Edit 14 September: Pavel has just published a piece on Eurasia Daily Monitor regarding Medvedev and Putin's contrasting political shows, with the Global Policy Forum in Jaroslavl being Medvedev's.Original post 11 September: I have just arrived by train to Moscow, after attending the Global Policy Forum (GPF) in Jaroslavl, some 4 hours north of here. The forum is a meeting ground for politicians, analysts, businesspeople and others. About 750 people from some 45 countries, many from Russia, attended. For me, with at best superficial knowledge of Russia – and of relations between Russia and ‘the West’ - this was a very interesting experience.
The forum itself is a Medvedev initiative. Reportedly, this is what he wants for a birthday present (he is born on 14 September); to be seen engaging in intellectual exchange with leading thinkers. The event was pulled off in the midst of a confrontation between Medvedev and Yuri Luzhkov, the mayor of Moscow, which many see as the forerunner of a possible confrontation between the President and Prime Minister Putin (Luzhkov associate) in the run-up to the 2012 presidential elections. In an act of defiance, Luzhkov attended the forum, but I was unable to ascertain his whereabouts after Medvedev ‘s arrival in Jaroslavl.
The topic of the conference – ‘The Modern State: Standards of Democracy and Criteria for Efficiency’ gave only a rough indication of its focus. I attended the session on ‘Regional Systems of Global Security’. Just having edited a special issue on failing states and regional security, I thought I was well prepared, but to my surprise when the main focus of the day was a possible new security deal between Russia and the West, with many references to Medvedev’s invitation from the Munich Security Conference two years ago. Regional security cooperation as such was barely discussed.
Even more surprising to me was the realization that Cold War polarity continue to inform much of the debate. References to a different conception of security comes in the form of new threats (terrorism, migration), but the state remains the prime referent of security, and relationships between states are couched as a zero-sum game (despite Medvedev’s insistence that no state shall seek security at the cost of other states). A bit disheartening.
The high level section of the forum included visits by Italian president Berlusconi and South Korean President Lee. Berlusconi improvised a speech – he gave up his manuscript to the chair, realizing it was not fit for the occasion – in which he praised democracy, called upon courts to understand that their role was to support the state (!), and talked warmly about his initiative to strengthen research and medical practice so that life expectancy could be raised to 120 years. A good speaker.
Unfortunately, the key commentator at the high level segment, world systems theorist Immanuel Wallerstein, was cut short due to time constraints. Wallerstein, I was told, has many of his works translated, and is widely read here. So is the Norwegian economist Erik Reinert. The list included a number of other academics, including Northwestern University sociologist Georgi Derluguian and SSRC President and NYU professor Craig Calhoun, both of whom we are likely to see at PRIO before end of year.
Jaroslavl celebrates its 1000th anniversary this year, and yesterday all GPF guests were invited to the grand opening. A great show with hundreds of performers on stage, including a symphony orchestra, a choir, singers, dancers, actors and artists – and a greeting by President Medvedev. I was quite impressed, an amalgamation of Russian patriotism, powerful Soviet dramaturgy, all very tightly choreographed. The most touching moment was when Valentina Tereshkova, the first ever woman in space and a native of Jaroslavl, was called upon. The new planetarium, one of dozens of building projects ready for the millennary celebration, bears testimony to her local status. With or without the GPF, Jaroslavl is a beautiful city, certainly worth a visit.
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