More than 65 countries sign Arms Trade Treaty
United Nations, June 4
More than 65 countries have signed the landmark treaty regulating the multibillion-dollar global arms trade and the United States announced it will sign soon, giving a strong kickoff to the first major international campaign to stem the illicit trade in weapons that fuel conflicts and extremists.

Ankara, June 4
The Turkish Government today apologised to protesters injured in clashes with the police during days of demonstrations and called for an immediate end to the protests.

Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc moved to calm tensions after days of street clashes that have left at least two persons dead, saying the government had “learnt its lesson” from the disturbances.

“The excessive violence that was used in the first instance against those who were behaving with respect for the environment is wrong and unfair. I apologise to those citizens,” Arinc told a televised news conference in Ankara after meeting with President Abdullah Gul.

“But I don’t think we owe an apology to those who have caused damage in the streets and tried to prevent people’s freedom,” he said.

“Responsible citizens will stop today.”

“We expect all unions, political parties and everyone who loves and cares about Turkey to do this today.” He said the protests that erupted in Istanbul last week after the police tear-gassed demonstrators angry over plans to demolish a public park were based on “legitimate” complaints.

“What made things get out of hand was the use of gas by security forces, for one reason or another, against people with rightful demands,” he said.

“The government has learnt its lessons from what happened,” he added.

“We do not have the right and cannot afford to ignore people. Democracies cannot exist without opposition.” He updated the government toll of those injured in the disturbances, saying 64 civilians and 244 police officers were injured, but doctors and rights groups have put the figure much higher.

Five days of clashes have rocked cities across Turkey with police firing tear gas and water cannons at stone-throwing protesters. A doctors’ association said one protester was killed in Istanbul on Sunday and provincial officials said a second man died in a clash on Monday in Antakya in the south.

Arinc’s remarks were a clear bid to calm tensions after Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the main target of the protests, earlier blamed the unrest on “extremists” and “vandals”.

Erdogan was out of the country on an official tour of North Africa as the protests rolled into fifth day on Tuesday, leaving Arinc to speak for the government in his absence.

Protesters accuse Erdogan of trying to impose conservative Islamic reforms on Turkey, such as a pending law to restrict the sale of alcohol. — AFP

Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday submitted his nomination papers for election to the post of Prime Minister. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s leader Javed Hashmi had submitted his nomination papers for the post on June 3. Makhdoom Amin Fahim has been nominated by the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) in a three-way contest.

The election will be held on Wednesday while the newly elected Premier will be sworn in by President Asif Ali Zardari later in the afternoon.

Sharif is assured of an overwhelming majority, much larger than the requisite 172, in the 342-member House.

His PML-N has a total strength of 186 and has also been promised vote by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI), Sindhi and Baloch nationalist groups and Independents. A small Cabinet of the incoming Prime Minister is also likely to take oath with the newly elected Prime Minister.

Ishaq Dar and Khawaja Asif have already been designated as ministers for finance and power, respectively. Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan who is keen on foreign minister’s post is being assigned the ministry of interior.

Amidst hectic lobbying for Cabinet slots, Nawaz is keeping cards close to his chest. He may face the challenge of accommodating all provinces in the Cabinet since most PML-N members come from Punjab. In Lahore, Shahbaz Sharif also filed papers as PML-N candidate for Chief Minister. A PTI candidate will be jointly supported by the tiny opposition of around 35 members in the 371- member Provincial Assembly.

Nawaz’s younger brother Shahbaz is thought to be an important driving force behind party affairs and has carried out an aggressive election campaign to help the party register a landslide win in Punjab.

United Nations, June 4
More than 65 countries have signed the landmark treaty regulating the multibillion-dollar global arms trade and the United States announced it will sign soon, giving a strong kickoff to the first major international campaign to stem the illicit trade in weapons that fuel conflicts and extremists.

The announcement today by US Secretary of State John Kerry that the US, the world's largest arms dealer will sign is critical, but the treaty's ultimate strength rests on support by all major arms exporters and importers.

While the treaty was overwhelmingly approved on April 2 by the UN General Assembly, key arms exporters including Russia and China and major importers, including India, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and Egypt, abstained and have given no indication yet that they will sign it.

Signatures are the first step towards ratification, and the treaty will only take effect after 50 countries ratify it.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the signings showed that "the world has finally put an end to the 'free-for-all' nature of international weapons transfers." — AP