US Vice President Dick Cheny, during his brief visit to Islamabad, has assured the Government of Pakistan his country’s continued cooperation with Islamabad in various areas including relief and reconstruction operations in quake-devastated area and in the war on terror. President Pervez Mushartraf expressed Pakistan’s deep sense of gratitude for the American assistance and stressed that U.S. Chinok helicopters were a huge help in accelerating pace of rescue and relief work. The U.S. is continuing its massive assistance and Mr. Dick Cheney observed that Washington would not relent its efforts in the relief and reconstruction operations. The appointment of President Bush’s father, ex-President Bush Senior, as U.N. Envoy for quake relief in Pakistan, demonstrates Washington’s policy to accord highest priority to this work
The international community’s response to the appeal for assistance in rescue, relief and reconstruction operations has so far been quite heartening. However, in view of the worsening cold conditions, the survivors desperately require more help particularly winterized tents for their survival. The donors had committed at last month’s international conference at Islamabad to provide more funds than Pakistan had estimated for the relief and reconstruction work. However, funds so pledged are being received slowly. Islamabad needs funds in time to save millions from cold, hunger and disease. The Government of Pakistan as also the United Nations has been urging the world community to expedite help.
While Washington has been quite generous in coming to the rescue of earthquake survivors and in mitigating their sufferings, the general perception that Islamabad toes U.S. lines in foreign affairs is not well-founded. The talks held between President Musharraf and the visiting American Vice President Dick Cheney at Islamabad on Tuesday while stressing identity of views on various issues demonstrated that Islamabad did not support the American policy of threatened use of force in Iran’s nuclear crisis. In fact, Pakistan supports Teheran’s view that it has a sovereign right to harness nuclear technology for civilian purpose. Islamabad also backs diplomatic solution to the nuclear standoff between U.S. and Iran and would like amicable settlement of the conflict through the stalled dialogue between the European-Union and Iran.
Pakistan expects Washington to persuade India to give positive response to President Musharraf s proposal for self-rule in Kashmir and demilitarisation of the disputed state of Jammu and Kashmir. President Musharraf during his talks with Mr. Dick Cheney referred to the opening of LOC for cross-border traffic in the wake of monumental tragedy that caused widespread devastation in Azad Kashmir and some parts of Indian occupied valley. He rightly stressed that Pak-India accord on LOC crossings must be followed by concrete steps to resolve the age-old conflict In accordance with the aspirations of the people of Kashmir. It is an admitted fact that U.S. being the sole super power and having excellent relations with Islamabad and New Delhi is in a position where it can expedite and influence a decision for a lasting peace in South Asia.

A cloud over Korean science

The controversy over the work of South Korean scientist Dr. Hwang Woo Suk continues to grow. Doubts about the credibility of his research is a blow not only to his many supporters in South Korea, but also to millions of people around the world who had hoped that his work held out cures for debilitating and life-threatening diseases. Dr. Hwang must answer the critics and end this dispute for his sake, for the sake of his country and for those who suffer from illness and disease. Last year Dr. Hwang claimed he had made history by being the first person to clone a human cell. In plain terms, he removed natural DNA — the genetic code — from an egg and inserted DNA from another egg. Each of two new eggs then grew into an embryo. An embryo produces stem cells, which are capable of developing into every type of human tissue. The stem cells are considered clones, an exact genetic copy of an individual.
The significance of this breakthrough for medical science is hard to overestimate. Cloning allows a donor to generate new body parts. Since the DNA in the new tissue is the same as that of the recipient, his or her body would not reject it. This opens the door to entirely new ranges of therapies and treatments for previously untreatable diseases. Following up on his initial success, Dr. Hwang claimed this year to have cloned cells of 11 people. Not only did he replicate and expand on his original procedure, but he said he created a new technique that makes it easier and more efficient to clone cells. The news made him a national hero in South Korea and instilled hope in millions of individuals around the world suffering from life-threatening ailments.
That hope has evaporated following reports that his groundbreaking work may have been faked. His research was first tainted by news that two junior researchers on his team had been paid to donate eggs for the project. This is a violation of ethical guidelines that prohibit researchers and their employees from donating eggs because of concerns that women might feel pressured into donating. While that may have raised alarms in the scientific community — an American collaborator, Dr. Gerald Schatten, said he would sever relations with the project — South Koreans rallied behind Dr. Hwang, lining up to donate eggs for his research.
Has South Korean nationalism overshadowed the search for scientific truth? Most significantly, where does this leave the millions of people who had vested their dreams in Dr. Hwang’s research? How will it influence the debate over stem-cell research? Such work is already deeply mired in controversy as a result of ethical questions surrounding stem-cell research. Will this new dispute overshadow and influence the scientific debate? This controversy is about much more than Dr. Hwang’s research, but it is up to him to end the questions that have arisen.

—Japan Times