Moscow press review for May 17, 2004
MOSCOW. May 17 (Interfax) - The following is a digest of Moscow newspapers published on May 17. Interfax does not
accept liability for information in these stories. POLITICS & ECONOMICS
Economic Development and Trade Minister German Gref, on a visit to Chechnya Saturday, admitted the federal government
has neglected the need to rebuild the war-torn republic but said the situation there could be easily fixed (Kommersant,
p. 1; Moscow Times, p. 1; Izvestia; Vremya Novostei, p. 1).
The Audit Chamber did not find any criminal wrongdoing in its
audit of the budget of the Chukotka Autonomous District, which is
Saratov region Governor Dmitry Ayatskov is facing charges of abuse of office in an investigation into
misappropriation of regional funds (Vedomosti; Kommersant, p. 3; Moscow Times, p. 3; Izvestia; Vremya Novostei).
governed by billionaire Roman Abramovich (Vedomosti, p. A1).
OIL & GAS
Oil prices rose to new record highs last Friday, with June
U.S. National Security Adviser Condoleeza Rice concluded a three- day visit to Moscow on Sunday during which she
sought Russian support on a new UN Security Council resolution on Iraq (Moscow Times, p. 1; Izvestia; Vremya
Novostei).
Inteko, which is owned by the wife of Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov, revalued its fixed assets in order to improve its
financial indicators. This substantially increased the company's assets and capital, but analysts still view its
debt as risky (Vedomosti, p. B1).
The chairman of AFK Sistema, Vladimir Yevtushenkov, said the
Moscow conglomerate would bid in the auction for a second stake in
The Audit Chamber, in an investigation into Central Bank of Russia spending on transportation of reserve funds, found
an "absence of proper control" over the operations of the Russian Collection Association (Rosinkas) that led
to the loss of CBR assets (Kommersant, p. 14).
futures for light crude reaching $41.56 a barrel on the NYMEX. Analysts and oil industry players, include OPEC
officials, do not expect prices to come down any time soon (Vedomosti, p. A1; Moscow Times, p. 5; Izvestia). RETAIL
& CONSUMER MARKET
The Moscow arbitration court on Friday overturned an Anti-
Monopoly Ministry ruling allowing Austria's Pulp Mill Holding to
Interview: Alexei Nechayev, president of Faberlik (Vedomosti). TELECOMMUNICATIONS, MEDIA & TECHNOLOGY
national telecommunications holding company Svyazinvest, he expects to be held in 2005 (Vedomosti, p. A1).
TRANSPORTATION
The Audit Chamber is proposing that the privately owned Murmansk Shipping Company be stripped of its management
rights to Russia's state ice-breaker fleet, and that a special state company be set up to operator the
ice-breakers. Analysts say the proposal would benefit Norilsk Nickel and Lukoil (Vedomosti, p. B1; Kommersant, p. 13).
AGRICULTURE & FORESTRY
acquire 75% of shares in the Arkhangelsk Pulp-and-paper Mill, in what analysts see as the escalation of the fight for
the mill between Continental Management and the Titan group (Vedomosti, p. B1). [RU ASIA EUROPE EEU EMRG PRESS TIM SHP
MET CRU CEN POL IQ TEL MISC CRIM]
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