The Russian Information Agency Novosti begins Hotline coverage for Friday, February 20th, 2004.
MOSCOW
* Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov will hold a meeting of the Russian government's council for enterprise. The meeting will focus on the tax reform.
* Special Advisor to the UN Secretary General on Sport for Development and Peace Adolf Ogi, currently on an official visit to Moscow, will deliver a report entitled "The role of sport as an instrument of social-economic development of society and peacekeeping" at the Russian Diplomatic Academy.
* Russian Federation Council Speaker Sergei Mironov will meet with President of the Senate of Cortes Generales of the Kingdom of Spain Juan Jose Lucas.
* A plenary session of the State Duma will be held. The deputies will confirm its agenda for March 3-31, 2004 and will consider several bills.
* State Duma deputy Konstantin Zatulin will give a press conference on the topic "The fight for the rights and freedoms of our compatriots in Latvia and other countries: problems and prospects of the 4th State Duma."
* The Russian Central Election Commission will consider complaints of presidential nominees Nikolai Kharitonov and Irina Khakamada.
* A press conference with President of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs Arkady Volsky, head of RAO UES Russia Anatoly Chubais and Deputy Minister of Natural Resources Irina Osokina will be held at the International Trade Center, currently hosting an international forum "Prospects for Russia's participation in global market mechanisms of the Kyoto protocol and attraction of investments into energy effective projects."
* The Russian and Paris Chambers of Commerce and Industry will sign an agreement on cooperation.
* The Russian Information Agency Novosti will host a press conference on Russia's possible investments into Ukraine's tourist sphere.
MINSK
* Minsk will host a meeting of the top-level group on the formation of common economic space of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia and Ukraine. Vice Premier Viktor Khristenko will represent Russia.
BISHKEK
* St. Petersburg governor Valentina Matviyenko will sign an agreement on patronage relations between the Russian air base in Kant and St. Petersburg during her visit to Kyrghyzstan. In addition, Matviyenko is to hold talks with Kyrghyz Prime Minister Nikolai Tanayev and to sign an agreement on cooperation between the governments of St. Petersburg and Kyrghyzstan.
YEREVAN
* The Russian-Armenian business forum "Cooperation and integration-2004" will open in Tsakhkadzor, Yerevan's suburb. The forum will be held from February 20 to 23.
HELSINKI
* Russian Economic Development and Trade Minister German Gref will meet with Finnish Minister of Foreign Trade and Development Paula Lehtomaki. In addition, he is to meet with Finnish President Tarja Halonen and heads of major Finnish companies. After that, German Gref will return to Moscow.
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