Premier Mikhail Kasyanov set Russia’s strategic goal in New York

The visit of the Russian premier Mikhail Kasyanov to New York was over yesterday, where the prime-minister took part in the session of the World Economic Forum. Kasyanov made a report at the forum, conducted negotiations with the US top officials, as well as with President Bush. Kasyanov set the current priorities of the Russian economic and financial policy, the basic directions of cooperation in these fields with other countries.

In spite of the fact that Kasyanov was speaking very good English, the participants of the session were pleased to hear the words that “Russia’s foreign policy created the background for the inflow of the foreign capital in the country.” Kasyanov urged to cancel the restrictions of the past, including the high technology limits. The Russian premier welcomed the first certain steps of the US administration on the way to grant the market status to Russia’s economy, and called upon the EU countries to follow America's example in this respect. However, he did not stress out the constant outflow of the Russian capital, the colossal cash flowing abroad.

The international community paid attention to Kasyanov's words pertaining to Russia’s future as the major crude supplier for the USA instead of Saudi Arabia. As the premier said, that subject could soon become one of the most important directions of the bilateral cooperation between Moscow and Washington. But of course, this is a very “rough idea” and Russia is not ready for its implementation yet.

Due to the growth of the world and the American economy in particular, it could be possible to withdraw the limits on the export of the Russian crude, beginning with the second quarter of the current year. Kasyanov said that the increase of the home crude export on the world markets was “Russia’s strategic goal,” whereas the USA’s strategic goal is to develop its own military and industrial complex, investing the huge funds in National ABM system, to develop the computer technologies. But Russia's major goal is to increase the export of its crude.

Furthermore, Kasyanov is standing for Russia’s membership in the WTO, so that is why the prime-minister was asking the American administration to actively support Russia’s efforts in its incorporation in the World Trade Organization.

Mikhail Kasyanov stressed that the new, relevant agreements for Russia could be implemented by May of the current year. On the whole, the Russian prime was satisfied with the results of his trip to the USA. Kasyanov hopes he has managed to convince the representatives of the foreign elite, the leaders of the world business that the real market economy was prospering in Russia, that Russia could join the world economy.

The well known Russian academician Nikita Moiseyev used to warn that it was time to leave Russia’s imperial manners alone. The situation has fundamentally changed by the end of the 20th century. We are witnessing the division of the world into the so-called countries of the gold billion (the leading ones) and all the rest, to pump everything out from in favour of those in the first category.

Moiseyev added that Russia had to take its place under the conditions of the globalization of the world economy, otherwise “it will be the Russia that we have lost.” Russia can take its place under the sun only with the help of its high technologies and their development, not selling them out very cheap.

Sergey Yugov PRAVDA.Ru

Translated by Dmitry Sudakov