WEB NOTES

 Brief Summary of Country Positions within Asia

Stacy Orr and Fiona Simpson, BASIC

Afghanistan

There have been continuing rocket attacks in Afghanistan, the latest one targeting a US military post in Asadabad.  No injuries were reported.

Less than one hour before the first US air strike against Iraq, thousands of American and Afghan soldiers combed the mountainous regions of Afghanistan in search of Taliban rebels.

Senior Taliban officials have said that they are prepared to discuss their knowledge of possible al Qaeda-Iraqi links.  Originally this was expected to take place in October 2001, however officials called off the talks once the American bombing of Afghanistan started.

A recent faxed document states that the Taliban claims responsibility for as many as 50 attacks in Afghanistan.  The statement also says that these attacks were targeted at anti-Western sentiment.  It concludes by warning Afghani citizens not to help any American soldiers. 

The commander of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Kabul said that in the event of an Iraq war, his troops would not move.  There has been speculation that terrorist organisations, such as al Qaeda, would use an Iraq war to bolster support and build a coalition in Afghanistan, for this reason security forces will remain in Afghanistan.

Bangladesh

Prime Minister Khaleda Zia has called for an immediate end to the Iraq war and an immediate start to humanitarian aid.  Khaleda has publicly urged cooperation among Muslim countries in order to improve the situation in the Muslim Ummah.

Political activists, journalist, scientists, teachers, and workers alike gathered to protest the start of the US invasion of Iraq.  They claimed that the war is both unjust and immoral and still see the possibility of a peaceful resolution.

Many Bangladesh workers abroad in Kuwait, Jordan, and Iraq may soon find themselves out of a job.  Bangladeshi readymade garment imports may dwindle with the regional instability and the erratic spate over world oil supplies can all have a potential negative impact on the Bangladesh economy.

During a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), two South Asian leaders met to discuss Iraq, they were the Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and Pakistan President Parvez Musharraf.  Both leaders are calling for a peaceful resolution to the Iraq crisis, through the UN Security Council.

Cambodia

As the Cambodian government and people remain quiet on the issue of Iraq, Phnom Penh Post publisher Michael Hayes has asked the opinion of various citizens in Cambodia

China

As the discussion turns to reconstruction, the Chinese government reasserted its intention to continue providing assistance to the Iraqi people and noted that it had already provided some help to Jordan to go towards helping Iraqi refugees there.

China continued to call for an early end to the war.  In addition, the Chinese government articulated the belief that the issue is inseparable from the UN and expressed China's intention to join the international community in safeguarding the role of the UN and the authority of the Security Council.  This was reiterated on 8 April by a Foreign Ministry Spokesman, who declared his government's belief that the UN should play a leading role in post-conflict Iraq.

As China has adopted a permanent strategy of opposition to US hegemony, they are also one of the countries that stands to benefit economically from this war.  There is a great possibility of China winning post war reconstruction contracts.

President Hu Jiantao has expressed a deep national concern over the humanitarian crisis that this war will present to the Iraqi people and to the world at large.

China now feels comfortable speaking on behalf of all of South East Asia when it comes to opposing the US-Iraq war.  The Chinese prefer to think of themselves as doves and the Americans as hawks, and it is the duty of the Chinese to keep America’s talons away from Asia.

Chinese President Jiang Zemin and his French counterpart Jacques Chirac held a phone conversation to discuss their current stance on Iraq.  Chirac believes that the future of the world is at stake, while Zemin wants to increase inspections

China still maintains its position that global peace and governance should dictate any events around Iraq.  The country is pushing for increased inspections and no military action prior to a second UN resolution.

India

Despite the international pressure to condemn the US for its invasion of Iraq, India remains silent.  Through its silence, India hopes to play a key role in the rebuilding of the region.

Left-wing rebels in southern India have attacked local shops selling Coca Cola and Pepsi Cola, as the opposition to the war has moved to a boycott of US brand names and US products.

The public masses in Kashmir oppose the US-led attack on Iraq and ague that the holy land should be preserved.  They urge soldiers to be careful of religious places and their sanctity, as no one should be allowed to ruin the living history and culture of Islam.

India refuses to be a mediator in the ongoing US-Iraq conflict and eventual war, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee has said.  Many people in India now see the war as imminent however they sill believe that the inspectors should be given more time and that war should be the last option, as this is a task for the Security Council.

Indonesia 

President Megawati Sukarnoputri has led active opposition to the war and has publicly denounced it as an act of aggression.  For a country opposed to war, the streets of Indonesia have lately been quiet.

Following the US attack on Iraq, many Indonesian groups lobbied for he government to beak off ties with the US.  Although Indonesia is in disagreement with the war the Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson, Marty Natalegawa, has said that diplomatic ties will not be broken.

The Indonesian military has allowed US warships to pass through Indonesian waters as an alternative route to the Persian Gulf.  The only condition is that they cannot stop and carry out military action in Indonesian waters.

President Megawati is in a difficult position as she tries to balance popular antiwar sentiment with US and British interests.  The government is fearful that the longer the war drags on, the more damage it will cause to US-Indonesian relations.

Seven students have returned to Baghdad.  “Our studies have started,” said Zanuar Anwari, chairman of the Indonesian Students Association in Baghdad.  The seven students, who were evacuated to Syria, were forced to sign a statement with the Indonesian Embassy in Damascus before returning.

In anticipation of the war, the Indonesian Embassy in Iraq has evacuated all except six of its citizens, those remaining are diplomats and drivers, the Indonesian Ambassador to Iraq Dachlan Abdul Hamied said.  He then added that as soon as the situation escalates the remaining six citizens would be evacuated.

Japan

Japan’s policymakers are looking for cash to help pay the war bill and officials are busy discussing the deployment of Japanese troops to a post war Iraq.  On 16 April, the government stated that it would extend food aid of up to 1.4 billion yen through the World Food Programme.  This would be part of the broader contribution towards humanitarian assistance it had announced the week before.  On 9 April, it had announced that Japan intended to contribute up to US$100 million towards humanitarian assistance.  Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi expressed her government's belief that the UN should be involved in the reconstruction process, but did not expressly indicate that its role should be central.

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and President Bush have agreed to help build a new Iraq through UN activities, after the offensive is finished.

More fearful of an angry US government than a public upheaval, Koizumi has decided to back US military intervention in Iraq, saying snubbing the UN is bad, but offending a trigger-happy US is even worse. This will have been a relief for the US and UK governments.

Prime Minister Koizumi announced on February 13 that Japan will support responsible measures (including war) taken by the US to deal with Iraq.  This sudden announcement surprised many, however some expected it, as since September 11 Koizumi has passed a law that will allow Japan to participate in the war on terror.  Previous to this announcement, Koizumi made it clear that he believes that the US has made a sufficient case against Iraq.

Japanese officials have told the US that they refuse to fund this Iraq war and will not bear the expense of a war.  Japan will not stand in the way of a war and they have said that they will help in the reconstruction of post-war Iraq, however they will not bear any direct war expense.

Malaysia

On 26 March, the Malaysian government announced the creation of an Iraqi People's Humanitarian Assistance Fund.  On 15 April, a cheque presentation ceremony was held in order to boost this fund.

Malaysia continued to send food to Iraq under the Oil-for-Food Programme, despite the situation there.  Malaysia enjoyed a good relationship with Iraq and believed that if all sanctions were lifted there would be even more room for trade and investment.

The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), which began meetings on Monday February 24, in Kuala Lumpur, rejected the idea of military action toward Iraq without a second UN resolution.  However it continued to push Iraq to comply with inspectors up until the outbreak of hostilities.

Myanmar

A repressive government that has been under scrutiny of international law runs Myanmar.  For this reason, Saw Bawah of the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) hopes that once the US is finished with Baghdad, they move on and do the same in Burma.

Pakistan

Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali has urged the United Nations, the Organisation of Islamic Conference, and the Arab League to stop the Iraq War.  The Prime Minister has described the bombardment as inhumane and says that Pakistan continues to oppose war and looks for a peaceful solution. As the fighting drew to a close, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs called for the immediate restoration of an Iraqi government and asserted that the UN should have a central role in shaping the future on Iraq as well as in humanitarian and long-term reconstruction.  The previous week, on 7 April and immediately prior to the fall of Baghdad, a Foreign Ministry spokesman asserted that the reconstruction of post-conflict Iraq should be implemented under the auspices of the UN Security Council.

Pakistan had called for an immediate end to hostilities and aggression in Iraq and called the US action deplorable.  Foreign office spokesperson, Aziz Ahmed Khan stated that Pakistan would maintain diplomatic relations with Iraq regardless of allied forces.  In doing this, Pakistan officials were careful not to step on any American toes as fears are growing regarding long-term effects.

The net has widened in Pakistan, where it is said that several more al Qaeda members have allegedly been arrested.  This was a result of the large-scale military operation involving US Special Forces and Pakistani troops who marched though southwestern Pakistan.

In a Pakistani raid to find key al Qaeda members, chief Khalid Sheik Mohammed the alleged paymaster to the September 11 hijackers, was found and captured.  Recently it was discovered that Mustafa Ahmed Hawsawi, a Saudi native who allegedly oversaw the hijacking finances, was also apprehended.

The Philippines

Prayer and protest marked the largest anti-war demonstration in Manila.  Left-wingers, middle-class Filipinos, and members of the Catholic Church joined together in opposition to the Iraq War.

The Philippine government has thrown its support behind President Bush.  The government is yet again under fire for backing Washington as they face threats from Islamic and communist rebels.

Nineteen people were killed and over 140 injured in a terrorist bomb attack at a busy Philippines airport.  The attack happened in a region where Muslim groups are seeking an independent state and US troops are currently training Filipino forces in counter-terrorism, against the will of many residents.

Philippine President Gloria Malapagal-Arroyo has said that, “the Philippines supports the case the US has made against Iraq and urges Iraqi compliance with the UN weapons inspectors.”  The President did, however say that the Philippines will only back the US if there is a clear second UN resolution.  In reaction to this, Mrs. Arroyo received an appreciative phone call from President Bush.

Russia

Relations between the US and Russia remain fractious. On Sunday, 6 April, a Russian convoy was shelled by US forces and five people were injured.  While the Russian ambassador to Iraq claimed the attack had been deliberate, the US State Department insisted that the convoy had deviated from its planned route. Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Alexander Yakovenko  stated that his country reserved the right to "take appropriate action to obtain compensation for the moral and physical damage caused."  At the same time, he also rejected accusations that Russia was hiding Saddam Hussein.  Russia, with France and Germany, continues to call for the UN to take control of the reconstruction of Iraq following the formal end of hostilities.  It has also asserted its intention to negotiate outstanding Iraqi debts with Iraq's new government, and Chairman of the Russian State Duma (Gennedy Selenev) stated that the US owes Russia $2 billion for unfulfilled contracts.

On April 2, the Russian Foreign Ministry claimed that American bombing strikes had targeted a residential Baghdad neighbourhood where the Russian embassy is located.  Further underscoring Russian opposition to the war, the Foreign Ministry formally protested both to the US Ambassador in Russia and to Washington.  In addition, President Vladimir Putin called the invasion of Iraq the most serious crisis - in terms of its potential for political destabilisation - since the end of the Cold War.  On the same day, however, he also sounded  milder regarding his view of the US, claiming that "Russia is not interested in the defeat of the United States."

Approximately nine out of ten Russians oppose any military action in Iraq and one in ten Russian citizens are Muslim.  Russia also shares a border with several Muslim nations and feels that any military action would be action against its neighbours.  Russia refuses to get involved in any US blunder and will not support intervention in Iraq.

America had hoped that they could change Russia’s mind on Iraq, however since they have underestimated Russia’s position and been unable to persuade the government to change its opinion, America has resorted to blackmail.  If Russia vetoes any UN resolution, they have been warned that they may have difficulties in joining the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

Igor Ivanov, the Russian foreign minister, made the Russian position on a war with Iraq clear.  While he was in London, the minister dropped various hints as to the possibility of a Russian veto in the United Nations.

Officially Iraq was not on the agenda of the recent Eurasian Economic Commonwealth (EEC), however Vladimir Putin took the opportunity to push the Russian position.  There was an agreement between Russia and China that they would coordinate their respective policies of further inspections and Russia has declined to rule out the possibility of a veto to a second resolution.

President Vladimir Putin has made his position clear, that Russia is against unilateral or unreasonable action in Iraq.  Although this is the formal Russian opinion, the financial factor remains present.  Due to the past 11 years of UN sanctions, it is estimated that Russia has lost approximately $60 billion US in trade and business.  Russia and Iraq are negotiating a 10-year trade agreement that will be worth a potential $4 billion US to Russia, making it evident that there is currently money in Iraq for Russia therefore Russia was pushing for more oil deals with Iraq before any US-led attack.

Sri Lanka

The Sri Lankan government is fearful of the repercussions that an Iraq war will have on its peace process with the Tamil Tigers.  So far, twenty donor nations have pledged nearly US$90 million to support the peace process and with the US and UK as major donors, the government is worried that the conflict in Iraq will prove a distraction.

Taiwan

Although many Asian countries have a relatively low risk of a terrorist attack, the possibility of an Iraq war may unleash a series of regional terrorist attacks.  For this reason countries such as Taiwan are maintaining a heightened state of alert.  

Thailand

Prior to the US-led attack on Iraq, the Thai government felt the need to expel three low-ranking Iraqi diplomats.  Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said that the expulsions were deemed necessary for security reasons based on intelligence gathered by Thai-US agencies.

Vietnam

Vietnam has called for an immediate end to the war and wants the Oil-for-Food Programme resumed.  “War is a death sentence to peace,” the Vietnamese Ambassador to the United Nations, Nguyen Thanh Chau said.

Thousands of protestors across Vietnam attended meetings on March 20 to protest the war in Iraq and to discuss preventive measures for international organisations to keep the war from spreading.

Over 400 protestors in Hanoi, voicing their support for peace and condemning war in Iraq, joined Major General Pham Huu Bong, vice-chairman of the Vietnam War Veterans’ Association.  

In response to the worldwide demonstrations held on the 15 February, a crowd of 1300 people in Vietnam pushed for a peaceful and political solution in Iraq before a war. The meeting was jointly organised by the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, the Vietnam Peace Committee, the Vietnam Committee for Solidarity and Co-operation with Asian, African and Latin American People, and the Vietnam-Iraq Friendship Association.