N. Korea Crisis - Updated as News come to hand

India :
India military delegation arrives in China

An Indian military delegation arrived in Beijing on Sunday for a six-day visit, an Indian official said, marking the resumption of defence ties that were frozen for a year over a visa dispute.

+1

State data refutes claim of 1 lakh killed in Kashmir

Here's what the data says. In the last 21 years, 43,460 people have been killed in the Kashmir insurgency. Of these, 21,323 are militants, 13,226 civilians killed by militants, 3,642 civilians killed by security forces, and 5,369 policemen killed by militants. The 21,323 militants were killed in operations by security forces and include both Kashmiri and foreign militants. And of the 5,369 members of the security forces, around 1,500 are Kashmiri policemen.

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NKorea :
US commander says more N. Korea attacks likely

The US commander in South Korea said Monday that North Korea is likely to launch more military attacks against the South, but Seoul and Washington are better prepared to counter the threat.

"Our counter-provocation planning and combined exercises are stronger than ever.... In the past year, we have worked hard to develop a hostile counter-provocation plan that more adequately addresses the full spectrum of conflict."

"Their desire to antagonise, provoke, appease and demand concessions has been taken in order to achieve the regime's goals of gaining food, fuel, economic aid and succession to sustain their regime and become a 'strong and prosperous nation' by 2012."

Indeed.

North Korea dramatically cuts goal of building 100,000 houses

North Korea has dramatically cut its goal of building 100,000 houses by next year, a government source said Monday, amid the North being economically squeezed by the international community for its nuclear and missile programs for years.

Better build concentration camps or nukes uh?

Alleged N. Korean police document reports case of cannibalism

An alleged North Korean police document reported a case of cannibalism, a South Korean missionary group said Monday, a development, if confirmed, that could support what has long been rumored in the North.

Alledged? There were lots of cases in the 90s due to the famine.

Sankei: NK Sent 160 Nuke, Missile Experts to Iran

A Japanese daily says that North Korea sent 160 nuclear and missile experts to Iran last month.

The Sankei Shimbun cited a knowledgeable source of Korean Peninsula affairs as saying that North Korea sent the experts to Iran four times during May.

Sankei says the large-scale dispatch is unusual. It's viewed as an attempt by the North to sell nuclear and missile-related military technologies to Iran to earn money since Pyongyang is under international sanctions.

North Korea Tests 'Super-EMP' Nuke

Gary Samore, a top Obama administration national security official, warned of new sanctions if North Korea conducted a third round of nuclear tests on Monday, as reports surfaced that North Korea has miniaturized its nuclear warheads so they can be delivered by ballistic missile.

North Korea’s last round of tests, conducted in May 2009, appear to have included a “super-EMP” weapon, capable of emitting enough gamma rays to disable the electric power grid across most of the lower 48 states, says Dr. Peter Vincent Pry, a former CIA nuclear weapons analyst and president of EMPact America, a citizens lobbying group.

Yeah I think this is BS.

Unification minister: N. Korea has nothing to gain from provocations
They do if they don't get food aid and no talks.
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Australia :
Australia upgrades ASW capabilities

Australia's government's has decided to appropriate $3 billion to purchase 24 new Seahawk naval attack helicopters for anti-submarine warfare.

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Philippines :
U.S. Navy-ASEAN exercise

The U.S. Navy has begun with its annual Southeast Asia Cooperation and Training SEACAT exercise.

The 2011 operation, which began Wednesday and runs through next Friday, is the 10th in the series of annual multilateral maritime operations. The Navy is operating in conjunction with ASEAN members the Philippines, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand, Radio Free Asia reported.

The United States and Philippines will participate in joint naval exercises following SECAT until July 8 in the Sulu Sea, the eastern province of Palawan, which were planned before sovereignty disputes between the Philippines and China increased in the South China Sea.

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Russia :
Russia's Medvedev wants second term but won't run against Putin

Russia’s President Dmitry Medvedev says he wants a second term, but won’t stand against Vladimir Putin.

Mr. Medvedev said in an interview with the Financial Times broadcast Monday by Russian television stations that he and Mr. Putin wouldn’t face one another in the election next March because their rivalry would hurt the country.

Well say hello to Putin 2012 then.

Russia signs contract for two French warships

Russia on Friday signed a long-awaited contract with France worth over a billion euros to buy two French warships that has alarmed ex-Soviet neighbours and the United States.

The unprecedented deal -- which will see NATO member France transfer sensitive military technology to Russia for the first time since World War II -- comes after talks over the past two years bogged down over pricing and know-how issues.

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Japan :
Reports: Japan PM pushed to resign soon

Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan, criticized for his handling of the tsunami disaster and the country’s sluggish economy, is under pressure to resign next month if budget bills are passed by parliament, reports said Monday.

Please?
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Vietnam :
Vietnam should wake up to Danger !

Starting June 13, Vietnam first staged live-fire drills in the South China Sea amid rising tensions with China, then issued a decree specifying who would be exempt from military call-up in a time of war.

In response, China said it will not resort to the use of force to resolve maritime border disputes in the South China Sea.

Perhaps, it is due to the consciousness of the fact that as a "military underdog", Vietnam might well rally international support and garner others' sympathy that China has to be treading a little more carefully.

On the flip side, Vietnam takes the first ever preemptive move over the 32 years to infuriate China, which is not only unusual, but thought-provoking. One reason might be Vietnam, like other countries on the periphery of South China Sea, still cherishes high illusions of the U.S. helping hand, once the spat exacerbates into a war.

Vietnam has for its part announced details of a military draft to take effect from August 1. The decree, announced by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, outlines who would be exempt from any call-up, in what has been interpreted as a message for a domestic audience that Vietnam will "stand up for its rights against an aggressive China."

More threats by Chinese newspapers against Vietnam.

Vietnamese protest China amid rising tensions

Hundreds of Vietnamese have launched protests against China for the third straight week amid escalating tensions in the disputed waters of the South China Sea, where both countries recently conducted live-fire military drills.

Well this is interesting :
Vietnam and China to conduct a joint patrol in Tonkin Gulf

Two Vietnamese naval boats, the HQ375 and HQ376 (under Corps M62, Naval Region D), representing Vietnam People’s Navy and Army, on June 18th, departed to take part in a joint patrol with China People’s Liberation Navy’s boats in the Gulf of Tonkin.

This is the 11th joint patrol that has been conducted since the two navies signed an agreement on Joint Patrol Status in October 2005.

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Thailand :
Suan Dusit Poll shows Puea Thai takes large lead

# The E-san poll, as blogged about here and here, which surveyed all 20 provinces in the Northeast which looked at who those surveyed would cast their party vote for (Puea Thai 63.9%, Democrats, 20.7%, and Bhum Jai Thai, 9.1%),
# Nationwide NIDA poll which looked at who people would cast their constituency vote for (Puea Thai 23%, Democrats 20%, Bhum Jai Thai 3%, undecided 53%),
# Nationwide Suan Dusit poll which showed who people would cast their party vote for (Puea Thai 41%, Democrats 37%, Bhum Jai Thai 4% OR if you remove the undecideds and those who will vote no you get Puea Thai 45%, Democrats 41%, Bhum Jai Thai 4%),
# Bangkok-only DPU poll which showed that Puea Thai would win 19 constituencies, Democrats 5 and the rest were too close to call, and
# Nationwide Suan Dusit poll which showed who people would cast their party vote for (Puea Thai 43%, Democrats 37%, Bhum Jai Thai 3% OR if you remove the undecideds and those who will vote no you get Puea Thai 47%, Democrats 41%, Bhum Jai Thai 3%),

Etc... basically all polls showing that the democrats in power will get their butts kicked. Not a good sign, since the army and the King back the Democrats and are probably not willing to give power... this could get ugly real fast depending on what the army does.
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SKorea :
Next-Generation MLRS Named "Cheonmu"

The Defense Acquisition Program Administration or the DAPA has given a name to the next generation multiple launch roket system being developed by South Korea.

The rocket launchers have a maximum range of 80 kilometers and are excepted to be operational in 2013. The launchers will be placed in areas near the Northern Limit Line and the military demarcation line.

Sharp: No Need to Redeploy Tactical Nukes in S. Korea

The top U.S. military official in South Korea says there is no need to redeploy tactical nuclear weapons in South Korea, despite continued nuclear threats from the North.

Sharp said it’s unnecessary to redeploy tactical nuclear weapons in South Korea, saying that the U.S. is offering firm and solid nuclear deterrence to South Korea. He elaborated that the U.S. is capable of controlling nuclear threats from the North by utilizing U.S. military assets deployed worldwide.

Yep. America has already said they would nuke the North if the North used nukes against the South... There's probably always a nuclear submarine in the area anyway.

SKorea won’t punish marines who fired at jetliner

South Korea says it won’t punish the marines who fired rifles at a civilian jetliner they thought was a North Korean military aircraft.

Well they shouldn't since nobody was hurt... but they should be taught how to better recognize planes... what if they had fired anti-air missiles at the jetliner?

50 K55A1 Self-Propelled Guns Deployed

A new model of K-55A1 self-propelled guns will replace the military’s current K-55 guns 26 years after the mass production of K-55.

The Army said on Sunday that about 50 K-55A1 guns had been deployed to a corps early this year and additional 50 will be deployed next year.

I hope they are better than the K-55 you have right now because they were pretty crappy when they returned fired in November. They hit NOTHING... and more than half the shells never made it even close to the targeted area.
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Pakistan :
Pakistani chief seeks to repair dented army pride

Pakistan’s military chief is working to repair his army’s wounded pride in the bitter aftermath of the raid that killed Osama bin Laden, a humiliation that has strained U.S.-Pakistani relations and raised questions about the top general’s own standing.

Retired and serving officers interviewed by The Associated Press spoke of seething anger within army ranks over the secret strike the Americans carried out on May 2, undetected by Pakistan’s military.

“It could all result in loose talk,” he said, but he thought it wouldn’t go beyond that. He noted that within days of the bin Laden raid, Kayani met with key corps commanders in an effort to assure his ranking officers they had not been humiliated.

There’s “quite a lot of anger” within the military, retired Gen. Jehangir Karamat, a former chief of staff himself, said in a telephone interview from the eastern city of Lahore.

“Maybe there is talk,” he told the AP. “Maybe anti-U.S. feeling has gone up in the army. But actually there is in the country a whole lot of anger over the way it happened and the humiliation suffered, and it is inevitably reflected in the army.”

But, he added, “all this talk of him fighting for his job, his survival, I don’t see any signs of that.”

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Taiwan :
Taiwan military bases bar Chinese tourists

Taiwan Friday told travel agencies not to bring Chinese tourists to military camps, citing concerns that some might be spies, amid a security scare after one mainland group got inside a base.

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China :
Maritime forces to be beefed up amid disputes

China's offshore surveillance force will be beefed up to ensure that the country's maritime interests are fully protected amid increasing disputes with its neighbors.
By 2020, a total of 15,000 personnel, compared with 9,000 now, will serve in the China Maritime Surveillance (CMS) force under the State Oceanic Administration, a senior official with the CMS, who declined to be identified, told China Daily.

The CMS air arm will be increased to 16 planes and the patrol fleet will have 350 vessels during the period of the 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-2015), the official said, adding that the fleet will have more than 520 vessels by 2020.

Currently, nine aircraft, more than 260 surveillance vessels and 280 law enforcement vehicles are in operation.

The CMS launched the construction of 36 patrol ships and 54 speedboats last year, the official said.

NKorea :
N. Korea increases imports of anti-riot gear from China

North Korea has recently created a special police task force and bought large amounts of anti-riot gear from China in an apparent attempt to cope with any possible riots in the North, a source said Tuesday.

The communist North purchased tear gas, helmets and shields through Chinese merchants in China's northeastern city of Shenyang in recent months, the source said.

The North has also considered buying flak jackets, protective clothing and other equipment that could be used against rioters, the source said.

Afraid because of Arab spring, of course.

Newsweek: Large Amount of Illegal Drugs in Yanji Came from NK

Newsweek says North Koreans are producing methamphetamine and exporting the illegal drug to China.

Duh. That surely pisses off China.

Report: NK to Spend $700 Million on Nuclear Weapons in 2011

Anti-nuclear weapons movement Global Zero says North Korea will spend around 700 million U.S. dollars on nuclear weapons this year.

Global Zero said in a report on world spending on nuclear weapons that the North conducted two nuclear tests and produced enough plutonium for up to a dozen fission bombs. It also said the communist nation is developing infrastructure to enrich uranium to build nuclear bombs.

Doesn't seem like much, but that's about 3.5% of NKorea's GDP...so it's quite a lot to them.

Japan :
US, Japan to delay base plan: officials

Japan and the United States will delay plans to shift a military base in Okinawa during top-level talks Tuesday, officials said, as pressure builds for a new solution to the long-running rift.

So there it is. Hopefully a new plan that will make things move quicker will be agreed on.

Pakistan :
CIA Chief Leaves Pakistan Empty-Handed as Military Declines Offer For Assistance

CIA chief Leon Panetta has left Pakistan without reaching a deal on resetting the troubled relationship with ISI during meetings with the country’s top military leaders.

Panetta, who arrived on an unscheduled visit on Friday , did not meet anyone other than army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and ISI head Lt Gen Ahmed Shuja Pasha, a media report said here on Sunday.

According to the daily’s sources, Panetta was “surprised by the rigidity shown by the military, which went to the extent of even declining an offer by Washington of security assistance.”

That ``relation`` is ending... (hopefully)

Vietnam :
China must react to Vietnam's provocation

The ongoing disputes about the South China Sea mostly originate from Vietnam. The biggest challenge of China's insistence on a peaceful solution can also be laid at Vietnam's door.

Depending on how the situation develops, China has to be ready for two plans: negotiate with Vietnam for a peaceful solution, or answer the provocation with political, economic or even military counterstrikes. We have to be clear about the possibility of the second option, so as to let Vietnam remain sober about the South China Sea issue.

More threats from China's propaganda newspapers.

Thailand :
Thailand’s PM Abhisit Vejjajiva: “He’s only good at talking”

There is now little doubt that in the campaign for the up and coming Thai general election the performance of both incumbent Thai Prime Minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva, and his Democrat Party has been nothing short of useless.

And he's going to get his butt kicked. Hopefully the army doesn't intervene to keep those people in power or it will get very messy.

Taiwan :
Taiwan holds computer simulation of Chinese attack

Taiwan has begun its annual computer simulation of a Chinese attack, reflecting the island’s anxiety over the continuing military threat China poses to it despite warming ties between the two sides.

Last time, Taiwan lost the war in 3 days.

www.abc.net.au...
US prepares for potential strikes on Seoul
Source: ABC News
Published: Tuesday, June 21, 2011 4:07 AEST
Expires: Monday, September 19, 2011 4:07 AEST
Allied warships conduct exercises amid US fears that North Korea is likely to launch more military strikes against the South's capital, Seoul.



here we go again around and around until everyone gets sick and falls off

reply to post by 12voltz


Thanks for that. Yep enough with the exercises...

My brother is leaving for Thailand today...
C-in-C's advice ratchets up the worry factor

Vote for good people. Think carefully before you cast your vote. Avoid a repeat of previous situations. Cast the vote that will make the country and monarchy safe.

His words seem like generic advice to a populace heading for the polling booths in two weeks' time.

But if it's so ordinary, why did almost every newspaper and media outlet in town splash his comments across their pages and screens?

The timing of his "special interview" is one thing. Why was it put on air on that day, disrupting the normal programming and right in the middle of the election? Why did he choose to talk to only two TV channels, which happened to be owned by the army? What was the urgency?

Of course, the army chief won't clarify these questions. In fact, he's vowed not to utter another word about the election till it's done. But these questions won't go away easily and they have certainly added to the uncertainty factor that has dogged the Thai politics for several years.

That the person giving out these seemingly harmless words of caution is the head of the powerful army is another factor. If there is anybody out there who is capable of staging a coup, it's going to be him. If that "coup-able" person has something to say, the whole country has no choice but to listen.

Yep. The army will probably do another coup if the Puea Thai Party wins. Why? Well the army overthrew them the last time they were in power. The party, if elected (which it seems they will be) could seek some revenge against the King and the army... and of course they don't want that. The leader of the party is the sister of the one who was ousted in 2006 by a coup...

I hope nothing happens... for the sake of the Thai people... and because my brother will be there.

Elections are on July 3.

China :
First China aircraft carrier sea trial 'next week'

China's first aircraft carrier - a remodelled Soviet-era vessel - will go on sea trials next week, a report said Tuesday, amid escalating tensions in the South China Sea.

Not too dangerous for now... and probably not for several years.

There have also been recent reports that North Korea are readying a Nuclear Test.

This could be a diversion.

Originally posted by babybunnies
There have also been recent reports that North Korea are readying a Nuclear Test.

This could be a diversion.

A diversion from what? NKorea can't do no diversion. They are a third world cesspit.

^Thailand :
Why is the Puea Thai logo on the ballot paper so small?

BP: Puea Thai are No. 1 and you see there logo is barely legible. The complaint is not that people won’t realize that Puea Thai is No. 1, but that they will put the X in the logo box instead of the box on the right-hand side (which is the correct box)

The election has not even started and the regime is already doing fraud. SERIOUSLY?

Abhisit promises to reveal 'truths'

Previously undisclosed truths about the violence last year will be revealed during the Democrat Party's major election rally at Ratchaprasong intersection tomorrow, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said on Wednesday.

The Democrat leader's promise came amid fresh Pheu Thai claims the rally was intended to derail the election process.

A party statement advised members, candidates and executives of Pheu Thai to stay away from Ratchaprasong tomorrow, warning they might be persecuted for actions that may be committed by others.

More lies to get more votes.

ABAC Poll shows Puea Thai has lead; Undecideds at 30%

# The E-san poll, as blogged about here and here, which surveyed all 20 provinces in the Northeast which looked at who those surveyed would cast their party vote for (Puea Thai 63.9%, Democrats, 20.7%, and Bhum Jai Thai, 9.1%),
# Nationwide NIDA poll which looked at who people would cast their constituency vote for (Puea Thai 23%, Democrats 20%, Bhum Jai Thai 3%, undecided 53%),
# Nationwide Suan Dusit poll which showed who people would cast their party vote for (Puea Thai 41%, Democrats 37%, Bhum Jai Thai 4% OR if you remove the undecideds and those who will vote no you get Puea Thai 45%, Democrats 41%, Bhum Jai Thai 4%),
# Poll of the Lower North showing how people would cast their party vote for (Puea Thai 23.2%, Democrats 22.2%, 4.5% for other parties, and 50.1% were undecided),
# Nationwide NIDA poll which looked at who people would cast their constituency vote for (Puea Thai 22%, Democrats 13%, undecided 64%) and party vote (Puea Thai 23%, Democrats 13%, undecided 64%),

Lots of undecided.

Philippines :
Manila: US obliged to defend Filipinos in Spratlys

U.S. forces are obliged to help defend Filipino troops, ships or aircraft under a 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty if they come under attack in the disputed Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, Philippine officials said, citing past American assurances.

There we go.

China :
China Warns U.S. To Stay Out Of Sea Dispute

China urged the United States on Wednesday to leave the South China Sea dispute to the claimant states, saying that U.S. involvement may make the situation worse, its most direct warning to Washington in recent weeks.

China seeks better military ties with India

China said Tuesday it hopes to boost military cooperation with India as the two Asian powerhouses resume defence ties that were frozen for a year over a visa dispute.

+1

SKorea :
S.Korea to Develop Border Islands in Yellow Sea

South Korea will spend approximately 910 billion won over the next ten years to develop the five border islands in the Yellow Sea to improve living conditions for its residents.

The plan calls for efforts to stabilize the lives of the residents, including the support of living and educational expenses, and building a computer-aided long-distance medical service system. Other plans call for improving their living conditions and building some 40 shelters in case of possible North Korean provocations.

Well at least the attack will have had one positive effect.

S. Korea to build new resettlement facility for N. Korean defectors

South Korea will build a new facility to accommodate a growing number of North Koreans fleeing poverty and political oppression from their communist homeland, an official said Wednesday.

That's very good.

US, Japan vow closer ties with S. Korea to foil NK provocations

The United States and Japan announced Tuesday a common strategic goal to head off additional provocations by North Korea and persuade the communist nation to abandon its nuclear weapons programs.

And? Only talk, nothing concrete.

Lee says S. Korea closer to unification with N. Korea

President Lee Myung-bak said Tuesday he believes that South Korea has come closer to unification with North Korea and the event would come unexpectedly, stressing the importance of preparing for the possibility.

Yeah I bet they like this kind of talk in the North... NOT.

Pakistan :
Poll: Most Pakistanis think bin Laden’s death bad

Pakistanis largely disapprove of the U.S. raid that killed Osama bin Laden, with a majority believing the al-Qaida chief’s death is a bad thing and relations between Washington and Islamabad will suffer as a result, new polling data show.

The findings of two Pew Research Center surveys reflect widespread anti-Americanism in a country where many view the U.S. as the main reason for rising Islamist violence that has killed thousands, even as many of the same Pakistanis hold the militants behind such attacks in low regard.

Doesn't matter if the raid was true or not, if Bin Laden is dead or not, what matters is their reaction to the ``image`` that Bin Laden represented, which is bad. One more reason why Pakistan shouldn't be our ally.

Australia :
Australia reviews defense needs, with eye on Asia

Australia is reviewing how its deploys its defense forces in response to a military buildup in Asian countries such as China and India and the growing need to protect its natural gas resources off its northwest coast, the government said Wednesday.

Most of Australia’s navy and air force is based in the country’s southeast, where most Australians live, but most of its largest resource projects and export contracts center on natural gas fields off its sparsely populated and tropical northwest coast.

And that is quite retarded.

NKorea :
US Bans Imports of Parts, Technologies from N.Korea

Radio Free Asia (RFA) said that the U.S. has announced an executive order for a new set of sanctions against North Korea.

The new sanctions prohibit the import of finished goods, parts and products made with North Korean technology. This means exports manufactured in the Hwanggeumpyeong economic zone as well as in the Gaeseong Industrial Complex would have to be screened. In addition, films produced in collaboration by the two Koreas will undergo a review in order to be exported to the U.S.

Just now? Really?

Asahi : 40% of N.Korean Infants Malnourished

A Japanese newspaper is reporting that 40 percent of infants in North Korea are malnourished.

The Asahi Shimbun said the figure stems from a study conducted on some 170 children aged five or under that are living in six different regions of the North. The U.S. conducted the study while leading a food inspection in the communist country.

Still wouldn't change much with food aid if it's not monitored.

Spy chief says policy failures dealt blow to N. Korea's heir apparent

A series of policy blunders in North Korea have dealt a blow to North Korean leader Kim Jong-il's son and heir apparent, Kim Jong-un, a ruling party lawmaker said Wednesday, citing Seoul's spy chief.

And that's why most NKorean hate him.

N. Korea could test-launch missile at new launch site this year: expert
Gee no kidding. About several months late pal.

Russia :
US warship visit to Georgia not 'constructive': Moscow

The Russian foreign ministry said Tuesday that the arrival of a US warship in ex-Soviet Georgia was damaging to efforts to improve relations between Moscow and Washington.

The Navy cruiser Monterey, equipped with a ballistic missile defence system, arrived in the Georgian port of Batumi on Monday for a three-day training programme.

"Such maneouvres are in contradiction with the current level of Russian-American relations," the ministry said in a statement.

Provocation...Saakasvilli is a piece of garbage.

Ukraine secretly ramps up ties with NATO: report

Ukraine is ramping up cooperation with NATO, dealing a blow to Moscow's hopes that its neighbour would align itself closer to Russia under President Viktor Yanukovych, a report said Tuesday.

The Kommersant Ukraine daily, citing a secret document on Ukraine's programme with NATO for 2011, said Yanukovych sought closer ties with the bloc even more earnestly than his openly pro-Western predecessor Viktor Yushchenko.

The confidential document approved earlier this year includes a schedule of 64 bilateral events, said the newspaper, adding that the two sides were set to discuss such sensitive issues as Ukraine's energy security, missile defence, and the future of Russia's Black Sea fleet based in Crimea.

Seriously, Ukraine joining NATO is a red line for Russia.

Myanmar :
Myanmar clashes continue along border

A rebel army in northern Myanmar reportedly warned its troops to expect protracted fighting after clashes with government soldiers forced thousands of civilians to flee.

Again?

Japan :
US, Japan delay Okinawa plan but hold firm

The United States and Japan acknowledged Tuesday that they would miss a 2014 deadline for a controversial shift of a US base in Okinawa, but stood firmly behind the plan in the face of opposition.

Duh. Dismantle the whole base. Get all US troops out of Japan.

reply to post by Vitchilo

Australia reviews defense needs, with eye on Asia Australia is reviewing how its deploys its defense forces in response to a military buildup in Asian countries such as China and India and the growing need to protect its natural gas resources off its northwest coast, the government said Wednesday. Most of Australia’s navy and air force is based in the country’s southeast, where most Australians live, but most of its largest resource projects and export contracts center on natural gas fields off its sparsely populated and tropical northwest coast.

"And that is quite retarded."

What do mean?
The writer assumes that the threat is tangibly India and China and frankly those two countries would do as they please, just as any overwhelming power would, if they could. It's not going badly and anyway China and India don't scheme together.

The Aus gov't never implies that China or India are a threat. The information about acquisitions come from the defence department to endorse spending. It's just routine but as it addresses a strategic imbalance it can lead to assumptions. The usual flow of allied strategies are ongoing.

I don't think any country is poised for an actual military exchange.

Do you think that the recent news about some of Australia's smaller neighbouring states has made Australia chose to spend more on a small perceived naval base(s), old fashioned invasion and or border control, or do you think that Australia is embarking on a direct armed confrontation with Asia?

reply to post by squandered


Nah, I was saying that Australia putting it's army in the Southeast was dumb when the real threats come from the north... I should have precised... I just re-read myself and it's totally not clear.

NKorea :
N. Korea ups slander against S. Korean president

North Korea has drastically stepped up its smear campaign against South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, Seoul's Unification Ministry said Thursday, in an apparent sign of growing frustration over the inter-Korean impasse.

The North frequently accused Lee of being a "traitor" and "stooge serving the U.S." for what Pyongyang claims is South Korea's hostile policy toward the North and Seoul's subservience to Washington.

The North's official Korean Central News Agency usually carries articles full of slander on Lee and threats against South Korea almost every day.

The cases of the North's slander on Lee has jumped to 166 in June from 64 in May when Lee offered to invite North Korean leader Kim Jong-il to next year's international security summit in Seoul, the ministry said.

I don't know why, but right now I'm thinking about NKorea sending a commando of assassins that will try to kill SKorean's president. SKorea had tried the same thing against Kim Il Sung back in 1968.

Japan :
Chinese fleet sails between Japanese islands

NHK has captured images of Chinese naval ships navigating the high seas between the islands of Japan's southernmost prefecture of Okinawa.

The video footage was taken from an NHK helicopter flying over waters about 120 kilometers northeast of Miyako Island from 5:45 PM to 6:25 PM on Wednesday.

Japan's Defense Ministry and Self-Defense Forces have confirmed the ships were in the area.

The footage shows three ships sailing toward China.

They are a frigate of the Chinese navy's most advanced category, the Jiangkai II, a Sovremenny-class destroyer and a vessel for information gathering.

Another show of force from China.

SKorea :
"Ban Equipped to Handle Potential Worst-case Scenarios on Peninsula"

An official of the U.S. Center for Strategic and International Studies says U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has a unique ability to address worst case scenarios that might emerge on the Korean Peninsula.

Well he's Korean...and he's been SKorea foreign minister... and he has lots of experience...

Russia :
Yanukovych says 'no' to missile defense

Ukraine President Viktor Yanukovych says his country isn't going to take part in a new European missile defense system backed by NATO nor join the bloc itself.

Good.

Moscow rejects US involvement in islands dispute

The Russian Foreign Ministry labeled United States involvement in a dispute over four Pacific islands between Russia and Japan as inappropriate interference Thursday.

So basically... Russia and China unite to tell the US to get the hell out of the western Pacific.
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India :
Lockheed ponders F-35 sale to India

Lockheed indicated it could still be in the running for an $11 billion fighter jet sale to India despite the government rejecting its F-16 aircraft.

Lockheed Martin's stealth F-35 Lightning II, still in the development stage, could be on the table if the foreign sale is approved by the U.S. government, although no firm decision has been made by Lockheed, a spokesman for Lockheed said at the Paris Air Show.

However, the deal for 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft stands to boost India's procurement cost by at least half, to around $17 billion.

"The decision has to be taken by the (U.S.) government. There has not been any discussion between us and the Indian government," Michael J. Rein, Lockheed Martin's director of communications for the Joint Strike Fighter F-35 project, told the Press Trust of India.

That would surely piss off Pakistan and China...

Australian may lift ban on exporting uranium to India: Report

In a bid to strengthen bilateral ties, Australian government could review and lift the long standing ban on uranium export to India later this year, a media report said.

"Later this year, the (Julia) Gillard Government is likely to take two very big decisions affecting relations with the US and India. It will provide much greater access for US military forces to northern Australia. This could ultimately lead to US ships being based in Australia.

"And it will likely lift the ban on selling Australian uranium to India. Both decisions should be seen against the backdrop of China," The Australian said.

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China :
China Develops An M-1 Tank Killer

China has developed its own version of the U.S. SADARM (Search And Destroy Armor Munitions). These small (147mm diameter, 204mm long) devices weigh 10 kg (22 pounds) and are carried two per 155mm shell or 40 per CBU-105, 455 kg (thousand pound), cluster bomb. Each of these SADARMs have their own radar and heat sensor that searches for armored vehicles below and destroys them with a special shaped charge warhead. The SADARM sensors can search and attack vehicles within an area of roughly 150 x 360 meters, as they slowly descend.

That would be very useful for China against Russia, India and SKorea/US if they joined NKorea.

Red alert: China gears up to avoid Soviet-style collapse

Bracing for key leadership changes, China's 80-million strong Communist Party is getting ready for yet another long-haul with an ideological makeover to avert a Soviet Union-style collapse which spelled doom for communism worldwide.

Celebrating its 90th anniversary this year, the Chinese Communist Party (CPC) is going through the phase of "nervous sixties" as it completed 62 years in power, according to some party officials.

"The Soviet Communist Party collapsed in 1991, after 74 years in power. It is a wake-up call for the CPC and a very good lesson to be learnt," Zhou Jintang, vice president of the China Executive Leadership Academy, told a group of visiting foreign journalists.

Also the CPC is gearing up for a major leadership changes next year, when President Hu Jintao and Prime Minister Wen Jiabao and a host of leaders at different levels are scheduled to quit after two terms to pave the way for new leadership.

Vice president Xi Jinping, who has been made the vice chairman of the powerful military commission, is widely expected to succeed Hu in December next year.

So he comes to power in December 2012...
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Philippines :
US ready to arm Philippines amid China tension

The United States said Thursday it was ready to provide hardware to modernize the military of the Philippines, which vowed to "stand up to aggressive action" amid rising tension at sea with China.

Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario, on a visit to Washington, said the Philippines hoped to lease equipment to upgrade its aged fleet and called for the allies to revamp their relationship in light of the friction with China.

"We are determined and committed to supporting the defense of the Philippines," Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told a joint news conference when asked about the hardware wish-list from the Philippines.

That is quite big news.
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Thailand :
The Nation’s election predictions

BP doesn’t see that Thursday’s rally will help the Democrats and while on June 9, BP thought the Democrats would win 182 seats and Puea Thai 228 would now adjust this to the Democrats winning 170-175, but adjust Puea Thai upwards to 235-240. The Democrats need a miracle now and if things continue as they are with Puea Thai picking up steam, Puea Thai could come close to winning an absolute majority.

Now Puea Thai is assured to win... two things... will they win a majority? What will the army do?

Land of the Lost

Sonthi Boonyaratglin must have armor-plated gonads. How else to explain it? Five years ago, as an army general, he led a military coup that overthrew Thailand's then Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra. Now retired and running in the country's July 3 parliamentary election, he presents the coup as a brave and selfless act. "I'm glad we did it," says Sonthi, who commands his Matubhum Party from a spartan Bangkok office. "If we hadn't, Thailand might no longer be a democracy."

Sonthi's presence — a coup general running as democracy's savior — in this critical election shows just how dysfunctional Thailand's politics have become. Thais hope to elect a government with the authority to end years of political unrest, which culminated in May last year with the deaths of at least 90 people during the antigovernment Red Shirt protests in Bangkok. But peace seems unlikely. Once a democratic trailblazer in an authoritarian region, Thailand has become a political basket case.

The third force is the rich and resurgent Thai military. Since the coup, defense spending has more than doubled to $5.5 billion. The military has staged 18 coups or attempted coups since 1932. A 19th is possible if Pheu Thai wins power and goes after the generals who ousted Thaksin. Generals have recently lined up to deny the constant rumors of an impending coup. Thais have good reason to doubt them. "There definitely won't be a coup," said Sonthi in 2006, even as he was plotting one.

The Democrats don't appear serious either. Their government's record for stifling free expression — it has blocked some 540,000 Web pages in the past 14 months, estimates Freedom Against Censorship Thailand — is worse than Thaksin's. And they still back the military's far-fetched claim that soldiers didn't kill or even injure a single Red Shirt during last year's bloody crackdown.

Thais want a bigger say, and more transparency, in how their country is run. What they're getting is massive censorship, a dangerously resurgent military and an election that will likely be followed by the usual backroom carve-up of money and political influence. This is not just a failure of leadership. It is a recipe for further violence. The stability Thais crave is as elusive as ever.

Yep. And Goldman Sachs backs the Democrats...
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SKorea :
SKorean students rank nation’s enemies – Japan, NKorea, America?

Asked about enemies, 44.5% chose Japan, 22.1% chose North Korea, 19.9% chose the United States, 12.8% chose China and 0.6% chose Russia, showing that 44.5% of teenagers believe that Japan is an enemy.

WTF... things have changed people... time to wake up. We still can see the lasting effects of Japanese rule over Korea for all these years...what are they teaching in the schools?
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Burma :
Bombs explode in 3 Burma cities, wounding 2

Bombs exploded almost simultaneously in three Burma cities Friday, wounding at least two people, the government and residents said.

It was not immediately clear who carried out the attacks, but bombings have become increasingly frequent in Burma, where pro-democracy activists and ethnic groups are at odds with the military-backed regime.

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NKorea :
NK Secures 130,000 Tons of Food in 7 Months'

The Voice of America says North Korea has secured over 130-thousand tons of food through imports and foreign aid between November last year and mid-May this year.

The FAO report added that a U.N. inspection team, which evaluated the food conditions in the North in March, assessed that North Korea will have to secure over one million tons of food from abroad as the nation’s food conditions this year are worse than that seen last year.

Good luck with that...

NKorea rushes to build apartments for 2012 events

The capital of North Korea is going through a construction boom and the biggest project in more than a decade started at the beginning of this month.

Associated Press Television News in North Korea on Friday showed a large area in the center of the capital that has been turned into a huge construction site.

It is all part of an effort to build 100,000 new apartments in North Korea’s capital by 2012.

reply to post by Vitchilo

reply to post by squandered Nah, I was saying that Australia putting it's army in the Southeast was dumb when the real threats come from the north... I should have precised... I just re-read myself and it's totally not clear.

I think that the overall story was more about the northern bases being enlarged to hold much larger forces. The Chinese "aggression" against the Philippines, resource grabs and undefined borders (not that I know the arguments) all seem to tie in with that.

It is big news. The whole area the harassed Philippines is in has deliberately avoided an arms race.
If nothing else, it's an interesting tangle of alliances - depending on how it plays out.

NKorea :
Clinton says no hasty decision on food aid for N. Korea

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Friday a decision on food aid to North Korea is on hold due to concerns over transparency in distribution and outstanding issues from the suspension of Washington's previous food shipments.

It has been delayed for months now. DECIDE ALREADY. But the way they are handling it, it seems to me they will accept to give it.

Obama nominates Sung Kim as top envoy to Korea

U.S. President Barack Obama has formally nominated Sung Kim, a career diplomat with expertise in Korean affairs, as his new ambassador to Seoul, the White House announced Friday.

He was the special envoy on six party talks... which basically did nothing since he was nominated there.

U.S., South Korea to keep pressure on Pyongyang

The United States and South Korea on Friday signaled they would not ease pressure on North Korea's government, saying Pyongyang must show it had changed its ways before resumption of stalled nuclear talks could take place.

They say that... we'll see. We'll see. If they hold the line till at least the ``Kim Song Il celebrations`` I'll be impressed.
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China :
China Air Force Steps it Up

The formal retirement ceremony this June for the last People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) Shenyang J-6 / MiG-19 Farmer fighter marks an important milestone for China’s air power, as it transitions from a Cold War era, Soviet-style force to a modern and technologically sophisticated air force with a fleet of high performance aircraft.

For those that are interested though, a more accurate picture can be gleaned from the fact that about 5 years ago, China planned to field well in excess of 500 Russian designed Sukhoi Flanker fighters, a size comparable to the now declining United States Air Force fleet of around 600 Boeing F-15 Eagle fighters. The Flanker was designed to be a direct equivalent (in some respects superior) to the F-15, which is also the backbone of the Japanese and Singaporean fighter fleets.

Indeed, with an ongoing modernisation plan that will see all legacy aircraft types replaced by modern and much longer ranging replacements, the PLAAF will in numerical terms become the strongest air force in Asia, with the largest fleet of ‘tier one’ fighter aircraft globally, should the United States pursue its current plan to downsize and reduce the capabilities of its tactical air forces. In terms of air power alone, this will result in the single largest swing in the strategic balance in Asia since the 1940s.

China steps up its intelligence operation with new spy schools

China has opened a string of spy schools since the beginning of the year in an attempt to increase the training and recruitment of its agents.

Last week, China opened its eighth National Intelligence College on the campus of Hunan University in the central city of Changsha. Since January, similar training schools have opened inside universities in Beijing, Shanghai, Xian, Qingdao and Harbin.

The move comes amid growing worries in the West at the scale and breadth of Chinese intelligence-gathering, with MI5 saying that the Chinese government "represents one of the most significant espionage threats to the U.K.".

In February, China allegedly managed to penetrate the Foreign Office's internal communications network. Until now, however, the bulk of Chinese foreign espionage is thought to have been conducted primarily by academics and students who are sent to the host countries only for a short period of time.

The new schools aim to transform and modernize the Chinese intelligence services, producing spies who are trained in the latest methods of data collection and analysis. Each school will recruit around 30 to 50 carefully selected existing undergraduates each year.

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India :
Remove shadow of gun: India tells Pakistan

India on Friday made it clear to Pakistan that resolution of the Kashmir issue cannot take place under the “shadow of gun” as the two countries concluded 'satisfactory” talks which resulted in agreement on various confidence building measures (CBMs).

+1

Koreas :

North Korean defectors launched 100,000 leaflets across border to mark anniversary of the Korean War outbreak

KNCA quotes #DPRK CPRF spokesman saying #ROK gov't attitude will "...lead to a war which may inflict untold calamities..." #Korea

The Umpires Strike Back

Famine is not the only horror found in North Korea. There is also the growing hunt for corrupt officials. This has caused yet another layer of corruption. That's because so many of corruption investigators, or their bosses, are either on the take, or have family who are. One problem is that the list of what is forbidden is so long. For example, products from South Korea are forbidden, but this stuff is enormously popular. So inspectors expect labels from South Korean clothing to be removed, to avoid hassles for the seller. South Korean clothes are easily identifiable by their style and overall quality, but if there's no identifying label, everyone pretends it's Chinese and moves on. Similar ploys are increasingly popular. It's all a nod and a wink and pretending. This even applies to South Korean hair styles and mannerisms from South Korean movies and TV shows. Good pretenders prosper in the north.

The last few months have been dry up north, meaning that the potato crop, planted in April, is much less than normal. Growing electricity shortages have made the poor harvest worse, as there was not enough power to run irrigation pumps. In many parts of the country, the malnourished work force simply can't, or won't, work as hard. Government employees and security forces don't get as much food as they used to, but they are still better fed than everyone else. This is a growing source of unrest, made worse by the growing corruption among officials. The differences are most stark when you compare the public mood of a decade ago to what it is today. Now, North Koreans talk back, and get away with it. Cops or secret police who try to beat or arrest people who openly criticize government action, can have a riot on their hands. The cops will often back off, and the people know it. What really accelerated this change in attitude was the disastrous currency reforms of late 2009.

Many North Koreans lost their fear after that catastrophe, and there's no going back. In response, many more members of the secret police, who deal with the people daily, are becoming corrupt, fleeing the country, or both. Suicides among corrupt security officials are on the rise.

+1 When people got nothing to lose, they are free. We could see a revolt in NKorea... corruption is what allowed many people to survive the famines in the 90s... if there's a crackdown on corruption, people will revolt since they will surely die.

China Warned N.Korea Against Attacking the South, Says Lee

China clearly warned North Korea that South Korea would retaliate if the North carries out another provocation, President Lee Myung-bak said Thursday.

"President Lee said North Korea would not be able to carry out further acts of provocation and added that China officially notified our government that it would no longer help the North if it did that," one committee member said.

Hopefully it's true.

'U.S. Considered Using Nuclear Weapons During Korean War'

A recently translated memoir by a former U.S. Air Force commander during the Korean War reveals that Washington considered using nuclear bombs only three months into the conflict.

He writes that the use of nuclear weapons was being considered as early as September 1950 since the U.S. army leadership looked for a strategic means to fight off the Soviet Army if it intervened on the Korean Peninsula.

Kim Jong-il 'to Meet Medvedev'

If the summit takes place, it would be the first meeting between the leaders of the two countries in nine years. Kim and Putin also met in Pyongyang in July of 2000, in Moscow in August 2001 and in Vladivostok in August of 2002 to discuss economic cooperation.

Would be quite important.
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China :
Chinese experts call for talks on South China Sea issue

China opposes attempts to internationalize the South China Sea issue, which could jeopardize peace and stability in the region, China's international relations experts said on Friday.

"China has indisputable sovereignty over the South China Sea islands and their surrounding waters," said Ma Zhenggang, former president of the China Institute for International Studies.

China would like to resolve disputes with concerned parties through direct bilateral negotiations, he said during a press briefing on China's foreign policy.

Ma said the region's rich reserves of oil and gas are the major reason for the escalation of tension in the South China Sea. The United States' attempt to step up its presence in the Asia-Pacific region is also a factor, he said.

Talks are the best way to go.
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Pakistan :
Afghans Ready to Retaliate Against Pakistan Missile Attacks

Afghan Defence Ministry is ready to retaliate against Pakistan's missile attacks in the best possible way, a senior Afghan military official said on Wednesday.

At a press conference Defence Ministry Spokesman Gen. Zaher Azimi said around 150 missiles fired from Pakistan have landed in different regions in eastern Kunar province in the past week.

Twenty civilians have lost their lives and some have been wounded in the attacks, according to the Defence Ministry.

Pakistan keeping up its missile attacks against Afghanistan would deteriorate relations between the two nations, Gen. Azimi said.

The Defence Ministry says it was shocked to hear about the attacks.

"I see no reason for such an attack from Pakistan. There hasn't been any attack by our troops. Without any apparent reason, they have started to fire heavy arms and most of those killed in the attacks have been civilians," Gen. Azimi said.

Seriously, WTF!!

S. Korea to stage military drills near border with N. Korea

South Korea will hold military drills near the heavily fortified border with North Korea this week, the Army said Sunday.

The field-training exercises, set to start Monday and run through Friday in the border city of Paju, are designed to examine the military's combat readiness, the Army said.

All week long. It's gonna be fun...especially if the US finally gives their response to the food aid and they say NO...

If that happens, my bet would be that NKorea will do a provocation before July 5... But it wouldn't be an attack on the South... it would be a missile test or a nuclear test.

reply to post by Vitchilo


US needs to get the food aid going before
all blows up. Should be an interesting week.

reply to post by Vitchilo


My bet is,they will say NO. N.-Korea will (be forced to) do a Provocation or something else,which will draw a Response from the South...

At the same Time,Turkey-Syria "False Flag" ...

At the same Time,QE2 Ends and the US Market goes haywire...

At the same Time,Greece decides the Fate of the Euro-Zone...

Did i miss something?


Hm...is it just me,or does it seem like that everything comes together at this point of Time? Busy Week indeed...

NKorea :
US asks China to press N.Korea

The United States on Saturday asked China to use its influence on North Korea to prevent a new "provocation," saying that Pyongyang must mend ties with the South if it wants to move ahead.

During first-of-a-kind talks between the Pacific powers on Asia-related issues, senior US official Kurt Campbell said he shared views with China on North Korea, which counts on Beijing as its primary source of support.

"We've again asked for China to take critical steps to urge North Korea to reach out and to deal responsibly and appropriately with South Korea and to refrain from any further provocations," Campbell told reporters after the talks in Hawaii.

China, North Korea Set Up Free Trade Zone at Hwanggumpyong

Sharp-eyed viewers of CCTV may have noticed the recent adverts promoting the port of Dandong on China’s border with North Korea as a new northeastern gateway to global markets. That campaign goes hand-in-hand with the recent decision to set up a free trade zone on North Korea’s Hwanggumpyong Island, an undeveloped island adjacent to Dandong, where a tax-free zone of 10 square kilometers will be set up.

North Korea soldiers malnourished

North Korea is struggling to feed its army, according to new footage obtained from within the secretive state which shows a soldier complaining his unit is weak from a lack of nutrition, AFP reports. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation said the video was taken by an undercover North Korean journalist over several months earlier this year and smuggled out of the communist country to China.
It shows orphaned children begging for food in the streets and a party official ordering a vendor at a private market to give her a donation of rice for the army -- once quarantined from food shortages. "Everybody is weak," one young North Korean soldier is filmed saying to the reporter's hidden camera. "Within my troop of 100 comrades, half of them are malnourished."

Of course they are.

US Aid to NK Amounts to $1.3 Bn since 1995

A U.S. survey finds that the United States has provided various aid worth over one-point-three billion dollars to North Korea since 1995.

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Taiwan :
Taiwan upgrades fighter jets

Taiwan will this week receive its first batch of a fleet of Indigenous Defensive Fighters upgraded as part as part of a $587 million dollar project to beef up air defences, officials said Sunday.

An unspecified number of the domestically-manufactured jets are scheduled to be delivered in central Taichung city Thursday, an air force spokesman said.

+1 They still need the F-16C/Ds...
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Thailand :
DPU Poll shows Puea Thai still in the lead

Thailand leaves UNESCO World Heritage Convention

Suwit Khunkitti, head of the Thai delegation negotiating with the World Heritage Committee in Paris, announced at 11:55 pm Saturday, that his delegation had informed the World Heritage Committee that Thailand resigned as a member country to the convention.

Suwit, the natural resources and environment minister, said the Thai delegation had to make the move after the committee ignored Thailand’s concern that the consideration of the management plan would complicate Thai-Cambodian border dispute.

“They ignored it and they did not care about our sovereignty and territory,” Suwit said.

“They cared only about the conservation of the temple. Actually, we told them that if Cambodia withdraws its troops from the temple, the conservation can go ahead. The troop withdrawal will allow the conservation to be done. No one will interfere with it. No damages will be done if no one fires from the site.”
…
Following the withdrawal, the World Heritage Committee could no longer force Thailand to compile to its decision, Suwit added.

Good for them, the UN is a joke.

Thailand needs a post-election roadmap

Just a little over a week before Thais go to the polls on July 3, the sense of a runaway Pheu Thai victory pervades the political landscape. One poll after another by disparate sources over recent weeks has all pointed to a Pheu Thai triumph.

Hell yeah they need one otherwise it could get real nasty.

Heavy police presence for advance voting by 2.6 million today

A total of 35,000 policemen will be deployed at 557 poll stations nationwide for advance voting today, national police adviser Pol General Pongsapat Pongcharoen said yesterday.

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Pakistan :
The Arab Spring postponed in Pakistan

An event where leaders of the Arab revolutions in Egypt, Tunisia and Libya were invited to speak to Pakistani people, scheduled for June 26, 2011 (Sunday) here in Lahore had to be postponed at the 11th hour due to security threat.

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SKorea :
S. Korea separates apology demand from nuclear talks with N. Korea: official

South Korea is willing to hold a bilateral meeting with North Korea on a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula before resuming multilateral denuclearization talks, separating it from its adamant demand for an apology over last year's deadly attacks, a senior government official said Monday.

Caving in are we?
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Russia :
Latvia says could seek NATO support over Mistral threat

Latvia will ask NATO for support if Russia deploys French-built Mistral warships in the Baltic Sea because it would change the balance of forces in the region, Defense Minister Artis Pabriks said on Wednesday.

Yeah like Russia is gonna invade Latvia...

Bulava launches to resume June 28 - source

A new test launch of Russia's troubled Bulava missile will be staged on June 28, a Russian Defense Ministry source said on Sunday.

NKorea :
(PDF) US-SKorea free trade agreement means $$$ for NKorea

N. Korea issues ultimatum over suspended mountain resort

North Korea issued an ultimatum Tuesday over the fate of a troubled joint mountain resort in the North, a day before South Korean officials and businesspeople travel to the site to discuss the ownership of assets there.

North Korea has demanded South Korea send its officials to the resort at Mount Kumgang by June 30, after threatening to "dispose of" South Korean-owned properties there. The joint tour project has been suspended since 2008, following the shooting death of a South Korean tourist.

On Monday, the South's Unification Ministry said it will send a delegation of 12 government officials and company representatives to the resort on Wednesday to check the North's stance on the South Korean assets there.

"If (South Korea) misses this opportunity, it will permanently lose a chance for consultations with regard to the Mount Kumgang tour project," the North's official Web site Uriminzokkiri said.

Defector-turned-official sees little hope for N. Korea after succession

Cho Myung-chul, a North Korean defector recently named head of a government body handling unification education, sees little hope for his birthplace following the pending hereditary succession.

In an interview with Yonhap News Agency, Cho, who will lead the Education Center for Unification for two years, said the success of the regime under Kim Jong-un, heir apparent and third son of the current leader Kim Jong-il, will hinge upon his ability to "bring innovation."

"The hereditary succession to Kim Jong-un is bound to happen; you just replace Kim Jong-il with Kim Jong-un, with the same ideology, national policy and personnel," Cho said. "The question is whether Kim Jong-un can provide more material benefits to the people (than his father), and whether he can give them hope. I see little hope in that regard."

Good. Then maybe the army/people will revolt..

Activist claims NK's heir apparent received plastic surgery six times

North Korean leader Kim Jong-il's heir apparent son, Kim Jong-un, has undergone plastic surgery six times to look more like his late grandfather and the nation's founder, the chief of a radio station specializing in North Korean affairs claimed Tuesday.

Would not be a big surprise from those maniacs...

US should engage N.Korea: Kerry

US Senator John Kerry has called for Washington to provide food aid to North Korea and resume joint searches for Korean War missing, warning of risks to refusing to engage the communist state.

Right..
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Thailand :
Why the Democrats will lose the Thai election

Despite seemingly having a good chance of winning enough seats to form the next government a few months ago, things have gone very badly for the Democrats. Three major reasons: (1) Yingluck, (2) rising prices/inflation, and (3) failure to communicate policies/connect with voters. Without (2) though you can’t get the rise of (1).

The biggest issue is inflation... and it was caused by BERNANKE! America insane fiscal policies are affecting other countries in a major way... after the revolts in the middle-east, this.

Coups, massacres and the Afghan War – WikiLeaks and the US-Thai military relationship

Yet, for me, the general gossipy speculative tone of most of the cables released so far reveals little about what I consider to be one of the most important, though least discussed, elements in the entire Thai-USA relationship – that of undimmed military support by the USA for the profoundly anti-democratic and murderous Thai Army.

For anyone with even a middling interest in Thai history or politics the Thai Army’s numerous coups (18 and counting), massacres at Tak Bai and Krue Se (both 2004), Bangkok (1973, 1976, 1992, 2010), the vicious treatment of Communist-sympathising farmers in the 1970s, the deaths of Rohingya refugees in the last couple of years and a very well-deserved reputation for unbridled corruption, are all irrefutable facts.

That such a powerful anti-democratic force has taken part in all these acts with almost limitless and continuing support from the USA, mainly in the form of arms and training, is simply staggering. And according to one of the recently released cables (for an abridged version see below) this symbiotic relationship (USA support for the Thai Army secures plenty of regional assets and meaty defence contracts for the American military-industrial complex) yields huge benefits for both parties.

Indeed it is quite discusting.

Leaked cable shows USA influencing Thai law & justice system for 60 years

The March 20, 2009 leaked embassy cable covers more than 60-years of US involvement in Thailand, noting the country’s Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) – established in 1976 by the Narcotics Control Act, B.E. 2519 – in addition to the Thai Border Patrol Police and Royal Thai Police Special Branch, were established with U.S. funding.

The leaked Bangkok embassy cable notes that since 1963 when the US Drug Enforcement Administration’s (US-DEA) predecessor, the Federal Bureau of Narcotics (See: War on drugs a failure says international group), commenced operation in the kingdom the focus has been on counter-narcotics, noting that the US-DEA now maintains several offices throughout the country, as well as in several neighboring countries, “enjoying remarkable freedom of action in-country and high levels of cooperation (including the right to carry weapons and freely conduct investigations, with the RTP [Royal Thai Police] making the final arrests)”.

What the hell is the US DEA doing in Thailand...

There Is Another

Most Thais are hoping that the July 3rd national elections will solve the current divisions that threaten to turn into civil war. The populist red shirts not only have a majority (according to polls) in the upcoming elections, but have put their opponents (the royalist yellow shirts) on the defensive by promising amnesty for yellow shirts if the populists win. This would make another coup (which, as with all military takeovers, risks civil war) less likely. The amnesty covers the 2006 coup and the 91 politically motivated deaths red shirts have been protesting ever since. The red shirts have another unexpected advantage in Yingluck Shinawatra, the sister of Thaksin Shinawatra (the exiled former prime minister and red shirt hero). She is young (44), pretty, rich and has many of the same political skills as her brother. Yingluck only began campaigning last month, and immediately shot to the front in the polls, taking her party with her.

Wikileaks documents revealed that the 83 year old king is closer to death than commonly believed, and that the crown prince is seen as weak and not the best candidate to succeed his father. The queen and his sister might oppose the crown prince becoming the new king, and this could split the royalist political parties as well.

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SKorea :
FM Kim: Imminent Resumption of Nuke Talks Unlikely

Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan says that the imminent resumption of the stalled six-way nuclear talks is unlikely.

Duh.

‘Nat`l Defense Bridge’ collapses on Korean War anniversary

Built as a steel-framed reinforced concrete bridge in 1905, when Japan ruled Korea as a colony, the bridge was the last defense line on the Nakdong River in the Korean War.

U.N. troops blew up part of the bridge on Aug. 3, 1950, to deter North Korean troops from advancing further to the south. The destroyed section was re-linked with woods after the truce, and the bridge was used by pedestrians. It was restored in 1993 as a pedestrian-only bridge.

Since then, the bride has been called the “National Defense Bridge” due to its role in the Korean War. In 2008, the Cultural Heritage Administration of (South) Korea registered the bridge as a cultural asset.

This is weird... hopefully not a sign of things to come.

Seoul to Rig Up Special Planes to Infiltrate N.Korea

The South Korean military plans to fit out aircraft that will allow special forces to infiltrate North Korea's nuclear and missile bases at night or in bad weather.

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Pakistan :
26 people killed in two U.S. drone strikes in Pakistan

At least 26 people were killed in two U.S. drone strikes launched Monday in Pakistan's northwest tribal area of South Waziristan, reported local Urdu TV channel Geo.

Yeah I bet all of them were terrorists...not.
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Russia :
Russia launches Cosmos-series military satellite

The satellite is a new addition to a Russian network of about 60-70 military reconnaissance satellites, featuring updated imaging technology and an extended lifetime of up to seven years.

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Philippines :
Filipino military upgrades against threats

The Philippine air force intends to purchase additional aircraft and upgraded radar systems by 2016.

The new equipment is projected to cost more than $320 million, or over a third of $916 million promised by the administration of President Benigno Aquino to enhance the military's capability to protect the country's maritime resources and territorial integrity, the Manila Bulletin reported Monday.

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Vietnam :
China, Vietnam agree to resolve maritime dispute through negotiations
Cool.

Some interesting articles in here lately

I find the free-trade stories between China/North Korea and US/South Korea of particular interest. Perhaps China and the US are actively carrying out hostile economic foreign policy with the two Koreas in order to gain more soft power control to support or control a proxy war? The ROK sure seem to be carrying out a lot of war-games with the US navy lately.