BBC Monitoring International Reports articles from January 2006

BBC Monitoring International Reports archives from January 2006

BBC Monitoring quotes from Russian press Tuesday 31 January 2006.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) The following is a selection of quotes from articles published in the 31 January editions of Russian newspapers, as available to the BBC at 2300 gmt on 30 January. Hamas calls the shots in...

BBC Monitoring News Diary for Tuesday 31 January 2006.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Main stories at 0200 gmt ISRAEL/PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES: Watching developments after Hamas reportedly rejects demands by Mideast Quartet - EU, US, UN and Russia - for future Palestinian...

BBC Monitoring quotes from China, Taiwan press 31 Jan 06.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) The following is a selection of quotes from editorials and commentaries carried in 30-31 January 2006 website editions of mainland Chinese, Hong Kong and Taiwan newspapers available to BBC...

Japanese minister denies urging emperor to visit shrine.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report in English by Japanese news agency Kyodo Tokyo, 31 January: Foreign Minister Taro Aso said Tuesday [31 January] his call at the weekend for the emperor to visit the...

Japan foreign minister qualifies remark calling for emperor to visit shrine.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report in English by Japanese news agency Kyodo Tokyo, 31 January: Foreign Minister Taro Aso clarified Tuesday [31 January] that his call over the weekend for the emperor to visit...

US military leader to visit South Korea 2 February.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report in English by South Korean news agency Yonhap Seoul, 31 January: Gen Peter Pace, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, is to visit South Korea this week to preside over a...

BBC Monitoring quotes from Malaysia, Singapore press 31 Jan 06.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) The following is a selection of quotes from editorials and commentaries carried in 31 January 2006 website editions of Malaysian and Singaporean Malay, Chinese and English-language newspapers...

Ethiopian police, students reportedly clash in various towns.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report in English by Ethiopian opposition website Ethiopian Review on 30 January Students walked out of classes in Dese, Gonder, Bahir Dar, Debre Markos and several other cities in...

Zimbabwe: Opposition party factions announce different national congress dates.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Zimbabwean TV on 30 January [Newsreader] The Movement for Democratic Change [MDC] anti-Senate faction says its March national congress will determine which faction will...

China's offshore oil firm says net production to rise by 9 per cent in 2006.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report in English by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency) Beijing, 31 January: The China National Offshore Oil Corp. Limited (CNOOC Ltd.) has announced...

North Korea accuses US of stepping up aerial espionage.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report in English by North Korean news agency KCNA Pyongyang, 31 January: The US imperialists committed more than 190 cases of aerial espionage against the DPRK [Democratic People's...

Uganda: State seeks conviction of opposition leader Besigye over rape.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Anne Mugisa, Hillary Nsambu and Hillary Kiirya entitled "Besigye rape case winds up" by Ugandan newspaper The New Vision website on 31 January The state yesterday asked...

(Corrected) Chad, Taiwanese firm sign oil contract.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) (Correcting editorial references to China. The corrected version of the item follows:) Text of report by Chadian radio on 26 January Following 11 rounds of negotiations that took place...

Bird flu strain found in Hong Kong matches H5N1 found in mainland China.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Hong Kong newspaper South China Morning Post website on 31 January The strain of H5N1 bird flu which killed an oriental magpie robin in Tai Po this month is similar to...

Ugandan president warns neighbouring "spies".
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Excerpt from report by Henry Mukasa Nathan Etengu and J Omoding entitled "Museveni warns spying neighbours" by Ugandan newspaper The New Vision website on 31 January Soroti [entitled]:...

Writer urges Hamas to form wide coalition Palestinian government.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of article by Abd-al-Wahab Badrakhan headlined "Not the end of the world" published by London-based newspaper Al-Hayat website on 28 January No political tremor should be considered to...

Vietnam's party daily website protests Council of Europe resolution.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of commentary by Hoang Lien, carried by Vietnamese newspaper Nhan Dan website on 27 January The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on 25 January adopted the...

Slovene policeman "seriously injured" by illegal immigrants.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Slovene television website on 30 January In the Ilirska Bistrica area, three illegal immigrants attacked two policemen after midnight [2300 gmt]. One of the policemen was...

UN Security Council to take no immediate action on Iran - Russian minister.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Russian news agency ITAR-TASS London, 31 January: The UN Security Council is not expected to make any concrete decisions upon receiving the information on the Iranian...

South Korean parliament to hold extraordinary session 1 February.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report in English by South Korean news agency Yonhap Seoul, 31 January: Ending nearly two months of political deadlock, South Korea's National Assembly is to commence a month-long...

Nepal government to give funds to body led by royal aide, projects.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Excerpt from report by Nepalese newspaper Kantipur on 31 January; subheadingd as published Kathmandu, 30 January: The government has decided to provide financial assistance worth 4.5m...

Maldives fishermen stage protest over inability to sell catch.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Maldives newspaper Haveeru Daily website on 31 January Male, 31 January: Due to problems that arose over weighing and selling fish, two boats of Maldives Industrial...

Officials said to suspect Al-Zarqawi group involved in Germans' kidnap.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Excerpt from report by Juergen Dahlkamp, Georg Mascolo, Dietmar Pieper, Joerg Schmitt, Holger Stark, Andreas Wasserman, Volkhard Windfuhr, Steffen Winter, entitled "Hostage taking - price tag...

Maldives fishermen's dispute set to escalate - paper.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Sri Lankan-based Maldivian Minivan News website on 31 January Fisheries Minister Abdulla Kamaluddeen (AK) submitted to the demands of angry fishermen on Monday [30...

Islamic Development Bank head on Iraq, Afghanistan reconstruction.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of interview with Islamic Development Bank President Dr Ahmad Muhammad Ali by Khalid al-Tuwayli from London, headlined "Islamic Development Bank president: we participate in the...

India invites foreign firms to export domestic defence products.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Indian Doordarshan DDTV news channel on 31 January India has invited foreign companies to collaborate with domestic defence production companies to export Indian products....

Russian missile warning radar to be put into operation in 2007.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Russian news agency ITAR-TASS Lekhtusi (Leningrad Region), 31 January: A radar which Russia is building at Lekhtusi, Leningrad Region, will be commissioned in 2007. A...

Detained Afghan terror suspects said to be Pakistanis.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report in English by Afghan independent Pajhwok news agency website Kandahar City, 31 January: Several terror suspects, arrested with explosives in the troubled southern Afghan...

North Korea accuses US of conducting 190 spy flights January.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by North Korean radio broadcasting to South Korea on 30 January; [shorter version carried by Pyongyang Korean Central Broadcasting Station in Korean during it 2100 GMT newscast on...

Montenegro supports all initiatives for "removing barriers" in region - PM.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Excerpt from report by Montenegrin Mina news agency Podgorica, 30 January: Montenegro is very interested in all initiatives which envisage removing barriers and opening possibilities for...

South Korea-Singapore free trade accord to take effect 2 March.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report in English by South Korean news agency Yonhap Seoul, 31 January: South Korea and Singapore agreed to begin implementation of a bilateral free trade agreement on 2 March, the...

India: Portfolios of new ministers of state announced.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Indian Doordarshan TV on 31 January Economist Jairam Ramesh, who was inducted as minister of state in the union Council of Ministers on 29 January, has been given the...

Kenyan minister says reports on graft scandal "cannot be trusted".
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Excerpt from report by Kenyan KTN TV on 31 January [Presenter] Finance Minister David Mwiraria now says the Anglo-leasing dossier attributed to former PS in charge of governance and ethics,...

Russia favours diplomatic solution of Iranian nuclear issue - spokesman.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Russian news agency Interfax London, 31 January: Russia intends to use solely diplomatic ways of settlement of the Iranian nuclear problem, Russian Foreign Ministry's...

Russia to build another missile radar in the south.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Russian news agency ITAR-TASS Lekhtusi (Leningrad Region), 31 January: A missile warning radar will be build in southern Russia, Russian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence...

Iraq: "Islamic Army" to pursue "jihad", denies talks with government.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of unattributed report from Baghdad headlined "The Islamic Army leader denies his participation in a dialogue sponsored by Talabani. A meeting of the resistance and Iraqi and US officials...

South Korea's railroad chief postpones North Korea visit.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report in English by South Korean news agency Yonhap Daejeon, South Korea, 31 January: South Korea's state-run railroad operator said Tuesday [31 January] that its president has...

Italian scientist announces bird flu vaccine ready for clinical trials.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Mario Pappagallo entitled "Bird flu vaccine: It works on animals" published by Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera website on 28 January The vaccine against the H5N1...

India, Pakistan agree to second rail link from 18 February.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Indian Doordarshan DDTV news channel on 31 January Well, India and Pakistan today reached an agreement to run the much-awaited Thar Express of the Khokhropar-Munabao train...

Malaysian paramount ruler receives visiting Saudi king.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Excerpt from report in English by Saudi news agency SPA website Kuala Lumpur, 30 January: Malaysia's King Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Putra Jamalullail held here today a dinner party in honour of...

Bosnian Serb municipalities join Sarajevo regional development agency.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report in English by Bosnian news agency Onasa website Sarajevo, 31 January: Sarajevo Mayor Semiha Borovac and the mayors of the municipalities of Ustikolina - Foca, Kalinovik,...

Slovak liberal party approves priorities, head claims party "consolidated".
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Slovak newspaper Sme on 30 January The New Citizen's Alliance [ANO], which fell deep below the threshold of eligibility (to enter parliament) after the scandal of Chairman...

Nepal diplomats question EU comment on elections.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Nepalese daily newspaper Nepal Samacharpatra on 31 January Kathmandu: Election is regarded as the best tool of democracy. But Nepal's major donor, the European Union [EU],...

Market fuel prices for Ukraine "no surprise" - Putin.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Russian President Vladimir Putin has said the switch to market prices for fuel for Ukraine should have come as no surprise to that country and would not be politically detrimental to Russia. He...

New radars to improve Russia's security - minister.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Russian news agency ITAR-TASS Lekhtusi (Leningrad Region), 31 January: Putting into operation the new metre-band and decimetre-band [missile warning] radar in northern and...

Rafsanjani calls for "steadfastness" in Iran-West nuclear row.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Excerpt from report by Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA) website Tehran, 31 January: Hojjat ol-Eslam val-Moslemin Hashemi-Rafsanjani has said that popularizing the encouragement of virtue...

Qatari foreign minister calls for acceptance of Hamas victory.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Qatari Al-Jazeera satellite TV on 31 January Qatari Foreign Minister Shaykh Hamad Bin-Jasim Bin-Jabr Al Thani has said Hamas has attained power through the ballot boxes and...

Pakistan agency reports on second rail link pact with India.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) news agency Islamabad, 31 January: Pakistan and India on Tuesday [31 January] agreed to establish a second rail link providing quicker...

Taiwan-India trade increased by 30 per cent in 2005.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Flor Wang, carried in English by Taiwanese Central News Agency website Taipei, 31 January: Two-way trade between Taiwan and India grew at a brisk pace in 2005, with the...

Nepal police raid newspaper office.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Nepalese newspaper Kantipur on 31 January Birgunj [south-central Nepal], 30 January: Police raided the office of a local daily newspaper, Narayani, on Monday [30 January]...

Putin defends gas price hikes for Ukraine as "fair".
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Russian President Vladimir Putin has defended the practice of charging former Soviet republics European prices for gas. Speaking at a televised news conference in the Kremlin on 31 January, he...

Italian daily sees EU carrying greater weight in peace process after Hamas win.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of editorial entitled "More weight for Europe" by Italian newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore on 31 January Since the beginning of the Oslo process in 1993, through the years of the intifada, and...

Afghans fight back against Taleban in the south.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report in English by Afghan independent Pajhwok news agency website; with our earlier item headlined "Two Taleban said killed as attack on Afghan checkpoint repulsed" Kandahar City,...

Iran's decision on nuclear research irreversible - MP.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA) website Tehran, 31 January: A member of the Majlis presidium, Hamid Reza Haji-Baba'i has said that the agency [IAEA] should base its...

Georgian minister outlines foreign policy priorities.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Excerpt from report by Georgian Imedi TV on 31 January [Presenter] The foreign minister is currently holding a news conference at which he is expected to respond to Putin's statement. We...

Pakistan oil minister, UK oil company chairman discuss investment prospects.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) news agency Islamabad, 31 January: Chairman Premier Oil Board, UK, Sir David John, who is currently on a visit to Pakistan, called on...

China to work for Nepal reconciliation - paper.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Nepalese daily newspaper Nepal Samacharpatra on 31 January Kathmandu: The top leadership of neighbouring China is holding consultations with His Majesty the King and the...

Ukrainian president is a weak partner - Russian analyst.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Gleb Pavlovskiy, a notable Russian political pundit, has said Russia needs a strong, reliable partner in Ukraine, but President Viktor Yushchenko "cannot even construct a system of priorities"....

Former security officer arrested over illegal arms storing in Chechnya.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Russian news agency Interfax Rostov-na-Donu, 31 January: Police officers from the [Chechnya's] Vedenskiy District interior department have arrested former head of the...

French daily sees EU, Hamas facing dilemmas.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of editorial by Gerard Dupuy entitled "Dilemma" published by French newspaper Liberation website on 31 January One does not talk to terrorists, but it is never wise to drive them to...

Ukraine, Russia sign nuclear fuel contract for 2006.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Excerpt from report by Interfax-Ukraine news agency Kiev, 31 January: Ukrainian national nuclear energy company Enerhoatom and Russian nuclear fuel producer TVEL on 25 January signed a...

Senior policeman detained in Russia's Volgograd Region.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Russian news agency ITAR-TASS Volgograd, 31 January: The police have found some five kilograms of gold, more than R1m, an unregistered Makarov pistol, seven expensive...

Papua New Guinea minister queries Australian travel warning.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report in English by Papua New Guinea Post-Courier website on 31 January The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAT) has issued another travel advice warning Australians it...

Iran vote has direct impact on India's energy security - petroleum minister.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Urvashi Kaul entitled: "'Iran vote linked to pipeline'" by Indian newspaper The Asian Age website on 31 January New Delhi, 30 January: While refraining from offering any...

Japan pledges to ask North Korea about suspected Thai abductee.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report in English by Japanese news agency Kyodo Tokyo, 31 January: Japan will ask North Korea in upcoming talks about a Thai woman suspected of having been abducted by the North,...

Saudi king likely to address Pakistan people live on TV 2 February.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Hanif Khalid entitled: "King Abdallah to address Pakistani nation on television, radio", published by Pakistani newspaper Jang on 31 January Islamabad: It has been learnt...

Dozens of party workers, rights activists, journalists arrested across Nepal.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Excerpt from report by Nepalese radio Kantipur FM on 31 January Police this morning arrested dozens of pro-democracy political leaders, workers, human rights activists and journalists from...

Kiribati ex-leader unhappy with Chinese role in business community.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Radio New Zealand International on 31 January Kiribati's former president, Teburoro Tito, says people are complaining to him about the growing dominance that Chinese have...

Two Pakistani border guards killed, 11 injured in North Waziristan blast.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by The News correspondent headlined: "Two FC men killed in North Waziristan blast" by Pakistani newspaper The News website on 31 January Miranshah: Two Frontier Corps [FC]...

Japan urges Iran to address international concerns on nuclear issue.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report in English by Japanese news agency Kyodo Tokyo, 31 January: Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi urged Iran on Tuesday [31 January] to address international concerns...

Russia: Opposition media seen 'in crisis' as elections loom.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Excerpt from report by Russian Politkom.ru website on 27 January Mikhail Mikhaylin, former chief editor of the Gazeta daily print publication, has been appointed as the new chief editor of...

Japanese ministry to investigate confusion over beef safety checks.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report in English by Japanese news agency Kyodo Tokyo, 31 January: The government will study the cause of its "insufficient account" to parliament about an aborted plan to inspect...

BBC Monitoring quotes from Middle East Arabic press 31 Jan 06.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) The following is a selection of quotes from editorials and comment published in the 31 January 2006 editions of Arabic language newspapers in the Middle East and North Africa, as available to...

Indian PM unveils safe drinking water strategy.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Indian news agency PTI New Delhi, 31 January: Distressed over the "woefully inadequate" system to meet the demand for safe and guaranteed water supply, Indian Prime...

Pakistani MPs clash in assembly over support for US.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Daily Times correspondent entitled: "Minority MNA, MMA legislators clash in NA" by Pakistani newspaper Daily Times website on 31 January Islamabad: A minority treasury MNA...

Japan foreign minister's remarks on war shrine visits "irresponsible" - Xinhua.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of commentary in English by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency) Tokyo, 31 January: After plenty of attempts to justify the Japanese leader's visits to the...

Iran press: Author clarifies debate on financial, economic corruption.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of article by Seyyed Mostafa Tajzadeh on Iranian newspaper E'temad website on 29 December Upon an invitation from Student Basij of the Teachers Training Center, I accepted a debate...

Cyprus government says no need for "panic" over bird flu.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report in English by Greek Cypriot news agency CNA Nicosia, 30 January: Cyprus government spokesman Yeoryios Lillikas said today that no panic or serious concern over the avian...

Macedonia: Twenty injured in crash between public bus, police minibus.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Bosnian Serb news agency SRNA Skopje, 31 January: Twenty passengers, including eight policemen, were injured this morning in a traffic accident in Skopje. According...

Indonesian navy's decision to buy Russian-made submarines raises suspicion.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report in English by Nezar Patria, Eko Nopiansyah and Fanny Febiani, carried by Indonesian newspaper Tempo website on 31 January The Indonesian navy plans to add to its fleet of...

Ukrainian tycoon campaigning to retain ferroalloys plant.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Viktor Pinchuk, a wealthy Ukrainian businessman and son-in-law of former President Leonid Kuchma, has mounted an extensive media and advertising campaign in a bid to retain ownership of the...

Iran press: Call for offical response to "new wave of blasphemy".
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of article by Pezhman Karimi in Iranian newspaper Resalat on 24 January A number of events reveal the formation of a new wave of blasphemy and insults against Islam and the holy...

Over 6,000 people freezing in southern Russia after pipeline breakdown.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Russian news agency RIA Moscow, 31 January: A heating pipeline rupture in the village of Kedrovyy 50 km west of Krasnoyarsk has left 6,200 residents without heating and...

Cyprus minister laughs off Turkish Cypriot remarks on bird flu.
January 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report in English by Greek Cypriot news agency CNA Nicosia, 30 January: Cyprus Minister of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment Timmy Efthimiou described as hilarities...