APEC Defends Free Trade Stand at Summit in Peru
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Leaders from across Pacific Rim denounce protectionism
Pacific Rim leaders are endorsing steps they hope will increase trade and boost the ailing global economy. VOA White House correspondent Paula Wolfson reports from the Asia Pacific summit in Lima, Peru.Soldiers fold the Peruvian flag at the end of the first day of the meeting of heads of state of the APEC summit in LimaLeaders from across the Pacific Rim - which accounts for roughly half of the world economy - are declaring war on protectionism.They say for the next year - no matter how bad things get - they will refrain from raising any new barriers to trade and investment.In a joint declaration, the 21 members of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum also pledged to push for revival of world trade negotiations that collapsed in July. Throughout this summit, leader after leader has warned of the perils of protectionism.In a speech to a meeting of corporate executives - held concurrently with the summit of presidents and prime ministers - U.S. President George Bush warned of a pending disaster if the nations of the world respond to the global financial crisis by turning inward. He invoked the turmoil of the economic depression that began in 1929. "One of the enduring lessons of the Great Depression is that global protectionism is a path to global economic ruin," he said.In taking these steps, APEC leaders endorsed the principles outlined last weekend at a meeting in Washington of the world's 20 largest industrial and emerging economies.Nine of the Pacific Rim leaders now in Lima attended the Washington gathering - including Russian President Dmitri Medvedev.When the formal APEC discussions ended Saturday, he sat down for a one-on-one meeting with President Bush. It was their first such encounter since Russia invaded Georgia in August.Neither man mentioned Georgia in brief comments to reporters. Instead, they talked about the nature of the U.S. Russia relationship. President Bush spoke first. "We have had our agreements. We have had our disagreements. I have tried to work hard to make it a cordial relationship, though, so that when we need to work together we can and when we disagree we are able to do so in a way that is respectful to our two nations," he said.The Russian president struck a similar chord. He too spoke of differences and agreements, stressing the importance of continued dialogue.White House Press Secretary Dana Perino later described their talks as cordial, but honest. She said they discussed their differences on Georgia, and the need to work together on Iran. Earlier in the day, Mr. Bush met behind closed doors with the President of South Korea and the Prime Minister of Japan - talks that focused on North Korea's nuclear ambitions.Perino said everyone involved in the six-party talks with North Korea has agreed to resume negotiations in early December. She said a specific date would be announced by China, the host country for the talks with Pyongyang.
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Obama Aide: President-Elect Will Move Fast on Economy
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In his Democratic address Saturday, Mr. Obama said his plan would involve rebuilding roads and bridges, modernizing schools, and developing alternative energy sources
A senior aide to U.S. President-elect Barack Obama says the next administration is committed to getting an economic recovery package implemented as soon as possible.Appearing on Sunday morning U.S. talk shows, David Axelrod said Mr. Obama wants to work with lawmakers on his plan immediately after taking office January 20.A U.S. Secret Service agent, right, holds the door open for President-elect Barack Obama In his Democratic address Saturday, Mr. Obama said his plan would involve rebuilding roads and bridges, modernizing schools, and developing alternative energy sources. He also said he hoped to create or save 2.5 million jobs by January of 2011.On Monday, the president-elect is expected to officially announce leaders of his economic team. Transition officials say this will include Timothy Geithner as treasury secretary.Geithner, a Treasury official during the Clinton administration, is president of the New York Federal Reserve.U.S. stocks rose sharply Friday after it was widely reported he would likely become treasury secretary. Geithner is one of the top central bank officials who set U.S. interest rate policy and made other decisions aimed at keeping inflation and unemployment in check. President-elect Obama also is expected to name Lawrence Summers as director of the White House National Economic Council.Summers, a former Treasury secretary in the Clinton administration, will advise Mr. Obama in the White House. He is a former Harvard University president and has also served as the chief economist of the World Bank.
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Obama, Karzai Discuss Improving Afghan Security
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Afghan President's office released statement Sunday saying Mr. Obama pledged in a phone call Saturday to bolster US efforts to fight terrorism and improve security in the region
Afghan President Hamid Karzai says he has spoken with U.S. President-elect Barack Obama about the effort to improve security in Afghanistan next year. VOA's Barry Newhouse reports from Kabul the conversation is the first between the two leaders since Mr. Obama won the presidential election.Hamid Karzai (file)President Karzai's office released a statement Sunday saying Mr. Obama pledged to increase the U.S. commitment to fighting terrorism and improving security in the region. Mr. Obama has long advocated boosting U.S. troop levels in Afghanistan by drawing down U.S. forces in Iraq. The top U.S. and NATO Commander in Afghanistan, General David McKiernan, said last week he does not currently have enough troops to provide security in parts of the country. He urged Mr. Obama to speed the deployment of as many as 20,000 additional troops after he takes office. The first additional U.S. brigade, numbering between 3,500 and four-thousand troops, is scheduled to arrive in January. U.S. Spokesman Colonel Greg Julian says those forces are headed to eastern Afghanistan, an area the military calls R.C. East, which has seen a surge in Taliban attacks this year. "They are going to move into areas that are currently not covered. We do not have enough forces to cover all of R.C. East, so they will be separated into areas where there are no existing forces," Julian said. The harsh Afghan winter usually brings a lull in fighting, but U.S. and NATO forces say they plan to keep pressure on Taliban fighters during the coming months.Commanders say they are re-training all Afghan border police in eastern Afghanistan and building 165 new posts along the so-called Durand Line that serves as a de-facto border. NATO Spokesman Brigadier General Richard Blanchette says forces are also improving cooperation with Pakistani forces through a joint-mission called Operation Lionheart that targets militants in Afghanistan's Kunar province and Pakistan's Bajaur tribal region. "In this clearing operation, Pakistani forces in Pakistan and Afghan and ISAF forces in Afghan are coordinating operations along the border applying pressure to any insurgents attempting to cross into or out of Bajaur," Blanchette said.During his presidential campaign, president-elect Obama criticized President Karzai's government, saying it should work harder, and address corruption and the massive opium trade. Following Mr. Obama's election win, Mr. Karzai also had strong words for the president-elect, demanding he end Afghan civilian casualties and focus on militant sanctuaries outside Afghanistan. Sunday's statement from President Karzai's office did not say if the two discussed the criticisms.
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Abbas May Call for Palestinian Elections
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Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas says if the dialogue does not succeed, he will call for elections early next year
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas says he may call early parliamentary and presidential elections if a reconciliation deal is not reached between his Fatah faction and its rival, Hamas.Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (File)Mr. Abbas says if the dialogue does not succeed, he will call for elections early next year. The Palestinian leader made the comments to a meeting of his Palestine Liberation Organization Sunday in Ramallah.On Saturday, Mr. Abbas urged U.S. President-elect Barack Obama to support an Arab peace plan that offers Israel recognition in exchange for a withdrawal from occupied lands.The Arab peace initiative was first proposed in 2002 by dozens of Arab countries who do not have ties to Israel. Egypt and Jordan are currently the only countries that recognize Israel.Mr. Abbas said under the plan, Israel would live in a "sea of peace" with the Arab world, instead of in an "island of peace." He made the remarks Saturday during a conference in the West Bank city of Nablus.The Palestinian leader's party recently ran Hebrew-language ads in Israeli newspapers to promote the peace proposal. Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni has welcomed the plan as a positive gesture, but says changes are needed on the status of Jerusalem and the fate of Palestinian refugees.In another development, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said members of the international Middle East quartet (which consists of the United States, Russia, the United Nations and the European Union) may meet to discuss the peace process before the year's end. He made the comments Saturday after meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Peru.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.
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Thai Protesters Mass for Final Push to Topple Government
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Leaders of the protest group, which calls itself the People's Alliance for Democracy, hope for 100,000 demonstrators to turn out
Thousands of anti-government protesters have gathered in the Thai capital of Bangkok to prepare for what they say will be the "final battle" in their push to topple the government.Anti-government protesters set up a tent on the road during a rally outside Government House in Bangkok, Thailand, Sunday, 23 Nov. 2008Supporters of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) began massing Sunday outside the prime minister's office compound. Leaders of the group say they hope around 100,000 demonstrators will take part in a march on parliament Monday morning to disrupt a scheduled session of lawmakers.Meanwhile, police made their own preparations. Local television showed police manning steel barricades and trucks with water cannons. At least 2,000 government troops are on standby in case street battles break out in front of parliament.Several thousand government supporters held a counter-protest Sunday at a temple on the outskirts of Bangkok.The PAD has camped on the grounds of Government House since August, demanding that Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat resign. The protesters accuse him of being a proxy for his brother-in-law, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a military coup in 2006 for alleged corruption.Eight of the protesters were injured in a pre-dawn grenade attack Saturday outside the prime minister's office compound. On Thursday, a grenade attack on the grounds of the compound killed one protester and injured 23 others. No one has claimed responsibility for the attacks, and protesters have refused to allow police to enter the compound to investigate the incidents.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.
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Calm in Guinea-Bissau After Attack on President's Home
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Military and government sources in the West African country say a group of soldiers fired on the president's home in the capital, Bissau, early Sunday
Officials in Guinea-Bissau say the situation is "under control" after an overnight attack on the home of President Joao Bernardo "Nino" Vieira.Military and government sources in the West African country say a group of soldiers fired on the president's home in the capital, Bissau, early Sunday. Witnesses say a gun battle between attackers and security guards lasted several hours before calm was restored.Officials say at least one person was killed in the fighting, and several others wounded.There has been no official word on the status of Mr. Vieira, though a Portuguese news agency (Lusa) quotes a diplomatic source as saying "the president is fine."Senegal's President Abdoulaye Wade says Mr. Vieira called him during the attack. Mr. Wade, who described the attack as a mutiny, says he offered to fly the Guinea-Bissau president out of the country but that Mr. Vieira refused. The African Union has expressed concern at the situation. AU Commission Chairman Jean Ping issued a statement saying the AU rejects any unlawful change of government, and condemns any attempt to seize power by force.Mr. Vieira was elected president of Guinea-Bissau in 2005. He previously ruled the country from 1980 to 1999, with the backing of the military.The attack comes a week after parliamentary elections in Guinea-Bissau. Preliminary results showed a party led by a Vieira ally doing poorly, while, the former ruling African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC) won a strong majority of seats.Guinea-Bissau has experienced considerable unrest since winning independence from Portugal in 1974. Mr. Vieira withstood several coup attempts during his earlier rule before being ousted in 1999. His successor, Kumba Yala was toppled in a 2003 military coup. Experts say that in recent years, the country has also become a prime conduit for drug trafficking.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP.
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Second Phase of Elections Held in Indian-Controlled Kashmir
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Heavy troop deployment prevents an election-boycott march called by Kashmiri separatists
The second phase of polling for the legislative assembly in Indian-administered Kashmir were held today amid heavy security arrangements. The polls that began on November 17 will be held in seven phases through December 24.Kashmiri women wait to cast their vote outside a polling station in Lar, India, 23 Nov 2008It was yet another day of an undeclared curfew in Srinagar and major towns of Indian-administered Kashmir. Heavy deployment of troops prevented people from coming out in response to an election-boycott march called by Kashmiri separatists. In Ganderbal and Kangan constituencies voting picked up early. There were lesser crowds than seen in the first phase, but despite the boycott call by separatists many people voted.Mehraj-uddin was waiting for his turn to vote in a long line in Watlar village of Ganderbal district. He says the village has remained very backward in the past six years, and voters came out to choose a candidate who would bring some development to the area.Apart from Kangan and Ganderbal, four constituencies of Jammu province also voted. Officials said 40 percent voting was recorded until afternoon. At some places like Kurhama in Ganderbal district, anti- election protesters clashed with police and raised pro-freedom slogans.The protesters accused police and troops of barging into their houses and beating residents.The protesters chanted, "We want only freedom. We are boycotting the polls. We will not vote at any cost." The separatist alliance, All Parties Hurriyat Conference, said authorities were using undemocratic means to suppress poll-boycott campaigns. Authorities have detained more than two dozen separatists in recent weeks, some of them under the infamous Public Safety Act, which allows detention up to two years without trial. Calls for separatist marches or protests are met by undeclared curfews.Saturday, police shot dead two anti-election election protesters in Baramulla, fueling further protests.Kashmir has seen some of the biggest pro-freedom demonstrations in the past few months.
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Venezuelans Vote in Critical Local Elections
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President Hugo Chavez faces a critical test of his grip on power in the elections
Hugo Chavez (file photo)Venezuelans are voting in state and municipal elections Sunday.President Hugo Chavez faces a critical test of his grip on power in the elections. Mr. Chavez say he needs his allies to win in key states in order to continue to build a socialist nation.He has threatened to cut off funds, or even deploy tanks, in areas the opposition wins. Mr. Chavez's ex-wife and brother are among the opposition candidates. The elections come a year after Mr. Chavez suffered a defeat of a referendum that would have allowed him to seek re-election indefinitely. Mr. Chavez has been in office since 1999.
Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.
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Dalai Lama Satisfied with Tibetans' Preference to Continue with Autonomy Push
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Tibetan spiritual leader says he is pleased Tibetan leaders in exile have agreed to continue to pursue what is called the "middle way" of seeking greater autonomy for Tibet rather than independence from China
The Dalai Lama says he is pleased Tibetan leaders in exile have agreed to continue to pursue what is called the "middle way" of seeking greater autonomy for Tibet rather than independence from China. But the Tibetan spiritual leader told reporters Sunday it is premature to immediately decide that no further formal discussions should be held with the Chinese government. VOA Correspondent Steve Herman reports from Dharamsala, India. The Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, Dharamsala, 23 Nov. 2008The Dalai Lama is warning of unspecified dangers if Tibetan political leaders in exile are not careful in their strategy towards China. The Tibetan spiritual leader spoke to followers in the Indian town of Dharamsala a day after the conclusion of an unprecedented six-day meeting of nearly 600 Tibetans leaders from around the world. The conference expressed a preference to continue the push for meaningful autonomy, rather than outright independence from China. But delegates also acknowledged the growing number of people inside Tibet and in the diaspora who prefer independence. Speaking to reporters at the Namgyal Monastery after his speech, the Dalai Lama expressed satisfaction the Tibetan delegates heeded his call to clearly express their opinions, regardless of his perceived preferences. "I think (it was a) very, very frank discussion, some cases heated discussion. So I'm satisfied," he said. "You see they expressed fully what they believe without sort of hesitation, without fear." The Dalai Lama called the meeting in this Indian mountain town where he has lived since fleeing Tibet following a failed rebellion in 1959. China invaded Tibet in 1950 and contends the region has historically been an integral part of the country. The conference also made clear Tibetan impatience with the hardening stance of the Chinese in the recent formal talks in Beijing. Leaders of the Tibetan exile government on Saturday said no further talks requesting autonomy should be held for the time being. But the Dalai Lama says it is too soon to declare such a decision. "Wait another month. Then we'll decide," he said. The spiritual leader added he is eager to let Tibet's foreign supporters have their say at a conference set to be held in New Delhi at the end of the week. There is also speculation that a special session of the parliament in exile will be called shortly. It is not scheduled to meet again until next March. The Dalai Lama also told reporters that while political leadership is now in the hands of the elected Kalon Tripa or prime minister and the parliament, he has a "moral responsibility" to continue as spiritual leader until his death. He again hinted at the possibility of choosing his successor while he is still alive, instead of a reincarnate being selected after his passing. He spoke at length about the merits of a "young girl" possibly being chosen as the next Dalai Lama, commenting that women have "more or less" achieved equality with men but are frequently more compassionate.
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Space Shuttle Astronauts Tend to Broken Equipment
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They work for more than seven hours during spacewalk
Astronauts on the International Space Station are conducting the longest space walk of their mission Saturday to work on repairing a damaged piece of equipment.Two astronauts will float outside the orbital outpost for more than seven hours as they work on cleaning and lubricating a joint that turns solar panels to face the sun.The job was made more difficult after a $100,000 tool kit drifted away from the astronauts on a previous spacewalk.Meanwhile, engineers back on earth will try to solve a problem with a newly installed system designed to recycle astronauts' urine into drinking water.The system shut down twice during testing on Friday. Scientists hope they can still collect enough samples of purified urine and other waste water to bring back for analysis.The U.S. space shuttle Endeavour is on a 15-day mission to expand and improve the International Space Station's living space. The shuttle is scheduled to return to earth in just over a week.The mission coincided with the 10th anniversary of the ISS. It is said to have orbited the earth more than 57,500 time since the first component of the space station was launched in 1998.Some information for this report provided by AP and Reuters.
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