Rossotrudnichestvo so far experiences no counteraction against its activities in Europe, U.S
MOSCOW. Dec 10 (Interfax) - Rossotrudnichestvo (Russia's Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States, Compatriots Living Abroad and International Humanitarian Cooperation) has so far noticed no counteraction against its activities after the European Parliament adopted its resolution and the U.S. Congress passed a bill on counteraction against Russian influence, the agency's chief Lyubov Glebova said.
"We haven't experienced any effects yet," Glebova said at a meeting with journalists.
It will be difficult to obstruct activities pursued by Rossotrudnichestvo as long as foreigners themselves show interest in the agency's projects, she said.
"As long as people want to come to our centers and as long as this sparks interest with them, depriving them of such an opportunity means restricting the rights of own citizens," Glebova said in a comment on legislative measures aimed at counteracting against 'Russian propaganda'.
"We're not engaged in propaganda. Our tools are not political but human ones," Glebova said, adding that the agency's purpose is to "introduce to Russia", satisfying the demand among citizens of foreign countries.
Glebova went on to note that, in the context of the newly adopted Russian Foreign Policy Concept, Rossotrudnichestvo "must seek new forms and methods of work" and expand its activities.
"We will be strengthening 'network diplomacy' that includes flexible forms of participation in multilateral systems, as well as such 'soft power instruments' as civil society opportunities, media-communicational, humanitarian and other methods and technologies," she said.
Glebova also revealed that Rossotrudnichestvo is about to open its unit in Osh, Kyrgyzstan, adding that the agency also plans to open one in the Armenian city of Gyumri in 2017 and in the city of Ganja in Azerbaijan, if the Azerbaijani side gives permission. In the future, it also plans to open a division in Tajikistan's Khujand. Rossotrudnichestvo is currently in talks with United Arab Emirates and other countries that still have no such centers.
