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Medvedev Appoints Russia’s Envoy to NATO as Deputy PM
December 25, 2011
MOSCOW - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Friday appointed Russia's envoy to NATO Dmitry Rogozin as deputy prime minister responsible for the defense industry, according to local media reports. "I have appointed you to the position of coordinating the development of the military and industrial sector," Medvedev was ...
France Warns Syria Risks Civil War
December 24, 2011
PARIS - In the wake of two major explosions that killed 40 in security facilities in Damascus Friday, France warned that the ongoing repression by the Syrian regime could push the country towards civil war.
The French government also reiterated its attachment to "the peaceful character of the protests in Syria," all the while ...
Turkey Supports Palestinian Cause: Davutoglu
December 21, 2011
ANKARA - Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Monday that his country has been supporting Palestinians' cause and struggle, Turkey's semi-official Anatolia news agency reported. The establishment of a Palestinian state on 1967 borders is not only a necessity but also an obligation of humanity; Davutoglu told a joint press conference with ...
Arab Deal on Syria “Acceptable”: Iran
December, 20 2011
TEHRAN - Iran welcomed as "acceptable" an Arab peace deal signed by Syria on Monday that aims to end nine months of unrest against the rule of President Bashar al-Assad, a senior official told an Iranian Arabic language news channel.
"Whatever is accepted by President Assad is an acceptable act in Iran's view," Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Amir Abdollahi told ...
Iraqis Celebrate US Exit, But Worry for Future
December 19, 2011
BAGHDAD - Even as Iraqis celebrated the departure of the last American troops Sunday, the dangers left behind after nearly nine years of war were on full display. Politicians feuded along the country's potentially explosive sectarian lines and the drumbeat of deadly violence went on.
The last U.S. convoy rumbled out of Iraq across the border into ...
Iran ‘Prepared for Worst’ on Sanctions
December 18, 2011
TEHRAN - Iran has prepared for "the worst case scenario" to circumvent toughened new Western sanctions targeting its central bank and oil exports, Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said in an interview published on Saturday.
"We are not really worried," Salehi told the official IRNA news agency. "Appropriate responses have been prepared for the ...
President Obama Visits Troops to Mark End of Iraq War
December 15, 2011
WASHINTON - President Obama will hail the end of the Iraq war today with a visit to Fort Bragg, N.C., where he will speak to troops about the year-end withdrawal.
In his first visit to the fort as president, Obama will "speak about the enormous sacrifices and achievements of the brave Americans ...
New Member Palestine Raises Flag at UNESCO
December 14, 2011
PARIS - Palestinians raised their flag at the headquarters of the U.N. cultural agency in Paris on Tuesday as the agency's 195th member, a historic move and symbolic boost for their push for an independent state.
Cheers rose as the red, black, white and green flag went up in pouring rain under the gaze of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and ...
Assad Denies Ordering Deadly Crackdown
December, 08 2011
BEIRUT — Syria's president denied he ordered the deadly crackdown on a nearly 9-month-old uprising in his country, claiming he is not in charge of the troops behind the assault.
Speaking to ABC's Barbara Walters in a rare interview that aired Wednesday, President Bashar Assad maintained he did not give any commands "to kill or be ...
UN Urges Central Africa to Unite Against Security Challenges
December, 07 2011
BANGUI - The United Nations Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA) chief has urged all member states to get involved in efforts to restore security in the region.
Head of the UNOCA Abou Moussa was speaking during the opening of the 33rd edition of the UN's permanent consultative ministerial committee ...
Highest Regard for Pakistan’s Sovereignty: Clinton
December, 05 2011
LAHORE - Pak Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani received a phone call from US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Saturday evening. The Secretary of State conveyed her personal condolences on the deaths of Pakistani soldiers. She added that the attack was not intentional and that we must wait for the outcome of the investigation. She said ...
USA, Turkey Running Out of Patience with Syrian Regime: Biden
December, 04 2011
ISTANBUL - The US and Turkey are running out of patience with President Bashar Al-Assad's behavior toward the pro-democracy protesters, US Vice-President Joe Biden said Saturday.
"(The United States stands with Turkey) in growing out of patience and calling for President Assad to step aside," said ...
U.N. Urges Action in Syria, Russia and China Object
December, 03 2011
GENEVA - The United Nations' human rights chief on Friday urged world powers to take action to protect civilians in Syria from "ruthless repression," but her call was criticised by envoys from China and Russia. More than 4,000 people have been killed during a military crackdown on protesters that started in March and more than 14,000 people are ...
Closer Ties with Russia to Help Regional Stability
December, 01 2011
TEHRAN - Iranian lawmaker Mehdi Sanaei said that closer cooperation between Tehran and Moscow will help improve peace and stability of the region, the local Tehran Times daily reported on Wednesday. Sanaei, head of the Iran-Russia parliamentary friendship group, made the remarks during a meeting with his visiting Russian counterpart Hafiz Salehov here ...
Iran Should Not Issue Threats: US Official
November, 30 2011
ANKARA, Turkey - A senior U.S. official has dismissed Iran's threats against NATO missile defense installations in Turkey ahead of a visit by U.S. Vice President Joe Biden to the key U.S. ally and linchpin of NATO's southern flank. An Iranian general said Saturday that Tehran would target NATO's early warning radar in Turkey if the U.S. or Israel attacks the Islamic ...
Iran Downplays EU Threat to Boycott Its Oil
November, 29 2011
TEHRAN - Iranian Oil Minister Rostam Qasemi Sunday downplayed Europe's threat to boycott Iran's crude oil, saying significant buyers of its oil are from East Asia, rather than Europe.
Iran sells oil to East Asian countries and has no extra oil for ...
Yemen Presidential Election Set for February 21
November, 28 2011
SANAA - Yemen's vice president called presidential elections for February 21 on Saturday under a deal aimed at ending months of protests against President Ali Abdullah Saleh that have brought the country to the edge of civil war. If the agreement goes according to plan, Saleh will become the fourth ...
Ban Calls for Inclusive, Orderly and Peaceful Transition in Egypt
November, 27 2011
UNITED NATIONS - UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon remained deeply concerned about violence in Egypt, and called for an inclusive, orderly and peaceful transition in the Arab country, his spokesman Martin Nesirky told reporters late Friday.
"The secretary-general remains deeply concerned about the violence in Egypt over the last few ...
Syria Needs Dialogue, Not Sanctions: Russia
November 26, 2011
MOSCOW - Russia expressed opposition on Friday to sanctions against Syria's government and said it needs more information about a French proposal for "humanitarian corridors" in the violence-torn country before taking a position. "At the current stage, what is needed is not resolutions, not sanctions, not pressure, but internal ...
Russia May Target US Missile Shield: Medvedev
November, 24 2011
MOSCOW — If Washington continues to ignore Russia's demands about a proposed U.S. missile shield in Europe, Russia will deploy new missiles aimed at it and put arms control on hold, President Dmitry Medvedev said Wednesday. The tough statement reflected a growing strain in U.S.-Russian ties, despite President Barack Obama's campaign to "reset" American ...
Russia Slams New U.S. Sanctions on Iran
November, 23 2011
MOSCOW - Russia's Foreign Ministry denounced the tightening of U.S. unilateral sanctions against Iran as "unacceptable and contradictory to international law," Interfax news agency reported Tuesday.
"Such a practice seriously complicates the constructive dialogue with Tehran," spokeswoman Maria Zakharova ...
Erdogan Calls for Boosting Consultation among Muslim Nations
November 22, 2011
ISTANBUL - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday called for boosting consultation among Muslim nations.
Problems which Muslim nations faced stemmed from the lack of consultation, Erdogan said at the 2nd Summit Meeting for Religious Leaders of Muslim Countries & Communities of African Continent held ...
EU Calls for Global Efforts to Improve Condition of Children
November 21, 2011
BRUSSELS - The European Union Sunday urged the international community to redouble efforts to improve condition of thousands of suffering children all over the world.
"For so many children there is no childhood. Too many live in ...
IAEA to Send High-Level Team to Iran over Nuclear Concerns
November, 19 2011
VIENNA - Yukiya Amano, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Thursday said the UN nuclear watchdog would send a high-level team to Tehran to talk with the Iranian government over its controversial nuclear program. The IAEA mission will be headed by the Deputy Director of the IAEA Herman Nackaerts, Amano told the press after opening an IAEA board ...
Ban Urges Leaders to Finalize Climate Fund
November, 15 2011
DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged world leaders Monday to finalize the financing for a multibillion-dollar fund to fight the effects of climate ...
Ban Welcomes Arab League “Courageous” Stance on Syria
November, 14 2011
UNITED NATIONS - Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon late Saturday welcomed the resolution adopted earlier in the day by the Council of Ministers of the League of Arab States which took the "strong and courageous" decision to suspend Syria from participating in its meetings and activities starting next Wednesday, unless Damascus stops ...
IAEA, Iran Spar over Bomb Work Allegations
November, 13 2011
VIENNA - The U.N. nuclear watchdog showed letters and satellite images on Friday as part of evidence pointing to military dimensions to Iran's atomic activities, diplomats said, but Tehran's envoy dismissed it as "lousy" intelligence work. Herman Nackaerts, head of nuclear inspections worldwide at the International Atomic Energy Agency, made an hour-long technical ...
Yukiya Defies Pressure, Takes on Iran
November, 10 2011
VIENNA - U.N. nuclear chief Yukiya Amano is showing steely determination to confront Iran over suspected atomic bomb research that belies his diffident public persona, even if it angers powerful member states such as Russia. In doing so, Amano, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, is likely to please the Western states which helped secure his job two ...
IAEA Should Become More Than “Nuclear Watchdog”: Pakistan
November, 03 2011
UNITED NATIONS- The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) should strengthen the nuclear safety regime in its way towards an impartial, efficient and professional body -- not just a "nuclear watchdog," a senior Pakistani diplomat said here Tuesday. The remarks came as Raza Bashir Tarar, the acting permanent ...
Obama to Host European Leaders’’ Summit in Washington
November, 02 2011
WASHIINGTON - The White House announced late on Monday that President Barack Obama will host on Nov 28th a summit in Washington for European Union leaders.
White House press secretary Jay Carney said in a statement that Obama "looks forward to meeting with European Council President Herman Van Rompuy, European Commission President Jos {Manuel Barroso, and High ...
Cameron Aide Accuses China, Russia of Cyber Attacks
November, 01 2011
LONDON - A British government advisor accused China and Russia on Monday of being behind cyber-attacks on other states, ahead of a major London conference designed to agree some global rules on cyberspace.
Pauline Neville-Jones, Prime Minister David Cameron's special representative to business on cyber security, told BBC radio there was ...
Ban Calls for Immediate End to Violence in Syria
October 31, 2011
UNITED NATIONS - UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon on Saturday called for an immediate end to violence in Syria, which he said should answer "the calls of the Syrian people for change" with "far-reaching reforms."
Ban, in a statement issued here by his spokesman, said he condemned the reported killing on Friday of dozens of civilian in Syria's Homs ...
Common Wealth Nations Agree to Develop Charter
October, 30 2011
PERTH, Australia - Commonwealth nations on Saturday agreed to develop a charter outlining the 54-nation bloc's common values, but failed to establish a human rights watchdog. World leaders attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting agreed there should be a charter of values for the group, Australian ...
London ‘Under Constant Attack’ from EU: Cameron
October, 29 2011
LONDON - Prime Minister David Cameron has said London's financial district is under "constant attack" from European Union directives, the BBC reported on Friday.
During a flight from the EU leaders' summit in Brussels to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Perth, Western Australia, Cameron told a BBC reporter that Britain's finance industry should be ...
US will Boost Presence against N. Korea: Panetta
October, 27 2011
SEOUL, South Korea — U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta on Wednesday called North Korea a "serious threat" and told U.S. troops that the Pentagon will strengthen its presence in this region to guard against North Korean provocations. Panetta met with top U.S. commanders here. In an opinion piece ...