world news
Blair - Peacemaker? B r i t i s h Prime M i n i s t e r Tony Blair this w e e k visited a string of countries i n the M i d d l e East in an effort to boost peace initiatives i n the region. The Premier v i s i t e d K a b u l and Bagram i n Afghanistan, as w e l l as India and Pakistan. He also e x p r e s s e d the "gravest concern" at the A r a b Israeli s i t u a t i o n , w h e r e Palestinian Yasser Arafat is struggling to m a i n t a i n discipline w i t h i n t h e various Palestinian resistance organisations that fall u n d e r h i s umbrella. A t the time of going to print, 36 A r a b civilians have been killed b y the Israeli security forces i n reprisal for 5 Israeli citizens dead over the past week. Prime Minister A r i e l Sharon of Israel i n s i s t e d , however, that p e a c e t a l k s c o u l d not
independence to Britain's former colonies in the Indian subcontinent. Then the t w o countries were still essentially populus yet p r i m i t i v e b a c k w a t e r s . But now both have nuclear w e a p o n s a n d large armies. B o t h sides currently field forces of around three-quarters of a million men, arrayed across an 80-kilometers stretch of border. resume until violence stopped - w h i l e simultaneously insist-
of terrorism". In the statement - the closest yet to a public call
ing that "police action" i n the disputed G a z a region w o u l d continue as and w h e n security Israeli security forces deemed it necessary.
for peace in the reigon - the w o r l d leaders also i n s i s t e d that peace w a s possible on the d i s p u t e d Indian border province of Kashmir.
M e a n w h i l e , i n a n e w s conference following talks w i t h Blair, Pakistani President Musharraf announced that his government "rejects all forms
The area (which is principally M u s l i m , like Pakistan) has been hotly contested b y both countries since 1947 - w h e n a n A c t of Parliament g r a n t e d
Snippets Argentina Argentina is w a l k i n g a knife edge b e t w e e n g r o w t h a n d recession, Reuters reported this week. On Monday t h e South A m e r i c a n country finally made the s w i t c h from dollars to pesos, i n an effort to boost signs of a recovery in the count r y ' s economy - w h i c h has been i n decline since 1989. The A r g e n t i n i a n peso has been p e g g e d one-on-one to the US dollar since 1992 i n a n effort to curb inflation., but has n o w been released following a recent upturn in fortunes. However, inflation is still a major worry, one British analyst insisted. A return to the 1980's (when inflation topped 10%) w o u l d cripple the country. A r g e n t i n i a w a s once the
seventh richest country i n the world, but n o w falls behind Brasil, Peru and French G u i a n a in the region.
Blair spent the w e e k shuttling frantically b e t w e e n Delhi and Karachi, where Britain is still held i n h i g h regard. While spectators have accused Blair of pursuing a place i n the history books at the expense of dealing w i t h domestic strife, he i n s i s t e d that B r i t i s h home policy is best served b y international peace. Joe
i m p e r i a l c o l l e g e u n i o n
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Milosovic Former Serbian leader Slobodan M i l o s o v i c stands trial next week on charges of genocide comitted i n Bosnia i n 1999. , The charges include responsibility for the murder of 900 ethnic A l b a n i a n s , a n d the forced exodus of 800,000 civilians from their homes. The 60-year-old w a s extradited from Serbia last year, i n a move that sparked controversy a n d re-opened old w o u n d s w i t h i n the balkan country. Two more indictments w i l l follow all carry 'unlimited' sentences. Joe
Good food at good prices for students, staff and faculty, served in daVinci's and dBs on the ground floor of the Union Building, Beit Quad