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Bangladesh leaders, DHAKA, Oct 8: Leaders of major political parties in Bangladesh and the ....more UN Timor force to DILI, EAST TIMOR, Oct 8: The head of East Timor’s international force will....more 2 suspected LTTE men MADURAI, Oct 8: Two suspected LTTE militants were killed when Sri....more German firms seek BERLIN, Oct 8: German business and industry have sought an early...more |
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Russia
rejects EU MOSCOW, Oct 8: Russia has categorically rejected an offer of mediation ......more
Clinton empowered to WASHINGTON, Oct 8: US lawmakers favour giving President Clinton an across-the-board authority to waive, if he....more Shia leaders blame ISLAMABAD, Oct 8: Senior Shia leaders in Pakistan.....more European heads urge NEW YORK, Oct 8: The leaders of Britain, France....more |
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Bangladesh leaders, media welcome Indian poll results DHAKA, Oct 8: Leaders of major political parties in Bangladesh and the media today welcomed the results of Indian elections, expressing the hope that political stability in India under leadership of Prime Minister A B Vajpayee would help improve bilateral ties. We expect that the Dhaka-Calcutta bus diplomacy which started with the two Prime Ministers Sheikh Hasina and A B Vajpayee, will further consolidate bilateral relations, a senior minister said reacting to the poll results, which have given the Vajpayee-led coalition a comfortable majority. Referring to recent incidents along the Indo-Bangladesh border, the minister expressed the hope that the situation would be brought under control keeping with the spirit of friendship and co-operation articulated by the two leaders. Main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) secretary general Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan expressed the hope that all outstanding issues between India and Bangladesh would be sorted out amicably in the days to come. We hope that under his (Vajpayee’s) leadership, existing problems between India and Bangladesh would be resolved and relations between the two countries would further improve, Bhuiyan told PTI. Welcoming the results, former President H M Ershad told PTI what we expect in Bangladesh is that the relations between the two countries should be strengthened and the existing problems should be resolved after discussions in a friendly atmosphere. I wish this Government success and I also wish that India will prosper under the able leadership of Mr Vajpayee, Ershad said. Bangladesh media also hailed Vajpayee’s poll victory. Leading English daily ‘Daily Star’ in an editorial lauded the maturity of Indian voters for having delivered a verdict that marks a break with the persistent tradition of hung Parliaments. Our own expectations are that stability in the Indian polity would have a positive bearing on her policies towards the neighbours the daily said. Bengali Daily ‘Muktakantha’ said as a neighbouring country, we want welfare and prosperity of India, adding we want to increase friendly ties and cooperation between the two countries on the basis of mutual understanding and friendship. (PTI) |
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UN Timor force to discuss disarmament with guerrillas DILI, EAST TIMOR, Oct 8: The head of East Timor’s international force will meet the leader of pro-independence guerillas today to urge the group to hand over their weapons, a spokesman said, after previous moves to disarm them failed. Major-General Peter Cosgrove would meet Taur Matan Ruak, who has refused to hand over weapons until all Indonesian troops leave the territory. "Later today, General Cosgrove, Commander Interfet, will meet with Matan Ruak, the Falintil leader. They will speak on a comprehensive reconciliation and laying down of arms proposal," Colonel Mark Kelly told reporters in Dili. Part of the mandate of Interfet, the international force for East Timor, is to disarm all the groups in East Timor. There was a tense standoff earlier this week when a platoon of international troops tried to disarm a group of falintil fighters. The situation was defused when the Interfet troops backed down, and Col Kelly said shortly after the incident that falintil fighters would be allowed to retain their weapons in certain designated areas until a disarmament programme could be worked out. Taur Matan Ruak, who is Vice-Commander of Falintil and its top leader in East Timor, has said that he will not disarm until Indonesian troops have left the territory. His stance has been backed by Falintil’s Commander-in-Chief, resistance leader Xanana Gusmao, who was recently freed from detention in Indonesia. Col Kelly said that Gen Cosgrove recognised the difficulties associated with disarmament. "He stresses much has to be done to successfully negotiate a laying down of arms and reconciliation. However, a start to this comprehensive plan has now been made," Col Kelly said. Gen Cosgrove has also asked the Indonesian Military (TNI) authorities in East Timor to arrange a meeting with pro-Indonesian militia leaders to discuss disarmament. Col Kelly also told a news briefing that Gen Cosgrove had sent a second letter to the head of the Indonesian armed forces in East Timor requesting that four TNI officers be made available for questioning about the death of Dutch journalist Sander Thoenes. Col Kelly said the first letter had been acknowledged but not acted upon. "Commander Interfet has today sent a second letter to TNI command demanding these officers be provided," Col Kelly said. Thoenes, who worked for the financial times, was killed in Dili the day after the arrival of the international forces. The motorcycle driver with whom thoenes was travelling told reporters that he was attacked by men in Indonesian Army uniforms. In response to a question, Kelly said that if there was no response to the second letter, the issue would be taken up at higher levels. "We will have to take that up at a level probably beyond commander Interfet to assist with the making of those TNI officers available to the investigation." (REUTERS) |
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2 suspected LTTE men shot dead by Lankan Navy MADURAI, Oct 8: Two suspected LTTE militants were killed when Sri Lankan Navy fired at their boat, while two entered Rameswaram Island in Tamil Nadu after chased up to international waters, police said today. The incident occurred on Wednesday night, police said adding the fibre-glass boat carrying the bodies of two ultras was found in Olaikuda Coastal region of the island yesterday. Indian Navy personnel recovered an anti-aircraft gun, three machine guns, 500 cartridges, some explosive bulbs and wireless sets from the boat, they said. Police said combing operations were on to nab the two militants hiding in the Olaikuda forests. Tamil Nadu strike force personnel also conducted a search for the two in the Mandapam camp for the Sri Lankan Tamil refugees, they said. (PTI) |
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German firms seek opening of insurance sector in India BERLIN, Oct 8: German business and industry have sought an early decision by the new Indian Government on the opening up of the insurance sector, and better implementation of policy decisions to enhance India’s credibility in pursuing aggressive economic reforms. A tariff structure in line with World Trade Organisation requirements and review of a ten per cent surcharge on customs duty imposed in the 1998-99 budget are the other measures they feel are necessary to boost German investments in India. These view were expressed at a business seminar organised by the German Asia-Pacific Business Association to give German businessmen an overview of investment oppportunities in India as part of its efforts to promote closer economic ties between New Delhi and Berlin. While calling for speedier opening up of insurance and banking sectors, Peter Clasen, head of the association’s country committee on India, sought to dispel the notion that fall in German investments had something to do with choice of India as an investment destination or any preceived risks. German investments in India had slumped to Rs 8 billion in 1998 after steadily rising from Rs 5 billion in 1994 to over Rs 20 billion in 1997. Germany has slipped down to the ninth place among foreign investors in India after being among the top five for the first few years since India opened up its economy in 1991. (PTI) |
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Russia rejects EU mediation offer on Chechnya MOSCOW, Oct 8: Russia has categorically rejected an offer of mediation from the European Union to end the conflict in Chechnya, while reiterating that it had no plans for a full-scale war with the rebel republic. Our stand is very clear. We don’t need any mediation now, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Vladimir Rakhmanin said yesterday while commenting on the offer made by the visiting EU commissioner on foreign affairs, Chris Patten. We are clearly explaining what we are doing. We don’t have covert plans. Naturally, our course is focused on combating bandit formations and establishing a calm and normal life (in Chechnya), Rakhmanin said at a press briefing. Radio ‘Ekho Moskvy’ quoted deputy Foreign Minister Yevgeny Gusarov as saying that mediation between the Federal Government and one of the regions of the Federation is something beyond comprehension. Patten’s offer came as a three-member EU team was here for talks with Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov to discuss a refugee crisis caused by the Chechen conflict. According to different sources, over 150,000 people have fled their homes in Chechnya in the wake of massive arial and artillery bombardment by Russian troops. Meanwhile, a senior Russian general has denied any plans for a full-scale war with the Islamic militants in the Caucasian Republic. (PTI) |
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Clinton empowered to waive
off sanctions WASHINGTON, Oct 8: US lawmakers favour giving President Clinton an across-the-board authority to waive, if he so desires in the national interest, sanctions that the United States had imposed on India and Pakistan in protest against their May 1998 nuclear tests, according to congressional aides. The draft agreement, hammered out at a panel, comprising representatives of both houses of Congress, known as the House-Senate conference, extends his authority on the Glenn, the pressler and the ex-IM rules. It means he can lift any sanction on economic assistance and military sales to the two countries. It also permits him to allow guarantees for investment and trade by export and import bank, the overseas private investment corporation and trade and development agency. The existing waiver is for one-year and expires on Oct 21. The proposed new arrangement sets no time-limit. There is an exception to this broad waiver that permits transfers and sales of military as well as dual-use items, if the President indicates that it is in the national security interest of the US to do so. The draft awaits the formality of approval by the conference before its passage by the house of representatives and the Senate, says the aides. Along with this, there is a sense of the Congress resolution calling for a review of the entities list to retain only those found materially contributing to the nuclear programmes of the two countries. Under the sanctions, some 300 institutions in India and Pakistan have been debarred from any kind of interaction with their counterparts in the United States. Under this arrangement, export controls would be applied only to those entities that make direct and material contributions’ to weapons of mass destruction and missile programmes and only to those items that so contribute. The original draft of the amendment, introduced by Republican Senator Sam Brownback, sought to repeal the Pakistan-specific Pressler Amendment that banned all military sales and economic assistance to Pakistan because of its nuclear weapons programme. According to informed sources, the Clinton administration has an upper hand in these proposals. It had successfully persuaded lawmakers to drop earlier proposal of a blanket suspension of sanctions for five years. The administration’s argument, which ultimately prevailed, was that this would deprive it of any clout to negotiate with India and Pakistan on crucial issues of non-proliferation and security. The proposed new provision lays down that the president may not exercise the waiver authority unless he determines, and so certifies to Congress, that the application of the restriction would not be in the national security interests of the United States. He may also not exercise this authority if India or Pakistan detonates a nuclear explosive device. (UNI) |
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Shia leaders blame ‘Aba Mian’ for violence ISLAMABAD, Oct 8: Senior Shia leaders in Pakistan have reportedly blamed the spurt of sectarian violence in the country on the father of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and said the terrorists used in the Pogrom received their training at the camps for Kashmiri militants. The chief of Tehrik-e-Jaaferia in the Punjab province, Allama Sibtan Qazmi, accused Mr Sharif’s father, popular as "Aba Mian", of instigating anti-Shia violence and called for judicial and military intervention to protect the sect, The Dawn newspaper said. The daily did not say if the Shia leader had substantiated his allegations, but Aba Mian’s fundamentalist leanings were hinted at in 1997 when he reportedly suggested the name of Mr Rafiq Tarar — who is known for his staunch religious views — for the presidency. According to the nation, Tehrik-e-Jaaferia’s national leader Sajid Ali Naqvi has refuted Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s claims that the Taliban were involved in the current spate of anti-Shia violence, saying the terrorists who wrought sectarian havoc were trained in Kashmiri militant camps. The Shias (in Pakistan) had long restrained themselves and if the Government continued to ignore their safety, they would have to arm themselves, he warned. (UNI) |
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European heads urge US to ratify test ban treaty NEW YORK, Oct 8: The leaders of Britain, France and Germany in a joined voices published in today New York Times urged the United States to ratify a global treaty banning nuclear tests which is headed for almost certain defeat in a crucial senate vote next week. Rejection of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty by the US Senate would relieve the pressure on other states still hesitating over whether to ratify the treaty, French President Jacques Chirac, British Prime Minister Tony Blair and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder wrote. Rejecting the treaty would also encourage nuclear proliferation and expose a fundamental rift within NATO, the European leaders wrote. Britain, France and Germany ratified the treaty last year. Looking to the future, "we have to face the stark truth that nuclear proliferation remains the major threat to world safety," they wrote. Critics of the treaty says it provides for no water-tight guarantee that other nations will not conduct nuclear weapons tests in secret. The European leaders argue that adherence to the treaty will be verifiable under a global network of stations being set up to monitor nuclear tests. "Opponents of the treaty claim that, without testing, it will not be possible to guarantee the continuing safety and reliability of nuclear weapons," they wrote. "With the right investment and modern technology, the necessary assurance of safety and reliability can be maintained without further nuclear tests." With both republicans and democrats recognising that the treaty is likely to fall well short of the two-thirds majority it needs for ratification in the Senate vote set for Tuesday, President Bill Clinton appealed to Senators on Thursday to put aside politics and endorse the pact. "This is bigger than personal politics. This is about america’s future and the future of our children and the world. We have a chance to reduce the likelihood that more countries will obtain nuclear weapons," the President said. More than 150 countries have signed the treaty, but only 26 of the 44 nuclear-capable countries required to ratify the treaty before it can come into force have done so. Advocates of the treaty say Washington’s participation is vital to its successful implementation. (REUTERS) |
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