Extracts. U.S. Deserves Its Defeat In U.N. Human Rights Body Reelection:Chinese Experts Chinese experts responded to the failure of the United States to get reelected to the United Nations Human Rights Commission, saying, "It is not surprising" and "It deserves the defeat." Zhu Muzhi, honorary president of the China Society for the Study of Human Rights, told the state new agency Xinhua Friday that the defeat was the inevitable end of the United States' long biased condemnation of other countries using the camouflage of "human rights." The U.S., on Thursday, lost its seat on the U.N. Commission on Human Rights at the organizational conference of the U.N. Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). It only won 29 votes among 54 ECOSOC members in the election. "People across the world have long been angry with the arrogance of the United States and its practice of imposing its own human rights standards on others," Zhu said. He added that the exclusion from the U.N. human rights body once again showed the widespread resentment among the countries of the world towards the U.S. for its "hegemonism." According to Zhu, the human rights issue is actually only a " big stick" for the U.S. to use on other countries for its own hegemonic purposes. Zhou Jue, president of the China Society for the Study of Human Rights, said that "The U.S. has become used to blaming others while speaking nothing of its own human rights abuses, and this time the world's countries have taught the U.S. a lesson," he said. The expert said that dialogue and cooperation on human rights issues have become the mainstream and a historical trend of our age, therefore "it is time for the U.S. to make a self-examination ". "I strongly hope the U.S. administration recognize its position and return to the correct course of dialogue," he said. However, according to Zhou, despite its failure and embarrassment, the U.S. is likely to continue its hegemonism and intervention in the internal affairs of other countries in the name of human rights, and the world's countries need to remain vigilant against this. **** Chinese FM Spokesman on US President's Missile Defense Speech China warned Thursday that the destruction of the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty would spark a new round of arms race, which will be unfavorable to world peace, development and stability. "We believe that the Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty is the cornerstone for safeguarding global strategic balance and stability," Foreign Ministry Spokesman Zhu Bangzao said while talking about U.S. President George W. Bush's May 1 remarks on the development of a missile defense system. If the treaty is destroyed, global strategic balance and stability will be broken, and the international arms control process and non-proliferation efforts will be impeded, Zhu said. "We hope the United States to act with great care and continue to adhere to the Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty and other present treaties on disarmament and arms control," he said. **** Young People Encouraged to be Bold in Creation Hu Jintao, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee extended cordial greetings to young people of all nationalities in China on the occasion of the historically significant May 4th Movement anniversary. During his visit to the Beijing Nonferrous Metal Research Institute on Friday, he said China's younger generation will shoulder the heavy task of promoting the progress of science and technology. He urged young scientists and technicians to have a strong sense of responsibility, integrate their lofty ideals with the future of the nation, study hard, be bold in creation and dare to scale the heights of science. **** More Than 2,000 Taiwan Factories Closed in First Quarter A total of 2,140 factories were shut down in Taiwan during the first quarter of this year, while some 1,251 new factories opened in the same period, according to the statistics released by the Taiwanese authorities Thursday. The statistics indicate that the number of factory closures has been rising drastically since 1997, when some 2,904 factories suspended operations. The figure increased to 6,788 in 1998 and fell slightly to 3, 982 in 1999 and 4,995 in 2000. Statisticians said that the figure does not truly reflect the state of the local economy, as many more factory owners simply closed up shop without informing the authorities, and as a result, the closures did not show up on the list. **** Yugoslavia Rejects U.N. Mission's Legal Framework on Kosovo The Yugoslav government refused to accept the legal framework regarding the future of Kosovo Thursday, charging that the document, being drafted under the direction of U. N. Administrator in the province Hans Haekkerup, has violated the U.N. Security Council Resolution 1244. At a meeting on the current situation in Kosovo, the government said the legal framework has been forged by Haekkerup and representatives of ethnic Albania <http://www.peopledaily.com.cn/english/data/albania.html> ns. It only represents the stance of Albanian extremists rather than the wishes of non-Albanian people in the province, therefore, it can not guarantee equal co- existence of all ethnic people there. Representatives of ethnic Albanians have demanded a referendum on Kosovo's independence from Serbia be written into the legal framework, but Haekkerup said Thursday, "It is not an institution I will recommend to anybody," but he added that he hoped the legal framework would be completed "as soon as possible" to allow general elections by the end of the year, a move the Yugoslav government opposes. The government appealed to the U.N special mission to respect the legitimate rights of non-Albanians in drawing up the document, and demanded the U.N. mission act in accordance with U.N. Resolution 1244 to remove the illegal customs it established on the border area between Kosovo and the Serbian republic border. **** Putin, Bush May Meet on Strategic Stability Earlier Than Planned Russia <http://www.peopledaily.com.cn/english/data/russia.html> n Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov said Wednesday that Russian and US Presidents Vladimir Putin and George W. Bush might meet earlier than an expected G8 summit due in July this year because of Bush's Tuesday initiation of US- Russian talks on global strategic stability. "The question of the meeting between the presidents of Russia and the United States <http://www.peopledaily.com.cn/english/data/usa.html> has been agreed in principle. It is scheduled to take place before the G-8 summit, which is slated for July 20-22 in the Italian city of Genoa, but we do not rule out that now such a meeting may be held even earlier," Ivanov told a news conference. On Tuesday, Bush telephoned Putin to inform him about his later speech on world strategic stability at the National Defense University in Washington. Ivanov said the two presidents "agreed to have a detailed exchange of views on this important security issue during their first meeting to be held in the near future." A group of U.S. experts is expected to arrive in Moscow shortly to specify Washington's approaches towards issues of strategic stability stated by Bush, the foreign minister said. Consultations will be continued during Ivanov's visit to Washington on May 18. Then Putin and Bush will hold a detailed discussion of strategic stability during their meeting. In Tuesday's telephone conversation, Bush assured Putin that Washington will consult and take into account the interests of other countries, including Russia. Ivanov said, "Russia is prepared for such consultations. We have much to say." Moscow "attaches paramount importance to the US President's statement that his administration is not going to make unilateral steps and come up with ready versions, and will consult with its allies, friends and other countries, including Russia," Ivanov said. He stressed that the discussion of issues of strategic stability should make it possible to work out such approaches that "will serve the interests of both the US and Russia, and the international community as a whole." _________________________________________________ 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] __________________________________________________
