Wednesday,
June 4, 2003, Chandigarh, India
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Kashmir ‘inseparable’ part of Pak policy Islamabad, June 3 Despite international pressure, Kashmir will remain an “inseparable” part of Pakistan’s national policy and a key component of Islamabad’s overall strategy, Vice-Chief of Army Staff, Gen Mohammad Yusuf Khan, has said.
Myanmar says Suu Kyi unhurt Yangon, June 3 Myanmar’s military government said today that opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi had not been harmed in clashes between her supporters and pro-government groups last week, rejecting rumours she had been injured. It is time for peace: Bush |
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Kanishka
case Canada rejects probe into link to bombing Vancouver, June 3 The Canadian Government has rejected a demand for an inquiry into the reports that its spy agency had pulled out a mole from the Sikh separatist movement who was in the know of the plan to blow up Air-India Kanishka aircraft in 1985. Palestinian prisoners freed
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Kashmir ‘inseparable’ part of Pak policy Islamabad, June 3 “The international pressures notwithstanding, Kashmir will remain an inseparable component of our national policy and consequently a vital strand of our strategy”, he said while addressing the participants of war course at Naval War College yesterday in Lahore. Welcoming the offer of talks by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, he, however, asked the Pakistan military not to lower its guard in the face of emergence of the new peace process between India and Pakistan. “The recent peace proposal of the Indian Prime Minister is surely a welcome step. But let me emphasise that as professional soldiers and sailors, we must never let our guards down. We ought to be very clear that the only guarantee for peace is our preparedness for war,” he said. General Yusuf also said Pakistan army should beef up its conventional forces if the deterrence with India failed. “We must be able to deter aggression and defend land frontiers of Pakistan. However, in case deterrence fails, we have to maintain a strong defensive capability to absorb enemy’s offensive, inflict serious attrition, and embroil enemy’s committed forces”, he said. “We also need to have credible offensive capability not only to retain strategic options for ending the war on a favourable note,” he said adding that Pakistan needed to step up its indigenous defence production. General Yousuf said direct threat was only a part of the total spectrum of threat, an indirect manoeuvre, which sought to bring about an economic collapse, was a more insidious threat. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri today said Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had “demonstrated real leadership” by taking the peace initiative. “I absolutely believe that Prime Minister Vajpayee has demonstrated real leadership. I am quite happy with Vajpayee. His heart is in the right place,” Mr Kasuri said in a TV interview. He denied the existence of militants’ training camps in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) and said Pakistan prevented nine out of 10 militants from crossing over to Jammu and Kashmir. He said Pakistan was not in a position to stop infiltrations even if it wanted. “We are not in a position even if it is completely wanted because people are in suicide missions,” he said.
PTI |
Myanmar says Suu Kyi unhurt Yangon, June 3 World leaders have urged Myanmar to release the Nobel peace laureate and democracy leader who was detained on Friday after violence erupted as she toured a northern town. The government said four persons were killed and 50 injured in the disturbance in a northern town during a Suu Kyi visit, but there has been a flurry of rumours in Myanmar dissidents circles — which include many exiles in Thailand — that she had received a head injury. Deputy Foreign Minister Khin Maung Win told diplomats in Yangon that the reports about her injury were not true. A diplomat said the junta cited “security” as the reason they would not divulge her whereabouts. WASHINGTON: US President George W. Bush said the ruling junta in Myanmar should free Suu Kyi. “I am deeply concerned by reports from Myanmar of the detention of Aung San Suu Kyi and members of her political party, and reports that the military authorities have closed her party headquarters in Rangoon,” he said in a statement on Monday. “The military authorities should release Suu Kyi and her supporters
immediately. UNITED NATIONS: UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has urged Myanmar’s military government to release Suu Kyi and other pro-democracy leaders from “protective custody” and cooperate with them in bringing about national reconciliation. Chief UN Spokesman Fred Eckhard said the UN chief has instructed his Special Envoy Razali Ismail in his capacity as “facilitator” to talk to the government, Suu Kyi and other leaders during his visit beginning June 6 in an effort to start the process of national reconciliation.
Agencies |
It is time for peace: Bush Sharm el-Sheikh (Egypt),
June 3 Mr Bush said all sides must assume responsibility toward achieving peace. “I believe now is the time to work together to achieve the vision” of peace, he said. Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, who hosted the Arab summit said: “We convene today to examine the peace process in order to ensure stability in our region.” He welcomed Mr Bush’s commitment to Palestinian and Israeli states existing side by side, each enjoying “peace and security.” The Arab summit came a day before Mr Bush’s meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and his Palestinian counterpart Mahmoud Abbas in Jordan. “Israel must deal with the settlements, Israel must make sure there’s a continuous territory that the Palestinians can call home,” he said.
AP |
Canada rejects probe into link to bombing Vancouver, June 3 Media reports, citing interrogation files released last week, said that the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) had planted a mole in the Sikh group and concealed information about his activities from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). The reports, citing RCMP files, allege that the CSIS pulled out their mole — named as Surjan Singh Gill — just three days before Air-India Flight 182 exploded off the coast of Ireland in June 1985, killing all 329 onboard. The issue was raised in the House of Commons in Ottawa yesterday where Kevin Sorenson of the right-winged populist Canadian alliance demanded the government to hold an inquiry into the allegations.
PTI |
Palestinian
prisoners freed Jerusalem, June 3 However, Israeli troops shot dead a Palestinian security man in the Gaza Strip and wounded five stone-throwers in a sweep for militants in the West Bank. Responding to US pressure for conciliatory moves, Israel freed the first group of what was expected to total around 100 prisoners being sent home in time for Mr Bush’s three-way summit with Israeli and Palestinian leaders.
Reuters |
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