01 February 2004 16:34
RUSSIA: POTANIN SEEKS MERGER OF BUSINESS GROUPS
Vladimir Potanin, head of the Interros holding company, on 29 January wrote to Russian Union of Industrialists and
Entrepreneurs (RSPP) President Arkadii Volskii calling for a merger of three prominent organizations that represent
business interests, "Izvestiya" and "Kommersant-Daily" reported on 30 January. Potanin wants the
RSPP to merge with Support of Russia, an association of small and medium-sized businesses, and with Business Russia,
which represents both medium-sized and large companies. The RSPP board, which includes the leaders of the other two
groups, will consider Potanin's suggestion on 11 February. "Kommersant-Daily" quoted senior members of
Business Russia as welcoming the idea, as long as the organizations are equally represented in the new union. In the
Russian business community, the RSPP is informally known as the "oligarchs' union," and the other
organizations are widely viewed as groups promoted by political authorities as a counterweight to the RSPP. LB Copyright
(c) 2004. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
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