6 Annual Big Press Conference Part 20
February 1,2007
President of Russia V.Putin
Round Hall,the Kremlin,Moscow
I.KUNGUROV (Chita State Television and Radio Company): Vladimir Vladimirovich, I want to come back to the issue of mergers between the regions. A referendum will be held in Chita Region and the Aginsky Buryat Autonomous District on March 11 on uniting these two regions into one Trans-Baikal Region. My question, in this respect, is: do you think this process of mergers will continue? What economic and political advantages do you think this will bring in the near future, especially for development of the Trans-Baikal and Far East regions? Is the merger of regions that receive federal subsidies and regions that are net contributors to the federal budget justified?
VLADIMIR PUTIN: I will be brief, as I have already answered this question. I think that such mergers are justified in cases where the social and economic situation calls for it. The budgets of regions that are subsidised by the federal budget will obviously benefit from such mergers, but this does not mean that at the same time the budgets of donor regions or regions with better economic results will suffer. As a rule, these self-sufficient regions will actually get an added benefit in the form of access to infrastructure, access to mineral resources and the possibility of carrying out major joint investment projects. This will give the federal authorities the possibility of making more effective investment in regional support and regional infrastructure development. This is all justified, but as I said, it can only happen if such is the will of the local people.
(XINHUA NEWS AGENCY, CHINA): Mr President, last year you opened the Year of Russia in China. What has this event given our two countries and how does Russia plan to organise the Year of China in Russia this year? I also have another question: Chinas president, Hu Jintao, will open the Year of China in Moscow. Our countries are strategic partners. In this context, what new areas of cooperation do you see for Russia and China?
Thank you.
VLADIMIR PUTIN: I think that major events such as the Year of Russia in China, which took place last year, and now the Year of China in Russia, cannot but have benefits because they involve direct contacts between our citizens. They give the opportunity for learning about promising new developments in science, education, culture, and they offer the chance for direct contacts between businesspeople from our countries. We have good political relations, relations that are developing very positively indeed. We have a mutual pull towards each other in the economy. We are mutually complementary in many production sectors, and this kind of cooperation should and can be continued in the future.
Bringing people closer together through big events of this kind also helps to create the necessary moral foundation, builds trust between our citizens and removes the unnecessary barriers that sometimes arise at the everyday level. Russias people have always had a strong interest in China, in its great culture. I have no doubt that our Chinese friends will organise the Year of China in Russia in the best way possible, and our state agencies, the Culture Ministry and the Russian regions, will do everything necessary to ensure the best conditions for holding this event.
As for new directions for cooperation, they are, above all, investment activity and high-technology development in a broad range of sectors both in civilian and defence cooperation.
O.IVANOVA (Nika Project Television and Radio Company): I am asking my question out of interest perhaps not so much as a journalist but as a mother. I have a five-year-old daughter, Nastya, and it matters to me, of course, what kind of country she will be living in.
Last week, First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said that the maternity capital would be paid until 2050. But what guarantees are there that the current laws, including the law on the maternity capital, will be applied over the next 15-20 years and will not be abolished if there is a change in the countrys leadership.
Thank you.
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В.Путин.6 Ежегодная большая пресс-конференция (Putin) Part 21by niknikolay534 views
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