Russia
Lifestyle
Happy New Year
Ten days that put
A Business
Associate Report from
The Economic Times
the whole country
In Association with
Rossiyskaya Gazeta
India in a festive mood
● MUMBAI
● NEW DELHI
DECEMBER 29, 2007 REPORT
P.8
...Marching towards
a common future
A move away The man with
from crude the plan
Future energy exports President Putin has
will concentrate on re- got the nation’s
fined products future mapped out
P. 3 P.5
Who is Mister
Medvedev?
The nomination of First pointed first deputy mayor.
Deputy Prime Minister From 1990 to 1999,
Dmitry Medvedev as the Medvedev was also assistant
presidential candidate of professor of civil law at
four major Russian Leningrad State University and
political parties has made had a private practice.
headlines in Russia . He worked in business, in
Vladimir Putin announced 1990 co-founding Uran, a
his support of this small state-controlled compa-
candidacy . Analysts say ny, and in 1994 established the
the presidential hopeful Balfort civil law consultancy
has a high chance of with his former school col-
winning, given the backing leagues. In the autumn of
from the current head of 1999, Medvedev was appoint-
state and the pro-Kremlin ed Deputy Chief of Staff of the
United Russia, which federal government. Vladimir
garnered more than 64% Putin was then Prime Minister.
of the votes in the latest On December 31, 1999, Putin
State Duma election on became acting President. The
December 2. same day he appointed
Medvedev deputy chief of the
ILYA AZAR / GAZETA.RU
presidential executive office.
MOSCOW
In February and March 2000,
Medvedev headed Putin’s elec-
Dmitry Medvedev owes his tion staff, helping him to win
political career to Vladimir convincingly in the presidential
Putin. For most of their 17- election.
year acquaintance, the Presi-
dent has been his boss, in St CONTINUED ON PAGE 5
Petersburg town hall, the
federal government and the
Kremlin.
Just like Putin, Medvedev
was born in Leningrad, now
St. Petersburg (on Septem-
ber 14, 1965), and graduated
from the law department of
Leningrad State University.
Their paths crossed in 1990,
when they were both work-
ing for Leningrad Mayor
Anatoly Sobchak.
Medvedev worked
with Putin on
Sobchak’s team
until 1996,
when the may-
The white stork, symbol of jury selected 12 works for the New Delhi. Russia will be the guest of bilateral partnership, from or lost the
luck, has been chosen as the short list. Nikolai Kiselev, 24, an The programme includes honour at the 18th New Del- meetings of politicians and election to
White
emblem for the 2008 Year of artist from Novosibirsk, won. 150 events, including exhibi- hi Book Fair on February 2- businesspeople and numer- Vladimir
Russia in India. The logo, rep- “Storks spend the winter in tions, conferences, and meet- 10. The Year’s programme ous economic programmes Yakovlev. He
Stork
resenting the bird against a India to fly to Russia for the ings of businessmen, re- also envisages Moscow Days to cultural and athletic served as a
background of ribbons in the warm season. These birds of searchers and youth activists. in New Delhi, St Petersburg events, youth meetings, NGO legal expert
Brings
colours of the two national passage build air bridges be- The Festival of Russian Cul- Days in Mumbai, Tatarstan summits, festivals and on the may-
flags, will appear at all Russ- tween the two countries,” said ture will hold 30 concerts, art Republic Days in Andhra shows. There will be round- or’s commit-
tee for for-
the Year
ian-Indian events throughout Anzhelika Zhukova, CEO of exhibitions and other events in Pradesh, Samara Region tables, conferences, live tele-
the year. IMA Dialogue and contest or- New Delhi and other major In- Days in Karnataka and simi- vision broadcasts, radio link- eign rela-
The stork won an open con- ganiser. dian cities. In February a dele- lar events promoting con- ups and folk festivals. - tions, headed
of Russia
test, in which more than 100 The Year of Russia will start gation representing the Russ- tacts between sister cities by Putin, and
Russian, Belarusian and early in February with an open- ian business community will at- across the country. More about the events of later became an
to India
Ukrainian artists entered 300 ing ceremony and gala concert tend the second Indian-Russian The Year of Russia in India the Year of Russia in India adviser to Putin
sketches between them. The in Purana Qila (the Old Fort) in trade and investment forum. will embrace all aspects of on page 7 when he was ap-
ARKADYKOLYBALOV_RG
In the Candidate's Own Words
Investors sense political
Mikhail Semyonov, manag-
ing director of Alliance Conti-
Co-operation
On politics
I don’t think Russia should
nental Ltd, a recently estab-
I still don’t like that term [sov-
oppose America. This may
stability in Russia
lished asset management
AFK Sistema aims to
ereign democracy]. I still be-
seem obvious, but Russia’s
company, said: "Money tradi-
lieve that any full-fledged
role in the international com-
tionally flows not only into
become the Pan-Indian
democracy must be based on
munity depends on its eco-
Russia, but also into many
operator. Read Sergey
state sovereignty. But as a
nomic might and a healthy
The inflow of resources into According to U.S.-based litical situation in Russia will other emerging markets in
Cheremin’s interview lawyer, I consider it excessive
political system. If we ensure
funds that invest in Russia Emerging Portfolio Fund Re- be stable for the near future." December and the first two
to over-emphasize one particu-
both elements, Russia will
and the CIS has grown search, inflows into funds in- The October events
weeks of January."
More on page 6
lar sign of full-fledged democ-
play an increasingly active
dramatically since President vesting in Russia and the CIS showed that political stabili-
However this year the flow racy: the supremacy of the au-
role in the world [from a
Vladimir Putin announced
amounted to $267.7 million ty is one of the main reasons of funds into Russia is consid- thorities at home, and inde-
speech to the 59th World
his support for First Deputy
between December 5 and 12. for investing in the Russian erably higher than into India pendence abroad [to Vedo-
Newspaper Congress in
Prime Minister Dmitry
This is considerably more stock market. During the ($116.93 million) or Brazil mosti newspaper, July 5,
Moscow, June 6, 2006].
Medvedev as a presidential
than in the last two weeks of week following Putin's agree- ($181.28 million). China re-
candidate.
November ($54 million and ment to head the election list mains the leader ($611.08 Friendship
2007].
On economic policy
I don’t think that state cor-
$23 million respectively). of the pro-Kremlin United million), but Russia has On relations with
porations are more efficient
NAILYA ASKER-ZADE /
Experts say that dwindling Russia party, inflow into the surged ahead of it in terms of
Read Vladimir Grigoriev’s
the West than private corporations. On
KOMMERSANT
political risks are among the above funds amounted to investment pace.
Russia is part of Europe and the contrary, I hold the oppo-
MOSCOW main reasons for the in- $140 million, or more than Ovanes Oganisyan, strate-
interview to know all
European civilization. This site point of view. But there
creased financial inflow into double the inflow over the gic analyst with Renaissance
about the upcoming 18th
does not mean that we should are certain sectors of the
Experts believe that political Russia. Yaroslav Lissovolik, previous month ($65 million). Capital, said: "In terms of
New Delhi World Book forget about other partners; economy where state-owned
stability will propel Russia to chief economist at Deutsche One more factor, apart percentage, the inflow into
Fair. Will you be there?
Russia must look in all the di- companies are essential, es-
second place after China in Bank, said: "The nomination from Medvedev's nomination, Russia is higher than into rections [from a speech at the pecially for Russia
terms of foreign investment of Dmitry Medvedev con- is the traditional yearend China, 4.01% and 1.75%
in emerging markets.
More on page 7
59th World Newspaper Con- [to Vedomosti newspaper,
vinced investors that the po- growth of investment. respectively." - gress, June 6, 2006]. July 5, 2007].
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