Full excerpts, links up now at
http://www.zianet.com/insightanalytical/current.htmTomorrow at Buzzflash.com
WORLD MEDIA WATCH FOR NOVEMBER 17, 2003
1//The Telegraph, UK--‘NEO-CONS’ UNFAZED DESPITE WAR IN IRAQ (Doveish remarks by Mr Bush last week appeared choreographed by Downing St to cool tempers on London's streets. But Mr Perle suggests that Europe should not presume that America is doing an about-turn and adopting the less confrontational style of his father, George Bush Sr…There may be no war next year in the countdown to the presidential election, but if Mr Bush is re-elected - or even if a Democrat takes office - battle could be rejoined…the president said we will not distinguish between those who committed the acts of terrorism and the countries that harboured them and supported them. And that is now the first principle of American policy," said Mr Perle…So, does this entail a risk we will find ourselves in conflict . . . with other governments? Sure, it does.")
2//The Guardian, UK--BLAIR ALLY IN POLL THREAT TO BUSH (On the eve of Mr Bush's state visit to Britain, Mr Byers, an arch-Blairite, will set out proposals to help Democrats in key swing states if the White House refuses to abandon punitive trade sanctions against the UK. Acting with the tacit approval of Blair supporters, who were enraged when Mr Bush imposed tariffs on imports of British steel to shore up his vote, the former trade and industry secretary will call for sanctions to be imposed on four key marginal states which the president will need to win.)
3//The Jordan Times, Jordan--KURDS CALL ON TURKEY TO TALK, BUT KEEP GUNS (The rebel People's Congress of Kurdistan — the former PKK and KADEK — said Saturday it was no longer fighting for self-rule in Turkey and urged Ankara to open dialogue. But Zubeyir Aybar, 42, who was appointed the leader of the Congress told AFP the group would still not disarm. “The arms will stay as long as there is no solution to the Kurdish issue ... for self-defence,” he said… The State Department said the decision to rename itself would make no difference to US policy. “Through its recent actions, the (PKK/KADEK) appears to be making an effort to evade responsibility for its terrorist acts by changing its name,” deputy spokesman Adam Ereli said in a statement.)
4//B92, Serbia and Montenegro--SHOCK RESULTS IN ELECTION (Preliminary unofficial results of today’s Serbian presidential election indicate that Radical Party of Serbia candidate Tomislav Nikolic has taken a convincing lead over DOS candidate Dragoljub Micunovic. However it is now certain that the elections have failed to produce a result, with voter turnout well below the fifty per cent required to validate the election…The Radical Party was a coalition partner of Slobodan Milosevic’s Socialist Party of Serbia. It’s leader, Vojislav Seselj is in jail in The Hague awaiting trial on war crime charges.
RELATED:
SERBIA’S FAILURE, SAYS MICUNOVIC (Speaking to journalists after the results of the elections became apparent this evening, he put the failure of the election down to a split within the democratic forces in the country.)
SERBS FAILURE TO ELECT A PRESIDENT FOR THIRD TIME HERALDS POLITICAL CRISIS
(An ultra-nationalist with close ties to Slobodan Milosevic led the ballot, underlining Serbians' discontent with the pro-Western government that ousted the dictator in 2000. His success also indicated a drift to Milosevic's nationalism that triggered the Balkan wars in the 1990s.)
5//The Moscow Times, Russia--OLIGARCHS BOW TO PUTIN’S NEW DEAL (President Vladimir Putin on Friday offered the nation's leading executives a new deal that few are likely to refuse: share your wealth or risk losing it. The state, Putin told nearly 800 business leaders from across the nation, will work to strengthen property rights and reduce bureaucracy, but businesses must "fully recognize their social duties" by sharing their wealth and helping to reduce poverty.)
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