Russia Begins Operations in Syria: End Game for the US Empire?

[Cosmos]

Putin just delivered a real bombshell, a real bummer. If you read what he just said, then you realize that he not only exposes the US, for not really following the ratification of the treaty, but especially Israel and that they should follow what other "civilised" nations have done:

When Putin says "some of them claim to be leaders and to practically hold special powers in dealing with global security issues," he's probably talking about the US, so you might be confusing NPT with CTBT: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comprehensive_Nuclear-Test-Ban_Treaty

Yes you are right, I confused those two. He talks about CTBT and not NPT. Here is Putins statement again:

"The unwillingness of these countries to become full parties to the treaty is cause for serious regret, especially given the fact that some of them claim to be leaders and to practically hold special powers in dealing with global security issues. We again call on their leaders to show real political will and join CTBT as soon as possible,"

So he is not especially referring to Israel here, as I said above... But Israel is also one of those countries he refers to. So he is referring to the US and Israel there as well, but not only those countries. From the Wikipedia link you provided above:

Status

Further information: List of parties to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty

The Treaty was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 10 September 1996. It opened for signature in New York on 24 September 1996, when it was signed by 71 States, including five of the eight then nuclear-capable states. As of March 2015, 164 states have ratified the CTBT and another 19 states have signed but not ratified it.

The treaty will enter into force 180 days after the 44 states listed in Annex 2 of the treaty have ratified it. These "Annex 2 states" are states that participated in the CTBT’s negotiations between 1994 and 1996 and possessed nuclear power reactors or research reactors at that time. As of 2015, eight Annex 2 states have not ratified the treaty: China, Egypt, Iran, Israel and the United States have signed but not ratified the Treaty; India, North Korea and Pakistan have not signed it.

And to the right of the Wikipedia we can see:

(states that need to take further action for the treaty to enter into force: China, Egypt, India, Iran, Israel, North Korea, Pakistan, United States)

So those last countries mentioned above, need to finally either sign and/or ratify the treaty, so it can enter into force. So Putin referred to those 8 countries. Now it is anyones guess which countries of those 8 he means by "especially given the fact that some of them claim to be leaders and to practically hold special powers in dealing with global security issues".

"Special Powers" could certainly fit to the US and Israel in particular there. And he says, that only some of those 8 "claim to be leaders" and "practically hold special powers in dealing with global security issues". So here are the countries again, that he refers to:

China, Egypt, India, Iran, Israel, North Korea, Pakistan, United States

I think only three of those countries (maybe four) "claim to be leaders" and "to have special powers in dealing with global security issues" at the same time:

USA, Israel and North Korea (and maybe Pakistan).

So it looks like he refered to those 3 (or 4) countries especially there...

 

[sToRmR1dR]

Mi-28N gunship crashes near Homs, both pilots dead – Russian Defense Ministry

https://www.rt.com/news/339273-russian-helicopter-crash-syria/

An Mil Mi-28N Night Hunter attack helicopter has crashed in Syria while performing a flight near the city of Homs, the Defense Ministry’s press-service reports. The ministry says the helicopter was not shot down.

Black boxes of crashed Mi-28N helicopter in Syria sent to Moscow for deciphering — source

http://tass.ru/en/defense/869322

Their condition allows retrieving data from them, the source says

MOSCOW, April 13. /TASS/. The Mil Mi-28N strike helicopter of the Russian Aerospace Forces crashed in Syria on Tuesday due to pilot error, preliminary data suggest, a sources in the Russian Aerospace Forces staff told TASS on Wednesday.

"According to preliminary data of the probe commission, the human factor is behind the Mi-28N helicopter crash in Syria," the source said.

According to him, "the commission is considering all the versions of the incident, including a technical malfunction," and the full picture of the air accident will become clear only after deciphering the helicopter’s flight recorders.

"The cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder were found at the site of the Russian Mi-28N helicopter crash in the area of Homs. Their condition allows retrieving data from them. The ‘black boxes’ of the Mi-28N helicopter have been sent to Moscow," the source said.

The helicopter’s wreckage had no signs of fire from the ground: the fragments’ examination revealed no shot holes. "The helicopter fell in an area controlled by the Syrian government troops. The aircraft carried a load of missile ammunition that exploded when it hit the ground," the source added.

The Russian Defense Ministry reported previously that a Mi-28N strike helicopter of the Russian Aerospace Forces crashed in Syria at 01:29, Moscow time on April 12, 2016. Two crewmembers of the helicopter were killed. According to the ministry, the helicopter did not come under fire.

The Mi28N helicopter gunships were used by the Russian military during the Palmyra city liberation operation. In particular, these rotorcraft used anti-tank guided missiles to destroy terrorists’ armored vehicles.

Mi-28N Night Hunter is a strike helicopter armed with a 30-mm cannon, guided missiles and free rockets. The Night Hunter can locate and destroy armored vehicles, personnel, small surface ships, and low-speed air targets and fortifications, as well as lay mine fields day or night in adverse weather conditions.

Russian security agencies searching for militants near Makhachkala — source

http://tass.ru/en/society/869250

MAKHACHKALA, April 13. /TASS/. Russia's security agencies have blocked several streets in the settlement of Leninkent in the suburbs of Makhachkala as search is underway for militants and their associates, a source in security agencies of the North Caucasusian Federal District told TASS on Wednesday.

"Operational information is being used to search for criminals and their associates, addresses are being checked. The counter-terrorist operation regime has not been declared in the settlement, no houses have been blocked yet," the source said.

Counterterror operation underway in south Russia

http://tass.ru/en/world/869384

MAKHACHKALA, April 13. /TASS/. The regime of a counterterrorism operation has been introduced in the village of Leninkent in a suburb of the capital of Dagestan, Makhachkala, a spokesman for the Russian National Antiterrorism Committee (NAC) Operational Headquarters in the North Caucasus republic told TASS.

"The regime of a counterterrorism operation was introduced at 16:00 in the village of Leninkent of the Kirovsky District of Makhachkala. Events to search for militants and their accomplices are underway," the spokesman said.

Earlier it was reported that law enforcers blocked a number of streets in Leninkent in the morning. "Operative information on location of gang members and their accomplices is being worked out, targeted checks are underway," a source in law enforcement structures of the North Caucasus Federal District said.

Russia’s law enforcement agencies continue fighting militants in the North Caucasus over 15 years since the battle phase of the second war against Islamist separatists in Chechnya came to an end in 2000. Attacks on security officials and civilians occur from time to time in Dagestan, Ingushetia and Kabardino-Balkaria.

 

[angelburst29]

Syrian President Bashar Assad expressed hope for a peaceful settlement of the country's political crisis during talks with Russian lawmakers.

Assad Upbeat About Syrian Settlement Through Geneva Dialogue
http://sputniknews.com/politics/20160412/1037853613/assad-syria-geneva.html

Syrian President Bashar Assad said during a meeting with Russian lawmakers that he is positive on the possibility of a peaceful settlement of the political crisis in the country within the framework of the Geneva dialogue, Russian lawmaker Sergei Gavrilov told journalists Tuesday.

The meeting addressed Russian support in Syria's counterterrorist campaign, humanitarian deliveries to the population and the Arab republic's economic revival, he added.

The meeting took place one day ahead of parliamentary elections scheduled to take place in Damascus and several other Syrian cities. Gavrilov stressed that the upcoming vote would confirm the continuity of legitimate Syrian leadership and contribute to talks between government and opposition delegates expected to resume on Wednesday in Geneva.

The Russian lawmaker said Assad noted Russian President Vladimir Putin's popularity in Syria.

In March, Assad said that Damascus would lean primarily on Russia, China and Iran in rebuilding the country after five years of destruction.

Lavrov said that the intra-Syrian negotiations that are beginning in Geneva, Switzerland this week will focus on the discussion of the country’s political reform.

Syrian parliamentary elections should prevent power vacuum
http://novorossia.today/syrian-parliamentary-elections-should-prevent-power-vacuum/

The parliamentary elections held in Syria on April 13 should prevent a legal vacuum in the country until a new Syrian constitution is worked out, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday.

“There is the understanding that this process [intra-Syrian talks] should result in a new constitution on the basis of which new early elections will be held,” the minister said. “But until that happens, a legal vacuum and a vacuum in the sphere of Syria’s executive power branch should be prevented. The elections that are held today should play this role.”

“The discussion by our common consent — by agreement of the International Syria Support Group, by decision of the UN Security Council — will focus on the political reform in the Syrian Arab Republic,” he said.

According to the minister, “the Syrian sides will have to come to terms on a new constitution, on how they see the structures that will help the country to make a smooth transition to a new system.”

The Russian foreign minister said that it is the Syrian people that should decide how the transitional process in Syria will be conducted.

Russia and China have introduced a draft resolution on terrorists' use of chemical weapons in Syria, Russia's Ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin said on Wednesday.

Russia, China Introduce UN Resolution on Terrorists' Chemical Weapons Use
http://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20160413/1037955958/russia-china-un-resolution.html

Last week, a spokesman for Syrian Kurds told Sputnik that gas poisoning cases had been reported among the civilian population and Kurdish militias after an attack on Aleppo by Islamic militants on April 6.

“We introduced a Russian-Chinese draft resolution tightening the screw on terrorists preparing to use chemical weapons in Syria,” Churkin told reporters.

Jaysh al-Islam group took responsibility for the shelling of Aleppo and stated that it had deployed "forbidden" weapons. The group, however, did not specify whether it used chemical agents.

Chemical weapons had previously been deployed by rebels groups in Aleppo. In early March, the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) stated that Syrian opposition Ahrar ash-Sham Islamist group shelled the Sheikh Maqsood neighborhood using white or yellow phosphorus munitions.

Syrian and Turkish Kurds rallied on Wednesday outside the UN office in Geneva to protest against the usage of chemical weapons in Aleppo, a Sputnik correspondent reported.

Kurds Rally Near UN Geneva Office Against Use of Chemical Weapons in Aleppo
http://sputniknews.com/europe/20160413/1037952327/kurds-talks-weapons-protest.html

The rally, attended by some 150 protesters, was timed to the beginning of a new round of Syrian proximity talks in the Swiss city.

Tutar accused militants from Jaysh al-Islam of launching chemical attacks on Aleppo that killed 23 Kurds. The rebel group’s leader is a chief negotiator at the Geneva talks representing the Riyadh-backed High Negotiations Committee (HNC), a Syrian key opposition group.

"These actions violate Geneva conventions," Tutar said, adding that the UN should pay more attention to the situation where "those who used chemical weapons against its own people" are allowed to take part in peace talks.

Syrian Kurds have again been denied an invitation to the peace process and will not be sending delegates, despite calls from Russia and one of the Syrian opposition groups not to repeat this mistake.

"These people are present here for the political discussion. But Kurds themselves are not present," Tutar pointed out.

He also confirmed the information obtained by Sputnik that Aleppo came under a new shelling earlier this week where militants used hand-made bombs called Jahanamiya, which in Arabic means "hell."

Asked where militants could get chemical weapons, Tutar said that "militants in Aleppo have a facility for producing chemical weapons, including hand-made bombs with sarin gas… Gas was delivered to the Syrian territory from the Turkish town Adana."

Last Thursday, a spokesman for Syrian Kurds told Sputnik that gas poisoning cases had been reported among the civilian population and Kurdish militias after an attack on Aleppo by Islamic militants. Jaysh al-Islam took responsibility for the shelling, saying it had used "forbidden" weapons.

The al-Nusra Front terrorist group is seeking to worsen the humanitarian crisis in the Syrian city of Aleppo by cutting its communication with Homs, the Russian center for Syrian reconciliation said.

Al-Nusra Front Seeks to Worsen Humanitarian Situation in Aleppo
https://syria360.wordpress.com/2016/04/11/al-nusra-front-seeks-to-worsen-humanitarian-situation-in-aleppo/

Earlier on Monday, the Russian Defense Ministry called on the United States to work through various channels to prevent the concentration of Nusra Front militants around Aleppo. The Russian General Staff said that some 9,500 militants are present around Aleppo in preparation for a major offensive.

“The al-Nusra Front seeks to aggravate the humanitarian situation in Aleppo by establishing control over the road linking Aleppo with Homs,” commander of the center, Lt. Gen. Sergei Kuralenko said on Monday.

Over the past week, the al-Nusra Front has transferred over 1,500 fighters to the vicinity of Aleppo from other areas of the country, Kuralenko added, noting that the militants have been grouping mainly to the south and to the southwest of the city.

 

[angelburst29]

An odd report coming out of Southeast Alaska ...

Pair of guided missile containers found in Pacific Ocean near Alaska
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/04/13/pair-guided-missile-containers-found-in-pacific-ocean-near-alaska.html?intcmp=hpbt3

Boater says container was about 8-by-2 feet of hard plastic.

Two large shipping containers, stamped with the words “Contains: Guided Missile,” were discovered in the Pacific Ocean near Alaska Sunday.

Alaska State Troopers said the containers were empty, and information from tags attached to the boxes was sent to the U.S. military. There was no immediate public comment from military officials.

Troopers were investigating the discovery of one suspicious box when they got a radio message from another mariner that a second container had been found. Both were found near the southeast island community of Craig.

Clinton Cook Sr. told KTUU-TV he was on a charter boat that found one of the heavy, hard plastic containers. They were going to pass it, but noticed the unusual shape.

"I seen the data plate," Cook said of the plastic box. "It said, 'Contains: Guided missile.' And I was like, 'Holy crap.'"

Cook told the station he was traveling to a job site to lay propane pipes in the Steamboat Bay area when someone saw the object. The crew initially thought it was a float.

Troopers say an explosives ordinance team helped determine the boxes were "void of their original contents." Troopers didn't know any history of the containers.



PHOTOS: Floating box labeled 'guided missile' was eerie discovery, boater says
http://www.ktuu.com/news/news/box-that-originally-contained-guided-missile-found-floating-in-southeast-alaska/38978248

Clinton Cook Sr., of Craig, said he was on the 24-foot charter boat that discovered one of the white containers labeled "guided missile." It was not how he expected to spend his Sunday.

"I seen the data plate," Cook said of the hard plastic box, which was bobbing in the water about seven miles north of Craig. "It said, 'Contains: Guided missile.' And I was like, 'Holy crap.'"

"We need to leave it alone,'" he told the others.

Cook, a longtime Craig resident, said he was traveling to a job site to lay propane pipes in an area called Steamboat Bay when someone on the boat saw the object. They thought it was some kind of float, at first, and planned to motor by until noticing the unusual shape and size.

The container looked to be about 8-feet by 2-feet and was too heavy to lift, Cook said.

Wires could be seen inside, through a hole in the container, he said. The boaters phoned state troopers.

Eric Huestis, assistant harbormaster in Craig, said he saw the containers as well. They were from the 70s and 80s, looked to be fiberblass and had foam inside, he said.

ORIGINAL POST:

The discovery of a suspicious box that looked to be a military shipping container for a guided missile prompted an Alaska State Troopers investigation Sunday in Southeast Alaska.

Wildlife troopers in Craig were notified at 11:34 a.m. that a “suspicious box” had been found in marine waters near the island community northwest of Ketchikan. Troopers arrived in a 27-foot patrol vessel, the Interceptor. During the investigation, a mariner in the area radioed troopers to report they had found a second guided missing shipping container, troopers wrote in a dispatch posted online.

Members of an Explosive Ordinance Disposal team helped troopers determine that both containers “were void of their original contents” and could be safely removed from the water, according to troopers.

Troopers said it’s unclear where the containers originated.

“Information contained on the tags attached to the containers was passed long to military authorities, troopers wrote.

Wildlife troopers in Ketchikan referred questions to a department spokesman who did not return a call. The Craig harbormaster could not be reached for comment late Monday.

 

[angelburst29]

[...] As of 2015, eight Annex 2 states have not ratified the treaty: China, Egypt, Iran, Israel and the United States have signed but not ratified the Treaty; India, North Korea and Pakistan have not signed it.

I don't know if India will sign the Treaty - seems the Pentagon has it's sights on India becoming a “counterweight” to China?

Lockheed Martin Offers to Site F-16 Fighter Jet Production in India: Part of US Campaign to Make India a “Frontline State”
http://www.globalresearch.ca/lockheed-martin-offers-to-site-f-16-fighter-jet-production-in-india-part-of-us-campaign-to-make-india-a-frontline-state/5519737

Lockheed Martin, a premier member of the US military-industrial complex, has announced that it is eager to begin manufacturing its prized fourth-generation fighter jet, the F-16, in India. According to Lockheed Martin India head Phil Shaw, the company is in discussions with New Delhi about producing F-16s in India for both the Indian air force and other militaries.

This offer, which would and could only be made with the approval and encouragement of the Pentagon and the Obama administration, is part of Washington’s concerted campaign to make India a “frontline state” in its drive to strategically isolate, encircle, and if need be wage war on China.

[...] The US has been pressing India to sign three “foundational” military co-operation agreements” that have been under discussion for a decade. These include a Logistics Support Agreement (LSA) that would give the US military routine access to Indian ports and air bases for refuel and resupply. In December, a senior Indian official said that the only obstacle to India signing the LSA was whether it would apply in the event the US went to war.

[...] A high-level official in the George W. Bush administration, Tellis played a major role in the negotiation of the Indo-US nuclear accord, an agreement meant to provide tangible proof of Washington’s readiness to build up India as a “counterweight” to China. While publicly presented as a deal solely about civilian nuclear energy, the Indo-US nuclear accord, by enabling India to trade for advanced nuclear technology and fuel, enables New Delhi to concentrate its indigenous nuclear program on the expansion of its nuclear arsenal.

 

[angelburst29]

2016 Live Q&A with President Putin
http://www.fort-russ.com/2016/04/2016-live-q-with-president-putin.html

Note: On Thursday, 14th April at 12:00 UTC President Putin will hold an annual, live Q&A session. Many of the questions are grouped beforehand via a call center to allow for a streamlined response in the amount of time available. Those that don’t make it to the show or are singular in nature are answered separately – “no call goes unnoticed.” Others are asked directly by calling in during the show. You can submit your question here, but for now this is only possible in Russian. The question I submitted is in relation to the availability of more languages for this portal, for a more global audience in 2017!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

The amount of questions submitted to the President on the eve of the Q&A session has surpassed one million – confirms press secretary Dmitry Peskov on 13th April 2016. Peskov has stated that the majority of questions have been asked via the telephone – however it is also possible to submit via SMS, MMS, official internet channels and even VKontakte (Russian version of Facebook).

The call-center set up for the purposes of the Q&A is working non-stop, with many operators taking the queries. Lines have become overloaded due to the sheer amount of interest. While there have been over a million recorded phone calls, there are also 200,000 text messages and messages via social media. The majority of questions are of socioeconomic nature, however a substantial amount have also been about the state of our roads. People have even recorded videos of themselves on highways documenting some of the despicable states they’re in.

Then there are matters of the economy – the Press-Secretary has confirmed that people are most worried about price rises and salaries not being paid in a timely manner. The value of the ruble has surprisingly not featured amongst questions as much as was anticipated.

People have made contact from abroad as well, including from Syria. Many residents of this country have passed on their thanks for Russia’s involvement in the fight against international terrorism.

The Q&A in itself is a colossal project involving a huge amount of resources for the country’s dialogue with the President. “We have 14 cameras set up in the studio with about 300 staff on hand. There are also 49 operators in the call-center” – says producer of “Rossia” TV Channel Alexander Kormilitsin.

You too can ask President Putin a question by calling (+7) 8-800-200-40-40. Text messages can be sent to (+7) 0-40-40. On top of this, for the first time, live video calls will be made possible during the show itself, as well as live messaging to Vladimir Putin via VKontakte.

From a technical point of view - there is complete readiness. Camera, lights, audio. Millions of people are awaiting answers from the President.

Ed: “RTR planeta” is a free, 24 hour news channel which can be viewed from anywhere in the world by clicking “прямой эфир” in the top bar, and then “24” at the bottom of the following page. Live, dubbed versions into several languages are usually available via RT’s youtube channel.

 

[sToRmR1dR]

Syrian army repelled attempted offensive in Latakia — Russian Defense Ministry

http://tass.ru/en/world/869501

Jabhat al-Nusra (outlawed in Russia) terrorists continue shelling positions of Syrian government troops in the province of Aleppo, Homs and Latakia seeking to breakdown the ceasefire regime

MOSCOW, April 13. /TASS/. Gunmen of the Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist organization continue shelling of settlements and positions of Syrian government troops in the province of Aleppo, Homs and Latakia seeking to breakdown the ceasefire regime, the Russian center for reconciliation of the warring parties in Syria said in a regular daily bulletin posted on the Russia’s Defense Ministry’s Facebook account.

According to the bulletin, an attempted offensive in the province of Latakia was repelled. Gunmen had to retreat sustaining considerable losses.

"The settlements of Ard al-Jaburin, Mzan and Skalbia in the province of Homs came under shelling from mortars and self-made multiple missile launcher systems. Seven civilians were killed and 27 more were wounded," the center said.

"After preliminary bombardment gunmen attempted an offensive on the Syrian government troops’ positions near the settlement of Nahshebba in the province of Latakia. The terrorists had to retreat towards the village of Barza-Tahtani having sustained considerable losses," the center said.

No air strikes were delivered by the Russian air group and the Syrian air force at armed opposition group which have declared cessation of hostilities and referred their coordinates to the Russian or U.S. reconciliation centers, the bulletin says.

A ceasefire regime brokered by Russia and the United States on February 22 officially came into effect in Syria at midnight Damascus time on February 27. This does not cover terrorist groups such as Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra, both outlawed in Russia, and other groups recognized as terrorist by the United Nations Security Council.

An hour before the ceasefire came into force, the United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution in support cessation of hostilities in Syria. The document was initiated by Russia and the United States and won support from all the 15 members of the United Nations Security Council.

Russian UN envoy: Western partners seem to have secret agenda on Syria

http://tass.ru/en/politics/869510

According to the Russian diplomat, efforts to achieve national unity in that country have failed, with Islamic State having got control over strategically important regions

MOSCOW, April 14. /TASS/. Western countries may have secret plans of further military interference in Libya where the Islamic State terrorist organization is enhancing its positions but any attempts at unilateral actions will be fraught with negative consequences, Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin said in an interview with the Izvestia daily on Thursday.

"Despite the fact that the Libyan experience is very painful for the Security Council, we now have common interests. They are to restore Libya’s unity and territorial integrity and to prevent this country from turning into a nest of terrorism destabilizing a major part of the African continent," he said.

"But despite this, our Western partners seem to be stopping short of telling the whole truth, which gives an impression that they may have a secret agenda of their own on Libya," Churkin noted. "There have been media reports that the Americans delivered air strikes at Islamic State targets in Libya. Newspapers say a British special force in present in that country. We are warning our Western partners (several days ago this subject was raised at the United Nations Security Council) that unilateral actions will bring about no good. So, let us wait and see whether common sense wins the upper hand with them this time."

According to the Russian diplomat, efforts to achieve national unity in that country have failed, with Islamic State having got control over strategically important regions. "All this requires coordinated efforts of the international community, including via the United Nations Security Council," he underscored.

"US officials seen to be still at loss over Russia’s actions in Syria"

The United States’ officials, especially those from Pentagon, tend to underestimate cooperation with Russia in Syria which gives away their abashment over Russia’s actions in that country in the past six months, Vitaly Churkin said in an interview with the Izvestia daily on Thursday.

"Generally speaking, close Russia-U.S. interaction at various levels - political, diplomatic and military - is the backbone of the crisis settlement efforts. All understand it. And the fact that the Americans, especially Pentagon representatives, are underestimating it may probably mean that they are still at a loss over Russia’s energetic actions in the Syrian track in the recent six months," he said.

Touching on the Syrian settlement process, the Russian diplomat noted that Moscow positively assesses the activities of United Nations Secretary General’s Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura. "He is a proficient and experienced diplomat who generally succeeded in establishing a certain exchange of opinions between the Syrian government delegation and the opposition (given the lack of unity among the latter) during the first round of talks which yielded a document that can be used to try to find common ground and continue the negotiating process," Churkin said.

Currently, according to Churkin, de Mistura’s activities have bigger international support than before, so, his efforts have more chances to be crowned by favorable results.

The Russian diplomat expressed regret that Western members of the United Nations Security Council are unwilling to exert influence on Turkey which is categorically against inviting the Kurds to the peace talks. "Turkey is opposing, absolutely irrationally, to the participation of the Syrian Kurds in the talks. This way it is only prompting them towards ‘separatist sentiments.’ And this is what Ankara fears," he said. "Regrettably, developments around our draft statement demonstrate that the United States and other Western members of the United Nations Security Council do not want to influence Ankara’s position. It is regrettable as in no way promoting the talks.".

"Russia-initiated UN CS resolution aimed at preventing chemical attack by terrorists"

The draft United Nations Security Council resolution initiated by Russia and China binds the countries to immediately report actions of terrorists groups and other non-government entities geared at the development of chemicals weapons and means of their delivery in Syria and its neighbors, Russia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations said on Wednesday after a closed-door meeting of the U.N. Security Council.

He said the decision to prepare this document was taken following reports about chemical attacks staged by the Islamic State terrorist group in Syria’s Deir ez-Zor and Aleppo. Apart from that, in his words, numerous reports indicate that terrorists are able to manufacture chemical warfare agents. Having analyzed the situation, Russia and China understood that there is a gap in the Security Council’s documents concerning the use of chemical weapons, he said.

The Russia-and China-initiated draft, in his words, "will fill this gap." The document binds countries, first of all, Syria’s neighbors, to immediately report to the Security Council and the OPCW-UN Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM) in Syria about any actions of non-government entities aimed at developing, obtaining, possessing, transporting, transferring or using chemical weapons and means of their delivery.

Necessary step

He said the resolution might look like a "limited step." "But we think it is needed," he said, adding that it will be a constraining factor should the terrorists want to use chemical weapons. "Previous experience demonstrates that they have used such weapons to accuse the Syrian government of it," Churkin said. "We hope that if they are aware we are watching their activities they will have less stimuli to do it."

He said the resolution will be applicable to Syria and its neighbors, as well as Turkey accused by Russia of supporting armed groups. He reminded that before a major gas attack in Syria in August 2013, a group of terrorists had been arrested in Turkey and an investigation had been launched. Later on, it was however abandoned due to some unknown reason. "We think there can be a link between these facts," the Russia diplomat stressed. In his words, Russia is confident that terrorists were behind the chemical attacks in August 2013. These attacks might have been prepared in Turkey, he added.

Commenting on allegations that chemical weapons were used by the Syrian government, the Russian diplomat stressed that Damascus’ entire chemical warfare arsenals had been destroyed in line with United Nations Security Council resolution 2118. He also drew attention to the fact that fears of a possible chemical attack in a European city subway are linked with Islamic State rather than with the Syrian government. "Thousands of terrorists" are now flooding Europe, he noted, and some of them might bring chemical components or weapons, or even knowledge how to make them.

Moscow Will Not Allow NATO to Drag Russia Into Senseless Confrontation

http://sputniknews.com/world/20160414/1037976424/russia-nato-mangolia-politics.html

Russia strongly opposes confrontation with NATO alliance and regards it to be nonsensical, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Thursday.

ULAN BATOR (Sputnik) – Moscow will not allow NATO to drag Russia into a senseless confrontation, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Thursday.

“We are observing an unprecedented growth of military activity since the end of the ‘Cold War’ and NATO presence on the so-called Eastern Flank of the alliance with the goal of putting military and political pressure on Russia for constraint. This is all accompanied with an aggressive propagandistic campaign in demonizing Russia,” Lavrov said while delivering a speech at the Mongolian Foreign Ministry.

“Russia has no plans and will not be pulled into a senseless confrontation, and we’re convinced that there is no reasonable alternative to mutually beneficial common European cooperation in the area of security on the basis of inseparable security with the support of international law,” Lavrov added.

Russia has repeatedly dismissed the allegations of meddling in Ukrainian affairs and stressed that NATO's military expansion and increased presence near Russian borders undermines regional security.

Lavrov says US needs cooperation with Russia to solve key international issues

http://tass.ru/en/politics/869534

ULAN BATOR, April 14. /TASS/. The latest visit of US Secretary of State John Kerry to Moscow shows that the United States needs the support of Russia and bilateral cooperation in solving major international issues, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Thursday.

"The West realizes step by step that it is impossible to isolate Russia," Lavrov said during a lecture at Mongolia’s Foreign Ministry. Kerry’s visit to Moscow in late March also signaled Washington’s "demand for carrying out a joint effort on the burning regional issues," he added.

Russia has consistently called on the US partners to build steady and predictable cooperation on an equal basis, Lavrov said.

"The demand for such cooperation is explained by reality of the modern world where the answers to common problems and challenges can be searched only based on collective and balanced approaches and through unifying efforts of all the key players," he said.

 

[Cosmos]

2016 Live Q&A with President Putin
[...]

Here is the live stream in english. It starts in 53 minutes:

http://<iframe width="560" height="...ds" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Here is the german version:

http://<iframe width="560" height="...wo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[Keit]

Here is the live stream in english. It starts in 53 minutes:

The Q&A still goes on, but just wanted to share something very interesting. One of the farmers shared concerns regarding the possible end to sanctions. The fact is, Russian agriculture and husbandry sectors benefit greatly from Western sanctions, and their premature end may cause many Russian business people to "lose their shirts", as the local market will be flooded again with exports.

On the other hand, I had an opportunity to talk with European agriculture people (mainly Lithuanian and Latvian), and they are in a very dire situation due to sanctions against Russia, since the price for milk has plummeted. They say that despite clear animosity toward Russia (some won't go there for a visit on principal), they still think that it hurts the industry.

Bottom line is, Russia is in a clear win win situation, and Putin is in a good position to present his own demands without fear that it may have some sort of negative economic repercussions for Russia. In fact, it seems like it's better for Russia to remain "isolated" as long as possible. :P

 

[Siberia]

Bottom line is, Russia is in a clear win win situation, and Putin is in a good position to present his own demands without fear that it may have some sort of negative economic repercussions for Russia. In fact, it seems like it's better for Russia to remain "isolated" as long as possible. :P

Indeed. :)

Here is the brief English version: https://www.rt.com/news/339528-putin-2016-live-conference/

The 12-year-old girl's question was priceless too:

- Who would you save: a drowning Erdogan or Poroshenko?

- Putin: If someone decides to drown, you can't save 'em.

 

[Keit]

The 12-year-old girl's question was priceless too:

- Who would you save: a drowning Erdogan or Poroshenko?

- Putin: If someone decides to drown, you can't save 'em.

Yep. ;) What I also liked that they tried to show the people the effectiveness of such Q&A sessions. The conference hasn't ended yet, and there were already several criminal cases initiated. ;) Pity Putin doesn't really have super powers (well, beside the super powers he already has!) and can't have like a week long Q&A. This way things in Russia would be solved much quicker!

 

[Laura]

The 12-year-old girl's question was priceless too:

- Who would you save: a drowning Erdogan or Poroshenko?

- Putin: If someone decides to drown, you can't save 'em.

Yep. ;) What I also liked that they tried to show the people the effectiveness of such Q&A sessions. The conference hasn't ended yet, and there were already several criminal cases initiated. ;) Pity Putin doesn't really have super powers (well, beside the super powers he already has!) and can't have like a week long Q&A. This way things in Russia would be solved much quicker!

The main thing he is doing is setting an example of clear and concise thinking - making it a model of behavior to emulate; making it okay to make sense and think logically. Dear god, how long has it been since a politician or gov. leader has acted that way?

 

[Keit]

The main thing he is doing is setting an example of clear and concise thinking - making it a model of behavior to emulate; making it okay to make sense and think logically. Dear god, how long has it been since a politician or gov. leader has acted that way?

And also an example of "non-pathological" and constructive approach.

Here take a look at this question from a first-grader, a girl (starting at 3:27:00). She asks if a woman can become a president of Russia, since her dad says that only Putin can handle US! His answer is that Russians should concentrate on solving domestic problems and make Russia a better and stronger country. And this way US won't be an issue at all. As for a woman president, his answer was that actually woman are better at solving problems like this.

Yeah, he is definitely setting an example. You can also see it from the amount of calls from little kids and young people. Kids often want to become various heroes, like astronauts, firemen, etc. In this case there were a lot of calls by kids that asked how they can become a president.

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[Persej]

Bottom line is, Russia is in a clear win win situation, and Putin is in a good position to present his own demands without fear that it may have some sort of negative economic repercussions for Russia. In fact, it seems like it's better for Russia to remain "isolated" as long as possible. :P

Yeah, he really checkmated the Western elites. :)

The main thing he is doing is setting an example of clear and concise thinking - making it a model of behavior to emulate; making it okay to make sense and think logically. Dear god, how long has it been since a politician or gov. leader has acted that way?

Too long.

Yeah, he is definitely setting an example. You can also see it from the amount of calls from little kids and young people. Kids often want to become various heroes, like astronauts, firemen, etc. In this case there were a lot of calls by kids that asked how they can become a president.

Russian kids certainly have a good role model, even if they don't go into politics. :)

 

[bjorb]

Being used to having muppets as leaders made this actually sobering and pleasant to watch. Putin was able to answer all questions no matter how 'small.' Questions about waste, roads, fishing laws, tax laws etc. He is informed about everything.