Russia 110224 Basic Political Developments

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Dhaka, Moscow on the verge of N-power deal

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=175321
M Abul Kalam Azad

Almost two years after initiating the process, Bangladesh and Russia are set to finalise a draft agreement on setting up two 1000 megawatt nuclear power plants in Rooppur.

“The two countries are contemplating on some aspects of the draft which is going to be signed soon,” State Minister for Science and Information and Communication Technology Yeafesh Osman told The Daily Star yesterday.

This would be the last step before the two sides strike a final deal at the end of April during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's visit to Moscow, he added.

A five-member team, headed by Deputy Director of Rosatom Nikolai Spasskiy, arrived in Dhaka yesterday to initial the draft agreement following a meeting with the ICT state minister.

The prime minister will discuss the progress of the project with her senior colleagues and the experts on March 2.

The estimated cost of a 1000MW nuclear power plant ranges between $1.5 billion and $2 billion, ministry sources said.

Yeafesh noted that Russia committed to arrange finance for the two plants.

According to experts, installation of a unit will take at least five years after signing of the final accord.

The government acquired 260 acres of land for the Rooppur Nuclear Power Project which was conceived in early 1960s.

Feasibility studies found the project to be technically and economically viable. International Atomic Energy Agency also gave Bangladesh the go-ahead.

Security aspect of these plants poses a major concern for Bangladesh as these use highly radioactive nuclear fuel. It could not be stored just anywhere without the risk of groundwater contamination or environmental degradation.

The risk factor has been curtailed as Russia has agreed to take away the spent fuel instead of storing them here, mentioned the state minister.

In an attempt to solve country's nagging power crisis the present government started talks with different countries including Russia, France and China to set up nuclear power plants.

Following fruitful talks, Russia struck a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on May 13, 2009 in Dhaka to pave the way for setting up the plants.

As per the understanding, Russia will supply Bangladesh with nuclear materials and provide services in the field of nuclear fuel cycle in accordance with national legislations of the two states and international treaties to which both Bangladesh and Russia are parties.

The MoU also includes terms for cooperation in education, training, updating skills of administrative, scientific and technical persons and radioactive waste management.

The two countries moved further ahead when they signed a protocol deal in October 2009 in Moscow on peaceful usage of atomic energy.

Norway to strengthen military cooperation with Russia

http://www.barentsobserver.com/norway-to-strengthen-military-cooperation-with-russia.4889180-116320.html
2011-02-23

Norway wants stronger military cooperation with Russia, says Minister of Defense Grete Faremo.

- Norway and Russia have good bilateral connections and we face the same challenges in the North, Faremo said after a meeting with Head of the Russian General Staff Army General Nikolay Makarov last week.

Faremo underlined that it is in both countries’ interest to cooperate closely, keep the area stable, protect the environment, keep the fisheries on a sustainable level and take care of other natural resources, the Ministry’s web site reads.

Norwegian and Russian forces will be involved in several joint activities in 2011. The most important is the naval exercise POMOR-2011, which takes place in the Barents- and Norwegian Seas in the period May 7-17.

Norway will also be sending The Royal Guards to take part in the annual military tattoo on the Red Square in Moscow in September, Faremo said.

POMOR-2011starts at the Russian Northern fleet’s main base Severomorsk and ends in Tromsø in northern Norway. Norwegian and Russian forces will train on complex situations, ranging from voyages and communications to joint shooting, boarding operations and interactions with aircrafts, Lieutenant Colonel John Espen Lien, spokesman with the Norwegian Joint Headquarters told the BarentsObserver.

Text: Trude Pettersen

24 February 2011 - 08H05  
Georgia police foil attack by Russian-backed gang

http://www.france24.com/en/20110224-georgia-police-foil-attack-russian-backed-gang

AFP - Georgian police said Thursday they had foiled an attack by a Russian-backed gang after uncovering two unexploded bombs outside a private television station.

The two devices were found late Wednesday outside Imedi TV -- a national station that caused panic last March by airing a spoof newscast announcing a Russian invasion.

The interior ministry said the explosives had been placed by a gang of suspects arrested over the past three months for allegedly staging a series of blasts last year near targets including the US embassy and Tbilisi's main railway station, killing one person.

Experts defused the latest bombs, it said.

The ministry said the gang had carried out its "terrorist campaign" under orders from a Russian officer.

Political tensions have remained high between Georgia's pro-Western government and the Kremlin since they fought a brief war in 2008.

A delegation of the Federal Customs Service of Russia will visit Abkhazia

http://eng.expertclub.ge/portal/cnid__7761/alias__Expertclub/lang__en/tabid__2546/default.aspx

24/02/2011 11:25
On March 22nd Abkhazia will be visited by a delegation of the Federal Customs Service of Russia led by its head Andrey Belyaninov. This was reported by the Abkhazian media.

"A meeting in Sukhumi is scheduled with representatives of the customs committee where issues of realization of the interstate agreement on cooperation in the customs sphere will be discussed. Situation on the border and construction of a new bridge on the River Psou will be also discussed" – reports the Abkhazian media.

Azerbaijan intends to start demarcation of borders with Russia in 2nd half of 2011

http://abc.az/eng/news_24_02_2011_51873.html

Baku, Fineko/abc.az. The State Committee for Land & Cartography of Azerbaijan intends to begin demarcation of borders with Russia in the second half of the year.

The Committee informs the documents on delimitation have been already submitted for ratification in the parliaments of Azerbaijan and Russia.

"After delimitation documents are ratified, the process of demarcation of state borders will commence presumably in the 2nd half of 2011," a Committee’s source said.

The length of the state border between Azerbaijan and Russia is 390 km. The delimitation agreement was signed in Baku last September.