Kadyrov blames attempt on Yevkurov life on int'l terrorism.

MOSCOW, June 23 (Itar-Tass) - It is international terrorism that
stands behind the assassination attempt against President Yunus-Bek
Yevkurov of Ingushetia, Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov has stated in an
interview with the Russian news channel Vesti.

Kadyrov said, "Over the past month together with Yevkurov we have been
working out special measures against religious extremists and terrorists.
We struggled as hard as we could. We achieved good results that displeased
precisely terrorists and extremists, because he (Yevkurov) began to
straighten things out, putting them in order which is necessary for the
people, for religion, for the population, and for all who live in
Ingushetia".
The President of Chechnya said Yevkurov "is a daring guy. He has not
been afraid of anything. He has been keen on checking facilities up in
person, and verify in the mornings and evenings what was happening on the
territory of Ingushetia". "We need him back in the service. Such persons
are essential to the State and we shall pray for him," Kadyrov said. In so
doing he stated that the international terrorists who had perpetrated this
crime would be smashed.
Kadyrov said the authorities of Chechnya would make every effort "to
do away with terrorists and extremists on the territories of both the
Chechen Republic and Ingushetia". Joint operations by the two republics'
police will be not only continued but stepped up as well, he added.
In the process, Kadyronv intends to cooperate with Ingushetia's
acting President Rashid Gaisanov. He recalled that during the conduct of a
joint operation by the law enforcement agencies of the two republics, 30
militants had been killed on the territories of Dagestan, Ingushetia, and
Chechnya. "There turned out to be the nationals of Uzbekistan, Georgia,
Tajikistan, and Arabs among those killed. They are no mere bandits. They
are well-trained militants. They fight against Russia, not against the
Chechen or Ingush peoples. They chose the territory of the Caucasus as a
spring-board. They are backed by the policy being pursued by certain
countries that want to see Russia weakened," Kadyrov pointed out.

.DPRK closes vast area of Sea of Japan (East Sea) to nav.

TOKYO, June 23 (Itar-Tass) - The Democratic People's Republic of Korea
(DPRK) has again closed a vast area off its eastern coast to navigation,
reporting for the first time that such a measure is being taken in view of
the forthcoming military exercises.
A zone, 450 km long and 110 km wide in the area of port Wonsan will be
closed to navigation from June 25 to July 10, Japan'a Maritime Safety
Agency (MSA), which performs border guarding functions, has reported. For
its part, the MSA received a respective notification from the North Korean
side by e-mail. The ban on navigaiton in the zone will be in effect from 8
a.m. to 8 p.m..
This time Pyongyang closes a wider area tonavigation than previously
was the case. Earlier forbidden zones off the DPRK coast had been declared
on June 8 and 18.
On April 5 Pyongyang had launched a long-range rocket from a test
site in the country's north-eastern extremity. The rocket had lost the its
first acceleration stage in the open waters of the Sea of Japan (East
Sea). The second and third stages of the rocket had flown across Japan,
splashing down into the open waters of the Pacific Ocean upon covering a
distance of approximately 3,200 km.
On May 25, the DPRK carried out a second nuclear test and at the same
time launched several short-range rockets of various types.
It is reported that Pyongyang currently prepares for the launch of a
new long-range rocket, possibly that of intercontinental class.

.RK may mull over getting Russian gas by skirting DPRK.

SEOUL, June 23 (Itar-Tass) - In order to get Russian gas, the Republic
of Korea (RK) may consider an option of laying a pipeline across the
seabed if the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) gives up plans
for the transportation of gas across its territory, the Yonhap news agency
reported on Tuesday referring to the RK Ministry of Innovation Economics
and the Korea Gas Corporation (KOGAS).
Although a feasibility study and cost analysis of the project to build
a gas pipeline across North Korea is to be completed towards the end of
the current year, Seoul analysts, accordingto the Ministry, go ahead with
studying alternative options.
According to the terms of the agreement, concluded by the Russian
Gazprom and KOGAS last year, South Korea intends to import 7.5 million
tonnes of natural gas, beginning from the year 2015.
Although the original plan to build an overland gas pipeline across
the DPRK territory remains in force, Seoul, according to the Ministry,
fear that the deterioration of the situation on the Korean Peninsula as a
result of the second nuclear test conducted by Pyongyang, the launchings
of long-range rockets by it, and the UN-announed sanctions against North
Korea may bring about certain problems.
Among alternative options analysts mention the supply of natural gas
via a pipeline laid across the bed of the Sea of Japan (East Sea) from
Vladivostok to the port of Samchok on the eastern coast of South Korea,
where a new gas storage facility is under construction.