tribuneindia...Spotlight

			Monday, November 8, 1999
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AWACS for China
BEIJING, Nov 7 (AFP) — China is in the process of acquiring an Israel-made long-range radar system which would strengthen its aerial power in the event of any conflict with Taiwan, according to western military experts. "After delaying a decision between the British company Marconi and a Russian-Israeli project, the Chinese have finally opted for the second," a Beijing-based expert said. Experts here confirmed reports last week that a Russian plane had been delivered to Israel to be equipped with an airborne warning and control system (AWACS).

Tajik president
Dushanbe, Nov 7 (AFP) — President Emomali Rakhmonov of Tajikistan was re-elected by an overwhelming majority to a new seven-year term, a spokesman for the central election commission said today. Rakhmonov, who has been head of state in the ex-Soviet Central Asian republic since 1992, was re-elected by 96.99 per cent of Tajikistan's 2.8 million voters in a majority of electoral districts, preliminary results showed, Abdurakhmon Abdumanonov told AFP. Tajik Economics Minister and Opposition candidate Davlat Usmon received 2 per cent of the vote, Abdumanonov said.

Iraq rejects new draft at UN
Baghdad, Nov 7 (AFP) — Iraq's ruling Baath party today rejected Britain's new draft resolution at the UN Security Council and underlined that it would accept nothing less than an unconditional lifting of sanctions. The draft "perhaps contains some improvements in terms of pure form, but it is no less damaging than the previous one," said the party's newspaper, Ath-Thawra. "It is not possible for Iraq to accept a resolution which does not provide for the immediate and unconditional lifting of the embargo" slapped on Baghdad for its 1990 invasion of Kuwait, it said. Iraq insists it has met the disarmament terms linked to a lifting of sanctions and that hard-liners Britain and the united states are trying to add extra conditions.

Airport project
Bangalore, Nov 7 (PTI) — Karnataka Chief Minister S M Krishna today welcomed the assurance by Union Civil Aviation Minister Sharad Yadav that the Centre would soon accord clearance to the long awaited international airport project at Devanahally on the city outskirts. "I deem it as a Divali gift by the Centre to the people of Karnataka," Mr Krishna told reporters here after returning from New Delhi when his attention was drawn to Yadav's assurance. The project was needed for the state's economic development, and if the Centre cleared the project and paved the way for the commencement of work, the long-cherished dream of the state to have an international airport would be realised, he said.