Chechnya in the news again..
(from MT "hot news")
themoscowtimes.com
Ukraine to keep cooperating with IMF but rejects its dictates
Interfax. Friday, Aug. 23, 2002, 7:17 PM Moscow Time
KYIV. Aug 23 (Interfax-Ukraine) - Ukraine "has absolutely no intention to stop working" with the International Monetary Fund, but considers some of the IMF's terms as unreasonable and rejects the Fund's 'dictates,' Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma said on Friday.
"I can't accept the admonition that our country is hearing from the IMF. We must follow our national interests while working with this esteemed organization," Kuchma told reporters in Kyiv.
He could not see, for instance, how Ukraine could immediately refund itself for what it has missed by failing to collect value-added tax. "Where can we get these billions from? Are we to take them away from somebody?" he said.
"If they want to help us, let them sit at the negotiating table and discuss these problems. But no dictates. We can't accept any dictates," Kuchma said.
He said that Ukraine is awaiting a visit from the head of the IMF. "I hope we'll have a chance to discuss our future frankly and openly," Kuchma said.
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General Electric may participate in UES projects
Interfax. Friday, Aug. 23, 2002, 7:17 PM Moscow Time
MOSCOW. Aug 23 (Interfax) - General Electric may participate in investment projects to be delivered by Unified Energy Systems, Russia's national electricity monopoly.
The UES press relations department said a special team set up after a meeting between Leonid Melamed, who is first deputy CEO of UES, and John Rice, president and CEO of GE Power Systems, will look into the possibility.
The team, or working group, will also look into the possibility of creating a market in Russia for the full range of power grid services. It will deal with the exchange of information and instruction for UES specialists in the use of the latest technologies in energy infrastructure management.
The working group's members will be named soon.
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Two Chechens receive long prison sentences for execution of Russian family
Interfax. Friday, Aug. 23, 2002, 6:22 PM Moscow Time
PYATIGORSK. Aug 23 (Interfax)- A Pyatigorsk court has sentenced two Chechen nationals to long prison terms for the execution of a Russian family in Grozny in September 2000 and an assault on the Daudov family.
Timur Akhmadov was sentenced to twenty years in a maximum-security prison with the confiscation of his property. Shamsud Ezerkhanov received a more lenient sentence, eleven years in a maximum-security prison, since he was the accomplice in the crime and supports three young children, the Pyatigorsk territorial court told Interfax on Friday.
Prosecutor Tatiana Sobol sought twenty years in a maximum- security prison for Akhmadov and 16 for Ezerkhanov with the confiscation of their property
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Emergency Situations Ministry trucks with humanitarian cargo arrive in Germany
Interfax. Friday, Aug. 23, 2002, 5:52 PM Moscow Time
MOSCOW. Aug 23 (Interfax)- Russian Emergency Situations Ministry trucks carrying specialized equipment to be used in clean-up efforts have arrived in Germany, the ministry's press service told Interfax.
Late on Friday, the humanitarian cargo, including more than 300 motor-driven pumps, 140 fans, 90 diesel generators, pumps and torches, was delivered to the German town of Magdeburg.
The shipment is estimated at 1.7 million rubles.
Furthermore, the Emergency Situations Ministry is also expected to deliver a laboratory to determine the strength of buildings.
Earlier, Germany received two amphibious vehicles with rescue teams in addition to 250,000 sandbags to reinforce dams
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Ukraine offers to mediate in Russia-Georgia conflict
Interfax. Friday, Aug. 23, 2002, 5:12 PM Moscow Time
KYIV. Aug 23 (Interfax-Ukraine) - On Friday, Ukraine offered to mediate in the current diplomatic conflict between Russia and Georgia concerning Chechen rebels allegedly based on Georgian territory.
The soured Russian-Georgian relations have put Ukraine in a "very difficult" situation, Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma said in Kyiv.
He declined to comment on the latest events in Georgia's Pankisi gorge, the Georgian region where Chechen rebels are said to be operating. He said that Ukraine does not know all the details of the situation.
But he warned against using force indiscriminately. "If we are talking about Chechen terrorists, there has to be a strictly coordinated action," he said
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Russian economy grows 4% in 7 mths - ministry
Interfax. Friday, Aug. 23, 2002, 4:12 PM Moscow Time
MOSCOW. Aug 23 (Interfax) - Russian GDP growth was an estimated 4% in the first seven months of 2002 in relation to the same period of 2001, the Russian Ministry of Economic Development and Trade said in its socio-economic development report for the period.
Growth in Russian GDP in January-July 2001 amounted to 5.1%, according to the report.
According to experts from the Economic Development and Trade Ministry, year-on-year growth in GDP in July 2002 amounted to 5.3% (in June this growth amounted to 4%).
The report notes that the development of the socioeconomic situation in Russia in January-July means that we can expect growth in the majority of macroeconomic indicators for the year, although the growth will be less than in 2001 and especially the record year of 2000.
According to Economic Development and Trade Ministry forecasts, GDP growth in 2002 will amount to 3.9%, inflation will not exceed 14% and investment in fixed assets will increase 4.5%, real disposable incomes will increase 6.8%, retail trade will increase 8.5% and the volume of paid services to the public will increase 2%.
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About 20 rebels killed near Bamut
Interfax. Friday, Aug. 23, 2002, 2:33 PM Moscow Time
KHANKALA. Aug 23 (Interfax) - About twenty rebels have been killed near the village of Bamut on the Chechnya-Ingushetia border, an official from the headquarters of the Combined Federal Forces in the North Caucasus told Interfax on Friday.
"Late on Thursday, a special-task unit spotted a group of 100 rebels. An artillery strike was launched on the rebels. A mop-up operation is currently underway in the area," the source said.
For details, see the Interfax-Military News Agency newswire
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Experts study engine, black box from crashed Mi-26 helicopter
Interfax. Friday, Aug. 23, 2002, 1:28 PM Moscow Time
MOSCOW. Aug 23 (Interfax) - A Defense Ministry research institute in the Moscow region has begun studying the causes of the Mi-26 helicopter crash in Chechnya.
"The engine and objective control materials were delivered to the institute today on a special flight," air force spokesman Alexander Drobyshevsky told Interfax on Friday.
"Specialists have begun to study the materials. Several expert groups were set up. The work to discover the reasons for the crash will continue round-the-clock. Initial results can be expected in 10 to 14 days," Drobyshevsky said.
On August 19, 166 people were killed and 31 wounded in the Mi-26 military helicopter crash.
For details, see the Interfax-Military News Agency newswire
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Investigators to work with suspected terrorism suspect
Interfax. Friday, Aug. 23, 2002, 1:23 PM Moscow Time
MOSCOW. Aug 23 (Interfax) - Investigators from the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) will conduct the entire range of investigative activities in relation to the man who threatened to blow up a car at Lubyanka on Thursday.
"In accordance with an order from the Prosecutor General's Office, FSB investigators will conduct the entire range of investigative actions in relation to Vladimir Shirokov, 45, a resident of Udmurtia, who threatened to set off an explosion in Moscow," an FSB representative told Interfax on Friday.
The source would not comment on the investigation process, but said investigators have yet to determine the circumstances of what occurred, including how Shirokov found himself in Moscow in a car loaded with cement, and why he made his threats
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Alexy II calls for constructive dialogue between Vatican and Orthodox Church
Interfax. Friday, Aug. 23, 2002, 1:13 PM Moscow Time
MOSCOW. Aug 23 (Interfax) - Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexy II has called for constructive dialogue between the Vatican and the Orthodox Church for the good of the believers of all faiths.
"We need to work together on overcoming the problems the two churches face, first of all the problem of proselytizing," Alexy II said on Thursday evening, while meeting with a delegation of Catholic priests and laymen from the Italian diocese of Camerino-San Severino Marche, headed by Archbishop Angelo Fagiani, the press service for the Moscow Patriarchate reported on Friday.
The patriarch recalled that the Vatican decided to establish Catholic dioceses in Russia in February 2002.
"This seriously complicated relations between the two churches," the patriarch said. He said this move is "an unbrotherly and unfriendly act, aimed at further expanding the missionary activities of the Catholic Church in our country."
At the same time, Alexey II noted that, in spite of the current problems in relations between the churches, the Russian Orthodox Church continues to maintain good relations with Catholics at the level of individual dioceses, monasteries, and educational institutions
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CB to quote ruble at 31.5725 rubles/$1 and 30.5748 rubles/EUR1 on Aug 24
Interfax. Friday, Aug. 23, 2002, 12:28 PM Moscow Time
MOSCOW. August 23 (Interfax) - The Central Bank of Russia will quote the U.S. dollar at 31.5725 rubles/$1 on August 24, 0.004% up from the previous exchange rate.
The Central Bank will quote the euro at 30.5748 rubles/EUR1, 0.99% down from the previous exchange rate, the bank's Foreign and Public Relations Department told Interfax
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Russia transferred 26.2 mln euros to IMF on Friday
Interfax. Friday, Aug. 23, 2002, 12:08 PM Moscow Time
MOSCOW. Aug 23 (Interfax) - On Friday, the Russian Finance Ministry paid 26,238,860 euros (some 19.468 mln SDR) in Russia's principal debt payments to the IMF. The payment was made ahead of schedule.
The payment was made early because the due date - August 25 - is a Sunday, Interfax was told at the ministry. This was the third and final payment due this month.
In September, Russia is due to make debt payments to the IMF totaling about 80.603 mln SDR. September 7 is the due date for 41.667 mln SDR, September 17 for 19.468 mln SDR, and September 28 for 19.468 mln SDR.
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Bashmet to head Russian Symphony Orchestra
Interfax. Friday, Aug. 23, 2002, 11:58 AM Moscow Time
MOSCOW. Aug 23 (Interfax) - Yuri Bashmet has been named chief conductor and art director of the Russian Symphony Orchestra.
First Deputy Culture Minister Alexander Golutva signed a decree to this effect. Bashmet will be introduced to the orchestra's musicians on August 26
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Banks have 80.395 bln rbs on CBR correspondent accounts on August 23
Interfax. Friday, Aug. 23, 2002, 11:39 AM Moscow Time
MOSCOW. August 23 (Interfax) - Russian banks had 80.395 billion rubles on correspondent accounts in the Central Bank as of August 23, including 45.820 billion rubles for Moscow banks.
The balance on August 22 was 81.532 billion rubles and 48.489 billion rubles, respectively
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Conflicting reports of bombing in Pankisi Gorge
Interfax. Friday, Aug. 23, 2002, 11:38 AM Moscow Time
TBILISI/MOSCOW. Aug 23 (Interfax) - A source in the administration of Akhmeta district in Georgia has told Interfax that three people were killed and several wounded on Friday morning in Russian air attacks on the Pankisi Gorge. The Russian Defense Ministry denies the reports.
Chief of the Kakhetia territorial police Zurab Tushuri told Interfax that reports of casualties among residents of the village of Bukhrevi in Pankisi district are being double-checked.
"There is panic in the gorge," he said.
Secretary of the Georgian National Security Council Tedo Japaridze told reporters in Tbilisi that on Friday morning, Russian aviation intensively bombed Georgian territory in Akhmeta and Tianeti districts - the northern part of the Pankisi Gorge and mountains in Tianeti district.
"The bombing involved several war planes and lasted for 40 minutes," Japaridze said.
"Today's incident is a provocation and an official protest will be made," he said.
A spokesman for the Georgian Border Department told Interfax that at 5:15 a.m. local time on Friday, "at least four Russian aircraft flew at least 50 kilometers inside Georgian air space and bombed Ilto and Iori Gorges."
The Russian Defense Ministry denies reports of Russian warplanes bombing Georgia.
"The Russian Air Force did not fly any missions in the area of the Russian-Georgian border on Friday," chief of the force's press service Col. Alexander Drobyshevsky told Interfax.
"Russian warplanes did not violate the air border with Georgia," he said. "Once again we express our readiness to submit data from monitoring equipment to the Georgian side indicating that there was no violation of their air space from the Russian side," he said.
"Neither did any aircraft from the Georgian side fly to Russian territory," he added.
"For a year, the Georgian side has been coming out with numerous claims that Russian aircraft have violated its air space and delivered strikes on the Pankisi Gorge. However, no documented proof of these statements has been produced to us," Drobyshevsky said |
