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| Monday, July 17, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
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W. Asia talks inch forward Palestinians hopeful of accord WASHINGTON, July 16 — The West Asia summit talks at Camp David have made progress and a framework agreement for a final Israeli-Palestinian peace could be reached within a few days, sources close to the talks said last night. Pak revives Islamic clauses in statute
8 Tamil parties reject reform package COLOMBO, July 16 — Eight Tamil political parties have rejected the Chandrika Kumaratunga government’s proposed constitutional reform package, describing it as a “farce.” Colombian army kills 20 leftists |
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| Iran test-fires missile TEHERAN, July 16 — Iran said yesterday it had successfully test-fired an upgraded version of its medium-range Shahab missile, to concern in the USA and anger in Israel. Negotiator meets
rebel envoy
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W. Asia talks inch forward WASHINGTON, July 16 (Reuters, AP) — The West Asia summit talks at Camp David have made progress and a framework agreement for a final Israeli-Palestinian peace could be reached within a few days, sources close to the talks said last night. The sources reported a mood of growing optimism among Palestinian President Yasser Arafat’s team, which had been most pessimistic since U.S. President Bill Clinton called the five-day-old summit. “They are working on an agreement that could be finalised within a few days. The main problem now is refugees, and a bit on Jerusalem,” one source said. The USA has maintained a strict news blackout on the talks. An Israeli delegation source earlier described the talks as “very difficult” and said there had been no breakthrough. Prime Minister Ehud Barak’s spokesman, Gadi Baltiansky, said Mr Barak was prepared to stay two weeks, if necessary, to get a deal. The sources ascribed the mood change among the Palestinians to progress on the ultra-sensitive issue of Jerusalem, which both sides want as their capital. They gave no details but Israeli Parliament Speaker Avraham Burg this week talked of both “enlarging and shrinking” Jerusalem — bringing some Israeli settlements close to the city within its boundaries, and putting some existing Palestinian neighbourhoods outside a redrawn area under Israeli control. With only three days remaining before President Clinton is scheduled to leave for Japan, US officials at the Camp David summit said the pace of negotiations had picked up and the two sides were zeroing in on their most difficult disputes. “As we approach day six, we will look for further intensification of these discussions,” White House spokesman P.J. Crowley told reporters last night after the talks moved back into high gear with the end of the Jewish Sabbath at sundown. Mr Clinton met Prime Minister Barak last evening before dinner with all three negotiating teams, and his Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, met Mr Arafat. More meetings were possible later, Crowley said. Taking a break from their own ancient quarrels, about 15 members of the Israeli and Palestinian delegations had a firsthand look at the scene of one of the greatest fraternal bloodlettings in American history. The delegates took a two-hour tour of the battlefield near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, about 25 km from Camp David, the site of the July 1863 engagement generally considered the US Civil War’s turning
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Pak revives Islamic clauses in statute ISLAMABAD, July 16 (Reuters) — Pakistani military ruler, Gen Pervez Musharraf, has issued a decree reviving the Islamic provisions of the country’s suspended Constitution, bowing to pressure from orthodox Islamic clergy. It was the second time within two months that General Musharraf, who seized power in a bloodless coup last October, had met fundamentalist clergy’s demands. In May, he withdrew a proposed change to the application of a blasphemy law that human rights groups said was often used to target non-Muslim religious minorities. Yesterday’s decree was considered necessary “to reaffirm the continuity and enforcement of the Islamic provisions” of Pakistan’s Constitution, a government statement said. Hardline Islamic groups had demanded the restoration of the Islamic provisions of the Constitution, which General Musharraf suspended after the coup. Amongst other things, these declare the minority Ahmedia sect to be non-Muslims and prohibit any law that conflicts with Islamic principles. The decree said all provisions of the Constitution “embodying Islamic injunctions” remained in force. The decree coincided with a legal bid by toppled Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League Party to have the October coup declared illegal. It asked the Supreme Court to reverse an earlier ruling that validated the coup. |
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Fiji rebels warn of further unrest SUVA, July 16 (Reuters, AEP) — Indigenous Fijian rebels, who held deposed Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry hostage for two months, today warned of further unrest if their choices were not met for a new government expected to be announced this week. Rebel spokesman J.O. Nata said nationalist supporters could “escalate” previous protest action by occupying key infrastructure operations and blocking major roads if their demands on the government were not met. “We are serious about what we did. We’ve come too far to compromise, so much so that we may not be able to control our people if the wrong people are put in government,” he said. After weeks of tense wrangling, the military last week struck a deal with the rebels, led by businessman George Speight, which saw Mr Chaudhry and 17 other hostages released after 56 days in captivity. The military gave in to almost all of the rebels’ demands which were aimed at enshrining indigenous Fijian power and stripping ethnic-Indians of a political role. Mr Chaudhry on Saturday called for the reinstatement of his coalition government, saying otherwise Fiji would be bowing to an act of anarchy. However, Nata said it would be impossible, as the multi-racial constitution which had enabled Mr Chaudhry’s election had now been abrogated. “Mr Chaudhry should count (himself) lucky that he came out unscathed ... he should be thankful.” A new civilian government is expected to be announced this week by the rebel-backed President Ratu Josefo Iloilo. But the rebels do not want Laisenia Qarase, the interim Prime Minister appointed by the military, to remain in the post. They want their own nominee, Ratu Epeli Kanaimawi, as Prime Minister. There has been speculation that the new government will contain two ethnic-Indian members, the rebels say that would be “totally unacceptable”. The USA said today it would look to Australia to take the lead in action against Fiji. Meanwhile, diplomatic observers say another coup is looming over Fiji as George Speight realises he effectively won very little and is being marginalised. An AP report said the night curfew had been pushed back two hours and with the roadblocks gone, schools were to reopen tomorrow. All weapons that were stolen by the rebels had been accounted for. |
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8 Tamil parties reject reform package COLOMBO, July 16 (UNI) — Eight Tamil political parties have rejected the Chandrika Kumaratunga government’s proposed constitutional reform package, describing it as a “farce.” The parties, which met on Thursday, said in a joint statement today that the package “totally ignored the political aspirations of the Tamil nation.” The signatories of the statement were leaders of TELO, EPRLF, Plote, the Democratic Workers Congress, the Ceylon National Workers Congress, the All-Ceylon Tamil Congress, the Upcountry People Front and the Ceylon Workers Congress. However, the Tamil United Liberation Front did not sign it. “This political mockery should be deemed as a political fraud and rejected and dismissed in no uncertain terms,” the statement said. It further said the package “ensures that the firm grip of chauvinism on the constitution is further tightened.” The political parties said alternative proposals would be submitted to President Kumaratunga to bring to an end the 17-year civil war that had left more than 70,000 persons dead. They said the constitution did not guarantee the unity of the Tamil northeastern region, which Tamils viewed as their homeland. They also rejected a provision which would allow the central government to use emergency powers to intervene in the region and safeguards for minority Sinhalese and other communities living in the north and east. |
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Colombian army kills 20 leftists BOGOTA, July 16 (Reuters) — Colombian army troops killed at least 20 Leftist rebels in a battle yesterday after the guerrillas executed 13 policemen during an attack on a small town south-west of Bogota overnight, the authorities said. A column of about 200 Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrillas, the nation’s most powerful rebel group, fired propane gas tanks packed with explosives at the police station of Roncesvalles in Tolima province late on Friday, army spokesman Col Paulino Coronado told Reuters. Thirteen of the 17 policemen stationed in Roncesvalles were shot at point-blank range, Colonel Coronado said. Another policeman was wounded. The rebels destroyed the police station and 25 civilian homes, and at least one civilian was being treated for bullet wounds, he said. Army troops reached the town yesterday and clashed with the guerrillas. ‘’We know there are considerable casualties among the rebels and the troops have reported at least 20 bodies,’’ Colonel Coronado said. Fighting continued yesterday and army troops were covered by fighter planes ‘’to block the rebel retreat,’’ Colonel Coronado said. |
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Iran test-fires missile TEHERAN, July 16 (Reuters) — Iran said yesterday it had successfully test-fired an upgraded version of its medium-range Shahab missile, to concern in the USA and anger in Israel. The ballistic missile has a range of 1,300 km (800 miles), making it capable of striking Israel, Iran’s arch foe. State media quoted an Iranian Defence Ministry source as saying that the weapon was test-fired to ensure it conforms to the latest technological standards. It was first tested in 1998. “This missile is part of our programme for the defence industry and would in no way threaten other countries,’’ he said. But Israel, whose defence chiefs have repeatedly voiced concern that Iran is only a few years away from gaining nuclear capability that could endanger Israel, called the test-firing a threat and an attempt to scupper the Middle East peace process. Shahab-3 is modelled mainly on North Korea’s Nodong-1, but has been improved with Russian technology. Israel has asked Russia not to cooperate on nuclear projects with Iran. Meanwhile explosions were heard in the Iranian capital near the Intelligence Ministry yesterday and witnesses said they saw ambulances racing from the scene. Residents of the Seyed Khandan district said they heard as many as 19 blasts, possibly mortar rounds, rip through the area around 9.30 P.M. (5 P.M. GMT). The police and members of the Islamic Basij militia sealed off the district, near a major Teheran freeway, preventing journalists and onlookers from approaching. The armed Iraqi-based opposition, the Mujahideen Khalq Organisation, claimed responsibility for the attack. A statement by the Mujahideen received by Reuters in London said the mortar attack targeted the main headquarters of the Iranian Intelligence Ministry, killing or wounding a number of intelligence personnel. |
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Negotiator meets
rebel envoy
JOLO, (Philippines), July 16 (AFP) — Philippine chief hostage negotiator Roberto Aventajado today asked Muslim extremists still holding dozens of hostages to settle on “doable” demands to free more captives. Mr Aventajado met the envoy in nearby Zamboanga city to keep momentum going for the government following the release of Malaysian Abdul Jawah Sulawat on Friday. The envoy was designated by Abu Sayyaf rebel leader Galib Andang, alias “Commander Robot”. During the brief meeting, Mr Aventajado said the envoy reiterated a previous demand by the rebels for the government to meet backpayments on wages of hundreds of public school teachers in the Jolo island, stretching to two years and to implement livelihood projects. “We discussed and classified what was doable and what was not. We invite (Commander Robot’s) attention to what is doable,” Mr Aventajado told reporters after the meeting. Negotiators were now “within striking distance” of securing the release of the other hostages amid signs Andang was willing to meet halfway, Mr Aventajado said. Apart from the two earlier demands, the rebels have also asked for different amounts for each hostage as well as a set of political concessions. |
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2 Hezbollah
men
killed MARJAYOUN (Lebanon) July 16 (AFP) — Two members of the Shiite fundamentalist Hezbollah were killed and at least one more wounded in an overnight armed clash with the rival Shiite Amal movement in the former Israeli-occupied zone of southern Lebanon, the police said on Sunday. The reason for the clash which occurred in Markaba village was not immediately known. |
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