MOSCOW. (RIA Novosti political commentator Vladimir Simonov.)
The Western critics of Russia's membership in the G8, where it is holding the rotating presidency this year, are going to develop an inferiority complex. Russian leaders will simply ignore their allegations.
In the opinion of the Russian President, these people "are still living in the last century". They are automatically reproducing the theses of anti-Soviet propaganda, typical of the Cold War period.
Vladimir Putin expressed this opinion at a big news conference in the Kremlin on Tuesday, which was attended by hundreds of Russian and foreign journalists.
"I know that Russia has some inveterate antagonists," said the President in reply to a reporter's question. "They are still living in the last century. They are all expert Sovietologists. Although the Soviet Union ceased to exist, they have become stuck there for lack of another profession."
The President lashed out at his critics because he is convinced that Russia not only has the right to be part of the G8, but can also help it acquire a truly democratic character, which it so badly needs.
Russia is still considerably lagging behind its G8 partners in per capita income despite its steadily growing economy and finances. Its national budget and trade are in surplus, and the ratio of foreign debt to GDP is 30%, one of the best in the world. Although Russia has not yet overcome poverty, to a certain extent this fact allows it to defend the interests of the developing world in G8.
Putin believes that without Russia the G8 could become a "fat cats club", serving the interests of the "golden billion". It is easier for Moscow to understand the problems of nations with transitional economies. It is ready to explain and uphold their interests in debates with G8 partners. Therefore, Russia's membership in the Club is "absolutely appropriate," said the Russian President.
He also told his multi-national audience that ensuring global security has been the main goal of the G8 since its formation. It is not possible to solve the problem of nuclear security behind the back of the world's major nuclear power - Russia. For this reason, the people who are marching with the "No Room for Russia in the G8" poster cannot be taken seriously.
None of the G8 leaders questions Russia's authority as a Club member. Another major factor has emerged in the past few years, which makes Russia not only a worthy, but also an absolutely indispensable and very influential member. This is Russia's growing role on the market of energy carriers.
Russia is going to produce half a billion metric tons of oil a year in the near future. Distribution of this amount will largely affect the prosperity of not only the neighboring post-Soviet countries, but also Europe, and partly the United States.
The agenda of the G8 summit in St. Petersburg, scheduled for June, includes issues to the solution of which Russia can make a unique contribution using its strengths and wealth of experience. Participants in the summit will discuss a triad of major subjects: global energy security, measures against infection diseases, and education.
Perhaps Russia's more active role in world affairs, its growing national identity, and international prestige have been irritating the ageing Western experts on the U.S.S.R. They are criticizing the new Russian NGOs law, although they know full well that similar laws in France and the U.S. are far more strict. (Who can set up an NGO in America using foreign, and, "non-transparent" funding?) They are reproaching Moscow for non-compliance with human rights in Chechnya, although the last few years have seen impressive achievements of Chechen democracy - a referendum on the Constitution, presidential and parliamentary elections. The Chechen law-enforcement bodies are increasingly replacing federal forces in Chechnya in the efforts to ensure stability.
But those who still have the mentality of bloc confrontation and ideological struggle believe that the more successful Russia is, the more it should be subjected to criticism, which would limit its progress. At the news conference in the Kremlin, President Putin retorted with a common saying: "Dogs bark, but the caravan goes on".
