 |
|
Composite Dialogue Process
Summit for framing Asean Charter Vientiane Diary
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
MMA warns rulers of looming turmoil
|
|
Composite Dialogue Process resumes on Dec 23 Islamabad, November 29 Pakistan has accepted the dates of December 23 and 24 suggested by India for the Foreign Secretaries meeting to formally kickstart the second round of Composite Dialogue to discuss Kashmir and seven other issues, Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman Masood Khan told reporters here today. The second round meeting of the Foreign Secretaries is scheduled to be held in Islamabad as the first round was conducted in New Delhi, but “we need to confirm where the talks will be held,” Mr Khan said. The Foreign Secretaries would also fix the schedule for official-level talks on seven other issues which included, Siachen, Wullar Barriage, Sir Creek, terrorism and drug trafficking, economic and commercial cooperation and promotion of friendly exchange in various fields. Replying to a question whether the two countries managed to make progress on any of the eight issues of the Composite Dialogue Process, Mr Khan said “talks are continuing. We are yet to achieve a breakthrough but we have a productive engagement to understand each others’ perspectives as the talks are being held after several years. That is why we are going to hold Composite Dialogue on all eight agenda items.” Mr Khan said official-level talks of narcotics control authorities to be held in New Delhi today and tomorrow have been postponed. He also said meeting of Committee of Experts on Trade Related Issues to be held in New Delhi on December 9 and 10 also has been postponed. The other round of talks beginning with those between railway authorities on the Munnabao-Khokhrapar would, however, be held as per schedule. Railway authorities will meet in Islamabad on December 2-3 in Islamabad followed by Coast Guard officials of the two countries on December 3-4 in New Delhi. Talks to resolve differences on starting a bus service between Sringar and Muzaffarabad will be held on December 7-8 in New Delhi, expert-level talks on nuclear and conventional CBMs on December 14-16 at New Delhi and joint survey of boundary pillars in Sir Creek on December 14-15 at Karachi.
— PTI |
|
Summit for framing Asean Charter Vientiane, November 29 Acknowledging that Asean has to work within a new strategic concept as the global and regional economic environment is continuously challenged, the summiteers pledged to narrow the development gap among member countries by boosting the initiative for Asean integration. This will be in keeping with Asean’s Vision 2020 by setting concrete milestones to accomplish a comprehensive Asean Community based on political and security cooperation, economic integration and socio-cultural cooperation with the object of forming the Asean Security Community. The VAP took special note of weaker member states and underlined the need for enhanced economic cooperation and integration with specific reference to Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam. Even as efforts will be made to build an enduring bond of an Asean regional identity, the VAP will be implemented over a six-year period from 2004 to 2010. On prevention of conflict, the summitteers directed strengthening of confidence-building measures through exchanges and interaction among military officials, promoting greater understadning of defence policies and threat perceptions, developing an Asean early warning system, combating transnational crimes and other transboundary disputes through regional cooperation
activities. For conflict resolution and maintaining peace, the Summit called for utilising the existing and planned national peace keeping centres in some Asean countries as well as strenthening the existing modes of pacific settlement of disputes with additional mechanism. On post conflict peace building measures, VAP drew pointed attention to humanitarian assistance and establishing an Asean humanitarian crisis management and assistance centre. Earlier, declaring the 10th Asean Summit open, Laos Prime Minister BounNhang Vorachith warned that “Asean still faces many challenges in its development process like the unprecedented rise in oil prices, the Bird Flu and other impacts of globalisation. Moreover, terrorism remains a threat.” Mr Vorachith said the fact that India, China, Japan and Pakistan have acceded to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) in South Asia and that Russia and South Korea will accede to it constitutes a significant step in turning the Treaty into a Code of Conduct not only among Asean countries but also those outside Southeast Asia. Specially turning to India, the Laos Prime Minister noted that the relations with New Delhi have broadened and deepened. “The signing of the Asean-India Partnership for Peace, Progress and Shared Prosperity at the Third Asean-India Summit scheduled for tomorrow will ensure Asean-India a brilliant future based on durable cooperation.” The Summit also adopted a Declaration against trafficking in women and children particularly. |
|
Buddha’s relics brought to Laos by Emperor Asoka’s emissaries by T.R. Ramachandran The wide belief in Laos is that the relics of Lord Buddha were brought to this country by emissaries of Emperor Asoka and encased in the Luang Stupa, the Laos national symbol that is depicted in the country’s coat of arms. The Luang, or the Grand Stupa was built by King Settathirath in 1978 at the same location where the older structure with Buddha’s relics stood. The Unesco world heritage site of Wat Phuo in the north is also a temple complex with Hindu and Buddhist settlements. It is for that reason that culturally Laos is considered more “Indo” than “China” in Indo-China. Mostly Tamilians
It is amazing that the Indian community in this country comprises in large measure Muslims from Tamil Nadu many of whom have married Laotian girls. Although there are no statistics of the Indian expatriates in this country, there are about a hundred odd families including the odd Gujarati and Sindhi as well. Some of them migrated from Vietnam during the war in that country. All of them speak Lao and some of their spouses speak Tamil. They are mostly in the cosmetics business as the investment is not heavy and a few dabble in gold jewellry and precious stones lkie Emeralds, Rubies, Sapphire and so on. They are highly respected by Laotians. There are also a few Indians of various ministries working for the Laos government. Pak woos Laos
Pakistan is wooing Laos which is currently the Chairman of Asean for becoming a dialogue partner with the regional grouping. They have expressed a strong desire to open a Diplomatic mission in Vientiane. Islamabad has offered a soft loan of $ 10 million for Laos for purchasing machinery and equipment coupled with 10 scholarships for students in this country in various technical fields. In meetings with Indian diplomats, Vientiane has said that the Laos Peoples Democratic Republic’s approach to Islamabad’s overtures would be influenced by Vientiane’s excellent ties with India. Rights abuse
Human Rights organisation insist that the foreign media should expose the rights abuses in this small and landlocked communist country. No foreign journalists are allowed to live in Laos. All reporters are employed by the Government as all the media are state owned. The organisation of Reporter Without Borders maintains that the Laos Government has tried to limit access to foreign radio broadcasts ahead of the Asean summit. In the two months leading up to the Summit, the Interior ministry agents have swooped on thousands of homes to check if the occupants have shortwave radios that would allow them to listen to Lao language programmes on foreign radio stations. Veritable fortress
The capital city of Laos hosting the 10th Asean summit is a veritable fortress. Barring the Laotian flag hanging from the balconies of homes and business establishments, Loations are preferring to keep indoors. It is like a curfew because of two blasts in the run up to the summit. Shops too have pulled down the shutters barring a few supremarkets where one finds a miniscule number of the local populace. Americans have been advised by the US State Department not to be visit Laos during the summit. The patience and charm of the owners-cum-sales girls is unbelievable and even after much bargaining if the shopper moves away without buying anything, they still have a broad smile. |
|
|
MMA warns rulers of looming turmoil
Karachi, November 29 The MMA warning came at its first public rally, which kicked off the alliance’s campaign against Gen Pervez Musharraf, at Nishtar Park on Sunday. The campaign is aimed at mobilising public opinion against General Musharraf’s reneging from his commitment to relinquish the office of the Army Chief by December 31 this year. The MMA is also agitating against the government’s policies on various national and international issues. Several resolutions were adopted at the meeting. One of the resolutions stated that although the country was rich in natural resources and had skilled and trained manpower, the number of people living below the poverty line was going up due to the defective policies, incompetence, mismanagement, corruption, besides the ruling clique’s lust for power. The resolution said growing foreign exchange reserves were meaningless if they did not provide any relief to the common man. Another resolution deplored raids on seminaries and the military operation in Wana. It also expressed concern over attacks and bomb blasts targeted at places of worship, as well as target killings which had claimed lives of a large number of innocent people. Through yet another resolution, the rally condemned the attempts to secularise the educational syllabus. The MMA rally declared the Muslim population of Pakistan would foil the rulers’ conspiracy to turn the country into a secular state. A resolution adopted at the rally said the people were ready to make any sacrifices to prevent any harm coming to their religion and belief. The resolution also deplored the move to drop the column of ‘religion’ from the newly-introduced machine-readable passports and termed it ‘a conspiracy’. It demanded immediate restoration of the column. It also criticised the government for ignoring the US atrocities on Muslim countries; brutal bombing in Iraq and Afghanistan, where thousands of innocent men, women, children, youth and elderly people were killed and injured; and the genocide of Palestinians by the Zionist forces. The resolution said the USA was patronising Israel which had unleashed a reign of terror in West Asia. It regretted that the Pakistan Government had failed to even lodge a protest over all these atrocities and tyranny. The meeting expressed its indignation and anger over the ‘conspiracy’ to divide Kashmir, and warned the rulers that no formula detrimental to the wishes of Kashmiri people would be acceptable to the people of Pakistan as such a formula would not solve the issue. |
|
Bhutto to end exile, win next election: Zardari
Karachi, November 29 "She is surely coming and will lead the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) in the next general election," Zardari told AFP in an interview yesterday at his seaside Bilawal House residence in this southern port city. "I can't give you the date, but she will be here for the next elections," Zardari said, insisting 2005 would be the election year in Pakistan. "Bhutto will create history by becoming the Premier for the third time." Zardari, who spent eight years in detention, was released on Monday last week after the Supreme Court granted him bail in the last of 17 cases of graft, murder and drug smuggling. "Bhutto has a role to play in Pakistan politics and the vote bank belongs to her," he said. Ms Bhutto, who governed Pakistan twice -- from 1988 to 1990 and 1993 to 1996 -- lives in self-imposed exile in London and Dubai. She left Pakistan in April, 1998, and was convicted in absentia of corruption and other charges, which she rejects as political victimisation to keep her away from last polls held in 2002. The government said the present Parliament would complete its five-year tenure until 2007. Mr Zardari rejected speculation his release was linked to any deal with the government.
— AFP |
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
