By M K Bhadrakumar The week that the first cherry blossoms appeared in Beijing in April, the Chinese capital also received a hugely controversial figure in the politics of the region – the redoubtable “amir” of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) of Pakistan, Maulana Fazalur Rehman, who is often spoken of as the “father of the Taliban”. Two aspects regarding Rehman’s visit would have intrigued an outside observer. The JUI-F has no Chinese counterpart, but Beijing solved the dilemma with the Chinese Communist Party of China (CCP) stepping in to hold Rehman’s hand. The CCP and JUI-F may seem like oil and … Continue reading US puts a stop to hyphenation

A trail of clues …. but few answers By Gareth Porter WASHINGTON – United States officials are explaining Iranian scientist Shahram Amiri’s return to Iran as the result of a defector having a change of heart because of his concern about Iranian government threats to his family. Iran and Amiri himself have insisted that it is a simple case of a victim of abduction escaping his captors. But several features of the story of Amiri’s defection suggest that Amiri may have been acting on Iranian government orders to defect temporarily in order to embarrass the US government. Amiri resurfaced only … Continue reading Shahram Amiri

By Iain Mills BEIJING – Harbin, provincial capital of Heilongjiang province in northeast China, is most famous for its European architecture and ice festival, when huge structures are carved out of frozen blocks and adorned with lights. However, a less pleasant history lurks in the city’s southern Pingfang district. This otherwise unremarkable suburb has grown up around the former headquarters of Unit 731, Imperial Japan’s notorious chemical warfare testing unit, and the complex remains largely untouched, a low-key memorial to a truly gruesome history. Local authorities have been attempting to upgrade and expand the site for some time, and following a rejection … Continue reading Dark wake-up call for Sino-Japanese ties

By Sami Moubayed DAMASCUS – After five months of political chaos, with Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki presiding over a caretaker government, it seems that light is now emerging at the end of the very dim Iraqi tunnel. Over the weekend, Maliki hammered out a deal with his former friend turned rival Muqtada al-Sadr, under the watchful eye of the Iranians. Reportedly, the deal says that the powerful Shi’ite leader will drop his veto over Maliki’s continuation of the premiership, in exchange for turning a new page between Maliki and the Sadrists. The prime minister would have to issue an amnesty setting … Continue reading Mercurial Maliki on cusp of retaining power

Iran blames US for mosque attack By Jim Lobe WASHINGTON – Both United States President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have denounced last week’s suicide bomb attacks on a Shi’ite mosque in Sistan and Balochistan province in southeastern Iran by a Sunni extremist group that Tehran charges is being supported by Washington. “I strongly condemn the outrageous terrorist attacks on a mosque in southeast Iran,” Obama said in a statement released by the White House. “The murder of innocent civilians in their place of worship is an intolerable offence, and those who carried it out must be … Continue reading Iran blames US for mosque attack

By Syed Fazl-e-Haider KARACHI, Pakistan – Afghanistan and Pakistan on Sunday signed a deal to open their borders to more trade, including goods in transit from Afghanistan to India, in a move hailed by the United States as a sign of improved relations. The pact also gives Pakistan better access to Central Asia via Afghanistan. The commerce ministers of the two Asian countries signed the document at the seventh round of talks for Afghanistan Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (APTTA) in Islamabad in the presence of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who was visiting the country ahead of an international conference in Kabul. … Continue reading Afghan goods head for India via Pakistan