World in brief: Lawmaker’s film criticical of Islam

A Dutch lawmaker released a film highly critical of Islam on Thursday, setting verses of the Muslim holy book against a background of violent images from terrorist attacks.

Geert Wilders posted his 15-minute film on a Web site. Shortly afterward, Dutch television channels showed segments of the film and broadcast discussions by analysts on the possible impact of its release.

The Dutch government had warned Wilders that a film offensive to Muslims could spark violent protests in Islamic countries, like those two years ago after European newspapers published cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad.

After the release, Wilders told reporters that he made the film because “Islam and the Quran are dangers to the preservation of freedom in the Netherlands in the long term, and I have to warn people of that.” The film is called “Fitna,” an Arabic word that can be translated as “ordeal.” Wilders suggested European culture is under threat due to immigration by Muslims.

Tashkent, Uzbekistan

U.S. acknowledges using air base

U.S. forces have been using an Uzbek air base on the border with Afghanistan for nearly two months, the U.S. ambassador said Thursday, the latest sign of a thaw between the West and the authoritarian ex-Soviet republic.

The comments by Richard Norland appeared to be the first public confirmation by Washington that Uzbekistan had eased a prohibition it imposed after the United States and others criticized its government for crushing an uprising in 2005.

Norland said Uzbekistan has let U.S. forces headed to Afghanistan use the base in the southern town of Termez since Jan. 31 on a case-by-case basis.

“In contrast to calls for isolation, we now see evidence of how international interest and cooperation with Uzbek authorities can lead to positive steps,” he said.

Washington

Treasury secretary will go to China

Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson will go to China next week, becoming the highest-ranking administration official to visit the country since Beijing’s harsh crackdown in Tibet.

The Treasury Department said Thursday that Paulson will meet with Chinese leaders and follow up on an agreement the two countries reached last year on environmental cooperation.

Treasury’s announcement came a day after the White House said that President Bush had sharply confronted China’s President Hu Jintao during a telephone call about the violence in Tibet. The White House said that Bush had stressed the need for restraint and the necessity for the Chinese to consult with representatives of the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibet.