Kazan begins building int'l chess academy

KAZAN, May 4 (Itar-Tass) - The construction of an international chess
academy (ICA) building begins here on Wednesday.
Vladimir Leonov, Executive Director of the 2013 World Studen Games,
has told Itar-Tass, "The building will constitute a 25-storey spire with
an area of over 22,000 square metres, located in the historical part of
the millennium-old Kazan".
A decision to build an ICA was made by the World Chess Federation
(FIDE). The ICA will be used for the training of chess players, chess
instructors and and umpires. A chess tournament will be held here within
the scope of the XXVII World Student Games.
The chess palace is to be fitted out with Internet technology that
will enable competitors to play chess matches while being physically at
various points of the globe.
A ceremony marking the laying of the foundation-stone will be attended
by RF Vice-Premier Alexander Zhukov,Tatarastan's President Rustam
Minnikhanov, RF Minister of Sports, Tourism, and Youth Policy Vitaly
Mutko, and FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov.
A ceremonial opening of a tournament of contenders for the chess crown
is to take place at the Korstov business center on Wednesday night. The
tournament has drawn grandmasters Vladimir Kramnik and Alexander
Grishchuk (Russia), Levon Aronyan (Armenia), Veselin Topalov (Bulgaria),
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov and Teimur Radzhabov (Azerbaijan), Gata Kamsky
(USA), and Boris Gelfand (Israel).
The tournamet will continue until May 27. A winner will play against
world chess champion Viswanathan Anand (India) in 2012.

.RF awarded Country of the Year title at Houston int'l conf.

NEW YORK, May 4 (Itar-Tass) - Russia has been awarded the Country of
the Year title at the current international conference on offshore
technologies at Houston, Texas. The title is annually conferred by ENERGY
MAGAZINE published in Houston.
At a ceremonial luncheon held on this occasion, Edward S. Verona,
president and the CEO of the US-Russia Business Council (URBC), drew the
attention of politicians and businessmen present to the need to abrogate
the discriminatory Jackson-Vanik Amendment. Verona said the White House
feels an increasing pressure on the part of US business circles to secure
an abrogation of the Amendment before Russia joins the World Trade
Organization (WTO). In the estimate of the URBC chief, this may happen not
later than this year's fall.
The Jackson-Vanik Amendment to the Trade Act was adopted by the US
Congress in 1974. The Amendment linked the development of
trade-and-economic relations between Moscow and Washington with the
freedom of emigration from the Soviet Union. It has not been practically
in application in recent years. The US executive branch comes out in
favour of an official abrogation of the Amendment, pointing out, in
particular, that if it is kept intact American companies will not be able
to use the auspicious possibilities that Russia's forthcoming accession
to the WTO will open up.
Verona emphasized that the Amendment had long lost its importance.
Considering the Americans' respect for the supremacy of law, the Amendment
must be abrogated, for Russia has been fully observing it since 1994 and
currently has a free visa regime with Israel, the businessman said.
If the Amendment remains in force, one of problems that American
business would have to encounter will be Russia's lack of the
most-favored-nation trading status. Following Russia's accession to the
WTO, the United States would also lose this status, he pointed out.
Lawmakers' decision is needed to abrogate the Jackson-Vanik Amendment.
A debate on the issue may be held in the coming months within the context
of Russia's expected entry into the WTO. Nevertheless, analysts believe,
the Amendment may be abrogated not earlier than US Congress approval of
free trade agreements with South Korea, Colombia, and Panama.