Iraq's New Oil Minister Aims to Hike Production/Daily Star--New WMW

[Gloria]

Full excerpts, links up now at http://www.zianet.com/insightanalytical
Tomorrow at Buzzflash.com


WORLD MEDIA WATCH FOR JUNE 4, 2004

1//The Daily Star, Lebanon--IRAQ’S NEW OIL MINISTER AIMS TO HIKE PRODUCTION (Iraq's new oil minister, Thamer Ghadban, welcomed Thursday the injection of $800 million from the US-led coalition to achieve his main goal of hiking production…"Our priority is to raise oil production so that we can increase exports and have hard currency revenue for Iraq, because we are conscious this is our only wealth," Ghadban said, reflecting on the challenges when Iraq recovers its sovereignty on June 30…Ghadban was sworn in as oil minister in the transitional government Tuesday, replacing Mohammed Bahr al-Ulum, who had been picked by his father, a member of the outgoing Governing Council, and failed to impress the coalition. He said he would start work to revive oil projects left dormant under his predecessor. Iraq has the second largest proven oil reserves in the world.)



2//The Sydney Morning Herald, Australia--BUSH WARNS LATHAM ON IRAQ PULLOUT (US President George Bush has delivered an unprecedented blow to the Labor Party, describing Mark Latham's policy of withdrawing Australian troops from Iraq as "disastrous"…Mr Bush's comments are the strongest yet to emerge from the White House against Labor's position and are a highly unusual intervention in Australian domestic politics. The remarks will provide a stark contrast in the coming election between Labor and the Coalition's policy on Iraq and relations with the US.)



3//Inter Press News Service Agency, Italy--ARAB LEADERS RETICENT OVER INTERIM IRAQ GOV'T (Arab states seem to be adopting a wait-and- see attitude, and reserving their kudos, after Iraqi leaders cut a deal Tuesday with the United States and United Nations on a new interim government that will lead the country towards its first elections, next year, in a post-Saddam Hussein era. While reservations were expressed over whether the interim Iraqi government could lead the occupied country to political independence, Arab leaders, however, were careful to congratulate only the appointed interim president. Sheikh Ghazi Ojeil Yawar, an influential tribal chief appointed as president in defiance of the United States, called for the United Nations to give Iraq full sovereignty when the U.S.-led occupation authority is wound up on Jun. 30.)



4//Asia Times Online, Hong Kong--INDIA FRETS OVER YANGON-PYONGYANG DEAL (Nothing scares India more than the prospect of another nuclear power on its border, especially when that country is run by the military. So Myanmar's evident success in wooing North Korea to help it build a nuclear reactor has ruffled more than a few feathers among bureaucrats in India's Foreign Office at a time when a new foreign minister is trying to shape a new foreign policy…A Western diplomat explains that in spite of the knowledge that Myanmar has nuclear ambitions, the US is hamstrung as it is involved with North Korea on far larger issues. Western embassies in Yangon were aware of the presence of two representatives of North Korea's economic bureau negotiating with Myanmar leaders for a final agreement on the nuclear deal, but failed to elicit any proper explanation from the military authority beyond that the country "does not have any ambition to have nuclear weapons"…Another concern…is the location of the proposed reactor, surrounded by territories controlled by insurgents in Myanmar such as Wa, Kachin and Karens, who might decided to procure fissile materials from the reactor.

5//The Scotsman, UK--CLAIMS OF CHIRAC’S LOWEST SWIPE YET AT RIVAL (The long-standing rivalry between the French president, Jacques Chirac, and his young protégé Nicolas Sarkozy reached new lows this week with claims that a presidential aide tried to pass photographs of the finance minister’s naked wife to two magazines in an effort to undermine the ambitious politician…The claim that Mr Chirac’s camp had stooped to such ungentlemanly behaviour in its efforts to discredit Mr Sarkozy was greeted with shock in France where such a violation of the rules surrounding politicians’ private lives is traditionally considered taboo. However, it may not be the first occasion that the Elysée has resorted to below-the-belt tactics in its political battle to prevent the popular Mr Sarkozy from becoming too powerful.)