UN Council holds first talks on Palestinian bid

The UN Security Council on Monday held its first talks on the historic Palestinian bid for UN membership amidst frenzied lobbying for and against the application. International powers also stepped up demands for Israelis and Palestinians to end the one-year old freeze on direct talks, with China and Germany becoming the latest at the UN summit to call for negotiations. The Palestinian bid at the Security Council faces an uphill struggle however and diplomats held out little hope that Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas or Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would allow talks any time soon. Abbas made his application for Palestinian membership to UN leader Ban Ki-moon on Friday and it was sent straight away to the Security Council which must approve any addition to the 193 members. The United States has vowed to veto any resolution in favor of the Palestinians, but a technical committee will examine the application putting back any vote for several weeks.

China supports Pakistan’s sovereignty, territorial integrity

China on Tuesday categorically extended full support to Pakistan’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity and vowed to work with it for progress and peace in the region and the world. Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani who met the Deputy Premier of China Meng Jianzhu here at the PM House termed China as its close friend. He said a friend of China is Pakistan’s friend, its enemy Pakistan’s enemy and China’s security Pakistan’s security. He said the two countries together can progress and prosper and bring the dividends of development to their people. The meeting was also attended by Interior Minister Rehman Malik, Foreign secretary Salman Bashir and Ambassadors of both the countries. Chinese Deputy Prime Minister said Pakistan was the only country enjoying all-weather friendship with China.

Chinese Vice Prime Minister arrived for two day visit

Pakistan News:

                            Chinese Vice Prime Miniter Meng Jiznzhu arrived on Islamabad for two day official visit and hold talk with Pakistani leaders, E Pakistan News Reported.

Interior Minister Rehman Malik received from Chaklala Airport to the respectable guest Chinese Prime Miniter, he said China would stand with Pakistan on his every step and condition.

One the one hand, Chinese leader will meet and hold talks with Pakistani military leadership and will discus the country situation.

In the Meantime, President Asif Ali Zardari will host a dinner with Chinese Vice Prime Minister and continue the meeting between them.

The Chinese Vice Prime Minister will have a conference with Interior Minister Rehman Malik on breakfast tomorrow.

Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Lieutenant General Ahmed Shuja Pasha will call on the guest on lunch.

The Chinese leader will leave for his home tomorrow after having a meeting with Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani.
Analysts are attaching more importance to this visit in the conditions of US threats to Pakistan regarding Haqqani Network.

Top Chinese security official visits Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: China’s top security official is visiting Pakistan for talks focusing on increased cooperation against Chinese militants who have found sanctuary in the northwest of the country.

Public Security Minister Meng Jianzhu’s visit Monday also comes at a time of intense strain between Islamabad and Washington.

Pakistani officials have been talking up their country’s relationship with China, with some commentators saying it could one day replace the US as Islamabad’s main foreign benefactor.

Interior Minister Rehman Malik said Sunday that Pakistan had killed several Chinese militants in the northwest and extradited others.

He also said Jianzhu’s visit shows China ”always stands with us in difficult times”.

Pakistan army chief Kayani cancels UK visit

LONDON: Pakistan’s powerful army chief has canceled a Monday visit to Britain as US outrage grows over allegations that Pakistani spies helped insurgents attack American targets in Afghanistan.

Britain’s Ministry of Defense said Gen. Ashfaq Pervez Kayani, who was expected to meet privately with UK Defense Minister Liam Fox, had canceled. It declined to speculate on why the visit was scrapped.

A Pakistani official said Kayani was staying in Pakistan to hold talks on the crisis sparked by the US accusations against Pakistan’s military-run Inter-Services Intelligence spy agency. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation.

Last week, the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Mike Mullen, accused the ISI of having backed an Afghan insurgent group in the planning and execution of a Sept. 13 assault on the US Embassy in Afghanistan as well as a truck bomb that wounded 77 American soldiers days earlier.

Kayani, widely considered the most powerful man in Pakistan, has dismissed the allegations as baseless.

But a Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee has said the US should consider military action as an option against Pakistan if it continues to support terrorist attacks against Americans in Afghanistan.

Sen. Lindsey Graham also said assistance to Pakistan should be reconfigured, and that the US should no longer designate an amount of aid for Pakistan but have a more “transactional relationship” with the country.

PM convenes APC on September 29 to discuss national security

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has convened an All Parties Conference (APC) Thursday to discuss with political leaders serious challenges to national security and to forge a united stance in the face of US pressure and serious allegations levelled against the armed forces and the ISI.

In the upcoming conference, political leaders would be briefed by concerned officials over the latest challenges to national security.

The meeting would also discuss way to deal with these challenges.

Earlier on Sunday, Prime Minister Gilani telephoned leaders of various political parties and invited them to attend the national conference.

US senator says ‘all options on table’ against Pakistan

NEW YORK - The US should consider a military response to the Pakistan’s alleged support of the Haqqani militant group that attacked the American embassy in Kabul, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said.

“We need to put Pakistan on notice,” Graham, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said Sunday on the ‘Fox News Sunday’ program. “If they continue to embrace terrorism as a part of their national strategy, we’re going to have to put all options on the table, including defending our troops.”

His statement came as tensions between US and Pakistan continued to climb.

Graham said lawmakers would muster bipartisan support “to elevate our response” if needed. He didn’t specify what actions he would back.

Pakistan must stop providing safe havens for the Haqqani group, said David Plouffe, a White House senior adviser, on CNN’s “State of the Union.” US and Afghan officials have said the network of militants, supported by Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), is behind a Sept 13 assault on the US embassy with rocket-propelled grenades.

Graham said Congress should reconsider its practice of approving a designated amount of aid for Pakistan. The administration is talking about whether to change its requests for aid to the country, Plouffe said. “Those discussions are happening between our foreign policy and national security teams,” he said