Press Review

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

Izvestia
www.izvestia.ru

U.S. President George W. Bush at the UN General Assembly on Wednesday made a speech, mainly devoted to a free Iraq and a calm and secure world. A story focuses on how several provisions of his speech were perceived by some delegates. President Vladimir Putin, who arrived on Wednesday, will deliver his speech Thursday. His meetings Wednesday and an itinerary of visits Thursday and Friday are also shown. (1,3 , Kommersant, 9, Rossiiskaya Gazeta, 1,4, Gazeta, 2, Krasnaya Zvezda, 1,3, Nezavisimaya Gazeta, 5, Trud, 2, Zhizn, 2, Komsomolskaya Pravda, 2, MK, 1,4)

At the State Duma Wednesday President Vladimir Putin submitted amendments to the law concerning citizenship that will help millions of people decide their fate. A story examines how their lives will change if these amendments are passed. (1,3, Kommersant, 3, Rossiiskaya Gazeta, 3, Gazeta, 1,3, Novaya Gazeta, No.71, p. 4, Vremya Novostei, 2, Trud, 4, Nezavisimaya Gazeta, 2)

Britain is in shock over the use of a filthy word (in full) by three central newspapers. Their editors justify themselves by saying that they only quoted the words by Alister Campbell, the former head of Prime Minister Tony Blair's press service. A story describes when he said them and in what context. (1,2)

The Arbitration Procedural Code that has been in effect for one year needs to be amended. The corresponding draft bill has already been submitted to the State Duma. In an interview, Moscow region Federal Arbitration Court Chairwoman Lyudmila Maikova talks about positive and negative aspects of the new code and about the serious problems of arbitration courts. (1,2)

An editorial is devoted to amendments that President Vladimir Putin has introduced to the existing Law concerning citizenship. (2)

An environmental catastrophe is threatening Kaliningrad and the Baltic states. The fact is that tons of radioactive and highly poisonous Russian rocket fuel are located in the Kaliningrad region, and Russians and Lithuanian policy makers have been unable to come to agreement on its disposal for 1.5 years. A story comments on this problem. (2)

The Federation Council resumed work after the summer holidays on Wednesday and elected two auditors to the Audit Chamber. Senators voted against one of them -- auditor Vladimir Panskov -- working in this capacity. A story explains why. (3, Kommersant, 2, Rossiiskaya Gazeta, 1, Nezavisimaya Gazeta, 2)

President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday submitted to the State Duma a draft bill concerning state service. First Deputy Head of the presidential administration Dmitry Medvedev commented on the document. (2, Kommersant, 2, Gazeta,2, Vremya Novostei, 2)

The State Border Committee is creating the State Border Commission that will determine federal border policy, including within the CIS borders. Brief. (3)

"The United States's defeat in Iraq will objectively create big problems for Russia, because it will cause an outburst of extremism and terrorism" -- this was stated by Yabloko leader Grigory Yavlinsky on the Mayak radio station on Wednesday. In his opinion, a major problem for Russia's foreign policy is how it can contribute to a settlement in Iraq in a constructive way. A story reveals the essence of Yavlinsky's statement. (3)



Pyongyang may possess six or seven nuclear reactors rather than one or two, as was earlier considered. This unpleasant news for the Bush administration was made public by Senate Intelligence Committee spokesman Evan Bayh. He stressed that the North Korean nuclear threat is being underestimated and it's time to properly assess it. A story comments on his statement. (4)

Swedish police have detained another suspect in the killing of Foreign Minister Anna Lindh. The previous suspect -- Per Olaf Svensson -- may be declared not guilty. Brief. (4 , Rossiiskaya Gazeta, 2

Belarussian authorities have closed the independent newspaper "Mestnoye Vremya," due, in journalists' opinion, to criticism of the ruling regime. Brief. (4)

In a report devoted to education problems in China over the past 10 years, UN Human Rights Commission special representative Katarina Tomashevska has arrived at the conclusion that education has become inaccessible to the majority of Chinese citizens. A story examines the report's major provisions. (4)

Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov in Beijing on Wednesday explained to the Chinese leadership why his government is not fully responsible for the construction of the Angarsk-Datsin oil pipeline. A story examines results of his meetings and talks with the Chinese leaders and the business community. (5 , Kommersant, 1, Rossiiskaya Gazeta, 3,Gazeta, 9,Vremya Novostei, 2,Nezavisimaya Gazeta, 3, MK, 4)

Yukos has signed a credit agreement with eight Western banks (their names are given) on taking out a long-term credit of $1 billion. This was stated in the company's press release . Brief. (5)

The Economic Development Ministry on Wednesday published a report in which the agency forecasts a 0.3 percent increase in joblessness in September as compared with the figure for August. The number of unemployed at the end of this month will amount to 5.7 million people compared with 5.5 million last month. Brief. (5)

OPEC at its session in Vienna on Wednesday decided to lower production quotas by 3.5 percent. A story comments on the decision, saying that OPEC's activity should show the world that the cartel, as before, is controlling the situation on the world oil market. (5, Kommersant, 1, Rossiiskaya Gazeta, 6, Gazeta, 9, Vremya Novostei, 8)

The government Thursday is expected to discuss a priority issue of the domestic economy -- reforming the gas sector. Economic Development Minister German Gref promised that before the government session he would try to resolve differences with Gazprom over the reform program. Has he managed to do this? (5)

Russian Citibank (part of the international Citibank Group) plans to release credits (worth $150 million) before the end of this year to companies in several CIS countries under the guarantees of the American Corporation of Private Investments Abroad. This was stated by Citibank Managing Director Steve Fischer. Brief. (6,Kommersant,13

The National Bank of Belarus intends to cancel the quota on the participation of foreign capital in the country's banking system. This statement was released by the bank's Management Board deputy head Nikolai Luzgin. Brief. (6)

The Russian Funds investment group has completed the purchase of 100 percent of stakes of the Prospekt investment company. This was stated by its head Sergei Vasilyev. Brief. (6)

According to the Economic Development Ministry and the Central Bank, the cost of the ruble has increased against world currencies. A story examines the ministry's and CB's estimates. (6)

Severstal could merge with Yevrazholding to form the 6th largest steel producer with a $6 billion capitalization. A story examines the possible project, citing views by five experts. (7)

Microsoft has presented a report on a 55 percent increase in its sales in Russia and CIS. This growth alone, however, will not remove serious problems that the company will face in the near future. They plan to produce new software designed not only for Intel processors but for AMD ones as well. (7)

Gazprom has announced the launching of negotiations with Belarus on gas deliveries under market conditions. Brief. (7)

The Property Ministry on Wednesday submitted to the government a draft of the conditions of competition for selecting a managing company for "International Airport Sheremetyevo". Brief. (7)

The State Statistics Committee has made public the dynamics of gas price hikes on the domestic market. The brief gives several figures. (7)

The Sibir airline intends to invest up to $10 million in reviving its brand image. Sibir late next week planed to sign an agreement with the international Naldor company. Brief. (7)

New jewelry made of palladium has appeared on the domestic market. Since Russia produces 70 percent of this metal in the world, domestic jewelers hope to soon occupy a prime spot on the palladium world market. A story examines this new trend, citing views by several experts. (8)

Moscow authorities promise to open the Moscow-City Complex in 2007. A story examines its revised project. (9)

A unique breed of American mini-horses has emerged in Russia. The horses arrived in Moscow on Wednesday. A story describes these wondrously fast-horses. (9)

A dysentery outbreak has hit two cities in the Chelyabinsk region, where more than 150 people, mainly children, were diagnosed with the disease . The reason is low quality yogurt made by the Yuzhno-Uralsk dairy plant. A story gives details. (10)

Welchia, a dangerous computer worm, has hit the electronic system of the U.S. State Department. A story describes how it happened, focusing on its consequences. (10)

The Izvestia Supplement is devoted to Azerbaijan, where presidential elections will take place on Oct. 15. (11, 12)

Kommersant
www.kommersant.ru

The Constitutional Court on Wednesday accepted an inquiry drafted by a group of State Duma deputies at the initiative of the SPS faction. Deputies asked the court to declare unconstitutional four points of Article 48 of the law concerning the main guarantees of the citizens' election rights and the right to participate in the referendum. A story reveals the essence of the inquiry. (4)

The Veliky Novgorod Regional Duma on Wednesday endorsed the candidacy of Gennady Burbulis as a member to the Federation Council from the Novgorod regional administration. (4)

The Court Council of Appeal in Athens will hold a session Thursday to consider the extradition case of media-magnate Vladimir Gusinsky. Almost no one doubts that Greece will not extradite Gusinsky to Russia, but no one knows when this will finally be decided. (5)

Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov announced on Wednesday the completion of his agency's investigation into the terrorist act in the Mozdok military hospital on Aug. 1. Other than the chief physician Artur Arakelyan, a large group of senior officers will be punished. A story examines the final results of the investigation. (6)

Patriarch Alexy II is arriving in Tallinn Thursday at the invitation of Estonia's President Arnold Ryutel. A story examines the program of his visit. (7)

The Railways Ministry has allocated 1.5 billion rubles ($49 million) on a project of making special railway carriages for disabled people. A story examines the project. (7)

According to the State Statistics Committee, in recent years the birth rate has been increasing, but so has the death rate. As a result, the population, as before is shrinking. A story gives figures to illustrate this point. Two diagrams, showing how many people are born in Russia and in Moscow. (7)

On Wednesday President Vladimir Putin submitted identification draft documents to the State Duma. A story examines the new bill, comparing it with the previous ones. (8)

At a news conference on Wednesday, Moscow Passport-Visa Department Chief Alexander Barabanshchikov talked about the procedure of issuing residence permits (vid na zhitelstvo) to foreigners and to people without citizenship. A story examines the procedure. (8)

Vedomosti
www.vedomosti.ru



The State Customs Committee will earn extra profits by making insurance obligatory for auto owners. The Committee does not allow independent insurers to sell policies at Russia's international border crossings and has instituted its own insurance broker that sells policies with 10 percent commission through only 8 companies. (A1)

The Megafon mobile communications operator is planning to surround the Moscow Ring Road with huge artificial palm trees with cellular telephones on them. The company's competitors and analysts view this venture as an original advertizing move. (A1)

Federal authorities, who have failed to cope with famous offshore zones in Kalmykia, Mordovia and Chukotka, are irritated once again. The Yaroslavl region for the 3rd year has been returning companies part of the taxes they have paid and the sum of these payments will soon reach $1 billion. The Finance Ministry is aiming to close the Yaroslavl offshore, but acknowledges that it's in no position to do it earlier than 2005. (A1)

A computer virus that shut down the U.S. State Department computer system and delayed the release of U.S. visas has been removed. The consular services of the United States in Moscow and other Russian cities are now functioning as usual. Brief. (A1)

Dense fog in the north of Italy on Wednesday caused more than 100 cars to collide with one another, leaving one person dead and many injured. Brief. (A1)

The Moscow government decided to lower the rate of rent on municipal buildings after experimenting with new prices. A story describes it in detail, focusing on the return of the former price system. (A3)

The domestic market of information-computer technologies is rapidly expanding against the backdrop of world stagnation. U.S. company Hewlett-Packard has gained a firm foothold on the Russian market's plans to consolidate its positions. In an interview, HP executive Robert Bellmann talks about his company's profit making business in Russia. (A5)

Many job seekers are looking for work with large, well-known companies, hoping they will be offered better wages there. They, however, are mistaken, and results of the study conducted by the Ancor company confirm it. A story examines results. (A7)

Vedomosti. Companies and Markets

Axel Springer, a world leading publishing company, plans to enter the Russian market. In six months it will begin to publish Russian versions of U.S. magazines: Newsweek and Forbes. (B1)

Russian Aluminum owner Oleg Deripaska, head of Bazovy Element announced his interest in gold extraction. He said Wednesday that Bazovy Element will work for the right to develop "Sukhoi Log," a large gold deposit in Eurasia. A story reports Deripaska's plans, saying what analysts think of them. (B1)

Investors' expectations over intermediate dividends of the Yukos oil company have turned out to be exaggerated.