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Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia

For Putin's Troops In Ukraine, They're All "Unknown Soldiers"

2015-05-26

HT to Hotair. Russia is so desperate to hide its military involvement in Ukraine that it has brought in mobile crematoriums to destroy the bodies of its war dead, say U.S. lawmakers who traveled to the war-torn country this spring. The U.S. and NATO have long maintained that thousands of Russian troops are fighting alongside separatists inside eastern Ukraine, and that the Russian government is obscuring not only the presence but also the deaths of its soldiers there. In March, NATO Deputy Secretary General Alexander Vershbow told a conference, "Russian leaders are less and less able to conceal the fact that Russian soldiers are fighting -- and dying -- in large numbers in eastern Ukraine." Hence the extreme measures to get rid of the evidence. "The Russians are trying to hide their casualties by taking mobile crematoriums with them," House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mac Thornberry told me. "They are trying to hide not only from the world but from the Russian people their involvement."

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International-UN-NGOs

NATO Official: Russia Now An Adversary

2014-05-02

[Ynet] After two decades of trying to build a partnership with Russia, the NATO ...the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Originally it was a mutual defense pact directed against an expansionist Soviet Union. In later years it evolved into a mechanism for picking the American pocket while criticizing the cut of the American pants... alliance now feels compelled to start treating Moscow as an adversary, the second-ranking official of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization said Thursday. "Clearly the Russians have declared NATO as an adversary, so we have to begin to view Russia no longer as a partner but as more of an adversary than a partner," said Alexander Vershbow, the deputy secretary-general of NATO. *sigh* Something about the hat to cattle ratio comes to mind, but I just can't put my finger on it... In a question-and-answer session with a small group of news hounds, Vershbow said Russia's annexation of Crimea and its apparent manipulation of unrest in eastern Ukraine have fundamentally changed the NATO-Russia relationship.

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Syria-Lebanon-Iran

US arms Lebanon amid warnings

2010-07-29

An American official visits Lebanon, discussing Washington's military aid to Beirut amid Hezbollah's warnings that the US spends millions to damage the resistance. The United States Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Affairs, Alexander Vershbow met with President Michel Sleiman and Prime Minister Saad Hariri on Monday, AFP reported. The official said Congress had approved of $100 million in military assistance to Lebanon for this year. The sum has amounted to $500 million in recent years. In a Sunday address, Hezbollah's Secretary General Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah cited former ambassador to Beirut and the current US Assistant Secretary of State Jeff Feltman as saying that Washington had paid much more than official figures to damage Hezbollah's reputation. "... not $500 million were spent for 28 years. Hundreds of millions of dollars were spent to tarnish the image of this resistance..." Nasrallah said the US had resorted to a smear campaign after the 2006 Israeli war on Lebanon mired in defeat. He called the offensives, which killed about 1,200 Lebanese, most of them civilians, a brainchild of the US that enjoyed Israeli implementation. Vershbow also visited senior commanders of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which is on a mandate to patrol the south of Lebanon. Earlier in the month, the servicemen arrested a local youth in a southern village, inciting clashes with the locals. They then took the captive to a nearby town, where they continued to ignite local outrage by violating the civilians' privacy. Hezbollah warned afterwards that the provocations were part of an "international move" against the resistance movement.

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Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia

New US missile plan raises 'questions' (might include Ukraine?): Russia

2009-10-11

The new missile plan from US President Barack Obama's administration raises questions and Moscow is waiting for Washington to explain its intentions, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday. "The statements that are constantly being voiced raise more questions than answers," Lavrov told reporters during a visit to the Moldovan capital for a summit of ex-Soviet countries. "We would like to receive full clarification," Lavrov added, referring to the plan presented by the Obama administration last month to replace an older plan backed by George W. Bush that would have placed missile defence facilities in eastern Europe. Moscow and Washington are now holding talks so Russia can "understand the configuration" of the new missile defence system, Lavrov said, but he added that reports of some US proposals were raising eyebrows in Moscow. He said a recent US report that the United States might include Ukraine in its missile defence plans was "rather unexpected." US defence publication Defense News reported Thursday that Washington might consider Ukraine as part of its new anti-missile programme, and had added the ex-Soviet country "to the list of possible early warning sites." Defense News cited the source of the report as Alexander Vershbow, US assistant secretary of defence for international security affairs. "A statement by Alexander Vershbow was rather unexpected," Lavrov said when asked to comment. "He is a person who's prone to extravagancies," Lavrov added, referring to Vershbow, who is also a former US ambassador to Russia. Lavrov's comments came ahead of a planned visit to Moscow by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who is due be in Russia October 12-14. Lavrov said Russian President Dmitry Medvedev would most likely meet with her during her stay in Moscow. Lavrov accompanied Medvedev to a meeting of the Russia-led Commonwealth of Independent States, a group of ex-Soviet nations.

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China-Japan-Koreas

Report: U.S. to make peace with NKors by September

2007-05-19

SEOUL — The United States is willing to sign a peace treaty with North Korea to formally end the 1950-53 Korean War by September, the U.S. ambassador to South Korea reportedly told lawmakers here. U.S. Ambassador Alexander Vershbow said Washington hopes to complete a process of normalizing diplomatic ties with Pyongyang, according to Kim Jong-Yul from the ruling Uri Party. Kim released to local media a transcript that had been translated into Korean following a May 9 closed-door meeting between Vershbow and five Uri Party lawmakers, including Rep. Kim Hyuk-Kyu, a close confidant of President Roh Moo-Hyun. The meeting was arranged to discuss security policies after a recent visit to North Korea by a group of Uri lawmakers led by Kim Hyuk-Kyu. The lawmakers said they conveyed North Korea's denuclearization commitment to Vershbow at the meeting.

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China-Japan-Koreas

U.S. might consider Kaesong goods to be South Korean

2007-02-08

SEOUL, Feb. 5 (Yonhap) -- The United States may recognize goods produced at a joint industrial complex just north of the border as South Korean if there is a change in circumstances, the top U.S. diplomat here said Monday. In a one-hour meeting with Unification Minister Lee Jae-joung, U.S. Ambassador Alexander Vershbow said that while it is unrealistic to recognize the goods made in the border city of Kaesong as South Korean, there is room left to negotiate within the proposed free trade agreement (FTA) between the two countries, Unification Ministry officials said. "Lee stressed that U.S. recognition of the goods produced in Kaesong as South Korean will contribute to bringing about a lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula. Vershbow said 'if,' but he did not elaborate on what kind of change under what kind of circumstances," said a ministry official who was present at the meeting, but who asked to remain anonymous. How about ensuring that the workers in Kaesong have the same rights as workers in South Korea, including pay, benefits, the right to unionize, the right to change jobs, and the right to file grievances? So far, the U.S. has avoided placing the issue on the official agenda of the FTA negotiations, so Vershbow's remarks could be construed as a slight change in U.S. strategy toward forging a free trade deal with South Korea. In spite of United Nations sanctions on the North following its nuclear weapon test in October, South Korea has kept two major cross-border joint projects afloat: an industrial complex in Kaesong just north of the border, and a tourism program at the North's scenic Mount Geumgang. In the industrial complex, South Korean businesses use cheap North Korean labor to produce goods. Twenty-one South Korean factories employ about 11,160 North Korean workers in Kaesong. The six-party talks aimed at ending North Korea's nuclear weapons program, involving the two Koreas, the U.S., China, Japan and Russia, will reconvene in Beijing on Thursday. Kaesong is a sham: it's where SKor conglomerates go to find really cheap labor. Much of the money paid in 'wages' goes into Poofy-Hair's bank accounts. The U.S. should stand firm against this until the SKors do some arm-twisting on the north.

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China-Japan-Koreas

US wants to resolve restrictions against N. Korea

2006-11-03

The main U.S. envoy to South Korea said Washington will seek to resolve financial restrictions on North Korea that have hindered nuclear talks, after Pyongyang agreed to return to the negotiations following its nuclear test. "We want to resolve these issues because we do want to have a normal relationship with North Korea," U.S. Ambassador Alexander Vershbow said in a lecture to university students, referring to the standoff between Washington and Pyongyang over U.S. moves to cut off the communist nation's access to foreign banks for alleged illicit activities like counterfeiting and money laundering. Pyongyang has said it will seek to have the financial restrictions lifted at the resumed talks, last held in November 2005. They involve the two Koreas, China, Russia, Japan and the U.S.

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China-Japan-Koreas

N. Korea OKs Human Rights Envoy's Visit

2006-06-27

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - North Korea has approved plans by a U.S. human rights envoy to visit an industrial zone run jointly by the two Koreas, a South Korean official said Tuesday. Jay Lefkowitz, the U.S. special envoy on human rights in North Korea, is likely to make the trip next month. Lefkowitz has openly criticized alleged worker exploitation at the Kaesong complex, just north of the inter-Korean border. In a letter to the South's government, the North last week approved the proposed visit, an official at the South's Unification Ministry said. The trip will likely happen in mid-July, the official said on condition of anonymity, citing ministry policy. South Korea has strongly protested the allegations, urging Lefkowitz to visit the site and see the working conditions for himself. South Korea cherishes the Kaesong project as a symbol of inter-Korean reconciliation. About 15 South Korean companies have set up shop in the enclave, and up to 2,000 businesses could fill it by 2012. The showcase project, launched after the only summit so far between the two Koreas' leaders in 2002, combines the South's management expertise with the North's starving cheap slave labor. However, it has become a contentious topic between Seoul and Washington after Lefkowitz alleged North Korean workers there were being ill-treated. He cited a lack of labor rights and low wages paid through the North Korean government, not directly to the workers. South Koreans: myopia or avarice? In efforts to dispel concerns, South Korea took foreign envoys, including U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Alexander Vershbow, on a one-day tour of the Kaesong complex earlier this month. Kathleen Stephens, the U.S. principal deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, toured it in a separate trip.

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China-Japan-Koreas

U.S. To Respond if North Korea Tests Missile

2006-06-14

The top U.S. envoy to South Korea warned June 14 that Washington and its allies would “respond appropriately” if North Korea test-fired a missile capable of reaching the United States. I'd prefer us to respond "inappropriately" Ambassador Alexander Vershbow said Washington was monitoring preparations for a long-range missile test that have reportedly been under way for more than a month at a remote launch pad in northeastern North Korea. ”We really don’t know what are the intentions of chairman Kim Jong-Il or any other military leaders in North Korea,” Vershbow said in an interview with state-run KBS radio. ”But as I said we want them to understand that tests in light of other problems that we have in our relations with North Korea will be viewed as a very serious matter and we will take appropriate measures in response.” He said consultations would take place with partners to the six-party talks with North Korea before a decision would be made on a response. On-off talks on ending the North Korea nuclear standoff have brought together the two Koreas, China, Japan, Russia and the United States since August 2003. South Korea’s foreign minister urged Pyongyang to abandon plans for the missile test that would have a “negative impact on the international geopolitical situation and the settlement of North Korea’s nuclear issue.” ”It is appropriate for North Korea to stop preparations for the missile launch and return to six-party talks,” Ban Ki-Moon told a weekly media briefing. A senior South Korean official who declined to be named earlier confirmed reports that North Korea was preparing to test-fire a Taepodong-2 multi-stage missile with a range of more than 6,000 kilometers (3,600 miles) that was capable of hitting the United States. ”Preparations which were reported last month have not stopped,” the official said. Separately a U.S. official was quoted as saying there were “enough indications” to suggest that the Stalinist state was preparing to test-fire the missile. Ban declined to say how far North Korea’s launch preparations had progressed and gave no estimate of when a launch could be ready, but he said South Korea was closely watching developments. Current test preparations are reportedly far more advanced than on previous occasions when North Korea appeared to be gearing up for a missile launch. In 1998 Pyongyang shocked the world by launching a Taepodong-1 missile that flew over Japan before crashing into the Pacific. The launch triggered jitters in Japan and prompted Tokyo and Washington to accelerate plans to build a missile defense system. Vershbow said North Korea should abide by a long-range missile moratorium declared by its leader Kim Jong-Il in 1999. ”We really call upon North Korea to abide by the moratorium on flight tests of long-range missiles,” he said. ”If they were to test a long-range missile now it would be a very serious matter and we will consider it to be very much against the spirit of the September agreement of the six-party talks.” North Korea agreed at six-party talks in September to dismantle its nuclear weapons program in return for economic aid and other benefits. But in November Pyongyang said it would boycott further talks after Washington imposed financial sanctions for alleged counterfeiting and money laundering. Some experts say North Korea, aware that launch preparations are easily monitored by U.S. satellite, wants to use the threat of a test-flight to force Washington to roll back the sanctions. Boy, they really don't know Bush very well Reports of a possible launch surfaced last month in Japanese and South Korean newspapers. They said U.S. satellite images showed increased movement by trailers and other vehicles near the Musudan-ri missile test site in northeastern North Korea, facing the Sea of Japan (East Sea).

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China-Japan-Koreas

US running out of patience over North Korea: envoy

2006-04-06

The United States is losing patience at North Korea’s boycott of six-party talks aimed at ending its nuclear weapons ambitions, US ambassador to Seoul Alexander Vershbow said Wednesday. He urged the Stalinist North to revive the nuclear talks which have been stalled for five months. “Everyone in Washington would like to reach a negotiated solution, but everyone in Washington is also running out of patience,” Vershbow said in a message on a website run by the embassy. The two Koreas, China, Japan, Russia and the United States have held talks aimed at ending North Korea’s nuclear weapons programme since 2003. In September 2005 the North agreed to abandon nuclear programmes in return for receiving a US-led security guarantee and economic and diplomatic benefits. But the talks are in limbo following the last meeting in November, after Washington accused Pyongyang of counterfeiting US dollars and laundering money. The North denies the charge and demands the US lift financial sanctions before it returns to the talks.

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China-Japan-Koreas

N. Korea Said to Call U.S. Envoy 'Tyrant'

2005-12-26

North Korea criticized the United States' top envoy to Seoul for making provocative remarks about the communist country, calling the ambassador a "tyrant," a news report said Sunday. U.S. Ambassador Alexander Vershbow labeled the North a "criminal regime" this month, citing Pyongyang's alleged arms dealing, money laundering and counterfeiting. Ummm... That's okay, I guess, but it doesn't really approach KCNA levels of vitriol. We can prob'ly do better... Since then, North Korea has repeatedly called on the South to expel Vershbow for slandering the North. "It is clear (Vershbow) is a tyrant wearing the mask of a diplomat," the North's Rodong Sinmun newspaper said in a commentary Sunday, according to South Korea's Yonhap news agency. Bet that one's a corker... In Beijing, meanwhile, a Japanese envoy said Japan and North Korea have agreed to set up three working groups to resolve sticking points preventing the two countries from establishing diplomatic ties. Talks will focus on North Korea's nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs and on Japanese abducted and taken to North Korea in the 1970s and 1980s, said Akitaka Saiki, Japan's chief negotiator at talks in Beijing. He said the next round of negotiations would take place in late January. They are expected to last until the next NKor temper tantrum... U.S. allegations of the North's counterfeiting have been a major obstacle to the resumption of six-way talks on Pyongyang's nuclear arms program. North Korea has dismissed the allegations as lies and threatened to boycott the talks with the U.S., South Korea, China, Japan and Russia unless Washington lifts financial sanctions.

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China-Japan-Koreas

Norks seethe over US ambassador

2005-12-15

SEOUL - North Korea said the US ambassador to Seoul, who labelled Pyongyang “a criminal regime”, was the worst ambassador in history and should be recalled, its official media reported on Wednesday. Now there's some old-time spittle. Alexander Vershbow, the US ambassador to South Korea, said at a forum on Dec. 7 that Pyongyang was engaged in the sale of weapons and illicit narcotics and Washington would not lift sanctions against it as long as those activities continue. “This is a criminal regime,” he said. It issued three critical comments of Vershbow’s comments on Tuesday calling him the “governor general” of a colony and on Wednesday took their criticism to a new level. New levels of juche! “Ambassador Vershbow is the most bitchy and malignant ambassador in history,” said a commentary in the state-run Minju Joson newspaper. “We doubt whether Ambassador Vershbow has enough knowledge about the DPRK to make such comments,” the commentary said, according to a Korea-language report on the North’s official KCNA news agency cited by South Korea’s Yonhap news agency. Bitchy and malignant? I like him already! In a shorter report carried in English on KCNA, North Korea misspelled the ambassador’s name, calling him “Bershbow”. “The Korean nation will certainly suffer greater misfortune if Bershbow is allowed to behave as he pleases. He had better apologise for his malarkey to the DPRK and go back to his country as early as possible,” the paper said. I'm surprised that the Norks know the word 'malarkey'. Perhaps ex-Sgt. Jenkins taught the propaganda writers some English.

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