Khloponin to present N Caucasus normalisation prog to presid soon.

VLADIKAVKAZ, April 10 (Itar-Tass) - The programme for lowering tension
and terrorism threat reduction in the North Caucasus will be submitted to
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev soon, the RF president's plenipotentiary
representative in the North Caucasian Federal District Alexander Khloponin
said on Friday.
According to him, a group of experts in the plenipotentiary envoy's
staff is working on the creation of the complex programme. "This programme
envisages the intensification of the fight against terror by law
enforcement agencies. But at the same time it is necessary to enhance
security measures. However, the intensification of the spiritual education
is given a special role in the drafted programme, because we become the
victims of illiteracy and misunderstanding of the four great religions of
the world. The efforts to combat unemployment, especially among the youth,
is also given major attention in the programme," Khloponin said.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said at a meeting on security and
combating terrorism in Makhachkala on April 1 that he expects from the
vice premier and plenipotentiary envoy to the Northern Caucasus, Alexander
Khloponin, "new proposals on programmes, financing, new facilities,
clusters, new jobs."
Khloponin arrived in Vladikavkaz for the opening of the monument to
the "Terror Victims" that was made by well-known sculptor Mikhail
Shemyakin. The monument is installed in the territory of the North
Caucasian Mining and Metallurgical Institute.
"The recent period for Russia, especially for the North Caucasus has
been marked by tragic events. Our great compatriots - artists and
sculptors respond to this tragedy and this becomes a major symbol of
consolidation in the resistance to this madness of the 21st century. So I
came to Vladikavkaz today as Russia's citizen," Khloponin said.
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.RF industry min expects new shipbuilding projects with Finland.

LAHTI (Finland), April 10 (Itar-Tass) - Russian Industry and Trade
Minister Viktor Khristenko expects the appearance of new joint
shipbuilding projects with Finland. The minister is in Finland on a
two-day working visit and on Friday together with Finnish Minister of
Economic Affairs Mauri Pekkarinen he visited the Aker Arctic Technology
shipbuilding company.
Khristenko told Itar-Tass that at present the sides "are holding a
discussion in several formats, we are going through the whole cooperation
chain that embraces the designing, studies, technologies." Khristenko
noted that "in the Soviet period in cooperation with Finland a total of
2,400 vessels were built in our country, Finland has never built so much
for anybody and Russia has not received from anybody this much." According
to the minister the cooperation example in the new history are two unique
icebreakers - the Mikhail Ulyanov and the Kirill Lavrov, one of which has
already been launched. "For them the new history is beginning, but not
ending," Khristenko stressed.
"The regions of the main interest of the customer are high latitudes,
Sakhalin, the Barents Sea," the minister noted. "We have a unique
opportunity to combine the competence and interests for a joint
technological breakthrough in shipbuilding," he added.
Aker Arctic Technology Inc (Aker Arctic, or AARC) was established on
December 30, 2004 and continues as an independent company the operations
of the former Wartsila Ice Model Basin (WIMB, 1969), Wartsila Arctic
Research Centre (WARC, 1983) and Kvaerner Masa-Yards Arctic Technology
Centre (MARC, 1989).
On January 1st, 2005 Aker Arctic (AARC) organised under an independent
company.
The company is running a brand-new facility in Helsinki, the only
privately owned ice model testing facility in the world and is engaged in
the business of research and development services, design and testing of
icebreakers and other ice-going vessels as well as structures for arctic
oil and gas field operations.
In addition to model and full scale testing services, the Company
offers all kinds of consulting, design and engineering services, field
expeditions, training and other technology services associated with
technologies and operations in icy or severely cold conditions. A
portfolio of ice going ships is also available for ship owners and
shipyards.
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.Ukraine Customs Union membership requires serious calculation-PM.

KIEV, April 10 (Itar-Tass) - The issues of Ukraine's membership in the
Customs Union requires serious calculations, the country's Prime Minister
Nikolai Azarov said on the Inter television channel.
According to him, at the first glance, the Customs Union membership is
advantageous for Ukraine, as customs duties on the Ukrainian market are
lower than in the neighbouring countries of the Commonwealth of
Independent States (CIS). As a result it will be more profitable to import
goods to countries of the Customs Union through Ukraine.
"Only today we have joined the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and our
attitude to any proposals is determined by this," Azarov explained. "We
have already entered into a marriage with the WTO, concluded more than 70
bilateral trade agreements. So should we break them now?" he added.
-0-ezh


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