WE WERE JITTERY ABOUT ASIAD CHANCES: INDIAN BOXERS

New Delhi November 29:             They have returned with an impressive haul of seven medals, including an unprecedented couple of golds, but Indian boxers were a "jittery" lot before the Asian Games due to "lack of practice and recovery time" in the build-up to the event. Indian boxers clinched two gold, three silver and two bronze medals at the Asiad. This was for the first time that Indian boxers pulled off two gold medals in the Games -- through Vijender Singh (75kg) and the 18-year-old sensation Vikas Krishan (60kg). Vikas and Vijender's golds are also first Asiad boxing golds for India since the 1998 Games when Dingko Singh clinched the yellow metal. "Frankly, I was skeptical about what the results would be like.

JEEV MILKHA SINGH SUFFERS BACK INJURY

New Delhi November 29:

            Indian golfer Jeev Milkha Singh has been advised three weeks of complete rest following extensive medical tests on his problematic lower back on Monday.

The Chandigarh golfer, who had to withdraw halfway through the Casio World Open on the Japan Golf Tour on Saturday, will also have to sit out of the Hero Honda Indian Open this week. After a series of tests and MRI scans, Jeev said he was lucky the injury did not turn out to be as serious as he initially thought it would be.

"I was actually feared the worst. There is a muscle tear around the L4 and L5, and there is a slight bulge in one of the discs which was pinching against a nerve and causing the intense pain," said Jeev. "The doctor has asked me to take complete rest for three weeks with intensive physiotherapy sessions. Hopefully, the disc will move back in place soon and there should not be any long-term damages. If all goes well over the next few days, I will be able to resume practicing in the New Year."

He further said: "Unfortunately, the injury means I will have to pull out of the Hero Honda Indian Open. It's a huge disappointment for me because I was looking forward to playing in India after a long gap, and also because I greatly admire what Hero Honda has done for Indian golf, as well as for me personally." "I wish the tournament all the best, and hope that the best man will win on Sunday," added Jeev.

BRASA HUMILIATED ME DURING WORLD CUP: RAJPAL

Chandigarh November 29:

            Deeply hurt with the treatment meted out to him by chief coach Jose Brasa, a "powerless" Indian hockey captain Rajpal Singh on Monday said he has decided to call it quits from the post and will soon air his views to the national federation (HI).

Rajpal accused Brasa of constant "humiliation" during the World Cup earlier this year and said all these days he kept silent only for the sake of the team. "I had made up my mind to quit 3-4 months back, but decided not to go ahead as Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games were up ahead. But now I feel time has come to speak up as it is difficult to continue as a powerless captain who even does not know what his duties are," Rajpal said after returning from Guangzhou where he led India to the bronze medal.

Just before the World Cup in Delhi, a captaincy crisis rocked Indian hockey after Brasa vouched for senior player Prabhjot Singh to be made the skipper but the national selectors gave the responsibility to Rajpal. "Brasa wanted to make one of his favourite player as captain. But when he did not happen he started humiliating me during the World Cup and then the Azlan Shah Cup in Malaysia. I was like the 16th player of the team despite being the captain," Rajpal said.

He also alleged that the mental torture, which he was subjected to, reflected in the team's poor performance in the World Cup, where India finished a lowly eighth. "I decided to keep quiet knowing that it would affect the team if I speak in the middle of important tournaments. I tried to give my 100 per cent as for any player playing the game is the first aim and rest is secondary.

"But now with no international tournament lying ahead for the next three months, I have decided enough is enough," said Rajpal, who plays for the Indian Oil Corporation. "In a day or two when I go to Delhi, I will meet senior officials, including (Hockey India secretary general) Narinder Batra and apprise them about the whole thing," he said.

DEFIANT KALMADI TO FACE SCRUTINY OVER CWG

New Delhi November 29:

            Indian Olympics Association chairman Suresh Kalmadi returned to Delhi on Sunday night. The under scrutiny CWG Organising Committee chairman was in China for the Asian Games.

“I have done nothing wrong from my end. I’m ready to face any probe, have done no wrong,” Kalmadi told reporters before entering the Parliament on Monday. Kalmadi also said that the success of the Commonwealth Games has rubbed off well on the international sports bodies. “I have been told that India can host Olympics in the future by international sports bodies during my visit to China, Morocco and Iran,” he said.

He returns at a time when three of his closest aides - TS Darbari, Sanjay Mohindroo and M Jayachandran - are behind bars for their alleged involvement in corrupt deals during the Queen's Baton relay in London last year. Kalmadi’s biggest concern, according to sources is that with Asian Games in Guangzhou drawing to a close, focus of investigations could shift to the Commonwealth Games and its mishandlings.

Reports that three ex-OC officials arrested in Queen's Baton Relay scam have been busy pointing fingers in Kalmadi's direction cannot have increased Pune MP's comfort levels. There is an expectation that Bhanot and other Kalmadi aides like R K Sacheti, joint director general, could be next in line for questioning by central agencies.

Meanwhile, a panel of senior IAS officers working with OC will be looking at payments due to major vendors like Agarwal Foods, Tata Motors and Australian firm Howard and Sons which was contracted for fireworks display. The Australian company has complained that its USD 300,000 dues have been held up despite successful show. But officials said contracts will be scrutinised carefully to ensure that obligations are met.

WE AIM TO EVOLVE A DIALOGUE STRUCTURE: J&K INTERLOCUTOR

New Delhi November 29:

            With two visits to Jammu and Kashmir and scores of discussions involving a cross-section of people in the State over the past month, the three government-appointed interlocutors are treading cautiously on their path of putting in place a framework that will lead to the political settlement of the Kashmir problem.

“Our aim is to work out a dialogue structure — through the widest possible consultations with all shades of political opinion — which will be uninterrupted and uninterruptible no matter who tries to break it,” said Radha Kumar, Delhi Policy Group trustee and one of the interlocutors.

The other two interlocutors are senior journalist Dileep Padgaonkar and Information Commissioner M. M. Ansari. The interlocutors are planning their third visit to the State in December third week. They had submitted reports and recommendations of their earlier visits to Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram, which have remained out of the public domain.

With the Central government giving the interlocutors the mandate to chart out a course towards finding a “political solution,” the group is eliciting views of main political parties and holding discussions with community leaders, youth, media, women, teachers, lawyers, businessmen and social activists.

Acknowledging that the two factions of the Hurriyat Conference, led by hardliner Syed Ali Shah Geelani and moderate Mirwaiz Omar Farooq are the key stakeholders, the interlocutors hope to meet them in the coming months. “We plan to work out the framework on which the government and the stakeholders in Jammu and Kashmir can rely upon and which would ultimately lead to a political solution to the problem,” Professor Kumar told reporters.

Mr. Chidambaram stressed recently that the aim was to find a “political solution to a political problem” and pointed out that there were no “red lines” for the interlocutors. Their appointment came after the Kashmir Valley witnessed incidents of stone-pelting, strikes, police firing during June-August. About 110 people, mostly youth, lost their lives as the police and security forces tried to break the vicious cycle of violence by firing at the protesters and stone-throwing youths. The interlocutors had suggested releasing of about 50 political prisoners, beginning with youths.

Over the past month, the State government has released nearly 30 prisoners, mostly youths, who were arrested after the incidents of stone-throwing. “It was not at all easy to approach people in the Kashmir Valley who were suffering under spells of curfew and grappling hard to put together basic necessities for leading normal lives under such circumstances. Their confidence and trust in instruments of governance had been completely shaken,” Professor Kumar recalled. She also cautioned of the pitfalls and the dangerous prospect of youth joining the ranks of militant organisations. “Kashmir is teetering on edge, the situation needs to be handled with great care.”

Insisting that the “ground situation” had to change for the people in Kashmir to move towards a political solution, she said the group was overwhelmed at the response it received during their interactions at several places in five districts in the Valley. “At some places, we found a gathering of 150 to 300 persons waiting for us. It was indeed a positive sign that people came out to interact with us,” she said. Professor Kumar flagged some points on which there was near-unanimity among people — they want a comprehensive and lasting political settlement and the sooner it comes about is better; they stress the need for good governance; and the way to resolve the problem is to recognise the honour and dignity of all concerned actors.

“We realise that there is a diversity of opinion on what a political solution could be based on,” said Professor Kumar, who has had experience in conflict resolution and handling of situations in Bosnia, Kosovo and Northern Ireland. Admitting that the biggest challenge facing the interlocutors was to demonstrate their credibility insofar as arriving at a political settlement of the Kashmir problem was concerned, she felt that the recent release of youth, removal of security bunkers in Srinagar and an attempt by the administration to reach out to people had, in some ways, contributed towards building a “conducive” atmosphere.

Professor Kumar, however, pointed out that terrible individual sufferings were there and the challenge was to respect the suffering while “we have to ensure that key political issues are addressed.” She felt that the gains made during 2003-06 in terms of peace, and confidence building measures had, by and large, gone in 2010. “The challenge is also to regain that level and start building upon it. It is not impossible but it surely is a daunting task. Release of political prisoners, addressing the aspirations of youth, easing restrictions and putting in place a responsive and effective public grievance redressal machinery can help in bringing about a change in the ground situation.”

The 2003-06 period saw considerable improvement in the ground situation. During her visit to Srinagar earlier this month, Professor Kumar said that engaging Pakistan for solution of the entire former princely State was a necessity as Pakistan was in control of a large part of Kashmir. Interestingly, several Kashmiri youth have engaged themselves in Facebook conversation with Professor Kumar, asking her questions about India's sincerity in solving the problem. “Peace is to be brought by way of peace only and no economic package or change of political dispensation is ever going to make up for the same,” a comment stated.

Another commented that peace was an “assiduous exercise, rather a process.” While acknowledging weakness in the UPA, he said the appointment of interlocutors was in itself a “step forward and not backward.” They also seemed to agree with Professor Kumar's observation and assurance: “Peacemaking is a hard, slow and painful task and all I can say is that I will not give up.”

PAK, US IN WORRYING STAND-OFF OVER NUCLEAR FUEL: WIKILEAKS

Washington November 29:

            A cache of a quarter-million confidential American diplomatic cables from the past three years, released by WikiLeaks on Sunday despite a hacking attack on its website, provides an unprecedented look at backroom bargaining by embassies around the world and brutally candid views of foreign leaders.

The documents show Saudi donors remain chief financiers of militant groups like al-Qaida and that Chinese government operatives have waged a coordinated campaign of computer sabotage, targeting the US and its allies, according to a review of the WikiLeaks documents published in the New York Times.

One of the revelations was a dangerous stand-off with Pakistan over nuclear fuel. Since 2007, US has mounted a highly secret effort, so far unsuccessful, to remove from a Pakistani research reactor highly enriched uranium that American officials fear could be diverted for use in an illicit nuclear device. In May 2009, Ambassador Anne W Patterson reported that Pakistan was refusing to schedule a visit by American technical experts because, as a Pakistani official said, "if the local media got word of the fuel removal, 'they would portray it as the US taking Pakistan's nuclear weapons,' he argued."

The White House condemned WikiLeaks' "reckless action" in releasing classified diplomatic cables, repeating its charge that the leak endangered lives and risked hurting relations with allies. Here are just some of the startling revelations that have emerged from the new WikiLeaks release:

* American and South Korean officials discussed the prospects for a unified Korea, should the North's economic troubles and political transition lead the state to implode. South Korea was even willing to offer economic incentives to China.

* China's Politburo directed the intrusion into Google's computer systems in the country, as part of a coordinated campaign of computer sabotage carried out by government operatives, private security experts and Internet outlaws recruited by the Chinese government.

* The Yemeni government has sought to cover up US role in missile strikes against the local branch of Qaida. At a January meeting, Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh tells Gen David Petraeus: "We'll continue saying the bombs are ours, not yours".

* When Afghanistan's vice president visited the UAE last year, local authorities working with the Drug Enforcement Administration discovered that he was carrying $52 million in cash. With wry understatement, a cable from the American Embassy in Kabul called the money "a significant amount" that the official, Ahmed Zia Massoud, "was ultimately allowed to keep without revealing the money's origin or destination" (Massoud denies taking any money out of Afghanistan).

* American diplomats in Rome reported in 2009 on what their Italian contacts described as an extraordinarily close relationship between Vladimir Putin and Silvio Berlusconi, the Italian PM, including "lavish gifts", lucrative energy contracts and a "shadowy" Russian-speaking Italian go-between. They wrote that Berlusconi "appears increasingly to be the mouthpiece of Putin" in Europe.

The 251,287 cables, first acquired by WikiLeaks, were provided to NYT by an intermediary. Many are unclassified, and none are marked "top secret," the government's most secure communications status. But some 11,000 are classified "secret," 9,000 are labelled "noforn," too delicate to be shared with any foreign government.

INDIA, CHINA DISCUSS BOUNDARY ISSUE

Beijing November 29:             Ahead of Premier Wen Jiabao's New Delhi visit, India and China on Monday explored ways to resolve the vexed boundary issue as the Special Representatives of the two countries held the 14th round of border talks here. The two designated officials -- National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon and Chinese State Councillor Dai Bingguo -- held a lengthy meeting to find ways to resolve differences over demarcation of the 4000-km-long border, especially at Aksai Chin in the Ladakh sector and Arunachal Pradesh, which Beijing claims as part southern Tibet. Menon, a specialist in Chinese affairs, is familiar with the top echelons of the leadership of this country as he had served as India's ambassador here and was also Foreign Secretary in the past. Menon and Dai, who are also friends, exchanged pleasantries, reminiscing their old association before settling down for the talks. Welcoming the National Security Adviser, Dai, in his opening remarks, said "I know you are directly involved in establishing the Special Representatives (SR) mechanism" which was set up in 2003, referring to Menon's efforts as ambassador to Beijing at that time. He also thanked the NSA for "recommending" his name as the Chinese Special Representative for the boundary talks. "But you would have never thought you will come as India's SR for talks here," Dai said. Applauding Menon's contribution for the betterment of Sino-India ties, Dai said "you are not only a senior Indian diplomat but also a famous expert on China. You are also a very good friend of China. I am convinced that as an SR and NSA you will make your unique contribution to further the relations and settlement of border issues between the two countries." Responding to Dai's remarks, Menon said that "in India we believe in 'karma'." Later, the two met again over a banquet hosted by Dai in honour of Menon. The two diplomats are scheduled to hold the final round of the two-day talks tomorrow. The 13th round of boundary talks was held in New Delhi in 2009 between the then NSA M K Narayanan and Dai, which ended without much progress. India and China have been holding talks since 1980 to work out a formula to resolve the differences. The process got an impetus after the two countries agreed to establish the Special Representatives' mechanism. In the process, the two countries also signed agreements in 1993 and 1996 to maintain peace and stability along the border areas, besides inking a political guiding principle on demarcation of the boundary in 2005.