Russia-Czech inter-govt commission to discuss economic coop.

PRAGUE, September 14 (Itar-Tass) -- The Russian-Czech
Intergovernmental Commission for Economic, Industrial and
Scientific-Technical Cooperation will open its fifth meeting here on
Monday.

At its two-day meeting the commission will consider the cooperation in
various branches of economy, primarily in the energy sector, including the
nuclear energy industry. The members of the commission will discuss the
reliability of oil and gas supplies and transit from Russia, investment
cooperation and the prospects of military-technological cooperation.
Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Zhukov heads the Russian delegation,
Minister of Industry and Trade Vladimir Tosovsky is in the head of the
Czech delegation.
On Monday, Czech President Vaclav Klaus will receive Alexander Zhukov.
The Russian vice-premier will also meet with Czech Prime Minister Jan
Fischer, the leadership of the parliament, the foreign minister and the
defense minister. He is expected to visit the Plzen-based Skoda JS
Company, which is specialized in nuclear engineering and supplies for the
nuclear energy industry.
The Russian-Czech trade has increased by 3.5 times for the last five
years. The Czech Republic accounts for 1.6% of the Russian overall foreign
trade. In 2008 the bilateral trade grew 52.9% as compared with 2007 to
reach 10.9 billion dollars. The Russian exports increased by 55.8% to 7.3
billion dollars, and the imports went up 47.4% to 3.6 billion dollars.
For the first six months of this year the bilateral trade has reduced
by 55% as compared with the same period in 2008 due to the world financial
crisis. Specifically, the Russian exports went down 61% and the imports
from the Czech Republic reduced by 38%.

.Lost woman, her daughter found in Sakhalin taiga.

YUZHNO-SAKHALINSK, September 14 (Itar-Tass) -- A 36-year-old woman and
her 14-year-old daughter, who got lost in the taiga nine days ago, were
found in Sakhalin. A helicopter Mi-2 spotted them on Sunday, the press
service of the main emergencies department in the Sakhalin region said on
Monday.
The women were hospitalized in the town of Poronaisk for a medical
examination.
They went out from Poronaisk to gather berries and got lost on
September 6. Over 50 people and eight pieces of machinery were involved in
the search-and-rescue operation. Since then the trains passing by the
Sakhalin railway were giving frequent whistles so that the lost women
could find the railway line. The rugged terrain and a dense softwood
forest made the air search operation less effective. The helicopter was
searching for the women in trouble practically every day when the weather
was favourable.

.Campaigning for Moscow Duma elections to begin on TV, radio.

MOSCOW, September 14 (Itar-Tass) -- The TV and radio campaigning will
begin for the Moscow City Duma elections on Monday. Each of six parties,
which registered the candidate lists (United Russia, Just Russia, the
Communist Party, the Liberal Democratic Party, Yabloko and Patriots of
Russia) are entitled to 60 minutes of the free airtime on each Moscow TV
channel - Stolitsa, Doveriye (Trust) and the Moscow Speaks radio station.
The canvassing period will last until October 9.
The election campaign in the airtime was formally launched back on
Saturday, September 12, that is to say a month before the voting day on
October 11. Since campaign programs should be broadcast on workdays under
the law, the first visuals will be broadcast at 20.15 Moscow time on the
Doveriye TV channel on Monday.
Some parties are granted a half of the free airtime on the Doveriye TV
channel for their visuals. Another half of the free airtime is given to
live debates. Two representatives from three parties will debate at six
round table meetings, which will begin at 20.55 Moscow time. The first
debates will be also held on Monday.
The Stolitsa TV channel granted to the debates the whole free airtime.
The first debates will be held on Tuesday, September 15. Twelve 30-minute
round table meetings are scheduled to begin at 18.30 Moscow time. Two
representatives from three parties will participate in each meeting.
The Moscow Speaks radio station and the Doveriye TV channel granted a
half of the free airtime to the party debates. They will begin at 13.30
Moscow time involving one representative from each of three parties.
Candidates will make 10-minute party statements that will begin at 13.40
Moscow time and 13.50 Moscow time. The first campaign material will be
aired on Tuesday, September 15.
-0-baz