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| Thursday, July 5, 2001, Chandigarh, India   
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Pak
diktats, army presence overshadow PoK poll
Indo-Bangla talks end amicably
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Rose
garden in memory of Diana Blast
near Nepal PM’s house Australia
makes visa regulations stiffer ‘Summit
can affect US sanctions’ France
keen on ‘steady partnership’
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Pak diktats, army presence overshadow PoK poll Islamabad, July 4 Seventyseven platoons of the Frontier Constabulary (consisting of 2695 soldiers) 51 of the Punjab Constabulary (1785 men), two wings of Frontier Corps (1,000 jawans), four battalions of the army and 4614 policemen have been pressed into service, besides those already put on duty, Inspector-General Asif Ali Shah informed a press conference in Muzaffarabad. In this province itself, five battalions are permanently stationed. The electorate is two-million strong, meaning those above 18, who are eligible to vote. But so far only 1,30,000 identity cards have been issued and hence the others have to produce original passports or driving licences or domicile certificates with photographs attached to establish their authenticity. The problem lies in the fact that very few among the villagers possess these documents, signifying that only a small fraction of the potential voters will be able to cast the ballot. Traditionally, the identities used to be checked by the local party representatives at polling stations. The point is that concentration of forces and the burden of proving identities together form a heady combination for manipulation of election results. Pakistan has always ensured victory for candidates in its favour. Care has been taken to stall the emergence of any discordant (read anti-Islamabad) voice in the Assembly by stipulating that a contestant must sign in his nomination paper a clause accepting PoK as part of Pakistan. But the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front refused to oblige and was barred from poll participation. One of its candidates, Abdul Latif (of LA-24 Muzaffarabad II constituency), was thus prevented. According to him, “the Election Commission has completely failed in implementing the election laws and code of conduct which it devised to ensure the transparency of the polls, and therefore I have decided to boycott the process.’’ He added that the nation had been promised simultaneous application of accountability and elections, but the former was suspended, paving the road for the corrupt to fight the polls. Kashmiris of PoK origin in different parts of the world have been organising protests against what they call “fraudulent elections.’’ The United Kashmir People’s National Party and the All-Party National Alliance held a demonstration in Geneva on June 13 and submitted a memorandum to the Commission of Human Rights, complaining against defranchisement of two million inhabitants in Gilgit-Baltistan region and demanding UN-supervised elections in PoK. Meanwhile, pledges preparatory to polling are flying thick and fast. For example, the PoK “Prime Minister” Sultan Mehmood Chaudhary has been proclaiming that his Pakistan People’s Party would bring the poor to the corridors of power and turn PoK into a welfare society based on the European model. But the question the people are asking is this: “Why didn’t he do so during the last five years in power”?
ANI |
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Plane crash toll
rises to 145 Yekaterinburg (Russia), July 4 Investigators sifted through smoking wreckage in a clearing in Siberian woods and recovered both flight recorders from the Tupolev 154 airliner, but there were few clues to the cause of the crash, which occurred late yesterday. Television pictures showed a crash site strewn with debris and corpses. Only the plane’s rear wing was intact, bearing the logo of airline Vladivostokavia. Officials said there were no survivors. The plane went down while circling for a scheduled landing in Irkutsk, halfway through a flight from Yekaterinburg in the Ural mountains to Vladivostok on Russia’s Pacific coast. Yekaterinburg airport spokesman Valery Goncharov said the plane carried 136 passengers and nine crew, including 12 Chinese nationals and six children. An Emergencies Ministry spokesman said 143 bodies had been found at the
site. Reuters |
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Indo-Bangla talks end amicably Dhaka, July 4 Expressing optimism in resolving the long-standing issues of border demarcation, exchange of enclaves and adverse possessions, in the light of the Mujib-Indira agreement of 1974, the two Joint Boundary Working Groups (JBWG) decided to hold their next meeting soon in New Delhi. Briefing newspersons on the outcome of the talks, Indian delegation leader Meera Shankar said, “We are now in a position to move forward to arrive at a consensus.” Explaining the Indian stand, Ms Meera
Shankar, Joint Secretary of External Affairs, said the demarcation of the pending 6.5 km had to be done before passing a constitutional amendment bill in Indian Parliament. “The comes the ratification of the agreement,” she added. Echoing the same sentiments, Bangladesh delegation leader and Joint Secretary of the Home Ministry Janibul Huq said, “Demarcation is required for full implementation of the Mujib-Indira agreement.” Replying to a question about the exchange of enclaves, Ms Shankar said, “It will be done in a manner which causes minimum inconvenience to the human dimensions.” She informed the newsmen that the major “stumbling blocks” in the progress of the JBWG were discussed.
UNI |
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Rose garden in memory of
Diana
London, July 4 The National Rose Garden will cover more than 50 acres at St Albans in Hertfordshire and is expected to be the largest rose garden in the world. It will cost £20 million and open in 2003. “This will be the people’s garden for the people’s Princess and will be a fitting and lasting tribute to England’s rose, ” society’s Director-General Ken Grapes said yesterday. The project is being financed by an international consortium, and its maintenance will be partly funded from the sale at nurseries and garden centres of new rose varieties inspired by Diana, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mother, who is patron of the society. The garden at Chiswell Green in St Albans will incorporate gardens named after the Queen and the Queen Mother. It will include educational facilities, cafes, walkways and a giant golden spire. The government has announced the building of a Diana Memorial Fountain in London’s Hyde Park in addition to the Diana Memorial Peter Pan Playground in Kensington Gardens and Diana Memorial Walkway through the capital’s Royal Parks. The Sun reported on Tuesday that Diana’s eldest son had visited his mother’s grave on Sunday, the day that would have marked her 40th birthday.
DPA |
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Blast near Nepal PM’s house Kathmandu, July 4 The bomb was planted near a big tree outside the gate of Mr Justice Upadhyay’s house, which is guarded by armed soldiers, the police said. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the blast but the police said it could be the work of Maoist rebels who had staged several such attacks in Kathmandu in the past few days. Two bombs had exploded in Kathmandu yesterday but without causing casualties. A powerful bomb exploded at the Balaju Industrial Estate on the outskirts of the capital as workers were away on their lunch break, the police said. No one was injured in the blast but the machinery was damaged. The Maoist pamphlets were recovered from the area, indicating that the blast was the work of the insurgents, the police said. Another bomb had exploded near Soaltee Hotel, Nepal’s largest five-star hotel, the police said.
AFP |
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Australia makes visa regulations stiffer Sydney, July 4 “The regulations are to crackdown on visa scams. The new package of reform merely lays down in more transparent terms the conditions required for securing a student visa,” an Immigration Ministry spokeswoman said. The Australian Government had created ranking of countries based on the overstay rates of foreign students, visa fraud and students working full time, she said. On a scale of one to five, India had secured three to four marks, which put it in the high risk realm of non-compliance with the bonafide visa requirements, the spokeswoman said. “Students from some countries have to provide a little more information to support their application to show they are bonafide students,” she said. Previously there had simply been a list of “gazetted and non-gazetted countries” with the non-gazetted countries facing more scrutiny. The criteria for India, which was always a non-gazetted country, doesn’t change very much. “We welcome overseas students and qualified and skilled people to apply for permanent residence. The regulations have been made more stringent because many people are using student visa as a backdoor entry into the country,” the spokeswoman said. Countries ranked number one on the list are Norway, Hong Kong, Greece, Belgium and Ireland followed by Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Malaysia, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan and the USA. Those that face tougher tests are India, Myanmar, Cambodia, China, Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, the spokeswoman said. For non-gazetted countries like India, while reviewing applications, the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs would be looking at how much money the students had, their health and character, she said. The new visa list also rates students depending on whether they are studying English as a second language, school students, training college students, higher education or masters’ students.
PTI |
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Germany
needs immigrants: report Berlin, July 4 |
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‘Summit can affect US sanctions’ Washington, July 4 In an interview yesterday, he acknowledged a debate within the Bush Administration over whether the sanctions imposed on Pakistan and India after their 1998 nuclear tests could be lifted separately or must be handled together. A formal decision has not been made but while the USA is “ heading in the direction” of lifting sanctions on India, “we’ve got a lot of work to do on Capital Hill to develop a consensus to remove some Pakistani sanctions,” he said. Political spadework on New Delhi’s behalf was also needed, but India, a democracy and rising regional power, had a much broader backing in Congress, said Mr Armitage, who recently visited India as part of President George W. Bush’s campaign to promote missile defence. Islamabad greatly harmed its case when Gen Pervez Musharraf, who had overthrown a civilian government in a 1999 coup, recently declared himself President, he said. “So I think the practicality of things is (that) as nice as it will be to lift (sanctions) simultaneously, both actions in Pakistan and the facts on the ground here make that a little more difficult,” he said. During a visit to Washington last month, Pakistani Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar urged the US Administrator to treat his country equally with India. Mr Armitage dismissed this suggestion, saying “we’ve never had a balanced policy in South Asia.” He called the 50-year-old USA relationship with Pakistan “relatively false”.
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France keen on ‘steady partnership’ Paris, July 4 As such the two countries are poised for greater cooperation (through joint ventures, techno-economic, educational and cultural exchanges) having set up at least six “working groups” in telecommunication, information and technology, mining and minerals, infrastructure, energy and agriculture (including food processing). Since India opened its door to economic reforms in 1991, the bilateral trade between the two countries has witnessed a quantum jump-99 per cent between 1991 and 2000 - with Indian exports growing by 167 per cent over the same period. The French investments in India have risen from Rs 193.3 million in 1991 to Rs 14486 million in 1999. “This only shows growing French awareness of opportunities it has (besides the other European Union countries) in the Indian market”, said India’s Ambassador, Mr Kanwal Sibal, while answering a wide range of questions in a 75-minute interview to TNS in his office on Rue Alfred Dehodencq on Tuesday. He belongs to Chandigarh. One grey area in the ascending economic and commercial interests between the two countries is the issuance of visa by the French Government to Indians. “The issue is under active consideration at the highest level”. This is all Mr Sibal says when asked how come it is much easier for the French to obtain Indian visas here contrary to the grilling Indians seeking visas in New Delhi, even if it is “Etats Schengen”. The visa is, usually, on a reciprocal basis. Although the IT (information technology) sector is ticketed to open up and France is keen on gravitating students going to the USA, obtaining a visa remains an ordeal, said a cross-section of Indians TNS spoke to here. France has no law or policy on long-stay visa. Even business visa takes a minimum of three weeks. With France currently fighting to find jobs for its own people the visa issue may not be a priority for the French. The percentage of jobless here was pretty high till a few years ago - 12 per cent. This has now come down to 9.5 per cent. With elections due next year visa-seekers shall have to wait, but Mr Sibal is optimistic of France getting more liberal on visas. Trade statistics, as per French sources, are impressive. The bilateral trade transactions were worth 16 billion Francs in 2000 with Indian exports growing by 30 per cent. Garments remain high on the list, but despite the numerous fashion and designer shows organised by the Indian Embassy, the exports for fashion designers are yet to pick up. Besides the economic reforms, visits of three Indian premiers here in 1992, 1995 and 1998 and by the French President, Mr Jacques Chirac, to India in 1998 reciprocated by Indian counter- part last year has also helped better political understanding between the two countries. A visit by the French Prime Minister, Mr Jospin, is being worked out and is expected later this year. France has been “moderate” in its reactions to India’s nuclear explosions and implosions backing its claim for a seat in the UN Security Council. With 70-80 per cent of electricity being generated by atomic power plants here, India has an opportunity to avail of this expertise. France also opposes “sanctions and restrictions” just because India has gone nuclear. India is a potential source for sharing French technology (howsoever guardedly shared while dealing in defence and missile programmes, construction or engineering) and getting, in return, services like embroidery. But the French are skeptical of Indian industry being equipped to use its technology. Results of certain small-time collaborations, however, are encouraging. Mr Sibal foresees a greater spurt in bilateral trade and lists railways, defence, agriculture and agri-processing, energy (power sector as well as non-conventional), infrastructure, water management and IT as potential areas for larger cooperation and collaboration. The frequency of exchange visits between Indian scientists, professionals and businessmen is discernible. Some MoUs have been signed between different ministries and among companies in the recent years, including one between Nasscom and its French counterpart, Syntec. France has one of the best railway systems in the world, particularly, its underground Metro. The International Union of Railways based here is already collaborating with the Indian Railways to improve its “signalling system” through “radio signalling techniques” to minimise accidents and improve efficiency. The French National Centre of Space Explorations has tied up with ISRO. Under a joint project, “Megha tropiques”, weather satellites are to be fabricated and launched by an Indian rocket launch vehicle by 2004. The Ambassador also listed several other areas of joint cooperation besides identifying potential areas, radar technology, missile programme, fabrication and assembly of defence equipment, water management and purification, waste management, pollution control, food processing, highways. Mr Sibal said the idea was to provide linkages between Indian needs and French knowhow through political, economic and cultural collaboration. “Even small items like garments and embroidered articles now on display in show windows in Paris have gone a big way to establish India’s credentials in terms of quality”, he added. Mr Sanjeev Singla of the economic and commercial wing (he is from Chandigarh) told TNS that against equipment and machinery from France, Indian exports consisted of goods as well as services involving small and medium sectors. |
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