A ‘New’ Russian Approach to Circassian Repatriation?
Publication: Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 16 Issue: 130
By: Paul Goble
September 24, 2019
Several days ago (September 22), the Russian Ministry of Interior’s regional office in Kabardino-Balkaria—one of the North Caucasus republics to which Circassians in the Middle East want to return—turned to a Telegram channel to declare that it is seeking to “effectively realize” a new program intended to repatriate members of this nation from Syria and other countries “to the maximum extent possible.” The message went on to insist that any holdups would be a reflection not of Moscow’s policies and intentions but rather of the decisions of the republic governments in the North Caucasus, which it implied need to do more, and of the actions of foreign governments and foundations committed to discrediting and otherwise undermining this positive Russian government effort (Facebook.com, accessed September 24; Natpressru.info, September 22). Read more
