Top stories in the Russian press on Wednesday, October 23, prepared by TASS

RBC: Russia rolls out red carpet for its African partners

The first ever Russia-Africa summit co-chaired by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Egypt’s head of state Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is kicking off in the resort city of Sochi on Wednesday. President Sisi represents both one of the most influential countries on the continent and in the African Union, an intergovernmental organization, which is comprised of 55 states of the continent, RBC writes. According to the Kremlin, the summit will be attended by 43 leaders, while 11 other countries will be represented by ministers and ambassadors.

The idea of the summit was proposed back in 1989 by then Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard Shevardnadze, Deputy Chairman of the Association of Russian Diplomats Andrei Baklanov told the paper. However, in the 1990s, Moscow’s cooperation with Africa was curtailed, and activity in this sphere resumed only in the mid-2000s. The two-day event is expected to signify Russia’s intention to return to Africa, the expert stressed.

According to Baklanov, one of the factors hindering Russian-African cooperation is political instability in some African countries, which raises concern among private businesses and state-owned corporations, and impedes long-term investment, he explained.

That said, the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and the African Union will sign a memorandum on cooperation at the summit, Chairman of the Board of the Eurasian Economic Commission Tigran Sargsyan informed RBC. "We are interested in the African Union, because it is a dynamically developing large economic market with a population of 1.3 bln people," he noted.

Russia’s intensive efforts in Africa in recent years came as a surprise to many diplomats and experts in the West, including in Paris, Arnaud Dubien, Director of the Franco-Russian Observo analytical center, told the paper. Moscow is demonstrating its willingness to restore ties with its Soviet-era partners, for example, Angola and Mozambique, and with countries that have been under Western influence, specifically, Morocco, Nigeria and South Africa.

"Moscow and its African allies have similar interests at the UN to a large extent. That applies to upholding the principle of non-interference in countries’ domestic affairs and creating a multilateral world order," the paper quotes Evgeny Korendyasov, Head of the Center for the Study of Russian-African Relations and African States’ Foreign Policy at the Russian Academy of Sciences, as saying.

Izvestia: Russia, Turkey pledge to fight terrorism and separatism in Syria

Russian military police will start patrolling the Syrian side of the border with Turkey on Wednesday, Izvestia writes. That will help to ensure the withdrawal of the Kurdish Self-Defense Forces from the area within 150 hours. Moscow thus drew a line for Ankara’s military campaign in Syria, which began on October 9 and was suspended last week after the US-brokered ceasefire.

A historic memorandum to this effect was unveiled on Tuesday after more than six hours of talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The speedy normalization of the situation in Syria is of particular importance to Russia, since the escalation of the situation has been significantly close to the Eurasian Economic Union’s borders, Deputy Head of the Russian Federation Council’s Foreign Affairs Committee Andrei Klimov told Izvestia. Any armed and large-scale conflict in that region poses a threat to the EAEU, he stressed. That may result, in particular, in unpredictable fluctuations in oil prices, and many sectors of Russia’s economy depend on that commodity, the senator added. "That’s why we are interested in making sure that the crisis is resolved by diplomatic means," Klimov went on to say. "Moscow has demonstrated once again that it rightfully has the status of key peacemaker."

Moscow could act as a mediator in relations between Ankara and Damascus, says Turkish political commentator Kerim Has. In his view, Russia can prompt Erdogan to foster a dialogue with Syria and revive the 1998 Adana agreement. Moscow can provide guarantees that the Kurdish units will not pose a threat to Turkey.

The fact that Moscow and Ankara have been able to find solutions to the Syrian crisis without Washington’s involvement is no less important, he stressed. The Democrats could view this as another excuse for attacks on President Donald Trump, arguing that he betrayed America’s allies, that is, the Kurds. As for Trump himself, he is currently preoccupied with completely different objectives, focusing on domestic political issues, one of which is connected to the impeachment inquiry, the expert pointed out.

Nezavisimaya Gazeta: Hillary Clinton's witchhunt for ‘Russian agents’ among presidential rivals

The ‘Russian meddling’ hoopla that was used as a battering ram against Trump has backfired on Democratic Party members and now Democrats themselves are devouring each other with that same accusation, Nezavisimaya Gazeta writes.

Trump recently lambasted his former rival Hillary Clinton for accusing even some of her fellow party members of being ‘Russian assets’. In a recent interview, the former US Secretary of State claimed that Democratic presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard was a "favorite of the Russians" and was being groomed "to be the third-party candidate." She offered no evidence to substantiate her assertion. Gabbard was quick to fire back, slamming Clinton as the "queen of warmongers."

Clinton also stated that ex-2016 presidential candidate Jill Stein was in the election due to Russia’s involvement.

"I can sincerely believe that Hillary Clinton considers Tulsi Gabbard and Jill Stein to be objects of Russia’s interests in the American election campaign," Andrei Sushentsov, Program Director of the Valdai Discussion Club and Director of the Institute of International Studies at MGIMO University, told the paper. "Clinton has a rather peculiar understanding of how Russian foreign policy works. She has shaped her world outlook, according to which everything incomprehensible is explained by ‘Russian meddling.’ She seeks to marginalize the role of Gabbard and Stein with her comments. Eventually, she may even achieve the opposite result."

The expert recalled that Gabbard is a former military officer, that is, a person who knows the price of taking part in armed conflicts only too well. "The fact that a generation of American veterans entered into politics for the first time, setting new priorities that are a far cry from what Clinton’s generation put forward in the past, is becoming quite a challenge for the older generation. It cannot explain all that in any other way than through foreign meddling," Sushentsov pointed out.

Kommersant: Balkan Stream to reach Serbia by next summer

Bulgaria has assured that its infrastructure would be ready to supply gas from the TurkStream pipeline by mid-2020. That means that Serbia will not be able to receive Russian gas along the route bypassing Ukraine by January 1, Kommersant writes.

Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak earlier said that Bulgaria’s Balkan Stream (a gas pipeline running through the Southeastern European country, which should receive gas from TurkStream’s second leg) reaching Serbia’s border would be built within the first six months of 2020.

Prior to that, Russian and Bulgarian officials provided conflicting information about the deadlines for commissioning the new pipeline.

Novak’s statement corresponds to the construction deadlines enshrined in the deal reached by the operator of the Bulgarian gas transmission system and the contractor consortium led by Saudi Arabia’s Arkad Engineering.

As of next summer, Russia’s Gazprom will be able to supply gas to Serbia with its consumption of about 2.2 bln cubic meters per year. However, the gas flow from Serbia to Hungary will be minimal.

This coming winter, Serbia will receive Russian gas along the usual route, through Ukraine and Hungary. Meanwhile, Gazprom’s contract for gas transit through Ukraine is to set to expire on January 1, which carries risks primarily for Serbia, which has no access to any other gas transportation route.

According to Alexei Grivach from Russia’s National Energy Security Fund, the risks of supply disruption for Serbia are not substantial, since both Moscow and Kiev said they were determined to continue gas transit in 2020, although it is unclear on what terms. Grivach noted that, in case of unforeseen circumstances, Hungary had already filled its gas storage facilities 98%, almost to a maximum volume of 6.3 bln cubic meters. If necessary, that will make it possible to supply gas to Serbia "for at least some time," the paper quotes him as saying.

Vedomosti: Russia could welcome more Chinese tourists soon

Russia’s Red Wings Airlines based in Moscow’s Domodedovo Airport is exploring the possibility of making Zhukovsky a base airport for several long-haul planes, Vedomosti writes citing a source close to the United Aircraft Corporation and a source close to the Ramport Aero holding, which owns and operates Zhukovsky Airport.

Red Wings Airlines, which transported 2.1 mln passengers from January to August, has never operated long-haul aircraft before. Airbus A330 or Boeing 777 airliners are being considered for flights from Zhukovsky, the paper’s interlocutors said.

Plans are in store to use them for transporting Chinese tourists to Russia, which would be a new business segment for the air carrier. Flights to Europe with the use of medium-haul aircraft are possible as well, Vedomosti’s sources said.

"China currently ranks first in the number of tourists coming to Russia. This is a very promising market. China encourages outbound tourism and subsidizes tours. Another advantage for airlines and travel agencies is that China focuses on group package tours (that simplifies planning and sales). Besides, simpler visa rules for Chinese citizens coming to Russia as part of tourist groups are in effect," the paper quotes Dmitry Gorin, Vice President of the Association of Russia’s Tour Operators, as saying.

According to Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), 1.78 mln Chinese citizens visited Russia in 2017 and 1.1 mln of them were tourists. In 2018, these figures rose to 2 mln and 1.26 mln respectively.