Operations
Other Conflicts
Defense Policy / Programs
News Reports

Current Operations

Other Conflicts

• Statement from the Prime Minister's Bureau Israel Prime Minister's Bureau 25 May 2003 -- "Based on the 23 May 2003 statement of the United States Government, in which the United States committed to fully and seriously address Israel's comments to the Roadmap during the implementation phase, the Prime Minister announced on 23 May 2003 that Israel has agreed to accept the steps set out in the Roadmap"
• Afghanistan: armed escort accompanies UN mission from Kandahar to camps UN News Centre 25 May 2003 -- Under new measures tailored to the fluctuating security situation in various parts of Afghanistan, armed escorts today accompanied a United Nations team which set out to visit internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the country.
• ISRAEL-CABINET VOA 25 May 2003 -- The Israeli cabinet has approved a U-S backed peace plan that calls for a Palestinian state by 2005. But the cabinet also resolved to deny Palestinian refugees the right to return to areas that are now part of the Jewish State.
• ISRAEL / PALESTINIANS VOA 25 May 2003 -- Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's Cabinet is meeting to consider a U-S backed Middle East plan. Mr. Sharon convened his Cabinet after declaring the moment had arrived to divide the area and allow for the establishment of a Palestinian State.
• AUSTRALIA / INDONESIA / ACEH VOA 25 May 2003 -- Australia's foreign minister Alexander Downer says a victory for separatist rebels in the Indonesian province of Aceh would result in a "disastrous security situation" in Southeast Asia.

Defense Policy / Programs

• NATO Parliamentary Assembly Press Release NATO Parliamentary Assembly 25 May 2003 -- NATO and Russian parliamentarians held a lively exchange of views on Iraq on Saturday during a meeting of the joint NATO PA Parliamentary Standing Committee only the second time the newly created body has met.
• EXPERT WARNS NATO PARLIAMENTARIANS OF NUCLEAR TERRORIST DANGER NATO Parliamentary Assembly 25 May 2003 -- A leading expert on "nuclear terrorism" called on Sunday for the United States and Russia to lead a global campaign to down blend and eliminate world stocks of highly enriched uranium (HEU) saying they posed a major security threat.

News Reports

• ARGENTINA / INAUGURATION VOA 25 May 2003 -- Nestor Kirchner was sworn in today (Sunday) as president of Argentina, pledging to rid the country of rampant corruption and cure its economic problems. Presidents Fidel Castro, of Cuba, Hugo Chavez, of Vewnezuela, and Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil were among the heads of state who participated in the inauguration ceremony.
• ZIMBABWE / POLITICS VOA 25 May 2003 -- The leader Zimbabwe's main opposition party has announced the dates of the long-awaited mass action to force President Robert Mugabe out of office. The action is to begin with prayers
• ALGERIA/QUAKE VOA 25 May 2003 -- The death toll from Wednesday's powerful earthquake in northern Algeria stands at more than two-thousand and rescuers say there is little chance of finding anyone else alive.
• ASIA / SARS VOA 25 May 2003 -- Taiwan has refused a Chinese offer of help with the SARS outbreak, in an apparent reaction to Beijing's efforts to keep the island out of the World Health Organization.