By Lucky Gold (CNN) - As meetings took place in Baghdad in hopes of ensuring that Iran isn’t producing a nuclear weapon, and thereby heading off an Israeli strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities, two insiders with knowledge of the negotiations appeared Wednesday on Amanpour. Ambassador Hossein Mousavian, a former spokesman for Iran’s nuclear negotiating team, put the onus on the P5Plus 1 countries (U.S., Britain, Russia, China, France and Germany): “I’m afraid the P5Plus 1, they ask too much from Iran. They ask Iran to give diamonds in return for peanuts.” The diamond in question, he said, is Iran’s nuclear enrichment program. “The issue is political, not technical. For the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) Iran would have no problem to cooperate to all questions. ... Continue reading →
By Samuel Burke (CNN) - Even as Egyptians head to the polls for a second day Thursday, there are still very real questions about whether the military – which has been running the country since the revolution – will easily give up power. The military has massive wealth, and deep institutional control. Tuesday, retired General Sameh Seif Elyazal, a key Egyptian military figure, told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour that the military is ready to handover authority to a civilian power and maybe even sooner than planned, but with caveats. “There is no hesitation. They will do it on June 30,” Elyazal said. The General, who is a close adviser to Egypt's de facto ruler, General Hussein Tantawi, said that the military might even let go of ... Continue reading →
First Iraq now Egypt Purple Fingers worth 1000 words � href="http://twitter.com/#!/bencnn" target="_blank">@bencnnnn: Photo: voter in Sabtiya, Cairo#Egyptpt egyelections http://t.co/81VFotIP” Continue reading →
Part 1: Eurozone and Syria Italy’s perspective Italian Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi gives Christiane Amanpour his perspective on the crises in the Eurozone and Syria. Part 2: Ahmed Rashid: ‘Pakistan on the Brink’ Pakistani journalist and author Ahmed Rashid says that paralysis is gripping Islamabad Eurozone and Syria: Italy's perspective Ahmed Rashid: 'Pakistan on the brink' Episode #25: Tuesday, May 22, 2012 Continue reading →
U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Ryan Crocker will step down from his post this summer. On May 2, he told Christiane Amanpour that "the one thing that can really defeat us [in Afghanistan] is ourselves." "If we decide we're tired," he said, "then we can lose this." Continue reading →
By Samuel Burke (CNN) - The big question for world leaders at the NATO summit in Chicago – is there a way to keep Greece in the eurozone? Among those leaders is Jose Manuel Barroso, the President of the European Commission. He is insisting that Greece must not renege on its austerity promise – a promise of financial reform and deep cuts. In an exclusive interview with Christiane Amanpour Monday, Barroso said, “This is our firm commitment, and of course it's important that now Greece respects its commitment. And just coming from the G8 summit in Camp David, it was a clear statement that all the members of G8 – not only the European Union – believe that it is in our interest that Greece ... Continue reading →