COUNTRY REVIEW

South Asia

Afghanistan

• UN envoy Peter Galbraith recalled from Afghanistan; President Obama held meeting with key aides in the administration to review Afghanistan strategy; President Obama and NATO chief call Afghan war a multinational effort

Pakistan

• EAM Krishna urges meets with his Pakistani counterpart in New York, urges progress in bringing the perpetrators of Mumbai attack to justice; Interior Minister Malik: US will not be allowed to bomb Quetta; US Ambassador Patterson

EAST AND SOUTHEAST ASIA

Japan

• Hatoyama meets world leaders in New York; US asks Tokyo for ¥1 billion to provide information regarding F-35; Prosecutors launch investigations into political donations scandal involving TPM Hatoyama

SouthEast Asia

• Vietnam suffers due to typhoon Ketsana; Earthquake measuring 7.6 strikes Sumatra; At the Mekong-Japan Foreign Ministers meeting, Burmese Foreign Minister promises ‘free and fair’ elections in 2010

West Asia

Iran

• China calls for restraint amidst Iran’s missile tests and revelations of second uranium enrichment plant; US terms missile tests as “provocative”; Iran’s Foreign Minister visits Washington ahead of Vienna talks

Iraq

• TUS Commander: Iraq’s budget shortfall presents security challenges

MISSILES, SPACE AND DEFENCE REVIEW

Missile and Space

• Chandrayaan Project Director: NASA’s M3 instrument detected water on the moon; Roskosmos: India trying to secure a Soyuz TMA spaceship to send tourists into space

Defence

• 29 more MiG-29Ks for Indian Navy

• IAF seeks permission to fire at naxals in self-defence; Defence Ministry averse to the idea

• IAF to Station all MiG 29s along Pak Border