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
“Energy resource supplies aren't evenly distributed around the world. Therefore, it is extremely important to uphold global energy security. Russia was one of the countries to raise this issue for discussion during Russia's presidency in the G8.”
“However, certain countries' vocal concerns over energy security are nothing but political manoeuvring to cover efforts to gain preferential access to others' resources, while saving their own for some or other reasons, or because they simply do not have any. Therefore, while discussing energy security, we should have a very clear idea what each of the discussion participants means by the term. We believe that energy security includes the following aspects. For oil and gas producers, it primarily means the guarantee of sovereignty over their national energy resources, as well as a responsibility to ensure stable supplies to their consumers.”
“We admitted a number of European companies - Finnish, Italian and German - to our energy sector; they acquired the biggest blocks of shares with our power companies, invested literally billions of dollars and euros. We invite such investments. We admitted them to participate in the development of hydrocarbons - both oil and gas.”
“I have to do justice to our European partners. For their part, they ventured the construction of new routes for our energy resource supplies to Europe. An excellent example is the constructing of the North Stream gas pipeline and our plans for the South Stream, as well as some other projects. Europeans have also admitted us to their energy transport system, namely the trunk pipeline. These are very good examples of integration in a crucial economic sphere: energy.”
“We are very responsible in relations with all our partners. We are taking a direct part in international anti-crisis efforts, and supporting our allies on a bilateral basis. We have decided to transfer up to one billion dollars to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for helping the countries which are the hardest hit by the financial crisis. We are also going to credit China and India for the purchase of Russian equipment, thereby securing jobs and profits of our companies, domestic producers.”
“We will continue talks on WTO entry. However, I consider it just as important to use the advantages of integration in the post-Soviet space. Our partners support accelerating a customs union between Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan, and also a Common Economic Space. I completely agree with this approach. These projects should be carried out it the near future. I am convinced that the development of industrial cooperation and trade with our neighbours may become a tangible factor of economic stability in the entire Eurasian region.”
“We should aggressively use the tools for advancing and upholding our economic interests, in the positive sense of the word. We plan to encourage the domestic exporters of industrial produce, and transform the system of export support into a major institution of development.“
“We can consider buying the assets of high-tech foreign companies to develop mutually advantageous cooperation and transfer part of the production to Russia on valid economic terms.”
“As in previous years, we will protect our domestic market, for example, the agrarian sector, with customs tariffs. Needless to say, we will do this without harming the interests of Russian consumers or violating our international commitments. In addition, we have decided to give price preference to domestic suppliers when they are awarded government or municipal contracts. In my opinion, such protectionism is appropriate as a temporary measure.”
As we know, Nord Stream company spent a record-setting amount of over $100 million on environmental research. As we have agreed between us, all interested Finnish agencies will receive exhaustive information on the issue quite soon. The decision will be up to relevant Finnish organisations-government agencies and, I expect, public organisations-because we intend to keep in close contact with environmental organisations on a wide range of relevant issues.
