Senior Soviet, Russian government official Maslyukov dies at 72.

MOSCOW, April 2 (Itar-Tass) -- Former Soviet and Russian senior
government official and distinguished Communist Party member Yuri
Maslyukov died on Thursday at the age of 72 after a grave illness, the
Communist faction in the State Duma said.
Maslyukov was Communist faction member and chaired the State Duma
industry committee.
In 1988-1990 Maslyukov was Soviet first deputy prime minister and in
1998-1999 - Russian first deputy prime minister.
In Soviet years he was non-voting and then voting member of the ruling
Politburo of the Communist Party and a parliament member in 1984-1989.
Following the Soviet disintegration Maslyukov was State Duma member
from the second to the fifth convocation.

.Russia says no imminent sanctions against Iran.

MOSCOW, April 2 (Itar-Tass) -- Russia did not confirm the statement of
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that the UN Security Council will
begin considering new sanctions against Iran shortly and called to wait
for preliminary consultations.
Russian foreign ministry official said the U.N. Security Council
usually holds preliminary consultations among all members before official
discussion.
"Let's wait for the beginning of the process to discuss possible
proposals of those who advocate the idea (of new sanctions) and see how
the situation develops," the official said.

.Russia hopes Iraq will form new government shortly.

MOSCOW, April 2 (Itar-Tass) -- The Russian foreign ministry hopes the
Iraqis will independently form a new national government, spokesman Andrei
Nesterenko said on Thursday commenting on the results of parliamentary
election in the country on March 7.
He said "the Russian foreign ministry assessed the parliamentary
election in Iraq proceeding from the opinion of the Supreme independent
election commission of Iraq and international observers that the voting
took place without major violations."
"We consider the contradictions that later emerged between various
Iraqi political associations regarding vote counting to be an exclusive
internal affair of Iraq. We hope that by acting in legal space and in
strict compliance with the national legislation the Iraqis will overcome
the mentioned problems," Nesterenko said and expressed hope the new
government will be formed shortly.

.Over 700 Muscovites turn to psychologists following metro blasts.

MOSCOW, April 2 (Itar-Tass) -- Over 700 Muscovites requested
psychological aid following terrorist subway attacks on Monday that killed
39 commuters and injured dozens.
"Psychological assistance was provided to a total of 727 relatives of
the killed and witnesses of the tragic events," Deputy Director of the
Center for Urgent Psychological Aid at the Emergencies ministry Maria
Pavlova told Tass on Thursday.
She said psychologists accompanied relatives in morgues during
identification of the killed and were present at the mourning rally.
Two suicide bombers exploded themselves at Lubyanka and Park Kultury
stations in the worst attack on the Moscow metro in six years.

.Ukraine tells Russia gas transit upgrade cheaper than bypasses.

KIEV, April 2 (Itar-Tass) -- Ukraine proposed to Russia to invest into
the modernization of its gas transit system instead of building Nord and
South Stream pipelines that bypass Ukraine.
"The modernization of the Ukrainian gas transit system will demand
much less than Russia-built Nord and South Stream projects," Ukrainian
Prime Minister Nikolai Azarov told visiting Russian First Deputy Prime
Minister Igor Shuvalov on Thursday.
Several years ago Russia proposed to join efforts with Europe to
upgrade the Ukrainian transit system in exchange for a share of its stock,
but Kiev refused. Now the government of new President Viktor Yanukovich
returned to the idea in attempt to share the transit system with Russia
and Europe in exchange for cheaper prices for Russian gas.
Azarov said Ukraine made a similar offer to European countries. "We
propose to Russia and EU countries to consider such a possibility," he
said.
The carrying capacity of the Ukrainian gas transit system comprises
288 billion cubic meters at the entry from Russia and 178 billion cubic
meters at the exit to Europe.
Azarov said the capacity will considerably increase after
modernization.
Also on Thursday Azarov met Olivier Descamps, EBRD Managing Director
for Turkey, Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia, and invited the
bank to join the modernization project.
"It is a priority for us, specifically because of the construction of
bypass pipelines. Our task is to modernize the system so that gas
deliveries to Europe through our pipelines are the most profitable and
efficient. Cooperation with your bank in the issue is very important for
us," the government press service quoted Azarov as saying.
Descamps responded the EBRD is interested in the project and wants to
know Ukrainian conditions and action plan.
He also said long-term EBRD investments into Ukrainian economy would
give a positive signal to the International Monetary Fund.
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