Putin to meet with heads of business associations.

MOSCOW, December 24 (Itar-Tass) -- Russian Prime Minister Vladimir
Putin on Friday will meet with heads of associations of small and
medium-sized businesses, the governmental press service reported.
Among the subjects under discussion there will be pressing current
problems facing Russian businesses and changes in the insurance and
taxation laws due to come into force in 2011.
Under its anti-crisis program, the government has expanded its support
measures to small and medium-sized businesses. In 2009, a total 30 billion
roubles were allocated for these purposes under a credit program of the
Development Bank. Another ten billion roubles were assigned from the
federal budget.
More to it, Russia's regions were granted the right to regulate taxes
on small businesses. Competences of state regulating bodies were
restricted, and a law was passed to protect the rights of legal entities
and individual entrepreneurs in state control procedures.
The government is committed to continue its efforts to improve
business climate in the country under its long-term strategy till the year
2012. Special emphasis is laid on measures to encourage innovation
activities, expand exports and reduce administrative barriers.
Among participants in the Friday meeting will be Russia's First Deputy
Prime Ministers Viktor Zubkov and Igor Shuvalov, Deputy Prime Minister and
Minister of Finance Alexei Kudrin, Minister of Health and Social
Development Tatiana Golikova, Minister of Economic Development Elvira
Nabiullina, officials from sectoral ministries and agencies.

.Russian State Duma to consider ratification of START on first reading.

MOSCOW, December 24 (Itar-Tass) -- The Russian State Duma, or lower
house of the national parliament, on Friday will consider the ratification
of the new Russian-U.S. START treaty.
The lawmakers will vote the treaty on first reading, for the first
time in what concerns regular ratification procedures. The State Duma's
committee for international affairs has decided to recommend the MPs to
consider ratification of the START-3 treaty in the first reading December
24, committee chairman Konstantin Kosachev said on Thursday.
"This procedure conforms to the Russian legislation, is envisioned by
the State Duma's code of procedures and creates an opportunity to pass
statements on and amendments to the text of the ratified presidential
bill" on the treaty, Kosachev said.
He recalled in this connection that the resolution on the treaty's
ratification, which the U.S. Senate passed Wednesday, "contains a big
number of interpretations that require a careful scrutiny and a
weighed-out reaction on the part of Russian MPs."
That is why the State Duma plans to approve on the first reading the
ratification bill version that has been submitted by President Dmitry
Medvedev, i.e. with no reservations on the Russian part, and "to introduce
amendments by the second reading," he noted. It means that the
ratification bill (confirming the ratification of the treaty) will be a
kind of counterpart to the U.S. Senate's resolution. The text of the
treaty signed by the two presidents is not subject to amending.
The new START Treaty was signed by Medvedev and Obama in Prague on
April 8, 2010. The previous Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START)
expired on December 5, 2009. Also on April 8, the sides agreed to
synchronize ratification procedures.
The treaty will limit the number of deployed strategic nuclear
warheads to 1,550, which is down nearly two-thirds from the original START
treaty, as well as 30 percent lower than the deployed strategic warhead
limit of the 2002 Moscow Treaty. The total number of warheads retained,
however, could exceed the 1,550 limit by a few hundred because per bomber
only one warhead is counted regardless of how many it actually carries. It
will also limit the number of deployed and non-deployed inter-continental
ballistic missile (ICBM) launchers, submarine-launched ballistic missile
(SLBM) launchers, and heavy bombers equipped for nuclear armaments to 800.
Also, it will limit the number of deployed ICBMs, deployed SLBMs, and
deployed heavy bombers equipped for nuclear armaments to 700. The treaty
allows for satellite and remote monitoring, as well as 18 on-site
inspections per year to verify limits. These obligations must be met
within seven years from the date the new treaty enters into force. The
treaty will last ten years, with an option to renew it for up to five
years upon agreement of both parties.
It is expected that the new Russian-U.S. nuclear pact will be
supported in the first reading by the United Russia and Just Russia
factions, while the Communist and Liberal Democratic factions are expected
to vote against. A simple majority of at least 226 votes is needed to
ratify the treaty. As regards further work on the bill, it will continue
when the Duma resumes its activity after the traditional ten-days-long New
Year vacation, Kosachev said.
-0-ras


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