Russian President Putin to Attend Interior Ministry Board Meeting Today

Russian President Vladimir Putin overseeing military drills. Russian military forces are preparing for the possibility of further United States backed destabilization efforts in Ukraine., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

Putin to attend Interior Ministry’s board meeting Friday

Russia
March 21, 6:29 UTC+4

He instructed the police to enhance law enforcement at public places and to take a hard line against extremist organizations and provide a prompt response to any manifestations of extremism

Alexey Nikolsky
MOSCOW, March 21. /ITAR-TASS/.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday will attend an enlarged board meeting of the Interior Ministry, which, according to the Kremlin’s press-service will look back on last year’s activities by police and Interior Troops and identify priorities for this year.

The president, who is personally responsible for overseeing the operation of the key law enforcement bodies, is invariably present at annual Interior Ministry board meetings. Last year he urged the Interior Ministry’s senior personnel to step up the quality of detective and investigation work.

Also, he instructed the police to enhance law enforcement at public places and to take a hard line against extremist organizations and provide a prompt response to any manifestations of extremism whoever might be responsible, from rampaging sports fans to nationalist and radical opposition groups.

“Ensuring the security of individuals and society and pro-active struggle against crime are the top priorities,” Putin said.

He emphasized the importance of efforts against organized crime, in particular, trans-national and ethnic groups, as well as white collar crime and urged the police to protect “law abiding businessmen from any criminal encroachments.


Shoigu urges Hagel to objectively assess situation on Ukrainian border

Russia March 20, 23:56 UTC+4
Shoigu urged Hagel "not to whip up tensions”

ITAR-TASS/Dmitry Astahov

MOSCOW, March 20. /ITAR-TASS/.

U.S. Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel called Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu on Thursday, March 20, to discuss the situation in Ukraine.

The minister and the secretary exchanged views on the situation in Crimea and Ukraine and ways to ease tensions in the region.

“Sergei Shoigu stated in detail Russia’s vision of the situation on the Crimean Peninsula in the light of the new realities there,” the Defence Ministry said.

The Russian minister also commented on Hagel’s concerns about the massive build-up of Russian troops on the Ukrainian border.

“In particular, the Russian defence minister drew the attention of his interlocutor to the maximum transparency of our military activity in the regions adjacent to the Ukrainian border. He stressed that as part of their obligations under the Open Skies Treaty and the Vienna Document on Confidence and Security Building Measures of 2011, Ukrainian inspection groups had the opportunity to visit military facilities and make observation flights in the Western and Southern Military Districts. The same opportunity was given to several Western inspection groups.”

“The international inspectors did not notice any undeclared military activities or activities threatening Ukraine’s security,” the Defence Ministry said.

Shoigu urged Hagel to “make an objective assessment of Russia’s military activity in regions adjacent to the Ukrainian border and not to whip up tensions”.

The Treaty on Open Skies entered into force on January 1, 2002, and currently has 34 States Parties. It establishes a programme of unarmed aerial surveillance flights over the entire territory of its participants. The treaty is designed to enhance mutual understanding and confidence by giving all participants, regardless of size, a direct role in gathering information about military forces and activities of concern to them.

The Vienna Document on Confidence and Security-Building Measures and Disarmament in Europe was adopted by the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in November 2011.

It calls for inspections of specific areas and units in order to oversee military activities and make annual assessments of information provided by each member state. The U.S. is a member of the OSCE since 1973, Russia since 1992.


West’s sanctions against Russia leave trade with Japan unhampered

Japan’s Minister of Finance Taro Aso told reporters that “sanctions against Russia have a limited effect on Japan’s economy”

KIMIMASA MAYAMA
TOKYO, March 20. /ITAR-TASS/.

Sanctions against Russia imposed by western countries after the referendum on the accession of Crimea do not hamper trade relations between Tokyo and Moscow, says Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Toshimitsu Motegi.

“To date, we see no negative effect on bilateral trade or on implementation of concrete projects,” he told a news conference on Thursday. “Nevertheless, our government continues to keep a close watch on changes in the international situation.”

Japan’s Minister of Finance Taro Aso told reporters that “sanctions against Russia have a limited effect on Japan’s economy”. “At present, the nature of sanctions seems limited,” he added.

After Russia signed the agreement on accession of the Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol on March 18, Tokyo suspended talks with Moscow on easier visa rules and froze talks on possible conclusion of three treaties - on cooperation in investments, space exploration and prevention of dangerous military activities.

According to Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, in 2013 the Russian-Japanese trade reached a record high of $34.8 billion. Japan actively buys Russian fuel. In particular, Russia accounts for 10% of Japan’s total liquefied natural gas imports.


Threat of Russia’s expulsion from WTO hypothetical — industrial official

The Russian economy would not feel any considerable upheavals if its membership was suspended, says First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Industry

Vladimir Gutenev

Russia’s industry development fund may be created within VEB

MOSCOW, March 20. /ITAR-TASS/.

Russia’s expulsion from the World Trade Organization (WTO) is purely hypothetic, First Deputy President of the Russian Engineering Union, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Industry Vladimir Gutenev said on Thursday commenting on collection of signatures in favor of the initiative launched in the US.

“Our country has a sufficient number of business partners in European Union countries, and they are now even more sympathetic, after Russia demonstrated its capability of asserting its national interests,” said Gutenev.

Furthermore, he said the terms, on which Russia hastily joined the WTO, were not so advantageous, and the Russian economy would not feel any considerable upheavals if its membership was suspended.

Ministers of WTO countries officially adopted Russia as a WTO member on August 22, 2012 after 18-year negotiations. Russian export-oriented companies were supposed to be the first beneficiaries of the accession, among them metallurgical, chemical and energy companies. Previously, barriers in the way of Russian goods to WTO markets had caused more than $2 billion losses.

“Most regrettably, over the 1.5 years that passed since Russia’s accession to the WTO, energy resources and commodities remained our main exports since access to mature markets for Russian goods is still restricted with non-tariff methods. These are both quantitative limitations and special requirements for certification and licensing,” said Gutenev.

In an answer to urges of some Russian politicians for Russia to voluntarily leave the WTO before any sanctions have come into force, Gutenev said Russia should not do that, especially given possible import substitution.

“We should yet master the mechanisms at the disposal of the most developed countries to turn Russia’s WTO membership from a burden into a key to resolution of financial problems and creation of new opportunities,” Gutenev believes.