SWB
FE/0073 i
3. THE FAR EAST
12 Feb 88
New Chinese naval base, “biggest artificial harbour in the Far East” A new, modern naval base, described by Chinese authorities as the "the biggest artificial harbour in the Far East", has been built by the PRC, Xinhua reported on 11th February citing the 'People's Daily'. The report did not disclose the exact location of the base, which took 11 years to build, but said it "nestles against mountains, and covers 10.7 sq.km. with a water surface area of 3.9 sq.km.”. With an operational area of 128,000 sq.m., the harbour reportedly can accommodate "dozens of naval missile destroyers".
USSR urges Pakistan not to delay Geneva accords According to a Tass report on 11th February, Soviet First Deputy Foreign Minister Vorontsov told the Pakistani leaders in Islamabad that their seeking to delay the conclusion of the accords on Afghanistan and make the process dependent on the establishment of a new Afghan government, while at the same time acknowledging the importance of Gorbachev's recent statement, "was hard to understand".
"It was firmly stated to the Pakistani leaders," the report added, “that the Soviet and Afghan sides stood for the Geneva accords, for the signing of the documents in the nearest future. Departing now from the conclusion of the Geneva process would be tantamount to frustrating the entire Afghan settlement. Its consequences would be unpredictable... The current situation was critical and Pakistan was expected to make the necessary step that would set into motion the Geneva accords."*
Soviet military attache in Tokyo attends South Korean function A senior military attache of the Soviet embassy in Tokyo attended a farewell party on 10th February at the South Korean embassy in Tokyo in honour of a senior South Korean military attache, according to Seoul radio.
South Korean President-elect names new Prime Minister No Tae-u on 11th February designated Yi Hyon-chae, former President of Seoul National University, as Prime Minister of the new government, and Hong Song-chol, former Home Affairs Minister, as Chief Presidential Secretary, Seoul radio reported.
President of Democratic Kampuchea in charge of foreign affairs, and Norodom Ranaridh, representative of Sihanouk, expressed their hope that Sihanouk would resume his presidency of Democratic Kampuchea soon and said that they continued to consider him as President, Peking radio's Cambodian service reported.**
Philippines official warns of "new war" with Islamic separatists An official involved in the Philippines government's peace talks with the Islamic rebel Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) warned that "a new war may flare up in the southern Philippines" if the MNLF succeeded in becoming a member of the Islamic Conference Organisation, Kyodo reported on 11th February. The official, Notel Tolentino, said, however, that the government would welcome the ICO's involvement as a mediator in the government's conflict with the Muslim rebels in the south of the country.
Philippines general urges President to declare state of emergency Gen Honesto Isleta, chief of the Civil Affairs Office of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, has urged President Aquino to declare a limited state of emergency because the communist rebels "do not observe the laws of war in carrying out their struggle against the government", Radio Veritas of Manila reported on 11th February.
Violent clashes in Bangladesh local elections "At least 100" people were killed in clashes between supporters of rival candidates in the 10th February local elections, New Delhi home service reported on the 11th. Dhaka home service on the same day put the death toll at 39.
GNLF "militants" sabotage power system in India's Darjeeling district Gurkha National Liberation Front "militants" sabotaged power transmission in Kalimpong, a city in Darjeeling, on 10th February, when a nearby transformer was blown up and "powerful bombs" exploded, plunging the city into darkness, New Delhi radio reported.
For details see Sections ** Details to be published later
Fiji severs diplomatic ties with North Korea has severed its diplomatic relations with North Korea over Pyongyang's bombing of a South Korean plane last November, according to Yonhap on 10th February.
Fiji
Reported release of over 6,000 prisoners in Vietnam According to AFP, Vietnam announced on 11th February that 6,406 people held in jails and re-education camps, including 1,014 officers and supporters of the former South Vietnamese government, had been released. Citing the SRV Deputy Information Minister, Phan Quang, AFP said that this left 159 supporters of the former government in re-education camps.
CGDK urges Sihanouk to reconsider resignation In a communique issued after a meeting on 10th February, Son Sann, Prime Minister of the CGDK, Khieu Samphan, Vice-
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