BBC Monitoring International Reports articles from February 2002, page 5

BBC Monitoring International Reports archives from February 2002

Russian ambassador opposes media's interference in Ukraine's election.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Ukrainian news agency UNIAN Kiev, 28 February: It is inadmissible for the Russian mass media to influence the course of the election campaign in Ukraine, the Russian ambassador to Ukraine, Viktor Chernomyrdin, has said....

Mauritius praises Pakistan for support to war on terrorism.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Radio Pakistan on 28 February Mauritius has praised Pakistan for its bold and undaunted support to war on terrorism. It was expressed by Mauritian Foreign Minister, Mr Anil Kumar Singh Gayan, in his meeting with...

Russian speaker accuses USA of attempts to isolate Belarus.
February 28, 2002... [Presenter] A scandal broke out in relations between the USA and Belarus. Washington has accused Minsk of illegal deliveries of weapons to the countries that support terrorism. Besides, the US Department of State declared that Belarus...

Pakistan: New estimate for construction of Gwadar port approved.
February 28, 2002... The executive committee of the national economic council [ECNEC], which met in Islamabad today under the chairmanship of federal finance minister, Mr Shaukat Aziz, approved 44 projects of great socioeconomic importance. Projects include...

Australian company to develop copper resource in Pakistan.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Pakistan TV on 28 February The Australian mineral exploration company TCC [Tethyan Copper Company] has announced its plans for the investment of 1.5bn dollars for the development of copper resources at Rekodik in the...

Pakistan spokesman welcomes statement by British foreign secretary on Kashmir.
February 28, 2002... ... Maj-Gen Rashid Qureshi rejected media reports which said a US plane was fired at at Jacobabad airport. He explained that the pilot, while landing, detected a heat source, by which, he thought, his plane was being targeted, whereas, in...

Georgian leader says US military presence will "strengthen" sovereignty.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Russian news agency Interfax Tbilisi, 28 February: Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze believes a US military presence in Georgia will help strengthen the country's sovereignty. He said in a statement to...

Politician says Hurriyat Conference favours Pakistan leader's Kashmir policy.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Radio Pakistan on 28 February Chairman of National Kashmir Committee, Sardar Abdul Qayum Khan, has said that the leadership of All Parties Hurriyat Conference in the occupied Kashmir fully supports President Pervez...

Danish, Estonian premiers discuss relations, EU, NATO enlargement.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by Estonian news agency ETA Tallinn, 28 February: Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen confirmed on Thursday [28 February], after meeting his Estonian counterpart Siim Kallas, that Denmark supports...

Indian finance minister comments on Budget.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Indian news agency PTI New Delhi, 28 February: Federal Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha on Thursday [28 February] said the 5 per cent national security surcharge would mop up resources and curtail rising fiscal deficit,...

Latvian minister asks premier to discuss truckers' problems in Lithuania.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by Latvian news agency LETA Riga, 28 February: Minister of Transport Anatolijs Gorbunovs called on Prime Minister Andris Berzins to discuss with his Lithuanian counterpart Algirdas Brazauskas the introduction of...

Russia: fugitive tycoon to show a film about explosions.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by Russian news agency Interfax Moscow, 28 February: Russian business tycoon Boris Berezovskiy, who claims that the 1999 apartment house bombings in Russia were staged by Russia's Federal Security Service [FSB]...

Russian president arrives in Kazakhstan for CIS summit.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by Russian news agency Interfax Almaty, 28 February: Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived in Almaty to attend an informal CIS summit. The first meeting of the CIS presidents will take place today. ...

Egyptian foreign minister, EU Solana discuss Mideast peace process.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by Egyptian news agency MENA web site Cairo, 28 February: Foreign Minister Ahmad Mahir conferred on Thursday [28 February] with European Union high commissioner for foreign policy and security affairs, Javier...

Somalia: Puntland MPs elect Speaker of parliament.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Somali newspaper Ayaamaha web site on 27 February Yesterday, Puntland MPs loyal to [Boosaaso-based Puntland President] Jama Ali Jama met in Boosaaso [Puntland]. They discussed the election of the Puntland Speaker of...

Russia: US ambassador denies plans to use combat units in Georgia.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by Russian news agency Interfax Moscow, 28 February: Washington has no plans to deploy US combat units in Georgia, US ambassador to Russia Aleksandr Vershbow told Interfax today. It is regrettable that...

Pope seeks dialogue in message to Russian Patriarch.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Vatican Radio on 28 February Let's now talk about a telegram sent by John Paul II to Moscow and all Russia [Orthodox] Patriarch Aleksiy II for his name day. The message in French says: with all my heart I address...

Russian official details agenda of informal CIS summit in Kazakhstan.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by Russian news agency ITAR-TASS Moscow, 28 February: An informal CIS summit is to begin today afternoon at the Almaty residence of the president of Kazakhstan, head of the Russian presidential administration...

Somalia: Visiting UN, USA officials hold talks with Puntland leader.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Somali pro-Puntland web site AllPuntland.com on 28 February A team of UN and US government officials arrived in Boosaaso [Puntland] yesterday. The three-member delegation is made up of two UN officials on a security...

Sudan: Presidential adviser hails ties with Russia.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by Sudanese TV on 28 February The presidential adviser for political affairs, Dr Qutbi al-Mahdi, hailed the progress of the Sudanese-Russian relations. The praise came during a meeting with the Russian ambassador...

Belgian authorities issue international arrest warrant for Russian businessman.
February 28, 2002... Moscow, 28 February: The Russian police have been involved in an international search for ethnic Russian arms smuggler Viktor But for four years. But is suspected of supplying armaments to the Al-Qa'idah terrorist organization, which was...

Czechs confirm German chancellor's visit postponed.
February 28, 2002... Prague, 28 February: The Government Office confirmed today that German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's visit to the Czech Republic, scheduled for 22-23 March had been postponed, government spokesman Libor Roucek said but declined to say why....

Schroeder on the EU's future, troop deployment, ties with US.
February 28, 2002... German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has dismissed talks of new axes in relations within the EU, and said his proposals on reform, made with Tony Blair earlier this week, are not directed against the French. He also dismissed the suggestion...

Belarus denies training Iraqi cadets at military schools.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Russian AVN Military News Agency web site Minsk, 28 February: Belarus bluntly denies claims about its arms dealings with "critical countries". Belarus is not a large supplier of armaments, let alone "a supplier of...

Polish right-wing party attacks war crime investigator over Jewish pogrom.
February 28, 2002... [Presenter] All parliamentary floor groups, except the League of the Polish Families [LPR], have supported a report on the first year of activities of the National Remembrance Institute [IPN] which was presented to the Sejm [lower house of...

Kosovo premier-designate Rexhepi reacts to nomination, urges patience.
February 28, 2002... Bajram Rexhepi of the Democratic Party of Kosovo, who has been nominated as the prime minister of Kosovo, has said that the first task for the government is to complete the setting up of governing institutions. Then the economy must be dealt...

Israeli troops shell areas in Bayt Jala, A'idah Camp - Palestinian agency.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Palestinian news agency Wafa web site Bethlehem, 28 February: WAFA correspondent in Bethlehem Governorate today said that the Israeli occupation troops deployed in Gilo Settlement, which is built on citizens' lands,...

Tunisia: Agreement to promote investments signed with Portugal.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Tunisian radio on 28 February An agreement to promote investments between Tunisia and Portugal was signed in Tunis today. This agreement will enable investors from both countries to enjoy the same privileges, in addition...

Italy to pressure Kabul over murdered Italian journalist.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera web site on 27 February Rome: Italy will go back and ask the Afghan government for a serious commitment and full cooperation with our judicial authorities to identify and arrest...

China issues code of conduct for civil servants.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by reporter Zhang Jingyong entitled "Civil servants have code of conduct" by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency) Beijing, 27 February: The "Code of Conduct for Civil Servants," the first of its kind...

Colombian government rejects FARC prisoner-hostage swap proposal.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Colombian Caracol radio web site on 27 February Bogota: The FARC [Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia] have confirmed that presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt is being held by that organization as part of a plan...

Palestinian, Israeli delegates conclude "military" meeting at Gaza crossing.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Palestinian radio Voice of Palestine on 28 February A military meeting between the Palestinian and Israeli sides, with US participation, ended this afternoon. The meeting was held at the Bayt Hanun Crossing, north of...

Hungary: Premier, Romany leader agree on Gypsy student grants, job creation.
February 28, 2002... [Presenter] The prime minister [Viktor Orban] and the chairmen of the Fidesz - Hungarian Civic Party [senior government coalition party] and Lungo Drom see the opportunities for Romanies in grants to Romany youngsters, job creation in...

Morocco: UN extends Minurso mandate in Western Sahara by two months.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by Moroccan news agency MAP web site New York, 28 February: The United Nations Security Council on Thursday [28 February] decided to extend the mandate of Minurso (French acronym for the UN mission in the...

Russia keeps up with rent payments for Kazakh space centre.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by Russian AVN Military News Agency web site Almaty, 28 February: This year Russia is following the schedule of rent payments for the Baykonur space centre in Kazakhstan, Kazakh Energy Minister Vladimir Shkolnik...

Hungarian, Italian premiers discuss EU, Italy accepts cut in regional subsidies.
February 28, 2002... [Presenter] The Italian prime minister [Silvio Berlusconi] arrived in Budapest today for a official visit. He held a private meeting with Prime Minister Viktor Orban and a few minutes ago he briefed the press about his talks with the...

Unidentified gunman detained at HQ of pro-Moscow Chechen government.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Russian newspaper Kommersant on 28 February Yesterday an armed Chechen was detained in the Chechen Government building; according to the Federal Security Service [FSB], he "was trying to carry out an attack on the...

NATO chief assesses Bulgaria army reform, says "more to be done".
February 28, 2002... Sofia, 28 February: Bulgaria has made serious progress with the army reform and with its preparation for NATO membership but still a lot remains to be done, NATO Secretary-General George Robertson said after a 40-minute meeting with President...

Algeria: Morocco obstacle to Western Sahara peace, foreign minister says.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Algerian radio on 28 February Minister of State and Foreign Affairs Abdelaziz Belkhadem was the guest of the programme "Transformations" a while ago. He once again reaffirmed the constant position of the Algerian...

Chinese president congratulates Hong Kong leader on re-election.
February 28, 2002... Text of report "Jiang Zemin congratulates Tung Chee-hwa for being automatically re-elected" by Hong Kong-based news agency Zhongguo Tongxun She Hong Kong, 28 February: Chinese State President Jiang Zemin who is visiting Vietnam...

Beijing ready for two big March meetings.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency) Beijing, 28 February: Beijing is ready for the Fifth Session of the Ninth National People's Congress (NPC) and the Fifth Session of the Ninth...

Scrapping of chemical weapons undermined by US funding delay - Russian official.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by Russian news agency Interfax Moscow, 28 February: The second stage of a programme to destroy Russia's chemical weapons, under which Russia is to destroy 20 per cent (8,000 tonnes) of its chemical weapons by...

Israel bombs Balatah Camp, asks PNA to help evacuate "besieged soldiers".
February 28, 2002... Israeli Apache helicopters are currently bombing residential quarters in the Balatah Camp, using heavy machine guns. Our correspondent reported that ambulances have rushed to the camp. Our people buried Mahdi al-Nammur, 30, in the...

Sudan: Deputy Speaker in talks with Vatican ambassador.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by Sudanese TV on 28 February The deputy Speaker of the National Assembly [NA], Angelo Beda, revealed that the continuation of war in the south weakens the Christian existence in the south due to the collective...

Bulgaria: Government approves "more efficient" Security Council structure.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by Bulgarian news agency BTA web site Sofia, 28 February: The Security Council with the Council of Ministers will work in two formats - a full and a core one - to make its work more effective. The decision was...

Russia gets new deputy communications minister.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by Russian news agency Interfax Moscow, 28 February: Andrey Korotkov has been appointed first deputy minister of communications and information technology, the government information department has told Interfax....

Russian navy to discard torpedoes used in ill-fated Kursk sub.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Russian AVN Military News Agency web site Moscow, 28 February: The navy command has decided to discard the type of torpedoes that were installed in the Kursk submarine and, supposedly, were a reason for the Kursk's...

Chinese spokesman on Sino-Russia treaty.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency) Beijing, 28 February: The implementation of the Sino-Russian Good-Neighbourly Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation will play a major role in the...

Palestinians protest at security meeting against Israeli army's actions.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Israel radio on 28 February Israeli and Palestinian security officials met at the Erez checkpoint at noon today. The meeting was also attended by US representatives. No statement was made after the meeting ended. The...

"High-ranking British delegation" on fact-finding tour of western Afghan province.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Iranian radio from Mashhad on 28 February A delegation of 10 British officials visited Herat [Province, western Afghanistan] today. The purpose of the delegation's visit is said to be to examine the situation in Herat. A...

Belarus denies selling weapons to rogue states.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Belarusian news agency Belapan Minsk, 28 February: "Belarus has never traded, is not trading and does not intend to trade in arms around UN Security Council sanctions with the states which have been suspected of...

Serbian premier has no information on Karadzic's arrest.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Serbian independent news agency FoNet Belgrade, 28 February: Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic today said he had no information on the action to arrest former Serb Republic President Radovan Karadzic, who is indicted...

Hungarian, Italian premiers discuss EU, Italy accepts cut in regional subsidies.
February 28, 2002... The Italian prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, who is on an official visit in Hungary, told the Hungarian prime minister that a lot of negotiations would still have to be held on the matter of EU subsidies to new members and called on Orban...

Macedonian defence minister receives NATO Southern Europe commander.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Macedonian radio on 28 February Macedonian Defence Minister Vlado Popovski late last night received NATO south wing commander Adm Gregory Johnson, who is visiting NATO forces in the Amber Fox mission in our country. ...

Russia, Afghanistan to discuss new humanitarian projects.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by Russian news agency ITAR-TASS Moscow, 28 February: Russia's First Deputy Emergencies Minister Yuriy Vorobyev will hold talks with Afghan interim government Interior Minister Mohammad Qanuni on new Russian...

Iran: Politicians differ on the existence of state of emergency.
February 28, 2002... Political desk: Sa'id Hajjarian, a senior member of the central council of the [Islamic Iran] Participation Front has said that there is a certain group in the country which sees the creation of a state of emergency to be in its interest. ...

Bosnia: Karadzic's brother says Radovan will never surrender.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Belgrade-based private BKTV on 28 February [Presenter] Serb Republic Prime Minister Mladen Ivanic has confirmed that Sfor [Stabilization Force] soldiers searched 42 premises during the action to arrest Radovan Karadzic,...

Turkish Cypriots condemn Armenian-Greek Cypriot cooperation, alliance.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Turkish Cypriot radio on 28 February The Foreign Affairs and Defence Ministry has declared that the positive atmosphere needed for the desired success of the face-to-face talks launched at the initiative of President...

China reports urban unemployment rate at 3.6 per cent.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency) Beijing, 28 February: The National Bureau of Statistics [NBS] announced Thursday [28 February] that the registered urban unemployment rate was 3.6...

Bulgarian MPs approve transit of Romanian troops to Kosovo.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by Bulgarian news agency BTA web site Sofia, 28 February: The MPs approved the 2-3 March transit passage via Bulgarian territory of an 86-strong infantry company of the Romanian armed forces and of military...

Indian budget anti-farmer, anti-poor, opposition says.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Indian news agency PTI New Delhi, 28 February: Opposition parties on Thursday [28 February] dubbed the Budget as "anti-farmer" and "anti-poor" even as some of the allies of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) asked the federal...

Kazakh TV boss sees attempts to revoke licence as against freedom of speech.
February 28, 2002... Some Kazakh MPs have recently suggested revoking the licence of Kazakh Commercial Television. The director-general of the TV company, Sergey Kleshchenkov, told the Kazakh Karavan newspaper that he viewed this as an attempt to ban freedom of...

Palestinian spokesman comments on "unprecedented Israeli escalation".
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by Palestine Media Centre web site on 28 February Palestinian leadership: Palestinian people have right to self-defence 28 February, 2002 Palestine Media Centre The Palestinian leadership affirmed that...

Russia's military presence in Kyrgyzstan "vitally important" - Russian attache.
February 28, 2002... The presence of Russian marines in Kyrgyzstan is "vitally important" for the country's population, especially for the Russian-speaking people, and there are no plans for them to leave, the Russian military attache in Kyrgyzstan, Maj-Gen...

Afghan interior minister discusses Russian assistance in Moscow.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by Russian news agency Interfax Moscow, 28 February: On Thursday [28 February] Russia promised to help Afghanistan rebuild its police force. Afghan police are to receive training in Russia under a deal...

Morocco: Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone leaders to meet again in Rabat.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by Moroccan news agency MAP web site Rabat, 28 February: The presidents of Liberia, Charles Taylor, of Guinea, Lansana Cont\e, and of Sierra-Leone, Ahmed Tejan Kabbah, agreed to meet again in Rabat to follow up...

Ukraine: OSCE monitors confirm work at regional level.
February 28, 2002... [Presenter] OSCE observers will not only monitor the elections in Kiev but in the regions as well. Monitoring committee member Hanna Severinsen revealed this news to Ukrainian Deputy Speaker Stepan Havrysh today. It is said that...

Morocco: Emirates carrier to start Dubai-Casablanca flights on 31 March.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by Moroccan news agency MAP web site Casablanca, 28 February: The United Arab Emirates [UAE] air company Emirates will start operating as of next 31 March Dubai-Casablanca-Dubai flights three times a week. ...

Georgian leader rules out US involvement in "any operations".
February 28, 2002... [Presenter] Some 30 minutes ago Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze made a significant statement to the press prior to leaving for Alma-Ata. The Reuters news agency reports that the Georgian leader said the arrival of US special-purpose...

Kazakh president says Afghan events changed region's view on security.
February 28, 2002... Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev has said that the antiterrorist campaign in Afghanistan has changed Central Asian countries' views on security and peace in the region, Kazakh Khabar TV reported on 28 February. He was speaking at a...

Kashmir: Two militants killed, soldiers wounded injured in Jammu.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Indian news agency PTI Jammu, 28 February: Two Pakistan-based Lashkar-i-Toiba militants were killed and two security soldier injured in encounters in Punch and Doda districts of Jammu division since Wednesday [27...

Bosnian Serb government to meet over Sfor attempt to arrest Karadzic.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Bosnia-Hercegovina public radio on 28 February [Announcer] The People's Assembly of the Serb Republic that is sitting in Banja Luka today was given information about Sfor's [Stabilization Force] operation in the...

Petra reports on Jordanian-Israeli ceremony at Wadi Araba 28 Feb.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by Jordanian news agency Petra web site Wadi Araba, 28 February: A celebration was carried out Thursday [28 February] on the Israeli side of Wadi Araba crossing point to name it after the late Israeli Prime...

Haiti: Highlights of Signal FM Radio news 1230 gmt 28 Feb 02.
February 28, 2002... Programme: "0730 Appointment" Newscast Reception: good Duration of broadcast: 60 minutes; figures in brackets indicate length of time of each item 1. Introduction and headlines. (12 min.) 2. Head of State Jean-Bertrand Aristide met...

Russian paper to sue security service for misrepresentation.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Russian AVN Military News Agency web site Moscow, 28 February: Novaya Gazeta plans to start court action in connection with a statement by FSB [Federal Security Service] spokesman Ilya Shabalkin made on 20 February, says...

Slovenia to demand equality of candidate states at EU Convention - official.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Slovene television teletext web site, Ljubljana, on 28 February Slovenia will demand the equal treatment of all the [EU] candidate states while participating in all phases of the [EU] Convention's work on the future EU....

Serbian premier announces appointment of new health minister.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Serbian independent news agency FoNet Belgrade, 28 February: Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic today confirmed that Tomica Milosavljevic, a gastroenterologist from the Clinical Centre of Serbia, would be appointed...

Angola: UNITA "convinced" of Israeli involvement in Savimbi's death.
February 28, 2002... Luanda: UNITA supporters are becoming ever more convinced that Israeli officials were involved in the rebel leader's death. Although these statements have not been made public, a number of officials believe that Israeli specialists followed...

Japan to dispatch diplomat to UN mission to Afghanistan.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by Japanese news agency Kyodo Tokyo, 28 February: Japan on Thursday [28 February] dispatched Hiroshi Takahashi, who serves as minister at the Japanese Embassy in Uzbekistan, for a five-month term to the UN...

Japanese peacekeeping unit to leave for East Timor 2 March.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by Japanese news agency Kyodo Tokyo, 28 February: The first Ground Self-Defence Force (GSDF) unit to take part in UN peacekeeping operations (PKO) in East Timor will leave Chitose base in Hokkaido on Saturday [2...

Macedonian interior minister says security forces foiled "terrorist" acts.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Macedonian radio on 28 February [Statement by Macedonian Interior Minister Ljube Boskovski] A number of acts by newly formed or recently transformed minor terrorist groups, which intended to carry out several terrorist...

Talk of instability in Central Asia designed to stymie investment - Uzbek head.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Interfax-Kazakhstan news agency Almaty, 28 February: Uzbek President Islam Karimov has acknowledged that there are differences in the levels of democratic development of the Central Asian states. He said this at a news...

Clandestine oil refineries pose serious health hazard - Chechen health minister.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Russia TV on 28 February [Presenter] Sixteen clandestine mini-refineries have been found and destroyed on the outskirts of Groznyy. The republic's Health Ministry says the refineries, which are scattered throughout...

Bulgaria: Cabinet approves telecom privatization strategy.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by Bulgarian news agency BTA web site Sofia, 28 February: The Council of Ministers approved Thursday [28 February] the strategy for the privatization of the Bulgarian Telecommunications Company (BTC). Up to...