Russia-US relations

[mendeleyev]

From the Mendeleyev Journal:

It is morning in Санкт-Петербург (Saint Petersburg) and opening day for G20 Summit has arrived. The weather is cool with the current temperature at 11 degrees (52 degrees for our American readers) but it is sunny.





As for the important stuff, it has been worked out that President Putin and President Obama will shake hands. That's it--no meetings unless someone flinches.




Normally world leaders do shake hands but after Mr. Obama publicly labeled Mr. Putin as a slouching and pouting school boy when Mr. Putin refused to go along with Obama's idea of using the US military as the Air Force for his Islamic buddies, the two began their own little cold war and the shaking of hands had to be negotiated before the opening day.


 

Primary hosting of the G20 will be at the historic Constantine Palace, the official residence of the Russian President when in Russia's northern capital city. The Hermitage and Peterhof will also be used. Constantine Palace is a world heritage site often called the "Versailles of the North."





It is often called by the name Стрельна (Strelna) which is the name of the St Petersburg suburb where the palace is located. Construction on palace began in 1720. It was bombed heavily by the Germans in WWII.


 


The good news is that Palace Chef Yuri Geogrievech Aistov will be in the massive kitchen with his staff so the dignitaries can be assured that all is well in the world. There may be bombs falling on every civilized city on the planet but who will care when luscious entrees are served with names impossible to pronounce?

Only Mr. Obama will miss out as he travels with WH chefs and eats his own food, much like Joseph Stalin in older times.





Traffic in Saint Petersburg is being restricted through the weekend. In the areas of the Constantine Place, the Hermitage, and the Summer Palace at Peterhof there is a ban on buses, mini vans and trucks except for police and military vehicles of those types.


(Palace photos from Contantine Palace Press Centre.)

[steveboy]

  Im missing out on this stuck down in the "Black hole in Europe"

[lordtiberius]

Just want to say, I love the openness and freedom you folks have created here.  You truly nurture a diversity of thought while discouraging gang trolling.

 

[mendeleyev]

The Mendeleyev Journal:

Day one of the G20 in Saint Petersburg faded to a close and the air was tense as leaders of the great developed countries of the world met in Russia for a two day summit. The day began with an early meeting of the five BRICS nations and Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa announced the creation of a $100 billion dollar foreign reserve exchange fund to handle economic crisis situations among BRICS nations.

Once everyone arrived and had been greeted the G20 sessions began. Syria wasn't one of the scheduled topics but it was on everyone's mind so when it came his turn to speak, a clearly subdued and somewhat uncomfortable looking American President Barack Obama brought up the subject, asking leaders to make time to discuss the Syrian situation.


Inside Constantine Palace just outside Saint Petersburg.

The countries included in the G20 are:
- Agrentina
- Australia
- Brazil (BRICS)
- Canada (G8)
- China (BRICS)
- European Union
- France (G8)
- Germany (G8)
- India (BRICS)
- Indonesia
- Italy (G8)
- Japan (G8)
- Mexico
- Russia (G8 & BRICS)
- Saudia Arabia
- South Africa (BRICS)
- South Korea
- Turkey
- United Kingdom (G8)
- USA (G8)

Countries designated (G8) are part of the G8 Group and (BRICS) are part of the alliance between Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.


Russia's Vladimir Putin is President of the G20 for 2013.

Setting the agenda as part of the rotating G20 presidency, Russian President Vladimir Putin laid out the agenda from the G20's planning committee which include three central topics:

1- Growth through Quality Jobs and Investment: Mr. Putin told the assembled leaders that the worldwide economy would not fully recover until the world's leading economies tackled the issues of job growth and jobs creation.

2- Growth through trust and transparency: Here the agenda will focus on harmonization of international financial regulations especially in the areas of offshore tax havens and finding ways to combat tax evasion.

3- Growth through effective international financial regulations: In many cases tax treaties between countries and regulations for investment are very different from country to country and the G20 would like to strengthen financial transparency and find areas in which international investments can be streamlined and standardized in regulatory processes.

For dinner the participants were taken to Peterhof to the Catherine Palace, often called the Summer Palace, which is 25 kilometres southeast of Petersburg. The Catherine Palace is a ornate complex with its renowned Grand Cascade Waterfalls that flow from the palace gardens into the Gulf of Finland.


Hmm, wasn't it Mr. Obama who just last week characterized Vladimir Putin as a pouting schoolboy?

The subject of Syria was discussed at the dinner meeting and American president Obama seemed to struggle to find support for his defense of air strikes to assist the rebels, most of whom the world community recognizes as being heavily infiltrated by radical Islamic elements despite the naive claims out of Washington.


Now for some trivia; today's theme is about the journalists covering the G20


Photographer at work near the president of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbaev and the Finance Minister from Saudi Arabia.

1- How many accredited journalists have arrived to cover the 2013 G20?
Answer: 2,880 representing almost every country in the world.

2- How much food have those journalists consumed so far?
Answer: 26 tons of food just on Thursday, the first day.

3- Where do these journalists stay?
Answer: Not at the Constantine Palace like the dignitaries. Journalists had to find their own hotel accommodations in the city of Saint Petersburg and are not allowed to stay in the immediate area of the Palace.

4- Since buses and mini vans have been prohibited in the areas leading to and around the palace, how to journalists travel back and forth?
Answer: By special hydrofoil boats operated by security forces of the Russian government.

(All photos: Presidential Press, Russian Federation)

[Faux Pas]

1- How many accredited journalists have arrived to cover the 2013 G20?
Answer: 2,880 representing almost every country in the world.

2- How much food have those journalists consumed so far?
Answer: 26 tons of food just on Thursday, the first day.

Whoa Mendy! That's an average of 18 pounds per journalist. All just on Thursday? They must be some fat bastids in a food coma. 

[mendeleyev]

Wow, and most are working with little time to really stop and enjoy a meal. Hmm, could it be that that includes coffee and tea (oh, there is one Turkish coffee served that is just right for media types--one little cup and you'll be walking across ceilings for days) and all the juices and sodas as well as kilos of food prior to cooking?

The Constantine Palace doesn't "do leftovers" so maybe that is a part of the total. That is a ridiculous amount of food and especially for folk who aren't lounging around eating long and heavy meals. I'll try to get a clarification.

[Faux Pas]

18 pounds is just an average but, just getting half of that in to the average person's belly in 24 hours is quite a feat. It would appear someone is playing with the numbers? Of course after one day of that, the second day would be more in the bathroom than eating or reporting huh? 

[mendeleyev]

26 tons turns out to be what was prepared and included beverages. When the palace reported "consumed" they lumped the total of what was eaten together with what was carted off. With a $60 million budget for the two days, what's a little leftovers, I guess.

No ready answer to the question of whether the leftover goodies were shared with the poor pensioners of the St Petersburg region...

My guess is that their original number was inflated (padding the books for some extra money?). This is not their first rodeo, they've served large groups before.

[Anotherkiwi]

For dinner the participants were taken to Peterhof to the Catherine Palace, often called the Summer Palace, which is 25 kilometres southeast of Petersburg. The Catherine Palace is a ornate complex with its renowned Grand Cascade Waterfalls that flow from the palace gardens into the Gulf of Finland.

With all due respect, mendy, had you been on the turps when you wrote this?    Peterhof is WEST of St Petersburg, and it's nowhere near Catherine Palace!  I'm sure it would also be news to everyone that the Grand Cascade is at Catherine Palace.
 
So where did these leaders actually go?   

[mendeleyev]

If you're asking if I'm working on a average of two hours sleep, yes.

Peterhof was the dinner location but some of the G20 participants were treated to a tour of the Catherine Palace at Tsarskoye Selo prior to dinner. As the Grand Cascade and the Samson fountain are apparently still sitting there at Peterhof, my mistake in not proofreading more clearly as it would have made the story more interesting as well.

I have an affinity to the Catherine Palace as we had a small second honeymoon reception on the grounds years ago. In January just after the 40 day Orthodox Christmas fast had ended--cold and the staff was late in opening up so we and guests were outside waiting for about 35-40 minutes. But I still love the place.

I did something similar on CBC today; some G20 participants had left for the Hermitage and I was on a news interview and said that they were headed for the Constantine Palace--the host gently pointed out I meant they had left the Constantine and were en route to the Hermitage. Just minutes before I'd been on France24/English, same content but with nary a snafu. Go figure.

[Anotherkiwi]

If you're asking if I'm working on a average of two hours sleep, yes.

I can forgive you for that, but surely these guys don't provide 22 hours of news every day!

Peterhof was the dinner location but some of the G20 participants were treated to a tour of the Catherine Palace at Tsarskoye Selo prior to dinner. As the Grand Cascade and the Samson fountain are apparently still sitting there at Peterhof, my mistake in not proofreading more clearly as it would have made the story more interesting as well.

I have an affinity to the Catherine Palace as we had a small second honeymoon reception on the grounds years ago. In January just after the 40 day Orthodox Christmas fast had ended--cold and the staff was late in opening up so we and guests were outside waiting for about 35-40 minutes. But I still love the place.

They're both amazing places - I honestly don't see how American package tours can do justice to them in an hour.

[lordtiberius]

some people can dish it but cant take it

[lordtiberius]

The Pope appears to have sided with Putin.  The third Rome sees eye to eye with the actual Rome.

so much for the smart diplomacy advertisized by the campaigner in chief

with conservative govts in ABCANZ except America, will the allaince go along with MB foreign policy lurch

[mendeleyev]

I can forgive you for that, but surely these guys don't provide 22 hours of news every day!

It is always day somewhere in the world and most news operations are 24/7. Additionally there is always lots of work behind the scenes of any news event. My US filings for midday in the USA/Canada was at Midnight local each day. My evening filing four hours later for "afternoon drive" USA/Canada was at 4am St P/Moscow time. We work "bell to bell" at significant events and that includes team coverage. I had my team members split responsibilities but we couldn't really split sleep times. You just go with it.

Example: the Putin - Cameron meeting lasted until almost 3 am. Dignitaries had accommodations on the palace grounds. Journalists who covered meetings like this traveled back and forth to/from St P for a couple hours sleep.

[mendeleyev]

They're both amazing places - I honestly don't see how American package tours can do justice to them in an hour.

You are right but those cruise ships disembark and those buses cart folk out to various places, usually one or two days in Piter maximum and there is no way they get anything more than a rushed mini-tour. I think many of those passengers end up realizing it too, you can hear comments of "if we'd only known it was this big" and so forth.

[mendeleyev]

After all the fuss and silliness on both sides, Mr. Putin and Mr. Obama did have a meeting after all--just not a formal, scheduled meeting. It lasted about 20 minutes on Friday morning. Credit Mr. Putin with that one and he didn't much sleep either as his meeting with PM Cameron had ended at 3am. The Snowden topic was not broached but of course Syria was and some of Mr. Obama's fleeting willingness to look at other options seemed to come upon the realization that he was sidelined by his Syria stance.

In true Obama form the minute he'd arrived back in DC it seemed that he forgot all those useful alternative suggestions made by his partners at the G20 and he returned to pound on the war drums.

SOS Kerry and FM Lavrov are supposedly going to continue the dialogue.

[mendeleyev]

The Pope appears to have sided with Putin.

LT, as he is supposedly a man of faith I'd have been surprised it he hadn't.

If only George W. Bush had heeded the advice of an earlier pope...

[mendeleyev]

After a day (Saturday) of "silence" meaning no active campaigning, elections begin for local races across Russia today with one of the most watched races being for Moscow mayor. This is the equivalent of a Governor's race as while there is a governor of the Moscow Oblast, Moscow City itself is a federal subject, much like a state or province unto herself.

Alexei Navalny is the main challenger to Putin appointed Sergei Sobyanin and this is the first mayoral election in 10 years. While Navalny is not expected to win, polling numbers have made the Kremlin nervous as a strong second place showing would not bode well for Mr. Putin's grip on power.

Expect Moscow investigators to almost immediately file new charges against Navalny--authorities claim that his campaign accepted foreign donations--a crime.

7.2 million voters are registered in Moscow, highest anywhere in the country.

There are no elections in St. Petersburg this year.

Moscow had a birthday yesterday, #866. Moscow ZAGS reported that a record number of couples planned to marry on the city's birthday with 2,200 weddings have been confirmed, a record.

[Anotherkiwi]

You are right but those cruise ships disembark and those buses cart folk out to various places, usually one or two days in Piter maximum and there is no way they get anything more than a rushed mini-tour. I think many of those passengers end up realizing it too, you can hear comments of "if we'd only known it was this big" and so forth.

The advantage of keeping a travel diary - the first of the palaces I went to was Catherine, arriving about 1130 because it took about 30 minutes to find the right bus for Pushkin when I got to the Moskovskaya "terminal!"  Nobody I asked knew where the bus departed from, until I got to the actual departure point!  The bus trip (route K545) took about 40 minutes and cost 25 roubles (but that was in 2006).  FWIW, although there are quite adequate toilets in Catherine Palace itself, the best public toilets I've seen in Russia are beside the Admiralty building on the opposite side of the park (as you walk in the gate from Puskhin village, you need to follow the path to the left of the lake - it's a few hundred metres).
 
Amazingly, prices are now cheaper than when I visited.  I paid 140 roubles to enter the park, then another 520 to tour the Palace.  It now costs only 100 to enter the park and 350 for the Palace.  You must wear plastic bootees inside the Palace to protect the floors.  I left about 1630, not having had time to visit the Alexander Palace or Park which are next door and part of the whole estate.
 
I went to Peterhof the next day, getting the hydrofoil from the wharf near the Hermitage.  This was the first time I found that foreigners had to pay more than Russians for something (400 roubles for foreigners for a one-way ticket, but only 280 for Russians; return tickets were 750 and 500 roubles respectively).  The trip took just over 30 minutes.  I spent about three hours wandering around the gardens on the west side of the Palace, and then had lunch in the café (very nice - had kiwifruit for dessert  ) before spending an hour going around the Palace itself.
 
Be warned that every pavilion and mini-palace (more than a dozen of them) has a separate entry cost!  If you go into all of them it will cost you well over 1,000 roubles, and you will in any case not have time to see them properly.  The main Palace by itself is 520 roubles.  You also have to pay a fee to take photos inside (200 roubles), although it seems from the (rather confusing) website that all indoor photography may now be prohibited - perhaps mendy, steve or Kunstkammer could enlighten us here.  The top park (nearest the road) had free entry when I was there, and I eventually caught the bus back to St Petersburg (it leaves from the opposite side of the road) to complete the round trip.  There are at least eight routes, finishing at various Metro stations - I got number 103 to Leninskiy Prospekt.
 
 

[lordtiberius]

LT, as he is supposedly a man of faith I'd have been surprised it he hadn't.

If only George W. Bush had heeded the advice of an earlier pope...

We are going to relitigate Iraq?  Bc 23 million ppl living with a Stalinist dictator is prferrable?  Why dont we relitigate Chechenya, Dagestan or Georgia?  So sick of the ignorant moral superiority that comes from the 'I hate Bush' crowd.  Every time some clodhead brings up the Iraq War make them wish Saddam Hussein was still alive.  Let them think about the near nuclear war we are facing bc we elected the anti-W Bush.

When we get nuked by the wisdom of our bi-racial prophet, realize there is no after life  fir atheists or their allies.  Stick that in your pipe and smoke it

[OlgaH]

After all the fuss and silliness on both sides ...

Russia made its choice!! The winner and new taste of Russia is Lay's (potato chips with ... dill flavor, of course) 

McDonald's, Subways, KFCs have already begun to occupy the provincial territories of Siberia as well     (Sorry, mendeleyev, for my  interjection)

[mendeleyev]

Olga, nice interruption. 

The "potatoes with butter and dill" is a welcome departure from shrimp, crab and caviar flavoured potato chips.

[mendeleyev]

LT, I'm not a Bush hater. He did a lot of things I agreed with; warmongering democracy building just wasn't one of them. We got hit on 9-11 and he did a masterful job right up to the point when he decided to retaliate against the Islamic suicide radicals from Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan by invading Iraq.

A much simpler approach would have been to bomb Afghanistan further back into the stone age, say taking them from their current 600BC to around 1500 BC, and then turning to Saudi Arabia where most of the 9-11 boys were from and asking "how much are you going to pay for the damages and that is in addition to all the free oil you're donating our direction for the next 150 years, or should we pencil you chaps in next?"

That would have saved precious young American lives, given us some free gas to boot, without any boots on the ground.

Saddam gassed thousands of Kurds and nobody flinched, in a general time period when the North Sudan government was killing hundreds of thousands of its own citizens in South Sudan, and nobody in the general population nor the US military seemed to care so I'm not buying all the hand-wringing  by those who supposedly want me to believe that suddenly the children in Syria matter for some magical reason.

Westerners are way too damn selective on who it is okay, and not okay, to murder. We're too much like Stalin,

In the days when Stalin was Commissar of Munitions, a meeting was held of the highest ranking Commissars, and the principal matter for discussion was the famine then prevalent in the Ukraine. One official arose and made a speech about this tragedy — the tragedy of having millions of people dying of hunger. He began to enumerate death figures … Stalin interrupted him to say: “If only one man dies of hunger, that is a tragedy. If millions die, that’s only statistics.”
(1947 January 30, Washington Post, Loose-Leaf Notebook by Leonard Lyons, Page 9, Washington, D.C. (ProQuest Historical Newspapers))

Get back to me about Syria when the West, USA in particular, is willing to go in as policeman and fix every single problem of killing in the world.

Saddam by the way, also had a healthy Christian minority population living peacefully in Iraq. What happened to them after we arrived? Death, destruction, removal. Very sad.

[mendeleyev]

A different view from Russia:

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/opinion/article/the-skies-above-damascus/485708.html

[lordtiberius]

Your posts are always thoughtful Lord Mendeleyev.  Just a few quesions, have you ever been to Iraq?  How many friends, brothers or cousins have you lostbecuase of Iranian or Syrian supplied IEDs?  What makes Russians more entitled to intervene in the Caucaus  more than the US, Saudi Arabia or Turkey?