CHUBAIS AND ROSSEL UNITE
Izvestia, June 3, 1999, p. 2
RJES President Anatoly Chubais and Sverdlovsk Governor Eduard Rossel signed an agreement on creation of a new transnational company comprising two mines in Kazakhstan (Severny and Bogatyr) and several power plants of Sverdlovenergo and Chelyabenergo companies. The future structure is supposed to be effective by way of reducing the cost of electricity production. All necessary equipment will be manufactured in the Urals.
SOBCHAK SAYS HE WILL COME BACK, SOON
Moskovsky Komsomolets, June 3, 1999, p. 2
Anatoly Sobchak, former mayor of St.Petersburg, says he is coming back from France.
Apart from teaching in St.Petersburg institutes and universities, Sobchak intends to run for Duma deputy as an independent candidate though he does not eliminate the possibility of getting into party lists of Democratic Russia. According to the former mayor, problems with the prosecutor’s office do not have an effect on his resolution to come back because he is sure that justice will rule.
ON THE THIRD ST.PETERSBURG ECONOMIC FORUM
Parlamentskaya Gazeta, June 3, 1999, p. 1
The 3rd St.Petersburg Economic Forum organized under the auspices of the Federation Council and CIS Inter-Parliamentary Assembly and with the assistance of the Russian president and government will take place in the northern capital between June 15 and 19.
It will be attended by heads of the states and governments, parliamentarians, leaders of Russian regions, ministries, and departments, representatives of large financial and industrial companies, businessmen, and scientists from Russia and foreign countries.
CLOSEST ASSOCIATES OF ROMAN ABRAMOVICH
Komsomolskaya Pravda, June 3, 1999, p. 4
Alexander Blokh. A US citizen. Resides at Zarechie dacha. Works with the Omsk refinery. In 1996, Abramovich’s security service was tipped that somebody wanted Blokh terminated. The assassination attempt was thwarted through a number of field operations.
Yevgeny Shvindler. A US citizen. Financial director. Resides at Zarechie dacha. In charge of financial operations.
Valery Oi. In charge of transport.
Sergei Avetikov. Monitors timber sales.
Tamara Gubinets. Book-keeper. Documents and paper side of all financial operations.
Anna Goncharova. Assistant book-keeper. In charge of all operations with cash. Enjoys Abramovich’s particular trust. Her husband is the man’s personal driver.
Andrei Gorodilov. Son of the head of Noyabrskneftegaz and first president of Sibneft. One of the closest pals.
Said Dzhamaldinov. A Chechen, head of Suli teip (very influential among other teips) located in the Khasavyurt district of Dagestan. Djokhar Dudayev’s cousin.
Kharun Batsarov. A Chechen born in Dagestan. Former tutor at Grozny University. Enjoys active support of Musayev’s teip. Residence registration in the town of Domodedovo, Moscow region. Settled there in 1996 on his coming from Dagestan. He is considered an influential chieftain controlling a feared gang. Owns Beverly Hills casino. Mostly resides in Germany and Austria, comes to Russia for business.
Ruslan Zakareyev. A Chechen. Has free access to all Abramovich’s companies.
STEPASHIN GOES TO TULA TO ATTEND A SITTING OF CHERNOZEMIE ASSOCIATION
NTV (Independent Television), “Segodnya” program, June 2, 1999, 12:00
Despite expectations, on his arrival in the city of Tula the premier refrained from making any sensational statements and made it clear that he had come formally on the invitation of Governor Vasily Starodubtsev to attend a conference of Chernozemie Association. There, Sergei Stepashin intends to discuss the problem of a more effective use of the Central Russia potential.
According to Yegor Stroyev, Chairman of the Federation Council, governors expect cooperation with the new government like the one they had with its predecessors.
Stroyev: The condition of the economic reforms and the government’s role and support in the matter is what we want to discuss first and foremost. Besides, we want to contemplate the state of affairs in the financial sphere. What we think about it. What the Central Bank thinks or the Finance Ministry. We want to contemplate the prospects… construction of living accommodations, resolution of social problems, etc. From that angle, I mean.
ON THE PLENARY SITTING OF THE DUMA
NTV (Independent Television), “Segodnya” program, June 2, 1999, 12:00
The deputies were supposed to discuss the draft laws forwarded to the lower house of the parliament by Primakov’s government but got carried away and found themselves discussing attitude towards Senior Deputy Premier Nikolai Aksenenko.
Aksenenko’s inability to turn up at the sitting come Friday was met with in the Duma clear irritation.
Alexander Vengerovsky (LDPR faction) moved running a check of Aksenenko’s contacts with foreign companies. LDPR leader thought it wise to intervene.
Vladimir Zhirinovsky: We are not a dump or something to waste our time on innuendo beginning with some streetwalker and ending with condemnation of a senior deputy premier. It is not admissible for the parliament.
CHECHENS ATTACK A CHECKPOINT IN DAGESTAN
NTV (Independent Television), “Segodnya” program, June 2, 1999, 12:00
A police officer was killed and three sustained wounds of varying severity when a police checkpoint in Dagestan was attacked by Chechen commandos.
The fighting in the outskirts of Kalinina Luka village near the Dagestani-Chechen border commenced at about 9:40 a.m. Moscow time. According to the republican Interior Ministry, the checkpoint came under automatic rifle fire and, some reports indicate, to fire from grenade launchers.
More units are being hastily dispatched to the area. Intercepts of radio calls indicate that skirmishes continue on and off.
This is not the first emergency along the administrative border. At about 4 a.m. an outpost of the Internal Troops was subjected to grenade launcher fire in the Babayurt district of Dagestan adjacent on the Shelkovsk district of Chechnya. Fortunately, no casualties were reported.
