JEWISH KING JESUS IS COMING AT THE RAPTURE FOR US IN THE CLOUDS-DON'T MISS IT FOR THE WORLD.THE BIBLE TAKEN LITERALLY- WHEN THE PLAIN SENSE MAKES GOOD SENSE-SEEK NO OTHER SENSE-LEST YOU END UP IN NONSENSE.
WORLD POWERS IN THE LAST DAYS (END OF AGE OF GRACE NOT THE WORLD)
EUROPEAN UNION-KING OF WEST-DAN 9:26-27,DAN 7:23-24,DAN 11:40,REV 13:1-10
EGYPT-KING OF THE SOUTH-DAN 11:40
RUSSIA-KING OF THE NORTH-EZEK 38:1-2,EZEK 39:1-3
CHINA-KING OF THE EAST-DAN 11:44,REV 9:16,18
VATICAN-RELIGIOUS LEADER-REV 13:11-18,REV 17:4-5,9,18
THE RUSSIA - UKRAINE SITUATION AT 12:02AM THU MAR 27,14
24 Mar. 2014 – 25 Mar. 2014-NATO AWACS provide security support for Nuclear Security Summit in The Hague
NATO E-3A 'Sentry' Airborne Warning & Control System (AWACS) aircraft based in Geilenkirchen, Germany are helping secure and monitor the airspace over The Netherlands in support of the Nuclear Security Summit being held in The Hague on 24-25 March 2014. "We are monitoring this airspace very closely and have the ability to identify all air movement,” said Colonel Rene Moerland, Deputy Commander of the AWACS Component.The summit brings together the leaders of over 50 countries to discuss important nuclear security issues and international agreements. NATO’s AWACS aircraft were requested as part of Dutch measures to ensure the security and safety of conference participants. They will operate in close cooperation with British and French E-3s to provide continuous airspace coverage for the duration of the summit.The AWACS provides the Alliance with an instant airborne command and control system and provision of an air and maritime surveillance and battle space management capability. Throughout the summit the AWACS will work very closely with the Royal Dutch Air Force. "NATO’s fleet of AWACS aircraft performs a unique and valuable role for the Alliance by conducting a wide range of operational missions,” said the AWACS Force Commander, Major General Jochen Both. "Operationally we are exceptionally busy at the moment as our personnel continue to support NATO’s mission in Afghanistan as well as several other operations. I am very pleased with the performance of our aircraft and people as they collectively support the work of the Alliance around the globe,’’ he said.
24 Mar. 2014 – 25 Mar. 2014
NATO AWACS provide security support for Nuclear Security Summit in The Hague
NATO E-3A 'Sentry' Airborne Warning & Control System (AWACS) aircraft based in Geilenkirchen, Germany are helping secure and monitor the airspace over The Netherlands in support of the Nuclear Security Summit being held in The Hague on 24-25 March 2014. "We are monitoring this airspace very closely and have the ability to identify all air movement,” said Colonel Rene Moerland, Deputy Commander of the AWACS Component.The summit brings together the leaders of over 50 countries to discuss important nuclear security issues and international agreements. NATO’s AWACS aircraft were requested as part of Dutch measures to ensure the security and safety of conference participants. They will operate in close cooperation with British and French E-3s to provide continuous airspace coverage for the duration of the summit.The AWACS provides the Alliance with an instant airborne command and control system and provision of an air and maritime surveillance and battle space management capability. Throughout the summit the AWACS will work very closely with the Royal Dutch Air Force. "NATO’s fleet of AWACS aircraft performs a unique and valuable role for the Alliance by conducting a wide range of operational missions,” said the AWACS Force Commander, Major General Jochen Both. "Operationally we are exceptionally busy at the moment as our personnel continue to support NATO’s mission in Afghanistan as well as several other operations. I am very pleased with the performance of our aircraft and people as they collectively support the work of the Alliance around the globe,’’ he said.
26 Mar. 2014-NATO -Statement
by NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen following the meeting with the President of the United States, Barack Obama
Thank you very much Mr. President for those very kind words, I’m very grateful for your support throughout my tenure as Secretary General and I look forward to working with you to prepare a substantive summit in Wales in September.I thank you very much for your strong leadership and for your steadfast commitment to our Alliance. The transatlantic bond between North America and Europe is the bedrock of security in Europe and in North America. And I really appreciate your reaffirmation of the commitment of the United States to our shared defence and security.And I welcome the steps that the United States has taken in response to Russia’s reckless and illegal military actions in Ukraine. Clearly collective defence of our Allies is a core task for NATO and I join you in your call for additional measures to enhance our collective defence including updated and further developed defence plans, enhanced exercises, and appropriate deployments. Our commitment to the defence of our Allies is unbreakable and at the same time we are firm in our support of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. We will intensify our military cooperation with Ukraine including helping the Ukrainians to modernise their armed forces. As we prepare for our next summit in Wales later this year, we will review the viability of our relationship with Russia, we will enhance cooperation with our partners, we will further strengthen our collective defence and we will reinforce the transatlantic bond. NATO is a force for peace but also unmatched militarily. We do not seek confrontation but we will not waver if challenged. And our Alliance is more than just a military Alliance, we are a community of values that also brings hope for all people seeking freedom and peace.
26 Mar. 2014-NATO
NATO Secretary General and US President stress commitment to collective defence
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen and US President Barack Obama stressed the Alliance’s strong commitment to collective defence during talks in Brussels on Wednesday (26 March 2014). “Our commitment to the defence of our Allies is unbreakable,” said the Secretary General.Mr. Fogh Rasmussen expressed his strong appreciation for the leadership role the United States plays in the Alliance during his meeting with President Obama. The talks focused on the crisis in Ukraine, relations with Russia and implications of the crisis on the preparations for this September’s NATO Summit in Wales. “I welcome the steps that the United States has taken in response to Russia’s reckless and illegal military actions in Ukraine. Collective defence of our Allies is a core task for NATO and I join you in your call for additional measures to enhance our collective defence including updated and further developed defence plans, enhanced exercises and appropriate deployments,” said Mr. Fogh Rasmussen.He added that NATO is “firm in our support of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. We will intensify our military cooperation with Ukraine including helping the Ukrainians to modernise their armed forces.” Allies will review the viability of their relationship with Russia in preparations for the Wales Summit. NATO will also enhance its cooperation with partners, including Ukraine and Allies will further strengthen their collective defence and reinforce their transatlantic bond, the Secretary General said.“NATO is a force for peace but also unmatched militarily. We do not seek confrontation but we will not waver if challenged and our Alliance is more than just a military Alliance, we are a community of values that also brings hope for all people seeking freedom and peace,” Mr. Fogh Rasmussen states.
Russia's seizure of Crimea denounced at U.N. rights forum
1 hour ago-MAR 26,14-Yahoonews
GENEVA (Reuters) - More than 40 mainly Western countries led by the United States on Wednesday denounced Russia's annexation of Crimea and voiced concern for the fate of minority Tatars as well as missing activists and journalists.In a joint statement to the United Nations Human Rights Council, they urged Russia to allow international monitors to deploy across Ukraine, "including Crimea".Russia has agreed with the 56 other members of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to send a six-month monitoring mission to Ukraine, but said it had no mandate in Crimea.Paula Schriefer, U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state, read a two-page statement to the Geneva forum from 42 countries, saying: "We call on Russia and all concerned to ensure full and unimpeded access and protection for the teams to all of Ukraine, including Crimea ...""We are deeply concerned about credible reports of kidnappings of journalists and activists, the blocking of independent media and the barring of independent international observers," she said."Furthermore, the situation of minorities in Crimea, in particular the Crimean Tatars, is extremely vulnerable since the Russian military incursion," she said, reading the statement signed by sponsors including the main European powers, Australia, Canada, Japan and former Soviet states Georgia, Latvia, Lithuania and Moldova.Russia's ambassador to the U.N. in Geneva, Alexey Borodavkin, rejected the statement as containing statements that were "far from the truth" while ignoring human rights issues faced by the Ukrainian people.Crimean Tatars would be given all rights in Russia, including the right to speak their national native language, he said."This crisis was raised by very ugly forces, the ultranationalists, the neo-Nazis and racists," he said, adding that while not being many in number, they had "decisive influence on the domestic and foreign policy course of Ukraine"."The ultranationalists are threatening the other minorities including the Jews, the Poles, the Czechs and the Hungarians," Borodavkin said.Ukraine was "on the brink of financial collapse" and resources promised by the West were insufficient, but Russia was ready to give the legitimate government of Ukraine credit amounting to $15 billion, he said.(Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay; Editing by Robin Pomeroy and Sonya Hepinstall)
EU should press US on drone secrecy
Today @ 13:16-MAR 27,14-Yahoonews--By Letta Tayler
BRUSSELS - Trade and the crisis in Ukraine are likely to dominate the agenda during US President Barack Obama’s first official visit to Brussels on March 26.But the European Union and Nato leaders also should use the summit to press Obama on another critical issue: ensuring that US operations against terrorist suspects, most often carried out with remotely piloted aircraft known as drones, comply with international law.A strong European stance on targeted killings is the clear wish of the European Parliament, which in February passed a resolution calling on the EU to “promote greater transparency and accountability” from countries that use armed drones, and to “ensure” that victims of unlawful drone strikes have effective access to remedies.Targeted killings are also of concern to the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.Later this week (March 27-28) the council is expected to approve its own resolution pressing states to ensure transparency on drone attacks and to carry out prompt and impartial investigations when strikes may have gone wrong.The US, disappointingly, opposes the Human Rights Council resolution, making it all the more important that the EU press the issue directly with Obama.Two UN special rapporteurs also have recently issued separate reports expressing concerns about potentially unlawful targeted killings and calling for greater transparency.Taking a strong rights-respecting stance on drones is critical not only for the US but also for EU member states. Currently the UK is the only EU member that deploys armed drones - in Afghanistan. But a “drones club” composed of France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland and Spain is developing an armed drone.The US has carried out at least 400 drone strikes and other targeted killings since Obama took office in 2009, reportedly killing upwards of 2,600 people in Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia, according to independent research groups. Obama disputes claims of significant civilian casualties in these strikes.But his administration won’t confirm any casualty figures, much less individual strikes or the total number of its targeted killing operations.Human Rights Watch (HRW) has serious concerns that at least some of these attacks violate international law and Obama’s policies on targeted attacks announced last May, including that the US strikes only when it has “near-certainty” that no civilians will be harmed.In examinations of seven US targeted killing operations by drones and other weapons systems since 2009 in Yemen, we found clear violations of the laws of war in two attacks that indiscriminately killed civilians.One unlawful attack killed 14 alleged militants, but also 42 sleeping Bedouins, two-thirds of them women and children. The other killed 12 civilians - 8 farmers, a mother and 3 children - on a sports utility vehicle coming home from market.HRW found possible laws-of-war violations in the other five cases, including a strike on cars in a wedding procession that killed 12 men, wounded 15 others, and slightly injured the bride.HRW also questions the US assertion that it is in a global war with Al-Qaeda and similar groups and that therefore the laws of armed conflict apply to all of its targeted killings.Outside of armed conflict, where criminal justice rules govern, states can only use lethal force to prevent an imminent threat to life. The US has not made a compelling case that its attacks are all governed by the laws of war or overcome the higher threshold for the use of lethal force outside armed conflict.EU states often deplore legally questionable actions by foreign governments. Yet they have hesitated to do the same when it comes to their close ally, the United States.EU countries will not undertake criticism of their powerful friend lightly. But the misuse of drones has implications that extend beyond the actions of the United States - and that over time will circle the globe.The US unwillingness to acknowledge possibly unlawful aspects of its targeted killings program or conduct the necessary investigations into specific attacks sets a dangerous precedent for other governments that may seek to use armed drones against their enemies - whether those strikes are launched from Russia, China or even somewhere in Europe.The writer is the senior terrorism and counterterrorism researcher at HRW and the author of two recent reports on US targeted killings in Yemen
EU and US pledge solidarity in face of Russia
Today @ 18:01 -MAR 26,14-Yahoonews--By Andrew Rettman
BRUSSELS - Barack Obama and top EU officials have described America and Europe as a fortress of justice against a “disgraceful” Russia, but indicated that Ukraine is on the other side of the wall.
The US leader in his first visit to the EU capital, on Wednesday (26 March), told press: “We are more secure, we are more prosperous, the world is more just, when Europe and America stand as one.”
EU Council chief Herman Van Rompuy called Russia’s annexation of Crimea “a disgrace.” He said “in days like these” the EU and US must forge closer ties “to show our own public opinion and the wider world who we are … economies based on rules, societies based on values, and proud of being so.”European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso added: “I’d like to say to the American people that you can count on us as your best friends and allies.”Obama also warned Russia not to test his obligation to defend former Soviet and former Communist countries who joined Nato.“At the core of Nato is our article V commitment to collective defence … there’s no junior Nato members versus senior Nato members, when it comes to collective defence everybody is on the same footing,” he said.The three politicians pledged to help Ukraine and pro-EU governments in Georgia and Moldova to resist Russia’s machinations.Obama said EU and US blacklists and Russia’s exclusion from the G8 are “the most significant sanctions against Russia since the end of the Cold War."He added: “If anyone in the Russian leadership thought the world wouldn’t care about its actions in Ukraine, or that they could drive a wedge between the EU and US, they clearly miscalculated.”But he drew a line around Crimea.He said the West will trigger economic sanctions against Russia only “should Russia move forward and engage in further incursion into Ukraine.”He also drew a line around Nato, saying there are no plans for the alliance to extend its defence pledge to Ukraine or Georgia.“Neither Ukraine or Georgia are currently on a path to Nato membership. There are no immediate plans to expand Nato,” he noted. “Part of the reason why Ukraine has not applied for Nato membership is because of its complex relationship with Russia and I don’t think that’s going to change any time soon.”Obama and Van Rompuy struck a different tone on Russia relations despite the show of solidarity, however.The US leader said Russia deserves “isolation” on the world stage. But Van Rompuy said the blacklists are “not a punishment - sanctions are an incentive to seek a diplomatic and peaceful solution.”The difference was also echoed in Berlin.Obama on Monday in The Hague belittled Russia by calling it a “regional power.” But the German government spokesman on Tuesday said: "For Berlin, Russia is an important power in Europe and beyond."Meanwhile, Obama urged EU countries to reduce their security dependence on the US and their energy dependence on Russia.“If we’ve got collective defence, it means everybody’s got to chip in and I have had some concerns about a diminished level of defence spending among some partners in Nato, not all, bit many,” he said.He added that if the EU and US agree a free trade deal, he will increase exports of shale gas to Europe.But he noted that EU countries have their own shale deposits, which they should develop despite environmental concerns. “We’ve [the US] been blessed by some incredible resources, but we’re also making choices, and tackling some of those concerns and challenges of energy development, and Europe will have to have those same conversations,” he said.
German central bank: Russia has more to lose than we do
Today @ 09:29-MAR 27,14-Yahoonews--By Valentina Pop
Berlin - German central bank chief Jens Weidmann said on Tuesday (25 March) that Russia has more to lose than Europe if economic sanctions are imposed over its actions in Ukraine."The escalation of the conflict has resulted in massive capital outflows, to a significant fall in value of the Russian ruble and to a rise in financing costs," Weidmann told foreign journalists in Berlin.He downplayed the impact of possible economic sanctions, noting that "even in case of a serious downturn of the Russian economy, there will be only a limited impact on the economic performance of the eurozone and of Germany."Weidmann noted that the exposure of eurozone banks to Russian customers is of €77 billion, or two percent of their overall lending operations, with Russia having "about the same importance as Poland or Turkey."According to calculations made by Bruegel, a Brussels-based think tank, the cost of replacing Russia's total gas exports to EU's 28 member states would take €36.5 billion out of the Russian economy, equivalent to 2.2 percent of its GDP. For the EU, the cost of replacing Russian gas supplies with Norwegian, North African, Dutch and more LNG imports would amount to €10.8 billion, or 0.08 percent of the EU GDP.Meanwhile, speaking in the Hague the same day, US president Barack Obama admitted that "some particular sanctions would hurt some countries more than others."“But all of us recognise that we have to stand up for a core principle that lies at the heart of the international order,” he added.Obama also painted Russia as less important than it thinks it is."Russia is a regional power that is threatening some of its immediate neighbours not out of strength but out of weakness," Obama said."They don’t pose the number one national security threat to the United States."Also in the Hague, German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned of the consequences of Russia's actions at a time when other countries are considering to give up their nuclear weapons.She pointed to a 1994 memorandum signed by Russia, the US and the UK guaranteeing Ukraine's territorial integrity in return for Ukraine giving up its nuclear arsenal, at the time, the third largest in the world."The fact that Russia has violated this territorial integrity to such extent is for sure a very bad example on international stage. I hope it sets no precedent. But the danger is there," Merkel said.Russia's stock markets have fallen by 4.5 percent since the news of EU and US sanctions.But Russian President Vladimir Putin has ridiculed the move, saying he will open up an account at Rossyia Bank, which was put on the US sanctions list.In retaliation to Visa and Mastercard refusing to do business with cardholders of Rossyia Bank, a bill was introduced in the Russian parliament banning transaction services based outside Russia. This means that Visa and Mastercard will no longer be able to service any customers in Putin's domain.
WORLD POWERS IN THE LAST DAYS (END OF AGE OF GRACE NOT THE WORLD)
EUROPEAN UNION-KING OF WEST-DAN 9:26-27,DAN 7:23-24,DAN 11:40,REV 13:1-10
EGYPT-KING OF THE SOUTH-DAN 11:40
RUSSIA-KING OF THE NORTH-EZEK 38:1-2,EZEK 39:1-3
CHINA-KING OF THE EAST-DAN 11:44,REV 9:16,18
VATICAN-RELIGIOUS LEADER-REV 13:11-18,REV 17:4-5,9,18
THE RUSSIA - UKRAINE SITUATION AT 12:02AM THU MAR 27,14
24 Mar. 2014 – 25 Mar. 2014-NATO AWACS provide security support for Nuclear Security Summit in The Hague
NATO E-3A 'Sentry' Airborne Warning & Control System (AWACS) aircraft based in Geilenkirchen, Germany are helping secure and monitor the airspace over The Netherlands in support of the Nuclear Security Summit being held in The Hague on 24-25 March 2014. "We are monitoring this airspace very closely and have the ability to identify all air movement,” said Colonel Rene Moerland, Deputy Commander of the AWACS Component.The summit brings together the leaders of over 50 countries to discuss important nuclear security issues and international agreements. NATO’s AWACS aircraft were requested as part of Dutch measures to ensure the security and safety of conference participants. They will operate in close cooperation with British and French E-3s to provide continuous airspace coverage for the duration of the summit.The AWACS provides the Alliance with an instant airborne command and control system and provision of an air and maritime surveillance and battle space management capability. Throughout the summit the AWACS will work very closely with the Royal Dutch Air Force. "NATO’s fleet of AWACS aircraft performs a unique and valuable role for the Alliance by conducting a wide range of operational missions,” said the AWACS Force Commander, Major General Jochen Both. "Operationally we are exceptionally busy at the moment as our personnel continue to support NATO’s mission in Afghanistan as well as several other operations. I am very pleased with the performance of our aircraft and people as they collectively support the work of the Alliance around the globe,’’ he said.
24 Mar. 2014 – 25 Mar. 2014
NATO AWACS provide security support for Nuclear Security Summit in The Hague
NATO E-3A 'Sentry' Airborne Warning & Control System (AWACS) aircraft based in Geilenkirchen, Germany are helping secure and monitor the airspace over The Netherlands in support of the Nuclear Security Summit being held in The Hague on 24-25 March 2014. "We are monitoring this airspace very closely and have the ability to identify all air movement,” said Colonel Rene Moerland, Deputy Commander of the AWACS Component.The summit brings together the leaders of over 50 countries to discuss important nuclear security issues and international agreements. NATO’s AWACS aircraft were requested as part of Dutch measures to ensure the security and safety of conference participants. They will operate in close cooperation with British and French E-3s to provide continuous airspace coverage for the duration of the summit.The AWACS provides the Alliance with an instant airborne command and control system and provision of an air and maritime surveillance and battle space management capability. Throughout the summit the AWACS will work very closely with the Royal Dutch Air Force. "NATO’s fleet of AWACS aircraft performs a unique and valuable role for the Alliance by conducting a wide range of operational missions,” said the AWACS Force Commander, Major General Jochen Both. "Operationally we are exceptionally busy at the moment as our personnel continue to support NATO’s mission in Afghanistan as well as several other operations. I am very pleased with the performance of our aircraft and people as they collectively support the work of the Alliance around the globe,’’ he said.
26 Mar. 2014-NATO -Statement
by NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen following the meeting with the President of the United States, Barack Obama
Thank you very much Mr. President for those very kind words, I’m very grateful for your support throughout my tenure as Secretary General and I look forward to working with you to prepare a substantive summit in Wales in September.I thank you very much for your strong leadership and for your steadfast commitment to our Alliance. The transatlantic bond between North America and Europe is the bedrock of security in Europe and in North America. And I really appreciate your reaffirmation of the commitment of the United States to our shared defence and security.And I welcome the steps that the United States has taken in response to Russia’s reckless and illegal military actions in Ukraine. Clearly collective defence of our Allies is a core task for NATO and I join you in your call for additional measures to enhance our collective defence including updated and further developed defence plans, enhanced exercises, and appropriate deployments. Our commitment to the defence of our Allies is unbreakable and at the same time we are firm in our support of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. We will intensify our military cooperation with Ukraine including helping the Ukrainians to modernise their armed forces. As we prepare for our next summit in Wales later this year, we will review the viability of our relationship with Russia, we will enhance cooperation with our partners, we will further strengthen our collective defence and we will reinforce the transatlantic bond. NATO is a force for peace but also unmatched militarily. We do not seek confrontation but we will not waver if challenged. And our Alliance is more than just a military Alliance, we are a community of values that also brings hope for all people seeking freedom and peace.
26 Mar. 2014-NATO
NATO Secretary General and US President stress commitment to collective defence
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen and US President Barack Obama stressed the Alliance’s strong commitment to collective defence during talks in Brussels on Wednesday (26 March 2014). “Our commitment to the defence of our Allies is unbreakable,” said the Secretary General.Mr. Fogh Rasmussen expressed his strong appreciation for the leadership role the United States plays in the Alliance during his meeting with President Obama. The talks focused on the crisis in Ukraine, relations with Russia and implications of the crisis on the preparations for this September’s NATO Summit in Wales. “I welcome the steps that the United States has taken in response to Russia’s reckless and illegal military actions in Ukraine. Collective defence of our Allies is a core task for NATO and I join you in your call for additional measures to enhance our collective defence including updated and further developed defence plans, enhanced exercises and appropriate deployments,” said Mr. Fogh Rasmussen.He added that NATO is “firm in our support of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. We will intensify our military cooperation with Ukraine including helping the Ukrainians to modernise their armed forces.” Allies will review the viability of their relationship with Russia in preparations for the Wales Summit. NATO will also enhance its cooperation with partners, including Ukraine and Allies will further strengthen their collective defence and reinforce their transatlantic bond, the Secretary General said.“NATO is a force for peace but also unmatched militarily. We do not seek confrontation but we will not waver if challenged and our Alliance is more than just a military Alliance, we are a community of values that also brings hope for all people seeking freedom and peace,” Mr. Fogh Rasmussen states.
Russia's seizure of Crimea denounced at U.N. rights forum
1 hour ago-MAR 26,14-Yahoonews
GENEVA (Reuters) - More than 40 mainly Western countries led by the United States on Wednesday denounced Russia's annexation of Crimea and voiced concern for the fate of minority Tatars as well as missing activists and journalists.In a joint statement to the United Nations Human Rights Council, they urged Russia to allow international monitors to deploy across Ukraine, "including Crimea".Russia has agreed with the 56 other members of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to send a six-month monitoring mission to Ukraine, but said it had no mandate in Crimea.Paula Schriefer, U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state, read a two-page statement to the Geneva forum from 42 countries, saying: "We call on Russia and all concerned to ensure full and unimpeded access and protection for the teams to all of Ukraine, including Crimea ...""We are deeply concerned about credible reports of kidnappings of journalists and activists, the blocking of independent media and the barring of independent international observers," she said."Furthermore, the situation of minorities in Crimea, in particular the Crimean Tatars, is extremely vulnerable since the Russian military incursion," she said, reading the statement signed by sponsors including the main European powers, Australia, Canada, Japan and former Soviet states Georgia, Latvia, Lithuania and Moldova.Russia's ambassador to the U.N. in Geneva, Alexey Borodavkin, rejected the statement as containing statements that were "far from the truth" while ignoring human rights issues faced by the Ukrainian people.Crimean Tatars would be given all rights in Russia, including the right to speak their national native language, he said."This crisis was raised by very ugly forces, the ultranationalists, the neo-Nazis and racists," he said, adding that while not being many in number, they had "decisive influence on the domestic and foreign policy course of Ukraine"."The ultranationalists are threatening the other minorities including the Jews, the Poles, the Czechs and the Hungarians," Borodavkin said.Ukraine was "on the brink of financial collapse" and resources promised by the West were insufficient, but Russia was ready to give the legitimate government of Ukraine credit amounting to $15 billion, he said.(Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay; Editing by Robin Pomeroy and Sonya Hepinstall)
EU should press US on drone secrecy
Today @ 13:16-MAR 27,14-Yahoonews--By Letta Tayler
BRUSSELS - Trade and the crisis in Ukraine are likely to dominate the agenda during US President Barack Obama’s first official visit to Brussels on March 26.But the European Union and Nato leaders also should use the summit to press Obama on another critical issue: ensuring that US operations against terrorist suspects, most often carried out with remotely piloted aircraft known as drones, comply with international law.A strong European stance on targeted killings is the clear wish of the European Parliament, which in February passed a resolution calling on the EU to “promote greater transparency and accountability” from countries that use armed drones, and to “ensure” that victims of unlawful drone strikes have effective access to remedies.Targeted killings are also of concern to the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.Later this week (March 27-28) the council is expected to approve its own resolution pressing states to ensure transparency on drone attacks and to carry out prompt and impartial investigations when strikes may have gone wrong.The US, disappointingly, opposes the Human Rights Council resolution, making it all the more important that the EU press the issue directly with Obama.Two UN special rapporteurs also have recently issued separate reports expressing concerns about potentially unlawful targeted killings and calling for greater transparency.Taking a strong rights-respecting stance on drones is critical not only for the US but also for EU member states. Currently the UK is the only EU member that deploys armed drones - in Afghanistan. But a “drones club” composed of France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland and Spain is developing an armed drone.The US has carried out at least 400 drone strikes and other targeted killings since Obama took office in 2009, reportedly killing upwards of 2,600 people in Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia, according to independent research groups. Obama disputes claims of significant civilian casualties in these strikes.But his administration won’t confirm any casualty figures, much less individual strikes or the total number of its targeted killing operations.Human Rights Watch (HRW) has serious concerns that at least some of these attacks violate international law and Obama’s policies on targeted attacks announced last May, including that the US strikes only when it has “near-certainty” that no civilians will be harmed.In examinations of seven US targeted killing operations by drones and other weapons systems since 2009 in Yemen, we found clear violations of the laws of war in two attacks that indiscriminately killed civilians.One unlawful attack killed 14 alleged militants, but also 42 sleeping Bedouins, two-thirds of them women and children. The other killed 12 civilians - 8 farmers, a mother and 3 children - on a sports utility vehicle coming home from market.HRW found possible laws-of-war violations in the other five cases, including a strike on cars in a wedding procession that killed 12 men, wounded 15 others, and slightly injured the bride.HRW also questions the US assertion that it is in a global war with Al-Qaeda and similar groups and that therefore the laws of armed conflict apply to all of its targeted killings.Outside of armed conflict, where criminal justice rules govern, states can only use lethal force to prevent an imminent threat to life. The US has not made a compelling case that its attacks are all governed by the laws of war or overcome the higher threshold for the use of lethal force outside armed conflict.EU states often deplore legally questionable actions by foreign governments. Yet they have hesitated to do the same when it comes to their close ally, the United States.EU countries will not undertake criticism of their powerful friend lightly. But the misuse of drones has implications that extend beyond the actions of the United States - and that over time will circle the globe.The US unwillingness to acknowledge possibly unlawful aspects of its targeted killings program or conduct the necessary investigations into specific attacks sets a dangerous precedent for other governments that may seek to use armed drones against their enemies - whether those strikes are launched from Russia, China or even somewhere in Europe.The writer is the senior terrorism and counterterrorism researcher at HRW and the author of two recent reports on US targeted killings in Yemen
EU and US pledge solidarity in face of Russia
Today @ 18:01 -MAR 26,14-Yahoonews--By Andrew Rettman
BRUSSELS - Barack Obama and top EU officials have described America and Europe as a fortress of justice against a “disgraceful” Russia, but indicated that Ukraine is on the other side of the wall.
The US leader in his first visit to the EU capital, on Wednesday (26 March), told press: “We are more secure, we are more prosperous, the world is more just, when Europe and America stand as one.”
EU Council chief Herman Van Rompuy called Russia’s annexation of Crimea “a disgrace.” He said “in days like these” the EU and US must forge closer ties “to show our own public opinion and the wider world who we are … economies based on rules, societies based on values, and proud of being so.”European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso added: “I’d like to say to the American people that you can count on us as your best friends and allies.”Obama also warned Russia not to test his obligation to defend former Soviet and former Communist countries who joined Nato.“At the core of Nato is our article V commitment to collective defence … there’s no junior Nato members versus senior Nato members, when it comes to collective defence everybody is on the same footing,” he said.The three politicians pledged to help Ukraine and pro-EU governments in Georgia and Moldova to resist Russia’s machinations.Obama said EU and US blacklists and Russia’s exclusion from the G8 are “the most significant sanctions against Russia since the end of the Cold War."He added: “If anyone in the Russian leadership thought the world wouldn’t care about its actions in Ukraine, or that they could drive a wedge between the EU and US, they clearly miscalculated.”But he drew a line around Crimea.He said the West will trigger economic sanctions against Russia only “should Russia move forward and engage in further incursion into Ukraine.”He also drew a line around Nato, saying there are no plans for the alliance to extend its defence pledge to Ukraine or Georgia.“Neither Ukraine or Georgia are currently on a path to Nato membership. There are no immediate plans to expand Nato,” he noted. “Part of the reason why Ukraine has not applied for Nato membership is because of its complex relationship with Russia and I don’t think that’s going to change any time soon.”Obama and Van Rompuy struck a different tone on Russia relations despite the show of solidarity, however.The US leader said Russia deserves “isolation” on the world stage. But Van Rompuy said the blacklists are “not a punishment - sanctions are an incentive to seek a diplomatic and peaceful solution.”The difference was also echoed in Berlin.Obama on Monday in The Hague belittled Russia by calling it a “regional power.” But the German government spokesman on Tuesday said: "For Berlin, Russia is an important power in Europe and beyond."Meanwhile, Obama urged EU countries to reduce their security dependence on the US and their energy dependence on Russia.“If we’ve got collective defence, it means everybody’s got to chip in and I have had some concerns about a diminished level of defence spending among some partners in Nato, not all, bit many,” he said.He added that if the EU and US agree a free trade deal, he will increase exports of shale gas to Europe.But he noted that EU countries have their own shale deposits, which they should develop despite environmental concerns. “We’ve [the US] been blessed by some incredible resources, but we’re also making choices, and tackling some of those concerns and challenges of energy development, and Europe will have to have those same conversations,” he said.
German central bank: Russia has more to lose than we do
Today @ 09:29-MAR 27,14-Yahoonews--By Valentina Pop
Berlin - German central bank chief Jens Weidmann said on Tuesday (25 March) that Russia has more to lose than Europe if economic sanctions are imposed over its actions in Ukraine."The escalation of the conflict has resulted in massive capital outflows, to a significant fall in value of the Russian ruble and to a rise in financing costs," Weidmann told foreign journalists in Berlin.He downplayed the impact of possible economic sanctions, noting that "even in case of a serious downturn of the Russian economy, there will be only a limited impact on the economic performance of the eurozone and of Germany."Weidmann noted that the exposure of eurozone banks to Russian customers is of €77 billion, or two percent of their overall lending operations, with Russia having "about the same importance as Poland or Turkey."According to calculations made by Bruegel, a Brussels-based think tank, the cost of replacing Russia's total gas exports to EU's 28 member states would take €36.5 billion out of the Russian economy, equivalent to 2.2 percent of its GDP. For the EU, the cost of replacing Russian gas supplies with Norwegian, North African, Dutch and more LNG imports would amount to €10.8 billion, or 0.08 percent of the EU GDP.Meanwhile, speaking in the Hague the same day, US president Barack Obama admitted that "some particular sanctions would hurt some countries more than others."“But all of us recognise that we have to stand up for a core principle that lies at the heart of the international order,” he added.Obama also painted Russia as less important than it thinks it is."Russia is a regional power that is threatening some of its immediate neighbours not out of strength but out of weakness," Obama said."They don’t pose the number one national security threat to the United States."Also in the Hague, German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned of the consequences of Russia's actions at a time when other countries are considering to give up their nuclear weapons.She pointed to a 1994 memorandum signed by Russia, the US and the UK guaranteeing Ukraine's territorial integrity in return for Ukraine giving up its nuclear arsenal, at the time, the third largest in the world."The fact that Russia has violated this territorial integrity to such extent is for sure a very bad example on international stage. I hope it sets no precedent. But the danger is there," Merkel said.Russia's stock markets have fallen by 4.5 percent since the news of EU and US sanctions.But Russian President Vladimir Putin has ridiculed the move, saying he will open up an account at Rossyia Bank, which was put on the US sanctions list.In retaliation to Visa and Mastercard refusing to do business with cardholders of Rossyia Bank, a bill was introduced in the Russian parliament banning transaction services based outside Russia. This means that Visa and Mastercard will no longer be able to service any customers in Putin's domain.
