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Nawaz terms outcome of his talks with Indian counterpart as "Zero"

COLOMBO, Aug 1 (APP) :Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif here Thursday evening said that the outcome of his talks with his Indian counterpart was "zero". Soonafter his return from the holiday resort of Bentota, where he had formal talks with Indian Premier Atal Behari Vajpayee, Mr. Nawaz Sharif in an interview with the Editor of the largely-circulated English daily 'The Island' said that he told his Indian counterpart that Pakistan wanted talks between India and Pakistan to be resumed "just as much India wanted them to be resumed." "So, let us resolve the issue of Kashmir in a serious and substantive manner so that we would be able to make progress", I told him Mr. Sharif said. However, the Indian Premier was not willing to focus on Kashmir prominently or wanted Kashmir figure prominently in a joint communique. "If he wants the position, what is the point in having these talks because Kashmir was the rootcause of all the conflicts between India and Pakistan. We did not want to hold talks for the sake of talks to succeed", he said. Asked whether he would describe the outcome of his formal talks as a stalemate, Mr. Nawaz Sharif said, "Yes, it is a stalemate. We are not here to waste each others time". He, however, said that in their informal talks they did exchange views on matters concerning India and Pakistan.

SAARC on right path to becoming a powerful coalition: Srilankan President

COLOMBO, Aug 1 (APP) :Sri Lankan President, Chandrika Bandranaike Kumaratunga has said that the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is on the right path to becoming "a very powerful coalition" of people and governments working in unison to foster regional cooperation. "History and geography are once more continuing to bring our peoples and governments together. Despite ephemeral clouds that occasionally darken the horizon, our optimism remains firm. SAARC has rekindled our common identity", she said at a banquet in honour of visiting South Asian leaders Thursday evening. She said that all South Asian leaders are deeply committed to ensure that SAARC achieves rapid and tangible results. The SAARC Summit permits the leaders to discuss matters concerning the region and other parts of the world from a South Asian perspective. There have been occasions when the leaders voiced a South Asian view at international fora, she said.

SAARC Summit concludes, Colombo Declaration adopted

COLOMBO, Aug 1 (APP) :The 3-day 10th SAARC Summit, which was overshadowed by the one-to-one bilateral talks between Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Indian Premier Atal Behari Vajpayee on the conference's sideline, concluded here Friday after formally adopting the Colombo Declaration. The concluding session was held at the imposing President's Secretariat (Old Parliament Building) facing the Arabian Sea. On arrival, the Sri Lankan President and current Chairperson of the SAARC Chandrika Kumaratunga alongwith foreign minister Lakshman Kadiragamar, received Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Indian Premier Atal Behari Vajpayee, BD Premier Sheikh Hasina Wajid, Maldive President Maumoon Abdul Ghayum, Nepalese Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and Bhutan's Head of the Government Lyonpo Jigmi Y. Thinley, at the Secretariat. The SAARC Secretary General Naeem U. Hasan was also present on the occasion.

Indian rigidity blamed for stalemate in resumption of Indo-Pak talks:

COLOMBO, Aug 1 (APP) :India-Pakistan dialogue remains stalemated "as no progress has been made in Colombo," Foreign Office Spokesman said here Friday, blaming India for its "rigid and inflexible position." In a press statement issued at the conclusion of the three-day Tenth SAARC Summit, Tariq Altaf said, "at the heart of the problem lies the rigid and inflexible position which India continues to maintain in its refusal to address the issues of Peace and Security and Jammu and Kashmir dispute." He stated pursuant to the dirctive of their Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretaries of Pakistan and India have met twice on July 29 and 30 to overcome the procedural as well as substantive impediments to the resumption of Pakistan-India talks. "It has not been possible for them to reach an agreement. As such, the Pakistan-India dislogue remains stalemated and no progress has been made in Colombo."

Use or threat of nuclear weapons: SAARC leaders urge CD to commence negotiations in comprehensive manner

COLOMBO, Aug 1 (APP) :The SAARC Summit Friday urged the Conference on Disarmament (CD) to commence negotiations on a comprehensive, universal and non-discriminatory international instrument prohibiting the use or threat of nuclear weapons as well as eliminating such weapons in existing arsenals. The Heads of State/Government attending the Summit on the conclusion of the three-day deliberations adopted a 23-page declaration. It says, "they underscored their commitment to the complete elimination of nuclear weapons and the need for promoting nuclear disarmament on a universal basis, under effective international control." "They recognized that global non-proliferation goals cannot be achieved in the absence of progress towards nuclear disarmament and in this context called upon all nuclear weapon states, whether party or non-party to the NPT, to engage constructively through a transparent and credible process of negotiations at the Conference on Disarmament (CD)." The heads of State/Government were of the view that stability, peace and security in South Asia could not be considered in isolation of the global security environment.

Nawaz continues to get prominent coverage

COLOMBO, Aug 1 (APP) :Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif continued to draw attention of the Sri Lankan print and electronic media. The largest-circulated daily 'The Island' splashed an interview by its editor with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. It's headlined: 'India not willing to focus on Kashmir: talks' result zero.' The newspaper has published a 3-column colour picture showing Nawaz Sharif shaking hands with Indian Premier Atal Behari Vajpayee, at the State banquet hosted by Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga. Another 3-column colour picture shows Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif along with six other SAARC leaders on the sea resort during retreat Thursday. The paper has also published a three-column story about SAARC leaders holding informal talks at Bentota. The daily says, bilateral talks between Indian and Pakistani leaders resumed on Wednesday evening after the inaugural session of the Tenth SAARC Summit. World attention remained focussed on bilateral talks between India and Pakistan.

PM arrives in Male, inaugurates parliament building on Saturday

MALE, Aug 1 (APP) :Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was given a warm welcome when he flew into the country of Islands from Colombo on a two-day official visit. On arrival here the Prime Minsiter was received among others, by the President of Maldives Mamoon Abdul Ghayum who had earlier arrived here from Colombo after attending the SAARC Summit.

India uses science fair to materialise her expansionist dream

DHAKA, Aug 1 (APP) :India successfully proved how to use a science fair to materialise her expansionist dream. In order to reverse its current image in Bangladesh as an expansionist and aggressive power, India seems to have adopted a new strategy. To attain this goal India undertook new policy of using science and technology alongside cultural crusade to reverse the mentality and outlook of the Bangladeshi people. For a couple of years India has deliberately projected Hindu Gods and Goods through cultural performance. Other than satellite aggression whenever Indian cultural activities tour Bangladesh they exhibit Hindu Gods and Goods through drama, jattra (open opera), dance and song. Though outwardly and constitutionally India is said to be a secular state it motivatedly propagates Hindu religious philosophy and belief in Bangladesh where 88% people are Muslims and only 8% are Hindu.

New Power Policy aims at cheap power generation

ISLAMABAD, Aug 1 (APP) :The government on Friday announced the new Power Policy to ensure cheap electricity generation through indigenous resources, competitive bidding and minimum tariffs. In a departure from the past policy, based on thermal, the new policy envisages a proactive role for the government to promote the use of indigenous coal and hydro electric resources in power generation, Minister for Water and Power, Raja Nadir Pervez said. He told reporters, the previous policy had provided almost blanket exemptions from all duties and taxes. " This meant that Pakistan's fledgling engineering industry and equipment manufacturers for power plants could not compete with imports because of the duties paid on their inputs." The Minister declared," The new Power policy framework will eliminate this inequity. He said, the country has 40,000 megawatt of hydel resources which have remained untapped and the coal reserves are estimated at 200 billion tons. "The total generation through hydel and coal is approximately 5000 mw." Our Policy, the Minister said, is based on exploitation of coal and hydel reserves and conversion on gas where ever available also form part of the policy. The basis for private power project will be minimum levelized tariff through international competitive bidding.

Chabrier's briefing to IMF Board to have positive impact

ISLAMABAD, Aug 1 (APP) :Briefing to IMF Board of Directors about the economic progress and financial needs of Pakistan by Paul Chabrier, Director of IMF Middle East Region will have a positive impact for the country. Commenting on the developments taking place regarding possible renegotiations of IMF loan, official sources told APP that Pakistan fulfilled all the targets and goals agreed with the Board on economic front during 1997-98. "The home-grown packages based on structural reforms and introduced by the government to put the crumbing economy back on the track were also appreciated by the IMF mission during its last visit," the sources added. However, the sources further said any speculation regarding IMF loan or any other new package of loan was not in the economic interest of the country which, the sources stressed must be avoided at this juncture.