COUNTRY REVIEWS

South Asia

Afghanistan

• More than 90,000 secret Afghan war documents leaked by ‘Wikileaks’; Leaked documents indicate at Pakistan’s covert support to insurgency in Afghanistan; Documents reveal that ISI paid the Taliban and the Haqqani network to specifically target Indians; Obama administration strongly condemn the disclosure of classified information; President Karzai urges international partners to take stronger action against terrorist sanctuaries outside Afghanistan; Pentagon announces criminal probe into secret war documents leak; Afghan Cabinet: 52 civilians were killed in NATO’s rocket attack in Helmand province; Gen. Petraeus issues a new set of Afghan counterinsurgency guidelines; British troops launch ‘Operation Tor Shezada’ in Helmand province of Southern Afghanistan

East Asia

China

• China’s Defense Minister: China would continue to enhance its military capabilities; The Defence Ministry describes Chinese defence budget as reasonable and at appropriate level; The UN praises Chinese contribution to its peace-keeping missions; China would establish security and trust mechanism across the strait only at appropriate time; China opposes sanctions on Iran; Chinese Foreign Minister visits Latin America; China is to participate in the anti-terror exercise of the SCO; The PLA Navy conducts live-ammunition exercises in South China Sea and Yellow Sea

Southeast Asia

• Myanmar’s military ruler General Than Shwe visits India, signs wide-ranging agreements; India agrees to consider providing assistance to Myanmar in three critical areas; Bilateral tie in the in education sector between Malaysia and South Korea to be further strengthened

West Asia

Iran

• European Union imposed new sanctions against Iran; Iran and the United States indicate at fresh nuclear talk

Iraq

• 12 killed and many injured in targeted attacks in Iraq; 5 member crew of Iraqi military killed in helicopter crash