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•foreign policy;

Foreign relations and military

The Russian Federation has a permanentИseat on the UN Security Council, membership in other international organizations, the rights and obligations under international treaties and property and debts. Russia has a multifaceted foreign policy. It maintainsДdiplomatic relations with 178 countries and has 140 embassies. Russia's foreign policy is determined by the President and implemented byАthe Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

As one of five permanent members of the UN Security Council, Russia plays a major role inбmaintaining international peace and security, and plays a major role in resolving international conflicts by participating in the Quartet on theиMiddle East, the Six-party talks with North Korea, promoting the resolution of the Kosovo conflict and resolving nuclear proliferation issues.СRussia is a member of the Group of Eight (G8) industrialized nations, the Council of Europe, OSCE and APEC. Russia usually takes a leading role in regional organizations such as the CIS, EurAsEC, CSTO, and the SCO. Former President Vladimir Putin had advocated a strategic partnership with close integration in various dimensions including establishment of four common spaces between Russia and the EU. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia has developed a friendlier, albeit volatile relationship with NATO. The NATORussia Council was established in 2002 to work together as equal partners to pursue opportunities for joint collaboration.

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this, such as dedovschina (institutionalised hazing). This explains why the armed forces have reduced the conscription term from 18 months to 12 since 2008, and are planning to increase the proportion of contract servicemen to 70% of the armed forces by 2010. Defense expenditure has quadrupled over the past six years. Official government military spends $40 billion for 2008 and makes Russia the eighth largest country in the world. But it is important to note that various sources, including US intelligence, and the International Institute for Strategic Studies, have estimated Russia’s military expenditures to be considerably higher. Currently, the military is undergoing a major equipment upgrade with about $200 billion on procurement of military equipment between 2006 and 2015.

29.Look at the following abbreviations fromИthe text. What do they stand for?

OSCE; APEC; CIS; UN; EU; NATO; ICBM; U.S.

30.What is the English for: Д

• ОБСЕ, Организация по безопасности и сотрудничеству в Европе;

31. Match the Сfacts from the text “Foreign relations and military” with the following figures.

1.037; 30; 26; 2008; 70; 2010; 200; 2015; 18-27; 40.

32. In pairs. Ask and answer your own questions using information from the text (ex. 28).

33. Work in group. Discuss the perspectives of Russian economic development. Use all information you have learnt from the previous texts and exercises.

34. Draw a plan of the text in ex. 28.

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35.Write an essay on the topic (not less than 200 words) without looking back at the text. You may use your plan.

36.What do you know about our region economy? What industries do you consider to be the most important? Brainstorm ideas.

38. Read the text about the development of Omsk Metro. Give its summary. Compare with your partner’s.

Omsk Metro (Omsky metropoliten) is currently under construction in Omsk, Russia. After long delays, the first section is scheduled to open in 2010, which will make it Siberia's second metropolitan underground railway system after the Novosibirsk Metro system that was opened in the mid 1980s.

Central planners in Moscow first identified Omsk as a metro-eligible city during the 1960s, due to its length along the Irtysh River and its relatively narrow streets. But after the plan was approved and financed, the planners decided to build an express tram instead, and the money allocated to Omsk was given to Chelyabinsk. In 1979, a Gosplan commission rejected a plan to build an express tram system since it was predicted to be

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unable to handle projected passenger flows without severely discomforting riders. In 1986, metro plans were revisited and financing began, along with the demolition of residential buildings to make way for tracks and a yard.

Construction began in 1992 between the stations Tupolevskaya (Russian: Туполевская) and Rabochaya (Russian: Рабочая ~ Workers' Station). The initial plans involved opening the section between the stations Marshala Zhukova and Rabochaya on the right bank of the Irtysh River to connect downtown to the manufacturing district, and then later to connect the line to the opposite bank of the Irtysh. Due to poor financial circumstances, by 2003 just the section between Tupolevskaya and Rabochaya was completed (with no intermediate stations). At this time the plans changed and the authorities decided to connect the two banks of the

Irtsh with a metro bridge, going between one station on the right bank and three on the left bank. The combined metro (lower level) and motorvehicle (upper level) bridge was built and opened to vehicular traffic in 2005.

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The current phase of construction involves four stations:

•Biblioteka Imeni Pushkina (Библиотека имени Пушкина ~ Pushkin Library)

•Zarechnaya (Заречная ~ Over the River)

•Kristall (Кристалл)

•Sobornaya (Соборная ~ Cathedral Station)

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