Greece approve austerity as protesters, police clash
Greek lawmakers approved a new round of drastic austerity measures late Sunday after a long day of street battles between police and protesters left Athens buildings ablaze and the streets in chaos.
The deputies defied the 100,000-strong turnout in Athens and Thessaloniki and approved another round of stringent budget measures requested by Greece s international creditors in return for a multi-billion rescue fund.
Greek Prime Minister Lucas Papademos denounced the violence in the debate leading up to the vote, saying the street battles around the parliament building had no place in a democracy.
Deputies “will assume their responsibility” and make the most important choice of “advancing with Europe and the single currency”, Papademos said shortly before the vote took place.
The fire brigade said 10 buildings were set ablaze in central Athens, most of them by petrol bombs hurled by masked protesters who have been a common presence at anti-austerity marches since the crisis began in 2010.
The health ministry said 54 people were injured in the day s events.
Fire engines were initially unable to intervene because of the size of the protest and the chaos that filled the streets around the parliament building, where lawmakers debated the austerity plan ahead of a late-night vote.
When protesters wearing gas masks tried to break through the riot police cordon around parliament, the standoff broke out into running battles, with tear gas canisters and rocks flying in opposite directions.
An estimated 80,000 protesters gathered in Athens, police said, matching the biggest turnouts achieved against earlier austerity packages last year, while around 20,000 also demonstrated in the second city of Thessaloniki.
Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos told parliament it had to back the government-approved plan to unlock a 130 billion euro ($171 billion) rescue fund from the EU and the IMF, or Greece would be forced to default.
“The situation is very clear. Tonight at midnight before the markets open the Greek parliament must send the message that our nation can and will (support the debt deal),” Venizelos said.
The pressure on Greece is huge as leaders in the eurozone core countries express their exasperation with Athens and increasingly minimise the wider dangers of the country stumbling out of the single currency.
Zardari calls for expanding Pak-Sri Lanka bilateral trade
President Asif Ali Zardari Friday called for stepping up efforts to fully realize the potential of Free Trade Agreement with Sri Lanka and building a mutually beneficial economic and trade partnership to jack up the bilateral trade from current $375 million to $2 billion target in the next three years.
The President urged for further exploring the currency swap agreement with Sri Lanka, which, he said would provide huge incentives to business houses in both the countries to actively explore and enhance business linkages as they use local currencies for trade.
The President said this during one-to-one meeting with his Sri Lankan counterpart, President Mahinda Rajapaksa followed by delegation level talks here at the Aiwan-e-Sadr.
Those who were present during the delegation level meeting included among others Hina Rabbani Khar, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator A. Rehman Malik, Federal Minister for Interior, Dr. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, Advisor to Prime Minister on Finance, M. Salman Faruqui, Secretary General to the President, Saleem H Mandviwala, Salman Bashir, Foreign Secretary, Maj ® Haroon Rashid, Special Secretary, Seema Ilahi Baloch, Pakistan Ambassador to Sri Lanka and other senior officials.
The Sri Lankan President was assisted by Prof G.L Peiris, Minister for External Affairs, Duminda Dissanayake, Deputy Minister, Sajin de Vass Gunawardena, Monitoring MP, Lalith Weerathunga, Secretary to the President, Karunatilaka Amunugama, Secretary Ministry of External Affairs, ACM Jayalath Weerakkody, Sri Lankan High Commissioner in Pakistan.
Briefing the media spokesperson to the President Farhatullah Babar said matters regarding Pak-Sri Lankan bilateral relations, mutual cooperation with special reference to trade and commercial ties besides regional and international issues were discussed during the meeting.
The President welcomed President Mahinda Rajapaksa and members of delegation to the Presidency and expressed hope that the visit would help boost the bilateral ties between the peoples of the two countries which date back to the days of Buddhist civilization and have been marked by a shared interest in regional peace and stability and fight against militancy.
The Spokesperson said that the Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa thanked the President and the government of Pakistan for according warm welcome and said that Sri Lanka attaches great importance to its strategic and special relations with Pakistan and desires to further strengthen bilateral trade and commercial ties based on mutual respect, shared civilisational heritage and shared perceptions on a host of issues.
He thanked the President and government of Pakistan for the support and cooperation extended to Sri Lanka in curbing the menace of terrorism and added that Sri Lanka-Pakistan relations have matured and diversified with the passage of time, encompassing key areas of contemporary relevance.
Pakistan, Afghanistan set for historic one-dayer
Pakistan and Afghanistan play a historic first-ever one-day international between the two countries here on Friday with both captains vowing to make the game a memorable one.
“It is a very important game for both countries and we will try to make the occasion memorable with some quality cricket,” Pakistan captain Misbah-ul Haq said.
“It is important for countries like Afghanistan to play a top team which will help them improve and we are going to play with our full strength team as they have some good players.”
Friday s match in Sharjah Stadium — which holds the world record of staging the most one-day internationals with 201 — is fitting because most of the Afghan players learnt the game in Pakistan while staying as refugees after the Soviet invasion of their country in 1979.
Afghanistan captain Nawroz Mangal thanked Pakistan for giving them chances.
“We thank Pakistan for allowing us to play this one-day and also giving us opportunity to play in their domestic competitions which raised our confidence,” said Mangal, who led Afghanistan to one-day status.
“It is a history making match against a top team like Pakistan and we will try our best to put up a good fight in a contest which is a big challenge for us,” said the 27-year-old Mangal, an off-spin bowler.
Mangal said his team had prepared well for Pakistan s spinners Saeed Ajmal and Abdul Rehman who were behind the 3-0 destruction of England in their three-Test series: Ajmal finished with 24 wickets while Rehman took 19.
“We have prepped well for Pakistan s spin duo and I am confident my batsmen will do their best,” said Mangal, adding that paceman Hamid Hassan, who has 24 wickets in 14 one-day internationals, will miss the match through knee injury.
They still have Mohammad Nabi, an off-spinner who took five wickets while playing for an ICC Combined XI against England last month and wicket-keeper batsman Mohammad Shahzad who scored 51 and 74 in the same match.
Pakistan will be further boosted by the return of all-rounder Shahid Afridi who will add variety to team s spin attack.
Mangal hoped a sell-out crowd of 15,000 largely Afghan and Pakistan expats, enjoying the weekly holiday here, will show their support.
“We want the public to share this historic moment with both the teams,” said Mangal.
War-ravaged Afghanistan gained a notable foot up on the world cricket stage by finishing fifth in the 2011 World Cup qualifiers which earned them the right to play one-day internationals.
They also won the right to play the third edition of World Twenty20, held in the Caribbean in 2010, by winning the qualifying tournament and then finished with a silver medal in the Asian Games in China in November that same year.
Afghanistan, one of the 59 associate members of the International Cricket Council (ICC), are also the title holders of the Inter-Continental Cup meant for the Associate nations.
The ICC, which contributes approximately 700,000 dollars a year to help Afghanistan s development in cricket, has shown great delight in their progress, terming it as “a success story in cricket”.
Israel rejects new Palestinian government: minister
Israel s foreign minister told the UN Security Council on Thursday that a new Palestinian unity government including Hamas was a setback to peace attempts, diplomats said.
Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman briefed the 15 Security Council ambassadors on the Middle East peace talks and the growing confrontation with Iran in a meeting at a New York hotel.
Lieberman said an accord signed this week by the heads of Fatah and Hamas “does not contribute to the advancement of peace negotiations or the well being of the Palestinian people,” Israel s UN mission said in a statement.
The accord “reflects the personal interests” of Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, the head of Fatah, and Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal, the Israeli minister added.
“Israel will not accept a Palestinian government that includes Hamas, unless it changes its current policies, recognizes Israel s right to exist and accepts all Quartet conditions,” Lieberman added.
Talks between Israel and the Palestinians have been frozen since September 2010. The Palestinians have demanded that Israel halt settlement construction in the Palestinian territories. Israel rejects any conditions for talks to settle the Middle East conflict.
Lieberman, who is on a US tour which included meetings in Washington with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, also demanded that the Security Council act on Iran, the statement said.
“Israel keeps all options on the table” if international sanctions do not convince Iran to halt its nuclear drive, Lieberman said. Western countries say Iran is trying to build a nuclear bomb and many experts say Israel is planning for a military strike. Iran denies it is seeking a weapon.
Lieberman called on the Security Council to act on statements by Iran s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who have made calls “to wipe Israel off the map,” the Israeli mission said.
War on terror: 10-year Pak-US accord expires
The USA-Pak Acquisition and Cross Services Treaty was inked by Pakistan and United States on February 9, 2009.
According to sources, joint operations were launched by intelligence agencies of both the countries against Taliban and Al Qaeda under the USA-Pak Acquisition and Cross Services Treaty. Key Pakistani airbases were also handed over to US under the agreement.
The agreement was presented before the parliamentary committee on national security on the direction of Army Chief General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani. The sources said that now the parliament will decide the priority of the new Pak-US agreement.
Pepsi to make 8,700 jobless to make profits
The beverage company says it would do so to boost savings and returns to investors.
The cuts are part of a new three-year productivity program expected to generate $1.5 billion in cost savings.
“This effort includes headcount reductions of about 8,700 employees across 30 countries, about three percent of the company s global workforce,” the company said in a statement.
“The productivity programs will enhance the company s cost-competitiveness as well as provide a source of funding for future brand-building and innovation initiatives.”
The company said that meanwhile it will add $500-600 million to advertising and marketing around the world, but especially focused on the North Americas market.– Agencies
Sarkozy refuses to shutter aging nuclear plant
The plant has become a symbol of growing resistance to nuclear energy in France.
The future of nuclear energy in the country has become a campaign issue as the presidential election approaches this spring, thanks in part to the earthquake and tsunami disaster at Japan s Fukushima plant last year.
But Nicolas Sarkozy, who lags in the polls, said Thursday while visiting the plant in Fessenheim that it would be a huge mistake and a “scandal” to close it and lay off its workers. He insisted that there was no doubt about the plant s safety.
The plant, which opened in 1978 in northeast France, is the country s oldest. France relies on nuclear energy more than any other nation, with about three-quarters of electricity coming from nuclear reactors.
Socialist presidential candidate Francois Hollande has pledged to close down Fessenheim and reduce nuclear dependence to 50 percent if he s elected president in elections in April and May.
His pledge stemmed from a political pact with France s leading environmental party and signs that the French public is starting to question the safety of nuclear energy.
Hollande leads opinion polls ahead of the vote. Sarkozy has not officially declared his candidacy but is widely expected to seek a second term.
Sarkozy has lobbied hard at home and abroad in favor of nuclear power, a substantial sector of the French economy. France actively exports nuclear energy technology and takes in nuclear plant waste from countries around the world.
“We will not close it, this plant,” Sarkozy said, to cheers by workers at Fessenheim. “Why would we close it for political reasons? … Where else would we go to get (electricity)?”
“It s madness, madness,” he said.
France chose to invest heavily in nuclear energy after the oil shocks in the 1970s and governments left and right have stuck to nuclear energy ever since, even when other European countries scaled back after the 1986 accident at the Chernobyl nuclear plant spewed a radioactive cloud over much of the continent.
France s industry minister, Eric Besson, is convening a meeting in Paris on Friday with his counterparts from 15 other European countries that have invested in and remain committed to nuclear energy.–Agencies
Interference on Balochistan unbearable, US told
Washington and the US Embassy have been informed about our reservations.
While giving weekly briefing in Islamabad, FO spokesman Abdul Basit said, “Balochistan is our internal matter; all the countries should respect the sovereignty of one another.”
He said that the Washington and the US embassy have been informed of our reservations about the US discussing the Balochistan issue.
He said that national policy on done attacks in clear and candid, adding that such attacks are a challenge for our sovereignty which is unacceptable for us at any cost.
Commenting on Pak-Iran Gas Pipeline Project, he said that it is very important for us. Construction work on the project is underway which would be completed till 2014, he said.
The Foreign Office also said that no meeting between Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani and representatives of Afghan Taliban were held in Qatar as no such meeting was in schedule.
Spokesman said that a misconception was created that the Prime Minister had a plan to hold meetings with Taliban.
He said that Gilani visit to Doha was exclusively focused on bilateral relations with Qatar, though, regional situation and peace in Afghanistan also came under discussion in the meetings between the Prime Minister and Qatari officials.
About the initial talks between Taliban and the US, the spokesman said the American diplomatic sources had briefed Pakistani officials over their contacts and talks with them. However, he declined to comment on meeting between Taliban and the US Special Envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan Ambassador Marc Grossman in Qatar.
“Better this question be asked US State Department instead of me, they can confirm or reject such question,” he added.
Responding to a question about different approaches of China and Pakistan over support to the UN resolution against Syria, he said, “Some amendment in the resolution enabled us to support it. Every country, that either voted for or against the resolution had their own valid reason. Our friendship with China is time-tested and everlasting.” But Pakistan always stands for respecting independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty of all the countries including Syria, he further said.
On the ongoing row over the US drone attacks, he said that such actions are unacceptable but after completion of the parliamentary process, Pakistani officials would have clear policy in this connection.
Regarding the issue of Afghan refugees, the spokesman reiterated that Pakistan is engaged with the UN agencies for their return but with honor and dignity.
Over the US pressure around the world against trade with Iran, he said that as far as the IP gas project is concerned there is no change in the position of Pakistan.
Basit said that trilateral summit of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran in Islamabad next week will focus on counter-terrorism and drug trafficking.
He said that Pakistan was quite busy on diplomatic front this week. Prime Minister Gilani visited Qatar and held negotiation on energy and bilateral relations. The foreign minister visited Russian Federation for improving bilateral relations, “Pakistan is facing energy crises and it also hold talks on this issue with Moscow”. “Russia also has interest in Pak-Iran gas project.” The Lankan President is also visiting Pakistan and so on, he said.
Amid the rumors of Pakistani officials meeting during the prime minister visit with Taliban in Qatar, a reaction was noticed in Kabul.
ICC lauds Afghanistan cricket development
War-ravaged Afghanistan s fairy-tale rise in cricket is a success story in the development and growth of the game, a further step arriving with their first-ever one-day international against Pakistan here on Friday.
Afghanistan joined the International Cricket Council eleven years ago, rose rapidly on cricket horizons in 2009 when they won the right to one-day status by finishing fifth in the World Cup 2011 qualifiers.
They won the qualifying rounds to feature in the World Twenty20 held in the West Indies in 2010 and in the same year won the Inter-Continental Cup for Associate countries before finishing silver medallists at the Asian Games in China.
Cricket, developed through refugees who learned the game while in Pakistan during the Russian invasion in 1979, is now the most sought after game in Afghanistan.
Tim Anderson, ICC global development manager, said Afghanistan s progress is amazing.
“We are delighted with Afghanistan and they are a wonderful story for us to tell how you can overcome the challenges and work through the system,” Anderson, a former Australian junior team captain, told reporters.
“We are really excited about Afghanistan and they are making some great grounds in terms of infrastructure development in and around Kabul. They are making some other centeres and making good grounds in administration.”
Anderson praised the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for giving Afghanistan an opportunity to play a one-dayer against their team.
“Credit to PCB for allowing Afghanistan to play a one-day and I offer them best wishes in this match as it is important for these growing nations to play bigger teams in order to progress,” said Anderson, highlighting China and the United States as other big developing nations.
“ICC tend to talk about China and USA in the same breath, whereas the USA has a significant cricket culture as there is a large Asian and Caribbean community so they take a lot of interest, but China on the other hand has next to no cricket culture.
“The Asian Cricket Council is doing a great job in China by trying to build some momentum, there is a big facility in Guangzhou and having cricket in the Asian Games was a big plus.
“There is definite potential in China but it will take a little while to grow.”
The ICC Development Programme was launched in 1997. According to the ICC there are approximately 700,000 male and female participants currently involved in formal cricket programmes outside the Full Member nations.
The ICC has set an ambitious strategic target of more than doubling this number to over 1.5 million participants by 2015.
ICC has ten full, 59 associates and 36 affiliate members.
Anderson said the objectives of the development programme was to increase the number of countries.
“The main objectives of the development programme is to build the number of countries at the highest level of the game that can be competitive. Afghanistan and Ireland are in that cateogry and on the other hand we have our focus on the grassroots as well,” he said, praising the growth of Nepal and Papua New Guinea.
Crude prices higher in Asian trade
Crude prices edged higher in Asian trade Thursday on hopes that protracted talks over a Greek debt deal were set for a conclusion, analysts said.
New York s main contract, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) light sweet crude for delivery in March, gained 18 cents to $98.89 a barrel and Brent North Sea crude for March was up 21 cents to $117.41 in the afternoon.
“Crude futures rose… on hopes that a deal to bail out debt-strapped Greece was near,” said Phillip Futures in a commentary.
Greek government coalition talks on austerity measures ended on Wednesday with the prime minister s office saying one remaining point of disagreement remained — cuts to pensions. It added that it hoped for a complete deal to be reached by Thursday evening.
Representatives of the European Union, the International Monetary Fund and the European Central Bank, have been organising massive bailout loans for the debt-ridden country.
Greece desperately requires emergency funds from its eurozone partners to avoid defaulting on 14.5 billion euros ($19.2 billion) worth of payments to bond holders due on March 20.
Other analysts however cautioned against raising expectations too high.
“At present, we await the outcome of a Greek meeting today but I wouldn t suggest anyone clears their diary for this,” Justin Harper, head of research at IG Markets Singapore, told AFP.
“We ve seen too many meetings and deadlines postponed, moved and cancelled altogether for people to get too worked up about this latest line in the sand ,” he added.
Traders were also closely watching developments in Iran, where lawmakers backed unspecified “retaliatory measures” prepared by Tehran s oil and trade ministries against a European oil embargo.
“In our view, unless Iran is able to secure an alternative buyer, the decision is likely to remain in the form of rhetoric and a threat,” Barclays Capital said in a commentary.
However the situation surrounding the Islamic republic remained tense, “with the risk of miscalculation resulting in a messy military endgame rising”, it added.
Western countries have accused Iran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons but Tehran has insisted its atomic programme is for civilian purposes.
