MOSCOW, November 24. /TASS/. Moscow is interested in boosting cultural and humanitarian ties with European and North American nations that would be free of politics, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a meeting of the Council of Russian regional heads on Wednesday.

"We remain interested in promoting cultural and humanitarian ties with European and North American nations, free of politics," he pointed out.

According to the top diplomat, Russian communities have an important role in preserving and maintaining the Russian language and Russian culture overseas. "The seventh World Congress of Russian Compatriots took place in October this year and its decisions have certainly contributed to further uniting the Russian World as a space for Russia-related cultural identity," Lavrov added. "We will continue to do everything possible to make sure that our compatriots preserve their cultural, spiritual and linguistic identity and maintain ties with their historical homeland. We will also make every effort to protect their interests in accordance with the laws of the countries they live in," he noted.

In addition, the Russian foreign minister highlighted the great demand for Russia’s cultural presence in the Asia-Pacific region, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America. "Educational exchanges are crucial in this regard, as well as regional cooperation, particularly involving the graduates of Soviet and Russian universities. A number of Russian regions are already actively working on that," Lavrov emphasized.