“You can’t be alone in this world” – Kommersant FM

The Eastern Economic Forum opens in Vladivostok. As an intrigue, it is possible that the leader of North Korea will come to Russia these days. Meanwhile, the only foreign participant in the plenary session will be Laotian Vice President Pani Yathotou. Kommersant FM political commentator Dmitry Drize believes that the participation of foreigners in such events is no longer a priority.

The center of business activity in the Russian Federation these days is moving from Moscow to Vladivostok, where the Eastern Economic Forum opens with the participation of the President of Russia. The only foreign dignitary at the plenary session will be Laotian Vice President Pani Yathotou. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov explained to reporters on September 10 that this was a woman, so that there were no mistakes.

It is necessary to say a few words separately about this state in Southeast Asia, which is officially called the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. At one time, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov confused it with the Lugansk People’s Republic. The sound is really similar. So, in May, the chairman of United Russia, Dmitry Medvedev, visited the country. The result of the visit was an agreement on the development of relations between United Russia and the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (abbreviated as LPRP).

And recently, in an Asian country, two prestigious schools began to study Russian. So Russia is returning to its traditional niches since Soviet times. Or rather, he is trying to return. By the way, US President Joe Biden went straight from India to Vietnam. So, as we see, the struggle for influence in undecided countries continues.

However, let’s return to Vladivostok. Of course, the main intrigue of the upcoming event is the visit of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to us. There is no certainty on this score; everything is shrouded in a terrible mystery. Nevertheless, there is a possibility that dear comrade Kim will still visit us. Maybe he will not take part in the WEF, but the meeting with the President of Russia will take place one way or another – somewhere in a secluded place so that the enemies do not know. Hence the mystery. Or maybe they don’t want to advertise in the Kremlin – after all, the state is ambiguous.

It should be noted, of course, that quite recently, about three years ago, Japan was the main participant in the forum. Of course, much, if not all, came down to requests to return these most ill-fated islands of the Kuril chain. And even at some point it seemed that they were about to achieve their goal, but no. And now this is history.

Moreover, in 2022, Vladimir Putin tried to deprive his neighbors of the high right to be called the Land of the Rising Sun, since Russian territories purely geographically lie east of Japan. However, no one in the world seemed to agree with this. And this celestial body still flaunts on the Japanese national flag.

Enough lyrical digressions. Another cynic will say: there used to be times when the Prime Minister of Japan, the President of South Korea, the Chairman of the People’s Republic of China, and now only the Vice President of Laos and Kim Jong-un came to Vladivostok as a big sensation. Maybe not to hold such events at all? So to speak, for the sake of economy. It is not easy to answer, the main thing is that it should be useful.

It is difficult to imagine North Korea and Laos as investors in the Russian economy. However, why not. They invite North Koreans to our construction sites. Here, perhaps, the citizens of Laos will come and help in any way they can. Any real partner is better than nothing.

This thesis is, of course, debatable. But the fact remains that one cannot remain alone in this world. True, there is also one difficult aspect here – it is better to have no friends at all than such. Be that as it may, we will open up new opportunities for ourselves.

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