PUTIN LOOKS AT THE DEFENSE EXPORTS SECTOR
Izvestia, November 30, 2000, p. 3
President Vladimir Putin will make a number of decisions soon aimed at boosting the efficiency of Russia’s arms export trade, according to Prime Minister Mikhail Kasianov who met with the president today.
Kasianov says that Russia needs a system to channel arms sales revenues into the development of new technologies.
Kasianov: Development of new defense sector technology merits special attention on the part of the state.
DMITRY KHOLODOV’S MURDER: AN UPDATE
Moskovsky Komsomolets, November 30, 2000, p. 1
Major Vladimir Morozov, commander of a special assignment detachment of the 45th Regiment of the Interior Troops, was the first to be questioned.
The prosecution believes that Morozov was part of the gang behind the murder of journalist Dmitry Kholodov.
Detectives allege that Morozov stole the explosives, meant for bomb disposal exercises planned for shortly before the murder. The exercises never took place, but the explosives disappeared. Secondly, the investigation has a witness who says that several days before the murder, Morozov had made a bomb and put it into a briefcase. Afterwards, the briefcase was put in a locker at the Kazan Railroad Terminal. On October 17, the day of the explosion, Morozov was seen near the offices of the “Moskovsky Komsomolets” newspaper.
DUMA PASSES BILL ON TERMS IN OFFICE FOR REGIONAL LEADERS
Moskovsky Komsomolets, November 30, 2000, pp. 1-2
The bill that would make it possible for regional leaders to hold office for more than two consecutive terms was debated in the Duma yesterday. The passage of this bill was set to be a special gift for President Mintimer Shaimiyev of Tatarstan.
Submitted by the Kremlin, the bill encountered some difficulties in the Duma. Even five members of the People’s Deputy group (a group from which the presidential administration never expected any trouble) refused to vote in favor. They didn’t want “their own” regional leaders running for a third term.
Vladislav Surkov, Deputy Director of the Presidential Administration, spent the whole day at the lower house. Surkov only turns up when a matter is really important.
Two votes failed. The bill polled six votes fewer than it needed at the first attempt, and three votes fewer at the second. Everyone understood that another attempt was bound to follow. Surkov roamed the floor of parliament, talking to deputies – and later in the day, some deputies announced there must be something wrong with the electronic voting system, because they had actually voted in favor…
The Duma passed the bill at the third attempt.
EDMOND POPE’S TRIAL CONTINUES
Izvestia, November 30, 2000, p. 2
Prosecutor Yuri Volgin has demanded a sentence of 20 years imprisonment for US citizen Edmond Pope, on trial for espionage.
Pope’s lawyer, Pavel Astakhov: Volgin has demanded 20 years imprisonment and a fine of 7 billion rubles.
