JP/1/IBRA

JP/1/IBRA

IBRA to sell assets: The Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency
(IBRA) announced late on Friday it would sell assets worth US$2.5
billion and Rp 18.6 trillion. The assets are in the form of bank
non-performing loans owed by four business entities -- the
Texmaco Group, the Chandra Asri Group, Nirwana Bali Resort and
Pabrik Gula Rajawali III. -- JP

Malaysia plans new satellite TV station: Malaysia plans to set up
a satellite television network and form an international media
team to counter biased reporting in the Western media, reports
said on Friday. Information Ministry Khalil Yaakob was quoted as
saying by the New Straits Times that the government had long
wanted a news set-up similar to the Arabic Al-Jazeera television
or the U.S.-based Cable News Network (CNN). The move came after
the government last month sent 30 local journalists to cover the
war in Iraq following complaints of biased reporting by the
British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and CNN. --AFP

RP negotiator with Moro rebels quits: The Philippine government's
chief negotiator with the country's biggest Moro rebel group quit
on Friday, dealing another blow to the difficult quest to reach a
peace deal. The government of the Roman Catholic nation and the
Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) have held talks for years to
end three decades of violence on the southern island of Mindanao
but two deadly bombings blamed on the rebels quashed hopes of any
progress. The latest round of talks brokered by Malaysia were
scrapped this week as Manila stepped up military operations and
offered a reward of nearly $1 million for the capture of key MILF
leaders. --Reuters

Armitage says U.S. will not forget Afghanistan: U.S. Deputy
Secretary of State Richard Armitage visited Kabul on Friday on
the second leg of an Asian tour to stress that events in Iraq
will not distract Washington from its responsibilities in
Afghanistan. Armitage said Washington did not support an appeal
by UN special representative to Afghanistan Lakhdar Brahimi for
international peacekeepers to be deployed outside Kabul. But, in
response to a question, he said U.S. combat troops would not
leave the country until the Afghan government and its people felt
secure. -- Reuters

Venezuelan govt says ready to sign referendum deal: Venezuela's
government said on Thursday it was ready to sign an agreement
with opponents for a referendum on President Hugo Chavez's rule,
but did not want international mediators supervising such a vote.
"We're in favor of signing an agreement," Vice President Jose
Vicente Rangel told reporters. He spoke after meeting envoys from
six nations who are pressing for a negotiated solution to the
long-running political feud between left-wing Chavez and his foes
in the world's No. 5 oil exporter. -- Reuters

US would slash Iraqi contribution to Kuwait Compensation Fund:
The United States proposed on Friday that the UN Security Council
cut from 25 percent to 5 percent the proportion of Iraq's oil
sales set aside to compensate Kuwait for the 1990 invasion. --AFP

'Economist' stirs Italy with attack on Berlusconi: Britain's
Economist magazine stirred Italy's troubled political waters on
Friday by saying Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was unfit to
lead Europe during the upcoming Italian presidency of the
European Union. Opposition politicians said the hard-hitting
article showed that Berlusconi, who is standing trial for
corruption, was damaging Italy's international reputation and
should resign. --Reuters