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
“We all know that the end of the talks is not the end of the road. In fact, it is the beginning of some difficult work within the WTO framework. We should make full use of the advantages of our access to new markets to promote Russian products, while at the same time minimising the risks which are hindering the work of our companies abroad.”
“We realise that winning the competition for direct investment and creating highly attractive conditions for business will help us be victorious in our struggle for the efficiency of the Russian economy and for a new quality of growth. This is precisely why our economic policy, our business climate, and our conditions for foreign investment inflows, the creation of new production lines and innovation should be truly competitive. <…> This means we shouldn’t just make our economic policies more effective, we should also constantly compare our moves and their results to what is happening in other countries. We should try to act faster and more decisively than our potential competitors do.”
“I am convinced that our WTO membership will provide a long-term powerful impulse for the dynamic and innovative growth of our economy. Its openness and increased competition will benefit the Russian people, and our manufacturers will receive the necessary impetus for further development. Our WTO membership is also about new markets and new prospects that we are not yet accustomed to seeing and assessing properly. Finally, membership in the WTO provides the possibility to defend our interests in a civil and legal manner.”
“The completion of negotiations on our accession to the WTO will create the conditions necessary for Russia to join another multilateral structure: the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. We are already conducting such work. Accessing the OECD would mean stamping a global mark of quality on our economy, both in general, and in terms of individual manufacturers.”
“Russia intends to continue promoting its security and protecting its national interest by actively and constructively engaging in global politics and in efforts to solve global and regional problems. We are ready for mutually beneficial cooperation and open dialogue with all our foreign partners. We aim to understand and take into account the interests of our partners, and we ask that our own interests be respected.”
“We will continue on our constructive course to enhance global security, renounce confrontation, and counter such challenges as the proliferation of nuclear weapons, regional conflict and crises, terrorism and drug trafficking. We will do everything we can to see that Russia enjoys the latest achievements in scientific and technical progress and to assist our entrepreneurs in occupying an appropriate place on the world market.”
“Russia is part of the greater world whether we are talking about the economy, media coverage or cultural development. We do not wish to and cannot isolate ourselves. We hope that our openness will result in a higher standard of living for Russia plus a more diverse culture and a general level of trust, something that is becoming increasingly scarce.”
“We intend to be consistent in proceeding from our own interests and goals rather than decisions dictated by someone else. Russia is only respected and considered when it is strong and stands firmly on its own feet. Russia has generally always enjoyed the privilege of conducting an independent foreign policy and this is what it will continue to do. In addition, I am convinced that global security can only be achieved in cooperation with Russia rather than by attempts to push it to the background, weaken its geopolitical position or compromise its defenses.”
“Most importantly, in addition to the current balanced economy and solid macroeconomic indicators, Russia also enjoys basic, long-term and powerful advantages. Our core resource consists of a talented, creative, well trained and educated people. This is an enormous treasure and a good starting point from which to launch modern manufacturing processes.”
“Russia is the world’s sixth largest economy and has all it takes to become a top five economy. I’m confident that this will happen. We ended last year with good results if you look at the aggregate economic outcome. Without exaggeration, this is one of the world’s best results. Economic growth over 4% is one of the best rates among G8 members. No, not just one of the best, it actually is the best result among other large European economies.”
“WTO membership creates better conditions for attracting investment to this industry; this is an obvious fact. We will be able to attract investment primarily to processing, to the food industry, to gain a foothold for our products at foreign markets, to protect domestic producers from unfair competition inside Russia as well as abroad. It is clear that after the accession to the WTO, we should not relax; we should understand and consider the many subtleties of WTO membership.”
“Russia must play a bigger part in the international division of labour, not only as a supplier of commodities and energy, but as an owner of regularly upgraded cutting-edge technology in at least some sectors.”
“The goal that we have set for ourselves is to propel economic growth to at least six per cent, or better still, to seven per cent per year, and to join the ranks of the world’s top five economies within five years. We must achieve this through growth, not because of a contraction in the world’s major economies. Over the next decade, Russia needs to increase GDP per capita by 50%, from the current $20,700 (let’s speak in terms of dollars) to over $35,000. This year’s GDP growth rate is estimated at 4.2%, probably even 4.5%.”
“We want to join the World Trade Organisation. This is our goal and our objective. In our opinion, this would have a generally positive impact on the Russian economy, mostly because it will increase the level of trust in the economy, and on the administrative and legal procedures within the economy.”
“Russia's entry to the WTO does not mean completely and automatically opening our markets to foreign products. We will certainly protect sensitive positions with higher customs tariffs. We will do this in strict accordance with the World Trade Organisation's regulations. <…> Russia will retain the ability to use all possible tools for supporting domestic producers. I am referring to special protective anti-dumping and compensation measures, which are widely used by WTO countries.”
“Naturally, Russia's entry into the WTO will improve the access of our national goods – traditional goods and high-tech exports, which we have expanded year after year – to foreign markets.”
"Since 2000, Russia’s arms exports have grown by almost 150%. They have also expanded geographically. Today we are cooperating with 85 countries of the world. I would like to emphasize that Rosoboronexport’s activity, like Russia’s military-technological cooperation in general, is proceeding in strict conformity with Russian legislation and international law as well as with the non-proliferation regimes now in effect. We fully consider all potential risks for security in the regions where we are exporting arms and are very careful to the established balance of forces there. We never take action that could upset such a balance."
“We certainly support the efforts of Russian petroleum companies to improve their situation on foreign markets, whether their plans concern the development of new oilfields or oil refining.Such projects bring our companies closer to consumers abroad, while the exchange of assets and investments enhance confidence in the global energy industry, make it more predictable and sustainable, and level out supply and demand”.
“We, both Russia and Kazakhstan, are at a rather advanced stage of preparations for WTO membership. There are still some matters to settle, but it will certainly be easier to do this bilaterally on the Customs Union's behalf than in the tripartite arrangement, because the more participants there are, the more problems there are, as every country defends its own economic interests and the number of contentious issues grows. This is evident. Certainly, it will be easier to join the WTO in the bilateral format. However, I want to point out that this is not a reason or pretext for not developing tripartite cooperation with Belarus included. We will do this.”
“We do have such plans (holding WTO), but we haven't joined the WTO yet. We are currently negotiating. As you know, these issues are very complicated. Just look at Ukraine's accession terms, at the losses Ukraine's economy has sustained by abolishing certain customs duties, for example. Just look at the aircraft industry. We cannot do this because we cherish our aircraft sector. This is a complicated negotiating process for us.”
