2005
DECEMBER
December 21
MOSCOW - An extended final session of the board of Russian Railways, the country's railroad monopoly.
SARANSK - The launch of the first cable TV network in Mordovia, a republic in central Russia. Information Technologies and Mass Communications Minister Leonid Reiman and Culture and Mass Communication Minister Alexander Sokolov will attend the ceremony.
VIENNA - Preliminary talks between the "EU troika" (Britain, France, and Germany) and Iran on the Iranian nuclear issue.
UNITED NATIONS - A news conference with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan on the year's results.
December 23
TYUMEN - The first leg of Kostya Tszyu's international professional boxing cup.
WARSAW - Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski will conclude his term in office.
December 25
MOSCOW - A nationwide New Year's party in the State Kremlin Palace with 5,000 children representing all of the Russian regions.
KAMBARKA, UDMURTIA - The launch of Russia's second chemical weapons disposal facility.
December 27
MOSCOW - Father Frost (Russian Santa Claus) will arrive in Moscow after a tour of Russia and attend New Year celebrations on Tverskaya Square.
IVANOVO - Mikhail Men's inauguration ceremony as governor of the Ivanovo region.
December 28
MOSCOW - The final report of the parliamentary commission investigating the Beslan tragedy.
LENINGRAD REGION (Ivangorod border checkpoint) - The first meeting between Russian Father Frost and Santa Claus on the Russian-Estonian border (since 1997 such meetings have been held on the Russian-Finnish border).
December 29
MOSCOW - A session of the State Council on the implementation of key national projects.
December 30
MOSCOW - A New Year's reception at the Kremlin.
UKRAINE/IRAQ - The completion of the withdrawal of Ukrainian peacekeepers from Iraq.
December 31
LISBON - The 28th Dakar-2006 off-road rally will start.
2006
JANUARY
January 8
NOVOSIBIRSK -The sixth international festival of snow sculptures with Russian, Moldovan, Belarusian, Finnish, Romanian, German, Bulgarian, Italian and French artists.
January 10
MOSCOW - The beginning of the spring session of the State Duma (until July 16).
January 13
WASHINGTON - German Chancellor Angela Merkel's visit to Washington and meeting with President George W. Bush.
January 14
LONDON - The second Russian Winter Festival on Trafalgar Square.
January 15
HELSINKI - The first round of presidential elections in Finland (the second round may be held January 29 if necessary).
January 16
MOSCOW - German Chancellor Angela Merkel's state visit to Russia.
January 21
PALESTINE - Parliamentary elections.
