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Russia, China warn against US missile shield threat DUSHANBE, July 5 — Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Jiang Zemin today jointly warned of a growing threat to global security as Washington moves further toward the creation of a national missile defence shield over US territory. I prefer gallows to apology: Sharif Row casts shadow on AIDS meeting
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Indo-Russian pact
on N-cooperation MOSCOW, July 5 — India and Russia have signed an agreement to expand their cooperation in nuclear sciences. The three-year protocol signed yesterday by the Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, Prof V.S. Ramamurthy, and Yevgeny Velikhov, Director of Russia’s nodal nuclear research centre, Kurchatov Institute, provides for extensive Indo-Russian cooperation in the nuclear field, Human Resources Development Minister Murli Manohar Joshi told reporters. Police fires at Irish protesters |
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| INS Mysore
joins US celebrations NEW YORK, July 5 — Indian missile destroyer INS Mysore was among the 40 modern warships from several nations which joined 150 tall ships from across the world and some 70,000 pleasure boats at the New York harbour for the biggest-ever parade of watercrafts to mark the 224th birthday of the USA. Film stars jack up Swiss tourism Curfew in Ivory Coast Welfare fund for
needy Indians SA likely venue for
film awards function Mori’s aged Cabinet
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Russia, China warn against US missile shield threat DUSHANBE, July 5 (DPA) — Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Jiang Zemin today jointly warned of a growing threat to global security as Washington moves further toward the creation of a national missile defence shield over US territory. “International stability is today undergoing a serious test of its durability”. Interfax news agency quoted Mr Putin as saying at a summit meeting in the Tajik capital of Dushanbe of the leaders of Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. At their first meeting in person, Mr Putin and Mr Jiang categorically ruled out any amendments to the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty to facilitate US plans for the system, which Washington says is a defence against attack by “rogue states” like North Korea. In a declaration issued at the one-day gathering, the five delegations underscored the “unconditional necessity of the preservation and strict adherence to the ABM Treaty,” describing it as “the cornerstone of strategic stability and basis for the further reduction of strategic and attack weapons”. Mr Putin pointed out that some NATO member states are also concerned about the potential collapse of the treaty, which helped to maintain strategic parity between the superpowers during the cold war years. He warned that the “the global balance of security may be undermined” if the US project is implemented. China and Russia say the proposed US system, aimed at blocking attacks by what Washington calls “rogue states”, would undermine existing arms control agreements by violating the ABM Treaty. US President Bill Clinton has said he would decide later this year whether to go ahead with the 60 billion National Missile Defence (NMD) System. The Pentagon has scheduled a crucial test of the system over the Pacific Ocean for July 7. Washington’s proposed Missile Defence System could also give further impetus to Moscow’s ties with Beijing. China said the proposal would oblige it to build up its small nuclear arsenal. The Russian leader and Mr Jiang were joined by Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, Tajik President Emomali Rakhmonov and Kyrgyz President Askar Akayev. Uzbekizstan’s President Islam Karimov also attended the summit as an observer. In the declaration, the leaders of the Eurasian grouping called for the strict maintenance of the international nuclear test ban and agreements on non-proliferation of sensitive nuclear technology, and called for a “multipolar world order” to meet global security concerns. They condemned the use of force or threat of force in international relations without the sanction of the UN Security Council, and called for strengthening of the UN “as the main mechanism in maintaining international peace and stability”. Support was, however, unanimous for Moscow’s military campaign against Islamic rebel forces in its breakaway Caucasus republic of Chechnya, and for China’s territorial claims on Taiwan, both of which were regarded as internal affairs. The participants restated their commitment to the 1996 Shanghai agreement on the common defence of their borders and mutual military support in the event of extremist or terrorist attack. An initiative from Kyrgyzstan for the creation of a regional anti-terrorist structure based in Bishkek was approved. Other items discussed were the confrontation between North and South Korea, the civil war in Afghanistan, and a greater Russian and CIS military presence in Tajikistan to secure the border against threats from the Afghan side. The summit was the first meeting of Mr Putin and Mr Jiang. Mr Putin will make a stopover in Beijing in just under two weeks’ time before the G-8 meeting in Okinawa. |
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I prefer gallows to apology: Sharif ISLAMABAD, July 5 (UNI) — Deposed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said he preferred going to the gallows than apologising to the military government, for undoing the “wrongs” he is being salvoed at. In a chat with newspersons yesterday at the Attock Fort premises of the accountability court, where he is facing corruption charges in a helicopter deal, Mr Sharif said the case was “cooked-up” primarily to “eliminate” him. “Come what may, I won’t be cowed down by these,” he retorted. He alleged that the prosecution and the witnesses had colluded against him in the case to get him convicted. He pointed out that even after being awarded life imprisonment the prosecution didn’t seem content and was working overtime to “do away” with him. He said it was ironical for a twice-elected Prime Minister of the country to be handcuffed and brought in chains from Attock to Karachi for standing trial. Moreover, he was not even allowed to offer his morning prayers without handcuffs. Commenting on reports that a dissident group headed by Raza Zafarul had emerged in his Pakistan Muslim League (PML), Mr Sharif said no one could disintegrate the party. Meanwhile, reports say that 38 members of the PML of the defunct National Assembly at their meeting in Islamabad yesterday demanded fresh elections in the party overdue since August 1999. In the forefront of the campaign is Mr Ejaz-ul-Haq, elder son of late Gen Zia-ul-Haq, ex-President and the army chief. Mian Azharuddin, a relative of the Sharif family and former Governor of Punjab and member of the National Assembly is also openly opposing Mr Sharif and his wife Begum Kulsoom’s efforts to campaign in favour of her husband. Under the present circumstances when dissent is coming out in the open a division in the party looks imminent. Underground meetings among disgruntled party leaders continue even today with a number of them directly opposing Mr Sharif and supporting the military government. In fact at some conclaves Mr Sharif was openly criticised for his “mistakes” and his lust to enjoy “absolute and unfettered” power with steps like bringing of a constitutional amendment to snatch powers from the President to dissolve Assemblies and federal governments, and vesting them in the Prime Minister. The imminent “disintegration” of the PML bodes well for the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) whose chairperson — currently abroad to save herself from arrest on corruption charges — has so far been able to maintain complete unity in her party. None of the PPP leaders have so far said or done anything against the interests of the party or its leadership. |
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Row casts shadow on AIDS meeting DURBAN, July 5 (PTI) — Only few days before an International AIDS Conference starts here, a row has erupted between medical scientists and the office of South African President Thabo Mbeki over the cause of AIDS. The row follows a declaration by 5,000 scientists, who will be attending the conference, that AIDS is caused by the HIV virus while Mr Mbeki has been quoted recently as saying that he was not convinced that HIV was the only virus-causing AIDS. The
declaration, known as the Durban Declaration, has been signed by two members of the AIDS Advisory Council, set up by Mr Mbeki early this year to advise the government on methods to fight the pandemic. However, Mr Mbeki’s office has rejected the document. “People can’t, under the pretext of meeting in Durban to discuss questions of HIV-AIDS, circulate a petition all over the world condemning the President,” presidential spokesperson Parks Mankahlana said Minister of Health Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, has told the Presidential AIDS Advisory panel that the declaration had no official status. |
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Indo-Russian pact on N-cooperation MOSCOW, July 5 (PTI) — India and Russia have signed an agreement to expand their cooperation in nuclear
sciences. The three-year protocol signed yesterday by the Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, Prof V.S. Ramamurthy, and Yevgeny Velikhov, Director of Russia’s nodal nuclear research centre, Kurchatov Institute, provides for extensive Indo-Russian cooperation in the nuclear field, Human Resources Development Minister Murli Manohar Joshi told reporters. Under the agreement, India and Russia would exchange visits of nuclear scientists and experts, he said. Mr Joshi, however, declined to divulge the details of the accord saying that nuclear science did not mean only “bomb”. It has medical applications as well. Briefing reporters on his talks with the Russian Science and Technology Minister Dr Alexander Dondukov, Mr Joshi said India and Russia had agreed to extend their integrated long-term programme (ILTP) on scientific and technological cooperation for another 10 years. An agreement to this effect would be signed during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s India visit in October, Mr Joshi said. Mr Joshi arrived here on
Sunday on a week-long official visit. He inaugurated the joint Russian-Indian Centre for Advanced Computing Research yesterday. |
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Police fires at Irish protesters LONDON, July 5 (DPA) — The North Irish police said early today that it exchanged gunfire overnight with Protestant protesters in Belfast and used water cannons to drive a group away from a Catholic area in the town of Portadown, where a Protestant march scheduled for Sunday has been banned. Water cannons were used for the first time in 30 years to drive the Protestant protesters back up the hill to Drumcree Church in Portadown. The police came under fire in Belfast. “The fire was returned. There are no reports of injuries,’’ a Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) spokesman said. The protesters hurled missiles, including syringes filled with acid, molotov cocktails and fireworks at officers of the RUC, a largely protestant force. A number of cars were hijacked and set on fire in Belfast, while burning street barricades were set up in other areas. In one incident a truck was driven at Police Lines. Britain’s North Ireland Secretary Peter Mandelson said the violence would not force a reversal of the decision by the Parades Commission to ban Protestant Drumcree Orangemen from marching along the Catholic Garvaghy road. |
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INS Mysore
joins US celebrations
NEW YORK, July 5 (PTI) — Indian missile destroyer INS Mysore was among the 40 modern warships from several nations which joined 150 tall ships from across the world and some 70,000 pleasure boats at the New York harbour for the biggest-ever parade of watercrafts to mark the 224th birthday of the USA. President Bill Clinton on board the guided missile cruiser, USS Hue City, took salute and later addressed the nation from aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy anchored off the Statue of Liberty yesterday. Mr Clinton spoke about the courage of those who had drawn up the declaration of independence creating a new nation. Around four million people watched the parade of tall ships and saw an impressive 17-km line-up of warships. The event, Operation Sail-2000, was the highlight of the celebrations which climaxed with a spectacular display of fireworks in New York and several other cities in the country. One of the star attractions was the reconstructed slave ship, Amistad, a 39-metre schooner, which saw mutiny by 43 African slaves who took over the ship. |
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Film stars jack up Swiss tourism SAANEN (Switzerland), July 5 (DPA) — When Indian film stars Rani Mukherjee and Aftaab flirt with each other on a flower-filled mountain pasture, millions of Indian movie-goers think the scene is in Kashmir. But the cow on the periphery of the screen is not a holy one, but rather a Swiss Alpine cow, the pasture belongs to the farmers of the town of Boltigen, and the background panorama is made up of the Swiss Alps of the Berne region. No matter. More and more Indian film directors are discovering Switzerland as an ideal place to make their movies. “I love Switzerland. It has a pleasant climate, good lodgings, and nobody staring,’’ says Rani Mukherji. It is Jakob Trittin’s job to see that operations go smoothly in Switzerland. The bus company operator has gone over completely to working with Indian filmmakers. He gets their visas and arranges their hotels, takes over the transportation logistics and has acquired a lighting vehicle and electricity generators. Then there is the mobile kitchen in which Indian cooks serve up dinners of rice and chicken kebab to the film crews up in the Swiss mountains. Trittin also takes care of the arrangements with the Swiss farmers on whose pastures the scenes are filmed. He was particularly busy in June, having seven different Indian film teams to take care of: “We were cooking for 360 persons.’’ the crews, counting up to 60 persons, work virtually round the clock. “In Switzerland the sun goes down later. We can film longer and so make up for the extra travel costs,’’ says Mukesh Bhatt, producer and uncle of director Vikram Bhatt. This means dividends for the Swiss tourism industry. The number of overnight stays by Indian guests has doubled since 1995 to almost 166,000 per year. “Among the future markets, India is one of the most interesting,’’ comments John Geissler, a marketing research for the Swiss tourism industry. |
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Curfew in Ivory Coast ABIDJAN, July 5 (DPA) — A curfew was imposed in the Ivory Coast overnight today after soldiers went on the rampage in the streets of the capital Abidjan. The soldiers were demanding money and the fulfilment of other promises made when the military seized power at the end of last year. Military leader Gen Robert Guei appeared on state television demanding that the soldiers immediately halt their protests. “I am open for dialogue. But we have to place the well-being of society before self-interest,’’ General Guei said. General Guei has announced for July 23 a national referendum on the constitution in the West African country. General elections have tentatively been scheduled for October. |
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Welfare fund for
needy Indians
DUBAI, July 5 (PTI) — Help will now be available to hundreds of Indians in distress here and in the Northern Emirates with the setting up of the Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF). The fund, set up by the Indian Consulate and other Indian associations here, could inspire similar
initiatives in other Gulf countries which have large Indian populations. It seeks to help destitute housemaids, stranded labourers and workers, persons detained on grounds other than economic, drug trafficking and political offences, and those undergoing prolonged treatment here. |
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SA likely venue for
film awards function
DURBAN, July 5 (PTI) — South Africa is likely to be the next venue for the international Indian Films Awards function, which was held in London recently. “The film industry is very enthusiastic that the next awards function should be held in South Africa,” the founder-director of Wizcraft International Entertainment, Mr Sabbas Joseph, who organised the London event, told a Durban-based newspaper. |
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Mori’s aged Cabinet TOKYO, July 5 (Reuters) — Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori may be haunted by low support ratings, but his latest Cabinet can boast a high figure — the age of its ministers. The average age of the Cabinet Ministers, appointed yesterday, is 66.05, the highest out of Japan’s 16 Cabinets of the last 10 years, the Kyodo news agency said. Six of the 19 ministers are aged 70 or older, led by Finance Minister Kiichi Miyazawa, who is 80. The youngest is Education Minister Tadamori Oshima, a mere 53. The average age of the ministers in the previous Mori Cabinet launched in April was 63.08. Elderly politicians holding Cabinet portfolios is nothing new in Japan where the number of times a politician has been re-elected carries more weight than knowledge of policy issues. |
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PORTADOWN: The British Army and the Royal Ulster Constabulary hold back Loyalist
protesters by using water cannons at Drumcree Church in Portadown, Northern Ireland, on Tuesday. Loyalists continued to clash with the provinces' security forces in the wake of the Northern Ireland's Parades
Commission decision to ban an Orange Order march through a local Catholic neighbourhood.
— AP/PTI
