APRIL 2007

From: MSN NicknameEagle_wng  (Original Message)    Sent: 4/12/2007 2:29 PM
April 12th 2007 · Prague Watchdog / Dr. Dmitry Shlapentokh     
    
    
The Spread of Islamic Fundamentalism in Russia

By Dr. Dmitry Shlapentokh for Prague Watchdog


Ever since the beginning of Gorbachev’s reforms almost a generation ago, Russia’s large and growing Muslim population has been continuously restless. While at the beginning of the process many Russian Muslims actively integrated Islam into the nationalist discourse of the various ethnic groups of the Russian Federation, which has historically professed Islam, a new trend has recently emerged. The Islam that was integrated into the various nationalist ideologies has increasingly been replaced by a universalistic jihadism.

Although there are many different reasons for this transformation of Islam in Russia, one or two major causes can be singled out. First, the unworkability of nationalistic Islam as an ideology of national revival and possible independence or semi-independence from Russia. Second, the fact that the ideology of universalistic Islamism has increasingly become a replacement for universalistic ...
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From: MSN NicknameEagle_wng  (Original Message)    Sent: 4/12/2007 2:45 PM


IMF Predicts Russian Economic Slowdown

12.04.2007

MosNews

Economic growth in Russia will slow down over the next two years, the International Monetary Fund said on Wednesday, April 11, in its annual survey of the global economy.

The IMF said that Russia’s gross domestic product (GDP) would grow at a rate of 6.4 percent in 2007 and 5.9 percent in 2008, down from last year’s growth rate of 6.7 percent.

The Russian government initially projected this year’s GDP growth rate at 6.2 percent, but the economy’s strong performance in the first two months and higher industrial output expectations have made authorities raise their estimate to 6.5 percent.

IMF analysts also predicted a slowdown in Russian oil production as a result of modest investment.

Year-end consumer inflation dropped to 9 percent in 2006, but was still 0.5 percent above the official forecast, the IMF said.

According to the fund, last year saw an increase in primary surplus, thanks largely to high oil export revenues, but budget spending ...
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From: MSN NicknameEagle_wng  (Original Message)    Sent: 4/14/2007 9:01 AM
Berezovsky threatening to overthrow Putin
Publication time: 13 April 2007, 07:38
The Russian tycoon Boris Berezovsky has told the Guardian he is plotting the violent overthrow of President Putin from his base in Britain after forging close contacts with members of Russia's ruling elite.

In comments which appear calculated to enrage the Kremlin, and which will further inflame relations between London and Moscow, the multimillionaire claimed he was already bankrolling people close to the president who are conspiring to mount a palace coup.

"We need to use force to change this regime," he said. "It isn't possible to change this regime through democratic means. There can be no change without force, pressure." Asked if he was effectively fomenting a revolution, he said: "You are absolutely correct."

Although Mr Berezovsky, with an estimated fortune of £850m, may have the means to finance such a plot, and although he enjoyed enormous political influence in Russia before being forced into exile, he said he could ...
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From: MSN NicknameEagle_wng  (Original Message)    Sent: 4/16/2007 11:25 AM
Friday, February 2, 2007

Russia: Economist Says Political Elite 'Have Their Own Law'

Russia-- Illarionov Andrei, the president of fund
Andrei Illarionov speaking to RFE/RL's Russian Service in June 2006
(RFE/RL)
NEW YORK, February 2, 2007 (RFE/RL) -- Andrei Illarionov spent five years as Russian President Vladimir Putin's economic adviser. Since leaving his post at the end of 2005, however, he has become a vocal critic of the Kremlin's political tendencies and human rights record. Illarionov spoke to RFE/RL correspondent Nikola Krastev on January 30.





RFE/RL: You say that the West doesn't understand what's going on in Russia. What's your view? What is going on?

Andrei Illarionov: The emergence of a new political, economic, and ideological regime. In fact, it has already been more or less established. My term for it -- which may not be the most precise term -- is a "corporativist" state. It's where power is concentrated in the hands of corporations whose members hold all the key positions in the ...
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From: MSN NicknameEagle_wng  (Original Message)    Sent: 4/16/2007 11:22 AM
Monday, April 16, 2007

Russia: Berezovsky Calls For End To 'Criminal Regime'

Russia -- Berezovsky, Boris
Berezovsky: Authorities "are afraid of any event they haven't organized themselves"
(RFE/RL)
April 16, 2007 (RFE/RL) -- Self-exiled Russian multimillionaire Boris Berezovsky caused a sensation on April 13 when, in an interview with Britain's "the Guardian" newspaper, he appeared to call for a violent overthrow of the Russian government. Berezovsky later sought to soften his tone, saying it was a use of force, and not violence, that was needed. RFE/RL Russian Service correspondent Mikhail Sokolov spoke to the London-based Kremlin opponent in a telephone interview April 14.





RFE/RL: Did "The Guardian" misrepresent your comments? Did you use the word "violence" in calling for the overthrow of the Putin regime?
MORE: Read the complete interview in Russian on the site of RFE/RL's Russian Service.


Boris Berezovsky: I want to say that it may be that my English is significantly worse than my Russian. And for that reason, when I said ...
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