US, RF agree to step up WTO negotiating process-Shuvalov.

WASHINGTON, April 28 (Itar-Tass) - The United States and Russia have agreed to step up the process of negotiations about terms for Russia's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO), RF First Vice-Premier Igor Shuvalov told journalists here on Tuesday at the close of talks on the subject.

A Russian inter-agency delegation, including the Ministers of Finance
and Economic Development, participated in the talks.
Shuvalov said the sides had fixed a time-table for further work,
including the use of videoconferences. "If necessary, we shall report
(results of work) to the Head of Government and the President," he pointed
out.
Shuvalov said the Russian side does everything possible to complete
the work by the forthcoming visit of the Russian Head of State to the USA.

.Progress spacecraft to bring bioreactor, eqt, food to ISS.

MOSCOW, April 28 (Itar-Tass) - This year's second Russian cargo
spacecraft Progress is to blast off from the Baikonur cosmodrome on
Wednesday on its way to the International Space Station (ISS).
A Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) official has told Itar-Tass, "The
liftoff of the Progress M-05M spacecraft from the Baikonur's Gagarin
launch site is scheduled for 21:10, Moscow time (on Wednesday)".
The spacecraft is to deliver more than 2.5 tonnes of various supplies
to the ISS. Apart from standard cargoes, such as fuel and equipment,
oxygen, water, garments, books, and foodstuffs for the crew, the
spacecraft will bring a bioreactor and a container with suspension for the
conduct of the biological experiment Cascade, new detectors for the
Russian ball-shaped phantom Matryoshka, and a case with tools for the
assembly of a new Russian module MIM-1 which is to be brought to orbit by
the US space shuttle Atlantis in mid-May.
The Progress M-05M is to moor by the docking module Pier at 22:35,
Moscow time, on May 1.

.Presidents themselves to decide how to join WTO-Shuvalov.

WASHINGTON, April 28 (Itar-Tass) - A decision as to whether to join
the World Trade Organization (WTO) together or separately will be decided
by the presidents of the three member-countries of the Customs Union (CU)
-- Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan, Russia's First Vice-Premier Igor
Shuvalov told Itar-Tass on Tuesday in response to a question. He said a
final choice might be made in July.
"For the time being, we adhere to a firm position that we shall seek
WTO membership on equal terms and simultaneously," said the First
Vice-Premier who led a Russian inter-agency delegation at talks on WTO
here. "If the presidents decide otherwise, then we shall act in accordance
with another scenario".
On Tuesday, Western media circulated Shuvalov's pronouncement that
Russia had decided to join the WTO independently, without partners for the
CU. However, the First Vice-Premier does not see contradiction in that.
"Can we join (the WTO) separately?" he queried. "Yes, we can. If this
would be of real benefit to all the CU member-countries."
Certainly, this subject was also raised at the official talks in the
US. "We presented the entire package of CU-related documents translated
into English," the Russian delegation leader said. "We reaffirmed that and
we are prepared to continue to uphold the position that the CU is based on
the norms and principles of the WTO," he added.
A common economic space being shaped by the three neighboring
countries is based on these same principles, the First Vice-Premier said.
"It must be realized now that this is not just Russia's market. This is a
CU market" encompassing almost 200 million users, Shuvalov said.

.Foxconn begins to assemble PCs in St Pete under HP order.

ST PETERSBURG, April 28 (Itar-Tass) - The Taiwanese Foxconn Company,
one of the leaders in world electronics, inauguarates a hi-tech production
plant here on Wednesday for the assembly of personal computers under an
order placed by the Hewlett-Packard Company, an official in the city
committee for economic development, industrial policy and trade (Kerppit)
has told Itar-Tass.
Sergei Fiveisky, First Deputy Chairman of the Kerppit, who is in
charge of the project for the city government, emphasizes that the launch
of the new production, despite a substantial decline in the sale of
electronics in Russia, reaffirms long-term plans of foreign investors and
their interest in doing business in this city. He said a successful
development of the enterprise would make it possible to launch new
projects for the production of electronics, components and research in
this respect.

.Handelsblatt conf to deal with RF econ development, coop'n.

BERLIN, April 28 (Itar-Tass) - Prospects for the development of the
economy of the Russian Federation (RF) and German-Russian cooperation will
be at the center of attention at a regular conference, organized by the
business newspaper Handelsblatt here, and opening here on Wednesday.
German government officials, members of the German business community,
the managers of big banks, and economic experts from various branches of
industry will take part in the conference.
They will discuss such subjects as the basic orientations of the
modernization policy in Russia, the ensurance of legal security, and
investment climate in the RF.
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