Russian Foreign Ministry to continue dialogue with public in outlining foreign policy

[Harold F. Schiffman]

RF FM to continue dialogue with public in outlining foreign policy

03.03.2007, 20.16

MOSCOW, March 3 (Itar-Tass) -- The Russian Foreign Ministry intends to
continue an open and constructive dialogue with the public and bear in
mind the public opinion when outlining important foreign policy
initiatives, spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry Mikhail Kamynin
said on Saturday, commenting on the signing of the Duma statement creating
the Inter-party Council on Foreign Policy. The Foreign Ministry hopes for
support from wide strata of the public in the activities for the
protection of national interests, support to fellow countrymen, promotion
of the achievements of the Russian culture and the Russian language
abroad, Kamynin emphasized.

The adoption of this statement at a meeting of representatives of
political parties, which have their factions in the State Duma, shows the
striving of the Russian leading political parties to secure the continuity
of the foreign political course of our state and of its international
commitments, the spokesman said. The pooling of efforts made by
representatives of the Russian political elite in order to accomplish this
aim will contribute to the strengthening of Russias authority as a
reliable and predictable partner on the international arena, the Foreign
Ministry spokesman believes. It is doubtless that it is particularly
important during the run-up and holding parliamentary and presidential
elections in Russia, Kamynin pointed out.

This initiative put forth by political parties reflects the already formed
tendency for supporting in Russia of maximum broad public accord on
foreign policy problems, the diplomat remarked. The Russian Foreign
Ministry always worked persistently in this direction with deputies, as
well as structures of civil society, Kamynin indicated. The spokesman
recalled that only for the past month Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met
with representatives of leading Russian non-governmental organisations
specialized in foreign affairs and members of the committee for
international cooperation and public diplomacy of the Russian Public
Chamber.

http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=11303382&PageNum=0
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