Russia will once again become "a global player and a superpower", the country's Stockholm ambassador Alexander Kadakin said.

After four years as Russia’s ambassador in Stockholm, Alexander Kadakin, 60, is leaving on Tuesday for a new post in India. In an interview with The Swedish Wire he explains why Swedes and Russians are “doomed to be friends” and why Swedish companies shouldn't fear corruption when doing trade in Russia.

“This has been a prestigious post for me as relations with Sweden are in top of our priority list”, Alexander Kadakin said. “The relations are also very important because we have good economical corporations”.

He is far from concerned about the fact that trade between Russia and Sweden has been cut by half during the year’s first six month due to the global economic crisis. Rather, he said that trade has doubled.

“By the end of last year we have crossed 10 billion dollar in turnover a year, twice the level in 2005. Economically things are looking up very much”, he said , pointing out the importance for Russia to receive high technology, instruments and equipments from Sweden.

“And nobody in Sweden knows the figure that 55 percents of all oil in Sweden comes from Russia. And 38 percent of the nuclear pellets, the nuclear fuel for your power stations, is Russian”. 

Still, during the year’s first six months Swedish exports to Russia sank by 49 percent and imports 47 percent.
“It’s temporary and seasonal. Economic interactions are growing very smoothly and successful”.

Ikea recently said it would freeze all its investments in Russia. They’ve been indicating that local authorities haven’t really been following the law.
“At local level they might be. But in the long run these questions are usually settled”, he said, explaining the importance of Ikea’s investments and presence in the country. “As a strategic partner we have good collaborations with Ikea”.

How worried should Swedish businessmen be about corruption in Russia?
“Well, we are fighting that corruption. Corruption is not only characteristic of Russia. You’ll find in many other places in Europe, much more maybe”, he said, adding:

“Yes, we have problems, but we are tackling them”.

If you look at Russia in 20 years time from now, where will Russia be?
“As a Russian citizen and patriot I wish that my country is a strong and democratic nation, having its own influence in the world and of course remaining what it is and what it was; a global player and a superpower”. 

“The most important task today is to raise the welfare of the people and the living standard. We want them to raise to at least the level of Sweden”.

How is that made?
“It is made through democratic reforms. It also has to be made by private initiatives and private enterprises. Sometimes people say ‘Look, Russia doesn’t have democracy’. We have the democracy that we think is suitable for our conditions. You cannot create a free market economy over night. It took the United States more than 200 years".

“We were latecomers after the Bolshevik and the Socialism-Communism very rigid regimen in our economy and political life. So it will take time”.

How do you describe Sweden for your Russian friends?
“I’m always saying that you are not Nordic cold and arrogant; that is the wrong portrait that sometimes is running in the press or among people [in Russia]. Swede’s are not as noisy as people in southern Europe. Swedes can come to your help without saying many words. That’s my experience”.

“We have many things in common, sometimes more than we think, especially features in character. We are also hard working, also in love with nature. We have almost the same ancient history. We are doomed to be friends”.

Alexander Kadakin graduated  from the Moscow State Institute (University) of International Relations under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the USSR in 1972 and joined the diplomatic service the same year.

Also cast an eye on the interview with Alexander Kadakin discussing the questioned Nord Stream gas-pipeline project.