Bush pushes US-Turkey nuclear cooperation

 

WASHINGTON: President George W. Bush has green-lighted a civilian nuclear cooperation deal with Turkey, saying that private-sector proliferation worries have been addressed, the White House said Wednesday.
Bush on Tuesday sent the US Congress a July 2000 agreement, signed by then-US president Bill Clinton, that would clear the way for transfers of nuclear know-how to Turkey's planned civilian atomic sector, it said.
"In my judgment, entry into force of the Agreement will serve as a strong incentive for Turkey to continue its support for nonproliferation objectives and enact future sound nonproliferation policies and practices," Bush said in a letter to lawmakers dated Tuesday.
"It will also promote closer political and economic ties with a NATO ally, and provide the necessary legal framework for US industry to make nuclear exports to Turkey's planned civil nuclear sector," it said.
Lawmakers could pass legislation blocking the accord.
The agreement "permits the transfer of technology, material, equipment (including reactors), and components for nuclear research and nuclear power production," a White House official said.
"It does not permit transfers of sensitive nuclear technology, restricted data, or sensitive nuclear facilities or major critical components of such facilities," the official said.
The pact has an initial term of 15 years and provides for automatic renewal, in five-year increments, unless either side terminates it, according to the official.
The deal stalled shortly after being signed in July 2000 because US agencies received "information implicating Turkish private entities in certain activities directly relating to nuclear proliferation," the White House said.
"The pertinent issues have been sufficiently resolved," it said.

Russian nuclear fuel delivered to Iran

 

TEHRAN: Russia delivered a sixth consignment of fuel for Iran's first nuclear power plant in the Gulf port of Bushehr on Thursday which makes it around 80 percent of the consignment, the official IRNA news agency reported.
"The sixth load of nuclear fuel arrived at the Bushehr plant on Thursday morning," said a statement from the Organisation for Production and Development of Nuclear Energy quoted by the news agency.
The delivery brings the nuclear fuel supplied by Russia so far to 66 tones or around 80 percent of the total order of 82 tones, agency said.

Musharraf criticizes dubbing Pakistan nukes ‘Islamic bomb’

 

 

DAVOS: President Pervez Musharraf Thursday said Pakistan is fighting war against terrorism and extremism.
Speaking to the annual gathering of the world's political and business elite at World Economic Forum in the Swiss ski resort of Davos, Musharraf said Pakistan is advancing towards genuine democracy and with free and fair elections in February democracy will be more stable in the country.
He said the media has been given freedom in Pakistan. “When I assumed power there was only on television channel in the country but the number has now reached to more than 50”.
Musharraf said Pakistan is fighting against terrorism and extremism and pursuing a multidimensional strategy in this respect.
Talking on Pakistan’s nuclear programme President Musharraf said the nukes have no threat from terrorists. He questioned labeling Pakistan’s nuclear bomb as “Islamic bomb.” He asked why the other bombs not being named as Hindu bomb or Zionist bomb? It is incorrect to dub Pakistan nuclear bomb an Islamic bomb, he said.
Musharraf warned against judging Pakistan by "misconceived" standards of Western democracy.
"I have upheld the constitution and laws of Pakistan. Please, look at Pakistan from Pakistan eyes," he said.
Talking about imposition of emergency in Pakistan Musharraf said due to unavoidable circumstances the government had to take extraordinary steps. “Terrorists were being encouraged and the government and the security forces were discouraged at that time.”
“We are advancing towards political stability according to the political environment of our country,” he said.
Responding questions after his address Musharraf said any party that will win the elections would form the government; if any party fails to win majority in the parliament a coalition of parties will form government.
Replying to another question he said the parliament would elect new prime minister after Feb. 18 elections.

New UN resolution on Iran envisions talks

MOSCOW: A new draft UN Security Council resolution on Iran's nuclear programme envisages direct talks with Tehran that would include the United States, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Tuesday.
The five permanent members of the Security Council, plus Germany, agreed earlier in the day in Berlin on the text of the resolution aimed at getting Iran to heed international demands to halt uranium enrichment.
"It's clearly confirmed by the resolution that direct negotiations on resolving all questions related to the Iranian nuclear programme -- with the participation of all six powers, including the United States -- would be initiated if Iran accepts the proposals of the six," Lavrov said.
He made his remarks to Russian journalists after the Berlin meeting, the Ria-Novosti news agency reported.
Lavrov said the new wording "not only acknowledges, but salutes progress made by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in clarifying aspects of Iran's nuclear programme".
The resolution underlines "support" among the six powers -- Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia, the United States -- for the IAEA's efforts towards alleviating their remaining concerns, he said.
Iran -- which rejects Western fears that it is covertly developing nuclear weapons -- has promised to deliver answers on outstanding questions put to it "within the next two or three weeks," Lavrov

US denies NKorean charges on denuclearization

 

 

WASHINGTON: The United States on Tuesday denied charges it was failing to live up to its part of six-country deal aimed at North Korea's denuclearization.
"The US has met and is meeting its commitments," Gonzalo Gallegos, a State Department spokesman, told reporters when asked to comment on the charges.
A North Korean newspaper blamed Washington for the deadlocked demilitarization deal by criticizing its failure to start the process of removing Pyongyang from its list of state terrorism sponsors.
"As part of the February 13 agreement, the United States agreed to begin the process of removing the designation of North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism," he said, reading a statement.
Under a breakthrough six-nation deal reached in February last year, North Korea, which tested an atom bomb in 2006, receives badly needed aid and security guarantees in return for disarmament.
But the hardline communist state missed a December 31 deadline to disable its main atomic facilities and give a full declaration of all nuclear programs, as required under the accord.
In response to the disablement and declaration, the negotiating partners -- South Korea, the United States, China, Japan and Russia -- were to supply one million tons of fuel oil or equivalent energy aid.
The United States was also to start the process of removing the North from its terrorism list, which blocks access to bilateral economic aid and loans from international financial institutions.
"We also agreed to advance the process of terminating an application of the Trading with the Enemy Act to North Korea," Gallegos added.
"Criteria for removing a country's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism and lifting the application of the Trading with the Enemy Act are set forth in US law," he said.
"US action related to the terrorism designation and the Trading with the Enemy Act application are dependent on North Korea's fulfillment of the requirements of US law and its progress on addressing concerns on a nuclear issue and meeting its denuclearization commitments," he said.
"We're going to continue working with our close allies, Japan and South Korea, and our partners China and Russia as we urge North Korea to deliver a complete and correct declaration of all its nuclear programs," he said.

Israel welcomes accord on UN Iran resolution

JERUSALEM: A senior Israeli official on Wednesday welcomed world powers agreeing on the text of a new UN Security Council resolution against Iran over its disputed nuclear programme.
The chairman of the Israeli parliament's powerful foreign affairs and defense committee, Tzahi Hanegbi, hailed the agreement by the five permanent members of the Security Council plus Germany reached in Berlin on Tuesday.
"It is important that the five members of the Security Council and Germany are in agreement, as the Iranian leadership has recently made it seem as if their nuclear programme enjoys impunity and as if the sword was not hanging above their head," Hanegbi told army radio.
"Before considering a military option against the Iranian nuclear programme one must prove that all the other means have been exhausted," he said.

Pakistan won’t stop improving nuclear capability on any pressure: Musharraf

 

PARIS: President General Pervez Musharraf has ruled out to yield any international pressure to stop further improving the nuclear capability.
He stated this here while addressing a gathering of Pakistani community. Pakistan is the only nuclear power among the Muslim countries, he remarked.
The atomic missile programme of Pakistan is mush better than the same programme of many countries, he said.

Israel: ‘No options’ out on Iran nuclear program--It is Olmert’s clearest statement yet that Israel is willing to use force

 

 

JERUSALEM - Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told a powerful parliamentary panel on Monday that Israel rejects "no options" to block Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, a meeting participant said.

The statement was the Israeli leader's clearest indication yet that he is willing to use military force against Iran.

"Israel clearly will not reconcile itself to a nuclear Iran," the meeting participant quoted Olmert as telling the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. "All options that prevent Iran from gaining nuclear capabilities are legitimate within the context of how to grapple with this matter."

The meeting participant spoke on condition of anonymity because the session was closed.

Olmert addressed the panel days after discussing Iran's nuclear ambitions in talks with President Bush in Jerusalem.

During that visit, Israeli officials disputed the recently released conclusions of a U.S. National Intelligence Estimate that concluded Iran halted its nuclear weapons program in 2003.

In Jerusalem, Bush declared that Iran remained "a threat to world peace," but reasserted his commitment to trying to resolve the standoff over Iran's nuclear program diplomatically.

Israel, which sent warplanes in 1981 to demolish an unfinished nuclear reactor in Iraq, advocates a diplomatic solution to the Iranian standoff as well. But in his comments to the parliamentary committee, Olmert said: "It's clear that Israel won't reconcile itself to a nuclear Iran. We reject no options a priori."

Europe set for debate rerun on 'Frankenfoods

Europe is set for a rerun of the heated debate over genetically modified "Frankenfoods", after regulators declared on Friday that meat and milk from cloned pigs and cows and their offspring were safe to eat.

The finding comes as GM foods are about to reignite trade friction between the US and European Union, with a deadline set to expire on Friday night by which the EU must comply with a World Trade Organization ruling to allow imports of GM seeds.

While it could be years before meat and milk from cloned animals are on dinner plates in the EU, the European Food Safety Authority (Efsa) issued a "draft opinion" that such livestock and their products were as healthy and nutritious as their natural-born kin. "Healthy clones and healthy offspring do not show any significant differences from their conventional counterparts," it said.

Efsa has invited views on its opinion before drawing up a definitive conclusion in May. Its deliberations come as the Food & Drug Agency in the US is expected to reach a final decision on the issue, possibly next week.

The developments would boost a handful of US biotechnology companies that have been working on cloning animals, mainly cattle, for the past four years. They say cloning would help farmers by increasing the availability of elite breeding stock.

Europe is already sharply divided over GM food, dubbed "Frankenfoods" by opponents, with just one product - a pest-resistant maize - approved for cultivation. Austria and Hungary have banned even that and France is set to follow suit.

In the US, consumer acceptance of plant biotechnology in foods is high. Acceptance of biotechnologically altered animal produce is much lower, although a survey last year by the International Food Information Council showed that 61 per cent would purchase products derived from genetically engineered animals if they were FDA-approved.

In a sign of possible unprecedented congressional involvement in the process, Democratic senator Barbara Mikulski has called on the FDA to delay its final decision about cloning, pending further scientific tests. "We do not know enough about the long-term effects of introducing cloned animals, or their offspring, into our food supply. What's the rush?" she asked.

Following Friday's scientific report from Efsa, the European Group on Ethics in Science and New Technologies expects to deliver its report on Wednesday about the ethical and practical effects of approving food from cloned animals.

The gulf between attitudes across the Atlantic on GM crops has already led to a trade spat with Washington, which won a WTO ruling in 2004 that the EU was illegally blocking GM produce.

European farmers said they were not seeking to use cloning but feared a loss of competitiveness if the US went ahead and imports were allowed. "It is essential to inform the consumers and citizens about the state of play already and not wait until this new technology is on the shelves," said Pekka Pesonen, secretary-general of Copa-Cogeca, which represents them.

Friends of the Earth said the Efsa ruling was "unsatisfactory" because there was a shortage of scientific evidence.

U.S lodges diplomatic protest against Iran

The incident was another sign of tension between the United States and Iran, at odds over a range of issues including Tehran's nuclear program and its alleged role in Iraq.

The Strait of Hormuz is the most prominent potential "choke point" for crude oil flows, handling 17 million barrels per day, or two-fifths of globally traded oil.

Close to opening fire
U.S. officials have said U.S. sailors were close to opening fire Sunday before the Iranian boats moved away. They have said they believe the boats came from Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps.

"I'd much rather prevent a war than fight one," Mullen said. "We'd all prefer Iran to take a more productive, positive role in the region. And I support the use of economic and diplomatic measures to help bring that about."

"But our own military restraint in dealing with that problem should in turn never be confused for a lack of capability."

Some U.S. commentators have suggested the U.S. sailors should have opened fire and their restraint will be interpreted by Iran as a sign of weakness. But Mullen, a former head of the U.S. Navy, said the crews' actions had been "exactly right."

Sides release videos, conflicting accounts
Both the United States and Iran have issued video footage to support their conflicting accounts of the incident.

The United States has also released the recording of a message it says was received by one of the U.S. ships. "You will explode after... minutes," a heavily accented voice on the recording says.

U.S. officials initially said the audio was believed to have come from one of the Iranian boats but they have since said they are not certain of its exact origin.

"I can't shed any light as far as the radio transmission is concerned," Mullen said. "If you're out there on the bridge, it's hard to tell where (radio transmissions are) coming from."

Tehran's strategy shift
The recent confrontation in the Persian Gulf reflects a strategy shift by Tehran to use its Revolutionary Guard's fast boats more aggressively in the region, Mullen said.

Mullen said the U.S. has been focused "for several years" on this shift to greater use of small, fast boats by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, which has taken over patrols in the Gulf from Tehran's regular navy.

"It's clearly strategically where the Iranian military has gone," said Mullen. "There's a projection they were going to do that over a number of years ... That was a big concern to me because of the history and the background with the (Revolutionary Guard). This fits that mold, as far as I was concerned."

Navy official: Ship fired warning at Iran boat-Admiral says U.S. will defend ships with ‘deadly force’ against Tehran

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Navy said Friday that one of its ships fired warning shots at a small Iranian boat in the Strait of Hormuz in December during one of two serious encounters that month.

The USS Whidbey Island fired the warning shots on Dec. 19 in response to a small Iranian boat that was rapidly approaching it, said a U.S. Navy official.

"One small (Iranian) craft was coming toward it, and it stopped after the Whidbey Island fired warning shots," said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.
It was the first official confirmation that the United States had fired warning shots in any recent confrontation with Iran in the Gulf.

In the second incident that month, the USS Carr encountered three small Iranian craft on Dec. 22, two of which were armed, said the official. The USS Carr did not fire warning shots, but sent warning blasts on the ship's whistle, which caused the boats to turn around.

Diplomatic protest lodged in another incident
The reports come a day after the United States lodged a formal diplomatic protest with Iran over an incident Sunday in which Iranian speedboats harassed U.S. warships in the Persian Gulf.

Adm. William J. Fallon, the top U.S. military commander in the Mideast, said Friday that Iran runs the risk of triggering an unintended conflict if its boats continue to harass U.S. warships in the strait.

And Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the U.S. military's Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Friday that the United States is ready to counter any threat.

"The incident ought to remind us all just how real is the threat posed by Iran and just how ready we are to meet that threat if it comes to it," Mullen told reporters.

"We will defend ourselves and our ships, and we will do so with deadly force if need be," he said at the Pentagon.

Latest incident in Persian Gulf
Five Iranian speedboats maneuvered aggressively close to three U.S. Navy ships in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, as the U.S. ships received a radio transmission threatening an explosion, according to the United States.

The United States released its complete 35-minute video of the incident, but it contained little new from the 4-minute edited version released earlier this week.

The United States has formally complained about the incident. But Iranian officials have dismissed U.S. objections, saying the encounter was normal and the Iranian boats were merely trying to identify the U.S. vessels.