Headlines:

• Iran Deal Still on Table as Geneva Talks Resume
• US Troops to Stay in Afghanistan Till 2024
• Indonesia Halts Australia Co-operation amid Spying Row

Details:

Iran Deal Still on Table as Geneva Talks Resume

On the eve of the latest round of nuclear talks, UK Prime Minister David Cameron phoned Iran's President Hassan Rouhani. It was the first such conversation between British and Iranian leaders for more than 10 years. It follows a similar phone conversation in September between President Rouhani and US President Barack Obama - the most high-level Iran-US contact since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. It is clear that the election of Hassan Rouhani has changed the diplomatic atmosphere dramatically.  As a result, the speed of talks about the Islamic Republic's nuclear programme has increased. The world powers and Iran are about to start their third round of discussions in five weeks. Negotiators here in Geneva may hope to approach or even reach an interim agreement during their next three days of talks. Diplomats decline to reveal the details of their demands and proposals. But a potential first-step deal may include some of the following elements: Iran would agree to limit its enrichment of uranium; to convert some of its stockpile of medium enriched uranium; to limit the types of centrifuges it uses for enrichment, and to give greater access to international inspectors. These steps would make it harder for Iran to proceed towards building a nuclear weapon - a process known as "breakout". Iran strongly denies any ambition to develop an actual bomb. In exchange for taking some or all of the above steps, the world powers say they are prepared to ease some sanctions on Iran. This may take the form of allowing the Islamic Republic access to around $10bn (£6bn) in frozen assets. But negotiators appeared to get stuck on two particular issues. Firstly, France called for greater restrictions on a heavy water reactor at Arak which, when finished, would be able to produce plutonium.  Secondly, Iran reportedly insisted on a recognition of what it believes is its right to enrich uranium. Article 4 of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty guarantees countries the right to develop the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. But the text of the treaty does not expressly refer to a right to enrich uranium. Members of the US Congress, in particular, are sceptical of a deal with Iran. And Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu openly opposes any agreement which would allow Iran to keep its nuclear programme. He has accused the world powers of offering the Islamic Republic the deal of the century. [Source: BBC News]

US Troops to Stay in Afghanistan Till 2024

The United States and Afghanistan reached a draft agreement on Wednesday laying out the terms under which US troops may stay beyond 2014, one day before Afghan elders are to debate the issue. A draft accord released by the Afghan government appears to meet US demands on such controversial issues as whether US troops would unilaterally conduct counterterrorism operations, enter Afghan homes or protect the country from outside attack. Without the accord, Washington has warned it could withdraw its troops by the end of next year and leave Afghan forces to fight a Taliban-led insurgency without their help. Thousands of Afghan dignitaries and elders are due to convene in a giant tent in the capital Kabul on Thursday to debate the fate of US forces after a 2014 drawdown of a multinational NATO force. "We have reached an agreement as to the final language of the bilateral security agreement that will be placed before the Loya Jirga tomorrow," US Secretary of State John Kerry told reporters in the US capital, referring to the gathering. The draft agreement is to take effect on January 1, 2015, and says it will remain in effect "until the end of 2024 and beyond, unless terminated." A senior US administration official said there has been no decision on the size of any post-2014 US force, however the administration does not foresee a residual force staying in Afghanistan until anywhere near 2024. Intense negotiations between Kabul and Washington have provoked frustration among the Afghan tribal and political elders who made perilous journeys from all over the country to the capital Kabul for a grand assembly to debate the pact. [Source: Reuters]

Indonesia Halts Australia Co-operation amid Spying Row

Indonesia has suspended co-ordinated military co-operation with Australia amid an ongoing row over reports Canberra spied on Jakarta officials. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said the suspension included operations to stop people-smuggling, joint military exercises and intelligence exchange. The move came after Jakarta recalled its ambassador from Canberra on Monday. Reports of the spying allegations came out in Australian media from documents leaked by whistleblower Edward Snowden. The leaked document showed that Australian spy agencies named Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, the first lady, the vice-president and other senior ministers as targets for telephone monitoring, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and the Guardian said. The alleged spying took place in 2009, under the previous government. Australia and Indonesia are key allies and trading partners. "It is not possible that we can continue our co-operation when we are still uncertain that there is no spying towards us," Mr Yudhoyono said. He added he would also write to Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott to seek an official explanation over spying allegations. The decision came after Mr Yudhoyono met with top officials, including the recalled Indonesian ambassador to Australia, to discuss the country's relationship with one of its closest neighbours, reports say. "We're not only reviewing our co-operation with Australia, we're actually already implementing the downgrading of our bilateral relations with Australia," Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa also said on Wednesday. He added that Australia "must take concrete steps" to "repair the almost irreparable damage ". He added that the relationship between both countries was "not business as usual". [Source: BBC News]