Russian-Austrian Business Council to discuss closer cooperation.

VIENNA, December 6 (Itar-Tass) -- The Russian-Austrian Business
Council meets here on Monday to discuss prospects for enlivening direct
contacts between businessmen from the two countries through joint projects.
The Russian delegation is led by the Council's co-chairman and
governor of Russia's Samara region Vladimir Artyakov.
"We are planning to bring to the attention of Austrian businessmen an
outline of Russia's economic development strategy," Artyakov told
Itar-Tass. "We have overcome the crisis, and now the country is showing
the signs of economic growth. There is social stability in the country,
there are guarantees of protection of investments. Now our basic task is
to attract new investments and technologies in the Russian economy,
including through joint projects."
According to the governor, the Russian side is ready to offer its
Austrian partners a number of projects in such areas as production of
building materials, car components and engines, agriculture, the food
industry, the development of transport infrastructure and the use of high
technologies. Special attention will be focused on the Skolkovo research
hub project, and on hi-tech production in the Togliatti special economic
zone.
"The mechanism of the Russian-Austrian Business Council is notable for
the fact that it offers an opportunity of a direct informal dialogue on
problems hampering broader contacts and the development of businesses,"
Artyakov noted. "We are trying to find mutually acceptable solutions to
these problems, offering practical assistance."
According to Austrian co-chairman of the Council, president of AVL
List GmbH Helmut List, the Council was set up to promote contacts between
businessmen of the two countries and help them maintain dialogue aimed to
encourage the development of foreign trade relations and mutually
beneficial cooperation.
The Austrian delegation will include leading businessmen who are
already present on the Russian market and who seek to broaden their
contacts and can offer solutions to improve the general climate of
bilateral cooperation, the Austrian co-chairman said.

.Magnitude 4 earthquake hits Russia's Far Eastern Kuril Islands.

VLADIVOSTOK, December 6 (Itar-Tass) -- A magnitude 4.4 earthquake hit
Russia's Far Eastern Southern Kuril Islands overnight to Monday, a
spokesman for the Far Eastern regional emergencies centre reported.
According to the spokesman, the epicentre of the quake was located 75
kilometers to the south-west of the settlement of Krabozavodskoye
(Shikotan Island) and 90 kilometers to the south-east of the city of
Yuzhno-Kurilsk (Kunashir Island), with its focus at a depth of 70
kilometers. No earth tremors were felt in these two populated localities.
No damages or casualties were reported. No tsunami warning was issued.
Since November 29, earthquakes have been registered on the island
every day. More than 15 earth tremors have already been registered, with
the strongest one measuring 5.5 points on the Richter scale. Late on
Sunday, a magnitude 5.3 quake was registered near the non-populated island
of Harimkotan, Northern Kuril Islands. The quakes have cased no grave
damages to the settlements on the islands.

.Medvedev thanks Blatter for FIFA choice.

MOSCOW, December 6 (Itar-Tass) -- Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on
Sunday had a telephone conversation with FIFA president Joseph S. Blatter
to thank the latter and the entire FIFA Executive Committee for their
decision to choose Russia as a World Cup 2018 host.
Medvedev promised not to disappoint football fans from across the
globe. "Russia will hold the World Cup at the highest level, it will
become the most vivid manifestation of the FIFA's new philosophy aimed at
promoting football on the entire planet," he said.

.Turkmen local elections recognized valid, with turnout of 95%.

ASHGABAT, December 6 (Itar-Tass) -- The turnout in Turkmenistan's
Sunday elections to local legislatures was 95.7 percent, Turkmenistan's
Central Election Commission reported, adding that the elections thus were
recognized as valid.
The elections were monitored by observers from local institutions,
such as the Institute of Democracy and Human Rights, from public
organizations, and from foreign countries. According to the Central
Election Commission, foreign observers highly appraised the elections for
their transparency and openness.
Local legislatures in Turkmenistan are elected every four years. At
regional levels, the legislatures number 40 seats, and district and city
legislatures have 20 seats.
-0-ras


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