Russia alarmed over new EU pact

Mr Medvedev was speaking at the end of a Russia-EU summit held against a background of deep divisions over security, trade and energy supplies.
He also signalled a new gas crisis may lie ahead, suggesting Ukraine lacks the money to pay for gas Russia provides.
A row over prices severely affected supplies to Europe in January.
The BBC's Richard Galpin in Moscow says divisions between Russia and the European Union seem to be growing ever wider, and this latest summit, held in the far east of Russia, made that abundantly clear, with little sign of progress on any significant topic.
"We would not want the Eastern Partnership to turn into partnership against Russia. Moscow has accused the 27-member bloc of creating new dividing lines in Europe by offering closer ties to six former Soviet republics.
The Eastern Partnership Initiative aims to forge close political and economic ties in exchange for democratic reforms.
Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine have signed up to the initiative, which seeks to bolster stability in the region.
On the divisive issue of energy supplies, President Medvedev raised questions about whether Ukraine can afford billions of dollars to top up its gas stocks.
Ukraine has denied there is any problem.
Russia supplies 42% of EU gas imports. Its decision to cut all gas to Ukraine - a vital transit country - meant that many EU member states also lost their supplies of gas for two weeks in January.
Speaking in Khabarovsk, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso warned there should be no more disruptions to gas supplies from Russia

Britain announces 10 mln pounds more for displaced

LONDON: Britain announced Friday an extra 10 million pounds (15.9 million dollars, 11.4 million euros) in aid to help huge numbers of people displaced by a military offensive in northwest Pakistan.

The new money brings Britain's contribution to 22 million pounds, and will be distributed via UN agencies working in the affected areas, said international development minister Douglas Alexander.

"The UK is deeply concerned for the wellbeing of over two million people displaced by this conflict. A mass movement of people of this scale poses huge humanitarian challenges," he said.

The announcement came after the United Nations appealed for a total of 543 million dollars to help, as people continue to stream out of the conflict zone into camps set up in different parts of the North West Frontier Province.

The UN puts the number of displaced people at 1.7 million.

The British minister said aid agencies were doing "heroic" work under extremely difficult conditions," adding that Britain remained determined to support their efforts.

"This extra money will help the UN manage a coordinated and effective international response to this crisis to allow those affected by the fighting (to) take the first steps towards rebuilding their lives," said Alexander.

"The UK stands ready to assist the government of Pakistan to combat the shared threat of violent extremism and we remain strongly committed to our partnership with the people of Pakistan," he added.

New Indian cabinet to be sworn in

Mr Singh will be taking charge fora second term, only the second PM after Jawaharlal Nehru to be returned to power after a full five-year term. The Congress party won a decisive mandate in the recent polls and Mr Singh has emerged politically stronger. However, a key ally of the Congress has left the governing alliance after disagreements over ministerial posts. The Tamil Nadu-based DMK party said its 18 members of parliament would not serve in the government but would still support the coalition in the house.

The move is seen as the first setback to the coalition, but analysts say it is unlikely to pose a serious threat to the government. The Congress party and its allies swept back to power when votes from the marathon five-phase general election were counted last weekend. Mr Singh and a 19-member cabinet will take the oath of office from Indian President Pratibha Patil at a ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan, the presidential palace, in Delhi on Friday evening. Mr Singh has displayed an ability to stand firm and outlast his most trenchant critics.

Reducing spread of nukes a high priority: Obama

WASHINGTON: Satellite photos released show Pakistan has expanded two sites crucial to its nuclear program as part of an effort to bolster the destructive power of its atomic arsenal, a US arms control institute said. US President Barack Obama said it is "absolutely imperative" that the United States take the lead in reducing the spread of nuclear weapons.

"It is absolutely imperative that America takes leadership working with, not just our Russian counterparts, but countries all around the world to reduce and ultimately eliminate the dangers that are posed by nuclear weapons," the president said after an Oval Office meeting with former secretaries of state George P. Shultz and Henry Kissinger, former Defense Secretary William Perry and former Sen. Sam Nunn of Georgia.

Obama mentioned possible steps to "lock down loose nuclear weapons," including revitalizing the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, making progress on a Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and working with Russia to reduce dependence on nuclear weapons.

Russia and the U.S. have the world's largest nuclear stockpiles.

"We are going to be pushing this as one of our highest priorities, to take specific steps, measurable steps, verifiable steps, to make progress on this issue, even as we keep a long-term perspective and a long-term vision about what can be achieved," Obama told reporters. "And we can think of no better advisers, counselors, and partners in this process than the four gentlemen who joined us here today."

US aid proof of support to Pakistan

WASHINGTON: Pakistan ambassador in the United States Hussain Haqqani has welcomed the announcement of emergency aid of 100 million dollars from America for the affected people of Swat operation.

In a statement issued from Washington, Hussain Haqqani said that this aid is another proof of the full support to the Pakistani people by the United States but more aid is needed from the international community for rehabilitation of the affected people of Swat.

Hussain Haqqani said that Pakistan needs aid for rehabilitation of the people affected by the war on terror and the elimination of human crisis.

He said we expect from the US people to help generously and they can participate in the mission by typing Swat to 20222 on their cell phones.

Arms from U.S. may be falling into Taliban hands

NEW YORK: Insurgents in Afghanistan, fighting from some of the poorest and most remote regions on earth, have managed for years to maintain an intensive guerrilla war against materially superior American and Afghan forces.

Weapons from a police post linked to an attack on Americans. Most rifles were the kind issued by the United States. Arms and ordnance collected from dead insurgents hint at one possible reason: Of 30 rifle magazines recently taken from insurgents’ corpses, at least 17 contained cartridges, or rounds, identical to ammunition the United States had provided to Afghan government forces, according to an examination of ammunition markings by The New York Times and interviews with American officers and arms dealers.

The presence of this ammunition among the dead in the Korangal Valley, an area of often fierce fighting near Afghanistan’s border with Pakistan, strongly suggests that munitions procured by the Pentagon have leaked from Afghan forces for use against American troops.

The scope of that diversion remains unknown, and the 30 magazines represented a single sampling of fewer than 1,000 cartridges. But military officials, arms analysts and dealers say it points to a worrisome possibility: With only spotty American and Afghan controls on the vast inventory of weapons and ammunition sent into Afghanistan during an eight-year conflict, poor discipline and outright corruption among Afghan forces may have helped insurgents stay supplied.

Pak, Australia agreed to boost anti-terror cooperation

Pakistan and Australia have agreed to boost cooperation for curbing terrorism. Pakistan will send 70 military personnel to Australia to get counter insurgency training training. This was decided during a meeting between Australian Minister for Defence Hon. Joel Fitzgibbon and General Tariq Majid, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Mr Fitzgibbon and General Tariq Majid discussed the significant military operations currently being conducted against militants in the North West Frontier region of Pakistan. Mr Fitzgibbon expressed his sorrow for the losses suffered by the Pakistan Armed Forces in the fight against terrorism, and for the suffering of the civilian populations as a result of the recent fighting.

“Pakistan’s success in its conflict with Taliban extremists on its soil is critical to regional and global security, as well as Australia’s own national interest.
Australia also recognises the complex challenges that Pakistan faces and appreciates the efforts of Pakistan towards maintaining security. He announced a significant increase in access to Defence Cooperation Program training courses in Australia for Pakistan Military personnel. “The Australian Defence Force is working with the Pakistan Military on a number of counter insurgency training initiatives both in Australia and Pakistan. “We appreciate that the Pakistan military has significant expertise in confronting the extremist and terrorist threat. Our increased engagement is focused on providing training to assist Pakistan in this task.”

Mr Fitzgibbon emphasised that Australia was developing the engagement program in close consultation with Pakistan, and he expressed the desire to explore options to increase this assistance further.

General Tariq Majid said that Pakistan appreciates the role played by Australia as part of the Coalition Forces in Afghanistan, and emphasised that Pakistan and Australia have common interests and shared objectives in promoting peace and stability in the region.

Holbrooke calls for strong backing of Pakistani government

Veteran diplomat Richard Holbrooke also dismissed rumors that the Obama administration is backing away from its support for embattled Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari as he is tested by Taliban and al Qaeda extremists. We have not distanced ourself from President Zardari."

Holbrooke testified before the committee on a day when concerns over recent Taliban gains in Pakistan and Afghanistan dominated the agenda in Washington.
Holbrooke argued that questions about Pakistan's stability do not indicate a withdrawal of American support. We do not think Pakistan is a failed state. Holbrooke's testimony came the day after two leading members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee introduced legislation tripling nonmilitary aid to Pakistan.
The legislation also would separate military from nonmilitary aid, promising that economic aid "is no longer the poor cousin to military aid."

Holbrooke reiterated the administration's support for such legislation, while urging Congress to find a "sweet spot" in terms of requirements made on Pakistan's government. Meanwhile, Pakistan's military continued an assault on militants in Taliban-held areas after they seized territory in violation of an agreement signed this year by Zardari. The recent operations are part of the Pakistani army's intensified drive against the Taliban in its restive tribal regions. The Pakistani government has been criticized for not cracking down on militants along its border with Afghanistan. "Pakistan is a nation that is committed to rooting out extremism and Talibanization in our region, Pakistan's U.S. ambassador Husain Haqqani said Tuesday on CNN's "American Morning."

"As partners, (the United States, Pakistan, and Afghanistan) can certainly contain the Taliban. Clinton and Defense Secretary Robert Gates recently called Taliban gains in Pakistan an "existential threat" to the country.

Taliban in Pakistan threaten peace in Afghanistan

Afghanistan's president Tuesday praised U.S. plans to provide more civilian help to his country, and expressed hope that the country become less dependent on international partners in coming years. Hamid Karzai departs after registering as a candidate for August presidential elections in Kabul on Monday.
Addressing the re-emergence of Taliban militants, who were ousted from power by a U.S.-led coalition after the September 11 attacks on the United States, Karzai said, "We did not address the question of sanctuaries in time," a reality, he said, that hurts Afghanistan and Pakistan. We will continue to suffer," Karzai said.
Taliban gains in Pakistan are a major theme this week in Washington, where Karzai and Zardari will be visiting key congressional leaders and policymakers before meeting with President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Karzai, who made his remarks as Holbrooke testified about the problems in the region before the House Foreign Affairs Committee, touched on Obama's strategy, announced in March, to fight the Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Obama said sending "agricultural specialists and educators; engineers and lawyers" to Afghanistan will help "advance security, opportunity and justice" across the country. Karzai said the program will work if it is carried out "with the requirements of Afghanistan, with the plans of Afghanistan shared and supported by and agreed with by the United States, and in a manner that will add to Afghan capacity building."
It's important, he said, that Afghans see the war bringing them "safety and security," and improved security forces that can defend the country.
Karzai is running for re-election and has announced two running mates: current Vice President Kamil Khallili and a controversial former warlord, Mohamed Fahim.
Human Rights Watch was quick to criticize Karzai's decision to add him to the ticket.
Karzai defended Fahim, saying he "will be a factor of stability and unity for the Afghan people," noting that he has "contributed immensely in the war against terrorism, shoulder to shoulder with U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan."
The president said he looks forward to a proper race.

Iran 'Test Launches' Medium-range Missile

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said the Sajjil-2 missile used "advanced technology" and had "landed exactly" on the unspecified target. He was speaking in Semnan, from where the missile, with a range of 2,000km (1,240 miles), was reportedly launched.
Correspondents say the test may be seen as provocative by Iran's Arab neighbours and its enemies in the West.
"The defence minister [Mohammed Najjar] told me today that we launched a Sajjil-2 missile, which is a two-stage missile and it has reached the intended target," Mr Ahmadinejad told a crowd in the northern town. Solid-fuel missiles are reputedly more accurate than liquid-fuel missiles, which make up the majority of Iran's long-range arsenal.

Iran tested a Sajjil missile in November last year, described by officials at the time as a highly accurate "defensive" weapon.
Iran says its missile development programme is solely for defensive and scientific purposes, but critics say the rockets could one day be used to nuclear weapons, although Iran denies its nuclear programme has any military dimension.
The announcement of the launch came shortly after Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was confirmed as one of the four candidates cleared to stand in Iran 12 June presidential elections. He will run against two leading reformists - former Prime Minister Mir-Hossein Mousavi and ex-parliament speaker Mehdi Karoubi - and Mohsen Rezai, former chief of the Revolutionary Guards.

U.S. aid to Pakistan

WASHINGTON: The United States is rushing emergency aid to Pakistan an initial $5 million to help people uprooted by the fighting against extremists, according to the State Department.

The State Department said Tuesday the U.S. Embassy in Pakistan and officials of the U.S. Agency for International Development were evaluating the needs of civilians fleeing the Swat valley and surrounding regions in northwest Pakistan.
On Capitol Hill, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman, Sen. John Kerry, D-Massachusetts, praised the new military offensive by the Pakistan military.
"In recent days we have seen encouraging signs that Pakistan's army is finally taking the fight to enemy, but much remains to be done," Kerry said in his opening to a hearing on Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Kerry and the senior Republican on the committee, Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana, have introduced legislation to triple non-military U.S. aid to Pakistan to $1.5 billion a year, for five years.

The Obama administration envoy on Pakistan and Afghanistan policy, long-time diplomat Richard Holbrooke, spoke to the Senate committee Tuesday about what the U.S. has at stake in Pakistan. Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tennessee, said Congress should slow down consideration of new aid to Pakistan. "Ultimately the true decision makers are the people and leaders of Pakistan."
We are losing that war," Holbrooke told the committee.

An Indonesian military transport plane crashed on the island of Java

At least two people died on the ground as the plane hit houses before skidding into a rice field where it caught fire. The plane, en route from Jakarta to eastern Java, came down not far from an air base where it was heading. Visibility appears to have been good and there is no indication yet of what caused the crash. The C-130 Hercules had been carrying about 110 passengers and crew. Ten children were reported to have been on board. Fifteen passengers - some with bad burns - survived, officials said.

The plane was due to land at Iswahyudi air force base and struck houses in the village of Geplak, a few kilometres away, at about 0630 local time (2330 GMT).
The aircraft was almost completely destroyed in the crash; wreckage was strewn across rice fields and only the tail was left intact.
Rescue teams have been pulling the dead and injured from the smoking debris.
Eyewitnesses spoke of a big explosion before the plane came down near the town of Madiun.

A local villager, quoted by Kompas newspaper's website, said some aircraft parts including nuts and bolts fell from the sky. "One of the wings fell off... Then the plane nose-dived into the houses." A survivor said it felt like the plane's engines just stopped and then the aircraft began to break apart in mid-air. The man, who was interviewed on local TV, was thrown clear of the plane as it came down

North Korea rocket test, UNSC urgent meeting called

TOKYO: North Korea has tested long-rage rocket, while the U.S. Japan and South Korea have declared the Nkorea rocket test an open violation of UN resolution and an emergent meeting of the United Nation Security Council (UNSC) has been called on the demands of these countries.

Meanwhile Russian and China have pleaded restraint in reactions to the North Korea rocket launch condemnations.

North Korea said that it has sent a communication satellite into the space under its peaceful satellite program. However, a statement issued from the Japanese prime minister office said that North Korea missile test was threatening, as it could target Japan.
At the State Department in Washington, spokesman Fred Lash said North Korea launched a rocket at 10:30 p.m. EDT Saturday (0230 GMT). North Korea had informed international authorities that it planned to launch a rocket sometime between Saturday and Wednesday to put a satellite into orbit. But the U.S., South Korea, Japan and others suspect it is a cover for testing a long-range missile for the North, which has nuclear weapons.
Lash added that the North Korean action violated United Nations Security Council Resolution 1718. The council adopted the 2006 resolution five days after North Korea conducted a test of a nuclear weapon
North's Korea's development, deployment and proliferation of missiles, ballistic missile-related materials, equipment and technologies pose a serious threat to the northeast Asia region and to the international community

Barak Obama condemns North Korea missile launch

American officials condemned the North Korean launch of a long-range rocket Sunday, with President Obama calling it a "provocative act."

A recent satellite image shows a rocket sitting on its launch pad in northeast North Korea.

Obama said the launch was "a clear violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1718, which expressly prohibits North Korea from conducting ballistic missile-related activities of any kind." North Korea said the rocket was launched to carry a satellite into space.

South Korean Foreign Minister Yoo Myung-Hwan said: "for the time being it is believed that North Korea launched a satellite. "It is alarming that North Korea carried out this missile launch in direct defiance of the international community," Berman said. An October 2006 United Nations resolution condemned North Korea for missile launches in the summer and a nuclear test that same month.

Al-Qaeda planning attacks on US (Obama)

US President Barack Obama said Wednesday that al-Qaeda was planning to attack the US mainland from Pakistani soil and added that the US would chase and defeat the terrorist organization wherever it is present in the world.

Addressing a joint press conference with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Obama said the US policy was clear for both Pakistan and Afghanistan and Afghanistan would not be allowed to become a safe haven of al-Qaeda. The US president said the elimination of al-Qaeda was in the greater interest of both the countries.

Financial Crisis Dominates G-20 agenda

This week's London Summit brings together the leaders of the world's 20 largest economic powers, known as the Group of 20, to discuss the global financial crisis and decide new measures to set the world on a more stable economic footing.
Gordon Brown, Angela Merkel, Nicolas Sarkozy and Silvio Berlusconi are among world leaders attending this week's G-20.
Other members are Australia, Turkey, Indonesia, South Korea, Argentina, Mexico, South Africa, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia.
Brown has called on world leaders to resist embracing "protectionism" and commit to a coordinated three-pronged strategy to rebuild the economy:
• To reform and strengthen the global financial and economic system to restore confidence and trust
The G20 Economies
Argentina Australia Brazil
Canada China European Union*
France Germany India
Indonesia Italy Japan
Mexico Russia Saudi Arabia
South Africa South Korea Turkey
United Kingdom United States

Invited participants:
Netherlands
Spain

US Gen. hints at striking targets within Pak as ‘Last Resort

The commander of U.S. Central Command was interviewed as the Obama administration prepares to step up the fight against Al Qaeda and the Taliban along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

Asked about lingering concerns that Pakistan is not fully on board, Petraeus told media that the U.S. military is putting "additional focus" on rooting out ties between Pakistan's intelligence service and the Taliban. There appears to have been a warning prior to a Pakistani operation," Petraeus said.

But he said trust between the two countries will be key as President Obama seeks more Pakistani cooperation and calls for billions in aid to the country.

The Pakistanis have expressed frustration over unmanned U.S. drone strikes to take out terrorist targets inside their border.