Moroccan Islamist opposition urges protest at subsidy cuts

By Aziz El Yaakoubi
Rabat | Mon Sep 9, 2013

(Reuters) - Morocco's main Islamist opposition movement urged leftist groups on Monday to join a protest front against subsidy cuts as a shaky government prepares to raise energy prices as part of IMF-recommended budget reforms.

The government is planning to reduce fuel subsidies and bring energy prices closer to international market levels by reviewing them twice a month, according to country's official bulletin released last week.

Al-Adl Wal Ihsane movement (Justice and Spirituality), which does not recognize the religious status of King Mohammed, called the decision a dangerous step with unforeseeable consequences.

"We call on all the honest and committed activists to form a broad front to support and oversee social protests, which must avoid political rivalries that strengthen the regime," it said in a statement on its website.

While the Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD) which leads the government supports the monarchy, Justice and Spirituality rejects the king's status as Commander of the Faithful.

It is unclear whether leftist groups will respond to the call of the Islamist movement, which has been the only force capable of mobilizing tens of thousands of protesters against the government since the fall of the communism in the 1990s.

It formed the backbone of the February 20 movement in 2011, the Moroccan version of the Arab Spring protests, which led to the appointment of PJD leader Abdelilah Benkirane as prime minister after early elections and constitutional changes.

Benkirane has been struggling to form a new coalition since July after five ministers from the nationalist Istiqlal party, his former coalition partner, resigned accusing the PJD of hurting the poor by reducing subsidies.

A new government is expected to be named in the coming days after tough talks with the National Rally of Independents, a liberal party seen as close to the king, which has the third largest parliamentary group after the PJD and Istiqlal.

Analysts believe the royal palace, ill at ease sharing power with an Islamist group, may have backed Istiqlal's defection and encouraged the RNI to squeeze Benkirane in order to weaken the PJD-led government.

Slaheddine Mezouar, the head of the RNI who is aiming for the finance ministry according to local media, and Benkirane denied there had been any interference in their negotiations.

The International Monetary Fund has urged the government to cut subsidies that cost 53.36 billion dirhams ($6.3 billion) in public money in 2012 or 6.4 pct of Morocco's economic output. The government aims to keep spending in 2013 within the 42 billion dirhams set in the national budget.

(Reporting By Aziz El Yaakoubi; Editing by Paul Taylor)

Source: Reuters.

Link: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/09/09/us-morocco-opposition-subsidies-idUSBRE9880O320130909.

Taiwan ruling party suspends veteran speaker

September 11, 2013

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — The disciplinary panel of Taiwan's ruling party suspended the speaker of the legislature Wednesday, a move that could fracture the party and threaten its efforts to develop closer ties with China.

Wang Jin-pyng was suspended for allegedly pressuring prosecutors not to appeal the acquittal of an opposition lawmaker. That removes him from the party for a year, after which he can apply for reinstatement.

Wang contends he did nothing improper. He has held the legislative speakership, one of Taiwan's most powerful positions, since 1999, and is known for having relatively good relations with the opposition. Though he and President Ma Ying-jeou both belong to the Nationalist Party, the two have been bitter rivals.

The fast-moving political drama could threaten the unity of the party, which under Ma has lowered tensions between Taiwan and China to their lowest level since the two sides split amid civil war 64 years ago.

Ma pressed hard for Wang's ouster, calling his alleged action "the most serious infringement in the history of Taiwan's judiciary." But in doing so, he has drawn criticism not only from the opposition, but also from many Nationalists who see his pursuit of Wang as a personal vendetta.

A Nationalist split would improve the prospects of the China-wary opposition in the 2016 elections. Ma is currently among the most unpopular presidents in Taiwan history, with an approval rating of just 15 percent.

The drama began Friday, when the Special Investigation Division of the Prosecutor's Office announced it had evidence that Wang and former Justice Minister Tseng Yung-fu had colluded to pressure prosecutors not to appeal the acquittal of opposition lawmaker Ker Chien-ming, a friend of Wang's, on breach of trust charges. Tseng resigned later that same day under heavy pressure from Ma, but insists he did nothing wrong.

The SID's evidence was gathered from a wiretap on Ker's cell phone, leading to opposition charges — echoed by some Nationalists — that the agency abused its power. The SID says its wiretap was legal. Ma then unleashed a barrage of criticism at Wang. The two have a long history of animosity, dating back at least to 2008, when they competed for the Nationalist presidential nomination. Wang recently upbraided Ma for his handling of government and the economy.

Wang's suspension by the Nationalist committee on Wednesday effectively strips him of the legislative speakership and even his legislative seat, because he was selected in the last legislative election not by popular vote, but as an at-large Nationalist candidate.

At 72, the diminutive Wang still maintains a number of credible political options, including establishing a breakoff party of his own, though Wang said Tuesday he was not interested in such a move. With Wang removed from the legislative speakership, Taiwan's often fractious legislature can be expected to become more fractious still, largely because of his strong channels of communication with the opposition.

It was not clear who the next speaker will be. One of that lawmaker's first big tests will be to try to win legislative approval of a bilateral services agreement in China. The opposition says the legislation would give China too much control of the Taiwanese economy.

Despite Wang's own Nationalist pedigree, and the heavy Nationalist majority in the legislature, Wang did little as speaker to press for the approval the pact needs to enter into force.

Japan on high alert for disputed islands anniversary

Tokyo (AFP)
Sept 11, 2013

Japan's coastguard said it was "on high alert" Wednesday, a year to the day since Tokyo nationalized islands that China says it has owned for centuries.

Often-testy ties have soured dramatically over the last 12 months, with frequent confrontations between official ships from Asia's two largest powers.

On Tuesday, Tokyo said it had not ruled out stationing officials there, provoking an ominous warning from Beijing that Japan "must be prepared to bear the consequences of this provocation".

"We are on high alert as today marks the first anniversary of the nationalization of the Senkaku islands," coastguard official Yuma Miyako told AFP, referring to the Tokyo-controlled islands claimed by China as the Diaoyus.

Since last September, official Chinese vessels have regularly traversed the waters -- China said Tuesday it had carried out 59 such "patrols" -- each time being warned off by Japanese ships, and the two nations' militaries have shadow-boxed in international waters and international skies.

Tokyo says it nationalized the islands as a way to take the sting out of a potentially explosive attempt to buy them by nationalists, who talked of developing them for tourism.

It was somewhat wrong-footed by the vehemence of Beijing's response, which saw violent protests erupt across China and diplomatic ties frozen, badly affecting a huge trade relationship on which both countries depend.

A change of government in Tokyo that made hawkish nationalist Shinzo Abe prime minister did little to soothe matters.

Xinhua Tuesday accused him of turning a blind eye to the nation's "beautifying of atrocious wartime crime", the latest in a long line of tongue-lashings Chinese state media has delivered.

Eight Chinese ships spent several hours in the islands' territorial waters on Tuesday and four remained in the contiguous zone on Wednesday, Japanese officials said.

Contiguous waters are maritime areas adjacent to territorial sea where a coastal state has certain limited rights.

"We are preventing Chinese official ships from entering our territorial waters, with our ships sailing very close to the Chinese ships," coastguard official Miyako said.

Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, a nation can evict foreign military ships that enter its territorial waters. However, Miyako said, the rules regarding official ships, such as coastguards, are unclear.

"Therefore we are working in line with the Japanese government's policy of demanding they stay out of our territory," he said.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga on Wednesday repeated Tokyo's mantra that the islands "are an integral part of Japanese territory", but stressed Japan cherishes ties with China as "one of its most important bilateral relations" and was keeping the "door open" for dialogue.

Analysts say the row is unlikely to fade given China's rising power and an uncompromising approach from both sides.

"I suspect the dispute won't ever be resolved as long as they keep their current positions," said Yoshinobu Yamamoto, professor of international politics at the University of Niigata.

"It is wise and practical for the two countries to put it aside and shift their focus to other areas such as economic and regional issues," Yamamoto said.

On Tuesday, Suga said the government was "considering it as an option", when asked if Japan would station officials on the islands, but did not elaborate.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei said Beijing was "gravely concerned" by the remarks.

"China's resolve to defend the sovereignty of the Diaoyu islands is firm, and we will not tolerate the Japanese side taking action to infringe China's sovereignty," he said.

"The Japanese side must be prepared to bear the consequences of this provocation."

Japan annexed what it says were unclaimed islands in 1895. It says China's assertion of ownership only came after the discovery of resources in the seabed at the close of the 1960s.

Beijing maintains that the islands have been its territory for hundreds of years and were illegally snatched by Tokyo at the start of an acquisitive romp across Asia that culminated in World War II.

Analysts have warned the presence of so many vessels and airplanes increases the likelihood that a slip by one side could lead to a military confrontation, with serious regional, and possibly global, ramifications.

Source: Space War.
Link: http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Japan_on_high_alert_for_disputed_islands_anniversary_999.html.

Japan getting ready for war?

20.08.2013

Tokyo has been taking active steps to strengthen the naval forces of Japan. Not so long ago, Japanese military held an official ceremony to launch the new helicopter carrier Izumo. Next year, the country plans to acquire amphibian vehicles for self-defense forces. The vehicles will be used for landing operations on islands.

The moves events have caused mixed reactions among Japan's neighbors, especially China. The further expansion of the Japanese naval power could break the fragile balance of forces in the region. The completion of the construction of the helicopter carrier coincided with another aggravation of the territorial dispute over the Senkaku Islands.

The Japanese authorities said that the vessel would not be used for attacks. The development of Izumo began in 2009. The ambitious project was worth a total of $1.5 billion. The length of Izumo is 248 meters, the displacement is 24,000 tons. The vessel is capable of carrying 14 helicopters on board, which will be designed primarily for rescue operations.

However, the Japanese military are not being honest, when they say that the ship can be used only for defensive purposes. Experts believe that the vessel can easily be transformed into an aircraft carrier. In addition, in July, The Japan Times wrote that the Department of Defense was planning to purchase two destroyers in 2015-2015. The Japanese Navy already has six of such ships, equipped with Aigis military information and control systems.

The Navy of Japan is one of the strongest in the region. In terms of the level of technical equipment, the Japanese Navy is almost no way inferior to the navy of China. The main advantage of China is the powerful submarine fleet.

Beijing does not hide its concerns about the military build-up of Tokyo. Interestingly, the Chinese media saw clear signs of militarism in the ceremony of launching the Izumo. "The helicopter carrier was called Izumo - the name was used for the flagship of the Japanese Navy squadron in the Chinese direction during the aggressive war against China," The People's Daily newspaper said.

In addition, the Japanese military are going to purchase American combat amphibious vehicles AAV-7 in 2014. Additional funds from the budget will be allocated for these purposes. These amphibians on crawlers are able to move by sea and land commandoes on islands. U.S. Marines already use them for military operations in different parts of the world.

As  the actions of Japan, the Information Office of the Ministry of Defense of China stated that China was paying special attention to Japan's continuous military expansion. The neighboring countries and the international community should be vigilant in relation to the actions of Japan, Chinese officials said. The Japanese side should draw lessons from history, stick to defensive strategy and strictly follow the promise of peaceful development, the newspaper said.

Tensions started rising between the two countries over the dispute about the Dioyuydao Islands (the Japanese name for the islands is Senkaku). The diplomatic conflict between Japan and China began in September 2012, following the announcement of the nationalization of the archipelago by the Japanese government. The move came after the Senkaku Islands were purchased from private owners. Beijing sent a note of protest to Tokyo at that time. It is an open secret that the territorial dispute between Beijing and Tokyo over the Senkaku Islands has been lasting for many years already. According to the Chinese side, the islands were under the jurisdiction of China many centuries ago. Local historical sources speak of the early development of this area during the time of the Ming Dynasty. In 1895, Japan annexed the Senkaku Islands. China lost all of Taiwan.

After the Second World War, the Senkaku Islands were placed under temporary control of the United States. The new agreement, signed in 1971, provided for the transfer of the archipelago to Japan (China refused to recognize the legitimacy of the decision). One should not forget about another important document that gives China extra arguments in this dispute. The Potsdam Declaration, recognized by Japan after the surrender, stipulates all occupied territories, including the Diaoyu Islands, be returned to China. Most experts do not believe in the possibility of launching a full-scale war over tiny islands, at least in the coming years. However, tensions between the two countries can last for a long time. The territorial dispute over the Senkaku Islands, directly or indirectly, may trigger a new arms race in the region.

Today, Japan and China declare their readiness to engage in a dialogue on the issue of the disputed islands. In practice, no progress has been reached over the past year in the diplomatic settlement of the conflict over the Senkaku Islands. On the contrary, the two sides continue to test each other's determination. Chinese and Japanese patrol boats regularly visit the waters of the disputed islands. Last week, China once again reminded of itself by sending several Coast Guard ships to Dioyuydao. News agency reported then that the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Chinese ambassador to Tokyo to explain the move.

Just recently, four Chinese warships performed another maneuver in the waters of the disputed islands. As it should be done in such cases, the Japanese Foreign Ministry lodged a protest in connection with yet another incident near the Senkaku Islands.

Yuri Sosinski-Semikhat

Source: Pravda.
Link: http://english.pravda.ru/hotspots/conflicts/20-08-2013/125439-japan_war-0/.

China buys into giant oilfield in Kazakhstan for $6.4 billion

Reuters
Saturday, Sep 07, 2013
ASTANA - Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday will oversee China's entry into Kashagan, a vast oilfield in Kazakhstan, as he tours post-Soviet Central Asia to secure hydrocarbons for the world's largest energy consumer.

The US$5 billion (S$6.4 billion) deal further increases China's rising clout in Central Asia, once Russia's imperial backyard, and blocks an attempt by global rival India to get a stake in the oilfield, the world's largest oil discovery in five decades.

Kazakhstan will sell 8.33 per cent of the offshore oilfield to China for about US$5 billion in a deal to be signed during Mr Xi's visit to Kazakh capital Astana later on Saturday, Kazakh government sources told Reuters.

The sale and purchase agreement will be signed by the heads of Kazakh national oil and gas company KazMunaiGas and China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC), said the officials, who requested anonymity.

"We suppose that the transaction will be closed by late September or late October," one of the officials said.

One of the clauses of the agreement stipulates that China will help arrange a loan of up to US$3 billion for KazMunaiGas to help it finance the second stage of Kashagan's development, due to begin after 2020, he said.

China is already involved in a number of oil projects in the vast resource-rich neighbor, which is five times the size of France but has a population of just 17 million.

This week, Mr Xi visited Kazakhstan's neighbor Turkmenistan, which holds the world's fourth-largest natural gas reserves, and oversaw deals aiming to boost gas supplies and build a pipeline to China.

The Kazakh deal comes after Astana decided in July to use its pre-emptive right to buy an 8.4 per cent stake in Kashagan that US oil major ConocoPhillips was selling for US$5 billion.

Houston-based ConocoPhillips, whittling down its worldwide portfolio of assets, announced last year it had agreed to sell the stake to ONGC, the overseas arms of the Indian state-run company.

The sale to CNPC blocks India's plan to enter the Kashagan project.

Kazakhstan, home to 3 per cent of the world's recoverable oil reserves, has moved in recent years to exert greater management control and secure bigger revenues from foreign-owned oil and gas projects.

KazMunaiGas entered the Kashagan consortium as a shareholder in 2005 and has since then doubled its stake to 16.81 per cent.

Kashagan and the neighboring fields in the North Caspian Sea hold estimated reserves of 35 billion barrels of oil in place, with from nine billion to 13 billion barrels being recoverable.

Kazakh officials have said they expect the giant reservoir off western Kazakhstan to produce first oil later this month.

A multinational consortium developing the field has invested some US$50 billion in about 13 years, making it the costliest oil project in the world.

During Kashagan's development, production will be gradually increased to 370,000 barrels per day in the second stage from 180,000 bpd in the first stage in 2013-2014, according to North Caspian Operating Company (NCOC), which is developing the field.

Italy's ENI, US major ExxonMobil, Royal Dutch Shell and France's Total currently all hold 16.81 per cent stakes in Kashagan. Japan's Inpex owns 7.56 per cent.

Source: AsiaOne.
Link: http://business.asiaone.com/news/china-buys-giant-oilfield-kazakhstan-64-billion.

Pope says empty convents and monasteries should house refugees

ROME | Tue Sep 10, 2013

(Reuters) - Disused church buildings should be used to house refugees, who must be embraced rather than feared, Pope Francis told asylum seekers in Rome on Tuesday, underlining his papacy's emphasis on the poor and the plight of immigrants.

Turning convents and monasteries that have emptied due to a drop in vocations into hotels has raised funds for the Church, but also attracted criticism.

"Empty convents and monasteries should not be turned into hotels by the Church to earn money ... (the buildings) are not ours, they are for the flesh of Christ, which is what the refugees are," Francis told a private audience in the Jesuit Astalli Center for refugees, in a speech released to the press.

He met several asylum seekers, including some from Syria, after making an impassioned appeal for peace in the war-torn country at the weekend.

Francis said looking after the poor should not be the work of only "specialists", but engaged in by all members of the Church. It should also be part of the training of priests.

"The word solidarity frightens people in the developed world," the leader of the Catholic Church said.

Since expressing his wish for a "poor Church, and for the poor" shortly after his election in March, Francis' papacy has been marked by his humble style and the prominence given to the destitute.

In July he visited the Italian island of Lampedusa, where tens of thousands of illegal migrants arrive yearly, and condemned indifference to many who die making the treacherous journey across the Mediterranean seeking a better life.

(Reporting by Naomi O'Leary; editing by Mike Collett-White)

Source: Reuters.
Link: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/09/10/us-pope-refugees-idUSBRE98918N20130910.

8 die, hundreds evacuated in Romania flooding

September 12, 2013

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Eight people have died and hundreds have been evacuated in remote eastern Romania as torrential rains caused flash flooding, officials reported Thursday.

Authorities said some 700 houses were flooded after 12 villages were hit by a six-hour downfall that began Wednesday evening and equaled the region's average rainfall for two months. Six people drowned, one is missing and two others had fatal heart attacks amid the deluge, local official Nicolae Bacalbasa said Thursday. Authorities were still searching flooded homes for more possible victims in the region, some 200 kilometers (125 miles) northeast of Bucharest near the country's border with Moldova.

Forty-five people were rescued from the floodwaters and 330 people were evacuated from their homes, the Interior Ministry reported. Roads in the area were impassable Thursday. The worst-hit village was Cudalbi, where 500 houses were flooded, 200 people were evacuated and one person died, Bacalbasa said. Two people died in the village of Cuca, and two others died in Costache Negri, where 100 houses were flooded.

Prime Minister Victor Ponta sent a deputy to view the area and called an emergency meeting Thursday to discuss the situation. More rain is forecast for the coming days.