RUSSIA’S PUTIN PRAISES TASHKENT SUMMIT

Channel One TV, Moscow
21 Jun 04

(Presenter) Russia should develop immunity, so that negative
events occurring on the international market do not affect Russia’s
interests. This was discussed today (21 June) at a meeting between
President Vladimir Putin and government members. Putin also summed up
the results of the recent summits. Lyudmila Moiseyenko has the details.

(Correspondent) Today’s meeting with the cabinet of ministers in
the Kremlin summed up the results of the recent summits – the G8,
Shanghai Cooperation Organization (Russia, China, Kazakhstan,
Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan), the Eurasian Economic
Community (Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan)
and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (Armenia, Belarus,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Russia). Vladimir Putin thanked
everybody who participated in preparations for the events. All goals
Russia set were achieved.

(Putin) We have significantly moved forward in strengthening
partnership links in all these areas. I’d like to specifically
emphasize our work with Uzbekistan, where we agreed with its
leadership to sign a very important document – the treaty on strategic
partnership. This is changing the quality of Russia’s relations with
the Republic of Uzbekistan in general.

(Passage omitted: Long-term multiple visas to France and Italy
available for Russian businessmen.)

(Correspondent) Another major point at the meeting was the movement of
capital into and out of Russia. The law on currency market regulation,
which has come into force, should simplify the procedures. The
finance minister (Aleksey Kudrin) gave a report on this to the
president. Russia is joining the world currency system and this is
a serious step towards a convertible rouble. However, since the law
came into force, the country can sometimes find itself dependent on
events on the world market.

(Kudrin) Last Friday (18 June) the Central Bank introduced a whole
series of instructions that ensure that such opportunities can be
used. However, specific measures will depend on the state of the
market, the grounds for and necessity of preventive measures on
the market against the movement of speculative capital, which can
quickly disrupt the payment balance and influence the currency rate
and inflation in our country.

(Putin) How long could these restrictive measures be in place?

(Kudrin) The measures could be in place for two years only. In two
years, after a transition period, these measures will be cancelled
by law, and it will not be possible to introduce them again.

(Correspondent) Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov was absent from the
meeting in the Kremlin today. He had good reason. He is currently
in Tallinn at a meeting of the heads of government of the members of
the Council of the Baltic Sea States.