Medvedev to pay first state visit to Switzerland next week.

MOSCOW, September 18 (Itar-Tass) -- President Dmitry Medvedev will pay
the first state visit to Switzerland next week to promote political and
economic ties and to mark the 210th anniversary of the legendary crossing
of the Alps by Russian troops under the command of Alexander Suvorov.

Kremlin foreign policy aide Sergei Prikhodko said several bilateral
agreements will be signed on the sidelines of Medvedev's visit, including
on simplified visa regime and readmission and on cooperation between the
emergency and sport departments and economic associations.
According to Prikhodko, bilateral turnover grew in the past years
until the economic crisis interfered. It upped from 6.3 billion dollars in
2003 to 15.3 billion in 2007, but fell 20.1 percent in 2008 against 2007
and comprised 12.2 billion dollars. In the first half of 2009 the trade
turnover continued to decline and comprised 41.2 percent against the same
period of 2008.
Swiss investments into the Russian economy comprised 3.9 billion
dollars, while accrued Russian investments into Switzerland totaled 2.8
billion dollars in 2008.
In the political sphere "Russian and Swiss assessments of most global
and regional problems considerably coincide, which creates a good basis
for cooperation of the two countries in the framework of international
organizations. Both our countries abide by the principle of the rule of
international law and the leading UN role in promoting peace and security
and proceed from the necessity of building a multi-polar world order,"
Prikhodko said.
He said Medvedev was likely to thank Switzerland for mediating ties
with Georgia after Tbilisi severed diplomatic relations with Russia
following the war in South Ossetia last year.
"Thanks to the good services of Switzerland we have a possibility to
resolve problems of our compatriots in Georgia and of numerous Georgian
Diaspora in Russia," Prikhodko said.
Medvedev will tour much of Switzerland during the visit. He will
arrive in Zurich and will travel by car to Bassersdorf, from where he will
take a train to Bern. He will stop over in Kersatz, six kilometers south
of the capital city, for an official welcome ceremony. He will have a
working dinner with Swiss President Hans-Rudolf Merz there. Official
bilateral talks will follow in Bern.
Later on Monday Medvedev will meet representatives of Russian and
Swiss business circles.
On Tuesday Medvedev will meet IOC President Jacques Rogge to discuss
preparations for Sochi Winter Olympics in 2014.
The Russian president will than travel to Andermatt in the Alps where
jointly with his Swiss counterpart will participate in celebrations
devoted to Suvorov's crossing of the Alps in 1799. When Suvorov battled
his way through the snow-capped Alps during the Italian campaign his army
was checked but never defeated. For this marvel of strategic retreat
Suvorov became the fourth generalissimo of Russia.
Medvedev will then travel to Fluelen on Luzerne Lake to embark on a
ship and sail to Brunnen to visit the historic mueum of Switzerland.
Late on Tuesday the Russian president will depart for the United
States.


.New Moldovan leader denies anti-Russian trend.

CHISINAU, September 18 (Itar-Tass) -- Moldova's acting president Mihai
Ghimpu allowed visa-free travel with Romania from Friday, nominated a
Western-leaning politician as prime minister, and denied media claims he
was an anti-Russian politician and a supporter of Moldovan unification
with Romania.
"Good relations with Romania do not have to mean bad relations with
Russia," Ghimpu told a news briefing on Thursday.
"I heard numerous speculations about my past and my participation in
the National Front of Moldova. I can say the following: those who read
(Russian writers) Pushkin, Turgenev, Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky cannot be
anti-Russian," he said.
"We want to cooperate and develop relations with everyone. We want
Moldova and Russia to respect each other's rights and cooperate," Ghimpu
said and promised the upcoming CIS summit in Chisinau will be held at a
proper level.
On Thursday Ghimpu appointed as premier Vlad Filat, a 40-year-old
businessman and leader of the Liberal Democrats. He now has 15 days to
form the government.

.Ukraine's president, premier clash over privatization.

KIEV, September 18 (Itar-Tass) -- Ukrainian President Viktor
Yushchenko and Prime Minister Yulia Timoshenko clashed again on Thursday
this time over privatization of a production facility in the Black Sea
port of Odessa.
Yushchenko decreed to suspend the privatization of Odessa Port Plant
(OPZ) that produces ammonia and carbamide saying the sale of the
enterprise in the absence of a proper state privatization program "does
not meet national security interests" and cannot guarantee the economic
security of Ukraine.
Timoshenko responded the privatization of the enterprise will take
place as scheduled on September 29.
"The privatization will take place as scheduled and no one will impede
it," she said, adding the government decision to sell OPZ "cannot be
vetoed, cancelled, stopped or suspended."
The Ukrainian State Property Fund said this week 13 bids to buy fully
state-owned OPZ had been submitted by September 14 deadline. The Fund
plans to sell 99.5 percent of OPZ stock and the stating price is four
billion hrivnas (500 million US dollars). The tender is scheduled for
September 29.
-0-nec