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Current News & Views
Putin, Bush discuss missile
shield,
Kosovo, Iran on the phone
March 28, 2007
28/03/2007 19:09 MOSCOW, March 28 (RIA
Novosti) - U.S. and Russian Presidents George W. Bush and Vladimir Putin
discussed on the phone Wednesday key international issues, the Kremlin
press service said.
Bush said
that his country was ready to discuss in detail U.S. plans to deploy elements
of its missile shield in Europe, which have provoked concerns among the
Russian authorities.
Washington
has announced its intention of deploying elements of its missile shield in
Poland and the Czech Republic, citing possible threats from Iran or North
Korea as a reason for the program, and will soon begin consultations with
these countries.
On Wednesday,
the Czech government confirmed that it will begin official talks with the
U.S. on the deployment of the system on its territory. The negotiations will
start as soon as possible, and will last through to the end of 2007.
Russian
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said earlier Moscow will be guided by a
principle of "reasonable sufficiency" in its response to U.S.
missile shield plans in Europe, adding that Washington had so far failed to
offer a clear explanation of its hasty unilateral efforts. Putin and Bush
agreed to continue regular dialogue on the issue at all levels.
The two leaders also
discussed the Iranian problem and said a new UN Security Council resolution
on Tehran ruled out any use of force.
Last week the
15-nation UN Security Council voted to introduce additional sanctions
against Iran over its failure to meet the requirements set in December's
resolution and give up nuclear research.
The new UN
resolution gives Tehran 60 days to suspend those elements of nuclear
research, which have nothing to do with energy generation, and to resume
negotiations. After the deadline expires, the UN Security Council will
return to the issue.
Iran responded
by saying it would reduce cooperation with International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA) inspectors until its nuclear file was returned to the agency
from the UN Security Council. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Sunday the
resolution would not stop his country's nuclear program "for a
second."
The new
sanctions against Iran, which is suspected of pursuing a covert weapons
program, stipulate freezing accounts of 13 companies and 15 individuals
associated with Iran's uranium enrichment program and development of
missile carriers.
The sanctions
also bring in visa restrictions, an embargo on weapons exports from Iran
and recommendations to others nations to refrain from selling arms to
Tehran or providing loans.
In the telephone conversation,
which was held on the initiative of the U.S. side, Putin confirmed that
Russia favored a resolution on the Kosovo problem which was acceptable to
both Kosovo and Pristina.
Lavrov said Tuesday
Russia will demand inquiries into the implementation of all previous UN
resolutions on Kosovo if the UN Security Council approves UN special envoy
Marti Ahtisaari's plan on the status of Kosovo.
Ahtisaari has
proposed that the province be granted internationally supervised
sovereignty, but Serbian authorities have strongly opposed the plan as a
threat to Serbia's national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
On Monday Ahtisaari returned his proposals on the
future status of the breakaway Serbian province to the UN Security Council
following fruitless top-level talks in Vienna between Pristina, Belgrade
and the European Union, which said later in a statement that it fully
backed Ahtisaari's plan.
Serbia's
predominantly ethnic Albanian Kosovo province, which has a population of
two million, has been a UN protectorate since NATO's 78-day bombing
campaign against the former Yugoslavia ended a war between Serb forces and
Albanian separatists in 1999.
Russian intelligence sees U.S. military buildup on Iran
border
March 27,
2007
27/03/2007 17:31 MOSCOW, March 27
(RIA Novosti) - Russian military intelligence services are reporting a
flurry of activity by U.S. Armed Forces near Iran's borders, a high-ranking
security source said Tuesday.
"The latest military
intelligence data point to heightened U.S. military preparations for both
an air and ground operation against Iran," the official said, adding
that the Pentagon has probably not yet made a final decision as to when an
attack will be launched.
He said the
Pentagon is looking for a way to deliver a strike against Iran "that
would enable the Americans to bring the country to its knees at minimal
cost."
He also said the U.S. Naval presence
in the Persian Gulf has for the first time in the past four years reached
the level that existed shortly before the invasion of Iraq in March 2003.
Col.-Gen. Leonid Ivashov,
vice president of the Academy of Geopolitical Sciences, said last week that
the Pentagon is planning to deliver a massive air strike on Iran's military
infrastructure in the near future.
A new U.S.
carrier battle group has been dispatched to the Gulf.
The USS John C.
Stennis, with a crew of 3,200 and around 80 fixed-wing aircraft, including
F/A-18 Hornet and Superhornet fighter-bombers, eight support ships and four
nuclear submarines are heading for the Gulf, where a similar group
led by the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower has been deployed since December
2006.
The U.S. is
also sending Patriot anti-missile systems to the region.
·
Russia
Slams US Global Policy, Warns Against Attacking Iran: by Vladimir Isachenkov, March 27, 2007, AP- Moscow
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Iran reduces US
dollar exposure: March 27, 2007, BBC -
UK
·
Oil prices rise above $64 a barrel: March 28,
2007, The
Houston Chronicle via AP
·
Bush's
Royal Trouble - Why Is Saudi King Abdullah Saying No to Dinner? by Jim
Hoagland, The Washington Post
·
Richard
Heinberg's Museletter #180: Iran: We Will Know Soon…:
April Issue, Global Public Media
·
Tuesday: 150 Iraqis, 2
Americans Killed, 230 Iraqis Wounded
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Wednesday: 166
Iraqis, 2 GIs Killed; 146 Iraqis Wounded
·
High-stakes
face-off over ending Iraq war - The
Senate vote Tuesday to set an exit date for US troops complicates Bush's
strategy:
by Gail Russell Chaddock, March 29, 2007, The Christian Science Monitor
·
Bush
promises to veto bill calling for troop pullout: March 28, 2007, CBC Montreal
·
Why George
Bush is Insane: by Harold
Pinter, 3-26-7, Special to The
Assassinated Press
·
America's Century of Regime Change: by Stephen Kinzer, Guernicamag.com
·
Rice Loses
Israeli Support for Parallel Talks: by Joshua Mitnick, March 27, 2007, The
Washington Times
·
Accept
Peace Plan or Face War, Israel Told: by David
Blair, in Riyadh, March 28, 2007, The
Telegraph - UK
·
Gadhafi Accuses
Arab Leaders of Selling Out Palestinians: March 27, 2007, Reuters
·
Poll
Shows Rising Racist Views in Israel: March 27, 2007, Ynetnews.com - Israel
Dr. Sami al-Arian
·
Trial
of Dr. Sami al-Arian has profited the government nothing: by Editorial
Staff, March 26, 2007, University of
South Florida Oracle
·
The Ordeal of Dr.
Sami Al-Arian - Despite Acquittal on Terrorism Charges, No Prospect of
Release for Dr. Al-Arian: by Peter Erlinder, April Issue, Washington Report on Middle East Affairs (WRMEA)
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