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
“Support from Russian citizens has always helped us, and I’m confident that the government’s future line-up will rely on the people. We must never forget about the needs of ordinary people. We must always remember how government-level decisions influence the lives of all ordinary Russian citizens.”
"Is it possible that Russian troops could be sent to Afghanistan? That is impossible. The Russian public strongly objects even to putting the matter under consideration, and I agree with that position."
"It was with great regret that we learned that North Korea had unilaterally walked out of talks we consider quite acceptable. Their six-party format has proved its practical worth. They have helped us to arrive recently at decisions which all the parties involved consider adoptable."
"I think we should work towards universal and total nuclear disarmament. We should all share this goal. Yet no one should abuse it, using these terms and this field of international philosophical thought for selfish ends."
"the national interests of Japan and Russia coincide on many issues, but more importantly, there will be more and more shared interests in the short, medium and especially in the long term perspective. Proceeding from these considerations we should do everything to eliminate any irritants in our bilateral ties. As soon as Japan and Russia feel that there are no such irritants, from that moment we will adopt a different terminology. I would like it to happen as soon as possible."
"A considerable part of Russia's territory is located in Asia but we are aware - and so is Japan - that the population density is very low there but the resources are enormous. And considering the development rates of Asia and the Pacific, Russia should by all means use its Asian advantages, its Asian roots, so to speak, in order to integrate itself in this economic space."
"Incidentally, 60% of the energy resources from the Sakhalin project are supplied to the Japanese market. When the oil pipe approaches the Pacific Ocean, Japan will have more opportunities to avail itself of this resource. However, we expect Japanese companies to show interest in expanding their investment in all the fields."
"There is also timber processing, machine building, which I have mentioned, space - we are taking part in the International Space Station programme - and telecommunications. We have already carried out the project on laying two optical fibre cables between Russia and Japan. We also have timber processing, as I have already said, chemistry and metallurgy. In fact, our Japanese partners and friends can take part in projects in any Russian region."
"We hope that the local authorities will follow the same logic by creating the most favourable business environment, and removing barriers preventing new companies from getting access to the local markets. In doing so, they will resolve the employment problem and replenish local finances."
"Programmes of the fund on assisting the development of housing and utilities have rendered substantial support for municipalities. The bodies of local government have already received more than 80 billion roubles from this investment fund. All in all, owing to this fund, into which we invested a total of 240 billion roubles, more than 120,000 people have already received new flats or will receive them in the near future. A considerable part of the dwelling stock will be repaired."
"Payment of salaries in the public sector should be made a priority. Incidentally, the Astrakhan Region has introduced new forms of payment in the public sphere, and the average level of salaries paid to those employed in main directions has gone up by 30% to 35%."
"The tax policy is also subject to change. At the recent meeting of the Government Commission on Budget Projections, we agreed to step up the introduction of the local tax on property. It is designed to replace the existing taxes on land and property. I hope very much that this change will substantially increase tax revenues for the local budgets. However, this should be achieved not by increasing tariff rates, but by differentiating them, as I already said at the aforementioned meeting."
"Considering these factors, we have decided to tangibly increase our support for the territories. In the new version of the budget, federal support for the regions is 36% higher than it was last year. All in all, we have earmarked 1,200 billion roubles for this purpose."
"Now regarding the loans you asked about. <...> We have three possible areas of cooperation here. First, as you have already mentioned, there is the construction of two power units at Khmelnitsky NPP. The approximate cost would be $4 billion. <...> Regarding the gas flow into UGS, this is a very difficult issue, since the volumes are very large, 19-20 billion cubic metres of gas, which could flow there, at a value of $5 billion. This is the second issue. And it requires additional research, investigation, and consultation. <...> And the third question is budget support. Those are the three possible areas."
"A protocol has also been signed on commodity supplies along the production cooperation lines this year. It will spectacularly promote contacts between Russian and Ukrainian industrial companies."
"That is why it is so important that we signed today an intergovernmental agreement on the mutual establishment of offices of the Russian trade representation in Ukraine and relevant offices of the trade and economic mission within the Ukrainian Embassy in the Russian Federation. The agreement envisages spectacular expansion of economic cooperation so as to implement the potential of Russian and Ukrainian regions as fully as possible."
"This is all the more topical as President Dmitry Medvedev has recently announced the Russian proposal to conclude a new comprehensive energy treaty. We expect it to be an essential contribution to normalising European energy relations, and provide a sound legal basis for due consideration of the interests of all participants in the process - manufacturers, transit countries and companies, and main consumers."
"The energy industry remains among the top priorities of our partnership. We talked in great detail today about the Belene nuclear plant construction and, to my mind, we have arrived at a very interesting means of implementing this project, which is essential for our two countries and the entire region."
"Material aid will be given to 52,000 businessmen, who, apart from employing themselves, will create 150,000 new jobs under their contractual commitments. I'm talking about small businesses."
"I'd like to dwell in more detail on regional employment programmes. As of today, all of the 82 regional programmes have been agreed on and endorsed. These programmes will be funded from the federal budget by 93%. All in all, 43.7 billion roubles have been reserved for this purpose, and will be transferred to the regions as subsidies. A total of 9.2 billion roubles have already been wired to 75 regions. More than a million temporary jobs will be created as a result of this measure; about 220,000 people will be retrained, and 50,000 people will undergo practical training. About 16,000 people, who will relocate from their place of residence to acquire jobs in other regions, will receive targeted financial help."
