Business leader: Business should not be involved in political problems

Business should not be involved in political problems, said Interros holding head Vladimir Potanin in a briefing with journalists during an intermission in the Russian union of industrialists and entrepreneurs (RSPP) congress yesterday. He said this was his principle position and it corresponds with the position of the president. 'President (Vladimir Putin) said there must be a clear border between authority and business. The majority of my colleagues and I are not prepared to go over that border,' said Potanin. He emphasized that the RSPP will not engage in politics and will remain a social organization of businesspeople and one of the elements of civil society. 'We must defend the collective interests of business and we must not engage in politics,' said Potanin. He said that Khodorkovsky remains a member of the RSPP managing board only because he has not yet submitted his resignation for the duty.

Commenting on yesterday's speech by Putin, Potanin said that he is deeply satisfied with the statement made by Putin that there will be no return to the past. At the same time, Potanin is confident that Putin attended the congress not to calm fears in the business community, but to determine the future course of cooperation between authority and business. 'The president did not engage in psychotherapy for business, but determined specific goals and paths for development,' said Potanin.