BBC Monitoring International Reports articles from March 2002, page 10

BBC Monitoring International Reports archives from March 2002

China's UN representative condemns Israel for violating Palestine.
March 30, 2002... Text of report by Ding Baozhong and Guo Lijun, carried by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency) United Nations, 29 March: Wang Yingfan, Chinese permanent representative to the United Nations, made a speech at the...

Russian liberals set up new opposition party.
March 30, 2002... Moscow, 30 March: The Liberal Russia movement opened a convention in Moscow today. The participants in the convention plan to transform the movement into a political party and adopt a programme and charter. A draft programme lists...

Parliamentary parties react to Bulgarian premier's statement on customs reform.
March 30, 2002... Text of report in English by Bulgarian news agency BTA web site Sofia, 29 March: "The prime minister must call to account those who tried to find a way to circumvent the Public Procurement Act if the verbatim record of the cabinet meeting...

London-based tycoon writes declaration of new Russian party.
March 30, 2002... Moscow, 30 March: The Liberal Russia movement numbers about 20,000 members, it was announced at the organization's convention in Moscow on Saturday [30 March], at which it is expected to be transformed into a political party. State Duma...

(Correction) Ugandan scientists conclude first HIV vaccine trials.
March 30, 2002... (Refiled with the correct spelling of country catchline) Text of report by Ugandan newspaper The Monitor web site on 30 March Ugandan scientists have concluded the first trial in Africa of an HIV-1 vaccine called ALVAC-HIV, which...

Azeri president's aide welcomes US military presence in Caucasus.
March 30, 2002... Text of unattributed report by Azerbaijani newspaper Sarq on 30 March entitled "Visit by the US military to Azerbaijan" Novruz Mammadov: "This is in our interest" Opinions vary on the importance of the US troops' arrival in Georgia...

India's aircraft carrier leads fleet's goodwill visit to Persian Gulf.
March 30, 2002... Dubai, 30 March: India's sole aircraft carrier INS Viraat is leading a fleet of naval ships on a goodwill visit to the [Persian] Gulf as an extension of the country's military diplomacy. INS Viraat, accompanied by INS Shakti, a...

Ukraine: Pro-government bloc leader hopes to see viable majority in parliament.
March 30, 2002... Ukrainian presidential staff chief and pro-government bloc leader Volodymyr Lytvyn has called for a clear distinction between the majority and the opposition in the future parliament so that people may know whom to hold responsible for the...

Russia and China to provide auditing support to Shanghai partners.
March 30, 2002... Text of report in English by Russian news agency ITAR-TASS Beijing, 29 March: The audit organs of Russia and China decided to offer close cooperation to counterpart services of other state members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization,...

(Correction) Uganda: President assures defeat of rebel group in Sudan.
March 30, 2002... (Refiled with the correct spelling of the country catchline) Text of report by Ugandan newspaper The New Vision web site on 30 March President Yoweri Museveni has vowed that the UPDF [Uganda People's Defence Forces] will defeat the...

Over 125,000 tonnes of aid sent to Afghans via Uzbekistan.
March 30, 2002... Text of report by Uzbek newspaper Pravda Vostoka on 30 March The shipment of international humanitarian aid to Afghanistan through the Termez-Hayraton bridge and the [Amu Darya] river [on the Uzbek-Afghan border] is continuing. The...

Israel radio says two Tanzim "masterminds" captured in Ramallah.
March 30, 2002... In Ramallah, IDF troops captured two Fatah Tanzim activists, who are the masterminds of the organization's terrorist attacks: Abd-al-Karim Awayis and Khadir Dabbayah. Our correspondent Karmela Menashe has learnt that a Golani unit encircled...

Israeli radio says two soldiers killed in Ramallah operation on 29 March.
March 30, 2002... Palestinians shot at IDF troops on the Tunnels Road and near Hebron during the night. There were no casualties and no damage was caused. The troops returned the fire... Two IDF soldiers were killed yesterday in the course of the attack...

Chinese envoy discusses Middles East situation with Egyptian foreign minister.
March 30, 2002... Text of report in English by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency) Cairo, 29 March: Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmad Mahir Egypt on Friday [29 March] held an urgent meeting with Chinese Ambassador Liu Xiaoming on...

Israel radio says two Fatah men arrested in Jerusalem.
March 30, 2002... Text of report by Israel radio on 30 March In East Jerusalem, the police have arrested two Fatah activists on suspicion that they incited worshippers following the midday prayers on the Temple Mount yesterday. Our correspondent Chico...

Chinese, Qatari foreign ministers discuss Middle East situation.
March 30, 2002... Text of report in English by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency) Beijing, 29 March: China is deeply concerned and very worried about the sudden escalation of the Israel-Palestine conflict, said Chinese Foreign...

Islamic leader urges recognition of 31 March 1918 as Azeri genocide day.
March 30, 2002... Text of report by Azerbaijani TV station ANS on 29 March [Presenter] A meeting at the headquarters of the seyx of Muslims of the Caucasus, Haci Allahsukur Pasazada, discussed genocide today [29 March]. The seyx ul-Islam called on the...

Israel radio says troops enter Bayt Jala to stop attacks.
March 30, 2002... Text of report by Israel radio on 30 March IDF troops have entered the perimeters of Bayt Jala in order to prevent gunfire against the neighbourhood of Gilo in southern Jerusalem and at IDF soldiers. The forces occupied several...

Palestinian TV reports Israeli forces occupy Bayt Jala.
March 30, 2002... Text of report by Palestinian TV on 30 March The Israeli forces occupied the city of Bayt Jala in the Bethlehem Governorate at dawn today. Gaza Television correspondent said military vehicles, supported by tanks and tracked vehicles,...

Israel radio reports West Bank gunfire incidents, no casualties.
March 30, 2002... Text of report by Israel radio on 30 March Gunfire was directed at security guards patrolling the settlement of Eli in Samaria. No one was hurt. The security guards returned fire. Near Nablus, shots were fired at an IDF outpost on...

Somalia: UN Security Council pledges to support Nairobi reconciliation talks.
March 30, 2002... Text of report by Somali government radio on 30 March The UN Security Council has pledged to support the forthcoming Somali reconciliation talks scheduled to take place in April in Nairobi, Kenya. The council called upon the UN...

Russia's Putin to meet Caucasus Four security council secretaries.
March 30, 2002... Text of report in English by Russian news agency Interfax Sochi, 30 March: Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived at the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi on Friday evening [29 March], where he will have a number of working meetings....

Some 5,000 dead seals washed shore in Azerbaijan in 2001, expert says.
March 30, 2002... Text of report by Azerbaijani news agency Bilik Dunyasi Baku, 29 March: Thousands of seals are estimated to be dying in the Caspian Sea every year. Some 30,000 seals died in the Caspian in 2000. A total of 6,000 of these were washed...

Russian policemen Chechen service problems not resolved - officials.
March 30, 2002... Text of report in English by Russian news agency Interfax St Petersburg/Murmansk/Cherepovets, 30 March: The problem concerning time frames for service missions to Chechnya for servicemen of special riot police units (OMON) and combined...

Drug trafficker detained in Tajik capital Dushanbe.
March 30, 2002... Text of report in English by Russian news agency ITAR-TASS Dushanbe, 30 March: A drug trafficker was detained in a suburb of the Tajik capital Dushanbe Friday evening [29 March] by the Tajikistan Interior Ministry's drugs control...

Russian Catholics on Easter eve hail Vatican decision on dioceses.
March 30, 2002... Text of report in English by Russian news agency Interfax Moscow, 30 March: Catholics and Protestants around the world will celebrate Easter this Sunday. This year, Catholics in Russia will celebrate Easter against the background of...

Parliamentary hopeful shot dead in western Ukraine.
March 30, 2002... Text of report by Ukrainian news agency UNIAN Ivano-Frankivsk, 30 March: The murder of a parliamentary candidate in the No 90 Nadvirnyanskyy constituency and deputy head of the Ivano-Frankivsk Regional State Administration [in western...

Iran: FM says Israel has shown its "real nature".
March 30, 2002... Text of report in English by Iranian news agency IRNA Tehran, 30 March, Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi, during a telephone conversation with Secretary-General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Abdelouahed Belkeziz on...

Israel radio says troops seize many weapons during Ramallah operation.
March 30, 2002... Text of report by Israel radio on 30 March Our correspondent Gay Qotev reports that the IDF troops in Ramallah seized more than 100 assault rifles, some 40 pistols, three machine-guns, an RPG rocket launcher, 34 antitank missiles, mortar...

Militants' attack temple in Indian-administered Kashmir.
March 30, 2002... Text of report by Indian news agency PTI Jammu, 30 March: At least seven people, mostly security personnel, were feared killed Saturday [30 March] when militants attacked the famous Raghunath Temple here triggering explosions and...

Kashmir: Two Indian soldiers killed in attack by militants in Baramula.
March 30, 2002... Text of report by Indian news agency PTI Srinagar, 30 March: Two Indian army personnel were killed and an equal number injured when militants attacked a search party in Baramula District in Jammu and Kashmir Friday night [29 March]. ...

Lebanese TV says Israeli forces arrest Fatah official in Ramallah.
March 30, 2002... Lebanese Al-Manar Television, at 0758 gmt on 30 March carried the following "urgent report" as a caption: "Occupation forces in Ramallah arrested Sakhr Habash, member of the Fatah Central Committee." Source: Manar Television, Beirut,...

Slovakia: Law banning civil servants from party, cabinet posts introduced.
March 30, 2002... Text of excerpts from report by Monika Zemlova: "Lipsic has left office, Sopira Party of the Democratic Left Leadership", by Slovak newspaper Sme web site on 28 March Deputy Chairman Daniel Lipsic of the KDH (Christian Democratic...

Iranian radio says US given "green light" to Israel to attack.
March 30, 2002... Text of report by Iranian radio on 30 March As we reported in our news segment, the situation in occupied Palestine is very critical. The Zionist regime has launched an all-out war on Palestinian Muslims. We can view the current...

India condemns Israeli treatment of Palestinian leader Arafat.
March 30, 2002... Text of report by Indian news agency PTI United Nations, 30 March: India Saturday [30 March] described as "shocking" Israel's treatment of Palestinian Yasir Arafat and urged the two warring sides to eschew violence and start...

Palestinian spokesman says about 50 wounded, urges end to Israeli "onslaught".
March 30, 2002... Text of report by Palestinian news agency Wafa web site Ramallah, 30 March: An official spokesman for the Palestinian leadership has stated the following at dawn today: At midnight on 29 March 2002, the Israeli occupation forces'...

Indian junior foreign minister leaves for "crucial" visit to Iran.
March 30, 2002... Text of report by Indian news agency PTI New Delhi, 30 March: India's Junior Minister for External Affairs Omar Abdullah Saturday [30 March] left for Tehran on a crucial visit aimed at reaffirming Indo-Iran bilateral ties especially in...

Deputy chief editor of independent Russian paper charged with libel.
March 30, 2002... Text of report by Russian Ekho Moskvy radio on 30 March [Presenter] Yet another journalist has come to the attention of the prosecutor's office. This time it is deputy chief editor of [Russian paper] Nezavisimaya Gazeta Igor Zotov....

DRCongo: Government reportedly threatens to withdraw again from talks.
March 30, 2002... There is a fresh looming setback to the ongoing inter-Congolese dialogue in Sun City, South Africa, and particularly the entire DRCongo peace process. The Kinshasa government has distinguished itself once again for issuing threats of...

Israel: Peres reiterates to foreign officials no intention to harm Arafat.
March 30, 2002... Text of report by Israel radio on 30 March Foreign Minister Shimon Peres has clarified to a number of foreign ministers and international officials that Israel does not intend to harm Yasir Arafat and that Arafat must accept Gen Zinni's...

Slovakia: Ruling coalition's deal comes to end.
March 30, 2002... Text of report in English by Slovak news agency TASR web site Bratislava, 29 March: The failed cooperation agreement between the Slovak Democratic Coalition (SDK) and its founding parties terminates on 1 April, 2002. Struck on 20 June,...

Ukraine: Reward offered for information on parliamentary hopeful's murder.
March 30, 2002... Text of report by Ukrainian news agency UNIAN Ivano-Frankivsk, 30 March: The Ivano-Frankivsk Regional State Administration will pay 250,000 hryvnyas [approximately 47,000 dollars] for information that will help find those who ordered and...

Russian Patriarch sends Easter greetings to the Pope.
March 30, 2002... Text of report by Russian Ekho Moskvy radio on 30 March Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Aleksiy II has sent his Easter greetings to the Pope. The Interfax agency reports that the Patriarch has sent a message to the head of the Roman...

Chechen web site ridicules Russian general's abuse decree.
March 30, 2002... Text of report by Kavkaz-Tsentr news agency web site 30 March: Russia is taking measures to end human rights abuses committed by Russian soldiers in Chechnya. Russian Presidential aide Sergey Yastrzhembskiy has admitted that the Russian...

Sudanese embassy in Washington criticizes rebel leader Garang's remarks.
March 30, 2002... Text of report in English by Sudanese newspaper Khartoum Monitor on 30 March The Sudanese embassy in Washington has issued a statement condemning the [Sudan People's Liberation Army] rebel leader, John Garang, for threatening to attack...

Caucasus Four security heads said to hold autumn meeting in Georgia.
March 30, 2002... Text of report in English by Russian news agency ITAR-TASS Sochi, 30 March: The next meeting of the secretaries of the security councils of the member countries of the Caucasus Four (Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia and Russia) will meet in...

Pashtuns complain of harassment by other Afghan tribes.
March 30, 2002... Ethnic Pashtuns in the central Afghan province of Ghazni have complained of harassment by other groups, particularly by the Hazaras. According to a report by the Pakistan-based Afghan Islamic Press news agency, quoting a "traveller" from...

China becomes world's largest stone material producer, consumer.
March 30, 2002... Text of report in English by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency) Xiamen, 30 March: The improving living standards of the Chinese people have resulted in a boom of decoration businesses, which has made China the...

Taiwanese investors attend Guangdong-Taiwan trade fair in China's Zhuhai.
March 30, 2002... Text of report in English by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency) Zhuhai, 29 March: More than 2,000 Taiwanese investors and businessmen gathered in Zhuhai city in Guangdong Province, south China, Friday [29 March]...

China: Shanghai founds electronic research centre to rival global giants.
March 30, 2002... Text of report in English by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency) Shanghai, 29 March: An electronic research institute affiliated to the Shanghai General Electronics Group (SGEG) was established here Friday [29...

Chinese trade minister stresses legislation should implement WTO rules.
March 30, 2002... Text of report in English by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency) Beijing, 29 March: After China's entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO), the country's foreign trade has to be conducted according to WTO...

Asian Development Bank to support China's desertification control programme.
March 30, 2002... Text of report in English by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency) Lanzhou, 30 March: A programme to control desertification in northwest China, supported by the Asian Development Bank, has been launched recently in...

Solomon Islands premier sacks finance minister.
March 30, 2002... Text of report by Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation text web site on 30 March Prime Minister Sir Allan Kemakeza has sacked Finance Minister Michael Maina. In announcing the sacking today, Sir Allan said the sacking resulted from...

Iran: Khatami says Israeli attacks "crimes against the entire mankind".
March 30, 2002... Tehran, 30 March, President Mohammad Khatami said on Friday evening [29 March] that the Iranian government and nation have always been beside the oppressed Palestinian nation. The Iranian president made the remark during a telephone...

Leading Russian airline has its last smoking flight today.
March 30, 2002... Text of report by Russian Ekho Moskvy radio on 30 March Aeroflot will have its last smoking flight today. The last aeroplane on which passengers will be allowed to smoke will depart Moscow for Shanghai at 2230 [1930 gmt]. Starting on...

Eritrea: Border Commission's just decision enhances regional peace.
March 30, 2002... Text of commentary in English by Eritrean ruling PFDJ party's Shaebia web site on 29 March As 13 April draws nearer, the predictable anxiety shrouding the decision of the Boundary Commission is palpable. The reason for apprehension does...

Uganda: President assures defeat of rebel group in Sudan.
March 30, 2002... Text of report by Ugandan newspaper The New Vision web site on 30 March President Yoweri Museveni has vowed that the UPDF [Uganda People's Defence Forces] will defeat the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA, rebel group) following an agreement...

France cancels Uganda's debt, grants new aid.
March 30, 2002... Text of report by Ugandan newspaper The New Vision web site on 30 March France yesterday cancelled a 3.6bn shillings (2.3m Euros) debt owed by Uganda and gave another 5.6bn shillings grant to Kampala City Council (KCC) for the City's...

Kenya: Rustlers kill ten in northwest.
March 30, 2002... Text of report by Kenyan newspaper Daily Nation web site on 30 March Ten villagers were killed and seven others injured in a daring morning raid in Turkana District [northwestern Kenya]. More than 1,000 cattle and goats were stolen in...

Ugandan army commander says rebels willing to surrender.
March 30, 2002... Text of report by Ugandan newspaper The New Vision web site on 30 March A group of rebels from the defunct National Army for the Liberation of Uganda (NALU), have expressed their wish to surrender. The Rwenzori Mountains Alpine...

Tanzania, Mozambique agree to construct bridge.
March 30, 2002... Text of report by Tanzanian newspaper The Guardian web site on 30 March A memorandum of understanding for construction of the Unity Bridge between Tanzania and Mozambique has been signed. The signing was done at New Africa Hotel in...

Kenya: Police cancel MP's rally for security reasons.
March 30, 2002... Text of report by Kenyan newspaper Daily Nation web site on 30 March An MP was stopped from addressing his constituents by police on Thursday [28 March]. MP Mwangi Kamande (Kigumo, DP) had convened the meeting to discuss problems...

Belarussian foreign minister arrives in Tehran.
March 30, 2002... Text of report in English by Iranian news agency IRNA Tehran, 30 March, Belarussian Foreign Minister Mikhail Khvostov arrived here early Saturday [30 March]. During his two-day official visit of the country, Khvostov is to hold talks...

Ugandan scientists conclude first HIV vaccine trials.
March 30, 2002... Text of report by Ugandan newspaper The Monitor web site on 30 March Ugandan scientists have concluded the first trial in Africa of an HIV-1 vaccine called ALVAC-HIV, which started in 1996. The team is to present their findings to...

Tanzania: East African Legislative Assembly gets new office.
March 30, 2002... Text of report by Tanzanian newspaper The Guardian web site on 30 March The East African Legislative Assembly [EALA] has been handed over a hall and a court room after completion of renovations which cost 130m shillings The hall,...

Afghan officers find weapons being taken out of capital.
March 30, 2002... Text of report by Afghan news agency Bakhtar Kabul, 29 March, Bakhtar: Kabul general garrison command officers found some weapons in the Kabul area this morning. The military correspondent of the Bakhtar news agency reports. These...

Aid for Afghan quake survivors crosses Tajik border.
March 30, 2002... Text of report by Tajik radio on 30 March The international community is stepping up the provision of humanitarian aid to the people in Afghanistan who suffered from the [recent] earthquake. A considerable amount of this aid is passing...

Iran: News director of state radio and TV dies in car accident.
March 30, 2002... General-director of the news department of Voice and Vision Organization [state radio and television] has died in a car accident. The accident happened 35 km from Jolfa in East Azarbayjan Province [northwest of Iran]. Mr Abdolhoseyn...

North Korea "determined" to abide by agreement with USA.
March 30, 2002... North Korean radio has again rejected US claims that Pyongyang is exporting ballistic missiles, and has reminded listeners of the USA's unfulfilled responsibilities under the agreed framework signed in 1994. The following is the text of a...

North Korean radio reports on Indonesian president's departure.
March 30, 2002... Text of report by North Korean radio on 29 March [Korean Central Broadcasting Station unprecedentedly cut into its regular programming and carried the following one-minute report on Indonesian president's departure.] Her Excellency...

North Korea criticizes South opposition's policy towards North.
March 30, 2002... Text of report by North Korean radio on 29 March On 29 March, a spokesman for the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland [CPRF] released a statement denouncing South Korea's Grand National Party [GNP] for its recent...

Palestinians say Israeli forces occupy Bayt Jala.
March 30, 2002... Palestinian TV reported that Israeli forces occupied the town of Bayt Jala near Bethlehem on the West Bank at dawn on Saturday. Military vehicles supported by tanks advanced several kilometres into the town centre and the Orthodox Club...

Russian, Chechen officials welcome new procedures for military sweeps.
March 30, 2002... Text of report by Russian Public TV on 29 March [Presenter] Many Russian politicians today offer their comment on the order signed by the commander [of the joint federal force in the North Caucasus, Gen Vladimir Moltenskoy, on new...

Angolan army, UNITA forces sign cease-fire memorandum.
March 30, 2002... Text of report by Angolan news agency Angop web site Luena, 30 March: At 1500 [local time] in the city of Luena on 30 March, the Angolan Armed Forces and UNITA [National Union for the Total Independence of Angola] signed a memorandum of...

Algeria: Berber citizens' movement denounces repression in Kabylie.
March 30, 2002... Text of report by Algerian newspaper Liberte web site on 30 March The corrupted and corrupter regime, which assassinated the Algerian youths, and is still true to its old rotten and outdated policy, has just put into action the threats...

Algeria: One "terrorist" killed, two wounded in west of country.
March 30, 2002... Just over a week after the assassination of four people, all males, and the burning of two vehicles in the douar of M'kachich, in the municipality of Lardjem, in the province of Tissemsilt, one terrorist was killed and two others wounded on...

Angola: UNITA's leader Gato absent from ceremony, to sign cease-fire in April.
March 30, 2002... Text of report by Angolan news agency Angop web site Luena, 30 March: General Paulo Lukamba Gato, the coordinator of the UNITA [National Union for the Total Independence of Angola] caretaker commission, did not attend the official...

Iraqi leadership welcomes Arab summit results, condemns Israel, USA.
March 30, 2002... Iraqi President Saddam Husayn has chaired a meeting of the Revolution Command Council (RCC) and of the ruling Arab Socialist Ba'th Party. RCC Vice Chairman Izzat Ibrahim reported on the Arab summit in Beirut, and those present at the meeting...

Kuwaiti minister says Iraq's pledge at summit not enough to restore ties.
March 30, 2002... Text of report from Beirut by Muhammad Mahmud by Dubai newspaper Al-Bayan web site on 29 March Shaykh Muhammad al-Sabah, the minister of state for foreign affairs in Kuwait, has welcomed Iraq's written pledge not to attack Kuwait,...

Montenegrin military industry company drafts conversion plan.
March 30, 2002... Text of report by Montenegrin TV on 30 March [News reader] A programme on transforming the 1 Decembar special-purpose plant in Pljevlja, drafted by representatives of the Montenegrin government, the Army of Yugoslavia and the majority...

Montenegrin president sends Easter greetings, urges trust among people.
March 30, 2002... Text of report by Montenegrin TV on 30 March On the occasion of the most important Christian holiday, Easter, Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic has sent greetings to Catholic believers and clergy in Montenegro. President Djukanovic...

Morocco: Two new political parties founded.
March 30, 2002... Two new political parties have been founded in Morocco. The first, the Party of the Promise [Arabic: Al-A'hd] held its constitutional congress in Rabat today. The party says it is based on the principles of the rule of law and intends to...

Russian security chief warns against "interference" in Caucasus.
March 30, 2002... Text of report by Russian news agency RIA Sochi, 30 March, RIA-Novosti correspondent Yelena Ivanova: The main task today is to prevent the emergence of new dividing lines and military-political rivalry in the Caucasus, Russian Security...

Ghana: Interior, regional ministers resign following chief's murder.
March 30, 2002... Text of report by Radio France Internationale on 29 March Some latest information just reaching us from Ghana says that several members of the government, including the interior minister and the northern regional minister have resigned,...