Interview given by Konstantin Kosachev, Head of Rossotrudnichestvo, to the VIGIL Journal: Page 2 of 2

straight, to understand, and to explain. I am convinced that foreign media image of Russia now is much worse than the reality, first of all because of prevailing stereotypes, lack of information from the stable, from personal observations, and from communication with real Russian, and here we speak of communication with people expressing different points of view, not only those that are, as to say, pleasing the ears. There are interpretations of interpretations, unexamining rewriting of others’ texts and plain playing upon human superstitions and prejudices.

So I think that maximum presence of our politicians, deputies, higher and regional officials, publicmen, and experts in the foreign media space is very important. I have always encouraged my colleagues to expand their presence while I was working in the State Duma, and I’m even more convinced of the importance of it now, when I deal with the issues of humanitarian cooperation at my new office. If we underestimate the importance of communications with the press, so what’s the point in lamenting about dominancy of the opinions of those who do not ignore the media?