ENTREPRENEUR FIGHTS FOR THE MIR

Jeffrey Manber, president of the Mir Corporation, hopes the fate of the space station Mir will be considered personally by Russia’s President Vladimir Putin. Mr. Manber told Interfax new agency that he had forwarded a letter to Mr. Putin asking him for a meeting. Mr. Manber’s corporation is engaged in seeking investments to keep the Mir functioning. A recent statement made by vice-premier Klebanov about the Mir’s planned sinking in the ocean, in Mr. Manber’s view, cannon be regarded as final. Mr. Manber is sure his corporation will manage to raise $10mn by early December. In his words, the investments in the Mir may make up $100mn in 2001.