UN COMMISSAR FOR HUMAN RIGHTS VISITS RUSSIA
Izvestia, June 16, 1999, p.2
Supreme Commissar of the UN for Human Rights Mary Robinson has met with Russian Interior Minister Vladimir Rushaylo. The meeting was organized on the request of Robinson, who arrived in Russia at the invitation of Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, stated the Foreign Ministry. At the meeting, the sides discussed training the staff of the Russian Foreign Ministry and the activities of the ministry in light of the norms of the UN in the sphere of human rights. According to Lieutenant General of the Interior Forces Alexander Kostin, the course “Provision of Human and Civilian Rights in the Activities of Law Enforcement Bodies” has been included in the courses of study of institutes of higher education and colleges which prepare police since 1995. Currently, contacts with the Council of Europe and the International Red Cross Committee have been established and are developing.
UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT DOES NOT CHANGE HIS AFFECTIONS
Moskovsky Komsomolets, June 16, 1999, p.2
Berezovsky has had good relations with Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma for a long time already. Once upon a time, it was Kuchma who proposed Berezovsky for the post of CIS Executive Secretary, and it was Kuchma toward whom Berezovsky turned his plane at the height of his war against Primakov, when everything was arranged in Moscow to arrest the oligarch.
To all appearances, Kuchma has not changed his affections. As MK has managed to find out, the agreement between the Ukrainian president and Berezovsky to “jointly” conducting the electoral campaign has been realized. The decision of the Ukrainian president to abolish the monopoly of Ukrgazprom to sell gas in the republic starting July 1 proves much. This means many intermediaries and much under the table money will sponsor the elections.
INTEGRATION OF CIS CUSTOMS LEGISLATION BEGINS
Parlamentskaya Gazeta, June 16, 1999, p.1
On June 15, a meeting of the CIS Council of the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly presided by Yegor Stroev took place in St. Petersburg.
The members of the Assembly, who are leaders of ten different parliaments, discussed some 20 questions at the meeting.
The role of the Assembly in forming the free trade zone was the main theme of the meeting. Members of the Council spoke with bitterness about hidden obstacles in the customs and tax policies of the CIS states and proposed many valuable ways to mend the situation. The 14th session of the assembly, which will take place in October 1999, will give a definitive answer to these difficult questions.
Today, on June 16, the meeting of the Inter-Parliamentary Committee, which is comprised of five CIS member states, will touch on similar problems. Experts underline two key questions on the full agenda which are measures for the realization the Customs Union and the United Economic Space Treaty, as well as the activities of the coordinating committee to harmonize national legislation. The Russian side will be represented by Chair of the Duma Gennady Seleznev.
THE GOVERNMENT TO MEET TO VERIFY THE USAGE OF FOREIGN INVESTMENTS
Rossiyskaya Gazeta, June 16, 1999, p.1
On June 17, the question of the effectiveness of using foreign investments will be considered at the meeting of the government, stated Deputy Economics Minister Vladimir Kosov. Russian Finance Minister Mikhail Kasyanov and Andrei Shapovaliants will report at the meeting.
KEMEROVO REGION TO DELIVER COAL TO SLOVAKIA
Trud, June 16, 1999, p.1
Kemerovo Governor Aman Tuleev has paid a working visit to Slovakia and signed a protocol to supply Slovakia with solid fuel to pay back the debt of the USSR with the Slovakian Finance Ministry. In two weeks, a meeting of the inter-governmental committee, which will make the signed document an official inter-state agreement, will take place in Moscow. In accordance with the agreement, the first trains with coal of the T sort will be delivered to Slovakia this summer. Slovakian power stations have been looking forward to this coal for a long time. Therefore, when signing the protocol Slovakian leaders did not conceal their satisfaction. The transactions, the profit from which will be $40 million, is also profitable for the Kemerovo region, since the coal-miners of the Kuzbass will be able not to decrease extraction in summer, and even increase it a bit. The only distressing issue is that money for the fuel will be received not from punctual foreigners but from the Russian Finance Ministry. However, Finance Minister Mikhail Kasyanov has firmly assured Tuleev that no delays with accounting will happen anymore.
HUMANITARIAN ACTION OF RUSSIAN RESCUERS
Rossiyskaya Gazeta, June 16, 1999, p.2
On Tuesday, Russian Minister for Emergency Situations Sergei Shoygu arrived in Belgrade to participate in a meeting of the Focus Coordinating Group, which, besides Russia, includes Switzerland, Greece, and Austria.
As has been stated by the Russian Ministry for Emergency Situations, representatives of the above-mentioned countries are planning to meet with the Yugoslavian government in order to discuss ways to realize the memorandum of understanding between the Focus Coordinating Group and Yugoslavia.
According to a representative of the Ministry, the question of locating a Russian-Swiss emergency-rescuing detachment will be submitted for approval at the meeting.
STEPASHIN MEETS WITH YELTSIN
ORT, Novosti, June 15, 1999, 15:00
This morning Boris Yeltsin met with Prime Minister Stepashin. The meeting lasted half an hour, and the greater part of it was devoted to the situation in Yugoslavia.
Over the course of the next few days the situation will be discussed by the defense ministers of Russia and the US and Foreign Minister Ivanov and Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. Stepashin hopes that all misunderstandings concerning the question of the subordination of the Russian contingent in Kosovo will be solved. To all appearances, there are real grounds to the rumors that the Russian leadership was not aware of the plans to transfer Russian commandos from Bosnia to the conflict area. The president and the premier touched on the question of coordinating activities having to do with Yugoslavia.
Another important question discussed by the premier and the president was the security of the Serbs after the return of the Albanians.
Sergei Stepashin reported on his meeting with Aslan Maskhadov. According to him, the Chechen leader proposed a very interesting plan. Stepashin intends to agree with the items which do not raise objections.
After the meeting, Stepashin stated that Yeltsin agreed to meet with Aslan Maskhadov. According to Stepashin, the meeting may take place in July.
On June 16 Stepashin will take part in an economic forum in St. Petersburg. Tonight he will hold negotiations with the general manager of the International Monetary Fund. All of these issues were discussed with Yeltsin during the meeting.
YELTSIN’S INTERVIEW TO "SPIEGEL"
ORT, Novosti, June 15, 1999, 15:00
Boris Yeltsin recently gave an interview to the German magazine “Spiegel”. The president mentioned in his interview the question of his possible participation in the G-8 summit in Cologne. According to the president’s press secretary, Yeltsin discussed the situation in Kosovo in detail and shed light on Russia’s position concerning other international questions.
