COUNTRY REVIEWS

South Asia

Afghanistan

• Gen. David Petraeus takes charge as top NATO commander in Afghanistan; 64 insurgents killed in an anti- narcotics operation in Helmand; EAM Krishna will attend Kabul conference; Secretary Clinton: People of Afghanistan do not see the return of Taliban; Afghanistan requests Pakistan to allow passage of Indian goods through Wagah border into its landlocked territory; Six Afghan soldiers killed in NATO’s "friendly fire" in Ghazni province

Pakistan

• President Asif Zardari pays a six day visit to China; Both nations vow to jointly fight the menace of terrorism; Zardari: Pakistan and China are the “cornerstones of stability in South Asia; Zardari: Pakistan will not “hand over” the perpetrators of 26/11 to India; Rehman Malik pledges to impose strict laws against terrorism in Pakistan; US: Najibullah Zazi was guided by the Al Qaeda leadership in Pakistan in the plan to bomb the New York subway; Gilani: War on terror has adversely impacted the economy of Pakistan

East Asia

China

• China and Pakistan sign six deals; China urges India to treat Chinese companies fairly: China raises serious concerns about a proposed naval drill between US and ROK; Chinese Defence Ministry refutes Japanese media reports regarding its military expenditure; British Chief of Defense Staff visits China; China has sent 15,000 soldiers to UN Peacekeeping missions in last two decades

Southeast Asia

• Malaysia to seek ICJ opinion on Israeli attack on Gaza flotilla; China emphasizes on strengthening trade ties with Malaysia; Second ARF Inter-Sessional Meeting (ISM) on Non-proliferation and Disarmament took place in Singapore; Malaysia signs an MoU with Iran on education; CECA agreement between India and Malaysia expected to be signed in November 2010; India is to sign a treaty with the Myanmar to check cross-border movement of insurgents