MOSCOW, September 3 (Itar-Tass) — Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov calls for handing over the Federal Agency for the CIS Affairs, Compatriots Living Abroad and International Humanitarian Cooperation functions to select foreign students in order to study in Russia and increasing scholarships till 20,000 roubles.
Addressing the heads of the agency’s offices abroad on Monday, Lavrov said, “The humanitarian presence on the CIS space is the field where the agency should act more effectively.” He noted that Rossotrudnichestvo played an important role, including in the efforts to promote education.
Lavrov called for handing over the federal agency functions to select foreigners to study in Russian higher education establishments. “By having offices abroad the agency has an opportunity to recommend intelligent students,” the Russian foreign minister said.
At the same time, he called for increasing scholarships to foreign students till 20,000 roubles and giving priorities to compatriots.
Commenting on the support for the Russian language abroad, Lavrov said he praised the Days of Alexander Pushkin and the federal agency’s participation in organising the cross-years.
The Russian science and culture centres fulfil one more important task: to take care of burials abroad that are important for Russia, Lavrov added.
In his view, the agency should get powers to contribute to international cooperation “in order to demonstrate our assistance to different countries, primarily to CIS states, to the world public and in order to use it more effectively in our international efforts”.
Speaking about the activities of the federal agency’s offices, the minister said he “support the expansion of their network”. “We should run after the quality and not the quantity. About 80 percent of our offices need repairs. “On October 17, we will discuss all aspects of the agency’s activity,” the Russian foreign minister said, adding that one more priority of the agency was to protect the rights of compatriots.
The federal agency’s head, Konstantin Kosachev, said from September 6, the agency would mark the 4th anniversary. “We’ve gotten to our feet and come into our own. The anniversary is both modest and considerable. There is much creative work before us,” Kosachev said.