If Russia's modern folklore is anything to go by, a news piece about President Dmitry Medvedev will inevitably be followed by a piece about Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. The process can go in the opposite direction as well, but it never ever violates that rule. In fact, the rule is so strict that it allows no exceptions, which would only confirm it. But this may not simply be a case of Russia's television channels being loyal to the two leaders. Oddly enough, the rule almost seems to have been given from above, maybe even straight from the heavens. One has barely finished talking about one of the leaders when it's time to talk about the other one.
The past week is further proof. A general meeting of the Russian Academy of Sciences ended on Wednesday. It dealt with an issue that is both current and eternal: "The Brain: Fundamental and Applied Issues". But all the matters involved in studying the brain were overshadowed by another one - President Dmitry Medvedev's visit to the academy.
Everyone was a bit scared and hopeful. But even if their fears and hopes failed to come true, it was clearly a significant event: the powers had cast their gaze on science and something could come of it. Unfortunately, all these fears and hopes were not realised and absolutely nothing happened.
Medvedev was a bit late. Journalists, including the usual ‘presidential pool', and a few guest scientific observers that write about the academy were led to a small room with a big, breath-taking LCD monitor. So, here we were, sitting, watching the presidium hall, and waiting. Medvedev finally arrived.
He looked quite nice and carried himself well. There's barely any haughtiness in the man; he's well-educated, intelligent and can grasp the essence of even the most long-winded speeches. He doesn't seem to like giving orders and only does so when it is absolutely necessary. He complained about it being cold, asked for a cup of tea and then said nothing. Or I should say, nothing new. It's hard to escape the impression that he came simply for a cup of tea and advice: on the one hand, a piece of advice on how to assist the academy, and on the other, advice on what to say at the climate change summit in Copenhagen on that coming Friday.
Well, he got some advice. Academicians Laverov and Izrael, after promising to keep it brief, were in fact not brief at all, but the essence of their speech was as follows: one mustn't panic, one should be guided by the circumstances, meaning emission reductions, and do what other countries are doing to be in the mainstream, or in other words do nothing but make intimidating and non-panicky statements. Medvedev listened to all the advice offered to him and even managed to understand the essence of it. After a number of other long-winded and not-entirely-coherent speeches, the President requested that his advisors be briefer. Though they failed to do so, they did start to speak faster. And Medvedev still managed to understand the essence.
As for helping the academy, Medvedev said that the government was helping as much as it could, however insufficient the help may be, and that was just how things were. Not a word about possible reforms, not a word about future prospects.
"Will we be able to approach him?" somebody from the presidential pool asked. The response: "They promised, but..." Journalists were not allowed to approach the president, meaning they could not communicate with him personally. Hardly had a girl who chaired the academy's Young Scientists Union said loudly and excitedly "I can't keep quiet any more!" when she went silent, the broadcast ended, and all that could be seen on the wonderful monitor was a blank white column. The presidential pool was asked to leave the room. That was it. Time was up.
It's worth mentioning that at the very same time this meeting took place, Vladimir Putin was signing an executive order making the Kurchatov Institute research centre directly subordinate to the government. The centre had been subordinate to it before, but through the Education and Science Ministry, and so now, this time around, the mediator has been removed. The research centre is currently being merged with the country's main nuclear physics institutions, including those taken away from the Russian Academy of Sciences, meaning that a new independent nuclear physics academy is in fact being set up.
In reality, this isn't much of a groundbreaking event, considering that Medvedev's decree from November had already stipulated for this. Nevertheless, Medvedev has said to do it, and Putin has done it. Somebody says something, somebody does something.
In fact, if taken together, the two events - Medvedev's tea party with the RAS and Putin's executive order on subordinating the efficient and properly financed Kurchatov Institute research centre - signify that after great efforts to reform the RAS, the authorities have begun to implement another strategy. Another parallel structure is being established next to the RAS.
The rejoicing of RAS President Yury Osipov over Medvedev's assurances that the academy was the country's main think tank and that nobody would let the academy come to harm was a bit premature. They will most certainly let it come to harm if that is what's necessary. They'll even give it up entirely.
Vladimir Pokrovsky