Key Remarks from Russian Government on Current Events
Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed the plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum on September 7. He used the occasion to present the Russian government's view on several matters of significance, including this year's forum and its theme, in both his speech and in the question and answer period that followed.
President Putin noted the increasing significance of Russia's Far East region internationally: "Russia has seen the world divide into friendly and unfriendly nations. It so happens that there are many more friendly countries in the East, and the Far East now has a more important role to play. We should probably revise its importance. The Far East is now a gate to Russia for all eastern countries. Today, we will look into whether the region is ready for the quick changes that are on the way -- in line with the title of our forum -- on the path to a multipolar world." He spoke extensively of the programs and practical measures the Russian government is implementing to attract workers from all sectors to its Far Eastern region and speed up its social, economic and cultural development.
The President gave the opinion that while last year the world was preoccupied with the coronavirus pandemic and the recovery from it, that situation "has given way to new challenges, global ones that are threatening the world as a whole. I am referring to the Western sanctions frenzy and the open and aggressive attempts to force the Western mode of behaviour on other countries, to extinguish their sovereignty and to bend them to its will. In fact, there is nothing unusual in that: this policy has been pursued by the 'collective West' for decades."
He decried the arbitrariness and self-serving nature of the "rules-based international order" promoted by the U.S. and other countries, saying that they seek "to preserve yesterday's world order that benefits them and force everyone to live according to the infamous 'rules,' which they concocted themselves. They are also the ones who regularly violate these rules, changing them to suit their agenda depending on how things are going at any given moment. At the same time, other countries have not been forthcoming when it comes to subjecting themselves to this dictate and arbitrary rule, forcing the Western elites, to put it bluntly, to lose grip and take short-sighted, irrational decisions on global security, politics, as well as economics. All these decisions run counter to the interests of countries and their people, including, by the way, the people in those Western countries."
"[Russia's] vision of a multipolar order is that of a world that must be more just, a world that shouldn't be based on the diktat of one country, which imagines itself as God's representative on Earth, or perhaps even higher, and builds its entire politics on its alleged exclusiveness," he elaborated.
Regarding Russia's special military operation in Ukraine, President Putin described it as a tit-for-tat response to the U.S.-backed coup in Ukraine in 2014 and other hostile activity directed at Russia from Ukraine since then. "I would like to emphasize once again that we have not started anything in terms of military operations. We are only trying to end the hostilities," he said. He gave the assessment that Russia's main gain from the operation is "stronger sovereignty."
"Russia is a sovereign country, and we will always protect our national interests while pursuing an independent policy course," Putin said. Russia appreciates the same qualities in those of its partners who have proved reliable and responsible over years of cooperation in trade, investment and other spheres, he added, referring particularly to the countries of the Asia-Pacific region.
Putin said that "the overwhelming majority of Asian-Pacific nations find the destructive logic of sanctions unacceptable, and business relations [within the region] are based on mutual benefit," and this is "the region's huge competitive advantage and the key to its dynamic, long-term development."
Regarding the sanctions aimed at Russia as part of the conflict in Ukraine, President Putin stated, "Russia is coping with the economic, financial and technological aggression of the West."
In general, "the most difficult situation [in the country's economy] has been passed. The situation is normalizing," although some problems remain in place "in several industries and regions, at individual enterprises in the country, especially those that were related to supplies from Europe or supplied their products there."
Regarding visa restrictions against Russian citizens, as part of sanctions against Russia following its special military operation in Ukraine, President Putin claimed that Russia should not respond in kind. Thus, Russia will not be cutting contacts with Western countries, including those in culture, education and sport. "Those who do [so] are not isolating us, they are isolating themselves," Putin said.
Speaking to the issue of European price caps on Russian gas imports, President Putin also decried this as another short-sighted decision. Russia has no problems with exports of its energy resources, as the gas delivered from Russia via pipelines "is many times more competitive than the liquefied natural gas shipped across the ocean," he said.
Regarding support for sanctions against Russia by the EU and some other European countries, President Putin remarked that "Europe is about to throw its achievements in building up its manufacturing capability, the quality of life of its people and socioeconomic stability into the sanctions furnace, depleting its potential, as directed by Washington, for the sake of the infamous Euro-Atlantic unity. In fact, this amounts to sacrifices in the name of preserving the dominance of the United States in global affairs."
Regarding the agreement reached with Turkey in July to facilitate grain exports from Russia and Ukraine, President Putin explained:
"Officially, the sanctions on our fertilizers and food have been lifted, but in reality certain restrictions remain. This is a complicated and insidious situation. It appears that there are no direct sanctions affecting our products, and yet there are restrictions concerning logistics, chartering ships, money transfers and insurance. Many of these restrictions persist, although credit should be given to the efforts of the UN Secretary-General and the United Nations in general: when it comes to chartering ships, many restrictions are being lifted despite the sanctions imposed on the ports we ship cargo from. Nevertheless, this sector is being released from the restrictions and the vessels can already call at our ports. So, the situation is improving.
"There are still certain restrictions that prevent us from ensuring that the interests of all consumers in global food markets are being served. As a result, prices on the global markets are going up. But we hope that the remaining restrictions will be lifted."
He went on to say that the restrictions affecting these grain exports mean that African countries that Russia had promised to supply with grain have been also been misled by these arrangements.
(With files from TASS and Office of the President of Russia.)
This article was published in
Volume 52 Number 8 - November 2022
Article Link:
https://cpcml.ca/Tmlm2022/Articles/MS52086.HTM
Website: www.cpcml.ca Email: editor@cpcml.ca