World Press on Iran, Turkey and the Caucasus (November 18, 2010)

The Washington Post published an article "Obama to push for Senate vote on new arms treaty with Russia". It says that President Obama will push for ratification of a nuclear-arms treaty with Moscow by year's end despite Republican opposition, the White House said Wednesday, setting up a political clash over a pact that the administration sees as crucial for U.S. foreign policy. Vice President Biden has called the treaty vital to U.S. security, since it allows the world's two nuclear giants to inspect each other's stockpiles and ensure there is no secret escalation. Officials say a failure to ratify the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty could deal a harsh setback to the "re-set" in relations with Russia, which has led to cooperation on Iran and Afghanistan.

Two articles on the same topic were published in The Los Angeles Times. " Tea party' trouble on foreign policy" says that as
partnership between Republicans and Democrates disapeared, a new rivalry may damage Obama"s foreign policy, including  New START treaty with Russia, which has been the centerpiece of President Obama's attempts to reset U.S.-Russian relations. "Nuclear treaty meltdown" confirms that Republicans looking to deny Obama any legislative victories may doom the New START pact.

The New York Times continues the discussion. An article "G.O.P. Opposition Dims Hope for Arms Treaty With Russia" also says that the chief Senate Republican negotiator moved to block a vote on the pact, one of the White House's top foreign policy goals, in the lame-duck session of Congress.

Another hot theme is that wrangling between Iran and the West over its nuclear program could fall first in nuclear medicine clinics around the country, where hundreds of cancer patients a week get treatment with radioactive isotopes. The Washington Post reports that Iran says fuel for the Tehran research reactor that produces the isotopes will run out in September next year, leaving it without the materials needed to diagnose and treat some 850,000 cancer patients across the country.

The Los Angeles Times also touches on this topic. An article "As Iran, West wrangle over nukes, Iran's cancer patients could feel the impact" says that uranium enrichment lies at the heart of Iran's dispute with the West. Low-enriched uranium can be used to fuel a reactor to generate electricity, which Iran says is the intention of its program. But if uranium is further enriched to around 90 percent purity, it can be used to develop a nuclear warhead. Negotiators from Iran and the United States and its allies are expected to meet soon in their first direct nuclear talks in more than a year. A deal to provide Iran with fuel for the research reactor may be on the agenda   but U.S. officials have already expressed pessimism that one can be reached.

The LA Times published an article "Israeli military chief: Time to see if Iran can be persuaded not to build nuclear bomb". It says that Israel has "some time" to determine whether international sanctions are enough to pressure Iran not to pursue a nuclear weapons program, Israel's military chief told reporters Wednesday. Israeli Prime Minister believes that Tehran will not give up its nuclear ambitions without the credible threat of a military strike. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. of the USA Mike Mullen reiterated the long-held U.S. position that a potential military strike "will remain on the table."

Reuters comments on the official visit of President of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to Baku, Azerbaijan. "World powers should stop threatening Iran if they want to achieve results at talks on Tehran's nuclear program", Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Thursday. Both sides, Iran and West, have expressed readiness to meet for talks on December 5 but have not agreed on a venue, and Ahmadinejad has signaled that at least some of Iran's activities are off limits.

Press TV also touches on the speech of President Ahmadinejad in an address to Iranians residing in Azerbaijan. An article "Ahmadinejad: Iran has no use for nukes" says that referring to numerous resolutions issued against Iran, he emphasized that the response of  Iran was "to access pinnacles of growth and progress one by one." The Iranian chief executive underlined that issuing resolutions cannot impede the progress of the Iranian nation on the path it has taken.