Kathmandu, February 8
Making a rare exception, the US has decided to continue economic assistance to Nepal even after the Maoists, branded as terrorists by Washington, join the interim government.

The US Mission in Nepal has been authorized to continue providing economic and development assistance to the Nepal and to the peace process here, even if the Maoists belong to the government, the US Embassy said in a release here.

The authorisation comes in the form of a license granted to the US Department of State and US Agency for International Development (USAID). The license was issued on February 5 from the US Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control and is valid until February 28, 2008.

Welcoming the issuance of the license US Ambassador to Nepal James F. Moriarty said “this license enables the US Mission to meet its commitments to continue supporting the people of Nepal and the peace process.”

The Embassy requested the State Department and USAID in Washington to seek the license because of US prohibitions against providing aid to terrorist organizations.

The US Government designates Maoists, who continue to use violence, extortion, and intimidation, as a terrorist organisation.

The Ambassador stressed that, if the Maoists enter the Cabinet without abandoning violence, the US Mission will work to ensure that Maoists ministers cannot claim credit for US assistance.

In coming days, the US Mission will be consulting with Washington on license requirements and also briefing USAID/Nepal contractors and grantees in Nepal on this positive development. — PTI 

Tehran, February 8
Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamanei today vowed the Islamic republic would hit back at US interests worldwide if attacked, amid mounting tension with the West over its nuclear programme.

“They should not intimidate Iranian people with these things, since the US has previously attacked Iran,” Khamenei said, referring to speculation Washington is planning a strike on Iran to halt its atomic drive.

“The enemies understand well that the Iranian nation will give a comprehensive response to the aggressors and their interests worldwide,” Khamenei added, according to state-run television.

Khamenei did not specify what such retaliation would involve but he expressed confidence that Iran’s arch-enemy the United States would not be tempted to launch 
a strike.

“We believe that no one will make such irrational and erroneous move and will not jeapordise his nation’s interest,” he was quoted as telling Iranian air force commanders during a ceremony celebrating the anniversary of the Islamic revolution.

“Of course some say the US President (George W. Bush) does not think about the consequences ofhis actions, but some sanity could be put into the head of even these people,” Khamenei added.

“The American politicians and analysts know that Iranian people have never let any aggression go unanswered,” he said.

His comments came on the second and final day of war games carried by Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards. — AFP

Tehran, February 8
Conscious of problems faced by members of Indian community here, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee has taken up the matter with the Iranian leadership which has assured India that the issue will be looked into.

Mukherjee, who was here on a two-day visit, raised the issue during his talks with Iranian counterpart Manouchehr Mottaki here yesterday, sources said today.

The visiting minister referred to the problems being faced by the Indian diaspora here, including difficulties in getting residence and work permits, the sources said.

Mottaki was requested to look into the issue which the Iranian leader said will be done. The matter will be followed up by Indian Ambassador to Iran 
Maliber Singh.

The Indian community here has been facing such problems despite having lived here for upto three generations.

Iran has the presence of about 600 Indians, many of them Sikhs and 
Parsis. — PTI 

Beijing, February 8
The six-nation talks on North Korea’s nuclear programme began here today on an optimistic note with Pyongyang expressing readiness to discuss initial steps for disarmament but said any such moves would depend on the United States’ attitude towards it.

North Korea has made due preparation for discussing initial steps of de-nuclearisation during the session of six-party talks, its top envoy Kim Kye-gwan said on arrival here for the third phase of negotiations involving North and South Koreas, the US, China, Japan and Russia.

“We are prepared to discuss first-stage measures...We are neither optimist nor pessimist because there are still a lot of problems to be resolved,” Kim told reporters.

“We will judge the success of the talks by the standard that whether the United States will give up hostile policy and follow peaceful coexistence,” he said.

Kim said his country hopes that the talks could bring agreements, however, it depends on the Americans. The previous phase, lasting five days, ended on December 22 without any progress.

The Korean envoy’s comments assume significance as Pyonyang in December had refused to discuss disarmament.

North Korea has insisted that it will not scrap its nuclear programmes until the US lifts economic sanction prompted by accusations that Pyongyang ran dollar counterfeiting and other illicit business. — PTI

New York, February 8
A United Nations body entrusted with mitigating natural disasters today asked governments to speed up implementation of a two-year-old accord aimed at reducing the risks faced by millions exposed to climate-caused calamities.

The appeal follows last week's release of a new report by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change showing that changes in the atmosphere, the oceans, glaciers and ice caps reflect that the world is warming and that its is more than 90 per cent certain that human activities are the cause.

“Action is needed to reduce people's vulnerability to climate-related hazards and the hyogo framework provides a blueprint for taking such action now,” UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) director Salvano Brice1o said.

She was referring to the Framework for Action: 2005- 2015, adopted by 168 Governments at the UN World Conference on Disaster Reduction in Kobe, Japan, in January 2005.

“We need to build our houses, schools and hospitals away from landslide-prone locations, using flood-resistant materials. We need to educate people to reduce their own risk, preserve ground cover to avoid erosion, adjust agriculture to avoid losing crops to flood or drought, and protect coasts,” Brice1o said. — PTI