Russia-China ties at highest level in history – Putin

Published time: May 18, 2014 20:06

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Russian President Vladimir Putin (RIA Novosti / Alexey Nikolsky)

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Russia-China cooperation has reached its highest level ever, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said in an interview with Chinese media on the eve of his visit to Shanghai, where a record package of documents is expected to be signed by the two nations.

Below is the full transcript of the Russian president’s interview with Chinese Central Television, Xinhua news agency, China News Service, The People’s Daily, China Radio International, and Phoenix Television.

Question: What are your expectations concerning the upcoming visit to China? What results do you expect from the Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia in Shanghai?

Vladimir Putin: I am always happy to visit hospitable China. It is a pleasure to see how our neighbour is transforming right before our eyes. Shanghai is a vivid illustration of this.

Welche Version stimmt? http://www.hart-brasilientexte.de/2014/05/17/ukraine-2014-die-lage-in-mariupol-version-der-neuen-zurcher-zeitung-prorussische-separatisten-verlassen-mariupol-suddeutsche-zeitung-berichtet-das-gegenteil/

 http://www.hart-brasilientexte.de/2014/05/17/ukraine-2014-lage-in-mariupol-manipulationstricks-suddeutsche-zeitung-berichtet-komplett-anderes-als-new-york-times-spiegel-faz-was-stimmt-denn-nun-wahrend-die-gemeinsamen-kontrollgange-vo/

Kleiner Leitfaden der Manipulationstricks von Medien und Politikern in der Ukrainekrise 2014: http://www.hart-brasilientexte.de/2014/05/05/ukraine-2014-die-manipulations-und-propagandamethoden-deutscher-medien-und-westlicher-politiker-deutsche-medienkonsumenten-weisen-auf-gangige-methoden-der-letzten-monate

Angela Merkel und das Völkerrecht – Zeitdokument:  http://www.hart-brasilientexte.de/2014/04/16/ukraine-2014-und-nato-mobilmachung-an-ruslands-grenze-zeitdokument-merkel-verteidigt-irak-kriegfaz-rd15-millionen-kriegstote/

 http://www.hart-brasilientexte.de/2014/05/07/one-third-of-russians-believe-nationalists-took-advantage-of-protests-in-ukraine-poll-informationskonkurrenz-durch-russische-medien-bringt-deutsche-ukraine-und-rusland-korrespondenten-in-zunehm/

Establishing closer ties with the People’s Republic of China – our trusted friend – is Russia’s unconditional foreign policy priority.

Now Russia-China cooperation is advancing to a new stage of comprehensive partnership and strategic interaction. It would not be wrong to say that it has reached the highest level in all its centuries-long history.

I am looking forward to a new meeting with President of China Xi Jinping, with whom I have good working and personal relations. We will discuss how previous agreements are being implemented and outline new objectives for the future. I am sure that the upcoming talks will give a powerful impetus to further strengthening of bilateral cooperation in all areas and deeper coordination in the international arena. The summit’s results and future plans will be reflected in the Joint Statement by the Heads of State and a strong package of documents expected to be signed during the visit.

Russia and China have actively advocated establishing a new security and sustainable development architecture in the Asia-Pacific. It should be based on the principles of equality, respect for international law, indivisibility of security, non-use of force or threat of force. Today this task is becoming increasingly important. The forthcoming Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) serves to contribute to addressing this task.

CICA is a well-established cooperation mechanism. It has been successfully working in such spheres as security, new challenges and threats, economy, environmental protection and humanitarian issues, all of which are important for the region.

Russia has taken an active part in CICA’s activities. In mid-April 2014, members of the Conference approved the Statute of the CICA Business Council sponsored by Russia. I am confident that the launch of the Council will enhance practical ties between business communities of the Asian countries.

At the upcoming summit, the Secretariats of CICA and SCO are expected to sign a Memorandum of Understanding. That would serve as another step towards shaping a framework of partnerships between this region’s organisations and forums.

Q: China is consistently making progress towards the „Chinese dream“, i.e. a great national rebirth. Russia has also set a goal of restoring a powerful state. How, in your opinion, could our countries interact and help each other in fulfilling these tasks? What areas can be prioritised in this regard?

VP: Promotion of friendly and good-neighbourly partnership relations is fully consistent with the interests of both Russia and China. We do not have any political issues left which could impede the enhancement of our comprehensive cooperation.

Through joint efforts, we have established a truly exemplary collaboration, which should become a model for major world powers.

It is based on respect for the fundamental interests of each other and efficient work for the benefit of the peoples of our two countries.

Russia and China successfully cooperate in the international arena and closely coordinate their steps to address international challenges and crises. Our positions on the main global and regional issues are similar or even identical.

It is encouraging that both sides are willing to further deepen their cooperation. Both Moscow and Beijing are well aware that our countries have not exhausted their potentials. We have a way to go. The priority areas of collaboration at the current stage include the expansion of economic ties and cooperation in science and high-technology sector. Such pooling of capacities is very helpful in fulfilling the tasks of domestic development of our countries.

Q: Cooperation between China and Russia has been steadily increasing, but uncertainties in global economy persist. The emerging markets are faced with new challenges and slowdown of economic growth. How can our two countries help each other to counter these challenges? How can we ensure steady increase of mutual trade and reciprocal investments?

VP: In the context of turbulent global economy, the strengthening of mutually beneficial trade and economic ties, as well as the increase of investment flows between Russia and China are of paramount importance. This is not just a crucial element of socioeconomic development of our countries, but a contribution to the efforts aimed at stabilising the entire global market.

Today, Russia firmly places China at the top of its foreign trade partners.

In 2013, the volume of bilateral trade was close to $90 billion, which is far from being the limit. We will try to increase trade turnover to $100 billion by 2015 and up to $200 billion by 2020.

Our countries successfully cooperate in the energy sector. We steadily move towards the establishment of a strategic energy alliance. A large?scale project worth over $60 billion is underway to supply China with crude oil via the Skovorodino-Mohe pipeline.

The arrangements on export of Russian natural gas to China have been nearly finalised. Their implementation will help Russia to diversify pipeline routes for natural gas supply, and our Chinese partners to alleviate the concerns related to energy deficit and environmental security through the use of „clean“ fuel.

At the same time, we are working actively to reduce dependence of bilateral trade on external market conditions. Therefore, in order to develop trade and economic cooperation we pay particular attention to the breakthrough areas such as higher energy efficiency, environmental protection, production of drugs and medical equipment, developing new information technologies, as well as nuclear energy and outer space.

We implement a list of joint projects in 40 priority areas with total investments of about $20 billion.

These areas include civil aircraft industry. An agreement has been reached on joint design of a wide-body long-range aircraft. In the future we will develop a heavy helicopter. I am sure that our companies can manufacture and supply competitive products to the world markets.

We also intend to actively develop investment cooperation, the scope of which obviously does not meet real capacities and needs of our countries yet. We have examples of successful projects. I would like to note the participation of Chinese capital in the reconstruction of an airport in the Kaluga Region and building of plants for production of automotive parts and construction materials in that Russian constituent entity.

To our mind, there are many other promising areas for investments. We can point to different branches of machine engineering, processing of agricultural products, mining operations, and development of transport and energy infrastructure.

We must also strengthen financial cooperation and protect ourselves from exchange-rate fluctuations among the world’s major currencies. Therefore, we are now considering how to increase mutual settlements in national currencies.

Q: Russia has recently announced the creation of a special economic zone in Vladivostok. What could, in your view, be the role of China in its creation and in the development of the Russian Far East as a whole?

VP: Accelerated socioeconomic development of Siberia and the Far East is one of Russia’s key national priorities for the 21st century. We are now implementing a whole package of programmes to modernise and upgrade transport, energy and social infrastructure in these regions.

We are aiming at the creation of special areas of advanced economic development with an investment-friendly environment.

Competitive conditions for launching export-oriented enterprises in non-primary sectors have been created.

In the areas of advanced development, new companies will enjoy some substantial benefits. These are tax holidays with respect to a number of taxes and reduced insurance premium rates; liberalisation of the customs regime, including free customs zones; special rules for access to land and for connecting to infrastructure facilities.

Today, the relevant federal law is being finalised. Development institutions are being created and promising centres are being selected. One of them will probably be established in Vladivostok on Russky Island where the APEC 2012 Summit took place.

Obviously, we are interested in Chinese businessmen making use of these opportunities and becoming one of the leaders here, since both Russia and China will benefit from an accelerated development of the Russian Far East.

It is important not to limit our relations to trade. It is essential to establish strong technological and industrial alliances; attract investments to the infrastructure and energy sectors; to jointly promote scientific research and humanitarian contacts; lay a solid foundation for a sustainable long-term development of our trade and economic relations. And the Russian Far East can and must become a natural venue for the said efforts.

Q: How would you rate the present level of cooperation between our countries in the humanitarian sphere and its prospects? Which projects within the framework of reciprocal theme years (national, language, tourism, youth exchanges) have impressed you most?

VP: The humanitarian contacts between Russia and China are in keeping with the steady development of the whole complex of strategic partnership relations between our countries. At the moment, their level is as high as never before. The major projects of national, language and tourism theme years in which millions of our citizens participated, have played a significant role in that.

It is noteworthy that a number of events are now being carried out on a regular basis. These are festivals of culture, film weeks, youth sports games, student festivals, camps for schoolchildren and students, fora for university principals, exhibitions of educational services and many other events.

An intergovernmental project of the Russia-China Youth Friendly Exchanges Years planned for 2014–2015 was launched this March. The performance of the recently created Russian-Chinese philharmonic youth orchestra, headed by the artistic director and principal conductor of the Mariinsky Theatre Valery Gergiev, has become a highlight of the theme years’ launch in St Petersburg.

Of course, we are not going to settle down. The mutual interest of youth in history, culture and traditions of the peoples of China and Russia is increasing. It is an objective process, and we are committed to fully supporting it in the future.

Q: In 2015, our countries will celebrate the 70th anniversary of Victory over fascism. What is the impact of joint Russian-Chinese efforts to oppose the attempts aimed at challenging the results of World War II?

VP: It is true that the attempts to rewrite and distort history are becoming more frequent.

Four years ago Russia and China adopted a Joint Statement on the 65th Anniversary of Victory in the Second World War.

We share an idea that it is unacceptable to revise the results of the war, as the consequences will be extremely grave.

It is clearly evident from the tragic events currently unfolding in Ukraine, where violent neo-Nazis are waging a real campaign of terror against civilians.

I would like to express my gratitude to our Chinese friends for cherishing the memory of thousands of our compatriots, who sacrificed their lives to liberate Northeast China from invaders.

Next year we will hold a range of joint events to mark the 70th anniversary of Victory both in the bilateral and the SCO format. During these events, youth will be in the focus of our work.

We will certainly continue to oppose attempts to falsify history, heroize fascists and their accomplices, blacken the memory and reputation of heroic liberators.

Ukrainian ultranationalist leader calls for guerilla war against pro-federalists

Published time: May 18, 2014 13:38
Edited time: May 18, 2014 14:37

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Right Sector protest in front of Ukrainian parliament in Kiev on March 27, 2014. (AFP Photo/Genya Savilov)

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Television debates with three nationalist presidential candidates ended up in calls to pursue a guerilla war against pro-federalist Ukrainian citizens and conduct targeted assassinations of their leaders.

The leader of the radical Right Sector movement, Dmitry Yarosh, and his no less nationalist opponents, former chief of foreign intelligence service, Nikolay Malomuzh, and chairman of People’s Rukh nationalist party, Vasily Skubiyda, presented their vision of Ukraine on Saturday after the presidential election set for May 25.

Because their positions are really close, they represent the far-right body of electors. The extremist views of Dmitry Yarosh stood out against a background of total antagonism towards everything non-Ukrainian, in the first place the Russian-speaking citizens of the country’s southeast who are demanding federalization.

The leader of the militants, who now make up the backbone of the newly created National Guards, currently conducting military operations against federalization activists in eastern Ukraine, has called for “extensive guerilla war” against the protesting federalist forces in Donetsk and Lugansk.

The Right Sector, which last month formed a special detachment, Donbass-1, for waging war against the federalists in eastern Ukraine, is now busy forming the Donbass-2 unit and plans to recruit militants for a third one, said Yarosh.

The ultranationalist leader categorically denied that the autonomous republic of Crimea had the right to disengage with Ukraine through a popular referendum and reunite with Russia. Crimea “has always been, and remains” a Ukrainian territory, stated Yarosh and called to start a guerilla war in the peninsula get the region back.

The Right Sector leader also shared new tactics to be used against federalists in the East, saying that there should be no more attempts to storm the rebel cities, but rather “knock out” the activist leaders. It means that they should be physically eliminated, he specified.

Dmitry Yarosh (Reuters/Valentyn Ogirenko)

The federalization of Ukraine should never be allowed as it would destroy the Ukrainian state, stressed Yarosh, and promised in case of victory in the presidential race to form future authorities out of Maidan activists who have proven their loyalty.

There is no secret that several Ukrainian oligarchs, who were appointed governors of several eastern regions of the country by the new Kiev authorities, are financing paramilitary units that actually make up private armies of their own.

As for and the Right Sector, its leader Dmitry Yarosh stated that he is “against oligarchs.” The new politician claimed that once he becomes president, he would “redirect Ukrainian economy and tax system from supporting monopolies owned by oligarchs to support small and medium business.”

However, the Right Sector leader never explained what happened to the valuables that were reported missing after Right Sector members occupied certain premises, such as the recreational center ‘Bear oak grove’, or the lavish residence of the former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich soon after the ousted president fled the country.

During the debates, all three candidates agreed that there should be only one official language in Ukraine to maintain the integrity of the country. The presidential candidates expressed a readiness to ensure the rights of the ‘national minorities,’ but offered no solution to the historically Russian-speaking majority of the 20 million-strong population of the South and East of Ukraine, who do not speak Ukrainian.

Towards the end of the debates, Dmitry Yarosh made a controversial statement, addressing the electorate.

“I would like to assure all citizens in the East and South of Ukraine that neither me as a person, nor the Right Sector, bear any ill will to peaceful Ukrainian citizens. Yes, we’re ready to carry out our constitutional duty to protect territorial integrity and the sovereignty of Ukraine, and we’re already doing so. We will protect our country with arms if necessary,” said Yarosh.

In fact, Ukrainian citizens of the protesting regions have every right to fear Yarosh and his Right Sector union as they are acting as the spearhead of punitive actions against the protesters in the Donetsk,Lugansk, Kharkov and Odessa regions.

Right Sector radicals (AFP Photo/Genya Savilov)

So far there have been 23 registered presidential candidates in Ukraine, but five of them have called of their candidacies for various reasons.

Developments over the last several months have revealed that the coup-imposed government in Kiev has little, if any authority over the Right Sector’s actions.

After a notorious Right Sector radical militant, Aleksandr Muzychko, was shot dead in a police raid in late March, Dmitry Yarosh demanded the immediate resignation of the Interior Minister Arsen Avakov and punishment for those law enforcement officers who took part in the operation. Right Sector militants besieged the Ukrainian parliament headquarters, forcing the coup-imposed government to consider banning the radical organization, but it never dared to do so.

In Russia Dmitry Yarosh has been put on the wanted list for taking part in killing Russian soldiers in Chechnya in 1994-1995. Moscow also requested Interpol to put the ultranationalist on the international wanted list.

Kiev Nazi authorities are only obstacle to peace in Ukraine – ex-presidential candidate

Published time: May 18, 2014 20:02

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Oleg Tsarev, a withdrew candidate in the 2014 Ukrainian presidential election (AFP Photo / Dimitar Dilkoff)

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The removal of Kiev’s coup-imposed authorities from power is the only way to restore peace and stability in Ukraine, opposition leader and ex-presidential candidate Oleg Tsarev told RT.

Tsarev has blamed Igor Kolomoisky, the Kiev-appointed Dnepropetrovsk region governor and oligarch, for making “quite a large” contribution to the current violence in Ukraine.

He said it is Kolomoisky who is responsible for recruiting nationalists into the National Guard and special police units, which are now waging war in the country’s southeast.

Tsarev, who spoke to RT during his visit to Moscow, said he has information that “the National Guard fighters, who were dressed in civilian clothes, participated in the events in Odessa” – where at least 48 anti-Kiev protestors died on May 2 after radicals set fire to the Trade Unions House.

A pro-Kiev protester walks past a burning anti-Kiev tent camp near the Trade Union Building in Odessa May 2, 2014. (Reuters / Yevgeny Volokin)

The MP also confirmed the authenticity of the leaked phone call from May 9 , in which Kolomoisky said that he offered US$1 million for Tsarev’s head.

“As I understand he didn’t want me to come to Lugansk and Donetsk to take part in organizing the referendum,” he said.

Referendums in Lugansk and Donetsk regions took place on May 11, two days after the phone call leak, with over 90 percent of voters supporting independence from Kiev.

Tsarev, who was a self-nominee for the presidential election, withdrew his candidacy from the race, as he believes “the vote can’t be held when the army is on a reprisal raid against its own people…and dozens die every day.”

With no candidate boasting support in both east and west Ukraine, any president elected on May 25 will be “a half-president,” he stressed.

“I called upon the current Ukrainian authorities to solve the country’s problems first; carry out a constitutional reform, disarm the militants, release over 400 of our activists from prison on amnesty, and organize an election after that,” the MP said.

Activists of the South-East movement and Ukrainian presidential candidate Oleg Tsarev make a stop at the checkpoint during a motor rally from Makeyevka to Slavyansk. (RIA Novosti / Natalia Seliverstova)

But the coup-imposed authorities in Kiev are pushing to hold the election “at any cost,” because they realize that “their rating is falling” and now is their only chance to succeed, he explained.

Tsarev assured that Donetsk and Lugansk regions won’t be taking part in the Ukrainian election, adding that he has urged his supporters around the country to follow their example.

The ex-presidential candidate has called Ukraine’s acting prime minister, Arseny Yatsenyuk, “a great imitator” for faking dialogue between the east and the west of the country.

“They gather their own representatives, who live in the southeast, and hold roundtables with them,” Tsarev said, adding that he and other actual leaders of protesters from the east aren’t invited to take part in the discussions.

“They’re basically talking to themselves…There’s no real dialogue,” he added.

The opposition leader reminded that there are howitzers ready to shell the protester stronghold city of Slavyansk in the Donetsk region, with Kiev’s forces neglecting to provide a humanitarian corridor for the civilians to evacuate in case of attack.

It’s “not realistic” to talk to the “murderers” under such conditions, because dialogue between Kiev and protestors in the southeast is only possible after the ceasefire is agreed, he explained.

However, Tsarev stressed that the only obstacle to peace and stability in Ukraine are the “current Nazi authorities of Ukraine,” which must be removed from power.

He added that during his stay in Moscow, he has seen that the Russian people have “largely accepted” the independence of Donetsk and Lugansk regions from Ukraine.

Ukrainian presidential candidate Oleg Tsarev speaks with journalists in Donetsk. (RIA Novosti / Natalia Seliverstova)

Tsarev said the issue is not as simple when it comes to the position of Russian authorities, because they are responsible for Russia’s fate – for economic sanctions which may be introduced against Russia.

But the opposition leader stressed that protestors in eastern Ukraine aren’t looking for independence from their compatriots in the country’s west.

“They just don’t want to be in the same country with the current authority,” he said.

The Kiev regime chose to send the army against citizens in the southeast because its rule is “based on fear,” he added.

“But it’s impossible to defeat the people by military means,” Tsarev stressed. “The army doesn’t want to fight against the people. In order to make the military obey orders, they deployed Nazis there, who shoot at self-defense forces of the Donetsk People’s Republic, and then fire at the soldiers, who refuse to fight.”

“The number of casualties in the ranks of the Ukrainian military has reached 1,000 people. And sooner or later…I think sooner rather than later, the Kiev authorities will be held responsible for the war crimes against their own people,” he added.

Oleg Tsarev (C), a withdrew candidate in the 2014 Ukrainian presidential election (AFP Photo / Dimitar Dilkoff)

Oleg Tsarev was previously a main figure in the Party of Regions – the party of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich, who was ousted by a nationalist-powered coup back in February.

A few weeks later, in April, he was registered as a presidential candidate. Several days later, he wasbrutally beaten by radicals from the Right Sector movement.

Tsarev is backing the idea of creating an independent Federal Republic of Novorossia, following the lead of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions, which revolted against the new Kiev authorities.