European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 29, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 10 stars and stripes thursday March 29 2007 in the world us launches show of Force in persian Gulf by James Calderwood the associated press aboard the uss John c Stennis in the Gulf the us Navy on tuesday began its largest demonstration of Force in the Gulf since the 2003 invasion of Iraq deploying two aircraft carriers and conducting simulated Aerial attacks the Maneu vers involving 15 us warships and More than a Hun dred planes were certain to in crease tension with Iran which has frequently condemned the us military presence off its coast the exercises began Only four Days after Iran captured 15 British sailors and marines whom it accused of straying into iranian Waters near the Gulf Britain and the spec Wust 3rd cuss Ronald of the us Navy the Nimitz class aircraft Carrier uss John c Stennis can 74 appears Here in operations on the arabian sea in february us have insisted the British sail ors were operating in iraqi Waters aboard the Carrier uss John c Stennis fighter jets rocketed off the deck in one of a dozen rapid fire training sorties against enemy shipping and aircraft these Maneu vers Demon Strate our flexibility and capability to respond to threats to Mari time Security said us Navy it John Perkins 32 of Louisville Kyas the Stennis cruised about 80 Miles off the United Arab emirates there showing we can keep the maritime Environ ment Safe and the vital link to the global Economy open at us 5th Fleet Headquarters in Bahrain us Navy cmdr Kevin Aandahl said the us a Nevers were not organized in response to the capture of the Brit ish sailors nor were they meant to threaten the islamic Republic Aandahl said the us warships would stay out of iranian territorial Waters which extend 12 Miles off the iranian coast a French naval strike group led by the aircraft Carrier Charles de Gaulle was operating Simuta Blair Iran clash May move to new phase Tehran says sailors being treated Well by David Stringer the associated press London prime minister Tony Blair warned on tuesday that his government could be forced to make Public its proof that a captured British Navy Crew was in iraqi Waters when seized by Iran saying the standoff May move into a different phase if diplomacy fails to win their re lease Britain has said the Crew was detained Fri Day after completing a search of a civilian ves Sel in the iraqi part of the Shaft Alarab waterway where the Bor Der with Iran is disputed meanwhile the us military denied reports tuesday that Iran fired a missile at a us ship in the persian Gulf the rumours of an attack had sent Oil prices soaring but it cmdr Charlie Brown of the us Navy 5th Fleet said All ships in the Gulf had been checked and Beckett the rumours were untrue crude Oil futures had jumped nearly eight percent tuesday in a matter of minutes Topping As rumours of a military confrontation in the persian Gulf spurred panic buying Dow Jones reported Blairs office said tuesday that the British sailors were Well in Side iraqi territorial Waters when they were seized this is not a Case of marginally being in iraqi Waters but in iraqi Waters Blairs offi Cial spokes Man said on condition of anonymity in line with government rules i Hope we manage to get them the iranian government to real ize they have to release them Blair said in an interview with a mtg if not then this will move into a different phase Blairs spokesman said later the prime minister was not hint ing either at the possible expulsion of iranian diplomats or Mili Courtesy of the Brash Royal in this recent but undated image marines from 539 assault Squadron Royal marines conduct operations on Waterways in the Basra Region of Southern Iraq As part of operation Troy Iran said tuesday that 15 British sailors it seized last week Are being treated humanely tary action but instead suggest ing Britain would adopt a More robust approach to negotiations if there is no Swift release of the sailors Blairs office said diplomats would Likely make Public evidence that they claim proves the britons were seized in iraqi not iranian Waters foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett called the iranian for eign minister for the second time tuesday and demanded the speedy release of the British sail ors in very robust terms the foreign office said Beckett was in Turkey on an official visit which she Cut Short tuesday to re turn to London for a statement to parliament on wednesday Blairs spokesman did not re veal whether Britain had set a deadline to release the sailors but said current negotiations were not an indefinite approach he refused to reveal if satellite images or Gas coordinates had been shown to iranian authorities and declined to reveal which territorial boundaries in the disputed Shatt Alarab Britain recognizes releasing evidence that the British sailors were in iraqi Waters would have an upside and a Downside Blairs spokesman said Neoushy just outside the Gulf but the French ships were supporting the nato forces in Afghanistan and not taking part in the us a Nevers Aandahl said Overall the exercises involve More than 10000 us personnel on warships and aircraft making simulated attacks on enemy air Craft and shipping Hunting enemy submarines and finding mines what it should be seen As by Iran or anyone else is that its for regional stability and Security Aandahl said the us drills were the latest in a series of american and iranian War games Iran conducted naval Maneu vers in november and april while in october the us Navy led a Gulf training exercise aimed at blocking nuclear smug gling Olmert Abbas to meet every two weeks the associated press Jerusalem israeli and palestinian leaders have agreed to meet every two weeks to Dis cuss Day today issues a Small step in a quickening diplomatic Pace that could Lead to talks on a final peace settlement Secretary of state condole Ezza Rice announced tuesday after shuttling Between the two sides for the past three Days Rice also said that an american Gener Al serving As her Security envoy will try to set benchmarks for a ceasefire including halting rocket fire from Gaza and improving the flow of palestinian travellers and goods through israeli Cross Ings the israelis and the Palestin ians Are taking the initial step on the path to peace Rice said the american role will include helping them to overcome Obsta cles develop new ideas and rally International support for their efforts Rice said the first talks be tween the two leaders will be on practical questions not the so called final status issues de fining peace and Security be tween Israel and an Independent Palestine Arab Summit to consider plans for closer military Alliance the associated press Riyadh saudi Arabia the sunni parliament speaker on tuesday called for a unified and Clear Arab stance to sup port stability and the political process in Iraq in a statement addressing leaders at a today Arab league Summit that opens wednesday in Riyadh saudi Arabia Mah Moud Almash Hadani appealed for Arab leaders to shoulder their legitimate Ethi Cal and National responsibilities toward Iraq and to never abandon its people Almash Hadani expressed Hope that regional leaders would engage in a comprehensive examination of Iraq troubles be cause of their negative and dangerous con sequences on All the Region and especially Arab countries Almash Hadani said the association of Muslim scholars an influential but Hartline sunni clerical group with suspected links to insurgents asked the regions leaders to Call for the withdrawal of us forces and pressure for an overhaul of Iraq shiite dominated political system Arab countries should forge closer Mili tary and Security ties including nuclear co operation according to a document to be discussed at the Summit it was not immediately Clear whether the proposal drawn up by Egypt Aims at establishing a formal military pact for the Arab leagues 22 member nations if so it would replace a 1950 treaty created As part of Arab efforts to Challenge the newly established Israel and invoked during the Middle East wars of 1967 and 1973 the document says the countries should set up a new and effective pact for Arab National Security the saudi foreign minister Prince Saud a Faisal said monday that Arab National Security will top the Agenda of the Summit