side, in the best interests of the Palestinian people and security and stability in the Middle East, would continue to honor their commitment to the ceasefire, despite the fact Israeli tanks and armored cars are just around him. **** Palestinians: Cease-Fire Can't Be Enforced Because of Israeli Raids. Islamic militants threatened "all-out war" Wednesday to avenge the killing of a Hamas commander in the West Bank, and Yasser Arafat's Palestinian Authority said it can no longer be expected to enforce a truce with Israel. Islamic militants threatened "all-out war" Wednesday to avenge the killing of a Hamas commander in the West Bank, and Yasser Arafat's Palestinian Authority said it can no longer be expected to enforce a truce with Israel. With tensions and violence rising, Secretary of State Colin Powell telephoned Arafat on Wednesday to urge him to curb attacks on Israel. The U.S. ambassador to Israel called on Israelis and Palestinians to urge their governments to work for peace. Palestinian militants and mainstream activists marched together in a funeral procession in Nablus, burying the dead from Israel's raid on a bomb factory a day earlier. Four Hamas activists were killed, including West Bank militant leader Yousef Soragji, 42, mastermind of several suicide bombings. The Israeli army commander in the West Bank said it was the biggest bomb factory ever uncovered, and the military displayed the range of explosives and timing devices found in the Nablus apartment. More than 15,000 people marched in the funeral, led by activists from Hamas and the Al Aqsa Brigades, a militia linked to Arafat's Fatah movement. Hamas pledged an "all-out war" against Israel in retaliation, and Palestinian Cabinet secretary Ahmed Abdel Rahman said the Palestinian Authority could not enforce a cease-fire under the circumstances. "The Israeli guns are being pointed to our heads," he told The Associated Press. "We are not able to implement any of our commitments." **** Iraq's Aziz Visits Moscow for Sanctions Talks. Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz arrived in Moscow on Wednesday to seek Russia's help in easing UN trade sanctions imposed on Baghdad after its 1990 invasion of Kuwait. Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz arrived in Moscow on Wednesday to seek Russia's help in easing UN trade sanctions imposed on Baghdad after its 1990 invasion of Kuwait. Russia, Iraq's main trade partner and close ally in the UN Security Council, has demanded that the United Nations pursue "a comprehensive settlement" of the sanctions issue -- a final decision to lift the sanctions. But the United States supports "smart sanctions," which would cut the list of goods requiring UN approval before reaching Iraq, while tightening controls over imports deemed usable for military purposes. Iraq strongly opposes any revision of the sanctions. But some Iraqis fear that Moscow is pressing Baghdad to accept a resolution under which the trade sanctions would be suspended if Iraq allowed UN arms inspectors back into the country. Iraq opposes the return of the UN inspectors, calling them U.S. spies. The inspectors left the country ahead of U.S.-British strikes on Iraq in 1998 and Baghdad has refused to allow them back in. The sanctions cannot be lifted unless the UN inspectors verify that Baghdad has dismantled its weapons of mass destruction. Aziz is expected to spend three days in Moscow, where he is due to meet with officials from the Foreign and Defense ministries. He was also expected to discuss concerns that the United States may extend its anti-terrorist campaign into Iraq. Russia has warned that such an action could divide the anti-terrorist coalition and argued that no evidence exists of Iraqi involvement in the Sept. 11 terror attacks on the United States. During the Iraqi official's visit, the Kremlin is also expected to reiterate its demand that the United States and Britain stop airstrikes on Iraq. After leaving Russia, Aziz will travel to China, which like Moscow has veto power on the Security Council and maintains significant trade relations with Iraq. **** Chinese, Egyptian Presidents Hold Talks in Beijing Chinese President Jiang Zemin started talks with Egyptian President Muhammed Hosni Mubarak Wednesday afternoon, saying he believes that Mubarak's current visit to China is bound to further the existing strategic cooperative relations between the two countries and promote bilateral cooperation in various fields. Chinese President Jiang Zemin started talks with Egyptian President Muhammed Hosni Mubarak Wednesday afternoon, saying he believes that Mubarak's current visit to China is bound to further the existing strategic cooperative relations between the two countries and promote bilateral cooperation in various fields. Jiang extended his welcome to Mubarak at the beginning of the talks, calling Mubarak as his "old friend", and said this is their fifth meeting. Mubarak also said Jiang is his old friend, and expressed his thanks for Jiang's efforts for the development of bilateral cooperation. Mubarak recalled his first visit to China in 1976 and said bilateral cooperation has continued to develop since then, adding that bilateral relations at present are stronger. Before the talks, Jiang presided over a welcoming ceremony at the Great Hall of the People for Mubarak who is on his eighth visit to China. Mubarak arrived here earlier Wednesday for a state visit to China as Jiang's guest. ***** South Korean President Faces Protests Over Arrested Union Leaders. International protests are to be targeted at South Korean President Kim Dae-Jung on Tuesday over the arrest of leading labour leaders. International protests are to be targeted at South Korean President Kim Dae-Jung on Tuesday over the arrest of leading labour leaders. Thousands of unionists will launch protest rallies in front of South Korean diplomatic missions at 22 cities in 15 countries on Tuesday calling for the release of two arrested leaders, the Korean Confederation of Trade Union (KCTU) said. The KCTU, South Korea's second largest labor confederation with 650,000 members, has demanded the government free its chief Dan Byung-Ho and Korean metal workers' federation head Mun Sung-Hyun. They were arrested last year and are eing tried for what the government calls illegal union activites. Backing the KCTU campaign, the Geneva-based International Metalworkers Federation (IMF) has organized protests for January 22. "The IMF wants all trade unionists out of jail and the counry to return to democracy before the World Cup takes places," said Marcello Malentacchi, its general secretary, in a statement. "President Kim Dae-Jung. Shame on you! Release Korean unionists," said a poster released by the IMF and the KCTU for the so-called "day of solidarity." The poster carries the photos of Kim, the 2000 Nobel Peace Prize winner, smiling, and the two union leaders and other workers arrested by Korean police. Kim took office in 1998 on the strength of wide support from workers, but trade unions began to lose faith in him as economic reforms required lay-offs and pay cuts. In a letter to the KCTU, the IMF said member unionists in 15 countries, including 1,300 in Russia and up to 1,000 in South Africa, were ready to rally in front of South Korean embassies. **** China to Play 'Significant' Role in Afghanistan's Reconstruction. China has made marked economic achievements and can play a "significant" role in the reconstruction of Afghanistan, Foreign Minister Dr. Abdullah Abdullah of the Afghan Interim Government said China has made marked economic achievements and can play a "significant" role in the reconstruction of Afghanistan, Foreign Minister Dr. Abdullah Abdullah of the Afghan Interim Government said Wednesday evening in Beijing. At a press conference held at the Afghan embassy, Abdullah said that during the meeting between Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji and Afghan Interim Government Chairman Hamid Karzai, both sides extended willingness to cooperate in Afghanistan's reconstruction work. Earlier, Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan and Abdullah signed two documents on the Chinese government's provision to the Afghan Interim Government of one million U.S. dollars as initiating fund and 30 million yuan-worth (over 3.6 million U.S. dollars) of emergency assistance in the form of goods. Abdullah said many Chinese products and technological items are urgently needed in the reconstruction of Afghanistan, including in the fields of medical equipment, road construction, high technology, communication equipment and landmine clearance. "The trade relations between the two can start at any time," he added. On the anti-terrorism issue, he said that his government will " take every measure to make sure that no terrorist can act inside Afghanistan, live in Afghanistan or use the soil of Afghanistan against other countries." "Our position is firm and clear," he stressed, adding that his government will "extend full cooperation" with China on the issue. **** Lockerbie Appeal Challenges Judges. Lawyers for the man convicted of the 1988 Lockerbie bombing challenged on Wednesday the verdict of the judges in the original trial. Lawyers for the man convicted of the 1988 Lockerbie bombing challenged on Wednesday the verdict of the judges in the original trial. Defense lawyer William Taylor QC claimed that no "reasonable" jury would have found Abdelbaset ali Mohmed al-Megrahi guilty of the Pan Am Flight 103 bombing, in which 270 people died. The appeal, which began on Wednesday, is being heard at the same venue as the trial, a specially built court at Camp Zeist in the Netherlands, the BBC reported. The hearing is creating history by becoming the first British court proceedings to be televised live and streamed live on the Internet. At the start of the hearing, the defense team issued a nine- page submission detailing their grounds for appeal. Taylor told the five appeal judges he intended to show that the trial judges had effectively misdirected themselves as jurors and led to a miscarriage of justice. He said he would be questioning the validity of parts of the written opinion and intended to bring fresh evidence which cast doubt on the conviction. Al-Megrahi was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 20 years when the trial ended on January 31, 2001. His co-accused, Al Amin Khalifa Fhimah, a former station manager for Libyan Arab Airlines, was acquitted after the judges ruled there was no evidence he had helped plant the bomb. The panel of five judges hearing the appeal is headed by Lord Cullen, the Lord Justice General, who has presided over several high-profile public inquiries. Taylor said he would argue that the verdict reached by the original court was not one that a reasonable jury in an ordinary trial could have reached if it was given proper directions by the judge. According to the prosecution's version of events, which was accepted by the three trial judges, the suitcase carrying the bomb which blew up the plane was loaded onto a plane in Malta. From there it was transported via Frankfurt to Heathrow, where it was loaded onto Pan Am flight 103. Al-Megrahi's defense team has always insisted the bomb suitcase was more likely to have been placed on board the plane at Heathrow and wants to introduce new evidence to support that claim. It wants to hear fresh testimony from security guard Ray Manly who has claimed there was a break-in at the baggage build up area at Heathrow Airport on 21 December 1988, the same day Pan Am Flight 103 took off from there bound for America. The defense will also launch a fresh attack on the evidence of Tony Gauci, a Maltese shopkeeper who identified al-Megrahi as a man who had bought clothing at his store a few weeks before the bombing. **** Norway to Help DPRK Develop Hydroelectric Power Industry. Norwegian Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik said Thursday that his country will help develop hydroelectric power in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). Norwegian Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik said Thursday that his country will help develop hydroelectric power in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). At a news conference following his meeting with South PresidentKim Dae-jung, Bondevik said he hopes to consult with the South Korean government on the issue, adding that his government will send a fact-finding delegation to Pyongyang to study hydroelectricpower plant program. At their meeting, Kim and Bondevik discussed the latest political situation on the Korean Peninsula and ways to enhance bilateral cooperation. They agreed to further cooperative relationship in fisheries, energy, shipbuilding, information technology and scientific studies on the Arctic Circle as well as in international organizations like the World Trade Organization (WTO), according to a press release by the South Korean Presidential Office. The two nations have signed accords for closer cooperation in the fisheries and information technology fields, including establishment of a ultra-high speed communication network, cooperation in wireless mobile communications, the exchange of experts in the communications field and the establishment of related training programs. Bondevik, who arrived here Wednesday for a three-day visit, is the first Norwegian prime minister to come to Seoul since the diplomatic normalization between the two countries in 1959. Norwayand the DPRK established diplomatic ties in 1973. _________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki Phone +358-40-7177941 Fax +358-9-7591081 http://www.kominf.pp.fi General class struggle news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe mails to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Geopolitical news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] __________________________________________________
