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Kyoto pact in ICU, says Jairam Protesters march towards the Bella Centre during a demonstration in Copenhagen on Wednesday. — Reuters |
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Gilani seeks US, UK role in resolving Indo-Pak issues
Maoists plan to take over Kathmandu
Sikhs reach settlement with US Airways
Pak SC rules NRO unconstitutional
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Kyoto pact in ICU, says Jairam
Copenhagen, December 16 More than 190 countries are meeting in Copenhagen to agree to the outlines of a new global deal to combat climate change and hope to seal a full treaty next year to succeed the Kyoto Protocol. Developing countries want rich nations to be held to their Kyoto obligations, and sign up to a second round of tougher commitments from 2013. But Jairam Ramesh said many developed countries were "vehemently opposing" the protocol and some of them wanted a single new accord obliging all nations to fight global warming. "The sense we get is that Kyoto is in intensive care if not dead," Jairam told reporters. The protocol obliges nearly 40 industrialised nations to limit emissions by at least 5.2 per cent below 1990 levels by 2008-12. It does not impose curbs on poorer nations. Talks on a pact to succeed Kyoto have been sluggish since they started two years ago, largely because rich nations want to merge Kyoto into a single new accord obliging all nations to fight global warming. Industrialised nations want a single track largely because the United States, the world's second biggest carbon emitter, never ratified Kyoto. They fear signing up for a binding new Kyoto while Washington slips away with a less strict regime. Jairam said Danish environment minister Connie Hedegaard, host of the Dec 7-18 UN talks, had told him that the conference was unlikely to produce a second commitment period for Kyoto Protocol. "By trying to shake Kyoto, they (rich nations) are trying to shake one of the basic pillars on which the world had resolved to fight climate change," Jairam said. Developing economies such as India have virtually ruled out a single legal undertaking, saying the main mandate of global talks on climate change was to agree to the extension of Kyoto. Negotiators have not been able to decide yet on whether to extend Kyoto and add extra national commitments under a separate pact, or end Kyoto and agree on one new treaty which specifies actions by most countries. Jairam said rejecting Kyoto was not acceptable to developing countries and that it would be "very very detrimental to a consensus approach". "This would certainly create problems for long-term action goals," he said, adding that talks on Kyoto could still be revived with a helping hand from the United States. "Kyoto needs a number of oxygen cylinders. One of them is in the White House." —
Reuters
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Gilani seeks US, UK role in resolving Indo-Pak issues
Islamabad, December 16 Gilani made the remarks during a meeting with outgoing British High Commissioner Robert Brinkley. He said his government wanted to resolve all outstanding issues between the two countries “so as to fully concentrate on the western front and take the ongoing operations against terrorists and extremists to their logical conclusion.” The PM urged Britain and the US to play “their role in this regard and for building the capacity of Pakistan’s law enforcement agencies,” said a statement issued by Gilani’s office. India put its composite dialogue with Pakistan on hold in the wake of last year’s Mumbai terror attacks, which was carried out by the Pakistan-based Lashker-e-Taiba. In recent weeks, Pakistani leaders have called on the US and other countries to pressure India to resume the peace process. At the same time, Gilani called on Britain and other members of the Friends of Democratic Pakistan grouping to “expeditiously deliver on their pledges” to help his government implement its policy to develop areas affected by militancy. Pakistan has undertaken a comprehensive assessment of the needs of militancy-affected areas of North West Frontier Province and tribal belt and wants to “fast track the reconstruction of these areas on priority basis,” Gilani said. Brinkley told Gilani that Britain appreciated Pakistan’s role in the war against terror. Britain will honour its pledges to support Pakistan and the amount committed for budgetary support will soon be disbursed, he said. The “fate and stability of Pakistan and UK were intertwined” and Britain will take all possible steps to help Pakistan, he said. — PTI
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Maoists plan to take over Kathmandu
Kathmandu, December 16 Maoist chairman Prachanda will inaugurate the new autonomous region later today as the Nepalese Congress Party warned the ultra Leftists to desist from such tactics as it may lead to “biggest political and social confrontation”. Nepalese Congress’ statement comes after various disgruntled ethnic bodies vowed to protest any such unilateral decision to delineate the autonomous states. Newa is the indigenous ethnic group of Kathmandu, who are known for their rich culture and tradition. The other autonomous region include Kochila, Limbuwan Sherpa, Kirat, Seti-Mahakali, Bhote -Lama, Bheri-Karnali and Tharuwan. Maoists are planning to declare altogether 13 autonomous states in the country by December 18. The regions to be declared today are Newa Autonomous State in Kathmandu valley and Tamsaling Autonomous State in Dhading, Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts bordering the capital. Abolish the president’s unconstitutional move, maintain civilian supremacy, safeguard national independence and stop foreign interference are the main slogans written in a placard at the venue of declaring Newa Autonomous region. The Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML have been criticising the Maoists for their drive to declare various autonomous states saying that it will derail the peace process and obstruct the process of drafting the constitution. The Tharu and Limbuwan ethnic groups have issued separate statements denouncing the Maoists’ move to declare autonomous states unilaterally. Meanwhile, the Maoists have intensified drive to capture private land in the name of distributing to the poor people. Some 2.74 million sq ft land belonging to various people including Pashupati Shumsher Rana, president of ruling Rastriya Prajatantra Party in Kavre district, have been seized so far. — PTI
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Sikhs reach settlement with US Airways
Washington, December 16 The three eminent Sikh musicians are, Davinder Singh, Gulbag Singh and Iqbal Singh - known as classical religious performers. The incident occurred on November 15, 2008. “Airline employees did not provide any explanation as to why they were being removed, but they were told, through a Punjabi interpreter, that the pilot would not fly with them on board,” a media release said. —
PTI
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Pak SC rules NRO unconstitutional The Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled that the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) was discriminatory to benefit some individuals and violated the fundamental rights granted by the Constitution. The 17-member full court led by Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry also directed that the Pakistan government must return to Swiss courts and revive all cases, which were withdrawn under the NRO (against President Asif Zardari). The blanked order revives nearly all 8,000 cases, which existed on October 5, 2007, before promulgation of the NRO. It ordered that incumbent prosecutor and deputy prosecutor of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) be removed and fresh independent prosecutors be appointed. Simultaneously, it ordered appropriate action against former Attorney-General Qayyum Malik, who admitted for having requested Swiss courts to withdraw cases against President Zardari, his wife and slain former premier Benazir Bhutto on verbal instructions from former military ruler Pervez Musharraf. Qazi Hussain Ahmed, former chief of the Jamaat Islami was one of the petitioners along with former PPP secretary-general under ZA Bhutto and a senior bureaucrat Roeda Khan. “The NRO is void ab initio,” the 27-judge full court said in a brief order pending detailed judgement recording arguments later. It ruled that the benefits derived from ordinance had no legal basis and all cases in courts on October 14, 2007, on the eve of promulgation of the ordinance would reopen in concerned courts for adjudication according to the law. The verdict opens a Pandora’s box with far reaching implications. Already there is public pressure on ministers to resign and face the courts to clear themselves. Only one minister Rehman Malik offered to President Zardari to step down but the President rejected the resignation and asked Malik to continue in the Cabinet till any allegation is proved in the court of law.
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The Kyoto Protocol which binds nearly 40 rich nations to limit carbon emissions is in "intensive care" and global negotiations to extend the pact have stalled, India's environment minister said on Wednesday.
