Extracts. President Jiang's Visit to Add New Chapter to Sino-Myanmar Ties. President of the People's Republic of China Jiang Zemin will pay a four-day state visit to the Union of Myanmar from December 12 to 15 at the invitation of Myanmar Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) Senior-General Than Shwe. President of the People's Republic of China Jiang Zemin will pay a four-day state visit to the Union of Myanmar from December 12 to 15 at the invitation of Myanmar Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) Senior-General Than Shwe. The first trip to Myanmar by a Chinese president in the 21st century will provide a new juncture for the enhancement of understanding, friendship and cooperation between the two countries. China and Myanmar, the two close neighbors having a common border of more than 2,000 kilometers, have had a long-standing Paukphaw (fraternal) friendship between their peoples. The two countries established diplomatic relations on June 8, 1950. Despite the significant changes in the international situation in more than half a century since then, there has been a continuous development of cooperation between the two neighbors in political, economic, cultural, educational and other fields on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence jointly advocated by the two sides. They share an extensive common view on many major issues such as safeguarding of national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity as well as opposing to hegemonism and power politics. In the international affairs, the two countries have supported each other and closely cooperated. The mutual trust and support in politics has become an important cornerstone in their friendly and cooperative ties. China has always respected Myanmar's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, while Myanmar has stuck to the "One-China" policy, supporting China's great cause of reunification, recognizing the government of the People's Republic of China as China's sole legitimate government and that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory, and maintaining that it will not develop official ties with Taiwan in any form. The frequent exchange of visits between leaders of China and Myanmar is another important fact attesting the good and friendly cooperative ties between the two countries. China's late Premier Zhou Enlai had made nine visits to Myanmar, while former Myanmar leader U Ne Win went to China for 12 occasions. In recent years, there were visits to Myanmar by Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee Li Ruihuan, Chinese Vice-President Hu Jintao, Vice-Premier Wu Bangguo, State Councilors Luo Gan, Chi Haotian and Ismail Amat, Vice-Chairman of China's Central Military Commission Zhang Wannian and Chief of General Staff Headquarters of the Chinese People's Liberation Army General Fu Quanyou. There were also visits to China during these years made by Chairman of the Myanmar State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) and Prime Minister Senior-General Than Shwe, SPDC Vice-Chairman General Maung Aye, SPDC First Secretary Lieutenant-General Khin Nyunt and Foreign Minister U Win Aung. The exchange of visits at high levels has pushed forward the development of the two countries' friendly and cooperative ties. At the same time as the political and diplomatic ties are continuously strengthened, the Sino-Myanmar bilateral economic and technical cooperation has also yielded rich fruits. The two countries have signed a number of economic and technical cooperation agreements, under which China has built for Myanmar dozens of projects for sugar, paper, textile, plywood, thermal power, rice processing industries, a national theater, a national stadium, and a highway-railway bridge. More projects are under implementation. In addition, China also provided Myanmar with considerable seller's credit, with which Myanmar imported from China transport facilities including vessels, railway locomotives and bridge, and machinery equipment to be used in power generation and production of sugar, cement and textile goods. Meanwhile, China and Myanmar also launched various forms of economic cooperation, based on the principles of equality and mutual benefit and mutual supplement of superiorities. Chinese companies have initiated a number of projects in Myanmar in the form of sole proprietorship or joint venture. Up to now, Chinese companies have established more than 10 investment projects in Myanmar. To enhance the two countries' economic cooperation, Myanmar formed the Committee for Promotion of Myanmar-China Economic Cooperation in January 1996. China-Myanmar bilateral trade occupies an important position in Myanmar's foreign trade. In recent years, it amounted to more than 600 million U.S. dollars annually, accounting for 15 percent of Myanmar's total foreign trade. China has become Myanmar's third largest trading partner after Singapore and Thailand. The cultural exchange between China and Myanmar also adds a magnificent color to the development of the Sino-Myanmar ties. Since 1990, the two countries' cultural exchange programs numbered over 20 annually, involving arts, literature, painting, movies, education, news, sports, religions and other sectors. The continuous consolidation and development of friendly cooperative ties between China and Myanmar not only serves the basic interests of the two countries and the two peoples, but is also beneficial to peace, stability and development in the region. The visit of President Jiang Zemin to Myanmar is bound to inject new vigor into the development of the Sino-Myanmar relations in the 21st century, and add a new chapter to the two countries' traditional, good-neighborly and friendly ties. **** Palestinian Militant Groups Announce One-Week Halt of Attacks on Israel. Palestinian militant groups announced Sunday night a complete halt of attacks against Israel until the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in the mid-December on condition that Israel stops airstrikes against Palestinian targets. Palestinian militant groups announced Sunday night a complete halt of attacks against Israel until the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in the mid-December on condition that Israel stops airstrikes against Palestinian targets. According to a statement, signed by several militant groups from the Palestinian mainstream Fatah movement, the Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas and the Islamic Jihad (Holy War), Palestinian suicide attacks against Israelis will be stopped for a whole week until the end of Ramadan. "We will stop attacks if Israel stops assassination of Palestinian figures and leaders and the shelling of Palestinian targets," said the statement, which has been distributed to local and foreign media organizations. Palestinian sources in the West Bank said that Hamas's Izel Dein Al Kassam, Fatah's Al Aqsa brigades and Islamic Jihad's Saraya El Quds brigades have signed on the leaflet. **** Arafat Not to Attend OIC Conference. Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat will not attend a meeting on Monday of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) in Qatar, Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said on Sunday. "President Arafat will not take part in the Doha conference because he must stay with his people to confront the Israeli aggression," Erekat told Qatari satellite television al-Jazeera. Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat will not attend a meeting on Monday of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) in Qatar, Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said on Sunday. "President Arafat will not take part in the Doha conference because he must stay with his people to confront the Israeli aggression," Erekat told Qatari satellite television al-Jazeera. Meanwhile, Qatar's emir has asked US President George W Bush to urge Israel to let Yasser Arafat travel to Doha for the meeting, said Palestinian international cooperation minister Nabil Shaath. He was quoted by Egypt's official MENA agency saying that Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani telephoned Bush, but any response from Israel was still unclear. Arafat is currently stranded in the West Bank town of Ramallah, which is under an Israeli blockade, and the Jewish state has said it has the right to stop him from travelling. Shaath said Israeli authorities had at first also barred him from leaving the Palestinian territories. **** Israel to Continue Military Attacks on Palestinian Targets: Radio. The Israeli inner cabinet Sunday night decided to continue the military attacks against Palestinian targets in the West Bank and Gaza Strip in retaliation for the wave of Palestinian terror attacks, Israel Radio reported. The Israeli inner cabinet Sunday night decided to continue the military attacks against Palestinian targets in the West Bank and Gaza Strip in retaliation for the wave of Palestinian terror attacks, Israel Radio reported. The decision was made jointly by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, Foreign Minister Shimon Peres and Defense Minister Binyamin Ben Eliezer. At the routine cabinet meeting Sunday morning, Sharon threatened to step up military operations against Palestinian targets, saying that "we have not finished our operations. In light of what is happening, we may have to step up our activities." Hours ahead of the routine meeting, a Palestinian detonated an explosive device in Israel's northern city of Haifa. At least eight people suffered light-to-moderate injuries and some 20 others were shocked in the attack. **** Schroeder, Putin Concerned Over Middle East Situation. German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and Russian President Vladimir Putin Sunday called for increasing pressure on both the Palestinians and Israel to deescalate violence in the Middle East region. German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and Russian President Vladimir Putin Sunday called for increasing pressure on both the Palestinians and Israel to deescalate violence in the Middle East region. Schroeder invited Putin for a luncheon and talks at his private apartment in Hanover where the Russian president stopped over on his way back to Moscow from a visit to Iceland. At a joint press conference held at the Hanover airport, Schroeder said that both of them were "concerned" over the situation in the Middle East. "We both are of the opinion that pressure must be exerted on both sides so that there is a deescalation of violence and anotherchance for peace," he said. He also credited Russia for its support to the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan . The achievements in Afghanistanwere not possible without this support, he said. The German chancellor also urged parties in Afghanistan to realize the agreement on forming an interim government signed lastweek near Bonn. Putin said that the anti-terror campaign was also important for ordinary people on the street. He said that Russia wants to work more closely with NATO and praised Schroeder as a good "mediator" on this matter. **** Iran Urges West to Respect Palestinians' Rights. Iranian President Mohammad Khatami on Sunday urged the West to pay more attention to the legitimate rights of the Palestinians and learn lessons from the September 11 terror attacks on the United States. Iranian President Mohammad Khatami on Sunday urged the West to pay more attention to the legitimate rights of the Palestinians and learn lessons from the September 11 terror attacks on the United States <http://www.peopledaily.com.cn/english/data/usa.html> . While meeting with the visiting President of Belgian Chamber of Representatives Herman de Croo, Khatami noted that the West "is making big mistakes" in its campaign against terrorism. The president noted the West should know that unconditional support for the Israeli Zionist regime will have "negative impact" on the public opinion in the world of Islam and the West. Khatami stressed that Palestine is in need of a lasting peace, which should be founded on official recognition of the rights of the oppressed Palestinian nation, return of Palestinian refugees to their homeland and their ability to decide their own fate. De Croo, heading a parliamentary delegation, arrived here on Saturday for a five-day visit, the first by a Belgian parliamentary speaker to Iran. He also stressed the need to remove barriers that have distorted Iran's real image in Europe and to end certain one-sided stances against Tehran. **** Iraq Rejects US Threats, Calls for Dialog: Deputy PM. Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tareq Aziz said on Sunday that his country calls for dialog to resolve all the outstanding problems and rejects threats, aggression by the U.S. government. Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tareq Aziz said on Sunday that his country calls for dialog to resolve all the outstanding problems and rejects threats, aggression by the U.S. government. Aziz made the remark during his meeting with Kathy Kelly, leader of the Voices in the Wilderness, an anti-embargo group in the U.S., the official Iraqi News Agency (INA) reported. For her part, Kelly stressed the importance of lifting the embargo and expressed rejection of "the hostile campaign of the U. S. aimed at paving the way for a large-scale aggression against Iraq." U.S. President George W. Bush has hinted possible military strikes against Baghdad if Iraqi President Saddam Hussein still blocks arms inspectors back into the country after a three-year absence. Iraq has barred the arms inspectors from returning since the U. S. and Britain launched a four-day air strikes against it in December 1998. The embargo, imposed on Iraq for its 1990 invasion of Kuwait, will not be lifted until arms inspectors certify that Iraq is free of weapons of mass destruction. The Voices in the Wilderness has organized over 20 trips to Iraq to show its solidarity with the Iraqi people and protest against the embargo. _________________________________________________ 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] __________________________________________________
