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Obama asks Americans to move beyond race

PHILADELPHIA, March 18 (UPI) -- U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., denounced the "profoundly distorted" remarks by his pastor and called upon Americans to look more closely at race relations.

"This nation may never be perfect," Obama said Tuesday in Philadelphia, "but it can always be perfected."

The Democratic presidential hopeful said he rejected racially charged comments made by the Rev. Jeremiah Wright but couldn't reject the man.

"The remarks ... expressed a profoundly distorted view of this country," Obama said, adding, "I could no more disown him than I could disown the black community ... or my white grandmother."

Wright's characterization that the United States is racist reflects the times in which he grew up, when racial divisions were deep and discrimination rampant, Obama said.

"This is the reality in which Reverend Wright and others grew up," he said.

But people of all races must move forward, Obama said, which requires "all Americans to realize that your dreams do not have to come at the expense of my dreams."

"Working together, we can move beyond some of our old racial wounds," Obama said. "We have no choice ... if we are to move on the path to a more perfect union."

Medvedev: U.S.-Russia continuity needed

MOSCOW, March 18 (UPI) -- The United States and Russia must work to build a more stable relationship, Russian President-elect Dmitry Medvedev told U.S. officials Tuesday.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Robert Gates are in Moscow for talks on the U.S. plan to install a missile base in Poland and radar in the Czech Republic, among other things. Russia views the missile plan as a threat.

"There are issues where we continue to have different positions," Medvedev said, "but there is a will to move forward and we need to create a base for continuity in relations between Russia and the United States."

The U.S. officials also met with President Vladimir Putin to discuss overcoming disputes between the countries, reported RIA Novosti, the Russian news agency.

Putin Monday endorsed portions of a proposal from President George Bush that could lead to a new strategic framework between the nations, including progress on issues such as the missile proposal, nuclear arms control and nonproliferation, The New York Times reported.

"We believe that in some of these issues we can probably dot the i's and reach final agreement," Putin said of the previously undisclosed letter from Bush.

Jailed militant ponders PA leadership bid

JERUSALEM, March 18 (UPI) -- Jailed Palestinian militant leader Marwan Barghouti said through his attorney he is weighing a possible bid for the Palestinian Authority presidency.

Barghouti, the alleged current or one-time leader of the armed factions of Fatah -- al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade and Tanzim -- was jailed in 2002 on charges he killed Israeli citizens and soldiers.

Barghouti said he will announce his decision once a date is set for the next round of Palestinian elections, currently scheduled for 2009 or 2010, Haaretz said Tuesday.

His statements follow the release of a poll by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research that suggests the Israeli incursion into Gaza bolstered the popularity of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.

The poll suggested Haniyeh would run neck-and neck with current PA President Mahmoud Abbas, but Barghouti beats out Haniyeh by nearly 20 percentage points if the former ran for president. The poll surveyed 1,270 Palestinians and has a 3-point margin of error.

In related news, high ranking officials from Hamas and Fatah are scheduled to travel to Yemen this week to enter semi-formal reconciliation talks, the newspaper said.

Palestinian officials said the reconciliation plan calls for Hamas to relinquish control over Gaza to Fatah, a plan Hamas rejects.

Canada officially recognizes Kosovo

OTTAWA, March 18 (UPI) -- Canada's minister of foreign affairs announced in Ottawa Tuesday the country was formally recognizing Kosovo as a sovereign country.

In a statement, Maxime Bernier said many of Canada's G-7 partners and allies had already recognized the predominantly Albanian territory that announced its independence from Serbia Feb. 17.

Bernier said Canada wanted to take its time to assess the situation before formally recognizing the breakaway Balkan state. He said assurances issued by Kosovar leaders about rights of the minority 120,000 Serbs in the region were considered.

"We welcome the commitment made by Kosovo to ensure the protection of the rights of Serbian and other minorities, including their right to safety," he said. "Canada also welcomes Kosovo's commitment to ensure the protection of religious and cultural heritage sites."

Serbia considers Kosovo its cultural birthplace, and the region is rich in Serbian Orthodox churches and monasteries.

The Serbian embassy in Ottawa said its ambassador, Dusan Batakovic, would return to Belgrade for discussions with his government, which Bernier said was standard diplomatic procedure.

Fierce Newfoundland blizzard in second day

ST. JOHN'S, Newfoundland, March 18 (UPI) -- Canada's easternmost island province of Newfoundland was at a near standstill Tuesday as a fierce blizzard lingered a second day, weather officials said.

Environment Canada officials said at least 12 inches of sugar-like snow had fallen in central Newfoundland by Tuesday, a total that was expected to double in the next 24 hours, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp., reported.

By Wednesday, the snow was forecast to change to ice pellets, officials said.

Snow plows were ordered off the roads Monday as gale force winds reduced visibility near zero, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said.

All government offices, banks, courts, schools, businesses, public transit and ferries were closed or not operating Tuesday and police appealed for people to stay off roads and highways, the report said.

By Tuesday afternoon, there had been no reports of mishaps associated with the storm, the report said.