Aeroflot to get its first Superjet 100 in November.

MOSCOW, October 2 (Itar-Tass) - Russia's Aeroflot plans to get its
first Sukhoi Superjet 100 in November, the air carrier's director-general,
Vitaly Savelyev, told reporters on Thursday.

"As soon as Sukhoi Civil Aircraft company gives us this jet, we will
take it at once. Under the plan this will be this year's November," he
said.
Superjet 100 regional plane developed by state-run business Sukhoi, in
conjunction with Western partners including US giant Boeing, will replace
Russia's Tu-134 planes.
Aeroflot and Armenia's Armavia will get the first two regional jets.
Aeroflot ordered 30 such planes.
At present, Sukhoi Civil Aircraft has 122 firm orders for Superjet 100.


.Lithuania makes attempts to revive ideological confrontation - FM.

MOSCOW, October 2 (Itar-Tass) - The decision of Lithuania's parliament
to toughen responsibility for non-recognition of the Soviet occupation is
a targeted campaign to revive ideological confrontation, Russian Foreign
Ministry spokesman Andrei Nesterenko said on Thursday.
The Baltic republic's parliament adopted in the first reading an
amendment to the criminal code on stronger responsibility for
non-recognition of the Soviet occupation and crimes of the Soviet and Nazi
regimes.
"The talk is about a goal-oriented campaign," Nesterenko said. "Our
position remains unchanged. We hope that the feeling of historical justice
will take the upper hand in Lithuania's parliament."
"All this unpleasant fuss takes place against the backdrop of
statements by Lithuania's new authorities on their readiness to build good
neighbourly and pragmatic relations with Russia," the spokesman said.



.Latvia ignores EU Parliament's naturalization recommendations.

RIGA, October 2 (Itar-Tass) - Latvia does not fulfill the European
Parliament's recommendations to promote the process of naturalization
among national minorities, For Human Rights in United Latvia, the
Russian-speaking opposition party, said in a message to European
Parliament President Jerzy Buzek, who is on the official visit to the
Baltic Republic.
Back in 2004 the European Parliament called on the Lithuanian
authorities to promote the naturalization process and grant citizenship to
non-citizens, mainly ethnic Russians, through a language test, with
minimum language requirements for old people, the party's press service
told Itar-Tass.
Moreover, the European Parliament recommended the authorities of the
Baltic republic to overcome the existing schism in the society and
consider an opportunity to grant non-citizens, who reside in Latvia for
many years, the right to vote at local elections.
In 2009 the pace of the naturalization process tumbled seven-fold as
against 2004. The number of applications for naturalization from people
aged above 61 years reduced ten-fold.
Moreover, since July 2008 the number of professions that require a
good knowledge of Latvian increased twenty-five-fold, while the share of
unemployed among national minorities is by 30 percent higher than that
among Latvians.



.Duma ready to adopt anti-bullying law.

MOSCOW, October 2 (Itar-Tass) - The State Duma will consider at its
autumn session a draft law to fight harassment and bullying in Russia's
army, the head of the defence committee, Viktor Zavarzin, told reporters.
Under the law contract servicemen will be dismissed from service for
committing intentional crimes and if bullying claims against them are
confirmed.
"Of course, this law will have a favourable impact on moral and
psychological atmosphere in the army," he said.
"At present, the number of bullying allegations slightly reduces,
which proves that the situation gradually changes for the better. However,
we cannot state that in the future there will be no cases of harassment
and bullying in Russia's army," Zavarzin said.


Lavrov begins visit to Abkhazia to boost interstate cooperation.


MOSCOW, October 2 (Itar-Tass) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov
begins a two-day visit to Abkhazia on Friday to step up interstate
cooperation and discuss how to ensure security in Sukhum.
Lavrov will meet with Abkhazian President Sergei Bagapsh and Foreign
Minister Sergei Shamba.
"They will discuss how to further develop friendly relations between
the two countries, establish a full-format interstate cooperation and
provide assistance to Abkhazia in ensuring security. High on the talks'
agenda will be also cooperation in international affairs and training of
diplomatic staff for the republic," a Foreign Ministry official said on
Friday.