JRL E-Mail Newsletter Table of Contents :: Johnson’s Russia List :: 2013-#94 :: 24 May 2013

Johnson’s Russia List :: 2013-#94 :: 24 May 2013
E-Mail: davidjohnson@starpower.net
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POLITICS

1. Reuters: David Rhode, Prosperity without power.
2. Forbes.com: Mark Adomanis, The Intelligence Squared Debate: Masha Gessen Has Some Really Strange Ideas About The 1990’s.
3. Washington Post: Early Putin biography gives insight into dark mood of distrust in president’s inner circle.
4. AFP: Russia plans urgent evacuation of Arctic post as ice melts.
5. Moscow Times/BBC Monitoring: What the Papers Say, May 24, 2013.
6. Interfax: Putin presses Medvedev on implementation of policy decrees.
7. BBC Monitoring: Russian PM Medvedev defends cabinet’s work on implementing 2012 budget.
8. Russia Beyond the Headlines/Kommersant: Experts assess Medvedev Cabinet’s first year in office.
9. www.russiatoday.com: Duma speaker on speculation about govt dismissal: ‘Read between the lines’
10. Moscow Times: Surkov Replaced by Trusty Technocrat. (Sergei Prikhodko)
11. Kommersant: Politicians, Pundits Comment on Prikhodko Appointment as Head of Government Apparatus.
12. Kommersant: New Government Chief of Staff Prikhodko Seen Unlikely To Be ‘Meaningful Player.’ (Dmitriy Butrin)
13. Russia! Magazine: Sean Guillory, Putin’s Bulldogs and Their Bones.
14. RFE/RL: Brian Whitmore, Target: Surkov.
15. Institute of Modern Russia: Tatiana Stanovaya, Three Motives and One Reason. (re Surkov)
16. ITAR-TASS: RUSSIAN PRESS REVIEW. Open Government says it is “alive”
17. Interfax: Some political experts say Amnesty Int’l report on Russia based on opposition evaluations.
18. Interfax: Russian senators dismiss ‘biased’ criticism in Amnesty International report.
19. Moscow Times: Daniel Treisman, Why the Kremlin Hates Levada Center.
20. Interfax: Russian prosecutors claim international NGO Memorial financed from abroad, involved in politics.
21. Reuters: Russia’s oldest rights group fights ‘foreign agent’ tag.
22. Novaya Gazeta: Increasing ‘Repression’ of NGOs Attributed to Over-Broad Interpretation of ‘Political Activity’
23. Reuters: Russia’s leading social network banned by “mistake”
24. The Lumière Reader (New Zealand): Exclusive: Masha Gessen Decides to Leave Russia. (interview)

ECONOMY

25. Interfax: Russia will not have recession in 2013 – official. (Shuvalov)
26. Interfax: No agreement in Russian government over economic growth measures – deputy PM. (Shuvalov)
27. Moscow Times: Putin Says Amnesty Plan for Businessmen Needs Refining.
28. ITAR-TASS: RUSSIAN PRESS REVIEW. Putin not ready yet to announce amnesty for persons convicted of economic crimes.
29. Bloomberg: Leonid Bershidsky, Putin’s Frustration Grows as Russia’s Economy Slumps.

FOREIGN AFFAIRS

30. Valdai Discussion Club: Sergei Karaganov, The Map of the World: Geopolitics Stages a Comeback.
31. BBC Monitoring: Senior Kremlin official stresses need for security guarantees for Russia. (Sergey Ivanov)
32. BBC Monitoring: Russian defence minister lists top security threats, remaining issues with NATO. (Sergey Shoygu)
33. RIA Novosti: Putin, Obama to Meet in June, September – Kremlin.
34. Interfax: Putin letter to Obama focuses on Russia’s stance, not US proposals – diplomat.
35. ITAR-TASS: US, RF prepare to sign new agreement on Nunn-Lugar program.
36. Washington Post: Paul Saunders, Keeping the peace with Russia.
37. Interfax: Russian Foreign Ministry says U.S. State Department’s religious freedom report politicized.
38. Interfax: Russian deputy defence minister says CFE treaty dead.
39. RIA Novosti: Russian Intelligence Agency Warns of Rise in Terror Threat.
40. Interfax: Attempts to westernize Middle East, African states add to tensions – Gen. Sergun.
41. New York Times: Russia Says Syria Will Attend Geneva Peace Talks.
42. Interfax: Presidential vote not to save Syria from collapse – Russian military official.
43. RIA Novosti: Alexey Eremenko, 5 Obstacles to Peace in Syria.
44. ITAR-TASS: Russian reporter presents evidence of use of chemical weaponry by Syrian militants.
45. RIA Novosti: Russia Admits Crimea Consul’s Words Were ‘Incorrect.’