Northern Ireland

Early in the month there were riots and other disturbances in the Short Strand district of Belfast (Reuters).

1 JUNE 2002

United States, Foreign Policy

In a speech to the West Point graduating class, President Bush spoke of the threat of terrorism and the danger of weapons of mass destruction in their hands or those of US adversaries. He said, "In the world we have entered the only path to safety is the path of action and this nation will act", and that Americans must be "ready for preemptive action when necessary to defend our liberty and to defend our lives....We will defend the peace against threats from terrorists and tyrants. We will preserve the peace by building good relations among the great powers. And we will extend the peace by encouraging free and open societies on every continent" (Reuters).

2 JUNE 2002

India, Foreign Policy

Defense Minister George Fernandes said the confrontation with India would end if Pakistan handed over 14 Indian terrorism suspects and stopped guerilla infiltration across the line of control in Kashmir (Reuters).

Canada, Politics

Prime Minister Jean Chretien sacked Finance Minister Paul Martin (Reuters).

3 JUNE 2002

Western Hemisphere, Diplomatic Affairs

The Organization of American States (OAS) approved the Inter-American Convention Against Terrorism. It commits members to share intelligence, freeze assets of terrorist organizations and cooperate in prosecuting suspects (Reuters).

10-11 JUNE 2002

Diplomatic Affairs

Israeli Prime Minister Sharon met US President Bush in Washington (Reuters).

10-12 JUNE 2002

Israel

Israeli forces conducted a raid against Palestinian militants in Ramallah. On the 11th, a suicide bomber killed an Israeli in Herzliya (Reuters).

11-20 JUNE 2002

Afghanistan, Politics

A Loya Jirga, or Grand Council, consisting of delegates from various segments of Afghan society, met in Kabul to select a new government to run the country until general elections can be held in 18 months. It selected interim leader Hamid Karzai as President and approved a new cabinet. The new cabinet was similar to the old one, with about half of the posts going to the ethnic-Tajik-led Northern Alliance (Reuters).

14 JUNE 2002

Pakistan

A group identifying itself as Al-Qanoon (The Law) took responsibility for a suicide bombing near the US consulate in Karachi that killed about a dozen Pakistanis (Reuters).

Iraq

US and British aircraft struck an air-defense-related target at Al Amarah (Reuters).

14-15 JUNE 2002

Czech Republic, Politics

General elections were held. The ruling Social Democrats, led by Vladimir Spidla in place of departing Prime Minister Milas Zeman, won 30.2% of the vote. The Civic Democrats, led by former prime minister Vaclav Klaus, won 24.5%. The Communists won 18.5%, and The Coalition, an alliance of the Freedom Union and the Christian Democrats, won 14.3%. It appeared likely that the Social Democrats would lead a coalition government. Spidla has favored greater social spending, while Klaus is a free-market advocate. There is a broad consensus in favor of joining the EU, with the exception of the Communists, who are ambivalent (Reuters).

15 JUNE 2002

Venezuela

Tens of thousands of demonstrators in Caracas called for the resignation of President Hugo Chavez (Reuters).

16 JUNE 2002

France, Politics

The second and final round of parliamentary elections was held. President Jacques Chirac's Union for the Presidential Majority (UMP) won 355 of the National Assembly's 577 seats. The Socialist Party won 140 seats, down from 241. The Union for French Democracy (UDF) won 29 seats, down from 108. The French Communist Party (PCF) won 21 seats, down from 38. The anti-immigrant National Front won no seats (IFES, Reuters).

18 JUNE 2002

Israel

A suicide bombing of a bus in Jerusalem killed 19 people. Hamas claimed responsibility (CNN.com).

19 JUNE 2002

Israel

The Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades carried out a suicide bombing in the French Hill area of Jerusalem, killing six people. Israel said it would begin to take Palestinian Authority (PA) territory and hold it "as long as terror continues."

The PA reportedly told the US they were willing to make major concessions on the issue of the return of Palestinian refugees in any future peace agreement with Israel (CNN.com).

20 JUNE 2002

Afghanistan

Turkey assumed command of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), a 4,650-strong multinational peacekeeping force deployed in the Kabul area, for the next six months. Turkey is contributing 1,400 personnel; Britain, which is turning over the leadership role, will withdraw most of its roughly 1,500 troops (Reuters).

21 JUNE 2002

Israel, West Bank

Israeli forces began a series of operations against Palestinian militants. Some reserves were called up, but overall, the scope of the operations was less extensive than those conducted from late-March through early-May. On the first day the Israelis entered Nablus (Reuters).

Philippines

The government claimed to have killed Abu Sabaya, a senior leader of the Abu Sayyaf rebels, in a clash between navy special forces and rebels near the coast of the Zamboanga peninsula (Reuters).

Peru, Politics

Interior minister Fernando Rospigliosi quit when the government agreed to put off the privatization of some power firms in the south. The proposed sale had brought about protests, some of them violent, in the south, particularly in Arequipa. Rospigliosi was replaced by Gino Costa (Reuters).

22-23 JUNE 2002

Israel, West Bank

Israeli forces entered Jenin, Bethlehem, Qalqilya and other towns. On the 23rd they entered Ramallah and surrounded PA headquarters (Reuters).

24 JUNE 2002

United States, Foreign Policy

President Bush spoke on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, calling for major reforms of the Palestinian Authority (PA) in return for US and international assistance in establishing a Palestinian state.

He said, "Peace requires a new and different Palestinian leadership, so that a Palestinian state can be born. I call on the Palestinian people to elect new leaders not compromised by terror." In the following weeks it became clear that the US no longer wanted to work with PA president Arafat, apparently believing he was ineffective in limiting terrorist activity. Bush called for sweeping changes in the PA's political and legal institutions, security apparatus, and finances and promised financial aid and expertise from the US toward that end.

Bush expressed the belief that as such reforms progressed, terrorist attacks on Israel would be reduced. As such attacks decreased, Israel would be expected to withdraw its forces from PA territory to positions held before 28 September 2000 -- before the current Palestinian uprising began. Israel should also halt settlement construction.

After about 18 months it could be possible to establish a state of Palestine, certain aspects of whose sovereignty -- such as borders and the capital -- would be provisional until resolved in agreements with Israel and other neighboring states. Such agreements should be based on UN resolutions. Bush suggested that Israel would have to eventually withdraw to its borders before the 1967 Six-Day War (CNN live broadcast, 24/06/2002, Reuters).

Some elements of Bush's speech were not new, such as the call for reform of the PA; some were, such as the establishment of a Palestinian state before the conclusion of final status agreements. The speech was a clearer and more complete statement of US policy than Bush had previously offered. The Palestinians have traditionally argued that Israel must withdraw from PA territory before anything can be done to improve the security situation, but Bush clearly believes the PA can and must do certain things before the Israelis can be expected to withdraw to their 28 September 2000 positions. Israel, at least under Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, has argued there can be no negotiations until terrorist activity completely stops. However, under Bush's framework, the Israelis would probably have to eventually make concessions greater than any they have previously offered, and this could be expected of them even if terrorist activity was not completely stopped, but only reduced.

Israel, West Bank

Israeli forces entered Hebron and surrounded the PA security headquarters (Reuters).

Yugoslavia, Military High Command

President Vojislav Kostunica ordered the dismissal of army Chief of Staff Nebojsa Pavkovic (Reuters).

26 JUNE 2002

Madagascar

The US said it recognized Marc Ravalomanana's government as the legitimate government of the country (see 16 December 2001). Ravalomanana won a recount conducted in May, but opposition by supporters of Didier Ratsiraka has persisted in parts of the north and east, especially around Toamasina (Reuters).

26-27 JUNE 2002

Argentina

There were violent clashes between riot police and hundreds of anti-government protesters in Buenos Aires on the 26th. The next day about 10,000 people demonstrated against President Eduardo Duhalde and the police (Reuters).

26-28 JUNE 2002

Diplomatic Affairs

The Group of Eight industrialized nations -- having just announced that Russia was now a full member of the Group -- had its annual summit in Kananaskis, Canada. Members agreed on a $20 billion, ten-year program to destroy excess nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) weapon stocks in the former Soviet Union (Reuters).

27-28 JUNE 2002

Western Hemisphere, Diplomatic Affairs

Central American and Mexican political and business leaders met in Merida, Mexico to discuss plans for regional infrastructure improvement and economic development (Reuters).

29 JUNE 2002

Yellow Sea

There was a brief battle between North Korean and South Korean naval units. According to South Korea, between 1000 and 1100 hours, two North Korean patrol vessels opened fire on South Korean forces about 170 kilometers west of Inchon, sinking one vessel, killing five sailors and wounding 19. North Korean losses were probably greater. The South said the North had conducted a premeditated attack on its forces; it demanded an apology, punishment of those responsible and steps to prevent a repeat of the clash. North Korea accused the South of a "grave provocation". The US said, "We support the stance of our ally against armed provocation." A few days later, North Korea accused the US of orchestrating the incident.

On 25 July, North Korea cabinet official Kim Ryong-song sent a telephone message to South Korean Unification Minister Jeong Se-hyun which said, "Feeling regretful for the unforeseen armed clash that occurred in the west sea recently, we are of the view that both sides should make joint efforts to prevent the recurrence of similar incidents in future" (Reuters).

Israel, West Bank

Israeli army engineers demolished the PA security headquarters in Hebron. Most, if not all, of the occupants wanted by Israel had already surrendered (Reuters).

30 JUNE 2002

Israel, West Bank

Israeli special forces killed Muhanad al-Taher in Nablus. Taher was a bomb-maker for Hamas and one of Israel's most-wanted men (Reuters).