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US sanctions have been placed on several businessmen for helping Syria buy oil from ISIS. I am not sure if Kirsan Ilyumzhinov is just accused of doing business there. And if so, why that warrants being on the sanctions list. Is it just politics?
Check out the following article by Reuters for the overview:
"Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, who the Treasury said is a wealthy Russian businessman and president of the World Chess Federation, was also sanctioned for helping the Syrian government. Russian Financial Alliance Bank was targeted for being controlled or owned by Khuri and Ilyumzhinov."
What now chess community?
Last edited by Garvin Nunes; Wednesday, 25th November, 2015, 06:08 PM.
The only international body that has the authority to enact sanctions is the U.N. or its Security Council. The U.S. Treasury Department isn't either one of those. I expect the FIDE President will give these sanctions the careful attention they deserve ... on his way to visiting New York next week.
Maybe he'll get stuck on the way in Narita Airport in Tokyo and have to apply for Icelandic citizenship. ;) Treasury Department threats don't seem to have the desired effect these days. lol.
Dogs will bark, but the caravan of chess moves on.
The only international body that has the authority to enact sanctions is the U.N. or its Security Council. The U.S. Treasury Department isn't either one of those. I expect the FIDE President will give these sanctions the careful attention they deserve ... on his way to visiting New York next week.
Maybe he'll get stuck on the way in Narita Airport in Tokyo and have to apply for Icelandic citizenship. ;) Treasury Department threats don't seem to have the desired effect these days. lol.
The only international body that has the authority to enact sanctions is the U.N. or its Security Council. The U.S. Treasury Department isn't either one of those. I expect the FIDE President will give these sanctions the careful attention they deserve ... on his way to visiting New York next week.
Maybe he'll get stuck on the way in Narita Airport in Tokyo and have to apply for Icelandic citizenship. ;) Treasury Department threats don't seem to have the desired effect these days. lol.
Not sure I agree with the basic premis here. Any country that has the power to impose sanctions can and will do so. The question is when should they.
Because there are so many countries in the un that are not democracies I dont feel its always right to use it as the standard. But then the question is...what is? Id agree it cant be determined by American self interest.
Not sure I agree with the basic premis here. Any country that has the power to impose sanctions can and will do so. The question is when should they.
Because there are so many countries in the un that are not democracies I dont feel its always right to use it as the standard. But then the question is...what is? Id agree it cant be determined by American self interest.
The sanctions are simply another attempt - as the NY Times article points out as an obvious truth - to bring down the Assad regime, throwing in the international sporting angle this time for good measure, and having only a peripheral relationship to FIDE. The Americans are embarrassed by the Russian success in kicking Daesh (i.e., Islamic State) butt in Syria and, clearly, are not able to put the fight against terrorism as a higher foreign policy priority than getting rid of Assad. So they resort to this sort of nonsense.
Kirsan could, in any case, avoid the US until it blows over, just as Americans like George Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Alberto Gonzales, David Addington, William Haynes, Jay Bybee and John Yoo avoid Spain so as not to be arrested for war crimes.
Off hand I'd say that it will blow over "coincidentally" just in time for the October 2016 World Championship. Probably sooner.
Dogs will bark, but the caravan of chess moves on.
Re: Kirsan Ilyumzhinov Accused by USA of Helping Syria...And possibly ISIS
Headline: Kirsan Serious Embarrassment to World Chess!
This is hardly news. It is not clear what is the basis for the Treasury determination nor what the implications will be. It may prove to be essentially symbolic, but a further embarrassment nonetheless.
Headline: Kirsan Serious Embarrassment to World Chess!
This is hardly news. It is not clear what is the basis for the Treasury determination nor what the implications will be. It may prove to be essentially symbolic, but a further embarrassment nonetheless.
Here is the part of the press release from the US Treasury Department. Key points are that US citizens can no longer enter into commercial contracts with Ilymuzhinov. This means that USA sponsorship corporate or otherwise of the FIDE World Championship is dead in the water. Canada and the EU will follow suit as they have with other sanctioned Russians. Kirsan needs to resign as president of FIDE in order for FIDE to legitimately function in the west. Interestingly the press release talks about the murdered journalist by Kirsan's aide and the subsequent shut down by the Russian government of apparently illegal operations that Kirsan was involved in that the murdered journalist was investigating. In the book Putin's Kleptocracy convincing evidence is presented that Kirsan had to rig a federal election in his region in favor of Putin's party in order to put a stop to the criminal investigation for murder against him.
In response to continuing violence by the Assad regime against its citizens, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today designated four individuals and six entities providing support to the Government of Syria pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13582, including a middleman for oil purchases by the Syrian regime from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). As a result of today’s action, all assets of those designated that are in the United States or that are in the control of U.S. persons are frozen, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them.
...
Kirsan Ilyumzhinov was designated today for materially assisting and acting for or on behalf of the Government of Syria, Central Bank of Syria, Adib Mayaleh, and Batoul Rida. Ilyumzhinov is a wealthy Russian businessman, former president of the Russian Republic of Kalmykia, and long-time World Chess Federation president. He is linked to financial transactions involving Khuri-associated companies [Mudalal Khuri has had a long association with the Assad regime and represents regime business and financial interests in Russia] as early as 1997 and owns or controls the Russian Financial Alliance Bank, along with Khuri. An advisor to Ilyumzhinov, then-President of Kalmykia, was convicted in Russia in 1999 for the murder of an opposition journalist who reportedly was investigating an offshore business registration mechanism in Kalmykia tied to Ilyumzhinov. Russian authorities subsequently closed the offshore business registration mechanism after concluding that it was being used for illegal purposes.
OFAC designated Russian Financial Alliance Bank (RFA Bank) today for being owned or controlled by Khuri and Ilyumzhinov. Khuri is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of RFA Bank, and Ilyumzhinov is a major shareholder of RFA Bank and former Chairman of the Board of Directors of RFA Bank. At the time of his Chairmanship, Ilyumzhinov reportedly brought in his own representatives to the bank.
... Kirsan needs to resign as president of FIDE ...
And that's all you really need to know. Besides the guilt by association, there's the Orwellian claim about Daesh oil products, etc. But this is what NATO member Turkey really is doing. And there's plenty of evidence for those with eyes to see. There's no explanation why Daesh would trade with people they're trying to kill. It's all just idiotic. What a shame the U.S. has reduced itself to such a state that the neo-cons are wagging the dog when it comes to foreign policy. Get rid of Assad and create another failed state like Libya, support the terrorists and accuse others doing just that, urinate in the general direction of the other guy, etc., etc.. It's Monty Python. They can't even put two and two together and see the connection between the chaos they create and the current flood of refugees. It's complete cognitive dissonance.
If anyone wants a real laugh, just watch some of the shambles that are the State Department briefings. Never mind the Russian journalists, American journalists are laughing at the foolishness. It's like Alice in Wonderland and the Red Queen is talking backwards. I have no idea how the Americans are going to extricate themselves and save some face in all of this.
Dogs will bark, but the caravan of chess moves on.
And that's all you really need to know. Besides the guilt by association, there's the Orwellian claim about Daesh oil products, etc. But this is what NATO member Turkey really is doing. And there's plenty of evidence for those with eyes to see. There's no explanation why Daesh would trade with people they're trying to kill. It's all just idiotic. What a shame the U.S. has reduced itself to such a state that the neo-cons are wagging the dog when it comes to foreign policy. Get rid of Assad and create another failed state like Libya, support the terrorists and accuse others doing just that, urinate in the general direction of the other guy, etc., etc.. It's Monty Python. They can't even put two and two together and see the connection between the chaos they create and the current flood of refugees. It's complete cognitive dissonance.
If anyone wants a real laugh, just watch some of the shambles that are the State Department briefings. Never mind the Russian journalists, American journalists are laughing at the foolishness. It's like Alice in Wonderland and the Red Queen is talking backwards. I have no idea how the Americans are going to extricate themselves and save some face in all of this.
What ever your opinion is on the matter is irrelevant, whether you think it is just or unjust ,like it or not, now, more then ever, Kirsan is TOXIC to FIDE and that fact is unequivocal.
And that's all you really need to know. Besides the guilt by association, there's the Orwellian claim about Daesh oil products, etc. But this is what NATO member Turkey really is doing. And there's plenty of evidence for those with eyes to see. There's no explanation why Daesh would trade with people they're trying to kill. It's all just idiotic. What a shame the U.S. has reduced itself to such a state that the neo-cons are wagging the dog when it comes to foreign policy. Get rid of Assad and create another failed state like Libya, support the terrorists and accuse others doing just that, urinate in the general direction of the other guy, etc., etc.. It's Monty Python. They can't even put two and two together and see the connection between the chaos they create and the current flood of refugees. It's complete cognitive dissonance.
If anyone wants a real laugh, just watch some of the shambles that are the State Department briefings. Never mind the Russian journalists, American journalists are laughing at the foolishness. It's like Alice in Wonderland and the Red Queen is talking backwards. I have no idea how the Americans are going to extricate themselves and save some face in all of this.
The neo cons have little to do with this whole situation and it clearly fits in with the liberal agenda and handling of international diplomacy. This can be laid at the feet of the Obama/Clinton/Kerry administration. I suspect that the U.S. courts will be called upon to sort this out which they will no doubt do. The state department swore up and down publicly that the Benghazi attacks were spontaneous protests in response to an internet video. Clearly from Hillary's emails no one believed this. They even sent the author of that video to jail.
Re: Kirsan Ilyumzhinov Accused by USA of Helping Syria...And possibly ISIS
I'm not a legal expert, but although Ilymuzhinov is the current FIDE president, is a commercial contract with FIDE equivalent to a commercial agreement with Ilymuzhinov? It seems murky, especially if someone other than Ilymuzhinov signs the contract on behalf of FIDE. I can envision work-arounds here. It will depend on what Rex Sinquefield thinks of sponsoring a world championship in the US, given the optics here.
I'm not a legal expert, but although Ilymuzhinov is the current FIDE president, is a commercial contract with FIDE equivalent to a commercial agreement with Ilymuzhinov? It seems murky, especially if someone other than Ilymuzhinov signs the contract on behalf of FIDE. I can envision work-arounds here. It will depend on what Rex Sinquefield thinks of sponsoring a world championship in the US, given the optics here.
Do you really think any legitimate sponsor would want to risk testing the resolve of the US Government? Whatever Ilymuzhinov is the head of at this point is toxic to any sponsor. No sponsor in their right mind would chance it on the hope that they may or may not prevail legally. The risk does not equal the reward. To think otherwise is just fanciful. Rex Sinquefield despises Kirsan and would not sponsor a World Championship with this man at the head of the organization and potentially risk the wrath of the US Government. FIFA is going through similar problems.
The neo cons have little to do with this whole situation and it clearly fits in with the liberal agenda and handling of international diplomacy. This can be laid at the feet of the Obama/Clinton/Kerry administration. I suspect that the U.S. courts will be called upon to sort this out which they will no doubt do.
The neo cons are dominating this administration. That was my point about the tail wagging the dog. I dunno what "the liberal agenda" is that you refer to. Maybe you can flesh this out a little.
The continuity between this administration and the previous one is pretty clear. As one commentator noted, the entire political class in the US is unable to get past the globocop mentality, and this hegemonic delusion is shared by both Democrats and Republicans. The world is changing and, sadly, the great country to the south of us isn't changing with it. World chess and FIDE is simpy getting side-swiped by these bigger foreign policy goals.
In this case, the US goal of overthrowing the Assad regime in Syria trumps everything else - including the fight against Daesh and terrorism - but, unfortunately for the current US admin, the public sees people killed in France, planes shot down in Egypt, and Syria, boatloads of refugees, many of whom die fleeing the horror, and comes to the conclusion that the political games of the neo-cons and turning world politics into a chessboard is wrong-headed. Politics needs people whose vision of problem solving is not limited to a zero sum game. The interconnected world needs it.
The Americans aren't big on admitting their mistakes. They'd rather just re-write the story.
Dogs will bark, but the caravan of chess moves on.
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