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BBC 2008-02-18


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BBC news with Fiona McDonald.

There has been a mixed reaction to the declaration of independence by the Serbian province of Kosovo after an extraordinary session of the UN Security Council key participants have made statements setting out their position. A group of seven western nations described the declaration as inevitable after negotiations were exhausted. They insisted the move would not set a precedent and emphasized that the European Union and NATO still have their role to play in maintaining Kosovo's security and stability. The UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said he'd received a letter from the Serbian president describing the independence declaration as a forceful and unilateral secession. Mr. Ban urged all sides to refrain from any actions or statements that could endanger peace or security in the region. From the UN, Matt Wells reports.

The Secretary General said that his special envoy in Kosovo had been given assurances by the newly independent government that the Serbian minority would be protected. He added that the resolution mandating the UN's role there remained in place. The Russians want the Security Council to declare Kosovon independence null and void. The British ambassador to the UN told reporters that nobody on the Security Council aGREed with that position, although he did admit there was some opposition to Kosovo's unilateral declaration. The Belgian ambassador speaking on behalf of the Security Council group that is backing Kosovo's independence move said that it was the only viable option for the stability and security of the region.

More than 80000 security personnel have been deployed across Pakistan ahead of parliamentary elections beginning in a few hours. The poll was delayed after the assassination in December of the opposition leader Benazir Bhutto and is intended to complete a transition to civilian rule. President Musharraf has said the election will be free, fair and transparent. But the main opposition parties have raised allegations of vote rigging in favor of the president.

In the first round of presidential elections in Cyprus, the incumbent President Tassos Papadopoulos has been defeated and is out of the race. The second round to be fought out next week will be between the former Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides and the Communist Party leader Demetris Christofias. The main issue is how to reconcile the two communities on the island--the Greek Cypriots and the breakaway Turkish Cypriots in the northern region, which is recognized only by Turkey. From Cyprus, here is Tabitha Morgan.

This has been the closest presidential contest in the island's history with less than 2000 votes separating the two leading candidates. Nevertheless, the result shows that most Cypriots have clearly rejected Mr. Papadopoulos' uncompromising approach to solving the Cyprus problem in favor of a more open-minded candidate. The two remaining contestants have both pledged to adopt a more flexible stance to negotiations on the island's future.

World news from the BBC in London.

The Israeli military says it detained about 80 Palestinians for questioning after its latest incursion into the Gaza Strip. On Sunday, four Palestinians were killed in clashes with Israeli troops in southern Gaza, at least three of them gunmen from groups, including Hamas. Several other people, including an Israeli soldier were wounded.

The British government has announced plans to nationalize temporarily the Northern Rock Bank after rejecting two takeover bids. Northern Rock, one of the largest mortgage lenders here, was forced to ask for billions of dollars of emergency funding from the government after a credit crisis last year. The British Finance Minister Alistair Darling said this was the best way forward.

Now we could have chosen to pursue either of the two private sector options, but I've always said that I was determined to protect the taxpayers' interest. It is clear that the private sector alternatives do not meet this test when compared to public ownership.

The Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has repeated his threat to cut off oil supplies to the United States if Washington attacks his country. Speaking on state television, Mr. Chavez said if the US tried to harm Venezuela, his government would not send a single drop of oil to its principal customer. His comments come only days after Venezuela cut commercial ties with the American oil company Exxon-Mobil in protest over its dispute with the Venezuelan state oil company.

Reports from Eritrea say United Nations peacekeepers have for the time being abandoned their efforts to move into Ethiopia after being blocked by Eritrean troops. The mission, which has been monitoring a ceasefire zone since the war between Ethiopia and Eritrea in 2000 said last week that it was being forced to relocate because Eritrea had cut off supplies. Eritrea says it can not accept any relocation of the UN force that is at variance with the peace agreement that had ended the war.

BBC news.