| Advertisement Hillary Clinton: "We are very interested in working with Russia" Russia and the US have pledged to work together to ensure Iran's nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes. After talks with her counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Moscow, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton praised Russia for its "extremely co-operative" work. Mrs Clinton said Iran's programme was of "serious concern", but the US was not seeking further sanctions for now. Mr Lavrov said Russia was "very reserved" about such a move. Iran says it is not developing nuclear weapons. But it recently revealed it had a second uranium plant. Mrs Clinton, in Moscow at the end of a five-day European tour, told a joint news conference with Mr Lavrov that Russia had "been extremely co-operative in the work that we have done together" on Iran.
The secretary of state said the US was not seeking further sanctions pending talks between big powers and Iran - but she added that it could do so "in the absence of significant progress and assurance that Iran is not pursuing nuclear weapons". Mr Lavrov said neither country had asked the other for anything in dealing with Iran, but that "our positions coincide". "Threats of sanctions and threats of pressure in the current situation are, in our opinion, counterproductive," he told the news conference. The BBC's Rupert Wingfled-Hayes in Moscow says Mrs Clinton was looking for a solid commitment from Mr Lavrov, but did not get one. Both Mr Lavrov and Mrs Clinton also said there had been considerable progress in talks on a new treaty to reduce the two countries' nuclear arsenals. The US secretary of state is due to meet President Dmitry Medvedev at his private residence outside Moscow later. No quid pro quo President Barack Obama, who met Mr Medvedev in July, has pledged to reset relations with Russia.
A month ago, following the revelations about Iran's second uranium enrichment facility, the Russian president said his government might ultimately accept further sanctions as inevitable. Since then, Mr Obama has met a key Russian demand to scrap plans to deploy interceptor missiles in Poland and a radar station in the Czech Republic as part of a US missile defence system in Europe. The US administration insisted it did not expect concessions in return. But US officials have called on Russia to support, or at least not oppose, the idea of the UN Security Council imposing tougher sanctions on Iran if it fails to live up to its international obligations. The council wants Iran to end uranium enrichment and has approved three rounds of sanctions - including bans on Iran's arms exports and all trade in nuclear material. During her visit, Mrs Clinton will not meet Russia's powerful Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin. He is in China for talks focusing on trade, but also expected to raise the nuclear programmes of Iran and North Korea. Correspondents say that if Russia and China reject new sanctions on Iran, a coalition of countries, including the EU, might take action themselves. There are reports that this could cover stopping sales of refined oil products to Tehran. | |||
| Sydney 13 October 2009 |
The Indonesian navy intercepted a boat carrying refugees headed to Australia after Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd telephoned the Indonesian president. Political analysts say the phone call is a further sign of increased cooperation between the Asia-Pacific neighbors on fighting human trafficking.
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| Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd |
Mr. Rudd's call resulted in Indonesian authorities intercepting the vessel, which was carrying 260 people, including women and children.
The prime minister contacted President Yudhoyono after intelligence agents learned that the vessel was trying to reach Australian waters. Soon after, Australia's military started working with the Indonesian navy to pinpoint the location of the boat, which was found off Krakatoa. Australian officials think the Indonesians then escorted the boat to West Java.
Mr. Rudd says Jakarta is a key ally in Australia's attempts to curb illegal migration.
"I make no apology whatsoever for working as closely as I need with our Indonesian friends and partners to get the results we all need in terms of illegal immigration," Rudd said.
Regional political analysts say the cooperation between Canberra and Jakarta could help stem a steady flow of refugees ferried by traffickers into Australian waters. Several boats have been intercepted in recent months.
Australia blames the recent rise in refugees on the conflicts in Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, along with the global economic crisis. The refugees pay thousands of dollars to make the dangerous journey by sea from Indonesia to Australia.
Many of those seeking sanctuary in Australia are taken to a camp on Christmas Island, where their asylum applications are assessed. The vast majority are deemed to be genuine refugees.
Former members of Australia's previous conservative government say that Mr. Rudd's decision to relax parts of the country's asylum policies has encouraged more boat people to make the journey from Indonesia.
A former immigration minister, Philip Ruddock, says a new wave of illegal arrivals could soon attempt to make the treacherous crossing from Indonesia to Australia.
In response, the Rudd government says it is fully committed to strict border control measures.
Australia resettles about 13,000 refugees each year under official humanitarian programs.
| 13 October 2009 |
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her Russian counterpart are both urging Iran to cooperate with the international community over its nuclear program.
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| Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (R), and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton meet in Moscow, Russia, 13 Oct 2009 |
Lavrov says imposing sanctions against Tehran at this stage would be "counterproductive." Clinton said the U.S. is not seeking further sanctions at this stage. She also praised Russia for being "extremely cooperative" in the effort to convince Iran to prove it is not seeking to build nuclear weapons.
A senior State Department official said Monday that Clinton would push the Russians to say what specific pressure they would be prepared to use when they join the United States and its allies in confronting Iran.
Six world powers, including the U.S. and Russia, have been holding talks with Iran about its nuclear program.
Russian President Dmitri Medvedev said last month that sanctions are sometimes inevitable.
Iran agreed two weeks ago to let international inspectors visit a uranium enrichment site. But Clinton said Sunday the world will not wait indefinitely for it to prove it is not building a bomb.
Meanwhile, Clinton and Lavrov also said they had made significant progress on a new nuclear arms reduction treaty to replace the current START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) agreement that expires in early December.
Clinton also plans to meet with Mr. Medvedev later Tuesday. In addition to Iran and nuclear disarmament, she is also expected to discuss Afghanistan and President Barack Obama's new missile defense plans
Mr. Obama's announcement that he is scrapping Bush administration plans to build a missile defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic pleased Russia, which called such a system a threat to its security. The Kremlin has expressed interest in working with Washington on new missile defense plans.
