World in brief: Ahmadinejad retains minister

Tehran – Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will rename Manoucher Mottaki as foreign minister, an adviser said Wednesday, a move that suggests the Islamic Republic will not harden its already tough posture in negotiating with the West.

Meanwhile, Syrian President Bashar Assad, fresh off what France described as his successful effort to help secure the release of two French nationals held inside Iranian prisons, arrived in Tehran to meet with supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Ahmadinejad, the official Islamic Republic News Agency reported.

Assad reportedly is the second head of state to visit Iran since Ahmadinejad’s disputed June 12 re-election, which sparked weeks of unrest and violence.

Chinese military launches Web site

Beijing – China’s Defense Ministry launched its first official Web site today, part of an effort by the normally secretive military to be more transparent.

The site’s launch – including an English version – comes as the U.S. Army’s top general visits Beijing for talks with his Chinese counterparts. Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Casey will visit the headquarters of the People’s Liberation Army today and meet PLA Chief of the General Staff Chen Bingde.

China has long been tightlipped about its military strength and capacity, drawing criticism from other countries wary of the Asian giant’s growing power and skyrocketing military spending. Beijing says it is modernizing its military, but for purely defensive purposes.