http://news.antiwar.com/2012/06/19/pakistan-supreme-court-ousts-prime-minister-gilani/
Gilani’s ouster came most directly from his refusal to cooperate in a corruption case against President Asif Ali Zardari. The court had given him several ultimatums beforehand, and Gilani had spurned them all, insisting that Zardari, as the head of state, was above the law, and that he, as prime minister, did not have to answer to the court.
Gen. Qoton died in the port city of Aden, which is not far from Abyan Province, when a man described as a Somali national jumped onto the hood of his car and detonated explosives strapped to his body. In addition to the general, two aides were also slain.
Pakistan Supreme Court Ousts Prime Minister Gilani
PPP to Announce New PM Within 24 Hours
by Jason Ditz, June 19, 2012
The multi-year dispute between the ruling Pakistani Peoples Party (PPP) and the nation’s Supreme Court, which began when the court declared that members of the ruling party did not have legal immunity from past crimes, has come to at least a temporary conclusion today with the announcement that the court has removed Prime Minister Yousef Raza Gilani for refusing to implement the ruling.
Gilani’s ouster came most directly from his refusal to cooperate in a corruption case against President Asif Ali Zardari. The court had given him several ultimatums beforehand, and Gilani had spurned them all, insisting that Zardari, as the head of state, was above the law, and that he, as prime minister, did not have to answer to the court.
Even after the ruling Gilani’s aides were spurning it, saying it was meaningless and that Gilani retained his position. When the Electoral Commission concurred, however, it was clear that Gilani’s term in office was over.
A meeting is now being held at President Zardari’s house, with the subject being who will replace Gilani as the new PM. The early word was that Foreign Minister Hina Khar might have the inside track, but it is really impossible to tell at this point. One thing is for sure, the next PM will have his/her work count out for them, facing the exact same calls to cooperate in the Zardari probe.
and a big Yemen story......
http://news.antiwar.com/2012/06/18/suicide-bomber-kills-general-commanding-south-yemen-offensive/
Suicide Bomber Kills General Commanding South Yemen Offensive
Gen. Qoton Slain When Suicide Bomber Detonated on His Car
by Jason Ditz, June 18, 2012
Yemen’s military has been trumpeting its success in its offensive against the Abyan Province but suffered a major setback today when Gen. Salem Ali Qoton, the commander of the operation as well as the theater commander for all of southern Yemen, was assassinated.
Gen. Qoton died in the port city of Aden, which is not far from Abyan Province, when a man described as a Somali national jumped onto the hood of his car and detonated explosives strapped to his body. In addition to the general, two aides were also slain.
That’s the official Defense Ministry version of the event at least. One of Qoton’s relatives says that the car had already parked and the general was walking to his office when the attacker walked up to him, shook his hand and detonated the explosives there.
Ali Mansur, a top Yemeni army commander and an aide to Qoton, called the death a “huge loss for Yemen and its efforts to fight al-Qaeda.” So far no group has claimed credit for the attack.
and Libya items - The Libya Herald....
Role of the NTC will end, no role for me – Mustafa Abdul Jalil
London, 19 June:
The leader of Libya’s National Transitional Council (NTC), Mustafa Abdul Jalil revealed in an interview with the Arabiya satellite TV channel last week that the conditions that Libya was going through currently were the reasons that prevented him from resigning.
Abdul Jalil confirmed that it was for reasons of national interest and not personal interest that he has not resigned. The NTC was formed by consensus, he said, and that it guided Libya through a critical period which was meant to end with elections on 19 June.
However, the HNEC has delayed the elections until 7 July and Abdul Jalil as a result has had to delay his intended resignation until after the new election date for the sake of stability and security and the Libyan national interest.
Abdul Jalil went on to confirm that the role of the NTC will end by virtue of the power of the law and that there will cease to be any role for him upon the election of a leader of the General National Congress just days after its election.
and....
Taylor could be released if ICC issues apology to Libyan government
Melinda Taylor has been detained in Zintan since 7 June
The International Criminal Court (ICC) lawyer Melinda Taylor and her three colleagues could be released if the ICC issues an apology to the government for “inadequate consultation”, Bob Carr, the Australian foreign minister, said today.
The announcement came just one day after Carr said he had only “modest expectations” for the delegation’s release, ahead of his meeting with Prime Minister Abdurrahman El-Kib and Foreign Minister Ashour Bin Khayal.
Carr said that the lawyers could be freed by the ICC: “issuing a statement which addresses the concerns of Libyan authorities and extends an apology for inadequate consultation on protocol and procedures”.
In a statement to Australian media, he said: “I’m confident that the Libyan government and even the authorities in Zintan are keen that the four detainees be released”.
“And I’m quietly confident that with an appropriate form of words from the International Criminal Court, that they will respond sooner rather than later.”
Carr has also offered to act as a broker between the government in Tripoli and the ICC.
“They recognise they’ve got to have a dialogue when this affair is settled, and I think Australia could play a role as good global citizen in facilitating it, and both of them are open to that suggestion,” he said.
The minister also acknowledged the “extreme sensitivities” surrounding the case in Libya, acknowledging that “the Libyan authorities, not just the people in Zintan, formed the view that something wrong was done, that there had been a breach of trust.”
In a statement to Australian media, he said: “I’m confident that the Libyan government and even the authorities in Zintan are keen that the four detainees be released”.
“And I’m quietly confident that with an appropriate form of words from the International Criminal Court, that they will respond sooner rather than later.”
Carr has also offered to act as a broker between the government in Tripoli and the ICC.
“They recognise they’ve got to have a dialogue when this affair is settled, and I think Australia could play a role as good global citizen in facilitating it, and both of them are open to that suggestion,” he said.
The minister also acknowledged the “extreme sensitivities” surrounding the case in Libya, acknowledging that “the Libyan authorities, not just the people in Zintan, formed the view that something wrong was done, that there had been a breach of trust.”
No comments:
Post a Comment