Vitaly Naumkin: “Russia’s potential is underestimated”

Interview by Vestnik Kavkaza

Today the G20 summit opens in St. Petersburg. Problems of the world economy, creating jobs, and encouragement of investments will be discussed there, including the situation in Syria within bilateral meetings. Russian President Putin is going to meet the leaders of Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, India, the UK, Singapore, Turkey, the OEC, the WTO, and the World Bank. Vitaly Naumkin, the head of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the RAS, told Vestnik Kavkaza about prospects of the summit.

-          How does the G20 consider opinions of all centers of the global politics? Isn’t the format too narrow for the multi-polar world?

-          I think that G20 becomes a too narrow format because centers of power are multiplying in the world. For sure there are areas which have their leaders and are not represented in the G20. So, the question of the extension of the G20 will inevitably appear one day, I believe.

-          What are expectations of the leading countries of the world from the G20, including Russia?

-          The G20 shouldn’t be narrowed down to settlement of some practical or global issues. I think the point is in maintenance of the format and continuation of discussing the agenda which has been relevant for several recent summits. First of all, it is connected with financial and economic issues, the situation in the world economy, the questions of deepening of cooperation between the the G20 countries, consequences of the economic crisis, the monetary situation, and approaching of standards in the financial and economic sphere. I think it is about common standards, increasing exchange of information, stronger approach. There will be no discussion of questions which used to be raised by some players, for example, establishing an alternative currency. Today the dollar is rather strong, the euro can hardly compete with it. I don’t think the current agenda includes presenting the yuan as an alternative to the dollar. This problem is in the future, but someday it will be acute.

-          What is Russia’s place in the current world economy? What can it offer along with the oil-and-gas sector?

-          We have not only the oil-and-gas sector, but also the high technology sector, for instance, software, computer technologies, military technologies, development of industry in agriculture – we are one of the major grain exporters and producers of poultry meat. I think there are spheres where Russia’s potential is underestimated. We have bad heritage – old equipment and underdeveloped infrastructure which demand huge investments.

-          Is there a possibility that the leaders of the world can agree on maintenance of peace in the Middle East?

-          I think it will be very difficult to agree on this, even though Obama, considering the U.S. failures in Iraq and Afghanistan and planned strikes on Syria, which would lead to nothing, really wants to settle the Arab0Israeli conflict. There are certain chances, we intensively cooperate with the U.S., despite our contradiction on Syria and global problems. There is a certain chance.