Medvedev urges Chechen leaders to focus on socio-economic issues.

MOSCOW, June 15 (Itar-Tass) - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on
Monday paid his first working visit to Chechnya in his capacity as the
Russian head of state.
Medvedev paid tribute to the memory of the first president of
Chechnya, Akhmat Kadyrov. Straight from the airport, the Russian president
headed for Tsentoroi to lay lowers at Akhmat Kadyrov's grave. In
Tsentoroi, Medvedev also met representatives of the local clergy.
The Russian president said he felt it his moral duty to visit Akhmat
Kadyrov's grave. "I couldn't but come here. I worked with Akhmat-Khadzhi
in the presidential administration. I had seen him shortly before he died.
It was then that Akhmat-Khadzhi acquainted me with Ramzan," Medvedev went
on to say.
"Akhmat-Khadzhi paid with his life for the unification and the
restoration of law and order in the Chechen Republic," the Russian
president emphasized.
For his part, Akhmat Kadyrov's cousin, Khodzh Akhmet, thanked the
Russian president for visiting Chechnya. "I am glad that you showed
respect for the memory of Akhmat Kadyrov. I am sure that your arrival here
will inspire us to creative work for the benefit of the Chechen Republic
and great Russia, " he said.
Chechnya's first president, Akhmat Kadyrov, was killed by explosion at
the Dynamo stadium in Grozny on May 9, 2004.
In Grozny, President Medvedev held a conference on the republic's
socio-economic development. Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov, almost all
members of the Chechen government, the Federal Security Service Chief
Alexander Bortnikov and Alexander Khloponin, the presidential envoy in the
North Caucasian Federal District, were present at the conference.
In his speech President Medvedev noted positive changes in the
security situation in Chechnya but said that socio-economic development
was now a priority.
"There's a special program of socio-economic development of Chechnya
in 2008-2011," Medvedev went on to say. He added that 120 billion roubles
had been allocated for Chechnya's development and stressed the need to
control how they would be spent.
Support for the real sector of economy was another vital task
mentioned by Medvedev. "There were difficulties here last year, and we are
facing problems this year too. But unlike in previous years when we talked
about the restoration of the real sector, today we should think of how to
develop it," the Russian president emphasized.
"For that we are going to need state funding, a certain amount of
preferences may be required. In some cases, especially when agrarian
enterprises are in question, I think that part of the credit interest rate
should be subsidized," Medvedev explained.
The Russian president called for retooling Chechnya's agriculture. He
mentioned specially the problem of social amenities in Chechnya.
"What we've seen look decent but we should also set priorities here,"
the Russian president went on to say. He focussed separately on hydro
facilities many of which had either been destroyed or become obsolete.
Medvedev visited a mosque named after Akhmat Kadyrov in the centre of
Grozny. It's also called "The Heart of Chechnya" and is one of the
biggest mosques in Europe.
The republican clinical hospital of first medical aid was the final
destination of Medvedev's trip. The hospital underwent overhaul repairs
and renovation last year. Now it has state-of-the-art quipment. Medvedev
saw a diagnostics room and visited a ward where he had a chance to meet
several patients.
Prior to his departure, Medvedev toured the terminals of the rebuilt
Severnyi airport in Grozny that now has an international status.
Medvedev used to supervise the construction of Severnyi when he was
the first deputy prime minister.

.Youth delinquency to dominate Interior Ministry conference.

KAZAN, Tatarstan, June 15 (Itar-Tass) - A Russian Interior Ministry
conference on youth delinquency will open in Kazan on Tuesday under the
chairmanship of Mikhail Sukhodolsky, Russia's first deputy interior
minister. The President of Tatarstan, Rustam Minnikhanov, will participate
in the two-day forum.
The delegates will consider Tatarstan's experience in dealing with
youth delinquency. The republic has made considerable progress in
decreasing crime among teenagers.
The participants in the conference will visit the construction site of
a Village of the 2013 summer student games in which more than 13,000 young
athletes and tens of thousands Russian and foreign guests will take part.


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