Excerpts: 'Putin,Russia's most popular politician'. GCC prepared for any
aggression. Next week nuclear meeting with Iran 13 June 2012
+++SOURCE: Egyptian Gazette 13 June '12:"Russians protest against Putin
despite pressure",Reuters
SUBJECT:' Putin, Russias most popular politician'
QUOTE:"They have turned to an opposition which is still in its infancy,
lacks a clear leader and is unlikely to topple Putin, still Russia's most
popular politician, any time soon"
FULL TEXT:MOSCOW - Thousands of Russians chanted "Russia will be free" in a
march through Moscow on Tuesday to protest against President Vladimir Putin,
shrugging off his tough new tactics intended to quash any challenge to his
rule.
Protesters streamed down a leafy central boulevard in the first major rally
since Putin was sworn in on May 7, saying they would not be deterred by
police raids on opposition leaders' homes and a new law stiffening fines for
public order offences.
"Those who fought are beyond being scared," said Valery Zagovny, a
50-year-old who served for the Soviet army in Afghanistan and was wearing
the medals to prove it. "Let those behind the red-toothed walls of the
Kremlin be scared."
Welcomed by a heavy downpour some joked had been orchestrated by the
president himself, protesters waved flags and shouted "Russia without Putin"
despite the absence of leaders who had been summoned to appear before
investigators.
Leftist leader Sergei Udaltsov ignored his summons for questioning about
violence at a rally on the eve of Putin's inauguration, and led a group of
marchers carrying red flags and chanting "Putin to jail!" and "All power to
the people!".
Helmeted riot police manned metal barriers along parts of the route, but the
police presence was lighter compared with some earlier protests. Ilya
Ponomaryov, an opposition lawmaker, said about 60,000 to 70,000 people had
turned out, much higher than the police estimate of 18,000.
After tolerating the biggest protests of his 12-year rule while seeking
election, Putin has signaled a harsher approach to dissent since the start
of his new term as president.
In power since 2000, Putin easily won a six-year term on March 4 after four
years serving as prime minister.
His mantra of ensuring stability finds deep support among the elderly and
many outside the cities, as have his strong measures against the protesters,
accused by some of his backers of being spoilt urbanites financed by foreign
powers.
But opposition leaders say Putin's heavy-handed tactics show that the former
KGB spy is deeply worried by the protests that have undermined his once
iron-clad authority.
On Friday[8 June], he signed a law increasing fines, in some cases more than
100-fold, for violations of public order at demonstrations, despite warnings
from his human rights council that it was an unconstitutional infringement
on free assembly.
Police and investigators raided the apartments of Udaltsov, anti-corruption
blogger Alexei Navalny and socialite Ksenia Sobchak on Monday[11June],
seizing computer drives and discs, photographs and other belongings as armed
guards stood outside.
"The authorities are in a panic," Udaltsov told reporters.
"They are trying to conduct primitive, repressive actions, but I am sure
they'll only achieve the opposite effect. These sorts of searches annoy and
outrage people, and people in even greater numbers take to the streets."
Many protesters are middle-class city dwellers who have benefitted from the
oil-fuelled boom Russia has experienced during Putin's years in power but
want more of a say in politics and fear his prolonged rule will bring
economic stagnation.
They have turned to an opposition which is still in its infancy, lacks a
clear leader and looks unlikely to topple Putin, still Russia's most popular
politician, any time soon.
Mikhail, 34, an athlete from Moscow, barely contained his anger while he
watched the march.
+++SOURCE: Saudi Gazette 13 June '12:"GCC ready to deal with any form of
aggression"
SUBJECT: Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) prepared for any aggression
QUOTE: "Any form of aggression against any Gulf Cooperation Counci (GCC0
member is considered an agressiongainst all member state"
FULL TEXT:MANAMA – Any form of aggression against any Gulf Cooperation
Council (GCC) country is considered an aggression against all member states,
warned GCC Secretary General Dr. Abdullatif Al-Zayani here Tuesday[12 June].
“We’ll deal with any type of aggression by increasing coordination among GCC
countries and holding intensive consultations with our friends to maintain
peace and stability,” Al-Zayani said during a conference on Arab Gulf
Security.
He specifically mentioned the threats[IMRA: What threats?] resulting from
the continuous Israeli occupation of Arab lands and the Iranian
interventions in the internal affairs of GCC countries as well as its
continuous occupation of Emirati islands.
Al-Zayani said the six-nation GCC has transformed in three decades from an
organization which seeks to achieve cooperation and integration among its
members to a strong entity and a union in a region which has been turbulent
and full of tensions.
The GCC is ushering in its fourth decade with more trust and faith in its
capability to maintain regional peace and stability.
Al-Zayani said the GCC plays an influential and effective role in resolving
regional disputes and conflicts.
The two-day conference titled “Regional Facts and International Concerns” is
organized by Bahrain Center for International Strategic Studies and Energy
in cooperation with the Royal British Institute for Defense and Security
Studies.
The conference will focus on current events and their ramifications on the
region. It will emphasize the security arrangements between the GCC
countries and the US and the UK
+++SOURCE: Naharnet (Lebanon) 13 June '12:"U.S. Says Iran to be Given 'Clear
Path' to End Nuclear Impasse", Agence France Presse
SUBJECT Next week nuclear meeting with Iran
QUOTE:" World powers will outline to Iran a 'very clear path' "
FULL TEXT:World powers will outline to Iran a "very clear path" to resolve
the impasse over its suspect nuclear program at talks in Moscow next week,
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Tuesday[12 June].
"There is a unified position being presented by the P5+1 that gives Iran, if
it is interested in taking a diplomatic way out, a very clear path that
would be verifiable and would be linked to action for action," Clinton told
a U.S. think-tank.
"I am quite certain that they are under tremendous pressure from the
Russians and the Chinese to come to Moscow prepared to respond. Now whether
that response is adequate or not we will have to judge," she added.
Iran's top nuclear negotiator on Tuesday[12 June] confirmed an agreement had
been struck with the EU official representing world powers negotiating with
Tehran on the content of upcoming talks in Moscow.
Saeed Jalili, the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, and
EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton had a telephone conversation late
on Monday[11 June], Jalili's office said in a statement reported by Iranian
state media.
Ashton had met senior officials from the so-called P5+1 group -- Britain,
China, France, Russia and the United States plus Germany on Monday -- to
prepare for the talks in Moscow on Tehran's contested nuclear drive.
Moscow will host a third round of negotiations on June 18-19 between Iran
and the global powers that up until now have failed to yield results in
efforts to curb Tehran's nuclear activities.
The Western nations in the P5+1, and the UN's International Atomic Energy
Agency, suspect Iran has conducted research towards developing nuclear
weapons.
Iran denies that accusation and claims it is being unfairly treated by the
West under the terms of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. It says its
activities are solely for peaceful purposes.
"The Russians have made it very clear that they expect the Iranians to
advance the discussion in Moscow. Not just to come, listen and leave. We
will know once it happens," Clinton said.
The Moscow round follows two earlier unproductive meetings since early
April, in Istanbul and in Baghdad which failed to yield results in efforts
to curb Tehran's nuclear activities.
Clinton said the threat posed by Iran "is real" and it was clear "we are
dealing with a regime which has hegemonic ambitions."
"The continuing effort by the Iranians to extend their influence and to use
terror as a tool to do so extends to our hemisphere and all the way to East
Asia. So the threat is real," she added.
============
Sue Lerner - Associate, IMRA
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