ASIA: 5 of the Top 10 Global Cities in the World from the Asia-Pacific region

 The 2010 Global Cities Index, which looks at 65 metropolises worldwide, has been released.  The survey is jointly compiled by Foreign Policy, management consulting firm A.T. Kearney and the Chicago Council on Global Affairs.

The survey measures how much sway a city has beyond its borders -- its influence and integration with global markets, culture, and innovation.

Of the top 10 cities, five are in Asia -- Tokyo (3rd), Hong Kong (5th), Singapore (8th), Sydney (9th) and Seoul (10th).

The survey also focused on trend such as megacities and rapid urbanization as more people are moving from rural to urban areas.  In addition it noted that global influence is shifting from the West to the East.

This year's survey of 68 cities was the second ever done. The survey in 2008 looked at 60 cities from around the world.

This year's rankings with Asian cities in red:

Rank            City                                    

1                  New York                          

2                  London                             

3             Tokyo                      

4                  Paris                                   

5             Hong Kong                 

6                  Chicago                              

7                  Los Angeles                       

8             Singapore                  

9             Sydney                       

10           Seoul                          

11               Brussels                              

12               San Francisco                   

13               Washington                       

14               Toronto                              

15           Beijing                       

16               Berlin                                  

17               Madrid                               

18               Vienna                               

19               Boston                                

20               Frankfurt                            

20           Shanghai                   

22              Buenos Aires                      

23              Stockholm                           

24              Zurich                                  

25              Moscow                               

26              Barcelona                           

27              Dubai                                   

28              Rome                                  

29              Amsterdam                        

30              Mexico City                        

31              Montreal                            

32             Geneva                                 

33             Miami                                   

33            Munich                                 

35            Sao Paulo                               

36         Bangkok                   

37            Copenhagen                       

38            Houston                            

39         Taipei                        

40            Atlanta                                 

41            Istanbul                              

42            Milan                                    

43            Cairo                                    

44            Dublin                                

45         New Delhi                     

46         Mumbai                      

47         Osaka                         

48         Kuala Lumpur             

49            Rio de Janeiro                    

50            Tel Aviv                               

51         Manila                        

52            Johannesburg                     

53         Jakarta                        

54            Bogota                                 

55            Caracas                                

56            Nairobi                                 

57         Guangzhou                  

58            Bangalore                            

59            Lagos                                   

60            Karachi                                

61         Ho Chi Minh City         

62         Shenzhen                    

63         Kolkata                       

64            Dhaka                                 

65         Chongqing                

CHINA: China’s Got Talent and the Armless Piano Sensation Liu Wei

The “Got Talent” franchise has exploded since it was first launched in Britain in 2007, and has since spawned dozens of authorized spinoffs in other countries, including China’s Got Talent in China. The show, which aired its first episode in June, is on Dragon TV, and through a partnership with Youku, its episodes are all available in their entirety online as well.

Already, the show has produced some of the spectacular moments that have made it a sensation in other countries. In China, as elsewhere, the producers have discovered performers who are not only remarkably talented but also who have incredible backgrounds. The first episode, for example, featured a troupe of breakdancers who are also migrant workers. In real life, they told the judges, they build roads and wash cars, but on stage they were a tight-knit group of very professional looking dancers — and the crowd went nuts.

The first episode also featured a singer with dwarfism and a fat man who blew the judges away with his performance of the song “Hero”. A clip of his performance has been watched tens of thousands of times on Youku, and netizens were impressed.

“Shocking!” wrote one in the comments. “Very moving,” wrote another.

A more recent episode closed with an even more moving performance: a young man named Liu Wei had no arms, but had learned to play the piano with his feet. His performance alone would have been impressive; what really shocked the judges and the viewers alike was the man’s upbeat attitude about his disability. “There are only two roads in life,” he said. “[Give up and] die quickly, or [persevere and] live an exciting life.”

People have viewed clips from his episode a whopping 30+ million times so far on Youku, and there’s no sign of slowing. The video has attracted thousands of comments, many of them expressing support and admiration for Liu Wei. The judges loved him too, so we’ll be seeing Liu Wei again later this season, and it’s clear many of Youku’s users are hoping that he might even win the whole contest!

Until then, though, rest assured we’ll see plenty of Liu Wei outside the contest, too. He’s already been interviewed and profiled my many major media organizations, and he even gave an exclusive interview to Youku.

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THE KOREAS: Lee Lays Out 3-Stage Master Plan for Reunification

President Lee Myung-bak in a speech on Sunday marking the 65th anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japanese rule proposed a three-staged method of reunification with North Korea and the introduction of a "unification tax" to prepare for the massive cost. 

"Today, inter-Korean relations demand a new paradigm," Lee said. "The two of us need to overcome the current state of division and proceed with the goal of peaceful reunification." The comments mark a shift from policies aimed at maintaining stability to active steps toward reunification. 

"We long for the common prosperity and peace of both the South and the North, which will lead to reunification, and this is the right way to achieve the genuine liberation of the nation," he said. He urged North Korea to face reality and make a choice for change.

President Lee Myung-bak and leading political figures celebrate the 65th anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japanese colonial rule in central Seoul on Sunday.

The three-stage plan would start with a "peace community" that assures security on the peninsula including a denuclearized North, followed by the creation of an "economic community" developing the North's economy through exchanges, and eventually the full integration. His proposal of the "unification tax" was seen as a way of taking active steps toward those goals. 

There have been two broad theories of reunification. One is the so-called Sunshine Policy of gradual reunification proposed by former President Kim Dae-jung and favored by progressives. Proponents of the Sunshine Policy believe sudden reunification stemming from regime collapse in North Korea or other unexpected causes would entail tremendous social and financial costs for South Korea. They therefore favor reunification further down the road after the two Koreas narrow their economic differences and acclimatize to each other's societies. 

In contrast, conservatives say such an approach would only prolong North Korea's autocratic regime and warn that the South must prepare for a sudden regime collapse in the North. Some even say South Korea should pressure North Korea in order to trigger regime collapse. 

Lee's speech leans to the conservative approach, as is evident from his mention of the "need to overcome the current state of division," the establishment of a "peace community" and the shouldering of reunification costs, apparently in preparation for sudden changes in North Korea. 

Evidently concerned about conveying such a strong message, Cheong Wa Dae issued a customary supplementary gloss of the presidential statement explaining that the unification tax and other measures were not designed specifically with a potential North Korean regime collapse in mind. 

Lee's speech is expected to lead to a major debate in South Korea over how to deal with the North. At a press conference in Washington D.C. in 2008, Lee said reunification in the name of democracy is the "ultimate goal." He added it is important for the North and South to coexist in peace. Since then the North has severed ties with the South and stepped up military provocations. One close aide to Lee said, "The fact that the president, who is fully aware of repercussions, has raised the issue again at the start of the second half of his term reflects his determination."

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CHINA & JAPAN: China Passes Japan as Second-Largest Economy

August 15, 2010

By DAVID BARBOZA

SHANGHAI — After three decades of spectacular growth, China passed Japan in the second quarter to become the world’s second-largest economy behind the United States, according to government figures released early Monday.

The milestone, though anticipated for some time, is the most striking evidence yet that China’s ascendance is for real and that the rest of the world will have to reckon with a new economic superpower.

The recognition came early Monday, when Tokyo said that Japan’s economy was valued at about $1.28 trillion in the second quarter, slightly below China’s $1.33 trillion. Japan’s economy grew 0.4 percent in the quarter, Tokyo said, substantially less than forecast. That weakness suggests that China’s economy will race past Japan’s for the full year.

Experts say unseating Japan — and in recent years passing Germany, France and Great Britain — underscores China’s growing clout and bolsters forecasts that China will pass the United States as the world’s biggest economy as early as 2030. America’s gross domestic product was about $14 trillion in 2009.

“This has enormous significance,” said Nicholas R. Lardy, an economist at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. “It reconfirms what’s been happening for the better part of a decade: China has been eclipsing Japan economically. For everyone in China’s region, they’re now the biggest trading partner rather than the U.S. or Japan.”

For Japan, whose economy has been stagnating for more than a decade, the figures reflect a decline in economic and political power. Japan has had the world’s second-largest economy for much of the last four decades, according to the World Bank. And during the 1980s, there was even talk about Japan’s economy some day overtaking that of the United States.

But while Japan’s economy is mature and its population quickly aging, China is in the throes of urbanization and is far from developed, analysts say, meaning it has a much lower standard of living, as well as a lot more room to grow. Just five years ago, China’s gross domestic product was about $2.3 trillion, about half of Japan’s.

This country has roughly the same land mass as the United States, but it is burdened with a fifth of the world’s population and insufficient resources.

Its per capita income is more on a par with those of impoverished nations like Algeria, El Salvador and Albania — which, along with China, are close to $3,600 — than that of the United States, where it is about $46,000.

Yet there is little disputing that under the direction of the Communist Party, China has begun to reshape the way the global economy functions by virtue of its growing dominance of trade, its huge hoard of foreign exchange reserves and United States government debt and its voracious appetite for oil, coal, iron ore and other natural resources.

China is already a major driver of global growth. The country’s leaders have grown more confident on the international stage and have begun to assert greater influence in Asia, Africa and Latin America, with things like special trade agreements and multibillion dollar resource deals.

“They’re exerting a lot of influence on the global economy and becoming dominant in Asia,” said Eswar S. Prasad, a professor of trade policy at Cornell and former head of the International Monetary Fund’s China division. “A lot of other economies in the region are essentially riding on China’s coat tails, and this is remarkable for an economy with a low per capita income.”

In Japan, the mood was one of resignation. Though increasingly eclipsed by Beijing on the world stage, Japan has benefited from a booming China, initially by businesses moving production there to take advantage of lower wages and, as local incomes have risen, by tapping a large and increasingly lucrative market for Japanese goods.

Beijing is also beginning to shape global dialogues on a range of issues, analysts said; for instance, last year it asserted that the dollar must be phased out as the world’s primary reserve currency.

And while the United States and the European Union are struggling to grow in the wake of the worst economic crisis in decades, China has continued to climb up the economic league tables by investing heavily in infrastructure and backing a $586 billionstimulus plan.

This year, although growth has begun to moderate a bit, China’s economy is forecast to expand about 10 percent — continuing a remarkable three-decade streak of double-digit growth.

“This is just the beginning,” said Wang Tao, an economist at UBS in Beijing. “China is still a developing country. So it has a lot of room to grow. And China has the biggest impact on commodity prices — in Russia, India, Australia and Latin America.”

There are huge challenges ahead, though. Economists say that China’s economy is too heavily dependent on exports and investment and that it needs to encourage greater domestic consumption — something China has struggled to do.

The country’s largely state-run banks have recently been criticized for lending far too aggressively in the last year while shifting some loans off their balance sheet to disguise lending and evade rules meant to curtail lending growth.

China is also locked in a fierce debate over its currency policy, with the United States, European Union and others accusing Beijing of keeping the Chinese currency, the renminbi, artificially low to bolster exports — leading to huge trade surpluses for China but major bilateral trade deficits for the United States and the European Union. China says that its currency is not substantially undervalued and that it is moving ahead with currency reform.

Regardless, China’s rapid growth suggests that it will continue to compete fiercely with the United States and Europe for natural resources but also offer big opportunities for companies eager to tap its market.

Although its economy is still only one-third the size of the American economy, China passed the United States last year to become the world’s largest market for passenger vehicles. China also passed Germany last year to become the world’s biggest exporter.

Global companies like Caterpillar, General Electric, General Motors and Siemens — as well as scores of others — are making a more aggressive push into China, in some cases moving research and development centers here.

Some analysts, though, say that while China is eager to assert itself as a financial and economic power — and to push its state companies to “go global” — it is reluctant to play a greater role in the debate over climate change or how to slow the growth of greenhouse gases.

China passed the United States in 2006 to become the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases, which scientists link to global warming. But China also has an ambitious program to cut the energy it uses for each unit of economic output by 20 percent by the end of 2010, compared to 2006.

Assessing what China’s newfound clout means, though, is complicated. While the country is still relatively poor per capita, it has an authoritarian government that is capable of taking decisive action — to stimulate the economy, build new projects and invest in specific industries.

That, Mr. Lardy at the Peterson Institute said, gives the country unusual power. “China is already the primary determiner of the price of virtually every major commodity,” he said. “And the Chinese government can be much more decisive in allocating resources in a way that other governments of this level of per capita income cannot.”

Hiroko Tabuchi contributed from Tokyo.

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S. KOREA: Liberation Day & 60th Anniversary of the Korean War

Hillary Rodham Clinton

Secretary of State

Washington, DC

August 13, 2010

On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I congratulate the Korean people on the anniversary of your independence this August 15. On my recent visit to the Republic of Korea, I joined in commemorating the 60^th Anniversary of the Korean War and the struggle that forged the strong partnership between our countries.

This year also marks the 60^th Anniversary of Fulbright in Korea, a testament to the deep and lasting friendship between the ROK and the United States. We look forward to Seoul hosting the G-20 Summit later this fall and the second Nuclear Security Summit in 2012. Your great success as a democratic nation and your emergence as a world economic leader continue to be an inspiration for all countries striving to develop. Today, we celebrate your history of accomplishment and reaffirm the great partnership and friendship between our nations. I wish all Koreans a safe and happy holiday celebration and continued peace and prosperity in the coming year.

RUSSIA: U.S. Response to Fires in Russia

Office of the Spokesman

Washington, DC

August 13, 2010

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The U.S. Government has worked with the Government of Russia (GoR) to outline a comprehensive U.S. response to the severe, ongoing forest fires in the Russian Federation. The U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Department of State, U.S. Agency for International Development and U.S. Department of Defense are working to provide the following technical equipment and humanitarian relief:

U.S. Government Response:

• The U.S. is shipping technical equipment valued at $2.5 million to the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations and the Russian Federal Forestry Agency Airborne Forest Protection Service including personal protective equipment, fire-protective clothing, large water storage tanks, hand tools for firefighters, and other general purpose fire-fighting tools. Total overall U.S. support for this effort is estimated to be valued at $4.5 million.
• Two C-130 aircraft from U.S. EUCOM and a charter flight from California are scheduled to arrive in Moscow after 6:00 p.m. local time on Friday, August 13. 
• Two additional C-130 flights are scheduled to arrive tomorrow, August 14. 
• A second charter aircraft is expected to arrive in Moscow on or before Tuesday, August 17.
• On August 12^th, the U.S. Government and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) signed a grant for $50,000 to support the relief operations of the Russian Red Cross in Russia. Relief items include blankets, bedding, and food parcels for approximately 1600 victims.

State of California Response:

• The State of California is coordinating with USAID/OFDA to deliver fire resistant clothing, which was identified as a key need by the Federal Forestry Agency Aerial Fire Service.

Public Donation Information:
The U.S. Embassy in Moscow is posting regular updates on the fires and has a link to a live webcam so the public can see the atmospheric conditions first hand. USAID/OFDA has also activated the Center for International Disaster Information (CIDI) to coordinate donations from individuals and organizations. For more information, visit www.cidi.org or call (703) 276-1914.

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RUSSIA: UPDATED Travel Warning

The U.S. Department of State warns U.S. citizens of the risk of travel to the Russian Federation due to the ongoing wildfires.    The Department of State has authorized the departure of dependents and non-critical mission personnel from the U.S. Embassy in Moscow.  The Russian Government has declared a state of emergency in specific regions of the country, including the capital of Russia, Moscow.  Air travel to Russia, including international flights, is affected.  U.S. citizens are therefore urged to postpone travel to the Russian Federation until the situation has improved.

Ongoing forest fires and extreme high temperatures in the Moscow region and surrounding areas of central Russia have produced hazardous levels of air pollution and caused numerous flight delays and cancellations in Moscow.   The hazardous air quality means that persons with heart or lung disease, older adults, and children should seek to relocate to unaffected areas of the country and avoid prolonged or heavy exertion outdoors.

The situation has prompted the Russian government to declare a state of emergency in Moscow, Vladimir, Ryazan, Voronezh, Novgorod, the Republic of Mordovia, and the Republic of Marii-El.

Fire related conditions can change quickly, due to changes in wind direction and weather conditions.  Persons planning travel from the Moscow area should monitor weather conditions and stay in touch with their airline.

U.S. citizens who have questions, or require assistance, should contact the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy through the State Department's travel registration website.

If you require further information or assistance, please visit theU.S. Embassy Moscow website or e-mail us at MoscowWarden@State.gov.  The U.S. Embassy Moscow consular section is located at Novinskiy Bulvar 21, Moscow.  The nearest metro stations are Barrikadnaya and Krasnapresenskaya.  You can reach the embassy's switchboard at (7) (495) 728-5000, and the American Citizen Services Unit at (7) (495) 728-5577. In the event of an after-hours emergency, please contact the main switchboard. You may also contact the American Citizens Services Unit by fax at (7) (495) 728-5084.  The U.S. Embassy Moscow website is also available in Russian at www.usembassy.ru.

U.S. Consulates General are located in:

St. Petersburg
15 Ulitsa Furshtadtskaya, St. Petersburg 191028
Tel: (7) (812) 331-2600
Fax: (7) (812) 331-2646
After-hours emergencies: (7) (812) 331-2600
Email: StPetersburgACS@state.gov

Vladivostok
32 Ulitsa Pushkinskaya, Vladivostok 690001
Tel: (7) (4232) 30-00-70
Fax: (7) (4232) 30-00-91
After-hours emergencies: (7) (4232) 71 00 67
Email: vladcons@state.gov

Yekaterinburg
Ulitsa Gogolya 15a, 4th floor, Yekaterinburg 620151
Tel: (7) (343)379-3001
Fax: (7) (343) 379-4515
After-hours emergencies: (7) 8 902 84 16653
Email: consulyekat@state.gov

Travelers may obtain up-to-date information on security conditions by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the U.S. or outside the U.S. and Canada on a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444.

For information on general crime and security issues, U.S. citizens should also consult the Department of State's Country Specific Information of Russia as well as The Worldwide Caution Located on the Bureau of Consular Affairs website.

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JAPAN & S. Korea: Text of Kan's statement on Korean annexation

Wednesday, Aug. 11, 2010

Kyodo News

Following is a provisional translation of the statement by Prime Minister Naoto Kan released Tuesday ahead of the Aug. 29 centenary of Japan's annexation of the Korean Peninsula:

This year marks a significant juncture for the Japan-Republic of Korea relationship. In August precisely 100 years ago, the Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty was concluded, marking the beginning of the colonial rule of 36 years. As demonstrated by strong resistance such as the Samil independence movement, the Korean people of that time were deprived of their country and culture, and their ethnic pride was deeply scarred by the colonial rule which was imposed against their will under the political and military circumstances.

I would like to face history with sincerity. I would like to have courage to squarely confront the facts of history and humility to accept them, as well as to be honest to reflect upon the errors of our own. Those who render pain tend to forget it while those who suffered cannot forget it easily. To the tremendous damage and sufferings that this colonial rule caused, I express here once again my feelings of deep remorse and my heartfelt apology.

Guided by such understanding, I will build a future-oriented Japan-Republic of Korea relationship by placing the next 100 years to come in my prospect. I will continue in all sincerity conducting such humanitarian cooperation as the assistance to ethnic Koreans left on Sakhalin and the assistance in returning remains of the people from the Korean Peninsula. Moreover, in response to the expectations of the Korean people, I will transfer precious archives originated from the Korean Peninsula that were brought to Japan during the period of Japan's rule through the governor general of Korea and the government of Japan possesses, such as the Royal Protocols of the Joseon Dynasty.

Japan and the Republic of Korea, through active exchanges of cultures and peoples for more than 2,000 years, deeply share wonderful culture and tradition that are renowned to the world. In addition, the exchange between our two nations today is remarkably multilayered and wide-ranging, as well as the affinity and friendship which the peoples of our two nations mutually embrace are stronger than ever. Furthermore, the scale of economic relations and people-to-people exchanges between our two nations has dramatically expanded since our relationship was normalized, and our ties have become extremely solid while both sides have been improving together by friendly rivalry.

Japan and the Republic of Korea have become the most important and closest neighboring nation now in this 21st century, sharing such values as democracy, freedom and a market economy. Our relationship is not confined to our bilateral relations, but rather it is a partnership where we cooperate and exercise leadership for the peace and prosperity of the region and the world by encompassing a broad spectrum of agenda: the peace and stability of this region envisioning, among others, the future establishment of an East Asia community, the growth and development of the world's economy, as well as issues of global scale such as nuclear disarmament, climate change, poverty and peace-building.

At this significant juncture of history, I strongly hope that our bond will become even more profound and solid between Japan and the Republic of Korea, and I declare my determination to make every ceaseless effort to open the future between our two nations.

NAGASAKI, JAPAN: Full text of Nagasaki Peace Declaration 2010

The following is the full text of the Peace Declaration presented Aug. 9 by Nagasaki Mayor Tomihisa Taue at a ceremony to mark the 65th anniversary of the Aug. 9, 1945 atomic bombing of the city.

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This year's peace ceremony has commenced with a song by hibakusha, survivors of the atomic bombing.

The song was full of the strong hope that that fateful day must never be repeated.

On August 9, 1945 at 11:02 a.m., a single atomic bomb dropped by a United States military aircraft devastated Nagasaki instantly. The intense heat rays, blast winds, radiation, and ceaseless fires.... They claimed the precious lives of 74,000 people, while inflicting deep physical and mental wounds on those who narrowly escaped death.

Some 65 years have passed since that day. In the atomic bombing survivors, I see the hope of people singing from the bottom of their hearts, and always walking with invincible strides toward "a world without nuclear weapons."

We call upon the leaders of the nuclear weapons states never to trample on humanity's efforts for "a world without nuclear weapons."

This May, at the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference, concrete steps toward nuclear disarmament with specified timelines were proposed by the chairperson. This proposal was widely supported by non-nuclear weapons states. Expectations were raised among non-governmental organizations assembling in New York from around the world and among the people of Nagasaki, a city that has suffered the horror of atomic bombing.

The chairperson's proposal was later rejected by the government representatives of the nuclear weapons states of the U.S., Russia, the U.K., France and China. The lack of sincere commitment from the nuclear weapons states toward nuclear disarmament could provoke antipathy and lead to the emergence of more new nuclear weapons states, increasing the threat of nuclear proliferation around the world. The NPT regime must be strongly supported as a minimum requirement to be observed, so that the number of nuclear weapons states does not increase.

We believe that a new treaty is necessary in order to take the steps to eliminate nuclear weapons. The United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has already urged U.N. member countries to commence consideration of the Nuclear Weapons Convention. At the NPT Review Conference, many countries referred to the possibility of such consideration. As citizens of a city that has experienced atomic bombing, we strongly support the Nuclear Weapons Convention, which equally prohibits all countries from conducting any activities involving nuclear weapons, such as their production, possession and use.

Nagasaki and Hiroshima have long worked together to tell the world of the catastrophes caused by the atomic bombings, and to appeal for the weapons' abolishment. The government of Japan, a nation that has endured two atomic bombings, manifested its position as a non-nuclear country by stating the Three Non-Nuclear Principles as national policy. However, this year, 65 years after the atomic bombings, the Japanese government has revealed the existence of a "secret nuclear pact." We harbor profound distrust of the government's past responses that have turned the Three Non-Nuclear Principles into a mere formality. Moreover, the government has recently been promoting negotiations on a nuclear agreement with India, a non-NPT member country with nuclear weapons. This means that a nation that has suffered atomic bombings itself is now severely weakening the NPT regime, which is beyond intolerable.

The first thing the Japanese government should do is to enact the Three Non-Nuclear Principles into law in order to restore the trust of the Japanese people. Also, the government should seek the denuclearization of Japan, South Korea and North Korea in a bid to realize security that does not rely upon a nuclear umbrella. We urge the Japanese government to propose the concept of a Northeast Asian Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone and to demonstrate to the international community its own leadership as the government of nation bombed by atomic weapons.

At the NPT Review Conference, the Japanese government, together with the governments of 41 other countries, including Russia, issued the Joint Statement on Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Education. We support this statement, and at the same time, look forward to the Japanese government promoting non-proliferation and disarmament education for young people around the world. In Nagasaki, there are still memories and scars left from the atomic bombing. There are atomic bomb survivors who believe it is their mission to tell, for the future, the story of their experiences, even as they continue to suffer from physical and psychological pain. There are many adults and young people who have never experienced an atomic bombing, but who are actively working for peace in a determined effort to follow the wishes of the hibakusha. Nagasaki, a city that experienced a nuclear attack, will continue contributing to non-proliferation and disarmament education.

I would like to remind everyone around the world that it is we ourselves who have the power to decide which path we should take, "a world with nuclear weapons" filled with distrust and threat, or "a world without nuclear weapons" based on trust and cooperation. For our children, we have responsibility for creating a future without the fear of nuclear weapons. Even though on our own each of us might be small and weak, by joining together we can become a force to make governments act and to create a new history. Let us convey our intention fully and clearly to our governments.

Many people in the world are continuing their peace efforts toward the abolishment of nuclear weapons. In cooperation with them, the city of Nagasaki will establish an extensive global network of peace citizens to unite with a city that has suffered nuclear attack.

The average age of the remaining survivors has now exceeded 76; fewer and fewer of them are able to attend this ceremony each year. From the perspective of providing relief for aging atomic bomb survivors both in Japan and overseas, we call on the Japanese government to hasten in offering them further support.

We offer our sincere condolences on the deaths of the atomic bomb victims, and pledge to continue our utmost efforts together with the city of Hiroshima, until the day when nuclear weapons no longer exist on the earth.

(Mainichi Japan) August 9, 2010

RUSSIA: Travel Alert

The State Department alerts U.S. citizens of the risks of travel to the Russian Federation due to fires in Russia and their impact on safety, air quality, and transportation.  This Travel Alert expires on September 5, 2010.

Forest fires and extreme high temperatures in the Moscow region and surrounding areas of central Russia have produced hazardous levels of air pollution and caused numerous flight delays and cancellations in Moscow.

Persons contemplating travel to Moscow and surrounding areas should carefully consider their plans in light of these developments.  The hazardous air quality means that persons with heart or lung disease, older adults, and children should remain indoors and keep activity levels low.  Everyone should avoid prolonged or heavy exertion outdoors.

The situation has prompted the Russian government to declare a state of emergency in Moscow, Vladimir, Ryazan, Voronezh, Novgorod, the Republic of Mordovia, and the Republic of Marii-El.

Fire related conditions can change quickly, due to changes in wind direction and weather conditions.  Persons planning travel to the Moscow area should monitor weather conditions and stay in touch with their airline.

We recommend U.S. citizens register their travel plans with the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy through the State Department's travel registration website.

If you require further information or assistance, please visit the U.S. Embassy Moscow website or e-mail us at MoscowWarden@State.gov.  The U.S. Embassy Moscow consular section is located at Novinskiy Bulvar 21, Moscow.  The nearest metro stations are Barrikadnaya and Krasnapresenskaya.  You can reach the embassy's switchboard at (7) (495) 728-5000, and the American Citizen Services Unit at (7) (495) 728-5577. In the event of an after-hours emergency, please contact the main switchboard. You may also contact the American Citizens Services Unit by fax at (7) (495) 728-5084.  The U.S. Embassy Moscow website is also available in Russian at www.usembassy.ru.

U.S. Consulates General are located in:

St. Petersburg
15 Ulitsa Furshtadtskaya, St. Petersburg 191028
Tel: (7) (812) 331-2600
Fax: (7) (812) 331-2646
After-hours emergencies: (7) (812) 331-2600
Email: StPetersburgACS@state.gov

Vladivostok
32 Ulitsa Pushkinskaya, Vladivostok 690001
Tel: (7) (4232) 30-00-70
Fax: (7) (4232) 30-00-91
After-hours emergencies: (7) (4232) 71 00 67
Email: vladcons@state.gov

Yekaterinburg
Ulitsa Gogolya 15a, 4th floor, Yekaterinburg 620151
Tel: (7) (343)379-3001
Fax: (7) (343) 379-4515
After-hours emergencies: (7) 8 902 84 16653
Email: consulyekat@state.gov

Travelers may obtain up-to-date information on security conditions by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the U.S. or outside the U.S. and Canada on a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444.

For information on general crime and security issues, U.S. citizens should also consult the Department of State's Country Specific Information of Russia as well as The Worldwide Caution Located on the Bureau of Consular Affairs website.

HIROSHIMA, JAPAN: Full text of Hiroshima Peace Declaration

The following is the full text of the Peace Declaration presented Aug. 6 by Hiroshima Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba at a ceremony to mark the 65th anniversary of the atomic bombing of the city.

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In the company of hibakusha who, on this day 65 years ago, were hurled, without understanding why, into a "hell" beyond their most terrifying nightmares and yet somehow managed to survive; together with the many souls that fell victim to unwarranted death, we greet this August sixth with re-energized determination that, "No one else should ever have to suffer such horror."

Through the unwavering will of the hibakusha and other residents, with help from around Japan and the world, Hiroshima is now recognized as a beautiful city. Today, we aspire to be a "model city for the world" and even to host the Olympic Games. Transcending the tortures of hell, trusting in the peace-loving peoples of the world, the hibakusha offer a message that is the cornerstone of Japan's Peace Constitution and a beacon to the world.

The results of the NPT Review Conference held this past May testify to that beacon's guiding influence. The Final Document expresses the unanimous intent of the parties to seek the abolition of nuclear weapons; notes the valuable contribution of civil society; notes that a majority favors the establishment of timelines for the nuclear weapons abolition process, and highlights the need for a nuclear weapons convention or new legal framework. In doing so, it confirms that our future depends on taking the steps articulated by Hiroshima, Nagasaki, the more than 4,000 city members of Mayors for Peace, and the two-thirds of all Japanese municipalities that formally supported the Hiroshima-Nagasaki Protocol.

That our cry of conscience, the voice of civil society yearning for a future free from nuclear weapons, was heard at the U.N. is due in large measure to the leadership of His Excellency Ban Ki-moon, who today has become the first U.N. Secretary-General to attend our Peace Memorial Ceremony. President Obama, the United States government, and the 1,200-member U.S. Conference of Mayors also wielded their powerful influence.

This ceremony is honored today by the presence of government officials representing more than 70 countries as well as the representatives of many international organizations, NGOs, and citizens' groups. These guests have come to join the hibakusha, their families, and the people of Hiroshima in sharing grief and prayers for a peaceful world. Nuclear-weapon states Russia, China and others have attended previously, but today, for the first time ever, we have with us the U.S. ambassador and officials from the UK and France.

Clearly, the urgency of nuclear weapons abolition is permeating our global conscience; the voice of the vast majority is becoming the pre-eminent force for change in the international community.

To seize this unprecedented opportunity and actually achieve a world without nuclear weapons, we need above all to communicate to every corner of our planet the intense yearning of the hibakusha, thereby narrowing the gap between their passion and the rest of the world. Unfortunately, many are unaware of the urgency; their eyes still closed to the fact that only through luck, not wisdom, have we avoided human extinction.

Now the time is ripe for the Japanese government to take decisive action. It should begin to "take the lead in the pursuit of the elimination of nuclear weapons" by legislating into law the three non-nuclear principles, abandoning the U.S. nuclear umbrella, legally recognizing the expanded "black rain areas," and implementing compassionate, caring assistance measures for all the aging hibakusha anywhere in the world.

In addition, the Prime Minister's wholehearted commitment and action to make the dreams of the hibakusha come true would lead us all by 2020 to a new world of "zero nuclear weapons," an achievement that would rival in human history the "discovery of zero" itself. He could, for example, confront the leaders of the nuclear-weapon states with the urgent need for abolition, lead them to the table to sign a nuclear weapons convention, and call on all countries for sharp reductions in nuclear and other military expenditures. His options are infinite.

We citizens and cities will act as well. In accordance with the Hiroshima Appeal adopted during last week's Hiroshima Conference for the Total Abolition of Nuclear Weapons by 2020, we will work closely with like-minded nations, NGOs, and the U.N. itself to generate an ever-larger tidal wave of demand for a world free of nuclear weapons by 2020.

Finally, on this, the 65th anniversary of the atomic bombing, as we offer to the souls of the A-bomb victims our heartfelt condolences, we hereby declare that we cannot force the most patiently enduring people in the world, the hibakusha, to be patient any longer. Now is the time to devote ourselves unreservedly to the most crucial duty facing the human family, to give the hibakusha, within their lifetimes, the nuclear-weapon-free world that will make them blissfully exclaim, "I'm so happy I lived to see this day."

(Mainichi Japan) August 6, 2010

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