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eng.kremlin.ru/text/docs/2009/11/223072.shtml
SECTION SPONSORED BY ROSSIYSKAYA GAZETA, RUSSIA
European Security Treaty – draft
DISTRIBUTED WITH THE DAILY TELEGRAPH TUESDAY_DECEMBER 22_2009 www.rbcc.com Russo-British Chamber of Commerce
Strategy The president proposes a brave plan for Co-operation Russia and Britain set a
collective security business-boosting agenda for 2010
A new world vision
Happy New Year?
There won’t be many people in Climate Change Conference in
the world of business who will Copenhagen in December has
be sorry to see the back of 2009. focused many minds around
From huge multi-nationals to the the world on energy problems.
smallest of small and medium So perhaps it follows on natu-
enterprises (SMEs), it’s been a rally that such a subject should
year for serious economies and be on the agenda for the ISC.
cut-backs. But it hasn’t all been Olympic legacy: Rather than
doom and gloom – at least not in each side limiting itself to the
the sphere of Anglo-Russian Summer Olympics in London
relations. in 2012, and the Winter Olym-
pics in Sochi in 2014, there is a
genuine willingness to see these
STEPHEN DALZIEL
events as great opportunities
SPECIAL TO RUSSIA NOW for regeneration; of run-down
Stephen Dalziel is the executive parts of east London and of
Politically, of course, relations director of the Russo-British Sochi – which has the potential
went into a deep freeze from Chamber of Commerce. He has to be both a summer and win-
about 2003. But there are gen- been involved with Russia in ter resort of world standing. If
uine signs of green shoots ap- various capacities since his first our two countries consider the
pearing; and it’s the interface visit to the USSR in 1974. opportunities presented by the
of politics and business where Olympics as springboards for
there are genuine reasons for the future, the legacy will go
optimism. The meeting of the having in an unethical way, by way beyond the games them-
CLAUDIO BRESCIANI _AFP
Russo-British Intergovern- ignoring what are considered selves.
Medvedev’s European Security Treaty offers another way forward for the post-Soviet era mental Steering Committee as sound business practices the Hi-tech/nanotechnology: This
(ISC) in London in November world over; and a failure in is potentially the most far-
was a positive sign. But the Russia to observe intellectual reaching of all the topics. Rus-
Security and Cooperation in own security structure – a “Nato most exciting thing about this property rights. (For example, sia has certainly grasped the
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Europe. without the United States” of is that it has given both sides a a UK company signed a deal importance of nanotechnology
But as a rule, those countries It was also presented and dis- sorts. Further, apart from the solid agenda for 2010, concen- with a Russian company to pro- in the future. In 2008, they cre-
have complex and difficult re- cussed at the latest Nato-Rus- largely decorative Nato-Russia trating on six areas. duce a quantity of autoparts. ated the State Corporation for
lations with neighbouring sia Council meeting, held in council, Nato has not included Financial services: Despite the The Russian manufacturer Nanotechnology, Rusnano. The
states and are burdened with Brussels. Russia and its closest allies in recession, there is still talk in produced four times the agreed corporation has a sizeable
historical, ideological, religious, Of course there is a large dis- the European security struc- Moscow about making the number, then sold the surplus budget, and has been entrusted
territorial, ecological and other crepancy in terms of resources ture. This not only weakens Russian capital a global fi nan- on the black market, thus not to one of the giants of Russian
problems. The result is a nucle- among the members of these or- Nato, but gives it a certain anti- cial centre. It is going to take only violating the deal, but political and business life in the
ar domino effect. If, for exam- ganisations. For example, Russia character. many years for Moscow to re- pulling the rug out from under last two decades, Anatoly Chu-
ple, Iran develops nuclear Nato’s military potential far ex- In addition to Nato’s inherent alise this, certainly to become the genuine product.) bais.
weapons, this will inevitably ceeds that of the CSTO. In ad- weaknesses, there are also seri- a centre which could in any Continuing the theme of exces- The seriousness with which the
lead to the uncontrolled prolif- dition, Nato’s zone of opera- ous problems with the OSCE. way rival London; so it makes sive bureaucracy, one of our Russian side is taking nanote-
eration of nuclear arms tions has expanded so much The OSCE member states have sense from both sides for Lon- chnology was illustrated by the
throughout the Middle East that every former Soviet repub- never resolved a major inter- don to share its experience fi ve-day visit to the UK at the
and beyond. lic now participates in its Part- state confl ict, such as Nagorno- with Moscow. ‘November’s ISC start of December by Mr Chu-
Moscow is extremely concerned nership for Peace programme. Karabakh. Business climate: Problems al-
meeting has given
bais and his delegation. Among
about attempts by the United What’s more, Georgia, Azerba- The OSCE, which lacks suffi- ready raised in this area con-
both Britain and
his appointments, Mr Chubais
States and some of its allies to ijan, Armenia, Kazakhstan and cient unity among its member cern the issuing of visas – there
reach decisions affecting re- Moldova are in the initial stag- states, has not worked effective- have been complaints in recent
Russia a solid
addressed a large audience of
RBCC members, who were left
gional as well as global security es of joining the alliance. ly with the CIS to form a unifi ed months on both sides – and the agenda for 2010’ in no doubt as to the scope of
outside the framework of the But Nato’s future is uncertain, security structure seemingly insurmountable the work and the Russians’ de-
United Nations. Nato, the Eu- and this underscores the impor- Therefore, there is an urgent problems of Russian bureauc- sire to be among the world
ropean Union and the Group of tance of fi nding options to pro- need to redesign the old and in- racy which can delay contracts member companies reported leaders in the fi eld.
Eight do not have the global vide European-Atlantic secu- effective European-Atlantic se- being signed or see goods stuck that their fi ve UK offices, em- So, there is a clear Russo-Brit-
mandate to make these deci- rity. The more that Nato tries to curity structure to meet new at border-crossing points. This ploying 150 staff, can be serv- ish agenda for 2010. It is now up
sions independently. expand, the more diluted, cum- threats and challenges. is a topic where all businesses iced by three accountants. to both countries, and both
Thus, Medvedev is trying to bersome and ineffective the or- Medvedev’s European Security can justifi ably call on their gov- Meanwhile, their single Mos- communities – the political and
build a much broader structure ganisation becomes. Moreover, Treaty offers a new architecture ernment to make real and rapid cow office, with 35 staff, needs the business – to ensure that
for global security. The basic Nato suffers from a lack of mis- for the post-Soviet era, and the changes. two accountants to keep their this agenda produces concrete
idea is that “no single state and sion and common cause. The West should treat it seriously. SMEs: The Russo-British heads above the waters of Rus- results. It’s far too easy to be
no single international organi- Russian menace is greatly ex- It provides an excellent oppor- Chamber of Commerce (RBCC) sian bureaucracy. cynical, to say simply that noth-
sation in the Euro-Atlantic re- aggerated, and international tunity for Russia, the CIS, Eu- had special responsibility in Complaints were not only ing will change. If you take that
gion can strengthen its security terrorism is too diffuse a threat rope and the United States to the ISC for bringing to the table about Russian practices. Brit- attitude, it won’t. But if you en-
at the expense of the security of to unite alliance members. work together toward strength- the concerns of SMEs. Al- ish banks can still be very wary gage in the process, kicking the
other countries and organisa- What’s more, with Washington’s ening security from Vancouver though the chamber encom- of Russian clients, even when doors which resolutely refuse
tions”. Medvedev’s draft treaty security guarantees becoming to Vladivostok.
-
passes companies of all sizes they are introduced to them by to open and also gently pushing
has already been sent to Nato, more unreliable, European and all sectors, the worries of reputable UK firms. Russian open those that open easily,
the EU, the Collective Security states have been forced to con- Vladimir Yevseyev is a senior SMEs are our daily bread. business has moved on a long change can happen.
Treaty Organisation, the Com- sider creating their own secu- associate at the Institute for Problems we were able to raise way since the days of crony After all the horrors of 2009,
monwealth of Independent rity structures. Remember that World Economy and Interna- before the committee included capitalism of the Nineties. 2010 really should be a year of
States and the Organisation for the EU proposed forming its tional Relations professional fi rms in Russia be- Energy efficiency: Clearly, the opportunity.
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editor.uk@rg.ru
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