Wednesday, 27 May 2015 02:51

MGIMO Middle East Week by IMESClub

An opening ceremony of the MGIMO Mid-East week took place 12 May 2015. The leading orientalists are taking part in the event.

The conference was opened by the Rector of MGIMO Anatoliy Torkunov. He declared that the Mid-East week was the first in the series of events devoted to the 200-year anniversary of Lazarev institute of oriental languages. As A. Torkunov has mentioned that there is no group of people untouched by the region’s issues - it attracts politicians, economists and businessmen as well. According to the Rector this part of the world is seeing the epoch of transformations now. The “Arab Spring” that started four years ago has not only created expectations for the positive change, but has also revealed a conflict potential of the region that has been accumulating for a long period. The conflicts that are happening in their turn increase the level of disintegration, which can lead to the deterioration of the international security problems and to the change of world trade and energy flows. The strengthening of the radical Islamist forces may have a negative impact on the situation in some Russian regions. A. Torkunov believes that a balanced approach should be maintained in the conditions of the growing instability on the Middle East and active involvement is required on several directions – Russia should contribute to the strengthening of the regional security and perform as a mediator in the regional conflict resolution.

Mr. Torkunov has also highlighted the importance of the anniversary events for Soviet and Russian orientalism – the experts have already been studying the Middle Eastern issues for several centuries.  The Rector mentioned a rich collection of Arabic books in the library of MGIMO university. Manuscripts of 13-15 century are already available on MGIMO portal in the electronic versions, and a book about MGIMO orientalism and editions left from Lazarev institute is to be published soon.

In his speech Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs has emphasized the importance of celebration of the 200 year anniversary of Lazarev institute for Russian diplomacy: “Already then we had a professional school of orientalism”.  Moreover, he has noted that the East in general and Middle East in particular always had an important place in Russian history. M. Bogdanov has noted a consistent and principal character of Russia’s policy on the Middle East. The sharp intrapolitical conflicts that emerged in the region during the last years have revealed this character of Russian policy. The representative of Ministry of Foreign Affairs has pointed out that Russia was always for the peaceful conflict resolution without the military means.

The event was attended by Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Iraqi republic S. Muhsin, the Ambassador of Egypt M. Al-Badri and the Ambassador of Syrian republic R.Haddad.

Many actual international issues were covered during the session and all the speakers have emphasized the importance of fruitful and close cooperation between Russia and regions of the Middle East. “Islam should not be set equal to the terrorism! It is a grave mistake” – declared the Egyptian Ambassador during his speech.

Moreover, the representative of the Council of Muftis of Russia was among the guest of the event and he has noted that religion has gained the same importance as such aspects of public life like business and politic.

In the conclusion the Deputy Chairman of the Council of the Association of Russian diplomats, Advisor to the Deputy Chairman of The Council of Federation of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation  A. Baklanov has stated that Russian School of arabists is recognized internationally and thanks to the efforts of MGIMO management team it still holds the leading positions in the scientific studies. Moreover, Baklanov has emphasized the importance of the Arab countries for Russia, both in economic and political spheres.

The Mid-East Week will last till 15 May. Round tables with the participation of the leading Russian experts-orientalists, Ambassadors and representatives of the diplomatic missions, and also presentations of books and film screenings are planned within the framework of the event. An opening of paintings and photo expositions took place in the atrium of the new building of MGIMO.

The Mid-East week is organized by IMESClub, MGIMO and the Institute of Oriental Studies of Russian Academy of Sciences with the support of MGIMO Foundation of development and MGIMO Alumni Association. Interprombbank was an official partner of the week.

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A round table “Sunni-Shia divide: the roots of the phenomenon and the ways to overcome it” on the situation in the Middle East took place at MGIMO-University (Moscow State Institute of International Relations) on the 14th of April. The leading experts (from MGIMO, Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, of the Institute of the General History of the Russian Academy of Sciences, of the Diplomatic Academy, Institute of International Relations and World Economy of the Russian Academy of Science, Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs representatives and from other political and scientific institutions were brought together. The eminent Russian diplomat Veniamin Popov, who leads the Center for Dialogues of Civilizations at the MGIMO-University and holds IMESClub membership, chaired the meeting.

The participants of the meeting have discussed the Shia-Sunni clash on the current historical moment, the origins of this clash in the historical perspective, the reasons of the regional conflicts. Yemeni, Syrian and Iraqi crises were in a special focus.

In the opening address to the audience Alexander Orlov, the director of the Center of international Studies of MGIMO, shared his thoughts over the current destabilization in the Middle East that he links with international crisis having brought the global system to the state of a deep imbalance. 

George Mirsky, famous Russian expert from IMEMO, has noted among other important issues an aspect, that there is a dangerous trend of simplification of all the processes in the region to the level of Saudi Arabia vs Iran clash, that is irrelevant for the understanding of the processes we witness now, as there are numerous inner processes that rather often form the core of the ongoing developments. 

Andrey Fedorchenko, the director of the Center of the Middle Eastern Studies, IMESClub member, has mentioned in his speech, that the tradition of compromises is not well developed in the Middle East, particularly in the religious field. Maria Dubovikova, President of IMESClub, has stressed that there is a dangerous trend of politicization of the religion and instrumentalisation of the existing discords, that is often used by the external and non-regional players as well serving their national interests they have in the region. All these trends, according to Ms. Dubovikova, lead to the extreme aggravation of the regional situation.

Nikolay Soukhov, researcher of the Institute of Oriental Studies, IMESClub member, has focused in his speech mostly on the Russia's role in the current discords and the role the Russia's expats and children from the mixed marriages can play as a factor of mediation and harmonization of the processes, and has also shared the observation, based on the Pew Research Center report over how Sunnis and Shia's percept each other, that the farer the country is situated from the Shiite concentrated region, the less positive attitude the Sunnis have towards the Shiites, even considering them as non-Muslims. And the nearer the country is to the Shia concentrated region, the more neutral attitude to Shiites is.

During their speeches the experts have noted taking into consideration the controversial interests of both regional and external players, the solution of the existing problems seems rather unlikely in the near future.

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