15 June 2004 14:40
Russian premier calls for new ideas, new people to drive economic growth
[Presenter] The Eighth International Economic Forum opened in St Petersburg this morning. Prime Minister Mikhail
Fradkov is taking part in it.
[Correspondent] The forum is rightly considered to be the most important economic summit in Russia and the CIS. It
has drawn together representatives of 30 countries and a number of major international companies. Federation Council
speaker Sergey Mironov gave an introductory address to the participants in the three-day summit of the business and
political elite. He heads the forum's organizational committee. Ilya Klebanov, the presidential envoy to the
Northwest Federal District, passed on President Vladimir Putin's greetings.
Then Fradkov gave the forum's main speech at the Tavricheskiy [Tauride] Palace in St Petersburg. His speech was
devoted to Russia joining the WTO, EU expansion, economic growth in Russia and the need to raise the country's
competitiveness in the new conditions.
[Fradkov] We are witnessing the gradual exhaustion of the potential for growth that was linked to raw-materials
factors: the contribution of oil exports to GDP growth will, by our estimates, fall threefold in the next few years in
comparison to 2003. It is clear that we are not standing still. The government's actions are aimed at uncovering
sources of economic growth that are based on diversification, strengthening the competitive positions of Russian
companies on the domestic and foreign markets, improving the entrepreneurial climate by stimulating investment,
introducing new technology and organized ways of doing business.
Most of all, the new situation requires the mobilization of new ideas and new people: those who are genuinely going
to implement what I have said. I am sure that here among the participants in this forum we will find not just
like-minded thinkers, but genuine champions of the cause.
[Correspondent] This year the St Petersburg economic forum is being held under the slogan of an effective economy and
a dignified life. The main topics of discussion will be questions of economic growth and quality of life in a globalized
economy, as well as conducting economic and social reforms. Fradkov said that he hoped that the current forum would be
useful above all for St Petersburg.
[Radio Russia] |
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