Center for Citizen Initiatives

Bringing Russian and American citizens together in Peace since 1983.

RMMA is Moving Ahead Successfully!

Dear CCI Friends,

Please check this URL for an interesting and relatively short analysis on today’s Cold War:https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/west-and-russia-no-new-cold-war-by-sergei-karaganov-2018-03

It is from the Russian perspective, which calmly looks at the situation as something that has already happened and its major players are reacting/adjusting to what is in motion. It is a totally different assessment than that of the U.S.

Sergei Karaganov is Dean of the School of International Economics and Foreign Affairs at the National Research University Higher School of Economics in Moscow, and Honorary Chairman of Russia’s Council on Foreign and Defense Policy.

Sharon (signature)
Sharon Tennison
Center for Citizen Initiatives

FYI: The Russians (RMMA) are coming to the Bay Area tomorrow. They will stay with me and will be transported to various locations for discussions in my trusty Prius. We will then travel to Washington DC for meetings. From now until April 15, I’ll scan emails but answer only immediate needs. Hope to continue to send major articles, likely without forewords, in addition to RMMA reports “from the road.”

Wish us well!

 

Photos from Texas!

Lena from the Urals, Natasha from Krasnador, Tatyana from Crimea

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The Skripals and Novichok

Friends,

The whole of “non-mainstream media” and the investigative journalists are questioning the legitimacy of this latest scare tactic. It doesn’t make sense. Please read below.

Sharon (signature)
Sharon Tennison
Center for Citizen Initiatives

The BlogMire
March 20, 2018

30 Questions That Journalists Should be Asking About the Skripal Case

by Rob Slane

 

There are a lot of issues around the case of Sergei and Yulia Skripal which, at the time of writing, are very unclear and rather odd. There may well be good and innocent explanations for some or even all of them. Then again there may not. This is why it is crucial for questions to be asked where, as yet, there are either no answers or deeply unsatisfactory ones.

Some people will assume that this is conspiracy theory territory. It is not that, for the simple reason that I have no credible theory — conspiracy or otherwise — to explain all the details of the incident in Salisbury from start to finish, and I am not attempting to forward one. I have no idea who was behind this incident, and I continue to keep an open mind to a good many possible explanations.

However, there are a number of oddities in the official narrative, which do demand answers and clarifications. You don’t have to be a conspiracy theorist or a defender of the Russian state to see this. You just need a healthy scepticism, “of a type developed by all inquiring minds!”

Below are 30 of the most important questions regarding the case and the British Government’s response, which are currently either wholly unanswered, or which require clarification.

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RMMA – Brief Report from Atlanta

Hi CCI Followers!

The first delegation of Russians Meet Mainstream Americans! (RMMA-pronounced Rama) is in flight from Atlanta to Dallas. Four Russian women from four different Russian regions met for the first time at the Moscow Airport. They flew to Atlanta where they were picked up by CCI board member Don Chapman and his wife Julie and whisked off to their large, two-story ranch home on acreage at the edge of Newnan. Two families hosted them, the Chapman’s being one of them.

Early the next morning they were at Newnan High School speaking with upper classman students who had no hesitation in asking questions. Don reports that a lively exchange took place: “Our youth aren’t hampered with past stereotypes like the older generation. They are looking toward the future.” From there on, the Chapman van moved from meeting to meeting, day after day.

The Newnan Rotary Club hosted them where a leading Rotarian in the city placed them at different tables to meet with as many Rotarians as possible. Lena Novomeyskaya from Yekaterinburg took Rotary to her city many years ago. That club is stellar (I am an honorary member) and since then Lena has taken Rotary to other Ural mountain cities where the Rotary concept has become solidly ensconced.

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Putin and Trump Speak, Will Meet Soon

Sputnik International
March 20, 2018

Putin, Trump Stress Importance of Limiting Arms Race, Will Meet Soon

US President Donald Trump has congratulated Vladimir Putin on his win in Sunday’s presidential election in Russia. In addition, the presidents held a phone conversation on a number of burning issues in world politics.

On Russia-US Relations

“The presidents spoke in favor of developing a practical interaction in various areas, including the issues of strategic stability and combating international terrorism. In particular, the sides emphasized the importance of coordinated efforts in limiting the arms race,” Kremlin said, commenting the phone conversation held by Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.

Trump congratulated Vladimir Putin on his victory in the presidential elections in Russia. The phone conversation took place at the initiative of the American side, according to Moscow.

Following the phone call Donald Trump said that he was going to meet with the Russian president in “not too distant future.”

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We Launch RMMA with the Following Announcement

Russians Meet Mainstream Americans! (RMMA-pronounced Rama) will launch on March 20, 2018when a delegation of four enterprising Russians arrive at the Atlanta Airport! To answer the first question usually asked … No, they have nothing to do with the Russian government, except of course that they vote.

Lena Novomeiskaya from Yekaterinburg, Natasha Ivanova from Krasnodar in the south, Tatyana Bukharina from Yalta in Crimea and Elena Ivanova from St. Petersburg will travel to the U.S. as “citizen diplomats.” They come at the invitation of the Center for Citizen Initiatives (CCI) to attend discussion groups (up to three a day) where they will answer questions, share ideas and seek solutions with counterpart American citizens. They will visit five U.S. areas: Atlanta, Dallas, Fort Worth, several cities in the San Francisco Bay Area and Washington D.C. They will live in American homes, help cook meals, be transported in family cars and have hundreds of meetings in public forums, civic clubs, homes of volunteers, state official offices and offices of Congress members.

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