I am “shocked” that RT took a break from its daily dishing out of neo-liberal advise to Russia to publish this thoughtful and sober interview. It is ironic that RT reporters almost never ask the U.S and European “experts” why must Russia copy a neo-liberal economic model that failed in the U.S and Europe. NATO and EU serve the economic and geo-political aims of the United States. So, Russia joining NATO can only happen with the destruction of independent Russia. It is clear that Valdai is propaganda venue from which the neo-liberalizers come to once a year to lecture to Russia. I do not see any meaningful civilizational dialogue taking place in the current Valdai forum. I see one way tunnel vision monologue from the U.S and EU experts lecturing to Russia. This is not helpful way to advance new multi-polar world.

PR101, We ain't copying anything that doesn't work, be that debt, corporate or banking corruption of the political system, the financial world elite control, unsustainable immigration, deportation of Roma, distribution of wealth through socialist theft, commercialisation of criminal justice, invasion of countries for ideaological and plain racist reasons, torture, secret prisons and the list goes on and on. Basically we won't copy the West. But we have to understand it, and we have to interface with it, because a mutipolar world doesn't mean isolation on islands, what it actually means is integration and building a community with diverse views and positions and more importantly independent power to ensure checks and balances in the world. This is what then actually will improve the west and develop it away from its colonial ways, and more towards a responsible citizen of the world in a world community. The affect is beneficial for everyone, imagine if we can stop the barbarity of stoning someone to death or frying them in an electric chair. All this can be possible in a multipolar world as participants want to integrate, want to trade, it is the WEC (EEC gone global). Russia is leading thsi effort, we are ROWing our way steadily along towards our goal. Anyone who doesn't understand that, doesn't understand Russia.

Very encouraging and helpful insight into today's Russia.

Finally, something that makes sense out of Valdai forum. Very good interview and analysis. Some of the other "expert opinions" and proposals out of that forum are down right scary and delusional, it seems. I wonder why? Whose interests are behind proposals, like Russia joining NATO? Or a cynical interview of the so called "expert" Maksim Shevchenko? I don't think, interests of the Russian people, for one. So who pushes that kind of agenda? Russia has to remember what happened in the 1990s, when it followed "kind advice" from the US, which ended in disaster. And please, someone tell all these "experts" to stop using this word "elites" the repeat all the time! It sounds stuck up and, well, elitist. Not a good idea! Hopefully, Russian leadership is smart enough to understand all this. I am almost sure Putin would get it. But I wonder if Medvedev does?

Count Cash I do understand your position. Still I do think that when all that comes from this and similar meeting is one way lecturing monologue to Russia by the neo-liberalizers in the West, then, it is hard to see where is the dialogue you mention is taking place? Many thanks

The SACEUR (NATO-Europe) Commander in Chief is always an American. That is a requirement. If Russia joins NATO it would lose Sovereignty in exchange for Security...or not? Because participating in a War against China would be a disaster for Russian security. For the U.S., being isolated between the Atlantic and the Pacific, a War in Asia doesn´t cause a fundamental threat to its own security and existence, but for a country like Russia a War against China could affect its own existence. So, for Russia is better an approach similar to the one Finland had between the USSR and NATO. Finland had economic and diplomatic ties with both USSR and NATO eve if much larger with NATO and the EU. Russia also has good relations with both NATO/EU/US and CHINA, even if for demographic and cultural reasons it is closer to the West. But Russia has never had a War against China while Wars against Western neighbors were usual. So, if the two largest emerging markets, CHINA and INDIA, continue being interested in Russian weapons that would be great for its Defense industry. Yes, Israel and Syria are at odds, but Israel has been a U.S. client for decades while Syria has been a Russian clients. During the last decade Russia lost Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Czech Republic etc as clients, and only got Venezuela as new client thanks to a President like Hugo Chavez that Washington doesn´t like. So should Russia lose all its clients? A permanent dialogue, Partnership for Peace and Customs Union with the EU would be enough while at the same time keeping an "special relatinship" with China (Shangai initiative, Far East etc) NATO has always been a US Protectorate where European member states have a limited Sovereingty. Of course, that could change, and Russian membership of NATO could lead to a Defense Council with three representatives: 1. A Commander in Chief from the U.S., 2. A Commander in Chief from the E.U. 3. A Commander in Chief from Russia. But look to the Budget: who pays? U.S.

About technology, just remember that internet (based on Arpanet) or the GPS are a consequence of investment from the U.S. Government, and especially from the Department of Defense as both are military projects later adapted for civilian use. U.S. Government intervention in aerospace technologies (which usually live from the U.S. Government spending) led to a great number of inventions applied in consumer goods (like the microwave oven) The USSR also had a lot of research and inventions, but without consequences in the daily life of the Russian citizens as they were not translated into consuner goods. Billons of roubles and dollars were lost. Now what the Government pretends is basically that research translates into consumer goods which can be sold to the rest of the World, and first into the Russian market.

Very well said Count Cash!!!! Very well said... Kyle Keeton

PR101, Did I say anything about dialogue? You can listen can't you, be polite, drink the wine, shake the hands...... do you do everything, or act on anything of a previous conversation? Russia is a country, like others we legitimately do Politics, part of all Politics is talking and listening. Be careful not to judge Russia from outside, please step inside if you want to understand us. Because our home is different to the street. Also be careful how much power you ascribe to Oligarchs, like trust funds, you might find they run out.

Count Cash, I do not have any problem with pleasantries, fake smiles, wine and cheese, etc, but when these banal exchanges are given official institutional discursive space- they do not remain just polite exchanges; these exchanges are transformed in the modes of knowing and expressing the relationship between Russia and the West and Russia and the rest of the world.

On the question from RT about modernization I absolutely agree with Dr. Mikhail Delyagin who said: "Even in the countries where prisons are private, modernization is stimulated by the state.Common people cannot perform strategic planning...The Soviet Union was the second or third in the world in terms of technological progress and the absolute leader in social modernization. Ever since its collapse, we have been living in the situation of catastrophe and regress, destroying everything positive that we used to have." In addition to that I want to remind that USA which is famous in its microelectronics and all industries dependent on it gain these technological advancements not by private investments in private corporations but primarily by state investments through various defense ministry contracts. These defense projects are of course paid by the state i.e. by the society and then these core-fundamental technologies are given to the corporations who only performed non-fundamental, non-expensive researches what basically came to packaging of fundamental technology into the final products! So even in the "capitalist" USA the most important technological advancements are made by the whole society through tax payed defense ministry projects! USSR, although having not good start position after being ruined in WW2, still achieved significant breakthroughs in all scientific and technological fields including microelectronics! Everything that the so called "liberals" sold to Russia since 1985 was actually cheap propaganda whose goal was not to create successful societies but WEAK societies! The idea was not to create successful Russia but WEAK Russia! Not successful eastern Europe but WEAK eastern Europe! All for the benefit of the western imperialists! Today even the blind can see the devastating results of these liberal policies throughout the world, including Russia!

It is not the West and USA, but the Russian elite and oligarchs who are pushing Russia to adopt more western economic and political processes. The West and USA are only responding to the Russian requests for help. Thus, some lectures may be needed.

PR101, So tell me what Russian government view was espoused in these meetings for the world to judge? If you tell me something, and I listen, does that make it my position? I think Putin made it clear he does not accept these views, now he is Russian government. We need to move away from a conflict model in ths world, where it is like kindergarten, that if you sit and talk to someone else then you have moved to that gang..... Indeed to move forward in this world we need start talking more and more and elevate this world back into diplomacy and away from the western gun boat. The cold war construct is wrong. That doesn't mean of course that the west is not trying to undermine Russia, it just means leave that up to our security guys, and then try to move forward for a long term solution which must be through multipolar order, economic dependence and contact between peoples. Too many are always looking for confilct, of course it is there, but you move forward by meeting your opponents with strength, then bargain for a mutiully better future that preserves and balances interests. Merely focusing on conflict, imprisons you in it. I would only be concerned if the government made a statement that was in line with the western lecturing. How much attention does this forum really get in the world!!!!!

Well if Putin is the currently "the government" of Russia, then, he has figured the right course for the country. Putin, I am certain, has read Hegel in Law school. You see, dialogue is dialogical and in the context of Hegel’s Master and the Slave, the need for [reciprocal recognition] cannot take place without the Master realizing the ontology of the slave. In fact this is the gist of the proposition of this expert but you do not seem to see his point of view. Russia cannot force the “master” to engage in dialogue- if all the master wants is to repeat his own self reflection masquerading as a dialogue. If Putin refused to engage in this type of monologue then he is on the right path. In this case, the neo-liberalizers will have to reach the bottom. Only then will they be willing to engage in dialogical conversation. I reject the suggestion that Putin seeks conflict and antagonism. Putin is the only break against neo-liberalizers both inside Russia and outside Russia. He wants to open Russia to Asia and the Muslim world, independent Europe and the U.S and Latin America. I think the path he charted is the correct path for Russia at the moment. I do not have pre-fabricated formulas. What I would like to see is that forums like Valdai become more open to dialogical engagement than neo-liberal sloganeering venue.

PR101, If I am in a court and enter a monologue against the judge, does that make me the master, even if he was to panda to my whim and pretend to listen? He is the one with the power. Do not confuse the orator with the master, you need to identify the master first before you can apply the theory. When did the west become master over Russia? Never! The only thing that saved Russia from becoming the slave was the SU might and to be blunt nuclear weapons.

Count Cash, the master and slave in the Hegel sense does not suggest hierarchy of power of the Master and Slave relationship in the commonsense. In the Hegelian sense, the master needs the slave’s recognition as well. Dialogue transcends the need to dominate the other but as present, the West-by which I mean the United States and its subordinate Europe-want to dominate Russia. In other words, since they cannot dominate Russia, there only way out is to stop trying dominate the other. So we are on the same side of the argument. I do think that your example of the plaintiff or lawyer speak to a judge-where the judge has all the power does not fit philosophical analysis of Hegel’s Master and the Slave Complex.