MOSCOW, January 7. /TASS/. Russia has the unique experience of harmonious development of hundreds of different peoples and cultures and it should be the common heritage in the fight against extremism, Russia’s Federation Council (upper house) Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Konstantin Kosachev wrote on Twitter on Wednesday.
“Russia takes today’s atrocity in Paris with pain and acuteness because it coincided (I don’t see direct link) with one of the most beautiful religious holidays of the majority of Orthodox believers in the world — Christmas. But the main thing is that over the last years we, Russians, were faced with usefulness and cruelty of radical terrorism under religious and extremists colours,” Kosachev said.
“We mourn together with France,” he said.
Russia has colossal experience in countering terrorism under non-easy conditions of poly-culture and multi-confession not only in terms of retaliation but also in terms of the prevention of radical extremism, which has no relation to any religion, Kosachev said.
Russia’s creative experience can and should be adopted in the world where the division into insiders and outsiders is becoming a generic indicator of certain countries that pretend they know the truth over national identity and the democratic development, he said.
In the era of globalization such division is a tantalizing and false way because there are no individual responses to common challenges, Kosachev said.
“We succeed only together. There are rather small societies that can turn out well. The Russian society is one of those that is successful. But we should not idealize the situation. Our experience should be common heritage if there is the wish to study it and not criticize by wholesale for this is Russian experience,” he said.
Russian parliamentarians are preparing an initiative to step up a public, inter-parliamentary, dialogue on these issues, Kosachev said.
“It is early to talk about any details. But time presses. I’m sure that our efforts will be in demand. We mourn with and we’re nearby. Europe is united. It should be so always,” he said.
On Wednesday morning, two unidentified persons attacked the Charlie Hebdo editorial office in Paris. According to latest data, 12 people — ten journalists and two policemen — were killed. Eight people were injured. Four people were hospitalized in grave condition. Attackers succeeded in escaping. French President Francois Hollande described the tragedy as a terrorist act.