BELARUS
Belarus gives up nuclear material
ASTANA, Kazakhstan | In a sudden turnaround, the former Soviet republic of Belarus announced Wednesday that it will give up all its weapons-grade uranium - fresh momentum for anti-proliferation efforts even as the U.S. welcomed Iran’s decision to resume talks on its controversial nuclear program.
On a day of whirlwind diplomacy capped by the Belarus deal, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton praised Iran’s return to nuclear talks, urged Europe to do more in Afghanistan and insisted that recent WikiLeaks disclosures would have no lasting effect on U.S. relations around the world.
The Belarus decision is a diplomatic victory for President Obama, who has set a goal of securing all the world’s nuclear materials within four years as a centerpiece of his strategy for denying nuclear weapons to terrorists.
Belarus, which had been a holdout, was banned from an April nuclear security summit hosted by Mr. Obama, along with Iran and North Korea.
GAZA STRIP
Hamas ready for vote on peace deal
GAZA CITY | Hamas would respect any peace deal reached between Israel and Western-backed Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, provided it is approved in a global Palestinian referendum, the top Hamas official in Gaza said Wednesday.
In a rare news conference for foreign media, Ismail Haniyeh, the prime minister of Gaza’s Hamas government, staked out seemingly pragmatic positions. He said Hamas seeks dialogue with the West and wants to be “part of the solution, not the problem.”
He also denied Israeli allegations that al Qaeda operates in Gaza and that Gaza militants planned to carry out attacks in neighboring Egypt.
Mr. Haniyeh is considered a leading member of Hamas’ pragmatic wing, and the Islamic militant group often sends mixed messages.
When Israeli-Palestinian negotiations resumed in early September, other Hamas politicians quickly criticized Mr. Abbas for attending those talks.
CANADA
Officials concerned over freeing detainees
OTTAWA | Canada has expressed its “grave concern” to Kabul that Afghan security forces are regularly freeing senior Taliban captives, a Canadian official said on Wednesday.
Reuters revealed on Tuesday that senior Taliban prisoners were being released either for payment or for political motives, with President Hamid Karzai and his powerful brother among those authorizing and requesting releases.
One of the freed men was Ghulam Haidar, a top insurgent in the southern Taliban heartland of Kandahar, where Canada has a 2,800-strong combat mission.
Canadian soldiers handed Mr. Haidar over to Afghan authorities in March this year, yet days later he was out on the streets.
BRITAIN
Britain placates Israel with law change
LONDON | Britain sought to soothe strained ties with Israel on Wednesday by publishing an amendment to a law that puts visiting officials at risk of arrest for alleged war crimes.
Foreign Secretary William Hague said the change would ensure that private arrest warrants for offenses under certain international laws, including the Geneva Convention, would first have to be approved by the chief prosecutor.
The move was welcomed by Israel, whose politicians and officials have been targeted by warrants brought by pro-Palestinian campaign groups in Britain.
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