MOSCOW, RIA Novosti political commentator Dmitry Kosyrev
This annual press conference of the Russian president was broadcast, in an unprecedented move, by CNN.
On the whole, CNN audience, like many others, is particularly interested where Russia is heading this year. The heightened concern of the audience is above all caused by the fact that the previous pattern of relationships between the West and Russia, when money and trust were lent to Russia in exchange for the reforms it was supposed to carry out, became outdated in the mid-1990s. It is now obvious that a new pattern has nearly been formed, i.e. Russia's equal relations with Europe or America as well as with China, the Middle East and so on. Moscow can have and has its own position as to what is happening in Russia and elsewhere. It can also express it, remaining a friend and a partner. This was obvious at the Kremlin press conference. For example, when asked about the US domestic policy, Putin answered: "We are not impressed with what is happening in the US. Do you think the US election system has no defects? Do you want me to remind you how these and the previous elections were held?" said Putin. The message of this answer is obvious: Bush can criticise Putin, but Putin can do the same about Bush, and there is nothing sensational about it. Putin also recalled that regarding solution of acute present problems, Russia and the US were not only partners but also allies, adding that "Bush himself is a decent and consistent man."
Besides, Russia can have and has its own opinion of any other international problems, for example, the Iraqi elections that are absurd, in Moscow's view, in the conditions of the country's complete occupation. Moreover, Putin added that when Russia invited European observers to the recent elections in Chechnya, they said it was impossible dueto the lack of the necessary conditions, despite the fact that no combat activities were waged then [in Chechnya] and the government bodies had been formed." In Iraq, conversely, despite the ongoing combat activities in nine cities, conditions exist.
Perhaps, the most misunderstood emphasis of these and other statements of the Russian president is that Moscow is not going to toughen its position on America or Europe whatsoever. The situation remains normal, and the sides are maintaining a dialogue of equals, where each of them can say what he thinks. If the East and the West had really been determined to engage in confrontation, then the parties would have been extremely cautious with the words. Now there is no such problem.
Certainly, it is important that Russia feels more confident economically. Putin was obviously pleased to report on the economic performance of the country in the outgoing year. Russia has a record high trade surplus - almost $80 billion, i.e. gold and currency reserves that have neared the $120 billion mark. Most importantly, Russia's foreign debt has decreased from almost 60% to 20% of GDP. Russia has ceased to be a debtor but has become a net-creditor. And this, clearly, contributes to its independent position.
However, there is a difference between this independence of opinions, and the cold war tug-of-war and struggle for influence. Typically, Vladimir Putin's natural and basic reflex is to seek integration, economic and other unity of Europe and the whole world. This came out in particular during the discussions of the situation in Ukraine.
At the press conference, there was an impression that many of the journalists were quite hostile and militant, whereas Vladimir Putin answered their questions in a completely different perspective.
Unsurprisingly, Putin said that a series of revolutions had to be prevented in the former Soviet republics, not only because revolutions are devastating. "Russia and the EU are forming four common spaces," the president said. "The first and the most important one is economic space, but we intend to do the same with Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan. I think that we will thereby harmonise economic relations in greater Europe, which does not mean that Russia seeks to absorb anybody," the Russian president said.
Besides, Vladimir Putin commented on the position of Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski that Russia without Ukraine is better than Russia with Ukraine. According to Putin, "we did not intend to annex it. If this statement was aimed to limit Russia's relations with its neighbours, then it can be seen as an attempt to isolate the Russian Federation."
Interestingly, a dialogue with partners on an equal basis is the only acceptable policy not only for the Russian voters. Recently, too many people have been under the illusion that there exist only two viewpoints - theirs and the incorrect one. When reality shows that there can be others, it causes bewilderment, which is now termed as the crisis in the relations between Russia and Europe (and, with less confidence, Russia and the West).
