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Lanka peace talks likely to Sept: Minister
New Delhi, Aug 8 (ANI): Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Tyronne Fernando said on Thursday that much-delayed peace talks with Tamil Tiger rebels could take place as early as September. Fernando, however, said the peace process could be delayed if early national elections were called because of political differences between Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and President Chandrika Kumaratunga. "With the Norwegian facilitation a date will be fixed for talks in Thailand. That will most probably be in September or soon thereafter," Fernando, in New Delhi for talks with his counterpart, told a news conference. The Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, who have been fighting for a separate state since 1983, have observed a Norwegian-brokered truce since February. But no date has been set for face-to-face talks, which are expected to take place in Thailand and were initially set for May. Wickremesinghe and his political rival Kumaratunga, who controls the military and has authority to dismiss the government, are locked in a battle. The Prime Minister wants Kumaratunga to cede some powers and, if she refuses, has threatened to seek early elections. Kumaratunga has accused Wickremesinghe of conceding too much to the rebels and moving too fast to clinch a settlement to the conflict that has cost 64,000 lives. The foreign minister also reiterated Colombo's position that there would be no "giving in" on the rebel demand for a separate state. "One of the conditions on which we will not agree or one matter on which there will be no giving in is a separate state that is very very clear. That is not negotiable. But anything short of a separate state we are preprared to have an open mind on it, but it must emerge from Thailand," said Fernando. Fernando said elections at this stage would stall the peace process and any such move will be the last resort. "Elections will hinder the peace process, we hope that it will not come to that. Fresh elections have been proposed only as a matter of last resort, that is, if relations do not improve. As I said I am very confident that these things can be ironed out and that the peace process will stay on course," said Fernando. Fernando said the "only hurdle" to peace talks was the full implementation of a ceasefire accord signed with the Tamil Tiger rebels. More than 64,000 people have been killed in the bloody ethnic war and some 800,000 displaced within the island. The peace talks will be the first face-to-face meeting between the two sides in seven years.(ANI) Seven Jaish militants gunned down, infiltration bid foiled
Mendhar (J-K), Aug 8 (ANI): Security forces said they foiled on Thursday (August 8) an infiltration bid and gunned down seven militants belonging to the Jaish-e-Mohammad in Mendhar sector in troubled Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad is one of the groups blamed by New Delhi for the December 13 suicide attack on Parliament. The encounter took place at Hohara Gali near Manjkote area of Mendhar. An army officer said security personnel laid a trap following specific information regarding presence of fifteen terrorists in the Manjkote area. Major General Randhir Singh said the slain militants were trying to sneak into the India territory with the aid of Pakistani army. "This is a group of seven militants of Jaish-e-Mohammad and most likely they have come from Kotli. They stayed in Dholgaon and then with the help of Pakistan army they were trying to sneak into Mendhar in our territory," said Singh. Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba were banned by Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf after his January 12 landmark speech. Jaish was floated by Maulana Masood Azhar, one of the militants released by India in exchange for hostages aboard an Indian Airlines flight hijacked in 1999. Singh said a substantial cache of arms and ammunition comprising AK-47 rifles, magazines and wireless sets were recovered from the site of the encounter. "The situation is bad in the interior areas. So it is very likely that this group had basically come into the territory to supply arms and ammunition to their associates in the valley because we have recovered mainly radio sets from them," added Singh. Singh said Pakistani army has been trying to vacate militant training camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir due to an impending visit by an international team. "Right now the training camps have been shut but we know that they have kept Mohajirs (Refugees) in training camps and these terrorists have been stationed in nearby villages and jungles," said Singh. Indian demands dismantling of militant training camps in Pakistan- occupied Kashmir as a prerequisite for dialogue to resolve the vexed Kashmir issue.(ANI) Packages for drought-hit Ludhiana farmers
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to top Ludhiana, Aug 8 (ANI): Better sense seems to prevail in the government corridors with the latest decision on drought situation finally confirming that the fifty percent crop damage parameter for declaring drought may not be the sole deciding factor for assessing drought conditions in the state. This happened during a meeting of all DCs in the state which was chaired by the Financial Commissioner, Revenue , Bhagat Singh. The DCs were told that now there would be five parameters to look for while assessing the crop damage . Bhagat Singh said, "Crop security and drought assessment were the issues discussed. For crop security, we would consider the sarpanj and zamindars' opinion and they would be given due authority so that no one is expoited." The FCR also added that the districts would be assessing the damage on the basis of the rainfall received, the yield of the standing crop, the ploughed up and unsown land, the level of water table and finally the expenditure being incurred on running tubewells. Considering the suffering of the farmers, Bhagat Singh said, "They should be able to handle two expenses - first is to prevent the crops from rotting and second, to save the crops during a drought. We have decided to take this up as well." The state has released a small grant ranging between 10 and 2 lakh rupees to different districts depending on their size. This year rainfall has fallen back by 52 per cent as compared to normal rainfall. Talking about funds for the relief, he said, "There are 2-3 lahks left from last year's package. For the current year, which is 2002-2003, the money hasn't reached but has been sanctioned. It will reach in a few days." It may be recalled that the Punjab CM, before leaving the state, had said that drought cannot be declared in the state unless fifty percent of the state suffered from it. The statement had invited a lot of flak and so, this meeting was given a warm welcome.(ANI)
Constant vigil on border: Air Chief Go to top Bangalore, Aug 8 (ANI): It is red alert for the Indian forces. Air Chief Marshal S. Krishnaswamy today said that an eyeball-to- eyeball situation is continuing at the borders but the forces are ready to face any eventualities. The Air Chief Marshal was in Bangalore to inaugurate the two-day Station Commanders Conference at Indian Air Force Training Command. Talking to the media Krishnaswamy said, " an eyeball-to-eyeball situation is still continuing at the border. It has been so traditionally but our eyes never shut. I think this will continue for sometime longer." "We are operationally deployed at the front. There has not been much change since the past six months. We are maintaining a constant vigil," he added. The Air Chief Marshal also spoke on the Advanced Jet Trainers (AJT). He told the media that the deal for the purcahse of the British Hawks has been finalised and the air force is now waiting for a final decision from the government. Krishnaswamy also told the media that the second joint exercise with the US Air Force would take place in Alaska sometime in October this year and the preparations were on for the same. In fact the first joint exercise took place in Agra some months back and this second in Alaska would boost the defence ties with US air force. "About the AJT's we are expecting the government to announce its decision any time. The negotiations for it are practically complete but the final decision rests with the governement. We are planning a joint Indo-US exercise also and will hold it some time next year," said Krishnaswamy. Krishnaswamy also said the New Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) built by Hindustan Aeronautical Limited (HAL) were performing well and the air force would buy more of them.(ANI)
Parliament adjounned for fourth day amid uproar
Go to top New Delhi, Aug 8 (ANI): In a repeat show of anger over the petrol pump allotment scam for the fourth consecutive day, the Opposition on Thursday once again demanded the resignation of Petroleum Minister Ram Naik and forced, amidst uproarious scenes, the adjournment of both Houses of Parliament. Opposition MPs, not satisfied with the cancellation of licenses of more than 3,000 petrol stations and cooking gas outlets trooped into the well raising anti-government slogans and sticking to their demand for an investigation. Said the Congress party leader Priya Ranjan Das Munshi: "If the government has any courage, let them appoint immediately an investigation through CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) seeking all the documents and putting behind the bar anyone found guilty of corrupt practices. We throw the challenge to the government. He added vehemently: "If government cannot accept this challenge, it will appear that Manmohan Singh's recommendation for a veto might have been rejected and maybe Advaniji's (Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani) recommendation to protect the BJP party has been honoured shamelessly, violating all the rules and norms and therefore we demanded it. Till Ram Naik does not resign and the office does not hand over the documents to CBI and to inquiry by a sitting judge of Supreme Court, our battle will continue." On Wednesday, in a tactical move to tone down the Opposition's rhetoric, the Central government disclosed the names of some of Opposition party leaders who influenced the process of allotment. But the Opposition said the government, instead of disclosing the names to the press, should have presented them during a probe. However, the Treasury bench argued that by disrupting the proceedings, Opposition is shying away from a discussion on various crucial issues. "The Congress," said senior BJP leader V.K. Malhotra, "want to keep with themselves the petrol pumps they have. When we have cancelled these, they are creating a furore in the Parliament and stopping its proceedings. There are so many issues to be discussed in the Parliament, the Amarnath pilgrimage, the drought situation and over 50 such issuues that the Lower House must discuss, such as national security and electoral reforms and foreign policy. All of these are on the agenda. But they are not letting us talk about these. They have become stubborn on one issue and the way they are halting the proceedings of Parliament is fascist and irresponsible." (ANI)
Benazir wave in Pakistan
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to top London, Aug 8 (ANI): There is Benazir wave in Pakistan as people want her to come back and lead the country again, according to Wajid Shamsul Hassan, former High Commissioner to Britain. Fearing her homecoming, he said in an interview with the BBC Musharraf is coming up every day with new laws and new restrictions blocking her return. In view of all these regulations, the People's Party leadership met in London recently and they decided that they have to find a way to counter anti-PPP laws. He said since Benazir was not being allowed to contest elections the party has decided to from a new wing for contesting the elections. He said Benazir is going to challenge all these regulations in the court of law. "If Pakistan People's Party gets majority in the National Assembly, obviously it will overrule all Musharraf's introduced laws and restrictions on her and it will pave the way for Benazir's coming to power again," he added. "Benazir is going to support Fahim and the new group. "I think it will have much chances and I am sure there is rising support for Benazir these days." Answering a question about Benazir 's return to Pakistan, he said, "Yes, she will. She herself has said she will risk arrest and she will defend herself".(ANI) |