Vestnik Kavkaza hails the formation of the Russian Federal Agency for Nationalities. According to President Vladimir Putin's edict, the organization will develop and realize the national policy, strengthen consolidation of the Russian nation and protect the rights of peoples, monitor interethnic and interreligious relations, prevent discrimination and conflicts based on racial, ethic, religious or linguistic origin. The government will supervise the Agency and provide personnel.
On December 19, 2012, President Putin signed the edict on the Strategy of State National Policy of the Russian Federation until 2025 to promote interethnic consent and unity. Russia has been in need of a specialized federal organ to supervise and coordinate the realization of the national policy. The personnel for the Federal Agency will be provided by the Ministry for Culture and the Ministry for Justice. Igor Barinov has become the head of the Agency.
Valentina Matviyenko, the Speaker of the Federation Council, noted the importance of the organization for the multiethnic and interreligious state to monitor interethnic relations, analyze problems, make reports for the government and the Federal Assembly, find solutions to problems and prevent their escalation. The official stressed that the Agency will work with all ethnicities in Russia.
Dagestani Leader Ramazan Abdulatipov said in an interview with Vestnik Kavkaza that the establishment of the Federal Agency for Nationalities was a very good idea that would encourage friendship between peoples. He expressed joy that Vladimir Putin, having become the president in 2012, has taken the first steps towards development of interethnic relations by forming the Council for Nationalities. Abdulatipov added that a good coordinator was needed for the realization of national policy and comfort of ethnicities.
Gajimet Safaraliyev, the head of the State Duma committee for nationalities, explained that the Federal Agency will streamline efforts to strengthen interethnic ties.
