News & Reports 2012-04-15

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In This EditionThe UN Security Council authorizes the deployment of up to 30 unarmed observers to Syria to monitor the country's fragile ceasefire.

The renewed negotiations on Iran's nuclear program is deemed a constructive development, and diplomats agree to meet again next month.

China and Russia call for resumed six-party talks to deal with challenges on the Korean peninsula following Pyongyang's failed satellite launch.

And Japan declares two of its reactors are safe to restart, the first since the Fukushima disaster.

Hot Issue ReportsUN to Send Observers to SyriaU.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and international mediator Kofi Annan have welcomed the Security Council's decision to authorize the deployment of up to 30 unarmed observers to Syria to monitor the country's fragile ceasefire.

It was the first resolution the 15-nation council approved since the anti-government uprising in Syria began 13 months ago.

Annan said he is committed to working to deploy the monitoring team as quickly as possible.

"We are both very relieved and happy that the council has passed a unanimous resolution authorizing the deployment of the observers. And we will try to get them in there as quickly as possible. "Ban echoed Annan's comments, and added that political negotiation should continue in an inclusive way.

"First, cessation of violence should continue. The political dialogue should continue with humanitarian assistance. And access should be provided at this time."Meanwhile, Chinese UN Ambassador Li Baodong warned against any attempt to create difficulties or make trouble for the mediation efforts.

He said with the consent of the Syrian government, the emergent deployment of the advance team to swiftly kick off the task of supervision and cessation of violence will "help consolidate the progress made by Special Envoy Annan's mediation efforts, fully implement Mr. Annan's six-point proposal, and launch the political process at an early date."Annan's plan, widely backed by the international community, calls for the withdrawal of heavy weapons and troops from population centers, a daily halt in fighting for the delivery of humanitarian aid and treatment for the wounded, as well as talks between the government and opposition.

Ashton: Talks on Iran's Nuke Program "Constructive"Western diplomats have called the renewed negotiations on Iran's nuclear program a constructive development, and agreed to meet again next month.

Iran and six major world powers have just held discussions in Istanbul for the first time in over a year.

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton headed the negotiations for the six powers, which include the five permanent members of the UN Security Council -- Britain, China, France, Russia, and the United States -- plus Germany.

She appears to be optimistic about the discussions after a day of talks in Istanbul.

"The discussions on the Iranian nuclear issue have been constructive and useful, reflecting the terms and the spirit of our recent exchange of letters with Iran. We expect that subsequent meetings will lead to concrete steps towards a comprehensive, negotiated solution which restores international confidence in the exclusively peaceful nature of the Iranian nuclear program. This is why we will meet again soon, on the 23rd of May in Baghdad, preceded by a preparatory meeting of deputies."Iran has been hit by new waves of Western economic sanctions this year. The restarted diplomatic moves may remove some heat from the tension in the Middle East.

Ashton adds that world powers want Iran to meet its international obligations and should reciprocate in negotiations.

"I think we have been clear in the statement of the following things. First of all, that the non-proliferation treaty is a key basis upon which we will work. Secondly, that we are looking for Iran to fulfill all its international obligations. Thirdly, that we see a step by step process and that we've agreed that reciprocity will be a part of that."Tehran is a signatory to the treaty which prevents the spread of nuclear weapons.

The West accuses Iran of trying to develop a nuclear weapons capability. Israel, in particular, sees Iran's atomic plans as a threat to its existence and has threatened military action.

But Tehran says its nuclear program is for peaceful means only and has threatened to retaliate for any attack by closing a major oil shipping route.

China and Russia Urge Restraint after N.Korea's Failed Satellite LaunchChinese and Russian foreign ministers have urged all concerned parties to show maximum restraint over the failed satellite launch by North Korea.

Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said China hopes all relevant parties could keep in contact over the situation and make efforts to maintain peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.

Yang made the comments after meeting his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Moscow.

"It is our wish that the concerned parties continue to hold talks or resume talks, promote mutual understanding, bear in mind the overall situation and work together to push forward in the spirit of the six-party talks."For his part, Lavrov calls for "political and diplomatic means" to address challenges posed by North Korea.

"We have discussed the problem of the Korean Peninsula and the abortive rocket launch. We are confident that it is necessary to react to the existing challenges only by political and diplomatic means. I urge all parties concerned to show maximum responsibility and self-control and to continue efforts to have six-party talks resumed. There is no alternative to this format to settle the situation on the Korean Peninsula."Lavrov said that a new sanction against North Korea is not a good solution to defuse the tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

He added that Russia would work with its partners in the six-party talks to continue facilitating the normalization of the situation in the region.

North Korea launched the Kwangmyongsong-3 satellite on Friday morning, but Pyongyang said the earth observation satellite failed to enter its preset orbit.

The failed launch has drawn wide-range condemnation from Western countries as well as the UN.

Pyongyang is banned from conducting launches based on ballistic technologies according to the UN resolution adopted in 2009.

South Sudan Group Asks UN to Deploy Peacekeepers along Border with SudanThe South Sudan People's Liberation Movement has called on the United Nations to deploy a peacekeeping force in the contested border area between Sudan and South Sudan.

The group's secretary-general Pagan Amum claims that the government of Sudan is attacking civilians indiscriminately.

"Why are they attacking us? And they are not capable to fight, and they are attacking our civilian population from the air, from a very high altitude, in a very indiscriminate bombing which has no precision. Deploy a UN force in these contested areas and the UN should also establish a monitoring mechanism to monitor the implementation of the cessation of hostilities agreement."Fighting along the north-south border between Sudan and South Sudan has been near constant over the past two weeks.

Heglig has been the focal point. Both sides claim the area, but Sudan operates Heglig's oil facilities, which account for nearly half of the country's daily production.

Sudan has said its forces are advancing towards Heglig, which was occupied earlier this week by South Sudanese forces.

South Sudan has offered to leave the town, if a "clear mechanism and guarantee" are provided so that Sudan cannot use the area to attack the south.

The UN Security Council has demanded the withdrawal of South Sudan's military forces from Heglig and an end to bombing from Sudan.

The UN has also urged the two countries' leaders to hold a summit to resolve their conflicts.

Despite Violence, Summit of the Americas UnderwayThe ongoing two-day Summit of the Americas have brought together leaders of more than 30 countries in the Caribbean city of Cartagenaa, Colombia.

The Argentine Foreign Minister Hector Timerman lashed out at Great Britain and the United Nations over the ongoing dispute in the Malvinas Islands.

He tried to make the dispute not just an Argentine diplomatic battle but also a regional issue that affects the entire continent.

"Because colonial aggression against one country is an aggression against all of us and as long as Argentina is not an entirely sovereign country, no country in Latin America will be sovereign."Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez suspended his planned trip to the summit, saying it shuns fundamental issues and is meaningless.

He encouraged Latin American member states to confront U.S. President Barack Obama over American intervention around the world.

Meanwhile, two small bombs exploded in a suburb of Cartagena near a bus terminal, three hours after Obama arrived in the city to attend the summit.

In the country's capital Bogota, two other small bombs exploded near the U.S. Embassy. No injuries are reported.

Japan to Start Two Nuclear ReactorsJapan has declared that two reactors are safe to restart, the first since the Fukushima disaster, and the country's trade minister is looking for local approval.

To avoid a summer power crunch in western Japan, the government is keen to restart two reactors at Kansai Electric's Ohi nuclear power plant in Fukui prefecture, some 360 km southwest of Tokyo.

Trade Minister Yukio Edano met with local officials, including Fukui governor Issei Nishikawa, to show that the government understood their concerns.

"We will make sure to deal with this issue while remembering the struggles and pains that everyone here has gone through in order to provide a steady flow of electricity over the years.

Nishikawa, however, whose prefecture hosts 13 nuclear reactors, suggested that local people might not support the restarts.

"As an area with reactors, it is hard to say that our efforts or contributions have been understood by areas that use the electricity produced. Under these circumstances, it is difficult to get understanding from the people of the prefecture about restart."Local government agreement is not required by law, but Tokyo has made clear its reluctance to override cagey public opinion.

The earthquake and tsunami in March last year devastated the Fukushima nuclear power plant in northeast Japan, triggering radiation leaks that forced tens of thousands to flee and leaving the public with concerns about the safety of nuclear power.

Kansai Electric's service region includes Japan's second biggest metropolitan area of Osaka as well as factories for some electronics makers. It is particularly vulnerable to a power crunch because nuclear power met more than 40 percent of all power needs prior to the Fukushima crisis.

Portugal Parliament Approves European Fiscal TreatyPortugal's Parliament has ratified a European treaty designed to prevent government overspending and to help end the Euro-zone debt crisis.

European leaders hope the treaty, known as the fiscal compact, will improve market confidence in Europe's finances.　Portuguese lawmakers approved the treaty by 204 votes to 24 with two abstentions, reflecting the broad political consensus in Portugal.

Socialist Party leader Jose Antonio Seguro was vocal about his party's support for the move.

"It's good for Portugal that this treaty has been approved with such an overwhelming majority - and to which the Socialist Party contributed. The Socialist Party contributed to the European consensus. It's important that our European partners know that. In Portugal, it's not only the governing parties but also the Socialist Party that say it wants Portugal in the Euro-zone and wants Portugal to participate in building the European Union."Portugal has one of the frailest economies of the 17 countries using the Euro currency and last year needed a 78 billion Euro bailout to avert bankruptcy.　Lisbon has been under particular pressure to adopt the treaty, as ratification is a precondition to further aid from the other Euro countries.

Bailed-out Ireland will hold a referendum on the treaty on 31 May.

Shenzhen Customs Officers Uncover Major iPhone Smuggling RingCustoms officers and police in South China's Shenzhen recently uncovered a major Apple iPhone smuggling ring, detaining more than 100 smugglers and distributors.

The authorities also seized over 4,800 smuggled iPhones and iPads, in addition to two million yuan in cash.

After the investigation, anti-smuggling officers found that most of the illegal iPhones were sent to Lanyou Technology, a large online retailer of Apple products.

Wang Qianjun, a Shenzhen Customs officer, elaborates.

"Before China actually started importing the iPhone 4S (early this year), Lanyou Technology had already sold a large number of them, several thousands per month. So we suspected them of smuggling. After receiving an online booking, the Lanyou Technology would place an order directly with smugglers, who would then smuggle iPhones and iPads from Hong Kong into the mainland and deliver them to the company."It has been reported that a single iPhone 4S sells about 800 yuan cheaper in Hong Kong than on the Chinese mainland.

Many smugglers were caught hiding iPhones under their clothing by Shenzhen Customs officers.

Chinese Community to Have More Say in 2012 London Mayoral ElectionsAs London is gearing up for its Mayoral Elections next month, and Chinese communities are making efforts to fully participate in the voting.

Liberal Democrat's Merlene Emerson is London's only listed candidate in the upcoming elections, a candidate of Chinese descent.

She was born in Singapore and came to the UK when she was 18 years old.

She strongly believes that the Chinese communities have a strong voice in mainstream UK politics.

"...I like to see more people of diverse backgrounds in politics because I think we add a lot, in terms of a different sensibility, a more international outlook, and also in bridging that gap between the have's and have nots. And I think a fairer society is a better society."According to reports, Chinese communities represent the fastest-growing ethnic group in the city, but electoral commission figures suggest that around 30 percent of registered Chinese voters never actually vote.

Alex Yip, vice-chair of British-Chinese Project said that there is an increasing number of politically-active British-born Chinese nationals, as they want a say in how the country is run.

"We are all very much part of the UK population, so I don't really want to see Chinese people as a segregated or any different from people in the UK because we all live in the same country, and we are all British citizens."As London gears up for the Olympics and the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebration, this year's mayoral election is very much in the global spotlight.

When Will China Get Its First F1 Driver?

As the Formula One Grand Prix reaches its 9th year in China, fans are reminded that Chinese drivers have been struggling for a spot in the F1 starting grid for years, but none of them have succeeded in making it to the circuit. How far away is China from its first F1 driver? Will Ma Qinghua be the first? CRI's Sun Yang has the story.

Just one week prior to the Chinese Grand Prix, Formula One team HRT signed Chinese driver Ma Qinghua to their "young driver development program". The deal has brightened the hope of a Chinese breakthrough in the F1 world.

24-year-old Ma began racing when he was eight. The Shanghai native emerged in international motorsports in 2004 by winning the Asian Formula Renault Series. He continued to race and achieved success in Formula 3 and the Touring Car Championship.

The outstanding performance of the Chinese prodigy has aroused the interest of the HRT F1 team. Antoni Cuquerella is the engineer for HRT:

"He will drive in the young driver's test so we have hopes of him, and of course, he's a part of our young development program. We don't know how much we can expect from him, but, of course, there are big hopes."For Ma Qinghua, to become an F1 driver is a goal that has long been on his mind, but he confessed that it is still a long way to reach it.

"My main objective now is to study hard and learn a lot. I must extract as much information as possible, because F1 is a sport with more high-tech ingredients than formula races. The more you've paid, the more success you will achieve."Ma Qinghua is one of many Chinese drivers struggling for a spot in the F1 starting grid.

As early as 2003, China's Cheng Congfu was involved in the McLaren's driver development program. In 2010, Dutch-Chinese Tung Ho-Pin was named as official reserve of the then Renault F1 team. However, both of them failed to make it to the F1 circuit.

As the new hope for China, Ma is realistic about his career path:

"It is better to work hard and learn more than worry unnecessarily. There are a lot of outstanding drivers all over the world, but only 24 of them can join the final competition. You not only need strong capabilities, but also a good fortune."For CRI, I'm Sun Yang in Shanghai.

China Daily: Don't Play with Fire in the South China SeaEarlier this week, Chinese fishermen at a lagoon in China's Huangyan Island were harassed by a Philippine naval gunboat.

In another development, Vietnamese and Russian companies have reportedly inked deals on gas exploration in the South China Sea. Hanoi is ostensibly trying to involve a power like Russia in its territorial disputes with Beijing.

An editorial in the China Daily says the latest moves by China's two neighbors are blatant challenges to its territorial integrity.

The newspaper notes that countries like the Philippines and Vietnam have seized considerable economic benefits from the South China Sea in covert and overt ways in recent years. Since the late 1970s, when the waters were discovered to have rich deposits of oil and natural gas, they have been competing with one another to seize Chinese isles and reefs in order to illegally tap the resources.

The editorial warns Manila and Hanoi to stop chasing interests that they are not entitled to, saying that such behavior could be risky.

The article states that China attaches great importance to maintaining friendly ties with countries in the region, including the Philippines and Vietnam and that Beijing has always exercised the utmost restraint as it desires a stable and peaceful environment.

But the China Daily editorial stresses that Beijing's restraint should not be misconstrued as China does not lack the means and resources to act more boldly in defense of its territorial integrity.

***************************Xinhua News Agency- Iran Nuclear Talks Offer Precious Chance to Rebuild TrustIran and six world powers, namely the United States, France, Russia, China, Britain and Germany, Saturday began crucial talks in Istanbul, Turkey, over Tehran's nuclear program after more than a year of dispute.

A commentary from Xinhua News Agency believes the talks offer a precious chance to rebuild trust among parties concerned and to put in motion a sustained dialogue toward resolving Iran's nuclear issue.

The article suggests that it is important for all parties concerned to refrain from provocative actions. Iran needs to make more efforts to convince the international community that its nuclear program is for civilian use only. The commentary also suggests that Western countries should realize that unilateral sanctions could not, and can not, force Iran to give in but will only serve to inflame animosities and trigger tit-for-tat actions.

In reality, Iran has recently suspended oil exports to a handful of European countries, an apparent pre-emptive counterstrike against an upcoming oil embargo by the EU. Iran has also repeatedly threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz, the route for about a fifth of the world's oil.

The article warns that the world would pay a higher price amid increased instability and volatility in the global oil market.

The article says negotiators at the talks should bear in mind all of these factors and show flexibility and sincerity in addressing each other's concerns. Only in this way can we expect positive results leading up to a final solution to Iran's nuclear issue, according to the commentary.