Soyuz launch vehicle placed Russian spacecraft on target orbit April 2 from Plesetsk Cosmodrome in Russia. It was 3rd mission of year for Soyuz and launcher’s 1,668th successful flight.
Russia export controls and sanctions
The use of export controls and sanctions on Russia has surged since the country's invasion of Crimea in 2014, and especially its invasion of Ukraine in in February 2022. Similar export controls and sanctions have been imposed by U.S. allies, including the EU, U.K. and Japan. The following is a listing of recent articles in Export Compliance Daily on export controls and sanctions imposed on Russia:
MGM Networks said it had agreed to launch MGM-branded video channels in Malta, Portugal, Russia and S. Korea. Earlier, it had begun program channel in Middle East. Malta and Russia channels already have started, to be followed by Portugal in May. In S. Korea, for which date wasn’t announced, MGM will own 33% of channel, most allowed by govt.
Eight-person delegation from NAB and Newspaper Assn. of America (NAA) returned last week from Russia, where they advised on pending shift of Russian media from govt. to private ownership. Effort is outgrowth of meeting last Nov. between President Bush and Russian President Putin and followed meetings of U.S. group with National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice and State Dept. and U.S. Agency for International Development officials. Follow-up meeting was held with U.S. govt. officials Fri., and return visit of larger American delegation to Russia is scheduled in May. Russian media delegations are scheduled to attend April 6-11 NAB convention and April 28-May 1 NAA convention.
Deploying Internet and telephony services as widely as possible is “almost universal” goal of 140 countries attending this month’s World Telecom Development Conference (WTDC), State Dept.’s David Gross said Thurs. at news briefing from Istanbul. Gross, agency’s coordinator- international communications & information policy, is member of U.S. delegation to ITU Development Section conference that also includes NTIA representatives and FCC Comr. Martin, who participated in Thurs. briefing. Since Mon., Gross and other members of U.S. group have been holding information-gathering talks with regulators and telecom ministers from other nations, and more formal bilateral sessions with ministers from countries such as Cameroon, China, Mexico, Morocco, Russia, Senegal and Uganda, Gross said. Among other topics, he said, they had discussed telecom reform efforts, universal service and access, convergence and ITU reform issues. Countries such as Mexico, which are seeing convergence of different communications technologies, are facing many of same challenges U.S. is confronting, Gross said, including how to revamp traditional “stove-pipe” regulatory model. In its discussions with Mexican delegates, he said, U.S. tried to convey importance of having independent regulators to foster competition and private sector investment. However, he said, he also emphasized that while regulation was important when one player had significant market power, “regulatory light hand” was more appropriate where competition existed. With China, Gross said, U.S. discussed importance of creating effective, independent regulator as quickly as possible and reminded Chinese delegates that model for such regulatory system already existed in Hong Kong. Delegates have offered numerous proposals for WTDC activities in coming 4 years, Gross said earlier this week (CD March 19 p6). Thurs. he said proposals now had been consolidated and assigned to various committees. Martin said one U.S. proposal was to have ITU reflect more formally idea of enforcement by regulatory authorities. Proposal isn’t tailored to any specific area of enforcement, Gross added. It simply attempts to convey idea it’s not enough for regulatory body to tell parties what they should do -- it also must have adequate tools to back up its rules, he said. WTDC could lead to national policy decisions on Internet and telecom issues, Gross said. First, he said, it provides “extraordinary opportunity” for ministerial-level representatives to exchange views on telecom reform and marketing ideas that can directly affect national policies. Nature of that dialog has changed over years, he said, to point where it’s hard to find any country that isn’t now committed to privatization, independent regulatory scheme, rule of law. “They speak the language we speak now,” he said, and challenge for everyone is how to implement those goals. In addition, Gross said, some formal resolutions will result from WTDC that will lay groundwork for action at ITU plenipotentiary session later this year. That meeting could produce treaty-based set of decisions, he said. WTDC concludes next Wed.
Belgian Parliament is poised to open public debate on communications spy systems next week in move to persuade govt. to step up privacy protections. In report issued March 12, Belgian Senate intelligence and security committee and House police services panel said Belgian citizens were being spied on and recommended creating European intelligence service and barring any sort of espionage or economic spying among European Union (EU) members. Report followed -- and built upon -- resolution adopted last Sept. by European Parliament (EP) that confirmed existence of global spy network dubbed “ECHELON” but was unable to find proof U.S. was using system, said to be able to intercept satellite, fax, Internet and other communications. Nevertheless, EP recommended EU states adopt laws protecting privacy of their citizens and businesses and urged EU and U.S. to step up international rules and data and privacy protection.
Soyuz launch vehicle successfully placed Russian govt. spacecraft into target orbit Feb. 25 from Plesetsk Cosmodrome in Russia, officials said. It was first Soyuz mission in 2002, its 70th consecutive successful launch and overall its 1,666th successful flight.
International Trade Administration seeks information technology and telecom industry professionals fluent in Russian to assist in its technology commercialization program. It plans specialized program May 25-June 22 in Washington to train mid-to senior level managers from Russia and its independent states. Participants must be capable of English-Russian and Russian-English translation of technical material. Proposals are due March 8 -- 301-713-0856.
ILS said it would begin marketing Angara launch vehicle at end of 2002 as part of transition away from Proton rocket in Russia. Spokeswoman said: “The transition from Proton to Angara and Baikonur to Plesetsk has been part of the plan for a number of years.” ILS will continue to launch Proton out of Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakstan and will satisfy all of its customer obligations for Proton, she said. Complete shift to Plesetsk is “at least a few years away,” she said, although Angara’s first launch there probably will be at end of 2003. Russia plans to transfer all space launches from Baikonur to Plesetsk by 2005, according to reports quoting Russian President Vladimir Putin and other Russian govt. officials (CD Jan 30 p10). Russia pays Kazakstan $115 million annually to use Baikonur. Industry source said threats to abandon Baikonur could be ploy to renegotiate contract. ILS said it wouldn’t comment on Russian politics and potential impact they might have on company.
Russia plans to transfer all space launches from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan to military cosmodrome in northwest Russian city of Pletesk by 2005, according to reports quoting Russian Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Kosovan. International Launch Services (ILS), which uses Baikonur as one of 2 dedicated launch sites, along with Cape Canaveral, has 2 dedicated launch pads at Baikonur complex where it sends up Proton rocket. ILS spokeswoman said reports might be false, but company would contact Russian partner Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center for corroboration. She said it wasn’t known whether Baikonur would remain open if Russian govt. did pull out. Kazakhstan receives $115 million per year from Russia for use of Baikonur. Same report said Russian President Vladimir Putin said last week in visit to Khrunichev Space Centre that country planned to gradually phase out its use of Baikonur and use Plesetsk space center instead. Russian govt. planned to allocate $167 million to develop Plesetsk site, Putin said. Kazakhstan twice banned Russian launches after failed Proton flights in July and Oct. 1999.
Russia’s closing of popular Moscow-based TV network TV-6 left Bush Administration “disappointed,” White House said Fri. Russian Supreme Arbitration Court Presidium in Moscow Fri. decided to liquidate station, which has long been under financial duress but hasn’t hesitated in criticizing govt. “It is unfortunate that there has been the strong appearance of political pressure on the courts during these proceedings,” White House said. TV-6 was founded in 1991, year Soviet Union collapsed, by entrepreneur Edward Sagalaev with contribution from Moscow city govt. It partnered with Ted Turner and TBS and began broadcasting in 1993. Soon it was covering most of Russia via satellite and repeaters. TV- 6 acquired many staff last year from NTV, another independent TV network critical of Russian govt. that went under after pressure from Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin. Turner tried but failed to purchase stake in NTV in attempt to keep it on air.