W O R L D

Pak favours ‘integrated’ approach in dialogue
Islamabad, November 30
Favouring an “comprehensive and integrated” approach in dialogue with India, Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz today said that improvement in bilateral ties was “predicated” on progress in settlement of the Kashmir issue as per the wishes of the Kashmiri people.

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz (left) stands with Elena Kondakova (centre) and Arthur N. Chilingarov from the Russian Duma during the inaugural session of the fifth General Assembly of the Association of Asian Parliaments for Peace (AAPP) in Islamabad on Tuesday. — Reuters photo

Dixit, Aziz to meet in Amritsar this week
Islamabad, November 30
India’s National Security Adviser J.N. Dixit and his Pakistani counterpart Tariq Aziz, who have been actively involved in back-channel diplomacy, will meet in Amritsar later this week to discuss the latest developments in bilateral ties, a Pakistani newspaper reported today.

Speculations persist about govt-PPP deal
Islamabad, November 30
The unusually calm proceedings and unanimous passage of two resolutions in the Senate on Monday indicated that Mr Asif Ali Zardari's release was not for nothing. The first formal indication of a deal between the government and the Pakistan People's Party parliamentarians was given indirectly by the acting Senate Chairman, Commander Khalilur Rehman.

Law allowing Musharraf’s dual role passed
Islamabad, November 30
Pakistan’s Acting President Muhammad Soomro today signed into law a bill allowing Gen Pervez Musharraf to hold the dual posts of the President and the army chief beyond this year despite his pledge to shed the uniform.

BRIEFLY

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348 killed as storm hits Philippines
Manila, November 30 The death toll from landslides and flash floods in the eastern Philippines jumped to nearly 350 with 150 others missing today, most of them from the region still reeling from last week’s deadly typhoon. Passengers wait atop a bus after being stranded by flash floods caused by typhoon Winnie in Gapan, northern Manila, on Tuesday. — Reuters photo

Outstanding scientist award for Indian
New York, November 30
Bhimu Patil, Associate Professor at the Texas A&M University-Kingsville and Associate Director of the Vegetable and Fruit Improvement Centre, has received the 2004 Outstanding Young Scientist Award from the Division of Agriculture and Food Chemistry.

Dalai Lama visits Russian monastery Arshan (Russia), November 30 Thousands of Buddhist pilgrims trekked to a temple in the southern republic of Kalmykia today to join prayers led by the Dalai Lama, on his first visit to Russia after years of being denied entry out of Moscow’s concerns for its close ties with Beijing. Pilgrims had to walk about 2 km through the wind-swept field to reach the monastery, about 6 km northeast of the Kalmyk capital Elista, undergoing seven security checks by the police. — AP The Dalai Lama is welcomed on his arrival in Elista, Russia, on Monday. — Reuters photo

Pak favours ‘integrated’ approach in dialogue

Islamabad, November 30
Favouring an “comprehensive and integrated” approach in dialogue with India, Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz today said that improvement in bilateral ties was “predicated” on progress in settlement of the Kashmir issue as per the wishes of the Kashmiri people.

“We favour a comprehensive and integrated approach, whereby progress in our bilateral relations is predicated on progress towards the settlement of Jammu and Kashmir dispute in line with the wishes and aspirations of Kashmir people,” Mr Aziz said inaugurating the 5th General Assembly of the Association of Asian Parliaments for Peace (AAPP) here.

Observing that the ongoing composite dialogue process between Pakistan and India represents the desire to strengthen the peace process in the region, Aziz said it is imperative that the process of engagement should be “sustained” to make the dialogue process “result-oriented” and “successful.”

“It is our firm belief that resolution of disputes in the region and enhanced bilateral and regional cooperation will mark the beginning of an era of peace and prosperity in Asia,” he said.

Around 200 parliamentarians from 31 Asian countries, including India, are participating in the three-day General Assembly session of AAPP to discuss ways and means to promote peace, trade, friendship and mutual coordination among the member nations.

Lok Sabha member Bhupendra Singh Huda and Rajya Sabha’s Shahid Siddique are representing India at the conference.

Mr Aziz said Pakistan earnestly seeks amicable and peaceful relations with the countries in the region based on principles of mutual respect for each other’s sovereignty.

The Prime Minister said democracy, development and peace are the long-awaited desires since ages and added that democratic institutions working with complete freedom and sovereignty are a prerequisite for political stability.

Aziz said democratic institutions in Pakistan are properly functioning and the people are enjoying their fundamental rights. The media, both electronic and print is also free, he added.

The conference later elected Speaker of Pakistan National Assembly Amir Hussain as new President of the AAPP. — PTI

Dixit, Aziz to meet in Amritsar this week

Islamabad, November 30
India’s National Security Adviser J.N. Dixit and his Pakistani counterpart Tariq Aziz, who have been actively involved in back-channel diplomacy, will meet in Amritsar later this week to discuss the latest developments in bilateral ties, a Pakistani newspaper reported today.

The Dawn quoted sources as saying that the meeting, which will take place ahead of the next round of Indo-Pak composite dialogue in December, acquires special significance against the backdrop of Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz’s visit to India last week.

It is believed that Mr Dixit, a close confidant of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Mr Tariq Aziz, secretary Pakistan’s National Security Council and a trusted aide of President Pervez Musharraf, will look at ways enabling the two countries to move ahead on substantive issues, including Jammu and Kashmir. — UNI

Speculations persist about govt-PPP deal
By Arrangement with The Dawn

Islamabad, November 30
The unusually calm proceedings and unanimous passage of two resolutions in the Senate on Monday indicated that Mr Asif Ali Zardari's release was not for nothing.

The first formal indication of a deal between the government and the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) parliamentarians was given indirectly by the acting Senate Chairman, Commander Khalilur Rehman (retd).

Addressing the leader of the Democratic Alliance in the Senate, Mr Raza Rabbani, the acting Chairman, said, "The deal is done, let's try to sort out the business."

However, it was not clear if the Deputy Chairman referred to the reported deal between the government and Ms Benazir Bhutto or he referred to an earlier meeting in his chamber to run the proceedings of the House in a smooth manner.

The Opposition members, led by Senator Raza Rabbani, met their colleagues from the Treasury Benches to get over the bitter acrimony of the recent past in the acting Chairman's room for well over half an hour resulting in delayed start of the proceedings.

The result of the meeting, as evident from the conduct of the House, was positive as both the government and the Opposition, led by a usually vocal and aggressive Mr Raza Rabbani, cooperated to get two resolutions adopted unanimously.

It was a break from the past practice of the Democratic Alliance senators, who have been vowing publicly to oppose the government both inside and outside Parliament after the passage of the Uniform Bill, allowing President Musharraf to retain dual offices of the President and the Chief of the Army Staff.

The mood of the House also saw a drastic shift from Friday's proceedings when the Opposition had accused the acting Senate Chairman of violating the Constitution by running the Upper House without quorum to get the controversial ISI Bill passed through the Senate.

Many in the PPP also have expectations of Mr Raza Rabbani being appointed as a leader of the Opposition.

According to an influential senator of a ruling party, the same has been given the green signal by President Musharraf.

With the possible appointment of Mr Raza Rabbani as leader of the Opposition in the Senate and release of Mr Asif Ali Zardari, the PPP is having problem denying that a deal has not been struck with the government.

Law allowing Musharraf’s dual role passed

Islamabad, November 30
Pakistan’s Acting President Muhammad Soomro today signed into law a bill allowing Gen Pervez Musharraf to hold the dual posts of the President and the army chief beyond this year despite his pledge to shed the uniform.

The bill, earlier passed by both houses of Parliament, was signed by Soomro in the absence of General Musharraf, who is currently touring Latin American countries, Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed told media here.

The law has cleared the way for General Musharraf to hold both offices at least till 2007, when his presidential term expires. — PTI

Musharraf sees ‘light at end of tunnel’ with India

Brasilia (Brazil), November 30
Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf said he was hopeful that all issues with India, including Kashmir, could be resolved through peace talks now under way.

“May I say, we see a light at the end of the tunnel, now that the process of rapprochement has started,” he said in a speech at the lunch with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in the South American country’s capital yesterday.

He said he was ready to push forward the peace process between neighbours, but suggested India had to do more. — Reuters

348 killed as storm hits Philippines

Manila, November 30
The death toll from landslides and flash floods in the eastern Philippines jumped to nearly 350 with 150 others missing today, most of them from the region still reeling from last week’s deadly typhoon.

Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman said 316 persons were killed and 150 missing in Quezon province, about 70 km east of Manila.

The Office of Civil Defence reported 19 were killed in Aurora province, eight in Rizal province, and one each in the Manila suburb of Marikina and Camarines Norte province.

Other officials reported three died in Bulacan province. — AP

Outstanding scientist award for Indian

New York, November 30
Bhimu Patil, Associate Professor at the Texas A&M University-Kingsville and Associate Director of the Vegetable and Fruit Improvement Centre, has received the 2004 Outstanding Young Scientist Award from the Division of Agriculture and Food Chemistry.

Dr Patil, who received the award at a ceremony in Philadelphia, has credited his accomplished work in citrus, other fruits and vegetable health benefits research to his father who died 15 years ago. — UNI

BRIEFLY

India deploys troops in Congo
UNITED NATIONS: India has completed deployment of around 3000 troops to reinforce the UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo and they are being sent to the troubled Kivus province at a time when tension between Congo and Rwanda is mounting, the UN said on Monday. India is also providing four attack helicopters, six utility helicopters and four observation helicopters for the mission. — PTI

5 Italians drown in Myanmar
YANGON: Five Italian tourists, two men and three women, drowned in Myanmar when three boats sank in a squall near the ancient city of Mrauk Oo, an Italian Embassy official said on Tuesday. A state-run newspaper said the tourists were on three boats, which capsised in a squall at the confluence of two creeks and a river just north of the ancient royal city, 640 km north-west of Yangon on Sunday. — Reuters

US soldier killed in Iraq
BAGHDAD: Guerrillas detonated a roadside bomb near a US military patrol in northern Iraq overnight, killing an American soldier, the US military said on Tuesday. The attack occurred near the town of Alazu, north of Baghdad, and targeted soldiers from the US 1st Infantry Division. — Reuters