Putin to address Sochi forum on investments.

SOCHI, September 18 (Itar-Tass) -- Prime Minister Vladimir Putin will
address the International Investment Forum in Sochi on Friday and
businessmen expect him to outline new economic recovery mechanisms that
are to be included into the second package of anti-crisis measures.

Putin will also meet heads of several foreign companies, including
General Electric Chairman and CEO Jeffrey Immelt, Morgan Stanley Chairman
John Mack, and founder and President of Texas Pacific Group Investment
Fund David Bonderman.
The main issues of the Sochi forum include the Russian investment
strategy, preparations for Sochi Winter Olympics in 2014, energy
efficiency and tax reforms.
The global economic crisis decreased the number of forum participants
this year and only 50 out of 84 Russian regions will be represented.
However, the number of foreign participants is expected to rise due to
interest in Olympic projects.
Formula-1 demonstration race and Deep Purple concert will conclude the
first day of the forum.
On Saturday Putin will meet representatives of the International
Olympic Committee who arrived in Sochi to inspect preparations for the
winter games.

.Bulgaria, Russia to discuss energy projects.

SOFIA, September 18 (Itar-Tass) -- Russian Energy Minister Sergei
Shmatko and head of the Rosatom nuclear state corporation Sergei Kiriyenko
will meet Bulgarian Economy and Energy Minister Traicho Traikov on Friday
to discuss three key energy projects - the construction of the nuclear
power plant in Belene, the Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline and the
South Stream gas pipeline.
On the eve of the talks local media reported Russia is going to
propose shared participation in the Belene project after the new Bulgarian
government estimated the costs may rise to 10 billion euro and the state
budget will be unable to cover them. It was proposed either to freeze the
project or decrease the government share to 20 percent.
The Russian Atomstroiexport Company won the tender to build the Belene
NPP in 2006. Vice-President of the company Gennady Tepkin admitted on the
eve of the visit construction had been delayed for 15 months because of
financing problems.
The Burgas-Alexandroupolis pipeline, which is to transport Russian and
Caspian oil from the Bulgarian Black Sea port of Burgas to the Greek
Aegean port of Alexandroupolis, encountered opposition from local
population and authorities who fear environmental polution and resulting
multibillion losses of tourism incomes.
It looks the South Stream project that is to deliver Russian natural
gas to Europe through Bulgaria causes no objections.
Shmatko said all the three projects will develop Bulgaria into a major
energy transportation hub in the Balkans that will provide for the
European energy security.

.Belarus, Russia begin major military exercise.

MINSK, September 18 (Itar-Tass) -- Belarus and Russia will begin major
strategic West-2009 exercise in Belarus on Friday to train preventing
military conflicts.
The Belarussian defense ministry said 12.6 thousand men will be
engaged, including 6.5 thousand Belarussian and 6 thousand Russian
servicemen, as well as 30 Kazakh troops.
Over a hundred aircraft and helicopters, 470 armored vehicles, 228
tanks and 234 artillery pieces and salvo fire systems will be engaged.
The exercise is based "on a possible option of unleashing a military
conflict and on modern views of its prevention, as well as on defensive
actions," the Belarussian defense ministry said.
Chief-of-Staff of the Russian armed forces Nikolai Makarov said "it
will be a very significant exercise by the strength, which we have not
staged for a long time. We have set very big aims for the West-2009
exercise and I am absolutely convinced we shall definitely fulfill them."
The exercise will last at the Obuz-Lesnovsky range near the city of
Baranovichi until September 29.


.Abkhazia to complete major naval exercise Friday.

SUKHUM, September 18 (Itar-Tass) -- Abkhazia will complete a major
naval exercise in the Black Sea on Friday aimed to protect its territorial
waters from Georgia, which has recently seized Abkhazia-bound fuel tanker
and a freighter with metal scrap.
On Thursday Abkhazia's President Sergei Bagapsh attended the exercise
that involves five thousand men and praised the results. The exercise
engaged assault aircraft, helicopter gunships, a tank and a marine
battalion. Fire at "intruding" vessels was opened from howitzers, cannons,
mortars, and Grad salvo fire systems.
The exercise aims "to prevent Georgian arbitrariness at sea", Bagapsh
told reporters.
"Today Georgia targets the sea, as land border has been strengthened
by joint effort of Abkhazian and Russian border guards. The latest piracy
events with the seizure of a tanker with fuel and a ship with metal scrap
continue the line carried out by Georgia against Abkhazia in all the
post-war years. Georgia has to stop piracy, arbitrariness, banditry and
terrorism," Bagapsh said.
"We shall protect our sea and land borders. We have sufficient means
to take adequate measures," the president said.
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