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Электронное приложение к журналу «
Международная жизнь
»
Author : Yu. Shafranik
Chairman of the Board of SoyuzNefteGaz, President of the World Policy and Resources Research Foun-
dation
The Europeans go down their own path in which every step is dis-
cussed in detail and adopted by the majority, i.e., it becomes law. Re-
gardless of whether we like it or not, we should accept it as something
given. And, instead of criticizing their decisions, we should try to turn
things to our advantage.
Perhaps cooperation is becoming stronger in the forum declarations
of partners, yet politics and economics are determined by trends and
vectors that are set down in legislation. The EU acts according to doc-
uments that, in the understanding of European politicians, make com-
petition stiffer and counteract the monopolies of energy producers.
This version of cooperation is the most advantageous both for the
producer and the consumer. Yet it does not suit our neighbors, who frighten themselves with
the specter of monopolies. Thus there is good reason to "suspend" this theme in discussions
with our partners...
Yes, very tightly. When you lay another pipe - for your own money and without the financial
participation of Europeans - you increase your dependence on consumers. YouINVEST tens
of billions in order to bind yourself even more tightly.
I wouldn't like to dramatize theFUTURE of Europe and should simply say that this is definitely
a challenge for it. After all, it's no secret that the bankruptcy of a number of European companies
is due to the expansion of Chinese production. In addition, unification gives Europe quite a few
additional problems. Take Greece for example. To save its economy, the most highly developed
European countries have to sacrifice their "economic comfort." Still, countries like Germany
stimulate their own manufacturing when they grant credits to Greece.
We should forget about what took place. Europe is a good customer that gives a good price.
You can't abandon such customers.
The most important way of launching the mechanism of mutually advantageous partnership is
to make inter-state summits (including the St. Petersburg Forum) have a totally concrete content
specifying what is needed for the successful implementation of different projects - augmenting
funds, solving organizational or personnel problems, etc. And it's a matter not only of company
business strategies but also of state policies.
The outstanding politician Charles de Gaulle dreamt of building "Europe from the Atlantic to
the Urals." One could even dream of extending it to the Pacific Ocean. It's good and even nec-
essary to dream. Yet in economics and politics it's more important to set down concrete goals
and make concrete constructive steps. In this case, it should be a matter of grandiose infrastruc-
ture projects on the territory between Tyumen and Vladivostok.
Russian Federation-European Union: Beyond Forums