Russia 100514
Basic Political Developments
· IANS: Bangladesh to sign n-power pact with Russia - “On May 21, Yeafesh Osman (state minister for science and information and communication technology) will sign with Russia a framework agreement on peaceful use of nuclear technology,” she told reporters here.
· Helsinki Times: Russia's Putin to visit Finland in May - Vladimir Putin, the Russian prime minister, is to visit Lappeenranta in Finland on 27 May to negotiate amongst other issues, the extension of the lease agreement for the Saimaa Canal, according to information received by STT on Wednesday.
· RIA: Russian, Brazilian leaders to discuss energy and aviation projects - Presidents of Russia and Brazil will meet in Moscow on Friday to discuss joint projects in energy and aviation industry, as well as the use of national currencies in reciprocal payments, a Kremlin source has said.
· Bangkok Post: Abhisit plans trip to Russia - Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva is planning an official visit to Russia next month despite intensifying political instability at home, says Vachara Panchet, the Thailand Trade Representative.The prime minister intended to visit Russia from June 4-7 after official visits to countries including Australia, the United States and Vietnam were cancelled earlier, Mr Vachara said yesterday.
· BarentsObserver: Arkhangelsk senator to mediate in Kyrgyzstan - President Dmitry Medvedev has appointed Arkhangelsk senator Vladimir Rushailo his new special representative in Kyrgyzstan.
· RIA: Russia, U.S. say new START treaty marks end of 'Cold War'
· Russia Today: Warsaw Treaty hits 55
· RIA: UN General Assembly to discuss piracy at informal meeting
· RIA: Sailors from Russian tanker to return home this month after pirate attack
· Russia Profile: Pirates Vow Bloody Revenge - Russian Marines Could Have Just Changed the Rules of Somali Piracy
· Dailymirror.lk: Russia, Sri Lanka to fight religious extremism - Vladimir. P. Makailo of the Russian Embassy in Sri Lanka said that Russia would invite Sri Lanka to a conference on extremist religious groups sometime soon.
· Expert Club: Ukraine does not intend to recognize Abkhazia and Tskhinvali - Ukraine will not recognize the independence of Abkhazia and so-called South Ossetia, the Foreign Minister of Ukraine Konstantin Gryshchenko said in an interview to Kommersant-Ukraina.
· RIA: Ukrainian leader says no fears over rival South Stream pipeline
· Oil and Gas Eurasia: Ukrainian President Jokes: We'll Take 50 Percent Of Gazprom
· Miami Herald: U.S. court orders Russian detainee freed from Guantánamo
· VOR: Israel resorts to pressure on Russian Air Transport Agency
· VOR: Georgia asks for charter flights to Moscow
· News.az: Recent 'positive changes' in relations between Russia and Azerbaijan
· VOR: Atlantis to blast off to ISS
· RIA: Russia to launch first carrier rocket from Kourou on December 17
· RASPADSKAYA MINE ACCIDENT
o Bloomberg: Raspadskaya to Flood Parts of Mine to Cut Gases; Rescue Halted
o RIA: Methane delays search efforts at Siberian mine for at least 1 week
o Itar-Tass: Rescuers leave coalmine due to explosion threat
· Interfax: Moscow police investigating why the cameras around homes of dead pensioners, did not work.
· RIA: Russia eliminates terrorist cell in West Siberia - Russian security services have uncovered an underground terrorist cell of the Islamic organization Hizb ut Tahrir al-Islami, which is considered a terrorist group by Russian authorities.
· Jamestown: Government Authorities Fail to Provide Security in the North Caucasus
· VOR: Duma briefs Russians on deputies’ incomes
· Bloomberg: Billionaire Kerimov Declares $247,000 Income, 1-Room Apartment
· Moscow Times: Professional Director Incomes Capped
· VOR: Russia bids for 2018, 2022 World Footbal Cup
· Russia Today/Vedomosti: Editorial: You are back in the army - Russia is turning away from a quality, professional army. This conclusion may be drawn based on a number of statements, made by the top generals.
· Russia Today/Kommersant: President – period: Russian-language domain names become operational. The first ever Internet domain to use a national language script became the Cyrillic (.рф) domain. The workings of the first websites, outside of the Latin alphabet zone -- президент.рф (president.rf) and правительство.рф (government.rf) --were tested at a meeting of the Commission for Modernization and Technological Development of the Economy of the Russian Federation by President Dmitry Medvedev. Aleksandr Malakhov
· Russia Today: Russians are spending twice as much on bribes - The cost of the average bribe in Russia has nearly doubled in the last 4 years, the Levada analytical center reports.
· Moscow News: Motoring maneuvres upset Russian army - After trying to infiltrate a military convoy on the Minskoye Shosse,a Just Russia Duma representative Anton Belyakov found himself exchanging verbal volleys with the traffic police.
· Moscow News: Russians labeled “intolerant” by new survey - Regardless of your creed or colour, it seems likely that you're going to end up annoying your neighbour at some point.
· Jamestown: Propaganda Overwhelms Russian Society
· VOR: Press review
o The Moscow-based daily Izvestia reports that Russia has directed a Candidature File to the FIFA to brief the Association on what preparations Moscow would make if trusted with hosting a 2018 or 2022 world football championships.
o According to the Vremya Novostei daily, scholars from CIS countries will write a common textbook on the Great Patriotic War.
o Russians will be able to visit Turkey visa-free for up to 30 days as of this summer under an agreement reached during President Dmitry Medvedev’s recent visit to Ankara, the Rossiiskaya Gazeta reports.
o Russia has launched its national Cyrillic Internet domain, registered as “.рф
o The Russian pavilion at the 63rd Cannes International Film Festival welcomed its first visitors on Thursday.
National Economic Trends
· Dow Jones: Russia Funds See Outflows For First Time In 12 Weeks
· Alfa: April budget deficit better than expected on strong tax collection
· Reuters: Russia may not borrow abroad at all in 2011-12-INTERVIEW
· Reuters: Russian rouble down on oil, severe drop unlikely
· Alfa: Corporate loans up 1.7%, retail up 1.0% m-o-m in April
· RenCap: Inflation has been stable for the past two months
Business, Energy or Environmental regulations or discussions
· Bloomberg: Gazprom, Severstal, OAO Rosneft: Russia Stock-Market Preview
· RenCap: Putin and Shvets discuss the distribution business
· VTB Capital: LSR wins RUB 3.6bn government contract to construct 110,000sqm in St Petersburg
· RenCap: Sberbank plans to set up management company by 1 July
· VTB Capital: Russian air authorities to tighten rules for charter carriers
· Steel Guru: Russian aluminium exports in Q1 increases by 6pct
· Bloomberg: Rusal Says Aluminum Demand Is Very Strong, Swings to Profit
· Reuters: UC RUSAL posts $247 mln Q1 net profit
· Bloomberg: Severstal Quarterly Loss Widens to $785 Million on Italian Unit
· Moscow Times: Google Plans to Hire Sales, Operations Staff in Russia
· Interfax: UTair flies 57.5% more passengers in Jan-Apr
· RBC: Sistema to offer new communications standards
· RIA: Hyundai to launch press forging unit at Russian plant – paper
· Moscow Times: IKEA Masters Rules of Russian Business
· Reuters: REFILE-Global ad industry eyes boost from mobile devices
Activity in the Oil and Gas sector (including regulatory)
· Aton: BashTEK Companies Boards Recommend Insignificant Dividends for 2009
· Standart: LUKoil Upgrades its Neftochim Refinery
· Oil and Gas Eurasia: LUKOIL Begins Construction on $1 BN South-West Gissar Project
· Oil and Gas Eurasia: TNK-BP: 24 Million Rubles For Geological Work In Saratov Region
· Oil and Gas Eurasia: Environmentalists Disapprove Of Shtokman Profile
· Business Insider: Russia Backtracks On Black Sea Oil Exports, Because The Real Market Is In Asia - Russia’s energy chief, Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin, has disclosed that the Black Sea oil export plan he launched in Milan last October, with much applause from Turkish and Italian interests, is going nowhere fast – err, I mean, slow.
Gazprom
· RIA: Gazprom to open regional office in Brazil before year's end - Kremlin
· Moscow Times: Gazprom Gets Closer to Landing China as Customer
· RIA: Ukrainian Naftogaz to consolidate with Russian Gazprom only on basis of parity
· Moscow Times: Gazprom Backs Ukraine Bid
· Ukrainian Journal: Naftogaz/Gaprom merger talks progressing
· Naviny.by: Gazprom is not seeking majority stake in gas pipeline operator, official says
· BarentsObserver: Meeting on Shtokman field development
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Basic Political Developments
IANS: Bangladesh to sign n-power pact with Russia
http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/sci-tech/bangladesh-to-sign-n-power-pact-with-russia_100363626.html
May 14th, 2010 - 3:02 pm ICT by IANS –
Dhaka, May 14 (IANS) Bangladesh will sign an agreement with Russia on peaceful use of nuclear technology, including the setting up of a nuclear power plant, Foreign Minister Dipu Moni has said.
“On May 21, Yeafesh Osman (state minister for science and information and communication technology) will sign with Russia a framework agreement on peaceful use of nuclear technology,” she told reporters here. This will end a 50-year-old quest.
A nuclear power plant under the pact will help deal with the power crisis in the long run, she said.
The foreign minister said as part of the agreement, the two countries would forge other deals necessary for setting up the proposed Rooppur nuclear plant in Pabna district. Several attempts have been made since 1961 to set up the Rooppur nuclear power plant.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has agreed to provide Bangladesh with technical assistance, including the site safety standard, officials told New Age newspaper.
On May 13 last year, the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding in Dhaka agreeing to enhance cooperation for peaceful use of nuclear energy.
According to power ministry, Bangladesh produces up to 4,000MW of electricity everyday against a minimum daily demand for 6,000MW.
Helsinki Times: Russia's Putin to visit Finland in May
http://www.helsinkitimes.fi/htimes/domestic-news/politics/11071-russias-putin-to-visit-finland-in-may-.html
Friday, 14 May 2010 10:06
Vladimir Putin, the Russian prime minister, is to visit Lappeenranta in Finland on 27 May to negotiate amongst other issues, the extension of the lease agreement for the Saimaa Canal, according to information received by STT on Wednesday.
Mr Putin is also scheduled to discuss the fast Allegro-train connection between Helsinki and St Petersburg that is to open during the coming winter and to meet with Matti Vanhanen, Finland's prime minister.
The previous visit to Finland by Mr Putin took place in February this year.
RIA: Russian, Brazilian leaders to discuss energy and aviation projects
http://en.rian.ru/russia/20100514/159010235.html
02:0914/05/2010
Presidents of Russia and Brazil will meet in Moscow on Friday to discuss joint projects in energy and aviation industry, as well as the use of national currencies in reciprocal payments, a Kremlin source has said.
Brazilian President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev will discuss participation of Russian companies in projects to build hydroelectric and thermal power stations in Brazil and possible production of Embraer ERJ-145 regional airliners in Russia.
"A special emphasis at the forthcoming talks will be placed on boosting bilateral cooperation, including the implementation of large-scale joint projects in high-tech spheres," the source said.
Shortly after da Silva's visit to Moscow began on Thursday, the source announced that the Russian energy giant Gazprom planned to open a regional office in Brazil's Rio de Janeiro by the end of 2010.
In 2008, Medvedev said Brazil was chosen for the creation of Gazprom's regional office as it is more centrally located in Latin America.
The two leaders will also discuss bringing bilateral trade, which stood at $4.6 billion in 2009, to the pre-crisis level of $6.8 billion. The trade between the two states quadrupled in 2004-2008, but dropped 32% last year.
"Developing a mechanism of using of national currencies in reciprocal payments has crucial importance in boosting trade and economic cooperation," the source said.
The forthcoming meeting between Russian and Brazilian leaders is second in the past few weeks. In mid-April the two presidents met in the Brazilian capital during the summit of the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China).
MOSCOW, May 14 (RIA Novosti)
Bangkok Post: Abhisit plans trip to Russia
http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/economics/37296/abhisit-plans-trip-to-russia
Published: 14/05/2010 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: Business
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva is planning an official visit to Russia next month despite intensifying political instability at home, says Vachara Panchet, the Thailand Trade Representative.
The prime minister intended to visit Russia from June 4-7 after official visits to countries including Australia, the United States and Vietnam were cancelled earlier, Mr Vachara said yesterday.
Russia is one of the emerging economies that offer great potential for Thai export products he said.
Mr Vachara said the government aimed to reduce trade obstacles, especially customs procedures, and promote trade and investment with Russia. Target industries include jewellery, herbal products and food additives, furniture, auto parts, construction and finance.
Ahead of Mr Abhisit's official visit, the TTR plans to lead a group of about 50 representatives of six industries to Russia from May 19-25 to discuss trade issues as well as business matchmaking opportunities.
The trade representative said he expected two memoranda of understanding would be signed between Thailand and Russia. One would cover collaboration in the jewellery industry and the other joint investments in the food supplement business.
BarentsObserver: Arkhangelsk senator to mediate in Kyrgyzstan
http://www.barentsobserver.com/arkhangelsk-senator-to-mediate-in-kyrgyzstan.4783855-16174.html
2010-05-14
President Dmitry Medvedev has appointed Arkhangelsk senator Vladimir Rushailo his new special representative in Kyrgyzstan.
Rushailo, a former Russian minister of interior and secretary of the country’s Security Council, will be the Russian President’s special representative in Kyrgyzstan, Medvedev announced in a press release on 13 May.
The main task of the senator will be to assist the interim government in the country ahead of the October elections, newspaper Kommersant reports.
Vladimir Rushailo was appointed the representative of Arkhangelsk Oblast in the Federation Council in late 2007.
RIA: Russia, U.S. say new START treaty marks end of 'Cold War'
http://en.rian.ru/world/20100514/159012782.html