Press Review

		Izvestia Kommersant Nezavisimaya Gazeta Rossiiskaya Gazeta Noviye Izvestia Komomolskaya Pravda Moskovsky Komsomolets

Izvestia
www.izvestia.ru

The 24th Moscow International Film Festival opened Friday. A story describes its opening ceremony, participants and guests, focusing on the major differences between the festival before and after 1999 when the Mikhalkov team took control over this significant event. (1,2; Kommersant 8; Komsomolskaya Pravda, 8,9; Gazeta, June, 21, p. 3; Vremya MN, 7; Nezavisimaya Gazeta, 1,8; Rossiiskaya Gazeta, 1,16; Trud, 5; MK, 1,4)

In an interview, Deputy Economic Development and Trade Minister Maxim Medvedkov, who headed a Russian delegation for the 15th round of negotiations on Russia's accession to the World Trade Organization, examines its major positive results. (1,2; Kommersant, 5)

Moscow Prosecutor Mikhail Avdyukov stated Friday that the criminal case on the attempt on the life of Deputy Moscow Mayor Iosif Ordzhonikidze has been almost solved. Avdyukov also said the executioner of the crime ?€” Salavat Dzhabrailov, first cousin of Umar Dzhabrailov, president of Plaza Group ?€” was found dead at the scene of the crime. Salavat's relatives, however, maintain he did not take part in the attack on the Deputy Mayor. Moreover, deputy general director of the Rossiya Hotel, Khusein Dzhabrailov (the elder brother of Umar Dzhabrailov), on Friday accused Ordzhonikidze of killing his first cousin. A story gives details. (1,2; Kommersant, 1; Gazeta, June 21, p. 1,2; Nezavisimaya Gazeta, 12; Komsomolskaya Pravda, 5; MK, 1,2)

June 22 marked the 60th anniversary of the start of World War II (1941-1945). On this occasion Izvestia offers excerpts from the diary of female military medical attendant Tatyana Atabek, one of the many women who took part in the war alongside men. (1,7; Krasnaya Zvezda, 1,3, 5; Rossiiskaya Gazeta, 4; Trud, 1,5; Komsomolskaya Pravda, 12, 13, 23; Vremya MN, 6; MK, 5)

The State Duma on Friday passed in the second reading a draft bill on farm land that has prohibited foreigners from owning such land. A story reveals the essence of the latest amendments. (2; Kommersant, 2; Noviye Izvestia, 2; Rossiiskaya Gazeta, 3; Vremya MN, 1; Trud, 2; Komsomolskaya Pravda, 2)

Torrents and floods in the south of Russia on Friday caused an emergency situation in Adegeya, Chechnya, North Ossetia and the Krasnodar region, leaving many people dead and numerous others homeless. A story describes the tragedy and emergency measures taken by federal and local authorities. (2; Kommersant, 1,3; Rossiiskaya Gazeta, 2; Vremya MN, 1; Komsomolskaya Pravda, 11)

Deputy Economic Development and Trade Minister Andrei Sharonov has announced that in a couple of days his ministry will submit to the government a document setting out the procedure for collecting proposals on natural monopolies' tariffs. A story looks at the ministry's stand, commenting on Sharonov's statement. (2)

President Vladimir Putin on Friday awarded Muscovite Tatyana Sapunova the Order of Courage. Tatyana was seriously injured as a result of a bomb blast on May 27 when she tried to pull a booby-trapped sign with an anti-Semitic slogan out of the ground 32 kilometers southwest of Moscow. Brief. (3; Vremya MN, 1; Komsomolskaya Pravda, 5; Rossiiskaya Gazeta, 1)

St. Petersburg governor Vladimir Yakovlev on Friday denied rumors about his possible resignation. Brief. (3)

The full text of the document of the resolution of the 1st nationwide "The Mass Media Industry: Trends of Reform" conference is published. The document concentrates on seven priority tasks for reforming the mass media industry. (3; Nezavisimaya Gazeta, 3)

The G-8 summit is expected to open in Kananaskis, Canada, on June 26. Its major topics for discussion will be economic growth, Africa and cracking down on terrorism. A story reveals the essence of the proposed themes. (4)

The 6th International Economic Forum ended in St. Petersburg on Friday. A story examines the results. (4; Gazeta, June 21, p. 7)

The Union of Right Forces Council held a session in the Moscow region on Friday to discuss a new method of selecting deputies for party lists for the next parliamentary elections and a party proposal to nominate a single right-wing candidate for the next presidential elections. A story looks at the session's decisions. (4; Kommersant, 3; Vremya MN, 2; Rossiiskaya Gazeta, 2)

The Communist Party Central Committee on June 22 held a session to determine the party's strategy and tactics for the upcoming parliamentary and then presidential elections. A story looks at the session's decisions. (4; Kommersant 3)

The Nenets autonomous region is experiencing a sharp budgetary crisis. In spring, the regional budget was sequestrated by 10 percent, and this negative process may continue. Anatoly Myandin, chief of the Tax Ministry's inspectorate for the region, examines the reasons behind this budgetary crisis. (4)

Prosecutor General Vladimir Ustinov stated Friday that convicted aluminum magnate Anatoly Bykov, former head of the Krasnoyarsk aluminum plant, who was released from prison two days ago, will go on trial again on another criminal case. (4; Gazeta, June 21, p. 3; Rossiiskaya Gazeta, 2)

The Russian and Ukrainian prime ministers ?€” Mikhail Kasyanov and Anatolky Kinakh ?€” on Friday signed a contract regulating the delivery of Russian gas to Ukrainian consumers and its transportation to Europe. Moreover, they signed a treaty on Russia extending a $44 million state credit to Ukraine to complete the construction of energy units at the Khmelnitskaya and Rovenskaya nuclear power plants. A story comments on the documents. (5; Kommersant, 5)

The Energy Ministry has given up the idea of restoring control over oil exports from Russia and has drafted a government decree concerning the procedure of transporting oil outside Russia. Brief. (5)

Representatives from the Aton investment company owning 40 percent of stock of the Tver-Pivo company have failed to join the board of directors of the enterprise. The Aton shares were bought up from minority shareholders in May and June of this year. The controlling stake of Tver-Pivo (about 53 percent) belongs to the family of its general director Maxim Larin. Brief. (5)

The State Duma committee on industry, transport and communications on Friday recommended the Duma pass in the first reading a package of draft bills on reforming the Railways Ministry. A story comments on the possible fate of this package. (5)

Sberbank shareholders on Friday held an annual general meeting to sum up the bank's results in 2001. Its main shareholder ?€” the Central Bank, which owns 63 percent of stock ?€” does not plan to increase its share in Sberbank's capital. A story examines Sberbank's annual results. (5; Vremya MN, 2)

The Bryansk region, starting July 1, will increase electricity tariffs by 24 percent. Meanwhile, when signing an agreement on reorganizing four energy systems in the central federal district, the leadership of energy monopoly United Energy Systems demanded a 51 percent increase from the local governor. A story examines the electricity tariff situation in the Bryansk region. (5)

The State Duma on Friday passed in the second reading a draft bill concerning bankruptcy after a 5-hour discussion of 3,500 amendments. The most disputed amendment was passed in accordance with proposals by oligarchs in the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs. A story examines the essence of this amendment, focusing on four major novelties of the draft bill. (5; Gazeta, June 21, p. 7)

Editor and publisher of the Ottawa Citizen newspaper Russell Mills has been fired for criticizing the prime minister for the policy pursued by his Cabinet. A story examines Canadian freedom of speech with a critical eye. (6)

Former President Boris Yeltsin, who arrived in Minsk on Friday, indirectly criticized Vladimir Putin for his policy toward the union with Belarus. A story looks at Yeltsin's comments at his meeting with Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko. (6; Kommersant, 4; Rossiiskaya Gazeta, 3)

The Afghan national assembly, the Loyal Jirga, finished its work on Friday. In an interview, Afghanistan's Ambassador to Britain Ahmad al Massoud, younger brother of the former leader of the Northern Alliance, talks about its results, focusing on unresolved issues and on those who were displeased at its decisions. (6)

The EU summit began its work in Sevilla, Spain, on Friday, its major theme being the immigration policy of Spain, Denmark, Britain and Italy. A story focuses on these countries' proposals on this salient issue. (6; Kommersant, 4; Rossiiskaya Gazeta, 3)

U.S. President George W. Bush has unexpectedly come up with a new initiative: he has called on Americans to start jogging and other physical training exercises. A story looks at the major aim of his initiative. (6; Kommersant (photo), 12)

Kommersant
www.kommersant.ru

A Financial Action Task Force session on Friday finished its work in Paris, where its member states decided the fate of countries on the FATF blacklist who are ignoring a crack down on laundering illegal money and pose a danger to the world financial system. Several countries have been struck off the list; Russia has remained. A story examines how it got onto the list. (1,5; Rossiiskaya Gazeta, 2)

The nationwide conference of war veterans took place on Friday in the Academy of State Service building. It was attended by President Vladimir Putin. A story describes the event, its participants, sponsors and Putin's promises to veterans. (2; Komsomolskaya Pravda, 4; Rossiiskaya Gazeta, 1)

The Moscow City Court and the Naro-Fominsk Military Court on Friday completed the pleadings on two high-profile trials in absentia: of former KGB General Oleg Kalugin and FSB Colonel Alexander Litvinenko. A story gives details. (3)

Belarussian Foreign Minister Mikhail Khvostov on Friday stated that President Vladimir Putin proposed to exclude from the Union Treaty a chapter on imposing a single currency. A story reveals the essence of Putin's proposal, focusing on Russia-Belarus differences that are continuing to grow. (4)

Sergei Sopchuk, supporter of Primorye former governor Yevgeny Nazdratenko, was elected speaker of the Primorye legislative assembly on Friday. A story looks at his work career. (4)

An agreement on the joint efforts of CIS securities commissions was signed in St. Petersburg on Friday. A story examines the document's major provisions, focusing on its aim. (5)

Muz-TV general director Ruben Oganesov tendered his resignation on Thursday. His departure, the story notes, is the beginning of personnel reshuffles on the channel, which the ARS holding bought from Alfa-Bank early this month. (5; Gazeta, June 21, p. 7)

On June 21, the Pepsi Bottling Group announced it will not prolong the contract with Cadbury Schweppes PLC, under which it sold the 7 UP drink owned by Cadbury. Brief. (6)

After the air show in Sidney, the Buran space shuttle went to the Middle East, after its owner Molnia's unsuccessful attempt to sell it at an auction in Los Angeles for $6 million last month. Brief. (6)

Computer giant Hewlett-Packard on Thursday announced it would lay off 4,000 employees (working on contract) for 3 weeks, starting June 24. Brief. (6)

According to the non-state pension fund's inspectorate, under the Labor and Social Development Ministry, pension reserves have increased by 7.7 percent starting 2002 and reached 36.252 billion rubles as of April 1. Brief. (6)

Mikhail Zhernov has been appointed Deputy Director of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development for Russia, Belarus and Tajikistan. Brief. (6)

The Moscow House of Photography has put up a exhibition titled "Photos We Were Missing " that has been prepared by the Drezden Hygiene Museum and the German Culture Center. A story describes a specific feature of this display. (9)

Nezavisimaya Gazeta
www.ng.ru

A story gives several concrete facts to illustrate how judges bringing in suspended sentences have become the cogs of the "suspended" judicial machinery that has replaced independent judicial power. (1)

In its dialogue with the U.S. on anti-ballistic defense issues, Russia has failed to uphold all its positions. In terms of strategic armaments, the Cold War has ended in peace on America's conditions. A story examines them in detail. (1,8)

Kemerovo governor Aman Tuleyev looks at the salient problems currently facing the fuel and energy complex. The governor stresses that in order to resolve them, federal authorities should draft a comprehensive strategy of boosting the complex. A story examines several major problems facing the complex. (2)

The new Criminal-Procedural Code will take effect July 1. The code in itself is comprehensive reform embracing all law-enforcement agencies, courts, the Bar and hundreds of thousands of fates of those suspected and accused. Furthermore, there are many conservatives and liberals who are displeased with the code, saying it will not defend the rights of those convicted. In an interview, Yelena Mizulina, head of the working group for drafting the bill, comments on the law, focusing on the situation surrounding it. (1)

The Tax Ministry has made public results of the income declaration campaign in 2002. Igor Kobelev, head of the ministry's department on profit and property taxation of private individuals, examines some results. (3; Komsomolskaya Pravda, 3)

Energy giant Unified Energy Systems has submitted to the government a draft document on transferring several of its functions to the Energy Ministry. A story examines the draft, focusing on its major provisions. (3)

Tbilisi police have detained a jeep with a large batch of high-tech arms that, in the opinion of Georgian experts, could be stolen from Russian military bases in trans-Caucasia. A story describes the conflicting situation, focusing on how Russian sources in the General Staff interpret it. (5)

Kazakhstan's political opposition to President Nursultan Nazarbayev is continuing to accuse him of corruption, referring to his accounts in foreign banks. A story gives details. (5)

A story focuses on fortune-teller Alexander Vasilyevich, who has been in business for 20 years, together with his assistant ?€” a guinea-pig named Khavronya. They can be often seen near the McDonald's fast-food cafe on Tverskaya Ulitsa. (7)

Does UES head Anatoly Chubais have any chance of winning the next presidential elections? A story looks at all his trump cards that could help him if he decides to run for the presidency. (11)

Rossiiskaya Gazeta
www.rg.ru

About 20 young people in Vladivostok on Friday picketed the American General Consulate in the city, demanding that former General Consul Douglas Barry Kent be put on trial, because four years ago he crippled Alexander Kashin, a Russian citizen, for life. A story gives details of the accident. (1, 3)

The government at its session on Friday endorsed the parameters of the 2003 budget. Its priorities are bigger funds for education, science and the defense complex. A story examines major parameters. (1)

The story examines the origins of capital outflow from Russia, focusing on government measures that could allow it to return home. Last Wednesday, President Vladimir Putin called on Russian businessmen keeping their money abroad to consider repatriating it. (2)

The Russian plane Su-35, also known as Sushka, has become a favorite of the tender for the future fighter of the Brazilian air force. The American F-16 plane has lost the tender, while the French Mirage-2000 fighter is still a competitor. A story examines the main intrigue of the concluding stage of the tender. (4)

The presentation ceremony of the Russian National Ballet Theater took place on the stage of the Novaya Opera Theater. The new theater was created a year ago by Bolshoi leading soloist Vladimir Moiseyev, who is a grandson of Igor Moiseyev, the famous leader of the Popular Dance Ensemble. (4)

The Education Ministry and Aeroflot on Friday signed an agreement on free transportation for graduates from the Far East who intend to enter higher educational establishments in Moscow. A story examines the agreement's major provisions. (4)

Noviye Izvestia

A memorial devoted to leader of the "Kino" music group, Viktor Tsoi, was unveiled on June 22 on the wall of the famous Kamchatka boiler-house in St. Petersburg's Petrogradsky district. Viktor Tsoi was killed in Aug. 1990 in a road accident. (1)

Stalin's notorious order ?€” "not to take a step back!" ?€” reinforced with the threat of execution to Soviet troops retreating during World War II played a positive role in the future victory over Hitler's Germany, according to 53 percent of respondents in a recent poll conducted by the All-Russian Center for the Study of Public Opinion. Thirty-five percent think differently. (1)

Russia has remained on a blacklist of 15 countries that are ignoring a crackdown on laundering illegal money. The new list has been made public in Paris by the Financial Action Task Force, an inter-governmental agency comprising 29 states. A story comments on the list. (1)

A group of State Duma deputies on June 20 submitted to the Duma a new version of the law on mass media. One of its authors, Boris Reznik, deputy head of the Duma committee on information policy and head of the Duma subcommittee on the printed mass media, comments on the draft. (2)

The international human rights organization Human Rights Watch on Friday made public a memorandum, in which it has accused Russia of non-observance of the UN Convention on Inadmissibility of Tortures and Other Cruel Types of Treatment and Punishment. The memorandum concentrates on tortures carried out in Chechnya. A story gives the facts. (2)

Komomolskaya Pravda
www.kp.ru

"Black Square", the "masterpiece" by Malevich, has found a place in the St. Petersburg Hermitage Museum thanks to Interros Holding head Vladimir Potanin, who in late April bought it for $1 million at an auction and presented it to the museum, which has at last showed it to the public. A story examines how people evaluate this "masterpiece." St. Petersburg avant-garde artist Anatoly Belkin shares his view on the piece. (2)

The president of Yukos and several other wealthy businessmen have for the first time officially revealed their net incomes. A story gives figures. (3)

Does Russia need billionaires ? Fifteen policy-makers, public figures, writers, artists and actors share their views on the issue. (3)

Rumor has it that Yabloko leader Grigory Yavlinsky may be appointed to the post of Foreign Minister to replace Igor Ivanov. A story reports on how his press secretary Yevgeniya Dillendorff has responded to this information. (3)

In an interview, Kalmykia's President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov evaluates the 10 years of his presidency, focusing on several eccentric projects. Ilyumzhinov talks optimistically and proudly about his beloved Kalmykia's economic successes, saying in part that last year the republic transferred to the federal budget over 10 billion rubles in taxes and dues. (6)

A story highlights two chemical technologists ?€” Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Leonid Nevzlin ?€” and an electronic engineer ?€” Vasily Shakhnovsky ?€” who have legally become the wealthiest people in Russia. (7)

The Russian Jewish Congress intends to deliver aid to the veterans of World War II. A story explains how aid for veterans is viewed today. (11)

The newspaper for the first time offers a ecological map of the Moscow districts and a rating of the environment of the administrative districts. (16,17)

Moskovsky Komsomolets
www.mk.ru

The 11th Russian Open Golf Championship is scheduled for June 26-29 on the courses of the Moscow Country Club in Nakhabino in the Moscow region. Since 1999, this tournament has been included in the calendar of the European Golf Association. (1)

The stretch of the metro line from the Sportivnaya to the Yugo-Zapadnaya metro stations will be closed between July 6 and August 5 due to the overhaul of Luzhnikovsky metro bridge and the Vorobyovy Gory metro station. A story gives details of the overhaul project. (1)

Doctors over the past 10 days have confiscated over 400 kilograms of radiation-contaminated bilberries in Moscow city markets. A story gives other figures on different marketplaces. (5)