BBC Monitoring International Reports articles from February 2002, page 20

BBC Monitoring International Reports archives from February 2002

NATO chief says Europeans showing themselves to be "incapable allies".
February 26, 2002... NATO Secretary-General George Robertson has said the Europeans are running the risk of encouraging the United States to go it alone by showing themselves to be incapable allies. Asked what the Europeans should be doing to avoid this,...

Japanese minister to meet families of citizens alleged "missing" in North Korea.
February 26, 2002... Text of report in English by Japanese news agency Kyodo Tokyo, 26 February: Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi will meet Thursday [28 February] with some of the families of Japanese nationals believed to have been abducted by North Korean...

Russia welcomes Saudi proposals on halting Middle East violence.
February 26, 2002... Text of report by Russian news agency ITAR-TASS Moscow, 26 February: "The immediate task at the current stage" is that the Palestinian National Authority and the Israeli leadership should take steps towards each other with the aim of...

China to exercise central control over legal cases involving foreign firms.
February 26, 2002... Text of report by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency) Beijing, 25 February: Today the Chinese Supreme People's Court promulgated the Regulations of the Supreme People's Court on Certain Questions Concerning the...

Armenian, Azeri academics discuss Karabakh settlement in Yerevan.
February 26, 2002... Text of report by Armenian news agency Noyan Tapan Yerevan, 25 February: The South Caucasian crisis management research group started its work today in Yerevan. This is the second meeting of experts from Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia...

Haiti: Highlights of Signal FM Radio news 1230 gmt 25 Feb 02.
February 26, 2002... Figures in brackets indicate length of time of each item 1. Introduction and headlines. (10 min.) 2. A tense situation prevails in Lalue this morning where unidentified people are hurling stones at vehicles and passersby. (1 min.)...

Burundi: Germany praises recent developments; to reopen embassy, increase aid.
February 26, 2002... A German ministerial delegation arrived in Bujumbura on Sunday [24 February] for a one-week working tour with the aim of relaunching cooperation between the two parties. Germany's support to Burundi will increase substantially during the...

Moldovan president names new education minister.
February 26, 2002... President Vladimir Voronin dismissed Education Minister Ilie Vancea at noon on Tuesday [26 February] appointed Deputy Gheorghe Sima to this post. Vancea, a former Communist lawmaker himself before his appointment to the cabinet, came...

China calls on US to observe three joint communiques.
February 26, 2002... Text of report entitled "Foreign Ministry spokesman reiterates the US side should observe the three Sino-US joint communiques" by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency) Beijing, 26 February: At a news conference...

Russian PM says decline in Eurasian community trade caused by tax reforms.
February 26, 2002... Moscow, 26 February: The reduction of trade turnover between member countries of the Eurasian Economic Community is the result of the changes to taxation, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov said on Tuesday [26 February], commenting on...

North Korean economic mission to visit Finland - South Korean agency.
February 26, 2002... Text of report in English by South Korean news agency Yonhap Seoul, 26 February: A North Korean economic mission will arrive in Finland Wednesday [27 February], winding up a week-long visit to Sweden, according to the Korea...

Deepen reforms, address fiscal imbalance, Indian Economic Survey says.
February 26, 2002... Text of report by Indian news agency PTI New Delhi, 26 February: The Economic Survey 2001-02 Tuesday [26 February] asked the Indian Government to further deepen the economic reform process for achieving higher growth and said that crucial...

Pakistan, China to jointly implement action plan on sciences.
February 26, 2002... Text of report by Radio Pakistan on 26 February Pakistan and China are to cooperate in the implementation of an action plan in the fields of biotechnology, information technology and other sciences. This was stated by the minister...

Azerbaijan: Prisons to be moved from capital to districts.
February 26, 2002... Text of unattributed report by Azerbaijani newspaper Ekho on 26 February entitled "Prisons will be removed from Baku" The corrective labour colonies will be moved from Baku to the country's districts, says a statement by the Justice...

North Korean leader's "great remarks" on party's role.
February 26, 2002... Text of announcer-read remarks by North Korean leader Kim Jong-il from feature entitled:"The great leader Comrade Kim Jong-il's great remarks," broadcast by North Korean TV on 26 February Our party exists for the people and struggles for...

Iran: Khatami responds to "America's stance" at news conference with Karzai.
February 26, 2002... Text of report by Iranian radio on 26 February Messrs Khatami, the president, and Hamed Karzai, the head of the interim government of Afghanistan, took part in a news conference in which they described their talks as very beneficial and...

Caspian deal must not impede oil and gas exports - US diplomat.
February 26, 2002... Text of report in English by Russian news agency ITAR-TASS Moscow, 26 February: An agreement on the status of the Caspian Sea "must not put obstacles to exports of oil and natural gas from this region," Stanley Mann, special adviser to...

Karabakh president urges more frequent Azeri-Armenian contacts over POWs.
February 26, 2002... Text of David Mikayelyan report by Armenian newspaper Ayastani Anrapetutyun on 26 February entitled "The uncertainty continues" A republican commission for POWs and missing persons was set up on orders from the NKR [Nagornyy Karabakh...

Two democracy supporters still held over Tongan king fortune claims.
February 26, 2002... Tonga's pro-democracy politician Akilisi Pohiva has been released from police detention but two others still remain in custody. Lopeti Senituli, the director of the Human Rights and Democracy Centre in Tonga, says Mr Pohiva's son, Pooi, and...

UN Security Council upholds validity of Macedonian-Yugoslav border accord.
February 26, 2002... Macedonian Foreign Minister Slobodan Casule has expressed satisfaction with a UN Security Council session which discussed the Macedonian-Yugoslav border agreement signed in 2001, recently called into question by UN and Kfor officials in...

(Correction) Moldovan president names new education minister.
February 26, 2002... (Correcting broadcast time to 1138 gmt.] President Vladimir Voronin dismissed Education Minister Ilie Vancea at noon on Tuesday [26 February] appointed Deputy Gheorghe Sima to this post. Vancea, a former Communist lawmaker himself...

Slovaks await positive statement by Hungary.
February 26, 2002... Bratislava, 26 February: The current dispute with Budapest over Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's demands that the Benes Decrees be revoked will not end the Visegrad cooperation and Slovakia expects a "positive statement" from Hungary...

Former Afghan foreign minister may be freed soon - agency.
February 26, 2002... Text of report No 160 by Pakistan-based Afghan Islamic Press news agency Peshawar, 26 February: The relatives of Wakil Ahmad Motawakkil, the former foreign minister of Afghanistan, told Afghan Islamic Press [AIP] that they have been...

Sudan: Cabinet issues report on investment, growth, inflation.
February 26, 2002... Text of report in English by Sudanese news agency Suna Khartoum, 26 February: Volume of the foreign investments in the Sudan in the year 2001 reached about 430m US dollars, said a report issued recently by the cabinet's economic sector....

Another round of Kyrgyz-Uzbek border talks starts.
February 26, 2002... Text of report by Kyrgyz public educational TV on 26 February The 13th round of Kyrgyz-Uzbek talks on delimiting the state border has begun in Batken [in southern Kyrgyzstan]. The Kyrgyz delegation in the talks is led by the head of a...

Afghan leader welcomes Iran's help in reconstruction.
February 26, 2002... Text of report by Iranian TV on 26 February In an exclusive interview with a Central News Unit correspondent, the head of the Afghan interim government [Hamed Karzai] clearly rejected the remarks made by American officials about Iran's...

Four Chinese fishing boats captured in South Korean waters.
February 26, 2002... Text of report in English by South Korean news agency Yonhap Jeju, 26 February: Four Chinese fishing boats were captured for illegally fishing in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) Tuesday [26 February], the maritime police here said. ...

Iran: Majlis approves budget for foiling US "conspiracies", "interference".
February 26, 2002... The Majlis deputies have approved a [budget] allocation for uncovering and foiling the conspiracies and interference of the American government in Iran's domestic affairs. As on previous days, in order to give you, dear viewers, more...

Cuba: Highlights of Radio Rebelde news 1100 gmt 25 Feb 02.
February 26, 2002... 1. More than 30 US citizens visited sugar mills in Ciego de Avila. / The international farming and livestock fair FIAGRO 2002 continues today at Rancho Boyeros Fairgrounds. 2. Palma Soriano Municipality, Santiago de Cuba held its balance...

South Korean businessman murdered in China's Qingdao.
February 26, 2002... Text of report in English by South Korean news agency Yonhap Beijing, 26 February: The South Korean businessman, Kim Sang-cheon, 44, of Kido Industries of Seoul, was found groaning after a collective assault and battery in a 12th-storey...

Moldovan protest continues despite ban.
February 26, 2002... Protests in Chisinau's central square resumed on Tuesday morning [26 February] despite the latest ruling by the Supreme Court of Justice to outlaw the anti-Communist demonstrations and rallies. An estimated 2,000 protesters marched to the...

Nigeria: Radio Kaduna to reactivate transmitters.
February 26, 2002... Kaduna state government has purchased 5m naira worth of spare parts to reactivate Radio Kaduna transmitters in preparation for 24-hour weekend broadcasting, which is scheduled to commence this quarter, Nigerian newspaper This Day reported on...

China closely monitoring Japanese maritime salvage.
February 26, 2002... Text of report by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency) Beijing, 26 February: Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan said here today that the Chinese side is closely following Japan's salvage of a sunken ship in the...

Ukraine scientists alarmed by state of Chernobyl sarcophagus.
February 26, 2002... Text of report by Russian Centre TV on 26 February [Presenter] The construction of the sarcophagus to cover the burned reactor number four of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant was finished 16 years ago. More than thirty parts of the...

Foreign diplomats quit Azeri parliament session in protest at Chirac remark.
February 26, 2002... [Presenter] The Milli Maclis [Azerbaijani parliament] is holding a debate on the political estimates of the Xocali tragedy and providing the world with true information about those to blame for the tragedy. Foreign ambassadors to Azerbaijan...

Pakistan: President appoints additional judges to provincial court.
February 26, 2002... Text of report by Radio Pakistan on 26 February The president has appointed five additional judges of the Lahore High Court, Lahore, for a period of two years. They are: Mr Pervez Ahmad, Chaudhry Iftikhar Hussain, Mr Farrukh Latif,...

Libya: General People's Congress to meet Saturday 2 March.
February 26, 2002... Text of report by Libyan radio on 26 February The Secretariat of the General People's Congress has issued decision No 31 of 1370 from the death of the prophet [corresponding to 2002] inviting the General People's Congress to hold a...

Slovakia: TV Joj to launch on 2 March.
February 26, 2002... Bratislava, 25 February: The new Slovak commercial television Joj will start broadcasting on Saturday, 2 March, covering more than half of Slovakia's territory with two thirds of Slovakia's population, TV Joj director Richard Rybnicek and TV...

Kazakh opposition press badly needs US-sponsored independent print shop - editor.
February 26, 2002... Yermurat Bapi, the chief editor of the opposition Kazakh newspaper SolDat, has appealed to US Secretary of State Colin Powell to speed up establishing an independent publishing house in Kazakhstan. The reason for this is that Kazakh...

Slovene farmers disagree with European Commission's financial proposal.
February 26, 2002... Text of report by Slovene radio on 26 February Today, the Slovene Co-operative Union issued its statement for the public. Following a precise analysis of the suggested financial proposal for EU enlargement, the union came to the...

Kyrgyz Interior Ministry sets up public advisory centre.
February 26, 2002... Text of report by Kyrgyz news agency Kabar Bishkek, 26 February: For the first time in the CIS, Kyrgyzstan has set up a new centre of Interior Ministry public advisers. Interior Minister Temirbek Akmataliyev handed special ministry...

Colombian president: Betancourt kidnapping attack on democracy.
February 26, 2002... Text of report by Colombian Office of the President web site on 25 February After voicing rejection for the retention of [presidential candidate] Ingrid Betancourt and her campaign adviser, President Andres Pastrana said that the act of...

Eurasian community stepping up aid to Afghanistan - Russian PM.
February 26, 2002... Moscow, 26 February: Russia and other member countries of the Eurasian Economic Community are stepping up humanitarian aid to the Afghan population, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov said on Tuesday [26 February] during the meeting of...

Moldovan justice minister says force may be used against protesters.
February 26, 2002... Justice Minister Ion Morei has said the authorities may use harsh measures against the organizers of the protests in the central square of the capital Chisinau, if the opposition refuses to comply with the latest ruling of the Supreme Court...

Afghan interim leader to visit Russia in mid March.
February 26, 2002... Text of report in English by Russian news agency Interfax Moscow, 26 February: Afghanistan's Interim leader Hamed Karzai will visit Moscow in mid-March, diplomatic sources told Interfax on Tuesday [26 February]. During his visit to...

Earthquake hits southern Kyrgyzstan.
February 26, 2002... Text of report by Kyrgyz news agency Kabar Bishkek, 26 February: Kyrgyzstan's seismic stations registered an earthquake measuring 3-4 points on the Richter scale at 1754 hours local time [1254 gmt] on 25 February this year. According to...

US instructors to train Georgian military - deputy defence minister.
February 26, 2002... Text of report by Georgian news agency Prime-News Tbilisi, 26 February: A team of American military instructors is to arrive in Georgia soon to train Georgian military personnel as part of a "special training and equipping programme",...

Algerian president receives Austrian foreign affairs minister.
February 26, 2002... President Abdelaziz Bouteflika received today Austrian Foreign Affairs Minister Mrs Benita Ferrero-Waldner... Prime Minister Ali Benflis also received Algeria's guest today. The Austrian foreign affairs minister is expected to hold a...

Burundi: EU grants further 17.5m euros in humanitarian aid.
February 26, 2002... The EU Commission announced in a communique on Friday [22 February] that it will grant 17.5m euros as humanitarian aid in Burundi in 2002 to continue the aid programmes for displaced people and for the "most vulnerable groups" of the...

German, Polish ministers discuss EU enlargement.
February 26, 2002... Text of report in English by Polish news agency PAP Berlin, 26 February: Polish Foreign Minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz on a several-hour visit to Berlin met with his German counterpart Joschka Fischer to discuss EU enlargement. The...

Moldovan state TV journalists complain of censorship.
February 26, 2002... Text of report in English by Moldovan news agency Basapress on 26 February A group of 50 national television and radio newspeople have issued a statement of protest against the [ruling] Communist Party's pressure on journalists at the...

British defence secretary supports Latvia's early accession to NATO.
February 26, 2002... Text of report in English by Baltic news agency BNS Riga, 26 February: British Defence Secretary Geoffrey Hoon has met Latvian Foreign Minister Indulis Berzins in Riga. During the meeting, the UK official expressed support for Latvia's...

Afghan leader to visit Russia in March.
February 26, 2002... Moscow, 26 February: Afghanistan's interim leader Hamed Karzai will visit Moscow in mid-March, diplomatic sources told Interfax on Tuesday [26 February]. During his visit to Kabul earlier in February, Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov...

Russia to scale down state involvement in the media.
February 26, 2002... Text of report by Radio Russia on 26 February The Russian media ministry [Ministry of Press, TV and Radio Broadcasting and Mass Communications] will publish on 7 March the list of bidders for broadcasting rights on TV channel 6, the...

Russia sends aid consignment to Tajikistan, Afghan aid ongoing.
February 26, 2002... Text of report in English by Russian news agency ITAR-TASS Dushanbe, 26 February: The Russian government sent over 60 tonnes of goods as a gift to Tajikistan's Emergencies Ministry on Tuesday [26 February]. The ceremony [of handing...

European, Azeri MPs discuss Armenian nuclear plant.
February 26, 2002... Text of report by Azerbaijani news agency Turan Baku, 25 February: A sitting of the committee for cooperation between the European parliament and the Azerbaijani Milli Maclis [parliament] opened in Brussels today. Participants in this...

Moldovan president appoints new finance, education ministers.
February 26, 2002... President Vladimir Voronin on Tuesday [26 February] issued a decree dismissing Education Minister Ilie Vancea "in connection with his transfer to another job". The president appointed Gheorghe Sima, a member of parliament [Communist], as...

Zimbabwe: Mashonaland Central villagers urge Mugabe to address food shortages.
February 26, 2002... Text of report by Zimbabwean radio audio web site on 26 February As President Robert Mugabe takes his election campaign to Mashonaland Central tomorrow, the people in rural areas have made a passionate plea to him to urgently assist them...

Indian court extends remand of suspected Al-Qa'idah member.
February 26, 2002... Text of report by Indian news agency PTI Mumbai, 26 February: A local court on Tuesday [26 February] extended till 11 March the judicial custody of Mohammed Afroz Abdul Razak, suspected member of Al-Qa'idah outfit of international...

Serious, military crime up, drug figures down in Kazakhstan in 2001.
February 26, 2002... Text of report by Interfax-Kazakhstan news agency Almaty, 26 February: A total of 152,200 crimes were logged in Kazakhstan in 2001, 0.9 per cent up on 2000. The National Statistics Agency said that a growth in crime had been observed...

Lesotho: King proclaims 25 May as date for general election.
February 26, 2002... Text of report by South African news agency SAPA web site Maseru, 26 February: King Letsie III of Lesotho on Tuesday [26 February] announced Lesotho's general election date. The tiny southern African kingdom of Lesotho would go to the...

Ex-Afghan Premier Hekmatyar leaves Tehran for "undisclosed destination".
February 26, 2002... Text of report by Iranian news agency IRNA Tehran, 26 February: Golboddin Hekmatyar, the leader of Afghanistan's Hezb-e Eslami, has left his place of residence in Tehran. An informed official told IRNA's correspondent on Tuesday [26...

Kyrgyz ministry, WHO sign cooperation accord.
February 26, 2002... An agreement on continuing cooperation between Kyrgyzstan and the World Health Organization was signed at the Kyrgyz Health Ministry today. Correspondent Rahat Kenesheva reports: [Correspondent] The agreement, which specifies the main...

Mideast: Terrorist detained in Haifa; rocket remnants found near Gaza.
February 26, 2002... Text of report by Israel radio on 26 February A resident of the territories who intended to perpetrate a terrorist attack has been captured in downtown Haifa. Our correspondent Eran Singer reports that a bag containing weapons and...

Ex-Philippines president admits signing false name in bank document.
February 26, 2002... Text of report in English, entitled: "Finally, Estrada admits signing as Jose Velarde" by Philippine newspaper The Philippine Star web site on 26 February Deposed President Joseph Estrada admitted having signed "the Jose Velarde" secret...

New road worth 260m dollars to cross Uzbekistan from east to West.
February 26, 2002... A new trunk road will carry the main flow of international and domestic traffic across Uzbekistan by the shortest route from the east to the northwest. The transcontinental highway will ultimately link China with the Caspian Sea ports. ...

Chechen web site denies commander Khachukayev killed.
February 26, 2002... Text of report by Kavkaz-Tsentr news agency web site 26 February: Reports from Chechnya confirm that Gen Khizir Khachukayev is alive. They are based on the accounts of Khachukayev's relatives, who said that the Russian side never...

Zimbabwe: Mugabe launches Harare election campaign in high-density suburb.
February 26, 2002... Text of report by Zimbabwean radio audio web site on 26 February ZANU-PF has launched its urban campaign in Harare today. Diplomatic corespondent Judith Makwanya is following developments. [Makwanya] After nearly four weeks of meeting...

Hungary interested in Visegrad ties, no apology for decree remark - spokesman.
February 26, 2002... Text of report by Hungarian radio on 26 February [Presenter] Disagreement within the Visegrad group [of Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia] was also raised at the foreign affairs spokesman's briefing today. Gabor Horvath...

Czech news agency schedule of events for 27 Feb 02.
February 26, 2002... Text of report in English by Czech news agency CTK [This press review has not been edited for content, nor have personal names and party names, abbreviations, etc. been amended.] Please note that this schedule of events is provisional...

Anti-USA protest hits Philippines leader's visit to south.
February 26, 2002... Text of report in English by Philippine newspaper Philippine Daily Inquirer web site on 26 February Anti-American demonstrators greeted President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on her arrival Tuesday afternoon [26 February] at the Edwin...

Turkish official to visit Kazakhstan to discuss Ceyhan oil pipeline.
February 26, 2002... [Presenter, over archive footage showing people in Astana streets, government buildings] Turkey is starting another round in the fight for Kazakh oil. Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli will soon arrive in Kazakhstan to convince the...

Four detainees found to be HIV-positive in southern Kazakh town.
February 26, 2002... Text of report by Kazakh newspaper Ekspress-K "An alarming zone" on 26 February Four people have been found to be HIV-positive in Taraz remand centre [the centre of southern Kazakh Zhambyl Region]. These people, who were arrested for...

Slovak premier rejects calls to compensate victims of investment flop.
February 26, 2002... [Announcer] Several nonbanking firms have recently stopped paying out dividends. Some of them have even closed their branches all over Slovakia. It means that people are facing the possibility of losing their - in some cases life-long -...

Zimbabwe: South African observer mission welcomes move to provide more security.
February 26, 2002... Text of statement issued by the South African Department of Foreign Affairs and published by the South African news agency SAPA web site on 26 March The leader of the South African Observer Mission [SAOM] to the presidential elections in...

Mideast: Arafat adviser comments on possible resumption of talks.
February 26, 2002... Text of report by Palestinian radio Voice of Palestine on 26 February President Arafat is currently chairing a leadership meeting to discuss the situation in the Palestinian territories and security and political developments. ...

Russian foreign minister wants good relations with Israel and the Arab world.
February 26, 2002... Text of report in English by Russian news agency Interfax Moscow, 26 February: Russia could put forward its own initiative on a Middle East peace settlement, Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov has said. "At this phase [of the...

Iranian envoy downplays Azeri border violation.
February 26, 2002... Text of report by Azerbaijani TV station ANS on 26 February [Presenter] The head of the Presidential Executive Staff, Ramiz Mehdiyev, has commented on the violation of Azerbaijan's maritime border by an Iranian ship. He said that there...

Palestinian minister in Russia on "way out" of Mideast situation.
February 26, 2002... Text of report in English by Russian news agency ITAR-TASS Moscow, 26 February: There is a way out of the situation that formed in the Middle East, said Yasir Abd-Rabbuh, the minister of information and culture of the Palestinian National...

Chechen TV boss reported missing.
February 26, 2002... Text of report in English by Russian news agency Interfax Groznyy, 26 February: The general director of the Groznyy independent TV company, [?Iles Magomedov], has gone missing, Chechen administration aide Taus Dzhabrailov told Interfax on...

Russian troops abduct 20 youths from Chechen village - web site.
February 26, 2002... 26 February, Chechenpress correspondent T. Nanayev: Russian troops carried out a "clearance operation" in the village of Gekhi in Urus-Martanovskiy District of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria [CRI]. After the long punitive action, local...

Kyrgyz paper doubts about advantages of US military presence in country.
February 26, 2002... Vecherniy Bishkek newspaper correspondents have managed to find out about several unclear and even plainly unpleasant stories which are in one way or another linked to the foreign military presence at [the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek's] Manas...

Philippines: Ex-Abu Sayyaf members say US hostages losing hope.
February 26, 2002... Text of report by Philippines GMA television on 26 February Four former members of the Abu Sayyaf came down from the jungles. They revealed that the bandits' American hostages are losing hope to get free. Here is Raffy Tima's exclusive...

Iran: Daily accuses reformers of disloyalty and weakness.
February 26, 2002... Text of editorial by Iranian newspaper Keyhan web site on 25 February After many years of engaging in a game of hypocrisy and trying to hide their true thoughts and wishes, the theoreticians of the revisionist [reformist] movement have...