In shortened meeting, President highlights security issues, fleet standards and the need for western partnership (330 words)

Published: 9/14/2001

On 12th September, President Putin met managers of the Russian airlines and civil aviation organisations, including the GSGA and the interstate safety body, MAK. This was a scheduled meeting, but one that gained considerable interest from the local media in the light of the events on 11th September in the United States. The planned primary topic of the meeting was not security, but fleet renewal and other problems facing the industry's managers and regulators. In the circumstances, however, safety and security became the focus, although the meeting was reported to be considerably shortened, with Putin moving on to the pressing issues emerging as a result of events in the US. Putin told the airlines that he had ordered a review of security in the sector and asked the participants in the meeting to make their own recommendations to the government on how the situation might be further improved. He also briefly discussed the scheduled agenda, reflecting earlier statements that the administration was unhappy with the fact that 24% of the national fleet failed to meet international aviation standards. Most aircraft are over 10 years old, with just 0.3% renewed this year: a mere 5% of the rate that would be expected in the West. Putin said that the recently announced leasing schemes should make some impact, and accepted that it would be a long process, but commented that the government is too slow in realising the state concept of the development of civilian aviation, particularly the financial mechanisms that, he said, "could generate orders for plants and renovate the national fleet". He also criticised the process of restructuring the aviation industry, observing that"Once real steps have to be taken, everything grinds to a halt". Interestingly, Putin emphasised the need for Russian aviation companies to find western partners and said that companies should be more active in finding the “right” ones.

Article ID: 2759