International diplomacy

International diplomacy

Indonesia has been stung by the tiny state of Vanuatu. The
country, made up of 83 islands, is situated right above
Australia. Until 1980, it was managed by France and Britain and
has a population of just 200,000.

Last Tuesday, Indonesia's top security minister, Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono, ordered the foreign affairs ministry to verify
a report that the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) had set up a
diplomatic office in Vanuatu on Aug. 17, when Indonesians were
celebrating the country's 58th Independence Day.

If proven true, Yudhoyono said, the Indonesian government
would strongly protest. Another Indonesian separatist group, the
Free Papua Organization (OPM), has also reportedly opened a
diplomatic office in Vanuatu.

According to Vanuatu's website, the state only has two foreign
embassies, those of China and France. Australia, New Zealand and
the United Kingdom only have high commissioners posted there.

Despite the fact that Vanuatu is a tiny country and is not
politically or economically important, the opening of a GAM
representative office there would be a major blow to Indonesia.

We cannot afford to neglect these small things. If we do not
take this issue seriously, it could one day boomerang on
Indonesia.
-- Republika, Jakarta

;;
ANPAk..r..
Othersop-missile
Missile attacks against airliners
JP/6/airline

Missile attacks against airliners

There are few things more terrible to contemplate than this: A
solitary terrorist aiming and firing a missile at a fully loaded
airliner landing at a major airport. Carnage, destruction, lost
lives ... and the despairing thought that there is no end, no end
in sight to the fear. Thoughts of that very possibility entered
the minds of many Americans with the testimony of Hemant
Lakhani. ...

The airline industry, however, is cautious about the $10
billion cost of anti-missile systems, such as would be required
by the pending Commercial Airline Missile Defense Act.

In a recent statement, the Air Transport Association, a trade
group, suggested careful study of the relatively untested
technology for warding off missile attacks.

Prudent study is reasonable, but delay is not. Small planes
have been attacked and brought down by shoulder-fired missiles,
and sooner or later similar technology will likely endanger big
planes too. It is a horror worth avoiding, and the administration
and Congress need to make study of anti-missile systems a
priority. -- The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

;;
ANPAk..r..
Othersop-electricity
The blackout
JP/6/electricity

The blackout

The electricity blackout in the Northeast provides strong
indication the world's greatest superpower is powered by an
electrical system that needs serious attention. It might not be
deserving of the "Third World" status given it by New Mexico's
governor, but on the heels of the worst blackout in U.S. history,
to view this power shut down as just an anomaly is equally
irresponsible. ...

Unless the system is upgraded and standards assured, further
blackouts - possibly even more widespread or longer in duration
-are entirely likely if not predictable.

Yet there's not a lot of agreement in terms of what
specifically must be done to achieve the objective of a more
reliable electricity delivery system. Revamping the delivery
system to accommodate today's demands for electricity, and to
deliver that energy efficiently and reliably, will require
considerable changes in infrastructure, management, regional
coordination and-woe be to the consumer-potentially higher rates
to pay for a project expected to cost somewhere in the
neighborhood of $56 billion. ...

Some people will see this level of investment as an
overreaction to a rare occurrence. Those folks might think
differently if they spent a little more time in the dark.

-- Texarkana Gazette, Texarkana, Arkansas