UN Human Rights Council
UN rights council condemns 'gross violations' in Syria
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2011/Dec-02/155860-un-rights-council-condemns-gross-violations-in-syria.ashx
December 02, 2011 08:50 PM
Agence France Presse
GENEVA: The UN Human Rights Council on Friday urged tougher international action against Syria, condemning "gross violations" of human rights following evidence security forces killed and tortured dissidents.
Rights council members in Geneva passed a resolution "strongly condemning the continued widespread, systematic and gross violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms by the Syrian authorities" while referring a report on the abuses to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
The meeting was called to address the findings of the Commission of Inquiry on Syria, appointed by the Human Rights Council earlier this year, which said 307 children had been killed since the March crackdown.
The resolution recommends that the main UN bodies consider the report although explicit reference in the draft version to the General Assembly and the UN Security Council -- the organisation's most powerful branch -- was omitted.
The council also agreed to create a special rapporteur to further investigate the human rights situation in Syria.
Thirty-seven voted in favour of the resolution, six abstained while four countries -- Russia, Cuba, Ecuador and China -- voted against.
The UN estimates that more than 4,000 people have been killed in the repression, which High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay warned at the opening of the emergency session could drive Syria to civil war.
Pillay, whose role is seperate from the inter-governmental rights council, has recommended that the situation be referred to the Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC).
Human Rights Watch in Geneva said it regretted that the council had stopped short of seeking Security Council support so that observers could gain access to Syria.
The commission was not allowed entry to the country and based its report on interviews with 223 victims and witnesses made carried out elsewhere and via Skype.
"States that stood in the way of asking the Security Council to take such steps and to refer this situation to the International Criminal Court need to explain to the Syrian people what they intend to do to stop the abuses," said spokesman Philippe Dam.
"Standing by when crimes against humanity are occurring just shouldn't be an option."
The three-member panel said Syrian security forces committed crimes against humanity, including the killing and torture of children, after orders from the top of Bashar al-Assad's regime.
The United States ambassador Eileen Chamberlain described the situation as one of "slaughter" in her address to the meeting, the third called to discuss Syria since the repression began.
The European Union had said those guilty of abuses must be prosecuted.
"Perpetrators of the human rights violations must be held to account, in particular those who committed crimes that may warrant the attention of the International Criminal Court," said Poland ambassador Remigiusz Henczel, representing the EU as its current chair.
"This report deserves full consideration not only by this council, but by all relevant UN bodies, including the Security Council," he said before the vote.
Russian ambassador Valery Loshchinin said the global community had been given a "one-sided" report of events in Syria.
"We would like to warn against illegal interference by outside forces even under the pretext of protecting civilians and human rights," he said.
"The global community has been given a one-sided, biased and frequently tendentious presentation of events in Syria.
"This is unfortunately a defect of the report of the commission which does not reflect the true situation."
روسيا: مشروع القرار الذي تقدمت به البلدان الغربية بشأن سورية إلى الجلسة الخاصة لمجلس حقوق الإنسان ارتدى طابعا مسيسا أحادي الجانب
Russia: Draft resolution submitted by the Western countries on Syria to the Special Session of the Human Rights Council politicized character wore a one-sided
http://www.sana.sy/ara/3/2011/12/02/385619.htm
02 December 0.2011
Russia slams ‘one-sided’ UN Rights Council resolution on Syria
http://en.rian.ru/world/20111202/169260382.html
23:30 02/12/2011
MOSCOW, December 2 (RIA Novosti)
The UN Human Rights Council should not be used to interfere in Syria’s internal affairs or achieve political goals that violate the UN Charter, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Friday.
The statement came after the Council had adopted a resolution condemning “systematic and gross violations of human rights” in Syria. Thirty-seven Council member states supported the resolution; Russia, China, Cuba and Ecuador voted against, and six countries abstained.
“Unfortunately, the draft resolution presented by Western countries to the Human Rights Council’s special meeting was politicized and one-sided. The latest steps by the Syrian authorities to stabilize the situation, carry out reforms in the country and launch a national dialogue… were not reflected in it,” the ministry said.
“Russia holds a fundamental position against the use of human rights mechanisms for interference in internal affairs or the achievement of political goals which are incompatible with the norms of international law or violate the UN Charter and HRC mandate,” it said.
UN sanctions against Iran 'exhausted': Russia envoy
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2011/Dec-02/155861-russia-says-un-rights-council-vote-on-syria-unacceptable.ashx
December 02, 2011 12:04 AM (Last updated: December 03, 2011 12:05 AM)
Agence France Presse
UNITED NATIONS: Russia believes new UN sanctions against Iran's nuclear program are no longer possible, Moscow's UN envoy said Friday condemning "threats" being made against Tehran and Syria by the West.
"We believe that the sanctions track in the Security Council has been exhausted," ambassador Vitaly Churkin told a press conference when asked about possible action against Iran.
"We continue to believe very strongly that negotiations should continue with Iran."
The European Union and United States have both ordered new sanctions against Iran after International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report said there were "credible" signs of military dimensions to Iran's nuclear drive.
Russia was "upset" with the report, Churkin said, adding the IAEA analysis had been "played up more as a PR exercise than a serious nuclear effort."
Russia has signed up so far to four rounds of UN Security Council sanctions against Iran's nuclear and missile programs. Russia and China have made it known however that they oppose new measures.
But Churkin said "we believe that the negotiated track can be resumed" and his country had made repeated attempts to get contacts restarted between Iran and the international group on the nuclear showdown: Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States.
The envoy said the West had to pull back from confrontation with Iran and Syria.
"The confrontation scenario is being played out not only with regard to Syria but with regard to Iran as well. All those threats and insinuations of possible military action against Iran, they don't help at all."
Western diplomats say that despite the IAEA report on Iran it could take months to get talk of new action in the Security Council. Russia and China vetoed a European resolution in October condemning the Syrian government's crackdown on opposition protests.
crackdown in Syria, where more than 4,000 people have been killed since mid-March according to the United Nations.
On Tuesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called for a halt to "ultimatums" against Syria and a "move toward political dialogue," two days after the Arab League hit Damascus with crippling economic sanctions.
مصدر روسي : موسكو سلمت سوريا صواريخ عابرة
Russian source: Moscow supplied Syria with cruise missiles (Yakhont)
http://www.aksalser.com/index.php?page=view_news&id=ee5f9e2d4a370048c748f1fea6dbbd1e&ar=624960642
Thursday - December 1 - 2011 - 23:19:03
Russian military source said a diplomat told Interfax "," Thursday, "Russia has supplied Syria with mobile system for coastal defense cruise missiles include anti-ship under a contract entered into in 2007."
The source added that the "anti-ship missiles that break the sound barrier-type" Yakhont "handed over to Syria in the framework system" Bastion "moving to defend the coast." He gave no details about the size of the transaction and the date of delivery.
Another source reported the agency "Interfax", that "Damascus wants to receive Mnzawmte" Bastion "at least, each consisting of 35 cruise missile-type Yakhont."
The "Interfax" that "the value of this contract is estimated at $ 300 million."
اميرال روسي: صواريخ "ياخونت" قادرة على مكافحة السفن وحاملات الطائرات
Russian admiral: "missiles Yakhont" capable of combat ships and aircraft carriers
http://arabic.rt.com/news_all_news/news/573145
02.12.2011 18:02
Admiral Popov, head of the national marine policy on December 2, commenting on the supply of systems, "Bastion" Russia's missile anti-ship missiles to Syria, announced that that system equipped with missiles "Yakhont" winged it can meet the ships individually and the aircraft carrier and its escort ships alike.
Popov and most brilliant tactical technical specifications owned by this system. He noted that the effectiveness of such a confrontation depends on many factors, including the efficient crews.
According to Senator Russian that Israeli concern over the supply this system to Damascus is not justified, given that the supply of weapons verification under the bilateral agreement signed with Syria, which can not be considered illegal, because the Syrian government at the time the government of reliable and characterized by the time the ability to lead the armed forces, including which means it supplied military technology from Russia.
Popov said he is not there any justification for saying that the weapons supplied by Russia could fall into the hands of terrorists.
He added: "These weapons are available in the possession of the government forces. And carrying cases and complaints received from Israel or any other country in this regard is unjustified character."
Popov and see what is happening in Syria is a procedure that will in the end, whatever the final developments.
He was a diplomat, a military source in Moscow told Interfax "- that a" Russian news agency that Russia and Syria responded to the systems, "Bastion" equipped with missiles "Yakhont" winged in 2007, under the agreement signed with them. He declined to give an exact date for the export of arms and size.
Meanwhile, another source told the agency that Damascus relied on getting at least two sets of system "Bastion" that has a crew of 36 winged rocket aircraft "Yakhont." He said that this weapon allows the protection of the Syrian coast from the sea.
The price of agreement of 300 million.
More details about the missile "Yakhont" on our website.
Law enforcement officials of Qatar beat up the Russian Ambassador and opened the diplomatic pounch!!!
السفير الروسي في قطر يأمل في ان حادث الاعتداء عليه ناجم عن جهل رجال الجمارك
Russian Ambassador to Qatar hopes that the attack was caused by ignorance of the customs officers
http://arabic.rt.com/news_all_news_middle_east/news/573163
02.12.2011 21:49
Expressed Vladimir Titorenko, Russia's ambassador in Qatar, expressed hope that the attack by beating him, which occurred at the airport in Doha due to ignorance of the customs officers and police the country, lack of knowledge of international laws.
And was Russian ambassador to Qatar and a number of employees of the Russian Embassy on November 29 last attacked by customs officers and police the country, in Doha, Qatar Mtarasma.
He told the Russian ambassador, who was assaulted told "Novosti," Russian news agency said: "Attempt to check your diplomatic mail by a Alrongen. But because the Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not give us a license to transfer e-diplomat, we proposed that message to them as usual without X-ray machine, and under the requirements of the Vienna Convention, but the representatives of airport security and customs and the police insisted on the examination. Titarenko said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs refused to intervene in spite of many requests made by the Russian side in this regard. The men refused to national customs proposal the Russian ambassador that tends diplomatic mail to a neighboring country as long as the problem is not solved.
Said Titorenko: "We had in these circumstances to transfer mail to the car. And tried to elements of the police and customs transit to the car cornering mail using force, outside the boundaries of the airport. And began pulling the envelope containing the diplomatic mail from my hand in a not polite way. And saw the consultant the embassy and its supplement, which tried to protect his ambassador. continued with them in attempts to acquire the envelope power users. and we were able to Ahvaz Barrad diplomat. "
Do not want to talk about the Russian ambassador to the nature of the beatings he received Russian diplomats. But he stressed that the effects of beatings are serious, as demonstrated by the medical reports. According to the words of one witness, there is a lot of bruises on the body of the Russian ambassador and wounded in the retina of the eye.
He said the Russian ambassador: "I hope that this incident is linked to ignorance of customs officials and police, as the international conventions prohibit in any case the use of measures to influence the diplomats and the acquisition of e-diplomat implicitly whatever their position on this.. I hope that the incident was a misunderstanding only."
It is believed one Russian diplomat who was not identified, said the incident could be a provocation. He said: "It is clear that this was a provocation because of the position of Syria, Vladimir Titorenko, note that the conference was held, during which to clarify Russia's position on this matter and shed light on what is happening, which Atharaadm satisfaction."
The Vladimir Titorenko previously served as Russia's ambassador in Iraq. The procession was departing Russian diplomat in Baghdad in April 2003, bombing of U.S. troops. The result was four people, and implicitly Titorenko, were injured. Did not give representatives of the United States yet to apologize.
The Alexander Ukashević spokesman of the Russian Foreign Ministry announced on December 2 that the Russian Foreign Ministry announced its protest to Qatar on the incident, which happened to the Russian Ambassador in Doha and demanded an investigation about it.
According to the words of the Ukashepfich Qatari ambassador was summoned on November 30th to the Russian Foreign Ministry, where handed him a note on the business is allowed over the Russian ambassador in Doha, which is a flagrant violation of the provisions of international law.
It is worth mentioning that the diplomatic relations between the Soviet Union and Qatar held on 2 August / August 1988. It was the opening of the Embassy of the Soviet Union in Doha in November 12, 1989, while the Qatar Embassy in Moscow Vavctan in April 14 for the same year. Qatar announced in the December 6 1991, its official recognition of the Russian Federation.
And continue regular political dialogue between Russia and Qatar in major international and regional affairs.
Source: Agency "Novosti" Russian news agency reported.
روسيا تطالب قطر بمعاقبة المسؤولين عن محاولة الاعتداء على السفير الروسي في مطار الدوحة
Russia calls for Qatar to punish those responsible for the attempted attack on the Russian ambassador in Doha Airport
http://www.sana.sy/ara/3/2011/12/02/385608.htm
02 December 0.2011
Moscow - SANA
Russia called on national authorities to conduct an immediate investigation into the attempted attack on the Russian ambassador at the airport in the Qatari capital Doha.
A statement of the Russian Foreign Ministry said today that the incident at the airport in the Qatari capital Doha on November 29 last attempt associated with physical assault on the Russian ambassador and the staff of the Russian Embassy in Qatar who were in a meeting and when the delivery of Russian diplomatic pouch to the airport.
The statement pointed out that the Russian Foreign summoned the thirtieth day of November, the Qatari Ambassador in Moscow and presented him with a strong protest and handed over a memorandum on the inadmissibility of such actions at the Russian ambassador in Doha is considered a flagrant violation of the rules of international law in force.
Russian Foreign Ministry has sought an immediate, thorough and rigorous punishment of the guilty in this incident and to prevent the occurrence of such incident in the future.
A statement by Russian Foreign Russia is waiting for an answer quickly the country side on the diplomacy of our note in the November 30 and take all necessary measures.
New EU sanctions
EU sanctions on December 1, 2011 (PDF)
(longer document than previous sanctions, plus an accumulated list of sanctioned persons and entities)
Shell to Cease Syria Operations After EU Targets Venture
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-12-02/shell-to-cease-syria-operations-after-eu-targets-local-venture.html
By Eduard Gismatullin -
Fri Dec 02 17:04:17 GMT 2011
Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSA), Europe’s largest oil company, will cease operations in Syria to comply with the latest European Union sanctions against President Bashar al-Assad’s government.
The EU said today it added three oil companies to the list of those targeted by an asset freeze and travel ban: Syria Trading Oil Co., General Petroleum Corp. and Al Furat Petroleum Co. Shell, China National Petroleum Corp. and Oil & Natural Gas Corp. of India are partners in Al Furat, which produced about 100,000 barrels of oil a day, according to its website.
“We will cease activities in line with the sanctions and our priority is the safety of our staff,” David Williams, a Shell spokesman, said by phone from London. He declined to comment further, saying that the company’s lawyers are still working on the new sanctions requirements.
More than 4,000 people have been killed since protests against Assad’s government started in March and more than 14,000 are in detention, United Nations Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said today. The country risks falling into civil war unless the government ends the crackdown, she said. Demonstrations against al-Assad’s leadership were inspired by the so-called Arab Spring movements that toppled leaders in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya.
The U.S., Turkey and the Arab league have also applied sanctions to Syria, while Russia on Oct. 4 blocked a UN resolution calling for al-Assad to soften his actions.
"توتال" تقرر متابعة عملها في سوريا
"Total" Decides to continue its work in Syria
http://www.aksalser.com/index.php?page=view_news&id=149a9cf9028fe779f2c1c134c5d57039&ar=954895312
Friday - December 2 - 2011 - 17:07:05
A spokesman for the French oil group Total said on Friday that EU sanctions against Syria will affect the Group's operations in the country, but there will continue oil production at this time.
The EU imposed sanctions on Friday on three oil companies, including Syria's stroll to the oil trade of state-owned General Petroleum Corporation.
The spokesman said: "EU sanctions will have an impact on our operations in Syria."
Total is working in a joint venture owned equally with the Syrian Petroleum Company, which was not included in the list of companies targeted EU sanctions.
The spokesman said: "Total will comply with EU sanctions."
The Total has said it has reduced its oil production in Syria after the Syrian ban on oil exports.
The Shell on Friday it would halt its activities in Syria in response to a new sanctions.
نواف الموسوي: الرد الأميركي على الهزيمة في العراق يكمن بالسيطرة على سورية
Nawaf al-Moussawi: the U.S. response to the defeat in Iraq is to control Syria
http://goo.gl/lmKvF
its cache
al-Baath Media
Friday, 02 December 2011 18:31
Saw a member of Fidelity's Resistance MP Nawaf Musawi, the political discourse that carries the resistance is a function assigned to the other in Lebanon to besiege the resistance and to reduce, by creating internal strife and down to the cracks and divisions of sectarianism, pointing out that we face today a new version of U.S. plan a new strategy, in order to compensate for the failure that forced the U.S. administration in Iraq because of the resistance after the plans for the occupation of Iraq as a first stage to control the region later.
Musawi, in a speech at the Central Council, which is evaluated by Hezbollah in the city of Byblos girl, surprised at the positions of the Lebanese forces that talk about disarming the resistance that liberated the day after most of the occupied territories, while not the power in the previous arming the army, their friend, the management U.S. not able to edit the half-occupied Lebanese village of Ghajar, a village, and it did not translate over 22 years of occupation, friendship and practical manifestation of its ally, "Israel" from the occupied Lebanese territories.
He noted the Attorney-Moussawi that the U.S. response today on the crushing defeat suffered by the U.S. military in Iraq, is control of Syria by dropping its leadership of resistance, even if it takes internal war will be devastating, offering the U.S. administration itself after a Saviour, which is published military bases in Syria and Lebanon down to the ring to form a safety net for the Israeli entity which no longer feel safe existential since the July 2006 war and after the growing defense capabilities of Iran.
Moussawi stressed that what we see today is in the American project for the protection of "Israel" by changing the point of power in Syria, to get to eliminate the resistance in Lebanon and the output of Russian military bases sea and land from Syria to convert this beach and this part of the Eastern Mediterranean to the base Advanced NATO is a guarantee for Israeli security.
He pointed out that it is not the first time that we are confronted with a legitimate U.S. Israelis, this has been to us that we faced in 1982, and Osagtnah martyrs of the resistance and the Mujahideen, has also brought down the American project, which began with the Madrid Agreement of 93 and 96 and down to the year 2000, and brought down the American project the UN in 2006, though we did not know what we are today and with our own abilities and strength.
In conclusion, al-Moussawi stressed that we will drop the project the American-Israeli and we will achieve victory, pride and pride in the face of this project-based, permanent, considering that it is believed that the road is thorny is the road can lead to victory is the most important, in the history of all nations have not reported the nation ranked glory, liberty, or a of pride that followed only after a bloody thorny path.
US wants allies to cut Iranian oil imports
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20111202_17.html
http://backupurl.com/tzwb5d
Friday, December 02, 2011 13:08 +0900 (JST)
A senior US Treasury official has hinted that the United States will urge its allies to reduce crude oil imports from Iran, as part of the sanctions against its suspected nuclear weapons program.
Undersecretary of the Treasury David Cohen was speaking at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Thursday. He explained how US banks have been barred from dealing with Iranian financial institutions.
The new sanctions were announced by the US government late last month.
Cohen cited countries including Greece, Italy, China and Japan as major oil importers from Iran. He said the US government is looking to work with the nation's closest allies to try and have them reduce their imports of Iranian oil.
Japan imports about 10 percent of its crude oil from Iran.
Trade and industry minister Yukio Edano said on Friday that the Japanese government will cautiously consider whether to reduce oil imports from Iran by fully taking into account Japan's economy and the potential impact of such a move on the global economy.
Ally or oil? The US demands Japan to cut oil imports from Iran. A new source of friction. (an article of Sankei)
同盟か石油か 米、イラン産原油輸入削減要請 日米関係に新たな火種
http://backupurl.com/
産経2011.12.2 23:47
コーエン米財務次官は１日、上院外交委員会の公聴会で証言し、イランの核開発問題やテヘランの英国大使館乱入事件を受け、イランからの原油輸入の削減を日本や欧州など「緊密な同盟国」に求めていく意向を明らかにした。日本は原油輸入の１割をイランに依存しており、削減は避けたいのが本音だが、要請を拒否すれば日米関係の新たな火種になりかねない。日米同盟か、石油か－。日本政府は苦悩している。
日本のイランからの原油輸入量は昨年、サウジアラビア、アラブ首長国連邦、カタールに次いで４番目と上位だ。イランは伝統的な親日国で、１９７９年のイラン革命以降、米国が国交を断絶する中、日本は友好関係を維持してきた経緯もある。
フランスのサルコジ大統領が先週、野田佳彦首相に原油輸入停止などを求める書簡を送ったが、日本政府は要請に応えていない。だが、要請元が米国となると事情は異なる。
要請に応えなかった場合、ただでさえ米軍普天間飛行場の移設問題でギクシャクしがちな日米関係がさらに不安定なものになりかねない。米国は同じ核問題でも北朝鮮とイランでは日本の対応が異なると不満をもらしたことがある。
外務省幹部は「米国の要請は傾聴に値するが、どの程度の削減を要請してくるのか…。イランも外交上、大事な国だ」と気をもんでいる。
玄葉光一郎外相は２日の記者会見で「平和的に解決する努力を日本が行う必要がある」と述べたものの、具体策は触れずじまいだった。対応を先延ばしすれば、欧米からの批判が強まることが予想される。（坂井広志、ワシントン 犬塚陽介）
More sanctions on Iran is a natural decision for Japan (commentary of Nikkei)
イランへの制裁強化は当然だ
http://backupurl.com/l55hcz
日経2011/12/2付
テヘランの英国大使館が襲撃され、イランをめぐる国際関係が緊張の度合いを増している。
英国の外交官全員がイランから退去する一方、英政府は在英イラン大使館の閉鎖とイラン外交官全員の国外退去を迫った。ドイツ、フランスも駐イラン大使の本国召還を決めた。欧州連合（ＥＵ）もイラン制裁の強化に踏み切る。
11月29日の襲撃事件では、イランの治安当局が民兵組織に属する学生らの英大使館乱入を黙認したとみられている。外国公館の保護は国際法上の義務だ。深刻な事態を招いた責任はイラン側にある。
今回の事件は、国際原子力機関（ＩＡＥＡ）がイランの核開発について軍事目的との疑念を強める報告を発表し、米国、英国などが追加制裁を決めた後に起きた。
これまでの制裁でイランはすでに経済的な打撃を受けている。イランの政権には、インフレや貿易取引減少などへの国内の不満を外に向けると同時に、さらに多くの国が制裁を強めるのをけん制する狙いがあったとの見方もある。
だが、ＩＡＥＡ報告を受けて国際社会がイランに対して一段と厳しい姿勢を取るのは当然だ。
イランはまず、核開発に関する世界の疑念に答えなければならない。ＩＡＥＡによる調査団の派遣を受け入れる国際的な責任をイランは負っている。
圧力を強めるのに消極的な中国やロシアも、イランに毅然とした姿勢を示し、国際社会の足並みをそろえる必要がある。
イランをめぐる緊張で原油相場が再び上昇し始めた。輸入原油の約１割をイランに依存する日本にも、米欧は制裁を強めるよう呼びかけている。核兵器の拡散防止は日本外交にとっても重要課題だ。
米国も現段階では原油相場の急騰を招くような事態は避けようとしている。だが、経済的利益と同時に、現状が続いた場合のより大きな地政学リスクも警戒する必要がある。ウラン濃縮停止などをイランに強く迫るために、日本も制裁強化を考えなければならない。
The US places an unofficial demand for South Korea to cease oil import from Iran (an article of the Korean Daily of South Korea)
米国、イランからの原油輸入停止を非公式に要請
米国務次官に続き、アインホン特別補佐官もイランへの制裁強化を要求
http://backupurl.com/hkbe2f
http://backupurl.com/72h6sc
記事入力 : 2011/12/01 10:01
朝鮮日報
昨年はイラン国営メラト銀行ソウル支店の制裁問題をめぐり韓国、米国、イランの3カ国の間に緊張が走ったが、今年も同じような問題が表面化している。国際原子力機関（IAEA）がイランの核兵器開発疑惑を公表したことを受け、米国が韓国政府に対してイランへの制裁をさらに強化するよう求めてきたのだ。
米国のオバマ政権は先月22日のシャーマン国務次官に続き、今月5日にはイランと北朝鮮への制裁を担当する国務省のアインホン特別補佐官を韓国に派遣し、イランへの制裁強化を求める方針であることが分かった。
米国の政府関係者は外交ルートを通じ、韓国に対してイランとの石油化学製品の取引や原油の輸入を中断するよう求めており、3カ国間で摩擦が起こる可能性も高まっている。ソウルのある外交筋は「米国は韓国がフランス政府と同様、イラン産原油の輸入を停止することを求めており、韓国側もこのことを理解している」と述べた。イランに経済的な打撃を与えるためには、イランの経済基盤となっている原油の輸出を阻止する必要があるというわけだ。
韓国政府の統計によると、韓国とイランの年間交易額はおよそ100億ドル（約7800億円）に上り、そのうち50億―60億ドル（約3900億―4700億円）が韓国による原油の輸入だ。2009年のイランからの原油輸入量は、韓国の原油輸入全体の9.6%を占めた。
米国のこうした要請について、韓国政府の関係者は「しばらく状況を見守った上で決めても遅くはないだろう」とコメントした。 一方、英国では先月29日、政府がイランによる核開発への対抗措置として経済制裁の強化を発表したのに反発し、イラン駐在の英国大使館にデモ隊が乱入した。このような事例を踏まえ、韓国政府内でも「慎重に検討しなければならない」という意見が大勢を占めている。別の政府関係者は「同盟国である米国の要請を無視するわけにはいかない。特に核開発問題では北朝鮮がイランとの協力を強化しているため、何らかの措置は必要だろう。この点については今も検討が進められている」と述べた。
韓国政府は昨年、イランに対する国連安保理決議1929号が採択されたのを受け、イランの抗議にもかかわらず、この採択を忠実に実行している。韓国政府は国際社会との共存という観点から、昨年9月8日に政府の各部処（省庁）が合同で金融、貿易、エネルギーなど五つの分野にわたり16項目の対イラン制裁を決めた。
その中でも代表的なものが、昨年実行されたイラン国営メラト銀行ソウル支店に対する営業停止命令だ。米国はメラト銀行ソウル支店について「アラブ圏の外で活動するイラン唯一の銀行支店」であることを理由に閉鎖を求めてきた。これに対し、韓国政府はしばらく対応を先送りしていたが、最終的に同銀行に対して外国為替取引法違反容疑を適用し、2カ月の営業停止処分を下した。韓国政府による制裁が影響し、メラト銀行ソウル支店は現在、事実上の開店休業状態にあり、営業面で大きな打撃を受けている。
韓国とイランは1962年に外交を樹立し、これまで比較的友好な関係を維持してきた。
1970年代には、韓国企業がイラン国内で多くの建設工事を受注したのを機に両国の関係はさらに発展し、一時は2万人以上の韓国人作業員がイランに滞在するなど、韓国の経済成長にはイランが大きく貢献したとされている。しかし最近はイランでミサイル開発や核開発が行われている上、この分野で北朝鮮との技術協力が盛んに行われていることも明らかになり、両国関係が揺らぎ始めている。韓国政府（の）関係者は「今月中に外交通商部や知識経済部（いずれも省に相当）など関係省庁の幹部が集まり、イランに対する追加制裁について話し合う予定だ」「米国とイランを同時に満足させる方法がないのが悩みの種だ」とコメントした。
U.S. hands main war base, Saddam palaces back to Iraq
http://in.reuters.com/article/2011/12/02/iraq-withdrawal-base-idINDEE7B10E520111202
By Jim Loney
BAGHDAD | Fri Dec 2, 2011 7:52pm IST
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The U.S. military passed a milestone in its pending withdrawal from Iraq on Friday, vacating its vast main base near Baghdad airport that once housed the American war operations hub and hosted a captive Saddam Hussein before his execution.
Victory Base Complex, a site ringed by 42 kilometres (27 miles) of blast walls and razor wire, was the U.S. nerve centre for the Iraq war almost from the moment American troops entered the capital and pulled down Saddam's statue in 2003.
The handover of Victory Base to Iraq's government was a big step in the U.S. pullout from Iraq as Washington consolidates its presence in Baghdad at its sprawling embassy on the Tigris River in the capital's heavily fortified Green Zone.
Fewer than 500 U.S. troops remain in the capital, according to a U.S. official.
About 12,000 troops are still in Iraq, down from a peak of about 170,000 at the height of the war. All of the remaining forces are due to leave by the end of this year, except for a small contingent of under 200 attached to the U.S. embassy.
"The Victory Base Complex was officially signed over to the receivership of the Iraqi government this morning," Colonel Barry Johnson, a U.S. military spokesman, said by email. "The base is no longer under U.S. control and is now under the full authority of the Government of Iraq."
American forces have been closing down operations for months at the Victory complex, which once housed around 42,000 U.S. military personnel and another 20,000 support staff.
The top U.S. war leaders from Ricardo Sanchez to David Petraeus to the current commander, General Lloyd Austin, lived at one of Saddam's villas on the base, a 20-room, 25,000-square-foot mansion where King Hussein of Jordan was said to have liked to fish off the back porch during Saddam's reign.
LEGACY OF SADDAM'S LIFE OF LUXURY
U.S. officials said Saddam built the network of palaces and villas and a complex of lakes on the grounds, including his Victory over America palace feting the 1991 Gulf War, in which U.S. forces drove Iraq out of Kuwait, and the Victory over Iran palace commemorating the 1980s campaign against his neighbour.
U.S. forces used as their war operations centre Saddam's al-Faw Palace, a 450,000-square-foot edifice of 62 rooms, including 29 bathrooms, designed with France's Versailles in mind and decorated with French provincial furniture.
U.S. officials said they left behind a massive, throne-like wooden chair given to Saddam by Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.
Saddam Hussein was imprisoned at Victory Base for about two years in a maximum-security facility built in the bombed wreckage of a villa once used by security forces headed by his son Uday, U.S. officials said.
"Building 114," as U.S. troops knew it, was located on a small island in a lake, connected by a causeway and a drawbridge, and was shared by Saddam and his henchman, Ali Hassan al-Majeed, or Chemical Ali. Both were executed.
The base was a home-away-from-home for hundreds of thousands of U.S. troops who served in Iraq and was thoroughly Americanized over the course of eight years with everything from water and power plants to Burger King and Subway restaurants.
U.S. soldiers could be seen jogging around the lakes in off-duty hours or smacking golf balls into the water from the terraces of Saddam's palaces.
"There is a sense of excitement about leaving because the base because it means we're heading home," said Lieutenant Colonel Jerry Brooks, a U.S. military historian.
"Mainly it's a sense of satisfaction over a job done to the best of our abilities and the knowledge that we left it better than we found it."
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