Vanik and Magnitsky vs. Mother Russia
The Senate of the U.S. Congress is ready to adopt a bill to abolish the Jackson-Vanik Amendment by early August. However, the abolition of the amendment is linked to the adoption of the law on sanctions against Russian nationals allegedly involved in the violation of human rights. This is the so-called “Magnitsky list” authored by Senator Benjamin Cardin.
“I support this position and I guarantee that these two important draft laws (on trade with Russia and the “Magnitsky list “) can be linked together, will be discussed by the (financial) Committee and adopted by the Senate this year, possibly before the recess in August,” said on Tuesday head of the Senate Finance Committee Max Baukus. He emphasized that he intended to achieve the acceptance of such a bill as quickly as possible.
Judging by the statements made by the U.S. State Department spokesman Victoria Nuland, the U.S. administration did not object to adopting the new bill. On the one hand, there is interest in lifting Jackson-Vanik amendment. This has more reasons than its archaism. The Obama administration believes that the amendment causes obstacles for the American businessmen first of all.
Victoria Nuland made a statement in this regard. According to her, in the case of any issues American businesses will not be able to bill Russia under the WTO rules while this legislation (i.e., amendment) is in place because they would not meet the requirements.
As for the “Magnitsky list”, until recently the U.S. administration was against linking it to the abolition of the Jackson-Vanik amendment. Moreover, last year the State Department tried to be proactive, making a list of the Russians who are banned from entering the U.S. territory. However, the names were not named (as opposed to the list of Cardin). The only thing that Washington has achieved was a counter-list from Russia.
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Optimism in diversity? Moscow’s March of Millions
Despite a heavy riot police presence, a spirit of optimism and unity was tangible at Moscow’s ‘March of Millions’ yesterday, says Susanne Sternthal. The self-proclaimed ‘leaders’ of the opposition, on the other hand, were reduced to playing a secondary role.
I had not made it to the previous four large-scale Moscow demonstrations for one reason or another. But despite the tightening of the screws on opposition leaders and protestors by President Vladimir Putin’s government in advance of the planned ‘March of Millions,’ I was set on going.
Just days before the protest, Putin rushed to pass a bill sponsored by ruling party United Russia. This new law hikes the maximum fines for organizers of protests deemed illegal or unruly up to $32,000, and up to $9,000 or 200 hours of mandatory labor for participants. On the night before the protest, opposition leaders Aleksei Navalny, Sergei Udaltsov, Ksenia Sobchak and Ili Yashin had their apartments searched and had all their electronic devices confiscated. On the day of the demonstration, all four were called in for questioning regarding the May 6 demonstration, in which protestors allegedly started a brawl with security forces. Udaltsov nonetheless led his Left Front party at the demonstration, explaining that this was his primary responsibility. The others did not make it. These primitive intimidation tactics by the government, aimed at dissuading supporters from gathering, did not have the desired effect.
Riding up the escalator from the Pushkinskaya Metro station to the designated meeting place near Pushkin Square, I saw in front of me a young couple with a bohemian look and various piercings and knew I needed to follow them. But I soon learned that I could just as well have followed the four fashionably-dressed middle-aged women who stood behind me: ‘….Well, I just explained that I was going to the demonstration and could not make it to the dacha,’ I overheard one explaining. June 12 is a national holiday marking Russia’s independence from the Soviet Union and is attached to a long weekend.
‘The absence of a compelling, realistic and specific plan for change is something all the opposition groups have in common. This lack of common purpose and plan plays into the hands of the Russian government.’
Coming out onto the square before noon, I saw that a large crowd had already formed and were beginning to pass one by one through metal detectors, with purses and bags being inspected by police. Special police units, known by their acronym as OMON, towered nearby in riot gear, resembling extras from Star Wars. I was propelled toward the front, where everyone had stopped, and we were told to wait for everyone else to gather before the march could begin as officially sanctioned at 1:00PM.
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Syria Crisis and Putin’s Return Chill U.S. Ties With Russia
Sitting beside President Obama this spring, the president of Russia gushed that “these were perhaps the best three years of relations between Russia and the United States over the last decade.” Two and a half months later, those halcyon days of friendship look like a distant memory.
Gone is Dmitri A. Medvedev, the optimistic president who collaborated with Mr. Obama and celebrated their partnership in March. In his place is Vladimir V. Putin, the grim former K.G.B. colonel whose return to the Kremlin has ushered in a frostier relationship freighted by an impasse over Syria and complicated by fractious domestic politics in both countries.
The tension over Syria has been exacerbated by an accusation by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Tuesday that Russia is supplying attack helicopters to the government of President Bashar al-Assad as it tries to crush an uprising. Russia’s foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov, rejected the assertions on Wednesday, saying that Moscow was supplying only defensive weapons and countering that the United States was arming the region.
The back-and-forth underscored the limits of Mr. Obama’s ability to “reset” ties between the two countries, as he resolved to do when he arrived in office. He has signed an arms control treaty, expanded supply lines to Afghanistan through Russian territory, secured Moscow’s support for sanctions on Iran and helped bring Russia into the World Trade Organization. But officials in both capitals noted this week that the two countries still operated on fundamentally different sets of values and interests.
The souring relations come as Mr. Obama and Mr. Putin are preparing to meet for the first time as presidents next week on the sidelines of a summit meeting in Mexico. With Mr. Obama being accused by Mitt Romney, his Republican presidential opponent, of going soft on Russia and Mr. Putin turning to anti-American statements in response to street protests in Moscow, the Mexico meeting is being seen as a test of whether the reset has run its course.
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McCain: Keep Russian trade, Syria issues separate
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), a leading critic of President Obama’s policies on Russia and Syria, said Wednesday that Russia’s role in suppressing Syrian dissent should be kept separate from an upcoming vote on trade.
McCain reiterated that he supports permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) with Russia as long as the bill establishing it is paired with a human-rights bill designed to punish those responsible for the death of Russian whistle-blower Sergei Magnitsky.
The United States accused Russia this week of supplying Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad with attack helicopters to kill his own people. But when asked if the Russia PNTR bill should have Syria language in it, McCain said it should not.
“I would not think that would be the case, but look — the Russians are behaving in a way that our least optimistic assessment of [Vladimir] Putin’s behavior … has been realized,” he told The Hill.
He added that, while the PNTR bill should only be used to advance Magnitsky legislation, the Syrian episode underscored that a tougher line needs to be taken with Russia.
“I don’t know how exactly you punish Russia. It calls for us to start looking at Russia from a more realistic viewpoint, and stop pushing the reset button,” he said.
McCain also repeated his calls for the United States to immediately begin arming the Syrian rebels and establish a safe haven for them in the country.
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Russia, PNTR, and Human Rights
Progress on the ability of U.S. firms to take advantage of new business opportunities when Russia joins the World Trade Organization (WTO) took a step forward yesterday when Senate leaders acknowledged that legislation to promote human rights will be a condition needed for permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) to move forward, too.
Senators Max Baucus (D–MT), John McCain (R–AZ), John Thune (R–SD) and John Kerry (D–MA) introduced legislation to exempt Russia from the Cold War–era Jackson–Vanik Amendment restrictions, passed in 1974, that no longer effectively promote human rights.
Approval of this legislation will allow U.S. companies to benefit from trade concessions that Russia made in order to join the WTO. Otherwise, American firms attempting to do business in Russia will be placed at a disadvantage in comparison with their foreign competitors.
McCain joined others in calling for passage of the bipartisan Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act, introduced by Senator Ben Cardin (D–MD) and McCain, to accompany Jackson–Vanik’s repeal. This legislation would impose penalties on officials from Russia and elsewhere who are responsible for gross violations of human rights. Ignoring legitimate human rights concerns would threaten PNTR’s prospects.
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Who Is Magnitsky?
Washington Council on Foreign Relations
Yesterday was a big day in terms of efforts to establish permanent normal trade relations with Russia: Senators Baucus, Thune, Kerry and McCain introduce legislation to make this goal a reality. And with the House Ways and Means Committee hearing coming up (next Wednesday, June 20), it’s beginning to feel like there’s momentum to ensure that – when Russia joins the WTO – U.S. businesses will have the same access to the Russia market as everyone else.
But one name that you’re going to hear a lot before the (hopefully) successful conclusion of this policy discussion is “Magnitsky.” As in “Magnitsky Act will be linked with Russian trade bill in Senate” (for example). And, since most of you aren’t following U.S.-Russia policy as closely as you’re following the daily Mariners box score (although I’m not sure which one I prefer), you know that you can always rely on your faithful State of Trade Blog for the easy answer.
Senate Bill 1039 is entitled the “Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act,” which is intended to ban U.S. visas to Russian officials engaged in “gross human rights violation.” The legislation is named for the anti-corruption lawyer who died in a Russian prison, after allegedly being tortured, two years ago. The Act would lay out specific provisions about who can be banned, for what reasons and the process for getting such a ban in place.
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Senate panel to vote next week on trade-related Russia bill, Iraq ambassador nominee
A Senate panel on Tuesday will move human-rights legislation that lawmakers of both parties say is critical to gaining their support for establishing normal trade ties with Russia.
The Senate Foreign Affairs Committee will vote on the so-called Magnitsky bill, named after a whistleblowing Russian lawyer who died in police custody, along with a number of other bills and ambassador nominations. The news comes after Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) on Tuesday announced his intention to pair the human-rights bill with the trade legislation, which must clear his committee.
The Magnitsky legislation targets human-rights violators in Russia with financial and travel sanctions. The House Foreign Affairs Committee passed the bill last week.
Without it, several lawmakers say, they cannot support establishing normal permanent trade relations with Russia, which would put U.S. companies at a disadvantage when Russia joins the World Trade Organization this summer. The Obama administration’s top trade negotiator has called for a clean vote on the trade issue.
The Foreign Affairs panel is also slated to consider President Obama’s controversial nominee to lead the world’s largest embassy, in Baghdad. Brett McGurk, 39, has come under criticism for his inexperience — he has never served as ambassador — and more recently for an affair he conducted with a reporter, now his wife, who covered him while he was stationed in Iraq in 2008.
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A Russian Rights Deal
Senate leaders unveiled an agreement on Tuesday to revoke Cold War-era restrictions on trade with Russia and adopt new human rights legislation despised by the Kremlin.
Democratic Sen. Max Baucus, who chairs the Finance Committee, introduced a bill to establish permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) with Russia and repeal the 1974 Jackson-Vanik amendment, which was originally meant to pressure the Kremlin to treat Soviet Jews better. Ahead of Russia’s accession this summer to the World Trade Organization, U.S. companies will be disadvantaged on the Russian market without PNTR.
But the Obama administration will have to swallow new human rights legislation to replace Jackson-Vanik. In a letter, Sen. Baucus on Tuesday promised to include the so-called Magnitsky Act in the PNTR bill. Magnitsky sets out sanctions, including visa bans and asset freezes, for Russian officials implicated in human rights abuses. Sen. Ben Cardin, a Maryland Democrat, introduced the bill in 2010 after the death in police custody of Russian lawyer and whistle blower Sergei Magnitsky the previous year.
Senators John McCain (R) and Joe Lieberman (I) made their support for PNTR contingent on passage of Magnitsky. The White House had leaned on Democratic senators to stop or water down the legislation. President Obama has invested a lot of time and capital in the “reset” of relations with Russia, which has threatened to retaliate for Magnitsky. A new draft of the bill circulated by Sen. Cardin’s staff last week weakened some provisions, angering its Republican supporters.
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Bipartisan Senate Bill Would Lift Title IV For Russia; Business Group Supports PNTR
BNA
A bipartisan group of senators June 12 introduced legislation that would terminate the application of Title IV of the Trade Act of 1974 to Russia, and the Business Roundtable the same day launched a 50-day campaign to urge Congress to approve permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) with Russia by the August recess.
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.), International Trade Subcommittee ranking member John Thune (R-S.D.), Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry (D-Mass.), and Armed Services Committee ranking member John McCain (R-Ariz.) unveiled the legislation, “To authorize the extension of nondiscriminatory treatment (normal trade relations treatment) to products of the Russian Federation.” The bill has not yet been numbered.
Normal trade relations with Russia currently are subject to an annual review under Section 402 of the Trade Act, known as the Jackson-Vanik Amendment, which was designed by lawmakers to link trade with human rights by monitoring Jewish emigration from the former Soviet Union.
The three-page bill terminating application of all sections in Title IV would allow the president to grant by proclamation PNTR for Russia. PNTR is required for U.S. firms to receive all of the benefits of the Russian World Trade Organization accession protocol.
In a June 12 briefing with reporters, the Business Roundtable expressed quiet confidence that the legislation would pass prior to the August recess so PNTR can be granted before Russia officially joins the WTO.
The group’s “50 Days for Trade” campaign includes a Russia PNTR action center, a daily “state spotlight” focusing on trade opportunities, targeted media outreach to all 50 states, stepped-up outreach by Business Roundtable chief executive officers, coordination of advocacy efforts with state governors, a national grass-roots outreach campaign, print and online advertising, as well as a national op-ed campaign.
Roundtable President John Engler released the results of a May 26-27 Winston Group poll that found 70 percent of Americans favored granting PNTR to Russia this summer.
Baucus, Kerry Plan to Combine Bills
Baucus and Kerry simultaneously unveiled their strategy of advancing human rights legislation along with the trade bill by adding the full text of the Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act (S. 1039) as an amendment to the bill that would terminate Title IV of the Trade Act. The Magnitsky bill had been referred to Kerry’s Foreign Relations Committee.
Baucus acknowledged in a June 12 letter to four sponsors of the bill providing for sanctions—in the form of visa denials and asset freezes for human rights violators—that many lawmakers are rallying around the position that repeal of Jackson-Vanik for Russia must be accompanied by passage of the Magnitsky Act.
Baucus told the four senators sponsoring the act—Benjamin Cardin (D-Md.), McCain, Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.), and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.)—that he would allow open debate and votes on germane amendments during the Finance Committee markup of the Russia PNTR-Magnitsky legislation. He also said he would urge the Senate majority leader to schedule time prior to the August recess for the Senate to debate and vote on the combined legislation.
Baucus added that he would work with his House counterparts in any conference to ensure that the final version of the legislation includes the Magnitsky Act in a form that is acceptable to its bipartisan co-sponsors.
Extension of MFN Tariffs Not Certain
Under WTO rules, Russia would not be required to grant all of its accession terms to the United States absent PNTR, which in international agreements is referred to as unconditional most favored nation (MFN) status.
Russia is expected to ratify the accession protocol on or before July 23 and become a full WTO member 30 days after ratification. Russian officials have said that they will not extend all the accession terms to the United States until PNTR is granted.
Currently, tariffs are covered by the 1992 U.S.-Russia Agreement on Trade Relations that provided for reciprocal MFN treatment of each others’ products.
Although Russia is expected to uphold the commitment and extend tariffs agreed to in the WTO accession protocol to the United States based on the agreement, a trade expert told reporters at the Business Roundtable briefing this is not certain.
He noted, moreover, that PNTR is critical for U.S. companies to benefit from the commitments in the WTO accession agreement related to intellectual property rights, sanitary and phytosanitary standards, investments, and dispute settlement, among other issues.
In addition to the Roundtable, numerous business groups expressed immediate support for granting PNTR to Russia, including the U.S.-Russia Business Council, which serves as the secretariat for the Coalition for U.S.-Russia Trade that has been in the forefront of lobbying efforts on the issue.
The National Foreign Trade Council, the National Association of Manufacturers, the Emergency Committee for American Trade, the Coalition of Service Industries, the Technology Industry Council, and the Distilled Spirits Council all issued statements that back PNTR and urge congressional passage of legislation that would approve it.
Kirk Gives Bill Warm Reception
U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk welcomed the introduction in the Senate of the bill to terminate the application of the Jackson-Vanik Amendment and authorize the president to extend PNTR to Russia.
“Passing this bill will ensure that U.S. businesses, ranchers, farmers, and workers will not be at a disadvantage in the Russian market compared to their global competitors,” Kirk said. “We will continue to work with Congress so that Americans can reap the full benefits of Russia’s WTO membership.”
A USTR spokesman said in an emailed statement that the administration priority is for the Congress to lift the Cold War-era Jackson-Vanik Amendment and authorize the president to extend PNTR to Russia, but democracy, human rights, and civil society are important components of the U.S. relationship with Russia.
“We will continue to work with Congress on how best to advance these important priorities,” the spokesman said.
Eight members of the Senate Finance Committee urged Baucus in a June 12 letter to work to address a number of outstanding issues with Russia, such as barriers to U.S. exports, corruption, and its support for the Syrian government.
The letter, spearheaded by the committee’s ranking member Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and signed by Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.), Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), and Richard Burr (R-N.C.), said that satisfactorily addressing these issues is imperative before the Senate moves forward with legislative action.
“We believe it will be necessary to satisfactorily address these and other issues if Congress is to successfully navigate a path toward granting PNTR to Russia,” the senators wrote. “We hope you will work with us as we consider legislative options to address remaining concerns.”
For More InformationThe legislation can be found at: http://www.finance.senate.gov/legislation/details/?id=c7b50a1a-5056-a032-5231-0a45f92b7e1a.The letter from Baucus on the Magnitsky Act can be found at http://op.bna.com/itr.nsf/r?Open=rbri-8v7szq.The letter from Hatch and the other senators to Baucus can be found at http://op.bna.com/der.nsf/r?Open=palo-8v7tv9.The Business Roundtable website for its Russia PNTR campaign is http://pntr.businessroundtable.org/. unshaven girl payday loan https://zp-pdl.com https://www.zp-pdl.com hairy women
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To learn more about what happened to Sergei Magnitsky please read below
- Sergei Magnitsky
- Why was Sergei Magnitsky arrested?
- Sergei Magnitsky’s torture and death in prison
- President’s investigation sabotaged and going nowhere
- The corrupt officers attempt to arrest 8 lawyers
- Past crimes committed by the same corrupt officers
- Petitions requesting a real investigation into Magnitsky's death
- Worldwide reaction, calls to punish those responsible for corruption and murder
- Complaints against Lt.Col. Kuznetsov
- Complaints against Major Karpov
- Cover up
- Press about Magnitsky
- Bloggers about Magnitsky
- Corrupt officers:
- Sign petition
- Citizen investigator
- Join Justice for Magnitsky group on Facebook
- Contact us
- Sergei Magnitsky
