DUSHANBE, Mar 31, 2002 (Itar-Tass via COMTEX) -- Thirty-three countries gave an over 21 million dollar humanitarian aid to Tajikistan in January and February 2002.
      Tajikistan received 35,100 tonnes of cargo, including about 20,000 tonnes of flour, 7,800 tonnes of wheat and 1,500 tonnes of vegetable oil for residents of the drought- stricken areas, the State Statistics Committee reports. Food, footwear, clothing, tents, medicines, construction materials, vehicles and petroleum products were also sent.
      The largest donations came from the United States, Germany, Turkey, Latvia, Kazakhstan and Russia.

      Apr 01, 2002 (New World Publishing via COMTEX) -- A proposal to eliminate fast-track European protection for products regarded as distinct because of how or where they are produced could give U.S. beer maker Anheuser-Busch a leg up in its ongoing disputes with Budejovicky Budvar.
      The European Commission is proposing a change in procedures that would make it much more difficult for Czech brewer Budvar to apply for protection for beer brand names under current EU law once the Czech Republic becomes an EU member.
      The change would allow all World Trade Organization (WTO) countries the right for the first time to object to the registration of geographical names in the EU. Previously, the registration process was open to EU states alone.
      Anheuser-Busch would likely encourage the U.S. government to protest if Budvar sought a geographical designation for its beer production, essentially saying that it alone has the rights to the "Budvar," "Bud," and "Budweis" names.
      Stephen Burrows, president and chief executive officer of Anheuser-Busch International, said in a written statement that he believes geographical protection rights are in themselves a violation of the international Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), ratified by the WTO.
      "We will continue to challenge this," Burrows said. "Anheuser-Busch already has rights to the Budweiser name in 10 EU countries and to the Bud name in three others, and we want to protect our exclusivity where we have it."
      European companies now use the designation to protect products either made in a traditional manner or special to a certain region, such as Parma ham in Italy, Roquefort cheese in France or Bayerisches Bier in Germany.
      Geographical protection prevents rival companies from marketing their products in the EU using the same name.
      Budvar General Director Jiri Bocek said the company has no doubts that it will be registered under the geographical indication rules in the face of any objections from Anheuser-Busch. "This is a true geographical indication, which is well known as a brewer for centuries," he said.
      Safeguarding recognition
      The change in procedure is aimed at bringing the EU into line with the TRIPS agreement, said European Commission spokesman Gregor Kreuzhuber. The Commission proposal, however, goes a step further and would allow any WTO country to apply for EU protection of its products under reciprocal geographical product protection agreements.
      This could result in the somewhat bizarre scenario of Anheuser-Busch launching its own case for EU protection of the Bud, Budvar and Budweis names.
      The proposal would also add wine and vinegar and exclude mineral water from the list of products eligible for protection. Mineral water is, according to the Commission, adequately regulated. EU member states must give final approval for the proposal before it becomes law with national governments expected to discuss the issue in the next two months.
      The proposal raises some concerns about how it could ultimately impact the ongoing trademark disputes between Anheuser-Busch and Budejovicky Budvar. If the Czech Republic were ever granted protection for Budvar, it would add another obstacle and likely damage Anheuser-Busch's ability to claim exclusive rights to the names "Budweiser" and "Bud."
      Despite the added right to object to geographical designations, Kreuzhuber said the proposal is not designed to alter or make obsolete the trademark decisions so far affecting Anheuser-Busch and Budvar. "If you have a product and it's traditional, that's something we want to protect," he said. "But it's also necessary to look at the market situation about trademarks that already exist. There is a possibility that these two names could coexist, but this would be something that would be thoroughly looked into."
      Battle over rights
      Both the Czech and U.S. companies have used the Bud name for more than 100 years, but courtroom clashes have multiplied in recent years since the two beer makers have sought to export worldwide. Budvar says the name dates back to its original brewery in the town of Budweis - the German name for Ceske Budejovice - where it began brewing in the 13th century.
      Anheuser-Busch's Burrows has argued that geographical indication protection is not applicable to beer because the characteristics of a beer are not dependent on where it is made.
      "Most ingredients in Budvar's beer are brought from areas outside of their brewing location in Ceske Budejovice," he said.
      Anheuser-Busch exports to more than 80 countries, and the state-owned Czech brewer now sells to more than 60 countries. The two companies are battling each other worldwide with nearly 40 ongoing court cases and more than 40 administrative proceedings at patent offices.
      Anheuser-Busch claims that it first brewed and sold the Budweiser brand of beer in 1876 and registered the trademark in 1878, a full 19 years before Budvar was officially established.
      Budvar has experienced several recent setbacks, including a ruling this year that awarded exclusive rights to Anheuser-Busch in Denmark. The American beer maker has also won recent battles in Spain and Finland. However, Budvar has maintained rights to distribute under the Budweiser label in Latvia, Lithuania, Portugal and Switzerland.
      At the same time, the state-owned brewery has continued investing and modernizing with aims of increasing its beer exports, which run second at the moment to Plzensky Prazdroj. Budvar aims to double output within five years.

      BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) -- The European Union's head office gave its approval Friday to Scottish & Newcastle's proposed dlrs 1.8 billion takeover of Finnish brewer Hartwall OYJ.
      "The parties businesses are complementary and there are no substantial overlaps," the European Commission said in a statement.
      The purchase of Hartwall aims to boost the Scottish brewer's reach into northern and eastern European markets. Hartwall is Finland's largest brewer, with 45 percent control of the beer and soft drinks market there.
      The deal will also mean added access to the world's fastest growing beer market, Russia. Hartwall has a joint venture with Danish brewer Carlsberg A/S in Baltic Beverages Holding, which is the leading brewer in Russia, the Baltic republics of Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia and ranks third in Ukraine.
      Scottish & Newcastle chief executive Brian Stewart said the linkup with Hartwall was "by far the most attractive form of entry into the eastern European brewing market."
      "We are creating a leading force across the whole of Europe from Siberia to the Atlantic," Stewart said.
      The brewer will be a market leader in seven European countries, with sales totaling some euro 7.4 billion (dlrs 6.5 billion). Its top European beer labels include Baltika, Kronenbourg and Foster's.

      VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) -- Lithuanian officials said Tuesday that a planned reconstruction of the capital's prewar Jewish ghetto was finally under way and the first phase would be completed by next year.
      Plans to rebuild the district, devastated during the 1941-44 Nazi occupation, were approved by the Baltic state's parliament in 1999 but were stalled over financial and legal obstacles.
      Vilnius Mayor Arturas Zuokas said Tuesday that public bids from builders would be announced soon, and that construction of the first building could start in June and was expected to be finished by the middle of next year.
      "Finally, we have found a way to start things moving. This has already taken too long," Zuokas said.
      Before World War II, Vilnius was known as the Jerusalem of the North, celebrated for its Yiddish-language theaters, libraries and schools. Jews made up half of the city's 130,000 inhabitants.
      When legislators approved the 440 million litas (dlrs 110 million) project, the cash-strapped government said it could only foot a fraction of the bill.
      A Jewish Cultural Fund was set up to seek private donations, but it too failed to pull in sufficient money. Complicated property issues concerning the land where the Jewish landmarks once stood also stalled the project.
      But Zuokas said private firms would get land on which to build plus rights to use most of the premises commercially in return for funding the costly reconstructions.
      Builders also would have to turn a third of the completed space over to the city, which in turn would give it to the Jewish Cultural Fund.
      Officials and Jewish groups say the restoration will be a fitting memorial to the 240,000 Lithuanian Jews killed by the Nazis.
      "It's a matter of honor to rebuild the Jewish quarter, which was once one of the most beautiful parts of Vilnius", the mayor said.
      He said the sites could also become major tourist attractions.
      The Soviet army occupied Lithuania and the two other Baltic states, Latvia and Estonia, in 1940. It retook them after a three-year German occupation. The Baltics regained independence during the 1991 Soviet collapse.

      The prestigious ranking of the 500 fastest growing companies in the technology, media and telecommunications sectors was unveiled today in Paris. The ranking, administered by the Technology, Media & Telecommunications (TMT) industry practice of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, is based on three-year average revenue growth of each technology company. The first ranking is based on percentage growth between 1998 and 2000.
      Public and private high-tech companies based in 23 countries and representing all high-tech sectors are included in the ranking. A review of the 500 winning companies provides the following profile of the industry sectors.

      RIGA, Latvia (AP) -- Latvians on Wednesday had mixed reactions to a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights in favor of an ethnic Russian politician barred from running for office in this former Soviet Baltic republic because she wouldn't take a Latvian language test.
      The Strasbourg-based court ruled Tuesday night that Ingrida Podkolzina's rights were violated when Latvian election officials struck her from the list of candidates in 1998 parliamentary elections.
      But the court stopped short of criticizing an election law that requires candidates to have a Latvian-language proficiency certificate, rendering ineligible many Russian-speakers, who make up a third of Latvia's 2.5 million people but can't speak Latvian or speak it badly.
      Podkolzina had the certificate but later refused to take an unannounced language test and so was disqualified.
      The court said that retesting Podkolzina violated her rights and she was awarded 9,000 euros (dlrs 7,900) in damages.
      Legislators say Latvia's election law -- passed after the Baltic country regained independence in 1991 -- is meant to help entrench native Latvian after decades of Soviet rule, during which Russian was given preference by leaders in Moscow.
      Lawmakers are debating whether to scrap the language requirement in the election law, which officials from NATO say Latvia must do as a prerequisite to membership in the alliance.
      Those opposed to the changes argued Wednesday that the Strasbourg decision exonerated the law as a whole by abstaining from any direct criticism of it.
      Latvia's largest newspaper, Diena, featured a front-page story Wednesday with the headline, "European Court of Human Rights approves state language policy."
      Latvia and the other two Baltic states, Estonia and Lithuania, are hoping to win invitations to join NATO later this year.
      "This ruling comes at a very unfortunate time and will muddy the political waters," said Nils Muiznieks, head of the Latvian Center of Human Rights and Ethnic Studies.

      MOSCOW (Reuters) -- Russia's Foreign Ministry summoned a senior U.S. diplomat Tuesday, saying U.S.-funded Radio Liberty's plans to broadcast to separatist Chechnya amounted to propaganda and endangered improving relations.
      Radio Liberty, whose anti-communist programs Moscow repeatedly jammed during Soviet days, said it would broadcast from Wednesday in local languages to the region where Russia has fought Chechen separatists since 1999.
      A Foreign Ministry statement said the U.S. embassy counselor had been handed a note expressing concern over the broadcasts.
      "The Russian side stressed that launching specific propaganda broadcasts in the region, including Chechnya...could seriously complicate efforts by (Russian) authorities to stabilize the situation in the area," the statement said.
      "This move is incompatible with the common fight against terrorism and the spirit of relations of partnership being formed between Russia and the United States."
      The U.S. embassy had no immediate comment.
      Chechnya has been a constant thorn in relations between the two countries. But since the September 11 attacks on the United States, Washington has toned down its criticism of human rights abuses in the rebellious province and in turn Moscow has thrown its support behind the U.S. war on terrorism.
      Russian President Vladimir Putin is due to host a summit with President Bush next month.
      Radio Liberty said Tuesday it would proceed with broadcasts to Russia's North Caucasus region, including Chechnya.
      The hour-long broadcasts were initially scheduled to begin in late February, but were put back under pressure from the Bush administration which feared they would upset Moscow.
      "The State Department approached our board and asked if we would wait, which we did," Radio Liberty spokeswoman Sonia Winter said. "But there was never any question of not proceeding with the broadcast."
      Speaking from Radio Liberty's offices in Prague, Winter said the program, which will be aired twice a day, would include news and features in the region's main languages, Chechen, Avar and Cherkassian.
      "This is not a Chechen broadcast -- Chechen is only one of three local languages," Winter said, insisting that the station would not take sides.
      But a top official in the Russian government administration said rebels could use the broadcast to spread propaganda.
      "The Chechen-language broadcasts are...likely to fuel extremism not only in Russia but elsewhere, given the ties between Chechen terrorists and international terrorist groups," Alexei Volin told Interfax news agency.

      MOSCOW, Apr 03, 2002 (The Christian Science Monitor via COMTEX) -- A factory that used to build supersecret armaments for the Soviet military has been handed a new mission: to construct the world's largest Ferris wheel - with a mini-bar and washroom in every car - and erect it on a hill overlooking downtown Moscow.
      Mayor Yury Luzhkov quietly signed off on the $20-million rotating colossus at a February meeting of the city building council. That prompted ripples of irritation among architects and urban planners who say Moscow is sinking into chaos while City Hall plays with grand construction projects that turn out to be unlovable eyesores.
      But enthusiasts say the 558-foot diameter wheel, which will be visible from any point in the city, will stimulate tourism, provide affordable fun for all, and change Moscow's age-old reputation as a dour, gray, and wintry place.
      "We wanted to construct something remarkable in Moscow," says Vladimir Gnezdilov, director of the Pax Co., Russia's largest builder of amusement-park machines. Pax expects to begin assembling the giant Ferris wheel on the Sparrow Hills, about two miles from the Kremlin, by the end of this year.
      The titanic device, named the Rus-3000, will have 60 heated cabins of transparent plexiglass, each comfortably seating 24 people on recliner chairs and sofas. A single revolution will last half an hour, time enough for a light meal - served airline style - or a few refreshments from the onboard bar. One special VIP cabin will be permanently reserved for President Vladimir Putin, another for the project's godfather, Mayor Luzhkov. Other cabins may be rented for weddings, birthdays, and special occasions.
      Year round, passengers will soar some 650 feet above the Sparrow Hills, from which the entire metropolis of Moscow and its surrounding farmlands will be spread out beneath them. At night, the wheel will be illuminated by strings of high-powered colored lights. "I believe this ride will become the new holiday symbol of Moscow, and will revolutionize entertainment in this city," Mr. Gnezdilov says.
      The Pax Co. is one of post-Soviet Russia's few successful experiments in military conversion. Its sprawling factory in the Moscow suburb of Mitino produced high-tech equipment for the USSR's military and space programs. In the past decade the company has successfully reinvented itself as a maker of roller-coasters, Ferris wheels, free-fall towers, giant centrifuges, and other scream-inducing amusement park rides. It sells its products all over the world. "Our specialty is anything based on a wheel-like mechanism," says Gnezdilov. "No matter how big and complex the design, we can build it."
      Up to 10 million people are expected to ride the Rus-3000 annually, Gnezdilov adds - five times more than the wheel's nearest competitor in size, the 410-foot British Airways London Eye, built in 1999. Although the London Eye has exceeded the number of projected visitors, it struggled financially in its first year of operation.
      Pax intends to assemble, own, and operate the new attraction, though Moscow City Hall will be given an undisclosed stake in exchange for the land it will sit on. The company believes it can recoup its investment within two years.
      Critics complain that the wheel is the latest in a string of Luzhkov-sponsored boondoggles, decided with no public input and without concern for more urgent development priorities. "From 200 meters [650 feet] in the air, passengers on this ride will get a clear view of the mess post-Soviet Moscow has become," says Marine Tutcheva, director of Rozhdestvenka, a large, private architectural bureau. "They will see deserted industrial zones, roads snarled with traffic jams, dilapidated housing estates, and depleted green zones. The wheel itself will further disfigure Moscow's skyline and become yet another standing joke."
      Luzhkov has been praised for repairing Moscow's notoriously bad roads and building new ones. But the rest of the city's vital infrastructure, particularly its underground sewers, pipes, and building foundations, are reportedly in a state of near-collapse. "Apart from the roads, there is little being done to keep Moscow afloat," says Dmitri Stoyanov, an architect who works for a federal government engineering design workshop. "At the same time, there are some wild projects like this Ferris wheel, that appear to be about politics rather than sound urban planning."
      Luzhkov's monumental projects of the past decade -- all of which will be clearly visible from the peak of the Rus-3000 - include the Church of Christ the Savior, a $300-million reconstruction of a cavernous cathedral, just two blocks from the Kremlin, that was destroyed in the 1930s by Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin.
      Another is the Manege underground shopping complex, adjacent to Red Square, so hastily constructed, in time for Moscow's 850th birthday in 1998, that it already requires fundamental repairs.