Trump administration moves to return Russian compounds in Maryland and New York
6 replies, posted
[img]https://img.washingtonpost.com/rf/image_606w/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2016/12/30/National-Security/Images/2016-12-30T224856Z_01_TOR102_RTRIDSP_3_USA-RUSSIA-CYBER-COMPOUNDS-0607.jpg[/img]
[quote]
The Trump administration is moving toward handing back to Russia two diplomatic compounds, near New York City and on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, from which its officials were ejected in late December as punishment for Moscow’s interference in the 2016 presidential election.
Then-President Barack Obama said Dec. 29 that the compounds were being “used by Russian personnel for intelligence-related purposes,” and gave Russia 24 hours to vacate them. Separately, Obama expelled from the United States what he said were 35 Russian “intelligence operatives.”
Early last month, the Trump administration told the Russians it would consider turning the properties back over to them if Moscow would lift its freeze, imposed in 2014 in retaliation for U.S. sanctions related to Ukraine, on construction of a new U.S. consulate on a certain parcel of land in St. Petersburg.
Two days later, the U.S. position changed. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak at a meeting in Washington, that the United States had dropped any linkage between the compounds and the consulate, according to several people with knowledge of the exchanges.
In Moscow on Wednesday, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov said Russia was “taking into account the difficult internal political situation for the current administration,” but retained the option to reciprocate for what he called the “expropriation” of Russian property, “if these steps are not somehow adjusted by the U.S. side,” the news outlet Sputnik reported.
Senior Tillerson adviser R. C. Hammond said that “the U.S. and Russia have reached no agreements.” He said the next senior level meeting between the two governments, below the secretary of state level, will be in June in St. Petersburg.
Before making a final decision on allowing the Russians to reoccupy the compounds, the administration is examining possible restrictions on Russian activities there, including removing the diplomatic immunity the properties previously enjoyed. Without immunity, the facilities would be treated as any other buildings in the United States and would not be barred to entry by U.S. law enforcement, according to people who spoke on the condition anonymity to discuss sensitive diplomatic matters.
Any concessions to Moscow could prove controversial while administration and former Trump campaign officials are under congressional and special counsel investigation for alleged ties to Russia.
Changes in the administration’s official posture toward the compounds come as Russian media recently suggested that Kislyak, about to leave Washington after serving as ambassador since 2008, may be proposed by the Kremlin to head a new position as U.N. undersecretary general for counterterrorism.
Kislyak, who met and spoke during the campaign and transition with President Trump’s former national security adviser Michael Flynn, Trump’s White House adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and others, is known to be interested in the post. His replacement as ambassador, current Deputy Foreign Minister Anatoly Antonov, was confirmed last month by the Russian Duma, or parliament. Officials in Moscow said Russian President Vladi•mir Putin will officially inform Trump of the new ambassador when the two meet in July, at the Group of 20 summit in Hamburg. It will be Trump’s first meeting with Putin as president.
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[url="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/trump-administration-moves-to-return-russian-compounds-in-maryland-and-new-york/2017/05/31/3c4778d2-4616-11e7-98cd-af64b4fe2dfc_story.html?utm_term=.2e972c623086"]The Washington Post[/url]
Nope. Absolutely no bad optics here.
Too early, I think. I'd wait until the ongoing farce has subsided to normalize relations like this.
[QUOTE=Chonch;52297898]Too early, I think. I'd wait until the ongoing farce has subsided to normalize relations like this.[/QUOTE]
Yeah I agree, this farce of a presidency should end first.
[QUOTE]
Early last month, the Trump administration told the Russians it would consider turning the properties back over to them if Moscow would lift its freeze, imposed in 2014 in retaliation for U.S. sanctions related to Ukraine, on construction of a new U.S. consulate on a certain parcel of land in St. Petersburg.
Two days later, the U.S. position changed. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak at a meeting in Washington, that the United States had dropped any linkage between the compounds and the consulate, according to several people with knowledge of the exchanges.[/QUOTE]
We have the best deals folks. Also, I can see how Tillerson earned that Friendship medal from Russia.
[editline]31st May 2017[/editline]
[QUOTE=Chonch;52297898]Too early, I think. I'd wait until the ongoing farce has subsided to normalize relations like this.[/QUOTE]
Trump is never going to escape the specter of Russia, which is why he probably did it now.
:speechless: This guy isn't even trying to hide it anymore. I don't know whether to laugh or to be angry.
[QUOTE=BlindSniper17;52297977]:speechless: This guy isn't even trying to hide it anymore. I don't know whether to laugh or to be angry.[/QUOTE]
I'm laughing. The guy who campaigned on making good deals for America made a deal where Russia and America both benefit then two days later tells Russia not to worry about their end of it.
[editline]31st May 2017[/editline]
Though I guess there is this.
[QUOTE]Senior Tillerson adviser R. C. Hammond said that “the U.S. and Russia have reached no agreements.” He said the next senior level meeting between the two governments, below the secretary of state level, will be in June in St. Petersburg.[/QUOTE]
