Putin to discuss demographic policy.

MOSCOW, April 23 (Itar-Tass) -- Prime Minister Vladimir Putin will
chair a meeting on Friday to discuss the guidelines of the demographic
policy up to 2015 that are to promote a stable population growth and
increase average longevity to 71 years against current 69.
Putin earlier said the meeting will focus on maternity capital
payments for the second child, the state of domestic health care system,
obligatory medical insurance, and housing construction.
On Tuesday Putin said in parliament that one million 762 thousand
children were born in the country in 2009 which is 50 thousand above the
2008 figure or a 19.2-percent increase. Mortality rate decreased three
percent and child mortality fell 19.2 percent. The number of abortions
dropped 23.1 percent. The average longevity in the country upped from 66
years in 2006 to 69 years.
"We have achieved result which is better than in many other countries
that carry out demographic programs," Putin said.

.Shuvalov to visit AvtoVAZ carmaker.

SAMARA, April 23 (Itar-Tass) -- Russian First Deputy Prime Minister
Igor Shuvalov who is in charge of assisting debt-ridden AvtoVAZ carmaker
will visit the facility on Friday, the press center of the car works said.
This spring the government approved a recovery business plan for
AvtoVAZ worth 184 billion rubles, including 127 billion rubles of own
investments of the enterprise.
The financial situation at the carmaker has been improving of late due
to the program of old car utilization in exchange for new Russia-made cars
with a 50 thousand ruble discount (1700 US dollars).
AvtoVAZ President Igor Komarov said the utilization program can help
the enterprise bring is finances into the black for the first time.
"For the first time in six months the sales volume has increased and
the cash flow is becoming positive," he said.
The car works even reversed its plan to drop the production of cheap
Lada cars and said it would up their output 76.3 percent to 17.6 thousand
units.
Cheap Ladas are in high demand due to the utilization program. The car
maker said it sold 35.8 thousand vehicles in the three weeks of April
against 34.2 thousand in March and 35 percent of April sales or 12.6
thousand Ladas were due to the utilization program. The March figure was
8.4 thousand.
AvtoVAZ plans to produce a total of 45.9 thousand cars in May, which
is 6.8 percent above the April plan.

.High-level Russian delegation to discuss WTO accession.

NEW YORK, April 23 (Itar-Tass) -- A high-level Russian delegation
headed by First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov and comprising Finance
Minister Alexei Kudrin and Economic Development Minister Elvira Nabiullina
will negotiate Russian accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO)
with U.S. counterparts next Tuesday, an official in the delegation told
Tass on Thursday.
The U.S. delegation will comprise "key economic figures in the
administration" - Director of the National Economic Council Larry Summers,
United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk, and senior White House
adviser on Russia Michael McFaul.
"The talks will focus on how to complete the long marathon related to
Russian accession to the WTO," the official said adding "the moment of
truth has come".
"There is a real possibility to resolve the necessary issues with
American partners and close the files on a very limited number of issues
on the agenda," he said.
"We believe the level of (Russian accession) readiness is very high
and our expectations regarding the intentions of American partners are
very positive," the official said adding in case of a favorable situation
"the process of Russian admission to the WTO can be completed by the end
of the year."
The official said the talks will not focus on any Russian concessions,
but will discuss the completion of the initial agenda, including such
issues, as state enterprises, intellectual property situation, subsidies
to agriculture, and some purely technical problems like codification of
electric appliances.

.Kudrin to attend G20, IMF sessions, visit Boeing.

NEW YORK, April 23 (Itar-Tass) -- Russian Finance Minister Alexei
Kudrin will participate in G20 ministerial meeting on Friday and the
weekend spring session of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the
World Bank (WB) during his visit to the United States that will end up
with a trip to Boeing facilities in Seattle.
G20 ministers "will discuss concrete measures of post-crisis tactic
and strategy and certain aspects of reforming pre-crisis institutions," an
official in the Russian government delegation told Tass.
"They will, on the one hand, assess global economic developments and,
on the other hand, design measures to regulate financial institutions that
have to cover the G20 and the whole global community," he added.
As for the IMF and WB session, "the discussion of concrete aspects of
the reform of the institutions and their sphere of responsibility has
reached a mature stage," according to the official. As for WB reform, the
session "will adopt the final decisions and approve the mechanisms of
expanded quotas and votes, and specify the scheme of activities for a
further reform of the Fund."
The official said the final decisions on the IMF reform will be passed
at the autumn session. "The reform process of the Fund shall shift it from
developed to emerging economies. Therefore, the reform shall also envisage
changes in IMF management. Responsibility shall be shared more evenly and
adequately which will increase the level of legitimacy and efficiency of
the structures, as well as their post-crisis potential," the official said
adding the IMF shall be "proactive rather than reactive to the crisis."
On Monday Kudrin will travel to Seattle to visit Boeing facilities.
-0-nec


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