Russia’s Foreign Ministry on Syria, Afghanistan, Political Prisoners and the Skripals
by Stephen Lendman
Positive developments in Syria are offset by US rage for endless war and regime change, along with maintaining illegal bases in the country – wanting control over territory and surrounding areas they occupy.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova (MZ below) said Damascus began “implementing…measures on encouraging repatriation and easing the reintegration process for Syrian citizens returning back home from abroad.”
They include “simplified passport and customs control formalities, provision of social and medical services, assistance in continuing education and in employment as well as easy-term loans.”
“The Syrian authorities with support from the Russian military continue de-mining, clearing debris, and restoring social and economic infrastructure.”
“Since the beginning of the month, 14 repaired hospitals have been opened in Eastern Ghouta and Eastern Qalamoun.”
“In the past week, residents of 15 towns and villages got access to qualified medical aid in the Damascus Governorate alone.”
All of the above developments are positive. Major issues remain unresolved, including tens of thousands of US-supported terrorists continuing to commit atrocities – supported and encouraged by Washington and its imperial partners.
Russia’s air defense systems downed 45 foreign-supplied drones to ISIS and other terrorists. They continue abducting hundreds of Syrian civilians, using them as human shields.
Northeast and southwest parts of the country remain illegally occupied by US military forces – aiding terrorists, supplying them with arms and other material support.
Syria’s largest refugee camp for internally displaced nationals is “inaccessible to (government) authorities and UN staff – hundreds of US-supported ISIS, al-Nusra, and other terrorists holding its residents hostage as human shields.
Washington began “restoring and upgrading oil-producing infrastructure in the northeast of Syria and essentially began plundering Syria’s national wealth,” MZ explained.
She discussed “ ‘unidentified’ helicopters (surely Pentagon ones) deliver(ing) arms and ammunition to local ISIS militants and the Taliban cooperating with this terrorist group” – part of longstanding US policy to arm, fund, train and direct terrorist fighters in its war theaters.
Afghan and US-dominated NATO officials are silent about what’s going on.
MZ asked: “It is legitimate to ask, who is behind these flights? Who is arming the terrorists and secretly creating their bases near the southern borders of the CIS? Why is this happening if NATO command is effectively in control of Afghanistan’s airspace?”
There’s no ambiguity about what’s going on, US dirty hands behind it.
Russian political prisoner Maria Butina was arrested and detained in mid-July by US authorities, falsely accused of acting as an unregistered Kremlin foreign agent.
She’s isolated under harsh conditions, her requests for urgently needed medical treatment denied, adversely affecting her health.
MZ: “Once again, we demand that Maria Butina immediately be given full medical assistance and that her politically motivated criminal proceedings be ceased.”
“We hope that the international community will take note of the degrading and arbitrary treatment of Maria Butina by US law enforcement. We will continue to defend her rights and lawful interests.”
In 2010, Russian national Konstantin Yaroshenko was abducted by US agents in Liberia. He’s illegally held on false charges at Danbury, CT federal prison.
Years of harsh treatment adversely affected his health, essential medical care denied him. Russia’s New York consulate is doing what it can to provide aid and comfort to his wife and daughter – now in America, hoping to see him after years of separation.
MZ: “We will continue pressing for our citizen’s legal rights and interests to be observed and for his speediest return to his homeland.”
Since last March, Moscow was denied information about and access to Russian nationals Sergey and Yulia Skripal – the Kremlin falsely accused of harming them, the alleged poisoning incident a US/UK-staged false flag to vilify Russia for what it had nothing to do with.
MZ: “We continue to strongly insist on an independent, objective and transparent investigation into the Salisbury and Amesbury incidents. We reiterate our willingness to work jointly on the case.”
Britain and Washington continue holding Moscow responsible for their own high crimes – how imperial works wherever its ugliness surfaces.
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