Extracts. Africans Critical of Absence of Powell African officials said Tuesday the fight against racism was the real loser following the U.S. decision not to send Secretary of State Colin Powell to a major U.N. racism conference that starts this week. Across the continent, government officials and newspaper editorials voiced disappointment at the Bush administration's decision not to send a high-level delegation to the international gathering, which is scheduled to start to begin Friday in Durban, South Africa. ``It is a pity. I think this question of racism is such an important question, because no country �� not even the United States �� has been able to deal effectively with and eradicate racism,'' said South African Foreign Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma. ``The United States needs this conference just as much as anybody else.'' Nigerian Foreign Minister Dubin Onyia said the absence of the United States would be felt deeply if it decided to boycott the meeting. ``Decisions taken at the conference will be like a toothless bulldog if America is not there,'' Onyia said. U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan again urged the United States to participate. ``I hope the United States will come and sit with other governments to move the process forward, to fight for common ground and to find the right language,'' Annan said. The Bush administration is still considering whether to send a low-level delegation to the conference after announcing Monday that Powell �� a former U.S. military chief who was known worldwide before he became the first black secretary of state �� would not attend. The State Department said the decision was made in protest against Arab-backed ``offensive language'' in draft conference documents that accused Israel of implementing racist policies against Palestinians. The United States has also been reluctant to attend because of demands by African countries for an apology and reparations for slavery. Observers in Africa said an absence of senior U.S. officials at the conference would signal a lack of interest in combatting racism. ``A high-level delegation would have signaled the United States' commitment to the global family of nations and to working things out together,'' said Paul Graham, director of the Institute for Democracy in South Africa. ``The American action is perceived as proof that the U.S. is not interested in racism and poverty.'' Planning of the conference has been overshadowed in part by a push by Arab states to link Zionism �� the movement that led to the founding of Israel �� with racism. For 16 years, the United Nations had a resolution on the books that equated Zionism with racism. It was repealed in 1991. The United States sat out the last two U.N. racism conferences, in 1978 and 1983, because it felt the gatherings were a forum for anti-Semitism. In Kenya, Gitau Warigi, a columnist for the Sunday Nation newspaper, wrote he was taken aback by what he called Israel's influence over the United States. ``What is this amazing hold that Israel has on United States policy that such a vital issue as the fight against racism can be reduced to a spat over a country the U.S. treats like a spoiled baby?'' But for some, a no-show by the Americans was of little importance. ``It will not make any difference to the outcome,'' said South Africa's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Ronnie Mamoepa. ``We are not organizing an American conference. We are organizing a United Nations conference.'' **** China Strongly Condemns Israel's Assassination China strongly condemns Israel's assassination Monday of Abu Ali Mustafa, the head of the Palestinian Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said Tuesday. Spokesman Zhu Bangzao expressed profound regret and grief at Mustafa's unfortunate death. He said that China always opposes any form of terrorism, Israel 's policy of tracking and killing militants and its continual assassinations of Palestinian leaders. China hopes that the Israeli and Palestinian sides will actively cooperate with the efforts of the international community and avoid unilateral actions so as to create an appropriate atmosphere for ending Israeli-Palestinian conflicts as soon as possible and resuming peace talks, Zhu said. **** Cuba to Stop Accepting American Coins Cuban banks and stores that do business in U.S. dollars will stop accepting American coins this fall, the Central Bank said Tuesday. In a short note in the Communist Party daily newspaper, Granma, the bank announced that beginning Oct. 15, only Cuban-made "convertible pesos" will be accepted for denominations smaller than a dollar. American paper currency will remain valid, but quarters, dimes, nickels and pennies will no longer circulate. "It is international practice to not accept foreign coins, owing to the high cost associated with its use and exportation," the announcement said. An earlier version of the "convertible peso" coins, minted by the Tourism Institute, will also no longer be accepted. The use of American dollars by Cubans was decriminalized in August 1993 as part of a series of modest reforms aimed to help citizens weather a severe economic crisis caused by the collapse of the Soviet Union a decade ago. Dollar transactions on the island have increased significantly in recent years, but many goods and services for Cuban citizens are provided for ordinary Cuban pesos whose current official exchange rate is 22 to the dollar, including public transportation, utilities and subsidized food. The Central Bank did not say how much U.S. currency circulates on the island, which has been under a U.S. trade embargo since 1961. It said Cuba has "sufficient quantities of Convertible Cuban Peso coins to substitute the circulation of the United States coins." The convertible pesos have the same denominations as U.S. currency. It is estimated that at least 60% of Cuba's 11 million citizens have some access to U.S. dollars �� from relatives abroad, as tips for tourism workers or through salaries in some sectors that now pay workers partially in American currency. **** Correct Understanding of Developing Party Members from New Social Strata This article, written by the guest commentator of Xinhua News Agency, is published on the front page of People's Daily. Following are excerpts of this article. Comrade Jiang Zemin's important speech given at the meeting in celebration of the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China clearly states: Party members coming from workers, farmers, intellectuals, servicemen and cadres are the most fundamental components and backbone force of the Party ranks, at the same time, it is necessary to draw into the Party the outstanding elements from other social sectors, who acknowledge the Party's Program and Constitution, consciously work for the Party's line and program, have gone through long-term tests and meet the requirements for Party members. This major theoretical innovation is of important and far-reaching significance in strengthening construction of the ranks of Party members, constantly enhancing the Party's class base and enlarging its mass foundation, and constantly raising the Party's social influence under the new historical conditions. In grasping the question of developing Party members from among the new social strata, it is first necessary to correctly understand the new changes taken place in the composition of China's social strata and the important role played by these strata in promoting economic development and social progress. Since the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Party Central Committee in late 1978, China's economic system and the composition of social strata have experienced and are experiencing major changes. In rural areas, along with the deepening of the economic structural reform and the advancement of managing agriculture in an industrial way, farmers have organically combined themselves with the market, some of them have quitted their land and engaged in the secondary and tertiary industries, some have entered township enterprises, some have become self-employed workers, and others have become proprietors of privately run enterprises. In cities, along with the establishment of a modern corporate structure and the regrouping and restructuring of some enterprises, more and more workers have held shares, there have emerged some proprietary share-holders and big share-holders, and the number of propertied persons has increased considerably; with the rapid development of foreign-invested enterprises, numerous managerial and technical personnel have been employed by these enterprises; there have emerged more and more social intermediary organizations, with the number of employees steadily increasing; a group of young and highly educated managerial and technical personnel who master high and new technologies and managerial expertise are active in vigorous privately run scientific and technical enterprises. These vast numbers of personnel in the new social strata have played an important role in expediting the progress of science and technology, livening up urban and rural markets, optimizing the allocation of resources, enlarging employment channels, satisfying the diverse demands of the people and promoting the development of the national economy. Non-public sectors have become an important component of China's socialist market economy and constitute a dynamic force propelling China's economic development and social progress. The broad masses of people in the new social strata are also the builders of socialist undertakings with Chinese characteristics. Party building has always been linked together with the Party's historical tasks and with the theories and lines defined for the realization of these tasks. Comrade Jiang Zemin pointed out in his speech, "It is imperative to implement the Party's basic theories and basic lines and, in compliance with the requirements of the 'three represent's' (representing the requirement to develop advanced productive forces, an orientation toward advanced culture and the fundamental interests of the overwhelming majority of the Chinese people), comprehensively and intensively strengthen and improve Party building. Studying the work of developing Party members from among the new social strata, we naturally will come to the following conclusions: Drawing into the Party the outstanding elements from among the new social strata is conducive to maintaining the advanced nature of the Party. At the present historical stage, the advanced nature of Communist Party members naturally should be expressed in their conscientious study and practice of Deng Xiaoping Theory and Comrade Jiang Zemin's important thought contained in the 'three represent's', in the comprehensive, correct and active implementation of the Party's basic lines and in the conscious pitching into the socialist economic, political and cultural construction with Chinese characteristics. Advanced elements do exist in the new social strata. Many of them come from among farmers, workers, students, operational and managerial personnel in State-owned enterprises, cadres of Party and government organizations, personnel from institutions, scientific and technical personnel from institutions of higher learning and research institutes, as well as Chinese students returned from abroad. The overwhelming majority of them love the motherland and the people, support the Party's lines, principles and policies, observe the Constitution and laws of the country and actively participate in the great cause of building socialism with Chinese characteristics. Some people are keen on social public welfare services, pay attention to their own social images, exhibit deep love for their country and are willing to make their own contributions to the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Some of them are eager to make political progress, actively get close to Party organizations, are willing to strive for the Party's program and line, and have scored achievements in boosting reform, promoting development and maintaining stability. It is not only necessary but also possible to accept into the Party the outstanding elements from among them, who acknowledge the Party's program and Constitution, consciously strive for the Party's line and program, have gone through long-term tests and correspond with the requirements for Party members. Taking the outstanding elements from among the new social strata into the Party is conducive to strengthening the Party's class base, enlarging its mass foundation, raising the Party's social influence and consolidating its ruling status. Along with the deepening of economic restructuring, China's social-economic structure, economic sector, social organization form, benefit distribution method and employment method are increasingly diversified. Non-public economic organization, social organization, civilian-run non-enterprises are emerging in large quantities and are exerting important influence on China's economic, cultural and social development, to guide the healthy development of these economic and social organizations, it is necessary to have correct principles and policies and a perfect regulatory system, it is also necessary to strengthen the Party's political leadership. Drawing into the Party the outstanding elements from among the new social strata who conform to the requirements for Party members and through their influence to bring along other personnel in these strata to render better service for the country and society is conducive to implementing the Party's line, principles and policies in these economic and social organizations and enhancing the Party's influence on these new social strata; it is also conducive to changing the weak condition in the Party's work in these economic and social organizations and enlarging the coverage of the Party's work. Drawing into the Party the outstanding elements from among the new social strata helps fully mobilize the positive factors of various quarters and give a better push to the great cause of building socialism with Chinese characteristics. Many people engaged in non-public economic sectors and personnel in other economic sectors have become well off by responding to the Party's call. Taking the outstanding elements from among them into the Party and giving full expressions to the Party's political trust in them, so that they rally themselves closely around the Party helps better mobilize their enthusiasm and creativity, so that they can better unite with and lead the masses to serve realization of the Party's basic line at the primary stage of socialism and contribute their strength to the cause of building socialism with Chinese characteristics. On the question of developing Party members from among the new social strata, we should enhance understanding and unify thinking, in concrete operation, we must ensure the work is safe and secure, we must not rush headlong into mass action and accept new Party members by lowering the standards. In drawing into the Party the outstanding elements from among the new social strata, we must stick to the required standards, strictly follow set procedures and guarantee quality. That we allow acceptance of outstanding elements from among the new social strata into the Party is by no means, in total lack of principle, leaving the door wide open, still less should we draw unqualified people into the Party and thus damage the nature of the Party as the vanguard of the working class. All Party members should be educated to establish a firm conviction in the building of socialism with Chinese characteristics, conscientiously implement the Party's basic line; establish a Marxist mass viewpoint, maintain the flesh-and-blood ties between the Party and the people, strive to carry out the purpose of serving the people wholeheartedly, and further solving the problem of joining the Party ideologically. It is necessary to correctly handle the relations between developing Party members from among the new social strata and from among workers, farmers, intellectuals, soldiers, and cadres. When we allow outstanding elements among the new social strata to join the Party, we do not in the least mean regarding these people as the focus of work in developing Party members. Comrade Jiang Zemin has made it clear that accepting the advanced elements from among workers, farmers, intellectuals, soldiers and cadres into the Party has always been the focus of our work of developing Party members. We should adapt ourselves to the reality of change in the ranks of the working class and, from the high plane of maintaining the nature of the Party as the vanguard of the working class and consolidating the ruling status of the Party, and enhance our self-consciousness of doing well our work of admitting Party members from among workers, farmers, intellectuals, soldiers and cadres. **** Zimbabwe Warns Britain Against Demonizing President Zimbabwean Vice President Joseph Msika has warned the British government against demonizing President Robert Mugabe, saying that it would not help mend the already strained bilateral relations, The Herald newspaper reported on Tuesday. Msika's comments followed an intensive campaign against President Mugabe by the British government and the British press ahead of next year's presidential elections. He told new British High Commissioner to Zimbabwe Brian Donnelly on Monday that if the British government was really interested in mending relations with Zimbabwe, it was imperative that it desists from ridiculing President Mugabe. "As a starting point, I think it will be paramount for you to stop demonizing President Mugabe as this will not help in mending relations," said Msika. Donnelly, who had paid a courtesy call on Msika, later told reporters that it was not the intention of the British government to cause disorder in Zimbabwe. He said that wherever possible, Britain would always strive to maintain and accord the necessary respect both to the Zimbabwean government and people, including President Mugabe. "Britain's objective is to see a stable and peaceful Zimbabwe. We are not trying to destabilize the country in any way, but to help the country in a peaceful transition," said Donnelly. He further noted that the British government was pursuing a policy of constructive engagement so as to mend relations between the two countries. The British diplomat said in principle his country was not opposed to land redistribution, adding Britain would always support a transparent and equitable land redistribution process in Zimbabwe. However, he stressed: "There are issues, such as respect for the rule of law, which Zimbabwe has to adhere to before Britain can assist in the land reform program." Donnelly denied that Britain was involved in the disturbances that took place in Mashonaland West province in recent weeks, where over 21 white commercial farmers allegedly assaulted resettled farmers. He also denied that the British government was supporting the opposition Movement for Democratic Change of Zimbabwe. **** Chinese Vice-President Meets Guinean Foreign Minister China treasures its traditional friendship with Guinea, and will join efforts with the Guinean side to work for an even greater development of Sino-Guinean friendly relations of cooperation in the new century, said Chinese Vice-President Hu Jintao Tuesday. Hu made the remark in a meeting with Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation in the Presidency of Guinea Camara Hadja Mahawa Bangoura. Hu said that the people of the two countries enjoy a traditional friendship and bilateral relations have developed steadily since the two countries established diplomatic ties over 40 years ago. They two sides have conducted fruitful cooperation in the fields of politics, economy, culture and education, and they have always sympathized with, supported each other and cooperated closely in international affairs, Hu said. The vice-president expressed appreciation for Guinea's adherence to the "one China" principle, and its support for China' s reunification and on other issues like human rights. Hu also spoke highly of the efforts the Guinean government and people made in exploring a development path suited to the country' s conditions, and Guinea's contributions to promoting African political and economic integrity. Bangoura said that Guinea and China enjoy a very good relationship of cooperation. The Chinese government and people have always firmly supported Guinea's efforts for safeguarding sovereignty and for national development and provided Guinea with sincere and unselfish assistance. She said that Guinea attaches importance to its relations with China and holds that at a time when the political multi- polarization and economic globalization are accelerating, it is necessary for Guinea and China to strengthen consultation and cooperation, so as to push their traditional friendship initiated by leaders of the old generation of the two countries to a new level. Bangoura reiterated the Guinean government's support for the " one China" principle and China's reunification. She also expressed her congratulations on Beijing's successful bid to host the 2008 Olympic Games. Bangoura is here as guest of Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan. _________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. 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