RA’s Daily Russia News Blast – March 13th, 2009
TODAY: Protesters mark Day of Dissent; Russia opposed to G20 fiscal stimulus level; US-Russia relations. Putin PR in Novokuznetsk, Khodorkovksy lawyers want indictment redrawn; Boris Nemstov to run for Mayor in Sochi.
Several Russian cities saw opposition protests marking the ‘Day of Dissent’ last night in Russia, to protest government handling of the financial crisis. A handful of protesters were detained by police, and AP reports that a group of protesters escaped a police chase in Moscow’s transport system. Russia intends to oppose UK proposals for all G20 members to set a mandatory minimum fiscal stimulus level at 2% of gross domestic product and cut interest rates, saying that the delegation should remember ‘to take into account opinions of BRIC countries’. Both The Economist and The Moscow Times have bleak outlooks on an accord between Russia and the US. According to Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Russia wants to extend its lease of a Soviet-built military radar in Azerbaijan after the current agreement ends, and is proposing that the US do the same, as an alternative to its plans to place a missile defense system in Poland. Poland, on the other hand, says it hopes to complete technical talks on stationing parts of the shield next month.