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| Sunday,
July 1, 2001, Chandigarh, India   
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Kashmir
core issue for us: Indian envoy No
independence for Kashmir Lankan
jets attack LTTE targets India,
Turkey sign pact |
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Fresh
racial attacks Mishra,
Cheney discuss summit Annan
re-elected to UN top office
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Kashmir core issue for us: Indian envoy Islamabad, June 30 “For us this is the core issue also. This is also core issue in terms of our nationhood. So the question of Jammu and Kashmir is critical,’’ Mr Nambiar said in an interview with ‘The Nation.’ Mr Nambiar who attended pre-summit consultative meetings in New Delhi last week, told the Pakistani daily that India was willing to discuss all problems which include the issue of Jammu and Kashmir. “I don’t see any indication that leaders of the two sides are going to dodge or fudge any issue.’’ The High Commissioner said Mr Musharraf had talked about flexibility while Mr Vajpayee had expressed a desire to move away from the “beaten track.’’ But, it did not mean that the two leaders were conceding any position to each other. Referring to the statements emanating from either side, he said the core issue was being talked about ad nauseum. “Why should we deviate from our stated position,’’ he asked. The daily quoted the High Commissioner as saying that the main reason for Mr Vajpayee’s invitation to Mr Musharraf was that the Prime Minister wanted to move forward in terms of the relationship between the two countries. “We decided that we will work on the basis of the logic that has been suggested by the Chief Executive (President-Musharraf) that the initiation of the dialogue would in itself set in a realisation for violence and cross border terrorism to be stopped.’’ India had earlier insisted that Pakistan stop cross border terrorism first before any talks are held. The daily quoted the High Commissioner as admitting that there were “influences” and “friendly suggestions” to open a dialogue with Pakistan. He, however, denied any US pressure. “I don’t know the situation here. But certainly in our case I don’t think the nature of our political system can allow any kind of pressure. There is consultative process in India that does not allow for any indirect pressure or influence from outside to work.’’ Replying to a question he said this was the right time for the two leaders to sit and discuss issues plaguing both India and Pakistan. He, however, said both countries were trying to keep the level of expectations at a minimum level because not much was achieved in the past. The expectations were also kept low to avoid any disagreement.
UNI |
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No independence for Kashmir Islamabad, June 30 The clerics, who held talks with General Musharraf yesterday at a meeting convened to discuss the Indo-Pak summit, unanimously rejected scope for any option other than General Musharraf pitching his talks solely on the UN resolutions on Kashmir, Pakistani daily “Statesman” quoted sources as saying. The clerics apprised the President of their view that “granting independence to Kashmir” was not the lasting answer to the problem, the report said. The firm stance by the clerics on this follows statements by former Interior Minister Sujahat Hussain that “time has come for Pakistan to think different options on Kashmir as India will not part with it at any cost.” His suggestion “Pakistan should negotiate handing over Jammu and Ladakh to India and retain Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), Gilget and Baltistan and grant independent status to the Kashmir valley” drew flak in the media as well as in the political circles. The assertions by the clerics assumes significance as the media here speculated that the Hussain’s formula has the blessings of the Musharraf government. An official statement issued here last night said General Musharraf told the clerics that Kashmir would form the core of his talks with Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and progress on any other issue between the two countries would be possible only if the Indian leadership reciprocated his commitment to solve the Kashmir problem. “Peace and progress in the region could be achieved only if the Kashmir issue is resolved,” the statement quoted General Musharraf as saying. “Without resolving the Kashmir dispute normal trade relations with India are not possible,” he added.
PTI |
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Lankan jets attack LTTE targets Colombo, June 30 Simultaneously, the government released details of what seemed to be an elaborate LTTE plan to launch multi-directional attacks from the land and sea on Jaffna and Palaly air bases and argued that LTTE’s state of full-scale preparedness for war made nonsense of its commitment to peace. The extent of damage is not known, a Defence Ministry statement said about the early morning air attacks using MIG-27 and Kfir jets, but surmised that the LTTE must have suffered heavy casualties in terms of manpower and materials. The air force attacked LTTE targets at Pooneryn and areas south of Nagarkovil in the north, mostly logistic and training bases used by the rebels, it said. The LTTE has been steadily recruiting, regrouping, training and strengthening its fighting cadres, moving weapons, building fortifications and positioning heavy artillery to launch impending attacks on Jaffna, the government added. There was no reference to the peace talks in the statement but it said the LTTE was unwilling to pursue peace and seemed bent on establishing a separate state by force, leaving the government no option but to use every means to defend country’s territorial integrity. Apparently armed with hard intelligence gathered on the ground and by aerial reconnaissance and radio intercepts, it said the LTTE planned to attack from three identified points, using three battalions of 750 cadres each. Plans had been made to position a support group of sea Tigers at Pooneryn, where heavy artillery had been located at the Old Fort.
PTI |
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India, Turkey sign pact Ankara, June 30 Home Minister L. K. Advani and Turkish Interior Minister Rustu Kazim Yucelen signed the agreement last night, which also provides for joint efforts to combat arms smuggling, counterfeiting of currencies, money laundering and illegal migration. Mr Advani also suggested the setting up of a joint working group (JWG) to combat terrorism. India already has similar JWGs with the USA, UK, Canada and Israel. The two sides agreed that India’s Home Ministry and its Turkish counterpart would consider initiating early discussions towards concluding an agreement on cooperation in combating international terrorism. They also decided to establish systems of mutual exchange and coordination between the concerned agencies. Meanwhile, India has said the “problems” with Pakistan cannot be solved in “a jiffy” and the Indo-Pakistan summit in July will mark a movement forward. “We have had problems with Pakistan for the past 50 years. And they cannot be solved in a jiffy, in one meeting,” Mr Advani told Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit during a meeting here yesterday. “We are optimistic that his (Pakistan President Gen Pervez Musharraf’s) visit will mark a movement forward. We are sure that tensions will lessen and the process of discussion will be furthered,” he said. The 40-minute meeting between the two leaders was marked by cordiality and warmth. Briefing reporters about his meeting with Mr Ecevit, the Home Minister said the Turkish leader expressed the hope that the Indo-Pakistan summit would be “fruitful”. Mr Ecevit, who has translated “Bhagwad Gita” from Sanskrit to his mother tongue, recalled his visit to India last year and underscored the need to strengthen cooperation in the cultural sphere, official sources said. He also called for cooperation in political matters to sponsor more democratisation in the Asiatic region and said though Turkey was a Eurasian power it was discovering its Asian moorings in the changing international order, officials said. Later, Advani flew to Istambul where he called on the Governor of Istambul Erol Cakir and attended a dinner hosted in his honour.
PTI |
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Butchers
face action London, June 30 Council’s Environment Health Officers found during a routine check last week that these “halal” butchers were selling meat that had not been checked for diseases and could have been carrying undetected bacteria which can cause serious illnesses.
PTI |
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Fresh racial attacks London, June 30 A spokeswoman for the Lancashire police said two shops — one of them beneath the family’s home — and two cars were set ablaze early on Saturday in the neighbouring towns of Accrington and Burnley. Seven members of the family, including young children, escaped their burning home in Accrington after a child was woken by the smell of smoke, she said. Their home was completely destroyed. “This is an appalling incident in which an entire family could have been killed. The whole community should band together to help identify the people responsible for putting children’s lives at risk,’’ the spokeswoman said. Earlier, an Asian-owned greengrocers shop was petrol-bombed in Burnley. The spokeswoman said no one was hurt and the shop suffered only minor damage. Last weekend, the police arrested 22 persons in Burnley after street battles involving more than 200 whites and youths of Asian origin. There have been sporadic attacks in the area throughout the week, including a hit-and-run on a white pedestrian. Burnley is 30 km from Oldham, where Britain’s worst race riots in more than a decade exploded last month. Authorities blamed right-wing extremists from outside the town for stoking tension. The city of Leeds, 65 km east of Oldham, was rocked by rioting earlier this month when gangs of whites, blacks and Asians fought running battles with the police. Authorities said there was no evidence of a racial motive.
Reuters |
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Mishra, Cheney
discuss summit Washington, June 30 Mr Mishra, who arrived on June 27, met Mr Cheney, Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, Acting Secretary of State Richard Armitage, CIA chief George Tenet, leading members of Congress and
members of think-tanks. Prominent among others with whom Mr Mishra had discussions included Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Gary Ackerman and Assistant Secretary of State Christina Rocca. The US sanctions imposed on India in the wake of 1998 nuclear tests and nuclear non-proliferation, sources said, did not figure in the meetings. Mr Mishra’s US visit is part of the new phase in Indo-US relations.
PTI |
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Annan re-elected
to UN top office United Nations, June 30 The United Nations General Assembly, yesterday chose, amidst thunderous applause, the soft-spoken, affable, sincere looking Mr Annan for second five-year term and gave Africa an unprecedented third term for the top post. Mr Annan has promised to work hard for strengthening human rights, lifting billions out of poverty and helping the poor states fight AIDS. The 63-year-old Ghanaian won the election six months ahead of schedule, with his continent and the USA firmly behind, even as convention desired that an Asian occupy the top job. Asia, however, also lent overwhelming support to his re-election.
PTI |
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