GUEST BLOG: Ross Meurant – Turkey sends example of self respect to NATO States.

At a press conference in Moscow 8 April 2019, President Erdogan asserted Turkey’s right to chart its own destiny and in so doing, sent a salutary message to other NATO states:

Regain your lost self-respect and self-determination. Or to momentarily resort to the vernacular:  Stop being screwed by the school yard bully.

Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Moscow Monday, where the two expressed a desire to strengthen military ties.  The meeting was the third for both leaders this year in the Russian capital.

President Erdogan continued his quest to put Turkish interests first, by subjugating its dubious defense partner NATO to its rightful place, when he confirmed that Turkey would buy Russian S400 missiles rather than the US Patriots.

This follows conformation that Turkey will permit the Russian gas pipeline (previously intended to pass through Bulgaria – before that nation state bowed to American pressure and in the process lost jobs they seriously need in that country) to pass through Turkish territory.

Of course, Turkey will also be mindful that the Russian exodus of tourists, and leather product and   fruit/veggie buyers from their backyard, following the shooting down of a Russian military aircraft over Syria, exposed a commercial reliance by Turkey on Russia – and a void not filled by NATO allies e.g. Germany – in an hour of need.  But self determination does emerge as the driving factor in President Erdogan’s current position.

India too has dismissed American threats of sanctions and other threats over purchase of Russian submarines, construction of nuclear facilities and a weapons factory.

These American threats, emanate from the Land of the Free with such banality that few if any, take any notice any more, of the bluster and bullshit emanating from the self-proclaimed World Policeman.

Increasing, President Merkle has been under fire from opposition MPs in Germany, to stand tall in the face of persistent jingoism of America.   She now has two world leaders of states which are arguably more powerful than Germany, to look up to for guidance as she endeavours to reassert Germany’s self-respect.

Other NATO states might also,” Watch this space carefully.”

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Ross Meurant is a former NZ Member of Parliament and before that, an inspector in the police in charge of the Auckland criminal intelligence and VIP security unit.  

An international businessman and entrepreneur, today in New Zealand he is trustee and managing director of absentee Russian owned forestry and commercial property.  He is the Honorary Consul for Morocco.

From 2004 he lived and worked in Zimbabwe, Russia, Czech Republic, Thailand and the Balkans. Since 2005 Ross has established business interests in aqua culture and fisheries development – from Morocco to Syria: U.A.E and North Korea. In 2015 Ross was prime speaker on sustainable fisheries as guest of the Moroccan government at CRANZ Montana ‘Sustainable Resources: Africa’ conference, and an official guest at the 2017 forum.

Ross has a bachelor degree in politics and management, a master’s degree in economics, statistics, law and policy and C.O. P’s in law.

A former Member of Parliament (1987–1996) and Member and the Executive Council of New Zealand in the National government, Ross was Under Secretary (junior minister) Agriculture & Forestry; Cabinet Committee Industry & Commerce & Chair Select Committee Fisheries.

Subsequent to parliament, he owned equestrian facilities; was elected to local government as a councilor; consulted to several major fishing companies; was engaged by parliamentary services as adviser to Rt. Hon Winston Peters and emerged as a key figure in the Scampi Affair, which falsely alleged political corruption.

Prior to entering parliament, Ross had been 21 years in the police.  Service included: detective on Regional Crime Squad and on Drug Squad; 5 years Armed Offenders Squad, second in command of the infamous Red Squad, and commissioned officer in charge of police spies i.e. Criminal Intelligence Section and V.I.P. Security.