The annual meeting of the International Discussion Club Valdai has started in Sochi, where its participants are discussing issues of war and peace, setting themselves a question from half century ago from Russian literature: ‘’Is human life war interrupted by truces, or peace interrupted by conflicts?’’
Yesterday, participants of the session were trying to find answers to questions about how war and the use of force in international relations are inevitable now, as well as whether war has any rules. The event focused on what is happening in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as the fight against Islamic State and the situation in Ukraine.
The topics of the discussion were the issue of ‘self-defense’ of the state, which is often used unnecessarily, as well as the phenomenon of the variety of communication tools in the modern world, which is often used in order to pull states and society apart, instead of uniting them.
Andrei Bystritsky, Chairman of the Board of the Development Fund and Support of the Discussion Club ‘Valdai’ said in an interview with a correspondent of Vestnik Kavkaza: ‘‘when the internet, media appeared, everyone thought that this was a brilliant way toward the prosperity of humanity, the world, and a common consensus. The more we communicate, the more we will understand each other, and that the situation will be calmer. But as you can see, it is not true.’’
Answering a question about the significance of the participants, their authority in the international arena, as well as how successful the isolation of Russia is, Bystritskii said: ‘‘I think that there is no isolation in the intellectual sphere, in the sphere of communication. On contrary, the interest is great. Everyone is very interested in talking. Moreover, the Russian intellectual elite is represented quite well here. As for value, serious people gathered in Sochi. They have a lot of contacts and they also write a lot, talk a lot and consult with each other. It takes quite a long time before the results become clear. But, judging by how willingly people went here, and how eagerly, I think that this is evidence of a desire to communicate, an absolutely sure desire.
