Governmental support is important for Olympic movement - Zhukov.

ACAPULCO, October 24 (Itar-Tass) -- Close cooperation between
governments and Olympic committees opens new opportunities for the
promotion of the ideals of sports, Chairman of Russia's Olympic Committee,
Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Zhukov said at the First World congress of
the Olympic Movement in Mexico.
"Russia's government fully acknowledges the autonomy of the country's
Olympic Committee," he said. "Despite the major financial support from the
government," the committee "is not pressed for decisions."
"The position of deputy prime minister enables me to make decisions in
the work with the Olympic committee on my own, to coordinate the work and
to promote the interests of the Olympic movement into the state policies,
and thus these ideas gain bigger support from the government."
Russia's Olympic committee has big plans for the future, he said, but
"without reliable working relations with the government" they will not be
realistic.
"We are lucky: Russia's government likes sports and we have complete
mutual understanding about its importance, because sports may improve all
aspects of Russia's society," Zhukov said.
The congress in Acapulco features delegates from 205 national Olympic
committees and about 130 heads and representatives of ministries of
sports. They discuss among others ways to improve the interaction of the
national committees with the executive power to further develop sports.


.Rana appreciates Russia's participation in Nat Olympic Comm Assn.

ACAPULCO, October 24 (Itar-Tass) -- President of the Association of
National Olympic Committees Mario Vazquez Rana evaluated highly the work
of Russia's Olympic Committee in the Association.
"Russia has always had good relations with the Association," he said.
Rana was satisfied with the meeting with Russia's President of the
National Olympic Committee Alexander Zhukov, which was organised in the
framework of the Association's General Assembly, where delegations from
205 participated.
"I enjoyed the meeting:, where president of Russia's Olympic Committee
confirmed the intention to assist the Association in everything," Rana
said. He added that now "Russia's relations with the Association will
become even better."
Zhukov headed Russia's delegation to the assembly.
"Russia should play a more active role in the international Olympic
movement and in the international sports movement," he said.


.Kazakhstan raises duties for 30 pct goods in Customs Union.

ASTANA, October 24 (Itar-Tass) -- With the introduction of the United
Customs Tariff in the Customs Union Kazakhstan has raised duties for
almost 30 percent of goods to the level of Russia's duties, Deputy
Director of the Department of Export Policies of Kazakhstan's Ministry of
Economic Development and Trade Aliya Alimberova said.
She mentioned that "the United Customs Tariff is a basic element of
the Customs Union."
Prior to the formation of the tariff, the three countries /Belarus,
Kazakhstan and Russia/ used the same duties for 40 percent of goods.
"Over the unifications of the remaining 60 percent, 47.7 percent
duties were raised, 45 percent of Kazakhstan's duties remained unaltered
and about five percent were lowered," she said. "The new joint ventures in
industry between the countries of the Customs Union provide access to
international markets for competitive products."
In Kazakhstan, there are 3,500 enterprises with Russian capital and
over 70 enterprises with Belarussian capital, she said.
"We have attracted 2.9 billion dollars in direct investments from
Russia and about 6 million dollars from Belarus," she continued.
"Kazakhstan, in its turn, has invested in Russia's economy 1.1 billion
dollars and 6.1 million dollars in the economy of Belarus."
-0-kar


.Russia has every chance for successful Sochi Winter Games - Rana.

ACAPULCO, October 24 (Itar-Tass) -- President of the Association of
National Olympic Committees Mario Vazquez Rana evaluated highly the work
of Russia's Olympic Committee in the Association.
Russia started preparations for the Olympic Games "practically from
the zero level after the voting" for the candidates to host the Games,
which took place in Guatemala in 2007. Since then, the Sochi-2014
organising committee has made great progress, Rana said.
He highly evaluated the report on the preparations for the Winter
Games, which was presented by Russia's President of the Sochi-2014
Organising Committee Dmitry Chernyshenko.
"I am impressed by the report," Rana said.
Russia hopes to make its major and useful input in the international
experience of organising Olympic Games, Chernyshenko said.

-0-kar