World digest 05/03/05

Taiwan chief asks China to talk to him, not rival

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian on Monday offered peace talks with Beijing, apparently seeking to regain the high ground from a political rival who is on a headline-grabbing visit to China. Implicit in Chen's speech during a visit to the Marshall Islands was a message to Chinese leaders that they should be talking to him, the elected president, not to Lien Chan, the man he has twice defeated at the polls. The Chinese leadership has rebuffed all of Chen's requests to meet during the past five years but has warmly welcomed Lien.

Palestinians raze illegal homes of officials

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip -- A Palestinian bulldozer on Monday demolished the seaside homes of three senior officers who built illegally on public land in Gaza, the start of what the Palestinian government promises will be a relentless campaign against corruption. Palestinians, fed up with years of corruption by security officials, hailed the move as an important sign that no one is above the law.

Italy offers own view on killing of agent in Iraq

ROME -- Italian investigators have concluded that stress, inexperience and fatigue among U.S. soldiers played a role in the shooting death of an Italian agent in Baghdad, according to a report released Monday. The probe found no evidence that the March 4 killing of intelligence agent Nicola Calipari was deliberate. Calipari was killed just after he secured the release of journalist Giuliana Sgrena from Iraqi militants. U.S. soldiers fired on the Italians' vehicle as it approached the checkpoint near Baghdad's airport. U.S. investigators, in their report made public Saturday, said the American soldiers gave adequate warning as the car traveled on the road toward Baghdad airport. They cleared the U.S. soldiers of any wrongdoing, sparking outrage in Italy.