
China-Taiwan talks
BEIJING: Top Chinese leaders repeated their offer Tuesday to resume political talks with arch-rival Taiwan after a gap of about three years. Premier Li Peng, while addressing a Chinese New Year party organised by the Communist Party, hoped Taiwan would respond positively to Beijing8217;s offer under the One China8217; principle, the Xinhua news agency reported. Earlier on Monday, China offered to resume talks with Taiwan without laying down any precondition of recognising Beijing8217;s sovereignty.
Bangla oil deal
DHAKA: United States oil alliance Chevron-Texaco may quit Bangladesh after talks with Ireland8217;s Tullow over a oil and gas exploration partnership broke down, officials said on Tuesday. A second round of government-sponsored talks on Monday 8220;failed to reach an understanding as Tullow did not agree to the Chevron-Texaco proposals for the exploration of the Block-9,8221; an energy ministry official said.
Japan FM quits
TOKYO: Japanese Finance Minister Hiroshi Mitsuzuka tonight resigned over a bribery scandal engulfing his ministry. Mitsuzuka told newspersons after a meeting with Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto that he had to resign in the wake of the police raid on his ministry last night.8220;I apologised again and that was because I felt my responsibility strongly as the supervisor,8221; he said.