"Russia from a regional perspective" (thesis of a lecture)

Dear ladies and gentlemen,

Let me thank the organizers of this meeting for the invitation to speak at this world famous institute and to share my views on the development of Russia from a regional perspective.

Today Russia and peoples living there are going through a complicated period in their history. Old structures of management collapsed, time-settled values begin to change, new state targets are being formed. Transition to democracy and market economy during the process of globalization makes us take into account the ethnic, geographical, climatic and economic variety of the country to a far greater extent than before. The future of regional development becomes one of the most urgent problems of Russian society and is inseparably linked to the condition and prospects of federative relations in Russia.

The history of Russia is a history of nations living in this country, the specificity and culture of which have an imprint on all processes in a modern Russian society. Since ancient times Russia has been developing as a Slavonic-Turkic and Orthodox-Muslim community. It remains the same up to now. It is not mere chance that in Russia there are republics as states, which reflect and protect the rights of indigenous peoples.

One of the features of the present stage of the Russian state development is that federalism and democracy are inseparably connected. The federalism in Russia is a territorial framework of democracy since it is based on respect and support of political and cultural variety of peoples living in Russia. Federalism is a source of balance in the state, an opportunity to bring the authority closer to a citizen, huge potential for management perfection, an effective tool of civil society development. I am convinced that Russia does not have any other way, than a way of "democratic federalism".

President of Russia Vladimir Putin understands this too. In his annual Address to the Russian Federal Assembly he noted, "a really strong state is also a strong federation". At the same time it is necessary to understand the complexity of perception of the ideas of democracy and federalism in the country which for centuries had lived in conditions of rigid unitarism and worked out the political culture inclined to authoritarianism, prone to use force in solving complicated ethnic and political issues.

Decentralization of authority, delegation of powers to regions and dialogue between different levels of authority peculiar to any democratic state are sometimes perceived in Russia as an attribute of weakness of the federal Сentre. Therefore, practice of building federalism in the country remains quite inconsistent, the federalism in a true sense of the word has not been established so far and it is necessary to make much efforts to turn Russia into a civilized state. In this respect, regions of Russia, republics in particular, have a special mission of upholding their rights.

The main problems in Russia in relations between the Centre and constituents are: the ambiguity of power sharing between federal, regional and local authorities; shortage of sufficient financial sources in regions; absence of guarantees of implementation of peoples' rights; attempts of the Centre to regulate trivial details at regional level. A number of federal and local laws adopted by regional legislators contradicts the Russian Constitution. All this creates serious difficulties in relations between the regions and the Centre. Sometimes it acquires a dramatic character. Let me give an example.

Some years ago, after long discussions, the Parliament of Tatarstan decided to transfer the Tatar language to the Latin letters. We have passed the law and started training the Latin script at schools as an experiment, but the Russian State Duma deputies (parliament) have considered, that it threatens the security of the country. A draft law has been prepared which obliges all nations to use only Cyrillic though under the Constitution of Russia this question is a part of the exclusive competence of constituents. This case is not unique. It is extremely difficult to solve such problems through the Constitutional Court.

Beginning a new stage of reforms, the President of Russia has proclaimed a strategic policy on establishing a state power vertical. Unfortunately, some forces in the Russian society apprehended quite clear aspiration to strengthen the power not in democratic traditions, which added uncertainty to the issue on prospects of federalism development. Today under the patronage of the President of Russia the Commission on power sharing between different levels of authority has started its work and this Commission has to settle the problem.

Historically Tatarstan plays an important role in the process of federalization of Russia. About 4 million people live in the Republic, about 49 % are Tatars, more than 43 % - Russians, the rest - Finno-Ugric and other peoples. The ratio of Moslems and Orthodox in the republic is approximately fifty-fifty; there are two state languages - Tatar and Russian. In 1994 we have signed a power sharing Treaty between the government bodies of Tatarstan and Russia which is an important political-legal document regulating our mutual relations with the federal Centre.

Inter-ethnic and inter-confessional relations in the Republic are well known for their stability. We have found the formula of a civil society in the Republic and principles of mutual relations with the federal Centre. This phenomena is called "Tatarstan model". How it is important shows the case of Chechen Republic where they failed to define the formula of mutual relations and where a war is still going on. We believe, that the leadership of Russia should demonstrate its will to settle the Chechen conflict at a political level.

On September 11 the world faced a large-scale terrorism attack from which, unfortunately, no state is protected. Suddenly we realized that the world is fragile and defenseless. As never before becomes important the dialogue of civilizations, the unity of efforts to implementing the culture of peace directed to the transition from force and fear to nonviolence ethics. We can not allow the world to find itself on the verge splitting into Muslim and Christian camps. Today, some circles try to depict Islamofobia as a conflict of civilizations. But in its essence Islam is a peaceful and tolerant religion. Terrorism and religion are incompatible. Anyone who disguises terrorism with religious slogans, sins gravely against the God and mankind.

In the territory of Tatarstan Islam was accepted in 922. At the end of the XIX - beginning of the XX centuries Tatars reformed it, having adapted to spirit of the times. This movement received the name "Jadidism" (from Arabic - renewal). Islam in our treatment became more secular, tolerant, uniting ideas of liberalism and democracy, making an accent on getting education. Sometimes it is called "Euroislam". Experience of Tatarstan shows that Islam and Christianity perfectly coexist with each other. It is important to collect world experience of a dialogue between civilizations and to offer existing samples to all countries of the world where there are potential conflicts. Tatarstan could contribute to settlement of this important problem.

We study attentively international experience, including the European one, in the field of federalism and democracy, we observe tendencies of European regionalisation, in long-term prospect we see Tatarstan as a European region. We have no hesitations and doubts about it. Therefore direct and long-term relations with European states are essentially important to us.

The Republic possesses significant natural resources, sound industrial and agricultural potential. Today Tatarstan produces 9 % of Russian petroleum which makes up 28 million tons, 60% of polyethylene, about 50 % of diesel trucks, 25 % of rubber, 30 % of automobile tires, 95 % of gas turbines, 75 % of styrene, more than 50 % of centrifugal electric pumps for oil recovery. We completely provide ourselves with agricultural products.

For the last seven years the Republic keeps production growth. By this parameter we confidently rank in the first five among all regions of the Russian Federation.

Tatarstan has good scientific potential, especially in the fields of mathematics, organic chemistry, physics, biology, medicine.

Our republic has trading partners in more than 100 countries of the world. Our status allows us to establish direct trading, cultural, scientific relations with foreign countries and to open the representative offices. The Republic has opened 11 foreign representations, including that in Scandinavia (Helsinki).

Sweden for us is an important trading partner. We support cooperation with such Swedish companies as "Volvo", "Ericsson" "Scania", " ABB" "Ikea". Experience of Sweden in many areas is interesting for Tatarstan.

Tatarstan has entered a new century, having a positive experience of social - economic and political development. We have proved the possibility to solve the most difficult problems of Russian public life in a legal way.

Nowadays, other republics and regions of the Russian Federation follow our example and this practice confirms that the internal potential of regions is a basis of prosperity and competitiveness of Russia. Constituents of the federation are "real isles of economic growth", stimulators of investment attractiveness of Russia.

Russia gradually masters uneasy experience of democracy, continuing simultaneously to solve the tasks of political, economic and social transformation. In a certain sense it is a historical chance for Russia to become the civilized state.

Tatarstan has a rich history, and its capital Kazan will celebrate the millennium in 2005. The first contacts of our ancestors with Vikings date back to the IX-X centuries. That was not easy time, but our great-grandfathers had managed to contain the Vikings attacks. Swords and military armour of Vikings stored in our museums testify to it. Subsequently Kazan has established trade relations with Scandinavia. Due to a trading way named "the Great Volga Route" the East happened to be connected with the North of Europe, and for many centuries our ancestors played a key role on the way from Varangians to Persia.

Many cultures and states were formed in the Volga river basin. And today the Volga river maintains a role of the major economic and political axis of the European part of Russia. Revival of "the Great Volga Route", the connection of the East with Scandinavia, with the North of Europe as a whole, is a strategic direction without which it is difficult to imagine prosperity of Russia. I am convinced, it is in the interests of both Russia and Sweden. Tatarstan may play a positive role in this process and undertake its share of responsibility.

Thank you.

Presented at the Swedish Institute of International Affairs, Stockholm, March 25, 2002.