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Bush administration WASHINGTON, July 21: The Bush administration has expressed its desire to have "strategic relationship" ......more Dalai
Lama prepared NEW DELHI, July 21: The Dalai Lama said today he was prepared to have a dialogue with China for resolving....more PPP,
PML slam ISLAMABAD, July 21: The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League (PML) today.....more |
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Indonesian Assembly JAKARTA, July 21: Indonesia’s top Assembly today began an impeachment hearing expected to topple the country’s first democratically elected leader, but President Abdurrahman Wahid warned his followers might hit the streets........more UN conference reaches UNITED NATIONS, July 21: After intensive negotiations, delegates from 189 member States overcame US objections and reached an accord to combat worlwide illegal small arms and light weapons today. At the all night session, the delegates agreed to take out at the American insistence on two most......more |
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Bush administration wants "strategic ties" with India WASHINGTON, July 21: The Bush administration has expressed its desire to have "strategic relationship" with India both in economic and security terms, a senior US official said. At a luncheon meeting with Union Commerce Minister Murasoli Maran here yesterday, US trade representative Robert B Zoellick said: " This relationship obviously is one that the President (George W Bush) thinks is a very important for the US. It reflects a number of shifts, the shifts in europe after the cold war as well as some changes that have been taking place in India over the course of the decade". Zoellick, who will leave for India on August 6 for talks with key Government officials and those from private sector, discussed with Maran details of his trip and tried to get an idea of Indian thinking on the desire of the developed countries to launch a new trade round at the ministerial level meeting of the World Trade Organisation in Doha (Qatar). Zoellick, who enjoys a cabinet rank, would be the first cabinet minister of the Bush administration to visit India. He said the main purpose of his visit would be to "listen and learn". Asked if he would be talking about Enron in India, he said "no". Zoellick explained that he was on Enron’s advisory council and excused himself from participating in any discussion on the subject. "So, I don’t talk about Enron". Maran renewed India’s commitment to economic reforms and said the country has seen the benefits of globalization. He specifically referred to India’s successes in the information technology sector and services. Maran pointed out to zoellick the important role India enjoys in outsourcing and performing tasks for American companies. Evincing keen interest in India’s economic reforms, Zoellick said, "I have been particularly interested in India’s economic reforms for some ten years. These reforms offer important possibilities both for India and for the global system." The IT sector has created a new dynamism in India, he said, adding he would like to learn more about the technology-driven process in India. Zoellick praised the consensus in India over continuing the reforms process. "I have been struck by the fact that while the reforms started under the congress party, the (NDA) coalition now governing India is also promoting liberalization." "I think in a way there is within the centre of Indian politics a belief that India must continue the reform process. There is also a very strong sense that given India’s history and experience, it is going to have to do so to find its own course", he said. (PTI) |
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Dalai Lama prepared for talks with China over Tibet issue NEW DELHI, July 21: The Dalai Lama said today he was prepared to have a dialogue with China for resolving the Tibetan issue provided an invitation was extended to him for this purpose by the Chinese leadership. Speaking to the core group for Tibetan cause here, the Dalai Lama said at the moment, it seemed that the Chinese leadership had no time to talk on the issue. It was bent upon strengthening its stranglehold on the occupied country and proposed to settle 20 million Chinese in tibet. For this purpose, he said a Railway line was being constructed to connect Lhasa with the rest of the Chinese mainland. Although he was not opposed to the construction of a Railway for Tibet’s economic development, the ulterior motive of China was to keep the occupied territory perpetually under its rule, the Dalai Lama said. Referring to the freedom struggle in Tibet, he said freedom for the Tibetan people would be possible, if the leadership in China followed the global trend in favour of democracy and giving rights to the citizens. The Chinese people themselves were struggling for freedom and democracy. He claimed. One of the major hurdles in resolving the Tibetan issue was suspicion in the minds of the Chinese leaders not only about the Tibetans but also their own people, many of whom supported their Tibetan brethren struggling for freedom, the Dalai Lama said. Reiterating that the Tibetans would continue their struggle through peaceful means, the highest Buddhist spiritual leader said the Tibetans have not approached any country, including the United States, for arms, weapons and other material help for the freedom movement. The democratic nations had the responsibility to ensure that the rights of the Tibetans were restored, he added. Replying to a question, the ageing spiritual leader said his successor would be democratically elected and that he had no right to nominate his successor, he said.(UNI) |
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PPP, PML slam Musharraf for ‘misusing’ Kashmir issue ISLAMABAD, July 21: The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League (PML) today criticised President Pervez Musharraf for "misleading" the people of the country that they had failed to highlight the Kashmir issue with Indian leaders in the past and charged him with "perpetuating" his rule by "manipulating" the issue. "Musharraf blatantly used the Agra summit to perpetuate his illegitimate rule and get him recognised as President by the Indian leadership," the two mainstream parties — the PPP, led by former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, and the PML, headed by deposed Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif — said. In his last night’s televised press conference, Musharraf had alleged that politicians have no courage to talk about Kashmir and said the "politicians did nothing to resolve the core issue of Kashmir". Reacting to the military ruler’s allegations, a PPP spokesperson Faratullah Babar told PTI here that Musharraf was "blatantly and brazenly" using the Kashmir issue and the Indo-Pak relations to strengthen his hold on the presidency. Babar said Musharraf has "cleverly" used India’s invitation to "sneak" into the presidency. Less than a month after India invited him, he ousted incumbent President Rafiq Tarar and declared himself President on June 20, he said. "He is now attempting to consolidate his hold on the presidency by getting an endorsement from the local body representatives after the completion of the local body polls, currently underway," Babar said and demanded that the military ruler hold general elections and restore democracy. Questioning Musharraf’s attempt to hold the Indo-Pak relations a "hostage" to the single issue of Kashmir, he said "Kashmir undoubtedly is the issue between two countries that has led to the conflict. Therefore efforts should be made to manage the conflict as it cannot be resolved overnight." He said there should be a step-by-step approach to resolve the issue than holding the Indo-Pak relations a "hostage" to the Kashmir problem. "Musharraf used the summit for his personal benefit to capture the presidency and used the failure of Agra summit to consolidate his constituency," he alleged. PML chief coordinator Ashan Iqbal also accused Musharraf of distorting the Lahore declaration and using the Agra summit for his "personal gains". In the declaration it was clearly mentioned that both countries should settle all disputes including Jammu and Kashmir through peaceful means, he told the Pakistani newspaper `The Nation’. "The mentioning of Kashmir in the declaration ensured the centrality of the issue," he said adding that the Lahore declaration provided a platform for both countries to settle all outstanding disputes and establish peace in the region. Iqbal said Musharraf felt "allergic" to Sharif and did not support Lahore declaration and now tried something of his own and "miserably failed", and used it get him recognised as president of Pakistan. Babar, referring to Musharraf’s allegations that simla and Lahore accords failed because they have not mentioned Kashmir, said Simla accord, signed by his party’s founder Z A Bhutto, has very prominently mentioned Kashmir. He said Simla not only addressed the centrality of Kashmir but also ensured the longest spell of peace between the two countries. The PPP spokesperson said that Simla and Lahore accords have to be the basis for the next round of talks as there was no agreement in Agra. He said by Musharraf’s own admission, he has returned empty handed from Agra. "So where will he begin again, certainly not on the unsigned declarations," he said. "Musharraf went to Agra promising to change history and by his own admission returned empty handed and now speaks as though history began its journey with Agra," Babar said. He, however, said Musharraf was right in urging the people to strengthen the hands of moderates to bring about peace. "At the same time military rulers should know that moderates could hardly assert in an environment of one man rule with a dictator at the top. "Moderates are strengthened only when there is rule of law, the constitution and democratic order," he said. (PTI) |
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Indonesian Assembly begins impeachment hearing JAKARTA, July 21: Indonesia’s top Assembly today began an impeachment hearing expected to topple the country’s first democratically elected leader, but President Abdurrahman Wahid warned his followers might hit the streets. The supreme People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) started meeting at the Parliament complex, guarded by hundreds of police, razor wire and at least a dozen armoured personnel carriers. Moments before it opened, Wahid dismissed the hearing, expected to last for several days, as illegal and said he would not comply with its summons to account for his turbulent rule. In a nationally televised speech from the heavily guarded and barricaded Presidential Palace, he appealed to his millions of followers not to resort to violence, but warned he could not control them. "I can assure you that I’ve been saying to the crowd everywhere...‘please don’t come to Jakarta — I’m against violence’," said Wahid, appearing calm and undisturbed and wearing a Muslim peci cap embroidered with his nickname Gus Dur. "But don’t blame me if the crowd takes care of everything by themselves." The MPR is widely expected to dump the ailing Muslim leader 21 turbulent months into his five-year term and replace him with his popular Deputy, Megawati Sukarnoputri, the daughter of Indonesia’s founding President. The political showdown has stoked fears violence may erupt around the battered nation. The world’s fourth most populous country has never had a peaceful transition of power. Wahid repeated his threat to declare a state of emergency, giving himself widespread powers and allowing him to dissolve the Assembly and the Parliament and call an early election. And he left open the possibility of calling an emergency before his self-imposed deadline of July 31. "I have many options and I will implement those options if necessary," he said. The capital Jakarta was calm, with shops and schools open as normal. There was no sign of the thousands of Wahid supporters who have flooded the capital in the past. The MPR session, originally scheduled for August 1, appears set to demand Wahid come before the Assembly by Monday to account for his leadership. Although there has not yet been a vote, the two largest parties, including Vice President Megawati’s, demanded Wahid appear by Monday. The two parties control an overwhelming majority in the MPR. "The President’s threat to declare a state of emergency has created anxiety among the people," the Small Star and Crescent Party’s Darmansyah Husein told the chamber. The military and police, who have 38 seats, abstained from the debate, urging the Assembly "to take the best steps to save the nation". The military and police often abstain on sensitive political issues. The impeachment push was triggered by two financial scandals, but has become a general vote of no confidence in Wahid. Wahid’s party, which holds less than 10 percent of the MPR’s 700 seats, boycotted Saturday’s hearing. It is unclear if Wahid has enough support in the police or the army to carry out his threat to declare an emergency. Key generals have publicly opposed such a move, while legislators have said they would ignore it. In a bid to appease the MPR and head off a showdown, Wahid yesterday backed down from a threat to declare a state of emergency on that day to allow more time for a compromise. But leading politicians, including Assembly leader Amien Rais, have already said it is too late to thrash out a peace deal. (REUTERS) |
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| UN conference reaches consensus to combat
illegal arms UNITED NATIONS, July 21: After intensive negotiations, delegates from 189 member States overcame US objections and reached an accord to combat worlwide illegal small arms and light weapons today. At the all night session, the delegates agreed to take out at the American insistence on two most contentious clauses which would have called for stricter controls on private gun ownership and banned Governments from selling arms to non State actors. The only concession the United States made was to agree to hold a review conference not later than 2006 to take stock of the progress made. The United States had made it clear right from beginning of the conference two weeks ago that the document needed to drastically changed and had drawn redlines which it said it would not cross. Anti-gun activists immediately slammed the Bush admnistration for what they called pandering to the powerful domestic gun lobby but agreed that it was better to have a plan of action after making all the concessions to the United States than going empty handed. Africans, who are seeming major conflicts in their areas, were angry that the clause prohibiting sale of arms to non state actors had been dropped. Conference president Camilo Reyes of Colombia announced that the agreement has been reached and delegates would return late in the day to formally approve the document. Anti-gun activists and human rights organisations were angry at the plan of action being non-binding but agreed that it was a first step and things could be firmed up in coming years. For a starter, it is not a bad document, said one of them. The Bush administration agreeing to a review conference means that the issue would remain on the international agenda, he said. Reyes said the process of negotiations had been very difficult but finally there is a consensus document. He agreed that they could have hammered out a better document but said it is good beginning to start eradicating illicit arms which, according the UN, had fuelled 46 of 49 major conflicts since 1990 and killed some four million people, 80 per cent of them women and children. The plan lays down general guidelines for measures that can be taken at national and international levels to combat the illegal weapons, a one billion dollar a year trade. The document presented at the start of the conference was itself hammered out in preparatory meeting during the previous two years. But the very opening day of the meet, the US gave notice that it would block the consensus unless major changes were made and most ambitious of the clauses were dropped or drastically modified. After resisting the American pressure during the two-week long final negotiations, the tired delegates finally gave in Washington to at least have a document and pronounce that the meet was a success. (PTI) |
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