Dmitry Medvedev took part in the APEC CEO Summit, the plenary session of the APEC Business Advisory Council, APEC Leaders and APEC Business Advisory Council Dialogue, and a meeting of APEC leaders with Pacific Island nation leaders.
Dmitry Medvedev’s remarks:
APEC leaders
17 November 2018
Dmitry Medvedev speaks at the APEC CEO Summit
17 November 2018
Meeting with Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea Peter O’Neill
17 November 2018
Meeting with Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea Peter O’Neill
17 November 2018
Plenary session of the APEC Business Advisory Council
17 November 2018
APEC Leaders and APEC Business Advisory Council Dialogue
17 November 2018
APEC leaders’ meeting with Pacific Island nations leaders
17 November 2018
APEC leaders’ meeting with Pacific Island nations leaders
17 November 2018
Mr Chairman of the APEC CEO Summit Isikeli Taureka,
Colleagues, ladies and gentlemen,
First of all, I would like to express our gratitude to our partners from Papua New Guinea for their hospitality and good organisation of the APEC CEO Summit, an authoritative forum that provides an opportunity for direct communication with leading business representatives in the Asia-Pacific region. This kind of dialogue is highly relevant at the moment, perhaps more than ever, given the complex and sometimes unpredictable situation that has developed in the global economy.
On the one hand, the global economy has generally recovered from the 2008 crisis. Many system-wide errors that had led to the crisis were exposed then and subsequently corrected. These changes affected the financial markets and public debt management. We all worked on it, including Russia. Large banks have revised their high-risk asset policies.
But on the other hand, the revival of the economy is still slow and unstable. Unfortunately, the global situation looks worse than it did 10 years ago in a number of aspects. Total world debt has increased significantly. Emerging markets have become more vulnerable – this is absolutely certain. The monetary policies have become tighter. The vast majority of countries have not yet reached their target GDP growth rate. In some countries, protectionist sentiments are growing, manifested not only in theoretical arguments, but also in practical decisions. This can lead – has already led, in fact – to trade wars.
More will be posted soon…
International conference on Libya
Dmitry Medvedev headed the Russian delegation at the conference.
Dmitry Medvedev’s press briefing after the conference
Excerpts from the transcript:
The heads of delegations from the states participating in the International Conference on Libya
13 November 2018
With Prime Minister of Greece Alexis Tsipras
13 November 2018
With President of Switzerland Alain Berset
13 November 2018
International Conference on Libya
13 November 2018
International Conference on Libya
13 November 2018
Dmitry Medvedev’s briefing following the International Conference on Libya
13 November 2018
The heads of delegations from the states participating in the International Conference on Libya
Question: What were the results of the conference, in your view? What was the gist of your remarks today?
Dmitry Medvedev: These are very complicated processes that are difficult to explain. Otherwise, almost 40 delegations wouldn’t have come here and we wouldn’t have had a limited attendance preliminary meeting in which several neighbouring countries and the Russian Federation took part on a par with the organisers, by which I mean Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte. The situation is not easy. Regrettably, this is connected with the dramatic events of 2011, which were directly instigated by our EU partners, the United States and some other countries. These processes are related to the flagrant violation of UN resolutions on the events in Libya.
As a result, it no longer exists as a full-fledged state. It has been divided into parts. There are several leaders who have gathered here. They communicate with great difficulty but still communicate, shake hands, take pictures and discuss complicated issues. What are these complicated issues? The formation of a new united political system for modern Libya, which should be determined by Libyans themselves and their political representatives. This system should include all government institutions: a supreme executive power, a president (or any equivalent title of their choice) that, in all probability should be supreme commander-in-chief (currently these positions are separate and interpreted differently), parliament and other government bodies.
This process is not easy. Agreement on many issues remains out of reach. However, there are also countries facilitating this process, for instance, Italy where all of us have gathered, and France that hosted an earlier meeting. So the process is ongoing. We are also taking part in it because we believe it is important for the entire region. Ultimately, it is important for maintaining tranquility in Europe because, as you know, many problems stem directly from Libya. I am referring to bandits, drug traffickers and the spread of radical ideology, which reaches Europe through various channels. It may reach Russia as well. This is why it is in our interest to reach a settlement.
We will certainly step up our efforts towards this goal. I have discussed this issue with all of my colleagues today. I have just spoken with one of Libya’s executive leaders, Mr al-Sarraj (Head of the Government of National Accord Fayez al-Sarraj). We have also had contacts with other participants in the dialogue on political reconciliation in that country. We continue these contacts here and in Russia from time to time. I frankly told our partners that we will maintain contacts with all participants in the dialogue on national reconciliation because this is important for the efforts to piece together a new configuration for the state. Nonetheless, everything depends 90 percent on Libyan citizens themselves, on the political forces that were represented here. If they come to terms, there will be a single state and economic development. We are ready to cooperate and develop economic projects with it. If they don’t come to terms, more conferences will be held. But in any event it is necessary to find a way out.
Question: Mr Medvedev, another major international event – a forum in Davos – will be held soon. At what level will Russia be represented this year, considering the decisions that its organisers have already announced?
Dmitry Medvedev: These decisions were very strange, putting it mildly. I have just spoken with the President of the Swiss Confederation on this matter. I told him that we were surprised by these decisions, all the more so as it is an NGO at issue. He said he will make an inquiry. If the decisions on representatives of Russian business remain unchanged, we will have to decline to participate in the Davos forum on behalf of government employees and partially government-owned Russian companies. In this case nobody will go there. We will have to wait and see.
Оn 18–19 November, Dmitry Medvedev is to pay official visit to Vietnam
On 18–19 November 2018, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev will pay an official visit to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
While in Hanoi, he will hold talks with Prime Minister of Vietnam Nguyen Xuan Phuc. He will also meet with General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trọng and Chairperson of the National Assembly of Vietnam Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan.
There are plans to discuss topical issues of Russian-Vietnamese cooperation in trade, investment, industry and energy. The sides will review the implementation of major joint infrastructure, high-tech, educational and humanitarian projects, including the Year of Russia in Vietnam (2019) and the Year of Vietnam in Russia (2019).
On 17-18 November, Dmitry Medvedev will lead the Russian delegation to the APEC meeting in Papua New Guinea
On 17-18 November 2018, the Prime Minister of Russia will attend the 26th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting to be held in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
During the meeting, the heads of state and government of the APEC economies will discuss current issues on the global and regional agenda. Particular attention will be paid to promoting the development of the digital economy to ensure sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
A joint declaration is to be adopted following the discussions.
Meeting with Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China Li Zhanshu
The meeting took place as part of Dmitry Medvedev’s official visit to China.
Excerpts from the transcript:
Dmitry Medvedev’s meeting with Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China Li Zhanshu
Li Zhanshu (via interpreter): Mr Medvedev, I warmly welcome you on behalf of the NPC. You participated in the first China International Import Expo, as well as the 23rd regular meeting of Russian and Chinese heads of government. The day before yesterday in Shanghai, you were received by President Xi Jinping. During the meeting, you exchanged views on a number of current issues in bilateral relations. This is evidence of the high importance that President Xi Jinping attaches to your visit, as well as to the overall development of Chinese-Russian relations.
This morning, you and Premier Li Keqiang had very detailed, substantive talks. This indicates the high level and special character of Chinese-Russian relations. In recent years, under the strategic leadership and thanks to the personal efforts of our leaders, President Xi Jinping and President Vladimir Putin, Chinese-Russian relations have entered a new era. Our interaction is a model for building relationships of friendship, harmony and amity between great powers and neighbours. Together we have made a strong contribution to the creation of a new type of international relations and human community.
The international situation is very complicated and alarming, with worrying trends such as the use of force, hegemony, unilateral actions and protectionism on the rise. At the same time, we believe that the modern world is like a global village, where the interests of different states are closely intertwined. Today, in fact, we live in a community that has a common destiny; this can be figuratively described as “I am with you, you are with me.” We believe that no single country alone can cope with challenges today, and no single country can live on a separate island of self-isolation …
