COUNTRY REVIEWS

South Asia

Afghanistan

• Suicide attackers kill seven in Farah province of Afghanistan

Pakistan

• US, Pakistan discuss reopening of NATO supply route; Pakistan invited for NATO Summit in Chicago; Zardari to attend Chicago Summit; Talks held between commanders on Pak-Afghan border security

Bangladesh

• Dipu Moni urges the UNHCR to resume repatriation process of the Myanmar refugees in Bangladesh; Exports fell by 4.60 percent in April, 2012; Bapex determines presence of around 150 million barrels of oil in old gas fields of Kailashtila and Haripur in Sylhet; A four-day-long conference between Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Indian Border Security Force (BSF) held

Sri Lanka

• Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines visits Sri Lanka; Minister of External Affairs, Prof. G.L. Peiris on four days official visit to Washington; Mahinda Rajapaksa visits Qatar to participate in the 12th Doha Forum; Thirteen member Chinese Communist Party delegation was on goodwill visit to Sri Lanka; The cabinet of ministers of Sri Lanka approves proposal forwarded by President to amend the Citizenship Act No.18 of 1948 and the Immigration and Emigration Act No.20 of 1948

Maldives

• President Dr Mohamed Waheed briefed the cabinet on his recent visit to India; President Waheed thanks Indian President and PM

East Asia

Southeast Asia

• Cambodia, Thailand to set up special economic border zone; Shan ethnic group in second round of peace talk with Myanmar; China, Philippines impose fishing ban in South China Sea; Indonesia turns down Russian ‘black box’ request; Crashed Russian jet was a replacement: Reports

China

• China promotes ties with Croatia; US falsely accusing Chinese military; Beijing refutes New Delhi’s border accusations; China-US seek uninterrupted military ties; Chinese aircraft carrier completes 6th sea trial; Japan and China hold first maritime talks; China asserts closer ties with Australia; Phillipines asserts that the Island dispute may be resolved soon

Japan

• Japanese PM Noda attends the annual G-8 Summit; Japanese PM vows to relocate Futenma base; The 4th Uygur congress opened in Tokyo despite China’s protest; Japan, China and South Korea hold summit talk in Beijing

South Korea

• South Korean President meets Myanmar’s iconic opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi

North Korea

• Indonesian President urges North Korea to continue dialogue with other countries

West Asia

Iran

• Iran discovers new oilfield in Caspian Sea; Russia sees further sanctions against Iran as “counterproductive”

Syria

• Anti-regime demonstrations continue

Lebanon

• Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister: Arms smuggling taking place through Lebanese-Syrian border

UAE

• UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan visits India

Africa

• UNDP express concern over mounting hunger in Africa; ECOWAS to send troops to Guinea-Bissau; African Union press for peace talks between Sudan and South Sudan; US announces food initiative for Africa; Plans on track to create an African Free Trade Area by 2014; G-8 pledge to support sustainable agriculture in Africa

DEFENCE REVIEW

National

• India’s Minister of State (MoS) for Defence denies that China poses any threat to India despite border dispute; Indian National Defence University to be set up by 2017

International

• NATO summit in Chicago begins with messages of confidence and solidarity about the future of Afghanistan; U.S and Southeast Asian nations discuss security cooperation

INTERNAL SECURITY REVIEW

Jammu & Kashmir

• Restricted release of Interlocutors Report on May 16; Open fire in Kashmir University; Union Home Secretary to visit J&K on May 16 and 17; Grenade blast at Sangam leaves three injured; Union Home Secretary reviews security situation; Hizbul Mujahideen militant arrested in Doda; Fourteen persons injured in grenade attacks

North East India

• Shutdown brings normal life to a standstill in Meghalaya; The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) asks the State Governments of the North East region to take all necessary steps to prevent the Maoist rebel groups; NSCN (IM) not to attend reconciliation meet; Assam-Meghalaya border villages to stop any help to militant outfits; Kuki State Demand Committee (KSDC) suspends economic blockade in Manipur; Cops and ultra held with arms; Students storm political offices in Manipur

UNITED NATIONS (UN) REVIEW

• UN extends mandate of its mission in Abyei; UNSC imposes ban on military officers in Guinea-Bissau; UNSC condemns attacks against peacekeepers in DRC; Council members visit West African countries