COUNTRY REVIEWS

South Asia

Bangladesh

• PM Sheikh Hasina and India’s PM Manmohan Singh unveil the foundation plaque for Rampal power plant; Bangladesh requests United Nations to send observer to monitor upcoming general election; BNP leader Salauddin Quader Chowdhury sentenced to death for committing crimes against humanity and genocide during the country’s Liberation War in 1971; Bangladesh honours foreign friends for their contribution to the country’s liberation war; ADB projects slowing down of economic growth in Bangladesh in the current fiscal year

Sri Lanka

• Russia and Sri Lanka agree on “No First Deployment of Weapons in Outer Space”; Russian Naval Ships are on a goodwill visit to Sri Lanka; Inflation decreased in September, 2013.

Maldives

• Inflation rises in Maldives; Maldives called on foreign countries not to interfere with the internal affairs of the country.

East Asia

China

• Chinese President Xi Jinping: Existing political disputes between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan could be resolved gradually; Chinese President Xi Jinping meets Malaysian Prime Minister; China agrees to build community of common destiny with ASEAN, China wants to improve ties with Indonesia; CPC officials urged to follow the ‘mass-line’; Chinese experts to join the team inspecting Syrian chemical weapons; China sees recent developments in US-Iran diplomacy as positive for peace in the Middle East; Chinese foreign ministry condemns attack on Chinese Embassy in Syria; Premier Li Keqiang announces deepening of economic reforms; PLA’s annual military drill begins in Guangzhou province of China

Japan

• Japan and the US to cooperate in dealing with China and North Korea; Revisions in the Japan and the US defense guidelines are to be completed by the end of 2014; Japan to conduct joint naval exercise with the US and South Korea;

South Korea

• South Korean President vows to render North Korea’s nuclear weapons useless.

West Asia

Iran

• Obama administration asks US lawmakers to wait until Geneva meeting regarding new sanctions against Iran; Iran’s foreign minister: The telephonic conversation between Rouhani and Obama a thorn in the eyes of ill-wishers of Iran, Islam, and (the Islamic) revolution.

Iran

• Jalal Talabani’s party finishes at third position in Kurdish elections.

CENTRAL ASIA & RUSSIA

Central Asia

• Tengiz oil field in Kazakhstan to get $23 billion for expanding its production; Uzbek Experts involved in Chemical Weapon Disarmament mission in Syria.

Russia

• India and Russia to conduct a joint military exercise; Russia has reiterated its support to India’s candidature for permanent member of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO); President Putin has outlined the priorities of his government’s domestic and foreign policy; Russia and Japan discuss greater prospects of increasing economic cooperation; Russia successfully launched the Proton-M rocket with Astra-2E satellite; Russia concerned about Syrian opposition’s negative role in elimination of chemical weapons; Syrian mercenaries pose drug threat to Caucasian regions; Lithuania has called on Russia to stop pressuring its neighbours; US to move ahead of Russia in total oil and gas output; Ukraine may face default if it signs Association Agreement with the European Union; Russia to build Bangladesh’s first nuclear power plant;

United States of America

• India’s Prime Minister: India-US defence cooperation to move from a buyer-seller relationship to a relationship based on co-production and co-research; US government shutdown begins; President Obama criticises House Republicans for forcing a government shutdown; US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel warned that the United States government shutdown will undermine American credibility abroad; US President Obama called off plans to visit Asia and attend two summits because of the US government shutdown; US President Obama tells Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the US is "clear-eyed" about its negotiations regarding Iran's nuclear program