The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) might take part in the World Economic Forum (WEF) in the Swiss city of Davos if the event's organizers showed a positive attitude toward Russia, RDIF CEO Kirill Dmitriev said on Wednesday.
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 28th November, 2018) The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) might take part in the World Economic Forum (WEF) in the Swiss city of Davos if the event's organizers showed a positive attitude toward Russia, RDIF CEO Kirill Dmitriev said on Wednesday.According to media reports, several Russian entrepreneurs, including VTB Bank President Andrey Kostin, Renova chief Viktor Vekselberg and former Rusal Director Oleg Deripaska, have been denied participation in the forum. Earlier in November, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said that Moscow would not take part in the WEF unless the event's organizers lifted their restrictions against the businessmen. Russian President Vladimir Putin has stated, however, that the businessmen had to decide on whether or not to participate in the event themselves.
"You know, we see that the Davos forum has recently made several changes. In particular, it increased the number of invited Russian participants. That is why, if we indeed see such a positive attitude toward Russia from Davos which we has been evidenced over the past two or three weeks and which actually always existed before the incident [involving the banned businessmen] we plan to take part in this forum," Dmitriev said in an interview with Russia's Rossiya 24 tv channel.
The RDIF CEO stressed that the event's organizers should create an environment in which Russia would be able to explicitly express its views.
"Russia often makes important points, which should be heard in Davos," Dmitriev indicated.
The 2019 World Economic Forum will be held in Davos on January 22-25.
