Kerry Calls Syrian Presidential Vote ‘Meaningless’

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U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says Syria’s presidential elections this week were “a great big zero” that won’t change anything.

He said Wednesday the vote was “meaningless, because you can’t have an election where millions of your people don’t even have an ability to vote.”

Kerry, who spoke during a one-day visit to the Lebanese capital, insisted that after the Syrian election, “the conflict is the same, the terror is the same, the killing is the same.”

Syrians in government-controlled areas voted Tuesday in a presidential poll all but guaranteed to hand President Bashar Assad another seven-year term. Voting did not take place in opposition-held areas.

 

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Kerry Warns Russia of Tough New Sanctions

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Secretary of State John Kerry is warning Russia of harsher economic sanctions if it doesn’t back down from involvement in Ukraine.

Kerry was testifying Tuesday before a Senate panel. He said pro-Russia demonstrations at regional government headquarters in Kharkiv and the Donetsk regional administration were contrived and a pretext for military intervention.

Kerry said the U.S. and European allies were united and willing to impose tough new penalties on Russian energy, banking and mining if Moscow fails to honor a sovereign Ukraine.

Kerry said he would meet next week in Europe with Russia Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (SEHR’-gay LAHV’-rahf) and Ukrainian officials. He said Russia has a choice and can work with the international community.

 

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