Category: Russia

Russian Press at a Glance, Wednesday, March 23, 2011

POLITICS

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev reiterated Moscow’s offer to mediate in the conflict in Libya

(Rossiiskaya Gazeta, Izvestia)

Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov called for an immediate cease-fire in Libya, telling U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates that it is the best way to avoid civilian casualties.

(The Moscow Times, Nezavisimaya Gazeta)

OIL GAS

Slovenia agreed to set up a joint venture with Gazprom to develop the South Stream gas pipeline to Central Europe

(The Moscow Times, Kommersant, Nezavisimaya Gazeta, Rossiiskaya Gazeta, Izvestia)

Russia has finally announced details of its energy aid package to Japan. The package includes sales of 18 million metric tons of oil and an increase in supplies. Russia has also offered Japan cooperation in the development of the east Siberian Kovykta gas condensate field and the Chayanda oil and gas condensate deposit in the republic of Yakutia in northeast Russia

(Kommersant, Izvestia)

VEHICLES ENGINEERING

Russians are in a hurry to buy Japanese-made cars, fearing radioactive pollution and delivery interruptions in the future

(Vedomosti)

REAL ESTATE

A building to house both chambers of the Russian parliament will be built near the Kremlin, on the site of the demolished Rossiya hotel

(Vedomosti)

TELECOMS IT

Yevroset Holding, billionaire Alexander Mamut’s mobile phone retailer, plans to sell shares to the public and list in London to fund expansion.

(The Moscow Times, Vedomosti, Kommersant)

SOCIETY

Ukraine’s state prosecutor opened a criminal case against former president Leonid Kuchma for his suspected role in the murder of opposition journalist Georgiy Gongadze in 2000

(The Moscow Times, Vedomosti, Kommersant, Nezavisimaya Gazeta, Rossiiskaya Gazeta, Izvestia)

President Dmitry Medvedev submitted to the State Duma a long-awaited bill to provide the police with social security, a measure aimed at reducing rampant corruption. A lieutenant will earn double what he makes now.

(The Moscow Times, Vedomosti, Rossiiskaya Gazeta, Izvestia)

For more details on all the news in Russia today, visit our website at www.rian.ru

 

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Yup…

The West shows Ignorance and Has Created a Time Bomb in Libya…

Read more and watch the video…

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Gazprom may extend gas contract with Slovenia from 2017 to 2035

Russian gas giant Gazprom said on Tuesday it could prolong its contract with Slovenia from 2017 to 2035 and increase exports from 500 million to 1.7 billion cubic meters a year.

“As part of negotiations on the South Stream project, we are talking about extending the contracts until 2035 and raising exports to 1.7 billion cubic meters a year,” Gazprom chief executive Alexei Miller said.

Gazprom is cooperating with Slovenia’s government-run Geoplin Plinovodi on imports and the distribution of Russian natural gas in the country. Slovenia suggested that the current contracts be extended and the terms be revised in 2009.

Gazprom and Geoplin Plinovodi signed a contract to jointly build the Slovenian section of the South Stream pipeline project on Tuesday. The project is designed to diversify Russian gas export routes and involves Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary, Greece, Slovenia, Croatia and Austria.

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Gazprom studies ways of delivering more LNG to quake-hit Japan

LJUBLJANA, March 23 (RIA Novosti) – Russian energy giant Gazprom may boost its natural gas supplies to Europe and redirect European-bound liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Japan, Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller has said.

Shortly after a devastating 9.0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami struck Japan on March 11, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev called for Russian LNG producers to review contracts with Japan and increase LNG supplies to the country.

“We could supply additional 50-70 million cubic meters of gas [to Europe]. Therefore, we will be able to compensate for the LNG with additional natural gas volumes,” Miller said.

He said the final decision was up to LNG suppliers and European consumers.

“We are now studying commercial aspects,” he added. “I can’t say this process is easy.”

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin told Medvedev that Russian energy giant Gazprom was planning to increase its supplies of liquefied natural gas to Japan by 100,000 tons in April and May.

He also said Russia intended to supply about 6,000 megawatts of electricity to Japan in the near future and there were plans for constructing an underwater electric line linking the two neighbors.

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No Rift with Medvedev over Libya…

There is no rift in Russia’s ruling tandem over the current crisis in Libya, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday.

“We have a president in Russia who directs foreign policy and there can not be a split,” Putin said.

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Russia ready to mediate in Libya conflict…

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev reiterated on Tuesday Moscow’s offer to mediate in the conflict in Libya.

Medvedev was speaking during a meeting with U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates near Moscow. On Monday, Medvedev said Russia would “gladly” undertake peacemaking efforts in the North African state.

“Medvedev also expressed concern over how the UN no-fly zone is being endorsed and the possible casualties among civilians because of the indiscriminate use of air force,” the president’s press service said.

NATO member states including the United States, Britain and France are continuing air strikes against Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi’s forces. Libyan state television has reported that at least 60 civilians have so far been killed in the attacks.

Russia opposed military action but did not use its power to veto the UN resolution.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin likened the operation to “medieval calls for crusades,” a description dismissed by President Dmitry Medvedev, who said the comments were “unacceptable.”

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Euroset seeks to raise $140 mln in London IPO in April

London Stock Exchange Group
Stocks...

Euroset Holding N. V., the parent company of Russia’ largest mobile phone retailer Euroset, plans to hold an Initial Public Offering in April to raise about $140 million, a source close to the IPO told RIA Novosti on Tuesday.

The company, which earlier on Tuesday officially announced IPO plans, will float shares of an additional issue and a stake owned by Alpazo Ltd registered in Cyprus. Its beneficiary is Russian billionaire Alexander Mamut, who controls 50.01% in Euroset.

The size of the stake to be sold is to be determined by market conditions, Euroset said in a statement.

Premarketing may start already on Tuesday, a road-show is expected at the beginning of April, the source said.

Euroset’s second core shareholder VimpelCom, one of Russia’s three top mobile operators, does not plan to divest its 49.9% stake.

Funds raised in the IPO are to be spent on retail business development and for general corporate purposes.

Alfa Capital Markets, Credit Suisse, Goldman Sachs International and VTB Capital are appointed global coordinators and bookrunners.

In October 2010, Euroset, cofounded by scandalous business tycoon Yevgeny Chichvarkin, said it wanted to raise $1.86 billion on the London Stock Exchange.

In 2008, Chichvarkin went into a self-imposed exile in Britain saying he faced imprisonment in Russia and could be killed if put behind bars.

Last September, a British court delayed until next year a hearing into Russia’s request to extradite Chichvarkin, who is accused at home of running a mafia-like structure. Chichvarkin has denied accusations, saying the charges were politically motivated.

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Russia supports NATO success in Afghanistan…

NATO

MOSCOW, March 22 (RIA Novosti) – Russia welcomes the success of NATO-led coalition forces and the stabilization of the situation in Afghanistan, Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov said on Tuesday.

“Our positions on Afghanistan coincide in many areas. Russia is interested in the stabilization of the region and in the success of the coalition forces [there],” Serdyukov said after a meeting with U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates in Moscow.

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Gates expects fighting in Libya to recede within days…

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said on Tuesday the significant military fighting going on in Libya now “should recede in the next few days.”

He told his Russian counterpart Anatoly Serdyukov in Moscow that the Western-led coalition was “going to great lengths” to avoid civilian casualties.

“Many of the targets were in isolated locations,” Gates said.

Serdyukov said the beeline to the security of civilians and long-term stabilization in Libya was an immediate ceasefire and the start of dialogue.

“We are once again calling on all Libyan parties to the conflict as well as participants in the military operation to do everything they can to stop the violence,” Serydukov said.

Russia was one of five countries, including China, that abstained from a UN Security Council resolution adopted on Thursday. The resolution imposes a no-fly zone over Libya and allows “all necessary measures” to protect civilians from leader Muammar Gaddafi’s attacks on rebel-held towns.

Operation Odyssey Dawn entered its third night of airstrikes on Libyan air defenses on Monday. Libyan state television has reported that at least 60 civilians have been killed and over 150 wounded.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Monday likened the UN resolution to a “call for a crusade.” The comments were swiftly rebuked by President Dmitry Medvedev, who described Putin’s remarks as “unacceptable.”

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Putin is Correct and Medvedev is Incorrect…

Windows to Russia...
Medvedev and Putin

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev dismissed as “unacceptable” Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s description of Western-led attacks on Libya as a “crusade,” marking their first public foreign-policy dispute.

Putin, who spoke amid a visit to Russia by U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates, said the UN resolution and resulting allied offensive amounts to a “medieval call for a crusade.”

“It’s unacceptable to use terms that effectively lead to a clash of civilizations like the crusades,” Medvedev said at his residence outside Moscow, without mentioning Putin by name. “Otherwise things could end far worse than what’s happening now.”

The clash came a year before the next presidential election, in which both men have said they may run. Putin criticized last week’s United Nations resolution that authorized military action by the U.S. and its allies.

Medvedev is trying to justify his decision on Libya and Russia failed at the UN meeting by not voting. Medvedev made it clear that he and he alone made the decision and that, as I have said a few days ago could be a future problem…

http://windowstorussia.com/thoughts-today-in-russia-over-coffee.html

I know what I hear on the streets of Moscow…

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