Diplomats, not politicians of this level, should work with the US Embassy behind closed doors, especially on the eve of elections, Chairman of the Rodina party Alexey Zhuravlev told the newspaper VZGLYAD, commenting on the meeting between Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov and US Ambassador to Russia John Tefft.
“It is at least incorrect for one of Russia’s leading politicians to meet with the US Ambassador. Diplomats and our Foreign Ministry should work with these structures. And if Gennady Andreevich receives instructions from the US Ambassador on what to do, he has mixed up the countries. This is happening today in Ukraine,” the interlocutor said.
Zhuravlev wondered what Zyuganov and Tefft could have talked about behind closed doors? “On the eve of the elections to the State Duma, this can be interpreted in any way... I am sure that not only the election campaign of Donald Trump, which is not very interesting to Russians, was discussed there,” the leader of the Rodina party emphasized. He recalled that “a politician of this level has no right to be closed about such things.”
Zhuravlev did not rule out " historical aspects” in the motives of the leader of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, recalling that Vladimir Lenin at one time received instructions and financial resources from the enemies of Russia with whom it fought, for example Germany, and made a revolution in Russian Empire. “Maybe these laurels do not give him peace on the eve of the elections, he also went to the United States for money... So this is sad, then the Communist Party of the Russian Federation should rename itself a foreign agent,” emphasized the leader of the Rodina party.
The interlocutor said that when the Rodina party was removed from the elections last year, “we also received a call from the US Embassy and were very persistently invited. There were dozens of calls. And no one, not only from the party leadership, but even from ordinary members, considered it necessary to go to any consultations or negotiations,” emphasized the chairman of the Rodina party. He added that the Communist Party of the Russian Federation followed the wrong way: “When you are omnivorous in politics, it is dangerous, it can end very badly,” Zhuravlev summed up.
Let us remind you that the leader of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation Gennady Zyuganov and the US Ambassador to Russia John Tefft met on March 9. According to the American diplomatic mission, “the discussion was about the expectations of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation from the upcoming elections to the State Duma in September. The parties discussed the latest changes in the Russian electoral system, the general level of competitiveness in elections,” TASS quoted the department’s press service as saying.
They added that, in addition to election topics, Zyuganov and Tefft talked about the priorities of the legislative work of the State Duma of the current convocation. “The conversation with the head of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation was one of the meetings that Ambassador John Tefft holds with Russian officials and politicians on a regular basis to develop a deeper understanding of Russian reality, which is generally accepted diplomatic practice,” the embassy explained.
The website of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation also reports about the “working meeting” of Zyuganov and Tefft and notes that Russian politician and the American diplomat exchanged views on the presidential campaign that has started in the United States. “Candidate Donald Trump debates like a tank. It’s better not to get hit by such a tank,” noted Gennady Zyuganov. The party’s press service also noted that “during the conversation, the American side raised questions about the situation in Russia and the upcoming elections to the State Duma. G.A. Zyuganov spoke about the anti-crisis program of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, adopted at the Oryol Economic Forum, and about the legislative activities of communist deputies.”
State Duma deputy Valery Trapeznikov, representing the United Russia faction, asked Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov to tell a plenary session on Tuesday, March 15, about his meeting with US Ambassador to Russia John Tefft. Interfax reported this on Thursday, March 10, with reference to the press service of United Russia.
“We are very interested in how he reported to the American ambassador,” Trapeznikov said.
According to the deputy, this meeting caused bewilderment among parliamentarians, and he himself was “shocked.” “Zyuganov always denounced US imperialists. I would understand if he met, for example, with representatives of trade unions who defend the interests of workers,” the deputy said.
He believes that from now on all candidates from the Communist Party of the Russian Federation in elections “should be automatically checked for the presence of foreign funding" “Meetings with Americans from representatives of the so-called non-systemic opposition are not surprising, but now the Communist Party of the Russian Federation has joined the same group,” Trapeznikov added.
Leader of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation G.A. Zyuganov, in an interview with the radio station “Moscow Speaks,” explained the American ambassador’s interest in the party by the growth of its authority
Earlier it became known that on March 9 a meeting was held with the leader of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation G.A. Zyuganov and US Ambassador to the Russian Federation John Tefft.
"Moscow speaks"
2016-03-10 14:37
Zyuganov Gennady Andreevich
Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, head of the Communist Party faction in the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation
“I am one of the most influential politicians in the country, our party today proposed a real program for leading the country out of a severe crisis. And this arouses understandable interest not only among our friends and allies, but also among our opponents. The embassy, realizing that the authority of the leftist movement is growing, is interested in how we assess the situation,” he clarified.
G.A. Zyuganov emphasized that he often meets with ambassadors of major countries.
“We criticize American interference in the internal affairs of fraternal Ukraine. And we call for recognition of the Donetsk and Lugansk republics. We have our own position. Therefore, their interest in our position is not accidental,” the politician added.
Earlier, State Duma deputy from United Russia Valery Trapeznikov asked Zyuganov to tell at the plenary session on Tuesday, March 15, about his meeting with the US Ambassador. This visit, according to the deputy, caused bewilderment among parliamentarians, and he himself was “shocked.”
According to the US Embassy, at the meeting they discussed the expectations of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation from the upcoming elections to the State Duma in September. In addition to election topics, Zyuganov and Tefft talked about the priorities of the legislative work of the State Duma of the current convocation.
Gentlemen don’t scorch at all... As I understand it, the State Department has begun to choose who to rely on from the systemic opposition because Navalny and Co. failed. The show is in full swing.
No sooner had communist Gennady Zyuganov left the gates of the American embassy than Runet sparkled with witticisms. The head of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation was asked what the State Department’s cookies taste like and in what sealed carriage their overseas counterparts promised to deliver the heir to the work of the great Lenin to the Kremlin. In turn, the press service of the Communist Party bluntly called the visit of the head of the Duma faction to the US Embassy “a generally accepted diplomatic practice.” Forgetting to clarify for the sake of clarity whether he was running for tea Russian Ambassador in Washington, Sergei Kislyak, the head of the Republicans, Reinhold Priebus? So why, then, was Gennady Zyuganov, who was quite equal in status to Priebus, hanging around in John Tefft’s reception room?
The Duma elections are just around the corner, in about six months. And the communists have no chance of taking power, slipping like a nimble little snake through the eye of the Central Election Commission’s needle, as always. At best, a traditional second place in the race. Meanwhile, party members have been grumbling for years: the Communist Party of the Russian Federation has a fake tsar! Even though he is irremovable, like some Rurikovich, and has already prepared an heir for himself in the person of his own grandson Lenya, a deputy of the Moscow City Duma. Agree, this doesn’t happen: the communists have been proving to themselves for decades that they already have popular support - wow, and they are about to regain power, but when it comes to elections - zilch! And under the peakless caps of the sailors of the revolution, a seditious thought creeps in: isn’t the problem with the opportunist captain? His more ambitious party comrades Gennady Seleznev and Gennady Semigin tried to rebel against Zyuganov, with his eternal incompetence, but in vain. The party lost faithful comrades (remember Svetlana Goryacheva, Elena Drapeko or Tatyana Astrakhankina?), but never changed its proven course - to an honorable, but completely unpromising second place!
OpinionAlexey ZHURAVLEV, head of the Rodina party
– You know, the Americans also invited us to have tea, having learned about how Rodina was removed from the elections last year. They called from the embassy and promised to cover the clearing. Dozens of calls. But we didn’t go, neither the party leadership, nor even its individual representatives. We, patriots of Russia, unlike communists, are far from omnivores. Sitting down at the table with just anyone can end very badly. So they failed to persuade or force us.
Now Zyuganov is telling how he and Tefft discussed Donald Trump during a conversation. And nothing else. You might think that Trump interests the Russians so much that even the head of the second largest faction in the Duma is forced to go to the US Embassy and clarify the situation. It is clear that not only Trump was discussed. What else? Zyuganov remains silent, thereby giving rise to insinuations and speculation. This is bad silence, dangerous. A politician of such a level as Zyuganov must understand such simple things. The very fact that one of the representatives of the leadership of the systemic opposition is meeting with the American ambassador is suggestive. First of all, this is incorrect; it is the job of diplomats to meet with foreigners. And Zyuganov got ahead of Lavrov and the Foreign Ministry. Maybe Gennady Andreevich mixed up the countries? In Ukraine, I remember, Yanukovych’s opposition also listened attentively to the US ambassador. And she followed his instructions.
And this is not the first time for communists, if you recall history. The same Lenin, striving for power, carried out the instructions of the enemies of Russia and, moreover, received bribes from them. From the enemies with whom Russia was at war at that time. In general, it is worth checking whether Zyuganov has turned the Communist Party of the Russian Federation into a “foreign agent.”
And now it’s March 2016. Zyuganov has passed 70. Comrades who have been stuck in eternal swings are pressing in from behind. Moreover, the press quotes the harsher Rashkin and Melnikov more often and more willingly than the head of the party’s Central Committee. After the “swamp” events, when the Communist Party of the Russian Federation almost publicly humiliated itself, almost falling into the sin of foul profitability and money-grabbing, their fellow travelers, patriots, began to look askance at the communists. In general, it’s time for elections, and the inventive Fortune is somehow completely half-turned towards the party of workers and peasants. Striving to show your back. And the bull would gore the cow, but he’s emasculated!
But the Aurora, as is known, sometimes fired accurately with blanks.
As historians lie today, on the eve of the Great October revolution the forerunner of Zyuganov, Vladimir Ulyanov, successfully returned to Petrograd from Germany in a sealed railway carriage filled with in German marks. So successful that he literally led the country right away, from the station. Well, what chances did Ulyanov have of coming to power in Russia in the elections and becoming Lenin? Yes, none! This is what it means to successfully meet on the eve of the revolution with sympathetic foreigners. Do you think Zyuganov doesn’t know about this? So why did the head of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation go to the US Embassy without fear of getting burned?
Version 1
Washington is ready to throw money at the communists
During the “Swamp events,” there was a rumor that Zyuganov met with the then US Ambassador McFaul and they seemed to agree that the communists would be allowed to ride the wave of protest and, following the results of the “white ribbon revolution,” take places in the new government. At its very top. But either the liberal opposition rebelled against it, overestimating its strength, or the “leftists” Tyutyukin - Udaltsov, longtime opponents of the communists, balked - as a result, Zyuganov did not go to Bolotnaya.
Theoretically, the Americans, who are clearly starting some strange mess in the Urals on the eve of the Duma elections, could go so far as to support Zyuganov and let him go Russian authorities. Revolutionary ideas have not frightened anyone for a long time: after all, Lenin and Stalin became almost the best friends of America in the 20s and 30s. The ruble was tied to the dollar, overseas capitalists were invited to join the union to raise industry. In general, the version that Washington has given (or is preparing to give) Zyuganov the green light does not seem fabulous at all.
Version 2
The Americans threatened the leader with compromising evidence
Zyuganov ran too quickly to the embassy as soon as they called him. To the delight of the television cameras on duty there, as if by chance. It is possible that the party boss was deliberately framed in order to ruin his reputation even more. But why? Again, there are rumors that some incriminating evidence has accumulated on Zyuganov overseas. Either connected with the activities of his wards in the regions of Russia (and in the party ranks, as criminal proceedings prove, it is not very clean), or with the leader’s grandson Leonid. There was also this story: several years ago, Zyuganov’s son-in-law Sergei Nikiforov, deputy head of Keramocenter CJSC, was detained by law enforcement officers together with a certain official of the capital’s government on suspicion of receiving a bribe on an especially large scale. Then it seemed to settle down. But did the Americans manage to find out more than the Russian investigators?
True, it is not entirely clear why the Americans needed Zyuganov and his Communist Party at all? It can be assumed that they rather need places on the list for their protégés. In Yekaterinburg today there are too many liberals who want to break into power, but neither in United Russia nor among the liberal democrats they seem to have a chance. So we decided to take the communists by the throat - give us places on the lists, and that’s it!
MOSCOW, March 10 - RIA Novosti. Ambassadors of foreign states regularly visit the Communist Party of the Russian Federation and other factions of the State Duma, a meeting with US representative John Tefft is not something supernatural, Communist leader Gennady Zyuganov told RIA Novosti, adding that at this meeting he stated that the Americanized version of the policy is unacceptable for Russia.
Earlier, the official website of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation reported that Zyuganov held a working meeting with Tefft on Wednesday at the request of the American ambassador. The parties exchanged views on the presidential campaign that has started in the United States. Tefft raised the issue of the upcoming State Duma elections. The communist leader spoke about the anti-crisis program of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, adopted at the Oryol Economic Forum, and about the legislative activities of communist deputies.
“Ambassadors of foreign embassies regularly visit the faction. This is their practice, they are obliged to know the situation, they are obliged to inform the country’s leadership... There is nothing supernatural here,” Zyuganov said.
According to the communist leader, he presented a program to bring the country out of the crisis.
“I defend the national state interests of the country. In my report, I outlined the dangers of the liberal option in the economy. I outlined in detail the essence of the policy that has been carried out for 25 years according to American patterns, and stated that this Americanized option is absolutely unacceptable for us,” Zyuganov explained.
After Zyuganov’s meeting with Tefft, United Russia deputies stated that they wanted to demand clarification from the communist leader on this matter. In particular, member of the presidium of the General Council of United Russia, deputy Valery Trapeznikov, spoke out in favor of the fact that “now all candidates from the Communist Party of the Russian Federation should be automatically checked for the presence of foreign funding.”
The leader of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, in response to a request to comment on this position, recommended that political opponents “not to fantasize.”
“To be honest, all the chatter doesn’t bother me. As an influential political person, I am obliged to express my views. And I am obliged to do everything so that there is security for citizens and peace in the country. Americans in modern world influence many processes, so our task is to warn the embassy so that they do not interfere in our affairs. Well, we are interested in getting out of the crisis, but at the same time having normal relations with the East, the West, and the South. This is our principled line,” Zyuganov said.
"Why does (Russian President Vladimir) Putin regularly talk to (US President Barack) Obama and everyone else, even though sanctions have been imposed? Why does (State Duma Speaker Sergei) Naryshkin go to meet with parliamentarians, express his position on what is happening in the country and our proposals , despite the fact that an embargo has been imposed on him, and so on? - added the leader of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation.
How grandfather Zyu went to visit March 12th, 2016
I can’t ignore the enchanting visit of the head of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation Zyuganov to the American embassy. A great example of political madness. There were even cookies!!! On March 9, Zyuganov visited the US Ambassador to Russia John Tefft to drink tea with sugar and “discuss the prospects for the elections.” This year presidential elections in the USA (November 8) and the Duma elections in Russia (September 18), so they were apparently discussed. I have great doubts that Gennady Andreevich is very interested in the US elections. That is, they, of course, interest him, because the United States sets the tone in global politics, but discussing the prospects of victory for Trump or Madame Clinton is completely pointless, because the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (and Russia as a whole) cannot influence the outcome of the elections in the United States. Influence the policies of the new president too. Clinton will be there, but Trump is basically uncontrollable. Therefore, one can only react to US policy. Personally, I think that Trump’s victory is preferable for Russia than Madame Clinton’s, but in general, horseradish is no sweeter.
This means that in an election year, one of the main parties of the systemic opposition in the Russian Federation (systemic because it is part of the Duma and is the country’s governing system, unlike some “Progress Party” of Navalny) goes to visit the US Ambassador to discuss its prospects for elections to the Duma. Russia and the USA are in a state of cold war, just in fact, no matter what our Prime Minister Dmitry Badmintonich says, this is an indisputable fact recognized by many Western experts. In the context of the Cold War with the West, the head of the Communist Party goes to visit US Ambassador John Tefft. Who hates Russia with every fiber of his soul, you can see it in his eyes. Along the way, he also looked into the embassies of France and Germany to give his actions credibility and consistency.
I’m wondering if Zyuganov will visit the ambassador after the elections? For consultation. Well, discuss the prospects for politics in the relevant Duma committees. As they sometimes say, once you don’t pee, doesn’t it count? Well, this is not the first time. In January 2012, exactly after the Duma elections (and the failed color revolution), the representative of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation Nina Ostanina came to visit the American embassy. And she didn’t come alone, but with a blacksmith on her arm with our liberal non-systemic opposition:
In the photo - Dick Cheney (US Vice President under Bush Jr.) and Joe Biden (current Vice President under Obama, curator of the Ukrainian junta). Gozman, Yavlinsky, Nemtsov, Kasparov and Ryzhkov do not need to be introduced. Their “political prospects” in Russia are within the limits of statistical error. They will be able to play some role only if the entire existing system is demolished. Hence the moral, first the demolition of the system, then the prospects. Or, quite rudely, you can only discuss with these “citizens” the work of demolishing the existing regime in Russia. Under the strict leadership of Joe Biden or Victoria Nuland. Let me point out once again that this is a meeting at top level. The vice president is not an ambassador, he is the second person in the state. This time, Zyuganov himself went instead of Ostanina, although instead of two vice-presidents he got one ambassador; apparently, “political prospects” have shrunk greatly since 2012 (see mink revolution).
How does Gennady Andreevich comment on his campaign?
« The ambassadors are interested in the prospects for the elections; this is a common practice. I met with the US Ambassador, I met with the leadership of China, there was a special meeting with the Chinese Embassy, all the leaders, I met with the Ambassador of France, Germany»
I understand perfectly why embassies are interested in the election process; it is one of their responsibilities to monitor the political climate in the host country, collect data and send it to the center. I also understand that Communist China (with all the reservations) cannot help but be interested communist parties, and the Communist Party of the Russian Federation is obliged to be interested in the first place. There are no questions here. But why meet with the USA? It looks very strange and smells very bad. I am a small expert in diplomatic etiquette, but I will express my point of view. Firstly, the territory of the embassy is formally the territory of the country that sent the embassy, in our case the USA. On the territory of the United States, the jurisdiction of the United States applies and everything that happens and is said there is controlled only by the United States and no one else. Secondly, if you are so concerned about the confidentiality of conversations and you are meeting at the embassy, then the question arises, what is so interesting that you are discussing there. It actually occurs among many people, including the Communist Party members themselves. Because if you are discussing something secret that no one should know about, then one huge question remains - what secrets could there be between the Communist Party of the Russian Federation and the United States in the conditions of the Cold War?! And if there is a secret, why won’t the United States blackmail you with this secret after you come to power? Or will he not leak your secret to your political opponents in order to weaken you? That is, you the Communist Party of the Russian Federation is giving the United States weapons against itself. This is what I call political madness.
And if there are no secrets, then why meet at the embassy? This, in my amateur opinion, puts the Communist Party of the Russian Federation in an unfavorable light. You go to visit the ambassador because he needs to discuss with you yours political prospects. He needs it, and you go to him, he is the owner, and you are the guest. Despite the fact that he is an ambassador, that is, he is a guest in the host country, and you are the leader of the largest opposition party in your country. Not a fringe like Kasyanov, Limonov, Kasparov, but the leader of a huge party represented in parliament (
