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 the last few years, Russia and the EU proved that they can cooperate fruitfully in various spheres. We have greatly strengthened mutual trade and are implementing major infrastructure and energy projects together. Mr Vanhanen has just mentioned one of such infrastructure projects in railway transport. We are also working on humanitarian and environmental initiatives. Our interdependence is becoming increasingly evident. We need to work hand in glove, and people in Russia and the EU are coming to see that we all benefit from greater cooperation. We understand that it is making us stronger”.
“Two Finnish politicians are known for building good-neighbourly relations between the Soviet Union and Finland: Presidents Juho Kusti Paasikivi and Urho Kaleva Kekkonen. Of course they lived in a different era. It was a totally different world. And different people can look at the past differently. But the policy of strengthening neighbourly relations between our countries proved fruitful at that time and continues to bear fruit today. It is thanks to this policy that the lease agreement was signed, first for almost 40 years, and now for another 50 today. This is an obvious benefit. These negotiations lasted several years, and today they concluded in the signing of the agreement. These were tough negotiations. Each side brought up a lot of issues that needed to be addressed. But even the most difficult issues can be resolved if there is goodwill, and Russia and Finland do have goodwill”.
“Our countries were allies in World War II and contributed considerably to the defeat of Nazism and Japanese militarism. Today, we are united in a colossal number of joint efforts - we have harmonised our positions in the international arena and are working very effectively in terms of our economies. Quite recently, we kicked off events associated with the Year of Chinese Language in Russia. I know how much effort the Chinese leadership and you personally have invested into the Year of Russian language in China and, indeed, it was a very successful year! I'm sure that the Year of Chinese Language in Russia - which is essentially another year of Chinese culture in Russia - will also be successful.”
“In fact, they have received two billion Euros worth of contracts through just one project, which involves the construction of the pipeline along the bottom of the Baltic Sea. And that is not all. If we carry out other major infrastructure projects like the South Stream, and this is very likely since we have no reason to doubt that we will complete this ambitious project, then there will be additional contracts. If Sollers and Fiat implement their programmes, Fiat plants will be busy for quite some time to come. The same applies to the chemical industry, where cooperation will lead to contracts for both Russian and Italian companies. We have a great interest in these sorts of projects, because they give us access to new knowledge and technology. This is cooperation in the broadest and most direct sense of the word.”
"The government commission established by executive order must do everything it can to determine the causes of the accident in the shortest possible time. That's the first thing. And second, we need to do everything we can to help the victims' families and those travelling to Moscow to identify the bodies. We need to do everything we can to help them during this difficult time. We need to help them with travel and accommodations in Moscow, and we need to have psychologists on hand to offer them support in this difficult hour."
“We haven't had much political contact in recent years. This is the first visit of the Swedish prime minister to Russia in ten years. That being said, economic ties between our countries have deepened. In 2008 bilateral trade neared $9 billion. However, it has dropped by some 40% during the recession. Many large Swedish companies do business in Russia, including IKEA, Electrolux, Tetra Pak, Alfa Laval, Scania and Volvo. Swedish companies also have quite a big share in the telecommunications market.”
“The South Stream is one of these major projects. As you know this project has received broad international support. Bulgaria, Hungary, Greece, Serbia and Slovenia have already joined the project. All participants in the project, including Croatia, which has joined it today, will obviously stand to gain from it. The project will guarantee the stability of energy supplies to Europe and bring purely economic advantages to its participants.”
“Russia considers Croatia to be its important and reliable partner in the Balkans and in Europe as a whole. We have discussed in detail the entire agenda of Russian-Croatian relations and I'd like to note that they are intensive and diverse.”
“An ambitious blueprint for our cooperation in culture and science in 2010-2011was signed today. I would like to highlight that the traditionally good and constructive relations between Russia and Greece are moving forward. Trade grew rapidly in the past years, increasing by 40%, 45% and even 50% annually. Unfortunately, it slumped by over 40% last year because of the global downturn.”
“«South Stream» is not a project between Greece and Russia. It is a major international European project built on market principles. Its shares are held by three leading European companies: Russian, French and Italian. They will attract the funds needed to implement to project. There is enough money in the market for such projects. Funding is no problem at all. Many European countries, at least 10, are interested in this project and we have signed intergovernmental agreements with them.»”
“Major Russian companies are actively working in Lithuania and have invested over $1.5 billion in the Lithuanian economy. We would like to continue this work. Still, if we had created favourable conditions for development in years past, these investments could have been several times greater. I say this in all honesty, without any exaggeration. Several times greater! <…>We are optimistic about our diplomatic and economic ties with your country. We sincerely hope that we will be able to take steps in the right direction and not put these decisions on the back burner.”
“We regard Finland as a major partner in the region, and Russia remains among Finland's crucial trade and economic partners. I hope the Helsinki-St Petersburg speed train will start operating at the end of this year, and we will sign an agreement in May on leasing the Russian stretch of the Saimaa Channel.”
“We share many interests. I have reviewed all aspects of our economic relations, and I see that Danish companies' interest in working in Russia is not subsiding. This interest is sufficiently diversified, and concerns food, construction and engineering industries, including the manufacture of household appliances.”
"As for energy, we know that there are problems with hydroelectric power in Venezuela due to a drought. We are willing to help by supplying equipment to offset shrinking energy generation-in particular, mobile gas turbine power stations. We can do this very quickly if necessary."
"This meeting concludes efforts started a year ago to set up the necessary conditions for the development of Junin 6, one of the world's largest oilfields. A consortium of Russian oil companies is ready to transfer a $600 million bonus, as was previously agreed upon, as soon as the Venezuelan parliament ratifies today's agreement. This is the beginning of a huge cooperative effort. I am confident that it will proceed according to plan and pay the corresponding dividends for Venezuela and Russia."
Today we discussed our ambitious joint projects-in particular, the South Stream gas pipeline and the Samsun-Ceyhan oil pipeline. The fact that these two projects are crucial to Russia, Turkey and the whose of Europe both in terms of finding a solution to environmental problems, and in terms of ensuring reliable energy supplies to Europe is, I think, indisputable.
"Today, Turkish companies have $6 billion invested in Russia, and Russian companies have $4 billion invested in Turkey. Lucrative investment opportunities span a wide range of sectors: steel, construction and light industry, telecommunications, transport and many other fields. Russian companies are also ready to take part in privatization programmes carried out by Turkish government".
Russia has been, and remains Turkey's largest, and highly reliable, energy supplier. We provide approximately 70% of Turkey's demand in natural gas. We believe we can take this further, moving beyond simply trading, to asset exchanges and cross- capitalisation.
The global financial and economic crisis undoubtedly caused a slight decline in our bilateral trade. But that is why we have come together today, to see how we can overcome these hardships together, how we can increase investment and return to steady growth in trade and in our economic partnership. As Mr Erdogan said today, our trade can hit the $100 billion mark within five years. I think this goal is attainable.
"Turkey remains one of Russia's biggest trade and economic partners, leaving behind both the United States and Britain. We have major joint projects in energy, telecommunications and other industries. Now our goal is to diversify our economic relations".
