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Sunday,
August 25, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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No breakthrough in
Indo-Bangla talks Pak circulating counterfeit currency, says Sinha
Armitage for Indo-Pak talks WINDOW ON PAKISTAN
Trial of consulate bombers begins Explosives expert ultra caught |
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Israel, Palestinian security talks fail Jerusalem, August 24 An Israeli-Palestinian arrangement to ease Israel’s military clampdown on Palestinian areas stalled today with violence in the Gaza Strip and the failure of joint security talks on a new Israeli pullout.
Remove curbs on 3
companies: USA US missile
sanctions on N. Korea Koreas exchange lists of candidates for reunion 10 ultras, scribe
killed in Nepal Jackson has
third child
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No breakthrough in Indo-Bangla talks Dhaka, August 24 The long standing bilateral issues were discussed at the official talks between visiting Indian External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha and Bangladesh Foreign Minister Morshed Khan at the Foreign Ministry. Emerging from nearly two-hour meeting this evening, Mr Sinha told reporters that the two sides discussed almost all issues, including trade imbalance, investment, firing at border, trans-shipment and scientific and cultural cooperation. Both ministers agreed to start official level talks on these issues at different forums like joint working groups and expert groups and also decided to bring those issues at political level if the officials of the two countries failed to make any progress. “We’ve decided not to drag on or linger any issue. If there is any problem at the official level, the matters would be brought to political levels’’, Mr Sinha told reporters. Apart from bilateral issues, he said regional and international cooperation also came up during the meeting. However, Mr Morshed Khan told reporters that the crucial issues of export of Bangladesh’s gas to India, review of the 30-year Ganga Water Treaty and hand over of Bangladeshi terrorists now staying in India were not specifically discussed. He said the Indian Government had issued notification allowing duty free access of 40 Bangladeshi items to Indian market, which he said was a marked progress in improving the bilateral trade relations. At present, Bangladesh’s trade deficit with India is around $ 1 billion officially but the deficit in unofficial trade is almost double. Mr Khan said both sides reaffirmed their commitment of not to use their respective lands for terrorism in any shape against each other. In reply to a question, he said the ministers also discussed the issues of transit and trans-shipment, import through land ports, immigration and visa and Dhaka-Delhi-Karachi air route. About the implementation of 1974 Indira-Mujib agreement, Mr Khan said the Indian minister had assured that India would ratify the treaty as soon as the remaining 6.5 km boundary between the two countries was demarcated. Referring to the current BSF firing across the border resulting in Bangladeshi casualities, the Foreign Minister said he made a proposal for ‘zero killing’ across the border for the next three to six months. He also said that the BDR had been restrained while the Indian minister assured that the BSF would also restrain itself. Mr Khan said the Foreign Secretaries of the two countries would sit across the table and start discussions on contentious issues soon, but the date for the meeting had not been fixed. During the talks, Mr Sinha was assisted by Indian High Commissioner M.L. Tripathy, Joint Secretary and MEA spokesperson Nirupama Rao and other senior officials of the Indian Government.
UNI |
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Pak circulating counterfeit currency, says Sinha Kathmandu, August 24 Asked about the alleged involvement of Pakistani Embassy officials here in fake currency business, External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha told reporters “we know about it and the Nepalese government is also aware of it. It is a conspiracy to disturb India’s economic stability.” He said “we are aware that counterfeit Indian currency is being circulated in Nepal and other countries.” “Both countries are determined to take effective steps to put an end to such operations,” he added. Nepal has already banned Indian 500 rupee notes after detecting fake currency in this denomination flooding its markets. During the SAARC Summit in January this year, a Pakistani Embassy official was caught red handed by the Nepal police with fake Indian currency. Sharing concern over anti-India activities by Pakistan’s ISI from Nepalese soil, the two sides have agreed to step up their vigil on the borders, Mr Sinha said. “We agreed that more vigil on the borders especially is needed because of the open and long borders of about 1,800 kms,” he said. The two sides have also agreed to share intelligence information in this regard. Sinha, who called on King Gyanendra, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, senior ministers and political leaders, said India has assured Nepal that all possible assistance would be given to face grave challenges posed by Maoist terrorists in the Himalayan kingdom. “As a neighbour and close friend, India stands by Nepal in its efforts to face the challenges,” he said. During the parleys, Sinha said he reaffirmed India’s support for Nepal’s efforts to develop rapidly on the path of self-reliant economic growth and the steps taken by it to maintain peace and security in the country.
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Armitage for Indo-Pak talks Islamabad, August 24
Addressing mediapersons after his hour-long meeting with President Pervez Musharraf and talks with Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Inamul Haq, Mr Armitage said the USA was trying to bring about a situation where Pakistan and India could enter into a dialogue to solve their problems. President Musharraf and Mr Armitage discussed the India-Pakistan situation and how the tension between the two countries could be reduced. They also discussed the Afghanistan situation. Mr Armitage said the USA was using and would continue to use its good office to resolve the tension between the two countries. Washington wants the best possible future for friends in Pakistan and India, he added. Replying to a question, he said the tension between Pakistan and India had reduced somewhat in comparison to what it was a couple of months ago. This, he said, had enabled him to discuss a whole range of issues pertaining to Pakistan-US relations and the India-Pakistan situation. To another question, Mr Armitage said Pakistan had assured him that it was not sponsoring any infiltration across the Line of Control. When asked why he could not meet the Indian Prime Minister and Foreign Minister during his stay in New Delhi and whether it meant that India was showing lack of interest in US efforts to de-escalate the tension between India and Pakistan, Mr Armitage said India did not give any such indication. He said he met the National Security Adviser in India and was treated well. The issue of the alleged Indian firing on a Pakistani post in the Gultari sector was also briefly discussed in New Delhi, he said, adding that the facts on the ground from America’s point of view would become clear in time. Mr Armitage also said that he, on behalf of President Bush, expressed American appreciation to President Musharraf for Pakistan’s role in the fight against terrorism. The US President is looking for continuation of discussions with President Musharraf when he visits New York on the 12th of next month. Asked to comment on the statement of US military commander in Afghanistan that some Al-Qaida and Taliban fighters may be in the tribal areas, he said that he thanked President Musharraf for the splendid job done by Pakistan army and police forces in this difficult terrain. He also said that some Taliban and Al-Qaida elements had been arrested inside Pakistan which was a matter of record and the USA was delighted over it.
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WINDOW ON PAKISTAN President Pervez Musharraf has been claiming ever since he finalised his October 10 poll plan that the exercise will be free and fair. He made a similar claim when he announced the referendum to perpetuate his presidentship for another five years. But it is now well known that he took recourse to rigging to win the referendum with more than 95 per cent votes. The National Assembly election may also see a repetition of what happened then. He has already made it clear that if the National Assembly (Parliament) is packed up with representatives belonging to the parties opposed to him (like the PPP and the PML-Nawaz) either he may have to go or the newly constituted House will be dismissed. Obviously, the wily ruler will do everything under his control to ensure that he does not have to resort to either of the courses mentioned, as that may shake the very foundations of his authority. The best course for him, therefore, is to rig the election and get friendly politicians make it to the National Assembly by hook or by crook. The General, as it seems, is exactly working on these lines. He has cobbled together the Grand National Alliance (GNA) with the PML (Q) being its main component. The king’s party, as the GNA is popularly called, is, however, not in a position to realise the dreams of President Musharraf on its own. Its main constituent, the PML(Q), has a noticeable presence in Punjab but not strong enough to defeat the Benazir Bhutto-led PPP. Besides this, the PPP is going to further strengthen its position by aligning itself with the PML-Nawaz and the group of religious parties called Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal. Punjab, being the largest province, has the maximum number of representatives in the National Assembly. If the king’s party does poorly during the poll in this province it cannot hope to gain a majority in the House. The party identified with Mr Nawaz Sharif, the exiled former Prime Minister, has suffered serious erosion in popularity since 1999, when General Musharraf captured power, but the PML(Q), the driving force behind the GNA, has not benefited from it. Whatever the General claims, people are not happy with the performance of his regime. He has found little time to attend to the common man’s problems. His main concern has been his own survival in the seat of power. According to The Nation of August 16, “Unemployment and poverty have continued to increase, GDP growth and investments are low, business has yet to pick up and the abject surrender to the IMF conditionalities has led to phenomenal rises in utility charges. While no scandal involving major government leaders has been reported, government corruption and misuse of authority remain as widespread as ever. Again, there is hardly any improvement in the law and order situation.... If the man in the street was asked to review (the government’s performance during) the last three years, most would say life had become more difficult.” The people’s disenchantment with the military regime’s record may help the opposition groups to trounce the officially supported candidates. But that is possible if people are allowed to caste their votes in a fear-free atmosphere, which is unlikely to be the reality. The other important province, Sindh, too is not going to oblige the king’s party. According to media reports, there is growing alienation among the Sindhis over the position of water availability. They are upset as, in their opinion, Punjab has been favoured by the federal government. This is bound to help the PPP to enlarge its support base, which had earlier shrunk considerably. The PPP gaining the lost ground will be a serious setback for General Musharraf’s side. The MQM of Mr Altaf Husain, the most popular Muhajir leader, is also reported to have distanced itself from the military regime after the large-scale controversial constitutional amendments announced by the General. The ruling General, however, cannot be expected to sit idle. The emerging scenario makes one believe that he may resort to unholy tactics to prevent his opponents from gaining a dominating position in the National Assembly. The talk of free and fair elections is only for the consumption of the international community. |
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Trial of consulate bombers begins Karachi, August 24 The three accused, Mohammad Imran, Mohammad Hanif and Mohammad Ashraf have all pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, attempted murder, terrorism and the use of explosives in the June 14 attack. Public prosecutor Abdul Waheed Khan told Reuters outside a special anti-terrorism court at Karachi’s Central Jail names of US Federal Bureau of Investigation officials were not included in a list of 50 prosecution witnesses, but they might be called. “It will depend on the case, if there is a need we can submit an application in the court to call FBI officials as prosecution witnesses,’’ he said after the opening session of the trial. Earlier, the prosecution’s first witness, a police officer named Ali Gohar Soomro, narrated the events of the bombing. He told the court he listed 18 vehicles damaged by the explosion but could not tell which was used for the attack. After his testimony, court proceedings were adjourned until August 28. They are members of Al-Almi, an offshoot of the radical Harkat-ul-Mujahideen organisation, which has long been on a US terrorism blacklist. In addition to those killed, 20 persons were wounded in the explosion in front of the consulate, which has since moved. All those killed and injured were Pakistanis. Khan said the FBI had carried out its own investigations after the blast, interviewing witnesses and those wounded. The trial was shifted to Karachi’s central prison because of security concerns. Two of the accused — Imran and Hanif — admitted at a news conference last month to their involvement in the consulate attack and the plot to assassinate Musharraf.
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Explosives expert ultra caught Islamabad, August 24 Mohammad Wasim, 24, confessed to having carried out a deadly bomb attack in April and training associates in making and using explosives shortly after his arrest yesterday in Vehari district in central Punjab province. Wasim graduated as a civil engineer from a university before he joined the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LJ) and was sent to Afghanistan for training in 2000. “He learnt the art there and was heading the explosives training cell in LJ,” he said.
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Israel, Palestinian security talks fail
Jerusalem, August 24 Israel pulled troops out of the West Bank city of Bethlehem early this week under a security deal which also called for lifting restrictions on Palestinian travel in the Gaza strip in return for Palestinian security forces curbing violence in those areas. But no such measures were seen in the Gaza strip and a new round of talks failed to produce agreement on an Israeli withdrawal from Hebron, one of six West Bank cities that remain under a military reoccupation launched after suicide bombings in Israel in June. ‘’Israel has frozen the agreement,’’ Nabil Abu Rdainah, a senior adviser to Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, said today. ‘’The Israeli side has no intention to withdraw from the West Bank and the Gaza strip. Therefore there won’t be any progress.’’ The so-called ‘’Gaza-Bethlehem First’’ plan has been viewed as a trial case for a wider ceasefire to end 22 months of bloodshed since a Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation began in September 2000 after peace talks froze. Israeli and Palestinian security commanders held talks yesterday to lift restrictions in other West Bank areas, including Hebron, but the meeting broke off without agreement. ‘’The Israeli side said that at this stage it would not make any further security-related changes. These will depend on extended Palestinian action against terror,’’ an army statement said, adding that dialogue would resume soon. But the diplomatic source said a pullout from Hebron might be delayed by at least one month due to warnings that Jewish pilgrims to the city revered as the burial place of Abraham may be targeted during a season of Jewish holidays in September.
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Remove curbs on 3 companies: USA
United Nations, August 24 The Security Council had in January called on all member states to freeze the accounts of people and organisations that were suspected to have ties with the Al-Qaida and had issued a list of some 260 organisations and individuals. The list itself was based on the one issued by the USA. US Ambassador John Negroponte told reporters on Friday that the USA had submitted a proposal that a number of entities and individuals be de-listed. He had sent a letter to the committee overseeing the sanctions. Replying to questions, he said he had no qualms about putting people on the list. “We are acting under very challenging circumstances.” The three individuals — all of Somali origin — were Mr Garad Jama, a US citizen, and Mr Abdi Abdulaziz Ali and Mr Abdirisak Aden, both Swedish nationals. The “delisted” organisations include Aaran Money Wire Service Inc, Global Services International USA and Barakat Enterprise USA, all based in the USA. All were on a list drawn up by the Security Council last year as part of efforts to force the Taliban regime, then in power in Afghanistan, to hand over terrorist mastermind and Al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden.
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US missile sanctions
on N. Korea
Washington, August 24 The sanctions cover “all activities of the North Korean Government relating to the development or production of missile equipment or technology or the development or production of electronics, space systems or equipment, and military aircraft.” According to media reports here, North Korea’s recent sale of Ghauri missiles and technology to Pakistan and Scud missiles to Yemen was the immediate provocation for the sanctions.
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Koreas exchange lists of candidates for reunion
Seoul, August 24 The two Koreas agreed last week to hold a new round of temporary family reunions before September 21 and revive other projects aimed at reconciliation on the divided Korean Peninsula. The Koreas have held four rounds of family reunions since a historic summit of their leaders in 2000. The last were held in Diamond Mountain on the North’s east coast in May when 100 persons from each Korea were briefly reunited with hundreds of relatives. Red Cross societies from both sides will try to locate the relatives sought by the ageing candidates for the upcoming reunions.
AP
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10 ultras, scribe
killed in Nepal Kathmandu, August 24 At least five Maoists were killed in Kailali district in far western Nepal and five others were killed in Bardia district in mid-western Nepal in separate encounters with security forces yesterday, the ministry said in statement here. The army also seized some arms, ammunitions and explosives from the rebels, it added. Meanwhile, rebels killed Nab Raj Sharma, editor of Karnali Sandesh, published from Karnali zone in mid-western Nepal. Sharma was kidnapped by the rebels and was killed last week. His mutilated body was found abandoned near a village. This was the first time that the Maoists had killed a journalist. The Federation of Nepalese Journalists, human rights organisations and other organisations condemned the killing of the journalist.
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Jackson has third child
New York, August 24 The article in the magazine’s September 2 issue quotes an anonymous friend who says the baby is not adopted. No one will say who the child’s mother is. A spokeswoman for Dan Klores, Jackson’s publicist, said the firm does not comment on Jackson’s personal life. The singer already has two children with ex-wife Debbie Rowe: a five-year-old boy, Prince Michael, and a four-year-old girl, Paris. The couple divorced in 1999. “That’s correct, Prince I and Prince II,’’ producer Gary Pudney told the magazine. Pudney, who people said was a friend of Jackson’s, said he met the ``very cute’’ infant in April, and added that Jackson, who turns 44 next week, ``is extremely impressive as a father.” ``He had a very lonely childhood. His motivation in having children is partly because of that, but mainly because he loves them. Now he has three beautiful children.’’
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