Russian President Advocates Need To Combat Ideological And Religious Intolerance

President Vladimir Putin of Russia advocates cooperation between the government and entrepreneurs to ensure human rights and combat intolerance. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Civil Forum in the Kremlin the Russian president noted that business community is "now well organised, consolidated and its structures represent public and business interests of large groups of national entrepreneurship." They discuss with the government not only production or legislative issues, but also problems of jobs, social assistance, education and national security, the president noted. According to him, "our steps to uproot red-tape in the economy are largely the result of constructive cooperation with representatives of the national business community, their direct influence on these decisions is evident." Vladimir Putin considers such cooperation to be "extremely important in ensuring human rights and combating ideological and religious intolerance." "This is extremely important problem for multinational Russia," the head of state emphasised. The Russian president is confident that "only a civil society built on respect for human rights can become a reliable barrier on the way of marginalisation, extremism and intolerance."