Speech of A. P. Torshin, the Council of Federation of the RF.

International Conference « Russia and the Islamic World:  partnership for stability »

Moscow, September 24, 2009 .

As-saliamu aleikum, dear high guests, ladies and gentlemen, friends  

First of all I would like to greet all participants of the Conference that in my view has become an important landmark in the history of relations between Russia and the Islamic world.

Russian Federation is not an external observer. Our country is a part of rthe Islamic world  - or to be more precise – of the «Islamic North ». Millions of Russian citizens preach Islam and in some of our constituencies, the subjects of Russian Federation, namely Tatarstan, the ChechenRepublic and other republics of the Northern Caucasus, etc, Muslims are the majority of the population and moreover – they are the demographically dynamic majority. I would refer to the example of the Chechnya, Dagestan, Ingushetia where you may often see families with fourteen children. Russia has a good experience and old traditions of good neighborly relations and cooperation with Muslim states. In the USSR period economic cooperation with Arab world was developing successfully, we assisted in the construction of many industrial objects in Algeria, Egypt, Syria, Iraq and other countries.

Today in Russia in spite of all challenges we have preserved religious tolerance and partnership – not just a partnership, I would say, friendship between Russia and the Islamic world is successfully developing. In this connection I can’t help mentioning the historic visit of the President Medvedev of Russia to the Cathedral Mosque of Moscow, that has become a landmark in the history of relations between the state authorities and the Islamic community of Russia. During the President Medvedev’ meeting  with Muftis and heads of the North Caucasian republics in Sochi in August, there were appeals for fighting against any anti- Islam phobias, for renunciation to the use of the insulting word for Muslims “Islamic terrorism”.

Indeed, it is now we all unanimously, regardless of our religious belonging must oppose the threat of terrorism, must fight against the spread of drugs and human trafficking. Terrorists have no religion , they are all bandits that take away the dearest gift of the Almighty – the human life.

Russia can in many

Different ways contribute to the common effort to provide peace and stability. Our country is ready to continue to expand humanitarian contacts with Muslim countries, it is ready to conduct an intensive and a mutually enriching dialogue in the field of education and culture. I am sure, the development of information space with the participation of Russia, say, launching a new satellite channel about the Islamic world in Russian in addition to the successfully functioning TV channel in Arabic “Russia today” ( this new satellite channel can for example function under the aegis of the OIC where Russia has the status of an observer) will have a positive impact and help overcome the prejudice and the remaining myths about each other.

Interaction on the parliamentary level is to become an important element of partnership between Russia and Islamic world. In the Council of Federation we regularly meet delegations that represent various Muslim countries and Islamic organizations, we meet reputable Muslim religious leaders. For example, yesterday in the Council of Federation we had negotiations with the Supreme Mufti of Syria and the Minister on Vakfs’ Affaires. I personally visited Syria twice only in this year, I have been in Iraq and in Afghanistan. These parliamentary exchange must be broadened in future by attracting  local (regional and municipal) legislatures.  Both parties have an interest in this. Such exchange helps to know each other better I am inviting the legislators of the OIC countries to visit our Caucasian republics and see with their own eyes that the situation there is stabilizing. There is a Russian saying “it is better to see once than hear a hundred times”

We still have a huge unrealized potential in the field of economy and investments. I represent here the Council of Federation, that is the Chamber of Russian regions, and I would like to lay the particular stress on the perspective of broadening an inter-regional dialogue between Russian constituencies and regions of Arab and Islamic states. In our turn we are ready to provide any support. For example, organize an informational trip of Islamic businessmen to Russian regions so that they could – without any bureaucratic constrains see the perspective investment projects and areas of cooperation.

A question of Islamic banks deserves special attention. On the economic forum in St-Petersburg in July within the framework “Russia- Arab world” this question was already touched upon. The idea to open on the territory of the Russian Federation financial structures that function on the principles of Islamic banking is – in my view – a very perspective idea. Some Western countries, for example, Great Britain, where the “Islamic bank of Britain” was the pioneer, have accumulated sufficient positive experience that allows to attract serious investments from the OIC countries. Why do not we try and make Russia more attractive for foreign capital in the situation of global economic crises?

Rounding up I would like to stress once again that future relations of Russia with the Islamic world countries depend exclusively on the goodwill of our people I am sure that this conference will contribute to this process.

Thank you for your attention. Kul’ am va intum bi heir!