RusEnergy

31.05.2005 14:56 MSK MosNews - In order to attract the investment it needs to thrive, Russia should set clear rules and apply laws consistently, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez said on Tuesday, May 31. The U.S. official is currently in Moscow, on his first visit to Russia since his appointment. Gutierrez, quoted by the Associated Press agency, said that Russia had made major progress in economic reforms in the past 15 years, but needed to do more to attract investment and boost its trade with the United States. Speaking to U.S. and Russian business representatives before meetings with Russian officials, Gutierrez said Russia must apply laws consistently and crack down on widespread piracy to create a better investment environment. "Regulations need to be consistently interpreted and uniformly applied from year to year and from company to company," he said. "As businesspeople, there's one thing we ask for, and that is certainty." Gutierrez said U.S. exports to Russia increased by 20 percent last year, but that "when you look at the Russian-U.S. trading relationship ... one of the immediate conclusions is that it could be so much bigger." Amid concerns among foreign businesses and diplomats about increasing state control over the economy and persistent anti-Western sentiment in the Kremlin, Gutierrez said Russia must understand it needs investment to sustain powerful growth. "Investment creates jobs, jobs create happiness," he said. "We believe it all starts with investment, we believe it all starts with creating climate so that people feel comfortable about putting their money in." Gutierrez reiterated persistent U.S. pressure on Russia to crack down on violations of intellectual property rights, saying that 80 percent of all business software in Russia is pirated. "Violators need to face prohibitive financial penalties and real jail time" instead of "insignificant, slap-on-the-wrist" punishments such as suspended sentences that allow pirates to go back into business.