WK 2018 in Rusland

Rusland, dat nooit eerder een WK organiseerde, mag het WK van 2018 organiseren maar heeft volgens De Morgen nog veel werk voor de boeg om het WK binnen acht jaar georganiseerd te krijgen, maar in een land waar de gas- en petroleumroebels de laatste jaren de plak zwaaien, moet ook de organisatie van een WK mogelijk zijn. Een politieke keuze zo wordt in de wandelgangen van de FIFA gefluisterd.

Het dossier dat de Russen indienden was immers niet echt waterdicht. Op het vlak van infrastructuur kon het land nauwelijks garanties voorleggen. De meeste stadions moeten nog gebouwd worden en het land kampt met grote problemen op het vlak van transport en accommodaties. De luchthavens zijn verouderd en dat kan in het uitgestrekte land voor logistieke problemen zorgen. Rusland speelde daar echter handig op in door alle kandidaatspeelsteden uit het 'Europese' gedeelte van het land te kiezen. Enkel Ekaterinburg ligt ten oosten van de Oeral en ietwat afgescheiden van de rest van de speelsteden.

Maar de Russische autoriteiten en vooral eerste minister Vladimir Poetin schaarden zich achter de Russische kandidatuur en de bonzen van de Russische politieke wereld konden de FIFA dan toch overtuigen zodat Rusland voor het eerst in de geschiedenis het WK mag organiseren.

"Jullie hebben ons het WK 2018 toevertrouwd en jullie zullen daar geen spijt van krijgen", klonk het meteen na de bekendmaking vanuit de Russische clan. "Laat ons samen geschiedenis schrijven." Premier Poetin: "Dit is een teken van vertrouwen. We zullen al onze mogelijkheden aanwenden om een sterk toernooi te organiseren." Het WK van 2014 wordt in Brazilië afgewerkt.

Bron: De Morgen

Russian President delivers annual public address

This year, Russia’s economic growth will reach around four per cent, Dmitry Medvedev told the Federal Assembly during the annual public address, which traditionally outlines Russia's goals and achievements. Medvedev pointed out some other of Russia’s victories: unemployment has been reduced by two million people since the peak of the crisis, and the sovereign debt is minimal. The president underlined the country’s need for more medium and small businesses, which, he said, will provide badly-needed jobs. To secure their growth, the government has adopted a lower tax rate of 26 per cent for medium and small businesses. Attaining economic growth of 40 per cent by 2020 is quite a realistic goal for Russia, Medvedev said, and much has already been done.

“We have achieved a lot, but this is just the beginning. The resources we have should be used to modernize our economy, to create new, competitive goods and services, and millions of jobs. We need to shape the demand for innovation. I have commissioned the government to use at least half of the saved resources and additional resources to support the priorities of our modernization,” Medvedev said.

However the ultimate goal of modernization, he pointed out, is to raise the quality of life of Russia’s people, especially the younger generation. Medvedev underlined that social responsibility lies at the heart of the country’s policy. He praised Russia’s improving demographic situation: since 2005, the birth rate in Russia has grown by 21 per cent. However to keep the situation from worsening again, considerable governmental support is required, he said. This includes a wide variety of measures, from availability of better medical services for mothers and children and further development of the maternity capital program to state support for infertility treatment programs the and modernization of children’s clinics.

“26 million Russian children should be able to develop properly. They should grow up happy and they should become worthy citizens of Russia. This should become our goal number one. Taking care of the future generations is the smartest kind of investment. A society that truly protects the rights of children and respects children’s dignity is not just the kindest society, it is the best-developing society,” Medvedev said.

Medvedev preached the necessity of supporting families with children, such as tax benefits, direct financial help and better childcare facilities. ­Fred Weir of the Christian Science Monitor says it is striking how much of Medvedev’s speech was dedicated to children, youth and the demographic situation, and how long the president’s to-do list in this respect was. “He spent almost half of that address talking about children and youth, and he kept returning, even when he went into other subjects, even when he talked about international policy, he was returning to the youth theme. We can see that motif that he gave, that we should not pass on a Russia to our children that we are ashamed of. That’s his theme,” Weir said. ­The Russian leader also touched upon the problem of corruption. He said that the current penal code does not stop officials from taking bribes and the current sanctions in the form of imprisonment do not scare bribe-takers. Medvedev suggested that commercial bribery, and also the giving and taking of bribes, must be punished by fines in the amount of up to one hundred times the amount of the bribe. However political analyst Alexey Pushkov says it is not the legislation that is not sufficient to defeat corruption; it is the way this legislation is implemented. “What is most important when you fight corruption is that the laws are being not just proclaimed, but implemented,” he said. “It can be a fine, it can be jail, it can be five years, it can be 15 years. The most important thing is that people who take bribes know that they will suffer. In Russia we have enough laws to fight corruption. The problem is that the laws are not being implemented. People are covering people. Very high-placed people are covering other high-placed people, and so the system is very much corrupt. So my personal opinion is, you have to enforce the existing laws.” ­ The president also elaborated on the issue of a joint missile defense system with Europe.

“In the next decade, we have the following alternative – either we reach an agreement on missile defense and create a full-blown mechanism for co-operation; or, if we fail to have a constructive agreement, a new stage of the arms race will start and we will have to make a decision on creating new strike forces,” he said.

“What Medvedev said today is actually an invitation to continue talks, which they started at the Russia-NATO summit in Lisbon last week, because if NATO continues with its own missile shield, then inevitably Russia will need to consider other options – I do not believe in [an] arms race, but there will be again a reshaping of the confrontation of the past,” Fyodor Lukyanov, editor in chief of the magazine Russia in Global Affairs, told RT. Dmitry Babich, political analyst from the RIA Novosti news agency, says that Medvedev, in this statement, has just reiterated the idea that he expressed at the Russia-NATO summit last week. “The main problem is how Russia is going to be viewed by NATO. If it is going to be viewed as a serious partner in building that entire missile defense that would cover all of Eurasia, then there is no point for another arms race. Medvedev made it very clear just a few days ago at the Lisbon summit that he does not want the formal participation of Russia in that project. “We are not going to be part of the furniture”, as he [Medvedev] said,” Babich told RT.

However defense projects are not all there is to foreign relations, Medvedev noted. “We need to step up economic diplomacy. It should provide specific results for modernization. Our foreign policy should not be just based on missiles; it should be specific achievements that are understandable to our people, creating joint ventures in Russia, producing high-quality inexpensive goods, facilitating the visa regime. Such a pragmatic approach meets with understanding from our foreign partners.”

Anton Bespalov, a journalist from the Voice of Russia radio station, thinks that it is the economic crisis that prompts Medvedev to focus more on international relations: ties with EU, NATO and the United States. “In the past year, Russia realized the need to improve its relationship with the West – the European Union in particular,” he said. “The reason why these relations are improving is in fact the global economic crisis, which helped both sides to more realistically assess their capabilities. Russia and the European Union are probably needing each other more than ever.”

Igor Zevelev, head of the MacArthur Foundation’s Moscow office, added that partnership with Asian countries, especially with China is very important for Russia as well. “The emphasis in this part of the address was on so-called economic diplomacy. I think it will be interesting for Asian partners, particularly for China. Russia’s appeal to them is to do what they have started with Europe – namely, partnership for modernization,” he stressed.

Sergey Brilev, a journalist and TV host, points out that Medvedev’s attention to the opinions expressed by politically-motivated people on the Internet is quite wise. “Typically, 80 per cent of the letters people send to the president are about social security, medical care, central heating and that sort of thing. But there’s always this five per cent dedicated to political liberties and freedom, and President Medvedev, because he is a modern guy – let me use this definition – pays quite a lot attention to this five per cent. They do not form public opinion in this country, but they matter. They are educated people who actually think. And in any kind of political system…politically motivated, educated people do play a role,” he said.

The joint Russia-NATO ABM defense shield was proposed even earlier at the NATO summit in Lisbon, Sergey Strokan from Russia's Kommersant Publishing House noted, but the steps that would lead to such a deal have yet to be taken. The sides must agree on many practical issues such as threats and challenges, specify the roles of the parties in the future system, make a deal on financing the system – all these points are still far from consensus. The European joint ‘all-embracing security system’ could be created ‘within a period of ten years, maybe less’ believes Strokan. As for the joint Eurasian economic space, Sergey Strokan believes Russia’s relationship with powerful Asian regional blocks like ASEAN is still lagging behind, while political and economic co-operation with such regional blocks is crucial for development of Russia’s vast territories beyond the Urals.

source: RT.com

Third summit in the history of the NATO-Russia Council (NRC)

The third summit in the history of the NATO-Russia Council (NRC) took place in Lisbon on 20 November 2010. At the end of this historic gathering, President Dmitri Medvedev of Russia and his counterparts from the other 28 NRC member states issued a joint statement.

In this statement, NRC leaders pledged to “work towards achieving a true strategic and modernised partnership based on the principles of reciprocal confidence, transparency, and predictability, with the aim of contributing to the creation of a common space of peace, security and stability in the Euro-Atlantic area.” The NRC Heads of State and Government took a number of important decisions.

First, they endorsed the first ever Joint Review of 21st Century Common Security Challenges, outlining shared views of Russia and Allies on key security questions and ways to address them through practical cooperation.

Second, they agreed on a joint ballistic missile threat assessment and decided to resume Theatre Missile Defence Cooperation. Moreover, they tasked a development of a comprehensive Joint Analysis of the future framework for broader missile defence cooperation. This work will be assessed at the June 2011 meeting of NRC Defence Ministers.

Third, participants reconfirmed a shared determination to assist in the stabilisation of Afghanistan and the whole region. In this context, they welcomed broadened transit arrangements through Russian territory for non-lethal ISAF goods, moved to expand the counter-narcotics training and decided to task a development of an NRC Helicopter Maintenance Trust Fund in 2011.

Other issues discussed included NRC cooperation on counter-terrorism, and the fight against piracy. Summing up the NRC summit, Mr Rasmussen said:

“We have agreed, together, on which security challenges NATO nations and Russia actually face today. What’s most significant is what’s not on the list: each other. The NATO nations and Russia have, today, agreed, in writing, that while we face many security challenges, we pose no threat to each other. That, alone, draws a clear line between the past and the future of NATO-Russia relations.”

Check also: Strategic Concept and the NATO-Russia Council Joint Statement at the meeting of the NATO-Russia Council held in Lisbon on 20 November 2010

Source: NATO.int

Medvedev gebruikt veto tegen wet die vrijheid van betogen beperkt

Russische president Dmitri Medvedev heeft zijn veto gesteld tegen een nieuwe, door het parlement goedgekeurde wet die de vrijheid van betogen aan banden zou leggen. Het besluit van Medvedev is door oppositie en mensenrechtenverenigingen op applaus onthaald.

De goedkeuring van het wetsontwerp door de volksafvaardiging, waarin de pro-Kremlinpartijen een ruime meerderheid hebben, was bij de oppositie op zware kritiek gebotst. In de Doema zwaait Verenigd Rusland, de partij van premier Vladimir Poetin, de scepter.

De wet was op 22 oktober goedgekeurd door de Doema en op 27 oktober door de Federatieraad. Om in werking te treden was enkel nog de presidentiële handtekening nodig. Maar in een brief aan de voorzitters van beide kamers, Boris Gryzlov en Sergej Mironov, liet Medvedev weten dat hij 'de wet verwerpt'.

Volgens de president 'bevat de wet een aantal bepalingen die indruisen tegen door de grondwet gegarandeerde rechten zoals het recht op vergadering, op betogen, op staking'. 'Het houden van betogingen is een van de meest doeltreffende manieren om de activiteiten van de Staat en de plaatselijke overheden te beïnvloeden', aldus Medvedev.

bron: De Standaard

Progress in Kosovo allows for adaptation of KFOR presence

NATO has decided to adjust the KFOR presence in Kosovo. Over the next few months, KFOR will progressively reduce its presence to around 5,000 troops in total, marking one more step in the adaptation of KFOR to a deterrent presence.

The security conditions in Kosovo continue to improve, which is a positive sign not only for Kosovo, but for the whole region. Local institutions are increasingly capable of assuming responsibility for security tasks.

KFOR will remain able to deploy forces quickly and effectively whenever and wherever necessary, including with robust reserves. KFOR’s mission to guarantee a safe and secure environment in Kosovo remains unchanged.

source: NATO

Last days mayor of Moscow

The powerful mayor of Moscow, Yurij Luzhkov, has departed "on holidays" amid a smear campaign the likes of which the city has not seen since the 19990s.

Some weeks ago, the state-controlled television showed a series of documentaries alleging that Luzhkov is corrupt and abusing his power.

Julia Ioffe (FP, 17 Sep. 2010) describes the situation as follows: Yurij Luzkov is the only mayor Moscow has ever really known in the post-Soviet period, a figure whose control extends into every corner of the city's life. He is Moscow's boss, which is precisely the problem: There can only be one boss in Moscow, and his name is Vladimir Putin.

And here's the other side of that problem: Luzhkov has been in charge since before Vladimir Vladimirovich even thought of going into politics, and well before he got to Moscow. Luzhkov, on the other hand, has been helping run the city since the Soviet era. He started off as the reformist head of the Moscow city council during the perestroika years, and was appointed mayor by then President Boris Yeltsin in June 1992. But as Luzhkov brought the chaotic capital to order after the collapse of the Soviet Union, he was also put in charge of privatizing huge swaths of Moscow property -- making his real-estate developer wife (and former city council assistant 27 years his junior), Elena Baturina, Russia's wealthiest woman in the process.

Yet, as long as Luzhkov supported Putin politically, he could keep his seat. President Dmitriy Medveded, however, has been pushing Luzhkov into retirement since the beginning of his term.

Luzhkov is the final remaining "heavyweight" regional leader who has survived in power since the 1990s. Yet, according Julia Ioffe, the Kremlin cannot simply fire Luzhkov as the Luzhkov machine, woven together not only by money but by family times, is still alive and well, and the state needs it on its side. Making an enemy of Luzhkov and his army would be a disaster, especially when it comes time to vote next fall.

With the mayor now “on holidays” in Austria, some Russian analysts suspect that he and his wife might not return to Moscow, choosing a comfortable life in exile over potential court proceedings in Russia.

To be continued..

EU condemns Russian agreement with South Ossetia, Abkhazia

Russia has taken official control of the borders of South Ossetia and Abkhazia in a 10-year deal with the two Georgian breakaway regions. The European Union alongside Nato and the United States have condemned the development as a breach of the 2008 Russia-Georgia peace agreement brokered by the EU. Under the new deal, Moscow extends its responsibility for patrolling the two republics' effective borders with Georgia proper. Nato called the move a "clear contravention" of the ceasefire agreement, a characterisation echoed by the US. Russia, for its part, accuses Nato of its own provocation in the region for planning military exercises in Georgia next week.

Source: EUobserver