­No matter who was behind the attack that rocked Domodedovo Airport, this blast is as related to the long-running conflict between the Chechen Republic and the rest of Russia as a spark to a fire. This, certainly, is not so much a conflict between two ethnic groups, i.e. Russians and Chechens, as a territorial conflict between the unitary state of Russia and the area called Chechnya which, on the one hand, wants to be one’s own boss, but on the other, wants to enjoy the advantages of being part of a larger nation state.

A comparison with Palestinian terrorism is quite appropriate. In both cases, the immediate picture is that of an ethnic conflict – here, between the Palestinians and the Jews – heated up by religious issues. But the reason that lies deep down is different. It is all about the conflict between two concepts which cannot be reconciled: the concept of a Jewish nation state that has its supporters across Palestine, and the concept of a Palestinian state that has its supporters across Palestine just as well. And neither of the two parties is willing to give up on its idea.

Whenever tension like that develops anywhere, it produces fanaticism, and fanatics get controlled by cold-blooded and very practical minds. That is how a cruel, violent, and focused sort of terrorism evolves. As for why terrorism comes from the Chechen or Palestinian side rather than from the Russian or Jewish, it is yet another question. There is a whole mix of reasons for it: there are different cultural values (such as different value of a human life), different religious and ethical beliefs, and social and political reasons (terrorism is the choice of those who fight against their own country as opposed to fighting a state’s external enemies).

Russia and its authorities made a mistake when they allowed a territorial unit within the state to have a different law, Sharia Law. Russia allowed one particular clan to become the local authority there and to rule based on a bunch of “teip” (Chechen clan) concepts rather than on Russian federal law. Russia believed these concessions should be enough to put end to the terror threat coming from that region. But instead, this terror threat started spreading all over the Caucasus. There is no use burying one’s head in the sand – when bullets whistle in your ears there is no way to get away with it. Therefore this problem requires a solution worked out on the state level, on the systemic level.

Of course I have no reason whatsoever to eliminate any other possible explanations, but frankly, I cannot see any other power capable of running such terrorist campaigns facilitated by suicide bombers than the nationalist Islamic forces of the North Caucasus.

Ultra-leftists in our country have made it as far as blowing up monuments and staging mock explosions on railway tracks. Still, thank God, they have not taken up the idea of committing suicide for the sake of their ideals. And neither have Russia’s neo-Nazis. Whether or not that changes, we will wait and see, but that is how it is today. If we consider Spain, there you still might have a reason to waver as to whether it is all backed by Al-Qaeda, Basques, or Latin-American militants. In that country, there is some sort of competition between terrorist groups. That is something we do not have. At least not now.

No matter what you may think of it, Russia’s current government is neither daft nor foolish. It is aware of the problem and willing to address it. If my understanding of the reasons for appointing Aleskandr Khloponin to the post of Presidential Envoy to the North Caucasus is correct, he is the man to eradicate all the economic problems there which may be accountable for the fact that the young people of the North Caucasus decide to join terrorist groups.

The trouble is, though, with all due respect to Mr. Khloponin, that you cannot fight corruption in one particular area while the very top of the federal political elite is itself corrupt to the bone. You cannot cure the North Caucasus in a lab experiment unless you decontaminate the air in the whole clinic. You just cannot develop a totally corrupt way of running the country and yet hope that things may end up differently in the North Caucasus. Things will not be different. Things will be just the same as anywhere in the country, perhaps only somewhat harder and tougher, because of the higher poverty level. At the same time I am quite convinced that, should the country on the whole succeed in building some sort of a legal system, it will catch on in the Caucasus as well.

In order to improve the situation, the authorities must improve themselves. That is a pre-requisite for any further changes in the North Caucasus and to a lower terror alert. No one so far has succeeded in eliminating terrorism altogether, but many have been able to drive it to the minimal level.

­Aleksandr Arkhangelsky for RT

­The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RT.