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| Saturday,
June 30, 2001, Chandigarh, India   
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Musharraf
says no to early poll Pervez to
evolve Kashmir plan Pak has
ditched Kashmiris: Malik India,
Turkey sign treaty 7-day
monitoring in W. Asia Milosevic
faces trial |
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Hasina
to quit on July 15 18 die
of snake bites in Nepal Priyanka
not keen on politics: Sonia 1 dead,
2 missing as cargo ships collide
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Musharraf says no to early poll Rawalpindi, June 29 General Musharraf, who seized power on October 12, 1999, said he wanted to end any speculation that he would allow elections before the deadline set by the Supreme Court — the third anniversary of his seizure of power. “No Never,” General Musharraf said when asked by a group of correspondents for foreign news organisations if he would call early elections, which many countries and local politicians have sought. “Let that be closed, absolutely,” he said during a meeting at his army residence in Rawalpindi, the city adjoining Islamabad that houses Pakistan’s military headquarters.” (The) Supreme Court has allowed us that time and no elections will ever be held before that.” General Musharraf said elections for a National Assembly (lower house) would be held within a few days of the date allowed by the court decision, which followed his ousting of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif 20 months ago. Western countries, while largely agreeing with General Musharraf’s description of the chaos and corruption during a decade of civilian rule before his takeover, have pressed for an early resumption of civilian government. But they were dismayed when he took over the presidency this month, reinforcing suspicions that he intends to stay on as a powerful President long after the return of an elected government. General Musharraf, who has defended his actions as in the national interest, said he would not be swayed by international criticism of what other governments see as a way to ensure continued military rule. “Whereas I remain conscious of the international concerns, whereas I would like to prove to them that I am doing things for the benefit of my country,’’ he said, “I would not be taking a decision against (the) national interest just because the international community would not want me to behave in a certain manner.’’ General Musharraf will need to change the constitution to add powers to a now largely ceremonial position of President if he is to use the post to oversee a civilian government following the promised 2002 elections. But he noted that the same Supreme Court decision that gave him three years to call an election also gave him the power to amend the constitution.
Reuters |
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Pervez to evolve Kashmir plan Islamabad, June 29 “During my talks with the Indian Prime Minister, I would call for a certain framework for the resolution of Kashmir problem. I would also urge the Indian leadership that dialogue must continue under certain framework”, General Musharraf was quoted as saying during his meeting with Kashmiri leaders yesterday. After the meeting, Kashmiri Affairs Minister Abbas Sarfraz Khan told local media that all issues, including Siachen, could also come up for discussion during the July 15 summit, Pakistan daily ‘Dawn’ reported. “The President said he himself believes that there cannot be any instant solution for all problems and that he is going to India with an open mind and with an effort to create a conducive environment for future talks,” Mr Khan told the media. The minister said previously there was no framework of talks, nor timetable for the resolution of the Kashmir problem, but now efforts would be made by General Musharraf to have some time bound framework to resolve the issue. Asked how President Musharraf would compete with a “polished politician” like Mr Vajpayee, he said it was not a matter of politics but a matter of diplomacy. “This is international diplomacy and General Musharraf is well aware of it”. Mr Khan said General Musharraf was optimistic about his visit to India. The President believed that there was certain realisation on the part of Indians to resolve differences with Pakistan.
PTI |
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Pak has ditched Kashmiris: Malik London, June 29 “They have been saying that there are three parties to the dispute — India, Pakistan and the Kashmiris. Now when Gen Pervez Musharraf is going to India for talks, Pakistan has forgotten that there is a third party,” Mr Malik said. While flaying Pakistan for “ditching the Kashmiris when it mattered the most”, Mr Malik praised Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee saying that he is a “sincere person who wants to resolve the Kashmir issue”. “I do not think there will be any outcome at the summit because the principal party to the Kashmir dispute is not represented at it,” Mr Malik said. It was a pity that the people of the land were nowhere to be seen in the talks, he said. “Now Vajpayee and Musharraf will decide our future. Are we animals!” he wondered. Claiming that the Kashmir issue was neither a border nor a territorial dispute between India and Pakistan, Mr Malik said it was “directly concerned with the people of Jammu and Kashmir”. Mr Malik also opposed any kind of division of Kashmir. He said division of Kashmir on communal lines would be a disaster not only for the Kashmiris but also for the South Asia. There would be a blood bath like the one witnessed at the time of Partition in 1947, he said.
PTI |
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India, Turkey sign treaty Dubai, June 29 The treaty was signed at the Turkish Justice Ministry in Ankara by Union Home Minister L.K. Advani and Turkish Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk. The two ministers expressed confidence that the treaty would go a long way in strengthening cooperation between the two countries in fighting terrorism in all its manifestations. Extraditable offences under the treaty are those which are punishable under the laws of both countries. The treaty was earlier scheduled to be signed in January but Mr Advani had to postpone his visit to the Turkish capital in the wake of the devastating earthquake in Gujarat. On Wednesday, Mr Advani had signed a similar treaty in Berlin with Germany’s Minister of State Herta Daeubler-Gmelin on the first leg of his ongoing three-nation foreign tour. Mr Advani will arrive in Dubai on July 1 on the last leg of his tour. Mr Advani held wide-ranging talks on matters of mutual interest and international issues with his Turkish counterpart and Interior Minister Rustu Kazim Yucelen, who also hosted a dinner in honour of the visiting leader last night. The two ministers stressed the need for improving economic and political cooperation between India and Turkey. They felt that the two countries shared identical views on many international issues, especially Afghanistan and international terrorism. Mr Advani and his Turkish counterpart also spoke of the need for establishing a mechanism for regular interaction between the Indian Home Ministry and the Turkish Interior Ministry. Mr Advani yesterday visited the Mausoleum of Ataturk, the architect of modern Turkey. He paid rich tributes to Ataturk, describing him as a symbol of secularism. This is Mr Advani’s second foreign tour after assuming office. He had last year visited Britain, France and Israel.
UNI |
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7-day monitoring in W. Asia Jerusalem, June 29 The next step under recommendations made by the Mitchell Commission, an international observer group headed by a former US Senator, would be a six-week cooling-off period. Mr Sharon has said Israel will not “negotiate under fire”. In a joint press conference yesterday after their meeting at Mr Sharon’s official residence in Jerusalem, Mr Powell said the question of whether to send international observers to the troubled region was not raised with either Mr Sharon or Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. Reported comments by Mr Powell earlier caused a stir, when he was quoted as saying that he backed the establishment of an international observer force in the region — an idea backed by the Palestinians but not by Israel. The White House later said Mr Powell was misquoted. After meeting Mr Sharon, Mr Powell clarified: “If the two sides, in the consequence of putting together the trilateral security committee, should decide to put out some observers for a certain purpose, and both sides agree on it, that was it. “There was no intention on my side to try and surprise the Prime Minister. In fact, the Prime Minister and I have an arrangement: no surprises.” Mr Powell also said the two sides would have to agree among themselves when the cooling-off period must start as part of the implementation of the Mitchell Commission’s plan. He added that the ceasefire should apply to “the whole region”. Israeli sources told Israel Radio after the meeting that it was a successful follow-up to Mr Sharon’s meeting this week with President George W. Bush in Washington. Mr Sharon concluded the press conference expressing hope that the ceasefire would be implemented so that both sides could advance to the step-by-step implementation of the Mitchell plan. Earlier yesterday, Israeli Security Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer warned the Palestinians that should terror continue, “the Israeli finger holding the safety switch on the weapon will come loose, and hell will reach the doorstep of the Palestinians, putting them in even larger misery than the present one”.
DPA |
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Milosevic faces trial The Hague, June 29 Milosevic arrived by helicopter at the UN tribunal’s prison in The Hague yesterday, tribunal spokesman Christian Chartier told AFP. Milosevic was flown to The Hague only hours after a dramatic twist in which Yugoslavia’s top court froze his planned extradition, only to be overruled by a Serbian government anxious to obtain desperately needed economic aid at an international donors’ conference at The Hague. He is expected to be brought before the court in the next few days to formally hear the charges against him of crimes against humanity, stemming from atrocities by his troops against the ethnic Albanian majority in Serbia’s Kosovo province. He will become the first head of state to face trial by an international court. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. His handover leaves his former protege Radovan Karadzic, the war-time Bosnian Serb President, and former Bosnian Serb military chief Ratko Mladic as the most wanted of the 25 named suspects indicted by The Hague tribunal who are still at large.
AFP |
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Hasina to
quit on July 15 Dhaka, June 29 “I would advise President Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed to form an interim caretaker government in line with the Constitution on July 9 following the last Cabinet meeting of my government,” Ms Hasina told the state-run BSS news agency. “I will hand over power on July 15,” she said. In a report late on Thursday Ms Hasina also announced plans for a celebration to mark July 15 as a “remarkable day” in the country’s history.
Reuters |
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18 die of snake bites in Nepal Kathmandu, June 29 Among the latest victims were a couple who died after being bitten on Wednesday by a highly poisonous krait while they were asleep in their village, the Kathmandu Post newspaper said.
AFP |
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Priyanka not
keen on politics: Sonia
Washington, June 29 “I am not ruling out anything but I don’t know...It is her choice,” Ms Gandhi said while talking to newspersons after her formal news conference. She said both her daughter and son were keen on understanding Indian politics. “I always say it is their choice whether they want to be active or not but at the moment there is no
possibility,” she added. She acknowledged Priyanka’s political acumen. She said Priyanka managed her entire election campaign at Amethi and was still involved in work related to helping women and children, though not too much on the political side. Ms Sonia Gandhi’s meeting with the Indian media was the last engagement of her two-day trip to the US capital. Ms Sonia Gandhi described her visit to the USA as “very successful” saying a wide range of issues, such as the Indo-US relations and the Dabhol power project, were discussed. During her meetings with US Vice President Dick Cheney, National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice and Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage discussions were held aimed at strengthening bilateral relations. Ms Sonia Gandhi said the issue of distressed Dabhol power project did come up during the talks, but did not elaborate. Former Finance Minister Manmohan Singh, who accompanied her on her visit, said “We explained the special circumstances which have led to some problems in the Dabhol project”. “It will be our effort to find an amicable and mutually satisfactory solution”, Mr Singh said.
UNI, PTI |
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1 dead, 2 missing as cargo
ships collide Tokyo, June 29 The Japanese ship, the 499-tonne No 8 Sumitoku Maru, with five Japanese crew members onboard and a cargo of raw material for cement, collided with the 1,258-tonne Nissei Maru, which had 10 Chinese crew and no cargo, said the official, who declined to be named. After the incident, Nissei Maru remained afloat, but the No 8 Sumitoku Maru capsized, throwing all five crew members into the water, the official said. The Japan Coast Guard and Self Defence Force sent six vessels, a helicopter and several divers to search for the missing men, the official added.
AFP |
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