Interview of the Russian Ambassador, H.E Mr. Vyacheslav I.Trubnikov, to the HARDNEWS political monthly magazineНазад
Interview of the Russian Ambassador, H.E Mr. Vyacheslav I.Trubnikov, to the HARDNEWS political monthly magazine
Does Russia want to see the 123 agreement that India proposes to sign with the U.S. being completed at the earliest?
Russia has stated at different levels its positive attitude towards adjustment of international regimes to enable civil nuclear energy cooperation with India. The Joint Statement, adopted at the 2006 G-8 Summit in Saint-Petersburg by President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin and President of the United States George Bush, makes special mention that both sides look forward to reinforcing their partnership with India.
India has firmly established itself as a country with a perfect non-proliferation "track record". Besides, one cannot ignore the energy needs of this rapidly developing economy which is already facing a challenging task of ensuring effective energy supply. We believe that India"s case should be treated as an exception from the Nuclear Supplier"s Group (NSG) rules.
A debate is raging in the country on India"s attempt to forge a close, strategic partnership with the U.S. Do growing Indo-U.S. ties make Russia nervous?
Why should we fear close relations between New Delhi and Washington? Russia has also considerably intensified its cooperation with the U.S. in recent years. The basic element determining our interaction with American partners is the common interest in maintaining global and regional stability. We cooperate on a number of very broad spectrum of issues, both at the bilateral level and in international and regional organisations such as the U.N., the G-8, APEC, Quartet of international mediators, the six-party talks and various others. At the same time it is quite natural that the Russian and American positions are not in step in all respects. Nevertheless, we never get obsessed with discrepancies so that they do not hinder the overall development of our ties.
Thus, evolution of Russian-American relations is a complex process that in some respects corresponds to the transformation of India-U.S. cooperation. We believe that these changing equations will not affect the traditional sovereignty of India in taking its foreign policy decisions.
Do you believe that strong Indo-U.S. ties could only be at the cost of India"s traditional allies?
As far as we can see, the Indian leadership is committed to multi-vector diplomacy focused on strengthening relations with traditional partners as well as promoting new bilateral and multilateral engagements. Russia"s interaction with India has recently witnessed remarkable expansion with President Putin"s visit to New Delhi last January giving a major impetus to such thrust areas as military and technical cooperation, energy and space. Both sides are set to carry forward their joint initiatives in civil nuclear energy, particularly by constructing 4 additional blocks at Kudankulam NPP and new reactors at other sites in India.
Are India-U.S. ties good for the region? What are its implications?
India is the largest country in South Asia with a huge economic, political and military potential. It pursues a coherent and balanced regional policy. Major world powers, including Russia and the USA, take particular note of New Delhi"s approaches to key issues on the regional agenda. We highly appreciate the Indian efforts to strengthen stability and rebuild the economy of Afghanistan. We fully support the ongoing convergence between India and China and its progressing dialogue with Pakistan and Iran. Moscow also welcomes the positive shifts in India"s relations with Bangladesh.
We are very optimistic about New Delhi"s current focus on creating goodwill and eliminating the existing "irritants" in regional affairs. The only alternative scenario is deterioration of bilateral ties, confrontation and creation of dividing lines in Asia which is against the interests of the whole world community. I believe it is with this understanding in mind that New Delhi has assumed an extremely proactive role facilitating peace and progress in the region.
India has been making an attempt to downgrade its participation in forums like the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) by sending its petroleum minister, while other countries that also have observer status send their heads of governments or foreign ministers. How do you interpret the Indian decision?
New Delhi"s willingness to be an influential player in regional integration processes is a very encouraging sign. We are particularly pleased to see its growing interest in the work of the SCO.
I must point out that Indian delegation always participates in SCO meetings in an active and constructive manner. At the same time, we will be glad to welcome the head of the Indian Government at the SCO summit. It would be an important signal to the member-states that India is interested in deeper involvement in the activities of this organisation.
Moscow appreciates that New Delhi is keen to join as soon as possible in the practical cooperation within the SCO. India like other states of this forum, wants to see the Central Asian region stable, devoid of extremism, terrorism and drug-trafficking. There are also promising vistas for joint economic, infrastructural, humanitarian projects in the framework of the SCO which could change the face of this part of the world turning it into the area of prosperity and all-round development.
Is the SCO an anti-American forum? If it is not, then what is it? Is it a forum that deals fundamentally with energy or security issues? Or is it a mixture of both?
The SCO is not a military block. Its activities are not directed against any third country. It is pursuing economic, infrastructural and trade goals, as well as promoting regional stability and security, including joint efforts to counter terrorist and extremist threats.
A dominant section in the West believes that Russia under Vladimir Putin is being run by "spies". They argue that almost all key posts have been given to former KGB colleagues. Is that a correct assessment?
This is a totally incorrect assessment. Those who really think that Russia is being run by so-called spies do not understand what is happening in our country. Since 2000 Russia under President Putin has undertaken successful steps in restoring statehood and domestic stability, implementing a large number of social development programmes and rapidly reviving and diversifying the economy. Moscow has reemerged as an increasingly assertive and responsible international player acting within the strict bounds of the international law and strongly advocating a just and democratic multipolar world order. Apparently, the fearful talk in Western mass media you are referring to reveals that the stereotypes left from the Soviet era are still being used by certain political circles in the West to undermine trust in Russia and to create a myth about the "Russian threat" in order to achieve their personal political goals. Fortunately, the Indian public has not been plagued by such preconceived notions. Such motives are understandable but are really inferior in nature. They certainly cannot be justified.
The CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat has proposed an Asian-energy grid where Russia and China would be key members with whom India could work and cooperate closely. How feasible is this proposal?
Yes, Russia is eager to establish solid long-term cooperation with Asian countries in the energy sphere. Obviously the basic principles of global economy are not subject to change in the foreseeable future. Dynamically developing Asian powers like India and China are creating strong demand for energy resources in the world markets. Russia, being one of the leading suppliers of energy, is India"s natural partner in this crucial sphere. In recent years many sensible plans and feasible schemes have been announced in this regard by politicians and businessmen in our countries. It is hard to say which of them would turn into reality and what exact shape this cooperation will take; but I am convinced that the emergence of a comprehensive energy grid involving Russia and its Asian neighbours, first of all India and China, is a matter of the nearest future.
Despite strong ties with India, Indian businessmen have had several problems in getting visas and doing business in Russia. Why is this happening and what steps are you thinking of taking in resolving them?
I do not believe there are visa problems for Indian businessmen who are planning to do or are doing serious business in Russia. The existing visa procedures provide all the necessary conditions for the development of our bilateral commercial relations.
A visa for any Indian national, including businessmen, is issued within one or two days. The number of documents to be submitted by an applicant is minimal - a visa application form and an official letter of invitation in original. Why in original? Because the visa section is loaded with fake invitations.
I would like to stress once again that in respect of Indian nationals the Russian side applies the standard visa regime established by the legislation of the Russian Federation without any discrimination.
However, visa procedures can be simplified and invitation letters will become a thing of the past. To do so, the Russian side has proposed signing a package of documents consisting of the Agreement on Simplification of Visa Procedures for Nationals of the Russian Federation and the Republic of India and the Agreement on Readmission.
What is the current status of these agreements?
The first Agreement is ready to be signed; however, the latter has been rejected by the Indian side.
In this regard the Russian side would like to emphasise that the decision to sign the Agreement on Simplification of Visa Procedures is taken provided that legal instruments are present in bilateral relations with a foreign country which preclude use of provisions of such agreements by some individuals for illegal employment in the receiving state, illegal migration to third countries or any other illegal objectives. The proposed Agreement on Readmission is supposed to introduce appropriate safeguards against illegal migration, thus paving the way for settlement of the visa simplification issue.
So, once again, the sole condition for visa simplification is the concurrent signing of the Agreement on Simplification of Visa Procedures and the Agreement on Readmission.
The annual Indo-Russian summit is scheduled for November this year in Moscow. What will be its main thrust if you were to identify the single most important issue in the relationship?
Russia and India are actively engaged in preparing the summit meeting between President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh in Moscow this November. Leaders of the two countries will discuss a wide range of bilateral issues, including cooperation in trade and economy, high-tech, space, military and technical sphere, nuclear energy, combating drug trafficking, disaster management and others. Coordination of our positions on key international and regional issues will also be high on the agenda of the talks in Moscow. Today there is a strong need to complement strategic partnership at the official level with active public diplomacy and diverse people-to-people contacts. In this regard we are looking forward to the forthcoming Year of Russia in India in 2008 which is sure to be a grand festival bringing even closer our two brotherly nations.
There is a lot of talk of President Vladimir Putin continuing in power by becoming the Prime Minister of Russia. Is that true?
This is being widely discussed in Russia and elsewhere in the world. There is a general desire in the population, not only in Russia but also in the CIS countries and in other parts, where people would like to see the Russian political and economic course to be clear-cut and understood by the outside world. Of course, it cannot be absolutely perfect but it guarantees the succession of our internal and external policies. It is the natural desire of what people want. Vladimir Putin as President has proved to be a very effective leader. Under his guidance the country was able to succeed in rectifying many internal problems that had cropped up in the transition period from the Soviet times to a new, democratic, sovereign Russia based on the rules and norms of a market economy.
The equation between the executive and the legislative branches became more balanced than what it was 10 years back. We are now on the way to multi-party system. There are many parties, though, from my point of view, the mainstream view is with the centrist party; but we have the Left and the Right parties in the opposition. It is like any other democratic set up in other part of the world.
Many in the West have been critical about the lack of free competition for power that is a basic requirement in a democratic system and the manner in which President Vladimir Putin and those close to him maintain a tight control of things to perpetuate the power that they enjoy.
Our democracy is young. It is in progress and developing in a direction to satisfy the needs of the political forces within the country. The possibilities for any kind of political party are equal and it is up to the parties to stand up to the requirements to get into the Duma, very similar to what other countries have. We have a two-chambered Parliament - it is live, it is growing. I do not see anything unusual that is happening in today"s Russia. For a democracy it is always a process of development. It is possible that to stop a democracy from progress there can be a military coup. But it is an unnatural phenomenon in any kind of society. It may be justified by some internal or external developments. But it is temporary.
Opinion polls in Russia show nearly 70 per cent of people want Vladimir Putin to continue because they think he is a tough leader. Why is it so important for Russia to have a tough leader?
I do not now whether it is correct to say we need a tough leader. We need a clever leader who is able to combine all soft and rigid players in his hands according to the constitution. There was not a single instance when our President over-stepped the constitutional norms and procedures. Even when he was requested by a lot of people to run for a third-term and to amend the constitution, he made it clear that he was against it. I think he is correct because he understands that to open this Pandora"s Box by one gesture may lead to an uninterrupted process of amendments to the constitution. Different political forces, when they come to power, may then try to change the constitutional set up according to their needs.
Of course, the constitution is not a holy cow. Sometimes it is required to bring changes in the constitution to reflect the irreversible changes in society. But one change is absolutely clear - we cannot go back to the centralised economy. We reached a point of no-return many years back. We cannot go back to undemocratic ways and means of ruling the country. A whole new generation has been brought up in a democratic set-up and they have great desire for freedom, independence, human rights. And this desire is irreversible.
