CONTENTS

EDITOR’S PAGE
     Vagif Guseynov. The Middle East: Necessity of Russia's Involvement.
PRESSING TOPIC 
     Dmitry Medvedev. National projects: from stabilization to development.
POLITICS
     «500 words». Foreign correspondents about Russia and the modern world.
     Oleg Nikitin. The rubric's necessary preface.
     Alexey Arbatov. Notes on the records' margins.
     Alexander Tsipko. The images of youth patriotism.
     Rasim  Agayev (Azerbaijan). Self-determination without separatism: is it possible?
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
     Wang Xin (China). The plan's of democratization of the Greater Middle East impact on the security of the peoples Republic of China.
     Sergey Demidenko. Will there be a Kurdish state in the Middle East?
     Ernest Sultanov. The new Persian wars.
     Anatoly Tsyganok. The strategy Israel used to combat the Hezbollah in the Summer 2006 campaign.
     Sabina Riedel (Germany). Moslems in the European Union. National concepts of integration in comparison.
NATIONAL SECURITY
     Oleg Bel'kov. The military organization. (No-linguistic discourse on the language of military policy).
     Vasily Belozyorov. Russia's coalition policy heading to pragmatism.
IN THE CONTEXT OF GLOBALIZATION
     Leonid Slutsky. The strategy of break-through. The Russian transnational corporations as "tigers" of world economy.
INTERNATIONAL  SCIENTIFIC TRAINING CONFERENCE
     Russia and security. Report on a scientific training conference.
PUBLICATIONS
     Afrand Dashdamirov. The Karabakh conflict in the context of perestroika. (Chronicle of the events in 1988. Continuation).
NOTES ON A BOOK'S MARGINS
     Yury Poroikov. All life through.
     On G. Bocharov's book The Manual Sun-Setting. M.: Molodaya Gvardia Publishing House, 2007.
     Elvira Spirova. Psychopathology of the social life.
     On SH. R. Abdurashitov, The Specifics of National Cretinism. Septateuch of Critical Essays and Sketches. Ufa, 2007
New books that might be of interest

EDITOR’S PAGE

Vagif Guseinov . THE MIDDLE EAST: NECESSITY OF RUSSIA'S INVOLVEMENT

1. Russia's viewing the development of the relations with its Eastern neighbors dramatically differs from that of the USA, for the latter is not as influenced by the  Oriental cultures and religions, as Russia. Consequently, the Americans have no profound motivation to cooperate with the Middle East countries. The current meeting of the American and Russian positions on some Mid-Eastern problems is based upon considerations of the moment and might change at any moment. Nevertheless, under current circumstances, to maintain constructive relations with the USA is still extremely important for Russia just because Washington continues to be the leading political actor in the Middle East.
2. Our country's Mid-Eastern strategy key point must be the Iraq problem. When the USA publicly stated the necessity to overthrow the BAAS regime, Moscow was all against solving the 'Saddam Hussein's dilemma' by force. Today, it is quite obvious, that Russia was absolutely right, rejecting White House's aggressive aspirations. The US have failed to push the Iraqis into the democratic way by means of violence. The Russian President claimed the American policy in Iraq to be 'a great political mistake'.
3. As today's realities show, the huge area (Islamic in main) spread from the African Atlantic coast to Pakistan, is under the gravest crisis. There are some 'stability inlets' there, but even they are all increasingly absorbed into the general crisis. The actual regional conditions call for Russia's immediate and active involvement in economic and social projects developed in those countries where the crisis might take the anti-Russian course.
4. Russia should aspire to maintain its presence in the Middle East, whatever changes the political situation there might undergo, either in alliance with the USA or without it, by the way of concessions, DPA, etc. Thus, the Russian government's new Mid-Eastern strategy should not just be a universal one, but also provide for its updating in view of possible long-term changes of the situation in the subcontinent.