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Last update - 17:22 08/07/2009
Obama: Dialogue is necessary to prevent nuclear proliferation
By Haaretz Service and News Agencies
Tags: Israel News, Barack Obama 

U.S. President Barack Obama said Wednesday that dialogue with Iran and North Korea would be a top priority in efforts to prevent nuclear proliferation.

"It's very important for the world community to speak to countries like Iran and North Korea and encourage them to take a path that does not result in a nuclear arms race in places like the Middle East," Obama said.

Obama was speaking in the Italian city of L'Aquila, where he joined fellow world leaders for talks on threats to global security and stability at the G8 summit where climate change, the global economic crisis, nuclear proliferation and world hunger took top billing.
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Obama's comments came a day after U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that Washington would call for more sanctions against Iran if the White House policy of engagement with Tehran failed.

Clinton said U.S. outreach to Iran may not work given the country's recent repression of protests after a disputed election.

"It may not be possible, in which case we would ask the world to join us in imposing even stricter sanctions on Iran to try to change the behavior of the regime," Clinton said in an interview with Venezuelan television station Globovision, broadcast late on Tuesday.

"We have seen in the last weeks that Iran has not respected its own democracy," she said.

In May, Clinton said more multilateral sanctions could be a way to curb the nuclear ambitions of Iran, which the United States says is seeking to develop a nuclear weapon.

The U.S. president and the leaders of seven other industrialized nations had meetings in the picturesque town of L'Aquila, northeast of Rome for G-8 talks, before they were to widen their circle to include fast-growing countries like China and India and struggling nations from Africa.

Obama, accompanied by his wife Michelle, met Italian President Giorgio Napolitano after arriving at the stately Quirinale Palace in Rome, a spectacular setting that included a large room with a soaring ceiling, gilded walls and doors and huge chandaliers.

After that meeting, Obama said he was looking forward to the G-8 talks and said the U.S. and Italy were working hand in hand in places like Afghanistan "to ensure that we're isolating extremists and strengthening the forces of moderation around the world."

Obama also said he and Napolitano agreed that efforts must continue on raising standards on financial institutions to protect against future global economic meltdowns.

He added that it is crucial that world leaders work to ensure that Iran and North Korea don't take a path that would widen the arms race on the Korean peninsula and in the Mideast.

Security is heavy in L'Aquila, which was ravaged by an earthquake on April 6. Officials have prepared emergency airlifts of the world leaders in case another strong tremor hits.

The summit involves an ever-growing numbers of nations beyond the G8, whose members are the United States, Canada, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Russia and Japan. Various meetings will include representatives of Egypt, Turkey, Mexico and several other nations.

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      1.   `Dialogue`? Lol. Just lol 17:35  |  Lolza Minnelli 08/07/09
      2.   Obama: negotiate at all times and irrespective 18:19  |  DT 08/07/09
      3.   Hey Obama, Remember The USSR?! 19:22  |  Heather Czerniak 08/07/09
      4.   Talking is good up to a point... 19:35  |  Eaglebeak 08/07/09
      5.   Please, somebody... 19:48  |  Jacques 08/07/09
      6.   NK is a lost cause & idiot Obama lets Iran dictate the rules 19:51  |  zionist forever 08/07/09
      7.   #1 LOl, Just lOl 19:54  |  Yaakov 08/07/09
      8.   Oh Nobama, what are we going to do with you? Jimmy Carter Jr. 20:44  |  4:20 08/07/09
      9.   I know Obama`s secret game plan 21:29  |  Charles Morgan 08/07/09
      10.   Talk talk talk talk talk talk....... 22:01  |  Ben 08/07/09
      11.   #4 Jaque: Whch clown? Obama or Ahmedinejad? 22:02  |  Ben 08/07/09
      12.   Dialogue may work with North Korea but not likely with Iran 22:40  |  Joe 08/07/09
      13.   dialogue of the deaf and dumb 23:13  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 08/07/09
      14.   Obama`s "dialogue." 23:35  |  Maureen Ann 08/07/09
      15.   The Nuclear Genie Is Out Of The Magic Lamp 00:00  |  Jeff Northridge 09/07/09
      16.   "YES, WE CAN`T" !!! 00:46  |  Fortuna Benmayor 09/07/09
      17.   To #10 01:14  |  Jacques 09/07/09
      18.   Computer warriors 01:48  |  george 09/07/09
      19.   Pres. Obama should travel to such gatherings with 03:35  |  17 09/07/09
      20.   OBAMA`S logic 03:49  |  VIPER 09/07/09
      21.   Dialogue? 04:11  |  jerri i 09/07/09
      22.   The problem of proliferation 04:52  |  Mark Lincoln 09/07/09
      23.   Dialog will not halt nuclear proliferation 05:52  |  Natallie Durson 09/07/09
      24.   Dos somebody share this anguish? 07:16  |  Fortuna Benmayor 09/07/09
      25.   Deep in Illinois insular naiveté. 07:37  |  Fortuna Benmayor 09/07/09
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