Chinese state media announce new talks with Dalai Lama representatives

Chinese state media announce new talks with Dalai Lama representatives
The Associated Press , Beijing Sun, 06/29/2008 8:33 PM World
Chinese state media say Beijing will hold a new round of talks with representatives of the Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, in July.
Xinhua News Agency said Saturday that the "relevant central government department will meet personal representatives of the Dalai Lama" in early July, but did not give a specific date.
Xinhua quoted an unidentified government spokesman as saying China hopes the Dalai Lama "would treasure this opportunity and give positive response to the requirements of the centralauthorities."
The last meeting was held May 4 in the southern city of Shenzhen.(**) From http://www.thejakartapost.com/

Spain wins first major in 44 years

The Associated Press , Vienna Mon, 06/30/2008 3:36 AM Sports

Big-game flops no more, Spain won the European Championship 1-0 over Germany on Sunday for its first major title in 44 years.
Fernando Torres scored in the 33rd minute and the Spaniards never backed down against such a formidable opponent. Their last significant title came in the 1964 Euros at home.
In beating a team that makes a habit of appearing in championship finals, the Spaniards put to rest a reputation for underachieving. Always loaded with talented players, Spain has spent four decades falling short of expectations.
That all changed at these Euros, where the Spaniards swept their first-round games, eliminated World Cup champion Italy in a penalty-kicks shootout in the quarterfinals, then routed Russia 3-0 in the semifinals.
Against the highly accomplished Germans, they weren’t intimidated. They got the one goal they needed—from a slumping striker, no less—and set off chants of “ES-PANA,” and “Ole, Ole Ole” at the final whistle.
The entire Spanish squad ran over to the huge rooting section of red and gold, exchanging hugs, while many of the spent Germans collapsed to the turf.
When Spain goalkeeper and captain Iker Casillas accepted the trophy on a stage, the Spanish fans began chanting the melody to their national anthem, which has no words. Thousands of camera flashes went off as the players jumped in place, then headed onto the field to show off their prize.
Germany has won three Euros and three World Cups, but was no match in this final. Captain Michael Ballack, questionable before the game with a calf injury, started, but hardly was noticeable—except when he left for several minutes to have a bloody right eye treated.
Torres, who had 33 goals for Liverpool this season but has been invisible in Euros, came through off a brilliant feed from Xavi Hernandez.
Germany goalkeeper Jens Lehmann, at 38 the oldest player in the competition, charged from his net when he saw that defender Philipp Lahm was beaten on the right side. But Torres chipped the ball over the sliding Lehmann and into the gaping net.
The crowd of 51,428 at Ernst Happel Stadium, split almost equally between Germany and Spain, might have expected the Spaniards to go into a protective shell. Instead, and even without leading scorer David Villa (leg injury), they continued to carry the attack and were far more dangerous than Germany the rest of the way.
Indeed, Lehmann, who helped the Germans to third place in the 2006 World Cup, kept it close with several tough saves.
A crowd of about 68,000 packed Vienna’s downtown fan zone to watch the final, police said. In Germany, flags fluttered from balconies and car antennas across the country. In Berlin, an estimated 400,000 fans watched the game on large outdoor screens.
Spain has never made a World Cup final and was in one other Euros final, aside from the 1964 triumph. That was a loss to France in 1984.
With two of the world’s top clubs, Real Madrid and FC Barcelona, the nation has tons of talent. What it has lacked is fortitude.
No one can say that anymore. (***) From http://www.thejakartapost/

Guus Hiddink's Russia outlasts and outplays the Netherlands to reach Euro 2008 semifinal

Guus Hiddink's Russia outlasts and outplays the Netherlands to reach Euro 2008 semifinal

The Associated Press , Basel, Switzerland Sun, 06/22/2008 10:09 PM Sports

Guus Hiddink danced onto the pitch Saturday after Russia beat tournament favorite the Netherlands 3-1 i extra time to secure its first ever European Championship semifinal appearance.
He doesn't do that often.
Hiddink and his players earned the right to party with their shock win over the Netherlands that had been so dominant in its first three games at Euro 2008, scoring nine goals and conceding just one.
Hiddink's team will now meet Italy or Spain in the semifinals in Vienna on Thursday. If it is Spain, Russia has the chance - and judging by Saturday's performance, the skill and stamina - to avenge its humiliating 4-1 defeat in its tournament opener, when David Villa scored a hat trick.
For shock value, Russia's progress to the semifinals of Euro 2008 is reminiscent of South Korea's run - also engineered by Hiddink - to the last four of the 2002 World Cup.
"After 90 minutes, going into extra time, and then doing what they did, that is a tremendous achievement," Hiddink said. "I did not experience that very (often) in my career."
Hiddink said before the tournament that he was aiming for the quarterfinals, but once he got there he didn't want his young players to lie down and let the Netherlands overrun them.
There was never any question of that happening. From an opening surge in the first half to the final minute of extra time, it was Russia that dominated the match.
The team took a deserved lead through Roman Pavlyuchenko, squandered it when it allowed Ruud van Nistelrooy to poach a late equalizer, and then in the last period of extra time, poweed by the skills and stamina of Andrei Arshavin, it swamped the Netherlands with a Dutch-style, all-out attack.
Arshavin crossed for substitute Dmitry Torbinski to score from close range and then the Zenit St. Petersburg star rounded off his second straight man-of-the-match performance by firing a low shot through goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar's legs in a humiliating end to the Netherlands captain's international career.
"Maybe playing against the Dutch it was good to have a Dutch coach - and a very good coach," Russia midfielder Diniyar Bilyaletdinov said. "I've never played in a match like this."
Hiddink said he was not ready to worry about the semifinals so soon after the shocking victory.
"I have not had any thoughts about that," he said. "Going into quarterfinals being an outsider and reaching that goal is already a big achievement, and then going into next round and semifinal, I think the first thing we do is rest two days and then focus on the opponent."
As with all his successful campaigns - Hiddink has now taken the Netherlands and South Korea to World Cup semifinals and Russia to the same stage at the European Championships - the fitness of his players was key. Hiddink worked his squad hard at a long pre-tournament training camp in Germany to improve its stamina, and it is paying off on the pitch now.
Russia beat Sweden 2-0 in its last Group D match just three days before the quarterfinals, while the Netherlands' first-team players had rested for more than a week before Saturday's match at St. Jakob Park in Basel.
Even so, it was Russia who was freshest in extra time, while the Netherlands looked weary.
"Physically, they were a step ahead of us, they were justified winners," said Netherlands winger Arjen Robben, who missed the match because of a recurrence of a groin injury.
Hiddink has constantly claimed underdog status in this tournament, but that may be tough from now on after dominating such a strong Netherlands team.
"I don't know if we're favorites now," Bilyaletdinov said. "We played a great match. Hopefully, we can play another one next time - and the time after that."
Hiddink is confident his team can rise to whatever the next challenge is.
"This team is learning very fast in a short time," he said. "They are very coachable, very keen on what they have to do. And then they have the quality to play." (**) www.thejakartapost.com

Turkey score 2 late goals to advance

Turkey score 2 late goals to advance
The Associated Press , Geneva Mon, 06/16/2008 10:26 AM Sports
Nihat Kahveci was already in the a habit of scoring decisive goals for Turkey. No Turkish fans in their wildest dreams could have been prepared for what he did Sunday night.
The striker scored two goals in three minutes late in the match against the Czech Republic to finish off an incredible comeback, giving Turkey a 3-2 win over the Czech Republic for a spot in the European Championship quarterfinals.
Nihat profited from an unlikely blunder from Petr Cech, one of the world’s greatest goalkeepers, who fumbled a simple cross in the 87th minute. He put the loose ball into the unguarded net to tie it.
With the game seemingly heading for a penalty shootout, the Czech defense fell apart and Nihat scored the decider with a precise inside-foot shot that bounced off the crossbar and into the goal two minutes later.
“Seeing the ball in the nets and knowing that the goal was bringing a win and the quarterfinals, it was an unbelievable feeling,” Nihat said.
He should have grown used to it. Nihat scored the winning goals in the two decisive qualifying games that sent Turkey to Euro 2008. On Sunday, he gave Turkey its biggest victory since reaching the semifinals at the 2002 World Cup.
Cech took the blame for the stunning demise of his team.
“It was my mistake that decided that we have to go home,” the goalkeeper said.
The Czechs were in control 2-0 on goals by Jan Koller and Jaroslav Plasil before Turkey staged its comeback in the rain. Arda Turan scored in the 75th minute before Nihat took charge.
Turkey goalkeeper Volkan Demirel was red-carded in injury time for knocking down Koller. Midfielder Tuncay Sanli replaced him in goal for the final seconds, but did not face a shot.
Turkey plays Croatia in the quarterfinals Friday in Vienna.
“The Turkish national team is in the top eight. Hopefully it will get only better from now on,” coach Fatih Terim said.
“I’m proud that I have players who know that the match ends with the referee’s whistle. We showed to the whole world what kind of a team we are. We had said that we came here to go until the end. We are working to make that goal come true.”
The Czechs scored first when defender Zdenek Grygera crossed into the area for Koller, the nation’s career scoring leader. Even though the towering forward had to lean his 6-foot-7 frame backward, he still got enough power and precision on the header to send it to the upper right corner. Demirel threw himself at the ball, but could only push it onto the underside of the bar and into his net.
The Czechs took a 2-0 lead in the 62nd under a steady rain when Libor Sionko sent a low cross into the area and Plasil threw his whole body sliding into the ball. Again Demirel got a touch of the ball, but not enough to keep it out.
Portugal had already clinched first place in the group and will play the runner-up in Group B on Thursday in Basel. (***) from. www.thejakartapost.com

Rudd signs up for joint effort on climate change

Rudd signs up for joint effort on climate change
The Jakarta Post , Jakarta Sat, 06/14/2008 11:07 AM Headlines

Indonesia has secured pledges from Australia in various areas, including in relation to the forest carbon market and education, in a busy day of signing for visiting Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Rudd signed the joint Forest Carbon Partnership agreement at Merdeka Palace on Friday, and agreed to develop a roadmap for access to international carbon markets.
The partnership will allow Indonesia to use Australian technology to track carbon stored in its forests and help Indonesia reduce emissions caused by deforestation and forest degradation.
Under the agreement, the two countries will work together to build a roadmap that sets out incentives for developing countries to implement the Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) scheme.
"The Indonesia-Australia Forest Carbon Partnership is an example of our concrete cooperation to overcome the impacts of climate change," Yudhoyono told a joint press conference.
Yudhoyono and Rudd attended the UN climate change summit in Bali last December, during which Indonesia's REDD initiative was adopted as a possible mechanism to tackle global warming after the Kyoto Protocol commitment expires in 2012.
"This partnership is important for the future, considering the great contribution of rain forests to reducing the impacts of climate change. What we agreed today is a practical program between the two countries to make our efforts better," Rudd said.
This is Rudd's first visit to Indonesia since he was sworn in as the Australian prime minister.
Rudd broke with the policies of the Howard government and ratified the Kyoto Protocol on global warming in one of his first acts after taking power.
He said Australia and Indonesia would take the plan to a G-8 summit in the northern Japanese resort of Toyako next month, which is expected to have climate change as its focus.
Yudhoyono and Rudd also discussed expanding the two countries' security cooperation within the framework of the Lombok Treaty.
A communication glitch occurred during Yudhoyono's response to Canberra's decision to maintain a travel warning for Australian citizens visiting Indonesia.
Yudhoyono said he could understand the policy, but the interpreter mistakenly said the President demanded the warning be revoked. Yudhoyono then asked presidential spokesman Andi Mallarangeng to rectify the mistake.
Rudd also visited leaders of Indonesia's largest Muslim organizations Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) and Muhammadiyah.
At the Muhammadiyah office, Rudd and Muhammadiyah chairman Din Syamsuddin signed a memorandum of understanding on broadening the partnership between the Australian government and the Muslim organization in the fields of education, health, culture and democracy.
Under the agreement Muhammadiyah and the Australian government will launch a student exchange program, Din said.
Australia will also provide funds for NU over three years to help improve education for students and teachers at Islamic boarding schools, particularly in disaster-hit areas.
Rudd's visit also marked the second phase of the ASEAN-Australia Development Cooperation Program, under which Australia has pledged to contribute A$57 million to support ASEAN's economic integration goals.
"Australia is committed to supporting ASEAN's efforts to establish an economic community by 2015 and economic integration is an important step in that process," Rudd said during his visit to the ASEAN secretariat on Friday to launch the cooperation program. from www.Thejakartapost.com

Women are guarantors of peace, stability and peaceful coexistence: Aliyev

Women are guarantors of peace, stability and peaceful coexistence: Aliyev
Veramalla Anjaiah , The Jakarta Post , Baku Tue, 06/10/2008 9:20 PM World
Women, the half of the humankind, are not only playing a significant part in promoting the dialogue of cultures but also guaranteeing peace and promoting tolerance, several speakers at an international forum in Baku said on Tuesday.
"Throughout the world history the women have been the greatest guarantors of peace, stability and peaceful coexistence," Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev said in his welcoming message at the International Forum on the "Expanding the Role of Women in Cross-Cultural Dialogue" here in Baku.
President Aliyev's message was read at the two-day forum, which is being attended more than 350 government officials, women's rights activists, scholars, diplomats and journalists from more than 50 countries.
According to Aliyev, women today were continuing their efforts for the sake of protecting the interests of future generations, mobilizing their energy to acquaint countries and cultures with each other at the international level.
While agreeing with Aliyev, the director general of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri, said women were in a better position to promote the dialogue of cultures and the alliance of civilizations, a joint initiative of Spain and Turkey.
"The role of women in this field (promoting dialogue) is vital, because their main action lies first and foremost with education proper," Altwaijri said.
But he immediately said that here the education broadly means on the values of dialogue of cultures, whether in domestic life, in school, or even in public life.
"They are the lead mentor for coming generations; they are the first nucleus of the family which forms society; they take charge of instilling the young generations with ideal values and principles," he said.
All the speakers agreed that by expanding the role of women in cross-cultural dialogue, we can have a peaceful world.
The opening session was looked like a summit of first ladies. Azerbaijan first lady Mehriban Aliyeva and her counterparts Maria Kaczynska from Poland, Zanele Mbeki from South Africa, Lilita Zatlere from Latvia, Ana Paula Dos Santos from Angola, and Turkish Prime Minister's wife Emine Erdogan were the main speakers at the opening session.
Argentinean Vice President's spouse Marta Cristina Cerutti de Cobos, first lady of Texas Anita Perry and Russian Federal Assembly deputy speaker Svetlana Orlova were also present at the forum.
In her speech, Mehriban, who is also the president of Heydar Aliyev Foundation and goodwill ambassador of the UNESCO and the ISESCO, the main purpose of the forum was to strengthen the role of women in cross-cultural dialogue.
"It is our intention to explore avenues on how women can contribute to tolerance building efforts, drawing attention to women's initiatives in cross-cultural dialogue," she said.
Turkish prime minister's wife Emine said that we were living i a world where there was a lack of love, dialogue and reconciliation.
"We don't have love, dialogue and reconciliation. I came here not to fight but to love. Turkey along with Spain started this initiative of alliance of civilizations to promote dialogue between different civilizations," Emine, who always wears an headscarf said.
The meeting will adopt the Baku Declaration on a roadmap regarding on what steps the women should take in the future to foster the role of women in cross-cultural dialogue.
Azerbaijan, an oil-rich nation in South Caucasus, is well known for its long history of tolerance and has been functioning as a bridge between the civilizations of both the East and the West. It was also the first country in the East to grant voting rights to women in 1918, much earlier than the U.S., France and other countries. (****) From www.thejakartapost.com

Villa's 3 goals lift Spain over Russia

Villa's 3 goals lift Spain over Russia
The Associated Press , Innsbruck, Austria Wed, 06/11/2008 1:05 AM Sports
David Villa scored three times Tuesday in Spain’s resounding 4-1 victory over Russia, a win that confirmed the Spaniards as a team to beat at the European Championship.
After completing his hat trick in a steady rain, Villa saw teammate Cesc Fabregas also score. Russia’s goal came from Roman Pavlyuchenko long after things were decided. Villa scored the first hat trick in the tournament since 2000.
Fernando Torres fed the streaking Villa for a right-footed shot in the 20th minute. The striker slid Andres Iniesta’s slick pass under goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev for his second in the 44th.
Villa completed his memorable game after dribbling around Roman Shirokov in the 74th to shoot past Akinfeev with his right foot. He matched the achievement of Patrick Kluivert of the Netherlands on June 25, 2000 against Yugoslavia, the last hat trick at Euros.
Pavlyuchenko scored with a header in the 86th, and Fabregas got his goal in injury time in a Group D game.
Despite the slick field and poor conditions, the Spaniards looked superb with their footwork and passing. They threatened often in winning their seventh straight match, and are riding a 17-game unbeaten streak.
Villa showed no effects from a right thigh injury picked up a week ago as he increased his international goal total to 17 in 32 games. But without left back Joan Capdevila, the first two goals would not have been possible.
Capdevila found Torres down the left side for a one-on-one with defender Denis Kolodin. Torres worked around Kolodin to feed Villa for an easy goal.
Then Capdevila led the breakout on the second goal, finding Iniesta with a crossfield pass. Iniesta left Yuri Zhirkov flat-footed to feed Villa, who had slipped between two defenders for another crisp finish.(***) From www.thejakartapost.com

Differences hinder Asia-Pacific bloc

Differences hinder Asia-Pacific bloc
Tony Hotland , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta Fri, 06/06/2008 9:47 AM World
Lack of communalism and enormous economic gaps are the major speed bumps on the road to creating an Asia-Pacific community seeking to develop into a bloc similar to the European Union.
The idea for an Asia-Pacific union was proposed Wednesday by Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd who said while regional bodies like ASEAN and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) had achieved much, there was a need for a region-wide architecture to tackle the growing challenges of the Asia-Pacific century.
Rudd said the bloc, which should be in place by 2020, should encourage cooperation and action on economic, political and security issues, but also develop a "genuine and comprehensive sense of community".
"A bloc of Asia-Pacific nations would be tremendously difficult because each of them is very different in ethnicity, politics and economy," Primo Alui Joelianto, the director general for Asia-Pacific and African Affairs at the Foreign Ministry, said Thursday.
"And then there's a question of whether the motivation is really to seek equal growth among members."
He said existing regional bodies, such as ASEAN and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), were still struggling to be relevant.
A consultation forum on regional security, ARF includes all 10 members of ASEAN as well as Russia, China, Japan, India, Australia, the United States and the EU.
Dewi Fortuna Anwar, an international relations analyst with the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), said the proposal could be aimed at countering the EU, which unseated the U.S. as the world's largest economy last year.
"Politically, an Asia-Pacific bloc would face obstacles in the form of different political cultures. Economically, I think the region should hold on to APEC and return to its initial goals of boosting economic development," she said.
Dewi said APEC forums had been hijacked by political issues in the past few years since the start of the U.S.'s war on terror, resulting in the forum straying from its economic objectives.
Lawmaker Theo Sambuaga, chairman of House Commission I overseeing defense and foreign affairs, concurred with the likely political stumbling blocks and said it would be best for major powers to help pursue a greater role for ASEAN.
"One of ASEAN's goals is to be fully integrated with a wider participation in the Asia-Pacific region. That's why ASEAN has forums such as ASEAN +3 and the East Asia Summit," he said.
Theo added an Asia-Pacific bloc structured like the EU would not be effective.
Prime Minister Rudd, who has sought to forge closer ties with the region since coming to power last November, will travel to Japan and Indonesia this month after visiting China earlier this year.
On Thursday, China expressed its support for Rudd's idea and said Asia-Pacific countries should make joint efforts to enhance exchanges, the AP reported. from. www.thejakartapost.com

Moderate quake hits Ambon

Moderate quake hits Ambon
Antara , Ambon Mon, 06/02/2008 12:16 PM National
An earthquake measuring 5.4 on the Richter scale hit Ambon, Maluku Province, on Monday at 7.55 am local time.
The earthquake's epicenter was located at 4.31 degrees southern latitude and 129.69 degrees eastern longitude, around 184 km southeast of Ambon, at a depth of 50 km below sea level, Head of the Ambon Geophysics station Benny Sipollo said here on Monday.
The temblor of the second level of MMI (modified mercally intensity) was hardly felt by residents of Ambon.
"The location is quite far, therefore it's hardly felt by Ambon residents," Sipollo said.
Ambon has been hit by five mild earthquakes and 30 aftershocks since Sunday. (*) from. www.thajakartapost.com