VK correspondent Evgeniy Krishtalev asked Alexei Orlov, the head of the CIS affairs Russian parliamentary committee, to share his opinion on the role of diasporas in Russia’s development and on the influence of integration processes on policies.
- Moscow hosted a meeting of the All-Russian Azerbaijani Congress. What do you think of its proposals to the diaspora? How do you think the Azerbaijani community should form its relations with the Russian government?
- I think it was the right step for the Azerbaijani authorities to consolidate the Azeri diaspora in Russia in the framework of the All-Russian Azerbaijani Congress. It is good that top Azerbaijani officials addressed their compatriots at this meeting and repeated once again that Russians and Azerbaijanis are the closest allies and strategic partners.
- Russia is now facing an unprecedented surge of nationalism and xenophobia. Do you think diaspora organizations could help our state fight these negative tendencies?
- That’s a good question. I think this problem is a result of the poor work of the CIS countries' governments with their citizens working and residing in Russia. To a certain degree, Russian xenophobia is provoked by some cases of misbehavior by foreign citizens or members of Russian non-titular ethnicities. In this context the Azerbaijani government’s work with the Azeri diaspora in Russia presents a striking contrast. But of course it doesn’t resolve all the problems.
- What sectors of CIS-related politics are particularly promising for Russia?
- The EU is the best example of close inter-state cooperation in the interests of all people. But of course no one is attemting to diminish the sovereignty of CIS countries. But we all see economic, trade, customs, etc. reasons for us to get closer. So we should increase the influence of Eurasian economic organizations. And it is good that some of the CIS leaders have already signed an agreement to establish the Eurasian Union by 2015. As the time since the disintegration of the Soviet Union passes, we all come to understand that it was easy to break apart, but in the end it doesn’t serve anyone’s best interests.
Interview Evgeniy Krishtalev, exclusively to VK
