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Councils

GENEVA COUNCIL - Making global markets work for all

23-24 November 1998

STATEMENT ON RUSSIA

The Council of the Socialist International meeting in Geneva on 23-24 November 1998:

recalls with concern the persistence of a difficult political and economic situation in Russia;

emphasises that every time Russia was unstable the entire continent of Europe suffered the repercussions, and stresses that the assurance of stability to Russia is decisive to the assurance of stability and security to the whole of Europe;

emphasises in particularthat in recent months there has emerged in Russia a worrying fragility which indicates that the strengthening of the political transition and the stabilisation of institutions must be a priority;

draws the attention of the Russian authorities to the important fact that legislation, the judicial system, public administration and relations between citizens and the state must be brought to the standards applied by democratic nations.

Therefore,

urges the international community not to limit its aid merely to the economic field but to implement a vast programme of assistance to the building of democratic institutions;

reiterates at the same time, the need to proceed with the implementation of economic reforms leading to an effective market economy, to the implementation of an efficient fiscal system and to a reglamented financial market;

underlines at the same time the need to implement a switch to a market inspired by criteria of social solidarity which correspond to the needs of the poorer strata of the population;

urges the Russian authorities at all levels to take up a determined fight against all forms of corruption, the illegal economy and organised crime including politically motivated crime which risk undermining the faith of citizens and international credibility in the reforms;

emphasises the serious consequences of a reduction of the international community's commitment and urges all states and financial institutions to carry through their assistance and support programmes of aid to Russia;

emphasises the decisive role that the European Union should play in its implementation of all the possibilities contained in the Cooperation Agreement, and in its assumption of the leadership in the provision of international assistance;

urges the Russian authorities to pursue political solutions to the conflicts underway in some republics of the Russian Federation, and thus positively assist in the solution of conflicts which are causing concern in the Caucasus and Central Asia;

notes that many political and social forces are inspired by social democratic values and principles, even if this does not yet ensure the emergence of strong and well organised social democratic parties;

stresses the priority commitment of the Socialist International and its member parties to the support of these forces and to operations enabling them to work and operate to their full potential.