Külügyi Szemle - A Teleki László Intézet Külpolitikai Tanulmányok Központja folyóirata - 2003 (2. évfolyam)
2003 / 3. szám - EURÓPA - Sáfi Csaba: A Few Words on the Federal Law on State policy of the Russian Federation with regard to Fellow Countrymen Abroad
A Few Words on the Federal Law on State Policy of the Russian Federation of the individual cannot thus be but restricted.) At the same time, the supporters of the "paternalistic" approach do not exclude the possibility of immigration into or emigration from Russia either, should this happen on a voluntary basis or should some unexpected event trigger it. Naturally, the realisation of the "paternalistic" approach implies financial sacrifices. This means that the fellow countrymen and/or their organisations need to receive economic and financial assistance. The situation is further complicated, however, by the fact that beyond ethnic Russians and persons of the nationalities of Russia, several million persons of other, mainly Azerbaijani and Central Asian descent try to settle in Russia. Their number is estimated to be superior to one million in Moscow and its surroundings only. Yet, it can be said about the paternalistic approach that it can only be realised more or less fully if • here are political relations based on mutual confidence between the RF and the successor states and among these latter as well, • a partnership is developed between the Russian/Russian-speaking communities and the countries in which they live or of which they are citizens, • the "Russian-Russian" relations are also based on the principle of equality. Since these conditions have not been fully realised together in any of the successor states (not even in Belarus or Kirgizia), much depends on the success of the whole Russian political and economic transformation, the skill of Russian diplomacy, the degree of Russian economic, political, and military influence, and, last but not least, the policy towards national minorities within the Russian Federation. 3. The third opinion practically follows from the second one but it also borrows certain elements from the first one. According to it, interests of power and the maintenance of Russian influence justify the assistance given to fellow countrymen. That is, they can serve as a social base for Russia in every one of the successor states which, both culturally and intellectually as well as in an economic sense, can be regarded as strategic bridgeheads. It is for this reason that those who embrace this attitude attribute great importance to the development and maintenance of unhindered cultural and intellectual relations, the conservation, promotion, and development of Russian culture locally - including of the development of the unified cultural, scientific, and information region16 -, and the strong Russian economic and military presence in the region. In their opinion, the success of the policy with regard to fellow countrymen can be measured by the fact as to how and to what extent Russia is able to preserve its political, economic, and military influence in the successor states of the former Soviet Union. Therefore, assistance provided to fellow countrymen can be considered a human rights and minority question so long as it serves Russian interests and influence. Interestingly, however, assisting fellow countrymen out of interests of power has found a "common denominator" with the international organisations and mechanisms 2003. ősz 37
