Norway, Russia have big potential for economic cooperation -- minister.

OSLO, April 8 (Itar-Tass) -- Norway and Russia have a big potential
for developing close economic cooperation, Norwegian Minister of Trade and
Industry Trond Giske said.
"Norway and Russia have already established vast economic ties. The
export of our products shows high indicators, especially Norwegian seafood
for which Russia and the European Union are the main markets," the
minister said in an exclusive interview with Itar-Tass ahead of the
upcoming session of the inter-governmental commission on economic
industrial, scientific and technical cooperation to be held in Moscow on
Thursday.
"Russian import in Norway plays an increasingly growing role,
primarily resources such as aluminium, steel and wood," he said.
"One of the main purposes of the trip to Moscow is to discuss how we
can encourage more Norwegian companies to move to Russia and, which is
equally important, how to attract Russian business into Norway," the
minister said, adding tat his country would like to see more entrepreneurs
from Russia.
"Their number is not as big as we would like. For Norwegian business,
a key factor for moving to foreign markets is a predictable and stable
situation. In my opinion, the absolute majority of Norwegian companies
that have moved to Russia have worked out long-term plans and wish to
contribute to the economic growth of your country," Giske said.
"Norway and Russia have a tremendous potential for close economic
cooperation, especially in such a sphere as energy, where positive
experience has already been acquired in the oil and gas sector. This
industry can be expanded further in such fields to improve energy
efficiency, increase research activities, solve environmental problems,
and use alternative sources of energy," he said.
"Clearly, the financial crisis did not bypass Norwegian-Russian trade
relations. Trade turnover in 2009 decreased by 40 percent" to 12 billion
kroner (two billion U.S. dollars) the minister said.
"This is why it is so important now to find out during the Moscow
meeting how to overcome this decline. Norway is seriously interested in
the Arctic dimension, and both Norway and Russia are working to simplify
the border regime. This can facilitate considerably the movement of labour
in the border-lying regions and give a boost to economic development in
northern areas," Giske said.

.Kyrgyz opposition leader Isakov freed from prison.

BISHKEK, April 8 (Itar-Tass) -- Kyrgyz opposition leader, former
defence minister and Security Council secretary, General Ismail Isakov was
freed from prison on Wednesday evening.
Isakov's lawyer Azimbek Beknazarov said the prison administration
released the politician without balking after protesters and opposition
supporters had come to the prison complex.
After release, Isakov headed to television to appear on the ElTr
channel.
Earlier this year, Isakov was sentenced to eight years for illegal
transfer of a government-issued flat to his son. The general said it was
political persecution.
Meanwhile, protesters broke into the government headquarters in
Bishkek on Wednesday evening, the KABAR news agency reported.
It said "the protesters went on the rampage in the building" and no
officials were seen inside.
Unidentified persons plundered three houses owned by Kyrgyz President
Kurmanbek Bakiyev's family in Bishkek and set them on fire.
Meanwhile, Bakiyev has left Bishkek, the capital of the country, and
moved to Osh. The defence minister has arrived with him, KABAR said.

.Ukraine's Constitutional Court to give verdict on parliament
coalition.

KIEV, April 8 (Itar-Tass) -- A key question in Ukraine's political
life - whether the country will have early parliamentary elections or not
- will be resolved on Thursday after the Constitutional Court has
announced its verdict regarding the legitimacy of the parliamentary
coalition.
The verdict will lay the foundation for the new system of power in the
country after the presidential election.
Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich did not hide the fact that he
"would very much like to see a positive decision of the court", which will
bring "stability to the country".
If the court makes "a negative decision, I will obey it and we will
call early parliamentary elections", the president said.
In early March, the Verkhovna Rada changed its regulations to allow a
coalition to be created not only by factions but also by individual
deputies. As a result, the "Stability and Reforms" coalition was formed on
March 11 by the Party of Regions, the Communist Party, the Vladimir Litvin
Bloc, and several deputies from other factions.
The coalition has since grown from 235 members to 240. The parliament
speaker says its membership may increase to 260 deputies by summer.
Immediately after the formation of the coalition, two appeals were
filed with the Constitutional Court. One was filed by a group of deputies
from the Party of Regions, and the other one by the Yulia Timoshenko Bloc.
Both asked the court to examine the "legal purity" of the coalition.
-0-zak/


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