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Russian Railways ex-chief sets up international think tank to ‘reduce tensions worldwide’

This analytical center will be tasked with searching for solutions and developing particular proposals to lower tensions worldwide, Vladimir Yakunin said in an interview with TASS

Vladimir Yakunin Anna Isakova/Russian State Duma's press service/TASS

Vladimir Yakunin

© Anna Isakova/Russian State Duma's press service/TASS

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Modifying Russia according to Western patterns impossible — Russian Railways ex-CEO

MOSCOW, January 12. /TASS/. Vladimir Yakunin, who stepped down as the head of Russian Railways last year, told TASS on Tuesday he has devoted himself to create an international analytical center to search for solutions to de-escalate tensions across the world.

"Now I give full attention to setting up an international expert and analytical center. This analytical center will be tasked with searching for solutions and developing particular proposals to lower tensions worldwide," Yakunin said in an interview with TASS.

This center will have the same goals as the other projects that already operate because all of them "serve the cause of peace," he said.

Yakunin, who was at the helm of Russian Railways for a decade (2005-2015), chairs the board of trustees of the St. Andrew The First-Called Foundation and is the president of the Dialogue of Civilizations global public forum.

The former Russian Railways chief reminded that he has been involved in the work of the St. Andrew The First-Called Foundation for more than 15 years. The foundation is set to help preserve the traditional values for Russia, the civilizational identity of society and the education of young people.

"In our public activity, we follow the guidelines of the head of our state Vladimir Putin and continue our work in the new conditions for the country that demand extraordinary approaches," Yakunin said.

This also concerns cooperation with foreign partners "who participate in our projects and get the opportunity to feel the emotions and the atmosphere in the society and understand those cultural grounds that define our actions."

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Foreign policy Russian Railways

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