Morning Brief, Tuesday, June 27

Posted By Carolyn O'Hara Tuesday, June 27, 2006 - 12:24 PM Share

Israel/Palestine

The BBC is reporting that Hamas - divided and under pressure - has agreed to implicitly accept Israel and work toward a two-state solution. Condi calls for calm, as a militant group close to Hamas announced today that the abducted Israeli solider is being held in a secure place.

Iran

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei announced that talks don't interest him.

Negotiating with America does not have any benefit for us and we do not need such negotiations,'' Khamenei was quoted as saying by state television.

But Khamenei may have tacitly endorsed the May letter to the US from a senior Iranian diplomat (not the Ahmadinejad ode) that suggested talks and denied Iran was seeking weapons. So which is it? And since Khamenei is just one of a coterie of Iranian high-ups around Ahmadinejad who pull the strings, FP has put together a guide to the ambitious and fractious group at the pinnacle of Persian politics. Check it out.

Iraq

Insurgent groups are approaching the Iraqi government seeking negotiations after Maliki announced a vague national reconciliation plan over the weekend. The AP has identified some of the groups allegedly seeking talks; here's a handy guide to their ideologies and tactics.

Elsewhere

China suppresses information about putting down a village protest in which 30 people may have been killed late last year, and a new draft law there could fine media outlets for reporting on "sudden events" without obtaining permission from Chinese officials first. An Islamist militia in Somalia defies a truce as they take control of a key road junction south of Mogadishu. Taiwan's parliament fails to oust President Chen. Libya suspends final payments to families of Pan Am 103 victims.

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