BBC Monitoring International Reports articles from March 2006

BBC Monitoring International Reports archives from March 2006

Nepal-India transit treaty renewed for seven years.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Radio Nepal on 31 March The Nepal-India transit treaty has been renewed for the next seven years and will remain operational until 5 January 2013. The renewal papers were...

Jailed police officers staging disobedience act in Kazakh south.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Interfax-Kazakhstan news agency Taldykorgan, 31 March: Prisoners in LA-155/8 penal colony in the settlement of Zarechnyy in Kazakhstan's Almaty Region [in the south]...

Ukrainian news websites survey.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) The following is a survey of Ukrainian websites that publish news, interviews and analytical articles, February-March 2006. Websites remain an ideal place for Ukrainian politicians to reveal...

Pakistan calls for new security consensus for disarmament.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Excerpt from report by Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) news agency Islamabad, 31 March: Pakistan has called on the international community to form a new security consensus to achieve...

Chinese oil corporation, Royal Dutch Shell projects sets off.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report in English by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency) Huizhou, Guangdong, 31 March: China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) announced on Friday...

Pakistan, France discuss civilian nuclear sector.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) news agency Islamabad, 31 March: Pakistan Friday [31 March] stressed the need for a nondiscriminatory approach by France towards...

China protests denies involvement Japanese envoy's suicide.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Chinese news agency Zhongguo Xinwen She Beijing, 31 March: Commenting on the suicide of a Japanese Consulate General member in Shanghai, which has been played up by...

Russia creating single national security system.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Russian news agency ITAR-TASS Nizhniy Novgorod, 31 March: Setting up the National Antiterrorist Committee and forming regional structures has been the start of the...

Serbian president denies blocking National Security Council.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Excerpt from report by Serbian independent news agency FoNet Trgoviste, 31 March: Serbian President Boris Tadic said today that it was not true he had halted the work of the National...

Eight ministers quit ahead of Brazilian elections.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Brazilian news agency Agencia Brasil website Brasilia: President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva today (30 [March]) accepted the resignation requests of eight ministers, who are...

Polish martial law leader and two other generals indicted in 1981 case.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Polish radio on 31 March [Presenter] The National Remembrance Institute [IPN] has indicted General Wojciech Jaruzelski in association with the introduction of Martial Law...

Serbian "drug barons" said to have strong ties with Colombian cocaine traders.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by "E.B." entitled "Serbian drug barons are big players in Europe" published by Serbian newspaper Blic on 27 March Belgrade: Serbian drug barons, who maintain strong ties...

Child shot dead as demonstrators clash with police in southeastern Turkey.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Turkish commercial NTV television on 31 March In Batman a group of demonstrators who tried to protest against the Diyarbakir incidents clashed with the police. A three-year...

Montenegrin Speaker tells OSCE official Belgrade backs referendum obstruction.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Montenegrin radio on 31 March A statement issued by Speaker Ranko Krivokapic's office, following his talks with the head of the observer mission of the [OSCE] Office of...

Japan: Polish minister encourages Japanese businessmen to invest in Poland.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report in English by Polish news agency PAP Warsaw, 31 March: Foreign Minister Stefan Meller encouraged Japanese businessmen to increase investments in Poland at a meeting on Friday...

Putin renews composition of Russian State Council.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Russian news agency ITAR-TASS Moscow, 31 March: Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a resolution on renewing the composition of the presidium of the State Council....

Iraqi daily reports "tension" between Basra council, UK forces.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of unattributed report by Iraqi newspaper Al-Mashriq on 28 March Dr Nasif al-Abadi, deputy head of the Basra Governorate Council, has held the British forces in the governorate...

Nepal opposition says democracy to be restored in new year.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Nepalese radio Kantipur FM on 31 March [Presenter] The opposition parties and their leaders are claiming that democracy and the people's sovereign rights will be restored...

Russian defence chief pays tribute to military engineering agency.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Russian news agency Interfax-AVN website Moscow, 31 March: The Federal Agency for Special Construction [Spetsstroy] will increase its production potential for the...

Chinese defence ministers meet Sudanese counterpart.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report in English by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency) Beijing, 31 March: The Chinese armed forces are ready to promote cooperation with the Sudanese army,...

Nepal minister says planned protests to be infiltrated by Maoists.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Excerpt from report by Radio Nepal on 31 March Home Minister Kamal Thapa has said that the protests announced by seven political parties from Chait 24 [6 April] will be infiltrated by...

China lodges strong protest over Japanese disputed islands claim.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Chinese news agency Zhongguo Xinwen She Beijing, 31 March: As instructed, Qiu Guohong, deputy director general of the Department of Asian Affairs under the Foreign...

Militant group accuses Palestinian officials of collaboration in "assassination".
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Dubai-based news channel Al-Arabiya TV on 31 March [Presenter] At a news conference held a short while ago in Gaza, the Al-Nasir Salah al-Din Brigades [the armed wing of...

BBC Monitoring News Diary for Friday 31 March 2006.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Main stories at 0200 gmt BAHRAIN: Search and rescue operation in progress off coast of Bahrain after boat carrying foreign tourists capsized; forty-seven bodies reported recovered and over...

Eighty-year-old Kenyan grandmother raped by two men.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Excerpt from report by Kenyan KTN TV on 31 March [Presenter] An 80-year-old woman is admitted at the Nairobi Women's Hospital after a rape ordeal in Karatina in Nyeri [central Kenya]. The...

Serbia-Montenegro minister welcomes EU decision to continue SAA talks.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Excerpt from report by Belgrade-based private BKTV on 31 March [Presenter] Negotiations with Serbia-Montenegro on stabilization and association [with the EU] will continue on 5 April, the...

Bulgarian nationalist leader calls for protests during US minister's visit.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Bulgarian news agency BGNES website [No dateline as received] At a rally in Burgas Attack party leader Volen Siderov has called for nationwide protests during the visit of...

Israeli army severs ties with Palestinian police in Gaza.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Israel Defence Forces Radio on 31 March The IDF [Israel Defence Forces] has ordered its representatives to sever all ties with the Palestinian police in Gaza in the wake of...

Palestinian security says Israeli forces killed militant Al-Quqa.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Palestinian news agency Wafa website Gaza, 31 March: The [Palestinian] National Security command today condemned the continuing Israeli military escalation pursued by...

Georgian defence chief accuses Russia of lying about Abkhazia base.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Georgian Defence Minister Irakli Okruashvili has accused Russia of "lying" about the closure of the Russian military base in Gudauta, Abkhazia. In a live interview with Rustavi-2 TV on 31 March,...

Turkish minister urges Danish counterpart to close down Kurdish TV.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report in English by Turkish news agency Anatolia Ankara, 31 March: The Turkish foreign minister and deputy prime minister [Abdullah Gul] spoke to Danish Foreign Minister Per Stig...

Two Kazakh policemen arrested for robbing Briton.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Kazakh Channel 31 TV on 29 March [Presenter] Police officers have disgraced themselves for a cell phone. A British citizen was robbed by the police officers in western...

Bosnian, SCG ministers discuss "most pressing issue" of Hague cooperation.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Serbian independent news agency FoNet Belgrade, 31 March: The defence ministers of Serbia-Montenegro [SCG] and Bosnia-Hercegovina [B-H], Zoran Stankovic and Nikola...

Albanian premier asks Europe's right-wing parties to support agreement with EU.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report in English by Albanian news agency ATA Tirana, 31 March: Prime Minister Sali Berisha urged [on] Friday (31 March) the personalities attending the congress of European...

Iraqi political blocs disagree over national security council.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Iraqi Al-Sharqiyah TV on 31 March The political blocs that held a meeting on Friday [31 March] held a press conference at which a number of their representatives spoke. ...

Kosovo talks team accepts "in principle" UN mediators' decentralization proposal.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report in English by independent internet news agency KosovaLive Prishtina [Pristina], 31 March: The Negotiating Team approved today in principle the document of the international...

Moldova's rebel leader blasts Moldova, Ukraine for "economic blockade".
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Addressing a congress of people's deputies of Moldova's breakaway Dniester region, Dniester region president Igor Smirnov accused Moldova and Ukraine for imposing an economic blockade on the...

Minister says Croatia not to build Adriatic bridge without Bosnia's consent.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report in English by Croatian news agency HINA Sarajevo, 31 March: The Croatian government wants to build a bridge linking the Peljesac peninsula with the mainland and its height...

"At least" seven Iraqis hurt in Baghdad car explosions.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Qatari Al-Jazeera satellite TV on 31 March Iraqi police sources have said that at least seven Iraqis were wounded when three booby-trapped cars parked on the roadside...

China, Japan seek to mend ties through rare NGO dialogue.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report in English by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency) Beijing, 31 March: China and Japan sought to mend ties as heads of seven Japan-China friendship...

No parallels between Croatia's, Turkey's EU accession talks - Luxembourg premier.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report in English by Croatian news agency HINA Rome, 31 March: Croatia and Turkey are two completely different countries and their accession talks with the EU cannot be placed in the...

Afghan deputy minister positive new cabinet list will gain vote of confidence.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Afghan independent Tolo TV on 31 March [Presenter] Dr Sadeq Modaber, deputy state minister on parliamentary affairs, says the new cabinet members presented to parliament...

China asks for "corresponding efforts" from Japan on ties.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Excerpt from report in English by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency) Beijing, 31 March: China on Friday [31 March] urged the Japanese government to make...

Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia continue talks on refugee return.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report in English by Croatian news agency HINA Sarajevo, 31 March: Croatia's Transport and Development Minister Bozidar Kalmeta, Serbia-Montenegro's Human and Minority Rights...

Rome EPP congress passes resolution on Croatia's "fast-track EU accession".
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Excerpt from report in English by Croatian news agency HINA Rome, 31 March: The 17th congress of the EPP group, which unites Christian Democrat, Conservative and other mainstream centre and...

Palestinian cabinet issues statement on killing of militant leader.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Palestinian TV on 31 March Following a meeting of the PNA [Palestinian National Authority] government, Information Minister Dr Yusuf Rizqah condemned the assassination of...

Burmese analysts discuss ASEAN envoy's failed visit.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Excerpt from report by Norway-based Burmese Democratic Voice of Burma website on 28 March [Presenter] The ASEAN special envoy, Malaysian foreign minister, reiterated on 28 March that his...

Iran's massive joint naval war game starts in Persian Gulf.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report in English by Iranian Fars News Agency website Tehran, 31 March: A massive joint naval manoeuvre titled 'Holy Prophet (PBUH)' began on Friday with the shooting of a Shahab II...

Slovene government pledges support for Roma community.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report in English by Slovene news agency STA Trebnje, 31 March: The head of the government Office for Nationalities Janez Obreza assured Slovenia would remain committed to improving...

Moldovan region in independence appeal to Russian parliament.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Excerpt from report by Russian Ekho Moskvy radio on 31 March The sixth congress of deputies of all levels in the Dniester region has adopted an appeal to the State Duma requesting it to...

Japanese premier to visit Ethiopia end of April.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report in English by Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs website on 30 March Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi plans to visit Ethiopia, Ghana and Sweden from 29 April to 5...

Serbia-Montenegro needs to change regardless of referendum - EU envoy Lajcak.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report in English by Slovene news agency STA Ljubljana, 31 March: Regardless of the outcome of the 21 May referendum on the independence of Montenegro, a new solution is needed for...

Ukrainian paper questions need for referendum on NATO.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) A Ukrainian weekly has questioned the need to hold a referendum to decide if the country should join NATO. The paper quoted the Central Electoral Commission chairman who said that many...

Russian deputy PM raps regional land owners for hampering housing construction.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Russian external TV service NTV Mir on 31 March [Presenter] A meeting with Russian governors on the implementation of the affordable housing national project continues at...

Russia-India-China "triangle" under discussion by pundit on Radio Russia.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) In a Russian radio feature broadcast on 30 March, a pundit has said that there is much to be gained from Russia's cooperation with both India and China. Not least, he thought, current and future...

Preachers criticize release of Afghan Christian convert, demo staged in east.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Afghan independent Tolo TV on 31 March [Presenter] Hundreds of people in Logar Province [east] staged a demonstration protesting the release of Abdorrahman, the Afghan...

India favours setting up projects rather than new regional groups.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Indian newspaper The Hindu website on 31 March New Delhi: New Delhi says the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar (BCIM) Forum should continue to function as a "track two"...

Palestinian, South African presidents discuss Mideast developments.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report in English by Palestinian news agency Wafa website Cape Town, 31 March: President Mahmud Abbas held Friday [31 March] talks in Cape Town with President Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki on...

Pakistan president vows to make dialogue process with India "a success".
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Pakistan's PTV World television on 31 March [Presenter] President Gen Pervez Musharraf, while speaking at a banquet hosted in honour of visiting Sri Lankan President...

Russian antifascist movement seeks to outlaw racism.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Russia TV on 31 March The public has been responding today to yesterday's court verdict in the case of the killing of a Tajik girl [in February 2004]. The court had...

Iraqi Shi'i official urges release of people arrested at mosque.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Dubai-based news channel Al-Arabiya TV on 31 March Shaykh Abd-al-Hadi al-Darraji, director of the media commission at Martyr Al-Sadr Office, has called for the release of...

Albania freezes more than 60 bank accounts used for terrorism, money laundering.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report in English by Albanian news agency ATA Tirana, 31 March: The director-general of money laundering prevention, Adriatik Islamaj, stated [on] Friday (31 March) during the...

Retired army officers to train police in India's anti-Leftist drive.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Indian news agency PTI New Delhi,StartDateStartDate 31 March: Declaring a multi-pronged strategy to deal with menace of Leftist radicals, the Indian federal government...

Turkish premier says people behind southeastern riots want to disrupt unity.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Turkish TRT 2 television on 31 March [Presenter] Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that circles opposed to Turkey's growth are behind the incidents in...

Israeli planes enter southern Lebanese air space.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Lebanese National News Agency website Beirut, 31 March: The Guidance Directorate of the Army Command has issued the following statement: "An Israeli enemy...

Russia's new Su-34 fighter-bomber to go to Air Force and navy.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Excerpt from report by Russian news agency Interfax-AVN website Moscow, 30 March: Regiments currently operating the Su-24 will be rearmed with the new Su-34 fighter-bomber, the Russian Air...

Palestinian Fatah "surprised" by accusations of assassination.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of statement by Palestinian Liberation Movement, Fatah, in reaction to statements by Abu-Abir from Al-Nasir Salah-Al-Din Brigades broadcast by Qatari Al-Jazeera satellite TV on 31 March ...

EU official expects Macedonia's cooperation over Al-Masri case.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Macedonian news agency Makfax Kumanovo: I cannot say whether the Macedonian prime minister will be questioned about the Al-Masri [alleged terrorist arrested on Macedonian...

Bosnian Constitutional Court orders both entities to change law on flags.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Excerpt from report by Bosnian Serb news agency SRNA Sarajevo, 31 March: The Constitutional Court of Bosnia-Hercegovina today ruled that Articles 1 and 2 of the Law on the Coat-of-Arms and...

Iraqi TV updates security developments, casualty toll on 31 March.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Al-Sharqiyah Television between 1300-2000 gmt highlighted the following security developments in Iraq on 31 March: Within its 1300 gmt news bulletin, Al-Sharqiyah reports that "Baghdadis...

Russian Air Force to start buying new transport aircraft next year.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Russian news agency Interfax-AVN website Moscow, 30 March: The Russian Air Force will start buying new transport aircraft in 2007-2008 to replace the An-12 and An-26, its...

Russian gas exports see substantial rise in 2006.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Russian news agency RIA Novosti Moscow, 31 March: Gazeksport [sales arm of Russian gas monopoly Gazprom] exported 38.69bn cubic metres of gas in the first two months of...

Russian Foreign Ministry says bases pull-out deal places obligations on Georgia.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Excerpt from report by Russian news agency ITAR-TASS Moscow, 31 March: The agreement with Georgia on Russian military bases lays down a timescale for their withdrawal which is acceptable for...

Bosnian Serb premier says constitutional court's ruling on flag "political".
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Excerpt from report by Bosnian Serb news agency SRNA Banja Luka, 31 March: [Bosnian] Serb Republic Prime Minister Milorad Dodik said this evening that a ruling by the Bosnia-Hercegovina...

Russian senator questions "selective" justice on racism.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Russian Ekho Moskvy radio on 31 March [Presenter] A number of politicians and public figures have announced the formation of a group for civil opposition to fascism in...

Bosnian Serb president sees constitutional court ruling as anti-Serb attack.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Excerpt from report by Bosnian Serb news agency SRNA Banja Luka, 31 March: [Bosnian] Serb Republic President Dragan Cavic said this evening he was convinced that the B-H Constitutional...

Russian Foreign Ministry calls for Palestinian, Israeli "restraint".
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Russian news agency ITAR-TASS Moscow, 31 March: The Russian Foreign Ministry has condemned the act of terrorism committed by a Palestinian suicide bomber near Qedumim...

Plan to limit army call-up exemptions sparks opposition in Russia.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) The Russian military say that the proposed abolition of a number of categories of conscription deferments will increase the pool of potential conscripts, but the move to end the deferments has...

Sri Lanka party threatens protest if Norway not expelled from peace process.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by the TamilNet website on 29 March "If Norway is not sacked immediately from the peace process, we will amass more than two hundred thousand people in a protest...

Georgian strongholds in South Ossetia to be dismantled unilaterally - minister.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report by Georgian news agency Kavkas-Press Tbilisi, 31 March: Quite shortly, the Georgian side will start dismantling Georgian military fortifications (trenches) in the Tskhinvali...

Belarusian police, health authorities deny death of opposition demonstrator.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report in English by Belarusian news agency Belapan Minsk, 31 March. The Minsk city police and healthcare authorities have denied that one demonstrator died after police's break-up...

Italian defence minister sees war with Iran unlikely in "immediate term".
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Italian Defence Minister Antonio Martino has said "in the immediate term" war is "not very likely" against Iran but if it really does intend to use nuclear power to wipe Israel off the map,...

Syrian TV interviews Baghdad reporter, researcher on three-day kidnap.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of telephone interviews with Ziyad al-Munajjid, correspondent of Syrian Television in Baghdad, and Walid al-Zubaydi, Iraqi researcher and political analyst, in Baghdad, by Abir Uthman in...

China values ties with Latin America - politburo member.
March 31, 2006... (From BBC Monitoring International Reports) Text of report in English by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency) Beijing, 31 March: China values friendly cooperation with the Latin American nations, said a Chinese...