Mansingh educates New Hampshire legislators on Kashmir

WASHINGTON, Mar 12: In a bid to educate legislators of an American State on Kashmir, India’s ambassador to US Lalit Mansingh has told them that the State continued to face cross-border infiltration of terrorists from Pakistan which is the world’s "most notorious breeding ground for terrorism".

In a letter to the leaders of New Hampshire legislature, which recently passed a resolution on Kashmir under the active influence of anti-India and pro-Pak elements with accompanying speeches reflecting Pakistani propaganda, Mansingh said cross-border terrorism is continuing in Kashmir despite Islamabad’s pledges to US to stop it.

"I am writing with regard to House concurrent resolution 16, urging increased diplomacy to achieve a just, peaceful and rapid resolution of the conflict between India and Pakistan, relative to the State of Jammu and Kashmir," Mansingh said in the letter.

"Pakistan’s territorial claims on India are both irredentist and illegitimate.... Over the last 55 years, it has sought to expand those territorial ambitions through the use of force," Mansingh said.

"Having initiated and lost three wars with India, Pakistan, now relies on the use of terrorism to achieve its political objectives," he said.

Mansingh said "Pakistan today is the world’s most notorious breeding ground for terrorism. Its nurturing of the Al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan and its continuing acts of terrorism against India are products of the same Jihadi culture that the Pakistan military has assiduously fostered over the years."

Bush administration "has acknowledged that the solemn commitments made by the President of Pakistan to the Government of the United States to put a complete end to terrorist infiltration from Pakistan into India, remain unfulfilled," Mansingh said.

"In the last two decades, over sixty thousand of our citizens, including thirty thousand in the State of Jammu and Kashmir alone, have been killed by Pakistan-based terrorists," he said.

Mansingh said: "the state of Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of the republic of India, which is the world’s largest and most vibrant democracy. India’s constitution has features similar to that of the United States.

"The people of State of Jammu and Kashmir have regularly participated in free and fair elections, most recently in September-October, 2002. As in the rest of India, they have used the ballot box as a vehicle to voice the IR aspirations and their grievances. Their rights are respected and protected by the constitution and by a fiercely independent judiciary."

Mansingh said "I am concerned that the concurrent resolution adopted by the new Hampshire State Assembly may not have taken cognizance of these facts. I would welcome the opportunity to discuss these matters with you (leaders of the house) at greater length."

The Indian ambassador sent identical letters to Arthur P Klemm, Jr, President of the New Hampshire Senate and Gene G Chandler, Speaker of the New Hampshire House of Representatives.

Foreign policy is supposed to be the prerogative of the US President but, now and then, some of the 50 States of US stray into the field without proper background. (PTI)

US hints at attacking Iraq without Britain

WASHINGTON, Mar 12: Hinting that US may attack Iraq without Britain as Premier Tony Blair is facing enormous opposition from his country’s anti-war forces, Washington has said UK’s role in a military conflict is "unclear" at this time, but asserted that London will help in reconstruction process in the post-war period.

"This is a matter that most of the senior officials in the Government discuss with the UK on a daily or every-other-day basis," Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld told a Pentagon press conference yesterday.

"And I had a good visit with Minister of Defence of the UK about an hour a go. Their situation is distinctive to their country, and they have a Government that deals with Parliament in their way, distinctive way. And what ultimately will be decided is unclear as to their role, that is to say their role in the event that a decision is made to use force," he said.

He said "there is the second issue of their (UK’s) role in a post-Saddam reconstruction process or stabilisation process, which would be a different matter. And I think until we know what the resolution is, we won’t know answer as to what their role will be and to the extent they are able to participate in the event the president decides to use force; that (British participation) would obviously be welcomed."

Later, after reports that UK officials were surprised by his comments, Rumsfeld said in a statement that the main point of his press conference was that "obtaining a second UN Security Council resolution is important to UK."

"In the event a decision to use force is made, we have every reason to belive there will be a significant military contribution from UK," the statement said.

When asked during the press conference whether US would consider going to war without Britain, Rumsfeld said "that is an issue that the President will be addressing in the days ahead, one would assume."

The Defence Secretary attributed the hesitation of some of the UN Security Council members to authorize the use of force to the fact that unlike the US, they did not have the experience of September 11 terror attacks.

Rumsfeld’s comments came after the Pentagon tested in Florida for the first time a new bomb, the most powerful non-atomic bomb in history - a 21,000-pound device which has been nicknamed ‘Mother of all bombs’ while officially it is called massive ordnance air blast weapon or MOAB.

Referring to the psychological impact the testing of such a bomb could have on Saddam and Iraqi troops, Rumsfeld said: "There is a psychological component to all aspects of warfare. The goal is to not have a war. The goal is to have the pressure be so great that Saddam Gussein cooperates.

"Short of that, an unwillingness to cooperate, the goal is to have the capabilities of the coalition so clear and so obvious that there is an enormous disincentive for the Iraqi military to fight against the coalition, and there is an enormous incentive for Saddam Hussein to leave and spare the world a conflict." (PTI)

Bharti Telecoms sees doubling of subscribers over a year

SINGAPORE, Mar 12: India’s leading mobile phone firm Bharti expects to double its subscriber base to six million in a year’s time but tariffs are likely to come under pressure, its group Chairman said here today.

Sunil Mittal told financial news wire AFX-Asia that India’s mobile market will add one million subscribers a month, faster than any other market in the world, following in the footsteps of Brazil and China.

Bharti, 28 per cent-owned by Singapore Telecommunications Ltd, has three million mobile phone customers or 25 per cent of the market. It also has 375,000 fixed line subscribers, Mittal said.

"I clearly see India now picking up momentum with a million new mobile phones being added every month," he said in an interview on the sidelines of an investor conference in Singapore.

"We’re not talking about robust double digit growth. We’re talking about triple digit growth."

India currently has 12 million mobile phone subscribers and the potential to grow to 120 million in six to seven years, he said.

Growth in India’s mobile market has improved to one million subscribers a month from about 250,000, while China’s expansion slowed down to 3.5 million a month from five million, he said.

"We will maintain 25 per cent (market share) and I see no reason why going into next year we (can’t) maintain the same percentage," Mittal said.

But increased competition fuelled by rising demand has prompted mobile operators to slash long distance tariffs.

In January, mobile operators reduced their long distance tariffs to a flat rate of Rs 2.99 a minute from a maximum of Rs nine.

Mittal said tariffs may be cut another 10 per cent.

"It’s a possibility," he said. "It’s a very competitive market (and) it’s growing like mad... But the tariffs are also very challenging."

Lower tariffs boosted volumes by about 35 per cent, offsetting any potential decline in margins, said Mittal.

The company will invest 300 million US dollars in the next financial year, down from one billion dollars it spent in the last 18 months when it rolled out its networks.

Bharti earlier secured 315 million dollars in foreign loans to fund its expansion and repay earlier borrowings, and Mittal said it is now "fully funded." (AFP)

India showcase vast potential in Singapore,
invites more FDI

SINGAPORE, Mar 12: India, still punching well below its weight in terms of drawing foreign investment, showcased here its vast potential and sought more FDI in the country’s lucrative infrastructure sector.

Potential investors attending a three-day conference jointly organised by ICICI Securities and Singapore Exchange were warned not to miss out on opportunities in one of Asia’s fastest growing economies.

Uedressing the investors in Asia’s financial hub, N K Singh, member of Planning Commission, said India today offers a huge opportunity for foreign investment.

A lot of significant changes have taken place in India, and to some extent the statistics underrate the growth potential of the Indian economy, specially of the infrastructure and service sector, he said.

"We are set on course which is likely to catapult us to a much higher growth rate," he said hoping theat the country can achiece 6 per cent growth rate this year.

Singh said in the telecom sector, the reform agenda is almost over and the sector has been deregulated.

In other infrastructure sectors like roads, ports and railways, projects have already been identified for implementation.

"15,000 km of new roads will be constructed in the course of next four years, financed by the dedicated funds," he said.

ICICI Securities Chairman K V Kamath told the gathering that retail financial sector, the infrastructure and manufacturing sector would remain the growth drivers for the years to come.

Singh said a bill is pending in Parliament for converting the existing port trusts into private entities, railway projects have been offered to private investors.

Power sector, however, still needs fine tuning, he said.

Kamath said reduction in the interest rate from 14 and 15 per cent to eight and nine per cent and tightening of working capital has helped the industries to become more price competitive.

Besides, he said the financial affordability, specially of the younger generation has gone up that has created a real potential clientele.

Inviting Singapore companies to invest in India, Sunil B Mittal, Chairman and Group Managing Director of Bharti Tele-venture, said Singapore companies could use their expertise and experience and benefit by participating in various aviation infrastructure projects.

The proposed privatisation of Mumbai, Delhi Airports would offer opportunity to experienced companies, he said, adding that India and Singapore can combine their strength in developmets.

Just two weeks ago a ministerial panel forwarded recommendations to cabinet to raise limits on FDI in a number of sectors including civil aviation, petroleum and telecom, he said.

Last year, there were signs of change as Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) rose to 65 per cent from 2001 to reach to USD 4.4 billion. But it was still a long way short of China’s USD 53 billion and Korea’s USD 9.1 billion. However, India managed to overtake many of the South East Asian.

Things have changed, said Suresh Prabhu, Member of Parliament and former Union Minister of Power.

No matter which Government came in power, the path of development and reforms could not be ignored as this was the demand of the new generation that has taken the levers of economy growth in their hand, he said.

India is already Asia’s third largest economy and although its growth rates are coming off a low base, trends show it is emerging as a burgeoning economic power, Prabhu, heading the taskforce to inter-link all rivers in the country, said.

Hsieh Fu Hua, CEO of Singapore Exchange, said "India is taking a huge stride in overall growth. It is poised to be a key player in the development, stability and progress of the region."

He said the bilateral trade between India and Singapore has gone up significantly to make the city-state New Delhi’s largest trading partner in ASEAN. (PTI)

NAM members express concerns over Iraq

UNITED NATIONS, Mar 12: As Security Council members wrestled with differing positions to rid Iraq of weapons of mass destruction, the 15-nation body allowed non-members to voice their views at the request of the non-aligned movement.

"In the name of humanity, we appeal to the members of this Council not to resort to military action against Iraq," Zainuddin Yahya, Charge D’Affaires of Malaysia, current NAM President, said yesterday, stressing that the movement’s 116 member nations represented two-thirds of humanity.

"There is no dishonor in responding to the appeals of the international community to prevent the use of force against Iraq."

The United States, Britain and Spain have introduced a draft resolution that presents Iraq with a monday deadline to cooperate fully with disarmament demands, which Paris says it will veto. France, Germany, Russia and others have opposed military action and sought continued weapons inspections.

"This Council must strive for a peaceful solution to the current situation," Zainuddin said, welcoming Iraq’s decision to cooperate with UN inspectors and calling on it to continue to actively comply with Security Council resolutions. "We believe this is possible without resorting to war. The Council should remain conscious of the untold misery that war will inflict on the countries and people in the region."

At the outset, Iraqi Envoy Mohammed A Aldouri restated that Baghdad was cooperating with UN inspectors and said the goal of Washington and London was not disarmament "but rather to put their hands on our oil and control the area".

Stressing that Iraq had taken the strategic decision to rid itself of weapons of mass destruction, Aldouri said peaceful means, dialogue and cooperation "were the shortest and best way to resolve the current crisis."

Kuwait’s representative, whose country was briefly occupied by Iraq 12 years ago, supported the draft resolution. He said it reflected the Council’s determination with respect to Iraq’s challenge to the international community and deserved full support.

After hearing from 28 nations’ representatives, including India’s, the Council suspended its meeting and will reconvene later today to accommodate other speakers. In all 40 NAM countries are expected to participate in the two-day debate. (UNI)

Serb PM injured in shooting in Belgrade

BELGRADE, Mar 12: Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic was shot and injured in front of the Government building in Belgrade, a source close to police told Reuters.

Local media earlier reported shooting in the yard of the building in downtown belgrade and that one man was injured, without giving details.

Asked whether it was Djindjic, a source close to police told reuters: "Yes". He gave no further details. A Government source also told Reuters that Djindjic was injured and had been taken to hospital. (AGENCIES)

Iraq scraps more missiles, UN searches sites

BAGHDAD, Mar 12: Iraqi technicians began destroying three more banned Al-Samoud missiles today as UN Weapons Inspectors searched at least nine sites for weapons of mass destruction.

Inspectors say Iraq, threatened with a US-led invasion, still needs to answer a number of outstanding issues on disarmament, including questions over VX nerve gas and anthrax.

Another potential point of friction was yesterday’s suspension of U-2 reconnaissance flights over Iraq after Baghdad complained two aircraft flying simultaneously was a hostile action.

Iraqi officials said the destruction of three Al-Samoud missiles and two truckloads of missile parts was proceeding under UN supervision at the Taji military base 40 km north of Baghdad.

A total of 55 missiles had previously been scrapped, along with related components, since March 1. Iraq had an estimated 120 Al-Samoud missiles, whose range exceeds UN limits.

Seeking crucial votes on a divided UN Security Council, the United States and Britain have suggested Baghdad could be given a few extra days to prove it had disarmed — delaying a mooted March 17 deadline.

Washington says President Saddam Hussein is not doing enough to disarm and threatens to invade Iraq.

Iraq denies it is developing banned weapons and insists it is cooperating with the UN to disarm peacefully.

The UN inspectors went to nine other sites, including one where Iraq says it destroyed large quantities of anthrax and VX in 1991.

Iraq promised the inspectors 11 days ago to produce a letter "within a week" shedding light on VX and anthrax agents. A UN spokesman said on Tuesday the letter had not yet been delivered. (AGENCIES)

Kuwait Britons may be told ‘fly out while you can’

KUWAIT, Mar 12: Britain’s next advice for its nationals in Kuwait is likely to be a blunt message to fly out while they still can, due to risks of extremist violence and tensions over neighbouring Iraq, the British Envoy said today.

Ambassador Christopher Wilton added in brief remarks to reuters that Britons would be told that any stepped up security measures would also involve a cut in embassy staff, meaning less capacity for providing consular assistance to expatriates.

"As and when we move to the next phase of our advice, that advice will be unequivocal — it will be ‘leave while there are commercial flights available’," he said.

Asked when any such advice would be issued to the estimated 5,000 to 7,000 Britons in Kuwait, he replied: "It is likely to be sooner rather than later."

"There will be a limit to the amount of consular assistance we could give because we would be reducing our embassy staffing."

Kuwait is a key regional ally of Washington and will be the main launching pad for any land invasion of Iraq. But concerns about rising anti-western sentiment in the country have been fuelled by a series of attacks on US citizens.

Businessmen and diplomats say that Kuwait’s airport may close temporarily in the event of a war. But even if it does not, commercial airlines may decide to suspend flights to Kuwait due to excessive insurance costs amid any initial air campaign and airline worries about flying in a busy war zone.

Advice to Britons in Kuwait issued in February was to leave unless their business was essential.

Wilton said any stepped up security advice would be couched in terms similar to previous advisories that have explained the measures in terms of heightened tensions in the region and an increased risk of terrorist threats.

British officials do not like to mention the possibility of an Iraq war due to controversy in Britain about the issue.

British and other western diplomats argue that the main risk to Britons in the region in the current climate comes not from any Iraqi reprisals against countries hosting US And British forces but from the possibility of Muslim extremist violence, pointing to shooting attacks on westerners by suspected Muslm militants in recent months as evidence. (AGENCIES)

Britain lays out six conditions for Saddam

LONDON, Mar 12: Britain said today Iraqi President Saddam Hussein must declare on television that he will give up hidden weapons of mass destruction as one of six conditions to avoid war.

Foreign Office Minister Mike O’Brien said the conditions, which Britain has said it wants to attach to a draft second resolution on Iraq, were being discussed with fellow UN Security Council members.

O’Brien told reporters Saddam must declare on television that he has hidden and will now give up weapons of mass destruction. He must allow 30 scientists and their families to fly to Cyprus for discussions with UN weapons inspectors.

The minister said the Iraqi Government must give up its anthrax and other biological and chemical weapons and admit to having an unmanned drone aircraft which could spray chemical agents over a wide area.

He did not specify the remaining conditions. "We are in the process of discussions with other members on the terms that we are likely to get through (at the UN)," he said. (AGENCIES)

Cumbersome chemical suits will slow Iraq attackers

CAMP MATILDA, KUWAIT, Mar 12: Thousands of US and British forces are set to invade Iraq wearing heavy rubber overboots and a padded suit that will ward off chemical attacks but will likely kill some of them from heat exhaustion.

Military commanders have ordered that all troops heading into Iraq must don the charcoal-lined suits that seal them from the nerve and blister agents that the United States alleges Iraq still possesses in defiance of United Nations resolutions.

Heavy rubber galoshes complete the mandatory outfit, slowing even the fittest soldiers’ advance to a walk.

If there is a "snowstorm" — military jargon for an enemy artillery or mortar attack — gas masks and gloves will also be donned until the all-clear is given. The presumption is that any such fire will contain chemical agents, until proved otherwise.

Inside the apparel soldiers will be so hot their masks will float on the sweat running down their faces.

"I can’t think of many times you’ll take this gear off between here and Baghdad," said US marine sergeant Keith Lattman, who trains on protection from chemical warfare. "You are going to be living, sleeping and eating in these suits."

"It will be a nightmare," said a British soldier on the marine base, 50 km south of the Iraqi border, that is home to some of the 250,000 military personnel gathered in the region for a possible attack on President Saddam Hussein’s Iraq.

"We are going to lose people to the heat," he added.

Saddam launched nerve and mustard gas attacks on Kurdish rebels and Iranian troops in the 1980s, but refrained from using the banned weaponry against western and Arab soldiers that forced his Army out of Kuwait in 1991. Iraq says it has scrapped all its chemical and biological weaponry in accordance with UN instructions. Washington says Baghdad is hiding some illicit stocks and is threatening to attack Iraq to find and destroy them.

Western experts doubt Iraq has much ability to launch a major chemical attack, and marine forces training in the Kuwaiti desert said they did not expect more than a company of troops, around 120 men, to ever need decontamination.

"Chemical warfare is going to kill more Iraqis than Americans given the poor protective gear they have," US Marine Major General James Mattis told reporters.

Marines said they were prepared to fight "dirty" if they ever got "slimed" (contaminated). But normally a unit would withdraw from combat to change its suits if it was hit by chemicals.

To save their soldiers from the worst effects of prolonged enclosure in suits military planners are betting on a short war and starting the fight before gulf temperatures get too hot. Many actions will be launched at night, in cooler conditions.

But warm weather and the high winds that rip across southern iraq could also be a blessing in disguise, said sergeant Taryne Williams, because they vaporise and disperse chemical agents.

Officers say their precautions are simply prudent and will not speculate on the likelihood of a chemical attack. But they have factored into their planning certain "trigger points" when they feel iraq would be most likely to launch one.

"I won’t get into whether they are geographic triggers or triggers based on a length of time," said US Marine Corp Planner Lieutenant-Colonel George Smith.

But Saddam has already scored a small victory over any invasion army by frightening them into wearing equipment that badly damages their ability to fight, argues retired military scientist bernard fine.

"Wearing chemical protective clothing while under enemy fire in a hot ambient temperature is a stress of the very highest order," fine wrote in a report for military think-tank globalsecurity.Org.

"Running, with weapon and full field gear, or carrying very heavy loads such as ammunition, for example, under conditions of high ambient temperature...Will inevitably result in a very significant number of heat casualties in a short time." (AGENCIES)

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