RA’s Daily Russia News Blast – May 15, 2008
TODAY: New Cabinet aims to undercut siloviki power, meets for the first time today; photo exhibition celebrates Putin’s Presidential rule; Human Rights Commissioner deems protest ban “unlawful”; cooperation with Europe on moon visits; emphasis on Russia-Germany relationship. Former security insiders say that the set-up of the new Cabinet is “aimed at undercutting the power that political clans within the security services have accumulated in recent years,” and completely reverses the reforms conceived by former Kremlin deputy chief of staff Dmitry Kozak several years ago. Putin will hold the first meeting of his new Cabinet today. Germany’s foreign minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, was the first foreign official to hold talks with President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin since they took up their new positions. Medvedev will return the visit next month, highlighting Russia’s relationship with Germany as a top priority.