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| Thursday,
June 21, 2001, Chandigarh, India    |
US sanctions on India, Pak to go separately
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Focus on A340 Airbus Oppn asks King to declare assets
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Lanka rejects SC order, to impeach
CJ Lankan Govt reduced to minority
One dead in B’desh
violence 10 Indians suspected
of financing coup 13 killed in Indonesian
violence
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US sanctions on India, Pak to go separately Washington, June 20 State Department spokesperson Richard Boucher, while briefing newspersons here yesterday on the deliberations of the luncheon meeting between Secretary of State Colin Powell and Pakistan Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar, said, “We take each of these on its merits. We look at the progress and where things are going in individual relationship (with USA) and decide what we can do in those terms.” Earlier in the day, Mr Powell, addressing a joint news conference along with Mr Sattar, said they discussed how one gets through the process of eventually lifting the sanctions in South Asia. “We will be dealing with all of those issues as we move forward in a spirit of dialogue and cooperation,” he added. Mr Boucher was replying to a volley of questions whether the sanctions against India would be lifted sooner than Pakistan and the terms and conditions for ending it. Pakistan has as many as five layers of sanctions, including one for toppling democracy and installing a military dictatorship. The State Department’s elaborate exercise on the sanctions policy is currently under way. Some sanctions against India and Pakistan are the same while some are different, he said, adding that there was a little bit of comparison but not much. “The important thing to the United States is that nuclear developments are not carried any farther, and to that extent, the emphasis this administration would apply is there should be no further testing,” Mr Boucher said. Meanwhile, 400 Indian and American businessmen joined in chorus with Senator Sam Brownback to lift the US sanctions against India. Mr Brownback, former chairman of the Senate subcommittee dealing with the Near East and South Asia, hailed Indo-US relationship with the audience at a banquet in honour of Information and Broadcasting Minister Sushma Swaraj. He began a brief speech, saying, “Hope you heard about our robust and growing relationship between the United States and India. That is the clear message you are geting from the new administration.” To encourage the Indo-American business climate and strengthen the growing relationship between the USA and India, he said, “You have to create a proper atmospheric. To do that, there is a three-word message: Lift the sanctions.” He then asked the audience to shout with him: Lift the sanctions. He expressed confidence: “This would happen soon.” After the banquet, said that his confidence was based on what has been happening. For example, President Bush is reportedly planning a trip to India early next year. All these things would be put in place to create the right atmosphere for a successful visit. Another speaker, James McDermott, co-chairman of the India Caucus in Congress, strongly condemned the Taliban’s order to require Hindus to wear a yellow badge and compared it to Hitler’s action against the Nazis.
UNI, PTI |
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Focus on A340 Airbus Paris Despite all talk of atomisation, computerisation, unmanned aerial vehicles, sophistication in avionics, aircraft and helicopter design and performance engineering for civil, military, passenger and cargo transportation, the basic concept of commerce, however, remains unchanged. One is witness to hard eye-to-eye negotiations, sealing or breaking of deals with a firm handshake or a respectful bow and building friendships or partnerships with a toast and a laugh. In all these hard business deals one does come across “soft” areas as well, as in respect of developing technologies ensuring transportation of “children in safety”. In Hall 5, Stand F 10, Innovint is displaying just that. Though the child restraint system is not yet compulsory but some major companies and organisations are currently establishing regulations for the safe transportation of children across continents and countries, says, Innovint’s Vice-President, Sales and Engineering, Manfred Groning. With boosters and loops banned, children safety assumed importance. Innovint has designer technology at hand for children aged less than two years and up to six years. The proposed seat is dual-positioned is lightweight and easy to install. As one moves from one pavilion to another, leafs through available reports and company profiles, one comes across interesting information. One stall that one is often referred to is that of Israel. One had seen Israel’s participation in the Agrotech fair in Chandigarh in association. Not only in sprinkler irrigation and biotechnology but also in aerospace, particularly in unmanned aerial vehicle and its advance F-16 fighters, Israel has carved a niche for itself. Its Defence Minister, Benjamin Ben Eliezer, said, “We fight for peace”. Though Israel had the capabilities to develop and produce what is on display at the show, Eliezer said, “It can afford a process of restraint in the use of force”. In the same way, General Director of Israel’s Sukhoi, Mikhail Pogosyan, is on record revealing a shift to civil aviation as well. There is great international market demand for Su-30MK multifunctional fighters. The tactical world aviation market is around $130 billion for 1998-2008 with “Su-type” aircraft share at 13.7 per cent. The other most talked about issue is the Airbus A340-600 having logged 127 firm orders and commitments. It is a major rival and a challenge to the Boeing family’s 32 years monopoly. The Airbus, displayed for the first time has a passenger carrying capacity of 475. The Civil Aerospace President, Mr John Cheffin, says, the Airbus has a faster climb rate, reaching 33,000 feet in 38 minutes compared to 70 minutes for a Boeing 777-300ER. Launched in 1997, the new A340 will enter airline service in 2002 making its first flight in the first quarter of next year. Meanwhile, Russia’s Sukhoi design bureau has announced that it is developing a new aerobatics aircraft, tentatively designated Su-XX. It is expected to enter production by end of 2003 and be available in time for the air sport Olympics in 2005. The GIFAS (Groupement Des Industries Francaises Aeronautiques ET Spatials) Chairman, Jean-Paul Bechat, writing on the French aerospace industry, 2001-02, discloses how some major companies have merged and a new consortium of European countries was merging to stand up to new challenges. GIFAS that has organised and hosts the Air Show is determined to set up transnational cooperation programmes and make them succeed. “The combination of political will to strengthen Europe’s hand in aerospace and defence and sustained efforts by industry’s leaders has resulted in successful restructuring”. Today, at the Air Show and otherwise too, Europe boasts of groups like MBDA, EADS, Thales etc. In a competitive world, countries and companies race for either adoption or transfer of new technologies ensuring and securing security as well as economic profitability and employment. The Air Show thus shows how countries like Israel try to balance “necessity and cost”. |
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NEWS ANALYSIS London The immediate response of the experts in the room was interesting. They had already begun to speculate the future of the Conservative Party — whether it will survive the bad maul. One of them even wondered whether the Conservative Party has become an old maid. The general opinion was that for the Conservatives, it was winter time and not spring as Mr Blair put it. Another expert jokingly remarked: “What can the Tories do if the Labour steals their clothes and looks good in them too?” He was only referring to the way Labour has adopted the Tory policies. Indeed, it was not a big surprise that Tony Blair won the elections because that was what everyone expected, and that was why he chose to call the general elections one-year in advance. The question however is: Why was the fall of the Tories precipitous? After all, the Tories had ruled for almost 70 years in the last century. This would be the longest spell the Tories would remain out of power. To me from India, the fate of the Tories looked somewhat like that of the Congress party, although it was the Labour, which had greater affinity with the Congress. The UK election has a parallel and could serve as a lesson for parties in India. Take the case of the Congress. The party lost its hegemony slowly and, after the death of Rajiv Gandhi, it was left rudderless. Mr Narasimha Rao took over the party and steered the country for five years. But, after the 1996 debacle, the party was left rudderless once again and has not been able to come back to power. In 1998, the party was stunned to see so many people deserting it. The decision of Sonia Gandhi to come to its rescue saved it from total disintegration. However, while she was able to provide a unifying figure, the electoral success was not much to talk of. Just as Tony Blair “stole the clothes of the Conservatives and looked good in them,” the BJP has stolen most of the Congress ideas and ideals. This is particularly so in the area of economic liberalisation. Even those in the BJP agree that they look like the B team of Congress. Being in power has made the BJP look like the shadow of Congress. The Conservative Party and the Congress — both will have to infuse new blood and new ideas. Holding on to the old model will only make them lose their grip in the changing world. Sonia’s advisers tell her to follow her mother-in-law’s style of functioning, which may not be relevant today.
IPA |
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Oppn asks King to declare assets Kathmandu, June 20 Meanwhile, according to media reports, the high-powered secretary-level panel set up to study the report of the official probe into the June 1 palace massacre has suggested, among other things, an amendment in the kingdom’s succession laws to enable daughters to become heir to the throne. “The palace should convert the Narayan Hity Palace into a memorial and hand over the property of late King Birendra and members of his slain family to the government as there are no direct heirs,” Radha Krishna Mainali, senior leader of the CPN (ML), told PTI in an exclusive interview, after a two-day meeting of the party’s Central Committee, which concluded here last night. “His Majesty should also make public the assets he acquired as a businessman, to ensure transparency and fair play,” Mr Mainali said. The 54-year-old King reportedly has high stakes in a leading five star hotel in Kathmandu, a major tobacco firm, besides a vibrant trading company and a tea garden in eastern Nepal among others. As the Monarch, his income from various business interests are exempt from all taxes. Meanwhile, the CPN (ML)’s student wing, the All-Nepal National Free Student’s Union has demanded that the King’s son Paras Shah should not be made Crown Prince in view of his “past activities including alleged mowing down of a popular singer Praveen Gurung here last year.” “The past activities of Paras Shah do not behove a future King. Therefore, he should not be made the Crown Prince at any cost,” the union’s firebrand leader Ravindra Adhikari told PTI, a day after he addressed a massive students’ gathering at Tribhuvan University on the issue. Mr Adhikari, who had led a mass signature campaign demanding the prosecution of Paras and removal of his title as “prince” last year following Gurung’s death, however, said his organisation had no objection to the King’s daughter Prerna being made the Crown Princess. Only male members can succeed to the throne, according to the present laws. Meanwhile, the high-powered secretary-level panel set up by the government to study the probe panel’s report has suggested an amendment to the existing succession law to enable the Monarch’s daughter to succeed in the event of the son being charged with any offence, the Nepalese daily ‘Rajdhani’ said quoting official sources. PTI
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CPN bid to unite Oppn
against PM Kathmandu, June 20 General
Secretary of the CPN
(UML), Madhav Nepal who chaired the two-hour meeting at Singha Durbar here on Wednesday told The Tribune that the parties had reached consensus on reiterating the demand for Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala’s resignation in a bold manner. “We have come to the conclusion that the issue of the PM’s resignation is still valid. Although we have not formulated our demands, the general understanding is that the situation has worsened and the need for the Prime Minister’s resignation is more imperative,” Mr Nepal said. The meeting was attended by the second largest opposition party, the Rashtriya Prajatantra Party, the National People’s Front, the United People’s Front and the Nepal Workers and Peasants Party. The CPN (ML) was not invited to the meeting as it has no seats in the Lower House
(Pratinidhi Sabha). The Nepal Sadhbhavna Party expressed its inability to attend the meeting and said that the central working committee of the party would take a decision on its stand in Parliament. |
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Lanka rejects SC order, to impeach CJ Colombo, June 20 “The Supreme Court has no jurisdiction to issue the interim order restraining the Speaker of Parliament in respect of the steps he is empowered to take,” Speaker Anura Bandaranaike said in his 26-page ruling. Mr Bandaranaike now has to constitute a select committee to probe the charges contained in it against Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva. Lawyers supporting the Chief Justice had obtained an interim order on June 6 against the appointment of a select House panel on the ground that inquiry into the conduct of a judge was a judicial matter that parliament should not usurp. Mr Bandaranaike suggested in his order that the members should bestow attention to the need to introduce fresh legislation or amend the existing standard orders regarding motions of impeachment against judges. He noted that the draft constitution, unsuccessfully presented to parliament in August, 2000, contained such a provision. (The relevant clause provides for a panel of judges drawn from Commonwealth countries to probe charges.)
PTI Colombo, June 20 In a day of hectic political activity, the decision of the SLMC was precipitated when President Kumaratunga sacked Trade and Commerce Minister and SLMC leader Rauf Hakeem from the Cabinet this morning. Soon after Mr Hakeem’s removal was officially announced, the SLMC parliamentary group met in an emergency meeting which was followed by the resignation of another Cabinet minister — Mrs Feriel Ashraff — and three more deputy ministers. The party also decided to forgo all official posts, including diplomatic assignments, and accordingly its members, holding posts, tendered their resignations, a SLMC spokesman said. However, the party did not announce its future course of action. With the SLMC withdrawing support, the Kumaratunga government is reduced to a minority in Parliament with only 105 members in a House of 225.
UNI |
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23 dead in US, UK air raids, says Iraq Baghdad, June 20 The Iraqi News Agency said US and British warplanes raided Talafar district near the city of Mosul in northern Iraq. INA said the victims were playing football in a field at the time of the attack. The Pentagon and Britain’s Ministry of Defence denied the Iraqi claim. “If this refers to yesterday (Tuesday) then there is no truth in this,” a Ministry spokesman said in London. “We did not drop any weapons yesterday — that goes for the British and Americans.” Britain has four reconnaissance aircraft and one tanker operating with US fighters in the north of Iraq. Iraq said in an earlier statement on Tuesday that anti-aircraft defences had hit one of a group of US and British planes as they patrolled a no-fly zone over the north of the country. Britain denied that report the same day.
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One dead in B’desh violence Dhaka, June 20 The police said one man was killed and two were wounded by a bomb packed with metal fragments here last night. Suspected strike activists threw three small bombs outside the home of speaker of parliament Humayun Rasheed Choudhury, on Monday night, chief parliamentary whip Abul Hasanat Abdullah told the house on Wednesday. The police confirmed the blasts and said there were several other blasts in the city on Tuesday night. The two-day strike was called by Khaleda’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party to protest against an alleged attack on her over the weekend and to press for her security. Yesterday, the first day of the strike, up to 20 persons were injured in scattered clashes between the police and BNP activists in the Capital, witnesses said. The strike has halted stock exchange trading, disrupted port activity and thinned road traffic, but trains and ferries operated normally. Some flights were delayed or cancelled. Officials said security had been tightened at the country’s airports, major establishments and foreign missions. Ms Khaleda will be the main challenger to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at a general election due in October, after the latter steps down from office when her five-year term ends in July. Ms Khaleda has accused pro-government activists of throwing stones and firing at her car on Sunday, a day after 22 leaders and workers of the ruling Awami League party were killed in the country’s worst bomb blast.
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10 Indians suspected of financing coup Suva, June 20 “One big fish is caught but some other big ones are still enjoying the open air. But the law is above everyone and whoever had a hand will face the full brunt of the law,” coup investigation head Waisea Tabakau told the Daily Post newspaper. An armed insurrection of parliament on May 19 last year forced ethnic Indian Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry from office. The involvement of Indian businessmen as financiers of the coup cuts across claims by George Speight, who led the insurrection in Parliament, that the overthrow was carried out to protect indigenous rights. Mr Tabakau said investigations were not over and others would be questioned, and more charges laid. These included some Cabinet ministers in the post-coup interim administration, five Great Council of Chiefs members, army officers, civil servants and Indian politicians and businessmen.
AFP |
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13 killed in Indonesian
violence Jakarta, June 20 Soldiers shot five guerrillas to death in a gunbattle on the outskirts of the provincial capital, Banda Aceh, yesterday, said police spokesman Major Sudarsono. Two civilians were found dead nearby. A husband and wife and their 18-year-old daughter were also found dead on a beach with stab wounds in their faces and bullet holes in their chests, he said. In northern Aceh, the police shot and killed a rebel after he threw a homemade bomb at them yesterday, the police said. On Sunday, gunmen shot a policeman to death in Banda Aceh and a civilian was found dead in western Aceh. The latest deaths brought to 638 the number of people killed in Aceh this year. Insurgents from the Free Aceh Movement have been fighting since 1975 for independence for their oil- and gas-rich homeland, about 1,750 km northwest of Jakarta.
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Laden leaves Kandahar Islamabad, June 20 According to reports, Laden left Kandahar three days ago predicting a joint attack by the USA and Russia, an Arabic statement quoted the spokesman as saying. Osama sattelite Al-Jazeera on Sunday reported that he had left Kandahar along with his followers and shifted to a place out of Taliban control.
UNI |
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