I. Unites States

1. Format of Six Party Talks

Korea Times (“6-WAY TALKS CAN HAVE TIME-OUT”, 2005-07-20) reported that the upcoming six-party nuclear talks would have a recess which could last two or three days, allowing the DPRK delegates to ask the Pyongyang regime for approval before reaching a deal, Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Ban Ki-moon said Wednesday. “If a participating country needs time-out to ask for the home government’s instructions, and if it needs a two- or three-day break, then we intend to wait,” Ban said.

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2. US on Six Party Talks

Chosun Ilbo (“BUSH HOPES KIM JONG-IL TO SEE ‘COMMON SENSE’ AT NEXT WEEK’S NUKE TALKS”, 2005-07-20) reported that US President George W. Bush says he hopes the upcoming round of six-party talks would help bring common sense to Kim Jong-il. Mr. Bush’s remarks came while discussing the DPRK’s nuclear issue with visiting Australian Prime Minister John Howard at the White House. Mr. Bush also said he believes that Australia could help influence the PRC to convince Kim Jong-il to scrap his nuclear program.

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3. DPRK on Japanese Nuclear Program at Six Party Talks

Yonhap News (“JAPAN’S NUKE AMBITIONS SHOULD BE DISCUSSED AT SIX-WAY TALKS: N.K. “, 2005-07-20) reported that the DPRK said Wednesday it wants to raise Japan’s alleged moves for nuclear armament at the upcoming six-nation talks. The DPRK called for an early resolution of Japan’s nuclear ambitions as a urgent task to achieve world peace and the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

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4. DPRK on Japan’s Involvement in Six Party Talks

Financial Times (“N KOREA SAYS NO ROLE FOR JAPAN IN NUCLEAR TALKS “, 2005-07-20) reported that the DPRK denounced Japan’s “filibuster” tactics, saying Tokyo would have no role to play in the nuclear disarmament talks as long as it continued to push for discussions over Pyongyang’s abduction of Japanese citizens. “Japan will find nothing to do at the future six-party talks even if it attends them unless it drops its crooked viewpoint and way of thinking,” the KCNA reported yesterday. “Its participation would only create more complexities to the talks.”

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5. Inter-Korean Military Talks

Korea.Net (“INTER-KOREAN MILITARY MEETING OPENS “, 2005-07-20) reported that according to the Defense Ministry, an Inter-Korean military meeting that opens on Wednesday, will focus on tension-easing measures along the border of the two Koreas and the resumption of their stalled general-level talks. The two sides will discuss the elimination of propaganda facilities along their land border and measures aimed at reducing tension along their disputed western sea border, ministry officials said.

(return to top) Korea Times (“KOREAS AGREE TO ESTABLISH MILITARY LIAISON OFFICES “, 2005-07-20) reported that military officers of the ROK and DPRK agreed to establish liaison offices to avoid accidental armed clashes along their disputed western sea border. “The establishment of the liaison offices was one of the measures agreed upon at the second round of general-level talks on June 3 last year to prevent unwanted armed clashes in the West Sea, Moon told reporters. “We hope that this time, the measures will be fully implemented.” (return to top)

6. DPRK on Human Rights Conference in US

Forbes (“NKOREA SAYS US ‘FRANTIC’ OVER HUMAN RIGHTS “, 2005-07-20) reported that the DPRK has accused the US of clouding the prospects for progress in nuclear disarmament talks by stepping up its human rights attack against the DPRK. “The US is getting more frantic in its anti-DPRK racket over the human rights issue, getting on the nerves of the dialogue partner,’ the KCNA said in a commentary.

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7. DPRK Defector on DPRK Human Rights at Conference in US

Chosun Ilbo (“WASHINGTON SEES N.KOREA HUMAN RIGHTS CONFERENCE “, 2005-07-20) reported that the largest conference on DPRK human rights in the US opened on Tuesday in Washington D.C. Some 1,000 advocates of human rights in the DPRK, including about 300 from the ROK, were present amid much interest from the press. DPRK and Chosun Ilbo journalist Kang Chol-hwan said the human rights situation in the DPRK deteriorated over the last eight years of the ROK’s “Sunshine Policy” toward Pyongyang. Rashly offering help to the DPRK without appropriate criticism of the human rights issue could be seen as ethical backsliding, he added.

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8. UN Envoy to DPRK Loses Post

Associated Press (“TOP U.N. ENVOY TO NORTH KOREA LOSES POST”, 2005-07-19) reported that a Canadian businessman lost his job as the top UN envoy to the DPRK amid questions about his connection to a suspect in the UN oil-for-food scandal. The decision not to renew Maurice Strong’s contract follows criticism that he gave his stepdaughter a job at the UN and concerns over his ties to a ROK businessman accused of accepting kickbacks from Saddam Hussein’s government.

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9. ROK on Koizumi’s Remark

Xinhua (“S.KOREA WELCOMES KOIZUMI’S CALLS FOR NORMALIZING TIES WITH DPRK “, 2005-07-20) reported that the ROK on Wednesday welcomed remarks made by the Japanese Prime Minister, saying it will help end the Cold War structure on the Korean Peninsula. “We welcome the Japanese leader’s opinion and we will actively cooperate and assist…to ensure that intention is realized,” a ROK official said.

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10. US-Indian Nuclear Cooperation

The Washington Post (“BUSH OFFICIALS DEFEND INDIA NUCLEAR DEAL”, 2005-07-20) reported that Bush administration officials yesterday lobbied Congress and tried to assure allies that a new deal to supply India with civilian nuclear technology and conventional military equipment was not meant to betray decades of nuclear-control policies or upset the regional balance of power. The current US Nonproliferation Act prevents India and other countries that have not signed the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty from acquiring a wide range of US military technology that includes components that could be used for nuclear programs.

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11. Russia Oil Pipeline Project

Prime-Tass (“PUTIN SEES FAR EAST OIL PIPE CONSTRUCTION RUSSIA’S KEY PROJECT”, 2005-07-20) reported that the construction of an oil pipeline in the Russian Far East is a major Russian project, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday at a meeting with human rights experts, ITAR-TASS reported. Putin was answering a question on the ecological impact of the pipeline construction. In February, Primorsk Region residents were protesting against the construction, saying that spilled oil may damage the environment in the region. “It (the construction) would give us the opportunity to export our oil and gas resources to markets of rapidly developing countries of the Asia-Pacific Region…to the PRC, to South Asia, Japan and other (countries),” Putin said.

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12. Russia Environment

RIA Novosti (“RUSSIA EXAMINES POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITES IN FAR EAST SEAS”, 2005-07-20) reported that the Russian Emergencies Ministry has begun examining potentially dangerous sites of underwater disposal of hazardous substances in the seas of Russia’s Far East, said a source in the ministry’s press service. “The scientific expedition to the Sea of Japan and the Okhotsk Sea will last 46 days. Three potentially dangerous sites of underwater disposal of hazardous substances will be examined within this period. The research will estimate the current conditions of the disposals, their potential danger and work out a scenario for the elimination of consequences of the possible spillage of the substances into the water,” the source said.

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13. Russia Oil Spill

MosNews (“SHIP SPILLS DIESEL IN RUSSIA’S FAR EAST”, 2005-07-20) reported that a clean-up operation was launched after a ship taking part in oil and gas drilling at the Sakhalin fields off Russia’s Pacific coast struck an underwater object in stormy weather and began to leak diesel, agencies reported Tuesday. The ship, Smit-Lloyd 27, sprang a leak, losing 5.5 cubic meters (194 cubic feet) of diesel fuel, some of which had already been bred ashore by large waves in the Sea of Japan, polluting a 500-metre (yard) stretch of beach, Itar Tass reported.

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14. Sino-Russian Oil Trade

The Associated Press (“RUSSIA OIL SHIPMENTS TO CHINA UP 28 PERCENT”, 2005-07-20) reported that Russia increased oil shipments to the PRC by 28 percent in the first half of 2005, Russia’s state-controlled railway said Wednesday, as the PRC continues to gobble up energy supplies from its giant neighbor. In a statement posted on its Web site, Russian Railways said the company shipped 3.75 million tons of oil to the PRC between January and June.

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15. US on PRC Military

Washington Post (“CHINESE BUILDUP SEEN AS THREAT TO REGION”, 2005-07-20) reported that the PRC’s military buildup is broadening the reach of its forces in Asia and poses a long-term threat not only to Taiwan but to the US military in the Pacific and to regional powers such as India and Japan, according to an assessment released yesterday by the Pentagon. The Beijing government is also improving and expanding its nuclear arsenal, fielding more advanced nuclear missiles capable of striking India, Russia and “virtually all of the United States,” said the annual PRC military power report, based on US intelligence and mandated by Congress. The report, however, said the PRC’s ability to project its conventional military power remains limited.

(return to top) Agence France-Presse (“US DOES NOT CONSIDER CHINA A THREAT: WHITE HOUSE”, 2005-07-20) reported that the US does not consider the PRC a threat, the White House spokesman said, asked about a Pentagon report voicing concerns about greater PRC military weight. “We’re committed to peace and stability in the region, but that should not be viewed as us viewing China as a threat,” spokesman Scott McClellan told reporters. (return to top)

16. PRC on US Report on PRC Military

Reuters (“CHINA BLASTS U.S. CONCERNS ON ITS MILITARY RISE”, 2005-07-20) reported that the PRC on Wednesday blasted a Pentagon report asserting that its fast-modernizing military could pose a threat to the region, saying that the US, the world’s biggest defense spender, had no ground to stand on. Yang noted that the US military budget was almost 18 times that of Beijing’s official military budget of about $26 billion. Outside analysts say the PRC’s actual outlay is far higher, and the Pentagon has put 2003 military spending as high as $65 billion.

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17. Unocal Sale

The New York Times (“BID BY CHEVRON IN BIG OIL DEAL THWARTS CHINA”, 2005-07-20) reported that Chevron sweetened its offer for Unocal late yesterday in an 11th-hour move to thwart a rival offer from Cnooc, a government backed PRC oil company, executives close to the negotiations said. Unocal’s board voted to accept Chevron’s increased offer worth $17 billion, or $63 a share in cash and stock, and rejected a still higher all-cash offer from Cnooc worth $67 a share as too politically risky, the executives said. The decision by Unocal’s board could end the takeover battle that has stirred significant debate in Washington about national security concerns and trade policies with the PRC.

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18. Sino-Japanese Relations

Agence France-Presse (“CHINA DEMANDS JAPAN TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR GERM WARFARE”, 2005-07-20) reported that the PRC has demanded Japan take responsibility for the actions of its military in World War II after a Tokyo court rejected damages for PRC victims of a notorious germ warfare unit. “Germ warfare is one of the serious crimes committed by the Japanese militarism during World War II. The Japanese government should hold an honest attitude to bear the responsibility,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.

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19. Hong Kong Privatization Plan

Agence France-Presse (“HONG KONG COURT CLEARS WAY FOR WORLD’S LARGEST PUBLIC PROPERTY SALE”, 2005-07-20) reported that Hong Kong’s highest court has dismissed an appeal against the government’s sale of publicly owned shopping centers and thousands of parking spaces, paving the way for the world’s largest property privatization plan to go ahead. The appeal was brought by a 67-year-old welfare recipient who wanted to have the three-billion US dollar plan declared unlawful, saying it undervalued the assets and would likely force up rents for public housing tenants like herself.

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20. Typhoon Haitang

The Los Angeles Times (“1 MILLION IN SHELTERS AFTER TYPHOON HAITANG”, 2005-07-20) reported that more than 1 million people were in temporary shelters a day after Typhoon Haitang churned into southeastern PRC, bringing torrential rain and 74-mph winds to coastal areas. Haitang was downgraded to a tropical storm as it moved inland, having left a trail of destruction in mainland PRC and killing at least four in Taiwan.

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