8 December 1999
DAILY REVIEW FROM TATARSTAN
Shaimiev Comments On EBRD Talks
Tatar President Mintimer Shaimiev told Tatar Television on 7 December that the most important thing KamAZ and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) agreed on during talks on 6 December in Moscow is a decision to continue negotiations. Shaimiev made his comments on the negotiations to restructure the KamAZ truck concern's debt to the EBRD. The talks were held during a meeting between Russian Prime Minsiter Vladimir Putin and the EBRD president. Shaimiev said the two sides agreed to make an audit of KamAZ's financial and economic activities for this year and to analyze its progress. Shaimiev said Tatarstan's side suggested revising the terms of the servicing of the debt.
Shaimiev Meets With Russian Central Election Committee Official
Tatarstan's president, Mintimer Shaimiev, and Russian Central Election Committee Deputy Chairman Valentin Vlasov discussed the pre-election activities of the election committees in Tatarstan during a meeting in Kazan on 7 December, Tatar Television reported. Vlasov said in an interview with Tatar Television that the aim of his visit is to familiarize himself with the preparation for the elections in the republic but not to look for any shortcomings.
Poland To Buy Oil From Tatarstan
Trade and Economic Cooperation Minister Khafiz Salikhov received a Polish delegation on 7 December to discuss mutual cooperation, Tatar Television reported. The visiting delegaton was headed by plenipotentiary minister and trade advisor to the Polish Embassy in Russia, Yanush Faikhovski. He expressed special interest in purchasing Tatarstan's oil in exchange for agricultural products, medicine, furniture, and other goods. Trade turnover between Poland and Russia was $5 billion in 1997, but has fallen severely since the August 1998 economic crisis.
Chechen Refugees Deprived Of Financial Aid
Tatarstan's Migration Service head, Rishat Khairetdinov, said that 157 Chechen refugees have come to the republic and asked for humanitarian aid over the last few months, Tatar Radio reported on 7 December. Khairetdinov said the main problem with the refugees is that they don't have special documents granting them the right to receive financial aid. Such documents, which allow refugees to get money for room and board from the federal migration service, are given in the republics of Daghestan, Alania, Ingushetia, and Stavropol krai. Chechen migrants told Tatar Migration Service officials that these documents were exchanged for a pass giving them the right to travel to Russian regions without paying for their tickets.
Compiled by Gulnara Khasanova