17 Comments

Karl I noted your link to the UN special rapporteur - this is more than interesting, it is largely ignored

This aspect of sanctions is very rarely mentioned – but it is well known that sanctions not authorised by the UN are indeed illegal

Just as it is well established that Central Bank and State assets are protected under international law

Both legal norms have been flouted by the US and the EU – with all manner of specious arguments, flagrantly specious, and on both occasions have back fired against the perpetrators, even if in the case of the CBR assets the stolen plunder/booty is not yet quite carried off

Will you publish this report, Press Conference?

If not, will you allow me to write a comment into the Simplicius substack?

Expand full comment

Good point about the legality of sanctions. It’s easy to forget.

Expand full comment

As with all international law, as with state asset confiscation, the UN resolutions are not as clear cut as they should be

Leaving the US and the EU leeway to impose sanctions

This Press Conference, presumably to be followed up with a report, by the Special Rapporteur of the UN, Alena Douhan, reminds everyone that all sanctions are imposed within a framework established by the UN, by international law, and are not to be imposed at will at random and without regard for norms

The trouble is that both US and EU were used to behaving with impunity - in the case of Russia and China they are being punished

Expand full comment

I wrote a short essay last year about how nations could kill the illegal sanctions by just saying no to following them. That there's more than sufficient weight in the Global Majority to make that possible. And killing the illegal sanctions is the main aim of the new international monetary system that removes the Western choke-points that enable illegal sanctions to work and/or threaten.

As for your writing something elsewhere, please go ahead as I have no copyright to the Global Times article. And as for citing anything I specifically write, just provide proper attribution.

Expand full comment

Dear Karl -thanks for your reply

I missed your essay last year on sanctions....

The courage to say no is/will be a long time in coming from the RoW, but there are increasing signs of increasing confidence as witness this new level of solidarity on the part of VVP and X Jingping

It will - still - take more time, but it is coming

Of course I will write out that you attached the link and pointed out it's significance

As far as I know this is the first time that a UN official has commented on this round of either Russian or China sanctions

- The fact they do not work as wished should be lesson enough for the 'West', but of course it has to be spelled out

It is one thing to sanction the Central African Republic....

I will try to cook up a pertinent few sentences and attach to the article

Regards GW

Expand full comment

hey, i know what you mean about the photographs... these photographers are fairly boring and do the predictable things - taking endless pics of putin, lol... it would be interesting if they broke out of that box, but i don't expect it to happen!

i get exhausted thinking of all the events putin goes to.... his stamina level must be truly amazing... i get dizzy thinking of how much he participates in, let alone doing it!! hopefully he has some down time..

thanks for your work karl..

Expand full comment

Did you watch the video of his inauguration? The first half-hour is exhausting with all the walking done by him! For me that was the most impressive part of the show. The video's at this page, http://kremlin.ru/events/president/news/73981

Expand full comment

okay - i watched some of it... i like the building with all the yellow glitter... wonder what that is called... he seems to be favouring his right side... it appears like some of his body mechanics are off on the right side.. it is very slight, but watching him walk, this is what i am picking up.. there is some stiffness in his right side and it doesn't swing as much as his left... probably something minor, but yes - a lot of walking thru those throngs of people!

Expand full comment

From his office though to Kremlin's long corridors down the stairs to get to his car. Quite a workout just to arrive at the ceremony.

Expand full comment
Comment deleted
May 18
Comment deleted
Expand full comment

you might be right about copyright issues...the right side issue is very minor, but it seems he favours it..

Expand full comment
Comment deleted
May 18Edited
Comment deleted
Expand full comment

right!! what you say all makes sense...

Expand full comment

i didn't! maybe i will.. thanks!

Expand full comment

Oh, and the military band does play music.

Expand full comment

i have heard some of that.. in fact, i listened to that link that paco shared at moa of the russian anthem which was quite interesting..

Expand full comment

Thanks Karl - Westies MSM will not be shedding any light on Harbin, nor on any of the other cultural aspects

But it is places like Harbin is where it happens, the real work, and VVP is indefatigable when it comes to these 'details', which are the facts on the ground

Let alone the chance for another of his famous history lessons!

These are great - all the more annoying that this photographers do not listen to him and take photgraphs of the history installations

I remeber the westie reaction to the the Tucker Carlson interview - every one and his dog complained about the history lesson - but what else serves as an explanation of what just happened, how and why?

Expand full comment

It's better to highlight the events that built solidarity than those that caused division, although they too are part of history.

Expand full comment

It all reminds of the early days of the new Western states derived from Europe, an anything possible spirit, innovation and drive. Now just corpses being picked dry by the financial class. There can be little doubt where the advanced and wealthier states will be in the future.

Expand full comment