Russia

Russia 091028Basic Political Developments

· Reuters: PRESS DIGEST - Russia - Oct 28

· RIA: Washington says talks to replace START 1 to continue in Moscow

· The Washington Post: National security adviser Jones to Russia Wednesday

· AFP: Top US security adviser to Russia for nuclear talks: WHouse

· Reuters: Russia says U.S. to respect its arms treaty concerns

· Xinhuanet: Verification regime of new arms cuts treaty should be easier: Russian FM

· Russia Today: Moscow says Iran didn’t refuse to enrich uranium in Russia

· RIA: Ecuador president set off for Russia for partnership deal

· Itar-Tass: Ecuador Pres arriving on first ever official visit in Moscow

· Xinhuanet.com: Ecuador confirms purchase of two Russian helicopters

· Itar-Tass: Putin to hold meeting of Russia-Belarus Union Council of Ministers

· Charter97: Sidorski goes to Moscow again to meet Putin

· ISRIA: Russia - Outcome of 9th Meeting of Foreign Ministers of Russia, India and China

· Xinhuante: Joint Communiqué of FMs of China, Russia and India at Bangalore meeting

· Itar-Tass: Russia, Japan discussing prospects for cooperation in transport

· FTO.co.za: South Africa and Russia ties relationship further

· Ynetnews: Livni in Moscow: We won't allow rocket fire

· Famagusta Gazette: Russian FM Lavrov to visit Cyprus - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is to visit Cyprus next week for talks on co-ordianting action between Cyprus and Russia on several international issues.

· ISRIA: Russian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs/State Secretary Grigory Karasin Meets with Cyprus House of Representatives Speaker Marios Karoyan

· DNAindia.com: Modi ignites GSPC interest in Russia

· Civil.ge: Tbilisi Demands Release of 16 Georgians

· Civil.ge: Russian Deputy FM Meets Ex-PM Nogaideli

· Gazeta.kz: Customs Union to create preconditions for opening of new joint enterprises

· RIA: Medvedev lauds Ukrainian veterans on victory over Nazis

· Itar-Tass: Medvedev to hold meeting of Commission on modernization

· WSJ: Russia Nixes Gold Sale After Leak

· Reuters: Russia agrees to AvtoVAZ mass layoff – paper

· The Moscow Times: Putin Orders Protesters’ Wages Paid

· Reuters: UPDATE 2-Russian workers protest over unpaid wages

· Iterfax: Special state program will require no more than 20 one-company towns - Nabiullina

· Vedomosti: Shared billions - Rostekhnologii state blocks of shares in companies worth nearly 156 billion rubles. But this is only part of the empire

· Vedomosti: Strategy Chemezov - Economic Development Minister Elvira Nabiullina will oversee the development strategy of Rostekhnologii. It will help well-known economists - Sergei Guriev and Vladimir Mau

· Interfax: During a search at SSHGES found important for the investigation materials - UPC RF

· The Moscow Times: Riot Police Raid Dam Disaster Site

· CCTV: Rogge satisfied with 2014 Winter Olympics preparation

· Interfax: Russia lifts Arctic Sea arrest warrant – prosecutors

· Itar-Tass: Arctic Sea dry cargo carrier to be returned to owner company

· Kyivpost: Case opened against Russian activist

· Itar-Tass: Swine flu kills 2 people in Trans-Baikal area – govt

· Itar-Tass: Moscow woman's death of new flu not 'imported case

· Prime-Tass: Nov 14–16: Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to take part in Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Singapore

· RIA: Russia may attend next ASEAN summit

· NY Times: Russian Professors Chafe at Scholarly Screening

· The Moscow Times: The Leader of the CIS Is Lonely and Weak

· Strategypage: Rebuilding The Soviet Union

· The Moscow Times: Inside Russia: Zyazikov’s Endless Power Struggle - By Yulia Latynina

· Georgian Daily: Will the Kremlin Combine Moscow City and Oblast to Remove Luzhkov?

· The Jamestown Foundation: Patrushev Signals a Shift in Russian Nuclear Doctrine

National Economic Trends

· Rusbonds: Reduced prices of Eurobonds Russia on Tuesday accelerated

· Itar-Tass: Russian farmers harvest nearly 99 million tonnes of grain in net weight

Business, Energy or Environmental regulations or discussions

· FT.com: Russia sees fall in syndicated loans

· WSJ: FOCUS: German Banks May Cast Eyes Toward Russian Retail Mkt

· The Moscow Times: RusAl Seeks Rail Discount From RZD, Tariffs Service

· Rus Business News: EVRAZ Group S.A. Will Increase Borrowing By 950 Million Dollars

· Barentsobserver: Norilsk Nickel boosts Arctic independence

· Earthtimes.org: Frost & Sullivan: Urgent Need for Foreign Investors in Russia to Fix Investment Climate and to Better Weather Economic Storms

· Bloomberg: Kremlin Vodka Flows, Patrons Sample $195 Blinis at Mari Vanna

· Interfax: Troika Dialog poised to acquire 23.1% of High River Gold

· FlexNews: Russia: X5 Receives AMS Consent to Acquire Paterson

· Reuters: Russian retailer Magnit SPO oversubscribed –source

Activity in the Oil and Gas sector (including regulatory)

· Rigzone: Russia to Top Record 2009 Oil Output Next Year

· Oil&Gas Journal: Russia completes 64-km ESPO spur to China

· EUobserver.com: Construction of controversial Baltic Sea pipeline to start next year

· Estonianfreepress.com: Nord Stream Can Be a Threath

Gazprom

· Polskie Radio: Poland-Russia gas deal negotiations drag on

· Interfax: Gazprom to retain take-or-pay principle, but does not rule out changes

· Oil and Gas Eurasia: Gazprom Forecasts Rise in Gas Export Prices

· Focus: Western clients of Gazprom insist for revision of price regulation mechanism

· Gazprom: October 27 BoD Meeting

· Eurasianet: Turkmenistan: Despite Upbeat Talk, Still No Export Deal With Gazprom

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Full Text ArticlesBasic Political DevelopmentsReuters: PRESS DIGEST - Russia - Oct 28

http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKLS60043520091028

Wed Oct 28, 2009 8:08am GMT

MOSCOW, Oct 28 (Reuters) - The following are some of the leading stories in Russia's newspapers on Wednesday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

KOMMERSANT

www.kommersant.ru

- Russian Communications ministry plans to introduce mobile number portability, which will cost Russia's no. 1 mobile phone operator MTS (MBT.N: Quote, Profile, Research) $130 million, the paper writes.

- Private plane crashed in Minsk on Monday, killing 5 Russians, including a businessman who flew to Belarus to gamble, the daily says. - Russians deposited 214 billion roubles ($7.40 billion) in banks in the third quarter of 2009, which is 28 percent less than in the second quarter, the paper reports.

- Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov proposes that the underground part of Bolshoi theatre be widened in order to double the capacity, the daily writes.

VEDOMOSTI

www.vedomosti.ru

- Russian government will allocate 6 billion roubles ($207.3 million) from 2009 budget to support dismissed workers of the troubled car maker Avtovaz (AVAZ.MM: Quote, Profile, Research), the paper writes.

GAZETA

www.gzt.ru

- Russian President Dmitry Medvedev met the head of central elections commitee on Tuesday, the paper reports.

- Russia's Anti-monopoly service has surcharged oil company Rosneft (ROSN.MM: Quote, Profile, Research) 5.28 billion roubles for setting high fuel prices, the paper writes.

- The number of troubled banks in Russia has dropped from 50 in 2008 to 30 in 2009, the daily says citing central bank officials.

KOMSOMOLSKAYA PRAVDA

www.kp.ru

- Moscow leads the rating of Russia's cities most unfriendly to start-up businesses, the popular daily says citing World Bank reports.

RIA: Washington says talks to replace START 1 to continue in Moscow

http://en.rian.ru/world/20091028/156614311.html

03:4028/10/2009

WASHINGTON, October 28 (RIA Novosti) - Washington says its U.S. National Security Adviser James Jones' primary aim of visiting Russia is to negotiate a new nuclear arms cuts treaty to replace START 1, a spokesman for the White House said.

"They're going to, I think, primarily to continue our discussions on renewing our START treaty... continue to make progress and get an agreement on something that we can sign this year to further cut the number of nuclear weapons that each side has," Robert Gibbs said.

The Kremlin said on Saturday the Russian and U.S. presidents hoped a treaty on nuclear arms cuts to replace START 1 would be ready by early December.

U.S. National Security Adviser Jones is expected to be in Moscow on October 28.

The Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, the pillar of Russian-US disarmament commitments, expires on December 5.

The latest round of talks took place in Geneva two weeks ago.

The outlines of the new pact were agreed during the presidents' bilateral summit in Moscow in July and include cutting their countries' nuclear arsenals to 1,500-1,675 operational warheads and delivery vehicles to 500-1,000.

START 1 obliges the countries to reduce nuclear warheads to 6,000 and their delivery vehicles to 1,600 each. In 2002, a follow-up agreement on strategic offensive arms reduction was concluded in Moscow. The document, known as the Moscow Treaty, envisioned cuts to 1,700-2,200 warheads by December 2012.

The Washington Post: National security adviser Jones to Russia Wednesday

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2009/10/27/national_security_adviser_jone.html?wprss=44

By Scott WilsonNational Security Adviser James L. Jones will travel to Moscow Wednesday to help push along talks over a new strategic arms-control treaty, the Obama administration has announced.

The two-day trip takes Jones out of town as President Obama continues to refine his thinking about what to do in Afghanistan, a process in which the former four-star general has played an important role. A decision is expected next month.

But the time left to reach agreement on a new START protocol is running short. The current treaty, signed in 1991 by the United States and Soviet Union, expires in December.

During a July visit to Moscow, Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed the outlines of an agreement that would cut the number of deployed warheads on each side by between 1,500 and 1,675 over the next seven years. The details of the treaty are being worked out.

In a statement, the White House said Jones was invited by his Russian counterpart, Nikolai Patrushev. Jones will also meet with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and other Russian officials.

The statement said Jones would discuss other "bilateral issues" with the Russian government without elaborating which ones.

But one of those unmentioned is certainly more pressing than others.

Iran is currently delaying its decision on whether to agree to a U.S.-designed plan that would send most of Iran's low-grade nuclear fuel to Russia for further enrichment.

The deal would not leave enough nuclear fuel inside Iran to allow the government to build a nuclear weapon in the short term.

The United States and other countries suspect a nuclear weapon is the goal of what the Islamic Republican says is a civilian nuclear program. Having Russia take Iran's nuclear fuel would give the United States and other countries more time to come up with a longer-term agreement to regulate Iran's enrichment program.

Posted at 2:59 PM ET on Oct 27, 2009  | Category:  National Security

AFP: Top US security adviser to Russia for nuclear talks: WHouse

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hnRQK92XUqVUZTEXIYUhucoGrqjw

(AFP) – 11 hours ago

WASHINGTON — US National Security Adviser James Jones travels to Moscow this week for talks aimed at forging a new US-Russian agreement on limiting their nuclear arsenals, the White House said Tuesday.

Jones, a retired US general, was to meet with senior Russian officials for talks on an arms agreement that would succeed the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) which expires on December 5.

His travels to Moscow from October 28 to 29 come at the invitation of Nikolai Patrushev, secretary of the Russia's national security council.

The White House said Jones also will meet this week with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and other senior Russian officials.

Russia and the United States hope to reach agreement by December on a legally binding strategic arms agreement to take the place of START, which was signed in 1991 just before the break-up of the Soviet Union.

Russian and US negotiators began talks in Geneva last week, the first major step warming bilateral relations.

At a Moscow summit in July, Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev Medvedev and Obama agreed to reduce the number of nuclear warheads in Russian and US strategic arsenals to between 1,500 and 1,675 within seven years.

The two leaders also agreed to cut the number of ballistic missile carriers to between 500 and 1,100.

Reuters: Russia says U.S. to respect its arms treaty concerns

http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSTRE59Q4FQ20091027

Tue Oct 27, 2009 3:11pm EDT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia expects to receive within days U.S. proposals taking into account Moscow's concerns regarding a new strategic weapons deal negotiated by the two nations, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Tuesday.

Russian and U.S. negotiators have been working hard to produce a detailed treaty ready for signing by the two nations' leaders in December, when an existing pact known as START-1 regulating the number of long-range nuclear weapons expires.

"The most important of these principles for us is the inter-connection between strategic offensive and defensive weapons, linked to a U.S. program of creating strategic weapons with non-nuclear charges," Russian news agencies quoted Lavrov as saying on board a plane heading from India to Russia.

"On both issues, as we understand, the Americans heard our concerns, are ready to take them into account and promised that within days they would hand over their own proposals, addressing these problems."

(Reporting by Dmitry Solovyov; Editing by Jon Hemming)

Xinhuanet: Verification regime of new arms cuts treaty should be easier: Russian FM

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-10/28/content_12344144.htm

2009-10-28 07:46:23

MOSCOW, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- The verification regime of a new nuclear arms reduction agreement should be less rigid compared to the expiring Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START-1), Russian news agencies quoted Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov as saying on Tuesday.

    "The old treaty was concluded in the absence of mutual confidence during the Cold War," Lavrov said on board a plane heading from India to Russia.

    "Now the Americans and we said that we no longer view each other as enemies, and therefore I think the verification mechanism will be simpler and less costly," he said.

    Lavrov said the United States would formally respond to Russia's nuclear weapons reduction proposals in the next few days.

    The U.S. counter proposals should address Moscow's concerns over Washington's plans to develop strategic conventional weapons, he added.

    The top diplomat said there would be no pause in strategic arms control after the current treaty expires and until a new agreement comes into force.

    The Kremlin said on Saturday the Russian and U.S. presidents expected a treaty to be ready by early December.

    The START-1, signed in 1991 between the Soviet Union and the United States, obliges both sides to reduce their nuclear war heads to 6,000 and delivery vehicles to 1,600.

    Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and his U.S. counterpart Barack Obama agreed at a July summit in Moscow on the outline of the new arms cuts treaty, including slashing their countries' nuclear arsenals to 1,500-1,675 operational warheads and delivery vehicles to 500-1,000.

Russia Today: Moscow says Iran didn’t refuse to enrich uranium in Russia

http://russiatoday.com/Top_News/2009-10-27/iran-uranium-enrichment-plan.html/print

27 October, 2009, 23:37

Iran has not rejected an offer to enrich its uranium in Russia, and is preparing an official response to the proposals of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said Russia’s Foreign Minister.

Sergey Lavrov made the comment on Tuesday, on his way back to Moscow from India, following a meeting between Russia, India and China.

"There has been no refusal,” he said. Currently “we are expecting official confirmation from the Iranians of the plan that was agreed upon.”

Earlier on Tuesday, RIA Novosti, citing the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, wrote that Tehran would move forward with its nuclear program as long as Israel possesses nuclear weapons.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad made his comment during a meeting with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

"When an illegal regime possesses nuclear weapons, the other countries' rights for peaceful nuclear energy cannot be denied," he said.

Israel does not admit to having nuclear weapons.

On October 12, following Tehran’s confession that it has a second uranium enrichment facility in the city of Qom, the US, France, Russia, Iran and the IAEA met for talks in Vienna. The sides discussed a plan under which the low-grade uranium produced at the Iranian plant in Natanz would be sent to Russia for further enrichment. The higher-grade material would then be used to make nuclear fuel rod assemblies in France and delivered to Iran’s power plants.

New START – Lavrov on new strategic arms reduction

Sergey Lavrov also commented on the new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) set to be signed soon between Russia and the US. The current one expires on December 5.

The US is willing to take Russia's key concerns into consideration and will soon submit its proposals. However, according to Lavrov, the new START treaty will have more flexible conditions than the previous one.

One of the concerns of the Russian side has been Washington having plans to develop a new type of strategic arms without a nuclear charge. Lavrov said that Moscow is waiting to receive in the near future new proposals from Washington which would take into account these concerns of the Russian side.

The Russian Foreign Minister also said that these proposals could include the idea that surveillance mechanisms on the amount of nuclear arms on both sides should be more transparent.

Lavrov stressed that even though the old treaty expires on December 5, the deadline does not pose a problem and negotiations will not stop. He added that there are enough legal mechanisms to continue the talks as long as both sides show the will.

Lavrov said that both Moscow and Washington are really concerned and intend to have the issue resolved.

RIA: Ecuador president set off for Russia for partnership deal

http://en.rian.ru/world/20091028/156613325.html

00:5528/10/2009

MOSCOW, October 28 (RIA Novosti) - Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa begins a historic three-day official visit to Russia on Wednesday.

President Correa, who will be the first Ecuadorian leader ever to visit Russia, is expected to sign an agreement on strategic partnership with Moscow during his meeting with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on October 29.

Correa said on the eve of his trip to Europe, which began last Sunday in the U.K., that Ecuador was interested in the strengthening of relations with Russia in trade and defense and his upcoming visit would be primarily focused on "the implementation of earlier signed agreements."

The leader of Ecuador has also expressed interest in loans to purchase Russian-made military equipment.

Ecuador is one of Russia's key partners in Latin America, trailing only Brazil and Argentina in trade with Moscow. Last year saw a record volume of trade between Russia and Ecuador, totaling $935.7 million.

The Russian-Ecuadorian inter-governmental commission for trade and economic cooperation will hold its first meeting in 20 years in Moscow on October 28 prior to Correa's official visit.

The commission includes five working groups on trade and business, military-technological cooperation, energy, agriculture, science, technologies and education.

Itar-Tass: Ecuador Pres arriving on first ever official visit in Moscow

http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=14476196&PageNum=0

28.10.2009, 08.10

BOGOTA, October 28 (Itar-Tass) - President Rafael Correa Delgado of Ecuador arrives on a three-day official visit in Russia Wednesday at the invitation of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.

This is the first ever visit to Russia by the Ecuadorian head of state since the two countries established diplomatic relations.

The official itinerary of President Correa’s visit begins Thursday with the laying of flowers at the Unknown Soldier’s Tomb in the Alexander Gardens by the northwest wall of the Kremlin, officials at the Ecuadorian Foreign Ministry told Itar-Tass.

On the same day, he will have talks with Dmitry Medvedev.

These will be followed by talks with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and the Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia Kirill /Cyril/.

Friday, Correa will meet with Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov and will accept the title of Professor Emeritus from the State Technological University in the city of Kursk, 550 kilometers to the south of Moscow.

Also, he will take part in the resumption of activity of the Russian-Ecuadorian trade commission that is due to get down to business after an interval of almost twenty years.

The Ecuadorian delegation includes Foreign Minister Fander Falconia and Defense Minister Javier Ponce.

Correa said on the eve of his visit he hopes to get a detailed picture on a number of agreements, the talks on which are underway and show gradual progress.

He said he especially meant agreements ore mining, oil refining, infrastructures and defense, since Russia has accumulated very expansive experience in these areas and it might share some of its knowledge with Ecuador.

Correa also voiced the hope that his country might increase the exports of its agricultural produce – mostly bananas and coffee – to Russia.

It is not ruled out that he will voice his administration’s position on the recognition of independence of two former regions of Georgia, Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Latin American mass media have said of late with references to well-informed sources in the Ecuadorian Foreign Ministry the government in Quito was scrutinizing a possibility of this recognition.

The former USSR and Ecuador established diplomatic relations June 15/16 1945.

Impulse to the ties between the two countries was imparted recently by the reciprocal visits that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Fander Falconi.

In 2008, trade between the two countries stood at around 935 million U.S. dollars.

At this moment, the two countries have eighteen agreements in various spheres.

Xinhuanet.com: Ecuador confirms purchase of two Russian helicopters

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-10/28/content_12345577.htm

2009-10-28 09:49:24

 QUITO, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- Ecuador confirmed on Tuesday it had bought two transport helicopters from Russia, an investment of 22 million U.S. dollars, Ecuadorian Defense Minister Javier Ponce said.

    The purchase was negotiated and finished a year ago, and the purchase deal would be sealed during Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa's visit to Russia starting Wednesday, the minister reported.

    "There is also an opportunity to reach an important support at aerial and ground transport fields, with trucks, buses and other vehicles of military transportation," Ponce added.

    Ecuador also expects to expand its number of non-pilot planes. "The idea is to buy six (non-pilot planes), not tactics, but strategic ones," he explained.

    According to the defense minister, one of the aims of Correa's visit to Russia was to seek support from Russia to strengthen its armed forces.

    Russia is the leading buyer of Ecuador's bananas and flowers. As two major oil and gas producers, Ecuador also seeks to expand cooperation with Russia on energy cooperation.

    Ecuador and its leftist ally Venezuela strongly reject Colombia's security pact, which will be signed with the United States this weekend. The pact would allow U.S. troops to get access to Colombia's seven military bases to enhance Colombia's anti-drug and counter-insurgency operations.

    Analysts fear the military build-up in Latin American countries could start an arms race in the region.

Itar-Tass: Putin to hold meeting of Russia-Belarus Union Council of Ministers

http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=14476185&PageNum=0

28.10.2009, 08.10

MOSCOW, October 28 (Itar-Tass) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Wednesday will hold a meeting of the Council of Ministers of the Russian-Belarusian Union State. Taking part the meeting will be Belarusian Prime Minister Sergei Sidorsky, State Secretary of the Union State Pavel Borodin, heads of the relevant ministries and departments of the two countries. The prime ministers will also held bilateral talks.

Itar-Tass was told at the Russian government’s press service that the meeting agenda includes the assessment of the progress of the fulfilment of the joint Action Plan aimed at the minimisation of the financial crisis effects, improvement of the payment balance parameters, improvement of the conditions for business activities and mutual trade, the issue of the budget of the Union State for 2010, matters related to the development of the bilateral trade-economic ties. The sides also plan to discuss the expansion of cooperation in the fuel and energy sphere, formation of the common science and technology space, to consider the progress of the implementation of the Union State’s Social Development Concept and a number of other issues.

Russian-Belarusian relations have the nature of union cooperation, the legal basis of which is the Agreement on the establishment of the Union State signed on December 8, 1999 and the Programme of Action aimed at the fulfilment of its clauses.

The integration processes have resulted in the creation of a factually single migration space: citizens of the two countries can travel to each other’s country with internal national documents without customs and border control, they can stay in the territory of the other state without migration registration within 30 days. In accordance with the Agreement on the Customs Union of 1995 the free movement of goods and services is performed between the two states, they have reached a high level of unification of customs duties (about 95 percent). From January 1, 2010 Russia and Belarus jointly with Kazakhstan will set up the Customs Union within the framework of the Eurasian Economic Community (EurAsEC) that envisages the introduction of the single customs tariff. The sides’ close interaction is exercised in the issues of foreign policy, military and military-technical cooperation, including ensuring collective security.

Russia and Belarus have created a solid legal base in mutual relations – more than 140 interstate and intergovernmental treaties and agreements. The two countries are also cooperating within the framework of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), EurAsEC and Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO).

The Eurasian Economic Community (EurAsEC) originated from the Commonwealth of Independent States customs union between Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan on the 29 March 1996. The Treaty on the establishment of the Eurasian Economic Community was signed on October 10, 2000, in Kazakhstan’s capital Astana by Presidents Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus, Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan, Askar Akayev of Kyrgyzstan, Vladimir Putin of Russia, and Emomali Rakhmon of Tajikistan. On October 7, 2005 it was decided between the member states that Uzbekistan would join. Freedom of movement is implemented among the members (no visa requirements). Common Economic Space is expected to be launched on January 1, 2010.

EurAsEC was established for effective promotion of the creation by the Customs Union member states of a Single Economic Space and for coordinating their approaches while integrating into the world economy and the international trade system. One of the Organization's chief activity vectors is ensuring the dynamic evolution of the Community states through coordinating their economic and social reforms while effectively using their economic potentials to improve the living standards of their peoples. Among the principal tasks of the Community are: completing the formalization of a free trade regime in all respects, creating a unified customs tariff and a unified system of non-tariff regulation measures; laying down the common rules for trade in goods and services and their access to internal markets; introducing a unified procedure for foreign exchange controls; creating a common unified system of customs regulation; drawing up and implementing joint programs of economic and social development; creating equal conditions for production and entrepreneurial activities; etc.

On October 7, 2002, the Presidents of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan, signed a charter in Tashkent, founding the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) or simply the Tashkent Treaty. Nikolai Bordyuzha was appointed secretary general of the new organisation. On 23 June 2006, Uzbekistan became a full participant in the CSTO and its membership was formally ratified by its parliament on 28 March 2008. The CSTO is an observer organisation at the United Nations General Assembly.

On February 4, 2009, RF President Dmitry Medvedev announced that the rapid military reaction-force that would be deployed during a military aggression against an CSTO member would be “just as good as comparable NATO forces.” He added that Russia would be ready to contribute a division and a brigade.

Charter97: Sidorski goes to Moscow again to meet Putin

http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2009/10/28/23179/

28.10.2009

The prime ministers had a meeting three weeks ago, and Sidorski left Moscow empty-handed.

A working visit of Belarusian prime minister Syarhei Sidorski to Moscow is scheduled for October 28. He will take part in a session of the Council of Ministers of the “union state”. A BelTA correspondent learnt this from premier’s spokesman Alyaksandr Tsimashenka.

Prime ministers of Belarus and Russia Syarhei Sidorski and Vladimir Putin will also have enlarged negotiations.

Besides, the head of the Belarusian government will have a meeting with chairman of the Russian Sberbank German Gref on the same day.

According to the “union state” Standing Committee, the sides will analyze the results of the implementation of the Belarusian–Russian joint action plan aimed at minimization of the financial crisis consequences, improvement of the payment balance parameters, improvement of the conditions for business activities and bilateral trade, and review the trade and economic cooperation of the two countries in first half of 2009.

The Russia–Belarus trade turnover was $10.5bn for the first half of 2009, down 41.4% yoy.

As the Council of Ministers of Belarus informs, the “union state” Council of Ministers will hear a report on preparation of the programme to expand Belarusian-Russian cooperation in fuel and energy sectors.

We remind that the prime ministers of Belarus and Russia had the last meeting the weeks ago – on October 6. The complicated Russian–Belarusian relations were aggravated with the interview of Alyaksandr Lukashenka to Russian journalists, in which he criticized Kremlin’s policy towards Minsk and accused Putin of breakdown of the “union state”. Taking these facts into account, the effectiveness of the negotiations raised questions.

The aim of Sidorski’s visit to Moscow was discussing the main issue – Russia’s refusal to give the last $500mln part of the loan. However, the PMs didn’t tell the press the results of the negations. It’s unknown if the matter was discussed at all, the issue on the loan remains unsolved. At the last meeting, Putin reminded Sidorski that Belarus buys Russian oil and gas at low prices that adds stability for the country’s economy.

ISRIA: Russia - Outcome of 9th Meeting of Foreign Ministers of Russia, India and China

http://www.isria.com/pages/28_October_2009_23.php

The Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, took part in the 9th meeting of the foreign ministers of Russia, India and China on October 27 in Bangalore, India.

The ministers exchanged views on a broad range of international issues, and mapped out ways to develop further practical interaction within the RIC framework.

Issues such as the formation of a new polycentric international system; a stronger role for and reform of the UN; building a reliable security and cooperation architecture in the AP region; international counterterrorism; overcoming the global economic and financial crisis; energy security; and climate change were discussed.

Among regional themes the main attention was devoted to Afghanistan. The heads of the foreign affairs agencies expressed concern over the continuing degradation of the situation in the country. They reiterated the readiness of the three states to assist the eradication of terrorist and narcotic threats, the restoration of peace and stability in Afghanistan, its economic and social revival and to coordinate their efforts in this connection.

It was also stressed that Russia, India and China stand for the resumption of Six-Party Talks on the Korean Peninsula nuclear problem and for the implementation of all the accords reached on October 1 in Geneva at the meeting on Iran’s nuclear program.

There was voiced a common interest in developing interaction among Russia, India and China within the SCO framework.

The ministers examined progress in trilateral practical cooperation among the RIC countries in three pilot areas – disaster prevention and management, public health and agriculture. Support was expressed for the practice of business community meetings. Ways to boost cooperation in these and other areas were mapped out.

The foreign ministers’ meeting has attested to the fact that RIC is an effective mechanism for bolstering the trustful partnership among the three countries, and more broadly – an important factor of the emerging multipolar world order. At the core of cooperation in the RIC format is the consonance of the basic interests of Russia, India and China.

A Joint Communiquй was adopted at the conclusion of the meeting.

The 10th meeting of the foreign ministers of Russia, India and China will be held in 2010 in the PRC.

Xinhuante: Joint Communiqué of FMs of China, Russia and India at Bangalore meeting

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-10/28/content_12346996.htm

2009-10-28 13:54:06

BANGALORE, India, Oct. 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Indian Minister of External Affairs S.M. Krishna signed on Tuesday a Joint Communiqué after holding the 9th meeting of foreign ministers of the three countries.

    The following is the full text of the joint communiqué:

    1. The Ninth Meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Republic of India, the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China was held on 27 October 2009 in Bengaluru (Bangalore).

    2. The Ministers noted the ongoing trilateral cooperation between India, Russia and China and explored new avenues for deepening and strengthening this interaction on various issues for the benefit of the people of the three countries and peace and stability in the region.

    3. Despite the impact of the international financial crisis, the pace of development of the three countries has improved contributing to faster growth among them. Enhanced engagement among them strengthens their influence on the process of democratization of international relations and development of multipolar world order reflecting the diversity of world cultures and civilizations.

    4. While reviewing the implementation of the Trilateral initiatives, the Ministers noted with satisfaction the holding of the trilateral meeting of experts of India, Russia and China in the area of Disaster Mitigation and Relief held in Samara, Russia on 28 July 2008. The prospective areas of cooperation in this important area were identified as interaction between research institutes; exchange of experts and specialists; exchange of experience in practical response to major disasters; exchange of information between the National Disaster Management Authorities on major emergencies; training of instructors and specialists; and holding joint conferences and seminars. The next meeting of this group of experts is due to be held in China in 2009.

    5. The Ministers welcomed the holding of the next meeting of the India-Russia-China trilateral expert group on agricultural cooperation, scheduled to be held in November or December 2009 in New Delhi.

    6. The Ministers noted that according to the understanding arrived at in the first meeting of trilateral group of experts on Health and Medicine held in India in September 2008, the next meeting of the trilateral group of experts on Health and Medicine would be held in 2010 in Russia.

    7. The Ministers reviewed the trilateral interaction among the business communities of the three countries and discussed the 2nd Trilateral Business Conference held on 17-19 September 2009 in Changchun, China. They noted that interaction among business communities was increasing and areas like pharmaceuticals, infrastructure, IT and energy have been the focus areas. The Ministers discussed ways in which the meetings of this forum could be more meaningful to the business communities in the time ahead so that new opportunities may be grasped to expand trade and investment. They looked forward to the next meeting in Russia.

    8. The Ministers discussed ways of enhancing interaction in the trilateral format. India, Russia and China, which together stretchover 20 percent of the total global landmass and represent 39 percent of the global population, are important members of the international community playing a significant role in world affairs. The Ministers agreed that trilateral dialogue in areas such as global economic governance architecture, climate change, trade policy and development cooperation would contribute greatly to global peace and prosperity and that concerted trilateral action against international terrorism, trans-national crime and drug-trafficking would promote stability and all-round development in today's inter-dependent world.

    9. The international situation was reviewed by the Ministers and the major global developments were discussed. The Ministers welcomed the decision made at the Pittsburgh Summit to designate G20 as the premier forum for international economic cooperation. They stressed that the future global economic governance should feature in balanced representation, equality and result-orientedness, and ensure the voice and representation of emerging market and developing countries. The three countries advocated that future G20 summits should be held in developed countries and emerging market and developing countries by rotation based on the principle of transparency and equity. The Ministers emphasized that one of the ultimate goals of governance structure reform for international financial institutions is equitable distribution of voting power between developed countries and developing ones. The Ministers called for early implementation of the quantified targets on the governance structure reform of the international financial institutions endorsed by the G20 Pittsburgh Summit, speedy shift in IMF quota share of at least 5 percent to emerging market and developing countries and a significant increase of at least 3 percent of voting power in the World Bank for developing and transition countries, while avoiding erosion in voting shares of developing countries.

    10. The three countries reiterated that they take the issue of climate change very seriously and that they are ready to strengthen international cooperation and make active effort to jointly tackle climate change. The three countries stressed that the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen presents an important opportunity for strengthening international cooperation in addressing climate change in accordance with the principles and provisions of the UNFCCC and the Bali Action Plan, taking into account the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities. The Ministers reiterated the willingness of the three countries to contribute to the success of the Conference.

    11. The Ministers reiterated that there was a need for a comprehensive reform of the United Nations with a view to make it more efficient so that it can deal with the current global challenges more effectively. The Ministers of India, Russia and China reiterated that their countries attach importance to the status of India in international affairs, and understand and support India's aspirations to play a greater role in the United Nations.

    12. The Ministers strongly condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and reiterated that there can be no justification for any act of terrorism anywhere. They underlined that the fight against terrorism needs strong international cooperation, particularly within the framework of the United Nations. The Ministers stressed that all concerned must implement relevant resolutions of the UN General Assembly and the UN Security Council, particularly UNSC Resolution 1267, 1373 and 1540 and international conventions and protocols against terrorism as well as contribute to implementation of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. In the context of strengthening international cooperation against terrorism, the Ministers urged all UN member states to urgently conclude and adopt the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism.

    13. The Ministers agreed that there exists a natural complementarity between India, China and Russia in the energy sector. Russia is a dominant supplier of oil and gas; India and China are energy deficit, but significant suppliers of manufactured products and services. Trilateral relations can be further reinforced by establishing mutually advantageous relations in the energy sector. India, China and Russia welcome the growing trend of discussing energy security issues in multilateral fora. Energy matters are best addressed in a framework that reconciles the long-term interests of both energy-consuming and energy-producing nations. India, Russia and China look to intensifying international cooperation in the energy sector on a new basis to promote openness, transparency and competition in the energy market and reflect in a balanced manner the interest of all parties concerned.

    14. The Ministers noted that the Afghan presidential and provincial council elections were held on August 20, 2009, and a second round of the presidential elections is due to be held on November 7, 2009. The Ministers expressed the hope that the election process will be conducted peacefully and with the active participation of the Afghan people. The Ministers emphasized the necessity of the international community maintaining its commitment to render assistance to the government and people of Afghanistan in ensuring security and development, and restoring peace and stability and building a democratic, pluralistic and prosperous Afghanistan. The Ministers agreed that terrorism must be combated firmly by the international community and expressed concern at the continuing deterioration of the security situation there due to continued terrorist attacks. The Ministers condemned the terrorist attack on the Indian Embassy in Kabul on October 8, 2009. The Ministers highlighted the need to bring the perpetrators of all terrorist attacks to justice and the need for strict observance of the sanctions regime against persons and entities listed by the UNSC Committee 1267.

    15. The Ministers stressed the need for sustained international efforts to effectively combat production and trafficking of narcotics in the region. In this regard, they called for close cooperation between the International Security Assistance Force and the coalition forces and the Government of Afghanistan in fighting this threat to regional stability and security.

    16. The Ministers welcomed the recent talks between Iran and representatives of the P5+1 and the EU in Geneva and emphasized the need to continue efforts to achieve a political and diplomatic settlement of the Iran nuclear issue. They shared the view that Iran is entitled to the right to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes and at the same time should fulfill its due international obligations. The Ministers emphasized that all possible efforts should be made to address the Iran nuclear issue by peaceful means through dialogue and negotiation and that the IAEA should play an important role in resolving outstanding issues.

    17. The Ministers noted that the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is steadily becoming an important factor of emerging architecture of security, economy, culture, people-to-people contacts and cooperation in Asia. They spoke in favor of further enhancement of interaction of the SCO Member-States with Observer-States and dialogue partners and other states and international organizations concerned for the benefit of strengthening security and stability in the region.

    18. The Foreign Ministers of China and Russia expressed satisfaction that the Indian delegation to the SCO Summit was led by the Prime Minister for the first time and at Indian participation at appropriate levels in other SCO meetings held in 2009. The External Affairs Minister of India reiterated India's interest in participating in SCO activities particularly economic activities (SCO Business Forum, SCO Energy Club and Inter Banking Consortium), counter-terrorism (Regional Counter Terrorism Structure) and SCO Contact Group on Afghanistan. The Foreign Ministers of China and Russia welcomed India's constructive engagement in SCO activities.

    19. The Foreign Ministers of India and China expressed support to Russia's efforts to maintain peace and stability in the Caucasus region.

    20. The Foreign Ministers of India and China welcomed the decision that Russia would officially join the mechanism of Asia-Europe Meetings (ASEM) at the 8th ASEM Summit in Brussels.

    21. The Ministers reiterated their support for the Six Party talks to achieve the objective of full denuclearization of the Korean peninsula and called upon all parties concerned to work towards bringing about peace and stability in the region.

    22. The Ministers expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the meeting and decided to hold the next trilateral meeting in China.

    Bengaluru (Bangalore)

    October 27, 2009

Itar-Tass: Russia, Japan discussing prospects for cooperation in transport

http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=14475765&PageNum=0

28.10.2009, 05.28

TOKYO, October 28 (Itar-Tass) – Modernization of Russian railways, and the Trans-Siberian railway in the first place, along with the setting up of economic incentives for investors will dominate the agenda of the 2nd meeting of a Russian-Japanese workgroup in the field of transport that opened here Wednesday.

The Russian delegation is led by Alexander Podlesov, a deputy chairman of foreign policy committee in the upper house of Russian parliament.

Officials at the Japanese Foreign Ministry told Itar-Tass representatives of various governmental agencies and departments on both sides will exchange information and discuss the most immediate prospects for the joint efforts to modernize Russia’s transportation system and improve the management of cargo haulage.

According to the officials, the Russian side also plans to fill Japanese businessmen and regional officials in on the special aspects of Russian customs formalities and the methods of regulating railway haulage tariffs.

A decision to set up this workgroup was taken in November 2007 during a regular round of the Russian-Japanese upon the results of a bilateral conference on cooperation in the field railways.

The group had its first meeting in Moscow in March 2008.

FTO.co.za: South Africa and Russia ties relationship further

http://fto.co.za/news/south-africa-and-russia-ties-relationship-further-2009102815614.html

Wednesday, October 28, 2009 - 10:41

Cape Town, South Africa - South Africa and Russia have today tied their relationship a bit further with the a new agreement to increase cooperation in fields such as Technology, Energy, Trade and investment.

According to the South African government's newsletter and official site:

"This will facilitate economic competitiveness, develop skills, generate sustainable jobs and contribute towards an improvement in the livelihoods of the peoples of South Africa and Russia."

Ynetnews: Livni in Moscow: We won't allow rocket fire

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3796591,00.html

Published: 

10.28.09, 08:43 / Israel News

"Lebanon is responsible for everything that happens within its territory," said Opposition leader Tzipi Livni, who is visiting Moscow, in reference to Tuesday night's Katyusha rocket attack on the Galilee panhandle.

"We won't agree to Katyusha rocket fire emanating from Lebanon. International forces in the area must enforce UN Resolution 1701," she said. (Roni Sofer)

Famagusta Gazette: Russian FM Lavrov to visit Cyprus

http://www.famagusta-gazette.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=123&twindow=Default&mad=No&sdetail=9816&wpage=&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=2350&hn=famagusta-gazette&he=.com

FAMAGUSTA GAZETTE 28.OCT.09Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is to visit Cyprus next week for talks on co-ordianting action between Cyprus and Russia on several international issues.

The visit was announced in Moscow by deputy foreign minister Gregory Karasin at a meeting with a deligation of Cypriot MP's, under House Speaker Marios Karoyian.

Mr. Karasin has assured of Russia's firm and unchanged position on the Cyprus question,noting that the settlement must be based on UN Security Council resolutions and international law..

The delagation also met Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin last night.

The Russian Prime minister talked about the traditionally friendly relations between Cyprus and Russia, making specific mention of an agreement signed between the two countries for avoiding double taxation, saying this will make the economic relations of the two countries more transparent.

He added that the historically good relations between Russia and Cyprus are are developing very well despite the world economic crisis which has slowed down dealings with Russia's partners.- Copyright © Famagusta Gazette 2009

ISRIA: Russian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs/State Secretary Grigory Karasin Meets with Cyprus House of Representatives Speaker Marios Karoyan

http://www.isria.com/pages/28_October_2009_22.php

State Secretary, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Grigory Karasin on October 27 met with Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Cyprus Marios Karoyan, who was on a visit to Moscow at the invitation of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation.

During the conversation, the high level of Russian-Cyprus bilateral cooperation in various fields was confirmed and the sides expressed readiness to boost the collaborative effort between Russia and Cyprus in various international organizations, including the UN, Council of Europe and the OSCE.

The state of affairs in the Cyprus settlement and prospects of the direct intercommunity talks being held in Cyprus were also discussed.

DNAindia.com: Modi ignites GSPC interest in Russia

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_modi-ignites-gspc-interest-in-russia_1304032

DNA Correspondent

Wednesday, October 28, 2009 9:26 IST

Gandhinagar: Chief minister Narendra Modi on the third day of his visit to Russia on Tuesday met the officials of Russian oil and gas major, Gazprom, and impressed upon them the progress made by Gujarat in oil and gas sector.

Officials of GSPC and the business delegation from Gujarat were with Modi when the chief minister met Gazprom officials on the on the sidelines of the 4th International Energy Week Conference in Moscow. The CM apprised Gazprom president Mandawav about Gujarat's achievements in oil and gas sector and the opportunities the state has for international oil & gas companies.

Modi told Gazprom officials that "Gujarat is not only increasing its capacity in oil-gas exploration and production and creating petro reserve Gujarat, it is also focusing on developing Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University as theInternational Human Resource Development Institute in World."

During the meeting, Gazprom president showed keen interest in creating partnership with Gujarat in oil & gas sector. They showed interest in Gujarat LNG port terminal, exploration equipment, technology transfer and Bhatinda-Gujarat oil-gas pipeline project, and also the management course at the petro varsity. A delegation of the company will visit Gujarat to explore these areas.

Modi also met officials of leading oil-gas and civil construction company, ITERA.The CM invited them to dinner hosted by GSPC. He also informed the company officials about the exceptional progress made by the GSPC.The CM and the Gujarat delegation also met Russian petroleum company STROTRANSGAZ's president Anryazanov and other officials.

The chief minister, along with the business delegation, met Indian medical students, including those from Gujarat, and Indian-Russians. He informed them about the progress Gujarat has made in various sectors and invited them to participate in the development of the state.

On Monday, Modi had invited the Russian telecom giant, SIS TEMA, to set up a Sim card and microchip manufacturing unit in Gujarat. Sources said that SIS TEMA had responded positively to Modi's offer and had promised to send a delegation of company officials to Gujarat.

While addressing the delegates at the energy conference on Monday, the CM had said that Gujarat had made considerable progress in creating an "integrated value-chain in the petroleum and energy sector".

Recalling that, in 1964-67, Russia had conducted extensive exploration for oil in the bay of Khambhat, Modi invited Russian oil and gas companies to invest in Gujarat once again. He told the delegates at the conference that, in 2001, Gujarat had evolveda strategy for exploration and research in hydrocarbons (gas, oil and petroleum). As a result, thestate had become the petro-capital of India withina decade, he said.

Civil.ge: Tbilisi Demands Release of 16 Georgians

http://www.civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=21612

Civil Georgia, Tbilisi / 28 Oct.'09 / 12:06

The Georgian side demanded Russia to “immediately” release those 16 Georgian citizens, who were detained by the Russian Federal Security Service’s border guards on October 25 for “violation of the South Ossetian border.”

The Georgian Foreign Ministry passed a relevant protest note to the Russian Foreign Ministry via the Embassy of Switzerland, which is a mediator country.

“The detainees are still kept illegally in custody at the so-called prosecutor’s office of the occupied district of Akhalgori,” the note reads. “The Georgian side assesses the aforesaid fact as yet another crime committed by the occupation troops and a provocation carried out by Russia on the sovereign territory of Georgia.”

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia expresses its strong protest over the aforesaid actions of the Russian side and categorically demands the immediate release of the detained citizens of Georgia,” the Georgian Foreign Ministry said on October 28. 

In a statement issued on October 26 EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM) said it was concerned with the arrest of sixteen Georgian citizens by Russian border guards in the vicinity of the South Ossetian administrative border.

Civil.ge: Russian Deputy FM Meets Ex-PM Nogaideli

http://www.civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=21613

Civil Georgia, Tbilisi / 28 Oct.'09 / 11:10

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin met with Zurab Nogaideli, ex-PM and now leader of opposition Movement for Fair Georgia party, in Moscow on October 27, the Russian Foreign Ministry reported.

The sides discussed the current difficult situation in the Russian-Georgian relations as well as the problems of South Caucasus region.

Zurab Nogaideli arrived in Moscow on October 25, as he said, to hold meetings with representatives of Georgian, Abkhaz and Ossetian communities in Russia as a part of his attempt to launch “public diplomacy.”

Gazeta.kz: Customs Union to create preconditions for opening of new joint enterprises

http://eng.gazeta.kz/art.asp?aid=139221

14:18 28.10.2009 text: "Kazakhstan Today"

The Customs Union will create preconditions for opening of the new joint enterprises of Kazakhstan, Russia and Belarus. Vice Minister of Industry and Commerce of Kazakhstan, Zhanar Aytzhanova, said at the briefing, Kazakhstan Today agency reports.

"The Customs Union will create preconditions for opening of joint ventures of Kazakhstan, Russia and Belarus due to expansion of the commodity market of goods," Z. Aytzhanova said.

"Thus, it will stimulate mutual investments of our countries," she said.

According to Vice Minister, "as of today, about 3500 joint ventures with participation of the Russian capital and 70 enterprises with participation of the Belarus capital work in Kazakhstan." "Russia has invested in Kazakhstan $2.3 billion direct investments and Belarus - $6 million," she specified.

"Kazakhstan invested in the Russian Federation - $1.1 billion and in Belarus - $6.1 million," Z. Aytzhanova informed.

RIA: Medvedev lauds Ukrainian veterans on victory over Nazis

http://en.rian.ru/russia/20091028/156617347.html

11:5028/10/2009

MOSCOW, October 28 (RIA Novosti) - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev congratulated on Wednesday Ukrainian World War II veterans on the 65th anniversary of Ukraine's liberation from the Nazis, the Kremlin said.

Medvedev also expressed confidence that the current strained relations between the Russian and Ukrainian governments would be overcome, and would not affect links between the people of the two former Soviet republics.

"On this day we honor our veterans, we bow our heads before the memory of those who in the fierce battle with the Nazis gave their lives for victory - for our common victory. We will forever keep the memory of this feat, the unity of our peoples in the struggle against the enemy, passing it from generation to generation," the Russian president said in a message to Ukrainian veterans.

Ties between Kiev and Moscow have been strained in recent years, particularly over natural gas deliveries, Ukraine's desire to join NATO, and interpretations of the two countries' common history.

Medvedev said in August that his Ukrainian counterpart, Viktor Yushchenko, was to blame for the deterioration in relations. During Yushchenko's time in office, Ukraine has sought to have the deaths of millions of Ukrainians due to famine in the 1930s recognized as genocide, a move Russia has fiercely opposed. Yushchenko has also angered Moscow by praising Ukrainian nationalists who fought against Soviet troops ending the Nazis occupation of Ukraine.

The Russian president expressed confidence that any attempt to break the centuries-old bonds between Russia and Ukraine would not succeed.

"All attempts to sow distrust between the two nations on the basis of history are doomed to failure. In Russia, we cherish the fact that millions of citizens of independent Ukraine share a sense of pride in our common past," Medvedev said.

Itar-Tass: Medvedev to hold meeting of Commission on modernization

http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=14476186&PageNum=0

28.10.2009, 07.48

MOSCOW, October 28 (Itar-Tass) - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev will hold a regular meeting of the RF Commission for modernisation and economy development on Wednesday. The head of state’s press secretary Natalya Timakova said that the main issue under discussion will be the situation in the telecommunications sphere.

The Russian Commission for modernisation and economy development was set up this May and the president himself became its head. Since then the RF head of state held four meetings of the commission that last of which was held on September 30.

The Commission’s main tasks are considering issues related to the working out of the state policy in the sphere of modernisation and technological development of the Russian economy, coordination of the activities of federal, regional and municipal power bodies, of the business and expert communities in this sphere, determination of the priority spheres, forms and methods of state regulation with the aim of modernisation and technological development of the Russian economy.

The Commission is composed of its chairman – the RF president, two deputy chairmen, executive secretary and members of the Commission who conduct their activities on a voluntary basis.

The Commission’s meetings are held once a month.

· OCTOBER 28, 2009

WSJ: Russia Nixes Gold Sale After Leak

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125665029613110203.html

By GRIGORI GERENSTEIN and WILLIAM MAULDIN

MOSCOW -- Russia postponed a plan to sell up to $1.7 billion in gold on the international market after word of the sale was leaked to local news media.

Precious-metals export agency Almazyuvelirexport said Tuesday it would delay the planned move, five days after the Interfax news agency reported it would sell up to 50 metric tons (1.6 million troy ounces) in London before the end of the year to cover the state budget deficit.

In an interview, the agency's deputy chief, Sergey Gorny, declined to comment further but said that more information may be available after Nov. 10.

On Thursday, Interfax had cited an unidentified person as saying that the state's Gokhran precious-metals depository was planning to use Almazyuvelirexport to sell a large amount of gold for the first time since Soviet days.

Russia's change of plans highlights the dilemma facing some governments and central banks that are seeking to diversify their reserves beyond U.S. dollar-denominated holdings by investing in assets such as gold, yet may be tempted to lock in profits after gold prices rose to more than $1,000 an ounce.

"For sure Russia wants to fix some profits with gold above $1,000 an ounce," said Nikolai Sosnovsky, a metals analyst at UralSib Capital. "The reason for all this is surging gold prices."

The 50 metric tons of gold mentioned by Interfax represent "quite a big amount," equal to about 30% of Russia's total gold production last year, Mr. Sosnovsky said.

In February, when its reserves of gold totaled 16.7 million troy ounces, the central bank said that it would continue to buy gold in 2009.

Russia's gold and foreign-currency reserves are the world's third-biggest, valued at $418.7 billion as of Oct. 9.

The bullion market appeared unaffected by the postponement of Russia's gold sale, according to Barclays Capital analyst Suki Cooper. The analyst said prices didn't move when news of the sale emerged because there was no certainty over how much gold would be sold.

Write to William Mauldin at william.mauldin@dowjones.com

Reuters: Russia agrees to AvtoVAZ mass layoff – paper

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/afx/2009/10/28/afx7053642.html

10.28.09, 04:10 AM EDT

MOSCOW, Oct 28 (Reuters) - Russia's government has cleared a plan by troubled car maker AvtoVAZ to cut its work force by a quarter after a month of hesitation due to fears of public unrest, a newspaper reported on Wednesday.

Vedomosti business daily quoted unnamed sources as saying a government commission of First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov had agreed that the maker of the Lada car needed to cut 21,000 jobs to become more efficient.

The company, in which French group Renault ( RNSDY.PK - news - people ) owns 25 percent, would lower its workforce to 71,000 people from the current 92,000 if the cuts went ahead.

Shuvalov had previously opposed a plan by the management to lay off some 27,000 people.

AvtoVAZ has repeatedly warned of bankruptcy as it struggles to cope with plunging sales of its clunky Ladas and heavy debts.

The government is expected to provide the carmaker with some 70 billion roubles ($2.42 billion) to stay afloat while Renault is expected to contribute its help by providing technologies.

Vedomosti said the government was considering setting up a special structure that would accommodate all redundant workers and finance them with budget funds until it found an alternative job for them.

The vast majority of AvtoVAZ workers live in Togliatti - a one industry town that only exists to serve the plant.

($1=28.94 Rouble)

(Writing by Dmitry Zhdannikov; editing by John Bowker and Karen Foster) Keywords: AVTOVAZ/

(Moscow Newsroom, + 7 495 775 12 42)

The Moscow Times: Putin Orders Protesters’ Wages Paid

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/putin-orders-protesters-wages-paid/388334.html

28 October 2009

Combined Reports

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin ordered Kaliningrad’s governor to pay wage arrears to employees of the bankrupt airline KD Avia, hours after  angry workers staged a protest.

Putin told Governor Georgy Boos to pay off the airline’s 480 million rubles ($17 million) in wage arrears with funds that the federal government sent to Kaliningrad over the summer to support the airline, RIA-Novosti reported.

Putin’s decision was a victory for the airline’s 2,300 employees, who have not been paid for months.

About 200 of them gathered in pouring rain beside a World War II memorial in central Kaliningrad earlier in the day, waving red flags and chanting “wages, wages.”

“Where is our money?” asked a banner held up by aviation technician Sergei Zhigun, who was last paid seven months ago. “KD Avia is another Pikalyovo,” read another banner.

In June, Putin traveled to the town of Pikalyovo, about 270 kilometers from St. Petersburg, and forced billionaire Oleg Deripaska to restart operations at a factory following protests from unpaid workers.

Transportation Minister Igor Levitin said Transaero and Aeroflot have taken over routes serviced by KD Avia but there were no buyers for the airline’s business in Kaliningrad. “No one will be able to do it during the crisis,” Levitin said, citing a 15 percent fall in passenger traffic in the first nine months of 2009.

KD Avia has filed for bankruptcy and is under external management. The debts of the airline, whose main shareholder is its main creditor, Bank St. Petersburg, amount to 11 billion rubles. 

(MT, Reuters)

Reuters: UPDATE 2-Russian workers protest over unpaid wages

http://in.reuters.com/article/rbssConsumerGoodsAndRetailNews/idINLR45694820091027

Wed Oct 28, 2009 12:22am IST

* Airline workers stage protest over wages

* Officials say working to resolve dispute

* Putin orders local governor to help workers

(Adds Putin quotes)

By Gleb Bryanski

KALININGRAD, Russia, Oct 27 (Reuters) - Russian aviation workers demonstrated against unpaid wages on Tuesday, in a protest timed to coincide with a visit by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

"Where is our money?" asked a banner held up by aviation technician Sergei Zhigun, who was last paid seven months ago.

The protesters had worked for defunct aviation company KD Avia, which was based in Kaliningrad and serviced routes to both European and Russian cities.

Russia's economy has been hard hit by the financial crisis, but officials have tried to stave off massive layoffs to avoid protests. Demonstrations are not normally timed to coincide with visits by Putin or President Dmitry Medvedev.

In pouring rain, waving red flags and chanting "wages, wages", the roughly 200 demonstrators gathered in central Kaliningrad beside a World War Two memorial.

The enclave, sandwiched between Poland and Lithuania, is Russia's most westerly region and the most convenient way to get to the rest of the country is to fly.

The collapse of the company earlier this year stranded thousands of people in airports.

Putin, who posed for a group photo with road builders and chaired a meeting with officials on regional development issues, did not meet the protesters but later told the local governor to support the workers.

"Provide them with direct financial support, equal to their unpaid wages. You have the money. You received it from the federal budget," Putin told Kaliningrad governor Georgy Boos.

In June, Putin travelled to the town of Pikalyovo, around 270 km (170 miles) from St Petersburg, and forced billionaire Oleg Deripaska to restart operations at several of his factories following protests from unpaid workers.

"KD Avia is another Pikalyovo," read one of the banners.

Transport Minister Igor Levitin said airlines Transaero and Aeroflot had taken over routes serviced by KD Avia but there were no buyers for the company's business in Kaliningrad.

"No-one will be able to do it during the crisis," Levitin said, citing a 15 percent fall in passenger traffic in the first nine months of 2009.

KD Avia has filed for bankruptcy, owing 480 million roubles ($16.59 million) in unpaid wages, and is under external management.

The company, whose main shareholder is its main creditor Bank St.Petersburg, employs 2,300 people. It has debts of about 11-12 billion roubles.

Alexander Ralbinov, Kaliningrad region's development minister, said the region proposed a change to the federal budget law that will enable local authorities to take over the company's backlog wages.

Protests over job layoffs and unpaid wages have been held in other Russian cities, with some of the largest in Togliatti, the home of the Lada car, where makers Avtovaz says it has no work for thousands of staff. (Reporting by Gleb Bryanski, writing by Conor Sweeney; Editing by Jon Boyle)

Oct. 28. 2009, 9:49 Iterfax: Special state program will require no more than 20 one-company towns - Nabiullina

/Google translation/

http://www.interfax-russia.ru/r/B/themeday/486.html?id_issue=12316907

October 28. Interfax-Russia.ru - RF Ministry of Economic Development on behalf of the Government is developing a program of restructuring one-company towns and town enterprises, of which there are several hundred, said the head of the Ministry of Elvira Nabiullina.

"We have different lists of one-company towns, some large, some - small, rather, it is municipalities. All our Ministry will consider more than 400 cities," - said E. Nabiullina told Financial Times.

Special restructuring program will need no more than 20 one-company towns, the minister said. "Because other cities either have their own prospects, or are close to human settlements, where development is possible", - she explained.

E. Nabiullina noted that the problems of city-forming enterprises in a sharp drop in demand in the market can not be solved by some measures of direct financial state support. Need to develop small and medium businesses in these cities so that people had the opportunity of alternative employment opportunities, attract investors, including foreign ones, in new projects.

However, it does not rule out that some companies in one-company towns can be closed. "In principle it is possible, but so far there are no such projects", - said E. Nabiullina.

She did not name the amount that the Government is prepared to spend on the restructuring of one-company towns, noting that it would depend on the specific projects.

Vedomosti: Shared billions

/Google translation/

http://www.vedomosti.ru/newspaper/article/2009/10/28/217573

Sent Rostekhnologii state blocks of shares in companies worth nearly 156 billion rubles. - So they valued Rosimushchestvo. But this is only part of the empire Sergei Chemezov of 443 enterprises, employing 788 000 people

Evgenya PismennayaVedomosti

28/10/2009, 204 (2474)

Vedomosti "were the results of the first evaluation of the assets of state corporation Rostekhnologii, submitted to the State. As of September 30, state-owned corporation received shares (shares, contributions) 242 joint stock companies worth nearly 156 billion rubles. - This is the result of evaluation of Rosimushchestvo. Chemezov confirmed to Vedomosti that information, saying that the assessment "is not final and does not include certain other assets." It does not include 185 federal state unitary enterprises, which will be corporatized by the end of the year, do not take into account the 49% joint venture Erdenet (estimated value - Tug 1.3 billion, ie 26.4 million USD.) And 49% "Mongolrostsvetmet" (Tug 601.1 million, ie 12.2 million rubles.), as well as 51% of OAO "Saratov Airlines, 38% of OAO" Telemetry ".

Among the assets appear 18,83% stake in AvtoVAZ, which are put on the balance of the state corporation in August, the value of 8.89 billion rubles. Thus, the assessment of the company on how to Rosimushchestvo - 47 billion rubles. And a market capitalization of AvtoVAZ at the Moscow Interbank Stock Exchange in late August was about 18.5 billion rubles. But on average per month - about 17 billion Book value 37.78 % of shares in Kamaz taken on the account in April, amounts to 25.5 billion rubles., outlined in the assessment. This corresponds to the value of the company in the 67.5 billion rubles., And its capitalization on the MICEX on the average for April totaled only 16.6 billion rubles. Such evaluation poses two problems: on disposal of shares with the balance at a lower price will turn a loss, while lending will still have to overestimate the share of the market price, said club president of bank accountants Cyril Parfenov.

These automobile giants provide a significant portion of the proceeds "civil" part of "Rostekhnologii", which is ahead on this indicator "defense" part, but loses it on the same profits. Total income of the state corporation for the year 2008 is 687.9 billion rubles., Of which 309.6 billion rubles. accounts for the company defense industrial complex (MIC), and 378.3 billion rubles. - Enterprises civilian industry, said a representative of the Technologies. Total net profit amounted to 3.6 billion rubles., But the defense industry enterprises showed a profit of 9.6 billion rubles. And civilian - a loss of 6 billion rubles. However, the "military" significantly outperform "civil" and accounts payable: 483.4 billion rubles. against 196.8 billion rubles.

The numbers on the receipts "Rostekhnologii" seem inadequate, they should be much higher, saying "Vedomosti" two banker, who wished to remain anonymous because of the conflict of interest. Large kreditorki - another confirmation that the assets of state corporation transferred substandard, solidarity sides "Vedomosti".

In Rostechnologii already approved the procedure for the budget corporation and its organizations, which is fully operational in 2010, said deputy general director Rostechnologii Igor Zavialov. Corporation introduces a unified central planning, he added: "We need transparency of the corporation and for tactical control". Each holding company has its own program of activities for which the supervisor is personally responsible, says Zavialov.

Vedomosti: Strategy Chemezov

http://www.vedomosti.ru/newspaper/article/2009/10/28/217569

Economic Development Minister Elvira Nabiullina will oversee the development strategy of Rostekhnologii. It will help well-known economists - Sergei Guriev and Vladimir Mau

Evgenya Pismennaya

Vedomosti

28.10.2009, 204 (2474)

When the supervisory board of "Russian Technologies", which is now estimated at 156 billion rubles., Established four committees: Strategic Planning, Human Resources and Compensation, military-technical cooperation (MTC), Audit Committee, told "Vedomosti", the representative of the state corporation. Committee on the strategy headed by the Minister of Economic Development Elvira Nabiullina, he continues. In total, it included 15 people - seven officials from the Ministry of Economic Development, the presidential administration, government staff and Defense Ministry, two officials of state corporations and five independent: Rector, New Economic School Sergei Guriev, Rector of the Academy of National Economy under the government of Vladimir Mau, Chairman of the Committee on investpolitike CCI Anton Danilov-Danilyan, rector All-Russia Academy of Foreign Trade under Ministry of Economic Development and CEO Paul Kadochnikov Interdepartmental Analytical Center Alexei Ponomarev.

It Nabiullina insisted to include many independent committee of experts, knows the Ministry of Economic Development Officer: "This is to ensure that the strategy was the most balanced.

Theoretically, a committee Nabiullina can be enormous powers. Thus, the Board of Directors of RAO UES of Russia "had no rights without the approval of the Committee on Strategy and Reform approve the deal to restructure the energy holding and its subsidiaries, as well as to approve the sale of assets. Nabiullina but Committee members will submit their proposals to the supervisory board of state corporation. They will be advisory in nature, says a representative of the Technologies.

But not all committee members agree with such powers. "We must make recommendations on any decisions relating to issues of strategy, - says one of the committee members. - We have already raised the question before the supervisory board of the need to ensure that we have seen not only big, but important transaction. Committee must receive the right to review all strategic decisions of the state corporation, the concept of sub-holdings, and so on. "We asked nabsoveta that they, before make a decision on nabsoveta, showed the documents on this range of issues to us - he said. - If the decision of management of the state corporation will go counter to the opinion of the committee members, we will raise the issue of the publication of our position on public access to knowledge about our recommendations. "

A member of the state corporation said that the committee members will look only strategy holdings and most state corporations, big deal considering he nabsoveta. Members of the Committee have the right to request any necessary documents, he added.

Independent members of the committee Nabiullina are ready to work on the restructuring of the "Technologies. "State corporation - a set of heterogeneous assets that need to restructure and possibly privatize in order to achieve a breakthrough in the production and export of high-tech products - Guriev said. - It is very difficult, but because and interesting task. " Nabiullina also be able to soberly assess the situation in the restructuring of state corporations, "especially when the time comes for the disposal of civil sub-holdings," adds another independent member of the committee.

The representative of the Ministry of Economic Development had no comment.

Required to work in Rostechnologii experience some independent directors already have. Thus, Guriev is an independent director of the Savings Bank and AHML, but several years ago proposed a revolutionary plan to reform the Ministry of Railways. The idea was that instead of transferring all the assets of the Ministry of Railways established in the European part of Russia's two competing companies - operators of rolling stock and infrastructure, and tariffs for their services are not regulated. However, the proposal was rejected.

The idea to form a strategy committee Alexander Filatov from the Association of Independent Directors considered correct: "This is a step forward." Guriev, Mau and the rest - people who are not affiliated with management of state corporations and non-business interests. Therefore, they can already be considered independent directors of state corporations. But while it is not clear that these people can do really, he said. "There is a danger that these people as advisors on the strategy of its reputation will cover the actual case management company", - said Filatov.

Oct. 28. 2009, 10:07 Interfax: During a search at SSHGES found important for the investigation materials - UPC RF

/Google translation/

http://www.interfax-russia.ru/r/B/themeday/486.html?id_issue=12316900

October 28. Interfax-Russia.ru - During a search for Sayan-Shushenskaya GES found and seized documents, which are essential to a criminal investigation, said the head of the department of interaction with the media at the Prosecutor's Office Investigative Committee Vladimir Markin.

According to him, searches will continue today.

V. Markin recalled that "in connection with a criminal investigation initiated by the violation of labor protection rules in the branch of JSC" RusHydro - Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP named after P. Neporozhny "on the grounds of a crime under Art. 143 of the Criminal Code, based on the ruling of the investigator, October 27, carried out searches in separate premises station.

Activities have been initiated at 10:00 local time after the daily meeting held management station and the administration and its recovery.

Sex According UPC RF interference with normal work of structural units of the station, the work of contractors and subcontractors, has been established. Repair work on the Sayan-Shushenskaya power plant never stopped, was provided with the usual admission procedure for the acceptance of cargo and equipment continued. Searches in the area of repair work and in the turbine hall station, where the hydraulic units are not carried out.

But V. Markin said that "at the time of the investigation was limited to the movement of managers and officials outside their official offices.

"After the completion of searches and the end of the day at school HPS unimpeded access and exit of workers home station. No excesses during the execution of events did not happen. Complaints from officials and the school HPS have been reported," - said the representative of the UPC RF.

The Moscow Times: Riot Police Raid Dam Disaster Site

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/riot-police-raid-dam-disaster-site/388349.html

28 October 2009

By Maria Antonova

The Investigative Committee and OMON riot police swooped into the Sayano-Shushenskaya hydropower plant in a raid Tuesday, seizing documents and isolating employees at their workstations in a probe into an August accident that killed 75 people.

RusHydro, the state-controlled owner of the plant, said the surprise raid halted all activities there, snarling repair work and efforts to prepare the plant for the winter.

“Two administrative buildings have been blocked. Employees are sitting at their workplaces and are not permitted to move around,” plant spokesman Alexei Dubovets said in a telephone interview.

He could not say whether employees were being questioned. “I’m in my office as well and don’t know what is happening,” he said.

At 5 p.m. local time, officials with the Investigative Committee were putting together a list of employees who are pregnant or have disabilities, RusHydro’s press service said. More than 1,500 people are employed at the plant.

The investigators and police officers entered the plant at 10 a.m.

The Investigative Committee has been working at the plant since the Aug. 17 accident caused a flood that killed 75 workers, but this is the first time that OMON officers have been brought in.

“The company has been fully complying with the investigation, and we are very surprised at the presence of the OMON,” Dubovets said.

The Investigative Committee declined to comment on the matter.

The cause of the accident is still under investigation. The industrial watchdog, the Federal Service for Environmental, Technological and Atomic Inspection, issued a report early this month that blamed six high-ranking officials for making decisions that led to the disaster, while 19 RusHydro officials were accused of failing in their duties to prevent accidents.

On the list of 19 officials is Alexander Toloshinov, head of the company’s Siberian division, who was dismissed from his job by the RusHydro board of directors Monday, Kommersant reported. Toloshinov will be replaced by Andrei Konovalov, a former executive in Oleg Deripaska’s EN+ energy holding. The board also accepted the resignation of financial director Sergei Yushin, who told Kommersant that he was leaving the company to take a new job. Yushin is being replaced by David Kuznetsov of Levit, a company controlled by Novatek chief Leonid Mikhelson.

Toloshinov is the first RusHydro executive to lose his job after the dam disaster. RusHydro chief Vasily Zubakin still has his post despite speculation that he might be fired. Zubakin also was named on the list of 19 officials.

Of the six officials blamed for creating conditions for the accident, only one, Boris Vaindzikher of TGK-1, currently sits on the RusHydro’s board of directors.

RusHydro referred questions about the board’s Monday decisions to the Energy Ministry, whose minister, Sergei Shmatko, is the chairman of RusHydro. The ministry had no immediate comment on the board meeting or Tuesday’s raid.

CCTV: Rogge satisfied with 2014 Winter Olympics preparation

http://english.cctv.com/program/sportsscene/20091028/102684.shtml

2009-10-28 12:11 BJT

IOC president Jacques Rogge has given his full support to the organizers of the 2014 Winter Olympics.

Rogge made his comments on Tuesday at the signing of an extension of a sponsorship contract between the IOC and Visa. Sochi was awarded the 2014 Games at the IOC session in Guatemala in July 2007, and needs to build most of the sports venues and infrastructure from scratch. Rogge had high praise for the pace of the preparations.

IOC president Jacques Rogge said, "I would like to say that we are extremely pleased with the pace and quality of the organisation. It has been now a very interesting time since the decision that was taken in July 2007 in Guatemala city. (It's been) Little over two and a half years and I am very, very glad about the progress." 

Interfax: Russia lifts Arctic Sea arrest warrant – prosecutors

http://www.interfax.com/3/526114/news.aspx

MOSCOW. Oct 28 (Interfax) - The Russian authorities have taken a

decision to lift the arrest warrant issued to the Maltese-flagged dry

cargo carrier Arctic Sea, which will soon be handed o