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Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Iran tops Clinton’s agenda during Russian visit



U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will press Russia on Tuesday to back sanctions against Iran if international talks over Tehran's nuclear programme fail. Afghanistan, missile defence, and a nuclear arms reductiontreaty are also expected to feature prominently in meetings Clinton holds with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. The top U.S. diplomat is finishing a European tour with a two-day visit to Russia, highlighting Washington's desire to reset ties with the Kremlin. President Barack Obama's decision to revamp Bush-era plans, opposed by Moscow, for a missile defence shield in eastern Europe has helped improve U.S.-Russia relations. The White House insists no quid pro quo was expected for that move, but analysts say the United States hopes Russian cooperation on a mix of foreign policy issues will increase. Clinton needs Russian support for a U.S. push to impose sanctions on Iran if talks between six powers and Tehran over its nuclear plans end without resolution.

N Korea 'readying more missiles'



North Korea is reportedly preparing to conduct more short-range missile tests, ratcheting up tensions in the region after indicating it was ready to return to negotiations on its nuclear arsenal. The North test-fired five short-range ballistic missiles off its east coast on Monday and South Korea's Yonhap news agency quoted a government source as saying that it was preparing more tests on Tuesday. "There have been indications that the North is getting ready to fire short-range missiles from the west coast," Yonhap quoted the source as saying. North Korea has issued a warning to ships to stay out of its coastal waters during daylight hours from October 12-16, Japan's coast guard said. The tests are being seen by some analysts as an attempt to gain the upper hand ahead of an expected resumption of talks on ending the North's nuclear weapons programme, rather than a direct security threat.