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Prime Minister makes remarks on comparing Russia to other nations

Medvedev indicated that whether someone likes it or not, the Russian economy looks in many wakes as other developed Western economies do

MOSCOW, April 17 (Itar-Tass) – If any comparisons are to be drawn between Russia’s economic indicators and the figures on the performance of other nations, it would stand to reason to draw comparisons with developed nations, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said Wednesday as he addressed the deputies of the State Duma.

“As regards the general economic indicators, which Gennady Andreyevich /Zyuganov, the leader of the Communist Party/ spoke about, the crux of the matter lies in assessments by and large,” Medvedev said. “Some people believe there’s no comparing us either to the U.S. or to Germany but I personally think we should be compared by any means?”

“And why shouldn’t we?” he asked with a rhetoric note. “Well, let's compare ourselves with North Korea, and everything here will look absolutely cool then.”

Medvedev indicated that whether someone likes it or not, the Russian economy looks in many wakes as other developed Western economies do.

“We have a market-oriented and open economy and it’s them /Western nations/ that we should compare ourselves with, because people live their somewhat better than in the countries some of our colleagues refer to as models,” he said. “And that’s why let’s look in that direction.”

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