November 20, 2009 16:00
Friday
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BARVIKHA, MOSCOW REGION. Dmitry Medvedev met with German Vice Chancellor and Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle.
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The President and Germany’s new foreign minister discussed Russian-German relations’ current state and future prospects, a number of bilateral projects, in particular the Nord Stream gas pipeline project, and topical international issues.
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November 20, 2009 15:00
Friday
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MOSCOW. Dmitry Medvedev and his spouse congratulated Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia on his 63rd birthday.
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The President wished the Patriarch good health and spiritual strength. Mr Medvedev presented Patriarch Kirill with a painting depicting the New Jerusalem Monastery. The President and the Patriarch head the Board of Trustees of the Charity Fund for Reconstruction of the Voskresensky New Jerusalem Stauropegial Friary Monastery of the Russian Orthodox Church.
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November 20, 2009 14:00
Friday
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THE KREMLIN, MOSCOW. Dmitry Medvedev met with transport ministers from 24 countries.
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The ministers were in Moscow to take part in the International Transport Forum Transport of Russia: Establishment, Development and Prospects.
Opening the meeting, the President outlined Russia’s transport development priorities, which include making road traffic safe and convenient, addressing environmental issues, and creating a barrier-free transport environment for people with disabilities. Mr Medvedev also spoke about objectives such as developing the North-South and West-East corridors and cross-polar routes, and improving criminal legislation in order to more effectively combat piracy at sea.
The President said it was essential to coordinate efforts not just to carry out international transport projects but also to address the domestic problems various countries face.
Along with transport ministers, the heads of international transport organisations also attended the meeting.
The International Transport Forum Transport of Russia: Establishment, Development and Prospects is taking place in Moscow from November 19 to 21, and is timed to coincide with the 200th anniversary of the founding of Russia’s transport agency.
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November 19, 2009 16:40
Thursday
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ANNOUNCEMENT. President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev will make a working visit to Russia on November 24, 2009, at the invitation of Dmitry Medvedev.
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Dmitry Medvedev and Ilham Aliyev will take part in a ceremony renaming a square in the city of Ulyanovsk after Heydar Aliyev [ex-President of Azerbaijan and father of current President].
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November 19, 2009 15:30
Thursday
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THE KREMLIN, MOSCOW. Dmitry Medvedev had a meeting with the leadership of the United Russia political party.
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Lists of candidates for senior executive office in the Republic of Daghestan and Kursk Region were discussed at the meeting.
United Russia’s initiative to amend a presidential draft law on territorial jurisdiction in terrorism-related criminal cases was also examined.
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November 19, 2009 13:30
Thursday
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MOSCOW. Dmitry Medvedev took part in the First Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety.
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In his speech, the President proposed coordinating international efforts in this field just as the international community is currently working together to overcome the global economic crisis. Dmitry Medvedev advocated developing immediate and joint measures to better ensure road safety.
Mr Medvedev said that Russia supports the UN initiative to declare the decade to come that of action to ensure road safety.
The main topic of the conference is the causes of road traffic accidents and the prevention of associated injuries.
According to statistics, every year more than a million people are killed in car accidents around the world.
In Russia the rate of accidents remains very high despite a decline in the number of accidents, fatalities and related injuries. In 2009, about 168,000 traffic accidents occurred on Russian roads killing 21,300 people and injuring 212,500 others.
The conference features around 1,500 participants from 150 countries, 20 public and 80 non-governmental organisations.
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November 19, 2009 00:05
Thursday
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MARIBOR, SLOVENIA. Dmitry Medvedev had a short working meeting with President of Slovenia Danilo Turk.
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Bilateral relations, including cooperation in the energy sector, were the subject of discussion.
The meeting took place during a break in a football match between Russia and Slovenia.
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November 18, 2009 19:00
Wednesday
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Dmitry Medvedev met with King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden.
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The meeting took place at the royal palace in the centre of Stockholm.
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November 18, 2009 18:00
Wednesday
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Dmitry Medvedev instructed the Government to examine the issues related to protection of intellectual activity results.
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The President instructed Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to examine the issues related to improving the effectiveness of protection of intellectual activity results used on the Internet in Russia, and to submit corresponding suggestions.
These issues are being dealt with by the Government Commission for Counteracting Intellectual Property Infringements.
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November 18, 2009 17:00
Wednesday
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STOCKHOLM. Dmitry Medvedev took part in the 24th EU-Russia summit.
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The summit discussed current international political issues and Russia’s cooperation with European countries as part of broad-ranging dialogue in the political, trade, economic, and humanitarian spheres.
Major energy projects, energy cooperation issues and Europe’s energy security were also on the agenda. Normal life and activity in Europe are simply unimaginable without reaching agreement on these issues, Mr Medvedev said at the news conference following the summit.
The President noted the good progress made of late on big energy projects, in particular the Nord Stream project to build a pipeline via the Baltic Sea, which has already obtained the go-ahead from Denmark, Sweden and Finland, and also the South Stream project.
On the subject of Russian-EU relations following the Lisbon Treaty’s entry into force, Mr Medvedev said he was confident that relations would not change in any significant way and stressed that Russia and the European Union are friendly and inevitable partners. The President said that Russia not only seeks to develop the best possible relations with the EU but will also work on strengthening ties with individual European countries.
During the summit, Mr Medvedev, President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso, and Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt presided over the signing of a number of agreements on cooperation between border regions: Kolarctic, Karelia, Southeast Finland-Russia, Latvia-Estonia-Russia, and Lithuania-Poland-Russia.
Mr Medvedev and the EU leaders held a joint news conference following the summit.
The President also met the same day with members of the EU-Russia Industrialists’ Round Table.
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November 18, 2009 12:00
Wednesday
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STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN. Dmitry Medvedev met with Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt.
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The talks followed on from discussions begun the previous evening, during which Mr Medvedev and Mr Reinfeldt discussed bilateral cooperation in various areas and a number of international issues, including cooperation between Russia and the European Union, Middle East peace settlement, and the situation in Iran and Afghanistan.
Mr Medvedev and Mr Reinfeldt made press statements following the talks.
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November 18, 2009 11:00
Wednesday
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Dmitry Medvedev sent his greetings to delegates at the eighth plenary session of the Sino-Russian Committee for Friendship, Peace and Development.
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The President’s message said, in part:
“The committee has shown itself over the years to be an effective mechanism for promoting fruitful humanitarian dialogue between Russia and China and facilitating direct contact between our peoples. You make an important contribution to giving our relations a broader-based public foundation and strengthening the traditions of friendship, good-neighbourliness and mutually beneficial cooperation.
I am sure that the decisions that come out of this session will help us to successfully implement our bilateral agreements, build up our business ties and cultural and inter-regional exchanges, and expand cooperation between our youth and veterans’ organisations.
I wish you interesting discussions and new successes.”
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November 18, 2009 10:30
Wednesday
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Dmitry Medvedev signed the Order On the National Memorial of Military Glory.
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Under the order, the memorial ensemble comprising the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier monument, the blocks containing soil from the hero-cities, and the memorial signs to the hero-cities in the Alexander Garden beside the Kremlin walls in Moscow is given the status of National Memorial of Military Glory.
A memorial sign will be installed at the site in the run-up to the 65th anniversary of victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945.
The National Memorial of Military Glory will be included on the state register of especially valuable cultural heritage sites of the peoples of the Russian Federation.
In December 1966, in a ceremony commemorating the 25th anniversary of the defeat of Hitler’s troops at the approaches to Moscow, the remains of the Unknown Soldier were relocated from the site of fierce battles to the Kremlin Wall in the Alexander Garden. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier memorial ensemble was opened on May 8, 1967, and the Eternal Flame of Glory was lit the same day.
To the memorial’s right, arranged in a row on a foundation running alongside the Kremlin wall, are stone blocks beneath which are urns containing soil from the hero cities of Leningrad, Kiev, Minsk, Stalingrad, Sevastopol, Odessa, Kerch, Novorossiysk, Murmansk, the Brest Fortress, Tula and Smolensk.
A Presidential Order of December 12, 1997, established the honour guard at the Eternal Flame.
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November 17, 2009 21:50
Tuesday
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Dmitry Medvedev signed an order releasing Mikhail Lesin from his duties as presidential adviser at his request.
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November 17, 2009 18:30
Tuesday
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GORKI, MOSCOW REGION. Dmitry Medvedev had a working meeting with Governor of Kamchatka Territory Alexei Kuzmitsky.
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The social and economic development of the region, labour market conditions and salaries at commercial enterprises were among the issues discussed.
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November 17, 2009 17:00
Tuesday
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GORKI, MOSCOW REGION. Dmitry Medvedev had a working meeting with Minister of Justice Alexander Konovalov.
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At the meeting issues associated with the diversification of criminal punishment in light of the Presidential Address to the Federal Assembly (Parliament) were discussed.
According to Alexander Konovalov, the Ministry has prepared a package of bills which, inter alia, will remove certain crimes from the Criminal Code and make them administrative matters. The Ministry also proposes to expand the range of crimes for which reformatory or compulsory labour can be used as intermediate form of punishment, between imprisonment and a suspended sentence.
The Minister stressed that the aim is not the liberalisation but the diversification of punishment. Alexander Konovalov said that for a number of crimes – juvenile offences, those that threaten life and health, those committed by organised groups - the punishments may well be made more severe.
Dmitry Medvedev noted that in the short term the requisite documents need to be prepared, and he himself will submit them to the State Duma.
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November 17, 2009 16:30
Tuesday
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GORKI, MOSCOW REGION. Dmitry Medvedev met with the Board of Trustees of the Charity Fund for Reconstruction of the Voskresensky New Jerusalem Stauropegial Friary Monastery of the Russian Orthodox Church.
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The President noted that the pace of the reconstruction suggests that the monastery will be restored as planned, by the end of 2016.
According to Dmitry Medvedev, the work is unprecedented, because the place of the monastery in Russia's history and the history of orthodoxy is unique. The President stressed that this is why the Fund was set up to be co-chaired by the Patriarch and Russia’s President.
The monastery was founded in 1656 by Patriarch Nikon. According to his plan, the monastery was to become the centre of the Orthodox world. Some of the buildings in the monastery complex mimic the form of those in Jerusalem.
In 1919 the monastery was closed and declared a historical and artistic monument of national importance. The New Jerusalem Museum was established on the site.
In December 1941, the area was the scene of fierce fighting in the battle for Moscow. During three weeks of Nazi occupation the museum was plundered, its tower and bell tower destroyed, and the cathedral significantly damaged. Information about the devastation of New Jerusalem appeared in the Nuremberg trials.
Restoration of the monastery began in the 1950s. In 1994 the process of turning over the monastery buildings to the Russian Orthodox Church began.
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November 17, 2009 10:00
Tuesday
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Dmitry Medvedev sent his greetings to 7th international forum Russian Gas-2009 participants.
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The telegram reads, in part:
“Your regular forum brings together leading experts and representatives of major energy companies from Russia, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. And this is why your forum's recommendations carry great importance for the development of international cooperation in the gas sector.
This year, the problem of global energy security holds centre stage. To resolve this problem effectively, we must create a new, modern international legal framework, increase mutually beneficial exchanges of assets and high-tech, and improve transit corridors. Such steps will contribute to consolidating the interests of all participants in the energy market as well as make it more stable and predictable.”
The forum will be attended by representatives from 30 different countries, 133 Russian and 41 foreign entities including energy, oil and gas companies.
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November 16, 2009 15:55
Monday
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Dmitry Medvedev expressed his condolences at the death of His Holiness Patriarch Pavle of Serbia.
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President Medvedev sent his condolences to Bishop Amfilohije, acting patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church, following the death of His Holiness Patriarch Pavle of Serbia.
The telegram reads, in part:
“The late patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church’s long and difficult road through life was closely bound to the fate of his flock. The hardships your people and country have endured enabled Patriarch Pavle to develop to their fullest potential his high moral qualities and true vocation, and devote all his strength to fortifying his compatriots’ spirit.
Filled with Christian humility and unshakeable in his convictions – this is the holy memory that the Orthodox world will preserve of him.”
Mr Medvedev also sent his condolences over the Serbian Patriarch’s death to President of Serbia Boris Tadic, writing, in particular:
“His holy achievements were a shining example of noble and selfless devotion to his church and homeland, and to the hopes and interests of his people.
His time as Patriarch of Pec coincided with severe trials for his compatriots. In the Serbian Orthodox Church they found and continue to find moral support and draw the spiritual strength so greatly needed for constructive social development and building up statehood.”
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November 16, 2009 11:30
Monday
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SINGAPORE. Dmitry Medvedev has completed his official visit to Singapore.
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Following the APEC summit, the President began a two-day visit to Singapore, the first official visit by a Russian leader in the history of the two countries’ relations.
Mr Medvedev held talks with President of Singapore Sellapan Ramanathan, examining prospects for joint investment projects, exit measures from the global economic crisis, and the situation in the Asia-Pacific region. The President also met with Minister Mentor of Singapore Lee Kuan Yew. Following their meeting, Mr Medvedev presented Mr Lee with the Order of Friendship, awarded to the Minister Mentor for his great contribution to developing relations between the two countries.
The second day of the visit began with the presentation of an electronic government project by the Singapore Information and Telecommunication Technologies Agency. The President saw a demonstration of an information system for providing state services.
Mr Medvedev later met with members of the two countries’ business communities and also had meetings with Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong and Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong.
The President’s official visit concluded with the adoption of a joint statement.
The two countries agreed to establish a high-level intergovernmental commission to organise and develop wide-ranging cooperation in various fields, including the economy, science and technology, and also political, cultural, educational and other areas.
The two countries also noted the considerable potential for developing military exchanges and security cooperation.
The joint statement gave attention to issues on the international economic and political agenda and also regional cooperation within APEC, ASEAN and other multilateral bodies.
Mr Medvedev invited Singapore’s president and prime minister, Mr Ramanathan and Mr Lee, to visit the Russian Federation. The invitations were accepted with thanks.
The President concluded his programme with a visit to the Russian missile cruiser Varyag, currently in port in Singapore. Mr Medvedev went on board the ship, learned about its history and saw a display of historical military items, following which he spent time talking with the crew in the wardroom.
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November 16, 2009 11:00
Monday
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Dmitry Medvedev issued a number of instructions following a meeting on the safety of social services facilities.
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The President issued instructions to the Russian Federation Government and specifically to the Healthcare and Social Development and the Emergency Situations Ministries.
The instructions concern ensuring comprehensive safety of social services facilities in which children, disabled people and the elderly are resident, carrying out urgent repair and maintenance work of such facilities’ buildings and premises, and increasing liability for violating fire safety regulations.
The instructions recommend that regional and municipal heads place all of these issues under their personal supervision.
Specific deadlines have been set for the instructions’ implementation.
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November 15, 2009 12:30
Sunday
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SINGAPORE. Dmitry Medvedev met with Prime Minister of Canada Stephen Harper.
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Bilateral cooperation was the subject of discussion. The leaders also discussed the Olympic Games, which will take place in Vancouver on February 12-28, 2010.
Mr Medvedev said that Canada’s experience organising sports competitions of such high level is very valuable for Russia.
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November 15, 2009 11:30
Sunday
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SINGAPORE. Dmitry Medvedev met with President of the United States Barack Obama.
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The two Presidents discussed progress on drawing up a new strategic arms reduction treaty to replace the START-1 Treaty, signed in 1991, which expires in early December.
Mr Medvedev and Mr Obama agreed to make the mechanism for verifying strategic arms reductions simpler and less costly.
In a joint press statement with Mr Obama following the talks Mr Medvedev said he hoped that the new strategic arms reduction treaty could be concluded in December this year.
The two leaders also examined options for settling issues related to the Iranian nuclear programme and the situation in Afghanistan.
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November 15, 2009 11:20
Sunday
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Dmitry Medvedev issued a number of instructions on implementing the Presidential Address to the Federal Assembly.
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The instructions regarding Russia’s economic modernisation concern, in particular, procedures regulating the manufacture, sale and safety of medicines, increased efficiency of government participation in business entities, reorganising state corporations, carrying out research and development in advanced technology fields in Russia, tax and financial policy regarding innovation activity, and also specific measures for ending wastage of gas associated with oil extraction.
Instructions in the education and social sectors concern modernisation of general basic education, developing socially-oriented non-business organisations, and drafting federal laws to support non-profit organisations’ activities.
In the area of electoral rights and developing democratic institutions instructions have been issued to draft amendments to the laws on the formation of legislative (representative) bodies in the Russian regions and the organisation of elections.
Separate instructions have been issued on improving judicial proceedings.
Instructions in the area of regional development concern investment projects in the North Caucasus republics, improving the quality of education in these regions, and also evaluating the effectiveness of the federal authorities’ measures aimed at resolving the problems in the North Caucasus.
An instruction has also been issued to replace outdated analogue military communication systems with digital technology, above all in the North Caucasus Military District, and submit to the State Duma a draft federal law on servicemen’s wages.
Another instruction has been given to draw up criteria for evaluating foreign policy and foreign economic activity’s contribution to helping Russia reach its economic modernisation and technological development objectives.
The officials responsible for carrying out the instructions include Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Sergei Naryshkin, Chairman of the Central Electoral Commission Vladimir Churov, and Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov.
Specific deadlines have been set for the instructions’ implementation.
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November 15, 2009 09:30
Sunday
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SINGAPORE. Dmitry Medvedev met with Prime Minister of Japan Yukio Hatoyama.
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The two leaders discussed a wide range of bilateral political and economic cooperation issues, including trade, high-technology sector, and the prospects for developing manufacturing cooperation. Conclusion of a peace treaty was also discussed. The two parties agreed to work in parallel on moving forward in all relevant fields of cooperation.
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November 15, 2009 08:10
Sunday
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SINGAPORE. The leaders of the APEC countries have adopted a final declaration.
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The leaders of the 21 economies participating in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation [APEC] forum concluded their summit in Singapore by adopting a final declaration “Sustaining Growth, Connecting the Region”, and a statement “A New Growth Paradigm for a Connected Asia-Pacific in the 21st Century”.
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November 15, 2009 08:00
Sunday
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SINGAPORE. Dmitry Medvedev took part in an informal summit meeting on preparing for the December conference on climate change in Copenhagen.
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The President proposed the adoption of a ‘roadmap’ for drafting a new universal agreement to succeed the Kyoto Protocol.
The Kyoto Protocol was adopted in December 1997 and expires in 2012.
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November 14, 2009 14:50
Saturday
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SINGAPORE. The President instructed the Defence and Emergencies ministries to identify the causes of the accident at the arms depot in Ulyanovsk, and to check within two weeks the compliance of similar facilities with fire safety requirements and rules governing their operation.
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The instruction was given in a video link-up with the Emergencies Ministry’s National Crisis Management Centre, during which the Interior Minister Rashid Nurgaliyev and First Deputy Emergencies Minister Ruslan Tsalikov briefed the President on the relief efforts being taken at the accident site.
Yesterday President Medvedev ordered the Defence and Emergencies ministries to take all necessary measures to deal with the emergency situation in Ulyanovsk.
An explosion rocked a Defence Ministry’s arms depot located in the Zavolzhsky district of Ulyanovsk at around 4 p.m. on November 13, 2009, triggering a fire in one of the depot’s sections. Several servicemen were killed fighting fire and more than 40 people required medical help.
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November 14, 2009 14:00
Saturday
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SINGAPORE. Dmitry Medvedev met with President of Vietnam Nguyen Minh Triet.
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The presidents discussed bilateral cooperation, especially in the economic and humanitarian spheres, and evaluated their progress in implementing the list of priorities to promote Russian-Vietnamese partnership agreed upon during the President of Vietnam's visit to Moscow on October 27, 2008.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the APEC CEO Summit.
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November 14, 2009 13:00
Saturday
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SINGAPORE. Dmitry Medvedev met with President of China Hu Jintao.
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The two leaders discussed bilateral cooperation, particularly the implementation of cooperation programme between Russia’s Far East and China. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the APEC CEO Summit.
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November 14, 2009 11:40
Saturday
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SINGAPORE. Dmitry Medvedev took part in the meeting with members of the APEC Business Advisory Council.
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November 14, 2009 07:00
Saturday
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Dmitry Medvedev spoke at APEC CEO Summit in Singapore.
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President Medvedev stressed that despite signs of stabilisation, talk about the global economy's full recovery is premature. Current growth indicators show only that national economies are adapting to new conditions.
In his speech Mr Medvedev pointed out that the crisis revealed a high degree of interdependence between different domestic economies, and therefore convincingly showed the need for increased coordination of national macroeconomic policies.
Having assessed the overall global economic situation, Dmitry Medvedev devoted attention to problems associated with protectionism and the post-crisis development of financial markets.
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Meeting with Transport Ministers from 24 Countries
