Armed Forces Hospitals. 
Sunday, October 31
pakistan defence lady officers
Gusi Peace award 2010 conferred to a Sri Lankan Army General....
The Gusi Peace Prize is a Philippines-based international award recognizing individuals from the four corners of the globe working toward the attainment of peace and respect for human life and dignity. It has been referred to as the Asian equivalent of the Nobel Peace Prize by its proponent.
The Gusi Foundation has given , honour to Sri Lanka by nominating one Sri Lankan Military Officer for the conferment of Gusi Peace Award 2010 in recognition of his service towards Humanitarian Assistance to needy people of the Tamil community in the north and for the communal harmony.
The section of local Tamils became direct and indirect victims of the thirty year long separatist war waged by the LTTE, a group of extremist Tamils in the guise of an ethnic clash. Maj. Gen. Mahinda Hathurusinghe on being appointed the Commander Security Forces Kilinochchi / Jaffna was able to identify the basic needs of those affected Tamil people and launched a number of projects to promote their livelihood. In addition, he could establish close rapport between Security Forces and civilians. Through well-coordinated cultural, social, religious and economy development programmes in the Jaffna peninsula within a short span of 6 to 8 months after his taking over the office in Jaffna in January 2010.
Major General Mahinda Hathurusinghe, the present Commander of Security Forces - Jaffna is among the 20 laureates from the entire world and only representative from South Asia for the year 2010. Awarding the Peace Price to a Sri Lankan Army Officer significantly defend the country from allegations of Human Rights violation leveled against the Security Forces and governing authorities by different local and foreign pro terrorist outfits.
The award is given to outstanding personalities each year,.Gusi Peace Prize is given to distinguished individuals or groups worldwide with exemplary contributions to Peace and Human Rights. Scientific Discoveries, Politics, Academe, Performing Arts, Literature, Medicine or Physiology, Journalism, Humanities, Chemistry, Physics, Economics, Business & Philanthropy, Religion, Internationalism are the other areas of Award.
The annual Gusi Peace Prize Awards is run by the Gusi Peace Prize Foundation, an organization work for poor communities in the Philippines. The foundation was created in 2003 by Barry Gusi to continue the philanthropic work of his parents, the late Capt. Gemeniano Javier Gusi and Teodora Cha Sotejo. Captain Gusi was a hero who fought the Japanese invaders during World War II and became popular for advocating Human Rights.
Thursday, October 28
India's Jammu AND Kashmir state......
While this may look like a collection of overgrown children, it's a decidedly deadly game. At least 57 protesters have been killed since early June — including two Saturday — by security forces opening fire who opted for guns over stones against unruly mobs. Hundreds more police officers, paramilitary members and civilians have been injured here in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir, part of a disputed region that's sparked two wars betweenPakistan and India since 1947.
"That was a close one," said a policeman as a rock grazed his padded leg. "They are better shots, because we have to lug these guns."
Kashmir, which has witnessed more than 47,000 deaths among militants, civilians and the security personnel since 1989, is experiencing its worst social unrest in a generation.
"A volcano is coming up," said Bashir Siddique, an attorney who has defended 11 stone throwers. "It can anytime burst."
The broader dispute over divided Kashmir has been going on for so long, with so many entrenched interests, that few see an obvious solution.
This month, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh acknowledged in a speech the pain and the anger many Kashmiris feel. He pledged to organize a group of experts to explore political solutions, and he urged economic development to encourage young people to pick up jobs, not stones.
Armed militancy in Kashmir, which peaked in 1990, has dropped sharply in recent years as rocks replace guns for a new generation of angry young men.
That's left critics here questioning why 650,000 members of the Indian security forces remain — one for every eight residents — and why stones are answered with bullets when other nations routinely defuse civil unrest without fatalities.
Of the at least 57 recent civilian deaths, nearly half were minors, one as young as nine.
Security officials counter that stone throwers — "gun-less terrorists," said one commander — are well organized and probably directed and funded by Pakistan-leaning insurgent groups.
"Police have to fire on instigators," said Taj Mohiuddin, a state minister. "There are interests and external forces responsible for this."
Local anger, meanwhile, remains palpable. On a recent morning a few blocks from the Batmaloo faceoff, several hundred young men gathered at a bypass, burning tires, upending planters and yelling "azadi!" — freedom — after a 17-year-old was allegedly fatally shot by police.
Several covered their faces to prevent identification by police photographers. "It's not because I'm a militant and have a gun," said a college student, 23, who called himself Sufi. "If I don't wear this mask, the Indian dogs will come to my house and beat us."
Protesters now tend to be better educated, informed and adept at using social networking sites, including Facebook's "Im a Kashmiri Stone Pelter," than in the past.
Although several Kashmiris lauded the prime minister's speech, they said Kashmir needs results, not more committees.
How New Delhi proceeds now could greatly influence a generation at a crossroads, many without outlets or opportunities in this tightly monitored society.
"Sometimes I feel they should have boxing rings or some way to work out their anger," said Zulfiqar Hussein, an attorney. "The same guys who can pick up stones can pick up guns. Something has to be done."
"That was a close one," said a policeman as a rock grazed his padded leg. "They are better shots, because we have to lug these guns."
Kashmir, which has witnessed more than 47,000 deaths among militants, civilians and the security personnel since 1989, is experiencing its worst social unrest in a generation.
"A volcano is coming up," said Bashir Siddique, an attorney who has defended 11 stone throwers. "It can anytime burst."
The broader dispute over divided Kashmir has been going on for so long, with so many entrenched interests, that few see an obvious solution.
This month, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh acknowledged in a speech the pain and the anger many Kashmiris feel. He pledged to organize a group of experts to explore political solutions, and he urged economic development to encourage young people to pick up jobs, not stones.
Armed militancy in Kashmir, which peaked in 1990, has dropped sharply in recent years as rocks replace guns for a new generation of angry young men.
That's left critics here questioning why 650,000 members of the Indian security forces remain — one for every eight residents — and why stones are answered with bullets when other nations routinely defuse civil unrest without fatalities.
Of the at least 57 recent civilian deaths, nearly half were minors, one as young as nine.
Security officials counter that stone throwers — "gun-less terrorists," said one commander — are well organized and probably directed and funded by Pakistan-leaning insurgent groups.
"Police have to fire on instigators," said Taj Mohiuddin, a state minister. "There are interests and external forces responsible for this."
Local anger, meanwhile, remains palpable. On a recent morning a few blocks from the Batmaloo faceoff, several hundred young men gathered at a bypass, burning tires, upending planters and yelling "azadi!" — freedom — after a 17-year-old was allegedly fatally shot by police.
Several covered their faces to prevent identification by police photographers. "It's not because I'm a militant and have a gun," said a college student, 23, who called himself Sufi. "If I don't wear this mask, the Indian dogs will come to my house and beat us."
Protesters now tend to be better educated, informed and adept at using social networking sites, including Facebook's "Im a Kashmiri Stone Pelter," than in the past.
Although several Kashmiris lauded the prime minister's speech, they said Kashmir needs results, not more committees.
How New Delhi proceeds now could greatly influence a generation at a crossroads, many without outlets or opportunities in this tightly monitored society.
"Sometimes I feel they should have boxing rings or some way to work out their anger," said Zulfiqar Hussein, an attorney. "The same guys who can pick up stones can pick up guns. Something has to be done."
Kani jung, or throwing stones in anger, probably dates to caveman days in Kashmir, as elsewhere. Residents probably used gulail, a device that propels stones from bowed sticks, to defend themselves against 16th century Mughal invaders, said M.A. Wani, a medieval history professor at the University of Kashmir.
Rival Kashmiri parties have used rocks on each other, and at various times, Pakistan's founder, Mohammed Ali Jinnah, first Indian Prime MinisterJawaharlal Nehru and last British Viceroy Louis Mountbatten received "projectile greetings" during Kashmir visits.
"Now women are using stones, not just young men," said Sheikh Showkat Hussain, a University of Kashmir law professor. "And it's transcending generations....."
One structural problem, analysts said, is that many security officers are trained to kill insurgents, not control crowds. Residents add that many Indians view Kashmiris as spoiled whiners with militant leanings.
"Villagers blame us for everything," said a paramilitary member who declined to be identified. "We're here to protect them, but they like Pakistan. We're just trying to feed our family. We don't want a fight."
At Srinagar's Nowhatta police station, the preferred tool against rock throwers for years has been an armored vehicle nicknamed Rani, with an iron-netted windshield and a chassis pockmarked with dents.
"Hundreds and hundreds of stones were thrown on her, but she never stopped or gave up on me," said officer Nisar Ahmed, 38, who compared the sound inside during attacks to a fierce hailstorm. "I thank Allah, I love her more than my children."
Studies suggest that there's no single stone-thrower type, with some motivated by youthful machismo, others by a sense of belonging, others incensed at the death of loved ones.
Hoping to blunt this fury, security officials have tried cricket matches, community policing, even debates among Kashmir's mostly Muslim population on whether stone throwing is Islamic.
In recent weeks, they have also rounded up at least 932 young men, charging some with attempted murder or public safety violations, allowing for up to two years' detention without trial.
Under Indian law, minors must be placed in juvenile detention centers. But Kashmir has none, so some are housed with hardened criminals, even Islamic militants, human rights officials said, and exposed to police mistreatment.
American author Arthur Ward once said that stones can be thrown, complained about, climbed over or used for building. After a summer of discontent, many in Kashmir wonder where down what path the stones will take them.
Rival Kashmiri parties have used rocks on each other, and at various times, Pakistan's founder, Mohammed Ali Jinnah, first Indian Prime MinisterJawaharlal Nehru and last British Viceroy Louis Mountbatten received "projectile greetings" during Kashmir visits.
"Now women are using stones, not just young men," said Sheikh Showkat Hussain, a University of Kashmir law professor. "And it's transcending generations....."
One structural problem, analysts said, is that many security officers are trained to kill insurgents, not control crowds. Residents add that many Indians view Kashmiris as spoiled whiners with militant leanings.
"Villagers blame us for everything," said a paramilitary member who declined to be identified. "We're here to protect them, but they like Pakistan. We're just trying to feed our family. We don't want a fight."
At Srinagar's Nowhatta police station, the preferred tool against rock throwers for years has been an armored vehicle nicknamed Rani, with an iron-netted windshield and a chassis pockmarked with dents.
"Hundreds and hundreds of stones were thrown on her, but she never stopped or gave up on me," said officer Nisar Ahmed, 38, who compared the sound inside during attacks to a fierce hailstorm. "I thank Allah, I love her more than my children."
Studies suggest that there's no single stone-thrower type, with some motivated by youthful machismo, others by a sense of belonging, others incensed at the death of loved ones.
Hoping to blunt this fury, security officials have tried cricket matches, community policing, even debates among Kashmir's mostly Muslim population on whether stone throwing is Islamic.
In recent weeks, they have also rounded up at least 932 young men, charging some with attempted murder or public safety violations, allowing for up to two years' detention without trial.
Under Indian law, minors must be placed in juvenile detention centers. But Kashmir has none, so some are housed with hardened criminals, even Islamic militants, human rights officials said, and exposed to police mistreatment.
American author Arthur Ward once said that stones can be thrown, complained about, climbed over or used for building. After a summer of discontent, many in Kashmir wonder where down what path the stones will take them.
India's Jammu AND Kashmir state......
While this may look like a collection of overgrown children, it's a decidedly deadly game. At least 57 protesters have been killed since early June — including two Saturday — by security forces opening fire who opted for guns over stones against unruly mobs. Hundreds more police officers, paramilitary members and civilians have been injured here in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir, part of a disputed region that's sparked two wars betweenPakistan and India since 1947.
"That was a close one," said a policeman as a rock grazed his padded leg. "They are better shots, because we have to lug these guns."
Kashmir, which has witnessed more than 47,000 deaths among militants, civilians and the security personnel since 1989, is experiencing its worst social unrest in a generation.
"A volcano is coming up," said Bashir Siddique, an attorney who has defended 11 stone throwers. "It can anytime burst."
The broader dispute over divided Kashmir has been going on for so long, with so many entrenched interests, that few see an obvious solution.
This month, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh acknowledged in a speech the pain and the anger many Kashmiris feel. He pledged to organize a group of experts to explore political solutions, and he urged economic development to encourage young people to pick up jobs, not stones.
Armed militancy in Kashmir, which peaked in 1990, has dropped sharply in recent years as rocks replace guns for a new generation of angry young men.
That's left critics here questioning why 650,000 members of the Indian security forces remain — one for every eight residents — and why stones are answered with bullets when other nations routinely defuse civil unrest without fatalities.
Of the at least 57 recent civilian deaths, nearly half were minors, one as young as nine.
Security officials counter that stone throwers — "gun-less terrorists," said one commander — are well organized and probably directed and funded by Pakistan-leaning insurgent groups.
"Police have to fire on instigators," said Taj Mohiuddin, a state minister. "There are interests and external forces responsible for this."
Local anger, meanwhile, remains palpable. On a recent morning a few blocks from the Batmaloo faceoff, several hundred young men gathered at a bypass, burning tires, upending planters and yelling "azadi!" — freedom — after a 17-year-old was allegedly fatally shot by police.
Several covered their faces to prevent identification by police photographers. "It's not because I'm a militant and have a gun," said a college student, 23, who called himself Sufi. "If I don't wear this mask, the Indian dogs will come to my house and beat us."
Protesters now tend to be better educated, informed and adept at using social networking sites, including Facebook's "Im a Kashmiri Stone Pelter," than in the past.
Although several Kashmiris lauded the prime minister's speech, they said Kashmir needs results, not more committees.
How New Delhi proceeds now could greatly influence a generation at a crossroads, many without outlets or opportunities in this tightly monitored society.
"Sometimes I feel they should have boxing rings or some way to work out their anger," said Zulfiqar Hussein, an attorney. "The same guys who can pick up stones can pick up guns. Something has to be done."
"That was a close one," said a policeman as a rock grazed his padded leg. "They are better shots, because we have to lug these guns."
Kashmir, which has witnessed more than 47,000 deaths among militants, civilians and the security personnel since 1989, is experiencing its worst social unrest in a generation.
"A volcano is coming up," said Bashir Siddique, an attorney who has defended 11 stone throwers. "It can anytime burst."
The broader dispute over divided Kashmir has been going on for so long, with so many entrenched interests, that few see an obvious solution.
This month, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh acknowledged in a speech the pain and the anger many Kashmiris feel. He pledged to organize a group of experts to explore political solutions, and he urged economic development to encourage young people to pick up jobs, not stones.
Armed militancy in Kashmir, which peaked in 1990, has dropped sharply in recent years as rocks replace guns for a new generation of angry young men.
That's left critics here questioning why 650,000 members of the Indian security forces remain — one for every eight residents — and why stones are answered with bullets when other nations routinely defuse civil unrest without fatalities.
Of the at least 57 recent civilian deaths, nearly half were minors, one as young as nine.
Security officials counter that stone throwers — "gun-less terrorists," said one commander — are well organized and probably directed and funded by Pakistan-leaning insurgent groups.
"Police have to fire on instigators," said Taj Mohiuddin, a state minister. "There are interests and external forces responsible for this."
Local anger, meanwhile, remains palpable. On a recent morning a few blocks from the Batmaloo faceoff, several hundred young men gathered at a bypass, burning tires, upending planters and yelling "azadi!" — freedom — after a 17-year-old was allegedly fatally shot by police.
Several covered their faces to prevent identification by police photographers. "It's not because I'm a militant and have a gun," said a college student, 23, who called himself Sufi. "If I don't wear this mask, the Indian dogs will come to my house and beat us."
Protesters now tend to be better educated, informed and adept at using social networking sites, including Facebook's "Im a Kashmiri Stone Pelter," than in the past.
Although several Kashmiris lauded the prime minister's speech, they said Kashmir needs results, not more committees.
How New Delhi proceeds now could greatly influence a generation at a crossroads, many without outlets or opportunities in this tightly monitored society.
"Sometimes I feel they should have boxing rings or some way to work out their anger," said Zulfiqar Hussein, an attorney. "The same guys who can pick up stones can pick up guns. Something has to be done."
Kani jung, or throwing stones in anger, probably dates to caveman days in Kashmir, as elsewhere. Residents probably used gulail, a device that propels stones from bowed sticks, to defend themselves against 16th century Mughal invaders, said M.A. Wani, a medieval history professor at the University of Kashmir.
Rival Kashmiri parties have used rocks on each other, and at various times, Pakistan's founder, Mohammed Ali Jinnah, first Indian Prime MinisterJawaharlal Nehru and last British Viceroy Louis Mountbatten received "projectile greetings" during Kashmir visits.
"Now women are using stones, not just young men," said Sheikh Showkat Hussain, a University of Kashmir law professor. "And it's transcending generations....."
One structural problem, analysts said, is that many security officers are trained to kill insurgents, not control crowds. Residents add that many Indians view Kashmiris as spoiled whiners with militant leanings.
"Villagers blame us for everything," said a paramilitary member who declined to be identified. "We're here to protect them, but they like Pakistan. We're just trying to feed our family. We don't want a fight."
At Srinagar's Nowhatta police station, the preferred tool against rock throwers for years has been an armored vehicle nicknamed Rani, with an iron-netted windshield and a chassis pockmarked with dents.
"Hundreds and hundreds of stones were thrown on her, but she never stopped or gave up on me," said officer Nisar Ahmed, 38, who compared the sound inside during attacks to a fierce hailstorm. "I thank Allah, I love her more than my children."
Studies suggest that there's no single stone-thrower type, with some motivated by youthful machismo, others by a sense of belonging, others incensed at the death of loved ones.
Hoping to blunt this fury, security officials have tried cricket matches, community policing, even debates among Kashmir's mostly Muslim population on whether stone throwing is Islamic.
In recent weeks, they have also rounded up at least 932 young men, charging some with attempted murder or public safety violations, allowing for up to two years' detention without trial.
Under Indian law, minors must be placed in juvenile detention centers. But Kashmir has none, so some are housed with hardened criminals, even Islamic militants, human rights officials said, and exposed to police mistreatment.
American author Arthur Ward once said that stones can be thrown, complained about, climbed over or used for building. After a summer of discontent, many in Kashmir wonder where down what path the stones will take them.
Rival Kashmiri parties have used rocks on each other, and at various times, Pakistan's founder, Mohammed Ali Jinnah, first Indian Prime MinisterJawaharlal Nehru and last British Viceroy Louis Mountbatten received "projectile greetings" during Kashmir visits.
"Now women are using stones, not just young men," said Sheikh Showkat Hussain, a University of Kashmir law professor. "And it's transcending generations....."
One structural problem, analysts said, is that many security officers are trained to kill insurgents, not control crowds. Residents add that many Indians view Kashmiris as spoiled whiners with militant leanings.
"Villagers blame us for everything," said a paramilitary member who declined to be identified. "We're here to protect them, but they like Pakistan. We're just trying to feed our family. We don't want a fight."
At Srinagar's Nowhatta police station, the preferred tool against rock throwers for years has been an armored vehicle nicknamed Rani, with an iron-netted windshield and a chassis pockmarked with dents.
"Hundreds and hundreds of stones were thrown on her, but she never stopped or gave up on me," said officer Nisar Ahmed, 38, who compared the sound inside during attacks to a fierce hailstorm. "I thank Allah, I love her more than my children."
Studies suggest that there's no single stone-thrower type, with some motivated by youthful machismo, others by a sense of belonging, others incensed at the death of loved ones.
Hoping to blunt this fury, security officials have tried cricket matches, community policing, even debates among Kashmir's mostly Muslim population on whether stone throwing is Islamic.
In recent weeks, they have also rounded up at least 932 young men, charging some with attempted murder or public safety violations, allowing for up to two years' detention without trial.
Under Indian law, minors must be placed in juvenile detention centers. But Kashmir has none, so some are housed with hardened criminals, even Islamic militants, human rights officials said, and exposed to police mistreatment.
American author Arthur Ward once said that stones can be thrown, complained about, climbed over or used for building. After a summer of discontent, many in Kashmir wonder where down what path the stones will take them.
Tuesday, October 26
Cyclone Phet kills 12 in Oman: civil defence
MUSCAT: Cyclone Phet killed 12 people and left one missing in Oman before it barrelled on towards Pakistan, the head of Oman's civil defence force said on
Nine Omanis and three expatriates were killed by the storm, General Malek al-Muammari told Oman's state television.
An earlier statement on the official ONA news agency had said that victims included six people, among them a civil defence member, who were swept away by flood waters caused by rainfall from the cyclone.
Authorities said Phet had weakened in intensity on Friday before heading at wind speeds of up to 120 kilometres (75 miles) an hour towards Pakistan, where some 60,000 people have been evacuated from the south coast to safer areas.
The situation in Oman appeared to be returning to normal on Saturday. An AFP correspondent said that the rain had stopped and skies were relatively clear over Muscat and in most of the affected areas on Oman's eastern coast.
Rescue teams were working to reopen roads, restore electricity and repair water mains damaged by floodwaters, Muammari said in a statement carried by ONA.
Before the cyclone, the Omani authorities had taken several precautionary measures, evacuating hotels along the east coast and airlifting the residents of Masirah island to safer areas.
Residents of the island were beginning to return on Saturday, Muammari said on state television.
In 2007, cyclone Gonu tore through Oman, killing at least 49 people and causing damage worth 3.9 billion dollars.
Monday, October 25
China reins in defence spending
China announced its smallest increase in defence spending in more than two decades today, a likely result of both financial constraints and growing concern over perceptions of Beijing as a regional military threat.
The planned 7.5% rise in defence spending in 2010 follows at least 20 years of double-digit increases in the budget for the People's Liberation Army – the world's largest standing military with more than 2.3 million members.
Rapid military modernisation and the acquisition of cutting-edge jet fighters, warships and submarines have aroused suspicions in Washington, Tokyo, New Delhi and elsewhere over China's intentions, fuelled by Beijing's growing diplomatic assertiveness and economic might.
The increase will be used to enhance China's ability "to meet various threats", said Li Zhaoxing, spokesman for China's parliament, the National People's Congress, on the eve of the opening of its annual legislative session.
"China is committed to peaceful development and a military posture that is defensive in nature," he said.
Li said this year's defence budget of 532.11bn yuan (£51.7bn) remained low, particularly in relation to the country's vast territory and population. Chinese defence spending had accounted for about 1.4% of gross domestic product in recent years, as opposed to more than 4% in the US and more than 2% in Britain, France and Russia, he said. The increase over actual military spending in 2009 was 37.12bn yuan.
Defence expenditure accounted for 6.3% of China's total budget, a decline from previous years.
Officials say about a third of China's spending goes to salaries and improving living conditions for soldiers, with the rest split between replacing equipment, and military research and development.
Many overseas analysts believe the official figure accounts for only a part of military spending, with estimates on the actual amount ranging up to twice or more what Beijing claims.
Figures provided by China's cabinet show the last single-digit percentage rise in defence spending was in the 1980s.
Ni Lexiong, a defence analyst at Shanghai University of Political Science and Law, said the slowdown was due in part to the global financial crisis, which had hit China's crucial export sector and prompted the government to rein in expenditure.
China's leadership had also realised that large increases were generating concern and suspicion among its neighbours, potentially sparking an arms race, he said.
"The decline shows that China does not want to be seen as an aggressive military power."
The announcement follows repeated protests by Beijing over the US sale of weaponry to Taiwan. Those sales are driven by threats from China to use force to bring the island under its control, backed up by an estimated 1,300 Chinese ballistic missiles positioned along the Taiwan Strait.
China split with Taiwan amid civil war in 1949 and continues to regard the self-governing democracy as part of its territory. Beijing has warned of a disruption in ties with Washington if the sales go ahead, but has not said what specific actions it would take.
Li accused some countries of backing Taiwan to thwart China, calling that unacceptable interference in China's internal affairs.
He said Washington's announcement in January that it intended to sell Taiwan $6.4bn (£4.2bn) worth of helicopters, air defence missiles and other military hardware was especially unwelcome because it came amid a warming trend in Beijing's relations with the island.
Wang Kun-yi, a defence scholar at Taipei's Tamkung University, said relations with Taiwan were less of a factor in Beijing's defence spending than economic stress and worries about appearing overly aggressive.
"China's defence budget is not specifically linked to cross-strait developments, but rather it is more related to the country's global positioning," Wang said.
Defence spending is among the budget items to be approved at the end of the congress session, which begins tomorrow and runs until 14 March.
This year's session is expected to see a shift in spending priorities towards affordable housing, education, healthcare and other social programmes.
Li said the full assembly this year would amend a law on how deputies were selected, correcting a disparity that gave urban Chinese people greater representation than their more numerous rural neighbours.
Sunday, October 24
US says another NKorean nuclear test would be provocative
by Staff WritersWashington (AFP) Oct 21, 2010Another atomic weapons test by North Korea would be provocative, a State Department spokesman said, adding he could not confirm reports that Pyongyang was preparing for such a test.
"I'm aware of the reports. They obviously go into intelligence matters so I can't really go into any detail commenting on them," spokesman Mark Toner said when asked to comment on a report in South Korea's newspaper Chosun Ilbo.
"But this hasn't changed our position vis-a-vis North Korea. We said all along that they need to adhere to their commitments and they also need to refrain from provocative actions," Toner said.
"Another nuclear test would certainly fall into the rubric of provocative actions," he added.
He said "no" when asked whether he had evidence to support the details of the news report.
According to Chosun Ilbo, South Korea's biggest-selling newspaper, US satellites detected movements of personnel and vehicles at the site where the the North carried out its first two nuclear tests in 2006 and 2009.
Chosun quoted an unidentified government source as also saying that the North also appears to be restoring tunnels demolished during the first two tests.
"However, it is unlikely (the North will) carry it out soon. It is expected to take another three months (to complete preparations for a third test)," the source said.
But a spokesman for South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said there was no evidence of any such preparations.
earlier related reportN.Korea may be preparing for third nuclear test: reportSeoul (AFP) Oct 21, 2010 - North Korea appears to be preparing for a third nuclear test, a South Korean newspaper reported Thursday, just days after Pyongyang declared it was ready to return to nuclear talks.
But South Korean government officials said there was no concrete evidence that the communist state was readying such a test, saying Seoul and its allies are closely watching developments related to the North's nuclear facilities.
According to South Korea's biggest-selling newspaper Chosun Ilbo, US satellites detected movements of personnel and vehicles at the site where the the North carried out its first two nuclear tests in 2006 and 2009.
"Hectic movements of personnel and vehicles have recently been detected in Punggye-ri," Chosun quoted an unidentified government source as saying.
The North also appears to be restoring tunnels demolished during the first two tests, according to the source.
"However, it is unlikely (the North will) carry it out soon. It is expected to take another three months (to complete preparations for a third test)," the source said.
But a spokesman for South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said there was no evidence of any such preparations.
"We have no concrete evidence to support the news report," he told reporters. "We're watching closely any development concerning the North's nuclear facilities and sharing information with countries concerned."
A South Korean defence ministry official also told AFP on condition of anonymity that such movements were being constantly detected, possibly for the daily maintenance of key strategic facilities at the site.
Another government source told Yonhap news agency that since the North's last nuclear test in May 2009 there has been consistent movement of personnel and vehicles around Punggye-ri.
"It is difficult to regard these moves as signs that a nuclear test is imminent," the source was quoted as saying by Yonhap.
North Korea conducted its first two nuclear tests, in October 2006 and May 2009, in Punggye-ri in the northeastern province of North Hamgyong, the second coming the month after it walked out of six-party nuclear disarmament talks.
The Chosun report came as Seoul is preparing to host a Group of 20 summit next month, welcoming world leaders including US President Barack Obama.
North Korea said on Saturday it was willing to resume the six-nation disarmament talks but would not be "hasty" because the United States and some other parties were "not ready".
The United States says the North must mend relations with the South and show sincerity about nuclear disarmament before any resumption of the negotiations.
A senior South Korean foreign ministry official said Wednesday the North should allow inspectors back to its nuclear facilities and declare a moratorium on its nuclear activities before the six-party talks can resume.
The unidentified official also said Seoul's proposal last year of a "grand bargain," in which President Lee Myung-bak offered the North massive economic aid for complete denuclearisation, was still valid, Yonhap news agency said.
China, the North's sole major ally and economic lifeline, is pressing to restart the six-party forum, which groups the two Koreas, the United States, China, Japan and Russia and began in 2003.
Prospects for renewed negotiations have been clouded by South Korean and US accusations that the North torpedoed one of Seoul's warships in March, a charge Pyongyang denies.
The 1950-53 Korean War ended only in an armistice and without a formal peace treaty.
S.Korea says cannot rule out possible N. Korea nuclear test
Seoul (AFP) Oct 22, 2010South Korea's unification minister said Friday that the possibility of the North conducting a third nuclear test could not be ruled out, but that the likelihood was low.
Hyun In-Taek told lawmakers that the government was "watching closely because possibilities cannot be completely ruled out," but said that the chances of an imminent atomic test were "currently low."
Chosun Ilbo, South Korea's biggest-selling newspaper, said Thursday that North Korea appeared to be preparing for a third test, citing an unidentified government source.
US satellites had detected movements of personnel and vehicles at the site where the reclusive communist state carried out its first two nuclear tests in 2006 and 2009, the report said.
But US and South Korean officials said there was no evidence that North Korea was readying such a test.
earlier related reportN.Korea nuclear arms 'most serious threat' to Asia-PacificSeoul (AFP) Oct 22, 2010 - Military leaders from across the globe believe North Korea's nuclear programme poses "the most serious threat" to the Asia Pacific region, officials said at a high-level meeting that wrapped up Friday.
They also agreed on the need to enhance cooperation in maritime security operations against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, said General Han Min-Koo, chairman of South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).
"Participating countries reached a consensus on the fact that the North Korean nuclear programme presents the most serious threat to regional security," Han said at a press conference after the Chiefs of Defence gathering which involved 26 countries.
US Admiral Robert Willard, commander of the US Pacific Command, also said the threat from North Korea's nuclear capabilities was "widely recognised as significant not just to South Korea but region as a whole".
"The next (nuclear) test (by North Korea) would be a very serious matter for the international community and the Republic of Korea (South Korea)," he warned.
Chosun Ilbo, South Korea's biggest-selling newspaper, said Thursday that North Korea appeared to be preparing for a third nuclear test, citing an unidentified government source.
US satellites had detected movements of personnel and vehicles at the site where the North carried out its first two nuclear tests in 2006 and 2009, it said.
But South Korean government officials said there was no concrete evidence that the communist state was readying such a test, saying Seoul and its allies are closely watching developments related to the North's nuclear facilities.
Another atomic weapons test by North Korea would be provocative, US State Department spokesman Mark Toner said Thursday, but added that he could not confirm reports that Pyongyang was preparing for such a test.
The countries represented at the five-day defence meeting included the United States, Russia, Britain, France, Japan, India, Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asian nations.
Friday, October 22
Thursday, October 21
Oshkosh wins $459 million order from U.S. Army for tactical vehicles
Oshkosh Defense, a division of Oshkosh Corporation, is increasing the U.S. Army’s Family of Heavy Tactical Vehicle (FHTV) fleet with the addition of 1,200 trucks following orders from the U.S. Army TACOM Life Cycle Management Command (LCMC). The bulk of the orders are for the Oshkosh Palletized Load System (PLS) A1, a next-generation truck that gives soldiers improved mobility and protection capabilities.
“The heavy tactical trucks that we supply to the U.S. Army have evolved with technological advancements over the years to meet the changing threats and demands of the modern battlefield,” said Mike Ivy, vice president and general manager of Army Programs for Oshkosh Defense. “Whether Iraq, Afghanistan or any other location in the world, the Army can count on Oshkosh for on-time delivery of quality products backed by best-in-class sustainment services. We're proud to serve the men and women who serve our nation.” The PLS is the backbone of the Army’s distribution and resupply system. Built to transport ammunition and other critical supplies needed in battle, the PLS has proven its ability in front-line resupply missions in Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan. Together, the PLS truck and trailer form a complete system that reduces the need for forklifts or other material-handling equipment. The Long-Term Armor Strategy (LTAS)-compliant PLS A1 can accept add-on armor and uses an Oshkosh TAK-4 independent front suspension for improved off-road mobility.
“The heavy tactical trucks that we supply to the U.S. Army have evolved with technological advancements over the years to meet the changing threats and demands of the modern battlefield,” said Mike Ivy, vice president and general manager of Army Programs for Oshkosh Defense. “Whether Iraq, Afghanistan or any other location in the world, the Army can count on Oshkosh for on-time delivery of quality products backed by best-in-class sustainment services. We're proud to serve the men and women who serve our nation.” The PLS is the backbone of the Army’s distribution and resupply system. Built to transport ammunition and other critical supplies needed in battle, the PLS has proven its ability in front-line resupply missions in Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan. Together, the PLS truck and trailer form a complete system that reduces the need for forklifts or other material-handling equipment. The Long-Term Armor Strategy (LTAS)-compliant PLS A1 can accept add-on armor and uses an Oshkosh TAK-4 independent front suspension for improved off-road mobility.
Pakistan Military to hold Azm-e-Nau-3 military exercise
The military of Pakistan will hold the Azm-e-Nau-3 military exercise on Saturday to test its new tactics near its eastern border with India.
The exercise will prepare the military of its readiness, allowing thousands of troops to get the real feel of the combat missions along the eastern border.
“The exercise is aimed at validating and refining newly evolved doctrines,” the head of the army’s military training directorate, Muzammil Hussain, told foreign media in the garrison town of Rawalpindi.
The “Azm-e-Nau-3” or New Resolve exercise will mobilize 20,000 troops in the beginning, rising to 40,000 to 50,000 towards the end, he said.
The exercises will involve all branches of the military, including the air force, and will focus on the possibility of “conventional war on the country’s eastern border,” Hussain said.
“We cannot remain oblivious to what happens on our eastern borders,” Hussain told reporters.
“Pakistan desires peace and security both within and beyond,” he said, adding that maintaining peace and security is the army’s “key strategic policy”.
Azm-e-Nau-3 military exercise is really an operational exercise behalf of the Pakistan Army to test its doctrine and military capability. Indian Military also has such war games now and then along the border with Pakistan.
The exercise will prepare the military of its readiness, allowing thousands of troops to get the real feel of the combat missions along the eastern border.
“The exercise is aimed at validating and refining newly evolved doctrines,” the head of the army’s military training directorate, Muzammil Hussain, told foreign media in the garrison town of Rawalpindi.
The “Azm-e-Nau-3” or New Resolve exercise will mobilize 20,000 troops in the beginning, rising to 40,000 to 50,000 towards the end, he said.
The exercises will involve all branches of the military, including the air force, and will focus on the possibility of “conventional war on the country’s eastern border,” Hussain said.
“We cannot remain oblivious to what happens on our eastern borders,” Hussain told reporters.
“Pakistan desires peace and security both within and beyond,” he said, adding that maintaining peace and security is the army’s “key strategic policy”.
Azm-e-Nau-3 military exercise is really an operational exercise behalf of the Pakistan Army to test its doctrine and military capability. Indian Military also has such war games now and then along the border with Pakistan.
Dispute With Japan Highlights China's Foreign-Policy Power Struggle
By John Pomfret
Washington Post Staff Writer Friday, September 24, 2010; 7:43 AM
The increasingly bitter dispute between China and Japan over a small group of islands in the Pacific is heightening concerns in capitals across the globe over who controls China's foreign policy.
A new generation of officials in the military, key government ministries and state-owned companies has begun to define how China deals with the rest of the world. Emboldened by China's economic expansion, these officials are taking advantage of a weakened leadership at the top of the Communist Party to assert their interests in ways that would have been impossible even a decade ago.
It used to be that Chinese officials complained about the Byzantine decision-making process in the United States. Today, from Washington to Tokyo, the talk is about how difficult it is to contend with the explosion of special interests shaping China's worldview.
"Now we have to deal across agencies and departments and ministries," said a U.S. official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss ties with China. "The relationship is extraordinarily complex."
Said a senior Japanese diplomat: "We, too, are often confused about China's intentions and who is calling the shots."
Japanese officials said the People's Liberation Army is responsible for the friction over the disputed island chain, known as the Senkakus in Japan and the Diaoyu islands in China. In early September, Japan's coast guard detained the captain of a Chinese fishing trawler, accusing him of ramming a Japanese coast guard vessel. In previous crises, China's Foreign Ministry has acted as a calming influence, but this time, Japanese diplomats said, the military led the charge.
China responded by demanding the captain's release, suspending talks, canceling the visits of Japanese schoolchildren and on Thursday arresting four Japanese who allegedly were taking photographs near a Chinese military installation.
In an apparent effort to defuse the escalating tensions, Japan announced Friday that it would release the Chinese captain.
Washington signaled to Beijing on Thursday that it would back Japan in the territorial dispute. Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters: "Obviously we're very, very strongly in support of . . . our ally in that region, Japan."
Other examples
The island dispute is the latest instance of players other than the party's central leadership driving China's engagement with the outside world.
Throughout this year, officials from the Ministry of Commerce, who represent China's exporters, have lobbied vociferously against revaluing China's currency, the yuan, despite calls to the contrary from the People's Bank of China and the Ministry of Finance.
In Iran, China's state-owned oil companies are pushing to do more business, even though Beijing backed enhanced U.N. sanctions against Tehran because of its alleged nuclear weapons program. The China National Offshore Oil Co. is in talks to ramp up its investment in the massive Azadegan oil field just as Japanese companies are backing out, senior diplomatic sources said. The move by CNOOC would have the effect of "gutting" the new sanctions, one diplomat said. U.S. officials have stressed to China that they do not want to see China's oil companies "filling in" as other oil companies leave, a senior U.S. official said.
China's main nuclear power corporation wants to build a one-gigawatt nuclear power plant in Pakistan even though it appears to be a violation of international guidelines forbidding nuclear exports to countries that have not signed onto the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty or do not have international safeguards on reactors. Pakistan has not signed the treaty.
It used to be that Chinese officials complained about the Byzantine decision-making process in the United States. Today, from Washington to Tokyo, the talk is about how difficult it is to contend with the explosion of special interests shaping China's worldview.
"Now we have to deal across agencies and departments and ministries," said a U.S. official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss ties with China. "The relationship is extraordinarily complex."
Said a senior Japanese diplomat: "We, too, are often confused about China's intentions and who is calling the shots."
Japanese officials said the People's Liberation Army is responsible for the friction over the disputed island chain, known as the Senkakus in Japan and the Diaoyu islands in China. In early September, Japan's coast guard detained the captain of a Chinese fishing trawler, accusing him of ramming a Japanese coast guard vessel. In previous crises, China's Foreign Ministry has acted as a calming influence, but this time, Japanese diplomats said, the military led the charge.
China responded by demanding the captain's release, suspending talks, canceling the visits of Japanese schoolchildren and on Thursday arresting four Japanese who allegedly were taking photographs near a Chinese military installation.
In an apparent effort to defuse the escalating tensions, Japan announced Friday that it would release the Chinese captain.
Washington signaled to Beijing on Thursday that it would back Japan in the territorial dispute. Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters: "Obviously we're very, very strongly in support of . . . our ally in that region, Japan."
Other examples
The island dispute is the latest instance of players other than the party's central leadership driving China's engagement with the outside world.
In Iran, China's state-owned oil companies are pushing to do more business, even though Beijing backed enhanced U.N. sanctions against Tehran because of its alleged nuclear weapons program. The China National Offshore Oil Co. is in talks to ramp up its investment in the massive Azadegan oil field just as Japanese companies are backing out, senior diplomatic sources said. The move by CNOOC would have the effect of "gutting" the new sanctions, one diplomat said. U.S. officials have stressed to China that they do not want to see China's oil companies "filling in" as other oil companies leave, a senior U.S. official said.
China's main nuclear power corporation wants to build a one-gigawatt nuclear power plant in Pakistan even though it appears to be a violation of international guidelines forbidding nuclear exports to countries that have not signed onto the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty or do not have international safeguards on reactors. Pakistan has not signed the treaty.
"We have never had this situation before," said Huang Ping, the director of the Institute for American Studies at China's Academy of Social Sciences. "And it is troubling. We need more coordination among all agencies, including the military."
U.S. reaction
The U.S. government is trying to adapt to this new China with a mixture of honey and vinegar.
In July, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton talked tough with China about its claims to the whole of the South China Sea, joining with Vietnam and 10 other Southeast Asian nations to criticize China's recent aggressive behavior in that strategic waterway.
That message - that China should ensure freedom of the seas and negotiate disputed claims peacefully - is expected to be reinforced Friday when President Obama meets in New York with leaders from Southeast Asian nations. Several U.S. officials said the People's Liberation Army and China's state-owned oil companies had been driving China's more forceful claims to the sea.
U.S. officials have also moved to establish more personal connections with Chinese officials. Last month, Deputy Secretary of State James B. Steinberg, the second-ranking U.S. diplomat, spent a full day with Cui Tiankai, one of 12 assistant Chinese foreign ministers, taking him to the Inn at Little Washington, a restaurant in Virginia. The entourage proceeded to a 30-acre farm belonging to a senior State Department official, where Cui took a ride on a tractor. And in an attempt to engage more Chinese stakeholders than in the past, Clinton and Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner led the largest-ever delegation of U.S. officials to Beijing in May.
Several factors account for the rise of competing interests. President Hu Jintao has led the Communist Party for eight years, but it is not clear that he has ever been fully in control. After Hu took power in 2002, his predecessor, Jiang Zemin, stayed on as chief of China's military for two years. And Hu was the top man in a nine-member Politburo standing committee, but at least five of the seats were occupied by Jiang's allies.
"This is a time when the Chinese government is weak," said Shen Dingli, the executive dean of the Center for American Studies at Fudan University in Shanghai. "As a result, different interest groups have been unleashed in a less coordinated and less centralized way."
Simultaneously, the influence of China's Foreign Ministry is waning. Dai Bingguo, the current foreign policy supremo has no seat on the powerful 25-member Politburo; the military has two, and the state-owned sector has at least one.
While there is competition across ministries in China, U.S. officials have focused on the gap between the civilian side of the government and the People's Liberation Army.
In recent months, military officers have begun to air their views on foreign policy matters, seeking to define China's interests in the seas around the country.
Gen. Ma Xiaotian, deputy chief of the army's general staff, has blasted the United States for its involvement in the South China Sea. And in August, Maj. Gen. Luo Yuan lashed out at the United States for reportedly planning to deploy the aircraft carrier USS George Washington in the Yellow Sea for joint exercises with South Korea. (The George Washington was subsequently sent to the Sea of Japan, farther from China.)
Countering military
Not all of the military statements went over well in China. In recent weeks, the Foreign Ministry has begun to push back against the military. In recent interviews in Beijing, officials and senior advisers to the government excoriated the military for making policy pronouncements.
U.S. reaction
The U.S. government is trying to adapt to this new China with a mixture of honey and vinegar.
In July, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton talked tough with China about its claims to the whole of the South China Sea, joining with Vietnam and 10 other Southeast Asian nations to criticize China's recent aggressive behavior in that strategic waterway.
That message - that China should ensure freedom of the seas and negotiate disputed claims peacefully - is expected to be reinforced Friday when President Obama meets in New York with leaders from Southeast Asian nations. Several U.S. officials said the People's Liberation Army and China's state-owned oil companies had been driving China's more forceful claims to the sea.
U.S. officials have also moved to establish more personal connections with Chinese officials. Last month, Deputy Secretary of State James B. Steinberg, the second-ranking U.S. diplomat, spent a full day with Cui Tiankai, one of 12 assistant Chinese foreign ministers, taking him to the Inn at Little Washington, a restaurant in Virginia. The entourage proceeded to a 30-acre farm belonging to a senior State Department official, where Cui took a ride on a tractor. And in an attempt to engage more Chinese stakeholders than in the past, Clinton and Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner led the largest-ever delegation of U.S. officials to Beijing in May.
Several factors account for the rise of competing interests. President Hu Jintao has led the Communist Party for eight years, but it is not clear that he has ever been fully in control. After Hu took power in 2002, his predecessor, Jiang Zemin, stayed on as chief of China's military for two years. And Hu was the top man in a nine-member Politburo standing committee, but at least five of the seats were occupied by Jiang's allies.
"This is a time when the Chinese government is weak," said Shen Dingli, the executive dean of the Center for American Studies at Fudan University in Shanghai. "As a result, different interest groups have been unleashed in a less coordinated and less centralized way."
While there is competition across ministries in China, U.S. officials have focused on the gap between the civilian side of the government and the People's Liberation Army.
In recent months, military officers have begun to air their views on foreign policy matters, seeking to define China's interests in the seas around the country.
Gen. Ma Xiaotian, deputy chief of the army's general staff, has blasted the United States for its involvement in the South China Sea. And in August, Maj. Gen. Luo Yuan lashed out at the United States for reportedly planning to deploy the aircraft carrier USS George Washington in the Yellow Sea for joint exercises with South Korea. (The George Washington was subsequently sent to the Sea of Japan, farther from China.)
Countering military
Video
China's government cancels high-level talks with Japan, following Japan's announcement that it will hold a Chinese fishing boat captain for another ten days.
"For me, it is surprising that I'm seeing a general from the People's Liberation Army making a public statement regarding foreign policy, but this is China today," said Wu Jianmin, a former ambassador who helps run a think tank and advises China's leadership on foreign policy.
"This is not something the military should do," said Chu Shulong, professor of international relations at Tsinghua University. "These people don't represent the government, but it creates international repercussions when they speak out."
China's media is another factor in the fracturing of China's foreign policy. Another foreign policy player, the Ministry of Propaganda, has allowed the state-run press to criticize foreign governments as a way to bolster the Communist Party's position at home. As a result, China's newer publications, such as the mass-circulation Global Times, cover international affairs - in particular relations with the United States and Japan - with all the verve that People magazine pours into the adventures of Paris Hilton.
"We are not happy about many of the stories published today," Wu said. "We Foreign Ministry people have told them you shouldn't do that, but they say, 'So what? Let the Americans hear a different voice.' "
Shen, the American studies scholar, said some in China's leadership may support the idea of sending mixed messages on foreign policy as a way of testing the United States or Japan.
"The civilian government may think it does no harm," he said. "After all, if they succeed, it may advance China's interests."
"This is not something the military should do," said Chu Shulong, professor of international relations at Tsinghua University. "These people don't represent the government, but it creates international repercussions when they speak out."
China's media is another factor in the fracturing of China's foreign policy. Another foreign policy player, the Ministry of Propaganda, has allowed the state-run press to criticize foreign governments as a way to bolster the Communist Party's position at home. As a result, China's newer publications, such as the mass-circulation Global Times, cover international affairs - in particular relations with the United States and Japan - with all the verve that People magazine pours into the adventures of Paris Hilton.
"We are not happy about many of the stories published today," Wu said. "We Foreign Ministry people have told them you shouldn't do that, but they say, 'So what? Let the Americans hear a different voice.' "
Shen, the American studies scholar, said some in China's leadership may support the idea of sending mixed messages on foreign policy as a way of testing the United States or Japan.
"The civilian government may think it does no harm," he said. "After all, if they succeed, it may advance China's interests."
Signs U.S.-China military exchanges may resume
Washington Post, 08 Sep 10, by William Wan
Senior U.S. officials concluded a three-day visit to Beijing on Wednesday with both sides declaring that the talks have helped to steady the recently rocky U.S.-China relationship.
Among the most tangible outcomes of this week's talks are signs that exchanges between the two countries' militaries may resume in coming months. China suspended most military exchanges at the beginning of this year after the United States sold arms to Taiwan.
Both sides issued statements Wednesday that indicate a thaw in the chilly silence leading up to President Hu Jintao's planned visit to Washington at the beginning of next year.
Xu Caihou, vice chairman of China's Central Military Commission, met with deputy national security adviser Thomas E. Donilon on Wednesday and said that China values its military relations with the United States and that he hopes to keep dialogue open and improve exchanges with the U.S. military.
On the U.S. side, National Security Council spokesman Mike Hammer said in a statement, "The United States seeks to expand cooperation in the many areas where our countries' interests coincide while we will speak frankly and with respect when we disagree."
Quoting an unidentified Chinese diplomat, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post said that officials on both sides have finalized an agreement to work toward restoring military exchanges ahead of Hu's planned visit to Washington in January.
The U.S. delegation also met with Hu on Wednesday, the final day of the talks. While reporters were in the room, Hu told the U.S. officials: "I've heard your discussions have gone well. I'm sure that this visit will certainly enhance mutual communication and mutual trust."
This week's meetings in Beijing, which also included National Economic Council Director Lawrence H. Summers, came during a tense period in the U.S.-China relationship. The two countries' ties have been strained by differences on several fronts, including trade surplus and currency valuations, U.S.-South Korea military exercises near the coast of China and Obama's meeting earlier in the year with the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama.
On Wednesday, Hammer said the three-day talks touched on many of those issues, including North Korea and economic differences, as well as Iran and global rebalancing.
On the currency issue, however, Chinese officials made clear in statements throughout the visit that China would set its yuan policy at its own pace despite "external pressure."
Senior U.S. officials concluded a three-day visit to Beijing on Wednesday with both sides declaring that the talks have helped to steady the recently rocky U.S.-China relationship.
Among the most tangible outcomes of this week's talks are signs that exchanges between the two countries' militaries may resume in coming months. China suspended most military exchanges at the beginning of this year after the United States sold arms to Taiwan.
Both sides issued statements Wednesday that indicate a thaw in the chilly silence leading up to President Hu Jintao's planned visit to Washington at the beginning of next year.
Xu Caihou, vice chairman of China's Central Military Commission, met with deputy national security adviser Thomas E. Donilon on Wednesday and said that China values its military relations with the United States and that he hopes to keep dialogue open and improve exchanges with the U.S. military.
On the U.S. side, National Security Council spokesman Mike Hammer said in a statement, "The United States seeks to expand cooperation in the many areas where our countries' interests coincide while we will speak frankly and with respect when we disagree."
The U.S. delegation also met with Hu on Wednesday, the final day of the talks. While reporters were in the room, Hu told the U.S. officials: "I've heard your discussions have gone well. I'm sure that this visit will certainly enhance mutual communication and mutual trust."
This week's meetings in Beijing, which also included National Economic Council Director Lawrence H. Summers, came during a tense period in the U.S.-China relationship. The two countries' ties have been strained by differences on several fronts, including trade surplus and currency valuations, U.S.-South Korea military exercises near the coast of China and Obama's meeting earlier in the year with the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama.
On Wednesday, Hammer said the three-day talks touched on many of those issues, including North Korea and economic differences, as well as Iran and global rebalancing.
On the currency issue, however, Chinese officials made clear in statements throughout the visit that China would set its yuan policy at its own pace despite "external pressure."
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