Posts Tagged ‘Moscow’
Written by admin on 12 December 2012
Moscow, Dec 12 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Russian President Vladimir Putin in his state-of-the-nation address Wednesday warned against foreign interference in the country’s domestic affairs.
Putin also targeted local political actors who get money from abroad.
“Direct or indirect interference from outside in our internal political processes is unacceptable,” he said.
Someone “who receives money from abroad for his political activity, and in doing so certainly serves other (countries’) national interests, cannot be a politician in the Russian Federation”, he said.
With this, Putin reiterated concerns over foreign meddling in Russian politics that have been particularly acute since the outbreak of mass public protests last year.
At the time, Putin, then prime minister, made international headlines for claiming the street protests had been funded by the US State Department, a charge Washington has denied.
A current high-profile criminal case against one of the protest leaders involves accusations that he received funding to overthrow the Russian government from a Georgian politician. All the accused have also denied wrongdoing.
Putin asserted that, in politics, Russia has no option but democracy, but emphasised that the country has “its own traditions of popular self-rule”, and Russian democracy does not mean “the implementation of standards imposed on us from outside”.
–IANS/RIA Novosti
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Written by admin on 12 December 2012
Moscow, Dec 12 (IANS/RIA Novosti) The recognition by the US of Syria’s opposition coalition as the legitimate representative of the Syrian people shows that Washington is gambling on a military victory by the coalition, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday.
“I was somewhat surprised to learn that the US, through its president, has recognised the national coalition as the sole legitimate representative of the Syrian people,” he said.
“That is at odds with the agreements recorded in the Geneva communique calling for an all-Syria dialogue between the country’s government representatives on the one hand and the opposition on the other,” Lavrov said.
Syria’s opposition coalition has declared its refusal to negotiate with the government and defined its chief goal as regime change, Lavrov recalled.
Moscow will seek clarification of the US position on Syria, he added.
“In the course of consultations (three days ago in Geneva), we had the impression that the Americans understand the need for an all-Syrian dialogue with the government’s participation,” Lavrov said.
US President Barack Obama said Tuesday the US has decided formally to recognise the Syrian opposition rebel coalition that is fighting to topple President Bashar al-Assad as the sole legitimate representative of the Syrian people.
“We’ve made a decision that the Syrian Opposition Coalition is now inclusive enough, is reflective and representative enough of the Syrian population that we consider them the legitimate representative of the Syrian people in opposition to the Assad regime,” Obama said in an interview with the ABC TV network.
He described the move as a “big step”.
In a summary of the interview posted on its website, ABC news said the move did not include a decision to provide weapons to the Syrian rebels but opened the door to that possibility in the future.
The National Coalition of Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces was formed Nov 11 in Doha, Qatar, and proclaimed itself the legitimate representative of the Syrian people. Its legitimacy has since been recognized by France, Britain and several other countries.
“Obviously, with that recognition comes responsibilities,” Obama said.
“To make sure that they organise themselves effectively, that they are representative of all the parties, (and) that they commit themselves to a political transition that respects women’s rights and minority rights.”
–IANS/RIA Novosti
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Written by admin on 10 December 2012
Moscow, Dec 10 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Russian Olympic Committee chief Alexander Zhukov has praised the idea of a European Olympics after Baku was named their first host city for 2015.
The capital of Azerbaijan was the only bidder for the inaugural edition of the Games, and hosting rights were granted after a weekend vote by 49 members of the European Olympic Committee in Rome.
“This idea to stage a European Games has been hanging in the air for a while now,” Zhukov said in comments to his committee’s website.
“The Games will no doubt provide a new impulse for the development of sport on our continent.”
Zhukov vowed that Russia, which many thought would also bid for the event, “is ready to provide the closest possible support with the national Olympic committee of Azerbaijan to ensure the preparations for the first European Games in history are a success.”
Several parties including athletics’ governing body the IAAF came out against the idea of cramming more events into a busy schedule.
–IANS/RIA Novosti
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Written by admin on 10 December 2012
Moscow, Dec 10 (IANS/RIA Novosti) The US has asked Russia to lift restrictions on American meat imports, saying the new requirement on American beef and pork supplies contradicted Russia’s obligations as a member of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
Russia, which joined the world trade club as its 156th member in August 2012 after 18 years of negotiations, announced Friday that beef and pork imports from US producers using ractopamine, a drug used to promote leanness in animals raised for their meat, must be tested and certified free of the feed additive.
The move came a day after the US Senate repealed the Cold War-era Jackson-Vanik restrictions on trade with Russia and simultaneously passed the Magnitsky Act, which targets Russian officials deemed by Washington to have violated human rights.
“The United States is very concerned that Russia has taken these actions, which appear to be inconsistent with its obligations as a member of the World Trade Organisation,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and US Trade Representative Ron Kirk said in a joint statement.
“The United States calls on Russia to suspend these new measures and restore market access for US beef and pork products.”
Russian officials denied charges that the decision to restrict US meat imports was made in response to US sanctions against Russian human rights abusers adopted in conjunction with the trade bill.
The Magnitsky Act specifically targets Russian officials considered by the White House to be involved in the death of Russian whistleblower lawyer Sergei Magnitsky in 2009. But it extends to other purported violators of human rights in Russia as well.
–IANS/RIA Novosti
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Written by admin on 10 December 2012
Moscow, Dec 10 (IANS) Moscow is not holding talks with anyone over Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s future, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Sunday.
Speaking during a meeting with President Vladimir Putin’s election agents, Lavrov said the priority to solve the crisis should be forcing all parties involved to lay down their weapons instead of talking endlessly about Assad’s fate, Xinhua reported.
The minister reiterated Moscow’s stance on Syria, calling for a Geneva meeting of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and the Arab League countries.
He also called for the full implementation of the Geneva communique as a basis for the political settlement of the crisis and complained that some of Russia’s western partners had departed from former agreements.
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Written by admin on 09 December 2012
Moscow, Dec 9 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Ex-Germany striker Kevin Kuranyi struck twice Sunday as Dynamo Moscow pulled out a 2-1 win at Terek Grozny, continuing their impressive revival under coach Dan Petrescu in the Russian football league.
A fifth consecutive victory raises Dynamo to eighth in the league, just two points behind fourth-placed FC Kuban, while Terek remain fifth with 32 points.
It was sweet revenge for Dynamo after suffering home defeat to the Chechens with the reverse score in August.
Kuranyi scored the opener on 12 minutes, lashing home Christian Noboa’s flick-on from a corner.
Brazilian striker Ailton equalised in the middle of the second half with an accurate header off a left-wing cross from Fyodor Kudryashov.
It took Dynamo only four minutes to restore their lead, as Kuranyi sent a bullet header into the top corner of the goal after another corner from Austrian winger Jakob Jantscher.
Petrescu opted to play experienced goalkeeper Roman Berezovsky over Anton Shunin, who had fully recovered from burns to his eye when a flare was thrown onto the pitch during a game against Zenit St. Petersburg in mid-November.
–IANS/RIA Novosti
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Written by admin on 09 December 2012
Moscow, Dec 9 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Zenit St. Petersburg have refused to allow Anzhi fans to hang a banner at the Petrovsky stadium ahead of their crucial league clash Monday, which is being played behind closed doors.
Zenit were ordered to play two games in an empty stadium as punishment for an incident in which a player was injured by a flare thrown from the Zenit end.
In the first game, Zenit allowed CSKA Moscow to put up two banners at the Petrovsky stadium that rooted for the away team.
“When Zenit played CSKA, the supporters were permitted to hang their banners to support the team,” Anzhi’s fans relation manager Zagid Kebedgadzhiev said.
“Our guys also wanted to make banners to support Anzhi, but it is unclear why they are not allowed into the stands.”
Anzhi are level with leaders CSKA on 40 points after 18 games, while Zenit are third, three points adrift.
Monday’s game is the last before a three-month winter break.
–IANS/RIA Novosti
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Written by admin on 09 December 2012
Moscow, Dec 9 (IANS/RIA Novosti) North Korea may postpone the controversial launch of a long-range rocket scheduled between Dec 10 and 22, the South Korean media reported Sunday.
North Korea’s Central News Agency (KCNA) said earlier on Sunday Pyongyang was considering postponing the rocket launch for a number of reasons.
North Korea may have decided to delay the launch due to technical problems or heavy snow blanketing the North’s northwest where the three-stage rocket is set to be launched, media reports said.
Pyongyang angered the international community after its Dec 1 announcement that it would attempt another rocket launch, the country’s second this year.
While North Korean authorities have claimed the rocket will attempt to send a satellite into outer space, the international community has condemned what it believes to be the development of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) programme meant to ferry nuclear warheads.
South Korean media reports, quoting unnamed sources in Seoul, have indicated that North Korean technicians have already mounted the rocket on its launch pad. The launch window will remain open until Dec 22.
A previous attempted launch of a North Korean rocket last April ended in failure after the rocket exploded shortly after lift-off.
–IANS/RIA Novosti
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Written by admin on 09 December 2012
Moscow, Dec 9 (IANS/RIA Novosti) London Olympics silver medallist in discus Daria Pishchalnikova has been temporarily suspended over a positive doping test, Russia’s anti-doping agency (RUSADA) said.
The sanctions were applied to the 27-year-old athlete on the basis of a sample taken May 20, two months ahead of London Olympics, that was retested in October and showed an adverse result.
Last month, Pishchalnikova was warned that she faced a life ban from the sport if an initial positive result was confirmed.
“The IAAF has temporarily banned Daria Pishchalnikova from all training events and competitions as of Oct 31, 2012 until a decision is made on whether there was a violation of anti-doping rules,” a website statement said Saturday.
Pishchalnikova has already been suspended once, on the eve of the Beijing 2008 Olympics for doping irregularities.
She threw 67.56 metres at the Games for second place, just short of Sandra Perkovic’s golden mark of 67.11 metres.
–IANS/RIA Novosti
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Written by admin on 09 December 2012
Moscow, Dec 9 (IANS/RIA Novosti) The US Sunday called on Russia to lift restrictions on American meat imports.
The US said the new requirement on American beef and pork supplies contradicted Russia’s obligations as a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Russia, which joined the world trade club as its 156th member in August 2012 after 18 years of negotiations, announced Friday that beef and pork imports from US producers using ractopamine must be tested and certified free of the feed additive.
The move came a day after the US Senate repealed the Cold War-era Jackson-Vanik restrictions on trade with Russia and simultaneously passed the Magnitsky Act, which targets Russian officials deemed by Washington to have violated human rights.
“The US is very concerned that Russia has taken these actions, which appear to be inconsistent with its obligations as a member of the World Trade Organization,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and US Trade Representative Ron Kirk said in a joint statement.
“The US calls on Russia to suspend these new measures and restore market access for US beef and pork products.”
Russian officials denied allegations that the decision to restrict US meat imports was made in response to US sanctions against Russian human rights abusers adopted in conjunction with the trade bill.
The Magnitsky Act specifically targets Russian officials considered by the White House to be involved in the death of Russian whistleblower lawyer Sergei Magnitsky in 2009, but it extends to other purported violators of human rights in Russia as well.
–IANS/RIA Novosti
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Written by admin on 09 December 2012
Moscow, Dec 9 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Tehran has condemned the US over a recent sub-critical nuclear test as a threat to peace and stability, the IRNA news agency reported.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ramin Mehmanparast said the test showed Washington’s hypocrisy as it still relies on weapons of mass destruction.
The test, known as Pollux, was conducted by the Nevada National Security Site, the Los Alamos National Laboratory, and Sandia National Laboratories Wednesday.
The US National Nuclear Security Administration said the 27th subcritical experiment was conducted to ensure that Washington “can support a safe, secure and effective stockpile” of nuclear weapons.
An Iranian lawmaker said the test has once again demonstrated Washington’s ‘aggressive nature.”
Hossein Naqavi Hosseini, spokesperson for the Majlis (parliament) National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, said the test shows the US is still making efforts to produce and proliferate nuclear weapons.”
The test has drawn sharp criticism from residents of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the only cities that have ever been attacked with nuclear weapons.
–IANS/RIA Novosti
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Written by admin on 08 December 2012
Moscow, Dec 8 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Russian tycoon Alisher Usmanov has been re-elected president of the International Fencing Federation (FIE).
It means a second four-year term at the helm of the federation for the 59-year-old mining and lumber magnate, who was the only candidate running at the FIE’s Moscow congress.
“It is crucial that we improve the image of fencing and take greater steps to advance the sport,” he was quoted as saying by the federation’s website when the congress started last week.
“We must work together to reach our ambitious goals and I count on the support of the whole fencing community to achieve this.”
Only six of the world’s 146 national fencing federations were absent from the vote.
Usmanov was first elected at the Paris congress in 2008 on the back of major investments in the sport worldwide.
Usmanov is also a majority shareholder in Arsenal football club.
–IANS/RIA Novosti
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