Russian Experts: Modern Globalisation Involves Western Isolation

An increasing isolation of the West is a characteristic feature of the modern globalisation, say experts of the Russian Council on Foreign and Defence Policy. They delivered a report on Thursday to the press conference called "Russia and Globalisation Processes: What To Do?". According to an author of the report, chairman of the board of the Moscow-Paris Bank Vladislav Inozemtsev, if in the early 20th century the British gross domestic product accounted for more than 30 percent of exports, today the United States can boast only 9 percent of exports. Mutual investment between the United States, EU and Japan makes up over a half of the world's foreign investment. The authors of the report have come to the conclusion that the West is becoming increasingly self-contained. According to another author of the report, prominent Russian political scientist Vyacheslav Nikonov, the globalisation is feeding a gap between the countries on the principle of their development level. In his words, three groups of countries were being formed: the developed countries leaving behind all the other states; new industrialised countries and the so-called decaying countries /Africa, Central Asia/. According to head of the Council on Foreign and Defence Policy Sergei Karaganov, Russia needs to develop a strategy of adjusting itself to the globalisation. Among the major elements of such a strategy, he mentioned attracting investment to the national economy, rapprochement with the European Union. The Russian political scientists added that such a rapprochement may involve Russia's accession to NATO, or conclusion of a new security treaty with the Western countries.