DAP: The breaking news in Cambodia: “Japan's Okinawa Governor urges PM to move U.S. base off island” plus 9 more

TOKYO, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- Okinawa Governor Hirokazu Nakaima told Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda on Thursday that the central government's plan to relocate a controversial U.S. base within Okinawa Prefecture is almost impossible and again called for the base to be moved off the island.

Nakaima said in a written request that relocating the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station to Henoko in Nago from a densely populated area of Ginowan, also in Okinawa, was not in the best interests of the people on the island.

"It's practically impossible to realize a relocation plan that doesn't have the understanding of local residents," the document reflecting the views of Okinawa's prefecture council said.

Nakaima, during their first talks since Noda took office as Prime Minister, also told the prime minister that issues pertaining to the U.S. bases should be resolved in the "direction that the local residents wish."

Prefectural officials as well as local citizens remain opposed to the base being relocated within Okinawa and would rather see it repositioned off the island entirely as the islanders shoulder the burden of hosting 75 percent of Japan's U.S. bases on the island and more than half of the 45,000 U.S. military personnel.

Citizens and officials on the island claim that instances of environmental pollution, military accidents and crime have increased and can be attributed to the disproportionate military presence in Japan's southernmost prefecture.

But Noda told the Okinawa governor that the central government intends to move ahead with submitting a key environmental assessment to prefectural officials in Okinawa by the year-end.

The report is seen as a key step for the central government to move forward with the stalled plans to relocate the base from Ginowan to the coastal region of Henoko.

The report will assess the environmental impact of building two new runways to facilitate operations at Camp Schwabm, Henoko and gauge, among other things, the detrimental affect construction will have on a rare corral reef in the vicinity.

Local official and residents claim that the affect on the environment will be too great to justify the move.

Along with Tokyo's plans to submit the report, Noda told Nakaima that he wished to communicate his views clearly to the people of Okinawa. For his part Nakaima invited the premiere to make an official visit to Okinawa.

Nakaima also asked for clarification regarding Tokyo's intentions to transfer around 8,000 U.S. marines based in Okinawa to the U.S.-held Pacific island of Guam, as part of the U.S.-Japan bilateral agreement, committed to by Japan in 2006.

Osamu Fujimura said at a news conference following the meeting that the prime minister would endeavor to answer all of Nakaima's questions in a "quick manner and in good faith."

Also speaking at a news conference after the talks, the governor himself said that he thought the outcome of the prime minister's meeting with visiting U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta was "extremely regrettable."

On Tuesday both the prime minister and Japan's Defense Minister Yasuo Ichikawa told Panetta that Japan's central government will step-up moves to relocate the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station within Okinawa prefecture by submitting a key environmental study to officials there by the end of the year.

Tokyo's relationship with Washington had become strained over the issue due to a state "flip-flop" over the idea in 2009, which gave hope to officials and residents on the island that the base would be relocated elsewhere, only for the then government to renege on the plan and side again with the United States.

UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese United Nations (U.N.) envoy Wednesday urged the international community to stop politicizing and applying a double standard on human rights issues.

Wang Min, Deputy Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations, made the remarks at a meeting of the Third Committee of the 66th session of the United Nations General Assembly on human rights.

Stressing that international human rights endeavors "continue to be plagued by double standard and politicization," Wang said a small number of countries are still using human rights issues as an instrument for pressuring developing countries.

"In violation of the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, they interfere in other countries' internal affairs at the excuse of protecting civilians and defending human rights. China is deeply concerned over such practice," he said.

Calling human rights promotion and protection "a lofty cause," Wang said the undertaking "should not be reduced to an instrument used for political purposes."

"A few countries turn a blind eye to human rights violations in their own countries while pointing fingers at and finding fault with the human rights situations of other countries." Wang said.

"They fabricate problems, amplify small problems, and engage in politicization, selectivity and double standard. This has seriously poisoned the sound development of international human rights endeavors," Wang said.

He said China firmly opposes this practice and "rejects the groundless accusations against China" made by the representatives of the European Union and the United States in their statements.

"We strongly urge the EU and the United States to put your own houses in order before you point fingers at others," he said.

Wang added that the international community should engage in human rights dialogue and cooperation on the basis of equality and mutual respect, and put greater emphasis on the realization of the right to development.

"The right to development is the basis for all other human rights," Wang said, adding that developed countries need to fulfil their commitments in terms of capital and technology transfer, debt relief and market access to help the developing countries improve their capacity of independent development.

On China's human rights endeavors, Wang said China has found a development path with Chinese characteristics that is suited to China's national conditions.

He said the path puts people first, "taking reform as its motivating force, development as its key and rule of law as its guarantee."

The path aims to "promote the comprehensive and coordinated development of civil and political rights, economic, social and cultural rights and the right to development," Wang said.

He said China has accomplished all goals on time as set forth in its National Human Rights Action Plan (2009-2010), and is now formulating its next four-year plan. Besides, China has now ratified or acceded to 25 international conventions on human rights.

"We have been engaged in human rights dialogue and exchanges with many countries and maintained sound relations and cooperation with the United Nations Human Rights mechanisms," Wang said.

"China will continue to strengthen its human rights exchanges and cooperation with all countries on the basis of equality and mutual respect," the ambassador said, and "make tireless efforts for the development of international human rights endeavors."

ISLAMABAD, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- At least six suspected militants were killed and two others injured on Thursday as U.S. pilotless planes fired missiles in Pakistan's northwestern region of South Waziristan, local Urdu TV Express reported.

According to the report, two U.S. drones fired six missiles at a vehicle in Tura Gula village of Azam Warsak area in South Waziristan, one of Pakistan's northwestern restive tribal areas bordering Afghanistan.

The identity of the killed was not immediately known as it is a hilly and militancy-hit region.

One local Urdu TV Geo reported that a commander named Hazrat Umar, younger brother of Pakistani Taliban leader Mullah Nazir, was also killed in the strike.

Pakistani Taliban did not confirm the news yet.

It is the fifth U.S. drone strike in Pakistan's Waziristan tribal region this month in which at least 21 people have been killed.

On Oct. 15, the U.S. pilotless plane fired four missiles at a suspected compound belonged to militants in Bermal area of South Waziristan, killing four suspected militants and injuring seven others.

On Oct. 14, the drone attacked a house and vehicle at the Darpakhel area of the North Waziristan and killed four suspected militants.

On Oct. 13, U.S. pilotless spy planes carried out two strikes in North and South Waziristan and killed seven suspected militants including an important commander of the Haqqani network.

The United States has been pressuring Pakistan to launch a military offensive against the Haqqani network, a fraction of Afghan Taliban that is believed to be responsible for the two attacks, one on U.S. embassy in Kabul and another a truck bomb attack on an U.S. military base in Maidan Wardak province of Afghanistan.

The United States has alleged that Haqqani Network militants attacked NATO forces in Afghanistan before running to Pakistan's tribal regions of Waziristan where they had their safe heavens.

U.S. high officials have been blaming Pakistan for supporting Haqqani Network but Pakistan kept dismissing all the charges.

Persisting in promoting the side-by-side advancement of legislation at various levels. China is a united multi-ethnic country as well as a state with a unified government system, and economic and social development is unbalanced among different regions. In accordance with the national conditions, it is stipulated in the Constitution that under the guidance of the principle of giving full scope to the initiative and enthusiasm of the local authorities under the unified leadership of the central authorities, on the condition of maintenance of a unified legal system, the NPC and its Standing Committee exercise the legislative power of the state, the State Council formulates administrative regulations in accordance with the Constitution and the law, the people's congresses of provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the central government, comparatively larger cities and their standing committees may adopt local regulations, the people's congresses of ethnic autonomous areas have the power to enact regulations on the exercise of autonomy and other separate regulations, and the people's congresses or their standing committees of the provinces and cities where special economic zones are located may, upon authorization by the NPC, formulate regulations and enforce them within the limits of the special economic zones. A legislation work pattern of side-by-side advancement of legislation at various levels has gradually taken shape, which greatly accelerates the building of our legal system and at the same time takes into consideration the actual needs of economic and social development in various regions. This is a practical working model for the socialist system of laws with Chinese characteristics.

Persisting in the combination of various legislative forms. The building of the socialist system of laws with Chinese characteristics is a scientific and systematic project. Since the reform and opening up started, in accordance with the demands of economic and social development, China's legislative bodies have lost no time in enacting laws and regulations urgently needed for the development of all social undertakings, attached importance to their amendment or abolition, and explained and checked them in a timely manner. They have adopted various legislative forms, such as formulation, amendment, abolition and interpretation, and promoted legislation in an all-round way. In this way, we have improved the quality of legislation and guaranteed the scientific nature and harmony of the legal system while laying a solid foundation for the effective implementation of legal norms.

IV. Improvement of the Socialist System of Laws with Chinese Characteristics

The task remains arduous to improve the socialist system of laws with Chinese characteristics which we have successfully built. To improve that system from a new starting point is an inherent requirement of promotion of the development and improvement of the socialist system with Chinese characteristics. This will also be the primary task for our legislation work in future.

China is now at a critical stage in deepening reform and opening up, and building a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way, as it has established the development goal for the first 20 years of the 21st century. The need for legal system improvement is urgent in order to meet the challenges of new domestic and international situations, and new demands and expectations of the people, as well as new issues and problems facing China's reform, development and stability. To realize scientific development, accelerate transformation of the economic development mode, and further guarantee and improve the people's livelihood, all need a legal system to promote and give guidance. There is a rising demand for more scientific and democratic legislation, as increasingly diversified stakeholders and complicated interest patterns make it harder to regulate social interests through legislation.

China will endeavor to meet the requirements of its basic strategies of promoting scientific development, improving social harmony and ruling the country by law. At present and for some time to come, and in accordance with the requirements of economic and social development, as well as scientific development, China will accelerate the transformation of the economic development mode, guarantee and improve the people's livelihood, improve social harmony, and continuously improve the laws and regulations, so as to build a better socialist system of laws with Chinese characteristics.

China will continuously improve legislation in the economic field. In order to meet the requirements of the development of socialist market economy, we will improve the legal institutions for civil and commercial affairs. To meet the requirements of deepening the reforms of the fiscal, taxation and financial systems, we will improve legal institutions concerned with budget management, fiscal transfer payment, financial risk control and taxation. We will, in particular, attach importance to taxation legislation, and turn taxation regulations made by the State Council on authorization into laws. We will also improve laws regarding the state's management and control of economic activities in order to safeguard the country's economic security, and promote the healthy development of the socialist market economy.

China will take active measures to strengthen legislation on socialist democracy. In order to meet the requirements of actively yet steadily advancing political reform, we will improve legal institutions concerning election, self-governance among people at the grassroots level and organization of state organs; we will improve legislation regarding administrative procedures to regulate administrative actions, and improve laws concerning audit supervision and administrative reconsideration. In order to meet the requirements of reforming the judicial system, we will revise the Criminal Procedure Law, the Civil Procedure Law and the Administrative Procedure Law, so as to improve the procedure law system. We will also improve the legal system concerning the exercise of power by state organs and the punishment and prevention of corruption, in order to expand socialist democracy, standardize and supervise the exercise of power, and continuously develop socialist democracy.

ISLAMABAD, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- At least six suspected militants were killed and another injured on Thursday as U.S. pilotless planes fired missiles in Pakistan's northwestern region of South Waziristan, local Urdu TV Express reported.

According to the report, two U.S. drones fired six missiles at a vehicle in Azam Warsak area of the South Waziristan, one of Pakistan's northwestern restive tribal areas bordering Afghanistan.

The identity of the killed was not immediately known.

ISLAMABAD, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- At least six suspected militants were killed and one other injured on Thursday as U.S. pilotless planes fired missiles in Pakistan's northwestern region of South Waziristan, local Urdu TV Express reported.

ZHENGZHOU, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- Seven people have been confirmed dead and 11 others are missing after a gas explosion occurred early Thursday morning at a coal mine in central China's Henan Province.

BEIJING, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- It took an allnighter for eurozone leaders to finally agree on a package of measures to battle the region's debt crisis early Thursday, including a 50-percent writedown of the Greek government debt and expand the continent's bailout fund.

After the marathon session, sighs of relief were heard worldwide, with both Asian stocks and the euro advancing on the news. EU leaders from German Chancellor Angela Merkel to Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou were jubilant, while IMF head Christine Lagarde called the latest deal a "significant progress."

However, details of the deal package still need to be worked out and new rounds of haggling are expected as each stakeholder would assert its own interests. Thus the international community need to keep reminding  Europe that as a whole, the continent should shoulder its due responsibilities and take swift action to curb the crisis.

In a globalized world which is growing ever smaller, the eurozone's sovereign debt crisis has already swept over the whole continent and is now threatening the whole world.

It is true that the eurozone crisis is closely related to the unstable recovery of the global economy against the backdrop of the international financial crisis, but it is in essence the result of a long-term accumulation of internal mechanism problems within the EU.

The two-year-old eurozone debt saga has exposed the EU's deep-seated weakness and lack of financial supervision institutions. In the short and medium term, emergency bailout measures and budgetary austerity plans may be effective in alleviating the crisis. However, a permanent solution may only be found in revamping the institutions within the EU.

Under these circumstances Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has suggested that fundamental financial reforms are needed in addition to emergency bailout measures.

In a phone conversation with European Council President Herman Van Rompuy last Friday, Wen also made it clear that "China stands ready to beef up coordination and cooperation with the EU to contribute to a global economic recovery."

While China and other emerging countries indicated they won't be bystanders of the Eurozone crisis, it would be unfair to ask them to shoulder the same responsibility as those directly responsible for the crisis. Emerging economies should not be seen as the EU's Good Samaritans -- in the end, the EU has to pull itself out of the crisis.

Yet a prosperous, stable Europe is of great importance to the world's stability and development, China's top political advisor Jia Qinglin said during his visit to debt-ridden Greece on Monday.

China has been a long-term investor in the sovereign debt market of Europe, and will continue to support Europe and the euro currency in the future, Jia said.

For the EU itself, all member states need to keep in mind the fact that they are in the same boat and solve their differences with mutual trust. As Van Rompuy has put it, they must confront the common challenges "in a spirit of solidarity."

PHNOM PENH, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) decided to provide the emergency relief assistance of 4 million U.S. dollars to Cambodia in order to help flood- affected victims, Douglas Broderick, resident  representative of UNDP to Cambodia, said on Thursday.

Douglas announced the assistance during a meeting with Cambodia ' s Prime Minister Hun Sen at the Peace Palace.

Meanwhile, on behalf of the UNDP, Douglas expressed a deep sympathy over the loss of lives and the damage to agricultural crops and infrastructure due to the floods.

In response, Hun Sen thanked the UNDP for the relief assistance and asked Douglas to proceed the donation to Cambodia as soon as possible so that the country will be able to distribute timely to flood-hit victims.

Hun Sen said the urgent tasks Cambodia has to do after the floods are crop re-planting and road rehabilitation.

Keo Vy, cabinet chief and spokesman for the National Committee for Disaster Management, said Thursday that the Mekong  River and flash floods have inundated 18 cities and provinces since early August. So far, at least 247 people were killed and  about 1.5 million people were affected.

He said that to date, 230,000 of rice paddies had been completely destroyed and other 400,000 hectares are still under water.  Moreover, nearly 3,000 kilometers of gravel roads and some 180 kilometers of national roads have been damaged.

"Our experts estimated that damge caused by the floods is equivalent to 521 million U.S. dollars, mainly rice paddies and roads," he told Xinhua.

ISLAMABAD, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- At least two security personnel were killed and three others injured in a blast that took place in northwestern tribal belt of Pakistan on Thursday, local media Aaj reported.