Putin Calls for a Strong Russia for Integrity, Competitiveness

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Saturday, May 17, 2003

Putin Calls for a Strong Russia for Integrity, Competitiveness

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that the only way to maintain national integrity isby being "a strong power."

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Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that the only way to maintain national integrity isby being "a strong power."

Delivering his annual State of the Nation Address before parliament, Putin recalled historical experience and pointed out that "a country like Russia can live and develop within its current borders only when it is a strong power."

"Russia will be a strong country with modern, well equipped and mobile armed forces, an army prepared to protect Russia and its allies, to protect the country's national interests and its citizens," he said.

The president put forward new strategic objectives for Russia, saying more efforts should be made to win "a firm position among the truly strong, economically advanced and influential states in the foreseeable future."

Russia was unable to reach the goals in the past because of "numerous other urgent problems," he noted, adding that the country has always faced the danger of disintegration whenever it became weak, politically or economically.

He said Russia must and will be a country with a competitive market economy, a country in which ownership rights are reliably protected and economic freedom enables the people to work honestly and earn without fear and restriction.

The president warned that Russia should not rest on the laurels of its political and economic successes since it faces "serious threats" including the spread of nuclear weapons and continuing threats of terrorism.

Putin admitted that the foundation of the Russian economy at present is not strong enough to be competitive in the world economy, pointing out that most of the industrial sectors are not competitive, the political system is underdeveloped, the state machinery is inefficient, and the poverty rate is not declining quickly enough.

However, the president expressed his belief that there is an opportunity for the objectives to come true, adding that Russia has been and will be a country with a developed civil society and stable democracy.

"Russia will fully ensure human rights and civil and political freedoms," he promised.

This is Putin's fourth and last state of the nation address before the Federal Assembly in his first term in office. He was elected president in March 2000.

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