Below is an article published by Kommersant:

Tatar President Mintimer Shaimiev intends to carry on the struggle for signing the new agreement on diving powers between Moscow and Kazan, despite the veto which the Federation Council of Russia put on the corresponding draft bill a week ago. Shaimiev declared his intention during his address to Tatarstan’s State Council yesterday [28 February 2007]. Tatar section of the United Russia party yesterday called on the party’s faction in the State Duma to “save the agreement”.

Tatar President Mintimer Shaimiev delivered his regular address to Tatarstan’s State Council yesterday [28 February 2007], giving special attention to the renewed agreement on dividing powers between Moscow and Kazan. On February 21, the Federation Council of Russia declined by the majority vote the renewed agreement, on the grounds that it contradicts the Constitution, and despite that it had been signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and passed by the State Duma.

Tatarstan representatives in the United Russia party addressed their sharp criticism of the situation and calls for overriding the Federation Council’s veto to United Russia faction in the State Duma. They called for “saving the agreement, supporting the president, and saving the party’s image”, underlining that the Federation Council had made a “political” decision, allegedly failing to provide legal arguments for the agreement’s discrepancy with the Constitution.

The issue of Tatar agreement will be considered no earlier than Monday [5 March 2007]. So far, sources in the president’s administration were making it clear that it is unlikely that the State Duma would return to the issue. However, First Vice-Speaker of the Duma, member of United Russia presidium Oleg Morozov insists that the United Russia faction in the Duma should consider overriding the Federation Council’s veto.