Battle of Poltava is common history for Russia & Ukraine.

MOSCOW, June 28 (Itar-Tass) - The Kremlin administration chief Sergei
Naryshkin on Saturday took part in the celebrations of the 300th
anniversary of the Battle of Poltava. In 1709, the Russian army led by
Emperor Peter the Great defeated the army of Swedish King Carl XII in the
historic battle near Poltava.
"This is our common history, this is what unites Russia and Ukraine,
our two peoples," Naryshkin told the Vesti news channel on Saturday.
"We should remember our history and we should remember the glorious
pages in the history of our country and the neighboring states," Naryshkin
emphasized. He stressed the importance of historical education and
historians' role in promoting a dialogue between the two countries and
peoples. Naryshkin criticized any attempts to falsify history.
Naryshkin heads a commission set up under the Russian president with
an aim to counteract falsification of history that may harm Russia's
interests. He says that its main task is to help historians find new
materials and archive documents.
Apart from officials the commission comprises leading historians.
"In connection with the celebrations of the 300th anniversary of the
Battle of Poltava historians have held roundtable meetings. The Battle of
Poltava is certainly part of our common history. This is what unites
Russia, Ukraine and our two peoples," Naryshkin stressed.
"We should be more active in developing ties with our neighbors
because the neighboring countries like Ukraine and Belarus are our
strategic partners," the Kremlin administration chief went on to say.
"The population in these countries is closely linked to Russia: we are
bound by historical, cultural and Orthodox roots and common history,"
Naryshkin stressed.
In the meantime, people in the Siberian city of Tyumen remember the
Battle of Poltava and have decided to pay tribute to history in their own
way. A memorial stone commemorating Swedish prisoners from the army of
Swedish King Carl XII has been unveiled in Tobolsk. After the Battle of
Poltava all Swedish prisoners were quartered in Moscow and its outskirts.
They were under the supervision of Moscow Commandant Officer Matthew
Gagarin. In 1711 the prisoners decided to run away but their plot was
uncovered. Gagarin ordered to send them to Siberia. That event coincided
with Gagarin's own appointment as the Governor of Siberia. Shortly upon
arrival in Tobolsk, Garaging ordered the imprisoned Swedes to dig out a
new riverbed for the Tobol River, which now flows into the Irtysh River in
a higher place than before. The Swedes began building a 'stone town' on
the banks of the Tobol in 1713. In the spring of 1713 twenty-eight Swedes
were transferred to work at plants in Tobolsk. More than 300 Swedish
captives worked at construction sites in Tobolsk. A payroll that has been
preserved until today proves that they were paid for their work.

.Lavrov to attend plenary meeting of OSCE foreign ministers.

CORFU, Greece, June 28 (Itar-Tass) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei
Lavrov will on Sunday attend a plenary meeting of the foreign ministers of
countries members of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in
Europe and will hold a series of bilateral meetings with the participants
in the forum.
On Saturday, Lavrov attended a meeting of the Russia-NATO Council,
which agreed to resume a political dialogue and military contacts between
Russia and NATO that were frozen after the events in South Ossetia in 2008.
On Saturday evening the foreign ministers and the heads of delegations
from international Euro-Atlantic organizations had an informal exchange of
views at a working dinner given on behalf of Greek Foreign Minister Dora
Bakoyannis, who is the incumbent OSCE chairwoman.
The dinner took place in the former palace of Empress Elizabeth of
Austria, which is located ten kilometers from Kerkira, the capital of
Corfu. The palace was built in 1890. The German Kaiser Wilhelm I bought it
in 1907. Now, the palace is a museum.
The positive outcome of the Russia-NATO Council meeting will certainly
influence discussions at the plenary meeting of the OSCE foreign ministers.
In an exclusive interview with Itar-Tass Bakoyannis said that Greece
was hoping for a new start in relations of the OSCE member-countries
through a benevolent, sincere and open dialogue.
""As the incumbent OSCE chairman Greece, straight from the outset,
expressed its readiness to assist in the promotion of a dialogue on
European security within the OSCE, which is the main forum for a
pan-European dialogue," Bakoyannis went on to say. She said that not a
single organization had made such a big contribution to ending the "cold
war" as the OSCE.
The Greek foreign minister said that her country believed in a single,
undivided and peaceful Europe without demarcation lines or isolation; it
believes that dialogue is the only means to settle disputes and restore
the atmosphere of trust.
On Saturday, Bakoyannis stressed the importance of the Corfu meetings.
"In Corfu, we are trying to hold an open and sincere discussion on major
European security issues which cause our concern," she emphasized.

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