WORLD MEDIA WATCH
Summaries are excerpted from the source articles; the featured article follows the summary section.
1//Arab News, Saudi Arabia
MUSHARRAF PLANS MORE AMENDMENTS TO CONSTITUTION
Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf is due to lift emergency rule tomorrow but after some changes in the constitution that will give him more powers to deal with the judiciary. Talking to journalists late Wednesday night after a farewell dinner for retired Lt. Gen. Hamid Javaid, his outgoing chief of staff, Musharraf said the country was still facing terror threats and, "We need to move carefully and enact new laws." Attorney General Malik Mohammad Qayyum reinforced the idea that the constitution would be amended before the lifting of emergency rule by saying President Musharraf would get more powers to act against judges of the superior courts. He said the president would issue a decree that would lift the emergency rule and revoke the Provisional Constitutional Order. The PCO had suspended the constitution and key fundamental rights, including the freedom of the press, and resulted in the dismissal of judges who did not endorse the emergency. ... The proposed amendments will give the president several new powers. One amendment will give the president the power to send a judge on leave with the concurrence of the Supreme Judicial Council while another will allow the presidential election to be held before the end of his term. Analysts, meanwhile, say Musharraf looks unlikely to ease media curbs or restore ousted judges, meaning the end of the emergency -- hotly demanded by the international community before elections next month -- will have little practical impact. "Can a person change the constitution? That issue will persist, no matter whether the emergency is withdrawn or not," said Hasan Askari, a political analyst and the former head of political science at Punjab University. He called the lifting of emergency rule a "public relations exercise" aimed at making the West feel more comfortable about the elections.
AN EXPANDED EXCERPT OF THIS FEATURED ARTICLE FOLLOWS THE SUMMARIES
2//EUObserver.com, Belgium
EU GLOBAL IMAGE IMPROVING, US FADING
The perception that the EU is a global player is increasing worldwide, while the image of the US as the world's biggest power is fading, a new survey has shown. Citizens in major states across the globe see the EU as the fifth superpower in the world after the US, China, Russia and Japan - but by 2020, Europe is expected to move up by one place, according to a poll released on Wednesday (12 December) by the German foundation Bertelsmann Stiftung. Respondents to the survey from within the EU are the most optimistic about the bloc's future as a global actor, with percentages ranging from 80 percent in Germany, to 70 percent (UK), and 38 percent (France).
Citizens from Russia (13 percent), Brazil (10 percent) and India (9 percent) rank Russia, the US and India top of the list, respectively. The US will be "the great loser of the future", according to the poll. While it is now perceived as the world's number one superpower by 81 percent of the respondents, 61 percent think the US will still be top world player in 13 years time. Almost an equal number of respondents - 57 percent - think China will be the world's most important player in 2020, 37 percent say it will be Russia and 33 - the EU and Japan. The poll was conducted in Brazil, China, Japan, Russia, India, the US, France, Germany, and the UK. In addition, Chinese and Russians think their countries should develop closer ties with the EU (98 and 91 percent, respectively), while 78 percent of Americans, 68 percent of Indians and 48 percent of Japanese share the same view. Among the biggest challenges the world's top powers have to tackle, climate change, international terrorism and poverty top the list, followed by wars, the scarcity of natural resources, religious conflicts and weapons of mass destruction. Consequently, reduction of poverty, protection of the environment and support for democracy and human rights should be the top goals of any superpower, according to the survey's respondents.
3//Gulfnews.com, United Arab Emirates
SAUDI KING INVITES AHMADINEJAD FOR HAJ, SAY MEDIA
The King of Saudi Arabia has invited Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to attend this year's Haj in the Holy City of Makkah, Iranian media reported on Wednesday. It would be the first time an Iranian president was officially invited to take part in the annual pilgrimage, starting later this month, the official IRNA news agency said. "Saudi King Abdullah has formally invited President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to take part in this year's Haj ceremony," Iran's ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Mohammad Hosseini, was quoted as saying by state television. The five-day rites are expected to begin on December 18. On Tuesday, Ahmadinejad said he would take part in the Haj if formally invited. Last week, he became the first Iranian president to attend the GCC summit held in Doha.
Moscow and Tehran have agreed a timeframe to complete the Bushehr nuclear power plant in southern Iran, the Russian contractor building the plant said on Thursday. "We have agreed a timeframe with the Iranian customer for completing the construction of the Bushehr nuclear power plant. Difficulties with the Iranian customer have been settled. We'll be able to give an exact timeframe for completing the plant's construction and its commissioning in late December," Atomstroyexport President Sergei Shmatko said. The completion of the plant, being built under a 1995 contract, came under threat in February 2007 when Russia complained of payment delays. Iran denied any funding problems and accused Russia of deliberately stalling the project in response to pressure from Western powers. Russia and Iran subsequently held several rounds of negotiations to settle disagreements relating to the plant. The $1 billion project has been at the center of an international dispute, with Western countries who suspect Iran of developing nuclear weapons protesting against Russia's nuclear cooperation with the Islamic Republic. The project has been implemented under the supervision of the United Nations nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency. Shmatko said Russia and Iran could set up a joint venture to run the Bushehr station. "I do not rule out that we could establish a joint venture with the Iranians to ensure security at the Bushehr nuclear power plant," he said. Shmatko also said Atomstroyexport was holding negotiations with some Arab nations on the construction of nuclear power plants. "Today we are holding negotiations with Egypt on our participation, and also talks with Qatar and the United Arab Emirates," he said.
5//ExpressIndia.com, India
INDIA MOVES OVER 6,000 TROOPS TO BORDER WITH CHINA
Army has moved more than 6,000 troops to Sino-Indian border close to tri-junction of India, Bhutan and China even as Army Chief Deepak Kapooor said reports of intrusions of Chinese forces in Bhutan was a ‘matter between the two countries'. The movement of troops from Jammu and Kashmir has been termed by army officials as ‘routine move back of troops to their original locations'. They said the forces being moved were all formations of Kalimpong-based 27 Mountain Division which had gone for counter-insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir in 2001. Army sources said an entire brigade of the 27 division and an additional battalion had been moved back over a period of three to four months. Asked whether the Indian Army was concerned over reported intrusions of Chinese army into Bhutan, Kapoor, speaking on the sidelines of an Army seminar, said it was a matter between Bhutan and China to sort out. "It is a matter between Bhutan and China to resolve. So that is a issue at diplomatic level. I have nothing to say," he said. The shifting of Army formations North of Nathu La comes against the backdrop of reports of Chinese troops coming close to a vital area is the only land link between North eastern states and the rest of India.
FEATURED ARTICLE
1//Arab News, Saudi Arabia Friday 14 December 2007 (05 Dhul Hijjah 1428)
MUSHARRAF PLANS MORE AMENDMENTS TO CONSTITUTION
Azhar Masood & Agencies
ISLAMABAD, 14 December 2007 -- Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf is due to lift emergency rule tomorrow but after some changes in the constitution that will give him more powers to deal with the judiciary.
Talking to journalists late Wednesday night after a farewell dinner for retired Lt. Gen. Hamid Javaid, his outgoing chief of staff, Musharraf said the country was still facing terror threats and, "We need to move carefully and enact new laws."
Attorney General Malik Mohammad Qayyum reinforced the idea that the constitution would be amended before the lifting of emergency rule by saying President Musharraf would get more powers to act against judges of the superior courts.
He said the president would issue a decree that would lift the emergency rule and revoke the Provisional Constitutional Order. The PCO had suspended the constitution and key fundamental rights, including the freedom of the press, and resulted in the dismissal of judges who did not endorse the emergency.
Qayyum said discussions were under way to finalize the order to revoke the PCO. Musharraf and his legal advisers are also discussing several amendments to the constitution that will be made before ending the emergency, Qayyum told reporters.
The proposed amendments will give the president several new powers. One amendment will give the president the power to send a judge on leave with the concurrence of the Supreme Judicial Council while another will allow the presidential election to be held before the end of his term.
Analysts, meanwhile, say Musharraf looks unlikely to ease media curbs or restore ousted judges, meaning the end of the emergency -- hotly demanded by the international community before elections next month -- will have little practical impact.
"Can a person change the constitution? That issue will persist, no matter whether the emergency is withdrawn or not," said Hasan Askari, a political analyst and the former head of political science at Punjab University. He called the lifting of emergency rule a "public relations exercise" aimed at making the West feel more comfortable about the elections.
"The exercise will simply be to show to the West that he has returned to constitutional rule and is moving a step closer to democracy," Askari said. "The current controversies will persist and for all operational purposes, the end of emergency will not make any real difference."
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Copyright 2007, Gloria R. Lalumia
WORLD MEDIA WATCH
