Putin to hold meeting of govt comsn on regional development.

MOSCOW, June 19 (Itar-Tass) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin
will hold within the framework of a trip to the Siberian Federal District
a meeting of the government commission on regional development, the
government's press service reported.

During the meeting it is planned to discuss the situation in the real
sector of the RF economy, in the financial-banking and social spheres, as
well as issues of the participation of regional power bodies in the
implementation of the government's anti-crisis measures programme for 2009.
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.WCRP to discuss preservation of Russia language space.


LUCERNE (Switzerland), June 19 (Itar-Tass) - Publishers, editors and
journalists of Russian-language printed and electronic media from more
than 50 countries gathered in this Swiss city on Friday where the XI World
Congress of the Russian Press (WCRP) is opening.
The forum participants will have professional discussions on the
preservation and development of Russian-language information space. The
Congress will give major attention to the historical heritage of Russian
culture and its contribution to the world civilisation process.
The "Russian world" outside Russia comprises about 35 million
compatriots on all continents of the planet. In recent years Russia's
contacts with its diaspora abroad have become wider and more diverse.
Russian-language newspapers, magazines, radio stations have the important
mission to secure the rights of compatriots and develop their ties with
Russian culture.
Switzerland that is chosen as the venue of the Congress has played a
special role in the work of many outstanding masters of Russian culture.
Writers Nikolai Gogol, Leo Tolstoy, Vladimir Nabokov worked here on their
books.
The current Congress is the first forum of the second decade in the
history of the World Association of the Russian Press (WARP). It was
created in 1999 on the initiative of Itar-Tass. Since then the association
annually held meetings in the largest centres of the Russian-language
media community. The previous WARP forum was held in Moscow in 2008.
The contribution of the WARP to the development of dialogue among
cultures has been recognised by UNESCO and other international
organisations.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev sent a message of greetings to
participants and guests of the 11th World Congress of the Russian Press,
it is said on the Kremlin website.
The message of greetings reads, in part: "I congratulate you on the
opening of the Congress and wish you success and fruitful work. Your
annual meetings have made a significant contribution to the consolidation
of an information space by bringing the history, culture and modern life
of Russia not only to millions of our compatriots, but also to anyone
interested."
"The World Congress of the Russian Press has played a significant role
in disseminating Russian culture, an integral part of the spiritual
heritage of humankind. It provides a good opportunity to enhance
professional ties, exchange professional experience, and discuss projects
for the creation of new media and an expanding readership," Medvedev noted.
"I am confident that this forum, full of informative presentations and
discussions, will be remembered for your active and open discussion of
issues, ones that are important for both Russian and international media.
It will assist the implementation of measures to support compatriots
abroad and strengthen cultural and educational contacts," the RF president
said in the message.
The World Congress of the Russian Press is an open international
non-governmental independent organisation uniting print and electronic
media, agencies, publishers, editorial offices, TV and radio programmes in
Russian.
The Congress is taking place June 18-20, 2009, in Lucerne
(Switzerland).
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.EU leaders approve Barroso candidature as EC president for 2nd term.

BRUSSELS, June 19 (Itar-Tass) - The EU summit of the heads of state
and government on Friday approved the candidature of the current European
Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso for the second term in office, a
European diplomatic source said here.
Thus the first day of the summit's work ended without surprises - this
outcome was practically predetermined by the elections to the European
Parliament held on June 4-7 at which the conservative centrist European
People's Party (EPP) won of which Barroso is a member.
At the same time the EPP has no qualified majority, so Barroso may
face problems regarding the approval of his candidature by the European
Parliament if the Liberals, the Socialists and the Green vote in a
concerted manner against him. Now Barroso's opponents are trying to get
enough votes in order to block his candidature during its approval in the
European Parliament. European analysts believe that the success of such
attempts is unlikely.
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.CIS Economic Council to discuss transport corridors development.

CHISINAU, June 19 (Itar-Tass) - Issues of the joint development of
international transport corridors, as well as interaction of national
electric power systems and exploitation of electrical lines will be
discussed in the Moldovan capital on Friday by the participants in the
42nd meeting of the Economic Council of the Commonwealth of Independent
States (CIS).
Another issue of the meeting will be the rules of determining the
country of origin of goods within the framework of the Commonwealth,
Itar-Tass was told at the republic's government.
Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov, CIS Executive
Secretary Sergei Lebedev, Azerbaijani First Vice Prime Minister Yagub
Yeyubov, Armenian Vice Premier and Minister of Territorial Management
Armen Gevorkyan, Belarusian Vice Prime Minister Vasily Sokovich, Ukrainian
Economics Minister Bogdan Danilishin are expected to take part in the
meeting. Moldovan First Vice Prime Minister and Minister of the Economy
and Trade Igor Dodon will chair the meeting.
The meeting participants also plan to discuss the fulfilment of
earlier adopted documents, in particular, the plan of the most important
measures aimed at raising efficiency of interaction among CIS member
states in the economic sphere in 2003-2010, the concept of the
interregional and cross-border cooperation of the Commonwealth countries.
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