Syria peace efforts must continue despite break with Russia: Kerry

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry delivers a speech on the transatlantic relationship at the Concert Noble in Brussels, Belgium, October 4, 2016.REUTERS/Francois Lenoir

By David Brunnstrom and Robin Emmott | BRUSSELS

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Tuesday efforts to end Syria's war must continue despite Washington's decision to break off talks with Moscow over what he called its "irresponsible" support for President Bashar al-Assad.

The United States on Monday suspended talks with Russia on implementing a ceasefire deal in Syria, accusing Moscow of not living up to its commitments to halt fighting and ensure aid reached besieged communities.

"We are not giving up on the Syrian people and we are not abandoning the pursuit of peace," Kerry said in a speech in Brussels.

"We will continue to pursue a meaningful, sustainable, enforceable cessation of hostilities throughout the country – and that includes the grounding of Syrian and Russian combat aircraft in designated areas."

Kerry accused Russia of turning a blind eye to Assad's use of chlorine gas and barrel bombs and suggested it was pursuing a scorched earth policy in place of diplomacy.

"As we know, this tragic war has been made worse by the utter depravity of the regime, that doesn't hesitate to still use gas, chlorine, mixed with other ingredients to kill its citizens, that drops barrel bombs on hospitals and children and women," he said.

"You also have the irresponsible and profoundly ill-advised decision by Russia to associate its interests and reputation with that of Assad, a man who has been responsible for torturing more than ten thousand people."

He said that if Russia was serious about peace, it would have to behave differently than it was now in Syria. "Russia knows exactly what it needs to do in order to get that cessation implemented and in a fair and reasonable way," he said.

Kerry said all parties had a duty to enable delivery of humanitarian assistance.

European foreign ministers will meet on Oct. 17 to discuss what they can do to help bring peace, after the European Union proposed a new humanitarian plan at the weekend in coordination with the United Nations for the besieged Syrian city of Aleppo.

But a senior European diplomat said there was little chance that Russia would change strategy, asserting that Moscow was resorting to the same tactics it used on the Chechen capital Grozny, which was devastated in 1994-96 and 1999-2000 wars by Russian forces intent on keeping Chechnya in Russia.

"Their objective is the total destruction of the opposition. They have a Chechen vision of the conflict. Their method is submission by force," the senior diplomat said.

MILITARY OPTIONS

Russian news agencies, citing Kerry's Syria interlocutor, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, said Moscow would continue to make efforts to resolve the Syria crisis despite the U.S. suspension of the talks.

A spokeswoman for U.N. Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura said he was in "intensive consultations" on the way forward.

The end of the talks could trigger deeper U.S. consideration of military options such as providing more sophisticated arms, logistical support, and training to rebel groups.

But the speed with which the ceasefire collapsed - after a U.N. aid convoy was bombed in Syria - appeared to surprise some U.S. officials, leaving them without a clear plan on the immediate way forward.

ALSO IN WORLD NEWS

• Philippine leader tells Obama 'go to hell', says can buy arms from Russia, China
• Colombia government, rebels in crisis talks after peace deal rejected

U.S. President Barack Obama has been loath to get more deeply involved and U.S. officials have said he is unlikely to do so with less than four months left in office.

Russia said on Tuesday it had deployed an S-300 missile system to its Tartus naval base in Syria.

"The missile battery is intended to ensure the safety of the

naval base...It is unclear why the deployment of the S-300

caused such alarm among our Western partners," the Defence Ministry said.

(Additional reporting by John Irish in Paris; Editing by Angus MacSwan)

UB International Film Festival to launch next week

Oct 04, 2016  |  Written by B.Amarsaikhan  |  

Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ The Ulaanbaatar International Film Festival is opening on October 11 at the Tengis cinema. The four-day festival will launch by premiering the Zud Film directed by Marta Mironovich. 

The eight annual UB International Film Festival is being organized by the Arts Council of Mongolia, the Embassy of the French Republic, and supported by the S.Korean Embassy, the Goethe Institute, and the Taiwanese Trade and Economy Representative Office, with a purpose to deliver the masterpieces of global motion picture to the Mongolian audience.

Top 10 works, awarded at Cannes and Berlin film festivals, from UK, Afghanistan, Germany, France, Poland, South Korea and Taiwan will be screened. 

Mangolia news-Face of Beauty International 2016 calls for Mazaalai

Face of Beauty International 2016 calls for Mazaalai conservation

Oct 04, 2016  |  Written by B.Amarsaikhan  |  

Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ Beauties from 60 countries have challenged their talents in anticipation of the finale of Face of Beauty International (FOBI) 2016. The finale will take place on October 8 at Buyant-Ukhaa Sports Complex.

Contestants from Mongolia, Kazakhstan, China, Spain and Portugal became the top five in the Miss Talent category. Their performances will be staged once again at the finale.

This year’s FOBI has chosen “Let’s Save Mazaalai” as its motto, which is, as described by the organizers, raising awareness of the endangered bear species and making more tangible contributions to their conservation.

Ten questions will be given to the finalists about the Mongolian Gobi bear, and the answers to which will be taken into consideration of the judging.

As the special guest, the Human Barbie of Ukraine is honoring the audience with her presence. 

Stampede at Ethiopia protest leaves 52 dead

 (AKIpress) - Fifty-two people were killed and many more injured in Ethiopia's Oromia region during a protest at a religious festival, BBC reported citing the government.
Some died in a stampede after police employed tear gas, rubber bullets and baton charges, witnesses said.
Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn said rioters had caused "pre-planned mayhem" that led people to fall to their deaths in ravines.

He denied reports that the security forces had opened fire.
In a national address on state TV, he praised their "great efforts" to protect the public and blamed "evil forces" for the deaths, vowing to bring to justice those responsible..
Thousands had gathered for the religious festival in Bishoftu, 40km (25 miles) from the capital Addis Ababa.
Some reports said police responded after anti-government protesters threw stones and bottles, but others said demonstrators were entirely peaceful.
An Oromo activist, Jawar Mohamed, was quoted as saying that nearly 300 people had been killed and many more injured. He said troops and a helicopter gunship had opened fire, driving people off a cliff and into a lake.

Estonian Parliament votes for first female president

Bishkek (AKIpress) - Estonia’s parliament has selected a new president who will be the country’s first female leader,The Guardian said.
Kersti Kaljulaid, a European Union accountant, won Monday’s vote 81-0, with 20 members absent or abstaining. Her selection follows two failed votes and weeks of heated debate.Kaljulaid, 46, will succeed the current president, Toomas Hendrik Ilves, who is stepping down next week after two five-year terms in the ceremonial post.
The choice of Kaljulaid, who works at the European court of auditors, became possible after the six parliamentary parties agreed to propose a political outsider as a single candidate.

KOICA to provide $4 million for promotion of food security, reduction of poverty in Kyrgyzstan

KOICA to provide $4 million for promotion of food security, reduction of poverty in Kyrgyzstan

Bishkek (AKIpress) - The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) today signed a three-year agreement to improve food security, nutrition and resilience to climate-related and economic shocks for more than 80,000 vulnerable people in four regions of Kyrgyzstan.
Under the agreement, KOICA will provide WFP with US$4 million to design and implement, in partnership with the Ministry of Labour and Social Development, projects that focus on creating or restoring community assets to improve food security and resilience to climate risks and agricultural productivity.
The grant will also fund vocational training for people to learn skills to help increase their incomes as well as training on nutrition and hygiene practices to improve families’ nutrition.

These projects will be implemented in the poorest areas of the Batken, Jalal-Abad, Osh, and Naryn provinces.
“This valuable partnership with KOICA enables WFP and the Ministry of Labour and Social Development to extend their existing productive safety nets project to new areas,” said WFP Kyrgyz Republic Country Director Ram Saravanamuttu. “This ensures that our activities, which are widely recognized for enhancing social development, have a broader impact on rural communities and economic growth across the country.”
The grant highlights KOICA’s strategic vision “to address global development by pursuing global harmony and facilitating the socio-economic development of partner countries” and underscores the need to enhance food security and nutrition as a foundation for sustainable development.
“The Government of Korea and KOICA support our partner countries in achieving sustainable, indigenous development of rural areas by enhancing food security, income levels and quality of life,” said Ambassador of the Republic of Korea Jung Byeong-hoo. “We look forward to our partnership with WFP and the Ministry of Labour and Social Development contributing to the socio-economic empowerment of the poorest.”
KOICA's Country Director Park Sun Jin and WFP’s Saravanamuttu signed the agreement at a ceremony today at the Ministry of Labour and Social Development.
“Our key objective is to create a conducive environment to empower the poorest households in the country,’ said Minister of Labour and Social Development of the Kyrgyz Republic Kudaibergen Bazarbaev. “I can see this agreement opening up new opportunities to expand social support to the most vulnerable while contributing to food security, poverty alleviation and local economic development.”
In 2016, WFP plans to assist about 200,000 people through school meals and productive safety nets programmes across the Kyrgyz Republic.
KOICA’s bilateral assistance in the Kyrgyz Republic cover fields such as governance, public administration, agriculture and rural development, health and education. In 2016, it is assisting the "Election Management Capacity Building in the Kyrgyz Republic", the "Establishment of Land Information System in the Kyrgyz Republic" and the "Establishing an e-NID System in the Kyrgyz Republic". KOICA also operates civil society-based cooperation, overseas volunteer programs as well as training programs for the capacity building of government officials.

European Baptist leaders protest escalation in Syrian conflict

Leaders of the European Baptist Federation strongly condemned the recent increase in violence in Syria, as government forces and their allies push to reclaim rebel-held neighborhoods in Aleppo, once the nation’s largest city and a key battleground since fighting broke out in the Mideast country in 2012.

Aleppo (Photo/Wikipedia)

Hundreds of civilians have been killed or injured in Russian and Syrian government air strikes affecting an estimated 270,000 people, including 100,000 children,besieged in Aleppo’s eastern districts. ABC News reported Oct. 3 that a major hospital in Aleppo was bombed for the third time in less than a week.

A resolution passed in EBF council meeting Sept. 29-Oct. 1 in Tallinn, Estonia, said the recent increase in violence in Aleppo “fails to differentiate between civilians and those fighting.”

“As followers of Christ, we affirm the sacred nature of all human life, regardless of religion, culture or country,” the EBF council said. “We see every attack on human life as striking at the very reflection of who our Creator God is.”

Another resolution brought attention to the profound effect of the Syrian crisis in Turkey, which borders Syria to the north and has been accepting refugees since April 2011.

The resolution on Turkey “recognizes the huge task facing our brothers and sisters in the Baptist Alliance of Turkey” as they seek to offer hospitality and care to hundreds of thousands of refugees and urges “sustained prayer for protection for the witness of Christian believers in Turkey.”

The resolution challenges member bodies and mission partners to “financially and practically support the relief of the humanitarian crisis in Turkey” and “continue to pray for an end to conflicts in the region which have created this humanitarian crisis.”

A third EBF council resolution celebrated recently planted churches in member Baptist unions and prayed “for further opportunities for Baptists in Europe, Central Asia and the Middle East to bless the communities around them.”

The EBF, representing about 826,000 Baptists in 54 unions and conventions in Europe, Central Asia and the Middle East, is one of six regional fellowships within the Baptist World Alliance.

Ancient Tibetan astronomy keeps shining in modern times

LHASA, Oct. 3 (PNA/Xinhua) -- Tibetan Buddhism conjures up images of prayer wheels, mandalas and prostration, but there is one little-known, indispensable item: a calendar.
Aside from some textbooks, the Tibetan Annual Almanac is the most widely circulated book in Tibet. The information it carries is critical in everyday life, especially for farmers, herders, doctors and Buddhists.
The Astronomy Calendar Research Institute of the Tibetan Hospital in Lhasa leads routine astronomy based on the tantric Kalachakra: the wheel of time.
Dating back more than 2,000 years, the Kalachakra describes eclipses as an alignment of the sun, moon and appropriate Lunar nodes, exactly the same as modern astronomy.
On these calendars, one can find the specific dates and times of eclipses, auspicious days for farming and other activities, as well as the timing of Buddhist festivals.
Manual calculation vs. digitalization
For thousands of years, these calculations have been done manually, according to Yinba, director of the institute.
All the calendarists in Yinba's teams have gone through strict training in either monasteries or research institutes. They must memorize sophisticated formulas and be adept at mental arithmetic, as no scratch paper is ever available.
Instead, they calculate with a stick on specialized sand-boards, about one-meter long and less than 20-cm wide, and results must be quickly memorized as numbers are ceaselessly erased from the sand for the next calculation.
To make the figures easier to handle, ancient astronomy masters devised a set of "calculation verses". Calendar makers always chant while calculating.
In an attempt to speed up the time-consuming work, the institute brought in calculators in the 1990s, but the astronomical data were too much for ordinary calculators.
When computers entered China, Yinba and his team began to use them and have since developed a set of algorithms on astronomical changes and changes of days.
Key in a few numbers into the system, and with a click of the mouse, all astronomical data for the year of the fire monkey (2016) will pop up onto the screen in two or three seconds, all fifty-two pages of it.
With the algorithms, the institute has published the first Tibetan calendar book covering the years 1 to 2100 AD.
In the past, it took an astronomical master and his apprentices more than 30 years to produce a new calendar, combining the four schools of traditional Tibetan calendar making, and working with both Gregorian calendar and Chinese lunar calendars.
Yinba said manual calculation was still used as a double check, but with computers as an alternative, more time is spent on training students and on research.
Strong vitality
In traditional monastic education, astronomy was viewed as one of the toughest courses. The subject has very little to do with stargazing but is closely tied in with Buddhist religious practices and people's everyday lives.
In the Kalachakra Tantra, Buddha presented not only an external system dealing with the motion of planets and the ways to measure time, but also an internal system witnessing the cycles of energy and breath through the human body that is closely related to the external system.
That is why when eclipses appear, Buddhists are inspired to chant mantras, meditate or other engage practices that they believe will take them closer to enlightenment.
It also explains why all medical students must study astronomy to a certain level in traditional monasteries. Astronomical knowledge is particularly useful, for instance, when doctors use external therapies such as blood-letting or when herbs are collected from the mountains.
Calendar makers agreed that it is the utility of their product that has ensured the knowledge is passed intact from generation to generation. The calendar is used by meteorologists. Farmers use it as a reference for planting and pasturing.
Looking back to his youth studying with senior monks in Gansu Province and Tibet, Yinba said he was very grateful to the astronomy masters of the past.
"Tibetan astronomy a unique part of our culture. To keep it alive, we must not stand still, but make progress," he said.
While the algorithms are yet to be perfected, Yinba spelled out another dream: building an observatory in Lhasa.

"I wish more people could look to the stars through astronomical telescopes and know more about the universe," he said. (PNA/Xinhua)

Dutch research traces Suriname rice to its African origin

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THE HAGUE, Oct. 4 (PNA/Xinhua) -- The black rice grown by the Maroons, or descendants of escaped African slaves who live in the interior of Suriname today, is similar to a specific type of black rice that was derived from western Cote d'Ivoire, scientists said Monday.
Several Suriname black rice grains were cultivated into fully grown plants in the Hortus Botanicus in Amsterdam. An international team of scientists led by Wageningen University compared the DNA of these plants grown in Amsterdam with over 100 varieties of black grains from across West Africa, from Senegal to Chad.
The Suriname black rice was shown to be similar to a specific type of black rice that derived from the fields of Mande-speaking farmers in western Cote d'Ivoire, said Wageningen in its press release.
Maroons in Surinam cultivate a species of rice with black grains but they rarely eat them but instead offer them to ancestors and used them in spiritual herb baths.
Historical documents suggest that the black grains originate from African rice, once bought by slave traders along the coast of West Africa to feed their slaves. For centuries, the liberated Maroons cherished the African crop as a tangible reminder of their past. But it was not known from which African country the rice originated.
Although Dutch slave traders bought most of their African slaves from Ghana, Benin and Central Africa, the recently digitized log of the Zeeland vessel D'Eenigheid indicates that rice and slaves were also occasionally purchased along the coast of Liberia, the country west of Cote d'Ivoire. At the time, Mande speakers were known as good rice farmers and highly sought after by slave traders.
Wageningen hailed this "combination of ethno botanic, historic and genetic research" that established the link between Suriname black rice and the fields in western Ivory Coast because "this can help trace the unwritten migration history of people and crops."

The scientists believe that the white rice, bananas, beans and tubers grown on these farmlands today still have many more stories to tell. (PNA/Xinhua)

DNA study confirms Asian origins of Pacific island peoples

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WELLINGTON, Oct. 4 (PNA/Xinhua) -- New DNA evidence showing Pacific peoples originally came from Asia could lead to better health treatments in the Pacific, said a New Zealand researcher Tuesday.
The new study was the first to sequence DNA from 3,000-year-old skeletons and identify who were the first people to reach the Pacific islands, said Massey University Professor Murray Cox, a co-author of the international project.
By examining skeletal remains from the first people to settle in Vanuatu and Tonga, the research was able to put a 40-year debate to rest, Cox said.
Researchers had shown that ancient settlers had little to no Papuan ancestry, which proved that the first people to reach remote Oceania were from Asian farming groups, with later movements bringing Papuan genes into the region.
Before this work, no ancient genomic DNA had ever been obtained from any tropical region, including the Pacific.
This had resulted in two opposing scenarios to explain why New Zealand's indigenous Maori and Pacific island peoples (Pasifika) had Papuan and Asian ancestry.
The other theory had stated that farming groups moving out of Asia mixed with Papuans near New Guinea and created a mixed group with both ancestries and the mixed group settling in the Pacific.
"This paper gives us the first basic picture of the genomic makeup of Pacific islanders," said Cox.
"Knowing this is important because some of the genetic variations caused by this population mixing will likely be linked to health outcomes, perhaps explaining why health issues like obesity and diabetes are such challenges for Pacific peoples today. Ultimately, understanding this DNA may give us new ideas for health treatments."
The study examined ancient DNA from three individuals who were among the earliest to settle in Vanuatu up to 3,100 years ago and one who was among the earliest to settle in Tonga up to 2,700 years ago.
The data was then compared to DNA samples from 356 present-day humans from 38 Southeast Asian and Oceanian populations.
The study also reported the most accurate estimates of sex-biased admixture - the difference in the proportion of males and females contributing to a person's genes - in diverse Southeast Asian and Pacific peoples to date.
"During the later stages of the settlement process, when the two groups were mixing, marriages between Asian women and Papuan men occurred very frequently, leading to unusual 'sex-biased' patterns of diversity in the genomes of their descendants," said Cox.

"It is likely that this later mixing of people with Papuan ancestry was largely driven by Papuan men who came to Oceania and married resident Asian women." (PNA/Xinhua)
FPV/EBP

Venezuela- fall of its economy 10%

 After experiencing a decline of 6.2% in its GDP , Venezuela , immersed in a serious economic and political crisis, will close 2016 with a fall of its economy 10%, inflation of almost 500% and unemployment close to 20%, predicts the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The institution pointed out in the report "Global Economic Prospects" that the economic contraction expected for Latin America in 2016 was extended by two tenths to 0.6%. The IMF expects Brazil to close the year with a drop in GDP of 3.3%, the same percentage advance in July, but lowers the expected growth of other economies of the subcontinent, including Mexico. Mexico, the second Latin American economy, reduce slightly its growth at the end of this year, with an increase of 2.1% of gross domestic product (GDP), down from 2.5% in 2015. Most Latin American economies that base their activity on the export of raw materials suffer in their balance sheets by low prices of natural resources, resulting in slowdown. The IMF expects Colombia to grow 2.2% this year, down from 3.1% in 2015, while Chile will create wealth at a rate of 1.7%, down from 2.3% last time. Falling commodity prices also plunged into negative data to Argentina and Ecuador, while in Venezuela the deep economic crisis will worsen. Only Peru (where mining has increased) and Paraguay get an economic improvement in 2016 over the previous year, closing the year with an expansion in the vicinity of 3.5%. Argentina is another of the economies recede, with a contraction of 1.8% at the end of the year, compared to growth of 2.5% last year, despite which a rise of 2.7% growth is expected in 2017. The Central American economies, low - income, will grow 3.9% in 2016, slightly below the 2015 data, while keeping in 2017 the height of 4% growth with contained inflation and improvements in the deficit. Source: EFE

Leer más en #ACN: http://acn.com.ve/fmi-economia-venezuela-cerrara-2016-una-caida-10/ #Noticias #Venezuela

US refuses to be drawn into Kashmir issue; says it's bilateral matter between India, Pak

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Washington, Oct 4 (UNI) Refusing to get involved into Pakistan’s move to internationalise the Kashmir issue, the US has once again emphatically stated that the issue was a bilateral one between the two countries.
"Our position on Kashmir has not changed.
We are having conversations with both India and Pakistan on the importance of reducing tension in the region,’’ US State Department spokesperson Elizabeth Trudeau said.

THE IDB POINTS OUT TO COLOMBIA THE CONTENT OF THE NEW PENSION REFORM SHOULD DEAL

The Inter-American Development Bank says it is necessary to end inequality and ensure the sustainability of the system and urges Colombia to advance a new reform of the general pension system.

It turns out that the pension system in Colombia is inequitable, not because there are many people with miserable pensions and a few with high pensions, but because the average premium rate offers advantages not found in private funds. And to correct this "inequity" the need to match the half premium to RAIS noted. So they face the dilemma of "O all in bed or on the floor all" the solution proposed is not "all in bed," but: "Everyone in the ground."

Within this purpose, the IDB Colombia tells the following changes:

Increasing the retirement age to 62 or 65 years for both men and women.

Create a board with an amount below the minimum wage.

It also asks the international body for settlement of the pension is taken into account as IBL average wages based on which quoted the member for the past 20 years and not that of the past 10 years as at present.

It also proposes that the counter 13 is removed, that is, the additional allowance December dismounting so that pensioners receive annually only 12 regular allowances.

On the other hand, it raises the IDB to increase coverage "with programs such as subsidies Greater Colombia, newspapers economic benefits, conventional pensions and average premium schemes and individual savings should be unified." (El Espectador, Oct / 2015)

Interviewed by the Noticiero CM &., Juan Carlos Cortes, director of the Latin American Organization of Social Security said "They should think about a comprehensive reform that not only takes into account the pension issue, but also the health issue and touch the topic labor".

According to Mauricio Olivera, president of Colpensiones, "the IDB proposal can be viable if the three fundamental aspects mentioned are contemplated." He added: "Colombia must give way to a pension reform to remedy the problems we have discussed, low coverage, inequality and sustainability"

We must not forget that in the hands of President Santos is to define the moment from which will begin its next pension reform process. Anyway, the expectations of stakeholders in this amendment are encrypted in it in 2016. However, it is very likely that this reform the issue of retirement age is not touch but elects to increase the contribution period taking it to 1600 weeks (a little over 31 years). Another aspect that is considered to be mandatory inclusion in the reform is the adjustment of pensions subsidies different amount, because as we know, all pensions currently receive the same official aid. With this adjustment would seek to "make the regime more progressive", as recently told the newspaper El Espectador Luis Ernesto Gomez Londoño, Deputy Minister of Employment and Pensions.

Some scholars believe, meanwhile, that an increase in age would be quite inconvenient since it is still very recent increase in the retirement age, since just a year ago and ten months rose from 55 to 57 years age of women, and 60 to 62 years old men. Consider these observers that a measure in this regard would be rejected by the Colombians, it would be preferable to increase the density of listed weeks 1600 (This was stated by the newspaper El Espectador Ivan Daniel Jaramillo, researcher at the Labour Market Observatory of the University of Rosary).

And finally, as if that were not enough, voices that have their own audience, they are proposing that the annuity is removed widow heard.

Could it be that this time, as happened with the legislative act 01 of 2005, the people will not give alluded to these clearly retrogressive measures?

Cambodia Seeks China’s Support in Inspection Sector

Cambodia Seeks China’s Support in Inspection Sector

AKP Phnom Penh, October 04, 2016 –

Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Assembly-Senate Relations and Inspection H.E. Ms. Mem Sam An has requested China to help Cambodia in the inspection sector.

The request was made during her meeting with newly appointed Ambassador of China to Cambodia H.E. Xiong Bo, in Phnom Penh on Oct. 3.

H.E. Ms. Mem Sam An suggested the signing of a cooperation MoU between the Cambodian Ministry of National Assembly-Senate Relations and Inspection and the Chinese Ministry of Supervision as soon as possible so that the Chinese side can dispatch its experts to assist Cambodia in capacity building.

According to the Cambodian DPM, the Chinese side planned to provide to Cambodia not only technical, but also material support, and to fund the study visit of Cambodian expert officials to get experience in China.

H.E. Ms. Men Sam An also informed the new Chinese diplomat of the drafting process of the inspection law which, she said, requires experience sharing and technical assistance from foreign countries so as to get a comprehensive and acceptable draft law.

For his part, H.E. Xiong Bo pledged to push for the signing of the above-said MoU while both sides have already completed the MoU drafting.

Article in Khmer by Un Rithy

Article in English by So Sophavy

Pak PM lauded for building up consensus

NSC meeting expresses complete satisfaction over operational preparedness of armed forces

LAHORE Oct 4 (APP): People from various walks of life such as politicians, businessmen and social activists have lauded the holding of parliamentary heads meeting, saying it was need of the hour in the wake of India’s nefarious designs and threats to Pakistan.
“Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has done a commendable job by calling the political leadership to the table for building a consensus on Kashmir, the core issue,” they added.
PML-N Lahore President Pervaiz Malik MNA termed the meeting of parliamentary parties heads on Kashmir issue a “great success” and said a clear message was given to the enemy that Kashmiris were not alone.
They could not be deprived of their right of plebiscite and the occupied forces must quit held valley without any delay.
He called for early resolution of Kashmir issue in accordance with aspirations of Kashmiris and United Nations resolutions.
Parliamentary Secretary for Information and Culture Rana Muhammad Arshad said holding of successful parliamentary parties meeting was another milestone achievement of PML-N government.
He said entire Pakistani nation stands with the Pak armed forces in their defence for the motherland.
Lawmakers – Bao Akhtar and Azma Bukhari said it was good omen that heads of all notable political parties despite differences sat together and showed a spirit of unity for Pakistan. They said now India would not dare to attack Pakistan.
Naeem Mir, a traders’ leader said the Prime Minister had given a strong message to the entire world that Pakistani nation was united and ready to face any onslaught.
“Our army is the best in the world while soldiers of Indian army lack passion to give sacrifices for their country,” he observed.
Human rights activist Mushtaq Ahmed urged the international community to take stock of India’s increasing brutalities toward innocent Kashmiris in occupied Kashmir and press New Delhi to stop the such aggression.
Labour leader Khurshid Ahmed said every Pakistani was standing with the armed forces in their complete support.
He, on behalf of working community, vowed to support government’s every effort to thwart Indian aggression.

Pakistan’s Ambassador Jilani hands over dossier on Indian brutalities to US State Dept

Pakistan’s Ambassador Jilani hands over dossier on Indian brutalities to US State Dept

WASHINGTON, Oct 4 (APP): Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States, Ambassador Jalil Abbas Jilani on Monday met with Ambassador Richard Olson, the US Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan at the State Department and handed over a dossier containing information on the gross human rights violations by the Indian security forces in the Indian Occupied Kashmir.

Ambassador Jilani emphasized that the international community, and especially the United States should take note of the inhuman and degrading treatment being meted out to the innocent Kashmiris, including women and children.

He said the US being a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, should impress upon India to immediately end the state sponsored terrorism against innocent civilians who have been indiscriminately targeted by Indian forces.

It was also emphasized that the right to self-determination was granted to the people of Kashmir by the United Nations which could not be unilaterally denied by India.

Ambassador Jilani further underscored that the international community must ensure that India as a member of the United Nations, should allow access to international human rights and humanitarian organizations to assess the factual situation in the held valley.

Recalling Prime Minister of Pakistan’s recent statement that Kashmiris and Pakistanis were inseparable, Ambassador Jilani reiterated that Pakistan would continue to extend all possible moral, political and diplomatic support to the people of Jammu & Kashmir for realization of their legally promised right to self-determination.

Politicians’ united stance on Kashmir has sent a ‘strong message’ to India: Analysts

ISLAMABAD, Oct 4 (APP): The unanimous stance of Pakistani politicians on Kashmir issue has sent a loud and clear message to India that its aggressive designs would be be thrashed by a united nation, diplomatic and political analysts said on Tuesday.

Former ambassador Akram Zaki told APP that it was encouraging that the government and opposition were united on an issue of national interest.

He said the meeting of parliamentary party leaders that gathered government and opposition at one platform, was “a good initiative by the Prime Minister and a good response by the parties”.

However, he regretted that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief
Imran Khan disassociated himself from national cause and instead sent his representatives to attend the meeting.

Zaki, also the former Chairman of Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, said being nuclear powers, war was not an option for both Pakistan and India to get their issues settled.

He called for more initiatives by Pakistan to highlight the Kashmir issue, particularly a sustained and active diplomacy.

Rasool Bux Raees, an expert on political science said despite their differences, the politicians at the parliamentary party’s meeting openly supported the government on Kashmir issue, which was appreciable.

“The meeting showed that political forces stand with the armed forces in supporting the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination,” Raees told APP.

Raees termed the holding of such meeting by the Prime Minister a “positive trend” to evolve political consensus on important national issues.

He stressed the need for Pakistan to continue lobbying for Kashmir issue and highlight gross human rights violation in Indian Occupied Kashmir.

“The world cannot give us a packaged solution on Kashmir. We have to find it ourselves,” he said, adding that Kashmiri diaspora could play a significant role in calling the world’s attention to the dispute.

On Indian prime minister’s threat of isolating Pakistan at diplomatic level, the analyst said India could not succeed in such attempts.

However, he said terrorism on Pakistani soil sponsored by India was the real threat, adding that it could be overcome by internal stability and peace.

Sacrifices of security forces; resolve of nation has improved security situation: PM

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  Sacrifices of security forces; resolve of nation has improved security situation: PM

  ISLAMABAD, Oct 4 (APP): Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif Tuesday said that unwavering resolve of the nation and countless and continued sacrifices by Security Forces and Law Enforcement Agencies have resulted in significant and visible improvement in security situation across country.

  He was chairing a meeting on the National Action Plan that agreed on making collective efforts aimed at the national level and “specific efforts” at the provincial level to consolidate gains made to rid the country of threat of extremism and terrorism.

  The meeting held here at the PM House also agreed to move ahead in certain areas where progress has been unsatisfactory.

  “It was stressed by the NSA that role of Provincial Governments in implementation of NAP was crucial and it was imperative for all of us work with missionary zeal,” a statement issued by the PM House at the end of the meeting said.

  The meeting agreed on the future course of action in terms of milestones and timelines for different components of NAP.

  The meeting acknowledged and praised the continued sacrifices by the security forces, personnel of Law Enforcement Agencies and Civilian Armed Forces.

  Lt Gen Nasir Khan Janjua, NSA and Convener of Implementation Committee of NAP briefed the meeting on the implementation status of NAP and the challenges faced at this stage of implementation.

  The participants of the meeting lauded the work of federal and provincial intelligence agencies which have enabled the Security forces and Law Enforcement Agencies to foil many attempts of terrorists and vowed to provide them an enabling atmosphere to work within the ambit of law.

  Secretary to the Prime Minister also made a presentation on some aspects of reform in Criminal Justice System.

  Proposals for reform in laws dealing with investigation, prosecution and judicial apparatus dealing with Terrorism cases were presented to the participants for evolving consensus on future course of action.

  The meeting agreed on the need of seamless coordination between Federal and Provincial Governments as well as all LEAs for achieving desired results.

  It was also agreed to further improve the collection, collation, analysis and use of intelligence input for defeating the designs of enemies.

  The meeting was attended by Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Iqbal Zafar Jhagra; Chief Minister Punjab, Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif; CM Sindh, Syed Murad
  Ali Shah; CM Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pervez Khattak; CM Balochistan, Mir Sana Ullah Khan Zehri; CM Gilgit Baltistan, Hafiz Hafeez ur Rehman.

  It was also attended by Minister for Finance, Muhammad Ishaq Dar; Minister for Interior, Ch Nisar Ali Khan; Minister for Information, Pervaiz Rashid; Chief of Army Staff, General Raheel Sharif; SAPM, Tariq Fatemi; NSA, Lt Gen ® Nasser Khan Janjua; DG ISI, Lt Gen Rizwan Akhtar; Foreign Secretary, Aizaz Ahmad Ch; DG IB, Aftab Sultan; SPM, Fawad Hasan Fawad; DG MO, Maj. Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza and DG MI, Maj Gen Nadeem Zaki Manj.

  The National Action Plan is an outcome of the broad based
  consensus among all stakeholders which was fighting the war on terrorism and violent extremism as a national policy imperative. The nation expects from the NAP to rid the society of these evils for all times.

Indo-Pak tensions reach White House as counter petitions filed

Washington, Oct 4 (PTI) The current tensions between India and Pakistan have reached the White House cyberspace, with two petitions being filed against both the countries and seeking response from the Obama Administration.

The White House has stopped accepting signatures for one of the petitions that sought to designate Pakistan as a 'state sponsor of terrorism', days after it gained a record half a million signatures which is five times the number needed to get a response from the Obama Administration.

Another petition claiming that India is "involved in spreading terrorism in its adjoining countries" has been submitted on the White House website.

The petition, filed against Pakistan, has been archived as it did not meet the "signature requirements", the White House said yesterday.

"Closed petition," said the petition page.

"This petition has been archived because it did not meet the signature requirements. It can no longer be signed," the White House said.

No further explanation has been given by the White House on closing the petition for signature.

Normally, it is open for a month for the people to sign.

However, it looks like that some of the signatures might not have met the terms of participation for these petitions.

As a result, it is very well possible that some of these signatures could be removed if there is evidence of fraud.

But the White House is expected to have an official response to the petition within the 60 days' deadline.

The petition was created on September 21 by a person who identified himself by initials RG and the petition needed 1,00,000 signatures in 30 days to get a response from the White House.

The benchmark was reached in less than a week, and in less than two weeks, the petition crossed half a million signatures.

The petition comes after Congressman Ted Poe, Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Terrorism, along with Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, introduced H R 6069, the Pakistan State Sponsor of Terrorism Designation Act in the House of Representatives.

Pakistani-Americans are now campaigning for a signature campaign to support the anti-India petition on the White House website.

"India is involved in spreading terrorism and in bloody proxy wars against its adjoining countries, particularly Islamic Republic of Pakistan," the petition alleged.

The petition, which was created in September by an individual who identified himself with initials SS, has received nearly 64,000 signatures. It needs another 36,000 signatures to become eligible for getting a response from the Obama Administration.

Surgical strikes: Raha says situation 'live', ready for any challenge

New Delhi, Oct 4 (PTI) The situation is "live" in the wake of the surgical strikes on terror launch pads across the LoC and the armed forces are ready to deal with any challenge, IAF Chief Marshal Arup Raha said today.

He also said it was just a "coincidence" that Pakistan's air force's "High Mark" exercise took place at a time when tension between India and Pakistan was high.

Even as he refused to take questions on the surgical strikes by the Army last week during his customary annual press conference ahead of the Air Force Day on October 8, Raha said the force has the power to punish its enemy, but a decision on using it in an offensive role will have to be taken by the government.

"Air Force, Army and Navy are always ready," Raha, who is also the Chairman, Chief of Staff Committee (COSC), said.

When told would it not be a let down if he did not comment on the surgical strikes, Raha candidly said he was in "half a mind" to call off the media interaction because he knew everybody is charged up and he will be asked questions on the issue.

"I think I should not say anything because it is very sensitive and things are still live," the Air Chief Marshal said.

He asserted that the IAF is capable of taking on any contingency that one can think of.

Raha is the first chief among the three Services to face the media after the surgical strikes.

Officials have remained tight-lipped about the operation except for a short and crisp statement by Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Lt Gen Ranbir Singh. .

भारत-पाकिस्तान तनाव का आर्थिक प्रभाव काफी मामूली: जेटली

टोरोंटो, चार अक्तूबर :भाषा: वित्त मंत्री अरूण जेटली ने भरोसा जताया है कि पाकिस्तान के साथ हाल के तनाव और भारत के विशेष बल के लक्षित हमले जैसी घटनाओं का अगर कोई आर्थिक प्रभाव होता है तो वह बहुत मामूली होगा।

टोरोंटो विश्वविद्यालय के रोटमैन स्कूल आफ मैनेजमेंट में लोगों को संबोधित करते हुए जेटली ने कहा कि बाजार और रपये पर जो प्रभाव दिखे, वे अस्थायी थे और भारत में प्रत्यक्ष विदेशी निवेश निरंतर बढ़ रहा है।

उन्होंने कहा, ‘‘जहां तक बाजार का संबंध है, हाल में जब यह खबर आयी कि भारत ने उन स्थानों पर लक्षित हमले किये हैं जहां से आतंकवादी भारतीय सीमा में प्रवेश करते थे, तो इसे लेकर निश्चित रूप से कुछ आशंकाएं थीं..।’’ जेटली ने कहा कि हाल के तनाव से जो आर्थिक प्रभाव होंगे, वह ‘अत्यंत मामूली’ होंगे।

उल्लेखनीय है कि पिछले सप्ताह भारतीय सेना के पाकिस्तान के कब्जे वाले कश्मीर में आतंकवादियों के ठिकानों पर किये गये लक्षित हमले के बाद भारत और पाकिस्तान बीच तनाव काफी बढ़ गया है। इस हमले में भारत में प्रवेश करने की तैयारी में बैठे भारी संख्या में आतंकवादी मारे गये।

कश्मीर में उरी स्थित सैन्य शिविर पर आतंकवादियों के हमले के बाद लक्षित हमले किये गये। आतंकवादी हमले में सेना के 19 जवान शहीद हो गये।

हालांकि पाकिस्तान ने भारत के लक्षित हमले के दावे को खारिज किया है और इसे ‘‘सीमा पार से’’ गोलीबारी बताया है।

Claims on West’s role in regional security big lie: official

Claims on West’s role in regional security big lie: official 
A senior Iranian official has dismissed as a “big lie” claims that the West is playing a role in keeping the Middle East region secure.

 “The claim about the West’s contribution to the establishment of regional security is a big lie and its bloody and costly results can be seen in many countries in the region,” Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani said in a meeting with the head of Iraqi National Intelligence Service, Mustafa Kadhimi, in Tehran on Sunday.

According to Press TV he added that the Iraqi army, backed by popular forces, have managed to make continued achievements in the fight against Takfiri terrorism and the elimination of Daesh terrorists from many areas in the country.

The SNSC secretary expressed Iran’s readiness to transfer its intelligence and security experience to Iraq in the campaign against terrorism, noting that “establishment of sustainable security in Iraq is among the unchangeable priorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

The Iraqi official, for his part, praised Iran’s influential role in fighting terrorism and boosting regional security and stability, saying that the Islamic Republic’s success in the campaign against terrorism and the establishment of security inside the country and at its border areas showed the unparalleled success of Iran's security example.