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Tense talks between Russian ambassador and Fine Gael TD: 'You walked into Crimea and took it over'

“Of course you know much more than myself about Russia’s military in Crimea, I’m sure,” the ambassador told Barrett today.

Updated 18.00pm

THINGS GOT TENSE between Fine Gael’s Sean Barrett and the Russian Ambassador Maxim Alexandrovich Peshkov today over Russia’s actions in Ukraine and Syria.

The Russian ambassador appeared before the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs, Trade and Defence to talk about Syria, the Ukraine and other matters of mutual interest.

Forty minutes into the meeting, it was Fine Gael’s Sean Barrett’s turn to ask questions.

Crimea

Speaking about the Ukraine, he told the ambassador that Russia shouldn’t invade Crimea and then ask the people what they want.

“Which invasion?” asked the ambassador.

“The Russian invasion,” said Barrett. “You then ask the people what they want after you invade them?” he added.

“We didn’t invade Crimea,” said Peshkov.

“You walked into Crimea and took it over,” Barrett said. The Russian ambassador said there was an invasion, but it was from Kiev. He stated that “trains of friendship” were sent, full of “well-armed military and radicals” and told the people of Crimea to “behave themselves”.

“Of course you know much more than myself about Russia’s military in Crimea, I’m sure,” the ambassador told Barrett. “Try to be objective,” he added.

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Barrett questioned the ambassador about Russia’s involvement in the two countries, stating:

Why are we trying to defend the indefensible? Every part of the world has become unsettled and it is mainly due to interference by outsiders in resolving problems that are internal. What is Russia’s proposals for Syria, when do you intend on withdrawing from Syria? What is your end result for Syria? That is what I’d like to know. Equally I would like to know, what is your end result for the Ukraine? Is going to continue on and on and on?

He said the Irish people were familiar with what it is like to have other countries getting involved in Irish matters.

We in Ireland had to put up with this for many, many, many centuries. We know what it’s like.

The Dun Laoghaire TD said it was time for parties to step back and ask the question: what are we trying to achieve here?

“In the meantime thousands and thousands of people are losing their lives.

“I would like to hear from you, exactly what is the agenda for the Russian federation in terms of both of these countries?” he asked.

Role of the international community 

Following on from Barrett, Independent TD Maureen O’Sullivan said she would like to ask the US, the EU and Saudi Arabia the same question that was posed to the ambassador.

“Where is the real desire for a just peace in Syria?” asked O’Sullivan, asking the ambassador is it just the case of “keep bombing until someone throws in the towel”.

“There are going to be no winners in Syria, least of all the Syrian people,” she said.

russians

“How can it be solved? God knows. But we are doing our best,” said the ambassador.

The ambassador was also asked about flight MH17 flight that crashed in Ukraine in 2014.

The ambassador said Russia is “strictly standing on the position that an independent neutral investigation is necessary in this issue”.

From the very beginning we sent all technical data to the Netherlands. Until now we are not sure if they have any technical data from Ukrainian side – the tapes, dispatcher talks between tower and plane. We are not sure, we don’t know whether Americans gave their technical data from satellites… we gave everything to Netherlands.
We are not sure that they are using our data

He said if any more data is needed they are will hand it over.

Last month, the Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan and the Taoiseach were embroiled in controversy the Dáil was told the minister had met with the ambassador.

Kenny said Flanagan called in the Russian ambassador on 27 September, and conveyed to him the government’s criticism of recent developments in Syria.

However, it was later clarified that this was not the case and that the ambassador met with departmental officials, but not Flanagan

TheJournal.ie / YouTube

According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, Charlie Flanagan has since met with the Russian ambassador, in person, at Iveagh House, last month.

Charlie Flanagan told the Dáil recently:

The facts call into question the legitimacy of Assad’s regime, its authority, and indeed its authority to invite military support from other states.
I made that position clear in a recent meeting I had with the representative of Russia in Ireland, the Russian ambassador.

‘Take this message to your government’

Today, Committee Chairman, Brendan Smith TD, said the current situation in Syria is one which is having a devastating and wide-reaching humanitarian consequence, including the mass migration of people to Europe and beyond.

He told the ambassador that the concerns raised by committee members today are the same views echoed by the Irish people.

There is absolute disbelief that the international community can allow this carnage, this massacre of people to continue.
 We would  ask you ambassador to bring back to your own government the very serious concerns of this country in regards to this ongoing conflict that must be brought to an end as soon as possible.

FactCheck: Was Enda Kenny right about Charlie Flanagan and the Russian ambassador?>

Read: A Fine Gael TD wants the government to expel the Russian ambassador over Aleppo airstrikes> 

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93 Comments
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    Mute Fred Jensen
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    May 7th 2017, 8:10 PM

    Should have been put underground. Hopefully this will be the last large overground project in the city centre, and Metro North and other projects will all be put underground.

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    Mute Dub_Right
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    May 7th 2017, 8:44 PM

    @Fred Jensen: Would rather have Dart underground from Westland row to Heuston, with a link up to the cross town Luas lines..

    53
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    Mute Brinster
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    May 7th 2017, 9:37 PM

    @Fred Jensen:

    Dawson St Luas is an utter, utter disgrace.

    Businesses there have had to put up with continuous disruption for FOUR years.

    The Empire State Building was built in 1 year and 45 days, over 80 years ago.

    It takes us 4 years to put down 300 metres of track on Dawson St. That an average of 20 centimetres of track per day.

    Disgrace.

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    Mute Dub_Right
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    May 7th 2017, 10:10 PM

    @Brinster: Dublin is a medieval city with many underground basements, streams, crypts/historically sensitive buildings which have to be very carefully managed to ensure foundations are not affected, and have to be carefully worked around by archaeologists and not some polish lad in a JCB..

    It’s not like in say London or German/European cities which were pretty much destroyed completely or heavily damaged in the war, and allowed city planners to build underground or overground rail from a blank canvas.

    59
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    Mute Ron Koeman
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    May 7th 2017, 10:13 PM

    @Brinster: absolute joke Dubai have the same system and put it round a whole city in half the time and there’s no accidents either

    34
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    Mute Dub_Right
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    May 7th 2017, 10:34 PM

    @Ron Koeman: Dubai = Massive blank canvas, all new buildings and roads in that city…They have 12 lane motorways through the city centre!
    Also Pre-Oil Dubai in the 1930′s and 40′s was full of shacks and small stone buildings.

    Not a fair comparison to Dublin, even though you may think so as they kinda sound the same, lol!

    54
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    Mute Mary Murphy
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    May 7th 2017, 11:48 PM

    @Fred Jensen: No doubt it will all be dug up again for a variety of reasons due to no joined up thinking……and in less than six years

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    Mute Krystian Brzezowski
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    May 8th 2017, 7:38 AM

    @Dub_Right: really? Some Polish lad in JCB? What that supposed to mean? Anyway those medieval crypts basements etc. where filled prior to the construction, construction of tracks itself is taking huge amount of time. What is the excuse for taking so long on O’Connell street? Same crypts?

    16
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    Mute Brinster
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    May 8th 2017, 9:10 AM

    @Dub_Right:

    Four years! Four flippin years.

    And I wouldn’t mind if it was four years of continuous construction. I would n’t mind if it took four years for engineering/architectural reasons.

    But it didn’t.

    It has taken four whole years of continuous disruption because at no time (and I work round the corner) has there been more than 10 people working on site on any given day.

    Despite the fact that most of the street is dug up most of the time – most of the “works” are idle for literally months on end.

    15
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    Mute Grainne Abdulaziz
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    May 7th 2017, 8:10 PM

    I’ve bought two penis pumps from Moore Street establishments in the past year, both excellent quality. It’s a shame their businesses are being affected like this.

    160
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    Mute The Viking
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    May 7th 2017, 8:22 PM

    @Grainne Abdulaziz: Jazus Grainne.. Surprised to hear you have a penis. Then again i dont think you could enlarge the size of your dick ..

    59
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    Mute Paddy Downey
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    May 7th 2017, 8:35 PM

    I remember businesses in Harcourt Street complaining about the devastating effects the Lúas works were having on them back a few years. Nobody in authority cared then and nobody in authority cares now.

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    Mute Jason Culligan
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    May 7th 2017, 8:41 PM

    @Paddy Downey: Why should they? Should all national infrastructure projects be cancelled if they inconvenience a few people?

    133
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    Mute Dub_Right
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    May 7th 2017, 8:48 PM

    @Paddy Downey: Copper Face Jacks was hit really bad by the lack of lads in the GAA jerseys… Oh wait…

    39
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    Mute Tony Stack
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    May 7th 2017, 8:41 PM

    And now they will make a fortune once it gets going , swings & roundabouts

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    Mute HoneySmuggler617
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    May 7th 2017, 8:16 PM

    A bit late now considering there finished in a few months. No sympathy anyways

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    Mute filthypete
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    May 7th 2017, 8:20 PM

    @HoneySmuggler617: poor attempt.

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    Mute Fergal Doyle
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    May 8th 2017, 12:34 AM

    @HoneySmuggler617: Clown

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    Mute Dub_Right
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    May 7th 2017, 8:33 PM

    “Really affecting my Deli business”… Cue all the lads from the Luas works outside coming in to buy a Chicken fillet roll, can of coke, crisps, packet of fags… Yea.. terrible for the business! lol!

    104
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    Mute Atlantean Irish
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    May 8th 2017, 12:51 AM

    But the works on Parnell street only got going in terms of them being an obstructive presence late last year. And vehicles can still travel down Parnell and Moore street, plus it is packed with people.

    Parnell and Moore street is packed mostly now with foreigners, both shoppers and shop owners, there is a muslim butchers in the back of a muslim grocery shop, not sure if still open.

    But the question arises, is the lack of custom to the Irish butcher due to the Luas or lack of customers due to different food habits of foreign customers or not eating non-halal meat or competition?

    32
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    Mute Paul
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    May 8th 2017, 1:04 AM

    @Atlantean Irish: keep that quiet, another half arsed job from the Journal.

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    Mute Anne Honer
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    May 7th 2017, 9:53 PM

    Monday to Friday between Houston station and town it’s full of junkies attendi

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    Mute Sandra Clifford
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    May 7th 2017, 9:12 PM

    It will be just another junkie ridden luas

    62
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    Mute Mary Murphy
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    May 7th 2017, 11:51 PM

    @Sandra Clifford: exactly eying up the windows on the houses they can visit in their own time and on our dime

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    Mute Anne Honer
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    May 7th 2017, 9:53 PM

    Court it’s scary

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    Mute Steve Tracey
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    May 8th 2017, 10:24 AM

    Not to do with effects onsses no it will because people cant cross roads or get on/off buxses conveniently/. Due to the fencing there is no way of getting on or off buses going north incl Airport from Fosters Place to just past the GPO. This also applies to taxis, very few gaps where the road can be crossed by pedestrians

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    Mute Marie Byrne
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    May 9th 2017, 12:33 AM

    To be honest I don’t come into town at all on principle because the parking charges are so high. I can pay for parking but choose not too. I can go to plenty of shopping centres with no parking or a minimum charge to get what I want I don’t want the stores to be hit but would seriously love the car parks who charge exorbitant rates to suffer they have well made their money – but not off me

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    Mute Said Babayev
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    May 8th 2017, 8:19 AM

    @Anne Honer: Is that the one in Texas?

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