| Obama Urges Medvedev, Hu to Support US Pressure on Iran Posted: 12 Nov 2011 11:33 PM PST U.S. President Barack Obama has urged Russian and Chinese leaders to support his efforts to pressure Iran to stop its sensitive nuclear activities, but he faced criticism from Republican presidential contenders at home who called for tougher U.S. action on the nuclear dispute.
Mr. Obama says he discussed the Iranian nuclear program in separate meetings with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Chinese President Hu Jintao Saturday on the sidelines of a regional summit in Honolulu, Hawaii.
After meeting Mr. Medvedev, Mr. Obama said he and the Russian president reaffirmed their intention to shape a "common response" to Iranian nuclear activities that will "move Iran" to follow its international obligations. Before talking with Mr. Hu, the U.S. president said he and the Chinese leader want to ensure that Iran abides by "international rules and norms."
Western powers have warned that Iran faces more sanctions if it fails to address their concerns about a U.N. nuclear agency report released Tuesday that found "credible" evidence of Iranian efforts to design a nuclear weapon. Iran rejected the report and insisted its nuclear program is peaceful. Russia and China said additional U.N. sanctions on Iran will not resolve the nuclear dispute.
After Saturday's talks in Honolulu, the Russian and Chinese presidents gave no details of their discussions with Mr Obama on Iran. But, U.S. deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes said all three leaders were united in their opposition to Iran becoming a nuclear-armed nation.
Mr. Obama has tried to increase pressure on Iran through the United Nations and unilateral U.S. sanctions, while insisting that "all options" remain on the table, a reference to possible military action. Republicans seeking to challenge him for the presidency next year criticized that strategy in a nationally-televised debate Saturday, with some saying they would take stronger measures to prevent a nuclear-armed Iran, even going to war. Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney said he would take military action if other measures failed. Romney said that if he is elected president, Iran "will not have a nuclear weapon," while predicting that Iran will become nuclear-armed if Mr. Obama wins a second term.
Another Republican hopeful, U.S. House of Representatives Intelligence Committee member Michele Bachmann, accused Iran of working with Syria and militant groups such as Hamas to prepare for a "worldwide nuclear war against Israel."
Israel sees a nuclear-armed Iran as a threat to its existence, in part due to frequent Iranian calls for the destruction of the Jewish state. Israel also is widely-believed to be the only Middle East nation with a nuclear arsenal.
Business executive and presidential candidate Herman Cain told the debate that the only way to stop Iran from gaining nuclear weapons is through economic sanctions and support for Iranian opposition groups. But Republican candidate and House member Ron Paul said going to war against Iran is "not worthwhile." Some information for this report provided by AP, AFP and Reuters. 
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| Economic Issues, Iran, Issues in Obama APEC Talks Posted: 12 Nov 2011 10:46 PM PST U.S. President Barack Obama, in Hawaii hosting the APEC summit, has met with leaders from China, Russia and Japan. Mr. Obama's talks with Presidents Hu Jintao and Dmitry Medvedev covered economic issues, non-proliferation efforts, and Iran's nuclear program.
Mr. Obama and President Hu last met in Cannes, France on the sidelines of the G20 summit amid the turmoil surrounding the debt crisis in Europe.
Sitting with the Chinese leader in Honolulu, Mr. Obama called cooperation with China vital, adding that despite differences, they would discuss how to re-balance growth and ensure there is a "win-win" trading relationship.
U.S. officials said President Obama was "very direct" in communicating one particular thing to the Chinese leader - increasing frustration and impatience among Americans and U.S. businesses about the pace of change in China on key issues in the economic relationship.
Mike Froman, the deputy national security advisor for international economic affairs, said, "There has been more and more concern and frustration on the part of parts of the American business community about their treatment in China and their desire for China to take further action." President Hu called for more communication and cooperation, adding both countries need to respect each others major concerns, and "appropriately manage" sensitive issues. During a session with business executives Saturday, President Obama listed the issues, ranging from intellectual property protections to the need for further steps to allow China's currency to appreciate. President Obama said, "The bottom line is that the United States can't be expected to stand by if there is not the kind of reciprocity in our trade relations and our economic relationships that we need." China has been critical of the U.S. effort, with eight other APEC member economies, to create a new Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), suggesting it is a form of trade protectionism, a word President Hu used in remarks earlier Saturday.
TPP nations agreed to move that process forward and complete the new group by next year. And Japan has announced it intends to enter into consultations with the TPP group with an eye toward eventual membership.
The recent International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report that found what it called credible evidence Iran had been working to develop a nuclear weapon figured in Mr. Obama's talks with President Hu and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.
Mr. Obama said the U.S. and Russia would work to shape a "common response" to press Iran to abide by its international obligations. White House officials were asked precisely what that meant. Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes insisted that the U.S., China and Russia remain united on the need to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons, while Press Secretary Jay Carney also addressed the question. Rhodes said, "They do not want to see the spread of nuclear weapons to Iran or frankly to any new state and therefore they remain committed to diplomatic efforts to compel Iran to live up to its obligations." Press Secretary Carney said, "The focus was on working together cooperatively, moving forward on next steps." Mr. Obama and President Medvedev also discussed steps Russia has taken to satisfy requirements for membership in the World Trade Organization (WTO), the situation in Syria, and the U.S.-Russia disagreement over a European missile defense system.
President Obama and Japan's Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda discussed the U.S. - Japan alliance. Mr. Obama said he understood resistance within Japan to joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership, but said TPP will not be delayed and he predicted other nations will join. 
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| Berlusconi resigns as Italy’s prime minister Posted: 12 Nov 2011 07:07 PM PST ROME (BNO NEWS) -- Silvio Berlusconi resigned as Italy's prime minister on Saturday evening after economic reforms to appease financial markets were approved, the government said. He is likely to be succeeded by Mario Monti. Berlusconi had announced on Tuesday that he would submit his resignation after the Italian Parliament approves austerity measures sought by the European Union. This happened on Saturday afternoon when the lower house gave their final approval to some of the measures. Within hours, Berlusconi met with President Giorgio Napolitano at Quirinal Palace. "Mr. Silvio Berlusconi, who, having completed the parliamentary process of examination and approval of the stability law and the State budget forecast, has resigned from the government he chairs," a statement from the president's office said. The announcement was greeted with cheers by crowds who had gathered at the presidential palace. Berlusconi had repeatedly rejected opposition calls for his resignation, despite being hit by numerous sex and corruption scandals as well as local election and referendum defeats. The resignation paves the way for a new government of technocrats, likely to be led by Mario Monti who was recently named Senator for life in the Italian Senate. He is expected to be installed within days after Napolitano holds consultations on Sunday. Berlusconi, who won several parliamentary confidence votes, led Italy as prime minister since May 2008. Before that, he served as prime minister from May 1994 until January 1995 and from June 2001 until May 2006. He also held several positions as minister. (Copyright 2011 by BNO News B.V. All rights reserved. Info: sales@bnonews.com.) 
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| Obama Holding Bilateral Talks APEC Summit Posted: 12 Nov 2011 06:06 PM PST As he hosts the APEC summit in his native state of Hawaii, President Barack Obama is holding bilateral talks with leaders from Japan, China and Russia. Particular attention focused on his discussions with China's president Hu Jintao.
The U.S. relationship with China, and differences over currency policy and security issues figure prominently throughout Mr. Obama's Asia-Pacific trip.
The president and U.S. officials stress that the U.S. seeks a balanced relationship, one that deals with differences in a way that will benefit both countries and the Asia-Pacific region as a whole.
During a session with business executives, the president was asked about his talks with President Hu and the issues expected to come up.
Referring to a "friendly and constructive competition" between the world's largest and second largest economies, he said China needs to address key issues, ranging from intellectual property protections to the need for further steps to allow China's currency to appreciate. "The bottom line is that the United States can't be expected to stand by if there is not the kind of reciprocity in our trade relations and our economic relationships that we need," he said.
China has been critical of the U.S. effort, with eight other APEC member economies, to create a new Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).
The U.S. and other TPP nations have announced they have achieved the broad outlines of an agreement, and set an aggressive time line to work out remaining issues.
President Hu said China is committed to the long term APEC goal of a Pacific-wide free trade area, and in these translated remarks said Beijing wants to work with others in the region. "We in China will work with you hand in hand and with all sincerity to create a better future for all of us in the Asia-Pacific region," he said.
Mr. Obama said there are "whole range of areas" where the two nations have common interests, but said Americans want China to "play by the rules."
One American businessman here for APEC, Richard Lavin of Caterpilllar said he saw consistency in statements on trade by Mr. Obama and President Hu. "Really [both had] a strong endorsement for trade generally, and a strong endorsement for some of the initiatives underway to expand free trade in the Asia-Pacific region," he said.
In his talks with Japan's Prime Minsiter Yoshihiko Noda, Mr. Obama confirmed the importance of the U.S. - Japan alliance, and reiterated concern about Japan's rebuilding after the earthquake and tsunamis in March.
Referring to resistance within Japan to joining the TPP, Mr. Obama said he does not "underestimate the difficulties" but said TPP won't be delayed and predicted other nations will join.
Mr. Obama's talks with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev focused on steps completed by Russia to speed its entry to the World Trade Organization (WTO), which the U.S. has hailed as a major step for the so-called "reset" of U.S. - Russia relations.
The Obama - Medvedev meeting also provided their first face-to-face opportunity to discuss the recent International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report which found what it called credible evidence that Iran had been working to develop a nuclear weapon.
U.S. officials said earlier they expected the IAEA report would also be among issues President Obama would discuss with President Hu Jintao, and that there would be ongoing consultations on maintaining international pressure on Iran, including additional sanctions. 
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| Bus hits vehicles in southern Afghanistan, killing 15 Posted: 12 Nov 2011 06:02 PM PST KABUL (BNO NEWS) -- At least 15 people were killed on Saturday when a passenger bus struck a number of vehicles on a highway in the province of Helmand in southern Afghanistan, the Pajhwok Afghan News agency reported. The accident happened in the Yakhchal area of Greshk district when a passenger bus lost control and hit a motorcycle and two cars on the Kandahar-Herat highway. District police chief Maj. Shadi Khan said passengers traveling on the bus were not injured. The police official added that the motorbike driver and all the occupants of the two cars died at the scene of the accident. The bodies of the victims were taken to a nearby health facility as police were attempting to inform their relatives. The accident is believed to have been caused by reckless driving, according to the news report, which added that the bus driver had fled the scene. Police have launched a search to arrest him. In late August, a total of 34 people were killed when a bus rolled over in the Daman district of Kandahar province. Two dozen others were injured in what officials described as one of the country's worst traffic accidents in recent years. According to the most recent figures released by the General Directorate of Road Care, road accidents on highways in Afghanistan killed more than 1,800 people in 2007. Many accidents in the country are blamed on the poor maintenance of roads and vehicles as well as dangerous driving. (Copyright 2011 by BNO News B.V. All rights reserved. Info: sales@bnonews.com.) 
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