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Clinton Pledges Improved Coordination With Japan on Approach Towards N. Korea
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US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton discusses North Korea's weapons program,
stalled six-way talks aimed at getting Pyongyang to give up nuclear ambitions
The subject of North Korea was prominent in talks in Tokyo between U.S.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and top Japanese government officials.
Clinton is on her first overseas trip in her new job and her first stop in Asia
is America's long-time key ally in the region. Clinton is seeking to reassure
Japan the new administration in Washington will back its policies towards
Pyongyang. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says she discussed "at great
length" North Korea weapon's programs and the stalled six-way talks aimed at
getting Pyongyang to give up its nuclear ambitions. The timing of the talks is
critical. The North Koreans are believed to be preparing another test of their
longest-range missile and Pyongyang has hinted as much. Addressing a joint news
conference here with her Japanese counterpart, Clinton made reference to the
possible missile test. She also gave Japan moral support on what is an
emotional issue here -- resolving the fate of Japanese citizens who were
kidnapped and taken to North Korea. "The possible missile launch that North
Korea is talking about would be very unhelpful in moving our relationship
forward," Clinton said. "I know the abductee issue is of great concern here in
Japan and I will be meeting with families later today to express my personal
sympathy and our concern about what happened to those who were
abducted."Clinton says, if the North Koreans give up their nuclear weapons
program and abide by previous agreements, the United States is willing to sign
a peace treaty and normalize relations. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham
Clinton, left, and Japan's Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone shake hands after
signing an agreement at the Iikura Guest House in Tokyo, Japan, 17 Feb
2009During the Bush administration, Japan expressed disappointment the United
States removed North Korea from a terrorism blacklist without much progress in
resolving the abductee issue. Japanese Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone is
expressing appreciation about the Obama White House's pledge to pressure
Pyongyang on the fate of the missing Japanese. Nakasone promises Tokyo will
lift sanctions it imposed on North Korea, if Pyongyang re-opens its
investigation into the fate of the Japanese abductees. While in Tokyo, Clinton
signed an agreement on relocating thousands of American troops from Okinawa to
the American island, Guam, in the Pacific. The Tokyo meetings also resulted in
an announcement that Prime Minister Taro Aso will head to Washington next week,
making him the first foreign leader to be greeted at the White House by
President Barack Obama.Mr. Aso's popularity is in the single digits, according
a new opinion survey. He suffered another political blow this week. His
finance minister, Shoichi Nakagawa, resigned in the wake of criticism he
appeared drunk a few days ago at a news conference after a G-Eight meeting in
Rome.
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Obama to Sign Massive Economic Stimulus Bill Into Law
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US President calls bill a 'major milestone on the road to recovery' for US
economy; critics insist it is too expensive
President Barack Obama U.S. President Barack Obama is scheduled to sign the
$787 billion economic stimulus plan into law at a ceremony in the western city
of Denver, Colorado on Tuesday. Mr. Obama calls it a "major milestone on the
road to recovery" for the U.S. economy, while critics insist it is too
expensive and will create fewer jobs than proponents insist. The bill, which
includes government spending and tax cuts intended to help push the U.S.
economy out of recession, is the president's first big legislative victory
since taking office last month.Congress, which is controlled by Mr. Obama's
Democratic Party, approved the plan on Friday, with legislators voting mostly
along party lines. The Senate passed the plan with only three minority
Republicans voting in favor of the bill. The plan received no Republican
support in the House of Representatives. During a radio address on Saturday,
President Obama said the tax cuts and domestic spending projects will create
millions of jobs and spur economic growth. "It will save or create more than
3.5 million jobs over the next two years, ignite spending by businesses and
consumers alike, and lay a new foundation for our lasting economic growth and
prosperity," said Mr. Obama.The following day, White House senior adviser David
Axelrod cautioned on the Fox News Sunday television program that, while there
will be signs of economic activity very quickly, it could be next year before
improvement shows up in government reports - particularly with respect to the
nation's 7.6 percent unemployment rate."The president has said it [i.e., the
economy] is likely to get worse before it gets better. It is true that,
without this program, it could be much, much worse," said Axelrod. "And, so, I
don't expect the arrow [i.e., jobless number] to bend down by the end of the
year. But I do expect the rise in unemployment to be retarded by the things
that were done this week."Moody's Economy.com chief economist Mark Zandi who
also appeared on Fox News Sunday said President Obama's contention that the
stimulus plan will create or save 3.5 million jobs is optimistic."It will make
a difference. It's a good plan and I think it will help the economy. By my
estimate, it will add two to 2.5 million jobs - more than would be the case
without stimulus by the end of 2010," said Zandi. "That translates into a
lower unemployment rate of about a point to a 1.50 percent. So it is
meaningful. But I don't think it's enough. The economy is in a very difficult
situation. The difficulties require a larger package. And I think a year from
now, we will be talking about stimulus again, yes."The bill still has strong
critics, including Senate Banking Committee Republican Lindsey Graham who spoke
Sunday on ABC television's This Week program. "Eleven percent of the money in
this bill hits [i.e., will be spent] in 2009. Most of the money in this bill
is in entitlement spending. It's not going to create jobs. Twenty-seven
percent of this bill is now tax cuts. That's down significantly," said
Graham. "Now, those tax cuts, most of them, only $3 billion, goes to small
business. Seventy-five percent of the people in this country work for small
business. Of the $787 billion bill, $3 billion is directed to small
businesspeople. I think we missed the mark a long way. We increased new
government. We did not increase new jobs."Mr. Obama's former rival for the
presidency, Republican Senator John McCain, says the President backtracked on
promises of bipartisanship to get the bill passed. Former Democratic President
Bill Clinton praised the stimulus package, saying it puts money in the hands of
people who need it to survive - through unemployment benefits, food stamps, and
tax cuts.
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US Automakers Struggle as Restructuring Deadline Looms
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Obama administration has decided to set up panel to oversee industry's
restructuring
Logos for the Big Three automobile manufacturers, General Motors, Ford, and
Chrysler Detroit automakers are finalizing their survival plans for the U.S.
Treasury as the Obama administration readies its plan to oversee the depressed
auto industry. The Obama administration has decided to set up a panel to
oversee the industry's restructuring. It will be led by U.S. Treasury
Secretary Timothy Geithner and the head of President Obama's economic council,
Lawrence Summers.David Axelrod, a top advisor to the president, says all
stakeholders must take part in the auto industry's restructuring."There are
millions of livelihoods that depend on it - not just at the auto companies, but
at the spin-off manufacturers and auto dealers and so on," said David Axelrod.
"So we have a real interest in seeing the auto industry survive. And it is
going to require a major restructuring."The industry, which has lost billions
of dollars during the past three years, borrowed more than $17 billion from the
government in December. As a condition for the loan, General Motors and
Chrysler must submit detailed plans on Tuesday for regaining competitiveness
against European and Asian rivals. Jack Fitzgerald, who runs several car
dealerships near Washington, says it is clear what the industry must do."What
they have to do to be competitive is: managers have to be paid what the
competition pays it managers and labor has to be paid what the competition pays
its labor," said Jack Fitzgerald.The cost structure of US-based car companies
is higher than for European or Japanese firms.Fitzgerald is critical of the
leadership of the U.S. carmakers. He wonders why the Detroit firms need more
taxpayer money when dealers have already paid them for the tens of thousands of
cars that are in showrooms waiting to be sold."It truly is becoming like a
Ponzi scheme [a fraudulent pyramid operation]," he said. "Look at Chrysler.
Chrysler has 400,000 unsold cars in the field [at dealerships] and they've been
paid in full for all of them. Where's the money? The suppliers are not
getting paid and the factories have been paid in full for their
production."Fitzgerald says if any of the Detroit "Big Three" automakers -
General Motors, Ford and Chrysler - goes bankrupt, the ripple effects across
the country will be huge - not only factory workers, but also dealers and the
banks who lend to them would be directly affected.Economists estimate that the
bankruptcy of even one U.S. automaker would cost least one million jobs. The
American car market is in its worst sales slump in decades. But not all of the
news is bad. Some dealers report that sales in January and thus far this month
are above December's depressed level.
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Mugabe, Tsvangirai Hold First Cabinet Meeting
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Meeting took place as Deputy Agriculture Minister designate Roy Bennett was
charged with conspiracy to commit terrorism, banditry, illegal entry
Zimbabwe's new unity government held its first Cabinet meeting Tuesday, with
President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai sitting down as
colleagues for the first time.The longtime rivals met with Cabinet ministers at
the government's headquarters in downtown Harare. There was no immediate word
on what was discussed.Roy Bennett during interview with Associated Press in
Johannesburg, (2008 File) Meanwhile, Mr. Tsvangirai's designated deputy
agriculture minister was brought to court for the first time since his arrest
Friday.At a court in the eastern town of Mutare, Roy Bennett was charged with
taking part in a plot against the government and entering the country
illegally. He was initially charged with treason, but those charges were
dropped SundayMr. Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change party says the
charges are politically motivated, and is demanding Bennett's immediate
release. Bennett is a white farmer whose property was expropriated under Mr.
Mugabe's land reform program. He spent two years of self-imposed exile in
South Africa after police sought to question him in connection with the
discovery of an arms cache.MDC leaders including Mr. Tsvangirai have said
elements within Mr. Mugabe's ZANU-PF party are trying to undermine the
power-sharing deal that led to the new government.The sides entered the deal
only after intense pressure from southern African leaders. The new government
faces the task of reviving Zimbabwe's collapsed economy. The country is
suffering from food shortages, 94 percent unemployment, and a cholera epidemic
that has killed nearly 3,700 people.Some information for this report was
provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
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Darfur Rivals Sign Deal in Doha
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Sudanese government and Darfur's most powerful rebel group sign pact for future
peace negotiations, but fail to agree on cease-fire, after week of talks
Sudan and Darfur's most active rebel group, the Justice and Equality Movement,
has signed a declaration of good intentions in Doha. Qatar has been mediating
talks between Khartoum and the rebel group since last Tuesday. Sudanese rebel
group JEM leader Khalil Ibrahim (back) stands behind his brother Jibril Ibrahim
during signing in Doha, 17 Feb 2009 The Sudanese government and Darfur's most
powerful rebel group signed a pact for future peace negotiations, but failed to
agree on a cease-fire, after a week of talks. The deal meditated in Qatar has
laid the foundation for a second round of talks that will aim to address core
issues in the six-year conflict. One of the Qatari mediators, Ahmad bin
Abdullah al-Mahmoud, says the agreement includes measures to aid and protect
refugees in Darfur.The conflict in Sudan's Western region, Darfur, began in
2003, between rebel militia groups and Sudanese government forces fighting for
control of the region. Since then, the United Nations estimates more than
200,000 people have been killed and another 2.2 million people displaced. Neha
Erasmus the program coordinator at Justice Africa based in London says the
accord is a step in the right direction."All steps toward peace, I think, are
positive and definitely, this is a step. But the problem with these peace
talks is that it is only between JEM and the government. And JEM is not
recognizing other rebel groups and other rebel groups are very clearly stating
that JEM is seeking power by itself. You cannot have peace with such complex
issues unless all the stakeholders are there and on board," said Erasmus.The
sides also agreed to exchange prisoners, but other rebel factions are refusing
to talk to Khartoum and say the peace drive will fail without them. Qatar, the
United Nations, African Union and Arab League have said the talks are
preliminary and intended to pave the way for a broader peace conference on
Darfur.The second round of negotiations between the sides is to take place in
two weeks in Doha. Qatari Prime Minister Sheik Hamad bin Jassem al-Thani says
other groups among Darfur's numerous rebel factions are welcome to join the
peace effort.
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Sri Lanka Rebels Deny Shooting at Civilians
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UN accuses Tamil Tiger rebels of shooting at civilians to prevent them from
leaving conflict zone
Rebels examine their weapons in this handout picture released by The Liberation
Tigers for Tamil Eeelam (LTTE) website Tamilnet (File)In Sri Lanka, Tamil Tiger
rebels have denied accusations by the United Nations that they are shooting at
civilians to prevent them from leaving the conflict zone in the north. But
concern is growing about the risks faced by a quarter of a million civilians
who are caught in the battle raging between the rebels and the Sri Lankan
military. A day after the United Nations said it has credible reports that
civilians trying to cross the battle lines in northeastern Sri Lanka have been
shot at, and sometimes killed by the Tamil Tigers, a swift denial came from the
rebels. The Tamil Rehabilitation Organization - a front group for the rebels -
says the U.N. has leveled the allegation to hide its "own failures". It accuses
the U.N. of withdrawing its local staff from the war zone and shedding its
responsibility of taking care of civilians.After losing their strongholds, the
rebels, also known as the LTTE, are now confined to a small strip of jungle
along with an estimated 250,000 ethnic Tamil civilians.
Absence of civilians could leave rebels vulnerableThe head of Colombo's
National Peace Council, Jehan Perera, says, in recent weeks, there have been
many reports that rebels are forcibly keeping these people in the war zone.He
says the LTTE does not want the civilians to leave because it will make the
rebels vulnerable to the full fire power of the military. "What this indicates
is that the LTTE is feeling very desperate and they are very fearful that if
the civilians leave, that they will be isolated there and this would enable the
government forces to come in with their heavy weaponry and eliminate them,"
Perera explained.
Rebels recruiting childrenAid agencies say hundreds of civilians have been
killed or wounded in recent weeks as they come under artillery firing or
bombing as the military advances to crush the rebels.The U.N. says the rebels
are forcibly recruiting children and have recruited a U.N. worker into their
ranks. It says even a "no-fire zone" declared by the government for civilians
who escape has not been spared from the fighting.Jehan Perera says thousands of
civilians have sought refuge in the last week, but continue to be caught in the
cross fire. "The problem is that the LTTE then goes into the safe zone
with their guns and fires at the military and then the military in turn often
fires back at the LTTE, with the result [there are] civilian casualties," he
said. "So it is quite a horrendous situation for civilians who are trapped
there."So far both the government and the rebels have ignored repeated calls by
the U.N., other aid agencies and several countries to halt the conflict briefly
to allow the civilians to leave. The government says it is close to defeating
the rebels and cannot stop in the last stages of a military campaign, which it
hopes will put an end to a quarter century long struggle by the rebels for an
independent Tamil homeland.
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Cambodians Welcome Trial of Former Khmer Rouge Jailer
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Kaing Guek Eav, better known as Duch, is being charged with crimes against
humanity from his time as head of the S-21 detention center
The long-awaited trial of a former Khmer Rouge prison chief has opened in
Cambodia. The trial has been welcomed by Cambodians as a step towards
justice.After 30 years and nearly two million people killed, Cambodians are
finally seeing the Khmer Rouge brought to trial. The first of five former Khmer
Rouge leaders has been taken to a U.N.-backed war crimes tribunal in Phnom
Penh.Kaing Guek Eav, also known as, Duch (file)Kaing Guek Eav, better known as
Duch, is being charged with crimes against humanity from his time as head of
the S-21 detention center.More than 12,000 Cambodians were tortured and killed
at the center under Duch's supervision.Cambodians lined up early to get into
the courtroom where hundreds packed in to witness the proceedings. Theary
Seng is a survivor of the Khmer Rouge period and, along with dozens of other
Cambodians, has filed a civil suit against Duch."It is incredible that after
many years of waiting, after the politics, after the accumulated emotions, and
vacillating emotions to actually be here, standing here, and witnessing the
first day of the trial for Duch and this day will set the momentum," Seng
said. "It will start the wheel of justice turning."Tuesday's hearing is the
procedural part of the trial and is expected to last only a couple days. The
presentation of evidence and witnesses are not expected until March. If found
guilty, Duch could face up to life in prison.At age 66, Duch is the youngest
and lowest ranking of the former Khmer Rouge leaders now facing trial, and the
only one to have confessed his crimes.Nature may allow the higher-ranking and
older Khmer Rouge leaders to escape justice if they are not brought to trial
soon.Political interference is also a concern. A Cambodian prosecutor at the
tribunal objected to any further prosecutions, a view that mirrored that of
Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen.Mr. Hun Sen and many other Cambodian
officials are themselves former Khmer Rouge members and some may fear being
connected too closely to prosecutions. The Communist Khmer Rouge ruled over
Cambodia from 1975 to 1979. Under their fanatical leader, Pol Pot, they
tortured and killed anyone accused of disloyalty. Many more were worked and
starved to death.The Khmer Rouge era ended when Vietnam invaded and scattered
them to the Thai border. Remnants of the Khmer Rouge fought from the jungle
for more than a decade before they disbanded and some disappeared.A foreign
journalist found Duch in 1999 working in a refugee camp under a false name. He
was later arrested.
------------------------------------------------------
UN Reports 40 Percent Increase in Afghan Civilian Deaths in 2008
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World body attributes most deaths to military forces including Afghan, foreign
troops
The United Nations says more than 2,000 civilians were killed in the conflict
in Afghanistan in 2008, a 40 percent increase over the number who lost their
lives in 2007. Afghan woman and daughter cry after relative is killed in
military airstrike in Herat province (2008 File)A U.N. report issued Tuesday
says militants were responsible for 55 percent of the 2,118 civilian deaths
last year. The world body attributes 39 percent of the deaths to military
forces, including Afghan and foreign troops. The remaining deaths could not be
accounted for because of issues like cross-fire. Afghan President Hamid Karzai
has repeatedly said civilian deaths are raising tensions between Washington and
Kabul, as well as undermining the Afghan people's support for the presence of
international troops.In another development, the commander of U.S. forces in
the Middle East and Central Asia is in Uzbekistan for talks with top government
officials about the security situation in Afghanistan.A U.S. Embassy
spokeswoman in Tashkent says General David Petraeus arrived in Uzbekistan
Tuesday, and he will meet President Islam Karimov.Talks are expected to focus
on alternate supply routes for U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan. In 2005,
the Uzbek government evicted U.S. forces from a base that was used to serve
troops in Afghanistan. Now, the U.S. has a lease at only one other base in the
region - Kyrgyzstan's Manas Air Base. But the Kyrgyz parliament says it will
vote Thursday on a bill to end U.S. access to that facility. Meanwhile,
military officials in Afghanistan say Afghan Army Commandos, assisted by
coalition forces, killed five insurgents during an operation in western
Afghanistan's Farah province.And Britain's Defense Ministry and NATO said a
British soldier serving with NATO-led forces died Monday from combat wounds in
southern Afghanistan.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.
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Signs Show Possible Thaw in US-Syrian Relations
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Visit by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry and high-level
American delegation to Syria renews speculation about rapprochement
Senator John Kerry (2008 File)The new Obama Administration appears to be taking
tentative steps towards resuming dialogue with Syria, while the key step of
sending a new US ambassador to Damascus for the first time in three years
remains up in the air. A visit by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman
John Kerry and a high-level American delegation to Syria, this week, is
renewing speculation of a rapprochement.The politics of rapprochement with
Syria, after several years of frosty relations between Washington and
Damascus, appear to be as complicated and tentative as Syria's famous national
dance, the dabkeh. The footwork is intricate, there are steps forward and steps
back and everyone is moving in different directions.In an apparent step
forward, Senator John Kerry - who heads the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
- is visiting Damascus, this week, along with a high-ranking Congressional
delegation, amid expectations on the Syrian side of resuming normal ties with
Washington, three years after the Bush Administration withdrew its ambassador
from Damascus.The United States has authorized the sale of spare parts for two
aging Syrian Boeing 747's, in addition to allowing the transfer of funds from
the United States to a Syrian charity. Speculation has also been rife in the
U.S. media of a new American ambassador being nominated for the Syria post in
the coming weeks.Marwan Kabalan, who teaches politics at the University of
Damascus, thinks that relations between the new Obama Administration and Syria
are improving, but that it is still unclear to what extent:He says that he
thinks Senator Kerry's visit to Damascus - his second in recent years -
signifies a major improvement in relations with the United States, because
Kerry belongs to the Democratic Party, which holds the White House and both
houses of Congress. Professor Joshua Landis of the University of Oklahoma, who
runs the well-known Syria Comment website thinks that there is an attitude of
optimism in Damascus which reveals a sea-change in relations in recent
weeks:"The Syrian attitude towards Obama's presidency is quite hopeful.
They're hoping for the best and, of course, they're preparing for the worst,
because Syria has had a lot of bad experiences with the United States and
relations are always tough," said Landis. A Syrian Arab News Agency
(SANA) photo of Pres. Bashar al-Assad heading a meeting in Damascus, 02 Feb
2009In Syria, one key political and foreign policy goal of the government, as
expressed by President Bashar al-Assad, is the return of the Israeli-occupied
Golan Heights plateau, whose summit is clearly visible in Damascus, only 40
miles away.He says the Israeli prime minister has said, repeatedly, that he
wants peace . But, Mr. Assad says the word "peace" is linked to the word
"land," which he says means returning the entire Golan Heights.However, Paul
Salem, who heads the Beirut-based Carnegie Center for Peace in the Middle East,
thinks that a new hardline Israeli government could be a set-back for both
peace in the Middle East and Syrian relations with the United States."There has
been a lot of stock put in Israeli-Syrian peace talks and, before the Israeli
election, a lot of the talk was waiting for that to be the cornerstone of U.S.
engagement with Syria and with Israel," said Salem. "I think that the Israeli
elections have dampened that aspect of the relationship and I think the U.S.
now will have to look for ways to move forward with Syria, even if Israel is
not ready to take a land-for-peace deal over the Golan."Salem has no doubt that
the new Obama administration wants to improve relations with Syria and he
believes that Damascus has been shifting its policies, in recent months, to
match U.S. expectations of it: "There is no doubt that the Obama administration
wants to very much engage with Syria, wants Syria to further change its
behavior, but very clear that the Obama Administration is interested in
improving relations with Syria and wanting Syria to play a more positive role
in the region," he said. Joshua Landis concurs with Paul Salem that Syria has
made major strides towards accommodating some long-standing U.S. demands of
Syria, recently, but the professor believes that the United States is still
looking for more changes in Syrian policies that irritate Washington."There are
a number of important things that the U.S. wants from Syria. First of all, it
wants Lebanese sovereignty and elections in Lebanon are coming up. So, Syria
hasn't appointed its ambassador, yet. All this going on now is a bunch of
confidence-building measures, because nobody trusts the other," he said. An
age-old saying among Middle East analysts is that Syria will make peace "if the
price is right." Landis believes that the Syrian economy is badly in need of
money, and removing American sanctions is part of Syria's many demands of the
United States for improving relations, and ultimately achieving peace with
Israel:"Economically, they need to get out of a very difficult situation. Now,
of course, they haven't been battered as much as many places. But, Syria has a
very weak economy to begin with, so it doesn't take very much to put it in
serious trouble," he said. Landis argues that Washington has sent mixed signals
to Damascus and that President Obama has been non-committal in lifting the many
Bush-era economic sanctions imposed on Damascus since 2004.He says Senator
Kerry's visit and the sale of spare parts for two Syrian planes are being
touted as exceptions, not the rule. Worst of all for Syria, he underlines, is
the re-appointment of Treasury Undersecretary Stuart Levey, who he says is
responsible for applying economic sanctions on Syria and other so-called "rogue
states."He says that is being viewed in Damascus as a clear "shot across
Syria's bow."
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British-French Nuclear-Armed Submarine Collision Disclosed
http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=225753E:2DA063D257D43931305691EAC1DA0B593CF5CDEF8FC051DA&;
Both vessels safe, crews uninjured after collision earlier this month
A British Ministry of Defense handout picture of British submarine HMS
Vanguard, 16 Feb, 2009A British official said nuclear-armed submarines from
Britain and France collided deep under the Atlantic Ocean while on separate
exercises earlier this month, but limited details are only now
emerging.Britain's First Sea Lord, Admiral Jonathon Band made the disclosure
after the British sub, HMS Vanguard returned to its home port of Faslane, in
western Scotland."A few days ago, the submarines came into contact at very low
speed. Both submarines remained safe. No injuries occurred. We can confirm
the capability remain unaffected and there was no compromise to nuclear
safety," he said.Britain's Sun newspaper reported the Vanguard returned with
dents and scrapes visible on its hull.The French defense ministry said its
vessel, Le Triomphant, sustained damage to is sonar dome, but it was able to
return safely, under it own power, to its base in Brittany and no one on board
was injured.While such collisions are uncommon, nuclear expert John Large said
such boats often ply the same waters."Both navies want quiet areas, deep areas,
roughly the same distance from their home ports. So, you find that these
nesting grounds, these station grounds, are pretty, have got quite a few
submarines. Not only the French and Royal Navy submarines, but also from
Russia and from the United States," he said.The subs can carry up to 16 nuclear
missiles each and both countries have four-vessel nuclear-armed sub fleets.
------------------------------------------------------
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