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April 8, 2001, Chandigarh, India   
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Maoist rebels kill 29 cops in Nepal
Benazir Bhutto backs India’s offer
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Bush-Jaswant talks ‘crucial diplomatic move’ Senate trims Bush’s tax-cut plan China insists on apology by Washington Congo rebels to pull back forces Lanka may resume talks with LTTE Siamese twins
undergo first phase of surgery
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Maoist rebels kill 29 cops in Nepal Kathmandu, April 7 According to a police spokesperson here, the armed rebels attacked in large numbers a police post at Naummle village in the Dailekh district and overwhelmed the 72 man Police Striking Force based there after almost a three hour-long gunbattle. The police force gave up the fight after the Maoists bombed the post levelling it to the ground force commander Inspector Dhruva Prasad Dabal and 28 other personnel were killed in the encounter in which “at least two civilian casualities also occurred, the spokesperson said. There was no immediate report about the Maoist casualties in the attack in which 12 police personnel were seriously injured, the spokesperson added. The fate of another 11 cops was “unknown” and they were believed to have been taken as captives by the rebels, who looted the police post before fleeing into the nearby forested mountainous area. The Dailekh incident was yet another chapter in the recently increased Maoist activity involving attacks on the Police Striking Force posts. Earlier this week, the rebels struck in the midwestern Rukum and north-central Dolakha districts on Monday last killing 36 police personnel. Besides, the Maoists have been setting off explosions at selected targets which include residences of ruling Nepali Congress leaders and former senior police officials. The bomb attacks have, however, claimed no casualties. The underground Maoists launched an armed “peoples war” in the Hindu Himalayan Kingdom six years ago demanding the establishment of a
republican state as opposed to the present constitutional monarchy in a multi-party parliamentary democracy. The insurgency had so far claimed more than 1,700 lives.
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Benazir Bhutto backs India’s offer London, April 7 In an interview with ANI Television, Ms Bhutto, who is currently residing here, said bilateral talks (between the Indian government and Kashmiris) were equally important than tripartite talks, including Pakistan. She said: “Tripartite talks were necessary, but that did not exclude bilateral talks.” It must be remembered that both, Pakistan and Kashmiri militant organisations had always been advocating tripartite talks to arrive at a solution to the Kashmir problem. She opined that the important aspect was that the APHC leaders should be treated with respect as leaders of the Kashmiri people “rather than as terrorists and marginalised”. She further said: “I welcome the review by the Indian Government and their efforts to evolve a dialogue. Dialogue is important.” Criticising Chief Executive Pervez Musharraf’s stand over the Kashmir problem, the former Premier observed that there was a “disconnect” between what he said and what he did about Kashmir. She asserted that if she was the prime minister she would have had talks with the Indian Government. She said a “substantive dialogue with India was very important”. “We’ve had too many wars, too much bloodshed. Right now there is a dangerous situation there with Kashmiris dying, Indian soldiers dying, Pakistani soldiers dying, and we’re just watching. This kind of passivity is painful to me”. She said: “In the past four and a half years we have had so many ups and downs — we’ve had Kargil, we’ve had the bus diplomacy, we’ve had the ceasefire, we’ve had Mr Advani’s statement that he is prepared to talk to the Kashmiris — so against all the ups and downs, the positive silver lining has been the willingness of the Indian Government to begin a
dialogue with the APHC. This is a pro-active step, and I think it is important that the channels of communication be there.” She also said the solution to the Kashmir problem had a direct relation with return of democracy in Pakistan. On the possibilities of return of democracy in her country and her party’s role in its resoration, she said she would consult her political colleagues to decide what to do. “There is a difficult situation in Pakistan,” she added. She expressed delight over yesterday’s ruling by the Pakistan Supreme Court that set aside the verdict by a High Court against her and her husband Asif Ali Zardari. The verdict had found both guilty of corruption. She said: “I am looking to see whether the Generals are now prepared to let my husband free. He has spent four and a half years in prison without a conviction.” Ms Bhutto said the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) had taken a “bold decision” at its meeting in London last month by calling for elections in Pakistan to be held by October of this year. “It was a warning to all would-be dictators, not only in Pakistan but all round the world”. She said the opposition parties in Pakistan were demanding elections within three months, and it was hoped that this, combined with international pressure, would send a clear message to the military regime that it was time to restore democracy. She also hailed the appointment of India’s Planning Commission Deputy Chairman K.C. Pant as a representative of the Union Government while holding talks with Kashmiri leaders. She said: “It is a very welcome step”.
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Islamabad, April 7 Ms Bhutto in an interview in London said: “The order has removed all hurdles in returning to the country’’. She challenged the government to punish her if it could. She said she was happy over the verdict of the Supreme Court. She demanded that her spouse Asif Zardari who had already served over four years of imprisonment must be released. On the contrary, chief prosecutor-general, National Accountability, Mr Raja Bashir Kiyani, said the former Prime Minister would be arrested soon after her arrival in Pakistan as her arrest warrants had already been issued by the apex court. |
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Bush-Jaswant talks ‘crucial diplomatic move’ Washington, April 7 Co-Chairman of Congressional caucus on India Ed Royce said the unscheduled meeting President Bush had with Mr Singh could not have come at a more important time. The spy plane incident had made it painfully clear that former President Clinton’s conception of China as a strategic partner was woefully misguided, he said. Mr Royce, who is a Republican member of the House of Representatives from the Silicon Valley in California, said: “The Bush Administration understands it is critical for the USA to strengthen our strategic relations with India.’’ According to Mr Jaswant Singh the presidential gesture indicated that the new US administration saw India as a factor for stability and peace in the South Asian region. “India indeed is a factor for stability since we export no disturbing ideology or grabbed anyone’s territory,’’ he told reporters, adding that there was abundant potential for cooperation between India and the USA in knowledge-based industries. Mr Jaswant Singh said during his meeting with Mr Bush the President recalled the role played by his father, Sr Bush, in improving relations between the USA and India. Mr Jaswant Singh said he also commended the President for the restraint and statesmanship he was displaying in resolving the problem over the repatriation of the US crew with the Chinese. He expressed satisfaction that the spy plane crisis was moving towards its resolution.
UNI |
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Senate trims Bush’s tax-cut plan Washington, April 7 The 65-35 vote came yesterday as part of a budget resolution, which established a framework for income and expenditure for fiscal year 2002. The budget itself and the tax cuts were to be voted on separately. The resolution called for a budget of $ 1.940 trillion for the upcoming fiscal year. Despite the revisions by the Senate, Mr Bush told mediapersons that he was “really pleased” by the move to pass “meaningful real tax relief for the American people.” The President called the move “good for the American people and good for the economy.” The House of Representatives had already passed the $ 1.6 trillion tax-cut plan, so the two versions would have to be worked out by a conference committee and resubmitted to both chambers. White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said the administration still hoped to get back to the original $ 1.6 trillion figure. “The President’s position is, it should be as close to 1.6 (trillion) as possible,” Mr Fleischer said. A number of Republican moderates joined Democrat Senator John Breaux in supporting a compromise tax cut between the Democrats’ $ 750 billion tax cut proposal, and Mr Bush’s $ 1.6 trillion plan. The Senate had previously cut Mr Bush’s tax cut to 1.1 trillion, but Republicans were able to add some of the cuts back into the final Bill. “Today’s vote on the budget for the USA represents a great victory for all Americans,” Mr Breaux said. “I think what we have is President Bush’s proposal for an across-the-board tax cut for all Americans as part of this package, as well as the protections necessary for important areas like medicare and healthcare and national defence and education are also part of this package.” Republican Senator James Jeffords said the changes made would allow more funding for education. “I think that we have now established the path that we can fully fund the money that we promised them 26 years ago, and that will do much to make sure that the President’s goal of leaving no child behind will come into fruition,” Mr Jeffords said.
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China insists on apology by Washington Beijing, April 7 “Regrettably, the US statement on this incident so far is unacceptable to the Chinese side, and the Chinese people have found it most dissatisfying,” Vice Premier Qian Qichen said in a letter to US Secretary of State Colin Powell, Xinhua news agency reported today. “The position of the Chinese Government on the incident is very clear. The US side should take up its responsibilities for the incident,” he said in the letter, which was handed over to US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Harmitage by China’s Ambassador to the US Yang Jiechi. “It is essential for the American side to face up to the facts squarely, adopt a positive and practical approach and apologise to the Chinese people,” Mr Qian, who is accompanying President Jiang Zemin on a six-nation tour of Latin America, said. The pilot of the Chinese jet disappeared after the mid-air collision on Sunday over the South China Sea. He said China did not want bilateral relations to suffer by the impasse and had therefore kept a “cool head and exercised great restraint in handling the matter.” Mr Powell had, in a letter to Mr Qian, said, “We very much regret the pain the accident has caused. President Bush is concerned about your missing pilot. His thoughts and prayers are with the pilot’s family members and loved ones, as are mine and all Americans”. “I want to work with you toward a productive and successful relationship and to putting this unfortunate accident behind,” he said. Meanwhile, diplomatic sources said aides to Mr Bush and Mr Zemin had exchanged drafts of a proposed letter from the USA to China expressing regrets over the collision. Under the move, the USA may be willing to initiate an investigation by the Chinese and the American military officers and clear the way towards the release of the crew, they said. In an interview to the China Central Television last night, the pilot of a second fighter jet tracking the spy plane said the American aircraft “seriously violated aviation rules and should take full responsibility for the incident.” The US plane was conducting reconnaisance “on our doorstep” when this accident occurred. “This act is barbarous and outrageous,” he said. Meanwhile, the missing pilot’s wife Ruan Guoqin has shot off a letter to Mr Bush accusing him and his administration of “apathy” towards the life of her husband. While blaming the US plane for the collision, she said Mr Bush’s refusal to apologise displayed his “cowardliness.”
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Congo rebels to pull back forces Nairobi, April 7 Jean-Pierre Bemba agreed to pull back the forces of his Movement for the Liberation of Congo (MLC), some 15 kilometres from the battlefront, the BBC reported. Bemba made the announcement late yesterday after senior government ministers met representatives of all the warring parties in the Zambian capital, Lusaka. The MLC leader had previously refused to withdraw his troops. A withdrawal was a condition of a peace deal for the Congo approved by the UN Security Council in February. Bemba and demanded the deployment of UN peacekeepers as a buffer before agreeing to withdraw his forces from position in the northern province of Equateur.
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Lanka may resume talks with LTTE Colombo, April 7 Agriculture Minister and ruling People’s Alliance General Secretary D.M. Jayaratne was quoted by media that President Chandrika Kumaratunga would make a policy statement in Parliament when the House was reconvened after New Year celebrations. It is expected that the preliminary talks would be held in the Norwegian capital Oslo, under the vigil of Mr Solheim. Norwegian Ambassador in Colombo and another senior Embassy official visited Wanni, the new headquarters of the LTTE yesterday. Confirming their visit, the Voice of Tigers (VOT) said in its last night bulletin that the envoys held
discussions with LTTE’s political wing leader S. Tamilchelvan at Pallamadu last evening. Both envoys were received by senior members of LTTE, S. Thangan and Pulithalavan and taken to Wanni, the radio said. In November last, Mr Westborg had accompanied peace envoy Erik Solheim to Wanni and held talks with Prabhakaran. In a related development, Opposition and United National Party (UNP) leader Ranil Wickremesinghe is visiting Oslo in the third week of this month. He is undertaking the visit at the behest of the Norwegian facilitator Erik Solheim.
UNI
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Siamese twins undergo first phase of surgery Singapore, April 7 “So far, the first part of the surgery is successful,” said Mr M.N. Swami, Nepal’s honorary Consul General in Singapore. The first phase of the extremely rare and complex operation began yesterday and was completed today, Mr Swami said at Singapore General Hospital, where the surgery was taking place. Mr Swami, who said he spoke to one of the surgeons involved in the operation, said the two teams of doctors had been working round the clock and hoped to finish the procedure tomorrow.
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