Д.Медведев.Конгресс соотечественников.01.12.09.Part 1

Speech at Third Russian World Congress of Compatriots Abroad.Part 1
December 1, 2009
Moscow

Выступление на Третьем Всемирном конгрессе соотечественников.
1 декабря 2009 года
Москва

PRESIDENT OF RUSSIA DMITRY MEDVEDEV: Ladies and gentlemen, dear friends,

Let me warmly welcome you to Moscow for the Russian World Congress of Compatriots. I am very glad that such meetings have already become a great tradition. Every year there are more of us in this hall and more participants in general. As you know today's Congress is the third in the series.

Representatives of Russian-speaking communities from 90 different countries have gathered in this hall. It is not only Russian language and culture that unite us, although of course these are important and fundamental things that bind together the people in this hall, but also respect for our history and our traditions, and, most importantly, a common concern for Russia, for Russia's destiny and ultimately for our shared destiny.

In my recent Address to the Federal Assembly I singled out one very significant strategic goal: Russia must confirm its status as a global power, but on a fundamentally new basis.

How are we to do this? Of course, we ourselves must change. Today, the only way we can create a modern country is to modernise our economy and our political life. We need to create a modern country, what is now called a smart economy, based on innovation and high technology - this is our single most important task.

Despite the fact that Russia remains a major energy power, we still have to think about how we will evolve in the 21st century. And we sincerely hope that our compatriots will contribute to this great effort. We really need your intellectual and professional skills. Certainly, we also need ideas and suggestions that take into account the experience of other countries, the experience of countries in which you now live.

To judge by the significant number of responses to my speeches, to the articles I've written and to other publications, I know that you really are taking our problems to heart.

In the first ten months of this year there have been several thousand responses from abroad to my various video blogs and the article I wrote in September [Go, Russia!]. In these responses our compatriots you came up with an impressive array of ideas. And I can assure you that if any of you heard things in my Address that resonate with your ideas, then that is no coincidence: it is because I was building on your ideas in putting together my Address.

Russia is intent on not forgetting its compatriots. Of course this is a big job. Gone are the days when people who were outside the country, often through no fault of their own, even without wanting to be, were simply crossed off our list of concerns.

Support for our compatriots is one of the most important areas for development in our country. It is enshrined as a priority in the Foreign Policy Concept that was approved by the President. In recent years, we have identified a number of precepts that are now being consistently implemented, but naturally I hope you understand that this depends upon our current capabilities. I think that we will be able to do more; in any event, this is what we should strive for, but we have to take our current situation into account.

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