UNITED NATIONS

N. Korea, Iran clarify nuclear stance

Challenged by the U.N. nuclear chief to prove their atomic
programs are peaceful, North Korea said it would scrap its
“nuclear deterrence” if the United States ended its
hostile policy and Iran said negotiations with three European
countries may “bring fruit.”

North Korea’s deputy U.N. ambassador Kim Chang Guk on
Monday totally rejected the International Atomic Energy Agency,
calling it “a political tool of the superpower.” He
also accused Japan of allowing U.S. nuclear weapons on its soil and
South Korea of nuclear ambitions.

Iran’s deputy U.N. ambassador Mehdi Danesh-Yazdi was less
strident, but stressed that Tehran “is determined to pursue
its inalienable rights to develop nuclear energy for peaceful
purposes.” He also criticized the international community for
targeting Iran’s nuclear program while saying nothing about
Israel’s.

IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei challenged both countries in his
annual report to the U.N. General Assembly, urging Iran to suspend
its uranium enrichment program “as a confidence building
measure” and North Korea to dismantle its nuclear weapons
program or at least allow inspections to ensure it is
“exclusively peaceful.”

 

BAGHDAD, IRAQ

Attacks mount as major U.S. assault looms

Car bombs killed at least a dozen people in Baghdad and another
major city yesterday as pressure mounted on interim Prime Minister
Ayad Allawi to avert a full-scale U.S. attack on the insurgent
stronghold Fallujah.

There was no word on an American and two other foreigners
abducted Monday night in Baghdad, although the kidnappers freed two
Iraqi guards also captured in the bold attack. Some diplomats
speculated the foreigners may have been seized to pressure the
Americans against a Fallujah attack.

In northern Iraq yesterday, saboteurs blew up an oil pipeline
and attacked an oil well, violence that is expected to stop oil
exports for the next 10 days, Iraqi oil officials said.
Iraq’s oil industry, which provides desperately needed money
for reconstruction efforts, has been the target of repeated attacks
by insurgents.

At least eight people, including a woman, died early yesterday
when an explosives-laden car slammed into concrete blast walls and
protective barriers surrounding the Education Ministry and exploded
in Baghdad’s Sunni Muslim district of Azamiyah.

 

NABLUS, WEST BANK

Israeli army destroys suicide bomber’s home

The Israeli army destroyed the home of a teenage suicide bomber
yesterday despite his mother’s public and impassioned
criticism of the group that sent her son on the deadly mission.

Israeli military officials acknowledged the woman’s grief,
but insisted the policy of demolishing bombers’ houses is
necessary to deter more attacks. The militants who sent the
teenager said they would try to rebuild the family’s
home.

The incident focused new attention on an Israeli policy that has
drawn criticism from Palestinians and human rights groups, which
say tearing down homes amounts to collective punishment.

After the demolition, the bomber’s mother, Samira
Abdullah, backed off her criticism of her sons’ handlers,
saying her anger had subsided and praising the teenager as a
hero.

 

KHARTOUM, SUDAN

U.N.: Sudanese forces surround Darfur camps

The Sudanese security forces surrounded several camps in the
war-torn region of Darfur yesterday, relocated refugees against
their will and denied access to humanitarian groups, the United
Nations said. Sudan denied closing off the camps but said angry
Arab tribesmen gathered in the area.

The U.N. World Food Program said several camps were surrounded
— apparently in retaliation for the abduction of 18 Arabs by
Darfur rebels — and that the world body was forced to pull 88
relief workers from other areas where there has been an upsurge in
violence in recent days. The World Food Program fears the
government may start forcing people from the camps back to their
home villages.