VLADIMIR PUTIN
ARCHIVE OF THE OFFICIAL SITE
OF THE 2008-2012 PRIME MINISTER
OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
VLADIMIR PUTIN
ARCHIVE OF THE OFFICIAL SITE
OF THE 2008-2012 PRIME MINISTER
OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
VLADIMIR PUTIN
In 2004 and 2005 we began discussing the issue of writing off a large portion of the Iraqi national debt to the Russian Federation. We eventually came to an agreement with the Iraqi government and wrote off an unprecedented 90%, which is also a large amount in absolute terms, over $10 billion. Iraq is still in a predicament, but the situation was even worse at that time. Our efforts were meant as support and assistance for the new Iraqi leadership in their aspirations to restore the country's economy. From the very beginning we anticipated that the Iraqi government would welcome our oil and gas companies' entrance into the Iraqi oil market. What has happened is a positive result of this, a welcome event.
"I would like to single out the intergovernmental agreement on labour migration. It greatly facilitates the procedure and paperwork for entry for enterprise managers, the staff of offices and subsidiaries. It envisages considerable preferences for high-skilled specialists as well as young people who want to acquire an education or a new profession in one of our two countries."
"I don't even need to mention hydrocarbons. Here, French companies enjoy most favoured status. They are expanding their presence in extraction ventures and now will take part in transport. Major Russian and French companies are expanding cooperation to new levels. They plan to exchange assets, starting today. This is very important."
"French companies are increasing their investment in the Russian economy. I told Mr Prime Minister that France has surpassed the United States in this respect, and this is not the limit. We are convinced that Russian businesses will invest much more in the French economy and vice versa. For our part, we will do everything to facilitate this process."
"However, the Russian petrochemical industry has one great competitive advantage: It has a unique resource base. Russian and foreign investors see significant potential in the industry. Modernising it will not require massive government support. It is true that infrastructure support and legal maintenance are required, with state guarantees sometimes needed as well. But these are cost-effective measures, and it is easy to find financial resources in the market."
"Russia accounts for 9-10% of the world's crude oil exports. However, the Russia's export share for high-technology conversion products such as polymers stands at only 1%. Moreover, imports account for over a third of domestically consumed petrochemical products. Simply put, we export crude oil and import final products, which are often produced from Russian crude. This doesn't mean that we must close the Russian market to imports. The situation must be changed in the industry, and we must create conditions for increasing exports of products with high added value."
"New Russia had to start building a market economy and creating modern legal institutions practically from scratch, in very difficult conditions. Our partners – foreign companies which invested in Russia – did not find it easy, either. Nevertheless, I am confident that the majority of our foreign partners did not regret their choice. This is demonstrated by numerous successful projects in the Russian economy."
"It is important to make the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) more effective, and step up the formation of an efficient anti-drug mechanism within the SCO. The heads of the agencies concerned agreed on this at their meeting last May."
"As for cultural, we have encouraging prospects to expand joint educational projects and youth contact within the SCO. We have established a regular practice of Education Weeks and forums for university rectors. The SCO Youth Council has also been a success. The SCO University will probably open soon, too."
"We have already drafted an action plan. The joint actions are listed in today's Statement on fighting infectious diseases. We also propose discussing an arrangement to coordinate the actions of the member states' medical services in such emergencies."
