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WORLD NEWS A9
Friday 12 January 2018
Russia dismisses Democratic US Senate report as unfounded
By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV alleged meddling leveled Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a meeting with Russian journalists in Moscow,
ANGELA CHARLTON against our country are ab- Russia, Thursday, Jan. 11, 2018.
Associated Press solutely unfounded.”
MOSCOW (AP) — The Krem- Speaking in a conference (Alexei Druzhinin, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
lin on Thursday dismissed a call Thursday with reporters,
new report by U.S. Senate Peskov said that “such par- sense. There has been no political issues and affairs; tion to unreliable informa-
Democrats describing Rus- anoid concerns not only collusion, no interference our American friends espe- tion about our intervention,
sian interference in the U.S. hurt bilateral relations, but on our part.” “No one likes cially do not like it,” Putin how sharp it is, I would even
and throughout Europe as the U.S. itself.” interference in their internal said. “We see their reac- say how aggressive it is.” q
unfounded and President “When it grows into an ob-
Vladimir Putin accused the session, it doesn’t create
United States of “aggres- comfortable conditions
sive” overreaction. Some for normal social develop-
European politicians said ment and life,” he said.
they are mindful of Mos- Speaking at a televised
cow’s meddling. meeting with Russian news-
The 200-page report com- paper editors, Putin point-
missioned by Sen. Ben Car- ed at what he described
din of Maryland, the top as U.S. meddling in other
Democrat on the Senate countries’ affairs, adding
Foreign Relations Commit- that “if they poke their nose
tee, is the first from Con- everywhere they must be
gress to detail alleged able to respond to certain
Russian efforts to under- challenges they provoke
mine democracies since themselves.” “But please
the 2016 U.S. presidential don’t interpret it like a rec-
election. Commenting on ognition of our meddling,
the report, Putin’s spokes- we haven’t meddled,” he
man, Dmitry Peskov, said added. “I want to under-
that “the accusations of line again — it’s sheer non-
Jailed Catalan separatists pledge to eschew unilateral moves
By CIARAN GILES A ruling from Judge Pablo government still is running cuss what was said during Puigdemont, who fled to
ARITZ PARRA LLarena is not expected Catalonia. the closed-door hearings. Belgium to avoid arrest for
Associated Press Thursday. Sanchez and Cuixart had The lawyers said Sanchez his part in the secession bid,
MADRID (AP) — Three Forn was one of several been jailed earlier on pro- acknowledged that the will return to Barcelona to
backers of Catalonia’s in- regional ministers jailed on visional sedition charges Oct. 1 referendum was not resume office.
dependence sought Thurs- provisional charges of re- related to preparations for legally valid. Forn, who as Puigdemont, who was oust-
day to get released from bellion after the regional an Oct. 1 independence interior minister oversaw ed as part of the Spanish
jail for their role in the re- parliament unilaterally — referendum, which Spain’s Catalonia’s security and government’s takeover of
gion’s push to break from and unsuccessfully — de- Constitutional Court had its regional police, said he Catalonia, risks being de-
Spain, which triggered the clared Catalonia an inde- suspended. would not accept the post tained if he comes back,
country’s worst political cri- pendent republic Oct. 27. All three supporters of Cata- again, if he were asked to. as do four other ex-ministers
sis in decades. The action prompted the lan independence told the Developments surrounding who fled with him.
Former Catalan interior Spanish government in Ma- judge they would oppose Catalonia have gripped Meanwhile, Carme For-
minister, Joaquim Forn, drid to remove the region’s further unilateral moves to Spain for months, and the cadell, another promi-
Jordi Sanchez, a member government from office, secede and act in accor- tumult is showing no sign of nent pro-independence
of pro-independence civic dissolve the parliament dance with Spanish law, letting up before the new lawmaker re-elected last
group National Catalan As- and call a fresh election according to lawyers famil- parliament’s first session on month, said Thursday she
sembly, and Catalan activ- that was held last month. iar with the proceedings. Wednesday. will not seek re-election as
ist Jordi Cuixart made their Sanchez and Forn were The lawyers requested A major question mark the regional parliament’s
cases to a Spain Supreme elected on separatist par- anonymity because they hangs over whether former speaker when the cham-
Court judge. ty tickets, but the Spanish weren’t authorized to dis- regional President Carles ber sits next week.q
