‘High Noon’ Devolves Into ‘Afternoon Tea’

I am going to continue what seems to be an emerging series of almost daily episodes of the Russia-US clash of wills – which yesterday a tired mind mistakenly termed a ‘crash of wills’. I’m sure a crash will come eventually but, for now, the wills are simply clashing, or at least one side is clashing, or even thrashing’, while the other is simply resting and waiting for some kind of cohesive response.

Things have changed since yesterday as a result of the thrasher, alias Sheriff ‘Tex’ Blinken, saying no document would be presented to Russia on Jan 21 – tomorrow as I write this.

The once ‘High Noon’ Jan 21 meeting has turned into a ‘friendly’ chat over Afternoon Tea. Oh to be a fly on that wall.

Actually, nothing has changed really.

‘Lavrov to hold talks with Blinken in Geneva on January 21, diplomat confirms’ – TASS

The US has once again proved to be the lying bastards we always knew they were. The previous week they declared they would give Russia an answer to their documented demands by this week. Well tomorrow is the last weekday of ‘this’ week and no reply is forthcoming. Well nobody I think really expected it would, but you take people at their word and expectations are set up on that basis. Expectations – from the US – that you know are going to be dismally dashed as a matter of course.

Russia on the other hand has never said they expected any written response from the US. I think the word they used was ‘soon’ i.e. not weeks or months. So it is not a weakening of Russian determination, nor a back-step for them to now say that a document presented next week will be Ok. They are still operating within the parameters of their original position statements. No lies there. But don’t expect that leniency to continue for long.

‘Russia doesn’t mind getting written US response to security proposals next week — Kremlin’ – TASS

Note that Russia is still not referring to its ‘proposals’ as ‘demands’, but you know and I know that this is just diplomatic speak – calculated to not unnecessarily offend. Though the intent is very, very, clear.

Can we say any more just now? I think not. Though the gradual build up on all sides continues apace. But that is just theatrics – moves and counter-moves – which could be just as easily dismantled. No, the real work goes on at its own slow pace, surfacing occasionally in meetings such as the Afternoon Tea (or whatever it turns out to be) tomorrow.

It is when the talking stops (perhaps one side has seen enough snake-oil talk) that matters take a different turn.