Moscow sectoral forum to discuss transport matters Wed.

MOSCOW, November 18 (Itar-Tass) - Matters of current importance
concerning the development of the transport sector are to be discussed at
a four-day international sectoral forum on the theme of "The Transport of
Russia: Formation, Development, Prospects", opening here on Wednesday.
Hundreds of delegates from Russia and a number of foreign countries
will share their vision of solutions to the most acute problems of the
sector.
An official at the organising committee has told Itar-Tass, "Those
present will discuss, primarily, investments in the infrastructure, the
role of business in the development of the transportation sector, ways to
raise the quality of railway services, current problems, and the future of
the city transport".
The delegations are to tour an international transport exhibition
that will open at Moscow's Manege center on November 19.

.RF plays important role in resolving Iran situation--view.

STOCKHOLM, November 18 (Itar-Tass) - Russia plays a very important
role in resolving the situation in Iran, Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik
Reinfeldt has told Itar-Tass in an exclusive interview ahead of the
Russia-European Union (EU) summit. Sweden currently presides over the EU.
"I hope that Russia will support the American position on the
non-recognition of (Iran's) ambitions concerning nuclear weapons. Nuclear
production for peaceful purposes is attended not only by rights but also
by obligations. The rights are in having access to civilian energy while
obligations are in not developing nuclear production in an ambition to
possess nuclear weapons in the world which is committed to the ideas of
non-proliferation. In this respect, Russia could play a greater role in
exerting influence on Iran," Reinfeldt emphasized.
A wide range of problems is to be touched upon on Wednesday at
bilateral talks and at the Russia-EU summit. The Swedish Prime Minister
pointed out, "Climate is the issue, in the discussion of which I am
interested personally most of all." Asking Russia to present plans to
reduce carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere will be among the
priorities of the summit in the run-up to the December UN climate
protection conference in Copenhagen, the Prime Minister said.
Reinfeldt pointed out that energy would figure importantly in the
forthcoming discussions, including crisis in the supply of gas from Russia
to Europe. "One should not ignore the fact that such risks do exist," the
Premier believes. "At present Ukraine pays for gas deliveries from Russia
monthly. However, there are deep economic problems in Ukraine. A certain
role is also played by the fact that presidential elections will be held
there in January next. It is true that a programme for support is under
discussion, with the International Monetary Fund, in particular. However,
the risk remains. Our cornerstone in the dialogue with Russia is that that
it essential to create trust-based contacts so as to soften the aftermath
of possible risks".
In response to the question how the Treaty of Lisbon would influence
the Russia-EU dialogue, the Premier answered as follows: "We hope that the
EU president and foreign policy commissioner, elected for a long term,
will be conducting a more continuous and sustainable dialogue, including
that with Russia. We have also launched the Eastern Partnership programme
which, from the viewpoint of Brussels, will make it possible to create
multilateral and bilateral relations wit six countries east of the EU. It
is important to emphasize that this programme is intended for those
particular states and is not directed against someone, not against Russia.
We seek to find other forms of cooperation with Russia. For example, in
the question of trade -- (we expect) Russia's accession to the World Trade
Organisation. Talks on the subject have been going on for long. In this
respect we point out our concern about protectionism, for example, in such
important-to-Sweden area the duties on timber".
When touching upon the proposal made by Russian President Dmitry
Medvedev about a new security architecture in Europe, Reinfeldt urged the
dialogue that was launched in June this year on the Corfu lsland "to be
carried on in the same format".

.Putin to visit Kolomna, to tour engineering plants Wed.

MOSCOW, November 18 (Itar-Tass) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir
Putin is to visit Kolomna, Moscow Region, on Wednesday to tour the
Engineering Design Bureau (KBM) and the Kolomensky Zavod (KZ) transport
engineering plant. He will also hold a conference on the development of
the defence-indsutry complex, the Premier's press service announced.

.It remains half a mile for icebreaker to reach open ice.

VLADIVOSTOK, November 18 (Itar-Tass) - The icebreaker Kapitan
Khlebnikov (the Far Eastern shipping company) (FESC), nipped in the ice
off Antarctic shores, has drifted past the most complex part of the way
where the severity of ice compression was two to three points.
Over the past 24 hours, the icebreaker traversed three miles. The
ship's movement has now become accelerated and it remais about half a mile
to open ice, Tatyana Kulikova, head of the FESC press center, told
Itar-Tass on Wednesday.
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