China praises Cambodia as Uighurs deported

Sunday, December 20, 2009

BEIJING (Reuters) - China will deal with 20 ethnic Uighurs who were deported from Cambodia over the weekend as illegal immigrants, praising relations with the Southeast Asian country as a model of good cooperation.

World  |  China

The comments came as a top Chinese official began a visit to Phnom Penh to boost commercial ties.
The Uighurs, a Turkic Muslim minority involved in rioting in western China that killed nearly 200 people in July, were smuggled into Cambodia in recent weeks and applied for asylum at the United Nations refugee agency office in Phnom Penh.
They were deported for breaking immigration laws, the Cambodia government said.
"Recently, Cambodia deported 20 Chinese citizens in accordance with immigration laws for illegal entry into Cambodia. China received these people in accordance with usual practices," China's Foreign Ministry said in a brief faxed statement.
"China is resolutely opposed to and will crack down hard on people smuggling, and believes the international community should step up cooperation to combat these crimes together," it added.
Human rights groups have said they feared for the lives of the Uighurs if they were deported to China. The U.N. refugee agency also condemned the deportations.
The case coincides with a visit to Cambodia by Chinese Vice-President Xi Jinping, seen as frontrunner to succeed President Hu Jintao. Xi is expected to sign 14 pacts related to infrastructure construction, grants and loans.
On Sunday evening, Xi praised ties with Cambodia.
"It can be said that Sino-Cambodia relations are a model of friendly cooperation," the Foreign Ministry paraphrased Xi as saying, in a statement on its website (www.mfa.gov.cn).
China is Cambodia's biggest investor, having poured more than $4 billion in foreign direct investment into the country.
(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani)

US 'deeply disturbed' as Cambodia deports 20 Uighurs to China

WASHINGTON -(AFP)— The United States is "deeply disturbed" by Cambodia's move to deport 20 Uighur asylum-seekers to China and warned it will affect Cambodia's ties with Washington, the State Department said Sunday.

"The United States is deeply concerned about the welfare of these individuals, who had sought protection under international law," said State Department spokesman Gordon Duguid.

"We are also deeply disturbed that the Cambodian government decided to forcibly remove the group without the benefit of a credible process for determining refugee status and without appropriate participation by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees," he added.

"The United States strongly opposed Cambodia's involuntary return of these asylum seekers before their claims have been heard. This incident will affect Cambodia's relationship with the US and its international standing."

The 20 Uighurs, who were seeking refuge in Cambodia after unrest in the Chinese region of Xinjiang, were sent back to China on Saturday.

The Uighurs' presence in Phnom Penh was made public two weeks ago as they sought UN refugee status in Cambodia, saying they risked torture in China.

Clashes between Xinjiang's Uighurs and China's majority Han ethnic group in July left nearly 200 dead and 1,600 wounded, according to official tolls.

Cambodian foreign ministry spokesman Koy Kuong said the group must be expelled in accordance with domestic law, but rights experts argued the deportation would breach an international convention on refugees.

"Now that the group has been returned to China, we urge the government of China to uphold international norms and to ensure transparency, due process and proper treatment of persons in its territory," Duguid said.

"We continue to stress to all parties concerned the importance of respecting human rights and honoring their obligations under international law."

China Praises Cambodia as Uighurs Deported

BEIJING (Reuters) - China will deal with 20 ethnic Uighurs who were deported from Cambodia over the weekend as illegal immigrants, praising relations with the Southeast Asian country as a model of good cooperation.

The comments came as a top Chinese official began a visit to Phnom Penh to boost commercial ties.

The Uighurs, a Turkic Muslim minority involved in rioting in western China that killed nearly 200 people in July, were smuggled into Cambodia in recent weeks and applied for asylum at the United Nations refugee agency office in Phnom Penh.

They were deported for breaking immigration laws, the Cambodia government said.

"Recently, Cambodia deported 20 Chinese citizens in accordance with immigration laws for illegal entry into Cambodia. China received these people in accordance with usual practices," China's Foreign Ministry said in a brief faxed statement.

"China is resolutely opposed to and will crack down hard on people smuggling, and believes the international community should step up cooperation to combat these crimes together," it added.

Human rights groups have said they feared for the lives of the Uighurs if they were deported to China. The U.N. refugee agency also condemned the deportations.

The case coincides with a visit to Cambodia by Chinese Vice-President Xi Jinping, seen as frontrunner to succeed President Hu Jintao. Xi is expected to sign 14 pacts related to infrastructure construction, grants and loans.

On Sunday evening, Xi praised ties with Cambodia.

"It can be said that Sino-Cambodia relations are a model of friendly cooperation," the Foreign Ministry paraphrased Xi as saying, in a statement on its website (www.mfa.gov.cn).

China is Cambodia's biggest investor, having poured more than $4 billion (3 billion pounds) in foreign direct investment into the country.

(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani)

US decries Cambodia's deportation of Uighurs

WASHINGTON -(AP)— The U.S. is condemning Cambodia's decision to forcibly deport 20 Muslim asylum-seekers back to China.

The State Department says U.S. ties with Cambodia will suffer as a result.

The department said in a statement Sunday that it was "deeply disturbed" by the move, which may have violated Cambodia's international obligations to asylum-seekers. The U.S. also says its concerned about the welfare of the Uighurs (WEE-gurz). There are fears the Uighurs may be mistreated in China.

Spokesman Gordon Duguid says the incident would affect Cambodia's relationship with the United States and its international standing.

The Uighurs fled China after ethnic rioting in July. China says they are criminals but their role in the rioting remains unclear.

Chinese vice president arrives in Siem Reap for official visit to Cambodia

SIEM REAP, Dec. 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping arrived here on Sunday on an official visit to Cambodia, the last leg of his four-Asian nation tour.
    In a written statement, Xi said China and Cambodia have enjoyed long-term friendship that further expanded since the two countries forged diplomatic ties over half a century ago.
    The two countries have maintained fruitful cooperation in the fields of politics, economy, trade, culture and people-to-people exchanges, and close coordination on international and regional affairs, he said.
    "The good-neighborly relations between China and Cambodia are in the interests of the two peoples and benefit the peace, stability and prosperity in the region," he said.

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China's vice-president arrives in Myanmar for talks

YANGON-(AFP) — Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping arrived in Myanmar Saturday, an official told AFP, for an overnight visit as part of a regional tour as his country's likely next leader.
Xi landed at 2.15pm (0745 GMT) in Myanmar's economic hub and former capital Yangon and was expected to travel to a gem emporium and later pay homage at the sacred Shwe Dagon pagoda, the official said.
Security was very tight around the city and no media were allowed at the airport or at the Sedona hotel where he is staying.
Many Chinese nationals wearing suits and holding the Myanmar state flag gathered by the airport to greet their vice-president, an AFP correspondent said.
Xi is expected to fly to Myanmar's remote capital Naypyidaw on Saturday evening before meeting the government's military leadership including junta chief Than Shwe on Sunday.
The two leaders are expected to sign various agreements, according to another official, before Xi departs for Cambodia in the afternoon.
Xi is expected to take over as party leader in 2012, and president in 2013. His current trip started in Japan and ends in Cambodia on Tuesday.

Five years after the Indian Ocean tsunami ravaged six southern coastal provinces and swept more than 5,000 to their deaths, 60-year-old Phang Nga resident Yupa Srisiri cannot forget the day her six-year-old nephew was snatched from her embrace.

"I still remember that day and I want to forget it, but I can't," she said with a trembling voice and teary eyes.
Now she's afraid to walk on the beach and stay alone at home.
In the early morning of December 26, 2004, The tsunami struck the Andaman coast without warning, causing massive damage in Ranong, Trang, Phang Nga, Krabi, Phuket and Satun.
The killer wave crashed into her while she was riding a pickup with her husband on their way back home to Ban Nam Khem village - the community hardest hit by the tsunami, with about 800 lives lost.
Her pickup rolled over and at that moment her nephew was ripped from her embrace. A month later, she found him, dead.

Read more ....!

Democrats slam Jatuporn for distorting classified document

Abhisit says use of violence not govt policy, especially with neighbour.

The Democrat Party yesterday condemned opposition MP Jatuporn Promphan for distorting a classified Foreign Ministry document and called for an investigation into who leaked the document.

Democrat Party spokesman Buranat Samutaraks said the party had condemned Jatuporn, a Pheu Thai Party MP, for distorting facts and creating misunderstanding over three points:

n Giving misleading information that the classified document mentioned a time frame for assassinating former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Buranat said the document did not include any sentence that mentions any form of violence by the government.

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Sivarak enters monkhood

Siwarak brought to court on 8th December, 2009.

Published: 20/12/2009
Bangkok Post

Freed convicted spy Sivarak Chutipong entered monkhood on Sunday morning.

Mr Sivarak, a 31-year-old engineer who was sentenced to seven years in jail and fined 10 million riels (about 80,000 baht) on Dec 8 after being arrested by Cambodian authorities last month on charges of stealing sensitive state information, fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's flight plan when he visited Phnom Pehn, and passing it to Thai diplomat Kamrob Palawatwichai.

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Noppadon calls for House dissolution, election as conditions for talk

The Nation

Noppadon Pattama (pictured), a legal advisor of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, said Sunday that a political reconciliation could be reached only if all legal cases against Thaksin were undone and justice was returned to him and everything would reversed back to the time before the 2006 coup.

Noppadon said a talk between Thaksin's side and the government could be held only on three conditions.

"First, the 1997 charter or a draft with similar content must be enacted. Second, the House of Representatives must be dissolved. Third, a new election must be held and all sides and all colours must ratify a pact that they will accept the election results and will not make any move outside Parliament to undermine the country administration or disrupt the administration or else the same old circle will return," Noppadon said.

However, Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban Sunday dismissed conditions raised by a legal advisor of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra for holding a reconciliation talk.

Suthep said the conditions raised by Noppadon were too extreme to be accepted.

Noppadon demanded that the legal cases against Thaksin would have to be dismissed and the 1997 charter would have to reenacted for holding a new election.

Thaksin says 'reconciliation was long overdue"

Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra said Sunday that it was too late for political reconciliation now.

"The reconciliation was long overdue" Thaksin said on his Twitter page, writing the words "reconciliation" and "long overdue" in English.

He compared the reconciliation to hand clapping saying he is only one hand and cannot make an applause alone.

The Nation

The closing scene of Cambodia’s political circus against Thailand

            
 

LEFT: Takki disembarking from his big private jet at Pochentong International Airport in Phnom Penh on Dec. 11   RIGHT: Mr. Sivarak while being brought to court in Phnom Penh Objective of the comedy: To show the world that Abhisit government has been insincere with Cambodia and carrying unfriendly acts against Cambodia in every way possible and that Takki is important to Cambodian economic development plan worthy of being appointed as Cambodian government’s adviser and Cambodian PM’s personal adviser. Original plot: Eavesdropping and telephone tapping on the Royal Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh to pick whatever conversation that could be built as a case to accuse Thailand in anything possible and expand the case to full extent with an intention to cause damages to PM Abhisit’s reputation as a clean prime minister of Thailand with behind the scene supportin role by PT party.

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N.Korea leader 'receives letter from Obama'

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il was given a letter from Barack Obama during a trip by the US president's envoy last week, state media said Friday.

This undated picture released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency in late November shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il inspecting a fruit farm in suburban Pyongyang. Kim Jong-Il was given a letter from Barack Obama during a trip by the US president's envoy last week, state media said.

Obama's personal letter was delivered when US envoy Stephen Bosworth met North Korea's first vice foreign minister Kang Sok-Ju on December 9, the official Korean Central News Agency said in a brief dispatch.

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Climate talks reach deal

COPENHAGEN: World leaders have reached a "meaningful" climate accord but it is not sufficient to combat the threat of global warming, President Barack Obama said on Friday.

_{An official said that President Obama reached a deal after talks with the leaders of emerging economies China, India and South Africa. It was expected to be presented to other delegations at a 194-nation summit.}

Read more ....!

PM: Govt not meddling with EC

The government has not intervened in the Election Commission's deliberation on the Democrat Party's alleged 258 million baht donation case, Prime Minister and Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said on Sunday.

The Democrat Party is accused of violating the constitution by receiving a 258 million baht donation, far in excess of the legal amount, from TPI Polene Plct, the country's third-largest cement maker founded by former Matchimathipataya Party leader Prachai Leophairatana. The charter prohibits political parties from receiving donations of more than 10 million baht a year.

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PM denies plot to kill Thaksin

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Saturday dismissed an opposition claim that an assassination plot had been hatched against Thaksin Shinawatra, insisting that the government would only use legal means to bring him back to serve his two-year jail sentence.

In his first comment on the leak of a classified document to the Puea Thai Party from a source at the Foreign Ministry, the prime minister, speaking from Copenhagen, said the government would strictly abide by the law in its efforts to bring back Thaksin.

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Time for monks to let go

Posted by Sanitsuda Ekachai -

Now that not many Thai men want to become Buddhist monks, isn't it strange that when women want to be ordained, the answer from the clergy is a fierce, firm "No"?
When misconduct by clerics is rampant from top to bottom, isn't it sad that the Council of Elders insists on closing its eyes and ears, clinging tightly to its feudalistic system and powers?
We can go on and on about how our feudal clergy has become an oppressive system. Or how patriarchy, when nourished by an unhealthy approach to celibacy, has turned into misogyny within the clergy.
We can complain to no end about how the clergy have gone wrong. But is it only because the problems are real? Are there also other reasons at play, like our desire to have someone to blame for the moral abyss that is also of our own making?

Read more ....!

Iraq to sign contracts with oil firms

Iraq will sign preliminary contracts, from Sunday, with oil companies that bid successfully last week for seven fields, oil ministry spokesman Assem Jihad told AFP.

The contracts will then be submitted to the cabinet for final approval.
On Sunday, the consortium comprised of Anglo-Dutch firm Shell (60 percent) and Malaysia's Petronas (40 percent), will sign a pre-contract for the development of Majnoon, with estimated reserves of 12.58 billion barrels.

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Dubai's bubble burst won't hurt region's property sector

Labourers work on the Dubai Tower, a skyscraper under construction in the emirate. Many markets were spooked and investor confidence was severely shaken when Dubai World, the state-owned realestate and ports giant, sought a debt moratorium.

Dubai's property crash is unlikely to have a major impact on the region's market, although foreign buying could slow.

As part of efforts to fend off the slowdown in traditional markets in the Middle East, Europe and the United States, the property sector in Thailand and the region is now focusing on customers from Asean and Asia whose economies look less fragile.
''We are currently focusing on markets in the region and are undertaking roadshows to tap the robust growth being seen in the Asian markets,'' said James Duan, the chief executive of Fragrant Property Group.
Mr Duan, whose company has developed projects such as Prime 11 and The Circle on Phetchaburi Road, said the shift towards a growing upscale client base in this part of the region is essential for real-estate developers looking to sell their 49% foreign quota.
The economic crisis saw the appetite for residential units from the traditional

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