 |
| Thursday, February 15, 2001, Chandigarh, India   
|
Lift sanctions on India, says US Senator
Palestinian kills eight Israelis Pak ultras livid over minister’s remark India to buy T-90 tanks 237 killed in fresh El Salvador quake 7 die as two copters crash
Asian migrants’ kids more likely to go to University |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
Lift sanctions on India, says US Senator WASHINGTON, Feb 14 — An influential Republican Senator has urged the Bush administration to lift the remaining economic sanctions on India. Addressing members at the brookings, a prestigious thinktank institute, here yesterday, Senator Sam Brownback also favoured continuing engagement with New Delhi on non- proliferation as part of a five-point programme to strengthen Indo-US relations. Mr Brownback, Chairman of the South Asia Sub-committee of the Senate Foreign Relations Group, said the Bush administration should review the list of entities blacklisted by the USA, evaluate conditions under which sanctions could be waived, and strengthen defence, security and technical cooperation. He said the USA should take the opportunity not only to waive sanctions on loans from international financial institutions but also end economic sanctions on India altogether. A signature campaign sponsored by him in this regard has gathered momentum among the senators and a memorandum on lifting of sanctions against India will be submitted to President Bush shortly. The Clinton administration had stipulated that ending US opposition to the World Bank lending was contingent on India signing the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. “However, when the Senate has declined to ratify the treaty, it makes no sense that this should remain an obstacle to improving relations with India,” Mr Brownback said. The Bush administration should recognise India’s security concerns while holding dialogue on nuclear restraint, Mr Brownback said and added that New Delhi, in turn, should understand the problems faced by America. In this context, he asked the leaders of both countries to expand the ongoing bilateral working groups on security and counter-terrorism. On the impediments created by the USA in stepping up trade with India, Mr Brownback said the decision to blacklist more than 200 Indian governmental and private sector entities after
India’s nuclear explosions in 1998 had contributed to the slowing down in bilateral trade. These companies were prohibited from importing certain US goods. But now, there was a general agreement in the USA that the sanctions had targeted units that did not have any connection with the nuclear programme. This had hurt Indian entities as well as US firms and research organisations that had ties with them, he said. “Though the quantitative commercial impact is small, the list is a needless sore point in our improving bilateral relations with India.’’ He said high tariff levied by India was a hurdle in expanding trade between the two countries. Though India’s overall tariff has declined from 300 per cent to 40 per cent in the past 12 years, the rates still remain, on an average, the highest outside the Communist world. Consequently, India largely remained closed to US exports, he said. Acknowledging the productive role played by the Indian-American community, especially in the high-tech industry, Mr Brownback urged the US Government to liberalise the visa regime for a freer flow of high-tech workers between the two countries. Further development of high-tech ties would help modernise India’s economy and certainly help increase cooperation between the two nations, he added. “With the cold war barriers of the past gone, it is time that the world’s two largest democracies developed close relations. “This would provide a strategic counter-balance in South Asia and help maintain regional stability,’’ he said. India had signalled clearly that it was ready and willing to improve relation with the USA, he said and added that he expected the bush administration to work in this direction.
UNI Senator blasts Bush on poor quake aid WASHINGTON, Feb 14 — The Bush administration has come under severe attack by Republican Senator Sam Brownback for its “poor response’’ to relief efforts in the quake-devastated Gujarat. Addressing a gathering at the think tank institution, the Brookings, here yesterday, he said the presence of the USA on the ground was minor and it could have done much more in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake, which accounted for more than 30,000 deaths. “The USA should do much more as Gujarat enters the reconstruction phase,’’ he said, adding that it should review the economic sanctions imposed on India in order to fully assist the area. |
|
Palestinian kills eight Israelis AZUR, (Israel) Feb 14 — A Palestinian rammed a bus into a crowded bus stop used by Israeli soldiers and civilians south of Tel Aviv today, killing eight persons and injuring at least 10, the Israeli police said. The attack, which left bodies, rubbish and shoes scattered across the pavement, was the bloodiest inside Israel since the start of a Palestinian uprising against the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip in late September. “We are speaking of a serious terrorist attack with a lot of wounded and dead,” Tel Aviv police chief Yossi Sitbom said. Israeli officials said it could be a response to an Israeli helicopter strike that killed a member of Palestinian President Yasser Arafat’s elite security force in Gaza yesterday, for which Palestinians vowed revenge. Violence has worsened after a relative lull since the rightist Ariel Sharon, seen by some Arabs as a war criminal, was elected Prime Minister last week. Mr Sharon criticised the attack and vowed to provide security when he takes over as premier. Mr Ahmed Abdel-Rahman, an aide to Mr Arafat, said Israel and outgoing Prime Minister Ehud Barak must take the blame for the attack because “violence only begets violence’’. The bus sped off after slamming into the queue near the city of Holon in the morning rush hour. The police gave chase until the vehicle collided with a truck and they fired shots. The police said the driver was seriously wounded. Bodies covered in blood-soaked blankets and marked with numbers lay on the side of the road at a busy intersection. Scattered pieces of rubbish were around them. Almost 400 persons have been killed in clashes during the nearly five months of a Palestinian uprising. More than 300 of the dead have been Palestinians. Sixtyone of those killed
were Israelis and 13 Israeli Arabs.
Reuters |
|
Pak ultras livid over minister’s remark ISLAMABAD, Feb 14 — Various “jehadi” organisations in Pakistan have reacted adversely to the statement of Interior Minister Lieut-Gen (Retd) Moeenuddin Haider that curbs should be imposed on fund raising to purchase weapons and impart commando training to wage jehad (holy war) against India. The Mujahideen groups termed the government’s ban on collection of funds as “un-Islamic” and demanded that the Minister apologise for his statement. They also urged the country’s Chief Executive, Gen Pervez Musharraf, to remove the confusion created by the minister’s statement. The jehad groups as well as the Jammat-e-Islami, which was also involved in operations in Kashmir, claimed that to collect funds and donations for “jehad” was the order of Allah and “his order can’t be banned.” “Ban on collection of funds for “jehad” is same as ban on prayers and the people of Pakistan will not accept this. The Mujahideen best deserve the donations, banning which is an attempt to deprive the masses of the blessings of jehad.” They alleged that the Interior Minister wanted to please the USA and other anti-Islamic forces through such a statement. The Muthaida Jehad Council, an alliance of several jehad organisations operating in Kashmir, also rejected the minister’s statement. In separate statements, leaders of Hizbul Mujahideen, Harkatul Mujahideen, Harkat Jehad e-Islami, Al-Omar Mujahideen , Muslim Janbaz Force and Lashkar-e-Toiba claimed that Pakistani youths were sacrificing their lives in Kashmir to get the valley “liberated.” General Haider had said yesterday that the government did not want confrontation with ‘jehadi’ organisations but they could not be permitted to collect donations to purchase weapons and impart commando training. Talking to mediapersons, General Haider said such activities created a negative impact of Pakistan abroad. He said the government intended to bring an ordinance to curb such activities, which had nothing to do with the Pakistani culture.
UNI |
|
India to buy T-90 tanks MOSCOW, Feb 14 — India will buy 310 sophisticated T-90 main battle tanks and take on lease four nuclear-capable long-range bombers from Russia under a $ 700-million deal to be signed between the two countries during Deputy Prime Minister Iliya Klebanov’s visit. Quoting the Russian Air Chief General Kornukov, the Russian media said India will also get supersonic KH-22 cruise missiles along with the ‘TU-22M3’ (backfire) bombers, seen by Washington as violation of the non-proliferation regime since India can convert them into nuclear delivery vehicles. The deal for the lease of four nuclear-capable TU-22M3 (backfire-C) long-range bombers and supply of 310 T-90s main battle tanks (MBTs) will be signed on the sidelines of Mr Klebanov’s talks in India on February 14-15. A high-powered Russian delegation led by deputy chief of arms exporting agency ‘Rosoboronexport’ is already in New Delhi, the official news agency Itar-Tass reported. The tank deal provides for the purchase of 310 T-90 MBTs at a cost of about $ 700 million. Russia will initially deliver 124 tanks and the kits for the assembly of remaining 186 in India at Avadi Heavy Vehicles Factory in Tamil Nadu, which will also get the licence for the indigenous production of these tanks to phase out the current production of older T-72 tanks. Russia is expected to start delivery of TU-22M3 bombers and T-90s tanks later this year, diplomatic sources said. In New Delhi, Klebanov will also sign an Indo-Russian
inter-governmental agreement on promotion of aviation safety, which provides for standardisation of airworthiness, maintenance and certification of aircraft and will facilitate joint development and production of civilian aircraft by the two countries. Mr Klebanov, who looks after the Russian defence industry, will meet Defence Minister George Fernandes, National Security Adviser Brajesh Mishra, and other government officials. The joint Indo-Russian Commission set up last year during President Putin’s India visit is expected to meet in Moscow next month under the co-chairmanship of Mr Fernandes and Mr Klebanov.
PTI |
|
237 killed in fresh El Salvador quake SAN SALVADOR, Feb 14 — At least 237 persons were killed and some 1,700 were injured in a strong earthquake that rocked El Salvador yesterday, exactly one month after another powerful temblor devastated the country, killing more than 800. “The death toll continues to rise.... We don’t know the exact numbers, but thousands have been affected,” presidential spokesman Luis Lopez Portillo told
AFP. All schools were closed yesterday and church services for the victims of the January 13 quake were suspended after the earthquake struck at 8.22 a.m. (7.52 p.m. IST). Authorities expect the toll to rise as rescue crews make their way to the worst-hit areas in the departments of Cuscatlan, La Paz, San Vicente and La Libertad. Authorities said people were also buried under their collapsed homes in the towns of San Miguel Tepezontes and San Agustin, outside the Salvadoran capital. Both towns were hit hard by last month’s quake as well. The earthquake measured 6.1 degrees on the open-ended Richter scale, according to the
US Geological Survey (USGS) in Colorado. The Nicaraguan Institute for Earth Studies measured it at 6.4 degrees. The temblor was also felt in Guatemala and Honduras. The epicenter was located 8.2 km beneath the earth, at San Pedro Nonualco, some 60 km east of here.
AFP |
|
7 die as two copters crash HONOLULU, Feb 13 — Two US Army helicopters crashed during an exercise on the north shore of Hawaii’s Oahu Island last night, with a Honolulu fire department official saying seven soldiers were killed and four injured. Honolulu fire department Capt. Richard Soo said the copters collided in a remote area. He said the two aircraft had 11 soldiers aboard, with the injured taken to two local hospitals. Maj Cynthia Teramae could not confirm if there were fatalities. She said two uh-60 Black Hawk helicopters of the 25th Infantry Division, a light aviation brigade, were involved in an accident at about 5.40am
(GMT) today. Pentagon spokeswoman Maj Cynthia Colin said initial indications were that 17 soldiers were on the two aircraft.
Reuters Asian migrants’ kids more likely to go to University SYDNEY,
Feb 14 — The children of Asian migrants are more likely to go to university in Australia than students with parents whose first language is English, research published today showed. A 20-year survey by the respected Australian Council for Education Research (ACER) found that students from non-English speaking backgrounds were up to three times more likely to go to the university than students who speak English at home. Australia in recent years has attracted many Asian immigrants eager to build new lives. The success of Asian immigrants has created resentment among some people of European descent, helping fuel the rise of the right-wing One Nation party.
AP |
Valentine couple is
prisoner of love Clinton’s gesture
for Gujarat Charles meets Indians for aid Wanting son, he kills 3 daughters Hearing on fatal
dog attack Bombing suspect to
be extradited China puts love before
rules |
 |
| Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Editorial | | Business | Sport | World | Mailbag | In Spotlight | Chandigarh Tribune | Ludhiana Tribune 50 years of Independence | Tercentenary Celebrations | | 121 Years of Trust | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
