A brief look at the stories making headlines in the Russian-language press

IZVESTIA


The Federation Council yesterday refused to approve the resignation of Prosecutor General Yury Skuratov. What forces have won and what forces have lost the political game? State Duma Speaker Gennady Seleznyov and Our Home faction leader Vladimir Ryzhkov share their views on the case. An unofficial FSB source notes that " today any law enforcer or special service official may find himself in Skuratov's place. Everything depends on the extent of their stand in resolving concrete issues in defiance of the interests of the group of influence."


The British newspaper Sunday Times suggested a simple and effective way of resolving Russia's debt problem - to return the gold that Russian Emperor Nicholas II sent to Britain during World War I.


In an interview in The New York Times, Atomic Energy Minister Yevgeny Adamov stated that Moscow proposed that Washington lift sanctions against two Russian institutes in exchange for their full suspension of cooperation with Iran.


The Federation Council has approved a draft of the joint statement " On Consolidation of Civil Peace and Political Stability in the Country" by the president, the government and both houses of parliament and proposed its speaker, Yegor Stroyev, sign the document.


President Boris Yeltsin nominated Mikhail Mityukov to the post of Constitutional Court Judge. The vacancy emerged a month ago after the previous judge,Vladimir Oleinik, unexpectedly died.


The Russian Mortgage Association (RMA) intends to reject an American credit to fund the development of the mortgage system in Russia because of unacceptable terms, RMA head Valentin Tsoi stated yesterday.


Interior Minister Sergei Stepashin yesterday opened the first session of the Joint Collegium of the interior ministries of Russia and Georgia in Tbilisi.


Federation Council officials yesterday discussed a report submitted by the government commission which investigated the reasons and consequences of the August 17 financial crisis.


In an interview, Justice Minister Pavel Krasheninnikov says why his ministry is investigating the activities of the KPRF.


The story describes a fire that broke out yesterday at about 5 p.m. in the building of the newspaper Moskovskiye Novosti and several commercial firms. No human casualties are reported.


The story offers a comprehensive analysis of six-month performance by Yevgeny Primakov as prime minister, focusing on his main achievements.


The Central Artists' Club has opened an exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art. One of its sections is called Russian Art in the late 1950s-the early 1980s. Art critic Olga Kabanova shares her impressions.


Leningrad regional acting governor Valery Serdyukov stated Tuesday at a meeting with American investors that the Ford Motor Co. board of directors decided to build an auto-assembly plant in the Leningrad region.


Gazprom would like Belarus to pay for Russian gas in dollars but Belarus is opposing the company's demands.


The State Duma yesterday passed a law cancelling tax benefits for the enterprises that were registered on the territory of so-called closed administrative-territorial formations (ATF). The story notes that last year alone the federal budget lost more than 4 billion rubles because of ATF's activities.


AvtoVAZ first vice-president Nikolai Lyachenkov announced a suspension of negotiations to merge the VAZ bank Avtomobilny Bankirsky Dom with Rosestbank, a leading regionalfinancial agency.


The final UEFA Cup football match will take place in May in Moscow. In an interview, Vladimir Rodionov, director general of the Russian Football Union, speaks about this great event.


KOMMERSANT DAILY


The State Duma yesterday increased the property tax for individuals by 20 times. The government hopes to boost budget revenues but is using anti-market measures.


Chechen bandits, who took Interior Ministry Major General Gennady Shpigun hostage 13 days ago have at last announced a ransom of $15 million, larger than any ransom ever paid.


In an interview, CIS ex-Executive Secretary Boris Berezovsky comments on the accusations set forth against him by Prosecutor General Yury Skuratov.


First deputy head of the State Customs Committee Mikhail Yegorov yesterday was appointed its acting chief. The story comments on the appointment highlighting some of his previous "wrongdoings."


The crisis experienced by the Commonwealth of Independent States today has entered a new stage. Turkmenistan yesterday announced its departure from the agreement on visa-free passage for CIS citizens.


Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov has signed a federal program aimed at intensifying a crackdown on crime in 1999-2000.


Russia in the near future is expected to receive the first part of money earned from the sales of American Golden Ada's property. Its managers have been accused of numerous cases of embezzlement.


New chief of the FSB Board for Primorsky region General Sergei Veryovkin-Rokhalsky took office yesterday. The former head of this regional FSB General Viktor Kondratov will be promoted in Moscow.


The full text of the speech by Prosecutor General Yury Skuratov in the Federation Council on March 17.


The transcript of the discussion of Prosecutor General Yury Skuratov's resignation in the Federation Council on March 17.


The French car company Renault agreed to buy 35 percent of stock of the Japanese Nissan company, which is experiencing a financial crisis.


AvtoVAZ first vice-president Nikolai Lyachenkov stated yesterday that starting in April his company intends to completely give up barter sales of its cars. The story looks at circumstances that have caused the decision.


Finance Ministry official Bella Zlatkis and Central Bank department chief Konstantin Korishchenko yesterday explained what investors should do with frozen GKOs. Not all investors know how to deal with Russian securities and what benefits they may enjoy.


The Federal Securities Commission yesterday held a seminar to explain to its participants several provisions of the new law defending the rights and legitimate interests of investors on the securities market. In an interview after the seminar, the commission's chairman Dmitry Vasilyev comments on the new law.


The Russian Sugar Producers Union has issued its prognosis on developing the sugar sector in 1999, according to which the domestic sugar production will increase almost 15 percent compared with last year.


KOMSOMOLSKAYA PRAVDA


In an interview, former Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin rejects rumor that he will take the post of Kremlin chief-of-staff.


First vice premier of the Moscow city government answers questions from KP readers about acute problems, including housing, crime and free and discount medicines for poor Muscovites.


Tens of thousands of Russian officers would like to quit the armed service today but the Defense Ministry is not able to financially support their departure, which leads to numerous cases of hazing in the army units.


The story says that many regions in Russia are threatened with floods this spring. The story gives a map of possible natural disasters areas.


MOSKOVSKY KOMSOMOLETS


A 47-year-old citizen in Balashikha will face a court trial soon for killing and eating the pet dog of his former female chief.


NEZAVISIMAYA GAZETA


Another high-level Russian bureaucrat, Agriculture Minister Viktor Semyonov, may be forced to resign like State Customs Committee head Valery Draganov.


Four 15-year-old students, living in Ruza in the Moscow region, stole valuable artifacts worth $400,000 from a local museum.


The Novosibirsk city court on Tuesday considered the criminal case of four female prosecutors accused of abusing power. They all were sentenced to several years in prison.


The American charity program The World Tour of Hope launched its program in Moscow on March 10. William Maggi, head of the board of directors of Operation Smile, stated that the program's aim is to perform free operations for children with congenital facial defects.


The Russian-French crew in the Mir orbital station must shorten their flight program due to lack of funds.


Alexander Bazhenov, leader of the Russian People's Movement, comments on results and negative consequences of Yabloko leader Grigory Yavlinsky's recent meetings with the president, the prime minister and the Federation Council speaker, Yegor Stroyev. The author believes that Yavlinsky is being drawn into a political game.


The Skuratov case split Federation Council deputies yesterday; some believe that the upper house of parliament was right when it refused to accept Skuratov's resignation and others have the opposite view.


Muscovites Yevgeny Shimenkov and Vladimir Voronin have applied to the European Court in Strasbourg with a complaint against Moscow authorities' arbitrary. In an interview, Yevgeny Shimenkov speaks about their case.


Economist Andrei Kokoshin is working on the economic program of Yury Luzhkov's Fatherland. The story looks at its several draft provisions.


The ALROSA diamond company and the Kristall diamond factory in Smolensk have signed a three-year agreement on diamond deliveries.


The Moscow Gorky Art Theater (MHAT) staged playwright Viktor Rozov's "On Marriage Day." Theatrical critic Grigory Zaslavsky looks at its brilliant cast.


Vagrius Publishers director Gleb Uspensky, head of the Book Club of the 21st Century, announced the beginning of the negotiations with Monica Lewinsky's literary agents on her arrival in Moscow this summer. Uspensky also stated that Vagrius has bought the rights to present a Russian version of the book, titled Monica's Story.


NOVIYE IZVESTIA


According to official reports from the State Statistics Committee, the inflation rate in Russia in the first half of March was 1.4 percent. Consumer prices between March 1 and 9 increased 0.8 percent and between March 10 and 15 by 0.6 percent.


The story looks at SBS-Agro Bank's criminal acts against its numerous clients, whom the bank has maddeningly deceived. The bank's security service reliably defends it from its depositors but who can defend the latter's interests from the bank's arbitrary rule?


There are Optika vendors in nearly all metro stations. The story says why it's dangerous to buy eyeglasses from them.


The procedure of forming a new panel of the Central Election Commission on the threshold of significant State Duma and presidential elections has been completed at last. After the State Duma and the Federation Council appointed their members, President Boris Yeltsin yesterday did the same on behalf of his administration. The story offers a list of the whole commission's panel.


SEGODNYA


Prosecutor General Yury Skuratov's resignation yesterday in the Federation Council will inevitably entail a series of resignations in the upper echelons of power, notes the political commentary, focusing on several suggestions.


The State Duma yesterday considered a draft law on funding the strategic nuclear forces up to the year 2010. The draft was submitted by the Defense Committee. Its head Roman Popkovich stated that the law may serve as a financial basis for the ratification of START-2Treaty.


In an interview, Deputy Prime Minister Gennady Kulik speaks about food aid to Russia from America and the European Union. He views it as necessary.


The Federal Road Service (FRS) intends to put into effect a project of toll highways. FRS First Deputy Director Vyacheslav Prokhorov reveals its essence.


VECHERNYAYA MOSKVA


In an interview, Rector Viktor Sadovnichy of Moscow State University speaks about the creation of the Center for Information Technologies.


In an interview, Dmitry Simonov, editor-in-chief of Profile magazine, which celebrated its third birthday recently, explains how they select banking advertisements for editions.


The story features a new organization of skinheads in Moscow called Sharp. Its members are against all non-Russians, particularly African students studying in Moscow.


ROSSIISKAYA GAZETA


Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov on March 23-25 will attend a regular session in Washington of the Russian-American Commission on Economic and Technological Cooperation. In an interview, the prime minister assesses the significance of partnership and future prospects with the United States.


In an interview, Fuel and Energy Minister Sergei Generalov answers the following questions: What are the results of the recent negotiations between Russia and OPEC nations? What changes will the domestic fuel and energy complex undergo in the near future? Is the creation of a new National Oil Company a measure aimed at counteracting the crisis on the world oil market? What will be done with the ailing coal sector?


The provision on detention cells of the criminal and judiciary system controlled by the Justice Ministry.


TRUD


In an interview, political scientist Liliya Shevtsova answers the following questions: How do you assess the present-day political situation in Russia? Do you think that presidency as the system of power is in crisis today? What do you think of Yeltsin-Primakov relations?


OBSHCHAYA GAZETA


In an interview not long before Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov's visit to Washington, American political scientist Dmitri Simes, head of the Nixon Center, answers the following questions: How effective is Washington's help to Russian today in overcoming its crisis? How do you assess Primakov's position in negotiations with the IMF? Is there a chance that the problem of refinancing will be resolved during Primakov's visit to Washington?