ADDU: Seeking to put past acrimony behind, India and Pakistan on Thursday talked about writing "a new chapter" in their tense ties, with Islamabad assuring New Delhi that the terrorists behind the Mumbai carnage will be brought to justice soon.
Marking a forward movement in their ties that have languished since 26/11 attacks nearly three years ago, the two sides agreed to push a host of initiatives, including the revival of the joint commission, a preferential trade agreement and liberal visa regime.
India conveyed to Pakistan the imperative need to punish perpetrators of 26/11 carnage, that dipped ties between the neighbours, and underlined that terror should not be allowed to spoil improving relations between them.
Pakistan on its part promised to conclude the trial of the Mumbai terror accused in its custody and declared that Ajmal Kasab, the lone surviving 26/11 terrorist, should be hanged.
In a sign of the new spirit of mutual accommodation and positive progress in dialogue, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Yousaf Raza Gilani vowed to open a new chapter in ties and hoped the next round of talks will be "more productive and constructive."
Meeting on the sidelines of the 17th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) summit here, the two leaders held delegation-level talks for around half an hour in a seaside beach cottage at the idyllic Shangri La resort hotel and followed it up with nearly 45 minutes of one-on-one talks.
Coming out after their meeting, the two smiled and made brief statements before the media in which they virtually echoed each other in their desire to start a new phase in relations.
Describing Gilani as "man of peace," Manmohan Singh said that the dialogue process, which the two countries resumed early this year, has yielded positive results, but stressed that "more needs to be done.
"We will review the dialogue with the expectation that all the issues which have bedevilled the relations will be discussed with all the sincerity the two sides can bring to the table," Manmohan Singh said. "We have wasted a lot of time in acrimonious debate in the past. The time has come to write a new chapter in relations between India and Pakistan," he said.
He said the next round of talks "should be far more productive and result-oriented and bring the two countries closer to each other."
Gilani, too, struck an upbeat note. "We had a good meeting. I hope the next round of talks will be more constructive and open a new chapter in relations between the two countries."
"We openly discussed all issues, including core issues related to water, terror, Sir Creek and Siachen," Gilani said.
Briefing reporters after the talks, foreign secretary Ranjan Mathai stressed that the talks signaled an end to the period of "accusations and counter-accusations" and stressed on key initiatives that emerged from the talks.
"The joint commission, which have not met since 2005, will be revived," he said.
Building on positive momentum generated by Pakistan granting India Most Favoured Nation status, Mathai said the two countries are now planning to move towards a preferential trade agreement that is set to give a substantial boost to trade between the two countries.
The liberalized visa regime should be signed at the earliest, Mathai said, adding that the two sides also decided to fast-track implementation of cross-border trade and confidence-building measures that were finalized during talks between the foreign ministers of the two countries in July.
The feel-good factor in bilateral relations was more than visible, but with justice still elusive for 26/11 victims nearly three years after the carnage that froze their peace process, India made it clear that relations can thrive only in a atmosphere free from terror and enmity.
"Terrorism is a perennial concern. We have an obligation to ensure that it does not spoil relations between the two countries," Mathai told reporters about the message Manmohan conveyed to Gilani during their talks.
Manmohan Singh told Gilani that "it is imperative to bring the perpetrators of 26/11 attacks to justice", said Mathai.
The Pakistani side promised to bring the trial of the seven terrorists who perpetrated Mumbai terror to conclusion and pointed that the judicial commission which will be visiting India soon will positively impact the judicial process of bringing 26/11 perpetrators to justice. In a surprisingly blunt assertion, Pakistan's interior minister Rehman Malik declared that Ajmal Kasab is a non-state actor, a convicted terrorist and should be sent to the gallows.
"Kasab is a terrorist, a non-state actor who should go to gallows and his accomplices too. So should perpetrators of the Samjhauta Express blast," said Malik. Mathai said that India will respond soon on the dates of the proposed visit of the judicial commission.
The commission is expected to record the statements of Mumbai additional chief metropolitan magistrate RV Sawant Waghule and investigating officer Ramesh Mahale, who had recorded the confessional statement of Kasab, convicted of the terror attack.
Kamis, 10 November 2011
Minggu, 06 November 2011
Colombia Says Farc Rebel Leader Killed
BOGOTA: Colombian forces killed top FARC rebel leader Alfonso Cano on Friday in the biggest blow yet to Latin America's longest insurgency and a triumph for President Juan Manuel Santos, the Defense Ministry said.
While unlikely to bring a swift end to nearly five decades of war in the Andean nation, his death will further damage the rebels' ability to regroup and coordinate the high profile attacks that have brought it worldwide notoriety.
There were few immediate details of the killing, which occurred during combat, according to a ministry official.
"It's true he's dead," he told Reuters. Even prior to its decapitation, the FARC, or Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, had been battered by a US-backed military campaign that began in 2002, and the waning insurgency has lost several other key commanders in the past four years.
"This brings us closer to victory and peace so that we can stop killing each other," said Jorge Cordero, a 19-year-old soldier in the north of Bogota
The death of Cano, 63, who took over leadership of the rebels after their founder died in 2008, was a major strategic victory for Santos, who came to office last year promising to keep up a hard-line stance against the guerrillas.
The government had offered up to $3.7 million for information that would lead to his capture.
The death of the bespectacled and bearded rebel commander, a former student activist and communist youth member, followed the killing late last year of one of his main henchmen, Mono Jojoy, in a bombardment and assault on his camp.
REBELS WEAKEST IN DECADES
"It's going to be more and more hard for them to get through the next years," said Alfredo Rangel, an independent security analyst.
"There's no leader with the intensity that Cano has and it will be hard to get someone to replace him. In the short term there will be a lack of leadership. The end won't be automatic or immediate but we are coming to the end of the FARC."
Cano went from being a middle-class youth in the capital Bogota to the top FARC leader after taking part in peace talks in neighboring Venezuela and Mexico during the 1990s.
The strike that killed him underscored how Colombia's military can now attack rebel leaders deep in the mountains and jungles. Once a powerful force controlling large swaths of Colombia, the FARC is at its weakest in decades.
Violence, bombings and kidnapping from the conflict have eased sharply as Colombian troops use better intelligence, US training and technology to take the fight to the rebels.
Foreign investment in Colombia has surged since the military crackdown began in 2002, especially in oil and mining. But the FARC and other armed groups have continued to pose a threat in rural areas where the state's presence is weak and cocaine trafficking lets the rebels finance their operations.
Desertions and military operations have whittled down rebel ranks to about 7,000 fighters, but the FARC has survived for more than 40 years, and still has a cadre of experienced mid-level commanders. Rebels rely increasingly on hit-and-run tactics and ambushes in rural areas.
The FARC, whose rebels have made incursions into Venezuela and Ecuador at times to elude Colombia's army, are on the US list of terrorist organizations.
While unlikely to bring a swift end to nearly five decades of war in the Andean nation, his death will further damage the rebels' ability to regroup and coordinate the high profile attacks that have brought it worldwide notoriety.
There were few immediate details of the killing, which occurred during combat, according to a ministry official.
"It's true he's dead," he told Reuters. Even prior to its decapitation, the FARC, or Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, had been battered by a US-backed military campaign that began in 2002, and the waning insurgency has lost several other key commanders in the past four years.
"This brings us closer to victory and peace so that we can stop killing each other," said Jorge Cordero, a 19-year-old soldier in the north of Bogota
The death of Cano, 63, who took over leadership of the rebels after their founder died in 2008, was a major strategic victory for Santos, who came to office last year promising to keep up a hard-line stance against the guerrillas.
The government had offered up to $3.7 million for information that would lead to his capture.
The death of the bespectacled and bearded rebel commander, a former student activist and communist youth member, followed the killing late last year of one of his main henchmen, Mono Jojoy, in a bombardment and assault on his camp.
REBELS WEAKEST IN DECADES
"It's going to be more and more hard for them to get through the next years," said Alfredo Rangel, an independent security analyst.
"There's no leader with the intensity that Cano has and it will be hard to get someone to replace him. In the short term there will be a lack of leadership. The end won't be automatic or immediate but we are coming to the end of the FARC."
Cano went from being a middle-class youth in the capital Bogota to the top FARC leader after taking part in peace talks in neighboring Venezuela and Mexico during the 1990s.
The strike that killed him underscored how Colombia's military can now attack rebel leaders deep in the mountains and jungles. Once a powerful force controlling large swaths of Colombia, the FARC is at its weakest in decades.
Violence, bombings and kidnapping from the conflict have eased sharply as Colombian troops use better intelligence, US training and technology to take the fight to the rebels.
Foreign investment in Colombia has surged since the military crackdown began in 2002, especially in oil and mining. But the FARC and other armed groups have continued to pose a threat in rural areas where the state's presence is weak and cocaine trafficking lets the rebels finance their operations.
Desertions and military operations have whittled down rebel ranks to about 7,000 fighters, but the FARC has survived for more than 40 years, and still has a cadre of experienced mid-level commanders. Rebels rely increasingly on hit-and-run tactics and ambushes in rural areas.
The FARC, whose rebels have made incursions into Venezuela and Ecuador at times to elude Colombia's army, are on the US list of terrorist organizations.
Chinese Shocker: Hospital Disposes Of Live Baby
BEIJING: Health authorities in south China said on Friday they were investigating a hospital medical team for mistakenly diagnosing a stillbirth and disposing of a baby that was alive.
The incident took place at the Nanhai Red Cross Hospital in the Guangdong province on October 26. Believing the baby was dead, the medical team disposed of the child but did not follow proper hospital procedures, the statement said.
The incident took place at the Nanhai Red Cross Hospital in the Guangdong province on October 26. Believing the baby was dead, the medical team disposed of the child but did not follow proper hospital procedures, the statement said.
50 Yrs Of 007: James Bond Bounces Back With 'Skyfall'
LONDON: Daniel Craig returns as British secret agent James Bond in "Skyfall" the 23rd installment in one of the world's longest-running and most successful film franchises . Director Sam Mendes assured fans that Bond's latest adventure would adhere to the high octane formula that has made the films an enduring genre since Sean Connery first played the suave agent licensed to kill nearly 50 years ago in "Dr No" .
"It, I think, has all the elements of a classic Bond movie , including, to quell any rumours, a lot of action," Mendes told reporters at the launch of the film in London on Thursday.
Spanish actor Javier Bardem will play the villain and Judi Dench returns as Bond's stern boss "M" in a cast that will also include Ralph Fiennes, Albert Finney, French actress Berenice Marlohe and Britain's Naomie Harris. In keeping with Bond's globe-trotting legacy, the film has been shot in London , Shanghai, Istanbul and Scotland. The film is set to hit British theatres on October 26, 2012 and US cinemas on November 9.
Next year is the 50th anniversary of the series, which began in 1962 with Sean Connery on Her Majesty's secret service in "Dr. No" .
"It, I think, has all the elements of a classic Bond movie , including, to quell any rumours, a lot of action," Mendes told reporters at the launch of the film in London on Thursday.
Spanish actor Javier Bardem will play the villain and Judi Dench returns as Bond's stern boss "M" in a cast that will also include Ralph Fiennes, Albert Finney, French actress Berenice Marlohe and Britain's Naomie Harris. In keeping with Bond's globe-trotting legacy, the film has been shot in London , Shanghai, Istanbul and Scotland. The film is set to hit British theatres on October 26, 2012 and US cinemas on November 9.
Next year is the 50th anniversary of the series, which began in 1962 with Sean Connery on Her Majesty's secret service in "Dr. No" .
Afghanistan Suicide Attack Kills Seven Near Mosque
KABUL: At least seven civilians were killed and 15 others wounded when a suicide bomber detonated explosives near a mosque in Baghlan province in northern Afghanistan on Sunday, the interior ministry said.
The bomber attacked soon after prayers for the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha, ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi said.
"We strongly condemn this. This is yet another act of violence against civilians, on this important day," he said.
Preliminary investigations indicated the attack was the work of the Taliban, he said.
Violence in the once-peaceful northern provinces has increased, with a series of high-profile attacks in the past year as insurgents seek to demonstrate their reach beyond the southern heartland.
Attacks have included the killing of seven UN workers in Mazar-i-Sharif in April, and the assassination of the police chief for the north of the country earlier this year.
Despite the presence of more than 130,000 foreign soldiers across Afghanistan violence is at its worst since the start of the US-led military campaign in 2001, according to the United Nations.
The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force ( ISAF) says there has recently been a fall in the number of attacks by insurgents, but that data excludes attacks that kill only civilians, and attacks on Afghan security forces operating without international troops.
The bomber attacked soon after prayers for the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha, ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi said.
"We strongly condemn this. This is yet another act of violence against civilians, on this important day," he said.
Preliminary investigations indicated the attack was the work of the Taliban, he said.
Violence in the once-peaceful northern provinces has increased, with a series of high-profile attacks in the past year as insurgents seek to demonstrate their reach beyond the southern heartland.
Attacks have included the killing of seven UN workers in Mazar-i-Sharif in April, and the assassination of the police chief for the north of the country earlier this year.
Despite the presence of more than 130,000 foreign soldiers across Afghanistan violence is at its worst since the start of the US-led military campaign in 2001, according to the United Nations.
The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force ( ISAF) says there has recently been a fall in the number of attacks by insurgents, but that data excludes attacks that kill only civilians, and attacks on Afghan security forces operating without international troops.
7 Killed In Britain's Worst Road Mishap In 20 Years
LONDON: A "horrific" pile up of vehicles on an arterial motorway claimed at least seven lives and injured over 50 in one of Britain's worst road accidents that saw speeding cars and lorries crashing into each other, sparking huge balls of fire.
UK police confirmed that at least seven people were dead in last night's mishap that involved 34 vehicles.
The death toll is expected to rise further in the accident that happened near Taunton in Somerset, south-west England, around 200 kms from London.
As many as 51 people were injured, with injuries being described as 'life-changing'.
Britain has not witnessed a road mishap of this scale since 1991, officials said, who described lorries and cars crashing into each other at high speed amidst poor weather conditions on the M5 motorway as "horrific".
The motorway that links north England with the south-west remained closed today.
Assistant Chief Constable Anthony Bangham, of the Avon and Somerset Police, said: "The incident was very, very challenging and on arrival crews were faced with literally one massive fireball".
"Most vehicles were well alight and most continued to burn for a considerable time. This made it very difficult to search the vehicles. Some of them have been burned to the ground".
Paul Slaven, of Devon and Somerset Fire Service, said it was "the worst road traffic collision anyone can remember".
The motorway has been closed in both directions while rescue and restoration operations are completed.
The incident happened around 2 am.
UK police confirmed that at least seven people were dead in last night's mishap that involved 34 vehicles.
The death toll is expected to rise further in the accident that happened near Taunton in Somerset, south-west England, around 200 kms from London.
As many as 51 people were injured, with injuries being described as 'life-changing'.
Britain has not witnessed a road mishap of this scale since 1991, officials said, who described lorries and cars crashing into each other at high speed amidst poor weather conditions on the M5 motorway as "horrific".
The motorway that links north England with the south-west remained closed today.
Assistant Chief Constable Anthony Bangham, of the Avon and Somerset Police, said: "The incident was very, very challenging and on arrival crews were faced with literally one massive fireball".
"Most vehicles were well alight and most continued to burn for a considerable time. This made it very difficult to search the vehicles. Some of them have been burned to the ground".
Paul Slaven, of Devon and Somerset Fire Service, said it was "the worst road traffic collision anyone can remember".
The motorway has been closed in both directions while rescue and restoration operations are completed.
The incident happened around 2 am.
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