UNCLASSIFIED 26. In order to avert threats to national security the Russian Federation is focusing efforts on strengthening the internal unity of Russian society, ensuring social stability, interethnic accord, and religious tolerance, eliminating structural imbalances and modernizing the economy, and improving the country's defense capability. 27. With a view to protecting its national interests Russia is pursuing an open, rational, and pragmatic foreign policy ruling out costly confrontation (including a new arms race). 28. The Russian Federation builds its international relations on the principles of international law, the ensuring of states' reliable and equal security, peoples' mutual respect, and the preservation of the diversity of their cultures, traditions, and interests. Russia is interested in developing mutually advantageous and equal trade and economic cooperation with foreign states and is a responsible participant in the system of multilateral trade. The Russian Federation's objective is to acquire as many equal partners as possible in various parts of the world. 29. In the sphere of international security Russia remains committed to the utilization of primarily political and legal instruments and diplomatic and peacekeeping mechanisms. The utilization of military force to protect national interests is possible only if all adopted measures of a nonviolent nature have proved ineffective. III. National Interests and Strategic National Priorities 30. The long-term national strategic interests are: -- strengthening the country's defense, ensuring the inviolability of the Russian Federation's constitutional order, sovereignty, independence, and national and territorial integrity; -- strengthening national accord, political and social stability, developing democratic institutions, and refining the mechanisms for cooperation between the state and civil society; -- raising living standards, improving the population's health, and ensuring the country's stable demographic development; -- preserving and developing culture and traditional Russian spiritual and moral values; -- increasing the competitiveness of the national economy; -- consolidating the Russian Federation's status as a leading world power, whose actions are aimed at maintaining strategic stability and mutually beneficial partnerships in a polycentric world. 31. The national interests are ensured through the implementation of the following strategic national priorities: -- national defense; UNCLASSIFIED