Roundtable "Russia Minus Northern Caucasus?" in Beslan discusses security issues

The participants of the roundtable "Russia Minus Northern Caucasus?" held on March 21 in Beslan by the association of victims of terror acts "Mothers of Beslan", discussed the socio-economic status of Northern Caucasus, its prospects and the religion as a factor of stabilization or confrontation.

The session was part of the interregional project aimed to build civil features in the youth of Northern Caucasus and adjacent areas of Southern Russia and contribute to solution of inter-ethnic and inter-confessional problems: "It's the holy science – to hear each other" under the grant support for the North-Ossetian NGOs by President of the Russian Federation.

Boris Koibaev, Doctor of Political Sciences and Professor at the K. Khetagurov North-Ossetian State University, has called Northern Caucasus an extremely depressed region.

"Recently, a lot is spoken that we don't need the Caucasus, although the Caucasus is Russia's outpost. If there's no Caucasus in Russia, the country will break into small pieces; everyone will hide within 'nation's flat'," said Sergey Dubovik, a member of the Public Chamber of Karachay-Cherkessia.

"Northern Caucasus is the weakest link in the system of federative and nations' relations. The rich religious and ethnic mosaic of the region makes it most vulnerable and problematic. The past interethnic problems are mirrored in the present situation, overlapping the current economic difficulties and political issues," says the resolution adopted by the roundtable.