Bush OKs Nuclear Reactor for VenezuelaWASHINGTON -- Despite tense relations with Venezuela, President Bush says it might be OK for the South American nation to have a nuclear reactor for peaceful energy uses.
Bush acknowledged he had not heard about Venezuela's request for a reactor when asked about it Tuesday in an interview with Latin American reporters in advance of his five-day trip to the region. But he didn't reject the idea, even though he has had numerous disputes with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.
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US steps up planning for a Cuba without CastroUS planning for Cuba's "transition" after the demise of Fidel Castro has entered a new stage, with a special office for reconstruction inside the US State Department preparing for the "day after", when Washington will try to back a democratic government in Havana.
The inter-agency effort, which also involves the Defense Department, recognises that the Cuba transition may not go peacefully and that the US may have to launch a nation-building exercise.
Caleb McCarry, ... (more)
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UN tells Syria 'co-operate or else' over inquiry into Hariri murderSyria was formally ordered yesterday to halt its interference with the international inquiry into the murder of a former Lebanese prime minister or face the consequences.
The United Nations Security Council unanimously agreed the ultimatum in a resolution passed by a meeting of foreign ministers in New York.
Jack Straw, the Foreign Secretary, told the gathering that President Bashar Assad's regime must change its behaviour over the UN-authorised inquiry into the mur... (more)
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Syria accuses US of launching lethal raids over its bordersSyria has accused the United States of launching lethal military raids into its territory from Iraq, escalating the diplomatic crisis between the two countries as the Bush administration seeks to step up pressure on President Bashar Assad's regime.
Major General Amid Suleiman, a Syrian officer, said that American cross-border attacks into Syria had killed at least two border guards, wounded several more and prompted an official complaint to the American embassy in Damascus.
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China, Russia Promise Not to Use Veto Power in UN Vote on Syria PressureRussia and China have eased their opposition at the United Nations to a U.S. draft resolution threatening Syria with economic punishment for failing to cooperate with an inquiry into the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, Bloomberg reported.
Chinese and Russian envoys said they would not veto the measure, drafted by the U.S. and France, which says the Security Council would consider imposing sanctions on Syria unless the government in Damascus cooperates... (more)
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Tehran defiant over Israel slurThe Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, refused today to retract his call for Israel to be wiped off the map, while the Iranian embassy in Moscow attempted to calm the growing diplomatic crisis.
Mr Ahmadinejad appeared at an anti-Israeli rally attended by thousands of Iranians in Tehran and rejected the international condemnation of his comments as "invalid".
"My words were the Iranian nation's words. Westerners are free to comment, but their reactions are inval... (more)
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Blair hints at military action after Iran's 'disgraceful' tauntTONY BLAIR gave warning last night that the West might have to take military action against Iran after worldwide condemnation of its President’s call for Israel to be “wiped off the map”.
Ending a one-day European Union summit, the Prime Minister called the explosive declaration by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Wednesday a disgrace. Promising discussions with Washington and other allies over how to react, Mr Blair said that he had often been urged not to take action aga... (more)
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Iran leader's words 'sicken' UKBritain is to summon a top Iranian diplomat to protest against his president's comments about Israel.
Hardline Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called for the Jewish state to be "wiped off the map".
The Foreign Office will call in Iran's London chargé d'affaires on Thursday. It said the comments were "deeply disturbing and sickening".
The US said they highlighted concerns about Iran's nuclear plans, which Iran says are for peaceful purpose... (more)
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Bush increases pressure on SyriaUS President George Bush has said using force against Syria would be a "last resort" in the dispute over its alleged role in the death of Rafik Hariri.
He said he hoped Syria would co-operate with the UN inquiry into the killing.
A UN interim report on the killing of the former Lebanese prime minister implicated Syria and Lebanon - a charge both countries deny.
The UN Security Council is to discuss the report on Tuesday, and is expected to hear calls for acti... (more)
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Rice says U.S. military action against Iran LONDON - Military action against Iran over its nuclear program is not on the agenda, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said in an interview broadcast on Sunday.
But she added that President George W. Bush President George W. Bush would not rule out any option while the international community pursued diplomatic means to address fears that Tehran is seeking nuclear weapons.
"Military action isn‘t on the agenda. The agenda is a diplomatic one," Rice told ... (more)
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Blair’s New Tune on Iran: British officials used to be certain that a military attack on Iran was out of the question. Now, it seems, they’re not so sure.British Prime Minister Tony Blair has decided to play hardball with Iran. Frustrated by the lack of progress in negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear program, the British—who used to give Iran the benefit of the doubt—are now hedging their bets on nuclear diplomacy by using Iran’s meddling in Iraq to make military options more palatable to the British public.
Blair’s policy of treating Iran with kid gloves was born out of the conviction that Iran would s... (more)
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UN Gives Green Light for Israel, Syria, Iran WarJerusalem----October 21......Israel has been living in a state of war with Syria for decades. Living under the constant threat of missile attacks from both Syria and Lebanon territory hour after passing hour. This tiny, democratic Jewish state has reached out for peace time and time again. Syria responded with Katusha rocket terror attacks across the Israel Lebanon border and the planning of Islamic terrorism inside both Israel and Lebanon.
Now the UN has provided clear proof that... (more)
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Assad family names censored from report into Hariri killingA storm has erupted after the release of the United Nations report into the assassination of the former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri as it emerged that the names of close family members of the Syrian President were deleted at the last moment.
The report says senior Syrian and Lebanese security officials were directly involved in the killing of Hariri in February and planned it over many weeks. The missing names are of Asef Shawkat, President Bashar Assad's brother-in-law w... (more)
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US planning invasion, says ChavezVenezuela's President, Hugo Chavez, says he is in possession of intelligence showing that the United States plans to invade his country.
In a BBC interview, Mr Chavez said the US was after his nation's oil, much as it had been after Iraq's.
But he stressed that any invasion would never be allowed to happen.
Mr Chavez has long accused Washington of being behind what he describes as a coup - claims the United States denies.
An attempt to ... (more)
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Are we going to war with Iran?The Sunday Telegraph warned last weekend that the UN had a last chance to avert war with Iran and, at a meeting in London last week, the US ambassador to the UN, John Bolton, expressed his regret that any failure by the UN security council to deal with Iran would damage the security council's relevance, implying that the US would solve the problem on its own.
Only days before, the foreign secretary, Jack Straw, had dismissed military action as "inconceivable" while both the Americ... (more)
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Paris ready to cooperate with Iran in nuclear powerTEHRAN, Oct. 18 (MNA) -- In a meeting with President Mahmud Ahmadinejad in Tehran on Tuesday, French Ambassador Bernard Poletti said his country is ready to cooperate with Iran in the production of nuclear electricity.
France is aware of Iran’s concerns and its demand to access to nuclear technology for the production of nuclear electricity and is prepared to cooperate in this regard, he added.
The French ambassador to Tehran also presented a letter from Jacqu... (more)
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