MOSCOW, March 1 (RIA Novosti) - President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that illiteracy was a "breeding ground" for xenophobia and that the problem was not only relevant for the world's poorest countries.
Putin told Rossiya television that poor-quality education and illiteracy can have adverse consequences in the longer term.
"Different extremist organizations' missionaries can easily deal with illiterate people," he said. "This is a breeding ground for xenophobia, for inciting interethnic and interfaith hatred. This is ultimately a breeding ground for terrorism."
"That is why education is a very important and complicated sphere of activity, which has constantly been under the spotlight at recent G8 summits," Putin said, adding that the problem would be raised during his country's presidency of the Group of Eight industrialized nations this year.
"This problem is relevant for all countries without exception, regardless of their level of economic development," Putin said. He also said even developed states were often faced with illiteracy.
"This is a huge problem, not only related to education. Without education ... economic and social progress is impossible," he said.
