"Asia and Africa today"
- is a scientificl monthly journal (in Russian)
of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Included in Russian Science Citation Index on
WoS platform, and EBSCO Publishing.
ISSN 0321-5075. Published since July 1957.

 

 "Asia and Africa today" № 9 2012

 

Azia&Afrika 09 2012s

 

 Top Problem

«ASCENDENCY» OF CHINA: MILESTONES AND CHALLENGES

US-CHINA-JAPAN TRIANGLE AND ASIA- PASIFIC REGION by A.V.Semin, PhD (Policy)

Keywords: military-political situation in the Asia-Pacific region, the United States, China, Japan

Relations between the USA, China and Japan largely determine the nature of the military-political situation in the Asia-Pacific region. Lately it has deteriorated and it looks like we are returning to the days of the Cold War. The difference is that formally there was a confrontation between the U.S. and the Soviet Union, and now - between the US and China. Although the American-Russian relations are not cloudless, there is a clear shift of American foreign policy towards Chinese direction.

CHINESE SPACE PROGRAMME by P.B.Kamennov, PhD (Policy)

Keywords: China, cosmos, man-made satellite

According to the national strategy of China by 2020 the country is supposed to join the club of leading powers of innovative type. A very special place in this strategy is assigned to space program. Space exploration is playing an important role in strengthening economic, scientific and technical potential of China, in bolstering its national defense and as well as solidarity of the Chinese nation.

The article gives the story of the main stages of development of Chinese space program. According to an estimate of the Russian Federal Space Agency, to day, the pace of development of rocket and space technology of China is quite comparable to that of Russia and the United States, leaders in exploration of the outer space.

By 2020 China intends to bring to earth orbit the space station Tyangun. It will provide the country with new possibilities for large-scale space experiments, as well as for developing military space technology.

AFRICAN COUNTRIES: THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS by I.B.Matsenko, PhD (Economy)

Keywords: Africa, Millennium Developments Goals, poverty, economic growth

The article deals with the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Africa, the program adopted by the UN in 2000. It focuses on the main target of MDG 1 - eradication of extreme poverty, that is to cut down twice as much the share of population with income less than 41 руб. per person a day in the period between 1990 and 2015. The author underlines that Sub-Saharan Africa seriously lags behind other developing regions of the continent in achieving these goals.

 

 Policy, Economy

REVOLT IN THE ARABIAN WORLD: CROPS AND SHOOTS

AL-QAEDA AND THE «ARAB SPRING» by D.A.Nechitailo, PhD (Policy)

Keywords: Al-Qaeda, Arab spring, revolt

At present Al-Qaeda seeks to regain the lost initiative in the revolutionary process which is taking place in the countries of the North Africa and the Middle East.

One of the features of the Arab revolt is that from the very beginning it had no Islamic component. While moderate Islamists have scored a big successes in Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco, the position of Islamic radicals is much weaker. The only exception is Libya, where leaders of the military council of Tripoli as well as several other political figures who did not receive the posts in the new government are doing their best to take advantage of political potential of Islamic radicals.

LIBYAN ARMY: FROM «AL-FATEH REVOLUTION» TO «ARAB SPRING» by G.V.Lukya- nov

Keywords: Libya, «Arab Spring», army, political system, Qaddafi, Jamahiriya

This article is devoted to the analysis of the role of the army and the military in the political system during Muammar Gaddafi’s governing in Libya from 1969 to 2011. The author explores the transformation of the army and militaries’ position in political power structure of the Libyan Arab Republic and the Libyan Jamahiriya, the relationship between the army leaders, the country’s political elite and authoritarian leader. The article explains modes operandi of regular armed forces in the political process in the moments of the political crises at various stages of development of the modern Libyan state.

JAPAN-NORTH KOREA RELATIONS: PROBLEM SPOT by V.A.Grinuk, PhD (History), Part 1.

Keywords: North Korea, abduction of Japanese subjects, «Pyongyang Declaration», six-sided talks

The author explores the issue of bilateral relations between the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and Japan. V.Grinyuk draws attention to the fact that nuclear and missile programs of North Korea are not the only obstacles which prevent establishment of diplomatic relations between that country and Japan. There is still one more important problem, that is the problem of abduction of Japanese subjects by North Korea’s secret services.

SOUTH SUDAN. INDEPENDENCE, WHAT IS THE NEXT? by S.V.Mezentsev, PhD (Military)

Keywords: South Sudan , oil in Africa, crises, development

The author examines the current situation and perspectives of development of South Sudan - the youngest state of the world. He analyses political and economic situation of Sudan, explaining reasons for new military crises in the border areas between South and North Sudan. The article appraise certain aspects of policy of the US, European countries and China towards South Sudan.

MALI TUAREGI: LONG ROAD TO PEACE by V.P.Filippov, Dr.Sc. (Policy), Part 2. (Part 1, see “Asia and Africa Today”, 2012, № 8)

Keywords: Mali, Tuareg people, coup in Mali, Azavad, Al- Qaeda

The author examines the phenomenon of expansion of Al- Qaeda in Mali. In 2001 Osama ben Laden came to conclusion that Mali could be used as a springboard for terrorist organizations. Since that period Al-Qaeda is secretly transferring small groups of well-trained mujahideen to the Sahel zone.

Experts identify four factors that led to special interest of Al-Qaeda in Mali: the proximity of potential terrorist targets in Europe, inaccessibility of the northern regions of Mali, the presence of Islamist militants in the region (primarily - Salafi), conflicting relations between the Mali government and Tuareg people, «masters» of these territories.

 

 Point of View

«PLAN BY BERNARD LEWIS» AND THE GREAT GAME FOR EGYPT by A.A.Krol, PhD (History)

Keywords: Egypt, Bernard Lewis, the American-Israel conspiracy, NGOs, «Arab Spring», parliamentary elections

The author analyses the possibility of Egypt’s partition on several ethno-confessional state formations. “Egypt’s Partition Plan” attributed to the famous British-American historian and orientalist B.Lewis is presently one of the hotly discussed subject in the Egyptian mass media and among some experts in political sciences.

 

 Russia and The East

50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENT OF PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF ALGERIA by M.N.Amvrosova, PhD (History)

Keywords: Algeria, the Soviet Union / Russia, bilateral relations

Report about commemorative meeting of the Scientific Council of the Institute for African Studies, dedicated to the 50th anniversary of Algerian independence and the establishment of friendly relations and cooperation between Russia and Algeria.

SAILING UNDER THE RUSSIAN FLAG by Yu.A.Voinov

Keywords: South Africa, Cape of Good Hope, Cape Town, Russian sailors

The article tells about interesting and fascinating pages of history of the Russian Navy, associated with South Africa: from the first visit by Russian sailors to coast of South Africa in 1808 until January 2009 when the flagship of the Russian Navy, heavy nuclear missile cruiser «Peter the Great» has visited the port of Cape Town.

 

 Pages of History

THE KOREAN WAR by A.Yu.Urnov, Dr.Sc. (History), Part 1.

Keywords: agreement on Korea in 1945, South Korea, North Korea, the United States, China, the United Nations

The article focuses on the division of Korea into two states - North and South. The author analyzes the historical context that led to partition of a single state and factors of the «cold war», impelled both countries to severe war in 1950-1953. Particular attention A.Urnov is paying to analysis the role played in that war by the U.S.A., the USSR and China.

 

 Culture, Literature, Art

FOR THE FIRST TIME PAKISTANI FILM HAS WON «OSCAR»: INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION OR INFORMATION WAR? by A.A.Suvorova, Dr.Sc. (Philology)

Keywords: Pakistan, violence against women, «acid attack», documentary film «Saving Face», «Oscar»

In March 2012 the American Cinema Academy has awarded the US-Pakistani documentary film «Saving face» with «Oscar». The film tells about one of the darkest aspects of gender issues in Pakistan - violence against women in the form of so-called «acid attacks». In South and Southeast Asia, such attacks have become a real social and gender problem, reflecting the disenfranchised status of women in Pakistani society and the extent of male violence against women.

 

 Book Review

RUSSIA’S FOREIGN POLICY ORIENTATION: EUROCENTRISM OR EURASIANISM? by Yu.V.Chudodeev, PhD (History)

Book Review of M.L.Titarenko’s work «Russia and its Asian partners in a globalizing world. Strategic Partnership: Challenges and Prospects» (M., ID «Forum», 544 pp.).

RUSSIANS IN MOZAMBIQUE by E.S.Lvova, Dr.Sc. (History)

Book review of B.I.Ryabova’s work «The Russian Diaspora in Mozambique: Past and Present» (M., Institute for African Studies, 2011, 60 pp.).

 

Summary