Russia 100527 Basic Political Developments

VOR: Moldova's Foreign Minister arrives in Moscow

http://english.ruvr.ru/2010/05/27/8551320.html

May 27, 2010 10:27 Moscow Time

Moldova's Foreign Minister Yuri Leanca arrives in Moscow on Thursday for talks with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov. The Ministers are to discuss security issues, and response to mutual threats and challenges as well as the settlement of Trans-Dniester conflict.

Trans-Dniester is a breakaway territory located mostly in a strip between the Dniester River and the eastern Moldovan border to Ukraine. Moscow acts as a mediator in the settlement of the conflict between the Moldovan government and the government of unrecognized Pridnestrovian Moldavian republic. 

Itar-Tass: Russia, Moldova to discuss Dniester settlement, econ cooperation

http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=15166802&PageNum=0

27.05.2010, 06.10

MOSCOW, May 27 (Itar-Tass) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Moldovan counterpart Iurie Leanca will discuss the Dniester settlement and economic cooperation between Moscow and Chisinau, at a meeting in the Russian capital on Thursday.

The ministers will pay special attention to the Dniester settlement. "At present, Moscow places the main emphasizes on encouraging the moves toward restoring confidence between the parties to the conflict," Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Andrei Nesterenko said.

Russia urges Chisinau and Tiraspol to adhere to the principles stated in the joint declaration of the leaders of the parties to the conflict, signed in Moscow on March 18, 2009.

The commitment to earlier accords, a political settlement of the problem and a special reliable guaranteed status of the Dniester region on the basis of observing Moldova's sovereignty and territorial integrity were clearly stated in the Kiev statement by the Russia and Ukrainian president date May 17, 2010.

"Such approaches can help unblock the negotiations and continue the search for compromises and pre-requisites for a comprehensible viable settlement.

"The ministers will also consider ways of enhancing the effectiveness of integration within the Commonwealth of Independent States. They will exchange their views of the development of pan-European and regional interaction.

Lavrov and Leance will confirm readiness to strengthen humanitarian cooperation, and intensify ties in the education and the information fields, as well as in preserving the traditional positions of the Russian language and culture in Moldova.

Sergei Lavrov and Iuriu Leance plan to discuss the development of trade and economic cooperation.

Russia is an important economic partner of Moldova. In 2009, trade turnover between the two states made up 1.046 billion dollars.

The supplies and transit of Russian natural gas determine, to a considerable extent, the general dynamics of economic cooperation. Russia is the largest investor in the Moldova economy. As of March 1, 2010, Russian investments made up 200 million dollars. The two diplomats plan to sign a plan of consultations between the ministries for 2010.

VOR: Polish, Russian MPs meet in Warsaw

http://english.ruvr.ru/2010/05/27/8544897.html

May 27, 2010 09:47 Moscow Time

The foreign relations committees of the Polish Sejm and the Russian State Duma are preparing to convene in Warsaw. The head of the Russian delegation Konstantin Kosachyov has said the meeting will discuss the deployment of American Patriots missiles in Poland, bilateral trade and economic cooperation, and matters concerning European security.

STAVROPOL BLAST

AFP: Russia on alert after bomb blast kills seven

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5ggNOydSsGyl0thAvEd_xP9RvO6GA

By Anna Smolchenko (AFP) – 19 minutes ago

MOSCOW — Russian authorities on Thursday vowed to strike back after a bomb blast the night before killed seven people and wounded dozens in the southern city of Stavropol minutes before a Chechen dance concert.

A bomb packed with steel pellets hidden in a juice carton went off near a cultural centre as locals were gathering for the performance of a renowned Chechen folk group.

By Thursday morning, the death toll had risen to seven, including a 12-year-old girl, and 33 people remained hospitalized, many in critical condition, officials said.

So far no group has claimed responsibility for the blast but officials said those who did not want peace in the Caucasus would not succeed.

Stavropol, which lies on the northern edge of the Caucasus, has until now rarely seen the bloody attacks that characterize the simmering guerrilla war between Russian forces and separatist rebels.

"This is an audacious provocation," regional governor Valery Gayevsky said in comments released by his administration.

"Someone wants to shake loose the friendly relations between the peoples and republics. These forces do not want peace in the Caucasus. But we will put them in their place," he said.

Chechnya's strongman leader Ramzan Kadyrov blamed "Russia's enemies" for the blast.

Russia's top investigator Alexander Bastrykin left for Stavropol to personally oversee the investigation.

Russia is battling a Muslim insurgency in the North Caucasus and terror attacks in the republics of Chechnya, Ingushetia and Dagestan are a near-daily occurrence.

Yekaterina Danilova, an official with the regional investigative committee, said investigators were considering several theories, including terrorism and attemps to stir up ethnic hatred in the predominantly Russian city.

Dolgova said 41 people were injured in the blast.

"We've worked all night," said Danilova, telling AFP that nearly 70 people have already been questioned in connection with the explosion.

In March, Russia was shaken to the core when two female suicide bombers, both from the North Caucasus region of Dagestan, killed 40 people in a pair of coordinated attacks on the Moscow metro during the morning rush hour.

President Dmitry Medvedev has said the unrest in the Caucasus is Russia's single most serious domestic problem.

Human rights advocates say the controversial tactics of Russian troops in the North Caucasus contribute to instability in the region.

The Kremlin attempted to strengthen its hold in the region in January by appointing a powerful new envoy responsible for the North Caucasus, businessman Alexander Khloponin.

Medvedev called for Khloponin, who was also made deputy prime-minister, to concentrate on improving the economy in the region, where corruption and unemployment are rife.

Islamist leader Doku Umarov, head of the so-called "Caucasus Emirate," vowed in February that rebels would move the target of their attacks from the Caucasus to Russia's heartland.

Copyright © 2010 AFP. All rights reserved. More »

Itar-Tass: Bastrykin flies to Stavropol to coordinate blast investigation

http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=15167001

27.05.2010, 09.07

M0SCOW, May 27 (Itar-Tass) - Head of the Investigation Committee at the Russian Prosecutor-General’s Office Alexander Bastrykin and a group of criminologists from Moscow flew to Stavropol to orchestrate the investigation of a blast that took place there, Itar-Tass learnt on Thursday from committee spokesman Vladimir Markin.

“Chairman of the Investigation Committee Alexander Bastrykin flew to Stavropol to coordinate work of the committee’s investigation group and operatives of law enforcement bodies, engaged in investigating the blast in Stavropol. Along with the chairman, a group of criminologists of the committee’s central office in Moscow flew to render assistance in investigation of the criminal case,” Markin added.

A homemade caseless explosive device with a yield of 200-250 grams in terms of TNT went off at 18.45 near a caf·, located close to the Stavropol Palace of Culture and Sport, on Wednesday, May 26. Three women died on the spot and another three died at hospital. As many as 40 people were hospitalised. The blast is described under the article “terror act” of the Russian Criminal Code.