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Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, colleagues,

First of all I would like to thank you for your initiative in organising today’s and tomorrow’s meetings. It was your idea to hold this highly representative forum that is opening today. Alexander Dzasokhov was one of the initiators of this event and many others among you also actively supported this idea. I have just spoken about this with the President of Ingushetia and the President of Chechnya. I know that you were all in favour of holding this event that we have been preparing for a long time.

I think this is entirely justified given Southern Russia’s geopolitical significance for the whole country. We, the country as a whole, have achieved great successes here and have also suffered defeats that have caused great pain for the entire country. There have been many tragedies here, after all. It is enough to remember the deportations and forced resettlements that mostly concerned these southern regions of our country. Recalling these tragic events, it comes to mind that February 23 marked the 60th anniversary of the deportation of the Chechen and Ingush peoples, but we did practically nothing to commemorate this date. I think that this was a mistake on our part. We do not have the right to forget such dates in our history. Of course, we must not only remember the tragic moments of the past, but must also think about today and tomorrow. Here we also have a lot to keep our thoughts busy.

Southern Russia is a unique place in its religious and ethnic makeup. Peoples of different religions have lived here side by side for centuries, not merely sharing the same land but living in lasting harmony and peace and developing a culture of mutual assistance. This region has immense natural resources, a magnificent climate and offers the shortest routes between Asia and Europe. All of this can and must be effectively used to improve the lives of the people who live here. What is happening here today is also an interesting event and phenomenon.

I have just mentioned the advantages this part of the country has, but we also know the problems that exist here. These problems include a very high level of unemployment – this federal district comes last in Russia in terms of investment, and in some regions here there has been no investment at all for quite some time now. Per capita income is one-and-a-half to two times lower than the average figure for the rest of the country. This is despite the region’s developed industry and agriculture, skilled labour force and scientific potential. This state of affairs is clearly linked to the rather tense situation in parts of the southern region.

We know the tragedy that we have gone through and in some respects are still going through to this day in Chechnya. Gradually, slower than we would have liked, the situation there is stabilising, in large part thanks to the decision of the Chechen people, clearly expressed in the referendum that was held there, and through voting in the republic’s presidential election.

The republic is now getting on its feet again and refugees are returning to their homes. Of course, we realise that unless proper law and order is established in Chechnya, there can be no talk of investment. We all have an interest in this. The people living in these territories have a vital interest in establishing law and order and discipline within the framework of our state organisation today and in strengthening democracy in our country at the same time, including, of course, in the southern regions.

You know that changes are currently being made to the Russian government. Today I signed a decree on structural changes to the Presidential Executive Office, and I also signed documents confirming the appointment of a number of the Executive Office senior officials to their posts. One of these decrees concerns the Presidential Plenipotentiary in the Southern Federal District. As you know, Vladimir Yakovlev has been appointed to this post. You all know him well, as he has been your colleague for many years now. He knows what a lot of hard work there is to do in the regions, and how many problems remain to be solved, and he knows this from personal experience, for he spent a number of years as head of one of the country’s most important regions, the city of St Petersburg. I know that he has good personal relations with everyone here today. I very much hope that Mr Yakovlev will take the next step in strengthening federal relations in the south of the country and in helping the heads of the southern regions to carry out their functions.

Tomorrow is a big day for all of us. I think it will be interesting and useful. That is all I wanted to say for a start.

After a remark

I was interested by the part of Alexander Dzasokhov’s speech where he spoke about various types of interethnic friction, conflicts and so on. Russia is a truly unique country in terms of its ethnic makeup and cultural diversity. Separating ethnic groups and religions will not put a stop to friction, and indeed could even make it worse. World history gives us plenty of examples of how separating people according to their religious and ethnic identity does not bring peace but simply takes tension to a new level – between states. Nothing good can come of this approach. The solution lies, rather, in working to eradicate these phobias that Mr Dzasokhov spoke about, and in fostering a culture of mutual assistance among people of different religions and ethnic backgrounds. It is much easier for us to take this road than to divide people from each other, and since it depends on us, it is easier to resolve these problems. I hope that tomorrow will give us the chance to discuss these questions in more detail.