Russia-Japan partnership in coal production has good future - view.

FUKUI, June 20 (Itar-Tass) -- The partnership between Russia and Japan
in the development of new black coal deposits in Siberia has good future,
Russia's Deputy Minister of Energy, Stanislav Svetlitsky, said at the
two-day ministerial meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.
The Russian delegation "continued to discuss with Japan's counterparts
the agenda of the so-called round table on joint cooperation in the
development of new deposits of black coal in Siberia, including the
Elginskoye Deposit in Yakutia."
The first round table "in Moscow was successful," he said.
"The discussed cooperation in energy has always been a subject of our
relations and, I believe, it is gaining a new life as the deposits in
Yakutia are closer to consumers," Svetlitsky said.
He touched upon the plans for cooperation with Japan and said that
"the development of infrastructures, including those for ports, is
important for the increase of coal export." The sides discussed future
implementation of Japan's technologies.
"Japan may take part in the construction of coal terminals in Russia's
Far East, and in construction of roads near Russian ports," Svetlitsky
said.
The second round of the talks "is due in Tokyo, surely within this
year, and presently every side is preparing its suggestions thus working
out a road map," he said.
Japan "is very interested in the participation in these projects,
which we saw in Fukui," Svetlitsky said. "Both sides are interested in the
development of our partnership, and we have confirmed that we shall be
ready to assist Japan's companies to organise a direct dialogue with
Russian companies."
The delegations of the two countries "discussed bilateral cooperation
in nuclear energy, too," he added.


.Delegates of St.Pete's Forum invited to Sochi-2010.

KRASNODAR, June 20 (Itar-Tass) -- All participants in the St.
Petersburg International Economic Forum were invited to take part in the
international investment forum Sochi-2010, the head of foreign economic
relations of the Krasnodar Region's government, Alexander Tkachenko, said.
"We have inserted invitations in every delegate pack," he said.
The ninth international investment forum Sochi-2010 will take place in
the resort city exactly over the 'velvet' season (warm autumn months at
Russia's southern holiday resorts) - on September 16 - 19.
The city has started preparations for the event, he said. Like in
previous years, the residents of the city will have an additional day off
on September 17 to take part in the cultural programme of the forum.
Concerts, exhibitions and presentations by local producers will be
organised in the square near the sea port.
The exposition featuring the resort and the capital of the 2014 Winter
Olympic Games will be divided into four zones: resorts and tourism,
transport, industry and agriculture.


.Sberbank's credit portfolio to be on the rise 2011.

ST. PETERSBURG, June 20 (Itar-Tass) -- Russia's Sberbank forecasts its
credit portfolio will grow actively over 2011.
"Over May of the current year, we have seen that our credit portfolio
has grown already, though the figures are not that high as yet," Deputy
CEO Andrei Donskikh said. "The tendency for the growth is evident, which
proves the economy is recovering."
"We do not expect the credit portfolio to burst in an instant and
forecast the growth will be seen in time," he said. "I hope we shall have
a detailed forecast about mid-autumn."
Sberbank, also known as the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation,
attracts deposits and offers commercial banking services. The Bank offers
time deposits, corporate banking, securities brokerage, credit, and
foreign exchange services, and sponsors credit cards.


.NWF should not be used to settle budget deficit - Kudrin.

ST. PETERSBURG, June 20 (Itar-Tass) -- Russia's Finance Ministry plans
to follow the policies of limiting the expenditures of the National
Welfare Fund /NWF/ for covering the budget deficit, Russia's Finance
Minister Alexei Kudrin said.
"We still need the NWF as a reserve for long-term purposes," he said.
"I would not take it as a source for the settlement of the /budget/
deficit in medium-term."
The initial draft of the 2010 budget planned the NWF would cover the
budget deficit, "but now we try to minimise the use of the NWF as much as
possible," Kudrin said.

-0-kar