Friday, April 6, 2001,
Chandigarh, India






THE TRIBUNE SPECIALS
50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE

TERCENTENARY CELEBRATIONS
W O R L D

US regret right step, says China
Haikou, China, April 5
China welcomed as a “step in the right direction” US statements of regret over a Chinese pilot missing since a collision with an American spy plane, but repeated a demand for a full apology.

Jaswant in USA to meet Bush
Washington, April 5
External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh arrived here today for introductory meetings with the new Bush troika — the Secretary of State, Gen Colin Powell, the Defence Secretary, Mr Donald Ruasfield, and the National Security Adviser, Ms Condoleeza Rice.

PML may form govt with Musharraf as head
Islamabad, April 5
The re-organised Pakistan Muslim League (PML), enjoying a majority in the assemblies, may form an interim government in the country with Gen Pervez Musharraf as its President, party sources said here.

Israel to expand settlements
Jerusalem, April 5
Israel said it would auction West Bank land for the building of 700 more houses for Jewish settlers in the West Bank, an action likely to infuriate Palestinians and further hamper peace moves.



EARLIER STORIES

 

USA not keen on quake relief Bill
Washington, April 5
The Bush Administration has been discouraging influential Republican members of the House of Representatives International Relations Committee from co-sponsoring a Bill seeking $557.5 million to assist in earthquake relief in India and El Salvador, according to senior Congressional sources.

B’desh cracks down on Jamaat-e-Islami
Dhaka, April 5
In an apparent crackdown on fundamentalist Jamaat-e-Islami, the police rounded up scores of Jamaat and Islami Chhatra Shibir (ICS) activists from their offices near Baitul Mukarram Mosque in the capital today.

UN court warrant against Milosevic
Belgrade, April 5
The UN War Crimes Tribunal, intent on trying Slobodan Milosevic for crimes against humanity, today formally presented the Yugoslav authorities with its warrant for the former president’s arrest.

Dalai Lama meets Taiwan President
Taipei, April 5
In a long-awaited first meeting with Taiwan’s new President, the Dalai Lama said today that changes in China and the world’s concern for Tibet make him hopeful about the future of his Chinese-ruled Himalayan homeland.

Kabila sacks Cabinet
Kinshasa, April 5
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) President Joseph Kabila sacked his entire Cabinet yesterday, according to a statement from Cabinet chief Theiphile Mbemba.
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US regret right step, says China

Haikou, China, April 5
China welcomed as a “step in the right direction” US statements of regret over a Chinese pilot missing since a collision with an American spy plane, but repeated a demand for a full apology.

A Foreign Ministry spokesman said China would consider allowing a second meeting between US officials and the 24 crew of the US aircraft, which made an emergency landing on Hainan Island after Sunday’s mid-air collision.

“The USA’s expression of regret is a step in the right direction by the US side,” Sun told a news conference in the first response to a letter from US Secretary of State Colin Powell to Chinese Vice Premier Qian Qichen.

The letter contained statements of regret over the pilot of the F-8 fighter missing and feared dead after his plane crashed into the South China Sea.

But Beijing demanded that the United States take a “cooperative attitude” to end the standoff over 24 American aviators and their plane held by China since a mid-air collision five days ago.

Asked what China meant by a “cooperative attitude” Mr Sun said: “I want to reiterate here that the U.S. side has done wrong and it should admit its mistakes and apologise to help a speedy resolution in the future.”

The U.S. has ruled out an apology for what it says was an accident in international waters, although Secretary of State Colin Powell expressed regret on Wednesday that the Chinese fighter pilot failed to return safely and is presumed dead.

“The U.S. side is making excuses for itself and we do not regard that as a cooperative attitude,” Sun said.

He said China continued to hold the 24-member crew of the U.S. electronic surveillance plane because authorities were still investigating the crash.

Asked whether China viewed the 24 crew members as criminals, spies or hostages, Mr Sun said: “They are the culprits in this and they are in China. The fact is they illegally intruded into China’s airspace.”

He appeared to rule out a joint Chinese-U.S. investigation into the crash and said there was no need for mediation by the United Nations or other outside parties.

“China and the USA are handling this through diplomatic channels. I do not see a need for other approaches,” Sun said.

Asked what more Washington should do, Sun said: “The USA has made a mistake and should first apologise.”

“The USA must assume the responsibility and make an explanation to the Chinese people,” he added.

USA officials made their first contact with the crew on Tuesday night on southern Hainan island. The US service personnel have been otherwise incommunicado since shortly after their spy plane landed at a military air base.

Washington says the mid-air tangle was an accident and has bluntly ruled out an apology.

But by expressing sympathy and concern for the pilot, analysts said Powell may have found a possible approach to ending a diplomatic standoff over the fate of the US crew and the top-secret EP-3 surveillance plane.

“We regret that the Chinese plane did not get down safely and we regret the loss of the life of that Chinese pilot,” Powell told reporters on Wednesday.

However, he added: “We need to move on and we need to bring this to a resolution”.

Chinese newspapers on Thursday also shifted their attention towards the aviator and his grieving wife, along with a massive air and sea search still under way.

China still officially describes the pilot, Wang Wei, as missing rather than dead, even though state media suggest his chances of being found alive are slim.

The official Xinhua news agency reported bitter comments by Wei’s wife, Ruan Guoqing, accusing Washington of callousness over her husband. The couple have a six-year-old son.

“The US Government only cares about their air crew, it did not say a word about my husband. To me my husband’s life and safety are most precious,” Ruan was quoted as saying.

The reports had an added resonance for many Chinese since Thursday is the traditional “Tomb Sweeping Day”, when families head off to cemeteries to tidy up graves and pay respect to their ancestors.

Bush’s swift loss of patience — underscored by his rapid demand for the return of the 24 Americans, his call on China to “do the right thing” and warnings that the relationship could be undermined — have done little to help Jiang out of his tight spot, analysts said. Reuters

Chinese analysts and western diplomats say it is unlikely Beijing will release the crew unless Washington goes some way towards a recognition of Chinese hurt.
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Jaswant in USA to meet Bush
Judith Smelser

Washington, April 5
External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh arrived here today for introductory meetings with the new Bush troika — the Secretary of State, Gen Colin Powell, the Defence Secretary, Mr Donald Ruasfield, and the National Security Adviser, Ms Condoleeza Rice.

Mr Jaswant Singh’s visit coincides with the Sino-American crisis over the detention of a US spy plane in China’s Hainan island.

Mr Jaswant Singh was well known to officials of the former Bill Clinton government, but now, he must get aquainted with George Bush’s White House.

At Washington’s think tank, the Brookings Institution, India analyst Stephen Cohen says he will find a receptive audience in the new Republican administration. “When an official of the world’s largest democracy and the world’s second largest country comes calling, the American official dom should be willing to meet him and begin a dialogue. He’s a very courteous man with a great grand style, and I think that will appeal to the Republicans.”

The relationship between the USA and India encompasses issues ranging from nuclear testing to Kashmir and trade ties. The Bush Administration and the newly elected US Congress have already shown signs that they’re ready to embrace India as a partner. But India analyst Stephen Cohen says it’s still too early for any substantive negotiations. “I hope it’s not a visit for negotiations, because the American side hasn’t had a chance to discuss and assess policy towards South Asia. It’s very important that we go into these talks not with a mindset that we’ll start negotiating big deals on the nuclear issue or Kashmir, but it’s important that we go into these talks with a consensus of American officials that includes the State Department, the Defence Department, intelligence services and information, and the White House, that there be an American position, not several positions on these issues. I think it’s going to take a while — months at least — to come to a consolidated view.”

Professor Cohen says that Mr Jaswant Singh’s visit is well timed— he’ll be giving the Indian viewpoint as the Bush Administration formulates its policy towards the subcontinent. One issue that’s sure to come up for discussion is the situation in Kashmir. Professor Cohen says it’ll be a good chance for Mr Jaswant Singh to make India’s case. “I think he’ll take the opportunity to explain India’s policies and to argue that India is sincere in seeking a solution for Kashmir. I don’t think he’ll get such of a response from the American because I don’t think American officials have thought out for themselves what would be the appropriate policy for Kashmir.”

America is also re-thinking its sanctions regime against India. Mr Jaswant Singh’s visit comes just days after legislation was introduced in the US Congress to lift the sanctions, which have been in place since India’s 1998 nuclear tests. Professor Cohen believes the measure has a chance of passing. “I think that some of he people who’re in this administration have been critical of sanctions generally. But I’m not sure what their position would be on the specific application to India. I think it’ll probably be a quid pro quo. We’ll lift sanctions as India moves in certain areas. The same would be true for Pakistan.”

Most of those “certain areas” involve the nuclear testing issue, and Mr Jaswant Singh is likely to emphasise India’s stated intention not to conduct anymore tests. Again, Stephen Cohen says: “He’ll reiterate Indian public statements that they don’t plan anymore nuclear testing, and this will be welcomed by the Americans. The larger issue is whether they’ll continue to develop new weapons designs, both missiles and warheads, and whether in the future these will require some kind of testing. And beyond that, whether India has actually begun to deploy some of its nuclear weapons. The debate here, among the think tank community at least, is whether India’s actually deployed in the field nuclear weapons. The same question arises with regard to Pakistan — whether they’ve deployed one weapon or whether they’ve deployed five weapons. Once they get to any significant number, the whole issue of nuclear strategy and nuclear gamesmanship between India and Pakistan and between India and China comes into play. And that has a logic of its own. And I think the American administration would be very concerned and would want to participate in those kinds of decisions.”

Professor Cohen says that the visit will be all about these types of sweeping issues — but, he says, don’t expect any “decisions” from this trip. For the most part, it will be a chance for the two countries to test the waters and to start building personal relationships that will be crucial when the tough negotiations begin. ANI
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PML may form govt with Musharraf as head

Islamabad, April 5
The re-organised Pakistan Muslim League (PML), enjoying a majority in the assemblies, may form an interim government in the country with Gen Pervez Musharraf as its President, party sources said here.

In a move to get rid of Mr Nawaz Sharif, members of the PML held an election through the general council meeting and elected Mian Azhar as the party chief.

Mr Sharif’s supporters alleged that the election was organised at the behest of the military government.

Considered as sober and influential, Mr Azhar’s candidature was supported by a majority of the pml members. “He is an ideal choice for the Prime Minister’s post,” they said.

A mediocre politician, Mian Azhar is acceptable to the Army and will not pose any problem to them. He has twice met the Chief Executive in the past.

The military ruler has again decided to start his meetings with the politicians and is expected to meet Mian Azhar soon.

Interestingly, most of the politicians are opposed to the country reverting again to the presidential system. The fate of the proposal would be decided when the Chief Executive brings an amendment in the 1973 Constitution.

Meanwhile, General Musharraf has hinted of becoming the President after the expiry of a deadline given by the Supreme Court for restoration of democracy in the country.

“The government was examining all aspects of my becoming the President in 2002,” General Musharraf told a Karachi-based English periodical.

The Supreme Court has set October 12, 2002 as the deadline for holding elections in the country.

“We are going through the merits and de-merits of the proposal and will take a decision at an appropriate time”.

The military ruler said his presence as the President was essential to provide continuity and safeguard the actions taken by the government.

“A civil rule, with checks and balances will definitely come back so that whatever has been done is not undone,” he added.

The power would be transferred to any party that wins elections, including the Pakistan Muslim League (PML) or the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), he added.

However, he hinted that deposed Prime Ministers Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto would not get a second opportunity to rule the country.

Expressing concern over Mr Nawaz Sharif’s activities in Saudi Arabia, General Musharraf said he would take up the matter with the Saudi Government.

About PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto, he said on her return to Pakistan, she would be arrested and sentenced by the courts for the offences she committed. UNI
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Israel to expand settlements
Howard Goller

Jerusalem, April 5
Israel said it would auction West Bank land for the building of 700 more houses for Jewish settlers in the West Bank, an action likely to infuriate Palestinians and further hamper peace moves.

The Construction and Housing Ministry said it had floated land tenders for building 496 homes in Maale Adumim, near Jerusalem, and 212 homes in Alfei Menashe, near Nablus.

Right-wing Prime Minister Ariel Sharon who came to power in Israel last month, has long championed Jewish settlements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip — land captured by Israel in the 1967 West Asia war.

Israeli Housing Minister Natan Sharansky said events had shown “how important it is to lend a hand to and strengthen the citizens living in Judea, Samaria and Gaza according to the decisions and missions of the Israeli government”.

Judea and Samaria are biblical names for the West Bank. Some 200,000 Jews live in 145 West Bank and Gaza Strip settlements scattered among more than three million Palestinians.

Palestinians say settlements strengthen Israel’s 34-year-old occupation and have divided the West Bank and Gaza into cantons. Palestinians have often complained of harassment by settlers.

Israel’s leading peace movement Peace Now said the timing of Sharansky’s announcement raised suspicions he was trying to sabotage any effort to bring about a ceasefire in more than six months of Israeli-Palestinian violence. In a statement the group called new settlement construction a provocation that would trigger further violence.

“It’s entirely clear that conducting negotiations while building or expanding settlements is out of the question,” said dovish lawmaker Yossi Sarid, head of the leftist Meretz party. He demanded a freeze of all Jewish settlement construction.

The tenders, which had been on hold for a number of years, would respond to “natural growth”, Mr Sharansky insisted, echoing the policy of right-wing Israeli governments over the years.

Meanwhile, The Israeli army said today that an investigation showed its troops fired on a convoy carrying three Palestinian security chiefs only in response to shots fired from a jeep in the convoy.

Palestinians charged that the soldiers deliberately targeted the cars, slightly injuring two Palestinian bodyguards with sharpnel, as the convoy took them back from talks with Israeli officials early today on ending months of violence.

Palestinian Public Security Chief Major-General Abdel-Razek al-Majaydeh, Preventive Security Chief in the Gaza Strip Mohammed Dahlan and Intelligence Chief Amin al-Hindi were in the convoy near the Erez Crossing to Israel.

Meanwhile, five Israeli soldiers were killed when an armoured personnel carrier overturned in the West Bank yesterday, the military said, describing it as an accident.

The vehicle, carrying six soldiers, was to take part in security for a planned visit to the area by Defence Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, the military said. AP, Reuters
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USA not keen on quake relief Bill
Aziz Haniffa

Washington, April 5
The Bush Administration has been discouraging influential Republican members of the House of Representatives International Relations Committee from co-sponsoring a Bill seeking $557.5 million to assist in earthquake relief in India and El Salvador, according to senior Congressional sources.

The sources told IANS that “the administration is very hesitant about doing anything that would signal the need for a supplemental Appropriations Bill because they are so gung-ho about the tax cut. They don’t want anything to jeopardise it.”

The Bill authored by House members Mr Robert Menendez, Mr Jim McDermott, the co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on India, and Mr Tom Davis, provides for $125 million for earthquake relief in India and $367 million for El Salvador. The remainder is to be used for technical assistance to develop emergency management systems and for use by USAID to carry out rebuilding and rehabilitation programmes in both countries.

The sources, responsible for the drafting of the legislation, said they were trying hard to get Mr Ed Royce, the Republican co-chair of the India Caucus, and/or Mr Benjamin Gilman, who chairs the International Relations Subcommittee on South Asia, as original co-sponsors before introducing the Bill “because we think that’s going to make a big difference.”

“We want them as originals. We don’t want to introduce it, then get them on because we think they are that important,” one source said.

According to the source, the administration was not too keen that these two influential Republicans, who are both members of the powerful International Relations Committee, sign on as original co-sponsors because “they view this Bill as jeopardising” President George W. Bush’s tax cut.

On March 15, US Secretary of State Colin Powell said he had no problem in giving India $100 million in assistance for earthquake relief in Gujarat if Congress approved it. IANS
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B’desh cracks down on Jamaat-e-Islami

Dhaka, April 5
In an apparent crackdown on fundamentalist Jamaat-e-Islami, the police rounded up scores of Jamaat and Islami Chhatra Shibir (ICS) activists from their offices near Baitul Mukarram Mosque in the capital today.

The police action came after workers of the ICS, student wing of Jamaat, staged demonstration near the mosque this morning and clashed with the police over the arrest of Jamaat Secretary-General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid from his house late night.

After a brief clash at around 11 am local time, the riot police raided the offices of city Jamaat and ICS and picked up senior leaders and other workers.

Jamaat officials have alleged that the police broke open the gates, ransacked their offices and furniture. They claimed that around 300 leaders and workers were arrested during the raid.

Meanwhile, Jamaat Secretary-General Ali Ahsan Mujahidi was sent to Dhaka Central Jail with one month’s detention under the Special Powers Act.

After the arrest of Mujahidi from his Maghbazar residence in the capital, other top Jamaat leaders immediately went into hiding to avoid possible arrests.

Jamaat central executive committee, at an emergency meeting chaired by its chief Maulana Matiur Rahman Nizami, protested the police action and arrest of its leaders and workers and warned that repressive actions would only quicken the fall of the government.

Jamaat is a major ally of the four-party alliance led by BNP Chief Begum Khaleda Zia. The alliance has intensified the anti-government movement seeking the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and handing over power to non-party caretaker government for general election. UNI
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UN court warrant against Milosevic

Belgrade, April 5
The UN War Crimes Tribunal, intent on trying Slobodan Milosevic for crimes against humanity, today formally presented the Yugoslav authorities with its warrant for the former president’s arrest.

Mr Hans Holthuis, Registrar of the tribunal based in The Hague, Netherlands, submitted the warrant and the original indictment to Serbian Justice Minister Vladan Batic.

“I want to be sure they are served to Milosevic,” Mr Holthuis told reporters before presenting the documents to Batic.

Mr Holthuis’ visit marks a hardening of the tribunal’s stand in demanding that Milosevic stand trial in The Hague for atrocities allegedly committed by his forces against ethnic Albanians in Kosovo in 1998 and 1999.

Milosevic now acknowledges he financed Serb rebels fighting against independence for those former Yugoslav republics. AP
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Dalai Lama meets Taiwan President

Taipei, April 5
In a long-awaited first meeting with Taiwan’s new President, the Dalai Lama said today that changes in China and the world’s concern for Tibet make him hopeful about the future of his Chinese-ruled Himalayan homeland.

The Tibetan spiritual leader and President Chen Shui-Bian rank high on Beijing’s list of distrusted leaders, and their meeting was closely watched for signs that the two would team up against China.

But in the brief segment of their gathering released to the media, the two avoided sharply criticising China. They also did not bring up the US-China dispute about last weekend’s mid-air collision over the South China Sea. AP
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Kabila sacks Cabinet

Kinshasa, April 5
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) President Joseph Kabila sacked his entire Cabinet yesterday, according to a statement from Cabinet chief Theiphile Mbemba.

Outgoing ministers “are charged with carrying out current business” until the nomination of a new Cabinet, according to the statement, read out on state television.

All state visits by Cabinet ministers have been suspended except those already in progress, the statement said. Reuters
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WORLD BRIEFS

IMMIGRANT KILLER GETS 14 YRS’ JAIL
MAIDSTONE (UK):
Dutch truck driver Perry Wacker, convicted of the manslaughter of 58 Chinese illegal immigrants who suffocated in the back of his lorry, was sentenced to 14 years in prison on Thursday. A British Court ruled that Wacker should be jailed after the jury found him guilty of killing the immigrants, who perished in an airtight container after he closed their single air vent. Trial judge Alan Moses also ruled that Wacker’s codefendant, Chinese interpreter Ying Guo who was convicted of conspiracy to smuggle immigrants into Britain, should serve six years in prison. Reuters

NEW JAPANESE PM ON APRIL 24
TOKYO:
Japan’s on April 24 ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) will hold its presidential selection on April 24 to replace Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori, head of the LDP election committee said on Thursday. The new president of the LDP will replace incumbent party leader Mori, automatically becoming the new Japanese Prime Minister. Mori and LDP Secretary-General Makoto Koga agreed in principle on the date at a meeting on Wednesday. DPA

5 SUSPECTED ISLAMIC GUERRILLAS HELD
MILAN:
The Italian police had arrested five suspected members of an Islamic guerrilla group with links to Saudi-born militant Osama bin Laden, authorities said. The police in Milan said the five, all north Africans, were arrested as part of an investigation by magistrates in northern Italy, where the arrests were made. Reuters

BLAST CLAIMS SIX LIVES
MEXICO CITY:
At least six persons were killed and more than 20 injured when a distillery blew up in an industrial zone at Tizayuce, 60 km north of the capital yesterday, a local official said. Mr Juan Nunez said that a first, intense blast inside the distillery at 2.30 p.m. GMT (8 p.m. IST) set off three other explosions, totally destroying the facility. The preliminary toll was six dead and 24 injured. AFP

SANCTIONS ‘CAUSED 10,000 DEATHS’
BAGHDAD: UN Sanctions were responsible for the deaths of more than 10,000 persons in Iraq in February, the Iraqi Health Ministry has said in a report. The report accused the UN oil-for-food program, which began in 1996, of failing to overcome the shortage of medicine and food that accumulated since the sanctions were imposed on Iraq after its invasion of Kuwait in August 1990. AP

SEX SITE SWINDLER FINED
SAN FRANCISCO:
A Federal Judge has ordered a porn site Internet operator to pay $ 65 million to a rival and relinquish control of the popular sex.com web site. US District Judge James Ware ordered web porn executive Stephen Cohen to turn over sex.com-related assets to Gary Kremen, who had first registered the sex.Com domain name in 1994. The pair had been fighting over control of the site in a San Jose, California courtroom for two years. AFP
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