Alexander Shokhin (left), chair of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, has arranged a diplomatic reception for businessmen at Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s.
Photo: Ilya Pitalev
| Other Photos |
 |
|
 |
Russian Business Seeks Diplomatic Protection
Russian major business is willing to promote Russia’s international initiatives abroad and advance the country’s image in exchange for political support of Russian embassies in protecting its international interests. This issue was raised at a meeting of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and high-placed diplomats at the Russian Foreign Ministry on Thursday.
Representatives of major business gathered at the Russian Foreign Ministry in Moscow on Thursday to discuss cooperation with Russia’s foreign policy chief Sergey Lavrov in quite an informal setting. Well-known tycoons were asked to sit next to high-ranking diplomats, which was Sergey Lavrov’s idea to make conversation between diplomats and businessmen easier. For example, Vill-Bill-Dann CEO David Yakobashvili was sitting next to the head of the ministry’s consulting department Vyacheslav Pavlovsky while chief executive of TNK-BN and co-owner of SUAL Viktor Vekselberg was next to Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Yakovenko.
The meeting featured chair of the BOD at the Novolipetsky metallurgic combine Vladimir Lisin, SUAL’s co-owner Viktor Vekselberg, co-owner of Gazmetall and Metalloinvest Alisher Usmanov, chair of the boad at Vimm-Bill-Dann David Yakobashvili, CEO of Kuzbassrazrezugol Andrey Bokarev, head of Alfa Group Mikhail Fridman, chief executive of Ilim Pulp Zakhar Smushkin, deputy chair of the board at RAO UES of Russia Leonid Drachevsky and Federation Council member Nikolay Tonkov.
It was the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs’ head Alexander Shokhin who suggested meeting informally with Russian diplomats. “The Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs and the Russian Foreign Ministry signed a cooperation agreement three years ago,” Shokhin reminded. The head of the business association noted that buying assets overseas Russian businessmen often encounter difficulties, and relations with Russian embassies abroad, which could be of help to business, are still tense. Minister Sergey Lavrov was philosophical: “When you can’t make it in the first attempt – the same goes for purchasing overseas assets – you have to take it philosophically. It is competitive environment, after all.” Lavrov, however, suggested that Russian businessmen try and think what they could do to help diplomats too.
The issue of political succor to Russian business abroad has become really acute. One may recall a recent incident in South Africa where local opposition has come up against Viktor Vekselberg and his partner Mark Buzuk. The Democratic Alliance, the country’s third-biggest party, has said it will ask the parliament to examine the Russian businessmen’s purchase of manganese fields in the Kalahari Desert.
In exchange for support, Russian business would take part in promoting Russia’s international initiatives, Shokhin said on Thursday. “This meeting has brought together those members of the Union who are hoping not only to meet their own business goals but they are also ready to create conditions to improve Russia’s image abroad,” Shokhin said. “I believe this is a new way in which resources of business could be used to champion national ideas.” He says there are a lot of transnational projects where business and state could cooperate successfully. However, the major part of the meeting proceeded behind closed doors, and apparently specific projects of mutual support of Russian businessmen and the foreign ministry were discussed there.
Elena Kiselyova
All the Article in Russian as of Dec. 08, 2006
|
|
|
