Was Putin Selling Or Begging?

Rasputin Putin

Mr. Putin was in Canada in December of 2000. His welcome was not too enthusiastic, but his begging and selling got the nod from the TNCs. We're talking about loans, selling oil and gas rights to the greedy tycoons. It's a great come-on-get-rich scheme that the TNCs are even trying in Canada, besides the Caspian rich oil and gas fields in Russia. The TNCs are greedy for electricity, gas, oil, coal, wood, all arm sales and of course investments to enslave the so-called "friends."

Among the large retinue with Mr. Putin was one Chilingarov, the present speaker of the Russian Duma… a former President of the USSR-Canada Society, assistant to Valentina Tereshkova, the former Chairperson of the Union of Soviet Friendship Societies. He was in Canada many, many times, hosted by our Canada-USSR Association, a friend of Michael Lucas, President and Editor respectively. You would think that this present Russian "capitalist" market economist would at least have the courage of his convictions to either visit the Toronto Friendship House or a telephone call to say "Hello!"

But what can you expect when a person becomes a turncoat. We wonder whether he still wears the "Order of Lenin" medal that he received... or is this medal also for sale?

They (TNCs) set up organizations in Canada and elsewhere, asking ordinary citizens to volunteer to the community and also to donate money to the Energy Funds for the "poor countries" while the TNC executives and shareholders bask in the sun, on the beaches of Caribbean Islands and sighing in unison as the waves wash their feet about the plight of poor countries and people as Russia.

They lobby the governments of their respective countries for subsidies (as they did propose to Putin) to give subsidies for exploration while they have the biggest shares in the enterprise. After these rights are given, then they start explorations and the money flows into the pockets of the rich while the people are in the same place as before!

Mr. Putin came in pretending that he is in charge of a world power and the media just snickered at him. Begging for money is meant to say that: "Yes, I'm willing to sell my soul and country, as long as the price is right!"

History had many examples of these "beggars" who ruled for a while and then the people threw them into the trashcan of history.

Ukraine's Parliament debated the disappearance of a prominent journalist Georgeiy Gongadze who had a news website which strongly criticized Kuchma's government. The parliament wants to sack the interior minister and the chief of security police. The charge is that the body that was found outside of Kiev is that of Gongadze, while the police and security forces deny the accusation.

This comes as the IMF is discussing the frozen $2.6 billion lending program to Ukraine. But the vote was only a slim majority (231 for sacking the interior minister and the police chief - the chamber has 450 deputies.) Kuchma, according to the present laws in effect, does not have to listen to the Ukrainian parliament.

Oh yes... "independent" Ukraine is really "democratic!"

It is now correct to state that NATO is pressing Ukraine to speed-up the overhaul of its armed forces. Ukraine wants close relations with NATO.

NATO looks at Ukraine as a strategic "counterbalance" to Russia. Minister of Defense of Ukraine, Anatoli Zlenko met in Brussels with the NATO brass and said that it is in our "national interest and national security" to cooperate with NATO. NATO is going to retrain all Ukrainian officers, to get them to forget all of the Soviet-styled training. In a joint statement by NATO and Ukraine it stated: "we have an ambitious work plan" for 2001 that emphasizes "political consulting and cooperation" which includes defense against an external enemy (Russia of course - Editor).

All of the above is by Agence France Presse

* Over 2,000 teachers and medical personnel are losing their jobs in "independent" Turkmenia. This was the order issued by President Saparmural Niyazov. This dictator rules Turkmenistan of 5,000,000 with an iron fist as in the middle ages.

The admission to higher learning by the people is now being cut drastically, after the president made this statement: "training of specialists from the people are of no use to anyone." The government allows into medicines (from the newly rich) only 240 students while under the Soviet Union there were thousands of medical students graduating as doctors.

* Russia is in discussion with President Bush on policy matters. "Putin is satisfied with the Duma which supported his budget re forms.

* Putin stated that Washington has a positive dialogue with Russia on security.

* NATO has established a permanent office in Moscow. "Putin shall not mix into the Gusinsky affair, who is on trial in 4 countries, although he considers Gusinsky his "friend."

* The Commander of Russia's defense forces is proposing a cutback, on the insistence of the USA.

* The Russian Orthodox Church is represented at the inner council advising Putin.

* Moscow's mayor and British betting consortium sign a deal for a very large race track betting emporium in Moscow.

* According to an energy official, it is predicted that Russia will have an energy crisis in 2003-2005.

* U.S. sees Kazakhstan as its strategic partner for oil exploration and shipment via a new pipeline that will eliminate the Russian pipeline already in use.

* France is going to "modernize" Soviet made MIGs.

* The Russian Duma is considering removing Lenin's body from the Red Square Lenin Mausoleum.

Click here to return to February 2001 index.