Page 2 - ARUBA TODAY

A2
UP FRONTFriday 5 January 2018
Pentagon: Trump agreed to delay US-South Korean exercises
By ROBERT BURNS
AP National Security Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) — In a
possible opening for diplo-
macy, the Trump adminis-
tration on Thursday agreed
to delay joint military exer-
cises with South Korea un-
til after the Pyeongchang
Winter Olympics.
The decision could help
reduce tensions as the Ko-
reas consider holding their
first direct talks in two years,
even though Defense Sec-
retary Jim Mattis insisted
the delay was a practical
necessity to accommo-
date the Olympics, not a
political gesture.
Mattis said the drill would
be conducted sometime
after the Winter Paralym-
pics, which will be held
March 8-18 following the
Feb. 9-25 Olympic Games.
“For us, it’s a practical mat-
ter,” Mattis told journalists
in an impromptu encoun-
ter at the Pentagon, citing
the wide array of logistics
and transportation support
required to conduct the
Olympics, some of which
would otherwise be tied up
with military exercises.
The White House said Presi-
dent Donald Trump ap-
proved the postponement
in consultation with South
Korean President Moon
Jae-in. It said the delay will
allow U.S. and South Ko-
rean forces to “focus on
ensuring the security of the
Iran blames CIA for week of protests; US denies any role
By NASSER KARIMI
JON GAMBRELL
Associated Press
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran on
Thursday directly blamed
a CIA official for a week
of protests calling for the
overthrow of the Islamic
Republic, as the strength of
the demonstrations was un-
certain with fewer reports
of rallies.
The Trump administration
has denied having any
hand in the protests, and
the CIA declined to com-
ment.
It wasn’t immediately clear
if the drop in reports of new
demonstrations challeng-
ing Iran’s theocratic gov-
ernment meant the pro-
tests were subsiding or that
the authorities’ blocking
South Korean army soldiers stand guard on Unification Bridge, which leads to the demilitarized tions ordered by the U.N.
Security Council, is having
zone, near the border village of Panmunjom in Paju, South Korea, Thursday, Jan 4, 2018. In a some effect on Kim’s cal-
culations.
possible opening for diplomacy, the Trump administration on Thursday agreed to delay joint North Korea also has ex-
pressed interest in sending
military exercises with South Korea until after the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. a delegation to participate
in the Olympics.
(AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) Although the decision was
announced Thursday, the
games.” militarized border. to Kim’s reopening of cross- idea of delaying the mili-
tary exercises had been
The agreement delays a set For the first time in months, border communications, under quiet discussion for
weeks. U.S. officials had un-
of annual military exercises high-level diplomatic ac- Mattis said, “No. Those talks derstood the South Korean
military would be heav-
known as Foal Eagle, which tion between North and are clearly the result of the ily committed to providing
logistical support for the
normally are held between South is taking place. North amount of international Games.
Joe Cirincione, president
February and April. Foal Korean leader Kim Jong Un pressure (on North Korea), of the Ploughshares Fund,
which advocates for nu-
Eagle is a series of exercises recently reopened a key and they are a way for clear disarmament, wrote
in a tweet that the delay is
designed to test the readi- cross-border communica- North Korea to start talking a welcome move to lessen
hostilities after Trump’s lat-
ness of the two countries’ tion channel with South while keeping it contained est tweets about the size of
his nuclear “button.” Cirin-
militaries. North Korea rou- Korea that had been dor- to a benign issue.” cione wrote: “Korean lead-
ers have convinced him to
tinely objects to such ma- mant since February 2016, Later he said, “In terms of take a step back from the
brink.”
neuvers as a rehearsal for and the neighbors are ex- whether it’s a one-off (ges- In a tweet early Thursday,
Trump claimed his tough
an invasion, and there had ploring the possibility of a ture) from him or a real ol- stance on nuclear weap-
ons on the Korean Penin-
been fears that tensions formal dialogue. ive branch, I don’t know.” sula is helping push North
Korea and South Korea to
could interfere with the Asked whether delaying He said there can be little talk, although that asser-
tion is in conflict with some
Games occurring about 50 the military maneuvers was doubt that international of Trump’s own statements.
Last year, he ridiculed Sec-
miles south of the heavily a quid pro quo in response pressure, including sanc- retary of State Rex Tillerson
for talking about negotia-
tions with the North.q
of social media apps has Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif attends a meeting elderly.
managed to stop protest- The plot focused on fo-
ers from offering new im- in Istanbul, Turkey. As nationwide protests have shaken Iran over menting dissent from the
ages of rallies. countryside to shake Teh-
The demonstrations, which the last week, the Islamic Republic increasingly has blamed its ran, Montazeri said. He al-
began Dec. 28 over the leged the CIA planned
country’s struggling econo- foreign foes for fomenting the unrest. to turn the protest into an
my, have been the largest “armed” insurrection by
in Iran since the disputed (Arif Hudaverdi Yaman/Pool Photo/AP) mid-February, the anni-
2009 presidential election. versary of the 1979 Islamic
At least 21 people have regional adversaries. pared for various scenarios Revolution.
been killed and hundreds The Associated Press is not
arrested. Montazeri said the CIA offi- that included protesting publishing identifying de-
The CIA accusation came tails about the CIA official
from Iran’s prosecutor cial sought help from exiled the high cost of living and because the official may
general, Mohammad Ja- be an agent of its clandes-
far Montazeri, in a story by Iranian groups and pre- financial demands on the tine service.
the state-run IRNA news A senior Trump administra-
agency. Montazeri alleged tion official on Wednesday
the official headed an op- disputed the notion that
eration that received intel- the U.S. played any role in
ligence support from Israel the protests, saying it had
and financing from Saudi not expected them to
Arabia — Iran’s two biggest occur.q