JAPAN

JAPAN
Asahi Shimbun, Tokyo, Aug. 26: North Korea's pursuit of a nuclear weapons capability threatens the peace and security of not only the Korean peninsula but also the whole of Northeast Asia. The meeting in Beijing is the first historic opportunity for all countries with direct interest in the issues, and with influence in their resolution, to be represented.
Japan, South Korea, Russia, China and the United States all have their own agendas for the talks. In general, however, it is considered that it is best to begin with the premise that not much will emerge in the way of tangible results.
Nuclear program
But time should not be squandered on talking. If North Korea pursues its nuclear program while the talks are being held, any conclusion will be delayed that much more, and accomplished facts will be made in its nuclear armament. Japan cannot tolerate such a situation, and such a scenario could render the six-way talks themselves meaningless.
To avoid that, we want those involved in the six-way talks to do one thing from the outset: Make North Korea stop reprocessing spent nuclear fuel to produce plutonium-type bombs and freeze all other elements of nuclear development at once. Whether this position succeeds will depend upon how they plan to assure North Korea that the United States has no intention of invading North Korea by force. We hope the U.S. government will soon present its own plan for a breakthrough.
GERMANY
Sueddeutsche Zeitung, Munich, Aug. 27: President Paul Kagame's victory was certain in advance.
Firstly, many Hutus support him because they can see how he has stabilized the country and boosted the economy.
And secondly, the man has a security apparatus that made it nearly impossible for any opposition figure to campaign for himself in the election. Opponents were intimidated and locked up.
No one could expect Kagame and his governing party to let themselves in for a dangerous adventure.
Mortal danger
In truly fair elections, there would have been a danger that the Hutus would vote out the Tutsi Kagame. That minority rightly considers that a mortal danger -- not just because of the 1994 genocide, but also because, in neighboring Burundi, the change of government in 1993 set off a war between Hutus and Tutsis that is still going on today.
If, as he always says, Kagame really intends to make Rwanda democratic, he must change his style of rule.
As long as there is no freedom of opinion, as long as political opponents are silenced and as long as he rules with a powerful police apparatus, his opponents will grow in number."
NORWAY
Aftenposten, Oslo, Aug. 27: So far, no one has taken responsibility for the terror action in the Indian city of Bombay in which about 50 people lost their lives and 150 were seriously injured. It can therefore only be pure speculation about who was behind it, even though India authorities already pointed to militant Islamic organization Lashkar-e-Taiba, based in Pakistan.
Lashkar-e-Taiba is one of two terror organizations fighting for a free Kashmir, and has strong indirect support from Pakistan.
Innocent civilians
Pakistan was quick to condemn the Bombay bomb, which was aimed at innocent civilians. At first, India accepted the condemnation. But yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani, known as a hawk in foreign policy, said Pakistan's declaration would not be credible unless the country turns over 19 people that India wants for terrorism.
It is hard to say whether that statement signals a harder Indian line that could torpedo the difficult peace process Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee put his prestige behind. If that dialogue breaks down, the consequences will be great.