Russia has a right to expect more foreign investment because of its strong economy, the President Vladimir Putin said
Russia has a right to expect more foreign investment because of its strong economy, the President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday after the meeting with key world businessmen.
Speaking to German companies? chiefs form natural gas producing giant E.ON-Ruhrgas and electrotechnical concern Siemens, a day after he held similar talks with top executives from the U.S. companies, Putin repeated a promise to create better conditions for business through extensive reform.
Rusian president did not mention the Yukos case at the meeting, which has been frightening the foreign investors during the last 2 years. Thus, assuring the investors in Russia?s safety for business was the top task of the talks.
?We are preparing additional, highly essential steps for institutional reform and lessening bureaucracy, strengthening the rights of proprietors, breaking up monopolies and also a clearer regulation of the work of tax bodies,? Putin, quoted by the Reuters agency, said.
He pointed to Russia?s strong economic indicators such as an annual growth rate of around 5.5 percent, gold and foreign exchange reserves of $150 billion and a significant cut in external debt since 1999, as reasons why his country should appear attractive to investors. ?This all creates conditions for developing cooperation and I think that we have a right to count on more investment,? he said.
