Over 90% of Moscow Duma deputies intend to vote for Sobyanin.

MOSCOW, October 21 (Itar-Tass) - The Moscow City Duma will consider
the candidacy of Sergei Sobyanin to the post of major of Moscow at its
extraordinary meeting on Wednesday. President Medvedev has picked Sobyanin
out of a shortlist of four other candidates. The ex-Moscow Mayor Yuri
Luzhkov who had ruled Moscow for 18 years was forced to leave his post on
September 28 because of disagreements with the Russian president.
Sobyanin will receive a five-year mandate to rule the Russian capital
if 18 out of 35 Duma deputies vote for his candidacy. Sobyanin, 35, has
the experience of city government. In 1991-1993, he was the mayor of
Kogalym, which has a population of 55,000 people. In 2001-2005, Sobyanin
was the governor of the Tyumen region called the Russian Klondike.
Sobyanin has set up the following priorities for himself if he become
the mayor: to fight corruption and bureaucracy; preserve and develop
social benefits, improve the investment climate and the quality of life
for the Muscovites; solve transport problems and reform the utilities
sector and the provision of new jobs, primarily to the Muscovites.
Sobyanin promised to solve the problems of particular people and develop
ties both with the federal centre and the neighbouring Moscow region. He
admitted he doesn't have concrete plan of work in the mayor's post but
said that he had a vision of problems, which he would have to solve
together with the Muscovites, representatives of public organizations,
trade unions and the Moscow branch of the United Russia party.
If approved, Sobyanin will become the 76th head of Moscow since 1708.

.Russian, Salvadoran FMs to sign cooperation agreement.

MOSCOW, October 21 (Itar-Tass) - The foreign ministers of Russia and
El Salvador will sign an agreement on cooperation in science and
technology as well as in tourism on Thursday.
Salvadoran Foreign Minister Hugo Martinez is paying the first ever
visit to Russia since the collapse of the Soviet Union. He will stay in
Moscow until October 22. Martinez will hold talks with Russian
leadership. Entrepreneurs and parliamentary deputies of the two countries
will also meet each other.
The leadership of the Central American republic wish that Russia
opened its embassy in San Salvador, the El Salvadoran Foreign Ministry
said prior to Martinez's departure to Russia.
"It will contribute to expanding dialogue between the two countries
and will intensify Russia's relations with countries - members of the
Central American Integration System.
In June this year, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov
visited El Salvador and held consultations with Hugo Martinez.
"The meeting focused on bilateral relations. The sides stressed mutual
interest in stepping up cooperation in politics, trade, economy and other
spheres and creating a solid legal foundation, " the Russian Foreign
Ministry said.
The Russian side confirmed its determination to deepen cooperation
with Central American states, including a multilateral format, to use the
potential of the Central American IIntegration System as well as the
existing mechanisms of implementing these contacts at a high level.
Russia and El Salvador established diplomatic relations in 1992. In
2009, Russia and El Salvador established a visa-free travel for the
citizens of two countries, following a joint decision of the Group of four
Central American states (Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and El Salvador).
The Salvadoran parliament set up a group of friendship with Russia in 2007.
Russia and El Salvador actively cooperate in a multilateral format,
especially within the framework of various organizations uniting Latin
American states. Russia has an observer status in the Organization of
American States, which it uses for promoting its interests in the region,
including the Inter-American Committee against Terrorism (CICTE) and the
Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD). In 1997, Russia
gained an observer status at the Association of the Caribbean States.
In 2004, Russia and the Central American Integration System signed a
Memorandum of Understanding. It laid down legal foundation for political
interaction.

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