Consumer prices in Ukraine down in July first time this year.

KIEV, August 7 (Itar-Tass) -- Consumer prices in Ukraine last month
were down - for the first time this year, the state statistics board said
on Thursday. According to the agency, July saw a 0.1 percent deflation.

In
the meantime, inflation has reached 8.5 percent since the beginning of the
year.
In July there was a fall in the prices of foods and soft drinks. The
most significant decline was in the prices of vegetables, cheeses, milk
and dairy products, meat and meat products and butter. At the same time
the prices of eggs, sugar, fruit, sunflower seed oil and alcoholic
beverages and tobacco were up.
Housing, water, electricity and gas bills were down after the
government made a decision to cancel orders by the Kiev city authorities
to raise utilities prices in the capital.
In the health service there was a seasonal rise in the prices of
sanitary and health resort services (by 3.2 percent). Transport fares grew
as fuel went more expensive. Personal computers and audio, video and
household appliances are cheaper.
Lasts year consumer prices in Ukraine grew by 22.3 percent, and in
2007, by 16.6 percent. This year the government forecasts an inflation of
9.5 percent, but president Viktor Yushchenko warns the rate will be higher.

.Building costs of Turkey's first NPP may be negotiated by yearend.


ANKARA, August 7 (Itar-Tass) -- Talks on the construction costs of
Turkey's first nuclear power plant may be completed by the end of the
year, the chief of the atomic power corporation Rosatom, Sergei Kiriyenko
told the media.
He said the consortium of Atomstroiexport, Inter RAU UES and Turkey's
Park Teknik company remained the sole participant in the bidding contest
the Turkish government is in talks with over the price issue.
"The talks are being conducted only with us," Kiriyenko said.
According to his expectations, final coordination will require about three
months.
The Rosatom chief sees several factors that may help lower
construction costs. The governments of the two countries may provide ties
loans and even take a stake in the nuclear power plant's capital. Also,
the participating companies may use their own funds. Kiriyenko said the
Turkish partner in the consortium was prepared to invest its own funds
into the project.
At present the project's costs are based on the assumption all funds
will be borrowed from banks at an annual interest rate of 10 percent.
However, the eventual costs may prove smaller, if favorable loans are
available, participants take a share in the charter capital and banks
agree to lend at a lower interest rate.
Kiriyenko said the nuclear power plant project in Turkey was very
important to Rosatom. This is the first case in which the Russian
participant may play the role of not only the contractor, but also that of
a co-owner. Russia is to have a 51-percent stake in the project, and
Turkey, 49. Kiriyenko estimates the repayment period at 25-26 years.

-0-str