Monday, 14 May 2001

An Afghan family crosses into Pakistan at the border near Chaman, 130km northwest of Baluchistans provincial capital of Quetta yesterday. As thousands of Afghans fled cities fearing possible US attacks, the United Nations was preparing urgent plans to feed and shelter the latest flood of the tired and hungry.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistans President, Pervez Musharraf, gave a nationally televised address last night in which he braced his people for a war led by American forces that could devastate his country.

The Pakistan army and the Pakistani people are ready to lay down their lives for the safety of the country, Musharraf - in military uniform for the occasion - said. Pakistan comes first. Everything else is secondary.

General Musharraf explained to the countrys 140mn people why he was supporting the American action against Osama bin Laden and his protectors, the Taliban regime in Afghanistan.

He said the United States had asked for Pakistans co-operation with gathering intelligence, access to its airspace and logistical support as it seeks those responsible for the attacks of September 11. However, he said, no operational plan was yet ready.

He reassured his people - many of whom support bin Laden and regard the US as an enemy - that American retaliation would not be directed against Islam or innocent Afghans.

However, he warned that Pakistan was passing through a very serious time. Our decision today will impact on our future.

General Musharraf said the full extent of Pakistans support depended on the final shape of Americas plans to get bin Laden out of Afghanistan.

Its target was first and foremost bin Laden, then the Taliban, and thirdly the war against international terrorism, he said.

He showed considerable exasperation with the Taliban, saying he had supported the extreme Islamist regime when the world was against it and still wanted to avoid the infliction of suffering on the organisation or on ordinary Afghans.

But at this moment, he said, my only priority is Pakistan and its defence. Anyone elses defence comes second.

The general was blunt about the position in which Pakistan had found itself after last weeks carnage in America.

He said the country was facing its greatest danger since 1971. The consequences of a wrong decision will be very serious, he said.

To be declared a terrorist nation by the US would harm Pakistans strategic interests - its nuclear and missile capability - and its support for Muslims in Kashmir, over which it has had disputes with India for more than half a century.

But the President showed that he was aware that choosing to play a pivotal role in the US-led alliance against terrorism will raise Pakistans credibility, as he put it.

Washington is already showing signs of moving away from Pakistans perennial rival, India, which received a ritual warning last night to avoid exploiting the situation.

Our air force is on high alert and is ready for a do-or-die mission, General Musharraf said.

Much of his speech, which was occasionally unfocused, dwelt on his military responsibilities as commander-in-chief, an aspect that was possibly intended to be aimed at Islamist sympathisers in the army and that served as a reminder of the period immediately after his coup.

Tacitly acknowledging his lack of democratic credentials, he emphasised that he had held consultations in the past week with a number of diverse organisations, including military commanders, the media and political parties.

He said that the vast majority of Pakistanis had asked for patience, but a minority - which he estimated numbered 10 to 15% - were inclined to favour more emotional decisions, a reference to the religious parties that have stirred up street demonstrations in cities across Pakistan this week. The strength of their support may be shown tomorrow, when they have called for a national strike and a rally in Lahore. The Independent

AUTHORITIES yesterday suspended issuing of visit visas to relatives and friends of residents in view of the forthcoming WTO ministerial conference in Doha.

The conference, expected to be attended by some 4,500 delegates from nearly 150 countries, is scheduled to be held from November 9 to 13. All the countrys social and security resources are expected to be geared towards the successful holding of the conference, to be held for the first time in the Middle East.

An immigration official said that no new visit visas would be issued until after the conference. However, those who have already obtained visas could visit the country before the conference.

The official revealed that those who are already in the country would not be given an extension beyond the end of October. All such visitors would be required to leave the country by the end of next month.

However, those who have acquired an extension, which runs beyond October, could stay on until the expiry of their visas. That means, those who have made the payment for the extension will not lose their money, he explained.

The new restrictions, to be in place until the mid-November, will not apply to family visit visas, which are usually given for a year at a time, and business visas.

It wasnt clear yesterday what might happen if the conference gets postponed, the possibility of which cannot be ruled out in the light of the impending military action against Afghanistan. The United States has already hinted that such action could be long drawn out.

Those who overstay their visit visas would be fined QR200 for every additional day. However, those who cannot travel due to health or other reasons beyond their control could get an exemption provided they can convince the authorities of the rationale for extending their stay.

Any visitor intending to stay in the country for more than a month needs to have a medical clearance. But, sometimes, such medical checks, which includes X-rays and blood checks, could cause delays in getting the extension stamped. They too can get an exemption from paying the fine.

JERUSALEM: Israel and the Palestinians were maintaining yesterday a crucial ceasefire that could lead to renewed peace talks, but scattered shooting marred the latest attempt to end a year of bloodshed.

The fragile truce, announced on Tuesday by Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and Israel, was pushed through under pressure from the United States, which is trying to end the Middle East conflict and draw Arab countries into an anti-terrorism coalition.

The truce, the fourth since the start of the Palestinian uprising, got off to an unsteady start with sporadic gunfire overnight, but only one shooting was reported by the Israeli army yesterday, in Hebron on the West Bank.

Palestinian police were patrolling the streets of Hebron and other flashpoints in the West Bank and Gaza Strip to maintain the day-old truce.

Despite the sudden drop in violence, a top spokesman for Ariel Sharon said the 48 hours of calm demanded by Israels prime minister before he will allow a meeting between Foreign Minister Shimon Peres and Arafat had not yet started.

Mr Arafat declared a ceasefire and we would like to know that this time it is serious. The last three times he declared a ceasefire, nothing much happened, he said.

In spite of Israeli doubts, the Jewish states tanks pulled out of positions they had taken up during recent retaliatory incursions into Palestinian-held territory.

Scepticism was also voiced by the West Bank leader of Arafats Fatah movement, Marwan Barghuti.

Its unlikely that this call for a ceasefire will stand, since it is not based on a political agreement, he said. If it is to succeed, it should also include calls that it will lead to an end of the Israeli occupation.

If this initiative does work, it will open the door to a meeting between Peres and Arafat to negotiate a long-term disengagement on the ground.

Arafats spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeina said his chief was looking for serious American intto secure a ceasefire. Washington, which loudly hailed the end of hostilities, has promised to build on the breakthrough. - AFP

PARIS: Surgeons in New York have used a robot to remove the gall bladder of a woman in France in the worlds first long-distance operation, the head of the team said yesterday, predicting it could radically change medical practice.

A team of French surgeons in the US metropolis used video technology and telecommunications to manipulate scalpel-wielding robotic arms in a hospital in north-east France a technique which could be used to spread medical expertise across the globe. Reuters

WASHINGTON/LONDON: America will outline its plans today for military retaliation against last weeks terror attacks amid signs that President George Bush is becoming increasingly frustrated with the mixed messages Taliban - the regime harbouring the prime suspect, Osama bin Laden.

Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld ordered 100 combat aircraft to begin moving to bases in the Gulf area as early as today. The aircraft will be preceded by teams of Air Force air controllers who will co-ordinate refuelling of the fighters and bombers as they deploy from the United States.

The deployment has been called Operation Infinite Justice, according to the Pentagon. Included in the force of combat aircraft are F-16s, F-15s and possibly B-1 bombers. Air control teams will be deployed to establish ground communications along the route to co-ordinate refuelling operations as planes head to Afghanistan on bombing runs.

The Bush administration told the Taliban regime last night that it was time for actions and not negotiations as it responded to a statement from Mullah Mohamed Omar, the Talibans leader, that he was ready to hold talks with the US about bin Laden.

President Bush will meet British Prime Minister Tony Blair in Washington today and deliver to him what amounts to a timetable for the much-anticipated military strikes. At the same time, the US Deputy Secretary of State, Richard Armitage, will brief Nato on Americas three-pronged plans for diplomatic, financial and and military action.

While President Bush continues to consider a wide range of military options, it was revealed yesterday that US officials will arrive in Pakistan later this week to discuss ground-support requirements for a strike inside Afghanistan.

Bush has already consulted Blair about the precise timing of those strikes, and there is a growing belief in London that operations could start within a week.

As the war clouds gathered and the Taliban sought to play for time, the President told reporters at the White House: I would strongly urge the Taliban to turn over the Al-Qaeda organisers who hide in their country ...

Were on the case. Were gathering as much evidence as we possibly can to be able to make our case to the world. Anybody who harbours terrorists needs to fear the United States and the rest of the freedom-loving world.

Bush and his military advisers have been considering a full range of options on how to respond to last weeks attacks in New York and Washington, which resulted in the deaths of up to 6,000 people. While most observers believe the response will involve a mixture of aerial attacks and ground operations by Special Forces, it is becoming increasingly clear that Bush is very aware of the need to build a diplomatic coalition to support such military action.

Central to this coalition is Blair, who has already said he is prepared for British forces to play a role in the military response.

America will ask its European allies to provide tangible assistance to the military response, although it will clearly still take the lead in co-ordinating the action. British officials admit there is a range of views among EU members and that some countries who want to find a reason not to participate will find one.

To try and counter this, the US Deputy Secretary of States visit to Nato headquarters today is designed to strengthen the mood of coalition and provide evidence of bin Ladens involvement. Last week Nato took the unprecedented step of invoking its Cold War-era mutual defence clause - declaring that if last weeks attacks on the US were found to have come from abroad, it would be treated as an attack on the entire alliance. The Independent

WASHINGTON: US President George W Bush praised Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf yesterday as having taken a bold position in offering to aid the United States retaliate for last weeks terror strikes.

President Musharraf has taken a bold position, which is to say that he will work to the extent he can with America and our allies as we deal with the prime suspect in the case, said Bush, who has blamed the attacks on Osama bin Laden, who resides in Afghanistan.

n Bush said yesterday that he would make a televised address to the US Congress today and looked forward to explaining who carried out last weeks terror attacks and why.

I look forward to the opportunity to explain to the American people who it is, who would do this to our great country; and why, why would people choose America, said Bush, who has blamed the strikes on bin Laden.

A lot of our citizens have got a lot of questions about what has taken place on September the 11th and subsequent to that, and I owe it to the country to give an explanation, he said during an Oval Office meeting with congressional leaders.

n President Bush said yesterday that his campaign against international terrorism was not a war of religion against Islam.

Bush told reporters that he was not targeting the Muslim faith following terror attacks on New York and the Pentagon last week, despite naming Osama bin Laden, who is sheltered by Afghanistans Taliban as prime suspect.

The president said his administration had no interest in fighting a war of religion. AFP

ISLAMABAD: Millions of Afghans face a devastating humanitarian crisis whether they stay put or flee possible US reprisals for last weeks attacks in the United States, UN and other relief agencies said yesterday.

As thousands of Afghans fled cities fearing US strikes, the United Nations drew up urgent plans to feed and shelter the latest flood of the tired and the hungry.

With bitter winter weather on the way, many in the war-ravaged and drought-stricken land are already forced to eat grass and animal fodder.

Up to 5,000 Afghans staged a tense anti-US protest at the Chaman border yesterday as reinforced Pakistani forces laid barbed wire to block them from crossing the frontier. - Reuters

SAN FRANCISCO: Internet security experts warned yesterday that the new computer virus Nimda continued to spread around the world and could end up causing more damage than the infamous Code Red virus.

Roman Danyliw, an Internet security analyst at the CERT antivirus co-ordination centre at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, said that Nimda represents the most sophisticated virus yet encountered on the web and that security experts had not yet fully understood the way it works.

Tens of thousands of machines are compromised, he said. Its too early to state the total extent of the damage, but it is not diminishing.

Nimdas main impact on Tuesday was in the US but it spread wildly across Asia and Europe yesterday. - DPA