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
"The developments in our region, especially in Afghanistan and around it, call for more energetic and coordinated actions from foreign ministries and security agencies. We know how much effort our Afghan counterparts are making and must support them as much as we can."
"We should make full use of the advantages and benefits of cooperation in the post-crisis period of development. The Joint Initiative of Global Economic Crisis Counteraction, which we are to adopt today, provides a good basis for this. This document will allow us to coordinate anti-crisis measures within the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation."
"Economic problems inevitably arise due to labour migration. In accordance with the agreements reached at our previous meeting in Astana, we have begun a discussion on a range of related issues. It is important that this discussion cover policies against illegal migration, and readmission, and the streamlining of procedures for legal guest workers to protect their rights and legal interests. We must protect them, but we will only be able to do so when the procedures are well-regulated."
"Coordinated efforts by customs services of the member-countries, depending on the competence and mutual understanding of their staffs, are also important. Coordinating the actions of member state customs services is also important and depends on staff competence and a level of mutual understanding. The protocol on cooperation in training and advanced training of customs officers, also to be signed today, will help significantly increase efficiency. In addition, we have discussed improvement of customs services' interaction at a bilateral meeting with our Chinese colleagues."
"As for Opel, I hope the contract is one of the first steps leading to European economic integration. Every cloud has a silver lining, and the crisis has laid bare many of the problems of mismanagement. This concerns many Western companies, among others, and General Motors is no exception."
"It might be easier today, however, to settle problems with countries with which Russia has lasting economic and political ties. Germany is Russia's principal partner in Europe and the world. Our number one partner in many respects. Exports to Russia have helped Germany retain several hundred thousand jobs. The fact is worth repeating: because Russia consumes German commodities and services, several hundred thousand Germans kept their jobs due to our partnership."
"As I have said, I am pinning great hopes on the expansion of Magna's presence - in particular, on sharing a part of its knowhow with Russia. I hope it will tell on Russian industrial production."
"The troubleshooting plan proposed by such an influential company as Magna has been recognised as the best possible option for investors and, even more so, for Opel employees in Germany and other countries. That is essential. I am interested in it, to an extent, because Opel has two plants in Russia."
"As for purchasing Opel stock, I want to make it understood from the start that the Russian Government is not directly involved but approves Sberbank's participation in the transaction. This is primarily because Sberbank is one of the largest creditors of the Russian automotive industry and has long-established contacts with it."
"As for the second line of the ESPO pipeline project, we have not removed this issue from the agenda. We will address it as the production rate grows in East Siberia. [Russian] companies tell us they are prepared to produce 50-80 million metric tons [of oil] annually there. This would be enough to fill the pipeline and make it commercially expedient."
