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Damascus Scene of Latest Syrian Fighting
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Fighting between Syrian opposition and the forces loyal to President Bashar Al-Asad reached the streets of the capital Damascus on Saturday. Army troops reportedly fired tank rounds into residential areas while opposition forces were said to have used rocket-propelled grenades and automatic rifles. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported a death toll of more than 50 around the country since Friday. The Damascus fighting is being seen as an escalation since until now, opposition soldiers have avoided the capital. Lebanon continues to fear the effects of spillover from the Syrian unrest. The Beirut Daily Star reported that a Syrian tank and troops crossed into Lebanon, to the village of Yanta in the Bekka Valley, and remained there for three hours before departing. Russia, which has been criticized for defeating sanctions against the Al-Asad regime in the UN Security Council, believes that tough measures or military intervention is not the way to go, but a large, international conference should be convened. The idea was floated by Foreign Minister Lavrov on Wednesday and elaborated on by Deputy Foreign Minister Gatilov on Saturday.
International Atomic Energy Agency Access Talks with Iran Fail
A meeting on Friday between the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Iranian officials the IAEA had hoped would end with an agreement that would see its inspectors being granted access to Iranian nuclear sites, failed. The meeting reduced the already-low expectations held for June 18-19 negotiating sessions set to be held between the six powers (US, Britain, China, Russia, France and Germany) and Iran in Moscow on the larger issues relating to Iranian nuclear power. The question of what is really going on at the Parchin site was the goal of getting the Iranians to finally allow an IAEA team access to the plant. Had the response been positive, hopes for accomplishing something at the Moscow meeting would have soared. Next week’s meetings will be held against the background of continued Israeli insistence that the Iranians are pursuing nuclear weapons and any belief to the contrary is dangerous to world peace.
Abbas’ New Conditions Don’t Un-do the Old Ones
Palestinian officials on Saturday sought to clarify statements made by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Friday that left the status of his pre-conditions for talks with Israel somewhat hazy. During a visit to newly-elected French President Hollande, Abbas said that because Israel has not met his long-standing conditions for returning to peace talks – a total end to building in Jewish communities located on land Israel acquired in the 1967 war and acceptance of pre-1967 borders – he was setting new conditions: allowing PA police to carry guns and the release of all Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails. The clarification, offered by an official of the PLO, stressed that the comments Abbas made should not be understood as an opening to negotiations, but rather to open a dialogue to “urge Netanyahu to comply” with the first demands. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s position has been that he will go to talks at any time but only without pre-conditions.
US Appoints Admiral to Replace Moeller as Military Adviser to Palestinians; Hamas Reacts
The Pentagon announced on Friday that Lt. Gen. Michael Moeller will be leaving his post as U.S. Security Coordinator for Israel and the Palestinian Authority and will be replaced by Admiral Paul Bushong. Despite the title, the primary responsibility of the position most recently held by Moeller is the training of Palestinian Security forces, a task originally begun by Gen. Keith Dayton, whose name remains attached to the force he fashioned. Hamas wasted no time in condemning the appointment. Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum issued a statement alleging that the move actually created three parties “to protect Israel” and enforce the division between Palestinians. He called the appointment “American intervention” and the revoking of authority in the West Bank.
Men Assault Women at Anti-Sexual Assault Rally in Cairo’s Tahrir Square
Cairo’s Tahrir Square, known as the focal point of the pro-democracy demonstrations that brought about the overthrow of former president Hosni Mubarak, on Friday was the venue for a demonstration protesting the sexual assault of women. A mob described as “hundreds of men” burst onto the scene and violently assaulted the men who had formed a protective ring around about 50 demonstrators and the women themselves. Assaults against women are common in Egypt. A 2008 report by the Egyptian Center for Women’s Rights claims a majority of women are harassed daily.
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