Country Reviews

South Asia

Pakistan

• Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Minorities Affairs Shahbaz Bhatti assassinated; India and Pakistan to hold talks on March 28 in New Delhi; Government of Britain doubles Pakistan aid; ISI redefining terms of engagement with CIA; Reports: Pakistan orders investigations over India’s Hydel projects

Bangladesh

• UK Government to double its aid to Bangladesh; Reports: Islami Bank Bangladesh funds militants; Chinese company to get contract for Ghorashal 200-300 megawatt power plant; Food inflation in Bangladesh rose to 11.91 percent in January; HR situation improves in Bangladesh

Sri Lanka

• Japan provides approximately US$ 2 million as humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka in last two months; A non-binding resolution on Sri Lanka passed by the US Senate; President Rajapaksa requests Gaddafi to establish peace in the country; Canadian High Commissioner visits northern province of Sri Lanka; Indonesian naval ship KRI is on goodwill visit to Sri Lanka

Maldives

• High Commissioner of Cyprus meets Vice President of the Maldives; President Nasheed holds meeting with the Executive Director of the Asian Development Bank; Maldives earns USD 7.2 million as Tourism Goods and Services Tax (T-GST) from 79,459 tourists arrived in January 2011; Maldivian Fathimath Dhiyana Saeed assumes charge as Secretary-General of SAARC, becomes the first lady to occupy the position; New Ambassadors from Czech Republic and Iraq accredited to the Maldives presents their letter of credence to President Mohamed Nasheed

East Asia

China

• China increases its defence budget by 12.7 percent; Zhao Qizheng counters media views about possibility of revolution in China; PLA is ready to evacuate Chinese citizens if Libya-type situation arises in other countries also; Guo Boxiong leads the delegation to the 4th Session of the 11th National People’s Congress (NPC); China does not support any preconditions for restarting the Six-Party Talks; Ma Xiaotian visits Uruguay; Italian army Chief visits China; Chinese and Pakistani air forces conduct a joint drill; The 7th escort taskforce accomplishes the 300th escort mission by the Chinese naval escort taskforces; China assumes presidency of the UNSC; Greek Minister for Maritime Affairs visits China; Russia and China explore to jointly develop border island

Southeast Asia

• ASEAN to set up meeting on Cambodia-Thai dispute; East Timor applies for ASEAN membership; East Timor, Indonesia call for Regional Forum to address human trafficking; Myanmar pro-democracy group slams Junta budget

Central Asia & Russia

• Presidential election campaign begins in Kazakhstan; Kazakhstan awards deal to South Korean consortium; OSCE chair to maintain December Summit momentum, raises concern over southern Kyrgyzstan stability; Kyrgyz President appeals French support for UNSC bid; Kyrgyz economy depends on joining customs union; Gazprom nears deal with Kyrgyzgaz; Tajikistan, Pakistan expand cooperation; China, Turkmenistan pledge economic cooperation; 50 Turkish-owned businesses closed in Uzbekistan; Uzbek parliament reduces presidential power

Russia

• Russia attempts to mediate between Azerbaijan and Armenia to resolve the contentious Karabakh issue in an attempt to play a more prominent role in the region; French firm ‘Total’ buys a stake in Russian Gas Supplier Novatek; Russia delivers humanitarian aid to Libyan refugees; St. Petersburg has been rated as Russia’s best city for living; Microsoft becomes the first to invest to Skolkovo; Russia initiative to woo private equity; Nord Stream secures finance

West Asia

Iran

• Reports: Opposition leaders Mousavi and Karroubi arrested by Iranian security forces

Iraq

• Nine people killed in a suicide bomb blast in Anbar province; Six more people also killed in a roadside bomb blast in Basra

Libya, Yemen

• Counteroffensive by Gaddafi’s forces push rebels; Six Yemeni soldiers killed in Al Qaeda attacks; Yemen ruling party members quit party

USA

• Reports: United States mulls over options in Libya

Defence Review

National

• Union Budget 2011: Significant hike in budgetary allocation for defense; Multi-billion dollar helicopter acquisition programme for the Indian armed forces

International

• China announces a 12.7 percent increase in its annual defense budget, reaches to a new high of $91.5 billion; China’s defense spending is now second only to the United States; Tension in the Korean Peninsula

United Nations (UN) Review

• India against enforcement of no-fly zone or use of force in Libya; U.N. General Assembly votes for suspension of Libya from U.N. Human Rights Council; India asks for a speedier U.N. Security Council reform process; Withdrawal of U.N. peacekeepers from Sierra Leone; U.N. Security Council condemns violence in Cote d’Ivoire