PUTIN ASKS WHY RUSSIA ALONE SHOULD PAY SOVIET DEBT...
Published:
13 February 2001 y., Tuesday
President Vladimir Putin said in Vienna on 9 February that "the situation in [Russia] is becoming more predictable" but that recent positive changes are "just the beginning". He said that Moscow will pursue further economic liberalization as it works to join the World Trade Organization, that it will fight corruption, and that it will build on progress made in the last year in government functioning and cooperation between the executive and legislative branches of government.
He reiterated that Russia will pay its debts. But he did ask rhetorically "why should we be paying for all the republics of the USSR, tens of billions of dollars are in question?" The reason for that, not acknowledged by Putin or reported by Russian or Western agencies over the weekend, is that the Russian Federation assumed the debt in exchange for a dropping of claims by the former Soviet republics to Soviet property held abroad.
Šaltinis:
ITAR-TASS
Copying, publishing, announcing any information from the News.lt portal without written permission of News.lt editorial office is prohibited.
The most popular articles
The President of the Republic of Lithuania, Dalia Grybauskaitė, met with the Commander of the US European Command and NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe, Admiral James G. Stavridis.
more »
The President of the Republic of Lithuania, Dalia Grybauskaitė, met with the Prime Minister of Estonia, Andrus Ansip, who is on a visit to Lithuania.
more »
July 12 marks one year since President Dalia Grybauskaitė took office. What has changed in Lithuania over that time?
more »
On 8-9 July in Genval, Belgium, Political Director of Lithuania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Eitvydas Bajarūnas took part in the consultations of political directors from foreign ministries of 27 European Union member states.
more »
On 9 July, Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Audronius Ažubalis received the outgoing Ambassador of Ukraine Ihor Prokopchuk.
more »
On 7 July in Vilnius, Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Audronius Ažubalis and Israel’s Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman discussed bilateral political, economic and cultural cooperation, as well as possibilities to intensify economic, trade and tourist exchanges.
more »
In the statement by U.S. President Barack Obama on the 10th Anniversary of the Community of Democracies that was released on 3 July, the President commended Lithuania for its Presidency of the Community and efforts to focus on the pressing challenges of today.
more »
"You offer us yet another opportunity to put ourselves and our civic mind to the test of time. Your example makes us raise our standards higher and higher," President of the Republic of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaitė said at the ceremony of presenting state awards.
more »
President Dalia Grybauskaitė offered personal congratulations by phone to President-elect Bronisław Komorowski on his victory in Poland's presidential elections.
more »
Foreign states and international organizations extend condolences to Lithuania on the passing of President Algirdas Mykolas Brazauskas
more »