Russian press review, 04.12.06

The Russian newspapers have a look on the new strategy of the “United Russia” party having majority in the Russian Parliament, on the Russia-Azerbaijan’s gas&oil trade co-cooperation and on the new special police instruction.

The Russian newspaper “Vedomosti”  says the ruling United Russia party has adopted a new program called “The Party Strategy” at its recent congress. The daily writes the document suggests the party should not only lead the Russian parliament but also run the country's economy. “United Russia” plans to get think tanks to work it out for them at the cost of a third of the party's budget for next year. The paper’s experts say the project makes the government redundant.
 
 
The Moscow’s “Rossiyskaya Gateza” daily interviewed Sergey Chemezov, the General Director of the  Rosoboronexport arms trading company. He's been elected to the supreme council of the United Russia party at its congress. He told the paper that a future Russia will need two strategic partners – the arms industry and science – and the state's prosperity will depend on how they interact.
 
 
“Gazeta” daily says Azerbaijan may stop pumping oil through the Baku-Novorossiysk oil pipeline and re-route its oil to other destinations, if Russia increases its gas price for Azerbaijan to $230. The daily quotes a Russian energy expert as saying that Russia’s arm-twisting policy against politically-friendly Azerbaijan is counterproductive and will soon lead to the emergence of a more independent oil supplier.

The Moscow’s “Nezavisimaya Gazeta” daily quoting the Japanese daily “Tokyo Shimbun” claims that source in the Russian government says there are plans to import uranium from North Korea so it can be re-sold to China and Vietnam after enrichment. “Nezavisimaya gazeta” says the secret talks between Moscow and Pyongyang may isolate Russia from the six-party talks and will anger China.

“Novye Izvestia” daily writes that unreported crime is one of Russia’s major problems. Recently, says the daily, the Russian interior minister issued a special instruction – to oblige the police to register all calls from the public reporting an alleged crime.  However, the paper says, law enforcement agencies believe the problem can be solved only if the whole Interior Ministry system is changed and is brought under greater public control. 
 
The “Moskovsky Komsomolets” daily gives a new explanation to Russia’s demographic problems. The daily quotes demographers and sociologists saying that destruction of traditional Russian values and ideals has made life meaningless for most people. This, the paper says, is a much stronger cause behind the falling birthrate rather then low incomes and housing shortages.