Zee Beam News

08.02.2005 13:06 MSK  MosNews - The United States will soon stop financing the Russian economic reforms, RIA Novosti reported, quoting an explanatory note prepared by the U.S. State Department. The note says that the year 2006 will be the last year when such a financial aid will be included in the U.S. federal budget. The State Department explains such a decision by the fact that "many institutions of the market economy have been created and are functioning" in Russia and therefore "the need for further aid to reforms from the U.S. government is negligible". This year the financing for the advancement of economic reforms in Russia is set at $87 million, but in 2006 this figure will be almost twice as small at $48 million. Still, despite the cessation of financial aid for economic reforms, the United States still plans to finance other programs in Russia. These programs will be directed at supporting non-government organization and independent media as well as anti-HIV events.