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Syria accepts Annan peace plan
Nuclear talks with world powers on April 13: Iran
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Burglars target NRI gold in Britain
Mali junta bans self from planned vote
Coup leader Capt. Amadou Haya Sanogo (2nd from right) arrives at his headquarters in Kati. — AP/PTI
Top US commanders meet Pak Army chief Kayani
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Syria accepts Annan peace plan
Beirut, March 28 The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported military action against towns and villages from the southern province of Deraa to the Hama region 320 km to the north. Shelling was also reported in parts of Homs, Syria's third largest city, where Assad on Tuesday toured the devastated streets of a rebel bastion overrun by his troops earlier this month after weeks of bombardment. "Military forces accompanied by dozens of armoured vehicles stormed the town of Qalaat al-Madiq and nearby villages (in Hama)," the activist website reported. "This comes after weeks of heavy gun and mortar fire and several failed attempts to invade the town." "The regime has been shelling our town for 18 days, they are destroying our ancient fort," said one activist who gave his name as Abu Dhafer. "Thousands of people have fled and nearby villagers have gone to homes in safe areas. They are cramming people into their homes, a dozen to a room, men, women and children. Syria has accepted a UN-sponsored peace plan calling for the withdrawal of troops and heavy weapons from cities ahead of peace talks between Assad and his opponents, special envoy Kofi Annan said on Tuesday. The United States, Germany and other Western powers greeted the news with scepticism, saying they would wait and see what Assad actually did, rather than take his word for it. "We will judge Assad's sincerity and seriousness by what he does, not by what he says," said U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, calling on him to order his forces to start withdrawing from populated areas. Annan, who represents the United Nations and the Arab League, said getting Assad's agreement in principle to his six-point peace framework was an important first step but implementing it "is going to be a long difficult task." Damascus on Wednesday rejected in advance any initiative relating to Syria by an Arab League summit in Baghdad, according to the Lebanese TV channel al-Manar. "Syria will not deal with any initiatives issued by the Arab League on the Syria situation that is issued at the Baghdad summit," a Syrian official was quoted as saying. Annan's plan calls for the withdrawal of heavy weapons and troops from population centres, for humanitarian assistance to be allowed in unimpeded, for the release of prisoners, freedom of movement and access for journalists to go in and out. — Reuters
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Nuclear talks with world powers on April 13: Iran Tehran, March 28 “Turkey has announced its readiness to host the talks, and my personal priority is Istanbul,” he added. The talks carry hopes of defusing a tense international showdown over Iran’s nuclear activities that has sent oil prices soaring. Israel has brandished the threat of possible military action against Iran’s nuclear sites, while the United States has put its energies into sanctions and diplomacy but has not ruled out the military option. Salehi made his announcement as he welcomed Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Tehran for a two-day visit focusing on Iran’s nuclear programme and bilateral ties. On Erdogan’s arrival, Salehi told the official Islamic Republic News Agency that the next round of the talks between Iran and the so-called P5+1 group comprising the United States, Russia, France, Britain, China and Germany would take place on April 13. In Brussels, a European diplomat confirmed that the next round of negotiations would start on April 13 but that a location had not yet been agreed. — AFP
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Burglars target NRI gold in Britain London, March 28 The latest spate of burglaries for gold has been reported in Leicester, which has a large population of Indian origin. The police says that only items of gold jewellery were stolen during the burglaries in Spinney Hills, Highfields and Evington. Reports of houses belonging to the Asian community being burgled have prompted the police and local councillors to launch special awareness campaign in various towns across Britain, such as Birmingham, Slough, Ealing, Reading and Bradford. Leicester-based police official Alan Cook said: “Asian gold is generally of a higher purity than other gold and is attractive to thieves.” Sergeant Dan Eveleigh, of Spinney Hill Park police station, said: “We are seeing an increasing number of house burglaries in this area and are concerned about the number of occasions when Asian gold jewellery is being stolen.” Amidst the spate of burglaries, the police has issued crime prevention advice that urges members of the community not to keep gold items at home, among other measures. — PTI
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Mali junta bans self from planned vote Bamako, March 28 The charter, which did not specify when the elections would be held, came hours after Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS) threatened sanctions and the use of military force to reverse last week’s coup that ousted President Amadou Toumani Toure. “Anyone who was a member of the government cannot be a candidate in the elections,” the new constitution, read out on state television, said of the junta, known as the National Committee for the Return of Democracy and the Restoration of the State. It added that civilians would be offered 15 out of 41 posts in a new transitional authority intended to prepare the path for elections. Capt Amadou Sanogo, a US-trained soldier who led the coup, will appoint an interim prime minister and government. The new constitution guarantees the right to demonstrate or go on strike and grants immunity from prosecution for leaders of a coup in which rights groups say three people have been killed. — Reuters
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Coup leader trained with US military
Washington: Mali’s coup leader, Captain Amadou Sanogo, attended at least five training courses with the American military since 1998, the Pentagon confirmed on Wednesday.
While releasing details of the training, spokeswoman Major Monica Matoush told AFP that instruction for foreign soldiers stresses democratic rule and “the actions of the mutineers run contrary to everything that is taught in US military schools.” Sanogo has made no secret of his American training and has been seen wearing a US Marine Corps pin. Sanogo attended one Marine Corps class, the staff noncommissioned officer academy career course in Quantico, Virginia in 2003, officials said. — AFP
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Top US commanders meet Pak Army chief Kayani Islamabad/Washington, Mar 28 The meeting between Pakistan Army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and the top US commander in the region, Gen James Mattis, and the top commander in Afghanistan, Gen John Allen took place in Islamabad, a day after President Barack Obama met Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani in Seoul during a nuclear summit. "The focus of the meeting was to discuss the US Pakistani military relationship," Pentagon Press Secretary, George Little, told reporters in Washington. "We are hopeful that ground supplies routes would open in the near future, which is important to our effort in Afghanistan," he said. Though this is the first visit to Islamabad by a senior US military official since November 26 incident, but there has been high level contacts between the military officials of the two countries, he said. "We believe that the relationship with Pakistan is very important," Little said adding that these meetings are reflections of American efforts in this regard. As the Parliamentary review continues, Little said the US is open to dialogue with Pakistan in reopening of the supply routes. — PTI
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against opposition strongholds today despite President Bashar al-Assad's acceptance of a peace plan calling for the army to withdraw to its barracks, activists said.
Mali’s coup leaders announced a new constitution, including a pledge to allow elections in which they would be barred from standing, even as several thousand supporters rallied in the streets of the capital Bamako on Wednesday.
