April 25:
In an annual report on intellectual property rights (IPR) protection, the U.S. Trade Representative’s office (USTR) singled out China and Russia for allegedly failing to respect U.S. patents and copyrights, Agence France-Presse reports. The report said “serious” concerns remain with respect to China and Russia, in spite of some evidence of improvement in both countries. The USTR said the Bush administration continues to work for improvements to Russia’s IPR regime, although some progress has been made, for example in the raiding of unlicensed factories. It noted, however, that large-scale production and distribution of IP-infringing optical media and Internet piracy in Russia “remain significant problems that require more enforcement action.”
Russia’s parliament has approved the creation of a foundation for President Vladimir Putin to preserve his legacy after he steps down on May 7th after eight years in power. According to Reuters, a state-funded museum, archive and library, controlled by Putin or his heirs, will be part of the “Russian President’s Center for Historical Legacy” and serve as a repository for documents accumulated during his term in office. The foundation is modeled on the libraries created for each outgoing U.S. president. “The aims of the activities of the Center are the study and public representation of the historical legacy of the Russian president, after the end of his duties, as an integral part of the new history of Russia,” the bill states.
“This bill insults the president because the legacy of any president is what he has done for the country,” Reuters quotes Communist lawmaker Nikolai Kolomeitsev as saying. “We are giving this fund many billions (of rubles) of budget money but child benefits are paltry and pensions are miserly.”
April 26:
Georgia’s Foreign Ministry has said that a warning from Russia that it could use military force in Georgia’s breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia “is a violation of all international legal acts and agreements,” Reuters reports. On April 25th, the Russian Foreign Ministry’s envoy for special missions, Valery Kenyaikin, said that Russia expects armed conflict in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. “We will do everything so that things don’t come to an armed conflict,” Kenyaikin said, according to NEWSru.com. “But if one is unleashed, we will have to react also with military means.”
Kenyaikin’s comments come amid rising tensions after Georgia accused Russia’s air force of shooting down a Georgian pilotless drone over Abkhazia. On April 22nd, Georgian Foreign Minister David Bakradze urged the international community to stand up for his country against Russia. On April 18th, after Georgia denounced, and Western governments expressed concern over, Russia’s decision to strengthen ties with Abkhazia and South Ossetia, President Putin ordered his government to take steps to ease tensions with Georgia.
April 27:
In a poll conducted by the independent Levada Center, 67 percent of respondents said they thought incoming President Dmitry Medvedev will be governing under the control of Vladimir Putin, who will serve as Medvedev’s prime minister, while 22 percent said Medvedev will act independently. According to Angus Reid Global Monitor, 47 percent said they want Medvedev to have the real authority while 17 percent said they thought authority should remain in Putin’s hands. Meanwhile, members of Putin’s Kremlin team have reportedly started moving over to the Russian White House, which houses the prime minister’s offices. According to Newsmir.ru, Dmitry Peskov, who was first deputy presidential press secretary, will serve as Prime Minister Putin’s press secretary.
[Editor’s Note: Given the effect of Russia’s increasingly authoritarian political climate on pollsters and respondents alike, the results of public opinion surveys in Russia should be viewed with some caution.]