Alexei Malashenko: Russian population will not return to Northern Caucasus

The initiative of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev aimed at bringing non-Caucasian nationals back to the Caucasus would benefit the region; however, Russians will not go to the Caucasus, said Alexei Malashenko, a member of the Scientific Council of the Moscow Carnegie Centre.

On July 5 in Nalchik President Medvedev held a meeting with the members of the Presidential Council on Development of Civil Society and Promotion of Human Rights. During the meeting, the head of state, in particular, moved a proposal to support the return process of non-Caucasian nationals to the Caucasus.

"It is necessary to set up the conditions, under which non-Caucasian nationals, who had left the Caucasus, would want to come back. Muslim organizations could contribute to this process," said Medvedev.

Meanwhile, Alexei Malashenko, an orientalist, Islamic researcher and political analyst, said that restoration of the brotherly relations between nations, which had been established by the Soviet authorities, is unrealistic. "Firstly, resettlement is impossible from the economic point of view. It will require huge financial investments. For example, who will build houses for Russians in the Caucasus? I have no answer to this question," said Malashenko. He expressed confidence that Russians are currently needed and demanded in the Caucasus, but "they won't go there."

"Mr Medvedev's statement is naive and irresponsible. Such utterances only discredit the President," said Malashenko.

Other experts interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent supported Medvedev's initiative.

Thus, Vladimir Vigilyanskiy, Archpriest of the Russian Orthodox Church and head of the press service of the Patriarchate of Moscow and All Russia, said that he saw no problems with return of non-Muslim population back to the Caucasus. "If the President's initiative is fulfilled, it will be beneficial both for the returnees and for local residents."

Militia Lieutenant General Alexander Gurov, a State Duma deputy and a member of the State Duma Security Commission, sticks to a similar opinion. "However, we need a complex approach here; and in no case the resettlement should be made by force," he said.