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Kyle and Sveta

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Results of Medvedev’s visit to the Middle East…

With King Abdullah II of Jordan.

Dmitry Medvedev answered journalists’ questions on the outcome of his visit to Jordan and Palestine.

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QUESTION: Mr President, could you please tell us about the outcome of your visit to the Middle East? Also, perhaps you could outline Russia’s position on the possible convening of the UN Security Council during which Palestine would declare its independence unilaterally? Will Russia hold consultations with Israel on this issue?

PRESIDENT OF RUSSIA DMITRY MEDVEDEV: I am ready to briefly summarize the results of the visit. The main result is that I was able to hold consultations with our close partners: the Palestinian Authority, specifically with Palestinian President and Head of the National Authority Mahmoud Abbas, and here in Jordan, with His Majesty King Abdullah II.

Both of these visits are not just meetings for us; these are our partners in the Middle East. Palestine’s plight is clear. We talk a great deal about ways to return the settlement process to a normal level. We have been holding consultations as part of the Middle East Quartet and other international forums. This was an opportunity to consult with our closest partners, to touch on all these issues directly, firsthand, as they say. It has been very useful, both in order to maintain direct contact with our colleagues, and to give an impetus to the negotiation process. In the near future, the Quartet of mediators will meet for consultation in Munich. I hope that we will be able to submit specific recommendations.

Continue reading “Results of Medvedev’s visit to the Middle East…”

South Korea Will Talk to North Korea…

The South Korean government has decided to accept a proposal Thursday from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) to hold high-ranking inter-Korean military talks, Seoul’s unification ministry said…

Hopefully this will be talks only between the North and South Korea and no one else involved. It is time the two countries got things in order…

http://www.china.org.cn/world/2011-01/20/content_21785573.htm

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Coffee and Russian Investment is Good…

While drinking that morning cup of coffee. I was contemplating lots (a dozen or so) of e-mails I have received over the last few weeks. They are all from America and they all have to do with how terrible Russia (more pointedly – Putin) is, over the former oil tycoon Mikhail B. Khodorkovsky. They all have to do with how Russia will be devastated by the financial repercussions of said acts…

I guess that this case is a good mental deterrent for people from the disaster that the Western world has become financially. Years ago I removed my investments in America and Europe. I followed the footsteps of some very smart people and put my money on this side of the world. One example, such as into real (not paper certificates) gold and silver. It was the best thing that I ever did financially. It was easy to see what was happening to America from the outside arena. I would have lost everything if I had not moved things when I did. I will never invest in America again, at least until the government gets her act together. I am not alone in that thought. As the proven financial drain is growing against America…

According to U.S. economist, Laurence Kotlikoff, America’s national debt is $200 trillion, when Baby Boomer demographic demands are calculated – including Social Security, public union, pension and health-care demands on the public purse. That’s a mighty big figure. America, in fact, is destitute. (Link)

So I laugh when people talk trash about Russia as a bad investment climate. But I am saddened when I read about the financial fiasco’s in America. Such as the scapegoat Madoff. In fact the US Politicians are ‘Looking For Scapegoats’. Be it China and her currency, Russia and her oil and many others. I know you have heard about China and her currency and how it has destroyed America and is all China’s fault… 🙂

The fact is America is a bad investment climate. That is why you have
American Companies are Hiring, Just Not in America…

But this is what really sums up the Western worlds feelings on this whole thing about Mikhail B. Khodorkovsky. The push is on by the Western world to have Medvedev do something and cause a rift between him and Putin:

But if Medvedev wants to look like a viable candidate for reelection, he needs to do something to break decisively with Putin, his powerful predecessor and likely rival for the job, experts say.”As the presidential election nears, Medvedev needs to take some strong positive positions in order to step out from the shadow of the prime minister,” says Mr. Strokan. “So far he’s going nowhere, and all polls show that the public regards him as secondary to Putin. His political support lags far behind, and Putin seems to outmaneuver him at every turn. Time is running out for Medvedev to do something to distinguish himself.” (Link)

So we will wait and see what they do about the Mikhail B. Khodorkovsky case. It is still in appeals and nothing is final until the appeals are extinguished. (I have seen many cases overturned during appeals in Russia.)  For Russians though the story is absolutely outdated, public opinion is set against most tycoons. All the Wests fairy tales presenting Khodorkovsky as a hero opposing the system is a form of wishful thinking…

Oh, how the dreams of instigators are working overtime right now…

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Palestinian State: Russia Unchanged Opinion From Soviet Era…

Medvedev backs independent Palestinian state

Jericho Reuters  (January 19, 2011) : Russian President Dmitry Medvedev endorsed a Palestinian state on Tuesday, saying Moscow had recognized independence in 1988 and was not changing the position adopted by the former Soviet Union. Making his first visit to the Israeli-occupied West Bank as Russian head of state, Medvedev stopped short of issuing a ringing declaration of recognition of Palestinian statehood by the modern Russian Federation which he represents…

Man that stirred the kettle today… 🙂

Read More >>>

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Coffee and Russian Medical Care…

Yesterday Sveta and I spent the day at a Russian medical clinic. It is a clinic for the Russians who work in or worked in the space industry in this town we live in. (Article on Korolev) Since I am not a national of Russia, they allow me to pay for the services. This is a huge clinic and very busy. I was amazed at the place and it was very well run and organized. I learned a long time ago when in Rome, do as the Romans do…

I was in to have a sonogram of my stomach and kidneys. I have some issues on recent blood tests that are showing elevated figures in several areas. It seems that my kidneys are passable, stomach is passable and everything else is passable. Except one thing that the Doctor caught. I have a big scary spot on my liver…

So before I get all excited about the consequences of a spot on my liver. I will wait until I see a specialist and see what she says. Yes, I will use a specialist from the same Russian clinic. They even have MRI if needed and all modern technology available…

The cost is what floors me. A Doctor visit costs me 600 rubles ($20). The Sonogram cost 1200 rubles ($40) and took over an hour to do. I will be able to get a MRI done for around $300 and less if CT scan is used. No, this is not copay or insurance type costs. This is everyday cost for someone not part of the system…

I still am amazed every time I go to the doctor in Russia. The doctors are some of the most wonderful people I have ever met. They always give the time needed to take care of you. I never wonder what just happened, because they talk to you like a human…

Taking care of my health has overshadowed writing three articles a day in Windows to Russia. I will have to balance with all that I am doing.

But I will also keep things updated and drinking my morning cup of coffee… 🙂

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What is Russia Up To… (01/19/2011)

Russia and China were the major sellers of US Treasuries in November as bond yields surged sharply higher that month, according to the latest government data. China’s portfolio shrank by $11.2bn to $895.6bn in November, while Russia reduced its holdings from $131.6bn to $122.5bn, its lowest since last April…

Some More tidbits of news…

  • China and Russia sought greater international clout at a summit Tuesday, with China promising a $10 billion loan to Central Asian countries, while Russia challenged the dominance of the U.S. dollar as a global reserve currency….

  • A French amphibious assault ship like the one Russia hopes to buy arrived Monday in St. Petersburg, fueling concern in Georgia and other ex-Soviet nations that Russia is upgrading its navy to intimidate its neighbors….

  • The World Bank on Wednesday said Russia’s economy would see a “robust” recovery in 2010, hiking its growth forecast to up to 5.5 percent but warned the rebound would be tainted by high unemployment.”Russia is likely to witness a robust but jobless recovery,” the Bank said in its latest Russia report.It predicted Russia’s gross domestic product (GDP) would grow between 5.0 and 5.5 percent this year, gaining traction in a global turnaround driven by developing powerhouses China, India and Brazil.

  • Tens of thousands in northwest Russia were left without electricity when a storm ripped through the region after weeks of drought, with the bad weather set to hit Moscow.The emergencies ministry in the Leningrad region around Russia’s second city of Saint Petersburg said almost 100,000 people in 1,500 towns and villages in northwest Russia were without power.The storm, which was also felt in Saint Petersburg, saw high winds and driving rain and felled several trees. Train traffic was also affected.

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Russia and British Petroleum…

Rosneft, the Russian oil giant, and BP! Is this an interesting combination that has developed out of the lashing that BP took from the USA over the last oil spill?

Could be or could not be. But I do know that it is a big deal and after hearing squeaks at first of discontent from America. We in Russia are now hearing screams of Western discontent…

Politicians voice fears over Alaska pipelines, Gulf payouts and risk of Kremlin influence on major supplier to US military. Britain’s leading oil company, BP, is facing hostility and suspicion from the US over an alliance with the Russian state oil firm Rosneft that opens up vast areas of untapped wilderness off the coast of Siberia and beneath the Arctic shelf. (Read More Link)

I have been watching the relationship grow between Russia and BP. Putin has made it clear that he did not consider BP solely to blame for the incident: “Our experts have scrutinized the tragedy: we know that BP was the organizer of the project, but there were also eight subcontractors, including several major US companies.” This is a feather in BP’s hat because Russia offers significant protection for BP from America…

This relationship is a win win for both sides and Russia is courting this situation. Russia takes advantage of weakness when they see it and the Gulf Oil Spill showed many weaknesses on Americas part. The energy section of the planet is Russia’s business…

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OMG We Had A Rally…

There were two sanctioned rally’s this weekend. (You know a rally that was given approval to be held. What a unique concept…)

The first rally to talk about is an opposition organized rally (on Jan. 16th) to protest against the arrests at the opposition meeting at Triumphalnaya Square on December 31, 2010. The rally was legal and no incidents reported as of this Monday.  Now here is the kicker to all this information. Twenty (20) people showed up for the rally and it also ended one hour earlier than it was planned because everyone got bored and went home… (Besides it is darn cold also…) Then the icing on the cake is that somewhere around 40 to 50 reporters had showed up to cover the event… (Twice the number of participants…)

The second rally is on on January 15th, 2011. A rally for commemoration of the fan that was killed. They say thousands of people showed up and all was peaceful. Once again it was approved and organized. The same number of press showed up, 40 to 50 reporters…

Strange how I never saw these rally’s that were sanctioned and proper, appear in the Western press. I know that the Western press was there – Time, CNN, BBC and etc…

But it should be reported that a legal sanctioned rally was held in Moscow Russia. No one was arrested and beat. No one was upset. Nothing happened bad and because they were approved everything was cool…

Not exciting Huh?

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United States, Japan and South Korea Rattle Their swords and Beat Their Drums…

Remember when Washington, Tokyo and Seoul  (Around the beginning of December 2010) got together in a pow wow and mapped out a plan of action against North Korea and her nuclear ambitions..?

So from those talks a trilateral agreement was reached and the United States, Japan and South Korea have been playing a number of joint war games (in South Korea) and naval drills in the Yellow Sea in a preparation for the trilateral alliance that is under development. It seems that these war games are to continue, if not increase this year as a solidifying of this trilateral agreement…

In the last few days we have heard the drums being beaten and swords rattled against their shields in a show of solidarity against the mighty Nuclear Empire of North Korea…

Stupid is what I am thinking, with coffee this morning…

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