The Yeltsin Readings

15:42, April 23, 2012

An international conference 'Yeltsin Readings. Russia and the Central Asia: Strategies of Interaction’ started at UrFU

The international conference ‘Yeltsin Readings. Russia and the Central Asia: Strategies of Interaction’ started at UrFU on April, 23, 2012. The conference begins with the minute of silence in memory of Boris Yeltsin, the first President of Russia. Then, the lectures were delivered by Viktor Koksharov, rector of Ural University, and Evgeniy Volk, Vice-director of Yeltsin Foundation.

Evgeniy Volk started his talk with the official greetings from Boris Yeltsin’s daughter, Tatyana Yumasheva, and then went on to remember his own meetings with Yeltsin, also mentioning the numerous discussions regarding Yeltsin’s legacy in the history of Russia. Finally, Evgeniy Volk stated: ‘I suppose that forum, which is held at UrFU within the Yeltsin Readings, is the best way to honor the memory of our first President’.

Viktor Koksharov presented the big picture of today’s Central Asia, the current economical and social problems, and the solutions, elaborated through the partnership with Russia. Viktor Koksharov stated: ‘Today, Russia is selecting new vectors of foreign policy, rethinking the role of states of the Central Asia as a strategic priority therefore, our university have to participate in the research work along these lines, especially in regard to the interaction between Russia, Central Asia and other members of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’.

After the opening session of conference, the participants honored the memory of Boris Yeltsin, by laying a wreath at his monument on Oktyabrskaya ploschad.