"The announcement of sanctions against senior Russian officials who carry out their public functions is an unprecedented decision, the likes of which the world had not seen even during the Cold War. To call things by their proper names, this is political blackmail. The US government knows that I have no accounts, assets or property abroad," Matvienko told reporters.
She also added that she had never had business there. "That is why I take these statements as an attempt to put pressure on my principled stand, force me to change it," Matvienko said. She stressed that she would not make excuses.
"I have always defended and will further defend Russia's national interests, not the geopolitical interests of the West. Nobody can intimidate us," Matvienko said. The imposition of sanctions against Russian officials is counterproductive, the speaker stated. The only way is the path of dialogue and negotiation, taking into account "the interests of the Ukrainian and Russian people".
Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2014_03_17/Russian-Speaker-Matvienko-calls-US-sanctions-pure-blackmail-claims-to-have-no-assets-abroad-9727/
17/3/14
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Related:
FACT SHEET: Ukraine-Related Sanctions. The White House, Office of the Press Secretary....
Executive Order -- Blocking Property of Additional Persons Contributing to the Situation in Ukraine...
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Russia's Foreign Ministry to propose retaliatory measures to US, EU sanctions....
ReplyDeleteRussia’s Foreign Ministry will propose to the country’s leadership to take retaliatory measures in response to sanctions of the United Stated and European Union, as measures that are left without response fuel appetites, State Secretary and Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin stated at a meeting at the Federation Council upper house of parliament.
“I doubt that the Western partners will get it [retaliatory sanctions] right, there is the term a ‘tit-for-tat response’, we are considering this [the further response[,” Karasin said. “Sanction regimes are applied to us for the first time, so we will propose to the government to take retaliatory measures, as measures left without response fuel appetites. Sanction regimes are absolutely illegitimate,” he added.
http://en.itar-tass.com/world/724722?utm_medium=rss20
21/3/14
Visa, Mastercard block US-sanctioned Russian bank....
ReplyDeleteInternational payment systems, Visa and Mastercard, have stopped serving clients of the Rossiya bank after the US issued sanctions against it regarding Russia’s position over the Ukrainian turmoil. The blockade came without warning, the bank said.
"The management of Rossiya understands the difficulties of clients in the current situation and will do all it can to solve them," the bank said in a statement
The bank added that its own services relating to Visa and Mastercard cards, like withdrawing cash from the bank’s ATMs works fine.
Apart from the payment blockade, Rossiya is operating “in stable regime” and is fulfilling all its obligations, the bank said.
Visa and Mastercard did not immediately comment on the news.
Rossiya is the only institution on the US sanctions list announced on Thursday in response to Russia’s moving towards accepting Crimea under its sovereignty.
Washington’s move is meant to put pressure on people they see as members of President Vladimir Putin’s “inner circle”. The bank’s owner, Yury Kovalchuk, is on the list as well, as an individual.
Visa and Mastercard have a record of bowing to political decisions from Washington, most notably in blocking donations to the WikiLeaks whistleblower website.
21/3/14
L'Europe craint l'impact de sanctions économiques contre la Russie ...
ReplyDeleteLes dirigeants européens et le Premier ministre ukrainien ont signé vendredi le volet politique de l'accord d'association entre l'Union européenne et l'Ukraine. Arseni Iatseniouk a également appelé vendredi l'UE à prendre de "réelles" sanctions économiques contre la Russie, qui menace selon lui l'ordre mondial. Mais les Européens sont inquiets.
"Le meilleur moyen de contenir la Russie est de la soumettre à une réelle pression économique" a affirmé M. Iatseniouk, dans un point de presse après avoir signé avec les dirigeants européens le volet politique de l'accord d'association Ukraine-UE.............http://www.rtbf.be/info/monde/detail_ue-et-ukraine-ont-signe-le-volet-politique-de-l-accord-d-association?id=8227875
21/3/14