Medvedev, Merkel to discuss trade, economic cooperation, joint projects.

MOSCOW, July 15 (Itar-Tass) -- Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and
German Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel will co-chair the 12th round of
top-level bilateral interstate consultations in Yekaterinburg on Thursday,
July 15.
The leaders of the two countries plan to discuss in detail how to
boost bilateral trade and economic cooperation and implement joint
projects in a number of areas.
Medvedev and Merkel arrived in Yekaterinburg on Wednesday and had an
informal dinner. Their schedule for Thursday is quite busy and includes
consultations, a meeting with Russian and German businesspeople,
participation in the Petersburg Dialogue, and a one-to-one meeting.
A set of documents will be signed after the talks. Medvedev and Merkel
will then give a joint press conference.
Germany remains one of the main economic partners of Russia, and this
cooperation persevered through the turmoil of the global crisis. After a
decline by 40.6 percent in 2009, bilateral trade stabilised in the first
quarter of this year.
In the first four months of 2010, trade turnover increased 1.5 times
to 15.2 billion U.S. dollars.
Investment cooperation is also on the rise. As of the end of March,
the overall volume of accumulated German investments in the Russian
economy had exceeded 20.2 billion U.S. dollars.
Presidential aide Sergei Prikhodko said the two leaders would "compare
positions on economic affairs, including large joint projects, the
construction of the Nord Stream pipeline and strategic alliances of
Russian and German companies."
"The efforts targeted for an upgraded model of business interaction
are consonant with the Russian modernisation policy and imply
diversification of relations, production localisation and Russian
investments in German companies with the goal of industrial and
technological cooperation," he said.
"Strategic partnership between Russia and Germany is characterised by
a close and frank dialogue held at different levels and a mutual wish for
rapprochement," Prikhodko said, adding, "The annual interstate
consultations held at the top level since 1998 are fundamental for the
bilateral relations."
"The Yekaterinburg summit, which will be the first full-scale
intergovernmental meeting since the German parliamentary elections 2009,
is bound to strengthen the potential of Russian-German relations with the
emphasis on the fulfilment of the Partnership for Modernisation strategy,
to give a boost to economic and investment aspects of the bilateral
cooperation and constructive interaction in the international arena," he
said.
Medvedev and Merkel will also meet with Russian and German businessmen
on the summit sidelines.
As for the international agenda, "the sides will discuss the
development of modern security architecture for Europe. The
Medvedev-Merkel initiative regarding the establishment of a Russia-EU
ministerial committee for foreign policy and security will promote the
European security treaty initiative," Prikhodko said.
The leaders will also discuss interaction in the Russia-EU and
Russia-NATO formats, stronger arms control, non-proliferation of weapons
of mass destruction, the Iranian nuclear program, the situation in
Afghanistan, and the Middle East settlement.
"The regular and fruitful dialogue between the Russian president and
the German federal chancellor is the solid foundation for the sustainable
development of Russian-German cooperation," he said.
This will be the fifth meeting between Medvedev and Merkel in 2010.
Merkel was in Moscow for the celebrations marking the 65th anniversary of
the Victory over Nazi Germany in World War II, and then Medvedev made a
working visit to Germany in early June. The two leaders also met at the G8
and G20 summits.

.President signs decree on four joint strategic commands in Russia.

MOSCOW, July 15 (Itar-Tass) -- President Dmitry Medvedev on Wednesday
on Wednesday signed a decree ordering the creation of four joint strategic
commands in Russia.
The same decree also ordered the creation of a unified logistical
system, chief of the Russian Army General Staff, General of the Army
Nikolai Makarov said.
Under the decree, four military districts and four joint strategic
commands will be created.
The Moscow and Leningrad military districts will form the Western
Military District (Joint Strategic Command Zapad, or West) that will
incorporate the troops of the two previous military districts, the
Northern and the Baltic fleets.
The North Caucasian Military District will be reorganised into the
Southern Military District (Joint Strategic Command Yug, or South),
incorporating the Black Sea Fleet.
The Volga-Urals Military District and the western part of the Siberian
Military District will make up the Central Military District (Joint
Strategic Command Tsentr, or Centre).
The remaining part of the Siberian Military District and the Far
Eastern Military District will form the Eastern Military District (Joint
Strategic Command Vostok, or East), incorporating the Pacific Fleet.
-0-zak/