NEW YORK, 9 Feb. /TASS./ The candidate in presidents of the Russian Federation Ksenia Sobchak during a trip in the USA were trying to establish non-governmental communication between the two countries, and Washington has held a number of meetings, including confidential. She spoke about it Thursday in new York, speaking in Germanovka the Institute of Russian, Eurasian and East European studies at Columbia University.
Sobchak, answering a TASS question about whether she talked with members of Congress, said, “Yes, I had different meetings, but, unfortunately, I’m not about all you can say because, as you know, these meetings are off-the-record (off the record – approx. TASS.”) With whom she came in contact with, the candidate did not elaborate, but told reporters that one of the informal meetings in which she participated, was a “compromise” in relations between the two countries.
Sobchak, as a candidate in presidents of Russia from party “Civil initiative”, confirmed that he was present at the prayer Breakfast held in Washington Thursday. “My first time was at the event and called for it as a time to socialize with various high-ranking officials, major figures, she said. – I have had several meetings, but this event is very strange, because very many formal speeches, not very deep in meaning and very long, during which nobody speaks. Therefore communication is extremely limited, and the event did not impress me, I will tell you honestly.”
Another reboot
Speaking about the purpose of his visit to the United States, Sobchak stated that it seeks to “establish a non-governmental ties” to create the conditions for “dialogue and collective discussion with the various parties in the sphere of future relations” between the two States. As explained Sobchak, the trip she wanted to demonstrate to the Russians that “is not afraid to visit America at a time when relations [between countries] are poor”. As explained by the presidential candidate, she is not bothered by allegations that in the US it came “to the owners”.
The presidential candidate added, “wants to open Russia to the world and to adopt European values, to accept Western values”. “I want to show a new vector of Russia’s foreign relations, and my vector is friendship and cooperation, resetting our relations with America,” she said.
Sobchak noted that the responsibility for the bad relations between Russia and the West lies in particular in the USA and the EU. “Russia is a major European power, we are Europeans, not Asians. A serious problem that America and the EU at some point decided to distance themselves from Russia,” she explained.
Sobchak said he believes this approach is wrong. “The only way is to let Russia in, not to keep her outside, she said. It means to take Russia in all European and American institutions, institutions of the West.” According to her, “this will benefit both sides.”
Worse than cold war
Speaking about the current situation in relations between the United States and the Russian Federation, Sobchak said: “you Should understand that we now have a situation worse than it was during the cold war because then there was only the amendment of Jackson – Vanik, and now there is a huge set of sanctions against the country.” According to her, the current anti-Russian restriction “even higher level of hostility than during the cold war.”
The candidate for the President in this regard, reiterated its position regarding the events in Ukraine. “In my opinion, it’s pretty obvious what would be the compromise, she said. – We need to immediately stop the war in the Donbass, we must withdraw our troops from the Donbass, it is a good reason to lift sanctions against Russia.”
“This is a compromise that our country – the United States and Russia – can not afford”, – said Sobchak. According to her, it would be a step “to this reboot”.
Foreign investment
Sobchak also spoke in detail about their proposals in the sphere of economy of the Russian Federation. Among the conditions necessary for prosperity of Russia, she has called the liberalization of the economy, eradication of corruption and the adoption of additional measures for the protection of private property rights.
The presidential candidate noted that advocates “reforming public corporations”. “At that time, as many liberals want to abolish and privatize them, I offer to change their managers and pass these posts with experienced and successful managers – Russians and foreigners,” she explained.
According to Sobchak, she advocates the abolition of restrictions on foreign investment in strategically important sectors of the economy. It is also preferred to focus on the economic development of the coastal areas of Russia.
