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Thursday,
May 23, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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UK fears
Pakistan will press the nuclear button Graphic: Pakistan Prepares for war
Avoid war,
says USA |
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Benazir
gets RI in graft case NY on high
alert after attack threat
Beauties
don costumes
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UK fears Pakistan will press the nuclear button London, May 22 This in essence is the fear and attitude of the British government about the developments in the sub-continent and in order to do what it can to remove the gathering war clouds, the Blair regime is sending Jack Straw, Foreign Secretary, on an emergency mission to New Delhi and Islamabad next week. “The international community is watching events with mounting concern. This is a crisis the world cannot ignore,” Straw told journalists, says a report in The Times. The USA and the European Union will also be sending their representatives, Richard Armitage (Deputy Secretary of State) and Chris Patten (External Affairs Commissioner) respectively, carrying the “calm down” message. Calamity may be just one provocation away, it is being feared, and the assassination of Abdul Ghani Lone, a moderate leader of the faction-ridden All-Party Hurriyat Conference and a believer in the poll process to achieve independence for Kashmir, in Srinagar on Tuesday afternoon at a commemorative rally has certainly not helped matters. The atmosphere is becoming tenser by the moment. A million soldiers are assembled along the India-Pakistan border. A scenario which Whitehall is afraid of is this: Indian troops retaliating against Pakistan following terrorist attack, Pakistanis beating off the initial offensive, Indians then overwhelming the enemy with their superiority in conventional forces, Islamabad pressing the nuclear button and New Delhi in turn using its own atomic weapons after surviving the Pak N-strike. Millions will die. India, according to the Times report, supposedly possesses 60 nuclear warheads and Pakistan 25. Meanwhile the war of words goes on. Union Defence Minister George Fernandes, told troops on a frontline position in Rajasthan that India had to give a “strong reply” to the killing of 33 persons by militants near Jammu on May 14. Major-General Rashid Qureshi, Pakistan government’s spokesman, hit back by saying that any incursion into Pakistani-controlled Kashmir would be met with full force. Straw evidently will try to ease India’s anger and urge the ruling coalition to exercise maximum restraint, and ask Pakistan to do more to rein in terrorist groups responsible for cross-border attacks into India and a wave of violence against western targets on its own soil. But the task won’t be easy on the issue of Kashmir on which India does not accept third party mediation. The security ties, or the “hotline” strategy, is thought to be a dependable safeguard. The leaders can speak directly and avoid misunderstandings. “There are always grave dangers of what started off as a limited military action getting out of control,” Straw told the British daily. The diplomatic offensive is seen as critical before the New Delhi decides how to respond to the Jammu massacre.
ANI |
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Avoid war, says USA Washington, May 22 “The President thinks it’s very important that India and Pakistan take all steps they can to reduce tensions and to avoid a war that would destabilise the region and distract the war against terrorism,” White House press secretary Ari Fleischer said yesterday. He said the tension between India and Pakistan has long been an area of concern for President Bush. “It’s something that he has worked on very hard and will consider to do so,’’ he said pointing out that Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage will visit India and Pakistan soon, “as part of our ongoing diplomacy, to ease the tensions in the region.” “We call on India and Pakistan to work to resolve the current crisis peacefully and through dialogue that can eventually result in a permanent solution.’’ The press secretary said the tensions between India and Pakistan over Kashmir had “always led to worries by United States Presidents, and that continues to be true.’’ The appeals by the White House came in the backdrop of talks here between the Indian Defence delegation led by Defence Secretary Yogindra Narain with a team of US defence officials led by Under Secretary Douglas under the auspices of the India-US Defense Policy Group. The Indo-US defence cooperation meeting was not the direct result of the rising tensions in South Asia but was scheduled some time back. However, it was not immediately known if the Kashmir issue was brought up at the meeting. US officials want to deal first with ending what India calls cross-border terrorism sponsored by Pakistan before addressing the issue of getting the two countries to pull back their troops amassed on the borders.
UNI |
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Benazir gets RI in graft case Islamabad, May 22 Mohammad Masoor Ali Khan, judge of an accountability Court in Rawalpindi, awarded three years of rigorous imprisonment in absentia to Ms Bhutto and nine senior executives of a Swiss company to which she had allegedly granted a government contract after accepting a commission, a local daily, ‘The Nation’ reported today. The same court had earlier declared her a proclaimed offender and declined permission to her lawyer to represent her case in her absence. The court orders follow a stubborn stand taken by the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), headed by Ms Bhutto and other mainstream political parties to boycott a meeting called by President Pervez Musharraf today to discuss the present military standoff with India.
PTI |
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NY on high alert after attack threat New York, May 22 The FBI warning sent to the New York police was general and unspecified in nature and did not say where and when the terrorists are likely to strike again in the city, which is yet to recover from the September 11 attacks, reports said. The police has increased checkpoints near tunnels and bridges and checks on vehicles have slowed down the traffic into Manhattan. Besides, restrictions have been placed on the operation of vehicles within certain distances of landmarks, they said. Police Commissioner Ray Kelly confirmed that his department had received a warning from the FBI about “general threats” to the city and assured the people that he was taking all necessary precautions. The warning had an adverse impact on the stock exchange where all indices closed lower. Officials said law enforcement agencies were being put on a high state of alert. The warnings did not immediately affect life in the city where the usual hustle and bustle could be seen. Reports also said people in highrise buildings which, according to the warning, could be the targets, were worried though, not necessarily panicky. Highrise apartment buildings are taking precautions and securitymen are closely monitoring the visitors. At the 39-storey United Nations headquarters, a possible target, chief spokesman Fred Eckhard declined to give specific information about the additional security measures, but said it was being tightened. Apparently fearing that the warning might affect the commercial life in the city which has just started picking up, officials are advising people to go about their business. New York Governor George Pataki has said he is in constant touch with the Federal officials. “I strongly urge New Yorkers today, tomorrow, this weekend, next week and thereafter to go around and go about their ordinary lives,” he said. But analysts said it might not be that simple and repeated warnings are bound to take their toll. The city was on a high state of alert since September 11, but recently, it was being scaled down. Law enforcement agencies in the city have also heightened security for the annual “Fleet week”, which will be held in less than two weeks’ time. A fleet of 22 ships, including six warships that took part in the war against terrorism, would be on display in the city at the event, with over 6000 sailors and Coast Guard personnel on board.
PTI |
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FBI chief’s warning speculation: Bush Washington, May 22 “He was speculating based upon a lot of intelligence that indicates that the Al-Qaida is active, plotting, planning, you know, trying to hit us,” Mr Bush said, referring to Saudi-born extremist Osama bin Laden’s network. “What the Vice-President and the FBI Director were reflecting was a general understanding of the desires and attitudes and methodology — or potential methodology. Obviously, if we knew the exact methodology, they wouldn’t be around,” Mr Bush told journalists from Germany, France, Italy and Russia.
AFP |
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Beauties don costumes San Juan (Puerto Rico), May 22 Wearing a gold dress adorned with blue, yellow and red feathers, Miss Colombia — 20-year-old Vanessa Mendoza — won yesterday’s contest, taking home $ 1,000 in cash and a crystal trophy. The costume was supposed to reflect “the richness of Colombia’s Pacific coast. Miss Puerto Rico, 24-year-old Isis Casalduc, won the first runner-up for her flowing white dress of lace and embroidered flowers. The second runner-up was the Dominican Republic’s 20-year-old Ruth Ocumarez, who sported a wild carnival costume with a huge head dress of blue and green peacock feathers. Both women were awarded crystal trophies.
AP |
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