The American Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the Defense Secretary Robert Gates have sought to repair US relations with the Afghan leader Hamid Karzai. He's accused Washington of trying to dominate Afghanistan and weaken his government. Mr Gates described the US military and the Afghan authorities as having a good working relationship.
"I think that the Afghans are very concerned about their sovereignty, and they are very concerned that it be clear who is the president of Afghanistan and that he be treated with respect because he is the representative of the people of Afghanistan and their sovereignty. And I think we frankly have to be sensitive in our own comments about President Karzai in terms of being mindful that he is the embodiment of sovereignty for Afghanistan also in the way we treat him."
European Union finance ministers have given final approval to a 40-billion-dollar rescue package for Greece if Athens decides it needs it. Details of the package made up of loans at a favorable interest rate were finalized in a video conference call by ministers from countries that use the euro. The plan is designed to reassure financial markets and prevent Greece from going bankrupt.
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Iran has said that it will make a formal complaint to the United Nations over changes of United States nuclear policy announced by President Obama last week. Iran says the US move amounts to an implied threat to use nuclear force against it. The US said it wouldn't use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear powers which comply with international treaties, singling out Iran and North Korea as two states in violation of such agreements.