Kofi Annan to visit Moscow to discuss the Syrian crisis; Russia will not support sanctions against Syria; Russia is ready for easing visa formalities with the European Union; Kyrgyzstan to raise lease fees for Russia’s military bases in 2014;
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  • According to reports, the Joint Special Envoy of the United Nations and the League of Arab States for the Syrian Crisis Kofi Annan will travel to Moscow on July 16-17, 2012 in order to discuss the latest events in Syria with the Russian Foreign Minister. They are also likely to discuss a three-month extension of the mandate of the U.N. Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS) that expires on the night from July 20 to July 21. 1

    In another development, the First Deputy of Russia’s UN envoy Alexander Pankin has said that Russia is prepared to compromise in discussing a UN Security Council resolution on prolonging the mandate of the UN supervision mission in Syria, but it will not support sanctions against the present incumbent. 2

    President Putin has said that Russia is ready to ease visa formalities with the European Union as part of a rapprochement with Brussels. 3

    Reports noted that Kyrgyzstan will increase the fees for three military bases Russia leases on its territory. At present Russia pays 15 million roubles to Bishkek as per the agreement signed in 2007. However, the increase in fees will extend to the Kant airbase. 4

    Russia’s Constitutional Court upheld the protocol on Russia’s accession to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) as conforming to the Constitution. The Constitutional Court announced its verdict following an inquiry made by a group of MPs who contested the constitutionality of certain provisions of the international treaty and its ratification procedure. 5

    According to reports, warships of three Russian fleets (Northern, Baltic and Black Sea) have set off on a voyage to the Mediterranean for drill combat and training tasks in the Mediterranean and Black Seas. 6

    The Russian State Duma has ratified Protocol on Russia’s accession to the World Trade Organization by 238 votes to 208 with one abstention. The lower chamber of Russian parliament has 450 deputies. A simple majority of votes was enough for the bill to be passed. 7

    In another development, Russia’s State Duma has passed an anti-defamation bill envisaging criminal liability for defamation and libel. As per the provision of the law, a person deliberately spreading false information that dishonours another person and harms his or her reputation will be fined up to 500,000 roubles. Defamation made in a public statement or in mass media carries a fine of up to one million roubles and defamation with the abuse of power envisages a fine of up to two million roubles. Tougher sanctions are envisaged for false statements about someone’s disease hazardous for others – from 500,000 to three million roubles. Other sanctions include compulsory labour for a term of up to 480 hours. 8

    The State Duma has passed a bill on non-governmental (non-commercial) organizations (NGOs) funded from abroad. The bill, initiated by the ruling party, gives the status of “foreign agents” to foreign-funded NGOs involved in political activity. 9

    According to reports, leaders of Russia and Ukraine have signed several documents following the 5th meeting of the Russian-Ukrainian inter-state commission co-chaired by President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Viktor Yanukovich. These include; a memorandum on integration and cooperation between the Russian Federal Agency for Nuclear Energy and the Ukrainian Energy Ministry; a Joint statement of the presidents of Russia and Ukraine; a Declaration on the content of Russian-Ukrainian partnership; a joint statement on delimitation of sea water areas in the Azov and Black Seas; an inter-governmental agreement on interaction in warning about emergency situations linked to the activities of military units of the Black Sea fleet in the territory of Ukraine and liquidation of their consequences; an inter-governmental agreement on parallel operations of the two countries’ energy systems. 10

    In other developments, on the sidelines of the conference of Russia’s ambassadors and heads of diplomatic missions in Moscow, Russia’s Ambassador to Israel has said that Russian-Israeli trade relations are developing and bilateral trade turnover reached 960 million U.S. dollars in the first four months of the year 2012. 11

    The Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has passed the so-called Magnitsky resolution at its 21st annual session in Monaco. The document, entitled Rule of Law in Russia: Case of Sergei Magnitsky, has supported the 2011 decision of the US State Department, the UK Foreign Office and the Dutch Parliament to impose visa bans on some 60 Russian officials believed to be involved in the death of Sergei Magnitsky as a result of the Russian authorities inaction. The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly has called on national parliaments of member countries to “take action to impose visa sanctions and asset freezes on persons responsible for the false arrest, torture, denial of medical care and death of Sergei Magnitsky. 12

    According to reports, Russian Federation Council Chairperson Valentina Matviyenko has urged Armenia to speed up its accession to the CIS free trade zone agreement. The CIS free trade zone agreement was signed on October 18, 2011 in St. Petersburg by the heads of government from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Tajikistan, Moldova, and Kyrgyzstan. Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan did not sign the document but had said that they would join in later. The Eurasian Economic Community consists of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan with Armenia as an observer. A new comprehensive Eurasian Union treaty is expected to be signed by January 1, 2015. 13

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