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Chinese, Ukrainian Presidents Mark Anniversary of Ties. Chinese President Jiang Zemin and his Ukrainian counterpart Leonid Kuchma exchanged congratulatory telegrams Friday on the 10th anniversary of the establishment of relations between their two countries. Chinese President Jiang Zemin and his Ukrainian counterpart Leonid Kuchma exchanged congratulatory telegrams Friday on the 10th anniversary of the establishment of relations between their two countries. In his telegram, Jiang said that in the past 10 years, the two countries have observed the principles of mutual respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty, mutual non-aggression, non-interference in each other's internal affairs, and equality and mutual benefits. Jiang said that friendly relations between the two countries have developed steadily. Jiang said the Chinese government attaches great importance to the development of ties with Ukraine, and he is willing to promote bilateral relations along with the Ukrainian president. Kuchma said that he was pleased with the deep understanding the two countries had achieved in fields such as politics, economy and culture. Kuchma said that he would do his best to create conditions for closer cooperation between the two countries. Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan and his Ukrainian counterpart Anatoly Maximovich Zlenko also exchanged congratulatory telegrams. **** China, Kazakhstan Hail Achievements in Bilateral Ties. China and Kazakhstan hailed their past fruitful cooperation while marking the 10th anniversaryof the establishment of their diplomatic ties. China and Kazakhstan hailed their past fruitful cooperation while marking the 10th anniversaryof the establishment of their diplomatic ties. In a message sent to Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev Thursday, Chinese President Jiang Zemin <http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/data/people/jiangzemin.shtml> said that in the past decade, China and Kazakhstan have witnessed increased mutual understanding, political trust and support within multilateral organizations, as well as expanded bilateral cooperation in trade,energy, transportation and other fields. Moreover, Jiang said, the two countries have made efforts to promote regional security and stability, to boost common development and prosperity and to fight terrorism, separatism and extremism. Jiang cited the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a regional organization launched in June among China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, with an aim to boost regional cooperation and security. In his message to Jiang, President Nazarbayev said bilateral relations are trustworthy and constructive. He praised the effortsChina made in the final settlement of bilateral border issues and the signing of a bilateral agreement on joint utilization and protection of border rivers. He also expressed confidence that bilateral cooperation will expand in fields ranging from trade, transportation, telecommunications to energy, so as to benefit peoples of both countries. Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan and his Kazakh counterpart Erlan Idrisov also exchanged congratulatory messages. Tang expressed his satisfaction with the steady and healthy advances made in bilateral relations and the fruitful cooperation between their two countries. Idrisov said it is one of his country's diplomatic priorities to increase cooperation with China in every field, particularly ineconomy and trade. **** US Prepares Bombings in Somalia: Newspaper. US and its allied military forces are stepping up aerial-reconnaissance flights over Somalia in preparation for raids against al Qaeda terrorist bases in the African nation, the Washington Times (WT) reported on Thursday. U.S. and its allied military forces are stepping up aerial-reconnaissance flights over Somalia in preparation for raids against al Qaeda terrorist bases in the African nation, the Washington Times (WT) reported on Thursday. U.S. intelligence officials disclosed that some 100 al Qaeda terrorists were identified recently in Somalia. They were spotted as part of the Islamic rebel group there known as Al-Ittihad Al- Islam, said the officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity. The Mogadishu-based group, known as AIAI, is linked to Somali warlord Hussein Mohammed Aideed and has close ties to Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda terrorist group in Afghanistan. "Somalia will likely be next," said one U.S. defense official familiar with defense planning. The reconnaissance flights over Somalia include aerial surveillance by U.S. EP-3, British Nimrod and French Atlantique aircraft, the officials said. The number of flights increased sharply last week, they said. The aircraft are helping identify targets for future bombing raids, such as terrorist training camps in the southern and northern parts of Somalia and port facilities, the official said. U.S. intelligence reports over the last several months have stated that weapons from terrorists in Afghanistan have been transported to Somalia on the Horn of Africa. **** China Donates Relief Money to Peru Fire Victims. China has donated 20,000 U.S. dollars in aid to the victims of a recent huge fire in Peru's capital Lima, according to the Chinese embassy here Friday. China has donated 20,000 U.S. dollars in aid to the victims of a recent huge fire in Peru's capital Lima, according to the Chinese embassy here Friday. Delivering the money to Peru's Red Cross, Chinese ambassador Mai Guoyan on Friday conveyed sympathy and solicitude from the Chinese government and China's Red Cross for the injured and the bereaved families. Meanwhile, the Chinese embassy in Peru also delivered 56 boxes of medical supplementary materials to Peru's health authorities. The fire occurred on the evening of December 29, 2001, when an explosion took place in a fireworks shop in central Lima. The latest official figures put the death toll from the fire at 280, with 174 others injured and 352 missing. The fire affected four commercial districts and destroyed 14 buildings including seven commercial tower blocks. **** Annan Approves New Distribution Plan for "Oil-for-Food" Program. U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Friday approved the latest distribution plan governing the U.N. "Oil-for-food" program, a press release issued here at U.N. headquarters said. U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Friday approved the latest distribution plan governing the U.N. "Oil-for-food" program, a press release issued here at U.N. headquarters said. The distribution plan covers the 11th phase for the "oil-for-food" program, which allows Baghdad to use a portion of its petroleum revenues to purchase humanitarian relief aid, it said. The plan is based on a foreseen budget of more than 4.4 billion U.S. dollars, including an allocation of 600 million dollars for oil industry spare parts and equipment, and 310 million dollars to meet the needs of especially vulnerable groups. More than 1.27 billion dollars are earmarked for food supplies,while an additional 10 million dollar fund set aside for a supplemental nutrition support program for pregnant and lactating mothers in Iraq <http://www.peopledaily.com.cn/english/data/iraq.html> . Other allocations include 178 million dollars for medical services and supplies, 293.5 million dollars for minimum requirements in the electricity sector, and 474 million dollars to help meet Iraq's urgent needs in the area of agriculture. Responding to severe damage to schools and the acute shortage of learning materials in Iraq, the plan provides 188.14 million dollars to the education sector. **** Germany to Decide Soon Date for Troops Deployment in Afghanistan. German Defense Minister Rudolf Scharping is expected to make a decision this weekend on the deployment date for 200 German paratroops who will help with preparations for the arrival of a United Nations security force in Afghanistan, a military spokesman said on Friday. German Defense Minister Rudolf Scharping is expected to make a decision this weekend on the deployment date for 200 German paratroops who will help with preparations for the arrival of a United Nations security force in Afghanistan, a military spokesman said on Friday. Scharping will make the decision after hearing a report on Saturday from three German officers who traveled to Kabul earlier this week to assess the infrastructure of the Afghan capital and its surrounding area. The paratroopers are to serve with about 50 service members from other countries. Their mission will be to help build an infrastructure for the 4,500-member security force that is expected to arrive in Afghanistan in late January. Also on Friday, the German Navy continued its preparations to join the U.S.-led war on international terrorism. In the northern port of Wilhelmshaven, workers began loading five high-speed patrol boats onto ships for the 20-day voyage to the navy's deployment area off the coast of northeastern Africa. A first group of six German ships, including two frigates, set sail on Wednesday for the Horn of Africa. They will be joined by a third frigate that is already in the Mediterranean Sea. Their mission will be to secure sea lanes, and to interrupt the supply and escape routes of terrorist organizations. _________________________________________________ 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] __________________________________________________
