The speech of President of Ingushetia Y. B. Yevkurov at the opening of the fifth meeting of Group of strategic vision “Russia – Islamic World” at the Group meeting in Kuwait, 21-23 December 2009.
In the name of Allah the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful! Dear colleagues!
Let me to welcome the members of Group of strategic vision “Russia – Islamic World” – the participants of the fifth meeting and wish you a meaningful and productive dialogue with the aim of further spread of international and inter-regional tolerance and peaceful coexistence of different cultural and national traditions.
Moscow attaches the essential importance for today’s meeting of the Group because it has become a major tool of interaction between Russia and Islamic world. We have made great steps towards the development of this cooperation in recent years, the steps to each other. This is quite natural, considering the coincidence of our positions on major key issues of our time – the UN’s role, the necessity of a real dialogue between cultures, the partnership of civilizations, the disarmament of the Middle East crisis and other regional and global issues. We believe that the joint efforts of Russia and Islamic world will be the major factor of stability, improvement of the international environment of peace and security. And it was emphasized by the President D.A. Medvedev: “Islam is an integral part of the Russian history and culture. Respect for faith, customs and traditions of our nations is the foundation of civil peace in our country. Frankly speaking, Russia has no need to seek friendship with the Muslim world. Our country is in itself an organic part of this world, after all, Russian Muslims about 20 million of our citizens. This number speaks for itself. That is why we appreciate our expanding collaboration with the Organization of the Islamic Conference, where we have also received the status of observer with the active support of our friends.”
This is the fifth meeting of the Group and it seems now that we can say with confidence that its activities have become an important factor in optimizing the international dialogue. The projects which are on the agenda of the Group look as quite attractive initiatives for developing cooperation between Christianity and Islam.
We are particularly pleased that the current meeting is being held in Kuwait, the role of which we appreciate so much. It should be noted the outstanding role of Emir Sheikh Jaber Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al-Sabah in the strengthening of international and regional stability and development, the establishment of cross-cultural relations between the countries of the region and the world. I would like to thank the representatives of the Kuwaiti authorities, and personally Mr. Adel Fallyah for the excellent organization of the conference, as well as their genuine interest to both modern Russia and to the activities of the Group.
Dialogue within the framework of the “Russia – Islamic World” is very interesting for the whole world, and for the Russian Federation, and in particular, to the region of the North Caucasus, which I have the honor to represent at this meeting. There are 157 nationalities live in the republics of North Caucasus from 182 which actually exist according to the census in the Russian Federation. The proportion of the population that traditionally identify themselves with Islam, in the republics of the North Caucasus is more than two-thirds. The Muslim religion and tradition have made a huge contribution to the culture and social structure of the Caucasian peoples, which together with the Turkic, Slavic and Finno-Ugric peoples has formed the multinational people of Russia, which has the age-old traditions of good-neighborly and peaceful coexistence today, and the North Caucasus region is an integral part of it.
Today, the spread of Islamic historical traditions in the Russian Muslim community, the restoration of Islamic theological education system, increasing the role of Muslim culture in strengthening of tolerance at the international level are a priority for us.
The role of religion in the modern world, and especially Islam, is markedly increased. It is a wonderful religion of justice, peace and tolerance. It is important for all believers to realize it completely and follow the letter and spirit of peaceful Islam. It is remarkable that many of the participants of our meeting have performed Hajj recently, and all of us have just celebrated the Islamic New Year. These are all important events. And it is extremely important for all of us to clean this beautiful religion from all extraneous, in particular, from terrorism charges. Unfortunately, I know about these problems firsthand, and have suffered from the actions of extremists. However, I am convinced that all people of good will can and must agree and find a common language.
Dear friends!
The modern world has many problems, but one of the most significant is the lack of honesty in the behavior of people, and in the communication between them. At the same time we can make a forecast that the sincerity and loyalty will return very soon as vital values for the world civilization. The activity of the Group can be an important factor in the development of this process.
Moscow is watching closely the progress of our meetings and discusses of issues that still need to be done to further rapprochement between Russia and Islamic world. The destiny itself has put Russia in very responsible historical and geographical circumstances. In fact Russia is a country in which first Muslims have appeared in the dawn of Islam in the 7th century – in Dagestan. Islam came a little bit later to Tatarstan and Central Asia, but still before the official christening of Russia. Thus, Russia is rightfully can be called not only a country of Christianity, but also a country with a very long-standing Islamic tradition.
This situation imposes special obligations on it. As a multi-ethnic and multi-confessional country, it should support and strengthen the historically comprehended on their own experience relations of friendship and constructive cooperation with all of its peoples. At the same time it must deliver the experience of mutual understanding and good-neighborliness to the rest of the world. Geography and history have put Russia in the conditions in which it can and should play the role of a balancing force in the relations between the West and the East. It is prepared to this by the process of the formation of the Russian state, which was formed from the beginning as a multinational and multi-confessional state, by its geopolitical location, and a cultivator new experience, which was formed in the new post-Soviet period of complete freedom of religion.
Therefore interstate and inter-religious relations should be based on mutual understanding and trust as much as possible, and this issue, perhaps, the most relevant in today’s world.
We believe that our Group of strategic vision could make a special emphasis on the establishment of humanitarian cooperation in order to achieve truly equal relations between people of different faiths and cultures on the basis of tolerance and respect.
Russia, which has an observer status in the Organization of the Islamic Conference, intends to adhere to the policy of all-round expansion of strategic cooperation with Islamic world. Russia can and must contribute for the removal of confessional tension in the world. Russian Muslims have a unique experience in the development of Islamic theology and its reforming. Because of this they have become open to other cultures, competitive and tolerant; they have learned to keep traditions.
Today, the cooperation of our country with Muslim states develops multifaceted, covers economic, humanitarian, cultural and other spheres. Such a partnership which is based on respect and openness works in the interests of global stability and security; it is an example for a sincere religious and cultural dialogue.
We are deeply convinced that Russia and Islamic world will continue to engage actively in the various bodies within the UN system and in other formats for seeking a fair solution for the problems of modern international life. I take this opportunity to invite all the participants of the meeting for the following year to the North Caucasus where we would like to hold the sixth meeting of our Group.
I wish you a successful communication. And may the Lord accompany us in our affairs.