Page 10 - aruba-today-20161231

A10 WORLD NEWS
Saturday 31 december 2016
Putin says Russia won’t expel diplomats; Trump offers praise

JOSH LEDERMAN tions,” said Obama, who
NATALIYA VASILYEVA was vacationing in Hawaii.
Associated Press Yet the sanctions could
MOSCOW (AP) — President easily be pulled back by
Vladimir Putin castigated Trump, who has insisted
the United States on Friday that Obama and Demo-
for trying to punish Russia crats are merely attempt-
but said his country will not ing to delegitimize his elec-
immediately retaliate and tion.
instead will wait for a new Russian Prime Minister Dmit-
U.S. approach by Donald ry Medvedev charged ear-
Trump. The president-elect lier on Friday that Washing-
praised Putin’s move and ton has become immersed
called him “very smart.” in “anti-Russian death
Putin said no U.S. diplomats throes.”
will be ousted in retalia- Medvedev, who focused
tion for President Barack on improving U.S.-Russia
Obama’s decision to im- ties when he was president
pose sanctions and expel from 2008-2012, called the
Russian diplomats over al- latest diplomatic breach
legations of Russian med- “sad” in a Twitter post.
dling in the American presi- U.S. relations with Rus-
dential election. The Rus- sia have suffered during
sian leader said he reserves Obama’s presidency as
the right to hit back in the he and Putin tussled over
future, but suggested it will Ukraine, Edward Snowden
be unnecessary because Russian President Vladimir Putin holds a sword while listening an explanations from the head of and Russia’s support for Syr-
he expects to work with Russian First Channel Konstantin Ernst, during his meeting with the historical action film Viking’s ian President Bashar Assad.
Trump’s administration to crew, in Moscow, Russia, Friday, Dec. 30, 2016. Viking is a historical action film based on the his- Maria Zakharova, a Rus-
improve U.S.-Russia ties. torical document Primary Chronicle and Icelandic Kings’ sagas. Associated Press sian foreign ministry spokes-
Still, Putin called Obama’s woman, took to Facebook
move a “provocation further fueling the burgeon- the Kremlin.” Russia’s government had to call the Obama admin-
aimed at further undermin- ing controversy over what New Year’s Eve has been threatened retaliation, and istration “a group of foreign
ing Russian-American re- the Obama administration the main holiday in Russia it continues to deny U.S. policy losers, angry and ig-
lations” less than a month says was a cyberattack since Soviet times. Russians accusations that it hacked norant.”
before Trump takes of- against America’s political celebrate Christmas on and stole emails to try to As part of the punishment
fice. In addition to sanc- system. Jan. 7. help Trump win. leveled against Moscow,
tions targeting Russian spy Putin’s decision to hold off Putin appeared to aim at Trump said the U.S. should the U.S. kicked out 35 Rus-
agencies, the U.S. kicked on retaliation came as a playing a long game and move on, but in a sign he sian diplomats in response
35 Russian diplomats out of surprise; tit-for-tat expul- made a barbed remind- was no longer totally brush- to Russia’s harassment of
the U.S. and said they were sions are common prac- er that Obama is a lame ing off the allegations, he U.S. diplomats. Russian rec-
spies. tice, and Foreign Minister duck. said he plans to meet with reational compounds in
Trump’s reaction, as it of- Sergey Lavrov had sug- Dmitry Trenin, director of the U.S. intelligence leaders New York and Maryland
ten does, came via Twitter. gested hours before that Carnegie Moscow Center, next week to learn more. that U.S. officials said were
“Great move on delay (by Russia would oust 31 Ameri- called the response “a dif- Obama’s sanctions tar- being used for intelligence
V. Putin),” Trump tweeted. can diplomats. ferent kind of tit-for-tat” in geted the GRU and FSB, were also shut down.
“I always knew he was very “The Russian diplomats re- a tweet: “Even as Obama the Russian intelligence It was the strongest action
smart!” turning home will spend seeks to constrain Trump agencies the U.S. said were the Obama administration
He pinned the tweet to the the New Year holidays with in his Russia policy, Pu- involved in the hacking at- has taken in response to
top of his Twitter page so their relatives and dear tin counters that step with a tacks. In an elaborately co- an alleged cyberattack,
that it would remain there ones,” Putin said in a state- show of magnanimity.” ordinated response by at and it was more compre-
prominently and indefinite- ment published on the The diplomatic confronta- least five federal agencies, hensive than last year’s
ly even after other tweets Kremlin website. “We will tion between Washington the Obama administra- sanctions on North Korea
are sent. not create problems for and Moscow, which had tion also sought to expose after the hacking of Sony
The move by the incom- U.S. diplomats. We will not been festering even before Russia’s cyber tactics with Pictures Entertainment. The
ing president to side with a expel anybody.” Trump won the Nov. 8 presi- a detailed technical re- new penalties add to exist-
foreign adversary over the He added: “Moreover, I dential election, puts pres- port and hinted it might still ing U.S. sanctions over Rus-
sitting president was a dra- am inviting all children of sure on the billionaire busi- launch a covert counterat- sia’s annexation of Crimea
matic departure from typi- U.S. diplomats accredited nessman not to let Russia tack. and support for separatists
cal diplomatic practice, in Russia to the New Year off the hook after he takes “All Americans should be in eastern Ukraine.
and Christmas parties at office on Jan. 20. alarmed by Russia’s ac-