Press Review

		Izvestia Kommersant Rossiiskaya Gazeta Noviye Izvestia Krasnaya Zvezda Novaya Gazeta Komomolskaya Pravda Moskovsky Komsomolets Vedomosti

PRESS REVIEW I

Izvestia
www.izvestia.ru

The State Duma on Wednesday passed in the second reading a draft presidential bill concerning citizenship that puts into law new, tougher rules for receiving a Russian passport. The article examines some of the rules. (1,4.) Also covered in Kommersant Daily (1,2), Noviye Izvestia (2), Gazeta (2), Vremya Novostei (1), Vremya MN (1), Nezavisimaya Gazeta (2), Rossiiskaya Gazeta (1) and Komsomolskaya Pravda (3).

The government and the Defense Ministry have adopted the final version of the bill concerning alternative civil service. Their next move will be to abandon conscription and adopt a contract system. In an interview, Lieutenant-General Vasily Smirnov, deputy chief of the main organizational-mobilization board of the General Staff, says how the issue of alternative service can be resolved. (1,3)

The Moscow City Duma on Wednesday passed a draft bill on the city voluntary people's patrols. The article outlines the patrols' status. (1)

The Cabinet is expected Thursday to discuss the single system of governing the state debt, a draft document of which has been prepared by the Finance Ministry. The article focuses on the draft's major provisions. (2) Also covered in Kommersant Daily (1, 2), Vremya Novostei (2), Vremya MN (2) and Nezavisimaya Gazeta (3).

The government commission on rehabilitating the Chechen economy discussed last year's results Wednesday. The article comments on a report delivered by Chechnya's Prime Minister Stanislav Ilyasov. (2)

Itar-Tass, referring to an anonymous source in the U.S. government, reported Wednesday that the United States has drafted a plan for U.S.-Russian operations to liquidate a seat of terrorism in Georgia's Pankisi Gorge. The article looks at the response of Tbilisi and Moscow state officials to such information. (2) Also covered in Kommersant Daily (11) and Vremya Novostei 1,5).

The Tupolev aviation company, together with mass media representatives, marked the 30th anniversary of the first flight of the Tu-154 passenger jet Wednesday. In an interview, chief designer Igor Shevchuk assures that the company is willing to satisfy all environmental and technical demands from the international aviation organizations. (2) Also covered in Kommersant Daily (5).

Search for an Su-24 fighter bomber that disappeared in the Pskov region Tuesday was resumed Wednesday. The article gives details. (2) Also covered in Kommersant Daily (3), Noviye Izvestia (2), Gazeta (5), Nezavisimaya Gazeta (7) and Krasnaya Zvezda (3).

A group of policymakers, writers and public figures on Wednesday sent a letter to Yevgeny Primakov, head of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry with a proposal to create a charity organization aimed at providing aid to the homeless children under the aegis of the CCI. The article includes the text of the letter. (3)

The Defense Ministry collegium on Wednesday discussed issues relating to the governance of the armed forces. The article concentrates on major problems. (3)

Businessman Oleg Kiselyov, head of the Metalloinvest Holding, quit his post Wednesday to take up a position in a consortium of entrepreneurs who plan to take an active part in the struggle for the TV6 television channel. The article outlines reasons behind Kiselyov's resignation, focusing on the consortium's tasks. (4) Also covered in Kommersant Daily (4), Nezavisimaya Gazeta (2) and Gazeta (2).

The article features several personnel changes on RTR, the second state television channel, including the resignation of its general director, Alexander Akopov. (4) Also covered in Kommersant Daily (2).

In an interview, Alexander Chernov, head of the Krasnodar Regional Court, examines several complicated migration problems in the region. (4)

Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov met with executives of oil major companies Wednesday to discuss the current situation in the domestic oil sector. Energy Minister Igor Yusufov reiterated the need to give back to his agency its lost functions to establish oil balances. (5) Also covered in Kommersant Daily (2).

According to the Federal Energy Commission's decision, the tariff on gas transportation inside the country and in pumping Russian gas to Belarus for independent producers will go up by 20 percent, starting March 1. FEC head Georgy Kutovoi stated that on March 14, the government will discuss the Gazprom investment program. The article comments on the measure. (5) Also covered in Kommersant Daily (4).

The Cabinet is reported to be set to consider a package of draft bills concerning electrical energy on Feb. 28. The government commission on reforming this sphere, headed by Deputy Prime Minister Viktor Khristenko, on Wednesday discussed those drafts that will be slightly changed. Deputy Minister of Economic Development Andrei Sharonov stated that, according to changes, the size of Unified Energy Systems' 2002 investment program will be increased to 102 billion rubles ($3.3 billion). (5) Also covered in Kommersant Daily (4).

Coal executives, labor union leaders and regional administration officials met Wednesday in Kuzbass to discuss a crisis situation with coal marketing ?€” about 5.5 million tons of coal has accumulated in warehouses of regional coal companies. The article comments on the issue. (5)

The rapidly developing cellular communications market is in ideological crisis. Market operators know that a way out is a merger with the Internet, but they don't know how to do it. The current Cannes World Congress 3GSM has said that the industry's world leaders, such as Microsoft, Intel and Texas Instruments, have taken up the problem. (5)

Ice cream producers believe that what has held back the development of their market is vigorous beer advertising ?€” major ice cream consumers like teenagers now prefer Klinskoye beer. According to the Ice Cream Makers Association, ice cream production growth last year amounted to a mere 2.15 percent. (5)

Starting this year, the government has been talking a great deal about forming a gas market in Russia ?€” ministries, departments, the State Duma and the Federation Council constantly discuss a program of shaping a full-fledged gas market. Deputy Minister of Economic Development Andrei Sharonov stated recently that a draft program will be submitted to the government in the second half of this year. The article examines the expediency of this issue. (6)

Why do oil companies need gas and access to the gas pipelines? Many oil companies would like to expand oil extraction, which is often impossible to do without expanding gas extraction. The article examines gas reserves and gas plans of several oil majors. (6)

Highly regarded expert on the securities market Yakov Mirkin shares his view on the situation on the domestic stock market, giving his forecast for its further development. (8)

Kommersant
www.kommersant.ru

Gennady Sklyar, general director of the Russian Teleradiobroadcasting Networks on Wednesday told journalists about his company's numerous problems for the first time since its creation. The article examines the major problems. (2) Also covered in Gazeta (1,2).

Chechnya's Constitutional Commission on Wednesday began to work over two drafts of the new fundamental law on the republic. The first draft was submitted by administration head Akhmad Kadyrov and the second one by Press Minister Bislan Gantamirov. In an interview, Gantamirov comments on the drafts, concentrating on his personal future plans. (3)

Federal Security Service, or FSB, public relations center spokesman Ilya Shabalkin on Wednesday accused the Novaya Gazeta newspaper of striving to use its correspondent Anna Politkovskaya's trips to Chechnya to "resolve her own financial problems and differences with several funds (including the Soros Fund)." The Novaya Gazeta leadership intends to sue the FSB for slander. (3)

The Northern Fleet is creating a new special expedition with the aim of raising the fragments of the first compartment of the sunken Kursk submarine, according to a statement Wednesday by newly appointed Northern Fleet Commander Vice-Admiral Gennady Suchkov. (3)

The Novosibirsk Regional Bailiff Service on Wednesday lifted the ban on performing settlement operations with accounts of the Sibir aviation company. The ban was imposed Feb. 18 by the Leninsky Court. The article gives details. (3)

President Vladimir Putin met with Interros head Vladimir Potanin on Wednesday. This is the first meeting in a series of presidential meetings with several oligarchs dealing with major international projects. The article examines several issues Putin and Potanin discussed. (4) Also covered in Gazeta (3).

The Rosterminalugol board of drectors discharged the company's general director, Andrei Simonov, on Wednesday. The article describes a conflicting situation in the company. (4)

The battle between the Agriculture Ministry and Soyuzplodimport for the right to own vodka trademarks is acquiring an even tougher character. The article discusses the conflict. (4)

The Sinara companies group on Wednesday announced the purchase of a pipe-making plant, Artrom, in Romania. Sinara was created on the basis of the Sinarsky Pipe-Making Plant in the Sverdlovsk Region, which has announced a strategic partnership with the Pipe-Metals Company belonging to MDM Group. (5)

Gazprom has proposed introducing changes to the board of directors of the Hungarian Altalanos Ertekforgalmi Bank at an annual meeting of its shareholders scheduled for April. Brief. (5)

The Transportation Ministry and the state-owned Rosneft company signed a cooperation agreement Wednesday. According to the document, Rosneft will receive advantages before its rivals in participating in all transportation projects. Brief. (5)

Detsky Mir, one of the leading state department stores in Moscow, is buying its store's building from Moscow authorities. Brief. (5)

STB-Card general director Igor Goldovsky stated Wednesday that STB-Card is conducting negotiations on merging with its major rivals on the domestic market ?€” Zolotaya Korona and Union Card. (7)

Charles Sims, the American manager of the Golden Ada property, has suspended payments to the company's major creditor ?€” the Russian Finance Ministry. The article says why. (7)

The U.S. NASDAQ stock index fell to a 100-day low Wednesday, and it's likely to be only the beginning. The chain of high-profile unmaskings of bookkeeping machinations in U.S. companies is continuing, including IBM and Cisco this week. (7)

The article examines the situation on the rapidly expanding money transfer market. More and More banks from Russia and CIS countries are participating. (8)

A new police service has been formed in Russia with the aim of controlling the quality of higher education. The article examines the service's functions and tasks. (9)

Romanian Prime Minister Adrian Nastase was scheduled to arrive in Moscow on an official visit Thursday. In an interview on the eve of the visit, he spoke about its aim, focusing on major issues he intends to discuss with the Russian leadership. (10)

Rossiiskaya Gazeta
www.rg.ru

Chapter 26 of the Tax Code took effect Thursday. How will it affect the position of Russian oil companies? In an interview, Tatneft Deputy Director-General Vladimir Lavushchenko shares his opinions on the issue. (3)

Domestic entrepreneurs have heard exiled oligarch Boris Berezovsky's call to buy out Yevgeny Kiselyov's team and thereby save the freedom of the press in Russia. The story looks at the group of investors interested in TV-6. (3)

In an interview, Kaliningrad regional governor Vladimir Yegorov talks about the serious financial and social problems facing his region, focusing on the implementation of a federal aid program for the Kaliningrad region. (5)

Noviye Izvestia

It's no secret that various types of drugs can be bought in any Moscow pharmacies. The feature story describes how easy it is for minors to acquire drugs. (1,7)

The ROMIR-Gallup International Public Opinion Study Center has conducted an opinion poll to see how many Muscovites participate in sports on a regular basis. The figure is only 23.4 percent. (1)

The All-Russian movement "For Human Rights" on Feb. 22 will hold a public rally on Lubyanskaya Ploshchad in defense of democracy. The story describes the movement's aims. (1)

On the eve of Feb. 23, the Day of the Defenders of the Fatherland, Colonel-General Gennady Troshev, Commander of the Federal Troops in the North Caucasian Military District, will speak by telephone with his subordinates and family members. He is also expected to answer any questions they may pose. (2)

The story gives several concrete facts showing how Belarus is using new technology to muffle the country's independent press. (2)

Krasnaya Zvezda

Document. A government instruction to providing housing for servicemen and their families in 2002. In an interview, Deputy Defense Minister Colonel-General Alexander Kosovan reveals the details of the government decision. (1)

Novaya Gazeta
www.novayagazeta.ru

The Czech Republic on Monday Feb. 25 is expected to extradite to two men from St. Petersburg on charges of murder. Yury Biryuchenko and Viktor Kudryashov, both members of a criminal group that committed contract killings in St. Petersburg, including the murder of State Duma deputy Galina Starovoiteva, will be brought to trial in Russia. (1, 4)

Komomolskaya Pravda
www.kp.ru

The London Sunday Times reported that Russian businessman Viktor But supplied weapons to Taliban fighters and to supporters of Osama bin Laden. The story tries to uncover the source of this information. (4)

Grigory Antyufeyev, head of the Moscow Tourism Committee, told journalists at a news conference Wednesday about recent measures taken by the city government's to make foreigners in Moscow feel more at home. (6)

The newspaper features a preliminary portrait of Russia and its citizen, saying, among many other interesting things, that the average Russian consumes 15 liters of vodka a year. Information about President Vladimir Putin is also of interest. (8,9)

A feature story looks at 77 Chechen soldiers serving in a special Kremlin regiment in Yasenevo (Moscow), many of whom now allow themselves to use vulgarities when addressing officers. (12, 13)

Ecology. The newspaper offers a complete list of registered dumps in Moscow's districts. According to environmentalists, there are about 200 state-controlled and private dumps in Moscow -- each of them is a chemical hazard that poisons thousands of hectares of land. (20, 21)

In an interview, the leader of the musical group "Lyube" Nikolai Rastorguyev, who turned 45 Thursday, talks about his family, his concerts, likes, dislikes, leisure time and future plans. (29)

Moskovsky Komsomolets
www.mk.ru

The story describes how Moscow authorities dealt with ice-covered roads this winter. Traffic inspection officers, however, say that the number of road accidents increased. Facts and figures are cited to illustrate the point. (1,2)

Specialists at the Research Surgery Center of the Academy of Medical Sciences have performed a unique medical operation simultaneously transplanting a lever and a kidney. The story gives details. (1)

Russia's best university students will, according to the government decree, receive one more scholarship named after academic Dmitry Likhachev. (1, Komsomolskaya Pravda, 3, Noviye Izvestia, 1)

The popular "SHIT-Parade" television program on the MTV channel, which features the worst video-clips, has been declared amoral by the Appeal Chamber attached to Rospatent. (1)

In an interview, the once-highly-regarded sports commentator Vladimir Pereturin shares his opinions regarding the performances of Russian Olympic athletes in Salt Lake City. (7)

Moscow authorities have made the decision to place homeless children in city kindergartens. This measure is part of the city's special program to help such kids. (8)

Crime. Moscow law-enforcement officers this week have arrested an owner of a brothel in the "Izmailovo" hotel that had been functioning for five years. The story gives details. (8

Culture Ministry officials this week discussed how two presidential decrees are being observed. The first decree concerns the reorganization of state film studios while the second concerns the creation of an open joint stock company named Rossiisky Prokat. The story gives details. (7)

According to official statistics, many draftees now serving in the army have a criminal past. The story gives concrete facts and figures to illustrate the point. Major-General Yury Smetana, chief of the Organizational Mobilization Department of the Defense Ministry comments on this problem. (2)



Muslims all over the world tomorrow will mark the great Muslim holiday -- Kurban-Bairam. The story describes how Muslims in Russia celebrate it. (2)

Vedomosti
www.vedomosti.ru

The Institute of Financial Studies, headed by Severnaya Neft Chief Andrei Vavilov, has made public the results of research into the way oil companies pay taxes. (A1)

According to new statistics, U.S. retailer Wal-Mart outstripped the Exxon-Mobil oil giant to became the world leader in trade turnover. The story offers figures to illustrate the point. (A1)

Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov and top officials from the Finance Ministry have different views on the future of the internal borrowings market. The story focuses them in details. (A1)

Tax Ministry in January overfilled its planned target of collected taxes by 15.7 percent.. The brief offers several other figures on tax collection. (A1)

Economic analyst Olga Romanova looks at several significant results of the demotion of Ilya Klebanov from vice-premier into ordinary minister. (A2)

According to former head of the Metalloinvest company Oleg Kiselyov, several former and present oligarchs have decided to pool their efforts in helping the TV-6 team win back its right for the TV-6 channel. Five experts share their viewpoints on why the oligarchs have taken an interest in Yevgeny Kiselyov's team?. (A2)

The GRUS Research and Production Center has announced the signing of a contract with the Canadian company Agrimex International, according to which the latter will invest $168 million for the commercial use of a certain significant Russian discovery. The story examines the agreement. (A2)

The outflow of capital from Russia in 2001 amounted to $17 billion, $7.4 billion less that the figure for 2000. This was stated Wednesday by Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin. Brief. (A3)

The government is gradually decreasing budget funds allocated to the agriculture sector, and by doing so has made clear its perception of farming as a profitable business. The story offers figures to show that it's far from being such. (A3)

In an interview, Stanislav Yersho, who was recently appointed responsible for dividing former Soviet-era film studios, talks about specific features of his new job and explains several serious problems. (A5)

Vedomosti. Companies and Markets

The State Customs Committee has prohibited the export of Soyuzplodimport's (SPI) vodkas. The decision comes as a sharp blow to SPI in a time when the state has been trying to nationalize vodka trademarks belonging to the companies such as Stolichnaya, Moskovskaya and others. (B1)

The Energy Ministry has drafted a presidential bill and a government decree aimed developing mineral resources deposits. Energy Minister Igor Yusufov stated this. Brief. (B1)

Businessman Oleg Kiselyov, former head of the Metalloinvest Board of Directors, is leading a group of oligarchs interested in taking part in a tender for the right to broadcast on the TV-6 frequency. (B1)

Itera head Igor Makarov has stated that his company's net profit this year will drop from $200 million last year to $150 million this year. (B2)

The All-Russian Insurers Union on Wednesday elected State Duma Insurance Subcommittee head Alexander Koval as the union's new chief. The story examines Koval's major functions and tasks. (B3)

Vimpelcom early this month has come up on par with "Mobile Telesystems" in the number of its subscribers in the Moscow region. Both companies now service over 2.1 million Muscovites. (B5)