#2 - JRL 7305
TV1 Review
www.1tv.ru
Compiled by Luba Schwartzman (luba_sch@hotmail.com)
Research Analyst, Center for Defense Information, Moscow office

HEADLINES
Wednesday, August 27, 2003

::  The first day of six-sided negotiations in Beijing on North Korea’s nuclear programs ended with fervent discussion between the American and North Korean delegations. North Korea’s Kim Jong Il declared that Pyongyang “has no nuclear arms” and “does not seek to develop them.” At the same time, he declared that, if North Korea’s demands for a non-aggression treaty are not satisfied, Pyongyang will “create an even more powerful system of containment.” Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Aleksandr Losyukov, who heads the Russian delegation, said that, while it is too early to label the negotiations as failed, there is little basis for optimism.

::  Russian President Vladimir Putin attended the funeral of Sakhlin Oblast Governor Igor Farkhutdinov and the other victims of the Mi-8 helicopter crash. Thousands of local residents attended the funeral as well. President Putin also chaired a meeting with regional leaders to discuss the political situation.

::  The Central Electoral Commission has allowed candidates in the State Duma elections to spend six times as much money on their campaigns as in the 1999 election -- 6 million rubles for single- mandate districts and 40.25 million for party lists and blocs. Candidates can pay up to half of the sum from their own pockets. Private supporters -- Russian citizens who are at least 18 years old -- can pay up to 175,000 rubles each to parties and blocs or 300,000 to single-mandate candidates. Anonymous contributions are not permitted.

::  Magomed-Salikh Gusaev, the Minister for National Policy, Information and External Affairs of the Republic of Daghestan, was killed in Makhachkala. His car was blown up 50 meters away from his home at about 8:20 this morning.

::  Moscow’s Vybory-2003 [Elections-2003] Forum is over. Over 100,000 people attended the forum over the six days.

::  The Electoral Commission of the Republic of Chechnya held a meeting to review the registrations of presidential candidates. 11 people have completed all of the requirements. Their documents will now be examined for violations.

::  An expanded meeting of the Security Council of the Krasnodar Krai was held in Krasnodar. Vladimir Molchanov, the regional head of the Federal Security Service, promised that the organizers of the terrorist act will be found. Experts from other regions have been engaged in the investigation.

::  The trial of Taimuraz Gabachiev, Ruslan Gabachiev, Alikhana Karatsaeva and Vladimir Kamyshov began in Pyatigorsk. They are accused of extortion and illegal trade in weapons, explosives and drugs.

::  Today is the three-year anniversary of the fire on the Ostankino television tower. Three people died in the tragedy.

::  Large-scale training exercises are over in the Far East. Minister of Defense Sergei Ivanov noted that the Armed Forces never held exercises with so many various goals.

::  The United Russia Party held a charity marathon in the Belgorod Oblast to gather school supplies for orphanages.