BYKOV SEEKS POLITICAL ASYLUM
Izvestia, November 18, 1999, p. 2
Runaway aluminium tycoon Anatoly Bykov, who is currently in a detention cell in Budapest, is seeking political asylum in Hungary, according to the Kranoyarsk local TV channel TVK, owned by Bykov and the Krasnoyarsk Aluminum Factory.
According to TVK, the information is also confirmed by Bykov’s lawyer Genrikh Padva. The Krasnoyarsk media recently published several open letters to Bykov from residents of the region and Factory employees, begging him to seek political asylum in Hungary, otherwise “Governor Lebed and other enemies will resort to assassination…”
RUSSIAN CABINET SESSION EXPECTED
Rossiiskaya Gazeta, November 18, 1999, p. 1
State support for small business is supposed to be the major issue on the agenda of the session.
Ilya Yuzhanov, Russian Minister for Anti-Monopoly Policy and Business Support, will make a report containing the major proposals put forth by businesspeople at the recent Second All-Russian Small Business Congress.
The government will discuss other matters as well. Roald Piskoppel, Deputy Minister of Trade, will present the ministry’s ideas on how Russia should set about ending discrimination against Russian exporters on world markets.
The Cabinet will also discuss amendments to some laws: the Law “On the 1999 Federal Budget”, “On the 1999 Budget of the Pension Fund of the Russian Federation”, and “On Hard Currency Regulation and Hard Currency Control”.
ORTHODOX MISSIONARIES VS SECTS
Parlamentskaya Gazeta, November 18, 1999, p. 1
Addressing Orthodox missionaries, delegates to the Second All-Church Congress, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Aleksii II named prevention of the activities of sects and cults as the most important task.
COAL MINERS CONGRESS IN MOSCOW
Trud-7, November 18, 1999, p. 3
A congress of coal miners took place in Moscow yesterday. It has become clear since the previous congress in February that as soon as the government makes an effort to resolve the current problems plaguing the coal-mining industry, it immediately achieves some positive results. Speakers stressed that they intend to continue pressure on the government.
VLADIMIR PUTIN MEETS WITH THE CHECHEN MUFTI
Russian Television (RTR), “Vesti” program, November 17, 1999, 13:00
Prime Minister Putin met with Akhmad Kadyrov, the Mufti of Chechnya, at the Government House today. According to the prime minister, the Mufti came to Moscow quite unexpectedly and requested a meeting.
The conversation lasted an hour. Putin and Kadyrov discussed humanitarian matters related to restoration of normal life in Chechnya, and aid to re-settlers. Kadyrov admitted that he planned to meet with some others, and Putin is said to have promised his help in arranging meetings.
Putin: Mr. Kadyrov came to Moscow, to the government, at the request of inhabitants of Gudermes. We discussed, first and foremost, socioeconomic issues. Another matter he raised concerned humanitarian matters connected with refugees presently staying in Ingushetia and other regions of the Russian Federation.
Kadyrov: Social issues are not all there is to it… This is the first meeting.
Kadyrov also wants to meet and discuss the situation in Chechnya with representatives of RJES, Gazprom, and with Sadako Ogato, a Special Representative of the UN General Secretary and UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
KADYROV MEETS WITH SELEZNEV AND AGREE THAT THE WAR SHOULD BE STOPPED
Russian Television (RTR), “Vesti” program, November 17, 1999, 13:00
Akhmad Kadyrov, the Mufti of Chechnya, met with Duma Chairman Gennadi Seleznev right after his hour-long conversation with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.
Seleznev and Kadyrov agree that the war can and should be stopped, and that all means should be used to that end, including negotiations between Russian and Chechen members of parliament. In any case, however, the terrorists should be done away with.
Seleznev: We would like to put an end to the military confrontation… meaning that it’s time we gave some thought to civilians and their sufferings. Sure, we have to do away with the criminals and terrorists. We are adamant in this, all branches of the government are adamant. Either they give themselves up for trial, or they will be mercilessly destroyed.
NEW DEPUTIES’ GROUP FORMED
ORT (Russian Public Television), News program, November 17, 1999, 15:00
A new deputies’ group called “People’s Deputy” released a statement today supporting the actions of the Russian leadership and the Russian Armed Forces on the territory of Chechnya, according to group leader Elena Panina.
Panina: We ask, and even demand, that President Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin leave Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin’s government alone. This is the first time we have had a person in the government who has found the guts to use force. As for the war, we do not doubt that everything possible is being done to minimize losses…
