The Message by President of the Republic of Tatarstan M.S.Shaimiev to the RT State Council

Priorities of political life

Features of political situation

Last year was marked by a number of political events among which celebrating 1000-anniversary of our capital of Kazan is a special one. President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin named this date an event of world scale and founded a medal “In memory of 1000-anniversary of Kazan». The Secretary General of the United Nations Organization Kofi Annan in the message noted: “During its rich history Kazan served as a crossroad of civilizations, a place where peoples of various cultures and traditions were engaged in trade and exchanged ideas. This old knowledge and experience of global variety is an important advantage in the world becoming more and more interdependent, and I call citizens of Kazan to keep this openness as distinctive feature of the city in the future».

By 1000-years anniversary of the city important projects for Kazan have been completed or being on phase of implementation: the unique Program of liquidation of dilapidated habitation, the Program of reconstruction of the Kazan Kremlin, construction of the first line of Metro, reconstruction of M. Dzhalil Theatre of opera and ballet, restoration of the Kazan city hall, the Kazan state university and many other historical buildings. Large objects of transport infrastructure have been constructed and put in operation. Kazan has changed and renewed.

Summing up 1000-years anniversary of Kazan, we should pronounce, first of all, words of gratitude to our residents. Their work, with their sincere support such a grandiose event could take place which is to remain in memory as our ability to settle the most ambitious projects.

The state structures of republic together with federal services harmoniously and at a high level have performed their duties. The big work on safety of celebrations has been carried out. More than 1000 journalists, using the International press centre, covered celebrating a Kazan millennium. Due to this not only in the Russian Federation but also all over the world people learned better about Tatarstan.

On days of anniversary celebrations the Summit of heads of countries - participants of the Commonwealth of Independent States was held in Tatarstan capital. During the Kazan Summit of the CIS the agreement on increase of efficiency of its mechanisms was achieved. The decisions accepted in the city of Kazan have a great value for the further destinies of the CIS. Kazan really is turning into the Eurasian capital.

The Exit session of the State Council of the Russian Federation led by Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin took place on the same anniversary days. The main leitmotif of this meeting of heads of subjects of the country became the statement for transfer of some powers to regions. We count it an important point as Russia can develop only as federation what had been confirmed in Kazan.

In 2005 there were many historical events and meetings, but, certainly, a special place among them holds opening the revived mosque Kul Sharif and the restored Annunciation cathedral in the Kazan Kremlin. During opening ceremony of the mosque the republic was visited by the secretary general of the Organization Islamic Conference Eklemeddin Ihsanoglu. When opening the Annunciation cathedral Patriarch Moscow and all Russia Alexi II was present who transferred esteemed copy of the Kazan icon of Divine Mother. The icon has returned home after a hard way of wanderings thanks to diligence of people of different creeds. These efforts promoted not only to the second finding of a relic, but also in the certain extent have allowed to weaken tension in mutual relations between Orthodox and Catholics.

The beneficial influence on spiritual condition of a society rendered also celebrating 60-anniversary of Victory in Great Patriotic war. The anniversary passed in the republic with the most interested participation of public organizations. The old dream of veterans about creating the museum - memorial of Great Patriotic war reflecting an enormous contribution of residents of Tatarstan to the Victory came true. And today, irrespective of age, state of health, these surprising people are conducting a big public work on development of veteran movement and patriotic education of youth. More than 230 000 people have been awarded with anniversary medal «60 years of Victory in Great Patriotic war of 1941-1945».

Year of 1000-anniversary of Kazan has finished worthily. It is symbolical, that relay race from the year of the Kazan millennium was accepted by year 2006 which in republic is proclaimed as Year of literature and arts. And it is not casual. In fact in 2006 we celebrate 120-anniversary of the great Tukai, 100-anniversary of poet - hero Musa Dzhalil and the G. Kamal Tatar academic theatre, anniversaries of Alexander Klyucharev and Natan Rakhlin.

Tasks in sphere of foreign relations

Last year was especially significant in sphere of foreign of Tatarstan. We have managed to achieve essential «breakthrough» in many directions of international and foreign trade activities, considerably to raise authority of the republic, to pass to a qualitatively other level of contacts with foreign partners. The role of Tatarstan in the CIS and Eurasia has essentially become stronger, the cooperation has stepped up and developed with countries - members of the Organization Islamic Conference , the countries of Asian-Pacific Economic Cooperation, active work keeps going with the UNESCO, the Council of Europe, the World bank, League of the Arabian States, organization «TYURKSOI».

In year of a Millennium the republic was visited by tens delegations of a high level, Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassadors from more than 40 foreign states, Days of culture of the countries of CIS, Turkey, Finland, America, Italy, Iran, the Lithuanian Republic, the European cultural heritage, numerous cultural, scientific and sports actions with the international participation were arranged.

In a number of the foreign states presentations of economic and cultural achievements of Tatarstan were held with definite success. More than in 70 Russian embassies, photo-exhibitions and the electronic presentations devoted to anniversary of Kazan have been organized.

The President, the Prime minister and the Chairman of the State Council of the republic made a lot of official trips to Netherlands, Czechia, Ukraine, France, Turkey, Germany, Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Belgium, Korea, Italy, Singapore, People’s Republic of China.

The international activity of the republic gets support from the part of foreign policy department of Russia what is testified by the session of Council of Heads of subjects of the Russian Federation held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, the experience of Tatarstan devoted to studying and successful realization of the Protocol on interaction between Tatarstan and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia. Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation S.V.Lavrov expressed as the following : «We hope on the further close cooperation in business of upholding the interests of Russia on international scene. The domestic diplomatic service, from its part, will henceforth further promote in every possible way development of fruitful international and foreign economic relations of the Republic of Tatarstan». On results of 2005 we can safely assert that Tatarstan diplomacy for these years has taken place.

Since entering of the Russian Federation into the Council of Europe in 1996 Tatarstan has actively joined its work and in 2004 Chairman of the RT State Council F.Mukhametshin became the head of Committee on culture and education of Chamber of Regions of the Congress of local and regional authorities of Europe. Since then this Committee had prepared several reports for Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, in particular - about regional cultural identity, about transfrontier cooperation regional mass-media, about involving the youth in public and political life, the report on «inter-regional cooperation of universities - contribution to development of region» is being prepared where Tatarstan will be adequately presented .

The accrued experience within the framework of the Council of Europe is necessary to use for participation in realization of the program «Road map» on issues of science, education and culture signed between the European Union and the Russian Federation. The countries of the EU are one of leading international partners of Tatarstan, therefore corresponding ministries and departments of the republic should develop work plans with the profile organizations for realization of the purposes and tasks specified in «Road map». Simultaneously it was necessary to estimate our opportunities of participation in implementing «Road map» on common economic space of the European Union and the Russian Federation, especially regarding development of small business. The Department of external relations should come out with the proposal on holding the sessions of experts of the European Community and the Russian Federation on problems of realization of «Road maps» in Kazan .

The Department of external relations should open permanent mission in Brussels for more active promotion of our interests. For closer work with the European Union it is expedient to address to corresponding structures with the offer on inclusion of Republic Tatarstan in Committee of regions of the European Union.

Work with compatriots relates to priority directions of foreign policy of the Russian Federation, thus it pursues the purpose of preservation by them of ethno-cultural originality and backing migratory gain at expense of qualified employees. Both these directions coincide with interests of our republic, therefore representations of Tatarstan abroad should concentrate their efforts to issues of promotion of Russian and Tatar languages in the countries of compatriots residing, support of the Tatar public organizations. The special attention should be given to questions of attracting talented children to our universities. The Ministry of education and sciences together with Council of rectors of universities, representations of the republic and Executive committee of the WCT (World Congress of Tatars) needs to strengthen actions in this direction as the Government of Russia has determined granting privileges to compatriots for receiving the Russian education as one of the major directions of the work.

On June 30, 2005 the status of the observer was given to the Russian Federation at the Organization of Islamic Conference. The certain merit in this refers to the Republic of Tatarstan which during last years undertook active steps directed on rapprochement with this influential international organization. Closer and consecutive interaction with standing committees of the OIC on trade and economic cooperation, scientific and technical cooperation, Islamic fund of scientific and technical development, Islamic agency of news, Islamic commercial and industrial chamber, and Islamic bank of development are opening new opportunities for expansion of connections of our republic with the Muslim states.

For last years representations of the republic have proved their viability. At the same time qualitatively other level of tasks demands from them new approaches, close interaction with embassies of the Russian Federation, more professional knowledge of a host country. With this purpose the systematic rotation of heads of representations accepted all over the world should be introduced into practice.

Expansion of the international connections of the republic demands special attention for coordination of our activity, including the ministries and departments, and the separate enterprises. The coordinated policy is mutually advantageous and it should become a firm principle in our work.