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Wednesday,
May 30, 2001, Chandigarh, India   |
Musharraf optimistic about talks with India  Islamabad, may 29Pakistan military ruler Gen Pervez Musharraf has expressed cautious optimism about the outcome of his proposed summit meeting with Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, but at the same time declined to appeal to Pakistan-based Mujahideen fighters to halt their operations in Jammu and Kashmir, saying that time has not come to make such an appeal. Wahid’s offer rejected |
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Threat to kill hostages |
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Chandrika invites Tigers for
talks
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Musharraf optimistic about talks with India Islamabad, may 29 In his first media interview after he received the Indian invitation, he told the BBC here yesterday that, “if both sides come to the negotiating table with open minds, then, I think there should be no hurdle in the settlement of the Kashmir dispute.” He, however, did not appeal to the mujahideen groups and fighters to halt their operations in the run up for his summit meeting with Mr Vajpayee. “The dialogue process is being started and the time has not yet come to make such an appeal,” he maintained. He also said the Mujahideen groups were wrong in opposing his visit to New Delhi and sought their support for efforts aimed at finding a solution to the Kashmir issue. He, however, said the Kashmir issue should not be sidelined. Describing the Indian Government’s decision to invite him to New Delhi as a welcome development, General Musharraf also showered praise on Mr Vajpayee for taking the courageous decision. He said Mr Vajpayee deserved congratulations for taking the decision to invite him for talks. “I am glad over the Indian move, but I am more pleased over India’s realisation that dialogue is the only way to find a solution to the problems,” he said. “It is a bold and courageous step taken by the Indian Prime Minister. By inviting me to New Delhi, Mr Vajpayee has shown statesmanship,” he said. Replying to a question, he said finding a solution to the problems between the two countries is a “time-consuming process” and in this regard the first-round parleys will be very important. “If both sides demonstrated flexible attitude then it will be much easier to continue the dialogue process and find a settlement to the Kashmir dispute,” he said. “Both Pakistan and India have stated positions on the Kashmir issue, and one moves towards the resolution of the issue only when both sides show flexibility in their stated positions,” General Musharraf said. “This is the only way to move forward the talks process. We are going to New Delhi with such an intention,” he said.
PTI |
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Wahid’s offer rejected Jakarta, May 29 The move means that Wahid, who failed in his bid to dissolve parliament yesterday to save his presidency, will almost certainly be removed from office during a special session of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR), the nation’s supreme legislative body. Arifin Panigoro, Parliament faction leader of Ms Megawati’s Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), said following a party meeting chaired by the Vice-President that she had effectively abandoned Wahid. “Tomorrow we are going for a special session,” Panigoro said. He denied a television report that Ms Megawati had given Wahid an ultimatum to resign by midnight today, but said the President would save the nation from further turmoil by stepping down now. “Any time he resigns is better than a special session,” he said. “(But) he’s not going to listen at all.” Parliament has twice censured Wahid for alleged corruption and incompetence, and its six largest factions have all publicly endorsed a motion recommending the MPR convene a special session as soon as possible to impeach him. The President attempted to halt the impeachment drive by offering to hand most of his constitutional powers to Ms Megawati, whose PDIP holds most seats in Parliament. However, the taciturn Vice-President refused, apparently because the offer was likely unconstitutional and Wahid had reneged on a similar power-sharing deal last year. Wahid yesterday was going to unilaterally declare a civil emergency and dissolve Parliament, but stopped after his cabinet ministers and military chiefs vehemently opposed the move, a local report said today. Meanwhile, thousands of angry supporters of Wahid set fire to a church in a town in his stronghold of east Java. Witnesses said about 5,000 protesters torched a Protestant church in the town of Pasuruan after security forces forced them away from government buildings they were trying to attack.
Reuters, DPA |
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Coup plotters “planned” to blow up banks Suva, May 29 The court heard that the coup plotters had planned to dynamite Parliament and the Westpac and ANZ banks in central Suva and issue petrol bombs to Fijian youths to attack shops and dockers to sink ships. But the preliminary inquiry before Chief Magistrate Sailesi Temo, which unveiled previously unknown details of the plot, swiftly came to a standstill after coup leader George Speight sacked his lawyer Matebalavu Rabo. The case was adjourned for a week to allow Speight to find new representation. Speight and 12 others face a single charge of treason which lists 13 “overt acts” related to events between May 1 and July 31 last year when the government of now deposed Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry was held hostage for 56 days. The acts also include the suspension of the Constitution, looting and rioting and the forced stepping down of President Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara. Before the hearing was adjourned New Zealand lawyer Gerard McCoy, prosecuting for the state, hinted his evidence would name those really behind the coup. In his statement, he said during the siege of Parliament defendant special forces soldier Ilisoni Ligairi had “brutally grabbed” Chaudhry and held a gun to his head, threatening to shoot him at any time. Chaudhry was also beaten up by Fijian youths so badly he needed to be put on oxygen, McCoy said. At one point Speight revealed to Chaudhry who was really behind the coup and the former Prime Minister would reveal the names in his evidence to the inquiry, he said. The coup was plotted at the home of the one of the accused Iliesa Duvulocos house during which minutes were taken. At one of those meetings Speight confirmed firearms and soldiers would be available. Reference was also made to dynamite. McCoy said many of the weapons used in the coup had been used in Fiji’s 1987 coups.
AFP |
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Threat to kill hostages ZAMBOANGA (Philippines), May 29 “We will not think twice to have a mass killing of the hostages once the military will launch an all-out offensive,” Abu Sabaya, a spokesman for the kidnapping group, was quoted as telling radio station DXRZ. Rey Bayugin, DXRZ station manager, said Sabaya relayed this threat to him in a telephone call. He said Sabaya did not disclose his location but admitted that his group was feeling the pressure of increased military operations against them in the wake of their kidnapping of three Americans and 17 Filipinos from a resort off the western island of Palawan on Sunday. Sabaya also said the kidnappers consisted only of a small group but did not give details. Philippine president Gloria Arroyo earlier ruled out any negotiations for ransom for the hostages and ordered the military and police to hunt down the Abu Sayyaf, warning that they would not stop till the group was crushed or surrendered. She also put a bounty on their heads. Ms Arroyo imposed a news blackout on the military’s operations against the rebels. “We are at a very sensitive stage at this moment,” she said at her weekly news conference. “It is better to have a news blackout.” Meanwhile the whereabouts of the hostages was in doubt after the military and the police issued conflicting reports. The police said the hostages, were spotted at the southern Jolo island yesterday. However, head of the military forces in the southern Philippines, said armed forces believed the kidnappers and their hostages were stranded off a remote island located halfway between Palawan and Sulu.
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West Asia talks may resume soon Jerusalem, May 29 Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres stressed yesterday that the talks, which had been effectively stalled for months, must resume quickly to take advantage of the momentum from the visit of new US envoy William Burns. “In our view, the meetings can start between our security officials and theirs, in order to carry out the first stage of the Mitchell report,” as early as tonight, Mr Peres told Israel television. Palestinian Planning Minister Nabil Shaath also said the talks could resume within days, but said they should include political and security issues. He said the Palestinian side wanted the talks come up with a plan to implement international proposals on ending eight months of violence and restarting peace talks. Israel had said it would not resume political negotiations while Palestinian violence continued. The Palestinian side had said security and political issues must be discussed as a package. In the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian police said an Israeli tank wounded five policemen when it fired three shells at their post near the Jewish settlement of Netzarim. “There was no justification or apparent reason for the Israeli assault,’’ a police spokesman said. Mr Arafat arrived in Moscow early today for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov. The Palestinian leader brought forward the visit, originally planned for early June, after the USA gingerly resumed its Middle East peace efforts “Urgent measures have to be taken, otherwise there will be an explosion across the region,’’ he told reporters in Moscow. In Washington, the top State Department official for the region said US officials were trying to arrange meeting as early as Tuesday. “We think that any effort to bring down the violence would be positive, including a meeting of the responsible security officials from both sides,’’ acting Assistant Secretary for near Eastern Affairs Richard Roth said in a telephone interview yesterday.
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Oust-Koirala stir ends,
three killed Kathmandu, May 29 The strike, called by six Left parties and supported by another four Left-wing groups, paralysed life in the Kathmandu valley for the third consecutive day as all shops in the capital’s main market remained shut. A Home Ministry official said that at least three persons were killed and nearly 200 injured in clashes between the police and Leftist demonstrators in various parts of the country. “There are reports that the police lobbed tear gas shells and fired in the air as Communist sympathisers of 10 Left parties vandalised government offices and forced the closure of government offices,” the official said. The streets, though deserted as vehicles stayed off the roads, were tense because of the heavy presence of the police. The government radio claimed, “Although life in the country was affected by the strike, the overall situation remained under control.” The 10 parties, including the main opposition party in Parliament, United Marxist-Leninist (UML), had called the strike beginning May 27, demanding Mr Koirala’s resignation for his alleged involvement in a financial scandal relating to leasing of an aircraft from Austria’s Lauda Air. The parties declared a strike even as the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) indirectly gave a “clean chit” to Mr Koirala on the aircraft lease deal.
IANS |
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China bars US
warship from Hong Kong Hong Kong, May 29 “China informed the consulate on May 15 that it has denied a request for the USS Inchon to visit Hong Kong from June 28 to July 3,’’ said US consulate spokeswoman Barbara Zigli. She said no reason was given for China’s refusal. The two sides agreed only this week on the return of the $ 80 million EP-3 spy plane from Hainan island, where it made an emergency landing. China barred visits by US navy ships to Hong Kong for three months after US warplanes bombed China’s Embassy in Belgrade in May 1999, killing three persons.
Reuters |
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Chandrika invites Tigers for talks Colombo, May 29 In an interview with state television, Ms Kumaratunga said she was asking the LTTE to stop fighting and enter negotiations. Excerpts of the interview released by her office said there was a prospect of persuading the rebels to join talks which Norway had been trying to broker for nearly two years. “There is a possibility of getting the LTTE to negotiate...,” said Ms Kumaratunga, who is a member of the majority Sinhalese community. She said there were obstacles to peace, but was hopeful of achieving a political solution acceptable to all and end decades of bloodshed that has killed more than 60,000 persons. “It is the Sinhalese who will benefit more when the war is wound down,” she said, referring to an anticipated upsurge in economic activity once peace is secured.
AFP |
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