.Manned flight to Mars to follow mission to Moon in 2032 - official.

MOSCOW, December 30 (Itar-Tass) - A manned flight to Mars will take
place after a mission to the Moon, director of the Roskosmos aerospace
agency Anatoly Perminov stated on Wednesday.

"I'm sure man will fly to Mars, but development of the Moon would
precede it. I cannot name the precise date, but there is the year 2032 in
the program," Perminov told Voice of Russia radio.
The European Space Agency, the Untied States and Russia consider
various objectives in their space exploration programs. "I know that the
ESA believes a mission to Mars is more expedient; for the USA, it's a
mission to the Moon, while Russia is now working more on the Moon than on
Mars," Perminov said.
A mission to the Moon and to the Mars are envisioned by the documents
the Russian government approved in 2007-2008.


.Russian govt promises additional allowances for medics in 2010.

MOSCOW, December 31 (Itar-Tass) - The Russian government envisions
more allowances to doctors, nurses, paramedics and ambulance personnel in
2010, Russian Minister of Public Health and Social Development Tatyana
Golikova said at a government meeting on Wednesday.
"Budget 2010 allocates 144.4 billion roubles for the implementation of
the national project in the field of health care," Golikova said, adding
that "special attention will be paid to the support of the so-called
"district service."
The relevant resolutions have already been submitted to the Cabinet,
according to which "district service" allowances for doctors and nurses
will make up, respectively, 10,000 roubles and 5,000 roubles.
Paramedics and obstetric centers staff are entitled to 6,000 roubles
and 3,000 roubles, respectively. The budget earmarks 30 billion roubles
for this purpose next year.
In all, some 160,300 doctors and nurses are entitled to such payments,
up 6 percent compared with 2009. The payments of 6,000 and 3,000 roubles
will be delivered to over 140,000 ambulance- and medical and obstetric
centers personnel.


.Russian, Abkhazian leaders exchange New Year greetings.

SUKHUM, December 31 (Itar-Tass) - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev
sent his New Year greetings to Abkhazian leader Sergei Bagapsh.
The head of the Russian state noted that the "joint efforts made in
the outgoing year contributed to further strengthening of the Republic of
Abkhazia as an independent democratic state."
"We succeeded in maintaining security and stability in the region, and
ensuring peaceful life of the Abkhazian people.
"The re-election of Sergei Bagapsh to the post of president shows the
effectiveness and productivity of the course he pursues," Medvedev said in
his message.
He expressed confidence that Russian-Abkhazian relations will continue
to develop consistently in the political, socio-economic, and
cultural-humanitarians fields.
Medvedev wished Bagapsh robust health, happiness and welfare, and
peace and prosperity to the Abkhazian people.
Earlier, Sergei Bagapsh sent his New Year and Christmas greetings to
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.
Bagapsh said "the outgoing year was rich in important events in
Russian-Abkhazian relations."
"In elaboration of the friendship and cooperation treaty between the
Russian Federation and the Republic of Abkhazia, a number of bilateral
agreements in vital spheres were drawn and signed. I'm sure the next year
will be as successful, and we'll certainly do everything to make it such,"
Bagapsh said.
In his message to Vladimir Putin, the Abkhazian leader noted that "the
sides have succeeded in reaching a number of significant accords, which
enabled them to considerably improve the situation in the vital spheres of
the reviving Abkhazian state."


.Saakashvili brought country to catastrophe - Opposition leader.

TBILISI, December 31 (Itar-Tass) - Georgian Opposition leader Nino
Burdzhanadze said "Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili's policy has
brought the country to catastrophe."
"The Opposition parties continue an active peaceful struggle to oust
Saakashvili and secure early presidential and parliamentary elections,"
Burdzhanadze told the Tbilisi-based Kavkasia television company on
Wednesday evening.
"We should not allow the establishment of authoritarianism in Georgia;
we'll continue active peaceful efforts toward Saakashvili's resignation,"
she underlined.
In her opinion, the destruction of the Military Glory monument in
Kutaisi was an insult to the memory of the hundreds of thousands of
Georgians who fell during World War II.
"Georgia's pubic and the whole civilized world are indignant at the
destruction of the monument in Kutaisi. It was not just a monument to
warriors, but also an outstanding work of Georgian art," Burdzhanadze
added.
-0-myz