Russia hopes nuclear fuel exchange plan can be coordinated with Iran.

UNITED NATIONS, June 10 (Itar-Tass) -- Russia hopes Iran will approve
a nuclear fuel exchange plan, Russian permanent representative to the U.N.
Vitaly Churkin said.
"The fuel exchange plan can still be implemented," he said after a
meeting of the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday.
He said the new resolution on Iran had not been adopted unanimously
because Brazil and Turkey voted against it, and Lebanon abstained. "It's
obvious that such voting by Brazil and Turkey was prompted by their
disappointment with the fact that the resolution was being adopted at a
time when the fuel exchange initiative for the Iranian research reactor is
on the negotiating table," Churkin said.
The initiative was formalised in the Tehran Declaration signed by
Brazil, Turkey and Iran.
"In the Sextet (Russia, United States, China, France, Great Britain
and Germany), which has been trying to foster a dialogue with Iran for
four years, we have to take a broader look at the situation that is
unsatisfactory," the diplomat said.
"Russia along with members of the so-called Vienna Group -- the U.S.,
France, and the IAEA Secretary-General - is discussing a number of complex
technical aspects related to this plan," he said.
"We hope that we will be able to continue contacts with Iranian
experts in order to implement this plan that will meet the corresponding
fuel needs of the Iranian research reactor and serve as a
confidence-building measure helping to alleviate the international
community's concerns about Iran's intentions," Churkin said.
On May 17, Iran, Turkey and Brazil reached agreement on Iran's nuclear
problem.

.SCO leaders to discuss Afghanistan, its president to attend summit as
guest.

MOSCOW, June 10 (Itar-Tass) -- The situation in Afghanistan will be
high on the agenda of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation's summit in
Tashkent on June 10-11, a Kremlin aide, Sergei Prikhodko, said.
"Delegates plan to discuss further coordinated efforts in this
direction within the SCO framework, the establishment of multifaceted
cooperation with Afghanistan's government and other interested partners in
security, economy and anti-drug operations," he said.
"There will be a detailed discussion on what assistance SCO
member-states can provide to stabilise economic and political situation in
the country," he said.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai will attend the summit as a guest of
honour.
At the same time, a source in diplomatic circles did not rule out that
the narrow format talks would focus on prospects for Afghanistan's further
political development.

.New Japanese govt to develop political, economic ties with Russia --
FM.

TOKYO, June 10 (Itar-Tass) -- The new Japanese government's approach
to Russia will not change much and will continue to focus on advancing
political and economic relations between the two countries, Foreign
Minister Katsuya Okada said.
In a telephone conversation with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov
on Wednesday, Okada informed him that Japan's new Prime Minister Naoto Kan
would like to meet Russian President Dmitry Medvedev at the upcoming G8
summit in Canada in June.
The minister also expressed hope that Lavrov's would be able to visit
Tokyo shortly in order to exchange views on economic and political issues,
including the territorial one.
Lavrov said he was hopeful that friendly and constructive cooperation
between the two countries would continue.
He confirmed that Russia was ready to continue dialogue on a peace
treaty on the basis of mutual trust.
Okada said Japan supported South Korea's position with regard to the
Cheonan corvette which is believed to have been destroyed by a North
Korean missile, and inquired about the conclusions made by the Russian
experts after their recent trip to Seoul.
Lavrov said the experts had just retuned form South Korea and were
closely studying and analysing the information received. Based on their
work, conclusions will be made shortly, he added.

.European, Asian delegates to discuss int'l information security in
Moscow.

MOSCOW, June 10 (Itar-Tass) -- International information security
problems will be high on the agenda of the 6th Eurasian Forum to open in
Moscow on Thursday, June 10.
Delegations from more than 10 European and Asian countries will
discuss ways to protect information in different spheres of life. The
forum has been organised with the support and assistance of the State Duma
SecurityCommittee, the Ministry of Mass Communications, the Foreign
Ministry, the Interior Ministry, and the non-profit partnership Infoforum.
The Ministry of Mass Communications said the forum participants would
discuss, among others, information solutions designed to ensure security
on transport, the use identification and biometric technologies against
international terrorism, and legal support to information security in
Eurasian countries.
The delegates will present new possibilities for the development of
integrated electronic communication and social responsibility on the
Internet. They will also discuss joint investment projects.
-0-zak/


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