US & Russia to Sign START Treaty

President Obama spoke with his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev Friday morning and the two body agreed to meet in Prague, the Czech Republic, on Thursday, April 8, to sign the Treaty between the United States of America and the Russian Federation on Measures to Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (the “New START Treaty”).

President Barack Obama discusses the START treaty, during a sound call with President Dmitry Medvedev of Russia in the Oval Office, March 26, 2010. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

President Barack Obama discusses the START treaty, during a sound call with President Dmitry Medvedev of Russia in the Oval Office, March 26, 2010. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

White House officials say this was the 14th meeting or sound call between the body most the treaty and call it a "landmark agreement" that "advances the security of both nations."

The President module make a statement in the White House briefing room at 10:45am Watch it LIVE now! along with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen.

Tune into Fox News Channel throughout the day and Special Report with Bret Baier Friday evening for details most the treaty.

Medvedev-Sarkozy Honeymoon: At What Price?

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Russian President Dmitri Medvedev arrived in Paris on Monday for a three-day visit and to launch a new strategic partnership with France. The new Franco-Russian embrace is marked by major arms sales, a space deal, lucrative energy contracts and greater market access—all under the banner of a blossoming personal relationship between President Nicolas Sarkozy and Medvedev. But the blossoming Franco-Russian friendship appears poised to come at the expense of European security.

We’ve been to this show before. The historical connection between France and Russia dates back before World War I. France and Russia consummated an alliance in 1894. This was a military pact, based on mutual protection guarantees, and aimed against the rising Germany. It did not survive World War I, nor did the 1935 Franco-Soviet Treaty of Mutual Assistance. This time, Paris is playing catch-up with Germany for a privileged relationship with Moscow.

Seemingly oblivious to NATO members’ objections and Russia’s continued violation of the August 2008 ceasefire agreement in George (brokered by President Sarkozy), Paris is moving ahead with the sale of four Mistral-class assault ships to Russia. The Mistral is one of the most advanced helicopter carriers in the world and would be a formidable power projection tool for Russia. Building two Mistrals under the license in Russia will also boost the Russian industrial capabilities. This dynamic should concern the U.S. as well as Europe.

In addition to arms sales, the two leaders presided over the signing of an important accord between Gaz de France Suez and Gazprom. GDF will acquire a nine percent stake in the Nord Stream gas pipeline, and in exchange, Gazprom will provide France with up to an additional 1.5 billion meters of gas annually from 2015. This follows a close pattern in Russia’s diplomatic playbook: Moscow grants selective access to Russian energy resources as a reward for political cooperation—and often times lobbying on behalf of the Kremlin.

The two countries are also venturing into space: France will spend about $1 billion to buy 14 Soyuz carrier rockets from Russia. The new deal marks another step in cooperation between Russia and France in the space sector after Arianespace signed a contact with Russia’s space agency in 2008 for the launch of 10 Russian Soyuz-ST rockets.

There may be an internal Russian political angle to the visit as well. Medvedev may be jealous of his mentor and ex-boss Russian Premier Vladimir Putin in pursuing a close relationship with Sarkozy. Putin has strong ties with Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi and was close to the German Chancellor Gerhardt Schroeder and French President Jacques Chirac when the two were in office. Until now, personal relationships and lucrative business deals were reserved to Putin. The trajectory of Medvedev’s and Sarkozy’s friendship appears to be a new dynamic which signals Medvedev’s “coming of age.”

One can only hope that Sarkozy will use his leverage to counter dismemberment of Georgia and promote the rule of law. Paris would also be wise to remember that its gains from a Franco-Russian business ties should not come at the expense of European security. Unfortunately, judging from Paris’s business-better-than-usual approach, the future for Russia’s expand clout in Europe never looked better.

C0-authored by Ariel Cohen, Ph.D., Senior Research Fellow in Russian and Eurasian Studies and International Energy Policy and Owen B. Graham, Research Assistant at the Katherine and Shelby Cullom Davis Institute for International Policy at The Heritage Foundation.

source: http://blog.heritage.org/2010/03/03/medvedev-sarkozy-honeymoon-at-what-price/

Evan Lysacek relishes Olympic gold, addresses Plushenko criticism

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By Kelly Whiteside, USA TODAY

VANCOUVER — Nearly 12 hours after Evan Lysacek finished the most magnificent skate of his life, he was asked how it felt to wake up wearing a gold medal.

"Well, I haven't gone to sleep yet so I don't know," he said amid laughter at a Friday news conference. "I keep feeling it and looking at it, but it hasn't sunk in."

PLUSHENKO: Judging in Lysacek win 'raises questions'

PHOTOS: Winter Olympics highlights

BRENNAN: Here's how Lysacek won the gold

Lysacek became the first American man to win a gold medal in 22 years, beating out perhaps the toughest men's field in Olympic history. With a score of 257.67, he edged Russian silver medalist Evgeni Plushenko by 1.31 points. Japan's Daisuke Takahashi took the bronze becoming the first men's skater from his country to win an Olympic medal.

In the immediate aftermath, Plushenko, the 2006 gold medalist, and his coach Alexei Mishin disparaged Lysacek for winning without a quad. Nonethelelss, Lysacek had better marks on his technical elements, which includes the eight triples he landed with relative ease. Plushenko, known as a tremendous jumper, was a bit wobbly on some of his landings.

"If Olympic champion doesn't know how to jump quad … I don't know," Plushenko said after the result. "Now it's not men's skating. Now it's dancing. That's my point."

Mishin said that without the quad, the men's and women's competitions should be combined.

The vociferous bickering raged on back in Russia. Even Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin sent Plushenko a telegram which said, "Your silver is worth gold," according to Reuters. Plushenko's wife,Yana Rudkovskaya, called the decision "a gross mistake" and, according to Reuters, demanded the Russian government "defend our sportsmen and protect their honor."

BRENNAN: Coach finally gets his gold

Expect the off-ice Cold War to continue.

In his news conference, Lysacek handled all the questions about Plushenko's insolence with grace. He said he wasn't aware of the reaction in Russia, adding. "Nobody likes to lose."

Plushenko had retired in 2006 but, at 27, announced last spring he was coming back, hoping to become the first man since Dick Button in 1952 to win back-to-back Olympic titles.

"Plushenko is a great guy and a great skater. I've admired him for years," Lysacek said. "For him to discredit the field is not right. It's probably the strongest men's field there's ever been and I'm honored to be just one single member of that."

Lysacek's measured response showed a maturity beyond his 24 years. "I'm sure he didn't see what anyone else did because he skated last," Lysacek said. "All I know is that he's been a positive role model for me. … I guess I was a little disappointed that someone who was my role model would take a hit at me at one of the most special moments of my life. But, it's tough to lose. I'm sure he said stuff in the heat of the moment that maybe he doesn't mean so we'll try to … give him the benefit of the doubt. But congratulations to him on his third Olympic medal."

Though Plushenko's comments and even Tiger Woods' press conference grabbed a bit of the spotlight away from Lysacek the morning after, it didn't matter much. History will remember the medal, not the theatrics surrounding it. Lysacek joined Russia's Alexei Yagudin as the only men's skaters to own the Olympic, World and Grand Prix Final titles at the same time.

And he brought his coach, Frank Carroll, the first Olympic gold of his career. After decades of tutoring some of the finest American skaters, including Michelle Kwan, Carroll's top pupil finally reached the top step of the medal podium in an Olympic career that began in 1976.

"That's the first thought that came to my mind," Lysacek said. "He's really my secret weapon."

Carroll, 71, has coached four Olympic medalists — two silvers, a bronze and now this gold. "I had given up on having an Olympic gold medalist a long time ago," Carroll said Thursday night. "It's something I thought maybe would never happen. But it's so great it did. I'm just grateful. … I didn't give up."

His skater isn't about to either. Before the national championships last month, Lysacek said he couldn't imagine competing in the 2014 Olympics. But now he just might pull a Plushenko and continue his run.

Of course, the 2014 Games are in Russia making the prospect that much more delicious.

"I don't think they would love to see me," he said with a laugh. "If I can somehow get a visa into that country …

"I love skating. I can't imagine my life without it. I can't see just giving it up at this point. I feel like I'm in the best shape of my life and I'm going to take it one step at a time. I would love to continue … to keep competing."

And so he will.