.RF average minimum food basket costs RUR 2270,6 late June.

Russia to more actively protect its export on foreign mrkts-Putin.


MAGNITOGORSK, July 25 (Itar-Tass) - Russia intends to more actively
protect its export on foreign markets from restrictive measures, RF Prime
Minister Vladimir Putin said at a meeting on the development of the
national ferrous metallurgy sector on Friday.
"It is necessary to give the most serious attention to the protection
of the national producers on external markets," he noted stressing that
the "national metal products are discriminated in many countries."
According to Putin, many in the crisis conditions call for abandoning
protectionism, but in reality everything looks the other way. "About 30
various restrictive measures are in effect against the export of metal
products from Russia," he noted. "It is necessary to intensify the work of
our state bodies aimed at their abolishment and we will do this," Putin
said. He also called for the prevention of new non-market restrictions.
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.OSCE disappointed by Kyrgyz presidential election.


BISHKEK, July 25 (Itar-Tass) - The Organisation for Security and
Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) is disappointed by the process of the
presidential election in Kyrgyzstan, head of the Election Observation
Mission in Kyrgyzstan from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and
Human Rights Radmila Sekerinska said at a press conference in Bishkek on
Friday.
She said that the election that was held in Kyrgyzstan has,
unfortunately, "failed to demonstrate progress and standards" for which
the OSCE officials hoped. She also noted poor organisation of voting at
half of the polling stations, which OSCE monitors visited, as well as not
very good drawing of the electorate lists.
-0-


.Ingushetia resident suspected of attack on police detained.


NAZRAN, July 25 (Itar-Tass) - Resident of Ingushetia has been detained
in the republic on suspicion of opening fire on police officers, the
Ingush investigation bodies told Itar-Tass. The name of the detained has
not been disclosed in the interests of the investigation.
The investigator say that the young man is suspected of opening fire
on July 23 on police officers that were on a patrolling mission. Police
officers then tried to stop a black car VAZ-2110 that caused suspicion.
However, its driver opened fire on policemen and disappeared from the
crime scene. Two police officers were wounded and rushed to hospital. The
suspect was detained on Friday when he was trying to replace the car's
window glasses.
The suspect is cooperating with the investigation and surrendered his
weapons and ammunition, the republic's investigation bodies said.
-0-


.RF govt to provide aid worth RUR 50 bln to RZD in 2010-Putin.


MAGNITOGORSK, July 25 (Itar-Tass) - The Russian government plans in
2010 to provide aid to the Russian Railways Company (RZD) giving it 50
billion roubles, RF Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Friday at a
meeting on the development of the national ferrous metallurgy.
"Despite any difficulties, 50 billion roubles for support of RZD are
so far itemised in the draft (federal budget) for next year," Putin said.
According to him, this issue was discussed on Thursday at a meeting on the
drafting of the federal budget for 2010-2012.
Putin added that he hoped that these funds will help RZD place orders,
so the country's metallurgists will get the corresponding work volume next
year.
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.EC delegation satisfied with talks with Ukraine PM on gas loan.


KIEV, July 25 (Itar-Tass) - European Commission's delegation is
satisfied with the results of talks it held with Ukrainian Prime Minister
Yulia Timoshenko on the issue of crediting the country's natural gas
sector, a source in the European delegation told Itar-Tass.
"The meeting was constructive, consensus was reached on all items,"
the source said.
A Ukrainian participant in the talks believes that technical
consultations can be regarded as completed. He did not rule out that the
sides would reach agreement next week on specific steps for getting the
loan.
-0-





MOSCOW, July 25 (Itar-Tass) - The cost of the minimum food basket in
Russia in average as of late June reached 2270.6 roubles a month,
increasing by 1.4 percent as compared with May 2009, it is said in a
report of the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade on the state of the
national industrial production and retail trade in the first 6 months of
the year.

The document says that since the beginning of the year, the cost of
the minimum food basket increased by 7.3 percent. The maximal cost was
registered in the Chukotka Autonomous Area - 6471.5 roubles, and the
minimal - in the Tatarstan Republic - 1854.2 roubles.
According to the ministry, among RF federal districts the largest
increase in the minimum food basket cost in June 2009 was registered in
the Central District (2.1 percent) and the smallest - in the Siberian and
Far Eastern Districts (0.6 percent).