The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Saturday, April 6, 2002, Chandigarh, India

THE TRIBUNE SPECIALS

50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE

TERCENTENARY CELEBRATIONS

M A I N N E W S

US negotiator meets Yasser Arafat

Ramallah, West Bank, April 5
Renewing truce efforts, a US envoy today met with Mr Yasser Arafat at the Palestinian leader’s besieged compound.

US envoy Anthony Zinni became the first official permitted to meet with Mr Arafat since Israel confined the Palestinian leader to a few rooms in his headquarters last week, at the start of a major military offensive against Palestinian militants.

Journalists were barred from covering the meeting. Israeli soldiers fired tear gas and stun grenades at a group of 30 reporters who had approached the compound. A tank swerved, pointed its barrel at the reporters.

Israel had initially refused to permit Mr Zinni to see Mr Arafat, insisting on Mr Arafat’s complete isolation.

Meanwhile, an AFP report from Bethlehem said the bodies of seven Palestinians who were suspected of collaboration with Israel were found 300 metres from Bethlehem’s Church of the Nativity, Palestinian security sources said today. AP, AFP

Pervez to hold referendum in early May

Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf addresses the nation in Islamabad on Friday. — Reuters photo

Islamabad, April 5
Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf tonight announced that a referendum would be held in the first week of May on his continuance in office and his future relations with Parliament and the Prime Minister but ruled out any role for former premiers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif in the country’s politics.

In a televised address to the nation lasting one hour and 45 minutes, General Musharraf said the date for the referendum would be announced by the Election Commission shortly “but it would not be later than first week of May”.

General Musharraf said the issues he planned to refer to people for their consent were the first question would be to find out whether the country needed his services as President and second the kind of relationship he would have with the Prime Minister, enjoying most executive powers, and Parliament.

“Am I (Pervez Musharraf) required for Pakistan? The second question would be ‘if yes, what should be the shape of the coming Assemblies and my relationship with them?” These are the two key questions in the proposed referendum in Pakistan,” said General Musharraf attired in military fatigues speaking mostly extempore but occasionally referring to notes.

While speaking about the two issues to be referred to people for their opinion, he made no reference to the term of his office as President nor to the kind of relationship he would recommend to people to have a smooth functioning between President, Prime Minister, Cabinet and Parliament. PTI