Israel calls for direct talks with Syria
Mon, 16 Jun 2008 10:15:17
 
Israeli president meets with New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson.
Israeli president Shimon Peres says Israeli and Syrian leaders should hold direct talks if both sides are interested in forging trust.

Shimon Peres called for direct Israeli-Syrian negotiations, recalling the groundbreaking visit by Egypt's then-President Anwar Sadat to al-Quds in 1977.

"Had Sadat not come to Jerusalem [al-Quds], we would not have had peace with Egypt", said Peres.

"If the Syrians are genuinely seeking peace, then they must hold a summit meeting between Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert," Shimon Peres said on Sunday in a meeting with New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson. The two met at Peres' official residence in al-Quds.

Such a meeting could take place either in al-Quds or Damascus, said Peres, adding, "But it is an absolute necessity to break the psychological barrier and build trust between the two sides."

Peres further noted that the current president's late father, Hafez al-Assad, refused to meet with him in 1996. He did, however, give his consent in principle to such a meeting through then-US Secretary of State Warren Christopher, who acted as mediator.

Meanwhile the indirect talks between the Israeli and Syrian delegations are continuing in Ankara. A possible meeting between Assad and Olmert at the upcoming Middle East conference in Paris will be on the agenda.

The conference, organized by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, is scheduled to be held on July 13th. The Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad are invited to the conference, but there has been no indication that they plan to meet.

In May, Israel and Syria launched indirect peace talks, with Turkey acting as a mediator, after an eight-year freeze.

The Syrians want the return of all of the Golan Heights which Israel seized in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed in 1981, a move never recognized by the international community.

Israel demands that Syria break off its ties with Iran as a precondition in their talks, but Syria has said it would reject any preconditions in the talks that call on Damascus to change its relations with other countries or movements.

 
US role in Afghan prison attack
Mon, 16 Jun 2008 16:39:43
 
US-led forces have played a part in a Taliban attack on an Afghanistan prison that set hundreds of militants free, some reports speculate.

Experts in regional affairs believe that Taliban militants attacked the Kandahar prison with the green light from US forces.

They say it is questionable - how could the militants dare attack the prison with US-led troops stationed just northeast of the jail?

The sources also noted that although clashes between Afghan security forces and the militants lasted for several hours, US-led troops did not intervene.

Ordinary people share the idea, asking how is it possible that hundreds of militants could attack a government prison, detonating more than 800 kilograms of explosives and foreign forces show no reaction.

They say the blasts were deafening and awakened everyone in the region. No one can claim not being aware of the attack.

"There are two opinions among Afghans following up the attack; non-political individuals say the Taliban managed to attack the prison with the help of God, while those more political believe that US forces helped them," Ahmad Saadat, a political expert, said.

He compared the foreign forces' struggle with Afghan insurgents to a movie that ends before reaching a conclusion.

Saadat added that Afghans are tired of war and that only a few illiterate people, called Taliban, are fighting foreign forces.

He emphasized that while these groups should oppose foreign forces, they do things in favor of them with consequences that they are not aware of.

He said foreign forces have chosen these militant groups to achieve their own objectives under the pretext of defending Islam.

He also said that since the number of Taliban militants is shrinking, foreign forces planned the attack with Pakistan's assistance to encourage the militants' move.

This political expert believes that the assault on the prison was essentially a US plan. Otherwise, after the first blast, the heavily armed US, Canadian, and Afghan troops would have intervened.

Showing no reaction proves that foreign forces had a role in the escape of more than 1000 inmates, 400 of them Taliban, from the prison.

 
'Iraq not central to US attack on Iran'
Mon, 16 Jun 2008 03:28:30
 
Iraq's Foreign Minister, Hoshyar Zebari
Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari says Washington has 'other alternatives' for launching attacks in the Middle East than Iraq.

In an interview with CNN on Sunday, Zebari said the Baghdad government has made it 'absolutely clear' that Iraq will not be used for 'any offensive actions' against any of its neighbors, including Iran.

When asked whether Washington would be barred from launching air strikes from bases within the Iraqi territory to attack camps inside Iran, Zebari said, "Here the US has US military ability beyond Iraq."

The Bush administration says the use of military option remains on the table to stop Iran from acquiring a nuclear bomb. Tehran, however, maintains its nuclear activities are aimed at the civilian use of the technology.

The top Iraqi diplomat added that despite difficulties, the proposed US-Iraq security pact could be signed 'by the end of July'.

The White House is currently negotiating with Baghdad on a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) that will give legal basis to the presence of American troops in Iraq as well as allowing permanent military bases in the oil-rich country.
 
Brown: We will take action against Iran
Mon, 16 Jun 2008 16:20:10
 
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown says Britain will take any necessary action to assure Iran is aware of the choice it should make.

"Today Britain will urge Europe, and Europe will agree to take further sanctions against Iran," the prime minister said in a joint press conference with US President George W. Bush.

"We will take action today that will freeze the overseas assets of the biggest bank in Iran, the Melli bank, and secondly action will start today for a new phase of sanctions on oil and gas," Brown added.

"Our message to Iran is: You do not have to choose the path of confrontation," cautioned the British Prime Minister in London.

He noted that the international community awaits Iran's response to the package of nuclear incentives drawn up by world powers, adding that the British government 'will do everything possible to maintain the dialogue'.

"But we are also clear that if Iran continues to ignore (United Nations) resolutions, to ignore our offers of partnership, we have no choice but to intensify sanctions," the prime minister said.

Despite Iran's transparency in its nuclear issue and international reports conceding that Tehran is not running a nuclear weapons program, the West continues to threaten the Islamic Republic with intensified sanctions.

This is while Tehran has repeatedly asserted that as a signatory to the Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT) it is entitled to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes, adding that the country is not seeking to develop nuclear bombs as such weapons have no place in its defense doctrine
 

 
Rice: US awaiting Iran's response
Mon, 16 Jun 2008 01:30:29
 
US State Secretary Condoleezza Rice
US State Secretary Condoleezza Rice says the White House is waiting for 'the actual reaction' by Iran to the package of incentives.

Rice said Sunday that the Bush administration is giving priority to solving its row with Iran over its enrichment program through diplomatic means.

Washington accuses Tehran of conducting a nuclear weapons program. Iran, however, insists its uranium enrichment activities will pave the way for creating electricity for its growing population.

"We have made very clear, and the president has made very clear that, while taking no option off the table, the US policy is that this can work diplomatically," she said during her visit to Israel.

"And that is where we have been focused and that is where all our energies are, I emphasize all our energies, because we have just, through Javier Solana, proposed a package to the Iranians," the top US diplomat added.

Javier Solana, the EU foreign policy chief, has traveled to Tehran to present a G5+1 package of incentives for Iran to halt its nuclear enrichment program. Iran says it has to 'study' the proposal before responding to it.

"We will see what the actual reaction is, as opposed to the reaction before they read it," Rice continued.

This is while US President George W. Bush on Saturday said in Paris that he was 'disappointed' that the Islamic Republic had rejected the 'generous' offer.

 
Afghan tribesmen for incursions into Pak
Mon, 16 Jun 2008 15:34:20
 
Thousands of Afghan tribesmen support President Hamid Karzai's idea of sending troops over the border into Pakistan to confront militants.

Over 2,000 tribesmen gathered in Afghanistan's eastern province of Paktika on Monday to voice support for President Karzai after he threatened to target militant leaders in Pakistan.

Karzai said Sunday that his nation has the right to retaliate in 'self-defense' as militants often cross Pakistan's border, entering Afghanistan only to kill civilians and coalition troops.

"We are ready to fight the Pakistani Taliban with our own weapons and money," said tribal elders.

"We support Karzai. Pakistanis are coming to Afghanistan and we have evidence," tribal chief Amin Jan told AFP in a telephone conversation from Sharan, the provincial capital of Paktika.

Pakistan, however, responded to Karzai's remarks on Sunday, warning that it will not tolerate any violations of its borders. On Monday, Islamabad summoned Afghanistan's ambassador in protest at the president's remarks.

The Afghan government claims Islamabad has failed to prevent insurgents active in Pakistan's northwestern tribal zone from entering into eastern and southern Afghanistan.
 
Sadr backs other party candidates
Sun, 15 Jun 2008 21:25:32
 
Sheikh Salah al-Obeidi
Iraq's Moqtada al-Sadr's bloc says it will run candidates on other party tickets in upcoming provincial elections to be held in October.

"The Sadr group will not take part in the elections as we did in the parliamentary election," Sheikh Salah al-Obeidi, a spokesman for Sadr in the holy city of Najaf was quoted by AFP as saying on Sunday.

"The group will, however, support independent candidates. By backing independents we believe we can serve the citizens better," Liwa Sumaysim, head of the Sadr movement's political bureau said.

Shia cleric Sadr who calls for an end to "the tyrant US occupation of Iraq", had earlier announced that he would reorganize his Mahdi Army and from special units for resistance against foreign forces.

"The (US) occupation is one of the reasons for not participating in the elections," Sumaysim said, adding "We believe that the occupiers are interfering in the work of the councils when it comes to reconstruction of projects and their Funding."

The local elections will be held in 18 provinces on October 1to choose new members of provincial councils.

The Sadr movement had earlier signed a truce agreement with the government in a bid to end a bloody conflict that started after a security crackdown in the southern city of Basra. The group says US troops have been violating the ceasefire.