2007 ASIA & THE PACIFIC ARCHIVE :

Please note : Most publications move older stories into their archives which may require a fee to view the full story. Some stories listed below may no longer be available online.

See also archives for Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Christian Science Monitor, 18 Dec 07, by Simon Montlake
Japanese warship tests antimissile system
'Japan is the first US ally to successfully carry out a test of the US-built interceptor system.'

BBC News, 20 Dec 07
India and China launch war games
'India and China have begun a joint military exercise, the first of its kind between the two largest armies in the world.'

International Herald Tribune, 29 Nov 07, by David Lague
China blames U.S. for denial of ship visit to Hong Kong
'China blocked the visit of a U.S. aircraft carrier battle group and other American warships to Hong Kong last week in retaliation for the Bush administration's proposed upgrading of Taiwan's Patriot antimissile batteries, the state media reported Thursday.'

International Herald Tribune, 30 Nov 07, by Carlos H. Conde
Manhunt for Philippine rebels under way
'The Philippine authorities conducted a manhunt Friday for military officers who participated in a standoff in a luxury Manila hotel the day before, in a bizarre uprising that many in the country called a tragedy and a farce.'

Voice of America, 30 Nov 07, by Douglas Bakshian
Botched Coup a Reminder of Philippine Political Weaknesses
'Filipino analysts say Thursday's botched coup attempt at a luxury hotel in Manila was politically embarrassing for the Philippines, which has experienced numerous coup plots in the past two decades. It is also a reminder of dissatisfaction with President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.'

International Herald Tribune, 29 Nov 07, by Choe Sang-Hun
U.S. expects full North Korean nuclear disclosure soon
'The United States expects North Korea to release a full list of its nuclear weapons programs within days, Washington's main envoy to talks aimed at dismantling the North's nuclear facilities said Thursday.'

Bloomberg, 29 Nov 07, by Paul Tighe
Sri Lanka Says Bomb Attacks May Herald Rebel Campaign
'Sri Lanka said two attacks that killed 18 people in the capital, Colombo, yesterday may be the start of a bombing campaign by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in response to rebel military defeats.'

International Herald Tribune, 22 Nov 07, by Donald Greenlees
China tells U.S. ships to go and then return
'China reversed a decision on Thursday to block a U.S. aircraft carrier strike group from visiting Hong Kong, but the change of heart by Beijing officials came too late to stop the U.S. naval flotilla from returning to its forward base in Japan.'

BBC News, 19 Nov 07
Asean finalises historic charter
'South East Asian foreign ministers have agreed new rules for the regional group Asean, committing members to promoting human rights and bolstering democracy.'

International Herald Tribune, 19 Nov 07, by Wayne Arnold
Myanmar crackdown tests a core value of Asean
'Can Asean make progress as an institution without the ability to influence a member whose brutal behavior violates the group's central principles?'

International Herald Tribune, 20 Nov 07, by Wayne Arnold
Surprise pressure from Myanmar's neighbors
'Myanmar, because of its violent crackdown on a domestic uprising in September and stubborn resistance to democratic reform, has become a major stumbling block at the 13th summit meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.'

Asia Times, 13 Nov 07, by Hisane Masaki
Testing time for Japan's US ties
'Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda on Tuesday won the first round in his battle to resume Japan's naval refueling role in the "war against terror" - and this just days before a meeting with US President George W Bush. But the reality of Japan's politics and other issues - such as North Korea - could yet erode the foundations of the long-time alliance with the US.'

BBC News, 13 Nov 07
Japan clash looms over navy bill
'Japan's lower house of parliament has approved a bill to resume a controversial naval mission ... The navy has been refuelling ships involved in US-led Afghan operations, but withdrew after the opposition blocked an extension of its mandate. The new bill - seen as a compromise - limits refuelling activities to ships used in anti-terror operations.'

International Herald Tribune, 12 Nov 07, by Thom Shanker
Gates urges more Japanese action on global security
'Defense Secretary Robert Gates pressed pacifist Japan Thursday to play a more significant role in international security befitting its status "as one of the greatest and wealthiest democracies."'

BBC News, 13 Nov 07
India, Russia to strengthen ties
'India and Russia have agreed to boost economic and military ties at the end of Indian PM Manmohan Singh's two-day visit to Russia.'

International Herald Tribune, 05 Nov 07, by Thom Shanker
U.S. defense secretary takes measure of surging China
'The U.S. defense secretary, Robert Gates, gazed Monday into two of the most striking facets of modern China. One is what Pentagon officials say is China's aggressive modernization of its armed forces. The other is its even more aggressive expansion of the economy and its growing global role.'

Christian Science Monitor, 24 Oct 07, by Howard LaFranchi
India-US nuclear deal wavers
'But the collaboration on the deal has contributed to improved relations between the two nations.'

Washington Post, 24 Oct 07, by Jill Drew
Inside Burma: After the Crackdown : Citizens Wait, Worry in Junta's Climate of Fear
'Those active in Burmese politics say the arrests have succeeded in capturing many key organizers of the protests while injecting new fear into people who have lived for more than 40 years under a military dictatorship known for its brutality.'

International Herald Tribune, 14 Oct 07, by Seth Mydans
Firsthand accounts reveal terror of the crackdown in Myanmar
'The ruling junta crushed the protests at the end of the month, and since then has carried out a campaign of nighttime arrests, cleansing monasteries and neighborhoods of people they say rose up against them. The fear has returned, people say, and is sharper than before.'

Washington Post, 16 Oct 07, by Robin Wright and Rama Lakshmi
Nuclear Deal With India May Be Near Collapse
'The main obstacle does not involve the specific terms of the agreement but rather India's internal politics, including fears from leftist parties that India is moving too close to the United States ...'

BBC News, 16 Oct 07
Japan adds to pressure on Burma
'Japan is halting $4.7m (£2.3m) in funding for a human resources centre in Burma, as economic pressure mounts on the military government there.'

International Herald Tribune, 09 Oct 07, by David Lague
China promotes military officers experienced in Taiwan affairs
'China has promoted senior military officers with experience in planning for war over Taiwan ahead of a key political meeting next week at which the Communist Party has said it will adopt a new strategy to stop the self-governing island moving toward independence.'

BBC News, 10 Oct 07
Taiwan shows off military might
'Taiwan has marked its national day with a military parade for the first time in 16 years, in a show of strength apparently aimed at China.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 09 Oct 07
Junta's message mixed on Aung San Suu Kyi
'The ruling junta in Myanmar said Tuesday that it hoped to achieve "smooth relations" with the detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, a day after suggesting that her release from house arrest was unlikely anytime soon.'

International Herald Tribune, 09 Oct 07, by Somini Sengupta
In India's coalition math, Marxists' power is magnified
'To a stranger, Prakash Karat and the organization he leads, the Communist Party of India (Marxist), would seem like anachronisms in the roaring capitalist economy that is India today. But quite improbably, by seizing on India's deepening friendship with the United States, Karat and his party have lately emerged as a sharp and dangerous weapon against the coalition government ...'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 07 Oct 07
Japan may reduce role in U.S.-led Afghanistan mission
'Japan could scale back its support of the United States in Afghanistan by ending naval assistance to vessels involved in ground missions there under a governing party proposal that officials predicted Sunday would gain parliamentary approval.'

International Herald Tribune, 03 Oct 07, by Joseph Kahn
China's leaders deadlocked over succession
'Just days away from a major leadership reshuffle, China's Communist Party bosses remain deadlocked over who should sit on the ruling Politburo Standing Committee and who should be anointed to succeed President Hu Jintao as China's No. 1 leader five years from now, party officials and political observers say.'

Christian Science Monitor, 05 Oct 07, by Howard LaFranchi and Donald Kirk
N. Korea shifts toward engagement with world
'An agreement reached this week with North Korea for it to dismantle "all" of its nuclear facilities by the end of the year further cements Pyongyang's commitment to a path of denuclearization – but is not the end of the story.'

International Herald Tribune, 05 Oct 07, by Thomas Fuller
Who's left to challenge the junta in Myanmar?
'Over the past two decades Myanmar's ruling generals have combed through Burmese society, crushing, dismantling or isolating pockets of organized dissent.'

Asia Times, 05 Oct 07, by Richard Ehrlich
Myanmar turns cameras on dissidents
'Taking a leaf from China's book, Myanmar is using images captured from websites, TV broadcasts, cell phones and other media to identify and arrest thousands of protesters following last week's popular uprising and military clampdown. Official Myanmar state media has also called critics such as President George W Bush "hypocrites" for arrests in Washington during recent anti-war protests.'

International Herald Tribune, 03 Oct 07, by Seth Mydans
Myanmar comes face to face with a technology revolution
'Last week, when the generals began attacking Buddhist monks and their supporters in the streets of Myanmar, they discovered that the world had changed. People were watching. The junta had come face to face with a revolution in the technology of resistance in which a guerrilla army of citizen reporters was transmitting videos, photographs and news reports over the Internet even as events were unfolding.'

Christian Science Monitor, 04 Oct 07, by Mian Ridge
Fighting escalates in Sri Lanka
'Government leaders talks of devolution, while Army prepares to target Tiger heartland in the north.'

BBC News, 02 Oct 07
Korean leaders in historic talks
'North Korea's reclusive leader Kim Jong-il has welcomed South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun to Pyongyang for a historic summit.'

International Herald Tribune, 01 Oct 07, by Thomas Fuller
Region's energy needs enable Myanmar junta
'For two decades, Asia's biggest powers have grappled with the question of how to respond to the unrelenting repression of Myanmar's junta. ... Thailand's gas deal highlights the dilemma facing China, India, Singapore and Malaysia, among other countries, as they vie for Myanmar's hardwoods, minerals, gems - and access to its market of 47 million people.'

International Herald Tribune, 28 Sep 07, by David Lague
Taiwan develops missiles designed to reach targets in China
'Faced with a threatening military buildup by China, an increasingly outgunned Taiwan is quietly pushing ahead with plans to develop missiles that could strike the mainland, defense and security experts say.'

International Herald Tribune, 26 Sep 07, by Seth Mydans
Myanmar generals intensify crackdown to rein in protests
'Facing its most serious challenge since taking power in 1988, the ruling junta is attempting to contain the uprising by tens of thousands of monks who have been at the heart of more than a week of huge demonstrations against economic hardships and the political repression of the military junta.'

International Herald Tribune, 26 Sep 07, by Steven Lee Myers and Christine Hauser
Bush vows to tighten sanctions on Myanmar
'President George W. Bush on Tuesday chided nations to live up to the rights and freedoms the United Nations promised six decades ago, announced new sanctions on Myanmar and denounced the governments of Belarus, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria and Zimbabwe as "brutal regimes."'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 26 Sep 07
Beijing replaces top military officials
'China has replaced the head of its air force and other top military chiefs, official news media reported Wednesday. The moves came ahead of a major Communist Party congress next month at which President Hu Jintao is expected to fill several top posts with younger leaders loyal to his rule.'

Christian Science Monitor, 26 Sep 07, by Donald Kirk
Did N. Korea give Syria nuclear aid?
'The US faces a dilemma going into the next round of six-nation talks on North Korea's nuclear weapons: how firmly to press North Korea for details of proliferation of its nuclear technology to foreign clients.'

Christian Science Monitor, 25 Sep 07, by Jonathan Adams
UN bid puts Taiwan on skids with China
'Taiwan's push for a seat in the UN has complicated cross-strait relations and rattled Washington.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 24 Sep 07
Prime minister of Japan and his Cabinet resign
'Ruling party elder Yasuo Fukuda swept to power as Japan's prime minister Tuesday, promising to use his experience to restore the public's faith in politics and work with the resurgent opposition to extend Tokyo's contentious naval mission in the Indian Ocean.'

International Herald Tribune, 21 Sep 07, by Howard W. French
The Chinese and Congo take a giant leap of faith
'The entire world may not have sat up and taken notice in the last week, and that is probably just fine with China, which has just made a major move into central Africa.'

International Herald Tribune, 16 Sep 07, by David Lague
Chinese leadership faces fresh challenges from Hong Kong and Taiwan
'As China's ruling Communist Party prepares for a key political gathering next month, it is facing fresh challenges to its authority, with upcoming elections in self-governing Taiwan and the former British colony of Hong Kong.'

International Herald Tribune, 09 Sep 07, by Carlos H. Conde
Amnesty offer rejected in Philippines
'Communist guerrillas have warned of more attacks in the Philippines in response to the government's offer of amnesty, which the rebels called a ploy to break up the four-decade-old communist movement.'

International Herald Tribune, 07 Sep 07, by Seth Mydans
Under glare of publicity, Myanmar softens tactics
'Myanmar's iron-fisted military junta has been put on the defensive by an unusual campaign of public protests over the past three weeks.'

Washington Post/AP, 06 Sep 07, by Robin McDowell, AP
Indonesia, Russia Bolster Military Ties
'Russia and Indonesia signed a $1 billion defense deal Thursday that will allow Indonesia to buy dozens of helicopters, tanks and submarines _ part of visiting Russian President Vladimir Putin's efforts to boost his country's military clout in Asia.'

Asia Times, 06 Sep 07, by Shawn W Crispin
Thai reshuffle exposes cracks in military
'The next step after ratification of Thailand's new constitution is arguably the most important: choosing a replacement for army commander General Sonthi Boonyaratklin. The internal power struggle of the three leading candidates has exposed long-brewing rifts between hardline versus moderate factions and highlighted their competing visions for the military's future political role.'

International Herald Tribune, 05 Sep 07, by Choe Sang-Hun
The Taliban, the hostages and the South Korean spy master
'South Korean intelligence agents negotiating with the Taliban last month to free 19 Korean hostages were struggling. The Afghan militants, who had already killed two hostages, were threatening to kill two more. They had even named their next victims. Enter Kim Man Bok, South Korea's spy master.'

Christian Science Monitor, 06 Sep 07, by Tom A. Peter
Alleged Chinese hacker attack stirs fears of digital cold war
'President Bush may confront China over suspicions that its military hacked US defense computer systems.'

International Herald Tribune, 07 Sep 07, by Carlos H. Conde
Arroyo offers amnesty to Philippine Communists
'President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo announced Friday that she had signed a proclamation offering amnesty to any members of the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing, the New People's Army, who have been detained, charged or convicted of criminal acts "in pursuit of political beliefs."'

BBC News, 04 Sep 07, by Subir Bhaumik
Five-nation naval exercise begins
'The navies of the United States, Australia, India, Japan and Singapore have begun a massive naval exercise, codenamed "Malabar", in the Bay of Bengal.'

BBC News, 04 Sep 07
China denies Pentagon cyber-raid
'China has denied reports that its military hacked into the computer network of the US Department of Defense in Washington.'

Christian Science Monitor, 04 Sep 07, by Donald Kirk
The US and North Korea near diplomatic thaw
'The North says the US already agreed to take it off the list of terrorism-sponsoring states.'

Christian Science Monitor, 04 Sep 07, by Simon Montlake
Philippines wages counterinsurgency on multiple fronts
'Authorities in Manila put security forces on alert after the arrest last week in the Netherlands of the exiled leader of the Communist Party of the Philippines.'

International Herald Tribune, 03 Sep 07, by Seth Mydans
Myanmar junta claims step to democracy, but critic condemns 'sham process'
'After 14 years of on-and-off sessions, a constitutional convention in Myanmar produced a set of charter guidelines Monday, the first step on a "road map to democracy" whose end is still not in sight. ... the document ensures that the military, which has ruled the former Burma since 1962, will remain the dominant force wherever the road map leads.'

International Herald Tribune, 02 Sep 07, by Joseph Kahn
China agrees to give UN military spending data
'China said Sunday that it would submit information about its military spending and weapons trading to the United Nations, an apparent attempt to calm fears about its secretive and rapidly expanding armed forces.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 03 Sep 07
Sri Lanka mulls cost of carrying its fight to Tamil heartland
'Sri Lanka's government denied Monday it was preparing to launch an offensive to drive Tamil rebels out of their fortified heartland in the north, a move analysts warned would exact a heavy death toll. Speculation has been mounting that the military might push into the dense jungles of the Vanni — as the rebel stronghold is known — after soldiers captured a sliver of rebel territory over the weekend.'

International Herald Tribune, 30 Aug 07, by Heather Timmons and Somini Sengupta
India's appetite for arms draws world's defense contractors
'India is developing a military appetite to match its growing economic power, and defense contractors are scrambling to profit. As the country overhauls its largely Soviet-era military arsenal, it could spend as much as $40 billion over the next five years purchasing everything from artillery to submarines to tanks, analysts estimate.'

International Herald Tribune, 29 Aug 07, by David Lague
Chinese see military dependence on computers as weakness
'Diplomatic tension this week over reported Chinese computer attacks on German government networks comes as security experts warn that China is expanding its capacity to wage cyberwar as part of its rapid military buildup.'

Human Rights News, 28 Aug 07
Thailand: Separatists Target Civilians for Attack
'In their efforts to establish an independent state in Thailand's southern border provinces, separatist groups are killing and mutilating civilians and attacking schools, community clinics, and Buddhist temples, Human Rights Watch said in a new report released today.'

Asia Times, 27 Aug 07, by Siddharth Srivastava
Bomb attacks raise new Indian fears
'Indian officials have pointed their fingers at the "usual suspects" - Pakistan and Bangladesh - after the twin bomb blasts that killed at least 43 and injured more than 100 people this Sunday at India's cyber-city of Hyderabad.'

Christian Science Monitor, 28 Aug 07, by Tom A. Peter
Hindu-Muslim ties in spotlight in wake of Hyderabad bombings
'The city, a center of India's information technology, is a high-profile target.'

Washington Post, 28 Aug 07, by Nora Boustany
Rights Group Documents Brutality Of Insurgents in Southern Thailand
'Separatist militants in Thailand's mostly Muslim southern provinces have stepped up a decades-long, low-intensity insurgency into a wave of brutal bomb attacks, assassinations, machete hackings and, in some cases, beheadings and mutilations in the past 3 1/2 years, an extensive Human Rights Watch report said today.'

Christian Science Monitor, 28 Aug 07, by Simon Montlake
Burma protests: still just a flurry
'A rare burst of street protests in military-ruled Burma (Myanmar) has shone a spotlight on an emboldened network of young democracy activists who came of age during a popular uprising in 1988. ... Memories of the bloody repression that followed have so far kept all but a few from joining the current protests, though.'

Washington Post, 26 Aug 07, by Emily Wax and Rama Lakshmi
Dissent Threatens U.S.-India Nuclear Cooperation Deal
'After two years of painstaking negotiations, a historic nuclear cooperation agreement between the United States and India appears to be unraveling as a broad spectrum of political parties calls on the government of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to scrap the deal, saying it limits the country's sovereignty in energy and foreign policy matters.'

Reuters, 17 Aug 07, by Guy Faulconbridge
Russia, China start joint wargames
'Russian and Chinese military forces started wargames on Friday, using a joint land and air assault on a mock town held by "terrorists" as a showcase for their military prowess.'

International Herald Tribune, 14 Aug 07, by Somini Sengupta
A new look at history as India turns 60
'For perhaps the first time since India gained its independence 60 years ago Wednesday, politics is part of the teaching of political science, part of a broader revision of school curriculum with potentially long-lasting implications for how Indian children grasp the workings of their own democracy.'

Washington Post, 14 Aug 07, by Rama Lakshmi
Singh Defends Nuclear Deal
'Amid angry protests from lawmakers, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh assured the nation Monday that India was free to conduct nuclear tests and that its nuclear weapons program would remain untouched under a controversial nuclear energy deal with the United States.'

Asia Times, 13 Aug 07, by Sudha Ramachandran
India promotes 'goodwill' naval exercises
'India calls the upcoming naval exercises in the Bay of Bengal Malabar 07, but they might be better labeled the "Quadrilateral Exercises", as they involve the navies of all four members - the US, Japan, India and Australia - of the Quadrilateral Initiative (aka "axis of democracy"). Beijing views this initiative, and hence the exercises too, with deep suspicion.'

Chosunilbo, 10 Aug 07, by Bruce Klingner
The 2nd Summit between two Koreas
'Yonhap reported that South Korea only informed the U.S. a few hours prior to the announcement, indicating Seoul is freelancing on peninsular issues and not coordinating with its key ally. U.S. officials, including Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill and U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Alexander Vershbow, have cautioned Seoul not to be overly eager in providing benefits to Pyongyang without imposing some conditionality to its largesse.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 06 Aug 07
Abe reaffirms Japan's commitment to nonnuclear policy
'Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Monday that Japan was committed to its non-nuclear policy and would work toward the abolition of nuclear weapons as Hiroshima marked the 62nd anniversary of the world's first atomic bomb attack, which killed more than 140,000 people in this city.'

Asia Times, 06 Aug 07, by Antoaneta Bezlova
Beijing sends a warning to Taiwan
'China used the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the People's Liberation Army to warn Taiwan against any more aggressive moves toward independence. Beijing is irritated at Taipei's repeated efforts to rejoin the UN. And the US Defense Department continues to report a buildup of Chinese offensive forces aimed across the Taiwan Strait.'

International Herald Tribune, 02 Aug 07, by Choe Sang-Hun
Anger tempers sympathy for South Korean hostages
'As the South Korean hostage crisis drags on into a third week, sympathy here for the 21 people remaining in Taliban captivity in Afghanistan has been tempered by anger over their decision to travel to such a dangerous region.'

Christian Science Monitor, 02 Aug 07, by Erika Kinetz
Cambodia's first step toward justice for Khmer Rouge
'Kaing Guek Eav, who led the Khmer Rouge's notorious S-21 prison, was indicted Tuesday.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 02 Aug 07
Korean foreign ministers hold rare meeting on North Korean nuclear row
'The foreign ministers of South and North Korea discussed the North's nuclear disarmament in a rare one-on-one meeting Thursday on the sidelines of a regional security forum in the Philippines, officials said.'

Washington Post/AP, 30 Jul 07, by Christopher Bodeen, AP
China Military Marks 80th Anniversary
'... even with the public relations drive, the buildup of the People's Liberation Army continues to stir concern among some of China's neighbors. Observers say the new openness -- touted as a sign of modernization -- remains highly limited.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 31 Jul 07
Australia urges China, India to pressure Myanmar to end abuses
'Military-ruled Myanmar, also called Burma, has been the target of stinging criticism at this week's annual gathering in Manila of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations' foreign ministers and their dialogue partners, including Australia.'

International Herald Tribune, 30 Jul 07, by Carlos H. Conde
400 killed by terrorism in Philippines since 2000, report says
'MHuman Rights Watch singled out Abu Sayyaf and the Rajah Solaiman Movement, two groups that had claimed responsibility for most of the attacks. The death toll exceeded the number of casualties in terrorist attacks in Indonesia, Morocco, Spain, Turkey and Britain in the same period.'

Christian Science Monitor, 27 Jul 07, by Robert Neff and Donald Kirk
South Koreans react to missionary kidnappings
'Some criticize the Christian aid workers for going to Afghanistan in spite of warnings.'

Manila Standard Today, 25 Jul 07
[Phillipine] Military cordons off Basilan to prevent spillover of war
'Government troops have sealed off Basilan province to prevent any fighting arising from an operation to get the killers of 14 Marines from spilling over to other areas ...'

People's Daily Online, 27 Jul 07
Susilo, Howard discuss FTA and defense treaty
'The leaders of Indonesia and Australia met in Bali Friday to assess possibility of establishing bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) and discuss efforts to strengthen defense cooperation.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 25 Jul 07
India approves technical details of India-US civilian nuclear deal
'India's Cabinet has signed off on the technical details of a civilian nuclear cooperation deal with the United States, moving a step closer to finalizing a pact touted as the cornerstone of an emerging partnership, officials said Wednesday.'

International Herald Tribune, 22 Jul 07, by Norimitsu Onishi
Bomb by bomb, Japan sheds military restraints
'... from here in Micronesia to Iraq, Japan's military has been rapidly crossing out items from its list of can't-dos. The incremental changes, especially since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, amount to the most significant transformation in Japan's military since World War II, one that has brought it ever closer operationally to America's military while rattling nerves throughout northeast Asia.'

Christian Science Monitor, 23 Jul 07, by Anuj Chopra
Why India is selling weapons to Burma
'In need of help against separatist fighters, India ignores a EU-US weapons ban.'

UPI, 18 Jul 07, by Martin Sieff
BMD Focus: The sub that Quickbird saw
'The Federation of American Scientists scored a major journalistic scoop earlier this month. As previously reported by UPI, the venerable, Washington-based arms-control group claimed to have identified the very first commercial imagery of a new Chinese ballistic-missile-carrying nuclear submarine.'

Washington Post, 20 Jul 07, by Edward Cody
Negotiators Disagree on N. Korea Nukes
'After three days of upbeat talks, negotiators from six nations announced Friday that they had failed to agree on a schedule for North Korea to take the next steps toward nuclear disarmament.'

Christian Science Monitor, 16 Jul 07, by Donald Kirk
New phase as N. Korea shuts down reactor
'International observers are monitoring the step. Six-party talks on the North's nuclear program resume in Beijing on Wednesday.'

International Herald Tribune, 16 Jul 07, by Choe Sang-Hun
UN verifies closure of North Korean reactor
'United Nations inspectors have confirmed that North Korea has shut down its weapons-making nuclear reactor, the UN nuclear monitoring agency said Monday. Pyongyang, meanwhile, warned Washington that the real bargaining over its nuclear disarmament had only begun.'

BBC News, 13 Jul 07
N Korea's military seeks US talks
'North Korea's military has called for direct talks with US forces to discuss "peace and security on the Korean peninsula", state media reports.'

Federation of America Scientists 'Strategic Security Blog', 12 Jul 07, by Hans M. Kristensen
China Reorganizes Northern Nuclear Missile Launch Sites
'China has significantly reorganized facilities believed to be launch sites for nuclear ballistic missiles near Delingha in the northern parts of Central China, according to commercial satellite images analyzed by the Federation of American Scientists.'

Forbes/AP, 05 Jul 07, by Eric Talmadge
Japan Seeks Greater Military Role Abroad
'Japan's military is making international peacekeeping a priority, scrambling to bolster its missile defenses and deepening its coordination with U.S. troops, an annual report said Friday.'

BBC News, 05 Jul 07
Howard's steadfast resolve on Iraq
Australia's defence minister sparked a heated debate by admitting oil security was a reason for Australia's continued presence in Iraq.

Stars and Stripes, 11 Jul 07, by Ashley Rowland
8th Army to have presence in South Korea, even after 2012
'The 8th U.S. Army will stay in South Korea after the country takes over wartime control of all military forces on the peninsula in 2012, but its headquarters could move elsewhere, an 8th Army spokesman said Monday.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 03 Jul 07
Chinese and North Korean officials hold disarmament talks
'The North Korean leader, Kim Jong Il, met China's foreign minister Tuesday and received a message from the Chinese president, Hu Jintao, the North's state media said as efforts to get Pyongyang to give up its nuclear program seemed to gain traction.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 02 Jul 07
U.S. general assails North Korean missile tests
'The top U.S. military commander in South Korea criticized last week's missile test launches by North Korea, saying Monday that the country remained a threat despite its recent moves toward dismantling its nuclear program.'

Sydney Morning Herald, 04 Jul 07, by Justin Norrie
Atomic gaffe sparks crisis for Abe regime
'The resignation of Japan's Defence Minister, Fumio Kyuma, over remarks that appeared to legitimise the World War II atomic bombings of Japan, has plunged his embattled government into fresh crisis weeks before nationwide elections.'

International Herald Tribune, 29 Jun 07, by Warren Hoge
UN official disputes U.S. over funds for North Korea
'The deputy chief of the UN Development Program has shot back at U.S. accusations that it had squandered millions of dollars in North Korea, saying the amount far surpassed what the program had at its disposal and questioning the authenticity of documents the U.S. Mission provided to back up its claims.'

International Herald Tribune, 28 Jun 07, by Carlos H. Conde
Philippine military blamed for 'dirty war' against leftists
'The Philippine military has been waging a "dirty war" against leftists that has resulted in the murder and disappearance of hundreds of Filipino activists, Human Rights Watch said Thursday.'

BBC News, 21 Jun 07, by Giang Nguyen
Vietnam forges ahead with US ties
'Nguyen Minh Triet has made history this week as the first Vietnamese president to visit the United States since the war ended in 1975.'

International Herald Tribune, 21 Jun 07, by David E. Sanger and Norimitsu Onishi
U.S. to hold direct talks in North Korea on arms
'In a sharp reversal of strategy, the Bush administration on Wednesday secretly dispatched its top North Korea negotiator to the country's capital, Pyongyang, for one-on-one talks about the North Koreans giving up their nuclear arsenal.'

International Herald Tribune, 20 Jun 07, by C.J. Chivers
Turkmenistan leader pledges to expand relations with U.S.
'Berdymukhammedov's remarks were made in a meeting here with Admiral William Fallon, commander of all American troops in the region, and a small delegation of U.S. military and State Department officials.'

International Herald Tribune, 19 Jun 07, by Thomas Fuller
Junta orders Thaksin back to Thailand
'Ramping up their campaign against the man they ousted from power, the military government on Tuesday ordered Thaksin Shinawatra to return to Thailand by the end of the month or face arrest on charges of concealing assets. But the country's ruling generals gave contradictory statements on whether they could guarantee Thaksin's safety if he were to return.'

International Herald Tribune, 18 Jun 07, by David Lague
U.S. says North Korea may begin shutting reactor in weeks
'North Korea could be ready to begin shutting down its plutonium-producing reactor within weeks as the first step toward disabling the unit by the end of this year, the top United States negotiator on North Korea's nuclear weapons program said here on Monday.'

The Age (Australia)/AAP, 15 Jun 07
Indonesia captures another JI kingpin
'Indonesian authorities have landed another stinging blow to regional terror network Jemaah Islamiah (JI), announcing that they had nabbed the de facto head of the shadowy organisation. Zarkasih - who has several aliases including Nuaim and Mbah and has headed JI since 2005 - was captured in Yogyakarta in central Java six hours after Indonesia's elite anti-terror squad Detachment 88 arrested the country's most-wanted Islamic militant, JI military wing chief Abu Dujana, on Saturday.'

Military.com, 14 Jun 07, by Christian Lowe
China Attempting Cyberspace Dominance
'The Air Force has been tracking aggressive cyber incursions by computer technicians in China, primarily focused toward gathering information on military network infrastructure and American trade secrets, the Air Force's cyber warfare commander said Wednesday.'

Christian Science Monitor, 12 Jun 07, by Daniel Ten Kate
Thais take to the streets to protest military regime
'In what amounts to the largest display of dissatisfaction with Thailand's military junta since a bloodless coup last September, thousands have taken to the streets in the Thai capital to protest what critics of military rule say is an illegitimate government that seeks to disenfranchise a large segment of Thai society.'

International Herald Tribune, 13 Jun 07, by Somini Sengupta
Misery and death stalk Sri Lanka's north
'A 2002 cease-fire, which had stanched the bloodshed for a time, has collapsed. For a year, fighting has spread across the island between the Sri Lankan military, dominated by the ethnic Sinhalese majority, and the separatist rebels, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.'

CBS News/AP, 07 Jun 07
Taiwan Loses A Latin Ally To Beijing
'Costa Rica shifts diplomacy to China, sets off fear of "domino effect" in Taipei'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 06 Jun 07
Australian official calls for regional security forum
'Northeast Asia needs a permanent security forum to deal with potential flash points like the Korean Peninsula and the Taiwan Strait, Australia's foreign minister said Wednesday before an inaugural high-level security meeting with Japan.'

Christian Science Monitor, 01 Jun 07, by Daniel Ten Kate
Thai ruling may trigger political shift
'Wednesday's decision to dissolve former ruling party may ensure the military's political dominance.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 25 May 07
U.S. Defense Department says China's anti-satellite test posed threat
'China is modernizing its military in ways that give it options for launching surprise attacks, potentially far from its borders, the U.S. Defense Department said Friday. In an annual report to Congress, the Pentagon said the Chinese are acquiring better missiles, submarines and aircraft and should more fully explain the purpose of a military buildup that has led some to view China as a threat.'

International Herald Tribune, 27 May 07, by Joseph Kahn
China accuses Pentagon of spreading false fears over missiles
'A Pentagon report that expressed concerns about China's buildup of land- and sea-based ballistic missiles "misleads international opinion" and aims to spread false fears of a China threat, Chinese state media said Sunday.'

International Herald Tribune, 25 May 07, by Thomas Fuller
Thai generals ask former assassin to be security adviser
'Frustrated by their inability to pacify a Muslim insurgency and concerned about rising impatience toward their rule, Thailand's generals have named a former commando and self-described assassin as their top security adviser.'

International Herald Tribune, 23 May 07, by Jim Yardley
Blocked by U.S., China finds it own way to space
'For years, China has chafed at efforts by the United States to exclude it from full membership in the world's elite space club. So, lately, China seems to have hit on a solution: create a new club.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 23 May 07
Japan approves funding to relocate U.S. forces
'Japan passed a law Wednesday to fund the reorganization of U.S. forces in Japan and help move thousands of American marines from the country's south to the U.S. territory of Guam. Tokyo and Washington agreed last year on a plan to streamline American troops in Japan and to give Japan greater responsibility for security in Asia.'

Washington Post/Reuters, 22 May 07, by Teruaki Ueno, Reuters
U.S., Japan to study missile defense with Australia
'The United States and Japan plan to study a joint missile defense system with Australia that would boost their security role in the Asia-Pacific region, a Japanese government source said on Tuesday.'

International Herald Tribune, 13 May 07, by Jim Yardley
U.S. military commander visits China
'The new commander of American military forces in the Pacific said that the United States wanted to continue building closer ties with Chinese forces and called for more extensive and sophisticated military exchanges and joint exercises between the countries.'

Reuter, 10 May 07
China defends Darfur role, deflects U.S. warning
'China buys much of Sudan's oil, and as a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, has resisted proposals to send U.N. peacekeepers without Sudan's consent. But Beijing has also nudged Sudan to accept peacekeepers and in April sent an envoy to inspect refugee camps in Darfur.'

The Guardian/AP, 11 May 07
Peace move sees return of trans-Korean railway
'North and South Korea today adopted a military agreement enabling the first train crossing of their heavily armed border in more than half a century.'

Christian Science Monitor, 10 May 07, by Mahtab Haider
Bangladeshi exile plan backfires
'The military-backed regime's failed bid to exile feuding former leaders may signal a political opportunity.'

The Baltimore Sun, 09 May 07, by Bradley Olson
1871 battle echoes
'South Korea seeks return of flag, on display at Naval Academy, that Marines seized after their victory.'

Washington Post, 08 May 07, by Erika Kinetz
In Cambodia, a Clash Over History of the Khmer Rouge
'Nearly three decades after the Khmer Rouge were overthrown, a battle over history is underway in Cambodia. On one side are forces eager to reckon with the past, both in school and at a special court set up to try the surviving leaders of the Khmer Rouge. ... Blunting these demands is a government whose top leaders were once associated with the now-defunct communist movement and who seem loath to cede control over such a politically sensitive chapter of Cambodian history.'

International Herald Tribune, 06 May 07, by Donald Greenlees
Ex-Indonesia armed forces chief defends East Timor record
'... [retired General] Wiranto told the hearing that "there was no policy to attack civilians, there were no systematic plans, no genocide or crimes against humanity." The [Indonesia and East Timor Commission of Truth and Friendship] is purported to be a last attempt to uncover the truth about the events in East Timor in 1999, avoid the slim possibility of the United Nations setting up a tribunal to investigate the violence and allow the two countries to finally move on.'

Christian Science Monitor, 01 May 07, by Mark Sappenfield
In heart of India, a little-known civil war
'Villagers are caught between two unforgiving sides: a communist insurgency that's left much of the country ungoverned, and a tough-as-nails "peace movement."'

JeffHead.com, 24 Feb 07, by Jeff Head
The Rising Sea Dragon in Asia
'Throughout 2006 and into 2007 the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has continued its unprecedented modernization and buildup, adding two entirely new classes of major combatant warships to its inventory, along with the other twelve new classes they have been working on.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 29 Apr 07
North Korea displays new missile that can reach Guam, report says
'North Korea has displayed a new ballistic missile that can reach the U.S. territory of Guam, a South Korean newspaper report over the weekend. ... North Korea test-fired a series of missiles in July 2006, including its latest long-range model, the Taepodong-2, which experts say they believe could reach parts of the United States. In October, North Korea conducted its first test of a nuclear device.'

Navy Times, 30 Apr 07, by Richard Halloran, The Honolulu Advertiser
Submarines a top priority in China
'An American military intelligence officer, asked some years ago how far the Chinese could project their military power, answered only half-jokingly: "About as far as their army can walk." That is changing rapidly today as China's leaders fuel the budgets of the People's Liberation Army, which comprises all of their armed forces.'

International Herald Tribune, 26 Apr 07, by Seth Mydans
North Korea and Myanmar restore diplomatic ties
'United in their hostility to America, two of the world's most repressive nations - Myanmar and North Korea - restored diplomatic relations Thursday after more than two decades of estrangement.'

International Herald Tribune, 26 Apr 07, by Carlos H. Conde
In 1 girl's death, 2 tales of a war against Filipino Maoists
'The killing of a 9-year-old by troops who said she was a child soldier recruited by Maoist rebels has outraged human rights advocates and others, who say the Filipino military routinely disregards children as it battles the Communist insurgency.'

The Age, 22 Apr 07
Diggers securing Mideast peace: Nelson
'[Australia's] Defence Minister Brendan Nelson has paid a secret visit to Australian troops in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Persian Gulf, telling them they play a crucial role in securing peace in the Middle East.'

Christian Science Monitor, 24 Apr 07, by Mahtab Haider
Bangladesh's 'Begums' face exile
'An anticorruption drive, led by Bangladesh's military leaders, last week reached the highest levels of the country's political machine.'

New York Times, 20 Apr 07, by Joseph Kahn
In China, Talk of Democracy Is Simply That
'China is not embracing Western-style democracy, even in theory. But by permitting a relatively open round of political discussion, President Hu Jintao and other top leaders have sought to cast themselves publicly as progressives who are open-minded about ways to improve government practices and reduce corruption, party officials and political experts say.'

International Herald Tribune, 22 Apr 07, by Somini Sengupta
U.S.-India nuclear deal runs into trouble
'A nuclear accord hailed as the centerpiece of India's new friendship with the United States appears to be in jeopardy, as officials here argue about whether its limitations on Indian nuclear activities are an affront to the country's sovereignty.'

International Herald Tribune, 19 Apr 07, by Caroline Brothers
Australia and the U.S. join to discourage refugees
'Australia and the United States have come up with a novel way to discourage refugees who risk all to stream to their borders, only to spend years in detention. Swap them. Then admit them. The idea allows the two countries to settle people long caught up in an immigration limbo and humanitarian nightmare - while still denying them admission to their first-choice country. Upholding that principle is supposed to deter countless others from following in their wake.'

Asia Times, 18 Apr 07, by Syed Saleem Shahzad
A dose of democracy for Pakistan
'Al-Qaeda's resurgence and its new modus operandi through home-grown militant groups in the Muslim world has gone a long way toward prompting Washington to revise its approach to the "war on terror". In this, the promotion of democracy and social reform plays a significant part in confronting al-Qaeda.'

BBC News, 17 Apr 07
N Korea 'may be shutting reactor'
'North Korea may be preparing to shut its main nuclear reactor, according to media reports from the South. Satellite images have detected unusual activity at the Yongbyon base, reports in the Dong-a Ilbo newspaper and Yonhap news agency say.'

BBC News, 16 Apr 07
Tribe in Pakistan security plea
'One of the main tribes in Pakistan's tense border region with Afghanistan has urged Islamabad to resume control of law and order in the area.'

BBC News, 13 Apr 07
Japan moves to loosen army's role
'Japan's lower house of parliament has approved guidelines to amend the country's post-war pacifist constitution for the first time.'

International Herald Tribune, 12 Apr 07, by Donald Greenlees and David Lague
How a U.S. inquiry held up the North Korea peace talks
'For U.S. law enforcement agencies it was one of the most elaborate smuggling investigations ever. When it was over some 20 months ago, it produced dozens of arrests and hard evidence that Chinese criminal gangs had smuggled counterfeit U.S. currency, cigarettes and drugs made in North Korea into the United States.'

Christian Science Monitor, 12 Apr 07, by Anuj Chopra
Business thrives amid Kashmir war
'After 17 years of violent separatist conflict, Indian Kashmir has become a high-tech business success story.'

Christian Science Monitor, 12 Apr 07, by Howard LaFranchi and Donald Kirk
Key step forward on North Korea
'Agreement on funds frozen by US paves way for North Korean shutdown of its nuclear program.'

ABC Canberra, 11 Apr 07, by Alex Sloan and Nicholas Kittel
SAS regiment soldiers to be redeployed to Afghanistan: prepare for casualties says Howard
'Prime Minister John Howard has warned the nation to prepare for causalities as he announced another contingent of Special Air Service (SAS) regiment soldiers that will head to Afghanistan.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 09 Apr 07
Official says U.S. pressing N. Korea on disarmament
'A U.S. envoy has told North Korea that time is running out for it to act on its commitments under a nuclear disarmament deal, a U.S. official said Tuesday.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 10 Apr 07
Chinese missile test heightened threat to Taiwan, study says
'The antisatellite missile test China conducted in January increased the country's military threat to Taiwan by demonstrating a limited ability to blind U.S. satellites that would be deployed in defense of the island, according to a report released Tuesday.'

BBC News, 10 Apr 07
Nepalese army begins arms storage
'The United Nations in Nepal says that it has begun overseeing the storing of weapons held by the army.'

Washington Times, 06 Apr 07, by Bill Gertz
China mum on Pace query on anti-satellite system
'China's senior military leaders refused to disclose any details about a recent test of a new anti-satellite weapon system or other aspects of a secret space-arms program, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told reporters yesterday.'

International Herald Tribune, 06 Apr 07, by Somini Sengupta
As Musharraf's woes grow, enter an old rival, again
'Benazir Bhutto, a former prime minister and the leader of the Pakistan People's Party who has lived in exile since 1999, ... has suggested that as an elected leader, she would be more credible in selling antiterrorism efforts to the public than Musharraf, who has been criticized by Washington for a mixed record in combating the Taliban and Al Qaeda within Pakistan's borders.'

Ohmy News, 06 Apr 07, by Umer Farooq
Pakistan-India to Discuss Military Conflict
'Pakistani and Indian defense officials will be meeting in Rawalpindi, the seat of Pakistan's military command, to resolve the military conflict over Siachen Glacier, where the armies of the two nuclear rivals have engaged in combat over the last two decades.'

Christian Science Monitor, 03 Apr 07, by Jonathan Adams
Taiwan tosses Chiang Kai-shek statues to shed authoritarian past
'To strengthen its national identity, Taiwan's government is removing the likenesses of its former ruler.'

Washington Post, 02 Apr 07, by Griff Witte
Battle Brews Over Rule By Military In Pakistan
'The controversy that began March 9 when Musharraf suspended the nation's chief justice is shaping up to be a much broader contest in Pakistan between civilian and military rule.'

Christian Science Monitor, 02 Apr 07, by Anuj Chopra
India weighs troop reduction in quieter Kashmir
The demilitarization of Kashmir would represent a final push toward peace between India and Pakistan.'

International Herald Tribune, 28 Mar 07, by Thomas Fuller and Seth Mydans
General who led coup urges emergency rule in Bangkok
'The general who led a coup last September asked his appointed prime minister on Wednesday to impose a state of emergency in Bangkok, as public opposition to the government grew louder.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 25 Mar 07
Tamil rebels launch first-ever airstrike in Sri Lanka
'Tamil Tiger rebels launched their first airstrike in the nearly quarter-decade conflict with Sri Lanka's government, using at least one small plane to bomb an air base outside the capital Monday, killing three airmen, officials said.'

Rediff News, 26 Mar 07, by B Raman
Lankan war has entered a new phase
'The Tamil Eelam Air Force of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, which has been in existence for at least nine years without the Sri Lankan intelligence having the least idea about its location and capability, went into action for the first time since its creation in the early hours of March 26. It was a conventional air attack and not a suicide mission.'

International Herald Tribune, 25 Mar 07, by Steven R. Weisman
U.S. official to help free North Korean funds
'The Bush administration said that it had been more difficult than anticipated to fulfill an agreement to return $25 million in frozen bank funds to North Korea, as a top U.S. Treasury official flew Sunday to China to help free the money. Daniel Glaser, deputy assistant secretary for terrorist financing and financial crimes, arrived in Beijing on Sunday to meet Chinese officials.'

BBC News, 23 Mar 07
US urges China military openness
'China must be more transparent about its military intentions, top US general Peter Pace has said.'

International Herald Tribune, 18 Mar 07, by Martin Fackler
On Iwo Jima's beach, war dead are remembered
'... 62 years ago 61,000 American marines poured onto this remote volcanic island in the Pacific Ocean, in one of the bloodiest and final campaigns of World War II.'

Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar 07, by Mark Magnier
Frozen funds to be released to North Korea
'U.S. will allow about $25 million in Macao to be transferred to Beijing. It clears an obstacle to talks on Pyongyang's nuclear program.'

International Herald Tribune, 18 Mar 07, by Jim Yardley
Across Asia, Korea talks have wider ambitions
'For more than three years, the grinding, often exasperating negotiations over North Korea's nuclear weapons program have been about taking the bomb away from Kim Jong Il. As if that were not complicated enough, the agenda is now becoming more ambitious. One new goal could be loosely described as cleaning up the 20th century.'

New York Times, 15 Mar 07, by Somini Sengupta
Attackers Kill Dozens of Police in India
'Suspected Maoist rebels stormed a police post in the heavily forested center of India early this morning, killing several dozen policemen in what appeared to be the biggest attack on state law enforcement in the last several years of insurgency.'

Christian Science Monitor, 14 Mar 07, by Arthur Bright
Japan and Australia sign defense pact
'The treaty strengthens military, security ties between the US allies, but may be of concern to China.'

Washington Post, 15 Mar 07, by Glenn Kessler and Edward Cody
U.S. Ends Bank Probe; Possible Step Toward N. Korean Reactor Closure
'The Treasury Department said yesterday that it has ended its investigation of a Macau bank that it accused of facilitating money laundering and counterfeiting by North Korea, removing a possible roadblock to a six-nation agreement to shut down the reclusive nation's nuclear reactor.'

Washington Post, 15 Mar 07, by Edward Cody
N. Korea Demands May Delay Reactor Shutdown
'The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency said Wednesday that North Korean officials told him they will begin shutting down their main nuclear reactor only after the United States lifts financial restrictions against North Korea.'

International Herald Tribune, 11 Mar 07, by Carlos H. Conde
Philippine opposition accuses military of harassment
'In several poor neighborhoods in the capital region, the military has moved in, sometimes supplementing the activities of the police, but also, human rights advocates say, targeting leftist agitators and government opponents for harassment.'

The Hindu, 08 Mar 07, by Nirupama Subramanian
India, Pakistan to share information
'The first meeting of the India-Pakistan joint anti-terror mechanism ended here on Wednesday with both sides agreeing to exchange information that would help each other in investigation and prevent terrorist acts.'

BBC News, 06 Mar 07, by Barbara Plett
S Asia rivals hold terror talks
'India and Pakistan are holding the first meeting of a joint panel to combat terrorism. ... The leaders of the two countries agreed in September to set up a mechanism as a way to boost cooperation between the regional rivals.'

Voice of America, 04 Mar 07, by Daniel Schearf
China's Defense Budget to Increase 17.8% in 2007
'China's military spending will grow by 17 point eight percent to nearly $45 billion this year. China has steadily increased its defense budget by double digits over the past few years, raising concerns about its military intentions. Daniel Schearf reports from Beijing.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 03 Mar 07
US envoy urges greater transparency from China on nuclear program
'The U.S. State Department's No. 2 diplomat urged China to be more transparent about its military buildup, just hours after Beijing on Sunday announced its biggest hike in defense spending in over a decade.'

International Herald Tribune, 05 Mar 07, by David E. Sanger
U.S. to offer North Korea face-saving nuclear plan
'In an effort to make the best of newly murky intelligence about North Korea, Bush administration officials say they plan to tell the North's nuclear negotiators on Monday that Washington's doubts about how much progress the country has made in enriching uranium gives North Korea a face-saving way to surrender its nuclear equipment.'

Times of India, 05 Mar 07
Southeast Asia urged to be vigilant on terror
'Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda on Monday called southeast Asian countries to be vigilant towards "improving" militant strategies of threatening peace and security in the region.

Washington Post/AP, 01 Mar 07, by Kwang-Tae Kim, AP
N.Korea Pledges to Denuclearize in Talks
'North Korea's No. 2 leader pledged his country's commitment Thursday to giving up its nuclear program amid intensifying diplomacy aimed at implementing Pyongyang's pledge to disarm.'

International Herald Tribune, 28 Feb 07, by David E. Sanger and William J. Broad
U.S. concedes uncertainty on North Korean uranium effort
'... now, American intelligence officials are publicly softening their position, admitting to doubts about how much progress the uranium enrichment program has actually made. The result has been new questions about the Bush administration's decision to confront North Korea in 2002.'

Christian Science Monitor, 01 Mar 07, by Simon Montlake
US troops in Philippines defy old stereotype
'In southern islands, the US has helped the Philippine Army for more than five years to stem Muslim insurgency.'

International Herald Tribune, 25 Feb 07, by Seth Mydans
Muslim insurgency stokes fear in southern Thailand
'Some are already calling it war, a brutal Muslim separatist insurgency in southern Thailand that has taken as many as 2,000 lives in three years, with almost- daily bombings, drive-by shootings, arson and beheadings.'

BBC News, 13 Feb 07, by Charles Scanlon
The end of a long confrontation?
'US administrations have a tendency to start from scratch in their dealings with North Korea - and then relearn, step by step, the tortuous lessons taught to their predecessors.'

Christian Science Monitor, 22 Feb 07, by Nick Squires
Cheney visits an Australia roiled by Guantánamo, Iraq
'... despite Australia's status as a steadfast US ally and broad public support for the country's troop deployment in Afghanistan, Cheney will encounter public anger over Australia's participation in the Iraq war and growing disquiet over the fate of the country's lone Guantanamo Bay detainee, David Hicks.'

Manila Standard Today/AFP, 22 Feb 07
UN envoy blames military for spate of slays
'The United Nations blamed the Philippine military yesterday for many of the political murders that have rocked the country and pressed President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to rein in the bloodshed. Wrapping up an investigation into what rights groups say are more than 800 political assassinations, UN special envoy Philip Alston said many of the killings stemmed from the military's campaign against left-wing guerrillas.'

BBC News, 20 Feb 07
Cheney set to hold US-Japan talks
'US Vice-President Dick Cheney has arrived in Tokyo at the start of a trip officials say is designed to bolster America's strategic alliances in Asia.'

International Herald Tribune, 19 Feb 07, by Somini Sengupta
Train bombing tests India-Pakistan ties
'On Monday, the office of the Indian prime minister, Manmohan Singh, called the bombing "an act of terror" and promised to apprehend those responsible. The Pakistani government also swiftly condemned it.'

Christian Science Monitor, 20 Feb 07, by Anuj Chopra
India, Pakistan undeterred by train blasts
'The peace process will continue despite the attack, with Pakistan's foreign minister expected in New Delhi Tuesday.'

Reuters, 15 Feb 07
U.S. to build military base in Australia
'The United States is to build a new military satellite communications base in Australia, the government said on Thursday, after three years of secret negotiations between the two allies. The new base will relay signals and intelligence to U.S. forces in the Middle East and Asia from Geraldton, 400 km (248 miles) north of the West Australian state capital Perth.'

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 14 Feb 07, by Daniel Kimmage
Turkmenistan: Rejoining The Central Asian Fold?
'The events that preceded Berdymukhammedov's inauguration as Turkmenistan's new president today might have been humdrum by regional standards, but because they took place in a country on which Niyazov impressed what for now seems to be an indelible stamp, they have left opposition figures, international organizations, and even other countries off balance. The new president's ascent might suggest that Turkmenistan is rejoining the Central Asian fold, but no one seems quite ready to believe it.'

Washington Post/Reuters, 12 Feb 07, by Jack Kim and Lindsay Beck, Reuters
United States haggles with N.Korea over energy aid
'The United States and North Korea haggled on Monday over energy aid the North would receive in exchange for ending its nuclear arms ambitions as six-party talks looked likely to straggle into an extra day.'

Christian Science Monitor, 08 Feb 07, by Howard LaFranchi
Why latest Korea nuclear talks raise hopes
'Six-party talks resume Thursday amid an atmosphere buoyed by January's extraordinary bilateral negotiations in Berlin.'

International Herald Tribune, 08 Feb 07, by David Lague
China adds jet fighter that rivals world best
'For more than two decades, China has labored to build its first state-of-the-art jet fighter as part of the country's drive to become a leading military power.'

Christian Science Monitor, 02 Feb 07, by Scott Baldauf
Hu's trip to Sudan tests China-Africa ties
'Chinese President Hu Jintao's arrival in Sudan Friday could well mark a turning point in China's growing relationship with Africa. ... If he buckles to pressure from Western governments, and makes future aid dependent on Sudan's actions to halt the brutal civil war in Darfur, then African leaders will see that even China's aid comes with strings attached.'

Hindustan Times, 04 Feb 07, by PK Balachandran
Mahinda tightens grip over defence ministry
'The concentration of military power in hands of the hawkish president and his brother is significant in the context of the strong possibility that efforts would be made in the coming months to capture the North, including the Wanni, from the LTTE.'

International Herald Tribune, 31 Jan 07, by Joseph Kahn
Senior Chinese official issues Bush rebuke
'A senior Chinese government official issued a rare public rebuke of President George W. Bush on Thursday, accusing the American leader of waging a "unilateral" battle against terrorists that had worsened global tensions.'

International Herald Tribune, 28 Jan 07, by Carlos H. Conde
An EU-like pact for Asean: A distant dream?
'... analysts have said that any serious attempt at an EU-like Asean should first address some of the issues that could undercut it: the huge income disparities among Asean nations, the political and cultural diversity and the lack of progress in many of these economies on trade liberalization, good governance and human rights.'

International Herald Tribune, 25 Jan 07, by Somini Sengupta
Russia-India partnership enters new era
'A new nuclear accord, booming trade and an ever closer partnership with the United States notwithstanding, the guest of honor later this week at India's Republic Day ceremony, an annual display of military pomp, will represent New Delhi's newest old friend: President Vladimir Putin of Russia.'

Military.com, 24 Jan 07, by Peter Brookes
China's Space Attack Test
'After several attempts, the People's Republic of China has successfully tested an anti-satellite weapon. The kinetic-energy "kill vehicle" destroyed its target - one of Beijing's own aging weather satellites - orbiting over 500 miles above Earth.'

International Herald Tribune, 24 Jan 07, by Howard W. French
China seeks solution to Darfur crisis
'In recent months, China has faced widespread criticism for its economic engagement with Sudan at a time when government-allied militias, known as the janjaweed, have mounted frequent attacks on civilian populations in Sudan's western Darfur region.'

International Herald Tribune, 21 Jan 07, by David E. Sanger and Joseph Kahn
U.S. tries to interpret silence over China anti-satellite test
'Bush administration officials said that they had been unable to get even the most basic diplomatic response from China after their detection of a successful test to destroy a satellite 10 days ago, and that they were uncertain whether China's top leaders, including President Hu Jintao, were fully aware of the test or the reaction it would engender.'

International Herald Tribune, 18 Jan 07, by Mark Landler and Thom Shanker
U.S. holds 'substantive' talks with North Korea
'Seeking to revive stalled negotiations to end North Korea's nuclear weapons program, the United States held two days of substantive talks with North Korean diplomats here Tuesday and Wednesday, according to the chief American envoy, Christopher R. Hill.'

Christian Science Monitor, 11 Jan 07, by Mark Sappenfield
India raises the ante on its space program
'India launched its first recoverable satellite Wednesday, throwing its hat into the new space race of the East.'

New York Times, 08 Jan 07, by Seth Mydans
Behind Bombs, Signs of a Turbulent Year for Thailand
'A string of lethal bombs that disrupted New Year's celebrations here has signaled the start of a difficult year for Thailand as entrenched elites struggle for control of the country's future.'

International Herald Tribune, 05 Jan 07, by Seth Mydans
News Analysis: Thailand a country in commotion
'A string of lethal bombs that disrupted New Year's celebrations here has brought into the open a simmering confrontation between the ruling military junta and the opponents it unseated in a coup three months ago.'

Christian Science Monitor, 04 Jan 07, by Robert Marquand
How Kim Jong Il controls a nation
'As Kim Jong Il continues to elude efforts to constrain his nuclear program, a grudging regard for the North Korean leader's tactical skills is rising.'