The articlefocuses upon the key aspects of NATO-Russian interaction in the realm of EuroAatlantic security against the backdrop of current tense international situation. As the author argues, the recent events, notably the accession of Crimea into the Russian Federation and the situation in and around Ukraine have further deteriorated the relations of both sides, which sometimes resemble that of the cold war era. This leads to ever exacerbating military standoff and the rupture of almost all bilateral ties between NATO and Russia. In this context the author proposes the set of preliminary constructive steps which, hopefully, could alleviate the current tensions and lead to a renewed substantive dialogue of Russia and NATO partners over the issues of regional stability and security.

The paper is devoted to a topical subject of current political discussions, namely, the identity of Muslims living in the countries ofthe European Union (EU). Development ofinformation technologies significantly affects almost all spheres of life of every state and citizens living there. To benefit from new possibilities, an individual, as well as a religious community or civilization group should adapt their peculiarities and identities to the society of different moral and cultural values. Nowadays Western Europe is concerned about a complex of such tasks.. In spite of the fact that such countries as Great Britain, France and Germany are among the most stable on the planet, both in political and economic terms, the problems of identity disturb modern Europeans. These problems are further aggravated because of the ongoing flow of migrants, mostly Мuslims, who yearn to keep their originality and, especially, religious identity.

The current research analyses the structure of the political regime in the State of Israel. It demonstrates that existing Israeli democratic institutions do not control the state’s policymaking in full, and several politically important processes are controlled or at least influenced by various other politically active forces. While these forces can influence, stimulate, inhibit, and otherwise change governmental decisions andactions, they can be labeled as kratiae. The governability of the Israeli democracy is weak, other kratiae can intervene in policymaking and the state’s regime acts as democracy-dominated multicracy.

The article investigates prospects for the settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict. In the detailed consideration of the actual state of affairs, the author refers to the history, showing how certain decisions influenced the development of the situation. Special attention is paid to the US policy in the region. The chances of a peaceful settlement are also analyzed.

The article emphasizes some aspects of relations of Iran and six Arab countries of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC) established in 1981. The issue of Saudi-Iranian relations, which are facing persistent deterioration since Islamic Revolution in Iran in 1979, is examined in broad terms.

Nowadays these relations are witnessing the lowest level since diplomatic ties between two countries were severed in 2016. Consequently both states for a number of years had been involving into internal conflicts in Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Lebanon.

The article covers commercial, economic, political and other relations of Teheran with the rest of the GCC members and theirs perspectives. The author analyses the influence of sunni-shut factor on the policy of ruling elites in the region.

The article deals with analysis of the factors affecting the growth of terrorist threat to Russia from Central Asian and Afghan direction. The author of the paper defines and analyzes the following key factors. 1. Threat of return of Central Asian terrorist fighters from the Middle East and other conflict zones of the world. 2. Serious growth of instability in Afghanistan that provokes the threat of incursions of terrorists into the countries of Central Asia. 3. Critical connection of some external and internal threats to Central Asian security, which includes: state fragility, drug transportation from Afghanistan to Russia through the Northern Route, high corruption, demodernization of socio-economic sphere, serious interstate conflicts between Central Asian states themselves as well as between the key world powers involved into Central Asian affairs. 4. Serious potential of development of religious extremism in Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, as well as in some regions of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

After obtaining independence the republics of Central Asia faced with difficulties of regional security maintenance. The first threat to regional security comes from political instability in the Caucasus, the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China, Afghanistan, the Middle and Near East. The second dangerous factor is a terrorist activity in the Central Asia accompanied by growth of various offices and funds of Islamist orientation in the Central Asia. With these factors in mind, the author considers possible methods of combating terrorists in different countries of the Central Asia.

The First World War put a number of practical issues before the Russian diplomats. The first one was sending home Russian citizens stranded in foreign countries, and the second, helping numerous prisoners. Total 1.451.160offoreign prisoners of war was registered in Russia, and in enemy countries, 2.501.250Russians.

After the February Revolution, the scope of activities of Russian MFA foreign institutions expanded significantly. Diplomats were to ensure the repatriation of political refugees, among which dominated either monarchical or revolutionary sentiments. The Provisional Government has sought to drop on the Ministry, as much as possible, all the complex issues related to discrimination between desirable and non-desirable returnees.

After the October Revolution of 1917 under the Treaty of the Armistice between Russia and Bulgaria, Germany, Austria-Hungary and Turkey 2 (15) in December 1917 and the agreement between Russia and Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and Turkey from March 3, 1918, prisoners of both sides had to be exchanged and sent home.

The number of Russian prisoners of war by the middle of 1917 was 2.417.000. Until 1918 in Russia came from captivity 715.000 people with disabilities and 60.000 fled from the camps. At the beginning of 1918 in captivity were 1.642.000 (68 %). Except 190.000 died in captivity, 95.000 remained in Europe, 215.000 have returned to the Baltic States. Thus, 500.000 (21 %), Russian prisoners of war did not return to Russia.

Issues of humanitarian cooperation are still the focus of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Russia is making a worthy contribution to the work of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Organization for Migration, cooperates with the Council of Europe and the OSCE.

In 1919, the idea appeared to replace the British occupation forces in the Caucasus with the Italian ones. The article discusses the process of making a decision on the issue, the position of various British political and military leaders, as well as the impact of the political situation in Italy on the final decision concerning the transfer of the Italian troops to Caucasus. It was a dramatic change in the political life in Italy that has led to the cancellation of military campaign in the Caucasus and formation of the Italian occupation forces.

The article highlights the history of creation and transformation of the Lazarev Institute in the first half of the nineteenth century. It was founded in Moscow in 1815 thanks to the family of rich Armenian industrialists as a private institution and underwent a complex evolutionary path from school for children from poor Armenian families to the Institute, one of the recognized in Russia centers for learning oriental languages. A key role in the history of the Lazarev Institute played two factors: energetic cultural and educational activities of Lazarev family, as well as the interest of the government of the Russian Empire in preparation for the Caucasian administration of interpreters and officials with knowledge of oriental languages.