Eritrea says no use fighting Somali pirates with warships.

ASMARA, November 27 (Itar-Tass) -- President of Eritrea Isaias
Afewerki believes it is impossible to rout Somali pirates with warships
and the problem can be resolved only by restoring independent Somali state.

"It is impossible to resolve the situation by warships. It is like
treating malaria with aspirin tablets. Cardinal assistance is necessary to
restore independent Somali state," he told Tass in an interview on
Thursday.
Afewerki said the current situation in Somalia undermines peace and
stability in the region. He does not recognize the transitional Somali
government, as "it does not represent a majority of the people".
The country got split into self-proclaimed territories - Puntland,
Somaliland, the areas around Chisimayu and Baidoa, which are not
controlled by Mogadishu authorities.
"This situation triggered the dangerous phenomenon of piracy that
worries the world community," Afewerki said.
As for normalization of relations with neighboring Ethiopia, Afewerki
said it is impeded by the occupation of Eritrean territories by Ethiopian
armed forces. "It is the only painstaking moment that impedes the
development of cooperation between our brotherly peoples. We need each
other," he said.
"Russia can positively influence restoration of peace and cooperation
in the Horn of Africa as its is a permanent member of the UN Security
Council and due to its long-standing relations with the countries of the
region," the president said.
A monument to great Russian poet Alexander Pushkin will be unveiled in
the Eritrean capital shortly. Afewerki described it as "an important event
in the cultural life of the country and in bilateral relations."
Eritrea does not claim any kinship with the ancestors of the great
Russian poet, but displays interest in its own history and respect to the
Russian culture, he said.
Pushkin's great-grandfather Abram Gannibal (1696 - 1781) was born in
Lagon, Eritrea and was a page raised by Tzar Peter the Great.
Eritrea won independence in 1993 and Afewerki said his main task is to
build up the Eritrean nation. "After half a century fight for freedom the
people deserve to have modern road network, efficient education system,
access to water, energy and other resources," he said.


.Kasatonov lays Admiral Kasatonov frigate keel.

ST. PETERBURG, November 27 (Itar-Tass) -- Russian Admiral Igor
Kasatonov on Thursday participated in the laying of the keel of a
new-generation frigate named after his father Admiral Vladimir Kasatonov.
Admiral Kasatonov frigate of the 22350 project will be the second
warship of the class to be built at the Northern Shipyards. The lead
frigate of the class is Admiral Gorshkov, which is being built at the same
shipyards and is to join the Russian navy in 2011. Admiral Kasatonov is to
follow in 2012.
"The Russian Navy is beginning to form the group of ocean forces based
on new-generation frigates," Igor Kasatonov said.
The new frigate is designed for combat in close and off-shore maritime
zones, as well as in open ocean. It has a displacement of 4.5 thousand
tons and a navigation range of over four thousand nautical miles.


.Russia to float first frigate for India Friday.

KALININGRAD, November 27 (Itar-Tass) -- The Yantar (Amber) shipyards
in the Baltic enclave of Kaliningrad will on Friday float the first of the
three missile frigates built for the Indian navy.
"That is an important and symbolic date. It is the birthday of the
warship, as it gets into its natural waters," shipyards spokesman Sergei
Mikhailov told Tass.
He said the warship is 60 percent ready and the main equipment and
armaments are already onboard.
The first of the three frigates was named Teg by Indian President
Pratibha Patil. The second and the third ones are Tarkash and Trikand.
Teg construction began in June 2007 and the warship will be handed
over to India in 2011. The cost of the three frigates is estimated at 1.5
billion dollars.
Teg has a displacement of 4035 tons, a navigation range of 4500
nautical miles, sea endurance of 30 days, and a crew of 180.

.Russian "street racer" charged in Switzerland- report.

GENEVA, November 27 (Itar-Tass) -- The Russian "street racer", who
provoked a car crash in Switzerland, in which an elderly man was badly
injured, was charged with inflicting bodily harm, traffic rules violation
and driving without license, Tribune de Geneve newspaper said on Friday.
It said Judge Vincent Fournier filed the charges on Thursday against
the 22-year old Russian who reportedly speeded in a Lamborghini together
with three Russians in other sport cars. The newspaper identified him only
as B, but Russian media reported he was student Ziya Babayev.
The newspaper did not specify the punishment he may face if found
guilty. It said he confessed of being drunk and losing control over the
Lamborghini. However, he denied any street racing with other Russians.
But Swiss police believe the other three Russians may be involved in
the incident, which Tribune de Geneve described as , as
they all drove sport cars along Geneva-Lausanne highway - Mercedes
McLaren, Bugatti Veyron, and Porsche Cayenne Turbo.

.Nikkei falls 2% Friday.

TOKYO, November 27 (Itar-Tass) -- Japan's key Nikkei stock index
opened nearly 2 percent lower Friday, Kyodo News reported saying yen's
rapid advance against the U.S. dollar and euro hurt Japanese exporters and
citing concerns about debt issues in Dubai.
It said in the first 15 minutes of trading the 225-issue Nikkei Stock
Average lost 163.36 points, or 1.74 percent, from Thursday to 9,219.88,
dipping briefly into the 9,100 level for the first time since July 14. The
broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock
Exchange was down 11.72 points, or 1.41 percent, to 817.84. The Second
Section also lost ground.
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