Russia to solve N Caucasus problems fast for normal development

PALO ALTO, California, June 24 (Itar-Tass) -- Russia has to solve
North Caucasus problems as soon as possible to secure its normal
development, President Dmitry Medvedev said at Stanford University.
"One of the main challenges in the development of the country is the
situation in the Caucasus," he said.
"Manifestations of extremism have been exacerbated by the
socio-economic situation in the North Caucasus. High unemployment, clans,
corruption - all this is conducive to destabilisation," Medvedev said.
"We must cope with these problems within the shortest time possible.
This is a critical condition for future normal development," he said.
Speaking of Georgia, Medvedev said relations between the two countries
would go back to normal but only when Georgia has a new leader.
He described the current relations between Russia and Georgia as
"dramatically bad".
"I would like them to go back to normal, and I am confident that they
will," the president said, recalling that Russians and Georgians "lived
together for centuries" and "in one state" for a certain period of time.
-0-zak/