Tweet
PUTIN: "WE ARE NOT GOING TO SPEND HUGE MONEY ON ECONOMIES OF OTHER COUNTRIES"
Charter 97, Belarus
June 5 2007
Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced Russia's readiness
towards integration at the post-Soviet space, but on an equal and
pragmatic basis. "Nobody could say that we are politicizing these
issues. We are not going to spend huge sums to subsidize economies of
other countries. We are ready to develop integration in post-Soviet
area, but on equal basis," told the Russian leader to journalists of
G8 countries' newspapers.
"You know, they are drawing near our interests more and more, and
more and more counting on our not defending these interests. If
we want order and international law rule the international arena,
this law should be respected, and interests of all participants of
the international communication should be respected," V. Putin said.
"We have done that to Belarus!"
Russian president reminded that "we have been subsidizing former
Soviet Union countries by cheap energy resources for 15 years,"
Interfax informs.
"Why should we do that? Where's logics, where are any grounds for
that? We have been subsidizing Ukraine for 15 years, 3-5 billion
dollars annually. Just imagine! Who else in the world is doing that?
However, our actions are not politicized. These are not political
actions," the leader of the state believes.
He believes the Baltic states are the best example of that. "We have
been switching them to EU prices gradually for three years. Even in
the conditions of our having no border treaty with Latvia, and an
acute political dispute on that issue was taking place, Latvia was
receiving our cheap gas until the last year, in general at a price
one third lower than Germany, for instance," he noted.
"When the matter concerned Ukraine, we were told that it was a
political decision and we were accused with supporting Lukashenka's
regime, not really liked by Western countries. We said: "Listen,
firstly, we cannot open war at all fronts at once. Secondly, we plan
to switch to market prices with all our partners. The time will come
and we shall make that with Belarus. We have done that. When we have
done that, a fuss was made, by Western press as well: what is going on,
why we were doing an injustice to a little Belarus. Is it a sincere,
decent position towards Russia in this respect?" V. Putin said.
Relations with Georgia are not very good, while perfect with Armenia
He has also reminded that Russia has switched to single formation of
prices with all Transcaucasian countries: with Georgia "with which
we have not very good relations, and with Armenia we have brilliant
relations with, which is considered our strategic partner".
"Yes, we have heard a lot of unflattering words about us from Armenian
partners as well, but we have understood each other finally, we have
found the way for that. They cannot pay the whole price in money,
that is why they pay by property," V. Putin said.
As said by Putin, integration is highly demanded in the post-Soviet
area. "It is beneficial not only for those who are living in the
post-Soviet area, it is beneficial for our partners in Europe and
worldwide, because the more balanced and effective our cooperation with
each other it, the more benefit would be received by our partners,"
the president said.
About agreements in Central Asia
"You have mentioned our new agreements in Central Asia, on additional
hydrocarbons extraction, including gas, and on construction of a new
gas pipeline from Turkmenistan to Kazakhstan, then to Russia. You know,
with surprise I heard a remark of one of our American colleagues who
suddenly said that Europe or America have lost, and there is some
great sin in it. It's nonsense," V. Putin said.
He reminded that it was a traditional channel of deliveries from
Central Asia and from Russia to their traditional customers. "We
have said to the whole world: "Dear madams and sirs, we are going
to increase oil extraction, we shall create new transportation
capacities. And we shall deliver new volumes to you. We guarantee."
They should be glad about that. What's bad about that? But it is
not the only factor, by far, which would promote integration," the
Russian leader said.
"To me it is sometimes laughable to listen to absolutely incompetent
statements of some of our partners in Europe or in the US on events
here, or on how energy problems should be solved, for instance. They
should at least read some documents, everybody can read," he added.
Integration without legal implementation
"Economic integration at post-Soviet space is highly in demand from
the point of view of stability in the post-Soviet space. The whole
world is undoubtedly interested in a stable development of this part
of Eurasia," Russian president is convinced.
But to his mind, "it could happen on a natural basis only, on the
foundation of mutual interests, and consideration of interests of each
other in the framework of these processes". "With many our partners
we are finding such mutual interests, and integration process is
often taking place even without its legal implementation.
I am sure that it will continue this way," V. Putin said.
Charter 97, Belarus
June 5 2007
Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced Russia's readiness
towards integration at the post-Soviet space, but on an equal and
pragmatic basis. "Nobody could say that we are politicizing these
issues. We are not going to spend huge sums to subsidize economies of
other countries. We are ready to develop integration in post-Soviet
area, but on equal basis," told the Russian leader to journalists of
G8 countries' newspapers.
"You know, they are drawing near our interests more and more, and
more and more counting on our not defending these interests. If
we want order and international law rule the international arena,
this law should be respected, and interests of all participants of
the international communication should be respected," V. Putin said.
"We have done that to Belarus!"
Russian president reminded that "we have been subsidizing former
Soviet Union countries by cheap energy resources for 15 years,"
Interfax informs.
"Why should we do that? Where's logics, where are any grounds for
that? We have been subsidizing Ukraine for 15 years, 3-5 billion
dollars annually. Just imagine! Who else in the world is doing that?
However, our actions are not politicized. These are not political
actions," the leader of the state believes.
He believes the Baltic states are the best example of that. "We have
been switching them to EU prices gradually for three years. Even in
the conditions of our having no border treaty with Latvia, and an
acute political dispute on that issue was taking place, Latvia was
receiving our cheap gas until the last year, in general at a price
one third lower than Germany, for instance," he noted.
"When the matter concerned Ukraine, we were told that it was a
political decision and we were accused with supporting Lukashenka's
regime, not really liked by Western countries. We said: "Listen,
firstly, we cannot open war at all fronts at once. Secondly, we plan
to switch to market prices with all our partners. The time will come
and we shall make that with Belarus. We have done that. When we have
done that, a fuss was made, by Western press as well: what is going on,
why we were doing an injustice to a little Belarus. Is it a sincere,
decent position towards Russia in this respect?" V. Putin said.
Relations with Georgia are not very good, while perfect with Armenia
He has also reminded that Russia has switched to single formation of
prices with all Transcaucasian countries: with Georgia "with which
we have not very good relations, and with Armenia we have brilliant
relations with, which is considered our strategic partner".
"Yes, we have heard a lot of unflattering words about us from Armenian
partners as well, but we have understood each other finally, we have
found the way for that. They cannot pay the whole price in money,
that is why they pay by property," V. Putin said.
As said by Putin, integration is highly demanded in the post-Soviet
area. "It is beneficial not only for those who are living in the
post-Soviet area, it is beneficial for our partners in Europe and
worldwide, because the more balanced and effective our cooperation with
each other it, the more benefit would be received by our partners,"
the president said.
About agreements in Central Asia
"You have mentioned our new agreements in Central Asia, on additional
hydrocarbons extraction, including gas, and on construction of a new
gas pipeline from Turkmenistan to Kazakhstan, then to Russia. You know,
with surprise I heard a remark of one of our American colleagues who
suddenly said that Europe or America have lost, and there is some
great sin in it. It's nonsense," V. Putin said.
He reminded that it was a traditional channel of deliveries from
Central Asia and from Russia to their traditional customers. "We
have said to the whole world: "Dear madams and sirs, we are going
to increase oil extraction, we shall create new transportation
capacities. And we shall deliver new volumes to you. We guarantee."
They should be glad about that. What's bad about that? But it is
not the only factor, by far, which would promote integration," the
Russian leader said.
"To me it is sometimes laughable to listen to absolutely incompetent
statements of some of our partners in Europe or in the US on events
here, or on how energy problems should be solved, for instance. They
should at least read some documents, everybody can read," he added.
Integration without legal implementation
"Economic integration at post-Soviet space is highly in demand from
the point of view of stability in the post-Soviet space. The whole
world is undoubtedly interested in a stable development of this part
of Eurasia," Russian president is convinced.
But to his mind, "it could happen on a natural basis only, on the
foundation of mutual interests, and consideration of interests of each
other in the framework of these processes". "With many our partners
we are finding such mutual interests, and integration process is
often taking place even without its legal implementation.
I am sure that it will continue this way," V. Putin said.