Vladimir Strzhalkovsky was elected Chairman of the Business Council for Cooperation with Indonesia

Moscow, November 10, 2009 – An inaugural meeting of the Business Council for Cooperation with Indonesia was held today in the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation (CCI RF). General Director and Chairman of the Management Board of MMC Norilsk Nickel Mr. Vladimir Strzhalkovsky was unanimously elected Chairman of the Council. Mr. Strzhalkovsky, as an experienced state official and former Head of Russian - Indonesian Intergovernmental Commission for Trade and Economic Cooperation was nominated to chair the Council by a group of Russian companies interested in business relations with Indonesian partners, and the nomination was supported by CCI RF.

V.Strzhalkovsky noted high importance of business cooperation with Indonesia as this country shows the greatest potential for commercial and economic partnership in the South East Asia region. Notwithstanding the ongoing world financial and economic crisis Indonesia remains one of the few Asian countries capable of improving their macroeconomic indicators.

There is no doubt that institution of the Business Council for Cooperation with Indonesia is well-timed.  Favorable conditions for the expansion of business cooperation between Russia and Indonesia are first of all related to positive developments in bilateral political talks. High interest of Indonesian Government in enlarged partnership with Russia was confirmed at the recently held top-level intergovernmental negotiations. On the Indonesian part, the former Minister of Industry Mr. Lukhut Pandzhaitan was elected Chairman of the Business Council for Cooperation with Russia. The fact that the Business Council for Cooperation with Indonesia was established in Moscow today demonstrates once again the willingness of both parties to strengthen their wide-ranging commercial and economic cooperation, Mr. Strzhalkovsky pointed out.

ABOUT MMC NORILSK NICKEL:

MMC Norilsk Nickel is a diversified mining and metal producing company, the world's largest producer of nickel and palladium and one of the global leaders in the production of platinum, cobalt, copper and rhodium. By-product metals of MMC Norilsk Nickel include gold, silver, iridium, osmium, selenium, ruthenium and tellurium.

Production facilities of Norilsk Nickel Group are located in Russia (Norilsk Industrial Area and Kola Peninsula), Finland, USA, Australia, Botswana and South Africa.

The Company is rated Baa2 by Moody's Investors Service and BBB- by Standard & Poor's and Fitch Ratings.