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SAARC Summit begins: "Time surely erases bitter memories", Chandrika

COLOMBO, July 30 (APP) :The 3-day Summit of seven-member South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC) began here Wednesday morning at the imposing Bandranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH), with a call by Sri Lankan President Chandrika Bandranaike Kamaratunga for maximization of resources of South Asia through Regional Cooperation. "Sustained regional economic cooperation does, however, require a framework of peace and stability in South Asia," she said in her inaugural address. The summit is being attended by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Indian Prmier Atal Behari Vajpayee, Bangladesh Premier Hasina Wajid, Maldive's President Maumoon Abdul Ghayum, Nepal's Prime Minister Girija Parasad Koirala and Bhutan's Head of the Council of Ministers Lyonpo Jigmi Yoeser Thinley.

SAARC Summit: Pakistan proposes 'peace, security, development initiative'

COLOMBO, July 30 (APP) :Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif here Wednesday proposed a "peace, security and development initiative for South Asia." "This initiative would have both bilateral as well as regional framework, focussing on bilateral issues and problems between member states as well as for promoting ecomomic progress in the regional context." The Prime Minister declared this while delivering statement at the opening session of the tenth SAARC Summit which began here at the Bandranaike memorial international conference hall. While enunciating the vital elements of the peace, security and development initiative for South Asia, the Prime Minister said, the member countries with bilateral problems should engage in a sincere dialogue to resolve these. For example, he said, "Pakistan and India should engage in a sustained dialogue." He said, Pakistan is ready for immediate resumption of bilateral foreign secretaries' level talks on the basis of understanding reached between Pakistan and India on June 23, 1997.

Inescapable reality, South Asia is now nuclearized; "It is for us to steer away from the gathering storm"

COLOMBO, July 30 (APP) :The "inescapable reality" that confronts us today is that South Asia is now nuclearized. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said here Wednesday, adding, "left to itself, Pakistan would never have embarked on this perilous course." He said this while addressing the three-day 10th SAARC Summit, which was earlier formally inaugurated by the Sri Lankan President, Chandrika Bandranaike Kamaratunga. The summit is being attended by the seven heads of governments of member countries. He called for turning South Asia into a "model of peace, progress and prosperity"--a model to be admired and emulated by others. The region, he stated, is at "a major turning point" of its history, reports APP special correspondent. "Pakistan has never coveted nuclear arsenals," Nawaz Sharif said. "I am personally, a man of peace," he said, adding, "wars, aggression or power projection have never been on my agenda for Pakistan."

Nawaz-Vajpyee agree to hold talks on foreign secretaries level

COLOMBO, July 30 (APP) :Both Pakistan and India Wednesday agreed to resume foreign secretaries level talks following the decision reached between Prime Minister of Pakistan Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and Indian Premier Atal Behari Vajpayee during bilateral talks held here at Taj Smutra hotel. Later, addressing a press conference, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif described talks with Vajpye as frank and candid and said that "we have decided to continue the dialogue at the next available opportunity. " We have understood each others concerns. We have familiarised with our pre-occupations," Nawaz Sharif said adding that he pointed out to Prime Minister Vajpye that the agreement on the agenda of the foreign secretaries level talk reached in Islamabad last year was substantive achievement. Since then India has resiled on the understandings that were developed and the dialogue has remained stalemated, he added. "It is in the interest of both our countries and of course in the interest of the region that Pakistan and India should hold substantive and specific talks on the issues of peace and security and Jammu and Kashmir." Nawaz Sharif said "we have already announced this morning readiness to resume talks on the basis of the agreement reached on June 23,1997".

Nawaz-Vajpayee hold talks

COLOMBO, July 30 (APP) :Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his Indian counterpart, Atal Behari Vajpayee held talks here Wednesday, on the sidelines of the Tenth SAARC Summit. They held talks on a whole range of issues concerning the region, including the core issue of Kashmir--which has been the centre of confrontation between both the neighbourly countries. This is the first meeting between the two leaders after the May nuclear detonations.

Wednesday declared holiday in Colombo

COLOMBO, July 30 (APP) :The Sri Lankan Government has declared Wednesday as public holiday for all state institutions and statutory bodies coming within the Municipal Council limits of Colombo. A Sri Lankan Government official said, the decision has been taken due to the traffic arrrangements for the 10th SAARC summit which opened here this morning. A Labour Ministry announcement said, the Government decided to grant a special holiday for those who work in Government institutions, Corporations and Boards who use public transport between Colombo and the South on Galle Road on July 30 in view of SAARC Heads of State visiting the South.

Kashmir solution needs mediation

WASHINGTON, D.C., July 30 (APP) :Kashmiri American Council (KAC) has voiced enthusiasm for the scheduled meeting between the Prime Ministers of Pakistan and India in Colombo, Sri Lanka, during a South Asian Regional Conference (SAARC) on Wednesday (July 29). KAC has steadfastly maintained that talks are the only way to resolve the Kashmir issue that has dominated the South Asian region for some fifty years. KAC is maintaining this constructive position despite the outrage caused and the indescribable suffering inflicted on our people by the barbarities of the Indian occupation forces. The tete-a-tete will be the first since both nations conducted nuclear tests. "Nuclear arsenals in South Asia dramatically underscores the urgency of peaceful resolution of the half century conflict in the disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir," said Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai, Executive Director of the KAC.

Pakistan to continue its nuclear programme : Gohar Ayub

ISLAMABAD, July 30 (APP) :Foreign Minister Gohar Ayub Khan has said that Pakistan will continue its nuclear and missile programme. Pakistan has been pushed into situation where it will have to continue nuclear and missile programme to safeguard its national security and territorial integrity, he said in an interview with BBC. The Foreign Minister made it clear that our nuclear programme is meant for defensive purposes and is against aggrandizement of politics and projection of power in the region. "We detonated nuclear devises and testes missile just to ensure self-defence and self-interest", he added. To a question, Gohar Ayub said, India will have to accept third party mediation for resolving Kashmir issue which is main cause of tension between India and Pakistan. "We are also asking the International Community that there has to be a third party involvement because we have been waiting for 50 years", he added.

Govt dispels impression of "secret deal" on CTBT

ISLAMABAD, July 29 (APP) :Pakistan dispelled the impression on Wednesday that a "secret deal" has been struck between Islamabad and Washington on the question of former's joining the CTBT. Two prominent MPs of the ruling PML, while responding to concern shown by some participants of a seminar on CTBT, rejected the impression that such a deal was struck last week during US Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott's talks with Foreign Secretary Shamshad Ahmed. "No formal commitment was made during the talks and the ultimate decision on the issue will be in the best national interests,"former Defence Minister Col (R) Ghulam Sarwar Cheema said at the seminar organized by Institute of Strategic Studies. Cheema said, while arriving at a final decision the Government will uphold patriotism. Chairman Programme Pakistan 2010 Ehsan Iqbal also vehemently denied the impression, saying the Government will never compromise on national interests.

US welcomes new India-Pakistan talks

WASHINGTON, July 30 (APP/AFP) :The White House on Wednesday welcomed the first India-Pakistan talks since their rival nuclear tests in May but cautioned that more will be needed to bridge their considerable divide. "We are encouraged that the two prime ministers are meeting. We hope that they will directly address those things that can limit tensions on the subcontinent," spokesman Michael McCurry said. Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Indian counterpart Atal Behari Vajpayee met Wednesday in the Sri Lankan capital ahead of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit. "We imagine that they will review positions that they have taken in the past ... (but) there will have to be much greater dialogue before they can resolve all the disputes," McCurry said.