 |
Wednesday,
June 6, 2001, Chandigarh, India  
|
Musharraf
‘weakest’ Pak leader to visit India ‘Don’t
politicise religion’ India,
Russia to build S-37 combat planes Taliban
jets bomb civilian areas
Arafat
denied right to fly to Gaza |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Bookmaker
bets on Labour win Rebels
contact Philippine mediator India-born
lawyer to defend Speight Killings
not politically motivated: USA Bangladesh
sends message to King Gyanendra
|
|
Musharraf ‘weakest’ Pak leader to visit India Islamabad, June 5 “Even as General Musharraf packs his bags for a visit to Delhi, the city where he was born, he can hardly be envied. He goes there as the weakest leader Pakistan has had in its dealing with its old rival,” Ms Benazir said in an article published in the local media here today. She said the external sanctions, the lack of internal props of support, the sword of economic bankruptcy and the dependence on international financial institutions makes the India visit an important one for General Musharraf. “He will need to show movement to continue with the oxygen mask given him through the Delhi invitation,” she said. In contrast, Ms Benazir said, Ms Vajpayee faced a few such pressures and extended the invitation to General Musharraf after consulting Opposition parties. “Mr Vajpayee can afford to smile and say, as did the spider to the fly, ‘come into my parlour’”, she said. Also, Mr Vajpayee’s invitation to General Musharraf, “was calibrated with the end of the so-called ceasefire that existed in the Kashmir region for the past one year. The end of the ceasefire could well mean more activity between Indian forces and Kashmiri militants and more pressure by Kashmiri militants, excluded from the talks, on General Musharraf, as he makes his way to Delhi”, she said. “Mr Musharraf’s visit to New Delhi will be widely watched and reported. He will enjoy the journey to his hometown that he left at Partition. It will be filled with nostalgia. But the shopping bags he brings home will be empty of substantive agreements. That may be just as well. A Musharraf agreement will lack legitimacy in Pakistan. India’s credentials as the world’s largest democracy are hardly helped by dealing with a dictator,” Ms Bhutto said. Recalling Mr Vajpayee’s visit to
Lahore in 1999, Ms Benazir said, General Musharraf who was then Chief of the Army made himself conspicuously absent from all ceremonies to welcome the Indian leader. “His absence signalled army disapproval of the visit. The Musharraf visit illustrates the difference between political and military perceptions.” Ms Benazir said “The same General Musharraf who scoffed at the dialogue process by governments and opposed Mr Vajpayee’s visit perforce changed his tune as Chief Executive, calling for talks ‘any time, any place’ and agreed to journey to Delhi.
PTI |
|
‘Don’t
politicise religion’ Islamabad, June 5 “The world thinks that we are terrorists and responsible for violence” General Musharraf told a gathering of Islamic clerics at a religious conference here adding that he would not allow religion to be used for political purposes. He appealed to the clergymen to ponder over the impact of irresponsible statements being made by them, official newsagency APP said. “We have to achieve progress in economy in consonance with our military power to get our point of view accepted at international level,” he told the conference attended by over 5,000 ulemas and organised on the occasion of Milad Nabi celebrations. He said because of the law and order problem within the country, there was a talk of even declaring Pakistan as a ‘terrorist state’, while others referred to it as a ‘failed state’. But the notion of writing off Pakistan as failed state was wrong as it has acquired nuclear capability, he added.
PTI |
|
India, Russia to build S-37 combat planes Moscow, June 5 Mr Klebanov, in charge of Russia’s arms sales, said the joint production of these aircraft was discussed at the first meeting of the Indo-Russian joint commission on defense cooperation here. The two sides also discussed the possibility of jointly producing sophisticated submarines and frigates. While the military-transport aircraft is likely to be jointly built at Russia’s Ilyushin construction bureau, the fifth generation S-37 Berkut (Golden Eagle) combat fighter is proposed to be jointly developed at Sukhoi construction bureau, said Mr Klebanov, who co-chairs the joint commission with the Indian Defence Minister Mr Jaswant Singh. A high-level delegation led by the Defence Minister is currently in Moscow for the meeting of the joint commission. The Indian Defence Secretary Mr Yogendra Narain has already said the joint development and production of military hardware will now be thrust area for the defence cooperation between India and Russia. The S-37, which features forward swept wings and uses advanced materials in its construction to prevent its detection by radars, made its first flight in October 1997. The Sukhoi OKB firm has, however, been facing problems with the development of the aircraft due to the shortage of funds. The English language daily Moscow Times had speculated on the eve of joint commission’s meeting that only India and China, among the major buyers of Russian military hardware, had resources to finance the development of the billion dollar S-37 project. It had also said India, Russia’s strategic partner, would be chosen to assist in the ambitious project to be completed by 2006. Sophisticated submarines and frigates are planned to be jointly constructed in India, Mr Klebanov said. He said negotiations for modernising the aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov for its eventual sale to India had reached a fairly advanced stage, and documents for the deal were likely to be signed soon. Both sides will sign a joint protocol at the end of the meeting of the joint commission reflecting the new elements in defence cooperation. Defence cooperation between the two countries is currently governed by a military-technical programme valid till 2010. Speaking at the inaugural session of the joint commission, the Defence Minister emphasised the need for close monitoring of defense agreements for the supply and licensed production in India of Sukhoi-30MKI multi-role aircraft and T-90S main battle tanks. The Russian Security Council Chairman, Mr Vladimir Rushailo and Mr Jaswant Singh today expressed confidence that friendly relationship between the two countries would develop further, reports Novosti. According to the Defence Minister the visit by the Russian President, Mr Vladimir Putin to India in the autumn of 2000 “gave a new impetus to development of Russia-India relations.”
IANS, UNI |
|
Taliban jets bomb civilian areas Kabul, June 5 The militia’s aged MiG bombers targeted opposition positions in Yakawlang district of central Bamiyan province as well as villages in Chal district of north-eastern Takhar province, the sources said. Heavy fighting had broken out in both areas and while the Taliban were forced to abandon Yakawlang last night, they were pressing on with attacks today in Chal, south of the provincial capital Taloqan. “The warplanes of the Taliban bombed the residential areas (in Chal) three times and the heights of Shakh-e-Palang once,” said Mohammad Habeel, a spokesperson for opposition commander Ahmad Shah Masood. He said Shakh-e-Palang were hills about 8 km north-east of Taloqan, which was under Taliban control. Mr Habeel said he did not know of any civilian casualties during the raids. In Yakawlang, a spokesperson with the opposition Shiite Hizb-e-Wahdat faction said Taliban jets flew three bombing raids this morning. “The warplanes bombed the hilltops thinking they were our strongholds but there were no casualties,” said the spokesperson.
AFP |
|
Arafat denied right to fly to Gaza Jerusalem, June 5 “The Israeli army did not physically prevent Arafat’s helicopter from taking off,” an army spokesman told AFP. “It was apparently at the political level that the decision was made to refuse the right to take off.” “This measure is part of the pressure that must be applied to force Arafat to fight against those who plan” terrorist acts, Israeli Telecommunications Minister Reuven Rivlin told Israeli public radio. The Israeli army controls security at the airport in Gaza City, as well as at the crossing points between autonomous Palestinian territories in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, into Jordan and Egypt, respectively. Israel reinforced its blockade of the Palestinian territories after a suicide bomb attack on Friday night outside a Tel Aviv discotheque that killed 20 Israelis — mainly teenagers — plus the Palestinian bomber. Following the attack, Arafat on Saturday ordered his forces to put in force a total and immediate ceasefire. The truce received a qualified boost yesterday from Palestinian groups Hamas and Fatah, which announced their own ceasefire, but made them conditional on Israel’s withdrawal from all occupied territories.
AFP |
|
Bookmaker bets on Labour win London, June 5 The extraordinary move by Ladbrokes follows the publication of the latest ICM opinion poll which gives the Labour Party a massive 17 per cent lead over their nearest Conservative rivals. A Ladbrokes’ spokesman said, “Having seen how the betting was moving, the opinion poll and the media analysis, we had a choice of cutting their odds to 1/500 or paying out early and we’ve taken the plunge and decided to pay out early.” “We’re looking at paying out hundreds of thousands of pounds, but a lot of that will be in stake money. In terms of winnings, the figures will be in tens of thousands.” Ladbrokes’ decision underscores what opinion poll and political pundits have been forecasting ever since campaigning for the election started last month. If the latest ICM poll is an accurate reflection of how voters will cast their ballots this coming Thursday, the Labour Party will gain an extra 32 seats in Parliament, giving it a majority of 211 in the House of Commons. The Labour Party has also won backing for a second term in office from two national newspapers. Both The Times and The Financial Times have come out in support of the Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair. The businessmen’s favourite newspaper, The Financial Times, endorsed the Labour Party at the last election but this is the first time ever that The Times has backed the Party. The paper says its endorsement is based on the central issues of Europe, economic management and public services. In its editorial published today The Times says the Labour Party has consolidated many elements of Thatcherism, and “in this election, the Party deserves the votes of the reformers.” It tells its readers, “We hope that Mr Blair has the wisdom to concentrate on the series of challenges that he has set out at home and to avoid a reckless continental adventure that could destroy both his premiership and his reputation.” “On that basis, and for the first time in its history, The Times offers a cautious but clear endorsement of the Labour Party in this election.” The Financial Times editorial says, “There is much that is unappealing about Mr Blair’s government. It has been arrogantly dismissive of those who challenge it. It has colluded with the Conservatives in a grubby, illiberal approach to crime and asylum.” “In many respects it has lost the goodwill of voters. But elections pose a choice. The Labour Party has governed with competence. Mr Blair has earned his second chance.”
IANS |
|
Rebels contact Philippine mediator
Manila, June 5 The military said two soldiers had been killed and several wounded in the running gunbattle on Basilan, the rugged southern island where army commando units had been tracking the rebels in the mountainous interior since Friday. There were no reports of casualties among the Abu Sayyaf rebels and all hostages were alive, an army spokesman said. Naval gunboats had set up a blockade around Basilan, 900 km south of Manila, to prevent the guerrillas from escaping to other islands, he said. Senior officials said the Abu Sayyaf contacted a government-designated mediator today to try to end the 10-day stand-off and initially demanded that soldiers should back off. “The talk, at least, was for the military to withdraw. That is normal,” Interior Secretary Jose Lina said on the local radio. He did not say what the government response was. It was the first known contact between the government intermediary and the Abu Sayyaf since the rebels kidnapped three Americans and 17 Filipinos from the Dos Palmas island resort, north-west of Basilan, on May 27. “Abu Sabaya (one of the rebel leaders) made contact this morning with the government-designated intermediary,” presidential spokesman Rigoberto Tiglao told mediapersons. “There’s no actual talk on what they really want. But what’s good is there is contact. So while military operations and the no-ransom policy continue, there’s someone who talks to them,” he said. “It’s important to be able to open other avenues for ending this hostage crisis,” he added. The Abu Sayyaf professes to be fighting for a Muslim homeland in the south of the Roman Catholic nation but its main activity appears to be kidnap for ransom. The government calls them bandits and has refused to pay any ransom. The rebels broke through a military cordon on Sunday after battling soldiers surrounding them in Lamitan town on Basilan. Nine of the original 20 hostages escaped in the fighting but the rebels picked up more captives, including nurses from a hospital they took over.
Reuters |
|
India-born lawyer to defend Speight Suva, June 5 According to reports, he is Mr Navin Naidu, based in the USA. No other details about Mr Naidu were available except that he will be in the country this week. The committee hearing into the treason case was adjourned for a week to allow Speight to find a new legal representative after he reportedly sacked his lawyer, Rabo Matabalavu. It got under way this morning before Chief Magistrate Salesi Temo. Over 200 witnesses have been summoned to appear before the magistrate to establish whether there is enough evidence to let the case proceed to the high court. Speight has been charged with 12 other co-associates for the illegal overthrow of the Mahendra Chaudhry government on May 19, 2000.
IANS |
|
Killings
not politically motivated: USA Washington, June 5 Describing the situation in the Himalayan Kingdom as “unstable” following the massacre of the royal family on June 1, the State Department Spokesperson, Mr Richard Boucher, said there were conflicting reports about the killing and the US at present had nothing to indicate political motivation for the murders.
UNI |
|
Bangladesh
sends message to King Gyanendra Dhaka, June 5 President Shahabuddin Ahmed sent the brief communication to King Gyanendra, saying that he hoped Bangladesh’s relations with Nepal would be “further strengthened under his guidance”, the private UNB news agency reported. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed, in a similar message to her Nepalese counterpart Girija Prasad Koirala, conveyed her wish that the traditional bond of friendship between Dhaka and Kathmandu would “grow under the patronage” of King Gyanendra.
AFP |
 |
| 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 | |
