Russia to raise issue of disguised Islamist terrorist groups at UN — FM Lavrov.

Russia to raise issue of disguised Islamist terrorist groups at UN — FM Lavrov. (Tass).

Moscow will raise the issue of putting on the list of terrorists extremist groups that change names and keep undermining the truce in Syria at the United Nations Security Council, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Tuesday.

"There is evidence that Jabhat al-Nusra [...] is trying to disguise itself under new names, uniting with small groups not included in terrorist lists," Lavrov said. "They are thus trying to escape retribution. We are generalizing such facts."

“I am convinced that we will soon raise the question in the UN Security Council of including those sabotaging and undermining the truce, but trying to hide under new names, on the terrorist list, along with Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra,” Lavrov said, adding that Russia is now “generalizing” the evidence it has received through its sources.

A ceasefire regime brokered by Russia and the United States on February 22 officially came into effect in Syria at midnight Damascus time on February 27. This does not cover terrorist groups such as Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra, both outlawed in Russia, and other groups recognized as terrorist by the United Nations Security Council.

#US refuses to help sort out the terrorists in Aleppo: Russian FM https://t.co/WgAvoN83kg #Russia #Syria pic.twitter.com/K6BtsZiC9j

— Al-Masdar News (@TheArabSource) April 20, 2016

'Russian & Syrian Combat operations against terrorists in Syria to continue' Alexei Borodavkin.

'Russian & Syrian Combat operations against terrorists in Syria to continue' Alexei Borodavkin. (Tass).


"All the speculations claiming the ceasefire is dead are absolutely misleading and groundless," the Russian Ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Alexei Borodavkin said

Speculations about the demise of ceasefire in Syria are questionable and ungrounded and the Syrian Army will continue struggle with terrorists with assistance from the Russian Aerospace Force, the Russian Ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Alexei Borodavkin told TASS on Monday.

Russia to further assist Syrian army in fighting terrorists — diplomat

"All the speculations claiming the ceasefire is dead are absolutely misleading and groundless," he said. "The people spreading them can't be trusted."

"The combat actions that the Syrian Armed Forces are conducting with assistance from the Russian Aerospace Force aim to suppress the terrorists from Jabhal al-Nousra and the Islamic State and they will continue," Borodavkin said. "Incidentally, that's precisely the objective specified by the UN Security Council's Resolution 2254."

Extremists raise upper hand in delegation of Syrian opposition's negotiating committee

Decision of the Syrian opposition's High Negotiations Committee to suspend participation in the inter-Syrian talks in Geneva proves that extremists have raised the upper hand in its delegation, Borodavkin said.

"We regret the HNC delegation's decision to suspend its participation in the talks," he said. "It's an erroneous step on their part."

"The reasons the HNC cites to explain for its renunciation of the talks can't stand any criticism," Borodavkin said.

"Suspended participation in the talks only proves that, unfortunately, extremists have prevailed in its delegation," he went on. "In fact they didn't want any negotiations at all from the very beginning and they kept putting forward conditions and ultimatums."

"They hope for a continuation of the armed conflict in the country," Borodavkin said. "Unfortunately we can see quite clearly they draw on support from some of the regional countries."

The talks will continue

He said the talks would continue anyway, since there are the Moscow, Cairo, and Hmeimim delegations of the opposition apart from the ‘Riyadh group’. They maintain close political positions and make up the sector of the moderate Syrian opposition capable of signing agreements.

"It looks like these groups will set the tune to the negotiations - quite naturally, in combination with the opposite party to the talks, which is the Syrian government delegation."

"In this connection, I’d like to say the Damascus government representatives look very encouraging at these talks and the fact has been recognized both by the UN and by observers,"

Borodavkin said. "They did a good job in the run-up to the talks and now they are conducting them earnestly and in a bid to get fair results," Borodavkin said.

The High Negotiations Committee said on Monday it was suspending its participation in the inter-Syrian talks. It specified three conditions for its return to the conference table.

The conditions were the delivery of humanitarian aid to remote parts of the country, release of prisoners, and observance of ceasefire by the Syrian government.


In connection with the grounds cited by the NHC for its decision to leave the talks - a deteriorating situation on the ground and difficulties with providing humanitarian aid - Borodavkin recalled that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said in a telephone conversation a mere three days ago that ceasefire was observed in general while Russia and the U.S. were doing everything in their power to build it up and bring all the armed opposition groupings into it.

"Big efforts in terms of reconciliation of the conflicting sides are made by the center for appeasing the parties to the conflict, which is located in Hmeimin," the ambassador said.

He pointed out the data suggesting more than sixty opposition groupings have joined the ceasefire plan to date with the aid from the Center.

Borodavkin also mentioned the situation around humanitarian aid deliveries, saying the five years of the civil war in Syria had brought immense suffering and deprivation to the Syrians.

"A radical solution to the problem will be possible only bloodletting in Syria stops and political settlement of the conflict is achieved," he said.

"Over the past several months, the Syrian government’s flexibility has made it possible to solve many humanitarian problems and convoys with relief supplies are heading to different towns and villages in Syria right now and that’s why the claims about a worsening humanitarian - something the HNC is doing - mean purported distortion of reality beyond recognition," Borodavkin said.

Video - interview with Paul Bremer on whether the U.S. occupation led to rise of ISIS.

In this Head to Head special from Washington DC, Mehdi Hasan challenges Paul Bremer, who was appointed by President George W Bush to run the US-led Coalition Provisional Authority in the wake of the Iraq war, on whether his policies led to the rise of ISIL.

'I've taken full responsibility for the mistakes I've made.' Paul Bremer.

As the Administrator of the Coalition Provisional Authority, Bremer ordered the disbanding of the Iraqi army and banned members of the Ba'ath Party from holding public office.

These measures, critics say, were directly responsible for Iraq's descent into chaos.

With no panel or audience, we discuss the US track record in Iraq and the region, from the 2003 invasion to the rise of ISIL. We ask him how personally responsible he feels for the birth of ISIL and whether the US should put a significant number of soldiers back on the ground in the region.

Turkish bar association sues Turkish authorities over ISIS slave trade.

Turkish bar association sues national intel agency & police over ISIS slave trade . (RT).

The head of a regional Turkish legal association says the organization has filed a criminal complaint against the Turkish authorities after a German documentary alleged that Islamic State are carrying out a slave trade of women on Turkish soil.

Bektas Sarkli, the head of Gaziantep Bar Association, has brought the suit against the Turkish law enforcement and intelligence agencies following allegations that Yazidi women and children were being trafficked.

“We decided to file a complaint after the allegations were made on German ARD TV. They alleged that the Yazidi people were traded by ISIS (Islamic State/IS) in a slave market here in Gaziantep. The prosecution must investigate this,” Sarkli said.

“If there is evidence, then the suspects must be caught and tried. If there has been neglect of duty on the side of the security forces or intelligence, then they must be punished,” he added.

The documentary followed a Kurdish man who buys back slaves that have been captured by Islamic State and returns them to their families.

The person contacts the terror group over the internet, before travelling to Turkey to complete the deal. The transactions allegedly take place in the city of Gaziantep, which is only 40 kilometers away from the Syrian-Turkish border.

The man in question says he has paid IS around US$2.5 million in 2015 to return women and children to their families.

The allegations have also been condemned by Mahmut Togrul, a Turkish MP from Gaziantep. He says that more needs to be done to try and stop the flow of IS fighters freely crossing the Syrian-Turkish border, while he also alleges that the Turkish authorities do not always regard IS as “terrorists.”

“During our observations here, we have shared with the Turkish public that ISIS was moving freely in Gaziantep and the city has become a support line for them. There is the presence of thugs from all over the world who are able to cross the border, while they even have the nerve to tell Turkish soldiers that they want to join ISIS. This means they have hundreds of contacts here,” he told RT.

“We reiterate our calls to the authorities that measures have to be taken. Subconsciously, the authorities still do not regard ISIS as a terrorist organization and their members as terrorists,” Togrul, who is a member of the Peoples' Democratic Party, added. Hmmm......'Sometimes NATO Ally' Turkey. Read the full story here.

Russia is completing the modernization of the S-300 System meant for Iran.

Russia is completing the modernization of the S-300 System meant for Iran. (Kommersant)[GoogleTranslated].

Russia will supply Iran with an improved S-300, which is now being finalized specifically for the Iranian side. This was reported by "RIA Novosti" on Thursday.

Russian presidential aide on military-technical cooperation Vladimir Kozhin. " Time passed and it was partially modified, finalized the individual elements,This is the most complex of the C-300, models which Iran would get. "- said Mr. Kozhin.

Previously, "Kommersant" reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree that would allow Iran to convey the Russian anti-aircraft missile systems S-300. The Russian Defense Ministry said that, if necessary, be able to quickly deliver the S-300 to Iran. More here.

Related: 

Iran Promises Not to Reverse Engineer Russian S-300 Missile Defense System

Iran Promises Not to Reverse Engineer Russian S-300 Missile Defense System

Iran Promises Not to Reverse Engineer Russian S-300 Missile Defense System. (Algemeiner).

Brig. Gen. Farzad Esmayeeli, the Commander of Iran’s Khatamul Anbia Air Defense Base, announced on Monday that his country does not intend to reverse engineer the sophisticated Russian S-300 missile air defense system.

According to Esmayeeli, “S-300 is an operational system and doesn’t need reverse engineering,” and “since the S-300 is a defensive operational system, it will be deployed in specific spots and will not be reverse engineered.”

According to semi-official state news agency Fars, Esmayeeli also emphasized that the Khatamul Anbia Air Defense Base’s experts have undergone the necessary training, and are ready to use the Russian-made missile defense shield.

Last month, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced his decision to end a ban on the sale of the S-300 missile defense shield to Iran. Iran’s Defense Minister, Brig. Gen. Hossein Dehqan said the “decision came as a result of the two countries’ political leaders’ will to develop and promote cooperation in all fields.”

Dehqan also announced that Iran would be testing its own, home-made version of the S-300 system, called the Bavar 373 - which it claims was designed and developed after the Russians embargoed the delivery of their systems - before the end of the current Iranian year.

He told reporters, “we expect to be able to test the [domestic] production model of the S-300 by the end of the current [Iranian] year.”

In April, Iran displayed its Bavar 373 missile defense system during military parades south of Tehran. The Iranians claimed their domestic version is superior to the Russian original, with increased mobility, agility and reduced launch-preparation time.

Israel has long lobbied against the sale of the advanced weaponry to Iran, fearing it may hinder a military operation against Iran’s nuclear sites.

The Algemeiner Journal

Did the Maersk Tigris transport the S-300 System to Iran?

Source

Did the Maersk Tigris transport the S-300 System to Iran? (MFS).

As i said before it bothers me that Iran went all this length stopping the vessel in international waters, and then suddenly out of the blue release the vessel without payment.

#MaerskTigris managed by Rickmers Trust, who have told #LloydsList vessel was in international waters when captured

— David Osler (@finance_LL) April 28, 2015

On 03 April the Maersk Tigris was in the Russian Black sea port of Novorossiysk, It stayed three days in that port.

The Maersk Tigris is not owned by the Danish shipping giant. Maersk had chartered the vessel, which is owned by Singapore’s Rickmer Shipmanagement.


Iranian defense minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehghan left Tehran to Moscow on April 15 Th to sign a deal for receiving Russian-made S-300 missiles.


The Maers Tigriss was taken to the port Bandar Abbas.

Iran's official news agency IRNA reports that the seizure of the Maersk Tigris was because of an outstanding warrant by an Iranian court against the Maersk shipping lines.

IRNA said the warrant was issued after a private Iranian company had filed a claim that Maersk owed money to the company.

The explanation offered by IRNA creates more questions than answers.

The IRGC Navy is sent to intercept and seize a cargo ship at the Strait of Hormuz to enforce a civil law suit by an private company in Iran against a shipping giant during a tense period in the region. Highly unusual, indeed!

According to the Navigation and Ports Organization public relations bureau, the decree was issued upon a complaint lodged by a private company named 'Pars-Talaeeyeh Oil Products Company' manager Hamid Reza Jahanian against MAERSK Shipping Line.

Hamid Reza Jahanian, the managing director of the company said May 6 that the ship and its cargo would be sold unless the Danish shipping company pays $10 million in losses that his company has suffered.

On April 28 Iranian forces boarded the ship after firing warning shots across the bridge and later took it to Bandar Abbas, the main port of Iran's navy, under escort by Iranian patrol boats.

Danish shipping company Maersk Line, which chartered the container ship from Rickmers Ship Management in Singapore, insisted it had no "special cargo" such as military equipment. 

Iran’s seizure clearly violates international law, and one might add, a branch of international law that is ordinarily well-respected, and quite fundamental for global commerce. Moreover, no maritime lien gives Iran any authority to detain the crew.

Given the flagrant breach of international law, there seems to be a surprising silence from the “international community” and proponents of global governance.

Another fact worth mentioning is that Vladislav Menshikov, the CEO of S-300 air defense systems manufacturer Almaz-Antei, said in August 2013 that Russia has dismantled and disposed the S-300 air defense missile systems originally intended for delivery to Iran and the fact is that Russia doesn't produce S-300 any more, updating the old agreement is a confusing issue and might imply delivering more advanced S-400 missile systems to Iran.

However, leaving the old agreement unchanged may mean that Russia wants to deliver the ready S-300 systems which is currently used by its own army to Iran.

Hmmm......This is speculation from my side, but the whole story bothers me, i have the gut feeling there's more to it. I can't help wondering what went on in that Iranian port?

@EjmAlrai I can't help but wonder if there's more going on then meet the eye? Was anything unloaded? pic.twitter.com/gxGqWFdZQR

— MFS - The Other News (@MFS001) May 7, 2015