Talk To Al Jazeera: Ashton: 'We've Made Significant Progress'

The EU's foreign policy chief discusses the challenges facing her and the EU's role in conflicts around the world.

US Offers Short-term Nuclear Deal Allowing Iran to Continue Enriching Uranium

Catherine Ashton and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: American negotiators want a six month freeze to Iran's nuclear programme to create time for a final agreement, but the terms risk a backlash from both Israel and Congress

America has proposed a short-term nuclear agreement with Iran at a meeting in Geneva which would allow Tehran to continue enriching uranium at low levels, according to an aide briefed on the talks.

The goal is to freeze Iran’s nuclear programme for perhaps six months in order to create a breathing space for a comprehensive agreement to be negotiated.

Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, warned on Thursday that any deal which failed to stop Iran from enriching uranium would be a “mistake of historic proportions”.

Western diplomats and US officials have refused to disclose any details of a “first step agreement”. But a Senate aide, citing briefings from the White House, the State Department and sources in Geneva, said he understood that it would include four key points. » | Peter Foster in Washington, and David Blair | Thursday, November 07, 2013

Syrie: les Européens pour «une réponse forte» aux attaques chimiques

LA PRESSE: Les pays de l'Union européenne se sont accordés samedi à Vilnius sur la nécessité d'une réponse internationale «forte» à l'utilisation d'armes chimiques en Syrie, mais sans aller jusqu'à soutenir le projet de frappes défendu par le secrétaire d'État américain John Kerry et par la France.

Au lendemain d'un G20 où il n'avait pas réussi à obtenir un large soutien international, le président américain Barack Obama a lancé un appel aux membres du Congrès américain pour qu'ils approuvent le principe d'une opération armée. «Nous sommes les États-Unis. On ne peut pas rester aveugle devant les images de Syrie que nous avons vues», a-t-il déclaré dans son allocution hebdomadaire à la radio.

Les États-Unis ont eu la satisfaction de voir l'Allemagne se joindre à l'appel lancé la veille par onze pays présents au G20 pour une «réponse internationale forte», de nature non spécifiée, aux attaques chimiques du 21 août dans la banlieue de Damas.

Sans reprendre exactement les termes de cet appel, les ministres des Affaires étrangères de l'UE, réunis à Vilnius, sont tombés d'accord sur la nécessité d'une «réponse claire et forte». » | Agence France-Presse | Vilnius | samedi 07 septembre 2013

Catherine Ashton Calls for a Strong Response on Use of Chemical Weapons in Syria

Catherine Ashton, the UN's foreign policy chief, says there is strong evidence that Bashar al-Assad's regime perpetrated the chemical attack in Damascus on August 21st. At a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Vilnius, Lithuania on Saturday Ashton also called for a 'clear and strong response' to the use of chemical weapons in Syria

Egypt's Cabinet Orders Police to End Pro-Morsi Sit-ins

BBC: Egypt's military-backed government has ordered police to end sit-ins by supporters of ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi in the capital Cairo.

"The cabinet has decided to take all measures necessary to confront these risks and put an end to them," an official said in a televised statement.

The statement termed the continued rallies "a national security threat".

Three top Muslim Brotherhood leaders have also been referred to court on charges of inciting violence.

The movement's supporters have been staging sit-ins for several weeks since President Morsi was removed on 3 July, after just one year in office.

They have defied previous threats of removal from their sit-in protests, despite deadly clashes with security forces. (+ video) » | Wednesday, July 31, 2013

BBC: Morsi meeting: EU chief Catherine Ashton speaks to BBC (+ video) » | Tuesday, July 30, 2013

In Gefangenschaft: "Mursi geht es gut"

Catherine Ashton, Außenbeauftragte der EU, ist die erste Ausländerin, die den gestürzten Präsidenten Ägyptens an seinem geheimen Aufenthaltsort besuchen durfte. Es gehe ihm gut.