Military

AFGHANISTAN

¨         Afghan President Karzai came under fire this week from critics at home, who accused him of mismanaging the government and warned that his reliance on U.S. bodyguards could have "dangerous consequences." The warning appeared Sept. 19 in an editorial published in the weekly Paum-e-Mujahid newspaper - a mouthpiece of Jamiat-e-Islami, the leading party of the northern alliance. "We believe Karzai still has the chance to review his policies and make his strategies clear," the editorial said. "But counting on a few American bodyguards and paying little attention to his actions will have dangerous consequences." The Tajik-dominated Jamiat-e-Islami is led by former President Rabbani and counts among its members Defense Minister Mohammed Fahim, who has been viewed as a powerful and ambitious rival to Karzai. (AP 231708 Sep 02)

¨         Germany and the Netherlands are discussing taking command of the UN security force in Afghanistan early next year after Turkey's mandate expires, German Defense Minister Peter Struck said in remarks released on Monday. He said he would now discuss details with his Dutch counterpart Benk Korthals. "It's a possible solution," Struck was quoted as saying by the Neue Ruhr/Rhein Zeitung in an advance copy of its Tuesday edition. (AP 231933 Sep 02)

IRAQ

¨         The United States has stopped tens of millions of dollars in aid to Ukraine, suspicious the former Soviet republic and U.S. ally may have sold a military system, the "Kolchuga" system, to Iraq that could help bring down U.S. planes, a senior U.S. official said Monday. President Kuchma vigorously denies the allegations. (Reuters 232259 GMT Sep 02)

¨         Europeans grappled on Monday with Gerhard Schroeder's election victory, accusing the German chancellor of trying to score political points while fraying ties with Washington over Iraq. "It will have a bad effect on the (European Union's) security policy," Italian European Union Affairs Minister Rocco Buttiglione insisted in an interview published on Monday. "We will have to split on this point because it is important that there are no divisions between the United States, the United Nations and Europe over Iraq," Buttiglione told the Corriere della Sera newspaper. (Reuters 231706 GMT Sep 02)

¨         Asian and European Union leaders agreed on Monday that Iraq must readmit arms inspectors as soon as possible and allow them full and free access to its facilities, current EU president Denmark said. But EU diplomats said differences among the 25 leaders attending the two-day ASEM summit over how much pressure to put on Iraqi President Saddam Hussein ruled out any joint statement. (Reuters 231804 GMT Sep 02)

¨         Britain accused Iraq on Monday of actively seeking nuclear, germ and chemical arms and President Bush pressed the United Nations to act before Saddam Hussein became a threat to civilization. President Bush, speaking at an Army National Guard hangar in Trenton, New Jersey, pounded his theme that Iraq is a test for the authority of the United Nations. (Reuters 240051 GMT Sep 02)

¨         Russia would not necessarily oppose a UN resolution designed to make the work of weapons inspectors in Iraq more effective, Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said on Monday in Madrid, according to the Interfax news agency. "I suggest that movement in two directions is acceptable: UN inspectors work in Iraq, and in New York, diplomats work on developing draft texts of documents on Iraq," Interfax quoted him as saying. (AP 231722 Sep 02)

¨         Jordan, opposed like other Arab states to an attack on Iraq, on Monday ruled out any use of Jordanian bases for a military operation. Foreign Minister Marwan al-Muasher, speaking at an event organized by the Council on Foreign Relations, also dismissed the idea that the United States could quickly make Iraq democratic after overthrowing President Saddam Hussein. (Reuters 240131 GMT Sep 02)

NATO

¨         NATO defense ministers will hold talks Tuesday on ways to modernize their 53-year-old alliance and refocus their military muscle on threats from terrorism and rogue states. "The overall goal is both clear and simple - to ensure that our Atlantic alliance continues its transformation to meet effectively the new threats and challenges," NATO Secretary General George Robertson told the allies on the eve of the meeting. "There is no time for empty words or unfulfilled commitments," Lord Robertson warned. "The price of failure is simply too high." "Given the present international situation, the alliance should be capable of conducting military operations other than the defense of allied territories," Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski said Monday evening at a reception for the NATO ministers. (AP 240054 Sep 02)

BALKANS

¨         Croatian Prime Minister Racan said on Monday his government was not ready to hand indicted general Janko Bobetko to the UN war crimes tribunal and was ready to take the consequences of defying the court. If Croatia fails to deliver Bobetko, the tribunal may report its non-compliance to the UN Security Council. A Croatian diplomatic source said he was afraid that Zagreb, regarded as reformist and cooperative so far, "might now enter a confrontation with the international community, which would have a very negative impact." (Reuters 231703 GMT Sep 02)

OTHER NEWS

¨         Morocco accused Spain of repeatedly violating its airspace by overflying a disputed islet and questioned Madrid's motives after the two nations narrowly averted a military crisis over the island this summer. Moroccan Foreign Minister Benaissa said that a Cessna plane from the Spanish navy flew Monday over the Mediterranean island. Spain's Foreign Minister Ana Palacio told Spanish national radio on Monday night that the aircraft that flew close to Perejil island on Monday belonged to a Spanish television news channel. A day earlier, the foreign minister accused Spain of landing an army helicopter on the island and called off high-level talks aimed at mending ties with Spain planned for Monday. In Madrid, Palacio said she regretted Morocco's decision and denied the Spanish helicopter had tried to land on the island. Palacio told Spanish TV network Antena 3 that the helicopter flew over the islet on Sunday afternoon after a Moroccan patrol boat was spotted approaching it, but left once the pilot saw the vessel was not trying to dock. She said Madrid was keen to restore good relations with its southern neighbor. (AP 232111 Sep 02)