Putin Reportedly Comments On T-Platform Supercomputer Flap

Nerval's Lobster writes "In March, the U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security added T-Platforms' businesses in Germany, Russia and Taiwan to the 'Entity List,' which includes those believed to be acting contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States. Commerce felt, according to the notice, that T-Platforms may be illegally assisting the Russian military and/or its nuclear program. In the meantime, Russian president Vladimir Putin has reportedly weighed in on the T-Platforms question. 'That's right. The use of political levers for unfair competition,' Putin said, according to RBTH.ru. 'Our European colleagues are independent people and they claim they want to work with us in certain spheres, yet they act as though they are absolutely dependent and unable to make their own decision. Is that so?' It's odd that Putin was quoted talking about 'European colleagues' when the Americans were responsible for cutting T-Platforms off."

Comments

Perfect!

[Jah-Wren Ryel]

What's a matter Putin? You poutin'?

But seriously, he is right. I just had to do the meme because the situation was a perfect set up.

Re:Perfect!

[Impy the Impiuos Imp]

He's right? You have access to the US's security reports that have cleared Putin, thus showing it is mundane trade protectionism?

Re:Perfect!

[Jah-Wren Ryel]

He's right? You have access to the US's security reports that have cleared Putin, thus showing it is mundane trade protectionism?

Actually, HPC is my field of specialty, worked in it for more than 20 years and embargoes have been a part of it ever since the beginning. They stopped being relevant with the advent of beowulf clusters when COTS hardware could be scaled up basically as big as your budget allowed. Someone will probably come along and point out that clusters aren't appropriate for all workloads, but in terms of anything "dangerous" they are good enough.

I read it as chiding Europeans

[Trepidity]

The summary says:

It's odd that Putin was quoted talking about 'European colleagues' when the Americans were responsible for cutting T-Platforms off.

I read him as chiding the Europeans for giving in to U.S. pressure rather than being willing to act independently, i.e. letting the U.S. Commerce Department's decision dissuade them from buying from T-Platforms, rather than making their own decision.

Re:I read it as chiding Europeans

[icebike]

That's the way I read it as well.

But he fails to realize that the money (and access to technology) that these euro colleagues may lose by falling into disfavor of US Commerce exceeds what he is willing to pay for their cooperation.

Because Putin took such a light-handed and round-about way of chiding these "colleagues" suggests he had to say something to the issue, but didn't want to piss them off. Most likely because there is some back channel cooperation going on which is not visible to US Commerce.

As for "Political Levers for unfair competition" everybody does that, and Russian trade decisions are felt in Europe as well as ex-Russian/Soviet states like Georgia on everything from vegetables to wine to gas.

Re:I read it as chiding Europeans

[FunkyLich]

Interesting thoughts, which are very bound to welcome "us and them" way of thinking. I am among them whom you called "you Europeans" and the very next decisecond after reading your post I thought: "Wow! Thus come the words from that same country (maybe the one and only in the World) which since the day it was conceived has always been in deep deficit of brain over population. The population in itself is continuously imported and it has NEVER EVER been able to sustain itself.
  Horrible mess of things eh? Like what... software patents? Nationwide Law forbidding human stem cell research? Creationism in schools? Presidents who "are in missions assigned from God himself" Da Blues Brother's style? Imprisonments for posting a twitter message? Come on, don't be rediculous. This is not a mess, it is being orderly.

Mark me a troll if you like, but we have a saying here which goes: "A fish starts to rot at the head".

a bit late

[slashmydots]

"T-Platforms may be illegally assisting the Russian military and/or its nuclear program."
Oh no! We can't let Russia develop a nuclear program!

Re:a bit late

[Dahamma]

Since nuclear test bans have been in effect, all new nuclear weapon development relies primarily on computer simulation. And given Germany is in NATO and Taiwan is heavily dependent on US aid in order remain independent from China, it makes perfect sense that the US would consider assistance of companies in their countries to Russian weapons development contrary to US (and therefore NATO and Taiwanese) security.

Re:a bit late

[K. S. Kyosuke]

Since nuclear test bans have been in effect, all new nuclear weapon development relies primarily on computer simulation.

And if the Russians won't be able to perform proper and accurate computer simulations of their weapon designs, the only net result will be that when nuke eventually hits you, it will be somewhat over-engineered and somewhat dirtier than would be the case otherwise.

Re:a bit late

[Anonymous Coward]

Sure, ignore efficiency in deployment and cost of upkeep. Keeping an adversary's tools/weapons more expensive than yours is a smart strategy.

Re:a bit late

[icebike]

Since nuclear test bans have been in effect, all new nuclear weapon development relies primarily on computer simulation. And given Germany is in NATO and Taiwan is heavily dependent on US aid in order remain independent from China, it makes perfect sense that the US would consider assistance of companies in their countries to Russian weapons development contrary to US (and therefore NATO and Taiwanese) security.

The thing here is that T-Platforms is a Russian Supercomputer company. They have plenty of capabilities all on their own. The US is worried about western companies assisting the Russians, but also worried about having these very capable Russian systems installed in sensitive western computational facilities.

Everything T-Platforms install is turn-key, meaning that they really don't sell off the shelf. They come in and build/install custom high-power systems on your site. There would, in all probability, be some reverse technology transfer leakage and espionage opportunity that the US is not eager to see happen. Therefore they don't really want western companies installing this gear.

I'm sure they don't want western companies assisting T-Platforms in improving their product either, but I didn't see that is the major issue here. Putin is whining about loss of sales, (publicly at least).

Re:a bit late

[Dahamma]

Of course Russia should be "allowed" to do it. But why does that mean the US has to support it? Ford has a right to make cars, but that doesn't mean GM is required to support them.

Re:politically motivated translation?

[ch0knuti]

Here's a link to a Russian article on the matter. http://ria.ru/economy/20130430/935405025.html

According to the article he states that:
1. This ban is a clear example of unfair competition. (using political means)
2. That they (the Russians) will have to work with the Europeans so that they can make their own independent decisions.

Something else intersting from that article is that the Minister of Economic development stated that t-platforms is competing with American and Chinese companies in the European market. I consider this strange since the US mentioned Taiwan but there is no pressure against Chinese companies.