Utopia Talk - Politics - Dutch Foreign Minister Halbe Zijlstra

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Utopia Talk / Politics / Dutch Foreign Minister Halbe Zijlstra

swordtail
Anarchist Prime Mon Feb 12 10:53:05
Mon Feb 12, 2018 / 11:33 AM EST

Dutch foreign minister admits lying about Putin comments

Bart H. Meijer

(Reuters) - Dutch Foreign Minister Halbe Zijlstra admitted on Monday he had lied about hearing Russian President Vladimir Putin make comments about plans for a "greater Russia", unleashing a storm of criticism.

"I told an untruth, it was unacceptable," he told reporters. Zijlstra, who is scheduled to meet his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Moscow in two days' time, said he had been "stupid" and regretted his behavior.

While election campaigning two years ago, Zijlstra said that in 2006 he had been at Putin's dacha when he heard the Kremlin leader speak of plans for a "greater Russia" which would include some of Russia's neighbors.

"I was tucked away back in the room, but I could clearly hear Putin's answer to the question about what he considered greater Russia," Zijlstra told a gathering in 2016 of his People's Party for Freedom and Democracy, which heads the new Dutch government.

"He said this included Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and the Baltic states, and, well, Kazakhstan would be 'nice to have'," he said in his speech, which was recorded on video.

But on Monday he acknowledged he had never been at the meeting with Putin and had heard of the comments secondhand.

"I wasn't present at the meeting in President Putin's dacha," the minister said in statement on Monday.

"The discussion did take place and someone who was there told me what President Putin said about greater Russia."

Zijlstra said he was prepared to discuss the matter with parliament, which has the power to dismiss him.

His admission led opposition parties to demand his resignation, but the governing parties stood by him.

Prime Minister Mark Rutte said Zijlstra had a made a "big mistake", but remained a credible member of the government.

In a scathing editorial, the prominent daily business newspaper Het Financieele Dagblad called on the minister to step down.

"Staying on would undermine the credibility of the Cabinet. Not only in criticizing Russia, but also in the campaign against fake news," it wrote.

Zijlstra is to meet Russian minister Lavrov on Wednesday. Relations between the two countries have been poor since the downing of Malaysia Airlines MH17 over eastern Ukraine in July 2014, killing all 283 passengers and 15 crew. The airliner had been flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, and 196 of the victims were Dutch.

Dutch authorities say it was brought down by a Russian-made Buk missile, fired from territory held by pro-Russia separatists, and hope to identify suspects to be put on trial in the Netherlands.

It is not clear how far Russia will cooperate with a Dutch court. Moscow denies one of its rockets could have been used against the airliner.

(Reporting by Bart Meijer; Editing by Andrew Roche)

http://mob...W19S?__twitter_impression=true

obaminated
Member Mon Feb 12 10:59:09
Putin got to him.

Hot Rod
Revved Up Mon Feb 12 11:12:38

I expect it from the Swedes, but not from the Dutch.

Aeros
Member Mon Feb 12 11:34:30
tbqh, the Swedes take a much harder line to Russia then the Dutch do. FFS, the Russians murdered over 100 dutch citizens and the Netherlands didn't even send a strongly worded letter to Moscow.

Hot Rod
Revved Up Mon Feb 12 11:38:46

I was thinking of paramount at the time.

Paramount
Member Mon Feb 12 12:06:57
?

Pillz
Member Mon Feb 12 16:42:17
Ukraine murdered them, and the Dutch know it.

Aeros
Member Mon Feb 12 17:41:37
Ukrainian rebels using missiles supplied by russia and fired by russian soldiers on vacation if we want to be more specific.

Hot Rod
Revved Up Mon Feb 12 20:20:50

That is the way China did it in Korea.

swordtail
Anarchist Prime Tue Feb 13 11:58:43
Disgraced Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns After Admitting Lying About Putin's "Greater Russia" Comment

http://www...ut-putins-plans-greater-russia

Paramount
Member Tue Feb 13 12:03:00
He could have made a Trump and denied everything. Saying: "I didn't say it", "media is lying", or simply saying what he said was an "alternative fact".

show deleted posts

swordtail Anarchist Prime	Mon Feb 12 10:53:05 Mon Feb 12, 2018 / 11:33 AM EST Dutch foreign minister admits lying about Putin comments Bart H. Meijer (Reuters) - Dutch Foreign Minister Halbe Zijlstra admitted on Monday he had lied about hearing Russian President Vladimir Putin make comments about plans for a "greater Russia", unleashing a storm of criticism. "I told an untruth, it was unacceptable," he told reporters. Zijlstra, who is scheduled to meet his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Moscow in two days' time, said he had been "stupid" and regretted his behavior. While election campaigning two years ago, Zijlstra said that in 2006 he had been at Putin's dacha when he heard the Kremlin leader speak of plans for a "greater Russia" which would include some of Russia's neighbors. "I was tucked away back in the room, but I could clearly hear Putin's answer to the question about what he considered greater Russia," Zijlstra told a gathering in 2016 of his People's Party for Freedom and Democracy, which heads the new Dutch government. "He said this included Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and the Baltic states, and, well, Kazakhstan would be 'nice to have'," he said in his speech, which was recorded on video. But on Monday he acknowledged he had never been at the meeting with Putin and had heard of the comments secondhand. "I wasn't present at the meeting in President Putin's dacha," the minister said in statement on Monday. "The discussion did take place and someone who was there told me what President Putin said about greater Russia." Zijlstra said he was prepared to discuss the matter with parliament, which has the power to dismiss him. His admission led opposition parties to demand his resignation, but the governing parties stood by him. Prime Minister Mark Rutte said Zijlstra had a made a "big mistake", but remained a credible member of the government. In a scathing editorial, the prominent daily business newspaper Het Financieele Dagblad called on the minister to step down. "Staying on would undermine the credibility of the Cabinet. Not only in criticizing Russia, but also in the campaign against fake news," it wrote. Zijlstra is to meet Russian minister Lavrov on Wednesday. Relations between the two countries have been poor since the downing of Malaysia Airlines MH17 over eastern Ukraine in July 2014, killing all 283 passengers and 15 crew. The airliner had been flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, and 196 of the victims were Dutch. Dutch authorities say it was brought down by a Russian-made Buk missile, fired from territory held by pro-Russia separatists, and hope to identify suspects to be put on trial in the Netherlands. It is not clear how far Russia will cooperate with a Dutch court. Moscow denies one of its rockets could have been used against the airliner. (Reporting by Bart Meijer; Editing by Andrew Roche) http://mob...W19S?__twitter_impression=true
obaminated Member	Mon Feb 12 10:59:09 Putin got to him.
Hot Rod Revved Up	Mon Feb 12 11:12:38 I expect it from the Swedes, but not from the Dutch.
Aeros Member	Mon Feb 12 11:34:30 tbqh, the Swedes take a much harder line to Russia then the Dutch do. FFS, the Russians murdered over 100 dutch citizens and the Netherlands didn't even send a strongly worded letter to Moscow.
Hot Rod Revved Up	Mon Feb 12 11:38:46 I was thinking of paramount at the time.
Paramount Member	Mon Feb 12 12:06:57 ?
Pillz Member	Mon Feb 12 16:42:17 Ukraine murdered them, and the Dutch know it.
Aeros Member	Mon Feb 12 17:41:37 Ukrainian rebels using missiles supplied by russia and fired by russian soldiers on vacation if we want to be more specific.
Hot Rod Revved Up	Mon Feb 12 20:20:50 That is the way China did it in Korea.
swordtail Anarchist Prime	Tue Feb 13 11:58:43 Disgraced Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns After Admitting Lying About Putin's "Greater Russia" Comment http://www...ut-putins-plans-greater-russia
Paramount Member	Tue Feb 13 12:03:00 He could have made a Trump and denied everything. Saying: "I didn't say it", "media is lying", or simply saying what he said was an "alternative fact".
	show deleted posts

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