ASIA & THE PACIFIC :

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International Herald Tribune/AP, 10 Jul 08
US welcomes India-IAEA nuclear oversight agreement; critics warn that India put in loopholes
'The draft notes that India "may take corrective measures to ensure uninterrupted operation of its civilian nuclear reactors in the event of disruption of foreign fuel supplies." The phrasing appears to open the door for India to end IAEA oversight of some facilities, potentially using the plants to manufacture not fuel but fissile weapons material.'

New York Times, 09 Jul 08, by Somini Sengupta
India's Nuclear Pact With U.S. Near Completion
'A day after India’s prime minister left for the Group of 8 summit meeting in Japan with his government intact and enough political strength to seal a landmark nuclear deal with the United States, his Communist backers announced Tuesday that they would withdraw their support of his government, ending months of political strain and allowing the government to advance its negotiations with the International Atomic Energy Agency.'

Xinhua, 10 Jul 08
China concerned over Iranian missile tests
'China was concerned over Iran's missile tests and hoped relevant parties would take measures "conducive" to the situation in the Middle East, the Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.'

Asia Times, 10 Jul 08, by Ian Storey
Thai massage for China's military muscle
'Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej's four-day visit to China last week was another indication of the cozy Sino-Thai military-security relationship. But Bangkok is still trying to balance the interests and influence of two superpowers; keeping its military alliance with the US well lubricated while at the same time expanding defense ties with China.'

Reuters, 08 Jul 08
New round and old questions for N. Korea nuclear talks
'Five regional powers will hold talks with North Korea from Thursday on ending its atomic weapons plans and verifying an account the secretive state gave in June of its nuclear programmes, officials said on Tuesday.'

International Herald Tribune, 01 Jul 08, by Jim Yardley
Tibet talks resume, but with few hopes for breakthrough
'Chinese officials and senior envoys of the Dalai Lama opened their latest round of negotiations over Tibet on Tuesday amid international pressure for a breakthrough less than six weeks before Beijing is host to the Olympic Games.'

New York Times, 01 Jul 08, by Somini Sengupta
India Leader Struggles to Complete Nuclear Deal
'The Indian government is desperately trying to salvage a landmark nuclear deal with the United States that has emerged not only as a personal test for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, but also as a symbol of the difficulties of enacting policy in India’s system of coalition politics.'

International Herald Tribune, 01 Jul 08, by Jake Hooker
Unearthed in quake: Flaws in Chinese military capability
'... China's broadest deployment of its armed forces since it fought a border war with Vietnam in 1979 ... offered analysts the best chance since the nation's rising economy starting pumping tens of billions of dollars into the military to assess the Chinese military's performance in a crisis. The army got good marks for public relations domestically, but left some veteran PLA-watchers underwhelmed.'

Christian Science Monitor, 02 Jul 08, by Simon Montlake
Trouble brews in two Asian democracies
'Newly elected leaders in Thailand and Malaysia face mounting domestic discontent.'

Bloomberg, 26 Jun 08, by William Sim and Janine Zacharia
North Korea Submits Nuclear List Required by Accord
'The Bush administration will now move to remove Kim Jong Il's regime from its list of state sponsors of terrorism, and will lift measures taken against North Korea under the Trading with the Enemy Act, which restricts U.S. trade and financial transactions, officials said.'

International Herald Tribune, 26 Jun 08, by Heather Timmons
Impasse in India on nuclear pact with the U.S.
'India's governing party and its communist allies failed again to agree on the terms of a nuclear agreement with the United States on Wednesday, dimming prospects for the deal.'

The Hindu, 23 Jun 08, by P.S. Suryanarayana
Australia willing to 'consider' India's civil nuclear agreement with the U.S.
'India and Australia on Monday reaffirmed their "strong support" for non-proliferation, while Canberra expressed its willingness to "consider," if and when needed, New Delhi's civil nuclear energy accord with the United States.'

New York Times, 13 Jun 08, by Ed Wong and Alan Cowell
Taiwan and China Hold Formal Talks
'For the first time in nine years, representatives of China and Taiwan met formally Thursday in what Chinese officials depicted as a "glorious mission" to overcome hostilities dating to the break between them in 1949.'

Asia Times, 09 Jun 08, by Sudha Ramachandran
Fighting dirty in Sri Lanka
'The spike in violence in Sri Lanka indicates increasing desperation for both the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and the government forces trying to eradicate them. Colombo, unable to steer the outcome of events on the battlefield in its favor, is opting for the next best thing: silencing the messenger.'

Christian Science Monitor, 04 Jun 08, by Simon Montlake
Thailand faces revived protests
'Weeklong antigovernment rallies have raised concerns of a second coup in two years.'

New York Times, 04 Jun 08, by Jeff Z. Klein
The Starting Line: The Tiananmen Square Protests, 19 Years Later
'Today is the 19th anniversary of the crackdown on the Tiananmen Square pro-democracy protests.'

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