(Moscow News – themoscownews.com – Mark H. Teeter – November 28, 2013) Sometimes Russians get American history so muddled (так путаются в американской истории) that it can only be un-muddled by authentic Yankee ingenuity (аутентичной хитростью америкоса типа меня). Last week, my grandson Valerka displayed lecture-worthy prejudice regarding the origins of Thanksgiving (День благодарения): “Isn’t that the holiday,” chided the […]
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From: Scott Bittle <SB@carnegie.org> Subject: Adding Russian voices to Carnegie Corp. US-Russia relations site Date: Thu, 21 Nov 2013 I just wanted to follow up — we have added our Russian commentators to the site, in collaboration with the Carnegie Moscow Center, to provide a counterpoint to the American experts from the first round. These posts are available to you […]
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Subject: 6th Annual Conference Doing Business with Russia From: eurasiamail@aol.com Date: Tue, 26 Nov 2013 6th Annual Conference Doing Business with Russia The Eurasia Center & The Eurasian Business Coalition December 4, 2013 At The Russian Trade Representation & The Embassy of the Russian Federation Washington, DC To Register please visit www.eurasiacenter.org and see Agenda. This event will allow participants […]
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MOSCOW. Nov 22 (Interfax) – The Russian Prosecutor General’s Office and the U.S. Department of Justice have agreed on ways to resolve extradition issues, which is a serious obstacle in the criminal justice cooperation of the two countries. “During the negotiations with substantial delegations of the U.S. Department of Justice held recently in Moscow, an agreement has been reached on […]
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(Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – Ivan Tsvetkov – November 22, 2013) Dr. Ivan Tsvetkov is an associate professor at the School of International Relations of St. Petersburg State University and an expert in U.S. domestic policy. Thanks to John F. Kennedy’s actions during the Cuban Missile Crisis, which allowed the Soviets to save face, the reporting on his […]
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(RIA Novosti – November 22, 2013) US asset management giant BlackRock pulled more than $100 million from its Russian investments over a seven-day period beginning last week, the Prime news agency reported Friday. The amount is about a third of the investment that BlackRock, the world’s largest money manager, has in Russia, Prime said, citing figures from Emerging Portfolio Fund […]
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MOSCOW, November 20 (RIA Novosti) A senior Russian diplomat has voiced concerns over US plans to retain nine military bases in Afghanistan after their planned withdrawal from the country. Russia’s presidential envoy to Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov, told RIA Novosti in an interview Wednesday that the bases would “exert a serious influence on the whole vast Asian region and become […]
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MOSCOW, November 20 (RIA Novosti) Most Russians asking for US entry visas obtain them, the US ambassador in Moscow said Wednesday. Michael McFaul said at a meeting with students in Moscow’s Foreign Literature Library that more than 90 percent of those applying for visas were granted them. He noted that the figure is higher in Russia than in many […]
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MOSCOW. Nov 21 (Interfax) – U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul said he was angry with mass media reports on Washington supporting the Russian opposition. McFaul said at a public meeting in Moscow on Wednesday that nothing made him angrier about the Russian media than propaganda about the U.S. government sponsoring Russian opposition. According to the ambassador, he saw Russian […]
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(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – November 20, 2013) The United States may publish the extended version of the “Magnitsky list” as early as next month, while Europe is expected to pass a similar measure, Hermitage Capital investment fund president and bill supporter William Browder said. The Magnitsky Act, enacted by the U.S. Congress in December 2012 and named after late […]
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MOSCOW. Nov 16 (Interfax) – A positive agenda in Russian-U.S. relations outweighs the difficulties existing in them, U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul said. “Today, those interests and challenges which unite us outweigh those issues which divide us,” McFaul told Interfax on Saturday in commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the restoration of diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Russia. […]
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MOSCOW. Nov 15 (Interfax) – The absence of definitely positive relations between Russia and the United States does not obstruct their active cooperation in the resolution of international crises, Council on Foreign and Defense Policy (CFDP) Chairman Fyodor Lukyanov said. “The absence of positive relations between the two countries does not stop them from doing active work on the Syrian, […]
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TBILISI. Nov 17 (Interfax) – U.S. President Barack Obama has sent a message to Georgian president elect Giorgi Margvelashvili on his inauguration due in a few hours. “On behalf of the American people, I congratulate the people of Georgia as they celebrate the inauguration of a new President and mark the first time a presidential transition has taken place as […]
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MOSCOW. Nov 13 (Interfax) – One of the reasons why Russia has banned U.S. citizens from adopting Russian children is the demographic issue, Russian children’s rights commissioner Pavel Astakhov said. “We have a demographic forecast: the infant population in Russia will be about 22 million by 2025. And the United States will have 105 [million] by 2025. Is there a […]
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(Interfax – November 15, 2013) Moscow has called outrageous the U.S. senators’ demand that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) review its opinion on the Russian law banning homosexuality propaganda amongst minors. “We have paid attention to the letter sent by eleven U.S. senators to the International Olympic Committee president and their demand to review the official opinion of the IOC […]
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(Pravda.ru – Anton Kulikov – November 12, 2013) The Russian State Duma deputies proposed an introduction of the “Separatist Propaganda” article in the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation and establishing a prison sentence of three to six years for said propaganda. So far this is only a draft bill, and its future is unclear. The document was proposed for […]
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CAIRO, November 14 (RIA Novosti) Iran tentatively agreed to a US proposal for limiting its nuclear program, but backed out of the deal after last-minute changes in Geneva, Russia’s foreign minister said Thursday. “The version with the amendments was distributed literally at the last moment, when we were about to depart from Geneva,” Sergei Lavrov said, referring to high-level […]
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MOSCOW. Nov 13 (Interfax) – Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has called for boosting trade between Russia and the United States and for more extensive mutual investment. “Russia and the United States possess all the necessary resources for more extensive collaboration in countering modern threats and challenges and in trying to settle regional crises and conflicts. I am convinced that […]
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(Bloomberg – bloomberg.com – Tony Capaccio – November 13, 2013) The Pentagon won’t buy more Mi-17 helicopters from Rosoboronexport, Russia’s state-owned export company, after completing a $572 million contract signed in June, according to a Defense Department spokeswoman. “The department has re-evaluated requirements in consultation with Congress,” spokeswoman Maureen Schumann said in an e-mailed statement. “We currently do not have […]
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(PONARS Eurasia – ponarseurasia.org – Mikhail Troitskiy – November 11, 2013) Mikhail Troitskiy is a member of PONARS Eurasia and an associate professor at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations. Article also appeared at ponarseurasia.org/article/setting-expectations-right Finding ways to mend the U.S.-Russia relationship requires a clear understanding of the benefits it can bring to both sides. Moscow and Washington need […]
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(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Ivan Nechepurenko – November 12, 2013) Russia looks to outdo the U.S. in pivoting toward Asia, with two state visits scheduled this week to Vietnam and South Korea. When President Vladimir Putin was asked at last month’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit in Bali what he thought about U.S. President Barack Obama’s absence due to a […]
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(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Guennadi Moukine – November 11, 2013) The only route to success for Russian technology firms is to launch an operation and find investors in U.S., an investment forum heard. The venture capital market in the U.S. is mature, and investors have experience that Russia, whose investment institutions are relatively young, does not have, speakers at […]
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MOSCOW, November 8 (RIA Novosti) Russia considers unfounded US skepticism over the sincerity of Syria’s declaration of its chemical weapon stockpiles, a Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman said Friday. US envoy to the United Nations Samantha Power said earlier this week that Washington was closely reviewing Syria’s declaration of its chemical weapons stockpiles, in light of a history of “years […]
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MOSCOW. Nov 7 (Interfax) – State Duma Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Alexei Pushkov believes that the scandal sparked by revelations that U.S. special services monitored European leaders’ phone conversations will soon fizzle out because the European leadership is dependent on Washington. “The administration of [U.S. President Barack] Obama does not seem to be particularly troubled by Europe’s anger over this […]
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(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – November 6, 2013) Out of the 33 St. Petersburg orphans who were set to be given new homes by U.S. families last year before their moves were blocked by Russian legislation, only one has been legally adopted by Russian parents, a news report said. The 33 children already had potential American families, but were prevented […]
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(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Matthew Bodner – WASHINGTON, November 5, 2013) Worries have erupted that the U.S. is not giving proper attention to the development of its next generation of post-Soviet experts after the Department of State decided to withhold funding for its Title VIII grant program for the 2013 fiscal year. It was a budget-cutting move roundly denounced […]
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MOSCOW, November 2 (RIA Novosti) Fugitive US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden will not be permitted to break the conditions of his asylum status in Russia by harming the US, a Russian newspaper quoted President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman as saying Saturday. The Kommersant daily quoted a source in the US White House as saying that Snowden’s activities in Moscow were […]
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(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Anatoly Medetsky – November 1, 2013) Russian government officials, led by two deputy ministers, met with U.S. business representatives and lobbyists for a two-day conference in Houston to exchange their views on doing business in Russia. Deputy Economic Development Minister Sergei Belyakov gave a keynote speech during the Oct. 29 to 30 meeting organized by […]
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MOSCOW. Oct 30 (Interfax) – Alexei Pushkov, the head of the State Duma committee on international affairs, said he was outraged by the fact that western governments have not reacted to reports on the use of chemical weapons by rebels in Syria against Syrian Kurds. “According to information received from Syrian Kurds, the rebels used chemical weapons against them in […]
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ATHENS. Oct 30 (Interfax) – Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov believes most of the key world political leaders were aware of being tapped by U.S. special services. “I even feel somewhat bored to comment on this. In fact, I am sure that everyone knew everything or at least had such suspicions. And all this fuss is being made now just […]
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MOSCOW. Oct 28 (Interfax) – Russian presidential chief of staff Sergei Ivanov discussed Russian-U.S. relations with former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger at a meeting in Russia. “I can’t say that Russian-U.S. relations are developing very smoothly and consistently, but anyway, the last meeting between our presidents in St. Petersburg showed that, if a constructive approach is taken to […]
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WASHINGTON, October 25 (By Carl Schreck for RIA Novosti) A US government program for the study of Russia and the former Soviet bloc whose recent defunding has sparked outrage in academic circles counts among its alumni the current US ambassador to Russia as well two former secretaries of state. Michael McFaul, the current US envoy to Russia, conducted post-doctoral […]
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ROSTOV-ON-DON. Oct 28 (Interfax) – Russia is ready for constructive dialogue and compromise on missile defense with the United States and NATO. “We are ready for constructive dialogue with the United States and NATO. We are open to compromise. However, we will not pretend that talk of the (missile defense) system the Americans are creating does not need any changes […]
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MINSK, October 25 (RIA Novosti) Leaks by former US security contractor Edward Snowden regarding US intelligence-gathering on Russia will have no impact on relations between Moscow and Washington, Russia’s foreign minister said Friday. Sergei Lavrov said issues regarding Snowden were not high on Russia’s international diplomatic agenda. Emerging allegations that US intelligence operative have spied on the phones of […]
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MOSCOW. Oct 24 (Interfax) – Russian citizens are aware of the Russian-U.S. agreements concerning Syria, which are supported by UN resolutions, and think the deal has helped prevent a military operation against Syria, sociologists from the Russian Opinion Study Center (VTsIOM) said. Some 68% of the respondents showed an interest in Syrian events, among them, 15% constantly monitor the developments […]
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(Bloomberg – bloomberg.com – Ilya Arkhipov and Henry Meyer – October 25, 2013) President Vladimir Putin is turning to Barack Obama for help protecting the costliest Winter Games ever from attacks by Islamic extremists, including hundreds of battle-hardened jihadists now fighting in Syria. About 400 Russian nationals, mainly from the North Caucasus, are currently battling President Bashar al-Assad’s forces in […]
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MOSCOW, October 23 (RIA Novosti) Russia aims to cooperate with Western powers on security issues but needs guarantees that a US missile shield in Eastern Europe would not target its nuclear forces, Russia’s defense minister said Wednesday. “We have failed to work jointly on this issue. The European missile defense programs are developing, and our [Russia’s] concerns are not […]
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(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Andrew McChesney – October 24, 2013) Moscow has angrily denied that one of its diplomats in Washington tried to recruit young Americans to spy for Russian intelligence agencies, calling the allegations a “horror story” reminiscent of the Cold War. The spy flap centering around the 59-year-old head of a Kremlin-funded cultural exchange program raises the […]
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(Business New Europe – bne.eu – October 23, 2013) The list of foreign retailers setting out their stall in Russia will get a colourful addition next year, with US entertainment giant Walt Disney planning to open three themed stores in Moscow and St Petersburg in 2014. The merchandising arm of the film and cartoon maker is set to launch toy […]
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(Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – Dmitry Babich, special to RBTH – October 21, 2013) Dmitry Babich is a columnist for Voice of Russia radio. Is the former NSA analyst a modern-day dissident? There are many interesting similarities between Edward Snowden and the famous Russian dissident writer Alexander Solzhenitsyn (1918-2008). The most recent example of these is the interview […]
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Date: Wed, 16 Oct 2013 Subject: Reform of the Kremlin Narrative From: Ray Finch <rayfin3@gmail.com> Reform of the Kremlin Narrative By Ray Finch, Foreign Military Studies Office Although anti-Americanism is not new in Russia, when half the Russian population indicates that they see America in a positive light, the Kremlin-backed media has to work harder to make the glass appear […]
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(Interfax – October 17, 2013) The Geneva II international conference on Syria has been rescheduled once again due to the Syrian opposition’s reluctance to reach agreements, Russia’s Kommersant newspaper said on Thursday. The end of November or even December is now being discussed as a possible date for the conference instead of the middle of November previously announced by Russian […]
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(RIA Novosti – MOSCOW, October 17, 2013) An international peace conference on Syria backed by Russia and the United States will take place on November 23-24, a senior Syrian governmental official said Thursday. The Geneva-2 conference will proceed despite leading Syrian opposition groups’ continuing reluctance to participate, Deputy Prime Minister Qadri Jamil said at a press conference in Moscow. The […]
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(RIA Novosti – WASHINGTON, October 16, 2013) US scientists are “itching” to work with their Russian counterparts in putting nuclear weapons technology to use in new systems to defend Earth from threatening asteroids, an investigative journalism outlet reported Wednesday. “In recent years, advocates of the use of nuclear weapons to counter space threats have been gaining ground,” the non-profit […]
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(Interfax – BRUSSELS, October 15, 2013) Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has called the Russian-U.S. understandings on Syria’s chemical weapons a renaissance of diplomacy aimed not at building coalitions but at reaching common goals. Speaking at the Brussels-based Royal Institute for International Relations (Egmont Institute), Lavrov suggested that the world has switched to a polycentric from a bipolar system of […]
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(RIA Novosti – MOSCOW, October 12, 2013) The Russian government will not revise its policy of investing almost half of the country’s foreign exchange reserves in US Treasury securities despite growing fears of a looming US debt default, Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said. “I don’t see the need for changing our reserve investment strategy at present,” Siluanov told […]
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(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – October 12, 2013) Employees at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow may soon join an estimated 800,000 U.S. government workers furloughed in the midst of a partial government shutdown following U.S. Congress’ failure to approve a spending bill for the new fiscal year. Should the embassy run out of funding, only key diplomats and the consular […]
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(RIA Novosti – Fyodor Lukyanov, October 3, 2013) Fyodor Lukyanov is Editor-in-Chief of the Russia in Global Affairs journal, authoritative source of expertise on Russian foreign policy and global developments. The world is growing accustomed to the new America a country that will always surprise you. The United States’ political system used to be proud of its ability to […]
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(Interfax – October 10, 2013) Russians’ attitude to the USA is gradually getting worse, privately-owned news agency Interfax reported on 10 October, quoting a recent poll conducted by the independent pollster Levada Centre. The full results of the survey was published on the pollster’s website on the same day (http://www.levada.ru/10-10-2013/rossiyane-o-ssha). The poll was conducted on 20-24 September 2013 among 1,601 […]
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(Interfax – MOSCOW, October 9, 2013) Moscow expects that a meeting between the Russian and U.S. presidents will take place and will become another important stage in the development of bilateral relations, the Russian Foreign Ministry said. “We do not need meetings just for the sake of having meetings. The Russian president has said this very clearly. We conduct intensive […]
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