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EU for urgent Indo-Pak dialogue over Kashmir PARIS, Dec 29: The European Union (EU) has called for India and Pakistan to "rapidly resume dialogue" to build on a recent easing in tensions and ....more Anti-India wave sweeps across nepal KATHMANDU, Dec 29: A wave of anti-India sentiment of unprecedented proportions sweeping Nepal reflects pent up animosity over a perceived...more US worried about Russian plans to sell arms to Iran WASHINGTON, Dec 29: The United States said it was very worried about reports Russia was planning to sell arms to Iran, saying they would pose a ...more
George Bush to make WASHINGTON, Dec 29: President-elect George W. Bush returned to Washington to name new leaders of his Cabinet and White House staff. .....more |
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Clinton gives pride WASHINGTON, Dec 29: Outgoing United States President Bill Clinton gives pride of place to India as memories of his visit to the land of exotica still ......more Fiji’s economy shrinks further in coup aftermath SUVA, Dec 29: Fiji’s economy, which took a battering after the May 19 coup, has suffered further: The largest public enterprises report severe ......more I’m open to being persuaded on privatisation: Roy LONDON, Dec 29: Booker prize-winning author Arundhati Roy says she is open to persuasion if somebody tells her that privatisation is good or that .....more Cambodia begins debate of Khmer Rouge trial law PHNOM PENH, Dec 29: Cambodian lawmakers began a long-awaited debate today of legislation to bring former leaders of the notorious Khmer Rouge regime to trial. ......more |
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EU for urgent Indo-Pak dialogue over Kashmir PARIS, Dec 29: The European Union (EU) has called for India and Pakistan to "rapidly resume dialogue" to build on a recent easing in tensions and negotiate a solution over the Kashmir issue. "The European Union welcomes the recent decision by Indian authorities to prolong by a month a cease-fire in Kashmir," said a statement from France, the current holder of the rotating EU presidency, yesterday. Welcoming a Pakistani promise to reduce troop numbers along its border with India as a "gesture that moves in the direction of reducing tensions," the statement said the two South Asian rivals should "rapidly resume dialogue in search of a peaceful solution." (AFP) |
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Anti-India wave sweeps across nepal KATHMANDU, Dec 29: A wave of anti-India sentiment of unprecedented proportions sweeping Nepal reflects pent up animosity over a perceived Indian "big brother" role in the region, analysts here say. A violent unrest in which at least four people have been killed has been triggered by hostile statements attributed to the bollywood actor Hrithik Roshan, who has denied the charges. Hrithik, 26, and star satellite television have both denied the screen star ever said he "hated Nepal and the Nepalese people" in an interview two weeks ago. But Leftist students, ignoring the denials, continued to protest and have called for a ban on Roshan’s films, threatening to "bury Hrithik alive" if he set foot in Nepal. The continuing unrest and agitation against India that has gripped nepal has terrified Indian residents who have seen their vehicles, shops and businesses destroyed. Previously, when there was tension between Nepal and India, the local population had vented its anger "in a small way, but this time, the Indians and their property have been repeatedly attacked and damaged," an analyst here noted. Some political observers in Kathmandu see the agitation as a reflection of pent up anti-India feeling. "Being a bigger and a powerful nation, India always tried to act as a big brother," political analyst H Shrestha said. "India has been blaming Nepal for all the misdeeds that happen over here against it," the daily said, alluding to the the hijacking of an Indian Airlines aircraft a year ago and allegations in New Delhi that Pakistani spies received help in Kathmandu in harming Indian interests. The President of the Nepal-Britain Chamber of Commerce and industry, Rajendra Khetan, of Indian origin, said: "the protestors who attacked the properties of Indian businessmen and their firms and shops were not large in number but the riot police did nothing to protect the Indians. The mobs even damaged social service centres which provide medical aid and food to Nepalese and foreigners, including Indians, he said. "There is no logic why such social service centres have to be smashed," Khetan said. A leading Nepali businessman of Indian origin Banwari Lal Mittal said: "Indian businessmen’s participation in Nepal’s economy through trade and industry is very important. "If the Indians living here or those of Indian descent are attacked, it could gravely affect Nepal’s economy, apart from weakening Nepal’s democracy," he said. The ruling Nepali Congress party’s youth leader, Mathabar Singh, Basnyet said: "foreign elements are the main force behind the current anti-India movement in Nepal. "Whenever we have political agitations here, there is always the influence of foreign elements," he said. Basnyet was echoing Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala’s remark to his Indian counterpart Atal Bihari Vajpayee yesterday that the unrest was part of a "conspiracy." A communique from the Indian premier’s office quoted Koirala as telling Vajpayee: "these incidents appeared to be a part of a conspiracy aimed at harming the traditionally close bonds of friendship between the two neighbours. "We have set up a commission to inquire into its origins and find out if it has any external dimensions," the statement quoted Koirala as saying. (AFP) |
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US worried about Russian plans to sell arms to Iran WASHINGTON, Dec 29: The United States said it was very worried about reports Russia was planning to sell arms to Iran, saying they would pose a threat to its interests in the Middle East. "We are particularly disturbed by russian press accounts that we’ve seen today of Defence Minister (IGOR) Sergeyev’s discussions with the Iranians which suggest that Russia is ready to sell Iran missiles, submarines and other equipment," State Department spokesman Philip Reeker told a news briefing yesterday. The US Embassy in Moscow will seek an opportunity to clarify Russia’s intent "sooner rather than later," another State Department official said, just hours after Sergeyev and his Iranian counterpart agreed in Tehran on broad, long-term military cooperation. They also declared a 1995 Russia-US deal that prevented Moscow from selling Iran conventional arms effectively dead. Such sales would "clearly place the national security interests of the United States, its allies and friends in the region at risk," said Reeker. On Wednesday, Sergeyev said in Tehran that Moscow would honor its international agreements and any arms sales would not "prejudice a third country". Russian officials have also offered assurances that any arms sales would be "defensive" in nature, mostly spares for soviet-era equipment. Reeker did not specify which Russian media reports he was referring to and administration officials say they have not yet had a chance to seek clarification about them from Moscow. But Reeker said, "it’s not sufficient for russia to simply call this type of equipment, quote, "defensive." Some of the equipment reportedly being discussed ... Would pose a serious threat." As President-elect George W Bush prepares to take office, US officials have pointed out to Moscow the inconsistency in their relations, with solid coordination on the Middle East peace process but mixed signals on Iran, US officials say. The United States views with suspicion any sales of military technology to Iran, which it sees as a destabilizing influence because of its stance on the peace process, nuclear activities and backing for anti-western "terrorist" groups. Iran denies Washington’s assertion it has an active nuclear arms program and says all work in that field is for peaceful purposes such as power generation. Worries in Washington about Russia’s stance on Iran are heightened because of Russia’s withdrawal from the pact struck by Vice President Al Gore and former Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin not to sell conventional arms to Iran. Bush is expected to take a tougher line with Moscow than President Bill Clinton’s administration did earlier in the post-soviet years. But even before bush was declared President, US officials were warning of possible sanctions against Moscow if arms sales to Iran went ahead. "This is something, obviously, we will watch very closely and continue to monitor," Reeker said. (REUTERS) |
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George Bush to make staff, Cabinet picks WASHINGTON, Dec 29: President-elect George W. Bush returned to Washington to name new leaders of his Cabinet and White House staff. Bush, who will be sworn in as the 43rd U.S. President on Jan. 20, was expected to announce the appointments of senior aides as well as several Cabinet members over the next two days, Republican sources said. "He’s coming to make a bunch of them," one Republican source said. "I think they plan to have the whole Cabinet done by shortly after new year’s, if not before." Bush arrived at Andrews Air Force base outside Washington shortly after 10:30 a.m. est (1530 gmt) and proceeded to a meeting with Vice President-elect Dick Cheney, chief of staff Andrew Card and Clay Johnson, his aide leading the appointments process. During an appearance scheduled for 2 p.m. est (1900 gmt) at his transition headquarters in downtown Washington, Bush was likely to make key appointments, including that of Lawrence Lindsey, his chief economic adviser and a former federal reserve board Governor, to a top post in the White House, along with his political strategist, Karl Rove, the sources said. In keeping with Bush’s capacity for secrecy and his staff’s delight in springing surprises, the sources said it would be unwise to rule out a slew of Cabinet dominations over the next few days, including that of Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson to head the Health and Human Services Department. Bush spokesman Ari Fleischer told reporters it was a "good possibility" that Bush would name at least one Cabinet member on Thursday, but he declined to comment on Thompson or discuss individual Cabinet positions. Aides said Bush would likely have another media event today before returning to Austin to celebrate the new year at his ranch in Central Texas. It was expected that the entire Cabinet would be completed today, Fleischer said. Bush let it be known that he would interview potential cabinet prospects at his Washington hotel. "I’ll probably be making some announcements in the next couple of days," he told reporters on Wednesday, while on a fishing vacation in Florida. "You’ll have to just wait and see who I announce. "Nobody’s out of the running," he said. He refused to say if he had hooked a defense secretary, the last of the more senior cabinet posts he has yet to fill. The sources said congressional Republicans favored former Indiana Sen. Dan Coats, who had appeared to be the front-runner, but that bush may now be considering others. One new name mentioned was that of Donald Rice, former secretary of the Air Force. "It wouldn’t surprise me if coats still did get it," one source said on Wednesday. Bush declined to say whether Coats or Paul Wolfowitz, an aide to Bush as well as a Pentagon and State Department official in the administrations of both his father and former president Ronald Reagan, were still under consideration. Bush has chosen seven of those he expects to have in his Cabinet, a group he said would be politically and ethnically diverse. There are 14 statutory Cabinet members, but every President can elevate any number of agencies to that level during his term. All of them must be confirmed by the senate. Already he has fulfilled his pledge to have a diverse Cabinet, nominating the Cuban-born Mel Martinez to head the Department of Housing and Urban Development retired Gen. Colin Powell, who is black, to be secretary of state and a woman, Ann Veneman, to lead the Agriculture Department. Others he has chosen are Alcoa chairman Paul O’Neill as treasury secretary, long-time friend and campaign manager Don Evans as commerce secretary, outgoing Missouri Sen. John Ashcroft as Attorney General and New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman to head the environmental protection agency. (REUTERS) |
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Clinton gives pride of place to India WASHINGTON, Dec 29: Outgoing United States President Bill Clinton gives pride of place to India as memories of his visit to the land of exotica still remains etched. When asked by the New York Times about his favourite foreign trip, according to the text published by the White House, the first name to strike him after eight continuous years and innumerable foreign trips was the rising tiger of South Asia. Other countries, including his mother’s native, Ireland followed later. Boy! that’s really hard. I loved India. I liked China. The Vietnam thing was — but I suppose Ireland in 1995. I suppose, just because my mother’s family is Irish and our oldest known homestead is in Roslea, just right on the border of Northern Ireland and the Republic." Indo-US relations are supposed to have improved a great deal after the charismatic President’s historic trip to India in March alongwith his daughter Chelsea. The visit helped in removing prejudices of the cold war and post-Pokhran stress. (PTI) |
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Fiji’s economy shrinks further in coup aftermath SUVA, Dec 29: Fiji’s economy, which took a battering after the May 19 coup, has suffered further: The largest public enterprises report severe constraints while tourism, the major revenue earner has recorded a massive decline. A catastrophic year is expected to end with the gross domestic product shrinking by eight percent, the "deepest contraction since records were kept in 1966," says the Reserve Bank of Fiji. This is a dramatic reversal of the five per cent anticipated growth for the year before the coup that was staged by failed businessman George Speight shattered the economy and destroyed the rising investor confidence in Fiji. Tourism earnings for the third quarter of the year slid 109 million dollars (58 million US), a 62 percent fall over the same period last year, the Bureau of Statistics said. Hotels report 20 to 30 percent occupancy rates, despite a vigorous advertising campaign abroad to lure the visitors back. The Fiji Sugar Corporation faces a 20-million-dollar loss for the current financial year and its Chairman Hafiz Khan has warned that bankruptcy loomed. "Anything is possible right now. We had a catastrophic year and with the continuing crush into 2001 the company could be in a terrible mess," Khan said. "One of that is facing receivership and that is the way we are heading now." Sugar has traditionally been the backbone of Fiji’s economy. However, prolonged severe drought in 1997 and 1998 sent the growth rates spiralling downwards. (AGENCIES) |
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I’m open to being persuaded on privatisation: Roy LONDON, Dec 29: Booker prize-winning author Arundhati Roy says she is open to persuasion if somebody tells her that privatisation is good or that big dams are the best thing that could happen to India. "I am prepared to change my position. But if someone tells me that it’s wrong for you to feel badly or indignantly about 56 million people being displaced by big dams I don’t want someone else to legislate on how I feel," Roy, who is spearheading the anti-Narmada Sarovar Dam protests, told BBC world’s `Asia Today’ programme telecast this morning. Asked whether she would give up her protests following the Supreme Court verdict in favour of construction of the dam, Roy said if media people had come to the Narmada valley after the judgement, "they would have thought I was being kind to the Supreme Court after seeing what the people were saying. "But people are out of touch with it (verdict) because they had never expected justice from these institutions and the elite. ... Therefore anyone pointing it out is going to be abused, if you weren’t, you’d be doing something wrong" she remarked. Askelished way before I won the booker prize or wrote ‘the god of small things’. (PTI) |
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Cambodia begins debate of Khmer Rouge trial law PHNOM PENH, Dec 29: Cambodian lawmakers began a long-awaited debate today of legislation to bring former leaders of the notorious Khmer Rouge regime to trial. "The National Assembly has agreed with the general concept of the draft law, so I would like the whole National Assembly to start debating it," National Assembly President Prince Norodom Ranariddh told Parliament. Ranariddh told reporters yesterday that he expected the law to be approved within days, and opposition leader Sam Rainsy echoed that sentiment today in Parliament. "On behalf of the Sam Rainsy Party, I completely support the draft law and want it debated... I expect the debate to go smoothly," he said. Cambodia and the united nations agreed in late April on how to try former leaders of the radical communist group, but the process has been on hold since then. Cambodia’s top negotiator, senior minister Sok An, was in Parliament today to explain parts of the lengthy draft law — which contains 48 Articles in 19 Chapters. Sok an said he was optimistic the law would be approved quickly. "Today is a good day to debate this draft law because this month is the same month as the total collapse of the Khmer Rouge," he said. He was referring to the December 1999 surrender of the group’s last fighters and defection to the Government of former Khmer Rouge Head of State Khieu Samphan and former Second-in-Command Nuon Chea. No Khmer Rouge leader has ever appeared in court to answer for the carnage of the group’s nearly four-year "killing fields" rule in the 1970s during which an estimated 1.7 million people died. Khmer Rouge leader Pol Pot died in 1998 as Government troops were closing in on his jungle hideout, but many of his comrades — including Khieu Samphan and Nuon Chea — are living freely near the Thai border. (REUTERS) |
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