Ukraine's parliamentary delegation visits Minsk.

MINSK, June 29 (Itar-Tass) - Ukraine's parliamentary delegation led by
speaker Vladimir Litvin will arrive in Minsk on Monday to discuss stronger
interparliamentary cooperation with Belarus.
"At the invitation of Belarus' National Assembly the Ukrainian
parliamentary delegation will visit our country on June 29-30 to expand
bilateral interparliamentary cooperation," the press service of the
Belarussian parliament's upper house told Itar-Tass.
Parliamentarians will discuss the state of interparliamentary
relations, prospects for deeper trade and economic relations between the
two countries as well as other issues of mutual interest.
Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko is expected to meet with
the Ukrainian parliamentary speaker.
The Ukrainian delegation will also hold talks with the Gomel region
administration.


.Turkmen leader begins his first visit to Jordan.

ASHGABAT, June 29 (Itar-Tass) - Turkmen President Gurbanguly
Berdymukhamedov on Monday begins his first official visit to Jordan, where
he will mark his 52nd birthday.
"At a new turn of their development Turkmenistan and Jordan are
effectively building a civilized interstate dialogue which is based on a
powerful potential of economies and cultures," the governmental press
service said.
The agreements reached by the Turkmen president and King Abdullah II
of Jordan led the groundwork for an interstate dialogue.
The two leaders met twice last year - in Astana in early July to mark
the tenth anniversary of Kazakhstan's capital and in August during
Abdullah II's visit to Turkmenistan. In Ashgabat they agreed to open the
two countries' embassies and boost large-scale trade and economic
relations.
According to the press service, Berdymukhamedov's visit to Jordan will
help to establish effective business contacts and exchange experience in
such key areas of cooperation as the fuel and energy complex, trade and
economy, agriculture, transport, communications, industry, construction
and high technologies. No less important is humanitarian cooperation that
is like a bridge of friendship and understanding between the two fraternal
nations.


.Yushchenko urges investigation in PM's concealment activity.

KIEV, June 29 (Itar-Tass) - Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko on
Sunday instructed the prosecutor general's office to urgently investigate
concealment of real macroeconomic indexes by the government of Prime
Minister Yulia Timoshenko.
In an interview with the Inter TV Channel on Sunday, the president
said at present, the prosecutor's office is analysing the prime minister's
relevant decrees.
"I am confident that this is a wrong, illegal and non-democratic
policy. The nation should know what is going on in the country. We have
such a recession that unfortunately neither economy has," he said adding
that Naftogaz's debt in January-May increased more than "over the past 17
years put together."
"We see problems in the metallurgy and chemical industry, where all
plants stand idle. These plants will not operate buying gas for 360 U.S.
dollars per 1,000 cubic meters. They will never be competitive,"
Yushchenko said.


.Anti-monopoly service looks into retail price formation.

MOSCOW, June 29 (Itar-Tass) - Russia's federal antimonopoly service
begins a special investigation into the formation of retail prices for
certain commodities at trading networks, FAS deputy chief Andrei
Kashevarov said.
"We found out that at present, sauces, for instance, can be supplied
to some trading networks only through four resellers who use a 45-percent
markup. All this looks like a conspiracy," he told the Vesti Nedeli (News
of the Week) TV program.
FAS "created an algorithm to investigate the issue," Kashevarov said.
"If this is proved, we will institute criminal cases," he said.


.Russians can go to Argentina without visas.


BUENOS AIRES, June 29 (Itar-Tass) - Russian citizens will be able to
go to Argentina without visas soon after the relevant intergovernmental
agreement enters into force on June 29, an official at the Russian
consular office in Buenos Aires told Itar-Tass.
The relevant agreement was signed by the two countries' foreign
ministers in March.
In compliance with the agreement citizens of Russia and Argentina, who
have valid passports, may enter, transit and stay on the territory of the
relevant countries for no more than 90 days out of a 180-day period
starting from the first entry.
Those who intend to stay in Argentina or Russia for more than 90 days
or to work on the territory of these countries should get a visa in
compliance with the relevant legislations.
Argentina's Foreign Minister Jorge Taiana said the cancellation of
visas "proves the two countries' wish and readiness to boost relations."
The agreement on visa-free rules is "a new step in practical dimension
that will help to strengthen contacts between the two countries' business
people, boost tourism and cultural exchanges," he said.

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