Nation & States 

Asian nations launch initiative
for large-scale co-operation

What is India News Service, June 23, 2004, 1630 hrs

The Asian co-operation umbrella now covers a wider area. The 22-member Asia Co-operation Dialogue announced Tuesday it would work in a big way to take Asian integration to the next level. 

The minister-level group, which met in Qingdao in Eastern China, drew up a plan of action that includes making travel within Asia easier and bridging the divide within Asia, and between Asia and the world.

The ACD\92s third ministerial meeting ended with the release of two documents: 'Declaration on Asia Cooperation: Hand in Hand for a Better Asia' and 'The Qingdao Initiative'. 

The declaration, while acknowledging that Asia\92s economic integration is still at an initial stage, outlines a 13-point programme to begin with. 

The programme covers areas such as environment, health, economic co-operation, energy generation and cultural exchange. 

ACD members are Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, 
China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, 
Malaysia, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, the Philippines, Qatar, Singapore, 
Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam.

Consulate overture: Another positive spin-off of the China meeting was that India and Pakistan decided to reopen consulates in Karachi and Mumbai. They had closed them down following trouble in Kargil on the Kashmir border. India maintains that infiltrators from across the border are responsible for violence and bloodshed in Kashmir.  
 
BJP 'back to basics': In Mumbai, the BJP's four-day conclave ended Tuesday, and the party said it would go back to basics. Party president Venkaiah Naidu described "basics" as ideology and idealism. Portraits of Jan Sangh founder Shyama Prasad Mukherjee and principal ideologue Deen Dayal Upadhaya were displayed prominently at the national executive meeting and at the venue of the media briefing, perhaps signalling a return to a more assertive Hindu nationalist plank. It also suggests an indirect criticism of former prime minister Vajpayee's liberal leanings.

Arjun continued 'detoxification': The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government is showing the door to what is calls the 'saffron' appointees of the previous government. People close to former HRD minister Murli Manohar Joshi are being asked to resign to make way for Congress nominations.

Gujarat sending 'encounter' report: The Gujarat police today said it would send a report to centre on the 'encounter' in which they killed two alleged Pakistani terrorists and two Lashkar-e-Toiba militants.

Overall:

Asian countries spread out umbrella: They released a 13-point programme and declared they would work toward greater co-operation.  

Neighbours decided to reopen consulates: India and Pakistan said they would reopen their consulates in Karachi and Mumbai. 

BJP conclave ended: Its president said the party would return to "ideology and idealism", and snubbed the liberal leanings of Vajpayee.  

Gujarat will send a report: Police said they would file a detailed report on the 'encounter' in which they killed a team allegedly out to murder chief minister Narendra
Modi.