ASIA

N. KOREA BREAKS ITS SILENCE ON NUCLEAR TALKS

BEIJING – Breaking its public silence on nuclear disarmament talks, North Korea said yesterday it wants to narrow differences with America but still insisted it won’t give up its atomic weapons program until Washington withdraws alleged threats.

The main American envoy said talks were nearing their conclusion – possibly within days – with delegates from six countries set to submit final comments today on a draft proposed by China for a statement of principles to guide future arms negotiations. However, the assistant secretary of state, Christopher Hill, raised the possibility the discussions might break off without an agreement, with envoys heading home for further counsel.

The North’s main envoy said yesterday evening there “remain differences in opinions” between Pyongyang and Washington, making his first public comments since the arms talks began July 26.”Our decision is to give up nuclear weapons and programs related to nuclear weapons if the United States removes its nuclear threat against us and when trust is built,” Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye Gwan said. When asked about Mr. Kim’s comments, Mr. Hill responded: “The United States is not threatening anybody.”

– Associated Press

EASTERN EUROPE

RUSSIA BARS ABC AFTER INTERVIEW WITH CHECHEN REBEL

MOSCOW – Russia’s Foreign Ministry said yesterday it will not renew permission for ABC-TV to operate in the country after the network broadcast an interview with a notorious Chechen warlord.

In a statement, the ministry said ABC would be considered “undesirable” by all Russian state agencies because of an interview with Shamil Basayev, which was broadcast last week on “Nightline.” The ministry called the broadcast a “clear fact supporting the propaganda of terrorism” and said it “resounded with direct calls for violence against Russian citizens.” As a result, the ministry said it decided “not to renew the accreditations of employees of this television company after they expire.”

The Foreign Ministry is the government agency authorizing foreign media outlets to work in Russia, and the decision effectively now bars ABC from working here.

– Associated Press

AUSTRALIA

AUSTRALIA HOME TO ISLAMIC EXTREMIST CELLS, POLICE COMMISSIONER SAYS

SYDNEY, Australia – Dozens of Islamic extremists are involved in terrorist cells in Australia, the federal police commissioner confirmed today after a former spymaster claimed it was only a matter of time before an attack in Australia.

Michael Roach, a senior official who recently retired from the Australian Security Intelligence Organization, said Australia is facing an imminent risk of a terrorist attack and has called for more extreme counterterrorism powers. He said Australia’s two largest cities, Sydney and Melbourne, are home to Islamic extremists who have received specialized training from terrorist groups overseas.

“Perhaps the number is around 50 or 60 in Australia that are working in separate cells,” Mr. Roach told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation late yesterday. “The threat is real. It’s a matter of when this (an attack) will happen.” The would-be terrorists have developed a high degree of precision in their methods of assault, Mr. Roach said.

– Associated Press

MIDDLE EAST

PALESTINIAN ARABS FIRE AT ISRAELI SETTLERS

SDEROT, Israel – Palestinian Arabs fired rockets yesterday at Israeli settlers gathered for a massive protest against the upcoming Gaza withdrawal, but missed, killing a 3-year-old Palestinian Arab boy and wounding nine other Palestinian Arabs in Gaza.

Witnesses said terrorists fired three rockets at the Israeli town of Sderot, where thousands of Israelis had gathered for a peaceful demonstration. Two of the rockets fell in Palestinian Arab areas and the third fell in an open field near Sderot. Among the wounded were five children, aged 4 to 11, including four children of a senior official in the ruling Fatah party and a former Palestinian Cabinet minister, Hisham Abdel Razek. Mr. Abdel Razek’s wife was also wounded. The dead boy was identified as Yasser Adnan Ashkar, who was killed when one of the stray rockets hit his family’s home in Beit Hanoun, northeast of Gaza City. His 11-year-old brother, Ali, was in critical condition. Mr. Abdel Razek’s family was visiting at the time, witnesses said.

Minutes before the rockets were fired, Palestinian Arab terrorists shot an anti-tank rocket at an Israeli convoy traveling to the isolated Israeli settlement of Netzarim, settlers and the army said. There were no reports of injuries. The Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine claimed responsibility for the attack on the convoy.

Although the Israelis gathered in Sderot had pledged a peaceful protest, settler leaders said they planned to defy a military order and lead their followers on a march to Gaza’s settlements today. More than 15,000 police and soldiers took up positions in southern Israel to prevent the marchers from reaching Gaza.

– Associated Press