Grigory Karasin said Russia could therefore not agree to any forcible "democratization" of former Soviet republics, whether this came in the form of "color" revolutions or information and political pressure on incumbent authorities.
The diplomat said it would lead to destabilization in the region and that could produce long-term complications with unpredictable consequences, including a surge in extremism.
Karasin said Russia had no monopoly over ideas and action in the former Soviet republics, and Russian society had managed to dispel this illusion. He added that Russia wanted to play the intellectual and political lead rather than to instruct, a role that should ideally be based on productive economic dynamics, an effective political system, and cultural and educational achievements.
The deputy minister, who now supervises general cooperation issues with the Commonwealth of Independent States, said this task was achievable. Russia is aiming to turn the "post-Soviet space" into an area of respected and predictable partnership.
"At the same time, in the modern world, where globalization rules, it is hard to avoid rivalry," Karasin said. He also said it was necessary to boost competitiveness and seek a balance that would reorganize the essence of Russia's relations with its Western partners in the former Soviet republics.
The deputy minister said Russia had its own vital interests in the former Soviet countries and would defend them. "In many respects, our desires coincide with other CIS countries' interests. This creates a good basis for our multi-faceted and diverse interaction in different fields," Karasin said.
