copied from http://news.ncmonline.com/news/view_article.html?article_id=702
Palestinian Banker Making Waves in Washington
Reading the Middle Eastern & South Asian Press
Pacific News Service, Compiled & Edited by Sandip Roy, 07/11/2002
Fallout from the war on terrorism is strongly felt in the Middle East and South Asia. Western media often overlook important stories from these nations. This roundup assembles from regional news sources a collage of headlines and viewpoints that have gone missing in action.
Palestinian Banker Making Waves in Washington
Ha'aretz, Tel-Aviv, Israel, July 6
A little-known Palestinian banker has been involved in secret talks with U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney and his senior advisers about a post-Arafat Palestine. Omar Karsou moved with his family from Ramallah to New York in the past year and has been engaged in a project -- called Democracy in Palestine -- to establish a "transparent" government system. He claims to represent a sizable but silent group of Palestinians -- especially professionals and businessmen -- who believe Israel knowingly encouraged a corrupt regime under a secular dictator in the hope that Arafat would keep Islamic fundamentalism at bay. Karsou's anti-Arafat message has found an audience in Washington, D.C., as well as with Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Natan Sharansky, who said he represents "the authentic position of the Palestinian middle class."
Xerox Admits to Bribery in India
The Times of India, India, July 2
Xerox Corporation has disclosed that its Indian subsidiary made "improper payments" over the years to push sales to government customers. Xerox holds a 68 per cent stake in its Indian unit, Xerox Modicorp. Xerox, which just restated its last five years of earnings, said that they estimated the amount of such payments in 2000 -- the year the practice was stopped -- to be about $650,000. The company is now in the process of notifying both the Indian government and U.S. Justice Department about the payments.
Sharon's Secret Plan: 15-Year Temporary Palestine
Al-Jazeera Television, Doha, Qatar, July 5
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has indicated he has a secret political plan for the region that has been worked out in coordination with Washington. The plan calls for establishing a temporary Palestinian state, covering the eight towns given autonomy in the Oslo Agreement, for 15 years, while Israel gets prepared for final peace negotiations. The temporary state will comprise 49 percent of the West Bank and Gaza, though it was not clear how much security control Israel would cede. Sharon indicated a willingness to dismantle a few settlements, possibly because defending far-flung ones is difficult.
Pakistani Paper Defies Government, Praises 'Lion' Bin Laden
Gulf News, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, July 5
In a direct challenge to the Pakistani government, a leading Urdu daily ran a front-page advertisement supporting Osama bin Laden, dubbing him the "Lion of Allah." The Ummat published an advertisement stating that more than 1 million U.S. forces failed to get hold of "Allah's Lion." The ad also read, "Promise by God -- the Jihad will succeed." The paper has also refused to publish an anti-bin Laden advertisement sponsored by the Pakistani government. The government had been publishing wanted posters of bin Laden and 17 of his close associates, seeking the public's help for their arrest.
Sharon's Son Meets Palestinians in Secret London Meeting
Ashard-al-Awsat, London, U.K., July 5
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon leaked information regarding a secret meeting in London between the prime minister's son, Oumri Sharon, and Mohammad Rashid, economic consultant to Yasser Arafat, and Mohammad Dhlan, the previous leader of the Palestinian security forces in Gaza. However, the Palestinian Authority denied any such meeting. An official from the Palestinian Authority said the officials were in London on a private visit and had requested permission from Arafat to meet Israeli officials, but had been refused.
India Removes Land Mines in Kashmir
Kashmir Times, Jammu, India, July 4
India denied de-escalation along the India-Pakistan border even as it removed anti-personnel mines from some sectors. An official said that selective de-mining was being done in low areas along rivers and canals, areas prone to flooding during monsoon, which could cause the mines to drift and threaten civilians. The official said any impression that this was a peacemaking move was "erroneous"
Pakistan Gets 5 U.S. Helicopters to Hunt Al Qaeda
The Nation, Lahore, Pakistan, July 5
Pakistan has received five U.S. helicopters to help in its hunt for al Qaeda suspects along the Afghan border. Interior Minister Moinuddin Haider said the helicopters would join Pakistani troops and U.S. forces already in the western tribal region. He said Pakistan would also get equipment and training for police instead of money. He did not give details about the type of helicopters or what other equipment was forthcoming.
Afghan Warlords Taking Bribes to Release Pakistanis
Dawn, Karachi, Pakistan, July 4
The Pakistani government is facing difficulties securing the release of hundreds of Pakistanis still held in Afghanistan. Afghan President Hamid Karzai admitted that some commanders were demanding huge sums of money in exchange for their release. Islamabad has secured the release of some 300 Pakistanis, but does not know how many more are languishing in Afghanistan. A government source alleged that 30 Pakistanis who surfaced in India recently may have been sold by Afghan commanders to Indian intelligence agents active in Afghanistan.
India Denies Using Pakistani Prisoners in Propaganda Scheme
Dawn, Karachi, Pakistan, July 4
India denied Pakistani claims that New Delhi had airlifted Pakistani prisoners from Afghanistan to use as propaganda tools. Pakistan believes 30 Pakistanis held by a warlord affiliated with the Northern Alliance were plucked from a prison in northern Afghanistan by helicopter and flown to Tajikstan and then to India as a way of buttressing Indian claims of al Qaeda infiltration into Kashmir. U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld seemed to agree with the Indian position on al Qaeda and Kashmir, but then backed away from it once he was in Islamabad.
Former Pakistani Pols Mull Run Against Musharraf
Hindustan Times, Mumbai, India, July 5
Former Pakistani prime ministers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif might be contemplating burying the hatchet to form an alliance against President Pervez Musharraf. Speculations reached a high when Bhutto went to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia recently, where Sharif is living in exile. Sharif is not supposed to undertake any political activity and Bhutto's spokesperson denied the meeting took place. But the Pakistani paper The News quoted a family friend as saying that Sharif and Bhutto were in regular contact and have vowed to "counter the military-backed king's (Musharraf's) parties in the polls through a joint strategy."
Iraq to U.N.: Take Off American Eyeglasses
Khaleej Times, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, July 5
An official Iraqi newspaper has asked the United States to stay out of talks between Baghdad and the United Nations. Referring to the July 4 holiday in America, Al Iraq wrote, "Let's hope the U.S. administration of evil will remain on an extended holiday so that the dialogue can be quiet and successful." It urged U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan to "wear eyeglasses that are not made in America" in order to see the suffering that 12 years of sanctions have inflicted on Iraqis. Anna and Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri were meeting in Vienna to discuss the embargo on Baghdad and the return of weapon inspectors.
PNS Associate Editor Sandip Roy ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) is host of "Upfront" -- the Pacific News Service weekly radio program on KALW-FM, San Francisco. Brant Downes and Jalal Ghazi monitored and translated Arab press reports.
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