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| Sunday, December 17, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
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Clinton’s final push for peace in W.
Asia Court: explain Sharif’s exile terms Bangladesh declares Pak
diplomat unacceptable Annan hopes USA clears dues
now No cosmetic surgery for me:
Priyanka Window on Africa 2 held for smuggling
Indians to UK Hillary to receive
$ 8 m for memoirs |
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Powell may be named
Secy of State
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Clinton’s final push for peace in W. Asia CAIRO, Dec 16 (AFP) — Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and Israeli Foreign Minister Shlomo Ben Ami have discussed a proposal by US President Bill Clinton to break the deadlock on the peace talks, an Arab newspaper reported today. The proposal, called ‘‘Camp David Plus,’’ would see Israel acceding to full Palestinian sovereignty over a holy site in occupied East Jerusalem in exchange for the Palestinians agreeing to renounce their demand that refugees be allowed to return to their homes, the London-based daily, Al-Hayat, reported. It quoted sources in Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak’s office as saying the Jewish state wanted Arafat to defer negotiations on other thorny issues such as the refugees and Jewish settlements in the Palestinian territories to a later stage. The Camp David summit in July failed to generate a peace accord primarily because of disagreement over the future status of East Jerusalem, and issue of 3.7 million Palestinian refugees. The Ben Ami-Arafat discussions, which took place Thursday night on the Erez crossing between Israel and Gaza, were based on the Camp David Plus document, Al-Hayat said, and ‘‘would serve as the basis for new negotiations if it is accepted by both sides.’’ Jerusalem’s Old City is the site of Islam’s third-holiest site, the Al-Aqsa mosque compound. JERUSALEM: Thousands of Palestinian mourners chanting ‘‘death to Israel’’ began burying the dead from the latest Israeli-Palestinian bloodshed amid a renewed push to revive peace talks. Thousands of mourners waving Islamic and Palestinian flags marched in a funeral procession in Gaza for Nourreddin Abu Safi, (22), one of seven Palestinians killed in five separate shootings on Friday, hours after the start of a fresh push for peace. One of the seven was a 70-year-old man who died today in a hospital in Jenin from wounds caused by Israeli fire in the West Bank. The Israeli army said it was unaware of disturbances in the area on Friday and did not know about the old man’s death. It brought to at least 326 the number of people killed in 12 weeks of Israeli-Palestinian violence, including 273 Palestinians, 13 Israeli Arabs and 38 Israeli soldiers and civilians, according to an unofficial Reuters count. US officials said they were trying to arrange talks between Israeli and Palestinian negotiators in Washington as early as next week. A wave of the bloodiest Israeli-Palestinian violence in years has exploded in the vacuum left by the failure of the Camp David peace summit in July, damaging the trust carefully nurtured over seven years since the 1993 Oslo peace accords. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak’s decision to seek re-election in February, after his government lost the vote to function in Parliament, has apparently given new impetus to peace efforts. Polls indicating that Barak will lose to a right-wing candidate have put pressure on him to try to forge a treaty before voting day to boost his chances. Meir Sheetrit, a MP of the Right-wing Likud party, told Israel radio Barak had no mandate to conduct peace talks because he was doing it only to retain power. ‘‘It’s not moral, not ethical and definitely not legitimate in these conditions to conduct negotiations now with the Palestinians that are hasty, compromising and obsequious, with the aim may be of winning in the elections.’’ US State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said talks between President Arafat and US envoy Dennis Ross this week had set the stage for the first progress in peacemaking in months. He said Mr Ross concluded Arafat had a strong desire to end the violence, stabilise the situation and return to peace talks. ‘‘He (Ross) also found clear agreement that the only way to end this conflict is a negotiated settlement,’’ Mr Boucher said. |
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Court: explain Sharif’s exile terms ISLAMABAD, Dec 16 (DPA) — A Pakistani court has asked the country’s military regime to explain the terms of a supposed deal under which deposed premier Nawaz Sharif was exiled to Saudi Arabia, Dawn newspaper reported today. A Judge of the Provincial High Court of Lahore told the Deputy Attorney General to furnish an answer and fixed January 21, as the date for the next hearing of a petition against the regime’s move to free Mr Sharif from jail last weekend. The Sharifs are said to have been “exiled” but there is no provision in Pakistan’s law for exile of Pakistani citizens by their government, Dawn quoted a lawyer as pleading in a petition to the court. Sharif’s freedom aroused anger and speculation among Pakistanis that the regime had struck a compromise deal in letting the former premier out of jail. But the junta-led by military strongman General Pervez Musharraf — denied having any “hidden objective,” saying only the decision was taken in view of “larger national interests”. |
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Bangladesh declares Pak
diplomat unacceptable DHAKA, Dec 16 — The Bangladesh Government has declared Pakistan’s Deputy High Commissioner in Bangladesh, Mr Irfan Raza, as persona non grata and asked him to leave the country. The errant Pakistani diplomat was withdrawn by his government acting on a protest by Bangladesh for his audacious remark about the Bangladesh liberation war, sacrifices by three million people and party in power the Awami League. He made the remarks at a seminar on November 27 at the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS). The Pakistan Government’s decision to withdraw him came on November 30. However, Mr Irfan Raza has not yet left Bangladesh and media reports alleged that he was continuing his work and also alleged that he was the ISI operative in Bangladesh. Bangladesh Home Minister Mohammad Nasim recently alleged that Mr Raza was involved in fomenting anti-government agitations, attempt on the life of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. These allegations have not been denied by the diplomat or the High Commission. The delay in his departure from Bangladesh evoked anger, as political parties, student organisations and organisation of the freedom fighters of 1971 staged demonstrations demanding his immediate departure. Bangladesh Foreign Minister Abdus Samad Azad disclosed the news of declaring him PNG to the media this evening at his office. He told the press that Pakistan High Commissioner Iqbal Ahmed Khan was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), handed over a note verbale which contained the decision declaring Mr Raza as persona non grata and asked the High Commission to arrange his departure from Bangladesh. Details about his departure were not known till writing this report in the evening.
This is for the first time that Bangladesh has declared a diplomat persona non grata. |
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Annan hopes USA clears dues now UNITED NATIONS, Dec 16 (PTI) — United Nations’ Secretary-General Kofi Annan has said if the USA’s new administration under Mr George W. Bush were to pay its dues to the UN and work constructively with like-minded states, a lot could be achieved around the world. Mr Annan, who telephoned Mr Bush yesterday to congratulate him on his election as American President, said he planned to travel to Washington soon after the new administration took office, to discuss international issues. Mr Bush’s response during his conservation on telephone was non-committal and he told Mr Annan he knew how the UN worked and that he was putting together a strong foreign policy team which he was confident would make a significant contribution, the Secretary-General told a press conference. The world body is worried over the fact that the Republicans had Repeatedly indicated during Mr Bush’s campaign that they would pursue their agenda outside the UN if necessary. Mr Annan said he looked forward to working with Mr Bush and underscored the shared concerns of the world body and the USA whom he called a natural leader on the international scene. “Over the last eight years, we have developed very good relations with President Clinton and Vice-President Al Gore, and I look forward to developing the same relations with Mr Bush,” he said. Asked how he expected the change of leadership in Washington to affect the long-running issue of the USA’s dues owed to the world body, Mr Annan said, “it doesn’t always depend only on President. There are other forces in town which have incredible impact on these issues.” Meanwhile, the Congress has refused to release fully the arrears it owes to the UN, which the organisation estimates around $ 1.8 billion, a figure that Washington disputes. Besides, there is resentment among some other rich countries over Washington aggressively pushing its agenda in the Security Council. Diplomats of member states are at present discussing a demand by the USA that its contribution to the regular budget be reduced from 25 per cent to 22 per cent and to peacekeeping expenses from more than 30 per cent to 25 per cent. The US Congress has threatened to withhold even the amount it says it owes unless this was done.
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No cosmetic surgery for me:
Priyanka LONDON, Dec 16 — Newly crowned Miss World Priyanka Chopra has charmed London society by denouncing the beauty enhancement procedures of cosmetic surgery. “My nose is my own,” she declared at a soiree
organised in her honour on Friday night by India’s High Commissioner to Britain, Nareshwar Dayal. The strictly private event was for close friends of Mr Dayal and members of the High Commission staff who were invited to meet Ms Priyanka Chopra at the official residence. Ms Priyanka Chopra bagged the Miss World crown in November in London, making it the second successive victorious year for India. On the eve of her triumphant return to India, Ms Chopra disclosed that one of the questions she had most frequently encountered since winning the Miss World competition was whether her perfect features were “helped” at any stage by artificial means. Despite her consistent replies in the negative, the question continues to be asked. Mr Chopra who is quite hip when it comes to ancient traditions such as arranged marriages — she is against them — turns out to be an old fashioned girl when it comes to cosmetic surgery — she is against that too. Earlier Mr Dayal revealed that how on an earlier trip to Caracas his Venezuelan hosts complained that India had broken their monopoly on beauty pageants. The Venezuelans said all their investments in beauty
parlours and grooming schools had gone waste because of the sheer elegance and beauty of the Indian women. — IANS |
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Window on Africa CORRUPTION by political leaders and bureaucrats in Third World countries is nothing new, and Africa is in the forefront. In Asia, Pakistan, India and Indonesia are said to be the most corrupt countries. In Africa, late President Mobutu Sese Soko of Congo (Zaire) was considered the wealthiest individual in the world — all his wealth was illegally begotten. As a country, oil-rich Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa (100 million), enjoys the reputation of being the most corrupt country in the continent of Africa. Nothing moves in Nigeria without the blessing of money, especially in the finalisation of national and international contracts. This writer, on a visit some years ago to Lagos, the financial capital of Nigeria, went to a bank to change some dollars. A fat and rich-looking woman, her neck laden with diamond jewellery, gave a cheque to the bank cashier for encashment. After receiving the required amount of cash, she handed over a currency note of the value of Rs 100 to the cashier as a tip. This was done in the presence of several people in the bank, and the cashier accepted the money with grateful thanks. The irony is that corruption became more rampant during the military rule in Nigeria. Since achieving independence from Britain in 1960, the country had been ruled by the military for nearly 26 years. The reign of the late General Sani Abacha, who ruled the country as President for more than five years from 1993 to 1998, has been described as the “darkest period in Nigeria’s history”. He died suddenly in June, 1998, under mysterious circumstances. Since Abacha’s is a classic case in terms of corruption and bribery, a detailed study of the man and his misdeeds would be in order. While a complicated case like this needed detailed investigations, the police seemed to be in hurry, after his death, to go to the court under orders from President Olusegun Obasanjo, a former military ruler, now democratically elected civilian ruler, who is widely respected for his honesty and integrity. Abacha’s wife, Maryam, and his surviving first son, Mohammed, are being tried in court since October last year. Something $ like 2.2 billion in local and foreign currencies has been seized from the family. Also forfeited from the Abacha family were 34 luxury houses in Lagos, Kano, his home state, and Abuja, the new capital of Nigeria. These houses have since been disposed of at a public auction and the proceeds confiscated. So are 54 luxury cars. (The possession of big cars is a matter of pride and prestige in Nigeria. Most families have two to six cars. While the Abacha family is passing through tough days, Abacha’s son is being tried for the murder of Kudirat, the second wife of rich businessman chief M.K.O. Abiola, the man who is widely believed to have won the annulled presidential election of 1993. The Abacha family is even now facing a series of investigations, even as the trial has been going on for over a year. The investigations, local and international, are in progress for embezzlement of public funds and human rights abuses. Maryam and Mohammed are being questioned by the security services about Abacha’s administration and the approvals he gave for the transfer of funds to family accounts in Switzerland and the USA. There accounts have since been frozen in Switzerland. After Abacha’s death in June, 1998, the family was in panic and was in haste to vacate their living quarters, the Aso Rock presidential villa. In the haste, many of the belongings of the Abacha family could not be removed. The country was shocked to learn that the items left behind were 54 cars ad huge industrial crates containing foreign and local currency. Abacha’s successor, Gen Abdulsalami, Abubaker, ordered, without delay, the confiscation of all items left behind. While Mohammed was detained under protective custody, Maryam was placed on a 24-hour surveillance by the police as a “principal suspect”. She was banned from going out of the country and her official passport was impounded. Strange and funny, this is what Maryam Abacha had to say after her husband’s misdeeds were known. “My husband did not steal the money. He merely put away the funds in some foreign accounts for safe keeping”. Meanwhile, Mohammed is said to have become born-again Christian while in detention, and is believed to have confessed to the murder of Kudirat Abiola. He has also named others involved in the killing. — IPA |
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2 held for smuggling
Indians to UK BERLIN, Dec 16 (PTI) — Two Germans of Indian origin have been arrested after German Border Police smashed an international racket in smuggling of 21 Indian nationals to the UK, all of whom having been released after investigations, the police said. The two men, along with their German male accomplice, all in their forties and fifties, were picked up by the police from their homes near Cologne in the West German state of North Rhine Westphalia. Acting on a tip-off from the National Crime squad in the UK, the German Border Police seized a UK-registered huge 40-tonne truck carrying the 21 Indian men on the highway at Moers, near Dusseldorf, on the German-Dutch border on Thursday night while it was proceeding to its intended destination in the UK. The two British truckers were handed over to the UK police. Investigations showed that each of the Indians coughed out about 5,000 DM (about Rs 1 lakh) for their illegal immigration to the UK from Germany. They were aged between 17 and 35 and hailed from Punjab and nearby areas, the police said. A Border Police spokesman clarified that the 21 1ndian nationals were not illegal immigrants as originally believed. Thirteen of them were asylum seekers and had applied for refugee status and the remaining eight claimed the right to asylum after they were arrested in the police action involving about 150 personnel. |
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Hillary to receive
$ 8 m for memoirs WASHINGTON, Dec 16 (AP) — New York Senate-elect Hillary Rodham Clinton agreed to accept $ 8 million from publisher Simon & Schuster for
her memoirs dealing with her eight tumultuous years in the White House. The huge advance is more than any member of the Congress has received for a book and comes close to matching the $ 8.5 million Pope John Paul II got in 1994 for a nonfiction work. “This personal perspective on our recent history promises to be one of the most remarkable books of our time,” said Ms Carolyn Reidy, president of the publishing house’s trade division. Simon & Schuster has published Ms Clinton’s other three books. |
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Powell may be named
Secy of State AUSTIN, Texas, Dec 16 (AP) — President-elect George W. Bush said he would make his first Cabinet announcement today and hinted strongly that it would be retired Gen. Colin Powell as Secretary of State. Asked whether his first selection would be General Powell, Mr Bush smiled and said he wanted to make the announcement “on our own time table.” He added: “I think America will be pleased with the choice.” The former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Powell is a popular figure and many Republicans had wanted him to run for the White House. |
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