Russia's Foreign Minister: It Is Important that Russia Fits in World's Intellectual, Cultural Spheres

Speaking today at a meeting of the Russian Federation's Commission on UNESCO, Igor Ivanov, Russia's Foreign Minister, said that what was important was making sure that Russia fitted in the world's intellectual and cultural spheres. The minister continued to say that Russia should positively affect the rest of the world by disseminating her higher school values. 'Our country', the minister asserted, 'is among the cultural and spiritual pillars of human civilisation and her significance in the world should not be disregarded. We can and must support the rights of our citizens abroad as concerns education and we must preserve and reinforce the significance in the world of the Russian language and Russian culture.'

The minister said that the work of the Russian Federation's Commission on UNESCO was regarded very highly. 'We value', he continued, 'the practical participation of Russia's outstanding cultural figures in the work of this commission and hope that it will continue bringing together the members of our creative and scientific intelligentsia'.