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Annan flays developed SEATTLE, Nov 30: The United Nations today....more China airs first condom BEIJING, Nov 30: China’s state-run television has for....more
Sharif was very much NEW DELHI, Nov 30: Pakistan’s Chief Executive...more |
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Labour standards, environment, major challenges, says US SEATTLE, Nov 30: US has described the issues of core labour standards and environmental protection as major challenges before the WTO ministerial conference here and said all the 135 member nations should be far-sighted and absolutely determined to resolve them....more Japanese try to patent LONDON, Nov 30: Leading members of the Indian culinary community in.....more Malaysia PM faces renewed Islamic opposition KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 30: Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad’s coalition ....more Britain continues to oppose military coup in Pakistan LONDON, Nov 30: Britain continues to oppose the military coup in ...more Anti-trade protesters seize the limelight at WTO meet SEATTLE, Nov 30: Anti-trade protesters have seized the limelight ahead of .....more |
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Annan flays developed nations for blocking trade access SEATTLE, Nov 30: The United Nations today lambasted the industrialised countries for blocking trade access to emerging economies and warned of a backlash from developing nations if the new round of WTO negotiations failed to extend benefits of free trade to third world. Addressing the third ministerial meeting of WTO here, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said developed countries had found elaborate ways to exclude third world imports and these protectionist measure bite deepest in areas where developing countries are most competitive such as textiles, footwear and agriculture. He said developing countries had found the results of uruguay round disappointing as rich countries had cut their tariffs less than poor ones. Not surprisingly, many of them feel they were taken for a ride. Annan said some industrialised countries assumed that developing nations were incapable of competing honestly and their products were subjected to anti-dumping duties whenever they produced something competitive. In reality it is the industrialised countries who are dumping their surplus food on world markets-a surplus generate by subsidies worth 250 billion dollars every year thereby threatening the livelihood of millions of poor farmers in the developing world who cannot compete with subsidised imports, he said. Annan said practical experience showed that trade and investment brought economic development, adding developing countries should desist from using trade restrictions to tackle problems when the root cause might lie in faulty national and international policies. What is needed is not new shackles for world trade but greater determination by Governments to tackle social and political issues directly and to give the institutions that exist for that purpose the funds and the authority they need, he said. Trade is better than aid. If industrialised countries do more to open their markets, developing countries can increase their exports by many billions of dollars per year-far more than they now receive in aid, he added. Annan said tariffs and other restrictions on developing countries exports should be substantially reduced in the new round of trade negotiations under WTO. For those of the least developed countries, I suggest duties and quotas should be scrapped altogether. He also said that transnational companies, which were the prime beneficiaries of economic liberalisation, should share some of the responsibility for social and environmental consequences. (PTI) |
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China airs first condom add on national tv BEIJING, Nov 30: China’s state-run television has for the first time aired public service advertisements extolling the preventative virtues of the condom against the deadly HIV virus, the official media has reported. While condoms are the leading form of birth control in China, with a wide assortment of brands available over-the-counter and provided free to employees of Government firms, sexually related topics remain a taboo among the majority of Chinese people. The first advert aired on the popular channel one of China Central Television (CCTV) on Sunday, reaching an audience of hundreds of millions of mainlanders, the Xinhua news agency said yesterday. The ad portrays a cartoon condom fighting off attacks by the HIV virus which causes AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs). The advertisement is accompanied by the captions, "avoiding unwanted pregnancy" and "use a condom, no trouble," Xinhua reported. "We hope the ad will raise public awareness about sexual health, as well as concern about the serious epidemic of HIV/AIDS," Zhang Jian, Deputy Director of the Chinese Centre for Family Planning Publicity and Education, was quoted as saying. With more than 400,000 patients with HIV/AIDS and some six million people with STDs, China is on the brink of an epidemic if preventative steps are not taken, it said. Researchers have complained that police are thwarting their efforts to promote condom use at hotels and communities, arguing it encourages prostition, Xinhua said, acknowledging the nation’s rampant sex industry. Signs of change have hit the pavement with the appearance of a few condom vending machines on some Beijing streets and in the Western University district. (DPA) |
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Sharif was very much involved in Kargil operations: Musharraf NEW DELHI, Nov 30: Pakistan’s Chief Executive Gen Pervez Musharraf has said that ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was very much aware of the whole Kargil operations. I was the Chief of the Army Staff, so I take full responsibility for whatever my Army does, Gen Musharraf told the latest issue of time magazine in an interview, when asked about whether he was responsible for last summer’s conflict with India over Kashmir. Asserting that such actions and far reaching decisions were not taken by one man alone, the Pakistan Army chief said, everyone was on board including the Prime Minister who was very much aware of the whole package. Musharraf sought to link the conflict over Kargil to what he described as the core issue of Kashmir, saying unless the issue was addressed it would hamper any kind of agreement betwen Pakistan and India. As far as my attitude towards India is concerned, I’ve been very realistic. I don’t believe in distorting views for the sake of diplomacy. Kashmir is the core issue, he said. Asked, given the impasse of the past 52 years, whether a new approach on Indo-Pak ties was necessary, Musharraf ruled out the possibility of putting aside the Kashmir issue and going ahead with giving new impetus to other Indo-Pak issues. On whether Pakistan under him would help resolve the problem of extradition of Osama Bin Laden, the military ruler said, prudence demands this must be resolved, and if I can play a role in this, I would surely like to. Musharraf sought to underplay Pakistan’s hold over Afghanistan saying, one shouldn’t think Pakistan has total control over Afghan Government. They are very independent minded people. yes, we have been interacting with them, we could use our good offices to bring about some solution to the problem. On the vexed issue of what role Islam would play in Pakistan, the new military ruler said, while it had to be clear that Pakistan is an Islamic republic, my view is of a tolerant Islam. Islam in the true sense, and not an Islam which is manipulated for political gains, Musharraf said, adding I am a believer of Islam in a real progressive form - a much broader futuristic view rather than a dogmatic retrogressive one. (PTI) |
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Labour standards,
environment, major SEATTLE, Nov 30: US has described the issues of core labour standards and environmental protection as major challenges before the WTO ministerial conference here and said all the 135 member nations should be far-sighted and absolutely determined to resolve them. Many of the most unassailable propositions on labour, environment and transparency were not acceptable to many countries, US trade representative Charlene Brashefsky told a NGO forum yesterday, obviously referring to the adamant posture adopted by developing countries like India on the issue. Developing countries are against linking trade with labour standards and environmental protection, as, they say, it can lead to abuse for protectionist purposes. Labour, environment and transparency-related issues were not poor cousins and must bear weight in the 21st century economy, Brashefsky said, adding we will receive and exchange ideas and advice from academics, farmers, business, executives, labour leaders, scientists, consumer representatives, women’s groups, environmental leaders and religious figures on the issue. Listing six points as new set of responsibilities that the conference needed to address, she said technological revolution in areas like E-commerce, telecommunications and biotechnology, full integration of the least developed countries and the principles of openness and transparency were some of the other challenges. The goal is to create a world economy in which more open trade offers opportunities for prosperity and growth for farmers, working people and entrepreneurs and which helps families, in particular the poor, raise living standards by offering greater choices of goods at better prices, Brashefsky said, apparently indicating US was against EU’s position on the issues of agricultural subsidy and tariff on farm products. She said the US was in favour of a world economy which contributes to fight against hunger by reducing barriers to the flow of food around the world and taking full advantage of the scientific and technologial revolution. This Civil Society Forum was a sign that the wto was beginning to respond to the last and perhaps the most important challenge of democratisation, she said. Brashefsky’s address indicated that the US was united with NGOs who have embarked upon a massive protest demonstrations during the four-day WTO conference. (PTI) |
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Japanese try to patent Indian curry LONDON, Nov 30: Leading members of the Indian culinary community in Britain have flayed a Japanese food company’s claim to patent a curry, considered to an Indian dish world over. Hirayama Makoto and Ohashi Sachiyo, representatives of the Japanese House Foods Corporation, have claimed that they have invented a way to easily cook a curry having excellent taste and flavour, The Times’ report said yesterday. If their application is considered by the Japanese authorities they could be entitled to a royalty for every nasty, synthetic, boil-in-the-bag curry sold in Japan each year, the daily said. The move has irked an estimated 8,500 curry houses and an instatiable appetite for vinadloo, flayed the Japanese claims, saying India must take up the matter under the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR). Curry is traditionally an Indian subject. Even the word curry now adopted in English is a Hindi word. For thousands of years Indians have been preparing and eating curry, B K Gupta, managing director of multi-link limited, manufacturers of food supplements like garlic capsule in Britain, told. Gupta who had earlier unsuccessfully tried to patent Karel’ (bittergaud) in Britain said the Indian Government must take up the issue under the IPR. Namita Panjabi, owner of Veeraswamy Hotel here, said curry isn’t an invention. We called it running gravy until the British arrived and called it curry. The curry eaten by Japanese is so bland that it is unrecognisable as anything. Chiefs in Bradford, West Yorks, Britain’s curry capital, described the attempted culinary coup as ridiculous. Mohammed Saleem of Mumtaz, a restaurant which sells its curries in supermarkets throughout the country, said of course curries started in India. We’ve always eaten them at home. I can’t believe the Japanese are making a claim on them. May be India should go for the patent itself. A spokesman for Bradford Council laughed off the patent claim, saying they’ve got to be joking. How can they even suggest that?. (PTI) |
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Malaysia PM faces renewed Islamic opposition KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 30: Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad’s coalition today won Malaysia’s bitterly fought election but Asia’s longest serving elected leader faced a resurgent opposition dominated by Islamic fundamentalists. Mr Mahathir’s 14-party Barisan Nasional achieved its goal of clinching a two-thirds majority needed to amend the constitution and considered crucial for pushing through the Prime Minister’s economic development policies. The country’s Election Commission said Mr Mahathir’s powerful alliance had won 148 seats of the 193-member Parliament after the most hotly contested polls in 30 years. The opposition doubled its 1995 score. Financial analysts said the big win helped erase political uncertainties and would allow the Government to push forward with economic reforms. Brokers in Kuala Lumpur said Malaysian share prices were expected to open slightly higher today. "Clearly the Barisan Nasional is still the party of choice of the people of Malaysia," a relaxed Mahathir, wearing an open collar shirt and blue blazer, told a victory news conference in the wee hours this morning. Mr Mahathir’s United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), however, lost ground to the Islamic fundamentalist Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) in a shift that analysts attributed to anger over the sacking and jailing of Mahathir’s former deputy Anwar Ibrahim. Anwar’s wife, Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, won her debut political race in her husband’s former constituency in Penang state, but her Parti Keadilan Nasional took only a handful of seats, trailing far behind its opposition partner PAS. Opposition wrests control of a Muslim Malay Heartland. PAS retained power over the Kelantan State Assembly and wrested control of oil- and gas-rich Terengganu from Mr Mahathir’s coalition in a shift of allegiance in the Muslim Malay Heartland. PAS said the results should serve as a lesson to Barisan Nasional (BN). "As long as the BN continues with its wrongdoings and does not repent, this wind of change will blow to other states as well," the official Bernama news agency quoted PAS president Fadzil Noor as telling reporters. At least four of Mr Mahathir’s cabinet ministers, including second Finance Minister Mustapa Mohamad and four deputy ministers, went down to defeat. A potential successor to Mr Mahathir, education minister Najib Razak, won by a mere 241 votes. The opposition, led by PAS, won 45 seats, while the Barisan Nasional fell short of its 1995 tally of 162. PAS, with 27 seats, more than doubled its previous best showing of 13 in 1959. Mixed verdict for Mahathir. The Chinese-based democratic action party improved slightly on its 1995 tally but two of its leaders — opposition leader Lim Kit Siang and long-standing parliamentarian Karpal Singh —lost their races for Parliament. Mr Mahathir said a swino by Chinese voters away from the opposition helped his coalition. "I think the Chinese appreciate what the Government does for them especially in overcoming the financial crisis," he said. The mixed verdict for Mr Mahathir’s coalition and the PAS gains seemed certain to cause rumblings within UMNO, which holds triennial leadership elections in mid-2000. "The malays are seeking revenge on UMNO," an aide to a Cabinet Minister said. "Somebody has to answer for this." Wan Azizah goes to parliament carrying the political torch of her husband who is now serving a six-year term for abuse of power after falling out with Mr Mahathir. "This is a victory of the people. It showed that the people dared to choose change," Wan Azizah told supporters. Anwar’s sacking in 1998 and subsequent jail term triggered anti-Government protests and spurred the usually divided opposition to put up an unprecedented common front against Mr Mahathir under the Barisan alternatif (alternative front) banner. (REUTERS) |
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Britain continues to oppose military coup in Pakistan LONDON, Nov 30: Britain continues to oppose the military coup in Pakistan and there is no change in its policy on the issue, Foreign Office Minister Peter Hain said today. There is no change in our policy at all. We have taken a principled stand and continue to do that in opposing the military coup, Hain told PTI. To do anything else would amount to giving green signal to military coup world over, Hain added. Hain’s clarification came in the wake of reports attributed to him in the ‘Sunday Telegraph’ that in a major policy shift, Britain was ready to begin talks with Pakistan if the military regime gave uncompromising commitments towards building a new democracy. Hain had condemned the military coup in Pakistan during his recent visit to India. We all, including India, need to do what we can to help establish a democratic and peaceful new state in Pakistan, he said. We stand ready to provide practical assistance towards building the new institution, procedures that would be needed for such matters as judicial reforms, a new electoral register and anti-corruption measures, he said, hoping it would be widely welcomed across the world. (PTI) |
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Anti-trade protesters seize the limelight at WTO meet SEATTLE, Nov 30: Anti-trade protesters have seized the limelight ahead of a global trade meeting here, smashing windows at a McDonald’s restaurant, marching through downtown, and putting delegates from around the world on the defensive9 The World Trade Organisation (WTO) meeting was thrown into confusion before it had even started as a security scare kept delegates and reporters out of the cavernous convention centre where it was to be held for 5-1/2 hours early yesterday. Several protesters, some wearing Ski Nasks and Bandannas, smashed the windows of a downtown McDonald’s Corp Restaurant before being restrained by police. They were part of a group of 400 O 500 attending a demonstration by French farmer Jose Bove against "frankenfoods," his term for bio-engineered food. Protesters, who were carrying signs such as "WTO: Fix it or nix it" and "corporate rule is no jewel," say free trade benefits big business such as the producers of bio-engineered foods, at the cost of consumers, workers and communities. In one of the most dramatic protests, two environmental activists dangled from a nine-story-high construction crane by a busy interstate highway and unfurled a banner accusing the WTO of being anti-democratic. Six people were arrested after that incident and two others were arrested at the convention centre when they tried to serve "citizen arrest warrants" on WTO officials. Earlier yesterday, armed police teams with bomb-sniffing dogs carried out a painstaking, 5-1/2 hour search of the convention centre where the WTO meeting officially opens on tuesday. Helicopters circled overhead, and at one point two fire trucks arrived with sirens blaring. Showing how nervous authorities are about attacks on the wto meeting, which starts officially today, police said the shutdown was in reaction only to a "potential security breach." "We had reason to believe someone may have entered the building," said Clem Zenton, a Seattle police spokesman, giving no further details. The demonstrations added confusion to a meeting where delegates were already at loggerheads among themselves over the trade agenda. "You’ve got to have the same energy level as the people out in the street," Deputy US Treasury Secretary Stuart Eizenstat told business leaeers, urging them to get out and talk about the benefits of trade. "Not one of us here today should be defensive in Seattle," Eizenstat said. At a meeting in which environmental and labour groups voiced their concerns to wto delegates, British Development Minister Clare Short said developing countries would actually benefit from further liberalisation of trade. "Without the WTO and its rules, the rich and powerful could bully the rest as they used to. Let’s face it, no rules is when the rich and powerful do bully the poor." For many people the WTO has become the "organization they love to hate," she said, but "much of their criticism is misplaced." The trade meetings, scheduled to end December 3, are aimed at launching a new round of world trade negotiations to reduce tariffs and other trade barriers in sectors ranging from agriculture and construction to entertainment, telecommunications and electronic commerce. Protesters, who were expected to mass in the streets by the thousands today, the first day of official trade talks, said they were encouraged by yesterday’s events. "I’m feeling much more optimistic," said George Hylkema, who travelled from his home in Balboa, Calif., to protest the WTO, which many see as favouring the interests of business over environmental concerns and labour rights. "There’s a huge groundswell against the WTO," Hylkema said. In Washington, a spokesman for President Bill Clinton, who is to attend the WTO meeting tomorrow, said Mr Clinton would meet with some of the protesting groups. "These are people with legitimate points of view who have a right to express those views," spokesman Joe Lockhart said. (REUTERS) |
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