Russia 111005 Basic Political Developments

Russia offers compromise on UN resolution against Syria

http://en.rian.ru/russia/20111005/167392685.html
04:04 05/10/2011

UNITED NATIONS, October 5 (RIA Novosti)

Moscow calls on the UN Security Council to continue the search for a balanced approach toward the political crisis in Syria based on a draft resolution prepared by Russia and China, Russia's envoy to the UN said.

"Our draft remains on the table. We are ready to develop an authentically collective constructive position of the international community rather than legitimizing already adopted unilateral sanctions and attempts to forcefully overthrow regimes," Vitaly Churkin said.

Russia and China used their veto right and blocked on Tuesday a draft UN resolution that threatened sanctions against Syria if President Bashar Assad's government continued violence against the opposition in the country

The draft, prepared by the European members of the UN Security Council and supported by the United States, stipulated that the Assad's regime should face the possibility of tough sanctions if it fails to stop its crackdown on opposition within 30 days since the adoption of the resolution.

The resolution was rejected late on Tuesday by a vote of 9-2 with four abstentions.

Russia, which stands firmly against any mention of sanctions citing the example of Libya where the NATO countries largely overstepped the UN mandate in a military operation against Muammar Gaddafi's regime, said the text of the document was "unacceptable" despite several changes to the draft.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice told the 15-nation body after Russia and China vetoed the resolution that Washington was outraged by the failure to condemn violence in Syria.

"The crisis in Syria will stay before the Security Council and we will not rest until this council rises to meet its responsibilities," she said.

The Syrian government has used force to crush opposition protests, which followed a wave of uprisings in other Arab countries. The UN says some 2,700 people have died since the start of the protests in March.

The United States, Canada and the EU have already imposed unilateral sanctions on Syria and have called for Assad to step down.

09:12 05/10/2011ALL NEWS

UN draft resolution on Syria is based on confrontation - Churkin

http://www.itar-tass.com/en/c154/239946.html

UNITED NATIONS, October 5 (Itar-Tass) — Russia has voted against the Western draft resolution of the UN Security Council on Syria, because it “was built on the confrontation philosophy,” Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin said at the UN Security Council on Tuesday commenting on the voting results.

The resolution was not adopted, as two permanent members of the UN Security Council - Russia and China - took advantage of their veto right.

The Russian ambassador stressed that Moscow cannot “agree with the unilateral accusatory bias against Damascus.” “We consider unacceptable the ultimatum threat of the use of sanctions against the Syrian authorities,” he said. “Such an approach runs counter to the peaceful crisis settlement principle that is based on the common Syrian national dialogue.”

According to the UN, China and Russia on Tuesday vetoed a draft resolution in the Security Council that had strongly condemned Syrian authorities for their violent crackdown against pro-democracy protesters this year and called for an immediate end to human rights abuses. Nine of the Council’s 15 members voted in favour of the draft text, there were two vetoes, and four countries abstained. A veto by any one of the Council’s five permanent members – China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States – means a resolution cannot be adopted.

The draft resolution had voiced deep concern over the recent violence in Syria and strongly condemned “the continued grave and systematic human rights violations and the use of force against civilians by the Syrian authorities.”

U.S. economy to benefit from Russia's accession to WTO - diplomat

http://en.rian.ru/world/20111005/167391386.html
02:18 05/10/2011

WASHINGTON, October 5 (RIA Novosti)

The United States will benefit from Russia's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) as it would open new markets for American exporters, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State William Burns said.

"The simple fact is that Russia's accession matters to the U.S. economy. It will create new markets for American exporters in one of the world's fastest growing markets," Burns said at the 19th annual meeting of the U.S.-Russia Business Council in Chicago.

"If we want to meet President Obama's goal and double U.S. exports by 2015 -- if we want to put more Americans back to work -- then WTO membership for Russia must be a part of our strategy. By one independent estimate, Russia's WTO accession would allow U.S. exports to Russia to more than double (from $9 billion in 2008 to $19 billion annually)," he said.

Russia, the only large economy outside the global trade club, has been negotiating its entry into the 153-member WTO for 17 years.

Russia hopes to end the talks on its accession to WTO before the end of this year, if the matter is not politicized.

Two-thirds of votes of WTO members are sufficient for the admission of a new member. The next WTO ministerial conference will be held in December 2011.

Russia to hand over n-sub to India mid-November

http://www.domain-b.com/defence/sea/indian_navy/20111005_russia.html

05 October 2011

Moscow: Russia will be leasing a nuclear submarine to India in mid-November, a Russian defence industry source said Tuesday. The K-152 Nerpa (Indian Navy designation: INS Chakra) Schucka-B class nuclear attack submarine is an advanced model with reduced acoustic signatures which make it a potent presence in the sea.

The delivery will make India only the sixth military power in the world to operate nuclear-powered submarines after France, China, Russia, Britain and the United States.

The Nerpa/Chakra was to have been leased in 2008 but the transfer was put on hold after a fatal mishap three years ago, when a freon gas fire suppressant system was accidentally set off.

The $650 million lease contract was signed in 2004. The submarine was lying in dry-dock, partially constructed, until Indian financing revived its construction. The Chakra will be a brand new boat of its class.

The Nerpa has been built by the far eastern Amur Shipyard,

The source said all the defects "will have been eliminated before November, after which the Nerpa will be transferred to Delhi".

Reportedly, the Nerpa had 208 people aboard at the time of the accident, including civilian shipyard personnel. It is designed to carry a crew of 73.

With 17 killed and 21 injured, it was Russia's worst naval accident since the sinking of the Kursk nuclear submarine in 2000.