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[Hour by hour news & analysis... http://www.egroups.com/group/Communist-Internet ] [Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ] . . ----- Original Message ----- From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Sunday, April 07, 2002 5:51 PM Subject: [kominform2] China. People´s Daily Apr 8 Extracts. Arab FMs Hold Consultative Meeting in Cairo. Arab foreign ministers held on Friday a consultative meeting at the Cairo-based Arab League (AL) headquarters, Egypt's official MENA news agency said. Arab foreign ministers held on Friday a consultative meeting at the Cairo-based Arab League (AL) headquarters, Egypt's official MENA news agency said. The participants exchanged views on "the serious situation in the occupied Palestinian lands due to Israel's invasion of Palestinian cities and villages," MENA said. The meeting was held one day ahead of a planned emergency meeting of the ministers. On Wednesday, AL chief Amr Moussa said that the emergency meeting, initiated by the Palestinians, will deal with the Arab-Israeli conflict, the serious development in the Palestinian lands and the implementation of a declaration adopted at the March 27-28 Arab summit in Beirut, Lebanon. The Beirut summit adopted an Arab peace plan, which calls on Israel to withdraw from all the Arab territories it occupied since 1967 and recognize an independent sovereign Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. In return, Arabs states will normalize relations with Israel in the context of a comprehensive peace with the Jewish state. Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat has been confined by the Israeli army in his office building in the West Bank city of Ramallah since last Friday, despite a mounting call by the international community for Israel to lift the siege on Arafat and fully withdraw from the Palestinian lands. Israeli tanks rolled into Ramallah and shelled Arafat's compound last Friday morning, marking the beginning of a sweeping military offensive in the West Bank. **** Arab States Reiterate Support for Palestinian Resistance In a statement issued following an emergency meeting of Arab foreign ministers at the Cairo-based Arab League (AL) headquarters, the Arabs called for implementing a declaration adopted by the Beirut Arab summit on stopping the establishment of all ties with Israel. Arab states on Saturday reiterated firm support for the Palestinians' resistance against Israeli occupation. In a statement issued following an emergency meeting of Arab foreign ministers at the Cairo-based Arab League (AL) headquarters, the Arabs called for implementing a declaration adopted by the Beirut Arab summit on stopping the establishment of all ties with Israel. "The Arabs stand by the Palestinian people and their elected leader Yasser Arafat," the statement said, adding that any attempt to undermine the Palestinian National Authority would lead to serious consequences. It called on the U.N. Security Council to deploy an international force in the occupied Palestinian territories to protect the Palestinians, while urging the United States to be a fair mediator and stop its bias toward Israel. At the request of the Palestinian side, foreign ministers or their representatives of 22 Arab nations held the meeting on the Arab-Israeli conflict and the worsening situation in the Palestinian lands. An Israeli siege on Arafat in his office building in the West Bank city of Ramallah has entered its ninth day. Israeli tanks rolled into Ramallah and shelled Arafat's compound Friday morning, marking the beginning of sweeping military offensives in the West Bank. **** Israeli Planes Raid South Lebanon in Response to Hezbollah's Attacks. Israeli forces Saturday launched air raids on south Lebanon in retaliation for Lebanese resistance guerrillas group Hezbollah's (Party of God) earlier attacks, security source reported. Israeli forces Saturday launched air raids on south Lebanon in retaliation for Lebanese resistance guerrillas group Hezbollah's (Party of God) earlier attacks, security source reported. Hezbollah Saturday fired Katyusha rockets at Israeli positions in the disputed Shebaa Farms on the Lebanese-Israeli border. It was reported that three Israeli civilians were injured in the incident. Israeli forces retaliated immediately with artillery shells to Lebanese town of Kfar Shouba along the border area. Israeli warplanes launched several air-to-ground missiles to suspected targets. Hezbollah launched daily attacks with rockets and mortars on the Shebaa Farms and northern Israel starting on March 29. Israeli army retaliated with shells and air-to-ground missiles to southern Lebanese area. Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah has claimed that his organization will spare no efforts to support Palestinian people and hinted the possibility of opening a second front with Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon claimed that his country will not "stand idle" in the face of Hezbollah's defiance. **** Sharon Plans to Expand Government for Labor's Possible Withdrawal. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon plans to expand the coalition government as three parties have expressed interest in joining the coalition while the Labor party has threatened to withdraw. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon plans to expand the coalition government as three parties have expressed interest in joining the coalition while the Labor party has threatened to withdraw. The central committees of the National Religious Party and the Gesher will convene Sunday to discuss whether to join the government. Gesher's Chairman David Levy will meet in the day with Sharon to finalize the terms for coming into the coalition. Sharon plans to present Levy and the religious party's leaders, Yitzhak Levy and Effi Eitam, with appointments of ministers without portfolio, as well as members of the security-political cabinet and the extended kitchen cabinet. Meanwhile, negotiations between Sharon and leaders of the National Union-Yisrael Beiteinu party bloc, Avigdor Lieberman and Binyamin Elon, are underway over the party's return to the coalition. Lieberman and Binyamin, who led the seven-seat party bloc in the Knesset (parliament), quitted the government on March 14 to protest Sharon's nerveless steps against "the Palestinian terrorism," leaving the coalition with 76 seats in the 120-seat Knesset. In the current Knesset, the Labor party has 24 seats, while Sharon's Likud holds 19, Shas 17, Center Party five, Yahadut Hatorah five, Yisrael Be'aliyah four and One Nation two. In the wake of the possible resignation of the left-wing Labor, Sharon must absorb more parties to join the coalition in order to ensure the absolute majority of seats held by the government in the Knesset. According to the prime minister, even if the Labor finally decides to quit, the government would still have the absolute majority of 67 seats in the Knesset, following the participant ion of the National Union-Yisrael Beiteinu, the 5-seat religious party, and the 3-seat Gesher. The Labor, however, has expressed its strong dissatisfaction over Sharon's move. In a stern warning to Sharon, Foreign Minister Shimon Peres said the Labor would not remain in the government if Sharon adds factions to the coalition without Labor's approval. The Labor Knesset faction is set to meet early this week to decide whether to ask the party's central committee to approve leaving the government. **** New PLA Interior Service & Disciplinary Regulations to Be Enforced. Jiang Zemin, chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), recently signed an order, announcing implementation of the "Interior Service Regulations of the Chinese People's Liberation Army" and the "Disciplinary Regulations of the Chinese People's Liberation Army". Jiang Zemin, chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), recently signed an order, announcing implementation of the "Interior Service Regulations of the Chinese People's Liberation Army" and the "Disciplinary Regulations of the Chinese People's Liberation Army". The "Interior Service Regulation", the "Disciplinary Regulation" and the "Drill Regulation" of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) are collectively called the common regulations. Two regulations of which were revised this time. This is the third amendment made to the common regulations since President Jiang took charge of the work of the Central Military Commission. The State and the Army have conducted a series of major reforms over the past few years, successively published many new policies and regulations, in particular, the reforms of the military service system and the soldier-officer system, the adjustment and reform of the army system and establishment, as well as the profound influence exerted by the development of science and technology on social life, as a result, some new situations and new problems have emerged in the management of army units, some contents of the "Interior Service Regulation" and the "Disciplinary Regulation" were no longer suited to the needs of objective reality. The two sets of regulations revised this time have respectively worked out standards in light of the new problems facing the construction of interior service and discipline for the army, so as to adapt to the new situations and new requirements arising from State and Army reform. The "Interior Service Regulation" and the "Disciplinary Regulation" republished this time give prominent expressions to President Jiang's "three represents" important thought and to the spirit of his instruction that "the Army must be directed with severity", stressing the need to adhere to the nature and purpose of the people's army, persist in taking enhancement of combat effectiveness as the fundamental standard, keep to the lifeline position of political work, persist in directing the army strictly and in accordance with the law and persevere in carrying forward the fine traditions of our army. Revisions were made mainly to places unsuitable for the current policy, system and establishment, of which 27 articles of the "Interior Service Regulation" and 13 articles of the "Disciplinary Regulation" were revised. The contents revised and added this time mainly include the new situations and new problems arising in the management and education of the army along with social change over the past few years, and the conversion of the successful experiences gained by the army in solving these new problems into regulations. The "Interior Service Regulation" sets limitation to the places of activities for army men, it explicitly stipulates that "army men are strictly prohibited from setting foot on unhealthy places". The said Regulation also lays down stipulations on the use of mobile phones and beepers by officers and men: "except for the need of work and with approval from the heads of work units at or above the level of division (brigade), army men are forbidden to use mobile phones, beepers and other means of communication.". "Army men permitted to hold mobile phones and beepers are strictly forbidden to carry mobile phones into operational office, information section, confidential section, communication hub, secret-involving meeting-place, military aircraft and warship, important warehouse, missile-launching position and other sites; while working in sites with cable means of communication, it is not allowed to use mobile phones for handling official business. It is strictly forbidden to use mobile phones and beepers to discuss and transmit secret information. Paging systems set up by the army are not allowed to send and deliver secret information." The newly revised regulations have also formulated relevant stipulations in accordance with related new policies of the State and the Central Military Commission. In line with the "State Council Decision on Instituting the Citizen ID Card Number System and related decisions of the Central Military Commission, army men can, from now on, participate in social life in the capacity of citizens. For this end, the "Interior Service Regulation" adds the content to the effect that "while using citizen ID cards, army men should strictly abide by relevant stipulations of the State and the Army"; it is also stipulated that army men (including soldiers) should wear civilian clothes while going out not on official business. **** Taiwan Caucus a US Provocation: Commentary. On April 9, the 23rd anniversary of the United States' troublemaking Taiwan Relations Act, the US Congress is due to unveil a 70-member Taiwan caucus. On April 9, the 23rd anniversary of the United States' troublemaking Taiwan Relations Act, the US Congress is due to unveil a 70-member Taiwan caucus. Most congressional caucuses are issue-based or for particular racial groups but this one will be devoted solely to Taiwan, an inalienable part of China. It is claimed that the caucus will serve as an official channel for legislators from both the United States and the island to exchange ideas. Such a provocative move will obviously overshadow the renewed Sino-US relations. On a more dangerous level, it may provide fodder to Taiwan's military forces and play into the hands of Taiwan separatist extremists. One of the group's goals is to promote US military ties with Taiwan. This comes at a time when there have been conspicuous signs of ever-increasing US-Taiwan military ties. In mid-March, the US side granted Taiwan "Defence Minister" Tang Yiau-ming a visa so he could attend a conference sponsored by US military contractors in Florida. On the sidelines of the conference, he met senior Bush administration officials including Deputy Defence Secretary Paul Wolfowitz and Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly. On March 22, Admiral Dennis Blair, commander-in-chief of the US Pacific Command, told the House Armed Services Committee that the United States and Taiwan can maintain a military balance across the Taiwan Straits if both sides continue modernizing their armed forces. It seems that this so-called military balance is what Taiwan leader Chen Shui-bian wants. Last Wednesday when receiving a special delegation from the US House of Representatives, Chen said that the strong support of the US Congress - which led to US arms sales to Taiwan in April last year - ensured a balanced cross-Straits military situation and peace in the Taiwan Straits. "President Bush reaffirmed the US promises to all Taiwanese and repeatedly declared he would abide by the Taiwan Relations Act - to provide Taiwan with the necessary protection against Beijing," Chen was quoted by the Taipei Times as saying. In most cases, those who sow the wind will reap a whirlwind. The robust military build-up may not bring the so-called balance but menace instead cross-Straits peace and stability. Helping Taiwan build its military muscle will only foment pro-independence forces. Since the latest remarks and events may give these forces the impression that the United States is on their side and ready to provide military protection, they may become provocative enough to push the island to the edge. _________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. 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