FIRST ROUND OVER

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FIRST ROUND OVER

Kommersant-VLAST, no 33, August 25-31, 2003, p. 18

Round one of the presidential election in Karachaevo-Cherkessia ended in a sensation when President Vladimir Semenov came in second to National Bank Chairman Mustafa Batdyev (37% for Semenov against 42% for Batdyev). The opposition is confident that it has already won while Semenov’s supporters remain optimistic too. The second round was scheduled for August 31. For the time being, supporters of the acting president organize protest rallies condemning Batdyev of mass bribes and demanding nullification of his registration as a candidate for president.

CONCERN TO BE HEADED BY A MAJOR GENERAL OF THE FEDERAL SECURITY SERVICE

Kommersant-VLAST, no 33, August 25-31, 2003, p. 18

Major General Vladimir Menschikov of the Federal Security Service will become the new general director of antiaircraft means concern Almaz-Antei. The concern is owed by the state and Premier Mikhail Kasianov has already instructed the Ministry of Property to draft all necessary documents. Essentially, Menschikov was chosen by Deputy Director of the Presidential Administration Viktor Ivanov, the official President Vladimir Putin made in charge of formation of the defense holding in 2001. Almaz-Antei includes 46 enterprises. Menschikov and Ivanov have known each other since both worked in the Leningrad Directorate of the KGB.

ANATOLY KVASHNIN ON THE SUBJECT OF EUROPEAN ANTI-BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEM

Izvestia (Moscow issue), August 26, 2003, p. 5

“Building the European anti-ballistic missile defense system will present no problems provided everybody agrees,” said Chief of the General Staff Anatoly Kvashnin at MAKS’2003 air show last Saturday. “To build the European anti-ballistic missile defense system, we need commonalty of objectives, purposes, and plans.”

“We do not have combat lasers,” said Space Force Commander Anatoly Perminov. “These technologies exist only on paper.”

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