Johnson’s Russia List :: 2013-#207 :: Monday, 18 November 2013

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Johnson’s Russia List :: 2013-#207:: 18 November 2013
E-Mail: davidjohnson@starpower.net
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POLITICS

1. Interfax: Almost half of Russian certain of tomorrow – poll.
2. Interfax: Russians still fear terror attacks in big cities – poll.
3. Interfax: Demographic situation in Russia among reasons behind U.S. adoption ban – Astakhov.
4. RIA Novosti: Russia Near Last in Environment Protection Ranking.
5. Vedomosti: Moscow Daily Comments on Results of Poll on People’s Attitudes to Putin’s Political Course. (Andrey Kolesnikov)
6. The New Times: Meaning Behind Putin’s Public Signals Considered.
7. Moscow Times/BBC Monitoring: What the Papers Say, Nov. 18, 2013 .
8. Interfax: Putin to give press conference on December 19.
9. Kommersant: Constitutionalism Conference Participants Discuss Potential Russian Constitution Changes.
10. Interfax: Matviyenko calls for respect of Russian Constitution.
11. Paul Goble: Window on Eurasia: Changing the Russian Constitution Fraught with Dangers, Experts Say.
12. Vedomosti: Putin Staff Leader Ivanov’s Soviet-Style Personnel Selection Proposals Viewed.
13. Nezavisimaya Gazeta: Presidential Staff Leaders Hold Seminar on ‘New General Line’ for Regional Vice Governors.
14. Yezhednevnyy Zhurnal: Russian Commentator Predicts Putin Will Sack Medvedev After Sochi Olympics. (Aleksandr Ryklin)
15. Polikom.ru: Russian Journalist Sceptical About Effectiveness of Officials’ Income Declarations. (Valeriy Vyzhutovich)
16. Nezavisimaya Gazeta editorial: Regime’s ‘Objective’ Ratings Remain Dubious; Ruling Elite Enjoys Trust of Passive Majority Which It Does Not Always Succeed in Mobilizing.
17. Moscow Times: Navalny’s Party Holds Founding Congress for Third Time.
18. ITAR-TASS: Navalny’s election as People’s Alliance leader fuels uncertainty inside opposition.
19. Levada Center: Majority of Russians would not vote for protest leader’s party – poll.
20. BBC Monitoring: TV accuses liberal opposition, journalists of seeking to ‘dismember’ Russia.
21. Interfax: Key human rights group: Russia must ditch ‘foreign agents’ law.
22. Russia Beyond the Headlines: The art of Russian politics. Russia’s top politicians­including Putin­are avid artists, whose paintings and photographs have fetched millions at an annual St. Petersburg charity auction.
23. International New York Times: Russian Oligarch Finds a New Vocation. (Aleksandr Lebedev)
24. BBC Monitoring: Russian State Duma Security Committee Chairman Khinshteyn Admits Extrajudicial Killings Occur.
25. R-Sport: Minister: Russia should have passed anti-gay law after Olympics.
26. Interfax: HIV rate going up in Russia – watchdog.

ECONOMY

27. Financial Times: Opportunities multiply for Russia’s entrepreneurs.
28. Business New Europe: Bank of Finland, Putin says harsher criminal code needed to fight economic crime.
29. Moscow Times: Putin Takes Inputs on Tax Investigation Bill .
30. Interfax: Prosecutors drop charges against Skolkovo Foundation.
31. Gazeta.ru: Academic Sums Up Steps That Could Be Taken to Promote Russia’s Economic Development. (Yakov Mirkin)

FOREIGN AFFAIRS

32. RIA Novosti: Fyodor Lukyanov, Russia: Shifting the Focus from Europe to Asia.
33. Interfax: Syrian opposition’s demand that Assad go is unrealistic – Lavrov.
34. Valdai Discussion Club: Will Geneva 2 Bring Peace to Syria? (a round table Valdai Club experts)
35. www.russiatoday.com: Putin: Now there’s a real chance of solving Iranian nuclear problem.
36. Interfax: Russia Criticizes Statements on Eastern Threats to NATO.
37. Interfax: U.S. Ambassador McFaul sure that Russia, U.S. have more common interests than differences.
38. Interfax: Policy expert pins blame for problems in Russia-U.S. relations on uncertainty. (Fyodor Lukyanov)
39. Nezavisimaya Gazeta: US Urged To Abandon Missile-Defense Deployment in Romania and Poland. (Vladimir Kozin)
40. New York Times: A Russian GPS Using U.S. Soil Stirs Spy Fears.
41. ITAR-TASS: US doesn’t approve deployment of GLONASS ground stations on country’s territory.
42. Moscow Times: Gwen Lighter, Looking for the Reset Button in Afghan Opium Fields
43. RIA Novosti: Russia and Ukraine Reach ‘Compromise’ Gas Payment Deal -­ Kiev.
44. ITAR-TASS: Ukraine will continue buying Russian gas.
45. New York Times: Serge Schmemann, Waiting to See if Ukraine Tilts East or West.
46. Wall Street Journal: Walter Russell Mead, Russia and Europe Vie to Win the Prize of Ukraine. Putin’s grand plan to restore the Russian empire may depend on which way Kiev goes later this month. (DJ: I’m sorry but this is a classic example of careless high-flying “expert” commentary. Sad.)
47. Reuters: Georgian leader vows integration with EU, better ties with Russia.
48. Interfax: Obama congratulates Georgian president elect, has kind word for Saakashvili.
49. New York TImes: Exiting President Reflects on Georgia.