Extracts. Taliban to Execute Supporters of Former King: AIP. Afghan Taliban are planing to hang some supporters of former Afghan King Zahir Shah on Friday, who were arrested by the Taliban Thursday night, according to the Pakistan -based Afghan Islamic Press (AIP). According to details, 25 followers of tribal leader Hamid Karzai, a supporter of former King Zahir Shah were arrested by the Taliban militia in Dehrawad mountains of Urozgan province. "It is expected that some of the important people of those arrested may be hanged later today in Kandahar though it is possible that they may be hanged in Urozgan," AIP quoted a Taliban source as saying. AIP said Taliban were still trying to hunt down Karzai, who is believed to be on a mission similar to that of former opposition commander Abdul Haq, who was executed by the Taliban on October 26. **** Four Injured When U.S. Helicopter Crashes in Afghanistan: Pentagon- The Pentagon announced on Friday that a U.S. military helicopter crash-landed in Afghanistan due to bad weather, injuring four crew members. "The landing severely damaged the helicopter," the Pentagon said in a statement. "The entire crew has been safely recovered out of Afghanistan and the four injured service members are now receiving medical care," it added. The Pentagon said the crash landing, the first reported loss of a U.S. aircraft within Afghanistan since the U.S. and its allies launched military strikes against the Taliban four weeks ago, took place at 1830 GMT Friday. It said the damaged helicopter has been destroyed by F-14 Tomcats from the USS Theodore Roosevelt. The Pentagon did not disclosed the identity of the helicopter and its mission. **** US Bombs Knock out Dam, Bin Laden Seeks Combat against US "Crusade" . US forces on Thursday crippled Afghanistan's biggest hydroelectric complex after two days of their heaviest air raids as Osama bin Laden, in a rare public statement, called on Pakistanis to resist what he called a US-led "crusade." Condoleeza Rice, George W. Bush's national security advisor, said in Washington that the US president would next week discuss the US-led war on terrorism with the leaders of Britain, France, India, Brazil, Algeria, and Ireland -- but gave no other details. About 1,000 armed Pakistani tribesmen, part of a large group massed for the past week on the Afghan frontier, crossed the border to join the Taliban in their war against the United States. UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan joined a chorus of world leaders seeking a swift end to the US-led military action, but appeals for a pause in hostilities during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan brought mixed responses: including a strong rejection by Afghan opposition forces fighting the Taliban. A flurry of diplomatic activity accompanied the US military campaign begun on October 7 to flush out bin Laden and his al-Qaeda network of Muslim extremists blamed for the September 11 terrorist massacre of 5,000 people in the United States and topple the Taliban regime sheltering them. The non-stop pounding of Taliban front lines, the day after B-52 bombers were first seen in action, brought a smile for the first time to opposition commanders long critical of the scope of US air raids. "Today is a better day," a delighted opposition commander Alu Zaqi commented on the relentless US battering of Taliban front lines. "If this keeps going, the Taliban will be weakened and the front lines will collapse." But another commander, General Hussein Anwari, head of a small Shiite faction and a member of the fractious Northern Alliance's leadership council, said opposition forces were still not ready to attack Kabul. The Taliban claimed they shot down a US plane, but this was immediately denied by the Pentagon in Washington. Taliban Education Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said seven US raids Wednesday and Thursday severely damaged the Kajaki hydroelectric complex in southern Helmand province, knocking out the power supplies of Kandahar and Lashkarga. "So far water has not started gushing out of the dam but any further bombing will destroy (it)", Muttaqi said. "It may cause widespread flooding, putting at risk the lives of thousands of people." Kajaki, 90 kilometers (56 miles) northwest of Kandahar, contains 2.7 billion cubic metres of water and irrigates land farmed by 75,000 families in a desert area where water is a precious commodity. Qatar's Al-Jazeera TV, the only foreign news organization present in Afghanistan, said it obtained a copy of a statement bearing a signature of bin Laden identical to one that "appeared in a previous statement" whose authenticity they had confirmed. In his latest missive, bin Laden accused the Pakistani government of "standing under the banner of the Cross while Muslims are being slaughtered in Afghanistan," Al-Jazeera said. Bin Laden "called on Muslims in Pakistan to confront what he termed a crusade against Islam," said the Doha-based station, bin Laden's chosen platform to address Muslims. Palestinian President Yasser Arafat was the first to react, calling the statement "very dangerous talk." Witnesses said a group of 1,000 armed Pakistani Pashtun tribesmen, led by radical Muslim leader Maulana Mohammad Ismail, crossed the border Laden in the North West Frontier Province, joining Taliban forces waiting on the other side. In Geneva, Annan said he hoped for a swift end to the military action, but urged that the world pursue the anti-terror coalition, of which, he said, military action is only a "very small part." The 2001 recipient of the Nobel peace prize was joined by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, who said he hoped the US raids would end before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan -- although he acknowledged this would depend on the situation on the ground. "I hope this campaign will finish before... Ramadan," Mubarak said in Madrid, but added: "When you are dealing with fighting and military operations, you cannot guarantee what the military situation will be and whether operations can be stopped without benefiting the other side." In Ashkabad leading a European Union delegation, Belgian Foreign Minister Louis Michel warned against pursuing the bombing raids during Ramadan, which begins November 17. "Any acts that can irritate the Muslim world ... have to be excluded from my point of view," Michel said, adding that it would be "positive" if the US ceased its strikes on Afghanistan during the holy month. In Berlin, German Defense Minister Rudolf Scharping said he was against any halt in the strikes, although an easing of operation during certain "key days" of the month of fasting could be "taken into consideration." But the opposition Northern Alliance practically ended the debate, a spokesman in Moscow saying it will not observe a Ramadan truce. "In previous years, the Taliban continued fighting (during Ramadan) and we have responded, and I don't suppose there will be any difference this year," the spokesman said. In Washington, Rice said the United States simply "can't afford" to halt its strikes. Turkey, meanwhile, the only Muslim populated member of NATO and a country with historic ties to Afghanistan, said it would send 90 of its elite troops to the country in response to a US request. A government statement said the unit would engage in "surveillance, the struggle against terrorists, guiding the Northern Alliance, supporting humanitarian missions, protecting innocent people and helping the evacuation of civilians when necessary." The Taliban immediately condemned the decision, their envoy in Islamabad, Abdul Salam Zaeef, saying: "Any soldier, whether they are from a Muslim or non-Muslim country -- if they are joining the Americans, they are our enemy. If they attack Afghanistan we will defend ourselves." On Thursday, wave after wave of US bombers, including giant B-52s, carpet bombed frontlines in northern Afghanistan, dropping their thunderous payloads on Taliban positions close to the Tajik border. The ground shook and windows shattered as far away as Khwaja Bahauddin, an opposition-held town 25 kilometers (15 miles) from Taliban forward positions, reporters in the region said. The British media, meanwhile, was unanimous Thursday in panning the first visit to Damascus Wednesday by Prime Minister Tony Blair, an enthusiastic advocate of the military action in Afghanistan. The Damascus trip was the first leg of Blair's Middle East tour, and a hoped for agreement on the anti-terror campaign with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad failed to materialize. "Syria's Assad humiliates PM," said the left-leaning Guardian, saying Blair suffered a "public dressing-down," while The Times said Blair was "confronted with the full ferocity of Muslim opposition to the war in Afghanistan." The Independent called Blair's visit a "diplomatic embarrassment". Overall, Blair got an earful from the Arab countries on his tour, which warned him against continuing the air strikes during Ramadan and pressured him for a settlement to the Palestinian problem. "There is a growing hostility in the Arab and Muslim world towards the US strikes on Afghanistan, and this will become worse if the attacks continue during Ramadan," one official quoted Arab leaders as telling Blair. **** Georgian President fires entire Cabinet. Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze decided Thursday to fire his entire Cabinet, officials said as a security scandal erupted into a full-fledged political crisis. Zurab Zhvania, the parliamentary speaker, said that Shevardnadze's representative in parliament had informed him that "the president has made a decision to oust the entire Cabinet." "Our task now is to ease tension in the city and prompt the demonstrators to disperse," Zhvania told the parliament. The parliamentary representative, Valery Khaburzania, confirmed to The Associated Press that he had conveyed Shevardnadze's decision to sack the Cabinet. Shevardnadze's government has been under pressure from many quarters, including the country's separatist region of Abkhazia and Russia, which has repeatedly accused Georgia of providing refuge to rebels fighting Russian troops in Russia's breakaway Chechnya region. Georgia is the only foreign country that borders on the violence-wracked region. While Shevardnadze rose to power in the Soviet era on pledges to curb corruption and has pledged to continue the campaign today, he has managed to do very little. Manyamong the thousands of demonstrators who gathered outside the parliament on Thursday blamed Shevardnadze for the burgeoning corruption and poverty. The immediate cause of the Cabinet's ouster was the security service's attempted raid on the independent Rustavi 2 television station earlier this week on suspicion of tax evasion. The failed raid brought protests the state was trying to silence critical media and demands for top security officials to step down. Security Minister Vakhtang Kutateladze handed in his resignation Wednesday, but parliamentary members said that was not enough. They also demanded the resignation of Interior Minister Kakha Targamadze and Prosecutor General Georgy Meparishvili, and some called for the entire government to step down - sparking protests among their opponents that they were trying to engineer a state coup. Appearing before parliament on Thursday, Targamadze tersely announced that he had submitted his resignation to the president. He then walked out of the chamber. Meparishvili told the parliament that he, too, was resigning. He was not part of the Cabinet. Shevardnadze, a former Soviet foreign minister, said in a live, late-night broadcast Wednesday that if parliament, which must approve the resignations, forced the interior minister and prosecutor to go, he would consider himself "guilty as well" and step down. But he did not announce his own resignation on Thursday. **** Iraq Refutes Czech Statement on Diplomat's Contact With Terror Suspect . Iraq on Thursday refuted allegations of Czech Interior Minister Stanislav Gross that an Iraqi diplomat had once met with Mohammed Atta, a leading suspect of the September 11 terror attacks on the United States. "Stanislav Gross knows well what he spoke to the press had absolutely nothing to do with the reality and it contradicted with his previous statements, including the statement to the French daily Le Monde on October 9, in which he said he could not confirm the meeting between Mohammed Atta and the Iraqi diplomat in Prague," an Iraqi Foreign Ministry spokesman said. In a statement carried by the official Iraqi News Agency, the spokesman accused the Czech minister of serving Israel by trying to instigate the West to launch a war against the Arabs and Muslims. Western media have reported that Ahmed Khalil Ibrahim Samir al-Ani, a former Iraqi consul and second secretary in the Iraqi embassy in the Czech Republic, met twice with Atta in Prague last year and this year. Ani was declared persona non grata and expelled by Prague in April for activities "incompatible with his diplomatic status." Gross said in September that Prague was inquiring about possible contacts by Atta in the country. Iraq has categorically denied such meetings as well as any link with the terror attacks in New York and Washington. **** German Chancellor Promises Not to Sell Arms to Taiwan. Germany will stick to the "One China" principle and not sell submarine to Taiwan, says visiting German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder in Beijing, November 1. Schroeder made the promise in a speech delivered at Beijing University highlighting the building of the Germany-China partnership in an ever-changing world and he said Germany had refused for many times the demand to sell submarines to Taiwan, which won long applaud from audience, as reported. Schroeder said that Germany and China should develop a long-standing partnership on the basis of mutual trust and common interests. The Chancellor said that in a world of constant changes, such a partnership is of great importance to both countries. At present, the two have established close and reliable relations of mutual confidence in the spheres of politics, economics, technology and culture, and the two countries have also strengthened their cooperation in the sphere of security, he said. China, the country with the largest population in the world, and as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, and an upcoming economic power, should play greater role at the international and regional levels, he said. The chancellor said the new ways of production and the globalized market have intensified the uncertainties of the world, and a globalized world should give equal chances to all. He also said problems facing all mankind, such as regional conflicts, terrorism, environmental protection and poverty reduction, should be dealt with within the framework of the United Nations. He said that when adjusting the current international political relations, the interests of every nation should be considered. Germany is currently the biggest European trade partner of China and Schroeder's visit is aimed at lifting the bilateral ties. During the three-day visit business contracts valued US$10 billion will be signed. Besides, Germany-based Siemens company would sell electricity transmitting equipment valued US$300 million to China and the Bayer company will also plan to invest US$3.4 billion in China in 2008. **** France's Region Plays Bigger Role in Pushing Ties With China: Hu Jintao. Visiting Chinese Vice-President Hu Jintao said here Friday that the French region of Rhone-Alps is playing a bigger role in pushing forward a comprehensive partnership between France and China. Hu made the remarks during his separate meetings with Anne-Marie Comparini, president of the council of the Regional Rhone-Alps and Lyon's mayor, Gerard Collomb. Lyon, the second largest city in France, is located in the Rhone-Alps region. Collomb said that Lyon and the region of Rhone-Alps have kept friendly relations with cities like Guangzhou and Shanghai in China with the economic, educational and cultural links becoming closer in recent years. He stressed that Lyon pays great attention to the important role China plays on international stage and expects to strengthen the cooperative ties with China in the new century. In response, Hu said that friendship between Lyon and China has a long history and plays an important role in Sino-French relationship, which, in recent years, developed in a good trend. Regional exchanges and cooperation between the two countries have been very helpful in the trend. Hu expressed his hope that cooperation between Lyon and his country will produce fruitful results constantly. Earlier on Friday, Hu met with Comparini. During their meeting, Comparini expressed her willingness that effective cooperation with China in the areas of industry, science and technology and education will be intensified. In 1986, Jiang Zemin, who was then the mayor of Shanghai and now the Chinese president, signed a friendly cooperative agreement with the president of the council of the Rhone-Alps region and the friendly ties have been expanded ever since then, according to Hu. He told Comparini that he hopes the French region will use its advantages to continue its contribution to the comprehensive Sino-French partnership. Hu arrived here on Thursday after winding up his five-day official visit to Britain. **** China to Issue White Paper on Modernization in Tibet. The Information Office of the State Council Friday announced that it will soon release a white paper on modernization in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. Sources from the office say the move is designed to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the peaceful liberation of Tibet and help the international community to understand the history and reality of Tibet, also known as the "roof of the world". The white paper will consist of three parts with about 17,000 Chinese characters. It will feature a review of the modernization process since Tibet's peaceful liberation in 1951, show the great achievements the Tibetan people have made toward modernization with the help of the Chinese Central Government and people of other ethnic backgrounds in China, unveil the internal development rules of Tibet during modernization, and expose the plot and true nature of Dalai Lama clique and other hostile forces in the world in preventing Tibet from modernization. _________________________________________________ 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] __________________________________________________
