NightWatch

For the Night of 10 June 2009

North Korea: Japan’s TBS Television broadcast video of Kim Chong-il today. The Telecast reported that according to information a South Korean intelligence organization obtained late last month, Kim Chong Il's health condition deteriorated again and that there is a strong possibility that he is "recuperating at a hospital exclusively for senior Party officials."

The report quoted a high-ranking South Korean intelligence official who said in an interview with the program, that Kim had been "overloaded with inspections to demonstrate his good health, in spite of undergoing rehabilitation, which may have placed a strain on him." The official speculated that it is uncertain whether Kim is seriously ill but there is no doubt that his condition has deteriorated.

The telecast contained a video clip of a man purportedly Kim Chong-il making an inspection visit to a factory. Kim is making about ten of these a week lately, including during the time he supposedly was recovering in the hospital.

In April NightWatch presented side-by-side images of Chubby Kim and Cadaverous Kim published by the North Koreans within a few days of each other. The latest image shows a man whose physiology is in-between the others, but whose left arm is straight down and never moves in the 66 second clip. It might be Kim but only his handlers would know.

North Korea did not publish images of Kim, his sister and his brother-in-law visiting the opera. If a picture of that troika exists, it almost certainly would show the real Kim with his family members. But that event evidently was too sensitive to publicize.

North Korea- UN Security Council: Update. "The five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council -- the U.S., Britain, France, China and Russia, and South Korea and Japan -- have agreed on a draft resolution on North Korea's second nuclear test," a diplomat said, requesting anonymity as reported by Yonhap. "The draft has been circulated to all the 15 members of the Security Council and we expect it to be put to a vote Friday."

A Friday vote will ensure that there is a crisis over the weekend because of the North’s reaction to the vote. The North has vowed to break the Armistice and consider itself at war if – nay, when – a new sanctions resolution passes. Expect an escalation of the crisis this weekend, assuming the resolution is approved on Friday.

Pakistan-India: Prime Minister Gilani said that Pakistan would offer the Indian leadership an olive branch to resume a composite dialogue, adding that neither country could afford war.

Addressing students and faculty members at the Command and Staff College on 10 June, he said both countries were facing similar problems and it was in the interest of the whole region that both nuclear powers restart the dialogue that had ceased after the Mumbai attacks last year.

Gilani’s statement responds to that of Prime Minister Singh yesterday about the importance of peace. Gilani conveyed a responsive sentiment but insulted India in stating that they were facing similar problems. The Pakistanis never seem to get it right. There is no symmetry between India and Pakistan and has not been for 40 years.

India replied that talks would resume only after cross-border raids into Kashmir state end.

Gabon: Update. Senate speaker Rose Francine Rogombe, 66, was sworn in Wednesday as interim head of state at an official ceremony in Libreville, after the death of President Omar Bongo Ondimba.

"I swear to devote all my strength to the good of the Gabonese people, with the aim of promoting its well-being and protecting it from all harm, to respect and defend the constitution and a state of law, and conscientiously to carry out my duties and to be fair before everyone," Rogombe said. Rogombe is Gabon’s first female head of state.

Presidential elections are required to take place no later than 45 days after the Constitutional Court announces a vacancy in power, which it did on Tuesday. The country is observing 30 days of mourning, which includes closure of bars and night-clubs.

Bolivia: For the record. President Morales made a short visit to Cuba to pay homage to the Castro brothers before further travels in South America.

End of NightWatch for 10 June.