Moscow steps up war of words in diplomatic row with U.S.

[webfact]

Moscow steps up war of words in diplomatic row with U.S.

By Dmitry Solovyov and Alastair Macdonald

 

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov enters a hall during a meeting with Laotian Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith in Moscow, Russia June 16, 2017. REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin

 

MOSCOW/BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Moscow on Tuesday toughened its rhetoric in its row with Washington, saying it was considering ways to retaliate for the seizure of some of its diplomatic premises in the United States and expulsions of diplomats.

 

"The situation is outrageous," Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told Russian media during a visit to Austria on Tuesday.

 

"I believe that for such a great country like the United States of America, this advocate of international law, it's just shameful to leave the situation in mid-air," he said in comments posted on his ministry's website.

 

"We are now thinking of specific steps."

 

At a news conference later in Brussels with the EU's top diplomat Federica Mogherini, Lavrov spoke of "retaliatory measures" but declined to answer when asked if that meant that Russia would expel U.S. diplomats or seize diplomatic property.

 

He called on Washington to heed Moscow's demands for a return of diplomatic assets.

 

"If this does not happen, if we see that this step is not seen as essential in Washington, then of course we will take retaliatory measures.

"This is the law of diplomacy, the law of international affairs, that reciprocity is the basis of all relations."

 

Citing a Russian diplomatic source, the Izvestia daily said Russia was considering expelling around 30 U.S. diplomats and taking over two U.S. diplomatic compounds in Moscow and St Petersburg.

 

In December, the U.S. seized two Russian diplomatic compounds and then-President Barack Obama ordered the expulsion of 35 Russians over what he said was their involvement in hacking to interfere in the U.S. presidential election campaign.

 

Moscow denied the allegations and said then it would wait to see if relations improved under incoming President Donald Trump.

 

Izvestia on Tuesday said the Russian government was frustrated that President Vladimir Putin's first meeting with Trump in Hamburg last week had failed to resolve the diplomatic row.

 

Their discussions far exceeded the original time limit, ranging from cyber security to the conflicts in Syria and Ukraine. Trump described the talks soon afterwards as "very, very good".

 

A senior U.S. administration official told Reuters on Tuesday he had been told the issue of the compounds did not come up during the Trump-Putin meeting. The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Lavrov's remarks.

 

"POISONING TIES"

 

Lavrov said on Tuesday Russia well understood the impact of the continued "anti-Russian bias of the U.S. Congress" now that the Trump administration had long been in place.

 

"We realise that the decision to expel our diplomats, to impound our diplomatic property was adopted by the administration of former U.S. President Obama," he said.

 

The outgoing administration had aimed "to poison to a maximum U.S.-Russian ties" and create a "trap" for Trump, he added.

 

Trump and his aides have been dogged by allegations of collusion with Russian interference in last year's U.S. election.

 

Izvestia said Moscow still hoped the diplomatic row could be solved during a meeting between Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov and U.S. Undersecretary of State Thomas Shannon.

 

It did not say when such a meeting might happen. A previous such meeting between Ryabkov and Shannon, planned for June 23, was abruptly cancelled by Moscow in response to the expansion of U.S. sanctions on Russia.

 

(Writing by Dmitry Solovyov; Editing by Maria Kiselyova and Andrew Roche)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-07-12

[Jingthing]

Maybe they'll think twice before meddling in the next U.S. election.

Probably not.

 

[craigt3365]

20 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Maybe they'll think twice before meddling in the next U.S. election.

Probably not.

 

Probably not because the POTUS knows he's into the mess up to his eye balls.  Trump isn't going after this crime at all.

[impulse]

29 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Maybe they'll think twice before meddling in the next U.S. election.

Probably not.

 

Yeah.  That should be left to the corporations, the banksters, the military industrial complex, and globe trotting (for tax purposes) billionaires.

 

Edited July 12, 2017 by impulse

[LannaGuy]

Hang on aren't these evil one's supposed to have helped Trump win?   lol

[darksidedog]

It must be quite frustrating when you have bought and paid for the presidency, but still cant get your properties returned, or get your puppet controllers back in the country.

[sgracer]

1 hour ago, Jingthing said:

Maybe they'll think twice before meddling in the next U.S. election.

Probably not.

 

 

 

 

I wonder how many foreign elections the USA has meddled in over the years......must be hundreds by now.

[Jingthing]

 
 
 
I wonder how many foreign elections the USA has meddled in over the years......must be hundreds by now.

That isn't the topic.

[craigt3365]

12 minutes ago, sgracer said:

I wonder how many foreign elections the USA has meddled in over the years......must be hundreds by now.

Possibly.  Same's true for many other countries.  But that's not what this topic is about.

[LannaGuy]

1 hour ago, Jingthing said:

That isn't the topic.

and never will be...

[Thaidream]

Let's see if Comrade Trump will give Comrade Putin back his diplomatic assets in the US. The charade continues.

[Rancid]

2 hours ago, Jingthing said:

That isn't the topic.

Nor has one shred of actual evidence been presented showing that Russia helped Trump win the election. As far as I can see it was the democrats excuse for their candidate failing and their media friends running with it. Why don't they just fess up that they screwed the candidate that would have won, Sanders, to put up a flawed individual with a tarnished reputation, that is why they lost even to a buffoon like Trump.

[craigt3365]

14 minutes ago, Rancid said:

Nor has one shred of actual evidence been presented showing that Russia helped Trump win the election. As far as I can see it was the democrats excuse for their candidate failing and their media friends running with it. Why don't they just fess up that they screwed the candidate that would have won, Sanders, to put up a flawed individual with a tarnished reputation, that is why they lost even to a buffoon like Trump.

It's not just the Dems who are after this.  Plenty across the isle want answers also.  The election is over, Trump won.  We get it.  Trying to figure out the Russian connection now, which is growing stronger and stronger every day.

[Baerboxer]

5 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Maybe they'll think twice before meddling in the next U.S. election.

Probably not.

 

 

Do you think the US government, any government, will stop meddling in other countries elections, referendums and interfering where they don't like someone else's elected government.

 

Probably not.

[Baerboxer]

38 minutes ago, Rancid said:

Nor has one shred of actual evidence been presented showing that Russia helped Trump win the election. As far as I can see it was the democrats excuse for their candidate failing and their media friends running with it. Why don't they just fess up that they screwed the candidate that would have won, Sanders, to put up a flawed individual with a tarnished reputation, that is why they lost even to a buffoon like Trump.

 

Because loosing an election is not acceptable to some. They will agitate, blame others and try and cause as much disruption as possible. Yet when their candidate wins they expect to be treated differently of course. They just can't accept others have different opinions.

 

And that's not unique to the US.

 

Of course everyone forgets the conspiracy, cheating and conniving to keep Bernie out of the Dem nomination. 

 

[craigt3365]

4 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

Of course everyone forgets the conspiracy, cheating and conniving to keep Bernie out of the Dem nomination. 

 

Nobody forget this.  It's just not part of this topic.

[LannaGuy]

13 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Because loosing an election is not acceptable to some. They will agitate, blame others and try and cause as much disruption as possible. Yet when their candidate wins they expect to be treated differently of course. They just can't accept others have different opinions.

 

And that's not unique to the US.

 

Of course everyone forgets the conspiracy, cheating and conniving to keep Bernie out of the Dem nomination. 

 

I will never forget it and was a total Bernie supporter and he was by far the best candidate but those elite just could not 'give up' their power but now's it's gone to Trump.

[Baerboxer]

Just now, LannaGuy said:

I will never forget it and was a total Bernie supporter and he was by far the best candidate but those elite just could not 'give up' their power but now's it's gone to Trump.

 

I'm not an American but it must be mind blowing to see that first the best candidate, who would have possible delivered real change for the better and wasn't, AFAIK, beholden to Wall Street, "persons of influence" or any foreign powers gets cheated out of his chance to stand for a somewhat unsavory character; then see an even more unsavory character with some very strange views at times get elected and all whilst less than 50% of those entitled voted!

 

But it seems the way in many countries now. Just look at the UK 

[craigt3365]

3 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

I'm not an American but it must be mind blowing to see that first the best candidate, who would have possible delivered real change for the better and wasn't, AFAIK, beholden to Wall Street, "persons of influence" or any foreign powers gets cheated out of his chance to stand for a somewhat unsavory character; then see an even more unsavory character with some very strange views at times get elected and all whilst less than 50% of those entitled voted!

 

But it seems the way in many countries now. Just look at the UK 

A majority of American's are stunned about our president and the elections.  Sadly, a vocal minority don't seem to get it.

[JHolmesJr]

a war of words with a government (many believe) they installed themselves…..lol…..hardly seems logical.

Edited July 12, 2017 by JHolmesJr

[ilostmypassword]

1 hour ago, Rancid said:

Nor has one shred of actual evidence been presented showing that Russia helped Trump win the election. As far as I can see it was the democrats excuse for their candidate failing and their media friends running with it. Why don't they just fess up that they screwed the candidate that would have won, Sanders, to put up a flawed individual with a tarnished reputation, that is why they lost even to a buffoon like Trump.

Once again, the sore loser deflection makes its appearance.

[Thaidream]

There is no direct evidence yet that Mr Trump was in collusion with the Russians to influence the election.  However, several of his 'advisors' have been in touch with the Russians before and during the election and of course after the election. Why and to what extent. 

 

It is fact that the Russians attempted to hack into some States voting machines per the NSA. It is also fact that US Intelligence agencies such as the CIA have evidence of Russian interference in the election process.  However, President Trump refuses to admit to the fact that it was the Russians who were behind-in essence- refusing to believe his own intelligence agencies. He has also criticised  the news media for pursuing their investigation and the Special Counsel. If there is no smoking gun- they won't find one. Trump should e praising the media and special counsel for doing their job. The more he denies; the more he objects; the more he criticises- the more suspect he becomes.

 

I accept the fact that Trump is President but what needs to be done is let the investigation continue; let it end up where it is going to end up.  If there is no connection with Trump or his people- then everyone can move on.  However, if there is a provable connection- then Trump must resign or if he refuses be impeached and convicted. This is a lot more serious than Clinton's infidelity in the White House.  This is about possible espionage and treason.

[Berkshire]

2 hours ago, Rancid said:

Nor has one shred of actual evidence been presented showing that Russia helped Trump win the election.

There's much more than "one shred" of evidence.  Why do you think Special Counsel Mueller is building his massive team of investigators and lawyers?

 

http://www.npr.org/2017/07/08/535813901/special-counsel-mueller-lets-his-actions-do-the-talking-15-hires-more-to-come

 

[The former FBI director and decorated U.S. Marine has submitted a budget and quietly hired an all-star team that includes 15 Justice Department prosecutors. And, a spokesman for Mueller said, he's not done bringing on new lawyers.]

[Berkshire]

1 hour ago, LannaGuy said:

I will never forget it and was a total Bernie supporter and he was by far the best candidate but those elite just could not 'give up' their power but now's it's gone to Trump.

I like Bernie a lot, especially now.  But he wasn't "by far" the best candidate.  He was a self-proclaimed socialist.  In America, that's akin to being a communist.  The Republican machine would have torn him to shreds.

[iReason]

2 hours ago, Rancid said:

Nor has one shred of actual evidence been presented showing that Russia helped Trump win the election.

 

You keep parroting that same comment on endless topics so, I will remind you once again,

prosecutors and investigators do not reveal their sources to the public during ongoing investigations.

 

 

[dunroaming]

Eventually Trump will be gone and the American people will reflect on this whole sorry saga.  Then when it comes to the next election they will do the same thing again.  Or will they?  Is it possible that people will learn from this?  Probably not...

[Andaman Al]

The Russians are so outraged, this has clearly been on their minds for some time. So why were Putin and Lavrov smiling and back slapping Trump  and just what did they discuss for over 2 hrs. It seems by all accounts this is a real throw in the side of the Russians, but it was never mentioned for over 2 hrs. One could be forgiven for thinking Putin and Trump are playing games with us and that Trump will see this as his excuse to give back to the Russians the compounds in the US. (these are the compounds taken off the Russians when over 30 spies were deported by Obama, when Trump said Obama was doing nothing about the Russian hacking!).

 

A game is afoot and it is Putin and Trump Vs the West.

[LannaGuy]

3 hours ago, dunroaming said:

Eventually Trump will be gone and the American people will reflect on this whole sorry saga.  Then when it comes to the next election they will do the same thing again.  Or will they?  Is it possible that people will learn from this?  Probably not...

Eventually the conspiracy 'theorists' will accept that the Russian lawyer had no connections to the Evil Empire's government  (aka Russia) and that nothing took place apart from a 20 minute meeting that the son of the eventual POTUS thought might throw some light on HC  - just as HC and her team would have done in his place.

 

A MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING

 

 

[LannaGuy]

3 hours ago, Andaman Al said:

The Russians are so outraged, this has clearly been on their minds for some time. So why were Putin and Lavrov smiling and back slapping Trump  and just what did they discuss for over 2 hrs. It seems by all accounts this is a real throw in the side of the Russians, but it was never mentioned for over 2 hrs. One could be forgiven for thinking Putin and Trump are playing games with us and that Trump will see this as his excuse to give back to the Russians the compounds in the US. (these are the compounds taken off the Russians when over 30 spies were deported by Obama, when Trump said Obama was doing nothing about the Russian hacking!).

 

A game is afoot and it is Putin and Trump Vs the West.

"Putin and Trump against the WEST" ??????????????????    say it ain't so    

 

 can I try some?

[jcsmith]

13 hours ago, craigt3365 said:

Probably not because the POTUS knows he's into the mess up to his eye balls.  Trump isn't going after this crime at all.

Trump should be in prison before the next election.