COUNTRY REVIEWS

East Asia

Afghanistan

(APRIL 22-28)

• Talks between Afghanistan, Pakistan and United States to be held in Brussels; Karzai visits Brussels for talks; Human Rights Watch: Afghanistan’s policewomen abused at work

(APRIL 29-May 05)

• Karzai admits accepting money from United States.

Pakistan

(APRIL 22-28)

• Pervez Ashraf allowed to contest elections finally; A Pakistani court orders a three-day house arrest on former military ruler Pervez Musharraf over the murder of ex-Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto; Pakistan and Russia agree on comprehensive partnership; MQM office attacked by Taliban in Karachi

(APRIL 29-May 05)

• Election Commission orders provinces to beef up security before poll; Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) defends its attacks on politicians; Musharraf barred from contesting elections for life; A fifteen-day targeted operation by the army and Frontier Corps against the armed militants to commence on May 1

Sri Lanka

(APRIL 22-28)

• China to strengthen military cooperation with Sri Lanka; Chairman of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group confirms that the 23rd CHOGM will be held as planned in Sri Lanka; Australia vows not to boycott the CHOGM; Canada expresses its concerns that Colombo is not facing censure for its Human Rights records; Two Japanese naval ships, “Akebono” and “Hamagiri” arrived at the Port of Colombo for logistics requirements; STF of Sri Lanka conducted a VIP training for a group of thirty Maldivian police officers; Sri Lanka's Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva Ambassador called for the total elimination of nuclear weapons from the world

(APRIL 29-May 05)

• US expresses its concerns about threats to freedom of expression in Sri Lanka; Fifth Technical Level Meeting on Pakistan-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement (PSFTA) held in Islamabad; Agreement between Aitken Spence PLC and the government of Fiji signed; Deputy Prime Minister of Japan visits Colombo; A delegation of Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission met with the Commonwealth Secretary-General; Australia's Minister for Immigration and Citizenship made a three-day visit to Colombo; Sri Lanka rejects a United States grant of US$ 3.5 million for judicial reform; Third Sri Lanka-Thailand Joint Commission meeting held in Colombo.

East Asia

China

• Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi: ASEAN and China capable of maintaining peace and stability; Palestinian visits China; Israeli Prime Minister to visit China from May 6-10, 3013.

Southeast Asia

• General Elections held in Malaysia; Najib Rajak led coalition retains power in Malaysia; Attack on Myanmar Embassy foiled in Indonesia; Philippines and Russia sign customs mutual administrative agreement; Chinese ship damages centuries-old Philippine reefs; Thailand imposes safeguard duty on Indian steel firms.

Central Asia & Russia

Russia

• President Putin discusses the current developments in Middle East with the Israeli Prime Minister; Russia to spend more than US$ 31 billion through to 2015 for developing atomic energy; Prime Minister Medvedev approves of new natural resources fields in the Barents Sea for exploitation by Gazprom; Foreign Minister Lavrov: Russia is ready for talks with the Syrian opposition; Russia and Japan instruct their foreign ministries to intensify contacts on signing of a peace treaty; Russia to induct upto 20 new ships in its Black Sea Fleet in the near future; Russia’s concern on ABM still persist despite the Russia-US talks on this issue; Foreign Minister Lavrov: Rumours of a crisis in Russia-EU relations is being exaggerated; US President Obama to visit Russia in September.

West Asia

Iran

• Iranian Ambassador to India Gholamreza Ansari: Iran, India agrees to sign six memorandums of understanding; Iran planned to build eight types of under-surface systems in cooperation with universities

Iraq

• Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Al Maliki’s coalition emerges on top in provincial elections but need alliances to hold onto senior provincial posts.

DEFENCE REVIEW

National

• Eighteen Indian Soldiers killed on UN Peacekeeping Missions since 2010; Defence Minister: No decision by government of India to debar Agusta Westland from procurement process.

International

• French M51 ballistic missile test fails; US must increase its intelligence- gathering capacity in Africa to counter Islamists’ and pirates’ threat.

INTERNAL SECURITY REVIEW

Jammu & Kashmir

• More tents set up in Ladakh; Ex-militants of Kashmir return via Nepal; Livelihood program norms for J&K relaxed by Centre; Elaborate security arrangements as Durbar opens in Srinagar.

North East India

• ULFA faction of Paresh Barua changes name; State Maoists trained in Jharkhand and Arunachal Pradesh; Tension continued in Assam-Nagaland border; Asian Development Bank (ADB) calls for better North East India-South East Asia connectivity; National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) cadres arrested.

Ministry of Home Affairs

• Rehabilitation of surrendered militants in J&K; MHA concerned over increase in infiltration in J&K.

UNITED NATIONS (UN) REVIEW

• India elected to governing body of UN Statistical Institute; UNSC establishes assistance mission in Somalia; UN Rapporteur laments the failure of legislation to address systemic gender inequalities in India.