| |  | |  Obama calls for global nuclear security plan Addressing a plenary session at the nuclear security summit in Washington, U.S. President Barack Obama warned fellow leaders that dozens of countries owned nuclear materials that could be sold or stolen and that even a tiny amount of plutonium could kill hundreds of thousands of people. Though Chinese President Hu Jintao said that China would work with the UN Security Council to address Iran's nuclear development program, he dashed U.S. hopes by saying that China did not prefer sanctions as a solution. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said that since China and the U.S. began discussing solutions with regard to Iran, Iran has expressed renewed interest in talks with a number of countries. The New York Times (free registration) (4/13) , CNN (4/13) , Google/Agence France-Presse (4/13)
|  |  | So today is an opportunity -- not simply to talk, but to act. Not simply to make pledges, but to make real progress on the security of our people. ... It will require a new mindset -- that we summon the will, as nations and as partners, to do what this moment in history demands. I believe strongly that the problems of the 21st century cannot be solved by any one nation acting in isolation. They must be solved by all of us coming together." U.S. President Barack Obama. Read the full story. |
|  | "President Obama has stated that his purpose for convening more than 40 countries is to identify specific ways that collectively, and as individual countries, they can secure nuclear materials, thereby reducing the risk that nuclear materials fall into the wrong hands." UN Dispatch | |
- Ban looks to forward fissile material ban
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will use the occasion of this week's nuclear security summit to call on world leaders to gather in support of efforts to ban the production of fissile materials for use in nuclear weapons. The UN Conference on Disarmament has been considering a ban, but negotiations have been blocked by security concerns from Pakistan. The Washington Post/Reuters (4/12)       - Polio battle is gaining ground
Efforts to halt the spread of polio are making progress thanks to better engagement with religious figures in Nigeria and a focused effort on reaching remote areas and migrant populations in India. The two are among the last countries battling to eradicate the disease, and despite the progress polio campaigners warn challenges remain to total eradication. The New York Times (free registration) (4/12)  | - Climate talks focus on a few key goals
In advance of the December UN climate talks in Cancun, Mexico, negotiators are keying in on goals that UN Foundation President Timothy E. Wirth describes as "the building blocks" of a global climate treaty. Developed countries are working to raise funds to decrease deforestation in Latin America in part to defuse concerns among poorer countries about linking climate funding to accountability for carbon-emissions reductions. Leaders hope that by approaching specific problems individually, such as deforestation, they can build consensus that will carry over into other areas of debate. The Washington Post (4/13) - Hungary's PM vows to fight far-right
Radical politicians will not be allowed to suppress the rule of law and undermine Hungary's democratic institutions, incoming Prime Minister Viktor Orban vowed Monday. Fidezs won about 17% of the vote in the Hungary's recent parliamentary elections -- the best electoral result for a far-right party in two decades. The New York Times (free registration) (4/12) - No more music on Somali airwaves
Radio station owners in Mogadishu are complying with a ban on music ordered by militant group Hizbul-Islam over fears violent reprisals if they refuse. Somalia's government remains unable to maintain control over more than a sliver of the capital. BBC (4/13) - Ukraine offers key nuclear concession
Ukraine will no longer maintain a supply of enriched uranium and will liquidate its current stockpiles within two years, President Viktor Yanukovich said Monday. U.S. President Barack Obama is pushing worldwide nuclear nonproliferation, and is looking to the summit to devise methods to secure all weapons-grade nuclear material within four years. CNN (4/12) , Google/The Associated Press (4/12) - Pakistan won't back down from opposition to nuclear treaty
Pakistan's Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani told U.S. President Barack Obama that Pakistan had adequate safeguards in place to protect its nuclear stockpile, despite a study that says Pakistan's nuclear arsenal "faces a greater threat from Islamic extremists seeking nuclear weapons than any other nuclear stockpile on earth." The Guardian (London) (4/12) - No asylum offers for beleaguered ousted Kyrgyz president
Ousted Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev said that he would step down if the new leadership guaranteed his safety and that of his family, after a declaration by the provisional government that gave him until the end of the day to surrender. Interim leader Roza Otunbayeva said that Bakiyev should face an international tribunal, though the government initially observed his immunity under the constitution. Neither the U.S. nor any other country has offered Bakiyev asylum, an option that the interim government prefers, according to the deputy head of the government. The New York Times (free registration) (4/13) - As Poland mourns loss, leaders plan for future
Polish authorities will announce a date Wednesday for presidential elections to be held within two months, acting President Bronislaw Komorowski says. The country is observing a weeklong official mourning period after a Saturday plane crash that left President Lech Kaczynski, his wife and 94 others dead. BBC (4/13) , Reuters (4/13) - China marks first trade deficit in 6 years
U.S. President Barack Obama pushed Chinese President Hu Jintao to allow the renminbi to appreciate despite the release of statistics showing that China's foreign exchange reserves are growing more slowly than before. Additionally, China reported recorded a trade deficit of $7.2 billion in March -- its first in six years. Analysts do not expect for the U.S. to curb its efforts to pressure China to allow the renminbi to appreciate. Financial Times (tiered subscription model) (4/13) - Iran calls for investigation into NATO wars in Middle East
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad issued a letter to the UN calling for a fact-finding team to conduct an investigation into the goals and intents of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, which he says have only harmed people in the region. Iran has accused Pakistan, the U.K. and the U.S. of backing Jundollah, a Sunni Islamist network that Iran links to al-Qaida. The office of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon received the letter but did not offer comment. BBC (4/13) , The Washington Post/Reuters (4/12)
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