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
Csaba Sáfi so the local Russian elite did not have to make a real effort during the 1990s to win the Ukrainian voters. Their situation was facilitated by the fact that a significant part of the Ukrainian population became Russianised and thus, it was necessary to apply any conciliatory politics seeking reconciliation with Ukrainian nationalism. Besides this, since they felt that they opposed Kiev for the sake of the Russian people, they could even expect a reward. With an ethnic base behind their back that made up a significant majority, the Russian elite of the Crimea could feel that they could take a stand for a more radical politics opposing Kiev. What is more, it could feel so secure as to allow internal struggles to happen among them. In 1994, for example, a major conflict ensued between Jurii Meskov, president of the Autonomous Crimean Republic, and Sergei Cekov, chairman of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Crimea. 15 Rossiskaia gazeta, 11 June 1999 16 Varga, György: Az Orosz nyelv Ukrajnában [The Russian Tongue in Ukraine], Magyar Kisebbség, 1999/4 "According to many, there exist endeavours on the part of Russia to use the Russian language and the Russian minority for the sake of reintegration, which seems, occasionally, confirmed by central policies. The Russian president issued a decree on 13 June 1996 on the assistance provided by Russia in the educational field to the integration processes of the CIS member states. On 17 January 1997, the CIS member states signed a convention on the creation of a unified educational region. (Ukraine did not sign it.) Upon a Russian proposal, a draft convention was prepared on the status of the Russian language in the territory of the CIS. It would lessen the aversion to the Russian language if the Russian party abandoned the tools of imperial thinking. Insistence and intervention in defence of the Russian nationality has an alarming effect in the eyes of the countries of the post-Soviet region - e.g. Ukraine - that seek a political break away from Russia." 17 Ukaz Prezidenta Rossiskoi Federatsii N 1681 "Ob osnovnih napravlenia gosudarstvennoi politiki Rossiskoi Federatsii v otnosenii sootecestvennikov" (Moscow, 11 August 1994) 18 Pravitelstvo Rossiskoi Federatsii N 1064 "O mera po poderzke sootecestvennikov za rubezom" (Moscow, 31 August 1994) 19 Projekt Koncepcii gosudarstvennoi politiki RF v otnosenii zarubezni sootecestvennikov 20 The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the RF plays the main role in the realisation of the policy with regard to fellow citizens according to the regulations of the ministry and the decrees on diplomatic representations (embassies and consulates) abroad. It is to be mentioned that, similar to Hungary, divisions dealing with fellow countrymen have been created in several ministries. Yet, no cooperation has developed between these divisions due exactly to the lack of a central institution. 21 Source from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 22 Dogovora o druzhbe i sotrudnichestve mezhdu Rossiiskoi Federaciei i Turkmenistanom (Moscow, 31 July 1993) 23 The Foreign Policy Concept of the Russian Federation, (Moscow, 28 June 2000) 52 Külügyi Szemle
