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Wednesday,
September 24, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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PM moots 4-point strategy to combat terrorism
India wasting time at UN, say NRIs |
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Musharraf rakes up Kashmir issue
Russia denies visa to Dalai Lama Meera Nair wins Asian American Literary Award Cop, 3 militants killed in Saudi shootout
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PM moots 4-point strategy to combat terrorism New York, September 23 Rejecting the concept of double standards in dealing with terrorism, Mr Vajpayee asked the international community not to condone ambiguous positions on terror and promote the ideals of freedom, democracy, rule of law and tolerance which are “our defining strengths”. Addressing the prestigious Asia Society here on ‘India-US relations in the emerging global environment’, Mr Vajpayee demanded consistency of approach and same high standards in combating terrorism. His suggestions assume significance in the context of his meeting with US President George W. Bush tomorrow during which terrorism would top the agenda. Observing that the post cold war era has seen a significant proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems, he said the threat of their falling into terrorists’ hands loomed large. “The existing regimes for non-proliferation rigorously audit the performance of responsible states, but do not touch the proliferators. An honest re-appraisal is required,” he said. Pointing out that the Indo-US relations have undergone a “major transformation” in recent years, Mr Vajpayee said the growing partnership was “an important element” in the efforts for a dynamic and cooperative multi-polar world order. “The strength of this relationship derives from a greater understanding of our basic commonalities. The end of the cold war has enabled us to enhance our engagement, based on convergence of many geopolitical perspectives,” he said. The two countries, he said for the first time entered into substantive defence cooperation. “Our armed forces have established contact and there are regular exercise and exchanges of growing complexity.” He said the two countries’ common concern on terrorism, transnational crime and cyber crime have led them to establish ties. The range and frequency of the India-USA dialogue had increased considerably in recent times and it covered global and regional matters as well as long-term and short-term issues, said Mr Vajpayee. “But most significantly, it is the atmosphere of our dialogue that has changed. We now address each other with the confidence and candour of friends. This dialogue, based on respect and equality is successful precisely because we have recognised that there is no fundamental conflict of interest between us,” he said.
— PTI |
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India wasting time at UN, say NRIs Washington, September 23 Hurricane Isabelle has left behind power outages and messed up yards — a more pressing problem for Indians in the power centre of the world. A jambooree with thousands of fellow Indians jostling for a distant glimpse of a Prime Minister surrounded by dozens of security guards was not so hot on their priority list. “We thought we left behind power cuts and water shortage back in India in 1970s, when my husband and I came and settled here,” says Sharada Rao. “I haven’t brewed my coffee for three days. I have no TV and I can’t read. It never happens like this back home. At least, there you all have generator sets. Here, the stores have even run out of batteries for flash-lights,” she says. In her 70s, Sharda, would have liked to the see the Prime Minister, but couldn’t make the trip to New York because of these pressing problems back home. So is the case with Jagmohan, who is busy clearing the debris from his yard. He says India is wasting her time making its case against Pakistan at the UN, a defunct body according to him. He was a teenager during Partition, and came to the USA 37 years ago. “Why should India send troops to Iraq? Did anyone from these developed nations help us when China took away our territory in ‘62, or when we had our wars against Pakistan or even in the present, when India is as much a victim of terror as the USA.” Almost four decades spent in this country, and Jagmohan still doesn’t think of himself as a complete American. Some part of him is still Indian. Perhaps this is what Vajpayee meant when he spoke of “ek hi maa ke bachche” (Children of one mother), drawing tremendous applause from his nostalgic audience in New York last night. For the ABCDs — American Born Confused Desis — all this sentimental mush doesn’t appeal. What does appeal is fashion and films. The Pashmina shawls and the Kareena spagetti tops with elaborate lehengas are more appealing than the poetry recitations of a septugenarian Prime Minister, about dreams and “Geet Naya Gata Hoon”. With charming ignorance, 14-year-old Erica asks her grandmother: “Ajji, did you have light bulbs back home in India? Did you go without ice and air-conditioning like this for days?” Her grandmother stoically replies: “We had to use kerosene lamps and drew water from the well. That is why we don’t take luxuries for granted today.” The Indian Prime Minister will meet with the NRIs and PIOs yet again at a programme organised by the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan on Tuesday. Here too, he will laud their achievements and promise them dual citizenship. He has done that for five years running in New York, every time he comes to address the UNGA — the only Indian Prime Minister to do so.
— ANI |
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Musharraf rakes up Kashmir issue
New York, September 23 In a speech at the Asia Society Council of Foreign Relations, Mr Musharraf said it was imperative to look at the root causes which bred terrorism and to address them with utmost priority. He referred to Kashmir and Palestine issues in this regard. He said for Pakistan, while dealing with the Taliban and Al-Qaida was the short-term strategy, the long-term strategy pertained to the one which looked at the root cause of terrorism and sources that contributed and bred terrorism. He said those who maintained that Pakistan had not done enough in respect of elimination of terrorism failed to appreciate the prevailing ground realities. Hitting back at General Musharraf for accusing India of “violent suppression of the Kashmiri people,” New Delhi today advised him to give up the “annual Kashmiri itch” before the UN General Assembly. “Before making this annual UN pilgrimage, the Pakistani leadership should do some fasting,” Foreign Secretary Kanwal Sibal told reporters here, rebuking Mr Musharraf for his comments on Kashmir at a conference on terrorism yesterday. Mr Sibal said Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had taken initiatives to improve Indo-Pakistan relations by taking some concrete steps irrespective of Pakistan’s “lack of performance” with regard to terrorism.
— PTI |
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India calls for affordable
AIDS drugs
United Nations, September 23 Asking the international community to look at innovative mechanisms to raise resources, External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha expressed support for a tax on short- term investments which, he said, would encourage long-term investments and also raise resources that could be used in such areas as the fight against diseases. “It is evident that political intervention and the adoption of national strategies, while essential, do not by themselves ensure achievement of impact targets” for 2005 and 2010 set by the world leaders,”Mr Sinha told a special session of the United Nations General Assembly on AIDS . While the primary responsibility for dealing with AIDS rested with national governments, “we believe there is a greater need for international solidarity and burden sharing,” he told the special session. Mr Sinha said the Assembly had resolved to reach the goal of an annual expenditure of between seven billion and 10 billion dollars in developing countries through national budgets and contribution from donors by 2005. “While a wide array of strategies is required to forge a multi-sectoral response, the crux remains the need for implementation of commitments by both developing and developed nations, he said. — PTI |
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Russia denies visa to Dalai Lama Moscow, September 23 The decision to deny visa to the Dalai Lama, was made proceeding from Russia’s national interests, Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement today. “Our country respects the Dalai Lama as an outstanding religious leader who has many followers in this country as well. At the same time, when considering the possibility of the Dalai Lama’s visit, we have to proceed from the national interests of Russia on the whole and to strictly comply with international commitments of the Russian Federation,’’ the RIA Novosti quoted from the statement.
— UNI |
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Meera Nair wins Asian American Literary Award Houston, September 23 Nair’s work was chosen from over 60 books of Asian American writers by a national panel of writers and literary critics. Besides her, Walter Lew was selected for ‘Treadwinds: Poems and Intermedia Works’ and Julie Otsuka for ‘When the Emperor was Divine.’ Earlier, Nair’s book was chosen as one of the best books of 2002 by the Washington Post and was a Kiriyama Prize Notable Book. ‘Video’ is a collection of 10 short stories, examining the Indian immigrant experience, out of which nine are set in India. Published by Pantheon Books, a division of Random House, New York, the 191-page book hit the stores last April. Critics have hailed ‘Video’ as “an astonishing debut,” written with a wry intelligence and an irresistible blend of humor, wit, and pathos. It masterfully evokes traditional Indian culture as it confronts the onrush of change. In subtle gestures and keenly observed details, Meera Nair reveals an entire world of gleaming particularity and transcendent emotional power, the critics say. Nair was born and raised in India and came to the USA in 1997 to study creative writing. She received an M.A. degree from Temple University and an M.F.A. degree from New York University, where she was a New York Times fellow. The award will be presented on December 8 at the Asia Society, New York.
— PTI |
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Cop, 3 militants killed in Saudi shootout Riyadh, September 23 An Interior Ministry statement read out on state television said five militants were involved in the incident, in which four policemen were slightly wounded, in Jizan province near the border with Yemen. “Two of the terrorists surrendered while three of them were killed,” the statement said. “They were intending to carry out terrorist operations and were armed with machine guns and hand grenades. They were asked to surrender but they started firing at security forces,’’ it added. Jizan is home to some of the 15 Saudi hijackers involved in the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States, which bin Laden has implied Al-Qaida was responsible for. — Reuters |
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