TURKMEN GAS PUMPED AGAIN

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TURKMEN GAS PUMPED AGAIN

Izvestia, December 30, 1999, p. 2

Gas from Turkmenistan is flowing through the northern pipeline route again. Its transportation was resumed in accordance with the agreement signed on December 17 in Ashkhabad by Saparmurat Niyazov and Rem Vyakhirev of Gazprom.

TAMARA ROKHLINA IS FREE AGAIN

Pravda, December 30, 1999, p. 1

By a decision of the court, the General Prosecutor’s Office should release Tamara Rokhlina on January 3, 2000.

AGRARIAN PARTY MAY CONVENE AN EMERGENCY CONGRESS

Pravda, December 30, 1999, p. 1

The plenum of the Agrarian Party scheduled for January 11 may raise the question of holding an emergency congress of the party with the aim of replacing the party leadership.

Nikolai Kharitonov, leader of the agrarian group in the Duma: We want those who split the party ousted from the leadership. Those who decided to run in the election with the Fatherland – All Russia alliance rather than with the Communists should go.

EXPLOSION IN MOSCOW

Moskovsky Komsomolets, December 30, 1999, p. 1

A bomb exploded in a blue Tavria car parked near the Moscow office of the Movement in Support of the Army. No casualties were reported. Rumors say this may have been an attempt on the life of Viktor Ilyukhin.

AN INTERVIEW WITH SERGEI SHOIGU

Russian Television (RTR), “Vesti” program, December 29, 1999, 13:00

The arrangement of political forces in the Duma has changed in the wake of the parliamentary election. Cooperation between different factions is of paramount importance now.

Parties and movements are preparing for work in the new Duma. Meetings and conferences behind closed doors take place every day. The number of deputies in every faction is being decided right now. The Unity movement got 72 seats in the Duma. At present, about 40 more people would like to join Unity. Sergei Shoigu says that not everyone will be accepted. The movement is not out to become the most numerous faction, even though this option is not ruled out. According to Shoigu, the movement plans to create a coherent faction and keep its promises – they include adoption of the tax and land codes and restriction of parliamentary immunity. Strategic tasks include support for Vladimir Putin at the presidential election, and getting a parliamentary majority in 2003.

Shoigu: Let me say it right here and now – we are not a party formed for a day. We mean business. We see future before us, and creation of a party or a coalition of a parliamentary majority is our number one task.

… The Unity movement emphasizes its contacts with the regions, and the All Russia movement is considered a potential ally.

Shoigu: This is a promising alliance in the Duma on certain issues. If both movements display willingness to cooperate and unite, then we will be together. All Russia includes people whom we consider close to us ideologically. What really counts, however, is that we directly participated in the creation of the All Russia movement.

… Nothing is known yet about who will become the faction leader.

Shoigu: There are four candidates for the post. I would not want to be more specific. I can only say that you will know everything before New Year’s Eve.

PRIME MINISTER PUTIN CHAIRS A MEETING

ORT (Russian Public Television), News program, December 29, 1999, 15:00

Vladimir Putin has chaired a meeting where conditions in the aviation and ship-building industries were discussed.

Russia may be left without its own civil aviation and fleet within ten or fifteen years. The reason is obvious – lack of finances. Over the last five years, civil aviation withdrew 40 times more aircraft from service than it bought new planes. In the fleet, 102 ships were withdrawn from service and only three new ships were added.

NIKOLAI AKSENENKO CALLS A PRESS CONFERENCE

ORT (Russian Public Television), News program, December 29, 1999, 15:00

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s recent statement that the Russian government was acting according to plan in the Caucasus was echoed by Senior Deputy Prime Minister Nikolai Aksenenko today.

Aksenenko: According to plan, indeed, because a great deal of attention is being paid to the regions of the Caucasus in the economic and social spheres.

The government seems to have learned from its past mistakes, and specific attention will now be paid to control over finances.

Aksenenko: We are convinced that conditions have been created there for monitoring the use of the financial assistance transferred to Chechnya.

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