China unable to condemn missile strike on Embassy

UNITED NATIONS May 11: China failed in its second attempt to have the security council condemn NATO’s missile strike on its Belgrade Embassy because NATO members refused to have the alliance’s "mistake" classified as a violation of international law.

Council members do, however, appear willing to discuss a more formal response to the strike than the press statement issued early Saturday in the aftermath of the strike, which killed three journalists and wounded 20 people.

The content of a so-called presidential statement is widely disputed, however, and the council met for only about an hour yesterday before determining that the NATO and China camps were too far apart to even begin serious work among all 15 members on a consensus text. Bilateral talks were planned.

At the start of meeting the second called by China over the Embassy bombing Ambassador Qin Huasun made clear that Beijing’s opposition to the NATO campaign against Yugoslavia went beyond the Embassy strike.

He warned that China wouldn’t even consider discussing a Kosovo peace plan unless NATO stops bombing.

Anything short of that "it is impossible for the United Nations Security Council to discuss any plan to solve the problem," Qin said.

The seven major industrialised nations and Russia agreed last week to draft a Security Council resolution calling for the withdrawal of Yugoslav forces from Kosovo and the deployment of an international security presence to ensure the safe return of refugees.

It makes no mention of a bombing halt, and NATO has said it will continue airstrikes until these conditions are met and a military force is deployed with NATO at its core.

As a permament member of the council, China’s support for a resolution codifying any peace plan is necessary.

On the Embassy front, China circulated a draft presidential statement strongly condemning the NATO bombing as a violation of international law.

Beijing also wants a UN investigation of the bombing and for NATO to accept responsibility for the casualties and damage and bring those responsible to justice.

On Friday, China drafted a statement to the press with roughly the same elements, but the final text merely expressed the council’s shock and concern about the incident and noted the NATO was investigating.

NATO members Britain, France and the United States are all permanent members of the Council and have said they won’t allow any statement condemning what they call a "tragic mistake."

unlike a press statement, a presidential statement becomes part of the Council’s official record. It doesn’t have the weight, though, of a legally binding resolution.

French Ambassador Alain Dejammet proposed an alternative presidential statement that would take note of the fact that NATO had made a mistake and had apologised for it, a Western diplomat said.

British Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock also indicated that a statement could determine whether some proper lessons can be drawn from this incident, from particularly the NATO review.

China responded by saying the differences between the two sides were too great, and agreed that consultations would continue with individual member states, diplomats said.

Russia’s UN Ambassador Sergey Lavrov, who strongly backed the Chinese draft, said he thought the Chinese demands were fair.

"For the Council not to be able to discuss this ... Is beyond my comprehension," he said after the meeting.

China and Russia are Yugoslavia’s staunchest supporters on the 15-member Security Council. China took over representation of Belgrade’s interests in Washington after the United States broke diplomatic relations with Yugoslavia at the start of the bombing campaign on March 24. (AP)

I intends to retire into obscurity, says Mandela

PRETORIA, (SOUTH AFRICA) May 11: Saying he has done his duty for South Africa and its people, South African President Nelson Mandela has said he intends to retire into obscurity and leave the national and international stages.

"I have played my role. It is time for younger people to play a role," the President said at a farewell breakfast with journalists yesterday.

Mandela who symbolized the anti-apartheid struggle and became one of the world’s leading political prisoners during his 27 years behind bars became President of South Africa in its first democratic election in 1994.

He will retire on June 16 when the country inaugurates a new President. South Africa’s second all-race elections are scheduled for June 2.

"I step down with a clear conscience because I have contributed in a small way to what has happened in this country," said Mr Mandela. "I have in a small way done my duty to my country and my people."

Mandela, 80, said he would consider any request that would enable him to contribute to peace in the region or the world, but that he did not expect to take on any lengthy mediation.

"I do not want to reach 100 years still trying to bring a solution in some complicated issue," Mr Mandela said.

"I do want to live in obscurity," he said. "I would like to retire to my village and to be able to walk around the valleys and little hills and streams where I grew up," referring to qunu, his remote home village in the Southeastern part of the country.

Later yesterday Mr Mandela came to Johannesburg to celebrate his five years as the first president of post-apartheid South Africa. As many as 10,000 people filled a plaza in front of city hall, many surging forward as he arrived. Chants of "freedom" filled the air.

Less than a month before the election, nearly every public appearance by Mr Mandela has turned into a political event.

Mr Mandela urged South Africans to stick to the path of racial reconciliation. But he also sounded one of his frequently heard themes: that the mainly white opposition parties are out to protect the privileges of whites, who ruled under apartheid.

"It must be clearly understood that white supremacy has been destroyed in this country. It will never come back," he said.

Mandela asked South Africans of all races to work together on behalf of "an old man who wants to sleep for eternity with a smile on his face." (AP)

Gulf leaders hold summit on relations with Iran

JIDDAH, (SAUDI ARABIA) May 11: Leaders of six Gulf states concluded a summit yesterday that focussed on improving relations with Iran.

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) "welcomed and accepted" better relations with Iran, believing they would contribute to regional

"security and stability," Saudi Defense Minister Prince Sultan told the Associated Press P

The one-day council meeting discussed Tehran’s dispute with the United Arab Emirates over three strategic islands near the strait of Hormuz, Gulf officials said on condition of anonymity.

Sultan, who visited Iran last week, said it was premature to forge a security pact between Iran and Saudi Arabia, as the Tehran Government had requested.

There were too many unresolved issues between Iran and council members, including the Iranian-Emirates dispute, he said. The council, a loose political and economic alliance, comprises Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman and the United Arab Emirates.

Later yesterday, a Saudi diplomat said Iranian President Mohammad Khatami will arrive in Saudi Arabia on Saturday, marking the first visit by an Iranian head of state since the Islamic revolution in 1979.

Mr Khatami’s talks with Saudi leaders may help resolve the dispute between Iran and the United Arab Emirates over three islands, the diplomat said on condition of anonymity.

Saudi Arabia expects the talks to yield "a narrowing of differences" on the issue, the diplomat added.

The Emirates has long called for international arbitration on which country has sovereignty over the islands, but Iran has rejected the proposal in favour of direct negotiations.

Mr Khatami will also discuss bilateral relations with Saudi Arabia as well as regional "security and stability," the diplomat said.

Iran’s relations with its Arab neighbours deteriorated after the 1979 revolution and during the 1980-88 war with Iraq. Relations began to improve after Khatami, a moderate cleric, took office in 1997.

Last week, Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to exchange military attaches. (AP)

Roadblock removed from launch of Chinese rocket

WASHINGTON May 11: US President Bill Clinton removed the last roadblock from the launch of a Chinese rocket carrying a satellite into space next month for the US-led iridium global paging and telephone network.

In a required report to Congress, Mr Clinton certified yesterday that the export of satellite fuels and separation systems for the communications system would not harm US interests. The launch is scheduled for June 7.

Specifically, Mr Clinton said the exports were not detrimental to the US space launch industry. Further, he said the material and equipment "will not measurably improve the missile or space launch capabilities" of China.

US participation in China’s decade-old commercial satellite launching industry has been under fire for more than a year. Politicians and defence officials have accused China of gleaning information from US companies to improve the accuracy of its missiles a charge Beijing has repeatedly denied. (AP)

Children’s author Silverstein dies

WASHINGTON May 11: Shel Silverstein, author of noted children’s books such as "Where the sidewalk ends", "Giraffe and a half" and "A light in the attic", died yesterday ABC news reported. He was 66.

In addition to delighting generations of children since the 1960s, silverstein entertained adults with cartoons he drew for playboy magazine. He also wrote several songs, including the 1960s Johnny cash hit, "A boy named sue". (DPA)

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