US threatens Syria with regime change

White House spokesman Jay Carney

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/185583.html

The United States has threatened the Syrian government with regime change and told President Bashar al-Assad he must decide whether he wants to be a promoter of progress in Syria or an obstacle.

“There needs to be actual action towards political dialogue so that this transition to a more democratic Syria can take place,” White House spokesman Jay Carney said on Monday, the Associated Press reported.

“And as we have said in the past, President Assad needs to either lead that transition or get out of the way,” he added and called on the head of state to act upon his promises of political reform.

The harsh rhetoric was used, even though the Syrian president promised to hold parliamentary elections in August and complete a reform package by September meant to bring an end to months of unrest in the country.

Scores of people, including security forces, have been killed since the beginning of the unprecedented unrest in mid-March.

The Syrian government blames armed gangs for the violence, saying that the turmoil has been orchestrated from outside the country.

Shortly before the US official's comments, Assad addressed the nation and announced that he is ready to “meet directly with protesters and have a comprehensive dialogue.”

“A national dialogue committee will be formed soon,” he said.

He also expressed regret that 'destructive elements' have been exploiting the movement seeking legitimate reforms in the country.

Syria's northern neighbor Turkey, which has recently toughened its stance vis-à-vis Damascus, responded to the speech, calling it not up to par. Turkish President Abdullah Gul advised Assad to transform Syria's governing structure into a multi-party system.

Thousands of Syrians have fled the tension to Hatay Province in southern Turkey, which is located on the border with Syria.

In early June, armed groups, whose weapons reportedly came from Turkey, killed 120 Syrian policemen and other members of the security forces in the northwestern town of Jisr al-Shughour before burying them in mass graves.

During his speech, the Syrian president asserted that 'plotting' would only make the country stronger and hailed the nation's 'great vigilance.'

Assad also said that Syria has paid 'a high price' for its security and stability and expressed his condolences to the families of the 'martyrs' of the recent clashes.

US threatens PA over statehood bid

US Republican Congresswoman Kay Granger of Texas

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/175221.html

A senior US congresswoman says the Palestinian Authority (PA) could face an aid cut if it pushes ahead with its unilateral statehood demand to the United Nations.

“That [demanding unilateral statehood] would be a very very bad thing to do. It will affect US aid to the Palestinian Authority. It would be a very serious step. It also could affect our funding at the UN,” said Texas Republican Representative Kay Granger, who chairs the House appropriations subcommittee with jurisdiction over foreign aid, the Jerusalem Post reported on Saturday.

An aide to a Democratic member of Granger's subcommittee has also echoed the threat.

“The aid to the Palestinians includes the US's understanding [that] the Palestinians will continue to keep pursuing peace with Israel as per the Oslo agreement. If they were to unilaterally declare a state they would be violating that understanding,” said the unnamed aid, as quoted by the Israeli daily.

“I think there's no question that if they were to unilaterally declare a state, it would affect our aid,” the aide reportedly added.

Pro-Israeli lobby groups in the US are known to wield major influence in both US legislative bodies, especially members of the committees that influence and set American government's fund appropriations and foreign policy.

Overwhelming majority of members of the US Congress receive campaign funds and other support from the Israeli lobby establishment, which regularly sponsors all-paid luxury tours to Israel for American legislators to meet with senior Israeli officials and purportedly receive briefings on the regime's security requirements in the region.

The Palestinian Authority has announced that it intends to work on the recognition of an independent Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly this September.

More than 100 countries have so far officially recognized Palestine as a state based on the 1967 borders that existed before Israel occupied East al-Quds (Jerusalem), the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip.

Earlier this month, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) reported that the Palestinian Authority's financial institutions are ready for statehood now that they have carried out a series of economic reforms.

The World Bank verified the motion by strongly supporting the recognition of an independent Palestinian state, citing a number of Palestinian achievements, notably in health and education.

Meanwhile, Granger also emphasized that she and other US Republicans remained committed to granting further aid to the Israeli regime. The current amount of annual US aid to Tel Aviv stands at about USD 3 billion, by far the largest amount compared to any other foreign entity receiving aid from the US Government.

The pledge for sustained aid to Israel comes at a time when the Republicans are adamant in drastically cutting down many public funds and social program within the US.

The Pro-Israeli lobby groups in Washington have been demanding that the annual US funding for Israel becomes part of the United States' defense budget, which is less likely to face sharp cuts and would thus further secure funding to the Tel Aviv regime.

Ahmadinejad orders 20% uranium enrichment

Source: PressTV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=118087§ionid=351020104


Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has tasked the country's atomic chief with enriching uranium to 20 percent, in order to meet the demands of the country's cancer patients.

Speaking at the exhibition of Laser Science and Technology Achievements in Tehran, the president called on Ali Akbar Salehi, to start the process.

"Mr. Salehi you start enriching up to 20 percent and we are still open to negotiations on the issue," he told the head of the country's atomic energy organization who was sitting in the audience.

Thousands of Iranian patients, in need of post-surgery drug treatment with nuclear medicine, will suffer if domestic production dries up when a research reactor in Tehran runs out of fuel.

The Tehran research reactor, which produces 20 different kinds of radio-medicine for cancer patients, runs on uranium that is some 20 percent U-235 — an enrichment level higher than what is currently produced at Iran's Natanz enrichment facility.

Iran has requested the International Atomic Energy Agency to arrange for supplying of the fuel to the country. The West has been pressuring Iran to accept a UN-backed draft deal which requires Iran to send most of its domestically-produced low enriched uranium (LEU) abroad for conversion into the more refined fuel that the Tehran reactor requires to produce medical isotopes.

Iran says its concerns over the proposal, which was first floated by the US, should be heeded.

The development comes as Tehran has been trying to find a middle ground with the West over the nuclear swap.

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki expressed hope on Saturday that an agreement on the nuclear fuel proposal will soon be reached with the Western side, but with the changes that Tehran seeks.

His remarks were largely ignored by US Defense Secretary Robert Gates who has instead insisted on the imposition of fresh sanctions on the country.