The Medvedev Doctrine
Russia's new foreign policy conceptYuri GirenkoLast week the President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev signed a document entitled "foreign policy Concept of the Russian Federation", which, as stated in the preamble, "a system of views on the content, principles and main directions of foreign policy activity of Russia". Previous "Concept" was approved by President Vladimir Putin on 28 June 2000. New it complements and develops". The revolution did not happen - although the changes are obvious.What is it?"Russia pursues an open, predictable and pragmatic foreign policy guided by its national interests" Main directions of the new approach to foreign policy, President Dmitry Medvedev stated during his meeting with the diplomatic representatives of Russia in other countries and international organizations.However, on some fundamentally important aspects of the new concept is worth consideration. Because the document provides a holistic view of the world and Russia's place in it, about the goals and objectives of Russian foreign policy, its tools and directions.The main in the "Medvedev doctrine" seven theses are submitted.1. About Russia's role"New Russia, standing on the firm ground of national interests, became a full-fledged role in global Affairs," reads a document and says: "Russia has a significant influence on the formation of a new architecture of international relations".That is, actively populyarizirovano in the 90-ies of the Western experts, the thesis that Russia forever ceased to be a "superpower" and must be content with regional significance, our government rejected.Actually, that's to be expected - since the notion of "regional powers" suggests that the country is located in any one region. Читать полностью -->
Leftism in the Putinism
SERGEY CHERNYAKHOVSKYThe crisis in the economy will contribute to the growth of left-wing sentiment in Russia. The current government will be replaced by someone who will be able to offer a way to restore social justice.Abstracting from any particular ideological preferences, we have to admit that the main socio-political demands in the country left.And the crisis, the impact of which every day feel directly on itself more and more Russians, infinitely far from stock exchanges and financial markets, is likely to only strengthen leftist sentiments.The leftism of the society to the authorities, by the way, is quite obvious. That's why a few years ago was banned initiated by the Communist party referendum on major issues of political and economic life. And when in the summer of 2005, the same questions were posed to the citizens of "Levada-center", it turned out that the Communist party would win the referendum by a large margin, and, on all counts.So, 79% vs. 10% advocated for the abolition of the law on monetization of benefits (very important at that moment the theme) and the right of the individual to choose between benefits and cash compensation. For public and free preschool, secondary, vocational and higher education voted 97% against 2%. Читать полностью -->
Putin: the government will not consider raising the retirement age
The issue of raising the retirement age in Russia is not considered, said Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Tuesday at a meeting with representatives of the staff of Norilsk Nickel. He noted that the government is not even going to put it.Putin said: "We have brought over the last time the average life expectancy of 69 years." "There is this concept to determine how long a person lives after retirement. Unfortunately, while we compared with developed European countries this term is less," - said the Prime Minister.Recall that a proposal to raise the bar in Russia the age at which it is anticipated retirement, was made by Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin.Kudrin said that Russia needed over the next five years to take the decision to change the retirement age Russians. According to him, the reform will be gradual, increase in the retirement age by five years will go for 5-10 years. But then Kudrin expressed the view that raising the retirement age should be discussed at the specialist level. Their statements, the Finance Minister has caused outrage in the ranks of the party "United Russia". Читать полностью -->
Orphans: real disaster and small business
Peter IvanovThere are not many political issues on which there can be fundamental differences between people of different political views, religious denominations, social class, etc., in which, despite all the contradictions, possible political consensus. One of these absolute points of contact like might be the problem of orphans.Thus, in his lecture in Polit." Alexander Arkhangelsky said: "the Project "All children in the family," could be really unites the whole nation, on top of regional, economic, religious differences. We count how many children have died in America at the hands of adoptive parents. Terrible that it killed 14 people. But the fact that we have 3000 kids die annually, this nation don't care. Not in children's homes, orphanages, and children in the family. Читать полностью -->
Irina Khakamada: Russia bristled… (Radio Praha, Czech Republic)
LIBOR Kukal, October 30, 2006If to humiliate the former Empire, if to keep her and show her her place, then she will take revengeIrina Khakamada, discussing on the Prague Forum 2000 conference problems of Russian democracy, acted with skill, but without much enthusiasm. The theme seemed to be somewhat boring and pointless. Supposedly the season of democracy in Russia was over and a new one will come who knows when. But why the issues of democracy and freedom of speech very few people in Russia care about?This is because the reduction of freedom occurred simultaneously with the improvement of life. So while most satisfied lives better.It turns out that the only chance for democracy is the deterioration of the economic situation?The only chance for democracy in Russia is, of course, not the deterioration of the economic situation, although it plays a role. If improvement has occurred at other times, this rule wouldn't work. Читать полностью -->
The Russians are willing to double spending on education
Daria NikolaevaDespite the fact that the majority of Russians will not pay for the education of their children, the willingness to pay for education is high, and the potential cost twice the actual cost of survey MAR Consult. The survey was conducted in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Nizhny Novgorod, Rostov-on-don and Khabarovsk among the 1,100 respondents aged 25 years.As follows from the survey, the children's education is paid by every fifth Respondent (22%). None of the respondents believes that education should be fully paid. While supporters of free education, as it turned out, not so much - only 30%. The majority of Russians (70%) believe that education should be partly paid, partly free. Читать полностью -->
Mumbai blasted from abroad
According to Indian authorities, a series of attacks on the business center of the country was planned abroadOksana BoykoThe Indian Prime Minister is confident that the attacks in Mumbai, which claimed more than 100 people are likely to have been planned abroad. Now the country's Navy inspected the ship MV Alpha, arrived in the port of Mumbai from Karachi, Pakistan. It is possible that it was taken to the city of militants. Meanwhile, the operation to eliminate the terrorists continues. The authorities refuse to negotiate with terrorists and promised to crack down on militants in the near future.Indian army continues a special operation to free the hostages. In captured terrorists hotels still hear the gunfire and thundering explosions.Special forces soldiers of the National guard and marine special forces continue to protect hotels Trident Oberoi (Oberoi Trident) and "Taj Mahal" (Taj Mahal). Читать полностью -->
Russia turns up the speed
The government decided on the scenario of socio-economic development in 2011-2013Pierre Sidibe"Rossiyskaya Gazeta" - the Central issue 5200 (121) on June 4, 2010The government yesterday at the regular meeting chose a scenario for the Russian economy over the next three years. He is listed under "2-b" and will be implemented only if in 2011-2013 will happen to growth in the U.S., China, Southeast Asia and India, and the price of Urals crude will be not below 71 to 75 dollars per barrel.In addition to increasing GDP growth - and Vladimir Putin proposed to strive next year to the figure of 4%, despite a conservative forecast at 3.4%, the Cabinet of Ministers intends to implement another important task: the inflation of 5-7 percent a year. Therefore decided to limit the rate of increase of tariffs of natural monopolies.- Any government in any country would be happy to freeze rates and generally to reduce this question to zero, - said Vladimir Putin. However, immediately noted that in the conditions of market economy it is impossible, and those countries, where attempts are made to, typically is accompanied by a failure in the face of a complete collapse of the economy.Thus, the growth of gas prices in 2011 will be 15 percent, whereas this year were 28 percent. And the increase in the cost of electricity should not exceed 13-15 percent. Another state-regulated tariff are the prices for railway transportation: they have this year increased by 13.5 percent, and another 8 percent. Читать полностью -->
Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia Kirill: We don't want to become a state Church
Source: Newspaper Vima (Greece)A year and a half ago You became Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia. What are the most touching moments in Your Ministry during this time, You can recall?- There were many; but for me, of paramount importance is the opportunity to pray with many of the Orthodox people in all the countries I visited. What a joy to see the faith of the people, their deep devotion to the Lord and His Holy Church. Despite all the disasters of the twentieth century, the faith of the saints of old Russia alive in their spiritual heirs. When you see how the spiritual life is revived where, it seemed, did not remain nothing but abandoned ruins, when you see how people brought up in militant rejection of Orthodoxy, return to the Lord in repentance and faith, especially clearly realize the immutable words of the Savior: "I will build My Church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (Matt.16, 18).- What are the difficulties encountered by the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church? How heavy is the mission placed on You?- Today our Church carries out its Ministry in the situation generated by the long decades of state atheism, when people were artificially isolated from their own spiritual and, to a large extent cultural traditions.We are facing a huge task to give people back their own heritage - Orthodox culture, we must address the conditions with which the Church had not yet encountered.Some problems are common to all of Europe: problems of economic inequality, injustice, difficulties in inter-ethnic and interreligious relations. We also have to deal with the spreading cult of pleasure and unbridled consumption, which often makes people dishonest or even criminal way of life.Common to all of us is also the problem of propaganda of militant secularism, which expressly rejects the Christian roots of our civilization. Читать полностью -->
Unreasonable hopes on Russia
Alexander ArtemevIn the U.S. Congress held hearings about the future of Russian-American relations. To act on them has been invited former adviser to Vladimir Putin, Andrei Illarionov. He said "the Newspaper", what message he wanted to convey to us lawmakers.On Wednesday, Congress held two sessions devoted to Russian studies. While in the Senate discussed the prospects of the deployment of the U.S. missile defense system in Europe, the members of the house Committee on foreign Affairs decided how you can improve Russian-American relations.At the hearings "From competition to collaboration: strengthening the U.S.-Russian relations" chaired by the head of the foreign Affairs Committee of the lower house Democrat Howard Berman. Читать полностью -->