World not controlled by superpowers, Asia on the rise: politician

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http://www.chinaview.cn/ 2009-12-11 13:55:46 Print SIEM REAP, Cambodia, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- "The world is no longer dominated, influenced or controlled by one or two super powers," a politician made a public speech here on Friday at a seminar. Addressing to the seminar entitled "Social Market Economy", co-sponsored by the Cambodian People's Party (CPP) and the German-based Konrad Adenauer, Mushahid Hussain Sayed, secretary general of Pakistan Muslim League and also vice-president of the Centrist Democrat International (CDI) - Asia-Pacific, said "the multi-polar world is emerging with Asia as the center of gravity." "The West is no longer the principle engine of growth or the center of political and economic strength," Mushahid Hussain Sayed told the floor, which also attended by the 16 representatives of the Asian political parties and top political figures of the ruling parties from Asia including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Malaysia, South Korea and the Philippines. On the economic front, he said, there is a new emerging regionalism driven by energy and economic cooperation. He also said despite the international financial downturn, China's growth seems still in good shape. He quoted the U.S. Chairman of the Federal Reserve, Ben S. Bernanke as saying on Oct. 20 that "Asia appears to be leading the global economic recovery", "with an impressive growth rate nine percent led by China." "This shows that in times of crisis and difficulty, it is the Asian spirit of resilience and resurgence that has shown the ability to overcome crisis and bounce back to move forward," he said in his speech distributed to reporters. The two-day seminar, be concluded on Friday, focused on exchanging views and experiences on social market economy to find a suitable policy, which could be applied for their own national strategy. Editor: Han Jingjing

Puea Thai asks Kasit, Kamrob to resign

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11/12/2009 Onnucha Hutasingh Bangkok Post The opposition Puea Thai Party on Friday called for Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya and Kamrob Palawatwichai, former first secretary to the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh, and accept responsibility for having caused Sivarak Chutipong's suffering in Cambodia. The call was made in a letter submitted by party spokesman Prompong Nopparit. The letter was accepted by Seri Mutthatharn, deputy director of the General Affairs Division. Sivarak was sentenced to seven years in jail and a fine of about 82,500 baht by a Cambodian court which found him guilty of supplying information on former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's flight schedule to the Thai government through Mr Kamrob. Mr Prompong also accused the government to having impeded the Puea Thai Party's attempt to get a royal pardon for Sivarak. He said Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and his aides had continued to make remarks that might be construed as infringing on Cambodia's sovereignty. Earlier today, he went to the Education Ministry to submit a leave request of Simarak na Nakhon Phanom, Sivarak's mother, to Education Minister Jurin Laksanavisit. Mrs Simarak said it was necessary for her to remain in Phnom Penh to prepare documents to petition for the royal pardon.