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Old October 27th, 2021 #15
Alex Him
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Meeting with Prime Minister of Israel Naftali Bennett



Vladimir Putin had a meeting with Prime Minister of the State of Israel Naftali Bennett at the Bocharov Ruchei residence in Sochi.



October 22, 2021 - 10:55






President of Russia Vladimir Putin:

Mr Prime Minister,

First of all, I would like to thank you for accepting my invitation and coming to Russia. Let me congratulate you once again on assuming the post of Prime Minister of Israel. It could be said that your visit is timed to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the resumption of diplomatic relations.

During this period, Russia and Israel have developed relations that are unique, to a certain extent, and there are good grounds for this. Firstly, the Soviet Union, and this country as its legal successor, stood, in effect, at the origins of the State of Israel. Secondly, Israel has what is probably the biggest Russian-speaking community outside of Russia, which includes many surviving veterans of the Great Patriotic War, and we feel special warmth towards these people.





It should be said that our trade and economic ties are developing successfully, even though they are still modest in terms of volume. During the first seven months of this year, trade has grown by 50 percent despite all the pandemic restrictions. And this is a very important component. There are also interesting areas – we discussed this with the former Israeli government – such as the hi-tech branches of the economy.

Of course, it would be very interesting and useful for me to exchange information with you on the situation in the region. As you may know, we are taking efforts to restore and strengthen Syrian statehood. There are problems in this regard, and they are numerous. But there are also points of contact and opportunities for cooperation, especially where matters related to fighting terrorism are involved.

In general, we have many issues that we can and should discuss. I am quite hopeful that despite the domestic political battles – and they are inevitable for any state – your government will pursue a policy of continuity with regard to Russian-Israeli relations. We have developed sufficiently business-like and trust-based relations with the previous government.

In any event, we are glad to see the head of the Israeli Government in Russia. Welcome!





Prime Minister of Israel Naftali Bennett (retranslated):

Thank you very much for the warm welcome, Mr President.

Relations with Russia – these days, we are symbolically celebrating the 30th anniversary of their resumption – are very special relations for Israel both because of our common past, and because of our present and future. We remember the past quite well, the immense efforts undertaken by the people of Russia and the Red Army to win victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. This was perhaps the most critical moment in the history of the entire world and, of course, that of the Jewish people.

It is our responsibility to pass on to future generations the feeling of gratitude that we have towards Russia through the dialogue we conduct, and through the historical documents, and even through the monuments we build. For example, the monument to the Russian soldier in Netanya and the monument to the victims and survivors of the Siege of Leningrad in Jerusalem are two monuments where you, Mr President, took part in their unveiling ceremonies while you were in Israel. As a person who paid much attention to the study of history, I cannot but appreciate the tremendous contribution and efforts of the Russian people and the huge price that they paid for Victory.





Mr President, I would like to tell you that we are completing the implementation of a major project – a new museum commemorating the Jewish soldiers who fought with the Allied armies during World War II, primarily, of course, the Red Army that had half a million Jewish soldiers, and 200,000 perished at the fronts. This will be a large museum and it will be named after the late President Chaim Herzog, father of the current incumbent Isaac Herzog. I would be glad to give you details about the museum during our conversation.

I would be glad to discuss with you many subjects related to our current cooperation and to the development of our economic, scientific, and cultural cooperation.

We in Israel have one million Russian-speaking “ambassadors.” They are making a huge contribution to the State of Israel, they are bringing great influence to bear on my country through the culture they have brought along, through their mentality and work culture, as well as through their achievements.





I would like to tell you a story that occurred earlier this week. I was visiting a wounded soldier at a hospital. His mother is a Russian-speaking Israeli. This was his second serious wound in the course of this year. I said: “I am Prime Minister of Israel, I am eager to help you. What can I do for you?” He replied: “All I want is to be back ASAP at my combat unit.”

We will discuss in detail, I am sure, Mr President, our economic cooperation. As you rightly said, we have much potential and we are able to actively boost our trade.

We will certainly discuss the situation in Syria and the ongoing efforts to stop the Iranian nuclear programme.





I would like to say in conclusion that our entire dialogue and all our relations are based on a very profound bond between our countries and peoples.

Mr President, you have spent 20 or even more years consolidating links between our countries and you have brought them to this level. I would like to tell you on behalf of our country and all our people that we see in you a very dear and real friend of the State of Israel and the Jewish people.

(In Russian) Spasibo.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/66978






Greetings on start of St Petersburg Open 2021



Vladimir Putin sent a message of greetings to participants, organisers and guests of the St Petersburg Open 2021 International Tennis Tournament.



October 23, 2021 - 16:00



The message reads, in part:

“These competitions, which traditionally bring together talented and ambitious tennis players from all over the world, have justifiably become one of the most important and eagerly anticipated events in the sports and public life of St Petersburg. The contestants in a fair and uncompromising standoff with their strong rivals showcase great professionalism, dedication and a true champion’s spirit, and offer the spectators a bounty of unforgettable vivid impressions.

I should also note that your tournament contribute to the promotion of tennis in our country, attracts new devoted fans to this dynamic and fascinating sport and sets a clear example for young people, showing that perseverance, hard work and stamina in pursuing one’s goals is the key to success.”




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/66986






Greetings on 75th anniversary of Gnessin Moscow Special School of Music (college)



Vladimir Putin sent a message of greetings to the staff, students and alumni of the Gnessin Moscow Special School of Music (college) on its 75th anniversary.



October 24, 2021 - 11:00



The message reads, in part:

“Founded in 1946, the school has become an important and inseparable part of the large Gnessin House and has carried on its legendary educational traditions. You can be rightly proud of the school’s rich history and its tremendous contribution to the development of musical art and Russia’s culture in general, as well as several generations of outstanding tutors and mentors. It is largely thanks to their selfless and sincere love for their students that the names and the brilliant performing art of the Gnessin School’s talented graduates are famous throughout the world.”




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/66988






Greetings to current staff and veterans of Russia’s customs agencies



The President congratulated current staff and veterans of the Russian Federation’s customs agencies on their professional holiday, Customs Officer Day.



October 25, 2021 - 09:00






President of Russia Vladimir Putin:

Friends,

I would like to offer my sincere greetings to all current and retired officers of the Federal Customs Service on their professional holiday and the 30th anniversary of establishing customs agencies in Russia. Their officers have continued the best traditions of many generations of their predecessors as the history of the national Customs Service goes back by many centuries.

The Customs Service has changed considerably over the years. An efficient and powerful agency was established following various transformations. Today, it serves as a solid pillar of the state and reliably ensures the country’s national interests.

The Federal Customs Service of Russia plays a significant role in replenishing the federal budget, helps expand foreign trade ties and improve the business environment. It addresses these and many other tasks in a responsible manner and with good results. Your large and close-knit team deserves credit for this.

Thank you for your work and for your dedication to your professional duty. I am confident that every person who has decided to serve the Motherland should abide by the same high requirements.





It is also important that you keep up with the times and improve the forms and methods of your work. For this purpose, you master advanced processes, including digital technologies, and strive to turn the Customs Service into a truly up-to-date and dynamic state agency.

I would like to note that the wide-scale introduction of interactive electronic services made it possible to radically reduce the time required for customs clearance. These procedures have become faster, more convenient and more understandable for the public, representatives of small and medium-sized businesses and major companies. This certainly makes the Russian economy more competitive and, what is very important, this makes people’s life more comfortable.

At the same time, various matters still have to be resolved as fast as possible. There are ample reserves for more transparent and simpler customs clearance procedures and for improving your Service’s overall performance. It is necessary to set the highest standards here, and to be guided by national interests and people’s needs. I expect the Federal Customs Service to continue expanding open dialogue with the business community and strengthening society’s trust.

Your unconditional priorities include active assistance to deepening integration processes in the Eurasian region and expanding cooperation with your colleagues from the Eurasian Economic Union and other countries.

In conclusion, I would like to once again congratulate you on your professional holiday and the anniversary of the Customs Service. I wish you every success for the benefit of Russia, happiness, health and all the best to you and your families and loved ones.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/66987






Telephone conversation with President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev



October 25, 2021 - 12:00



During the telephone conversation, Vladimir Putin warmly congratulated President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev on his convincing victory during the presidential elections.

The parties reaffirmed their mutual commitment to facilitating the all-round development of the entire range of Russian-Uzbek relations of strategic partnership and allied interaction.

The President of Russia also sent a message of greetings to Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

The message reads, in part:

“The voting results have completely confirmed your great political authority, as well as support for your line aimed at facilitating Uzbekistan’s socioeconomic development and the protection of its interests on the international scene.

You are making a major personal contribution to strengthening relations of strategic partnership and allied interaction between our countries. I am confident that we will continue to expand practical cooperation in various spheres through joint efforts and interact constructively in addressing topical matters of the regional and global agenda. This, doubtless, meets the interests of the friendly peoples of Russia and Uzbekistan and is consonant with maintaining peace, stability and security in Central Asia.”




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/66992






Meeting with Head of the Federal Customs Service Vladimir Bulavin



Vladimir Putin had a working meeting with Head of the Federal Customs Service Vladimir Bulavin.



October 25, 2021 - 13:50 - Novo-Ogaryovo, Moscow Region







President of Russia Vladimir Putin:

I know that you wanted to start our today’s meeting by discussing transformations and how the reform of our Customs Service is proceeding.

Please, let us begin.



Head of the Federal Customs Service Vladimir Bulavin:

Mr President, a year ago, I already reported to you that, in 2020, we had implemented sweeping transformations and a large-scale reform of the customs administration system. The reform was conducted under your decision and was accompanied by a substantial restructuring of customs agencies and an in-depth digital transformation of the customs process. We established online customs declaration centres, a chain of distributed centres – a total of 16 facilities, online customs offices, and the customs offices have been converted into customs facilities and monitoring posts.

As it happens, 2021, on the one hand, marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Federal Customs Service, and on the other hand, this is the first year that the Federal Customs Service has virtually worked within a system of new coordinates.

Although the year is not over yet, it is possible to sum up certain results.

In our opinion, the main principles of the reform that have been implemented have proved their worth. Most importantly, we have managed to accomplish two main tasks: Customs clearance has become faster, more transparent and more convenient for foreign economic operators, and the administrative burden on businesses has been reduced considerably. On the other hand, customs clearance has become more cost-effective for the state in the context of fulfilling customs agencies’ fiscal function. In the long run, we believe that all this has helped expand nationwide trade volumes.

I would like to dwell briefly on all these matters.

We managed to digitise almost all customs procedures during the reform. For example, our information systems process 860 million entries daily. It takes five seconds to write off customs payments from a single personal account, four seconds for the risk management system to check for customs risks, one second to send a request for data to the digital archive, and about 30 seconds to send request to another federal executive body for information that we need for customs clearance. This made it possible to automate individual customs clearance procedures.

This year, we have issued four million declarations in nine months, of which 3.2 million declarations were automatically entered into the system and slightly over one million were automatically issued. One electronic declaration is automatically issued in four minutes without any human input, which means quickly, efficiently and objectively.

In general, for risk-free supplies, it takes on average one hour and ten minutes that is, 70 minutes, to issue an electronic import declaration, and 36 minutes to issue an export declaration. Almost 80 percent of all declarations are issued within four hours, which is what the EAEU Customs Code specifies.

We believe this has had a significant impact on our relations with business entities. Almost 100 percent of the declarations are submitted online. All other contacts with the participants in foreign economic activity are maintained using the Personal Account of a Participant in Foreign Economic Activity service which can be used to submit a declaration online, make the necessary customs payments, check the status of current accounts, and submit the necessary documents, if requested. To reiterate, we have achieved our goal of making the customs clearance process faster, more efficient and user friendly.

And second, of course, it must be said that the customs procedure has become more effective for the state. This year we have transferred 4.8 trillion rubles to the federal budget over nine months. The forecast task has been exceeded by 133 percent: we have transferred 1.2 trillion more to the budget than the forecast task that we had.

It is generally accepted that customs payments are mainly export payments. The results of nine months of our work show that two-thirds are payments for imports and one-third for exports, that is, we have transferred 3.2 trillion in import and 1.6 trillion in export payments.

It should be noted that overall, this year the Russian Federation’s trade grew 35 percent compared with the first nine months of last year and amounted to US$540 billion. Our exports amount to US$310 billion and imports to US$230 billion, which means we have a generally positive balance. Of course, these volumes have different elements: the growth in value of both imports and exports or payments introduced for the supply of grain and timber; but at the same time, we believe that there is also such an element as the efficiency of customs clearance at the electronic declaration centres. We are handling the increasing bulk of trade quite well.

I would like to note our cooperation with the railway. This year we have moved our joint work online, which means that now we have ensured that electronic documents are provided once and the zero VAT for exporters is confirmed online, which has had a significant impact on the movement of goods along the railway. In general, their volumes have grown almost 1.5 times.

Transit on our railways has also grown significantly. The railway has a profit of about 50 billion rubles from transit alone. This year, the container traffic will amount to more than one million containers, and this will also entail a total effect of about 60 billion rubles according to the data the railway has.

This means we believe that the reforms we have carried have reached their goal: we have largely facilitated and sped up the customs procedures and made the customs process more business-friendly, without losing control over customs. The customs procedure is quite effective for protecting the interests of the state.





Vladimir Putin:

How much are you going to contribute to the budget this year?



Vladimir Bulavin:

For nine months, we exceeded our targets by 1.2 trillion. If the estimates are not revised upwards in the near future, I think we might exceed this figure. It is hard to make predictions right now.



Vladimir Putin:

The Government will hear you and make adjustments.

You have an extensive programme for upgrading checkpoints. How is it progressing, besides the electronic platforms?



Vladimir Bulavin:

Mr President, we are actively working with the Ministry of Transport on this, and the creation of an intelligent checkpoint is one of our joint projects – this project is included in the Customs Service Development Strategy to 2030. That is, we are developing a conceptual scheme for an intelligent checkpoint and creating a digital platform that will be used by the oversight bodies working at the checkpoints. According to our plan, this will ensure non-stop movement of goods for risk-free deliveries of consignments.

I would also like to note that we are now working on creating a project for digital analysis of the images made by customs inspection complexes. We are using artificial intelligence in the customs service, since our product range includes 12,500 items, and the computer must first be taught to identify each particular consignment so that it commits them to memory so as to be able to analyse images it receives from customs inspection complexes without supervision.

In addition, our joint plan with the Ministry of Transport includes equipping the checkpoint with streaming customs inspection complexes, which will scan incoming vehicles without their drivers needing to leave them. At present, it takes about six minutes to scan a vehicle. Currently, a vehicle must first stop and the driver, in order to avoid radiation, must get out, and then the vehicle gets scanned (there are two options: either the frame goes around it, or a vehicle gets pulled through the frame), and this takes about six minutes, or 10 vehicles per hour. If we continue to work like this, clearly, we will not be able to scan more than 240 vehicles [per day]. During the summer, when the workload is heavy, 500 or even more vehicles pass through our checkpoints.





Vladimir Putin:

I see.

What areas require special attention?



Vladimir Bulavin:

We are aware of these checkpoints. Currently, they include Burachki, European direction, and the Pskov Region where the checkpoint is being renovated. Upper Lars in Georgia is always a problem. This year, this checkpoint was closed for about 90 days due to bad weather with snow drifts and avalanches. Lower Zaramag in Azerbaijan is also being renovated. All three checkpoints are under renovation.



Vladimir Putin:

Good. Thank you.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/66993






Greetings to participants and guests of the Middle East Green Initiative launch ceremony



Vladimir Putin sent his greetings to the Middle East Green Initiative Summit being held in the capital of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.



October 25, 2021 - 17:00



The message reads, in part:

“Russia attaches high priority to environmental issues, and we commend the efforts of the Saudi leadership to protect the environment and overcome environmental problems that directly affect the quality of life of millions of people.

The initiative put forward by the Kingdom is very relevant and timely. The Middle East today faces serious environmental challenges, including pollution of the biosphere, a shortage of fresh water, increasing droughts, and emerging risks to food security.

It is important that the comprehensive and balanced action programme developed by Saudi specialists provides for the widespread use of advanced technologies, including for ensuring the rational use of natural resources and planting greenery in large desert areas. The implementation of such an ambitious project will certainly promote major environmental improvements in the Middle East and will become a significant contribution to global efforts on the environmental track.

I would like to wish our Saudi and other Middle Eastern partners success in advancing this green initiative and reaffirm that Russia, in turn, is ready to build up comprehensive international cooperation in protecting the environment.”




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/66999






Telephone conversation with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson



Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson.



October 25, 2021 - 18:30



Climate issues were discussed in depth in light of Britain’s preparations for the upcoming World Leaders Summit to be held in Glasgow on November 1–2, which will open the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26). The Russian side noted its commitment to international obligations and its intention to consistently reduce the national economy’s carbon footprint. Boris Johnson welcomed Russia's plans to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. Vladimir Putin noted that the Russian delegation in Glasgow will contribute to the successful work of this important international forum.

The Russian President and the British Prime Minister exchanged assessments of bilateral relations. They expressed the shared opinion that, despite obvious problems, it is necessary to establish cooperation between Moscow and London in a number of areas.

The leaders reviewed several pressing items on the international agenda as well. When discussing the situation in Afghanistan, Vladimir Putin informed his counterpart about the outcomes of the expanded troika consultations and the Moscow format meeting that were held last week in the Russian capital. The leaders were supportive of maintaining the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on the Iranian nuclear programme, which is an important factor in ensuring security and maintaining the non-proliferation regime. Vladimir Putin outlined in detail Russia's approach to resolving the internal Ukraine conflict provided the unconditional implementation of the Minsk agreements.

It was agreed that the parties will maintain the necessary contacts regarding the issues discussed during the conversation.




The source of information - http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/67000
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