SWB
FE/0437 i
3. THE FAR EAST
18 Apr 89
Chinese students call for resignation of prime minister Following the death of former CCP General Secretary Hu Yaobang, students at Chinese universities continued to honour his memory on 16th April, Hongkong's 'Ming Pao' reported. Many "elegiac couplets" and big character posters expressed condolences and urged the Chinese authorities "to mend their ways". One banner appeared at Qinghua University "demanding Li Peng's resignation". Many students and teachers were said to be dissatisfied by the fact that the CCP obituary did not mention Hu's being disgraced in 1987. According to another 'Ming Pao' report, Hu's family were said to have asked Zhao Ziyang, General Secretary of the CCP Central Committee, to “draw a conclusion" from Hu's fall from power. This request was reported to have the support of intellectuals.**
The Hongkong-based Zhongguo Tongxun She in a dispatch on 17th April said that, once the CCP Central Committee had announced that a grand meeting would be held in memory of Hu, "the situation on the university campuses in Peking, which was once tense, has quickly relaxed".**
AFP: Thousands on Peking square commemorate Hu Some 4,000 people were reported by AFP to have gathered on Peking's Tiananmen Square on 17th April after 700 students had marched there in remembrance of Hu Yaobang. Police did not intervene as the students, carrying banners and shouting slogans in support of democracy and freedom and against corruption and bureaucracy, made their way to the monument to people's heroes on the square to lay wreaths for Hu.
In
North Korea postpones North-South talks separate telephone messages to the South Korean side on 17th April, the head of the North Korean delegation to the preliminary meeting for North-South high-level political and military talks and the head of the North Korean delegation to the North-South sports talks requested the postponement of the two meetings, Pyongyang radio reported. The high-level talks, already postponed until 26th April, have been further put back to 12th July, while the sports talks, scheduled for 18th April, are to be delayed until 18th July. The heads of delegations cited the arrest by the South Korean authorities of Rev Mun Ik-hwan after his recent visit to Pyongyang as the reason for the postponements.**
Indian Premier says China is not involved in trade dispute with Nepal Xinhua on 17th April quoted Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi as saying that India was willing to discuss the disputed question of trade and transit treaties with Nepal. India had adopted its present "strong position" with "a heavy heart”, he said, adding: “I don't think China is behind the recent trouble with Nepal”. (For further details of the Nepal-India trade dispute, see today's A3 section.)
AFP reported, also on the 17th, that Nepali students in Pakistan had held a silent demonstration outside the Indian
High Commission in Dhaka to protest against the Indian blockade.
Afghan mojahedin reportedly break through Jalalabad defence line The mojahedin have broken the outer defence line of Jalalabad, Xinhua reported from Islamabad on 17th April. They have captured 13 security posts in the Chaprahar hill tract south of the city, the agency said.
Afghan mojahedin leader cancels visit to Japan Afghan mojahedin leader Golboddin Hekmatyar has cancelled a two-day visit to Japan scheduled to begin on 18th April, according to a Japanese Foreign Ministry statement quoted by Kyodo on the 17th. He has been detained in Australia by an airline strike, the statement said.
Vietnamese party leader to visit Cuba and Moscow The Vietnamese party leader, Nguyen Van Linh, will make an official friendship visit to Cuba "in the near future", VNA reported on 16th April. According to the Japanese agency Kyodo on the 17th, Nguyen Van Linh will travel there via Moscow, where he will spend the period 20th to 24th April.
In a press
Guangdong governor to visit Macao conference in Macao on 13th April, the governor of Macao, Carlos Melancia, announced that Ye Xuanping will make a visit to Macao on 27th-30th April, Zhongguo Tongxun She reported from Hongkong.
Former President of Vanuatu to stand for parliament George Sokomanu, who was released from prison last week after his conviction for attempting to overthrow the government was quashed in the court of appeal, has said he plans to join the Melanesian Progressive Party and stand for parliament at the next general election, Radio Australia reported on 17th April.
Burma relations
and
Peru establish diplomatic Burma and Peru established diplomatic relations on 17th April, Rangoon radio reported.
Thailand and Lesotho establish diplomatic relations Thailand and Lesotho established diplomatic relations on 17th April, Bangkok radio reported.
** Details to be published later