Russia-China - Russia formally concluded negotiations on accession to the World Trade Organization, and could become a full member in the summer of 2012. China welcomed the conclusion of the negotiations on Russia's accession to the WTO and believes that Russia's membership will enhance the organization's role, said Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hong Lei. "We believe that Russia's WTO accession will strengthen the universality and representativeness of the WTO, as well as expand the influence of the multilateral trade organization," said the Foreign Ministry spokesman.
China remains the largest trading partner of Russia for the first 9 months of 2011, reported the Federal Customs Service. Trade turnover between Russia and China in January-September 2011 increased 45 percent compared to the same period of 2010 to 60.5 billion dollars. EU as a whole is the biggest economic partner of Russia, accounting for 48 percent of its foreign trade turnover in January-September 2011. According to the Ambassador of China in Moscow Li Hui, the trade turnover between Russia and China in 2011 could reach $ 70 billion by the end of the year. Li stressed that China is already a major trading partner of Russia.
SCO - The Shanghai Cooperation Organization held a prime minister-level meeting on Monday in St. Petersburg, and from the outcome it appears the group is continuing its trajectory away from being a security group -- as it appeared to be in the mid-oughts -- toward being a more economically oriented body. China talked about the need to expedite the selection of cross-border trucking routes, which China intends to issue loans for. The Russian Prime Minister also backs the strengthening of the SCO infrastructure shape. In order to provide favourable conditions for international roads, rail and air transport, it is necessary to create large logistic centers and transportation corridors.
Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said that Moscow would contribute $500 million to the CASA-1000 electricity project, by which hydropower from Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan would be transmitted to India and Pakistan. And he endorsed the idea of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India pipeline. The group also endorsed the idea of a new China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway. In addition, China raised the plan to develop the northwestern province of Xinjiang as a hub of trade with Pakistan. Russian prime minister Putin said that “Russia would welcome the positive review of applications to join our organization in one form or another from any interested nation. The authority of the SCO will continue to grow. ”
On the summit the prime ministers of the SCO member states also discussed the unsolved problems of Europe and the U.S., including the impending recession and the need to counter such threat. According to them, a new and more equitable world order needs to be established. Not only the six SCO member states participated in the summit, but also officials from Iran, Mongolia, India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. In particular, Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said that Iran wants to become a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
Russia-Kazakhstan-Belarus - Dmitry Medvedev, Alexander Lukashenko and Nursultan Nazarbayev will hold a meeting on 18 November in Moscow. The agenda of the meeting - the problems of the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, in the framework of which a single customs territory formed on July 1, 2011. Particular attention will be given to the next stage of integration - the Eurasian Economic Union, as well as the improvement of supranational governance processes of integration.
China-Uzbekistan - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan held a meeting with Chinese Ambassador Zhang Xiao, during which the parties discussed bilateral relations. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan, the most important stage in relations was the state visit of Islam Karimov to China during April 19-20 this year, which elevated the Uzbek-Chinese partnership to a qualitatively new level. According to State Statistics Committee of Uzbekistan, trade between the two countries amounted to $ 2085.3 million in 2010, export - $ 899.9 million and imports $ 1185.4 million. On the territory of Uzbekistan operates 347 companies with Chinese investment.
Kazakhstan Terrorist Act - Seven people, including five police officers, have been killed in an attack by radical Islamists on a police station in the southern city of Taraz this Saturday. Deputy Prosecutor General of Kazakhstan Nurmakhanbet Isayev recognized that the suspect is MK Kariyev, a 34-year-old follower of the ideas of jihad, who blew himself up when getting caught. Among the seven victims, five were police officers.
Russian Military Expenditure - Alexei Kudrin, Russia’s former finance minister, criticized the federal budget and defense spending proposals, saying the government can’t rely on an oil price of $100 a barrel and expenditure increases must be offset by reductions elsewhere. Russia’s decision to increase military spending to 3 percent of gross domestic product must be reviewed, Kudrin said at the Sberbank conference. “If we increase expenditure somewhere, we must cut in other areas.” Russia gets most of its export earnings from oil. Urals crude, the country’s chief export blend, has gained 23 percent this year to $113.42 a barrel, and reached $122.88 on April 8.
Russian Gas - According to the data from International Energy Agency, Russia will remain to be the largest producer of natural gas till 2035 and will be the main source of the growth in its global supply, preceding China, Qatar, USA and Australia. However, experts warn that Russia is facing challenging tasks in the energy sector: "Major oil and gas fields in Western Siberia are depleted, and a new generation of more expensive deposits need to be developed both in in Western Siberia and in the new frontiers Eastern Siberia and the Arctic. "
Turkmenistan Oil and Gas - Turkmenistan plans significant increases in oil and gas production by 2030. Turkmenistan foresees annual oil and gas extraction of 67m tonnes and 230 billion cu.m., respectively, by 2030, according to figures presented at an OSCE-organised energy conference in Ashgabat November 4. It plans to export 180 billion cu. m. of gas yearly. Current Turkmen annual oil production is about 10m tonnes and gas exports are about 20-23 billion cu. m. Turkmenistan exports almost no oil. At the same conference, Turkmen Oil and Gas Minister Bayramgeldy Nedirov said signing of an agreement on the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-India-Pakistan gas pipeline was “imminent". The pipeline has been under consideration since the 1960s.
Kyrgyzstan-Turkey - Turkey gave military vehicles and other military equipment to the Kyrgyz Defence Ministry November 4, Defence Ministry spokeswoman Aizada Igibayeva told Central Asia Online. The equipment worth US $1.76m (80.3m KGS) will be distributed among different military bases in Kyrgyzstan. The two countries have co-operated militarily since 1992.
Articles referred to in this post:
"Вступление РФ в ВТО будет способствовать усилению этой организации - МИД КНР" (The joining of Russia into the WTO will help strengthen the organization - China's Foreign Ministry)
"Китай по итогам 9 месяцев остается крупнейшим торговым партнером России" (China remains the largest trading partner of Russia for the first 9 months in 2011)
"Российско-китайский товарооборот может достичь $70 млрд" (Russian-Chinese trade turnover could reach $ 70 billion)
"На саммите ШОС решено установить новый миропорядок" (The SCO summit decided to establish a new world order)
"Россия и Китай отберут у США проект 'Нового Шелкового пути'?" (Russia and China will select the U.S. project "New Silk Road"?)
"Тегеран подал заявление на вступление в ШОС" (Tehran applied for SCO membership)
"Путин выступил за расширение ШОС" (Putin called for the expansion of the SCO)
"ШОС зовет Иран в свои ряды" (SCO invites Iran to its line)
"Президенты России, Казахстана и Белоруссии обсудят в Москве евразийскую интеграцию" (The presidents of Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus to discuss Eurasian integration in Moscow )
"В МИД Узбекистана обсудили узбекско-китайские отношения" (Uzbek-Chinese relations discussed in the Foreign Ministry of Uzbekistan)
"Генпрокуратура Казахстана признала события в Таразе терактом" (Prosecutor General of Kazakhstan recognized terrorist attack in Taraz)
"А.Кудрин вновь раскритиковал рост военных расходов в России" (Kudrin again criticized the growth of military spending in Russia)
"Россия останется крупнейшим производителем газа до 2035 года - доклад Международного энергетического агентства" (Russia will remain the largest producer of natural gas till 2035 - report by the International Energy Agency)
"Туркменистан планирует увеличить добычу нефти, газа к 2030" (Turkmenistan vows oil, gas production increases by 2030)
"Турция предоставила кыргызам военное оборудование" (Turkey supplies military equipment to Kyrgyzstan)
No comments:
Post a Comment