Ready for negotiations; sanctions still on the table: US

WASHINGTON: Sanctions against Iran were still very much on the table despite Tehran”s agreement to send most of its enriched uranium to Turkey in an effort to stave off strong international measures.

The United States and other Western governments along with the United Nations and European Union acknowledged the agreement was a positive development, but that it was likely not enough to prevent world powers from imposing UN Security Council sanctions.

“Our efforts for sanctions at the UN continue,” State Department spokesman PJ Crowley said Monday, noting that the latest agreement would not slow the negotiations for a sanctions resolution.

The United States and other governments said they would review the deal that was brokered by Turkey and Brazil, two countries on the Security Council opposed to sanctions, during a high-profile visit by Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva over the weekend in Tehran.

The deal was an offshoot of a proposal from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) backed by the five permanent, veto- holding Security Council members – Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States – plus Germany.

Under Monday”s arrangement, Iran would ship most of its low- enriched uranium to Turkey in exchange for uranium enriched to levels suitable for a medical research reactor in Tehran. The original proposal was aimed at building confidence in Iran”s willingness to come clean about its nuclear activities and alleviate concerns that Tehran was developing nuclear weapons.

But Iran also insisted that it will continue to enrich uranium, in the face of previous UN resolutions demanding Iran suspend such activity. The United States had given Iran until the end of 2009 to accept the original offer and vowed to move forward with sanctions if Iran did not comply.

While US, EU and French officials welcomed the Brazilian-Turkish deal, they said Iran has still not adequately answered questions about its nuclear work and continues to ignore the Security Council”s demands.

French Foreign Ministry spokesman Bernard Valero told reporters in Paris that the deal “does not settle the problem posed by Iran”s nuclear programme.”

A spokeswoman for the European Union said the deal does not solve the “fundamental problem.”

“Iran”s failure to engage seriously and provide reassurances about the programme and not respecting the resolutions that were adopted is the reason why we are still pursuing the sanctions resolution in the Security Council,” Maja Kocijancic said.

The Iranians still maintain they have a right to enrich uranium and that the international community should now reciprocate its gesture to send the material to Turkey.

“Iran has shown its goodwill, and now it”s the turn of the world powers to show theirs,” atomic chief Ali-Akbar Salehi said in Tehran.

Crowley, the State Department spokesman, said that an enrichment deal was only a “means to and end,” and the “burden” remains on Iran to suspend uranium enrichment and disclose the full range of its nuclear activities.

“There are still many remaining outstanding questions that Iran has to answer in terms of what its true intentions are,” Crowley said.

The United States has received support for sanctions from China and Russia, two countries with veto authority on the Security Council who have previously been reluctant to impose strong sanctions. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev welcomed the deal, too, but was sceptical about whether it would be enough to halt the drive toward sanctions.

Neither type of the uranium involved in the deal is weapons grade. But the United States and other countries worry that Iran will continue enriching and could eventually reach concentrations sufficient for acquiring a nuclear weapons capability.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs called on Iran to fully explain the terms of the Brazilian-Turkey deal, and voiced scepticism of Iran”s reliability, alleging that Tehran has a long history of failing to meet its obligations.

“Given Iran”s repeated failure to live up to its own commitments, and the need to address fundamental issues related to Iran”s nuclear programme,” Gibbs said, “the United States and international community continue to have serious concerns.”

Obama signs law to increase scrutiny of GPFA

WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama signed the Daniel Pearl Global Freedom of the Press Act into law Monday, with the bill intended to increase the scrutiny of nations where press freedom is being suppressed.

Specifically, the act would require the State Department to include a more in-depth examination of press freedoms in different countries in the department”s Annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices.

“I am very proud to be able to sign the Daniel Pearl Freedom of the Press Act, a piece of legislation that sends a strong signal about our core values when it comes to the freedom of the press,” Obama said in the Oval Office.

He added, “What this act does is it sends a strong message from the United States government and from the State Department that we are paying attention to how other governments are operating when it comes to the press.”

The legislation is named after Daniel Pearl, a journalist who worked for the Wall Street Journal until he was murdered by extremists in Pakistan shortly after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

“I particularly want to thank the Pearl family, who have been so outspoken and so courageous in sending a clear message that, despite Daniel”s death, his vision of a well-informed citizenry that is able to make choices and hold governments accountable, that that legacy lives on,” Obama said.

The president added that, without this kind of attention being paid to how the press is treated, “countries and governments feel that they can operate against the press with impunity. And we want to send a message that they can”t.”

It will be interesting to see what, if any, impact the State Department”s reports on press freedom have on the administration”s already-strained relations with Israel, which is frequently accused of violations of press freedom, including the Israel Defense Forces targeting Palestinian journalists.

The Country Music Marathon For Preparations

The trip is nice. It is not that the city is so beautiful or spectacular in itself, but the trip is just beautiful, with lovely, level trails, nice, supportive, called neighbors. These VIP Porta Potty will be open for pre-race for runners and will offer white glove service, comfortable, climate-controlled toilets with running water, flushing toilets.

Severe weather forced organizers to limit the time runners need to complete the Country Music Marathon. 1911 Annual Country Music Marathon and Half-Marathon has 30,000 runners clogging the streets of Music Row and downtown Nashville Saturday, and Heidi Newfield has a strong connection to the event.

“These are just some of the choices that get me jacked up to get a full workout or run completed” Heidi says. “I hope that this playlist will give some athletes speed and energy to finish strong.” As dawn broke in Centennial Park, the place for the start of the race, a light rain shower spread, so the race to begin under partially cloudy skies. 15 minutes before the scheduled start 07:00. The last of the competition croseed starting line at around 7:40

Threatening weather has been day forecast throughout East Tennessee, but some runners care. “So it’s just another day. I do not think it gets so bad. Just get through it. It will be fun.” Men began to set the gates near the finish line Wednesday morning in the area they call the “Finish Line Village.

Barbara Mandrell

Barbara Mandrell was at the CMA Awards 2009. Mandrell, a veteran country music singer, is pleased to be present at the 43rd Annual Country Music Association Awards. Mandrell had glowing praise for Taylor Swift. Obviously, Mandrell was happy to pass the baton to the younger generation of artists. She would be happy to have a rising star candle Swift.

Another veteran of the grace of the CMA Awards was George Strait. Strait’s brother, John Buddy Strait, 58, died and was found dead in his hotel room on 10 April 2009. George Strait showed no signs of aging while singing one of the classics.

It was night and Taylor Swift won the Female Vocalist of the Year, Artist of the Year, Album Of The Year and Best Video of the Year.

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Barbara Mandrell was first posted on November 12, 2009 at 4:18 pm.