COUNTRY REVIEWS

South Asia

Bhutan
[November 1-7, 2010]

• Bangladesh to provide transit facilities to Bhutan; An Information Super Highway connecting India, Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh to be completed by 2012

Sri Lanka
[November 1-7, 2010]

• India-Sri Lanka talks held on cooperation in Petroleum sector; India handed over 52 four-wheel tractors to Sri Lanka as part of grant assistance; IMF Comprehensive report on Sri Lanka positive; Sri Lanka and Pakistan identify areas for economic cooperation, Bilateral discussion between Nepal and Sri Lankan Presidents held at Shanghai

[November 8-14, 2010]

• External Affairs Minister GL Peiris attended 9th Asian Cooperation Dialogue (ACD); Meeting held between Indian and Sri Lankan Coastguard officials; MoU signed between The Indus Entrepreneurs (TIE) and the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka (FCCISL) to expand bilateral business ties; Sri Lankan government and World Bank sign agreement for joint projects; Japanese assistance for the Northern parts of Sri Lanka; World Food Programme approves protracted Relief and Recovery Operation for Sri Lanka; Sri Lankan economy is predicted to grow at 7.6 percent in 2010; Sri Lankan Unemployment Rate fell to 5.4 percent ; Sri Lanka placed at 91st position in HDI ranking

Myanmar
[November 1-7, 2010]

• Military backed parties set to sweep elections; US President Obama calls Myanmar elections “anything but free and fair”; Junta supported USDP lead in early results; Germany supports China on UN Enquiry issue

Maldives
[October 25-31, 2010]

• President Nasheed’s conveys his sympathy to Indonesia’s earthquake and tsunami victims; US Ambassador Maldives paid a courtesy call on the President of the Maldives

[November 1-7, 2010]

• India’s Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs visits Maldives; The Universal Periodic Review (URP) provides recommendations for the Maldives, IMF suspends standby arrangement for Maldives

[November 8-14, 2010]

• Maldives welcomes Myanmar’s decision to release pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu kyi; The Maldives elected as Co-Chair of the World Bank´s Strategic Climate Fund Committee; Maldives Vice President meets the Ambassadors of Switzerland and Russia to the Maldives

East Asia

China
[October 25-31, 2010]

• President Hu Jintao urges to focus on joint operations; Azerbaijan’s Defence Minister visits China; 6th Sino-German seminar on security policies held in Beijing; Chinese and Thai marines conduct a joint military training exercise; Liang Guanglie reminds of the importance of civil-defence; The first Pan Asia-Pacific Conference on Military Medicine held in Beijing; The Regular Working Conference on Foreign Military Personnel Training organized; “Peace Ark” of the Chinese PLA visits Seychelles

[November 1-7, 2010]

• Combat effectiveness and support capabilities underscored; German Defence minister visits China; Chen Bingde praises Chinese-Australian sound bilateral relationship; Vice chairman of the CMC visits UAE; The “Dragon 2010” kicks off; “Mission Action 2010” concluded; China and Romania to hold “Friendship Action 2010” ; Partial airfields of the PLA Air Force improved; China’s second “Fengyun III” meteorological satellite successfully launched; 24th annual conference of the Army Administration Research Institute held; MONUSCO) issues citation to the Chinese peacekeeping engineers; “Peace Ark” leaves Port Victoria for Bangladesh

[November 8-14, 2010]

• China and Russia pledge to strengthen their military ties; Romanian Defense Minister visits China; Chen Bingde visits Ecuador, Venezuela and Peru; Jordanian King Abdullah II meets with Xu Caihou; Xu visits Syria too; PLA and Turkey’s armed forces carries out a joint military training exercise; The “Blue Strike 2010” concluded; PLA trains its officers for media management; A training course on the special ordinance & equipment operation conducted; The PLA establishes high-tech military transportation training field; The first medial train of the PLA rolled out; China participates in CCM; The 8th Chinese peacekeeping transportation detachment to Liberia will leave next month

Japan
[November 1-7, 2010]

• Public support rating for PM Naoto Kan's Cabinet dropped to 32.7 percent; leakage of collision footage, Nearly 4,000 anti-China protesters rallied in Tokyo; Sensitive police documents in Japan related to international terrorism reported to have been leaked; US recognizes Japanese sovereignty over the islands at the center of a territorial row with Russia

Southeast Asia
[November 1-7, 2010]

• Vietnam offers navy base to foreign countries; Malaysian Airlines plans to invest more in India and China; Malaysian Indians seek India’s help on racial segregation; ASEAN to strengthen role of International Law; India-ASEAN trade likely to reach 50 billion mark in 2011

USA

[November 1-7, 2010]

• Republican Party captures the House of Representatives and reduces the majority of Democratic Party in the US Senate; Republicans promise to respond to crippling budget deficits

ENERGY REVIEW

[November 8-14, 2010]

• Coal India Ltd is in talks with U.S. mining corporations aimed at buying stakes in coal mines; Cairn Energy Plc not sure about closing the deal with Vedanta Resources