The Fourth Conference of Russian Compatriots from Asian-Pacific Countries was held in New Delhi, continuing the series of regional meetings being conducted in 2010 under the aegis of the Government Commission on Compatriot Affairs and the Russian Foreign Ministry.

It was attended by leaders of associations of compatriots from Australia, China, Fiji, India, Japan, Mongolia, New Zealand and Singapore.

The conference examined the results of the work of the associations of compatriots in the past year, and the issues of their further structuring, the preservation of the Russian ethno-cultural space and the Russian language and the reinforcement of the communities’ links with their historical Homeland.

Delegates to the conference backed up the amendments to the Federal Law on Russian State Policy toward Overseas Compatriots that legislatively confirm Russia’s system of permanent compatriot liaison established in recent years and assistance in the protection of their rights and lawful interests.

A decision was taken to discuss at meetings of country coordinating councils, a possible contribution by compatriots in the AP region to the modernization of Russia with regard for the outcome of the World Thematic Conference of Compatriots to be held in Moscow in early October this year.

I. K. Savitsky (Australia) was elected the region’s representative to the World Coordination Council of Russian Compatriots.

It was decided to hold the next regional conference in Japan in the second quarter of 2011.