COUNTRY REVIEW

South Asia

Afghanistan

• Karzai on a visit to India points out the “common struggle against terrorism and extremism” being waged by both the countries, expresses gratitude for Indian help in Afghan reconstruction, assures to take all possible measures to provide security to Indian citizens in Afghanistan; At SAARC Summit in Bhutan, Karzai urges greater collective resolve to fight terrorism; Pak Army officials: Flawed US strategy has strengthened Taliban; Afghan Interior Ministry: Civilian causalities on the rise; Pentagon: Violence levels in Afghanistan have gone up by 87 percent during October 2009-March 2010; Gen. Petraeus visits Kandahar

Pakistan

• FM Qureshi: ‘Elimination of terrorism’ a key goal for Pakistan; Manmohan Singh and Yousaf Gilani decide to ‘revive’ dialogue process; US reaffirms that its relationship with Pakistan is “absolutely vital”; US to supply two P-3 Orion surveillance aircraft to Pakistan; US State Department: India and Pakistan peace a “high priority”; UN urges Western countries to pour aid into areas liberated from Taliban influence

East Asia

China

• 2010 marks 20th anniversary of China’s participation in UN peacekeeping operations

Japan

• Chinese naval helicopter flies close to Japanese naval vessels, Beijing says it was a ‘necessary defence measure’ against Japanese surveillance activities; Taiwan and Japan sign MOU to advance cooperation across different fields; More than 90,000 Okinawans stage protest over the proposed relocation of a US Marine Corps airbase; Japan to open its first overseas army base in Djibouti

West Asia

Iran

• Russia says new sanctions against Iran possible as long as Iran does not “demonstrate the required restraint”; Clinton warns Iran and Syria against supplying militants in south Lebanon and Gaza with sophisticated weaponry; 14 Republican Senators urge Clinton not to give visa to Ahmadinejad to attend the NPT RevCon

Iraq

• 8 killed in car bomb blast in Baghdad; Amnesty International says political uncertainty contributing to increase in attacks