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TIMES: IAEA Chief in Secret Deal with Iran
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The British newspaper The Times is reporting a secret deal worked out by the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency and Iran that trades international approval of Tehran’s nuclear program for regular inspections by the U.N. atomic watchdog. As part of the deal, the U.N. Security Council would lift the sanctions that have been imposed in an attempt to force Iran to abandon its nuclear development program. The Iranians have rejected a western proposal whereby Tehran would send about ¾ of its uranium to Russian and France for enrichment, the theory being that Iran would lack sufficient amounts necessary to create nuclear weapons. If The Times report is accurate, Iran will be allowed to retain most of its uranium stockpile. The Times report is based on a secret 13-point document that the newspaper claims was leaked to it by “one of the parties alarmed at the contents.” The IAEA denies the document exists and simultaneously is warning that Iran might have additional undisclosed nuclear locations unknown to the west. The report of Mohamad El Baradei’s secret deal making comes only days before the end of his term as head of the watchdog group. The IAEA has also cast doubt on Syria’s explanations regarding its Damascus nuclear facility and the location bombed by Israel in 2007, Dair Alzour. IAEA officials believe the two sites might be connected.
Obama Administration Comes Out Against Unilateral Palestinian Statehood The Obama administration has seemingly registered its opposition to Palestinian suggestions that statehood should be declared unilaterally – based on the state of development of infrastructure and institutions rather than on the state of negotiations with Israel. The American position surfaced in response to a question posed during a State Department briefing. The spokesman, Ian Kelly, was asked about recent statements by Palestinian Chief Negotiator Sa’ib ‘Ariqat about seeking international support for a U.N. Security Council resolution setting borders and recognizing a state of Palestine. Kelly re-stated the long-standing administration mantra, that the U.S. supports the “creation of a Palestinian state that is contiguous... the best way to achieve that is negotiation between two parties." Analysts at The Media Line caution that the issue will no doubt be atop the priority list when reporters gain access to top administration officials. Several U.S. Senators visiting Israel last week told reporters that a unilateral move by the Palestinians in the Security Council would be vetoed by the Americans.
Israeli and Palestinian Officials Spar Over Unilateral Statehood Declaration The issue of a unilateral declaration of Palestinian statehood has overtaken settlement building atop the agenda of sparring Israeli and Palestinian officials. In June, Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Faya’d introduced the idea of a 2-year timetable for completing the institutions and infrastructure necessary to support a state and then declaring statehood based on that timetable rather than on the status of talks with Israel. Spurred-on by the impasse in returning to the bargaining table, Palestinian officials led by chief negotiator Sa’ib ‘Ariqat built upon Faya’d’s plan and have begun lobbying the international community for support in the form of a U.N. Security Council resolution that will set borders and recognize the state of Palestine. Israeli officials have reacted angrily and volubly, warning the Palestinians that unilateral acts will be matched in-kind. A number of cabinet ministers in recent days have spoken of annexing “Area C” territory: land Israel acquired in the 1967 war that the Oslo Accords designate as being under both Israeli civil and military control. The spokesman for Palestinian Authority head Mahmoud ‘Abbas has now countered Israel’s counter-warning charging, “Israel doesn't want peace and doesn't want a Palestinian statehood to be established.”
British Army Field Manual Instructs: “Buy-off Taliban Recruits with Bags of Gold” A new counter-insurgency field manual issued to British forces serving in Afghanistan instructs them to buy-off Taliban recruits by offering them “enough money to dissuade them from joining the Taliban.” In addition to the “buy-off” orders, instructions about speaking to Taliban commanders “with blood on their hands,” has also raised eyebrows. The Times reports that Maj.-Gen. Paul Newton explained, “There’s no point in talking to people who don’t have blood on their hands.”
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