POLITICS
“FOREIGN DIASPORA - ECONOMIC POTENTIAL OF RUSSIA ”
According to opinion of the first deputy foreign minister of Russia Eleonora Mitofanova, it is not casual that the “round table” has taken place on the hospitable land of Azerbaijan. First of all, a high level of mutual relations, which base on the Friendship Treaty, Cooperation and Mutual Safety signed in 1997, causes the Baku Declaration of 2001, the Moscow Declaration of 2004, the Contract on Long-Term Economic Cooperation till 2010 it.
Our trade and economic relations are intensively developing. Last year, mutual commodity circulation has grown almost for 40 percents. The mechanism of work of the Russian - Azerbaijan Intergovernmental Commission on economic cooperation is organized. There are big plans of interaction in fuel and energy complex, including transportation of the Azerbaijan oil via the Russian territory, in the field of transport and transport infrastructure, cooperation in various branches of economy.
At the same time, especially has been underlined, that the mutual partnership of our countries is not limited within the time frameworks and not dictated by a foreign policy conjuncture. It is based on objective need of two neighbor peoples united by a centuries-old historical, cultural commonness, for strengthening friendly, simply human links, expansion of useful cooperation in the name of interests of both states. Besides, both Russia and Azerbaijan have large foreign Diasporas, and therefore, care of position of compatriots is the important aspect of our relations.
In turn, the Russian state realizes wide program directed on development of humanitarian, cultural, educational, scientific, information and business ties with compatriots in Azerbaijan.
In 2004, by the governmental commission on affairs of compatriots abroad in the embassy of Russia in Azerbaijan is allocated from the federal budget of 7,8 million roubles, that on a quarter more than the corresponding amount of the last year. Besides it, 5,5 million roubles will be spent in the Russia for purchase and delivery of textbooks and educational literature of the Russian publishing houses for educational establishments of Azerbaijan with training in Russian. Within the framework of this sum, in the current year it will be sent about thousand names of books in the general circulation more than 150 thousand copies to Azerbaijan.
Speakers at the session have noted that it is time to pass to partner relations of the historical Motherland with foreign Diaspora with a stress on gradual replacement of the overestimated expectations and dependant reflexes at the part of compatriots, that, certainly, it will be uneasy.
The session of "round table” session continues.