The Russian Information Agency Novosti begins Hotline coverage for Wednesday, June 16, 2004.
TASHKENT
* The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation is opening summitry in the Uzbek capital. Known as the Shanghai Six, it brings together China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
ST. PETERSBURG
* Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov is on a routine visit to the city, and intends to appear in several towns in its environs-in particular, Vysotsk, where he will attend a commissioning gala of the LUKoil petroleum mammoth's seaport oil product transshipment centre. In Primorsk, the Premier will see a commercial seaport under construction, and meet the regional administration to take stock of progress the Leningrad Region and other parts of the Russian northwest are making. Mr. Fradkov also means to visit Ford autoworks in Vsevolozhsk.
* The 8th St. Petersburg international economic forum offers the following:
- an entrepreneurial congress of CIS countries;
- a conference on, "Russian Military-Oriented Exports: Present State, Problems and Prospects".
* The Herzen Russian Teacher-Training University hosts a roundtable on developmental problems of indigenous ethnic entities in the context of the Russian North's natural resources. The event sums up an international decade of aboriginal peoples.
MOSCOW
* Vladimir Lukin, federal Human Rights Commissioner, addresses a Novosti news conference to inform the media about his routine work of last month, with an emphasis on team efforts with law enforcement agencies, and rights situation in Turkmenistan.
* A 4th international technical research conference on, "Nuclear Power Industry: Safety, Efficiency, Economy" is opening. Arranged by the Rosenergoatom government concern, it is dedicated to the Russian nuclear power industry golden jubilee.
SAROV, NIZHNI NOVGOROD REGION
* A national theological forum, "The Heritage of St. Seraphim of Sarov and the Russian Destiny" is going on. The event is timed to the holy monk's 250th birth anniversary.
BREST, BELARUS
* The Boards of the Russian and Belarussian Ministries for Emergency and Calamity Relief sit in a 3rd joint session, ministers Sergei Shoigu and Valeri Astapov chairing.
TASHKENT
* Vladimir Rushailo, CIS Executive Secretary and Executive Committee President, is visiting Uzbekistan, June 16-17.
PUSAN, SOUTH KOREA
* South Korean and Russian coast guards are starting a joint exercise near the Pusan port in the Sea of Japan. Two escort ships and a rapid retaliation force are representing Russia. The host country is committing six naval police vessels, two helicopters and a naval commando force. The exercises involve 250 soldiers, all told, to drill team action against terrorists who have seized a civilian boat.
LISBON
* A Russian-Portuguese meet is scheduled in the European Cup football games.
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