Photo: Reuters
“What is most lacking in the
human body in the 21st century?”, an illustrious Russian surgeon was asked
during the celebration of his 100th birthday.
“Optimism”, answered the doctor, ever young at heart.
“Optimism cures.”
It looks as if Russian-British relations need a good dose of optimism in order
to fully recover. Alexander Yakovenko, Russian Ambassador to the United
Kingdom, calls this dose “guarded optimism.” A career diplomat, academic,
international lawyer and writer, Dr Yakovenko handed in his credentials to the
Queen in March. Prior to his appointment to London, Dr Yakovenko was deputy
foreign minister of Russia for five years.
In the mid-Nineties, as deputy director of the Russian Foreign Ministry
International Technical Cooperation Department, Dr Yakovenko headed up the
Russian delegation at the negotiations on the International Space Station. He
recalled later that an unprecedented level of openness had been achieved during
this work. As it went along, certain regulations that impeded the “link-up” of
space co-operation had to be amended, but “as a result, we
had the most vivid example of how countries can co-operate for common good.”
Probably the only serious obstacle to a full link-up between Russia and Britain
on the way to mutually beneficial co-operation is the impasse caused by the
well-documented extradition disputes. Perhaps the two countries’ diplomats will
be able to set a new precedent of openness that will take us down a straight
path to mutual prosperity.
Here, Dr Yakovenko outlines his strategy for progress.
Globalisation
in general and the current crisis in particular show with great clarity that in
the 21st-century, Russia and the UK have no reason to stand apart but, of course, a healthy
competition remains.
The complex character and unprecedented nature of the problems every government
faces are dictating the overall agenda of the day, which has to be implemented
despite the current misunderstandings and disagreements on some issues. But it
is also important to remember the special role of our countries in
international affairs, as Russia and the UK are permanent members of the UN
Security Council, Group of Eight, and the G20.
It is time we openly admitted that the cooling of Russian-British relations has
not only impaired bilateral contacts; it is in stark contrast with the active
co-operation between Moscow and London on a broad spectrum of international
problems in the various multilateral forms . The mistrust needs to be overcome
by the combined efforts of the governments with the wider involvement of civil
society.
Interestingly, the mindsets of the political classes of our countries run
parallel on a number of issues. In Russia, people are starting to think about
ways of mobilising civil initiatives and consolidating the country’s legal
framework to overcome the corruption that is obstructing economic development
and hampering social progress. In the UK, people are debating the ideas behind
David Cameron’s “Big Society”, which are intended to lighten the load on
government structures by decentralising the way the country
is run and creating
the
necessary conditions for citizens’ bold ideas to come to fruition and to
alleviate
social tension.
United by challenges
Speaking
as a diplomat, whose job it is to observe the inner workings of the UK, I have
concluded that many of the threats and challenges we both face actually unite
us. Recognition of this common ground is what forms the basis of the political
connections that have recently been resumed between our countries.
And are we not united by the problems of international terrorism and the
proliferation of WMD, the drug trade, organised crime and illegal immigration?
Do we not need to have an open and honest talk, albeit from different
historical perspectives, about the future of democracy and sustainable models
of socio-
economic
development in the 21st century? How can we collaborate in our response to
criminals’ use of digital technology?
These are just the first in a catalogue of intergovernmental issues requiring
immediate and daily responses. And all this is happening when, with every
technological breakthrough, with every new tourist visiting our cities, and
with every new cross-cultural marriage, our societies are becoming closer.
The estrangement at an official level has become ever more out of touch with
this reality. This has started to be recognised in the British capital . Hence
also the conclusion drawn by President Dmitry Medvedev following his
conversation with Prime Minister David Cameron in June 2010 in Huntsville, when
he said: “UK-Russia relations require adjustment and top-level attention.”
Over the past year or so, some foundations have been laid in the area of
Russian-British relations that allow us to look to the future of our
partnership with guarded optimism. Authorised Russian and British government
bodies are now collaborating in the fields of sport, culture, space, justice,
the fight with the illegal drug trade, and many other areas.
Mutual respect
Our
most immediate task is to build on the level of co-operation that has been
achieved through a dialogue of mutual respect, and to expand significantly the
scope of our collaboration. The co-ordinated response of Moscow and London to
the challenges of our time and the ability of the countries’ leaders to
understand and identify with one another will have a major impact on the
harmonisation of our own relations and modern international relations as a
whole.
Russian-British collaboration in the sphere of trade and investment is an
exceptionally important element in the whole set-up of our relationship . Its
momentum has hardly been affected by the political situation, and the negative
effects of the global financial crisis are being successfully overcome.
I would especially like to note that today, probably as never before, Russia
and the UK are at a stage where their paths are converging. This is a
particular instance of the global tendency towards synthesis and fusion. The
common strategic aim is to encourage economic growth through modernisation and
innovation, to expand foreign trade and attract capital from abroad. Both
countries, like many of our other partners in the northern hemisphere, need to
find sources of growth and new ways of increasing their
competitiveness.
Fiscal consolidation
The
UK is currently going through a phase of rapid fiscal consolidation, which is a
key component of the Coalition Government’s strategy for promoting sustainable
independent development of the country in conditions of crisis. The wheels of
state are trying to cut expenses and increase income to eliminate the budget
deficit. Budgetary injections to support the momentum of developments in the
markets and various sectors, as used in the first years of the crisis, are now
virtually non-existent, as they would lead to further rapid growth of
government debt. And I do not need to remind you how much consideration
economists and experts are currently giving the problem of sovereign debt.
In Russia, the situation is different. Here, the budget deficit and government
debt is substantially lower than that of many Western countries. But our
foreign trade, and in fact the economy as a whole, continues to be dependent on
the export of raw materials and energy resources. Trade figures between our two
countries are indeed a very clear illustration of this – in 2010 around 75 pc
of Russian exports to the UK were mineral fuels, amounting to around $8.5bn
(£5.1bn). In Russia, it is widely understood that there cannot be a modern
trade structure unless the economy is diversified; that we must not be content
with inorganic methods, and that we need a systematic technological
breakthrough. Hence our determination to develop the innovation sector,
including biomedicine and nanotechnology. The projects for the Skolkovo
innovation centre and the international financial centre in Moscow – these are
all component elements in the modernisation agenda for Russia.
Modernising together
I do
not consider Russia and the UK to be competitors in the sphere of innovation.
The idea that “the early bird catches the worm” does not work in this context.
We are very capable of moving on along the path of modernisation together. For
example, what could stop companies from working in Skolkovo and the equivalent
hi-tech centre in London’s Shoreditch at the same time? Both these centres have
their advantages. For example, we have a large educated and well-qualified
workforce and low income tax. And modern communications allow companies to work
together effectively –
regardless of borders and
time zones.
There are good prospects for collaboration in the field
of energy efficiency, which
would not only help tackle the challenges of climate change, but also help us
to be more competitive.
There are also other areas where our interests coincide, and where we can
achieve substantial results by combining our efforts. In 2009, the governments
of the two countries resumed a bilateral economic dialogue on a high level in
the form of the Intergovernmental Steering Committee on Trade and Investment.
In particular, six key areas were identified as the most promising for the
future development of our co-operation , requiring special attention from both
parties: the financial services sector; the sphere of high technology; the
energy and energy-efficiency sector; strategies for improving the business
climate, including access to markets; the promotion of small and medium-sized
businesses and the expansion of regional co-
operation, and
finally, the
Olympic legacy and the
successful
development of a sports infrastructure.
It seems obvious that all of these areas, without exception, are important not
only for developing bilateral co-operation, but also for
multifaceted
modernisation in our countries.
A good example of co-operation in the most modern fields is the links
established between Roscosmos and the UK Space Agency. A collaboration
programme has been approved, and this was given particular symbolism by
UK-Russia Year of Space, which took place on a large scale, culminating in the
unveiling of the statue of Yuri Gagarin in the centre of London on the 50th
anniversary of his trip to England. It was a real celebration which allowed us
to relive the mutual feelings of joy at his success, which became an
achievement for all mankind.
Nations united: the monument to Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space, is unveiled in the Mall, London, on July 14. Guests included Alexander Yakovenko, left; Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, centre; Nataliya Koroleva, daughter of Sergei Korolev, Soviet lead rocket engineer, second right, and Elena Gagarina, daughter of Yuri Gagarin, right
I especially want to focus on the importance of cultural ties and contacts between
people overall in modern diplomacy and in Russian-British relations. On the one
hand, promotion of these is one of the ultimate aims of foreign policy, as
access to culture and freedom of international connections is a vital condition
for the successful development of any society. On the other, it is human links
which, to a very great degree, enable the growth of mutual understanding
between nations and create a positive background for relations at an
intergovernmental level, as they strengthen mutual trust.
Beatles to Hamlet
The
way Russian people think of the UK is largely shaped by the images formed at a
young age – ranging from the Beatles to Hamlet to Sherlock Holmes. Russian
culture has also become part of the fabric of everyday life for ordinary
Britons, and is just as much loved by them. A recent survey of British actors
showed that they rate Anton Chekhov as the best playwright after William
Shakespeare. I am sure that in Russia no one would argue with the fairness of
this judgement.
Tours by Russian theatre companies in the UK are met with invariable success,
and the names of Tolstoy, Dostoevsky and Tchaikovsky are dear to every educated
person. Russian contemporary art also attracts an audience here, and we, along
with our British partners, are working hard to encourage this.
Every year more than 200,000 Britons visit Russia and about the same number of
Russian citizens make trips to the UK. These are quite impressive figures, but
we would like them to be higher. Personal impressions are much stronger than
crude stereotypes, and every direct contact will help to dispel mutual
prejudices which were inherited from the
previous era.
Removal of visas
It
is in the interests of Britain and Russia to make joint steps towards the
alleviation, and, eventually, the removal of visa restrictions between our
countries. This is the direction in which we are moving in our relations with
the European Union. Significant progress has already been made with a whole
range of other countries, including the United States. I think it is important
that Russian-British relations should not fall behind this general trend in
modern international relations which, in this way, are taking on a human face
in the full sense of the word.
Finally, we should not forget that there is a new and very different
competitive environment forming in the world. The fight for a “place in the
sun” in the international community is not being fought with dreadnoughts and
warplanes; instead, nations are strengthening their own development potential
and network diplomacy to build relationships of co-operation with the maximum
number of partners.
This is, most probably, the foremost priority of modern foreign policy today.
All rights reserved by Rossiyskaya Gazeta.
Subscribe
to our newsletter!
Get the week's best stories straight to your inbox