W O R L D	Wednesday, July 15, 1998
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China for 5-nation talks on Kashmir BEIJING, July 14 — China today for the first time called for convening a multilateral meeting of five countries, including itself, on Kashmir and rejected a “groundless” India’s “China threat” theory... Magsaysay award for Pak surgeon MANILA, July 14 — A Pakistani surgeon, who provides modern medical service to poor people free of cost was named winner today of the 1998 Ramon Magsaysay award for government service... New US strategy WASHINGTON July 14 — The new strategy of the USA, its allies and associates on Kashmir is to focus international attention on it, and at the same time allow the issue to be resolved bilaterally by India and Pakistan...

Palestinian President Yasser Arafat receives flowers from a Chinese girl during the welcoming ceremony held by Chinese President Jiang Zemin in his honours at Beijing's Tiananmen Square on Monday. Israel, Palestine 'agree' to talks WASHINGTON, July 14 — Bowing to a request from US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Israel and the Palestinians have agreed to hold a face-to-face meeting that may decide the fate of the west Asia process, US officials said...

Search on for new Japanese PM TOKYO, July 14 — Search is on for the new Japanese premier as the Cabinet announces to find a replacement to Mr Ryutaro Hashimoto in a joint session of the Diet on July 30. “A joint session of the Diet, which is tentatively scheduled for July 30, will vote for a new premier”, Chief Cabinet Secretary Kanezo Muraoka told newsmen today. Duma to stay: Yeltsin MOSCOW, July 14 — In a surprise move to get legislators’ approval for government’s anti-crisis plan, Russian President Boris Yeltsin today ruled out dissolution of the state Duma... IMF puts off decision on loan to Pak ISLAMABAD, July 14 — The IMF has put off consideration of a crucial $ 226 million loan to Pakistan and warned it against any default on debt repayment obligations, in a fresh blow to the country’s economy reeling under sanctions... 2 ex-PMs given jail terms, fines MILAN, July 14 — Former Italian premiers Silvio Berlusconi and Bettino Craxi were given further jail terms for corruption, adding to a collection of previous sentences...

Israel, Palestine 'agree' to talks WASHINGTON, July 14 (AFP) — Bowing to a request from US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Israel and the Palestinians have agreed to hold a face-to-face meeting that may decide the fate of the west Asia process, US officials said. The talks between senior officials will take place after Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat returns from his trip to China on Wednesday but no firm date has been set, State Department Spokesman James Rubin said yesterday. “There will be a direct meeting between the two,” he said. In Jerusalem, a spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the government agreed “in principle” to hold direct talks with the Palestinians although no formal decision had been taken. “We haven’t made any concrete decision on direct talks with the Palestinians soon. But in principle, we are in favour,” said David Bar-Illan. The State Department made clear that the meetings were to force Israel to face the Palestinians, who have agreed to a series of US proposals for breaking the 16 month deadlock in the peace process. “The ball is not in the Palestinian court,” said the State Department spokesman. “The ball is in the court of the Israelis to try to work with the Palestinians and work with us to come to a second “yes”. UNITED NATIONS (Reuters): The Security Council called on Israel not to proceed with a decision to extend the boundaries of Jerusalem, terming it “a serious and damaging development.” A statement issued at a formal council meeting yesterday also called on Israel “not to take any other steps which would prejudice the outcome of the permanent status negotiations” with the Palestinians, due to be completed next May. The council served notice it “will keep Israeli actions under review.” The statement, delayed several hours while Chinese delegations awaited instructions from Beijing, was a follow-up to a day-long council debate on June 30 when more than 40 speakers criticised the Israeli plan to expand Jerusalem. hey said it would extend an “umbrella authority” over nearby Israeli settlements in the West Bank, change the population balance in the holy city. It said the planned “umbrella municipality” would not extend authority over any Israeli settlements but would coordinate services with surrounding communities. A council resolution carries greater weight than a statement and is subject to a vote and possibly a veto. A statement requires the concurrence of all 15-council members.

China for 5-nation talks on Kashmir BEIJING, July 14 (PTI) — China today for the first time called for convening a multilateral meeting of five countries, including itself, on Kashmir and rejected a “groundless” India’s “China threat” theory. “A multilateral meeting should be held involving India, Pakistan, the USA, China and Russia to help resolve the Kashmir dispute, over which India and Pakistan have fought two wars since 1947,” the official ‘China Daily’ said in a lead article the first since the June 27 Sino-US joint statement on south Asia. Diplomatic sources said this was the first time China was suggesting publicly the convening of a multilateral meeting to discuss the Kashmir issue and it more or less conforms to US President Bill Clinton’s view that China should be involved in settling the differences between India and Pakistan. “Indian government officials should stop spreading the “China menace” theory, which will create suspicion and hostility between the two peoples,” the article quoting leading Chinese experts on south Asia warns. “The Indian government’s unreasonable attacks on China deeply hurt the feelings of the Chinese people and undermine the mutual trust the two countries have been trying to build over generations,” says Ma Jiali, an expert with the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations (CICIR). The article says that China has clearly stated that its military modernisation does not target any other nation and it was in line with China’s national defence needs. Ouyang Liping, an expert with the CICIR points out that China has consistently adhered to the policy of non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and denies aiding Pakistan’s clandestine nuclear programme. “China’s nuclear co-operation with foreign countries, including Pakistan, is strictly limited to peaceful use of nuclear energy and is subject to the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA),” he says. The latest outburst from Beijing comes in the wake of the Ministry of Defence annual report (1997-98) which China says plays the “old trick” of spreading the ‘China menace theory’ to hide India’s ambitions of building “regional hegemony and becoming a major political power.” “In the report, the Indian government did not examine its mistake in provoking a dangerous nuclear arms race. It vilified China as the main reason for the deterioration of south Asia’s security environment instead,” the article says. Describing the BJP-led government as “headstrong,” the article accuses New Delhi of conducting the May 11 and May 13 nuclear tests to gain “hegemony” in the region and also criticised the hike in its military budget. “India’s recent nuclear explosions reflect a dangerous ultra-nationalism and its ambition to build a regional hegemony and become a major political power,” Ouyang says adding that certain Indian politicians’ accusation that China threatens India’s security is “untenable” and “groundless.”

Magsaysay award for Pak surgeon MANILA, July 14 (AP) — A Pakistani surgeon, who provides modern medical service to poor people free of cost was named winner today of the 1998 Ramon Magsaysay award for government service. Dr Adibul Hasan Rizvi, Director of Karachi’s Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation, is the first of five winners to be named this year. The awards board cited Dr Rizvi for transcending the limits of a public service hospital to make kidney dialysis, renal transplants, and other life-saving medical services available free of cost to thousands of Pakistani citizens. Dr Rizvi began the institute in 1972 as an eight-bed extension of the burns ward of the Civil Hospital in Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city. The project was expanded and granted institute status in 1991. The institute became one of the fastest growing urological and transplant centres in the region and one of the few to provide free medical service for poor people with kidney and related disorders. More than 10 million Pakistanis are believed to be suffering from kidney and related diseases. About 13,000 of them die each year because they cannot afford expensive treatment, which normally ranges from $ 1,000 to $ 100,000. Four other recipients of this year’s Magsaysay award will be chosen in the areas of international understanding, community leadership, public service and journalism, literature and creative arts. They will be honoured at the 40th presentation ceremonies in Manila on August 31, the birth date of Magsaysay, a popular Philippines President who died in a plane crash in 1957. The winners of the award, considered the Asian equivalent of the Nobel Prize, each receive a certificate, medallion and $ 50,000.

New US strategy WASHINGTON July 14 (PTI) — The new strategy of the USA, its allies and associates on Kashmir is to focus international attention on it, and at the same time allow the issue to be resolved bilaterally by India and Pakistan under the Simla agreement. Mr Inderfurth told the Senate Foreign Relations sub-committee that “it is clear that the Kashmir dispute is not going to go away on its own will. The two parties themselves have to address it.” “International attention is probably the greatest right now for Kashmir as a result of the nuclear tests — newspaper articles, statements by p-5 and g-8 .. We think international attention is important,” he said. However, he said, “we do believe that the Simla agreement of 1972 is the approach that must be taken.” Asked by Senator Charles Robb what kind of international leverage the USA had on the Kashmir issue when India is clearly reluctant to accept outside participation, Mr Inderfurth said, “we believe that international attention, not international mediation, is the correct approach to take right now with respect to Kashmir.” Referring to certain steps taken by India and Pakistan over the Siachen glacier, he said, “there is no reason they should have a dispute over it (Kashmir). They should take this up again and reassure the international community that they are together moving forward to resolve this. “So we hope India will be more receptive to the calls of the international community. “We also hope that Pakistan does not consider that because there is so much attention, the international community can solve the problem. One cannot impose a settlement. Let us see how they (the talks between the two Prime Ministers) progress in July.”

Search on for new Japanese PM TOKYO, July 14 (PTI) — Search is on for the new Japanese premier as the Cabinet announces to find a replacement to Mr Ryutaro Hashimoto in a joint session of the Diet on July 30. “A joint session of the Diet, which is tentatively scheduled for July 30, will vote for a new premier”, Chief Cabinet Secretary Kanezo Muraoka told newsmen today. Mr Hashimoto tendered his resignation yesterday taking responsibility for the massive upper House election defeat of his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) last Sunday. The new Prime Minister, however, will be named on July 21 when the LDP, the majority party in the lower House, elects its leader in the Diet. Meanwhile, likely candidates for the premiership as well as the presidentship of the LDP Foreign Minister Keizo Obuchi and former Health and Welfare Minister Junichiro Koizumi have remained quiet, refusing to speculate on the succession issue, Kyodo news agency reported.

Duma to stay: Yeltsin MOSCOW, July 14 (PTI) — In a surprise move to get legislators’ approval for government’s anti-crisis plan, Russian President Boris Yeltsin today ruled out dissolution of the state Duma. “There will be no early elections of Duma and the President, there will be no coup. No changes in the constitution,’’ Yeltsin was quoted as saying by the NTV channel. Yeltsin earlier urged members of parliament to approve the government’s austerity budget needed for an IMF credit of 22.6 billion. The president also assured that he did not intend to contest for the top Kremlin post for the third term in year 2000 and urged the lower House to withdraw its impeachment motion. “If I quit before the end of the term, you’d be the first to get involved in a brawl and the whole country would be dragged into it,” Duma Speaker Gennady Seleznyov quoted Yeltsin as saying at a news conference after The Kremlin meet. The unexpected gesture of goodwill is seen here as the IMF demand for releasing 22.6 billion dollar bailout of Russian economy. Yeltsin told the leaders of the parliamentary parties that the fate of Prime Minister Sergei Kriyenko’s anti-crisis plan depended on them. “We need the stabilisation programme. We cannot apply it if you don’t approve it... It is up to you. There are questions I can settle but in the end, the future of the programme rests with you,” Yeltsin told deputies. He also met with Duma Speaker Gennady Seleznyov and Opposition leaders at the Kremlin. In his televised remarks, Yeltsin expressed satisfaction over the “constructive interaction” with the lower House and thanked Duma for its prompt response to the Kremlin’s call for considering cabinet’s anti-crisis programme. “We are one team, we are one state, we are the leaders of the state,” Yeltsin said. Seleznyov said Yeltsin shared the view of the lower House to preserve giant natural monopolies, like “Gazprom”, unified electricity system and railways as the backbone of the economy. Leader of the Agrarian Party Nikolai Kharitonov expressed surprise at Yeltsin’s move. “I have attended many meetings with Yeltsin in The Kremlin, but today for the first time he offered us tea,” the agrarian leader said having a dig at the President. Deputy leader of the Communist faction in Duma, Valentin Kuptsov, who attended The Kremlin meet in absence of Gennady Zyuganov, expressed his party comrades’ willingness to sacrifice their summer holidays to discuss The Kremlin anti-crisis package, but ruled out clearing bills “directed against the people.” In a related development, Duma Speaker Gennady Seleznyov warned that the Kiriyenko cabinet may have to face a ‘no-confidence’ motion in autumn if the government failed to improve economic situation in the country.

IMF puts off decision on loan to Pak ISLAMABAD, July 14 (PTI) — The IMF has put off consideration of a crucial $ 226 million loan to Pakistan and warned it against any default on debt repayment obligations, in a fresh blow to the country’s economy reeling under sanctions. The IMF at a meeting in Washington yesterday decided to circulate among members a report on the Pakistan economy, effectively delaying by a week, the urgently needed loan to ward off the economic crisis, following pressure from G-8 nations which want Islamabad to sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). Pakistan reacted sharply to the IMF move, with Premier Nawaz Sharif, who presided over a high level meeting to review the economic crises today, describing it as a “arm twisting measure.’’ “We will never submit to any amount of coercion or pressure and we will resist with full force and might any arm twisting tactics,’’ he said. The IMF also warned Islamabad, whose foreign exchange reserves stand at a meagre $ 800 million, against reneging on its debt repayments to multilateral financial institutions, APP news agency said. Managing Director Stanley Fischer said in Washington, “I hope and believe Pakistan understands that the close financial relationship they have with us, a default on obligations to the bank”.

2 ex-PMs given jail terms, fines MILAN, July 14 (Reuter) —Former Italian premiers Silvio Berlusconi and Bettino Craxi were given further jail terms for corruption, adding to a collection of previous sentences. Berlusconi, the billionaire media baron and right-wing Opposition leader, was sentenced yesterday to two years and four months in prison and ordered to pay a fine of $5.5 million. Craxi was given a four-year prison sentence and a 20-billion-lire fine. The latest jail terms were for illegally channelling funds to the party of Craxi, Italy’s first Socialist Prime Minister in the 80s. Neither will go straight to jail, however, because of the long appeals process during which the sentence is not imposed. Berlusconi is appealing against this conviction and a previous sentence for fraud, while Craxi lives in exile in Tunisia.

Global monitor Rare honour for Ravi Shankar’s daughter London: Teenage Indian sitar sensation Anoushka Shankar has been given the rare honour of playing solo at the prestigious British House of Commons to a distinguished audience of Britain’s Foreign Secretary Robin Cook, members of Parliament and ambassadors. Anoushka, 17, the only daughter of sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar, will perform for 70 minutes on July 17 after which Mr Cook will honour her for her services to Asian music. Pt Ravi Shankar will also be present in the show, but as part of the audience. — PTI Russian diplomat Moscow: A senior Russian diplomat has been charged with high treason after being caught passing secret information to a South Korean spy, Itar-Tass news agency reported. Velentin Moisseyev, former Deputy Director of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Asia Department, had been arrested in the night of July 3 by agents of the Federal Security Service, the FSB. — AFP Whitewater case Santa Monica: After another delay, a judge set a firm date for the embezzlement trial of Whitewater figure Susan McDougal. Mrs McDougal, accused of embezzling $ 1,50,000 while working for famed conductor Zubin Mehta and his wife, Nancy, between 1989 and 1992, must appear in court on July 24, Superior Court Judge Steven Suzukawa said on Monday. The case has been delayed while Mrs McDougal served time in prison for contempt after refusing to testify before a grand jury probing allegations of fraud in the Whitewater land deal involving President Bill Clinton and his wife. — AP Missile deal Moscow: Russia and the Greek Cypriot Government reaffirmed their intention to go ahead with the controversial delivery later this year of S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems to the divided island of Cyprus. The reaffirmation came during a meeting on Monday between the Russian President Mr Boris Yeltsin, and the Greek Cypriot President Mr Glafcos Clerides, Russian news agencies reported Yeltsin aide Mr Sergei Prikhodko as saying. Diplomatic sources close to the talks say that the delivery of the missiles would take place next October. —DP Weapons smuggled United Nations: Almost 2,00,000 weapons stolen by Albania’s population during a spring 1997 uprising have been smuggled to Serbia’s Kosovo province and other countries, a top UN official said. The Deputy Secretary-General for Disarmament, Mr Jayantha Dhanapala, said in a report on Monday that “officially released figures suggest that approximately 6,50,000 weapons were taken away along with 20,000 tons of explosives and 1.5 billion bullets and artillery shells.” — AFP World criminal court United Nations: UN chief Kofi Annan has urged some 10 countries not to block the establishment of a “strong and independent” world criminal court, the United Nations has announced. Some 150 countries are meeting in Rome to set up rules for the future court by the end of the week. It would try suspects in connection with genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. — AFP

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