Daily Excelsior... World

Australia, China
spar over warships

SYDNEY, Apr 29: Australian Prime Minister John Howard reaffirmed today that there would be no apology to China over an incident last month in the Taiwan Straits where three warships were accused of invading Chinese territory........more

Saudi Arabia to
ban 200,000 more
internet sites

RIYADH, Apr 29: Saudi Arabia is planning to bar access to another 200,000 internet sites within the next two months, a Saudi newspaper reported.......more

Bush plays Pandit, says
100 days is good start

CRAWFORD, (TEXAS), Apr 29: President George W Bush turned Pandit, offering his own assessment of his first 100 days in office as a "good start" for his agenda of tax cuts, education reform and civility in politics.......more

‘Crouching Tiger", ‘Mood
for Love’ aim for HK awards

HONG KONG, Apr 29: Martial arts fantasy "crouching tiger" looked set to battle with a ......more

Lankan Govt asks LTTE to
engage in negotiations

COLOMBO, Apr 29: The Sri Lankan Government has called upon the LTTE to "engage honestly and ......more

Taiwan gets embroiled
in China-US punch-up

TAIPEI, Apr 29: President Chen Shui-Bian had Taiwan’s touchy ties with China all figured out. He ........more

Bush daughter warned
for under-age
alcohol consumption

AUSTIN, (TEXAS), Apr 29: Austin Police have warned Jenna Bush, the daughter of US President....more

Australia, China spar over warships

The warships, returning to Hong Kong from a visit to Pusan in South Korea, were alleged to have breached China’s 12-nautical-mile territorial zone.

Canberra insists that the ships were merely exercising their right of innocent passage and rejected Beijing’s demand for an apology.

"I don’t think we should attach any new significance to what China has done," Howard said.

"There has been a long-standing difference between China’s interpretation of what international law allows in these circumstances and what other countries interpret international law to allow," he added.

The incident came to light only when Australian diplomats in Beijing were hauled in and ordered to apologise for it.

China’s official protest to the Australian Embassy in Beijing came at the same time that its Embassy in Canberra was protesting over Howard’s comments about the defence relations between China and the United States.

Howard supported Bush, who broke with a longstanding tradition and stated categorically that America would defend Taiwan if China invaded what it considers a renegade province. (DPA)

Saudi Arabia to ban 200,000 more internet sites

RIYADH, Apr 29: Saudi Arabia is planning to bar access to another 200,000 internet sites within the next two months, a Saudi newspaper reported.

The Iqtisadiyah daily quoted IT sources yesterday as saying that the forthcoming ban would double the number of sites users cannot access.

The move is part of the conservative muslim kingdom’s drive to censor media that the Government deems immoral or UN-Islamic.

"This censorship is necessary to prevent users from seeing illegal sites," the newspaper said, without giving details.

Oil-rich Saudi Arabia, which introduced access to the internet in 1999, also bans the consumption of alcohol and forbids women from driving. The State telecommunications authority is the nation’s only internet provider. (REUTERS)

Bush plays Pandit, says 100 days is good start

Despite criticism from democrats, the Republican President gave himself good marks for his first 100 days yesterday, a benchmark for presidents since Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s flurry of early legislation to pull the United States out of the depression.

In his weekly radio address, Bush hailed movement in the US Congress toward his proposed 1.6 trillion dollars tax cut and on his plan to require mandatory student testing and to give states more leeway in spending federal education funds.

He also sought to fend off criticism of his environmental record, where he has taken a beating from voters for canceling plans to cut the level of arsenic in drinking water by 80 percent and from foreign allies for abandoning the Kyoto Treaty to reduce Greenhouse gasses believed by some to cause global warming.

"In nearly 100 days, we have made a good start," Bush said in the address, taped during a three-day break at his sprawling central Texas ranch near Waco. "What we are marking is not 100 days of my presidency it is 100 days of Congress and the President working together for the American people."

Leading democrats, however, have offered their own scathing view of Bush’s early months at the White House, saying he has rolled back crucial measures to protect the environment and made a mockery of his campaign promise to be a "uniter."

"In these 100 days there’s been no collaboration, there’s been no negotiation, there’s been no consensus-building," house minority leader Dick Gephardt, a Missouri Democrat, said on Thursday. "It is my way or the highway every day."

Bush will mark his 100th day in office with a White House lunch on Monday to which the entire US house and senate have been invited in a gesture of bipartisanship.

At the top of Bush’s list of achievements was his claim to have restored some measure of civility in Washington after the rancorous recent years of partisan combat between former President Bill Clinton, a Democrat, and Republicans.

"There’s less name-calling and finger-pointing. We’re sharing credit. We are learning we can make our points without making enemies," he said.

Bush said congressional consideration of his 1.6 trillion, 10-year tax cut proposal was a major success, proving wrong critics who said during the presidential campaign there was no way tax relief on that scale could pass.

The Republican-led house of representatives gave Bush the 1.6 trillion dollars tax cut he wanted but the Senate, split evenly between the parties, approved 1.2 trillion with another 85 billion dollars in an immediate tax break. A house-senate committee is negotiating a compromise likely to be at least 1.3 trillion dollars.

Bush devoted part of the address to the environment, where he has been scrambling to combat a perception that he cares more about promoting industry than protecting the environment.

"We are acting in a common sense way to defend our environment," he said. "We are adopting new, scientifically sensible rules to discourage emissions of lead, to protect wetlands, to reduce the amount of arsenic in drinking water, to curb dangerous pesticides and to clean the air of pollution."

Bush’s early tenure has been marred by an 11-day standoff with China over the return of the crew of a US spy plane that collided with a chinese fighter over the South China sea. Bush said the US-Chinese relationship was "maturing."

"There will be areas where we can agree, like trade and areas where we won’t agree — Taiwan, human rights, religious liberty," he said. "Where we disagree, I will speak frankly." (REUTERS)

‘Crouching Tiger", ‘Mood for Love’ aim for HK awards

HONG KONG, Apr 29: Martial arts fantasy "crouching tiger" looked set to battle with a spartan study of anguished forbidden love for top prizes at the Hong Kong film awards today.

No clear favourite appeared to have emerged in the local film circle with local newspapers and film critics continuing to tip the Kung-Fu romance with dazzling special effects and "in the mood for love" as the front runners of the awards.

"I would think the awards would be split between the two films and Ang Lee would win best director," film critic Ping-Ting Lam told Reuters.

Both films nabbed double-digit nominations including nods for best picture, best director, best actor and actress.

Taiwan-born film maker Ang Lee, who lost out on the best director Oscar, is in Hong Kong to attend Sunday’s ceremony, which will be broadcast live on local television and radio.

Lee’s main rival is Hong Kong Director Wong Kar-Wai.

Wong’s elegantly composed 1960s romance of two married neighbours desperately trying not to fall in love with each other has been nominated for 12 awards altogether.

"Wong Kar-Wai is considered one cut above the rest by the local film circle so I think his film stands a good chance of winning some awards," said Lam.

"But then, "Crouching tiger" has the advantage of just having picked up two major awards at the Oscars in March."

The Kung-Fu epic, which wowed audience overseas with its captivating fighting scenes shot in dozens of location across China, has not had the same magic touch at home.

It did not even make the top five at last year’s box office in Hong Kong, where the audience has been accustomed to martial arts flicks. It has, nonetheless, received nominations in all 16 categories at the Hong Kong awards except best new performer.

"In the mood for love", which was shot mainly in the corridors and stairways of a dilapidated apartment block in Hong Kong, has equally been criticised by mainstream audience in the territory for lacking dynamism and being too slow-moving.

Yet, local film makers have had both films to thank for helping to revitalise Hong Kong’s flagging movie industry, which at its peak in the early 1990s, made around 300 films a year.

The trade, once the most thriving in the region, began to slide downhill soon after the territory’s handover from Britain to China in 1997. Rampant video piracy and gangsters muscling into production also led to an exodus of talent.

While the two internationally acclaimed productions might have stolen much of the limelight at this year’s awards, film critics said some of the local contenders should not be entirely ignored.

"One Mustn’t forgot the fact that "Needing you" was the top grossing film in Hong Kong last year. It was a very popular movie," Li Cheuk-To of the Hong Kong Film Critics Society told Reuters, referring to the fluffy romantic comedy starring hearthrob Andy Lau and the queen of Cantopop Sammi Cheng.

The film has received nods for best picture as well as in other top categories.

While Tony Leung as a cuckolded husband in "In the mood for love" has emerged as the critics’ choice to take home best actor, Li said Leung was by no means a sure win.

"He may appear to be the strongest contender but this might in fact be a disadvantage," he said.

"Critics might be reluctant to choose him because they feel he already won at cannes and that’s enough."

"With Chow Yun-Fat (in "crouching tiger"), people feel he doesn’t need another Hong Kong award because he’s already a hollywood star," said Li about Chow who won the award three times in the 1980s before embarking on a career in tinseltown.

He said Francis NG in "Juliet in love" could emerge as the dark horse in the best actor category.

Another dark horse is "Durian, Durian" directed by local arthouse movie maker Fruit Chan, which has been nominated for best picture, best director and best actress as well as a handful of smaller awards.

The drama examined the relationship between Hong Kong and its communist overlord through the life of a girl from mainland China who became a prostitute after moving to Hong Kong.

"I think it was one of the few films (last year) that had something to say," said Chinese movie expert Paul Fonoroff. (REUTERS)

Lankan Govt asks LTTE to engage in negotiations

COLOMBO, Apr 29: The Sri Lankan Government has called upon the LTTE to "engage honestly and swiftly" in negotiations and hold talks on substantive political issues hours after the Army withdrew its offensive against the tigers, which left 180 soldiers killed.

Asking the tigers to participate in negotiations, the Government in in an elaborate statement last night, told the rebels not to squander a valuable opportunity for peace. However, it justified its refusal to announce a ceasefire.

By stressing on ‘honesty’ and ‘swiftness’, the Government was apparently asking the LTTE not to impede the process by raising some ‘concerns’. These concerns, not mounting to ‘preconditions’, include a Government ceasefire and lifting of the ban on the outfit in Sri Lanka - measures the Government cannot countenance at the present stage.

In its statement, the Government also made a series of accusations against the LTTE, including alleged misuse of its unilateral ceasefire for rebuilding its forces. It also held the rebels responsible for holding up finalisation of the preliminary accord.

"The latest action of the LTTE fully justifies the Government’s decision not to reciprocate its unilateral ceasefire. The LTTE has once gain proved that it cannot be trusted on the issue of a genuine ceasefire," it said.

Meanwhile, the ‘Sunday Leader’ said Norwegian Special Envoy Erik Solheim would arrive tomorrow to continue efforts to forge a preliminary understanding to pave the way for future political dialogue.

His focus is expected to be on humanitarian measures like despatch of essentials in adequate quantities to the war-ravaged north, but how the measures will be monitored by a proposed international panel of observers in the absence of a ceasefire remains to be seen.

Referring to the LTTE’s bitter comment in its April 23 statement announcing the end of its ceasefire that the international community, especially UK, US and India, had failed to persuade Lanka to persuade positively its truce, the Government said these countries knew the LTTE’s ‘track record’ of announcing ceasefires and not adhering to them.

The Government said it remained committed to the core issues that ought to be the agenda for direct talks: Stoppage of war and terrorist killings, the resolution of the Tamils’ problems through a negotiated political settlement and speedy resolution of the problems of those displaced by war.

For the last several weeks, it said, the Government was ready to finalise its agreement on humanitarian measures and implement it with the assistance of monitors, and to begin talks at the earliest possible agreed date.

‘It hopes even now that the LTTE would commit itself to helping the Tamil people to achieve their real aspirations,’ it said. (PTI)

Taiwan gets embroiled in China-US punch-up

TAIPEI, Apr 29: President Chen Shui-Bian had Taiwan’s touchy ties with China all figured out. He would keep his head low to avoid provoking the island’s communist neighbour, but drag his feet on Chinese reunification overtures.

But little did Chen expect his tiny democratic island to get embroiled in a punch-up between its giant rival China and its protector the United States.

Eleven months into his mandate, Chen, whose election victory last year alarmed Beijing, has not stepped out of line and bilateral ties have not worsened. He counts this as his proudest achievement.

On the heels of a spy plane standoff between Beijing and Washington, President George W Bush pledged last week to help Taiwan defend itself against China and offered the biggest arms package for the island in a decade, riling the Chinese.

"Beijing’s leadership is walking a political tightrope, but if it it falls it will hit us," said Hsu Szu-Chien, a China Policy Adviser to President Chen’s Democratic Progressive Party.

Chinese leaders cannot afford to be seen as weak on the United States or Taiwan amid a succession struggle and would come under growing pressure to accommodate the 2.5 million-strong People’s Liberation Army, which is hawkish toward the island Beijing considers a breakaway province.

Leaders of the world’s most populous nation face a plethora of other problems, including stubborn defiance by adherents of the banned spiritual sect Falun Gong, disgruntled peasants, rising crime and unemployment, widespread corruption and a lumbering state sector.

A commentary in the mass circulation united daily news likened the US offer to arm Taiwan and help defend the island to uncle sam plucking the whiskers of the Chinese tiger.

"But will this push taiwan toward the tiger’s mouth?" the newspaper asked.

Precarious China-US relations appear headed into further trouble with reports President Chen may meet Congressmen during stopovers in the United States next month.

Beijing menaced Taiwan with war games from 1995 to 1996 after then President Lee Teng-Hui’s landmark US visit to try to break the island out of diplomatic isolation.

Many China-watchers are betting Beijing would not misbehave badly lest rowdiness dash its hopes of hosting the 2008 Olympics. But Beijing’s olympic dream could turn into a nightmare if the Chinese are humiliated in their second bid to host the games.

"If Beijing loses its bid to host the Olympics, the Chinese would lose a lot of face. And they could vent their furore and frustration at taiwan," Hsu said.

Nationalism looms large over Chinese leaders and Taiwan.

Political analysts said China and the United States appear to be on a collision course, threatening to drag out a 22-month political stalemate between Taipei and Beijing.

Taiwan’s top negotiator with China renewed last week a call for his Chinese counterpart to resume stalled talks, saying time was running out for the two octogenarian envoys.

But Beijing rebuffed the call on grounds that President Chen still refuses to kowtow to its cherished "one China" principle which commit the island to reunification.

Analysts said Beijing would stick to its strategy of wooing the island’s opposition and business leaders and ignoring Chen.

"Communist China has no illusions about Chen Shui-Bian," said, K S Chiu, a China-watcher at National Chengchi University’s Graduate Institute of East Asian Studies.

Bush’s apparent hardening of the US position on defending Taiwan delighted the vulnerable island, but the joy was tempered by fears of betrayal from its US protector.

"Bush is a lot more friendlier toward Taiwan than the previous administration," Lai Ching-Lin, a lawmaker in president Chen’s party, said.

"But Taiwan has always been worried the Americans would sacrifice it as a pawn in their dealings with communist China."

Washington left Taipei out in the diplomatic cold in 1979 when it switched recognition to Beijing.

It was not until months later that the US Congress passed the Taiwan Relations Act, which which obliges the United States to provide the island with weapons to defend itself but is ambiguous on whether US forces would be used in its defences.

"Bush’s pledge to help Taiwan defend itself could foster pro-independence sentiment on the island," said Yang Kai-Huang, a Professor of Political Science at the Private Soochow University.

Beijing has threatened to attack Taiwan if it declares independence or drags its feet on unification talks.

"If Bush’s remarks leads to conflict between Taiwan and Communist China, he will be ‘very sorry’ for what he said," Yang said, referring to the US expression of regret that won the release of the detained crew of the downed American spy plane. (REUTERS)

Bush daughter warned for under-age alcohol
consumption

AUSTIN, (TEXAS), Apr 29: Austin Police have warned Jenna Bush, the daughter of US President George W Bush, for under-age alcohol consumption, the fort worth star-telegram reported yesterday.

Officers caught the 19-year-old in a bar in the Texas state capital.

It is illegal in Texas for people under 21 years of age to buy or consume alcohol.

A police spokesman said it was standard practice in such cases to warn under-age drinkers rather than detaining them, and that the usual punishment was to pay a fine or perform community service. (DPA)