LCCC NEWS BULLETIN
JANUARY 11/2006
Below news from Naharnet for 11.1.06
Saudis Strive to End Syrian-Lebanese Dispute: Mideast Does Not Need More Trouble
Naameh Shooting Reminiscent of Civil War Opening Shots
News from miscellaneous
resources for 11/1/06
Chirac: The time of interference and impunity in Lebanon is over-AsiaNews
11.1.06
Interview: Khaddam seeking to topple Assad government.By George
Sassine -UPI -11.1.06
Al Qaeda Moving Closer to Major Attack on Israel,
Expert Says.By Julie Stahl - 11.1.06
Truth, Settlement and Destruction.By: Hazem Saghieh - Al-Hayat -11/01/06
Syria cleric urges Assad on reforms-UPI 11.1.06
Iran nuclear
stand-off escalates-BBC 11.1.06
Sharon
shows slight improvement-BBC 11.1.06
Denial of Douba, Shihabi joining Khaddam
Syria - Lebanon, Politics, 1/10/2006
A senior Syrian official source has mocked at tidings recently circulated by
some Arab and international media means with regard to the defection of the
former chief of the Syrian military security department Major General Ali Douba
and former Syrian staff Lt. Gen Hikmat Shihabi in order to join former vice
president Abdul Halim Khaddam in exile.
The source branded the news as fabrications based on lies released by Khaddam.
The source told Al-Khaleej newspaper that "Khaddam ignores the fact that he is
persona non grata and he is despised by all Syrian people. This was obviously
shown through the Syrian people's reaction on Khaddam's high treason."
The source pointed out that "the Syrian regime is strong and only the Syrian
people can choose their leadership."
"The pupets of the foreign intervention forces such as Khaddam can not affect
the unity of the Syrian people and their unlimited support to the strong
President Bashar Al-Assad," the source added.
Concerning Syria's ability to overcome difficulties and challenges which will
face it in forthcoming stage, the source indicated that the Syrian leadership is
fully aware of size of pressures, affirming that the Syrian stance will be firm
on bases outlined by Al-Assad's speech of last November.
The source said that Al-Assad's speech centered on many vital issues including:
Syria's interest lies in prevailing security and stability in the region, non
escalation with the USA, and holding solid and brotherly ties with Lebanon.
"This entails that Syria should be strong (or) an all out chaos will prevail,
and then the USA and those who constitute alliance with it (regionally and
internationally) will bear responsibility," the source added.
The source suspected that Khaddam's testimony to the UN investigation committee
on Rafiq al-Hariri assassination will be a basis on which to convict Syria. The
source made it clear that Khaddam repeated the same line Deltev Mehlis adopted
during his presidency to the UN investigation team.
"If the new chairman of the (UN investigation committee) Serge Brammertz adopts
Khaddam's allegations, the committee will be looked at as un-credible and
unprofessional and arbitrarily making accusations which are not based on facts",
Al-Khaleej reported the Syrian source saying.
The time of interference and impunity in Lebanon is over
January 10, 2006
Chirac meets Saudi foreign minister and again warns Syria to co-operate with UN
probe into the Hariri assassination. Riyadh and Cairo are willing to save the
Syrian regime if it “gives up the guilty”.
Beirut (AsiaNews) – Arab regimes' efforts to save Syrian President Assad and his
regime are intensifying as a result of the probe into the assassination of
former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and mounting Western pressure on
Damascus to co-operate with the United Nations. Meanwhile, in Syria itself some
voices are daring to oppose the all-powerful Baath Party.
For French President Jacques Chirac, the time of interference and impunity in
Lebanon is over. Today, in meeting Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faysal he said
that Syria must co-operate unconditionally with UN investigators who want to
interview President Assad.
Also today, former Syrian Vice President Abdel Halim Khaddam, whose statements
led the UN's latest requests, reiterated “his profound conviction” that Assad
instigated Hariri's murder. Talking on French radio channel Europe 1, he said
that only Assad could order the murder of Hariri because “there is no security
officer [in Syria] who could take such a decision”.
The Saudi foreign minister's trip to Paris is the final leg of a diplomatic
effort by the Saudi government. Before arriving in the French capital, Saud al-Faysal
was in Damascus on Sunday.
The Syrian government rejected the UN demand to interview Assad the previous
day, but according to Lebanonwire Assad himself flew the day before to the Saudi
city of Jeddah after being “summoned” by Saudi King Abdullah.
Syria's official news agency SANA announced that the meeting was centred on
“regional and international issues, especially Lebanon” and on “strengthening
fraternal relations” between the two Arab countries.
The Mubarak-Assad meeting in Egypt on January 9 was instead unannounced. The
tête-à-tête lasted an hour before Assad flew home.
Mubarak and King Abdullah met just a week ago, on January 3, in Jeddah. The
meeting came the decision not to cut loose Assad on condition he comply with the
UN requests to find the culprits in the Hariri assassination even among top
Syrian officials; in other words, to quote Lebanese daily L'Orient Le Jour , on
condition he “give up the guilty”.
In Damascus, somewhere in the cacophony of “spontaneous” pro-Assad
demonstrations and the hammering propaganda by the pro-regime press, Hassan Abd
El Rahman El Azim, spokesman for the National Democratic Movement which some
months ago released the ‘Declaration of Damascus' that called for Assad's
removal, was heard. Speaking to AsiaNews he said that Khaddam's statements are
“part of the framework of a revolt that should be encouraged”.
Copyright © 2003 AsiaNews All rights reserved
Syria cleric urges Assad on reforms
DAMASCUS, Syria, Jan. 10 (UPI) -- A senior Syrian Muslim cleric has called on
President Bashar Assad to take decisive measures to combat corruption and boost
reformists. Speaking on the first day of Eid al-Adha feast, which marks the end
of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, Sheikh Haitham Adlabi told an audience of
worshippers, including Assad, Tuesday, "The Syrian people await from the
president ... necessary moves for deterring violators and the corrupt and
boosting honest reformists." Adlabi avoided in his feast sermon a direct
reference to the international pressure on Syria to introduce reforms, stressing
support to "the efforts for steadfastness and stability led by President Assad
in defense of the nation." But he called on Assad "to act in the interest of the
nation and the people and to defeat its enemies." Adlabi was apparently calling
on Assad to introduce long-delayed political and economic reforms.
PA dnounces killings in Lebanon
Ramallah, Jan. 10, (BNA) The Palestinian Authority (PA), on Tuesday condemned
the act of members of a Palestinian Organization who opened fire on Lebanese
citizens in Al Na'ema village, killing two Lebanese.
A PA Official Spokesman said the Authority denounces the incident which claimed
lives of two Lebanese people, adding that the PA underlines the need for the
resident Palestinians to respect Lebanon's sovereignty and regulations during
their temporary stay in the country. " Such practices cause harm to the
legitimacy of the Palestinian cause and the brethren Palestinian- Lebanese ties,
he added.
Chirac urges Syria to co-op with UN in Hariri probe
www.chinaview.cn 2006-01-10 10:44:00
PARIS, Jan. 9 (Xinhuanet) -- French President Jacques Chirac on Monday urged
Syria to fully cooperate with the United Nations in investigating the
assassination of Lebanon's former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
Chirac made the remarks following a meeting with visiting Saudi Foreign Minister
Prince Saud al-Faisal, according to the Elysee Palace.
The Lebanese people should be allowed to "freely express their political
decisions," the president added.
He also praised Saudi Arabia's efforts to end the crisis between the world body
and Syria.
Hariri's killing in a car bombing in Beirut last February triggered a wave of
protests, which led to the end of Syria's 29-year presence in Lebanon in April.
On Oct. 31, the United Nations adopted Resolution 1636 which was co-sponsored by
France, the United States and Britain to call for Syria's full cooperation in
the probe.
Syria coach puts up brave front
Champress 10.1.06: Syria national coach Miloslav Radinovic has said that his
side have a good chance of qualifying for the 2007 Asian Cup despite being drawn
in a tough-looking Group B which includes FIFA World Cup 2006 finalists Iran and
Korea Republic.Speaking to FootballAsia.com, Radinovic admitted that his team are in a tough
group and qualification for their first Asian Cup since 1996 could be dependent
on a good performance in their opening game, a home match against Korea Republic
in Aleppo on February 22.
“Our group is very strong,” said the Serbo-Montenegrin coach. “It’s something
natural as there are 24 teams in the qualifiers and you can’t just wish for a
lucky group.
“We have a 50 per cent chance to advance from this group,” he added. “Everything
depends on the first game against Korea Republic as we have to prepare very well
and if we successfully achieve a good result then we can continue very well.”
With less than two months before the first game, Radinovic is looking to prepare
his side with a closed training camp in Aleppo.
“We’ll start our preparations on January 15 as we will have three or four
friendly matches before a closed training camp seven days before the first
match.
“I really hope that everything will go well since we have a chance. As I said,
Korea Republic and Iran are very strong but the Syrian team can do very well. We
have a young team and a good group of players and we have also professionals
like Firas Al Khatib and Raja Rafe who play in Kuwait.”
While admitting that Korea Republic and Iran are the favourites to qualify for
the 2007 tournament, Radinovic said that his side could spring some surprise
results.
“We defeated Iran, who were only missing four or five of their players, during
the West Asian Games while the Koreans were held by Maldives in the first round
of the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifiers,” he said.
Following their game against Korea Republic on February 22, the Syrians will
travel to Chinese Taipei for their second game on March 1.Forrball Asia
SHOOTINGS CAUSE OUTRAGE IN LEBANON
Lebanese citizens were furious over an incident in which guards of a Palestinian
group residing in Lebanon shot and wounded two Lebanese officials on Monday.
Guards of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine – General Command (PFLP-GC),
shot two Lebanese municipal workers at Na’ameh, south of Beirut, while the
workers were collecting municipal taxes.
The guards said the two were driving too quickly after being stopped at a base
checkpoint, prompting them to shoot at the car wheels, the Lebanese Daily Star
reported. They said there was an agreement with the Lebanese army that no one
would approach the base. According to the Daily Star, “sources” said the
Palestinian guards should not have been as far as they were from their base and
that “they were not staying where they were meant to.”Lebanese officials have
warned against displays of weapons outside the Palestinian camps.Lebanese Prime
Minister Fouad Siniora denounced the launching of missiles from Lebanese
territory onto Israeli Jewish communities in late December, saying such actions
aim to destabilize Lebanon.
Siniora urged Palestinians residing in Lebanon not to take any weapons outside
the Palestinian camps. Lebanese Member of Parliament Walid Jumblatt voiced
similar concerns on Saturday, when he said Palestinian factions outside refugee
camps should be disarmed.After the shootings, several Lebanese took to the
streets in Na’ameh to protest, cutting off traffic on key arteries. Security
forces were sent to disperse the protesters.
By The Media Line Staff on Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Al Qaeda Moving Closer to Major Attack on Israel,
Expert Says
By Julie Stahl - Jan 10, 2006
Jerusalem (CNSNews.com) - While it is still not clear whether al Qaeda
operatives in Iraq carried out recent rocket attacks against northern Israel,
the terror group plans to launch major attacks against the Jewish State in the
near future, a leading expert here said.
Al Qaeda in Iraq claimed responsibility for firing three Katyusha rockets from
southern Lebanon into the northern Israeli city of Kiryat Shmona two weeks ago.
The attacks caused extensive damage but no injuries.
On Monday, an audio recording attributed to Abu Musab al Zarqawi, al Qaeda's top
man in Iraq, said Osama bin Laden himself gave the orders to fire the rockets at
northern Israel last month.
There was no confirmation that the voice on the website is indeed that of al
Zarqawi, but the recording was placed on a website used by al Zarqawi's group,
Organization of al Qaeda in Mesopotamia. (Jordanian-born al-Zarqawi has claimed
responsibility for massive bombings and abductions and beheadings of foreigners
in Iraq. His current stated goal is to drive the U.S. and its allies out of
Iraq.)
The voice on the recording said the rockets fired from south Lebanon at Israelis
(whom he called "the ancestors of monkeys and pigs") "were only the start of a
blessed in-depth strike against the Zionist enemy" and had been given "on the
instructions" of Osama bin Laden.
Israel initially blamed a Palestinian group - the Popular Front for the
Liberation of Palestine-General Command -- and targeted a PFLP-GC training base
in Lebanon in retaliation.
But the PFLP-GC denied any involvement in the rocket attack, and a day later al
Qaeda in Iraq claimed responsibility on a website used by the group.
Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz said last week that Israel was taking the
al Qaeda claim seriously. Mofaz said Palestinian organizations in south Lebanon
supplied the physical infrastructure for groups like Islamic Jihad and al Qaeda
to act against Israel.
Matter of time
In general, the policy and strategy of al Qaeda is eventually to carry out
attacks against Israel. "It's a matter of time. Now it's closer than before,"
said Dr. Yoram Kahati of the Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center near
Tel Aviv.
Al Qaeda in Iraq previously has said that when it finishes in Iraq, it will
launch attacks in neighboring countries, namely Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Saudi
Arabia.
But Israel is enemy number one for the group, Kahati said.
Kahati referred to a book written in Arabic and published this past summer, in
which the author, Jordanian journalist Fuad Hussein, laid out al-Qaeda's
long-term strategy.
"Israel is supposed to be the target [sometime between] 2006-2010...I assume our
turn will come. In their mind, [they believe] it will," said Kahati.
Kahati said there are number of signs indicating that al Qaeda may soon set its
sights on Israel.
In claiming responsibility for the November suicide bombings in Jordan, al Qaeda
threatened to harm the Jewish State.
Al Qaeda said it was targeting "Jews and Crusaders" when it carried out suicide
bombings at three hotels in Amman; and it threatened further action against
Israel.
In statements claiming responsibility for recent rocket attacks on northern
Israel, the perpetrators -- supposedly al Qaeda -- threatened that there was
"worse to come," Kahati said.
He added it is not clear how the Palestinian terror groups would react to an al
Qaeda presence here. Hamas, for instance considers al Qaeda attacks inspiring;
but on the other hand the group would not want someone else stealing the
limelight, Kahati said.
Earlier, al-Zarqawi said that when his group finished in Iraq, it would head for
the al Aksa Mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, which is a prominent
rallying point for enlisting masses of Muslims in actions against Israel.
"It looks like their vision is developing [and] coming through step by step,"
said Kahati. "It's very worrying."
In the website posting this week, al-Zarqawi (or a voice claiming to be his)
said there are two conditions for ending jihad (holy war) in the world.
"First, chase out the invaders from our territory in Palestine, in Iraq and
everywhere in Islamic land," he said.
"Second, install sharia (Islamic religious law) on the entire Earth and spread
Islamic justice there...The attacks will not cease until after the victory of
Islam and the setting up of sharia," he said.
Truth, Settlement and Destruction
Hazem Saghieh Al-Hayat - 10/01/06//
From a certain angle, the Lebanese debate is dominated by the following
question: if logical repercussions of the "truth" lead to infinite explosion and
chaos, in Syria and consequently in Lebanon, then shouldn't it be necessary to
contain these repercussions?
There are those who rush an answer, some driven by pain and others by revenge,
initially refusing the question and using pedagogic justifications at times and
legal ones at other, culminating in declaring that revealing the truth is an
absolute profit, thus, generating nothing but an absolute profit. They either
ignore or lessen the tangible reality of Syrian and Lebanese societies. In that
sense, they disregard sectarian relations and grudges thereof in the two
countries, and overlook the truth of lengthy seizure, practiced by the military
state in Damascus over its society where every defeat of the first triggers a
defeat for the second.
In conclusion, if Syria and Lebanon are to resemble a certain Iraq and al
Zarqawi is ready to fill every void, then containing the Truth movement and its
repercussions would be required.
This argument, even if used by some for blackmail, is plausible, since it is
related to the need of favoring pragmatism over knowledge-for-knowledge and
naturally over vengeance and retribution. South Africans have previously
presented an example of the principle of restraint and the ability to regulate
the translation of facts into realities. It is because they wanted the white
racists to publicly confess, under the slogan "we forgive but we do not forget",
committing racial discrimination over years. Nevertheless, the people of South
Africa would not have accepted this moral and symbolic settlement if it were not
for significant financial compensation they received with the termination of the
former regime and the rising of a new status and state free of institutional
discrimination.
What we are witnessing in Lebanon is completely different. Those calling for
containment are employing, in addition to blackmail of "chaos", an aggressive
language that is accompanied by excessive crimes committed against people
calling for the truth, and coupled with continuous accusations that complement
acts of murder. Between the fear a politician like Jumblat is going through, and
the missiles Hezbollah boasts about owning, an obvious paradox emerges: the
party, which is supposed to be on the defensive, speaks and acts aggressively
considering, for example, that Lebanon is attacking Syria. The weapons used are
an article in a newspaper or a statement on TV... (of course the claims of the
boaster will prove to be false).
This means that what is needed goes beyond containing repercussions of the truth
of Prime Minister Hariri's assassination to containing every single truth; be it
related to Jamil Al Sayyed and Al Madina Bank, Emile Lahoud, Rustom Ghazaleh, or
mass graves here and there. Consequently, any tendency to alter the situation
that produced recent murders would be contained. Hence, dismantling the security
apparatuses, including tightening airport security would be rejected, just like
demarcating the borders between the two countries, settling the issue of the
dual-armament of the State and the "Resistance", just like conclusively
addressing the issue of Palestinian weapons, or the Shebaa Farms sitiation and
reaching a harmonious team to govern ...
This policy is complemented by a hesitant and reluctant Syrian stance in dealing
with the international investigation. This stance is opposed to any serious
change due to its nature, the structure of the authority and its relation with
society.
Such a mentality, besides failing to make way for a settlement, any settlement,
reinforces the status quo, which produced a dictatorship in Syria and crimes in
Lebanon. The reason is that concerned individual cannot, due to their
authoritarian formation, perceive themselves in the opposition ranks. In these
circumstances, it is as if we were pushed to destruction caused by stubbornness
and clinging to a world that has fallen apart, internally and externally,
politically, intellectually, and economically, just like apartheid has collapsed
in South Africa.
Insisting on a world with an institution similar to the "People's Assembly" in
Syria and a voice like that of Bahjat Sleiman, as heard on "Future TV" is
tantamount to insisting on upholding slavery and letting it control Syrian and
Lebanese destinies. It is an offer that does not fascinate and appeal for a
settlement over the repercussions of the truth, which might have postponed
destruction but would shortly trigger a greater one.
Interview: Khaddam seeking to topple Assad government
By George Sassine -United Press International
Published January 10, 2006
Former Syrian vice president Abdel Halim Khaddam, who broke away from the ruling
Baath Party and now lives in exile in Paris, said he was seeking to establish a
national alliance for ousting President Bashar Assad.
"I am working on a national alliance in Syria ... to topple Bashar Assad and
hold the security officials around him accountable for implicating him in
negative dealing with Syrian citizens," Khaddam said in an interview with United
Press International in Paris over the weekend. He stressed that he has no
personal ambitions and has "nothing to hide or fear".
Khaddam denied having any links with former Syrian officials living abroad,
including former army chief of staff Hikmat Shehabi and Rifaat Assad, the
brother of late president Hafez Assad who has been exiled for more than a decade
after reportedly attempting to topple his brother.
Asked about the political system which he seeks to install in Syria, Khaddam,
who resigned from the Baath Party last June, said, "in the 1950s Syria was a
democratic country and had stopped the Baghdad Alliance (a 1958 US-led alliance
to stop then Soviet infiltration in the region). Democratic Syria at that time
used to send qualified cadres to most Arab countries."
Nowadays and after freedom has been restricted in Syria, he argued that "if the
government wants to appoint a governor for the central bank, it cannot find
qualified cadres, and settles instead on accountants who worked in restaurants."
"The aspired regime in Syria should be democratic, meaning releasing all public
freedoms and abolishing the emergency laws and this would unleash the potentials
of the Syrian people so that they realign themselves and regain their role on
the Arab scene," Khaddam said.
He expressed support of the so-called "Damascus Declaration" which was adopted
on October 16 by 12 opposition parties in addition to independent politicians
and called for "drastic and democratic change in Syria".
The Damascus Declaration underlined that "setting up a national democratic
system is the main entry to political change and reforms" which Assad had
promised to introduce after taking power in July 2000, a month after his father
died.
Khaddam stressed that "the Damascus Declaration largely expressed the
aspirations of the Syrian people and I support this declaration whose content is
in full conformity with my point of view."
He refused to say if he was in contact with the parties and politicians who
signed the Damascus Declaration, emphasizing the need to introduce "a new law
for political parties in Syria which places no restrictions on any group seeking
to establish a political party."
Khaddam hailed French President Jacques Chirac's policies towards Lebanon and
Syria as "correct", blaming Assad for the deterioration in relations between
Damascus and Paris.
He denied making any contacts with US officials and refused to give details
about the testimony he gave last week to the UN-commissioned probe into the
February 14 assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Hariri who was
killed in a massive Beirut blast.
The former Syrian official accused Assad of treating Hariri in a harsh way,
causing his nose to bleed from stress after one of their meetings in Damascus,
and of incitement against the Lebanese premier which led to his assassination.
On the possibility of easing tension in Lebanese-Syrian relations that sharply
deteriorated after Hariri's killing, Khaddam said it would be hard to convince a
group of Lebanese who held Syria responsible of the assassination to normalize
relations before the UN investigation is concluded.
Syria has repeatedly denied involvement in the crime, but international
investigators named Syrian security officials as suspects.
Khaddam, who was in charge of the Lebanese file during the 1975-1990 civil
strife and until Hafez Assad's death in 2000, warned against undermining or
meddling with the Taif peace accord which had silenced the guns of the Lebanese
war and reconciled the warring factions, saying this will take Lebanon back to
point zero, notably to a new civil strife.
The Taif accord, which was concluded in November 1989 and brokered by Saudi
Arabia, redistributed powers equally between Lebanese Muslims and Christians.
On his official status in France where he has been living for at least six
months, Khaddam said he did not contact any French official and did not ask for
political asylum.
"There is no protocol forbidding any foreign politician from speaking out in
France where there is freedom of expression," he said.
Some French diplomats have expressed embarrassment over Khaddam's remarks on the
Syrian regime and his accusation of Syrian officials of corruption and
incitements against Hariri.
A French foreign ministry spokesman was quoted as saying that France has no
contacts with Khaddam and no relation with what he is saying about the Syrian
regime.
Khaddam affirmed that Chirac was not related in any way to his new approach.
"Effectively he [Chirac] is not linked whatsoever to what I am saying.... He is
not using what I say to oust the Syrian regime and never said he is seeking to
topple that regime," Khaddam told UPI.
He charged that the reasons behind the deterioration in French-Syrian relations
are "Bashar Assad's wrong political readings and decisions".
"The Syrian people wanted the Syrian army to withdraw from Lebanon since 2000
after Israeli forces pulled out from south Lebanon," he said.
Syria pulled out its troops from Lebanon in April last year, two months after
Hariri's assassination, under local and international pressures, notably UN
Security Council Resolution 1595 which called on Damascus to remove its troops
immediately.
"France is a friend for Syria, Lebanon and the Arabs and should be treated on
this basis," Khaddam said.
Copyright © 2006 News World Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
Sharon shows slight improvement
BBC 10.1.06: Israelis have been shocked at Mr Sharon's illness Doctors treating
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon have said he has moved his left hand for the
first time and his right side slightly more than before.
Although Mr Sharon has shown slight neurological improvements, he remains in a
critical but stable condition at Jerusalem's Hadassah hospital. Over the next 24
hours doctors will continue to reduce the anaesthesia to bring him out of an
induced coma. Mr Sharon suffered a massive stroke while at his home last
Wednesday. "The plan for the next 24 hours is to continue the reduction in the
amount of the anaesthetic drugs and evaluation of his neurological condition,"
Hadassah hospital director Dr Shlomo Mor-Yosef told reporters. "There is a
slight improvement in the neurological function of the prime minister's brain
but his condition is still severe, critical and stable," he added. Dr Mor-Yosef
also denied Israeli press reports that doctors had triggered a brain haemorrhage
by prescribing drugs to thin Mr Sharon's blood, after failing to detect a blood
disease in his brain. "The Hadassah doctors knew about the prime minister's
brain diagnosis when he was first admitted," he said.
'Backed off cliff' One of Mr Sharon's anaesthetists, Dr Yoram Weiss, said there
was now no immediate danger to the prime minister's life.
ARIEL SHARON'S HEALTH
Sharon suffers minor stroke on 18 December 2005
Doctors discover small hole in heart, schedule operation for 5 January Sharon
rushed to hospital one day before scheduled surgery with major stroke Undergoes
two operations overnight on 4/5 January, followed by third on 6 January
What is a stroke? "More metaphorically speaking, we have backed off five yards
from the edge of the cliff," he said.
"There is improvement, but we still cannot know the extent of the cognitive
improvement... there are still drugs that could cause us not to see cognitive
improvement," he added. He was reluctant to pronounce on Mr Sharon's long-term
prospects. Doctors began decreasing the sedatives after the prime minister moved
his right arm and leg slightly on Monday and began to breathe independently.
Once the process of weaning off the sedation is complete, medics will begin
testing Mr Sharon's cognitive responses and pass their assessment of brain
damage to Attorney General Meni Mazuz. If the assessment declares that Mr Sharon
has been permanently incapacitated and is unable to return to office, a cabinet
meeting will be called to choose a caretaker leader to be prime minister until
the general election. The five cabinet members from Mr Sharon's Kadima party are
the only eligible candidates, but of those, acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is
seen as the real contender, as the other four are backing him to assume the
role.
Iran nuclear stand-off escalates
BBC 10.1.06: Iran has broken the international seals at the Natanz plant
Iran's dispute with the UN and Western countries has deepened after Tehran
resumed nuclear research.
As Iran removed UN seals from equipment at Natanz facility, UN nuclear chief
Mohamed ElBaradei said Tehran would start small-scale nuclear enrichment. The
move was condemned by the US and European countries, which fear Iran is seeking
to produce atomic bombs. Tehran denies the accusation, saying it wants to
produce nuclear energy only.
In a statement from the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) headquarters
in Vienna, Mr ElBaradei said that as well as breaking the international seals on
its atomic research centre in Natanz, Iran would before Wednesday remove seals
on two other connected sites. The BBC's Bethany Bell in Vienna says Iran's
latest move is expected to trigger an emergency meeting of the IAEA's board of
governors.
People should worry about a populist religious fundamentalist having his finger
on a nuclear button
Jay, Liverpool, UK
The board will consider whether to report Iran to the United Nations Security
Council. It has refrained from taking that step, but now a referral looks
increasingly likely, our correspondent says.
Our correspondent says that although the Iranian enrichment experiments are
small scale and just for research purposes, there are fears they could lead to
Iranian scientists mastering the art of uranium enrichment.
Depending on the level of enrichment, the uranium enrichment process results in
either nuclear fuel or weapons grade uranium which can be used in nuclear
warheads.
'Slap in the face'
White House spokesman Scott McClellan said Iran was risking a "serious
escalation" in the international dispute.
IRAN'S NUCLEAR STANDOFF
September 2002: Work begins on Iran's first nuclear reactor at Bushehr
December 2002: Satellite photographs reveal nuclear sites at Arak and Natanz;
Iran agrees to an IAEA inspection
September 2003: IAEA gives Iran weeks to prove it is not pursuing atomic weapons
November 2003: Iran suspends uranium enrichment and allows tougher inspections;
IAEA says no proof of any weapons programme
June 2004: IAEA rebukes Iran for not fully co-operating with nuclear inquiry
November 2004: Iran suspends uranium enrichment as part of deal with EU
August 2005: Iran rejects EU proposals and resumes work at Isfahan nuclear plant
January 2006: Iran removes seals at Natanz facility
In depth: Nuclear fuel cycle
In quotes: World reaction
Mr McClellan said the international community would have no other choice but to
refer Tehran to the UN Security Council for possible sanctions.
UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw also issued a statement condemning Iran's
decision.
However, Mr Straw insisted that the problem must be resolved by diplomatic not
military means - and he was to meet his French and German counterparts, along
with EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, in Berlin on Thursday to decide
their response.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also said his country was taking "active
measures together with the Iranian side in order to keep this [Iranian]
moratorium effective".
The BBC's security correspondent Gordon Corera says that Iran's decision to
restart nuclear enrichment is a "real slap in the face to the international
community".
He said that it was an indication of just how confrontational the country's new
regime, led by hardline conservative President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, is.
The IAEA reported in 2003 that Iran had hidden a uranium enrichment programme
for 18 years.
Iran insists its programme is entirely peaceful, and devoted solely to providing
nuclear fuel, but Western countries are convinced that Iran, which has huge
natural oil and gas reserves, is pursuing nuclear weapons.