COUNTRY REVIEWS

South Asia

Afghanistan

• Gates reviews plans ahead of a major offensive against Taliban in Kandahar; Gates: US forces may start handing over security responsibilities to Afghan authorities before July 2011; 30 dead in four suicide attacks in Kandahar; US House of Representatives rejects plans to recall troops by year end; Karzai visits Pakistan, meets with Zardari and Gilani; New UN chief in Afghanistan Staffan de Mistura takes over

Pakistan

• Series of bomb attacks in Lahore kill nearly 100; 16 militants killed in Orakzai air strikes by PAF in response to Lahore blasts; Karzai visits Islamabad, says Pakistan and Afghanistan are “conjoined twins” with “linked destinies”; Lt. Gen. Shuja Pasha’s tenure as ISI Chief extended for another year

Bhutan

• Domestic revenues exceed revised target; Hydro-power projects, domestic taxes, tourism among top revenue generators; Union Cabinet Secretary visits Bhutan; Bhutan agrees to withdraw advisory issued in 2003 barring its citizens from traveling to Assam; New envoy to Maldives assumes responsibilities

Maldives

• Nasheed visits Germany, seeks assistance in training police forces; Maldives to contest for a seat at UN Human Rights Council

Sri Lanka

• Gen. Fonseka to be produced for Court Martial on charges levied under the Army Act; India to set up a Consul office in Jaffna; Line of Credit Agreement for $67.4 million signed with EXIM Bank; China to fund two developmental projects worth $290 million, including construction of the island’s second airport in Mattala

East Asia

South Korea

• North Korea to return to Six-Party talks in April; US State Department: North Korea's human rights record remains "deplorable" under an "absolute" dictatorship; South Korea and ASEAN to work towards further trade liberalization; South Korea and Denmark to enhance bilateral partnership in renewable energies and bio-science; South Korea and Turkey sign joint declaration to expand cooperation on nuclear power development; North Korea gives Russia right to use Rajin seaport for 50 years

Southeast Asia

• 6,377 people participated in the UDD led anti-government rally in Thailand demanding dissolution of the Parliament; Abhisit is ready to dissolve the parliament if it could serve the country’s national interest, but denies the possibility of a military coup; Suu Kyi urged the Burmese people to stand against the ‘unjust’ election law; Singapore, Thailand and the US air forces concluded their trilateral air exercise ‘Cope Tiger’

West Asia

Iran

• Ahmadinejad on a visit to Afghanistan says “regional countries know much better how to establish their own peace and security …”; Iran-US trade almost doubles in January 2010

Iraq

• Maliki’s coalition heading towards majority to form the government in Iraq but opposition complained for fraud