By Vestnik Kavkaza
Recently Vladimir Putin approved the Concept for the state policy to support international development, which is now declared one of the directions of the foreign policy of Russia. The document lists the tasks on a regional level, such as good-neighborly relations with bordering states, removal of potential of conflict spots and integration processes with the CIS. In CIS space Russia wants to use all the arsenal of available means, with emphasis placed on bilateral mechanisms of help. The head of Rossotrudnichstvo, Konstantin Kosachev, says that the concept provides for a new strategy for donor projects in the other countries, meaning 4-5 billion dollars in the upcoming years. He talked to Vestnik Kavkaza about the work of Rossotrudnichstvo on the South Caucasus.
- How is the work of Rossotrudnichestvo organized in Transcaucasia?
- Clearly, for our agency the South Caucasus is one of the priority geographical zones. We work sustainably and stably in Azerbaijan, in Armenia, in South Ossetia, in Abkhazia. We have a program for expanding Russian centers of science and culture, approved by the Russian president. Apart from those in the capitals, we are planning to open more branches of Russian centers for science and culture in Ganja, Azerbaijan, and in Gyumri, Armenia. This has already been decided, so it will definitely be implemented. So in each of those countries we will have two centers. South Ossetia and Abkhazia is a separate story, but clearly we will increase our presence there. For example, I can say that in Tskhinvali there is only one cinema theater - the cinema of the Russian center for science and culture. It is perceived not only as access to Russia, to its culture and its system of education and science, but as a place where people can satisfy their cultural demands. So our center performs a much wider mission.
- What programs do you have?
- They are very diverse. From this year our agency is responsible for choosing the students who come to Russia from abroad. The number of university places financed by the Russian state was increased 50% - from 10 to 15 thousand. Of course, a substantial part of those places go to students from the CIS countries, about which we are talking today. We also have a program for organization of trips to Russia for young and promising leaders from abroad. And many people come from the South Caucasus. From this year we took the program "Hello Russia!" from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs - it is aimed at Russians who live abroad and, probably, have never been to Russia. This is another 1500 people a year. We continue the program "Russian Language" connected to supplies of educational and fictional literature and educating teachers of Russian. We also work within the governmental program of the state program for support for compatriots, where Rossotrudnichestvo has some functions. Here we also target neighboring countries from the CIS or those leaning towards it, including Abkhazia and Ossetia.
- Do you work in Georgia?
- Unfortunately, we don't work in Georgia now, although, in my opinion, our work there could have become one of the possible ways out of the crisis in Russian-Georgian relations. The humanitarian aspect of our cooperation can develop faster than the normalization of the political and diplomatic relations with Georgia.
- Do you have any "non-standard" projects beyond the borders of the former USSR?
- In Serbia we have the most remarkable Russian House. Recently, we celebrated its 80th anniversary. It was created in completely different conditions by those who were forced to leave Bolshevik Russia, but later the House became the property of the state. Now it is a popular meeting place for our compatriots and, what is very important, the friends of Russia - and there are many of them in Serbia. Our programs there are diverse, they are similar to what I was talking about earlier. But I would like to point out one story that is dear to us. We are now restoring the so-called Russian necropolis in Belgrade. This is one of the biggest Russian graveyards abroad. There are more than 800 graves, including the graves of such famous people as the first speaker of the State Duma, Rodzyanko, and Baron Vrangel. But the main thing is not in the famous names and not in their contribution to history but in the fact that these are our people. And Russia is treated the same way as we treat the graves of our people. We decided to restore the necropolis by August 1, to commemorate 100 years since the beginning of World War One, because many of those buried at that cemetery took part in that war and were its heroes.
