Russia’s defence budget in 2013 to reach 2.3 trillion roubles; Twenty two intercontinental ballistic missiles to be added to Russia’s nuclear arsenal in 2014; Russia and Finland reach an agreement on ice breaking in the Baltic Sea; Russia relaxes visa pro
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    • (NOVEMBER 25-DECEMBER 1)

    According to reports, President Vladimir Putin has said that the budget of Russia’s ministry of defence in 2013 will reach 2.3 trillion roubles. 1

    President Vladimir Putin has said that Russia will induct twenty two land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles to its nuclear arsenal in 2014. The missiles are expected to be mobile and silo-based Yars ICBMs and are looked upon as a critical component fo the country’s nuclear deterrent. 2

    Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has approved a draft agreement between Russia and Finland which envisages cooperation in the field of icebreaking for vessels in the Baltic Sea. The agreement regulates assistance in icebreaking; access of icebreakers to the sea and the two countries’ inner sea waters; the mechanism of cooperation between core authorities of the two countries; settlement of disputes arising from interpretation and application of the agreement. 3

    Russia has simplified procedures for issuing visas to citizens of Georgia, in particular, to relatives, business people, members of different professional associations and creative unions. 4

    According to reports, Russian President’s special envoy to the Middle East and Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov has met with the ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to Russia Omar Ghobash wherein they discussed bilateral relations and the situation in Syria. 5

    Russian President’s special envoy to the Middle East and Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov has said that Damascus’s intention to send its delegation to the Geneva II international conference on Syria without preconditions is a step in the right direction. 6

    Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said that the Geneva II Peace Conference on Syria will take place on January 22, 2014. 7

    Russia and Guatemala have signed an intergovernmental agreement on encouragement and protection of bilateral investments. This was done in the backdrop of a meeting between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Guatemalan counterpart Luis Fernando Carrera Castro on November 27 in Moscow. Russia’s capital investment in Guatemala totals US$ 120 million a year. 8

    According to reports, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta have held interstate consultations in Trieste on November 26. A number of agreements were signed. 9

    Chairman of the State Chemical Disarmament Commission Mikhail Babich has said that Russia has destroyed 77 per cent of chemical weapons arsenals on its territory. The weapons are being destroyed at six facilities in Russia. 10

    A convoy of Russian Pacific Fleet warships, which performed their combat tasks in the Mediterranean Sea, have called in with a courtesy visit at Colombo. They had also paid visits to Bur-Safaga (Egypt), Bandar-Abbas (Iran), Salalah (Oman) and two visits to Limassol (Cyprus). 11

    In the backdrop of Georgia having initiated an association agreement with the European Union, Georgian President Georgy Margvelashvili has said that its European integration plans are not meant against Russia and does not infringe upon Russian interests. The agreement is expected to be signed later in 2014. 12

    According to reports, Armenia will not initiate the association partnership programme with the EU despite completing negotiations on an Association Agreement including a comprehensive Free Trade agreement. This comes in the backdrop of Armenia’s decision to join the Customs Union and enter the Eurasian common economic space. 13

    European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso has ruled out Russia’s inclusion in EU-Ukraine talks on association agreement on the grounds that this comes under the purview of a bilateral agreement. 14

    Deputy Defence Minister Anatoly Antonov has said that Russia is reinforcing the Kyrgyz and Tajikistan borders in connection with the withdrawal of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) form Afghanistan. 15

    Nicaragua’s parliament has ratified its government’s decision to allow Russian military units, planes and ships to visit the Central American country. Apart from the provision of “exchange of experience and training” of Nicaragua’s servicemen, the two countries armed forces will take part in a joint patrolling of the Republic’s territorial waters in the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean from January 1 to June 30, 2014. The main task of these operations is to fight drug trafficking. 16

    In other developments, according to reports, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has met with the President of the Bundesrat, the upper house of German parliament, Stephan Weil on November 25. A range of bilateral issues were discussed. 17

    President Vladimir Putin has said that Russia will continue its efforts to help Palestinians build their national state. 18

    Russia’s Central Bank has said that it expects inflation to be higher than 6 per cent in 2013, missing its target band of 5 to 6 per cent. 19

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