IN BRIEF (Page 11)

China

Region to benefit from cooperation

Foreign Minister Wang Yi told visiting Mongolian Foreign Minister L. Bold in Beijing on Thursday that China values Sino-Mongolian relations and is dedicated to working with Ulan Bator to realize the agreements reached by the two nations' leaders. During the joint media conference, Wang said China will provide its neighbors and the region with opportunities created by economic proposals from its leadership, its ongoing economic reforms, and through hosting the upcoming APEC Summit and the Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia this year.

United Kingdom

'Reform or lose us as member'

Britain told its European Union partners on Wednesday that the EU's treaties were "not fit for purpose" and there must be reform or it would quit the bloc. In the latest blast of Euro-skepticism from Conservatives in Britain's coalition government, finance minister George Osborne said EU treaties had to be changed to protect member states that don't use the euro.

Pakistan

Musharraf 'needs treatment in US'

Lawyers for former Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf told a court in Pakistan on Thursday that the retired general needs medical treatment in the United States. Musharraf is facing treason charges but has so far failed to appear in court, having allegedly fallen ill while traveling to the special treason tribunal two weeks ago.

Thailand

Police set to nab protest leader

Thai police are preparing to arrest Suthep Thaugsuban, leader of anti-government protesters, as the "Bangkok shutdown" entered its fourth day on Thursday. Deputy Premier Surapong Tovichakchaikul announced that the police will take a scrupulous and careful approach to arresting the protest leader, for whom an arrest warrant has already been issued.

Russia

Moscow denies 'hidden agenda'

Russia denied on Thursday that it has a "hidden agenda" on Syria as it launched a fresh round of crisis diplomacy by hosting the Iranian and Syrian foreign ministers ahead of peace talks in Switzerland. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif arrived in the Russian capital late on Wednesday on the same jet as Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem. The three sides are working to come up with a joint stance that would keep Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in power in the future.

Australia

Severe heat wave set to worsen

Australians sweltering through a severe heat wave were warned on Thursday that the worst is yet to come, with hundreds of fires raging in several states and temperatures nearing record highs.

China Daily-Euters-Xinhua-AFP

(China Daily 01/17/2014 page11)