Friday, April 18, 2014

The Geneva agreement on Ukraine, translated


Lavrov
Semyon Uralov, odnako.org
 
The talks in Geneva resulted in an agreement that is in favor of all that is good and opposed to all that is bad. That's the basic gist of it; but what does that mean? Let's translate this memorandum from the language of high diplomacy into the language of the Ukrainian crisis.

Kiev's government representative was invited to participate in his role as a potted plant—because there is nothing to discuss with him. On this all the participants were in complete agreement. That is, there is no government in Kiev, in the sense of an entity that exercises sovereign authority over the territory of Ukraine. This is understood equally well in Moscow, in Brussels and even in Washington. Thus, the actual talks were between USA+EU and Russia.

Russia's position is that Kiev doesn't have a government, it has a God-only-knows-what. It makes no difference what they are called or who they are. They have no power and they control nothing. They do not control the economy, or energy, or the army, or the police, or even their supporters who are running around waving machine guns.

The position of USA+EU: “That's not true! There's a perfectly nice government in Kiev, we made it ourselves, and we hold discussions and even sign agreements with them.”

In view of the difference between these two positions, further discussion is pointless. Therefore, it is necessary to run an experiment and to establish a simple fact: are the dramatis personae in Kiev a government, or aren't they?

The authorities in Kiev have to prove themselves. To do that, they have to disarm and reign in their freaky supporters, grant amnesty to their opponents, and begin to exercise control over the army and the police. If they prove that they are in control, then it will possible to move to the next phase in resolving the crisis.

The ball is now in their court. If they can prove that they are a power, then there will be a step-by-step resolution to the crisis. If they don't, then the crisis will be resolved on their behalf, and they won't be invited to participate, even as potted plants.

Considering that these personages have already reneged on a previous international agreement—in February of this year—it might have been smarter for them not to sign this one. Because if they don't live up to this one either, then nobody will want to offer them political cover—not Brussels, not even Washington.

9 comments:

Karl K said...

I think we need MORE potted plants in government - at all levels. Looking forward to "peak potted plants."

rapier said...

It is my impression from all alt media that in fact there is no government worthy of that title in Kiev. As for all other reports one reads or hears in the US the idea that there isn't a government there is simply beyond comprehension.

This puts me and others in the strange uncomfortable position of
'supporting' Putin. At least supporting as true some of his side of the basic facts surrounding events there.

The NY Times, setter of limits of discussion said last Sunday, to paraphrase, Government of Ukraine deploys security force to the east. What security forces? There are some English speaking media boots on the ground there and the Times certainly has some of them or at least access to them. I have a healthy skepticism of the Times and know they are capable of delivering only part of the story so as to commit disinformation but still, can they stoop this low?

The current story here is that Russian speaking groups in the East, apparently wanting a clean split from Ukraine are the ones
putting the 'agreement' in jeopardy. I don't think this is untrue but then there is the entire back story, like 'kill them all with nukes' and that sort of thing.

I suspect Russia wants no part of that, all risk, cost, and no reward but what are they to do?

Michael Stephenson said...

Looks like they in typical western stooge fashion went with the paramilitary death squad option.

http://www.moonofalabama.org/2014/04/ukraine-the-eastern-escalation-.html

Lunchista said...

This post is an insult to potted plants.

Jacob Gittes said...

Here's a howler from a recent Atlantic Monthly article on US-Russian relations, from a US government official:
"I would much rather be playing our hand than his over the longer term," the official said. "Because he has a number of, I think, pretty serious strategic disadvantages—a one-dimensional economy, a political system and a political elite that's pretty rotten through corruption."

michigan native said...

Could it be that Putin knows all he has to do is sit back and let the US petro dollar implode, and make the US look like a bunch of chumps as he has stopped them in Syria, Iran, and is now biding his time knowing the US will collapse, and then its ability to bribe, extort, or penalize and subjugate nations with sanctions that no longer have any bite because BRICS nations are creating their own central banks and rendering the old bag of imperialistic hegemony dirty tricks now ineffective?

It seems they are waiting for us to burn ourselves beyond recognition and let our ashes scatter to the wind rather. If so, the plan is very brilliant and appears to be thoroughly working. He knows he has the US and Europe by the balls, he knows when the US collapses, the troops stranded at all those bases, and US influence in the region suddenly to be extinct, then Europe will follow a course of strict neutrality, but in secret will be smiling because they no longer have to buy dollars to get their energy.

Is it true that posts that mention H2o world or mad macks automatically get deleted? :)I was thinking of Solyent Green instead

Ben said...

Some questions:
Does Russia want the authorities in Kiev to prove themselves? Does Russia want them to disarm and reign in their freaky supporters, grant amnesty to their opponents, and begin to exercise control over the army and the police? Why would Russia possibly want all that, and how far can the authorities in Kiev possibly get given that Russia does not want it? -
Perhaps the authorities in Kiev are simply asking for, and in the process of receiving, a reality check.

seemorerocks said...

Hi Dmitry,

I would be interested in what you make of this article

How the Ukrainian crisis will eventually bring down the AngloZionist Empire

S nailuchshimi pozhelaniyami,
Robin Westenra,
New Zealand

PS I blog about collapse, Peak Oil, climate change etc and have been a supporter of Mike Ruppert and Guy McPherson

http://robinwestenra.blogspot.co.nz/

Maczeta Ockhama said...

I still dont understand WHY Russia have to go with military instead, for example wait for ucrainian elections and then help new government stabilize situation. Maybe ask for international forces to stablize situation. Why Russia is risking sanctions if they can do the same with all international support?