15 February 2001
DAILY REVIEW FROM TATARSTAN
Shaimiev Registered�
The Central Election Committee on 14 February registered incumbent President Mintimir Shaimiev as a candidate for reelection in March 2001. Shaimiev told reporters that he would not use commercial election companies during the campaign, and he called on other candidates to forswear "dirty techniques" during the race.
�But Communists Want Him to Drop Out of Race
TatNews agency, citing an unnamed source in the Duma's Communist faction, on 14 February reported that Duma deputy (Communist) Aleksandr Saliy will press Shaimiev to withdraw from the race. Saliy is widely expected to seek to have Shaimiev declared ineligible because the incumbent is running for a third term.
State Council Says Federal Nationalities Bill Makes Russians Dominant
A parliamentary commission discussed the Kremlin-proposed bill on nationality policy, RFE/RL's Kazan correspondent reported on 14 February. One of the members of the commission, National Library director Razil Valeev, said that "in fact the current draft implies the dominant position of the Russian nation even though those words are not used."
Helicopter Producers Upset by Israeli Plan to Sell Modification to India
The Kazan Helicopter Plant general director Aleksandr Lavrentyev said on 14 February that Israeli attempts to sell a modification of the Kazan-produced Mi-17 helicopter to India "violated ethical and aviation norms."
Tatneft To Assist Vietnamese Oil Industry
The Tatneft oil company has agreed to provide oil extraction equipment to Vietnam, Tatarinform reported on 14 February.
Compiled by Iskender Nurmi
DAILY REVIEW FROM BASHKORTOSTAN
Alfa-Eko Leaders Visits Ufa
Alfa-Eko leaders have reached an agreement with Bashneft on the joint exploitation of Sakhalin's oil deposits, Bashinform reported on 14 February.
Bashkortostan Daily Joins Volga Journalist Union
"Respublika Bashkortostan" on 14 February joined the Volga journalist league, Bashinform reported. Thirteen papers from the federal district -- including "Respublika Tatarstan" -- set up the organization to promote freedom of speech and to advance the interests of the media.
Ufa Leads Ural Region in Construction
The State Statistics Committee on 14 February said that Bashkortostan had led the Ural region in the construction of housing during 2000, Bashinform reported.
Bashneftekhim Profits, Wages Grow
The Bashneftekhim press service on 14 February said that the company's profits had grown by 50 percent in 2000 to eight billion rubles ($280 million) and that salaries of employees had increased by 65 percent during the period. Bashneftekhim ranks third in Russia by petrol processing volume.
Bashkir Films in Turkey
Rais Ismagilov, the director of the state film studio, said on 14 February that Turkey will buy five films from his studio for distribution, Bashinform reported. He said the proposal came after the first full-length feature film in Bashkir won a prize at the second Turkic countries film festival in Istanbul last month. He said that the Turkish distributors had proposed a joint project to produce a full-length feature film on Bashkortostan's leading political figure in the early years of the 20th century, Akhmet-Zaki Validi.
Compiled by Gulnara Khasanova