THE UNITED STATES THREATENS RUSSIA AGAIN
Izvestia, June 7, 2001, p. 2
Stricter rules for steel imports into the United States will not affect Russia. Several months ago, Russian steel companies withdrew from the existing steel deliveries quota agreement between Russia and the United States. They view the existing situation as the worst-case scenario, so they’re taking Washington’s intentions in their stride. The Russian companies have already decided to stop supplying steel to the American market. The Russian government can send its proposals to the United States for a revision of the existing quotas and conditions, but Washington is unlikely to make any concessions.
LAWS ON NUCLEAR WASTE IMPORTS PASSED
Izvestia, June 7, 2001, p. 2
A three-bill package permitting imports of spent nuclear fuel has been passed by the Duma, with 243 deputies voting in favor and 125 against.
Vladimir Kuznestov of the Supreme Economic Council of the Duma Environmental Protection Committee: Russia reprocessed only 123 tons of its own spent nuclear fuel in 2000. Britain and France reprocess 1,500 tons each; both countries have modern facilities. What competition are we talking about? According to numerous estimates, the cost of modern plant for reprocessing spent nuclear fuel is triple what we can expect to earn over 20 years of imports. The budget of the Nuclear Energy Ministry is not transparent at all. Where will the money really go?
Bulat Nigmatulin, Deputy Nuclear Energy Minister: We have the right to develop the nuclear energy sector. In 2000, the nuclear energy sector provided for over 50% of growth in energy consumption. Were it not for the Nuclear Energy Ministry, the energy situation in Moscow would be like it is in the Russian Far East. True, we don’t have perfect organization like the West has, but we are the only industry sector in Russia which has exceeded the best Soviet indicators…
Analysts say Russia could earn almost $20 billion by 2020. The Nuclear Energy Ministry promises that 75% of profits will be spent on environmental programs. The remaining 25% will go to regional budgets for the same purposes.
UNEMPLOYED: 1.1 MILLION OR 7 MILLION?
Parlamentskaya Gazeta, June 7, 2001, p. 1
According to the official employment service, there are 1.1 million unemployed in Russia. Independent analysts say there must be up to 7 million unemployed, most of them women.
QUEEN BEATRIX AND CHEMISTRY
Nezavisimaya Gazeta, June 7, 2001, p. 2
On the second day of her visit to Moscow, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands visited the Bioorganic Chemistry Institute at the Russian Academy of Sciences. The Institute cooperates with some Dutch educational institutions.
NEW TERRORIST ACTS IN CHECHNYA
Nezavisimaya Gazeta, June 7, 2001, p. 2
Lema Idrisov, village mayor of Gekhi-Chu, Urus-Martan district, and his son, 25, were murdered by outlaws on Tuesday night.
Two identified bodies were found by law-enforcement agencies in the village of Dzhalka, Gudermes district.
Sheikhi Dubayev of the Chechen administration security service sustained several gunshot wounds when his car came under fire on the outskirts of the village of Kurchaloi.
Three local government heads in the Grozny district have resigned in fear of their lives. According to Shakhid Dzhamaldayev of the Grozny district administration, three village mayors and five policemen have been murdered recently, and the perpetrators have not been captured. Seventeen officials have been assassinated in Chechnya in 2001, Dzhamaldayev said.
RADIO LIBERTY CHECHNYA
Nezavisimaya Gazeta, June 7, 2001, p. 2
Lesin: If the Duma decides that Russian Radio should broadcast in some Native American language, I don’t think the United States would take it lightly.
Lesin says that the broadcasts will not be jammed in any case, but “if the broadcasting goes beyond existing international rules, we will take certain measures to protect our interests.”
