Turkey, Qatar turn to Russia as untrusted US/Israeli Middle East empire wanes

What Really Happened to Paul on the Road to Damascus? Acts 9: 1-19. https://www.lds.org/bible-videos/vide... Russia successfully sells 19.5% of Rosneft, big boost for Vladimir Putin Alexander Mercouris December 8, 2016, 4:13 pm 6 1,270 Russia's successful sale of 19.5% of the shares of the state oil company Rosneft for $10.5 billion to the international oil trader Glencore and to the sovereign wealth fund of Qatar is another blow to Western sanctions and a vote of confidence in Russia's economy. http://theduran.com/big-boost-vladimi... Defying the predictions of some Western analysts, and despite sanctions, Russia has pulled off another coup, successfully selling for $10.5 billion a 19.5% stake in the state owned oil company Rosneft. The fact that Glencore and Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund have bought a stake in Rosneft is first and foremost a vote of confidence in Russia and in its economy. Moscow Declaration: Russia, Turkey and Iran Join Together to End Syria’s Tragedy http://www.strategic-culture.org/news... December 20 will go down in history as a memorable day to turn the tide of Syria’s conflict. Russia, Turkey and Iran adopted a declaration on the immediate steps to promote the settlement of the Syria’s crisis. The three countries agreed to take on the role of guarantors to facilitate the process preserving the territorial integrity of Syria and spreading the cessation of hostilities to all parts of the country. Other states are welcome to join. The declaration is just a start, the efforts by the three parties will continue. The document was signed by the three countries’ foreign and defense chiefs at the December 20 meeting in Moscow. Russia, Iran and Turkey will fight together Islamic State, Jabhat al-Nusra (Jabhat Fatah al-Sham) and other extremist groups. The parties are ready to mediate a deal between the Syrian government and opposition. They considered the proposal of Russian President to convene a meeting between the Syrian regime and opposition groups in the Kazakh capital of Astana, taking the crisis management process into their hands to achieve real results - something international efforts in other formats have failed to do. Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev discussed the possibility of a meeting between the Syrian conflicting parties in Astana with the presidents of Russia and Turkey on December 17. It mirrors the understanding that a political solution can only be worked out in cooperation with the Syrian government. President Bashar al-Assad has consolidated his power despite US calls for him «to go». Russia. Iran and Turkey are the leading pertinent actors who can really influence the events on the ground in Syria. The effort is undertaken after the hopes to reach an agreement with the US and the coalition it leads have been dashed. No result has been so far reached within the framework of UN-brokered International Syria Support Group. The tripartite talks were held after Aleppo had been retaken from the militants to change the situation in the war-torn country. Russia, Iran and Turkey were parties to a ceasefire agreement there. The truce allowed to evacuate tens of thousands of civilians and the militants who have agreed to stop fighting and be transferred elsewhere. This successful initiative provides an impetus to enlarging the effort to other parts of Syria. Russia and Turkey said the assassination of Moscow’s ambassador to Ankara, Andrei Karlov, will not affect their relationship as both countries face the common threat. During the December 20 meeting, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the tragedy would «make all of us fight terrorism more decisively». A team of Russian investigators has been sent to Turkey for taking part in a joint investigation into the shooting. The top Russian diplomat said his meeting with the Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu,, was now «all the more relevant.» Dmitry Peskov, Russian president’s spokesman, said the assassination would not harm the negotiation process in any way. «The answer to the murder of the Russian ambassador to Turkey must be strengthening the fight against terror», said Russian President Vladimir Putin.