5 International After Millions Sign Petitions, British Nieghbor News Leadership Lawmakers Debate Trump’s State Visit Pledges Stability, Progress WASHINGTON - Parliament is considered a high honor, in Key Reform Areas debated Monday whether or should not be extended to BEIJING - China’s top CPC Central Committee. not to rescind a state visit in- Trump. leadership on Tuesday The meeting highlighted vitation extended to President Prime Minister Theresa May pledged to stick to the ba- the significance of 2017 Trump a week into his presi- invited Trump to the UK sic tone of “seeking pro- as the 19th CPC National dency, after two competing during her visit to Washing- gress while maintaining Congress will convene. petitions elevated the issue to ton, DC. Critics argue that stability” in 2017, aiming Acknowledging that the national conversation. she acted too soon, and that The close relationship be- the UK should wait to deter- for more progress from China has scored a strong tween the United States and mine what kind of president supply-side structural re- start for the 2016-2020 pe- Britain has sent presidents Trump will be before extend- form. riod, the meeting called across the Atlantic to meet ing a friendly hand to his ad- The pledge came from for further efforts to bal- with Queen Elizabeth II for ministration. No US President a meeting of the Politi- ance multiple economic decades. But Mr. Trump’s has ever before been granted a cal Bureau of the Com- tasks in 2017, including executive order on immigra- state visit during his first year munist Party of China stabilizing growth, ad- tion and his disparaging com- in office, reported CNN. (CPC) Central Commit- vancing reforms, pushing ments about women and mi- Others see the event as a tee, during which attend- restructuring, improving norities have angered many way to highlight the close ees discussed the draft people’s livelihood and across the UK, sparking pro- ties between the two allies. government work report, preventing risks. tests and leading some to ar- Those conflicting views have scheduled to be submit- At the macro level, China gue that an official state visit, brought two petitions to Par- ted to the upcoming fifth will continue to imple- which is marked by royal liament, prompting debates to session of the 12th Na- ment proactive fiscal poli- pomp and circumstance and begin ...(More on P4)...(16) tional People’s Congress cies and prudent mone- (NPC). The meeting was tary policies, according to chaired by Xi Jinping, a statement released after Brexit Minister Britain will Not Bribe its Way general secretary of the the ...(More on P4)...(23) Eyes Quick Pact on EU Citizens’ Rights in Britain to Brexit: Minister Pakistani PM to Visit TALLINN - Britain looks on the first leg of his Baltic RIGA - Britain’s “Brexit” “I didn’t recognise the for Strategic to have a quick agreement tour, with his next visits minister responsible for story I saw in the papers with the European Uion on scheduled to Latvia and managing its departure the other day. It seemed Cooperation Council EU citizens’ rights in Brit- Lithuania. from the European Un- to me to be wholly im- ISLAMABAD - Pakistani issues, the ministry said ain and vice versa, Brexit He also said that Britain ion on Tuesday denied plausible. We have not Prime Minister Nawaz in a statement. Together minister said here Mon- wanted the European Un- reports his government started the negotiation Sharif will pay a three- with his Turkish coun- day. ion to be strong also after was planning to pay east- yet but that is not the day visit to Turkey from terpart Binali Yildirim, “I see no reason why we his country’s departure ern EU states to support way I think it’s going to Feb. 22 for the fifth session Sharif would co-chair the couldn’t get a very, very from the bloc. it during negotiations go,” Davis told reporters of the -Turkey HLSCC, a framework fast answer to that ques- Britain would not pursue a with Brussels. after talks with Latvian High Level Strategic Co- for consultations at the tion -- an answer which policy that would contra- David Davis described Foreign Minister Edgars operation Council (HLS- highest political level be- is generous to EU citizens vene its national interests, as “implausible” recent Rinkevics in Riga. CC) to be held in Ankara tween the two sides with in Britain and generous to Davis specified that these British media reports “It’s not a divorce, it’s a on Feb. 23, according to focuses on trade, energy, British citizens in the Euro- interests included foreign that money would be new relationship... it’s for EU citizens living future. the Foreign Ministry here banking and finance, pean Union,” said David students enrolling at Brit- diverted from develop- very modern in that re- there following Brexit. “That’s not just resident Tuesday. Communications and Davis, the British Secretary ish universities, financiers ment projects in Africa spect,” Davis added. “We want to see Latvian rights, that’s public ser- A high-level delegation, railways, education, and of State for Exiting the Eu- doing business in the City and Asia to the Baltic Davis also assured Rink- citizens in the UK have vices, healthcare, all the consisting of ministers culture and tourism. The ropean Union. of London and highly- states and other eastern evics that Britain wanted all the rights they have normal right we would and senior officials, will bilateral HLSCC was es- Davis arrived in Estonia skilled...(More on P4)...(17) EU countries. to preserve equal rights now continuing into the give ...(More on P4)...(18) accompany the prime tablished in 2009 and the minister during the visit. last session was held in Is- Geneva Talks to Encompass Sharif is expected to have lamabad in 2015. During Trump Names Gen. Herbert Mcmaster as wide-ranging consulta- the visit, Sharif also plans Syrian Transition Process: U.N. tions with the Turkish to meet with Turkish GENEVA - Syria peace Syria Staffan de Mistura, leadership on bilateral, President Recep Tayyip talks due to start this told a regular U.N. brief- New National Security Adviser regional and international Erdogan. (Xinhua) week in Geneva are based ing that de Mistura was WASHINGTON - U.S. days after for- on the broad mandate of a putting the final touches President Donald Trump mer National Leadership of ’s U.N. resolution that asks to arrangements for the on Monday named Lieu- Security Ad- the U.N. mediator to hold talks. tenant General Herbert viser Michael Somon Air Dismissed Due to Fail talks on a “political transi- “The invitations as well McMaster as his new na- Flynn resigned of - Flight tion process”, an official as the substantive agen- tional security adviser. after it was involved in the talks said da for the negotiations “He is a man of tremen- revealed that DUSHANBEH - Somon in the International Tash- on Tuesday. are all based on the wide dous talent and tremen- he had misled air Director General of kent Airport. The Tajik Last week the United Na- scope of Security Council dous experience...he is Vice President Tajikistan’s Somon Air side laid the blame on tions appeared to back resolutions, in particular respected by everybody in Mike Pence Alisher Rustamov and Uzbek colleagues. away from using the (U.N. Security Council the military, we are very about his tel- some other leadership But then the Somon-Air phrase “political transi- Resolution) 2254, which honored to have him,” ephone conver- of the national of reported that the leader- tion”, which is under- is our main guidance in Trump said in his Florida sation with the the country have been ship of the company af- stood by the opposition to this process. “The second residence Mar-a-Lago. Russian Am- removed from posts to- ter examination of the sit- mean a removal of Presi- operative paragraph of For his part, McMaster bassador to the day after the failed Du- uation found out that, in dent Bashar al-Assad or 2254 requests the special said he looked forward to United States, shanbe-Tashkent flight, fact, the Tajik side failed at least an erosion of his envoy to convene formal advancing and protecting in which he made com- ered a military strategist in the Vietnam War, and reports Ozodi with ref- to provide a package of powers. negotiations on the po- the interest of the Ameri- ments about U.S. sanction among the U.S. top brass, has contributed to a shift erence to the company’s documents to the Uz- Michael Contet, chief of litical transition process.” can people. on . he has written extensively in tactics in the military press release. bek side on time, which staff of Special Envoy for (Reuters) The appointment came McMaster, 54, is consid- on the U.S. military failures campaign in Iraq. (Xinhua) The long-awaited Du- made the Tashkent air- shanbe-Tashkent flight port refuse to accept the

Laos, ASEAN was scheduled for Febru- flight from Dushanbe. IMF Agrees to Send Mission to U.S. Vice President ary 20, however, the com- As a result, all respon- Reaffirms Strong Countries to Benefit pany Somon Air claimed sible leadership of the that the Uzbek side has Somon Air for the flight Greece on Bailout Review Commitment to EU from Intellectual not give a permission for has been punished and WASHINGTON - Inter- BRUSSELS - U.S. Vice President Mike Property Rights Fund the Tajik plane to per- released from the posts. national Monetary Fund Pence on Monday reaffirmed “strong com- form the flight and land (AKI) (IMF) agreed to send back mitment” to the European Union (EU), in VIENTIANE - Laos and other ASEAN a mission to Greece to com- a bid to allay the bloc’s doubts on the new countries will benefit from the ASEAN plete a review of Greece’s U.S. administration’s stance towards it. Intellectual Property Rights fund, which Turkmenistan, Palestine economic reforms, an “Today it is my privilege to be on behalf is supported by the European Union IMF spokesperson said on of President (Donald) Trump, to express (EU), following a substantial increase in Mull Co-Op Prospects Monday. strong commitment of the United States funding. ASHGABAT - Ashgabat dialogue for further di- The announcement came to continued cooperation and partnership The EU’s Intellectual Property Office last hosted a meeting with versification of the bilat- after the Eurogroup meet- with the EU,” Pence said at a joint press week confirmed that it will increase the Palestine’s Deputy For- eral cooperation. ing in Brussels, where conference with European Council Presi- size of the fund from 3.8 million euros eign Minister Mazen Palestinian President Greece’s international dent Donald Tusk after their meeting in (over 4.03 million U.S. dollars) to 5.5 mil- Shamiyah, the Turkmen Mahmoud Abbas paid creditors agreed on the Brussels. lion euros (nearly 5.84 million U.S. dol- Foreign Ministry said in an official visit to Turk- bailout review. by the European Commis- substantial debt relief to He stressed that despite differences be- lars), according to information at a press a message. menistan on November “We welcome the Greek sion, the European Central Greece was refused by the tween the United States and the EU, the conference held Monday in Lao capital During the talks, the 13-15, 2016. Turkmeni- authorities progress to Bank, the European Stabil- European creditors. two sides “share the same heritage, the Vientiane to announce the funding. sides exchanged views stan and Palestine signed meet the requirements of ity Mechanism (ESM) and “More progress will be same values, above all the same purpose to Any of the 10 member countries of the on cooperation in trade, an agreement on eco- the institutions in key are- the IMF -- has been on hold needed to bridge differ- promote peace, prosperity, freedom, and Association of Southeast Asian Nations economy, as well as in nomic cooperation and as,” said the spokesperson. since last December when ences on other important rule of law.” With regard to the (ASEAN) can submit proposals to re- the political and cultural memorandums of un- The review -- carried out IMF’s requirement of a ...(More on P4)...(19) crisis, Pence vowed ...(More on P4)...(20) quest funding to support their research spheres. They also noted derstanding on coopera- activities in the EU’s intellectual prop- that it is important to tion in higher education Leader of ’s erty protection sector. continue the established and tourism. (Trend) EU More Keen on Trump’s Deeds Laos and other ASEAN member coun- Far-Right Party Meets tries can submit proposals for intellec- than Pence’s Words tual property rights projects to request to Issue High- Putin Allies in BRUSSELS - U.S. Vice President Mike the EU is not 100 percent sure that Pence support from the fund, to be provided to BERLIN/MOSCOW - The leader of Ger- Pence in his first diplomatic foray to Brus- could be really “on behalf of President the applicant country’s Ministry of Sci- Denomination Banknotes many’s far-right party Alternative for sels tried to allay the doubts of the Euro- Trump,” as he claimed. ence and Technology. Increasing num- TASHKENT - The Cen- notes appeared on social Germany (AfD) held talks with Russian pean Union over the new U.S. administra- In addition, the Trump administration’s bers of applicants from ASEAN been tral Bank of Uzbekistan media on February 21. officials during a visit to Moscow at the tion’s stance toward it. However, whether demand for defense burden-sharing ran registering each year, although only a will print 10,000 sum “The document was ac- weekend, including with an ultra-nation- the EU would buy it remains unclear. into a heavy flak from the EU leadership. small number have come from Laos, notes, reports Gazeta.uz. tually signed,” noted the alist ally of President Vladimir Putin, a European Council President Donald Tusk Although Pence in his speech at the Mu- according to Lao state-run media Vien- The information has sources. spokesman said on Tuesday. said he raised “three key matters,” name- nich Security Conference last week reaf- tiane Times. been confirmed by a The exact date of issu- Frauke Petry, whose party is expected to ly international order, security and the firmed an unwavering U.S. support to Head of Cooperation at the EU Del- number of sources in ance of the high-denom- enter parliament for the first time after attitude of the new U.S. administration NATO, he stood the new U.S. administra- egation to Thailand Jerom Pons told the the Central Bank and the ination banknotes has a federal election on Sept. 24, discussed toward the EU, during his meeting with tion’s ground that NATO members should press conference in Vientiane that the Government, said the re- not been yet reported. possible cooperation between Russian Pence, and got all positive answers. rachet up their spending on defense to 2 new project on the intellectual property port. To date, the largest de- and German regional assemblies with her However, as new U.S. President Donald percent of gross domestic product. Oth- rights will run from 2017 to 2021 focus- The copies of the resolu- nomination banknotes hosts. Her spokesman Oliver Lang said the Trump has dubbed the EU as a “vehicle erwise the United States would modulate ing on the protection and enforcement of tion of the Senate of the of the national currency two sides did not discuss possible financial for Germany,” hailed Brexit as a great its commitment to its allies’ security, he intellectual property rights in Laos and Parliament on introduc- is 5,000 sums issued on assistance for the ...(More on P4)...(21) thing and branded NATO as “obsolete,” warned. This “carrot ...(More on P4)...(22) all ASEAN countries. (Xinhua) tion of the new bank- July 1, 2013. (AKI)