Russia: According to Ahlul Bayt News Agency (ABNA), The Kremlin's chief domestic policy advisor Alexey Grishin has put his support behind plans to set up a higher Muslim coordinating council in Russia.

"This form will help deal with the Muslim community's most important problems on the basis of consensus, make joint statements and pass mufti's fatwas (edicts), and organize effective ties with the government," Grishin told the 4th congress of Tatarstan Muslims in Kazan on Saturday.

The idea was proposed by head of the Central Muslim Board of Russia Talgat Tajuddin who sees the council as a body co-chaired by the heads of three leading Muslim associations - the Central Muslim Board, the Council of Muftis and the Coordinating Council of North Caucasus Muslims.

The idea of setting up a council "with an equal representation of all Muslim boards has been backed by most of Russia's muftis and imams," Grishin said.

On the Muslim organizations' unity, he said, "our position on this issue has remained unchanged and we have always advocated unity between Russia's Muslims."

"But this process should be handled with great caution, as leaders of major Muslim organizations have said before, in order to avoid fresh conflicts and confrontation," he said.

Tatarstan President Mintimer Shaimiyev said this process refers in the first place to the Muslim boards of Tatarstan. Only then can the prospect of integrating the Tatarstan and Caucasus boards of muftis be considered, he said.

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