Deutsche Welle English Service News 09-30-2002, 16:00 UTC ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Today's highlight on DW-WORLD: Talking About an Economic Revolution Chancellor Gerhard Schr�der's Social Democratic party began coalition talks with their Green Party partners Monday amid news of an ever-worsening German economy. To read this article on the DW-WORLD website, just click on the internet address below: http://dw-world.de/english/0,3367,1431_A_646300_1_A,00.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------- UN and Iraq begin negotiations on weapons inspections United Nations and Iraqi government officials began negotiations in Vienna on Monday, aimed at clarifying the ground rules for the return of U.N. weapons inspectors to Iraq. Two weeks ago, Baghdad submitted to intense international pressure to allow the weapons inspectors to return after a four-year absence. The chief weapons inspector, Hans Blix, has said that his U.N. team could begin work in Iraq as soon as October 15th. Meanwhile, the United States is continuing to push for a U.N. Security Council resolution that would give Baghdad a week to accept demands to disarm or face the prospect of military action. But so far, the U.S. plans have failed to win much international support. International approval for decision to end Arafat siege United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has welcomed Israel's decision to end the siege of the headquarters of Palestinian President Yasser Arafat. At the same time, Annan called on both sides to resume peace talks. The European Unions representative for foreign affairs, Javier Solana also welcomed the move. Israel ended the 10-day siege on Sunday, under intense pressure from the United States. Sharon in Moscow for talks with Putin Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon also earned praise for ending the siege of Arafat's headquarters from Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday. Following talks between Sharon and Putin in Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov said the two men had discussed the situation in the Middle East in general and the Iraq crisis in particular. He said Sharon expressed concern that Iraq may already have weapons of mass destruction. Putin said he expected the return of UN weapons inspectors to Iraq to help clear up that question, so that the international community could work toward a diplomatic solution. EU foreign ministers agree to common line on ICC European Union foreign ministers have agreed on a plan aimed at ending a row with the United States over the new International Criminal Court. Washington opposes the International Criminal Court, citing fears that its soldiers could become targets of politically motivated charges. As a result it has sought bilateral immunity agreements under which a signatory agrees not to hand any U.S. citizen over to the tribunal. At a meeting in Brussels on Monday, EU foreign ministers approved a set of guidlines under which member states may agree not to hand over U.S. citizens to the court. German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer though, said Berlin would not sign any such agreement with Washington. Kostunica Forces Run-Off Vote for President Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica did the best of the three candidates in Serbia's presidential election on Sunday, but he failed to garner enough of the vote to avoid a run-off. Kostunica picked up 31 percent of the vote while Miroljob Labus, a liberal economist, earned 28 percent. The ultra nationalist Vojislav Seselj picked up 22 percent. Many observers expect Kostunica to win the run-off election against Labus in two weeks' time. That could make governing more difficult for Serbia's reform-minded prime minister, Zoran Djindjic. Chancellor Schroeder says government will have to cuts costs Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder on Monday announced that his government, which was returned to power in elections just over a week ago, would look for ways to save, instead of increasing taxes to plug budgetary shortfalls. In recent days there has been speculation from some members of his Social Democratic Party that tax increases would be necessary. The junior coalition partner, the Greens, also indicated on Monday that they favoured cost savings as opposed to tax increases. The two sides were to examine the budgetary situation during coalition talks on Monday. Finance Minister Hans Eichel is expected to present a cost-cutting package worth about 10 million euros. Mediation efforts to being in Ivory Coast The 15-nation grouping of West African States, ECOWAS, is to begin mediation efforts between rebels and government officials in Ivory Coast on Monday. The foreign ministers from Nigeria, Ghana and Togo were expected to arrive in Abidjan later in the day to begin talks with the president of Ivory Coast, Laurent Gbagbo. The ministers, who will be flanked by their respective army chiefs, also hope to meet the rebels who staged a failed coup 10 days ago. ECOWAS officials have already pledged 4,000 troops to the region if the talks break down. On Sunday, French and U.S. troops airlifted hundreds of foreigners from the rebel-held north of the country. Almost 1,000 feared dead in ferry disaster It is believed that about a thousand people were killed after a ferry capsized off the west African coast last Thursday. Only 64 survivors have been recovered from the vessel, that was bound for Dakar, Senegal. Senagal's government has said that an investigation will be launched into the accident. The ship, which was designed to carry 550 people, was packed with more than one thousand when it overturned. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For more information please turn to our internet website at http://dw-world.de/english Here you'll find out what's happening in Germany, Europe and the rest of the world. News and background reports from the fields of current affairs, culture, business and science. And of course the DW website also has information about DW-RADIO and DW-TV programmes: topics, broadcast times and frequencies. You can even listen to all programmes as audio-on-demand. Serbian News Network - SNN [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.antic.org/
