International economic activity of the interregional association "Siberian Accord" in the 1990s

At the turn of the 1980s - 1990s the process of power decentralization began in Russia during which Siberian territories as well as other subjects of the Federation received additional authorities including the right to act on the international stage. The regions’ interest in the international business development was determined by the necessity to overcome the crisis and to get sustainable progression. However, the situation in Russia was characterized by the decline in production, social problems growth, the absence of organizations relevant to the claimed course to become a market society. The state worsened by the legal uncertainty and fight for the power broken out in the center. Under such conditions interregional interaction was institutionally formalized in the association "Siberian Accord" which became an important resource for solving many problems. Under the Association, the regions created a multilevel structure coordinating international economic activity and uniting all authorities, scientific, public and manufacturing organizations. The programs of cooperation in the international relations designed by the "Siberian Accord" became the basic mechanism of interaction. Thanks to the Association activity, a united legal and information space, a special institutional form of the center and regions interaction, new economic relationship with international partners, a system of staff training, new conditions for foreign investments attraction, an infrastructure and tourism were created and developed. As a result, the economic space structured on a new base; established contacts and institutes countered the process of Russia disintegration. Under the conditions of the center weakening and legal boundaries instability, regional associations had an opportunity to participate in various Russian foreign economic structures that allowed the "Siberian Accord" to make a claim about itself on the world stage and to raise its status. In turn, the federal agencies could affect international and foreign economic relations of the Federation and their associations through coordination structures. In the end, a mechanism for coordination and of interaction the central and regional administrative institutions was created, which allowed to take into account the Federation interests when forming the concepts and strategies of international economic relations development as well as to protect the interests of the regional participants of foreign trade. All this suggests the development of federal relations in Russia. The regions’ reluctance to delegate power to the Association because of the fear to lose independence and the lack of funding for the activities of the inter-regional institutions and projects should be included in the factors hindering the development of Siberian territories interaction in the international economy. Despite the interest to Siberia in various countries, it was clearly assigned a "secondary role" by virtue of high risks.

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