Cable briefs

Press, 29 January 1988, Page 6

Cable briefs

Independence out The Australian Prime Minister, Bob Hawke, yesterday ruled out independence for the Torres Strait Islands, but said the Federal Government would address the islanders’ economic and social problems. He told a news conference that the Government would establish an interdepartmental committee to urgently address the islanders’ economic and social concerns.—Sydney. Tass’s view The official Soviet news agency, Tass, has attacked President Reagan for promising an all-out fight for more American aid to Nicaraguan rebels, saying his policies violated human rights. In a commentary on Mr Reagan’s State of the Union address, delivered on Monday, Tass said the speech show’ed his Administration lacked realism in approaching regional conflicts and intended to continue pursuing “neoglobalism.”—Moscow. Anti-A.I.D.S. pact Health Ministers and A.I.D.S. experts representing 95 per cent of the earth’s population join today in an international pact to fight the spread of

the deadly disease for which a cure has yet to be found. Delegates from nearly 150 countries will agree a declaration expected to list measures for education, prevention and control of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome which at least 75,000 people have contracted worldwide.—London. No compromise The main Afghan rebel alliance, resisting attempts to persuade it to compromise, reiterated its refusal to share power with the Kabiil Government. A statement issued by a spokesman for the alliance chairman, Mr Younus Khalis, warned other countries not to seek to become guardians or representatives of the Afghan people and rejected any role for a United Nations peacekeeping force. —lslamabad. Auditing fraud. A former National Bank of Brunei auditor has pleaded guilty to making false statements in the bank’s balance sheets. A Briton, Andrew Peattie, faces up to two years in jail for making the statements at the end of 1983, 1984 and 1985, lawyers said. — Brunei.