Extracts. Iran Reiterates Stance Against Oil Explorations in Disputed Caspian Areas Iran on Wednesday reiterated its stance on exploration of the oil-rich Caspian Sea, saying that the Caspian littoral states should not engage in oil exploration activities in disputed areas. Iran's Deputy Oil Minister for International Affairs Hossein Kazempour Ardebili warned that escalation of tension in the Caspian Sea would serve the interests of none of the neighboring states, the official IRNA news agency reported. Iran has protested plans by the Azeri state-run oil company, Socar, to carry out oil exploration in cooperation with foreign companies, notably the British BP Amoco, at the Alborz oil field " in Iran's sector of the Caspian Sea." Ardebili noted that Iran had already informed BP Amoco and all the Caspian states, including Azerbaijan, that they do not have the right to encroach into Iran's 20 percent share of the sea for oil exploration and other activities concerning maritime life and the environment. The Iranian operation units within its 20 percent limit warned two exploration ships belonging to BP Amoco and gave them sufficient time to withdraw from the area, he further explained. Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia and Turkmenistan are the five littoral states of the Caspian Sea, which is estimated to contain the world's third largest reserves of oil and gas after the Persian Gulf and Siberia. Iran has pushed for division of the sea into five equal sectors. But Russia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan contend that the sea floor should be divided into national sectors, which would leave Iran with the smallest slice. The five littoral states agreed last June that bilateral or trilateral agreement in the absence of the collective consensus will be ineffective. Analysts here said that the complex question of how to divide the resource-rich Caspian Sea is supposed to be decided in an October summit of the five nations, which has been postponed by several times since last April. **** Iran, Azerbaijan Mired in Wrangling Over Caspian Oil Exploration Iran and its neighbor Azerbaijan have been caught in a diplomatic row over the legality of Caspian oil exploration, since an Iranian warship chased an Azerbaijani survey vessel out of the disputed waters on Monday. Tensions have already been running high between Tehran and Baku after an Iranian warship warned of using force when an Azerbaijani ship sailed into the waters claimed by Iran that day. Reports in Tehran said that the Iranian ship trained its guns on the vessel Geophysics-3 and kept them ready to fire after signaling ultimatum. Farsi-language daily Entekhab carried an allegation by Azerbaijan on Wednesday that an Iranian fighter also hovered around for two hours before the Azerbaijani survey ship headed back to Baku. In response to Iran's move, British oil giant BP Amoco, which was operating the research craft under contracts with Azerbaijan State Oil Company, announced that it has put on hold its oil exploration in the disputed Alborz oil field, also known as Alov- Sharg-Araz to Azerbaijan. Meanwhile, Baku does not keep silent on the incident as the geological survey vessel backed up. Azerbaijani Prime Minister Artur Rasizade summoned Iranian Ambassador Ahad Gazai the day after the incident to protest Iran's military interference in Azerbaijan's business activities. Baku also demanded that Tehran clarify the incident, which it said "runs contrary to the friendly spirit of relations between the two countries." It claimed that Iran was overacting and its military maneuver has "seriously violated international norms." Tehran's stance on the issue is by no means less tough, Baku noted. The Islamic republic had before filed a formal protest to the Azerbaijani charge d'affaires in Tehran, concerning Azerbaijan's carrying out exploration studies in the Alborz oil region. Iranian Deputy Oil Minister for International Affairs Hossein Kazempour Ardebili said on Wednesday that the five Caspian Sea littoral states - Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia and Turkmenistan - should engage in exploration activities in areas without disputes, adding that tension escalation in the disputed waters serves nobody's interests. Commenting on the standoff, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi said on Tuesday that "we are deeply astonished with Azerbaijan's hue and cry against measures taken by Iran to defend its legitimate rights." "Azerbaijan is expected to keep away from any action which may intensify misunderstandings," Asefi warned. Iran has also vowed to "firmly defend its rights and interests, urging Azerbaijan to be committed to the treaties signed in 1921 and 1940 over the legal status of the Caspian." Iran's Oil Ministry noted earlier that the country would not give green light to any unauthorized explorations, saying that such activities are "illegal." The maritime incident occurred shortly after an official visit by Hassan Rohani, head of Iran's Supreme Council for National Security, to Baku to forge closer ties, as well as before Azerbaijani President Geidar Aliyev's visit to Tehran, due in August to discuss how to peacefully use the Caspian resources. Iran has not been seeing eye to eye with Azerbaijan on ways of dividing up the energy-rich Caspian Sea, which is estimated to contain the world's third largest reserves of oil and gas after the Persian Gulf and Siberia. Iran insists on an equal sharing of the sea among the five Caspian littoral countries. Azerbaijan, however, claims that the size of a country's share should depend on the length of its coastal line, which thus would give Iran a smaller slice. The five Caspian states are scheduled to meet in Turkmen capital Ashkhabad in October to work out a legal regime for the waters. **** 'Loving Taiwan' Or 'Ruining Taiwan'? Recently, seeing that the new authorities, which "grow up under his nurture" and on which "he places great hope", are faced with the situation featuring economic recession, political chaos and complaints being heard everywhere, Lee Teng-hui is restless with anxiety and at a loss what to do, so he "once again comes out into the open without any disguise". Although he had long ago "left the temple in a panic", he has not forgot to hold his "loving Taiwan <http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/data/province/taiwan.html> " flag and bluff the people by chanting the "mission canon". He professed that he "comes out again" because he "loves Taiwan", "I can't bear to see 'the country' being "in chaos", at the same time, he tried hard to put on the performance in the manner of "being excited" with "tears running down his cheeks" to give people the impression that he is a "sincere gentleman". Whether Lee Teng-hui is "loving Taiwan" or "ruining Taiwan", this is crystal clear to a person with a discerning eye. Most lately, Lee Teng-hui dished out, in the political circle, two ritual implements-- "Actual Records of Public Notice on Lee Teng-hu's Administration" and "President under the Tiger Mouth", on the one hand, in the "whole island curse", the original "disciples and old friends" in opposition parties are severely cursed by him, one the other hand, he absolves the blame upon the authorities of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) for their incompetence in administration and conducts "confidence propaganda" for the "Taiwan independence" elements. Recently when he was back from his "visiting relatives" in the United States <http://www.peopledaily.com.cn/english/data/usa.html> , he and the "Taiwan independence" elements at the airport to greet him bolstered up each other, Amid a "green tide", he shouted "Taiwan, buck up", which has aroused worries among the general public. In an effort to get the "Lee Teng-hui line", which he had pushed through for years, to be effectively continued and constantly carried forward by the new authorities, he ignores the current strong demand of the general public for revitalizing the economy and improving cross-Strait relations, he does not scruple to provoke ethnic group conflicts and attack forces advocating reunification of the motherland. He constantly calls in "Taiwan independence" elements and so-called native personages and gives instruction to them, supports them in forming "new political organizations" and assists the DPP to "win the 'assembly' majority seats" in the year-end election and "stand sentry" for them, this has resulted in the frequent emergence of social chaos and aggravation of disputes among political parties .in Taiwan. For 12 years, Lee Teng-hui has been paying lip service to "loving Taiwan", but what has he brought to Taiwan? He has never shown concern for Taiwan compatriots' desires for peace, stability and development and their demand for improving the development of cross-Strait relations, obstructed cross-Strait exchanges, trumpeted the "two-states theory", pushed the "Taiwan independence" line, fostered "Taiwan independence" forces, depended on foreign countries for self-strengthening, he time and again tried to create "political typhoon" to bring disasters to Taiwan, pushing Taiwan compatriots to a very dangerous position. His performance is being held in contempt by more and more Taiwan residents. Taiwan news media have sharply pointed out: While talking glibly about "loving Taiwan", Lee Teng-hui is fanning up terror and hatred in the island in order to achieve his own aim and provoke fights between political parties and between ethnic groups, this, without doubt, will be a disaster to Taiwan. **** Israeli-Palestinian Security Meeting Makes No Breakthrough The Israel <http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/data/israel.html> i-Palestinian security coordination meeting held Wednesday night at the U.S. embassy in Tel Aviv did not yield any breakthrough due to differences over the ceasefire, Israel Radio reported Thursday. U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) officials who chaired the meeting said that the current framework of security coordination has to be changed in the future, and it is of no use for both sides to exchange accusations against each other. Israeli security officials insisted that the seven-day period of complete quiet, which precedes a cooling-off period before both sides taking any confidence-building measures, has not yet begun due to the situation on the ground. The radio report said that the Palestinian security officials, who had prepared a wanted list of 30 right-wing Jewish militants, did not submit the list to their Israeli counterparts, who had said they would refuse to accept. Israeli and Palestinian security officials have held a number of security coordination meetings under the auspicious of CIA officials since the CIA chief George Tenet brokered a ceasefire in June. Since the ceasefire took effect on June 13, the Israeli- Palestinian bloody conflicts which broke out late last September witnessed ups and downs. There were moments when the violence dropped significantly, while there were also moments to see dangers of serious escalation. In a meeting with Javier Solana, European Union's foreign policy chief, in Gaza on Wednesday, Palestinian National Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat again called for the deployment of international observers in the Palestinian territories to monitor the ceasefire. Israel, which had repeatedly opposed to such an idea, has recently indicated that they would accept more U.S. monitors under the existent framework to help consolidate the ceasefire efforts. **** Puerto Ricans to Vote on Island's Political Status Speaking to thousands celebrating the island's commonwealth status, Puerto Rico's governor on Wednesday said that residents would be given another opportunity to vote on whether they want independence, statehood, or the status quo. Sila M. Calderon, elected last year on an anti-statehood platform, said the vote will likely take place next year as part of the 50th anniversary of the island's becoming an American commonwealth. The measure would be nonbinding without congressional approval. A series of nonbinding votes, the latest in 1998, have failed to attract enough supporters to upgrade ties to full statehood. A small minority of Puerto Ricans support full independence but the majority has always voted to keep the island's commonwealth status. Puerto Ricans have U.S. citizenship, pay into Social Security and serve in the American military. The 4 million islanders do not pay federal taxes, cannot vote for president and have only one representative in the U.S. Congress, who cannot vote. "Let us not wait for others to do it for us," Calderon said in Humacao, about 35 miles southeast of San Juan. During Wednesday's rally, Calderon also urged Vieques inhabitants to vote in Sunday's nonbinding referendum on whether the U.S. Navy should continue using the Puerto Rican island as a bombing range. **** 9,000 Iraqis Die in June due to UN Sanctions: Report More than 9,000 Iraqis died in June due to the 11-year-old United Nations sanctions against Iraq, bringing the country's death toll of the sanctions to 1,508,006 since August 1990, Iraqi Health Ministry said in a report released on Thursday. In June, some 6,078 children under the age of five died of diarrhea, pneumonia, respiratory infections and malnutritions, said the report, adding that 3,012 elderly people died of heart diseases, diabetes, hypertension and malignant neoplasms. Such a high mortality rate, resulting from malnutrition and severe medicine shortage caused by the sanctions, was in sharp contrast with the same 1989 period, when only 387 children and 434 elderly people died, the report said. Iraq has long urged the U.N. to totally lift the sanctions, imposed after its 1990 invasion of neighboring Kuwait. Moreover, Iraq has often accused the United States and Britain of impeding the implementation of the U.N. oil-for-food program by blocking the contracts Iraq signed with foreign countries to buy food, medicine and other basic necessities. The U.N. humanitarian program, launched in 1996, allows Iraq to sell crude to finance imports of humanitarian goods to help offset the crippling impacts of the sanctions. In a letter to U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Wednesday, Iraqi permanent delegate to the U.N. Mohammad al-Duri said that a total of 1,373 contracts, worth 3.4 billion U.S. dollars, have been put on hold by the U.N. Sanctions Committee "under the pretext of dual use." "The suspension of contracts has reached an unbearable level," Duri said in the letter. **** Chinese, Russian Presidents Discuss Results of Genoa G-8 Summit Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday held a telephone conversation with his Chinese counterpart Jiang Zemin to discuss the main results of the Group of Eight summit in Genoa and his recent meeting with US President George W. Bush. The conversation also focused on Russian-US consultations on strategic stability, the presidential press service said. Putin and Jiang noted the importance of a substantial Russia-US dialogue on offensive and defensive weapons. Putin also told Jiang Russia's position on the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty will remain unchanged, said the service. _________________________________________________ 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] __________________________________________________
