8/14/2019 TheSun 2009-11-02 Page07 Abdullah Quits Afghan Run-Off

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newswithout borders7theSun | MONDAY NOVEMBER 2 2009

Abdullah quits Afghan run-off 

Victory for Netanyahu as USdrops settlement demand

housands in TaipeiThousands in Taipeimarch for gay marriagemarch for gay marriage

TAIPEI: Thousands of people fromTaiwan’s gay and lesbian commu-nity marched through the streets

of Taipei on Saturday to demandrecognition of same-sex marriageand equal rights, organisers said.

The island’s seventh annual GayPride Parade, with an estimatedturnout of 25,000, also attractedsupporters from neighbouringHongkong, Japan and SoutheastAsian countries, they said.

“We urge the government tobetter protect gay human rightsincluding same-sex unions, so wecan have the same legal rights asheterosexual couples,” chief organ-iser Tung Chu-chu said.

Rainbow flags, balloons and

placards were in abundance asparticipants gathered in a squareoutside the presidential office, with

dress varying from period costumesto swimming trunks.

“I hope the government will notonly legalise same-sex unions butalso allow us to adopt children,”said Nancy Chen, who pushed astroller to highlight her call.

But Chen admitted that “itwould take a few more years” forthe general public to accept theidea before the legislation processcan begin.

“Even though Taiwan is becom-ing more open-minded towardsgays, many still think that gaypeople can have romantic relation-

ships but not something as seriousas starting families,” she said.

Taiwan’s cabinet in 2003 drafted

a controversial bill to legalise same-sex marriages and recognise therights of homosexual couples toadopt children, the first in Asia todo so. However, the law has yet tobe passed and some gay groupshave criticised the bill as a ploy towoo voters.

Some marchers, meanwhile,said they were here to enjoy thecarnival mood and festivities.

“I think Taiwan is more liberal.The parade here is much more in-teresting and colourful,” said JohnLee from Hongkong as he posed forpictures in a ball gown. – AFP

 JERUSALEM: Israel’s premier savoured avictory on yesterday after Washington hailedhis “unprecedented” position on settle-ments and backed his call for peace talksto resume without the construction freeze

sought by the Palestinians.“There is no question that the US are

our staunchest friends and that Israel’s firmstance on its positions pays off,” Deputy For-eign Minister Danny Ayalon told public radioin a satisfied tone echoed by other officials.The Israelis had reason to be satisfied.

In a joint press conference, unusuallybefore talks with Prime Minister BenjaminNetanyahu, US Secretary of State HillaryClinton pressed for negotiations to berestarted as soon as possible, despite thePalestinian insistence – which Washingtonbacked only a few months ago – that Israelfirst put a stop to all settlement activity inthe occupied West Bank.

Israeli analysts said the change of tonecame after Washington realised that its mainally would just not give in.

But the Palestinians warned the changein focus was bound to doom Washington’s

wider goal of getting a peace agreement toend their decades-old conflict.

“Israel should not be given any excuse tocontinue building settlements,” Palestinianpresident Mahmud Abbas’ spokesman NabilAbu Rudeina said. “This is the main obstaclein the way of peace.”

Clinton’s comments marked “a hugedisappointment for the Palestinians withrespect to the Obama administration”, saidZiad Abu Zayyad, co-editor of the Palestine-Is-

rael Journal and a former Palestinian ministerand legislator. “The Obama administrationhas proven once again that it is no differentfrom previous administrations, because it willsupport whatever Israel accepts.” – AFP

KABUL: Opposition candidateAbdullah Abdullah yesterday pulledout of Afghanistan’s run-off election,plunging the war-torn country intofresh political turmoil less than aweek before the scheduled contest.

After President Hamid Karzaisnubbed a series of demands pro-moted as a bid to avoid a repeat of 

massive first-round fraud, Abdullahsaid he saw no point in standing inthe second round, while stoppingshort of calling for a boycott.

But Karzai’s camp insisted thecontest should still go ahead, withanalysts saying a one-horse racecould still take place on Nov 7 evenif turnout is likely to be well belowthe 38% recorded last time.

“The decision which I am goingto announce was not an easy one.It was a decision that I have taken

after wide-ranging consultations,with the people of Afghanistan, mysupporters and influential leaders,”Abdullah told supporters.

“In protest against the misconduct of the government and the Independ-ent Election Commission (IEC), Iwill not participate in the election,”he added in an address in Kabul.

During his lengthy speech, the

former foreign minister launched ascathing attack on Karzai’s eight-yearrule, dimming prospects that the two

rivals could yet agree on some formof power-sharing agreement. “Wehave had eight years of lost oppor-tunities because of the weakness of the government,” he said to applausefrom around 2,000 supporters.

Following the widespread fraudin the first round on Aug 20, Abdul-lah demanded that Karzai sack thehead of the IEC, Azizullah Ludin,

and suspend four ministers whocampaigned for the incumbent.

Abdullah’s camp set a deadline

of Saturday for Karzai to bow to hisdemands, saying he would not takepart in a contest that will not be freeand fair.

But his demands received short shrift, with the IEC saying Ludin canonly be dismissed by the supremecourt while Karzai said Abdullah hasno right to interfere in ministerialpositions.

Abdullah said he had no faith inthe prospect of a free and fair elec-tion next Saturday while the head of 

the commission, who was appointedby Karzai, remained in place.After the announcement, Karzai’s

chief campaign spokesman said therun-off should still take place.

Kabul-based analyst Haroun Mirpredicted the election would stilltake place in line with the Afghanconstitution but said Karzai ran therisk of losing his legitimacy. – AFP