Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, right, meets Crown Prince of the Principality of Monaco Albert II in the Kremlin March 18, 2006.
Photo: Dmitry Azarov
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Albert II Never Eats Tinned Stew in Vain
When Russia’s President Vladimir Putin met with Crown Prince of the Principality of Monaco Albert II in the Kremlin yesterday, the talk predictably turned to the North Pole tour of the prince.
The first royal person in the North Pole, Sovereign Prince of Monaco Albert II reached it in the dog-drawn sledges, after he warmed himself at Russia’s drifting polar station, Barneo, April 12, 2006. This northern success of the prince couldn’t be missed by Putin.
“For you, perhaps,” Putin told the prince in the Kremlin yesterday, “it is not the very special achievement. You are fond of sport. But you are the first head of the state who was in the North Pole.”
The president was obviously envious of Arctic achievements of Prince Albert II, still, he pulled himself up to say how he appreciated Monaco for the multifarious financial activities. Putin’s prime interest was cooperation of enforcement bodies of Monaco with Russia's special services. It is no secret that Russian business is aggressively buying real estate in this Mediterranean principality in an effort to benefit from the local tax laws.
The crown prince ignored enforcement cooperation yesterday. His favorite topic was the North Pole again. Albert II told Putin he could have been a member of his expedition.
“I’m sure you weren’t eating the tinned stew in vain,” Putin was sarcastic. “Attracting attention to problems of the North, problems of ecology,” the president said absolutely aware that the northern environment was hardly top concern of the royal expedition.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of Apr. 19, 2006
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