 |
|
UN endorses ‘roadmap’ for Palestinian state
Hamas invited to peace talks Bush,
Blair vow to fight terror
Malik’s attorney grills key witness |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
PM to attend SAARC but not meet Pak leader
|
|
UN endorses ‘roadmap’ for Palestinian state
United Nations, November 20 The “roadmap” was drawn up by an international “Quartet” comprising the US, Russia, European Union and United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan in an effort to revive the peace process. It lays down steps that both sides should take to achieve the goal of Israel and Palestinian state living side by side in their internationally recognised borders in peace and security. It calls for cessation of violence by Palestinian and freezing of building of settlements on occupied territories by Israel. But the continued cycle of suicide bomb attacks against Israel and Tel Aviv’s prompt retaliation have brought the progress to a halt. However, the US believes that the installation of new Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmad Qorei might help resurrect the process. Russia wanted the council to put its seal of approval as soon as it was presented to the parties and accepted by them in the Aqaba summit in June but the council did not go beyond welcoming it. After the vote, Russian UN Ambassador Sergey Lavrov said he did not think that the endorsement would radically change “everything on the ground” but he expected that the council action would make the process irreversible. Palestinian observer Nasser al-Kidwa welcomed the resolution and saw in it first involvement of the council in the political process in the Middle East. But Israeli UN Deputy Ambassador Arye Mekel did not see any utility of the resolution, contending that Tel Aviv wanted to see action on the ground, that is Palestine starts “dismantling the infrastructure of terror which is their obligation under the roadmap.” Israel, he said, was prepared to implement the ‘road map,’ provided it finds in Palestine a willing party to “eradicate terror” and committed to peace. In the final compromise version, the resolution couched the condemnation of militant organisations and of Israeli retaliations in general terms without mentioning any names. The resolution calls on parties to fulfill their obligation under the “road map” in cooperation with the “quartet.” It also emphasised the need to achieve a “comprehensive, just and lasting peace” in the Middle East “including the Isreali-Syrian and Israeli-Lebanese tracks.”
— PTI |
|
Not bound by resolution, says Israel
Jerusalem, November 20 “It is possible that we will hold talks with the new Palestinian government on the basis of the roadmap but ... Israel does not feel that it is bound by the resolution,” Olmert told public radio. Despite strong objections from Israel and initial opposition from the United States, the council voted unanimously for the Russian-backed resolution to put its stamp of approval on the plan.
— AFP |
|
|
Hamas invited to peace talks Gaza, November 20 Mahmoud Azzahar was speaking to reporters following a meeting between Hamas leaders and a high-ranking Egyptian security delegation that arrived in Gaza early yesterday to mediate a ‘hudna’, or truce, between Hamas and Israel. Israel has said that it will not allow leaders from Hamas and Islamic Jihad to attend the talks. The Egyptian delegation yesterday held talks with Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed
Qureia, chiefs of the different security apparatuses and representatives of different Palestinian Islamic and national factions.
— DPA |
|
|
Bush, Blair vow to fight terror London, November 20 A large contingent of US expatriates, led by maimed Vietnam veteran Ron Kovic, marched through the West End behind a banner declaring, "Proud of my country, ashamed of its President." They were joined by hundreds of Britishers, including schoolchildren, who defied education authorities to take a day off for the protest, claimed an activist of the Stop The War Coalition, which organised the march along with the "Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament" and "Muslim Association of Britain". Mr Blair, meanwhile, speaking after a meeting with Mr Bush, called the Istanbul bombings on the British Consulate and London-based HSBC bank as the "latest terrorist outrage" and added that it would in no way lessen the two countries' commitment in Iraq. "Once again we must affirm that in the face of this terrorism, there must be no holding back, no compromise, no hesitation in confronting this menace, in attacking it whenever and wherever we can in defeating it utterly." But anti-war protests raged in Britain, where a series of small demonstrations
culminated last night in a mass gathering outside the Buckingham Palace. The police made 31 arrests on minor offences.
— PTI |
|
|
Malik’s attorney grills key witness
Vancouver, November 20 Malik's attorney, David Crossin, closed out a gruelling seven-day cross-examination of the witness by attacking the woman's testimony that she and Malik loved each other and he was willing to confide his deepest secrets. ''I suggest, whatever your feelings were for Malik over the years, it was not a relationship that would lead to any intimate discussions,'' Crossin told the woman, whose name cannot be published because she is in a witness protection programme. Malik and co-accused Ajaib Singh Bagri have denied involvement in the bombing of Air India Flight 182, which exploded off the coast of Ireland on June 23, 1985, killing all 329 persons on board the Boeing 747. Crossin accused the woman of being motivated by bitterness over Malik's firing her from a job she loved, and said she crafted her story about his role in the plot from second-hand information she gleaned from newspaper articles. In a final jab, Crossin also attacked her claim that she first talked to the police in 1997 for help in convincing Malik she was not a spy. Some of Malik's supporters contend the bombings were actually the work of the Indian Government in a bid to discredit Sikhs who were attempting to create an independent homeland in the Punjab. — Reuters |
|
PM to attend SAARC but not meet Pak leader Islamabad, November 20 According to Geo TV, Mr Sinha said the Indian Prime Minister would attend the summit but would not hold any one-to-one meeting with any Pakistani leader to discuss bilateral issues. There was speculation here that Mr Vajpayee would meet his Pakistani counterpart Mir Zafarullah Khan
Jamali, if not President Pervez Musharraf, to formally kickstart the composite dialogue. In the excerpts of the interview aired by the channel, Mr Sinha refuted Pakistan’s oft-repeated allegations that Indian consulates in the Afghan cities of Kandahar and Jalalabad were promoting terrorism against Pakistan and also warned that Islamabad would be held responsible if any staff members of the Indian missions in these two cities were attacked. “This is totally baseless and unfounded propaganda being carried out by Pakistan. We know that”, he said while referring to allegations levelled by Mr Jamali and Interior Minister Faisal Saleh
Hayat. — PTI |
|
|
New York, November 20 The singer, who attained superstardom in 1980s with his album "Thriller," was said to be in Las Vegas where he is recording a video for his latest album “Number Ones.” A television network quoted a friend of his as saying that Jackson, who has been involved in such controversies earlier too, would surrender within a day. He is said to be "making arrangements in consultations with his attorneys." The bail is set for $ 3 million. Jackson had faced similar charges about a decade ago but the case was settled outside court and reportedly involved payment of millions of dollars. However, authorities say this time things are different as the family of the child allegedly molested is not after money but wants justice to be done. The authorities have also sought help from people who have any knowledge of this or other such cases.
— PTI |
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | National Capital | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
Islamabad, November 20
