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Russia committed to stability, openness, minister tells business
By Stephen Boykewich
AFP
SAINT PETERSBURG
Petroleumworld.com 06 11 07A top Russian politician on Saturday sought to reassure world business leaders that Russia was growing more stable and open, despite rising tensions between Moscow and the West.
Speaking at the showcase Saint Petersburg International Russian Economic Forum, First Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov plotted out the next decade of the country's development and told delegates: "There is no alternative to a strategy of openness and integration into the world."
" The Russian people have made their historic choice in favor of democracy, openness, freedom of social and business initiatives. That is the groundwork that cannot be undone. That is the benchmark of our strategy."
Ivanov's speech set the tone for the opening day of the forum, an unprecedentedly high-powered gathering of politicians and businesspeople devoted to outlining Russia's course up to 2020.
His insistence that Russia was on a Western course appeared aimed at calming the fears of potential investors after a Cold War-style war of words between Russia, the United States, and the European Union in recent months.
" Russia is an indispensible part of European civilisation," said Ivanov, who is seen as a likely front-runner in March 2008 elections to choose a successor to President Vladimir Putin.
" Its cultural and spiritual values are our values," he said.
His audience included chief executives from companies such as BP, Chevron, Coca-Cola, Deutsche Bank, Gaz de France, Deloitte and Mittal Steel, as well as a range of Russian companies.
Over a dozen world leaders were also set to attend the forum.
One veteran European politician and longtime ally of Moscow, former German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, lent his support to Ivanov's vision, saying: "Russia's present political leaders are oriented toward Europe."
" Russia is no longer the weak negotiating partner of the 1990s. Today Russia is self-confident both in economic and political terms. This however is a good, not a bad thing for Europe," Schroeder said, adding that Russia's strength made it a more stable partner.
Outlining his economic vision for Russia, Ivanov gave a firm affirmation of Putin's calls to reduce dependence on oil and gas and battle corruption, which he called Russia's "Achilles' heel."
The country's future integration into world markets will be based on powerful state holdings in sectors such as aviation and nuclear technology, he said, insisting they didn't herald a return to state control of the economy.
"This does not at all mean we are turning back to government monopolies... These companies will work in cooperation with private companies, including foreign ones."
Former World Bank chief James Wolfensohn praised Ivanov for what he called "a sense of openness that I think is refeshing to all your foreign guests."
" There's a signal that Russia is open for business," he said.
AFP 09 0836 GMT 06 07
Copyright© 2007 AFP. All Rights Reserved.
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