WESTERN EUROPE

ANGLICAN COMMISSION CRITICIZES U.S. CHURCH

LONDON – An Anglican church commission on Monday urged the American Episcopal Church not to elect any more gay bishops and called on conservative African bishops to stop meddling in the affairs of other dioceses.

The commission, created last year after the consecration of Canon V. Gene Robinson as bishop of New Hampshire, called for apologies from both sides, and for reconciliation among the world’s Anglican churches.

The immediate reaction, however, suggested no move toward reconciliation. The head of the Episcopal Church pointedly did not express regret for Canon Robinson’s elevation, drawing fresh denunciations from conservative opponents who believe the American church has strayed from biblical truth.

The report also urged the Canadian and American churches to refrain from blessing same-sex unions, arguing that North American liberals had breached “the proper restraints of the bonds of affection” among Anglicans.

“Should the call to halt and find ways of continuing in our present communion not be heeded, then we shall have to begin to learn to walk apart,” said the unanimous report of a 17-member commission headed by the Irish archbishop Robin Eames.

The report, which didn’t criticize Canon Robinson personally and didn’t call for anyone to be punished, “represents the highest degree of consensus that was attainable,” said Drexel Gomez, archbishop of the West Indies, a commission member and a leading conservative critic of the American church.

– Associated Press

FRENCH NEWS CHIEF QUITS AFTER ISRAEL ATTACK

PARIS – The head of news at France’s equivalent of the BBC World Service resigned yesterday after being criticized for claiming that Jews created their own ghettos and that Israel was a racist state where only the “pure” had the right to pray.

Alain Menargues, assistant director general of the state-owned Radio France Internationale, made his comments in a round of interviews to publicize his new book, “Sharon’s Wall.”

In one radio interview, Mr. Menargues said: “Which was the first [Jewish] ghetto in the world? It was in Venice. And who created it? The Jews themselves to keep themselves apart from the rest.”

Mr. Menargues said: “This is a sad day for the freedom of expression. To say I am anti-Semitic when my wife is Jewish is ridiculous. I have had 150 e-mails giving me support, including some from Jews, and five insulting or opposing me.”

His resignation coincided with a visit to Israel by the French foreign minister, Michel Barnier, designed to patch up differences between the two countries.

A furious diplomatic row erupted in July after Prime Minister Sharon said all French Jews should emigrate to Israel to avoid a wave of “wild” anti-Semitic attacks in France.

– The Daily Telegraph

MIDDLE EAST

ARAFAT APPROVES CORRUPTION PROBE IN EMBASSIES

The Palestinian Authority chairman, Yasser Arafat, has agreed to form a special committee to investigate financial corruption and mismanagement in a number of P.A. embassies in Europe and the Arab world.

A senior PA official said Mr. Arafat instructed the head of the PLO’s political department, Farouk Kaddoumi, to oversee the investigation.

Mr. Kaddoumi ordered PLO officials Jumah Naji and Ahmed Jarrar to head to Europe in order to question a P.A. ambassador suspected of embezzlement and abuse of power.

Mr. Naji is a senior official with the PLO political department, while Mr. Najjar serves as the director of Mr. Arafat’s office in the Gaza Strip.

The official told the Gulf-based Al-Bayan newspaper that the decision to launch an investigation against P.A. ambassadors and embassy staff followed complaints regarding embezzlement of public funds and corruption.

Another official said the P.A. suspected that some of the ambassadors and embassy workers had been recruited by European and Arab intelligence services to collect information about the P.A. leadership.

He said some of the ambassadors were running the embassies as private enterprises and exploiting their diplomatic immunity for criminal activities. In one case, a P.A. ambassador was caught driving a stolen car.

– Jerusalem Post

EAST ASIA

CHINA TO PRESS NORTH KOREA TO RESUME TALKS

BEIJING – North Korea’s No. 2 leader met his counterpart yesterday in Beijing in a visit that Chinese leaders are expected to use to press Pyongyang to resume stalled six-nation talks on the dispute over its nuclear program.

Kim Yong Nam of North Korea was told by Wu Bangguo of China that “keeping the momentum of the nuclear talks and promoting the solution of the problem is the common wish of the international community.”

State TV showed the two sitting in a meeting room at the Great Hall of the People, the seat of China’s legislature. Each was flanked by officials from their country. “Although the process of the talks has at present encountered some problems, I believe the talks can go on if every party shows sincerity, patience, and flexibility,” Mr. Wu was quoted as saying. Mr. Kim responded: “The situation of the Korean Peninsula is still complicated, but the North Korean side would like to find peaceful solution of the nuclear issue through dialogue.”

– Associated Press

SOUTHERN AFRICA

SOUTH AFRICA CONDEMNS HAITI’S ACCUSATIONS

CAPE TOWN, South Africa – The government lashed out yesterday at Haiti’s interim prime minister, denying allegations that the South African president, Thabo Mbeki, has allowed Haiti’s ousted president to coordinate violence in the Caribbean country from his refuge here. Calling the accusations baseless, the deputy minister, Aziz Pahad, said South Africa’s government “rejects with contempt the attack on the integrity of President Mbeki, and dismisses the insinuation its territory is being used as a springboard by President Aristide to destabilize Haiti through violent means.

“South Africa, and indeed President Mbeki, cannot be used as a scapegoat for failure by the interim Haitian authorities to bring about peace and stability to Haiti,” Mr. Pahad said, according to a statement.

Prime Minister Latortue told reporters Sunday that Mr. Mbeki was “taking a big risk” in sheltering Mr. Aristide, who Mr. Latortue said “is the symbol of violence. He believes in that.

“No respectable president would allow a person in his territory to organize violence in another country,” Mr. Latortue said. “Mr. Mbeki is not respecting international law.”

At the time, 95 Chinese riot police were arriving in Haiti to join a U.N. peacekeeping force struggling to keep order in the impoverished Caribbean nation. At least 55 people have died since September 30, when Aristide loyalists took to the streets demanding his return to office.

– Associated Press