NKorea reports progress with US on six-party talks resumption

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PYONGYANG, December 11 (Itar-Tass) -- North Korea said on Thursday it
reached mutual understanding with the United States regarding the
resumption of six-party talks on denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
The North Korean foreign ministry said in a statement the parties
succeeded to "conciliate" positions on the issue during the visit to
Pyongyang by US special envoy Steven Bosworth on December 8-10.
The official North Korean news agency KCNA said the parties also
"noted the importance of fulfilling the Joint statement of September 19,
2005", which fixed North Korean commitment to "reject all nuclear weapons
and stop all existing nuclear programs" and comply with the Nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty and IAEA security measures.
The North Korean foreign ministry said Bosworth held "a frank exchange
of opinions on a wide range of issues, including the problems of
concluding a peace treaty and normalizing relations between the DPRK and
the United States, the problems of economic and energy cooperation and
Korean Peninsula denuclearization."
"The parties agreed to continue interacting in order to fully
eliminate existing contradictions," the ministry said.
In April Pyongyang withdrew from six-party talks.

.Putin lashes out at officials for Perm fire.

MOSCOW, December 11 (Itar-Tass) -- Prime Minister Vladimir Putin
lashed out at regional officials on Thursday for inaction and neglect of
duties and failure to prevent a fire in a Perm night club that killed over
130 people.
He admitted the situation is similar across the whole of Russia. "We
have to put it bluntly, the situation like in Perm could have happened in
any Russian city," Putin said at a meeting of the government presidium.
He criticized consumer, technical, property and fire supervision
officials and said "the Perm tragedy reflected all the vice of our
bureaucracy - incompetence, corruption," as well as conniving to
violations for bribes from businessmen.
"I wonder where consumer protection officials were who like to explain
their frequent inspections by genuine care for consumers?" he asked. "The
documents say the facility could accommodate fifty people while the actual
typical attendance there was close to 400. The problem was simply
neglected."
"And where were the (technical) services in charge of supervising
buildings?" he went on. "They deliberately signed misleading documents.
Were they unaware of it? No, they were perfectly aware," Putin said.
"And what about the agencies for architectural and construction
supervision? Or the municipal authorities? Why did they close their eyes
on it?" Putin asked.
The owners of the club erected an unsanctioned annex to the building
and violated all norms and rules, "but absolutely no reaction followed
from federal, regional or municipal officials," Putin said and recalled
the regional property agency is located nearby to the night club. "All
other supervising agencies are also located not far away in downtown city."
The prime minister said the club received a permission to operate
although fire safety rules were violated.
"The club where hundreds of people gathered had only one exit while
all windows were tightly immured, although the documents say there were
huge stained glass windows instead. Fire supervisors issued formal
instructions, while permission to operate was issued by a person who was
dismissed by the time. Other officials did not even bother to see what is
happening there (in the club)," Putin said.
"To eliminate (similar) threats systemic decisions are necessary. We
have to analyze the legislation and amend it, if necessary. It is
extremely important to ensure order in controlling agencies," the prime
minister said.
"The problem is not in a lack of powers, as controlling agencies have
enough of them. Simply nobody used the powers. Not a single agency! Not a
single official! I want to stress it," Putin said and instructed all
ministries and departments to check the implementation of their own
controlling and supervising functions. "Let them do it themselves before
the prosecutor comes," he said.
"There should be as many inspections as necessary in places where
threats to the life and health of citizens exist," he said and ordered to
streamline safety norms and technical regulations.

.Putin approves compensations to Perm fire, train crash victims.

MOSCOW, December 11 (Itar-Tass) -- Prime Minister Vladimir Putin
signed a resolution on Thursday that established federal budget
compensations to victims of the fire in a night club in Perm and of the
Nevsky Express train crash.
Families of those killed in Perm will receive 400 thousand rubles
(13.5 thousand US dollars), while those injured - 300 thousand rubles.
Families of those killed in the train crash will get 300 thousand
rubles. Passengers who sustained grave injuries will receive 100 thousand
rubles, and those with medium and light injuries - 50 thousand rubles.

.Two suspected militants killed in Dagestan.

MAKHACHKALA, December 11 (Itar-Tass) -- Two suspected militants were
killed near the Dagestani capital of Makhachkala late on Thursday, police
said.
Police spotted a car without license plates on Makhachkala-Talgi road
and ordered it to stop. However the people inside disobeyed and opened
fire at police.
"During the chase and armed resistance two suspected participants in
illegal armed formations were killed," police said.
Officers found small guns and cartridges in the car. The gunmen are
being identified.
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