Speech by Dmitry Medvedev:
Thank you very much. Good afternoon, esteemed colleagues. I would like to use this opportunity to once again thank President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov of Turkmenistan for the wonderful organisation of this meeting of CIS Council of Heads of Government and for our comfortable working conditions today and for yesterday’s leisure opportunities. I would like to welcome those present and to thank you for your warm wishes regarding our work.
Today, we are discussing an entire range of issues, which have just been mentioned by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. These issues have large significance for the development of our states. Therefore, during our restricted attendance and expanded meetings, we are searching for optimal and mutually beneficial options, which would make it possible to accomplish specific challenges facing our countries. I am representing Russia in this format for the first time. And, of course, I would like to use this opportunity to confirm the fact that Russia prioritises CIS integration, without question. Of course, trade and economic cooperation has special significance. But the same can be said of humanitarian cooperation. Science and cultural ties are also very important. I see this as a driving force of our countries’ development and as a guarantee of our region’s stable and secure development. And, of course, this is a mandatory pre-condition for economic growth and for tackling the relevant challenges in the socio-economic sphere. In the long run, this creates conditions for improving the quality of life of many people living in our countries, tens of millions of people. We intend to work to improve cooperation. Of course, we will try and use all opportunities in order to facilitate the most effective integration options, so that integration produces concrete results and exists not just on paper but is down to the point and detailed. I consider the subsequent development of the agreement and ratification procedures regarding the CIS Free Trade Zone Agreement to be a highly important condition of our integration. In the long run, this will benefit all of us. Therefore, we would like the treaty to involve as many participants as possible, and we would like other countries to join this treaty. This issue was discussed at the restricted attendance meeting. I have already mentioned one figure, and I believe that it would be appropriate to mention it once again.
Mutual trade serves as an indicator of the state of national economies and of our interest in promoting mutually beneficial relations rooted in goodwill. In 2011, intra-CIS trade grew by 36% and reached almost $300 billion in absolute terms. This is by no means the ultimate limit. But this figure shows the potential of integration cooperation and of our economic relations. I consider this to be particularly important at a time when the overall global economic situation leaves much to be desired, to put it mildly. Global finance and the global economy are not in a very good shape. A list of documents has been submitted to the heads of government for consideration. We have discussed these documents at our restricted meeting, including numerous important agreements, such as the agreement on cooperation on currency markets and the agreement on information security. I would like to single out the modernisation of our economies. This issue is quite relevant for all those present here. The inter-state programme of innovation cooperation should be drafted. During today’s meeting, there are plans to pass a special resolution on the operator of this programme. Russia’s Skolkovo Foundation will operate the programme. We have discussed the issue of high-tech cooperation and innovation cooperation with my colleagues. Yesterday, I discussed this issue during my visit to Kazakhstan, and I have also discussed it with Belarusian colleagues. I believe that this would benefit our countries and would also make it possible to accomplish quite a few economic objectives.
Several initiatives also noted by our colleagues were mentioned, such as ways to ensure secure energy deliveries. On the whole, we believe that this issue is certainly important, and we reaffirm our intention to work in this direction, because most states present here have their own energy products and are either sufficiently large or major parties to international energy agreements or consume energy resources. And, of course, we are interested in ensuring stable energy deliveries. As for international legal aspects, this issue should be discussed separately. But, of course, the Russian Federation is ready to discuss all possible options, including the one suggested by our friends in Turkmenistan.
And now I would like to say a few words about environmental safety. This is certainly a global issue. Issues of environmental culture and safety have now become a mandatory item of any international conference’s agenda. I believe that we must also discuss this issue in our region, including the possibility of establishing an international climate centre and a discussion of the most diverse aspects of cooperation to cope with climate change. Indeed, a number of major international conferences on this issue, including the Rio + 20 summit, or the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, mentioned by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, will soon take place. We will also participate in these events because we cannot remain outside the international mainstream in this regard. The Russian Federation wholeheartedly supports cooperation in the sphere of environmental culture and environmental protection.
In conclusion, I would like to once again wish every success to all participants in today’s meeting and to express confidence that the year 2012, with Turkmenistan holding the CIS presidency, will be filled with constructive work and very effective decisions.
Thank you very much.