BBC Monitoring International Reports articles from February 2002

BBC Monitoring International Reports archives from February 2002

Algeria: Kuwaiti foreign minister to begin visit Saturday 2 March.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Algerian radio on 27 February The Kuwaiti foreign minister, Dr Muhammad Sabah Salim al-Sabah, will begin a two-day visit to Algeria next Saturday [2 March]. The Kuwaiti official will be carrying a message for his...

Morocco: King receives Austrian foreign minister, French Senate Speaker.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Moroccan radio on 28 February His Majesty King Mohammed VI received at the Royal Palace in Rabat this evening the Austrian foreign minister, Mrs Benita Ferrero-Waldner, who was accompanied by her country's ambassador to...

China's GDP up 7.3 per cent in 2001.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency) Beijing, 28 February: China's gross domestic product (GDP) of 2001 was 9,593.3bn yuan, an increase of 7.3 per cent over the previous year in...

(CORR) Northern Afghan governor meets head of Bakhtar News Agency.
February 28, 2002... (Correcting time of this item from 0600 gmt to 1430 gmt. Processing of the item was promised from the 1330 gmt Pashto bulletin. In fact it was processed from its Dari-language repeat at 1430 gmt. The item is reproduced below:) Text of...

CORRECTION Northern Afghan governor meets head of Bakhtar News Agency.
February 28, 2002... This item, wrongly timed at 0600 gmt 27 Feb 02, has now been refiled under its correct time, 1430 gmt 27 Feb 02. Source: Balkh Radio, Mazar-e Sharif, in Dari 0600 gmt 27 Feb 02

North Korean legislative leader leaves for Thailand.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by North Korean news agency KCNA Pyongyang, 28 February: Kim Yong-nam, president of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, left here today by a special plane to pay an official goodwill visit to...

DRCongo peace talks in South Africa "temporarily" suspended.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Congolese radio from Kinshasa on 27 February President Joseph Kabila yesterday returned from Sun City, South Africa, where he attended the opening ceremony of the inter-Congolese talks. Before leaving, he held...

Tanzania: President warns of "inevitable backlash" from globalization.
February 28, 2002... President Benjamin Mkapa has said that the World Commission on the Social Dimension of Globalization should explore ways in which globalization can truly be a resource and catalyst for positive change and not a threat to human security. ...

Zimbabwe: South African poll observer deplores violent incidents.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Zimbabwean radio web site on 27 February The head of the South African election observer mission in the country, Ambassador Samuel Motsuenyane, has pledged to work closely with local and other international observers in...

Chad: MPs pass bill granting amnesty to rebels, urge its implementation.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Chadian radio on 27 February Parliamentarians yesterday afternoon passed the bill granting general amnesty to members of the MDJT [Movement for Democracy and Justice in Chad]. There were 64 votes in favour, 21...

South Africa denies Zimbabweans "flooding" into the country.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by South African news agency SAPA web site Pretoria, 27 February: The Department of Home Affairs said on Wednesday [27 February] there was no influx of illegal immigrants from Zimbabwe, as has been reported by the media....

Russian prime minister to meet Baltic Council.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Russia TV in Kaliningrad on 18 February Russian Prime minister Mikhail Kasyanov will take part in the work of the 11th session of the Baltic Council, which will take place in the resort of Sveglogorsk on 5 March. Eleven...

Somali Reconciliation, Restoration Council to meet in Addis - Ethiopian report.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by Ethiopian news agency ENA web site Addis Ababa, 27 February: Consultation will get under way on Thursday [27 February] among members of the Somali Reconciliation and Restoration Council (SRRC) and other Somali...

Zimbabwe: White MDC official says party not giving up despite violence.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by London-based Zimbabwe independent Short Wave Radio Africa on 27 February [Presenter Georgina Godwin] The Movement for Democratic Change has a national support group and this is coordinated by Mike [no surname given],...

Ethiopia, Japan sign technical cooperation agreement.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by Ethiopian news agency ENA web site Addis Ababa, 27 February: Head of the construction and industry education centre with the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport says his country is...

South Africa expresses "grave concern" at Israeli-Palestinian situation.
February 28, 2002... Text of "media statement by the deputy minister of foreign affairs, Mr Aziz Pahad, on the current situation in the Middle East crisis" issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs on 27 February and published by the South African news agency...

Turkmen head slams poor communications service.
February 28, 2002... Speaking at a government sitting on 26 February, Turkmenistan's president, Saparmyrat Nyyazow, harshly criticized the communications ministry for the lack of good manners among its employees. "When I lift the receiver and say 'Hello', there...

South Africa's UDM party sending "fact-finding" team to Zimbabwe.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by South African news agency SAPA web site Cape Town, 27 February: United Democratic Movement leader Bantu Holomisa leaves for Zimbabwe on Wednesday [27 February] at the head of a four-man "fact-finding" mission to that...

Liberia: National humanitarian relief task force begins work.
February 28, 2002... As you are aware, the national humanitarian emergency relief task force set up by the Liberian government commenced its work on Monday [25 February] at the border town displaced camp in Bomi County. The launching ceremony was graced by...

South Africa: ANC deplores Newsweek's "shoddy" article on President Mbeki.
February 28, 2002... Text of "ANC response to Tom Masland's article in Newsweek International 4 March 2002 issue: 'South Africa's lonely rebel'"; issued by the African National Congress's Department of Communications on 27 February and published by the South...

Angola: Defence minister says UNITA now only consists of "the little ones".
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Angolan news agency Angop web site Luanda, 26 February: Angolan Defence Minister General Kundi Payhama today addressed a congratulations message to the Angolan Armed Forces [FAA] Chief of Staff for the recent...

Sudanese president set to attend regional summit in Libya.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by Sudanese news agency Suna web site Khartoum, 27 February: President of the republic, Gen Umar al-Bashir, is due to lead Sudan's delegation for the fourth Summit of the Community of Sahel and Saharan States,...

Uganda: Suspected LRA rebels kill two in Gulu District.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Ugandan newspaper The New Vision web site on 28 February Gulu: Suspected Lord's Resistance Army rebels on Monday [25 February] killed two people at Purongo displaced person's camp and set ablaze over 100 grass-thatched...

Kenya: Scores feared dead as storms hit Lake Victoria.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Kenyan newspaper East African Standard web site on 28 February Scores of people are feared dead, while many others are stranded in Lake Victoria following violent storms that have hit the lake over the past few days....

Kenya: Thousands left homeless in Mombasa slum eviction.
February 28, 2002... Close to 3,000 families were left homeless yesterday as the clean-up of Mombasa moved from kiosks to slum dwellings. A mnicipal cuncil bulldozer flattened the popular Mworoto slums in Tudor and flattened 4,500 structures. Other...

Tanzania: China donates about 2.8m dollars for water projects.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Tanzanian newspaper The Guardian web site on 28 February Tanzania yesterday received over 2.2bn shillings [about 2.8m dollars] from the Chinese government under an arrangement for financing the two on-going water supply...

Chinese president calls for Sino-Vietnamese cooperation.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency) Hanoi, 28 February: General Secretary of the Communist Party of China and Chinese President Jiang Zemin called on Thursday [28 February] the young...

Uganda: MP "alarmed" by troop build-up near border with Sudan.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Ugandan newspaper The New Vision web site on 28 February Aruu county [presumably in Arua District] MP Samuel Otto Odonga has queried the heavy deployment of UPDF [Uganda People's Defence Forces] troops in his...

Four killed in Israeli raids on refugee camps - Israel radio.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Israel radio on 28 February IDF troops have been operating since last night in the Balatah refugee camp near Nablus and in the Jenin refugee camp. Heavy gunfire exchanges are taking place. The Israeli forces intend to...

Chinese president hails ties with Vietnam.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency) Hanoi, 28 February: General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party and Chinese President Jiang Zemin said here Thursday [28 February] that it is a...

China wants prosperous Vietnam - president.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China news agency) Hanoi, 28 February: Facts have shown that only by combining the basic principles of Marxism with the practical conditions of individual countries...

South Africa: Police confiscate fake travel documents at Johannesburg airport.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by South African news agency SAPA web site Johannesburg 27 February: A consignment of false passports and visas were found on Wednesday [27 February] afternoon at the Johannesburg International Airport, the South African...

South Korea: Ex-president's daughter leaves opposition party.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by South Korean news agency Yonhap Seoul, 28 February: Grand National Party Vice President Park Geun-hye declared Thursday [28 February] that she is leaving the party in protest of the "imperialist" party...

Tanzania: Opposition leader to use "techniques" of ruling party.
February 28, 2002... The chairman of the TLP [Tanzania Labour Party], Mr Augustine Mrema, has said he would now use to perfection the investigational techniques he was taught by the CCM [ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi] government in order to weaken the ruling party....

Chinese president in Vietnam calls for closer international cooperation.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency) Hanoi, 28 February: Visiting General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party and Chinese President Jiang Zemin urged Thursday [28 February] all...

South Korea: Rail transport returns to normal as strike ends.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by South Korean news agency Yonhap Seoul, 28 February: Railway transportation, which has been crippled by a general strike, is quickly returning to normal Thursday [28 February] as the two-day strike ended with...

United Russia party sets out agenda in Tatarstan.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Tatar-Inform news agency Kazan, 26 February: More than 240 representatives out of 311 members of the local Tatar branch of Unity and Fatherland-United Russia party attended a meeting on 26 February, which took place in...

South Korea: Electricity union on 4th day of strike.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by South Korean news agency Yonhap Seoul, 28 February: The labour and management of the nation's state-run electricity firms are still in a tug-of-war over the government's privatization plan and other key issues...

Chinese president meets Vietnamese assembly chairman.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China news agency) Hanoi, 27 February: Chinese president Jiang Zemin said here Wednesday [27 February] that exchanges between the parliaments of China and Vietnam are...

Koreas: South to send first batch of government food aid to North.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by South Korean news agency Yonhap Seoul, 28 February: The first batch of an eventual 100,000 tons of corn in government aid to North Korea via the World Food Programme (WFP) will depart the Chinese port of...

Food programme official suspects "diversion" of food aid in North Korea.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by South Korean news agency Yonhap Geneva, 27 February: A World Food Programme (WFP) official said Wednesday [27 February] that the organization will decrease the ratio of rice in the food aid given to North...

Kyrgyz and Uzbeks continue haggling over frontier.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Russian news agency ITAR-TASS Bishkek, 28 February, ITAR-TASS correspondent Anton Lymar: A regular round of talks on delimitation of the Kyrgyz-Uzbek frontier has started in Kyrgyzstan's Batken Region. ITAR-TASS was told...

Greek, Chinese ships collide off Japan, two crew missing.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by Japanese news agency Kyodo Kagoshima, Japan, 28 February: A collision between a Greek-registered cargo ship and a Chinese fishing ship early Thursday [28 February] in the East China Sea off Kagoshima...

Uganda: MP says 25,000 government soldiers deployed near Sudan border.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Ugandan newspaper The Monitor web site on 28 February About 25,000 Uganda Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF) soldiers have been deployed in northern Uganda and are undergoing heavy training near the Sudan border, the area...

Seven Palestinians, Israeli soldier killed in West Bank clashes.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Israel radio on 28 February Since last night, IDF troops have been operating in the Balatah refugee camp near Nablus and in the Jenin refugee camp. Our army affairs correspondent Karmela Menashe reports that there are...

Ethiopian envoy says Djibouti's statement on Somalia "preposterous".
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by pro-Ethiopian government Walta Information Centre web site on 27 February Addis Ababa, 27 February: Dr Abd al-Majid Husayn Ethiopia's permanent representative to the UN strongly refuted the recent communique...

Iran, Uzbekistan discuss Afghanistan, president's visit, cooperation.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Iranian radio from Mashhad on 28 February Iran's deputy foreign minister for Asia-Pacific affairs, Mohsen Aminzadeh, has denied rumours that Iran has provided shelter for Taleban and Al-Qa'idah members. Aminzadeh,...

Japan: Highlights of Bank of Japan Policy Board decisions.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by Japanese news agency Kyodo Tokyo, 28 February: Following are the highlights of monetary policy decisions the Policy Board of the Bank of Japan (BOJ) made on Thursday [28 February]. - The BOJ will provide...

Autorickshaw driver stabbed to death in India's Gujarat after train attack.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Indian news agency PTI Ahmedabad, 28 February: The pro-Hindu Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP)-sponsored bandh [strike] in the western Indian state of Gujarat in protest against the attack on the Sabarmati Express at Godhra...

Rwanda: Genocide survivors urged not to cooperate with criminal tribunal.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by Rwandan radio on 28 February The association of genocide survivors, Ibuka [Kinyarwanda word meaning remember], has emphasized that its members should not cooperate anyhow with the ICTR, International Criminal...

Ethiopian food reserve administration reserves over 4 million quintal of grain.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by pro-Ethiopian government Walta Information Centre web site on 27 February Addis Ababa, 27 February: The Emergency Food Security Reserve Administration said it has reserved more than 4 million quintals of...

Madagascar: Media behaviour report 28 Feb 02.
February 28, 2002... As of 0700 gmt on 28 February, Madagascan state TV is observed on its usual satellite channel with only an unmarked test card and no audio. The state radio's channel on the satellite is blank. (Yesterday it had been observed for a while...

Azeris refuse to join OSCE Karabakh work group - Armenian official.
February 28, 2002... Yerevan, 27 February: Prospects of establishment of Nagornyy Karabakh settlement work group under the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly were discussed at the Assembly session in Vienna, Shavarsh Kocharyan, MP and a member of the Armenian...

Russian guards confiscate 10 kg of heroin on Tajik border.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Russian news agency ITAR-TASS Dushanbe, 28 February, ITAR-TASS correspondents Galina Gridneva, Valeriy Zhukov: Russian border guards on the Panj sector of the Tajik-Afghan border confiscated approximately 10 kg of heroin...

South Korea, Pakistan to hold policy consultations meeting.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by South Korean news agency Yonhap Seoul, 28 February: South Korea and Pakistan will hold their fourth annual Policy Consultations Meeting in Seoul Monday [4 March], the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade...

(Corr) US embassy in Baku says Karabakh polls not to influence peace process.
February 28, 2002... (Changing the headline of the item catchlined TCU-AZERI-USA-KARABAKH from "US embassy in Baku condemns Karabakh presidential polls" to "US embassy in Baku says Karabakh polls not to influence peace process") Text of report by Azerbaijani...

Mainland ship makes first legal cargo delivery to Taiwan outer island.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Victor Lai, carried in English by Taiwanese Central News Agency web site Kinmen, 27 February: A mainland Chinese cargo ship reached Kinmen [Quemoy or Jinmen] from Xiamen with a cargo of river sand Wednesday [27...

Koreas: South delegates to ruptured South-North event to return home.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by South Korean news agency Yonhap Mount Kumgang, North Korea, 28 February: A 216-member South Korean civic delegation to the cancelled Lunar New Year festival here will depart the North Korean port of Changjon...

Ethiopia: Police seize over 900 kg of drug in east, arrest two.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by pro-Ethiopian government Walta Information Centre web site on 27 February Dire Dawa, 27 February: The Dire Dawa [eastern Ethiopia] Police Commission has intercepted 906 kilograms of cannabis yesterday. ...

Report says Japan to expand whaling programme, target endangered species.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by Japanese news agency Kyodo Washington, 27 February: Japan plans to expand its whaling programme in the North Pacific Ocean by adding the sei whale, an endangered species, to its catch targets, according to a...

China: Company investment, consumer sales rise over 10 per cent in 2001.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency) Beijing, 28 February: In 2001, China's investment in fixed assets was 3,689.8bn yuan, an increase of 12.1 per cent over the previous year, while the...

Ugandan president urges compromise over intellectual property rights.
February 28, 2002... President Yoweri Museveni has called for a worldwide compromise on the question of intellectual property rights, IPR, so that the rights of both the poor and rich are protected. The president was speaking at a Commonwealth Partnership for...

China records 22.5bn-dollar trade surplus in 2001.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency) Beijing, 28 February: China's total volume of imports and exports in 2001 reached 509.8bn US dollars, up 7.5 per cent over the previous year,...

Azeri police station death case "far from closed" - agency.
February 28, 2002... Baku, 25 February: Relatives and defenders of 28-year-old Baku resident Ilqar Cavadov, who died at the ninth police station of Sabayil district of the capital in the night between 12 and 13 May 2001, held a news conference at the Baku Press...

China's grain output drops 2.1 per cent in 2001.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency) Beijing, 28 February: China's total output of grain for the year of 2001 was 452.62m tons, down by 2.1 per cent from the previous year, according...

Malaysian foreign minister calls for criminalization of human smuggling.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by Malaysian news agency Bernama web site Bali, 28 February: Malaysia has stressed the need for countries to criminalize people smuggling and trafficking in persons and related offences to help check the menace...

Chinese president meets former Vietnamese Communist Party chiefs.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency) Hanoi, 28 February: The fruitful exchanges between the young people of China and Vietnam will help the younger generation to take on and carry...

China: Guangdong nuclear power plant starts up first generator.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency) Shenzhen, 28 February: The first generator with the Ling'ao Nuclear Power Plant near Shenzhen City of Guangdong Province went on stream Tuesday [26...

Japan: Government welcomes bank's decision to ease credit further.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by Japanese news agency Kyodo Tokyo, 28 February: The government welcomes a decision by the Bank of Japan (BOJ) to further ease credit because it reflects the central bank's resolve to fight deflation, Chief...

Zimbabwe: Court suspends removal of dual-citizenship nationals from voter roll.
February 28, 2002... The High Court yesterday extended by six months the deadline for dual citizens to renounce their other citizenship in a move that means all Zimbabweans who had not yet cancelled their dual citizenship will now vote in next weekend's [9-10...

China to expand trade links with Vietnam - President Jiang.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency) Hanoi, 28 February: Chinese President Jiang Zemin said Thursday [28 February] China is fully confident of the future of trade and economic...

Malawi: State radio currently unheard on shortwave.
February 28, 2002... MBC Radio 1, operated by the state-owned Malawi Broadcasting Corporation, has not been heard on shortwave (3380 and 7130 kHz) since 24 February. The radio had been heard since late January, having been absent from shortwave for over a...

Tajik paper plays down Russian role in Central Asia, hails cooperation with NATO.
February 28, 2002... A Tajik sociologist has urged the authorities to boost cooperation with NATO, irrespective of Russia's reaction. He said that Russia was not empowered to decide on NATO's military bases in Central Asia and that NATO was "the guarantor of...

Vietnam Radio says Chinese president's visit takes ties to "new height".
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Vietnamese radio text web site on 27 February General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party [CCP] and State President Jiang Zemin starts his official visit to Vietnam on 27 February. The visit is an important event in...

Armenian, Austrian presidents discuss Caucasus issues.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Armenian news agency Mediamax Vienna, 27 February: Armenian President Robert Kocharyan held talks today in Vienna with Austrian President Thomas Klestil, Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel and the president of the National...

Armenia, Austria sign interstate accords.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Armenian news agency Mediamax Vienna, 27 February: Two agreements have been signed today in Vienna within the framework of the official visit of Armenian President Robert Kocharyan to Austria. As Mediamax...

China takes steps to ensure south-to-north diverted water remains clean.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency) Beijing, 28 February: Authorities with Ministry of Water Resources noted early this week that the soon [to] start water diversion project will...

Uzbek head leaves for Central Asian summit in Kazakhstan.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by Uzbek radio's Youth Channel on 28 February Today [Uzbek] President Islam Karimov left for the Kazakh city of Almaty [the former capital] to attend a summit of Central Asian countries' leaders. The summit...

Chinese president leaves Hanoi for central Vietnam.
February 28, 2002... Text of report in English by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency) Hanoi, 28 February: Chinese top leader Jiang Zemin left Hanoi and flew to central Vietnam to continue his official goodwill visit Thursday [28...

Russian PM says cabinet too slow to draft energy reform bills.
February 28, 2002... [Presenter] A Russian government meeting is currently under way in Moscow. The cabinet is to discuss the investment programmes of the Unified Energy System of Russia joint-stock company and the nuclear energy sector for the year 2002. ...

German president stresses UN role in antiterror fight.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by German news agency ddp Berlin: According to President Johannes Rau, the community of states should rely on the United Nations to a greater extent in the fight against international terror. During a dinner hosted for UN...

German minister says Afghan mission approved by parliament.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by German news agency ddp Berlin: The Defence Ministry is of the opinion that the deployment of elite soldiers of the Special Forces Command [KSK] in Afghanistan is covered by the relevant Lower House decision. The limit of...

Taiwan to remember 28 February 1947 massacre with annual holiday.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Deborah Kuo, carried in English by Taiwanese Central News Agency web site Chiayi, Southern Taiwan, 28 February: Premier Yu Shyi-kun presided over a ceremony at a memorial park in downtown Chiayi Thursday [28 February]...

Sudan: Government issues statement over foiled attack on oil pipeline.
February 28, 2002... Text of report by Sudanese radio on 28 February The Ministry of Interior has said in a statement that on 22 February the joint security forces managed to foil a terrorist attempt to blow up the oil pipeline between Hayya and Barameiyu...