Sunday, September 27, 2009

'Many Chinese still see India as their main enemy'

N
early 47 years after the two countries fought a war, many Chinese still perceive India as their main enemy, a British newspaper has claimed.

In an article ahead of the 60th anniversary of the People's Republic, The Sunday Times said: "Not everyone in Beijing speaks in the silky language of the foreign ministry. Curiously, the enemy most often spoken of is India."

Interestingly, the censors in China permit alarmingly frank discussion on the Internet of the merits of another war against India to secure the Tibetan plateau, the report said.

However, a retired Chinese officer has claimed that those serving in the People's Liberation Army have no "devotion" to their country.

"Compared with our last war against India in 1962, our equipment is much better but the devotion to country and people of our officers and men is much worse," the paper quoted an unnamed officer as saying.

Even, veterans who know the PLA from the inside say that despite all its shiny new kit, such grandiose ideas mask the reality of a force "that has no recent battle experience and is riddled with corruption".

They describe a system of bribes ranging from 10,000 yuan (909 pounds) to get a good post for a private soldier to 30,000 yuan for a place at military college, the report said.

"If corruption in the army continues, ideology will decay and open the way for religion, while the promotion system risks causing a mutiny," the newspaper quoted General Zhang Shutian, a political commissar, as having said recently.

Iran test-fires short-range missiles

T
EHRAN -Iran said it successfully test-fired short-range missiles during military drills Sunday by the elite Revolutionary Guard, a show of force days after the U.S. warned Tehran over a newly revealed underground nuclear facility it was secretly constructing.
Gen. Hossein Salami, head of the Revolutionary Guard Air Force, said Iran also tested a multiple missile launcher for the first time. The official English-language Press TV showed pictures of at least two missiles being fired simultaneously and said they were from Sunday's drill in a central Iran desert. In the clip, men could be heard shouting "Allahu Akbar" as the missiles were launched.
"The message of the war game for some arrogant countries which intend to intimidate is that we are able to give a proper, strong answer to their hostility quickly," state television quoted Salami as saying. He said the missiles successfully hit their targets.
The powerful Revolutionary Guard controls Iran's missile program.
The tests came two days after the U.S. and its allies disclosed that Iran had been secretly developing a previously unknown underground uranium enrichment facility and warned the country it must open the nuclear site to international inspection or face harsher international sanctions. The drill was planned in advance of that disclosure.
The newly revealed nuclear site in the arid mountains near the holy city of Qom is believed to be inside a heavily guarded, underground facility belonging to the Revolutionary Guard, according to a document sent by President Barack Obama's administration to lawmakers.
After the strong condemnations from the U.S. and its allies, Iran said Saturday it will allow U.N. nuclear inspectors to examine the site.
Nuclear experts said the details that have emerged about the site and the fact it was being developed secretly are strong indications that Iran's nuclear program is not only for peaceful purposes, as the country has long maintained.
By U.S. estimates, Iran is one to five years away from having a nuclear weapons capability, although U.S. intelligence also believes that Iranian leaders have not yet made the decision to build a weapon.
Iran also is developing a long-range ballistic missile that could carry a nuclear warhead, but the administration said last week that it believes that effort has been slowed. That assessment paved the way for Obama's decision to shelve the Bush administration's plan for a missile shield in Europe, which was aimed at defending against Iranian ballistic missiles.
Salami said Iran would test medium-range Shahab-1 and Shahab-2 missiles on Sunday night and long-range Shahab-3 missiles on Monday, during the military drill set to last several days.
Salami said Fateh, Tondar and Zelzal missiles were test fired on Sunday, but did not give specifics on range or other details. All are short-range, surface-to-surface missiles.
He told reporters Iran had reduced the missiles and their ranges and enhanced their speed and precision so they could be used in quick, short-range engagements. He also said they are now able to be launched from positions that are not as easy to hit.
He said the current missile tests and military drills are indications of Iran's resolve to defend its national values and part of a strategy of deterrence and containment of missile threats.
Iran has had the solid-fuel Fateh missile, with a range of 120 miles (193 kilometers), for several years. Fateh means conqueror in Farsi and Arabic. It also has the solid-fueled, Chinese-made CSS 8, also called the Tondar 69, according to the Wisconsin Project on Nuclear Arms Control, a private group that seeks to stop the spread of weapons of mass destruction. The Tondar, which means thunder, has a range of about 93 miles (150 kilometers.)
Iran has previously tested the Zelzal missile, versions of which have ranges of 130-185 miles (210-200 kilometers. In July 2006, Israeli military officials said their jets had destroyed a missile in Lebanon named Zelzal, which they said Hezbollah had received from Iran and could reach Tel Aviv. Zelzal means earthquake.
Iran's last known missile tests were in May when it fired its longest-range solid-fuel missile, Sajjil-2. Tehran said the two-stage surface-to-surface missile has a range of about 1,200 miles (1,900 kilometers) — capable of striking Israel, U.S. Mideast bases and Europe.
The revelation of Iran's secret site has given greater urgency to a key meeting on Thursday in Geneva between Iran and six major powers trying to stop its suspected nuclear weapons program.
The U.S. and its partners plan to tell Tehran at the meeting that it must provide "unfettered access" for the International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N. nuclear watchdog, within weeks.
The facility is Iran's second uranium-enrichment site working to produce the fuel that could eventually be used in a nuclear weapon.
A close aide to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Saturday the site will be operational soon and would pose a threat to those who oppose Iran.
"This new facility, God willing, will become operational soon and will blind the eyes of the enemies," Mohammad Mohammadi Golpayegani told the semi-official Fars news agency.
Evidence of the clandestine facility was presented Friday by Obama, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and French President Nicolas Sarkozy at the G-20 economic summit in Pittsburgh. On Saturday, Obama offered Iran "a serious, meaningful dialogue" over its disputed nuclear program, while warning Tehran of grave consequences from a united global front.
Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said Saturday the revelation was firm proof Iran was seeking nuclear weapons.
Israel considers Iran a strategic threat with its nuclear program, missile development and repeated calls by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for Israel's destruction. It has not ruled out a pre-emptive strike on Iran's nuclear sites.
In 1981, Israeli warplanes bombed Iraq's Osirak nuclear reaction and in 2007, Israel bombed a site in Syria that the U.S. said was a nearly finished nuclear reactor built with North Korean help that was configured to produce plutonium — one of the substances used in nuclear warheads.
Israel's Foreign Ministry had no immediate comment on the missile tests.
Vice President Ali Akbar Salehi, who heads Iran's nuclear program, said Saturday that U.N. nuclear inspectors could visit the nuclear site but did not provide a timeframe. On Sunday, he told Press TV Iran and the IAEA would work out the timing of the inspection.
The small-scale site is meant to house no more than 3,000 centrifuges — much less than the 8,000 machines at Natanz, Iran's known industrial-scale enrichment facility, but they could still potentially help create bomb-making material.
Experts have estimated that Iran's current number of centrifuges could enrich enough uranium for a bomb in as little as a year. Washington has been pushing for heavier sanctions if Iran does not agree to end enrichment.

Militant killed in encounter at the border

A
n unidentified militant was killed in an encounter with the security personnel at a place near border town of Moreh in Manipur's Chandel district, official sources said today.

Sources said Assam Rifles personnel of 31st battalion while patrolling near border pillar 80 were attacked by some militants yesterday.

In the ensuing encounter, an unidentified militant was killed, sources said adding that one lethod gun was recovered from the spot.

Over 300 persons have so far been killed in militancy-related incidents in Manipur this year.

Nine arrested in connection with bomb case

N
ine persons have so far been arrested in connection with September 18 incident in which some unidentified persons kept a 'car-bom' at Manipur Raj Bhavan complex, official sources said today.

Sources said all the nine were being interrogated extensively.

On September 18 last, some unknown persons who came on the pretext of submitting a memorendum to the Governor Gurbachan Jagan left a car filled with 25 kgs of explosives and three hand grenades, sources said.

The explosives were later defused by the bomb experts of Manipur police.

Militant outfit Kangleipak Communist Party-Military Council had earlier claimed that they kept the explosives and added that it could hit any vip area in the state if they wanted.

Arunachal CM set to be declared elected unopposed

A
runachal Pradesh Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu is set to be declared elected unopposed from Mukto assembly seat for the third time in a row.

No nominations were filed against Khandu and his papers were found valid during scrutiny yesterday.

Two other ruling Congress nominees Tsewang Dhondup's (Tawang town) and debutante Jambey Tashi's (Lumla) papers were also found valid and no nominations were filed against them.

A total of 167 nominations were found valid for 56 seats. Scrutiny of nominations for Dumporijo assembly constituency has been adjourned as one of the two candidates was allowed time to furnish more documents in support of his nomination, election office sources said today.

Of the 60 seats, 57 will go to poll on October 13.

Election office sources said out of the 167 nominations found valid for 56 constituencies, 58 are of Congress candidates, 19 BJP, 35 NCP, JD(U) 3,Trinamool Congress 27, Peoples Party Of Arunachal 11 and 14 Independents.

Strike Day 2: Air India management, pilots to meet

T
he Air India executive pilots' strike has entered its second day, with all international flights
running as per schedule. 20 domestic flights have been cancelled and more pilots have called in sick since Saturday, when the strike began.

Though the management has agreed to meet the executive pilots later on Sunday, they maintain that the strike has had little impact and they have a contingency plan in place.

"None of the international flights are affected. Every effort is being made to maintain normalcy even as a handful of pilots have reported sick mostly at Delhi," Air India's executive director Jeetendra Bhargava said.

The pilots' association says more pilots will join the strike today, in protest against the recent cut in their flying incentives by more than half. The airline announced the cuts for all senior executives on Wednesday, due to a financial crunch. "The pilots must understand that this pay cut is essential for survival. Only if we survive we will have a future," explained Bharagava.

The pilots' representative Captain V K Bhalla responded, "We are prepared to negotiate but only at a neutral ground."

If Air India management does not end this face-off soon, it's clear that passengers will have to bear the brunt of the pilot
strike.

Khandu elected unopposed for third time

I
TANAGAR: Incumbent Arunachal chief minister Dorjee Khandu has been elected uncontested to the Assembly for a third time, setting an enviable
record in the history of electoral politics in the state. He contested from the Mukto constituency in Tawang district.

Congress has more reasons to cheer as sitting MLA Tsewang Dhondup (Tawang) and debutant Jambey Tashi (Lumla) have also been elected unopposed. Earlier, Khandu was elected uncontested to the Assembly twice - 1999 and 2004.

Now, 181 candidates are left to contest the battle of ballots billed for October 13. However, a clearer picture will emerge on September 29, the last date of withdrawing nomination. Counting of votes will take place on October 22 and the election process would be over before the term of the present House ends on October 24.

Congress is fielding 60 candidates and three dummies while BJP is contesting in 22 seats. NCP is fighting in 39 seats, Janata Dal United (3) and People's Party of Arunachal (PPA) in 12 seats, including 14 Independents. Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress is fielding 28 candidates, including five former ministers and ten sitting MLAs.
BJP general secretary Tai Tagak said the party was fielding fewer candidates than expected as it doesn't want to put up candidates just for the sake of filling up the numbers. He said added that out of the total number of candidates in fray, 10 would come out as winners. Though BJP is one of the frontrunners seeking representation of women in politics, the party did not field a single women candidate.

Expectations in the NCP camp are also high. The party expects at least 18 to make it to the Assembly. Former home minister and party chief L Wanglet said the political scenario would change this time with the arrival of major political parties for the first time. He did not rule out any post-poll arrangements with Congress if it manages to come to power. Though the big picture is yet to emerge, political parties are trying everything possible to retain power.