Replies to post #245076 on Tornado Alley (PROG)

[fuagf]

Yep, it was totally new to me, too, and actually was thinking the suggestion wasn't totally beyond the pale as i think i've read Putin would benefit by a more relative
peace in Syria, too .. did i read somewhere the possibility of Western sanctions on Russia (on Russians) being lifted if Putin's position on Syria changed?

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EDIT: Maybe my 'easing of sanctions' mention was re this bit

Both Secretary of State John Kerry and French Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron have hinted that sanctions against Russia could be lifted in the next few months if the Minsk 2
agreements are fully implemented. Sanctions relief would be the first step in Moscow’s economic rehabilitation, though major growth would still remain a long way off.
http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=120703900

relating to Ukraine rather than Syria.
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Then there was this bit

"In November, Alexander Aksenyonok, a former Soviet ambassador
to Syria, who is still involved in political negotiations in the country, told ..
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/nov/10/syria-world-putin-bombing-russian-jet ..
the Guardian that it was unlikely Assad would be able to stay on. "
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/22/putin-denies-syria-assad-step-down-igor-sergun

in that one, too.

Gotta say a possible use of plutonium thought popped in on reading that Sergun had died ..
https://inmoscowsshadows.wordpress.com/2016/01/04/the-unexpected-death-of-russias-military-intelligence-gru-chief-igor-sergun/
fairly shortly after his Syrian visit .. was just a fleeting thought .. :).