Extracts. US to Resume Low-level Talks With Pyongyang US President George W. Bush said on Wednesday that his administration has completed a review of its policy toward the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and that he has ordered his foreign policy team to resume talks with Pyongyang. "Our approach will offer North Korea (DPRK) the opportunity to demonstrate the seriousness of its desire for improved relations," Bush said in a written statement. "If North Korea (DPRK) responds affirmatively and takes appropriate action, we will expand our efforts to help the North Korean people, ease sanctions, and take other political steps," he said. According to Bush, talks with the DPRK will cover a broad agenda, including the DPRK's nuclear and missile programs as well as the posture of its conventional forces. "We will pursue these discussions in the context of a comprehensive approach to North Korea (DPRK) which will seek to encourage progress toward North-South reconciliation, peace on the Korean peninsula, a constructive relationship with the United States and greater stability in the region," he said in the statement. The decision to resume talks with the DPRK reportedly came after extensive discussions among Bush's foreign policy advisers on Tuesday. An administration official disclosed earlier Wednesday that Secretary of State Colin Powell will formally inform South Korean Foreign Minister Han Seung-soo of the U.S. decision in a meeting scheduled here for Thursday. The Clinton administration has conducted intensive negotiations with the DPRK on the missile issue over past months. But the Bush team suspended the talks, insisting that it needs a full review of US policy toward the DPRK. **** China Urges Prevention of Arms Race, Weaponization of Outer Space Huang Huikang, head of the Chinese delegation to the 44th Session of the U.N. Committee on the Peaceful Use of Outer Space, Wednesday called for an early conclusion of an international agreement on the prevention of an arms race and the weaponization of outer space. In his general statement, Huang said, "Weaponization of outer space runs counter to the very purposes of peaceful use of outer space and it will give rise to severe consequences. The introduction of weapons and weapon systems into outer space will not only jeopardize the peaceful uses and development of outer space by all countries, and the security of their space assets, but also trigger off an arms race in outer space, breaking global strategic balance and stability, intensifying arms races on the ground, in the sea and in the atmosphere. "Such a move thus will create obstacles for international arms control and the disarmament process and undermine mutual trust among countries, thus bringing long-term and in-depth negative consequences on the regional and international security environment." He said that while some progress has been made in the non- militarization of outer space, an international legal regime that can prevent the militarization of outer space in a comprehensive and effective manner is yet to be accomplished. The utilization of outer space for military purposes is also alarmingly on the rise, and the trend for the weaponization of outer space is increasing, he said. In view of this, the committee should make greater efforts to prevent an arms race and the weaponization of outer space in the current stage, and it is necessary to negotiate the conclusion of an international agreement on the prevention of an arms race and the weaponization of outer space at an early date, he said. Huang said that over the past 40 years, mankind has achieved numerous achievements in the exploration and uses of outer space. "We are convinced that in the new century, the development of space technology and its application will have a greater prospect. " He said the Chinese government holds all along that the ultimate purpose of the exploration and uses of outer space lies in creating a better living and development space for mankind. The activities in outer space by various countries should help to promote the friendly cooperation among the people of all countries and social progress, and to maintain international peace and security. China always supports all efforts for the peaceful uses of outer space and is opposed to arms race in outer space, said the Chinese official. "We maintain that international cooperation in outer space should be increased and strengthened on the basis of peaceful uses, equality, mutual benefits, experience exchange and mutual development of various countries." He urged countries with the greatest space technologies to undertake the special responsibility in the prevention of weaponization and an arms race in outer space. "As mankind has entered the 21st century, the committee should work together and make greater efforts to promote the peaceful uses of outer space, devoting the precious resources in outer space entirely to the peace and development of mankind," he said in conclusion. ***** Sharon-Arafat Summit on Ceasefire Possible: Minister A summit between Israel <http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/data/israel.html> i Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat for signing an official ceasefire deal is possible, Israeli Justice Minister Meir Sheetrit said on Wednesday. Sheetrit, a member of Likud party, made the remarks in an interview with Israel's Army Radio. This may show that Sharon became more flexible regarding a summit meeting with Arafat, whom he blamed in the past for the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian violence. The clashes had lasted for more than eight months and over 570, most of them Palestinians, have been killed so far. If Israel and the Palestinians are able to achieve an effective ceasefire, Israel is willing and able to consider carrying out the Mitchell report's guidelines, Sheetrit said. The report, published last month by an international fact- finding committee headed by former U.S. senator George Mitchell on the cause of the violence, recommended both sides to reach a truce, carry out confidence-building measures after a cooling-off period, and resume peace talks thereafter. Analysts pointed out that Israel's changing of stands on a Sharon-Arafat summit may be a result of great international pressure. In the next few days, Swedish Prime Minister Goran Persson, European Union foreign and security policy chief Javier Solana, and U.S. Central Intelligence Agency Director George Tenet are all due to arrive in the region to press for such a meeting to foster the fragile ceasefire. Sharon announced a unilateral ceasefire two weeks ago, which the Palestinians claimed at that time only as a "public relations ploy." Arafat ordered a truce a day after a Palestinian suicide bomber blew himself up and killed 20 Israelis, most of them teenage girls, outside a Tel Aviv disco Friday night. Despite sporadic incidents, the ceasefire generally held in the past three days. gyptian-Chinese Friendly Relations Good Enough to Serve as Model Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak met with People's Daily Delegation headed by Editor-in-Chief Xu Zhongtian in the presidential office on the afternoon of June 5 and accepted its interview. This was the People's Daily Delegation's exclusive interview accepted for the first time by President Mubarak. President Mubarak highly appraised Egypt-China relations He said that the Egyptian people cherish high respect for President Jiang Zemin, the Chinese government and people and they take pride in the long-standing friendly ties between the two countries. Egyptian-Chinese Friendly Relations Good Enough to Serve as Model Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak met with People's Daily Delegation headed by Editor-in-Chief Xu Zhongtian in the presidential office on the afternoon of June 5 and accepted its interview. This was the People's Daily Delegation's exclusive interview accepted for the first time by President Mubarak. President Mubarak highly appraised Egypt-China relations He said that the Egyptian people cherish high respect for President Jiang Zemin, the Chinese government and people and they take pride in the long-standing friendly ties between the two countries. **** Chinese, Mexican Presidents Confer in Beijing Chinese President Jiang Zemin held talks Wednesday afternoon with Mexican President Vincente Fox Quesada, and the two leaders exchanged views on bilateral relations and international issues of common concern. Before the talks, Jiang presided over a welcoming ceremony for Fox who arrived here earlier Wednesday by special plane for a four- day state visit to China as Jiang's guest. This is Fox's first visit to China after he became Mexico's president last year. Besides Beijing, Fox and his entourage are also scheduled to visit Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, and China's biggest economic hub Shanghai. **** Egyptian-Chinese Friendly Relations Good Enough to Serve as Model Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak met with People's Daily Delegation headed by Editor-in-Chief Xu Zhongtian in the presidential office on the afternoon of June 5 and accepted its interview. This was the People's Daily Delegation's exclusive interview accepted for the first time by President Mubarak. President Mubarak highly appraised Egypt-China relations He said that the Egyptian people cherish high respect for President Jiang Zemin, the Chinese government and people and they take pride in the long-standing friendly ties between the two countries. **** China Closed Down 84,000 Polluters in Past Five Years Through a restructuring of various economic lines the Chinese government had closed down over 84,000 enterprises for serious pollution during the 9th Five-year Plan years 1996-2000, said Xie Zhenhua, director of the State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA), June 5. Xie made the remark at a news briefing held by the Information Office under the State Council, saying that after five years' efforts a curb had been placed on deteriorated environment pollution and improvement made in town and country, with the targets set for the period basically achieved. To further reduce environment pollution, China would strive for a 10 percent cut of pollutants on the basis of the 2000 level during the 10th Five-year period (2001-2005). More efforts will be laid on a strengthening of law enforcement, adjusting product mix and industry structure and elimination of new sources of pollution. In future five years China will put increased funds into environment protection and these will be up to an annual amount about 1.2 to 1.3 percent of the country's GDP instead of 1 percent during the 9th Five-year Plan period. Along with government investment, funds will also be raised via market channels. Xie stressed that China would let more people take part in environment protection and release more environment information. The state will at regular intervals release news on the water quality of major rivers and that of drinking water in town and country and key enterprise' behavior in this regard. Hotlines will also be opened to report environment pollution in cities above county level before end of the year. **** Women Cadres Play Big Role in China The number of women cadres in China has increased from 366,000 in the early 1950s to 14.89 million in 2000, accounting for 36.6 percent of the country's total number of cadres. By the end of 2000, women cadres at section level totaled 77, 300, up 41 percent over the 1995 figure. Female cadres under the age of 45 constitute 82 percent of the total number of female cadres in government departments and those with education backgrounds of college or above make up 85 percent. The ratio of women in the leading bodies of the Communist Party and government has also increased considerably. At present, 45 women hold the positions of provincial governors, chairwomen or vice chairwomen of autonomous regions or mayors of municipalities, 506 serve as leaders of the 375 cities, prefectures and leagues and 3,545 are in the leading bodies of 2,703 counties and districts. Women made up 26.7 percent of Communist Party members at the end of 2000, 5.8 percentage points higher than the figure in 1995. _________________________________________________ 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] __________________________________________________
