Arab League supports Palestinian stance over talks with Israel

Arab League leaders have said that they support the Palestinians’ decision to stop direct talks with Israel unless the Israelis agree to halt all settlement construction in the West Bank.
The Arab League ministers, who held preliminary talks on Friday in Libya, also said in a statement after the meeting that they will give the US another month to find a way to break the impasse.
The decision represents a compromise as US struggles to prevent a total collapse of direct negotiations between the two sides that began last month.
Some Arab countries have proposed that Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, return to indirect negotiations to avoid a total breakdown of Middle East peace.
Sources told that there are divisions in the Arab League as to how to proceed. They also told that Libya and Syria do not support the resumption of peace talks while Israelis continue to build settlements, but so-called moderate countries such as Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia are interested in exploring different venues.
Meanwhile, Amr Moussa, the Arab League secretary-general, said the Israeli stance is not helping efforts to return to the negotiating table.

N.Korea says Carter wants to resume nuclear talks

SEOUL: North Korea’s number two leader has told former US President Jimmy Carter that the reclusive state is committed to denuclearising the peninsula and resuming six-way talks, the North’s state news agency said on Friday.

Carter left the North on Friday morning, KCNA said. The Carter Center in a statement from the former president said that he was leaving Pyongyang with an American who had been convicted of illegally entering the country.

“Kim Yong Nam expressed the will of the DPRK government for the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula and the resumption of the six-party talks,” KCNA said, referring to the meeting of the North’s number two with Carter.

Carter’s visit took place amid heightened tensions on the peninsula after the torpedoing in March of a South Korean warship, which Seoul blames on the North and which prompted Washington to announce

Abbas, Hamas defy resumption of direct talks with Israel

RAMALLAH/GAZA: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who is currently visiting Cairo, and the leaders of Gaza-ruling Islamic Hamas movement announced on Thursday that they rebuff the resumption of direct peace negotiations with Israel.

Abbas insisted that the Palestinian leadership will only accept to resume the direct talks if the Jewish state declares a progress in the U.S.-sponsored four-month proximity talks and freezes settlement activities in the Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem.

Hamas movement”s leaders, in the meanwhile, insisted that Abbas and the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) should completely severe any peace talks with Israel, whether it is direct or indirect. Instead, Hamas wants the Palestinians to adopt “the armed resistance” against Israel.

Senior Palestinian officials announced on Thursday that Abbas would inform the Arab League Committee for Mideast peace that he would reject direct talks with Israel until his demands are met.

Wasel Abu Yousef, the Palestine Liberation Organization”s (PLO) member, told “Voice of Palestine” Radio that the Palestinians ” still stick to halting Jewish settlement and making progress in the proximity talks.”

The AL Committee convenes in Cairo on Thursday to decide on moving from the U.S.-sponsored four-month proximity talks to the face-to-face talks. Abbas attends the meeting held at the AL headquarters in Cairo.

U.S. and Israel are exerting pressure on the Arabs and the Palestinians to move from the proximity talks to the direct talks, while the Palestinians insist that no direct talks before Israel freezes settlement activities in Jerusalem.

“President Abbas will inform the Arab League Committee that there are no convincing justifications to move to direct negotiations amid no progress achieved in the proximity talks,” said Abu Yousef.

India not mentally prepared for talks: Qureshi

ISLAMABAD: India is not yet mentally prepared for the resumption of dialogue process with Pakistan and is just interested to discuss only some specific issues instead of talking on all outstanding issues between the two countries.

This was stated by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi while talking to newsmen here at Foreign Service Academy after attending the certificate distribution ceremony to the newly trained probationers of the Foreign Service.

Replying to a question about any ‘dead lock’ in Pak-India foreign minister level talks held here at Islamabad yesterday, Qureshi said,” India is not seen mentally ready for the resumption of talks.”

He said although the Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and Indian External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna have positive approach and thinking for resuming the talks, but there are some other problems being faced on part of Indian leadership for the revival of dialogue process.

Qureshi said Pakistan is always ready to resume talks with India with open heart, but the dialogue process should be substantive, meaningful and result oriented.

He said the progress achieved in the dialogue process started in 2004 and continued till 2008 should not be wasted due to some unknown reasons.

Those issues and segments for which modalities have been already decided between the two countries should not be reopened, he said.

Blast on rail track suspends train service near Sukkur

SUKKUR: A powerful blast has occurred on a rail track near Rohri railway station near Sukkur, suspending train service on down track but no loss of life was reported during explosion, Geo news reported.

According to police sources, the explosion happened on a Lahore-Karachi rail track, which shattered more than 3 feet of track and forced the suspension of train service on down track.

Meanwhile, A Karachi-bound ‘Teezgam Express’ has been halted at Rohri railway station.

A four-kilogram heavy bomb was used to carry out explosion, bomb disposal squad said whereas Deputy DS Railway Altaf Hussain was hopeful of restoration of train service at down track within on hour.

Railway track security has been beefed up following explosions and bomb recovery near Odero Lal railway station, he said further.

US welcomes Indo-Pak talks: Holbrooke

WASHINGTON: The Obama Administration has welcomed the resumption of talks between India and Pakistan, as foreign minister of both the countries meet in Islamabad later this week.

“Anything that reduces tensions and increases confidence and understanding between Pakistan and India is something we would encourage and support,” Special US Representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke has said.

But the US is not directly involved in those talks, Holbrooke told reporters at a news conference ahead of the important Kabul conference on Afghanistan next week.

Holbrooke, who met India”s Ambassador to US Meera Shankar on Tuesday said, “I did have a very good discussion this morning with the Indian Ambassador to the United States, who came in at my invitation so that I could brief her on the things we”re talking about here”.

Observing that New Delhi has an important role to play in Afghanistan, Holbrooke said, “India has a very real role in the region for historic and strategic reasons. They can play an important role in resolving these issues”.

Making his 14th trip to Pakistan in 18 months he has been in this position, Holbrooke has said the Obama Administration is engaged in intense strategic discussion with Pakistan, which is yielding desired results.

Attabad: Heli service restricted as boat service resumes

HUNZA: Helicopter service for the affectees of upper Hunza Gojal has been limited today with the resumption of boat service in the area.

According to sources, the heli service was begun on January 4 after Attabad tragedy. Seven helicopters took part in the rescue activities launched for the affectees.

However, the boat service suspended on May 16 due to flood threat has been restored on June 29 and heli service has been restricted. Now two helicopters will carry out rescue activities.

On the other hand, affectees largely depend on private boats, as administration did not provide large boat for the transportation of affectees.

Meanwhile, the inflow in the lake is 14,820 cusecs and outflow is 16,603 cusecs that reduced lake level.

G-8 welcomes resumption of Pak-India dialogue

ISLAMABAD: The group of eight (G-8) nations has welcomed the resumption of dialogue between India and Pakistan. It also appealed to all nations in the region to work together actively in the interest of regional peace and stability.

According to AIR the G8 nations called upon the countries, particularly those possessing nuclear weapons, to join disarmament efforts to promote global stability and undiminished security.

In a joint declaration after hectic deliberations in Toronto, the G-8 countries said the group was committed to a safer world for all and to create conditions for a world without nuclear weapons in accordance with goals of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

Attababd Lake discharge increases to 200 cusecs

HUNZA: Water flow from Attabad Lake has been increased 200 cusecs as erosion near spillway is continued.

The inflow into Attabad Lake has reached 6,200 cusecs while the outflow through the spillway has reached 6,400 cusecs whereas erosion in spillway embankments continues.

The weather is clear and sunny in Hunza on Thursday, however, thick clouds at peaks fear suspension of heli service, which was resumed yesterday. After resumption of heli service, three choppers airlifted the people to Shashkat, Gulmit and Phisu.

On the other hand, while talking to Geo News, DCO Hunza Zafar Waqar Taj said efforts are underway for the resumption of heli service whereas administration is mulling to carry blast to broaden spillway opening. The Hunza-Gilgit section of Karakoram Highway is opened for traffic.

Bangkok exchange, schools to reopen Monday

BANGKOK: Thousands of Thais launched a massive clean-up operation in Bangkok”s charred commercial district on Sunday as the city prepared for the resumption of business after the worst riots in modern history.

Thailand”s stock exchange and other financial markets will resume full-day trading on Monday, after being closed on Thursday and Friday following a wave of arson and street battles when the army dispersed thousands of anti-government protesters. “Our trading system and those of our members are ready to resume operations,” Stock Exchange of Thailand President Patareeya Benjapolchai said in a statement.

She later told Reuters that she expected an inflow of foreign capital into Thai stocks as price-earnings ratios were the lowest among peer markets and export and energy stocks would be resilient.

“The political problems are not over and the possibility of new violence is something the market will be looking out for. The market will also catch up with the losses in equities worldwide last week due to the problems with Greek debt,” said Kiatkong Decho, a strategist at CIMB Securities (Thailand).

Thai stocks were the darling of foreign investors earlier this year, with an estimated $1.8 billion flowing in from February until April 9, a day before violence broke out.

Now, the bourse has seen a net outflow of foreign capital in the year to date, to the tune of 218 million baht ($6.7 million), according to exchange data.

Government offices and schools are also scheduled to reopen on Monday, but a curfew in the city and 23 provinces was extended on Sunday for two more nights.

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