NCFD to establish Institute of Caucasian Studies

The Institute of Caucasian Studies, to be founded in the near future, will help to correct understanding of the processes underway in the Caucasus. This was stated by Yuri Oleinikov, deputy plenipotentiary in the North-Caucasian Federal District (NCFD), at the roundtable "Caucasus. Problems of understanding history".

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on February 14 Moscow hosted a roundtable "Caucasus. Problems of understanding history". The event brought together scientists from the leading academic institutions in Russia, professors who study the Caucasus at Moscow universities, as well as officials from the permanent representative office of the NCFD, Presidential Administration of the Russian Federation and State Duma.

It is assumed that the Institute of Caucasian Studies will monitor and forecast the situation in the Caucasus with the aim to prevent adverse scenarios.

The idea of the institute was supported by Plenipotentiary Khloponin, who believes it important to rely on scientific information in building his strategy of managing Northern Caucasus.

"The Caucasus is the territory, which deserves special attention and thorough exploration," Alla Vlazneva, deputy head of external relations of the Plenipotentiary's office, has stressed. "The region should stay with its national perceptions of its ethnicity and history, but it's necessary that these perceptions were built into the all-Russian space."

"The work of the institute should involve both Russian and international experts," Ms Vlazneva said. "However, first of all, it should be staffed with the experts who live in Northern Caucasus and know the problem from within."