Press Review

		Izvestia Kommersant Vedomosti Vedomosti. Companies and Markets Rossiiskaya Gazeta Noviye Izvestia Komsomolskaya Pravda Moskovsky Komsomolets

Izvestia
www.izvestia.ru

The resignation of Kremlin Chief of Staff Alexander Voloshin, expected to be announced Wednesday or Thursday, will lead to a change in elite power dynamics and a corresponding re-division of property. A story looks at several possible candidates to replace him. (1, 3, Kommersant, 1, 4, Vremya Novostei, 1, Novaya Gazeta, No. 81, 3, Gazeta, 3, Komsomolskaya Pravda, 3, Zhizn, 4, Sovetskaya Rossiya, 1)

A story examines Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov's itinerary for his visit to Kiev, which begins Wednesday, and discusses painful points in Russian-Ukrainian relations. (1, 2)

The Federation Council endorsed a bill simplifying the procedures for obtaining Russian citizenship on Wednesday. In an interview, Deputy Interior Minister Alexander Chekalin examines the document's major provisions and the agency's plans to crack down on illegal migration. (1, 7, Kommersant, 2, Rossiiskaya Gazeta, 1, 2, Noviye Izvestia, 3)

Rescuers in the Zapadnaya-Kapitalnaya mine managed to bring 11 of the 13 trapped miners to the surface on Wednesday. The miners have been trapped since Friday. One miner has died and rescue crews are looking for the other missing miner at depths of approximately 350 meters. On President Vladimir Putin's order, rescuers will receive state awards for their service. A story describes the operation and a new tragedy in the Tsentralnaya mine in Primorye. (2, Kommersant, 1, 8, Rossiiskaya Gazeta, 1, 4, Trud, 2, Vremya Novostei, 1, 2, Gazeta, 1, 3, Noviye Izvestia, 1, 3, Novaya Gazeta, Np.81, p. 7, Nezavisimaya Gazeta, 7, Komsomolskaya Pravda, 2, 3, MK, 1, 2, Sovetskaya Rossiya, 1)

France is expected to announce a new nuclear doctrine in the next few days. A story discusses its implications for existing strategic nuclear forces. (4)

NATO Secretary-General George Robertson, who arrived in Moscow on Wednesday, said that NATO is continuing to consolidate its relationships with Russia within the framework of the G-20. In an interview, Robertson, who will leave his post in December, talks about NATO-Russian relations, NATO's policy in the Baltic states and his future career. (4, Kommersant, 10)

In an interview, Dr. Erhard Krome, a political scientist with the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, explains why top German officials have not yet commented on the recent arrest of Yukos head Mikhail Khodorkovsky, and expresses doubts about Russia's accession to the European Union. (4)

In an interview, Javier Solana, EU High Commissioner for Foreign Policy and Security, explains why Russia's accession to NATO is not in the country's best interests. Solana also comments on his recent visit to Moscow. (4)

The Federation Council on Wednesday endorsed amendments to the Tax Code which significantly decrease tax benefits for the Russian Orthodox Church and other religious organizations. (4)

The strategic sales of Yukos shares, which analysts warned would follow the arrest of Yukos head Mikhail Khodorkovsky, may have begun already. The development could mean hard times for the stock market. The RTS market closed at 540.67 on Wednesday, almost four percent lower than on Tuesday. The market was also affected by news of the possible resignation of Kremlin Chief of Staff Alexander Voloshin. (5)

The government plans to discuss the Economic Development and Trade Ministry's report on trends in cooperation with international financial organizations today. In contrast to the Finance Ministry, the Economic Development and Trade Ministry recommends Russia's greater involvement in the investment process. (5)

Deputy Minister Mukhamed Tsikanov announced that the Economic Development and Trade Ministry and the Natural Resources Ministry have come to an agreement concerning the auction and competition schedule for 2004. The federal budget's revenues from these tenders are expected to be about 24 billion rubles. Brief. (5)

Deputy Prime Minister Viktor Khristenko reported that the amount of oil extracted in the first nine months of this year was 311 million tons, 31 million higher than last year's figure for this period. Brief. (5)

According to ratings made public by the World Economic Forum, Finland's economy currently boasts the best conditions for a steady growth, followed by the United States. Russia placed 70th. Brief. (5)

Domestic monopolies have decided to employ professional public relations firms to help improve their image. PR firm Spincontrol's campaign for Gazprom begins tomorrow. (6)

The Federation Council has submitted to the State Duma its own proposed bill concerning auto owners' insurance obligations and responsibilities. A story examines the document's major provisions and the reactions of some senators. (6, Kommersant, 14, Gazeta, 10, 11)

At a shareholder's meeting on Wednesday, the Lomonosov Diamond Deposit overseeing council was reelected, with its new head Fyodor Andreyev, first vice president of ALROSA. (6)

A story analyzes this week's downturns in world stock markets. (6)

Unified Energy Systems head Anatoly Chubais' initiative to lower energy tariffs by 20 percent in four regions has been approved by regional authorities. The deal puzzles many analysts, who claim the UES regional subsidiaries stand to lose 400 million rubles ($13.4 million). (7)

France's Danone has postponed its plans to buy a controlling interest in Wimm-Bill-Dann, citing instability in Russia. Brief. (7, Gazeta, 9)

Italy's Merloni Elettrodomestici SpA intends to invest up to 100 million euros ($117 million) in its projects in Russia and Poland over the next three years. Merloni plans to open a new washing machine plant in Russia. Brief. (7)

The newly formed board of directors of Sukhoi held its first session on Wednesday. The first priority is to increase the export share of Sukhoi planes on the foreign market. (7)

Domestic furniture companies have asked the government for help, claiming that domestic producers will be completely squeezed out by 2005 if foreign furniture companies continue to dominate the market. (8)

A photo display called "Moscow Time," which shows changes that have taken place in the city over the past 100 years, opens today at the Pushkin Museum. (9)

The Izvestia Supplement is devoted to Azerbaijan, where the inauguration of newly elected President Ilham Iliyev will take place on Oct. 31. (12, 13)

Kommersant
www.kommersant.ru

Some U.S policymakers have decided that Russia is too immature to cooperate with, following the arrest of Yukos head Mikhail Khodorkovsky. In an interview, Pentagon adviser Richard Perle says he hopes the Bush administration will not allow Russian companies to return to Iraq. (1)

President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday instructed the government to endorse the transportation strategy previously debated by the Federation Council. The strategy will take effect in December. (2)

A story contains the full text of a statement by Boris Berezovsky, currently the president of a civil and political liberties' organization. (3)

During a meeting with his client in Matrosskaya Tishina prison, Yukos head Mikhail Khodorkovsky's lawyer Anton Drel spoke in detail about the Prosecutor General Office's reference note on the Yukos case. A story discusses the reactions of Platon Lebedev and his lawyer Yevgeny Baru. (4)

The St. Petersburg government now has its own representative in the Federation Council -- Vitaly Mutko, president of Zenit soccer club. (4)

Valentin Simuchenkov, deputy prosecutor general in charge of the Siberian Federal District, sent a note to the Krasnoyarsk regional court on Wednesday, declaring illegal the decision of the Legislative Assembly of the Evenkia autonomous district to elect Vasily Shakhnovsky, former Yukos-Moskva president, as its representative in the Federation Council. (4)

A story offers information on income and property declarations submitted to the Central Elections Commission by members of the Rebirth of Russia, the Party of Life, the Development of Enterprise Party, and the Agrarian Party of Russia. (6)



Alexander Gavrilov, press secretary for the Moscow department of education, said he did not expect school administrations to interpret the department's recommendation to ban Halloween celebrations as an order. (7)

The board of directors of Sukhoi aviation elected Rosaviakosmos chief Yury Koptev as its head. Brief. (13)

Pension fund administrator Vladimir Vyunitsky says that about 10,000 Russians have expressed their intention to hand over their pension money to private companies. Brief. (13)

A news conference on the launch of Skylink mobile, the first third-generation Moscow communications network will take place in Moscow on Thursday. (13, 20)

The value of the dollar fell to 29.79 rubles on Wednesday, its lowest value since November 2001. (13)

Vedomosti
www.vedomosti.ru

For the first time in the history of corporate bond trading, the Federal Securities Commission suspended additional issuance of shares of Vneshtorgbank. VTB was placing securities of the EFKO butter and fat products company and reportedly bought more securities than the commission's rules allow. (A1)

In its metro ads, United Russia uses the images of many famous people, such as Stalin, Brodsky, Dzerzhinsky, Likhachev, Khrushchev and Solzhenitsyn. Solzhenitsyn, whose relatives disapprove of the party's behavior, may sue. (A1)

Independent experts argue that the slow pace of reforms and the country's negative image are responsible for the continuing decrease of Russia's competitiveness rating. (A1)

Approximately 311 million tons of oil were extracted in the first nine months of 2003, a 31 million-ton increase over the figure for the same period last year. Brief. (A1)

Russian Railways head Gennady Fadeyev said on Wednesday that the North Amur tunnel of the Baikal-Amur Railway will be put into use on Nov. 30. Brief. (A1)

The federal government on Thursday will consider a new program to rebuild Chechnya. A considerable portion of the funds will be spent on restoring housing, utilities, health care and education. (A2)

President Vladimir Putin warned of the possibility of frequent accidents in the coal mining industry. A story discusses several proposed remedies. (A2)

The Economic Development and Trade Ministry has proposed the creation of a special institute to establish standards for auditing and bookkeeping accountancy. If the government approves the measure, the Finance Ministry will only endorse documents prepared by the new institute. (A3)

The Economic Development and Trade Ministry has made public a report on economic development for the first three quarters of the year. (A3)

Four experts share their views on the possible resignation of Kremlin Chief of Staff Alexander Voloshin. (A4)

In an interview, Sergei Shatalov, first deputy finance minister and author of the Tax Code, talks about specific features of tax reform and the difficulties of implementation. (A5)

Vedomosti. Companies and Markets& MARKETS SUPPLEMENT

AvtoVAZ has an unpleasant surprise for its joint venture partner GM-AvtoVAZ: Due to technical problems, its plant will not be able to deliver 5,000 chassis for the Chevrolet Niva. The volume of production will decrease by 14 percent against the target production figure. The company could lose 40 million euros ($47 million). (B1)

Former president of Slavneft Mikhail Gutseriyev is likely to miss the cooperation agreement with Belarus. His current company, Rusneft, and Belarussian authorities intend to launch joint ventures. (B1)

After numerous conflicts, Svyazinvest and the Association for Protection of Investors' Rights are creating a committee on corporate management, which will be attached to Svyazinvest's board of directors. (B1)

Inge Hansen, acting president of the Norway's state-run Statoil, has expressed interested in participating in the project to mine the Shtokman deposit in the Barents Sea. Brief. (B1)

National Reserve Bank president Alexander Lebedev hopes to know in a month what the bank will do with its 4 percent share in Unified Energy Systems. (B1)

On Oct. 30, Sibneft is expected to announce the results of financial accounting based on U.S. GAAP standards. The information will be published on the company's web site. Brief. (B1)

Unified Energy Systems, Italy's Enel and the Czech company CEZ are three of the firms expected to compete for Bulgarian energy contracts as part of the Bulgarian government's new initiative to attract foreign investors to the country's energy sector. (B2 )

Interros, Rosbank and HSBC have signed an agreement to cooperate in strategic consulting. Brief. (B5)

Rossiiskaya Gazeta
www.rg.ru

First deputy head of Gosstroi Sergei Kruglik stated that utilities will be privatized by 2006. A story comments on his statement, saying that it is a logical result of the housing and communal reform that should have taken place long ago. (1, 9)

The Economic Development and Trade Ministry will present at a government meeting today a comprehensive construction program for Chechnya for 2004-2005 that will cost 3.5 billion rubles ($116.7 million). (3)

Moscow's minimum wage will be raised by 39 percent starting January 2004, First Deputy Mayor Lyudmila Shevtsova said on Wednesday. A story comments on her statement. (4)

Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev shares his view on the tense situation in Iraq, saying what states should be invited there as peacekeepers. (7)

Noviye Izvestia

In a radio interview, Moscow Police Chief Vladimir Pronin on Wednesday spoke about his agency's recent successful operations to crack down on illegal immigrants. A story examines the real situation in Moscow. (3)

Experts say that the price of bread has gone up in price by 40 percent since July in several regions, which has not happened over the past three years. A story examines the reasons, forecasting the situation in November and December. (4)

Deputy Prime Minister Viktor Khristenko examines the domestic gas market, focusing on rising prices. (4, Rossiiskaya Gazeta, 2)

Komsomolskaya Pravda
www.kp.ru

A story focuses on the harsh tone that The Washington Post took when commenting on the arrest of Yukos CEO Mikhail Khodorkovsky. (4)

In an interview on the eve of his visit to Russia, Norwegian Crown Prince Haakon assesses the current state of his country's relations with Russia. (5)

A story features a new housing complex called Golden Star that is being built 12 kilometers from Moscow. The complex that will consist of three four-story houses will be completed in 2004-2005. (6)

Residents in the Tver and Moscow regions no longer need to worry about the location of a cattle graves on a bank of the Ivankovsky reservoir, which supplies drinking water. Thanks to the efforts of the SPS, the graves do not pose any threat to their health. (7)

Moscow chief sanitary physician Nikolai Filatov on Wednesday talked about the epidemiological situation in the city. (8)

There will be more problems for Russians to receive entry visas to the United States starting in January 2004. (9, Rossiiskaya Gazeta, 2)

In an interview, political analyst Stanislav Belkovsky, director general of the National Strategy Council and an author of the report that spurred the Yukos investigation, examines the ideology and the inner world of several oligarchs. (10, 11)

Parliamentary elections in Georgia are scheduled for Nov. 2. A story describes the tense situation in the republic linked to the election campaign. (12)

The republic of Altai was hit by a powerful earthquake a month ago with a force of nine on the Richter scale at its epicenter. In an interview, Altai's President Mikhail Lapshin talks about how people managed to survive and who came to help them. (14)

Russian specialists visited Mount Ararat in Turkey early this fall, where they managed to find the remains of Noah's ark. A feature story describes the Russian expedition and its unique find. (15)

In an interview, Marshal Dmitry Yazov makes recommendations to army draftees on how to survive the first week of barracks life. (16, 17)

Moskovsky Komsomolets
www.mk.ru

As of Oct. 1, only 6,800 Russians selected private managing companies for their pensions. The companies' advertising campaign may be a failure, since they had a chance to advertise themselves only starting Oct. 8. The campaign is to end on Dec. 31. (1, 2)

The polling agency VTSIOM-A conducted a public opinion poll on Oct. 24-26 of 1,600 people to see how they regard the criminal investigations and arrests of Yukos' top managers. A story examines the results. (1, 2)

The Tekstilshchiki-Vykhino stretch of the Tagansko-Krasnopresnenskaya metro line, will be closed for an overhaul starting Nov. 15 from 10 p.m. up to 5:30 a.m., metro authorities said. (1)

A story describes how rescuers on the Bolshoi Palace Pond on the territory in Ostankino Park on Tuesday did everything in their power to release a white swan that was trapped in the ice. (1)

In an interview, Moscow City Duma Economic Policy Commission head Irina Rukina talks about the fate of Moscow factories and plants. She also speaks about a program that was developed at her initiative. (3)

In an interview, Emergency Situations Minister Sergei Shoigu talks about his agency's complicated job. (4, Noviye Izvestia, 1, 7)