EU BACK FOREIGN MINISTER POST

1-Storm Florence on path for Bermuda. 2-Early morning heavy rains pound Arizona. 3-Popular opinion backs EU foreign minister post. 4-PM Olmert's Office: Int'l Troops To Replace Blockade Thursday. 5-B.C Fires. 6-Idaho forest fires continue to grow.7-Through Middle East Proxies, Russia Steps Quickly Toward Prophetic Fulfillment Of War With Israel. 8-Iran-EU meeting Sat. seen as last chance. 9-Speech by Prince Hassan of Jordan, President of the Club of Rome. 10-Trade in South America. 11-Conference highlights earthquake threat in Switzerland. 12-Spain hit by highly toxic spill.

LUKE 21:25-26
25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity;(MASS CONFUSION) the sea and the waves roaring;(FIERCE WINDS)
26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

Storm Florence on path for Bermuda By JENNIFER KAY, Associated Press Writer 26 minutes ago

MIAMI - Tropical Storm Florence held its strength in the open Atlantic early Thursday, still far from the U.S. but large enough that forecasters warned it could create high surf and rip currents along the East Coast within the next five days. The storm's forecast path puts it over the Bermuda area Monday or Tuesday, forecasters said.The concern would be Bermuda at this point, how close the destructive force winds will move toward it,said Dave Roberts, a Navy forecaster at the National Hurricane Center.

Florence had maximum sustained winds near 50 mph Thursday morning and tropical storm force winds extending up to 290 miles from its center. Its sustained winds were expected to strengthen Thursday and Friday and pass the 74 mph threshold for a hurricane by the time in nears Bermuda.At 11 a.m. EDT, the storm was centered 645 miles east of the Northern Leeward Islands and about 1,115 miles southeast of Bermuda. It was moving west-northwest at about 8 mph.Even though the forecast shows the storm's center will likely remain off the U.S. coast, Florence's large size meant that ocean swells could cause high surf and rip currents from the mid-Atlantic states northward by Tuesday, said Stacy Stewart, a senior hurricane specialist at the hurricane center.

Florence developed in the peak of hurricane season in warm Atlantic waters, the source of energy for storm development this time of year. While warm enough to spur storm intensification, forecasters said those waters are not as warm as last year's storm season, which had a record 28 named storms and 15 hurricanes, including Katrina.The 2006 Atlantic hurricane season has not been as rough as initially feared. The National Hurricane Center lowered its forecast in August to between 12 and 15 named storms and seven to nine hurricanes.Florence follows on the heels of Tropical Storm Ernesto, which was briefly the season's first hurricane before weakening and blowing up the East Coast last week. The storm was blamed for nine U.S. deaths, delayed the launch of the space shuttle Atlantis and blacked out thousands of homes and businesses from North Carolina to New York.
On the Net:Hurricane Center: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov

Early morning heavy rains pound Arizona 27 minutes ago

TUCSON, Ariz. - Heavy rains pounded the Tucson area on Thursday, flooding numerous streets and strangling traffic. A man's body washed up from a river, and officials said he may have fallen into rushing water upstream.A record 1.14 inches of rain was reported at Tucson International Airport, and up to 2 inches of rain fell in other parts of the area before 7 a.m.Numerous collisions and stranded vehicles were reported.The body washed up from the Santa Cruz River on the city's northwest side, after a man was reported to have fallen into a south-side wash. Witnesses reported that the man was floating downstream face down after possibly hitting his head in the water, Fire Capt. Paul McDonough said.

DANIEL 7:23-24
23 Thus he said, The fourth beast(THE EU,REVIVED ROME) shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth,(7TH WORLD EMPIRE) which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.(TR BLOCKS)
24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise:(10 NATIONS) and another shall rise after them;(#11 SPAIN) and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.(BE HEAD OF 3 KINGS OR NATIONS).

Popular opinion backs EU foreign minister post
06.09.2006 - 17:33 CET | By Honor Mahony

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - A majority of EU citizens are in favour of having a single EU foreign minister for the bloc, the results of a new survey have shown.Conducted by the German Marshall Fund in June across several member states including France,
Germany, the UK and Italy, the survey showed that 65 percent of respondents would like to see the post created.

The greatest support for the idea was found among the Spanish (74%), the Italians (71%) and the French (69%) while British and Slovak respondents proved among the least keen on the idea, clocking in 52 and 48 percent respectively.The EU foreign minister position is one of the key innovations of the European constitution which was shelved last year after French and Dutch voters rejected it in referendums.

And so long as the constitution remains moribund, the post is unlikely to see the light of day.But while there was some strong support for a foreign minister, the idea of the bloc strengthening its military power to play a larger role in the world proved more controversial.On average, 51 percent were against the idea but there were big differences between countries with the Portuguese (68%) and the French (56%) more in favour of the bloc assuming military responsibilities but the Germans (64%) and the Italians (56%) more against.A majority of those surveyed believed further enlargement of the EU would bring peace and democracy to the EU bloc's borders (62%) and would strengthen the EU's role in the world (63%).

EU-US trends

The same survey shows that European support for US leadership in world affairs has dropped significantly (from 64% to 37%) since the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington five years ago.On a similar note, European disapproval of US president George W. Bush's handling of international affairs has risen strongly from 56 percent to 77 percent - with the French, Germans and Spanish proving to be the most critical with an 85 percent disapproval rate.European disapproval is mirrored across the Atlantic as Americans for the first time since 2001 are more disapproving (58%) than approving (40%) of president Bush's handling of foreign affairs.Between the 2001 attacks and now the US led an international coalition to invade Afghanistan – in October 2001 – and invaded Iraq in 2003 as part of its war on terror.

But the Iraq invasion, which bitterly split European countries, has come to haunt the Bush administration as the death toll rises for both Iraqi civilians and US soldiers and with the country beset by sectarian violence. With the international community's efforts to get Iran to stop its uranium enrichment programme almost constantly in the news the last few months, both Europeans and Americans view its nuclear threat as greater than the continued violence in Iraq.This report uses results from citizens from the nine EU member states surveyed - Germany, France, the UK, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal and Slovakia. In each country, around 1,000 people were interviewed.

ISRAELS TROUBLE

JEREMIAH 30:7
7 Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble;(ISRAEL) but he shall be saved out of it.

DANIEL 12:1,4
1 And at that time shall Michael(ISRAELS WAR ANGEL) stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people:(ISRAEL) and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation(May 14,48) even to that same
time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro,(WORLD TRAVEL,IMMIGRATION) and knowledge shall be increased.(COMPUTERS,CHIP IMPLANTS ETC)

PM Olmert's Office: Int'l Troops To Replace Blockade Thursday
By Ezra HaLevi(INN)

Israel announced that it will end the nearly two-month blockade of Lebanon at 6 PM Thursday, trusting international troops to prevent Hizbullah from smuggling weapons in and the MIAs out. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s office announced that international forces would be replacing Israeli positions over Lebanon’s air and seaports beginning Thursday evening. The announcement bows to a demand by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and threats by Lebanese officials to use Lebanon’s army to break the blockade in 48 hours.

US Secretary of State Dr. Condoleeza Rice and UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, last night and this morning, informed Prime Minister Ehud Olmert that international forces are ready to take up control positions over Lebanon’s seaports and airports, Olmert’s office said. Therefore, it was agreed that tomorrow, Israel will leave the aforesaid control positions and, at the same time, the international forces will enter.

Today,the statement continue, German experts and their equipment are expected to arrive at Beirut International Airport. The Lebanese Government and the UN have also agreed that German naval forces will deploy opposite the Lebanese coast.

The announcement came on the heels of a Lebanese threat to break the blockade.
We will wait out the time frame outlined by Koffi Annan,Lebanese Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh said, 48 hours - and if the situation is solved, we will thank him, and if not, the Lebanese government will take the necessary steps and break the blockade.

The announcement elicited outrage from the families of kidnapped IDF soldiers Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser – who say the blockade should not be lifted until their children are released from Hizbullah captivity. The families worry that once the blockade is lifted, the soldiers will be smuggled out of Lebanon.

REVELATION 8:7
7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.

B.C Fires
By JENNIFER DYCK
Morning Star Staff,Sep 06 2006

Smoke continues to dominate the Okanagan valley skies due to an immense blaze straddling the B.C./Washington border.

The cause of the valley’s smoky conditions is the Tatoosh fire burning in the Pasayten River area, which crossed the B.C. border over the long weekend. The blaze, which was started Aug. 22 by lightning, is estimated at 5,700 hectares with approximately 2,100 hectares burning in B.C. Along with seeing haze, Vernon and area residents may be wondering if such conditions are also affecting their health. Particularly those more sensitive to smoke exposure than others, such as children, seniors and people with asthma or heart or lung diseases.

In Vernon, the air quality health index (from www.airplaytoday.com) was at a low health risk as of Tuesday and forecasted to reach a moderate level today. For those most sensitive to smoke, Dr. Paul Hasselback, senior medical health officer with Interior Health, reminds them to be aware of these ratings. Just because one of the fires has crossed the border doesn’t mean the smoke is any worse or better than before. But most of the smoke we’re experiencing is probably coming from the larger fire, the Tripod Complex fire,said Hasselback, of the 62,255 hectare blaze that has been burning since July 24 and currently sits approximately four kilometres from the border. The smoke has also raised concerns from Princeton area residents, and has initiated activation of an Emergency Operations Centre in Princeton.

The level one EOC, opened by the Regional District Okanagan Similkameen, was activated even though the fire is considerable distance from Princeton. With the establishment of the RDOS Protective Services Department managed by Mark Woods, we are ready to respond with emergency operations in support of those fighting this fire and for the public that may be affected,said Dan Ashton, RDOS board chair. B.C. Forest Service spokesman Jeff Moore also stated:No evacuation alerts have been issued, although the residents have been made aware of the fire threat. All residents are also reminded that although there is no campfire ban in effect, to never leave their campfires unattended. There have been more than 350 abandoned campfires in the Kamloops Fire Centre alone this summer, with 24 of them resulting in wildfires requiring action by fire fighters.

Wednesday, September 6, 2006
Idaho forest fires continue to grow
By EXPRESS STAFF and ASSOCIATED PRESS

Strong winds and dry weather contributed to the spread of several forest fires burning to the north and west of Stanley over the weekend. The Trail Creek Fire, burning near Loon Creek in the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness, grew about 1,400 acres since late last week to about 33,600 acres, the U.S. Forest Service reported Tuesday. The fire continues to be fueled by beetle-killed trees. Fire suppression efforts have focused on protecting the Loon Creek guard station and other buildings. The Boundary Fire, burning near the Middle Fork of the Salmon River launch site, was held under a temperature inversion Sunday and did not make much of an advance, the Forest Service reported. However, a Forest Service Web site stated that the fire has extreme growth potential due to low humidity and very dry fuels. The Boundary Fire and two other nearby fires, known together as the Boundary Complex, have burned almost 18,000 acres.

The Red Mountain Fire, burning about five miles northwest of Banner Summit, was fanned by strong winds Monday into flames about 300 feet high, sending embers across fire lines. Fire crews pulled back for safety reasons, the Forest Service reported.
Fire fighters may need to construct line quickly to prevent further expansion of troublesome areas,a Forest Service press release stated on Tuesday.

The press release stated that crews may use explosives to blow brush and other wood out of the way of the fire's path. The fire has burned about 21,000 acres. The Trailhead Fire, burning near Stanley Lake, is 80 percent contained. However, some trails in the area remain closed. Federal fire forecasters said Friday that the 2006 wildfire season will likely end up scorching about the same amount of land in the western United States as did last year's fires, although the acreage burned so far this season is well above the 10-year average. Through August, 7.8 million acres, or more than 12,000 square miles, had burned this year from more than 79,000 fires.

In 2005, more than 56,000 fires burned 8.2 million acres, or 12,800 square miles. The 10-year average fire season through August is 4.7 million acres, or 7,300 square miles, from 58,000 fires. The U.S. Forest Service has spent almost more than $1.2 billion fighting the fires since the fiscal 2006-year began last Oct. 1.Federal suppression costs have been high this season due to an unusually early and large fire season in Texas and Oklahoma. Costs have also been steep from a spate of big timber blazes this year in the Rockies and Cascades.

We've learned when you get fires in that terrain, there's no reason to put people at risk climbing steep mountainsides, said Rose Davis, spokeswoman for the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise. We incorporate more aviation assets to stem the spread of those fires from the air, which is costlier. The new National Wildland Fire Outlook report for September calls for high fire potential in northern California due to seasonal winds, while monsoons in the Southwest have ended the fire season there. The probability of lightning in the Pacific Northwest will drop significantly after Sept. 10, which should lessen the chances of more new fires. But Tom Wordell, leader of the Predictive Services Unit at the federal firefighting command center in Boise, said energy release component measurements of how quickly trees and brush could ignite remain dangerously high after a long, hot summer in the West.

MUSLIM NATIONS

EZEKIEL 38:1-12
1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, set thy face against Gog,(RULER) the land of Magog,(RUSSIA) the chief prince of Meshech(MOSCOW)and Tubal,(TOBOLSK) and prophesy against him,
3 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal:
4 And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws,(GOD FORCES THE MUSLIMS TO MARCH) and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords:
5 Persia,(IRAN,IRAQ) Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet:
6 Gomer,(GERMANY) and all his bands; the house of Togarmah (TURKEY)of the north quarters, and all his bands:(SUDAN,AFRICA) and many people with thee.
7 Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them.
8 After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.
9 Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee.(RUSSIA-EGYPT AND MUSLIMS)
10 Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought:
11 And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates,
12 To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land.

ISAIAH 17:1
1 The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.

PSALMS 83:3-7
3 They (ARABS,MUSLIMS) have taken crafty counsel against thy people,(ISRAEL) and consulted against thy hidden ones.
4 They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.
5 For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee:(TREATIES)
6 The tabernacles of Edom,and the Ishmaelites;(ARABS) of Moab, and the Hagarenes;
7 Gebal, and Ammon,(JORDAN) and Amalek;(SYRIA) the Philistines (PALESTINIANS) with the inhabitants of Tyre;(LEBANON)

NUCLEAR WEAPONS WILL BE USED.

ZECHARIAH 14:12-13
12 And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.
13 And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the LORD shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour.

EZEKIEL 20:47
47 And say to the forest of the south, Hear the word of the LORD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned therein.

ZEPHANIAH 1:18
18 Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD'S wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.

MALACHI 4:1
1 For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.

REVELATION 8:7
7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.

REVELATION 9:18
18 By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.

HALF OF EARTHS POPULATION DIE DURING THE 7 YR TRIBULATION.(THESE VERSES ARE JUDGEMENT SCRIPTURES NOT RAPTURE SCRIPTURES)

LUKE 17:34-37
34 I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.
35 Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
36 Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
37 And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.(Christians have new bodies,this is the people against Jerusalem during the 7 yr treaty)(Christians bodies are not being eaten by the birds).

MATTHEW 24:37-51
37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
45 Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?
46 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
47 Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.
48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;
49 And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;
50 The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,
51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Through Middle East Proxies, Russia Steps Quickly Toward Prophetic Fulfillment Of War With Israel 2006-09-06 -- WDC Media News -- Feature Article
By Bill Wilson, Daily Jot News Service Senior Analyst
Christian News and Media Agency

Wash—Sep 6—DJNS--Iran is reportedly moving fast toward having its own nuclear weapons capabilities and sanctions leveled by the United States in protest are like fighting a wild bear with a feather. And it is the proxy of the wild bear that the United States is fighting. Russia continues to press for what it calls a diplomatic solution to the Iranian issue, all the while it is supplying arms, missile engineering, and nuclear technology and know-how to Iran. If Iran has a nuclear weapon and the capability to deliver it within the next five years as some Pentagon analysts believe, then Russia is to blame for its extraordinary assistance to the Iranian program. Russia also had sold arms to Iran and Syria which were used by Hezbollah in its recent war with Israel.

Ariel Cohen, a Russian analyst with the conservative Heritage Foundation, recently observed that Russia not only has a billion dollar deal to build Iran’s Bushehr Nuclear Reactor, it also supports Tehran diplomatically, and supplies Iran with arms. Cohen told CBN News that Russia is interested in high oil prices. Therefore, Russia is interested in an aggressive Iran that supports the Middle East.

If Americans get pinned down on top of that, dealing with Iran and trying to enforce nuclear disarmament of Iran, that’s in Russia’s interests because Russia gets stronger. Russia is not involved in any fighting, and Americans are being drained of their treasure and their troops, and are being bogged down in a major confrontation with the Muslim world.

Russia’s reach is not only focused on the Middle East. Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez and Russian President Vladimir Putin are on the verge of a series of agreements to strengthen Russia’s military and energy ties in South America. Chavez recently announced that his country will be building a weapons plant under the license of Russia. And Chavez agreed to make Russia his number one arms supplier with a $3 billion-plus deal to purchase fighter jets and helicopters. In return, Russia will be putting a stake in the South American ground by helping create a natural gas and oil cartel with Venezuela.

Iran’s nuclear weapons program is virtually guaranteed If the United States and other free nations around the world do nothing more than sanctions to stop it. And much of the unrest around the world is fueled by weapons from and diplomatic protection by Russia.

Its long over due that the United States quit believing what is not true—that Russia is an ally. Russia is fast moving toward fulfillment of the Ezekiel prophecy that it will lead Iran and other Islamic nations to war with Israel. Ezekiel 38:9 says Russia will ascend, coming like a storm, covering the land like a cloud.Of course, God will cause the Russians and their allies to be defeated.

American cannot stop prophecy, but she can determine where she stands in it. Let us pray our only alliance is with Christ.

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WDC Media
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Iran-EU meeting Sat. seen as last chance Thu Sep 7,

COPENHAGEN, Denmark -European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana said Thursday that he expects to hold talks with Iran's top nuclear envoy on Saturday.

The talks are considered a final attempt to determine whether there is common ground to start negotiations between Iran and the five U.N. Security Council nations, plus Germany.

Solana did not release the location of Saturday's meeting, to be held with Iran's Ali Larijani.Meanwhile, key European nations warned that Iran is trying to weaken
international opposition to its contentious nuclear program by stalling on giving a clear response to terms set by the six world powers for negotiations, according to a confidential document obtained Thursday.

The Iranian goal obviously is to split the international community,said the document, drawn up by Britain, France and Germany, and made available to The Associated Press ahead of a key meeting of the five Security Council nations and Germany.The nations are scheduled to meet in Berlin on Thursday to coordinate joint strategy over Iran's refusal to suspend uranium enrichment.Larijani was in Spain on Thursday for talks with Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan is also in Spain for talks with Zapatero. It was not immediately known if he and Larijani will meet.Italian Premier Romano Prodi will meet with Larijani on Friday to discuss the nuclear standoff, the crisis in Lebanon and Iran's role in the region, the premier's spokesman said.The European assessment of Iran's strategy in the nuclear negotiations is described in a 1 1/2 page document labeled In Confidence that was sent to dozens of capitals last week.It summarizes Iran's response to a six-power offer to Iran dangling the prospect of technical, economic and political rewards if it agrees to suspend enrichment before talks begin and consider a long-term moratorium on the technology, which can be misused to make nuclear arms.While not specifically threatening U.N. sanctions, it says the Security Council will have to consider further steps if Tehran continues to defy the council by refusing to stop enrichment.

The six-power package warned of punishments, including U.N. sanctions, if Tehran does not halt enrichment — something Iran refused to do by an Aug. 31 deadline set by the U.N. Security Council.Iran's Aug. 22 response to the six-power offer has been kept confidential. But the United States and its allies have described it as unsatisfactory, primarily because of Tehran's refusal to consider freezing enrichment.Diplomats familiar with the document said it was drawn up by Britain, France and Germany, which are among the six nations that made the June incentives offer, to inform other nations of the substance of Iran's counteroffer and share
the Western view that it was inadequate.The reply is along the lines of previous Iranian statements in that typically it neither accepts nor rejects outright the six-power proposal, said the document sent to dozens of capitals last week.

By hinting that it is prepared to resume suspension of uranium enrichment, the document says, Iran's goal obviously is to split the international community and draw us into a process of talks about talks, on Iranian terms, while making no commitments of its own while continuing with its enrichment programme.

The document described Iran's response as verbose and complicated, and ambiguous in many places.Iran promises that it is prepared to discuss the suspension of uranium enrichment in the course of negotiations but not before, the document said. In addition, Iran demands the termination of Security Council involvement in its
nuclear file.

Iran's nuclear defiance is the thrust of Thursday's talks in Berlin by U.S. Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns and counterparts from the other five powers — Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany. Iran's unyielding stance appears to be based on the calculation that sanctions will be opposed by Russia and China, both veto-wielding Security Council members that have major commercial ties with Tehran. On Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said any sanctions must exclude military force, suggesting Moscow was contemplating the possibility of sanctions but remained opposed to harsh and quick punishment.

Lavrov said the Security Council's recent resolution on the issue holds out the possibility of further measures on Iran such as economic penalties, banning air travel or breaking diplomatic relations, but not the use of armed force. This article envisages measures to exert influence on a country that is not cooperating, including economic ones, but it is written unambiguously there that this excludes any kind of forceful measures of influence,ITAR-Tass quoted him as saying. U.S. and European diplomats have said they are focusing at first on low-level punishment such as travel bans on Iranian officials or a ban on the sale of dual-use technology, to win backing from Russia and China.

More extreme sanctions would be a freeze on Iranian assets or a broader trade ban, but those would likely be opposed by Russia, China and perhaps others, particularly since the trade ban could cut off badly needed oil exports from Iran. Iran insists it has a right to enrich for generation of nuclear power. But suspicions are growing it wants to develop the technology to enrich uranium to the weapons-grade level for the fissile core of nuclear warheads.
Associated Press writer George Jahn in Berlin contributed to this story.

Speech by Prince Hassan of Jordan, President of the Club of Rome, Promotes the Human Agenda Through Multiculturalism in Acceptance of Honorary Doctorate from Soka University

TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Prince Hassan bin al Talal of Jordan, President of the Club of Rome, called for mutual respect among different cultures in a speech at the International Conference Hall of Soka University, Hachioji, Tokyo, upon his acceptance of an honorary doctorate from the University.

In his speech, given before an audience of students from 21 countries, Prince Hassan emphasized that we must avoid conflict by looking at ourselves from the standpoint of cultures and traditions that differ from ours. We must promote the human agenda by emphasizing dialogue focused on people, and promote an identity that spans the range of humanity from poor to rich to strengthen respect for human dignity. Only by advancing mutual respect and understanding can we achieve true multiculturalism. For the sake of peace, Prince Hassan proposes the creation of a set of moral principles founded on human solidarity. He comments how some today are driven to martyrdom due to hatred that has been driven deep into their hearts, stating that this will never create peace or promote human dignity. Prince Hassan urges the youth of today to stand up and work together to promote mutual understanding and solve the problems facing humanity.

Prince Hassan bin al Talal of Jordan (59) was born in March 1947 in Amman, Jordan. He obtained an MA in Oriental Studies from Christ Church College of Oxford University. In addition to being the president of the Club of Rome, he is also vice-chairman of the Foundation for Interreligious and Intercultural Research and Dialogue, a member of various UNESCO committees, and is on the board of directors for the Center for Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution at the University of Oklahoma.

Soka University awarded Prince Hassan with the honorary doctorate for his contributions to learning and to the promotion of international understanding
through the creation of a global culture of peace and prosperity based on dialogue and conduct rooted in humanitarian principles.

Other individuals who have been awarded honorary doctorates by Soka University include Wangari Maathai, Linus Pauling and Rosa Parks. Towards a century of peace, culture and education, Soka University aims to become a student-centered University that contributes to building a peaceful world. Soka University promotes international exchanges with 97 universities in 44 countries around the world.

Trade in South America
Pisco sour,From The Economist print edition
Sweeter times ahead on the Pacific seaboard

LITTLE by little, South America is dividing itself into two very different trade blocks. Mercosur, based on Brazil and Argentina and recently joined by Venezuela, is relatively protectionist and suspicious of bilateral trade deals with the United States. Most countries on the Pacific seaboard are committed to free trade with both el norte and Asia. The latest piece in this jigsaw came on August 22nd, when Chile's foreign minister, Alejandro Foxley, visited Peru's capital, Lima, to discuss his country's plan to rejoin the Andean Community, which it left in 1976.

This continental divide is far from absolute. Chile, with the most open economy in the region, is an associate member of Mercosur (it has a free-trade agreement with the block, but is not part of its putative customs union). So are Peru and Bolivia. Ecuador and especially Bolivia have reservations about closer ties with the United States. Not so Paraguay and Uruguay, although both are members of Mercosur.

But the drift is clear. In April Hugo Chávez, Venezuela's president, pulled out of the Andean Community in protest at trade deals concluded by Peru and Colombia with the United States. Alan García, Peru's new president, has been especially keen to draw Chile into the Andean group as a counterweight to Mr Chávez. In Lima Mr Foxley also signed a bilateral trade agreement with Peru.

Relations between Peru and Chile have long been difficult. Chile grabbed part of Peru and Bolivia in a 19th century war. Peru disputes their maritime border. Mr García has gone out of his way to improve relations, which were stormy under his predecessor.

He shrugged off a campaign in the local press aimed at stirring ill-feeling over pisco, a brandy named after a Peruvian port but over which both countries claim the right of origin. It makes no sense to not get along with a neighbour that is a good commercial partner,says Luis Carranza, his finance minister.

For its part, Chile argues that South American countries need to pool their export efforts to be able to supply the volume of products demanded by China and other Asian countries. Chilean officials insist they will maintain their ties with Mercosur.

Argentina, under Néstor Kirchner, is an especially difficult neighbour: in 2004 it unilaterally cut gas exports to Chile, and then this year raised taxes on them. But Argentina and Brazil are Chile's most important local trading partners.

The biggest prize in this tentative re-alignment would be a rapprochement between Chile and Bolivia. Chile is short of energy, while Bolivia has huge natural gas deposits. But Bolivia wants Chile to restore its lost access to the sea. Peru would have to agree any deal, since any Bolivian corridor would be on its former territory. Last month, Chile scrapped import duties on most Bolivian products. But there's plenty more to discuss over a bottle of pisco.

DR SAMUEL DOCTORIAN SAYS THERE WILL BE A BIG QUAKE IN SWITZERLAND SOMETIME SOON.
look under links to read not the 1998 , but the 1st one.

Conference highlights earthquake threat in Switzerland

A map showing regions of Switzerland at risk of earthquakes (earthquake.ethz.ch) The Swiss government intends to drive home the very real threat of earthquakes in Switzerland and surrounding regions at a conference in Geneva this week.The five-day meeting, which opened on Monday, has attracted more than 1,000 seismologists and earthquake engineers in what is the first major European gathering of its kind.According to the Swiss Seismological Service, there have been more than 10,000 earthquakes felt in Switzerland over the past 800 years.

Half a dozen of them have registered more than 6.0 on the Richter scale – all in canton Valais over the past 150 years – and experts say a similar-sized quake is certain to occur in the future.Two years ago the Seismological Service warned that Switzerland, which lies on the edge of the Eurasian tectonic plate, should expect to be hit by earthquakes up to a magnitude of 7.5 on the Richter scale.

Spain hit by highly toxic spill

The spill is killing fish and plants in its path Officials in north-western Spain are struggling to contain a highly toxic chemical river spill heading towards the Atlantic Ocean. The discharge into the Umia River was caused by a fire at a chemical plant in the Galicia region late last week. The three-kilometre (1.9 mile) long spill is slowly moving down the river, killing fish and plants in its path.

The water supply to some 80,000 people has been cut off, and shell fishing areas have been closed as a precaution. The turquoise-coloured petroleum pollutant could reach the Atlantic Ocean in two days, officials in Galicia estimate. They are building a series of dams to try to stop the spill. The cause of the fire at the chemical plant is still being investigated. The spill is a further blow to Galicia, which has been ravaged by forest fires in recent weeks. At least 86,000 hectares (212,000 acres) of Galicia's forests have been destroyed by the fires this year, many of which were started deliberately. The region was devastated by a vast oil slick caused when the Prestige oil tanker sank in 2002.