RÉSEAU VOLTAIRE -- Russian-US Agreement on Syria

Russian-US Agreement on Syria

VOLTAIRE NETWORK | GENEVA (SWITZERLAND) | 22 SEPTEMBER 2016 

September 9, 2016

Reducing Violence, Restoring Access and Establishing the JIC

The Russian Federation and the United States (hereafter - "the Sides") intend to undertake joint efforts to stabilize the situation in Syria, with special measures for the Aleppo region. Delineation of territories controlled by ISIL, "Jabhat Al-Nusra," and moderate armed opposition forces remains a key priority, as does separating moderate opposition forces from Nusra.

The Sides will designate a date and time at which the following measures will go into effect (designated as Day "D’’).

1. On Day "D," all parties to the cessation of hostilities (CoH) in Syria will recommit to the CoH and honor its terms in full, as set forth in theFebruary 22, 2016 Joint Declaration of the Russian Federation and the United States, for a 48 hour period. In particular, these terms include: ceasing all attacks with any weapons, including aerial bombardments, rockets, mortars, and anti-tank guided missiles; refraining from acquiring or seeking to acquire territory from other parties to the CoH; allowing humanitarian agencies rapid, safe, unhindered and sustained access throughout areas under their operational control and allowing immediate humanitarian assistance to reach all people in need; employing proportionate use of force (i.e. no greater than required to address an immediate threat) if and when responding in self-defense. The Sides will agree and inform all parties as to the date and time for "Day D."

Тьерри Мейсан -- Почему в Сирии сорван режим прекращения огня

Почему в Сирии сорван режим прекращения огня

Тьерри Мейсан

Запад с восторгом встретил российско-американское соглашение о прекращении огня в Сирии, надеясь, что оно может привести к установлению мира. Видно, там забыли, из-за чего эта война началась, и не понимают, каковы её истинные цели. Ниже даны пояснения.

СЕТЬ ВОЛЬТЕР | ДАМАСК (СИРИЯ) | 26 СЕНТЯБРЯ 2016 

DEUTSCH  ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΆ  ENGLISH  ESPAÑOL  FRANÇAIS  فارسى  ITALIANO  PORTUGUÊS  TÜRKÇE 

Донбасс и Левант: две войны с одной и той же целью. Президент Пётр Порошенко, которому поручено заблокировать «новый шёлковыё путь» через Сибирь и Украину в страны Европейского Союза, 21 сентября перед Советом Безопасности ООН высказывал англосаксонские небылицы о войне в Сирии и Ираке, реальная цель которых состоит в том, чтобы не допустить возрождения «шёлкового пути».

Режим прекращения огня в Сирии продержался всего лишь одну неделю. Он не был первым после подписания соглашения между Соединёнными Штатами и Россией об установлении мира в Сирии. Прекращение огня на этот раз длилось не дольше, чем все предыдущие.

Напомним некоторые факты. 12 декабря 2003 г. Джордж Буш мл. подписал декларацию о войне против Сирии (Syrian Accountability Act). После серии неудавшихся попыток развязать в регионе вражду (саммит Лиги арабских стран в 2004 г., убийство Рафика Харири в 2005 г., война против Ливана в 2006 г., создание фронта спасении в 2007 г. и т.д.) силы специальных назначений США в 2011 г. переходят в наступление под предлогом поддержки происходящей в стране «революции». После двух вето России и Китая в СБ ООН Соединённые Штаты 30 июня 2012 г. в Женеве в отсутствие сирийских сторон подписывают мирное соглашение.

Первое замечание:
Те, кто утверждают, что сегодняшний конфликт не является внешней агрессией, а представляет содой гражданскую войну, не смогут объяснить ни последствий войны против Сирии, объявленной президентом Бушем в 2003 г., ни тот факт, что мирное соглашение 2012 г. было подписано великими державами, а ни один сириец под ним не подписался.

После подписания мирного соглашения четыре года назад война вновь продолжается несмотря на попытки урегулирований, проведённых тэт-а-тэт госсекретарём Джоном Кэрри и его российским коллегой Сергеем Лавровым.

Thierry Meyssan -- Why the cease-fire in Syria has failed

Why the cease-fire in Syria has failed

by Thierry Meyssan

The Western public was enthusiastic about the US – Russia agreement for a cease-fire in Syria, and believed that it could bring peace. This shows that they have no memory of how the war was started, and no understanding of the goals it is meant to pursue. Explanations…

VOLTAIRE NETWORK | DAMASCUS (SYRIA) | 26 SEPTEMBER 2016 

DEUTSCH  ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΆ  ESPAÑOL  FRANÇAIS  فارسى  ITALIANO  PORTUGUÊS  РУССКИЙ  TÜRKÇE 

Donbass-Levant – two wars with a single goal. Tasked with cutting the «new Silk Road» which was intended to cross Siberia and enter the European Union via Ukraine, President Petro Porochenko visited the Security Council on 21 September, where he repeated the Anglo-Saxon propaganda concerning the war against Syria and Iraq, which is aimed at cutting the historic route of the «Silk Road».

The cease-fire in Syria lasted no longer than the week of Eïd. There have been many cease-fires since the signature of the peace treaty between the United States and Russia. This one lasted no longer than the current peace or the previous cease-fires.

Let’s review the facts – on 12 December 2003, President George W. Bush signed a declaration of war against Syria, the Syrian Accountability Act. After a series of attempts to open hostilities (the Arab League summit of 2004, the assassination of Rafic Hariri in 2005, the war against Lebanon in 2006, the creation of the Islamic Salvation Front in 2007, etc.), US special forces took the offensive at the beginning of 2011, organising a hoax intended to make people believe that this was an interior Syrian «revolution». After two vetos by Russia and China in the Security Council, the United States finally accepted a peace treaty in Geneva which they signed, in the absence of the Syrian delegation, on 30 June 2012.

First remark
Those who pretend that the current conflict is not an exterior aggression, but a «civil war», can not explain the consequences of the declaration of war against Syria by President Bush in 2003, nor why the peace treaty of 2012 was signed by the major powers in the absence of any Syrian representative.

Since the signature of the peace treaty, four years ago, the war has started again, despite multiple attempts to find a solution, negotiated alone by Secretary of State John Kerry and his Russian opposite number, Sergey Lavrov.

The Saker -- Why the recent developments in Syria show that the Obama Administration is in a state of confused agony

Why the recent developments in Syria show that the Obama Administration is in a state of confused agony

September 23, 2016 

 

The latest developments in Syria are not, I believe, the result of some deliberate plan of the USA to help their “moderate terrorist” allies on the ground, but they are the symptom of something even worse: the complete loss of control of the USA over the situation in Syria and, possibly, elsewhere.  Let me just re-state what just happened:

First, after days and days of intensive negotiations, Secretary Kerry and Foreign Minister Lavrov finally reached a deal on a cease-fire in Syria which had the potential to at least “freeze” the situation on the ground until the Presidential election in the USA and a change in administration (this is now the single most important event in the near future, therefore no plans of any kind can extend beyond that date).

Guest Contribution by Assad of Syria

Guest Contribution by Assad of Syria

September 23, 2016 

Who Do You Believe?

Do you believe the White House Liar-in-Chief?

Do you believe the New York Times (rhymes with crimes)?

Do you believe the propagandists who pretend to be “the Western media”?

Or do you believe Assad of Syria?

http://sana.sy/en/?p=88686

President al-Assad’s interview given to Associated Press_ Video

22 September، 2016

Damascus, SANA, President Bashar al-Assad gave an interview to Associated Press published Thursday, following is the full text:

Journalist: President Assad, thank you very much for this opportunity to be interviewed by the Associated Press.

President Assad: You are most welcome in Syria.

Question 1: I will start by talking about the ceasefire in Syria. Russia, the US, and several countries say a ceasefire could be revived despite the recent violence and the recrimination. Do you agree, and are you prepared to try again?

President Assad:We announced that we are ready to be committed to any halt of operations, or if you want to call it ceasefire, but it’s not about Syria or Russia; it’s about the United States and the terrorist groups that have been affiliated to ISIS and al-Nusra and Al Qaeda, and to the United States and to Turkey and to Saudi Arabia. They announced publicly that they are not committed, and this is not the first attempt to have a halt of operations in Syria. The first attempt was in last February, and didn’t work, I think, because of the United States, and I believe that the United States is not genuine regarding having a cessation of violence in Syria.

Question 2: Do you believe there could ever be a joint US-Russian military partnership against the militants, as outlined in the deal?

President Assad:Again, practically, yes, but in reality, no, because the United States doesn’t have the will to work against al-Nusra or even ISIS, because they believe that this is a card they can use for their own agenda. If they attack al-Nusra or ISIS, they will lose a very important card regarding the situation in Syria. So, I don’t believe the United States will be ready to join Russia in fighting terrorists in Syria.

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s answer to a media question on the sidelines of the 71st UN General Assembly session, New York, September 22, 2016

23 September 201610:20

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s answer to a media question on the sidelines of the 71st UN General Assembly session, New York, September 22, 2016

1719-23-09-2016

Question: Will the ceasefire be reinstated in Syria?

Sergey Lavrov: You should ask the Americans.

23 September 201610:20

 O Ministro dos Negócios Estrangeiros,  Sergey Lavrov, responde a uma pergunta dos jornalistas, à margem do 71º período de sessões da Assembleia Geral da ONU, NovaYork, em 22 de Setembro de 2016

1719-23-09-2016

Pergunta: O cessar-fogo na Síria irá ser restabelecido?

Sergey Lavrov: Pergunte aos Americanos.

23 September 201610:20

Respuesta del ministro ruso de Asuntos Exteriores, Serguéi Lavrov, a la pregunta de los medios al margen del 71º período de sesiones de la Asamblea General de la ONU, Nueva York, 22 de septiembre de 2016

1719-23-09-2016

Pregunta: ¿Se restablecerá el régimen de alto el fuego en Siria?

Sergey Lavrov: Pregúntelo a los estadounidenses.

23 September 201610:20

Réponse du Ministre russe des Affaires étrangères Sergueï Lavrov à la presse en marge de la 71e session de l'Assemblée générale des Nations unies, New York, 22 septembre 2016

1719-23-09-2016

Question: Le cessez-le-feu va-t-il être rétabli en Syrie?

Sergueï Lavrov: Demandez aux Américains.

23 September 201610:20

Antwort des Außenministers Russlands Sergej Lawrow, auf eine Pressefrage am Rande der 71. UN-Vollversammlung in New York am 22. September 2016

1719-23-09-2016

Frage: Wird das Regime der Waffenruhe wieder in Kraft treten?

Sergej Lawrow: Fragen Sie das die Amerikaner.

23 September 201610:20

Ответ Министра иностранных дел России С.В.Лаврова на вопрос СМИ «на полях» 71-й сессии Генассамблеи ООН, Нью-Йорк, 22 сентября 2016 года

1719-23-09-2016

Вопрос: Будет ли возвращен режим прекращения боевых действий  в Сирии?

С.В.Лавров: Спрашивайте у американцев.

Tom Engelhardt -- Adventures in an American World of Frustration

Adventures in an American World of Frustration 
By Tom Engelhardt

Recently, sorting through a pile of old children’s books, I came across a volume, That Makes Me Mad!, which brought back memories. Written by Steve Kroll, a long-dead friend, it focused on the eternally frustrating everyday adventures of Nina, a little girl whose life regularly meets commonplace roadblocks, at which point she always says... well, you can guess from the title!  Vivid parental memories of another age instantly flooded back -- of my daughter (now reading such books to her own son) sitting beside me at age five and hitting that repeated line with such mind-blowing, ear-crushing gusto that you knew it spoke to the everyday frustrations of her life, to what made her mad.

Three decades later, in an almost unimaginably different America, on picking up that book I suddenly realized that, whenever I follow the news online, on TV, or -- and forgive me for this but I’m 72 and still trapped in another era -- on paper, I have a similarly Nina-esque urge.  Only the line I’ve come up with for it is (with a tip of the hat to Steve Kroll) “You must be kidding!”

Here are a few recent examples from the world of American-style war and peace.  Consider these as random illustrations, given that, in the age of Trump, just about everything that happens is out-of-this-world absurd and would serve perfectly well.  If you’re in the mood, feel free to shout out that line with me as we go.

Nuking the Planet:  I’m sure you remember Barack Obama, the guy who entered the Oval Office pledging to work toward “a nuclear-free world.”  You know, the president who traveled to Prague in 2009 to say stirringly: “So today, I state clearly and with conviction America's commitment to seek the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons... To put an end to Cold War thinking, we will reduce the role of nuclear weapons in our national security strategy, and urge others to do the same.” That same year, he was awarded the Nobel Prize largely for what he might still do, particularly in the nuclear realm.  Of course, that was all so 2009!

Almost two terms in the Oval Office later, our peace president, the only one who has ever called for nuclear “abolition” -- and whose administration has retired fewer weapons in our nuclear arsenal than any other in the post-Cold War era -- is now presiding over the early stages of a trillion-dollar modernization of that very arsenal.  (And that trillion-dollar price tag comes, of course, before the inevitable cost overruns even begin.)  It includes full-scale work on the creation of a “precision-guided” nuclear weapon with a “dial-back” lower yield option.  Such a weapon would potentially bring nukes to the battlefield in a first-use way, something the U.S. is proudly pioneering.