“South Korean President Park Geun-hye on Monday proposed a symbolic reunion of families separated by war next month as she sought a breakthrough in relations with North Korea.
Ms. Park also said she would be willing to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un “without preconditions,” though she added that the Pyongyang regime must attend with “an open mind.”
She said civilian humanitarian aid and exchanges, such as family reunions, could be a starting point for an inter-Korean rapprochement and urged Pyongyang to respond to her offer.
.. 1950-53 Korean War. Official data say about 70,000 South Koreans, mostly in their 80s or older, are waiting their turn to be briefly reunited with relatives living across the border in the north.
Ms. Park added that she aims to improve ties with China, Japan and Russia while maintaining Seoul’s alliance with Washington, its main military ally, to achieve denuclearization of North Korea.”
“North Korean leader offers olive branch in New Year address devoid of threats or bombast
North Korea’s leader sent a rare conciliatory signal on Thursday, offering “highest-level talks” with his counterparts in the South.
Kim Jong-un delivered a televised New Year message notably devoid of threats and bombast.
In the past, North Korea has promised variously to turn Seoul into a “sea of fire”, destroy its neighbour with “merciless strikes” and launch nuclear weapons at America. Last month, North Korea compared President Barack Obama to a “monkey” and threatened to attack the White House, the Pentagon and the entire “cesspool of terrorism” known as the “US mainland”.
But Mr Kim, who tested a nuclear weapon in 2013, dropped the rhetoric and proffered an olive branch during his latest public appearance. He promised to “make every effort to advance dialogue and negotiations”, adding that the “tragic” division of the Korean peninsula should be healed.”
Youtube Video: Kim Jong Un open to talks with South Korea
“The Obama administration renewed a U.S. campaign of financial pressure against North Korea, imposing sanctions against the country’s lucrative arms industry.
President Barack Obama signed an executive order on Friday widening his authority to impose sanctions.”
Japan’s vice foreign minister, Akitaka Saiki, left, and the South Korean diplomat Cho Tae-yong, in Seoul. The two nations agreed to share military information about North Korea.
“Japan and South Korea on Monday pledged for the first time to share military intelligence about North Korean weapons programs, in a three-way pact with the United States that Washington hopes will improve cooperation between its mutually estranged Asian allies.
Under the pact, the sharing of classified information will be limited to North Korea’s missile and nuclear weapons programs. In addition, Japan and South Korea will share that intelligence not directly, but via the United States.”
Mexico, Colombia, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras, Caribbean Region (Trafficking).
Market Reform. Opening up Markets.
Mexico, Cuba, Venezuela.
Stable Democracies. Peace with Rebel Groups.
Colombia: Government – FARC Peace Deal.
Asia Pacific & Oceania
Ensuring Security.
Denuclearization of North Korea. Rebuilding North Korea.
Establishment of Democracy in Hong Kong.
Proper Democracy in Taiwan.
Establishment of Rights of Religious and Ethnic Minorities #MinorityRights [China: Tibetan Buddhists, Chinese Christians, Uyghur Muslims]
Assisting China & President Xi Jinping to deal with the ChallengesChina faces today:
Dealing with a Middle Class (in the Urban region) that is ever more demanding.
Rural Region: Transition from Socialist (collective ownership) to Market-Driven Economy.
Challenges of Economic Reforms: gradual opening of Markets (that President Xi Jinping & The Communist Party has in agenda).
Challenges of opening up Media. Promotion of Freedom & Liberty & Free Speech.
EU Region & Eastern Europe
Establishment of Peace & Security in Ukraine, Followed by Rebuilding Ukraine #LetsBuildStrongerUkraine
Italy – #StopOrganizedCrime. Disrupting all of the Organized Crime, Mafia Groups operating in Italy and their counterparts operating in US and Latin America (‘Ndrangheta, Sicilian Mafia, other Organized Crime Groups.) #StopDrugTrafficking
Security in Eastern Europe: Moldova, Georgia, Lithunia, Latvia, Ukraine.
Integration of Eastern European Nations into European Union (EU) and Euro.
Integration of Russia into European Union (EU).
South Asia & South East Asia
Drug & Arms Control.
Human Trafficking Control.
Gold Smuggling Control. Money Laundering Control.
Establishment of Rights of Religious and Ethnic Minorities. #MinorityRights
Bangladesh, India, Burma, China (Tibetan Buddhists, Chinese Christians, Uyghur Muslims)
Changing the Hearts & Minds of Extremists.
Anti-Corruption Initiatives. #SayNoToCorruption
Sub-Saharan Africa
Electricity. Gas.
Poverty Reduction.
Better Healthcare.
Promotion of Education. #EmpoweringPeople
Agricultural Development: Agricultural Technologies, Flow of Information, Biotechnology.
Anti-Corruption Initiatives. #SayNoToCorruption
Peace & Security in Somalia, Central African Republic & South Sudan.
Middle East, Central Asia & North Africa
Peace & Security in the region.
Changing the Hearts & Minds of Extremists.
Stable Governments.
Rebuilding of war-torn Syria, Iraq & Libya.
Establishment of Democracy in Oman.
Iran Nuclear Deal (Complete Deal – July 2015 – Hopefully).
Two of my significant contributions to the Middle East & North Africa Region:
[1]
Driving away Saudi Arabia (and its allies) from supporting certain groups of Extremists (e.g., certain groups of Sunni extremists like groups of Al-Qaeda). And driving away Iran (and its allies) from supporting certain groups of Extremists (groups of Shiite extremists like Hezbollah)
Proposing a model of Interim Government for holding free and fair elections in Syria – when there are opposing groups and parties. The Model led to formation of close ties among previously opposing groups Hamas and Fatah and the Historic Hamas – Fatah Interim Government. Hamas and Fatah are united with the goal of establishing “Palestine as an Independent Nation”.
“Student Leaders Say Decision Follows Discussions With Fellow Pro-Democracy Protesters
“No retreat at this stage is our decision now,” said Yvonne Leung, a 21-year-old spokeswoman for the Hong Kong Federation of Students, a group of university students.”
“Dissatisfaction with China in Hong Kong and Taiwan shows up on the streets and at the polls. The causes are strikingly similar
THE Communist Party’s strategy for bringing the self-governing people of Taiwan into its fold has long been tricky seduction. Ply them with money and favors (and tourists from the mainland) if they play along, and with threats of cutting them off if they don’t. Let them see how happy and prosperous the people of nearby Hong Kong are under Chinese rule. That strategy is faltering. China is not winning hearts and minds in either Taiwan or Hong Kong.
On December 1st Joshua Wong, an 18-year-old from the student group Scholarism, turned to a new tactic: a hunger strike. Anti-mainland sentiments still run high. A poll in October by Chinese University of Hong Kong found just 8.9% of respondents identifying themselves solely as “Chinese”, the lowest figure recorded in the survey—and way down on 32.1% in 1997, the year of Hong Kong’s handover. Nearly two-thirds identified themselves as a combination of Hong Konger and Chinese, but another 26.8% said they were just Hong Kongers, the highest share since 1998.
Polling tells a similar story in Taiwan. In a survey in June by National Chengchi University, 60.4% of respondents said they identified as Taiwanese, a record high and up from less than 50% when Mr Ma was first elected in 2008. Only 32.7% identified themselves as “both Taiwanese and Chinese”, a new low.
Yet many grievances of young people in both places are strikingly similar. They are unhappy with growing inequality of wealth and are wary of integration with the mainland. Well-connected mainlanders are increasingly seen as interloping competitors for jobs. in both Hong Kong and Taiwan there is a sense that the economic embrace of the mainland has enriched only the elite—the tycoons who are seen to be controlling Hong Kong and rich Taiwanese entrepreneurs who back eventual unification.
it would help if citizens in both places got more of what they wanted. In Taiwan the DPP plans to deliver just that, with such things as virtually free health care for the elderly, welfare for the underprivileged and lots of social housing.”
“Joshua Wong, the 18-year-old who has become the face of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy student protest movement, ended a hunger strike on Saturday, saying his doctor had advised him to do so as his health deteriorated.
Mr. Wong, a prominent leader of the protests that began here more than two months ago, started the hunger strike on Monday in an attempt to pressure the local government into negotiations.”
“A doctor running as an independent won the mayor’s race in Taipei, the capital, on Saturday, as Taiwan’s governing party suffered heavy losses in local elections. In response to the defeats dealt to the party, which favors closer ties with China, the prime minister resigned.
The election results, including a victory by the opposition Democratic Progressive Party in the central city of Taichung, signal that Taiwan’s governing Chinese Nationalist Party, known as the Kuomintang or K.M.T., will be hard-pressed to retain the presidency in the 2016 election.
In the race for the Taipei mayor’s seat, Ko Wen-je, a blunt-talking political novice, trounced Sean Lien, the scion of a prominent Kuomintang family. Mr. Ko took 57.1 percent of the vote to Mr. Lien’s 40.8 percent,
The wide losses prompted Prime Minister Jiang Yi-huah, who leads the executive branch of government under Mr. Ma, to step down. He acknowledged that the results were a display of public dissatisfaction.
The Kuomintang previously held 15 of Taiwan’s 22 cities and counties, but that ratio was roughly reversed Saturday. The Kuomintang won just six seats, while the Democratic Progressive Party declared victory in 13, including four of Taiwan’s six special municipalities, which make up most of the country’s largest cities.“
“Protesters and the police clashed in the political heart of Hong Kong on Sunday night, when thousands of pro-democracy demonstrators surged around the city leader’s office, seeking to blockade it and other government offices, and officers used pepper spray to repel them. The confrontation ended weeks of relative calm at the protesters’ main street camp.
The two student groups at the forefront of the protests had urged supporters to congregate on Sunday in Admiralty
Hong Kong Federation of Students
Scholarism, the political movement of high school and university students”
“Freedom, democracy, justice, these are American principles.
climate change … I think we should listen to those scientists and experts.
marijuana … These kinds of substances are generally considered poison, very bad. But for particular illnesses, this is sometimes deliberately used. So that’s up to the doctor, or up to scientists. The ability to judge reality is something very unique. So if that [our brain] is damaged, that’s awful. So alcohol and drugs are very bad.
[A Few Words:
The most important endowment we humans are blessed with is our “Consciousness”.“Controlling Consciousness” is the key to health, wealth and most importantly, happiness and satisfaction.
So anything that hampers our ability of “Controlling consciousness” is bad (for example, drinking alcohol damages our ability of judgement).
And anything that aids us in “Controlling Consciousness” (for example, Meditation, Mindfulness, Yoga, deep breathing, etc.) is good and highly recommended.]
Tibetan protester who is on the verge of sacrificing himself through self-immolation
India-China … Genuine good relations based on mutual trust [could] really make a significant contribution to economic development, as well as to education and spirituality.
President Xi Jinping … He is courageously tackling corruption, quite effectively. Fearlessly. [But] real development must take place in rural areas. It is not a solution to build new, big cities. [Also] 1.3 billion Chinese people have every right to know reality … Censorship is an unrealistic method that actually develops distrust and suspicion. The Chinese judicial system must be lifted up to the international standard of judiciary systems. Then these 1 billion poor people can have some kind of protection.”
“The rapid spread of Christianity is forcing an official rethink on religion
Christians in China have long suffered persecution. Under Mao Zedong, freedom of belief was enshrined in the new Communist constitution (largely to accommodate Muslims and Tibetan Buddhists in the west of the country). Yet perhaps as many as half a million Christians were harried to death, and tens of thousands more were sent to labour camps.
In 2010 the Pew Research Center, an American polling organization, estimated there were 58m Protestants and 9m Catholics. Many experts, foreign and Chinese, now accept that there are probably more Christians than there are members of the 87m-strong Communist Party.
the Christian church in China has grown by an average of 10% a year since 1980.
many Chinese are attracted to Christianity because, now that belief in Marxism is declining, it offers a complete moral system with a transcendental source. People find such certainties appealing, she adds, in an age of convulsive change.
Some Chinese also discern in Christianity the roots of Western strength. They see it as the force behind the development of social justice, civil society and rule of law, all things they hope to see in China.
There is even talk that the party, the world’s largest explicitly atheist organization, might follow its sister parties in Vietnam and Cuba and allow members to embrace a dogma other than—even higher than—that of Marx.
Any shift in official thinking on religion could have big ramifications for the way China handles a host of domestic challenges, from separatist unrest among Tibetan Buddhists and Muslim Uighurs in the country’s west to the growth of NGOs and “civil society”—grassroots organizations, often with a religious coloring”
Chinese Uyghur Muslims
A Uighur woman at a market last summer in Urumqi, the capital of the restive Xinjiang region. The Chinese government has chartered trains to resettle Uighurs.
“Though neither he nor the state media reports mentioned it, the county’s policy of exporting Uighur labor set the stage for a factory brawl that led to deadly rioting in Urumqi in 2009, in which at least 200 people were killed.”
Syed Tahsin 
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