SARANSK, August 17. /TASS/. The idea of separatism promoted by unfriendly Western countries has not found support among the diverse peoples living within Russia, Magomedsalam Magomedov, deputy head of the Russian Presidential Administration, told reporters.

"Our opponents are making great efforts to influence interethnic relations in our country. <...> They believe that Russia's multinational nature is a weak point, a vulnerability, and are making various plans to carve our country up. But their knowledge of the history of Russia, the history of our peoples, is poor. In difficult moments, our peoples become more united and more consolidated than ever before. This is also reflected in the fact that the actions of the president of our country are supported by more than 80% of the population, and the level of all-Russian identity, which has reached its historical maximum, with 94% of all residents of our country associating themselves with it," Magomedov said at the Second All-Russian Forum of Finno-Ugric Peoples in Saransk, Mordovia Region.

According to him, the All-Russian Forum of Finno-Ugric Peoples is aimed at both strengthening the all-Russian identity and preserving the ethno-cultural diversity of the peoples of Russia.

The Second All-Russia Forum of Finno-Ugric Peoples, titled "Ethno-Cultural Diversity of Russia: Modern Challenges and Development Prospects," is being held in Saransk on August 16-19. It is one of the key events of the nationalities policy of the Russian Federation focused on the development of scientific, cultural, informational, linguistic and other cooperation among the Finno-Ugric peoples. More than 300 representatives of Finno-Ugric peoples from 35 regions of Russia are taking part in the forum.