Voices from Russia

Friday, 18 April 2014

German Free Democratic Party Slams NATO’s Actions in the Ukraine

FRANCE-GERMANY-NATO-SUMMIT-DEFENCE

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On Friday, Wolfgang Kubicki, Deputy Chairman of Germany’s Free Democratic Party (FDP), said in an interview with DPA, “I consider as most counterproductive that NATO has concentrated its forces to the so-called eastern border and the involvement of the Bundeswehr in it. It’s also very dangerous. It’s most important to develop a dialogue with Russia, and to expand the participants in negotiations between Europe and Moscow. The very high support [by Russians of the policy of President Vladimir] Putin should make us think twice. Talking to each other doesn’t mean firing at each other, but rather understanding of each other”.

On 17 April, NATO’s press service reported that the alliance was sending five warships to the Baltic Sea to support its Eastern European allies. The source said that the group included warships from Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Estonia. Earlier, a NATO Council meeting in Brussels approved a package of measures to strengthen the security of the alliance’s Eastern European member-states due to the crisis in the Ukraine. Following the meeting, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said that the alliance would have more planes in the air, more ships in the water, and land forces would be ready.

Editor:

The FDP is the coalition partner of the CDU in the Merkel government, without its support, it’d fall. Besides that, it’s a neoliberal “Free Market” bunch to the RIGHT of Merkel’s CDU. Even the righties see no good in the junta! Germany isn’t going to threaten Russia militarily nor with economic sanctions, not now, not later, not ever. Add to this the fact that Die Linke (the main Leftist party, the successors of the SED… the righties keep them under surveillance, a sign that they have a serious chance at power) opposes antagonising Russia, and that many elements in the SPD (a centre-left bunch) don’t favour such either means that Germany won’t join the American goading of the Bear. NATO’s revealed to be a ramshackle “Coalition of the Unwilling”… after all, most European states have slashed defence spending to the bone, and they’re not going to reverse that any time soon.

BMD

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Wednesday, 2 April 2014

Is the EU Capitulating on the Ukraine?

00 TImoshenko cartoon. 25.02.14

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Jon Hellevig, Managing Partner of the Moscow-based Awara Group and a long-time observer of Russia’s development, said that the EU, especially, its leading countries, in essence, caved on their Ukrainian policies and the hostility towards Russia connected with them, saying, “They’re defeated on all fronts and had to admit their miscalculations. The EU was wrong from the beginning in its operation to bring about régime change in the Ukraine. The USA took the lead in the operation to topple Yanukovich through violent street riots using radical, even neo-Nazi, storm troopers, but the EU leadership and some of their countries were also strongly involved in this (Germany, Poland, Sweden). Despite strong propaganda in the Western mainstream media, many people in Europe understood that the events in the Ukraine demonstrated a Western régime change operation. This miscalculation even brought the fascist neo-Nazi Svoboda bloc into the government. The EU lost the moral high ground. Opposition parties in all the EU countries gain on this, so they have a problem with their own electorate. On top of that, big business opposes sanctions”.

Last week, German CEO’s strongly criticised Merkel and the EU for pushing Russia into a corner with the threat of sanctions. Hellevig said, “Business understands, and have now explained it to the political leadership, that sanctions would hurt European economies very severely, much more so than they’d hurt Russia itself. European leaders also miscalculated China’s role and its strong commitment to support Russia in this crisis. China didn’t let Russia be isolated. Considering all this, the EU had no choice but to try to cool down the crisis and try to get back to business as usual”. On Tuesday, European Commission Vice President Olli Rehn said that the EU should refrain from introducing broad economic sanctions against Russia if the situation in the Ukraine doesn’t deteriorate. Rehn believed that no sensible European wants to see economic sanctions or any other escalation to the crisis. However, NATO kept an anti-Russian line, vowing support to the Ukraine and Eastern European states. On Tuesday, NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said to the alliance’s foreign ministers in Brussels that the alliance was re-evaluating its coöperation with Russia.

In the meantime, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said that he didn’t see a way to NATO membership for the Ukraine. Instead, Steinmeier renewed a push for internationally-backed direct talks between Russia and the Ukraine. At a meeting with his French and Polish counterparts in Weimar before heading to Brussels he said, “What’s important in the coming days is getting Russia and the Ukraine around a table together”. The joint statement of the ministers said that the Ukrainian junta should shun extremists; they urged it to reach out to all Ukrainian regions, to ensure that governmental structures are representative and inclusive, and to issue a timetable for constitutional reform. Hellevig expressed hope that this statement signals that the EU shall back Lavrov’s proposal to set up a federalised Ukraine.

31 March 2014

Darya Chernyshova

RIA-Novosti

http://en.ria.ru/world/20140402/188987391/OPINION-EU-Capitulates-On-Their-Ukrainian-Politics-.html

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Sunday, 2 March 2014

If Possible, Things are Worse than They Were Yesterday

00 crisis 02. ukrainian soldiers. 02.03.14

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The Ukraine announced general mobilisation, with Secretary of National Security Council Andrei Paruby declaring that he’d put the entire country on full combat alert. Reportedly, the Defence Ministry called up its reserve, who it ordered to report for duty on 2 March. This comes after the Ukrainian National Security Council announced on Saturday that the army must get ready for combat and mount security around airports, nuclear plants and other strategic facilities. However, the Ukrainian junta claimed it was against any forceful solution. Meanwhile, Kiev reportedly pleaded with the NATO for help. NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen announced the alliance would hold urgent talks and a NATO-Ukraine Committee session is set to begin in Brussels on Sunday.

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An ITAR-TASS correspondent in Crimea reported that the Ukrainian military serving in Crimea-deployed units are joining the local self-defence forces. Many servicemen disagree with the junta’s direction, so, they leave their units and tender their resignations. Some units said they’d only take orders only from the command of Crimea’s self-defence forces. Crimea, an autonomous republic within the Ukraine, is now at the centre of the ongoing crisis in the country as pro-Russia groups move to distance themselves from a putschist rump Rada that ousted President Viktor Yanukovich a week ago. There are reports of large movements of Russian troops around the peninsula, which is in defiance of express instructions from Ukrainian authorities this week for Russian soldiers to remain confined to their quarters.

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Three Russian federal subjects reported increasing flows of refugees from the Ukraine. Belgorod Oblast Governor Yevgeni Savchenko said that thousands of refugees from southern, eastern, and central Ukraine are pouring into the Belgorod Oblast. The refugees say that they’re fleeing the continuing rampages unleashed by unruly ultra-right elements who seized power and think that they can get away with anything. Savchenko told Rossiya-24 that a group of unidentified men attempted to shut down the Moscow-Crimea M2 highway, saying, “Crowds of gunmen… no one knows where they came from… roam around, staging all sorts of provocations. Yesterday, they attempted to block the Moscow-Crimea highway. We’re deeply concerned”.

Governor of Rostov Oblast Vasili Golubyov told reporters that people are fleeing political and social uncertainty, saying that they no longer feel safe in their homes. Bryansk Oblast Governor Nikolai Denin echoed this, saying that what’s happening in the Ukraine perplexes most refugees and they fear for their safety. He added that local people are giving them aid, sympathy, and understanding. According to Federation Council Chairman Yevgeni Bushmin, more than 140,000 Ukrainians fled to Russia since the beginning of unrest in the Ukraine. He said that most refugees are staying with their relatives and friends.

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00 Putin. Zaldostonov. Night Wolves. 02.03.14

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On Sunday, Rossiya-24 announced that A S Zaldostanov (the “Surgeon”), leader of the Night Wolves MC biker-club is back in Russia from Sevastopol, the rest of those with him will soon follow. Next week a group of bikers will go to the Crimea with humanitarian aid of clothing and medicine, riding quads so that they can “patrol the area between roadblocks”. Moreover, there’ll be a demonstration in the centre of Moscow this Sunday at 17.00 MSK (13.00 UTC. 08.00 EST. 05.00 PST. 00.00 Monday 3 March AEST) “in support of the Ukraine and against the provocateurs who seized power in Kiev”. The demonstration will start from Pushkin Square and go to Academician Sakharov Avenue through the Boulevard Ring.

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On Sunday, Vladimir Konstantinov, the Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the Autonomous Republic of the Crimea (ARK), said that the ARK government doesn’t obey the Timoshenko junta in Kiev. Commenting on the upcoming referendum on the status of Crimea, he said, “We’ll bring up the issue of expanding Crimea’s autonomous status to that of a state. That will allow us to build our relations with the central government on a treaty basis”. Konstantinov said that Sevastopol might receive a special status in the ARK after its authorities are expanded. At present, Sevastopol is a city of national importance in the Ukraine.Konstantinov said that Sevastopol residents would decide on this matter themselves, saying, “The decision is theirs to make. As for the Crimea’s reaction, I can only say that people of Sevastopol are our friends”. Earlier, he said that NATO forces were unwelcome in Crimea, observing, “We didn’t ask NATO to send troops. This land belongs to the Russian world. We’d like everyone to remember that. It’s a millennium-old history. The people of Russia and the Ukraine belong to the Russian world”.

2 March 2014

Voice of Russia World Service

http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2014_03_02/Ukraine-declares-total-mobilization-3356/

http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2014_03_02/Ukrainian-servicemen-deployed-in-Crimea-massively-taking-side-of-Crimean-authorities-8036/

http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2014_03_02/Ukrainian-refugees-flood-Russiajes-Belgorod-region-as-ultra-radicals-continue-rampage-0550/

http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2014_03_02/Russian-bikers-to-bring-clothing-and-medicine-to-Crimea-next-week-TV-3404/

http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2014_03_02/Crimea-to-seek-larger-than-autonomous-status-at-coming-referendum-parliament-speaker-6096/

 

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Sunday, 1 September 2013

As John Robles Sees It… World Cools to Obama… Sceptical of American Hysteria… Consider Attack on Syria Fishy

00 Uncle Sam Kicked Out. 01.09.13

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The world community’s reaction to America‘s desperate fanatical drive to war in Syria, which seems matched only by the irrational violent and insane behaviour of the Syrian-liver-eating-opposition, left Washington looking like a desperate schoolyard bully looking for a little kid to beat up for his lunch money. Only this time the bully has Tomahawk missiles hides in an “armoured car”.

Russian reaction

Russia’s reaction was coherent and unwavering from the beginning of the conflict and the latest escalation saw some of the harshest statements so far to come out of Moscow. Aleksandr Lukashevich, the official spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MID), stated that Washington’s statements threatening to use military force against Syria unilaterally are unacceptable. He said, “Given the lack of evidence, any unilateral military action bypassing the UN Security Council, no matter how limited it is, would be a direct violation of international law and would undermine the prospects for a political and diplomatic solution to the conflict in Syria and will lead to a new round of confrontation and victims”. He went on to say, “Instead of executing the decisions of G8’s summit in Lough Erne and subsequent agreements to submit comprehensive report from experts investigating possible cases of use of chemical weapons in Syria to the UN Security Council, in the absence of any evidence, we hear threats of a strike on Syria”. Lukashevich emphasised that even “American allies” want to wait for the completion of the UN chemical expert group “in order to get an unbiased picture of what really happened and decide on further steps in terms of the Syrian crisis”.

On Friday, Russia welcomed the British Parliament’s rejection of military action against Syria and warned that such an attack without UN approval would deal a major blow to the existing world order. Yuri Ushakov, President Putin‘s chief foreign policy aide, said the British vote showed a growing public understanding of the dangers of an attack against President Bashar al-Assad‘s régime, saying, “This reflects the majority opinion amongst the British and Europeans. It seems to me that people are starting to understand how dangerous such scenarios are”. For some, the USA seems to be behaving like the brutal owner of a dog who beats his pet into submission and understands nothing but violence and force. US President Barack Obama, rather than encouraging dialogue, diplomacy, and intelligent debate, decided unilaterally, as he put it, to “teach President Assad a lesson”.

NATO won’t provide support

The latest defection from America’s war lust was NATO, with Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen officially stating that NATO has no plans to join the USA in military action in Syria, and that such intervention would require the approval of all 28 NATO member countries. Unlike the military aggression in Libya, most European countries failed to support the latest urgent attempts by the USA to launch an immediate military action against Syria.

US Secretary of State provides no proof

On Friday, US Secretary of State John Kerry gave a lacklustre speech, the beginning of which was delayed for more than an hour. Kerry looked pale, resigned, and gaunt, lacking any kind of enthusiasm, being almost robotic in his delivery. His speech, which was no doubt intended to cement and inspire a drive for war in Syria, was unconvincing, and left one, from the start, waiting for expected evidence that he never presented. During the speech, Mr Kerry robotically used the phrase “we know” 23 times, the phrase “I know” once, but the key word the world was waiting for, “proof”, was never heard. As for “evidence”, he cited the “high confidence” of the “American Intelligence Community” and evidence available on the internet. He stated that the US government wouldn’t repeat the “Iraq moment” (a whimsical and lackadaisical sounding way to name war-crimes and war-lies), but the only difference so far was that no evidence was presented whatsoever. No yellowcake, no 45-minute-WMDs, no satellite photos of chemical weapons trailers and supposed weapons and chemical production sites, no outrageous shocking witness statements, nothing. Just endless rhetoric and statements, after which one almost expects to hear, “You believe me, don’t you?”

Calls for adherence to international law and UN standards

The UN is currently investigating, and rather than waiting for the UN to complete the investigation, the USA continues to drive for an invasion and is willing to do so unilaterally, or as they say, to use some kind of “limited bombardment” to implement their “humanitarian” aggression. Many countries called for calm; they want the USA to wait for the conclusion of the investigation, for a UN Resolution, and to adhere to international law.

UK Parliament and impassioned speech

In a 29 August speech, British MP George Galloway from the Respect Party cited public opinion polls showing that only 11 percent of Britons support the UK going to war against Syria, whilst, interestingly enough, only 6 percent of Americans do so. Britain put it to a vote, but the USA seems to be simply waiting for its imperial president to give the order; gone are the days of Congressional votes and declarations of war, it’s just the “decider in chief” and his whims. During his impassioned speech, Mr Galloway repeated Labour leader Ed Miliband’s statements that there’s no compelling evidence that the chemical weapons attacks that took place in Syria were the responsibility of President Assad. He stated that the American assertion that Assad was “mad enough” to launch a chemical weapons attack on the very day that he’d allowed UN chemical weapons inspectors into the country, and, furthermore, was insane enough to do so right in Damascus, was ridiculous. The MP made the very astute observation that if such a madman was ruling the country, what would he do if the West launched a barrage of Tomahawk missiles?

At the emergency session of the House of Commons, the esteemed Mr Galloway wondered aloud as to why if Mr Assad were such a monstrous madman, why was he allowed as a guest at Buckingham Palace just a few years ago, and why was he recommended for an honour and hailed as a moderniser. He said the narrative changed because someone decided on régime change. He said that people were uneasy because they can see the character of the Syrian opposition. He mentioned the Syrian opposition leader who filmed himself cutting open the chest of a Syrian soldier and eating his heart and liver and video showing the decapitation of Christian priests. These facts cause terror amongst all 23 minority groups in Syria; this is what they fear will happen if the opposition wins. Finally, he asked the House when was it when the Russians and Chinese had ceased to be members of the international community, and who the USA was to unilaterally decide to invade a country if they couldn’t even convince the UN Security Council of the need for a military operation.

More evidence of American and terrorist involvement in attack

In light of evidence that the chemical weapons were delivered to the “rebels” by Egypt, and that the attacks were carried out by these same “rebels”, as well as recent threats against Russia by Saudi Prince Bandar to President Putin over Russia’s support for Syria, it’s time the world took a long hard look at who the real “madmen” here are.

00 John Robles. VOR 06.1231 August 2013

John Robles

Voice of Russia World Service

http://voiceofrussia.com/2013_08_31/World-cools-to-Obama-and-US-hysteria-to-attack-Syria-8775/

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