Extracts. US Ready to Resume Dialogues with DPRK Without Preconditions: Powell US Secretary of State Colin Powell said Friday in Seoul that Washington is ready to hold talks Pyongyang without any precondition. "I reiterated the US administration's readiness to move to a comprehensive dialogue without preconditions with the DPRK," Powell said at a joint press conference with South Korean Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Han Seung-soo. Powell, who arrived here from Vietnam Friday afternoon for a two-day visit, said that U.S. President George W. Bush strongly supports South Korean President Kim Dae-jung's "sunshine policy" of engaging the DPRK as well as an early second inter-Korean summit. He hoped that Russian President Bladimir Putin would persuade the DPRK leader Kim Jong Il who is visiting Russia to restore dialogues table with the United States. Washington-Pyongyang dialogues came to halt since U.S. President Bush took office last January. Pyongyang also cut off all government-level contacts with Seoul, which had flourished since the first inter-Korean summit in Pyongyang last year. After review of Clinton government's DPRK policy, Washington offered last month to resume talks with Pyongyang on a comprehensive package of issues, including the DPRK's massive conventional force deployment along the inter-Korean border. Since then, the two sides held working-level talks, but Pyongyang has not officially announced acceptance of the U.S. offer for restoring dialogues as it pointed out that Washington is trying to stifle or disarm the DPRK. Meanwhile, Powell said the United States will continue to persuade the international community over its missile defense plan, citing a need for what he called a new security strategy framework. The U.S. secretary of state said that Condoleeza Rice, Bush's security advisor, is in Moscow to coordinate schedule for talks with Russia on the missile defense issue. At the press conference, Han Seung-soo expressed optimism about the impact of Kim's Russia visit on inter-Korean relations because of Moscow's support for Seoul's reconciliation policy toward Pyongyang. Before the press conference, Powell met South Korean President Kim Dae-jung and South Korean Minister for Unification Lim Dong- won. **** Castro Leads More Than 1 Million Marchers Fidel Castro walked briskly Thursday as he led more than 1 million people on a march marking the start of the Cuban revolution nearly a half-century ago. Dressed in his typical olive green uniform and a less typical pair of white sneakers for walking, the Cuban president, who turns 75 next month, vigorously waved a small Cuban flag as he started the march down Havana's coastal Malecon highway. The Communist Party daily Granma declared that about 1.2 million residents of the capital and surrounding Havana province were expected to participate in the "gigantic combatant march" past the U.S. Interests Section, the American mission here. The annual celebration marks the anniversary of the July 26, 1953 attack by Castro and his followers on an army barracks that launched the Cuban Revolution. For decades, the celebration was always an afternoon event, held in a different Cuban province each year. July 26, known here as National Rebellion Day, is among the most important dates on communist Cuba's calendar. During the July 25-27 national holidays, banks, government offices and virtually all businesses are closed. During the storming of the army barracks 48 years ago, 61 of the 160 attackers were killed and many of the rest, including Castro and his younger brother Raul, were jailed. The movement later regained strength and triumphed on New Year's Day 1959 after then-President Fulgencio Batista fled the country. *** Falun Gong Tries to Cheat Western Public: Chinese Ambassador Falun Gong, which has caused bitter suffering for many families in China, is trying to shy away from its doomsday theory as well as other hallmarks of a destructive cult in a bid to continuously cheat public opinion in the Western society, Chinese Ambassador to the United States <http://www.peopledaily.com.cn/english/data/usa.html> Yang Jiechi said Thursday. Yang, in reply to questions about Falun Gong in a luncheon speech at the National Press Club, also emphasized the Chinese Government's decision to ban Falun Gong two years ago was legitimate because it reflected the will of the majority of the Chinese people. Yang pointed out that the doomsday view of Falun Gong, though already well-known and widely condemned in China, seems not to be so clear to the American people because its leaders ``have changed their tactics'' by putting on a benign cloak to hide its evil nature in its rhetoric campaign in the United States. ``What the leaders of Falun Gong have been saying is that the Earth has been destroyed many times, and the Earth is about to explode, and the leaders have magic power to postpone the explosion of the Earth,'' Yang said. Falun Gong leaders even alleged that they decided to put off ``the explosion of the Earth'' in response to the request of the top Chinese leaders, he added. ``I don't think the American people believe that,'' the ambassador said. The heads of the evil cult ``should really let the American people know the whole doctrines, not just telling people that it's good for people's health and (it's just) do exercises and so on,'' Yang said. Yang also refuted allegations by some American politicians and human rights activists that Falun Gong should be legitimized for the sake of religious freedom. ``Some people say the issue touches religious freedom. (But) Falun Gong (itself) has said time and again that it is not a religion. I believe Falun Gong has an ulterior motive,'' he said. About 1,600 Falun Gong followers who cannot resist the mental control of their leaders have died in China because their leaders declared practitioners should shun medicines and doctors when they get ill, he said. Moreover they should believe in their leaders so that if they die, they will go to the heaven and fulfil their dreams, he said. ``Just think about the families that suffered from all this loss of their dear ones, (and about) their friends and so on. How many broken families resulting from the deaths of 1,600 people!'' Yang said. Yang said the Chinese Government, which has the responsibility for its people's well-being, has adopted ``the right approach'' on Falun Gong, because the Chinese people have supported the government in its efforts to ban the destructive cult. He noted that Western journalists based in Beijing <http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/data/province/beijing.html> and other places in China said in their own reports that ``the Chinese people don't like Falun Gong,'' especially after the self-immolation that occurred in Tian'anmen Square earlier this year. If the overwhelming majority of the people in China consider Falun Gong as bad, one has to say that the banning of the cult represents ``the people's will,'' rather than ``a conclusion imposed on the people by the government,'' Yang stressed. The Chinese ambassador urged human rights activists in Western countries ``to respect the rights and the opinion of the Chinese people.'' ``I think people have to respect the opinion of other countries. If people really believe in human rights, they should have the courage to respect the facts,'' he said. Yang also said that Falun Gong provides a classic example as to show ``how one should respect the real public opinion in a given country.'' **** Jiang's Five-nation European Trip Fruitful: Commentary President Jiang Zemin <http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/data/people/jiangzemin.shtml> 's just-concluded five-nation European tour was fruitful, contributed to the promotion of world peace, cooperation and development, said a commentary published by the People's Daily <http://www.peopledaily.com.cn/GB/paper464/> on Friday. Jiang arrived home Wednesday after winding up his tour to Russia <http://www.peopledaily.com.cn/english/data/russia.html> , Belarus <http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/data/belarus.html> , Ukraine, Moldova <http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/data/moldova.html> and Malta. During his four-day state visit to Russia, Jiang and his counterpart Vladimir Putin signed the Sino-Russian good-neighborly treaty of friendship and cooperation on July 16. The 25-provision treaty, with a validity period of 20 years, sums up the most important guidelines and principles for developing Sino-Russian relations. It serves the basic interests of China and Russia and also contributes to promoting world stability and provides opportunities for the two countries to develop lasting, stable, good neighborly ties based on mutual benefit and cooperation, said the commentary. During his first visit to Russia in this new century, Jiang and Putin exchanged views on a wide range of regional and international issues. The two world leaders reached broad consensus, said the article. The two presidents forged long-term guidelines for the development of Sino-Russian ties in the 21st century by signing the treaty, the commentary affirmed. As a guideline document on Sino-Russian relations in the new century, the treaty summarizes the main principles, essence and achievements in the development of Sino-Russian ties, and establishes a legal form for the two countries and peoples to boost friendship from generation to generation and never target each other as enemies, the article said. The signing of the treaty shows the world the willingness and determination of the Chinese and Russian peoples to be good neighbors, good partners and good friends. It not only benefits the long-term, sound and stable development of bilateral relations, but also produces a deep impact on safeguarding peace and stability in the region and in the entire world, said the commentary. The relations between China and Russia are new-type interstate relations, based on the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and principles of international law. "This kind of relations," the commentary said, "are built on the basis of non-alignment, non- confrontation and not targeting on any third country." The commentary said: "such new state-to-state relations conform to trends of the times and are beneficial to the maintaining of a global strategic balance and the forming of a multipolar world." The four proposals that President Jiang made in his speech at Moscow State University are intended to develop Sino-Russian relations in the new century. Jiang's proposals are intended to lay a sound foundation for enhancing mutual trust and good neighborly relations between the two countries, expanding cooperation in all areas to motivate common development, encouraging cultural exchanges, promoting friendship between the peoples of the two countries, and deepening Sino-Russian strategic collaboration, while making joint efforts to promote world peace and development. During his visit to Russia, Jiang also conducted direct exchanges with Russian people from all walks of life, which are believed to be beneficial to the advancement of friendship and trust between the peoples of the two countries, the commentary said. Like Russia, the commentary said, Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine <http://www.peopledaily.com.cn/english/data/ukraine.html> are all members of the Commonwealth of Independent States. They have all entered an important stage of development and are now facing the heavy task of invigorating their domestic economies, maintaining unity of all nationalities, and defending national sovereignty and independence, as well as world peace. All these countries attach great importance to relations with China and would like to strengthen and develop those traditional and friendly relations with China in all areas on a mutually beneficial basis. During his tour to Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine, Jiang held talks with the heads of these countries. They discussed the development of bilateral relations and the promotion of world peace. News communiques or joint statements signed by China and the three countries reaffirm that China firmly supports their national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and respects the path they have taken to develop themselves according to their own conditions. President Jiang's visits are aimed at enhancing and developing cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, science, technology and culture, the commentary stressed. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties nearly 30 years ago, China and Malta have been regarded as exemplary models for large and small nations alike to learn and understand how to coexist peacefully and to treat each other with dignity in regard to equality and mutual respect, the commentary said. During his meeting with Maltese leaders, Jiang reiterated that China has always believed that all countries, large or small, strong or weak, rich or poor, are equal members in the international community, and can contribute their ideas regarding regional and world peace and development. The commentary said President Jiang's visit to Malta opens a new chapter in the history of the development of Sino-Maltese relations. **** Dalai's "Virtual Tibet" Just a Fad: US Scholar Dr. Tom Grunfeld, a distinguished Tibetologist and professor from the State University of New York, said Friday in Beijing that Dalai Lama's creation of a "virtual Tibet" is totally different from the real one. The Dalai Lama's description of the Tibet under his serfdom rule as "Shangri-La" has led to an infatuation with Tibet, which is a fad that will soon fade and become inconsequential in American history, he said. Grunfeld made the remarks Friday at the 2001 Beijing Forum on Tibetology, and his view was supported by many Chinese and foreign Tibetologists. The author of "The Making of Modern Tibet," Grunfeld pointed out that the Dalai Lama has succeeded "in nurturing and increasing interest and fascination with himself, his cause and Tibetan Buddhism in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and, especially, the United States." This fascination has led to an infatuation with Tibet, a Tibet which was a gentle and peaceful land where non-violence predominated and where monks were all-knowing; yet the fascination is not with the real Tibet but a fantasy version, he said. Fascination with the virtual Tibet has "propelled Hollywood movies, rock concerts, and celebrities practicing Buddhism, which have all combined to make the Dalai Lama a household word," Grunfield said. He also noted that those people do not know that the old Tibet they are fascinated with is actually a virtual Tibet, not a real one. "A dose of the real Tibet would leave them deeply disillusioned." The America's most prominent China-bashers supported the Dalai Lama "only because he is useful in the campaign against China," Grunfeld said. Grunfeld has been to China 16 times and has been to Tibet for field research. In an interview with Xinhua, he stressed he is a historian on Chinese history. His research of Tibetan history has been carried out from the point of view of the whole of Chinese history. Though some Americans support the Dalai Lama and the independence of Tibet, they are only noises that won't change the policy of the U.S. government, which is that Tibet is part of China, he maintained. A unified, stable and developing China is in line with the ultimate interests of the American people, he added. Professor Xirao Nima from the Central University for Nationalities said that a clear distinction should be drawn between popular culture and the academic study of Tibetology researchers. Hu Yan, an expert on minority group religions, and some other scholars called on the academic circle to expose the illusions purported by the Dalai Lama and make the truth clear. _________________________________________________ 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] __________________________________________________
