LEADING DEVELOPMENTS
[source: Jan 12 {Bloomberg} wires; other wires]
Jan 12-- BRAZILIAN MARKETS IN TURMOIL. The Brazilian stock
and bond markets fell to their lowest level in 4 months, and
futures trading in the Brazilian real currency came to a complete
halt, in a frightened response to the 90-day debt moratorium
imposed by the Governor of Minas Gerais, Itamar Franco.
The Brazilian Bovespa stock market, after falling a combined
8 percent on Thursday and Friday of last week, and 5.8% on Monday
of this week, fell 7.6% today, to close at 5916, its lowest level
in 4 months. The government's key "C" bond, which had fallen 3%
yesterday, fell another 2.9% today, also to its lowest level in 4
months.
There are signs of market singularity, which if sustained
over a few days could lead to panic. For example, the rate on
one-day certificates of deposit, which is an interest rates
futures contract--indicating the expectation of future interest
rates--and the most actively traded futures contract traded on
Sao Paolo's commodities and futures exchange, soared 522 basis
points (5.22 interest rate percentage points) to 37.46%, which is
the highest level since October's 39.0% level. Moreover, in
Brazil's currency futures market, which normally trades currency
contracts of up to two to three months in the future, there were
no takers on real currency contracts that expired in April. When
no one wants to trade currency futures in the currency of an
economy as large as Brazil's, this shows simultaneously
expectation that the currency will be devalued, and widespread
fright.
Further, according to reports from Brazil, today investors
pulled $1.1 billion in flight capital out of Brazil. Brazil's
foreign reserves, which stood at $75 billion in August of last
year, are now $35 billion.
"I'm really starting to wonder where Brazil is going to get
the $60 billion in foreign currency it needs this year," said
Francisco Gros, Brazil chairman for Morgan Stanley Dean Witter &
Co, and a former central bank president. "I'm not seeing any
possibility of debt sales for the moment."
[Source: wires, FNS transcript of NSC briefing on Menem-Clinton
talks, EIR/Buenos Aires, Jan. 12]
BRAZIL'S FINANCIAL CRISIS COLORS ARGENTINE PRESIDENT'S VISIT
TO WASHINGTON. National Security Council's James Dobbins reported
today that Presidents Clinton and Carlos Menem discussed the
Brazil financial crisis during their meeting on Monday, when
Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin joined their discussions. Dobbins
would say that Rubin "expressed the importance of supporting
Brazil and Brazilian reforms as a way of insulating the Western
Hemisphere from the global economic turndown that's taken place
elsewhere."
On Jan. 12, Menem and Rubin met for breakfast with the heads
of the IMF complex: IMF's Michel Camdessus, World Bank's James
Wolfensohn, and the Inter-American Development Bank's Enrique
Iglesias. The topic, again, was Brazil. Not much was reported
following the meeting. Rubin told reporters afterwards that
Brazil's President F.H. Cardoso "is absolutely committed to doing
what needs to be done and he has the support of the global
community." Iglesias forecast that the Minas Gerais debt
moratorium problem "will settle.
Back in Buenos Aires, there is panic over the Brazil crash.
The risk premium on Argentine loans has risen again, and the
stock market is following Brazil's--down. Currency board thug
Domingo Cavallo offered his recommendation, that Cardoso use "an
iron fist" against Itamar Franco.
[Source: wires 12.1.99]
WIESBADEN, January 12 -- RUSSIA TIGHTENS FOREIGN EXCHANGE
CONTROLS, IMPOSES EXPORT TARIFFS ON COMMODITIES. The Russian
Central Bank on Jan. 11 announced new rules for managing export
earnings, requiring any Russian exporter to repatriate 75% of
hard currency revenues, instead of the previous level of 50%.
That is, exporters are only allowed to keep one quarter of their
hard currency earnings, while the rest has to be converted into
Rubles.
The new rule already went into effect on Jan. 10.
Furthermore, the Central Bank now demands that this conversion of
exporter's hard currency into Rubles be completed within 7
working days after the export income has been generated, instead
of the previous 14 working day limit. Meanwhile, the Ruble is
further falling, reaching 23.06 Rubles per US-Dollar, compared to
22.40 Rubles on Sunday.
According to Reuters, Russian Prime Minister Primakov has
signed a resolution restricting exports of some commodities by
introducing a 10% export tariff for 6 months from the date of its
official publication on. The resolution was already signed on
January 4th, but has not yet been published. The export tariff
will be imposed on 7 metals, that is, copper, nickel, aluminium,
lead, zinc, cobalt, and titanium, but also on several
agricultural products.
[Source: London Times 12.1.99]
WIESBADEN, January 12 -- POPE CONDEMNS AIR STRIKES AS "LAW
OF THE STRONGEST." According to a report in the London ,
the Pope on Jan. 11 condemned the United States and Britain for
their bombing raids on Iraq, which solved nothing and if
anything, had made matters worse. In his annual "state of the
world" address to diplomats, the Pope said that war "does not
solve problems, it only complicates them, and leaves the civilian
population to bear the tragic consequences."
The pope added, "International law cannot be the law of the
strongest, or of a simple majority of states, or even of an
international organization.... It must be a law which conforms to
the principles of natural and moral law, which are always binding
on parties in conflict and the various issues in dispute."
On January 22, the Pope will visit Mexico and 4 days later
will stop in the US to meet Bill Clinton. Concerning the
collapsed peace process in the Mid East, the Pope noted "it is
not possible to keep people indefinitely between war and peace
without the risk of dangerously increasing tension and violence."
It would be unwise to delay tackling the status of Jerusalem any
further. Only "honest dialogue, a real concern for the welfare of
people and respect for the international order" could bring
lasting solutions to a region where Islam, Judaism, and
Christianity all had their roots.
[Source: Fed News transript, Berger, 1/12/98]
U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR SANDY BERGER GAVE THE FIRST
ADDRESS ON JAN. 12 AT THE CARNEGIE MEETING ON NUCLEAR
NON-PROLIFERATION, KICKING OFF A DAY THAT INCLUDED SPEECHES FROM
INDIA, ISRAEL, RUSSIA, AND CHINA, IN ADDITION TO THE U.S. Several
of the speeches (which will be reported in the Jan. 14 briefing)
contained sharply worded statements about nuclear threats and
violations of the non-proliferation treaty.
Berger's speech, made while Defense Secretary Cohen, another
member of the Gore-dominated "principal's committee," was in
Japan, delivering "warnings" to North Korea and Iraq, is an
illustration of the war danger that LaRouche outlined in his
article on Confederate General Shelton, and why he must retire.
Berger said, that ``1998 was a troubling year; a year of
living dangerously" where "several problems took a turn for the
worse and perilous new trends have emerged."
"All of you here know what the key developments were. In
May, India and Pakistan conducted nuclear tests that blew the lid
off South Asia's long-simmering nuclear rivalry. These explosions
threatened to trigger a far-fledged (sic) nuclear and missile
race in the region.
"Also ominous was the rhetoric that surrounded these blasts,
suggesting that many politicians and citizens in India and
Pakistan believe that a nuclear weapons capability provided
instant great power, status. In July, Iran's test of the Shahab-3
missile, its version of the North Korean Nodong, extended
Teheran's capability to target U.S. friends and allies in the
Middle East as well as our forces in the region. Combined with
Iran's continued pursuit of nuclear weapons, this missile
development threatens the stability of the region, as if the
stability of that region needed further threatening.
"In August, North Korea tested a Taepo Dong missile over
Japan. This test, and the revelation that North Korea's
constructing a suspicious underground site, have raised questions
about the North Korean compliance with the Agreed Framework we
negotiated in 1994 aimed at bringing stability and discouraging
proliferation on the Korean Peninsula. If that agreement
unravels, we could quickly return to the environment similar to
'93 and '94 with increased risk of war and North Korean
resumption of plutonium production.
"In August, Russia's economic crisis had heightened the
challenge for Russia to control the leakage of sensitive
weapons-related materials and technology beyond its borders.
Weapons scientists and institutes face increased financial
pressures to sell their wares to whomever is in the market,
including rogue states."
"Finally, in December, Saddam Hussein once again broke his
commitment to cooperate with the U.N. inspectors, ignoring our
warnings...."
[source: Fed News transcript of Berger speech, 1/12/99]
NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR SANDY BERGER SPEECH TO THE
CARNEGIE ENDOWMENT'S NON-PROLIFERATION CONFERENCE ON TUESDAY,
REFLECTS THE ESCALATION OF TENSIONS GLOBALLY, ESPECIALLY ON THE
NUCLEAR FRONT. In remarks which were uncharacteristic of other
U.S. speakers at the conference, Berger made a number of specific
policy statements on Iraq (see separate slug); on North Korea,
and on the Russia situation.
On Russia, where the post-Iraq strain continues, Berger
announced that three ``entities'' in Moscow were being put under
``economic penalties'' for providing sensitive nuclear or missile
technology to Iran. He stressed that the U.S. has the authority
to take this action, which had previously been taken in July,
1998, when Pres. Clinton imposed penalties on 7 other
institutions.
"I want to announce that today the United States is imposing
economic penalties against three additional Russian entities --
the Moscow Aviation Institute, Mendelyev University, NIKIET, or
the Science Research and Design Institute of Power Technology --
for providing sensitive missile or nuclear assistance to Iran.
Last July we took action against seven others.
"Let me be very clear. The administration has authority to
act against entities that violate international non-proliferation
standards, and we will use that authority to protect our
security. In the end, though, the most effective shield against
proliferation from Russia is not U.S. penalties but a Russian
export control system that is designed to work and does. Only
Russia can police its own borders, factories and technology
industries."
[source: FNS transcript of remarks of U.S. National Security
Adviser Sandy Berger at Carnegie Endowment Conference on
Non-Proliferation, Jan. 12, 1999]
U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR SANDY BERGER ON IRAQ. At his
speech to the Carnegie Endowment for Peace conference on
non-proliferation on Jan. 12, Sandy Berger had the following to
say with regard to Iraq:
``On Iraq, the administration will use all means, including,
if necessary, additional military force, to obtain Saddam's
compliance with Iraq's commitments regarding weapons of mass
destruction and with the relevant Security Council resolutions.
We will adhere to our position that disarmament under these
resolutions is the only path to sanctions relief. And we
continue to believe that UNSCOM is the appropriate entity to
verify and monitor Iraq's disarmament.
``It is up to Saddam to decide whether he wants sanctions
relief by giving up his weapons of mass destruction. In the
meantime, we will be ready to act again if we see Iraq rebuilding
a WMD capacity. We will also continue to offer and enhance our
humanitarian assistance to the Iraqi people, and most
importantly, work toward the day when Iraq has a government that
respects its people and lives in peace with its neighbors. It is
clear that real disarmament in Iraq will come only when there is
a new government in Baghdad.''
ECO-FIN
Jan. 12 (EIRNS)--THE STOCK MARKET IS FOR YAHOOS. Yahoo!, the
Internet site, saw its stock rise 71 points--21%--to 414.5 on
Jan. 11, raising its market capitalization to $41 billion, up $7
billion in just one day. (The {combined} market capitalization of
USX-Steel and Bethlehem Steel is just under $3.7 billion, or
roughly half of what Yahoo! grew in just one trading session.)
America Online had a more modest day, rising just 19
points--13%--but raising its market capitalization $8.5 billion
to $75.7 billion, moving it ahead of Ford, which it had trailed
by $7 billion as of Friday, Jan. 8. Amazon.com saw its market
share rise $3.9 billion, and Internet search engine Excite rose
$1.2 billion, to $4.3 billion, a 40% increase. Broadcast.com rose
a whopping $87--44%--for the day, CMGI rose over $70, and eight
other Internet stocks rose more than $20 a share yesterday.
Some selected market capitalizations, as of the Jan. 11
close, in billions:
Company Cap.
-------------- -----
America Online 75.65
Ford 73.48
Du Pont 66.99
General Motors 56.33
Yahoo! 40.91
Boeing 35.09
Amazon.com 29.22
Dow Chemical 21.51
Caterpillar 19.01
Lockheed 15.73
eBay 11.74
USX-Steel 2.40
Bethlehem Steel 1.28
Wiesbaden, 12 Jan. (EIRNS) -- THE FIGHT BY THE TONY BLAIR
GOVERNMENT TO ABOLISH THE HOUSE OF LORDS IS A LIFE OR DEATH
BATTLE FOR BLAIR,' commented the above London source. "Last
session of Parliament the Lords blocked repeated initiatives of
Blair and he has to get them out if he is to impose his agenda.
But it is a fierce fight whose outcome is by no means clear; it
cuts to the heart of the British establishment. As well Rupert
Murdoch at this point is going full steam in his press against
Blair, underscoring a definite shift against Labour."
[Source: Associated press & combined wires, 1/12/98]
THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT IS PLANNING TO SPEND ABOUT $4.6
BILLION ON FOREIGN DEBT SERVICING, according to figures released
during a session of the Duma (Parliament) on the budget, reports
{Associated Press} from Moscow. The wire report says that the
Foreign Ministry confirmed this outlook explaining that the
government "has no more than $5 billion" to service foreign
debts. Russia has foreign debt of $17.5 billion that matures
this year.
[source: Jan 12 AP wire]
Jan 12-- WORLD RAW STEEL PRODUCTION FALLS 2.5% IN 1998.
Global raw steel output fell to 778.2 million metric tons, down
2.5 percent from 798.5 million metric tons, the U.N. Economic
Commission for Europe reported today. During 1998, steel output
was increasing or steady during the first part of the year, but
declined at a growing rate toward the end of the year, indicating
the global downturn of many types of basic production, including
steel, machine tools, and farm equipment.
Within the overall downturn, the raw steel output of China,
the world's largest producer, increased. The table shows the
output of the three largest steel producers:
- Raw Steel Output -
(in millions of metric tons)
1998 1997 Change in Production
1998 compared to 1997
China 114.0 108.0 5.6%
United States 97.5 98.5 - 1.0%
Japan 104.5 93.6 - 10.4%
The raw steel output of eastern Europe fell by 6.3%. [ref]
[source: Jan 12 wires]
Jan 12-- DOLLAR RISES AGAINST THE YEN... FOR THE MOMENT. The
dollar closed at 112.50 Japanese yen in Tokyo today, after
falling as low as 108.21 yen on Monday, which had constituted a
28 month low. In support operations today, the Bank of Japan
reportedly bought between $1 and $2 billion worth of dollars.
UNITED STATES
Jan. 12 (EIRNS)--CLINTON RESPONDS TO HOUSE ARTICLES OF
IMPEACHMENT. Lawyers for President Clinton filed a 13-page answer
to the Articles of Impeachment yesterday in the U.S. Senate. The
President responded by asserting that the charges in the Articles
of Impeachment "do not permit the conviction and removal from
office of a duly elected President."
"The charges in the articles do not rise to the level of
"high Crimes and Misdemeanors" as contemplated by the Founding
Fathers, and they do not satisfy the rigorous constitutional
standard applied throughout our Nation's history," the preamble
to the answer stated. "Accordingly, the Articles of Impeachment
should be dismissed."
The White House did not file an actual motion to dismiss the
articles, which will not be done until after the first round of
presentations and questioning in the Senate trial.
[source: White House briefing, AP, Washington Post, Jan. 12]
HOUSE MANAGERS FILE LEGAL BRIEF, READS LIKE "A CHEAP
MYSTERY." The House of Representatives impeachment managers
filed a 105-page trial memorandum on Jan. 11, which the White
House described as an overblown account that "reads like a cheap
mystery."
"I think there is overblown rhetoric in there about sinister
plots," White House spokesman Joe Lockhart said.
Part of what Lockhart was referring to, was a statement in
the House brief which said that the Senate must consider the
entire pattern of the President's actions (which some interpret
as making an argument for the introduction of the now-famous
"secret evidence"). "It is essential to avoid considering each
event in isolation, and then treating it separately," the House
memo warns darkly. "Events and words that may seem innocent or
even exculpatory in a vacuum may well take on a sinister or even
a criminal connotation when observed in the context of the whole
plot."
Jan. 12--DID REHNQUIST LIE UNDER OATH? There is abundant
evidence that Chief Justice William Rehnquist lied under oath
during his Senate confirmation hearings in 1971 and again in
1986.
The current issue of {New Federalist} reprints a 1992 {NF}
article which describes the arguments Rehnquist made as a clerk
to Supreme Court Justice Robert Jackson in 1952, in which
Rehnquist contended that the Supreme Court should uphold
segregation. During his first confirmation hearing for the
Supreme Court, in 1971, Rehnquist was asked about a memorandum he
had written which argued that the segregationist "separate but
equal" doctrine should be upheld by the court. Rehnquist stated
that the memorandum represented Justice Jackson's views, not his
own. This was disputed by a number of people at the time,
including Jackson's longtime secretary and confidant Elsie
Douglas, who said that Rehnquist's story was "incredible on its
face," and that he had "smeared the reputation of a great jurist"
by attributing segregationist views to Justice Jackson.
In 1986, when Rehnquist was nominated for Chief Justice, the
issue came up again. Despite new evidence which had surfaced
concerning his 1952 memorandum--some of which was reported in the
1975 book on the school desegregation cases, {Simple Justice} by
Richard Kluger--Rehnquist stuck to his story, under questioning
by Senator Edward Kennedy and others. Under oath, Rehnquist
maintained that the "I" in the memo (it was written in the first
person), referred to Jackson, not himself.
As legal writer Jeffrey Rosen puts it in the January 11
issue of the {New Yorker}: "it all depends on what I mean by
`I.'"
In 1971 and again in 1986, Rehnquist was also confronted
with evidence that he was part of a Republican party effort to
prevent blacks and hispanics from voting in Arizona in the early
1960s. In his 1986 hearings, Rehnquist testified that he had
never directly challenged any voters at the polls. Rehnquist
claimed his role was to "arbitrate" disputes, but a former
federal prosecutor, James Brosnahan, who had collected statements
about voter intimidation for the FBI, testified otherwise.
Another eyewitness, Dr. Sidney Smith, testified that he had
seen Rehnquist confront two black men at a polling place, and
tell them; "You have no business being in this line trying to
vote. I ask you to leave."
As we reported in the Jan. 11 morning briefing, the {Arizona
Republic} of Phoenix has reported more details of the 1962 and
1964 incidents, and notes that some local citizens who were
involved in the incidents with Rehnquist "think he lied, under
oath, at both hearings."
One is Manuel Pena, a 30-year veteran of the Arizona state
legislature, who was a poll-watcher in south Phoenix during the
1962 elections, and who had confronted Rehnquist who was
illegally challenging voters inside a polling place. In fact,
Pena and Rehnquist almost came to blows. As Pena puts it: "It's
just ironic that we have somebody presiding over a Senate that
may find the President guilty of perjury, who is himself guilty
of lying under oath."
EASTERN EUROPE
[Source: Nezavisimaya Gazeta, Dec. 29]
Jan. 12--RUSSIAN TOPOL-M PUBLICITY. The Dec. 29 Nezavisimaya
Gazeta article, which reported Defense Minister Marshal
Sergeyev's remarks about the Topol-M (SS-27) ICBM (in briefing of
Jan. 10), went on to provide more technical specifications of the
missile, as well as some nuclear saber-rattling that is
reminiscent of the mid-1980s "Global Showdown" period, but with a
degree of detail never heard in the pre-glasnost Soviet Union.
Igor Korotchenko's article, promoting the qualities of Topol-M,
is set on two stages at once: the fight within the Russian
command, over resource allocation and the force structure, and, a
shift towards "doomsday" military relations globally (cf.
LaRouche, "Why Gen. Shelton Must Retire Now").
Korotchenko wrote, "The Russian military and political
leadership intends to devote priority attention to the Topol-M
program, which will be financed, regardless of the economic
situation in the country." Topol-M was developed at the Moscow
Heat Engineering Institute in versions for stationary basing in
silos, or for ground-mobile launch vehicles. Korotchenko reported
the system's launch weight, throw-weight, warhead, and so forth.
He asserted, "It should be noted, that the Topol-M is capable of
successfully overcoming not only the existing, but also
prospective ABM systems of the United States of America."
The Nezavisimaya article named five officers responsible for
the deployment of the first Topol-M ICBMs, from
Commander-in-Chief of the Strategic Rocket Corps Gen. Col.
Vladimir Yakovlev, down to commander of the 104th Rocket Regiment
Col. Yuri Petrovsky--"and several other officers, who carried out
their military and professional duty under the difficult
circumstances of the work being only 50% financed, and delays of
many months in the payment of monetary compensation." For this
reason, the 104th regiment received from Marshal Sergeyev the
first-ever award pennant, "For Courage and Military Valor."
In conclusion, Korotchenko wrote that the Topol-Ms would be
on active duty as of Dec. 30. "Although the flight computers of
all ten ICBMs are set to zero, the process of entering their
combat flight data to strike targets on the continental USA, if
the necessity arises, will take a little less than one minute."
[Source: Komsomolskaya Pravda, via RussiaToday online, Jan. 12]
Wiesbaden, Jan. 12--FOUR RUSSIAN GENERALS RESIGNED IN
PROTEST OF THE TOPOL-M PROGRAM, yesterday, today's issue of
reported. Their protest also goes aagaint
the merger of their forces with the strategic missile forces.
The four generals, the commander of the early warning
missile attack forces, Gen. Sokolov, and his three deputies,
submitted letters of resignation to Strategic Missile Troops
commander Gen. Vladimir Yakovlev. Sokolov openly voiced his
opinion that the popular Topol missile systems should not be
produced and used in combat any longer, because they are
"old-fashioned systems," and U.S. missile defense systems could
easily bring the Topols down, he said.
He added it would have been wiser to develop intelligence
systems, rather than spend large amounts of money on nuclear
missiles, which are already plentiful in Russia.
[Source: RussiaToday online, Jan. 12]
Wiesbaden, Jan. 12--RUSSIA PRESENTED THE FIRST PROTOTYPE OF
ITS STEALTH BOMBER, developed by MIG, yesterday. The aircraft,
known as "Project 1.42" among western experts, is said to have
the same capacities as the American version. The project of a
genuine Russian version of stealth bomber technology has been
debated in Russia, over the past eight years. The Primakov
government wants to go ahead with funding of the program, now.
According to {AP}, Defense Minister Sergeyev and Russian
Orthodox Metropolitan Kirill attended the ceremony. According to
{AP}, the designer of the fighter, Mikhail Korzhuyev said that if
this plane was used "to beat off the Anglo-American raids on
Iraq," that 90 percent of all launched "guided weapons, including
cruise missiles" would be shot down.
[Source: Itar-Tass, Jan. 11]
Wiesbaden, Jan. 12--PRIMAKOV SIGNED A DECREE ON SETTING UP A
NEW SPACE ROCKET COMPLEX, which will be constructed at Svobodny,
yesterday. The new complex will be of the Strela type, a complex
that already exists.
The Svobodny Cosmodrome project will be run under the
federal Russian space program, and will be funded from
extra-budget funds. From this January on, already, the
mcahine-building research and production amalgamation and the
Moskovsky Institut Teplotekhniki (Institute of Heat Engineering)
state enterprise will participate in financing the maintenance of
Svobodny Cosmodrome on the basis of agreements with the Russian
Defense Ministry.
The procedure of creating and operating the infrastructure,
and the maintenance at the new complex will be worked out in
cooperation between the defense ministry, the space agency, and a
number of (select) enterprises, along the model that is already
applied at the Start and Strela complexes.
AFRICA
Jan. 12 -- SUDAN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION REPORT. In a press
released issued by the SAudan Embassy in London January 4,
encouraging data on Sudan's agricultural production in 1998 are
given. The figures make quite clear, that the famine still
threatening vast layers of the population in the south, is due to
the continuing war of the SPLA's John Garang, and his
international masters.
The press release reads as follows:
"According to a report by the Minister of Agriculture and
Animal Resources, agricultural production of seeds and grains for
the 1998-1999 season has been estimated at 6.2 million tons, the
highest rate ever inm the history of the country, and the actucal
production area was 32.1 million feddans. The production area for
sorghum was increased by 20% compared to last season, in spite of
the fact that many cultivated areas were flooded as a result of
heavy torrential rains. The production of sorghum was 4.6 million
tons and that was much higher than last season. Production area
for millet was increased by 4% compared to last season and the
rate was over a million tons. Wheat produced was 400,000 tons
this season. Sudan has signed contracts to export 800,000 tons of
grain to European and Middle Eastern markets. Rice was
traditionally grown, production of oil seed is estimated to 1.2
million tons. Groundnut production amounted to 800,000 tons,
sesame to 274,000 tons, sunflower to 1,000 tons and cotton
106,000 tons.
"Sudan consumes 2.4 tons of grain annually.
"We therefore believe this is a solid background to keep in
mind when some reports start circulating about 'famine' in Sudan.
What these reports do not mention is that famine is actually
created by the SPLA rebels in those areas controlled by them. The
rebels do not allow the civilians, who are virtually captives, to
build their lives nor do they allow them to go anywhere else
where they could do that. The SPLA rebels keep rejecting the
Sudanese Government's offer for a comprehensive ceasefire or a
negotiation to a political settlement, as it is in their benefit
for the famine situaiton to persist, to use it as a means for
their political goals, especially when they are not affected by
it but are fed on a regular basis."
Jan. 12 -- SUDANESE GOVERNMENT DENIES CHARGES OF RELIGIOUS
PERSECUTION. In a press release issued through the Sudan Embassy
in London Jan. 6, certain facts are presented, to counter the
"smear campaign" against the country, around the case of two
Christian priests being put on trial. The two are accused of
having been involved in exploding bombs in Khartoum in June 1998.
The release explains that the martial law and court system under
which they are being tried, dates back to 1986, i.e. before the
current government came into power. It adds that civilians may be
tried in this court, if they attack military targets, according
to the law. The lawyer for the accused, chosen by them, is a
southern Sudanese, a Christian and a former Vice President under
the NImieri regime, named Abel Alier.
The court proceedings, which are open, are being attended by
European diplomats. The suspects were allowed visits and gifts by
relatives, and the Vatican Ambassador during the holidays, etc.
The release concludes, "Talking at this time about the sentence
they may get, is mere speculation."
Jan. 12 -- SUDAN HOSTS OAU MINISTERIAL MEETING ON REFUGEES,
RETURNEES AND DISPLACED PERSONS IN AFRICA. The conference of the
organization of African Unity, was held in the Sudanese capital,
Khartoum, from Dec. 13-15, 1998. The decision of the Sudanese
government to ghost the important meeting came "in light of
Sudan's vast experiences on refugees as one of the first
countries in Africa to receive and host large numbers of refugees
since the early sixtioes," according to a press release issued
before the conference. It noted, that Sudan was currently hosting
"1.1 million refugees from some of its neighbors," and "has a
long history of hospitality towards any person who sought refuge
in its territories."
The meeting in December, attended by OAU member states, the
office of the UNHCR, and international organizations, issued a
final declaration. In it, the group notes the deteriorating
situaiton of refugees, returness and displaced persons, and
recognizes the main causes "are situated within Africa itself"
and says the "eradication of these causes is primarily the
repsonsability of African countries with the support of the
international community." The declaration notes with concern the
"diminishing donor commitment to provide humanitarian assistance"
but expresses appreciation for assistance rendered by the UNHCR,
ICRC, etc.
The declaration deals also, albeit diplomatically, with the
fact that humanitarian assistance is often used by the
belligerents, or to support belligerents. For example: "Bearing
in mind also the security concerns of States facing problems of
large scale refugee influx and internally displaced persons and
the responsibility of States and non-state actors to ensure the
security of humanitarian workers as well as the need to maintain
the civilian and humanitarian character of the refugee camps and
settlements,..." express concern about the growing problem, and
urge the OAU countries to address the causes, etc.
The declaration calls on countries to accede to the relevant
conventions on refugees, and to adopt the necessary laws,
nationally, to implement them; it reaffirms the "right to return
and also the principle of volontary repatriation" and appeals to
countries to make this possible; it calls for integrating those
who cannot return home. the declaration expresses the gravest
concern over the rate of increase in the displaced persons and
refugees, and appeals to internaiotnal bodies to generously
contribute" to alleviate the problem. It urges all member-states
to guarantee the security of humanitarian personnel and "request
organizations and aid workers to abide by the national laws and
regulations of the countries where they operate."
Most importantly, they "urge Member States and all other
actors, in consultation with the OAU and UNHCR, to separate armed
elements from civilian refugee population to ensure the civilian
and humanitarian character of refugee camps and settlements."
MIDDLE EAST
Jan. 12 -- IRAQ CRISIS ESCALATING DAILY. In accordance with
British-American military plans to renew aggression against Iraq
by the end of Ramadan, incidents are occurring daily, and the war
rhetoric is heating up as well. Another clash was reported Jan.
11, when US fighter jets attacks Iraqi missile sites, allegedly
after Iraqi air defense missile systems had iluminated them. Two
F-15s dropped precision guided bombs in a missile launmch site,
and an F-16 fired a HARM missiles at another target.
A report in the Jordan Times quoted US officials in
Washington, saying that the UK and US would continue their
monitoring of the no-fly zones. NSC spokesman David Leavy said,
"The coalition (sic) will continue to enforce the no-fly zones
vigorously. These provocations are a reminder of the threat that
President Saddam [Hussein] poses to the region and the need for
vigilance in containing that threat."
Kuwait has reportedly put its army units on "maximum combat
alert," according to the same report. Kuwait is said to have
15,300 active forces and 24,000 reserves, according to the London
International Institute for Strategic Studies, and the Kuwaiti
defence Minister Sheikh Salem Sabah Al Salem Al Sabah, said that
measures would be taken to call up the reserves.
Iraqi statements Jan. 10, to the effect that it would no
longer recognize the validity of the UN resolutions, including
the one demarcating the border to Kuwait, were interpreted in
Kuwait as threats.
US Secretary of Defense Cohen again said on Jan. 11, that
the US would move militarily if Kuwait or other neighbors were
threatened by Iraq. He pointed to Iraq's possible refusal to
recognize Kuwait as a violation of the UNSC resolutions. In
response to questions regarding plans for post-Ramadan attacks,
he refused to be explicit, but said, "I wouldn't want to
speculate on what we might do in the future."
According to the Independent Jan. 12, "It is possible the US
may deploy more forces to defend Kuwait." It referes to a meeting
of Clinton with his national security team Jan. 9, during which
this was discussed.
[Source: Ha'arett, January 12, 1999]
SHIMON PERES CALLS FOR A NEGOTIATED PALESTINIAN STATE:
Speaking before the Palestinian legislature, Shimon Peres called
for the Palestinians to forge and independent state through
negotiations. "It is our deep hope that the Palestinians will
gain independence. It's in our common interest to see a
Palestinian state in place as a result of negotiations--a stete
that lives democratically and flourishes economically." Peres
received a standing ovation, although only 20 of the 88
legislators were there.
U.S. Congressman Thomas Lantos also made a plea for the
Palestinians not to unilaterally declare a state on May 4. "My
plea to my Palestinian friends is just a simple plea. Don't do
anything on May 4 because all hell will break loose and your
achievments will go down the drain."
Also present at the meeting were other board members of the
Peres Center for Peace who are in the region for a meeting of
that organization's board. This includes Mikhail Gorbachev,
Archbishop Desmond Tutu and former South African President F.W.
de Klerk.
Both Henry Kissinger and Egyptian Foreign Minister Amir
Moussa were also on hand at the Center's event held in Tel Aviv.
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