Extracts. China Actively Working for Political Solution to Afghanistan Issue: Spokeswoman. The Chinese Government has been actively pushing for a political solution to the Afghanistan issue, willing to continue its constructive role in this regard and China will actively develop relations with the interim government of Afghanistan, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said Thursday. The Chinese Government has been actively pushing for a political solution to the Afghanistan issue, and it is willing to continue its constructive role in this regard, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said Thursday. Zhang reviewed China's efforts for a political solution to the issue in response to a question at a regular press conference. As a neighbor of Afghanistan, China has closely followed the development of the situation in Afghanistan and has played its due role in trying to help bring about a peaceful settlement of the issue at an early date, Zhang said. Continuous Efforts She said after the September 11 terrorist attack in the United States, great changes have taken place in the situation in Afghanistan, and China timely put forward five principles for resolving the issue, stressing that the future government of the country should be broad-based; it should represent interests of all ethnic groups in the country and be friendly with other countries, especially its neighboring countries; and the United Nations should play a major role in the process. (To view the full text of the five principles) Meanwhile, China has kept close contact and consulted with the international community on the issue, she said. Chinese President Jiang Zemin has talked over the phone with leaders of other permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, as well as with leaders of Pakistan , Egypt and other countries, exchanging views and reaching consensus on the international anti- terrorism and the Afghan issue, she said. In addition to telephone conversations with foreign ministers of dozens of countries, Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan attended the U.N. meeting of the "6+2" Group foreign ministers on Afghanistan, and an open foreign ministers meeting sponsored by the U.N. Security Council, expounding China's stand on the issue. Zhang said that Chinese Vice-Foreign Minister Wang Yi, as special envoy of President Jiang Zemin, visited Pakistan in mid- September, exchanging views with the Pakistan side on the international counter-terrorism and the Afghan issue. In addition, the Chinese Foreign Ministry also sent delegations to central Asian countries and Arabic nations to coordinate the stand on the issue of international counter-terrorism and the Afghanistan issue, she said. Participation in International Efforts The spokeswoman said that China attaches importance to and has taken an active part in the international community's efforts for the reconstruction of Afghanistan and in providing humanitarian aid to the Afghan people. She said that after the September 11 terrorist attack, the Chinese Government provided Afghan refugees in Pakistan and Iran with timely material aid, and Chinese representatives attended meetings on the reconstruction of Afghanistan held in Washington and Islamabad. Senior diplomats from the Chinese Embassy in Germany attended the Bonn meeting as observers, and they extensively contacted various parties from Afghanistan and offered support to U.N. special envoy Lakhdar Brahimi's work and encouragement for the efforts of the various sides for national reconciliation. It is easy to see that the Chinese Government has always actively promoted the political solution of the Afghanistan issue, Zhang said. The Chinese Government hopes the Afghanistan people will be able to resume a peaceful life as soon as possible and is willing to continue its constructive role in this regard, she said. Zhang expressed the belief that the goal will be realized with the joint efforts from the international community, and it not only conforms to the fundamental wishes and interests of the Afghanistan people, but also is conducive to the peace and stability in the region and the world at large. Interim Afghan Government Supported China will actively develop relations with the interim government of Afghanistan, said the Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, when asked to comment on the founding of the interim government of Afghanistan. Zhang said the just-concluded Bonn meeting has reached agreement on the founding of an interim government in Afghanistan and China extended congratulations for that. China also appreciated the efforts made by the United Nations and the flexible and practical attitude adopted by participating groups from Afghanistan, she said. The spokeswoman said the achievements of the Bonn meeting were a good starting point for Afghanistan to move towards peace and stability, and extended the wish that Afghanistan parties will value their national cause and earnestly put the agreements into practice. She also hoped that the interim government could lead Afghanistan to peace and stability and would assist its people to resume a peaceful life as soon as possible. After the setting up of the interim government, China will actively develop relations with the interim government and provideit with any necessary aid, she added. **** China to Improve Nutrition of its People. China plans to carry out a 10-year program to improve the nutrition of its 1.3 billion people, not only by the consumption of nutritious food, but also by the promotion of scientific knowledge of and information about a balanced diet. China to Improve Nutrition of its People Balanced diet stressed As the Chinese people have enough to eat thanks to the successful growth of economy, they have a new problem: how to eat more healthily? China plans to deal with this problem by carrying out a 10-yearprogram to improve the nutrition of its 1.3 billion people, not only by the consumption of nutritious food, but also by the promotion of scientific knowledge of and information about a balanced diet. Chinese people should consume more soybean food, vegetables, fruits, vegetable oil, sugar, meat, eggs, milk and aquatic food inthe coming 10 years, according to the program plan, which was jointly announced by the ministries of agriculture and health in Beijing Thursday. Priority will be placed on the development of soybean and dairyfood, which are believed to be economic ways of providing protein and other nutritious factors on a daily basis. Infants and children, women in pregnancy and childbirth, and the elderly, who are the most vulnerable to nutritional deficiencies will be paid special attention in nutrition-enhancingwork, says the plan. The plan, endorsed by the State Council, China's central government, also stresses industries producing tobacco and liquor which "can do great harm to human health" will be strictly controlled in the course of the development of the food industry. Nutrition gap between urban and rural residents Although living standards of the Chinese have been markedly improved, many nutritional problems remain which threaten health, says a leading Chinese expert of food and nutrition. The problems are mainly caused by an insufficient supply and knowledge of nutritious food, and the large gap between the livingstandards of urban and rural residents, says Lu Liangshu, president of the State Food and Nutrition Consultative Commission. On average, every Chinese consumes only seven kg of milk a year,compared to the world's average of 90kg, or even 200 kg in developed countries, he says. While some city dwellers have to deal with obesity or cardiovascular illnesses due to too much high-calorie food, many rural residents, especially those living in poor villages, are still plagued by malnutrition. Low weight, slow development and anemia are major health problems among children in some rural areas, and affect the overall picture of China's national health, Lu says. According to the plan the country will gradually set up nutrition-guaranteeing systems targeting special groups such as infants and children, women in pregnancy and childbirth, and the elderly. **** Taliban Surrenders Weapon in Kandahar, Laden Not Found. Taliban forces in Kandahar, the last stronghold of the Islamic militia, have begun to surrender their weapons to the new administration, according to the Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) on Friday. Taliban forces in Kandahar, the last stronghold of the Islamic militia, have begun to surrender their weapons to the new administration, according to the Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) on Friday. "We are handing over our weapons on a decree by Mullah Mohammed Omar," the AIP quoted Taliban sources as saying. It also learnt that Tora Bora has been captured, but Laden was not been found. AIP also noted that a new administration, led by Pashtun tribal leader Mullah Naqibullah, has been formed in Kandahar, which comprised a number of tribal elders, Islamic scholars and former anti-Soviet commanders. Meanwhilet, Taliban forces in Lashgargah, Helmand province, Friday morning surrendered their weapons to a local Shura (Administrative Council) in the city, according to AIP on Friday. **** Arafat's Crackdown Sparks Palestinian Anger. Yasser Arafat's intensified crackdown on Islamic militants met angry resistance on his own territory Thursday, as 1,500 Hamas supporters battled Palestinian riot police for hours outside the home of the group's leader. One Hamas supporter died in an exchange of fire. Yasser Arafat's intensified crackdown on Islamic militants met angry resistance on his own territory Thursday, as 1,500 Hamas supporters battled Palestinian riot police for hours outside the home of the group's leader. One Hamas supporter died in an exchange of fire. The backlash came as a U.S. envoy and the Egyptian foreign minister shuttled between Israel and the Palestinian territories, trying to stop the violence. Arafat faces pressure from the United States and the threat of renewed military strikes by Israel if he fails to stop militants who have carried out a wave of deadly attacks against Israelis. Though Arafat said his forces have arrested 180 militants, Israeli officials said the leaders of violent groups remain at large. The United States was also skeptical of Arafat's sweeps. Palestinians insisted their efforts were sincere and for their own good. Arafat said Thursday that the United States had given him a list of 33 militants, and most of them had been arrested. He said his police were looking for the others. The United States has been trying to cool the Mideast conflict to keep it from interfering with its operation in Afghanistan <http://www.peopledaily.com.cn/english/data/afghanistan.html> . Since the Sept. 11 terror attacks on New York and Washington, Arafat has been trying to distance himself from Islamic militants. Arafat met Thursday with U.S. peace envoy Anthony Zinni and Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher. Both diplomats also saw Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Foreign Minister Shimon Peres. **** Russia Vows Winter Campaign Against Chechen Rebels. Russian Defense Minster SergeiIvanov vowed Thursday to launch a winter offensive targeting themilitary leadership of the Chechen rebels. Russian Defense Minster SergeiIvanov vowed Thursday to launch a winter offensive targeting themilitary leadership of the Chechen rebels. Ivanov, who was on a visit to the Volga region city ofYeketerinburg, also said the army planned to cut its trooppresence in the Northern Caucasus, which includes Chechnya."Special operations involving big forces are being conductedright now in Chechnya practically on a permanent basis," Itar-tassquoted the minister as saying. "I promise, in winter, we will seek to liquidate the remainingbandit groups, and capture or destroy their ringleaders."Ivanov declared that by spring 2002, all the federal troops notbelonging to the North Caucasian Military District were to bewithdrawn from Chechnya. However, he stressed, there will be no slowdown in theactivities of the federal group in Chechnya, including the Defense,Interior and FSB units, "no matter whatever speculations about thealleged talks, contacts and consultations might be."The consultations only dealt with the fate of those who havenot tainted their hands with blood yet and committed no violent crimes, he added. **** U.S. Helicopter Crashes in Afghanistan. A United States Marine helicopter crashed near a U.S.-held airstrip in southern Afghanistan late Thursday, slightly wounding one Marine on board and one on the ground, according to reports from Afghanistan. A United States Marine helicopter crashed near a U.S.-held airstrip in southern Afghanistan late Thursday, slightly wounding one Marine on board and one on the ground, according to reports from Afghanistan. All four crewmen aboard the UH-1N Huey helicopter survived the crash, although one was slightly wounded, along with a serviceman on the ground, said Stewart Upton, a Marine spokesman. The crash occurred around 1750 GMT. Investigators launched a probe into the cause of the crash of the helicopter, but they believed "it was not related to apparent probing of U.S. lines by enemy forces," Upton said. _________________________________________________ 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] __________________________________________________
