Putin proposes Russia-EU union
VALENTINA POP
Today @ 09:29 CET
Translation by Autumnson Blog
Ahead of his two-day visit to Germany, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has projected a vision of a 'harmonious economic community stretching from Lisbon to Vladivostok' in reaction to the economic crisis. Chancellor Angela Merkel, however, said she will "pour some cold water" on the idea.
在他為期兩天的德國訪問之前，俄羅斯總理弗拉基米爾普京已擲出一和諧經濟社會的願景，從里斯本延伸到符拉迪沃斯托克以應對經濟危機。但總理默克爾則說，她將會對想法“冷水照頭淋”。
Writing in German daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung on Thursday (25 November), Mr Putin argued that more integration between Russia and the EU and even a "common contintental market" would allow them to overcome the effects of the crisis and prevent a new one from emerging.
星期四（11月25日）寫於德國的日報南德意志Zeitung，普京認為在俄羅斯和歐盟之間有更多的整合，和甚至是一個“共同的大陸性市場”，將讓它們克服危機的影響並防止出現新的。
Angela Merkel is not enthusiastic about Mr Putin's proposal (Photo: kremlin.ru)默克爾對普京的提議不熱衷（圖片：kremlin.ru）
We should be frank about it: The global economic crisis has revealed both Russia and the EU to be economically very vulnerable," Mr Putin wrote.
我們應該坦白：全球經濟危機揭露俄羅斯和歐盟兩者是非常經濟地脆弱，“普京寫道。
Russia is still too dependent on its oil and gas exports, he argued, while the EU has lost its competitive edge in the world through its de-industrialisation policy.
俄羅斯仍太依賴石油和天然氣出口，他認為，儘管歐盟透過其去工業化政策已在世界上失去其競爭優勢。
A "harmonious economic community stretching from Lisbon to Vladivostok" would imply strategic alliances in key industries, such as shipbuilding, car manufacturing, space exploration and the pharmaceutical industry.
一個“和諧的經濟社會，從里斯本延伸到符拉迪沃斯托克”將意味著在重點行業的戰略聯盟，如造船、汽車製造、空間探索和製藥業。
"In my view, we need to address the question as to how we can trigger a new wave of industrialisation across the European continent," he wrote.
“在我看來，我們需要解決問題，就是我們如何能夠在整個歐洲大陸引發新一波的工業化，”他寫道。
In the field of oil and gas, Russia's main exports to the EU, Mr Putin argued that the co-operation needs to be de-politicised and have European and Russian firms working together "from exploration and exploitation of energy resources all the way to the delivery to consumers."
"Politicisation" of Russia's energy exports has however so far been the trademark of Mr Putin's leadership, first as president and now as premier of his country. The former KGB officer famously wrote his PhD on how a state should make best use of its natural resources, although the paper was later on proved to have partly plagiarised US academics. He has been constantly criticised for sanctioning pro-democratic changes in countries such as Georgia and Ukraine with pricing disputes and even cut offs, while awarding more favourable regimes with lucrative gas deals.
In one such incident, back in January 2009, EU member states Bulgaria and Slovakia were left in the cold after Gazprom turned the tap off to Ukraine, then led by the "Orange Revolution" leader Viktor Yushchenko. A more Russia-friendly regime change in Kiev has since sealed a 20-year gas deal at favourable prices in return for an extension of Russia's naval presence in a Ukrainian port.
Speaking at a press conference in Berlin on Thursday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she had to "pour some cold water" on the ideas floated by Mr Putin.
"Of course we support the idea of a free trade zone between the EU and Russia but I have to pour a bit of cold water on it," she said.
"The steps that Russia has taken recently do not point in that direction," Ms Merkel added, in reference to plans championed by Mr Putin on withdrawing Russia's bid to join the World Trade Organisation and establish a customs union with Kazakhstan and Belarus instead.
The customs union came into force in July, but later on, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said it is not really working and has re-energised the WTO bid.
On Wednesday in Brussels, for instance, Russian negotiators agreed to phase out its tarriffs on raw materials such as timber, thus allowing the EU to lift its objections to the WTO bid. The move followed a similar endorsement from Washington, in September this year.
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