Russian President Dmitry Medvedev assured the heads of three state TV channels on Thursday that no force would be used to carry out modernization in Russia.
Medvedev summed up the results of the outgoing year in a live televised interview with Channel 1, Rossiya and NTV federal television stations.
"I think all enforced modernizations are in the past," Medvedev said. "Our nation is strong, skilled and clever, and is capable of changing not just under pressure, but also through targeting ... internal goals," the president said.
He dismissed as absolutely inacceptable Soviet modernization methods, and said reform should be based on efficiency and people's own ambition to change.
Medvedev said even with its enormous mineral reserves, Russia had no future without modernization.
The president urged efforts to use Russian natural reserves 'correctly.' He also suggested the country, which exported much oil and gas, sell refined gas and oil instead.
"Unless we take measures to switch to a modern high-tech economy, we will never be able to cope with outdated technology or drastically change our economy, and then we will depend more on the cyclicality of the global economy," he said.
MOSCOW, December 24 (RIA Novosti)
