COUNTRY REVIEWS

South Asia

Afghanistan
(January 23-29)

• A representative of insurgent group Hizb-i-Islami says he held separate talks with the top US officials

Afghanistan
(January 30- February 05)

• US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta indicates at end of US combat operations in Afghanistan during 2013; Taliban refutes news of any talks with Afghan Government in Saudi Arabia

Pakistan
(January 23-29)

• Report: Kayani’s intervention halted NATO strikes according to military; Pakistan Army rejects US investigation report on NATO attack ; Pakistan desires to strengthen ties with Myanmar; Pakistan Military academy hit by rockets

Pakistan
(January 30- February 05)

• US President Obama officially acknowledges drone strikes in Pakistan; NATO report finds Pakistan support to Taliban; PM Gilani to be indicted by SC

East Asia

South East Asia

• Terrorists killed in US- led operations in Philippines; Cambodia- China to promote strategic partnership; US waives some sanctions imposed on Myanmar; Myanmar government approves Aung San Suu Kyi’s participation in elections; Indonesian economy reaches fifteen- year peak

China

• China to promote friendly co-op with Sudan; China to give $95m to African Union; EU leaders: China willing to aid bailout; China says sanctions on Iran not constructive; Israel, China celebrates 20 years of diplomatic relations; Xi's visit to promote public diplomacy; China opposes politicians contacting Dalai Lama; China reiterates sovereignty over Diaoyu; China, UAE issue joint statement on partnership

Central Asia

(January 23-29)

• Kazakhstan President Nazarbayev delivers the State-of-the-Nation address; Kazakhstan to prosecute offenders and mend ties with Zhanaozen protesters; Partners of Trans-Caspian pipeline project may reach decision in June; TAPI: Pakistan agrees in principle to charge uniform transit fee; ADB extends financial and political risk guarantee to Uzbek petrochemical project; World Bank to disburse funds to Eastern Europe and Central Asia; Russia to crackdown on illegal migrants; Environmental Performance Index: CARs among the worst for environmental protection

Russia
(January 23-29)

• Russia to build three new factories to develop Anti Ballistic Missile Defence systems; Russia to set up a strategic planning agency; Russia and Japan trade exceeds US$ 30 billion in 2011; Russia and Japan will exchange opinion on prospects for concluding a peace treaty; Russian, Azerbaijani, Armenian presidents to meet in Sochi; Russian peacekeepers to be withdrawn from Sudan; Russia is ready to restore diplomatic relationship with Georgia; Russia will not allow the establishment of a no fly zone in Syria; US has turned down Russia’s proposal to jointly investigate the Phobos Mars mission failure; Putin accused the US of attempting to dominate the world

(January 30 February 05)

• Russia and China veto the draft resolution at UNSC on Syria; Russia to renew routine world patrols of its nuclear strategic submarines; Thousands of protestors gather in Moscow to demand an end to Putin’s rule; American Police to buy Russian made Izhmash shotguns; Russian navy to receive Mistral warship by 2015; Russia-NATO prepare new Afghanistan transit deal; Prime Minister Putin criticizes the US Missile shield ahead of the Munich security talks; Russia and the US complete their first ever joint inspection of the Antarctic; Russia to modernize 30 TU-22M3 strategic bombers by 2020; Prime Minister Putin pledges to reduce government stake in big corporations by 2016; Russia to provide US$ 41 million to Nicargua for the development of a medical centre

West Asia

Iran
(January 23-29)

• UN nuclear Inspector visits Tehran to clear up “outstanding substantive issues” on Tehran’s atomic programme; Israeli military: A drone that can fly as far as Iran has crashed in central Israel

Iraq
(January 23-29)

• Seventeen people killed and many injured in bombs attacks; Government spokesperson; Iraq will take legal action to ensure justice for the families of 24 unarmed Iraqi civilians killed in a US raid in Haditha seven years ago

INTERNAL SECURITY REVIEW

Jammu & Kashmier
(January 16-22)

• A Militant killed in an encounter in Poonch

(January 23-29)

• A Congress activist killed in Pulwama

North East India
(January 16-22)

• North East Ultras on India-Myanmar talks agenda; Nine militant outfits of Assam to lay down arms; Centre extends ceasefire with DHD-J and NDFB-P; Explosives recovered in Lumding, Assam; One killed in militant attack in Speaker’s house in Manipur

(January 23-29)

• Seven hundred militants surrender arms in Assam; Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is concerned about the situation in Manipur on the eve of the Assembly elections as NSCN (IM) is interfering in Manipur poll process; Shutdown plagued Manipur votes; One injured in a blast in Imphal just a day before the Assembly polls; Six killed in Manipur with a poll turn out of 70 per cent