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USA to ease curbs on supply of N-equipment Major milestone in US-India ties
Uniform or not, Pervez determined to control Pak army Car bomb defused in Moscow |
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USA to ease curbs on supply of N-equipment Washington, September 18 The decision was taken during the talks between Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran and US officials, including Under-Secretary of State for Political Affairs Marc Grossman here. “The first phase in the next steps in strategic partnership (NSSP) is, of course, lays stress on the space side. When we get into the second face, it will be focused perhaps a little more on the nuclear stage,” Mr Saran told reporters yesterday. “This,” he said, “is a very important agreement that has been concluded today. We are very happy to have this on the eve of the meeting between President Bush and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.” The two leaders are meeting on September 21 in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. A joint press statement issued on the talks Mr Saran had with US officials said “since January, the two governments have worked closely together to conclude Phase One of the NSSP. This includes the implementation of measures to address proliferation concerns and ensure compliance with US export controls.” These modification, including removing the ISRO from the Department of Commerce Entity List, are fully consistent with US non-proliferation laws, obligations, and objectives. It says the USA and India will continue to move forward under the NSSP and have a joint implementation group for this
purpose. During the talks with the Bush administration officials, the Indian Foreign Secretary met Deputy National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley, Under Secretary for Commerce (Industry and Security) Kenneth Juster, Under Secretary of State for Global Affairs Paula Dobriansky, and Under Secretary (Policy) in the Defence Department Douglas Feith.
— PTI |
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Major milestone in US-India ties Washington: The Bush administration on Friday agreed to lift export controls on equipment for nuclear facilities in India after assurances from New Delhi that these technologies would not fall into the hands of “rogue states.” The significant development, on the eve Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s meeting with President George W. Bush in New York next week, marks a major milestone in U.S.-India relations and a foreign policy triumph for New Delhi. Since January, the two governments have worked together to conclude “phase one” of the Next Steps in Strategic Partnership (NSSP). This has included implementation of measures to address proliferation concerns and ensure Indian compliance with U.S. export controls. “These efforts have enabled the United States to make modifications to U.S. export licensing policies that will foster cooperation in commercial space programmes and permit certain exports to power plants at safeguarded nuclear facilities,” the two sides said in a joint statement. Among the steps taken by the United States was the removal of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) from the Department of Commerce’s “Entity List.” The “Entity List” was developed to help U.S. exporters identify foreign end-users that required individual export licences for certain sensitive U.S. commodities and technologies of proliferation concern. India’s Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran, who has been busy meeting officials in Washington, including Under secretary of State for Political Affairs Marc Grossman, said the agreement “opens the door for much, much more expanded interaction in the field of high technology, particularly in areas like space.” “When we get into the second phase it would be focused perhaps a little more on the nuclear side,” he added. Mr Saran said the completion of the first phase of the NSSP would make the licensing regime “more liberal than before and more predictable.” He said New Delhi was looking at the partnership from the perspective “that it would open up high-technology commerce and cooperation between the two countries.” The statement said the implementation of the NSSP would lead to “significant economic benefits for both countries and improve regional and global security.” At the State Department, deputy spokesperson Adam Ereli called the new development an example of the “very close and strengthened relationship” between the U.S. and India. “What this shows is a growing relationship, both in terms of the number of issues we’re dealing with, the importance of the issues and the strength of the cooperation,” he said. In January, the United States and India agreed to expand cooperation in three specific areas: civilian nuclear activities, civilian space programmes, and high-technology trade. In addition, they agreed to expand dialogue on missile defence. “The progress announced today is only the first phase in this important effort, which is a significant part of transforming our strategic relationship,” the joint statement said. The first phase of the partnership commenced in November 2001 when the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Mr Bush committed India and the U.S. to “a strategic partnership.” |
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Uniform or not, Pervez determined to control Pak army
Islamabad, September 18 In an interview with the Washington Post, Musharraf reportedly bristled when asked whether he was reluctant to step down as Pakistan’s army Chief to prevent the emergence of rivals. “I know that the army follows me. I know they are with me and the next chief of army staff will be appointed by me. And he’ll be a person who is most loyal to me, obviously. So, I don’t see this issue of the army being a centre of power or being some kind of a competition or a tussle between me and the army,” the Daily Times quoted Musharraf as saying. The real issue, Musharraf said, was “more in the realm of the perception of the people of Pakistan. “The people of Pakistan think that the strength of a president is much more than the strength of a president out of uniform. I know that the vast majority of the people, from all the mail that I’ve seen and all the telephone calls, do want me in uniform. If their perceptions change that I have been weakened, maybe it won’t be good for Pakistan,” he added. Musharraf said his staying in uniform has “nothing to do with democracy. It’s only the western media, which is linking his uniform with democracy.”
— ANI |
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Car bomb defused in Moscow
Moscow, September 18 A Russian-made Lada car fitted with a land mine, dynamite rods and a petrol tank was found parked near an apartment building in the narrow Granatny Lane close to the Kremlin. The explosives were defused around 4 am local time (5.30 IST). Residents of nearby buildings were evacuated to a neighbouring school before the FSB bomb-disposal squad destroyed the car bomb using a water canon, NTV channel reported. Moscow police spokesman Kirill Mazurin confirmed the report, but declined to divulge further details saying the ‘matter was under investigation’. Two Chechens were arrested in Moscow for carrying explosives.
— PTI |
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Three cheers for beer!
London, September 18 Prof John Trevithick, who led the study of the Western Ontario University, however, cautions that up to three pints a day is good for you, with any more increasing the risk of disease. Beer, which is often associated with a “pot belly”, contains antioxidants that are believed to help prevent the spread of cancer and lower blood cholesterol. It was found that beer contributed an equal amount of antioxidant benefit, as that can be obtained from wine. Beer picks up these antioxidants from the oak casks in which it is stored. “We always said beer in moderation is excellent for health,” Iain Loe, a campaigner for the ale group was quoted by the Sun as saying.
— ANI |
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