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WORLD NEWSWednesday 24 February
Bank of England prepares contingency plans for EU vote
DANICA KIRKA Signatories included CEOs Governor of the Bank of England Mark Carney gives evidence to the Treasury Select Committee
JILL LAWLESS at over a third of the FSTE at the House of Commons in London, Tuesday Feb. 23, 2016. The Bank of England will not be pre-
Associated Press 100 firms, among them Bob dicting the likely economic consequences of a British vote to leave the European Union, known
LONDON (AP) — The Bank Dudley of BP, Royal Dutch as Brexit, Carney said Tuesday, but he acknowledged that uncertainty about the outcome was
of England is preparing a Shell’s CEO Ben van Beur- fueling instability for the pound.
contingency plan for the den and Burberry CEO
aftermath of Britain’s refer- Christopher Bailey. (PA via AP)
endum on European Union The chiefs of Heathrow
membership, Governor and Gatwick airports also quences if Britain did not recent years. ment about the potential
Mark Carney said Tues- signed, but there were join the euro single curren- Carney told Parliament’s outcome of the referen-
day. But he said the central some notable absentees, cy. Britain kept the pound, Treasury Committee that dum ... or an assessment of
bank will not predict the including the bosses of re- and avoided much of the central bank policymakers the potential consequenc-
likely outcome or econom- tailer Tesco and Barclays turmoil in the eurozone in were “not making a judg- es of a leave vote.” q
ic consequences of a vote bank. The letter was orga-
to leave. nized with the support of
Carney acknowledged Prime Minister David Cam-
that uncertainty about eron’s office.
the outcome was fueling Cameron said Tuesday
instability for the pound, that a vote for Brexit would
as the opposing sides in cause “big uncertainty for
the EU debate traded al- businesses.”
legations about the eco- “If you leave, you spend
nomic impact of leaving, two years discussing the ar-
a prospect known as Brexit. rangements for leaving,”
The heads of almost 200 throwing Britain’s trade
firms warned in a letter agreements into limbo.
to The Times newspaper London Mayor Boris John-
that a British vote to leave son, one of the most promi-
the EU in a June 23 referen- nent backers of a “leave”
dum would “deter invest- vote, said many business
ment, threaten jobs and leaders had also warned
put the economy at risk.” in the past of dire conse-
Afghan government and Taliban to begin talks in March
LYNNE O’DONNELL invited insurgents to join Taliban and other groups.” which has earlier called on Ashraf Ghani has led ac-
Associated Press the talks, which will be the The talks would take place the Taliban to enter peace cusations that the Taliban
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) first between the two sides in Pakistan. talks with Kabul and work are a proxy force for Islam-
— Four countries trying to since the peace process The delegations were led toward cutting violence abad’s regional interests.
end Afghanistan’s 15-year was restarted last month. by Afghan Deputy For- that has killed thousands of This deep mistrust of Paki-
war with the Taliban an- Efforts to bring the warring eign Minister Hekmat Khalil Afghan civilians since the stan means that “it is three
nounced on Tuesday that sides together last year Karzai, Pakistan’s Foreign insurgency started almost against one around the
direct talks between the were derailed when Kabul Secretary Aizaz Ahmad 15 years ago. talks table,” said an Afghan
Afghan government and revealed that the Taliban’s Chaudhry, Chinese Am- Taliban leaders, who fled official who asked not to be
the insurgent group will one-eyed leader Mullah bassador to Afghanistan across the Pakistan border named as the sensitivity of
take place next week. Mohammad Omar had Yao Jing and U.S. Charge to escape the 2001 U.S. in- the issue meant he had no
Representatives of Afghan- been dead for more than d’Affaires in Kabul David vasion, are believed to be authority to speak publicly.
istan, Pakistan, China and two years. Lindwall. harbored by Pakistani au- While China is a reluctant
the United States met in the In Tuesday’s communique, They said they would meet thorities, in particular the international peace bro-
Afghan capital for a fourth the four countries “ex- again immediately after ISI intelligence agency, in ker, as its own foreign poli-
round of discussions to set pressed strong support for the direct Kabul-Taliban cities including Quetta, Ka- cy is built on a principle of
conditions for eventual the upcoming direct talks talks. rachi and Peshawar. While “non-interference” in other
peace talks between Ka- between the government It was the fourth meeting Pakistan denies providing countries’ affairs, its pres-
bul and the Taliban. of Afghanistan and autho- of the so-called Quadrilat- safe havens for the insur- ence does appear to be
In a joint statement, they rized representatives of the eral Cooperation Group, gents, Afghan President yielding results.q
