Nation
& States
India expects Pakistan to
keep its
word to
Asean security forum
What is India
News Service, 2 July 2004, 1700 hrs
India
said it expects Pakistan to adhere
to its commitment of not raising bilateral issues after joining
as the 24th member of Asia Pacific's only security forum, the Asean
Regional Forum.
Asked to comment
on "fears among some Asean members" that inclusion of
Pakistan and India in the ARF could create problems as the two
countries might raise bilateral issues, External Affairs Minister K
Natwar Singh replied that "Talking of such fears does not
square with the facts as it is Asean which reached consensus in June
2003 to include Pakistan in the ARF."
New Delhi had
shared its concerns with the Asean members and the Asean
chairperson, Singh told the Jakarta Post in an interview.
He added, the
current chairperson of Asean had sought and obtained an explicit
assurance from Pakistan that it would not raise bilateral issues at
the forum.
New
PM's vow: Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf and new prime
minister Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain on Thursday vowed to stamp out
terrorism and make all-out efforts for the country’s progress.
At a high-level
meeting in Islamabad to review law and order, they stressed that
they would not let anyone hinder Pakistan's march “on the path of
development”.
President
Musharraf said that sustained economic growth, political harmony and
maintenance of law and order were essential elements for the
country's continuous development.
Fighting
continues: Pakistani security forces and militants exchanged
fire close to the Pakistan-Afghan border in the rugged South
Waziristan tribal region on Wednesday. There were no reports of any
casualties on either side, official and tribal sources said.
The fighting
began when militants attacked a security force checkpoint in
Khamrang near Shkai. Both sides reportedly used heavy weapons in a
clash that lasted three hours.
Khamrang, a
thickly forested area close to the Shawal mountain range on the
Afghan border, is widely seen as the new hideout of foreign
militants. Hundreds of foreign militants are believed to have fled
to the mountainous area following a military operation in their
former stronghold of Shakai last month.
Meanwhile,
Ahmadzai Wazir tribesmen are meeting yet again near Wana to discuss
a 10-day deadline set for them to hand over wanted local militants
Maulvi Abbas and Javed Karmazkhel.
Candidate
accepts Durand Line: In Paris, a presidential candidate in
Afghanistan's forthcoming election said on Thursday he was prepared
to recognize the controversial Durand treaty marking out the border
between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Latif Perdram,
head of the newly-founded Afghanistan National Congress party, also
said he was in favour of a federal system for his war-torn country.
Pedram is the first Afghan politician to declare his acceptance of
the controversial Durand treaty, which was signed between Afghan
king Amir Abdurrahman Khan and British India in 1893.
The treaty
annexed large parts of Afghanistan to British India. Pakistan
inherited them after the British left the Indian subcontinent and
they are now part of Pakistan.
Pakistan,
China talk security: Pakistani interior minister Syed Faisal
Saleh Hayat will arrive in Beijing on Friday on a four-day official
visit to China.
Official sources
said the visit was aimed at strengthening dialogue and cooperation
in the non-traditional security, an area that includes control of
terrorism, narcotics trafficking, illegal immigration and illegal
border trade. The two sides will also discuss an extradition treaty
signed they signed last year.
PM
announces relief: Prime minister Manmohan Singh, who flew into
Andhra Pradesh for a first-hand assessment of the crisis in the farm
sector, met families of farmers who had committed suicide, and
announced concessions.
More
arrests in stamp paper case: The Central Bureau of Investigation
(CBI) searched the houses and offices of prominent officials,
policemen and insurance company executives.
Overall:
India wants
Pakistan to keep promise: The
Asean Regional Forum is meeting in Jakarta and Pakistan has been
admitted into the fold on the condition that it will not raise
bilateral issues.
Candidate
accepted Durand Line: An
Afghan presidential candidate said he had no issues with the border
as delineated now.
Manmohan Singh
visited Andhra Pradesh: The
prime minister met families of farmers who have committed suicide.
More skeletons
tumbled out: The CBI
searched the houses of officials and policemen, and made more
arrests in the stamp paper case.
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