FOI-R--3990--SE_reducerad

FOI-R--3990--SE
2.5 The Image of Russia and Russians
Abroad: the Doctrines
The view of the Russian government on increasing Russia’s role in the world is
determined in its National Security Strategy, Military Doctrine and Foreign
Policy Concept. At this strategic level, the issue is broader than just soft power,
and also encompasses traditional hard power, i.e. primarily military power – as
the Military Doctrine indicates. Russia’s view on its role in the world
encompasses all Russians living abroad, not only those in the Baltic states.
The National Security Strategy states that the role of “the sphere of culture” is
to strengthen the international image of Russia and to develop a common
“humanitarian” and information-telecommunication environment on the
territories of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and neighbouring
regions (§ 84). 30 The Strategy does not mention soft power explicitly, but it is
clear that paragraph 84 is addressing this area.
The Foreign Policy Concept notes that among the basic goals of Russian
foreign policy are to protect the “rights and legitimate interests of Russian
citizens and compatriots residing abroad, as well as to promote, in various
international formats, Russia’s approach to human rights issues, and to promote
the Russian language and strengthen its position in the world and to consolidate
the Russian diaspora abroad” (§4zh, z).
It is clear from the above that the emphasis on human rights is closely linked to
the protection of Russian compatriots abroad. 31 On the other hand, as is stated in
the Foreign Policy Concept, human rights can be used by foreign countries to
interfere in Russian domestic policy.
The Concept underlines the importance of efforts in: “humanitarian cooperation”,
“consular support”, the “protection of compatriots” and “culture, education and
science” (§ 39). It is Russia’s task to “consolidate the organization of
compatriots, in order to strengthen their rights in their countries of residence, to
secure the ethno-cultural originality of the Russian diaspora”. In a key paragraph,
it determines Russia’s tasks as:
…working to establish Russia’s positive image worthy of the high
status of its culture, education, science, sporting achievements, the
level of civil societal development, as well as participation in
programmes of assistance to developing countries; moulding tools to
improve its perception throughout the world; improving the
application of soft power and identifying the best forms of activities in
30 National Security Strategy (2009): Strategiia natsionalnoi bezopasnosti Rossiiskoi Federatsii do
2020 goda, http://president.kremlin.ru/ref_notes/424).
31 See also Pelnēns, op. cit. (2009): 22.
21