.Ukraine ready to offer Kerch Strait guarantees to Russia.

KIEV, December 31 (Itar-Tass) - Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pyotr
Poroshenko said Ukraine is ready to offer Russia state guarantees of
unhindered passage of the Russian vessels through the Kerch Strait, which
will "expedite the process of demarcation of the state border in the area."

"A meeting of the Ukrainian -Russian commission just ended; it noted
headway for the first time this year. We've returned to the negotiating
process. New approaches have been suggested, based on the accords reached
on October 23 (at the meeting of the Russian and Ukrainian foreign
ministers," Poroshenko told a news conference on Wednesday.
He expressed confidence that "as of today, Russia accepted Ukraine's
position."
"We should transfer to the process of demarcation of the Kerch Strait,
accepting the Russian proposals on ensuring unhindered passage of Russian
ships, and granting them the indefinite right to use the Kerch Strait.
That is, we 're ready to offer state guarantees of unhindered use of the
Kerch Strait by Russian vessels and begin the process of demarcation of
the Kerch Strait," the Ukrainian diplomat said.
In his opinion, Ukraine and Russia are also close to accords on
demarcation in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. The issue of demarcation
on land has been settled, the relevant accords have been signed and
initialed, but cannot be implemented because of Moscow's position.
Russia insists that demarcation on land and on sea are inseparable.
"Our position is that the non-demarcated border is a source of
smuggling and danger for the two states. People have died on the
non-demarcated border recently, and I believe Russia is accepting these
arguments, and the necessity to step up the demarcation process,"
Poroshenko said.


.Investing in science is crucial despite crisis - view.

MOSCOW, December 31 (Itar-Tass) - Advisor to the presidium of the
Russian Academy of Sciences (RAN) Mikhail Ugryumov said investments in
science are crucial, and should not decrease despite the crisis.
"Despite the crisis, a number of countries have considerably increased
their allocations for science, technologies and education. In the United
States, they've grown from 2 percent to 3 percent of the Gross Domestic
Product, in Germany -- to 4 percent while in Finland, they've increased
even more," Ugryumov told Itar-Tass.
"It is being done in order to come out of the crisis with new
technologies and new competitive products. In Russia, the funding of
science before the crisis reached slightly more than 1 percent of the GDP,
and now this figure (1.2 percent) will decrease further.
"Those who boost the funding of science during the crisis, do so in
order to pull out of it with new technologies and new competitive
products. They forestall, in order to take the leading positions on the
new, changed market.
"However, Russia has cut investments in science. This shows at the
level of the RAN, whose budget has been decreasing, and at the level of
state foundations: they, too, have cut funding," he went on to say.
As a result, if one compares the funding of the RAN with the funding
of similar foreign organizations, one RAN researcher has ten times less
funds compared with his colleagues aboard, and, consequently, one such
researcher in Russia would account for fewer R&D products.
The scientist warned that as a result, RAN's competitiveness as the
leading research organization will fall to an even greater extent, and a
new wave of "brain drain" will begin.
"This will affect young researchers in the first place: at a certain
stage, we'll find ourselves unable to afford new equipment or chemical
agents, or offer adequate remuneration. This is the pessimistic side of
the mater. But there is a optimistic one.
Recently, President Dmitry Medvedev met with the RAN leadership. A
preliminary consent was given at the meeting that funds and a certain
amount of housing would be allocated for young RAN scientists. It is very
important because it one of the cures for "brain drain."
From the scientific point of view, said the neurophysiologist, who
heads laboratories at two RAN institutes, the landmark event in RAN
history this year is the session of RAN's general meeting on the theme
"Brain: Fundamental and Applied Problems."
It took place in December. "It's becoming a priority not only because
it is necessary to cognize the highest psychic functions, and mechanisms
at the molecular-cellular level. It is important because the brain
diseases will be coming to the first place among the causes of death
within the next 12 years," Ugryumov said.
That is why the session was of tremendous significance. It is unique
in itself. According to the scientist, it showed achievements in the field
of human brain studies and determined that certain directions of study
were quite competitive at the world level.
Russian scientists called for drawing a federal program on human brain
studies and developing new technologies of diagnostics and treatments with
the participation of all the interested agencies.
In addition, the academician believes that it is "necessary to set up
large centers of collective use, which would amass the modern brain study
methods."
-0-myz