First release

** What to expect in the coming hours. Announcement of events **

Russia-Kazakhstan-President

The presidents of Russia and Kazakhstan will hold negotiations in the Kremlin. "The meeting will be a continuation of an intensive political dialogue, which is a distinctive feature of Russian-Kazakh relations," ITAR-TASS representative of the Presidential Administration said.

Gas Caspian
Russia, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan will sign an intergovernmental agreement on the construction of the Caspian gas pipeline. On it, Turkmen gas will go around the Caspian Sea along its eastern coast along the new pipeline arteries that are pushed into the Russian gas transportation system.

Government-Seduction
The Government of the Russian Federation at the meeting will develop an action plan to implement the country's socio-economic development program in 2008.

PACE-MID
The issues of cooperation between Russia and Europe will be discussed in Moscow by PACE REN Van Der Linden. It is expected that he will meet with the chairman of the Federation Council Sergei Mironov, with the speaker of the State Duma of the 4th convocation Boris Gryzlov and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

A meeting of the CSTO experts
Experts in the organization of a collective security agreement / CSTO / will discuss issues of creating a mechanism of multilateral operational interaction to suppress the illegal movement of weapons of mass destruction.

In the CIS
A meeting of the Council of Russian Strategic Investors in Ukraine will discuss the conditions and opportunities for improving and developing bilateral trade and economic relations.

The tenth meeting of the Interstate Council for Cooperation in the field of periodical, book publishing, books and printing will open here today. On the agenda - more than 10 issues, among which special attention will be paid to the draft declarations of the rights of the book and agreements on the creation of favorable conditions for mutual exchange of printed products.

The Central Election Commission of Kyrgyzstan should announce the official results of early parliamentary elections on December 16.

Iran-Russia
An exclusive interview with ITAR-TASS Director of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation of Mikhail Dmitriev following a meeting of the 4th meeting of the Russian-Iranian intergovernmental commission for VTS.

Egypt-Atom
Cairo - a delegation of the IAEA experts will discuss issues of the practical implementation of the Egyptian peaceful nuclear program, in which by 2015-16 it is planned to launch the first nuclear power plant on the Mediterranean coast.

Israel-Data
An annual Herzli Conference is opening with the participation of leading Israeli politicians and businessmen dedicated to the approaching 60th anniversary of Israel and the modern challenges faced by the Jewish state.

Japan-Russia
The Gazprom delegation led by Deputy Chairman of the Board Alexander Ananenkov will discuss the issues of energy cooperation. It is expected that it will first of all be about the prospects for the development of Sakhalin oil and gas projects.

Meeting presidents of Italy, Spain and France
Ways to intensify cooperation in the Mediterranean region will be discussed here by the Prime Minister of Italy Romano Prodi, his Spanish colleague Jose Luis Rodriguez Sapatero and French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

France-President
In the Vatican, the French president will be erected to the rank of "Honorary Canon of the Cathedral of St. John in Laren."

Russia-China
In the cooperation of the Russian Federation and China in the field of nuclear energy there are brilliant prospects - Deputy Prime Minister of the State Council of the PRC Zen Payan.

North Korea Atom
The DPRK chosen by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the DPRK called on to abandon nuclear programs in exchange for economic cooperation.

Culture
In the restored Opera Odessa Theater, the premiere of Bala Mascarada will take place.

** President of the Russian Federation and his administration **

Russia, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan will sign an agreement on the construction of the Caspian gas pipeline today

Russia, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan will sign the long -awaited breakthrough intergovernmental agreement on the construction of the Caspian gas pipeline today. On it, Turkmen gas will go around the Caspian Sea along its eastern coast along the new pipeline arteries that are pushed into the Russian gas transportation system.

According to the source, the agreement will be signed in the presence of the presidents of the Russian Federation and Kazakhstan Vladimir Putin and Nursultan Nazarbayev. A representative delegation has arrived from Turkmenistan, headed by the Executive Director of the State Agency for the Management and Use of President Bayrammurad Muradov.

On Tuesday, V. Putin held a telephone conversation with the President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, discussing a gas pipeline topic.

In addition, V. Putin discussed on the eve of the fuel and energy theme with the Uzbek President Islam Karimov. Uzbekistan is another major energy player in the region.

On May 12, the presidents of the three countries - Russia, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan at a meeting in the Turkmen port of the Turkmenbashi signed a declaration on the construction of the Caspian gas pipeline. The governments were then given an order to prepare and sign an agreement on cooperation on the implementation of a project aimed at increasing the exports of Central Asian gas in the Russian Federation. The agreement provides for the development of a feasibility study, basic characteristics and terms of the project, as well as joint obligations of the parties.

It was expected that the agreement would be signed until September 1, but it was not possible to meet the deadlines. However, as the Russian side assures, this will not affect the original construction schedule. The work, as the Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Sergey Naryshkin, will begin the other day, will begin, as planned, until mid-2008, and construction will end in 2012

The gas pipeline should go along the Caspian coast-360 km along the Turkmen territory and about 150 km in the territory of Kazakhstan, in order to dock with the existing system of the Central Asia Center on the Kazakh-Russian border. The new gas pipeline by 20 billion cubic meters will increase the existing capacities for the export of Turkmen gas to Russia. The creation of the Caspian gas pipeline and the reconstruction of the gas pipeline system Central Asia - Center / CAC / will allow the annual purchases of Turkmen gas to 80 billion cubic meters.

Currently, Turkmen gas is exported to the Central Asia -Center gas pipeline, the annual capacity of which does not exceed 50 billion cubic meters. In the future after modernizing the pipeline, it will be able to pump about 230 million cubic meters per day - more than 70 billion cubic meters per year.

However, Turkmenistan has not yet excluded the possibility of building an alternative - Trans -Caspian gas pipeline, the project of which is lobbying to the United States. This project provides for the construction of a gas pipeline by the bottom of the Russian Caspian, bypassing Russia with a capacity of 30 billion cubic meters per year. However, now this perspective already looks purely hypothetical, in any case in the foreseeable future.

Time magazine called Vladimir Putin "man of the year"

Russian President Vladimir Putin became the "man of the year" according to the American magazine Time. The American publication preferred the Russian president to such candidates as Albert Mountains, Joan Rowling and Hu Jintao, BBC reports.

"Possessing tireless perseverance, a clear vision of the course of Russia's development and the feeling that it embodies the spirit of Russia, Putin returned his country to the map of the world," the Time website says on the Internet. At the same time, Time writes that Putin returned to Russia the stability and status of a world power, "significantly ocular the principles and ideas that value free nations."

An interview with V. Putin was published on the official website of the President of the Russian Federation.

** Government of the Russian Federation **

The Government of the Russian Federation will develop an action plan for the implementation of the program of socio-economic development of the Russian Federation in 2008

The Government of the Russian Federation will gather today, both in a literal and figurative sense for a "program meeting". The Cabinet of Ministers intends to develop a plan for its actions for the next year, in particular, with the implementation of the medium-term program of socio-economic development of the Russian Federation. In addition, the Cabinet of Ministers will also outline a meeting plan for the first half of the coming year.

The draft plan for the implementation in 2008 of the main provisions of the Social and Economic Development Program of the Russian Federation for the medium term / 2006-2008 / will present to colleagues the Minister of Economic Development and Trade of the Russian Federation Elvira Nabiullin, the press service of the Russian government said. In addition, at the proposal of the Minister of Justice of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Ustinov, the government is expected to approve the changes to the Criminal Procedure Code of the Russian Federation, and on the proposal of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov, the issue of ratification of the protocol to the "partnership and cooperation /ATP /that establishes the partnership between Russia, on the one hand, and the European communities and their European communities and their Member States, on the other hand, taking into account the accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the EU. " The Minister of Education and Science of the Russian Federation Andrei Fursenko is supposed to invite colleagues to form the National Committee for the holding in Russia in 2008 of the international year of planet Earth.

** Scandals and incidents. Rumors **

The Supreme Court of the Russian Federation will consider today the issue of the legality of conducting the investigation in the case of Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev

The Supreme Court of Russia today will consider the legality of conducting investigative actions in Chita in the framework of the second criminal case in relation to the ex-head of Yukos Mikhail Khodorkovsky and the head of Menatep Platon Lebedev. As the source notes, with the request to cancel the decision of the Basmanny Court of Moscow, which recognized the actions of the investigation, the Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation applied to the court.

P. Lebedev will participate in the meeting through video broadcasting. Earlier, the judge satisfied his petition for personal participation. In the same way, perhaps, M. Khorkovsky will be present in court. They are currently contained in the investigation of the chita.

In his supervisory appeal, the Prosecutor General's Office asks to cancel the decision of the Basmanny Court of Moscow and recognize the conduct of investigative actions in Chita. Earlier, the district court and the Moscow City Court refused a similar complaint of the prosecution. According to lawyers, if the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation refuses to satisfy the complaint of the Prosecutor General, then M. Khorkovsky and P. Lebedev should be transferred to Moscow. “In this case, the whole preliminary investigation will begin first with the stage of the charge,” the lawyer said.

The second criminal case against the head of Menatep P. Lebedev and the ex-head of the Yukos M. Khodorkovsky was initiated on charges of embezzlement of shares belonging to the state, as well as the assignment of oil and legalization / lining / funds proceeds from its sale. According to the investigation, they legalized 450 billion rubles and $ 7.5 billion from 1998 to 2004. In total, the charges were charged under five articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

Currently, the preliminary investigation has been completed, the parties are getting acquainted with the materials of the criminal case.

In 2005, the head of Menatep and the former head of the Yukos were found guilty under seven articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation and sentenced to 8 years in prison each.

** Companies news **

Rosneft and Gazprom resumed negotiations on the exchange of assets

Rosneft and Gazprom OJSC resumed negotiations on the exchange of assets. This was announced by a source close to one of the companies.

As the source previously reported, in the summer the President of Rosneft, Sergei Bogdanchikov, said that the company was ready to exchange its share in the Komsomolsk-Khabarovsk gas pipeline for the South Poland Oil Department, owned by Gazprom Neft OJSC. For Gazprom, the Komsomolsk-Khabarovsk gas pipeline should become part of the gas pipeline system, which should be continued to Vladivostok. The gas monopoly has already reached an agreement on the acquisition of a 49-percent of the share of the administration of the Khabarovsk Territory in Dalteransgaz, which is the owner of the gas pipeline. Rosneft owns a control package. The gas monopoly is interested in full control of the Dalteransgaz.

Nevertheless, according to the source, the exchange of a gas system for an oil transmitting asset is not equivalent to Gazprom. According to the source, Rosneft is ready to propose as part of the exchange of assets and Tomskneft.

Rosneft is interested in acquiring a license for the South Private deposit, which in the future will have to compensate for the decline in prey at the Privksky deposit, the largest Rosneft in the structure of extracting assets.

Gazprom received control in Mosenergo

Gazprom OJSC increased its share in Mosenergo OJSC to 53.5% from 49.9%, the gas holding said. According to the report, the corresponding changes occurred on December 4. Mosenergo OJSC is the largest heat-generating company in Europe, which unites 17 power plants with a total capacity of 10.6 thousand megavatts for electricity and 39 thousand megavatts for heat energy. They provide 85% of the needs of Moscow and the region in electricity.

The share of the RAO "UES of Russia" in the authorized capital of Mosenergo is 36.18%, of which the state accounts for 21.16%. Energy holding decided to sell this "state -owned" government of Moscow or a company acting in the interests of the city. The metropolitan authorities intend to not stop by buying 21.16% of Mosenergo shares and bring its package to a blocking (25% plus one promotion).

The agreement on the purchase of Gazprom Gas with Sakhalin -1 will begin to begin the implementation of the second stage of this project, - Alexander Ananenkov

The agreement on the purchase of Gazprom Gas with Sakhalin-1 will first open for this project the opportunity to move on to the second stage of its implementation. This was stated in an interview with the newspaper Nickei, published by the Deputy Chairman of the Board of Gazprom Alexander Ananenkov. "Negotiations on the purchase / gas / C representatives of Sakhalin -1, under the leadership of the Ministry of Industry of the Russian Federation, are in normal mode. When the agreement is reached, the project will be able to go to the second stage of implementation for the first time," the newspaper quotes the word of the Russian company. Alexander Ananenkov also noted that the Sakhalin-1 Project is the only energy source to meet the growing demand for electricity in the Far East. " The Gazprom delegation begins today in Tokyo a series of meetings and negotiations, in which we will talk about the prospects for the development of Sakhalin oil and gas projects, the source reports. Tonight, Alexander Ananenkov, a meeting is planned with the head of the department of natural resources and energy of Japan Harufumi Motizuki. On Friday, representatives of Gazprom will take part in the second meeting dedicated to the plans of the interaction of the Russian monopoly with Japan. The first meeting in this format was held in January this year in Moscow. The deputy law will also hold regular consultations with representatives of the government and business structures of Japan related to energy issues. Gazprom owns a control package of shares in the Sakhalin-2 project. Long -term contracts for the supply of about 60 percent of liquefied natural gas /LNG /, which will be made as part of this project, have already been signed with Japanese companies. It is planned that the first tanker with LNG for Tokyo Gas Co. He will arrive in Japan in the second half of 2008.

Mikhail Prokhorov sent a bilateral offer to Vladimir Potanin a 50% share in CJSC KM Invest

Mikhail Prokhorov sent a bilateral offer to Vladimir Potanin a 50% share in CJSC KM Invest, the ONEXIM group said. M. Prokhorov proposes to sell to V. Potanin his 50 percent share in the Km Invest or redeem the 50 percent share of V. Potanin according to the same assessment. The asset assessment of the company's assets, given in the offer, is based on market quotes of the relevant assets, and in relation to the KM Invest companies whose shares are not quoted, on a conscientious assessment of "ONEXIM". An essential condition of the offer is the right of the parties to purchase at the same time, in the case of the sale of a share in the KM Invest, up to 50% of any asset belonging to it. So, in the case of ransom by V. Potanin, M. Prohorov’s share in KM Invest, ONEXIM Group intends to acquire 4% of Norilsk Nickel GMC OJSC, 4% of OJSC Pole Gold, 22% of Rosbank (37% if SG does not realize its option), 45% of the Consent, 29% of Open Investments, 50% Rose Rose Farm ", 12.5%" Rusia Petroleum "and 50%" Interros Estit "on the assessment presented in the Offer. In the case of decisions of V. Potanin, sell an" onexim "50% of the company, in accordance with the offer, V. Potanin has the right to choose assets in which he would like to leave his proportional share directly, and make the sale of these assets on the condition of the transaction. Offer. It provides for 30 days for its acceptance and 90 days to make a transaction. Akopova. Recall that the ONEXIM group proposed three options for the separation of joint assets of V. Potanin and M. Prokhorov, located in the KM Invest Foundation. The first option is an immediate "economic liquidation", that is, the public sale of all assets at the market value, confirmed by an independent conclusion on the assessment, with the subsequent distribution of sale income in the regime agreed between shareholders. When selling each shareholder, there is a predominant right to purchase part of such an asset in proportion to the share of a shareholder in the capital of KM Invest or if one of the shareholders does not want to acquire their proportional share, the entire asset at the market value for third parties. This option is preferable for the ONEXIM group. The second is the “mirror” offer to V. Potanin from the ONEXIM group on the acquisition of the share of M. Prokhorov to the KM Invest on market assessment. The offer may include the simultaneous redemption by the ONEXIM group proportional share of M. Prokhorov in some “ONEXIM“ Assets ”of KM Invest and vice versa. Such a scenario also seems attractive to both shareholders. И третий вариант - "юридическая ликвидация" в соответствии с федеральным законом "Об акционерных обществах", предусмотренная соглашением акционеров "КМ Инвест" от 1 октября 2007г. Указанный вариант ликвидации представляется долгим и не самым эффективным процессом и рассматривается лишь в крайнем случае, когда акционеры "КМ Инвест" не способны достичь "рыночных" договоренностей. Поводом для такого предложения послужило получение 12 декабря 2007г. от председателя совета директоров ЗАО "КМ Инвест" В.Потанина повестки очередного заседания совета директоров, на котором группе "Онэксим" предлагалось рассмотреть ряд сделок. По словам М.Прохорова, в случае принятия первого варианта, продажа всех активов завершится до 1 июня 2008г. Что касается третьего варианта - юридической ликвидации, то она может затянуться на срок от двух лет.

"КМ Инвест" продаст около 2% акций Норникеля и 7.4% акций "Полюс Золото"

ЗАО "КМ Инвест" продаст около 2% акций ОАО "ГМК "Норильский никель" и 7.4% акций ОАО "Полюс Золото". Такое решение принял Совет директоров "КМ Инвест", говорится в сообщении компании. Также "КМ Инвест" планирует приобрести до 25% компании "ОПИН" ("Открытые инвестиции") и ОАО "Русиа петролеум" и до 45% акций ОАО "Сити". Покупка акций компаний "ОПИН" и "Русиа петролеум" является частью процесса реструктуризации группы для повышения гибкости "КМ Инвест" в принятии решений о продаже активов. С этой же целью приобретается и компания "Сити", которая, находясь в совместной собственности акционеров "КМ Инвест", не входит в структуру группы. Кроме того, Совет директоров "КМ Инвест" принял решение привлечь заем на $800 млн у своих дочерних компаний. Напомним, что 19 декабря Совет директоров "КМ Инвест", несмотря на голосование "против" представителей Михаила Прохорова, утвердил ряд сделок (продажа пакетов акций ГМК "Норильский никель" и ОАО "Полюс Золото") простым большинством голосов членов Совета. "Данные решения, в отсутствие утвержденного в соответствии с соглашением акционеров общества от 1 октября 2007 года консолидированного бюджета, дают М.Прохорову право требовать созыва в течение 30 дней внеочередного собрания акционеров общества с вопросом о ликвидации общества и назначении ликвидационной комиссии. Соответствующее требование направлено В.Потанину сегодня", говорится в пресс-релизе. Одновременно, в рамках согласительных процедур, предусмотренных соглашением акционеров, М.Прохоров направил в адрес В.Потанина двустороннюю оферту на выкуп 50% общества: М.Прохоров предлагает продать В.Потанину свою 50-процентную долю в обществе или выкупить 50-процентную долю В.Потанина по той же оценке. Оценка стоимости активов "КМ Инвеста", приведенная в оферте, основывается на рыночных котировках соответствующих активов. Оценка стоимости принадлежащих "КМ Инвесту" компаний, акции которых не котируются, основывается на оценке группы "Онэксим". "Существенным условием оферты является право сторон приобрести одновременно, в случае продажи доли в "КМ Инвесте", до 50% любого принадлежащего обществу актива. Так, в случае выкупа В.Потаниным доли М. Прохорова в обществе, Онэксим намерен приобрести 4% Норильского никеля, 4% Полюс Золота, 22% Росбанка (37% если SG не реализовывает свой опцион), 45% СК Согласие, 29% Открытых инвестиций, 50% Роза Хутор, 12.5% Русиа Петролеум и 50% Интеррос Эстейт по оценке, представленной в оферте. В случае решения В.Потанина продать Онэксиму 50% долю в "КМ Инвесте", в соответствии с офертой у В.Потанина есть право выбрать активы, в которых он хотел бы оставить свою пропорциональную долю напрямую, и сделать продажу этих активов по той же оценке условием сделки", - пишет Онэксим. Оферта предусматривает 30 дней для ее принятия и 90 дней для совершения сделки. В случае принятия оферты в течение 30-дневного срока, М.Прохоров готов голосовать против ликвидации общества на собрании акционеров, которое должно состояться не позднее 21 января 2008 года, а также сформировать рабочую группу для подготовки и реализации сделки, состоящую из представителей сторон под руководством Рафаэля Акопова. "КМ Инвест" - фонд, управляющий совместными инвестициями В.Потанина и М.Прохорова. Компания контролирует 7.4% акций ГМК "Норильский никель", 7.4% акций "Полюс Золото", контрольные пакеты АКБ "Росбанк", медиахолдинга "Проф-Медиа", группы "Агрос", страховой компании "Согласие", компаний "ОПИН" ("Открытые инвестиции"), "Роза Хутор", 25.8% ОАО "Русиа петролеум". Стоимость активов под управлением "КМ Инвест" - более $11 млрд.

Группа "КАМАЗ" планирует в 2008г. увеличить выручку на 48% - до 127,8 млрд руб

Группа "КАМАЗ" планирует в 2008г. увеличить выручку на 48% - до 127,8 млрд руб. Соответствующий бизнес-план утвердил сегодня совет директоров компании. КАМАЗ в 2008г. планирует выпустить 65 тыс. автомобилей, что на 48% больше показателей 2006г.

Также совет директоров принял решение о досрочном прекращении полномочий трех членов правления и назначении двух новых. Вместо заместителя генерального директора КАМАЗа Виктора Жидилина, генерального директора ОАО "ЗМА" Васила Каюмова и замгендиректора КАМАЗа по управлению персоналом и оргразвитию Жамиля Тагирова назначены исполнительный директор КАМАЗа Юрий Клочков и замгендиректора по управлению персоналом и организационному развитию Кирилл Пузырьков.

В единый комплекс ОАО "КАМАЗ" входят 13 крупных специализированных подразделений по разработке, производству, сборке автомобильной техники и автокомпонентов, а также сбыту готовой продукции. Всего в группе компаний "КАМАЗ" 110 предприятий, включая совместные предприятия в странах СНГ и зарубежные сборочные производства. Уставный капитал КАМАЗа составляет 39 млрд 287 млн 378 тыс. 700 руб. и разделен на 785 млн 747 тыс. 574 обыкновенные акции номиналом 50 руб. Российская Федерация в лице Федерального агентства по управлению федеральным имуществом владеет 34,01% акций компании.

Read about the further development of events in the next issue of the monitor at 14 o’clock.