Trump era: Fascist dawn, or road to liberation?

[angelburst29]

Mattis seems to be implementing the motto - "Do as I say - not as I do" in a tit-for-tat in military procurement and spending?

China can't buy Russian fighter jets and a surface-to-air missile system but the Pentagon can sell Taiwan spare F-16 parts and other military craft - jeopardizing China's position and security interests? Taiwan is part of China's territory.

Sept. 25, 2018 - China denies Hong Kong Port visit for U.S. Navy Ship amid trade tensions
China denies Hong Kong port visit for U.S. navy ship amid trade tensions | Reuters


China has denied a request for a U.S. warship to visit Hong Kong, the U.S. consulate in the Chinese city said on Tuesday, amid rising tension between Beijing and Washington over trade and a U.S. decision to sanction the Asian nation's military.

The amphibious assault ship Wasp had been due to make a port call in the former British colony of Hong Kong in October, diplomatic sources said.

“The Chinese Government did not approve a request for a U.S. port visit to Hong Kong by the USS Wasp,” a consulate spokeswoman said.

“We have a long track record of successful port visits to Hong Kong, and we expect that to continue,” she added.

In Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang did not directly answer a question on whether China had denied the request.

“For requests for U.S. military ships to visit Hong Kong, China has always carried out approvals case by case, in accordance with the principle of sovereignty and the detailed situation,” he told reporters, without elaborating.

In 2016, at a time of heightened tension over its territorial claims in the disputed South China Sea, China denied a request for a U.S. carrier strike group led by the John C. Stennis to visit Hong Kong.

On Saturday, China summoned the U.S. ambassador in Beijing and postponed joint military talks in protest against a U.S. decision to sanction a Chinese military agency and its director for buying Russian fighter jets and a surface-to-air missile system.

China and the United States are also embroiled in an increasingly bitter trade war.


Sept. 25, 2018 - U.S. approval of $330 Million Military sale to Taiwan draws China's ire
U.S. approval of $330 million military sale to Taiwan draws China's ire | Reuters


The U.S. State Department has approved the sale to Taiwan of spare parts for F-16 fighter planes and other military aircraft worth up to $330 million, prompting China to warn on Tuesday that the move jeopardized Sino-U.S. cooperation.

U.S. military sales to self-ruled Taiwan, which China claims as its territory, is an irritant in the relations between the world’s two largest economies. Taiwan would still need to finalize details of the sale with U.S. companies.

“This proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security and defensive capability of the recipient, which has been and continues to be an important force for political stability, military balance, and economic progress in the region,” the Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a statement issued on Monday.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said that U.S. arms sales to Taiwan were a serious breech of international law and harmed Chinese sovereignty and security interests.

China strongly opposes the planned arms sales and has already lodged “stern representations” with the United States, he told a daily news briefing in Beijing.

China urges the United States to withdraw the planned sale and stop military contacts with Taiwan, to avoid serious harm to both Sino-U.S. cooperation in major areas, and peace and stability in the Taiwan strait, Geng added.

China’s Defense Ministry, in a separate statement, also condemned the planned sale, adding that the Chinese military had a “firm and unshakable” resolve to protect the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

China is deeply suspicious of U.S. intentions toward Taiwan, which is equipped with mostly U.S.-made weaponry and wants Washington to sell it more advanced equipment, including new fighter jets.

In a statement on Tuesday, Taiwan’s Presidential Office thanked the United States for its support and said the island would continue to “stay in close communication and cooperation” with Washington for issues including security.

Military experts said the balance of power between Taiwan and China has shifted in favor of China, which could probably overwhelm the island unless U.S. forces came quickly to its aid. ( ???)

The $330 million request covers spare parts for “F-16, C-130, F-5, Indigenous Defense Fighter (IDF), all other aircraft systems and subsystems, and other related elements of logistics and program support,” the Pentagon said, adding that it notified Congress of the possible sale. Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N) makes the F-16.

The Pentagon said the proposed sale is required to maintain Taiwan’s “defensive and aerial fleet,” and would not alter the military balance in the region.

China has never renounced the use of force to bring what it sees as a wayward province under its control.

Chinese President Xi Jinping told U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis during a visit to Beijing in June that Beijing was committed to peace, but could not give up “even one inch” of territory that the country’s ancestors had left behind.


Sept. 25, 2018 - China protests to United States over planned arms sale to Taiwan
China protests to United States over planned arms sale to Taiwan | Reuters


Sept. 25, 2018 - Top Aide to Khamenei rejects U.S. offer to meet Iranian Leaders: IRNA
Top aide to Khamenei rejects U.S. offer to meet Iranian leaders: IRNA | Reuters

The top adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Tuesday that an offer by Washington to meet with Iranian leaders including Khamenei would never be accepted.

Asked about an offers made by U.S. President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to meet Iranian leaders, Ali Akbar Velayati was quoted as saying by news agency IRNA: “Trump’s and Pompeo’s dream would never come to reality.”

Pompeo made his offer on Fox News on Sunday.


Sept. 25, 2018 - Iran Top Aid dismisses U.S. meeting offer as 'Trump's Dream'
Iran top aide dismisses U.S. meeting offer as 'Trump's dream' | Reuters


Sept. 24, 2018 - Iran, Major Powers labor to keep Nuclear Deal afloat
Iran, major powers labor to keep nuclear deal afloat | Reuters

The remaining parties to the Iran nuclear deal on Monday agreed to keep working to maintain trade with Tehran despite skepticism this is possible as U.S. sanctions to choke off Iranian oil sales resume in November.

U.S. President Donald Trump decided in May to abandon the pact and to restore economic sanctions on Iran, including those that seek to force the OPEC member’s major oil customers to stop buying Iranian crude.

In a statement after a meeting of Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and Iran, the group said they were determined to develop payment mechanisms to continue trade with Iran despite skepticism by many diplomats that this will be possible.

“Mindful of the urgency and the need for tangible results, the participants welcomed practical proposals to maintain and develop payment channels notably the initiative to establish a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to facilitate payments related to Iran’s exports, including oil,” the group said in a joint statement issued after the statement.

Several European diplomats said the SPV idea was to create a barter system, similar to one used by the Soviet Union during the Cold War, to exchange Iranian oil for European goods without money changing hands.

The idea is to circumvent U.S. sanctions due to be restored in November under which Washington can cut off from the U.S. financial system any bank that facilitates an oil transaction with Iran.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said the decision to set up such a vehicle had already been taken and that technical experts would meet again to flesh out the details.

“In practical terms this will mean that EU member states will set up a legal entity to facilitate legitimate financial transactions with Iran and this will allow European companies to continue to trade with Iran in accordance with European Union law and could be open to other partners in the world,” she said.

Many diplomats and analysts, however, are skeptical such a vehicle could ultimately thwart U.S. sanctions given that the United States could amend its sanctions laws to prohibit such barter transactions.

“The key is to keep all possibilities open so that we can signal to the Iranians that the door isn’t closing,” said a senior French diplomat.

The European Union, has so far failed to devise a workable legal framework to shield its companies from U.S. sanctions that go into effect in November and that, among other things, seek to choke off Iran’s oil sales, diplomats said.

Highlighting how difficult it will be for the Europeans to come up with concrete solutions, French state-owned bank Bpifrance on Monday abandoned a plan to set up a financial mechanism to aid French firms trading with Iran.

The crux of the 2015 nuclear deal, negotiated over almost two years by the administration of former U.S. President Barack Obama, was that Iran would restrain its nuclear program in return for the relaxation of sanctions that had crippled its economy.

Trump considered it flawed because it did not include curbs on Iran’s ballistic missiles program or its support for proxies in Syria, Yemen, Lebanon and Iraq.

The impending return of U.S. sanctions has contributed to a slide in Iran’s currency. The rial has lost about two-thirds of its value this year, hitting a record low against the U.S. dollar this month.


25.09.2018 - Trump Does Not Plan to Meet Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Despite Requests
Trump Does Not Plan to Meet Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Despite Requests

Previously, US State Secretary Mike Pompeo noted that Trump was ready to engage in a constructive dialogue with Iran's representatives at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.

Despite requests, I have no plans to meet Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. Maybe someday in the future. I am sure he is an absolutely lovely man!" Trump tweeted.

Later in the day, spokesman for Iran's mission to the United Nations Alireza Miryousefi said that his country had not equested a meeting with the US President.

Washington announced earlier that US President Donald Trump would chair the United Nations Security Council meeting on Iran.


25.09.2018 - World Leaders Address UN General Assembly in New York (Video)
World Leaders Address UN General Assembly in New York (VIDEO)

US President Donald Trump has stated earlier that he will discuss the fight against terrorism as well as trade issues at the 73rd Session of the UN General Assembly.

Brazil, the United States, Ecuador, Turkey, Rwanda, Mexico, France, Seychelles, Peru, Jordan, Qatar, Iran, Finland, Croatia, Togo and South Africa are participating in the morning session of the assembly.

Guatemala, Malawi, Egypt, Paraguay, Argentina, Switzerland, Sri Lanka, Slovenia, Zambia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kyrgyzstan, Gambia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mozambique, Marshall Islands, Dominican Republic, Japan, Armenia, and Morocco have been announced to speak at the afternoon session.

Follow Sputnik's live feed to find out more

The second week of the 73rd UN General Assembly (UNGA73), which is being held in New York City, will feature a marathon of high-level sessions and bilateral meetings focused on the security challenges and the most pressing international issues, such as the future of Iran's nuclear deal, weapons of mass destruction, the Syrian peace settlement and the improving situation on the Korean Peninsula.

 

[angelburst29]

Sept. 26, 2018 - Trump says he looks forward to new meeting with Putin
Trump says he looks forward to new meeting with Putin

© AP Photo/Evan Vucci The US president said no exact date has been scheduled so far.

US President Donald Trump has said that he is looking forward to a new meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"We do not have any exact date, but I look forward to meeting with him," Trump said in reply to a question from TASS when asked when his next meeting with the Russian leader might take place.

The first full-scale Putin-Trump rendezvous was in Helsinki on July 6. First the two leaders had a one-on-one conversation for a little more than two hours. The delegations’ members joined in later. The presidents discussed bilateral international relations to say afterwards they had taken a long stride forward. In the United States, Trump was later criticized for being too lax regarding Russia’s alleged intervention in the 2016 presidential election and for questioning the conclusions by the US intelligence community on that score.


Sept. 26, 2018 - Lavrov says ready to meet with US top diplomat on US initiative
Lavrov says ready to meet with US top diplomat on US initiative

The US top diplomat said on Monday that he was prepared to meet with his Russian counterpart.

Russian top diplomat Sergei Lavrov told TASS on Tuesday that he was ready to meet with his US counterpart on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly on an initiative from the US side.

"Only if he wants it," the Russian foreign minister said when asked about the possibility of such a meeting. "We never impose ourselves."

"There is an agreement in principle to maintain contacts. We will see," he added.

Russian diplomatic sources earlier said Lavrov’s meeting with US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo was possible on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. The US top diplomat said on Monday that he was prepared to meet with his Russian counterpart and told reporters that the issue of Russia’s contract to sell S-300 missile systems to Syria will be raised.


Sept. 26, 2018 - US senator to introduce amendment to lift sanctions on Russian lawmakers
US senator to introduce amendment to lift sanctions on Russian lawmakers

The amendment is to be submitted to the Senate foreign policy committee on Wednesday.

US Senator Rand Paul is introducing an amendment that would open the doors to a reciprocal lifting of sanctions on the members of Russian parliament and US Congresspersons, The Daily Beast said on Tuesday.

According to the amendment, Washington’s sanctions against members of Russia’s Federal Assembly might be lifted if Moscow agreed to a mutual lifting of sanctions from US senators and representatives.

"If the Government of the Russian Federation terminates the application of sanctions with respect to all Members of the United States Senate or House of Representatives, the President shall reciprocally terminate the application of sanctions with respect to members of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation […]," said the text of the amendment published by the news portal.

Senator Paul is known as a proponent of President Trump’s line at an improved working relationship with Russia and with President Vladimir Putin. The Daily Beast recalls that he has criticized his fellow senators and representatives for their stance on Russia, saying that the US should promote dialogue with Moscow.

In August, he made a solo trip to Russia where he met with a number of officials and delivered a letter from President Trump to Vladimir Putin.

"In addition to meeting with former Russian President Mikhail Gorbachev, Paul had an hour-long sit-down with Konstantin Kosachev, the chairman of the foreign affairs committee in Russia’s legislature," the article said. "During that meeting, according to Paul’s office, the senator invited Kosachev, who himself is banned from entering the U.S., to send Russian lawmakers to the U.S. Capitol to meet with their American counterparts."

The amendment is to be submitted to the Senate foreign policy committee on Wednesday.

The US opened the process of introduction of sanctions against Russia following the state coup in Ukraine and Crimea’s reunification with Russia in March 2014. The restrictive measures have affected a number Russian banks, companies, and individuals. The US authorities have prolonged and expanded the sanctions several times to date.


September 26, 2018 - US removing some Missile systems from Middle East: WSJ
U.S. removing some missile systems from Middle East: WSJ | Reuters

The United States is pulling some of its anti-aircraft and missile batteries out of the Middle East, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday, citing U.S. military officials.

The Pentagon will pull out four Patriot missile systems from Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain next month, the report said, adding that the realignment step marks a shift of focus away from long-lasting conflicts in the Middle East and Afghanistan to tensions with China, Russia and Iran.

Two Patriot missile systems will be redeployed from Kuwait, and one each from Jordan and Bahrain, the report said. Patriots are mobile missile systems capable of shooting down missiles and planes.

The report comes amid rising rhetoric against Iran from the United States, which earlier this year pulled out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the 2015 deal in which Tehran agreed to curb its nuclear work in return for the lifting of most Western sanctions.

Meanwhile, Russia and the United States have been facing diplomatic rifts over Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea from Ukraine, involvement in the Syrian conflict and alleged meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.


September 26, 2018 - Trump, Iran's Rouhani exchange threats, insults on UN's World Stage
Trump, Iran's Rouhani exchange threats, insults on U.N.'s world stage | Reuters

U.S. President Donald Trump and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani exchanged taunts at the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday with Trump vowing more sanctions against Tehran and Rouhani suggesting his American counterpart suffers from a “weakness of intellect.”

Trump used his annual address to the United Nations to attack Iran’s “corrupt dictatorship,” praise last year’s bogeyman North Korea and lay down a defiant message that he will reject globalism and protect American interests.

But much of his 35-minute address was aimed squarely at Iran, which the United States accuses of harboring nuclear ambitions and fomenting instability in the Middle East through its support for militant groups in Syria, Lebanon and Yemen.

“Iran’s leaders sow chaos, death and destruction,” Trump told the gathering in the green-marbled hall. “They do not respect their neighbors or borders or the sovereign rights of nations.”


September 26, 2018 - Trump open to meeting Venezuela's Maduro, says all options on table
Trump open to meeting Venezuela's Maduro, says all options on table | Reuters

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he was open to meeting Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro if it would help the people of Venezuela, but warned that “all options were still on the table” to deal with the crisis.

Maduro said he hoped to arrange a face-to-face meeting with Trump. The White House responded to a similar request last year by saying such a meeting would happen when the country returned to democracy.

Maduro was due to speak at the annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations later on Wednesday.

“I would certainly be open to it, I’m willing to meet with anybody,” Trump said on Wednesday as he arrived at United Nations headquarters. “We’re going to take care of Venezuela, if he’s here and he wants to meet, it was not on my mind, it was not on my plate, but if I can help people that’s what I’m here for.”

Under Maduro, Venezuela has limited the powers of the opposition-run legislature, jailed opposition politicians and created a parallel congress with unlimited powers.

Maduro says he is the victim of an “economic war” led by U.S.-backed adversaries. He denies limiting political freedoms, insisting opposition leaders have plotted assassination attempts and sought to overthrow him through violent street protests.

“All options are on the table, every one,” Trump told reporters. “The strong ones and the less than strong ones and you know what I mean by strong. Every option is on the table with respect to Venezuela.”

The United States imposed new sanctions on Maduro’s wife and several of his top allies on Tuesday. The Trump administration has levied several rounds of sanctions against Maduro’s government since 2017.

 

[angelburst29]

Oct. 3, 2018 - Russia's Putin urges end to Washington political infighting
Russia's Putin urges end to Washington political infighting | Reuters


FILE PHOTO: Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers a speech during a session of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Russia September 12, 2018. Donat Sorokin/TASS Host Photo Agency/Pool via REUTERS

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that the United States should bring a halt to internal political infighting which he said was poisoning U.S. relations with Russia.

Putin has previously said allegations of Russian meddling in the U.S. presidential election have been fabricated by domestic opponents of U.S. President Donald Trump as a way to undermine Trump’s presidency.


Oct. 3, 2018 - US reviewing agreements that expose it to World Court: Bolton
Bolton calls U.N. world court 'politicized,' U.S. to limit exposure | Reuters


U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton answers a question from a reporter about how he refers to Palestine during a news conference in the White House briefing room in Washington, U.S., October 3, 2018. REUTERS/Leah Millis

U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton said on Wednesday the administration was reviewing all international agreements that could expose it to binding decisions by the International Court of Justice calling the United Nations' organ politicized and ineffective.

His announcement came hours after U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Washington was terminating a treaty of amity with Tehran, after the court ordered the United States to ensure that sanctions against Iran, due to be tightened next month, do not affect humanitarian aid or civil aviation safety. [L2N1WJ0SV]

The Hague-based court, which is also known as the World Court, handed the victory to Tehran, which had argued that sanctions imposed since May by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump violate the terms of a 1955 Treaty of Amity between the two countries.

Citing what he called “Iran’s abuse of the ICJ,” Bolton said: “We will commence a review of all international agreements that may still expose the United States to purported binding jurisdiction, dispute resolution in the International Court of Justice. The United States will not sit idly by as baseless politicized claims are brought against us.”

Bolton also said the United States would withdraw from the “optional protocol” that gives the ICJ jurisdiction to hear disputes under the 1961 Vienna Convention of Diplomatic Relations.


The Vienna Convention is an international treaty setting out diplomatic relations between states. It is often cited as a means to provide diplomatic immunity.

In 2005, the Bush administration took issue with the ICJ after it ruled that the execution of a Mexican national in Texas breached U.S. obligations under international law.

Bolton told a White House briefing that the withdrawal from the so-called “optional protocol” was related to a case brought by the “State of Palestine” in September challenging the recent U.S. embassy move from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

The Palestinians argued that the U.S. government’s placement of its embassy in Jerusalem violated an international treaty and it should be moved.

“This really has less to do with Iran and the Palestinians than with the continued consistent policy of the United States to reject the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice, which we think is politicized and ineffective,” Bolton said.

He added: “I’d like to stress the United States remains a party to the underlying Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and we expect all other parties to abide by their international obligations under the convention.”

The ICJ is the United Nations’ venue for resolving disputes between nations. Palestine was recognized by the U.N. General Assembly in 2012 as a non-member observer state, though its statehood is not recognized by either Israel or the United States.

(Comment: Bolton seems to be going through the motions of severing ties on the International level - to avoid accountability in decisions made under the Trump administration? I think, Bolton is as much a War-hawk as John McCain was? )


Oct. 3, 2018 - World Court orders US to ensure Iran Sanctions don't hit humanitarian aid
World Court orders U.S. to ensure Iran sanctions don't hit humanitarian aid | Reuters

The World Court ordered the United States on Wednesday to ensure that sanctions against Iran, due to be tightened next month, do not affect humanitarian aid or civil aviation safety.

Judges at the International Court Of Justice (ICJ) handed a small victory to Tehran, which had argued that sanctions imposed since May by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump violate terms of a 1955 Treaty of Amity between the two countries.

But U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo rejected the decision. He said the United Nations court, often called the “World Court”, had no jurisdiction over the sanctions, which Pompeo said were essential to U.S. security interests, and that Washington would “terminate” the little-known treaty with Iran.

“This is a decision frankly that is 39 years overdue,” Pompeo told a news conference. “Iran is abusing the ICJ for political and propaganda purposes and their case, as you can see from the decision, lacked merit.”

Pompeo said the United States had already taken steps to ensure that the sanctions, which it intends to tighten next month, do not impact humanitarian aid — regardless of the court’s ruling.

The court order issued on Wednesday was temporary, pending a resolution of Iran’s full lawsuit against Washington at the ICJ, something that could take years.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement “the decision proved once again that the Islamic Republic is right and the U.S. sanctions against people and citizens of our country are illegal and cruel.

“The United States must comply with its international commitments and lift obstacles to Iranian trade,” it added.

The ICJ is the United Nations’ highest court for resolving disputes between nations. Its rulings are binding, but it has no power to enforce them, and both the United States and Iran have ignored them in the past.

The court said assurances offered by Washington to ensure sanctions do not affect humanitarian conditions were “not adequate”.

“The court considers that the United States must. ..remove by means of its choosing any impediment arising from the measures announced on 8 May 2018,” said Presiding Judge Abdulqawi Yusuf, reading a summary of a ruling by the 15-member panel of justices.

MORE SANCTIONS PLANNED
The sanctions may not hurt “exportation to the territory of Iran of goods required for humanitarian needs such as medicines, medical devices and foodstuffs and agricultural commodities as well as goods and services required for the safety of civil aviation,” he said.

While U.S. sanctions “in principle” exempt food and medical supplies, the court said “it has become difficult if not impossible for Iran, Iranian nationals and companies to engage in international financial transactions” to purchase such goods.

The Trump administration argued last month that Iran’s request was an attempt to misuse the court and that the 1955 treaty specifically ruled out using courts to resolve disputes.

The treaty was signed long before Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution which ended friendly relations between the countries.

U.S. State Department Legal Adviser Jennifer Newstead had said Iran’s real quarrel was its frustration over the U.S. pullout from the nuclear pact, under which Tehran restricted its disputed uranium enrichment program under U.N. monitoring in exchange for a lifting of most international sanctions.

Trump’s unilateral move has put it at odds with the other signatories to the deal, including Washington’s close European allies Britain, France and Germany, as well as Russia and China.

Washington nonetheless plans to pursue a new series of sanctions due to go into effect Nov. 4 aimed at curtailing Iranian oil exports, the lifeblood of its economy.


Oct. 3, 2018 - Pompeo to visit China Monday
Pompeo to visit China Monday | Reuters

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will travel to China on Monday, Chinese State Television reported on Wednesday, citing a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, with the two countries embroiled in an escalating trade war.

The two governments will exchange views over their bilateral relationship and international and domestic issues concerning by both sides, it reported, without giving details.

Pompeo will travel to North Korea at the weekend for denuclearization talks with the country’s leader Kim Jong Un, the State Department said on Tuesday, calling this “forward progress”, despite negative signals from Pyongyang.

Pompeo will also travel to Japan and South Korea.


Oct. 2, 2018 - Second Trump-Kim summit possible before yearend, says South Korean diplomat
Second Trump-Kim summit possible before yearend, says South Korean diplomat

It may take place even before the November midterm elections in the US.

An additional summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un may take place before the end of 2018, South Korean Ambassador to Russia Woo Yoon-keun said in an interview with the leading Russian news outlets.

"As for a second North Korea-US summit, the exact date has not been announced yet, but it is possible that it will be determined shortly," the diplomat said. "As you know, the midterm elections will be held in the US soon, that is why a meeting between the [US and North Korean] leaders may take place right after they are held," he noted.

He didn't rule out that the summit might take place prior to the elections.

The midterm elections in the US will take place on November 6. All 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 out of the 100 seats in the Senate will be up for grabs. Likewise, 36 states and three territories will hold gubernatorial elections on November 6. They are called ‘midterms’ because they occur midway between presidential elections.


Oct. 3, 2018 - US media target people working to improve Russia-US relationship — RDIF
US media target people working to improve Russia-US relationship — RDIF

RDIF said that in an effort to defend its reputation, the fund "corrected more than 100 erroneous and defamatory reports, including through legal action outside Russia".

Several US media are targeting people who are trying to improve relations between Russia and the United States in the course of a "smear campaign" based on "erroneous and unverified information from anonymous sources", the Russian Direct Investment Fund said in a statement released on Wednesday.

"We believe that the ultimate goal of these reports is to attack and smear those persons who are making an effort to improve relations between Russia and the United States," the fund said, specifically referring to a series of publications by the US internet portal The Daily Beast.

According to the statement all three reports by The Daily Beast relating to RDIF and its CEO Kirill Dmitriev contained "numerous mistakes, misrepresentations and false statements that had to be withdrawn". One report attributed direct quotes to a person who later publicly disavowed such attribution, the fund said.

"Defending its reputation against a flow of incorrect information, RDIF corrected more than 100 erroneous and defamatory reports, including through legal action outside Russia. RDIF will continue to protect its rights, including by commencing legal proceedings in any relevant jurisdiction," the statement said.

Over the past year, RDIF, the main partner of a number of sovereign funds with investments in Russia, managed to receive apologies and retractions from a number of world leading media, including the New York Times, TV channels MSNBC and Al Jazeera, Internet portals The Daily Beast, Business Insider and Huffington Post, as well as Reuters.

Earlier CNN deleted an article that said that American financier Anthony Scaramucci, during a meeting with Head of the fund Kirill Dmitriev on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, talked about possible easing of sanctions.

CNN also dismissed employees who were involved in the story, reorganized the investigation department and tightened the rules for publishing materials about the links between Trump’s team and Russia.

 

[angelburst29]

Hacked everything but the kitchen sink ...

US indicts Russians in hacking of nuclear company Westinghouse
U.S. indicts Russians in hacking of nuclear company Westinghouse | Reuters



The United States on Thursday charged seven Russian intelligence officers with conspiring to hack computers and steal data from the nuclear energy company Westinghouse Electric Co as well as anti-doping watchdogs, sporting federations and an international agency probing the use of chemical weapons.

The charges of conspiracy to commit computer fraud and abuse and to commit wire fraud and money laundering came hours after Dutch authorities said they had disrupted an attempt by Russian intelligence agents to hack into the Hague-based Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in April.

That organization is tasked with probing the use of chemical weapons in Syria and the March 2018 poisoning of a former Russian military intelligence officer in the United Kingdom.

The Justice Department said one of the Russian officers researched Westinghouse and its employees online and stole log-in credentials of Westinghouse workers for servers in the United States, including staff that work at its advanced nuclear reactor development and new reactor technology units.

Westinghouse, which is located outside Pittsburgh, provides fuel, services and nuclear power plant design to customers, including Ukraine.

“We have found no evidence that the phishing campaigns against employees to breach Westinghouse’s systems were successful,” the company said in a statement.

It added that it is cooperating with the Justice Department, but could not go into specifics because the investigation is ongoing.

Three of the seven Russian military officers indicted on Thursday were charged in a separate case brought by Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s office for their role in hacking activities designed to influence the 2016 presidential election.

John Demers, the head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, said while the defendants overlap, the case brought on Thursday did not involve Mueller’s office.

In the indictment, prosecutors alleged that one of the Russian officers, Ivan Sergeyevich Yermakov, who was also charged by Mueller in the election-related hacking, performed “technical reconnaissance” on Westinghouse to gain access to IP addresses, domains and network ports starting in November 2014.

In December 2014, the hackers registered a fake domain and website designed to mimic the company’s website and sent phishing emails to at least five employees. Once people clicked on the spoofed domain and provided their log-ins, they were rerouted to the original network.

On other occasions, according to the indictment, the conspirators also sent spear-phishing emails to the personal emails of employees at Westinghouse. Two account users clicked on the malicious links.

The indictment alleges that the seven defendants, all of whom are members of Russia’s military intelligence agency, sought to sow disinformation and create an influence campaign as retaliation for the exposure of a Russian state-sponsored athlete doping program.

The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency and the World Anti-Doping Agency were among their hacking targets, as well sporting organizations including the Federation Internationle de Football Association (FIFA) and athletes whose medical records were stolen and later publicized.

Russia has denied meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, contradicting a unanimous conclusion by U.S. intelligence agencies.

All seven of the defendants are presumed to be in Russia, which does not have an extradition treaty with the United States. The indictment could make it hard for them to travel to other countries.

The hackers traveled to other countries to carry out hacking activities, sometimes with the use of diplomatic passports, prosecutors allege.

Such efforts, known as “on-site” or “close access” hacking operations, were carried out in cases where remote hacking from Russia did not provide “sufficient access” to networks.

One such trip, for instance, was Rio de Janeiro before and during the 2016 summer Olympic games.

Some of the stolen data was later published under the false auspices of a hacktivist group known as “Fancy Bears Hack Team.”

“Close access operations, like the ones exposed today, are reminders of the considerable resources available to nation states,” said John Hultquist, director of intelligence analysis at the cyber firm FireEye.

While the motive behind the hacks involving anti-doping groups and organizations probing Russian poisonings were more clear-cut, the decision to target Westinghouse was less apparent.

Justice Department officials declined to provide additional details on Thursday about the attacks on the company.

Efforts to penetrate its networks started in late 2014, some nine months after Ukraine’s pro-Russia President Viktor Yanukovych was removed from power during the Ukrainian Revolution.

This is not the first time Westinghouse has been a victim of a state-sponsored hack.

In May 2014, the Justice Department indicted five Chinese military hackers who targeted U.S.-based nuclear power, metals and solar sectors.

According to that indictment, Westinghouse had entered into a deal with a Chinese nuclear company to construct and run four nuclear power plants in China.

But during the talks, prosecutors say one of the defendants stole proprietary and confidential technical designs and other data from Westinghouse.


Oct. 4, 2018 - Address of Russian hacking suspect is a spy agency unit - records show
Address of Russian hacking suspect is a spy agency unit - records show | Reuters


A page from passport of Russian citizen Aleksei Morenets, who allegedly was involved in attempt to hack the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in The Hague is seen in this handout picture released on October 4, 2018. Ministerie van Defensie/Handout via REUTERS

One of the Russians accused by U.S. officials of conducting cyber attacks around the world is registered at an address in Moscow that has been identified by the U.S. government as a base of Russian military intelligence.

Alexei Morenets was one of seven Russians named in a U.S. indictment released on Thursday. He is accused of hacking into the networks of international sports bodies in Switzerland and a chemical weapons watchdog in the Netherlands.

Morenets is registered as living at a building on Moscow’s Komsomolsky Prospect, according to someone who had seen the address on two official Russian databases - one for vehicle registration and another for home addresses.

The specific address is the same one that, according to the U.S. indictment, is home to Military Unit 26165, a unit of the GRU military intelligence service. A publicly available database of Russian legal entities also gives the location as legal address for the unit with the same number.

Morenets was listed as a registered owner of a Russian-made VAZ car, that had Military Unit 26165 as a place of registration for several years in the mid-2000s, according to the vehicle registration database.

The name and date of birth of the Alexei Morenets registered at the Moscow address match the passport details of one of the Russians who Dutch officials on Wednesday accused of trying to hack into the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in the Hague.

Another of the seven Russians, Alexei Minin, also has an address related to the Russian military. He is registered as living at a building on Narodnogo Opolcheniya street in Moscow. This is the legal address of the Military Academy run by the Russian Defence Ministry.

Reuters was unable to contact either of the men by telephone.

The Dutch and U.S. authorities said publicly that Morenets and the other alleged hackers were GRU officers.

But the detail about the Moscow address gives an indication of how investigators may have tied the suspects to Russian military intelligence.

When Reuters tried to reach Military Unit 26165 by phone, someone picked up and said the unit moved out long ago. Reuters called another military unit registered at the same building and a man answered the phone.

Asked if the call had come through to military unit 06410 he said: “I can’t confirm or deny that. You won’t get any information here anyway.”

A number listed for Morenets was de-activated.

A taxi receipt which Dutch officials said was found on one of the alleged hackers offered another clue linking the hacking suspects to the GRU.

The receipt was found when the suspects were detained earlier this year before being expelled from the Netherlands. The receipt was for a journey across Moscow carried out on April 10, shortly before they arrived in the Netherlands.

It gave the destination as Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport, and the pick-up point as Nesvizhsky Lane. That street runs directly behind the address given in the U.S. indictment for GRU Military Unit No. 26165.


October 4, 2018 - Dutch government says it disrupted Russian attempt to hack chemical weapons watchdog
Dutch government says it disrupted Russian attempt to hack chemical weapons watchdog | Reuters

Dutch authorities disrupted an attempt in April by Russian intelligence agents to hack the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, Defense Minister Ank Bijleveld said on Thursday.

She noted that the U.S. Department of Justice is expected to issue indictments of suspected Russian spies later on Thursday, in part due to information gleaned from the Dutch operation.

According to a presentation by the head of the Netherlands’ military intelligence agency, four Russians arrived in the Netherlands on April 10 and were caught on the 13th with spying equipment at a hotel next to the OPCW headquarters.

The men were not successful in breaching OPCW systems, the minister said.

At a presentation, Dutch Major General Onno Eichelsheim showed the antennae, laptops and other equipment the men intended to use to breach the OPCW’s wifi network. He said the spies were caught red-handed and attempted to destroy some of their own equipment to conceal what they had been doing.

At the time, the OPCW was working to verify the identity of the substance used in the March attack in Salisbury, Britain, on former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia. It was also seeking to verify the identity of a substance used in an attack in Douma, Syria.

The four Russians in the Netherlands were detained in April and expelled to Russia and not immediately prosecuted because the operation was considered military, not police, Eichelsheim said.

The men, who were also believed to have spied on the investigation into the 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 had planned to travel on from the Netherlands to a laboratory in Spiez, Switzerland used by the OPCW to analyze chemical weapons samples, he said.

They were instead “put on a flight to Moscow,” said Bijleveld.

Eichelsheim warned against being naive and considering the Netherlands as relatively safe from Russian cyber attacks.

Russian military intelligence “is active here in the Netherlands ... where a lot of international organizations are (based),” Eichelsheim said.


Oct. 4, 2018 - Top EU officials deplore Russian cyber attack on chemical weapons body
Top EU officials deplore Russian cyber attack on chemical weapons body | Reuters

The European Union’s top officials expressed serious concern on Thursday about a cyber attack carried out against the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in The Hague by Russia’s military intelligence service.

The head of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker, the chairman of EU leaders Donald Tusk and the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini said in a statement that the “aggressive act demonstrated contempt for the solemn purpose of the OPCW”.

“We deplore such actions, which undermine international law and international institutions,” they said.

“The EU will continue to strengthen the resilience of its institutions and those of its member states, and international partners and organizations in the digital domain,” they said.

 

[angelburst29]

The United States is "poisoning" the atmosphere of Russia-US relations with new unfounded accusations against Russia, taking a dangerous path to fuel tensions between the two nuclear powers, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said Thursday.

04.10.2018 - Moscow responds to Washington's New Hacking Accusations: 'Dangerous Path'
Moscow Responds to Washington's New Hacking Accusations: 'Dangerous Path'

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said that the Western public is being intimidated again with alleged Russian hackers attacking computer networks almost all over the world.

The Deputy Foreign Minister stressed that building up tensions in relations between nuclear powers and on the global arena is a "dangerous path."

Ryabkov noted that the US government was struggling to keep the "old fiction about 'Russian interference into 2016 US elections'" alive.

“We regret to see how the US authorities continue to poison the atmosphere of Russia-US relations with new portions of baseless accusations against Russia, which some other NATO countries rush to repeat on orders from Washington. The Western public is again being intimidated again with 'Russian hackers', this time allegedly involved in 'breaking into' computer networks almost all over the world," Ryabkov said in a commentary.

According to Ryabkov, Washington continues to feed the domestic and international public with false information in order to justify further sanctions and other methods of applying pressure on Russia.

"Russia has become accustomed to such methods used by the US, but deliberately heightening tensions between nuclear powers and on the international arena is a dangerous path," Ryabkov said.

Earlier, Washington announced charges against seven alleged Russian military intelligence officials it accuses of hacking doping agencies and other international organizations.

The US Justice Department claimed that WADA, the OPCW, USADA, Westinghouse nuclear power company, which provides power to Ukraine, at least 250 athletes and sports figures from different countries were allegedly targeted by Russian intelligence officers.

Earlier in the day, the Netherlands stated that the United States was going to announce charges against some "Russian intelligence agents."


04.10.2018 - US Charges 7 Alleged Russian Military Intel Officers over hacking OPCW,WADA
US Charges 7 Alleged Russian Military Intel Officers Over Hacking OPCW, WADA

Earlier in the day, the Netherlands stated that the United States was going to announce charges against some "Russian intelligence agents." Moscow has yet to comment on the US charges.

The US Justice Department has announced charges against seven alleged Russian military intelligence officials it accuses of hacking doping agencies and other international organizations.

"We announce an indictment charging seven Russian military officers with violation of several US criminal laws for malicious cyber activities against the United States and its allies," Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Demers told reporters.

According to the DOJ, WADA, the OPCW, USADA, Westinghouse nuclear power company, which provides power to Ukraine, at least 250 athletes and sports figures from different countries were allegedly targeted by Russian intelligence officers; they also ostensibly targeted a Canadian anti-doping agency.

They targeted Westinghouse, a nuclear power company based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, that supplied nuclear fuel to Ukraine," US Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania Scott Brady told reporters.

Demers further claimed that Russia had carried out a cyberattack on a Swiss lab, which was analyzing a toxic substance, which was allegedly used against ex-GRU operative Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury, UK.

The assistant attorney general has claimed that three Russian agents were previously accused of meddling in 2016 US election.

WADA Says No Evidence of Any Breach of Its Systems
Later in the day, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) said in a statement to Sputnik on Thursday that it has no evidence of any breach of its systems since 2016.

"The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) notes the announcement today by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and US Department of Justice (DOJ) that they have charged a number of individuals in connection with a range of alleged offenses, including hacking and other cybercrimes dating back to 2016," WADA said. "There is no evidence of any breach of WADA's systems having occurred since 2016. WADA continues to operate a close and permanent monitoring of its systems," it said.

FBI Seeks to Put Alleged Russian Intel Officers in Jail
According to FBI Deputy Assistant Director for the Cyber Division Eric Welling, US seeks to put the alleged Russian intelligence officers in jail in Pittsburgh, and believes that they are currently in Russia.

Meanwhile, the FBI said it had identified the alleged suspects as Aleksei Morenets, Evgenii Serebriakov, Ivan Yermakov, Artem Malyshev, Dmitriy Badin, Oleg Sotnikov and Alexey Minin, the DOJ claimed.

The FBI has also seized two domains of the hacker group Fancy Bear, according to a statement released by the US Department of Justice; thus, access to the sites “fancybear.net” and “fancybear.org” is now blocked.

The US' accusations against Russia include cyber hacking, fraud, theft of personal data and money laundering by using cryptocurrencies, Demers stated, adding that Russia was carrying out cyber attacks to take revenge for the doping scandal during the Olympic Games.

"This indictment alleges a conspiracy to use computer hacking to obtain non-public, personal health information about athletes and others in the files of anti-doping agencies and sporting federations in multiple countries," Demers said.

Demers said the operations "involved sophisticated, persistent and unauthorized access into the victims' computer networks for the purpose of stealing private or otherwise sensitive information."

"Nations like Russia and others that engage in malicious and norm-shattering cyber and influence activities should understand the continuing and steadfast resolve of the United States and its allies to prevent, disrupt and deter such unaccountable conduct," Demers told a news conference.

Netherlands Accuses Russia of Hacker Attack on OPCW
This came shortly after statements by Dutch Defense Minister Ank Biljeveld, who said that four Russians had been expelled from the Netherlands following their alleged attempt to hack the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

She also claimed that they were GRU operatives who purportedly had diplomatic passports; the Russian Foreign Ministry dismissed the allegations as "spy mania."

The Dutch Defense Ministry earlier announced the US' intentions to bring charges against alleged Russian intelligence officers.

"Today, the US publicly brings charges against a number of Russian intelligence officers," the ministry said in a statement.

According to the ministry, on August 6 the US DOJ submitted a request for legal assistance to the Dutch prosecution over a criminal investigation "into unauthorized Russian cyber operations;" and the Netherlands provided the US with relevant information, having launched its own probe.

 

[goyacobol]

Put Alleged Russian Intel Officers in Jail

Boy, it's really difficult to arrest supposed Russian intelligence agents with Russian sounding names and blame Russia. Give me a break (I won't hold my breath). These neocon/war-mongers aren't going to change their ways unless it really is just to manipulate the masses towards another devious objective.

 

[angelburst29]

Boy, it's really difficult to arrest supposed Russian intelligence agents with Russian sounding names and blame Russia. Give me a break (I won't hold my breath). These neocon/war-mongers aren't going to change their ways unless it really is just to manipulate the masses towards another devious objective.

Add "Almost Certain" to "Alleged" and ... least we forget "Highly Likely"?

BTW, what is Merkel's problem (with Russia)?

October 5, 2018 - German government almost certain Russia behind hacking attacks
German government almost certain Russia behind hacking attacks | Reuters

The German government is almost certain that Russia is behind a series of global cyber attacks, a spokesman in Berlin said on Friday, urging Moscow to end such operations.

“We have full confidence in the assessment of the British and Dutch authorities. The (German) government is also almost certain that the Russian GRU secret service is behind the APT28 campaign,” government spokesman Steffen Seibert said, adding that Berlin took the threat of cyber attacks very seriously.

Western countries issued coordinated denunciations of Russia on Thursday for running what they described as a global hacking campaign, targeting institutions from sports anti-doping bodies to a nuclear power company and the chemical weapons watchdog.


October 5, 2018 - Russia to summon Dutch Ambassador - agencies citing a diplomatic source
Russia to summon Dutch ambassador - agencies citing a diplomatic source | Reuters

Russia is summoning the Dutch ambassador in Moscow, Russian news agencies cited a diplomatic source as saying on Friday.

The reports did not give a reason, but the news comes a day after Dutch authorities said they had disrupted an attempt in April by Russian intelligence agents to hack the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, detaining and then expelling four men.


Oct. 4, 2018 - Moscow maintains US intelligence behind Russian embassy’s data leaks
Moscow maintains US intelligence behind Russian embassy’s data leaks

Earlier, the confidential data was published by the BuzzFeed.

US intelligence deliberately stoked a provocation by leaking information on the Russian embassy’s bank transactions, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a briefing on Thursday.

"I would like to point out the data leaks to the BuzzFeed website, which contained financial information on Russian diplomats who work in the United States," she specified. "We have on numerous occasions provided this data and pointed out to the US that such incidents are unacceptable," Zakharova added.

"There is no doubt that US intelligence agencies deliberately staged a provocation," she went on to say. "We never got any clarification from the State Department as to how it could have happened and whether anyone had been held accountable for this."

The BuzzFeed website earlier published confidential information about the bank transactions of the Russian embassy in the US.


Oct. 5, 2018 - Russia urges Washington to return to the culture of diplomacy
Russia urges Washington to return to the culture of diplomacy

Moscow is calling on the US to start following the universal rules of conduct on the international stage, enshrined in the UN Charter.

Moscow calls on Washington to hark back to diplomatic culture, Russian Special Presidential Envoy for the Middle East and Africa, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov said, addressing the Dialogue of Civilizations Public Forum.

"We call on the United States to remember diplomatic culture and start following the universal rules of conduct on the international stage, enshrined in the United Nations Charter," the senior Russian diplomat said.

"We, in turn, will continue consistent efforts to increase healthy trends in global affairs," Bogdanov stressed. "We are always open for honest dialogue and mutually beneficial cooperation with everyone willing to cooperate while taking our interests into account and does not seek to make bilateral relations hostage to the short-term political situation," he added.

Middle East situation
The United States’ drive for world domination undermines the fundamental principles of settling conflicts in the Middle East, he said. He said there were no signs the list of world problems was getting shorter.

"The main reason is the stubborn intention of the United States and its western allies to preserve world domination in the international scene," Bogdanov said. "The vicious practice of intervention in the internal affairs, the use of force and wide use of unilateral economic restrictions - all this breeds mutual distrust, worsens the risk of spontaneous conflicts and undermines the fundamental principles of Middle East settlement.

"Of special concern is a number of US foreign policy steps, including the pullout from the Iranian nuclear deal," Bogdanov said. "It looks like Washington has unequivocally opted for the language of ultimatums even in relations with its closest partners."

At the same time, as Bogdanov said, "the select few" have failed to resolve the main international problems and provide an adequate response to such threats as terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

"On the contrary, the wish to dictate views to others has sparked an outbreak of violence and turned the Middle East into a stronghold of different terrorist groups," Bogdanov said.

Currently several major conflicts remain unsettled in the Middle East. Civil wars in Syria and Yemen are going on, terrorist groups stage regular terrorist attacks in Iraq, there has been a new spiral of tensions in the Palestinian-Israeli settlement and the US pullout from the Iranian nuclear deal.


Oct. 3, 2018 - Putin castigates US for single-handedly undermining dollar’s credibility
Putin castigates US for single-handedly undermining dollar’s credibility

Through its sanctions policy, the US is single-handedly subverting confidence in the dollar as the global reserve currency, Putin says, speaking at a plenary session at the Moscow-hosted Russian Energy Week.

"It seems to me that our American partners are making an enormous strategic mistake, they are undermining confidence in the dollar as a universal, and in fact the sole reserve currency today, subverting faith in it as a universal tool. They are indeed sawing off the branch they are sitting on. So this is strange and even surprising," Putin said, commenting on the attempts by other countries to circumvent US sanctions against Iran.

The Russian leader believes that this is "a typical mistake of any empire - when people think that nothing will happen, everything is so powerful, so strong, and so stable that there won’t be any negative consequences."

"But no, they will come sooner or later," the Russian leader cautioned.

When asked to comment on the EU’s initiative to skirt Washington’s sanctions against Iran, Putin noted that "it was a bit late," but "better late than never." Putin believes that in this case Europe "wants to fulfill its international obligations" under the Iranian nuclear deal and regards it, just like Russia does, as "a component of stability in global affairs and politics, which somehow contributes to the global economy."

The Russian leader recalled that French President Emmanuel Macron had recently pointed to the need to bolster the European Union’s economic sovereignty and reduce its dependence on the United States.

"Of course, this is correct - what else can you expect, when someone tries to get competitive advantages in business using political tools? I think no one will like it, but it is happening and we are seeing it today," Putin said. "Therefore, under these circumstances, Europe is looking for some new opportunities, say, for alternative settlements, in addition to settlements in dollars, which, undermines the dollar itself, by the way," Putin pointed out.

 

[angelburst29]

Oct. 5, 2018 - Accusations of Russian cyber-attacks timed to NATO, OPCW sessions, says Russian EU envoy
Accusations of Russian cyber-attacks timed to NATO, OPCW sessions, says Russian EU envoy

One of the issues discussed during the Council session was 'strengthening the Alliance’s potential in combating cyber threats', the diplomat recalled.

Russia's Permanent Representative to the European Union Vladimir Chizhov stated that Western countries timed their accusations against Moscow concerning the alleged cyber-attack on the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to the upcoming session of the organization’s executive council (set to take place on October 9) and the North Atlantic Council meeting, which ended on Thursday. The diplomat expressed this opinion in an interview with journalists on Friday.

"What caused them (the leadership of Western countries - TASS) to wait six months to start this coordinated campaign and to dump it all in one go from different sources?" the diplomat asked. "I would define two points: firstly, the North Atlantic Council session between defense ministers, which has just ended in Brussels. One of the issues that they discussed during [the session] was strengthening the Alliance’s potential in combating cyber threats, as they state it. To put it simply, this is a principal decision to create some sort of cyber forces."

"Secondly, on October 9, another meeting of the OPCW Executive Council will take place in The Hague," Chizhov added. "The issue on the agenda is something that Western counties have managed to push through by carefully convincing several countries, including some that are rather far from The Hague and the OPCW. It deals with granting the OPCW, a technical organization, an attributive mechanism, that is, a mechanism of determining those responsible for certain incidents, or, God forbid, for cases of chemical weapon use. Next week, they will discuss the decision on funding this initiative in practical terms."

Fresh accusations
The US has announced "an indictment charging seven Russian military officers with violations of several U.S. criminal laws for malicious cyber activities against the United States and its allies," Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Demers stated on Thursday.

Earlier, Dutch Defense Minister Ank Bijleveld claimed at a news conference that Dutch military intelligence and security services had allegedly foiled an attack by Russian hackers against the OPCW. She claimed that four Russians - Alexey Morenets, Yevgeny Serebryakov, Oleg Sotnikov and Alexey Minin - were involved in the incident. Bijleveld claimed that all four worked for the Main Directorate (formerly the Main Intelligence Directorate, the GRU) of Russia’s General Staff. According to her, the equipment confiscated from them held the evidence that they had tried to get access to information about the Malaysian MH17 flight disaster in Ukraine.

Also on Thursday, UK Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Jeremy Hunt blamed the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces for organizing a series of cyberattacks that affected people’s interests across the globe. Hunt stated, as quoted by the Press Association, that Russian intelligence services are allegedly behind the attacks on political entities, businesses, media outlets and sports organizations.

 

[lilies]

Heads Up!!

With the resignation of Nikki Haley we seem to have crossed into a new timeline / reality. Regards receiving world news, I was only concentrating on to go[!] where "Syria is OK" , everything else is an unknown factor in this new one. Just like when ancient hunters crossed into a never before seen area in the great forest: Be alert and keep your awareness sharp regards events [international]. A general "Watch out, everybody!" is pertinent, I think.

Watch this video carefully. Probably most of us might wish to change into a different reality/timeline now and then, so our paths fork and criss-cross. I'm fascinated by how we can still communicate with each other from different timelines - that must be still closer on the quantum level [?] -, its as if we were traveling together inside a bunch of different timelines - ((watch the blue lines in the video)), but we travel still as a group in a cluster, probably because our FRV's and goals. As a consequence: our timelines - the worlds we inhabit - must be a close knit bunch. The existence of this site and this group must cover most of the timelines, so into which-ever we wander / travel, there is still a version of a cassiopaea group with a version of all of us to communicate with each other there.

 

[angelburst29]

Heads Up!!

With the resignation of Nikki Haley ...

Sergei Lavrov is working towards bringing the UN back to it's original stated purpose - Haley's resignation should give a boost in that direction? Problem is ... the one selected to replace her - might be worse? (If that's - even possible?)

Tuesday 9 October 2018 - Nikki Haley resigns as Trump's UN ambassador
Nikki Haley resigns as Trump's UN ambassador

Haley, a vocal defender of Israel, is latest high-profile figure to quit US President Donald Trump's White House team.

Nikki Haley announced on Tuesday that she will resign from her post as the US ambassador to the United Nations by the end of the year.

The ambassador cited the need for new blood in government as her reason for leaving.

"I think you have to be selfless enough to know when to step aside and let someone else do the job," she said.


Drum roll - Please ...

Tuesday 9 October 2018 - Nikki Haley's key UN moments: From 'taking names' to rebuking Palestinians
Nikki Haley's key UN moments: From 'taking names' to rebuking Palestinians


Tue Oct 09, 2018 - Haley Says She Will Not Be Running in 2020, Will Campaign for Trump
Farsnews

Nikki Haley, who resigned as US ambassador to the UN earlier on Tuesday, stated that she will not be running for president in 2020 and will support Donald Trump in his bid for his second term.

 

[angelburst29]

Sept. 26, 2018 - Trump says he looks forward to new meeting with Putin
Trump says he looks forward to new meeting with Putin

Oct. 12, 2018 - Russia says Putin-Trump meeting in Paris on November 11 possible
Russia says Putin-Trump meeting in Paris on November 11 possible | Reuters


FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump and Russia's President Vladimir Putin shake hands as they meet in Helsinki, Finland July 16, 2018. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump could meet in Paris on Nov. 11 if both leaders take part in the same event to commemorate the end of World War One, RIA news agency cited the Russian foreign ministry as saying on Friday.

Russia is open to dialogue and would be ready to consider times and locations of a possible meeting between the two leaders if Washington were also interested, the ministry said.


October 12, 2018 - Exclusive: Five Eyes Intelligence Alliance builds Coalition to counter China
Exclusive: Five Eyes intelligence alliance builds coalition to counter China | Reuters

The five nations in the world’s leading intelligence-sharing network have been exchanging classified information on China’s foreign activities with other like-minded countries since the start of the year, seven officials in four capitals said.

The increased cooperation by the Five Eyes alliance - grouping Australia, Britain, Canada, New Zealand and the United States - with countries such as Germany and Japan is a sign of a broadening international front against Chinese influence operations and investments.

Some of the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the talks, said the enhanced cooperation amounted to an informal expansion of the Five Eyes group on the specific issue of foreign interference.

While China has been the main focus, discussions have also touched on Russia, several said.

“Consultations with our allies, with like-minded partners, on how to respond to China’s assertive international strategy have been frequent and are gathering momentum,” a U.S. official told Reuters. “What might have started as ad hoc discussions are now leading to more detailed consultations on best practices and further opportunities for cooperation.”

All the governments involved, including Germany and Japan, declined to comment.

China, faced with a growing backlash from Washington, Canberra and other capitals, has rejected accusations that it is seeking to influence foreign governments and that its investments are politically driven.

The enhanced coordination by the Five Eyes network suggests that, despite signals from U.S. President Donald Trump that he is prepared to go it alone in the confrontation with China, members of his administration are working hard behind the scenes to put together an informal coalition to counter Beijing.

It also represents another blow to China’s fading hopes of convincing European countries, unsettled by Trump’s “America First” policies, to distance themselves from Washington and move closer to Beijing.

“BELOW THE RADAR”
The officials who spoke to Reuters said the talks have been taking place “below the radar” and mainly bilaterally. Two sources said France was also involved, but on a less regular and comprehensive basis.

None suggested that Germany, Japan or other nations outside the Five Eyes network had been invited to meetings of the intelligence alliance, which was set up after World War Two to counter Soviet influence.

But a statement issued after a Five Eyes meeting on the Gold Coast of Australia in late August hinted at closer coordination. It said the group would use “global partnerships” and accelerate the sharing of information on foreign interference activities.

International coordination has accelerated in parallel with a wave of national measures to limit Chinese investments in sensitive technology companies and counter what some governments view as a growing campaign, under President Xi Jinping, to sway foreign governments and societies in China’s favor through a mix of pressure and inducements.

Last December, citing concerns about Chinese influence, the Australian government unveiled a package of new laws that tightened rules on foreign lobbying and political donations, while broadening the definition of treason and espionage.

The United States has pushed through a law, known as FIRRMA, which gives Washington new powers to block certain types of foreign investments.

The text of that legislation mandates Trump to conduct a “more robust international outreach effort” to convince allies to adopt similar protections.

Earlier this month, in a scathing attack on China’s foreign activities, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence accused Beijing of interfering in the domestic arena by “rewarding or coercing American businesses, movie studios, universities, think tanks, scholars, journalists and local, state and federal officials.” Beijing has denied the charges.

“A NEW WORLD”
The German government, which tightened its rules on foreign investments last year only to determine months later, after a fresh wave of Chinese acquisitions, that they were still inadequate, is poised to lower the threshold at which it can intervene.

Last year, Berlin quietly launched an inter-ministerial drive to assess the broad range of Chinese activities in the country. Government sources say that analysis is broadly complete and new policy measures could follow, although they say far-reaching steps like those taken by Australia are unlikely.

The U.S. official said the foiled takeover of German semiconductor firm Aixtron in 2016 had underscored the need to build a broader coalition of countries to share information and coordinate responses to China.

Two years ago, the German government approved a Chinese investment fund’s acquisition of Aixtron, only to reverse course a month later when U.S. officials raised security concerns that Berlin had overlooked.

The officials who spoke with Reuters described a “flurry of consultations” in recent months, with Washington driving coordination on the investment side and Canberra taking a lead role in raising awareness about political interference.

Talks have taken place between diplomats, intelligence officials and heads of government, they said.

“We are living in a new world,” said a person from a Five Eyes country who has traveled extensively to other capitals over the past year to discuss China’s foreign activities.

“The sudden shock from authoritarian regimes is prompting closer coordination and a real expansion of intelligence sharing,” this person said.


October 12, 2018 - US Military expected to fly freed American Pastor from Turkey
U.S. military expected to fly freed American pastor from Turkey | Reuters

The U.S. military is expected to fly American evangelical pastor Andrew Brunson back to the United States after a Turkish court ruled on Friday he could go free, U.S. officials told Reuters.

One of the officials said that Brunson could return to the United States as soon as Friday. A Pentagon spokeswoman told Reuters that
the expected plan involved flying Brunson through Germany on the way back to America but did not specify timing.

* October 12, 2018 - US Pastor arrives at home in Turkey's Izmir after leaving Court
U.S. pastor arrives at home in Turkey's Izmir after leaving court | Reuters

U.S. pastor Andrew Brunson arrived at his home in Turkey’s Izmir, a Reuters cameraman said, after leaving a court which earlier ruled that he be released.

The court sentenced Brunson to three years and 1-1/2 months in prison on terrorism charges, but said he would not serve any further jail time. The pastor, who has lived in Turkey for more than 20 years, was put in prison two years ago and has been under house arrest since July.


* October 12, 2018 - Turkish Prosecutor calls for lifting of Judicial Controls on US Pastor
Turkish prosecutor calls for lifting of judicial controls on U.S. pastor | Reuters

A Turkish prosecutor called on Friday for a court to lift judicial controls on U.S. pastor Andrew Brunson who has been detained or under house arrest in Turkey for two years on terrorism charges.

Brunson’s lawyer earlier told Reuters that a ruling to lift the judicial controls would mean the evangelical pastor would be free to leave the country immediately.


October 12, 2018 - US National Security Advisor to meet Russian Security Official: RIA
U.S. National Security Advisor to meet Russian security official: RIA | Reuters


FILE PHOTO: Nikolai Patrushev, the Secretary of Russia’s Security Council, attends the annual Moscow Conference on International Security (MCIS) in Moscow, Russia April 4, 2018. REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin

Russia's Security Council secretary, Nikolai Patrushev, plans to meet U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton when he travels to Moscow on October 22-23, RIA news agency cited a Russian source as saying on Friday.


October 12, 2018 - Russia may delay Cargo Flight to ISS after accident: Space Agency
Russia may delay cargo flight to ISS after accident: space agency | Reuters


Specialists and rescuers gather near the Soyuz capsule transporting U.S. astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Alexei Ovchinin, after it made an emergency landing following a failure of its booster rockets, near the city of Zhezkazgan in central Kazakhstan October 11, 2018. Federal Air Transport Agency "Rosaviation"/Handout via REUTERS

Russia may delay a planned unmanned cargo shipment to the International Space Station (ISS) after the failure of a manned flight the previous day, Sergei Krikalev, a senior official from Russian space agency Roscosmos said on Friday.

The space station’s next re-supply mission had been scheduled for late October, but the unmanned Progress spacecraft — which carries food and other supplies to the ISS — uses the same rocket system as the Soyuz spacecraft involved in Thursday’s incident.

Krikalev, whose comments were broadcast on state TV, confirmed that all launches of Soyuz rockets will be suspended until investigators establish what went wrong on Thursday when one of the rockets failed in mid-air.

* October 12, 2018 - Rocket failure Astronauts will go back into Space: Russian Official
Rocket failure astronauts will go back into space: Russian official | Reuters


Head of Russian space agency Roscosmos Dmitry Rogozin (C) poses with astronauts Alexey Ovchinin of Russia and Nick Hague of the U.S., who survived the mid-air failure of a Russian rocket, on onboard a plane during a flight to Chkalovsky airport near Star City outside Moscow, Russia October 12, 2018. Russian space agency Roscosmos/Handout via REUTERS. ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS PICTURE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES.

Two astronauts who survived the mid-air failure of a Russian rocket will fly again and are provisionally set to travel to the International Space Station (ISS) in spring of next year, the head of Russia's space agency said on Friday.

Dmitry Rogozin, the head of Russian space agency Roscosmos, was speaking a day after Russian cosmonaut Alexei Ovchinin and American Nick Hague made a dramatic emergency landing in Kazakhstan after the failure of the Soyuz rocket carrying them to the orbital ISS.

Thursday’s accident was the first serious launch problem experienced by a manned Soyuz space mission since 1983, when a crew narrowly escaped before a launch pad explosion. Russia is now under pressure to prove its space program is safe or face losing lucrative fees to carry U.S. astronauts into space.

Moscow has suspended all manned space launches until it finds out what went wrong and Rogozin has ordered a state commission to investigate. Russia’s Investigative Committee has also opened a criminal investigation.

Sergei Krikalev, a senior Roscosmos official, said on Friday that Russia may also delay a planned unmanned cargo shipment by a Progress spacecraft to the ISS. Unmanned cargo launches carry food and other supplies to the ISS and use the same rocket system as the Soyuz. Russia says there is enough food on board to last until April.

International Space Station (ISS) crew members astronaut Nick Hague of the U.S. and cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin of Russia board the Soyuz MS-10 spacecraft for the launch at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan October 11, 2018. Yuri Kochetkov/Pool via REUTERS

Three people are now aboard the space station: a German, a Russian and an American.

They were due to return to Earth in December, but may now be stuck there at least until January.

VALVE FAILURE
Roscosmos chief Rogozin on Friday posted a picture on Twitter of himself seated next to the two astronauts involved in Thursday’s accident, saying they had arrived in Moscow. Both men escaped unscathed and feel fine, Roscosmos has said.

Thursday’s mishap occurred as the first and second stages of the Russian rocket separated shortly after the launch from Kazakhstan’s Soviet-era Baikonur cosmodrome.

A view shows the Soyuz capsule transporting U.S. astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Alexei Ovchinin, after it made an emergency landing following a failure of its booster rockets, near the city of Zhezkazgan in central Kazakhstan October 11, 2018. Federal Air Transport Agency "Rosaviation"/Handout via REUTERS

The Interfax news agency on Friday cited a source familiar with the Russian investigation as saying that an important valve had failed to open due to a faulty firing cartridge. That in turn had hindered the separation of the first stage of the rocket from its second stage.

NASA has relied on Russian rockets to ferry astronauts to the space station since the United States retired its Space Shuttle program in 2011, although the agency has announced plans for a test flight carrying two astronauts on a SpaceX commercial rocket next April.


NASA officials now must decide how or whether to maintain a U.S. presence on the $100 billion orbital research laboratory.

Space is an area of cooperation between the United States and Russia at a time of fraught relations. Asked about the mishap, President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House he was “not worried” that American astronauts have to rely on Russia to get into space.

Rogozin tweeted shortly before Thursday’s failed launch that he had signed a contract to send the first astronaut from the United Arab Emirates to the ISS. Interfax cited a source on Friday a saying that was now likely to be delayed by six months.

 

[aragorn]

Trying to decipher what's going on in the US and what might be coming, here's one perspective by Charles Ortel. I think he's simplifying a few things, but gives some good 'food for thought'.

US Midterms: Soros, Democrats Likely to Lose… Again – Wall Street Analyst

US Midterms: Soros, Democrats Likely to Lose… Again – Wall Street Analyst
US magnate George Soros and his liberal counterparts have good reason to be up in arms about Donald Trump and the Republican Party ahead of the upcoming midterms, Wall Street analyst Charles Ortel told Sputnik, presenting his prognosis on who would be the winners and sore losers in the November vote.

US billionaire George Soros is preparing for a decisive battle for the US Congress by investing heavily in the Democrats. According to The Atlantic, should the Democratic Party win the House, they would be able to kick off "non-stop investigations" into the Trump administration and "possibly commence" impeachment procedures against the US president. Soros has been joined by fellow liberal donors and his son Alex, who has poured nearly $3 million into Democratic committees for the November midterms, as Federal Election Commission data indicated.

Charles Ortel, a Wall Street analyst and investigative journalist who has been looking into the alleged fraud by the Clinton Foundation over the last few years says that the anti-Trump leftists have good reason for losing sleep over the upcoming vote: There is much more at stake for them than one could imagine.

"George Soros, through his 'Open Society' Foundations and affiliates appears heavily invested in foisting unregulated 'globalism' on nations worldwide," the analyst told Sputnik. "Under unregulated 'globalism,' he, his investment funds, and companies in which he invests are better able to game national regulators and profit from volatility in stock, bond, and commodity prices."

The investigative journalist remarked that Donald Trump's approach to "unregulated globalism" and its controversial endeavors and practices is well known: The president is about to bring an end to these.
"Donald Trump's 'Make America Great' approach, his encouragement of other national leaders to concentrate on internal projects, and his disdain for corrupt, expensive, and ineffective globalist projects are a direct threat to Soros so it is natural that he and other 'liberal' donors would fund opponents of Trump and or Republicans," Ortel elaborated.

The Wall Street analyst pointed out that "a particular fear that Soros and allies should have is that President Trump and Congress will enforce and tighten laws that bar 'charities' from engaging in partisan political activities and from profiting personally in any significant way from their operation."

Why Kavanaugh's Appointment is Step in the Right Direction

According to Ortel, the appointment of "strict constructionist" Brett Kavanaugh as a Supreme Court Justice is one of the steps in this direction. Commenting on the disruptive protests in the streets against Kavanaugh by a coalition of activist organizations including Women's March, the Center for Popular Democracy (CPD) and Housing Works, backed by Soros and his left-wing counterparts, Ortel noted that Democratic lawmakers in Congress had been no less "reprehensible."

"Behavior of Senate Democrats, especially in the Judiciary Committee was reprehensible," the investigative journalist said. "President Trump earned the absolute right to nominate a qualified candidate to replace Justice Kennedy on the US Supreme Court. As a candidate, Trump long ago submitted a list of names he was considering and Democrats had many months to study each of them, including Kavanaugh."

Ortel has drawn attention to Senator Feinstein who, "in particular behaved deplorably," he stressed: "If it is true that she first received the complaint from Dr. [Christine] Ford, she could have arranged to investigate the allegations in confidence, well before the last-minute circus that erupted and unfairly tarnished many persons, even including (possibly) Dr. Ford."
"As the confirmation saga recedes in memory, a clear takeaway is that Democrats embrace mob-rule antics, while believing that laws do not apply to them and to their supporters. America remains a conservative nation (protestations from media 'elites' notwithstanding) and I believe the polls do not yet reflect true, underlying reality," the Wall Street analyst suggested.

According to him, the Republican Party has good chances of winning as "independents are a growing share of likely voters."

"I believe a clearly majority will support Trump and Trumpism, preferring winning over losing under economically clueless, intolerant, arrogant, and fake elitists!" Ortel said.

Under Trump Red is the New Black

Referring to The Atlantic prognoses, the Wall Street analyst opined that "as in 2016, supposed elite commentators are well out of step and believing their own pipe dreams."

"Yes, if Democrats win the House (and they could do so, conceivably) they will throw sand in the gears of the Trump agenda — but they are most unlikely to secure the required 67 votes to convict anyone they ultimately do impeach (should they do so) in the Senate," he underscored. Ortel believes that more likely Democrats will lose again. He foresees that they will "grow even angrier and reckless, challenging the vote count and the legitimacy of those who do win, particularly if they support President Trump's agenda."

"History is repeating itself, with a different rhyme — 'progressive' yet intolerant Democrats are an army of sore losers, who have yet to understand the folly of believing that unregulated 'globalism' will benefit any worker based in a rich (and expensive) nation as the march of technology renders all of us vulnerable to replacement," the analyst said.

"Revolutionaries fought 'redcoats' and cold warriors fought the 'red menace' — but under Trump, red is the new black — and I expect a red wave, and a blue whimper on November 6, 2018, recognizing that fate can still intervene to change many calculations, possibly at warp speed," he concluded.

 

[sToRmR1dR]

Oct. 12, 2018 - Russia says Putin-Trump meeting in Paris on November 11 possible
Russia says Putin-Trump meeting in Paris on November 11 possible | Reuters

Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump could meet in Paris on Nov. 11 if both leaders take part in the same event to commemorate the end of World War One, RIA news agency cited the Russian foreign ministry as saying on Friday.


October 12, 2018 - US National Security Advisor to meet Russian Security Official: RIA
U.S. National Security Advisor to meet Russian security official: RIA | Reuters

Russia's Security Council secretary, Nikolai Patrushev, plans to meet U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton when he travels to Moscow on October 22-23, RIA news agency cited a Russian source as saying on Friday.

US National Security Adviser Reveals Agenda of Upcoming Moscow Trip

US National Security Adviser John Bolton said his upcoming visit to Moscow was aimed at continuing Russian-US dialogue on the improvement of bilateral relations and issues facing them.

"I’ve got a trip coming up to Moscow and the Caucasus countries in about 10 days. The reason for that is to continue to carry through on the conversation that President Trump and President Putin had in Helsinki during the summer to talk about US-Russian relations and where we can make progress, where we still have issues and disagreement," Bolton said in an interview with the US Salem Radio Network, published on host Hugh Hewitt’s website on Friday.

The US authorities have not detected attempts to interfere in US domestic affairs on the part of Russia similar to what Washington allegedly saw in 2016, John Bolton said.

"So far, we don’t see the kind of Russian meddling we did in 2016. Chris Wray, the director of the FBI [Federal Bureau of Investigation], said a couple weeks ago that that could change with the stroke of a key," Bolton said in an interview with the US Salem Radio Network, published on host Hugh Hewitt’s website on Friday.

Earlier that day, Bolton said that he planned to begin a trip to Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia and Georgia on October 20. The national security adviser said he sought to meet his counterparts and other senior officials to promote US security interests during his trip.

The Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, has said that the possibility of a meeting between Bolton and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during the former’s visit to Russia is being worked out.

Moreover, Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov said that Moscow was hopeful the upcoming meeting between Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev and Bolton in Russia would be productive.

The United States has repeatedly accused Russia of meddling in the US internal affairs, particularly the 2016 US presidential election.

Russia has denied these allegations noting that the United States had provided no proof to support them. Russian President Vladimir Putin said that speculations about Russian meddling had been related to the US authorities' infighting and expressed hope Washington would discontinue its high-profile probe into Russia’s alleged interference in the US affairs.

 

[angelburst29]

October 13, 2018 - Trump thanks Turkey for Pastor's Release, denies cutting deal
Trump thanks Turkey for pastor's release, denies cutting deal | Reuters


U.S. President Donald Trump closes his eyes in prayer along with Pastor Andrew Brunson, after his release from two years of Turkish detention, in the Oval Office of the White House, Washington, U.S., October 13, 2018. REUTERS/Mike Theiler

President Donald Trump said on Saturday the release of U.S. pastor Andrew Brunson after two years in Turkish custody was a "tremendous step" toward improved relations with Turkey, but he denied cutting a deal with Ankara.

“The only deal, if you could call it a deal, is a psychological one. We feel much differently about Turkey today than we did yesterday, and I think we have a chance of really becoming much closer to Turkey,” Trump told reporters during an Oval Office meeting with Brunson.

A Turkish court on Friday sentenced Brunson, who had been charged with links to Kurdish militants and supporters of a U.S.-based Muslim cleric, to more than three years in prison but said he would not serve any further time because he had already been detained since October 2016.

The pastor’s release could signal a thaw in relations between the two NATO allies, which worsened in August after a deal to free Brunson fell apart and Trump authorized a doubling of duties on aluminum and steel imported from Turkey, helping drive the lira currency down against the dollar.

Trump did not pledge to lift the sanctions but said he welcomed an end to the “harsh relationship” the countries had over the past two months.

In front of U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Trump’s national security adviser John Bolton, U.S. lawmakers and Brunson’s family, the pastor knelt beside Trump on the floor of the Oval Office, placed a hand on his shoulder, and prayed for God to give him “supernatural wisdom.”

Trump also thanked President Tayyip Erdogan at Saturday’s meeting for helping secure Brunson’s release, despite a curt Twitter post from the Turkish leader earlier on Saturday repeating that Brunson’s release was a court’s decision to make, not his.

“Dear Mr. President, as I always pointed out, the Turkish judiciary reached its decision independently,” Erdogan wrote on his Twitter account. “I hope that the United States and Turkey will continue their cooperation as the allies that they are, and fight together against terrorist groups.”

Trump said Brunson’s release “wasn’t easy” for Erdogan.

In response to a question, Trump said the administration is actively working on the status of other imprisoned Americans and government employees in Turkey. “We are working very hard,” he said.

Senator Thom Tillis, who was at the White House Saturday, previously criticized Turkey for continuing to detain “multiple other U.S. citizens, as well as several Turkish staff of the U.S. diplomatic mission, on scant evidence under the state of emergency.”

Brunson said that U.S. State Department personnel in Turkey are working on behalf of other American prisoners currently in custody. “They were involved very much in advocating for the other prisoners,” Brunson said.

Slideshow (8 Images)
Trump thanks Turkey for pastor's release, denies cutting deal | Reuters

 

[Beau]

A Facebook friend of mine just posted this very astute explanation of what Trump might represent for people across the US. I thought it was very astute and showed that there are a lot of people who see the situation in the US very well, so wanted to share here:

Over the years i have voiced my opinion on Facebook on many issues. On numerous occasions, those posts have turned into long winded debates. It offends some, gets me de-friended occasionally, makes others cheer, and others are apathetic.

What is telling and disturbing is the number of people who have private messaged me over the years and said "I agree with you, but i cannot post on your debates, because if someone sees my comments or opinions on that topic, i could lose my job."

This is what the Politically correct Nazis have done to America. It's why i believe a large chunk of the population voted for Trump and will vote to re-elect him. The PC Nazis throw every disgusting slander and ad hominem at Trump, (That would intimidate most into silence) and he not only does not back down, he counter attacks and hangs them the proverbial middle finger, and wins.

Trump is an indirect way for millions of people to tell the PC Nazis to go f@ck themselves in a way they wish they could do themselves. I think this element is at the core of the Trump Phenomenon. Its why he will probably get re-elected, and why the left and PC Nazis that are already bonkers, will go even more bananas if he does get re-elected.