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Mr Ivanov noted the Russian Historical Society’s importance and said its greatest value is the work it does to foster deep interest in history and to study and spread knowledge based on reliable facts.

Mr Ivanov said the Society’s expanded membership is a welcome development because the different opinions and substantive and constructive discussion within its framework will help to develop common approaches to our understanding of history.

Mr Ivanov proposed that the Russian Historical Society take part in writing a common history textbook for use in schools. He noted that parents and students have expressed numerous complaints over existing textbooks, especially over their lack of clear context and clearly formulated positions on a number of key issues. The time has come to make an objective assessment of history as it is, Mr Ivanov said.

Mr Ivanov recalled that during a meeting of the Presidential Council for Interethnic Relations Vladimir Putin raised the matter of writing a new history textbook that would be balanced in content, approved by the specialists, and written in good Russian.

Mr Ivanov said that other priorities on the Society’s agenda include the 400^th anniversary of the Romanov House and the history of World War One, noting the need to study and restore these events together with partners abroad.