Extracts. China Refutes US Reports on China-Taliban Ties. Reports in some US newspapers of connections between China and the ruling Taliban regime in Afghanistan are false, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhu Bangzao said Saturday. The spokesman was responding to the requests by the media to clarify reports in The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal which claimed China has very close ties with the Taliban. The reports said China sends its diplomats to Kabul, Afghanistan, on regular basis, and offered the Taliban consultation service on matters such as dam construction. The reports also said at least one Chinese company is assisting the Taliban to build a telephone network, and China has signed a memorandum with the Taliban on providing economic and technical assistance. Zhu Bangzao said the reports were "at serious variance with the facts." For safety considerations, China shut down its embassy to Afghanistan in February 1993, after the civil war of Afghanistan broke out. China has never sent resident personnel there since then, Zhu said, describing the report of the regular dispatch of diplomats as "groundless." He also described the reports on China's involvement in the construction of dam and telephone network, as well as the memorandum signed with the Taliban as "absurd." The spokesman stressed that China, a neighbor of Afghanistan, has been always concerned with development of situations in Afghanistan, and China hopes that the issue of Afghanistan would be solved peacefully and as soon as possible. "China has no selfish interests on the Afghan issue. What China has done is mainly to persuade different factions in Afghanistan to make peace, and we will never interfere in its internal affairs, " he said. China has not established any kind of formal relations with the Taliban, he said, and he confirmed that the embassy of the Islamic State of Afghanistan (of the anti-Taliban alliance) to China has maintained normal operation in Beijing. Zhu reiterated that China supports not only the United Nations' leading role in peaceful settlement of the Afghan issue, but also all endeavors towards that direction. **** China No Threat to Any Other Country: President Jiang. Chinese President Jiang Zemin said Friday that China's development will be good for Asia and the world, and the country will be no threat to any other country. Jiang made the remarks during a meeting with a delegation composed of economic officials and entrepreneurs from Japan, who have just concluded their visit to some parts of western China. Jiang stressed that China is a developing country, and still has a long way to go in its economic development. China and Japan are more of a complementary relationship in terms of economic growth. In addition, as China's economy grows, its market will also grow and it will be increasingly integrated with the world economy. Such a prospect will no doubt be good for all countries, and Asian countries in particular, Jiang said. China's strategy to develop its western areas was a major decision of the Chinese government for the long-term growth of the country in the new century, Jiang said. The strategy also brings opportunities for cooperation between China and Japan. But economic cooperation needs a stable political environment, Jiang stressed. "As to the history issue between our two countries, I have reiterated that we should 'learn from history and look into the future,'" Jiang said. "That is the consensus reached between our two sides when I visited Japan in 1998." Jiang said looking into the future is the objective which can only be reached on the basis of learning from history. "I hope Japanese friends of the economic circle can bear this principle in mind, and work jointly with China to push forward China-Japan relations." Imai Takashi, top advisor of the Japanese delegation, said they were deeply impressed by the enthusiasm of the Chinese people in developing the western region of the country. He stressed that Japan and China are increasingly interdependent on each other in their economic growth, and that Japanese business people will treat the history issue in a correct manner and work jointly with the Chinese side to create a better future for Japan-China relations. Imai noted Beijing's successful bid for the 2008 Olympic Games, the country's upcoming entry into the World Trade Organization and its hosting of the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting next month in Shanghai, saying Japan welcomes and supports China to contribute more to world peace and development. **** Roundup: U.S. Moves to Prepare for Retaliation, The United States is moving on almost every front to prepare for a military response to the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington earlier on September 11. For the first time since the 1991 Gulf War, President George W. Bush on Friday declared a state of national emergency and signed an executive order to authorize the mobilization of as many as 50, 000 members of the National Guard and Reserve. Although the reservists were called up mainly in the name of homeland defense, analysts said that this is a natural step necessary to take if the Bush administration wants to conduct a sustained operation. U.S. military units performing a wide variety of important combat support functions are located in the reserves. This is designed to ensure that major military campaigns are carried out with broad civilian support. Meanwhile, in unusual swift, the U.S. Congress on Friday approved 40 billion U.S. dollars as "down payment" to help the country recover from the terrorist attacks and retaliate those responsible. The Senate also voted unanimously to authorize Bush to use "all necessary and appropriate force against those nations, organizations or persons" who carried out the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington. The House of Representatives has also adopted a resolution to this effect. Addressing a national prayer and memorial service here Friday, President Bush, who had described the attacks as "the first war in the 21st century," vowed to "rid the world of evil." "This conflict was begun on the timing and terms of others. It will end in a way and at an hour of our choosing," he said. It was reported that Bush and his assistants will gather at Camp David, the presidential resort in Maryland, this weekend to weigh on military options to respond to the attacks on Tuesday morning which leveled the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York and left a smoldering hole on the Pentagon near Washington. The options, which are believed to go far beyond the short-term cruise missile strikes in the past, may involve the use of military forces on land, at sea and in the air. Addressing a press conference here Thursday, Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz said that Washington would launch sustained military strikes against those behind the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington as well as their support systems, indicating that the retaliation would be continued until the roots of terrorism are destroyed. "These people try to hide. They won't be able to hide forever, " he said, "They think their harbors are safe, but they won't be safe forever. One has to say it's not just simply a matter of capturing people and holding them accountable, but removing the sanctuaries, removing the support systems, ending states who sponsor terrorism," Wolfowitz added. On the diplomatic front, Bush and Secretary of State Colin Powell have been working very hard over the past two days to build up an international coalition against terrorism. They called leaders of dozens of countries or international organizations to seek their support in the event of any U.S. retaliation to the attacks. In particular, the Bush administration mounted pressure on the Pakistani government and urged Islamabad to share information with Washington, close its border with Afghanistan and allow U.S. planes to use its airspace in case of taking military actions against the Taliban regime. The U.S. named exiled Saudi billionaire Osama bin Laden as a prime suspect in the attacks on Tuesday and accused the Taliban regime of providing sanctuary for him. **** U.S. House Approves Use of Force. The U.S. House of Representatives on Friday overwhelmingly approved a resolution authorizing President George W. Bush to use force against those responsible for terrorist attacks on the United States. The U.S. Senate unanimously approved a similar resolution earlier Friday. The resolutions give U.S. president the green light to use all necessary and appropriate force against those responsible for Tuesday's terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington. **** Iran Closes Border with Afghanistan. Iran ordered its border with Afghanistan closed Saturday amid concerns its neighbor could be the target of U.S. retaliation for Tuesday's terror attacks on New York and Washington. The Islamic Republic News Agency reported that Iran would post additional military and police forces along its 562-mile (900-kilometer) border to prevent Afghan refugees from entering the country. The Interior Ministry said officials in its border provinces should continue cooperating with international relief organizations trying to help Afghans already in Iran. Iran already houses nearly 2 million refugees displaced by two decades of war and famine in Afghanistan. Afghanistan is considered a possible target for any retaliation because Islamic militant leader Osama bin Laden reportedly operates from the Afghan mountains. President Bush on Saturday branded bin Laden as the "prime suspect" in the attacks. Bush has repeatedly threatened to strike out against terrorism and any nation that supports or harbors terrorists, and large numbers of Afghans are reportedly fleeing the country in fear of potential U.S. retribution. The United States launched cruise missile strikes on bin Laden's Afghan bases in 1998 after he was blamed for deadly bomb attacks on the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. Many residents of the Afghan capital, Kabul, have begun evacuating the city. Most aid workers, reporters and diplomats have already left, with the United Nations pulling out its entire international staff Thursday. Newspapers in Pakistan said the number of people arriving from Afghanistan had risen considerably in the last two days, swelling already-crowded refugee camps along the border. In a rare 15-minute radio address Friday night, Mullah Mohammed Omar -- the Taliban's supreme leader -- urged Afghans not to fear a U.S. attack and to put their faith in Allah. He noted that Afghanistan had defeated British and Russian invaders before. "Now, the third empire of the world wants to impose an attack on us," he said. "As you know better, it is not because of Osama. This is the demonization of Islam." Afghan officials have said bin Laden is a "guest" of the ruling Taliban, and they insist he lacks the resources and the communications to carry out such an attack. The Islamic fundamentalist Taliban vowed to wage war against anyone helping Washington launch attacks on the country and urged Muslims to fight to the death. **** Chinese Premier Winds Up Four-Nation Tour. Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji left here Saturday by a special plane for Beijing, winding up his successful four-nation tour that had also taken him to Ireland, Belgium and Russia. Kazakhstan Prime Minister Kasymzhomart Tokayev and first Deputy Prime Minister Daniyal Akhmetov went to the airport to see off Premier Zhu. During his visit here, the Chinese premier met with Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev and attended the first prime minister meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. On the sidelines of the SCO prime minister meeting, Zhu also met Kyrgyzstan Prime Minister Kurmanbek Bakiyev and Tajikistan Prime Minister Akil Akilov. Before arriving here, Zhu visited Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, where he held talks with Kazakhstan Prime Minister Tokayev on boosting bilateral relations. Following their talks, the two sides signed a number of documents on expanding cooperation. Kazakhstan is the last leg of Zhu's four-nation tour. **** Annan Hopes Arafat's Pledge Will Lead to End of Violence. U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said Friday that he hoped commitment by Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat will lead to a cessation of violence in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. A statement issued by his spokesman said Annan was pleased to hear of the commitment given to his special envoy Terje Roed- Larsen by Arafat. Annan also expressed the hope that the planned meeting between Arafat and Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres will take place as soon as possible, and will enable both parties to engage in well-prepared and substantive talks, leading to the resumption of the peace process, said the statement. It quoted Annan as saying that the need for a negotiated political settlement, based on relevant U.N. Security Council resolutions and the land-for-peace principle has never been greater. In a late-night meeting with Annan's special envoy, Roed-Larsen, Arafat committed himself to giving the necessary orders to all branches of the Palestinian security services to ensure that all clauses of agreements between the two parties are fully implemented and that no violations should occur. Earlier, Roed-Larsen spoke to Peres and other senior Israeli officials, as well as Speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council Abu Ala and Secretary-General of the Palestine Liberation Organization Abu Mazen. Roed-Larsen said he was encouraged that both parties had repeatedly underscored their commitment to implementing the recommendations of the Tenet Agreement and the Mitchell Report. The Mitchell Report, named after former U.S. Senator George Mitchell, like the Tenet Agreement brokered by U.S. Central Intelligence Agency chief George Tenet in June, calls for a cease- fire by both sides and other measures in an effort to pave the way for the resumption of peace talks between Palestinians and Israelis. Violence began almost a year ago following the forcible visit of Ariel Sharon to a controversial holy site in Jerusalem. Clashes continued when hawkish Sharon was elected prime minister in February. So far over 700 people, most of them Palestinians, have been killed. _________________________________________________ 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] __________________________________________________
