Natalia Rozhkova
Vladimir Putin does not want to quarrel with the West but is gazing eastwards.
On September 1, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin addressed professors and students of Far Eastern universities in Vladivostok and tried to dispel several new political rumors. He said Russia would not deliver less oil and gas to Europe, that it was still planning to hold the 2012 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Vladivostok, and that it did not want to start a new Cold War with the West.
Putin's statements coincided with the extraordinary European Union summit in Brussels that will formulate a common EU stand regarding the Russian-Georgian military conflict and Moscow's recognition of South Ossetian and Abkhazian independence.
However, Putin ostensively ignored current Western criticism of Russian actions.
"As I see it, our relations have not cooled off yet. Although there are many discussions and emotional statements, no moves towards cooler relations have been made so far," Putin said.
Putin once again stressed that Russia's stand on the Georgian situation remained the same. "The truth is on our side. Our absolutely moral behaviour matches current international law," Putin said.
Putin also commented on conjecture that Russia could pressure Western partners by cutting off oil and gas deliveries to Europe.
"We do not plan to impose any restrictions, and will abide by our contractual commitments," Putin told the EU. However, he said Russia must "expand and diversify" its hydrocarbon export potential.
He said the current diversification programme had been formulated several years ago and was not linked with any present-day political events.
"The global economy, primarily the rapidly developing Asia-Pacific region, is interested in this (diversification of Russian fuel and energy exports - Ed.)," Putin stressed.
Putin focused on the development of the Asia-Pacific region and said Russia's Far East required a more divergent infrastructure and energy sector, as well as new jobs and more intensive innovative development than other regions.
Although the upcoming APEC summit in Vladivostok will not solve every problem, Putin expressed hope that it would facilitate regional development and said Russian leaders had no intention of holding the summit elsewhere.
On September 1, Putin told a summit-preparation meeting that First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov would be placed in charge of the summit organising committee and the State Commission for Far Eastern Socio-Economic Development Issues.
Putin told summit organisers to step up their work. "Please launch all design and construction projects on schedule and without delay." Putin demanded that they promptly start building bridges over the Bosfor Vostochny Strait and Zolotoi Rog Harbor. He also ordered that the Defence Ministry facilities on Russky Island be dismantled as soon as possible. (In different times Russky Island housed a coast-guard brigade, a radio-technical school where four sailors starved to death in 1992, a disciplinary battalion where a hunger riot took place in 1990, a landing-craft unit and ammunition depots. A surface-to-air missile battalion, a special-purpose Marine brigade and a security unit guarding numerous local skeleton units are currently deployed there.)
The Far Eastern Federal University campus and main buildings, due to host the 2012 APEC summit, will be constructed on Russky Island and will subsequently be transferred to the University.
Russia's Regional Development Minister Dmitry Kozak told journalists that the entire summit infrastructure would be completed in the fall of 2011, and that a bridge would link Russky Island with the mainland by March 2012.
"It will take time to build this unique bridge," Kozak said.
The federal budget will allocate 100 billion roubles for holding the APEC summit in the Primorye Territory.
Putin who advocates the cost-effective disbursement of budgetary funding said more modest interiors without gold and glitter were essential.
