British Conservative and Labour Party differences on policies towards Pakistan have been uncovered in the latest Wikileaks disclosures. They reveal how the Conservatives told the US government, prior to this year's general election, that they would taker a harder line towards Pakistan as unlike the Labour Party their party constituents had fewer Pakistani links.

Since winning the election last May, Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron has given a Cabinet seat to Pakistani-origin Sayeeda Warsi, but his pre-election promise about getting tougher on Pakistan seems to have been borne out by his post election performance. While visiting India last June, Cameron had made his controversial declaration urging Pakistan "not to face both ways" when tackling the issue of terrorism.

Cameron's forthright views on Pakistan and Islamic extremism were also divulged when he told Richard Holbrooke, the US Special Envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, that the Labour government had "let in some crazies". Cameron went on to explain to Holbrook that Labour's relaxed approach to immigration meant that the British authorities had allowed in wrong people before waking up to what they had done.

Holbrooke, in his telegram to Washington, stated: "On the radicalisation of British Pakistanis, Cameron said the UK had 'gotten it wrong domestically'... He argued that former Prime Minister Brown's policy had been too willing to engage with radicalised but non-violent Muslim groups. "We let in some crazies," Cameron said, "and didn't wake up soon enough".

Cameron is not the only Conservative to take a stand on Islamabad's ambivalent attitude towards terrorism. According to Wikileaks, current British Defence Secretary Liam Fox was also critical of the Labour Party for its pro-Pakistan perspectives. In his cables sent to Washington, US Ambassador to London Louis Susman said: "The Conservatives are "less dependant" than the Labour party on votes from the British-Pakistani community". Susman elaborated his views, explaining, "Fox criticised the Labour government for policies that reinforce the Indian government's long-held view that HMG's (Her Majesty's Government) foreign relations on the subcontinent are "skewed to Pakistan".

The UK,US and Russian governments are each revealed as sharing deep concerns about Pakistan's nuclear weapons falling into the wrong hands. One senior British intelligence official, Mariot Leslie, is quoted as saying: "The UK has deep concerns about the safety and security of Pakistan's nuclear weapons."

Similar views were expressed by Russian Foreign Ministry's Yuri Korolev who told US officials last February: "Islamists are not only seeking power in Pakistan but are also trying to get their hands on nuclear materials." He added: "Over the last few years extremists have attacked vehicles that carry staff to and from these facilities. Some were killed and a number were abducted and there has been no trace seen of them." According to Korolev, "There are 1,20,000-1,30,000 persons directly involved in Pakistan's nuclear and missile programmes. There is no way to guarantee that all are 100% loyal and reliable."

It is US assessments about Pakistan's nuclear capability that are the most chilling and give cause for concern to India and all others worried about nuclear proliferation. A US intelligence briefing from 2008 declares, "Despite pending economic catastrophe, Pakistan is producing nuclear weapons at a faster rate than any other country in the world."

Lyon, December 1
The global police agency Interpol today said it had alerted member states to arrest WikiLeaks' founder Julian Assange on suspicion of rape on the basis of a Swedish arrest warrant.

“There is a public 'Red Notice' on behalf of Sweden,” a spokeswoman said, confirming that Interpol had posted Sweden's request for assistance in tracking down the 39-year-old Australian on its website. Sweden's International Public Prosecution Office in Gothenburg issued an arrest warrant for the secretive activist on November 18, citing probable cause of suspected rape, sexual molestation and unlawful coercion. Assange, whose current location is unclear, contested the warrant in a Swedish appeals court, but his first bid to get it thrown out was rejected last week and he has lodged a second appeal. — AFP

London, December 1
Unusual early winter, heavy snowfall hit UK and most of Europe forcing closure of several airports, disrupting rail services and cutting international Eurostar services today.

London's City and Gatwick airport, Europe's eighth biggest air hub were closed as staff worked to clear the run way of snow. Edinburgh airport, Scotland's main gateway, was also shutdown as the entire region witnessed heavy snowfall. Eurostar, high speed passenger train linking London with Paris and Brussels, said services were delayed due to poor visibility and heavy snowfall.

A spokesman said two trains between London and Brussels and four between Paris and London were scrapped and more cancellations were likely.

Across the country, train services to major cities like Liverpool and Sheffield were unable to run and London underground trains were also running with heavy delays. Key motorways linking London with other major cities in the UK were blocked. An overnight low of -19.8 degrees Celsius was recorded in Altnaharra, the Scottish islands, while temperatures also remained below freezing point in most of the British towns.

The early snow has forced closure of schools as weather forecasters predicted more snow and heavy rains during the week. Elsewhere in Europe, heavy snow and freezing temperature closed atleast four airports including Geneva, Zurich, Rome and Berlin's Tegel.

European air traffic control has also reported severe delays in most of the German, Spanish, Danish and Italian airports. Heavy snowfall also hit Milan and Lombardy regions in northern Italy.

Snowfall also led to rise in river waters in Venice and Rome. — PTI