The Russian Information Agency Novosti begins Hotline coverage for Friday, June 25, 2004.
MOSCOW
* Yoriko Kawaguchi, Japan's Foreign Minister, meets with Igor Ivanov, Russia's Security Council Secretary, in the Kremlin, and addresses a news conference.
* Patricia Hewitt, Britain's Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, opens an oil-and-gas seminar the LUKoil company is arranging. The visitor will meet with Alexei Kudrin, Finance Minister, and co-chair for Russia of a bilateral intergovernmental ad hoc team for trade and investment. Ms. Hewitt co-chairs it for the UK. She is also expected to attend a seminar of Russian business ladies.
* The Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry hosts a 20th session of the CIS Economic Council.
* The State Duma, parliament's lower house, holds session to debate an agreement on updated CFE treaty ratification.
* RIA Novosti holds a news conference on an upcoming NATO summit in Istanbul, Russian participation in ASEAN events in Jakarta, and topical issues of Russia's foreign politics. Addressing the conference are Vladimir Chizhov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs; Alexander Ivanov, chief of the Foreign Ministry department of general Asian problems; and Alexander Yakovenko, Foreign Ministry spokesman.
* President Hotel hosts a public introduction of a global drug report by the UN Board for Narcotic Substances and Crime. Addressing the audience will be Sergei Lavrov, Russia's Foreign Minister, and Antonio Maria Costa, Board Executive Director.
SPACE MISSION CONTROL CENTRE
* Russia's Gennadi Padalka and the USA's Michael Fink of the 9th ISS expedition have scheduled an emergency venture into open space for gyroscope repairs, June 25.
NOVGOROD THE GREAT
* A 3rd international and maiden bilateral Russian-US conference opens at Hotel Beresta on Project Leaders, June 25-27. The promoters include the international affairs committee of the Federation Council-Russia's Senate; the Civil Club nonprofit partnership for civil society institutions; the Cohen Group NGO, and the host city's municipal administration.
ST. PETERSBURG
* HRH Michael The Prince of Kent is in St. Petersburg on a private visit. He is to open a St. Petersburg office of the British-Russian Chamber of Commerce, whose patron the Prince is. The Chamber has its head office in London. His Royal Highness will have a meeting with Mayor Valentina Matvienko at the Smolny Palace, and visit the Power Machines industrial concern.
HAMILTON, NEW ZEALAND
* Alexei Gordeyev, Russia's Agriculture Minister, is in New Zealand on a routine visit. He is expected at several major farms, and will meet with David Braithwaite, Mayor of Hamilton.
ISTANBUL
* The Council of Foreign Ministers of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organisation hold an extraordinary session to take stock of Organisation opportunities to contribute to regional security and stability. Victor Kaluzhny, Deouty Foreign Minister, is leading the Russian delegation.
STRASBOURG
* A session of the PACE, Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, is hearing a report on refugees' situation in Russia and certain other CIS countries.
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