NAPSNet Daily Report Thursday, May 04, 2006
- 1. Six Party Talks
2. DPRK Food Policy
3. DPRK Defectors
4. DPRK Human Rights
5. Swedish PM on DPRK Abductions
6. Kaesong Industrial Complex
7. ASEAN-Pacific Rim Relations
8. USFJ Realignment
9. Japan Terrorism
10. PRC-Australia Relations
11. PRC-Vatican Relations
12. PRC HKSAR
13. PRC Democracy
14. Cross Strait Relations
15. Bird Flu
I. NAPSNet
1. Six Party Talks
Kyodo News (“CHINESE VICE FOREIGN MINISTER CANCELS VISIT TO U.S.: U.S. OFFICIAL”, 2006-05-04) reported that PRC Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei, who chairs six-party talks on the DPRK’s nuclear issues, has canceled a plan to visit the US to discuss ways to break the nearly six-month stalemate in the multilateral talks, a senior US State Department official indicated Wednesday. The PRC vice foreign minister has no plans to visit the US, said the US official, who declined to be named. Diplomatic sources said the PRC side canceled Wu’s visit to Washington, which was initially set to start next Monday, for unknown reasons.
2. DPRK Food Policy
Associated Press (“NORTH KOREA COULD FACE ANOTHER FOOD CRISIS, U.S. HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP WARNS “, 2006-05-04) reported that the DPRK cannot feed its people and could face another famine like the one that killed up to 3 million unless it changes its “regressive” food policies, a US rights group warned Thursday. “Only a decade ago, similar policies led to the famine that killed anywhere from 580,000 to more than 3 million,” the group said in a statement released to reporters in Seoul. The group urged the DPRK to reopen the country to international aid agencies and ensure that its food distribution is not discriminatory based on loyalty to the regime. “The government is apparently trying to turn back the clock to regain some of the control lost when it allowed people greater freedom to move around and buy grain,” Human Rights Watch said. “There is little reason to believe the North Korean government is now capable of providing enough food to all its citizens.”
3. DPRK Defectors
Associated Press (“U.S. ASSISTS N. KOREAN REFUGEES “, 2006-05-04) reported that the Bush administration is working to bring a group of DPRK refugees to the US and could have them in the country within two weeks, a State Department official said Wednesday. The State Department official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the issue’s sensitivity, said the refugees are in a Southeast Asian nation, and if bureaucratic hurdles can be cleared, they could be in the US soon. A separate US government source said the six refugees include several women who were sold into sexual slavery or forced marriages. Both officials would not identify the nation, saying they were worried the refugees or their families could be harmed by DPRK agents.
(return to top) Joongang Ilbo (“MINISTER: L.A. COURT’S RULING WAS ‘NONSENSE'”, 2006-05-04) reported that a landmark court decision in which a DPRK defector was allowed to seek refuge in the US due to oppression from Seoul was “nonsense,” Unification Minister Lee Jong-seok said yesterday. He said, however, he would not protest the decision. ROK Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon also played down the decision. “As far as I know, it is a decision by a local immigration court, not a decision by the U.S. administration,” Mr. Ban said in his weekly press briefing. (return to top)
4. DPRK Human Rights
Yonhap (“U.S. COMMISSION URGES HELSINKI MODEL ON N.K. HUMAN RIGHTS”, 2006-05-03) reported that a US human rights commission recommended Wednesday that the Bush administration keep the DPRK as a country of particular concern (CPC) on human rights, citing lack of any tolerance for dissent in the state. The Commission on International Religious Freedom (CIRF), in its 2006 annual report, urged the US government to adopt the Helsinki model in dealing with the DPRK, referring to a 1975 agreement between the US and 34 other Western nations pledging to make human rights their top policy on Russia — then the Soviet Union — and Eastern Europe.
5. Swedish PM on DPRK Abductions
Kyodo News (“SWEDISH PREMIER CALLS ABDUCTION ‘CRIME AGAINST HUMAN RIGHTS’ “, 2006-05-04) reported that Swedish Prime Minister Goran Persson said Thursday that the abduction of Japanese nationals by the DPRK is a ”crime against human rights.” Persson made the remark during his exclusive interview with Kyodo News that took place following a press conference after his meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi in Stockholm.
6. Kaesong Industrial Complex
Yonhap (“N. KOREA’S KAESONG SEALS FRIENDSHIP DEAL WITH ECUADORIAN CITY”, 2006-05-03) reported that the DPRK’s border city of Kaesong has established a friendship city relationship with an Ecuadorian city, its state media reported Wednesday. An agreement has been signed between Kaesong and Yantzaza, Ecuador, reported the KCNA, monitored in Seoul.
7. ASEAN-Pacific Rim Relations
The China Post (“U.S. AMBASSADOR TO ASEAN PROPOSED IN SENATE MEETING”, 2006-05-04) reported that a senior US Senator introduced legislation calling for the appointment of an ambassador to ASEAN to boost ties with the rapidly growing region.
(return to top) Kyodo News (“E. ASIA FINANCE CHIEFS AGREE ON STUDY OF REGIONAL CURRENCY UNITS”, 2006-05-04) reported that Finance ministers from ASEAN plus Japan, the PRC and the ROK agreed they will examine the usefulness of creating regional currency units as one of their channels to deepen economic integration in the region. (return to top) Kyodo News (“ASEAN DEFENSE MINISTERS TO HOLD 1ST MEETING NEXT WEEK IN MALAYSIA”, 2005-05-04) reported that Malaysia will host the first ASEAN defense ministers meeting hoping it will be a step toward establishing an ASEAN security community and possibly a regional peacekeeping force. (return to top)
8. USFJ Realignment
Kyodo News (“OKINAWA GOV. REMAINS OPPOSED TO AIR BASE RELOCATION”, 2006-05-04) reported that Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine officially announced his opposition to a plan to relocate the US Marine Corps’ Futemma Air Station within Okinawa under the new Japan-US accord to realign the US military presence in Japan, while positively rating the substance of the deal.
9. Japan Terrorism
The Yomiuri Shimbun (“AUM TOLD TO VACATE CHIBA CONDO / FACTION LEADER JOYU FREQUENTED SECRETIVE RELIGIOUS TRAINING CENTER”, 2006-05-04) reported that an Aum Supreme Truth cult faction has been asked to vacate a condominium in Chiba Prefecture it was discovered to be using as a religious training facility.
(return to top) The Asahi Shimbun (“AUM TO SPLIT FOLLOWING INTERNAL RIFT”, 2006-05-04) reported that Aum Shinrikyo, the cult behind a series of deadly assaults, including the 1995 sarin gas attack in Tokyo, is heading for a breakup, with a new splinter group likely to be formed as early as July. The move is being led by Fumihiro Joyu, 43, and the new sect would likely be officially formed in July. It remains unclear how many of the estimated 1,650 Aum members would follow Joyu. (return to top)
10. PRC-Australia Relations
Xinhua (“AUSTRALIA TO HOST RECRUIT FAIR FOR CHINESE PROFESSIONALS”, 2006-05-04) reported that Australia will host two job fairs in Shanghai and Hong Kong this month to attract Chinese professionals. The PRC has become the third largest source of skilled workers for Australia.
11. PRC-Vatican Relations
BBC News (“VATICAN THROWS OUT CHINA BISHOPS”, 2006-05-04) reported that the Vatican is excommunicating two bishops who were illegally ordained by the PRC’s breakaway Catholic Church.
12. PRC HKSAR
The China Post (“HALF HK RESIDENTS TALK OF LEAVING: SURVEY”, 2006-05-04) reported that nearly half of Hong Kong’s population, and most of its youngest, wealthiest and best educated people, would leave if the political and economic situation worsened.
13. PRC Democracy
Xinhua (“CHINESE PREMIER URGES PURSUIT OF DEMOCRACY AND SCIENCE”, 2006-05-04) reported that PRC Premier Wen Jiabao said that democracy and science are important to transform the PRC into a modernized country and the two things must be pursued.
14. Cross Strait Relations
Agence France Presse (“TAIWAN’S CHEN CANCELS ALASKA STOPOVER AFTER APPARENT US SNUB”, 2006-05-04) reported that Taiwan’s President Chen Shui-bian has unexpectedly dropped plans to stop in the US en route to Latin America, angered by a US decision not to allow a higher-profile visit.
(return to top) The International Herald Tribune (“TAIWAN BLAMES CHINA AS U.S. BLOCKS CHEN’S STOPOVERS”, 2006-05-04) reported that President Chen Shui-bian of Taiwan will not fly through the US during his trip to Latin America, signaling a rift between Taipei and Washington. The Taiwanese media reported that Chen had asked to make stops in New York and San Francisco, but the US offered only to allow Chen to make a transit stop in Anchorage, Alaska. (return to top)
15. Bird Flu
Agence France Presse (“APEC BIRD FLU MEETING AIMS TO PREVENT PANDEMIC”, 2006-05-04) reported that Asia-Pacific countries met in Vietnam to find ways to either prevent or cope with a bird flu pandemic that experts say could kill millions of people.