Speech of the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs S. V. Lavrov at the Meeting with the Members of the World Coordination Council of Russian Compatriots, Moscow, 19 March 2012

Dear friends,

Our meetings have already become a good tradition and help us to exchange opinions on the issues of interest to us. They are useful for us because they enable us to learn what life Russian and foreign communities live and discuss plans for the future together with you.

First of all, please give my appreciation to compatriots, the Russian citizens, living abroad, for their active participation in the elections of deputies of the State Duma on 4 December 2011 and the President of the Russian Federation on 4 March 2012. The voting turnout of the compatriots has become a record one. Last year over 301 thousand people took part in the voting for composition of the State Duma, and over 440 thousand - in the Presidential elections, which is also a record parameter in the modern Russian history as far as the participation of Russian citizens living abroad in the All-Russian elections is concerned. We treat it as a confirmation of your interest to the political processes in our country, aspiration to contribute to provision of a sustainable and progressive development of the Russian Federation.

Over the last year in the line of Government Commission for the Affairs of Compatriots Abroad we have managed to realize the plans, outlined in a close contact with you, advance in the way of expanding the partnership with the foreign Russian community and strengthening of its ties with the historical homeland.

In October 2011 the Government of the Russian Federation approved the Programme of Work with Compatriots Abroad for 2012-2014. Among its priority tasks there is facilitation of the Russian Diaspora consolidation, increase of the World and national coordination councils` role, rendering of system support to printed and Internet-resources of compatriots` organizations, assistance in maintenance of national and cultural traditions. Substantial budgetary funds have been allocated for the achievement of such goals.

From the beginning of this year, the Foundation for Support and Protection of Rights of Compatriots Living Abroad, established in accordance with the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation, has started its work. Its activity is aimed to conduct monitoring of the compatriots` position in the country of residence, render legal and organizational help to them in case of violation of their rights. We believe it will contribute to the further creation of the Russian world. We hope the Foundation will become a reliable partner of your organizations. We appreciate your ideas on the establishment of interaction between Russian communities in various countries and the Foundation, expressed at the today`s session of the Coordination Council. We expect continuation of a close cooperation in that direction.

In 2011, special attention was paid to the status of the Russian language abroad. It became a subject of a number of conferences and "round tables", including in Kazakhstan, Latvia, Ukraine, as well as the main subject of discussion at the World thematic conference, held in Moscow last October. Representatives of the compatriots` associations and experts from 91 countries of the world took part in its work. It is a serious number.

Also Russian structures, first of all, the Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States, Compatriots Living Abroad and International Humanitarian Cooperation (Rossotrudnichestvo) and Russkiy Mir (Russian World) Foundation actively worked for such purposes. A result of joint efforts was the adoption in June 2011 of the Russian Language Federal Target Programme for 2011-2015. The Russian Ministry of Education and Science and Rossotrudnichestvo works over the Russian School Abroad Concept according to the existing assignment.

We attentively followed the preparation and conduction of a referendum on the Russian language as a second state language in Latvia. The high result in support of the initiative – over 273 thousand votes, even without 320 thousand of the "aliens" having no right to participate in the referendum is an obvious proof of the significance of such issue for the Russian speaking inhabitants of Latvia. I am sure that the work done helps to realize the acuteness of the problem in general and is an important step on the way to promotion of the European civil initiative on making Russian official in the European Union.

We note the great significance of attraction of compatriots` intellectual potential to the achievement of objectives of the modernization of Russia. The basis for such work was a decision of the World thematic conference of compatriots held in Moscow. The "round tables" held last year with the participation of experts from Russia, which took place in particular in Washington and Berlin pursued the same goal. We plan to arrange the same event in Israel this year.

An important resource of work for strengthening of the compatriots` spiritual union is our cooperation with the Russian Orthodox Church which developed progressively. In December 2011, a discussion on the topic "The Russian Orthodox Church and Compatriots: experience of cooperation in Asia" was held in Beijing. We will continue to have such range of problems in view of our joint work.

We achieve a more active involvement of the Russian regions in the work with compatriots. As you know, at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs there is a Council of Heads of the Constituent Entities of the Russian Federation. In the framework of the Council a workgroup was created under the chairmanship of Kursk Region Governor A. N. Mikhaylov, which analyzed the progress of realization of regional Programmes and prepared recommendations enabling us to more actively and efficiently involve regions in realization of the Programme on Support of Compatriots and the State Programme on Facilitation of Voluntary Resettlement of Compatriots to the Russian Federation. Such recommendations were referred to the Russian government. The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs will follow their implementation.

The State Programme on Facilitation of Voluntary Resettlement works more noticeably every year. In 2011 over 31 thousand people moved to Russia – it is more than for all previous years. If the settlers` families are considered, such number will increase. Of course, the State Programme must be further improved to open a new channel that would enable the volunteers to as soon as possible return to their historical homeland with an opportunity to get more efficient job offers and solution of housing problems.

We intend to pay special attention to the youth aspect of our cooperation. This year in the framework of "Hello, Russia!" Programme one and a half thousand people will come to Russia, which is higher than the 2011 numbers. A new project – "School of a Young Leader" is started.

In relation to numerous applications of compatriots, we work out an issue on the introduction of amendment to the Law on citizenship of the Russian Federation, providing for the cancellation of requirement of consent of a parent, foreign citizen, for the acquisition of Russian citizenship by his/her child, if the family lives abroad. Currently, coordination of the bill is completed in the relevant Russian departments.

Conduction of a whole range of important events is planned for this year. A youth forum, devoted to the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Russian Victory in the Patriotic War of 1812, will take place in Moscow this April. International thematic conference "Compatriots – Descendants of Great Russians" will take place in June. The World Congress of Compatriots is prepared to be held this autumn.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue the practice of referral to embassies and other foreign institutions of Russian symbols sets, "compatriot`s libraries" for delivery to the Russian communities abroad for an active use in work.

My colleagues and I would be glad to hear your additional ideas for interactive and more efficient work in such direction in the course of today`s meeting.