Unlocking the potential of international cooperation is becoming one of the significant factors of acceleration in the rates of social and economic development of our republic. Combination of interests of the East and the West remains the main principle of development of external relations of the republic, and not only in the economic sense, but also from the point of view of culture and the dialogue of religions.
Mintimer Shaimiev, ‘Tatarstan is the only unit of the Russian Federation that raised the issue of the agreement on delimitation of powers in proper time’
Tatarstan has become a test case for Russia's policy of religious co-existence, and tolerance is likely to be strictly enforced
The Times, October 20, 2007