.Small-scale power generation development promising on Kuriles-pres.

THE KUNASHIR ISLAND (the Kuril Islands), November 1 (Itar-Tass) --
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev considers promising the development of
the small-scale power generation in such small settlements as
Yuzhno-Kurilsk on the Kunashir Island.
"This is a definite alternative and the correct one for these places,"
he said at a visit to a geothermal station on the outskirts of this town
on Monday. "This is better than deliver the fuel oil," he underlined.
The electric power cost from this geothermal station is thrice lower
than at the diesel electric power stations, general director of the
Yuzhno-Kurilsk energy company Konstantin Butakov told the president.
"This is the small-scale power generation and the energy efficiency we
are speaking about," the president said.
Medvedev examined the geothermal station and dropped at the room of a
duty operator. The president asked about the number of local television
channels on the island. The duty operator regretted that there are only
four television channels on the island so far. "We will broadcast all 20
television channels here," the president pledged.
Currently the digital television equipment is about to be mounted on
the Kunashir Island under the federal development program of the Kuril
Islands until 2015.
"The mobile phone communication is provided everywhere, moreover, not
the Japanese one," the president added with satisfaction.
Dmitry Medvedev arrived on a working visit on the South Kuriles on
Monday. He became the first Russian leader who visits these islands. His
airplane landed at the Mendeleyevo airport on the Kunashir Island. From
the airport the president was driving behind the wheel of a jeep to the
geothermal station.

.Germany FM glad to visit Russia.

BERLIN, November 1 (Itar-Tass) -- German Vice Chancellor and Foreign
Minister Guido Westerwelle said he is glad to visit Russia. The German
foreign minister has made a statement in an exclusive interview with
Itar-Tass on the eve of his Russian visit.
"After my visit over assuming the post and my participation at the
interstate consultations in Yekaterinburg in July this is my third visit
to Russia in the capacity of the foreign minister," Westerwelle said.
"Russia is a strategic partner for Germany," he said. "Therefore, it is so
important to hold regular consultations," the minister pointed out.
"At detailed negotiations with my Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov we
will primarily discuss the preparations to forthcoming summits of NATO,
the OSCE and the EU involving Russia due in November and December," the
German foreign minister pointed out. "Secondly, we will discuss the scope
of other issues on the international agenda, for instance, the disarmament
and control over weapons," Westerwelle remarked.
"Thirdly, I want to use my visit for further development of our
partnership for modernization. Therefore, I am particularly glad that the
agenda of my visit envisages meetings with representatives of the civil
society," the German foreign minister underlined.
-0-baz


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