Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Obama hails ties with Muslim communities
From The Hindu
On the first day of a summit focussed on global Muslim entrepreneurship he hosted here, U.S. President Barack Obama told delegates that they were all there “because we know that over the years, despite all we have in common, the United States and Muslim communities around the world too often fell victim to mutual mistrust”.
Underscoring the importance of the summit as a follow-on from his speech in Cairo last year, Mr. Obama said, that he had then called for a new beginning between the U.S. and Muslim communities, based on mutual interest and respect. “I knew that this vision would not be fulfilled in a single year, or even several years. But I knew we had to begin and that all of us have responsibilities to fulfil,” he said
Touching upon the core issue of concerns that the Muslim communities might have with U.S. foreign policy Mr. Obama explained, that he had “worked to ensure that America once again meets its responsibilities, especially when it comes to the security and political issues that have often been a source of tension.”
In particular, he said, the U.S. was “responsibly ending the war in Iraq, and we will partner with Iraqi people for their long-term prosperity and security. In Afghanistan, in Pakistan and beyond, we're forging new partnerships to isolate violent extremists, but also to combat corruption and foster the development that improves lives and communities.” He also vowed never to waver in the U.S.' pursuit of a two-state solution ensuring the rights and security of Israelis and Palestinians.
On the importance of entrepreneurship, Mr. Obama said it was an “area where we can learn from each other; where America can share our experience as a society that empowers the inventor and the innovator.” He also underscored the reciprocal nature of benefits derived from entrepreneurship, saying trade between the U.S. and Muslim-majority countries still had much potential to grow further.
Mr. Obama announced that Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan had agreed to host the next Entrepreneurship Summit next year in his country.
On the first day of a summit focussed on global Muslim entrepreneurship he hosted here, U.S. President Barack Obama told delegates that they were all there “because we know that over the years, despite all we have in common, the United States and Muslim communities around the world too often fell victim to mutual mistrust”.
Underscoring the importance of the summit as a follow-on from his speech in Cairo last year, Mr. Obama said, that he had then called for a new beginning between the U.S. and Muslim communities, based on mutual interest and respect. “I knew that this vision would not be fulfilled in a single year, or even several years. But I knew we had to begin and that all of us have responsibilities to fulfil,” he said
Touching upon the core issue of concerns that the Muslim communities might have with U.S. foreign policy Mr. Obama explained, that he had “worked to ensure that America once again meets its responsibilities, especially when it comes to the security and political issues that have often been a source of tension.”
In particular, he said, the U.S. was “responsibly ending the war in Iraq, and we will partner with Iraqi people for their long-term prosperity and security. In Afghanistan, in Pakistan and beyond, we're forging new partnerships to isolate violent extremists, but also to combat corruption and foster the development that improves lives and communities.” He also vowed never to waver in the U.S.' pursuit of a two-state solution ensuring the rights and security of Israelis and Palestinians.
On the importance of entrepreneurship, Mr. Obama said it was an “area where we can learn from each other; where America can share our experience as a society that empowers the inventor and the innovator.” He also underscored the reciprocal nature of benefits derived from entrepreneurship, saying trade between the U.S. and Muslim-majority countries still had much potential to grow further.
Mr. Obama announced that Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan had agreed to host the next Entrepreneurship Summit next year in his country.
Labels: Barack Obama, US
Saturday, April 03, 2010
No decision on allowing India direct access to Headley: Blake
From The Hindu
No decision has been made on the question of whether India will have direct access to David Coleman Headley, the Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, Robert Blake, said today.
Discussing some of the highlights of his recent trip to the region with journalists Mr. Blake said, “We understand that there is a lot of information that Mr. Headley has, which is of great interest to India, particularly because he was scouting out some possible sites.” In turn the United States had great interest in sharing as much information as it could on that, Mr. Blake added.
Yet he cautioned that although the U.S. Department of Justice was working with the Government of India to discuss the modalities for cooperation on the Headley case, “no decision has been made on that.”
Broader LeT threat
On the other hand in Pakistan Mr. Blake said that among the most important messages that he had conveyed was his view that India was seeking two things: first the “continued prosecution of suspects in custody for the Mumbai bombings”; and second, “progress to curtail cross-border infiltration that is taking place from Pakistan into India.”
Mr. Blake also said that he had urged Pakistan to take action against the Punjab-based groups, such as Lashkar-i-Taiba (LeT), “not only because that is important to India but it is important to the U.S.”
He explained that the LeT now had growing ambition and scope in its activity as shown by the David Headley case. “So we think it is very much in the interest of Pakistan as well to take action against the LeT,” he added, implying that the global nature of the LeT threat may endanger Pakistan’s interests.
The Assistant Secretary further argued that the it was important for Pakistan not to allow any terrorist groups to use Pakistan as a base from which to attack India or any other country. “I made that point not only publicly but also privately with my friends in Pakistan,” he said.
Mr. Blake praised Pakistan for its military action along the Afghan border. “I think an enormous amount has happened in Pakistan, first in Swat, then in South Waziristan, and then the more recent arrests of several senior Taliban leaders.” A lot of important progress has been made, he added, however qualifying that with the statement that there has not been any recent progress with the trials of the Mumbai attacks accused in Pakistan.
Liability and the civil nuclear deal
Reacting to suggestions that India may not pass legislation for absolute liability in line with Committee on Supplementary Compensation Mr. Blake said, “I do not see it as a sticking point. In all of our conversations with the Government of India, they have consistently said they remain committed to fulfilling this commitment under the civilian nuclear deal, to pass the civil liability legislation.”
He admitted that the opposition in India has recently expressed its objections to aspects of that legislation but said that it would be up to the Government of India to figure out how to move forward on this.
India-Iran pipeline project
Regarding the proposed Iran-Pakistan-India oil pipeline proposal Mr. Blake sought to dissuade India and Pakistan from engaging with Iran in this area. “This is a very sensitive time with negotiations with Iran and we would prefer that all countries not conduct such transactions with Iran at this time,” he said.
He said that the reason for this would be that the U.S. view of Iran was that it appeared to be unwilling to uphold its international responsibilities in terms of its alleged nuclear development programme.
Labels: 26/11 Mumbai attacks, David Headley, India, Obama, Robert Blake, US
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Anti-war protest in U.S.
From The Hindu
On the seventh anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, thousands of people from across the United States on Saturday converged on Lafayette Square, opposite the White House in Washington DC. The rally then marched through downtown DC, halting en route at the premises of military contractor Halliburton, the Mortgage Bankers Association and The Washington Post offices.
While the protest drew a smaller crowd than the tens of thousands who marched during the final years of the Bush administration, the ANSWER coalition, the main organiser, said momentum was building due to disenchantment with President Obama's troop surge decision for Afghanistan. Other participating groups included Veterans for Peace, Military Families Speak Out and the National Council of Arab Americans and activists such as Ralph Nader and Cindy Sheehan.
In a statement the ANSWER coalition said,
“People from all over the country are organising to converge on Washington, D.C., and on the West Coast to demand the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of all U.S. and NATO forces from Afghanistan and Iraq.”
Instead of war, we will demand funds so that every person can have a job, free and universal health care, decent schools, and affordable housing, said the coalition statement.
According to some reports the rally could prove to be significant as it was the “first massive, nationally coordinated effort to challenge U.S. foreign policy since President Obama took office.” Though the costs and scope of U.S. military engagements have expanded under Mr. Obama, the anti-war movement has thus far been largely silent since January 2008.
However with Saturday's protest march, the movement signalled that it had revived and was capable of challenging the Obama administration on its foreign policy strategies.
The ANSWER coalition said though “the enthusiasm and desire for change after eight years of the Bush regime was the dominant cause that led to election of a big Democratic Party majority in both Houses of Congress and the election of Barack Obama to the White House… [it was now] obvious to all that waiting for politicians to bring real change… is simply a prescription for passivity by progressives and an invitation to the array of corporate interests from military contractors to the banks, to big oil, to the health insurance giants that dominate the political life of the country.”
It is time to be back in the streets, the ANSWER 0statement added.
Labels: ANSWER, Barack Obama, Iraq war, Lafayette Square, U.S., US, Washington DC
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