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Judge to head Greek interim govt
France, Germany rally behind Greece
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Special to the tribune
Michelle Obama ‘contemplated divorce’ in 2000
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Judge to head Greek interim govt
Athens, May 16 State-controlled Athens News Agency said Council of State president Panagiotis Pikrammenos, the head of Greece’s top administrative court, will be caretaker prime minister and organise the ballot after a May 6 poll failed to produce a government ready to implement in full a tough EU-IMF bailout accord. The country and financial markets had been anxiously awaiting the date of the new polls amid growing fears Greece could be forced out of the eurozone even if most people want to retain the euro for the benefits it brings. The point of contention is the tough austerity measures included in the EU-IMF deal which saw voters desert the main Pasok and New Democracy parties who had supported it in a technocratic government. Fixing an election date at least removes one uncertainty, but a host of problems remain, both for Greece and the wider eurozone. There is no guarantee that the new vote will produce a viable government-Syriza, the main opponent of the EU-IMF deal, is tipped to win-which means more uncertainty over Greece’s future in the single currency club. News that about 700 million euros ($894 million) had been withdrawn from Greek banks on Monday stoked the tensions, with investors fearful that a Greek euro exit would be chaotic for everyone. In a statement late yesterday, Papoulias said the central bank governor had told him that the banks’ “situation was very difficult... there was nothing to panic about but that there were a lot of fears that could turn into panic.” Christian Schulz of Berenberg Bank said the withdrawals suggested that Greeks were “getting increasingly worried about the country’s future in the euro.” On their own they “do not indicate panic quite yet. However, this could change soon, so that the central bank would have to step in to save the banks.” Press reaction today was subdued, reflecting the feeling that while most Greeks want to stay in the eurozone, they cannot live with more austerity. The centre-left daily Ethnos wrote that Greece was heading for “elections in a minefield. The result will determine the country’s future in the eurozone.” Ta Nea, which supports the socialist Pasok party, said Greece was going into the polls “surrounded by uncertainty and fear over the economic collapse of the country.” —
AFP
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France, Germany rally behind Greece Berlin, May 16 The two leaders said last night after their first meeting in Berlin that they both wanted to keep Greece in the 17-nation group. They also offered their support to promote growth in their EU partner and help it to emerge from the present crisis. At the same time, they reminded the Greek politicians that their country has to fulfil its commitments to the EU. “We want Greece to remain in the eurozone and we know that this is the wish of the majority of the Greek people,” Merkel told a joint news conference with Hollande after their one-hour meeting in the chancellory. The meeting was an occasion for the two leaders to get to know each other and to smoothen their relations after Merkel’s open support for former French President Nicolas Sarkozy in the election campaign. Her refusal to receive Hollande during the campaign had also caused some irritations. Hollande said he hoped the Greek people will reaffirm their adherence to the euro zone in the upcoming election. Hollande renewed his criticism of the EU's fiscal pact on budget discipline and said he will press for its renegotiation. During the election campaign, he insisted that he will not accept the fiscal pact in the present form and a component to promote growth and employment must be included. — PTI
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Black box of crashed Russian jet found Jakarta, May 16 The “black box,” found yesterday at the bottom of a 500-metre ravine, was shattered and badly burned, said Tatang Kurniadi, who heads the National Commission on Safety Transportation, adding that the memory module appears to still be readable. It could take up to a week to download the audio, said Mardjono Siswosuwarno, the chief investigator, and it will then have to be translated and transcribed. The Sukhoi Superjet 100, Russia’s first passenger jet model since the fall of the Soviet Union two decades ago, was being demonstrated for potential buyers when it roared into Mount Salak at 800 kph and exploded on April 9. Debris from the twin-engine jet rained down the near-vertical flank of the long-dormant volcano. It took days for search teams to find the black box partly because it was so badly charred and hidden in heavy brush, said Gagah Prakoso, a spokesman for the Search and Rescue agency. He said the flight data recorder, which keeps track of instructions sent to any electronic systems on the aircraft, was still missing.
— AP
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Mitt Romney marches ahead
Los Angeles, May 16 Romney won 73 per cent of the vote in Oregon against 12.2 per cent for Ron Paul, who suspended active campaigning this week, and 5.7 per cent for Newt Gingrich, according to results from nearly two thirds of precincts. In Nebraska the former Massachusetts governor had some 70.9 per cent of votes compared to 9.9 per cent for Paul and 5.2 percent for former House Speaker Gingrich, according to nearly complete results. Even if he won all of Oregon’s 25 delegates and Nebraska’s 32, from a non-binding poll, he would not be able to reach the 1,144 needed to clinch the Republican nomination. Before yesterday’s two latest primaries, which have become mostly academic since the other main candidates dropped out of the race, Romney had 963 delegates, 181 short of the winning tally, CBS reported. Romney has turned his fire onto President Barack Obama, his rival for the White House in November elections, since his main rival conservative Catholic Rick Santorum withdrew from the race in April. — AFP
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Special to the tribune
Finally, the expected and the desirable, from a responsible policy-making point of view, has happened. Given how Pakistan's popular and political-level foreign policy debates have been framed, the development of announcing opening of NATO supply routes and Pakistan's participation in Chicago may in some circles be interpreted as damaging to Pakistan's security interests, undermining nation's pride while also being against the wishes of the "people of Pakistan." As for this being against the wishes of the people, it is important to be clear where the importance of the people lies within the context of foreign and security policy. It lies in creating security and socio-economic conditions, within which the governments can fulfil their constitutional responsibilities towards people. Hence the government should make decisions that promote internal security, economic prosperity, social development and defence and dignity of the country. This is where people’s relevance is the key. Public sentiments cannot dictate decisions on whether NATO supply routes should be shut or open. The government must decide and take responsibility. And in Pakistan, as we know often the people’s sentiments have been part of a circular play. In the past, institutions opposing civilian policies fed their views to a segment of the public, which was then played back as people’s sentiments. That's another long debate for another day. As for the decision to open supply routes will damage or promote Pakistan's interests, three facts are relevant. One that in the immediate context Pakistan’s invitation to the Chicago summit was linked to reopening of supply routes, the publicly stated linkage. Also indications were that Washington was beginning a financial squeeze on Pakistan. While Pakistan’s relevance to Afghanistan’s peace is the greatest compared to other countries, Pakistan cannot ‘go it alone’. We need to be in partnership, on the best negotiated terms possible. Afghanistan’s future will realistically, given the political, security and financial realities, be determined by a four-way engagement - Karzai plus other political groups, the Taliban, Pakistan and the US. So for Pakistan to stay on the margins is unwise and counter-productive since now the Pakistan-US interests converge in Afghanistan. It is for this reason that even PPP arch-adversary, now Imran Khan’s deputy and former Foriegn Minister, was quoted having said: “The President must go to Chicago.” Two, the routes have been opened after the routes factor was leveraged to begin negotiations on the key Pakistan-US-related issues. That is still work-in-progress. For weeks, Pakistan-US negotiations have been ongoing. Currently negotiations on three specific issues are underway - on terms for the use of supply routes, given that the previous terribly low rate of $350 per container will have to substantially be increased; on terms for US guarantee of no Salala-type attacks and negotiation of arrangements ensuring that no unilateral drones strikes in the future. Three, how valid is the criticism of the parliamentary process, which has been gaining ground especially as US pressure began increasing? Many argue that policy-making is an executive function, hence involving Parliament was a wrong idea. Parliament’s involvement on a key foreign policy issue which has been popularised in the last three decades was necessary to get a general consensus. However, that the issue was dragged for so long is a valid criticism. The long drawn out process triggered the law of diminishing returns to some extent; a fact that Pakistan’s ambassador to the US continued to raise with the government. Washington was almost in awe of the process and began recogising its own shortcomings. Apology was available for Pakistan which it refused, agreement to release CSF funds was there which a senior White House official and the Pakistan ambassador jointly announced but the parliamentary process dragged on and talks on the NATO supply routes did not resume. With the deadlock having been broken, when the two Presidents meet in Chicago, Pakistan will have taken a seat at global policy making on Afghanistan and the region. And, provided that seat is wisely ultilised, Pakistan will have also promoted its own security and economic interests - as we are doing in opening up trade along with conflict resolution dialogue with India. Fortunately, as PML-N President Nawaz Sharif repeatedly reiterates there is national consensus on these landmark policy moves.
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Chishti reunites with family after 20 years
Karachi, May 16 Chishti, who spent 20 long years away from home in an Indian jail on the charge of involvement in a murder, was brought out of the Jinnah international airport in a wheelchair, looking frail and weak, but with his spirits high. “I am going straight to my residence where the first thing I want to do is play with my grandchildren,” Chishti, who was wearing a Jinnah cap, told reporters at the airport. “It is a dream come true for me to meet with my wife, my children and relatives again and I am thankful to the Pakistan and Indian governments for giving me this fresh lease of life,” 82-year-old Chishti said. Wiping tears, Chishti’s daughter Tariqa said her father was a tired man and would be taken straight to his residence in North Nazimabad, which had been lighted up to celebrate his return to Karachi. "It is hard to describe our feelings right now. He has comeback home after 20 years. It is a moment my mother, sisters and brother have dreamt for years now as it has been a long fight for us," she said. — PTI
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Michelle Obama ‘contemplated divorce’ in 2000
London, May 16 According to the book, Michelle prepared divorce papers in 2000 following Barack's disastrous attempt to win a House seat in Chicago -- in fact, as she was upset that he ignored her advice not to take on the four-term incumbent Bobby Rush. Their marriage — in its eighth year at the time — was "on the rocks" with Barack so depressed some of his friends feared he was suicidal, author Edward Klein has claimed in his book titled 'The Amateur'. The claims mark the second time the Obamas have faced allegations they were on the verge of divorce after reports in 2010 suggested they were having difficulties, the 'Daily Mail' newspaper reported. — PTI
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Greece will go to the polls for the second time in less than two months on June 17, the country’s state-run news agency said today, as fears grew of more instability over the country’s eurozone future.
As Greece headed for a fresh election after the last attempt to form a government failed in Athens, new French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have voiced their support.
Finally, the expected and the desirable, from a responsible policy-making point of view, has happened. Given how Pakistan's popular and political-level foreign policy debates have been framed, the development of announcing opening of NATO supply routes and Pakistan's participation in Chicago may in some circles be interpreted as damaging to Pakistan's security interests, undermining nation's pride.
Michelle Obama contemplated divorcing Barack Obama in 2000 after he ignored her advice not to run for a House seat in Chicago, making him so "depressed" that friends feared he might commit suicide, says a new book.