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Russian communities abroad gradually getting consolidated, says official

A deputy director of Russia’s Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States added that the compatriots’ movement is gaining momentum

HAVANA, May 12. /TASS/. Russian communities abroad are getting consolidated gradually and the number of conflict situations among the various organizations of compatriots is apparently reducing, Alexander Radkov, a deputy director of Russia’s Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States, Compatriots Living Abroad and International Humanitarian Cooperation [Rossotrudnichestvo] said here on Friday.

Radkov took part in a regional conference of Russian compatriots living in the Americas that was held in Cuba for the second time.

"We can see clearly the Russian communities abroad are consolidating and the compatriots’ movement is gaining momentum," he said. "This is particularly important, as the hammering out of common positions makes their organizations stronger and their voice thus becomes more meaningful and important."

The Havana conference brought together the heads and representatives of coordination councils of Russian compatriots from the US, Canada, Argentina, Mexico, Chile, Venezuela, and other countries. The Russian delegation included, apart from Radkov, State Duma deputy Pavel Shperov, a member of the international relations committee in the upper house of Russian parliament, Sergei Tsekov, officials from the Foreign Ministry and Moscow City government, as well as experts from the Moscow House of Compatriots.

"We discussed the problems related to the strengthening of positions of the Russian language, the maintenance of Russian culture, and the promulgation of education in Russia," Radkov said. "Substantial attention was given to support for Russian schools abroad."

The resolution the conferences adopted stresses the importance of more intensive contacts with young members of Russian communities abroad and new forms of communications with young Russians.

"The youth wing is the future of the global Russian community," Radkov said. "Our young Russian compatriots can form an efficient link between Russia and the fellow-countrymen abroad. The futur of the Russian community worldwide, as well as the continuity of its links with the homeland depends in many ways on them."

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