MEDVEDEV ASKS RELIGIOUS LEADERS TO HELP RUSSIA'S

UNCLAS MOSCOW 000689

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

C O R R E C T E D COPY CAPTION

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PINR KIRF SOCI RS
SUBJECT: MEDVEDEV ASKS RELIGIOUS LEADERS TO HELP RUSSIA'S
YOUTH

REF: A. MOSCOW 295

B. MOSCOW 361


1. (SBU) Summary: On March 11, Medvedev convened a joint
meeting of the State Council and the Presidential Council for
Cooperation with Religious Associations in Tula, focusing on
the moral development and civic education of Russia's youth.
Medvedev, coordinating the meeting himself, asked the heads
of Russia's major religions to help Russia's youth adjust to
the current crisis environment while aiding the government in
its fight against extremism. Seen by some journalists as a
personal appeal, Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) Patriarch
Kirill accepted the offer for an increased ROC role, pledging
to help provide social calm, empowering youth to realize
their own goals, and denouncing violence and intolerance.
Protestant leaders echoed Medvedev's and Kirill's call for
greater focus on morality in 2009, Russia's "Year of Youth."
Religion experts, however, hesitated to believe that Kirill
and the ROC, although growing in power, could make a major
difference in fighting Russia's current social problems. End
Summary.
Medvedev Solicits Help from Religious Leaders
--------------


2. (SBU) At the March 11 joint meeting of the State Council
and the Presidential Council for Cooperation with Religious
Associations in Tula, Medvedev greeted leaders of Russia's
four constitutionally-recognized religions in Russia
(Orthodoxy, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism) in order to "develop a
common approach to solving the most difficult problems"
currently facing Russia's youth. Russian Orthodox Church
(ROC) head Patriarch Kirill, Chief Mufti of Russia Ravil
Gaynutdin, Chief Rabbi of Russia Beryl Lazar, and Chairman of
the Buddhist community Khambo-Lama Damba Ayusheyev
represented Russia's leading religious groups, and were
joined by Chairman of the Protestant Union Sergei Ryakhovskiy
and President of the Western-Russian Union of Seventh Day
Adventists Vassiliy Stolyar. Minister of Education and
Science Andrei Fursenko and Ministry of Internal Affairs head
Rashid Nugaliyev -- two leaders positioned to influence the
future of Russia's youth -- also attended the meeting. It
was the first time that the Russian President, and not his
Chief of Staff, coordinated the meeting, suggesting a closer
relationship currently between the government and the ROC,
according to Kommersant. (Note: the last such meeting
occurred in 2004 under Putin, for whom the Council was not a
high priority)


3. (SBU) Medvedev outlined three major tasks regarding youth
issues in the coming year, according to ITAR-TASS. The
number one achievement, according to Medvedev, would be the
creation of conditions enabling Russian youth to achieve
their goals through artistic, innovative activities -- a
sphere in which Russian religious groups could play a vital
role. Medvedev appealed to religious leaders to help Russian
youth "adapt to life in crisis conditions" and to help the
government "battle the growth of extremism" in the country.
While Medvedev included all religious leaders in his
comments, journalists from Russian daily Kommersant
attributed Medvedev's comments as a personal plea to
Patriarch Kirill, a sign of his growing political importance.
Kirill responded by offering to "help people remain calm"
and "oppose divisions in society" that could arise as a
result of the current crisis, while saying that the ROC would
not "stand to one side."

Medvedev, Kirill Push Youth Empowerment
--------------


4. (SBU) In a discussion with Duma deputies from the Tula
region, Medvedev said that Russia's most important task in
2009, the "Year of Youth," was to develop the social
infrastructure in Russia's villages. Medvedev underlined the
need for a coordinated campaign to stop extremist action and
propaganda while drawing youth to intercultural dialogue and
cooperation. As the uncertainties of Russia's economic
future rise, Medvedev called on religious organizations to
prevent the proliferation of pessimism and depression among
youth as "one of our shared priorities." While acknowledging
in Tula that the current economic crisis has erased many of
Russia's improving employment opportunities and undermined
the well-being of Russia's youth, Medvedev challenged the
same demographic to believe in the Russian government and
have faith in themselves. He blamed the moral vacuum of the
Soviet era and the destructive ideas of intolerance, espoused
by "pseudo-religious groups," for leading Russia's youth down
the path of drunkenness and drug abuse, and also cautioned
against the possible deleterious influence of mass media in
the country.

Kirill Makes First Substantive Policy Statement
-------------- --


5. (SBU) Addressing his fellow religious leaders at the Tula
conference as "Brothers and Sisters," Patriarch Kirill took
the spotlight in Medvedev's plea for greater Church-State
cooperation on youth issues. Kirill advocated for the
empowerment of Russia's youth as the best way to fight
extremism, and reminded youth that pogroms, violence, and
extremist propaganda will not solve any of Russia's problems.
Joined at the meeting by fellow Orthodox leaders
Metropolitan Kliment and Metropolitan Juvenaly, Kirill
proposed the inclusion of national patriotic and social work
projects for Russian youth education in addition to
conferences and roundtables. In connection with the current
economic and social problems, Kirill also believed that the
Russian government should facilitate the adjustment of
migrants entering the country by teaching them Russian,
involving them in social life, and exposing them to Russian
culture and traditions -- thereby supporting Medvedev's
message of tolerance. Kommersant journalists subsequently
reprinted pre-election predictions made by supporters of
Metropolitan Kliment, forecasting Kirill's emergence as a
political tool of the Kremlin. ROC Deputy head of External
Relations Vsevolod Chaplin quickly dismissed such claims on
March 12 in an Interfax press conference, yet candidly
admitted that some "very influential believers" in Orthodoxy
can indeed have an impact on the political situation in
Russia.

Protestants Also On Board
--------------


6. (SBU) On March 17, Ambassador Beyrle attended the Ninth
Annual Russian National Prayer Breakfast, chaired by Russian
Baptist Union head of External Relations Vitaly Vlasenko.
Over 250 clergy and laypeople, predominately Christians that
previously expressed support for Kirill's election (Ref A),
attended the conference at Moscow's President Hotel.
Ambassador Beyrle joined numerous other guests ) the heads
of various Protestant and Jewish communities, Russian
government organizations, and Russian Duma members ) in
giving remarks to guests. Religious leaders focused their
comments on improving the moral upbringing and opportunities
for Russia,s youth, a popular theme considering that the GOR
proclaimed 2009 as the "Year of Youth." Russian Baptist
Union Director Yuriy Sipko blamed the current moral decline
in Russia not on the youth, but on the parents of today's
youth who had lost their moral compass.

Experts Cynical about Medvedev's Offer
--------------


7. (SBU) Experts varied in their assessments of the
importance of Medvedev's comments. Forum 18 religion
journalist Geraldine Fagan told us on March 18 that
Medvedev's appeal to religious leaders shows recognition of
the GOR's inability to encourage youth towards the right
path. She acknowledged that Kirill's influence in the
government continued to grow, but doubted that he would be
able to convince Russian youth to devote themselves to the
ROC en masse. SOVA Center Director Aleksandr Verkhovskiy
told us on March 13 that the ROC stood little chance in
deterring xenophobic or extremist activity, placing the
lion's share of the blame on past government indifference and
deep Russian historical roots, which could not be erased
overnight (Ref B). Public Chamber member and director of the
Tsaritsino education center Yefim Rachevskiy told Center TV
on March 16 that Kirill's push for instruction of Orthodox
culture and traditions in Russian public schools would simply
overburden students with an additional subject, and he spoke
out against one religion claiming the upbringing of Russia's
youth as "their own exclusive zone of responsibility."
Rachevskiy's comments came days after the March 12 press
statement by Acting President of the Russian Academy of
Education David Feldshtein, who told ITAR-TASS that courses
on the foundations of religious culture would not be required
in Russia, but optional instead.

Comment
--------------


8. (SBU) Nervous about the possibility of social unrest
during the economic crisis, Medvedev appealed to Patriarch
Kirill and his religious colleagues not as a last option, but
as the most wholesome one. Battling extremism will require
increased government funding and police patrols in the short
term, but demands an overhaul in Russia's approach to
promoting tolerance in the long term. Kirill's advocacy for
greater cooperation among different faiths serves as a great
starting point, but will be meaningless if the government

does nothing to encourage it.
BEYRLE