In The News

Recognition of Israel Not on the Cards: Musharraf

Salim Bokhari July 3, 2003
For Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, the last leg of his four-nation trip to North America and Europe was one of the most important. After the US, France is the one country with which Islamabad has strong defence cooperation. Although his visits were primarily meant to build ties and goodwill with allies, Musharraf also used the opportunity to reiterate that Pakistan's recognition of...

Recognition of Israel Not on the Cards: Musharraf

Salim Bokhari July 3, 2003
For Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, the last leg of his four-nation trip to North America and Europe was one of the most important. After the US, France is the one country with which Islamabad has strong defence cooperation. Although his visits were primarily meant to build ties and goodwill with allies, Musharraf also used the opportunity to reiterate that Pakistan's recognition of...

India Fosters Growing 'Medical Tourism' Sector

Ray Marcelo July 2, 2003
India is hoping to expand its tourist industry – to include visitors with heart conditions and cataracts. Indeed, medical tourism, where foreigners travel abroad in search of low cost, world-class medical treatment, is gaining popularity in countries like India. The field has such lucrative potential that Indian finance minister Jaswant Singh called for India to become a “global health...

Asia Throws a New Challenge to Washington

Michael Richardson June 25, 2003
Burma's repression of democracy advocates like Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi has won the country infamy in the international human rights community. Even after allowing a free election a decade ago, the military junta that runs Burma ignored the results and refused to give up power. Another brutal crackdown on opposition just weeks ago has brought the country back into the international...

Triumph of Pragmatism

June 25, 2003
Settling boundary disputes between China and India will draw the two countries closer together, this editorial in the Hindu maintains. Indeed, the Beijing Declaration produced at the recent India-China summit talks aims to settle long-disputed territorial claims and constitutes a mutual effort to repair strained relations between the two giants. By resolving these border issues, an agreement...

Friends with the Dragon

C.V. Ranganathan June 24, 2003
Indian Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee’s visit to China has attracted the world's attention. Many are hopeful that a mutual agreement can be reached to thaw cold political relations of the past. In this opinion piece in Outlook India, C.V. Ranganathan, a former Indian ambassador to China, emphasizes the importance of more mutual understanding and cooperation between the two countries....

Anti-Semitic Book Distributed at Rally for Malaysian Leader

Reuters June 22, 2003
American car-maker Henry Ford’s anti-Semitic book, “The International Jew,” was passed out by Malaysian officials at a rally for the departing Prime Minister Mahathir. The book also contains the “Protocols of the Elders of Zion,” which has long been used to peddle theories of an international Jewish conspiracy in countries such as Russia. Mahathir denies connection with the book’s distribution...