Visit our website: HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK --------------------------------------------- "Unfortunately, we are witnessing attempts by certain forces to further destabilize the situation and undermine the legitimate government's moves to normalize the situation. And we know where those forces are based: Kosovo." 22:24 [Thursday 6th September, 2001] Ivanov warns about destabilizing Balkans MOSCOW (AP)- Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov said Thursday that the situation in Macedonia must not be allowed to deteriorate and further destabilize the Balkans region. Ivanov met with the top Balkan envoys from the United States and Europe to discuss the next steps in Macedonia's peace process. "The main goal of the world community is to prevent the development of the situation in Macedonia from leading to destabilization of the situation and not to worsen the already difficult situation in the Balkans," Ivanov said. Ivanov also asserted that ethnic Albanians in Kosovo were seeking to undermine peace efforts. "Unfortunately, we are witnessing attempts by certain forces to further destabilize the situation and undermine the legitimate Macedonian government's moves to normalize the situation. And we know where those forces are based: Kosovo," Ivanov said at the start of the meeting, according to the Interfax news agency. "Their policy is aimed at undermining stability in the whole of the Balkans." U.S. envoy James Pardew, Max van der Stoel of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and European Union representative Francois Leotard arrived in Moscow late Wednesday for the talks. Leotard told reporters that hundreds of OSCE observers should be sent to Macedonia after the NATO operation is completed at the end of September. Pardew said that the envoys told Ivanov how Russia could be helpful in ensuring long-term peace in the region and about the role the OSCE could play. "We emphasized the leadership that the OSCE has shown," Pardew said. Pardew also said they had discussed the role of monitors and said there was agreement that there "is a need for an extended international presence in Macedonia for a period of time." Leotard said the contingent could include Russians, but did not promise any firm role for Moscow in the Macedonian negotiations. Russia, which played a key role in negotiating an end to NATO airstrikes on Yugoslavia in 1999, has expressed skepticism that the NATO mission in Macedonia to disarm ethnic Albanian rebels who have been fighting government troops will lead to a lasting cease-fire. Detailed coverage /The Associated Press/ 20:21 [Thursday 6th September, 2001] Iran, Azerbaijan agree better relations TEHRAN, Iran - Azerbaijan's security minister said his government's relations with Iran were poor and needed to be improved, the official Islamic Republic News Agency reported Wednesday. The minister, Namik Abbasov, met Wednesday in Tehran with Hassan Rowhani, the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, the agency said. The two Caspian Sea neighbors exchanged angry words this summer after Iran accused Azerbaijan of exploring for oil in its territorial waters. Azerbaijan claimed Iran had violated its territorial waters and air space. Abbasov said that improving trust between Iran and Azerbaijan was "very necessary" because the present state of relations was "unsatisfactory," IRNA reported. For his part, Rowhani said there would be no problem in Iran-Azerbaijan relations as long as others did not interfere and the interests of Iran were not jeopardized, the agency said. Azerbaijani President Geidar Aliev is scheduled to visit Tehran soon for meetings with President Mohammad Khatami, IRNA said. No date has been set. The Caspian Sea is estimated to hold the world's third-largest oil deposits. However, the five countries around the sea have not agreed on how to divide its resources. They are Russia, Turkmenistan, Kazakstan, Iran and Azerbaijan. Detailed coverage /The Associated Press/ 19:07 [Thursday 6th September, 2001] Chemical weapons destruction extension MOSCOW - Former Russian Prime Minister Sergei Kiriyenko launched Russia's campaign Wednesday to gain international approval of its bid to extend the deadline to destroy its chemical weapons stocks by 2012. Kiriyenko presented Russia's new streamlined destruction program in Tokyo earlier this week, and he is set to embark on a tour of the rest of the G-7 capitals this month. Kiriyenko told reporters Russia was at fault for having done too little to fulfill its obligations under the Chemical Weapons Treaty and the U.S. Congress had good reason to freeze its funding for the program over the last two years. But he said the Russian government had a new cheaper program that would allow Russia to destroy 40,000 metric tons of chemical weapons - the world's biggest stockpile - by 2012, five years after the deadline set in the international treaty. "In the last year, cardinal changes have occurred in this sphere," Kiriyenko said. He added that Russia had transferred authority over the destruction effort from the defense ministry to a civilian agency, underlining its position that Russia no longer considered the weapons an active part of its military arsenal. The Russian government devoted six times more funds to the program this year than last, and Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov has agreed to a further increase in next year's budget, Kiriyenko said. Russia has completed the destruction of part of its stocks already. Kiriyenko is scheduled to travel to Washington on Sept. 10-11. The Group of Seven - the world's richest nations – consist of the United States, Canada, Japan, Italy, France, Germany and Britain. Detailed coverage /The Associated Press/ 17:21 [Thursday 6th September, 2001] Russian firms still provide Iran weapons WASHINGTON - Despite urgent U.S. pleas, Russian firms are continuing to provide Iran with technology for weapons of mass destruction, a senior administration official said Wednesday. The technology could help Iran in its programs to develop chemical, biological and especially nuclear weapons, the official said. By contrast, he said, Russian President Vladimir Putin is trying hard to persuade North Korean leader Kim Jong Il to abandon or at least curtail his program to develop long-range missiles. The Russians do not agree with the United States that North Korea will be able to mount a long-range threat. They say North Korea is patterning its program on shorter-range Russian Scud missiles. But, the official said, the Bush administration has advised the Kremlin that tests show the program can be adapted to pose a long-range threat and Russia does not deny there is a North Korea missile problem. Speaking to reporters at the State Department on condition of anonymity, the official said the technology sales to Iran were a sore spot in generally improved U.S. relations with the Russian government, which, he said is aware of the deals. Officially, Russia agrees with the United States that curbs should be placed on proliferation of technology to Iran. But the Bush administration has not made much progress in persuading Russian authorities to clamp down, the official said. Still, the administration persists, telling Russian officials that an Iran armed with weapons of mass destruction poses a threat to Russia, as well, the official said. On another troubled front, Russia has not given up its attempt to crush secession in Chechnya with force, the official said. The U.S. ambassador, Alexander Vershbow, plans to make a trip to the troubled republic to signal U.S. concern __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email alerts & NEW webcam video instant messaging with Yahoo! Messenger http://im.yahoo.com ------------------------------------------------- This Discussion List is the follow-up for the old stopnato @listbot.com that has been shut down ==^================================================================ EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.a9spWA Or send an email To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] This email was sent to: archive@jab.org T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
