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by Angel Gurría, OECD Secretary-General
delivered at the Centre for Eastern Studies
Warsaw, Poland
24 November 2006
Dear Under-Secretary of State, Dear Ambassador, Dear Director, Ladies and gentleman,
It is a pleasure to be here at the Centre for Eastern Studies. I understand that this Centre was created in 1991 as a response to what was happening at the time in Russia and the rest of the former Soviet Union.
The changes of the past 15 to 20 years in Central and Eastern Europe have been remarkable. They have in a way redefined the world as it is today.
The end of the Cold War was a great opportunity and a great challenge. Poland is in many ways, one of the best examples of a country that rose to the challenge, making the most of a historical opportunity.
That you managed your transition in a democratic and peaceful manner, that you were so comprehensive and so successful is a testimony to the determination and energy of the Polish people.
Today, you are an inspiration to many, especially those further east, which still have much to do to develop market-based economies and free societies.
We are proud to have Poland as a member of the OECD. We’ve accompanied you during your transformation and your membership brought a new perspective to our policy debate.
Now we at the OECD are again confronted with the issue of enlargement. The OECD Council is in the middle of the discussion to determine which countries are ready for potential accession, and which others are there for enhanced engagement, following a Ministerial Mandate given to us on May 2006.
The Russians asked for accession to the OECD 10 years ago, and the OECD Council gave a positive initial opinion on their request. Today, a window of opportunity might be open for us to move on Russia’s request. But we need to review the best way to do this, taking into account the overall outlook for all countries that are interested in joining and with whom we have established some form of co-operation.
Russia stands as one of the most important. Not only because of their size and their influence in the world economy, but also because Russia is in the verge of a huge transformation and our co-operation with them can help them move the policy agenda for reform. For our member countries, Ukraine is not considered a priority for enlargement, but for enhanced engagement.
Both Russia and Ukraine have solicited our policy advice, have explicitly welcomed and encouraged our critical analysis of their policies. In the case of Russia, we have an extensive program of cooperation. This has been quite a challenge, as initially there was no tradition of free enterprise and market economics. Over the past few years, we have undertaken many policy reviews of Russia, including several Economic Surveys and a regulatory reform review. Our co-operation also includes issues related to investment policy, science and technology, education, agriculture, financial markets and environment. With Ukraine, things are not as advanced: we have conducted an assessment of governance and will soon undertake a first overall evaluation of their economy.
We also constantly invite Russian and Ukrainian policy makers to attend our Committee meetings as observers, which exposes them to OECD thinking. Russia is now an observer in 19 Committees and Working Groups.
This co-operation has been very fruitful. In a number of policy areas, we have moved beyond policy dialogue and engaged more actively in the implementation of institution building and structural reform.
But we should not take our role for granted.
Allow me to quote from an article written in 2004 by the Ambassador Woroniecki: “Russia will never make strategic choices just to please the Western democracies. Russia will make them in conformity with its interests as conceived by its leaders”.
The present situation, where some important countries are merely engaged with the OECD as non-Members, is not their view of the future. This observation strengthens my own conviction that, as long as the OECD does not offer the start of membership negotiations, its influence will remain limited.
Concerning Russia, for example, the OECD has worked actively with them for nearly fifteen years. Some believe that we should wait until they are ready to join, until they are sufficiently like-minded. Others prefer to bring them closer to us gradually, hoping that that will help us develop shared approaches and orientations.
Now, our Members have to ask themselves the question: Will a continuation of this status quo be sufficient to induce Russia to demonstrate its attachment to the basic values shared by all OECD members: an open market economy, the rule of law and a commitment to adhere to the OECD’s legal instruments? Or will only negotiations on accession give the international community the leverage to do so?
You are well placed to understand what is at stake. If we can ensure that countries to the East follow on Poland’s footpath and transform peacefully and successfully, we all will be better off. Better and safer.
We have much in common, and I look forward to working with you.
Thank you very much.
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