Govt commission approves 7 big transactions worth USD1 bln.

NOVO-OGAREVO, August 5 (Itar-Tass) -- The governmental commission on
control over foreign investments on Wednesday, August 4, approved seven
big transactions worth one billion U.S. dollars, Federal Antimonopoly
Service (FAS) chief Igor Artemyev said.
The transactions concern utility infrastructure, processing industry,
and gold-mining assets.

.Belarus denies reports claiming it sold S-300 systems to Iran.

MINSK, August 5 (Itar-Tass) -- Belarus has denied media reports
claiming that it sold S-300 air defence systems to Iran.
"The state military-industrial committee of the Republic of Belarus
denies reports carried by some mass media, particularly the agency Fars,
on the sale of S-300 air defence systems to Iran," the committee's
spokesman Vladimir Lavrenyuk said on Wednesday, August 4.
"Iran has never made any requests to the Belarusian side regarding its
wish to buy S-300 systems or their elements. In turn, the Belarusian side,
naturally, has never supplied such air defence systems to Iran," Lavrenyuk
said.
"No negotiations have ever been conducted with Iran over the
possibility of supplying these complexes in general and, accordingly, no
shipments of these complexes or their components have been carried out,"
Lavrenyuk told Itar-Tass.
"The Belarusian side strictly abides by all international agreements
on export control," he said.

.Govt commission okays TNK-BP's petition re Verkhnechonskneftegaz.

NOVO-OGAREVO, August 5 (Itar-Tass) -- The Russian government's
commission on control over foreign investments has okayed TNK-BP's request
for a preliminary approval of transactions involving voting shares in
Verkhnechonskneftegaz Company, Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) chief
Igor Artemyev said on Wednesday, August 4.
Oil production at the Verkhnechonsk field in the zone of the Eastern
Siberia - Pacific Ocean (ESPO) oil pipeline system has almost tripled
since the beginning of 2010 and reached over half a billion tonnes,
Verkhnechonskneftegaz (VCNG) told Itar-Tass earlier.
"The production growth is promoted by the accelerated development of
the field's industrial base," the company's directorate said. For example,
eight new production wells have been put into operation, oil pipelines
from four well clusters have been commissioned, and work has begun to
increase the capacity of the oil treatment plant.
"The year 2010 may set a record in terms of investment volume. It is
planned to use over 14 billion roubles. As for the production, it has been
determined at a level of 2.3 million tonnes," the company noted.
The Verkhnechonskoye field was put into operation in October 2008 and
all oil lifted at the field is pumped to the ESPO trunk pipeline. The
field has approved reserves of 201.6 million tonnes of oil, 95.5 billion
cubic metres of natural gas, and 3.3 million tonnes of gas condensate.
The owners of Verkhnechonskneftegaz are TNK-BP (68.51 percent),
Rosneft (25.94 percent) and East Siberian Gas Company (5.48 percent).

.Medvedev urges govt to draft new fire safety programme.

MOSCOW, August 5 (Itar-Tass) -- President Dmitry Medvedev has urged
the government to draft a new fire safety programme to make sure that the
country is better prepared with emergencies next year.
"With the onset of autumn and winter it is necessary to begin this
work so that the country is better prepared for the next summer season
that it is now," Medvedev said at an expanded meeting with members of the
Security Council on Wednesday, August 4, where the fire situation in the
country was discussed.
The president recalled his conversation with Emergencies Minister
Sergei Shoigu on Tuesday, August 3, during which they talked about the
need for a new fire safety programme.
"We are reequipping Emergencies Ministry units and fire departments,
but this will have to be done faster and more money will have to be used
in order to upgrade the material and technical base," Medvedev said.

.Russian, NATO navy commanders discuss fight against sea pirates.
5/8 Tass 196

MOSCOW, August 5 (Itar-Tass) -- The commander of a group of Russian
warships, Captain 1st Rank Vladimir Kondratov has met with Commodore
Michiel Hijmans (Royal Netherlands Navy), Commander of NATO's counter
piracy Task Force on board his flagship.
"Recently in June the ships had an unexpected rendezvous in the
Atlantic Ocean on their way to the Gulf of Aden when the Commanders spoke
of possible future cooperation. Now approximately six weeks later they are
meeting again to share information and to discuss future ways of
collaboration between NATO and the Russian Federation in the area," NATO
said in a press release.
The Chief of Staff of the NATO Task Force, Commander Ricardo Hernandez
(Spanish Navy), said: "Every meeting with Commanders and representatives
of other counter piracy Task Forces is extremely useful and it will
greatly benefit the operation. The operation area is a vast space,
comparable to the size of the continent of Europe, and therefore any
opportunity to discuss the coordination of counter piracy units will help
safeguard the shipping lanes off the Horn of Africa."
-0-zak/


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