Mintimer Shaimiev: " it is time to state history objectively

The International scientific conference " Ideas of Eurasia in L.N.Gumilev's scientific heritage ", devoted to memory of outstanding scientist took place in Kazan.

From heritage of Leo Gumilev it is possible to draw very important conclusion: Russia has two sources - Slavs and Turks, Orthodoxy and Islam, Kiev Russia and Golden Horde. Only resting, figuratively expressing, on these two feet, Russia can stand strongly and form nation-wide values uniting citizens, Mintimer Shaimiev emphasized.

By will of fortune Kazan appeared to be in the center of Eurasian. The Great Silk Road passed through Asia grasping the south of Tatarstan. At the same time there was another transport corridor - the Great Volga Route connecting the North of Europe with Asia. Kazan turned out to be on crossroads of different routes and various cultures. A. Herzen wrote: "Kazan - the main caravanserai on a way of European ideas to Asia and Asian character to Europe ". In this phrase function of Kazan, which 1000-anniversary we are going to celebrate the next year, has been capaciously reflected.

In this connection it will be pertinent to emphasize those features which Islam in Russia and Kazakhstan has developed. We have remarkable experience of Islam reformation in our countries which is necessary to open for rest of the world, Mintimer Shaimiev emphasized. Djadidism has made Islam more sensitive to new knowledge, including Europe values, it facilitated development, education of Tatar people. Today the world is seeking for such a liberal Islam. After tragic events of September 11 Islam-phobia is growing, Islam turns to be associated with terrorism. Between the West and the East, Christianity and Islam there should not be "Berlin wall ". Our imams should pay special attention to our Russian and Kazakhstan traditions, not carried away by foreign ideological streams. The Russian Islamic university in Kazan must become base for continuation of djadidism ideas. Otherwise is not supposed, Mintimer Shaimiev said.

We welcome integration processes within framework of the European Community. At the same time we hold that it is necessary to use more actively potential of Russian regions, President of Tatarstan noted. Our republic avails big opportunities not only in sphere of oil recovery, petro-chemistry and chemistry, but also in high technologies. "Kamaz trucks" are being sold in the CIS, China, Afghanistan, Arabian and other countries, Kazan helicopters, our new passenger plane TU - 214 meeting the world standards are known all over the world. We could cooperate more closely in these spheres.

We are watching closely events in Kazakhstan and we are glad by its doubtless successes, Mintimer Shaimiev said. Dynamical economic growth, revival of culture, construction of new capital has been achieved due to persistent work of multinational people of Kazakhstan and effective leadership.

President of Kazakhstan Noursultan Nazarbaev, having spoken at the conference reminded that seven years ago the capital of Kazakhstan was transferred from a beauty Almaty to Astana located in a gold cradle of the Kazakh steppe, named Sary-Ark. For short time once a small regional center has proved to be a respectable capital with more than a million population. New educational institutions, theatres, museums, national centers of science and culture have started functioning here. Several institutes were unified and new Eurasian university has been created on their basis.

I have made the decision to appropriate to this university a name of founder of Eurasianism Leo Nikolayevich Gumilev who, being the Russian national, all life and creativity devoted to history of Turkic peoples and cultures. The Kazakhs are very much proud of that the Eurasian university in Astana – the unique university in the world bearing Gumilev's name.

I am sure that implementation of joint scientific researches, work of common TV -Radio channels, cultural exchange, coordination of publishing house, opening of branches of universities and scientifically - research institutes in the countries CIS would serve a real embodiment of Eurasianism in practice, Noursultan Nazarbaev said.