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Pakistanis ‘not linked’ to Egypt bombings
India-made containers used in London blasts
Impetus to India’s quest for UNSC seat |
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N-programme moving 10 times faster: Pervez
2 Indians held with suspicious cash parcel
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Pakistanis ‘not linked’ to Egypt bombings
Islamabad, July 26 Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Naeem Khan stated this at the weekly news briefing here. He was replying to questions about the alleged involvement of Pakistanis in the bomb attacks in Egypt’s Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. “We are in touch with our mission in Cairo and we have not been approached by the Egyptian government in this regard,” Mr Khan maintained. “There is no connection between Pakistanis and bomb blasts in Egypt,” he asserted. He pointed out that some reports implicating Pakistanis had been denied by an Egyptian newspaper Al Akhbar on July 24. The newspaper on Sunday quoted Egyptian security sources as denying reports of nine Pakistanis managing to enter Egypt on July 5, 2005, with forged passports as suspects of links with Sharm el-Sheikh blasts. Asked if there were any Pakistanis reported missing in Egypt, the spokesman categorically stated: “We have no such information and neither has such information been passed on to us.” The Foreign Office spokesman faced a number of questions on the recent Indo-US accord in the nuclear civilian fields and its implications on Pakistan. He said: “We have noted the understanding between India and US on civilian nuclear cooperation and we are carefully watching this to see how the US changes its legislation to accommodate this.” Hinting that Pakistan would seek similar cooperation from the US government, spokesman Mohammad Naeem Khan said: “Pakistan has its own strategic relationship with the US and has expectations of expanding cooperation in multiple fields including hi-tech peaceful uses of nuclear energy and peaceful uses of space technologies.” In this context, he maintained that Islamabad had already asked the Nuclear Suppliers Group to extend cooperation to Pakistan in peaceful uses of nuclear energy under the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Commission) safeguards. He pointed out that according to the target set by Pakistan for 2025, it would be producing 8,800 mw of electricity through nuclear energy. In reply to a question, he underlined Pakistan’s position and said global nuclear non-proliferation regime should accommodate the nuclear reality of the non-NPT states. Answering another question, he said the US government had been “continuously in touch” with the top Pakistani leadership during the Indian Prime Minister’s visit to Washington. Dr Condoleezza Rice, after her call to President Gen Pervez Musharraf, had also talked to Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri, he said. The spokesman was evasive when asked if the US official had held out any assurances of extending similar cooperation to Pakistan. Asked if the Indo-US defence pact or nuclear cooperation would affect the Indo-Pakistan talks on nuclear
CBMs as next month, he said: “Well, no it should not have any impact. The talks are on track.” On apprehensions being expressed by the top Indian leadership on the proposed Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project, the spokesman said: “Pakistan will go ahead with the project even if it is not feasible for India.” |
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Egypt blasts: 3rd group claims responsibility
Dubai, July 26 The claim by the Tawhid and Jihad Group in Egypt could be more credible as it was posted on an Islamist Website often used by the Al-Qaida in Iraq, but it was not possible to verify the authenticity of the undated statement. The Tawhid and Jihad Group in Egypt also said it was responsible for bomb attacks.
— Reuters |
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India-made containers used in London blasts
London, July 26 The London bombers had used Tupperware-like white-lidded containers called Delta 6250 to build the explosive devices, Deputy Assistant Commissioner of Metropolitan Police Peter Clarke told reporters here. He asked shopkeepers if they remembered selling “five or more” of the transparent six and a quarter litre containers, which had white lids. The brand is marked “Delta 6250 with lid”
and says “family container” and “superior quality” on a sticker on the
container’s side. He said the containers were made in India and sold in about 100 British outlets.
— PTI |
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Impetus to India’s quest for UNSC seat
New Delhi, July 26 The G4-AU joint resolution is expected to be moved as early as this weekend itself. The perception in knowledgeable quarters here is that never before has India been so close to its long-cherished goal of getting the permanent membership of the UNSC as it is today. The breakthrough in the discussions between G-4 Foreign Ministers and the AU Follow-up Mechanism after intensive negotiations lasting the whole day yesterday in London was brought about as the AU agreed not to press the issue of veto at this time. External Affairs Minister K. Natwar Singh played a pivotal role as he was able to reap a diplomatic harvest from traditional ties between India and Africa and persuade the AU to freeze its veto power demand until 2020, like G-4 has done. On the issue of additional non-permanent seat, the following understanding was reached on which the AU would consult their Heads of State/Government and confirm their acceptance at the earliest: a) The UN Security Council should be expanded to 26 members. b) The 26th seat shall be a non-permanent member’s seat, which will be rotated among the developing countries of Africa, Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean States. c) The above changes shall be incorporated into a joint AU-G4 resolution on the understanding that continued support by the AU and G4 co-sponsors as well as supporters is ensured, with a view to adopting the resolution, if possible by the end of the month. The G4 had yesterday included India, Brazil, South Africa (IBSA) Forum in the parleys, signifying the G4’s keenness on broadbasing its support base for getting a permanent seat on the Security Council. South Africa is not a G4 member but has been pitching for the UNSC seat. As part of these efforts, the Foreign Ministers of the IBSA Forum — Mr Natwar Singh, Mr Celso Amorim of Brazil and Ms N.D. Zuma of South Africa — Foreign Ministers of Nigeria (Adeniji Oluyemi and Botswana (Mompati Merafhe) and representatives of some other African countries have held series of meetings in London since July 24. The G4 desperately needed support of the 53-member AU as it is a foregone conclusion that without the AU support the G4 resolution is doomed. Minister of State for External Affairs Rao Inderjit Singh, who has emerged as a pointman for the Government of India in its UNSC quest, has gone on record in telling The Tribune that without the AU support the G-4 resolution could not succeed. He said today that the G4 effort was to amend the UN Charter, which required two-thirds majority in the 191-member UN. “Such a majority, if achieved, can be general consensus and not universal consensus.” Today’s breakthrough is all the more significant because it has “difficult” countries like Egypt, which are members of the “Coffee Club” — an informal Pakistan-led grouping virulently opposed to the G-4 resolution. However, the good news is that African countries like Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa are working in tandem with G4. Today’s development is a diplomatic setback to Pakistan in particular and the “Coffee Club” in general as the grouping has been clamouring for a consensus-based approach. |
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2-year imprisonment for Deuba on graft case
Kathmandu, July 26 A fine of $1.28 million (approximately Rs 5.5 crore) was also imposed on the former Prime Minister, they said. Former Physical Planning and Construction Minister Prakash Man Singh was also handed the same sentence, the officials said. Besides, four other persons, including a former Secretary in the Ministry of the Physical Planning and Construction, were awarded punishment by the commission. The case related to awarding of the contract of the Melamchi drinking water project access road was funded by the Asian Development Bank. Soon after the announcement of the verdict, hundreds of Deuba supporters from his Nepali Congress (Democratic) Party protested outside the anti-corruption commission office, chanting slogans against it and King Gyanendra. The police were deployed to control the angry supporters.
— PTI |
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N-programme moving 10 times faster: Pervez
Lahore, July 26 “We will not accept any pressure from any side.....not even with regard to Dr Khan,” The News quoted Musharraf as saying while speaking to mediapersons at Governor’s House in Lahore last evening. Replying to a question if some Western plans were in place to make Pakistan compromise its nuclear programme, he said: “If you believe me, zero. No pressure, whatsoever.” However, he said the international community had a suspicion, regarding the chances of the capability going in the wrong hands.
— ANI |
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2 Indians held with suspicious cash parcel
Houston, July 26 The FBI and immigration authorities who took them into custody until charges were filed, refused to reveal their names. Agents are still looking into the source of the cash and how it was intended to be used. “The investigation is on-going in conjunction with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, FBI spokesman Al Tribble was quoted as saying by the Houston Chronicle. “This money could be meant for anything from terrorism to extortion to fraud or drugs. There’s something bigger behind the scenes,” said Tribble. The investigation began after a clerk employed with UPS courier in the small rural city of Mont Belvieu, east of Houston in Chambers County, thought a customer was behaving suspiciously. Shalia Hampton’s suspicions were aroused by a customer last evening who paid $ 80 to ship a package overnight. It was supposed to contain only “clothing” and was sent to someone staying at the French Quarter Inn in Charleston. This package was shipped and then the same customer appeared the next day with a similar package that he said was clothing, said Hampton. She alerted headquarters who directed a UPS driver to inspect the box’s contents. The driver found a layer of inexpensive clothing that was covering three smaller boxes filled with stacks of $ 100 bills wrapped in carbon paper. — PTI |
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