The Presidents of Russia and Central Asian countries have agreed to take measures to prevent incitement of discord on national, historical, cultural, linguistic or religious grounds.

"We express concern about the growing challenges of our time, which pose a threat to universal values and the unity of society. We will take all necessary measures to prevent incitement of discord on national, historical, cultural, linguistic or religious grounds," the heads of state said in a statement following the results of the first Russia–Central Asia summit, RIA Novosti reports.

During his speech at the summit, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev proposed to develop measures to strengthen regional security.

"Our countries are destined by fate to be together. We must protect our common history and build a common future for the sake of the well-being of our peoples. Stability and security in each of our states directly affects the development of the entire region," Tokayev said.

In this regard, it is proposed to instruct the offices of the Security Councils of the countries to make concrete proposals for the development and creation of a mechanism for preventive measures. The main focus in this work should be on the exchange of information and early detection of threats.

He noted that "the main message should be the inviolability of our friendship, good neighborliness and strategic partnership."

"In the modern world, the importance of interaction to prevent negative phenomena in the information space is increasing. In the conditions of accelerated development of digital technologies, social networks and messengers, any careless word can lead to incitement of hatred and interethnic discord, especially among young people. As a result, many years of efforts to strengthen unity and harmony in society can be nullified. In order to prevent attempts to sow discord and confusion, our relevant departments and public organizations need to establish closer cooperation and actively conduct explanatory work," Akorda's website quotes Tokayev's speech.

ORIENT news
Photo: akorda.kz