Thursday, October 19th., 2017
What the Future Has in Store for World: Putin's Valdai Club Speech Highlights
©
Sputnik/ Grigoriy Sisoev
While
delivering his speech at the 14th annual meeting of the Valdai
Discussion Club Vladimir Putin raised a wide range of issues including
the technological revolution, global security, nuclear and chemical
disarmament, and the reform of the UN. The president underscored the
necessity to team up to solve the burning international issues.
Scientific
and technological progress has become one of the most decisive factors
in the modern world, Russian President Vladimir Putin told the 14th
annual meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club on Thursday, emphasizing
the importance of global players' responsibility for the future of the
planet in the epoch of rapid changes facilitated by the technological
revolution.
While delivering his speech, the Russian president called attention to the fact that as the world enters a new development phase the geopolitical situation is becoming more complicated.
"The pace of events requires constant and quick responses," Putin noted.
The violation of generally accepted rules and principles, with some
players are trying to achieve their goals by any means possible, is
leading to "unpredictable and dangerous contradictions" which eventually
translates into conflicts.
"One may take a look at what happened in the Middle East, which some players have tried to reformat, imposing a borrowed model of development through an externally orchestrated coups d'état or even by the direct use of military force," he noted, adding that instead of teaming up with the international community some forces are trying maintain permanent chaos, apparently believing that they are capable of managing it.
Still, according to the Russian president there is an alternative to this opinionated and destructive policy, namely, the one demonstrated by Russia in Syria. He emphasized that Russia is working with all participants of the Syrian reconciliation process and is taking their interests into account.
North Korea Should Not Be Driven 'Into Corner'
While speaking about the world's hot spots, President Putin referred to the ongoing North Korean crisis.
He reiterated Russia's condemnation of nuclear tests carried out by the Democratic People's Republic of North Korea and called attention to the fact that Moscow continues to implement all the decisions adopted by the UN Security Council related to the North Korean problem.
At the same time he warned the international community against driving Pyongyang into a corner, emphasizing that whether one likes the country's government or not, North Korea remains a sovereign state.
The fragility of peace and stability was vividly demonstrated by the political crisis in Catalonia following the October 1 referendum on independence, President Putin remarked.
"Why should the secession of Kosovo have been so thoughtlessly and unconditionally supported, based on the current political situation and the desire to please the elder brother from Washington, provoking similar processes in other regions of Europe and in the world?" the president asked, denouncing the double standards adopted by the US and EU toward Crimea, which unified with Russia in 2014 as a result of the democratically organized referendum.
Anti-Russian Sanctions Violate Global Market Principles
The Russian president recalled that the proponents of globalization had repeatedly claimed that international economic ties would bring world players together, helping resolve the most burning political issues.
In reality politics is increasingly often interfering in economic affairs, with some actors openly promoting their commercial interests via political means, Putin said.
He underscored that the attempts to disrupt the building of new energy routes from Russia to Europe are dealing a blow to European economic interests and its security.
"In the modern world, strategic gains cannot be made at the expense of others," he stressed.
'Brave New World': What are the Prospects of Technological Revolution?
Vladimir Putin emphasized the importance of the scientific and technological development, technological revolution and the role of robotization and artificial intelligence (AI).
"Previously, assessing the role and influence of a state one referred to the importance of the geopolitical factors, the size of the territory, the military power and natural resources… However, today scientific and technological progress emerges as one of the most important and its significance will only increase," Putin said.
He emphasized that the harmonious future will be impossible without social responsibility, freedom and justice, without the respect toward traditional ethical values, human's dignity.
Commenting
on the upcoming 100th anniversary of the Great October Revolution
in Russia Vladimir Putin underscored that it had "complex" results.
"Today, I want to draw attention to the lessons of the events that
happened a hundred years ago, to the Russian revolution of 1917. We see
that its results were complex. We see how tightly knitted the negative
(results) are with, one has to admit, the positive consequences of these
events," the Russian president noted.
He emphasized that "revolution is always a consequence of a deficit in responsibility."
"Was it not possible to develop not through revolution, but via the road of evolution, without paying the price of destroying statehood and the ruthless breaking of millions of human lives but via the road of gradual, consistent moving forward?" Putin asked rhetorically.
What Happened to US Weapons-Grade Plutonium?
Speaking on the issue of Russo-American cooperation in the field of nuclear disarmament, the Russian president drew attention to the fact that had Washington demonstrated strange hesitancy and apparent negligence while fulfilling its obligations under nuclear and chemical weapons treaties.
He noted that despite Russia's calls for cooperation and its openness in the sphere of nuclear disarmament following the collapse of the USSR, the United States had demonstrated a "selfishness" that had seen Russia's national interests ignored.
The president expressed deep concerns over Washington's approach
to the implementation of the agreement on weapons-grade plutonium
under the Russo-American Plutonium Management and Disposition Agreement
(PMDA) signed in 2000.
There is No Alternative to the United Nations Organization
In the final part of his speech the Russian president underlined the role of the United Nations, as an organization tasked to create and maintain international stability and order.
According to Putin, there is no alternative to the institution with its universal legitimacy. He stressed that the organization must remain in the center of the international system.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration has been taking steps aimed at reforming the international organization. In September a US-sponsored meeting to discuss the reform of the institution was held at the United Nations.
Putin said that the organization needs reform, but stressed that they must be gradual.
While delivering his speech, the Russian president called attention to the fact that as the world enters a new development phase the geopolitical situation is becoming more complicated.
"The pace of events requires constant and quick responses," Putin noted.
"New processes and increasing competition
in the world hierarchy demand corresponding mechanisms of interaction
between powers, since the old systems of global management and conflict
resolution are no longer relevant," he said.
"There is less security in the world. Instead
of progress and democracy, we see radical elements, extremist groups
that deny civilization itself, seek to plunge it into archaism and
into chaos, into barbarism," Putin said.
Russia's Syria Experience as Alternative to Destructive Policies"One may take a look at what happened in the Middle East, which some players have tried to reformat, imposing a borrowed model of development through an externally orchestrated coups d'état or even by the direct use of military force," he noted, adding that instead of teaming up with the international community some forces are trying maintain permanent chaos, apparently believing that they are capable of managing it.
Still, according to the Russian president there is an alternative to this opinionated and destructive policy, namely, the one demonstrated by Russia in Syria. He emphasized that Russia is working with all participants of the Syrian reconciliation process and is taking their interests into account.
"Russia is fighting against terrorists
along with the legitimate Syrian government and other regional states,
acting based on international law… And I would like to say that these
actions and positive moves are not easy for us. There are many
contradictions in the region. But we are patient and with this patience
we are working with all participants of this [reconciliation] process
very carefully, respecting their interests," Putin said.
©
AP Photo/
In this Friday, Sept. 15, 2017 file photo, a Russian soldier guards as a military helicopter flies over Palmyra, Syria
While speaking about the world's hot spots, President Putin referred to the ongoing North Korean crisis.
He reiterated Russia's condemnation of nuclear tests carried out by the Democratic People's Republic of North Korea and called attention to the fact that Moscow continues to implement all the decisions adopted by the UN Security Council related to the North Korean problem.
At the same time he warned the international community against driving Pyongyang into a corner, emphasizing that whether one likes the country's government or not, North Korea remains a sovereign state.
"Any contradictions must be resolved in a
civilized manner. Russia has always been in favor of this approach. We
are firmly convinced that even the most complex 'knots,' whether the
crises in Syria or Libya, on the Korean peninsula or, say, in Ukraine,
must be untangled, not cut," Putin said.
When European Disintegration Process Actually StartedThe fragility of peace and stability was vividly demonstrated by the political crisis in Catalonia following the October 1 referendum on independence, President Putin remarked.
"Russia's position here is known: everything
that is happening is a domestic affair of Spain, and should be settled
within the framework of Spanish law in accordance with democratic
traditions," he said.
Putin
noted that actually the genie of European internal division was let
out of the bottle much earlier, in the end of the 20th century, adding
that Europe "had to think in advance" when disintegration processes only
started to take shape on the continent.
"They knew, did they not? However, at one time they basically
welcomed the disintegration of a number of states in Europe,
without hiding their joy on this matter," the Russian leader noted
referring to the dismemberment of the Warsaw Pact countries after the
collapse of the Soviet Union.
"Why should the secession of Kosovo have been so thoughtlessly and unconditionally supported, based on the current political situation and the desire to please the elder brother from Washington, provoking similar processes in other regions of Europe and in the world?" the president asked, denouncing the double standards adopted by the US and EU toward Crimea, which unified with Russia in 2014 as a result of the democratically organized referendum.
©
Sputnik/ Javier Luengo
Barcelona residents wait for the Parliament to announce the results of the referendum on the independence of Catalonia
The Russian president recalled that the proponents of globalization had repeatedly claimed that international economic ties would bring world players together, helping resolve the most burning political issues.
In reality politics is increasingly often interfering in economic affairs, with some actors openly promoting their commercial interests via political means, Putin said.
"Not so long ago it was said that it is
impossible, counterproductive and should not be allowed. Now, those who
said it are doing exactly that. Some are not even hiding that they are
using political pretexts and reasons to promote their own, purely
commercial, interests."
To illustrate his point Putin referred to the latest package of sanctions
recently adopted by the US Congress and signed by US President Donald
Trump into law, which are "obviously aiming to expel Russia
from European energy markets."He underscored that the attempts to disrupt the building of new energy routes from Russia to Europe are dealing a blow to European economic interests and its security.
"In the modern world, strategic gains cannot be made at the expense of others," he stressed.
'Brave New World': What are the Prospects of Technological Revolution?
Vladimir Putin emphasized the importance of the scientific and technological development, technological revolution and the role of robotization and artificial intelligence (AI).
"Previously, assessing the role and influence of a state one referred to the importance of the geopolitical factors, the size of the territory, the military power and natural resources… However, today scientific and technological progress emerges as one of the most important and its significance will only increase," Putin said.
He emphasized that the harmonious future will be impossible without social responsibility, freedom and justice, without the respect toward traditional ethical values, human's dignity.
"Otherwise instead of prosperity and
opportunity for everyone, the 'brave new world' may lead
to totalitarianism, a caste society, conflicts and growing
contradictions," he warned.
October Revolution of 1917 Had 'Complex' Results
©
AFP 2017/ KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV
He emphasized that "revolution is always a consequence of a deficit in responsibility."
"Was it not possible to develop not through revolution, but via the road of evolution, without paying the price of destroying statehood and the ruthless breaking of millions of human lives but via the road of gradual, consistent moving forward?" Putin asked rhetorically.
What Happened to US Weapons-Grade Plutonium?
Speaking on the issue of Russo-American cooperation in the field of nuclear disarmament, the Russian president drew attention to the fact that had Washington demonstrated strange hesitancy and apparent negligence while fulfilling its obligations under nuclear and chemical weapons treaties.
He noted that despite Russia's calls for cooperation and its openness in the sphere of nuclear disarmament following the collapse of the USSR, the United States had demonstrated a "selfishness" that had seen Russia's national interests ignored.
He noted that Washington's decision to dispose
of plutonium by dilution and geological burial does not guarantee the
impossibility of getting back weapons-grade material," Putin emphasized,
stressing that the Russian Federation has fulfilled its obligations
under the US-Russian deal.
At the same time the US still has to fulfill
its vow to destroy its chemical weapons: "The country remains the sole
and most powerful possessor of that type [of weapons] of mass
destruction. Moreover, the US moved the deadline for the destruction
of its chemical weapons from 2007 to 2023."
For a state proclaiming itself to be a champion in nonproliferation
and arms control, it is inappropriate," he said, adding that Western
media paid almost no attention to the fact that Russia has completely
destroyed its chemical weapons a month earlier.There is No Alternative to the United Nations Organization
In the final part of his speech the Russian president underlined the role of the United Nations, as an organization tasked to create and maintain international stability and order.
According to Putin, there is no alternative to the institution with its universal legitimacy. He stressed that the organization must remain in the center of the international system.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration has been taking steps aimed at reforming the international organization. In September a US-sponsored meeting to discuss the reform of the institution was held at the United Nations.
Putin said that the organization needs reform, but stressed that they must be gradual.
"Reform are needed, perfecting the system
of the United Nations is needed. But reform can only be gradual,
evolutionary, and of course must me supported by the overwhelming
majority of the actors of the international process, by a wide
consensus," Putin explained.