Sunday, August 9, 1998
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W O R L D | Sunday, August 9, 1998 |
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Jaswant-Talbott talks on
Aug 24 |
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 Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe (right) welcomes his counterpart from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Laurent Kabila (left) upon Kabila's arrival in Victoria Falls on Friday. Heads of State from the Great Lakes region are in Zimbabwe for discussions on the crisis in the region. AP/PTI DNA threat to
Clinton’s job |
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Govt-tribesmen talks
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Jaswant-Talbott talks on Aug 24 WASHINGTON, Aug 8 (PTI) — The fourth crucial round of post-nuclear test Indo-US talks will be held here on August 24 and there are also some meetings planned for August 25, according to Ambassador Naresh Chandra. Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee’s special envoy Jaswant Singh will arrive here on August 23 for the talks with the US team headed by Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott, Mr Chandra told Indian correspondents here yesterday. The outcome could determine whether President Clinton visits India in November, January or February. During the last round in Washington, National Security Adviser Sandy Berger had a long phone conversation with Mr Jaswant Singh. Making it clear that neither side was free to say what transpired at these meetings, Mr Chandra pointed out that at the last meeting it was decided to put down the discussion points that had emerged so far on paper. “The whole exercise of the negotiations, it is obvious, is an attempt to find a common ground and one which is more consistent with the present situation”, he said. Each side, he pointed out, had strong views on the global and regional agenda and India had its own security context, fully explained by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee in Parliament. On the US side, he said, there was another consideration — to “harmonise” the progress in their separate talks with India and Pakistan without linking them up or holding progress with one country hostage to progress with the other. Meanwhile, the embassy had told the USA that its actions against scientists were more than necessary, according to the Indian interpretation of the Glenn Amendment. So far, seven cases had been brought to the notice of the embassy. Of these, four contacted the embassy and these were IIT (Indian Institute of Technology) scientists with nothing to do whatever with nuclear or missile issues. India had pointed out to the USA that the Pakistanis came to Sri Lanka with their statements prepared in advance on what they anticipated would be failure of the bilateral talks and they unleashed a media blitz in different capitals. Obviously, Pakistan came to these talks to give the impression that only third-party intervention or mediation would solve what Islamabad viewed as the main or “core” issue, namely, Kashmir, while India regarded it as one of many major issues. Indian officials had
stressed to Washington that these issues could only be
solved bilaterally. Any statements undermining that
position would be counterproductive. |
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Pallone questions denial of visa to Indians WASHINGTON, Aug 8 (PTI) — A top US Congressman, in a letter to Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, has questioned the wisdom of expelling some of the Indian scientists working in the country and denial of visas, and described the action as a breach of international agreements. Mr Frank Pallone, co-chairman of the Congressional Caucus for India and Indian Americans, says: “I am concerned with the administration’s decision to cancel visas for seven Indian scientists working in US institutions. “I understand that the revocation of the visas is part of the administration’s continuing review of the joint US-India science and technology programmes and the review is part of an effort to curb the development of India’s nuclear programme.” Still, he said, it was unclear the scientists’ research would contribute to the development of India’s nuclear programme. “The expulsion of the scientists could have a significant impact on the free flow of information, communication and the expression of scientific knowledge between the two nations.” Mr Pallone is not accepting the administration’s argument that no one is being expelled and the scientists concerned have to leave because their funding has been affected under the Glenn Amendment, and with that their visa status. Mr Pallone in his letter said: “India and the USA have signed international agreements that allow for the free movement of scientists between the two countries. Both countries recognise the importance of international scientific collaboration.” The expulsion of scientists may not immediately have an impact on science and research development in the USA. However, if the expulsion of scientists and the denial of visas is long-term, with little or no impact on India’s nuclear programme, the US research and development programme will suffer.” “It is my understanding that the administration is reviewing an additional 75 Indian scientists’ visas. Please take my concerns into consideration when you review these visas...,” Mr Pallone said in the letter. The Congressman in a statement said that he had questions about whether the expulsions were justified, based on substantive concerns about non-proliferation, prompting him to write to Ms Albright. “It is not clear to me at this time if the move to revoke the visas was done strictly for reasons of non-proliferation or simply as a way of sending a signal to India about the nuclear tests — which would not be productive,” Mr Pallone said. “Especially at a time
when relations between the USA and India have been
somewhat tense, it is important to maintain cooperation
in such areas as trade, culture and science”, he
said. |
DNA threat to Clinton’s job WASHINGTON, Aug 8 (AP) — In an effort to discover what makes each human unique, scientists unlocked a secret code that has convicted killers identified the remains of the Czar of Russia and may now threaten the President of the USA The chemicals that make up DNA have so many possible combinations that, other than identical twins, no two people are the same. Thus, comparing samples of DNA allows scientists to say with an accuracy often approaching more than one in a billion — if they came from the same person. Now, President Bill Clinton may be faced with such a test as part of the investigation into whether he had a sexual relationship with Monica Lewinsky and then lied about it. A stain on a dress owned by Ms Lewinsky has been examined at the FBI laboratory to determine what the stain is and whether it contains DNA that could be compared with President Clinton’s DNA, a law enforcement source has said. Whatever the stain, technicians don’t need much to conduct their tests. “It can be a tiny speck,” said Dr Wayne W. Grody, Director of the DNA Diagnostics Laboratory at the University of California, Los Angeles. Theoretically you can do it with a single cell. But in practice we like to have a lot more. Mr Clinton has not been asked to provide any DNA sample. A stain on a dress could be damaged by dry cleaning, or by contamination from saliva or something picked up while hanging in a closet, said James E. Starrs, a forensic science Professor at George Washington University. The first step in examining the dress would be to look at the stain under a special light to determine if it is semen, said Dr Victor W. Weedn, a medical examiner for the Alabama Department of Forensic Science. Next, lab technicians would study the material under a microscope to see if sperm are present: if so, the scrap of material would be soaked in chemicals to extract the sperm. Then technicians would perform DNA tests on that sperm. In a related development, putting Special Prosecutor Kenneth Starr on the defensive at a critical time, a judge has ruled that serious and repetitive disclosures of secret grand jury evidence from his investigation warrant a hearing that could lead to penalties against prosecutors. In court papers unsealed yesterday, US District Judge Norma Holloway Johnson said Mr Starr’s own comments to a magazine and statements he made to television cameras acknowledging one of her sealed rulings were evidence that he may have violated grand jury secrecy rules. The judge also said evidence produced by President Bill Clinton’s lawyers, who first accused Mr Starr of the leaks, was sufficient to suggest that others on the independent counsel’s staff also may have disclosed information improperly. Her ruling orders Mr Starr
and his staff to appear at hearing in which they must
rebut the leak allegations to the judge’s
satisfaction or face penalties ranging from civil
contempt of court to referral to the Justice Department
for possible criminal charges. |
Govt-tribesmen talks inconclusive DHAKA, Aug 8 (AFP) — A crucial meeting between the government and former tribesmen rebels ended without an expected consensus on forming an interim council for Bangladesh’s south eastern hills, officials said today. They said the closed-door third round of meeting of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord Implementation Committee ended late yesterday in the south eastern port city of Chittagong without any major breakthrough. The December 1997 peace pact with tribunal rebels ended 24 years of insurgency in the hills bordering India and Myanmar and the rebels surrendered their weapons to the government subsequently. At least 2,500 persons were killed during the bush war. Parliamentary chief whip Abdul Hasanat Abdullah, who heads the implementation committee, however, told reporters the meeting was "fruitful" as differences between the government and tribesmen leaders were "sorted out." He said discussions would continue on the "unresolved" matters and the regional hill council would be formed "soon". But Mr Jotirindra
Bodhipriya Larma, chief of tribal’s Political Forum
Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samity (PCJSS), was
quoted by newspapers as telling reporters that the delay
in the formation of the interim hill council would create
"doubt and mistrust" among the tribesmen. |
Officially dead, but still alive CHARLESTON, Aug 8 (AP) — Despite being officially dead, Rosie Nelson nevertheless struggled into the Social Security office for a nice little chat. Mrs Nelson (64), who has collected social security disability benefits since a 1981 back injury, was notified by a letter today that since she died on June 29 her benefits were cut-off. Officials only backed down after Mrs Nelson appeared in person very much breathing with documentation and a picture I.D. in hand to prove her continuing existence. “It was harder to prove she was alive than she was dead,” said Mrs Nelson’s daughter, Donna Lappert. Robert Jeffries, a
spokesman for the Social Security Office, said Mrs Nelson
should receive a cheque by Thursday. The office could not
immediately pinpoint the reason for the mix-up. |
MI 6 ‘plotted’ to
kill Gaddafi BRITAIN’s foreign intelligence service MI6 attempted to kill Libya’s leader, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, two years ago in a plot that led to the deaths of several bystanders, it was claimed on Wednesday. The allegations were made by David Shayler, former intelligence officer who is being held in Paris jail pending extradition to Britain to face charges under the Official Secrets Act. They were reported in Wednesday’s New York Times, available on the streets of Britain on Thursday morning and on the newspaper’s Internet site and international wire service, both widely available in Britain. The New York Times reports
that Mr Shayler claims: Under British law, it is legal for MI6 to carry out acts abroad which would be outlawed in Britain, provided they are authorised by the Foreign Secretary. Mr Malcolm Rifkind held the post at the time of the alleged plot.@There have been numerous attempts on Col Gaddafi’s life. The last reported attempt to kill him was two months ago, when gunmen opened fire on his entourage near Benghazi. In 1986, the Thatcher government approved an air attack by British-based US bombers on barracks where he slept. Mr Shayler first came to public attention a year ago when he told the London-based Mail on Sunday that the domestic intelligence service for which he worked, MI5, held thousands of files on people, including Labour ministers it once considered potentially subversive, and he accused the agency of bungling operations. The Guardian on Wednesday sought clarification from the British government about whether it was free to repeat the allegations in the New York Times. Britain’s Treasury Solicitor said it “must be a matter for you”. The BBC has also questioned the injunction in the past 24 hours. It has been conducting an investigation into the allegations and has amassed further information about the alleged plot. John Wadham, Mr
Shayler’s lawyer and director of the civil rights
group, Liberty, said he was trying to free him from jail
in Paris, as he began to fight the government’s
request to extradite Mr Shayler to Britain, where he
faces charges under the Official Secrets Act. —
The Guardian |
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