Russia 111206
Basic Political Developments
· Russian-Japanese nuclear energy agreement ratified - The lower house of the Japanese Parliament has ratified an agreement on cooperation with Russia in the area of the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.
· South Ossetia's Border with Russia Temporarily Shut Down To Prevent Provocations – Source
· Russian deputy premier, Spanish acting premier discuss fin crisis - Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Zhukov and Spain’s Acting Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero had a meeting here Monday in the format of the official functions that culminated the Year of Russia in Spain and the simultaneous Year of Spain in Russia.
o Spain's queen, Russia's 1st lady inaugurate Russian center in Madrid
· Russian president arrives in Prague - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev arrives in Prague at 19:00 on Wednesday and he will meet his Czech counterpart Vaclav Klaus on the same day in the evening, the Presidential Office's press section said yesterday.
o Russian, Polish General Staff chiefs to exchange missile defense views
· Lieberman to talk to Russians about arms to Syria - From Vilnius, Lieberman will travel to Moscow on Thursday for a joint Russian- Israeli economic meeting, during which he will meet with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov.
· Russia warns against contacts with Taliban - “According to information we have, both the Afghan authorities and a number of their international partners had sporadic contacts with members of the Taliban movement. Moreover, Kabul was not always notified of these meetings,” Russian presidential representative for Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov said in an interview with Interfax.
· Russia abstains in UNSC vote on sanctions against Eritrea
· Russian naval ships set out for Atlantic, Mediterranean - The heavy Russian aircraft-carrying cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov and the large antisubmarine ship Admiral Chabanenko are setting out for the Atlantic and the Mediterranean on a two-month cruise. The ships will also call at the Syrian port of Tartus, which is a Russian naval maintenance and supply centre.
· Pacific Fleet warships lead 6th civil convoy through Gulf of Aden
· Russia's humanitarian centre in Serbia will be officially opened in March or April 2012
o Russia fostering trade with Serbia - This year's trade between Serbia and Russia amounted to EUR 3 billion, Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Ivica Dacic said in Moscow Monday.
· DUMA ELECTIONS
o U.S. worried by reports of electoral violations in Russia
o McCain warns Putin of approaching “Arab Spring” - U.S. senator John McCain, known for his staunch criticism of Russia, warned Prime Minister Vladimir Putin that Russia would see an “Arab Spring” of its own, following the post-election street protests.
o Hugo Chavez congratulates Russian leaders on occasion of Duma election
o Azerbaijan, Russia Presidents hold phone conversation
o CEC chairman: Official results of State Duma election to be announced before Saturday
o Moscow election protesters remain in custody - Most of the 300 protesters detained on Monday at a demonstration in downtown Moscow against alleged electoral fraud remain in custody as of Monday morning, police said.
o Russia's ruling party faces fraud allegations - "There were unprecedented violations in this election," said Lazareva, 60. "I have been on the commission since 1990 and I've seen a lot, but I have never see such blatant misconduct."
o RUSSIA VOTES: Putin and Russia are the winners in this election - And the elections have set a precedent: by allowing a more-or-less free vote this time round, the Kremlin will find it harder to blatantly fix any elections in the future.
o As Putin Forces Hold On To Power, Evidence Mounts Of Pre-Election Press Crackdown
o Investors Upbeat About New Duma
o Power carve-up in Duma after ruling party’s poll slump
· Russia downgrades ties with Qatar after attack on Russian diplomats
o Russian ambassador to leave Qatar
o Qatar vs Russia: When size does not matter - Russia is downgrading its relations with Qatar following an attack on its envoy in Doha. The assault is being linked to Moscow's criticism of Qatar's backing for the US position on the unrest in Syria.
· Russian icebreaking tanker set to deliver fuel to Alaska town
· SK to investigate lawfulness of children foreign adoption
o SK opens criminal case over RF adopted son murder in US
· Russian president Special Deputy Vladimir Rushaylo arrives in Kyrgyzstan
· Official says labor migrants will have to learn Russian language
· Double terrorist attack in Dagestan
o Four people were injured in explosions in Dagestan
· Dagestani Brothers Jailed in Terror Case - The Kuzminsky District Court ruled that Sultan and Sadir Abdulkerimov knew Zeinab Suyunova’s plans to execute a suicide attack on Red Square on New Year’s Eve last year and offered her shelter, rather than inform police.
· Eight coaches carrying coal go off track at Baikal-Amur Railway
· Rosoboronexport: airplanes, helicopters and Russian technology at "LIMA 2011"- The exhibition will be held at Langkawi, Malaysia, between 6th and 10th this month
· Moscow press review for December 6, 2011
· Russian Press at a Glance, Tuesday, November 6, 2011
· Kremlin Is Seen Spending More After Setback - In particular, Mr. Putin could push for targeted spending at state corporations. "The best way to address his fears of losing control will be to rely on a direct state presence in the economy," said Natalia Orlova, chief economist at Alfa Bank. "He'll be looking to secure his position economically."
· NATO and Russia Can Defend Together - By ANDERS FOGH RASMUSSEN
· Flour and machine guns don’t count - The West holds Russia in Afghan “reception area” Evgeny Shestakov (Bonn)
National Economic Trends
· Acting min: Russia’s 2011 budget surplus may exceed 0.5% of GDP
· Ruble slumps in MICEX trade on S&P warning of eurozone downgrade
· Finance Ministry projects higher capital outflow - "The global economy is slowing down, so the capital outflow will be substantial and could come in, according to our estimates, at $80bn or even top $85bn," he said, adding that such results would have a negative impact on Russia's economy. Earlier, the Central Bank of Russia had announced that capital outflow stood at $64bn in 10M 2011.
· Fitch confirms Russia’s BBB rating
o Poll results will not affect Russia's rating - Fitch
Business, Energy or Environmental regulations or discussions
· RTS Futures Fall on Europe as Mechel Advances: Russia Overnight
· Russia to reduce power equipment import duties under WTO obligations
· MICEX-RTS to liberalize forex market
· Merged Bourse Mulls Future
· Uranium One sets terms for Russian bond offer
· MRSK London Listing for Future Fund Raising
· Yandex to go international
· Citigroup Bemoans Liquidity
· Sberbank Bids for National
· Mail.ru Moving to Tower
· Strabag Q3 Up 3%
Activity in the Oil and Gas sector (including regulatory)
· Rosneft board of directors to consider increasing capital in JV with CNPC
· U.S. demand for Russian ESPO crude falls in Nov.
· Alliance Oil Company May Get Russian Tax Break, Kommersant Says
o Alliance Oil to request tax discounts under 60/66 system
· TNK-BP Wants More in Vietnam
· Russian Oil Frontier: Nowhere Land - Energy Firms, in Remotest Siberia for Crude, Run Rigs Over Video Link From 700 Miles Away
Gazprom
· Gazprom says Ukraine can now pay for supplies in roubles
· Gazprom CEO: Ukraine and Russia will probably seal natgas deal in 2011
o Ukraine says to conclude Russia gas talks in Dec
· Gazprom fails to sign gas agreement with Moldova --- marginally negative
· Gazprom names special overseer for relations with Brussels
· Russia in WTO: Gas Dispute In Europe Could Find New Venue
------Full Text Articles
Basic Political Developments
Russian-Japanese nuclear energy agreement ratified
http://english.ruvr.ru/2011/12/06/61636458.html
Dec 6, 2011 10:48 Moscow Time
The lower house of the Japanese Parliament has ratified an agreement on cooperation with Russia in the area of the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.
The agreement, supported both by the ruling Democratic Party and the opposition Liberal Democratic Party, provides for reprocessing the spent nuclear fuel from Japanese nuclear power plants in Russia to extract uranium for the production of new fuel.
The agreement will also pave the way for promoting business ties.
The Russian-Japanese agreement in question will remain in effect for 25 years and can be automatically prolonged upon expiration.
(TASS)
12/06 12:29 South Ossetia's Border with Russia Temporarily Shut Down To Prevent Provocations – Source
http://www.interfax.com/news.asp
http://www.interfax.ru/news.asp?id=220366
GOOGLE TRANSLATION
South Ossetian authorities have temporarily closed the border with Russia
December 6, 2011 12:31
Tshinval.6 December. INTERFAX.RU - The border of South Ossetia with Russia temporarily shut down.
"This is in connection with the political situation in the republic and to prevent any kind of provocation. This measure is temporary in nature, and citizens, traveling across the border should temporarily refrain from traveling," - law enforcement bodies of the republic told Interfax.
08:4106/12/2011ALL NEWS
Russian deputy premier, Spanish acting premier discuss fin crisis
http://www.itar-tass.com/en/c154/290170.html
MADRID, December 6 (Itar-Tass) — Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Zhukov and Spain’s Acting Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero had a meeting here Monday in the format of the official functions that culminated the Year of Russia in Spain and the simultaneous Year of Spain in Russia.
The two men gave special focus at the talks to the ongoing financial crisis in Europe and the ways out of it.
Zhukov and Zapatero summed up the results of the past twelve months, pointing out the powerful impulse that has been given to a further progress of bilateral relations.
More than 350 events in the political, economic and cultural spheres have been held. One of the last such events was Monday’s business forum that drew enough attention from both countries’ business communities.
The reciprocal Year of Russian and Spanish cultures and social events was crowned with Monday night's gala concert of the stars of Russian ballet in the Royal Opera House in Madrid. The list of dignitaries who attended it included King Juan Carlos, Queen Sofia, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s spouse Svetlana, and Alexander Zhukov.
Spain's queen, Russia's 1st lady inaugurate Russian center in Madrid
Published December 05, 2011
EFE
Read more: http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/politics/2011/12/05/spains-queen-russias-1st-lady-inaugurate-russian-center-in-madrid/#ixzz1fjDTmaIo
Madrid – Spain's Queen Sofia and the wife of Russia's president inaugurated here Monday the new Russian Science and Culture Center.
The opening of this center officially closes the Spain-Russia Dual Year, dedicated to promoting and strengthening throughout 2011 the economic, political, cultural and scientific ties between Russia and Spain.
After having lunch together, Sofia and Svetlana Medvedeva arrived in the same auto for the inauguration of the new cultural showcase, where the queen was received with traditional Russian folk dancing and was treated to some typical Russian pastry.
During their tour of the installations they visited a small auditorium where several musical compositions were performed.
The 2011 Spain-Russia Dual Year will close with a gala performance of Russian ballet at Madrid's Royal Theater, to be presided over by King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia and attended by the Russian first lady and her country's deputy prime minister, Alexander Zhukov.
Also present will be other Spanish officials, including Foreign Minister Trinidad Jimenez and Madrid's mayor, Alberto Ruiz-Gallardon.
Read more: http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/politics/2011/12/05/spains-queen-russias-1st-lady-inaugurate-russian-center-in-madrid/#ixzz1fjDXygP6
Russian president arrives in Prague
http://praguemonitor.com/2011/12/06/russian-president-arrives-prague
ČTK |
6 December 2011
Prague, Dec 5 (CTK) - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev arrives in Prague at 19:00 on Wednesday and he will meet his Czech counterpart Vaclav Klaus on the same day in the evening, the Presidential Office's press section said yesterday.
All important events in Medvedev's programme will take place at Prague Castle, the presidential seat, on Thursday.
According to the information available to CTK, Medvedev and his wife will probably stay in the Four Seasons hotel in Prague.
Medvedev and Klaus will then sign a number of Czech-Russian contracts, mostly relating to cooperation in transport, the military and culture.
There will be a framework contract on the construction of railways in the Urals. Under one of the biggest contracts of the past years, Czech firms, headed by OHL ZS, are to build about 350 kilometres of railways for almost 40 billion crowns.
The Transport Ministry and Russian representatives will sign an addendum to the contract on the repairs of helicopters thanks to which the state-owned Letecke opravny Malesice (LOM) aviation repair works is to repair and modernise Russian transport helicopters not only for the Czech military, but for the armed forces of other countries, too.
The University of Economics in Prague and the Moscow City University are also to sign an agreement on joint bachelorship studies that will be taught in Moscow.
Medvedev will have talks with Klaus on Thursday morning, he will open the exhibition of Kremlin collections in the afternoon and then he is to meet Prime Minister Petr Necas, chairman of the senior government Civic Democrats (ODS).
The Russian presidential couple is to leave Prague at 17:40 on Thursday, according to the programme, released by the Czech Presidential Office's press section.
From the Prague-Ruzyne airport, Medvedev and his wife Svetlana will go directly to the Strahov Monastery in Hradcany, near Prague Castle, where the Czech presidential couple will welcome them. They will have a joint dinner.
Thursday's programme of Medvedev opens with a welcome ceremony at Prague Castle at 10:00, followed by a private meeting of the Russian and Czech presidential couples and talks of the national delegations.
Klaus and Medvedev should sign prepared bilateral agreements.
Klaus will then invite Medvedev to a luncheon in the Rudolph Gallery at Prague Castle.
In the afternoon, Medvedev will open a unique exhibition on "The Tzar's Court under the Romanov Dynasty" that will offer a selection of valuable items from Moscow's Kremlin collections.
Before he leaves the Czech Republic, Medvedev is to meet Necas at Prague Castle.
Medvedev will arrive in Prague at Klaus's invitation. He is the first Russian head of state to visit the Czech Republic twice.
Medvedev attended the Russia-U.S. summit in Prague last year when he and U.S. President Barack Obama signed a new U.S.-Russian nuclear arms reduction treaty.