Italy will use the visit of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to expand ties with Russia, including a possible deal for the production of Chrysler models from Fiat SpA in the country as part of a “strategic partnership” between the two countries. Fiat and Russian automaker Sollers “discuss important investments for the production of cars carrying the production of Chrysler in Russia,” said Italian Industry Minister Claudio Skayola, cited by Bloomberg. Fiat has a controlling stake in U.S. company. It is envisaged that more transactions to be concluded between Finmeccanica SpA and Sukhoi aviation holding company, and between Eni SpA and Gazprom for pipeline project South Stream. Italy has long been cooperating with Moscow, which has earned both profitable contracts, and criticism from its NATO partners. (more…)

Germany’s automobile concern Daimler, which manufactures trucks with the brand Mercedes-Benz, expanding its cooperation with Russia. The company will sign a contract with the Russian KAMAZ automobile holding company set up a joint venture, reported Reuters, citing information from the German company with headquarters in Stuttgart. The aim is not only the production of trucks with the brand Mercedes, but to offer the Russian market with the brand and buses Setra. Reminiscent of the German concern that in December last year, Daimler acquired 10 percent of the capital of Kamaz. “In the beginning will produce spare parts and only assemble Mercedes-Benz trucks in Russia,” said a representative of KAMAZ Oleg Afanasiev, quoted by Itar-Tass.
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The growth of Russian economy in 2010 will be 3.9 percent of recent estimates show Bank of America. This is an upward revision from the previous forecast of 2.4 to increase the country’s GDP. The new estimate is based on higher fuel prices, which are among the main export goods to Moscow, and the government provided incentives. For the second quarter of this year the country reported the largest decrease in its gross domestic product – 10.9% annually after the first quarter the economy shrank by 9.5%. In July, the IMF forecast economic growth of Russia with 1.5 percent for next year and a decline of 6.5 percent for this.
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Largest steel producer Severstal reported a loss of 290 million dollars for the second quarter, forward Bloomberg. Over the same period last year, the company made a profit of 1.5 billion dollars. Most of them are generated by the North American division of a company – 236 million dollars. This will lead to a restriction of certain manufacturing processes there, the company said in the circulation to the media. The decline in sales is 54% to 2.85 million. Despite the negative news the company’s shares rose by 2.1 rubles, or 1 percent to 206 rubles. Since the beginning of the year the company doubled its market capitalization, currently it is estimated at 6.6 billion dollars.
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Russia’s government approved the Energy Strategy of the country by 2030, said Russian Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko. According to the document in 2030 Russia needs to export 329 million tons of oil and 349-368 billion cubic meters of gas annually, and to yield 530-535 million tons of oil and 880-940 billion cubic meters of gas, the minister said, quoted by the Russian newspaper “Vedomosti” quoted by Focus Agency. To achieve these benchmarks are intended to be consumed 60 trillion rubles (1.89 trillion dollars), of which 90 percent must come from private investment. Under the new concept is to increase reserves and exports of oil and natural gas. Will increase and the share of alternative energy sources. The former concept was to the government in 2020 and was adopted was adopted five years ago. According Shmatko amid the global economic crisis had to make substantial repairs to the main indicators.
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The closure of the Cherkizovskiy market in Moscow in June 2009 tighten the relations between China and Russia because the market was a major center for the sale of counterfeit goods imported from China. The market remained Chinese goods worth 5 billion dollars. The Chinese authorities clearly expressed its concern, because 70 percent of the hundred thousand people working in the market, were citizens of China. Russia and China reached a consensus and develop a common plan and to combat the informal economy, said Deputy Minister of Commerce PRC Gao Huchen after negotiations with Moscow authorities. For its part Moscow mayoralty authorities agreed with the delegation of the Chinese Ministry of Commerce for the construction of a new mall at the site of the capital market Cherkizovskiy.
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The Russian Ministry of Transport and the largest construction company in the world Vinci signed concession contract to build the first part of the highway connecting Moscow with St. Petersburg. The contract is worth 60 billion ruble (2 billion dollars), the company will begin work on the first 43 kilometers of the route next year. The document was signed by Anatoly Chabunin, Minister of Transport and Louis-Roh Burgar, operational director of the division of Vinvi in concessions. Willingness of the government is 626 km route, which has a high-speed section from the center of Moscow to the distant suburbs, to be completed by 2015 by providing cost him to reach 600 billion ruble (20 billion dollars).
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The tactics of successful elections in Bulgaria Party Emblem to freeze the country’s participation in energy projects aim to Sofia markets benefit more from Russia, wrote the Greek Journal, forward agency Focus. Greece attaches to the games, which are hiding behind policy objectives, statements of personnel of the Emblem on the frustration of the project for the Burgas-Alexandroupolis pipeline. Some representatives of the Greek government should not be taken literally everything published Bulgarian media. There are views that the statements have been focused on the winners of the elections. If the position of Sofia did not change, and ultimately she chooses Nabucco instead of another Russian project – “South stream” under the pretext to reduce its dependence on Russian gas, it is not excluded that the first project to be implemented more quickly, the newspaper said.
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A meeting between Russia and Ukraine through the European Union will be held on July 17, said Spokesman of the European Commission Mark Gray, quoted by Reuters. He emphasized that the initiative of the European Commission. The first meeting in this Chamber was in Brussels on June 29. After her release in the popular European Commission said that a meeting is negotiating to provide loan for Ukraine to pay its debt for Russian gas. The document stresses that progress is made. Later in the Russian press appeared information that international lenders consider the ability to provide loans amounting to half the amount necessary for Ukraine to solve problems with accumulation of gas in its gas storage. Ukraine asked the European financial structure can be assured its 4.2 billion dollars.
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Just a few hours before the U.S. presidential aircraft to land at an airport near Moscow Vnukovo and the Russians and Americans had hoped that the meetings of Barrak Obama in the Russian capital will “recharge” the bilateral relations. Hopes the Russians are related to the termination of the new cold war between the two countries, reborn at the end of the second term of President George Bush, while for Americans it is important to extend U.S. influence in Russia. This is the program of President Obama is not only included meetings with President Medvedev and Prime Minister Putin, and with former President Gorbachev, with representatives of NGOs and business. According to publications in British and American press not to expect any spectacular results, because the Kremlin welcomes Obama with cool civility. Most lead to a breakthrough in one area – the reduction of nuclear weapons and to conclude a new treaty START expects BBC. Russian media are not so great optimistic because Moscow does not agree to U.S. request to ceiling 1500-1600 martial charges in 1100 and the media. Furthermore, President Medvedev has repeatedly said that nuclear safety program is linked to the U.S. missile defense (PRO) and its elements are located in Poland and the Czech Republic.
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