Zdravstvuite Russia! 2004-11-10

Winds of Change.NET Regional Briefings run on Tuesdays & Wednesdays, and sometimes Fridays too.

This Regional Briefing focuses on the enigma that is Russia, via Joel Gaines of No Pundit Intended. Joel is a veteran of the Gulf War with the 3rd Armor Division, where he worked in an intelligence capacity. He speaks Russian, and has worked in several of the former soviet satellites.

TOP TOPICS

• A white cloud rose into the air above the Balakovskaya nuclear power plant near Saratov, causing some panic and a great deal of suspicion. Authorities say number 2 reactor was shut down after it malfunctioned, but that there has been no radiation leaked into the atmosphere and no health risk was posed to the public. The reactor has since been returned to an operational status

• Russia signed the Kyoto Protocol in 1999, but has just this month ratified it in a deal which will likely allow Russia entrance to the World Trade Organization. Putin has already secured several important endorsements for Russia and will probably use an upcoming meeting with the new EU Commission to secure the EU's agreement to a WTO seat.

• The "on again - off again" discussions of an Iran/Russia nuclear fuel deal are - on again. Reports now indicate Russia and Iran may ink a deal in December 2004 in which Russia will provide nuclear fuel to Iran for use in their power generating reactors and Iran will return the spent fuel rods to Russia. Some see this as a means to ensure Iran is not enriching plutonium. However, there is nothing stopping Iran from weaponizing plutonium they may have secured from another source - perhaps in the form of unguarded material from an former soviet satellite.

Other Topics Today Include: computer market planned, selling dollars, energy is up, Yermolin criticizes Putin, public beer banned, YUKOS debt rises, Putin approval down 5%, Mashkhadov wants to surrender, Kadyrov Jr. worried about Wahhabism, Basayev justifies Beslan, Georgia and Russia duke it out at PACE, Russia and S. Korea building launch pad, Orthodox and Catholic cooperating, Vietnam and Russia celebrate 50 years, Russia mulls toll roads, Scientist un-acquited, Navy tests SU-27KUB

• Russia's Economy
• Internal Politics
• Chechnya
• International Relations & Security
• Paging Mr. Bond...

Russia's Economy

• Several measures are being considered to stem the flow of computer specialties talent leaving Russia. The intent is to decrease Russia's dependence on oil revenues by diversifying exports. There is talk of creating special tax free zones and of establishing an area like Silicon Valley to encourage more software products being developed in Russia for sale overseas.

• Russia is selling "hard currency" (US Dollars) cash, assets and securities in an attempt to diversify cash reserves and lower the USD to Ruble exchange rate.

• Crude oil, gas and electric power exports increased during the first nine months of 2004 over the same period in 2003.

Internal Politics

• Anatoly Yermolin of the United Russia party has castigated Putin's administration for pressuring lawmakers to vote as Putin expects them to.

• Citing high numbers in alcoholism, especially among teens, Russia has passed a ban on public beer drinking.

• YUKOS is heading closer to bankruptcy as the government piles on more back tax debt.

• President Putin's job approval rating is down 5% in the past two months - to 69%.

Chechnya

• A split in the Chechen rebellion is being cited as the reason for Aslan Maskhadov's offer to surrender to Russian authorities. There have been reports that Mashkhadov fears for his safety after he condemned Shamil Basayev's Beslan attack.

• Chechen Deputy PM Kadyrov, son of the previous and late president, is concerned about the spread of Wahhabism throughout the Caucasus.

• Shamil Basayev has stated in a warning to Russia that he is not happy to kill children, but Chechen separatists will resort to extremes to stop the killing of Chechens. This was recently punctuated by a "separatist" car bomb, which was detonated outside of a hospital, wounding Chechens.

International Relations & Security

• The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) heard specific issues of contention between Georgia and Russia in a debate. Georgia raised concerns about a Russian double-standard in its relations with Chechnya and S. Ossetia. Russia stated Georgia received perferential treatment from Russia and should address the concerns with Russia, rather than in Strasbourg.

• South Korea and Russia will build a rocket launch facility in Goheung, South Korea by the end of 2007. Russia will also train the first South Koeran astronaut and assist him into space.

• The Russian Orthodox Church and the Holy See are enhancing ecumenical relations, which had deteriorated over the past decade.

• In Hanoi, Vietnam and Russia celebrate fifty years of educational cooperation.

• Russian lawmakers are considering a measure to impose a toll on foreign trucks entering Russia. It seems they mean a toll beyond what is already paid to GAI officers for "speed infractions" and "gifts" to customs officials.

Paging Mr. Bond...

• Siberian scientist Valentin Danilov has been convicted by jury of fraud and will now stand trial for spying. He is charged with illegally selling documents to a Chinese organization. Danilov intends to appeal his conviction in the European Court of Human Rights. The most confusing part of this case is that Danilov had already been acquited, but his acquital was overturned in a separate trial.

• The navy is testing a new jet.