Zone 1- Asia Summary- Week # 117

Week # 117, Dated 24-30 April 2010

TURKEY

Political Front:

The Turkish Government has allowed Labor Union to celebrate May Day.

Three Military officers who were suspected of involvement in the Sledgehammer security operation plan have been released.

Geo-strategic Front:

Turkey has reiterated its commitment towards diplomatic resolution of the Iranian nuclear issue. Meanwhile Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria have launched cooperation on environment and meteorology.

Israel has expressed serious concerns regarding Turkey-Syrian Military Exercises. Meanwhile Turkey seems keen to enhance ties with New Zealand, Australia and Georgia.

Economic Front:

Azerbaijan has agreed to provide gas to Turkey at cheap prices. All the while inflation has increased in Turkey.

Social Front:

A Turkish prosecutor has rejected the demand to investigate the wives of the president and prime minister for wearing an Islamic headscarf at official functions.

Meanwhile the US-based independent watchdog organization Freedom House has appreciated Turkish Press for being open and free. However they claimed that the media usually lacks news and focuses more on insignificant issues.

GCC

Political Front:

Yemeni Shia rebels have demanded release of 1,000 prisoners.

Geo-strategic Front:

Bahrain and Kuwait have expressed interest in enhancing bilateral ties. Meanwhile Kuwait and the other member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have emphasized greatly the need for coordination in the face of terrorism, possible nuclear threats and external aggression.

The foreign minister of the United Arab Emirates has refused to back down in the face of Iranian anger and repeated his call for Tehran to end its "occupation" of three islands in the Gulf.

Meanwhile the GCC Secretary General has greatly admired the relation between GCC states and Russia. He further appreciated Russian efforts to urge Tehran to solve the problem of the three UAE islands currently occupied by Iran either through direct negotiations or international arbitration.

Economic Front:

Inflation rates remained low in Gulf countries. Meanwhile the IMF has appreciated fiscal policies of the region to effectively counter the economic crisis.

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Commerce & Industry and General Electric Company (GE) announced strategic partnership aimed at building sustainable economy through industrialization, research and education, and creating new jobs for Saudi nationals.

Also the governments of the Sultanate of Oman and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have signed a power grid agreement. The two sides have also signed technical agreements for the exchange of energy between the respective companies and authorities in both countries to benefit from the linkage project.

Meanwhile eind and solar power resources have been regarded as best possible means to cope with Bahrain’s energy needs.

Kuwait’s crude oil exports to China have jumped 26.4 % in March from a year earlier to 945,100 tons, equivalent to around 224, 000 barrels per day (bpd).

Social Front:

Kuwaiti women have called on the parliament and government to treat them equally in accordance with the country's constitution. Meanwhile a human rights campaigner in Kuwait has slammed the government's decision to rule out the introduction of a minimum wage for foreign workers.

CENTRAL ASIA

Political Front:

Police in the Azerbaijani capital detained dozens of opposition activists on their way to a rally outside the mayor's office. Meanwhile Kazakh authorities refused to allow the People's Power political bloc to hold demonstrations on May 1.

The former chief of staff of Kyrgyzstan's presidential office has been arrested. Also Kyrgyz interim regime has announced that it would allow Kyrgyz first president Askar Akaev to return from Russia. Meanwhile Kyrgyzstan's interim government has introduced a draft constitution that would alter the country's political system by giving more power to parliament while reducing the president's authority.

Leaflets and compact discs have been circulated in southern Kyrgyzstan calling on citizens to create a "South Kyrgyzstan Democratic Republic" with ousted President Bakiev as its leader.

Geo-strategic Front:

Pakistan and Azerbaijan have discussed ways to enhance cooperation in the field of defense. Meanwhile growing Azeri ties with China also grabbed attention.

President of Turkmenistan has paid a visit to China. Also President of Uzbekistan held meetings with member of the Chinese State Council.

Last week dozens of Kyrgyz activists gathered in front of the Kazakh Embassy to demand an apology from Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev for contemptuous comments he made about the uprising in Kyrgyzstan.

Tajik officials have asked Russia to detain and deport 41 people suspected of belonging to the banned Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU).

Economic Front:

The European Union has appreciated Azerbaijan-Turkey agreement on gas transportation.

Meanwhile Uzbek and Chinese Ministries signed an economic cooperation protocol.

Social Front:

Some reports have indicated outbreak of polio in Tajikistan.

EAST ASIA

Political front:

Thai security forces and anti-government protesters clashed on 28 April in Bangkok leaving dozens of people injured.

A Malaysian opposition politician, who lost a recent by-election in the rural Hulu Selangor constituency, said that he would ask a court to nullify the result, claiming he was a victim of vote buying and other irregularities by the ruling party. Meanwhile the Barisan Nasional's (BN) recapture of a parliamentary seat in central Selangor stat gave the coalition a much-needed boost after losing seven out of nine previous by-elections since disastrous national polls in 2008.

The Philippines' largest Muslim rebel group has agreed to help avoid violence on a troubled southern island during voting in this month's national and local elections. Philippine presidential candidate Aquino has posted a double-digit lead over his nearest opponent in a recently published opinion poll by Social Weather Stations, showing that support for the son of the country's late democracy icon, Corazon "Cory" Aquino, edged up 1 point to 38%.

The Cambodian government has told all foreign diplomatic envoys to avoid criticizing the country, insisting it is not a “banana republic”.

Geo-strategic Front:

Indonesia has offered assistance to Thailand in order to bring back stability and order in the country. In this regard Thai foreign Minister held a meeting with his Indonesian counterpart.

Economic Front:

Indonesian coal prices have increased following strong demand from China and India, while wet weather hindered supplies in Kalimantan, the country's coal producing region on Borneo Island. Meanwhile President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has pledged to make Indonesia the world's biggest user of clean, renewable geothermal energy, and urged private investors to back him.

Malaysia has declared Chinese economic growth to be a source of motivation for the nation and not a threat.

The Thai political crisis has adversely affected the country’s economy.

Meanwhile the Cambodian PM has expressed optimism regarding the country’s future economic growth.

According to a report in the Voice of Vietnam News, Vietnam has been ranked second among world coffee exporters.

Social Front:

A Census has been started in Indonesia.

Meanwhile the number of malaria cases recorded in Cambodia has increased significantly.

FERTILE CRESCENT

Political Front:

In Egypt one of the opposition leaders has out rightly denied any opposition within the Muslim Brotherhood. Meanwhile the Egyptian Parliament approved a law on combating human trafficking during its parliamentary session.

Former Egyptian President's son Gamal Mubarak has returned to politics, paying visits to villages and supervising preparations for Shura Council elections.

The Iraqi prime minister harshly criticized calls by his rival for international involvement in setting up a new government following the close-fought parliamentary elections, saying such a role would harm Iraq's efforts to become a self-reliant country. Nouri Al-Maliki also hinted at some sort of international plot to stage a coup through ballots — in the latest escalation of the war of words in Iraq's post-election impasse following the March 7 vote. The front-runner in Iraq's recent parliamentary elections has called for the formation of an impartial caretaker government to prevent the country from sliding into violence and counter efforts to change the vote results.

Thousands of protestors have gathered in Beirut to demand a separation of politics and religion in Lebanon. The demonstrators marched on parliament chanting "secularism" and waving placards calling for the recognition of civil marriage in the Mediterranean country. The idea of a secular political system has faced stiff opposition from ruling politicians.

Geo-strategic Front:

Egyptian President has assured Lebanon that Israel would not launch an attack against the later. Meanwhile Israeli officials also denied any chances of such an attack. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has expressed hope that the stalled peace process between Israel and Palestine would resume next week.

Representatives of the Muslim Brotherhood and the Kifaya (Enough) coalition, along with a number of independent politicians filed a report last week to state prosecutor demanding the immediate arrest of Netanyahu on his arrival in Egypt this week for talks with President Hosni Mubarak.

The overwhelming majority of Nile Basin countries in east Africa, including Kenya, have decided to sign a new treaty that governs the future usage of the Nile River, which the Egyptian government has rejected.

Meanwhile Iraq’s foreign minister blamed the US and Britain for not taking an active role in resolving the war torn nation’s bitter election dispute, while accusing Washington of being more concerned with sending home US soldiers.

Economic Front:

Iraq has completed 25% of the plan to develop its Nasiriyah oil field. Meanwhile Iraq has asked Iran to continue supplying it with electricity in the future.

Business representatives from the controversial Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus held meeting with a handful of Lebanese businessmen in a bid to expand their business ties in the country.

Social Front:

Iraqi officials have recently disclosed that Hundreds of Sunni men disappeared for months into a secret Baghdad prison under the jurisdiction of Prime Minister Nouri Maliki's military office, where many were routinely tortured until the country's Human Rights Ministry gained access to the facility. Human Rights Watch has called for a thorough investigation into the detention centre and has urged Iraq to prosecute those responsible for the abuse. Nouri al-Maliki, the Iraqi prime minister, has denied any connection with the facility, which housed mainly Sunni Arab prisoners from the volatile northern city of Mosul.

INDIA

Political Front:

Union Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor has resigned amidst allegations of his involvement in the Kochi IPL cricket franchise bid.

Meanwhile BJP has strongly condemned UPA ruling regime for its inability to control prices on common goods. They even launched a cut motion to pressurize government but could not win support of parties like SP and RJD. Opposition parties have also criticized government for phone tapping deeming it to be against individuals’ liberty.

The Indian Government has thus far failed to conduct census in areas under Naxalites control.

Geo-strategic Front:

Chinese Foreign Minister has assured that the dam being built by it on river Brahmaputra will have no impact on the downstream flow of the river into India.

A junior diplomat (Madhuri Gupta) in the Indian High Commission in Islamabad, Pakistan has been arrested by the special cell of the Delhi police on the charge of leaking sensitive national secrets to Pakistani intelligence agencies.

Meanwhile India and Pakistan have ended a diplomatic stalemate by resuming dialogue at the foreign-ministerial level.

Economic Front:

Many analysts claim that food inflation in India would soften on arrival of the Rabi crop harvest in markets by the middle of this month. Meanwhile the IMF has appreciated India for tightening of its monetary policy to deal with the problem of inflation. The leaders of Brazil, Russia, India and China have demanded a commitment to reform the Breton Woods financial institutions.

Social Front:

In India the Shahi Imam of the Jama Masjid, Syed Ahmed Bukhari, has sought an independent, high-level inquiry into bomb blasts of all kinds, fake encounters and confinement of Muslim youth, to nail the lie that Muslims are involved in acts of terrorism. He asserted that “99 % of Muslims arrested on accusations of terrorism are innocent.”

The Indian Meteorological Department has issued its first-stage, long-range forecast for the Southwest Monsoon.

AFGHANISTAN

Political Front:

In Afghanistan some members of the lower house of parliament have accused the executive of refusing to respect the decisions made by the legislature. Meanwhile the powerful head of Kandahar's provincial council, Ahmad Wali Karzai, has denounced the UN for pulling its foreign staff out of the southern city.

A number of senators have demanded the trial of those involved in the Russian-backed military coup against former president Sardar Muhammad Daud Khan on April 27, 1978.

Last week the killing of three Afghanis led hundreds of protestors to block the highway in Afghanistan and to burn a NATO truck.

Meanwhile a Pentagon Report has claimed that the influence of Taliban has enhanced in Afghanistan while the support for Hamid Karzai has significantly decreased.

Geo-strategic Front:

Karzai paid a visit to India last week in order to explore ways to collaborate in countering terrorism. Meanwhile he held meeting with Bhutanese PM and discussed various areas of cooperation.

Economic Front:

A delay in the approval of Afghanistan's budget this year has left many ministries complaining that they have not been able to push forward with development projects.

Social Front:

Thirteen more Afghan schoolgirls have fallen ill in a case of suspected gas poisoning in Kunduz Province, raising the total number of such cases to 80 in the past week.

WHO suggests that about half a million of Afghans, with majority of them in southern areas, have no access to basic health services due to continued instability and conflicts.

Meanwhile Afghanistan’s government has started introducing new rules to ban internet users from accessing sites promoting pornography, alcohol and gambling or other activities that conflict with the country’s Islamic culture.

IRAN

Political Front:

The Iranian opposition groups have claimed that they would never exert effort to replace the Islamic system with any other.

Meanwhile Iran has refused to agree to exchange its low-level enriched uranium for nuclear fuel rods enriched abroad.

Geo-strategic Front:

The Pentagon last week released a 12-page report that identified an "increased presence" by Iran's elite military force in Latin America, particularly in Venezuela.

China has clearly denied supporting sanctions against Iran. Meanwhile ahead of Iranian President's intended visit to address a UN conference on nuclear non-proliferation this week in New York, several U.S. Congressmen have demanded to deny his entry into the country. Following these demands the Iranian Foreign Minister reminded the US to fulfill obligations as per its role as a host of the UNO.

Economic Front:

Iran has exported over 18.5 billion dollars worth of industrial and mineral goods to different countries during the last Iranian year of 1388 (March 21, 2009-March 21, 2010).

Meanwhile Iran seems quite active in boosting economic ties with Cuba, Belarus, Bosnia, Tehran, Ukraine, Japan, Iraq and the Republic of Guinea.

Social Front:

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, on the eve of Teachers Day in Iran (May 2) to commemorate the martyrdom of Ayatollah Morteza Motahhari, appreciated the personalities who have been quite active in the field of divine philosophy. §

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