Canberra renews travel advisory for RP
Canberra renews travel advisory for RP
PHILIPPINES: Australia renewed its travel advisory for the
Philippines on Monday, citing reports to its embassy of plans for
another series of terrorist attacks, specifically in Manila and
the troubled southern Mindanao region.
The travel advisory was renewed on Monday, a week after
Australian Prime Minister John Howard visited Manila and
announced an anti-terrorist accord with the Philippines.
Three terror suspects escaped from police custody during
Howard's visit. The advisory did not mention the escape.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Blas Ople said the Philippine
government will continue to protest what he considers harsh
travel advisories by foreign governments, saying they hurt the
tourism industry and the general economy. --AP
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Aglance-Malaysia-Timor
Malaysian to lead UN force in E. Timor
JP/12/Malaysia
Malaysian to lead UN force in E. Timor
EAST TIMOR: A Malaysian general is to be the next commander of
United Nations peacekeeping forces in East Timor, the UN
announced on Monday.
Lt. Gen. Khairuddin Mat Yusof will replace Singaporean Maj.
Gen. Tan Huck Gim when Tan finishes his one-year tour of duty at
the end of August.
Yusof has more than 30 years' experience in the Malaysian army
and served as assistant military adviser at UN headquarters in
New York from October 1991 until April 1993, the UN said in a
statement.
He has also attended military courses in Malaysia, Britain and
Pakistan and holds a postgraduate degree in International
Relations and Strategic Studies.
The United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor, which
includes about 3,800 peacekeeping troops, bows out on May 20 next
year. It took over from a much larger mission following
independence on May 20, 2002. --AFP
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Aglance-Philippines-Moro
RP accuses MILF of violating truce
JP/12/RP
RP accuses MILF of violating truce
PHILIPPINES: The Philippine military on Monday accused the
separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) of violating a
truce ahead of peace talks by attacking pro-government militiamen
at the weekend.
About 60 MILF members attacked a detachment of government
militiamen near the southern town of Maoadayo on Mindanao island
on Saturday, a day after President Gloria Arroyo announced the
truce in Manila, the military said.
Army spokesman Lt. Col. Jose Kakilala said the militiamen
repulsed the attack. There were no immediate reports of
casualties after the brief firefight.
The MILF denied such an attack took place, saying it was
committed to resuming peace talks to be hosted by Malaysia.
Arroyo said in a statement Monday security forces would remain
on alert to thwart criminal acts despite the truce. --AFP
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Aglance-Vietnam-France
France protests magazine suspension
JP/12/ASEAN
France protests magazine suspension
VIETNAM: France has lodged a formal complaint with Vietnam after
the communist regime suspended operations at a popular magazine
for publishing material it deemed "offensive", diplomatic sources
said on Monday.
The Sinh Vien Vietnam student weekly was forced by the
Ministry of Culture and Information -- the government's guardian
of morality and censorship -- to halt all publication for three
months from July 15.
The suspension decision, carried by state media last week,
cited repeated "serious wrongdoings in the content of its news
and articles, photo selection and layout".
The move against the magazine, which has received funding from
the French embassy in Hanoi, comes in the wake of a recent
crackdown against independent writers and political dissidents
critical of the regime. --AFP