Komsomolskaya Pravda: “Kudrin remains member of team – Putin”
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, who turns 59 on October 7, said he never takes alcohol "in excess," not even on his birthday.
The day before his birthday, the prime minister attended the Russia Calling! Investment forum organised by VTB Capital, with the most important international business leaders participating.
After listening to an American participant, the prime minister said:
"[His address] worried me slightly. A major American businessman said that the United States is still, for the time being, the world's largest economy, but that China will most certainly take over the lead. Are we supposed to keep our foreign-exchange reserves in the yuan while the Chinese keep theirs in US dollars? This is an interesting situation, like a matryoshka doll," he said.
Responding to the American businessman's mention of Albert Einstein, Putin added his own anecdote about the scientist.
"When he was asked a difficult question, Dmitry (Einstein's assistant) replied in Russian. And when Einstein asked him how he managed to get through it, he said that he had made an evasive reply. "What was that?" Einstein asked. "I told him to get lost," he said. But we will not be giving evasive responses. We are following the situation closely in this country and in the world. Recent events have taught us a lot," he said.
According to Putin, what the world is going through is not a second wave of the crisis, but a recovery, even if long and difficult.
"I can assure you that Russia is prepared to deal with any scenario better than in 2008," the prime minister said.
"There is a margin of safety now...I clearly remember the time when people were heavily withdrawing money from their accounts during the crisis in late 2008 and early 2009," Putin said. "It was then that we decided that we must let them withdraw as much as they needed. Literally truckloads and wagonloads of money were delivered to banks. As the craze calmed down, the money began coming back because people realised that they were not going to get cheated. As of September 1, 2008, people deposited nearly six trillion roubles. As of September 1, 2011, it was 10.072 trillion."
One of the Western participants asked Putin if he was concerned about the 22% of Russians wishing to emigrate, according to recent polls.
"Man seeks a better fate like fish seek deeper water," Putin replied with a Russian saying adding that he recently spoke with Vladimir Pronichev, head of the Federal Security Service's Border Control Agency. Pronichev said that the number of Russian immigrants is quite low in Europe, citing his European colleagues.
"It is less than 1%," he said.
As for opinion polls, Putin said he often "gives them a look," but never trusts them entirely.
"With that said, it's clear that by expressing their wish to emigrate away from this country, people are sending us a signal that there is something here they are unhappy about, which is understandable," he admitted.
"We need to demonstrate to the public that there are realistic prospects for everyone to improve their standard of living for themselves and their families. This is a task that we should all tackle together – above all the government, but also the public, the business community and the media."
Putin believes that he and Dmitry Medvedev "have sent a clear message to the nation: We have no intention of destroying anything. We are seeking to further develop our political system."
"There are a great deal of brazen politicians out there who try to climb to the top by smashing everything along the way," Putin noted. "Russia has been through this already more than once. "We will destroy this world of violence..." And then what? It all wound up with a collapse in the 1990s."
When asked when Ukraine is going to join the Customs Union, Putin said:
"Ukraine is borrowing $10 billion from the International Monetary Fund as assistance for 15 years. If Ukraine joins the Customs Union, the country's annual economic profit will stand at $9 billion."
"Ukraine will not be granted access to the European market. The most they can expect to sell is just a litre of milk or two," he explained. "Our countries have always cooperated to a great extent. We share a common mentality and a common language. I know the way their meetings and sessions are held, including as many as 27 interpreters, with 20 hours spent to discuss only a couple of questions. We don't have such barriers with Ukraine. When people realise that it is necessary and beneficial for economic development and, finally, for their own well-being, this will occur."
"Why has Kudrin resigned?"
"Alexei Kudrin is one of the top specialists both in Russia and the world," the prime minister said.
"He is also my very good friend with whom I have maintained close contact since the 1990s," he added. "President Medvedev made this decision. I think even my comments on the matter would be inappropriate. I have to say – and this is both my point of view and the opinion of President Medvedev – despite this emotional set-back, Mr Kudrin is still a member of our team, and we will continue working with him. I hope he will continue working with us as well."
"There are 8 hours remaining until your birthday," somebody remarked with a Caucasian accent.
"Please speak up," Putin said. "That's an important point you're making," he added while the audience laughed.
"We could continue our meeting comfortably into the night. And when the clock strikes midnight, we can all wish you a happy birthday," the businessman suggested.
"We are working day and night without rest," VTB head Andrei Kostin said referring to the Bank of Moscow deal.
"Take a break for my birthday tomorrow," Putin said.
Before seeing off the prime minister, Kostin wished him luck: "You have a very important and responsible period ahead of you."
"If you mean my upcoming birthday, I do not drink alcohol excessively, so everything will be alright," Putin assured the international business community.
"No, I was talking about the upcoming political events, Mr Putin," Kostin said.
What the prime minister will do for his birthday
Putin told the business forum that on Friday he was to chair a meting on modernising Russia's air force. He also had a number of routine meetings scheduled for that day. Although Putin often goes back to his hometown, St Petersburg, for his birthdays, this year he will stay in Moscow, he said.
Larisa Kaftan
