BERITA LUAR NEGARA

Iran tests long-range missiles ahead of talks with the West

Updated: Monday, September 28, 2009

Photographer: WashingtonTV

Iran long-range missile test [28 September 2009]

Washington, 28 September (WashingtonTV)—Iran on Monday fired two long-range missiles, which analysts say could hit Israel, amid increased tension with the West over Tehran’s nuclear program.

The missiles were launched as part of war games carried out by the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps [IRGC], named “Great Prophet IV”.

An “upgraded” version of the Shahab-3 surface-to-surface missile and another missile, Sejil, were “successfully” test-fired and “accurately hit their designated targets”, reports the state-run Press TV network.

Press TV said that the “upgraded” Shahab-3 has a range of between 1,300 kilometers and 2,000 kilometers.

Officials have earlier said that the Sejil has a range of close to 2,000 kilometers, reports Reuters.

A day earlier, Iran fired several short- and medium-range missiles, some with multiple warheads, the official IRNA news agency reported.

Those missiles were said to have a range of between 300 and 700 kilometers, reports Press TV.

On Monday, IRGC Air Force commander, Hossein Salami, issued a stern warning to Iran’s enemies.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran’s response to those who threaten the existence, independence, freedom and values of our regime will be clear, strong and destructive, and they will regret it,” he was quoted by IRNA as saying.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry said that there was no link between the missiles tests and the country’s nuclear activities. Spokesperson Hassan Qashqavi said the maneuvers were merely part of the annual military drill, know as Sacred Defense Week, which commemorates Iran’s war with Iraq in the 1980s.

Although the tests were likely planned in advance, they come amid heightened tension with the West, after the U.S., Britain, and France revealed on Friday that Iran was working in secret on a second uranium enrichment facility.

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SIX MAJOR POWERS

TEHRAN, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Monday said the venue of the upcoming talks between Iran and six major powers would be in Switzerland, the official IRNA news agency reported.

"The meeting would be surely held in Switzerland," Hassan Qashqavi was quoted as saying.

On Sept. 9, Iran handed over its latest package of proposals, in a bid to start again suspended talks on global issues with six major powers: China, the United States, Russia, Britain, France and Germany.

The talks are scheduled to be held on Oct. 1, which are seen as a chance to resume international efforts to settle Iran's nuclear issue after a 2008 session ended without substantive progress.

"The talks would be based on Iran's package of proposals ... and Iran will hold constructive talks with the six powers if they have goodwill," IRNA quoted Qashqavi as saying.

"Goodwill, mutual understanding and interaction would be opportunities for having constructive nuclear talks," Qashqavi said, adding that "Iranian scholars have obtained peaceful nuclear achievements and will preserve them."

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Friday voiced his "grave concern" about Iran's continued uranium enrichment when meeting with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

The United States and other Western powers suspect the program is aimed at producing nuclear-weapon material, but Tehran contends that the program has no military component and has steadfastly rejected calls to halt the effort.

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Syrian MP extols Iran’s military power

DAMASCUS (IRNA) -- Syrian Parliamentarian Baha-Uddin Hassan on Monday praised Iran’s deterrent military power.

Referring to the current war games to mark anniversary of the U.S.-backed Iraqi aggression on Iran in 1980, he said that Iran has set precedent in bolstering missile technology.

Speaking to IRNA, he said the Islamic Republic of Iran once again demonstrated its deterrent power to the world.

Manufacturing of sophisticated military apparatus with reliance upon domestic experts, mass production of short, medium and long range missiles would be regarded as a stern warning for those who might plan to take military action against the country, he said.

The Zionist occupiers should bear in their mind that any military action against Iran will backfire and they should feel frightened from combat readiness of Iranian air force, he said.

The Islamic Republic of Iran is very powerful among the countries of the region as well as of the globe that powerfully makes use of its deterrent military capabilities in defending the country’s territorial integrity.

Iran’s power has roots in its belief in Islam and firm determination of its nation which should be turned to a model for other Islamic and Arabic states, he said.

He said that the Western governments are fully aware of Iran’s national capability and they have put aside threats opting for negotiations and diplomatic means to come to terms with Iran.

(News from IRNA, Iran, Aeptember 29 , 2009)

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Direktur LSI Bantah Didanai Obama

Jakarta (ANTARA Newa) - Direktur Eksekutif Lingkaran Survei Indonesia (LSI), Denny JA membantah mendapatkan dana dari Presiden Amerika Serikat Barack Obama untuk melakukan quick count pada Pemilihan Umum Presiden (Pilpres) pada tanggal 8 Juli 2009 lalu.

"Semua dana yang digunakan LSI baik survei quick count, murni bersumber dari dana sendiri," kata Direktur LSI Denny JA, tanpa menyebut rinci dari mana sumber dana tersebut berasal, di Jakarta, Selasa.

Ditanya besaran dana yang dihabiskan, Denny mengatakan berkisar Rp 5 miliar. "Jumlahnya sekitar itu," kata Denny.

Denny menambahkan, sebagai lembaga survei tidak penting darimana dana bersumber, sebab justru bagaimana hasilnya apakah tingkat ketepatannya tinggi.

"Akurasi survei menjadi hal yang sangat penting, makanya tak perlu mempersoalkan darimana LSI mendapatkan dana, yang paling penting hasilnya benar sesuai kenyataan," kata Denny.

LSI mampu mempertahankan tingkat akurasinya, kata Denny bukan hanya disebabkan jam terbang sudah lama, tetapi melakukan sistem "check dan recheck" (meneliti kebenaran bahan informasi sebelum dipublikasikan, red.) secara konsisten.

"Kita melakukan check dan recheck dengan mempertimbangkan sumber data yang ada, dengan demikian mampu melakukan prediksi secara akurat," kata Denny.

Prediksi Pilpres tanggal 8 Juli 2009 hanya berlangsung satu putaran saja, kata Denny, merupakan salah satu bukti bagaimana LSI sebagai lembaga survei dengan tingkat akurasi tinggi.

"Kami adalah pembuat opini publik, peneliti, kolumnis, ahli survei, yang sejak lama terlibat dalam dunia penelitian. Tidak itu saja, kami juga memiliki akses ke media massa, jaringan aktivis dan dunia politik praktis," katanya.

Ia menjelaskan, LSI merupakan lembaga independen yang secara periodik melakukan survei nasional (dengan populasi dan sampel yang diambil dari seluruh Indonesia), setiap tiga bulan sekali untuk mendeteksi pendapat dan aspirasi masyarakat atas berbagai isu aktual.

Menurut Denny, lembaganya telah mengerjakan survei pemilihan kepala daerah di lebih dari 200 wilayah di seluruh Indonesia, dan telah membuktikan survei yang dikerjakan akurat dengan prediksi benar.

"Survei atau riset hanyalah salah satu kegiatan, sebab LSI terlibat juga sebagai konsultan bagi kepala daerah, partai, pemimpin lembaga pemerintahan dan BUMN, serta calon pejabat publik yang bertarung dalam pemilu," katanya. (*)

)This news from ANTARA, Indonesia, September 29, 2009)