Director general of the Center for Current Politics Konstantin Simonov: "China is doomed to aggressive policy in Central Asia. There are large gas reserves and serious uranium deposits, one more strategic raw material. Nobody knows exact volume of these reserves, but China is highly interested in uranium. It is also known that now Russia actively uses Central-Asian gas for covering decrease of extraction at traditional Yamal deposits. The control over uranium deposits will not be excessive. It is not necessary to be a Solomon to understand that it is very important for Russia not to lose the struggle for the region. But what do we do in this direction? Where is the bringing up of the new Russian elite? Where is the return of the citizens to the Russian language, cultural and educational space? Or do we again count on military bases and hope for a miracle?"
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov signed an agreement on formation of investment fund consisting of 70 billion rubles. And the first claimants for the state money have already appeared. Among of them is “Transneft” with the project of the Eastern pipeline.
The investment fund has formed. What remains is to make 10-15 acts, including those about selection of financial consultants and the budget, but, most likely, they will be approved by the Ministry of Economic Development and Finance Ministry. The projects co-financed from the investment fund will be selected through competition and assessed from financial and budget point. The main demand to the claimants for investment fund’s money is that their projects have to meet priority tasks of the government. The agreement supposes three forms of support of investment projects: direct financing, state guaranties on credits, and nominal capital contribution. A share of participation of an initiator of a project will consist no less than 25% in financing, amount of state guarantees – up to 60% of the credit. The minimal cost of a project has to be 5 bln. rubles. Project’s profitability has to be no less than 4% (otherwise, it is not investment, but donations), but no more 11% (business can realize such projects without state help). The maximal term of state support will be five years, though the very project can last longer. Admission of applications will start in 2006.
After Ukraine, today Georgia celebrates the jubilee of the “velvet revolution” – the second anniversary of the “rose revolution. Director general of the Center for Current Politics Konstantin Simonov tells about changes in the country for these two years and results of them.
On November 21the Central election committee representatives of political parties and the Chechen government discussed how well they had prepared for the parliamentary elections in the republic that are taking place on the next Sunday. At the same time, information about numerous withdrawal of candidatures "on their own initiative" and threatening claims of the military men cause doubts that the coming people’s voting will be without incidents.
-Election is an important political event that persuasively proves Chechen integration into the Russian space, proudly claimed Finance Minister of the republic Eli Isaev.
Russian President Vladimir Putin continues his visit to Japan. During the visit agreements on some key issues will be made, it is expected that about 10 documents will be signed. It is known that the issue on belonging of the Kurils is very painful for both Russia and Japan. During the visit to Japan Vladimir Putin confirmed that Russia is ready to find a variant of solution of the problem of the disputed territories.
According to recent information, as a result of the negotiations between Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister of Japan Junichiro Koizumi, they signed an agreement on readiness of the both countries to continue the dialogue on the issue of conclusion of a peace treaty. President of the RF Vladimir Putin told about it at his press conference with the Japanese Prime Minister.Putin informed that he had invited Koizumi to Moscow to discuss the issue and he had agreed.
According to the Russian leader, absence of the peace treaty prevents from development of economic cooperation between Russia and Japan, in particular, hold in the flow of Japanese investments to Russia.
Presenter: Good evening, you are watching the program “Vremena”. My name is Vladimir Pozner.
Today’s topic is evident – mass pogroms in France. Let’s define the reasons of this disease and dive a diagnosis. Let me introduce our guest – Director general of the Center for Current Politics in Russia Konstantin Vasilievich Simonov.
Mikhail Fradkov will leave the position of Prime Minister in 2006, and President Vladimir Putin will appoint his successor at this position. British consultants from Control Risk Group (CRG) make such a forecast, stated in the report on political risks for foreign investors in 2006 (RiskMap-2006).
The connection between the banks that collided because of the default in 1998 left a blueprint on the Rosbank development. However, it became one of the best candidates for a takeover by a foreign investor or for emerging into the stock exchange.
After Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev were convoyed to the penitentiary, the society began to show great interest to these persons. As mass media recently reported, criminal authorities already suggested to the former head of Yukos that he should financially support the convicted. At that, Mikhail Khodorkovsky came out with the initiative himself: as the oligarch’s press center announced before his conviction, the fund of support for convicts was undergoing registration. It is possible that some sort of contact between the authorities of the criminal world and the convicted oligarchs will be established. Analysts believe that it will likely be a material support in exchange for loyal approach to the political prisoners, however, some say that tighter bonds can be established before the condemned oligarchs and the ‘host’ of the prison.
