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*** The Russian president in late November submitted the agreement between CIS countries to combat money laundering and the funding of terrorism to the State Duma for ratification. The agreement was signed in Dushanbe in October 2007. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Digest of headline news from November 30 to 12:00 a.m. Moscow time on December 1: [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

MOSCOW. Dec 1 (Interfax) - A number of libraries in Russia will start offering electronic reading devices instead of paper books to their clients in the near future, Culture Minister Alexander Avdeyev said. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Kyiv, December 1 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The financial and economic crisis negatively influenced trade between Ukraine and Croatia in 2009, Ukrainian President Viktor Yuschenko and speaker of the parliament of the Republic of Croatia Luka Bebic noted during their meeting in Kyiv on Tuesday, the presidential press service reported. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

*** The Central Bank of Russia is predicting inflation of 9% for 2009. CB First Deputy Chairman Alexei Ulyukayev said on the sidelines of a banking forum in London that money supply could grow 10% for the year and Russia could have a trade surplus of $100 billion. The CB expects bank lending in Russia to pick up in the first quarter of 2010 and that growth for the year might total 15%, Ulyukayev said.. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

*** Russia and France signed several agreements in Paris this week as part of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's two-day visit to the French capital. Energy topped the agenda, with Electricite de France (EDF) officially joining the South Stream gas pipeline project. As part of an agreement with Russian gas giant Gazprom, EDF - the world's largest utilities company, will receive a 10% in the project. Putin said the agreement will allow agreement to work on the territory of France and other countries and effectively amounts to an asset swap. Sales on gas from the partner Nord Stream project were also held. French oil major Total, project operator at the Kharyaga oil field, signed an agreement with Russia's Zarubezhneft allowing the state-owned oil company to join the Yamalo-Nenets-based PSA, one of just three such agreements in Russia. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Ukraine and Lithuania concluded a number of agreements during Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite's official visit to Ukraine on November 26, 2009. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

MOSCOW. Dec 3 (Interfax) - Evraz Group has bought back some Eurobonds maturing in 2013, 2015 and 2018, the Russian steel major said in a statement. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

MOSCOW. Dec 3 (Interfax) - Gazprombank could offer up to $1 billion in Eurobonds in the second quarter of 2010, Alexander Sobol, the bank's deputy chairman, told reporters. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

*** UC RUSAL this week confirmed it has signed all the necessary documents on the comprehensive restructuring of its debt of $16.8 billion. The Russian aluminum giant said the restructuring of $7.4 billion debt to international lenders will be split into two phases: an initial four year period, which will see principal repayments made on a "pay-if-you-can" basis predicated on the performance of the business, and a second phase involving the refinancing of the remaining debt by current lenders for an additional three years at RUSAL's option. RUSAL has also signed an agreement on the restructuring of $2.1 billion of debt with its Russian lenders, including VTB, Gazprombank and Sberbank. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

*** The Central Bank of Russia said its gold and foreign exchange reserves stood at $449.7 billion on November 27, 2009, up from $443.8 billion on November 20, 2009. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Kyiv, December 3 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Ukrainian President Viktor Yuschenko has said he hopes that the Tsyklon-4 (Cyclone 4) rocket launch vehicle project will be implemented. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

BANGKOK. Dec 4 (Interfax-AVN) - The court in Thailand has again refused to release Russian businessman Viktor Bout no bail, whose extradition is sought by U.S. authorities. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

MOSCOW. Dec 4 (Interfax) - Russia's trade surplus shrank 41.2% in January-October 2009 to $105 billion, from $182.8 billion in the same period of last year, the Federal Customs Service (FCS) said. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

BANGKOK. Dec 4 (Interfax) - The court in Thailand has again refused to release Russian businessman Viktor Bout no bail, whose extradition is sought by U.S. authorities. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Kyiv, December 8 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Ukraine and Israel have agreed to start a dialog about the formation of a free trade zone between the two states. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

*** Russia could complete all talks on its accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) next year, Presidential Aide Arkady Dvorkovich said. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

*** Russia's biggest independent oil producer, Lukoil, closed the first nine months of the year with net profit of $5.285 billion to US GAAP, half the figure for the same period of last year due to lower oil prices. Lukoil also said this week it plans to boost commercial hydrocarbon production to 2.7 million barrels per day by 2017-2019 and that the oil company's new development cuts investment from $75 billion to $60 billion, with several gas projects likely to be put back in favor of high-margin projects. Lukoil plans to close the purchase of BP's stake in the Lukarco joint venture in the near future and is preparing to bid in auctions on rights to the strategic Trebs and Titov fields, most likely in alliance with a state company. It is also looking to bid in an auction for the development of the West Qurna-2 field in Iraq. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

MOSCOW. Dec 9 (Interfax) - The Czech republic's PPF Investments, which owns 38.46% of insurance company Ingosstrakh (RTS: INGS), has filed a suit with the Moscow Arbitration Court, seeking to invalidate a vote at this year's annual shareholders meeting on May 29 to approve approximately 240 interested-party transactions, PPF Investments said in a press release. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Kyiv, December 9 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Ukraine's leaders will stick to the principles of independence and will continue policies aimed at bringing about a rapprochement with the European Union and NATO, irrespective of the outcome of the 2010 presidential elections, former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine William Taylor has said. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The leaders of the European Union and Ukraine met in Kyiv on December 4, 2009, at the annual Ukraine-EU Summit – the first following the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon on December 1, 2009. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

MOSCOW. Dec 10 (Interfax-AVN) - A joint working group set up at the initiative of Russian state corporation Rostekhnologii has got hold of papers on 50 instances of misappropriation of state property as various enterprises were being put under the corporation's control, Rostekhnologii and the Interior Ministry said in a joint press release on Thursday. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

MOSCOW. Dec 10 (Interfax) - A joint working group set up at the initiative of Russian state corporation Rostekhnologii has got hold of papers on 50 instances of misappropriation of state property as various enterprises were being made part of the corporation, Rostekhnologii and the Interior Ministry said in a joint press release on Thursday. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

MOSCOW. Dec 10 (Interfax) - A joint working group set up at the initiative of Russian state corporation Rostekhnologii has got hold of papers on 50 instances of misappropriation of state property as various enterprises were being put under the corporation's control, Rostekhnologii and the Interior Ministry said in a joint press release on Thursday. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

MOSCOW. Dec 10 (Interfax) - PPF Investments was trying to manipulate judges with a press release issued days before the hearing of a lawsuit seeking to invalidate decisions reached at the Ingosstrakh (RTS: INGS) annual meeting, Basic Element (BasEl), which controls the insurer, said in a statement. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

*** United Company RUSAL's core owner and general director, Oleg Deripaska, hinted in an interview with the Financial Times this week that the company would not try and cram a flotation of 10% of shares in at any cost by the end of this year, and that its creditors were not necessarily demanding an IPO before the end of the year. Deripaska said the aluminum giant has good cash flow and has no problem with its listing being delayed until 2010. The Hong Kong Stock Exchange has still to reach a decision on the floatation, leaving RUSAL little time to finalize preparations prior to the New Year holidays. Sources suggest rising prices for aluminum are also likely to mean that there is no rush to float. Sberbank believes the IPO is most likely to take place in 1Q10, and both it and VTB Bank are likely to buy into the offering, but are unlikely to purchase large stakes. Meanwhile, VEB could purchase up to a 3% shareholding in the offering, which is said to be drawing considerable interest from Asian investors. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

SUKHUMI. Dec 10 (Interfax) - The upcoming presidential election in Abkhazia has increased Western interest in the republic, Abkhaz Foreign Minister Sergei Shamba told a Thursday press conference at the election press center. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

MOSCOW. Dec 10 (Interfax) - A joint working group set up at the initiative of Russian state corporation Rostekhnologii has got hold of papers on 50 instances of misappropriation of state property as various enterprises were being made part of the corporation, Rostekhnologii and the Interior Ministry said in a joint press release on Thursday. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

MOSCOW. Dec 10 (Interfax) - A joint working group set up at the initiative of Russian state corporation Rostekhnologii has got hold of papers on 50 instances of misappropriation of state property as various enterprises were being put under the corporation's control, Rostekhnologii and the Interior Ministry said in a joint press release on Thursday. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

MOSCOW. Dec 11 (Interfax-AVN) - A joint working group set up at the initiative of Russian state corporation Rostekhnologii has got hold of papers on 50 instances of misappropriation of state property as various enterprises were being made part of the corporation, Rostekhnologii and the Interior Ministry said in a joint press release on Thursday. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Digest of headline news as of 7:10 p.m. Moscow time on December 11: [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

MOSCOW. Dec 11 (Interfax) - Austrian Pulp Mill Holding has filed with the Russian Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) to purchase 36.27% of shares in Arkhangelsk Pulp & Paper Mill (RTS: ACBK). [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

KYIV. Dec 11 (Interfax) - The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has decided against providing Ukraine with a fourth stand-by loan tranche of $3.5 billion until after the country's presidential elections, citing the inability of Ukrainian politicians to take control over the budget, The New York Times reported on Friday. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Digest of headline news as of 3:30 p.m. Moscow time on December 11: [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

KYIV. Dec 11 (Interfax) - The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has decided against providing Ukraine with a fourth stand-by loan tranche of $3.5 billion until after the country's presidential elections, citing the inability of Ukrainian politicians to take control over the budget, The New York Times reported on Friday. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

MOSCOW. Dec 12 (Interfax) - A veteran Russian human rights activist lashed out against the Russian authorities for arresting several people for holding a demonstration in central Moscow on Saturday, Constitution Day in Russia, against violations of the Russian constitution. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

SUKHUMI, Abkhazia. Dec 12 (Interfax) - One of the opposition candidates for president of Abkhazia said observers representing him had recorded numerous offenses in the course of voting in Saturday's presidential election. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

SUKHUMI, Abkhazia. Dec 14 (Interfax-AVN) - One of the opposition candidates for president of Abkhazia said observers representing him had recorded numerous offenses in the course of voting in Saturday's presidential election. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Digest of headline news from December 11 to 11:30 a.m. Moscow time on December 14: [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

MOSCOW. Dec 14 (Interfax) - Russian rail freight operator Freight One and Finland's VR-Group Ltd registered the Freight One Scandinavia (FOS) joint venture in Helsinki on December 7, Freight One said in a statement. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Kyiv, December 14 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The Ukrainian government has banned state purchases from intermediaries, the press service of the Ukrainian Economy Ministry reported on December 11, 2009. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Kyiv, December 14 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Ukraine will call for changes to be made to maritime law to step up the fight against piracy, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Petro Poroshenko has said. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

MOSCOW. Dec 15 (Interfax) - Russian industrial output grew 1.5% year-on-year in November 2009, the Federal State Statistics Service (Rosstat) said. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

WASHINGTON. Dec 15 (Interfax) - The International Monetary Fund (IMF) in its latest review of the Russian economy expressed its concern over the high public spending planned in 2009 and 2010 and cautioned that the imbalance between spending and revenue could turn into a long-term tendency. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

WASHINGTON. Dec 15 (Interfax) - The International Monetary Fund (IMF) in its latest review of the Russian economy expressed its concern over the high public spending planned in 2009 and 2010 and cautioned that the imbalance between spending and revenue could turn into a long-term tendency. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]