Vladimir Putin: Good evening everyone. If you have questions, I shall try to answer them.
Question: Vladimir Vladimirovich, I wanted to ask about the protocols on the WTO, many of which have been signed. Were there not some small problems with respect to America?
Vladimir Putin: These negotiations are never easy. They are proceeding with difficultly with almost all countries. Here the USA is not an exception. We recognize that the WTO was founded and functions to guarantee free trade and economic relations and, that if one of our partners proposes an exception which limits this freedom, then acceding to the organization becomes meaningless. We want to enter the WTO and will continue this process but under conditions that make sense for Russia's economy.
Question: Presently relations with Georgia, Ukraine, the Baltic states and Moldova are sharply deteriorating. What is the explanation for this? Is it only the fact that we are changing to market prices?
Vladimir Putin: Our relations with these countries are not deteriorating. However, there is an attempt to use interstate relations for resolving trade problems. I am against using political tools for resolving economic problems.
Question: A question about developing national gas infrastructure. How is this being implemented?
Vladimir Putin: I think that they have been talking about this since this morning in Urengoy. Dmitry Anatolevich [Medvedev] laid out in detail the company's plans to develop the country’s gas infrastructure. These plans will receive administrative support at the level of the regions and at the level of the Russian Government. It is a question of providing additional gas infrastructure to population centres, including rural areas and small and medium-sized cities. Today, the total number of citizens who will receive gas was also revealed—it amounts to 11 million people. It is a question of substantially increasing the means allocated for gas infrastructure. I consider that this is taking place in due time and correctly.
Question: Is it true that Mr Donald Evans received an offer to act as Chairman of the board of directors of Rosneft? If so, what was our side's motivation in making such a decision?
Vladimir Putin: I believe that any of our public companies, and you know that Rosneft is becoming a public company and preparing to launch an IPO, are interested in attracting high-quality managers, independently of their nationality or citizenship. Rosneft has the chance to become a company on a global scale; I believe that it will do so and I do not exclude the possibility of inviting foreign and high-value experts here.
Question: Does American citizenship have any special value for you?
Vladimir Putin: It does not.
Question: Is there a hidden meaning here?
Vladimir Putin: There is no hidden meaning.
Question: But we shall find …
Vladimir Putin: I have no doubt that you shall find. I believe that it is a sign of the openness of the Russian economy and the openness of Russian companies. Of course it will bring benefits both on the interstate level and in the interests of Russian companies.
Question: What, has the decree been signed?
Vladimir Putin: I did not name any names. I just said that we are interested in attracting high-value experts.
Question: And can you tell names now?
Vladimir Putin: I can always name any name. It is simply a matter of negotiations between the company and the managers they invite.
Question: There were signs that Belarus is thinking of joining the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). You discussed this with Aleksandr Lukashenko. How do you feel about this possibility?
Vladimir Putin: SCO is an open organization. We have always said this. However, before any additional country can participate, all members of the organization must consult. Just now, when Aleksandr Grigoryevich Lukashenko came here, we did not discuss this theme.
Question: Vladimir Vladimirovich, you were in Grozny. You did not talk about this in detail, could you now tell us a little bit more?
Vladimir Putin: What is there to tell? You saw it all.
Question: How do you feel about renaming Grozny? We did not see that.
Vladimir Putin: You know that deputies in the Chechen parliament came up with this initiative and I do not see anything unusual in it. Moreover, I understand them because Akhmat Kadryov made a huge contribution towards stabilizing the situation in the Republic. He is a person who deserves to have his memory immortalized. But there are different ways this can be done. The first Vice Premier and acting Prime Minister of the Chechen Republic, Ramzan Kadryov, expressed himself on this issue. As you well know, he is also the son of Akhmat Kadryov. Therefore I consider this topic closed.
Question: To return to national projects, in your opinion, what are the main dangers threatening their implementation and how can one best fight against those dangers?
Vladimir Putin: Bureaucracy. Excessive bureaucracy.
Question: And how to fight?
Vladimir Putin: To fight in the way that all countries fight against bureaucracy, that is by concentrating administrative resources on solving priority tasks that face the country and those tasks the citizens of the Russian Federation are waiting to see resolved. For this very reason Dmitry Anatolevich Medvedev has been delegated to the Government.
Question: How do you feel about Georgy Boos's initiative to invite compatriots from the Baltic states to the Kaliningrad Region to help the economy there?
Vladimir Putin: I do not know anything about this initiative but if it exists then I support it. I consider that this is an absolutely normal offer.
Question: In general are there any changes with respect to the compatriots in the Baltic states?
Vladimir Putin: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation has taken an active position on this question, especially recently. I consider that the position is absolutely correct. Here, it is impossible to bend, it is impossible to work with methods or means that would worsen our compatriots' situation in any country. We must always think that they chose their place to live and their second native land, in this case the country they reside in. Therefore it is necessary to start from here. This work is delicate enough. But we intend to do everything we can in the future to best defend these people's interests.
Question: What were the results of the Russia-ASEAN meeting?
Vladimir Putin: Positive. It was a very good conference. These are all our partners, a significant number of our Asian partners. You know how actively, vigorously and dynamically this region is developing. They are very interested in developing relations with Russia not only in the energy sector but in other areas as well, including high-tech, space, telecommunications, communications, the iron and steel industry and naturally in military and technical cooperation. We are increasing our production and intend to do so in the future. I hope that our agreements will be executed.
Question: Will Russia become a member of the East Asian Community (EAC) or a guest of honour?
Vladimir Putin: We are indifferent either way. Mechanisms through which we can defend our interests are in general interesting to us and bilateral relations are one such mechanism that works, and works quite effectively. As a whole, an international organization is a good platform on which to resolve these issues. And what they will call us is not important to us. You know the Russian proverb: you can call me a pot, just do not put me on the stove. So any name is fine for us, the main thing is to have contacts and additional opportunities to communicate with our partners. We will find them within EAC or outside of EAC. Here there are proposals to be made and Russia has some proposals.
Question: Did any states try to prevent Russia from acceding to the EAC?
Vladimir Putin: I do not think so. I think that our partners must value the opportunities to cooperate with us not only in a bilateral format but also in a multilateral format. For our part we must increase the volume of our cooperation and everything will fall into place. Nothing needs to be dramatized here.
Question: Vladimir Vladimirovich did you see the TV channel 'Russia Today'? Did you watch anything?
Vladimir Putin: Yes, I watched something. It seemed to me that the beginning was quite good, but that there is still a great deal to do so that 'Russia Today' can really provide objective information about our country. I think the experts understand that it is necessary to have more space and air in the studio. The beginning was, in my opinion, quite convincing and I absolutely believe that the company will develop most advantageously.
Question: Did the structural changes you made in the Government live up to your expectations?
Vladimir Putin: Which changes are you referring to?
Question: For example assigning Sergei Ivanov and Dmitry Medvedev the positions of Vice Premier?
Vladimir Putin: In my opinion, right now everything is justified because of the energy our colleagues invested in the additional duties they were assigned; all this inspires confidence that they will be able to solve the problems that face them more effectively than has been done in the past. There are more opportunities. People want to work. I am satisfied with what I see now.
Question: Vladimir Vladimirovich are you planning any changes in the Presidential Executive Office?
Vladimir Putin: Sergei Semenovich [Sobianin] has gotten involved very quickly in almost all affairs. In practice, he took almost all the work upon himself. Well, Dmitry Anatolevich is helping him with current issues and coming to the Kremlin on a regular basis, but as a whole Sergei Sobianin has very good relations with all his colleagues. We have contact with him every day and discuss questions with respect to the Office's current life and the questions that face it. It is not necessary to make any changes there.
Vladimir Putin: If there are no more questions than thank you very much. See you tomorrow.