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Nigeria in 2018: Probably The Worst Place To Be Born Or Live
July 19, 2018 September 1, 2018 / Adeola
The headline can be controversial but l must write about this.
There is no official declaration of war in Nigeria but have you taken a trip around Nigeria lately?
A lot of people are in denial of the true state of things in Nigeria. In particular some people make a lot of money and wealth in Nigeria and they think that is a shield from the true nature of things. There is also another category of Nigerians who travel around the world and when they are in Nigeria they have the money to splash around and they think that Nigeria is the deal.
I am putting myself in the position of the ordinary Nigerian. The one who is unemployed due to no fault of his. I am putting myself in the position of the Nigerian who is totally disconnected from the meaning of true governance. I am putting myself in the position of the man and woman who is suffering immensely because of every N1 that is stolen or every N1m that disappears from the treasury of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Based on my position l have come to a conclusion that Nigeria is probably the worst place to be born among the countries not officially at war.
I wish l could take a trip with anyone who disagree with me. Such trip can be divided into sub-trips. We can take a trip in Lagos and visit all the local government areas. We can take a trip and travel in Rwanda, Ghana, Sweden, Togo, Benin, England and any other place not officially at war. Then we can put together our findings and make a conclusion of which country is the worst to be born or live. I am ready for this challenge anyday anytime.
If you have an emergency in Lagos, there is a 98% chance that you will die. The reasons are: you cannot make a journey of 10 minutes in 10 minutes to the hospital. It may take you 1 hour. A journey of 20 minutes can take you 4 hours. So you chance of survival is very slim.
There are other reasons and mainly health care is a mess. The best evidence of this is the regular travel of Nigeria's politicians overseas for treatment. The other problems are that you need to be wealthy to have access to quality health in Nigeria. Emergency situations in Nigeria commonly result to deaths.
In everyday Lagos life, it is a struggle. Even some war torn ountries don't ecperience such struggles. I encourage you to look for a video of Daddy showkey on the internet and see how it was impossible to reach Ajegunle from Ojodu. He never made it !
Nigeria is hiding the tru nature of life in Nigeria from the rest of the world. Nigerian celebrities are not doing enough, most of them are concerned about making money and not losing the patronage of the corrupt money that gets to them daily.
Nigerians are living are slaves in Nigeria and people are compromised. This is not right. There was a useless eelction recently in Ekiti where both APC and PDP were bribing the electorates. You can go one weeping for Nigeria and the level of deceits is unimaginable and the people are just rolling by rather than collectively revolting and taking back their country.
I will post some headling for you here and these headlines are normal, regular, not unexpected and they are okay because there are no more outrages in Nigeria. The people have become zombified and accepting a wrong type of existence.
I have never in my life seen a country with so much suffering and problems where the people are passive and resilient.
The government is a total failure at all levels and it is shocking to me that Nigeria has not been declared as a disaster zone herself. I visited Nigeria and l know what l am talking about.
I keep asking people "how can we be living like this"? There are no definite answers and people keep praying and hoping rather than coming together to stop the nonsense in the land.
Mr. Buhari's government is full of lies and propaganda. Everyday hundreds of Nigeria die for various reasons relating to security, health and transportation. National emergencies should be declared instead of all these lies.
Headlines like these are no longer causing outrages or condemnations among Nigerians. They have come to accept terrorists and terrorism as part of the Nigerian existence. The herdsmen are commonly never apprehended and justice is never served.
In several parts of Nigeria there is lack of urban or rural planning meaning that EIA, Evironmental Impact Assessments are not done or they are ignored. If the government knows the meaning of planning then deaths like these can be prevented.
This is a rare acknowledgement that Nigeria is not safe as stated by Mr. Buhari. The problem here is that Dogara and his colleagues are carting away millions of dollars monthly as salaries and allowances. He is also part of the corrupt elites in Nigeria and people like him and Saraki should be prosecuted but the judiciary is weak and lazy. With politicians who are dishonest, Nigeria will remain one of the worst places to live on earth.
Emergencies are never declared and dying in Nigeria is not treated as a serious problem. No outrage when a soul is missing. Imagine 49 dead and property destroyed yet no national package on prevention of future flooding. Nobody was sacked and nobody took responsibility. Any kind of rain can result to flood in NIGERIA due to poor planning and lack of respect for human life
What has the APC government done to end the massacre and genocide across Nigeria? Nothing ! There are a few communities and villages taken over by the herdsmen in Benue and we have not heard that government troops have gone in to arrest the herdsmen. We have not heard that APC has reverted the communities back to the original owners. Is Buhari and APC not commiting war crimes in Nigeria?
Nigeria is one of the worst places to live and headlines like these tell the story. Which agency at the state and federal levels are monitoring building standards? A passerby or a young child or anybody at all could have perished with this building. We have seen and heard so many stories of collapse buildings. If there are things around you that could end your life abruptly, you are living on the edge!
Lagos in particular needs a permanent solution to the trailers, tankers dilemma on the roads. The tanker drivers and their owners are to date above the law and that is so ridiculous and shameful. In a lawless country things are done anyhow without consequences. Many trailers are involved in road accidents and many people have been killed like it is a ritural that must happen. Until the next disaster the Lagos state government goes underground and does nothing to prevent re-occurence.
What a sad loss! Nobody cares in Nigeria..! People just act like nothing happened and only the families affected by a tragedy bears the brunt and pains. It's so typical Nigeria not to care anymore!
There are now so many terrorist groups in Nigeria and this one beats me. They may say they are not a terror group but that a rumoured attack is attached to a group simply in my own world means that you represent terror! For the attacks that these monsters have perpetrated, what has the APC done to ensure that they are arrested and brought under the law? Nothing!
Nigerians don't believe in the judicial system so they take the laws into their hands. If somebody wants you dead all they have to do is to shout thief thief on you in a market place and you will be dead in split seconds. People are angry at the wrong things! The politicians are looting billions daily and they are living big and fat. Nobody is outrage at them. People kill their own kinds easily rather than turn them to the police. They don't trust the police, they don't trust the law system. Jungle justice it is!
BOKO HARAM was never defeated in 2015. Buhari lied! Buhari should have been impeached but Nigerian politicians are birds of the same feather. Nigeria needs to adopt a new system of government. The unitary system is not working and terrorism is a falliout of failed govenrment. The earlier Nigerian adopt regional government, the better. But the need to equip the military and the need to put a stop to BH is urgent.
Poverty and lawlessness go hand in hand in Nigeria. People risk their lives to make ends meet. It is a sad situation!
This is what you get when the government fails to provide safe and comfortable means of transport for the people.
Nigeria's failed health system is amplified by the regular visit of Mr. Buhari to London. In the 1950s Nigeria was the hub of health tourism. 3 years after the APC came to power the government still cannot provide health care for Buhari. This is a shame l am so pissed off. You are a BIG fool if you try to justify or rationalise Buhari's trip abroad for treatment.
Buhari has not hidden his love for the North. He is better off as the president of the North rather than the president of Nigeria. The security problem in Nigeria is largely due to Buhari appointing his kinsmen into all the key military positions in Nigeria. Buhari is not fit to be the president of Nigeria even for one day. Disgraceful!
This is Nigeria!
We need to do something in every aspect of the Nigerian life. I mean every aspect and all these lies about the good life is propaganda. We need to come down to the level of the every day life of the common people and see their sufferings. It's a hopeless situation everywhere you turn and we need a real change.
Nigeria is a failed country. We need a reset button and we need a new lease of life. We need to get rid of both APC and PDP and try something new. We need new hands and we need new ideas. APC and PDP members are changing camps as they like and that means they are just crazy and have no solutions at hand.
I m particularly angry at young people who cannot use their age and advantage to change the status quo. Many young people are behind APC and PDP and that is a great mistake. People have lost their senses because they want to make money and become part of the elites and oppressors club.
The meaning of life is lost in Nigeria and my conclusion is that Nigeria is the worst place to be born or live permanently in the world in 2018.
I did not write this eassy to destroy Nigeria. I am writing this because l want us to educate ourselves and l want us to love Nigeria and help her recover. We cannot continue to lie and deceive ourselves that things are alright. They are not and we are not alright. I am certainly not alright coming back to a shameful country like Nigeria every now and then.
we must talk and write about these things that are not working. We must stop to be selfish and stop thinking only about ourselves.
We all deserve to live decent lives. NiGERIANS deserve quality lives and we must do all we can to get to that level no matter what it takes.
You can tell that l have never been afraid for my life because life is transient and no matter how good or bad we are, it ends one day. But whilst it last, it pains to see Nigeria this way. It hurts badly!
Abuja, Corruption, Crime against Humanity, criminalsinpower, Election matters, Elections, Nigeria, Nollywood
APC = PDP, corrupt government, Dangerous places, Failed country, Nigeria, No future plan, No Good Roads, No Hospitals, No Public Schools, Shameful Existence, Very Sad Situation
← This Is Your Lagos? Shame On You APC, PDP, Buhari, Fasola And Ambode!(PhotoNews)
Nigerian Politics: The Meaning And Consequences Of Our Collective Foolishness →


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/**
 *
 */
package gov.nih.nci.calims2.domain.interfaces;

import java.util.Set;

import gov.nih.nci.calims2.domain.common.Notes;

/**
 * @author viseem
 *
 */
public interface EntityWithNotes extends EntityWithId {
  /**
   * Gets the collection of notes.
   *
   * @return The collection of notes.
   */
  Set<Notes> getNotesCollection();

  /**
   * Sets the collection of notes.
   *
   * @param notesCollection The collection of notes
   */
  void setNotesCollection(Set<Notes> notesCollection);

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


In successive weeks last December, two new musicals opened in the West End. Both compilation musicals: one featured the 90s pop hits of the Spice Girls in Viva Forever!; the other, a more classic pop sound of Whitney Houston hits in The Bodyguard.
Viva Forever! received some of the worst reviews of 2012 (and arguably of all time) for a new West End musical, while The Bodyguard enjoyed a more favourable critical response.
For Viva Forever!, the test will now be to see if this show is critic-proof; and whether its media profile combined with the fact that its target audience probably couldn't care less about what The Guardian or The Daily Telegraph had to say can override them.
The closest comparison to Viva Forever! and its potential to survive a critical mauling is to look at We Will Rock You. Queen fans, together with the help of its appearance on the globally televised 2002 Queens Golden Jubilee concert, has made this a long-running and subsequent international hit.
Viva itself is the brand and therefore not facing the problem that The Bodyguard potentially does whose reviews have focused heavily on bestowing deserved critical acclaim on its lead, the US actress Heather Headley. But there is only one of her and, with critical reviews so heavily fixed on her performance, this presents difficulties for recasting and international exploitation.
Headley will certainly want to play Broadway. But what about the other countries who may want the show with Headley attached? How long is she going to want to keep playing this role and what will happen when she leaves?
That was the recent problem faced on Broadway by Evita, starring Ricky Martin and Elena Roger. Despite an extensive casting search to replace them, it closed on January 26, 2013 – after 337 post-opening performances, a long way off the 1,567 performances of the 1979 Broadway premiere.
If one also considers that the costs of a major musical can often take over a year to recoup, then even with the strongest of reviews if recasting issues make extending the life of the musical problematic so with it comes the critical ability for recoupment and thereafter potentially the musical turning a profit for its investors.
The Bodyguard is a better constructed musical than Viva Forever!. But, it cannot satellite into places as easily or as quickly in multiple international licences in the way Viva Forever possibly could, combined with its pre-publicity each time from the Spice Girls themselves. On Christmas Eve ITV devoted a primetime programme entitled The Spice Girls Story: Viva Forever about the making of the musical and where its previous bad reviews were overshadowed by this powerful and free TV advertising.
For The Bodyguard, it opened in the right year without a major challenge from other new West End musicals and which should serve it well in the award nominations later this year. But even so, it may ultimately prove to be that Viva Forever! is the winner in the economic stakes.


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Q: Custom navigation drawer in android I have a requirement, where when the navigation drawer slides open, it should appear to be below the Main Activity with portion of the Main Activity being visible at the right and appear on top of the drawer. I am able to this achieve partially using scaling. But the navigation drawer beneath the Main Activity is not coming. Is there any way to achieve this. Below is my code.
 public void onDrawerSlide(@NonNull View drawerView, float slideOffset) {
                final float diffScaledOffset = slideOffset*(1 - 0.9f);
                final float offsetScale = 1 - diffScaledOffset;
                contentView.setScaleX(offsetScale);
                contentView.setScaleY(offsetScale);
                final float xOffset = drawerView.getWidth()* slideOffset;
                final float xOffsetDiff = contentView.getWidth() * diffScaledOffset / 2;
                final float xTranslation = xOffset - xOffsetDiff;
                contentView.setTranslationX(xTranslation);
            }

Sample image
Sample image

A: public void onDrawerSlide(@NonNull View drawerView, float slideOffset) {
                int width = getResources().getDimensionPixelSize(R.dimen.navigation_view_width);
                float moveFactor = (width * slideOffset);
                contentView.setTranslationX(moveFactor);
            }

try this , i think it will help

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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1964-11-23 - You Jump, I'll Jump.
Summary: After the Macy's Ball, Jess and Dick have a talk on the roof and make some decisions on the direction they're going.
As the party goes on and the hall fills with people, Jess's social butterfly act starts to wear a little bit thin. Thing enough that it even seems to be affecting people around her - some seem distinctly uncomfortable, giving the woman wide berth, until she finally seeks a few breaths of fresh air by heading up to the roof.
It's chilly outside, the winter air cold and the wind whipping through the buildings, but it's a relief to Jess. She's used to either avoiding crowds, or disappearing into them. Being a subject of attention in one? Unsettling after a bit. With her arms crossed over her chest, she stands perilously close to the edge of the roof, watching people stream in and out.
Following Jessica up to the roof, there is a bit of concern on Dick's face. He felt her reaction when she tensed under his touch, and perhaps he realized she wasn't ready for such an intimate touch to the small of her back as he moves to stand next to her. Tucking his hands into his pockets, he glances down to consider the street below. "I've had a good time time tonight." he offers quietly, glancing aside at her. "You alright?"
Jess looks over, a small smile flickering across her features, even as she keeps her arms crossed. "Yeah, sure," she answers quickly enough. "Sorry. I'm, ah. I'm not real used to being the center of attention in a crowd," she admits, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. "Carol's a little more comfortable with that than I am. I'll be okay," she promises, taking a deep breath. "Just needed to get some fresh air for a minute."
"Well, the only reason I was getting any attention is because of the woman that accompanied me." Dick offers with a small smirk as he glances down at the stream of people coming and going. "Plus, it seems that Carol and Bruce have been at this for a while - I mean, as you said, we've only been dating for all of tonight." There's a glance aside at her. "So, what are you doing next Friday night?"
Jess quirks a brow, smile tugging at one corner of her lips. "Depends. I just started seeing someone, not sure if I've scared him off yet." Oddly enough, despite her actions, there's still something about her that's almost…off-putting. Like someone's ramped up the anxiety around her. Almost as if she's radiating it. It's waning with each breeze, but it's still there.
"There's this girl that I'm seeing, but she seems to think that I might be interested in only what she's doing later tonight, so I thought I'd see what she was doing next week. You know, step at a time." Dick offers a grin and then suddenly takes a seat, allowing his feet to hang over the edge of the building to glance up at her. "Want to talk about it? Because that's a total first date conversation - what happened with your ex?"
"Oof," Jess laughs, though she uncrosses her arms, pushing a hand through her hair. "Yeah, that's a big one. And a long one." As he sits down, she settles on to the edge of the roof next to him, though she keeps her feet on the roof side of the building, hands folded in her lap. "Well. Not really, I guess. When it comes down to it, same story it always is. I thought it was real, but it turned out he was just acting. Trying to keep me happy. Sounds stupid when you put it that way, right?"
"I could see someone trying to keep you happy. But you know, I did ask you first. Totally not an act. But I'm not going to push." Dick glances aside to her for a moment. "I haven't dated in a while. Met someone while I was in Italy, but it didn't really pan out when I came back home." he finally admits. "I think she wanted me to stay, but my heart is here."
"It was less the trying to keep me happy and more the…someone was paying him to keep me happy so I wouldn't look too closely at some things," Jess grimaces, letting her shoulder bump lightly against his. "Sorry about Italy, though. Hard when you have to leave people behind. She wasn't interested in coming to New York?"
"Thought she was, but she bailed." Feeling the bump, Dick glances aside at Jess and smirks. "You just described a gigolo." he points out as he considers and touches her elbow gently to try to get her to loosen up her arm somewhat. "Not sure if it would have worked anyway, she had some connections that could have proven to be rather unsavory." Italy, after all. Land of mobsters.
Jess's lips twitch again. "You know, thinking of it as a gigolo arrangement does make it feel a little bit better," she chuckles before watching his features a little more carefully. "What, have you got a reputation to consider?" she teases, smile deepening just a bit. That sense of anxiety eases slightly, as the tension bleeds from her shoulders.
"Oh, well, you know, Bruce is the womanizer, someone has to play the straight arrow." Dick responds with a smirk as he grins up at Jessica and then smirks. "You missed out on the chance to call her mom, you know." he points out before placing his hands flat on the concrete. "And no, Bruce isn't that bad. He just has issues with commitment."
"I did," Jess laughs, shaking her head. "I did. I mean, as much fun as it would have been, it would've seemed a little weird to you and Bruce, I'm guessing. Maybe just Bruce, you'd get the joke. I try not to embarrass myself more than once or twice in an evening on a date, though, and I didn't want to burn it too early," she chuckles.
"…to see that smile, Jessica Drew, you would have never embarassed me." Dick replies and gives her a warm smile. Yes, that was laying it on a little thick, but at least there was more than a hint of honesty in his eyes before he shrugs. "What, a ward and his guardian dating best friends? Bound to happen sooner or later. Though all the cradle robbing jokes for Carol probably just got worse."
Jess pushes a hand through her hair again, settling her elbow on his shoulder and propping her head on her hand as she watches him. "Way worse. I have the worst sense of humor. I'm kind of the worst all around, honestly. You should be prepared for that." She glances down at his feet dangling over the edge, smile quirking. "I mean, you do look about ready to jump."
"Depends." Dick considers, and reaches up to touch her elbow for a moment. "There's two jumps I could make here. One's pretty obvious and has a rather obvious outcome." He gives a shrug, but not to chase away her elbow but to turn his attention back to the stream below thoughtfully. "The other jump is more dangerous, because it involves trusting someone and hoping for the best."
"Oh, maybe not so obvious," Jess laughs low, glancing over her shoulder at the street. "I'm pretty sure I could catch you." She lets her elbow fall, but compensates by sliding a little closer, leaning back at her perch to meet his eye. "One way or the other."
"You do seem to be stronger than you let on, Jess." Dick responds, and it's with that he pushes off the edge of the ledge, just to balance on his hands and shift his legs around to twist and land back on the 'proper' side of the roof with her. "You just have to be strong enough to realize that someone else wants to catch you as well." he comments, though she still has an inch or two on her in her heels.
Jess has a hand out faster than the eye can follow…until she realizes that he's not actually jumping. A hint of color rises in her cheeks, and she draws her hand back considerably more slowly, waiting until he's resting on the edge of the wall again. "I'm not really used to letting other people catch me," she admits, glancing down. "Kind of not always been much of a team player. Carol'll tell you. I'm hell to get along with."
"If I'm not catching you and you're not catching me, then I suppose we're jumping together." Dick may have noticed the movement, but doesn't say anything on it. Why? Because he just dared to lean up when she glanced down and kissed her cheek warmly before he steps back from her. "Bruce will tell you I'm a pain in the ass."
Jess stills for a heartbeat at the kiss, though that color lingers in her cheeks when he draws back. "I feel like that's not entirely true," she smiles ruefully, head tilting as she clasps her hands in her lap once more. "After all, you just said you were the straight arrow. Unless that's what he'd mean. You just go around ruining all his fun. But you don't really seem like the enemy of fun to me."
"Enemy of fun? Me? Not a chance. It's more that I'm the Jimminy Cricket to his Pinocchio." Dick smirks. "He does try hard to be a good role model sometimes." He reads the way she withdraws perhaps in the wrong way as he turns his attention back to the street. But there's no apology offered for it. So that's a good step, right?
"Ah, like that, is it? I can see that," Jess nods, considering. "He must have been fairly young himself when he took you in. It's a bitch to try to be a role model to someone just a few years younger than you are," she smirks, reaching out to gently straighten his collar.
"He did pretty good, I think." When she works on his color, he doesn't withdraw, but Dick's cheeks do color for a moment. He's not sure what to do with his hands, and they ended up folded behind his back. "At least you're not much younger than I am." he offers up. It's a trap!
"That's adorable," Jess smirks, chucking a finger under his chin when she's finished with his collar. "But I'll take it. Thanks. So, about that next Friday night thing," she says, shifting to face the same direction as he does and slipping her arm into his. "Did you have anything in particular in mind?"
Feeling the warmth of her arm, Dick moves to start walking with her. "I don't know. But it's hard to top this, and how to get you to look even better than you do tonight. How about dinner?" he asks her curiously. "And perhaps dancing afterwards - though that's probably a lame comparison to this date.
"Yeah, I'm not doing the big shopping thing again soon, so you're going to have to learn to appreciate non-dressy me," Jess laughs, pulling back enough to slow his steps before she turns to step in front of him, draping her arms around his neck. "We could dance here, you know. I'm pretty sure we can hear the music from downstairs if we listen." She can, at least, but that's another matter.
"Wow. Pretty good set of ears. They go nice with everything else that's pretty and good about you." Dick says, his hands moving to settle around Jess's waist. "You lead." he offers to her quietly, "Since it's your music we're going off of." In more ways than one.
Jess starts to sway, stepping from one side to the other in a slow circle. If he could hear the music downstairs, he might note that it is in time with it. But then, it's difficult to hear for the unenhanced. "I've got all sorts of talents, Dick." she smiles, rueful. "You'd be shocked. How about you? Aside from knowing art, and gymnastics, and acrobatics. Any hidden talents of your own?"
"You'd be surprised, but like all surprises, they're better learned in time, don't you agree?" Dick asks, and closes the distances so they're nearly pressed together as his hand moves from her side to reach to take one from his shoulder and join their hands together as he considers her. "Though you have surprised me quite often so far, Jess Drew."
"Good. I hate to be boring." Jess lets her fingers twine with his, starting to hum along with the tune from below - a Sinatra song to keep the rich donors happy. "You might decide to wander home with someone else." She laughs, grin flashing. "You got some looks down there."
"Didn't notice. Was ttoo busy looking at the most beautiful woman that was there on my arm." Dick responds and gives her hand a squeeze, "Would you wander away so easily if someone caught your eye?"
"Mmmm, not unless they were really interesting," Jess winks back at him, stepping out to spin in a circle before she comes back to his arms. "Or it was a saving the world sort of thing. I mean, you couldn't blame me if it was a saving the world sort of thing, right?"
"Oh, if you had to save the world, I suppose I can excuse you…" Dick twirls Jess and sidesteps when she comes back towards him, feathering her out before drawing her back in to press directly against her. "I mean, you'd have to do the same for me, right?" he says with a grin. "Or.. it also depends on how interesting the date we're on is."
"If you have to save the world, then I will absolutely forgive you for running out on the date," Jess nods firmly. "As long as you tell me. And then tell me about it afterwards. What about ice skating?" she suggests, humming the next few lines of the song below and swaying with him. "I've always wanted to do the central park ice skating thing."
"Since I picked this date.." Dick nods his head in agreement. "Ice skating and hot chocolate it is." he says with a grin, and listening to her hum. "..nice, you can carry a tune in a bucket." he teases softly, his free hand moving up and brushing that stray strand of hair that's been pestering Jessica all night back into place. "And gorgeous as well."
"I wouldn't say it's my strongest skill set," Jess laughs low, cheek tipping toward his hand with a slight flush. "But I can recognize when something's in tune, at least. Best bring a flask, though," she grins. "Hot chocolate is good and all, but cold weather activities can use a little more warming than that."
That brings a devil may care smile to Dick's face as he looks up at Jess and draws in his breath. "I was hopeful to use some points to find other activities to find warmth is each other." he responds cavalierishly as he starts to draw her down, unless she stops him.
Whatever response Jess might have made, she abandons in favor of leaning in, slender fingers cupping the line of his jaw as her lips brush soft and warm against his. Her hair falls over one shoulder, a soft scent of perfume wafting up from it.
The kiss is soft and held for a moment, before Dick pulls back. "So worth the points." he murmurs and releases her hand to pull her into a more intimate embrace, though they still sway in time with the music that's playing below, even if she's the only one that can hear it.
Jess's lips twitch at his comment, cheek curving against his as they sway. "One hundred percent honesty?" she murmurs, looking out over the lights of the city. "This is a little bit more my speed than fancy galas."
"I'll have to keep that in mind. I was doing better with the hot dogs and lemonades, huh?" Dick asks with a small chuckle. "I only do these things if I have to. But I'm glad to have you with me - and when I do this again, I could just ask you. Only if you promise to be painted into your dress again."
"You know, I was going to go with classic black, but Carol called dibs on it," Jess smirks, glancing down at her dress. "And careful how tight you hold. You might smudge the paint. Maybe next time I'll wear a short one. I hear those mini-skirts are starting to be all the rage. I can probably pull off mod. I'm English, you know," she adds absently, though she certainly doesn't sound it.
"Well, definetly wouldn't want to smudge it. And I didn't realize it was a faux pas for best friends to wear the same color dress. Women are complicated creatures." Dick grins up at one. "Good thing I plan to spend a long time trying to puzzle you out." There's a twirl as he spins her away to him and as he follows along with her words and the music she presented, realizing this was the end of the song, when he pulls her back in? It's a much more informal and warm kiss that meets her lips, a gentle lock of them together.
"Well, it's less of an issue for tuxes," Jess laughs, the sound fading to a softer hum when he pulls her in for another kiss. She steps in close, guiding his hand in hers to the small of her back as the other cups his jaw. "Mmm. Has anyone told you you're good at that?" she laughs low, eyes half-lidded.
His hand settling on the small of her back, Dick does what comes naturally and dips her over for a moment before pulling her back up. "…I'll provide you with a comment card you can fill out for a complimentary breakfast in the morning." he offers, a playful wink offered down to her.
Surprised laughter bubbles from Jessica's lips at that, her balance pinpoint accurate as he dips her. "Cheeky. I like it," she grins back up at him, giving his cheek a light pinch between two fingers with the words.
"Good, cause I like your company." Setting her back upright, Dick slips his arm around hers. "I suppose we should rejoin the human race for a bit, though I'm not quite ready to return you to the land of mere motrals yet." The pinch to his cheek reddens it and he laughs at the touch. "Cheeky, indeed."
Jess lets out a slow breath, but that air of anxiety and discomfort that hovered around her before seems to have fled after their time on the roof. "I think I'm recovered enough to be social again," she agrees, giving the doors back to the party a look like she's sizing up an opponent.
"Oh, I didn't mean the party. I was thinking we blow this joint, hit a local diner, have some greasy cheeseburgers and pie ala mode and see if that blows the seams of your dress." Dick says with a brightening smile before kissing her cheek. "You have more than filled your obligation of being proper arm candy for the night." he offers up with a mischevious smile.
"Oh, you are my hero," Jess sighs, leaning in for a kiss that definitely expresses her gratitude. "Sold. Let's go and be plebes." She actually gives the edge of the roof a curious, considering look for just a moment, as if she might jump rather than go back through the party, but she ends up taking a step toward the door instead.
"You know, if you jump, I'll just have to jump after you, Jess." Dick offers, before she steps away, and he offers her his hand so that they can make the trek down and go live it up at the first greasy spoon they come across.
"I mean, I was thinking more fire escape…" Jess lies, a mischievous smile flickering across her features as her hand tightens on his. "Don't worry, I won't jump. Tonight. Without good reason. Above and beyond the room full of socialites whose gauntlet we have to run to escape…" She teases, adding conditions as they continue down the stairs.
_importedjessica-drewnightwingsocial

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
August 10, 2016 Special Dispatch No. 6564
At Putin-Erdogan Meeting, Putin Says: 'Regarding The Full Restoration Of Relations - Do We Want It Or Not? Yes, We Want It And Will Do This'; Erdogan: 'Turkish-Russian Relations Are Not Limited To Trade And Economic Ties'
Russia, Turkey | Special Dispatch No. 6564
On August 9, 2016, Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Konstantin Palace, 20 kilometers from St. Petersburg.[1] The meeting was described by media as "historic," since the two leaders were meeting for the first time since the Turkish air force shot down a Russian plane in November 2015.[2] The meeting focused on the normalization of economic and political relations.[3]
Prior to the meeting, Erdogan gave an extensive interview to the Russian news agency Tass.ru, in which he discussed economic relations with Russia and the core issue of the settlement of the Syrian crisis. Erdogan said: "As you know, in the context of Russian-Turkish relations we had planned to build up bilateral trade to $100 billion... A new page in Russian-Turkish relations will be opened. This new leaf to be turned over will include cooperation in the military field, in the economy, and in culture. Our countries are key players in the region and they are going to accomplish a great deal together."[4]
It is also worth noting that throughout his Russia visit, Erdogan did not stop flattering Putin. In both the interview with Tass.ru and the news conference, Erdogan referred several times to Putin as "my dear friend" and "my dear and respected friend"; Putin, on the other hand, referred more formally to the Turkish president as "Mr. Erdogan."[5]
In the news conference following the talks, the two leaders did not publicly tackle the Syria crisis, as this topic was discussed in a separate meeting. However, Putin mentioned that "everyone knows" that Russian and Turkish views on a Syria settlement "have not always aligned." In the interview with Tass.ru, Erdogan described Russia as the main key player in Syria, saying: "Russia is fundamentally the key and most important player in establishing peace in Syria. I believe it is necessary to solve this crisis with the help of mutual action by Russia and Turkey." He then stated that in order to settle the Syrian crisis Turkey should agree to Iranian involvement: "If the talk is about widening the circle of participants, then I already told my dear friend Vladimir [Putin] earlier: if necessary, we'll also involve Iran in the effort. We can invite Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and America. In this regard, we can form a wide circle of participants. If not, then the Russian Federation and Turkey, given our common 950-km border with Syria, can take some steps, without violating Syria's sovereignty."[6]
In contrast to Russia, that does not want the end of the regime of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, Erdogan reaffirmed that Assad's removal from power is Turkey's main goal. Erdogan stated: "We want not Syria's disintegration, but the departure of Bashar Assad, who is guilty for the deaths of 600,000 people. This is the condition for preventing this scenario. Syria's unity cannot be kept with Assad. And we cannot support a murderer who has committed acts of state terror. Let the Syrian people themselves elect an individual they want to see in power."[7]
During the news conference following the talks, the two leaders focused on economic relations. Putin said that Russia and Turkey aim to pay special attention to building up investment and commodity flows, and to implementing projects. Among the major projects on the two countries' agenda for development are the construction of the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant and the Turkish Stream gas pipeline system.[8] On July 29, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said that the Turkish Stream gas pipeline system is becoming more attractive to Russia and Turkey, since the cost of gas transit through Ukraine is rising. Novak said: "Of course, if the cost of transit is higher, as our Ukrainian colleagues say, is will affect the cost of transportation and the final gas price for Turkey's consumers. Therefore, Turkey is interested in receiving gas directly, bypassing other transit countries." However, Novak added that the work can be started only on the line going to Turkish consumers, since the work on the line to EU consumers cannot be renewed without guarantees from the European Commission that it will not block the project.[9]
Concerning the news conference, the Russian liberal radio station Echo Moscow stressed that during the official opening remarks, Erdogan did not apologize for the downing of the Russian jet in November.[10]
Below are excerpts from the news conference that took place after the talks between Putin and Erdogan:
News conference following talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. (Source: Kremlin.ru, August 9, 2016)
Putin: 'Our Countries Have Every Opportunity To Restore Normal, Full-Fledged Relations'
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan shake hands (Source: Kremlin.ru, August 9, 2016)
Putin: "Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen. We have just completed the main part of the talks with President Erdogan. Naturally, this meeting is very important for the future of Russia-Turkey relations...
The history of [Russian-Turkish] relations includes different periods, sometimes very uneasy and even dramatic ones, but the logic of mutual respect inevitably wins out.
"First of all, I would like to note that despite the complicated domestic situation in Turkey, Mr. Erdogan found the time to come to St Petersburg, and this step certainly shows the interest of our Turkish partners in restoring cooperation with Russia.
"Today we met first in a limited format and then in an expanded format - with the participation of the heads of ministries and departments and CEOs of large companies - and mapped out the future actions and initial tasks that are required to effectively restore the multifaceted ties between our countries. Our priority is to reach the pre-crisis level of bilateral cooperation.
"And this is really an urgent task because just in the first five months of this year Russian-Turkish trade fell by 43 percent. Considering that last year the decline was 23 percent, 26 percent, this trend is very regrettable. We have painstaking work ahead of us to revive our trade and economic cooperation. We have already begun this process but it will take time...We intend to pay special attention to building up investment, commodity flows and the implementation of promising projects. It is very important that we have the support of our business communities in these efforts. After the news conference we will have an opportunity to hold a detailed discussion with heads of major companies of the two countries. I am referring to the phased lifting of the special economic measures - restrictions - introduced earlier with respect to Turkish companies. The Russian Government is working on a draft mid-term program of trade, economic, scientific, technical and cultural cooperation for 2016-2019.
"President Erdogan and I have agreed to steadily resume the work of the main mechanisms of cooperation. A session of the mixed Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation is scheduled for September. The relevant departments of both countries have been instructed to conduct a meeting of a joint strategic planning group in the first half of 2017.
"I would like to note in this context that the energy industry has long occupied a key place in trade and economic cooperation between Russia and Turkey. We discussed major joint projects in this field, the continuation of which will require concrete political decisions. Incidentally, Turkey has already made decisions on a number of large projects that we discussed earlier. I am referring to such projects as the construction of the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant and the Turkish Stream gas pipeline system.
"Bringing our tourists back to Turkish resorts is also on our agenda. The ban on selling package tours to Turkey to Russian citizens was lifted in late June. I believe reaching pre-crisis tourist levels is only a matter of time. Most importantly, the Turkish side must ensure safe conditions for Russian citizens, and we have received such assurances from our partners. In this regard, we considered the possibility of resuming charter air service. This is, perhaps, also a technical issue that can be resolved quickly.
"We touched on the issue of lifting restrictions on hiring Turkish citizens and companies in our construction projects. We are working on it, and we will resolve this issue soon. Notably, bilateral cooperation on certain large-scale projects didn't stop at all. For example, the opening of the central portion of the Western High-Speed Diameter Highway here in St Petersburg is scheduled for late 2016. It is being built jointly by a Turkish general contractor and an Italian company.
"We had a detailed exchange on pressing international issues. By the way, we agreed that following the news conference we will have a separate discussion of all issues related to the Syrian settlement. There is a general understanding. I am confident that fighting terrorism is a critical element of our joint efforts, and we'll discuss this in more detail later.
"In closing, I would like to thank President Erdogan for a candid conversation we have had today. The talks have confirmed that our countries have every opportunity to restore normal, full-fledged relations, which would help bolster stability not only in our region, but also throughout the world. Russia is ready to work toward this..."
Russian President Vladimir Putin at the news conference with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. (Source: Kremlin.ru, August 9, 2016)
Erdogan: 'We Are Determined To Restore Our Relations To The Pre-Crisis Level And Beyond'
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the news conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin. (Source: Kremlin.ru, August 9, 2016)
Erdogan: "Mr. President, my dear friend, ministers, ladies and gentlemen. I would like to express my heartfelt greetings and respect to you and, above all, to thank my dear friend Vladimir Putin for his invitation and for the warm welcome he gave me.
"Today, President Putin and I had meaningful and substantive talks. As you know, these were the first talks after the incident, and this is our first face-to-face meeting in a long time. In addition, my visit to Russia is the first I've made since the attempted coup on 15 July in Turkey.
"We are determined to restore our relations to the pre-crisis level and beyond. We have the political will to do so. I think that our respective societies expect us to do just that.
"As a result of today's talks, political, socioeconomic, cultural and humanitarian relations between Russia and Turkey will finally be restored to their rightful level, before the crisis.
"In addition, it is imperative to resume charter flights between our two countries, lift the restrictions on Turkish agricultural products, and open the way to Turkish building contractors. I hope that, step by step, we will take all the necessary steps towards this goal.
"Of course, I would like to note that we are willing to designate the Akkuyu Project as a strategic investment project. We have reached agreements on this matter. We plan to expand our cooperation in the defense industry.
"With regard to regional issues in Russia, Turkey and Azerbaijan, we have launched a trilateral format, which we appreciate greatly. Furthermore, large-scale projects, such as the Akkuyu NPP, are important to us, and we should actively promote them. I hope that the Moscow-Ankara axis of friendship will be restored as a result of these steps.
"Speaking about friendship, I cannot ignore one fact. On July 15 and 16, our country lived through one of the most despicable and bloodiest coup attempts. Members of the Fethullah Gülen terrorist group carried it out with the intention of overthrowing our Government.[11] This was an attempted coup aimed at our democracy. We will continue to fight back in solidarity with our friends.
"In addition, the Turkish Stream will be completed. Together with the relevant ministries and departments of our countries, we will take the necessary steps to ensure Russian gas supplies to Europe via this gas pipeline.
"On the day after the attempted coup d'état, President Vladimir Putin called us, which was really important for us psychologically - it was a kind of moral support and a display of Russia-Turkey solidarity.
"Esteemed members of the press, Turkish-Russian relations are not limited to trade and economic ties. We are also hoping that their restoration and normalization will bring peace and stability to the region, which is very important. In addition, we will soon meet in a very narrow format where we will have an opportunity to discuss these issues as well.
"Owing to the political will of the leaders of Russia and Turkey and the support of public opinion in both countries, our bilateral relations have indeed reached a level in the past few years that could serve as an example for other countries. We have a shared vision and potential for cooperation. These are our achievements.
"Today, my dear friend Vladimir Putin and I have confirmed the similarity of our positions on normalizing relations. We should use the capabilities of our countries to enhance regional stability. We believe Russian-Turkish relations are now much more stable than any time before and will help us counter all kinds of crises.
"In conclusion, I would like to thank my dear friend Vladimir Putin personally and on behalf of the Turkish delegation, and to express my love and respect to all members of the press and everyone listening."
Russia government funded TV channel RT posted on its Instagram account a video on Russian President and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's body language. (Source: Rt.com, August 9, 2016)
Putin: 'Everyone Knows That [Russia's and Turkey's] Views On A Syria Settlement Have Not Always Aligned'
Q: "My question is for both presidents, first the President of Turkey, then Mr. Putin. In terms of resolving the situation in Syria, there have obviously been some differences between the two countries, between the two leaders. However, both countries are in favor of democratic changes in that country, and you talked about this. How much did you focus on Syria today? Will both countries perhaps develop a road map to resolve this issue?"
Erdogan: "First of all, I would like to say that we have not yet discussed this issue during today's talks. Following the news conference, we plan to discuss it thoroughly. So, I cannot say anything, since we did not discuss this issue."
Putin: "I can confirm what our guest, the President of Turkey, just said. Everyone knows that our views on a Syria settlement have not always aligned. We agreed that following this meeting we will meet separately with foreign ministers and representatives of special services, share information, and look for a solution.
"You mentioned democratic reforms. We believe that democratic change can only be achieved by democratic means. This is our principled position.
"With regard to harmonizing our views and approaches, I think this is also possible, if only because we have a common goal, which is to resolve the Syria crisis. I think that based on this platform and this general approach, we will start looking for a mutually acceptable solution."
Putin: 'Initially We Regarded The Turkish Stream [Gas Pipeline System] Not Even As An Alternative To The South Stream'
Q: "Mr. Putin, you spoke about the need to revive trade and economic relations between the two countries and, in part, about some of the agreements on major projects that have already been reached. If I may, I would like to ask you to specify which project is more important for Russia - the South Stream [a suspended pipeline project to transport Russia's natural gas through the Black Sea to Bulgaria and through Serbia, Hungary and Slovenia further to Austria], considering Sofia's statements [on August 8, Bloomberg reported that Bulgarian PM Boyko Borissov said that Bulgaria and Russia agreed to set up working groups that will seek ways to resume the South Stream, which was cancelled in 2014 in the face of EU opposition], or the Turkish Stream, considering your discussion today - and the general character of Russia-Turkey cooperation at the moment. Or is there a possibility of compromise on these two projects?
"And Mr. Erdogan, you expressed interest in implementing the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant project and even intend to grant it a new status. However, as far as I know, its continuation requires the adoption of several laws in Turkey and the acquisition of a number of permits. When will practical steps be taken to this end?"
Putin: "We have never politicized economic cooperation. In proposing the South Stream project initially, we assumed that our gas would go directly to EU consumers in southern Europe. However, at first the European Parliament made a decision that prevented the implementation of this project and then the European Commission sent a letter to the Bulgarian Government demanding that preparations for it stop, and ultimately we did not receive the permission of the Bulgarian authorities to enter Bulgarian territory.
"Yes, now we see that Bulgaria would like to resume this project, but we incurred some losses due to the refusal of our European partners to carry out this project. So now we will not settle for just intentions and need absolutely rock solid legal guarantees. They have not been forthcoming. Initially we regarded the Turkish Stream not even as an alternative to the South Stream but as an opportunity to expand our gas cooperation both with Turkey and Europe as a whole. One part of the Turkish Stream was designed exclusively for Turkey's domestic consumers given the growing economy of the Republic of Turkey. This is how we discussed the issue today. This part is beyond any doubt and its implementation may be launched very soon.
"The second part related to routing our energy to Europe depends, of course, on a third party. We should work out these issues with European countries and the European Commission in Brussels. Together with our Turkish partners and friends, we are prepared to work toward this, but again we need to have an agreement with all the participants.
"With regard to all manner of permits, we should give credit to our Turkish colleagues. Unlike the South Stream project in the past, even despite the crisis in our relations, the Turkish side has been working on it, and basic permits and issues related to the Turkish Stream have already been processed and issued. There are still some issues that require more work to obtain permits. We discussed individual issues today.
"As for the Akkuyu NPP, three Turkish laws have been amended. We raised the issue of designating it a strategic investment project, which met with a positive response today. All of this suggests that these major projects - and we are talking about projects worth tens of billions of dollars - are quite feasible. I hope they will be seen to completion."
Erdogan: "With regard to the Akkuyu project, what we were expected to do is designate the project a strategic investment. From this perspective, we talked with our friends, our colleagues, and we plan to adopt a decision and designate the Russian project as a strategic investment as soon as possible. That will allow Akkuyu to take its place among other projects in our country and enjoy all the necessary benefits that come with this status.
With regard to other issues, in particular, the Turkish Stream, as you may know, we buy 28 billion cubic meters of gas from Russia: 18 billion are bought by state-owned organizations and 10 billion by privately owned businesses. So, we plan to implement this project in two areas, one of which includes supplies of Russian gas to Europe, and to speed it up. This is one of our current tasks, and I believe it is the right thing to do..."
Putin: "I would add that our cooperation is not limited to energy, gas, or a power plant. It is quite diversified and includes mechanical engineering, metallurgical industry, and trade. We discussed at length the resumption of agricultural supplies. We will do all of that as part of the plans that we articulated today."
Erdogan: "In Russian-Turkish Relations, In Economic Terms, We Achieved A Turnover Of $35 Billion"
Q: "A question for both leaders. First, Mr. Putin, as we understand, you are resolved to restore relations to the pre-crisis level. Will this take time and if so, what timeframe do you have in mind? In addition, you mentioned the need to simplify visa requirements between the two countries. Are you going to return to this issue?
"I also have questions for the President of Turkey. We see that relations have entered a new stage but you also said you were very pleased and grateful to Mr. Putin for calling you on the phone after the attempted coup. So I would like to ask a question in the context of U.S.-Turkish relations: is it possible to describe relations between Turkey and Russia as strategic? Have you entered a new stage of strategic relations?"
Putin: "Regarding the full restoration of relations - do we want it or not? Yes, we want it and will do this. Life moves very quickly. Certain changes were caused by the introduction of restrictions. We must consider these changes as we implement plans to restore our trade and economic ties.
"In this context we adopted a Government decision to draft a medium-term program of trade, economic, scientific, technical and cultural cooperation for 2016-2019, which I have just mentioned. I am hoping this program will be adopted very soon. We will do this in the next few weeks on the issues that do not require much time for coordination between our departments. As for those issues that take longer to coordinate, we will include them in this medium-term program...We have just agreed that our colleagues will continue contacts on a daily basis without red tape. Decisions on some issues will be made in the near future.
"As for visa issues, yes, they should be resolved as well, considering that they are related to economic cooperation. We have quoted our Turkish colleagues today as saying that visa restrictions are causing economic problems in the field of transport - both for train and air travel. We should take all this into account as we unblock our economic cooperation."
Erdogan: "Thank you very much, Mr. President, in particular. You are suggesting that I draw a comparison, but I can tell you this: in Russian-Turkish relations, in economic terms, we achieved a turnover of $35 billion. We are the two countries that managed to do this. Of course, after last year's incident, trade fell to about $28 billion, and then even lower.
"We have a High-Level Cooperation Council in place, which provides for this kind of strategic cooperation. We have worked together within this mechanism. We hope to be able to hold another meeting of the council next year and to resume our partnership from where we left it here in St Petersburg.
"You may recall that we had a goal of reaching $100 billion in trade, and we will strive to achieve this goal. As of today, we are resuming the process, and we are moving towards this goal. Another conclusion I have made: from the point of view of tourism, Turkey did derive substantial income from Russian tourists, and tourism brought our peoples closer. I believe we should not leave this process unattended. During today's talks, the President said that the process of resuming charter flights between our two countries will be sped up. This process is an important sign that our rapprochement will go even faster..."
Putin: 'The U.S. Asked Us To Help Secure The Release Of An American Citizen Who Wound Up On The Territory Of The Syrian Republic'
Q: "Mr. Putin, recently the foreign media again raised the issue of the Americans paying Iran $400 million in cash. Officially, this money was supposedly paid for arms supplies in 1979. But some claim that it was ransom for the release of four Americans from Iranian prisons. I recall your recent meeting with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry at which you said that you had fulfilled Barack Obama's request to secure the release of Americans. Could you describe the details of this special operation and clarify whether aircraft with millions of dollars in cash have flown from Washington to Russia as well."
Putin: "Your irony is understandable to an extent. I would like to say that we do not deal with exchanges and ransom, but indeed, several months ago the United States asked us to help secure the release of an American citizen who wound up on the territory of the Syrian Republic. We did this after some work. This was not a special operation. We simply reached an agreement with the Syrian authorities on this issue, received the man and transferred him to the U.S. - of course, without any money or ransom. We were motivated exclusively by humanitarian considerations. That's all. If there is an opportunity to help people in such difficult circumstances as was the case with that American citizen, we will be ready to do this in the future as well for citizens of any country. We hope that our partners will reciprocate with our citizens.
"In conclusion, I would like to thank representatives of the media and the President for his visit, for bringing such a representative delegation, and to express my gratitude to the Government of the Republic of Turkey and the business community.
"I would like to say that we indeed went through a very difficult period in our relations, but we would very much like - and we feel our Turkish friends would like this as well - to overcome these difficulties in the interests of Turkish and Russian citizens. The supreme interests of our nations and countries demand the restoration of relations between our countries - and not only out of pragmatic considerations but also in the name of the long-term neighborly ties and friendship between the peoples of Turkey and the Russian Federation..."
Endnotes:
[1] See MEMRI Special Dispatch No.6562, Putin-Erdogan Meeting; FM Lavrov: 'As For The Restoration Of Trust... Much Will Depend On Our Cooperation In Settling The Syrian Crisis', August 9, 2016.
[2] Tass.ru, August 9, 2016.
[3] See MEMRI Special Dispatch No.6540, Russian Intellectual Fyodor Lukyanov: After The Attempted Coup In Turkey, 'The Kremlin Has Reason To Be Satisfied', July 26, 2016.
[5] Mid.ru, August 9, 2016; Tass.ru, August 9, 2016.
[8] Concerning the Turkish Stream pipeline project, Turkish media outlet Hurriyetdailynews.com (July 22, 2016) writes:
"With the normalization of Turkish-Russian political and economic relations, the Turkish Stream project is again on the negotiating table [between Turkey and Russia]...Regarding the probability of the realization of the project, it should be noted that neither Russia nor Turkey could decide on its construction. The realization of the project depends mostly on the EU's decision. There is no doubt that the project is a purely political pipeline. In 2014, Russian energy giant Gazprom and Turkish state-owned BOTAŞ signed a memorandum of understanding to construct the pipeline. Even though the start of the construction was scheduled for June 2015 the Russian and Turkish governments failed to reach an intergovernmental agreement.
"In response to Turkey shooting down a Russian Su-24 attack aircraft in late November 2015, the Turkish Stream gas pipeline project was suspended by Russia. The project fell under the Kremlin's restrictive economic measures against Turkey. In December 2015, Turkey also officially terminated the gas pipeline project by arguing that Russia did not contravene with Ankara's demands within the project. Since the normalization of relations, the probability of realizing the pipeline project remains on the agenda...The realization of the Turkish Stream will only strengthen Turkey's position in becoming main energy route in the East-West energy corridor... It should be clear that the realization of the project would only increase Turkey's dependence on Russian gas. Currently, Russia's share in Turkey's natural gas imports is around 55 percent. Russia is not interested in completely canceling the Turkish Stream. Russian President Vladimir Putin also declared that the Kremlin had not definitively canceled the project, but Moscow needs a clear position from the European Commission. It is true that if the Turkish Stream project is realized, Gazprom's position in Europe will get stronger. But neither the EU nor the European states are interested in becoming more dependent on Russian gas. It was one of the main reasons why the South Stream project [an abandoned pipeline project to transport Russia's natural gas through the Black Sea to Bulgaria and through Serbia, Hungary and Slovenia further to Austria] was cancelled. So, probably for the same reason it would not be easier for the EU to allow the realization of the project..."
[9] Rbth.com, July 29, 2016; Novinite.com, August 9, 2016.
[10] Echo.msk.ru, August 9, 2016.
[11] On May 31, 2016, Turkish President Tayyip Recep Erdogan designated the religious movement of U.S.-based Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen a terrorist group. Presstv.ir, May 31, 2016.


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