Vyacheslav Volodin, a member of the presidium of the pro-Kremlin United Russia party and the initiator of the agreement, said: "Russia, which has over 160 ethnic groups, must be a strong and open country. All of these groups must live in peace. That is the key to our strength."
The pact was also signed by Liberal Democratic Party, the Agrarian Party, the Party of Social Justice, Patriots of Russia, the Party of Peace, the United Industrial Party, Free Russia, the Socialist United Party, the Union of Right Forces, and the Democratic Party.
The agreement on the fight against nationalism, xenophobia and religious discord asserts that such activities are banned by law in Russia, but that they should also be condemned morally.
"A public and information vacuum should be formed around those who promote fascism, racism, nationalism and xenophobia," United Russia said in a statement.
