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A2 UP FRONT
Saturday 22 april 2017
US Defense Sec’y Mattis: Syria still has chemical weapons

AP National Security Corre- plication is that Syria may its agreement and its state- they would be ill advised man also refused to go into
spondent be concerned about ad- ment that it had removed to try to use any again, we detail but said “We have
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — ditional U.S. strikes follow- them all,” said Mattis. He made that very clear with 100 percent information
Syria still possesses chemi- ing the cruise missile attack said he didn’t want to our strike,” he said. Israeli that (the) Assad regime
cal weapons, U.S. Defense earlier this month in retalia- elaborate on the amounts defense officials said this used chemical weapons
Secretary Jim Mattis said tion for alleged Syrian use Syria has in order to avoid week that Syria still has up against rebels.” Assad has
in Israel on Friday, warning of sarin gas. Mattis spoke revealing sources of intelli- to three tons of chemical strongly denied he was
against the banned muni- alongside Israeli Defense gence. “I can say authori- weapons in its possession. behind the attack in the
tions being used again. Minister Avigdor Lieber- tatively they have retained It was the first specific in- opposition-held town of
At a news conference in man. “There can be no some, it’s a violation of the telligence assessment of Khan Sheikhoun in Syria’s
Tel Aviv, Mattis also said doubt in the international United Nations Security President Bashar Assad’s northern Idlib province,
that in recent days the Syr- community’s mind that Council resolutions and it’s weapons capabilities since and has accused the op-
ian Air Force has dispersed Syria has retained chemi- going to have to be tak- a deadly chemical attack position of trying to frame
its combat aircraft. The im- cal weapons in violation of en up diplomatically and earlier this month. Lieber- his government.q

VP Pence aims to reassure Australia after tense Trump call

Continued from front meeting, describing it as
“ancient history.”
Auslin said Pence will be The fallout has left rela-
more focused on offer- tions between the U.S.
ing Turnbull a roadmap and Australia at their low-
for how the two countries est point since the Viet-
can work together during nam War, when Australia’s
Trump’s presidency. “It’s then-Prime Minister Gough
about re-establishing rela- Whitlam criticized a series
tions.” of bombings authorized by
The affection the long- then-President Richard Nix-
time allies usually share for on. Dougal Robinson, a re-
each other is rooted in de- search fellow with the Unit-
cades of cooperation on ed States Studies Centre in
defense, intelligence and Sydney, said the timing of
trade. Australia has fought Pence’s visit to Australia —
alongside the U.S. in every a mere three months into
major conflict since World Trump’s presidency — is
War I, and is one of the significant. Robinson noted
largest contributors to the that it took Obama three
U.S.-led military campaign years to visit Australia af-
in Iraq and Syria. The coun- ter he was elected, while
try is also part of the “Five former Vice President Joe
Eyes” intelligence-sharing Biden waited seven years
program with the U.S., U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, right, is greeted by Australian Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby before traveling Down Un-
along with Canada, Britain Joyce after arriving in Sydney, Friday, April 21, 2017. Pence will meet with Australian Prime Minister der. “In the aftermath of
Malcolm Turnbull on Saturday as part of his 10-day, four country trip to Asia.
and New Zealand. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft) the Trump-Turnbull phone
But Australia was unhap- call, and no record of any
py with Trump’s decision Obama administration. migration policies, was en- mispronunciation in press conversation between the
to pull the U.S. out of the Under the agreement, the raged by the agreement, briefings of Turnbull’s name president and the prime
12-nation Trans-Pacific U.S. would take up to 1,250 prompting a tense phone as “Trumbull” did not help minister since that phone
Partnership trade pact. refugees that Australia call with Turnbull and an matters. call, the vice president is
Then, Trump and Turnbull houses in detention camps angry tweet in which the Senior administration offi- clearly coming to try to re-
had a contentious phone on the Pacific island nations president dubbed the deal cials traveling with Pence assure Australia’s political
call in January over a ref- of Nauru and Papua New “dumb.” told reporters that they did leaders about U.S. commit-
ugee resettlement deal Guinea. Trump, who cam- White House spokesman not expect the refugees ment to the alliance with
struck by the previous paigned on tough-on-im- Sean Spicer’s subsequent issue to be raised in the Australia,” Robinson said.q

Canadian PM responds to Trump’s criticism of dairy industry

CHARMAINE NORONHA conference alongside visit- at Canada’s dairy indus- ucts including ultra-filtered Canadian policies related
Associated Press ing Italian Prime Minister try this week for creating milk that compete with U.S. to a few industries includ-
TORONTO (AP) — Cana- Paolo Gentiloni on Parlia- a new lower-priced clas- milk. Canada’s dairy sector ing lumber, timber and en-
dian Prime Minister Justin ment Hill that he will stand sification of milk product is protected by high tariffs ergy, adding that officials
Trudeau said Friday that up for Canada’s interests that he argues hurts U.S. on imported products and will have to get to the ne-
he plans to be respectful and people. producers. Trump said it controls on domestic pro- gotiating table with Cana-
and engage the United “The way to do that is to has put farmers in Wiscon- duction as a means of sup- da very quickly.
States with a fact-based make arguments in a re- sin and New York state out porting prices that farmers Trump also said this week
approach to solving prob- spectful fashion, based on of business. receive. he would make “some
lems a day after Donald facts, and work construc- Canada changed its poli- Trump said on Thursday very big changes” to the
Trump called Canada a tively and collaboratively cy on pricing domestic milk “what they’ve done to our NAFTA treaty with Canada
“disgrace” for policies that with our neighbors,” said to cover more dairy ingre- dairy farm workers is a dis- and Mexico or “we are go-
hurt American farmers. the Liberal leader. dients, leading to lower grace”. ing to get rid of NAFTA for
Trudeau said during a news The U.S. president took aim prices for Canadian prod- The U.S. president criticized once and for all.”q