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Old July 14th, 2018 #861
Alex Him
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Greeting to 15th Baltic Debuts International Film Festival



Vladimir Putin sent his greetings to the participants, organizers and guests of the 15th Baltic Debuts international film festival.



July 8, 2018 - 14:00



The telegram reads, in part:

“Over many years, your forum has been bringing together cinematographers of Russia, the Baltic states and Northern Europe in Svetlogorsk, and has been rightfully considered a remarkable example of fruitful international cooperation in art and the humanities. The festival serves as a platform for the presentation of new films and an open and interesting dialogue between people of art on a wide range of cinema development issues. Naturally, the festival is always a celebration for residents and guests of Kaliningrad Region and for all cinema lovers.

I strongly believe that such large-scale and important events enrich the cultural life of the countries participating in the forum, while promoting friendship and mutual understanding between people.”

Cinematographers from nine countries of northern Europe and Russia will present their works at the Baltic Debuts International Film Festival, held on July 8–13.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/57969






Greetings on INNOPROM-2018 International Industrial Trade Fair opening



Vladimir Putin sent his greetings to the participants, organizers and guests of the 9th INNOPROM-2018 International Industrial Trade Fair.



July 8, 2018 - 16:30



The message reads, in part:

“The tradition of holding your forum in Yekaterinburg is highly symbolic, since this is one of Russia’s leading industrial, research and educational centres with extensive experience in hosting large-scale events of this kind.

Every year INNOPROM brings together more and more participants, attracting corporate executives, government officials and researchers from across the world. The forum has established itself as an expert platform for discussing a wide range of matters related to promoting international cooperation, business ties, and presenting Russian and foreign innovations. In today’s world, social development is determined largely by high technology, which has the potential of driving economic growth and improving quality of life. For this reason, I believe that Digital Manufacturing as the forum’s main theme this year is a highly relevant and important topic.

I strongly believe that this trade fair will be a success and will facilitate international cooperation, enhancing the competitiveness of Russian products, and launching new and promising undertakings.”

INNOPROM is an annual trade fair held in Yekaterinburg since 2010. This year, delegations from 95 countries and 59 Russian regions, as well as more than 600 companies from 20 countries are to take part in the event.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/57968






Condolences to Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe



July 9, 2018 - 11:15



Vladimir Putin sent a message of condolences to Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe over the great loss of life and serious damage caused by the floods and mudslides in western Japan.

The President of Russia expressed the grief the Russian people shared for those who have lost their loved ones in the disaster, and their hope for a speedy recovery of those injured.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/57970






Telephone conversations with President of France Emmanuel Macron and King Philippe of Belgium



July 11, 2018 - 00:40



After the World Cup semi-final between France and Belgium, the President of Russia had a telephone conversation with President of France Emmanuel Macron, who attended the match in St Petersburg.

Vladimir Putin congratulated Emmanuel Macron and the French fans on the victory of their team, which has put France in the World Cup final.

The President of Russia also talked with King Philippe of Belgium, who also attended the match, saying that the Belgian team played top-class football throughout the championship.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/57976






Meeting with Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu



Vladimir Putin discussed with Prime Minister of the State of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu current bilateral and international issues.



July 11, 2018 - 20:00 - The Kremlin, Moscow








President of Russia Vladimir Putin:

Mr Prime Minister, colleagues,

I am very happy to see you in Moscow, this time during your private visit to the FIFA World Cup. Nonetheless, this does not deny us the pleasure of meeting and discussing current issues.

In general, our bilateral relations are developing quite positively. I will not quote figures now but they are positive. This applies not only to our economic interaction but also to our political interaction. Good relations are developing between our defence departments. The same goes for the cultural and humanitarian sphere.







Mr Prime Minister, we remember your visit to Russia on May 9, Victory Day, when you walked through Red Square with the portrait of a World War II hero. Thank you for this. It met with a very positive response and was noticed by the Russian public.

Welcome.







Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu (retranslated):

First, I would like to congratulate you on the highly successful World Cup that Russia is hosting. The entire world is following the tournament closely.

Thank you also for the invitation to watch a match later tonight. Of course, I thank you for the opportunity to participate on May 9, Victory Day [in the Immortal Regiment march]. A wonderful event which made a deep, moving impression both in Israel and around the world.

Every visit, every meeting of ours is an opportunity to work together to improve security and trust in the region and the world.







Of course, our focus is on developments in Syria, the presence of Iran. This is not new to you. Several hours ago, an unmanned aerial vehicle entered the territory of Israel from Syria and was successfully brought down. I would like to emphasise that we will counter any and all attempts to violate our air or land borders.

Cooperation between us is an essential, key factor that can stabilise the entire region. So, I would like to thank you for the opportunity to meet with you and discuss these things.



Vladimir Putin:

We are aware of your concerns. Let us discuss them in detail.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/57983






Meeting with Iran Supreme Leader's Senior Adviser for International Affairs Ali Akbar Velayati



Vladimir Putin received at his Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow Senior Adviser for International Affairs of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran Ali Akbar Velayati.



July 12, 2018 - 09:50 - Novo-Ogaryovo, Moscow Region







The discussion focused on Russian-Iranian cooperation issues as well as the situation in the region, including developments in Syria. The parties reaffirmed their commitment to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on Iran’s Nuclear Deal (JCPOA).







Ali Akbar Velayati passed on to the President of Russia messages from Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President of Iran Hassan Rouhani.







Taking part in the meeting on Russia’s side were also Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/57984






Greetings to the 27th Slavyansky Bazaar in Vitebsk International Arts Festival



Vladimir Putin sent greetings to participants, organisers and guests of the 27th Slavyansky Bazaar in Vitebsk International Arts Festival, which is underway in Belarus from July 12 to 16.



July 12, 2018 - 20:30



The message reads, in part:

“People from over 40 countries have come to hospitable Belarus to take part in the festival. Both Vitebsk residents and visitors to this beautiful ancient city will be able to attend numerous theatre productions, concerts by song, dance and folk groups, as well as singing competitions in which both popular and young performers will take part. The music art agenda is especially rich with concerts by symphonic, chamber and light music orchestras.

Cultural events of this class, especially those that are held regularly, are certainly promoting cultural cooperation and strengthening mutual understanding and trust between nations.

I am confident that your festival will be spectacular and entertaining and that it will become a real treat. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to those who helped prepare and organise the Slavyansky Bazaar in Vitebsk and to wish unforgettable experiences to its guests.”




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/57987






Greetings to President of France Emmanuel Macron on national holiday Bastille Day



Vladimir Putin sent a message of greetings to President of France Emmanuel Macron on the national holiday – Bastille Day.



July 14, 2018 - 10:00



The Russian President highly praised Russia-France relations, which traditionally play an important role in European affairs and in ensuring peace, security and stability on the continent. “I am confident that by acting together our countries can do much to resolve current issues of the regional and global agenda,” – Vladimir Putin wrote.

The Russian President expressed hope that the results of Emmanuel Macron’s visit in May will contribute to the development of mutually beneficial relations and political dialogue between Moscow and Paris in various areas.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/57993
__________________
Where should they dig the Very Deep Pit?
Piglet said that the best place would be somewhere where a Heffalump was, just before he fell into it, only about a foot farther on.
(c) Alan Alexander Miln
 
Old July 14th, 2018 #862
Alex Him
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Greetings on opening of Sever All-Russian student construction project at Chayanda field



Vladimir Putin sent his greetings to participants of the opening ceremony of the All-Russian student construction project Sever



July 8, 2018 - 13:00



The telegram reads, in part:

“I note with satisfaction that over its many years of existence, the movement of student construction brigades has made a worthy contribution to the building of Russia’s economic capacity and has addressed key national challenges. Therefore, it is important that these traditions are continued and enriched with new labour victories and achievements. This is evidenced by the active and efficient participation of young people in the construction of the Power of Siberia main gas pipeline. This major infrastructure project is strategically important for Russia and the development of Siberia and the Far East and serves to foster international cooperation.

I believe that you will have a productive work shift, gain practical experience and that you will test your durability and that of your character. And, of course, you will definitely meet new friends and like-minded people.”

The Chayanda oil, gas and condensate field, discovered in 1983, is one of the largest in eastern Russia. It is the main field for the development of the Yakutia gas production center and a resource base for the Power of Siberia gas pipeline and gas supply to the settlements of Yakutia and other regions of the Far East.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/57967






Working meeting with Head of Ingushetia Yunus-Bek Yevkurov



The discussion covered socioeconomic matters in the republic.



July 9, 2018 - 13:50 - The Kremlin, Moscow







The Head of Ingushetia asked the President to support the implementation of a water supply project and the construction of a stadium in the region.







Yunus-Bek Yevkurov updated the President on the implementation of the Sad-Gigant Ingushetia project to create Europe’s largest fruit orchard on an area of 1,100 hectares, an agricultural storage facility with a capacity of 64,000 tonnes, as well as a nursery for seedlings. The construction of a juice plant and a baby food plant will begin in September, and in the future, a pectin manufacturing plant is to be built jointly with Italian partners. The pectin plant will meet 40 percent of Russia’s pectin needs.







The Head of Ingushetia said they are also working with India on a project to build an ophthalmic preparations plant. Construction may begin in the autumn.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/57971






Executive Order on special presidential representative on digital and technological development



July 10, 2018 - 12:30




Vladimir Putin signed an Executive Order appointing Dmitry Peskov, a division head at the Agency for Strategic Initiatives, Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation on Digital and Technological Development.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/57974






Meeting with Acting Head of Daghestan Vladimir Vasilyev



Vladimir Putin held a working meeting with Acting Head of the Republic of Daghestan Vladimir Vasilyev.



July 10, 2018 - 14:15 - The Kremlin, Moscow







Vladimir Vasilyev updated the President on the implementation of instructions issued to the republic’s authorities during a presidential working visit to Daghestan in March this year.

These instructions concerned, in part, anti-corruption activities, such as weeding out corrupt officials and calling them to account based on the prosecutor office’s materials for conflict of interests, imbalance between spending and income, and other violations. Vladimir Vasilyev said these efforts would restore order and enhance the efficiency of budgetary spending.







The official also informed the President about personnel competitions that helped Daghestan create an employee pool. The republic attracts experts and professionals from around the country.

Discussions also focused on road building to create a modern transportation link between the republic’s mountainous districts, the purchase of CT scanners and the construction of a waste recycling plant, about which people in the Botlikh and Tsumadinsky districts spoke at a meeting with Vladimir Putin in March this year.







Mr Putin and Mr Vasilyev also talked about the transfer of the Caspian Flotilla from Astrakhan to the Daghestani city of Kaspiysk. Mr Vasilyev proposed building a ship repair facility in the city and opening a branch of the St Petersburg Nakhimov Naval School, where general school tuition is complemented with naval training.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/57975






Vladimir Putin visited Valaam



On the memorial day for Valaam Miracle Workers, Sts Sergius and German, the President visited the Valaam Transfiguration of the Saviour Patriarchal Monastery.



July 11, 2018 - 12:00 - Karelia







Vladimir Putin attended a liturgy in the Transfiguration of the Saviour Cathedral at the Valaam Monastery served by Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia. The President met with parishioners and congratulated them on the holiday. After the service, the President and the Patriarch walked around the cloister.
















The Valaam Monastery is one of the most honoured monasteries in Russia, with over 200 brethren. Every year, more than 100,000 pilgrims and tourists visit the cloister.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/57978






Meeting with Head of the Federal Service for Financial Monitoring Yury Chikhanchin



The head of Rosfinmonitoring briefed the President on the service’s current activities and training of specialists to combat money laundering and financing of terrorism.



July 12, 2018 - 17:05 - The Kremlin, Moscow








President of Russia Vladimir Putin:

Mr Chikhanchin, the deadline for Russia to submit a national report on anti-money laundering activity is in October. Your department is in charge of preparing this report. Let’s start with that.



Head of the Federal Service for Financial Monitoring Yury Chikhanchin:

Indeed, we must submit the Russian report to the FATF Secretariat for evaluation in October.

There are two sets of issues that will be covered in the report. The first includes the technical compliance of our regulatory framework with international standards, and the second is related to the effectiveness of the anti-money laundering system, that is, how well these laws are working. This is a very big issue.

The experts have until February to review the report. In February, a mission of about 12 people will come here. They will complete their mission sometime around March, and in October next year we will report to the plenary session. That is how the mechanism works.

With regard to our accomplishments to date, most importantly, we have drafted the National Counteraction System Concept (with regard to laundering of illegal proceeds and financing of terrorism). You signed it; thank you very much, this is an important document.

Also, in conjunction with the relevant bodies, we have compiled national risk assessments in the sphere of money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism and submitted them to the FATF Secretariat.

Based on these national risk assessments, five focus areas have been identified, including credit and finance, corruption-related areas, drug trafficking, illegal budget use, and the financing of terrorism. The departments have reviewed and agreed on all of this. The list of departments that work with us is long. We have also run these documents by various interdepartmental commissions, such as National Anti-Terrorism Committee, the State Anti-Drug Committee, and so on.

The most active role here was played by the commission that was established on your instructions to prepare a report and by the second interdepartmental working group on countering illegal financial transactions. We must continue its work. This working group has indeed done very much.

We can say that major amendments have been made to the legislative framework governing the activities of banks. For instance, the mechanisms allowing banks to reject a shady transaction. Significant amendments have been made to the Tax Code, and what Mishustin’s team [Mikhail Mishustin, Head of the Federal Taxation Service], with whom we are working, is doing, in particular monitoring cash registers, is within the competence of this commission. Plus, it is in charge of matters bearing directly on the budget.

The most serious subject that we are reviewing is using the judicial system to take money abroad. We have managed to prevent the withdrawal of about 50 billion rubles owing to cooperation with Lebedev’s team [Vyacheslav Lebedev, President of the Supreme Court]. We went to court to confirm that money is bogus.

What we need to do today to conclude our analysis is to upgrade a number of regulatory acts, adjust statistics at the interdepartmental level, prepare examples for experts to look at, step up this work and continue it at international venues.

I must say that we are very actively working with all ministries and departments and members of the delegations that attend these forums. There are a number of areas where we are supported by the international community, in particular, our projects on countering the financing of terrorism and identifying terrorists and militants. Over a hundred countries are working with us on these projects. More than a hundred countries and one international organisation – the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) – are working with us to combat drugs. We have also launched a very big project to identify professional international launderers.







Vladimir Putin:

“Milky Way”?



Yury Chikhanchin:

Yes.

We are working very closely in a four-nation group – Iran, Iraq, Syria and Russia – on exchanging information in all of these areas.

We have initiated a so-called technical assistance programme. This is our International and Methodology Centre for Financial Monitoring and the network AML/CFT Institute. It was presented to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) as an educational institution that provides assistance in the training of specialists. Here is a map and you can see what countries use it.

This year alone we have trained about 2,000 specialists from Russian government bodies, and 14,000 from the private sector – banking services, leasing, etc. Specialists from 32 countries, including Latin American and Central European countries, came to us. The last visit was from Japan.

In all, we have trained about 3,000 students both in person and via teleconference.

We are doing the same in our network institute. We established it five years ago per your instructions in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Science and the Federal Agency for Scientific Organisations. It basically unites 36 universities around the world – ours, Central Asian, Chinese and the BRICS countries. Today, 2,600 students study at this institute, including over 300 foreigners.

This approach is very interesting. I have told you about it, so I am repeating myself. Foreign students defend their thesis at our institute, while their potential employers (a representative from the central bank or the prosecutor’s office in a foreign country) listen via teleconference as their students do this.

This year we organised thesis reviews on a national scale where the students can defend their projects at one institute and can be seen by all the universities in the network. They see how the defence is going, what methods and information resources are being used, and how well students are prepared. This is very interesting and we continue to develop this approach.

Now we would like to establish a structural unit, a kind of a secretariat in cooperation with our industrial partners, banks and large corporations that employ the institute’s graduates because before, everything rested on us. If this is approved, we will establish a small autonomous non-profit organisation.

We have now included science: over five academic institutes are working with us.

This is basically how the reports are being prepared.







Vladimir Putin:

When you described the court related problems, I understood that the Supreme Court supported and helped you.



Yury Chikhanchin:

Yes, very much so. We have conducted, with their help, several seminars, conferences and meetings. Because of this we have managed to prevent an attempt to send money abroad based on court decisions.



Vladimir Putin:

Thank you.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/57986






Congratulations to Roscosmos staff



Vladimir Putin congratulated the staff of Roscosmos State Corporation on a major event for the Russian space and rocket industry and the entire country.



July 12, 2018 - 19:00



The message reads, in part:

“On July 10, a Progress MS-09 cargo spacecraft carrying scientific equipment, fuel, medicine and food was launched from the Baikonur Space Launch Centre, reached and docked with the International Space Station in record time.

This brilliant success, marking a real breakthrough that makes Russian space exploration significantly more competitive, is the result of the hard work and creativity of all the project’s participants, their consummate professionalism and skill, as well as the advanced technology and innovations they employed. And, of course, the great ideas of the industry’s founders and the impressive achievements of your predecessors are the foundation on which your success is built.”




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/57989






Meeting with President and Chairman of VTB Bank Management Board Andrei Kostin



Andrei Kostin reported to the President on the bank’s performance in January-June 2018.



July 13, 2018 - 13:50 - The Kremlin, Moscow








President of Russia Vladimir Putin:

Mr Kostin, let us talk about the bank’s performance in the first six months of the year.



President and Chairman of VTB Bank Management Board Andrei Kostin:

Certainly, Mr President.



Vladimir Putin:

Go ahead, please.



Andrei Kostin:

We only have audited accounts for the first five months, during which the bank’s profits have increased by 74 percent to over 87.1 billion rubles.



Vladimir Putin:

Increased by 74 percent?



Andrei Kostin:

Yes, and we expect our half-year profits to reach 95 billion or100 billion rubles, which is as much as we netted in all of 2017.

It should be said that our performance indicator, which is known as return on capital and denotes a bank’s revenue from the money invested in it by its shareholders, has risen above 14 percent. This makes the bank one of the five most efficient and profitable banks in Europe, if we consider large banks. In other words, this is a positive development.

At the same time, we have reported an increase in our portfolio of loans to companies and individuals. Mortgages are a major driver, of course. I would like to note not only the increased number of mortgages (we expect it to grow by 20 percent this year), but also a decrease in the interest rate on mortgages. Our goal is to further reduce it to 7 or 8 percent, as you have indicated in your Address to the Federal Assembly. The current rate is 8.9 percent. There is a short distance to the figure you have indicated. We will be working to attain this goal.

You often ask me about corporate lending to Russian companies. Let me show you a chart that I have brought with me.







Vladimir Putin:

Not all of them are the same: there are also small and medium-sized businesses.



Andrei Kostin:

Of course.



Vladimir Putin:

What is the interest rate on loans to small and medium-sized enterprises?



Andrei Kostin:

The chart refers to the corporate sector. If we look at the last 16 loans to big corporate borrowers in the second quarter, you can see that the interest rates have gone down substantially, ranging between about 6.75 and 10 percent. Companies working in trade, equipment manufacturing and medicine, as well as major metallurgical companies get an interest rate between 7 and 8 percent.



Vladimir Putin:

What about smaller companies?



Andrei Kostin:

Smaller companies currently have to pay a higher interest rate of over 10 percent, although we are working on lowering their borrowing costs. I think that all the conditions are in place for achieving this result.



Vladimir Putin:

So that the national average is below 10 percent.







Andrei Kostin:

Yes, somewhere around this figure.



Vladimir Putin:

The interest rates must come down much faster.



Andrei Kostin:

We are working on it.

There is one interesting thing I wanted to highlight. Since the beginning of this year, people seem to be less interested in making dollar deposits or taking out dollar loans, compared to ruble-denominated deposits and loans. We believe this to be an important step towards the de-dollarisation of the Russian finance sector.

I would also like to say that our experts have drafted a package of proposals designed to further promote the ruble in international settlements and thus develop the Russian market for floating Eurobonds, shares and creating other derivatives that are now used only in the West. I think that we need to create our own financial tools. This would serve as an additional safeguard for the Russian financial sector against external shocks, and would give a new impetus to its development.

I would like to ask you to instruct the relevant agencies, the Government and the Central Bank to review these proposals and, if possible, to support the policy of de-dollarisation and countering tax base erosion and profit shifting.



Vladimir Putin:

Thank you.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/57990
__________________
Where should they dig the Very Deep Pit?
Piglet said that the best place would be somewhere where a Heffalump was, just before he fell into it, only about a foot farther on.
(c) Alan Alexander Miln
 
Old July 14th, 2018 #863
Alex Him
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Let us return to the past:



Previous texts about the past - https://vnnforum.com/showpost.php?p=...&postcount=828 - and so on.






President Vladimir Putin sent a letter to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, in which he expressed his thanks for the warm welcome given to him and his entourage during a recent state visit to the UK



July 8, 2003 - 00:00



The message said, in part:

“The atmosphere of friendliness in which the visit took place attested convincingly to the new quality of the relations between our nations.”




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29005






Opening Remarks at a Meeting with Members of the Council for Cooperation on Security Issues (Russia-France)



July 8, 2003 - 19:42 - Novo-Ogaryovo








Vladimir Putin:

Good afternoon,

I am very pleased to welcome you to Moscow. I would like to say that relations between Russia and France have not only attained their well-known intensive nature over the least few years, but they have also changed in terms of quality.

The structure, within which you are working today, is, of course, very important and it also serves as additional proof of the qualitative changes in our relations. This structure was set up on the initiative of the French president and we attach great significance to this mechanism.

However, this is only a reflection of the changes in our relations. The most important thing here is that the level of trust between our two countries has increased. This has come about because our views on a whole range of issues, not only confined to the bilateral agenda, but also international relations, virtually coincide. And the main point is our common approaches to the future of global security, our adherence to the norms of international law and the key role of the United Nations.







As an element of trust, we shall soon hold small-scale, but entirely significant naval exercises in the Sea of Norway.

This is the first time that our Armed Forces will have such an experience, as we have not conducted anything similar, especially with the use of our submarine fleet, with a NATO member-nation.

I think that this is very important. This is the first step, the first practical step, towards building a global security system based on the principle of a multi-polar world.

We have a great many issues within the framework of Greater Europe. We attentively follow the processes of European integration.







Russia is seeking its place in the changing world. And France’s position, France’s support in these processes, is extremely important for us. In this context, the two countries’ foreign and defence ministries will obviously play the leading role.

Therefore, without any exaggeration whatsoever, I say that we are looking at the work of this quartet with great interest and hope. I would personally like to wish you success.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22050






Speech at a Ceremony to Mark the Commissioning of the Bureya Hydropower Plant’s First Generating Unit



July 9, 2003 - 20:20 - Bureisky Hydropower Plant, Talakan village, Amur Region








President Vladimir Putin:

Dear friends,

Allow me to congratulate the builders, engineers, planners and everyone whose work has made the commissioning of the Bureya Hydroelectric Power Station’s first unit possible. This is a very important and essential facility for the country. You know that the project was first conceived decades ago.







At the start of last century, people thought about building a hydroelectric station here. The first specialists appeared in the early 1970s. Construction started in 1984–5. You also know that the early 1990s was, unfortunately, a period of great disruption. Work virtually came to a halt. However, thanks to your efforts, in the last three and a half to four years a miracle has literally taken place here. This miracle became possible because of your efforts and work. But I would also like to say that the relevant organizational decisions were also taken. The Russian Federation Government included the construction work in the national budget, that is all of Russia has paid for the Bureya plant and its construction. Therefore, people living here in the Far East, of course, must feel the results of your work. And sector chiefs and Far East regional heads must create conditions, enforce the necessary safeguards and controls so that electricity charges for Far East residents are cut after the first unit goes into operation. This must be felt in the economy.







I have just discussed with the sector’s head the fact that it is not simply enough to commission the Bureya station at its full capacity. It has to become a real foundation for the Far East’s economic development, leading to new firms being set up on the basis of the Bureya plant and new jobs being created in the Far East. People’s lives must become better and more stable in the Far East.







The most sophisticated methods developed in the construction and electric power sectors have been applied here. Not only has everything that made the Soviet Union’s and the Russian power electric power sector proud been revived and restored. New steps forward have also been taken. This is very necessary. This is a very good sign for the entire country and for every Russian citizen. This shows that the economy is developing and new prerequisites for its development are being created. I am certain that Russia’s great electric power sector, thanks to people like you, will live and develop. I would like to say a few words to the heads of the branch, to your managers who are working here today. The people who work here and will work at the Bureya Hydroelectric Power Station, whether they live and work here, in shifts or on a permanent basis, must live in normal, humane conditions. I know that these conditions are being created here. I am certain and I would like to hope that you will live and work in good, worthy conditions and will achieve excellent results.







I congratulate you on this most important event in your lives and the life of Russia.

Thank you.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22051






Opening Remarks at a Conference on the Problems of Energy Supplies in the Far Eastern Federal District



July 9, 2003 - 20:29 - Bureya Hydropower Station, Talakan village, Amur Region








Vladimir Putin:

I would like to take this opportunity to once again congratulate everyone here, as this has a direct bearing on the Far Eastern region. I am very pleased to see that what we agreed on three and a half or four years ago, including here in Blagoveshchensk, is being fulfilled. It is nice to see that the plans for the development of the Far East are being fulfilled. This is a very serious stage in the Far East’s development. Essentially, this is the creation of a base for the development of the social and economic spheres. Obviously, the commissioning of the first generating unit of the Bureya Hydroelectric Power Station marks a serious step towards boosting the potential of the entire Far Eastern region’s economy.

With time this station should become the most powerful in the Far East. When it starts operating to its full capacity it should solve the power problems of the Maritime, Khabarovsk and Amur regions.

When the station is operating at full capacity, there should be no energy crises and, of course, the Far East’s economic development will be given a boost.

The capacity of Amur region enterprises is growing even today and regional tax revenues are increasing.

The Bureya power plant, naturally, will provide the electric power sector with opportunities to expand its export potential. This is not a bad thing, but it is not the main point. The most important aspect is developing our own country, the Russian economy, securing people’s future here, creating jobs and improving living standards for the people who live here.

There is one more important aspect – environmental safety. Particular attention has to be paid to this in the station’s future development. Moreover, the commissioning of the Bureya station will allow the region to eliminate problems connected with unstable energy supplies.

The station’s director has told me that year-on-year expenses for bringing coal to the region might be cut by 1.3 billion roubles as early as 2004. This figure could exceed 5 billion roubles when Bureya reaches its full capacity. This, in its turn, will allow a more appropriate tariff policy to be introduced and will ultimately improve the wellbeing of Far Eastern residents. In the meantime, citizen’s electricity bills in a number of districts of the region now can and should be cut by at least 10%.

It must not be forgotten that the entire country contributed financially to the construction of the Bureya plant. Construction was completed after the Federal Government took the appropriate decisions to include building costs in the national budget, thereby laying an extra burden on the whole country. Accordingly, the entire country, all of Russia has paid for the construction of the Bureya Hydroelectric Power Station. The economy of the entire country, the economy, above all, of the regions and people who live here should feel the positive results of this work.







As not only the chiefs of the electric power sector and the Bureya plant are here today, but also Far East regional heads, I would like to talk about another problem that has no direct bearing on the Bureya station, but is closely connected to the energy problem. Despite the fact that this issue does not fall within the remit of either the President or the Government, I believe that no one can avoid taking responsibility for solving these problems. I mean the most painful problem of housing and communal utilities. Unfortunately, I must state that a few problems are again looming. A Gosstroi commission has been here and pointed to already alarming symptoms in the Kamchatka, Sakhalin, Maritime and Koryak regions.

You know how much we talk about this every year. And now Gosstroi experts have come to the conclusion that preparations for this winter in these regions are not proceeding effectively enough.

After visiting the district, the commission produced information to the effect that a number of heat and electricity supplying facilities were not ready for the cold season. Water supply facilities, which people depend on for drinking water, and which the heating system needs in order to work, are in a poor state in some cities.

In spite of the limited timeframe for navigation, the necessary fuel reserves for the year have been stockpiled a long way from where they are needed. There are objective problems and here, in Bureya, they are also noticeable. This means, firstly, a low level of water. The same thing has happened with other rivers and this means that attention must be focused on it even more. The reason for this backward state of affairs, of course, is said to be inadequate funding and a lack of money. At the same time, as a rule, there is no mention of the lack of economic management and the failure to take managerial decisions on time. As both the federal authorities and regional leaders are here, I ask you to give this matter particular attention.

Finally, I would like to hear your opinions on the prospects for attracting investment to the Far Eastern Federal District’s energy system and to the development of the country’s energy capacity in general. The main point here, I would like to stress once again, is that new economic growth in the Russian Federation should be achieved on the basis of the established electric power capacities. In this case, we are, first of all, talking about the Far East region. An exception has been made for the Far East. We have a single federal regional programme for the Far East alone. And, strictly speaking, the commissioning of the Bureya power station is one element in the fulfilment of this federal programme. All the other elements of the programme should join the process that is happening today.

A pleasing event is taking place today. Many years ago, in 1903, people began to think about building a hydroelectric power station here, and the first design work started in the early 1970s. The real work began in 1984, but then it was abandoned in 1990. And so over the last four years, thanks largely to the efforts of everyone here today, thanks to the efforts of the Russian Government, the matter has been successfully carried through to the end. This positive example must become infectious, in the good sense of the word, so that it provides the Far East’s economy with a boost, so that people will have an incentive to stay here and feel that there are prospects for themselves and their children, so that they can live normal and worthwhile lives here. Let us think about this, above all else. Much depends on the regional leaders. Of course, a great deal depends on the Government as well, on how it and the heads of the energy sector conduct energy policy here. But I stress that a great deal depends on the regional leaders. I urge you and the Government to think of and implement plans for developing the economic potential of the Far East.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22052






Meeting with the Top Officials of the Federal Assembly, the Government, the Presidium of the State Council and Leaders of Major Public Organisations



July 11, 2003 - 12:23 - The Kremlin, Moscow








Vladimir Putin:

Good afternoon colleagues,

I have already spoken with many of you here today when we were working on the annual address to the Federal Assembly about what needs to be done to ensure that over this year we work effectively towards the goals that were set out in the address.

Present here today are the representatives of state bodies and public organisations that have a real impact on the processes underway in Russian society. As you know, I have invited you to this meeting so that we could work together on key issues for this country’s development.

These issues, as the country’s leadership sees them, as I, and the government see them, were set out in the annual address.

Just to remind you, these goals are to double the GDP, overcome poverty and modernise the Armed Forces. Of course, we also have many other tasks to tackle. I am referring here only to the key challenges, which, if not resolved, will prevent us from achieving effective development and remaining highly competitive in the world. These three challenges are clearly the supporting columns of our overall development and are interrelated.

The discussions that have taken place in the country have made it clear that today, different public and political groups have their own views and their own approaches and solutions to these problems and challenges. Some proposals differ only in the tactical details, while others are diametrically opposed in their approach. This is perfectly normal for an open and democratic society.

But at the same time we must not forget that a society that is splintered into small groups, each pursuing its own narrow interests, cannot consolidate around the implementation of major national projects, all the more so when it comes to such ambitious strategic goals as ours. And the goals we have set ourselves are really ambitious in scale.

I think that we need to take an overall view of Russia’s development prospects, looking clearly at the aims and taking into account the objective opportunities we have to achieve these aims. I want to stress this point.

It is unlikely that we will all completely agree on everything. But we must come to agreements on the main points and come up with a common position if we want to develop our country.

Once again I repeat that a serious and large-scale undertaking of this kind can only be done by working together, through consolidating the country’s leading political forces and uniting its intellectual resources.

I’d like to look in more detail at the issues that I propose we discuss today.

First, the ways, means and conditions that we need to intensify our economic development. Essentially, this is a question of the factors that we can use to ensure rapid and quality economic growth.

But increasing the nation’s GDP is more than just an economic task. Much here depends on efficient state management, on having qualified and professional civil servants, on developing federal relations and strengthening local government institutions.







This is a complex and multifaceted task and so it is only natural that no one can now come up with the single correct way of resolving it. But we do need to resolve this issue, and we need to look for effective solutions together through open discussion.

The main element that we should make use of is encouraging private initiative and entrepreneurship, and upgrading the professionalism of our managers, engineers and workers.

The second key component of our strategy is to overcome poverty. There is a direct relationship between the rate of economic growth and the reduction of poverty.

I want to stress here that unless we have economic freedom in this country and an effective social policy, we will not be able to achieve any of our strategic objectives. Nor will we be able to modernise the Armed Forces, since successful military reform also depends on the economic situation.

I firmly believe that if we are to successfully resolve problems of this scale, we must mobilise the country’s intellectual resources, and we also must involve different public groups, of course, those organisations that put national interests above their group, corporate or personal interests. Together, we must work towards dialogue, the pursuit of a common goal and cooperation in our actions.

I do not want to spend a long time talking today. On the contrary, I would like to ask each of you here today to speak up and present your views.

In conclusion I would like to say that in order to move ahead, coordinate our positions and listen to each other, we need some kind of working mechanisms. I propose that we use the results of our discussions today to create a compact working group that will plan how to practically implement tasks facing us.

I am counting on you to propose your experts and specialists to take part in this group’s work. The best thing would be to have people who can make specific recommendations.

Igor Shuvalov, a previously appointed presidential aide, will be the representative of the Presidential Executive Office in this group and will organise and coordinate its work.

I would now like to ask you to take the floor on this subject.

Thank you for your attention.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22053






Opening Remarks at a Meeting with Swiss President Pascal Couchepin



July 11, 2003 - 12:27 - The Kremlin, Moscow








Vladimir Putin:

Mr President, colleagues,

Allow me to welcome you to Moscow. I know that you spent two days in St. Petersburg and completed some very useful work as part of the Days of Switzerland underway there.

Unfortunately, the format of the last meeting of European heads of state did not allow us to invite you to St. Petersburg for the Russia-European Union summit, as Switzerland is not a member of the European Union and is not part of the Baltic Sea region. To be honest, we simply could not find a way to ensure your presence at that meeting, but I am very pleased that you have nonetheless found a way to come to St. Petersburg.

I must say that relations between our two countries have recently been developing positively. Over the last year, our trade turnover doubled. There is nothing that could get in the way of further developing our relations, and there are no major problems between us, except for one, of which you are well aware. That is the loss of our plane over Lake Bodin. I believe that neither you nor I can afford to let this problem fade from sight amidst legal intricacies.

I know that certain progress has recently been made with regard to this issue. Meetings have taken place, including with the participation of Russian representatives. We very much hope that work on this issue will continue in this way, that a solution will be found and that all will be resolved as it would be if it were not a Russian plane involved but the plane of any other national carrier.

Mr President, I know that you personally are in favour of rapidly resolving this problem and for our part, we will do everything needed to ensure that a speedy solution is found.

We have good prospects for developing our bilateral ties, and not just our economic ties, but humanitarian contact as well. I would like to repeat that we very much hope that your visit, Mr President, will contribute much towards developing these ties.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22054






President Vladimir Putin visited the Ladoga Fortress and unveiled a memorial slab in honour of the 1250th anniversary of Staraya Ladoga



July 17, 2003 - 13:15 - Staraya Ladoga, Leningrad Region







After he saw the old fortress, Mr Putin visited St George’s Church, built in the 12th century, which has the mural of St George and the Dragon, one of the highest achievements of Russian mediaeval art.







Mr Putin also visited the Staraya Ladoga museum-reserve, which contains a collection of Stone Age artefacts gathered by Professor Alexander Inostrantsev of St Petersburg University in the late 19th century. The museum also exhibits archaeological finds from the site of an 8th-16th century settlement.







Mr Putin unveiled a memorial slab in honour of the 1250th foundation anniversary of Staraya Ladoga. Historians established the date as they studied a smithy in Staraya Ladoga, whose covering was made of logs cut in 753, as an analysis showed. The ancient town will celebrate its jubilee in August 2003.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29053






President Vladimir Putin chaired a meeting with municipal officials on developing small towns of Russia



July 17, 2003 - 14:40 - Staraya Ladoga, Leningrad Region







Mr Putin said that the State Duma was debating a bill on municipal entities, and the Government was forming a financial basis for its implementation. The new law aimed to de-centralise municipal management – but only where the measure was well-grounded and promised greater effect. He said the legislative change meant not only to finally delineate the rights and duties at the municipal, regional and federal levels but also to provide finance for each of those levels to meet their goals.

Mr Putin spoke about municipal housing problems, unemployment, small business, township-forming enterprises, and social problems – in particular, health care.

The meeting also discussed child custody and the situation of orphanage inmates after they finished school.

The President approved the proposal of a Volkhov District school principal to create a unified educational environment in Russia, as its absence led to the publication of numerous, often mutually contradictory, study materials on basic disciplines, especially the humanities. Mr Putin said it was high time to bring schoolbook publication in order.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29055






Opening Remarks at a Meeting on Problems of Developing Small Towns in Russia



July 17, 2003 - 15:00 - Staraya Ladoga, Leningrad Region




President Vladimir Putin:

Good day esteemed colleagues,

First of all, I would like to congratulate the residents of Staraya Ladoga with their town’s anniversary and I wish you all the very best.

We had a very interesting tour of the museum here today, and then visited the fortress. One of the people involved in supporting Staraya Ladoga and studying its past said that these monuments are part of our historical memory. Unfortunately, our historical memory is very short, we don’t give it enough attention, and I think that this is also part of the root of our problems. If we don’t know our history well, then it will be hard for us to map out the road for our development. This is the way it has always been, and the way it always will be.

But judging by what is happening here in Staraya Ladoga, there are positive trends at work. There are people who understand how important this historical memory is and are dedicating their lives to its service, and I think it would be right here for me to say a few words of gratitude for the work they are doing. I hope that the governor, the regional authorities and those of Staraya Ladoga itself will give them their direct assistance. And as authorised presidential representative, Valentina Ivanovna [Matviyenko] will also give this issue her attention.

Now we have a chance to talk about the problems that you are dealing with in your daily work. Above all, I would like to hear your opinions about the life and work of Russian small towns today based on your own experience. This is keeping in mind that the law on municipalities is currently being examined, and that the federal government is working actively on creating the financial foundations for the development of municipalities.

First of all, I would like to say that the changes to the law aim at decentralising management in areas where this is justified and where it should lead to more effective management. Management will only become effective, however, if municipalities gain not just new responsibilities, but also new rights. This also means ensuring that municipalities have the necessary financing for the tasks they must deal with today and for their added responsibilities they will take on in accordance with the new law.

The municipalities have a great deal of responsibility, and you know this as well as I do. They have been loaded up with many problems over previous decades, in particular, housing and utilities management, and also healthcare to a large extent, but they have not received sufficient financing to be able to meet all these commitments.

The government is now working on changes to the Tax and Budget Codes that would improve municipal finances, and looking at Staraya Ladoga, I can say that it is precisely these municipalities that are the guardians and bearers of our history and our bygone days.

These small towns are home to a large part of our country’s population. Almost half our population lives in small and medium-sized towns, and the well-being of our country depends to a great extent on how life is organised in these municipalities.

I would like to return to the new law and draw your attention to one very important point that we have already discussed more than once before. I would not want this point to go unnoticed. One of the main reasons for changing the legislation is not just to divide powers and responsibilities between the local, regional and federal authorities, but also to ensure that each level of power has the financing needed for its tasks, and to create conditions that will prevent the authorities at a higher-standing level from passing on responsibilities and problems to lower-standing authorities without providing for the necessary financing. Once the new laws are approved and come into force, the way of doing things that has existed up until now should come to an end.

That is what I wanted to say first of all, but I would be very happy to hear your views and listen to the problems that concern you above all. Then we can have an informal exchange of views afterwards and discuss everything.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22057






President Putin's Remarks at a Meeting on Problems of Developing Small Towns of Russia



July 17, 2003 - 16:38 - Staraya Ladoga, Leningrad Region




On problems of work places in the regions

In small and medium-sized towns and municipalities, one of the ways to solve this problem is reducing bureaucracy, and creating the necessary conditions for the development of small and medium-sized business.



On problems of housing and communal services

People pay a lot of money, but the level of services provided remains low. Insufficient financing over many years has led to disorder in the system. But the problem is also in the organisation of the work of housing and communal services themselves. There are enormous subsidies, and they continue to increase, but work does not get any better. This shows an incorrect organisation of work.

The same goes for the reduction in the number of employees. Every five to seven years, large-scale reduction of staff in various budget institutions can be held. But they increase because it is easier to create work places. This is simply budgetary free-loading. Instead of working on creating productive places, which would truly serve the population, and create a product, it is easier to employ people, feeding them with a low wage from the budget. And the result is ineffective administrators, because they receive minimal amounts of money, for which they cannot be bothered working. In this way, we create poverty.

The nature of the Housing and Communal Services sector needs to be changed. Consumer of the services needs to receive this money directly from the state, and adding some money of their own, they will also be able to select companies that provide good services on the market. And then this market will develop.

A clear programme of action is required in the Housing and Communal Services sector. Simply raising tariffs does not solve anything. And they cannot be raised any further now, because the income of people in small towns and villages does not allow this to be done. It is pointless to raise tariffs, because people do not have any way of paying them.

But as far as writing off debts before the budget is concerned, this is not a very good method from an economic point of view, given that there is complete obstruction here. We will see how enterprises which owe money can clear their balances. Because it is very difficult, or almost impossible, to begin a new life with these debts, fines and penalty fees. But conditions should be created so that these debts and fines are not reproduced, and that the industry becomes effective and self-supporting, and even profitable. It is clear that this industry needs to be put into a viable state.



On town-forming enterprises and bodies of power

The approach in this situation should be universal. Putting an excessive burden of the social sphere on enterprises is a dead end. Towns and municipalities themselves should think about this and take care of it themselves. But they should have sources. One of these sources is a prosperous enterprise. So taxes to the budget need to be agreed on. And in such a way that both city and municipal authorities, and entrepreneurs understand what the results will be in the next five to ten years. But it would be even better to know what it will be in three years. Then enterprises will prosper, then their balance will be clear. And if an enterprise contains a lot of social objects, this will pave the way to corruption, because it is not clear who pays for what. There will be crossed subsidising, and a complete mass. But it should be transparent. There needs to be optimisation of work, money should be paid to the municipality, which in its turn should hire effective administrators in the areas of health, education and pre-school education, so that this money is spent effectively. But as money is spent ineffectively, there is general chaos.



On problems of small business

There is excessive control functions of state bodies, and unjustified interference in the affairs of small enterprises – it is very difficult to overcome administrative barriers, to receive a permit for registration for any type of activity. And this is directly linked with the sluggishness of federal, regional, and local authorities.

And at a local level – I ask the local heads to forgive me for saying this – there are even more administrative barriers than at a federal level. It is very difficult to overcome them. There is extortion at every step. And for some reason, local heads think that in this way they better contribute to the budget. But in fact they make things worse, because they crush small business, don’t allow it to develop, which means that in the final analysis they don’t receive all the money they could – legal money into their budget for solving social issues.

So our common goal at federal, regional and local levels is to reduce bureaucracy wherever possible. There must be a stop to commanding, and requiring permission for everything.

As for access to services of natural monopolies, this is the second, most important part of the problem. It is one of the most major problems. This involves transport and supply of gas and electricity. It is very difficult to receive access to these services, and sometimes it is virtually impossible. Many problems and issues arise. In any case, here it is clear what needs to be done. And the Government plans to make certain steps in this direction.

On this topic, I would like if not to argue, then to express doubts about credit. Of course, we have something to think about here. We cannot assume that credit will be without appropriate guarantees, including material and financial guarantees from the receiver of credit. But it is not always justified to count on state guarantees. In cases when a municipality of region is interested in a certain type of activity, they should, of course, provide such guarantees. If they want for a certain type of production to be developed, for people to be employed – then it is better to make this business independent. This has always been justified, because where state guarantees appear, the quality of economic functions decreases, validity decreases, and the result is often a disaster. Where there are no state guarantees, work is tougher, but more effective, and there is less swindling.



On health problems in small towns of Russia

As concerns federal health programmes, in my opinion they should be of a systematic and methodical nature, and not be directed solely to technical re-equipment. Because today a lot of funds are spent in regional and municipal budgets on expensive foreign equipment. If we are talking about the most effective way to spend this money, then we should not talk about the federal programme, but about co-ordination with the Health Ministry in working with regional authorities and municipalities.

As for staff, this problem does exist. Perhaps it would also make to sense to return to a system of assignment. This decision is not easy, but it is quite possible.



On income tax

I agree that tax from individuals is best collected from the place of residence, as is the practice in most countries. The existing system of collecting income task is left over from the Soviet past. The problem is only in effectively organising administration in collecting this tax. It is thought that it is easier to collect a tax from people at enterprises. And on the contrary, with the lack of proper registering of people at the moment, financiers are concerned that if this tax is collected according to place of residence there will be major losses, people will avoid paying taxes, and we will be unable to simply collect it into the budget. Nevertheless, the Government is thinking about this problem. I suggest that sooner or later we will move to this system. And if we are able to do this, then many problems of municipalities will be solved, if not completely, then at least financial provision will become more reliable. And the interest in creating additional work places will grow even more.

As for loans to the Housing and Municipal Services sector, we will definitely return to this. I will try to encourage this decision as effectively as possible.

As for access to cheap energy resources in the form of natural gas, of course it would be desirable for this to be accessible to as many consumers as possible. There is also another solution – lowering production expenses, improving quality of work etc. And as we know, gas in Russia is produced and delivered to customers at a cost that is less than its actual production and delivery. Essentially, we are raising the economy of the country thanks to one company – Gazprom. This cannot go on forever, sooner or later we will also exhaust Gazprom. So this type of energy resources will be slowly evened out, and the advantages that we have today will be lost at a certain moment. And the heads of production should start thinking now about re-equipment of their production, about lowering energy output etc. I think that we should keep this cheap resource primarily for the population, for domestic consumers, and the economy should remember in good time that this will run out at some stage.

The tax system should be flexible and directed towards attracting funds and investments into the economy. This does not always work, but the appropriate structures are working on this. The next steps in reform have also been planned. And a decision has already been made to reduce value-added tax. In 2005 it is planned to reduce the single social tax. Perhaps we will make further reductions if we change the system of administration. Perhaps this reduction will be quite significant. We have just discussed this with the heads of a trilateral committee, and I have met with the Social Bloc of the Government. Some good plans have been drawn up. It is premature to talk about these yet, but there are ideas, and it is fully possible to realise them. At any rate, some of the issues which we discussed two or three days ago will be realised.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22058






Concluding Remarks at a Meeting on Problems of Developing Small Towns of Russia



July 17, 2003 - 23:45 - Staraya Ladoga, Leningrad Region




President Vladimir Putin:

In summing up our meeting, I would like to talk about the strengthening of several structures. In both schools and health care, there is only one goal – to create centres where the quality of services provided to the population is better. It is clear that this should all be very flexible and correspond to local conditions.

Another very important issue is drug addiction. As you remembered yourselves, a special committee has been created, and I expect that it will work more and more effectively, and there will be a clearance of certain obstacles, including staff obstacles. I agree that this is an important issue, but it is difficult for me to agree with the thesis that the former structures which worked effectively do not work any more, and the new ones are not fully functioning. If the former structures had worked effectively, we would not have the problem of drug addiction. The problem is in fact that they did not work effectively. And all around us, unfortunately, we can see not just poor work, but a merging with the structures which they were supposed to fight against.

The new committee has greater authority, a greater staff potential, and will be well-equipped technically. We will hope that it will earn money effectively. But this is not enough. A system of preventive measures is needed, a system of joint work with health institutes, with study institutes etc. This involves a whole complex of different work.

Specialists in the most diverse fields are gathered here, and I would really like to hear your opinion not just about current affairs, but also about how you envisage development in the spheres where you work. I mean the decisions proposed at state level, above all in the legislative sphere from the standpoint of laws on restricting authority, and on a new quality of municipalities, and on proposed solutions in the financial sphere. I mean amendments to the tax and budget code.

And a word on the comments you made. We will, of course, formulate the according instructions with our colleagues, and they will be delegated further to both the Government and to the Presidential Administration.

I would also like to return to what the head of the municipal formation of Novaya Ladoga said. He put it well when he said that patriotism should be founded on our history. Generally, I think that if we are talking about a kind of unifying ideology, for such a complex, federatively composed, ethnically and religiously diverse country as Russia, one of the most important unifying factors should be general Russian patriotism. And of course, one of the foundations of this is our history. Here, in Staraya Ladoga, this is given sufficient attention. In the country as a whole, it is so far not given enough attention. Unfortunately, it is often not enough to make this patriotism well-founded and viable.

It is not enough for us to remember how handsome, talented and great we were. We need to be like this today. We need for the living standard of our population today to be raised, so that people feel the results of our work on both a federal level and at the level of the President and Government; at both regional and federal level. In this sense, a lot depends on us. And only in this case the foundation that we have talked about now – patriotism – will be viable. Only if we and all the citizens of Russia will be proud of our country today.

Thank you very much.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22059






President Vladimir Putin sent a letter to a schoolboy from Riga, who had asked him to help receive an education in Russian



July 21, 2003 - 00:00



Yaroslav Karpelyuk, a schoolboy in Latvia, wrote a letter to President Putin, asking for help in getting an education in Russian, which is his native language.

The President’s reply, which was handed to Yaroslav Karpelyuk, a pupil of the fourth form of a Riga grammar school, by Russian ambassador to Latvia Igor Studennikov, read:

“Thank you for your letter. I am glad you love your school named after Mikhail Lomonosov, a famous scientist and humanist.

“I understand your desire to be educated, to study in your native language. In many countries of the world children from large ethnic communities have that right. For modern Europe it is a criterion of the level of democratic development of this or that country.

“It is clear from your letter that you are a person who is not going to tolerate injustice, that you know how to stand up for yourself and your convictions. And you are not alone in that, which is especially important. I regard this as a guarantee that the Russian language, which has been spoken in Latvia for several centuries, will continue to be spoken there in the future. In my opinion, it will only benefit Latvian society, will enrich Latvian culture and will promote the development of economic cooperation and truly good-neighbourly relations between the two countries. This is what we are striving for here in Russia.”

This is the second time this year that President Putin has responded to Latvian school students’ letters.

In April of this year he sent a reply to pupils of a secondary school in the town of Limbazi.

Latvia’s Russian speakers are protesting against the switch to teaching in Latvian in the senior forms of Russian schools, scheduled for 2004.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29067
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President Vladimir Putin made a trip to Karelia



July 21, 2003 - 16:40 - Karelia







President Putin went round the Vilga tree nursery and met with officials of the forestry and timber industry.

Speaking to them, he said attracting investment to the timber industry was one of the most important objectives. He noted that the Government had been considering this question for some time and that a new wording of the Forest Code was being prepared.







President Putin expressed confidence that Russia had every chance of becoming a major exporter of high-quality forest products, and that the forest industry could bring in large profits.







He stressed that Russia possessed nearly one-quarter of the world’s timber resources. The Russian forests, he said, are without any exaggeration an ecological shield for our planet.







President Putin also mentioned the problem of financing the reproduction and protection of forests, noting that this burden was mainly shared by forestry enterprises, not all of which had the required funds.







He also said that one of the ways of increasing the effectiveness of forests was customs and tariff regulation.







The President said he also considered it necessary to improve the work of state agencies in fighting such problems as forest fires, tree diseases and wanton tree felling.

During his brief visit to Karelia the President also inspected the Kondopoga pulp and paper mills. The open joint stock company Kondopoga is a major newsprint producer in Russia and Europe. The mills are situated on the eastern shores of Lake Onega and have a workforce of 7,300 people. By 2002 their annual capacity had reached 545,000 metric tons of newsprint. Newsprint is also exported to such countries as Germany, Finland, Sweden, the United States, France, Norway, the United Kingdom, India and Turkey.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29073






Opening Remarks at a Meeting with Forest and Timber Industry Workers at the Vigla Timber Enterprise’s Tree Nursery



July 21, 2003 - 20:00 - Petrozavodsk, Karelia




President Vladimir Putin:

Good day, esteemed colleagues,

As I am here in Karelia, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all the people of Karelia and above all the residents of Petrozavodsk with the recent holiday. I am sure that everyone here loves and appreciates their capital, and that all of you here today join me in these congratulations.

Now to get directly to the subject. First, I would like to thank the directors of the enterprise and the ministry for explaining the sector’s activities in such an interesting way. If everything you told me does indeed go ahead throughout the sector, then I think this will mark a noticeable step forward.

People in Karelia know very well what positive changes have taken place in the sector over recent years, and also know just what problems the forestry industry faces, because Karelia is one of the country’s traditional timber-producing regions. The head of the government and I have just had an in-depth discussion here on the state of affairs in Karelia and the situation in the forestry industry.

Russia has almost a quarter of the world’s timber resources. In this sense, it would be no exaggeration to say that Russia’s forests form the planet’s ecological shield. I was very pleased to hear from the specialists here about what is being done to replenish, clean and protect our forests. Unfortunately, we still have many problems in this respect, but let’s remember here what Russian scientists and forestry specialists were saying back in the nineteenth century. They introduced this concept of sustainable and non-exhaustive use of forestry resources, and I think that this principle still applies entirely today.

In this context, I’d like to look at the important question of raising the money to replenish and protect our forests. This burden lies primarily on the timber enterprises, but we know that they unfortunately do not all have the financial and other resources to fully meet these obligations. You are aware of the discussions that have taken place on this matter, and of the plans we have. There are various points of view on how to improve the situation in this area. One proposal is to have the timber users cover the costs of replenishing the forests. Land rental costs and forestry taxes, meanwhile, would be set through auctions and tenders. This proposal is still being discussed, so we should reflect on it, and I would like to hear your views on it today.

Another problem is protecting forests from fires, diseases and illegal logging. How many fires are currently burning at the moment? At the moment Russia has 436 forest fires burning. And how much forest does this represent? It represents around 12,000 hectares. Unfortunately, these negative trends have been increasing over recent years. I’m speaking here not just of fires, but also of diseases and illegal logging. We must improve our work in preventing these trends. First of all, we must coordinate the work of the different agencies involved. I know that there are some traditional proposals for improving the way things are run and setting up additional, unified structures. We can discuss this today if you think it necessary. One of the tools we have to help ensure effective use of our forestry resources is customs tariff regulation. We also discussed this issue in depth today. There is constant discussion on the matter. There is a proposal to examine the possibility of lowering export duties for heavily processed timber products and to increase duties on raw timber.

I agree with those who say that there should be differentiation between the types of unprocessed timber. Perhaps we shouldn’t try to apply the same treatment in every single case, but I think that the principle is good. This has been much discussed in the government. I hope that the deputy minister for economic development and trade, who is here today, will inform us where this issue stands today. Everyone agrees that this is the right approach, but unfortunately, nothing, or almost nothing, has been done yet.

Another major problem is attracting investment to develop the forestry industry. There is very little investment today, and in some cases no investment at all, in timber enterprises’ fixed capital. Specialists say that already tried and tested principles such as concessions or long-term rent of tracts of forest could encourage more investment. To a large extent this is a question of legislation, and the government has also been giving it its attention. In particular, work is going ahead on drafting a new forestry code. The draft code is almost ready, and I’m sure you are aware of its main provisions. Let us also discuss this today.

We have a lot of different issues to examine today, and I wouldn’t want us to leave anything out. We spoke of investment, and where I mentioned customs policy, we also returned repeatedly to the need to lower customs barriers for importing equipment that we ourselves do not produce. Here there is always a struggle going on between the government’s fiscal interests and the interests of economic development. I think that we in a situation today when economic development should definitely be our priority. We do have some plans in this respect, and I think that our colleagues from the government will enlighten us on them in more detail. That is what I wanted to say for a start. Now let’s listen to the deputy minister for economic development and trade, and then we will listen to the first deputy natural resources minister. After that, we can exchange information and views on the problems we have come here to study today.

Thank you.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22060






Concluding Remarks at a Meeting with Forest and Timber Industry Workers at the Vigla Timber Enterprise’s Tree Nursery



July 21, 2003 - 20:32 - Petrozavodsk, Karelia




President Vladimir Putin:

A lot of different opinions were expressed at our meeting here today, and at moments debate was even quite heated. I think this is good because it has enabled various points of view to be heard. I hope that the Economic Development and Trade Ministry and the government as a whole will also listen to the opinions raised and take them into account in the final drafting of the documents, the very important documents for this sector, that we spoke about today. These discussions are important because everything that we spoke about here concerns the forestry code that is being drafted and the practical impact of the other package of legislation and regulations governing this sector.

I’m thinking here not even only of laws and regulations directly concerning forestry. Our colleagues raised the question of VAT, for example, and getting rebates on VAT. The deputy minister has already said that proposals on these lines are being worked on. I don’t want this to be just words. I hope that by the end of the year these proposals will be implemented, and next year, I hope that we will take even bigger and bolder steps that will enable us to reduce taxes in general and dramatically approve the administration side of things, which will also concern rebates on VAT. Such are, for the moment, the government’s plans that we recently discussed.

As for tax on profits, it was right to raise the issue here. The abolition of tax breaks has complicated various aspects of investment, and I hope that here too, suitable action will be taken. I think it would be right to take a tougher line on taxes on imported technical equipment. I agree that there should be a selective approach here. We must avoid at any costs worsening the situation for our manufacturers producing the same kinds of equipment. In certain cases, such as in the example cited here, when no one in the world in general is producing anything, there is no reason why we should put our manufacturers in a difficult situation. This could be just the case for making tax breaks available. This issue is also being discussed at the moment, and selective decisions are being prepared.

Regarding the cost of borrowing, this is, of course, more complicated. As far as the banks go, change in the situation would have to be linked to improvement in the general macroeconomic climate and the country’s economy because the state cannot take on the responsibility of guaranteeing loans and subsidising interest rates. In some cases, in agriculture, for example, we do this during the sowing period or during preparations for the next sowing period, but we cannot afford to do this for the entire economy.

The very important question of infrastructure was raised today. Of course we must develop the country’s infrastructure and bring it in line with the economy’s demands, but it is important that business not just take the use of this free state infrastructure for granted. Let’s be open here, after all, you yourselves have given examples that show that logging goes on where access roads and so on exist. But who takes the trouble to calculate how much of the people’s money has gone on this infrastructure? Yes, we should support business, and yes, we should create the conditions that will allow business to work effectively, but does business pay for this infrastructure? No.

So, looking at infrastructure development, we first have to ensure effective and transparent activities in the sector overall. We have to be clear about what the state can expect in return if it invests in infrastructure development.

I also took note of what you said about Valaam. I think that this goes not just for Valaam. I discussed many similar questions with the head of the government, including Valaam. We will definitely look into this and keep it in view.

I would like to thank you all. I, and my colleagues from the government, have taken note of the points you raised, and we will definitely take them into account in further work on the documents in this area, including the additional work on the forestry code.

Thank you very much, and I wish you every success.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22061






Opening Remarks at a Meeting with Cabinet Members



July 21, 2003 - 23:59 - The Kremlin, Moscow








President Vladimir Putin:

Good afternoon, colleagues!

I would like to begin with what I did in Karelia just now. As you know, I met with forestry specialists, and we discussed work on the Forest code. What we discussed with the Ministry of economic development and trade just before my visit – incidentally, the heads of several ministries and departments were present – we will summarise in the form of the following instructions. And I would ask you to take this into account during the revision of the documents which are currently being prepared.

Various opinions have been expressed on a number of key issues, including access to forestry resources: competitions and auctions. I think that this needs to be considered, given the experience with auctions in the fish industry. I won’t get into the details now, but there was criticism from specialists, and they need to be considered. This is the first point.

Secondly, we discussed housing and communal services with the leadership of Karelia and my envoy in the Northwest region Valetina Matvienko.

The Northwest Federal region is currently waiting for loans promised by the Government for preparation for winter. I know that the Head of Government has signed the appropriate decree. I would ask for efficient organisation of distribution of these resources where they are required. We have already said that we will not directly manage the process of preparation for winter. But the people who receive this money should have a feeling of responsibility, and money should be allocated according to its actual purpose.

There has been a summary of the overall results of economic development in the first half of this year. This gives us the opportunity to define accurately all the figures and parameters of economic development, and begin the final stage of preparing a draft budget for 2004. We have talked about this many times, and I know that the Government is working on this. Intensive work is underway by State Duma deputies who have a direct relationship to preparing this extremely important document for next year. They have not gone on holiday, they are still working. We have grounds to believe that we will finish this work within the required time limit. I ask you not to forgot about this, and would like to direct your attention to it.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22062






Opening Remarks at a Meeting with Members of the High-Level Group (Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Kazakhstan)



July 25, 2003 - 21:30 - Novo-Ogaryovo








President Vladimir Putin:

Good day, esteemed colleagues, it gives me great pleasure to see you here in Moscow. I know that your work is progressing intensively and that your task is neither easy nor straightforward. This is understandable, because it is always more difficult to create than to destroy. But no matter how difficult your work, it is a noble and much needed undertaking and it represents a constructive process that will, without any doubt, benefit our countries and our peoples.

The commission has already held five meetings now, and we are all well aware that many discussions are taking place and that there are a large number of purely professional questions being addressed, questions that are not easy to settle and resolve. Agreeing and coordinating our positions on administrative and political issues has proved a difficult task, and so any progress that you make is very positive and send a good signal for the development of our countries’ economies. Our respective countries all seek without exception to become a natural part of the global economic space, and we all want to become integrated into the world economy.

It is only natural that we want this integration to take place not simply under terms we find acceptable, but under conditions that will see our economies benefit. In this respect, the work that is going on in our countries to develop cooperation with the World Trade Organisation and to build up our relations with our main partner, the European Union, is of immense importance.

As you know, Russia does not simply declare a desire to create a common economic area with this organisation, but is taking concrete steps together with our partners in Europe towards making this a reality. And of course we very much hope that this work will also enable us to coordinate our efforts on joining the WTO and on entering the European market.

A summit of the CIS leaders is scheduled to take place this September in Yalta, and, as is to be expected, our colleagues throughout the former Soviet region will be following the outcome of this meeting very closely. The integration and development of the economies not just of the countries you represent, but also of all the CIS countries, depends on how successful you are in your work. This is because — and there’s no secret or surprise here — our countries’ economies that were already so closely interlinked in the Soviet period, are to a large extent interdependent. The individual success of each of our countries in some way or another has a positive impact on our neighbours. But likewise, any of our failures, ill-considered actions or unsuccessful steps creates problems for all our countries. On February 23, the leaders of our four countries declared their desire and intention to create a common economic area, primarily encompassing our four countries, given that we are closer to each other in terms of economic development levels and the processes going on within our economies. But the discussions showed that we nonetheless do have differences in our respective approaches.

I want to underline that no matter how great these differences may seem, and no matter how difficult the road towards creating this common economic area, life itself and the objective processes at work in the world economy linked to globalisation will lead us to take this road regardless. This is simply inevitable. The only question is to what extent we make the right reactions to these objective economic development processes, and to what extent we manage to overcome the various ambitions and remnants of the past that are obstructing our development.

I would like to call on you to let yourself be guided above all by a professional and pragmatic approach in your work on resolving the issues you face. This will open the way to resolving other problems. And we will find solutions, even to problems that at first glance seem insurmountable. I have in mind here issues of a political nature.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22064






Opening Remarks at a Meeting with Maurice Greenberg, Chairman of the Board of the American International Group



July 28, 2003 - 18:15 - The Kremlin, Moscow








President Vladimir Putin:

Mr Greenberg,

First of all, I am very happy to welcome you to Moscow. We are well acquainted with your corporation’s activities. The work that you have been doing with our Chamber of Commerce and Industry means a lot to us. As for your plans to sign documents aimed at developing mortgage loans in Russia together with Gosstroi, they are of paramount importance.

I know that your corporation is also quite active on the U.S. market and that you have a lot of experience in this area. We took into account the American experience when drafting our documents on mortgages, and your practical participation in this work in Russia is of great importance for us now.

Other areas are no less interesting. There is no shortage of work to do here in Russia. It is good to see that the investment process is now becoming a two-way street. One of our companies, Norilsk Nickel, has acquired a controlling stake in a major American platinum group metals producer. I think that this kind of mutual investment is the direction in which we should work to develop our cooperation. I would like to point out that last year unfortunately, the United States was only in eighth place for volume of investment in Russia.

The United States still has a good position in terms of overall investment over time, but at the moment it is only in third place for volume of investment here. My colleagues and I are preparing now for the meeting with President Bush in September. George and I often discuss economic issues. I think that this meeting should also concentrate on economic development and cooperation issues. I very much hope that the American business community will help to create favourable conditions for developing our economic cooperation.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22066






Opening Remarks at a Meeting with Deng Rong, the daughter of Deng Xiaoping



July 28, 2003 - 19:20 - The Kremlin, Moscow








President Vladimir Putin:

Good day,

It gives me real pleasure to welcome you to Moscow.

I’m happy to note that the Russian public and a wide range of readers here have the opportunity to read books about your father’s life, and to read his own works.

I’m even happier to see that the ideas set forth by Deng Xiaoping are being implemented in China’s domestic policy and continued in its foreign policy. Here I have in mind the economic cooperation between Russia and China and the development of the strategic partnership between our two countries.

Even the handover of power to a new generation of Chinese leaders took place as Deng Xiaoping had said it would. I am pleased that after Jiang Zemin and I signed the Agreement on Good-neighbourly relations, Friendship and Cooperation in 2001, we are now working with the new President of the People’s Republic of China to implement its provisions in practice.

(After Deng Rong made a gift of the second volume of her book, ”My father Deng Xiaoping & The Cultural Revolution: A Daughter Recalls the Critical Years)

Thank you very much. I will read it with pleasure and keep in mind that it was written by someone who knows probably more than anyone about the events, both public and not so well known, that took place during this very interesting period of your father’s life and the history of the People’s Republic of China.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22067






President Vladimir Putin spoke by telephone with Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma



July 28, 2003 - 19:40



Mr Putin informed Mr Kuchma that in light of Ukraine facing a critical food situation, Russia decided to send it 200,000 metric tons of grain.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych will arrive in Moscow sometime soon to discuss practical issues.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29107
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A Russia-Italy summit took place in Moscow



July 29, 2003 - 16:00 - The Kremlin, Moscow







At summit talks President Putin of Russia and Prime Minister Sivio Berlusconi of Italy discussed the future of Russia-EU relations during Italy’s presidency of the EU Council in late 2003.

Both leaders focused on preparations for the Russia-EU summit in November 2003 and specific agreements to elevate Russia-EU relations to an entirely new level of strategic partnership. Mr Putin and Mr Berlusconi also discussed the consequences of EU expansion, the possible introduction of visa-free travel between Russia and Italy and expedited bilateral talks on Russia’s accession into the World Trade Organisation.







Mr Putin and Mr Berlusconi exchanged opinions on key international issues, namely, the reconstruction of Iraq, efforts to settle the crisis in the Middle East, the situation on the Korean Peninsula and regional conflicts.

Both sides discussed preparations for President Putin’s Italian visit, scheduled for November 2003 and focused on all aspects of multi-faceted bilateral relations. Mr Putin and Mr Berlusconi examined trade and economic and energy cooperation, joint projects in the EU market, humanitarian and cultural dialogue, as well as expanded contacts between Russian and Italian citizens.







After the talks, President Putin and Prime Minister Berlusconi made statements to the press and replied to journalists’ questions.

President Putin praised the results of the summit. Both leaders told reporters that both sides wanted Russia to become part of a Greater Europe. They also confirmed the intentions of Moscow and Brussels to amend visa regulations for Russian citizens.

The Russian President stressed that international relations must stand on a solid legal base and that the UN must play a central role in this respect. President Putin said he was pleased to know that Italy and Prime Minister Berlusconi supported him on this issue.







Commenting on the Iraqi issue, President Putin said Moscow did not insist on a new UN resolution, although it believed that the resolution could be passed. Mr Putin said Russia was ready to facilitate Iraq’s post-war recovery and to resolve the Iraqi problem. The Russian leader said Moscow’s stand on expanded UN efforts to stabilise the situation in Iraq remained unchanged.

President Putin told journalists that he and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon had reached an agreement on the latter’s visit to Russia, that Moscow had co-authored the Middle East road map towards peace, and that it maintained contacts with Israel and Palestine. Mr Putin praised the efforts of the US President and US diplomacy to settle the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29113






Opening Remarks at a Meeting with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi



July 29, 2003 - 19:44 - The Kremlin, Moscow




President Vladimir Putin:

Dear Mr Prime Minister, dear colleagues,

I am very happy to welcome you to Moscow.

I would like to note that we haven’t met for a long time – this upsets me.

I understand that now you have more obligations, and that internal problems and European problems take up more of your time. But I must say that relations between Russia and Italy, for us at least, are of quite a privileged nature. Bilateral economic and humanitarian ties are actively developing between us. And we would very much like to extend this trusting and constructive atmosphere of bilateral relations between Russia and Italy to relations between Russia and the European Union as a whole.

We know that an according plan of work has been passed by the European Union in the Russian direction. And we very much hope, Mr Prime Minister, that during your chairmanship in the EU we will be able to make serious progress in realising both this plan and the agreements that were reached at the meeting in Petersburg.

We know, Mr Prime Minister, that you favour a positive result, and on our part we will make every effort to insure that it is attained.

Naturally, we are also carefully following the situation that is developing the European Union. We see the tensions within European structures, including the European Parliament. But we very much hope that these political tensions and internal political contradictions, which are in fact probably quite natural in a democratic world, will not stop the constructive development of relations between Russia and the European Union. And we also very much hope that during the chairmanship of Italy, we will make significant progress in interaction between Russia and a united Europe. And our interest in this is understandable: the European Union, especially after its expansion, will account for more than 50% of our trade and economic turnover.

If we look at co-operation between Europe and Russia in the energy sphere, Russia will become one of the most important partners, or rather I think it already is one of the most important partners, of Europe in this sphere. But our energy sources will gain greater and greater significance for Russia over the next few years and over the next decade. We are all interested in the development of constructive relations.

I hope that during your visit today, we can discuss all these aspects of our co-operation.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22068






Press Statement and Answers to Questions at a Joint News Conference with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi



July 29, 2003 - 20:06 - The Kremlin, Moscow




Vladimir Putin:

Ladies and gentlemen,

The first part of my meeting with the Prime Minister of Italy, Mr Silvio Berlusconi, has just come to an end.

We had an extensive and productive talk, which was held in the spirit of mutual understanding and partnership that is traditional for Russian-Italian relations.

We worked on two areas: the first was mutual bilateral relations between Russia and Italy, and the second was the development of relations between Russia and the European Union.

Mr Berlusconi agrees with me: both sides still need to put in major efforts to realise the agreements reached in St Petersburg. This concerns a single economic space, the development of interaction in the economy, trade, internal and foreign security, and in the legal and humanitarian spheres.

I am certain that progress in these very important areas will to a significant degree depend on how successful we are in starting the mechanism of a permanent partnership between Russia and the EU.

We are grateful to the Italian head of government, our guest Mr Berlusconi, for supporting our methods and efforts to create a unified Greater Europe, without dividing lines on the continent.

Already today we discussed the first possible steps to simplify the visa process for several categories of citizens. We also talked about the process of Russia joining the WTO, and discussed international issues.

I would like to emphasise this once more – Russia believes that we should build relations on the international scene firmly based on international law, with the central role played by the UN. It is pleasing to note that in this we feel the support of Italy and the support of Mr Berlusconi.

This year, in November, I will make a state visit to Italy. And of course, we talked about what our work in November of this year will involve.

The development of bilateral relations between Russia and Italy corresponds to our national interests, and we are pleased to note that the results of today’s meeting have been positive.

I can say with certainty that bilateral Russian-Italian cooperation is being an increasingly important positive factor in European and international affairs.

Thank you for your attention.



Question:

Will the economic integration of Russia into the European Union be long-term, and will it also be accompanied by political integration in the future? What can Russia do for a Greater Europe and what can a Greater Europe do for Russia?



Vladimir Putin:

At the current stage and during consultations today we primarily discussed issues of economic cooperation and cooperation in the security sphere.

I should say that by the time Italy took up the EU presidency, a solid basis of cooperation had already been established between Russia and the EU. But we expect that the nature of trust, the nature of the high level of cooperation which has been established between Italy and Russia, will be transferred to the entire spectrum of relations between Russia and the European Union.

We want to solve common European economic problems in the spheres of energy, transport, communications, and the manufacture of high technology, and we are certain that this will inevitably be beneficial for citizens both of Russia and of European countries.

The Prime Minister also mentioned cooperation in the environmental sphere.

We face common threats, such as terrorism, drug trafficking and organised crime. Can we solve these problems on our own? It’s absolutely impossible! And this also involves our responsibility in establishing bilateral contacts and cooperation in all these areas.

If you are interested in our cooperation in the political sphere – what is it but a solution to the problems that our country faces? If this means theoretical discussions which have nothing in common with real life, I would not like to be involved with politics of this sort. And on the contrary, I would like to deal with matters that influence the daily lives of the ordinary citizens of our country, and which enable us all to live in a more comfortable, safer and more prosperous world. In this sense, we will deal with the solution of political problems with our European partners.


* * *


Vladimir Putin (adding to an answer by Silvio Berlusconi on full EU membership for Russia):

I confirm what Mr Berlusconi has said. We don’t want to go into details and give too much hope to people who expect this may happen tomorrow, and we don’t want to scare anyone who doesn’t ever want this to happen at all. Life itself puts many things in their place, but we should not interfere with this. We should help the development of the natural process of Russia becoming closer to its partners, of course taking into account the nature of economic cooperation. You know the volume of Russian trade and economic cooperation that Europe accounts for. The expanded European Union accounts for more than 50%. It goes without saying that we will create what we have discussed – a common economic space and a common humanitarian space. We will bring our own legislation in line with European standards. This requires significant efforts on our part. We must do a great deal in this area. We will advance along this path consistently and carefully.

Mr Berlusconi is indeed a great friend of Russia, and a person who understands the objective sides of the development of this process. Of course we also discussed issues of simplifying the visa system, because without solving these problems, without making it easier for citizens to have contacts with each other, it is impossible to talk about any kind of integration process. In the modern world, it is simply impossible to imagine things any other way. And so we talked about the possibility of simplifying the visa system for young people and for several categories of Russian citizens today, taking into account the current Schengen rules. But, I repeat, we intend to work on a definite plan together which will fundamentally change the situation in this area.



Question:

Do you think that the UN Security Council should now pass a new resolution on Iraq, or do you think that the current resolution is fully adequate for expectations and the current situation?



Vladimir Putin:

Above all, I would like to agree with what has been said about a settlement in the Middle East. Russia, as you know, is the co-author of the “road map”, and we welcome any efforts directed towards realising these agreements. We also highly rate the actions of American diplomacy and President Bush personally. We support contacts with both the Israeli side and the Palestinian side. We have reached an agreement with Prime Minister Sharon on his visit to Russia. We will specify the schedule for this through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

As far as Iraq is concerned, the situation there, as you know, is still quite complicated. There are several armed conflicts every week. Sometimes there are dozens of them. But we are all interested in improving this situation as quickly as possible. Russia is prepared to make its contribution to this process, and participate in rebuilding Iraq’s economy.

Our position on increased UN participation in normalising the situation remains unchanged. The last resolution, as you know, was passed unanimously. And this shows that the positions of all the participants of this process have come closer together. We already have an example of resolving a similar situation – the example of Afghanistan and the creation of an interim administration there. We do not insist on a new resolution, but we are open for consultations and talks. I do not rule out the possibility that one will be passed. On the whole, we are prepared to do everything we can to solve this problem. And, I repeat, as quickly as possible.

Thank you.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22070






Speech at a Meeting with Scientists of the Russian Federal Nuclear Center



July 31, 2003 - 20:23 - Sarov, Nizhny Novgorod Region








Vladimir Putin:

Dear colleagues and friends,

I am very happy to have the opportunity to visit a centre which, without any exaggeration, has strategic importance for Russia.

It would be appropriate today to discuss a number of problems that are important for the safe and stable development of our nation. Above all, this concerns the work of ensuring the reliability and stability of military systems.

The quality of nuclear weaponry, which has been and remains the foundation of Russian security, should meet the highest requirements on universality of use, effectiveness and safety.







Your institute is one of the largest centres of modern science in the world. It boasts a concentration of talent along with the knowledge of entire generations of great scientists. This powerful intellectual, industrial, scientific and technological capital should serve the country in full measure.

We must strive for the maximal effective use of the potential of the Russian Atomic Energy Ministry’s nuclear centres to conduct a very wide spectrum of scientific-research and experimental-design work.

Currently you are concentrating on improving the complexes of nuclear weapons that are under development or which have been developed. However, since the beginning of the 1990s, your specialists have also actively cooperated with developers of non-nuclear types of weapons and now we have had the opportunity to make sure of this. Colleagues told me about it. The developments are very interesting. This work, of course, needs to be continued and developed in every way possible.







Today your institute’s science-intensive developments and projects, which were created on the basis of modern military technology, are also used in various branches of industry and are capable of successfully competing in international markets. Therefore, it is necessary to maximize the use of you centre’s developments in order to manufacture products for the civilian population and to use the most modern nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.

That is all that I wanted to say to begin with. Thank you for your attention. Now we will share opinions and proposals.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22073






Excerpts from Concluding Remarks at a Meeting with Scientists of the Russian Federal Nuclear Center



July 31, 2003 - 21:27 - Sarov, Nizhny Novgorod Region




President Vladimir Putin:

The first thing that comes to mind and that we just mentioned is the following. While we were on our way here, one of your colleagues said: “All the work we do is for export”. And to make sure the number of potential importers of your production does not increase, and that no one will want to join this queue, Russia should and will remain a great nuclear power.


<…>


The general impression from the visit to the centre is excellent and positive. Both from the viewpoint of its maintenance, and from the viewpoint of the system for insuring security of the object, and of the actual state of the nuclear weapons complex.

The most impressive thing is the level of developments, developments of the most modern technical and scientific nature, and, what is especially important, developments in correct and very interesting modern directions.


<…>


Russia has taken on a number of very serious restrictive obligations of international law, and has not conducted nuclear tests for many years now. On the one hand, we intend in future to develop everything that is necessary to ensure that science and the practical side of your research is appropriately provided for, but the position we take is that we fulfil and intend to continue fulfilling the obligations we have taken on according to mandatory requirements, one of the most important of which is the relation to obligations that other nuclear powers have taken on. I want to make this quite clear…




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22074






President Vladimir Putin was informed about the explosion in Mozdok



August 1, 2003 - 20:00



Under Mr Putin’s instructions, the Russian Emergencies Ministry sent a plane to Mozdok with a rescue team and the necessary equipment. Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov planned to fly to North Ossetia as soon as possible.

As a result of a terrorist attack at the Mozdok hospital, dozens of people were killed and many wounded. The explosion occurred after a Kamaz truck loaded with explosives rammed into the hospital gates.

President Putin instructed the relevant agencies to conduct a thorough investigation to find the causes which made this crime possible at a protected military facility.

The President discussed the matter on the phone with Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov, Director of the Federal Security Service Nikolai Patrushev and Prosecutor-General Vladimir Ustinov.

Mr Putin conveyed his sincere condolences to the friends and families of the victims.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29141






President Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with President of North Ossetia Alexander Dzasokhov



August 1, 2003 - 21:00



Vladimir Putin instructed Alexander Dzasokhov to immediately inform the country’s leadership on what was needed for rescue operations at the site of the explosion in Mozdok and for assisting the victims and their families.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29135






President Vladimir Putin sent a message of condolences to the families and friends of those killed in a terrorist attack in Mozdok



August 2, 2003 - 00:00



The message said, in part:

“The terrorist attack in a Mozdok hospital is another proof of the militants’ ruthlessness and cruelty. They are trying to destabilise the situation in the North Caucasus. Servicemen who were undergoing treatment, doctors, nurses, and civilians became victims of the tragedy. However, the militants will never impose their criminal will. Their bloody deeds will never stop the process of political settlement and bringing life back to normal.

“I express my condolences to the families and friends of those who were killed in the terrorist attack. May your strength and courage stay with you during these mournful days.”




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29142






Introductory Remarks at the Meeting with Chairman of the Supreme Court Vyacheslav Lebedev and Prosecutor-General Vladimir Ustinov



August 3, 2003 - 19:06 - Novo-Ogaryovo




President Vladimir Putin:

I would like to discuss with you the latest events and the results of our investigation into previous crimes of this type. I am referring to the latest terrorist attack in Mozdok and the terrorist attacks in Moscow, in other cities, and in Chechnya itself.

As one analyses these events, certain thoughts and conclusions spring to mind. The negligent attitude we have seen in a number of cases, which encourages crimes and terrorist acts, has gone beyond all limits.

Let us take a closer look at what has happened with the recent high-profile cases. Investigations drag on for months or years, and then court hearings also go on for months or years. This creates the impression that the state is not responding, or cannot respond, to events of this kind.

As in any democratic state, we have several branches of power – the legislative branch, executive branch and judicial branch – each of which is responsible not just for the abstract fate of the state itself, but for the lives of hundreds and thousands of people.

I would like to discuss with you today the matters of greatest importance, and I would like to hear from you your suggestions on how we can make our work more effective and more in line with the real challenges our country faces. This must be done within the current legislative framework, but I repeat, we should be up to the challenges our country faces at present.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22076






President Vladimir Putin met with North Ossetian President Alexander Dzasokhov, Deputy Prime Minister Galina Karelova and Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov



August 3, 2003 - 23:55 - Novo-Ogaryovo







The meeting focused on social allowances and assistance to the families of those who were killed or injured in the terrorist attack in Mozdok. The crime was committed with a particular cruelty and cynicism, as it was directed against doctors, people undergoing treatment and the wounded, the President said.

He stressed that everything possible had to be done to help those who had suffered.

Alexander Dzasokhov said his office had drafted a plan for assistance to each family of the victims of the terrorist attack. Deputy Prime Minister Galina Karelova confirmed that a programme of assistance to each particular individual had been developed.

Sergei Ivanov said Mozdok failed to comply with the order of the Defence Minister, the Chief of the General Staff and the Commander of the North Caucasian Military District to equip the access ways with facilities enforcing drivers to stop their vehicles.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/43689






President Vladimir Putin forwarded a message to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to confirm his intention to address the 58th session of the United Nations General Assembly



August 5, 2003 - 00:00



The message said, in part:

“The necessity of mutual support of the United Nations, a unique global organisation, by the leaders of its member countries is relevant as never before. Last year put the entire system of international relations to a severe test. What matters most today is the restoration and strengthening of global unity in order to tackle common problems in the spheres of world stability and partnership on the firm basis of the international law. I see it as the key strategic goal of the UN forum in September.

“Humanity has no alternative to progressing together on the road of streamlining the collective security agencies and the joint search of a coordinated way to handle new threats and challenges. The United Nations will objectively retain its central role in this process, I am sure.

“Russia will further make its notable contribution to the cause of supporting the United Nations and strengthening its positive potential for the sake of international peace and stability.”




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29157
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President Vladimir Putin met with King Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin of Malaysia



August 5, 2003 - 07:10 - Kuala Lumpur







Mr Putin said during the meeting that Russian-Malaysian relations were developing at a good pace. He stressed the great significance of essential documents to be signed in addition to the negotiations.

Mr Putin pointed out the fine prospects for cooperation in the technology sphere.

Of no less importance was cooperation in the social sphere, in particular, the training of medical and other specialists. Education provided a sound basis for developing bilateral contacts and helped the two nations to better understand one another, he stressed.

The King of Malaysia, in turn, mentioned the more than 400 Malaysians currently studying in Russia.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29150






Remarks at the Meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad



August 5, 2003 - 14:09 - Kuala Lumpur








President Vladimir Putin:

It is a great pleasure to see you again. It is a very positive sign that despite various problems we have been able to meet and discuss bilateral relations that have long required attention. It should be noted that the issues we are dealing with are of a positive nature. The development of our economies has contributed to that.

Yesterday evening and today I saw for myself how your capital is developing. Under your leadership, Malaysia has changed fundamentally over the past few years.

It is a source of great satisfaction that business relations between Malaysia and Russia are very good. Our trade turnover is growing quickly. Its volume is not that great, but the growth rates are very high. The structure of trade turnover is changing for the better, which is very important.

We have good plans, especially in high-technology areas. It is a good idea for you to send an astronaut into space, and this is quite realistic. We will definitely carry this out.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22079






Speech and Answers to Questions at the Russian-Malaysian Business Forum



August 5, 2003 - 15:13 - Kuala Lumpur








Vladimir Putin:

Mr Prime Minister,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am very pleased to welcome everyone here, at the opening of the Russian-Malaysian Business Forum. Participants will discuss very important issues of economic cooperation, which are the basis of our bilateral relations.

Meetings like the one today are further proof of our mutual interest, and the real return we get from our joint business contacts.

Today mutually beneficial ties between Russia and Malaysia are growing stronger. From the Russian point of view, they are a good example of relations with countries of the Asia-Pacific region.

The Russia-Malaysia Business Council also began its work. Its founding is also a sign of the fruitful development of our contacts.

The initiative to organise this council came from Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. We realised it together, and expect that the Council will take on the organisation of strategic interaction between business communities of both countries, and will generate new ideas and real mechanisms of long-term business cooperation.

A firm basis for such a promising approach has been prepared. For the last ten years, our trade and economic relations have not just developed swiftly. Most importantly, they have changed in both quality and structure.

As a result of these growth rates of trade turnover, Russia now occupies the second place on the Malaysian market, after Japan. And although the trade turnover still needs to be improved and developed, it is still insufficient, the growth rates are positive.

Major articles of Malaysian export in Russia are electronics, wood processing industry production, and various consumer goods.

The broadening of our cooperation will undoubtedly be helped by the future development of the Russian and Malaysian economies. However, the necessary steps in this direction are already being made today. We plan to sign two inter-governmental agreements – on scientific and technical cooperation and on cooperation in the area of information and telecommunications technology.

The Russian Minister of Industry, Science and Technology and the Minister of Communications and Information, who are present here, will, like their Malaysian colleagues actively assist the business circles in the realisation of these projects.

Currently, all the conditions exist to realise these agreements. This includes a high-quality legal basis that is the foundation of a favourable investment climate.

I must also mention a major contract in the area of military and technical cooperation – the proposed delivery of Russian SU-30MKM planes to Malaysia. I expect that after the Malaysian “flying space”, other Russian aviation equipment may be moved into the Southeast Asian region with more success.

When I was talking to the Prime Minister just now, I told him about the development of the Russian aviation industry. It is being developed in Russia in close contact with our foreign partners, above all with our European partners. We have developed one military plane together with the Italians, and are finishing a second with our French colleagues. And I am very pleased that here, in Asia, we have such good partners.

We also have good experience of cooperation in the aerospace industry. For example, the Malaysian scientific satellite TiungSat-1 was put into orbit with the help of Russian carrier rockets. Evidently, it is worth thinking about continuing this cooperation that is of such importance for our countries. One of these tendencies was just outlined by Prime Minister Mahathir at a brief bilateral meeting. He talked about long-distance probing of the Earth and the planned launch of Malaysian spacecraft for this purpose.

I would also like to make separate mention of cooperation in the banking sphere. The Russian Vneshtorgbank signed an agreement on an open line of credit with the Expert and Import Bank of Malaysia. The joint projects of Ingosstrakh and the Malaysian Export Credit Insurance Corporation will also bring undoubted benefit to business contacts.

One thing is absolutely clear: Russia and Malaysia, by developing their business contacts, strengthen cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region as a whole. This includes the Russia-ASEAN dialogue and within the framework of APEC. All this enables peace, stability and security to be consolidated here.

To conclude my comments on our joint projects, I would like to note that one of the serious guarantees of their successful development is a favourable situation in the Russian economy.

Our country, as you know, shows quite high and stable rates of economic growth. In the first half of this year, the growth of GDP exceeded 7%.

We have laid sound legislative foundations that are necessary for the reconstruction of basic branches of the economy and to increase their competitiveness. In areas where there is competition, where there are equal rights for all market participants, we have high growth rates and a reduction of prices on services. A good example is the telecommunications market.

Of course, we still have many problems, but we will solve them through our own efforts, at the same time expanding economic cooperation with foreign partners, such as Malaysia.

I would like to thank you for your attention, and wish everyone present success in their work on the interesting and ambitious projects that lie ahead for business circles of Russia and Malaysia.



Question:

Does Russia plan to relax its entry visa system, as the current system sometimes holds up the development of economic ties with Malaysia?



Vladimir Putin:

I think that you have touched on an issue that is extremely important today for the development of business. Especially today, because on the one hand these issues need to be solved urgently, and on the other hand, new problems continue to arise which hamper progress on these issues.

Clearly, this is connected with the activity of terrorist organisations. As you know, some countries are restricting their visa service and movement of citizens.

At the same time, I do not think we should restrict contacts between people. We should take another path: the special services and law-enforcement bodies should work better. But problems connected with the war on terror should not hinder the development of business ties.

In this sense, I agree with you completely that we should at least simplify the possibilities for contact between certain categories of citizens of various countries around the world, and especially of countries where relations are developing as positively as they are between Russia and Malaysia.

I would single out several categories of citizens who should be granted special privileges. I mean above all the business circles and also politicians, who create conditions for your work. And thirdly, of course, there are young people, who are taking various courses of study, above all students. There are currently 400 students from Malaysia studying in Russia, and the Prime Minister and I just talked about the necessity of increasing this number, and changing tendencies for training.

I am sure that at least these three categories should be given special preferences, and we will work together on this.



Question:

What role can Russia play in building fair multi-lateral trade and other relations between countries?



Vladimir Putin:

You have asked a question of a global nature. I think that the beginning of the answer should also be global.

I think that business relations should be based on favourable, developing international ties, and above all on a basis that is capable of strengthening economic ties.

In our opinion, this basis may be provided by a multi-polar world – a world where international law and practice drawn up by leading international organisations are in force.

Without the consolidation of an international law system, it is impossible to talk of a just nature of international economic ties. The consolidation of this international law system and multi-polar world, taking into account the interests of all countries and peoples, regardless of the size of the country and its economic and political power, is a compulsory condition for the development of international democratic order in the economy.

This is the first point. And the second, of course, is that modern mechanisms of direct economic interaction and international finances need to be improved.

Russia, which even geographically is a part of both the European and Asian continents, takes a very active part in the work of all kinds of international forums. I am not just talking about participation in the UN, but also in European and Asian organisations. Soon the APEC forum will be held in Thailand, where Russia will also be represented.

But there is also another area within which Russia will uphold these principles. It has an informal character, but its voice is very authoritative – the G8.

I would like to assure you that Russia will firmly keep to the principles that I have just outlined.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22078






President Vladimir Putin held negotiations with Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad



August 5, 2003 - 14:40 - Putrajaya







The talks were held in the Prime Minister’s office in Putrajaya, the new Malaysian administrative centre.

The leaders’ restricted meeting was followed by talks attended by the two delegations.







Mr Putin conferred the Order of Friendship on Mr Mahathir Mohamad in recognition of his contribution to strengthening the friendly ties between the two countries and to the cause of global stability and inter-religious accord, the President said.







A contract was signed after the talks to supply Malaysia with 18 Russian Su-30MKM fighter aircraft. Mr Putin and Mr Mahathir Mohamad attended the ceremony.

Agreements on bilateral scientific and technical cooperation and on partnership in information and communication technologies were also signed.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29153






Opening Remarks at the Meeting with Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi



August 5, 2003 - 18:20 - Kuala Lumpur








President Vladimir Putin:

Mr Deputy Prime Minister,

Relations between our countries are developing well, and, as I said during my meeting with the Prime Minister, we very much hope that as Malaysia’s upcoming change of leadership takes place, your relations with Russia will continue to develop as they are now.

Overall, the prospects for furthering our bilateral relations look very positive. Above all, this is because we have acted so far, and are acting today, completely in line with the national interests of our two countries.

The Prime Minister and yourself belong to the same party, so we hope that his policy will be continued.

The Prime Minister and I discussed another question today that goes beyond the framework of bilateral relations. As you are aware, there are about 20 million Muslims living in Russia. This is more Muslims than live in Malaysia, even though Malaysia is a Muslim country.

I talked about this with the Prime Minister, and he promised his support. I believe that Russia should be represented in the Islamic Conference Organisation, if only as an observer at the initial phase. I hope that once your country takes over the role of presiding this organisation, we will able to count on the support of your government on this issue.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22081






President Vladimir Putin took a sightseeing tour of Samarkand



August 6, 2003 - 11:00







Samarkand, in the Zarafshan Valley, is one of the oldest extant Oriental cities. Established 25 centuries ago, it is more like an open-air museum, with several dozen world-renowned monuments.










Mr Putin visited the sepulchre of Tamerlane, the observatory of Ulugh Beg, a great mediaeval astronomer, and the architectural complex of Registan, a superb achievement of Oriental architecture, where he signed the visitors’ book.










The President finished his two-hour excursion with a visit to St Alexis’ Cathedral of the Russian Orthodox Church.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29159






President Vladimir Putin met with Uzbek President Islam Karimov



August 6, 2003 - 14:45 - Samarkand







The talks lasted for more than three hours. Mr Putin and Mr Karimov discussed bilateral relations, Russian-Uzbek cooperation in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and the Commonwealth of Independent States and the anti-terrorist alliance. They exchanged opinions on the situation in Iraq, Afghanistan and other problem-laden areas.

Cooperation in the gas sphere was also a prominent item on the agenda.







The negotiators came to an agreement to renew the membership of the bilateral intergovernmental commission. Prime Minister Utkir Sultanov was to head it on the Uzbek side, and Deputy Prime Minister Boris Aleshin on the Russian side.

While he was addressing journalists after the talks, Mr Putin said that Russia was willing to import Uzbek cotton bypassing intermediate parties and sub-purchasers.







Among the top priorities of Russian-Uzbek partnership, Mr Putin mentioned light industry, military-technical cooperation and everything that had a bearing on military technologies. He said closer partnership in the power engineering industry was necessary.

He spoke about his preceding visit to Malaysia on the journalists’ request, and highly assessed its achievements.







Mr Putin said that Russia regarded Malaysia as a base to promote its economic interests in the Asia-Pacific region.

The President said he was highly satisfied with the results of his official visit.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29160






Excerpts from the Statement for the Press and Answers to Journalists’ Questions after Russian-Uzbek Talks



August 6, 2003 - 16:07 - Samarkand




President Vladimir Putin:

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I would like to confirm that the President of Uzbekistan and I not only talked for a long time, but that our talk was substantial and very productive. We discussed virtually all the aspects of our interaction.


<…>


Cooperation in the gas sphere had an important place in our talks. The President of Uzbekistan also talked about this – we will work on realizing agreements on strategic cooperation in the gas sphere. This agreement was signed earlier. We intend to advance it efficiently, to give it a new quality, and work, I would say, not just with new quality, but in new volumes, bearing in mind the serious capabilities of Uzbekistan in this area.


<…>


Serious attention at the talks was devoted to interaction of our countries in international countries, above all, within the CIS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. We are certain that one of the key tasks is to develop the economic component of the CIS.


<…>


The close interaction of Russia and Uzbekistan is also important for tackling the strategic task of opposing the terrorist threat. As part of this work, at a meeting of the leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in Moscow, we welcomed Uzbekistan’s initiative to accommodate an SCO Anti-terrorist Centre in Tashkent. Mr Karimov told us how work on this task is proceeding. I was very pleased to see that we also intend to work closely in this area in the future, to coordinate our efforts in the fight against international terrorism. We are certain that already today, the structures that I have mentioned are capable of becoming important components of the entire security system in Central Asia.

During our meeting we also exchanged opinions on important international problems. We did indeed discuss Iraq, and other “trouble spots” as well. Of course, we discussed the events taking place in Afghanistan in the most detail. And this is understandable, because Afghanistan is close to Russia’s borders, and very close to the borders of Uzbekistan. It was very important for me to hear President Karimov’s opinion and evaluation of the events taking place in Afghanistan, on the prospects for development of the situation there.


<…>


Question:

Formerly, the Russian textile industry was primarily based on cotton from Uzbekistan. What do you think the prospects are for restoring ties in this sphere, and does Russia plan to increase volumes of cotton imports from Uzbekistan?



President Vladimir Putin:

Russia, of course, is interested in getting raw material for factories of light industry and the textile industry. Of course, this interest exists, has existed and will continue to exist. Unfortunately, today to a significant degree, our textile industry buys cotton through third countries. This is primarily in the interests of subpurchasers and intermediary firms and organisations. President Karimov and I discussed this matter today. We will try to do everything in our power. At any rate, we will create conditions to enable direct links between cotton producers and light industry factories in Russia.


<…>


Question:

You have just returned from Malaysia, but neither Russian nor Uzbek journalists have had the chance to ask you about the results of your visit. Could you give us your assessment, and also your opinion of the contract that was signed there?



President Vladimir Putin:

I assess the results of the visit to Malaysia highly. We were able to examine our cooperation of the past few years, and to analyse the mechanisms of this cooperation. We came to the conclusion that they work very effectively.

As for the contract, it really is a major contract, and without any doubt it will be beneficial for our aviation industry. The contract is for almost $1 billion. I would also like our plans to be realized together with Malaysia in servicing Russian military equipment in this country, but I should say that our interaction with Malaysia will not be limited to SU-30MKM planes alone.

We also talked about Malaysia buying Russian helicopters, and the possibility of buying special civil aviation planes, including planes used for putting our fires. The Malaysians liked this equipment very much. We talked about cooperation in several branches of manufacture, such as electronics, and the manufacture of electronic products.

We are making plans, and they are quite specific and feasible, in high technology areas such as space. Malaysia has already launched an earth satellite with our help. We plan to launch another three to four satellites in the years to come, and at least one will be launched with the help of a Russian carrier rocket. Malaysia also has ambitious plans, such as sending their own astronaut researcher into space. And this will not just be a tourist trip; it will be research work. Malaysia is a country that produces a great deal of complex technical equipment. In this sense, there is also a lot to work on in space. Malaysia has major promising plans to investigate their natural resources and minerals, and in this area an interesting programme is being developed to use Russian capabilities of investigating the Earth from space with the help of space vehicles – a space probe of the Earth.

This is only a short list of the issues that we discussed in the bilateral and economic areas, and they are very interesting. In this sense, we can regard Malaysia as an area for advancing our economic interests in the Asian Pacific region. Furthermore, Malaysia has its own face in international affairs, and we discussed many aspects of international problems: the situation in Afghanistan, and in Iraq. Malaysia’s position is of great interest to us, even though it is not a large country in population – 25 million people. Nevertheless, from October this year Malaysia will head the Islamic Conference Organisation. I should say that both the Prime Minister and the country itself have considerable authority in the Islamic world.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22082






Introductory Remarks at a Meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister Boris Alyoshin



August 6, 2003 - 21:15 - Novo-Ogaryovo




Vladimir Putin:

There is a proposal for you to head our inter-governmental commission in Uzbekistan. I talked to the President of Uzbekistan about this today. I told him about our proposals. He will be happy if this takes place.

I would ask you then to begin this work immediately. As you know, relations with Uzbekistan have a strong tradition and are multi-faceted. Here, of course, a great deal remains to be done to stop the unfavourable tendency of a reduction in the volumes of our trade turnover.

But mutual relations with Uzbekistan should not be restricted to trade alone. We must work with a long-term perspective in mind and create good conditions for development. And here we must above all talk of creating favourable conditions for investment from both sides.

In the energy sphere our mutual relations are good. The leadership of Uzbekistan has confirmed its intention to develop relations in this area. As you know, Gazprom held talks recently with its colleagues in Uzbekistan, and the prospects here are very good.

But this is not all. There is also an opportunity for wider production cooperation and a number of other issues.

As you are also involved in organising the work of the industrial bloc, it is quite natural that you should also work on regulating our cooperation with Uzbekistan.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22083






President Vladimir Putin wished Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma a happy 65th birthday by telephone



August 9, 2003 - 12:45



The Russian President also sent a telegram to Mr Kuchma, which said, in part:

“Russia greatly appreciates your significant contribution to the strengthening of bilateral multi-faceted cooperation, friendship and understanding between our peoples. For centuries Russia and Ukraine have been linked by close political, economic and cultural ties, and shared a deep historical and spiritual closeness. And today the steady progress of our cooperation confirms that Russian-Ukrainian relations will continue to develop on the basis of good-neighbourliness, equality and mutual assistance.

“I am confident that by joining efforts we will manage to do all that is needed for the steady implementation of the principles of strategic partnership between Russia and Ukraine and to promote its further multi-faceted development benefitting the two peoples and in the interests of world stability and security.”




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29179
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Speech at a Meeting with the Cabinet



August 11, 2003 - 18:39 - The Kremlin, Moscow








Vladimir Putin:

Good afternoon, colleagues.

I would like to begin our meeting today with a few words about the visit to Malaysia. Here is why. As you know, we signed a contract there – a good contract for us – to deliver fighter planes to Malaysia.

The matter is not just the size of the contract, though it is a big contract – almost $1 billion. The matter is that this contract gives us a new platform from which we can launch ourselves into the Asian market. We now need to build on this result. I therefore ask the Government, especially those of you responsible for the military-industrial complex, to pay attention to the conditions of this contract and to the agreements we reached outside the contract’s framework.

What these agreements are about is that we are to create a centre in Malaysia to service our planes, ensure timely and reliable supply of spare parts and train local specialists. This would enable us to cement our foothold in this market and promote our products.

We all understand that this is not just a question of money. This is a question of supporting our military-industrial complex in order to provide our own armed forces with modern weapons.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22084






Introductory Remarks at a Meeting with the Directors of Russian Processing Industry Companies



August 13, 2003 - 20:19 - The Kremlin, Moscow








Vladimir Putin:

Good afternoon, colleagues.

A year ago, I met here in the Kremlin with representatives of the agribusiness sector, and we discussed in some detail the problems affecting agriculture, especially with respect to Russia’s accession to the World Trade Organisation. Today I would like to discuss this same subject with you and, of course, talk about the broad range of issues concerning the processing industry. I would like to hear your views on the situation in the sector and the problems you face at the moment.

I have just discussed this subject with the Prime Minister. Trends have not been bad of late, but these are only trends. Overall, the situation remains quite complicated. The Russian processing industry’s share of the domestic market is only 52.8%. Imports account for the rest. What’s more, as soon as people’s incomes rise, the share of imports on our market increases; and you know this as well as I do.

We have also become less competitive on foreign markets, including the markets in the CIS countries, where Russia has traditionally had a strong presence. Our colleagues from these CIS countries have pointed this out themselves. We must make sure that this does not become an ongoing situation. In this respect, I would like to hear your views on the prospects for the processing sector, and your thoughts on the economic policies the state should follow with regard to this sector.

The relevant members of the Government – the Deputy Prime Minister and the Economy Minister – are present here today. I think we should really be able to discuss the issue in detail today. Also present are the representatives of several companies, competent people who have worked for many years in this sector and gained a lot of knowledge. I repeat, I would like to know your opinions on the problems Russia faces in joining the WTO.

At the meeting with the representatives of the agribusiness sector last year, we identified the sensitive issues for the sector and clarified the Russian position at WTO accession negotiations. I want to point out here that there is a lot of public discussion going on over Russia’s possible entry to the WTO, and we often hear the idea that we should not hurry and not do anything hasty. I absolutely agree.

As you can see, we are not trying to rush the issue. Consultations with representatives of all sectors are ongoing, and specialists are also working on the issue. I think we should devote at least half of our meeting today to discussing this question. We do want to know your opinion, and I promise you that we will draw the corresponding conclusions during this negotiating process.

I would like to emphasise, however, that joining the WTO is a most important part of Russia’s economic policy today. How effectively Russia’s manufacturers work, both today and in the future, depends a great deal on how ready we are to work within the global trade system.

The results so far have not been inspiring. The processing industry’s share of total Russian exports is still falling, and came to slightly more than 15% last year.

In this respect, I would like to hear from you about the investment situation in your sector, and also about the situation with introducing innovative and science-intensive technology. Essentially, I would like to know about what is being done in those areas that could considerably increase effectiveness and boost industrial growth.

I would like to make a few general remarks on Russia’s upcoming entry into the WTO. Some people seem to see WTO accession as a panacea against all evils, which will protect them from anti-dumping investigations into Russian goods, non-tariff barriers and investment starvation.

But I think that the majority present here today would agree that joining the WTO will not in itself be a remedy for the biggest problems that Russia faces in its economic development. Whatever happens, we will still have to resolve these fundamental problems through our own efforts. And it is up to us to achieve high economic growth rates, including in the processing sector. For now, unfortunately, the sectors you represent account for only around a third of total industrial output, and the raw materials sectors are growing much faster.

But I do believe that joining the WTO will definitely stimulate efforts to become more competitive, and being able to take part in drawing up the rules governing world trade will contribute to the successful development of Russian industry in general and create more favourable and civilised conditions in which to work.

Of course, not all Russian companies will have an easy time coping with tougher competition, but overall, economic integration and adhering to the world trade rules should help the recovery of Russian business.

The Government is involved now in active negotiations. There are many questions to discuss, and they are complex in nature. It’s enough to say that Russia has to deal in these negotiations with a record number of partner countries in WTO history.

Among the WTO member states, 67 countries have expressed an interest in the Russian market. Each of these countries has its own approach. Yes, these countries clearly do want to see Russia join the ranks of the WTO’s members, but they are also studying very carefully the potential consequences this decision could have for their own economies. We should clearly take a similar line.

The negotiations in progress have already brought some tangible and positive results. Stepping up the negotiation process has enabled Russia to take a firm stand in demanding recognition as a country with a market economy, and we have, as a result, been granted this status. This in turn has given us greater access to foreign markets.

A State Council meeting is scheduled to discuss how ready Russia is to join the WTO. A State Council working group is currently analysing the whole range of questions regarding this subject. I think that a serious and far-reaching discussion of these matters will give impetus to taking the necessary decisions and will help resolve a number of concrete issues linked to joining the WTO, including issues affecting the processing sector.

During our discussions today, I would like us to look at both general, strategic issues, and also at the question of how ready the processing industry is to work in the modern world market.

Thank you for your attention, and I would now like to invite you to begin a free exchange of views.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22085






President Vladimir Putin met with Veniamin Popov, the Russian Ambassador to the OIC and other international Muslim organisations



August 14, 2003 - 14:50 - Novo-Ogaryovo







Mr Putin confirmed Russia’s intention to join the Organisation of the Islamic Conference. He said 20 million Muslims living in Russia had the right to feel fully integrated in the Islamic world.

The President said at the first stage Russia planned to join the OIC as an observer, and was ready to undertake financial obligations necessary to enter the organisation.

Mr Popov told the President about the response to Russia’s move: the CIS countries, six of which are members of the OIC, supported Russia’s accession to the organisation. Other Muslim countries also responded to the move positively.

In October, Russia will participate in an OIC summit in Malaysia as an observer.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29197






President Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with US President George W. Bush



August 16, 2003 - 19:20



Mr Putin and Mr Bush noted with satisfaction that their close cooperation in the fight against terrorism brought tangible results. In connection with this, the Presidents highly praised the operation carried out by Russian and US secret services with the participation of Great Britain, which helped to prevent the sale of Igla missiles to terrorists.

The Presidents exchanged opinions on the preparations for a Russian-US summit scheduled for late September and discussed plans for other bilateral contacts at different levels.

The telephone conversation took place on the initiative of the American side.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29207






President Vladimir Putin visited the sixth MAKS-2003 International Aerospace Show



August 19, 2003 - 13:00 - Zhukovsky







President Putin first visited the exposition of the Sukhoi Aviation Military-Industrial Complex and focused on the revamped Su-27SM Flanker fighter.







Mr Putin subsequently inspected the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29OVT Fulcrum fighter and the MiG-AT combat trainer.







The President also inspected the all-weather Mil Mi-28 Havoc attack helicopter, which is intended to destroy enemy tanks, aerial targets and personnel. The helicopter features free-flight rockets, guided missiles, as well as built-in firearms and those on external pods.







After that, Mr Putin entered a Beriyev Be-200ChS amphibious plane manufactured on orders from the Civil Defence, Emergency Situations and Disaster Relief Ministry.







President Putin was also fascinated by a Tupolev Tu-160 Blackjack strategic bomber, one of the most powerful weapons systems in the world, with 12 cruise missiles onboard.







The President visited an exposition of Boeing and Snecma Group, a leading aircraft engine and avionics manufacturer. Jean-Paul Becha, CEO of Snecma Group, said the company planned to invest about 230 million euros into the Russian economy, and that it had started the construction of a test facility in Russia.







President Putin also talked to European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS) CEO Rainer Hertrich.







After visiting the exposition, Mr Putin watched demonstration flights involving warplanes and civilian aircraft.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29218






President Vladimir Putin paid tribute to those killed in the Great Patriotic War and laid flowers at the graves of sailors who died aboard the Kursk nuclear-powered submarine



August 19, 2003 - 14:10 - Kursk







President Putin laid a wreath at the Glory Obelisk, a memorial dedicated to those killed in the Great Patriotic War that was unveiled on May 9, 1983. Over 3,000 officers and soldiers are buried inside 10 common graves there.



















Mr Putin also laid flowers at the graves of 12 sailors who died aboard the Kursk nuclear-powered submarine in the Barents Sea in August 2000.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29219






President Putin met with WWII veterans who fought in the Battle of the Kursk Bulge



August 19, 2003 - 16:30 - Kursk







The social security of WWII veterans was discussed at the meeting.

President Putin said the pension fund had enough resources to also increase the pensions of home-front workers, who would receive just as much as war veterans.

The veterans also asked President Putin to provide vehicles for their district organisations.

The President promised to institute a commemorative medal for the upcoming celebrations for the 60th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day.

Mr Putin specially thanked the representatives of veterans’ organisations for their meaningful and important work.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29221






Speech at the Ceremony during Celebrations Marking the 60th Anniversary of the Battle of Kursk



August 19, 2003 - 10:57 - Kursk








Vladimir Putin:

Dear veterans,

Comrades and friends,

We have gathered on this historic, legendary land to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Battle of Kursk.

Kursk marks a turning point in the Great Patriotic War. Here in the summer of 1943, the Soviet army not only won a battle. It did not let the enemy take revenge for its major defeats outside Moscow and Stalingrad.

As a result of the Battle of Kursk, the course of the Great Patriotic War and the Second World War changed for good.

Events such are these are landmarks in our great history. They are a source of national pride and Russian patriotism. And in themselves, they are an example of military valour and service to the people.

In the Battle of Kursk, a very rare military strategy of premeditated defence was used. This strategy exhausted and wore out the strike groups of Hitler’s troops. And the move of our army to an organised, prepared, counter-offensive, which had been planned in advance, completed their final defeat. After the Battle of Kursk, right up until the end of the war, the Germans could never again move to a serious offensive.

The Nazis were not saved by their much-vaunted new technology, and they equipped their army excellently. They had fearsome machines – “tigers” and “panthers”, but these did not help. They did not help, just as the most elite of Hitler’s sub-units did not help. In the Battle of Kursk, they faced the strengthened spirit of our Armed Forces, and most importantly – the outstanding bravery of soldiers and officers. One hundred and eighty of these men were made heroes of the Soviet Union.







Dear friends,

From here – from the Bryansk, Orlov, Kursk, Belgorod, Kharkov and Sumy lands – the enemy began to crawl back into his lair.

Almost two years of heavy war lay ahead, but our army was already advancing, towards Berlin. It liberated towns and villages, opened the gates of concentration camps, and brought life, freedom and hope.

It was with the Battle of Kursk that the liberation of all of Europe began.

Victory in the Battle of Kursk was not only ensured on the front line. The entire country prepared for it, the entire home front, working selflessly day and night. Today at the meeting with the veterans of the Battle of Kursk, we talked about those people who forged victory on the home front.

The people who lived in the battle front area made an invaluable contribution to the success of this historic battle. They built aerodromes and railways, built defence structures, and nursed wounded soldiers. They worked and lived truly heroically – under shelling and bombing.

Today there are many veterans in this hall. You passed through all the ordeals of the Battle of Kursk with dignity, through the entire terrible war. You defended the country, and saved it. You rebuilt it once more. You brought up children and grandchildren.

But most importantly, at all times, you have always loved the Motherland. You have saved it, defended it and brought it to its feet. And this is a great example for all the generations to come. It is an example that gives us strength and confidence in ourselves in the most difficult times.

I am truly happy that you, dear veterans, are still standing by us. And I thank you for this.

I thank you for the enormous work in preserving the glorious traditions of our history, for putting your hearts, and all your lives, into our future. I thank you for bringing up the younger generation.

Thank you for everything.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22088






President Vladimir Putin sent a message to Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma congratulating him on Ukraine's Independence Day, a national holiday



August 24, 2003 - 00:00

The message said, in part:

“The further development of good-neighbourly Russian-Ukrainian relations based on the principles of strategic partnership, mutual benefit and trust has always been a priority in Russia’s foreign policy.

“It is important that Russian-Ukrainian cooperation is reaching new frontiers today due to our countries’ active and versatile dialogue in the political, economic and humanitarian spheres and the expansion of business and interregional ties. The course taken to implement major joint energy and aerospace projects and close military-technical cooperation, helps to strengthen our countries’ role and prestige in European and international affairs.

“The creation of a common economic space should help to consolidate the positive trends in our countries’ economic cooperation and to consistently develop bilateral relations in the interests of the wellbeing of the Russian and Ukrainian peoples.

“The Year of the Russian Federation in Ukraine is now successfully being held. I am convinced that this event, as well as the Year of Ukraine which was held in Russia, will promote friendship, trust and good-neighbourly relations between our fraternal nations.”




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29241
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President Vladimir Putin arrived in Italy



August 29, 2003 - 16:20 - Sardinia







Mr Putin’s plane landed at Olbia Airport in Sardinia.

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi had invited the Russian President to spend three days at his Villa Certosa in the environs of Porto Rotondo.







Mr Berlusconi greeted his guest at the plane ladder.

After the band played the Russian and Italian anthems, Mr Putin and Mr Berlusconi inspected the guard of honour, representing all branches of the Italian army.







They then took a helicopter to Villa Certosa.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29261






President Vladimir Putin and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi met at the negotiating table at Villa Certosa and took a tour of its park



August 29, 2003 - 20:15 - Sardinia







Mr Putin and Mr Berlusconi discussed cultural partnership in talks that lasted close on three hours.

They then addressed a news conference.







Mr Putin said that simplified visa issuing procedures would promote Russian-Italian youth exchanges.







Mr Berlusconi proposed to establish a joint foundation for youth exchanges—an initiative the Russian President considered very important.







He thanked the Italian Prime Minister for the sincerity expressed in his “extremely relevant” initiative. Even if some people might say it was premature, it would have an impact on Russia’s relations with Europe.







Mr Putin said that visa issues demanded unhurried and careful steps. At present, the simplified procedure should concern only students, scientists, businessmen, officials and, possibly, certain organisations for disabled people.







Journalists’ questions concerned bilateral relations, Russia-EU cultural partnership, the Iraqi situation and some other topics.







Mr Putin said that it was impossible to halt the escalating violence in Iraq without United Nations participation.

He stressed the progress of Russian-Italian military-technical cooperation. The two countries had together designed the Yak-130, a very good aircraft, and Russian warships were presently moored near the Sardinian coast on a scheduled visit. The Russian and Italian navies were planning a joint Mediterranean exercise for 2004 involving ships and submarines, the President said.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29264






Excerpts from News Conference Following Russian-Italian Talks



August 29, 2003 - 17:01 - Sardinia




Vladimir Putin:

Good afternoon.

First of all, on behalf of the Russian delegation, I would like to thank the Italian Prime Minster, all his colleagues and all of you for your hospitality, for the warm atmosphere of this place, both literally and metaphorically.

This is already the fifth time the Prime Minister of Italy and I have met this year. I must say that each meeting has been useful. They are useful for bilateral relations, and to strengthen stability in Europe and the world. These are truly partner relations of mutual respect aimed at focused on a long-term perspective.

The meeting between Mr Berlusconi and myself in Sardinia has been both official and informal. I am very grateful to the Prime Minister for the invitation. He visited my government residence in Sochi on the Black Sea coast last year. And at that time, we already realised that in this apparently informal situation, we could talk about serious issues much more productively than when we are restricted by protocol.

We have openly discussed a wide range of international and bilateral issues. Today we are giving particular attention to prospects of cultural cooperation, and have talked a great deal about the development of the situation in various regions of the country. When we finish the talks, the main points of which we have already agreed on, we will make joint statements.

We support the idea of creating a special Russian-Italian forum (Mr Berlusconi has already talked about this) directed at the development of dialogue between the civil societies of the two countries. We have already organised this with several European countries. Italian people also believe that the communities of Russia and Italy have something to discuss. On our side, we will do everything to ensure the success of this forum.

We have also talked about the institution of a collective award of the Russian President and the Italian Prime Minister. It will be given to citizens of both countries for services in developing cooperation in the sphere of the economy, science and culture.

Mr Berlusconi proposed what I consider to be an important initiative to organise a joint forum to support youth exchange programmes. I think that it is very important to support exchanges between young people. It is obvious that young people are the ones who will build a new Europe, build new relations between the two countries, and supporting them here is a very important task. Important support on this path would be to simplify visa procedures for individual categories of citizens. We talked about this today in considerable detail.

We know the position of the Prime Minister, of course, and we thank him for it. I know that in Italy, and in several other European countries (I don’t think Silvio will be offended, he knows about this himself), people think that he is rushing ahead. But he truly believes that Russia is an integral part of Europe; and this honest position, although it may seem premature at first glance, is the right one. It essentially sets out the vector of development of relations between Russia and Europe. But the Prime Minister and I fully understand that we must act carefully, stage by stage, and that in practice we are not intending to rush ahead. Today we are only talking about simplifying exchanges among scholars, young people and students, and above all for representatives of business, administration, and perhaps certain organisations for disabled people. For the people who need our support.

I believe it is important also to make additional efforts to improve our education systems, and to bring these systems into line. This will make it possible to simplify the enrolment procedure, to increase the number of students, and student and academic exchanges.

We also discussed in detail the important topic of the development of Russian-Italian cultural ties. I won’t say anything new here. You know that Russian-Italian cultural ties have a long tradition and deep historical roots. We are certain that the development of our cooperation in the cultural sphere will help our joint projects, such as museum exhibitions. This autumn, Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece “Madonna Litta” from the Hermitage collection will be displayed in Rome. In 2004–2005 there will be a major exhibition in both our countries, “Russia-Italy through the Centuries”. We expect that these and other projects will be successfully realised. And this means that Italian and Russian people will have new opportunities to get to know each other.

We will continue to discuss these issues at the upcoming meeting with the heads of the leading Russian and Italian museums after this meeting with you. I do not doubt that our colleagues, the people who have devoted their lives to art, have interesting ideas and suggestions. We will listen to them with pleasure, and not just listen to them but also attempt to formulate joint steps to realise the ideas that they suggest. I know beforehand that they have specific suggestions. I won’t rush ahead now. On this note I would like to end my speech, and thank you for your attention.



Question:

You have said that you discussed the situation in several countries around the world. Taking into account the continuing deterioration of the situation in Iraq, don’t you think that it’s time to hand over responsibility to the UN and develop a plan on restoring the sovereignty of Iraq?



Vladimir Putin:

We have witnessed an escalation of violence in Iraq. The spiral of violence is unwinding more and more. This undoubtedly has a negative effect on international security and the world economy. And the first task is to stop this escalation of violence. In this sense, the most effective way in our opinion would be the real involvement of the United Nations in the regulation processes in Iraq. We must tell the Iraqi people: there was a dictatorial regime, and this page has been turned; there was a war, and this page has also been turned. Let’s start living from a new leaf. We can begin a new book. And the international community in the form of the UN is the best executor of this plan. We already have an example of joint effective work. And we are able to do this.

But I do not think this will be easy. In my opinion, it is the optimal path to the development of the situation. Today, we are not just seeing the unwinding of the spiral of violence. We are seeing a filtration of international terrorists into the territory of Iraq. I want to confirm this fact, it concerns us a great deal; and we are in contact with both our European and American partners. We are holding an intensive dialogue on this theme. Russia is open to discussion on this problem. We have our own specific initiatives. A mission is working on projects of possible resolutions. The agreement of all the participants in the process is needed for them to be passed.



Question:

What do you expect from the promise which was almost made by Prime Minister Berlusconi that Russia will become a member of the WTO, and from the other promises that he made? What do you expect from the six months of Italy’s chairmanship of the European Union? Why did you bring the “Moscow” cruiser here with you?



Vladimir Putin:

First of all, about the promises. The Prime Minister and I do not resemble a bride or a groom, and we do not make any promises to each other. Our business is politics, and we try to improve the relations between our countries, to create conditions for the citizens of our countries so that they can meet, develop relations, profit from mutual contacts, so the economy develops, cultural and academic ties develop, and so on. We have a structured state administration, some of which deals with foreign policy, some with the economy, some with issues of defence and security; and in each of these directions we hope to move ahead.

At the same time, I would like to say that for me the chairmanship of Italy is not connected to any figures or specific achievements. Something else is more important. If there is any European identity that exists, it is founded on the common values of European culture. And in this sense, Russia is undoubtedly a part of greater Europe. Our task is to move away from the divide that was placed between Russia with its enormous territory and large population, defence potential and scientific reserves, and the rest of Europe. This is a strategic task, a gradual strategic coming together. And in this sense, the chairmanship of Italy is extremely important for us, because Italy is our long-standing and reliable partner, and the head of the Italian government is a great friend of Russia. We expect that this tendency will not just be maintained, it will be strengthened. And this is the most important thing.

As for the “Moscow” cruiser, which I am supposed to have brought with me – I didn’t bring it here. Fortunately, our cruisers can move by themselves. Planes and rockets can also fly; and this is a planned visit, it coincided with my meeting with the Prime Minister here. But the fact that it is a planned visit is a very good sign. It shows that our cooperation is developing also outside the economic sphere, and incidentally, our political and economic contacts develop parallel to each other, unlike many other countries. One does not lag behind the other. But military-technical cooperation is also gradually moving in a positive direction. We developed a 21st century plane, the Yak-130, together. The Italians decided to make it a training plane, but in Russia it will not just be a training plane, it will be a plane of the front aviation. We work together in space, and we have planned joint naval training in 2004 in the Mediterranean, using the submarine and surface fleet. We also work together in this area. And it seems to me that this is a good sign.



Question:

What do you expect from the Rome summit and the state visit to Italy? How do you assess the cultural cooperation of Russia and the European Union?



Vladimir Putin:

I share Mr Berlusconi’s opinion. I only want to remind you of what he said. In this sense, the simple and noble task is to support everything that was developed by previous generations in former times. Our cultural relations have a very good base. Relations need to be developed further on this base. We have something to work on, and we will do this. It is no coincidence that a number of Italian cultural figures have orders of the Russian Federation, and a number of Russian cultural figures have state awards from Italy. It is not just a sign of attention; it is an acknowledgement of real services. Work is underway. It will continue in future. Our colleagues are here right now. I can see Mr Piotrovsky, the director of the State Hermitage Museum. Incidentally, he is the holder of an order from the Republic of Italy.



Question:

I would like to return to the subject of Iraq. There is something that I would like to understand better. I would like to understand Russia’s position. Is it prepared to accept UN intervention under US command?



Vladimir Putin:

We shouldn’t act like little children and arrange policies for someone or against someone. We like some people and dislike others. Someone will be the leader, and someone will be a subordinate. We should be ruled by other principles, we should look for solutions which will be realisable and which will lead to a positive result. We must look for solutions which will defuse the situation. What solutions can there be? There can only be solutions which satisfy the Iraqi people, the Islamic world and the Arab countries. This is fundamentally important. We must make all the participants in the process into allies. How can this be achieved? It can only be achieved if all the participants in the process, on whom the result will depend to a significant degree, I want to make this quite clear, not in words but in deeds, are convinced that the international community in the form of the United Nations takes part in deciding the fate of the Iraqi people. This organisation does not varnish the situation over. It does not hide anyone’s activity, but makes decisions on behalf of the international community. And these are decisions that are capable of solving as quickly and effectively as possible the sovereignty of the Iraqi people on their territory, their natural resources and their future. This is what we must work on, and these are the solutions that Russia supports.

Thank you once more for the invitation. I would like to say that I spent my short holiday in Siberia, and the weather there was very good. If the Prime Minister has problems with the weather in Sardinia, I invite him to take a holiday in Siberia next year. I’m sure he will like it.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22090






President Vladimir Putin and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi made a joint statement to summarise the first round of their talks



August 29, 2003 - 21:20 - Porto Rotondo, Sardinia



The document stressed that Russia and Italy insisted on gradual introduction of visa-free travel between Russia and the European Union. It also outlined extra measures to simplify enrolment in educational establishments and so promote exchanges of students, school pupils, scientists and the professorial staff. Negotiations on mutual recognition of education certificates were underway.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29262






President Vladimir Putin and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi met with Russian and Italian cultural figures



August 29, 2003 - 22:40 - Porto Rotondo, Sardinia







Russia was represented during the meeting by Mikhail Piotrovsky, director of the State Hermitage Museum, and Irina Antonova, director of the State Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts.

The meeting discussed major joint projects—in particular, the exhibition of Leonardo da Vinci’s Madonna Litta at the Quirinal Palace. Preparations were on within the framework of President Putin’s state visit to Italy in November 2003.

An extensive cultural programme coordinated by the Italian Foreign Affairs Ministry for the 300th anniversary of the foundation of St Petersburg envisaged approximately 90 projects.

The most ambitious of them included restoration of the Constantine Palace pylons in Strelna, the restoration of Raphael’s Madonna Conestabile exhibited at the Hermitage, Luciano Pavarotti’s concert at the Mariinsky Theatre, and the busts of four Italian architects prominent in the construction of St Petersburg—Quarenghi, Rastrelli, Rusca and Rinaldi—to be passed to the city as a gift.

The art exhibition Russia-Italy: Through the Centuries, to be held in 2004–2005, and intended to illustrate bilateral historical and cultural links, promised to be a landmark of Russian-Italian cooperation.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29267






President Vladimir Putin and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi visited the missile cruiser Moskva



August 30, 2003 - 15:00 - The Port Of La Maddalena







The Guards missile cruiser Moskva, the flagship of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, paid a scheduled visit to Italy.

Mr Putin and Mr Berlusconi went aboard the ship to be greeted by Black Sea Fleet Commander Vladimir Masorin and ship’s commander Alexander Shcherbitsky. All the ship’s personnel were lined up on the upper deck to welcome the guests. The commander of an honour guard platoon gave the salute to Mr Putin as Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Russia and to Mr Berlusconi. The national anthems of Italy and Russia were played.

Mr Putin and Mr Berlusconi toured the cruiser and inspected its armaments. Mr Putin next climbed down to the wardroom to see the cruiser’s officers and men.







Talking with the crew, President Putin recalled the incident with the submarine K-159 and said a thorough investigation would be carried out.

President Putin also answered questions about development plans for the navy. According to Mr Putin, the budgets of Russia and its armed forces for 2004 allocated funds for ship renewal. He noted that the navy had been showing increased activity lately – this year it held large-scale exercises in the Far East and the Indian Ocean.







At the end of the meeting, a Russian Be-200 amphibious plane designed to put out fires took a demonstration flight. Mr Putin and Mr Berlusconi watched it from the shipdeck.

In token of their visit to the Moskva, Mr Putin and Mr Berlusconi were presented with pictures of the cruiser taken by one of the ship’s sailors.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29273






Talk with the Personnel of the Moscow Cruiser



August 30, 2003 - 21:40 - Sardinia




Vladimir Putin:

Good evening,

I am happy to welcome you all. This is my first meeting with the personnel of the Moscow cruiser. In 20 years of service, your ship has performed a great deal of useful tasks for the Russian Navy, for the Russian Armed Forces. It has taken part in difficult campaigns, tried out the newest types of equipment, and even taken part in diplomatic effort. International meetings of the highest level have been held on board. I would like to thank both you and the previous generation of sailors who served here. This is the first visit in recent Russian history of Russian military ships to Sardinia. Although generations of Russian sailors probably know and remember that in their time, Russian sailors took an active role in saving Italian citizens during an earthquake in 1909. But today we must not talk about what happened a long time ago, but focus on what is happening today.

Today, unfortunately, a tragedy has taken place in the Barents Sea. A Northern Fleet submarine sank. It is already clear that there are fatalities among the sailors. This shows once more that the sea requires discipline in the strictest sense of the word. The sea never forgives any negligence, and certainly not mistakes. It still remains to clarify the reasons for this tragedy, but what I just said is an old truth – the sea never forgives mistakes. They always have to be paid for dearly. There will be a thorough investigation in connection with this. The Commander-in-Chief of the Navy is already there. I think that the Defence Minister will go there this evening as well. And sad as this may be, you have your own service, and it is equally responsible or dangerous. I greatly hope that you and your commanders will perform your duty and represent the Russian navy with dignity, in both Italy, and, as the Commander told me, in Greece, and then at the base in Sevastopol, where you will have a complex training programme. I wish you every success.



Question:

Will Russia have the opportunity in future to have military ships permanently at sea?



Vladimir Putin:

Of course it will. If you have noticed, the navy has become much more active that it was in previous years. Training has just finished in the Far East, and recently training was held in the Indian Ocean. We are planning training here with our Italian partners, in the Mediterranean, with the participation of submarine and surface vessels. One of the main training sessions will be developing sea rescue procedures. Work will be done with Italian and Russian ships and submarines. You have already organised similar training with the French navy. We will definitely plan and carry out such training.

I agree with you absolutely that a boat that stays in port loses it military readiness. Specialists do not gain any skills, they may even lose them; and this situation is unacceptable. The navy will perform the tasks the Defence Ministry and the country’s leadership give to it.

For any state, especially for a naval state, the significance of the navy is great. It is not just a sign of active foreign policies, in today’s world it is a significant part of the state’s security. We will definitely work in this direction in future. We will also continue to work on a programme to revive the Russian navy. There is a programme which includes construction of surface and submarine vessels. In 2004, the funds for these goals in the country’s budget will be allocated.

Thank you for your attention.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22092






Press Statement and Answers to Journalists’ Questions during the Visit to the Republic of Italy



August 30, 2003 - 21:42 - Sardinia




Vladimir Putin:

We continued our consultations yesterday evening and this morning. You know, and the Italian Prime Minister just mentioned this, about our visit to the cruiser Moscow. This is linked with the increasing cooperation between our armed forces, the further integration of Russia into the structure of NATO, and with our plans to increase cooperation in preventing emergencies.

We had the opportunity to examine our new Be-200 plane, which has no equivalent in its technical characteristics. It is several times better than what the world currently has in this sphere. And we understand how effectively we could fight fires, including in Europe, if our countries had such equipment.

We talked about training planned by our servicemen and sailors. As a part of this training, there will be sea rescue exercises. Bearing in mind the tragedy that we experienced today in the Barents Sea in Russia’s Northern Fleet, it is clear that this topic continues to be relevant.

We have a good opportunity for military-technical cooperation with Italy. I am referring to the Yak-130 plane. This is a military and training plane, which we built with our Italian partners. But I should also say that the Be-200, which you saw today, was also worked on in the first stage by Italian specialists.

We talked about these subjects, and I repeat that we have very good prospects. But, along with everything else, joint efforts in these areas will undoubtedly enable us to consolidate Russian and European security, and also stability in the world.

There is another direction for cooperation which we discussed – coordinating our efforts in the common European space. In this sense, the chairmanship of Italy in the EU has great significance for us. We are working on preparing a productive Russia-EU summit in Rome in November.

We still need to discuss several international problems. We discussed the problem of Iraq again this morning, touched on the Middle East, and this is on the agenda for the remaining time – for this evening and tomorrow morning. There are also issues of interaction between Russia and the EU, which are of primary importance for us in the context of our cooperation with the World Trade Organisation, and on several other issues. I repeat that this will be the topic of a special discussion at the summit in November. But now, as part of preparation for this summit, we cannot ignore this topic, and we have also discussed it.

On the whole, I should say that we are satisfied with the talks and consultations. And in conclusion I would like to thank Prime Minister Berlusconi and all our colleagues for the excellent organisation and work, and the atmosphere which was created for this meeting. Thank you for your attention.



Question (Trud newspaper):

You observed the demonstration flights of the fire-fighting plane. How do you feel about their possible use in Europe? To what extent can they help fight fires in Europe?



Vladimir Putin:

I want to make the Prime Minister’s task easier because I am more familiar with this equipment. I have already said that no one has anything like this plane. It is the best such plane in the world at this moment. Its characteristics are at least twice as good as existing planes. It is, of course, much cheaper than the costs of fires. According to the information that we received from the press, in Portugal alone the damage caused by fires amounts to around 1 billion euros. I am not even talking about other European countries, or about Russia itself. So it is better to have a group, say in the structures of the European Union, which could either acquire or hire planes from the Russian Emergencies Ministry on conditions of leasing. In my opinion, this would be correct and useful. Specialists have just told us about the planes’ capabilities. The plane glides over water and collects it. It can collect 12 tonnes of water in mere seconds, and the modern aviation which is currently used can only take 5.6 tonnes on board. Then it quickly returns to the area of the fire and dumps this water. It is two or three times more effective than what has existed up until now. I don’t want to go into details about the technical characteristics. You have a chance to find out about them. But, in fact, our task is not to advertise our equipment. Our task is to find options of cooperation which will be useful for both Italy and Russia.



Question (Canale 5):

You talked about Europe becoming closer to the European Union in an economic and cultural sense, and also in a bureaucratic sense as far as visas are concerned. We know that Europe is currently working on a general defence policy. Don’t you think that Russia should take part in developing a policy of common European defence?



Vladimir Putin:

You have touched on a very important issue. Essentially, the further structure of international security will depend on how we solve this problem. In connection with this, I would like to note the unique role which Italy played just recently, when it actively supported the process of creating the Russia-NATO group of 20.

It was in Italy that we signed the document which laid the foundation for a new quality step in cooperation between Russia and NATO. It seems to me that we have already talked about this many times, but nevertheless I will repeat it once more. The process currently underway in Europe under the name of “European security policy” does not cause us any concern or problems. We support this process. For us, only one thing is important: for this process to be clear, understandable and transparent. We are fully prepared to work with NATO and European security structures. I must say that today’s visit of the group of Russian and Italian military ships, the planned training of Russian and Italian sailors, the training of the Russian and French fleets in the north, and the further training of France and Russia in the Mediterranean – all this is proof that the level of trust between Russia and NATO countries, including between Russia and Italy, is growing. I think that this is very important. This is undoubtedly a positive tendency in our cooperation, and we will continue to move further in this direction.



Question (Channel One):

How does Russia and the European Union, which belongs to the group of four international intermediaries on the Arab-Israeli regulation process, in accordance with the “road map”, intend to assist in this process?



Vladimir Putin:

I don’t think that we are prepared to answer this question in full at the moment, because we have only just reached the problem of Middle East regulation according to our plan of work. This morning we only discussed this problem in general terms. We will discuss this problem today and tomorrow morning. At the same time, I can say that Russia’s approach to the Middle East regulation has not changed. Together with the European Union and the United States, Russia is a co-author of the “road map”. And we will support this process in every way we can. We think that it is absolutely unacceptable to use methods of terror in deciding political issues. And we expect that the Palestinian leadership will do everything it can (when I say “Palestinian leadership”, I mean Arafat) to put an end to the terror. We expect that Israelis and Palestinians will use this unique chance provided by the international community, and will advance towards the realisation of this plan.



Question (La Stampa):

President Putin, you contacted Jacques Chirac and Gerhard Schroeder yesterday, and have been talking with Silvio Berlusconi for three days. Given that we are now talking about the possibility of passing the new UN resolution on Iraq, what could be the main directions in this area? Could you also comment on the delicate issue of using a UN contingent there under American command?



Vladimir Putin:

We hold constant consultations with our partners in the US and Europe, where I indeed constantly discuss international problems with both the President of France and Mr Schroeder. Today and tomorrow, we will discuss these topics with the Italian Prime Minister. Our position on the regulation of Iraq is clear, we have already formulated it. A new UN resolution is indeed possible, and even expedient, but only if the UN plays a significant role in rebuilding Iraq, in organising the economic and political life in the country, if it truly controls the process of democratisation of Iraqi society and creates legitimate power bodies. As for possible participation of international forces in Iraq under American command, we don’t see anything wrong with this. It is possible, and a relevant resolution of the UN Security Council must be passed.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22091






A joint statement was adopted following negotiations between President Vladimir Putin and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi



August 30, 2003 - 17:20 - Porto Rotondo, Sardinia



In the statement, Italy said it was ready to promote closer contact between Moscow and European Union institutions to the best of its ability.

Russia and Italy stated that they had similar approaches to many issues.

The joint statement also mentioned the two countries’ readiness to start implementing projects to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction as soon as possible.

Russia and Italy also recorded progress in military, technical and defence industry cooperation.

The document said the two sides had closely studied current international issues, including the threat of terrorism and the crisis situations in the Middle East, Iraq and Afghanistan.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29275






President Vladimir Putin and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi discussed some relevant international issues



August 31, 2003 - 18:30 - Porto Rotondo, Sardinia



On the third day of his visit to Sardinia, Vladimir Putin discussed the situation in the Middle East, the development of the Russia-EU energy dialogue and some issues related to Russian-Italian bilateral cooperation in the energy sector with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29289






President Vladimir Putin and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi had a telephone conversation with US President George Bush



August 31, 2003 - 18:50 - Porto Rotondo, Sardinia



During their telephone conversation, Mr Putin, Mr Berlusconi and Mr Bush discussed various international policy issues, including the Iraqi problem.

President Putin and President Bush agreed to continue the discussion during the Russian President’s upcoming visit to the United States.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29290
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Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov immediately reported to President Vladimir Putin about a submarine that sank in the Barents Sea



August 30, 2003 - 10:55



K-159, a nuclear submarine of the Northern Fleet, sank in the Barents Sea at a depth of 170 metres while it was being towed to a ship repair yard in the town of Polyarny for scrapping. Before midnight Saturday, the pontoons where the submarine was attached came loose in stormy weather, the boat lost its balance and sank. It was carrying a crew of 10. One was saved, and two bodies were recovered from the water. The rescue forces of the Northern Fleet – surface ships and aircraft – are currently looking for the others.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29274






Opening Remarks at a Meeting with Cabinet Members



September 1, 2003 - 00:01 - The Kremlin, Moscow








President Vladimir Putin:

Good day, esteemed colleagues,

First of all, in the name of everyone here today, I would like to congratulate all those who have headed off to school, their parents, and all school, university and technical and vocational education teachers with the beginning of the new school year. I just visited a technical and vocational education establishment in the Moscow Oblast. It is a very good establishment. It is right that we have been concentrating more attention on technical training of late, because the economy needs highly qualified people. I must say that the Russian people have traditionally always had a thirst for education and for ongoing learning at all levels of the population. This is something that sets Russia apart from many other countries.

As you know, the extra money paid to teachers and professors for their academic degrees has been tripled as from September 1. I think that we should settle this question not just for teachers and professors in higher educational establishments, but also for teachers working in the technical and vocational education system. I know the government is looking at this matter. I think it would be best to settle it soon.

Student allowances for those studying at higher educational establishments have been doubled as from September 1. There will be further increases, though it is clear that these kinds of decisions have to be very closely in step with the country’s economic successes. Schoolteachers’ wages are also set to rise over the course of this month. But there are still a good many problems in the education system and a lot of unresolved issues, one of the biggest of which is the problem of safety.

I would also like to mention a number of subjects to be discussed this week by the State Council’s Presidium. One of these subjects is the issue of water resources use. Unfortunately, we do still have problems in this area. Various ministries and agencies are involved in this issue, including the Natural Resources Ministry, the Agriculture Ministry in part, the Transport Ministry and the regions. There are some facilities for which responsibility has still not been established. I will be discussing this subject with the governors this week, and we will find the common ground in how they see things and note their proposals in this respect. There needs to be work together with the government to develop a series of measures aimed at improving regulation in this extremely important sector.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22094






Opening Remarks at a Meeting with Chairman of the Committee of Managing Directors of Royal Dutch Shell Phillip Watts



September 1, 2003 - 00:02 - Novo-Ogaryovo








Vladimir Putin:

I am glad to meet you again this time in Moscow. I think it is our third meeting. We have also met in London. And I think this reflects the character of the relations that your company has forged with Russia over more than a hundred years. I understand that the company was created for the purpose of buying kerosene from our Transcaucasia.

And now Shell is a major investor in Russia. Of course the main project is Sakhalin-2. In my opinion it is moving forward quite well. My colleagues and I are ready to discuss with you everything that interests you. I know that there are other projects as well. And we will discuss them too.

On the whole, the situation in the Russian market has been improving recently. I would like to hear your opinion on that score. Anyway, objective data, objective figures attest to that. Direct investments in the Russian economy grew markedly in the first six months of this year. Of course, they are not yet astronomical, $12.7 billion, but it is 1.5 times more than in the same period of last year.

It is especially heartening that for the first time in Russia’s recent history we see an absolute net influx of private capital into the Russian Federation over the same period to the amount of $2.6 billion.

Of course it would be wrong to attribute it only to the favourable market situation. The credit must go to the consistent economic policy pursued by the Russian Government. Above all, to the macroeconomic stability that has recently been achieved.







To be sure, inflation is still higher than in the developed economies, in Europe or North America. At the same time, we manage to meet the inflation reduction targets year in and year out. It is a steady decline of inflation and a predictable exchange rate of the national currency.

We pay off all our external debts regularly and in full, and without external refinancing. All that attests to the positive changes in the Russian economy and to its stability.

We have still a lot to do. We are aware of it. The reform programme adopted three years ago will move forward steadily, without leaps and bounds, without creating any social problems. But we will go ahead with the tax reform. We plan to further cut the VAT by 2% as of January 1, 2004. We will have to adjust some other taxes slightly. In 2005 we will cut the single social tax. We will carry out a complex of measures, including in the social sphere and in the pension system.

Many questions have been raised in connection with the excessive administrative pressure on business. We must strengthen the court system. Some important decisions have been taken in this field. We should make it all work in practice. In any case we are determined to create and consolidate normal and good conditions for your work.

I know that you are interested not only in the oil projects in the Far East, but also in gas projects. We may have large-scale joint cooperation with China.

In short, there is much to discuss. We are glad to see you in Moscow. We have mutual interests and hardly any disputed issues. I am referring above all to competition. We have common interests. I hear that you are interested in the northern route for a possible gas pipeline. There are many problems. They call for very close examination. We do not just have to discuss your interests and those of your Russian partners, but to find solutions that suit all the sides. I hope we will succeed, just as in the case of the Sakhalin-2 project.

I have just talked with the Japanese Prime Minister, and I understand that Japan is not only satisfied with the Sakhalin-2 project, but is thinking of taking part in other projects.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22096






Opening Remarks at a Meeting with Crown Prince Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia



September 2, 2003 - 00:01 - The Kremlin, Moscow








President Vladimir Putin:

Your highness,

Allow me to wish you a warm welcome to Moscow.

We are very happy to meet with you in the capital of Russia.







Russia and Saudi Arabia have very long-standing and multilateral relations.

Your visit is of great importance to us, bearing in mind that Saudi Arabia is one of the leading nations in the Islamic world.







We have many issues which are of exceptional interest for both Russia and Saudi Arabia. We need to discuss bilateral information and key issues of international relations. It is very important, your highness, to coordinate our positions on these issues, on the problems which we are to discuss.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22100






Opening Remarks at Russian-Saudi Talks at an Enlarged Format



September 2, 2003 - 00:02 - The Kremlin, Moscow








President Vladimir Putin:

Your Highness, esteemed colleagues, friends,







Let me once again wish you a sincere welcome to Moscow.







Throughout its history Russia has always had special relations with the Muslim and Arab worlds. Over a long period of recent history we have always looked on the Arab world, the Muslim world as being among our closest allies. This is a traditional line in Russian foreign policy and it emerged as the result of a whole range of economic, foreign policy and domestic political circumstances. Among our partners, Saudi Arabia is one of the states on which we place particular significance. Saudi Arabia is one of the recognised leaders of the Arab world.







We have just held far-reaching and substantial talks on all the issues of mutual interest to us. I would like to note the depth and detail of discussion present throughout these talks and the high degree of openness in our discussions of issues on the bilateral and international agendas.







Your Highness, your visit and the visit of your colleagues and members of the royal family will give a powerful and positive new impetus to the development of our bilateral relations.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22097






President Vladimir Putin met with Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma



September 2, 2003 - 20:30 - Novo-Ogaryovo







The Presidents discussed the formation of the Common Economic Space of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia and Ukraine, preparations for a CIS summit in Yalta, and bilateral trade and economic relations.

Mr Putin said that there was every reason to expect the signing of a document on the establishment of the Common Economic Space at the Yalta summit of September 18–19, 2003. He stressed that the drafted document would be acceptable to all the four parties.







Mr Putin also said that Russia was ready to sell Ukraine more grain than the preliminary agreement for 2003 envisaged, as the harvest would certainly exceed the national demand. As for commercial issues, they would demand additional coordination at the expert level, the President said.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29298






Opening Remarks at a Meeting with Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma



September 2, 2003 - 00:04 - Novo-Ogaryovo




Vladimir Putin:

I am pleased to welcome you to Moscow. I am happy to meet with you and discuss current issues.

We have just discussed with the Government our current affairs in Ukraine: energy and other issues. In our opinion the relations are making good headway. I think quite good headway. Of course, there are some current issues that need constant attention and the exchange of opinions. So we will take advantage of your stay in Moscow today.

I must say that our experts have done good work. The Governments of the four countries have worked hard all this time and have had many meetings. Initially some things were in dispute, but they managed to reach mutually acceptable solutions. I think the variant that has been chosen meets the interests of all four countries and is entirely geared to the solution of common economic problems, and I have reason to believe that we will sign it.

In our last telephone conversation you raised the “grain” issue. For your information, we worked on this issue with the Government today and yesterday, and the outlook is good. The harvest in European Russia is uncertain, just as in Ukraine. But because of large areas in the Urals and Siberia we have a good crop and all the forecasts predict that the harvest will exceed our domestic needs. So we will have a chance to fulfil the agreements we have on this issue on a larger scale than previously envisaged. As regards the commercial aspects, I think our experts will find a common language.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22098






President Vladimir Putin was briefed on a terrorist attack in the Stavropol Region



September 3, 2003 - 10:00 - Moscow



In connection with the terrorist attack on the Kislovodsk – Mineralnye Vody commuter train the Russian President telephoned the Governor of the Stavropol Region Alexander Chernogorov who briefed him on the tragedy. According to preliminary data, five people died and 22 people were wounded as a result of the explosion.

The President issued corresponding directives to the Minister of Emergency Situations, Sergei Shoigu, Railways Minister Gennady Fadeyev and Acting Director of the Federal Security Service Sergei Smirnov.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29300






Vladimir Putin made a trip to the Rostov Region



September 3, 2003 - 23:30







Shortly upon arrival in Rostov-on-Don the Russian President had a working meeting with the Governor of the Stavropol Region, Alexander Chernogorov. The head of state asked the Governor to personally attend to the issue of bringing relief to the victims and the families of the victims who died in the explosion on a Kislovodsk-Mineralnye Vody commuter train today.







The President looked at the purification plants in Rostov-on-Don and visited an exhibition devoted to the prospects of the development of water management in Russia. He acquainted himself with the information on the overall state of the water management complex in the country, the load on the country’s water resources, the level of their pollution and the state of hydro-engineering facilities.







After visiting the exhibition the President boarded the MV Kazan where a visiting meeting of the State Council Presidium discussed the problems of water management.







During the course of the discussion Vladimir Putin singled out three areas of modernising the water management complex in Russia. The first priority, in his opinion, is to develop a modern approach to the entire water management structure, analyze the mechanism of government control of water resources and discuss the mechanisms for introducing water-saving and environment-friendly technologies.







Vladimir Putin also urged the members of the State Council to pay attention to the problems of developing flood-prone areas, consider the system of ensuring civil liability for damage caused to the water and the environment and to think about legal regulation of transborder water bodies.







The President instructed the Government to step up work on the Water Code and other water management legislation.







Talking with journalists after the meeting of the State Council Presidium the head of state expressed satisfaction with the discussion he had with the governors. He said that the discussion today gave the finishing touches to the draft programme of the development of Russia’s water resources prepared by the State Council’s working group led by Rostov Governor Vladimir Chub. The draft will soon be submitted to the Russian Government. Although the final decision on the document has yet to be made, the President thinks the plans of financing the sector in the next fiscal year can already be adjusted accordingly.

At the end of his trip to the Rostov Region Vladimir Putin visited Taganrog. He laid flowers at the moment to the city’s founder, Peter I, visited the Taganrog Automobile Plant and looked at new planes at the city airport.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29301






Excerpts from a Speech at a Meeting of the State Council Presidium on Water Resources and the Development of Water Management in Russia



September 3, 2003 - 00:01 - The MV Kazan, Rostov-on-Don - Taganrog




President Vladimir Putin:

Good afternoon, dear colleagues.

Today we are to discuss a very important issue – the state and prospects of development of the country’s water complex.

For any country, the issue of water resources is an issue of strategic importance, without any exaggeration. The state of water resources in many ways determines the quality of people’s lives. It directly affects both the economy of the country, and the level of its security.

Russia has enormous water resources. Russia has the second largest amount of water supplies in the world, and there are around 6 million rivers and lakes on its territory. Our country is one of the world leaders in supplies of such a deficit product as freshwater; water, which is now acknowledged to be the world’s main commodity of the 21st century. It is clear that effective use of water resources is a problem of national importance, and it cannot be solved at the level of departments or within one region alone.

An analysis of the state of the water complex shows that unfortunately, and this must be said, we take poor care of water supplies and make incompetent use of them. It must be admitted that in the past the situation was much better. But now, after reforms to the economy, many things which used to work in a kind of natural regime, which may not have been particularly efficient, but at least functioned, are simply being lost.

There is no modern system to clean municipal, industrial and agricultural sewage. Furthermore, 30% of existing water supply systems do not have any treating facilities at all, and as a result, a third of the country’s citizens, particularly those in rural areas, use poor-quality water.

The infrastructure of water transport and hydropower is in many ways outdated. The deterioration of hydraulic facilities is also known. In some regions it has reached a critical state. And we have already seen on several occasions the dramatic consequences of this state of affairs.

There are 65,000 hydraulic facilities in Russia. All this means that the water resources complex of Russia requires serious modernization. I will only outline several problems in generalized form.

First, it is necessary to develop modern approaches to the development of the entire water resources complex. I do not only mean technical issues – we must determine a clear state policy in this sphere. We must think over the economic, organizational and legal issues.

Second, it is necessary to seriously analyse the actual system of state administration in the water resources sphere.

I suggest that the processes currently underway to restrict authority and responsibility should fully affect water resources as well. It is important to remember that water is our common national property, and the principle of its accessibility to everyone is an absolute basic priority.

The third aspect is the development of water conserving and ecologically pure technology. Of course, mere calls to “protect nature” are not enough here. Factories must have an according economic stimulus.

We must also pay attention to regulating processes of developing areas with a high flood risk. There is a currently a great deal of confusion in land development. In general, in a whole series of regions this development is uncontrolled, and eventually causes disasters.

It is important to also think over a system of insuring civil responsibility for damage done to water and ecology.

I would also like to emphasise the important of legal regulation of systems of trans-border water objects.

And finally, separate attention should be devoted to problems of water transport. For many regions, this remains the only and sufficiently inexpensive method of delivering cargo.

As the amount of cargo increases, the fish supply quickly drops. And this once more illustrates the extent to which everything in nature is interconnected, and that if we interfere in it we must think of the consequences.

In conclusion, I would like to direct your attention to the following situation. We are all big bosses here, and we always brush aside people who point out the errors and insufficiencies in our work as if they were pesky flies. These include people who deal with ecological problems. I mean above all public organizations which expose ecological problems and propose methods to solve these problems. This is one of the spheres where sensible proposals should not be brushed aside, and however unpleasant this may be – it is always unpleasant when people stick their noses into our own mistakes – we need to rise above our own departmental and personal ambitions, and make use of everything useful that is proposed in this sphere. Under no circumstances should we ignore this.

It is clear that any idea can be taken to absurd lengths. It is clear that we are always caught between Scylla and Charybdis. We must always think about the development of the economy, the development of production, about providing people with jobs, replenishing the budget, and solving social problems – this is all understandable. But if we act carelessly when we do this, with poor effectiveness, in the old fashion, then in the end, the damage caused by our activity will be much greater than the results of our work.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22101






Press Opportunity following a State Council Presidium Session on Water Resources and the Development of Water Management in Russia



September 3, 2003 - 00:03 - The MV Kazan , Rostov-on-Don




Correspondent:

We are now on board the Kazan motor vessel. A meeting of the State Council devoted to the problems of water management ended here just a few minutes ago. The poor quality of drinking water and mismanagement of water resources were discussed. Are there any results that you can report?



Vladimir Putin:

I have just talked with your colleagues. And I think the main result is not the concluding stage of the work, but what has been done by a group of experts and the heads of regions under the leadership of the Rostov Governor. I think they have prepared a very good and solid document which will undoubtedly form the basis of the policy of the state and the practical activities of the Government of the Russian Federation in this critical sphere for all of us. And our meeting to discuss the results of that work has, I repeat, just given the finishing touches to what has been accomplished by the Rostov Region Governor, Chub, and his colleagues over several months. It is a vital topic for our country, for the economy and the environment. And I must admit that we have not paid due attention to it recently. It involves everything: health, fish resources, transport and drinking water. It is our environment. I repeat, a programme has been mapped out. It will form the basis of the government’s practical activities. In my opinion, this is the most important thing.



Correspondent:

I suggest that we discuss water, especially since our path will go through the Sea of Azov. It is no secret that the Sea of Azov almost became a bone of contention between Russia and Ukraine. One reason is that Russia forbids fishing sturgeon while Ukraine allows it. And it is one sea. Is there any possibility to come to an agreement with Kiev at the government level to establish order in the Sea of Azov?



Vladimir Putin:

We have already said that Russia’s southern border is a new border for us in many places, including the Sea of Azov. Our approach is that the Sea of Azov must be an inland sea of Russia and Ukraine so as to best meet the national interests of the Russian Federation and Ukraine. Because a different regime would allow countries outside the region or countries that have no direct access to the Sea of Azov to feel that they are full- fledged participants in the process, if not its masters. Do we need that? This approach is shared by our Ukrainian colleagues. Some issues have yet to be discussed and a final decision on them has yet to be taken. You know that on the whole we have completed a very important stage of our work to normalise the situation on the Russian-Ukrainian border. Normalise it in terms of the documents, because, thank God, we have no problems on our border. As regards the land border we have in fact completed that work. Some more work remains to be done together on the Sea of Azov. But we have a common understanding and of course the Sea of Azov must not and will not separate us. It will be a uniting factor. I have no doubt about it. This is witnessed by the decisions of the Russian-Ukrainian Commission, which has banned the harvesting of sturgeon since 2002, and the sturgeon population is indeed in a deplorable state. That commission determined the quotas of catches for research purposes both for the Russian Federation and Ukraine. I do not remember the concrete figures but they meet the requirements of both sides and match the volumes that were caught by the corresponding entities in former years. As for illegitimate criminal fishing, these activities constitute an international crime and of course we must pool our efforts with Ukraine in combating it. I know that our Ukrainian colleagues intend to work in the same mode. By the way, we discussed it yesterday with the Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma. In fact we have agreed to revisit the problem of the Sea of Azov and perhaps we will go there together.

By the way we have joint issues with Ukraine not only here on the Sea of Azov. Your colleague just asked a question about the agenda of the meeting of the State Council Presidium today. One of the participants in our meeting, Governor Savchenko [Belgorod Region], noted that the concept proposed by the State Council’s working group ignores the problems of the Dnieper basin. And he is the head of the region which has many tributaries of the Dnieper. The Dnieper is a great river Ukraine is very proud of. The issue will depend among other things on how we go about solving these problems. We are interested in constructive work with each other.


* * *


Correspondent:

One more question. The Rostov Region can be regarded as a model of inter-ethnic relations in Southern Russia. Still, we are about to have an election. It has practically started. Some parties and some candidates for deputy are campaigning under the flag of nationalism and chauvinism. What is your attitude to this?



Vladimir Putin:

To campaign under the flag of nationalism and chauvinism is always the easiest and the most harmful thing for those for whose sake it is supposed to be done. It is a false thesis which cannot be tolerated in a multinational country. If we want to destroy our country then we can welcome it. If we want to preserve Russia, we should not just resist it, we should wage a tough and consistent fight against it. We should inculcate to all, to the whole population, a zero tolerance of such manifestations. And of course it is inadmissible in the course of election campaigns. My attitude to this is highly negative.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22103
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President Vladimir Putin with his wife, Lyudmila, met with Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov and his wife, Zorka



September 5, 2003 - 20:00 - Bocharov Ruchei, Sochi







It was an informal meeting.

After the working dinner, the heads of state had a one-on-one meeting. Later on, Oryol Governor Yegor Stroyev joined them and told the Presidents about trade, economic and cultural cooperation between his region and Bulgaria’s Razgrad Region.







The next day the Presidents held official negotiations, and then addressed journalists and answered their questions.

Georgi Parvanov is staying in Russia on a two-day working visit.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29302






President Vladimir Putin had talks with his Bulgarian counterpart Georgi Parvanov



September 6, 2003 - 14:30 - Bocharov Ruchei, Sochi







Mr Putin and Mr Parvanov discussed the prospects for bilateral cooperation in the trade, economic, energy, humanitarian and tourism spheres and exchanged opinions on current international issues. Among other things, they discussed the situation in the Balkans and some aspects of the European Union enlargement.

During the talks, President Putin spoke highly about the positive development of political contacts at the top level and said that the revival of Russian-Bulgarian relations should be translated into real economic results. He said that bilateral trade had reached $1.4 billion during the last year, but there were some problems with its content and structure. The Russian President believes that the implementation of joint projects in the field of engineering and light industry can help overcome the existing trade imbalance.

Mr Parvanov described the 30–40% increase of Russian tourists travelling to Bulgaria as a positive element and expressed confidence that reviving spiritual and cultural ties would drive economic contacts.

Mr Putin said that Russia was looking forward to seeing President Parvanov in late September to take part in the opening of the Bulgarian Culture Days in Russia. He also invited the Bulgarian President to come to Russia again on an official visit in 2004.







The two leaders made statements to the press and answered journalists’ questions after the talks.

Russia is ready to render the necessary support to Bulgaria during its forthcoming presidency of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, President Putin said at the news conference. He spoke in favour of the diversification of OSCE activities in order to not confine itself to regional problems – which are limited in scope, though important – and meet the original purpose of the OSCE.

He also expressed confidence that the integration of Bulgaria into the European Union would not create new obstacles in the way of bilateral relations.

The Russian President touched upon some acute regional problems whose solution, in his opinion, required concerted international efforts. The Russian leader said that the problem of Kosovo loomed large in the negotiations. Recalling that the world community had reacted actively to the exodus of 25,000–40,000 Albanian refugees from Kosovo, President Putin stressed that it was wrong and unacceptable to ignore the fact that 200,000 Serbs had left their homes and were unable to return.







The journalists were interested in the two countries’ cooperation in the energy sector. Mr Putin expressed hope that Russian companies would take an active part in energy projects in Bulgaria. In particular, he recalled that the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant had been built with the technical assistance of the former USSR and now that the modernisation of two of its units was under discussion, Russia’s proposals were much more attractive for Bulgaria than the offers of other European partners. And in terms of security and effectiveness these proposals fully meet world standards, the President stressed.

According to the Russian leader, Russia intends to increase the transit of gas to Bulgaria and take part in privatising the power generating capacity and also work on power transmission networks. Russia is also ready to resume power supplies via Ukraine and Moldova, President Putin said.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29315






Opening Remarks at a Meeting with Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov



September 6, 2003 - 00:01 - Bocharov Ruchei Residence, Sochi




Vladimir Putin:

Mr President,

Allow me to cordially welcome you to Russia once again. Our political relations have recently been developing very intensively and I think it is our common task to translate that into contacts in the economic sphere. And I would like to thank you for conveying the best regards and wishes from the Chairman of the Bulgarian Government.

I must say that some progress has been made in the economic field. The volume of trade is a healthy $1.4 billion. But there are problems with the content of trade and its structure. I must say, however, that although Russia has a surplus in terms of volume, the structure of Bulgarian exports is better.

Bulgaria sells more equipment and machinery to us than we sell to Bulgaria. But the first six months have seen a significant increase in volume. That is welcome. We have major joint projects in energy, engineering, light industry and transport. I am sure we will have a chance to discuss all these topics of mutual interest in some detail today.

But before we go into a substantive exchange of opinions, I would like to remind you that we expect you in Moscow at the end of September in connection with the cultural events, the Bulgarian Culture Days in Russia. I think that is also a very important area of our interaction, especially considering the growing links between our peoples. And we would like to see you come to Russia for an official visit in 2004.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22104






Press Statement and Answers to Journalists’ Questions Following Talks with Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov



September 6, 2003 - 18:04 - Bocharov Ruchei Residence, Sochi




Vladimir Putin:

Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen,

We have just had talks with the President of Bulgaria Mr Parvanov. As you know, the Russian-Bulgarian dialogue at the summit level is a regular one. It is marked by frankness and mutual trust. During our talks yesterday and today we discussed in detail many aspects of bilateral cooperation, laid down guidelines for our interaction in the trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian areas. That involves joint projects in the fuel and energy sphere and increased Russian investments in the Bulgarian economy. We discussed the plan of our joint participation in the Bulgarian Days in Russia due to open in Moscow on September 29 this year, and we see these events not only as an important element in developing Russian-Bulgarian relations, but as part of the process of the formation of the Slavic Cultures Forum, which we also discussed today. We believe there is a considerable untapped potential for effective development of direct ties between regions and we intend to support these activities.

We have reviewed the treaty and legal basis of our relations and the prospects of improving it. In the first place we are talking about the documents that are called upon to ensure the interests of the people of both countries in the social sphere. We welcome Bulgaria’s wish to become integrated in the European community. It is important to join efforts to avoid possible negative consequences for our trade and economic cooperation: tourism, youth, cultural and scientific exchanges. I have the impression that my opposite number, Mr Parvanov, shares my point of view. One of the topics we discussed today is the visa regime. We share the understanding that a solution of these issues is in the interests of both countries. It is particularly felt in the sphere of tourism. I think that everybody understands that.

We have confirmed the closeness of our approaches to the key problems of world and European politics. We share many views on regional issues, including the securing of peace and economic reconstruction in the Balkans. We paid much attention to looking for ways of a more effective interaction at the UN Security Council and other international organisations. One of the key areas of our joint work there is to counteract international terrorism and other threats to European and world stability and security. That takes on added importance considering that Bulgaria is now a member of the UN Security Council and that it will assume the presidency of the OSCE in 2004.

For our part we are ready to render every support to the Bulgarian presidency of the OSCE. Our Bulgarian colleagues face important tasks: increasing the role of the OSCE in ensuring European security and of course the development of all-European cooperation, the goals we will of course support. We wish our Bulgarian partners success in that responsible mission. Summing up, I would like to stress the main thing: we have become reaffirmed in our conviction that we have common basic interests and that we are committed to developing and deepening the traditional friendly relations between our states.

Thank you for your attention.



Question:

Mr Putin, do you think that there are still too many administrative obstacles in the development of Russian-Bulgarian relations and a new political partnership? What are Russia’s expectations of the Bulgarian chairmanship in the OSCE?



Vladimir Putin:

As for administrative barriers, there are always too many of them – in business and in the development of relations between people. Our task is to pinpoint these obstacles and remove them, without creating new ones. The Bulgarian President and I talked about this a great deal both yesterday and today. As I already said, we welcome the integration of many Eastern European nations into the EU, but also expect that this will not create new restrictions for people to meet and for business. Because if there are new restrictions on business, then this will have a negative effect on both Russia and our traditional partners.

As for cooperation in international organisations, I have already said that Bulgaria is now a permanent member of the UN Security Council. We are in contact in the joint work on key issues of the international agenda. We expect that in the OSCE, Bulgaria will handle the difficult tasks that lie ahead for it as chairman of this organisation. We think that for the OSCE to fulfil all the tasks that are entrusted to it when it was created, it must diversify its activity, and must not isolate itself to any regional, narrow problems, however important they may be, and should meet all the requirements for which it was created. It was created to solve problems of general European security. This means that threats need to be determined, and then acted on. What are the threats that we now see before all of mankind, and before Europe? Above all, the threat of terrorism, ecological problems, and a number of other issues which we all know about very well. Attention must be concentrated on consolidating the entire international community and all of Europe in fighting these threats. We wish Bulgaria success.



Question:

I have a question for both Presidents. Could you tell us in more detail about the plans of Russian energy companies for development of relations with Bulgarian partners – in gas, oil, electricity, and also about the increase in Russian investment? Could you also tell us in detail about the political situation in the Balkans?



Vladimir Putin:

We expect that interaction with Bulgaria in the economic sphere will not be restricted to problems of energy alone. And there is every reason to believe this. But, of course, issues of energy cooperation are among the most important in economic cooperation between Russia and Bulgaria. Here there are several directions of activity. The Bulgarian President has just named them. The first is nuclear energy. The nuclear power plant in Bulgaria, in Kozlodoe, was built with the technical assistance of the Soviet Union. Now two blocs have stopped working, and the issue of starting them up again does not involve the third and fourth blocs, as far as we know there is currently discussion in Bulgaria on whether to stop them or not. I can tell you the economic reasons for Bulgaria as we envisage them. Our European partners, essentially, propose a new construction project which will cost Bulgaria $2 billion. It is also proposed to build energy facilities which Bulgaria will not need even in the most optimistic scenario for the country’s economy. The Russian partners propose to reconstruct the third and fourth blocs, and reconstruction of each of them will cost Bulgaria $150 million. So calculate the difference between 2 billion and 300 million. It is very large. This is the first point. Secondly, from the standpoint of safety and effectiveness, these proposals fully conform to international standards. And our specialists are working with the international energy community so that any concerns on this issue are removed. I just talked with the nuclear energy minister, and he confirmed everything that I have just told you. We are indeed prepared, as the President said, to also work on building new facilities. At the same time, I can tell you right now that the Russian proposals are half the cost, and are of the same level of quality as the proposals of our partners in the energy community. The final decision, of course, will always lie with the Bulgarians.

The second direction is gas cooperation. I talked with the head of the Gazprom administration yesterday. Gazprom confirms that it is interested in developing cooperation with Bulgarian partners. We are pleased that we removed intermediaries from the economic production chain whose presence there we considered to be unjustified. We will increase our presence in Bulgaria in accordance with the wishes of the Bulgarian side. We will increase the transit of Russian gas through Bulgarian territory to the volumes that the President mentioned. We also expect that if the decision is made to privatise Bulgar-gaz, Russian companies, primarily Gazprom, will not be given worse conditions than other participants in possible tenders.

And finally, cooperation in the energy sphere. The President raised this issue with me yesterday. As the head of Unified Energy Systems told me yesterday, our leading company is ready for this joint work. We are ready not just to take part in privatising appropriate facilities, but also to participate in work on networks.

We are prepared to increase, or rather renew deliveries of electricity to the Bulgarian market through Ukraine and Moldova. As you know, we have already reached appropriate agreements with Ukraine and Moldova. And we are absolutely certain that from an economic standpoint, Bulgaria will receive significant advantages from this.

As for Russian investment, in our assessment it is not currently at a very high level, but it is still significant for the Bulgarian economy – around $500 million. The company LUKoil has invested $340 million since 1999 and is preparing for new investment. Especially as the project for building the Burgas-Alexandropolis oil pipeline is advancing, if with difficulty. And I would like to stress once more that the Russian side is interested in its realisation.

What the Bulgarian President said about the Balkans just now is very important. We agree absolutely with this approach. And on our part, we can only direct attention to problems which have not been solved. We talked a lot about the problem of Kosovo. Let us remember how the international community reacted to the exodus of the Albanian population – 25,000 left, then 35,000, 40,000 – it was a humanitarian catastrophe. And people really suffered. We were right to direct attention to this. But now 200,000 Serbs have left their native land and cannot return. And there is silence. This is absolutely wrong and unacceptable. We should approach solutions to these problems in a balanced way, and be consistent in our efforts to establish peace and order, and only then will these efforts be effective.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22105






President Vladimir Putin and Konstantin Totsky, the Russian ambassador to NATO, discussed the implementation of the Rome Declaration and the work of the NATO-Russia Council



September 10, 2003 - 21:10 - Bocharov Ruchei, Sochi







Mr Putin said that Russia attached tremendous importance to the development of its relations with NATO, especially since the Rome agreements were signed to establish permanent mechanisms of interaction. He expressed his assurance that the NATO-Russia Council work was sufficiently positive.

Mr Totsky told the President that Russian relations with NATO were far better than ever expected. Indications of progress had appeared in joint work in the military sphere, and both partners were willing to work together even outside the limits of the Rome Declaration.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29312






The Russian president sent North Korean leader Kim Jong-il a message of greetings on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the Korean People's Democratic Republic



September 12, 2003 - 00:00

The message says, in part,

“Our nations are linked by long-standing traditions of friendship, good-neighborliness and cooperation. Russia has consistently supported the Korean people’s willingness to achieve national reconciliation and re-unification by peaceful means, to develop inter-Korean dialogue and cooperation, which is a way toward stronger peace and security on the Korea Peninsula and in the Asia-Pacific region.

“We are prepared to contribute to the successful outcome of the nuclear talks, regarding it as a result of our joint strenuous effort. We hope to thus recover genuine capacities for the improvement of the situation on the Korea Peninsula.”




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29342






President Vladimir Putin received former U.S. President George Bush senior and his wife, Barbara Bush, at his Sochi residence, Bocharov Ruchei



September 14, 2003 - 17:02







Mr Putin noted that he had already had the opportunity of meeting with former American presidents back while he was still working in St. Petersburg, and said it was a good tradition to have people with such experience continuing to work for the good of their country.

George Bush senior assured the Russian President that his son has sincere and friendly feelings of respect for Mr Putin and for Russia.

Mr Putin said that although he and the U.S. President do not always share the same opinion, the main thing is the friendship that has built up between them and the feeling of being able to trust each other.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29350






President Vladimir Putin met with former US President George Bush senior and his spouse, Barbara



September 14, 2003 - 20:00 - Sochi







Mr Putin met the Bushes at the plane, although the schedule had not called for Mr Putin meeting them at the airport.

Mr Bush flew to Sochi on Russia Airlines, which was arranged by the Russian side. The former US President was on a private trip to Russia, but changed his itinerary to meet with Mr Putin in Sochi.

As Mr Putin was opening their informal meeting at the Bocharov Ruchei residence, he stressed that Mr Bush was among the founding fathers of good Russian-US relations and that the START 1 and 2 had been elaborated with his direct participation.

Mr Putin asked his guest about the business forum he had attended in St Petersburg and said he hoped that the incumbent US President would also visit Sochi.

Mr Bush reassured his host that his son, the current US President, was a sincere friend of Mr Putin and Russia.

Russian leader remarked, in turn, that friendship and confidence mattered more than anything else, even though their opinions occasionally differed.

Mr Putin invited the Bushes for a tour around the presidential residence and grounds and for dinner.

The Bushes and those who accompanied them flew to Moscow after the meeting.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29349






Opening Remarks at a Meeting with former US President George Bush senior



September 14, 2003 - 16:48 - Bocharov Ruchei, Sochi








President Vladimir Putin:

Mr President,

Allow me once again to welcome you to Russia, to Sochi. It gives me great pleasure to be able to receive you in such an informal setting. I hope that back at home you will tell everyone that we have all the conditions to also offer your son a fine reception here. I visited him at his home, and I hope he will also be able to come here, to the south of Russia.

But I must say, Mr President, that you have a good reputation of your own here in Russia. You are one of the fathers of the current good relations between Russia and the United States. You were directly involved in bringing into force the START-1 and START-2 Treaties. I had the opportunity of meeting with former presidents of the United States while I was still working in St. Petersburg, and I think it is a very good tradition to have people with such experience continuing to work for the good of their country.

I do hope that you enjoyed your time in St. Petersburg. I am also very interested in hearing your view on how the seminar between Russian and American business circles went.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22109






President Vladimir Putin met with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko



September 15, 2003 - 21:30 - Bocharov Ruchei, Sochi







Mr Putin and Mr Lukashenko discussed relevant aspects of Russian-Belarusian economic and political partnership, and prospects for integration cooperation in the CIS, the Common Economic Space and the Russian-Belarusian Union State.

Mr Putin had a telephone conversation with Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev after the talks. Following the conversation, Mr Putin and Mr Lukashenko made statements to the press and addressed a news conference.

In particular, Mr Putin said that Russia was ready to sign an agreement on the introduction of a common Russian-Belarusian currency but understood Minsk’s concerns. That was why the process was not to be sped up—there was enough time before 2005, when the introduction of the common currency was scheduled.







Mr Putin did not think that the common currency would limit Belarusian sovereignty in any way. To prove his point, he cited the example of the European Union, where the sovereignty of France, Germany and other countries was not limited but, on the contrary, strengthened since the economies of EU countries benefited with the introduction of the euro.

As to the prospects for a referendum on the Constitutional Act, Mr Putin considered it a technical matter. It was of the greatest importance to reach an understanding on what the Constitutional Act should be. The President never doubted that an overwhelming majority of Russians would vote in favour of Russian-Belarusian unity referendum.

As Mr Lukashenko stressed, the integration process should by no means fall below the attained level despite any problems. He reassured that Belarus and Belarusians had never spoken against the unity of the two nations and would never do so.







Mr Putin also said that he deemed it necessary for Russia to shift to market relations with Belarus in the gas sphere. Russia pledged not to offer Belarus worse conditions than those of other neighbouring countries. He thought that the shift to market relations should be made without terminating negotiations for a joint venture using the united pipeline network and on the tentative participation of Belarusian companies in natural gas extraction in Russia.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29355






Press Statement and Answers to Questions following Russian-Belarusian Talks



September 15, 2003 - 16:11 - Bocharov Ruchei, Sochi




President Vladimir Putin:

I would like to do some summing up of what we discussed today and the agreements we reached.

But first of all, I would like to once again sincerely thank the Belarusian President for having agreed to come here today to Sochi. We had the chance to spend almost the entire day discussing a number of international issues of mutual interest to our countries. Of course, primary among these was how the situation is developing in the CIS. We talked about the plans to create a common economic area. We hope that we will all be able to sign the relevant documents that have been drafted by a group of our high-level specialists. Incidentally, I just discussed this subject with the President of Kazakhstan, who called me, and I am also set soon to have a brief meeting with the Ukrainian President. The Belarusian President and I both support this process and hope that it will be seen through to a successful conclusion. That is the first thing I wanted to say.

Second, we also spent a lot of time discussing our bilateral relations. We discussed our political cooperation and the building up of our Union. We talked about the union agreement and the Constitutional Act. We also discussed our economic cooperation, above all in the energy sector, and our plans to introduce a single currency. As you know, the first stage of this project foresees the possibility of introducing the Russian rouble as the single currency to be used in Russia and Belarus. We examined all of these issues. Regarding the gas issue, we reached the conclusion that it is quite complicated to work out exactly who owes what to whom. The economic players hold talks among themselves, reach various agreements and then end up arguing with each other. Each of them says that one is offering the other preferential terms, and this all makes it a difficult task to work out ultimately exactly who owes what to whom. This is why we have concluded that we need to move over to market relations in this sector, while still continuing our talks on establishing a joint enterprise to manage a unified pipeline system. We are also keeping in mind that Russia can definitely examine the possibility of having Belarusian companies participate in gas production operations on Russian territory.

As for the single currency – the Russian rouble – we think that the document drawn up by the specialists from the Russian and Belarusian Finance Ministries and Central Banks is a very high-quality, competent piece of work. It corresponds with our objectives and meets the interests of both Russia and Belarus.

Alexander Grigoryevich [Lukashenko] thinks that it should be subject to a preliminary discussion in the Union State’s Council of Ministers, followed by an examination by the State Council. I think that our specialists and we ourselves see the document as a good piece of work. Alexander Grigoryevich had the chance today to hear the opinions of the Chairman of the Russian Central Bank and the Finance Minister, and I spoke with them on the phone. We discussed all these subjects in quite some detail. Our Belarusian colleagues do have some concerns about introducing the single currency, but we think that the documents that have been drawn up address all these concerns. Our specialists have given thought to all these matters, and these concerns can be sorted out through the agreements that our Central Bank and the National Bank of Belarus have reached.

That is the general summary. If you have any questions, I will be happy to answer them.



Question:

Vladimir Vladimirovich, how will Russia guarantee the preservation of Belarusian sovereignty in connection to the introduction of the Russian rouble as the currency in Belarus?



Vladimir Putin:

The introduction of the rouble as the single currency in Belarus does not require us to provide any guarantees because this is not an issue related to sovereignty. As you know, the euro zone uses a single currency, but this has not in any way undermined the sovereignty of France, Germany or the other countries involved. On the contrary, it has strengthened their sovereignty because the economies of these countries have benefited from the introduction of a single currency.

But you could argue that those countries have particular conditions and that everything balances out there. There are other examples from recent history. If you look at the Benelux countries, for example, Luxemburg used the Belgian currency, if I recall correctly, and its sovereignty did not suffer in any way. Luxemburg was an economically stable country, a small but respected nation in Europe and the world.

We believe that introducing the Russian rouble will have a similar result for the Belarusian economy. Our economies and our peoples only stand to benefit.

There is a problem here that experts would be better placed to explain, but I can say in general terms that when we talk of sovereignty with regard to these single currency plans, what we have in mind is the question of who gets to make the decisions, where and how. I can tell you how the decision-making process will take place in this area.

The plan is that a representative of the Belarusian National Bank will have a seat on the Russian Central Bank’s banking council. The banks and governments will sign an agreement in which the Belarusian side sets its own limits based on the needs of the Belarusian economy. It will reach an agreement on this with the Russian side, the two sides will sign the document and it will be clear just what money supply the Belarusian economy requires. If the limit proves too low, especially during the transition period, Russia will guarantee that Belarus will receive all the resources it needs.

According to the specialists, this limit could be around five billion roubles. Our specialists have reached an agreement that if necessary, Russia will provide not five but 20 billion roubles a year. We think that this might not be required.

There are other safety mechanisms that we can use during the transition period until the Belarusian economy begins to function in the same rhythm as the Russian economy. I repeat, we all only stand to benefit from these plans.



Question:

Vladimir Vladimirovich, you have often said that it is time to reach a final decision once and for all on the single currency and the deadline for its introduction. Have I understood correctly that this question is still being postponed and drawn out?



Vladimir Putin:

Alexander Grigoryevich and I have just tried to explain, but this was obviously not enough. I will try to add to what was said.

Russia thinks that the agreement is ready, and we are ready to sign it now. At the same time, we understand the Belarusian side’s concerns. If our colleagues think that some points need additional work, then we operate on the premise that this should be done. We should not in any circumstance force this process through or hurry it. Haste should be reserved for other circumstances. We think that if there are concerns, they should be dealt with first, and we are ready to undertake this work, although, as I already said, for our part, we think we could sign the agreement already today. But if there are still questions, they first need to be worked through and resolved. Alexander Grigoryevich said that the single currency is set to be introduced as from January 1, 2005. This, of course, is quite soon, but we still do have time.



Question:

Vladimir Vladimirovich, how will Russia and Belarus hold a referendum on the Constitutional Act at the same time?



Vladimir Putin:

If the Constitutional Act is approved in its final draft and a referendum is required, we will hold it. In any case, we will do everything required of us by Russia’s internal legislation. This is a technical question. The main thing is for us to decide exactly what this Constitutional Act should be. I don’t doubt for a second that the overwhelming majority of Russian citizens support this process and, should we hold a referendum, would vote in favour of union between Russia and Belarus.

I discussed this question with Alexander Grigoryevich and can repeat only what I said to him and what I have already said publicly on this matter. Russia is a federation, it is organised as a federation and its constitution has been written accordingly. Belarus is a unitary state and has the constitution of a unitary state. The task is easier for us, because there is no need for us to make changes to our constitution.

This matter is of more pertinence to Belarus in view of its being a unitary state with the corresponding constitution.

We will be able to give a definite answer to your question once we have seen the final draft of the Constitutional Act. Then we will know whether a referendum is necessary or not and what exactly we will need to do to bring our internal legislation into line with this Constitutional act.



Question:

Until now Gazprom has sold gas to Belarus at a preferential price, but domestic consumers in Belarus receive this gas at a higher price. Where does this price difference come from, and was it for this that these quotas were allocated? What is going on?



Vladimir Putin:

This is precisely why Alexander Grigoryevich and I agreed today that our energy experts would not cause all these headaches with these various preferences. In accordance with our previous agreements, we will move over to market relations as from January 1, 2004. The Belarusian President is absolutely right in saying that if we supply gas to Belarus at the market price, Belarus will charge us the market price for pumping the gas onward through to Europe. Our revenues and expenses will work out at roughly the level we have today.

Of course, Russia will not put Belarus in a disadvantaged position compared to our other partners in this region – the neighbouring countries with whom we have very good relations. I hope that we will continue developing our relations with these countries and with Belarus.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22112
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President Vladimir Putin visited the Novorossiisk port



September 16, 2003 - 18:00 - Novorossiisk







The Russian President arrived in Novorossiisk onboard the ship Kavkaz, which moored at the Novorossiisk commercial port. Despite the cloudy weather and rain, the head of state toured the port onboard the tug Bulatny. Explanations were given to the President by Transport Minister Sergei Frank, Railways Minister Gennady Fadeyev, President of Transneft company Semyon Vainshtok and Director-General of the port, Vladimir Kovbasyuk. Naval Commander-in-Chief Vladimir Kuroyedov told the President about the operation of the Novorossiisk naval base.

The Novorossiisk deep-water port located in Tsemes Harbour specialises in handling foreign trade cargo, including grain and oil. The Novorossiisk naval port can handle 44.5 million tonnes of cargo a year, including 34 million tonnes of crude oil. The port, created 150 years ago, now has a workforce of 4,000. Its cargo turnover has increased by 60% over the last 10 years.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29362






President Vladimir Putin chaired a meeting on dealing with the aftermath of natural disasters



September 16, 2003 - 20:30 - Novorossiisk







Vladimir Putin said it was important not to just talk about coordination between government agencies at various levels, but also to hear how human problems are solved, what has been done and what will be done in order to complete the job. In his opinion, cleaning up the aftermath of natural disasters can only be considered complete after the last victim has all his problems solved.

The President noted that the credit for handling the aftermath of emergencies last year was shared by the Ministry for Emergency Situations, which was assisted by railway workers and the naval base.

The Krasnodar Region was struck by natural disasters twice during 2002, in June and again in August. The flood in the cities and rural areas in June affected 68,000 people and claimed 36 lives, causing over 3.5 billion roubles of damage.

The emergency situation in the Novorossiisk area in August was caused by torrential rains and whirlwinds, which destroyed 197 residential houses, knocked out 118 power substations, damaged 27 kilometres of power lines and brought the sewerage system to a halt. Fifty-four people died and the total damage amounted to 900 million roubles.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29358






Opening Remarks at a Conference on the Development of the Novorossiisk Transport Hub



September 16, 2003 - 00:01 - Novorossiisk, Krasnodar Region




Vladimir Putin:

The Novorossiisk complex is very important for our country’s economy. It is a major transport hub in Russia. From here begin the shortest sea routes that link us with trade partners in Europe and other regions of the world. It is a mainstay of the economy of the Krasnodar Region and of the city.

As we were visiting the port the governor shared his thoughts on the economic interaction with the port. But I think these are technical matters. As the economy becomes more mature, many issues will be closed, including the issues of taxes.

One should first of all note the amount of cargoes handled by Russia’s southern gate. As the head of the port said last year alone the amount of cargo turnover increased by a third.

I would like to stress that optimising the transportation process and making it more effective are extremely important for integrating our economy into the world economy. Important international transport corridors, such as North-South, pass through the south of Russia. We discussed it with the Transport Ministry many times and the Ministry is keeping this project under review.

If Russian stretches of the route are to be competitive they must possess modern and convenient infrastructure and the service must meet the highest quality standards.

What we have seen in the port is of course not bad: you are getting new equipment, environmental standards are complied with, especially in the area where petroleum products and oil are handled. Very good standards and I hope that they will be maintained. That is very important.

As regards the service, you understand very well that without good service there will be no clients and we will lose out in competition with our partners and friends in Ukraine, the Baltic states and other countries. I would not claim that this is the key issue, but it seems to me that the modernisation of the transport hub itself is a priority in terms of the development of the Novorossiisk port. Today we have seen the latest and highly efficient equipment, the introduction of new information technologies, and of course all this must go on. I was very glad to hear that the port cooperates with various Russian enterprises, and stimulates the production of domestic equipment that meets the highest standards. This is very important. Second, discrepancies must be eliminated between the development of the port capacity and rail and road transport. We discussed it when we looked at the water surface in the port. I think we will have something to tell the Minister of Railways and Sergei Frank about motorways.

Clearly, the port is the key element of that hub, but it will be immobilised if we do not develop the surrounding infrastructure and do not pursue a balanced economic policy. As the head of the port said, he would like to be able to service many more vessels if the tariff policy were a little different. I am not saying that it should be changed today or tomorrow. I am simply urging you to pursue a balanced tariff policy.

The handling capacity of the railway transport is still lagging way behind the handling capacity of the seaports. And the situation is compounded by unsatisfactory roads leading to the ports. That makes this transport route much less attractive economically. I would like to hear what department heads think about it today.

Thirdly, serious work is needed to attract both domestic and foreign investment to the transportation complex. This is necessary for an early renewal of the infrastructure and for enhancing the technical potential of the transport hub.

There are other problems as well. I have mentioned only what lies on the surface and I have mentioned it in passing, but I repeat, I would like first of all to hear your opinion and to hear what you consider to be the priorities for the development of the Novorossiisk transport hub. And to formulate it not only orally, but in the shape of a programme for the development of transport and the transport hubs in the south of the country.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/48226






President Vladimir Putin met with Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma



September 17, 2003 - 13:30 - Biryuchy Island, Kherson Region, Ukraine







The two heads of state discussed the agenda of the upcoming CIS summit in Yalta and various aspects of bilateral cooperation in the area of the common sea border, in particular the final settlement of the legal status of the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait.







The meeting lasted two hours.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29368






Speech at a Meeting on Issues of the Russian Military-Diplomatic Presence in the Black Sea-Azov Region



September 17, 2003 - 00:01 - Yeisk, Krasnodar Region








President Vladimir Putin:

Good afternoon, dear colleagues. First of all, I would like to pass on the greetings of Ukrainian President Leonid Danilovich Kuchma, with whom I parted just two hours ago. We also discussed issues of our cooperation in the Sea of Azov and Black Sea region. But today I would like to talk about the Black Sea—Sea of Azov basin in general and the military and diplomatic issues in this zone that is of such importance for Russia. Essentially, it is a zone of our strategic interests.

Our discussions today should take in a whole range of political-diplomatic and economic aspects. I must say that this is the first time we are holding such a comprehensive discussion. Many of those present here today were actively involved in work on the Caspian Sea, and progress has been made on that issue. Many problems that seemed insurmountable over many years have now been settled. But I must say that the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov are every bit as important to us as the Caspian Sea.

The Black Sea region is of particular geopolitical importance. For a start, it gives Russia direct access to major global transport routes, including energy routes. We saw evidence of this yesterday when visiting the port of Novorossiisk. The port is developing well, but there are many more sites that also warrant the state’s attention. The marine territory itself and the unique coast are important natural resources that are vital for the economic development of not just the southern region, but also of Russia as a whole. Finally, this is the region where the Black Sea Fleet, which is responsible for Russia’s security in the strategic southwest direction, is based.







First of all, I would like to look at the question of military-political stability in the region. Russia has played an active part in creating the necessary system of confidence-building measures and security in the Black Sea basin. An international naval rapid reaction group has been formed to carry out humanitarian operations – the first such example in world practice. The mutual business interests of the region’s countries create opportunities for broad economic integration and for carrying out large-scale infrastructure, transport and environmental projects. But there are still problems in the region linked to unresolved territorial issues. A number of local conflicts also still have yet to be fully settled. What’s more, the activities of terrorist groups, trans-national crime and illegal immigration are all a real challenge for the region.

I think that today’s meeting should focus on the following key points: First: careful and thorough work must be done on regulating the legal status of the region’s borders, above all this concerns the straits, and the legal aspects regarding the use of the water area and the resources of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. Coming back to my meeting today with the Ukrainian President, our goal needs to be to ensure that the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea serve to unite our countries and help build up cooperation with our neighbours. The conditions are in place for this, and our partners also have the desire and the opportunity to make this happen. All we need to do is make a determined and professional effort to find solutions to the problems that would be in Russia’s national interests and also would strengthen cooperation with our partners and neighbours. We need to find compromise solutions that suit all sides. The solutions should have a view to the future and form a good foundation for developing relations between our countries in the long term, so as to avoid any friction arising.

But the process of definitively regulating the legal status of the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait is proceeding with difficulty. I do know, though, that the diplomats have made considerable headway on this issue. What’s more, Turkey is unfortunately attempting to restrict passage for ships through the straits of the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles into the Sea of Marmara. This particularly concerns oil tankers. We spoke about this yesterday at the meeting in Novorossiisk. There are some objective reasons for these decisions, but our partners’ temptation to do a little squeezing out the competition and promote their own interests is also present. I think the Foreign Ministry should follow this matter closely and keep watch on what is going on in this area. There are certain agreements and documents that have been signed, and everyone should comply with them.

Of course, environmental issues are of great importance. But here, too, actions should be based on international law and on the documents relating to this area. No one should go beyond the limits set by these documents.







I ask the Russian Foreign Ministry and other relevant agencies to ensure effective legal and diplomatic protection of Russia’s political and economic interests, and to keep this matter under particular constant control.

Second, putting in place fully equipped land and sea borders with all the necessary infrastructure is another serious matter. Borders need to be properly equipped to protect our country and to help ensure normal development of Russia’s economic ties with the neighbouring states. I think that all the various aspects of this matter should be subject to a more detailed discussion at one of the Security Council meetings.

Third, a few words on priorities for work in the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organisation. We need to make a close analysis of, not the formal, but the real advantages of our participation in this organisation. What we need is an analysis that gives us the figures and calculations. Then we can work out future tactics and strategy. For the moment, this organisation’s resources are not being used effectively enough. The very promising project of ferry links between the Black Sea states, for example, has yet to go ahead. Problems with practical implementation of agreements on fighting terrorism and organised crime are also holding up our attempts to coordinate our positions. I think we need to draw up and propose to the organisation a suitable and substantial agenda that would be in Russia’s interests. I would like to emphasise that if we do all the necessary on our side, this organisation could make a real contribution to increasing international cooperation in the region.







One final remark. A number of the issues we are set to discuss today are to do with the development of the Russian Black Sea Fleet. This includes modernising the Fleet and its bases, including in cooperation with Ukraine, our closest partner.

Regarding cooperation with Ukraine, we need to work out together the procedures for use by both our countries of the existing navigation-hydrographic safety system for shipping on the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea. The same goes for environmental safety measures. During my visits to Rostov Oblast and some parts of Krasnodar Krai, people were constantly raising this subject. Today these are matters of concern not just for specialists, but also for ordinary people. I propose that we discuss this today.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22117






Press Conference following a Meeting on Issues of the Russian Military-Diplomatic Presence in the Black Sea-Azov Region



September 17, 2003 - 00:02 - Yeisk, Krasnodar Region








Question:

You have spent the last four days working on questions regarding the Black Sea and Azov Sea regions. Why is this?



Vladimir Putin:

It is linked to the need to sort out the country’s problems, including this region’s problems. This is a region of utmost importance for Russia. I already spoke about how this is the only part of our country that has a warm sea. This region gives us immensely important maritime links to our main partners in Europe. It is a very complex region in its national, ethnic and religious makeup. Unfortunately, in the south of our country not all conflicts have yet been settled.

There is also the problem of Chechnya, which is not far from here. We have not yet settled all border area issues with our closest partners and strategic allies. We still have not resolved the matter of our land border with Ukraine. Our respective Foreign Ministries still have not completed work on the Azov Sea. We still have a lot of issues regarding transport of our energy resources and the stationing of our Armed Forces in this region. In short, there is still a whole range of major problems to work on.

I must say frankly that we have not taken a systematic approach to settling these problems for a long time. For a long time our various ministries and agencies concentrated their efforts on settling the main issues regarding the Caspian Sea. I think that now the time has come to focus our attention on the Black Sea-Azov Sea region’s problems. This is why we held this meeting today. The outcome of it is that I have signed a work programme for the various ministries and agencies for resolving the problems that we discussed today and addressing the objectives that we were here to work on today.



Question:

You flew along the coast. Did you notice anything new, anything you did not know about earlier?



Vladimir Putin:

Yes. The Novorossiisk port is developing quite well. That is pleasing to see. We also discussed that, and I signed another document today on creating a base for the Black Sea Fleet in Novorossiisk. This does not at all mean that we intend to abandon the main Black Sea Fleet base at Sevastopol. All it means is that we should have various options for basing our fleet, which has a range of different missions. We will also have a naval presence in Novorossiisk. We talked today about strengthening the state border and creating the corresponding system that would enable this. The main tasks in this area will be completed in 2004, and by 2006 we will have completely covered the border from the Caspian Sea to the Black Sea.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22118






Opening Remarks at a Meeting with Azeri Prime Minister Ilkham Aliyev



September 18, 2003 - 00:01 - Yalta, Crimea








President Vladimir Putin:

Mr Prime Minister, it gives me much pleasure to see you and meet with you in this new quality. I would like to congratulate you on your appointment to this high office. I am sure that this is a good choice. This is all the more so as the volume of trade between our countries has increased by 70 percent over recent times, and by 20 percent over the first five months of this year. This is very solid growth, and I hope that this and the efforts that the President of Azerbaijan and I have made are making themselves felt. I would like to ask you to convey to the President my very best wishes at the soonest possible opportunity. We are hoping for his recovery and for all to go well. We know that an election campaign is now getting underway in Azerbaijan, but I do hope that these internal political processes will not have a negative impact on our bilateral relations, and that the pace of their development will be maintained.



Ilkham Aliyev:

Thank you very much, Mr President, for your warm words. First of all, I would like to carry out our President’s request and pass on his greetings to you and his warmest wishes for success in your work. We are also pleased to see that relations between our two countries are developing so rapidly in all different areas. We are working together well at the political level, and, as you pointed out, trade between our countries is growing fast and we are implementing a good many mutually beneficial projects. But I must say that it was probably your visit to Azerbaijan that gave the main impulse for the development of our relations. You know that we in Azerbaijan were waiting for a long time for a visit by the Russian President. When you took the decision and came to our country, we felt immediately how relations livened up and began moving forward in all areas after your visit. We value this very much. Our President has said that Russia is a strategic partner for Azerbaijan. This is our policy today and it will remain our policy in the future. For our part, we will do everything that depends on us to ensure that at all levels our relations bring us new successes and closer cooperation that will benefit our countries and our peoples. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank you for the concern that you have shown for the President of Azerbaijan while he has been in hospital. We also value this very much, and we in Azerbaijan hold it very dear and will always remember it.







Vladimir Putin:

I do not think thanks are required here; it is only the natural thing to do, after all. You can count on our help not only on these questions, but on any others, too. And if visits are so helpful, then I would like to invite you to Moscow on an official working visit. A time just has to be decided with the Russian government. I repeat that despite all the election affairs taking place, we do want to keep up the development pace of our relations, and we have plenty to talk about in a whole range of sectors, so I think a visit would be timely.



Ilkham Aliyev:

Thank you, Mr President.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22116






President Vladimir Putin met with Moldova's President Vladimir Voronin



September 18, 2003 - 16:00 - Yalta







The Presidents exchanged their viewpoints on prospects for settling the Transdnestr problem. Deputy heads of Russia’s Presidential Executive Office, Dmitry Kozak and Sergei Prikhodko, also participated in the discussion.

The Presidents discussed, among other things, the development of bilateral cooperation and some issues related to the functioning of the Commonwealth of Independent States.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29380






President Vladimir Putin met with Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbayev



September 18, 2003 - 18:00 - Yalta







Vladimir Putin said that Kazakhstan was one of Russia’s closest and most reliable partners due to its stable economy. In turn, Nursultan Nazarbayev noted a stable development of bilateral relations and a 29% increase in bilateral trade.

The Presidents discussed some issues related to the formation of a Common Economic Space of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Ukraine. According to Vladimir Putin, these four countries have advanced considerably towards this goal. The Russian President recalled that it was the Kazakh President who initiated this idea.

Nursultan Nazarbayev confirmed his invitation to the Russian President to visit Kazakhstan in early 2004 which was to be declared Year of Russia in Kazakhstan.

The Presidents discussed bilateral economic cooperation and touched upon the events to be held within Year of Kazakhstan in Russia.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29381






The Presidents of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Ukraine met in Yalta



September 18, 2003 - 20:00







The four countries’ Presidents had an informal meeting at the Ukrainian President’s Zarya residence on the Black Sea coast.

The Russian President said that the work done to prepare documents on a Common Economic Space (CES) of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Ukraine was impressive. He stressed that these documents were, to a considerable extent, of a framework character; they were the result of a compromise but it was a compromise that suited all sides. According to him, the prepared documents make it possible to advance gradually towards the implementation of the agreements reached which fully meet the national interests of all the participating states.

The four countries’ leaders declared their readiness to sign the agreement on the establishment of a Common Economic Space.

A group of top officials headed by deputy prime ministers did a great deal of work meeting every month in different capitals. All the documents have been drafted and initialed to be signed, including the Presidents’ statements, an agreement on a Common Economic Space and the CES concept. There were no obstacles to the signing of these documents, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev said.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29382






President Vladimir Putin attended the 36th Summit of the Commonwealth of Independent States



September 19, 2003 - 14:00 - Livadia Palace, Yalta







The summit will go down in the history of the CIS as the “economic summit.” Although the summit’s agenda included dozens of issues in such areas as public health, defence, the fight against crime and illegal migration, economic problems were at the top of the agenda.







After a three-hour meeting, the Commonwealth leaders adopted a statement in which they declared that the priority of the CIS was the formation and functioning of a free trade zone that would gradually evolve, through broader integration, into a common economic space. The Commonwealth heads of state also approved a plan for the implementation of key economic measure until 2010. The comprehensive document envisages the creation of a free trade zone in the CIS, a dramatic increase of cooperation in the fuel and energy, transport and other sectors.







At the initiative of the Russian Defence Ministry, it was decided to take measures to control the trade of portable Igla and Strela anti-aircraft missiles within the CIS.







A programme of preparations for the 60th anniversary of victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945 was approved.







The summit participants approved a concept of cooperation in combating illegal migration, a programme to fight international terrorism and other forms of extremism for 2003–2004, an agreement on protecting participants in criminal proceedings, a concept of harmonising national air traffic control systems, creating a joint communications system of the armed forces of the Commonwealth states and an agreement on informational support of military cooperation in the CIS.







The parties agreed on the funding of the joint air-defence system of the CIS countries.







A special document on Abkhazia settlement was adopted on Tbilisi’s initiative.







The Commonwealth leaders decided to send observers to the upcoming presidential elections in the Chechen Republic in October and elections to the State Duma of the Russian Federation in December.







Ten of the 12 CIS Presidents took part in the meeting. Those absent included the President of Azerbaijan, Heydar Aliyev, who is receiving treatment in the US and the President of Turkmenistan, Saparmurat Niyazov. These countries were represented by their Prime Ministers.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29385






The Presidents of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Ukraine signed an agreement to form a Common Economic Space



September 19, 2003 - 15:00 - Livadia Palace, Yalta







The four heads of state invited other countries that share the goals and principles of the agreement to join.

The document envisages the integration of the customs territories of the countries where common economic mechanisms would ensure the free movement of goods, services, capital and labour. Common foreign trade, tax, fiscal and monetary policies will be pursued.

The CES will be formed step by step allowing for varying-level and various speed integration, the agreement stresses.







The agreement also stresses that Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan will align their positions during the course of WTO accession talks.

In forming the CES, the experience and legislation of the European Union will be taken into account, the document says.

The Presidents of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia and Ukraine issued a political statement after signing the CES agreement. “The cooperation of the four, the statement stresses, is developing in the mainstream of varying-format integration processes in the CIS. It has an open character and we expect that building the common economic space we have initiated will have the backing of the other Commonwealth states.”




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29386






Answers to Questions at a Press Conference following the CIS Summit



September 19, 2003 - 12:04 - Yalta, Crimea








Question:

The document on setting up the Common Economic Space is of a framework nature and provides for a multilevel and multi-speed integration. Ukraine, for example, planned to sign the document with certain reservations. Does this live up to what you had hoped for, and doesn’t this document risk having the same fate as previous agreements reached within the CIS framework but still only existing on paper?



President Vladimir Putin:

Specialists worked on this document for several months. It was Kazakhstan that initiated this idea of a Common Economic Space. I must say that Kazakhstan has shown great determination to resolve the problems that our economies face on the road to integration, and we should be grateful to Kazakhstan for this. I don’t think this is just a general document. Yes, the agreements are to a large extent of a framework nature, but they form a solid foundation for helping us resolve our economic problems together. I’ve seen the comments made by political figures, economists and diplomats. Unfortunately, there is an almost complete absence of professional comments on these matters. I get the impression that the people speaking out on the issue have either not read the documents at all, or have only given them a quick glance. Often comments come from people motivated only by short-term political speculation rather than considering the national interests of their countries. It is my firm conviction that we need these documents, and that have been carefully drawn up and correspond to today’s level of integration.

Why have we decided to take this step? Because the limits of the original CIS framework do not fully take into account our countries’ varying possibilities to further the integration processes.

What is the aim of the documents that we signed today? I would like to point out that these documents are aimed exclusively at economic cooperation. They are about lowering the infrastructure burden in the production, transport and sale of industrial and agricultural goods. Ultimately, this should make our goods more competitive on world markets. What these documents set out to do is to make it easier for producers and market players to work with each other throughout the territory of our four countries. At the same time, we have taken into account the economic and political particularities of each of the signatory countries, including Ukraine.

The documents reflect these particularities. We decided to adopt this multilevel approach to integration, keeping in mind that the principles behind it will be the same for all of us. Russia is happy with the quality of the documents, and is pleased that they were signed today. As for the reservations that were mentioned, we discussed this before the signature took place. The Ukrainian President informed us about this. Essentially, this removes nothing of the agreement’s substance. The point of the matter was that these documents we signed should not contradict the Ukrainian Constitution. As for whether they contradict the Constitutions of Kazakhstan and Belarus, the Presidents of these countries can give their own views. I doubt that there are any contradictions.



Question:

We have learned that the Council has approved a declaration on the problem of Abkhazia. Could you say something about that please?



Vladimir Putin:

Abkhazia is one of the most serious problems in the post-Soviet area. We all want this and similar problems to find a just solution based on international law and on the real circumstances in which we live. We want fair solutions that would be for the good of all the peoples living on the territory of regions in a state of conflict. Russia, like the other CIS countries, supported the Georgian President’s initiative to adopt this document that reminds of the problem itself and the principles for its regulation.







Question:

Would you say there was more economics or politics at the summit? We’ve heard here about what the politicians and the commentators have to say about the creation of the Common Economic Space, but what do the populations of the four countries concerned think about it?



Vladimir Putin:

I think in the end there was more economics, although we did also devote a lot of time to questions of political cooperation. For Russia it is important in this respect that our colleagues have agreed to send observers to the elections to the State Duma and to the presidential elections in Chechnya. We also discussed regulation of the situation in Abkhazia and approved a corresponding document.

I think that the Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations made a very interesting statement on fighting drugs. This was the first time, thanks to the Ukrainian President, who is currently chairing the Council, that the UN was represented in this way here. We always worked with the UN, but we did not have this sort of direct dialogue. I found it very interesting to learn that the head of the anti-drugs department went to Afghanistan, met with the commanders and went to the villages to meet with the people who actually grow the opium poppies. It must be said that the UN’s staff are very professional and courageous in their work, and we are keen to develop these kinds of contacts. This is very important for our countries.

As for free trade zones, I think they are a possibility, even given the plans of some countries to join the World Trade Organisation. But our position is clear: free trade zones are possible if they take into account the interests of the parties to the agreement, but this can be reached as a result of corresponding reservations and withdrawal from the free trade regime.

Concerning what our public thinks about these decisions to create a Common Economic Space, in Russia, the overwhelming majority, more than 90 percent, is in favour, in Ukraine there is 70 percent in favour, in Belarus – 90 percent, and I think the figure is the same in Kazakhstan. So we are not just convinced on a professional level that this is the right step to take, we are also carrying out the will of our peoples.



Question:

It was the provision about creating a supranational body that led to the political discussions in the Ukrainian parliament that turned so heated. Many people said that through the economy this could lead to a loss of some of Ukraine’s state authority and even result in the revival of the Soviet Union. What do you think of this? What certainty do you have that the plan to create a free trade zone will go ahead, including with other CIS countries?



Vladimir Putin:

I don’t think that creating a regulatory body can revive the Soviet Union. That is complete and utter nonsense. It’s just absurd. People don’t understand what they’re talking about. It makes you want to ask, “Did you really understand yourself what you just said then?” I don’t think they do understand. The Soviet Union is a very complicated page in the history of our peoples. It was heroic and constructive, and it was also tragic. But it is a page that has been turned. It’s over, the boat has sailed. Now we need to think about the present and the future of our peoples. If we take a responsible approach to this, we will be able to harvest all that was good in the legacy left us by the previous generations. They did a lot so that we could live today and bring up our children tomorrow. You can’t just sweep everything aside. The generations that went before us achieved a great deal, and we now have to take this legacy and handle it with care and professionalism. This is precisely the objective behind our work on creating a Common Economic Space, which aims above all at developing our countries’ economies.

In accordance with Ukraine’s position, we are not speaking of creating supranational bodies. We have chosen different terminology – regulatory bodies. Today in Ukraine, in Russia and the other CIS countries, we are all talking a lot about European integration and being oriented toward the European Union. Why is this? It’s because the economy there is performing decently and people there live well. And we want the same for ourselves. But over there, people are making responsible decisions rather than going in for political speculation. Over there, they decided to create supranational regulatory bodies, signed the Treaty of Rome and got to work, casting aside their own ambitions. Here, meanwhile, we still have people ready to speculate on this subject. We need to take a realistic and pragmatic look at what is going on in the world and in our countries and move ahead. We have all we need to do this, and we are determined to do it.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22119
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Opening Remarks at the United Russia Party’s Third Congress



September 20, 2003 - 16:25 - Column Hall, Moscow








President Vladimir Putin:

Good afternoon, dear friends!

Your congress is taking place at an important time for the country when we need to keep working on our ongoing objectives without stopping even for a second, and when at the same time an election campaign is already underway and the battle has begun for seats in the next parliament.

An election period is always a difficult and crucial time for any political party, including, of course, for United Russia.

I won’t hide the fact that I voted for your party four years ago. I know the difficulties you went through in creating the party – difficulties linked to ideology, which is never a straightforward task. It’s easy to use the so-called “administrative resource” to set up political organisations in the regions or in Moscow, but it is a lot more difficult to give a party or movement an ideological foundation. I am, of course, aware of the difficulties you have had to overcome in the course of creating this foundation.

I am also aware of the administrative and personnel difficulties that you have faced in Moscow and in the regions. There is no secret here. I say this openly here today because you all know about it, and your voters are all aware of it. But I really haven’t once regretted voting for your party, because you have managed to create a grouping of centrist factions in the State Duma that, it is no exaggeration to say, has supported the interests of the state in the most vital areas of our country’s development.

Your party has proven over this time that it was created not for the sake of a one-off victory, but for long-term work that produces results. United Russia is the political force that has created a powerful centrist bloc in the State Duma. You have most consistently worked to pass laws of great importance for the country. And it has not always been easy to explain to people why this or that decision was necessary. There are still a lot of stereotypes that hold fast today, remnants of the past that linger in our consciousness and seep into our daily life. But you and your parliamentary deputies were not afraid to go ahead with your work, setting a good example for others to follow. It is you who have fought the hardest to pass the laws the country needs, and this has enabled you to build up the political potential that befits a party seeking the role of leading political force. I hope that you will know how to make use of this unique resource in the Duma elections.

This year will mark the fourth time that Russia holds elections under its new electoral system, the democratic system that has been in place in our country for a decade now. Over these years, freedom of choice, political competition, democracy and openness have become the norm in political life and have ensured the election of a professional and functioning parliament formed to a large extent on a party basis. Clearly, the democratic electoral process itself does much to encourage the formation of party organisations in society. The elections in December should help resolve new tasks. Above all, they should help form a political system in Russia based on a mature civil society and responsible state power.







The party-building process has taken some noticeable strides forward of late. The country now has political parties that do not just influence the state decisions that get taken, but that take decisions themselves, don’t simply play up to circumstances, but take responsibility upon themselves and are already in a position to supervise the activities of the executive authorities. This is important; it is a new factor in our political system overall and in party life in our country. And among these influential parties, United Russia is undoubtedly the leader.

Over recent years, the State Duma, and I want to speak now about the parliament in general, has become a genuinely effective, professionally working legislative body that has given the country the laws it needed to be able to begin modernising and developing. Without these laws, there could not be sufficient stability to be able to move ahead. Finally, another important fact: your parliamentary party is represented now not just at federal level, but also in the legislative assemblies of the country’s regions. Your representatives have been elected governors and mayors. I’m thinking not just of the party’s founding fathers, but also of new members that have already been elected, with the party’s support, to these high posts. United Russia is becoming a real instrument for uniting society. Through our joint efforts, we have achieved social-political and economic stability. For the first time in many years we are not living under the threat of repeat economic crises and cataclysms. But life does not stand still and is always coming up with new goals for us. I spoke of these goals in the annual address to the Federal Assembly. The most important priorities for work have been discussed in detail with the country’s leading public and political forces, and are the subject of public discussion today. I repeat once again that these goals are to double the GDP in the next 10 years, to fight poverty and to modernise the Armed Forces.

That, at its most concise, is what we have to do. Of course, there are in reality many more important tasks, and all of us must work on their solution, and Russia’s political parties, especially those that have a real chance of victory in the State Duma elections must take an active part in this work. But just to work on the tasks at hand and live only in the present is not enough. Political parties should always be several steps ahead, showing society the way forward and formulating new objectives. This means being closely in tune with what people want, what the state and its citizens need, and being able to offer the state and the public a future strategic agenda for the country’s development. This means standing up for the decisions that are in keeping with people’s hopes and desires. This is the only way not just to win votes, but more importantly, to win the trust of the voters.







Parties taking part in elections, all the more so if they hope to get the majority in the Duma, should always remember that political power is above all about serving people. This is the only way to consolidate state power and society and its citizens, to mobilise the entire people and state in order to achieve the key national objectives we have set.

Esteemed participants of this congress,

There is not so much time left now before election day. The voters will say their word in December and pass their judgement, which will be final. This will be a judgement passed on each deputy and on the whole party.

I wish you success.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22120






Concluding Remarks at the United Russia Party’s Third Congress



September 20, 2003 - 16:26 - Column Hall, Moscow








President Vladimir Putin (following the report by Boris Gryzlov):

I found that very interesting. I think the report had much substance, and I saw how the audience reacted.

At the same time, I would like to point out that I do not take part in inter-party discussions. This is why, as you noted, I try to avoid such party events. That fact that I am here today at your party congress is an exception. This was a conscious choice on my part, in order to express my gratitude to your deputies in the State Duma for their joint work over these last four years.

None of us knows exactly what the future holds, because the voters will say their word in December, and only then will it be clear whom the new Russian President will have to work with over the next four years. I want to express my thanks for the work that has been done over the last four years. I think the Duma has worked very effectively, and this is, of course, in large part due to the efforts of the deputies from centrist party factions.

There was also talk here today of the need to create a presidential majority in the new State Duma. You know, it’s not so important what name is given to this majority. It’s not something of such crucial significance. But that there should be a responsible majority of politicians in the parliament ready and able to take on the responsibility for this country’s future, that, of course, is something that we do need. And I very much hope that we will have it. But I repeat, it does not matter what we call it.







I know that discussions are still going on as to which of the classic European parties United Russia is closer to – the social democrats or the conservatives. Of course, an ideological foundation is something necessary. But as for whom to be closer to, be closer to the citizens of Russia. Be closer to the people. I am convinced that it is through contact with the people that you will always be able to sense and understand how best to define your work’s strategy and tactics. Then you will be sure of success.

Thank you.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22121






Interview with American Television Channels



September 20, 2003 - 23:59 - Novo-Ogaryovo








President Vladimir Putin:

Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. I am very glad to have the opportunity to meet with representatives from leading media of the United States. And I thank you for the opportunity to let your viewers and readers know what is happening in Russia. I am sure that this will be a positive contribution to the development of intergovernmental ties. I am at your disposal. I think it will be correct if we concentrate our attention on questions and answers. Please begin.



Deborah Seward (APTN):

Mr President, what concrete steps need to be taken to send troops from the Russian Federation to Iraq? And what role can they perform in this situation?



Vladimir Putin:

Currently, the Russian armed forces are taking part in more than 11 peace-keeping operations, I believe, under the aegis of the United Nations. You know our position: we believe that the use of armed forces can be employed within the framework of the procedures stipulated by the UN charter, and this should be determined by an appropriate decision of the Security Council of this organization. This fully applies to the situation in Iraq.

It seems that you are aware of the recent statements I made during a visit to Italy. Since then my opinion and the opinion of the Russian leadership on this problem has not changed. Unlike many participants of this process, our approach is quite liberal. We theoretically do not rule out more active participation of Russia in the reconstruction of Iraq, including in the participation of our soldiers in the process of normalizing the situation. It is not important for us who heads this operation. It may be headed by American soldiers. The only important thing is for this decision to be passed by the UN security council, in the framework of which a mandate of these forces would be signed, making it clear what they will do there, how long they will stay, and for other conditions and procedures to be signed, which are usual when a document like this is passed within the Security Council.

This document should take into account the interests of all the sides involved in the process, above all, of course, the interests of the Iraqi people. If this decision is passed, if during its discussion and passing the opinion of the Russian Federation is heard, and our interests are taken into account, then we, of course, will fulfil the document which will be signed by Russia. However, on a practical level, the issue of sending any Russian military contingents to Iraq is not under discussion at present, and has not even been examined.



Amy Kellogg (Fox):

If I may, I have another question about Iraq. As far as I know, currently the American and Russian positions on the issue of Iraq are closer than the positions of the U.S., Germany and France on this issue.

I would like to know what Russia has done, and whether it has done anything at all, to build bridges between the camp headed by the United States on this issue, and other camps represented by these other countries. And it would also be interesting to know if the issue has now arisen, when the UN resolution is being prepared and these positions are being developed, that during the pre-war spring period Russia has opposed to a military solution to the Iraqi problem? Do you still believe now that you were right in your approach at that time?



Vladimir Putin:

First of all, on the differing approaches of France, Germany, Russia and the United States. You know how the conflict began and what position the main European countries took – Germany and France, and what position China and Russia took. In this sense, virtually nothing has changed. All of us, I assure you, and Germany and France as well – and I know this for certain, because I am in constant contact with the leaders of many European countries, including these ones – all of use wanted to find a solution to this problem. France and Germany did too, I assure you. Of course, there are always some differences in the approaches of all countries, including the ones mentioned. In some nuances, they may differ. But on the whole we essentially had an identical approach.

I don’t want to talk specifically about the position of France and Germany right now – the leaders of these countries know their position better than I do. But I can tell you that there are also leaders of other countries, sufficiently influential ones, especially in this region, who told me personally: there will be no regulation as long as the American and British remain on the territory of Iraq. In any capacity. As you can see, our position seriously differs from what I would call an extreme formulation of the question.

I would like to say that this is not the position of France and Germany. I want to make this quite clear. We not only allow the possibility of regulation and the presence of American soldiers, but as you have heard, we even allow that they may head this operation.

Quite recently, literally one and a half to two years ago, it was hinted to me here and there that Russia conducts a cunning policy designed to divide Europe and the United States. This was said by people who did not understand the profundity of the changes happening in Russia. Russia today is interested in a stable, predictable world. And so we are in favour of the unity of all sound forces in the world, which can realistically influence the development of the situation in the world – in its positive development.

Now you ask me what we have done to establish better contact between the United States and their European partners. I assure you, the United States, like France, like Germany, does not require any mediation to find mutually acceptable decisions. Including such solid mediation as this.

We have our position. In many ways it coincides on the Iraq problem – on key issues – with European countries. It also coincides in some ways with the American position. Our task is to find mutually acceptable decisions which suit all participants of the process. We will work hard on this.

Now for the next part of your question – whether my opinion on Russia’s position before the beginning of the Iraq conflict has changed. Of course, it has not changed. And the situation which is currently unfolding in Iraq, clearly, is the best proof that the Russian Federation’s position was correct.

The conflict is continuing. More and more Islamic extremists are entering the territory of Iraq, who were hardly there at all in the past.

There are also other components which I simply do not wish to name, because I am going to the United States, and will meet with the President there, and on my part it would not be correct to talk about these problems now. We will have the chance to discuss everything in detail with President Bush. We are on good relations and we can tell each other our own opinion quite openly, without any diplomacy. Sometimes we don’t like what we tell each other. But we listen to each other, we listen and look for solutions.

I hope that we will also find a solution to this complex problem – the problem of Iraq. We, at any rate, believe that the quicker we find a solution, the better things will be for stability in the Middle East, for world stability as a whole and for the world economy.



Jill Dorothy (CNN):

Another question about Iran. The Russian government says that all nuclear energy deals made between Iran and Russia are in keeping with legislation and international agreements. At the same time, we have heard charges from the U.S. that there are allegedly cases of concealed assistance conducted by Russian companies to help Iran develop nuclear weapons. People say that individual scientists are also involved in this activity. I would like to know if there is any Russian secret service information which could confirm these charges. And there is also another charge in this matter – that Iran allegedly supports terrorists. I would like to know your opinion on this matter.



Vladimir Putin:

As for information from the Russian secret service – this is of course an interesting question (Laughter). But I will try to answer it carefully. And this answer may be unexpected for you. But I will start from the beginning.

As for the charges from our partners, including, and indeed primarily from our American partners that Russia is allegedly helping Iran create nuclear weapons. I have actually yet to hear these charges made against us. The issue is cooperation in the nuclear sphere, and from this comes the idea that this cooperation helps Iran in some way to get closer to creating its own nuclear weapons.

Sometimes we hear that certain scientists, specialists of Russian or even of Soviet origin may be involved directly in developing nuclear weapons.

First of all I would like to outline Russia’s official position on problems of non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

We are not merely signatories and participants of the Non-proliferation Treaty. We are the most active supporters of consistent fulfilment of these agreements. And especially as the appearance of another nuclear power on our southern borders does not at all correspond to our national interests.

I’m not even talking about other extremely serious consequences for the region and for the entire world if Iran becomes a nuclear power. We completely and utterly acknowledge this danger. And in this area, we are prepared to cooperate with all members of the international community involved in this area, and above all with the United States. The U.S., I believe, is one of our main partners. One could say it is a strategic partner on the problem of non-proliferation.

As for work in the area of nuclear power for peaceful goals, indeed we do have a series of programmes in this sphere, including with Iran, where we are building an atomic energy station bloc with a power of 1,000 megawatts.

And of course, we are carefully making sure that this cooperation in no way influences the ability of any power – including Iran – to create its own nuclear weapons.

As you know, this is a very sensitive issue. And here cooperation is very important. We need to listen to each other all the time. We need to reach a certain level of trust. We need, if you will excuse me, to stop talking idly about this matter, and speak in figures, facts and concrete details – because this is a real threat. Then this work will give real results. If we simply continue to stupidly politicize this problem, we will only worsen the situation.

A specific example on this problem is the following. We considered that the arguments of our partners were correct that nuclear fuel, which will in future be delivered to Iran, may be used as a basis to gain weaponry materials. And we are currently working with our Iranian colleagues on agreeing on an additional protocol to the existing agreements, according to which all the nuclear fuel which will be delivered to Iran in future will be returned in full to Russia after being processed at atomic energy stations.

It is very important for all members of the international community to influence Iran, above all MAGATE members, so that Tehran agrees to sign additional protocols to the Non-proliferation agreement.

I think that at the moment this issue has key significance. If Iran really does not intend to create nuclear weapons, then it has no need to hide anything from MAGATE. And I see no grounds for it not to sign these additional protocols.

In a telephone conversation, President Khatami told me quite directly than Iran is ready to sign these documents.

As you know, recently a MAGATE meeting was held on this issue, and the position of this organization was set forth. We expect that this process will be completed, and Iran will join the protocols.

Now for the information from the Russian secret service. According to our information, many western European and American companies cooperate with Iran – either directly or through intermediary organizations – in the nuclear sphere.

This is serious information, and we do not believe that we should have a complete monopoly over it. Furthermore, we are prepared to cooperate with our partners, and we hope that this will lead to definitive results, and remove all the concerns over the presence of a nuclear weapons programme in Iran. But as for cooperation in peaceful atomic energy, Iran is in fact a member of the Nuclear Weapons Non-Proliferation Agreement. And everything that takes place in this sphere is fully coordinated and fully corresponds to international law, from Russia’s side. We would very much hope that the unfounded suspicions about alleged cooperation between Russia and Iran in the weaponry sphere are not used as a pretext for unfair competition on the international market as whole, and in Iran in particular.







James Maseda (NBC):

What do you think, is now an appropriate time for a Russian-American summit, especially as both you and Bush soon face elections, and obviously security issues will be of key importance on the agenda. How do you approach these issues, and do you share the concerns linked with security issues?



Vladimir Putin:

I would ask you to clarify what you understand by security issues, what do you mean?



James Maseda (NBC):

You have already mentioned such security issues as non-proliferation, terrorism and others.



Vladimir Putin:

Of course, in December there will be elections to the State Duma, and in spring next year there will be presidential elections in Russia. Then there will be elections in the United States. These are unavoidable “costs of democracy”, elections should always exist. But the costs are that very often, unfortunately, in democratic countries a great deal is subordinated not to solving existing problems in the country and international problems, but instead to tactical problems linked to elections.

As one famous figure said, a good politician thinks about elections, but a statesman thinks about future generations. Life does not stop, it goes on, and of course it is connected to all these pre-election matters. But issues of security and the war on international terrorism, issues of non-proliferation are so important that we do not have any right not to use any opportunity to solve these problems at least to some extent, and to bring our positions closer at least by a millimetre, not just to discuss them, but to find a solution to them. And of course, we will do this together with the President of the United States. I, at any rate, am ready for this, and I know that he is too. It is simply our duty.

Elections are all very well, and whether this is a convenient moment or not, we must deal with the work at hand, this is why we came to the offices we work in today. The people voted for us so that we would solve domestic, economic and international problems. And also, the U.S. President and I have good business and personal relations. This is also a good factor for us to work together.

You said it correctly – I have elections ahead, and he has elections. The way voters decide is the way it will be: either the same Presidents will remain or new ones will replace them. But today we have the opportunity to work together – we need to work and look for solutions. Generally, it is pleasant for me to work with the President of the United States. We have different points of view on many issues. I am sure that he does not always like what I say and do. But I can say for myself that I also look critically at the actions taken by our American partners. But President Bush is a good partner, he is an open, decent person, it is pleasant to work with him.



BESS NOBELl (CBS):

Excuse me, I know that this is not your favourite topic, but I must ask you about Chechnya. There will be elections in Chechnya in two weeks, and I would like to ask you two questions concerning Chechnya.

What do you think, what changes should take place in Chechnya, especially as many Chechens do not trust Kadyrov, they think that he is also involved in several unseemly types of activity. And the second question. What do you expect will happen in Chechnya after the elections, what will the “road map” look like, how will peace be restored and built in Chechnya, and what will be done so that terrorist acts do not take place, which have taken place virtually every day?



Vladimir Putin:

You said I didn’t like questions about Chechnya. You were mistaken. Chechnya is a part of the Russian Federation. How can I not like questions about Russia? I don’t like provocative questions – that is true. But this does not just concern Chechnya. On the contrary, I thank you for this question, and I will answer it for you and your readers and viewers, and everyone who is interested in this problem.

Since the beginning of the 90s, and perhaps since the end of the 80s, Chechnya has lived in conditions of total violence. I assure you, no one needs this. The average citizen often does not even understand what is happening there, he is simply led by the nose. People simply suffer and don’t even realize what for. As a result of the power vacuum that was formed at the beginning of the 1990s, real power fell into the hands of extremists, who promised everything, but in fact only shot and robbed people, and sold them as slaves.

When in 1999 we faced an attack on the neighbouring republic of Dagestan, it became clear that international terrorism, which had become established on the territory of Chechnya, was no longer satisfied with devouring the Chechen people, this was no longer enough for it; it went further, beyond its borders. You know about this. And who were these people? Who were these fighters who attacked Dagestan? They were essentially people who were closely connected with Al-Qaeda, with other such organisations which trained at their bases and armed themselves on their money. Essentially, the same people who two years later attacked American cities.

I don’t want to talk right now about how the international community reacted to these events. But I want to tell you that even at that time – and earlier, especially in the period beginning in 1999 – the Chechen people themselves finally realised that what people who had seized power in Chechnya were doing had nothing in common with the interests of the Chechen people. Ordinary Chechens were against the attacks on Dagestan. Did they want a war with their neighbours? Of course not.

Yes, at the very beginning many of my colleagues and I were told: better to abandon them, leave them alone, let them sort things out there for themselves, you won’t find any support among the Chechen population anyway, you won’t find a single Chechen on the side of the federal forces and federal power.

Currently, there are a prosecutor’s office, institute of law, Ministry of Justice and Government functioning in Chechnya. In every region, in every village there is a power body headed, of course, by local residents. As you know, several months ago a referendum was held on a constitution, which stated in black and white that Chechnya is an unalienable part of the Russian Federation. This document was prepared in Chechnya itself. And I must tell you that our lawyers argued for a long time with the authors of this document, with Chechens, over the wording. Several wordings were on the verge of the Russian Constitution. This constitution of Chechnya gives very wide autonomous authority to the Chechen republic.

The next step we must take is to elect a president there. And indeed, these elections should take place soon. Mr. Kadyrov, whom you mentioned, fought in the so-called First Chechen war against the Federal Russian forces on the side of the so-called “separatists.” And the fact that we agreed to appoint him as the head of the Chechen administration, I think, is the best proof of our intention to talk and attract people of the most varied convictions to work on normalizing Chechnya.

It must be said that we are continuing this work with other people who have their own views on the development of the Chechen Republic. Some time ago, several deputies of the former parliament of Chechnya appealed directly to the administration of Chechnya and to us. We do not acknowledge the legality of this parliament, but it did function and work. They appealed to us and said that they wanted to take part in the political process which is currently developing in Chechnya.

Just as in the case with Mr. Kadyrov, we not only did not object, we supported their frame of mind and their plans. In accordance with their laws and the old constitution of Chechnya – which, I repeat, the Russian Federation never acknowledged de jure – in accordance with this document they gathered themselves, on their own initiative, the necessary amount of signatures to declare an impeachment of Maskhadov within the framework of this constitution. And they achieved this.

I want to stress that we will continue to expand the basis of political interaction with everyone who wants normal development in Chechnya, regardless of their political views. But, of course, we will not hold talks with terrorists – just as the United States does not intend to hold talks with the leaders of Al-Qaeda.

But as for Mr. Kadyrov, he was not only just an active member of an illegal armed formation at one time, but after the military operations ended, after 1995, I believe, he also became a spiritual leader, the mufti of Chechnya.

As you know, we met almost by accident. I invited him to the Kremlin to a meeting of leaders of Muslim communities of the Northern Caucasus, which included him. Quite honestly, we did not expect that he would come. And I think this was also because at that time this was quite dangerous for him. But he did come. And I talked for quite a long time with representatives of the Islamic church. He was rather obstinate, you know, and kept asking unexpected questions. But I must say that a number of my questions, and my assessment of the situation in Chechnya, put him in a difficult position himself. He did not know how to reply.

Later, when the issue was decided on his possible appointment as the head of administration, I told him directly: we will not object to your active involvement in political work, but you must decide for yourself: this is your life, your destiny and your people. Is this what you need now? Maybe it would be better to do this later? Because the situation is very complicated at the moment. I don’t know if you will be able to organize administrative work, but you will immediately face problems. The federal forces will suspect you of having ties with separatists and terrorists, and the people with whom you recently fought will consider you the man who betrayed them.

I must say that I was pleased with his reply. He said: “Of course, I would like to have some sort of political influence. But you must understand, I have looked in the face of death many times, and was almost killed. And I don’t know what fate has in store for me. But if I can do something for my people, I am obliged to do it now, and the rest is up to Allah.”

So this was his own choice. And everything that I warned him about is taking place. All these dangers have arisen. But he should be given credit – he turned out to be quite a consistent leader, although he doesn’t have enough administrative experience, but where could he get it from? I think that he has the most important quality – he truly wants to normalize the situation in Chechnya, he is truly attempting to achieve the maximum of what can be done now for the people in the conditions of Chechnya. And he doesn’t spare any efforts for this. He is an open, decent and honest person.

A great deal has changed in our relations with the United States in the war on terrorism in recent years. Our special services have begun to work more closely together. Their reciprocal information is very useful. I would very much like for the climate to change at the administrative level, at the diplomatic level, so that the degree of trust increases. Because this is a very important element of our cooperation. The real results of this work reflect on our citizens. Here the degree of trust is extremely important. On the executive level, we need to do away with the old school of thinking, when everything that was bad for the Soviet Union was good for America, and everything that was bad for America was good for the Soviet Union.

Now the United States have voted in the Security Council for a number of individuals to be declared international terrorists. The State Department has announced that it includes several figures in the list of international terrorists. But we know, unfortunately, that on the executive level attempts at contact continue with certain people under the guise of work with the opposition. Even with individuals included on the UN list. These people come and say that they are “political fighters” and try to appear in a good light. But I assure you, I know about this for certain – they maintain ties with their supporters in Afghanistan, including with individuals from the Northern Caucasus in Russia, who fight there with weapons in their hands against American soldiers. These absurd situations should be done away with, and as quickly as possible.



Question:

Please tell us, what is your plan after the elections in Chechnya?



Vladimir Putin:

The plan is simple. Our position is that the Chechen presidential elections are a very important step, because a legitimate figure will appear, in whose hands all the mechanisms of power should be concentrated, including control of the bodies of law and order. The Internal Ministry of Chechnya itself will be consolidated. It already functions, but it will continue to be consolidated. And as it is consolidated, the federal centre and federal forces will take less and less part in the sphere of law and order.

I do not think that we have the right to ignore any cases of violation of human rights. But in conditions when there are some kinds of military operations, it is difficult to talk about this at all, because people are shot at, and people die – here is a gross violation of human rights. We will prosecute both terrorists and bandits, as well as employees of federal institutions and soldiers, if they break our laws.

Later, the most important aspect, of course, will be in the political sphere. I think that we are increasing work on the treaty that should limit the authority of the federal centre in the Chechen Republic by confirming wide autonomous authority for the Chechen Republic. The next step is the parliamentary election. All this is necessary to change people’s lives for the better, to restore the social sphere, and provide people with work.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22125






Speech at a Meeting with the Co-chairmen of the Russian-American Energy Business Summit



September 21, 2003 - 17:55 - Novo-Ogaryovo








President Vladimir Putin:

Dear friends and colleagues,

Allow me to wish you a warm welcome to Moscow. It is pleasing for me to see all the people who have come here, and I do not have the moral right to single anyone out in particular, but Mr Evans and I have established informal relations, and it is particularly pleasing to see him in Moscow.

I believe that business ties have been formed between the ministries of our countries. And business is a complex area where many competitive issues always arise. At the same time, I think that in this area, our ministries always manage to observe perhaps not the rules of the game, but to think about each others’ interests and find solutions. This is very important.

Mr Evans, I believe, was in St. Petersburg yesterday. I followed your movements yesterday. I know that you walked around the Church on Spilled Blood. I make no secret of the fact that at that time, I rang your Russian colleague, Mr. Rumyantsev, and he told me that he was showing you St. Petersburg.

The sphere in which you work, and work together with us, and in my opinion very cooperatively, has primary importance not just for our countries. It is a topic of primary importance for the entire world.

It is important both economically and politically, it is important for maintaining stability and security. It always includes very sensitive issues of international significance. And in this sphere, the component of trust is extremely important. I very much hope that you will establish this kind of relations with your Russian colleagues.

I believe there is every foundation for this.

In this sphere, it is not only administrators who work for us and for you; there are also specialists of the highest international standard. I think that with your help we will be able to solve issues which attract special attention of our countries and the international community. I mean problems of non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. I must say that the problem of non-proliferation, in my opinion, is one of the most important for humankind in the 21st century.

A great deal has changed in relations between our countries. At some stage, we became partners, and as President Bush said, we will never be enemies. But we have not just become partners; we are becoming strategic partners and allies. And one of these spheres is non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

I would like to say a few words about the summit that you have come to attend. I should say that I, your humble servant, and President Bush, supported the energy summit with great enthusiasms, because in general our trade turnover is increasing, but the energy sphere is extremely important for both Russia and the U.S.A. The possibilities are enormous, but the level of cooperation is so far insignificant. Russia accounts for 1.3% of the energy resources imported by the U.S.A. This was the figure for 2002. Now, I believe, this has increased by three times. The growth rate is high, and the figure is already just over 4%, but this is still very low.







I know that business circles in the U.S. are not only interested in oil and oil products, but also to possibilities of modern processing of coal, gas and atomic energy.

We are fully aware of the opinion of some experts and business people in the United States who quite correctly say that the U.S. should diversify its sources of energy used. From Russia’s point of view this is correct, but from the point of view of our partners it is also quite appropriate and understandable, bearing in mind not only our resources, but also the sufficiently stable development of the economy in Russia.

As you know for the first half-year Russia’s GDP rose by 7.2%, and the growth of industrial production was 5.8%. People’s real wages are steadily increasing. The growth is modest, but it is still there, and this creates a good base for social stability.

At any rate, we, and I personally, will watch with interest what happens during the summit in Petersburg, and we will listen attentively to the speeches, reports and conclusions by your colleagues who will gather in Petersburg tomorrow. This topic, without any doubt, will be discussed during my proposed meeting with U.S. President George Bush.

I should say that I am certain that when you begin to discuss various options tomorrow, there will be many suggestions and interesting ideas raised.

Natural gas is a very interesting and promising topic. I know the evaluations of American experts, and there are various options of possible construction of facilities to produce liquefied natural gas, going as far as the construction of such a facility on the Barents Sea. True, this will be slightly more expensive, but it is also a possible option. But I think that it is too early to talk about this yet.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22122






Excerpts from a Speech at a Meeting with Cabinet Members



September 22, 2003 - 00:01 - The Kremlin, Moscow








President Vladimir Putin:

А major event was just held in Yalta – the CIS summit. At the summit, documents were signed on the creation of a Common economic space between the four largest nations – Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan. I want to stress once more that this is not a closed group within the framework of the CIS. On the contrary, it is an attempt to create a new level of cooperation. If we succeed in achieving everything that we agreed on, and realize in practice everything that we signed on paper, then it is to be expected that our other colleagues, our other partners in the CIS will also show great interest in this work, and I hope that we will have the chance to develop these tendencies of integration in CIS countries at a completely new level in future.

I would like to remind you that a Common economic space involves a fairly complex but effectively functioning mechanism for passing decisions and agreeing on these decisions in the most sensitive and necessary spheres, at least at the first stage of economic integration. This means reaching agreement on our economic policies, rate policies, and regulation in the sphere of energy, transport and so on.

We unanimously believe that this can only be done effectively by founding a regulatory body, and now we will ensure that this work continues, so that everything that we have established is realised in practice.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22123






President Vladimir Putin met with Kyrgyz President Askar Akayev



September 22, 2003 - 14:00 - The Kremlin, Moscow







President Akayev visited Russia from September 20 to 24, 2003.

President Putin and President Akayev discussed a wide range of Russian-Kyrgyz relations, including in the trade, economic, military and cultural fields, and also exchanged opinions on current international issues of mutual interest.

With Mr Putin and Mr Akayev looking on, Defence Ministers Sergei Ivanov and Esen Topoyev signed an agreement on the status and terms of stationing of a Russian air base in Kyrgyzstan.







Mr Akayev said that the signing of the agreement was evidence of Russia’s large role in ensuring stability and security not only in Kyrgyzstan, but also in the whole of Central Asia, which has faced new threats and challenges in recent years.

The Russian airbase in the Kyrgyz town of Kant will function as part of a Collective Rapid Reaction Force of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation. In Kant, Russia will permanently deploy several Su and MiG fighter planes and military transport aircraft. Kyrgyzstan, in turn, will supply L-39 Albatros trainer fighters, helicopters and military transport planes to deal with armed groups of international terrorists should they invade one of the CSTO countries.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29400






Speech at the Opening of Kyrgyz Culture Days in Russia



September 22, 2003 - 23:59 - The Bolshoi Theater, Moscow








Vladimir Putin:

Today we are playing host in Moscow to our long-time partners and very good friends from Kyrgyzstan. They are talented and creative people. People in Russia know the art of the Kyrgyz people well, and I am sure the Kyrgyz Culture Days in Moscow will attract interest.

A revival of broad cultural contacts has become possible due to the strengthening of the political ties between our two countries recently. Of course, there was a period, very recently, when some things, including in the field of the arts and culture, were somewhat forgotten as the new state was being formed. But I must say that today, in the period of political stabilisation in our societies, including in Kyrgyzstan, and in the context of comparative economic stability, conditions have been created for the revival of cultural, scientific and cultural exchanges.

Russia has an immense interest and respect for the cultural heritage of Kyrgyzstan, which gave the world the unique poetry of its akyns (folk poets), the legendary “Manas”, which has already been mentioned here. Your land has produced one of the best-loved writers, Chingiz Aitmatov, who is universally loved in Russia.







In today’s Kyrgyzstan ancient epics and modern art form a harmonious blend. Our creative treasure trove has been replenished with young talent and new works. I am convinced that our encounter with your present-day achievements in Russia holds in store for us some brilliant creative discoveries and exciting impressions.

Our states have historical links. I would say they have unbreakable bonds. Today, as before, we are together. The days of your country’s culture are another opportunity to get to know each other better, to open unknown pages of history in the life of Kyrgyzstan, centuries-old traditions and new names. The Chamber Orchestra toured the cities in the Moscow Region in April. Judging from the programme of the Culture Days it will be a highlight in our creative exchanges.

Our cooperation in the cultural sphere has a very good and solid basis. It is the Russian language which has the status of the second official language in Kyrgyzstan. And we highly value the position taken by the President of Kyrgyzstan and the Kyrgyz leadership on that issue. We will do everything to reciprocate. I am convinced that it is without a doubt a historic decision, one of the fundamental decisions. Very recently we took a number of decisions that facilitate the stay of Kyrgyz citizens in the Russian Federation, make it easier for them to find a job and legalise their position. We will do everything to make it worthwhile for your people to study the Russian language. And I think it would be appropriate to recall the words of that great Eurasian, Nikolai Gumilev, and his conviction of the age-old affinity of our peoples and cultures. That conviction is shared by the new generations of the citizens of our countries.







Branches of the best Russian higher education institutions have been opened in Kyrgyzstan, which pays great attention to the issues of education. This month sees the 10th anniversary of the Kyrgyz-Russian Slavic University (which has been mentioned here). It is a leading educational and research centre in Kyrgyzstan.

More and more young people from Kyrgyzstan come to study in Russia every year. Last year alone about 500 people studied at our higher education institutions, financed out of the budget of the Russian Federation. Not a great number, but it is still larger than the quotas in other CIS countries, one of the largest quotas and the best proof that Russia is interested in contacts between young people of the two countries, another pillar on which the building of our future cooperation is being erected. We are convinced that such contacts must broaden.

In this country Kyrgyzstan is sometimes called a “land of academics”. It has a very powerful cultural, educational and scientific stratum. The best proof of that is that the President himself studied in St Petersburg. I know it very well because I have long had direct working contacts with Askar Akayev. He is a world-class intellectual in the full sense of the word. And today I think those present could see it for themselves when he delivered a brilliant speech, without notes, unlike me.

On this festive evening it gives me particular pleasure to present the Order of Friendship to the rector of the Slavic University, Vladimir Nefadyev, and the appreciations of the President of the Russian Federation to the staff of the university for its great contribution to the development of Russian-Kyrgyz cooperation in the education sphere. Please accept my congratulations and best wishes and allow me to come to the formal part, the presentation of awards.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22124






Opening Remarks at a Meeting with the Governor-General of Canada, Adrienne Clarkson



September 23, 2003 - 21:42 - The Kremlin, Moscow








President Vladimir Putin:

Governor-General, friends and colleagues,

Allow me to wish you once more a hearty welcome to the capital of Russia.







We regard your state visit to Russia as an important point in bilateral relations between our countries.

This is a sign of the high level of cooperation between our nations.







Russia and Canada seem to be distant from each other, but they are in fact neighbours across the Arctic Ocean. But in the modern world, as we know, distances play an increasingly smaller role. Instead, an increasingly greater role is played by unanimity of views on key modern issues. And the views of Canada and Russia on many very important issues on today’s agenda are often very close, and sometimes coincide, which would have been difficult to imagine just a few years ago.







We can see this in practical work, and it was also confirmed during the visit to the Russian Federation by Prime Minister Chretien at the head of the so-called “Team Canada.”

Welcome!




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22126






Press Statement following Talks with the Governor-General of Canada, Adrienne Clarkson



September 23, 2003 - 23:24 - The Kremlin, Moscow








President Vladimir Putin:

Ladies and gentlemen,

I would like once again to welcome Ms. Clarkson, the first Governor-General of Canada to visit Russia. I am certain that this visit will be an important point in the development of Russian-Canadian cooperation. This cooperation is developing steadily and dynamically, and constantly encompassing new areas.

We hold permanent political dialogue and cooperate closely on the international arena. We exchange experience in building federation and programmes to support the native peoples of the North. Russia and Canada successfully carry out joint projects in the areas of training staff and ecology.

But we still have a large and as-yet unrealized potential – this is above all the economic sphere. And so the issue of widening bilateral relations, new paths and possibilities, and attracting a greater number of participants became the main topic of talks today.

One of the main topics of our discussion was the “northern dimension” in Russian-Canadian ties. Cooperation in the Far North and in the Arctic is a natural and extremely necessary vector of our interaction. And in this sphere, every country has its own truly unique experience. I think that combining our capabilities and our accumulated scientific and technical knowledge will make it possible to increase economic returns from the northern territories. It will also help to solve the social tasks of the North, and at the same time preserve the unique and very vulnerable nature there.







We talked a lot today about cooperation in the humanities. A whole series of projects in this sphere have already been started. They are focused on studying languages, holding joint museum projects and scientific developments. In connection with this, I can give as an example the activity of the Canadian Friends of the Hermitage Foundation.

On her visit, Ms. Clarkson is accompanied by representatives of the creative intelligentsia, and cultural and scientific figures of Canada. I am sure that during her work in Russia she will establish new contacts with her Russian colleagues.

I would like to thank our Canadian colleagues for open and very substantial dialogue, and also for the friendly atmosphere, which was an important part of our talks.

Thank you.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22127
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President Vladimir Putin met with French President Jacques Chirac and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder



September 24, 2003 - 20:00 - Waldorf Astoria Hotel, New York







During their stay in New York, Vladimir Putin, Jacques Chirac and Gerhard Schroeder used the opportunity to discuss the activities, development and restructuring of the UN, and the ways to increase its effectiveness and role in international affairs.

They also discussed bilateral relations between Russia and France, Russia and Germany, and tripartite relations between these countries.







The heads of state discussed key international issues: the Iraq crisis and a possible adoption of a new UN resolution on the issue, the Iranian problem, the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, as well as the implementation of the roadmap aimed at settling the conflict in the Middle East.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29415






President Vladimir Putin and French President Jacques Chirac held a bilateral meeting



September 24, 2003 - 20:30 - New York



Their conversation took part following the tripartite meeting with Gerhardt Schroeder, which lasted for an hour at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. After the German Chancellor left his interlocutors, Mr Putin and Mr Chirac continued their conversation for another 15 minutes an a tete-a-tete format.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29417






President Vladimir Putin met with Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika



September 24, 2003 - 23:40 - Waldorf Astoria Hotel, New York







Mr Putin and Mr Bouteflik discussed the prospects for bilateral cooperation in trade and the economy, as well as the expanding contacts between the countries’ business communities.

They also discussed Russia’s cooperation with the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC).

The Russian President expressed his satisfaction with the regular and intensive character of the Russian-Algerian political dialogue at the top level.

Mr Bouteflik invited Mr Putin to visit Algeria.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29407






President Vladimir Putin met with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva



September 25, 2003 - 00:50 - Waldorf Astoria Hotel, New York City







The Presidents discussed relevant aspects of Russian-Brazilian partnership and key international problems.

Space programmes were prominent on the negotiation agenda. Mr Putin described Russian-Brazilian space partnership as one of the most promising fields of bilateral cooperation.

During the discussion, he mentioned the abortive launch of the first Brazilian rocket at the Alcantara space centre in the state of Maranhao in August 2003, which caused many deaths. Mr Putin approved the determination of the Brazilian leadership to carry on the national space programme, and said that Russia was willing to provide any assistance necessary.

The Brazilian President said on behalf of his country’s government that it was interested in drawing on the Russian experience in space research.

Mr Putin said that his Brazilian counterpart’s ambitious goal to triple the bilateral trade turnover was attainable.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29421






President Vladimir Putin visited the Academy of Fire Science and watched a joint US-Russian fire service exercise



September 25, 2003 - 02:15 - New York City







Fire rescue takes brave hearts, Mr Putin said, adding that he hoped the Russian and US fire services would step up their partnership.







He laid a bunch of red carnations on the memorial of firemen who died on September 11, 2001.










The President had his photograph taken with Russian and American firemen and made an entry in the academy visitors’ book. He was given a helmet and a uniform jacket inscribed on the chest, “President Vladimir Putin”. As return gifts, the academy received a souvenir helmet of Gzhel porcelain and a genuine antique helmet.







New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg accompanied Mr Putin.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29419






President Vladimir Putin met with Metropolitan Laurus, the First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia



September 25, 2003 - 07:00 - New York City







Mr Putin stressed the exceptional importance of a rapprochement between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR). It was of extreme significance for the integration of Russia into the world and for the ROCOR, he said.

Metropolitan Laurus presented Mr Putin an icon of St Elizabeth the Holy Martyr and an Orthodox Church calendar as the President gave the ROCOR the gift of an icon of the Old Testament Trinity and the album The Orthodox Kremlin. The Kremlin was not only the seat of the Russian secular power but also the Russian spiritual heart, Mr Putin stressed.

Established in November 1920, the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia has parishes in the United States, Canada, Western Europe, South America, Australia and New Zealand. Its Synod moved to Jordanville, NY, in 1950.

As he was meeting with members of the ROCOR Synod, Mr Putin passed them an invitation of Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia, and his own personal invitation, to visit Russia. The invitation was gratefully accepted.







During his sojourn in New York City, Mr Putin also met with Bishop Mercury of Zaraisk, the Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church in the US.

The bishop told him about the restoration and reconstruction of St Nicholas Cathedral, which Bishop Tikhon, later the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, founded in New York City more than a hundred years ago.

They discussed the problems of Orthodox Russians living in the United States, and the prospects and tentative forms of the Moscow Patriarchate’s dialogue with the ROCOR in the context of the two Churches’ assessment of the history of their relations.

Mr Putin presented St Nicholas Cathedral and the Representation of the Moscow Patriarchate in the US a reliquary containing the relics of the holy martyr Hilarion Troitsky, the closest disciple of the canonised Patriarch Tikhon. Bishop Mercury gave him a return gift of a photo album reflecting all stages of the restoration of St Nicholas Cathedral and depicting its present-day appearance.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29418






President Vladimir Putin met with Estonian President Arnold Ruutel



September 25, 2003 - 18:00 - New York City



Mr Putin and Mr Ruutel held a short meeting at the United Nations headquarters before the Russian President’s address to the 58th session of the UN General Assembly.

They discussed the development of Russian-Estonian relations. Mr Ruutel informed Mr Putin about steps made by the Estonian leadership to settle social problems of the Russian-speaking community in and outside the town of Kohtla-Jarve.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29425






Speech at the 58th session of the General Assembly of the United Nations



September 25, 2003 - 14:22 - UN Headquarters, New York








President Vladimir Putin:

Mr General Secretary,

Esteemed heads of state and government, ladies and gentlemen,

I am happy for the opportunity to speak once more in this hall of representatives. But above all, I would like to wish the 58th session of the UN General Assembly fruitful work. Work on successful coordination on the actions of peoples and nations. Work towards goals of peace, security and progress.

These guidelines were laid out in the UN charter by our predecessors. But they, as we see, are still relevant to this day. These goals remain a firm and long-lasting foundation for United Nations activity.

And although the structure and functions of the UN were formed in a fundamentally different international situation, time has only confirmed their universal significance. And tools of the UN are not just in demand today. They, as life has shown, are simply irreplaceable in key situations.

This is directly shown by the following extremely important fact. Despite the major disagreements on methods to resolve the Iraq crisis, the situation is ultimately returning into the legal competence of the UN.

Russia’s position is here consistent and clear: only the direct involvement of the UN in restoration of Iraq will give its people the chance to control their future themselves.

And only with active, practical cooperation, of the UN in economic and civil reconstruction will Iraq truly occupy a new, worthy place in the international community.

It is clear that in recent years the UN has increasingly had to solve fundamentally new tasks. It must deal with different dangers than in the past, but they are no less dangerous.

Three years ago – at the Millennium Summit – I said that the common enemy of the United Nations was terrorism.

Was the voice of Russia heard then, in 2000? Did everyone at the time understand the seriousness of these threats? And were our joint actions to combat them sufficient?

The events of 11 September showed that unfortunately, this was not the case. But the mark of the murderers who committed the terrorist acts in Moscow and New York, in Chechnya and other regions of Russia, against UN workers in Baghdad – this is a mark that Russia has known all too well for a long time. It is identical everywhere. And the fact that the inspirers of terror are easily recognizable – as in the August events this year, and the terrorist acts of previous years – only proves the global nature of this threat.

Yes, now we are listening to one another. And we understand that the UN must become, and it is indeed becoming, a base for a global anti-terrorist coalition.

I would particularly single out the role of the Anti-terrorist committee of the UN Security Council. Terrorism is a challenge to security and the economic future of the planet. And so this Committee should become a real, practical tool for an effective fight against the terrorist threat.

Let me make special mention of the humanitarian activity of the UN. This sphere takes up the lion’s share of the forces, time and funds of the UN – but it does not make front-page headlines very often. Not all citizens of prosperous nations know of its existence. But this function of the UN, essentially, remains fundamental and indispensable.

The UN helps for millions of destitute people on the planet to survive and keep hope – victims of hunger, diseases and conflicts. This work is extremely important. It gives the entire United Nations political and moral authority. And it is here that the interrelation between the moral and political component of international activity can be seen most clearly.

Making use of this opportunity, I would now like to thank all employees of the UN, non-governmental organizations, and of course, the numerous volunteers who take part in this noble work.

Realising how valuable the humanitarian mission of the UN is, Russia sees it as an extremely important political task. We already make a contribution, and we will increase it, to dealing with this task. Over the last three years, Russia wrote off a total of $27.2 billion in debts for developing countries, and now gives them significant rate preferences.

For the first time in many years, Russia, as its economy grows, has become a donor of the UN International food aid programmes. We know about the terror of famine from our own history. We know about it from the situation that took place in our country after the Civil War and the forced collectivization of the 20s and 30s. Famine also became a national tragedy for the peoples of Ukraine. And we consider it our moral and ethical debt to develop our participation in food aid programmes.

Russia also intends to work actively on solving serious economic problems. An important stage here will be the International Conference on climate changes, which opens next week in the Russian capital of Moscow.

We also consider it necessary to create a global system of monitoring and neutralization of dangerous infectious diseases. And we see the activity of the Global Health Foundation as a real sign of international solidarity in the battle against the spread of AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.







Respected Assembly,

Naturally, the UN, like any system with complex organization, requires improvements. But the problems of the UN – both in the past and now – were not only the organisation’s own problems. On many occasions, they were caused and continue to be reflected by contradictions in the system of international relations. And above all, in the system of international law.

For it is far from always true that politicians – including those represented in the UN and its Security Council – have sufficient and effectively working legal tools at their disposal. Tools which make it possible to adequately remove national and religious crises which arise. And in this sense, international law, of course, should be mobile, “living material”, reflecting the realities of the modern world.

I believe that the many processes taking place within the UN are also a sign of the constant changes taking place in the world. And these changes also dictate the logic of development of the UN itself.

UN members know well that all the achievements of the UN are usually our common achievements, and failures are our collective errors. But this knowledge carries a large obligation. And above all, to extremely delicate intervention in the fabric and mechanisms of UN work.

It is clear that behind every such decision there should be not general political rhetoric, not just words about so-called “just” politics. I am certain: every attempt to modernize the tools of the UN should be preceded by a very serious analysis and very precise analysis.

This above all concerns the main, international law tools of the UN. Because observing guarantees of their activity is the only chance to avoid a legal vacuum. And until legal norms are changed, as long as they are in effect, we are obliged to observe them. We are obliged to ensure constant guarantees of security for nations and the planet as a whole.

And finally, we must think together and work out which of the structures and mechanisms of the UN are effective and justified, and which ones have already fulfilled their mission or become unnecessary. And we must remember that many of the possibilities that the UN has long possessed still remain to be developed. There are many resources which we will need to learn to use.

I will make special mention of the issue of increasing the effectiveness of the UN Security Council. I am certain: the extent of still-existing disagreements and the interests of the efficiency of this body dictate to us the necessity of stage-by-stage and cautious work.

We believe that at the current stage, the main guideline remains the widest possible agreement on all aspects of expanding this body. And also the unconditional support of its current high status and the legitimacy of coordinated actions.

For the Security Council, as the UN Charter states, “acts on behalf of the United Nations”. And here, in the Security Council, a concrete mechanism exists of coordinating political will. It is a mechanism to protect the national interests of the most diverse nations. And through this, to protect the interests of the entire international community.

Yes, we often hear that developed countries have a special responsibility for the fate of the world. But this leadership carries a lot of obligations. And above all, to take into account the interests of the international community as a whole.

To be a world power means to always be together with the international community. To be a truly strong, influential nation is to see and solve the problems of peoples that are small in number and economically weak countries.

In this connection, I think it will be useful to increase work within the framework of the UN with regional international structures. This is the direct path to the growth of economic prosperity in various parts of the world. And accordingly, to limit potential threats, and support a general strategic balance in the world.

We welcome the appearance of regional centres on coordination and cooperation in a United Europe. We are in favour of integration processes being consolidated in the Asian-Pacific region. And of course, we are in favour of a growth in authority and effectiveness of work of the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Collective Security Treaty Organisation, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.

Not only Russia is interested in new forms of regional interests. Our partners in the CIS also show their practical aspiration towards this, which incidentally was confirmed at the CIS summit that just took place.

Undoubtedly, we consider the growth of multi-layer processes of interaction with the European Union to be important. And on security issues, to look for new forms of cooperation with the NATO.







Respected Assembly,

We only have the right to oppose current threats to civilization by collective responses, the legitimacy of which are not in doubt. And here we need a systematic view, combining political, and where necessary, military measures. These measures should be coordinated, sensible, and sufficient.

The improvement of the UN’s peace-making mechanisms remains on the UN agenda. The UN should be capable of more efficient and effective deployment of operations on supporting peace, and where necessary on coercion of peace. However, all this should take place in strict accordance with the UN Charter. I must say that Russia is prepared to increase its participation both in operations under the aegis of the UN, and in coalition operations sanctioned by the Security Council.

A serious challenge to modern world is the proliferation of weapons of mass destructions and means of supplying them. And the most dangerous of all is for them to fall into the hands of terrorists.

Methods of eliminating these threats are well-known. They include further universalising existing systems of non-proliferation, consolidation of international inspection tools, introduction of safe technology in nuclear production and energy. In general, nations must do away with excessive arsenals and military programs capable of destroying the military-political balance and provoking an arms race.

Russia believes it is important to avoid militarization of space. We propose the preparation of a universal agreement on this problem, and invite countries with space potential to join our initiative.

Russia’s initiative to form a global system to oppose new threats under the aegis of the UN has already been supported by the General Assembly. I suggest we pass a new resolution during this session – to specify further steps in this direction.

Ladies and gentlemen,

In conclusion, I would like to remind you: the durable structure of the UN has withstood all the upheavals of the second half of the 20th century. And there have been a great deal of them. It helped to endure all the threats of global confrontations. And particularly importantly, it helped to spread values of human rights. It helped to confirm the principles of mutual respect, and good-neighbourliness between nations.

The main lesson of the “UN school” is that humankind has no other alternative but to build a safer, more just and prosperous world together.

This is our debt to future generations. And in this fundamental task, we will be best aided by tools that have already been tested, such as the activity of the United Nations – an organization that has been making extremely important decisions for the entire world for half a century.

I repeat once more: Russia is certain that the UN’s role in international affairs should remain central. And this is particularly relevant and important in solving conflict situations. This is our choice and our strategic position.

Thank you for your attention.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22128
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Where should they dig the Very Deep Pit?
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Old July 21st, 2018 #874
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President Putin met with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan



September 25, 2003 - 20:00 - Un Headquarters, New York City







Mr Annan thanked Mr Putin for participation in the session of the UN General Assembly and spoke highly of his address.

Mr Putin stressed the United Nations’ increasing role in international affairs and the necessity to improve the work of all countries in settling the essential current problems.

A major part of Mr Putin’s address to the General Assembly concerned the improvement and reform of the United Nations.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29424






President Vladimir Putin met with Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee



September 25, 2003 - 20:35 - New York City







Mr Putin repeated his invitation to the Indian Prime Minister to visit Moscow as soon as possible.

As they discussed the situation in Iraq, Mr Putin said it was necessary to make the resolution on Iraq a serious and effective working document. Those who drafted it were to proceed from the current reality and show to the Iraqi nation that the international community was ready and able to settle the problem. He stressed that the subject would be discussed with all partners and that India’s position on the issue was of tremendous importance.







Mr Putin called for careful attention to the existing international legal instruments of the United Nations and for the utmost circumspection in reforming them. He said that guarantees of their effectiveness gave the only chance to avoid a legal vacuum in interstate relations.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29427






Speech and Answers to Questions at Columbia University



September 26, 2003 - 01:00 - New York








Vladimir Putin:

Good afternoon.

Despite the difficulties in entering the building, we have nevertheless managed to get in and this is already a positive result. I would ask you not to take offence at the security service. What can we do? This is the world that we have to live in. I often get angry with the security service – with my own and others’ – but I don’t take offence. They are doing their job, and there’s nothing you can do about it.

Mr President,

Friends,

First of all, allow me to thank Mr Bollinger. I also thank all the students who have gathered here and the professors of Columbia University for the warm and cheerful reception.

I am pleased to have the opportunity to visit one of the oldest universities in the United States. I know that next year you are celebrating your 250th anniversary. Mr Bollinger and I have already had the chance to talk about this and he told me about the university. And I want to make use of this opportunity and congratulate you on this important upcoming event.

Universities like Columbia have a particular influence on political, economic and cultural life. Here ideas are born – new ideas, and people are educated who should implement and practically apply them.

Your university is one of the recognised world centres for studying the problems of political science, theory and practice of international relations. And I would like to take this opportunity to share my views on several problems of the modern world and Russian-American relations.

One could say that for many of you, Russia has become your destiny as scholars. You know a great deal about the history of our country, its culture and traditions. You study its contemporary economy and politics. But you probably also know something else: how relations between Russia and the United States have changed in recent decades.

Unfortunately, the American school of sovietology and the Soviet school of American studies, or rather, “the study of American imperialism”, as they liked to say in Russia at the time, were for many years the hostages of politics when our countries alternated between becoming allies and bringing the world to the brink of a nuclear catastrophe.

Naturally, in these conditions, scholarly work was excessively politicised. It was not so much involved in the study of the uniqueness and diversity of American and Russian civilisations, as in finding weak points in our political systems, and looking for tools to make as many attacks as possible, and do as much damage as possible to each other. Unfortunately, the inertia of such approaches is very strong. The world has changed fundamentally and the Soviet Union is no more, but sovietology still exists.

The president of the university and I talked, and I told him: these disciplines need to be abolished. There is nothing to study! I see words inscribed on the arches of this hall: “Medicine,” “Theology,” “Philosophy”. Sovietology is not there. And this is correct, because knowledge about each other should be based on fundamental knowledge. Only then will it be objective and profound, and will help people understand each other – for Russians to understand America and for Americans to understand Russia.

We have travelled a very difficult path towards each other. Today, our countries adhere to many common values like never before. However, we can see that we are still a long way from a complete and mutual end to differences and stereotypical views about each other. To break the inertia of thinking, to oppose it with an objective analysis and positive knowledge your direct involvement is extremely important in this task.

And in connection with this, we need new and well-thought out forms of interaction with one another like we need air. And not just in the sphere of security and war on terrorism, but in general – in the economy, in politics, in culture, and in the humanitarian sphere, in the widest sense of this word.

Two weeks ago America paid tribute to the memory of the victims of September 11. I must say that those events two years ago were a true shock to Russian society, which has its own similar bitter experience because the Russian people have felt this for themselves.

I visited the fire department yesterday. I must say that I still feel a strong emotional effect from their stories and from the exhibition we looked at, with photographs of the killed fire fighters ….

Tragedies of this scale are turning points in history. They not only leave a trace in the memory, they fundamentally change and transform thinking, the system of reality and the way of life for entire peoples and nations.

Today the world must think about the nature of terrorism, about its roots. One cannot close ones eyes to the fact that explosions and assassinations are only the tip of the iceberg of such a dangerous and destructive phenomenon.

For at the basis of ideology and practice of terrorism lies an aspiration to remake the world, to deny the values of human life – both others’ and one’s own. And when I said that the aspiration to remake the world lies at the basis of terrorism, I was not exaggerating. This is what lies at the basis of terrorism. This is what they aspire to, however strange it may seem. Perhaps some terrorists have murdered two or three thousand people – it is a terrible tragedy, but do they think they can remake the world? They think they can. And their main weapon is not even terrorist acts. It is an attempt to enter people’s minds; to poison people’s minds with ideas that have nothing in common with humanism. They sow fear and hate, trample on rights and freedoms, and the democratic foundation of society.

At the same time, both of our experiences show that methods of force in fighting terrorism are far from being the only ones and they are not always effective. We believe that along with anti-terrorist operations, it is necessary to deploy a wide-ranging intellectual front to fight terrorism.

Conflicts of religions and nations that are artificially stirred up by terrorists need to be opposed with humanist values and knowledge, tolerance and extensive information about each other.

The modern world is very interdependent. And any unstable area in the world may become a source of threats for people who live on the other side of the globe. It is no coincidence that the terrorist act against the UN mission in Iraq is, in its brutality, senselessness and means of execution, a complete copy of the crimes – I repeat, a complete and absolute copy of the crimes – which terrorists committed in a number of cities in Russia.

Our countries must together, step by step, unravel the areas of regional conflicts. Together, within the framework of the UN and other international organisations, we must choose a strategy of building a more stable and just economic system. A system which should have no place for poverty or social disorder.

I purposely prepared a short introductory speech, so as not to tire you out, and I would like to leave more time for questions. But in conclusion, I would like to remind you that we are only a few years away from the 200th anniversary of diplomatic relations between our countries. In 1807, President Jefferson wrote to Russian Emperor Alexander I: “I am certain that Russia is a country that is most amiably disposed to us.”

When we have been together, we have always achieved success and triumphed over evil, tyranny and prejudice. This was the way it was during the American War of Independence, and Jefferson did not write these words for no reason: Russia was the truest ally of the United States during this period. This was the way it was during the First and Second World Wars. This is also the way it is at the moment.

I am certain any breakthroughs – in politics and in business – require new staff and serious investments in the human potential of our cooperation. And this is why joint training and exchange of specialists is so important, as well as the exchange of educational systems, and research and innovation activity. All this work lies ahead.

Knowing each other from their days as students, young people in Russia and the United States will form a view of the world that is free of stereotypes more easily and quickly. It is young people who determine the spirit and nature of relations between our nations. They determine common values that are necessary to build a safe, prosperous future for the entire planet.

I sincerely wish you success and thank you for your attention.

Please, if you have any questions, I will try to answer them.







Question:

Addressing the Federal Assembly in May of this year you described AIDS as a threat to Russia’s national security, and you spoke about it at the UN General Assembly today. What concrete steps will Russia take in this field and how will it cooperate with civil society?



Vladimir Putin:

The problem is global and, unfortunately, highly relevant to Russia. It is connected with a whole range of factors and the social component is very important here. The problem of drug addiction in Russia has never been worse.

In the era of planned economy there were many things that were wrong, which eventually led to collapse, but there were certain advantages that enabled the state to concentrate resources on the areas it considered to be important. They included public health. To restructure public health in modern conditions and create a good environment for its functioning in order to solve the social problems connected with AIDS, to solve the problems connected with drug addiction, efforts are required not only at the national but also the international level. We have a whole programme of work within the country, but of course, and I repeat it, we will do everything to pool efforts internationally. We are working on a programme at the UN, we are making our contribution, and we have some good developments, but we also borrow everything that can be borrowed from our partners, including the United States. We highly praise this cooperation and we are sure that it will bring results.



Question:

Are you planning to ask the international fund for help in combating AIDS?



Vladimir Putin:

You know, we are cooperating with the fund, and moreover, we are planning to make some contributions to it. The contributions will take the form of donations and of the transfer of our developments in the medical field. We have some good research and development in this field and we are sure it will be useful.



Question:

I have a question not about politics, but about the Russian language. As a student I very much like the colourful and apt way in which you express yourself.



Vladimir Putin:

Not always apt, but it happens.







Question:

Well, you… don’t mince your words.



Vladimir Putin:

Yes, it happens.



Question:

… And the way you make jokes, I think they are very apt. And the way you use strong language….



Vladimir Putin:

You are exaggerating. I try not to use strong language.



Question:

Well, perhaps I should have said strong expressions that are very current. Are they part of present-day Russian language? Are these the expressions that make Russian so lively and colourful?



Vladimir Putin:

I am not a philologist, but I have my ideas on the topic. Language is a living organism; it develops. And there are some things, I think, in English, in German, French and Russian that only yesterday were on everybody’s lips and were part of the slang of certain age and occupational groups, but have now been partly forgotten and are replaced with other slang. We have a lot of borrowings from the English language. We have people who are fighting for the purity of the Russian language to prevent it from borrowing anything from other languages. You know that there was a period in Russian history when the Russian aristocracy spoke mainly French. If you remember War and Peace, Natasha Rostova at a ball took her wonderful shawl and began to dance the Russian way. That was something unusual, because the aristocracy didn’t want to speak or think or dance in the Russian way. You know what happened to that aristocracy. You cannot be divorced from your collective, as we say in my country. So I think that your mode of thought and your mode of expressing your thoughts should be such that people understand you. But there must be a certain line and I hope I manage to stay on this side of it.







Question:

I have a more serious question about language and words. Many of your critics accuse you of infringing upon free speech in Russia and I wonder how you would answer them.



Vladimir Putin:

My answer is simple: we have never had free speech in Russia, so I don’t quite understand what there is to be infringed upon. As you know, we had a totalitarian state for a hundred years and before that tsarism was infringing upon everything. We had no parliamentary activities, we formed a parliament and then dissolved it and so on. Then in the early 1990s we had a resurgence of freedom. And it was interpreted in various ways by society and the press. One body of opinion holds that freedom, including freedom of the press, is permissiveness and anarchy, a wish to destroy everything at all costs. I think freedom is the possibility to express your opinion, but there must be certain limits set forth in the law. And the laws, if they are passed democratically, put natural limits on the freedom of each and every one, be it an individual or a corporation, including a media corporation.

We faced that problem during the hostage-taking in Moscow when a television company broke the rules, and let me tell you honestly, it bribed a policeman on the street, climbed to the roof of a building and broadcast live the start of the storming of the building where there were more than 800 hostages thus putting at risk the lives of all the hostages and a special forces unit of 200 men who had entered a mined building. Why did they do it? Were they driven by the fundamental ideas of freedom of the press? Of course not. They themselves formulated their aim: to beat the competition. No one, except for them had done it. Their aim was to make money. Is it right to put people’s lives on the line in quest of profits? That is not the way. There must be rules that everyone obeys.

And after that the press itself created a so-called Industrial Committee, a committee that brought together all the chief executives of the main media outlets. They themselves proposed certain rules within which the press was to proceed in critical situations. That is the first component of our life today. The second is that the press must be free, but it can only be free if it has its own economic basis. If it is fully monopolised by two or three moneybags, then it is not the freedom of the press, it is the freedom to protect corporate interests. This is my personal opinion. We may have different opinions on these matters, but you have asked me for mine and I have answered you.



Question:

Mr President, what main lessons – personal and professional – did you learn from Anatoly Sobchak?



Vladimir Putin:

He was an honest and very decent man. And in all his activities he was guided by public interests. And secondly, and I think it was an important asset of his, he could be tolerant, including of those he considered to be his enemies.



Question:

The world sees Russia as a developing democracy. How do you feel about the fact that people already call the upcoming presidential elections “Putin’s election”? And the second question: if you do have an election campaign does Russia want expats to take part in these elections?



Vladimir Putin:

As regards sticking labels on elections, I believe that it is a way of fighting one of the presidential candidates. If somebody says it will be “Putin’s elections” or, as we say in Russia, elections of an Ivanov, Petrov, or Sidorov, it is an indirect call on people not to go to the polls, an attempt to suggest to the voters that there is no point in going to the polls because the outcome is a foregone conclusion, to reduce the turnout and damage the leader, that is one way of electoral struggle.

Now regarding the people who had left the USSR to live abroad and are now interested in the political life in Russia. Only citizens of the Russian Federation can take part directly in Russia’s political life, especially elections. But we are interested in engaging with all our fellow countrymen abroad. I think it was a grievous mistake of the Soviet Union that it alienated people and failed to use the potential of the Russian diaspora abroad. For example, I twice visited Israel, and it is a Russian-speaking country; you can speak Russian in every restaurant there. There are of course some people who feel ill-done-by when they emigrated, and it still bothers them; but on the whole even the people who have never been to Russia, the children of émigrés, cultivate the Russian language and speak it freely. This is true not only of Israel but of other countries. I think that is our untapped potential. We are not doing enough in that field, and we will try to do more.







Question:

Mr President, China is in the process of perestroika, like Russia was in 1986–1991. And that process depends on the good will of the people all over the world. Russia wishes the Chinese people success in this. I have a long statement to make on the topic, but I will be brief. I ask you to allow the Dalai-Lama to visit Russia where there are a million Buddhists in Kalmykia, Tyva, and Buryatia, and I ask you to meet the Dalai-Lama personally.



Vladimir Putin:

You know, we have had long-standing and not always simple relations with our great neighbour, China. It is indeed a huge country, but not just huge; it is a great country in terms of culture and history. It is hard to give advice to the Chinese. Nobody knows China better than they themselves. They have a society that is intricately organised, and the internal links and governability of that society can easily be broken. And the consequences of such a disruption are beyond conjecture. They may affect not only China, but also the countries that are its neighbours and that are removed from it. In my opinion, we must respect the choice of the Chinese people. We are cooperating with China, it is our strategic partner and ally.

As for the Dalai-Lama and freedom of religion. The Dalai-Lama has been to Russia, as you know, and Russia has no problems with a visit by the Dalai-Lama. You know how the Chinese regard that religious figure. Unfortunately, that is their internal political problem. I hope our Chinese friends won’t take offense if I say that one of the Chinese leaders asked me privately: “How many followers of the Dalai-Lama do you have?” I replied: “Well, about a million and a half.” And he told me: “You have to choose who you want to be friends with, with these people or with a billion and a half Chinese.” Of course he was joking, but we understand what a sensitive issue it is for the People’s Republic of China. We will try to find a solution that would satisfy those Russian citizens who want to meet with the Dalai-Lama without impairing our relations with China.



Question:

Recently I have had a feeling that the old times are back. My colleagues in Russia ask me not to speak over the telephone from the hotel, not to tell all over e-mail. And there are several other things, for example, VTsIOM, which signals a new role of the FSB and other security bodies….



Vladimir Putin:

Times are changing and I think the citizens of the United States also feel some changes. Foreigners as well. For example, you make high-ranking Russian diplomats take off their shoes at the airport and take off their trousers. I hope nothing like that happens to you in Russia. And yet you do not enjoy diplomatic immunity like our diplomats. Number one.

Number two. As regards concrete instances, I have already had occasion to answer a similar question. But that other journalist was more specific, he started speaking about concrete things, and I answered every concrete question. Your question contained only one specific example, the so-called VTsIOM. What specifically is it about that organisation that worries you?



Question:

Well, it used to be an independent organisation and now it has Government representatives….



Vladimir Putin:

Excuse me, what is your name?



Question:

Mark von Hagen.



Vladimir Putin:

I was asked in Moscow too: how come? It used to be an independent organisation and now you want to turn it into a government one? Is that what you have in mind?



Question:

Yes.



Vladimir Putin:

Dear colleagues, VTsIOM is a government organisation….

(Animation in the audience)



Vladimir Putin:

… An organisation that is effectively under the Presidential Executive Office. And we want to privatise it. The VTsIOM staff do not want to be privatised, they say: we want to be part of the government structure, we want to get regular pay and to be able to make some money on the side.

You know, in order to have a normal discussion we must speak the same language and not proceed on the basis of rumours. The people at VTsIOM are unhappy because there are moves to separate them from the state. VTsIOM is headed up by a worthy man, a truly competent and prominent specialist.

Honestly, I haven’t yet looked into that problem; in my country everything tends to be privatised, regardless of whether it is necessary or not. If they don’t want to be privatised in that way and it can still be stopped, I will stop it. But then don’t tell me that we are forcing that organisation to be under our umbrella. And I assure you it is the same on all the other issues.

As regards the role of the special services, they shouldn’t poke their noses in the affairs of civil society. But they must fulfil their function of guarding the interests of the state. For a long period of time these special services were in total disarray. And it is only in recent years that we have put them all together and organised them properly and made them work. It is only now that they are putting their act together. It does not mean that they should poke their noses everywhere. There is only one way in which that can be assured: to develop the democratic structures of society and to put these special services under the control of the state and society. We are trying to do it and I think we are succeeding. If you see concrete cases that truly worry you – not VTsIOM and similar cases that have nothing to do with it – we are ready to discuss them and not just discuss, but to react.







Question:

What do you think about the plans of deprivatisation or the proposals put forward, for example, by Grigory Yavlinsky?



Vladimir Putin:

As you know in the early 1990s Russia carried out a massive sell-off of state property. And one must say it bluntly and honestly, it was not always done in a sensible way. It was not always done out of economic considerations. More often than not it was done out of political considerations. The idea behind it was to distribute property and create a social class that would allow Russia to turn back the clock towards a totalitarian society, to create a community of people who would be prepared to fight for what they had obtained. That was a method of privatisation about which the whole society had strong feelings and not only those who had gained state property. And the overwhelming majority of the members of Russian society believe it was an unfair method of privatisation. At the same time it is my deep conviction that to launch a redistribution of property now, to start deprivatisation would cause even more damage than the privatisation itself. So I am against deprivatisation, nationalisation and so on.

You have mentioned the Yabloko leader, Grigory Yavlinsky. We have repeatedly discussed the topic with him; what he proposes is not an amnesty for crimes connected with privatisation, but an amnesty of privatisation itself, an amnesty of the capitals that were obtained as a result of the carving up of state property. It is a good and sound idea, but the question is how to implement it. There are two components. The first component is legal: how to do it in an absolutely correct way legally and politically. Society must accept that method and agree to such a solution. Why? It is not only necessary for society, but for the people who got a hold of state property, if they are to feel relaxed and secure. That is not a simple task. I have an ongoing discussion about it with the leaders of various parties and groups in Russia. I discuss it with our colleagues in Europe and the US. We are thinking about it. If we find a way to do it we will do it.



Question:

In what direction will cooperation between America and Russia develop with regard to Central Asia, especially Kyrgyzstan?



Vladimir Putin:

I don’t think I need tell you what Central Asia is for Russia. For centuries Central Asia has been part of our country, Russia and then the Soviet Union. Millions of ethnic Russians live there and practically the whole population of Central Asia considers Russian to be their native tongue. And we have a special economic relationship, personal, business and humanitarian relationships. To us, it is a special region. It is in fact part of our home, part of our heart. But we are aware of the realities in which we live. The Central Asian states are independent states, members of the United Nations; they have their own presidents, governments and policies; they have made their choice and they are all members of the CIS and we are coordinating our actions with them in many areas under the auspices of that organisation. Just recently, as you know, we held a CIS summit in Yalta.

Our relations with Kyrgyzstan are making very good headway. There is considerable progress on the economic front: in the first six months of this year our trade increased by more than 7%. We are very glad that Kyrgyzstan has left the period of internal political transformations behind and that internal peace has come to the country.

We have some good plans in the energy field. As you know we have agreed to open a Russian airbase there under the Collective Security Treaty, most of whose members and Central Asian countries. This has been done to beef up the counter-terrorist capacity of the Collective Security Treaty so that the terrorists know that if necessary they will be rebuffed. As you know, two and a half years ago terrorists from Afghanistan passed through several countries unobstructed, invaded Kyrgyzstan and controlled the mountainous areas. It came as an absolute surprise for the people of Kyrgyzstan and their leaders. On that occasion we helped Kyrgyzstan by supplying arms and equipment and army fatigues. But it all happened spontaneously and unexpectedly. To rule out such surprises in the future, we have worked out a plan of joint actions. We will implement it.

We welcome the US activities in Central Asia. You know what our position has been since the start of the counter-terrorist operation in Afghanistan. We believe that but for resolute actions in Afghanistan the Taliban would still be running the country. You may have different opinions on what has been done there. Many things could have been done more effectively perhaps, but one thing is certain: if not for the resolute actions of George Bush, the Taliban would still be in control there, threatening Central Asia. It is an obvious fact and it has to be recognised. We will continue to work with the United States to solve the problems of that region.



Question:

In your speech to the UN General Assembly you did not mention the timeframe for the handover of power to the Iraqis… And the second question. What is the aim of your upcoming meeting with President Bush? Will you press for a more serious role for the UN in Iraq?



Vladimir Putin:

Your first question is practically impossible to answer. The time that it will take to settle the situation in Iraq depends on the quality of the document that we may adopt jointly. If it is a high-quality and well-considered document which will have Iraq’s trust, the trust of the Iraqi people and if the people see that the international community has truly united and is genuinely willing to help the Iraqi people to restore their sovereignty and help them occupy a worthy place in the world. If it is adopted by the leading countries in the region on which the peaceful reconstruction in Iraq depends to a large extent. If all that comes true, then settlement can be fairly quick and effective. If the resolution is but a “fig leaf” to cover up the events that are happening, then – you know I have talked with the leaders of Arab countries and they say: “Don’t play us for idiots. We will understand everything and we will withhold our support” – if that happens I think settlement will come about all the same. The coalition includes powerful states with powerful economies, large armed forces and sooner or later there will be a settlement, but it will take more time. That is all. As for what we are going to discuss with President Bush at Camp David, this is exactly what we are going to discuss. But I have already said the main thing. My position has already been reported to him. There are still many details, but we have a close and trusting enough relationship and we will try to discuss in detail how to find the golden mean. I think we should have our feet on the ground. And the reality is that today Iraq is controlled by the coalition forces, but we would like to meet the ambitions of all those who are there, the ambitions of all the interested parties. We must find the golden mean that would be best for everyone. This is what we are going to be looking for together with President Bush. He is a good man to discuss it with, probably the best.







Question:

What is your assessment of the situation in Chechnya?



Vladimir Putin:

Of course it is a complicated internal political problem for us. You know my position and I am convinced that it is very close to reality. Very close. Of course it all began with separatism and with the breakup of the Soviet Union. The trend of disintegration of the Union spread inside the Russian Federation, including some national entities, such as the Chechen Republic. The military conflict at the time could have been avoided, but it wasn’t for reasons that I am not going to comment on it today. But after Russia recognised the de facto independence of Chechnya, Chechnya did not become independent. We never recognised the independence de jure, but we practically recognised it de facto: all our armed forces, the prosecutor’s office and the police left. The vacuum was instantly filled by destructive elements from radical Islamic organisations, from international Islamic organisations. By the way, this should be borne in mind in the course of settlement in Iraq. Of course we are dealing with an internal political problem and Iraq is an international problem, but we have to be mindful of this and we should on no account create a power vacuum. In Chechnya such a power vacuum had been created and it was promptly filled by, I repeat, destructive elements from radical Islamic organisations. They effectively occupied the republic. And what did they proceed to do? They executed women in squares and then they attacked the neighbouring Republic of Dagestan. They were not content with the space they had gained and they wanted to create a new state from the Black to the Caspian Sea. It always happens that way with organisations and people of that kind. But frankly, if they had not done so, that bloody mess would still be continuing in Chechnya. Today, as you know, we held a referendum there which adopted the Constitution. The Constitution says in black and white that Chechnya is an inalienable part of the Russian Federation. The turnout to the referendum was 80%. That was more than we had expected. Frankly, I had expected a turnout of 60% and that would have been a great success. In reality, 80% turned up. A surprising result for us. It shows what people really want. They want peace, safety and normal life.

Now we face another task, the republican presidential election. Only then will the republic’s law enforcement system become meaningful because we will transfer the law enforcement powers to the popularly elected president. That is the second stage.

The next and highly important stage is the development and signing of a treaty on the delimitation of powers between the federal centre and the Chechen Republic, which will be given broad autonomy under the Russian Constitution. And the next stage will be the election of the Chechen parliament. As I have said, we have never recognised what happened in Chechnya de jure, but still they have elected a parliament and a president. And now just recently parliament of Chechnya, which called itself “Ichkeria”, passed a vote of no confidence in Mr Maskhadov. Even under the legislation of the time he has been legally deposed. From the Russian point of view there is no number one there, and there is no number one under the former set-up. So what we have to do is to ensure that a president is elected. That is what we are doing.

And in parallel of course we will strengthen the law enforcement bodies of Chechnya, which are almost 100% manned by Chechens. The prosecutor’s office, the law courts, the bar and the notary public institutions have been created. The judicial system has been created. We will work to strengthen it and to solve the social tasks, strengthen the economy and create jobs.



Question:

What is Russia’s attitude to the policy of OPEC on the prices of oil and petroleum products?



Vladimir Putin:

We are coordinating our activities with OPEC. But we are not members of that organisation and we are not going to join OPEC for the time being. I must say that Russia is interested in energy prices that are fair, but not too high. Because unlike other oil producing countries, we are very concerned about the need to boost the manufacturing sectors of the Russian economy and we believe that excessively high world prices of oil and petroleum products boomerang against us and damage our processing industries. In that sense we are a convenient partner for the main oil consumers. For your information I can say that last month the Russian Federation was producing more oil a day than Saudi Arabia. We have become number one in the world in terms of daily oil output. That’s I think 8.5 or 8.8 million barrels of oil per day. And that does not include gas; we have long surpassed everyone on gas. But we will proceed very carefully not to undermine the world oil market. We don’t want that to happen. The price must be fair both for producers and for consumers.

Thank you very much for your warm reception and I wish you all the best.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22129






President Vladimir Putin met with Henry Kissinger



September 26, 2003 - 04:30 - New York







The informal meeting with the former US Secretary of State took place at Henry Kissinger’s home.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29430






Opening Remarks with Representatives of US Business Circles



September 26, 2003 - 22:04 - New York Stock Exchange








President Vladimir Putin:

Thank you very much for your very kind words. I must say that since our arrival, of all our delegation, we have been surrounded by a very kind and warm atmosphere almost everywhere we have been in New York. You can feel this, and it is very pleasant, it creates a mood for increasing cooperation, to improve the quality of our interaction in all directions. And business cooperation with the United States is one of the priority directions of our interaction.

It is superfluous to repeat that meetings and discussions with business circles have also taken a firm position on the agenda of Russian-American summits. It is this direct contact that allows all of us – both politicians and entrepreneurs – to open new possibilities and spheres for wide cooperation. And for those who already work in Russia, I think today there will be the opportunity to receive answers from both me and my colleagues, if necessary, to the questions that interest you.

It should be said that representatives of Russian business, and representatives of other countries, aspire to become established on the New York stock exchange, and to work here.

And it is no coincidence that receiving a quotation on the New York stock exchange is a generally acknowledged estimation of commercial success, business reputation and competitiveness for any enterprise. This is how we in Russia regard work here on the stock exchange.

Today there are 5 companies from Russia represented here. They are MTC, Vympelkom, Rostelekom, Vim-Bill-Dan, and Tatneft. And three of them work in the promising and fast-developing sphere of telecommunications and high technology.

Since 1996, the volume and cost of Russian securities on the New York stock exchange has yearly grown by almost 40%. In absolute values these volumes are so far very small, but the growth rates are good, and this is an objective reflection of stable positive processes in the Russian economy and changes in its quality.

I am certain that the absolute majority of colleagues present here know this, but nevertheless, in general terms, I would remind you that in the first half of this year, in comparison with the equivalent period last year, the volume of GDP increased by 7%, industrial production by 6.9%, and investment by almost 12%. On the whole, the figures of economic growth in Russia exceed the average world level.

We are fully aware of what is happening, and how it is happening, and from which level we are beginning to move. We are not getting carried away by this success, but the tendencies are positive, this is an obvious fact. We are also managing to maintain macroeconomic stability. The level of inflation in Russia is quite high, but we are constantly reducing it. Even if the rate is low, it is still constantly dropping. And this year it will be even lower. We expect that in the course of five to seven years we should reach general world inflation figures.







It must be noted that the results achieved are not just thanks to the favourable internal economic situation, but also growing entrepreneurial and investment activity. These figures can be attributed to the structural reforms taking place in Russia and the general improvement of the business climate in the country.

In recent years, the tax burden level has significantly decreased, and the conditions for currency regulation have been simplified. We are trying to stop excessive state intervention in the economy.

It must be acknowledged that this is very difficult for us to do because of the traditions of the planned economy, when the state controlled everything, and intervened in everything. Even several years are not enough to introduce a new culture of production. This is not even because of the laws or the rules created by parliament and the government – it is because of the culture of organizing production. It requires a certain amount of time, but there is an understanding that the state should stop excessive regulation, and we will continue to advance on this path.

Legislation, including mechanisms of protecting property, has become more harmonious and generally already corresponds to the requirements of international practice.

As you know, we have set ourselves a specific strategic task – to double GDP in a decade. And I am certain that the personnel, scientific-technical and rich natural potential of the country, combined with economic and civic freedoms, should give us the desired result.

I am certain that we have every justification to also expect a breakthrough in Russian-American business partnership. In the first six months of 2003, the Russian-American trade turnover has increased by more than a third. This result was in many ways achieved thanks to the active development of energy cooperation.

At the 2nd Russian-American energy summit that was just held in St. Petersburg, guidelines for cooperation were outlined. They are the development of production and transport infrastructure, assistance for investment, the development of electric energy, gas production and joint scientific developments.

According to some assessments, Russian gas deliveries may make up over 10% of gas import to the U.S. in the next 5–7 years. We are thinking about this, thinking about transport infrastructure and logistics, in order to solve this task. And we believe that this is a fully achievable task.







In their turn, American corporations are already participating in the development of Russian oil fields. I know that colleagues are present here who work in this sphere.

There is benefit for both parties here. Russia gets access to a large market and receives investment. And the American energy balance becomes more stable and predictable.

I think that in the not very stable world we live in today, stability of economy and delivery of energy resources means a great deal.

I would also like to note that at the energy summit, the Russian company Stroitransgaz signed an agreement with Key Energy on sending Russian drilling specialists to work temporarily from six months to three years in the northern territories of the U.S. This is the first project of this kind when Russian employees in the oil and gas sphere are invited to provide professional technical services.

Another important example of effective work at the summit is, of course, the agreement between the Russian company LUKOIL and the U.S. State agency to insure private investment. The sum of credit to finance the project to construct an oil terminal is not large, a medium sum, $225 million, but the project is itself necessary, useful and interesting. And if I am not mistaken, OPEC is financing a project with 100% Russian capital for the first time.

We can see that American business has believed in the capabilities and advantages of the new Russian economy. General Motors and Ford are investing in Russian automobile construction. A new vector of our cooperation is also beginning in developing city infrastructure, the housing market, and mortgage lending.

A new promising direction in financial-economic interaction of our countries is opened by a Memorandum between Vshenekonombank, Roseksimbank and Eximbank in the U.S.A. on cooperation of financing export to third-party countries, which will be signed here, on the stock market, immediately after our meeting. At any rate, I was told that this agreement is being prepared.

Russia’s growing economy is capable of coming on to the American market not just with metals, oil and other materials, but also with investment and technology. These are just the first steps, but in my opinion, they are so far quite promising. At least, this is how we look at it. I mean the projects Norilsky Nikel, LUKOIL, Energiya, and other Russian companies.







An increasing role in our business partnership is played by branches which determine the future of the world’s economy. In connection with this, I can single out the productive work of the collective Round Table on information technology.

Here work is already underway not just on specific commercial projects, but also on opposing illegal use of new technology for terrorist goals.

I would like to mention the small but concrete investment in the U.S.A. Here, the volume is not the important thing. The new quality is important. Colleagues from the U.S.A. have seen that excellent modern Russian professionals have arrived. Very good business and personal contact has been established between the owners of enterprises and investors, and those who take part in this. And enterprises have a new life and new capabilities, and this makes it possible to create a situation that is favourable for the development of cooperation.

The “climate” in Russian-American business ties is now primarily established by major companies. But small and middle business has yet to make itself fully heard. I expect that this is also a fruitful topic for discussions in the framework of business dialogue.

On the whole, joint work is much more profitable and promising than “trade war” and archaic discriminatory bans. We are already tired of talking about endless Jackson-Vanik amendments, they seem laughable to us today. This amendment was made against a country with a non-market economy, which hindered people from travelling abroad, above all the Jewish population. I have many personal ties with people who live in Russia and in Israel. One of them became a major political figure in Israel, and he says: “I didn’t go to jail for ten years because of chicken meat.” It means there is no sense in this. It is clear that this does damage, above all moral damage to our cooperation.

In conclusion, I would like to say the following. For over two centuries now, Wall Street has remained one the symbols of the energy and business initiative of the American people, a sign of its industrial and financial power. Today, it still remains an extremely important nerve in the single economic organism of the planet.







I must stress: despite all the differences of the Russian and American economies, they are an integral part of this organism. And there is a whole series of tasks – from strengthening the international financial system to establishing possible sources of energy – in which we are, to be quite honest, equally interested.

I stress once again, the political and economic capabilities of Russia and the U.S.A. can become vital, serious and constructive, and help to create a more stable global financial and economic structure. And joint projects are both beneficial to our countries and peoples, and stimulate business activity in other regions of the world.

I am certain that a clear understanding of this objective reality, multiplied by political will and your business initiative will undoubtedly have a positive result.

I would like to wish you all success, and thank you for your attention.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22130






President Vladimir Putin visited a petrol station of the Russian oil company in LUKoil in New York



September 26, 2003 - 21:00







The filling station located on the corner of the 10th Avenue and 24th Street in Manhattan, is the company’s seventh petrol station in New York State.







The head of LUKoil, Vagit Alekperov, told the President that in 2000 the company had bought a network of 1,300 filling stations in 13 US states from Getty Petroleum that were being reformalised. LUKoil will have its sign up at 150 filling stations in the next two years.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29437






President Vladimir Putin had an informal meeting with US President George W. Bush at the Camp David presidential retreat



September 27, 2003 - 01:30 - Maryland, Usa







In a face-to-face conversation Mr Putin and Mr Bush discussed different aspects of Russian-US cooperation and relevant international issues.







Then the consultations continued with the participation of both countries’ delegations.










On the Russian side, taking part in the negotiations were Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov, Security Council Secretary Vladimir Rushailo, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Sergei Prikhodko and Russian Ambassador to the United States Yury Ushakov.







The US side was represented by Secretary of State Colin Powell, Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld and National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29440






Issues of non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, including in connection with the problems of Iran and North Korea, were discussed in detail during talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President George W.Bush



September 27, 2003 - 12:26







It is important now to give a clear but respectful sign to Iran on the necessity of continuing and increasing cooperation with MAGATE, Vladimir Putin said after the talks.

Russia does not intend to enable the appearance of weapons of mass destruction in Iran or in any region of the world. This would not be in Russia’s national interests.

Speaking of the situation of the Korean peninsula, Vladimir Putin said that it was important to block the situation and create a constructive atmosphere for dialogue. Russia believes that a consolidation of the regime of nuclear non-proliferation should be accompanied by security guarantees for North Korea. Russia is prepared to work with the U.S.A. on solving this problem.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29444






President Vladimir Putin and US President George W. Bush had a second round of negotiations



September 27, 2003 - 19:30 - Camp David, Maryland, Usa







Mr Putin and Mr Bush continued the consultations started the day before and discussed a wide range of bilateral and international problems, including efforts against terrorism, the situation in the Middle East, Iraq, Afghanistan and the Korean Peninsula, the developments in the zones of interethnic conflicts between Moldova and Transdnestr, Georgia and Abkhazia, and in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Great attention was given to the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, in particular, the Iranian and North Korean nuclear programmes.







The Presidents also discussed the prospects for promoting a dialogue between Russia and NATO, strengthening trade and economic ties between Russia and the US, cooperation in the hi-tech, missile defence, health care, housing construction, energy, aviation and space research fields.

Mr Putin and Mr Bush agreed to maintain regular contacts and gave instructions to the relevant government departments to work for the practical implementation of the broad programme of bilateral cooperation mapped out during the negotiations.

The Presidents gave a joint statement on the results of their summit and met with journalists.







At the press conference, President Putin said, in part, that the summit at Camp David demonstrated once again that the leaders of Russia and the US are fully aware of a special responsibility shouldered by them for safeguarding international security and strengthening global stability.

The Russian leader noted with satisfaction that the partnership between Russia and the US is immune to political considerations and, despite all difficulties, rests on the principles of trust, openness and respect for each other’s interests.

Mr Putin expressed hope that the multi-faceted Russian-American cooperation will continue to develop in the future and will bring practical results for the benefit of the two nations.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29442






Camp David Summit Communique



September 24, 2003



President George W. Bush and President Vladimir V. Putin held productive discussions at Camp David, Maryland, on September 26 and 27, 2003. Building on the Joint Declaration on the New Strategic Relationship of May 24, 2002, and other joint documents, they focused on practical ways to broaden and deepen cooperation and partnership between the United States and Russia, overcoming obstacles and fulfilling their shared vision of a new strategic relationship to deal with the challenges and opportunities of the 21st Century.

The Presidents discussed a broad range of bilateral and international issues, including counter-terrorism; preventing proliferation of weapons of mass destruction; the situations in the Middle East, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, and the six-party talks on North Korea; the situations in Moldova/Transnistria, Georgia/Abkhazia, and Nagorno-Karabakh; strengthening the NATO-Russia relationship; progress in creating conditions to expand economic and commercial relations; cooperation in high technology, housing and health; and people-to-people contacts, as well as other questions of mutual interest.

The Presidents agreed on next steps in a number of areas to strengthen the existing U.S.-Russia partnership. They issued specific instructions to their respective governments identifying tasks to be undertaken by the appropriate agencies and specifying timelines for doing so, and they underscored their shared intention to monitor fulfillment of these tasks. In particular, they identified key areas where progress might be made in the near term, including, among other issues:

implementing effectively the Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty (Treaty of Moscow), and continuing efforts to increase transparency and build confidence on strategic issues;

building cooperation between the American and Russian military establishments, as critical to joint efforts in areas such as counter-terrorism, missile defense, and peacekeeping;

strengthening commercial and economic relations through further cooperation in enhancing global energy security, eliminating barriers to trade and investment, promoting high-technology cooperation, and protecting intellectual property rights;

strengthening consultation and cooperation in dealing with regional problems;

and deepening cooperation in the battle against HIV/AIDs, which will benefit the United States and Russia, and contribute to the global effort against this modern plague.

The Presidents agreed to remain in close contact to ensure progress across the broad agenda that they have defined.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/supplement/1725






Joint Press Conference with US President George W. Bush



September 27, 2003 - 11:40 - Camp David, Maryland, USA








President Bush:

Thank you all for coming. I'm proud to welcome my friend, Vladimir Putin, to Camp David. President Putin has visited the White House, he's visited our ranch in Crawford, and now he visits Camp David. I'm honored to have him here, and I appreciate the great dialogue we've had last night and today.

For decades, when the leaders of our two countries met, they talked mainly of missiles and warheads, because the only common ground we shared was the desire to avoid catastrophic conflict. In recent years, the United States and Russia have made great progress in building a new relationship. Today, our relationship is broad and it is strong.

Russia and the United States are allies in the war on terror. Both of our nations have suffered at the hands of terrorists, and both of our governments are taking actions to stop them. No cause justifies terror. Terrorists must be opposed wherever they spread chaos and destruction, including Chechnya. A lasting solution to that conflict will require an end to terror, respect for human rights and a political settlement that leads to free and fair elections.

President Putin and I talked about expanding our cooperation in Iraq and in Afghanistan. The President and I agree that America, Russia and the entire world will benefit from the advance of stability and freedom in these nations, because free and stable nations do not breed ideologies of murder or threaten people of other lands. I was encouraged that – that it was clear that our governments will continue to work together on this very important matter, a matter of freedom and peace.

The President and I also discussed ways to broaden Russian-American military cooperation. We're determined to improve our joint ability to fight terror, to keep peace in troubled regions and stop the spread of weapons of mass destruction. We strongly urge North Korea to completely, verifiably and irreversibly end its nuclear programs. We strongly urge Iran to comply fully with all of its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. We're seeking to intensify our missile defense cooperation, because both of our countries are threatened by outlaw regimes that could be armed with deadly weapons.

We welcome the growing economic relationship between our two countries. We will continue to work together to expand cooperation in the energy sector. We recognize lower trade barriers and mutual investment will benefit both our nations. American and Russian officials are meeting more often and discussing broad range of issues.

Old suspicions are giving way to new understanding and respect. Our goal is to bring the U.S.-Russian relationship to a new level of partnership. I respect President Putin's vision for Russia: a country at peace within its borders, with its neighbors, and with the world, a country in which democracy and freedom and rule of law thrive. Because of the President's vision and his desires, I'm confident that we'll have a strong relationship which will improve the lives of our fellow citizens, as well as help make the world more peaceful.

Mr President, welcome.







President Vladimir Putin:

Thank you very much.

Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen.

First of all, I would like to cordially thank the President of the United States of America, Mr Bush, for his invitation. Our host has created, beginning yesterday, a very relaxed and tranquil atmosphere, conducive to having a calm and open, very frank talk on the key problems of the modern world and on the broader picture of relations between Russia and the United States.

Our talks today have once again confirmed that our relations are based on a clear vision and a clear understanding of special responsibility of Russia and the United States for ensuring international security and strengthening strategic stability. We have been convinced once again that our partnership is not subject to political deal making. Despite all the difficulties that we have to overcome, the spirit and the basic principles of our relationship have remained the same: mutual confidence, openness, predictability and consideration and respect of each other’s interests of each other.

We value very much the level of relationship that we have reached with the United States. According to already established tradition, President Bush and I have focused on specific issues.

And the war on terrorism continues to be one of the priorities of our cooperation. I agree with the assessment that the President of the United States has just given. In this sphere, we act not only as strategic partners. We are allies.

Our agencies are conducting an open and a professional dialogue on the entire range of interaction in this sphere, including attempts by terrorist organizations to commit new terrorist acts and to gain access to weapons of mass destruction.

We have also discussed today about the implementation of provisions of the Treaty on Strategic Offensive Reductions. After the ratification of the treaty, its implementation, in our assessment, is going successfully. We intend to take this work under our control in the future, as well.

Russia and the United States intend to pursue close cooperation for strengthening international regimes and non-proliferation mechanisms. We discussed in detail the situation concerning the nuclear programs of Iran and North Korea. It is our belief that it is now important to give a clear but respectful signal to Iran about the necessity to continue and expand its cooperation with IAEA.

As for the North Korean nuclear problem, I believe that the priority now is to unblock the conflict situation around the Korean Peninsula to create a favourable climate, favourable atmosphere for a constructive dialogue. And Russia believes that ensuring nuclear non-proliferation regime should be accompanied by extending guarantees to North Korea in this sphere of security. We intend to continue our joint work with the United States in resolving this issue.

I would like to stress separately the situation around Iraq. Our countries, just like the entire international community, have a common task: to ensure the speediest possible settlement and normalization of the situation in Europe. We want to see Iraq a free, democratic and united state. We believe that in solving the very difficult problems that the people of Iraq are facing today, an important role shall be played by the Provisional Governing Council of Iraq, along with the special representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations.

We also talked about the situation in the Middle East. And we believe that there is no reasonable alternative to consistent implementation of the road map.

Significant attention during the negotiation was paid to Russian-American cooperation in trade and economic sphere. I would like to remind you that in the first six months of 2003, the volume of Russian-American mutual trade has increased more than by one-third. It's a good platform for future progress.

There are also good grounds for future cooperation in the energy sphere. We are also improving cooperation in the sphere of information and communication technologies and in the exploration of space.

And in conclusion, I would like to draw the primary result of our negotiations. We have succeeded in reaching substantial progress on the way of forming the relations of real and mutually respectful partnership between Russia and the United States.

I would like to thank President Bush for his constructive approach and for his interest in the discussion of all the questions, of all the issues that we have touched upon. This was a very useful meeting.

Thank you.







President Bush:

Thanks. We'll take a couple of questions here, two per side.



Question:

Yes, sir. You mentioned that you talked about Iran. Did you receive any specific commitments from President Putin that Russia would stop selling nuclear technology to Iran?

And to Mr Putin, are you ready to make any commitments now to contribute either troops or resources in Iraq? And, if not, what will help you to get there?



President Vladimir Putin:

We indeed paid much attention to this issue. I would like to reiterate that Russia has no desire and no plans to contribute in any way to the creation of weapons of mass destruction, either in Iran or in any other spot, region in the world. We comply firmly with the provisions of the Non-Proliferation Treaty. This is in our national interest. As to the joint work, we are ready to proceed. As to our possible participation in the in the settlement in Iraq, in the normalization of life in Iraq, Russia is interested in seeing it take place as soon as possible. At the same time, we understand that this is a very complicated process that should be based on a solid legal and administrative base, and should go ahead stage by stage. The degree and the extent and level of Russia's participation in the restoration of Iraq will be determined after we know the parameters of the possible resolution on Iraq from the UN Security Council.



Question (Interfax):

There is an opinion that Russian-American relations have, nevertheless, a declarative character. Have you given any specific instructions to your governments about what you discussed in your communique?



President Bush:

Yes.



QUESTION to Mr Bush:

Sir, the question is, as you know, as you probably do know, Mr. President, visa practices implemented by your embassies abroad, including by your embassy in Russia, with respect to those people who would like to travel to the United States, do not add sympathies to your country. And do you know that even journalists who came here to cover your visit had to undergo – undergo a special interview at the embassy in Moscow? And do you expect any changes to take place in these practices? And as a follow-up question, can I be assured that my question will not lead to a denial of visa for me, personally?



President Bush:

No. Nyet. (Laughter.) No, the President raised the issue of visas. He expressed concern that our visa policy was cumbersome and didn't expedite the travel of legitimate journalists and business people and artists and educators. Our intention is not to slow down visits. Our intention is to make sure that visitors who come are reasonable people. What is happening, is that policy — the visa policy changed after September the 11th, 2001, and we're trying to make it as modern and as efficient as possible. And we've got some work to do.

And it was so long that you asked your first question, I'll try to remember what it was. Oh, yes. Yes, we've got a checklist of things we need to work through. We understand that it's one thing to set a strategic vision for our relationship, but there must be practical consequences of the relationship. We're tasking different agencies and agencies' heads with discussions and action plans that we will be able to monitor.



President Vladimir Putin:

Regarding the declarative character of the relations between Russia and the United States. Where do, as we say in Russia, the “legs grow from”, in questions of this nature? This all happens because people constantly expect some kind of revolutions from us. Positive development in the relationship is no longer sufficient for them. I would like to point out that due to rapprochement between Russia and the United States we manage to establish and to create in the world, an atmosphere of trust and strategic stability. This had very practical results, including in such sensitive areas as combating terrorism. I have never said this in public, but I'm going to today. When the counterterrorist operation began in Afghanistan, we were approached by people, through several channels, who intended to fight against Americans in Afghanistan. And if by that time President Bush and I had not formed an appropriate relationship, as we have, so no one knows what turn the developments in Afghanistan would have taken. You know what Russia's position was, and it helped, to a great extent, to achieve the results that we are seeing today. But the situation is very complicated, of course.

I have just said that in the six first months of this year alone, the volume of our mutual trade has increased by more than one third. We are talking about Russia's balanced policy in the world energy sphere. We conduct a very high level energy dialogue with the United States, at the very highest level. And it's difficult to say what prices would be now for fuel in international energy markets would be now, if we had not had such dialogue. We continue to pursue cooperation in such sensitive areas as space. According to the results of today's meeting, we have compiled a checklist of different issues on which we have given instructions to specific agencies in our government. That is why our cooperation is not declarative, but extremely concrete and pragmatic.







Question:

Mr President, are you disappointed that more countries have not come forward with pledges of aid for Iraq's reconstruction?



President Bush:

I am pleased with the amount of cooperation we're receiving – a coalition of nations inside of Iraq working hard to bring security to that country, as well as to help rebuild a country. I recognize that some countries are inhibited from participation because of the lack of a U.N. resolution. We are working to get a satisfactory resolution out of the U.N. We spent some time discussing that today.

As well, there will be donor conference – a donor conference that we will be attending, and look forward to getting more participants. It is in the national interest of free nations that Iraq be free and peaceful. And one of the things that interested me about Vladimir's comments was that he recognizes that we cannot allow power vacuums to exist into which rogue nations will enhance their capacity to hurt free nations.

So our message is two-fold. On the one hand, it's in the interest of nations to work for a secure and peaceful Iraq. And, secondly, it's in our – in our moral interest to help the Iraqi people get back on their feet after living under such tyranny. Remember, we discovered torture chambers, rape rooms, and mass graves where children and women, as well as men, had been brutalized and buried.



Question:

The question is for both presidents. Now we can state that despite differences over Iraq, these differences have not led to the worsening of relations either between you, personally, or between our two countries. How can it be explained, due to what reasons did it actually happen?



President Bush:

Trust. Listen, Vladimir and I had some very frank discussions about Iraq. I understood his position. He understood mine. Because we've got a trustworthy relationship, we're able to move beyond any disagreement over a single issue. Plus, I like him, he's a good fellow to spend quality time with.



President Vladimir Putin:

Thank you, George, for your warm words. I would like to confirm everything that has been said by the President, and to make a response. I would like to add just one more thing. There are two reasons why such problems between our states and between us, personally, have not emerged. We had differences over Iraq, in terms of practical ways how to resolve this problem, but we had understanding on the essence of this problem. And the second and the most important point is that the fundamental interests of our two countries are much more solid, are much stronger than the developments that you have just mentioned. And in our actions, we wish to be guided by these strategic interests of our two countries, without excessive emotions or ambitions.

Thank you.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/22131






President Vladimir Putin returned to Moscow after a four-day visit to the USA



September 28, 2003 - 07:10










President Putin had a long talk with President of the Chechen Republic Akhmat Kadyrov during the flight from Washington to Moscow. They discussed issues related to the social and economic development of Chechnya. Mr Kadyrov informed the President of the process of returning refugees to the republic.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/29443
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Some fresh news this week:






Meeting with State of Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas



Vladimir Putin received President of the State of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas in the Kremlin.



July 14, 2018 - 14:40 - Moscow, Kremlin







Taking part in the meeting on the Russian side were Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov, Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov, Minister of Labour and Social Protection, Chairman of the Russian part of the Intergovernmental Russian-Palestinian Commission for Trade and Economic Cooperation Maxim Topilin.








President of Russia Vladimir Putin:

Mr President,

It is a pleasure to see you. You are always a welcome guest in Russia.

I know that the situation in the region is complicated, but I appreciate it that you used the FIFA World Cup as an excuse to visit Moscow. We are happy to have this opportunity to hold consultations with you both on bilateral relations and on the situation around Palestine, near Palestine, on regional matters.

We will have a chance to discuss both bilateral relations and the situation developing in the region, as I already said. I am glad to have this opportunity to inform you of our contacts with your neighbors, with leaders of other countries of the region.

Welcome.







President of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas (retranslated):

Mr President,

Thank you for this opportunity to meet with you.

We are very happy to come to Moscow, especially now. In fact, the entire world is following the developments in Moscow with the World Cup. Apart from these sporting events, everyone has highlighted the successful arrangement of such a large-scale sports competition by the Russian Federation. This is the result of the efforts undertaken by the Russian side, the leadership of the Russian Federation, for the successful organization of this World Cup.

The hosting of this World Cup has already become an example of how such large-scale sports events should be held. In this regard, let me congratulate you on everything you managed to achieve – first of all I mean the World Cup – and these are not only my congratulations, these are congratulations from the whole world.

Relations between Russia and Palestine are truly special. We always find time to meet and continue the development of our cooperation. Our regular meetings help us discuss relevant issues at both bilateral and regional level. And we are always glad to listen to and receive benefit from your advice, including through your contacts with leaders of the countries of the region.

Today both our region and Palestine are going through a very difficult time indeed and I can say that there is another crisis emerging in Palestine. First of all, these are attempts and plans of Israel regarding new settlements near the village of Khan al-Ahmar, which is not far from Jerusalem, and this concerns us very much. This is a very sensitive problem for Palestine, we feel the danger, and thousands of people living in the aforementioned area have to be awake day and night to prevent the Israeli leadership from implementing its plans.

Israel’s settlement activity is a problem representing the biggest importance for us, as this is very dangerous. We try to use all possible means to oppose their actions. Once again, I would like to stress that the problem of the area I mentioned is extremely relevant for us today.

As you know, our relations with the United States of America are experiencing a difficult time of their history. You must also be aware that we stopped all contacts with the Americans. This is, first of all, connected with the fact that they continue trying to implement the so-called ‘deal of the century’ and we believe that the first step to implement this was the relocation of the US Embassy to Jerusalem. Additionally, the Americans decided to remove from the negotiating table such relevant issue for us as Palestinian refugees.

Generally speaking, we are dissatisfied, we oppose the attempts of the Americans to impose their resolution of the most pressing Palestinian problems. This has resulted in the break in our contacts.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/57994






Meeting with President of Gabon Ali Bongo Ondimba



The President of the Russian Federation met with President of the Republic of Gabon Ali Bongo Ondimba.



July 14, 2018 - 15:50 - Moscow, Kremlin








President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin:

Mr President, colleagues,

It is a great pleasure to welcome you in the Kremlin. Thank you for finding an opportunity to visit.

I would like to highlight, in the beginning of our meeting, that this year, in October, we mark the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our countries and I draw attention to the fact that relations between our states are developing in all directions. Unfortunately, the total volume of trade is not large yet, but the growth rates are impressive.

There is naturally a lot of work to do for us, including the regional settlement in Central Africa. We know that Gabon takes the most active part in this, making a significant contribution to this joint work.

Mr President, we are very happy to see you.







President of Gabon Ali Bongo Ondimba (retranslated):

Mr President,

First and foremost, let me thank you for the opportunity you provided to me – to see and meet you. I am also grateful to you for the hospitality we have felt since we have been here.

Additionally, I would like to thank you, as your country was one of the first to send greetings after the elections. I would also like to use the opportunity and congratulate you on the same, on your election.







Mr President, I came here to tell you something you already know: Africa needs you. Your country is a huge country, which has enormous capabilities and which can, of course, contribute a lot to the continent.

I am also glad that Russia is not indifferent to the settlement of a conflict that is in direct proximity to us: I am referring to the settlement in the Central African Republic. We have our own contingent in the Central African Republic. Gabon is now chairing the Economic Community of Central African States and this community is directly involved in settling the conflict in the Central African Republic. I think it would be good if we united or efforts to finally establish peace in this country.







Mr President, everyone talks about Africa today, from most various angles. This continent is rich in resources, and we observe how many major states fight each other to gain access to these resources.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/57996






Meeting with President of Moldova Igor Dodon



Vladimir Putin met with President of the Republic of Moldova Igor Dodon.



July 14, 2018 - 17:00 - Moscow, Kremlin







Attending the meeting on the Russian side were Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov, Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov, Deputy Prime Minister and Special Presidential Representative for the Development of Trade and Economic Relations with the Republic of Moldova Dmitry Kozak.








President of Russia Vladimir Putin:

Mr President, colleagues,

Allow me, from the very bottom of my heart, to offer you my sincere greetings and to welcome you here in the Kremlin.

We regularly meet at various venues, but this time we are glad to see you in Moscow.

Mr President, we closely follow the development of the situation with our neighbors, including that in Moldova, we see the efforts you undertake to stabilise Russian-Moldovan relations, and we will facilitate this process in every possible way.

You must be aware already that a special presidential representative for the development of trade and economic ties with the Republic of Moldova has been appointed – Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Government, Mr Kozak. I hope that, with his experience, he will substantially facilitate our cooperation.

We will talk today about these areas of our efforts to stabilise and develop inter-governmental ties.







President of Moldova Igor Dodon:

Thank you very much.

Mr Putin, esteemed colleagues,

First of all, let me congratulate you on the top level organisation of the FIFA World Cup and a very good performance by the Russian national team. Believe me, all of Moldova – not only the President, but everyone followed the games and are pleased with the result you achieved.

I am very happy to exchange [views] with you on issues of bilateral cooperation. Of course, the latest period has seen ups and downs in our relations.

Among the positive aspects I would stress that, pursuant to our agreements [reached] 18 months ago, when I paid my first visit to the Russian Federation as President, during this period supplies of our goods to the market of the Russian Federation substantially increased thanks to our joint efforts.

Issues on immigrants were resolved. I would like to stress that there was serious progress on the Transnistria matter. I had three meetings with the leader of Transnistria over the period of the last 1.5 years and we were able to substantially resolve the issues on the agenda for resolving problems of the residents of both the left and the right banks.

In connection with this, I would like to re-affirm my position and the position of most citizens of the Republic of Moldova: we believe that the peacemaking mission in the Dniester, the role of Russian peacemakers – this is a successful mission and attempts to undermine or discredit it – believe me, most citizens of the Republic of Moldova understand this. Moreover, last week marked 26 years of this peacekeeping mission, we consider it a success and one that should be continued.

I would like to thank you for the cooperation you provided in getting us observer status at the Eurasian Economic Union. The first session with our employees has already taken place in Moscow. For us this direction and integration projects within the CIS are very important and we believe that both as part of the CIS and the Eurasian Economic Union we can achieve additional results for our economic agents.

Our position is clear and understandable. We want to be friends with everyone, but we do not want to be used geopolitically against someone else. We do not intend to be friends with the West against Russia, this is my position. And despite the fact that within the country there is the Government and a parliamentary majority that might think differently, in several months elections will be held and the situation will change.

I would like to say a big thank you for the new special representative, a person who has serious experience in this area. I hope we will meet with him in the upcoming days and discuss everything in greater detail.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/57997






Meeting with President of Sudan Omar al-Bashir



Vladimir Putin met with President of the Republic of Sudan Omar al-Bashir in the Kremlin.



July 14, 2018 - 17:40 - Moscow, Kremlin








President of Russia Vladimir Putin:

Mr President,

esteemed colleagues,

It is a pleasure to welcome you in Russia.

We met a little more than six months ago in Sochi. Now we can talk once again within the framework of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, as part of these events.

I must say that over this period of time – a short one, but still – there have been positive changes in our relations. The trade turnover, in general, is not big yet, but the pace is very good – a twofold increase over the past year.

Sudan became a major buyer of our wheat: almost 1.5 million tonnes were purchased in the previous period.

We have very good opportunities to develop relations in a number of areas including the military-technical sphere, and this cooperation is developing.

We are happy to see you, Mr President. Welcome.







President of Sudan Omar al-Bashir (retranslated):

Thank you very much, we value highly and are grateful to you for this chance to meet. It is extremely pleasant for me that during our visit to Russia for various events, we have a chance to meet in person.

Let me congratulate you on the successful World Cup, which is taking place in your country, and let me assure you that this is the best World Cup in history.







Vladimir Putin:

Thank you.







Omar al-Bashir:

This is why, in your person, I would like to congratulate the entire Russian people and your colleagues.

Let me also congratulate you and all the Russian people on your re-election to the post of President of the Russian Federation.

And as you correctly said, Mr President, after our last meeting in Sochi, our relations really demonstrated a positive dynamic.

As for the economic sphere, we are developing a programme to share information and opinions on how we can develop these relations.

Russian companies, including those producing mineral resources, actively work in Sudan. There will also be a meeting devoted to the agricultural sphere in September.

We hope that work to start tourist exchanges will kick off soon. We also encourage the participation of Russian oil and gas companies, so that they would work in our country.

Of course, there are positive shifts in the military-technical sphere and in military cooperation. We see big exchanges between specialists of Russia and Sudan. A big number of Russian specialists work in our country and this is why we highly praise the role that your country plays in preparing Sudanese military personnel. I would like to thank and express gratitude for the experience Russia shares with our country in this sphere – military-technical and military.

As for the political field, we highly praise the dialogue taking shape between our officials and the position that Russia holds on the international arena. I am referring to the position of your country as opposed to the position of London at the UN Security Council regarding the withdrawal of forces of the UNAMID mission.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/57998






Telephone conversation with President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan



Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan.



July 14, 2018 - 21:40



Vladimir Putin once again congratulated the Turkish leader on his victory in the recent election and official inauguration.

Both parties highlighted their mutual aspiration to further promoting cooperation in many different directions.

Pressing issues of the international and regional agendas were discussed. Special attention was paid to settling the Syrian crisis on the basis of the corresponding resolutions of the UN Security Council and agreements reached as part of the Astana format.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58000






Meeting with Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orban



Vladimir Putin met with Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orban to discuss current issues of the two countries' cooperation.



July 15, 2018 - 13:00 - The Kremlin, Moscow



Attending the meeting on the Russian side were Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov, and Healthcare Minister and Co-Chair of the Russian-Hungarian Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation Veronika Skvortsova.








President of Russia Vladimir Putin:

Mr Prime Minister, colleagues,

Welcome to Moscow.

You have kept your promise and came for the World Cup final. There is nothing surprising about that since we all know you as a good footballer who loves football.

I hope you will enjoy today's match.

Of course, I am glad to have this opportunity to talk to you about some current issues. Our cooperation has been developing successfully. Last year, our mutual trade grew by 25 percent, event slightly more, according to our data. During this year's first three months, it showed the same growth.

As a result, the revenues of our Hungarian partners who work on the Russian market are increasing as well. Our major projects in energy and nuclear power are underway according to plans.

I note with satisfaction that we have diversified cooperation, for instance, in pharmaceutics and engineering. One of your companies has 4 percent of the Russian market in terms of medication deliveries and production. This is a very good indicator.

We have a lot to talk about. I am very glad to see you.







Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orban (retranslated):

Mr President,

I would like to thank you for the opportunity to be here. My congratulations on the wonderful World Cup and the professional organisation of this event. Those who were unable to attend it should regret it. But I am not my own enemy; I am very glad to be here.

Also, I have had an opportunity, for the first time in my life, to spend two full days in St Petersburg and three days Moscow. This is the first time in my life that I have had this wonderful opportunity. These two cities are diamonds of the European civilisation. I do not quite understand those who are eager to travel from Budapest to visit the Vienna State Opera but do not want to visit the Bolshoi Theatre, which is a gem of European culture. Naturally, both cities made a deep impression on me.

There was also a political aspect to my visit: I left for the NATO Summit straight from St Petersburg.

As regards bilateral relations, we also think that they are progressing well. Thank you, Mr President, for mentioning this. Frankly, if it were not for the sanctions, which are causing damage, we could be advancing even faster. Of course, these measures are harmful, and we are missing many opportunities. I would like to assure you, Mr President, that we support the normalisation of relations between Russia and the West.



Vladimir Putin:

Thank you very much for your kind words and for your view of Moscow and St Petersburg’s importance for European and world culture. But we know that Hungary has at least two such diamonds: Buda and Pest. There are others as well.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58003






Meeting with Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani



After the World Cup host mantle handover ceremony to Qatar in the Kremlin, Vladimir Putin had a meeting with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.



July 15, 2018 - 14:00 - The Kremlin, Moscow







Taking part in the meeting on the Russian side were Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov, Energy Minister and Co-Chairman of the Russian-Qatari Commission for Trade, Economic and Technical Cooperation Alexander Novak, Russian Special Presidential Representative for Syrian Settlement Alexander Lavrentyev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of Rosoboronexport Alexander Mikheyev, and CEO and Chairman of the Management Board of Rosneft Igor Sechin.








President of Russia Vladimir Putin:

Your Highness, I would like to congratulate you once again on today's event – passing on to you the next World Cup mantle.

The only thing that puzzled me during today's ceremony is your statement that your team is going to repeat the success of the Russian team in this tournament. (Laughter.) Because after the performance our team has shown we will now expect even greater results from them next time. What will happen when our two teams play each other?

But I am sure, and I would like to repeat it, I have known you for a long time, Your Highness. I know that you and all your colleagues, your subjects will make every effort to ensure that the 2022 FIFA World Cup is held at the highest level. We will all prepare for it and will do all we can to support you.

I am certainly glad to use this opportunity to discuss our bilateral relations, and to exchange information on the situation in the region.







Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani (retranslated):

Thank you, Mr President. I would like to thank you for the ceremony we just attended, for your invitation, and for the opportunity to meet with you.

I would like to assure you that our country will make every effort to prepare the 2022 World Cup. As you know, Mr President, around 200 Qatari specialists, members of the 2022 local organising committee are currently in Russia, working with their Russian counterparts. It is really a terrific experience. I would like to thank you for this opportunity, for the fact that our Russian friends have opened the doors to us.







As I said, I have been talking about this since 2010, we will work to make the 2022 World Cup an excellent tournament, because this event is extremely important for the whole region. As you know, Arab countries are now facing difficulties, and we hope that this event will help us overcome them.

As for the success of our teams, of course, the Russian team has achieved a lot. We will try very hard, although it will be difficult to repeat its success. We are a small country, but we are very fond of sports and we love football.







As you know, athletes are very optimistic people, and after the Russian team made it out of the group, we immediately remembered that two years ago we defeated your team in a friendly match, so we say that we would have gone further. But it was a friendly match, so, naturally, the results are different there.

Allow me once again to thank you for this event and for the whole tournament. Thank you.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58005






Meeting with President of Croatia Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic



Vladimir Putin met with President of Croatia Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic in the Kremlin.



July 15, 2018 - 15:10 - The Kremlin, Moscow







Attending the meeting on the Russian side were Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov and Minister of Economic Development Maxim Oreshkin.








President of Russia Vladimir Putin:

Madam President, friends,

Welcome to the Kremlin.

First of all, of course, I would like to congratulate you on the successful performance of your national team at the World Cup.







President of Croatia Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic:

(in Russian) Thank you.







Vladimir Putin:

I am sure today we will see an interesting and exciting performance as well.

We have made every effort to provide all the necessary conditions for the players, including for your team. I think that our respective national teams played very well during their match – it was wonderful and very impressive, and brought joy to millions of fans.

Madam President, since our last meeting last year, the relations between our countries have been developing very successfully. For the first time since 2014, we observed a positive dynamics of trade growth last year. The same stable growth was observed in the first quarter of this year. Your economy has about $400 million of Russian direct investments. I hope this figure will grow.

We have a lot to talk about. We are very glad to see you.







President of Croatia Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic (retranslated):

Mr President,

I would like to express heartfelt thanks to you, not only personally and on behalf of the delegation that arrived with me, but also on behalf of all Croatian representatives of the national team, the Croatian team and all Croatian fans who are staying in Russia during the World Cup and feel totally at home.

Before we proceed to considering bilateral issues, I would like to say a couple of words as an avid football fan. I want to congratulate you on this World Cup being an example for the rest of the world of how such events should be organised, because you not only ensured the freedom of movement for football fans but also prevented any incidents or statements that can be seen as hate speech. This is a true example for everyone in the world. I hope that this World Cup will be cherished as such by people.

Mr President, I would like to once again thank you personally for inviting me. This is the third time I have visited Russia, and I would like to thank the receiving side for organising these trips. I feel very much at home here, and I am very pleased about the way I was welcomed in Nizhny Novgorod and Sochi. Our fans and I feel totally at home.







I am very pleased that our formal meeting today begins with a pleasant informal moment *–* an anticipation of Croatia's possible victory.

Let us proceed to more serious issues. Our meeting today is taking place at a special time, just between the latest NATO summit and your upcoming meeting with US President Donald Trump. This meeting is also taking place amidst important things happening in Russia-Croatia relations.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58006






Meeting with President of France Emmanuel Macron



Vladimir Putin met with President of France Emmanuel Macron in the Kremlin.



July 15, 2018 - 15:50 - The Kremlin, Moscow








President of Russia Vladimir Putin:

Mr President, friends. It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to the Kremlin.

First of all, I would like to congratulate you on the holiday France celebrated yesterday – I already sent a message, but now I am happy to do it in person – Bastille Day. And of course, on your team reaching the World Cup final. We will be watching the match tonight and I am sure that the game will be intense, exciting and beautiful, and will please millions of fans around the world.

I am certainly glad to have this opportunity to talk about our bilateral relations. In this regard, I would like to note a positive trend in trade and economic sphere: last year’s growth of trade was around 15 percent, while in the first six months of 2018, it is 19 percent.

The large interparliamentary commission is scheduled to meet soon; that is, the usual cooperation mechanisms are gradually being restored. This gives grounds to believe that we will overcome all the difficulties encountered in the previous period, and will embark on the path of positive development of multifaceted ties.

In this regard, I would like to note that your visit as part of the St Petersburg Economic Forum gave a good impetus to the development of our relations.







President of France Emmanuel Macron (retranslated):

Thank you, Mr President, for the reception.

I would like to repeat, I am very glad to come here again. Indeed, I made a commitment earlier to come to St Petersburg, from the moment our team makes it to the semi-finals, but today I came here to support my team in the final.

I would like to give credit to your team, which achieved great success, making it so far, and doing it in spite of all the forecasts. They did just great.

I also wanted to congratulate the entire country, the host country of this World Cup, on an excellent organisation of this event, which was followed in all regions of the world, and people from all regions came here. Everything was organised with excellent security; everything was just perfect.







Today's meeting is a good chance to continue our dialogue, the exchange of views we started on May 24 and 25 in St Petersburg. We discussed a series of bilateral issues, as you have already mentioned. We also discussed a number of international and regional issues as we often do, first of all, the situation in Syria. We made certain commitments and implemented a number of measures.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58007






Meeting with IOC President Thomas Bach



Vladimir Putin met with President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach.



July 15, 2018 - 17:00 - The Kremlin, Moscow








President of Russia Vladimir Putin:

Mr President,

Welcome to Moscow. I am very glad that you came for the World Cup final match and we have an opportunity to meet and talk.

You have probably already seen the assessments from specialists and athletes. I hope we have managed to duplicate the success of hosting major international sports events, which we demonstrated while organising the Olympic Games in Sochi.

I am very pleased to have this opportunity to meet with you and talk about the interaction between the Russian National Olympic Committee and the International Olympic Committee.

Welcome.







IOC President Thomas Bach (retranslated):

Thank you very much, Mr President, for this kind welcome. It is a great honour for me to visit Russia to attend the World Cup final.

I would like to offer my sincere congratulations on the immense success of the World Cup. Indeed, Russia has shown once again its ability to host such major events due to its exceptional organising skills.

This is undoubtedly a tremendous success for all Russian people, who have shown that they are warm-hearted and friendly hosts. I think that the warm welcome shown by Russians to foreign guests has perhaps changed many assessments that could be heard in various countries, and proved that Russia is indeed a kind and friendly host.

My congratulations.



Vladimir Putin:

Thank you very much.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58008






Russia-US summit



President of Russia Vladimir Putin and President of the United States of America Donald Trump have met in Helsinki for their first full-scale summit meeting. Before this, Mr Putin and Mr Trump had met on the sidelines of various international events.



July 16, 2018 - 18:30 - Helsinki







The Russia-US summit began with a one-on-one meeting, to be followed by talks that will be attended by the Russian and US delegations. Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump discussed ways to normalise bilateral relations, as well as current international issues.

Following the talks, the two presidents made statements for the press and answered questions from media representatives.








President of Russia Vladimir Putin:

Mr President, I am delighted to meet with you here, in Helsinki, the capital of hospitable Finland.







We have maintained regular contact. Over the past few months, we have talked on the phone and also met several times at various international events.







Of course, the time has come to hold in-depth discussions on bilateral relations and global problems, the number of which shows that we must devote our attention to them.







(In English.) Thank you very much.







President of the United States of America Donald Trump:

First of all, Mr President, I would like to congratulate you on a really great World Cup, one of the best ever, from what everybody tells me, one of the best ever, and also for your team itself doing so well.







I watched quite a bit. In the United States we call it soccer, and I watched quite a bit of it. And I watched the entire final, and the semi-finals, and they were really spectacular games, and it was beautifully done. So congratulations, on that.







Most importantly, we have a lot of good things to talk about, and things to talk about. We have discussions on everything from trade to military, to missiles, to nuclear, to China. We will be talking a little bit about China, our mutual friend President Xi.







I think we have great opportunities together as two countries, and frankly we have not been getting along very well for the last number of years. I have been here not too long, but it is getting close to two years. But I think that we will end up having an extraordinary relationship. I hope so. I have been saying it, and I am sure that you have heard over the years, as I campaigned, that getting along with Russia is a good thing, not a bad thing.







And I really think the world wants to see us get along. We are the two great nuclear powers, we have 90 percent of the nuclear, and that is not a good thing, it is a bad thing. I think we can hopefully do something about that because it is not a positive force, it is a negative force. So we will be talking about that among other things.







And with that the world awaits, and I look forward to our personal discussion which I thinks begins now, and then we are going to meet our whole team. You have quite a few representatives, and I do. We all have a lot of questions, and ultimately we will come up with answers, most importantly. It is great to be with you.







Thank you very much. Thank you everybody.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58014






News conference following talks between the presidents of Russia and the United States



Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump made press statements and answered journalists’ questions.



July 16, 2018 - 18:35 - Helsinki








President of Russia Vladimir Putin:

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen,

The talks with President of the United States Donald Trump were held in a candid and business-like atmosphere. I think they were quite successful and beneficial.

We reviewed the current state and prospects of Russia-US relations and key international issues. It is obvious to everyone that our bilateral relations are undergoing a complicated period but there is no objective reason for these difficulties and the current tense atmosphere.

The Cold War ended long ago, the era of acute ideological confrontation belongs to the distant past, and the situation in the world has fundamentally changed.

Today both Russia and the United States are facing completely different challenges – the mechanisms of international security and stability are dangerously out of balance, there are regional crises, the spread of the threat of terrorism and cross border crime, crime in general, growing world economic problems, environmental and other risks. It is possible to cope with all this only by working together. I hope we will come to this same understanding with our American partners.

Today’s talks reflected the shared desire of President Trump and myself to correct the negative situation in bilateral relations and map out initial steps to improve them, restore an acceptable level of trust and return to the former level of cooperation on all issues of mutual interest.

As a major nuclear power, we have special responsibility when it comes to international security. I consider it important, as we discussed, to get the dialogue on strategic stability and the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction on track. We made a note with a number of concrete proposals on this matter available to our American colleagues.

We believe that continued joint efforts to fully work through the military-political and disarmament dossier is necessary. That includes the renewal of the Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty, the dangerous situation surrounding the development of elements of the US global missile defence system, the implementation of the Treaty on the Elimination of Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles, and the topic of deploying weapons in space.

We are in favour of continued cooperation in the sphere of combating terrorism and ensuring cybersecurity. Notably, our special services are working together quite successfully. The most recent example of that is the close operational interaction with a group of US security experts as part of the World Cup in Russia that ended yesterday. Contacts between the special services should be made systematic. I reminded the President of the United States about the proposal to reconstitute the anti-terror working group.

We covered regional crises extensively. Our positions do not coincide on all matters, but nonetheless there are many overlapping interests. We should be looking for common ground and working more closely, including at international forums.

Of course, we talked about regional crises, including Syria. With regard to Syria, restoring peace and harmony in that country could serve as an example of successful joint work.

Of course, Russia and the United States can take the lead in this matter and organise cooperation to overcome the humanitarian crisis and help refugees return to their hearths.

We have all the requisite elements for effective cooperation on Syria. Notably, Russian and American military have gained useful experience of interaction and coordination in the air and on land.

I would also like to note that after the terrorists are routed in southwest Syria, in the so-called “southern zone”, the situation in the Golan Heights should be brought into full conformity with the 1974 agreement on the disengagement of Israeli and Syrian forces.

This will make it possible to bring tranquillity to the Golan Heights and restore the ceasefire between the Syrian Arab Republic and the State of Israel. The President devoted special attention to this issue today.

I would like to emphasise that Russia has a stake in this course of events and will adhere to exactly this position. This will constitute a step towards establishing a just and durable peace on the basis of UN Security Council Resolution 338.

It is good that efforts to gradually solve the problem of the Korean Peninsula have begun. This became possible largely because President Trump got personally involved and pursued dialogue in the spirit of cooperation rather than confrontation.

During the talks we openly discussed Russia’s concern over the US withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on the Iranian nuclear issue. The US knows our position. It remains unchanged. To underscore, due to the nuclear deal Iran has become the country most heavily inspected by the IAEA. This guarantees the exclusively peaceful nature of the Iranian nuclear programme and facilitates the consolidation of the non-proliferation regime.

Returning to our discussion of the Ukrainian crisis, the importance of observing the Minsk agreements in good faith was noted. The United States could be more resolute in insisting on this and could motivate Ukraine’s leaders to engage in this work.

We paid special attention to the economy. Obviously, there is interest in cooperation in the business circles of both countries. The US delegation was one of the biggest at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum in May. It consisted of over 500 US entrepreneurs.

To develop trade and investment, President Trump and I agreed to establish a high-level group that would unite captains of Russian and American business. Business people better understand how to go about mutually beneficial cooperation. Let them consider what can be done and make recommendations.

Once again President Trump touched on the so-called Russian interference in the electoral process in the United States. I had to repeat what I said many times before, including during my personal meeting with the President: Russia has never and will never interfere in US domestic affairs, including the electoral process. We are ready to examine all concrete materials that may be presented, for example, in the framework of the cybersecurity working group, the establishment of which we discussed during our meeting in Hamburg.

And, of course, it is time to unfreeze Russian-US ties between civic organisations and in the cultural and humanitarian sphere. As you know, recently we received a delegation from the US Congress, which was considered almost a historic event, when it should be a regular occurrence.

On this note, we have proposed that the US President think not only on practical issues but also on the philosophy underlying long-term bilateral relations. It would be useful to involve experts on the history and nuances of Russian-US cooperation in this process.

Our idea is to establish an expert council composed of influential Russian and US political analysts, academics, prominent former diplomats and military officers, which would work on finding points of convergence and ways to put bilateral cooperation on a sustainable positive trajectory.

In general, we are satisfied with our first full-scale meeting. Let me say once again that before this, we had only met briefly at international forums. President Trump and I had a good conversation. I hope now we understand each other better, and I thank Donald for this.

Of course, numerous problems remain. We have not managed to clear all the blockages, which would be impossible in one meeting. But I believe we have taken an important first step in this direction.

In conclusion I would like to note that our Finnish hosts helped to create the working atmosphere during the talks. I thank to the leadership of Finland, the Finnish people and residents of Helsinki for what they have done. We know that we have caused a lot of inconvenience for people in Helsinki and we apologise for this.

Thank you for your attention.







President of the United States Donald Trump:

I have just concluded a meeting with President Putin on a wide range of critical issues for both of our countries. We had direct, open and deeply productive dialogue. It went very well.

Before I begin, I want to thank President Niinistö of Finland for graciously hosting today’s summit. President Putin and I were saying how lovely it was and what a great job they did. I also want to congratulate Russia and President Putin for having done such an excellent job in hosting the World Cup. It was really one of the best ever, and your team also did very well. It was a great job.

I am here today to continue the proud tradition of bold American diplomacy. From the earliest days of our republic, American leaders have understood that diplomacy and engagement is preferable to conflict and hostility. A productive dialogue is not only good for the United States and good for Russia, but it is good for the world.

The disagreements between our two countries are well-known. President Putin and I discussed them at length today. But if we are going to solve many of the problems facing our world, then we are going to have to find ways to cooperate in pursuit of shared interests. Too often in both the recent past and long ago we have seen the consequences when diplomacy is left on the table.

We have also seen the benefits of cooperation. In the last century our nations fought alongside one another in the Second World War. Even during the tensions of the Cold War, when the world looked much different than it does today, the United States and Russia were able to maintain a strong dialogue. But our relationship has never been worse than it is now.

However, that changed as of about four hours ago. I really believe that. Nothing would be easier politically than to refuse to meet, to refuse to engage, but that would not accomplish anything. As President, I cannot make decisions on foreign policy in a futile effort to appease partisan critics, or the media, or Democrats who want to do nothing but resist and obstruct.

Constructive dialogue between the United States and Russia forges the opportunity to open new pathways toward peace and stability in our world. I would rather take a political risk in pursuit of peace than to risk peace in pursuit of politics. As President, I will always put what is best for America and what is best for the American people.

During today’s meeting, I addressed directly with President Putin the issue of Russian interference in our elections. I felt that this was a message best delivered in person. We spent a great deal of time talking about it, and President Putin may very well want to address it, and very strongly, because he feels very strongly about it, and he has an interesting idea.

We also discussed one of the most critical challenges facing humanity: nuclear proliferation. I provided an update on my meeting last month with Chairman Kim on the denuclearisation of North Korea, and after today I am very sure that President Putin and Russia want very much to end that problem. They are going to work with us, and I appreciate that commitment.

The President and I also discussed the scourge of radical Islamic terrorism. Both Russia and the United States have suffered horrific terrorist attacks, and we have agreed to maintain open communication between our security agencies to protect our citizens from this global menace. Last year we told Russia about a planned attack in St Petersburg, and they were able to stop it cold. They found them, they stopped them, there was no doubt about it. I appreciated President Putin’s phone call afterwards to thank me.

I also emphasised the importance of placing pressure on Iran to halt its nuclear ambitions and to stop its campaign of violence throughout the area, throughout the Middle East.

As we discussed at length, the crisis in Syria is a complex one. Cooperation between our two countries has the potential to save hundreds of thousands of lives. I also made clear that the United States will not allow Iran to benefit from our successful campaign against ISIS. We have just about eradicated ISIS in the area.

We also agreed that representatives from our national security councils will meet to follow up on all of the issues we addressed today and to continue the progress we have started right here in Helsinki.

Today’s meeting is only the beginning of a longer process, but we have taken the first steps towards a brighter future, and one with a strong dialogue and a lot of thought. Our expectations are grounded in realism, but our hopes are grounded in America’s desire for friendship, cooperation and peace, and I think I can speak on behalf of Russia when I say that also.

President Putin, I want to thank you again for joining me for these important discussions and for advancing open dialogue between Russia and the United States. Our meeting carries on a long tradition of diplomacy between Russia and the United States for the greater good of all. And this was a very constructive day, these were very constructive few hours that we spent together. It is in the interests of both of our countries to continue our conversation, and we have agreed to do so. I am sure we will be meeting again in the future often, and hopefully we will solve every one of the problems that we discussed today.

So again, President Putin, thank you very much.







Question:

I have a question for the President of the United States.

During your recent European tour, you said that the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project and other projects make Europe hostage to Russia. You suggested saving Europe from this dependence by supplying US liquefied gas.

This past cold winter proved the viability of the current energy supply system in Europe, at a time where the United States was forced to buy additional liquefied gas, including from Russia, to cover the heating needs of Boston.

So, my question: is your idea more of a political nature? Might it lead to a situation where a gap could develop in Europe’s energy supply system which would impact primarily the consumer countries?

And a second question, if I may. Before the meeting with Mr Putin, you called him a rival, but left hope that, perhaps, you would be able to take these relations to a friendly plane. Did you succeed?



Donald Trump:

No, actually, I called him a competitor, and a good competitor he is. And I think the word ‘competitor’ is a compliment. I think that we will be competing when you talk about the pipeline. I am not sure necessarily that it’s in the best interests of Germany or not, but that was a decision that they made. We will be competing. As you know, the United States is now – or soon will be, but I think it tactually is right now – the largest in the oil and gas world, so we are going to be selling LNG and will have to be competing with the pipeline. And I think we will compete successfully, although there is a little advantage locationally. So I just wish them luck, I mean, I did discuss it with Angela Merkel in pretty strong tones, but I also know where they all are coming from and they have a very close source, so we will see how that all works out. But we have lots of sources now, and the United States is much different than it was a number of years ago, when we weren’t able to extract what we can extract today. So, today we are number one in the world at that and I think we will be out there competing very strongly. Thank you very much.



Vladimir Putin:

I would like to add a couple of words to that.

I spoke with the President, including on this topic. We are aware of the President’s position. But I believe that we, as a major oil and gas country – and the United States is also such a country – could work constructively to regulate international markets, because we are not interested in a sharp drop in prices below the lower limit. Our producers, including the United States with its shale oil and gas, will be affected by this.

The profit margin of production comes to naught below certain levels. We are not interested in excessively high prices either, because they can kill refining, engineering and other branches of the economy. We have things to discuss and there is room for cooperation. This is my first point.

Second, with regard to Nord Stream 2, the President expressed concerns about the possible end of transit across Ukraine. I assured him that Russia is willing to keep this transit in place. Moreover, we are willing to renew the transit contract, which expires next year, if the dispute between economic agents is settled in the Stockholm Arbitration Court.







Question:

Mr President, you tweeted this morning that it is US “foolishness”, “stupidity” and the Mueller probe that are responsible for the decline in US relations with Russia. Do you hold Russia at all accountable for anything in particular, and if so, what would you consider that they are responsible for?



Donald Trump:

Yes, I do. I hold both countries responsible. I think that the United States has been foolish, I think we have all been foolish: we should have had this dialogue a long time ago. A long time, frankly, before I got to office. And I think we are all to blame. I think now the United States now has stepped forward along with Russia, and we are getting together, and we have a chance to do some great things, whether it is nuclear proliferation in terms of stopping – because we have to do it ultimately, that is probably the most important thing that we can be working on. But I do feel that we have both made some mistakes. I think that the probe is a disaster for our country. I think it has kept us apart. It kept us separated. There was no collusion at all. Everybody knows it. People are being brought out to the fore – so far that I know, virtually none of it related to the campaign – and they are going to have to try really hard to find somebody that did relate to the campaign. That was a clean campaign. I beat Hillary Clinton easily and, frankly, we beat her – and I am not even saying from the standpoint…we won that race, and it is a shame there can be even a little bit of cloud over it. People know that, people understand it, but the main thing – and we discussed this also – is zero collusion. And it has had a negative impact upon the relationship of the two largest nuclear powers in the world. We have 90 percent of nuclear power between the two countries. It’s ridiculous, it’s ridiculous what is going on with the probe.







Question:

For President Putin, if I could follow up as well… Why should Americans and why should President Trump believe your statement that Russia did not intervene in the 2016 election given the evidence that US intelligence agencies have provided? And will you consider extraditing the 12 Russian officials that were indicted last week by a US grand jury?



Donald Trump:

We, I’m going to let the President answer the second part of this question, but, as you know, the whole concept of that came up perhaps a little bit before, but it came out as a reason why the Democrats lost an election, which, frankly, they should have been able to win, because the Electoral College is much more advantageous for Democrats, as you know, than it is for Republicans. We won the Electoral College by a lot – 306 to 223, I believe – and that was a well-fought battle. We did a great job, and, frankly, I am going to let the President speak to the second part of your question, but just to say it one time again, and I say it all the time: there was no collusion; I didn’t know the President; there was nobody to collude with; there was no collusion with the campaign. And every time you hear about all of these twelve or fourteen, it’s stuff that has nothing to do – and frankly, they admit – these are not people involved in the campaign. But to the average reader out there, they are saying well, maybe that does. It doesn’t. And even the people involved – some, perhaps, told mysteries, or in one case the FBI said there was no lie, and somebody else said there was. We ran a brilliant campaign, and that is why I am President. Thank you.



Vladimir Putin:

Regarding whom you can believe and whom you can’t, you shouldn’t believe anyone. What makes you think President Trump trusts me and that I fully trust him? He defends the interests of the United States of America. I defend the interests of the Russian Federation. We do have converging interests, and we are seeking common ground. We have issues that we disagree on so far. We are seeking options to settle these differences and make our work more constructive.

We should not rely on the momentary political interests of some internal political forces in our countries but on facts. Tell me at least one fact that proves collusion during the election campaign in the United States. This is total nonsense. We did not know each other, the President just said this. It is only natural that the Russian public developed a certain attitude towards the candidates. There is nothing unusual about this.

While a candidate, Mr Trump spoke of the necessity to restore Russia-US relations. Naturally, the Russian public developed a liking for this candidate, and different people expressed this attitude in different ways. Isn't it natural to have a liking for a person who wants to build relations with our country? This is normal.

We heard accusations against the company Concord. As I understand it, this company hired American lawyers, and the accusations against it just fell apart in a US court. Just follow what happens in US courts. This is what you should base your view on, not on rumours. This is the first thing.

Second, as for the 12 alleged Russian intelligence officers, I don’t know about this yet. I have to find out what it is you’re talking about. The President also asked me this question.

What can I say? Generally, we talked about this, but now it occurs to me what I can suggest. There is the Treaty between the United States and the Russian Federation on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters of 1999. By the way, this has proven effective. We initiate up to 150 legal proceedings in Russia at the request of other countries. Several years ago, our former nuclear industry minister was extradited by the United States to Russia and received a sentence in court here. It is an effective treaty. The treaty provides concrete procedures for cooperation.

We can suggest that your relevant commission led by US Special Counsel – what is his name, Mr Mueller or Meller? – should send us, in compliance with this treaty, an official request for interrogating the people that he believes to be guilty of committing a crime. Our Prosecutor-General’s Office and investigative agencies can interrogate these people and forward the relevant materials to the United States.

Moreover, we can take another step to meet you halfway. We can allow US official representatives, including those from the Mueller-led commission, to be present at the interrogation. Certainly, in this case, we will be seeking reciprocal steps from the United States. We’ll expect the American party to interrogate the officials, including the US intelligence officers, who are suspected of committing illegal acts in Russia, in the presence of our investigation officers.

I mean the high-profile case, involving [Bill] Browder’s Hermitage Capital company. According to our investigative officers, a group of people – Mr Browder’s business partners – who illegally made over $1.5 billion in Russia did not pay taxes either in Russia or the United States but transferred this money to the United States. They contributed $400 million to Ms Clinton’s election campaign. This is official information included in their reports – $400 million. Well, it was up to them, they might have done this legally, but the gains were ill-gotten.

We have grounds to suspect that US intelligence officers supported these illegal transactions. This is only one step forward. We can talk about expanding our cooperation. You’re welcome, there might be options that are provided for in the appropriate intergovernmental treaty.







Question:

My first question is for Mr Trump in English. Mr President, would you please go into the details of any possible specific arrangements for the US to work together with Russia in Syria, if any of this kind of arrangements were made today or discussed?

If you allow me, a question for President Putin in Russian too. As the subject of football was touched upon several times today, I will ask my question in the language of football. Mr Pompeo said a little earlier that when it comes to discussing coordinated activities in Syria, it’s Russia’s ball now. Mr President, is this true? If so, how did you take advantage of having possession?



Donald Trump:

Well, I guess I will answer the first part of the question.

We’ve worked with Israel long and hard for many years, many decades. I think that never has any country been closer than we are. President Putin also is helping Israel, and we both spoke with Bibi Netanyahu. And they would like to do certain things with respect to Syria, having to do with the safety of Israel. So, in that respect we absolutely would like to work in order to help Israel, and Israel will be working with us, so both countries would work jointly. And I think that when you look at all the progress that has been made in certain sections with the eradication of ISIS – we’re about 98–99 percent there – and other things that have taken place that we have done and that, frankly, Russia has helped us within certain respects. But I think that working with Israel is a great thing, and creating safety for Israel is something that both President Putin and I would like to see very much.

One little thing I might add to that is the helping of people. The helping of people – because you have such horrible…if you see…and I have seen the reports, and I have seen pictures. I have seen just about everything. And if we can do something to help the people of Syria get back into some form of shelter on a humanitarian basis. And that’s what the word was, really: a humanitarian basis. I think that both of us would be very interested in doing that, and we will do that. Thank you very much.







Question:

Excuse me, but for now no specific agreements, for instance, between the militaries?



Donald Trump:

Well, our militaries do get along. In fact, our militaries actually have gotten along probably better than our political leaders for years, but our militaries do get along very well and they do coordinate in Syria and other places. Ok? Thank you.



Vladimir Putin:

I have already mentioned that we spoke about humanitarian cooperation. I discussed this issue with the President of France, Mr Macron, yesterday and we agreed to step up these efforts with European countries, France included. On our part, we are ready to provide military transport aircraft for humanitarian cargoes. President Trump and I spoke about this as well, and I believe there is room for improvement here.

What is important? Now large numbers of refugees are concentrated in countries bordering on Syria, such as Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan. If we help these people return home, the migration pressure on European Union countries and other countries could be reduced multiple times over. I consider this to be extremely important from all standpoints: both from the humanitarian standpoint, and that of solving the refugee problem.

On the whole, I really agree with the President. Our military cooperation is going quite well. I hope that they will continue to be able to come to agreements just as they have been. We will keep working in the Astana format as well, I mean Russia, Turkey and Iran. I also informed Donald about this today. We are willing to link these efforts with the efforts of the so-called small group of countries to make this a broad process and for us to have the greatest chance of success.

As for the ball being on our side where Syria is concerned. The President just mentioned that we successfully organised and hosted the World Cup. As for the ball… I would like to pass the ball to the President, all the more so because the US will host the World Cup in 2026.



Donald Trump:

That’s right, thank you very much, we do host it, and we hope we do as good a job. That is very nice. That will go to my son Barron, there is no question. In fact, Melania, here you go.







Question:

Thank you. A question for each president. President Trump, you first. Just now, President Putin denied having anything to do with the election interference in 2016. Every US intelligence agency has concluded that Russia did. My first question for you, sir, is who do you believe? My second question is, would you now, with the whole world watching, tell President Putin? Would you denounce what happened in 2016 and would you warn him to never do it again?



Donald Trump:

So let me just say that we have two thoughts. You have groups that are wondering why the FBI never took the server. Why haven’t they taken the server? Why was the FBI told to leave the office of the Democratic National Committee? I have been wondering that, I have been asking that for months and months, and I have been tweeting it out, and I have been calling it out on social media. Where is the server? I want to know. Where is the server and what is the server saying? With that being said, all I can do is ask the question. My people came to me, Dan Coats came to me and some others. They said they think it is Russia. I have President Putin – he just said it is not Russia. I will say this: I do not see any reason why it would be.

But I really do want to see the server. But I have confidence in both parties. I really believe that this will probably go on for a while, but I don’t think it can go on without finding out what happened to the server. What happened to the servers of the Pakistani gentleman that worked on the DNC. Where are the servers? They’re missing. Where are they? What happened to Hillary Clinton’s emails? 33,000 emails gone, just gone. I think in Russia, they would not have been gone so easily. I think it is a disgrace that we can’t get Hillary Clinton’s 33,000 emails.

So, I have great confidence in my intelligence people, but I will tell you that President Putin was extremely strong and powerful in his denial today. And what he did is an incredible offer: he offered to have the people working on the case come and work with their investigators with respect to the 12 people. I think that’s an incredible offer. OK. Thank you.



Vladimir Putin:

Let me add a couple of words to that.

I have worked in intelligence too, and I know how these dossiers are compiled. This is my first point.

My second point is that I consider Russia to be a democratic state. I hope you do not deny this to your country, the United States of America, either. Is the United States a democratic state? If so, then the final ruling in a dispute of this kind can only be made in court, not an intelligence service.

The company I mentioned, Concord, and one of our restaurateurs are being accused of interference. However, they do not represent the Russian state. Even if that is the case, I can imagine. So what? I have given you examples. You have many people, including those with major billion-dollar fortunes, such as Mr Soros. He interferes everywhere he can, but what is this? Is it the position of the American state? No. This is the position of a private person. So it is in this case.

There is a trial in a US court, and the court is always the final instance. Let them figure it out, we will see. This applies to private individuals only, not to the state. I have already spoken about the latest accusations against the alleged employees of our special services. There is an intergovernmental agreement. Go ahead and send an official request. Let the Mueller Commission send us a request, we will do our part and provide an answer.

We can expand this cooperation, as I already mentioned, but only on a reciprocal basis. We, then, would also expect the United States to provide access to the persons we believe are the special services employees. Let's discuss these matters in substance rather than use Russia-US relations as a bargaining chip in the domestic political strife in the United States.







Question:

A question for President Putin, thank you. Two questions for you, sir. Could you tell me what President Trump may have indicated to you about officially recognising Crimea as part of Russia? And secondly, sir, do you, does the Russian government have any compromising material on President Trump or his family?



Vladimir Putin:

President Trump sticks to a well-known position on Crimea. He speaks about the illegal nature of annexing Crimea to Russia. We have a different perspective on this. We believe that we held a referendum in strict compliance with international law and the UN Charter. This case is closed for Russia. This is my first point.

My second point is with regard to some compromising materials. I heard about us allegedly collecting dirt on Mr Trump when he was in Moscow. Colleague, when Mr Trump came to Moscow, I was not even aware that he was there. I respect President Trump as head of the United States, but when he came here as a businessman, I was not even aware that he was in Moscow.

Over 500 high-ranking US businessmen came to the St Petersburg Economic Forum. I do not even remember their names. Do you think we are doing intelligence work and collecting compromising material on each one of them? It is hard to imagine bigger nonsense. Please get this rubbish out of your head.







Question:

A question for President Putin, thank you. Two questions for you, sir. Could you tell me what President Trump may have indicated to you about officially recognising Crimea as part of Russia? And secondly, sir, do you, does the Russian government have any compromising material on President Trump or his family?



Vladimir Putin:

President Trump sticks to a well-known position on Crimea. He speaks about the illegal nature of annexing Crimea to Russia. We have a different perspective on this. We believe that we held a referendum in strict compliance with international law and the UN Charter. This case is closed for Russia. This is my first point.

My second point is with regard to some compromising materials. I heard about us allegedly collecting dirt on Mr Trump when he was in Moscow. Colleague, when Mr Trump came to Moscow, I was not even aware that he was there. I respect President Trump as head of the United States, but when he came here as a businessman, I was not even aware that he was in Moscow.

Over 500 high-ranking US businessmen came to the St Petersburg Economic Forum. I do not even remember their names. Do you think we are doing intelligence work and collecting compromising material on each one of them? It is hard to imagine bigger nonsense. Please get this rubbish out of your head.







Donald Trump:

I have to say if they had it, it would have been out long ago. And if anybody watched Peter Strzok testify over the last couple of days, and I was in Brussels watching it, it was a disgrace to the FBI, it was a disgrace to our country, and you would say that was a total witch hunt. Thank you very much, everybody. Thank you.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58017






Meeting with President of Finland Sauli Niinistö



Vladimir Putin met with President of the Republic of Finland Sauli Niinistö.



July 16, 2018 - 20:00 - Helsinki







Vladimir Putin thanked Sauli Niinistö for the opportunity to hold Russia-US summit in Helsinki.








President of Finland Sauli Niinistö (retranslated):

Mr President, Russian guests, welcome to Finland. I have yet to welcome you as you had lengthy talks with the US President.







President of Russia Vladimir Putin:

First, I would like to thank you for the opportunity to hold this Russia-US summit in Helsinki. Today, it seems, Helsinki has become the world's political capital.

In performing the functions of a capital, any city faces certain difficulties, I mentioned this at the news conference. We offer our apologies to city residents for any inconvenience. This meeting was indeed substantive and useful.

As regards bilateral relations, we will be able to talk about this in detail during your visit to Russia on August 22. Overall, I can say that they are developing very successfully. Last year, our mutual trade grew by 37 percent, while in the first six months of this year it grew by another 26 percent.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58018






Greetings on opening of European Mixed Team Judo Championship



Vladimir Putin sent his greetings to the participants, organisers and guests of the first European Mixed Team Judo Championship.



July 18, 2018 - 15:00



The message reads, in part:

“I would like to note that recently the International Olympic Committee decided to include this event in the programme of the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, so it is a great honour and responsibility for Russia to host a tournament of such a level. I regard it as recognition of Russian judokas’ outstanding achievements and their contribution to the development of the best traditions of judo and the promotion of its values and ideals.

I believe that this championship will be held with good grace and will promote international humanitarian ties, professional contacts and friendship.”

Mixed team judo competitions will make their debut at the 2020 Olympics. Yekaterinburg is the first city to host the European championship.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58033






Telephone conversation with Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu



July 20, 2018 - 14:00



President of Russia Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister of the State of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu continued their discussion on developments in the Middle East with an emphasis on the Syrian settlement process.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58070






Telephone conversation with German Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel



July 20, 2018 - 18:00



Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with Federal Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel.

The discussion touched on a number of international and regional issues.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58077






Telephone conversation with President of France Emmanuel Macron



Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron.



July 21, 2018 - 14:20



Following up on the talks held on July 15 in Moscow, Vladimir Putin and Emmanuel Macron discussed a number of international and regional problems.

Special attention was devoted to humanitarian aspects of the Syrian settlement process, including the implementation of a joint Russian-French initiative on rendering assistance to the population of Eastern Ghouta.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58081
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Gala concert ahead of the FIFA World Cup final



Vladimir Putin visited the Bolshoi Theatre to attend a gala concert starring world opera stars ahead of the 2018 FIFA World Cup final.



July 15, 2018 - 00:40 - Moscow










Invitations to the event were sent to foreign delegations that have arrived in Moscow to attend the World Cup final, to the FIFA President and FIFA Council members, heads of football organisations, football legends and World Cup attendees.

After the concert, Vladimir Putin had a brief conversation with former President of Madagascar Didier Ratsiraka.








President of Russia Vladimir Putin:

Mr Infantino, ladies and gentlemen, friends,

A few hours remain before the 2018 World Cup is over. Today, a short time before the final match, I think we are united by a common feeling.

We look forward to the match that will determine the world football champion but, at the very same time, we are sad that this huge celebration of sport that has given us so many positive emotions, memorable experiences and new friendships is nearing its end.

Russia adopted a comprehensive and responsible approach to preparing for the World Cup, and we are sincerely happy that it has been a success and has united millions of people globally around football.







Our efforts have been praised by athletes, who we have accommodated in a way for them to show their maximum potential, and by the media, assisted around-the-clock by staff at 11 city press centres of the tournament.

Fans, too, have praised us. I would like to stress that by coming to Russia to support their national teams they have shown how diverse this football family is. But also, they have shown its very best qualities: friendliness, being one in spirit, staying true to sports principles, and the ideals of equality and mutual respect.

We are grateful for the millions of kind words that our guests have said about Russia and its people, and we are glad that they have appreciated the hospitality, openness, nature, culture and traditions of our large country. We are pleased that our guests had the opportunity to see it with their own eyes, and that the myths and prejudices have been laid to rest.

We know that foreign fans have said repeatedly that they would like to come back bringing their friends and family members with them. We will make sure that the people who have fallen in love with Russia enjoy as relaxed visa controls as possible, that they can continue to explore our country especially since it can build on boundless potential — a testament to Russia’s multi-faceted, unique and great character, the openness of its people to friendship, cooperation, useful and creative joint projects, and common goals.







The FIFA World Cup, just as other major international sports competitions, has a unique ability to bring people together, reveal the real power of what is known as people’s diplomacy, which has always served to strengthen peace and prosperity on our planet, this common home of ours, enormous, diverse, and beautiful.

I would like to thank once again all those who made the decision to hold the 2018 World Cup in Russia, and Mr Infantino personally for the opportunity to host such a grandiose event, to express our gratitude for the trust that I hope we have lived up to, and for the support we received during the preparations. And, most importantly, for having faith in Russia as a country that keeps its promises, respects its partners, and stays true to the great spirit and principles of sport.

Friends, the World Cup is coming to an end, but we are not bidding farewell to you. In Russia, we always welcome old friends and new friends, and now have made many more of those. Thank you all, and I hope to see you again.

Thank you for your attention.







FIFA President Gianni Infantino:

Dear President Putin. Dear friends. (In Russian.) Dorogiye druzya.

It is a great emotion for me tonight to be here in this incredible theatre, the Bolshoi, and to say a few words to you.

Unfortunately, I don’t speak Russian yet. (In Russian.) Ya ne govoryu po-russki. But I will learn. Because as President Putin said, friends are always welcome in this country, and we will certainly come back.

The world is here tonight, Mr President, and tonight on the eve of the final of the World Cup, in the beautiful Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, tonight is the night as well to say thank you. (In Russian.) Spasibo, spasibo bolshoye.







Thank you, of course, to the players, the main actors of this World Cup, who were shining on the field and gave us all great, great emotions. To the coaches, who were shouting and trying to bring their teams with the best spirit on the pitch. To the referees, who were excellent in this tournament and have helped us to have an honest and transparent competition.

To the fans, the millions, hundreds of millions of fans from all over the world and hundreds and thousands of fans who came to Russia starting from the South American fans, of course, from Colombia, from Peru, from Argentina, from Brazil, also American teams, Mexico and all other teams with fans who came here to celebrate. And for those of you who have been here in the last month, you have been witnessing that everyone was wearing a shirt, his flag with pride, walking in Moscow, walking around the cities and celebrating with Russia.

And therefore it is also time to say thank you to the Russian nation. (In Russian.) Spasibo bolshoye, Rossiya. Thank you.







Thank you to the Russian people. Thank you to all the volunteers, to all the staff members, to all those who have operated to make this World Cup an incredible success. Just look at their smiles in the last month, and look at their smiles tonight and tomorrow. This is the face of Russia. This is the face of the Russia that we love. And thank you, most importantly as well, President Putin, (In Russian.) spasibo bolshoye for your commitment, for your dedication, for your passion. Without you, all this would not have been possible. I’m sure about that. So thank you. Congratulations.

Now, two things have happened, I think, in this country in the last month. The first one, in addition, of course, to the great football that we have witnessed, the first one is that Russia has now become a real football country. So forget ice hockey, forget whatever other Nordic sports…

Now it is official. Russia is a pure football country. And this is thanks to the performances of the Russian team, with Cherchesov and Akinfeyev, and the emotion that it gave not only to the Russians but to all of us who were in the stadiums and in the streets celebrating with the Russian people.







The second thing that has changed, and this is also very important, is the perception that the world has about Russia. And the witnesses are here in this room, the world is here in this room, dear President, tonight. And the world, over four billion people, have been watching this World Cup, have been watching the beauties of this country, which is a country which is an incredibly, incredibly rich country, in terms of culture, in terms of history. And we have discovered it. The world has discovered it. And for this we are also very fortunate and very grateful. Because all of these ingredients together made that this World Cup has not just been the greatest show on Earth, it has been the best World Cup ever. And for this I would like to thank you sincerely. (In Russian.) Spasibo bolshoye.

But before concluding, if you allow me, we are not very conventional sometimes. And I would like to see, thinking back on the last month, if it is possible to transform this evening theatre into a football stadium. If I think back on the last month, there is one word which came out all the time, in all the stadiums, in all the cities. And I think in this theatre this has never happened yet, so we tried to do something new for once. But I need you all. Will you help me? Yes?

OK, so we transform the Bolshoi into Luzhniki, right?

One, two, three…Ros-si-ya!

(Audience chants “Ros-si-ya!”)




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58001






Russia hands over World Cup host mantle to Qatar



A ceremony to hand over World Cup host mantle took place at the Moscow Kremlin. The ceremony was attended by President of Russia Vladimir Putin, Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and FIFA President Gianni Infantino.



July 15, 2018 - 13:30 - The Kremlin, Moscow







The President of Russia handed over a red and white football with the 2018 World Cup logo to the Emir of Qatar, the country that will host the next World Cup between November 21 and December 18, 2022.

The ceremony took place in the Kremlin's Armorial Hall.

The World Cup final match will take place today, July 15, at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium, with France playing against Croatia.








President of Russia Vladimir Putin:

Your Highness, Mr Infantino, friends,

We are holding a pleasant official event today: Russia is handing over the FIFA World Cup host's mantle to Qatar.

The World Cup in Russia is nearing its end. We are proud of what we have managed to do for all the fans of this wonderful sport. We, the entire country, have immensely enjoyed the world of football and the fans who came to Russia from all over the world.







I am confident that our friends from Qatar will be able to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup at the same high level. Of course, we are ready to share with our friends in Qatar the experience we have gained while hosting this year's World Cup.

We will make every effort for football to implement its wonderful humanitarian mission of uniting people, countries and continents.

Thank you.







FIFA President Gianni Infantino:

Mr President, Your Highness, today I am a happy man.

Dear friends, welcome. (In Russian.) Dorogiye druzya, dobro pozhalovat. These are the words which have followed us in the last month and which will follow us in the next four years.

It is so important that we can be here together today in this iconic place, in the Kremlin, to mark a pass of the ball from the organiser of 2018 to the organiser of the 2022 World Cup.

This is football: it is passion, it is emotion, it is love, it is family, it is unity, and these sentiments that we have been feeling here in Russia, we transfer them to Qatar.

And I am sure that the same incredibly energetic and positive impact that football has had in Russia, it will have the same in Qatar four years from now.

So, as far as I am concerned, I can say that we all fell in love with Russia.

(In Russian.) Ya lyublyu Rossiyu. And I am sure that in four years from now, Your Highness, we will all fall in love with Qatar. As far as I am concerned, it has already happened, but we will bring the others on board.
(In Russian.) Spasibo bolshoye.







Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani (retranslated):

Mr President, first, let me congratulate you and the Russian people on organising a wonderful World Cup.

Mr President, I would like to congratulate you personally on behalf of all football and sports fans on the success and the wonderful World Cup, and we hope to host the tournament in the same way in our country.

I would like to express gratitude to our friends from the Russia 2018 Local Organising Committee, who are providing assistance to their colleagues from the Qatar 2022 organising committee. We hope to continue this cooperation with our Russian friends on the issues related to hosting the 2022 World Cup.

I would like to congratulate Mr Infantino and thank him for the efforts taken for the success of the World Cup, and express hope for cooperation until 2022.







Mr President, hosting the 2022 World Cup in our country is an important event. I can remember how our country won the bid back in 2010. It is a great festival for all Arab people. Thank you.

I would like to invite all our friends. We will make every effort to welcome all guests in our country. We hope our national team will duplicate the success of the Russian team and even surpass it. We will do our best.

(In Russian.) Thank you.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58004






Final match of the FIFA World Cup



Vladimir Putin attended the final match of the 2018 FIFA World Cup at Luzhniki stadium in Moscow.



July 15, 2018 - 20:30 - Moscow







France and Croatia met in the World Cup final at Luzhniki stadium in Moscow, where team France was crowned world champion with a score of 4–2.



























































































Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, President of the International Football Federation (FIFA) Gianni Infantino, President of France Emmanuel Macron, President of Croatia Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, President of Moldova Igor Dodon and heads of state and government of other countries watched the match at Luzhniki.






























































































At the end of the match, the President of Russia took part in the awards ceremony for the winners of the tournament.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58009






Answers to journalists’ questions after the 2018 World Cup final match



Vladimir Putin answered journalists’ questions after the final match of the 2018 World Cup.



July 15, 2018 - 21:20 - Moscow








President of Russia Vladimir Putin:

Good evening.



Question:

Mr President, what do you think of the final match? Who did you cheer for? In general, what are your impressions of this football tournament? You probably had no chance to sense the atmosphere in the streets of Russia. Have you been to the now famous Nikolskaya Street? Or maybe the commotion on Red Square could be heard in the Kremlin?



Vladimir Putin:

I have to admit that I did see something from the Kremlin windows, but I had no chance to take part in the goings-on. But I kept track of everything that happened, and here is what I want to tell you in this connection.

First, and I already said this yesterday, but I would like to repeat it today, that we can definitely feel proud of how we organised this tournament. As I said many times before, we did it for our fans in Russia and for sports enthusiasts everywhere around the world. And we have done it. We succeeded in all aspects of this huge event.

Today’s match was brilliant. I think you will agree with me. I do not remember, and few other people can remember a score like this, 4–2, in a final match. I am sure that all sports enthusiasts and football fans around the world were trembling with excitement throughout the match. Both teams are wonderful, and they played an open attacking football. I am sure everyone enjoyed that. I did.

I have congratulated President of France Emmanuel Macron and my Croatian colleague. She was very temperamental and, I believe, even shed a tear or two. Yet everyone is happy and glad. Winning the silver medal is a major achievement for the Croatian team, which plays excellent, high quality football, as I see it. We congratulate them on this result.



Question:

Which team did you support?



Vladimir Putin:

I just enjoyed this amazing football match.



Question:

Mr President, what can you say about the performance of the Russian team? After all, this was the first time the team went this far.



Vladimir Putin:

Here is what I would like to say about this. I think that millions of people did not expect our team to show this result, no matter what some may be saying now. We can be proud that we have such a wonderful coach, and that he is Russian, and we can be proud of our team.

Of course, unlike art, sport is much more than mere contemplation. Sport is about achieving results. And the result for the Russian team was honourable. What matters most is that we realised that we have football in Russia, that we have a team, that we are about to develop our own style, and that we can strive for even higher results at international tournaments. Our team has proved that this is possible.

What I liked in particular is that the Russian players have shown their grit and played well. They fought to the very end. I think that this is what matters the most. This is something that deserves our gratitude and support. Of course, the result is impressive in itself, since we have not had anything like this for a long time. I think that we must congratulate them and inspire them to strive for future victories.







Question:

Will you have a meeting with them?



Vladimir Putin:

Yes, there will be a number of meetings, and they have been scheduled, first with the coach, and the captain, who will take part in a meeting of the Council for the Development of Physical Culture and Sport in Kaliningrad. After that there will definitely be a meeting with the team.



Question:

Mr President, how often do you play hockey? Did the World Cup inspire you to play some football? You did play a little bit with Mr Infantino at the Kremlin, and on Red Square.



Vladimir Putin:

I think that each and every one of us has played some football, and kicked the ball around. This is not enough, however. What are the reasons that make football so popular? First, when wonderful teams play at a high professional level, it is always fascinating to watch. In addition, we all get a feeling that any one of us can do it. Kicking a ball does not seem all that complicated. That being said, when you actually get into football it becomes a special kind of art. So far I have been playing hockey, and try to improve my game. I learned to skate a little bit, and will move in this direction.



Question:

Do you think that the 4–2 score reflects the actual state of play on the pitch?



Vladimir Putin:

Yes. We saw one curious goal, but overall the Croatian team also played openly and took risks, but they missed some opportunities, which happens. Overall, the French showed class, no doubt about that.



Question:

Do you feel the winner today?



Vladimir Putin:

As you may remember, we told you many times that the main goal for Russia is to properly organise the tournament. We have done it; we have achieved this goal, as everyone agrees.

This is what I would like to point out. We often complain about our fans, who sometimes misbehave because they are so emotional. But it turned out that they are also highly responsible people. Frankly, I was surprised, and I am very grateful to them for this. I would like to thank them for the attitude they have inspired towards this sports event. This largely happened thanks to our fans.

We are grateful to the coaches, specialists and the players of our team, who have inspired the fans to see football as a festival. We have succeeded thanks to good organisation. Hundreds if not thousands of volunteers helped us do this in all the host cities. I would like to thank them as well, because it was the volunteers who welcomed our guests, accompanied them and saw them off, doing all this with a smile and an open heart. Everyone has noticed this.

Today I do not want to talk about what was being said before the World Cup. Let us turn this page. Let us talk and think about the good things. We have produced a wonderful holiday thanks to the efforts of thousands of people.

Of course, we must also express gratitude to our guests – foreign tourists and fans. I would like to point out that attempts were made to intimidate us as well: some said the British fans are hooligans, and so on. But everyone behaved wonderfully, demonstrating the best qualities of sports enthusiasts and football fans. They have shown that sports and football do not disunite people or lead to quarrels and fights, but that it can bring people together on the basis of shared principles and values – cultural and humanitarian values.

Many foreigners have learned about our culture and our cities, and they have met our open-hearted people. And millions of people – not thousands but millions – have changed their views on Russia. It is an achievement, a big achievement.

Here is what we will do in this connection – I have discussed this with my foreign colleagues when I congratulated the Croats and the French. We will approve a visa-free entry for foreign holders of Fan IDs until the end of the year. I hope they, or at least many of them will use this opportunity, and that they will come to Russia many times again together with their friends and families.

Thank you, and all the best.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58011






Meeting with members of the 2018 World Cup security headquarters



The President held a meeting yesterday evening with members of the Centre for International Cooperation at the Interdepartmental Operational Headquarters to Ensure Security during the 2018 World Cup.



July 16, 2018 - 07:00 - Moscow



Vladimir Putin thanked the staff of the Russian and international security services for their efforts to maintain security during the World Cup.








President of Russia Vladimir Putin:

Colleagues, partners,

I am delighted to meet with you personally to thank you for your concerted efforts during the preparation for and the holding of the FIFA World Cup. I want to express my gratitude to the Russian security and law enforcement agencies, as well as to the staff of law enforcement and security services from over 30 countries. As far as I know, 126 members of 55 security and law enforcement agencies from 34 countries were involved in this work.

You had a very special and responsible mission in Moscow – to work at the Centre for International Cooperation to ensure security during the World Cup and to protect the life and health of the people, including your citizens who have come to the World Cup on official delegations and as individual fans.

All of you here are top professionals who are aware of the major risks involved in holding large international events. It is highly commendable that not a single major incident happened during the tournament.

I want to express my gratitude to you and to all other members of the Centre, including your colleagues from the FSB and other relevant Russian agencies, for your professional coordinated efforts. It was thanks to all of you together and individually that this unforgettable event was held in Moscow and other Russian cities in a positive and festive atmosphere. This success is the result of thorough preparations, operational, analytical and information work, your all-out efforts and absolute concentration.







The preparations included checking on over 2 million people who were building and preparing the sports facilities and helped organise the tournament, as well as volunteers and other individuals involved. You held over 400 inspections at 194 infrastructure facilities to check them for radiation, chemical, biological and explosion threats.

The fans’ identification system, which included the issuance of personified Fan IDs, and the co-integrated system of monitoring access to the stadiums involved a huge organisational effort. This allowed us to monitor the fans’ visa-free entry to Russia, their free travel by surface transport between the host cities and access to the stadiums, as well as to monitor the individuals who represent a security threat.

During the World Cup, you neutralised nearly 25 million cyberattacks and other criminal encroachments on the Russian information infrastructure connected, in one way or another, to the football tournament.

Those who came to Russia for the tournament felt safe and could travel safely and comfortably between the [host] cities and around the country in general, as well as watch the matches played by their favourite teams at the stadiums and in the Fan Fest zones. While doing this, our law-abiding citizens and foreign visitors were not hindered in any way by unnecessary obstacles or prohibitions. All security procedures were reliable but did not create undue inconvenience. This is proof of your highly professional and prompt work, including as a team.







I would like to point out that your efforts were inconspicuous, subtle and went unnoticed by the majority of people, which means that you went about your work in a business-like manner, understanding each other and in general acting as a close-knit team of professionals.

This mutual trust and this experience of cooperation and partnership among law enforcement and security services are extremely important today. We face common and shared challenges. These are the fight against international terrorism and extremism, drug trafficking and illegal migration, as well as transnational crime and cybercrimes. It is obvious that only by joining our efforts can we effectively combat the threats facing us today, as effectively as you worked in this period during your joint operations. It is certainly a very good example for the future.

I hope that you will carry on your close constructive interaction to protect the safety of our nations and our citizens. Of course, it is also very important to preserve the spirit of mutual trust, which will help up strengthen our partnership in the pursuit of the high and noble common goals.

I want to thanks you for your concerted efforts once again. Thank you for your work and its results. Good luck to all of you, and all the best.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58010






Visit to Kaliningrad Stadium



Vladimir Putin visited Kaliningrad Stadium built for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, which hosted four group stage matches.



July 20, 2018 - 16:30 - Kaliningrad







The President inspected the infrastructure of the sports facility and watched a football training session. He also had a brief conversation with volunteers that worked in Kaliningrad during the World Cup.










Kaliningrad Stadium, with a capacity of 35,000 spectators, is located on Oktyabrsky Island in the city centre. In the future it will be used by the local FC Baltika.










On July 14–20, the stadium will host the Play and Win project during which youth football club members will be invited to take part in workshops, excursions, and photo and autograph sessions with famous football coaches and players.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58073






Conversation with 2018 FIFA World Cup volunteers



During his visit to the Kaliningrad Stadium, Vladimir Putin met with 2018 FIFA World Cup volunteers.



July 20, 2018 - 16:40 - Kaliningrad








President of Russia Vladimir Putin:

Hello!



Remark:

Good afternoon.



Vladimir Putin:

Did you work here?



Remark:

Yes, we did. Here and nearby.



Vladimir Putin:

I have already mentioned that and would like to say again words of gratitude to the volunteers who are here now and all other volunteers who did such a professional job and put their hearts and souls into the World Cup. You not only did it, but you did a great job. Of course, your contribution was a big part of the success of this World Cup, and I would like to once again thank you for that.



Remark:

Thank you.



Vladimir Putin:

What other events do you plan to work at as volunteers?



Remark:

The Universiade in Krasnoyarsk.



Vladimir Putin:

Did any of you do any training?



Remark:

We all did. Two years.



Vladimir Putin:

Two years?



Remark:

Some had it for more than two years, others less, as everyone joined this programme at different times.



Vladimir Putin:

All that was not in vain?



Remark:

Of course, not.



Vladimir Putin:

Who worked here in Kaliningrad?



Remark:

Mostly, the red team, people from the organising committee.



Vladimir Putin:

It certainly was a big event for the city and the entire region.



Remark:

Yes, of course.



Remark:

Mr President, I am a great patriot of our Motherland and our city.



Vladimir Putin:

You are also a volunteer, correct?



Remark:

I am a teacher of Spanish, and when I found out that our city will host the World Cup match between Spain and Morocco, I certainly could not stay away, especially since not so many people in our city speak Spanish. I wanted to be useful, to make new friends, and to tell tourists about our Motherland. So, I met many Spanish speakers, including people from Argentina, Mexico, Colombia and Spain. I wanted Spain to win in the match against Morocco.



Vladimir Putin:

But not the match against Russia? (Laughter.)



Remark:

I asked people how they like Russia, our city and our people. Everyone had very positive things to say. I said that our people are hospitable and always welcome friends with an open heart. I hope that after this World Cup we will have many new friends in Latin America and all Spanish-speaking countries. I also hope more tourists will come to Russia and our region. I have such a hope.



Vladimir Putin:

That is what most likely is going to happen.



Remark:

We, volunteers, were the ones who showed them that we are such people.



Vladimir Putin:

You heard that I suggested that my colleagues should think it over, and these decisions are now being adopted – we will let Fan ID holders come to Russia without visas until the end of this year.



Remark:

Yes, we heard this and it is a good thing.



Vladimir Putin:

And members of their families and friends who come with them will get visas free of charge.



Remark:

This is great, wonderful.



Vladimir Putin:

So we will carry out your plan on increasing the tourist numbers.



Remark:

We will only welcome the arrival of openhearted friends in Russia.



Vladimir Putin:

Thank you very much.







Remark:

It was very difficult not to yield to the temptation and stay at home when such an event is taking place in your country.

I am a teacher of Russian at school and here the vast majority of city volunteers are still in school but were very pleased and eager to work.



Vladimir Putin:

I thought you were still in school yourself. (Laughter.)



Remark:

No, I am working. I am teaching them. Of course, it was also very important to be with them and share experience, to learn something new. The bottom line is that they displayed such responsibility in performing their duties. I think you will agree with me that our future is in safe hands.



Vladimir Putin:

Yes, this is true, judging by the work you did. This is the best evidence.



Remark:

I would like to add a few words to what our volunteer said.

I am still in school, next will be my final 11th year. And indeed I must say that I am very happy that such a major event took place in this country, that it has united it once and for all. And I am very glad that not only my peers but people from seniors took part in the event because this is exactly what gives us new experience, new knowledge, emotions and so many new friends.



Vladimir Putin:

You should study Spanish then. And other languages as well. (Laughter.)



Question:

Mr President, I have the following question for you. This year Russia organised a really important event – the World Cup. My question is this: will Russia host a FIFA World Cup for women?



Vladimir Putin:

I think the next FIFA Women's World Cup will take place in France, somewhere in Europe. But why not? We will develop women’s sports in which women were not involved before. Girls are excellent at hockey and football, and getting better all the time. Of course, we will discuss this with FIFA.



Question:

Mr President, can I ask you a question not related to sports? Yesterday the State Duma adopted amendments to pension legislation in the first reading. Of course, you monitor the Government’s proposals. It is very important for us to know your opinion on this issue.



Remark:

Galina, I do not think we should fear the Pension Fund. We are young and active. The main thing is not to stop but move forward.



Vladimir Putin:

Of course, this issue is very sensitive for a large number of our citizens. And, you know, it did not appear just yesterday. It has been discussed with various degrees of intensity during many years. Different options were proposed. And when I was asked in the past, and am asked now, which one I like, I can say: not a single one. I do not like any option that involves increasing the pension age.

And I can assure you, few people in the Government like it. Why? Because the majority of our citizens cannot like it. A person plans to retire, whether to relax or to continue working to receive some additional income, and if this does not happen, people see nothing good. And this is really so.

But what are the experts saying? We should not be guided by emotions but a real assessment of the economic situation, the prospects for its future development, for the development of the social sphere. What do they say? Look. Young people might not be so interested in it, but it still concerns almost everyone.

The decisions on the pension age (55 for women and 60 for men) were made in 1956. I asked, and the Government examined the minutes of the meeting when these decisions were made. You can read what they said. When our colleagues back than made this decision, they said that as demographic indexes and life expectancy go up, so will the retirement age. Let me remind you that the average life expectancy was 67 back then. But nothing was done.

In 1995, another attempt was made. A resolution of the Russian Government was adopted in 1995; I think it was Resolution No. 790. It can be found and read. It says that the pension age must be increased but in the second decade of the 21st century.

It is 2018 now. We, ”the grateful descendants,“ now need to make some decisions. Should we be doing more or not? By and large, we could afford to do nothing for the next five, six, seven or maybe even ten years. As a matter of fact, we have enough resources to maintain the pension system. However, what is the situation now and what will it be in the near, medium and distant future?

Look, I mentioned that the average life expectancy in 1956 was 67. Now, we are up to 73.5 on average. Next year, it will be 74.3. According to estimates – which are most likely accurate – by the end of this transition period (that is 2028, as proposed by the Government), the average life expectancy for men will be over 75. The average life expectancy for women at the end of the transition period (that is 2034) will be over 85.

What does this mean in practical terms? Let’s not go back as far as the 1950s, but in 1970, I believe, there were 3.7 workers per pensioner. Do not be embarrassed by deciles with regard to people, this is statistics. Today, there are two workers per pensioner. That is, almost half what it was in 1970. In other words, there are six workers for every five pensioners. The situation will be changing but not in favour of the workers: their number will decline. There will be a time, and it will come fairly quickly, when the number of workers will equal the number of non-workers and continue to decline, and then either the pension system will collapse, or the budget and reserve funds from which we are currently financing the pension system deficit, will collapse.

Of course, we are faced with many challenges in our economy, but it is running steadily and is expanding, and, generally speaking, it has a large margin of safety. So, if we think not about today, but tomorrow, then, of course, we need to keep all these things in mind.

By the way, even by 2030 (this is forecast data, but fairly reliable), men are expected to have over 15 years after retirement, and women, over 24 years.

You know, this is a sad topic to discuss in a way, but when decisions of this magnitude and sensitivity are made for people, you need to proceed from concrete numbers and rely on realistic professional forecasts.

So there is no final decision yet. The draft law was passed in the first reading, with no amendments or additions. I will certainly listen to all opinions on the subject and follow the discussion which is already unfolding. Naturally, we should listen to people who propose something sound and reasonable and who are governed by the interests of the country and its citizens, instead of people who use this issue, which is sensitive for millions, to gain publicity.

Why? (I will return to citizens’ interests later.) Because if we do nothing at all and if it comes to some serious consequences for the pension system or for the state funds from which it is financed, first of all, we will have to keep retired people’s incomes forever low and they will keep filling the ranks of the so-called poor, while our goal is to raise people’s incomes and reduce the number of poor people. And then, everything might burst, like I said, which could affect those who are affected by raising the retirement age today. So, the current government would simply cheat people, saying, “Everything is fine, we will wait another five, seven, 10 years.”

But that would not be the end of it. We cannot avoid making drastic decisions. But what exactly? I will say again, let’s see how the discussion unfolds, let’s listen to everyone and weigh all these points of view. There are a lot of nuances to it, and I would not like to go into these details now, this is not the right place for it. But we will take it very seriously. First of all, in order to protect our citizens’ interests, both today and for the long term, so that there is stability and dependability in the economy and the social sphere, including the pension system.







Remark:

Thank you.



Vladimir Putin:

This is a serious issue, so please excuse the monologue.



Question:

Mr President, I wanted to follow up on the question posed by my colleague from the organising committee. The World Cup which just ended was, of course, a major sporting event, but it also was, and it is undeniable, an image project and, in particular, an infrastructure project. The World Cup legacy for the host cities includes major urban infrastructure (renovated streets, transport infrastructure and, of course, airports) and world-class sports facilities. Actually, I would like to see these sites continue to host corresponding events.



Vladimir Putin:

This is why I am here today – to discuss this subject with my colleagues.



Question:

Just over a year ago, last spring, you said that you do not rule out the possibility that some Russian cities will host the Summer Olympic Games.



Vladimir Putin:

This is possible, yes.



Question:

I just wanted to make sure: you have not changed your mind, have you?



Vladimir Putin:

I have not, but we have not formalised the bid yet. So, we need to see where and when, and how much it will cost us. Then, there is a schedule. We will need to discuss it.

Of course, we will continue to organise major international competitions in our country. We will also absolutely need to make good use of the venues that we spend vast amounts of money to build. We did it for the World Cup, but the most important thing, the ultimate goal is not just to throw a party, although this is a great thing to do. Holidays are followed by weekdays, and weekdays must be constructive.

It is important for young people to train here and to make sports a priority for millions of people, so that the forecasts of life expectancy, which we just talked about, come true. This means we should reduce the number of unpredictable mortality factors such as traffic accidents, alcohol, tobacco and drugs.

What do you need to do to rid people of these scourges? Get them athletic and built athletic sites, which we did. Now, we must see to it that they function in a proper way. This is what we are going to talk about today.



Remark:

Mr President, we would like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude on behalf of all volunteers for this opportunity to meet you. We appreciate your work and are perfectly aware of your contribution to the development of our country. On behalf of all volunteers, we wish you lots of energy, strength, luck and wisdom.



Vladimir Putin:

Thank you very much.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58075






Joint meeting of the Council for the Development of Physical Culture and Sport and Russia 2018 Local Organising Committee’s Supervisory Board



In Kaliningrad, Vladimir Putin Held a joint meeting of the
Presidential Council for the Development of Physical Culture and Sport and the Supervisory Board of the Russia 2018 Local Organising Committee autonomous non-profit organisation.



July 20, 2018 - 18:30 - Kaliningrad



The 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia results, the implementation of the heritage concept and future use of the infrastructure and sports facilities were on the agenda.








President of Russia Vladimir Putin:

Good afternoon.

Today we are holding a joint meeting of the Council for [the Development of Physical Culture and] Sport and the Supervisory Board of the 2018 Russia Organising Committee’s Supervisory Board. I suggest we discuss the issues of the heritage of the FIFA World Cup. And this heritage is really large, if not enormous. I am referring not only to sports arenas, airports, roads, infrastructure facilities and the development of our cities but also to the humanitarian, human dimension, the growth in interest of the younger generation and basically people of all ages in sport, the friendly attitude of people from different countries towards Russia and their desire to return to this country again.

Of course, like after the Sochi Olympic Games, we need to map out specific measures that will allow us to effectively use these modern stadiums, fields and sports grounds that we built for the World Cup. For Russia, the World Cup has been the biggest international sporting event. The preparations took eight years. It required serious investment and the efforts of hundreds of thousands of people. As promised, we organised it at the highest level and its success is now an objectively recognised fact.

I congratulate all those who were involved in the preparations and management of the games. I would like to thank once again everyone: workers, engineers, city press centres, and the hospitality industry, and all those that ensured the security of the arenas and streets, transport and the fan fest zones.

I would like to give special thanks to the regions that hosted the games, their governors, the 2018 Russia Organising Committee and, of course, our wonderful volunteers. I have already had the pleasure of meeting with them; some of them are here. Thank you very much.

Russia gave the world an unforgettable holiday. It has already gone down in history as one of the most spectacular and unpredictable from the sporting point of view, and also the most comprehensive FIFA World Cup, and will forever be remembered for its unmatched atmosphere of friendliness and unity, and acts of empathy and assistance from all sides.

I consider it important to establish a commemorative FIFA World Cup in Russia medal and use it to decorate those who made a significant contribution to this ambitious project.







I would like to note the solid and uncompromising play of our team, which gave Russian fans the long-awaited joy of victory. Where is the coach? Mr Cherchesov, thank you very much.

The head coach, the entire coaching staff and the support system, and the players themselves – everyone fought hard. Everyone did their best and played as a team. They impressed us with their perseverance, persistence and high quality of play. It is important to maintain that fighting spirit and unity. The UEFA Nations League and UEFA Euro 2020 are coming next. We should be training for these games the same way we trained for the World Cup, not just players and coaches. As you may be aware, several UEFA Nations League and UEFA Euro 2020 matches will be held in St Petersburg, Sochi, Rostov-on-Don and here in Kaliningrad.

I would like the relevant agencies, regional heads to ensure the quality of these events, especially since we now have this great positive experience and unique innovations that our country has implemented and which received high praise from FIFA and World Cup visitors. That includes, among other things, the video assistant referee (VAR) system, which was used for the first time during the football championship and implemented by our specialists, and also the free travel for ticket holders to the host cities to attend matches during the championship and, most importantly, the visa-replacing Fan ID cards.

Please analyse all the regulations adopted specifically for the championship for their possible capturing in legislation for subsequent use, for creating convenient conditions for our people and for our foreign guests, with a special focus on the Fan ID. Many countries and international organisations plan to adopt our experience, and we must build on it in any way we can. Director of the FSB, Mr Bortnikov, who is here, reported that our colleagues, that we worked with in security, showed great interest in our plan. Also, Fan IDs can be used to update the visa regulations, which we should do anyway, to remove the barriers and procedures that are a hassle for people.

Importantly, the championship not only eliminated stereotypes but also raised a wave of genuine interest in Russia, which, I repeat, along with the growing popularity of football, is a landmark of its intangible legacy.

I am sure that we must show an example of openness and support the wish of thousands of fans to return to our country and learn more about our culture, nature and the traditions of our families, relatives and children. It has already been decided to extend visa-free travel for Fan ID holders until January 1 of next year. Also, there are other ideas for improving the visa regime. We will talk about this later.







The infrastructure that we created, the arenas, have received positive feedback from FIFA, the teams, the spectators, the journalists and our citizens. Obviously, these World Cup facilities must continue operating at full capacity after the World Cup. This is what they were built for. I ask you to bear in mind the task of effectively using this sports infrastructure when working on amendments to the federal budget for 2018 and to reflect it in the budget for 2019–2021.

We will continue supporting World Cup infrastructure development programmes for five years to help them become self-sufficient by 2024 and serve as centres for the development of the cities, as well as social, business and cultural life. Here, we can rely on our own experience of effectively managing the heritage of major international sports competitions and take advantage of the best international practices. We will discuss this at length today as well.

Among other things, I ask the Ministry of Sport to report on the mechanisms and schedules for the transfer of the training facilities and stadiums to the regions and on the establishment of children's football centres that we planned to set up on the basis of the World Cup infrastructure.

In conclusion, two more important points related to sports in general. First, I would like to note the effectiveness of the independent public anti-doping commission headed by IOC honorary member Vitaly Smirnov. The goals that we set have been achieved and the constructive requirements set forth by WADA and the IOC have been taken into account. We are fulfilling our national plan to fight doping in sports. And we expect our partners to take reciprocal steps.

Second, the new membership of the Council and the new format of its activity have been approved. Four interdepartmental commissions have been envisaged: on coordination, control, international competitions, and the promotion of adaptive sports. And also, three working groups: on security, the development of sports medicine and the improvement of sports legislation. I am happy to welcome the Council's new members and want to wish them every success.

Let’s get down to work. Mr Kolobkov, you have the floor. But before we start, I would like to congratulate all the chess players in our country and the whole world on International Chess Day.

Mr Kolobkov, please.







Minister of Sport Pavel Kolobkov:

Mr President, colleagues,

The first FIFA World Cup in Russia was definitely a success. International experts, athletes, fans and journalists praised it in the highest terms.

Statistics says a lot. Almost 1.8 million Russian and foreign fans from 195 countries received FAN IDs. The total number of people who visited the Fan Fest zones, also known as host cities’ fan zones, was 7.7 million. On average, the seats were 98 percent full during the matches. This result is a logical outcome of the huge amount of work that Russia did to prepare for and hold the championship. Russia began it as soon as the FIFA Executive Committee made its decision in 2010. The Ministry of Sport began it in December 2010, when the government entrusted it with coordinating all the agencies involved in the preparations for the World Cup: 40 federal ministries and agencies worked on the task, as well as 36 regions, with 11 of them hosting matches and 25 where training camps were situated.

First of all, I would like to note the impeccable implementation of the 11 government guarantees that provided for the preparation and organisation of the World Cup as well as the special law adopted in 2013 that made this implementation possible. Legislative support of such large events has proved its value; I propose continuing the practice of these special legal regulations, including during the UEFA European Championship that you have already mentioned, Mr President, and the match we will host in 2020.

Speaking about the results of the World Cup, I would like to note the successful implementation of the federal and regional programmes on preparations. The joint work by government bodies at all levels as well as public and commercial organisations allowed us to hold over 600 events in total in Russia, including building or reconstructing over 100 sports facilities. Besides some fine points, the FIFA representatives praised the high level of the comprehensive preparations many times.

In addition, airports, roads, utility networks, energy supply systems, healthcare and hotels were built or upgraded. Extensive work was done to improve all the cities. All of this directly concerns 70 percent of our citizens: this is the number of people living in the area where the World Cup was held, and this is the legacy that should, and definitely will, give an additional major boost to regional development.







I would like to note separately the high quality of the transport strategy and to highlight the Russian Transport Ministry’s overall contribution to the preparations. In particular, 21 airports were used, ten were renovated and one, in Rostov-on-Don, was built especially for the World Cup. They managed to serve 16 million passengers.

We also saw success with the railway system as 734 trains, free for fans, ran between the host cities. They were part of the government’s guarantees and they carried around 320,000 fans. Also the communications and IT programmes were implemented as part of the government’s guarantees. A high level of service was organised for television broadcasters in 17 Russian regions with 261 television companies broadcasting to 219 countries; a fixed mobile telephone service and Wi-Fi were available in all these areas.

Finally, it is important to note that unprecedented security measures were taken for the World Cup which made it possible to ensure a comfortable and safe stay for foreign and Russian citizens. This included careful work by law enforcement agencies, the special services and the FAN ID system that you mentioned, Mr President, which we would definitely like to continue to develop; we will develop and promote it. In this regard we ask you to give the instruction to introduce the fan identification system and the access control database system for the national football championship matches.

Regarding the visa regime update for FAN IDs, this decision may indeed become one of the key legacies of the World Cup. We should not miss this opportunity to maintain the positive attitude of the millions of people who attended the World Cup.

Another important point. The World Cup clearly demonstrated a very high level of football around the world which makes the performance of the Russian national team worthy of note as well as the significant work of the coaches and the service team. The national team under Stanislav Cherchesov advanced to the quarterfinals for the first time in modern history. The last time the team did this was back in 1970, which is almost half a century ago.







The training of our players started immediately after the UEFA Euro 2016 tournament in France. A schedule was approved and the necessary conditions were created for training sessions and preparations. The coaching staff and Mr Cherchesov did everything they could to select the best squad: various combinations were tested during friendly matches and in the Confederations Cup, and apparently the right choice was made. According to many Russian and international analysts, the Russian team was one of the discoveries of the World Cup. I would also like to thank the fans who gave such great support to our football players and became part of one team.

The sports heritage is undoubtedly one of the main results of the championship. In addition to 12 modern football stadiums built in compliance with the international standards and FIFA requirements, we have got 95 modernised football training grounds. We from our side will do everything to make full use of them and not let these remarkable facilities turn to monuments to the World Cup, which, unfortunately, happens only too often.

Mr President, I reported on the development of the World Cup heritage concept in May. As of today, it has been agreed upon and submitted to the Government.

The parameters for resource provision in 2019–2023 have been set, and we are ready to implement them. The first step to use the World Cup sports facilities effectively is to determine the proprietors of the stadiums and the main ways to use them. The management models and financing sources for Luzhniki, Spartak, Kazan Arena, Fisht and St Petersburg stadiums have already been found, and the managing companies have been established.

We still have to do the same regarding the arenas in Volgograd, Rostov-on-Don, Yekaterinburg, Kaliningrad, Nizhny Novgorod, Samara and Saransk (the newly-built ones). The concept envisages their transfer from the property of the Russian Federation to the property of the regions.







The basic number of domestic matches held as part of the Russian Championship and Premiere League has also been set: 16 matches for the Russian Premiere League and 20 for the Russian Professional Football League and the Football National League. Moreover, the first club matches are already being played, and one of the first tour matches of the Football National League was held at Mordovia Arena on July 17. On July 27, Nizhny Novgorod will host the Russian Super Cup. Lokomotiv will play CSKA for the trophy. By the way, the tickets were sold out on the first day of sale, which is also an effect of the World Cup.

On July 28, the Premiere League teams will begin their quest for gold in the Russian Cup at new arenas. And finally, our national team will play Sweden in Kaliningrad on October 11 and Turkey at Fisht Stadium in Sochi on October 14 as part of the new tournament, the UEFA Nations League, which you have already mentioned.

In addition to the main purpose, the concept envisages the multipurpose use of stadiums to hold cultural, sporting and entertainment events. We plan to open football museums dedicated to the history of Russian football and the FIFA World Cup in Russia at the stadiums. The arenas will also host children’s sports schools and football associations.

Upgraded athletic grounds will be assigned to children's sports schools, football clubs and organisations. They can be used for sports other than football. All of that is directly related to the instruction to create children's football centres, which will be able to use the World Cup legacy sites. As of today, it was decided to open 30 such centres at existing children's schools. This will make it possible to increase the number of children involved in sports and recreational fitness by 50 percent starting the age of six, not eight as before.

To reiterate, we have every reason to expect a major influx of rising athletes inspired by the World Cup, and are ready to provide them with all the amenities for training. We have a tremendous amount of work to do in order to increase the number of people who regularly engage in physical fitness and sports. We will need to develop an incentive system for different population groups. One of them could be providing social tax deductions to taxpayers for physical fitness and sports services provided to them.

Mr President, we have drafted proposals to be included in the list of directives and want you to support them. We agreed them with everyone.

Thank you.







Vladimir Putin:

On how many athletic facilities will we need to get started with concrete positive work? I am talking about large and possibly smaller stadiums.



Pavel Kolobkov:

About 12 stadiums and 95 newly built football pitches which were the teams' bases and which we took during the World Cup, and are now returning to the existing children's sports schools. That includes newly built grounds and the grounds that were owned by children's sports schools for football, track and field, and various …



Vladimir Putin:

Do you know what I would like you to do? I want you to show me a plan for using each site. It is fine if you are transferring them. If you use them for some activities, then show me which activities in particular, when, who is the owner, as you said, and so on.



Pavel Kolobkov:

Will do.



Vladimir Putin:

It should be all very specific: not just a general statement which will end with lots of stakeholders who are interested in opening markets there. What we need are sports sites.







Pavel Kolobkov:

We will definitely do that. We are now holding seminars with the future owners of stadiums, to whom we will transfer them. Our working groups will develop business plans for each stadium, and this will be one of the prerequisites for transferring subsidies for operating the stadiums in the coming years.



Vladimir Putin:

Yes, of course, they need help to make this work effective.



Pavel Kolobkov:

Yes, Mr President.



Vladimir Putin:

Thank you.


<…>







Vladimir Putin:

I would like to say in conclusion that this project was a success. We should not treat it as the completion of something, but rather the beginning of something new and large-scale, for which we have the experience, capacity and need. The main thing is to continue to act in the same spirit for a long time to come.

As for football, I have already mentioned this but I want to repeat it: serious matches are coming up soon. The first tournament of the UEFA Nations League will take place from September 2018 until June 2019 (it is common knowledge, actually). It will be held once every two years. Let me draw your attention to how it will be organised. The teams will be distributed in four leagues, A, B, C and D depending on their level and ability. According to the rating, the Russian national team got into group B. According to the results of the draw, the Russian team’s rivals are the Swedish and Turkish national teams, while our rivals in the centralised friendly matches, which will be sponsored by UEFA now, are the teams of the Czech Republic and Germany. These are really major matches.

Now the qualifying tournament for the UEFA European Championship. Let me remind you, the draw to determine the make-up of the entry list will take place in Dublin on December 2, 2018, qualifying matches will take place from March 21 until November 19, 2019, and the final stage UEFA-Euro 2020 will be held in 12 European cities, St Petersburg included, from June 12 until July 12, 2020. We have plenty to do when it comes to football.

Certainly, everything we mentioned today in addition to football and even what we did not mention, representatives of various sports are here today and we will do everything together and work together. Following today’s meeting we will draft a list of relevant instructions.

Thank you all very much.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58076
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Congratulations on Metallurgist’s Day



Vladimir Putin congratulated workers and veterans of mining and smelting enterprises of Russia on their professional holiday – Metallurgist’s Day.



July 15, 2018 - 09:00








President of Russia Vladimir Putin:

Friends,

I congratulate Russia’s mining and metallurgy workers on their professional holiday, Metallurgist’s Day.

The work of a miner, a metallurgist, has always been honourable and enjoyed particular respect. Through the efforts of many generations, industry dynasties – in the Urals and Kuzbass, Eastern Siberia and Northwestern and central Russia – major production complexes have been created, genuine flagships of the domestic industry, which made an enormous contribution to developing industry and infrastructure in the country and equipping Russia’s Army and Navy.

I would like to specifically note the heroic work of miners and metallurgists during the Great Patriotic War. They gave their all to ensure victory and participated in rebuilding plants and factories, cities and small towns, during the post-war period.

Today, the rhythmic, steady work of hundreds of thousands of miners and metallurgists largely determines the dynamics of the Russian economy, makes it possible to implement large-scale infrastructure projects and reliably ensure our country’s defence capability.

Domestic metallurgy products enjoy demand on international markets as well. Our manufacturers are among the world leaders for a number of products, such as large-diameter pipes and sheet steel.

Notably, domestic metallurgy is open to new approaches and advanced technology. Promising deposits are being developed in the industry, major modernisation projects are being launched, and new rolling mills are being put into operation.

We take pride in developing white metallurgy which is unique for our country. Its output, technical solutions and the level of employee training correspond to best international practices.

I am confident that the number of such modern production sites putting out goods with high added value and high export potential will continue to grow.

However, the focus should remain on improving working conditions at enterprises, increasing the incomes of industry workers and improving professional skills.

Of course, much remains to be done to reach the next level of environmental standards and to improve the environment in our country’s industrial cities.

Friends, we have big ambitious goals for metallurgy in Russia. Achieving them will determine the future of the industry and the well-being of its employees for many years to come.

Russian metallurgy has always been famous for its professionals dedicated to their work. I am confident you can handle even the most complex of challenges.

I congratulate you on the occasion and wish you every success and all the best.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/57999






Interview to Fox News Channel



Vladimir Putin answered questions from Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace in an interview recorded in Helsinki, Finland, on July 16.



July 17, 2018 - 02:00 - Helsinki











Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace:

President Putin, thank you for speaking with us.

I am going to get to some specifics about the summit in a moment, but let’s begin with the big picture. President Trump said in his news conference that our relationship has never been worse, but that changed a few hours ago. How has the relationship, big picture, between the US and Russia changed today?



President of Russia Vladimir Putin:

You know, we should be grateful primarily to our aides, our staff who have been interacting with each other not only recently to prepare this meeting, but for months before that.

I am referring to the work of our agencies in the spheres of special concern for the United States and Russia, primarily counterterrorism.

President Trump and I pointed out today that terrorism is a bigger threat than it may seem at first glance. If the worse comes to the worst, God forbid, and terrorists lay their hands on weapons of mass destruction, the consequences will be terrible.

Our military and special services are building relations in this sphere of crucial importance for our countries. A case in point is our cooperation in Syria, even though we do not fully agree on the global goal and ways to achieve it.

However, we maintain cooperation between our militaries and special services. Their work concerns the fight against terrorism in the broad meaning of the word.

Then, the New START treaty will expire in 2021. What should we do about this? I assured President Trump that Russia is ready to extend this treaty, but we definitely need to discuss details.

We have questions we need to ask our American partners. We believe that the United States does not fully comply with this treaty, but this should be discussed at the expert level. We also talked about Iran’s nuclear programme.

We talked about what we can do to improve the situation in North Korea. I have said this before, but I will repeat that I believe President Trump has done a great deal to promote the settlement of this conflict.

However, we will need international guarantees to attain complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula. Russia is ready to contribute towards this to the extent that will be required.

Therefore, it can be said that we can see eye to eye on these and several other issues of concern to us. This allows us to say that much has changed for the better during our meeting today.



Chris Wallace:

But do you see the summit as a turning point, an end of the effort by the West in recent years to isolate Russia?



Vladimir Putin:

And you can see that these efforts did not work out, and they could not have worked out, considering Russia’s size and importance in the world, including in the sphere of global security, as well as in the economy if we consider at least the energy component of the global economy.

I believe that our understanding of the things that unite us and the things we should work on together is prompting us to admit that we must stop fighting each other and should instead join forces to deal with common problems in the fight against shared concerns, so as to overcome these concerns. Therefore, I believe that this is the beginning. It is a start. I believe we have given a good start to this today.



Chris Wallace:

Mr President, one of the issues that is standing in the way of more progress, as you know, are the allegations of Russian interference in the US election. You have repeatedly said, and you said again today, that this was not the action of the Russian state, that if there was anything, it was patriotic Russian individuals. I have here the indictment that was presented on Friday from the Special Counsel Robert Mueller that says that twelve members of Russian military intelligence, the GRU, and they talk specifically about units 26165 and 74455, they say – you smile, let me finish – they say that these units were specifically involved in hacking into Democratic Party computers, stealing information, and spreading it to the world to try to disrupt the American election. May I give this to you to look at, sir?



Vladimir Putin:

Let me start my answer to your question from a different angle. Look, everyone is talking about Russia’s alleged interference in your election campaign. I said this in 2016, but I would like to repeat this today, and I would like the American audience to hear my reply.

First, Russia as a state has never interfered in the internal affairs of the United States, let alone elections.



Chris Wallace:

But sir, this is the indictment, I have twelve names here. It talks about specific units of the GRU, Russian military intelligence. Is the GRU not part of the Russian state?



Vladimir Putin:

I will answer your question, have patience and you will hear a comprehensive answer. As for interference in the internal affairs of the United States. Do you really think that it was possible to influence US elections from Russia, to influence the choice of millions of Americans? This is ridiculous.







Chris Wallace:

I am not asking whether they influenced, I am asking whether they tried.



Vladimir Putin:

I will answer you now, if you bear with me, you will hear my answer. This was the first thing.

Second, I said this in 2016, and I want to repeat it again now. What was the problem? It concerned the hacking of a Democratic candidate’s email. Did this attack involve manipulation with facts? This is very important. I want the Americans to hear this. Did anyone manipulate with the facts or plant fake information? No.

The hackers involved – don’t worry, I will get back to your question – read that candidate’s emails and learned about manipulations within the Democratic Party in favour of one of the candidates. That is all.

As far as I remember, the leaders of the party’s executive bodies resigned. It means that they admitted this fact. I believe this is the crucial thing. You must stop manipulating public opinion and apologise to the voters for what was done, rather than keep looking for those who allegedly did this.

Now back to these issues. I said at the news conference, and I can repeat this now. Mr Mueller…



Chris Wallace:

You are indicating that they stole real money, not counterfeit money. So are you saying that this ok, the fact that they took from the DNC, from John Podesta, it was their real e-mail, so it is ok to hack, and spread this information out and interfere with the election?



Vladimir Putin:

Listen to me. There is nothing false in the information at my disposal. Everything it says is true, and the leadership of the Democratic Party has admitted it. This is the first thing.

Second, if you do not like my answer, please say so, and I will say no more. But if you want the American people to know my opinion, then have patience.

As for the specific accusations, Mr Mueller has brought charges against a Russian company, a small business working primarily in the catering industry. I have spoken about this before.

This company has hired American attorneys to protect its name in an American court. This court has not yet found any trace of interference by this company.

Do you know about this or not? Let the millions of Americans know about this as well. Now for the [Russian] citizens mentioned here. We have a treaty on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters, a valid treaty that was signed in 1999. It has been applied quite effectively. I cited an example of its effective application. Why cannot Mr Mueller and his colleagues…



Chris Wallace:

I’m not trying to interrupt or be disrespectful.



Vladimir Putin:

You are doing this.

Why cannot Mr Mueller send an official request to us within the framework of this treaty? Under this treaty, Russian investigators could question all the individuals that our American colleagues suspect of something. I have said this before. Why has none of this been done to this day? This is surprising. Nobody has sent an official request to us…



Chris Wallace:

But the indictment just came. Let me just say. I don’t want to interrupt but I want to ask one question and move on to other subjects. Why do you think Robert Mueller issued this indictment three days before you and President Trump met here at the summit?







Vladimir Putin:

This does not concern me. These are your internal political games. Do not hold Russia-US relations hostage to your political infighting.

By the way, it is obvious to me that this case has been used for internal political fighting, and this is nothing to be proud of for US democracy. Using law enforcement agencies for political infighting is inadmissible.

I have said what I think regarding this fact. Please, send us an official request…



Chris Wallace:

Do you think that Mr Mueller is trying to sabotage the relationship?



Vladimir Putin:

I do not want to assess his work. It is not for me to do this. Let the Congress which appointed him do this. By the way, the court is not sure that Mr Mueller has been appointed as special counsel in full compliance with American legislation.

According to the court, he was appointed to his current position in violation of the law. But it is no concern of mine. You deal with it yourself. As for suspicions and charges, a procedure is stipulated in the above treaty which you can use to send requests.



Chris Wallace:

May I move on, sir?



Vladimir Putin:

Of course.



Chris Wallace:

I heard the news conference today. My opinion was a bit curious because President Trump spent more time criticising the Democrats and asking about the Democratic server that he did in criticising Russia and asking about the GRU. There are many theories in the United States about why President Trump is so reluctant to criticise you, and I’d like to ask you about a couple of them. One is that you have something on him, kompromat. The other is that as a skilled politician and a former KGB officer you know how to play him, you use phrases like “fake news” and “deep state.” And my question is: do you find President Trump easy to deal with?



Vladimir Putin:

First, about why we talked as cultured people should. Why does this come as a surprise? Did we need to meet, go to Helsinki, Mr Trump across the ocean and I from Moscow to abuse and throw mud at each other? This is not how things are done in the global diplomatic practice.

There is no need to meet if you only want to quarrel and worsen relations. We met to find ways to improve our relations, not to destroy them completely. This is the first part of my answer.

The second part concerns the compromising materials you asked about. No, we have no compromising materials and cannot have any. I do not want President Trump to take offence, and I do not want to sound impolite, but we had no interest in him until he announced his decision to run for president.

He is a wealthy man, but there are many wealthy people in the United States. He was in the construction business and organised beauty pageants. Nobody ever thought he would be elected president. He never indicated that he had any political ambitions. So the idea of compromising materials is nonsense.

As you know, I said at the news conference that 550 American business leaders visited St Petersburg [International Economic Forum], and every one of them is more important than Mr Trump used to be. Do you think that we put pressure on each of them, that our secret services shadow them, spy on them and tap their conversations?

First, we do not do this, unlike you. Do not judge others by yourself. Second, we do not have the funds, resources or personnel to spy on everyone. This is just not in our plans. It is simply impossible, and we certainly did nothing of this kind with regard to Mr Trump.



Chris Wallace:

I’d like to ask you a couple of specific questions about NATO. If NATO were to move to add either Ukraine or Georgia to the Alliance, how will you respond?



Vladimir Putin:

The situation in NATO is as follows. I know about the decision-making mechanism used in the bloc. Of course, its decisions are taken by consensus, but before taking them, individual NATO members can be contacted on a bilateral basis, as it was done with regard to Poland and Romania, which now host elements of the US strategic missile defence system.

This poses a direct threat to our national security. Therefore, the advancement of NATO infrastructure towards our borders poses a threat, and our reaction to it will be extremely negative.







Chris Wallace:

Secondly, there are two major NATO exercises later this year: Anaconda and Trident Juncture. Did you and President Trump discuss those and did he give any indication as he did with Chairman Kim of North Korea when he agreed to stop participating in war games. Did he give any indication that the US might not participate in these two NATO operations?



Vladimir Putin:

No, we did not discuss this, although it is an issue of concern for us. The NATO infrastructure is expanding, and the number of NATO servicemen in the regions where there should not be any has increased by 10,000 people.

Under the Founding Act on relations between Russia and NATO, there must be no servicemen there. It is certainly a destabilising factor. We must take it into account in our relations. But President Trump and I did not talk about this today.



Chris Wallace:

I want to ask you about Russia’s involvement in Syria. According to independent monitors, since the civil war began in 2011, more than a half a million people have been killed, and Russia has bombed civilians in Aleppo and Ghouta. No qualm about killing innocents?



Vladimir Putin:

A war is in progress and this is the most horrible thing that can happen to humankind. Of course, victims are inevitable. And people always ask, who is to blame? As I see it, it is the terrorist groups, which have destabilised the country, that are to blame. I mean ISIS, Jabhat al-Nusra, and the like. They are the true culprits.

This is exactly what the US military reply, when they deliver strikes at civilian facilities in Afghanistan, Iraq or some other country. On the whole, although this may seem debatable to someone, but on the whole this is true.

As far as Syria is concerned, US aircraft delivered very serious strikes at the city of Raqqa. Earlier today, President [Trump] and I talked about the need to undertake efforts for humanitarian operations. I think we managed to make some headway in this direction. I am looking forward to the implementation of the plans we discussed today.



Chris Wallace:

But the UN commission that is investigating Syria says and I quote their words: there was deliberate targeting of civilians by Russian pilots flying Su-24 and 34 military aircraft.



Vladimir Putin:

Everything is to be verified and assessed.

But I would like you to return to what I have just said about Raqqa. The aircraft that were attacking this city were piloted by American…



Chris Wallace:

We cannot talk about Aleppo and Ghouta?



Vladimir Putin:

Well, we can talk about Aleppo and Ghouta, but then let us talk about Raqqa too. Don’t snatch some things out of their context and forget about other things. All right?



Chris Wallace:

I do not think that there has been bloodshed in Raqqa. That there were hundreds of thousands of people who were killed in Aleppo and in Ghouta, and in the entire civil war – half a million people. By some estimates, 20,000 children have been killed by the Assad regime and his supporters in Moscow. Are they terrorists?



Vladimir Putin:

You are completely wrong; I wish you were familiar with the real situation in Syria. A lot of civilians died in Raqqa. Raqqa has been wiped off the face of the earth. Now it is a solid mass of ruins resembling Stalingrad during World War II, and, of course, there is nothing good in all this.

To reiterate: it is the people guided by their terrorist beliefs and using civilians as hostages who are to blame.



Chris Wallace:

At the G7 Summit, President Trump reportedly told the other leaders that Crimea might as well be Russian because everybody there speaks Russian. Did he give you any indication that at some point, not today, but at some point he might recognise Russia’s annexation of Crimea, or lift sanctions, or move to bring Russia back into the G7, now the G8, all of which happened as a result of the annexation of Crimea?



Vladimir Putin:

Let me make a correction: when Crimea joined Russia it was not an annexation, since the only form of democratic expression is the expression of the will of the people living within a specific territory.

People in Crimea came to the referendum and voted for independence and joining the Russian Federation. If this is an annexation, what is democracy? This is my first point.

My second point is that we are aware of President Trump’s position that Crimea is part of the Ukrainian state, as he has repeated today, while I articulated our position which is close to what I have just told you. Having said that, I think we should leave our discussion of Crimea at that.



Chris Wallace:

All right, we are running out of time anyway. Let’s move on.

Last year Defence Secretary Mattis said that Russia is the greatest threat to the United States. And he has since made it clear, an even greater threat than terrorism. In March you introduced a new generation of Russian missiles, including what you called an invincible missile. You said that it could evade, defeat all of our missile defences, and you even released a video that showed that super missile flying over the United States and hitting Florida very near where President Trump’s estate is at Mar-a-Lago. Aren’t you escalating the arms race, and aren’t you being deliberately provocative?



Vladimir Putin:

As for the video, it did not indicate that the missile targets US territory. You have to watch it more carefully. This is the first thing I wanted to say.

Second, all our strike systems target…



Chris Wallace:

It shows Florida.



Vladimir Putin:

No, it did not say Florida. This is not true. Watch it one more time, and pay more attention. It did not say Florida. All it made clear was that the missile was headed to the other side of the globe.



Chris Wallace:

No, but you can see it on the map.



Vladimir Putin:

No, you could not see this on the map. Just pay more attention when you watch instead of scaring your people with threats that do not exist. Yes, watch it carefully. Do you want me to give you this video as a gift?

As for the strike systems, let me remind you that they did not emerge out of nowhere. They emerged as a response to the unilateral withdrawal by the United States from the ABM Treaty. We warned our American colleagues right from the outset that we were not ready to build a missile defence system, since we did not believe in its effectiveness, and it was too costly. Instead we said that we would do everything to penetrate this shield.

As I have said on numerous occasions, but let me repeat it for the American audience, the response was the following: “The missile defence system we, the Americans, are building is not created against you, and you can do as you please. We will proceed from the premise that it is not against us.” In 2003 or 2004 I made a public statement about one of these systems. Our American partners did not respond in any way.

But now we have done it and showed what we have. That being said, this is a matter of negotiation, and we hope, and I hope very much that we will be able to come to solutions in terms of strategic stability that would be acceptable to both sides, including regarding short- and intermediate-range missiles.



Chris Wallace:

I have limited time, I would like to ask you about the alleged INF violation, but I want to move on and ask you three final questions about Vladimir Putin. When you were first elected in the year 2000, you were portrayed as a democratic reformer, you talked about the value of European culture and you did not even rule out becoming a part of NATO. What happened?



Vladimir Putin:

First, nothing has changed about me. I am the same as I was then. I became President of Russia when I was a grown man, and a person’s predisposition and fundamental beliefs do not change at that age.

But we have to react to what is happening around us. First, the two waves of NATO’s eastward expansion. When Soviet troops pulled out of Germany, we were told that there is one thing Russians can be absolutely certain of: that NATO will never expand beyond Germany’s borders.

There were two waves of expansion, contrary to our objections of principle. They did not give a damn about our objections. We asked you not to withdraw from the ABM Treaty, but the United States pulled out of it unilaterally. You disregarded our calls not to do so and our proposals to work together. There are other examples of this kind.

Take the developments in Yugoslavia. You know that President Yeltsin was categorically against launching military operations without the approval of the UN Security Council, which is the only legal way of using the army. But nobody listened to us.

There were other factors that complicated our relationship. For example, the extraterritorial application of American criminal law, sanctions, and so on. Was it us that introduced the sanctions? No, it was you.

You asked me about Crimea and Ukraine. It was not us who organised a military coup there and used military force to change the government in violation of the Ukrainian Constitution, and it was not us who handed out pies to the rebels. We are aware of the complicated processes underway there, but this is not the way to resolve them. And where is this happening? Right at our doorstep.

So, nothing has happened to me. I would like to know what has happened to you.



Chris Wallace:

You say nothing happened to you, but I need to ask you domestically, not internationally, domestically inside Russia. Why is that so many of the people that oppose Vladimir Putin end up dead or closed to it: former Russian spy and double agent Sergei Skripal, the victim of a nerve agent attack in England, Boris Nemtsov, a political opponent gunned down near the Kremlin, investigative reporter Anna Politkovskaya, murdered in an apartment building. Why is that so many people that were political enemies of Vladimir Putin are attacked?



Vladimir Putin:

First of all, we all have many political opponents. President Trump has many political opponents too. Take any person involved in state…



Chris Wallace:

But they do not end up dead.



Vladimir Putin:

Sometimes they do. Haven’t Presidents been killed in the United States? Have you forgotten about that? Where was Kennedy killed, in the US or in Russia? And what happened to King? As a matter of fact, what happens during clashes between the police and civil society activists, for example, from ethnic African-American organisations? Does this happen in Russia or in the US? This is all taking place in the US. You have many challenges within your country.

It is a sad truth that Russia has not been spared criminal activity. In fact, the Russian state is still in the making, and unfortunately there are many manifestations of this kind. We are fighting this, and hold perpetrators to account.

You have mentioned the Skripals. We want to see the documents on this case, to get a glimpse of any materials. No one has said anything specific, just as with the accusations against Russia of meddling in the political processes in the US. We have not seen a single document.

We now learn that two more people have suffered from the toxic agent referred to as Novichok, but I had never even heard their names. Who are these people, how were they hurt and why?



Chris Wallace:

Supposedly they picked up the bottle that was used to attack Skripal. Can I ask you one last question, sir?



Vladimir Putin:

No, let’s stay on the subject. What bottle? Who picked it up? Where? What was its chemical composition? Or can it be that these people suffered from something else? Can it be that you have to look inside Great Britain to find the cause?

No one wants to get to the bottom of this issue. These are absolutely groundless accusations. Why all this? Why make our relations worse? We want to build a proper relationship with Great Britain as well.



Chris Wallace:

Finally, I know one of the reasons that you wanted to do this interview was so that people in the United States and the West could get a better understanding of the real man. You are often portrayed as a strongman, an autocrat, a person who is a symbol of Russia’s strength. Are those fair characterisations of you, sir?



Vladimir Putin:

I do not claim to be a symbol of Russia. But from the point of view of current law, the national flag, the anthem, and the presidency itself are to a certain extent the symbols of the country – and not only those of Russia but also of any other country.

I hope that my work also reflects what Russia is engaged in, what it is concerned about, and what it is ready to do to normalise our relations with all countries, including, of course, with such a great country as the United States of America.

I have mentioned the economy. Look, I cited these examples to Mr Trump. Currently, the Europeans sell $100 billion worth of goods on our market, plus another $50 billion worth of services. China sells approximately $57 billion worth of goods on our market. But do you know the figure for US sales? Twelve [billion dollars]. And another $5 billion of services.

This is the result of your policies, including the sanctions policy. But who needs that? You have just chased your own big companies from our market. They have left and made way for rivals, including in major projects that they were extremely interested in and invested in. Some of them even lost money. What is that for?

We are interested in developing relations in the area of security, strategic stability, crisis management, the fight against terrorism, and the economy. I hope that today President Trump and I have made at least the first step in that direction.



Chris Wallace:

Mr President, thank you. Thank you for talking with us. Spasibo.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58019






Meeting with Central Bank Governor Elvira Nabiullina



Elvira Nabiullina reported to the President on the bank’s performance in the first six months of the year.



July 17, 2018 - 14:05 - The Kremlin, Moscow



The subjects discussed included measures to simplify lending to individuals and companies and efforts to enhance the accessibility of the bank’s financial services to people in remote regions.








President of Russia Vladimir Putin:

I know that you have been working to support banks on which life in small and outlying residential areas depends. I would like to talk about this, as well as about investment activities, including those involving our financial institutions.



Central Bank Governor Elvira Nabiullina:

In this case, I would like to begin with general issues and the situation in the banking system.

We are working with the Government on measures to attract more investment in the economy in keeping with your Address and the May executive order. The Central Bank is working on two goals: to enhance financial and price stability, so that there are sufficient funds for investment, and so that the overall situation in the financial system is good enough to allow the allocation of funds for investment.

I would like to brief you on some of the results of the banking system development in the first six months of this year. I believe it is very important that by this time we have done a great deal to rehabilitate the banking system, which means that our banks should have sufficient capital and liquidity to enable them to increase their lending.

Overall, bank lending has been growing, although at a different pace in different sectors. According to the year-on-year results for the first half of the year, lending in the economy has grown by 8.5 percent. Individual loans have increased by as much as 18.9 percent. Mortgages, which we have discussed many times, continue to grow rapidly, by 22.4 percent year on year, which is a lot. Of course, we have also reduced the interest rate to a historically low level, 9.56 percent. But there is the potential to continue to lower it.

Here is a figure to illustrate my point. In the past, people mostly took out consumer loans, while now mortgages account for 44 percent of all loans. It was 27 percent five years ago.



Vladimir Putin:

It is nearly half.



Elvira Nabiullina:

Yes, 44 percent is a lot. Of course, this rapid increase means that we must closely monitor the quality of mortgages, because we remember mortgage bubbles that appeared in many countries. We must not allow this to happen.



Vladimir Putin:

You mean unsecured loans.



Elvira Nabiullina:

That’s right. So far, the quality of mortgages is quite good. Mortgage arrears amounted to only 1.3 percent early this year, and it has hardly increased since then. Overall, retail loan arrears amount to 6.1 percent. In other words, mortgages are serviced very well, and the quality of these loans is good.

Corporate loans, which are vital for economic growth although mortgages support the economy as well, have been growing a bit slower, by 4.6 percent in June year on year.



Vladimir Putin:

What about personal loans?







Elvira Nabiullina:

In general, personal loans have increased by 18.9 percent year on year. The structure of lending is growing in all sectors, although differently.

The important thing is that we have recorded an improvement in lending to small and medium-sized enterprises (SME). SME lending sagged seriously in 2015 and 2016, but now it is growing faster than corporate lending as a whole, by 6.9 percent. Not bad at all, considering that the interest rate has for the first time decreased to below 10 percent on average.

Interest rates differ, of course, so that some companies take out cheaper loans and others get more expensive loans, but the average interest rate is 9.95 percent. Much depends on SME transparency, because some SMEs are keeping in the shadows and are therefore obscure entities for banks. However, we are adjusting our regulations so that it will be more profitable for banks to issue loans, including to small and medium-sized enterprises.

Since we are concerned with the structure of loans (on the whole, loans are growing), we would like to see priority growth of loans that are used to develop production and for investment projects.

This is why we have decided to transition from neutral regulation, when we assess only the risks, to stimulating regulation. I mean that our regulation and our reserves policy will mostly make the lending to small and medium-sized businesses more beneficial, while discouraging the issue of credits just for property redistribution. We will discourage hard currency lending as we will the financing of proprietary businesses. This will be done because the bank sanitation policy has shown that quite often banks’ problems are linked to their attracting deposits only to invest the money into proprietary projects without analysing the risks, doing nothing. These banks go bankrupt and we must protect the depositors’ rights. And, of course, we will mostly discourage the crediting of proprietary businesses.

A topic that I would like to discuss separately, one that has become our priority, is enabling people in sparsely populated localities and in remote territories to access financial services, because this is a big problem. A great number of people live in such remote localities and banks often close their local offices because their operations are unprofitable.

In this regard, we conduct a two-pronged policy. First, we are simplifying and making cheaper for banks such forms as mobile banks and traveling, light structural units. We are promoting new financial technologies and branchless banking. There were concerns that far from all citizens would use financial services and internet services. But our recent poll has shown that we are advancing rapidly in this area. While 23 percent, according to polls, used internet banking and branchless banking two years ago, this was 31 percent last year, and 44 percent by mid-2018. This means that the outreach of financial services is rather rapid.

Introducing a unified biometry-based identification system will be of much help. A relevant law has come into force and the banks are beginning to use it. Jointly with financial institutions, banks and communications providers, we have been pursuing a special pilot project in the Russian Far East, where this problem is rather prominent. Our objective in the Russian Far East is to make financial services more accessible. This will be our priority.



Vladimir Putin:

Good.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58020






Greetings on 20th anniversary of Assembly of Peoples of Russia



Vladimir Putin sent a message of greetings to the participants and guests of the Congress of the Peoples of Russia timed for the 20th Anniversary of the Assembly of the Peoples of Russia.



July 18, 2018 - 10:00



The message of greetings reads, in part:

“The assembly, established 20 years ago, is designed to fulfil a high mission – to promote the unity of Russia’s multiethnic people, preserve its wealthy historical, cultural and spiritual heritage and ensure interethnic peace and accord in the country. Naturally, you concentrate on issues related to enhancing the constructive dialogue between national and local government agencies and ethnic and cultural associations.

I am convinced that the assembly will continue developing its creative potential as one of the leading public venues for achieving the goals and tasks of Russia’s Strategy for State Ethnic Policy until 2025.”




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58034






Moscow Urban Forum Megacity of the Future: New Space for Living



Vladimir Putin spoke at the 8th Moscow Urban Forum Megacity of the Future: New Space for Living, held in Moscow’s Zaryadye Park from July 17 to 22.



July 18, 2018 - 13:50 - Moscow







The Moscow Urban Forum is a major international congress devoted to the development of global spaces and megacities. The platform brings together representatives of Russian and foreign city administrations, architects, urban developers, heads of finance companies, investors, as well as journalists and members of the public.

This year, participants in the forum discuss the results of the large-scale urban transformations of the past decades and the opportunities for adapting spatial solutions and infrastructure to changing economic, environmental, technological, social and cultural requirements.








President of Russia Vladimir Putin:

Good afternoon, friends, ladies and gentlemen, Mr Sobyanin.

I would like to greet you all at your forum and I am pleased to do so. I welcome all of you in the capital of Russia, all who have come to the 8th Moscow Urban Forum. It has become a traditional event in Moscow and it is rightfully one of the most reputable platforms where the present and the future of our cities, and all cities on the planet, are discussed.

I believe that it is only right that such a forum is held in Moscow, because Moscow is now a huge platform for creativity, ideas and the implementation of architectural projects.

The forum is being held in Zaryadye Park, which features the most advanced achievements and solutions in urban development and public space design. This concert hall is no exception; I think it can rightfully be called one of the best in Europe.

To us, Zaryadye is the expression of the indispensable connection between the history of our country and the present of Russia, of our intention to move forward while preserving the heritage of our ancestors.

Today cities play a decisive role in global development and economic growth. Over 80 percent of the world’s gross domestic product is produced here; education, science and culture are actively developing and new knowledge and technology are being born.

More than a half of the planet’s population and three quarters of Russians live in cities. According to forecasts in all countries, urbanisation will continue to grow rapidly.

At the same time, it is clear that those cities that fail to find a balanced development model will definitely face serious social problems and lose the battle for people’s quality of life, comfort and security.

I am sure that the key to the development of cities of the future lies in harmony between the technical sphere and nature, in freedom, in creating a wide range of opportunities for residents and their work, recreation and sports. This would enable them to combine their efforts and implement scientific, creative, social and cultural projects to make the city comfortable for everyone: children, young people, older people and those with disabilities, so that everyone becomes a part of a united urban community.

Russia has already implemented a number of complex development projects in cities that are famous not only in Russia but all over the world, such as Kazan, Sochi and Vladivostok, among others.

Of course, any changes, repairs and renovation projects always mean hassle, complications and, unfortunately, often involve moving outside the comfort zone. Sometimes city authorities receive harsh criticism for the temporary inconveniences arising from street and road reconstruction or metro construction. There are some valid and fair assessments, but, frankly, sometimes unjust ones as well. I would like to point out that we should listen to all of these opinions.

In this sense, I would like to note that Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin showed he was ready to take responsibility, to work consistently and to have an open dialogue with Muscovites, in the interests of Moscow and its residents.

Today we can see that Moscow has become a real trendsetter in terms of the quality and comfort of the urban environment, setting a standard for the development of modern megacities.

Very large, if not grand, changes have happened here in a short time. New public, business, cultural and residential spaces are being formed. Public transport is changing and becoming more user-friendly and easily accessible, from the metro and buses to the advanced taxi digital platforms.

I know that the Moscow authorities plan to continue their programme aimed at creating a high-quality urban environment and restoring the coziness of Moscow streets while making all the city districts as comfortable as the historical centre. This means not only new facilities or improvement work; in fact, changes in the urban environment change the way people see the world, their feelings and mood.

New industries, including creative ones, services and small businesses are being given an additional impetus; new modern and popular jobs are being created.







Moreover, a cozy, friendly atmosphere in cities can eliminate barriers and stereotypes. It improves trust and changes the image of a country for millions of people.

In this context, I cannot but mention the recent World Cup. The improved squares and streets of our cities have become points of attraction, friendship and communication for tourists from all over the world. As we know, during the tournament, Moscow’s Nikolskaya Street was identified as the main football street on the planet.

I am glad that fans liked it here in Russia. They praised our hospitality and friendliness, our sports facilities and transport infrastructure, our cities, public spaces and modern service sector, the work of volunteers, medical and communal services, the police and other agencies responsible for public order.

It is important that what our guests saw was not a showcase, not some artificial, short-term outer appearance, some flashy, virtual world. Everything they saw was real.

The entire country is changing, and this is a consistent, long-term trend. We are investing huge efforts and money in it. These investments are designed, first of all, to improve the quality of life of our citizens and to create a whole range of opportunities for the personal fulfillment of each one of them. We will continue doing this, of course.

Dear friends,

At the same time, we understand that there is still a lot to do. As I said in my Address to the Federal Assembly, we are going to implement a large-scale spatial development programme in Russia to transform our large and small cities, improve the infrastructure in rural areas and use the potential of advanced technology, new architectural and management solutions.

I am talking about a significant increase in housing construction, renovation of the urban environment, the creation of a transport and digital infrastructure, the solution of environmental problems, the development of healthcare, sports and educational institutions. These are the areas that directly influence the well-being of our people.

We will certainly develop the unique advantages that, I am sure, each village, city and region in Russia has. At the same time, the most important thing is to create a comfortable environment, not only in large centres, but also across the entire territory of the Russian Federation.







To give the regions greater incentive to change, I would like to suggest launching mechanisms of competition between regional and municipal authorities in order to create more comfortable, better living conditions for the people, providing incentives for creating efficient management teams, and, of course, clearly outlining the standards and criteria for the quality of their work.

First and foremost, this concerns urban development. The construction of modern housing must be based on projects that meet people’s needs, while new residential areas must become examples of smart development. This means that cities must ensure public transport access, create new jobs and social infrastructure, build children’s playgrounds. We need new architectural solutions to both improve the city and develop existing residential areas.

It is important to take care of abandoned, dilapidated buildings and develop vacant lots – there are plenty of those, and they affect the image of cities in a negative way. The responsibility of the owners of these lots should be increased significantly.

I would also like to ask the Government and the relevant development institutions to intensify efforts to use federal lands more efficiently. Today they often get excluded from the life of the city.

I have already mentioned that modern cities built for people are, first and foremost, about environmental well-being. This means cities free from landfills, cities that have clean air and water. That is why introducing environmental protection technologies, modern waste processing and management systems, and the modernisation of industrial, housing and utility facilities must become indispensable requirements for the further development of residential areas.

The development of transport infrastructure, including railroad links, is of the utmost importance.







The Moscow Central Circle is now successfully operating in Russia’s capital; in the next few years, passengers will be able to travel through the entire city and get to the nearest Moscow Region towns using the surface metro created on the basis of existing transportation systems.

Through the development of road, transport and digital infrastructure, big towns, small towns, and historic towns, as we call them, will get an additional boost. Their residents must have full access to all modern services.

There are about 1,100 towns in our country with over 900 of them being small towns with under 100,000 residents. Most of them are towns with 10,000 to 50,000 residents, and they are the ones that form the unique cultural image of Russia.

Today, we are facing a challenge of paramount importance – we need to help these towns unleash their potential, so that they can become centres of tourism, art, science and technology; so that the quality of life there can meet the latest standards and people’s needs. It is, to be sure, a serious creative and professional challenge for economists, managers, architects and urbanists.

I would like to address participants in the forum, the young professionals. Of course, everyone expects specific projects and creative proposals from you. For our part, we will do everything we can to support you.

This year we held a national contest for the best projects on creating a comfortable environment in small towns and historical towns for the first time. I think it is necessary to continue this contest and make it a tradition, especially since it involves the local residents in improving their towns.

In this era of constant technological change, both small towns and large cities should preserve their unique character, identity, historical image, traditions and, if you will, their spirit and human attitude.

A city can only be successfully developed if its residents are involved, with their opinions and initiatives, and with strong institutions for direct democracy and local self-government and effective means of communication with people.







Today, active citizens, volunteers and non-profit organisations are ready to undertake these tasks in many areas, such as the provision of services and the organisation of tourism, sports, education and culture. They are creating an atmosphere of hospitality, good heartedness and mutual support that modern cities need so much.

Using this opportunity, I would like to once again thank the volunteers that worked during the FIFA World Cup.

Needless to say, we should use the best experience – both Russian and foreign – for meeting our challenges. We need to use the best solutions from urban developers, economists, architects, and experts on environmental protection, transport and IT.

Naturally, the younger generation and people of all ages that are not afraid to step forward and suggest original, unconventional ideas should certainly be involved in creating the future of cities.

I believe each region in the Russian Federation should have venues where specialists will be able to communicate, exchange their knowledge and propose modern projects. This is where the creative potential and energy of every region should be concentrated.

Moscow has very good experience and it should be used by other cities. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin has just talked to me about the city’s development plans. These are extensive plans and I hope all of them will be carried out for the benefit of the people.

A lot of work and ambitious tasks are ahead. I would like to invite all of you to take part in joint work – both our partners, whom we can call this because we are working together – and those who want to work with us.

Thank you very much for your attention. I would like to wish you success. All the best to you!




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58026






Meeting with Government members



The President held a regular meeting with Government members to discus the tentative results of the FIFA World Cup and the 2018 International Industrial Trade Fair INNOPROM, and the issues of eliminating the consequences of floods and fires in a number of regions.



July 18, 2018 - 15:20 - The Kremlin, Moscow



Deputy Prime Minister and Presidential Envoy in the Far Eastern Federal District Yury Trutnev gave the main report on additional measures to develop the Far East.








President of Russia Vladimir Putin:

Good afternoon.

Let us talk today about additional measures to develop the Far East, but we will start with a more urgent event. It is drawing to a close, but we need to review it and consider what to do with the World Cup facilities in the future. Let us talk about the preliminary results. Ms Golodets, please.



Deputy Prime Minister Olga Golodets:

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen,

Let me recall that the decision to hold the World Cup was made in December 2010, and it took place from June 14 through July 15, 2018. 32 countries competed in 64 matches.

This tournament has broken many records in various areas. 3,031,768 people watched the matches. The attendance was high at all matches and almost reached 100 percent (99.8–99.9).

About 806,000 foreign citizens received Fan ID cards, and in all, about 3 million foreigners visited this country over this period. The highest number of tickets among foreigners were bought by fans from the United States, Brazil and Germany. These three countries led in the number of guests. The World Cup was visited by 25 presidents, seven representatives of different monarchies and 11 heads of government. About 7.7 million people came to the fan zones.

The championship was a turning point in breaking a great many stereotypes about our country. This is probably the first time that the people who attended the championship were able to form first-hand opinions about our country. Several million positive testimonials have changed the image of Russia as an open, technologically advanced and hospitable country. Even absolutely anti-Russian media, such as ‘The Times,’ admitted that this championship was unprecedented in its beauty. This is a major achievement.

The development of infrastructure is, of course, the most important achievement for Russia, with 269 new infrastructure sites built as part of preparations for the championship, which will continue to be used in the future. This includes 12 stadiums and 95 new training grounds, of which, according to the new Championship Legacy Concept, 64 will be used to promote children's football in our country.

The airports in the 11 host cities have been renovated, and a new airport, Platov, was built. The new airports led to tripling passenger traffic in Volgograd, and doubling it in Samara, Rostov, Saransk and Yekaterinburg.

Russian Railways’ rolling stock received major upgrades: 75 new trains were purchased and 13 terminals and seven stations upgraded.

This represents a major boost for expanding tourism in our country. We expect the infrastructural changes, including the construction of new hotels, which increased by 15 percent in the host cities, to provide a stable base for higher numbers of tourists, both domestic and international.

Importantly, an innovative technology – the Fan ID card – was developed and proved its consistency.

Mr President, you have already decided to extend Fan ID validity until the end of the year. However, we would like you to issue additional instructions. We discussed this when working on the Concept, but we want the Fan ID approach to be extended to other cultural events held in our country. We will soon be holding the Student Games in Krasnoyarsk, and next year is the year of a major musical event in our culture, the Tchaikovsky Competition. This technology would very much help us accommodate guests, especially from other countries.



Vladimir Putin:

I discussed this with Mr Medvedev yesterday. It is a good thing to do, so we will go ahead and do it.







Olga Golodets:

Of course, the festivities would be incomplete without our team’s success. The remarkable performance by the Russian team deserves our gratitude as fans. We hope that together with the football professionals, we will be able to lay a new platform for promoting children's and youth football in our country.

The concept is in place, and we will report on it in the coming days.



Vladimir Putin:

Mr Kolokoltsev, what about security?



Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev:

Mr President, colleagues,

The Russian Ministry of the Interior has fulfilled in full its task of ensuring public safety during the World Cup. We used over 100,000 of our employees. The relevant measures were taken during the football matches and Fan Fests.

Russian police officers were polite and tactful. Fans who committed minor offences received minor penalties. The International Police Cooperation Centre and the tourist police performed well.

Suffice it to say that due to interaction with our foreign colleagues and information exchanges, over 3,000 foreign citizens with previous sports event related violations were denied entry into Russia. They were not allowed here, and this also improved the safety of the tournament.

Due to our measures, no serious violations of public order were recorded during the World Cup.

Given that foreign tourists with Fan IDs may be staying in Russia until July 25, we continue to operate in an enhanced mode.

I would like to note that the introduction of the Fan ID cards and the system of access control helped in the efficient provision of public order. These were developed in Russia and were praised by both FIFA and the fans themselves.

I would like to ask you, Mr President, to give instructions to preserve the security infrastructure at the stadiums in order to use it during other sports events.







Vladimir Putin:

All right.

Mrs Skvortsova, what can you say for the Healthcare Ministry?



Healthcare Minister Veronika Skvortsova:

Mr President, colleagues,

A medical aid scheme with a response time of under five minutes was deployed in all 17 Russian regions where World Cup events were held and teams stayed and trained.

In total, 6,500 healthcare workers provided medical aid, with 4,500 working directly at the facilities. Everyone had additional training in line with the FIFA-approved emergency aid protocols.

Volunteer and student medics helped us a lot, including in emergency situations when translation was needed.

There were 170 stationary medical offices at 12 stadiums and in fan zones, with 280 mobile medical teams patrolling spectator and festival zones. Each team was comprised of three specialists: an emergency medicine specialist, a trauma specialist and a paramedic. There also were 202 paramedic teams, including 68 intensive care units, for medical evacuation.

Medical aid for the entire FIFA team, including footballers, journalists and spectators, was provided at 147 medical institutions, including 14 hospitals authorised by FIFA.

During the World Cup, over 15,000 people, including 1,300 children, sought medical assistance. Participants in entertainment programmes, volunteers and people working at the facilities were seen most often, over 7,000; followed by spectators at 6,879. In addition, medical aid was provided to 547 FIFA team members, including 57 footballers and 366 journalists. Aid was provided on the spot in 92 percent of the cases, while eight percent of the patients were taken to inpatient facilities and 277 were hospitalised.

I would like to note that all the host cities provided medical aid fully and in good time, including hi-tech medical care in emergencies, such as endovascular therapy for acute coronary syndromes (the patients have already been discharged, with only one remaining at the inpatient facility, but improving). A patient with a sudden subarachnoid haemorrhage into the ventricular system had most complicated emergency neurosurgery in Samara: his life was saved, and two weeks later, the patient went home with almost no neurological defects. A foreigner who had a car accident in Saransk was operated on by two surgical teams, with a very good outcome, and also went home.

Of 57 footballers who sought medical attention, 53 received it on the spot, four were hospitalised and two were operated on due to various traumas. The Russian national football team received medical and psychological treatment according to their individual support plans designed by the Russian Federal Biomedical Agency.

I would like to say, Mr President, that the FIFA medical inspection noted the high standards of medical support during the championship. We received a letter from FIFA Medical Officer Efraim Kramer saying that there had been nothing like it in all of FIFA history and that he recommends our standards be used in other countries. He has already sent a medical delegation from Qatar, the next country to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup. People are studying and borrowing from our experience, to be able to use it in organising and hosting the 2022 World Cup.



Vladimir Putin:

The festival was really a success. We will return to this, especially in the context ofusing the World Cup legacy. Now I would like to again thank everyone who took part in organising this grand event. This applies to both those who are here now and those who are not.

(Addressing Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Mutko) Mr Mutko, I would like to express my gratitude to you. You are not directly involved in this work at present but everyone knows that you were there at the start of this journey and did a lot to prepare for this championship.

Festivals have their place, but we still have current matters that demand urgent attention. I mean, first of all, the aftermath of floods in several regions, in many regions actually. In some places, water reached not just critical but record levels. Let us speak about this.

Mr Zinichev, please.







Minister for Civil Defence, Emergencies and Natural Disaster Relief Yevgeny Zinichev:

Mr President, colleagues,

Low-pressure systems with pouring rain, hail and strong winds formed in several regions of Russia in July this year. As a result, some communities and farmland were flooded and bridges, railway tracks, motorways and other infrastructure were eroded. Emergencies were declared in some of these regions. We employed forces and facilities of the Emergencies Ministry, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Federal National Guard Service, the Federal Service for the Oversight of Consumer Protection and Welfare, the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Supervision and other authorities. In all the regions, we employed about 2,000 people, over 700 pieces of equipment; over 600 people and 100 pieces of equipment from the Emergencies Ministry.

Today, the situation in Krasnodar and Stavropol Territories is stable; crews are now cleaning the rubble. In the Komi Republic, the officials are now providing assistance to 280 residents in eight apartment buildings; they are repairing the damaged roofs. Volgograd continues to restore the embankment near Volgograd Arena. Power and street traffic in Tula, Bryansk and Belgorod regions has been restored.

Trans-Baikal Territory suffered the most, beating its 1991 records. Starting July 8, as a result of prolonged downpours and snowmelt in the mountains, the river levels have risen in 10 municipalities, flooding 30 townships with over 5,000 residents in over 730 buildings.

At this point, we see a consistent, positive trend. A total of 20 buildings remain flooded, with 35 bridges damaged.

We are working to eliminate and minimise the consequences of the flooding, so there have been no fatalities. A total of 465 children were evacuated from camps and returned to their parents; about 2,000 people were evacuated in advance. There are 94 people waiting in four temporary shelters. A total of 21 such facilities with a capacity of up to 1,500 people have been created.

Today, hotlines are receiving calls around the clock. Experts from Rospotrebnadzor [the Federal Service for the Oversight of Consumer Protection and Welfare] are now taking water samples. The current sanitary and epidemiological situation is normal. Roads are being cleared, dams are being strengthened, water is being pumped out, buildings are being drained, large areas are being cleaned.

Unfortunately, according to forecasts, a storm with more precipitation is to move into Trans-Baikal Territory in the third week of July. But we believe there might be a slight decline in the current flood situation.

Commissions continue to evaluate the situation in the region. The preliminary damage was estimated at over 1 billion rubles. However, it is too early to talk about the final figures, since the situation is still developing. Over 164 million rubles were allocated from the budget of Trans-Baikal Territory and its road funds. Over 18 million rubles have already been allocated to the affected citizens, at 10,000 rubles per citizen.

Now, regarding the forest fire situation.



Vladimir Putin:

Yes, please.



Yevgeny Zinichev:

The Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) and Krasnoyarsk Territory are suffering the most from forest fires; a state of emergency was declared in those forests. As the Federal Agency for Forestry reports, there are a total of 276 fires on a total area of 1.5 million hectares in these constituent territories. According to forecasters, the probability remains that the number of areas affected by fires will increase.

The Emergency Ministry’s fire and rescue units were on alert to protect residential areas and commercial buildings with 600 people and 50 vehicles, including five aircraft and three helicopters to contain the fire; there were 250 discharges of 2,500 tonnes of water in total.

According to Emergency Ministry data, in the last 24 hours the total area of possible smoke contamination included over 20 residential areas with a total population of 850,000. We have been monitoring the possible presence and concentration of hazardous substances in the atmosphere from satellites. The ministry’s crews and equipment are constantly on call.

This is my report.



Vladimir Putin:

Listen, I am still concerned over some issues: there are many problems in Trans-Baikal Territory, all emergencies; or the situation in Yakutia, which has submitted the necessary applications for funding, but has received no money.



Yevgeny Zinichev:

We only received the request two days ago.



Vladimir Putin:

But this is a new application. The first one was submitted in mid-June, and the Finance Ministry failed to allocate the funding.



Minister of Finance Anton Siluanov:

The requested amount did not correspond to the level of federal emergency funding as defined by the government resolution. We have revised the request, and now it has been filed with the Emergency Ministry, and we will allocate the money needed. There is money for this in the Emergency Reserve Fund.



Vladimir Putin:

Mr Siluanov, we will have to agree that this sounds strange: they asked too little. You made them revise it to ask for more, and now you have to allocate it. Maybe you should not have used such a formal approach. You should have turned to the government and discussed the situation. We are losing time, aren’t we? How objective is their request? If you say “too little,” they will add more.



Anton Siluanov:

…An emergency situation: regional, municipal, or federal, so based on this…



Vladimir Putin:

I understand. You should have told them, “decide for yourselves.” But you have revised it and come up with a larger sum, and now we will have to allocate it. I am asking you to reconsider this process and, what is more important, more quickly. They need the funding, and they need to get to work.

Mr Medvedev, please consider this.







Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev:

Yes, Mr President.

Several days ago, we were working on the situation in Trans-Baikal Territory and discussing what had happened to the bridges and other facilities there. We will see what we can do, but it looks like we will have to allocate funding for restoration. As Yevgeny Zinichev has just said, 35 bridges were damaged.



Vladimir Putin:

It is hot there right now, everything seems fine, but we know how quickly it gets cold.



Dmitry Medvedev:

Of course.



Vladimir Putin:

So you should act quickly.

Thank you.

Mr Manturov, how did INNOPROM 2018 go?



Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov:

We saw a large number of foreign delegations this year with 170 countries represented. South Korea had the largest representation with 105 leading companies, many of them were presented in Russia for the first time. I would like to take the opportunity and relay the words of gratitude from the heads of the South Korea delegation for the partner country status awarded to them this year.

This year INNOPROM’s central theme was the digitisation of manufacturing, as this trend is designated as one of the long-term priorities in our economy. The exhibit part of the expo was filled by over 600 international companies, and the number of samples of automation and robotics products doubled compared to last year.

By positioning INNOPROM as a specialised venue for the world’s high-tech businesses, we have managed to raise the share of the professional audience and company leaders of different levels to 76 percent.

Overall, INNOPROM reached its maximum in terms of visitors – about 50,000 people in four days. This is the reason why the construction of a modern 26,000-square metre convention centre is underway in Sverdlovsk Region. This will make it possible to expand exhibition infrastructure and to carry out the joint initiative with UNIDO and the United Arab Emirates that you announced at the St Petersburg Economic Forum – to hold the GMIS-2019, the Second Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit at the INNOPROM venue. Nature-like technologies will be the core theme of the summit. In fact, it will be the first global discussion on the need to restore balance between the bio- and the technosphere.



Vladimir Putin:

Are you referring to 2019?







Denis Manturov:

Yes, 2019, from July 8 to 12.

Mr President, you laid it out in your speech back in 2015 when you addressed the 70th UN General Assembly. The summit will deal with the search for new methods of treating severe diseases, expanded application of artificial intelligence, environmentally safe solutions for power generation and waste processing.

Together with the summit’s organisers we launched a countdown at the GMIS website and began preparations for this large-scale international event.

In our view, INNOPROM’s strengthening positions and the announced global summit will improve Ekaterinburg’s chances to host EXPO 2025. Voting will be held this November as part of the bidding process. Thank you.



Vladimir Putin:

And do you think everything is being done to prepare our bid for the vote in Paris? What is gong on there?



Denis Manturov:

We have been actively arranging presentations at all international venues using every possibility available. We have made a huge number of visits, especially to the countries of Africa, Latin America, Europe the Middle East. In fact, the Middle East is very supportive, our colleagues and partners.



Vladimir Putin:

Are we competing with Baku and Osaka?



Denis Manturov:

Yes, Baku and Osaka, they are also hard at work. But we expect that our position – especially with regard to the first question you posed on the results of the FIFA World Cup, on the results of all those events – gives us a good foundation, a good chance of winning this bid campaign.



Vladimir Putin:

All right, thank you very much. Let us move on to the main topic.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58027






Meeting with executives of State Space Corporation ROSCOSMOS



Vladimir Putin discussed plans for developing the missile and space industry and measures aimed at making the corporation more efficient with the executives of the State Space Corporation ROSCOSMOS.



July 18, 2018 - 16:30 - The Kremlin, Moscow








President of Russia Vladimir Putin:

Good afternoon.

I have invited you – this practically new ROSCOSMOS team – to discuss plans for the development of the missile and space industry and specific decisions aimed at making your corporation more efficient.

The amount of work and the scale of objectives are great. I hope that you will approach these goals with the highest responsibility and will work consistently and professionally, trying to reach the best results.

As you know, Russia has always had broad and sometimes unique competences in space exploration. Today, ROSCOSMOS needs breakthrough success in this area and, given the growing global competition, to maintain its position of leadership.

We are well aware that this is not just about prestige. The resolution of several truly vital issues depends on the development of modern space infrastructure and equipment, and the deployment of precision navigation and global satellite communications, such as the creation of the digital economy, the development of logistics and of e-learning, and ensuring security and law and order. Your progress needs to become a major resource for the country’s general breakthrough development.

Let me emphasise that for all the known problems, the missile and space industry has powerful technological and personnel potential, great engineers and scientific schools.

As recently as July 10, our specialists managed to launch and dock the Progress-MS-09 cargo craft with the International Space Station in record time. You cut the docking time in half.

These suggested technical solutions will seriously enhance the effectiveness of our space programme.

Since the space industry is strategically important, please focus on the key tasks at hand. You are aware of them, but I will, nonetheless, go over some of them.

Firstly, we must continue to build up the orbital group. In doing so, it is necessary to drastically improve the quality and reliability of space and launch vehicles, and to create a modern domestic electronics industry in order to extend the service life of our satellites in orbit. We are all aware of the things we should focus on here.







Secondly, it is important to implement a number of major significant projects in a timely manner, including the creation of a super-heavy class rocket complex.

Importantly, all previous deadlines for developing it should be met, and flight tests should begin in 2028 as planned.

There is a similar requirement for the Soyuz-5 medium-class carrier rocket, which, in fact, will become the first stage of the super-heavy rocket. As you may be aware, the Soyuz flight tests should begin in 2022.

Thirdly, I look forward to seeing greater efforts to develop the Angara family of carrier rockets, including the Angara-A5 heavy-lift rocket: as we know, it is of great importance for our country's defence capability.

For us to be able to launch it, we must expand the infrastructure of the Vostochny Space Launch Centre, proceed with the second phase of its construction, and organise work to build a launch pad for the Angara, the launch of which is scheduled for 2021.

Also, given that the rocket and space industry is currently overly reliant on budgetary funds, it should focus on ways to diversify its output, like the defence industry.

I believe the Corporation can and should ensure a steady flow of revenue from paid services rendered to other sectors of the economy in the sphere of information, navigation and communications. By doing so, we will direct federal budget funds toward the future goals of the space industry.

I am aware that you have high quality and commercially viable projects, such as the new programme Sphere, which, in the next few years, will be used to launch over 600 satellites (I believe, 640 in all) in three stages: by 2022, 2024 and 2028. Under this programme, the new space group should be effectively used in the sphere of navigation, communications and remote sensing of the Earth.

Importantly, domestic businesses and our foreign partners are interested in this project, so we should fully focus on implementing it.

One more thing. In order to fulfill the Corporation’s ambitious plans, it is important to focus on HR policy. I hope that you will not only retain, but also increase the industry’s design and engineering capacity and pay special attention to training young employees. This is instrumental for the success of the space industry and its future. Please take good care of what you have, and, of course, focus on building up the workforce.

Let us get to work.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58031






Establishment of honorary titles of Merited Journalist and Merited Communications and Mass Media Worker



The President signed the Executive Order On Certain Issues Pertaining to the Russian State Award System.



July 19, 2018 - 10:00



To further improve the state award system in the Russian Federation, the President established the honorary titles of Merited Journalist of the Russian Federation and Merited Communications and Mass Media Worker of the Russian Federation.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58035






Meeting of ambassadors and permanent representatives of Russia



Vladimir Putin took part in a meeting of ambassadors and permanent representatives of Russia at international organisations and associations, where he outlined the main goals of Russian diplomacy.



July 19, 2018 - 14:10 - Moscow



Meetings of ambassadors and permanent representatives of Russia are held biannually. Invitations are issued to the leaders of the Government and both houses of the Federal Assembly, as well as heads of ministries and agencies involved in international activities plus members of the research, expert and business communities.








President of Russia Vladimir Putin:

Colleagues, welcome to this traditional meeting.

First of all, I would like to express my gratitude to the leadership, staff and veterans of the diplomatic service for their efforts to protect Russia’s national interests and for their contribution to international cooperation.

The Ministry’s central office, our embassies and all other Russian missions abroad are acting professionally in a coordinated manner, fulfilling the tasks set before them. Russia is pursuing a responsible and independent foreign policy in a dynamically developing and eventful global situation.

I would like to point out that Russia’s active involvement in global affairs is driven by our priority national interest, which is to create favourable and safe conditions for the country’s breakthrough development, for attaining large-scale social and economic goals and for improving the quality of life for the people.

Our people want Russia to be a strong, independent and peaceful state. We are open to partnerships, to mutually beneficial and constructive relations with all countries and regional associations.

As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, Russia will continue to defend the fundamental principles documented in the UN Charter, which are sovereignty, equality of states, non-interference in other countries’ domestic affairs, and the just resolution of disputes. We believe that by observing international law and working together we can deal with the most complex world problems.

The world undoubtedly needs our approach to ensuring global security and stability, countering new threats and challenges.







Russia’s views on the best basis for a modern world order are supported by our allies in the CSTO, the CIS, BRICS and the SCO share. We all understand that they account for a large part of the world’s population. We have acted and will continue to act based on our principled positions when dealing with acute regional crises.

It was with Russia’s decisive role that international terrorism, ISIL and other extremist groups suffered a crushing blow in Syria. This allowed Syria to maintain its statehood and create conditions for its economic recovery and the return of refugees.

I want to once again thank our military personnel who courageously performed and continue to perform their professional duty, and, of course, diplomats who are as extensively and selflessly involved in the Syria issue.

With Russia’s active diplomatic efforts, the Astana process is moving forward. The Syrian National Dialogue Congress held in Sochi earlier this year was a significant achievement that deserves the closest attention, study and support. These efforts are laying a legitimate foundation for Syria’s revival.

Now on the agenda is the organisation of the Constitutional Committee to prepare for constitutional reform and subsequent elections, with support from the United Nations. Of course, it is extremely important that the international community intensify its efforts to provide humanitarian aid to the Syrians. We are working on this.

This is clearly important for Syria and the rest of the region, as well as for many other countries, because our active efforts can reduce the migration pressure on European countries.

Russia also proposed a solution for the Korean Peninsula involving collective efforts and dialogue. We joined forces with China to draft a plan for the gradual normalisation of the situation there.







It is good that the ideas proposed in that plan have been applied and that the sides have launched negotiations, showing respect for each other and refraining from actions that can have irreparable consequences. We hope that these positive trends, which were made possible also thanks to the contribution of US President Donald Trump, will continue to develop.

However, we have seen cases where agreements reached through concerned efforts were derailed overnight. I am referring to the unilateral US decision to withdraw from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on Iran’s nuclear programme.

This document is of crucial significance for global non-proliferation. Our task is to preserve this vital arrangement and to prevent the growing tension in the Middle East from getting out of control.

There is a serious risk of aggravation of the situation in south-eastern Ukraine. The reasons are the same as always: non-compliance of the Ukrainian authorities with their own commitments and refusal to settle the conflict peacefully.

Time and again, we see open disregard for the agreements, as well as an unwillingness to talk to their own people and a reliance on military scenarios. We believe that the Minsk Package of Measures provides fundamental grounds for a political settlement of this crisis.

Colleagues, our foreign policy efforts are not aimed at achieving some kind of speculative greatness or creating problems for others. Let me reiterate that what matters most is ensuring the right conditions for the sustainable development of our country.

In the years to come, Russia must not only firmly establish itself among the world’s top five economies, but also substantially improve the key standards related to the quality of life of its citizens. To achieve these strategic objectives we must make full use of our foreign policy opportunities.

It is important that we focus our efforts on achieving specific, pragmatic results, tap new markets, expand exports and gain access to advanced technology and investment, while overcoming the obstacles and limitations Russian companies face in foreign markets.

In today’s world, the principles of competition and openness in global trade are increasingly replaced by protectionism, while economic gain and expediency are swapped for partisan agendas and political pressure. Economic ties and entrepreneurial freedom are being politicised.

Against this backdrop, Russia’s foreign policy must run counter to this trend by being more economically driven and rational. Creating a space of good neighbourly relations, wellbeing, security and stability along the entire perimeter of our state border has special importance.

The Eurasian Economic Union is a key integration project for Russia. It is gratifying that our partners are guided by the same priorities as we are within the EAEU, and we implement them together quite effectively. The essence of these approaches is to use the opportunities arising from the integration processes to stimulate economic growth in all member countries so that citizens and businesses benefit from this cooperation.







We also believe in the importance of stepping up EAEU contacts with other countries. Its free trade area with Vietnam has been launched, and talks are underway with Israel, Serbia and Singapore. Consultations with Egypt and India are to begin soon. A temporary agreement paving the way to the creation of a free trade area with Iran has been signed. All in all, there are about 50 proposals aimed at establishing partnerships with the Eurasian Economic Union.

Good prospects are opening up due to joint efforts with China resulting from the Agreement on Trade and Economic Cooperation signed in May between Beijing and the Eurasian Economic Union.

The Eurasian Economic Union and the Belt and Road Initiative are efficiently complementing each other. Harmonisation of these projects can lay the foundation for establishing a Greater Eurasian Partnership – an economic cooperation space that is as free as possible from all barriers.

We should apply the same logic to developing relations with the European Union, which remains one of our major trade partners despite current difficulties. We have many overlapping economic interests with the EU. Our common transport and energy infrastructure has been developing for decades.

I would like to emphasise that all the business projects that we are implementing with Europe, including, for instance, Nord Stream 2, are solely commercial and economically viable; they are not politically charged and have no hidden agenda.

The key to providing security and safety in Europe is in expanding cooperation and restoring trust, and not in deploying new NATO bases and military infrastructure near Russia’s borders, which is what is taking place now.

We will respond appropriately to such aggressive steps, which pose a direct threat to Russia. Our colleagues, who are trying to aggravate the situation, seeking to include, among others, Ukraine and Georgia in the orbit of the alliance, should think about the possible consequences of such an irresponsible policy.

We need a new, positive agenda aimed at collaboration and attempts to find common ground. Of course, I discussed this during my meeting with the President of the United States, Mr Trump.

With our views being different on many matters, we agreed that Russia-US relations are deeply unsatisfactory and in many ways even worse than during the Cold War.

Of course, it would be naive to believe that the problems that piled up over years would be resolved in a matter of several hours. No one was counting on this. However, I believe that we have embarked on a path to positive changes.







Importantly, a full-fledged summit with an opportunity to talk directly has finally taken place. It was overall successful and led to productive agreements.

We will have to wait and see, of course, what turn the events will take, all the more so as certain forces in America are trying to downplay and disavow the results of the Helsinki summit.

To digress from the main subject, I would like to say a few words on a personal note, so to speak.

We see that there are forces in the United States that are willing to sacrifice Russia-US relations to promote their ambitions amid the domestic political strife in America. They are ready to sacrifice the interests of their businesses, which are losing multimillion-dollar contracts and the Russian market in general, as well as jobs in the United States, even though not many, but still there are jobs in place as part of cooperation with Russia. We are talking about tens of thousands, potentially hundreds of thousands, of jobs.

They are ready to sacrifice the interests of their allies in Europe and the Middle East, in particular, those of the State of Israel. Among other things, we discussed security at the Golan Heights during the operation in Syria. Apparently, no one is interested in it. They are ready to sacrifice even their own security.

I would like to say that the New START Treaty will expire in 2021. Generally speaking, we could have lived without it even several years ago, but we took the correct step when we signed it. Unless we start working right now to coordinate its extension, it will cease to exist in a year and a half. We will simply not have this treaty.

When I spoke about these forces, you know, this does not fit our political philosophy, because we have always been taught that officials working in the interests of the state, of society must think above all about and give priority to these fundamental interests. Unfortunately, there are forces in the United States that put their narrow group and party interests before national ones.

Our famous satirical writers once wrote about such people, “Miserable, wretched people!” But this is not quite so, at least not when it comes to this case. These are not miserable or wretched people. No, they are powerful and strong people who can shove – sorry for the mauvais ton – unbelievable and illogical stories in the face of millions of their citizens. Yes, they can really do this.

I am not saying this to scold or commend anyone. Absolutely not. I am saying this so that we take this into account in our practical work in the American direction. These are the facts of modern life.







Nevertheless, Russia is open to further contacts with the United States on an equal and mutually beneficial basis. This is what not only our people but the world as a whole need. As the world’s largest nuclear powers, we have special responsibility for strategic stability and security.

Colleagues, let me say a few words on a different topic. The 2018 FIFA World Cup ended just a few days ago. Not only the heads of state and government from many countries visited Russia, but also, and most importantly, hundreds of thousands of football fans from all across the world, who saw with their own eyes the real Russia: open, friendly and modern.

This is an obvious success and a breakthrough in what is known as public diplomacy. This is attributable, among other factors, to your contribution to preparing this large-scale event. I would like to thank you for your efforts.

Colleagues, it is obvious that the workload for the Foreign Ministry’s central office and all of Russia’s embassies will not subside moving forward. There is a lot of work for you ahead, and each and every one of you has immense responsibility.

Make no mistake: the country’s leadership remains committed to ensuring the material wellbeing and enhancing the professional status of diplomats, as well as improving social security for Ministry workers. A number of decisions has been taken to this effect.

At the same time, some sensitive matters, including that of pay, social guarantees for family members, retirement pensions and housing, have yet to be addressed. Of course, the Government will work on it.

I would like to ask the Government to keep these matters under control and prevent any formalistic or bureaucratic approaches. Let me emphasise that these efforts are aimed at ensuring that diplomats can exercise their professional duties in an enabling environment, which is extremely important in terms of increasing the efficiency of our foreign policy efforts in general.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58037






Meeting with Security Council permanent members



Vladimir Putin held a meeting with permanent members of the Security Council.



July 19, 2018 - 17:00 - The Kremlin, Moscow







The participants discussed the results of the President’s recent international contacts, including the Russian-US summit in Helsinki on July 16.







They reviewed the initiative to use the 2018 FIFA World Cup Fan ID cards as documents for visa-free entry into Russia by foreigners until the end of this year.










The meeting was attended by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko, State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin, Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Anton Vaino, Minister of the Interior Vladimir Kolokoltsev, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, Director of the Federal Security Service Alexander Bortnikov, Director of the Foreign Intelligence Service Sergei Naryshkin, and Special Presidential Representative for Environmental Protection, Ecology and Transport Sergei Ivanov.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58065






Draft design of Kaliningrad’s culture and museum centre presented to the President



Governor of the Kaliningrad Region Anton Alikhanov and Deputy Prime Minister Olga Golodets briefed the President on the progress in the draft design.



July 20, 2018 - 19:00 - Kaliningrad







Anton Alikhanov recalled that during the President’s visit to the Kaliningrad Region, the local authorities asked him to support the establishment of a culture and museum centre. He explained that the concept for the centre has already been developed: it will comprise a branch of the Bolshoi Theatre, a choreography school, a conservatory, a large museum complex with the involvement of major museums – the Tretyakov Gallery, the Hermitage, the Russian Museum. Two plots of land have already been designated for the centre.

Olga Golodets stressed that the Kaliningrad Region is a special region of Russia, and tourists who visit it see it as an outpost of Russian culture. This is why some of the best examples of Russian culture will be gathered there.

Vladimir Putin emphasised that the project must be discussed with the public and experts and that all provisions must be made for those who will work and study there.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58079
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Telephone conversation with President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev



Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev.



July 23, 2018 - 13:15



Mr Nazarbayev congratulated Mr Putin on the successful hosting of the FIFA World Cup Russia.

The two presidents discussed matters pertaining to the further development of bilateral interaction within the Eurasian Economic Union as well as preparations for the fifth Caspian Summit scheduled to be held in August in Aktau.

They also exchanged opinions on current international affairs.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58087






Telephone conversation with President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko



Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko.



July 23, 2018 - 13:25



Mr Putin and Mr Lukashenko discussed some aspects of the activities of the Eurasian Economic Union, as well as current international matters.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58088






Telephone conversation with Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan



Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan.



July 23, 2018 - 15:55



Mr Putin and Mr Pashinyan discussed matters concerning the Eurasian Economic Community and bilateral cooperation.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58089






Telephone conversation with President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev



During the telephone conversation, Vladimir Putin extended his greetings to President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev on his birthday.



July 24, 2018 - 12:30



The President of Uzbekistan praised the excellent organisation of the FIFA World Cup.

The leaders discussed key issues of bilateral cooperation in the context of preparations for Vladimir Putin’s state visit to Uzbekistan scheduled for the autumn of 2018.

They also touched on several topical issues on the international and regional agendas.

Earlier in the day, Vladimir Putin sent Shavkat Mirziyoyev a message of greeting, which reads, in part:

“Under your leadership, Uzbekistan is confidently moving along the path of sustainable socio-economic development and is playing an important and constructive role in regional and international affairs. Mostly thanks to your personal efforts, we have recently succeeded in developing strategic cooperation and alliance between our countries.

I will be glad to continue our friendly dialogue and close joint work with you. I hope that our upcoming talks in Tashkent will further develop mutually beneficial bilateral cooperation in various areas for the benefit of our fraternal peoples.”




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58092






Condolences to Prokopis Pavlopoulos and Alexis Tsipras over the tragic consequences of wildfires in Greece



Vladimir Putin offered his condolences to President of Greece Prokopis Pavlopoulos and Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras over the tragic consequences of wildfires burning across Greece.



July 24, 2018 - 13:15



The Russian President emphasised that the people of Russia share the sorrow of the fraternal Greek people and offered his sympathy and support to the families and loved ones of those killed and wishes for a speedy recovery to the injured.

Vladimir Putin also expressed readiness to help Greece deal with the consequences of this natural disaster.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58093






Vladimir Putin arrived in South Africa to attend the 10th BRICS Summit



July 26, 2018 - 10:30










During the sessions of the 10th summit, the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa are to consider the current situation and prospects for cooperation within BRICS in various areas. They will also discuss important current issues on the global and regional agenda, including problems of joint counteraction to modern challenges and threats.










The summit programme includes a meeting between the BRICS leaders and invited leaders of African and other countries.










Vladimir Putin is to hold a number of bilateral talks with the heads of state and government participating in the summit.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58103






BRICS Summit. Day one



The tenth BRICS Summit has opened in Johannesburg. The main theme of the international forum is Collaboration for Inclusive Growth and Shared Prosperity in the 4th Industrial Revolution.



July 26, 2018 - 16:00 - Johannesburg










After an official photo session, President of Russia Vladimir Putin, President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa, President of Brazil Michel Temer, President of China Xi Jinping and Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi held a restricted meeting, which was later followed by an expanded session with the members of the delegations.
















The BRICS leaders discussed how to improve the association’s operations and how to further develop cooperation in priority areas such as politics, security, trade, the economy, finance, culture and humanitarian ties. The summit agenda also included the coordination of actions on regional matters, including the situation in Syria and the Middle East as a whole, as well as the settlement of issues concerning the Korean Peninsula and Iran’s nuclear programme.
















After the meetings, a signing ceremony took place. The BRICS leaders adopted the Johannesburg Declaration of the 10th BRICS Summit. Other documents signed as part of the summit include: Memorandum of Cooperation in Environmental Protection, Memorandum of Understanding on Partnership in Regional Aviation of the BRICS Countries, Memorandum of Understanding on Joint Research in Distributed Ledger and Blockchain Technology in the Context of Developing the Digital Economy.
















During the ceremony, Chairman of the BRICS Business Council Iqbal Surve and President of the New Development Bank Kundapur Kamath presented reports on the past year’s work, followed by a video presentation of the Cradle of Civilisation archaeological research centre.
















The summit will continue on July 27.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58104






Remarks at an expanded BRICS Summit meeting



July 26, 2018 - 14:30 - Johannesburg







President of Russia Vladimir Putin:

Mr President Ramaphosa, Friends, President Xi Jinping, President Temer, Prime Minister Modi, Colleagues,

Meeting in a narrow format, we have just noted – and I would like to recall this now again at the beginning – that during these days we are jointly marking the 100th birth anniversary of South Africa’s outstanding statesman Nelson Mandela. Throughout his life, he was promoting and defending the principles of equality, openness and justice.

I think we really have a right to say that Nelson Mandela’s ideas are reflected in the activities of our association. It is these principles that underlie cooperation between the BRICS states and it has acquired the nature of a truly strategic partnership.

The BRICS countries have been jointly opposing the strongest challenges and threats to peace and stability. They are cooperating on such matters as the fight against terrorism and extremism, illegal drug trafficking, and trans-border crime.

Let me point out that the association is uniquely positioned in the global economy. This is the world’s biggest market. Its combined GDP has reached 22.3 percent of the world figure and continues to grow.

In the economic sphere, the Five collectively tackle a number of important objectives, such as modernising industry, developing high technology, enhancing competitiveness, and improving living standards.

The South African BRICS Chairmanship has included the above lines in cooperation among its priorities, and these priorities have been taken into account by the BRICS countries in the course of their joint work this year. This work has undoubtedly been a success.

This also concerns the topic suggested for discussion at the current meeting.

The fourth industrial revolution, or digital revolution, now underway is indeed having a great impact on the development of all countries, including the BRICS.

Digitalisation encompasses almost all spheres of society, enables the emergence of new branches of the economy, reduces costs, and significantly increases labour productivity and efficiency. Our countries now need to create comfortable conditions for attracting investment in the advanced branches of the economy, stimulating the development of new technology and its active implementation.

I would like to point out that digitalisation is one of our country’s economic policy priorities. Russia has adopted and is implementing the National Technology Initiative – a package of measures to ensure the country’s technological development until 2035.

We expect that the Digital Economy of the Russian Federation programme we have launched will increase the productivity of labour 30 percent by 2024. New sectors of the Russian economy will contribute more than 10 percent of Russia's GDP.

The digital reality makes it especially important to ensure the safety and security of society, business and citizens. We are taking the necessary legislative measures and making every effort to ensure the development of an open, reliable and secure internet environment with strict observance of guarantees for the protection of personal data and privacy in the digital environment.

We believe that closer partner cooperation between the BRICS countries in building the digital economy will help improve the quality as well as the quantity of our cumulative interaction.

Strengthening trade and investment ties with the BRICS partners is one of Russia’s priorities. At the end of 2017, our trade with the other BRICS members grew by almost 30 percent, exceeding $102 billion.

We are determined to make every effort to further increase trade within the BRICS. We also give priority to matters related to the establishment of direct contacts between entrepreneurs of our countries.

We welcome the new initiatives proposed by the BRICS Business Council, particularly those in electronic commerce, small and medium-sized businesses, as well as the proposal to simplify administrative barriers to stimulate trade exchanges.

We view positively the activities of the Council to implement joint multilateral projects. It is necessary to conduct these activities in close cooperation with the New Development Bank. It is important that the business community should help enhance the Bank’s loan portfolio.

The New Development Bank has considerably expanded its operations as of late. Members of the Board of Directors have approved 21 projects worth over $1 billion, including five that will be implemented in Russia.

We support the idea of opening regional offices of the Bank. Talks are underway with Brazil on this issue. Hopefully, the possibility of opening the Russian office will be discussed after the talks.

The establishment of the BRICS Contingent Reserve Arrangement deserves praise, and this has become an important mechanism for the prompt financing of our countries’ banking sector to collect and process economic statistics on Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

In 2017, we met in Xiamen and decided to establish the BRICS Local Currency Bond Fund. This is very important for the development of the financial systems of our states. Therefore, the Fund’s timely initial operations, due to commence in 2019, serve the interests of BRICS.

We are grateful to BRICS partners for supporting the Russian proposal to establish the BRICS Centre of Energy Studies. I am confident that it will be able to offer some tough competition to leading global analytical energy agencies in terms of its high-quality surveys and forecasts.

I would also like to draw the colleagues’ attention to the Russian bid for holding the EXPO 2025 exhibition in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg. There are no Brazilian, Indian, Chinese and South African cities among our rivals. Dear friends, we are counting very much on the support of the BRICS countries.

In conclusion, I would like to thank our South African friends and President of South Africa Mr Cyril Ramaphosa for their substantial contribution to expanding practical intra-BRICS cooperation.

And, of course, I am grateful to the colleagues for taking note of our proposal to expand cultural and humanitarian cooperation, especially in the area of sport and the film industry and, maybe, in other areas.

Thank you very much.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/58105






Talks with President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa



Vladimir Putin held talks with President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit.



July 26, 2018 - 17:30 - Johannesburg







Following the consultations, the two presidents signed a joint statement on strategic partnership between the Russian Federation and South Africa.






















In the presence of both presidents, intergovernmental documents were signed – an agreement on cooperation in agriculture and a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the field of water resources.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58107






Meeting with President of Argentina Mauricio Macri



Vladimir Putin and President of Argentina Mauricio Macri discussed prospects for bilateral cooperation, including in the modernisation of the railway industry in Argentina.



July 26, 2018 - 18:30 - Johannesburg








President of Russia Vladimir Putin:

Mr President, colleagues,

I am very glad to see you again.







It is unfortunate that you could not visit us for the World Cup, but we did our best to ensure a comfortable stay for your team and for the Argentinian fans as well: a lot of fans came from Argentina. I think you should not be very upset, because you lost to France, which became the world champion.

I am very glad that you have the opportunity to come here and talk with your colleagues on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit. We also wish Argentina good luck in hosting the G20 summit next autumn.







Our bilateral relations are developing successfully; trade is growing, and our economic agents are exploring various options for expanding our cooperation.

I am very glad to have the opportunity to discuss all these matters with you.







President of Argentina Mauricio Macri (retranslated):

Thank you for seeing me again.

I would like to congratulate you on the excellent organisation of the World Cup and on the excellent performance of your national team. The Russian team has shown that it can really fight, even though the predictions had been completely different.

Unfortunately, I could not visit because of the situation in Argentina, although I would have liked to attend at least one match. It was really a success, and a celebration for the whole world.







I would like to say once again that Russia is a key player in the international arena and a most important partner for Argentina. As I said, there has been progress on what we agreed in January. The first of the Russian investments are starting to make their way to Argentina. Transmashholding has started working on one of the railway enterprises located in the small town of Mechita, which is drawing in almost the entire population there.







A Russian company has also won the first tender for the maintenance and repair of rolling stock. This means that your investments in Argentina will increase and your companies will become more actively involved in our railway sector, where we have ambitious plans.

We will soon announce more tenders for very interesting public-private projects.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58108






Meeting with President of Angola Joao Lourenco



Vladimir Putin had a meeting with President of Angola Joao Lourenco on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit.



July 26, 2018 - 19:45 - Johannesburg








President of Russia Vladimir Putin:

Mr President, colleagues, friends,

I am very happy to see you and very pleased to meet with you, Mr President.

Russia and Angola have longstanding and friendly relations that we greatly treasure. We are actively cooperating in political matters, security, and at international organisations.

We thank you, Mr President, for supporting Russian initiatives at the United Nations Organisation.

Our trade is quite modest so far, but in general, we have good projects that can be implemented. Our military and technical cooperation is also developing.

I am very glad we have an opportunity to discuss all these matters with you.







President of Angola Joao Lourenco (retranslated):

Thank you, Mr President.

First of all, I would like to introduce the members of my delegation.
(Introductions follow.)

Mr President, please let me congratulate you on the high level at which the recent FIFA World Cup was held in Russia, personally and on behalf of the Angolan people. I believe this is the best answer to everyone who wanted to sabotage the games, which, in fact, are a symbol of friendship between our peoples, the purpose of which is to strengthen relations between countries.

Mr President, we are interested in strengthening the friendship and cooperation of Russia and Angola, the relations that bind our countries. It should be noted that the relationship goes back a long way, beginning in the Soviet era. During the Cold War, Russia always supported the Angolan people and helped us achieve what we now treasure most of all: our independence.







Back then, many saw us as terrorists and you were one of the few who saw us as people who had the right to fight for their independence.

Even after we won our independence, which we have been enjoying for 42 years, Russia never turned its back on Angola; it always supported us and helped us fight the apartheid regime, which was a threat to Angola and the entire African continent.

Rest assured that the people of Angola will never forget the friendship between our countries that was forged in battle.







We also know that some Russian citizens lost their lives fighting for Angola’s independence. But there has been sustainable peace in Angola for 16 years, and now our agenda has changed. It is different from the one we had before. Now we are focused on development. We want our country to develop in all areas.

Speaking about economic cooperation, we are counting on interaction with Russia. First of all, Russian enterprises work in our mining complex. But we would also like Russian businesses to be represented in other industries.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58109






Meeting with President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan



Vladimir Putin met with President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Johannesburg.



July 26, 2018 - 20:30 - Johannesburg








President of Russia Vladimir Putin:

Mr President, friends.

I am very pleased to see you here on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit, Mr President. I have already congratulated you on your domestic political victories and would like to do so again.

Our bilateral relations are on the rise, it is clear. This includes the efforts to overcome crises, and I am primarily referring to the Syrian crisis, and the economy to which we are always paying closer attention. Last year our trade increased by 40.5 percent to over $22 billion. In the first five months of this year it increased by another 46 percent. We are carrying out all of our major projects according to plan.

I am very glad to see you and to confirm that we are on the same page with respect to our cooperation.



President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan (retranslated):

My dear friend,

I would like to express gratitude and satisfaction on behalf of our delegation and from me personally over our meeting today on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit. We agreed to meet here by telephone before the summit.

Relations between our countries – Turkey and Russia – are developing very quickly across the board – in the military, trade, cultural and tourism areas.

Our countries have set targets for trade, and I think we will reach them because we wholeheartedly believe in it.

Our tourism sector is doing well. I think that this year about 6 million Russian tourists will visit our country.

However, on the other hand we are seeing that our cooperation is causing envy from others.

(Speaks in Russian.) Thank you.







Vladimir Putin:

You promised to invite me out to a restaurant.



Recep Tayyip Erdogan:

I am inviting you.



Vladimir Putin:

Yes, but we agreed that we would go when you give our meat products access to your market, when restaurants make meals with Russian meat.



Recep Tayyip Erdogan:

I will be looking forward to your arrival.



Vladimir Putin:

Thank you.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58110






Meeting with President of Zambia Edgar Lungu



Vladimir Putin had a meeting with President of Zambia Edgar Lungu in Johannesburg.



July 26, 2018 - 21:30 - Johannesburg








President of Russia Vladimir Putin:

Mr President, colleagues and friends,

We are delighted to see you and to have this opportunity to hold a short meeting with you on the sidelines of this major international forum.

First of all, I would like to say that we are strengthening the coordination of our foreign policy efforts on the international stage, and that we are grateful to you for supporting Russian initiatives at international platforms, including the UN.

We are also developing relations between our parliaments. The speaker of Zambia’s National Assembly recently visited Russia. I am also pleased to say that our executive offices are developing ties as well.

Our professionals discuss the possibility of cooperation in high-tech sectors, such as medicine and, more specifically, the fight against cancer.

We established diplomatic relations long ago, and the time has come to shift the focus to cooperation in the economy.







President of Zambia Edgar Lungu:

Thank you very much, Mr President. I am very delighted to have this opportunity to meet you. It is a busy day for you, but you find time to meet us.

It is an exciting occasion for us because the ministers and our technocrats have been engaging with Russian counterparts in trying to see how they can scale up our cooperation.

Russia was the first country to establish diplomatic relations with Zambia. But over the years this relationship has gone cold, so to speak, not much has been done.

We appreciate the historical role Russia played in liberating West African countries. Zambia particularly benefited from bilateral cooperation when it hosted most of the liberation movements.

We feel now the time has come for us to try to cement the existing relations beyond the point of what has been existing. It is for this reason that I look forward, Your Excellency, to you coming to Zambia one of these days.

There are a lot of various cooperation opportunities, and one of the main of them is energy. We want to use nuclear energy for peaceful means.

We have signed MoUs with ROSATOM and a few other agencies in Russia, so we look forward to your coming to open a ground-breaking, as you said, nuclear centre.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58111






Meeting with PRC President Xi Jinping



Vladimir Putin met with PRC President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the BRICS summit.



July 26, 2018 - 22:00 - Johannesburg
















Media representatives did not attend the meeting.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58112






Meeting with Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi



Vladimir Putin had a meeting with Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the BRICS summit.



July 26, 2018 - 23:50 - Johannesburg








President of Russia Vladimir Putin:

Mr Prime Minister, friends,

I am delighted to be meeting with you once again today.

I remember your visit to Sochi in May this year, when we had very good, friendly and substantive talks.







I am now preparing for my upcoming visit to India in October this year. It should be said that our efforts have not been in vain. Our trade is growing. It increased by 24 percent last year and by 26 percent in the first five months of 2018.

I am happy to see you.







Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi (retranslated):

Your Excellency, I am happy to be able to meet with you once again.

I have warm recollections of my visit to Sochi. The fact that we were together all the time shows that our friendship is growing ever stronger. I am glad to have this opportunity to meet with you again.







Your Excellency, Russia has always been a sporting nation, but the way it held the World Cup has shown the world that it also has brilliant management abilities. The world could see how successfully Russia held this championship, which has strengthened Russia’s image throughout the world.







Vladimir Putin:

Thank you.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58113






BRICS Leaders’ Meeting on strategic partnership



On the second day of the BRICS Summit, Vladimir Putin attended a meeting of BRICS leaders on the development of BRICS and priorities of the strategic partnership.



July 27, 2018 - 11:15 - Johannesburg










Summit participants discussed steps to further improve the BRICS format, promote political, security and trade cooperation, and coordinate efforts regarding regional problems, including the developments in Syria and the Middle East in general, a settlement on the Korean Peninsula and the Iranian nuclear programme.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58115






Meeting of BRICS leaders with delegation heads from invited states



Vladimir Putin attended a meeting of BRICS leaders with delegation heads from invited African states and chairs of international associations.



July 27, 2018 - 12:15 - Johannesburg







Those invited included the leaders of African countries, namely, Angola, Botswana, Ethiopia, Gabon, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mauritius, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Senegal, the Seychelles, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The meeting was also attended by the heads of Argentina (the current chair of the G20), Turkey (the current chair of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation) and Jamaica (the current chair of the Caribbean Community).

Before the meeting, there was a joint photo session.








President of Russia Vladimir Putin:

Colleagues,

I would like to begin by greeting the leaders of African states and the heads of the countries that are the current chairs of the G20, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the Caribbean Community.

I am grateful to the President of the Republic of South Africa for organising this representative meeting. Five years ago in Durban, BRICS leaders held a meeting with the heads of African states for the first time. Since then, our Group of Five and African countries have greatly strengthened and expanded their cooperation in the economy, politics and the humanitarian sphere.







Africa is one of the world’s most rapidly developing regions. According to the UN, the population of this continent will reach 2.5 billion by 2050. The level of urbanisation in Africa is increasing as well: the proportion of the population living in urban areas is expected to reach 60 percent by 2050.

The domestic African market and consumer demand are expanding. BRICS and the African states have similar development goals in many respects. In 2015, the BRICS summit in Russia adopted the large-scale BRICS Strategy for Economic Partnership.







We need to think about involving our African partners and friends in the work of each of the areas we identified then: the economy, finance, and food security.

Russia has always given priority to the development of relations with African countries, based on long-standing traditions of friendship and mutual assistance. We have recently held a number of high-level contacts, including with many of the leaders present in this room.







Russia's trade with African states grew by more than 25 percent in 2017. Food supplies increased by 38 percent, metals – by 30, machinery and equipment – by 24 percent.

Russian businesses are interested in working with African partners in a variety of areas, including industry, agriculture, healthcare, communications, geology and mining.

I will give just a few examples of Russian companies’ interaction with countries represented at this forum.







Yesterday, the President of Angola and I talked about the joint work of Angolan companies and the Russian company Alrosa in developing the Katoka diamond deposit, which accounts for 6 percent of the world's diamond output.

A joint venture was launched in Burundi to manufacture lighting equipment, with some of the products intended for export to other countries in East Africa.







Senegal is implementing projects in agriculture and building poultry and fish processing plants.

I would like to note in particular that Russia plans to increase its assistance to the development of the national energy sector in African states. We are implementing promising oil and gas projects with a number of countries, such as Angola, Mozambique, and Gabon.







In the nuclear power industry, where Russia is a technological leader, we offer our African partners the creation of an entire industry on a turnkey basis. Agreements on cooperation in the field of atoms for peace have been signed with a number of countries in the region, while in some of them the work has acquired a practical dimension. All these projects will be of strategic importance for Africa, where, according to different estimates, as many as 600 million people still live without electricity.

A considerable part of Russian initiatives provides for localising industrial businesses in Africa, including, among other things, the construction of plants manufacturing component parts and assembly works.







The implementation of these joint projects will serve to strengthen the industrial potential, support local businesses and create new and well-paid jobs. On the whole, this will lead to an improvement in living standards and a solution of social problems in African states.

Russia has a vested interest in intensifying interaction with African regional and sub-regional organisations, primarily with the African Union as well as the Southern African Development Community.







The amount of Russian assistance to Africa exceeded one billion dollars in 2017. Russian contributions to the World Food Programme fund are constantly growing. Russia is the fifth biggest contributor to the UNIDO Industrial Development Fund.

Considerable funds are remitted to the World Health Organisation for the fight against non-infectious diseases on the African continent. Our work to combat the Ebola virus has proved highly efficient.

Russia has for years trained national professional personnel for countries of the continent. Currently, thousands of Africans are being educated in Russia. We will continue to build up cooperation in this sphere.

In conclusion, I would like to inform you that we are studying the idea of holding a Russia-Africa summit with the participation of heads of African states. This could be preceded by relevant meetings of prominent business people, experts, and public figures; I intend to discuss this with representatives of African countries.

Thank you for your attention.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58116






BRICS Summit. Day two



The BRICS summit continues in Johannesburg.



July 27, 2018 - 14:00 - Johannesburg













The Association members held working meetings on BRICS development issues and strategic partnership priorities, as well as a separate outreach meeting with invited representatives of several African countries and the current chairs of a number of international associations.

At the conclusion of the BRICS summit, the President of Russia made a statement for the press and answered questions from Russian journalists.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58117






News conference following BRICS summit



Vladimir Putin made a statement for the press and answered questions from Russian media following a two-day BRICS summit in Johannesburg, South Africa.



July 27, 2018 - 15:40 - Johannesburg











President of Russia Vladimir Putin:

Good afternoon.

I would like to brief you on what we did during these two days and on the results of our work. First of all, I would like to remind you that BRICS developed in a natural way, which we pointed out today.

The first meeting of our group, which was smaller at the time, was held in St Petersburg in 2005, if memory serves me correctly, and brought together the leaders of China, Russia and India. The group was called RIC then, which stood for Russia, India and China. Brazil and subsequently South Africa joined our group later, which is why it is called BRICS.

Initially, our goals and tasks were very modest. We wanted to join forces, primarily in the economy, and discussed the coordination of our efforts towards attaining more ambitious goals in this vital area of activity.

As more members joined the group, it developed into a full-scale organisation with new spheres of activity and broader common interests.

One of our priorities, as we said at our previous meetings as well as at this meeting, is to fight terrorism and coordinate our activities in politics, trade and the economy in the broadest possible meaning of this word.

I would like just briefly to go through what we did this time. To begin with, this is our 10th summit meeting. The main subjects we discussed included resistance to unilateral approaches in global affairs, the protection of multilateralism, and the use of the advantages of the fourth digital industrial revolution.

We endorsed the Johannesburg Declaration that is aimed against economic sanctions and the use of force in violation of the UN Charter. It is also designed to prevent an arms race in outer space, support the Astana process on a settlement in Syria and preserve the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

The declaration includes the Russian initiatives on drafting an agreement on IT and communication technology, forming a platform for energy research and establishing a women’s business alliance.

This new Russian initiative came about spontaneously, to be honest, but was enthusiastically backed by the participants. It deals with BRICS cooperation in culture, sport and cinematography. The participants even endorsed a sketch of the prize to be awarded at the BRICS film festival that we planned to organise and hold in the future.

The summit sent a powerful signal in favour of preserving the WTO, against protectionism and changing the rules of world trade. Inter-governmental memorandums were signed on cooperation in regional aviation and environmental protection, and an agreement on establishing a new Development Bank office in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

The united session of the outreach BRICS Plus has just ended or is about to end. The themes are also known – consolidation of BRICS standing in the world and development of cooperation in Africa. BRICS has been supported by multilateral international associations.

As you may know, the summit coincided with Nelson Mandela’s centenary. He defended the principles of equality, dignity and justice. These are the principles that underlie BRICS activities.

I also had bilateral meetings with the presidents of South Africa, Argentina, Angola, Turkey, Zambia, the People’s Republic of China, and the Prime Minister of India, and also contacts with the leaders of Zimbabwe, Togo and other participants in the recent BRICS outreach meeting. This is a very general outline of the results and subjects that were discussed. If you have any questions, I will try to answer them.

Go ahead, please.







Question:

Mr President, you mentioned that the BRICS format was initially conceived primarily as an economic cooperation platform, and has expanded to include other areas over time. What do you think the future of this format is? What other areas of cooperation might it come to include?

You also said that initially it was called BRIC, and South Africa joined later. We know that the possible expansion of BRICS was discussed today. Although there was no decision on this matter, what is your opinion about the possibility of opening BRICS to other countries, and what other countries could be included?

If you allow me, just one more question. According to earlier reports, you planned to discuss the Syrian settlement at the BRICS Summit, in particular the delivery of humanitarian aid, with your BRICS colleagues, and to propose that BRICS step up their role on this front. What was the response to this proposal?



Vladimir Putin:

You know, the advantage of BRICS as a format is that it is free of all the red tape you find in many other associations like this. As President of Brazil, Michel Temer said today, BRICS is an organic association of countries that have many things in common: they have many shared interests and common approaches to addressing challenges that are relevant to all of humanity, including Russia.

In fact, there is no formal leader within BRICS. All decisions are taken by consensus with full respect for the interests of all the participants in this organisation. This is one of its key advantages. Today, we also mentioned the fact that many countries are showing an interest in what BRICS is doing.

BRICS Plus and an outreach format have already been created to this effect. For now, we agreed to rely on these formats for expanding our reach and drawing into our orbit countries that share the underlying principles and values of BRICS.

So far, we have no plans to expand BRICS membership, since the existing formats have proven effective. As for our discussions and the issues we intend to address, these are issues relevant for a vast majority of countries and economies around the world. The sky is the limit for us. The same applies to politics and security.

These are the subjects we discussed and on which we have adopted decisions or coordinated positions. You may see, regarding the non-deployment of weapons in space, it boils down to security and the arms race, or rather the prevention of an arms race in this particular case.

We also talked about fighting terrorism, but is this not a vital task facing many countries? In this context, we spoke about Syria, of course, and my colleagues welcomed our idea of encouraging a more active contribution to humanitarian aid to the Syrian people, which is an absolutely natural desire.

The fourth issue we discussed concerned the industrial revolution. This is happening in Russia and the other leading and emerging economies. Why did our colleagues support our proposal on strengthening our cooperation in the humanitarian area, as well as in culture, cinema and sport? Because this is what brings us closer together and creates a natural basis for interaction between people.

The Prime Minister of India said it was a very good idea because we can organise sporting events like a mini-Olympics for the BRICS countries, a sports mini-festival that could include national sports, which are not generally known in other countries but could be interesting for our countries.

This is a natural way to bring millions of people, or even hundreds of millions or billions of people closer together, considering that the BRICS countries account for nearly half of the world’s population.

As for the second question, about Syria, I have answered this.

Next, please.







Question:

You have said many times that Russia must reduce its dependence on the US dollar. Russia has recently been selling US treasury bonds, bringing the share in the reserves down to nearly zero. Is this all you plan to do?

Is this a new state policy, or just protection against the potential extension of the sanctions? If Russia abandons the dollar, what alternative currency would you use? Could it be a BRICS country currency, for example the yuan? We know that the Bank of Russia is increasing its share of yuan denominated assets.

If I may, there is one more question I simply have to ask.



Vladimir Putin:

Let me answer this question first, and then you can ask your second question.

Russia is not giving up on the dollar, which is a universal reserve currency. The Euro can also claim this status more or less, but not fully. Therefore, we are well aware of what the dollar represents today.

As for reserve currencies as such, regional ones are already appearing. To a certain extent, the Russian ruble plays this role in the CIS or EAEU countries. In general, the strength and value of any national currency depends on the strength and value of the economy standing behind it. We must proceed from these fundamental assumptions.

A few words about the dollar again. We must minimise the risks. We are seeing what is happening with the sanctions that are essentially illegal restrictions. We are aware of the risks and are trying to minimise them.

As for the dollar as a reserve currency, we are not alone in talking about this problem, and it is becoming a problem. You are wrong if you think that this is Russia’s initiative. A great number of countries are talking about exactly this – the need to expand the capabilities of global finance and the global economy, and create new reserve currencies. This will make the global economy and global finance more stable. This is abundantly clear.

As for our American partners and the restrictions that they are introducing, including in those dollar settlements, I believe this is a big strategic mistake on their behalf because they are thus undermining confidence in the dollar as a reserve currency. This is the bottom line.

Quite recently, just several years ago, it did not occur to anyone that such instruments might be used in political struggle, in political competition. Everyone proceeded from the premise that politics is politics or as we joke here: “War is war but lunch is still on schedule.” The same should be true here: disputes are disputes, but when it comes to economics, some things are absolutely stable and immutable.

It turned out this was not the case: payment systems are being used as a political argument in political disputes and in settling differences; currency is being used, too. I believe it is absolutely clear that this is damaging the dollar as the world reserve currency and undermining trust in it – this is what it is all about. If this were not the case, there would not be a desire on the part of not one but dozens of countries to consider other options.

It is hard to say now what these options are, but the yuan is certainly acquiring such qualities. I believe that if it becomes freely convertible from an economic standpoint, this process will accelerate. But it has already been added to the IMF basket, so this is nothing special, a natural process. Let me repeat that the importance of a national currency depends on the significance of the economy behind it.

Again, we are not going to make any abrupt movements. We are not going to give up on the dollar in any way. We will use it to the extent to which the US financial authorities will not prevent the use of the dollar in settlements.



Question:

The second part of the question is also related to the US.

After your Helsinki visit, the US invited you to attend the next summit, suggesting that you meet Donald Trump in Washington later this year. As far as I understand, the US has opted to roll back this meeting until next year. My question is, when do you expect this meeting to take place, and will you accept the invitation? Generally speaking, do you believe that Trump can deliver on his promise to improve Russian-American relations considering that there are so many moves in opposite directions?



Vladimir Putin:

The fact that President Trump always seeks to deliver on his promises, primarily those he gives to his voters, the American people, is one of his greater assets. By the way, I believe this to be a positive trait of the current president, since more often than not leaders are quick to forget what they promised when heading into the election. This is not the case with Trump. He can be criticised for what he does, as so many do, but it is also clear that he tries to deliver on his campaign promises.

As for our meetings, I find them useful. Let me reiterate what I have said on a number of occasions: in Helsinki, we discussed matters of vital concern for our countries. For example, the New START Treaty expires in 2021. So will we renew it or not?

Containing the arms race is something both the United States and Russia are interested in, and the same applies to the rest of the world. In 2021, the New START Treaty will cease to exist unless we initiate negotiations, since we have been unable to resolve some issues that have arisen in the course of the treaty application and implementation.

There are other problems related, for example, to conflict settlement, including Syria. Yes, we do have working contacts, but this is never enough, since top-level political contact is also essential. We need to accommodate the interests of all states within the region, including Syria, as well as Iran, Israel and Turkey, and many other countries in the region like Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, etc.

But will we discuss all this at the top political level or not? Or is this a secondary issue for us? I think that this is not the case. No, this is not a secondary issue, and the same applies to the JCPOA (the Iranian nuclear programme). Is this a matter of concern for Iran only, or only for the United States?

No, it is relevant for a great number of countries and Europe as a whole, and many others. What I mean is that I believe the JCPOA is an effective tool for containing the arms race and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. This can be a matter of controversy or a subject of talks, but how can this be carried out when there are no meetings? You cannot settle everything over the phone.

As for further meetings, I understand what President Trump said. He wants to hold further meetings, and I am ready for this too, but we have to have the right conditions, including in our two countries.

We are interested in such meetings. We are ready to invite President Trump to Moscow. Incidentally, he has an invitation; I told him about it. I am also ready to visit Washington, D.C. But again, the right conditions must be in place.

We will generally remain in contact in the near term, including at the venues of various international events, for example, the G20. There are also plans for possible meetings at other international forums. So, despite the difficulties, in this case the domestic political situation in the US, life goes on and our contacts continue.







Question:

Another question on the US: as far as we know, at the meeting with Mr Trump, you brought up the idea of a referendum on the territory of the Donbass republics. I am wondering how he reacted to this proposal. We already know that Kiev did not like it. Do you think it possible to hold this referendum under the auspices of Russia and some other countries?



Vladimir Putin:

I will abstain from commenting on this for now. It is a very delicate, sensitive subject that requires additional analysis.



Question:

Can you please clarify the position of the BRICS leaders: have you decided to postpone a BRICS expansion for now? I do not quite understand, is this the decision of the leaders or have the candidate countries that have been talking about joining for several years decided to slow down a little and take a step back? Who suggested postponing expansion?



Vladimir Putin:

No candidates took a step back. On the contrary, they expressed readiness and willingness to be part of the BRICS framework as full members. But at today’s narrow attendance meeting my colleagues approached this issue cautiously. They are willing to cooperate with other countries and do not rule out BRICS expansion in the future but they believe that it requires additional analysis.

This does not mean that the organization is closed, that its doors are closed. No, it is just that this issue should be properly analysed. Otherwise, the organization is open to anyone.

That is all. Thank you very much.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58119






Greetings on opening of Fourth International Army Games



Vladimir Putin sent greetings to the participants and guests of the opening of the Fourth International Army Games.



July 28, 2018 - 11:00



The message reads, in part:

“It is important that these large-scale spectacular competitions have become a good tradition. Every year, they attract more and more servicemen from Russia and foreign countries, giving them an excellent opportunity to demonstrate their skills, endurance and staunchness as well as their ability to work in a team.

I am confident that the 2018 tournament will be held at a high organisational level, and the spectators will be pleased with the fair and uncompromising competition and tremendous victories. They will certainly contribute to the development of international military technical cooperation together with making the military service popular.”




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58124
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Greetings on Russian Boxing Day



Vladimir Putin sent greetings to participants and guests of events dedicated to Russian Boxing Day, held on July 22 since 2017.



July 22, 2018 - 10:00



The message reads, in part:

“Today, sport in Russia is on an upward swing. We successfully hold the most prestigious world competitions, create a comfortable and high-quality sports infrastructure, while aspiring to attract young people to an active and healthy lifestyle. I am therefore pleased to see that such mass sporting events have become a good tradition, an initiative that is in great demand and unites people from all over the country.

One such bright and memorable festival of physical culture, friendship and youth is of course, Russian Boxing Day, which has already gained the recognition and support of professionals, veterans and fans of this popular martial art.

I am certain that this year Boxing Day will be held on a high level, will attract a large number of participants, and will be remembered by people with joy. And, of course, it will serve as an important step in the preparation of our team for the main sporting event of 2020 – the Tokyo Summer Olympic Games.”




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58084






Meeting with Healthcare Minister Veronika Skvortsova



Vladimir Putin had a working meeting with Healthcare Minister Veronika Skvortsova, who briefed him on the implementation of new promising programmes aimed at preventing various diseases and providing quality medical services. The President and the Minister also discussed the development of exports of medical services and the treatment of oncological diseases.



July 23, 2018 - 13:20 - The Kremlin, Moscow








President of Russia Vladimir Putin:

Good afternoon. Let us talk about the development of the healthcare system.



Healthcare Minister Veronika Skvortsova:

Mr President, you outlined serious tasks and goals for the healthcare system in the May Executive Order and in your Address to the Federal Assembly. Taken together, they are designed to increase life expectancy in the country and reduce the mortality rate across all age groups.

After discussing the matter with demographics experts, we have chosen the most optimistic scenario – the possibility of reducing the mortality rate – and have coordinated targets that are even better than the most optimistic projections.

We analysed various possibilities for reducing the mortality rate. According to Rosstat [the Statistics Service], we can reduce the rate by 160,000 deaths by 2024. We have set a higher target – cutting the death rate by 228,000. We can achieve this by working in three areas: combatting cardiovascular diseases (the number one cause of death) and oncological diseases (the second leading cause of death) and reducing death rates for children of all ages. The ultimate goal is to protect the life of our people. These are the three main components of the National Project Healthcare.

It should be said that 50 percent of the success in the achievement of these targets depends on the improvement of first aid and on preventive measures. This is the fourth component. In addition, we must implement crosscutting programmes to attain the main results and ensure the required quality of medical services, which is the responsibility of the nationwide specialist medical research centres that have been created on your instructions. These “captains of the medical industry” supervise and control specialist branches in all the 85 regions, with skilled personnel and individual programmes and digital technology.

In fact, the results of our analysis provided the basis for the national project, which is divided into eight federal projects. There are four basic projects and three auxiliary crosscutting projects. The eighth project, which you have instructed us to implement, concerns the development of medical services exports.

Over the past two years, we have increased inbound medical tourism from 20,000 to over 110,000 people. Last year, it earned us $250 million, which was invested in the further development of our healthcare facilities. We have formulated ambitious goals for the following period, and I believe that we will accomplish the task of increasing the export of medical services fourfold, or maybe even more.

There are five underlying principles for the implementation of these federal projects. The most important of them is disease prevention. We must promote and encourage healthy living and simultaneously create conditions for this. This is the target of the Demography National Project, which our best psychologists and sociologists are implementing with reliance on the legal framework and infrastructure.

You have asked us to introduce annual health examinations throughout the country within six years. Last year, 48.5 million people underwent such examinations. The figure is 58.4 million when those who underwent occupational medical examinations are taken into consideration. We plan to increase the figure to over 80 million by 2021, and 90 percent of population, or over 130 million people, by 2024.

It should be said that occupational medical examinations are being improved, and we have updated the regulations. This year we have launched three modern cancer-screening systems for the most commonly diagnosed cancer types. In future, we plan to further raise the standards of occupational medical examinations.

The second point is the quality of health care. This is a rather complicated part of all our projects, because Russia has never had unified national quality standards. Over the past five years, our expert community has for the first time worked out consensus documents, clinical recommendations, and quality criteria. They are now being widely introduced throughout the country. The task of the national health centres is to implement them in their divisions in all regions of our country.

The next point is who will have to implement them. The Executive Order stipulates very tight staffing requirements – we plan to reach a 92 percent level of staffing at primary care institutions with medical workers and 88 percent – with doctors by 2021. We actually expect to ensure full staffing in 2024. We have all the estimates and calculations. We are also staffing cardiovascular and oncology services.

This year, more than 100,000 doctors are doing a remote professional training course through the federal portal for continuous medical education. With the paramedics, we will have two million medical workers trained by 2024. And from year to year we are introducing accreditation and licensing of professional medical activity, which allows us to license only those who meet the criteria.

Another important field is the availability of health care – a large part of the Executive Order is devoted to this. By the end of 2021, we will fully ensure the availability of primary healthcare, including in rural areas. This year, we will build 315 medical and obstetrical stations and rural outpatient centres. We will purchase 206 mobile medical units for villages with populations under 100 people. We have a clear plan – we know what we will do each year, and by 2021, the problem will cease to exist.

We will not only build more medical and obstetrical stations where there are few. Please note that we are using the geoinformation system we built in late 2015. It is regularly updated and shows the risks of a particular type of medical care not provided on time in each locality (157,000 across the country). We will upgrade about 1,200 medical and obstetrical stations that are in a really alarming condition at present.

By 2021, we will also establish central dispatching offices in all regions (in fact, half of the regions already have them), which will connect the ground and air ambulance services. It is very important to abandon the centralised regional administrative structure and simply dispatch any crew that is closest to the patient.

We are actively developing telemedicine. Our 22 national centres and all the 85 regions will be connected by a vertically integrated telemedicine network by the end of this year. We hope that as of the start of 2019, we will begin a step-by-step rollout of new doctor-patient telemedicine principles.

Mr President, one of the things I could not fail to mention is of course the importance of ensuring that medical services are patient-friendly and respectful. I remember, less than one year ago, we visited one of the first so-called caring outpatient clinics, a comfortable clinic in Kirov Region. You asked back then whether other clinics of this kind would be created. There are now 1,147 such clinics in 40 regions, and within three years we expect 3,800 outpatient clinics and child outpatient departments to be covered by this scheme, after which more than half of the adult clinics will move to this framework by the end of 2024.

It actually works, and the system has not become less efficient as more and more clinics joined in. Waiting time dropped two to five times, and queues are becoming a thing of the past. In addition to this, there is another important element in this block, which is the development of the insurance representatives as an institution. There are now 9,000 insurance representatives who are becoming more and more effective.



Vladimir Putin:

Are they present at medical institutions?



Veronika Skvortsova:

Yes, they are. Last year, they invited 22 million adults to preventive screenings via SMS, and 60 percent responded within three weeks. We see that once people feel compassion and empathy, they respond.

We are now working on special programmes for insurance representatives so that they inform people about their health groups, and help find the right doctors for preventive check-ups. This means that insurance representatives are becoming part of the team.

We have included an indicator in the national project whereby every health insurance company will have to create a patients’ rights centre in order to have fewer lawsuits, and introduce the latest mediation methods so that conflicts are resolved out of court.

And, of course, innovations. We are actively developing our innovation-oriented cluster. The year of 2016 was associated with vaccinology and we developed several original domestic forms of medication, some of which are used for the treatment of highly dangerous infectious diseases. Last year we worked on automated devices that identify biopathogens.

This year we are carrying out 25 projects with the emphasis on oncology. By the end of next year, we will acquire a number of unique test systems. We will use methods of liquid biopsy that will signal the emergence of cancer long before its clinical manifestation. These are personalised methods of treatment.







Vladimir Putin:

So this amounts to cooperation with the pharmaceuticals and medical industry.



Veronica Skvortsova:

It is very active.



Vladimir Putin:

Do you remember that it was mentioned many times that the defence industry was particularly upset by the absence of orders.



Veronica Skvortsova:

We will have truly unique medicine. We are already launching certain technologies. These are technologies whereby T lymphocytes are taken from a patient, modified and reintroduced. Having been subjected to shock and immune failure, the patient becomes healthy again.

I am referring to a personified oncovaccine. This will be very interesting and there are no analogues to this vaccine in the world for the time being. There are also oncolytic viruses.

We have a young, intellectual and optimistic team of people from practically all regions.



Vladimir Putin:

This area is also being developed abroad.



Veronica Skvortsova:

We know what they are developing and are actually relying on their experience but we want to go further. We want to proceed not just from a cancer biopsy but from an opportunity to identify fiducial markers that may provoke the development of a tumor in a patient by using bio information and mathematical technology. We can then make a cocktail from various protein preparations that will cause regression of the tumor and it will simply disappear.

We have experience of work based on a simplistic approach. One of our patients received such treatment this and last year, and we can now see the result. This was a case of glioblastoma, coma and cerebral oedema. This medication took care of the swelling, then the tumour shrank and the patient was able to go back to work. Almost a year has passed since then.

We have used this vaccine three times already. The PET study shows that the points of growth remain intact, so we cannot just go ahead and cure it. We just need to go deeper and find ways of simultaneously treating different loci of this tumour. I think this is the right way to go and there will be results.

May I say a couple of words about oncology?



Vladimir Putin:

Of course.



Veronika Skvortsova:

Mr President, we have achieved certain positive results since 2012, the five-year survival rate is up and one-year mortality is down. However, if we look at standardised cancer-related mortality rates, we are very close to Europe. This is a standardised indicator based on the population structure. However, we are still lagging behind in terms of detectability. European doctors detect many more cases at early stages. The mortality rate in Europe is lower as well – we have it at 22.5 percent, while theirs is at 17 percent.

We have set ourselves a goal to achieve European indicators by 2024 and go just a little above their current levels. We have developed a programme with the participation of over 60 of our leading professors, oncologists, radiologists, radiophysicists, radiochemists, and so on. If we manage to implement it, we will bring Russian healthcare to a new level.

The programme is about forming total alertness through screenings for cancer in primary care. In the event an alarm goes off, we will form inter-district outpatient oncological centres (they are easy to create and do not require any construction efforts as all we need to do is make a few arrangements), which will allow us to make a diagnosis in a matter of two weeks. In case we have doubts, we will form 18 reference centres that operate, including in digital format, based on morphology, immunohistochemistry and MRI-CT.

The goal of the first phase is to form a correct diagnosis based on international code. Unfortunately, only half of the diagnostic code gets filled out in most of our regions today and includes only localisation and close and distant metastases. There are many errors in morphology, immunohistochemistry, and the genetic analyses do not look good at all.

For example, there may be a breast tumour with the same localisation, but there may be five genotypes meaning there will be five different treatment protocols using different medications. We are, in fact, ready for this programme. We have created 77 clinical recommendations containing 940 patient models.

This is the first phase. The next phase is treated quite differently, for example, stomach cancer. We did not just record everything. We crunched the numbers for each bloc; we did everything from the point of view of international codes and clearly distributed the drugs within each group.

We have thus set a goal for the entire country. In conjunction with the best federal forces, we will create a single system based on an oncological information programme. In fact, a tentative diagnosis at an outpatient unit automatically opens the oncological programme interface. From then on, we follow every patient through all stages and monitor the accuracy and timeliness of the therapy.

Our goal is to make sure patients are immediately sent to a facility where they can receive medical aid under the clinical protocol. This knowledge has been updated by creating a minimally sufficient level of passports for the regional, district and federal levels.

We hope to make proton therapy – top-level nuclear medicine – part of the state guarantee programme beginning in 2021. In December, we will open a nuclear medicine centre in Dimitrovgrad with four proton accelerators, of which two are unmatched in the world. For example, a proton accelerator for treating children will be the second in Europe. In addition, there is an accelerator designed for very small tumors under 1.5 millimetres in diameter, like an eye melanoma, for example.

We strongly hope that we will be able to implement this without distortion across the regions eventually. This, in fact, determines the outcome. If we adopt a single high-quality approach, our medicine will reach a new level. We will do our best to get there.



Vladimir Putin:

Fine. Some countries with developed healthcare systems have a mortality rate under 17 percent.



Veronika Skvortsova:

There are some boasting 12 percent, but if you take the EU countries as a whole, the number is 16 something, close to 17 percent.



Vladimir Putin:

Very well. This programme is good, indeed.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58086






Working meeting with Sakhalin Region Governor Oleg Kozhemyako



The Sakhalin Region Governor briefed the President on the socioeconomic situation in the region.



July 24, 2018 - 14:00 - The Kremlin, Moscow







Oleg Kozhemyako said the region was steadily developing. Gross regional product has increased by 87 billion rubles. Investment in fixed capital is growing. The demographic situation is improving due to both a natural increase and migration. Over the past few years, 560 doctors and 640 paramedics, as well as teachers have moved to the region. The newcomers are allocated housing and receive relocation allowances. The number of families with many children has increased by 58 percent. The 2012 executive orders, including those regarding wages and dilapidated housing, have been implemented.

The local authorities have developed measures to attain the key development goals based on the Presidential Address to the Federal Assembly and Executive Order On National Goals and Strategic Objectives of the Russian Federation until 2024. They have also outlined the priorities, such as housing construction as a way to keep people from leaving, as well as the construction of schools and the development of healthcare and sports.

The Governor recalled that a while ago the Sakhalin Region legislature sent a letter to the President substantiating the importance of building a bridge to connect the island with the mainland, using in part the funds that are collected under the Sakhalin-2 Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) and currently invested in regional development.







Vladimir Putin emphasised that the construction of a bridge between Sakhalin and the mainland had long been under discussion, the project is very important for Sakhalin residents, and it would be a major factor in encouraging people to remain in the region, also boosting the development of Khabarovsk Territory, where approach roads would be built.

The President said he had instructed the Government to analyse this matter, particularly its economic aspects.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58094






Meeting with Khabarovsk Territory Governor Vyacheslav Shport



Vladimir Putin discusses the socioeconomic situation in the Khabarovsk Territory at a working meeting with Governor Vyacheslav Shport in the Kremlin.



July 25, 2018 - 13:30 - The Kremlin, Moscow







The governor said that industry is working at full capacity in the region. Aircraft and shipbuilding companies are working on state defence and civilian contracts. The Amurstal metallurgical plant, which had not been operational for many years, is working in full force. It plans to produce 1 million tonnes of steel next year. The mining sector produced 23 tonnes of gold last year, which is an absolute record for the Khabarovsk Territory. Wood processing has increased to 46 percent from 14 percent in 2008. The timber processing sector is working steadily.

The region’s exports increased by 40 percent last year and reached $2.1 billion. The share of non-commodity, including non-energy exports, has reached 63 percent.

Vyacheslav Shport also briefed Vladimir Putin on the implementation of the new economic policy in the Far East as outlined by the President, including the establishment of priority development areas. There are three such areas in the region – Khabarovsk, Komsomolsk and Nikolayevsk-on-Amur, and they have 56 resident companies. They have pledged to invest 113 billion rubles in their projects and have already invested some 9 billion rubles. In all, 18 projects are being implemented in the region.

The governor also said the region had implemented the 2012 Presidential Executive Orders in full. Wages are growing, and kindergartens are being built. The governor said they had started working on the May 2018 Executive Order [On National Goals and Strategic Objectives of the Russian Federation through to 2024].







Vladimir Putin pointed out that further efforts must be made to increase real wages, in particular for doctors and teachers, and asked about the region’s priorities and most interesting and promising projects and whether they needed federal assistance.

Vyacheslav Shport said that improving people’s health and standards of living were the priority. He said the region had drafted a healthcare development programme, which provided for the introduction of modern technology and the building of new medical facilities.

The President proposed discussing this issue with the Healthcare Ministry, considering that federal funds will be allocated for healthcare development programmes, in which the Khabarovsk Territory should be included.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58098






Congratulations to Sofia Pozdnyakova on her victory at the 2018 World Fencing Championships



Vladimir Putin sent a congratulatory message to Sofia Pozdnyakova who won the women’s individual sabre event at the 2018 World Fencing Championships in Wuxi, China.



July 25, 2018 - 18:00







The President’s congratulatory message reads, in part:

“You believed in your victory and moved toward your goal with determination. By winning gold in sabre at the world championships, you significantly enhanced the standing of our team.

“Naturally, your triumph is a source of great joy for your family, coaches, teammates and all Russian fans.”




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58101






Meeting with Security Council permanent members



Vladimir Putin held a meeting with permanent members of the Security Council.



July 25, 2018 - 20:50 - Novo-Ogaryovo, Moscow Region







The participants discussed issues linked with the BRICS Summit getting underway in Johannesburg, South Africa, and the President’s forthcoming international contacts on its sidelines.







Domestic socioeconomic issues were also discussed in detail.










The meeting was attended by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko, State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin, Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Anton Vaino, Secretary of the Security Council Nikolai Patrushev, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, Director of the Federal Security Service Alexander Bortnikov, and Director of the Foreign Intelligence Service Sergei Naryshkin.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58102






1030th anniversary of Baptism of Rus celebrations



Vladimir Putin attended events to mark the 1030th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus.



July 28, 2018 - 13:30 - Moscow













A Patriarchal Liturgy was held for the first time in the open air on the Kremlin's Cathedral Square. As the service was coming to a close, the President joined the religious procession and walked with the believers to the monument to Prince Vladimir Equal to the Apostles on Borovitskaya Square.

The Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill, the Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa Theodore, Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Central Federal District Igor Shchegolev and Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin also joined the procession.

Representatives of the Orthodox churches of Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem, Georgia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Albania, Poland together with the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia said a special prayer at the Prince Vladimir monument.








President of Russia Vladimir Putin:

Your Holiness,

Participants and guests of the celebrations marking the 1030th anniversary of the Baptism of Russia,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The Baptism of Rus was a major turning point in our history, an event accelerating civilization, transforming spiritual strength. It determined Russia’s further centuries-long path and influenced global development.

We traditionally celebrate this event in a special way, with deep reverence for our ancestors who showed wisdom and great foresight by commencing the era to which we all belong today.







The Baptism of Rus is inextricably linked with the name of the Holy Prince Vladimir Equal to the Apostles, who made this decisive choice and became the conductor of faith. He was the one who first saw it as moral support, beauty, the light of truth and virtue, and a basis for renewal, for greater unity and community of peoples living in ancient Rus.

A warrior who has gone through fierce battles and trials, Vladimir became an enlightener, a creator. Under his leadership, churches and monasteries, cities, schools and libraries were built.

Baptism was the starting point for the development of Russian statehood, the true spiritual birth of our ancestors, the definition of their identity, the heyday of national culture and education, as well as the development of multifaceted ties with other countries.

This certainly could not have been easy, but Orthodoxy did something that had not happened before: it turned to man, his conscience and his soul with an eternal call for mercy as well as goodwill and love.







And that call was indeed heard. The baptism of Russia opened to its peoples genuine moral and spiritual guidelines.

Russian historian and philosopher Lev Gumilyov said, “Baptism gave our ancestors a higher freedom – the freedom of choice between good and evil, and the victory of Orthodoxy gave Russia a thousand-year history.”

The peoples that embraced Christian truths as their own achieved unprecedented heights in politics, art, literature, science and economic activity, received colossal experience of unity, which more than once saved, strengthened and supported our Motherland in the most severe historical turmoil.

This greatest spiritual legacy is timeless. It is our sacred duty to preserve and to enhance it for future generations.







It is very important that modern society cares about strengthening moral supports. A huge role here is played by charitable and educational organisations, by all responsible and concerned citizens of our country, and of course, by the Russian Orthodox Church, which never stopped its selfless work.

We deeply appreciate this feat, its tireless prayers for Russia, its people, our compatriots abroad, our neighbours and brothers for the sake of peace, harmony and goodwill.

Your Holiness, friends,







I congratulate all of us on the 1030th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus, and the Day of St. Prince Vladimir. I wish you all prosperity and every success.

Thank you.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58123






State decorations presented to Russian national football team players and coaches



The ceremony to present state decorations and letters of recognition to 23 athletes and 6 coaches of the Russian national team at the 2018 FIFA World Cup was held at the Kremlin's Catherine Hall.



July 28, 2018 - 14:30 - The Kremlin, Moscow






It was the first time Russia hosted the FIFA World Cup. The matches were held at 12 stadiums in 11 cities across the country. The Russian national team performed better than they had ever done, making it to the quarterfinals. The Russian President attended the opening and closing ceremonies of the championship.








Russian President Vladimir Putin:

Friends,

A very good afternoon to all of you and a warm welcome to the Kremlin.

We are aware of the results of the World Cup, we remember so well how it unfolded, and we know the results. Even though you did not get any medals, I was nevertheless eager to meet you and to personally thank you for your work, for how you played and to present you with letters of recognition and state decorations.

I would like to stress that at the first ever home FIFA World Cup you performed brilliantly, showing unity, strong will and stamina, you advanced towards your goal – and we all saw it – without sparing yourselves.







And the way you lived up to the team’s slogan, ”We Play for You“, meant even more for the fans than any medals. Although, as we see it, advancing to the World Cup quarterfinals is a worthy result nevertheless.







Special words go to those who are awarded state decorations. This is first of all the coach of our national team Stanislav Cherchesov.







We all witnessed how his strategy of player selection and training paid off, how significant his mastery is and his talent as a psychologist, mentor and leader.







The Russian national team’s captain goalkeeper Igor Akinfeyev will also get a deserved award. He saved the situation on the pitch a number of times and in essence determined the outcome of the matches.







And the moment when he made a save at the final penalty shot [in the match against Spain], I think, will become a legend of world and Russian football.







Another order will be awarded to Sergei Ignashevich. The defender has played 127 games for the national team and has been in professional football for over 20 years.







The World Cup games became a well-deserved finale of Sergei Ignashevich’s career; we appreciate his contribution to the progress of Russian football, and we certainly wish him good luck.







Friends, let me reiterate that your selfless, well-concerted play became a long-awaited-for gift to millions of fans in our country. Not only fans – even people who are not interested usually in sports let alone football were glued to their television screens.







You gave them all a possibility to be proud of their national team, to be proud of you, to be proud of their country, you gave them a conviction that national football is alive and kicking again, is becoming more spectacular as well as powerful and is gaining respect.







You showed a wonderful example of dedication and the effectiveness of teamwork, all the beauty of tough sports rivalry. It is owing to you that many more people will get interested in sports and will take it up, will opt for an active, healthy lifestyle for themselves and their children. And this is, perhaps, the main legacy of the FIFA World Cup in Russia.







We will keep creating all the necessary conditions for developing football and sports in general, including through the effective use of the facilities built for the World Cup.







They will become a foundation for a network of children’s football centres, a site for improving the skills of students of athletic schools, of football academies, a sort of “talent foundry” for our main national football tournament – the Russian championship.







And we certainly expect new bright stars of our and world football to light up, who will in due time make up our national team and will glorify the country. Meanwhile, friends, the responsibility for the athletic honor of the Motherland lies, undoubtedly, with you. And we really count on you.







You have proved that you can win, apparently, you did it yourselves, and everyone expects new victories from you, the same self-sacrifice at forthcoming tournaments.







Fans throughout the whole country certainly believe in their team, they are proud of you, support you whole-heartedly and wish you every success.







Once again my congratulations. Thank you very much.

(Awards ceremony)







Stanislav Cherkesov:

I now understand the phrase “I am lost for words.” Up until now, I did not really understand what it meant.







I can say with full responsibility on behalf of the boys that we were doing our job not for the awards but because we represent Russia, the dignity and honour of our country. We managed it in one respect, morally, whereas from the athletic side we did not do it in full, as you have rightly noted here. And the boys would like to come here again but in a different capacity.

Thank you.







Igor Akinfeyev:

Thank you very much for such trust.







We are delighted to be here. We are probably grateful to you, first of all, for having the infrastructure, for having modern stadiums, we can be proud of it because this will help not only football but sports in general.







I think that the World Cup unfolded, and forgive me if I say so myself, it unfolded with flying colours, and those people who were fascinated, I think were probably fascinated not only by the football but also by our country. I think this is a huge celebration. And we must take pride in this.

Thank you.







Sergei Ignashevich:

Thank you very much for the invitation.







It is a great honour for us to be here, and we are overwhelmed with happiness that by merely playing football we managed to make millions of Russians happy, especially children.

Thank you very much.







Artyom Dzyuba:

Greetings to everyone,







Mr President, it is an enormous honour for us to be here and we are so proud to be playing for our country. We will be even more pleased if you switch your ice hockey skates for a pair football boots. That will indeed be the most wonderful thing for us.

Thank you very much.







Denis Cheryshev:

Good afternoon,







First of all, I would like to sincerely thank you for your support, for all the conditions you provided for us during the World Cup, and of course, for the possibility to be here today. It is a great honour for us.

Thank you very much.







Vladimir Putin:

Friends,

Let me congratulate you again on both playing in the World Cup and on your awards.

As far as trading my ice hockey skates for football boots, you know, I would have to trade in my kimono and forget about skiing. Unlike you, I am not an athlete, just an amateur, and amateurs do a little of everything, including football, of course.

The number of football supporters will definitely grow, especially after your performance at the World Cup. There were many fans before, but now there will certainly be more, and I will be one of them.

What would I like to say at the end of today’s ceremony? Of course, sport resembles art in some ways, yet there is an essential difference.







The difference is that you can simply enjoy art, just enjoy the process, whereas sport requires a result, sport means fighting. So the head coach was right in saying – still in the heat of the games, of course, but what he said about the results: the results are not just the score, the points, seconds and medals, the results are expressed in a common desire, the determination to fight and the will to achieve a result. This is very important.

And you did show these great results. This is probably the key thing that people are grateful to you for, those who love football in our country and abroad, by the way. I recently met with our colleagues in South Africa – everyone was talking about football, and practically everyone mentioned the high quality, and the good and estimable performance by our team.

Thank you very much. I wish you successes.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58125






Greetings to participants and guests of gala concert marking 1030th anniversary of Baptism of Rus



Vladimir Putin sent a message of greetings to participants and guests of a gala concert marking the 1030th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus.



July 28, 2018 - 20:30



The message reads, in part:

“The spiritual and civilisational choice made here in Chersonese by Saint Prince Vladimir has a truly historical dimension. The principles of the Orthodox faith acquired by the Russian prince from his Greek mentors laid the moral traditions of our people.

Honesty, mercy, uncompromising intentions and deeds, love for one’s neighbours, and unity molded our national character, determined the path of history and the establishment of Russia for all times.

Chersonese today is rightly a centre of pilgrimages and tourism, education and scientific research, the place of in-depth exposure to the glorious past of the country and its spiritual sources.

It is important that we carefully pass on from generation to generation those never-ending values that helped our ancestors to unite into a powerful state and persevere when times were hard.”




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58128






The Main Naval Parade in St Petersburg



On Navy Day, the Supreme Commander-in-Chief reviewed the Main Naval Parade that took place on the Neva River.



July 29, 2018 - 12:05 - St Petersburg






This year, more than four thousand Navy personnel from the Baltic, Northern and Black Sea fleets and the Caspian Flotilla, as well as more than 40 ships and motor boats of various kinds, along with a Navy aviation group all took part in the parade.

Before the main part of the parade, the President sailed round the combat ships, which were lined up for the parade in the inner harbor of Kronstadt, and welcomed their crews. The President also visited the Peter and Paul Fortress and the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul.








President of Russia Vladimir Putin:

Comrade sailors, midshipmen, petty officers, officers and admirals,

Dear veterans,

Residents of St Petersburg,

My congratulations to you on Navy Day!



















I congratulate all those who guard the maritime boundaries of our Motherland, take part in long-distance expeditions, and all those who have dedicated their lives to the surface and submarine forces, naval aviation, coastal defence troops, and who are committed to serving to the glory of the Russian Navy.



















Honour and valour, being true to one’s duty and oath have always been and will remain the underpinnings of the spectacular victories won by our Navy. For more than three centuries now, the Russian fleet has enabled Russia to affirm its status as a great naval power, capable of standing up for its national interests and protecting its shores.



















The fleet’s history is personified by the courage, valour and spirit of its sailors and officers. Their devotion to the Fatherland served as a guiding light for bold pioneers, and inspired ship builders to reach new heights by developing engineering marvels. These glorious traditions cannot fail to inspire current generations.



















The celebration of Navy Day emphasises the power of the sacred maritime brotherhood that unites all Navy bases and units of the Baltic, Northern, Pacific, Black Sea fleets and the Caspian Flotilla.



















The Russian Navy has been successful in ensuring our national defence capability, and continues to make a substantial contribution to the fight against international terrorism, while also playing a vital role in guaranteeing strategic parity. Every day dozens of ships and submarines ensure the defence of Russia’s interests in any part of the World Ocean.



















We have every right to be proud of our Navy, our Naval forces, their high-class combat readiness, strategic, tactical and operational capabilities, as well as the power and beauty of the Russian fleet.



















Our people have always admired the sailors of our Navy, since only the brave and resilient can shoulder maritime service, and understand the value of military readiness, strict discipline, unity and chivalry. Together with having the latest knowledge and irreproachable skills in mastering the latest advances in military hardware, these qualities enable our Navy to deliver on even the most complex missions.



















Thank you for your service, for proudly upholding the image of a fearless and indestructible Russian fleet!







Happy holiday!

Hurray!




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58129






Visit to Nakhimov Naval Academy



After the Main Naval Parade, Vladimir Putin visited the Nakhimov Naval Academy of the Russian Defence Ministry.



July 29, 2018 - 14:00 - St Petersburg







The President toured the academy’s new multi-purpose building with modern classrooms, laboratories and gyms, and learned about the cadets’ living conditions.













Rear-Admiral Anatoly Minakov, head of the academy, updated the President on forming a unified system for teaching, educating and organising recreation for the cadets who receive training both in St Petersburg and in the academy’s branches.
















Vladimir Putin emphasised the need to get the most skilled teachers, including civilian specialists, involved in the education process.













The Nakhimov Naval Academy of the Russian Ministry of Defence was established in 1944 during the Great Patriotic War. Its cadets receive general secondary education and special naval training. The Academy has three branches – in Murmansk, Sevastopol and Vladivostok.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58130






Reception to mark Navy Day



An official reception to mark Russia's Navy Day was held at the Admiralty.



July 29, 2018 - 14:20 - St Petersburg








President of Russia Vladimir Putin:

Comrade officers,

First, let me once again wish you a happy holiday.

The profession of a navy man in our country has always been an honourable one that personified courage, valour and dedication.

Such respect is well-deserved: everyone knows that the naval profession is a difficult and important work. It means service in the most difficult and rough environments, often involving long separations from the family and loved ones. But for a navy man, the noble goal of serving the Fatherland has always been a top priority.

The high combat readiness and effectiveness of the naval forces is a major component of ensuring the country's military capability and its security, as well as the security of its citizens. And, of course, we will continue to implement measures aimed at strengthening and developing the Navy and better equipping its fleet.

This year, the Navy has already received four surface vessels, one anti-terror boat, and three support ships. Overall, in 2018 the Navy will receive 26 new ships, cutters and vessels, including four ships with the Kalibr missile system.

Rearmament and modernisation is making good progress largely due to the workers of our shipbuilding industry and their professionalism and responsible attitude.

The Navy infrastructure, including ship base infrastructure, has also been developing to meet the latest requirements.

The Navy has always been among the first to master scientific, technical, engineering and design achievements. Meeting the Navy's current and prospective needs should further stimulate the development and introduction of advanced and innovative technologies, and serve as one of the drivers for the technological breakthrough. And this, as experience shows, will be inevitably followed by the flow of breakthrough knowledge into the civilian sector.







Friends,

I am confident that every person who serves in the Navy knows that they have the entire great history of the Russian Navy behind them, all the outstanding achievements of our predecessors and the valour of our respected veterans. I hope the current generation of navy men will honourably continue this great history.

Here is to the Russian Navy, to its glory and might!

Happy holiday!




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58131
__________________
Where should they dig the Very Deep Pit?
Piglet said that the best place would be somewhere where a Heffalump was, just before he fell into it, only about a foot farther on.
(c) Alan Alexander Miln

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Meeting with Acting Governor of Krasnoyarsk Territory Alexander Uss



The President had a working meeting with Acting Governor of the Krasnoyarsk Territory Alexander Uss.



July 30, 2018 - 14:30 - The Kremlin, Moscow







Alexander Uss briefed the President on the Yenisei Siberia megaproject to promote complementary development in three regions – the Krasnoyarsk Territory, Tuva and Khakassia – for a total of up to a trillion rubles in investment.

The President also discussed with the Acting Governor serious challenges faced by the region’s timber sector which lacks modern resin industry facilities and a paper mill. The decision to build one is expected to be made before the end of the year, and the arrangements for carrying out this large-scale investment project are underway.

Alexander Uss also proposed transforming Krasnoyarsk Non-Ferrous Metals Plant, the largest refinery in Russia and by many indicators one of the world’s majors, into a Russian holding company for this sector, since its competence centre is in Krasnoyarsk. Apart from the factory itself, the city is home to Siberian Federal University with its Institute of Non-Ferrous Metals and Materials Science.

The Acting Governor asked the President to support this comprehensive investment project, considering that the Krasnoyarsk Territory and the city of Krasnoyarsk are at the core of the country’s industries related to natural resources. Vladimir Putin said he supports the idea, but it needs to be reviewed by the Government.

Other topics discussed at the meeting included the environment, rapid city transit and preparations for the Winter Universiade to take place in Krasnoyarsk in 2019.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58150






Telephone conversation with President of South Ossetia Anatoly Bibilov



Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with President of the Republic of South Ossetia Anatoly Bibilov.



July 30, 2018 - 14:45



The discussion focused on current matters of Russia-South Ossetia interaction, including in the context of the upcoming tenth anniversary of Russian recognition of South Ossetia’s independence (August 26, 2008).




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58154






Working meeting with Acting Governor of the Nenets Autonomous Area Alexander Tsybulsky



Vladimir Putin discussed the socioeconomic situation in the Nenets Autonomous Area with the region’s Acting Governor Alexander Tsybulsky.



July 31, 2018 - 13:30 - The Kremlin, Moscow







According to Alexander Tsybulsky, 2015 and 2016 were marked by a decline in revenues amid the changes in the oil market. Now the region has managed to improve the situation with regard to both the regional budget and the renewal of initiatives for economic growth, and restored some social payments for especially needy groups, which, unfortunately, had to be suspended due to budget constraints. According to the acting governor, the region has reached a stable trajectory of economic growth.

Housing construction is being resumed. This is an extremely pressing issue for the region, since more than 100,000 square metres of existing residential housing were declared dilapidated or hazardous. Last year, about 15,000 square metres were built. From next year, the plan is to steadily build 25,000 square metres per year and further increase the pace of housing construction.

Other social infrastructure problems are also being addressed. Next year, new facilities, schools in particular, will be opened. This primarily concerns rural areas, where these issues are particularly acute.







As for healthcare, Alexander Tsybulsky said the programme for building rural medical assistance centres is underway. In his opinion, there is no economic or social reason to build a high-tech medical centre in the region, given the small population.

On the other hand, it is important to develop competence in diagnostics, because first of all patients should be accurately diagnosed, and then sent to other centres where the best competencies in the country are concentrated.

The Nenets regional hospital should develop primarily as such a diagnostic centre. Mr Tsybulsky asked the President for support at the federal level for the completion of the hospital and its infectious disease department.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58187






Working meeting with Chukotka Autonomous Area Governor Roman Kopin



The Head of Chukotka Autonomous Area briefed the President on the socioeconomic situation in the region.



August 1, 2018 - 13:30 - The Kremlin, Moscow







Mr Kopin said that the region’s per capita GRP increased 1.5 times over the past five years to more than 1.3 million rubles, with gold mining averaging about 28 metric tonnes per year, which is about 10 percent of the overall gold production in Russia. These achievements enhanced the region’s taxable capacity and drove up revenue almost threefold, while debt to the federal budget dropped by 28 percent. Using proceeds from the mineral extraction sectors, the region increased spending on Chukotka’s traditional industries, including reindeer herding, and sea-hunting. Social spending also increased.

According to the Governor, the region is seeking to reduce its dependence on gold production, which is its single most profitable sector, as well as to put the regional economy on a more sustainable footing, and attract investment.







A number of projects to this effect are already being implemented, including in the coal industry. For instance, the Beringovskoye Priority Development Area attracted Tigers, an Australian coal company that last year launched coal extraction and exports to the Asia Pacific Region, including Japan, Korea and Taiwan. There is also a project to develop the Baimskaya ore area, a major porphyry copper-gold deposit. According to Mr Kopin, this project has strategic importance for Russia’s Far East as well as the Arctic.

The discussion also covered the state of social infrastructure, particularly healthcare and education.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58189






Greetings on Paratroopers Day



Vladimir Putin sent his greetings to the personnel and veterans of Russia’s Airborne Forces on the occasion of Paratroopers Day.



August 2, 2018 - 10:00



The message reads, in part:

“Russia’s Airborne Forces have a long and glorious history of which the current generations of the forces’ men and officers are proud. Your predecessors served the country faithfully and loyally, acting competently, purposefully and courageously in the most difficult situations, as well as maintaining loyalty to the combat brotherhood. We will never forget the paratroopers who fought in the Great Patriotic War, as well as those who carried out their duty honourably in the world’s hot spots and as part of peacekeeping missions.

It is important that you keep up the patriotic traditions of the “airborne infantry”, fulfil your missions with utmost responsibility and firmly safeguard Russia’s national interests.”




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58191






Meeting with permanent members of Security Council



Vladimir Putin held a meeting on current matters with permanent members of the Security Council.



August 2, 2018 - 15:15 - Novo-Ogaryovo, Moscow Region







The discussion focused on contacts between the President of Russia and the BRICS leaders, as well as the meetings held on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Other subjects on the agenda concerned the country’s socioeconomic development.

Before the meeting, President Putin greeted the personnel and veterans of the Airborne Forces on the occasion of Paratroopers Day.

The meeting was attended by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin, Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Anton Vaino, Secretary of the Security Council Nikolai Patrushev, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, Director of the Federal Security Service Alexander Bortnikov and Director of the Foreign Intelligence Service Sergei Naryshkin.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58192






Meeting with Emergencies Minister Yevgeny Zinichev



Vladimir Putin met with Minister of Civil Defence, Emergencies and Natural Disaster Relief Yevgeny Zinichev.



August 2, 2018 - 18:20 - Novo-Ogaryovo, Moscow Region



The Emergencies Minister reported on the actions taken by the Ministry in the regions affected by fires and floods as well as measures taken to protect residential areas and restore the social infrastructure.








President of Russia Vladimir Putin:

Mr Zinichev, what is the situation in the regions? I know you are prepared to talk about Amur Region and Trans-Baikal separately.



Minister of Civil Defense, Emergencies and Disaster Relief Yevgeny Zinichev:

Mr President, the most pressing issue now is wildfires. The affected regions are Krasnoyarsk Territory, and the Republic of Sakha-Yakutia. And there are floods in Trans-Baikal Territory, and Amur Region.

Regarding the wildfires, they cover around 2 million hectares. Although there is no threat to local residential areas, there is a lot of smoke in some places.

As for the floods, the rivers have been rising since July 8 due to torrential rains and snowmelt in the mountains; as a result of this 65 villages (about 800 buildings) and several thousand garden allotments and household plots are flooded in the Trans-Baikal Territory.

The situation is now stabilising; the water level is dropping. At the moment, only two residential buildings and about 900 residential plots remain flooded. In Amur Region, the emergency declaration has been lifted, the water is receding. Meanwhile, our forecast – we have done a simulation – on August 3 and 4, the next wave of flooding will reach Khabarovsk Territory.

Khabarovsk is not threatened, but, according to our forecasts, 3,000–4,000 gardens and household plots may be flooded. We are alerting the population and have prepared water craft so people can leave their summer houses, save their harvests, that is; we are well prepared.



Vladimir Putin:

Mr Zinichev, primarily, you need to inform people about a possible natural disaster in a timely manner.

Secondly, you need to concentrate your crews and resources in the most dangerous areas. You have good rapid mobility crews; I hope you will be able to act in time.



Yevgeny Zinichev:

Yes, we are directing our main efforts to protecting people.



Vladimir Putin:

Good. You also need to evaluate the damage to their houses and plots in a timely manner…







Yevgeny Zinichev:

The Government Reserve Fund has allocated 238 million roubles. The regional government allocated another 174 million just to compensate owners.



Vladimir Putin:

Where?



Yevgeny Zinichev:

In Trans-Baikal Territory.



Vladimir Putin:

In Trans-Baikal Territory. But you need to reach people in time. Please keep an eye on this and report back to me.



Yevgeny Zinichev:

Yes.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58193






Working meeting with Acting Governor of Magadan Region Sergei Nosov



Vladimir Putin met with Acting Governor of the Magadan Region Sergei Nosov to discuss the region’s socioeconomic development.



August 3, 2018 - 14:00 - Novo-Ogaryovo, Moscow Region







The Acting Governor reported that the production rate grew 6.9 percent in 2017 compared with 2016, and investment in fixed capital and working enterprises 4.7 percent. The gross regional product has increased by 5 percent.

The region has not yet fully overcome all the negative trends. According to Mr Nosov, the out of region migration is continuing, with the Magadan Region’s population decreasing approximately 1 percent in 2017. However, the speed of migration has decreased. In particular, the decision to balance tariffs is a reason to be optimistic.







As of today, active work is being done to prepare for the implementation of the May Executive Order. The measures aimed at ensuring this implementation have been submitted to federal ministries for approval.







Vladimir Putin and Sergei Nosov also discussed the issue of air services in the region. The Acting Governor noted that small aviation plays a key role both in the Magadan Region and the entire Far East and asked the President to support this sphere, adding that there are several ways to cut budget spending.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58195
__________________
Where should they dig the Very Deep Pit?
Piglet said that the best place would be somewhere where a Heffalump was, just before he fell into it, only about a foot farther on.
(c) Alan Alexander Miln
 
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