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At least 13 dead in Afghan
suicide bombing: officials
KHOST, May 19: A suicide bomber struck at a lunch
gathering of Afghan police and local civilians in
southeast Afghanistan on Saturday killing at least 13
people, three of them policemen, officials said.
The attacker, wearing a suicide vest, walked into a
police checkpost in the troubled district of Alisher in
Khost province and detonated himself, a statement issued
by the provincial governor’s office said.
“Unfortunately as a result of this cruel and inhumane
attack ten civilians including two children and three
policemen were martyred while five policemen and and one
child were injured,” the statement said.
Local district governor Amir Badsha Dawran earlier told
AFP the assailant shot dead a security guard before
making his way into the checkpost.
According to Dawran, the locals in the area were having
regular “friendly”meetings with security forces to
discuss various issues including security in the area.
Taliban insurgents claimed the attack, saying that all
the casualties were Afghan security forces.
Khost is a volatile province which borders the tribal
area of Pakistan, known as a Taliban stronghold and a
base for the Haqqani network.
The Taliban and other militants frequently target Afghan
security forces as part of their campaign to bring down
the western-backed Kabul government.
Civilians however bear the brunt of the decade-long war.
According to the United Nations, civilian deaths from
the Afghan conflict reached a record-high last year,
when 3,021 died in the violence, with the Taliban blamed
for the bulk of the casualties.
There are currently around 130,000 international troops
in Afghanistan, two-thirds of them from the United
States.
But the Afghan police and army are to take on more
responsibility for security as foreign combat troops
withdraw in a process due to be completed by the end of
2014.
DPC announces long-march against
NATO supply line restoration
Islamabad, May 19: The Defence of Pakistan Council (DPC)
Saturday announced to organize a long-march against the
possible restoration of supply line for NATO forces on
May 27. Pakistan had closed its supply routes for NATO
forces in November after a U.S. airstrike killed 24
soldiers. Both countries have been involved in talks for
new terms and condition for restoration of the routes
and officials have indicated reopening of the supply
line in the couple of days. Pakistan Friday allowed the
U.S. diplomatic shipment to cross into Afghanistan, that
had also been stuck up for months. It is believed that
permission to four U.S. trucks to enter Afghanistan is
also an indication for the possible NATO supply line
restoration. The DPC, an amalgamation of dozens of
religio-political groups, will begin long-march from
Karachi on May 27. The participants will march on
Islamabad to mount pressure on the government not to
restore supply line for NATO forces. Islamic groups in
Pakistan oppose transit facility to NATO forces saying
Pakistan should not be part of war in Afghanistan. The
DPC leaders met in Mansoora, headquarters of
Jamaat-e-Islami, in Lahore and announced a protest plan
against the possible NATO supply line restoration. Chief
of the Council, Maulana Samiul Haq, told reporters that
the DPC will also observe a protest day on May 25.
Rallies will be organized on coming Friday in major
cities to oppose transit facility to NATO forces. He
said that central leaders of the DPC will address in
many cities and town during the long-march. A committee,
under JI leader Liaquat Baloch, was formed to decide
about the route for the long-march, he said. Maulana
Samiul Haq said the restoration of NATO supplies is
unacceptable as the U.S. had killed 24 Pakistani
soldiers and has refused to tender apology over the
deaths. He said the U.S. has also refused to stop drone
strikes in the country’s tribal regions despite repeated
demands from the government and people of Pakistan.
Speaking on the occasion, the JI central Ameer, Syed
Munawar Hassan accused the government of adopting
pro-American policies and said the DPC's long-march on
Islamabad will be a clear message to the government botb
to bow before the U.S.
Iran must assure
world over nuke program: G8 Leaders
Camp David,
May 19: The leaders of the G8 industrialized nations
meeting at Camp David on Friday-Saturday agreed that
Iran needed to take concrete steps to prove the claim
that its nuclear program was peaceful, a U.S. official
said.
The onus is on the government in Tehran to disclose more
about its nuclear activities, the G8 leaders agreed at
Friday's opening dinner, hosted by U.S. President Barack
Obama, RIA Novosti reported on Saturday.
The meeting, at Camp David near Washington, comes ahead
of a fresh round of international talks with Iran, to be
held in Baghdad.
The leaders, including France's newly elected President
Francois Hollande and Russian Prime Minister Dmitry
Medvedev, also stressed the need to move rapidly toward
a plan for political transition in Syria, the senior
White House official said.
"Exactly what the nature of the transition is will be
worked through in coming days," the official said.
Medvedev, who is filling in for President Vladimir Putin,
"did not dispute the need for some type of political
process in the country that would be responsive to the
Syrian people," he added.
Putin said he could not attend as he was busy finalizing
his cabinet.
On Friday, French President Hollande said he would put
pressure on Moscow to back new UN Security Council
Russia on Syria.
Russia has vetoed two UN Security Council resolutions on
Syria over what it says is a pro-rebel bias, but gave
its full backing to a UN-backed peace plan in March.
Leaders also said North Korea needed to adhere to
international norms for nuclear matters and that it
would face deepened isolation if it "continues down the
path of provocation"
At the end of the dinner, Obama gave a chocolate
birthday cake to Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda,
whose birthday is on Sunday.
India may ink major defense deals with US next month
New
Delhi, May 19: India is likely to ink a number of arms
deals with the United States when U.S. Defense Secretary
Leon Panetta visits this country early next month, local
media reported.
Though New Delhi is going to sign more arms deals in a
bid to bolster its military cooperation with Washington,
it is still unwilling to ink the foundational military
pacts being pushed by the United States for years, The
Times of India reported.
During his visit in the first week of June, the U.S.
Defense Secretary will hold talks with Indian Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh, Defense Minister A.K. Antony
and National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon among
others, the report said.
"China, Pakistan and Afghanistan will also figure in the
discussions," an unnamed official was quoted as saying.
Two major defense deals which are likely to take place
during Panetta's visit include the acquisition of 145
M-777 ultra-light howitzers from the United States in a
direct government-to- government deal worth 647 million
U.S. dollars under the Foreign Military Sales programme.
The other defense deal include the U.S. aircraft
manufacturer Boeing possibly grabbing from India a 1.4
billion U.S. dollars contract to supply 22 missile-armed
helicopter gunships for its Air Force, the newspaper
said.
Russia says action on
Syria, Iran may go nuclear
MOSCOW,
May 18: Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev
warned on Thursday that military action against
sovereign states could lead to a regional nuclear war,
starkly voicing Moscow’s opposition to Western
intervention ahead of a G8 summit at which Syria and
Iran will be discussed.
“Hasty military operations in foreign states usually
bring radicals to power,” Medvedev, president for four
years until Vladimir Putin’s inauguration on May 7, told
a conference in St Petersburg in remarks posted on the
government’s website.
“At some point such actions which undermine state
sovereignty may lead to a full-scale regional war, even,
although I do not want to frighten anyone, with the use
of nuclear weapons,” Medvedev said. “Everyone should
bear this in mind.”
Medvedev gave no further explanation. Nuclear-armed
Russia has said publicly that it is under no obligation
to protect Syria if it is attacked, and analysts and
diplomats say Russia would not get involved in military
action if Iran were attacked.
Russia has adamantly urged Western nations not to attack
Iran to neutralise its nuclear programme or intervene
against the Syrian government over bloodshed in which
the United Nations says its forces have killed more than
9,000 people.
Medvedev will represent Russia at the Group of Eight
summit in place of Putin, whose decision to stay away
from the meeting in the United States was seen as
muscle-flexing in the face of the West.
Putin said previously that threats will only encourage
Iran to develop nuclear weapons. Analysts have said that
Medvedev also meant that regional nuclear powers such as
Israel, Pakistan and India could get involved into a
conflict.
As president, Medvedev instructed Russia to abstain in a
UN Security Council vote on a resolution that authorised
Nato intervention in Libya, a decision Putin implicitly
criticised when he likened the resolution to “medieval
calls for crusades”.
Medvedev rebuked Putin for the remark, and some Kremlin
insiders have said the confrontation over Libya was a
factor in Putin’s decision to return to the presidency
this year instead of letting his junior partner seek a
second term.
Russia has since accused Nato of overstepping its
mandate under the resolution to help rebels oust
long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi, and has warned it will
not let anything similar happen in Syria.
Since Putin announced plans last September to seek a
third presidential term and make Medvedev prime
minister, Russia has vetoed two Security Council
resolutions condemning Assad’s government, one of which
would have called on him to cede power.
Russia’s G8 liaison Arkady Dvorkovich said Russia will
try to influence the final version of the G8 statement
at a summit in Camp David this weekend to avoid a
“one-sided” approach that would favour the Syrian
opposition.
“In the G8 final statement we would like to avoid the
recommendations similar to those which were forced upon
during the preparations of the UN Security Council
resolutions,”
Dvorkovich said. “A one-sided signal is not acceptable
for us.”
Russia successfully managed to water down the part of
the statement on Syria at a G8 summit in France in May
2011, removing the calls for action against the regime
of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
“We believe that the United Nations is the main venue to
discussing such issues,” Dvorkovich said.
LAST APPEARANCE
The G8 summit is likely to be the last appearance among
all the leaders of industrialised nations for Medvedev,
who embraced US President Barack Obama’s “reset”,
improving strained ties between the nations.
Dvorkovich said Putin’s absence from the summit, the
first time a Russian president has skipped one, would
not affect the outcome: “All the leaders, I saw their
reaction, are ready to comprehensively work with the
chairman of the government (Medvedev).”
Dvorkovich said that at a bilateral meeting with US
President Barack Obama, Medvedev will raise opposition
to attempts by some US lawmakers to introduce
legislation which will address human rights violations
in Russia.
Such legislation could take a form of the so-called
Sergei Magnitsky bill, named after the Russian lawyer
who died in prison in 2009. The Kremlin human rights
council says he was probably beaten to death.
The bill would require the United States to deny visas
and freeze the assets of Russians or others with links
to his detention and death as well as those who commit
other human rights violations.
“New legislation which will address new political issues
as imagined by some US congressmen or senators is
unacceptable,” Dvorkovich said, promising a retaliation.
US House approves amendment
linking CSF to Nato supplies
WASHINGTON, May 18: US lawmakers in the House of
Representatives debating the National Defence
Authorisation Act voted 412-1 for an amendment that
could block up to $650 million in proposed payments to
Pakistan unless Islamabad lets coalition forces resume
shipment of war supplies across its territory.
The lawmakers were debating an annual defence policy
bill that seeks $642.5 billion in military spending for
the 2013 fiscal year.
The moves came as lawmakers debated more than 140
amendments to the policy bill, which seeks $554 billion
in base defence spending for the 2013 fiscal year
beginning in October and $88.5 billion for the Afghan
war and other overseas operations.
War fatigue
The pressure for an accelerated withdrawal from
Afghanistan came ahead of a two-day Nato summit in
Chicago starting on Sunday where leaders will discuss
the final transition to Afghan security control and the
withdrawal of international forces by the end of 2014.
Democratic lawmakers tried to add language to the bill
urging Obama to complete an accelerated handover of
security to Afghan forces by the end of 2013 and to
remove US troops by the end of 2014 — aims consistent
with administration planning.
But Republican leaders, who last year narrowly defeated
an effort to force Obama to begin planning for
withdrawal from Afghanistan, blocked discussion of the
Democratic amendment. Instead, they allowed debate on
one that called for immediate withdrawal. The measure
had little chance of passing and was ultimately
defeated.
Lawmakers nearly unanimously endorsed an amendment that
would block payment of some $650 million in proposed
Coalition Support Funds for Pakistan as long as its
borders remain closed to shipments of supplies for
international forces.
Islamabad closed the frontier to Nato supply convoys
after an air strike in November killed 24 Pakistani
soldiers. A US official said on Wednesday the two sides
were on the verge of clinching a deal to reopen the
supply lines.
India
clears Turkmenistan gas deal
NEW DELHI, May 17: The Indian
government has approved a deal to buy natural gas from
Turkmenistan via a $7.6 billion pipeline passing through
Afghanistan and Pakistan, reports said on Thursday.
The cabinet approved the signing of the Gas Sale and
Purchase Agreement as well as the payment of a transit
fee to Afghanistan and Pakistan for allowing the
pipeline to pass through their territory, the Press
Trust of India reported.
The 1,735-kilometre (1,078-mile) pipeline is likely to
be operational by 2016, the news agency said, quoting a
government official.
The announcement comes after New Delhi said this week it
would cut purchases of Iranian oil by 11 percent
following US pressure to isolate the Islamic republic
over its disputed nuclear programme.
Washington favours the Turkmenistan pipeline and has
pressured both India and Pakistan to hold off on a
pipeline deal with Tehran.
Energy-scarce India, which imports four-fifths of its
crude, says it shares the US anti-nuclear proliferation
goals but it views Iran as an important source of oil to
feed its economy's fast-growing needs.
Iran
vows never to renounce nuclear ‘rights’
TEHRAN, May
17: Iran rejects Western pressures over its nuclear
activities and will never give up its rights, Tehran’s
chief nuclear negotiator said Thursday ahead of crunch
talks with world powers in Baghdad next week.
“If we participate in the negotiations… it is because of
our resistance (to Western powers). Thanks to our
resistance, we have defended the rights of the Iranian
people,” Saeed Jalili said in a speech broadcast on
local television.
“The Iranian people will never give up even an iota of
their rights,”Jalili added, in reference to the Islamic
republic’s nuclear drive which the West suspects is
masking a weapons programme. Tehran vehemently denies
the charge.
After a 15 month hiatus, Iran and the P5+1 powers —
Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States
plus Germany — held their first talks in Istanbul in
mid-April, which were described as “positive.”The
parties agreed to more in-depth discussions in Baghdad
on May 23.
“I advise Western officials against making calculated
mistakes. In Baghdad, we can negotiate for cooperation
on the basis of respect for Iran’s undeniable rights,”
Jalili said.
“The path chosen by our country is a path of no return.
The (West) would like to block Iran’s progress in the
nuclear domain, but they have failed. Iran today has
become a nuclear power,” he added.
“To those who say that time is running out for dialogue,
I reply: What is running out is the policy of pressuring
Iran, because this strategy has not yielded the results”
expected by world powers.
The United States and the European Union have tightened
economic sanctions on Iran, imposing tough restrictions
on its vital oil industry, to pressure it over its
disputed uranium enrichment programme.
US President Barack Obama warned Iran in March that time
was running out to resolve the standoff through
diplomacy.
But Jalili was defiant on Thursday, insisting that
sanctions and international pressure were not affecting
Iran’s determination.
“Those who think they can pressure Iran with these
sanctions are wrong… because the sanctions have allowed
us to make progress,” he said.
He argued that the conditions imposed on Iran at talks
in Geneva in 2009 for the delivery of uranium enriched
to 20 percent for its Tehran research reactor had in
fact forced it to produce the nuclear fuel itself.
“We told them: ‘If you do not give us the fuel, we will
produce it ourselves.’ I will never forget the smiles
from certain members of the P5+1.
“But in less than two years we produced the fuel, and we
are using it today.” Iran currently enriches uranium to
3.5 percent and to 20 percent. The former it says is to
power its Bushehr nuclear electricity plant and the
latter it says is to generate medical isotopes in its
Tehran research reactor.
Uranium has to be enriched to 90 per cent or above for
use in an atomic bomb. Several Iranian officials have in
recent weeks hinted that Tehran may under certain
conditions suspend its drive of enriching uranium to the
20 per cent level.
Tehran says it wants international acceptance of its
right to peaceful nuclear activities, for sanctions to
be lifted and for the threat of US and Israeli military
action to disappear.
US sees deal near,
Pakistan haggling over money
WASHINGTON,
May 17: The United States and Pakistan on Wednesday
raced to conclude a deal to reopen key supply routes for
the Afghanistan war before next week’s Nato summit, with
Washington hopeful of an imminent deal but Islamabad
insisting that the US pay more to repair relations and
end the blockade.
Both sides said negotiations continued in Islamabad, a
day after Nato invited Pakistan’s president to the
Chicago summit in the strongest sign yet that the wary
US ally was ready to reopen its western border to
American and allied military supplies heading to
neighboring Afghanistan.
Pakistan closed the routes after American airstrikes in
November that killed 24 Pakistani troops on the Afghan
border. Since then, supplies have taken a far more
expensive route through eastern Europe and Asia.
”We have had some progress,” State Department
spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said.
”While the Pakistani political leadership hasn’t yet
authorised the reopening of the ground transportation
routes, we understand that they did endorse the
conclusion of the negotiations.”
Nuland declined to describe what details remained to be
worked out, but American officials had previously spoken
of lingering differences over security arrangements,
customs fees and other taxes that would be paid to
Islamabad for hosting the routes and guaranteeing safe
passage.
But those issues appeared to have been largely ironed
out by Wednesday, according to an American official, who
said a final deal hinged only on the two sides
formalizing a written memorandum of understanding.
The agreement should be concluded by Friday, said the
official, speaking on condition of anonymity because of
the sensitivity of negotiations.
Nuland told reporters, ”If we can get it done by
Chicago, that will send a powerful signal of support
from Pakistan to Afghanistan” and the international
mission there. The Nato summit begins Sunday in Chicago.
But a Pakistani official offered a different assessment,
saying the two sides remained at loggerheads over money.
The gap in their estimations of how much money Islamabad
should be paid remained ”huge” Wednesday, according to
the official, who also asked for anonymity because the
talks were continuing late Wednesday.
The official couldn’t cite any figures. ”It is a
problem,” the official conceded, ”but we are trying to
resolve it.” The official added that questions linked to
security or customs procedures were secondary and were
easily solvable after a financial agreement but said it
was unclear when the memorandum could be finalised.
Haggling by Pakistan could reflect a last-ditch effort
to get a higher price, or the widespread distrust of the
United States back home and the difficult internal
politics involved in securing a national consensus to
reopen the routes.
Washington and Islamabad have suffered a debilitating
year for their already strained relations. November’s
airstrikes were preceded by a CIA contractor’s killing
of two Pakistanis and the unilateral US raid on Osama
bin Laden’s Pakistani compound. And tensions are
compounded by the US suspicion that Pakistan supports
the Taliban, making the Afghanistan war unwinnable.
Still, a picture of rapprochement seemed clearer
Tuesday, when Nato invited President Asif Ali Zardari to
its upcoming gathering and Pakistani diplomats said he
was likely to attend. The summit will focus on the war
in Afghanistan and Pakistan is seen as a key player in
any political reconciliation between the Afghan
government and the Taliban.
The US has expressed regret for the airstrikes and
quietly pressed Pakistan to reopen the routes over the
last two weeks. Washington and Nato stepped up the
efforts in recent days, and a series of Pakistani
statements suggested the supply line blockade would soon
be lifted.
By keeping the routes closed, Pakistan’s teetering
economy risks missing out on millions of dollars in
international development and loans, as well military
aid. It could also be excluded from discussions on
Afghanistan’s future.
The blockade forced Nato to reorient its logistics chain
to more expensive routes across Russia and Central Asia.
The Pakistani routes will be more important in coming
months as Nato begins to pull out of Afghanistan, with a
2014 deadline for the withdrawal of all foreign combat
troops.
Seven killed, 12 wounded in Afghan suicide attack
KABUL, May 17: Seven people were killed and 12 others
wounded in a suicide attack on the governor’s compound
in Afghanistan’s western Farah province on Thursday,
police said.
“Seven people—six policemen and one civilian—were killed
and 12 others were wounded, including nine civilians and
three police,” regional police spokesman Abdul Raouf
Ahmadi said.
The four attackers also died, he said.
Two of the attackers detonated their suicide vests and
the other two were shot dead by police, said interior
ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi.
In a similar attack on the governor’s office in Paktika
province in south-eastern Afghanistan a week ago, four
people were killed and five wounded by a group of six
suicide bombers wearing police uniforms.
Taliban insurgents seeking to topple the government of
President Hamid Karzai claimed responsibility for that
attack.
The attacks come in the wake of the Taliban announcing
their spring offensive earlier this month, a campaign of
bombings and attacks, which picks up every year as
weather conditions improve.
NATO supply restoration
in Pakistan interest: FM Khar
ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister,
Hina Rabbani Khar on Wednesday said in categorical terms
that reopening NATO supplies was in the interest of
Pakistan, adding objections raised by the opposition
carried no weight, Geo News reported.
"The restoration of NATO supplies will be strictly in
accordance with the resolution adopted by the
Parliament," she said while talking to senior anchor
Hamid Mir in Geo News programme 'Capital Talk'.
She said the issue of NATO supplies was not only related
to Pakistan and US but it was also linked to ties with
50 more nations. "Pakistan wants an apology from America
on Salala incident," the FM added.
On President Zardari being invited to Chicago Summit,
Hina Rabbani Khar said the invite had no strings
attached to it and that it held significance for
Pakistan.
"Restoration of NATO supplies is in the interest of
Pakistan. There is no hidden agreement behind the
reopening of NATO routes. It will be done in accordance
with the Parliamentary resolution," she clarified. She
said Pakistan would receive one billion dollars in
Coalition Support Fund (CSF).Hina Rabbani further said
that Pakistan's relations with Afghanistan held much
more importance than with any other country and that the
government and Pak Army stood hand in hand.
NATO air strike
kills nine insurgents in Paktia
Kabul, May 16: Nine insurgents involved
in planting an improvised explosive device (IED) were
killed by Afghan National Security (ANSF) and NATO
forces during an operation in Jaji district in Paktiya
province. The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF)
confirmed in a statement that the nine insurgents were
killed and their remains handed over to local
authorities. The exact date of the strike was not
mentioned. The insurgents were armed and were observed
by partnered forces implanting an improvised explosive
device. They engaged NATO forces with direct fire. “ANSF
and NATO Forces responded, killing all observed hostile
suspects. No ANSF or ISAF forces were harmed in the
operation,” added the statement. The engagement is part
of a larger operation launched by ANSF two days ago to
destroy Taliban hideouts in the district. Azad Khan,
Governor of Jaji district, said that the operation would
continue until the area was free from Taliban threats.
Islamabad gets
Chicago invitation
ISLAMABAD, May 16: Nato on Tuesday
invited Pakistan to key talks on the future of
Afghanistan in Chicago next week as Islamabad signalled
it was about to end a nearly six-month blockade on
supply routes.
Nato Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen telephoned
President Asif Ali Zardari Tuesday afternoon and invited
him to the May 20-21 summit, said presidential
spokesperson Senator Farhatullah Babar.
Babar said the invitation by Rasmussen for the summit
was unconditional and not linked to the opening of
ground lines for Nato or to any other issue. The
president informed the Nato Secretary General that he
would consider the invitation in the light of the
guidelines of the parliament and the advice of the
government, he said. The president said that a decision
on the invitation would be communicated to Nato later.
Agencies add: “Allies decided to invite President (Asif
Ali) Zardari of Pakistan to Chicago to the meeting on
Afghanistan, which will include Isaf contributor
nations, as well as Japan, Russia, other countries from
the region and international organisations,” Nato
spokeswoman Oana Lungescu said in a statement.
Oana said Pakistan had ‘an important role’ to play in
the future of Afghanistan, which will be the focus of
the second day of the summit. “This meeting will
underline the strong commitment of the international
community to the people of Afghanistan and to its
future,” Lungescu said.
Reuters adds: President Zardari will attend a summit of
Nato leaders in Chicago this weekend, the Pakistani
embassy in Washington said on Tuesday.
Nadeem Hotiana, a spokesman for the Pakistani Embassy in
Washington, said Zardari was now planning to attend the
summit, which takes place May 20-21 in President Barack
Obama’s hometown of Chicago.
Cash-strapped
ally swallows its pride
ISLAMABAD, May 15: Pakistan looked set to
reopen Nato supplies as Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani
Khar said on Monday it was time to ‘move on’.
She spoke to press conference after top civil and
military leadership of the country held a crucial
meeting to discuss troubled relations with the US ahead
of a key Nato summit in Chicago on future of
Afghanistan.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf
Raza Gilani jointly chaired the meeting at President
House that was also attended by army chief Gen Ashfaq
Parvez Kayani and ISI DG Lt-Gen Zaheerul Islam, besides
the federal ministers and secretaries.
They discussed regional security situation and reviewed
Pakistan’s relations with the US and Nato in the light
of recommendations framed by a joint sitting of
parliament for resetting the ties, state-run Radio
Pakistan reported.
An official hand out issued by the Presidential
spokesperson did not give sufficient details of this
Aiwan-e-Sadr meeting, but understandably it was held to
finalise and unofficially condone the understandings
reached at the generals and diplomats’ parleys held on
Sunday.
Well-placed sources told The Nation that the high-level
meeting deliberated on a ‘work plan’ and related issues
including the talks underway with the United States on
reopening of Nato’s ground communications and country’s
participation in the Chicago Conference.
Sources aware of movements on this front informed The
Nation that both military and political leadership have
in principle agreed to restore Nato supply routes but
announcement of this decision could take some days owing
to the mounting public outrage against the US, primarily
due to drone attacks inside Pakistan.
On Sunday, Pakistan and US used the Trilateral
Commission forum – primarily meant for managing
Pak-Afghan border and coordinating efforts against the
militants – to discuss their bilateral and regional
issues, particularly the resumption of Nato supplies.
Apart from talks between the Gen Kiyani and Isaf
Commander Gen John Allen, US technical teams remained
busy in talks with their Pakistani counterparts to work
out the nitty-gritty of the potential deal Pakistan and
Nato are struggling to conclude. Pakistan‘s ambassador
Sherry Rehman was also busy with senior officials of the
US State Department to achieve some grounds to move
forward.
At the President House, Prime Minister Gilani gave a
briefing on his discussions with British officials about
the state of relations with the US and Nato, sources
said. Gilani, who eearlier the same day held a separate
meeting with the president, also told the meeting
participants about the assurances he had secured from
the British government in facilitating Pakistan’s
efforts in rebuilding relations with the US as well as
Nato.
Britain is the second largest contributor to the Nato
mission in Afghanistan and is also the prime facilitator
in backdoor diplomacy on the issue of Pakistan’s ties
with US and western military alliance.
Gen Kayani reportedly briefed the meeting on his talks
with Gen John Allen while Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani
Khar gave an update about ongoing talks of technical
groups of the two countries as well as talks of
Ambassador Sherry Rehman with the officials of State
Department.
Some sources in the government suggested that Pakistan
had achieved the desired targets following the Nato
supply suspension and now the government had secured
some concrete assurances from United States and Isaf
that Salala-like incidents would not take place in
future.
As per the conditions agreed with the US and Nato,
strict inspection of Nato containers would be made
mandatory both at entry and exit points in Pakistan
while the levy on the Nato containers would be enhanced
to a considerable level. It would also be made mandatory
that Nato would also pay considerable sum in the head of
roads repair to be used by the Nato containers.
Some sources said, the President House meeting left the
crucial decision of reopening of Nato supplies to the
Defence Committee of the Cabinet (DCC) which would meet
today (Tuesday) to discuss overall revisit of relations
with US and resumption of Nato supply routes in the
light of the parliamentary recommendations.
Some other sources said that no formal announcement on
Nato supplies is expected after the DCC meeting due to
the public pressure and the United States would likely
come up with some concrete steps to pacify the public
sentiment and face-saving to Pakistani authorities.
However, another source privy to talks told The Nation,
“A decision on reopening of Nato supplies will be taken
within a week.”
Sources in the government said the DCC would also take
into consideration the public sentiments against the
resumption of Nato supplies and devise ways and means to
dilute the simmering pressure against the move.
During an interaction with reporters on the sidelines of
an official function on Monday, Gilani said Pakistan
wants to settle all issues with the US and Nato ‘once
and for all’. He however repeated his government’s line
that issue of reopening Nato supply routes will be
resolved in the light of parliamentary recommendations.
But the prime minister maintained the Nato supplies
issue was a matter of relations with not just one
country but 48 countries, adding that Pakistan seeks
better ties with the entire world including neighbouring
countries.
This clearly indicated his government’s craving for
normalising things so the much-needed US funds could
flow in before his cash-starved administration presents
annul budget ahead of the general elections.
Pak Army, which heavily relies on American weaponry and
military machines, and is caught in an unending fight
with the militants, too would want to restore US ties as
soon as possible.
The strongest sign yet that Pakistan was ready to reopen
Nato supply routes however came from Foreign Minister
Hina Rabbani Khar who said it was time to ‘move on’ and
repair relations with the United States and Nato.
“It was important to make a point, Pakistan has made a
point and we now need to move on and go into a positive
zone and try to conduct our relations,” Hina told a news
conference on Monday after the Big Three’s meeting at
President House. “We are trying to put this
relationship, you know, in a positive zone and I am
quite sure that we will be successful in doing so.”
Pakistani and US officials spent the weekend locked in
talks on reaching an understanding to govern fees,
logistics and other obligations should trucks again
carry Nato supplies through Pakistan. The supply line
negotiating team arrived in the country with US special
envoy Marc Grossman, who visited in April, and stayed on
after he left, officials said.
Pakistan’s top civil and military leadership will hold
two more important meetings this week. The Defence
Committee of the Cabinet, the highest decision-making
body on security issues will meet today (Tuesday) while
a meeting of the federal cabinet will be chaired by
Gilani tomorrow.
Pakistan’s parliament has demanded an end to US drone
strikes on Pakistani soil, but American officials
consider the attacks a vital weapon in the war on al-Qaeda.
Islamabad reiterated Monday that it would still like an
apology for the November air strikes with the foreign
minister saying it was “on the table”.
Information minister Qamar Zaman Kaira was reported as
saying a decision on Nato supplies would be made within
days. “There are a lot of sensitivities,” he told
reporters. “How we can share things with you that are
under discussion? We will share it in the next three to
four days.”
EU slams Israel over settlements,
Palestinians
BRUSSELS, May 15: EU foreign ministers on
Monday issued a harsh critique of Israel, saying the
gathering pace of settlement-building, settler extremism
and ill-treatment of Palestinians threatens a two-state
solution.
“The EU expresses deep concern about developments on the
ground which threaten to make a two-state solution
impossible,” the bloc’s 27 ministers said in a statement
issued during talks in Brussels.
“The viability of a two-state solution must be
maintained,” the three-page European Union statement
added.
Reiterating that settlements on occupied land are
illegal under international law, the ministers notably
condemned “the marked acceleration” of settlement
building since the end of a 2010 moratorium and
expressed “deep concern” over settler extremism in the
West Bank.
They also voiced concern over evictions and the
demolition of Palestinian homes in annexed E. Jerusalem
“and the prevention of peaceful Palestinian cultural,
economic, social or political activities”. Turning to
the so-called Area C zone of the occupied WB, where
Israel has full civil and security control, the
statement noted “the worsening living conditions” of the
Palestinian population in general.
The ministers’ stand came on the heels of a damaging
report by NGOs this weekend alleging that Israel last
year demolished dozens of Palestinian homes, water
cisterns and farm buildings built with European funds.
In Area C, Israel has placed “serious limitations” on
the Palestinian Authority’s ability to promote economic
development, the statement said.
Saying the future of Area C was critical to a future
Palestinian state because this was its main land
reserve, the EU urged Israel to halt demolitions and
simplify the granting of building permits. “The EU will
continue to provide financial assistance for Palestinian
development in Area C and expects such investment to be
protected for future use,” the statement said. But
Israel’s foreign ministry said the EU position included
“a long list of claims and criticism which are based on
a partial, biased and one-sided depiction of realities
on the ground”.
Meanwhile, Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike have
agreed a deal with Israel to end their fast in exchange
for an easing of their conditions, Palestinian and
Israeli officials said on Monday.
“All of the factions signed an agreement to end the
strike,” Qadura Fares, head of the Palestinian Prisoners
Club told AFP after several hours of negotiations
between prison officials and the senior detainees at
Ashkelon jail. Israel Prisons Service spokeswoman Sivan
Weizman confirmed an agreement had been reached, but
said it applied to “the security prisoners who have been
on strike for 28 days.”
The agreement, she said, was reached “following
understandings formulated in recent days.” Most of the
1,550 prisoners on hunger strike have been fasting for
up to 28 days to demand an improvement in their
conditions, but another seven prisoners have been
refusing food for between 53 and 76 days.
NATO supply is
an issue of ties with 48 countries: Gilani
Islamabad, May 14: Prime Minister Syed
Yousuf Raza Gilani on Monday said the relations with
NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) are
significant as their magnitude stretch upto 48
countries. “This is not a matter of one, but 48
countries,” Gilani said while speaking to the Chinese
media after addressing the visiting 100-member youth
delegation from China at Prime Minister House here in
Islamabad. The Prime Minister said Pakistan wants good
relations with the entire international community
including its neighbouring countries. He said the issue
of NATO supply-line would be resolved in light of
parliamentary recommendations, adding that Pakistan
wanted to settle issues with NATO and the US
permanently. It should be mentioned here that Pakistan
closed down supply routes for the NATO forces after the
US attack on Salala check post of the Pakistan Army in
Mohmand by on November 25. The attack left dead at least
24 Pakistani soldiers.
Earlier, the PM Gilani called upon President Asif Ali
Zardari and apprised him of the details about his visit
to Britain. The two leaders discussed the potential
restoration of NATO supply routes for the NATO forces
stationed in Afghanistan. They also gave thought to the
overall political situation in the country.
India may move
troops to peacetime locations
ISLAMABAD, May 14, The
Express Tribune reports: The Indian government is
likely to pull back troops from wartime positions,
deployed at the working boundary with Pakistan after the
2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks.
Troop withdrawal to peacetime positions is among the
first substantial overtures since India and Pakistan
resumed peace talks following the terror strike in 2008
that had almost triggered a full-scale war.
Military and diplomatic officials told The Express
Tribune on Sunday that the two nuclear-armed nations
had reached an understanding on this during last month’s
visit to New Delhi by President Asif Ali Zardari.
A formal announcement in this regard, they added, was
likely when the Indian premier visits Islamabad possibly
during the later half of this year. “It is going to
happen in September or October,” one of them remarked.
Political figures privy to the president’s daylong visit
to India on April 8 said the major development was a
result of backdoor channels, which had been active
between the two countries for the past couple of years.
Officials said that in July 2008, the Indian government
had immediately mobilized troops to take wartime
positions at the working boundary with Pakistan
immediately after terrorists launched commando-style
attacks in the heart of Indian commercial capital of
Mumbai. The term working boundary relates to disputed
border particularly
in Kashmir.
New Delhi blamed the attacks on Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), a
group based in Pakistan. More than 160 people, including
foreigners, were killed in the strikes at multiple
locations across the port city.
According to experts, in wartime scenario, regular army
starts manning border instead of special-forces meant
for protecting boundaries. India has Border Security
Forces and Pakistan has rangers for this purpose.
Officials said Pakistan responded to Indian move in 2008
by sending troops to concentration areas—forward
basis—along with the working boundary at Sialkot and
some other locations.
A senior military official said that though troops were
mobilised by India, there wasn’t any serious tension at
the border like in 2002 after an attack on Indian
parliament also blamed on a group based in Pakistan.
“There has never been an alert. Neither on our side nor
on the other,” said the military official.
Defence experts argue the move will provide Pakistan a
space to deploy more troops in the north of the country
where the military is busy fighting al Qaeda and
homegrown Taliban.
The United States and other western nations fighting an
insurgency in Afghanistan want Pakistan to curb
terrorists on its soil.
Siachen, Sir Creek disputes
Besides pulling back troops, Manmohan Singh visit might
carry other ‘pleasant’ surprises for Pakistan and India.
Officials said ‘major announcements’ were also expected
on Siachen—the disputed glacier in the Himalayas known
as world’s highest battlefield—and Sir Creek — an
un-demarcated stretch of coastline dotted with small
islands.
They said there was a possibly that both sides might
agree on troop withdrawal from the killing mountainous
range where an avalanche buried more that 130 soldiers
and civilians last month.
Pakistani civilian and military leaders including Chief
of the Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani have more
than once said both countries should withdraw troops
from the border to divert resources to public welfare. |
