APSNet for 20070430
Austral Peace and Security Network (APSNet)
Twice weekly report from the Nautilus Institute at RMIT, Australia.
Monday 30 April 2007
- The Time for Compromise over Iraq is Here
- Indonesia-Australia: Downer’s Holey Alliance Stirs a Cauldron of Dismay
- PM Lays Path for Nuclear Future
- Philippine Troops Launch Fresh Attacks on Muslim Militants
- Indonesia-Singapore to Discuss Details about Defense Cooperation
- PNG: National Alliance to Boost Army, Police
- Still Struggling for Independence: Elections in Timor Leste
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The Time for Compromise over Iraq is Here, Editorial, Age, 2007-04-30
With the US Senate having passed legislation that makes war funding in Iraq dependent on a timetable for the withdrawal of troops, the position of Prime Minister John Howard and the Australian Government looks increasingly out of step with the rest of the world. For the past four years, Australia has been a faithful ally to the US, but if Mr Bush finds he has no option but to compromise, what then of Australia’s stance.
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US Surge Fails to Stem Baghdad Violence: Commander, MCT, Australian, 2007-04-27
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The Iraq Insurgents’ Surge, Paul Rogers, OpenDemocracy, 2007-04-26
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Downer’s Holey Alliance Stirs a Cauldron of Dismay, Geoffrey Barker, AFR* 2007-04-27
Whether the Australia-Indonesia treaty will prove a historic triumph or a historic tragedy remains to be seen, but evidence being heard by federal parliament’s treaties committee suggests at best extremely limited expert enthusiasm for the treaty as drafted. So fundamental are some expert concerns that the committee is now under pressure to urge some significant modifications.
* Subscription required.-
Public Hearing Program (includes the Lombok Treaty), Treaties Tabled on 6 December 2006 and 6 and 7 February 2007 [transcript]
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Submissions, Treaty tabled on 6 December 2006, Joint Standing Committee on Treaties [Primary source]
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PM Lays Path for Nuclear Future, Phillip Coorey, SMH, 2007-04-28
The Prime Minister unveils measures enabling the domestic enrichment of uranium and the establishment of nuclear power stations in Australia. He will: commit Australia to the international Generation IV Advanced Nuclear Reactor Research Program; work on establishing a nuclear energy regulatory regime for future nuclear plants in Australia: commission research into the training required to operate reactors and enrichment facilities.
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Generation IV International Forum, OECD Nuclear Energy Agency
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Generation IV Nuclear Energy Systems, U.S. Department of Energy
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Generation IV Reactor, Wikipedia
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Global Nuclear Energy Partnership, Federation of American Scientists, 2007-0409
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Australian Nuclear Weapons: the Story so Far, Richard Broinowski, Austral Policy Forum 06-23A, 2006-07-17
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Australia’s New Nuclear Ambitions, Richard Broinowski, Austral Policy Forum 06-24A, 2006-07-24
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Philippine Troops Launch Fresh Attacks on Muslim Militants, Jakarta Post, 2007-04-30
Philippine troops renewed attacks on al-Qaida-linked militants and supporters after the guerillas beheaded seven Filipino hostages, officials said. The situation on Jolo, where U.S. troops have been involved in counter terrorism training and campaigns became more complicated after Moro National Liberation Front commander Habier Malik turned his guns on troops despite a 1996 peace agreement with the government.
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RI-S’pore to Discuss Details about Defense Cooperation, Jakarta Post, 2007-04-30
Indonesia and Singapore will follow up the defense cooperation, which has been signed by both countries. “The arrangement of its implementation will be discussed on May 8,” said the chairman of the House of Representatives’ Commission. Apart from agreeing on the defense cooperation, Indonesia and Singapore also signed a long-waited extradition agreement and areas for military exercises.
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NA to Boost Army, Police, Yehiura Hriehwazi, National, 2007-04-30
Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare said the next National Alliance Party-led government would rebuild the PNG Defence Force to 4,000-strong force. During a campaign speech that was punctuated with strong anti-Australian sentiments, Sir Michael said he also wanted to increase police personnel from 5,000 to about 8,000 or 10,000 members.
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PNG PM Delivers Anti-Australian Speech, ABC, 2007-04-30
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Still Struggling for Independence: Elections in Timor Leste, Tim Anderson, Online Opinion, 2007-04-27
Australian representations of elections in Timor Leste have reflected the wishful thinking of an elite. Media coverage focused almost exclusively on the pro-Australian candidate, Jose Ramos Horta, and a Xanana-led coalition that might upset the currently Fretilin dominated parliament. A Fretilin-led coalition government seems a more likely outcome of the coming parliamentary elections.