COUNTRY REVIEWS

South Asia

Bangladesh

• Khaleda Zia warns of enforcing nonstop hartal and blockade of roads-railways if the caretaker government is not restored; BNP comes out with three proposals as alternative to caretaker government; Clarification sought from India deployment of Drone; Bangladesh moves up in the Global Competitiveness Index.

Sri Lanka

• India’s Shipping Minister opposes selling warships to Sri Lanka; Sri Lanka and China reaffirm their commitment to the Strategic Cooperation; Australia and the UK confirm their attendance to the CHOGM; The Human Rights Watch urges the heads of Commonwealth governments not to attend the CHOGM; Election manifesto of the TNA for the Northern Provincial Council election is not acceptable to the UPFA Government; “Exercise - Cormorant Strike IV - 2013" commenced in the Eastern Province; Sri Lankan Army Commander Daya Ratnayake met Chief of Staff of the US Army, General Raymond T. Odierno in New Zealand; One hundred seven rehabilitated former LTTE cadres released; Sri Lanka has been ranked 137 among 156 nations in the UN-sponsored World Happiness Report.

Maldives

• Indian Observers praised the conduct of first round of Presidential election; Jumhooree Party filed a case in the Supreme Court to annul the results of the first round of Presidential election; President Dr Mohamed Waheed dismisses Minister of Education Dr Asim Ahmed from the post of Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs’ President; President dismisses Sarangu Adam Maniku from the post of Special Envoy of the President; Election Commission decide to place a ballot box in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for the second round of the presidential elections.

East Asia

Japan

• Japan and Mongolia to promote bilateral ties.

South Korea

• South Korea decides not to send government official to the upcoming six nation meeting to revive the Six Party Talks; The two Koreas agree to resume operation of the Gaeseong complex.

DEFENCE REVIEW

National

• India and Kyrgyzstan to take steps to enhance defence co-operation; India successfully conducts a second test flight of its indigenously developed nuclear-capable ‘Agni-V’ long-range ballistic missile.

International

• UK unveils a new strategic vision document aimed at boosting the long-term viability of Britain’s defense sector; China and Pakistan conduct a three-week air exercise Shaheen 2 in China’s northwestern Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.